CaldwellandMeiLinwerejustthreeblocksawayfromtheNo.455MilitaryHospitalatNo.388HuaihaiRoad.TheyhadrushedtothePeaceHotelonTheBund,checkedinanddepositedtheirluggage.CaldwellhadspentalongtimelookingathisfaceinthebathroomwhileMeiLinmadesomephonecalls.Helookedmuchhealthiereventhoughhewastired.Helongedforthefamiliarityofcapsulememoryfoam.Someofthelinesonhisfaceweregoneandthebagsbelowhiseyeshaddiminishedtoshadows.Healmostlookednormal.HehadreturnedtotheroomtofindMeiLincheckingtheGlockstheyhadboughtfromtheobnoxiouskidMoziinZhongguancun.Thatwasthebeautyofdiplomaticbags.Youcouldbringpracticallyanythingyouwantedintothecountry,shortofanarmoredtank.
“Dowereallyneedthese?”Caldwellhadasked.
“Let’shopenot.Yet,ifyouareright,thisAIhastobestoppedatallcost.YouhackintothesystemandwetransmitthehacktoFouler.Thenit’suptohim.Youwouldhavefulfilledyourendofthebargainandyougetyourpastback.Hecandecidewhathewantstodoatthatpointandaggregatetheresourcestodoit,”MeiLinhadsaidlookingathimintensely.
“Sure.”
IntherecentexcitementCaldwellhadallbutforgottenaboutthat.Hewasveryclosetoregainingthatwhichhadbeenunfairlytakenawayfromhimandhewasn’tanywherenearcuttingFouleranyslackforwhathehaddonetohim.CaldwellthoughtaboutKat,allthewaybackthereinLondon.TheUnion,AngelandWaterlooBridgeseemedlikeadistantmemory.HewonderedwhatKatwasdoingatthismoment.ShehadprobablyspentmostofhertimeinGlyph’straileroverdosingonmovies.
Theywalkedpurposefullydowntree-linedHuaihaiRoad.Itwasclosetomidnight.Thedepartmentstoresandshopshadlongclosedandthedaytimecrowdshadthinnedtoatrickleofmostlyyoungpeopleheadinghomefromlatedinnersorkaraokeandnightowlsheadingoutforanightonthetown.
“BecarefulinthereCad.ThisisverylikelyarogueoutfitofthePLAwearedealingwithandthey’dprobablystopatnothingtoprotecttheirsecret,”MeiLinsaid,givinghimthatfunnylookagain.
“Yes.Youtoo.”
“So,what’stheplanofactiononcewegetinthere?”MeiLinasked.
“Wesomehowhavetofindthoseservers.Iamsurewe’llrecognizethemwhenweseethemunlesstheyhavesomekindofserverfarmmadeupofidenticalSunmachines.Giventhefactthatthisissotopsecret,itisverylikelythatifthereisabackupoftheAI,itislocatedontheotherserver.WeneedtosomehowgainoperatoraccesstothenetworkandrelaythattoFouler.”
“Youmakeitsoundsoeasy.”
“That’stheeasypart,relativelyspeaking.”
“Theparametershavechangedsomewhatsincewelasthadalongtalk,”MeiLinsaidseriously.
“Whatdoyoumeantheparametershavechanged?”
“IspoketoFoulerbrieflybackatthePeaceHotel.HewantstheAIcodeandtheprocessor.”
“What?”Caldwellcouldn’tbelievehisears.“YouwantustostealfromthePLA?”
“Well,hackingisstealinganywayandwewillbetrespassingonmilitarypropertywhichisjustasbad.Foulerreckonsthatifwearegoingin,webettergetourhandsonthetechnologyasasafeguard.IncaseanythinggoeswrongandtheAIisreleasedintocyberspace.”
“OK,ifwedomanagetogetourhandsonit,howdowespirittheprocessorandtheAIoutofthecountry?”
“Leavethattome,”MeiLinsaidwithawink.
Theywerealmostthere.TheycouldseethegatestoNo.388upahead.
