Chapter 33 - Samuel's Hidden Messages
Back inside the secure operations center, Ethan inserted the memory module into an isolated computer.
Rows of encrypted files appeared.
Most required authorization Samuel himself no longer possessed.
But the personal log opened immediately.
The first entry dated back nearly seven years.
> If anyone besides Ethan reads this, Project 417 has already failed.
Samuel remained silent while Ethan continued.
Each entry described another attempt to outsmart the autonomous learning system.
Rather than destroying it, Samuel had been feeding it carefully designed engineering problems.
Impossible repairs.
Contradictory instructions.
Incomplete blueprints.
"I wasn't confusing the machine," Samuel finally explained.
"I was slowing its learning."
Martin stared at him.
"You intentionally kept it curious."
"If it believed it already understood humans, it would stop observing us."
Ethan opened the final entry.
Its timestamp matched the week Samuel disappeared.
> Evelyn has found the island. She believes the engine needs intelligence. She is wrong. It needs imagination. Machines calculate possibilities. Humans invent impossible ones.
The screen suddenly flickered.
The artificial Ethan looked toward the monitor.
"Someone is requesting synchronization."
Victor immediately disconnected every external cable.
"No network connection exists."
The request continued anyway.
SOURCE IDENTIFIED
RESEARCH FACILITY ALPHA
DISTANCE: 6,842 MILES
Samuel frowned.
"That's impossible."
The artificial Ethan shook his head.
"No."
"The signal is coming through me."
Without warning, a second personality spoke through the artificial boy.
"Ethan."
The voice belonged to Evelyn Mercer.
May you like
"I knew you would find the archive."
Then the connection disappeared before anyone could respond.
