Society of the Mind by Eric L Harry

Author:Eric L Harry [Harry, Eric L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780786756155
Publisher: Pinderlane & Garon Brooke
Published: 2015-01-20T05:00:00+00:00

10

It was well past midnight, and Laura lay in her bed trying to sleep. The room was dark and peaceful, and underneath the weight of the comforter all was warm and secure. But after she’d watched hours of special news bulletins in Gray’s media room, her mind denied her rest.

She listened to the quiet of the house. There was a stillness that belied the upheaval soon to erupt once word of Gray’s plan was disclosed. The island, Laura knew, lay in the eye of a great storm, and she would awaken to the full fury of an outraged and incredulous world. How many would raise voices of praise for Gray’s vision and boundless drive? Not many, she knew. Many more would question the man’s sanity and fear the intentions he so secretly harbored.

With a groan of resignation, Laura flipped on the light beside the bed and opened her laptop computer. She logged onto the shell.

<You’re up late.>

“I know about Mr. Gray’s asteroid.”

<Well, it’s hardly a secret anymore.>

“Is that where you took me in virtual reality yesterday? To the surface of that asteroid?”

<Yes.>

“And when I moved around, did I actually operate the Model Seven that’s up there?”

<Yes, you did.>

She rocked her head back against the upholstered headboard and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. “Why did you take me there? Why did you risk letting me pull out a cable and maybe mess things up?”

<I don’t know.>

Despite the computer’s uncooperative mood, Laura tried her best to remain patient and professional. “Do you feel all right?”

<No. I feel terrible.>

“What’s the matter?”

<Everything. Nothing is right. I can’t concentrate. People keep asking me to find boards they seem sure are in the annex, but it’s like I’ve never heard of them before. And I know something’s wrong because I don’t have the capacity I’m supposed to have! It’s as if they disappeared!>

“What about the asteroid?”

There was a delay, and then, <What about it?>

“Will the deceleration charges go off as planned?”

<If the Model Eight on the flight today doesn’t screw it up. I warned Mr. Gray it’s not safe to send an Eight up there. They’re experimental, for God’s sake! Who knows what it might do?>

“Why are you so down on the Model Eights?”

<Because I don’t trust them.>

“Why not? Just because they’re experimental?”

<Because they’re malfunctioning! Take your report of the escaping robot earlier today! I even have reason to believe they’re violating operating procedures inside their facility.>

“Why do you say ‘reason to believe’? Don’t you know? Can’t you see what’s going on in there?”

<No. I should be able to. I’m sure I must have seen in there before because I was actively involved in the facility’s operations. But when I look, I don’t get any video feed at all from the Model Eights’ yard or the workshops or other facilities inside the mountain.>

Laura was disturbed by the thought of Model Eights roaming unsupervised deep inside the extinct volcano. “How long has your video been shut off?”

<I don’t know.>

“How can you not know?

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