“OK,wewalkpastcasuallyandtrytoseeifthereareanyPLAguardsonduty.MyguessistheplacewouldbecrawlingwithPLAbuttheywon’tbevisiblefromthestreet.There’saSouthern-stylemansiononthegroundsnotfarfromthehospitalbuildings.Weenterthepoundfrombehindthemansion.Thereisabackdoor,ifIremembertheplanfromthesearchcorrectly.Iwouldhavelikedtocasethejointinmoredetailbutwemayalreadybetoolate.”
CaldwellwasamazedathoweffortlesslyMeiLinwasabletoswitchfromcharmingyoungwomantosteely-resolvedprofessional.ShehadtimedthebombshellaboutstealingtheAI’sprocessoranditscodeperfectly,informinghimjustwhenhewassoclosethathecouldalmostseetheend.Shewasjustdoingherjob,hethought.Hejustwantedtogetoutofthepoundalive,tolivetoseeanotherdayandtohavehisfifteenminuteswithFoulerafterwards.Thefactthateitherofthemcouldbedeadinamatterofminuteswasnotlostonhim.HerecalledKat’swarning.He’sprobablygrantingyouyourdyingwish.
“Ihaveanotheridea,”MeiLinsaidlookingattheperimeterwallsurroundingthehospital.“Hopeyouarenotscaredofheights.”
“Notreally.Whatdoyouhaveinmind?”
“Itlooksquitedarkinthepound.Thereisnotalotoflightbeingemittedfrominside.IreckonwecangainaccesstothewallfromthatKTVbuildingovertherewithlesschanceofdetection.Theymaybemonitoringalltheentrancesfromtheinsidebuttheycan’tmonitoreverysectionofthewallandtheyareworkinginthedark.”
“Soundslikeaplan.”
MeiLindraggedCaldwellintothelobbyofanearbybuildingthatreadKTVingiantpurplecharacters.Asmallcrowdofstylishlydressedyoungpeoplesataroundonimpossible-lookingdesignerchairswaitingfortheirnumberstobecalled.Itappearedthatthekaraokewasfull.MeiLinwasleadinghimupthestairstothekaraokeroomswhenabow-tiedwaitertriedtostopthem.
“Thekaraokeisfullyouhavetotakeanumber,”thebow-tiedwaitershoutedafterthem.
“Wealreadyhavearoomasshole,”MeiLinsaidwithfeignedarroganceandcontinuedpullingCaldwellafterher.ThewaiterwasusedtosuchoutburstsofrudenessfromtheKTV’sdrunkenclienteleanddecidedtoletthematterrest.
Theywalkedupthecarpetedstairwaytothesecondfloorandcorridorsofsteel,designedandlightedtoresemblesomehigh-techfabricationunit.ThediscordantsoundsofpeoplewarblingoverloudmandarinandCantonesepopmusicsurroundedthem.Therewereafewsmartly-dressedpeopleinthecorridorstalkingonmobilephones.Asmallarmyofwaitershoveredaround,waitingfortheoccupantswithintheroomstoordermoredrinks,food,playingdiceorwhateverelsepeopleatkaraokefeltacravingfor.ThereseemedtobeadiscoontheflooraboveasCaldwellcouldhearheavybasspoundingthroughtheceiling.
MeiLinpulledCaldwellintotheladieswashroombeforehecouldprotest.Fashionably-dressedShanghaigirlsattendedtotheirmakeupinfrontofgiantmirrors,whileotherswashedtheirhandsoradjustedtheirminiskirts.BeforeCaldwellcouldaverthiseyeshecaughtsightofagirlsquattingdowninahalfopencubicledoingherbusiness.
“Whatthehell?”afemalevoiceprotestedbehindthem.
“Givemeabreak.Haven’thadashagintwelvemonths,”MeiLinrepliedasshedraggedCaldwellintoanemptycubicleandlockedthedoor.
“Waytogogirl,”anothervoiceencouraged.
MeiLinboltedthecubicledoorshutandopenedthetoiletwindow.Acoolbreezeblewintothecubicle,washingoverCaldwell’sface.Hepeeredoutofthewindow.Thewindowgaveouttothehospitalpound.Adilapidatedmansionstoodnearby.TherewerelightsoninthetopfloorwindowsandCaldwellthoughthesawheadsmovingabout.Aboutsixfeetbelowhecouldjustmakeoutthetopoftheperimeterwall.Caldwellcouldswearhesawaratwithahumanearattachedtoitsbackscurryalongthewallanddisappearintothedarkness.
