Day of the Predator

CHAPTER 14

2001, New York

‘Now, she’s had all the biographical information about Edward Chan and details of the layout of the Texas Advanced Energy Research Institute uploaded. Isn’t that right?’

The support unit nodded as she lowered herself into the water beside Liam, wearing underwear that Maddy had self-consciously pulled out from beneath the sheets of her bunk and donated.

‘Affirmative. I have all the data required for this mission,’ the support unit replied sweetly.

Liam shook his head. ‘This is so weird. I mean… it’s great to have you back an’ all, Bob, but you’re a… you’re a…’ His glance flickered involuntarily for a moment towards the clone’s chest. He clasped his eyes shut. ‘Oh Jeez… you’re a girl, so you are!’

‘Recommendation: suggest this copy of my AI be given an appropriate unique identifier.’

Maddy, sitting on the top step and looking down at them in the water, nodded. ‘That’s right. You can’t go round calling her Bob.’

‘Additional information: although the AI in my computer is a direct duplication, I am now interfaced with a different organic brain, and during the operational lifespan of this organic support frame, different data will result in a different emergent AI.’

Liam looked up at Maddy. ‘What did she… it… Bob just say?’

‘That you should think of this support unit as someone brand new. As a different team member… because she’s going to develop a different personality. That’s right, isn’t it?’

The support unit nodded. ‘Affirmative. Consequently this AI should have its own identifying label.’

‘She needs a new name to avoid confusion with Bob,’ added Maddy, nodding towards the bank of monitors and computers on the desk. ‘Remember, Bob’s still in there.’ She grinned. ‘You’re best thinking of this support unit as… I dunno… his sister.’

Liam looked at the clone treading water beside him. She tried one of Bob’s reassuring horse smiles — just as clumsy and ill-fitting as her… brother. But, somehow, more appealing on her slim face.

‘Liam,’ she said softly, ‘please give me a name.’

‘Go on,’ said Maddy. ‘It’s your turn.’

He shook his head. ‘I… don’t know.’

‘OK, you think about it.’ She called across the archway to Sal. ‘What’s the countdown?’

‘Fifty seconds!’

She handed them a couple of sealed plastic bags. ‘Clothes for you in there. And a wig for her. Now, you’ll arrive at the institute just as a class of thirty children are being given a tour of the place. I’ve checked the floor plans and picked out what looks like an equipment storage room near to the institute’s main experimental chamber. That’s where we’ll send you. You can dry off and change in there, then join the school party.’

Liam nodded.

‘You’ll be there to observe how Edward Chan is assassinated, OK? Not to stop it… just watch. Then we’ll bring you back, you can tell us what happened, then we can work on what we need to do to prevent it happening. That’s the plan. Got it?’

‘Aye. And the return window?’

‘Is set for ten minutes after Edward Chan’s time of death. The usual failed-return protocols apply — if you miss that first window, we’ll open again an hour later… you know how it goes.’

‘An hour later, a day later, a week later.’

‘That’s it.’

‘Thirty seconds!’ called out Sal.

‘You OK, Liam?’ said Maddy softly.

He nodded, his teeth beginning to chatter with the cold.

‘Come back safely,’ she said affectionately, patting his hand holding the side of the tube. She got to her feet and clanked down the steps beside the tube.

‘Ten seconds!’

Liam turned to look at the support unit treading water beside him. ‘Hey… I’ve got a name for you.’

‘Insufficient time, Liam,’ she replied. ‘We have to go under the water now.’

Reluctantly he nodded, sucked in a big lungful of air, let go of the side and held his nose. The support unit gently rested a hand on top of his head and shoved him under with surprising force, then ducked beneath the water herself.