“Howdidyouknowthatthiscubicleonthisflooroverlookedthepound?”Caldwellasked,impressed.
“Whenyou’vestakedoutasmanybuildingsasIhave,especiallyinhigh-riseHongKong,youdevelopaninstinctforbuildingplans.”
“Ifyousayso,”Caldwellconceded.
Thehospitalpoundwasdarkexceptforthelightsfromthemansionwindows.Therewasamuchbiggerclusterofbuildingsafewhundredmetersaway.Thetopfloorofthelargestofthemalsohadlightsonbuttheycouldbarelybemadeout.MeiLinfumbledinherrucksackforapairofbinoculars.Shetrainedthemonthehouse.
“There’sactivityinoneoftheupstairsrooms.UniformedPLA.TherearePLApatrolsinthegrounds.It’sdarkbutyoucanjustaboutmakethemout,maybeabouttwelveorso.Theirlevelofalertnesssuggeststheyareexpectingpany,”MeiLininformedhimmatter-of-factly.TherewasamotioninthewashroomasagroupofgirlsspeakingtheShanghaidialectcameingigglinghysterically.Caldwellcouldcatchonlyafewwordsandthatwasbecausethey’dobviouslyhadonedrinktoomanyandwerespeakingathighdecibel.
“Isthatgoodorbad?”heasked.
“Weshouldbeabletohandleit.Thereisablindspotbehindthehouse.Theyseemtobefocusingtheirattentionsontheareasaroundthegates.There’sabunchofmilitary4x4sinfrontofthehouse.I’dwagerthat’sweretheserversare,inthemansion.There’saheavysetoldermaninthere.”
“Themajor-general?”
“Couldwellbe.Oklet’sgo.Wait”
“What?”
“Theyareleaving.”
“Leaving?”
“Yes,someofthematleast.Takealook.”MeiLinhandedthebinocularsovertoCaldwellwhotrainedthemonthemansion.
“Yes,Iseethem.”Hehadthebinocularsaimedatthefrontofthemansion.Halfaminutelateragroupofabouttenmenwalkedoutthefrontdoor.Insteadofclimbingintothe4x4s,theymovedstraightpastthevehiclestowardsthemaingroupofhospitalbuildings.SomeofthePLAmenwerecarryingweapons.
“Theyarenotleaving.Theyareheadingtotheotherbuilding.”CaldwellkeptthebinocularsonthePLAmen.Hecouldseetheheavysetolderman.Hewassmokingacigarette,theglowingendofwhichwasdancinginthedarkness.Theauthorityofhiswalk,theelaboratemilitaryuniformwiththedecoratedepaulettesandthewaytheothermensurroundedhimsuggestedthatheprobablywasthemajor-generalthePLAontheplanehadbeentalkingabout.Major-generalWang.
Therewerefourmenwalkinginfrontofthemajor-generalbutCaldwellcouldn’tmakethemoutproperly.Twoofthemlookedliketheywerelimping.ThenthetightformationofthegroupdispersedalittleandCaldwellrealizedthatthreeofthemenwerenotwearingmilitaryuniformatall.Theywerebeingheld,orratherpushedalong,bytwouniformedPLA.Theywerewearingbusinesssuits.
“OhmyGod!”
“What?”
“TheJapanese.They’vebeencapturedbythePLA.Icanrecognizethosetwoanywhere.”CaldwellhandedthebinocularsbacktoMeiLin.
“Shit,theyaregoingtobekilled.Let’smove.”MeiLinsaid,placingthebinocularsinherrucksack.Sheslippedbackwardsthroughtheopenwindow,suspendedherbodyonthewindowsillandjumpedontotheperimeterwall,crouchinglikeacat.ShesignaledforCaldwelltofollow.Hewentthroughlegsfirst,usingthetoilet’sflushtankforsupport.CaldwellfeltMeiLin’shandsgrasphislegsandhelethimselffall,trustingher.Hewasontheperimeternexttoher.Shepausedandwaited.Therewasnothingbutsilence.Theyhadn’tbeenspotted.MeiLinstartedcrawlingalongtheperimetertowardsthebackofthemansion.
AfewminuteslatertheycouldalmostlookthroughtheupstairsFrenchwindowsofthemansion.TherewereacoupleofPLAintherewiththeirbackstothem,workingatputerterminals.MeiLinjumpeddownintotheundergrowthbehindthehouseandCaldwellfollowed.Thebackdoortothehousewaslocked.MeiLinfishedinherpocketandremovedalockpick.Shestartedpickingthelock.Secondslater,theywereinsidewhatlookedlikeadisusedstorageroomilluminatedbylightfromthefrontfoyer.MeiLinpeeredroundtheinnerdoorandsignaledthatallwasclear.Theyemergedintotheemptyfoyer.Abovethemanornatestaircasewithpeelingpaintworkcoiledupwards.
“Weneedtobequick.Thoseguyscouldbebackatanytime,”MeiLinwhispered.Theywalkedgingerlyupthestaircasetoacarpetedlanding.Thedoortotheroomtheyhadbeenlookingintowasopen.Caldwellcouldhearthewhirofputingequipment.Beforehecouldgatherhiswitsabouthim,MeiLinwasalreadyinside.Hepeeredintotheroom.ThereweretwoPLAintheroom.Oneofthemwassittingataterminal.Theotherwasstandingnearbywithhisbacktothem,hisheadpartiallycoveredbyavirtualrealitydisplay.MeiLinwasnowheretobeseen.CaldwellwasabouttoretreatwhenhesawthegoggledPLAsuddenlycollapse.TheotherPLA’sheadsnappedtowardsthenoisebutbeforehismouthcouldopenMeiLinhadalmostreachedhim.ThemanstartedtorisebutMeiLin’srighthandwasalreadyinmotion.Caldwellheardasnapandthemanslidtothefloor.
Caldwellmovedintotheroom.Totheright,onaworktop,satthetwoserversfromTsinghuaUniversity.Protectivefoamstillcoveredtheedgesoftheservers.CaldwellcheckedthescreenswhileMeiLinlookedaroundtheroom.Themonitorattachedtooneoftheserversread:TRANSFERPLETE.TheAIhadbeentransferredtothenetwork.CaldwellsatinfrontoftheserverswhileMeiLinperusedtheplasmamonitorssetinthewall.Hejumpedfromonekeyboardtothenextinanefforttosavetime.
“Thisisitallright.Thesemonitorsuphereshowthestatusofthenetwork,”MeiLinsaid.
“Yeah.TheAIseemstobegone.Justcheckingthelogsandtheotherserver.”
“Itsayspopulationis2011.AndthesedotsIamguessingarethepopulation.Bots?AIs?”MeiLinasked.
“AIsprobablybutwhyhave2011ofthem.Seemsabitlikeoverkilltome,”Caldwellsaidashepulleduptheserverslogs.MeiLincontinuedlookingatthemonitors.
“ButwhywouldAIshavevitalsigns?Heartbeats,bloodpressureetcetera?”
“Couldjustbethewaytheyhavebeenlabeled.”
“Idon’tthinkso.Ithinkthesearerealhumans.ThosepeoplewesawinthevirtualPudong,”MeiLinobserved.
“Whywouldtheybemonitoringvitalsigns?UnlessshitThat’swhytheychoseadisusedhospital,”Caldwellspeculated.
“Iamlistening.”
“Therearelightsoninoneofthemainhospitalbuildings.Ibettherearerealsubjectsinthere.Humans,people,wiredtothenetworkindefinitely.That’swherethatgroupofPLAhavetakentheYakuza.”
Caldwellcouldn’tbelievewhathewassayingbutthebeautyoftheplanmadeperfectsense.HowbettertotesttheAIthantopititagainstrealhumans?Realpeople,experts,whowererunningreal-timesimulationsinthisvirtualeconomyandcouldreacttoanyattemptsatcontrolinthesamewayhumanswould.They’dhavetobejackedinfulltimeforthetesttoberealistic.Theywereprobablyinthathospital,attachedtointravenousdrips,spendingweeksifnotmonthsonline.Butthey’dhavetobebiologicallyconnected,abiointerfaceofsomekindorsomethingthatinputtedstraightintotheretina,interfacingdirectlywiththebrain.They’dbeseeingwhattheputersawandreactingasthoughtheywerepartofthenetwork.Humaninputsystems.
“There’ssomeoneing,”MeiLinhissed.
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