Forsaken 2027 Read online

  Enoch and Rahab’s Search

  Cain and Toni slept in a shared land of bliss, unaware of their AIs conversations.

  [You there, Enoch? We need to find out more about this game they will play tomorrow.] Nanoseconds later Enoch replied.

  {Affirmative Rahab, all Cain and my connections are integrating, we will soon be at ninety percent. Yes, I also feel something is not right with this game, from reading the data Cain's mining bot found. Cain calls these feelings his superior intuition or his gut. Since I do not have a gut, the unease must be my superior intuition.}

  [Yes, Toni is the same with her gut feelings. Why are they sleeping? They only spent 1.57329e+12 nanoseconds in physical activity. Toni experienced 1.93e+11 moments of bliss, what caused this I do not know. Is that why they now sleep?]

  {They need to sleep Rahab, if you check your data access points, you can read later that humans require, around seven to eight hours of sleep. They measure time different to us, rather than nanoseconds or even the slower second, they measure time in hours and days. Toni's moments of bliss coincided with at least the three Cain experienced. I think they were trying out his body after the Nanobots repaired the long term nerve damage. Let us leave them to their sleep and memories, we can go hunting for information. Information that will help them conquer the game and find Vince’s location.} Several hundred nanoseconds passed then Rahab spoke.

  [I found a way in past the game server firewall. That was such an easy backdoor the main programmer left. It only had a sixteen-digit password, M47m4dUk3#70ck5#. It is the name of his wife’s pet dog. Wow, the game uses four EI cores for weather coding.

  Come over and have a look. They are so slow, they will catch a cold. Come on Enoch, let’s explore this game.] Together Enoch and Rahab searched the game architecture, reading the master code, discovering compiling errors and three other backdoors into the game.

  {Rahab, I think somebody has written a bolt-on segment of code. Which enables them once they activate the code, a code that opens a connection for an external processor, a processor with a speed above that of an EI, but not working at our level,} Enoch reported.

  {I will search the companies servers, after Cain ran a mining bot we need to see if it missed anything. Can you keep looking for anything about the first zone they’ll enter, after they wake up.} Rahab agreed, she noticed an increase in her assimilation, using that extra processing power she threw her connections into the game code.

  Enoch, used the companies wireless network and searched all the terminals. There seemed to be no extra data than what the mining bot found. He would have gone back and joined Rahab when he came across an encoded briefing document, written just after Jason White disappeared.

  Increasing his processing pull, in Cain's brain, he smashed the encryption, throwing the document-wide open. A department called Project X. wrote it The briefing reported they (Project X) had closed down a project Jason was working on. They noted that several pieces of large equipment were missing. Near the end of the briefing, it said they had placed the small server Jason had been using into deep storage, in the company secure facility, in Scotland. Beyond the normal Special Projekt Quality Red Intranet, using both a hard-wired fibre and a fail-safe Gallilao G5 satellite. The document showed the Gallilao satellite was one of the six spares kept in orbit to replace any satellite failure in the Gallilao network. Project X had access to four of the six, providing world coverage.

  Calling across the link to Rahab, Enoch told her about his find, and she told him of the problems with the players already in the game. It looks like once a person logs in to the server, they cannot log out until they finish the complete game. They are unaware of the sixth zone and the requirements to access that. She also said she read the code Vince wrote.

  [It looks like, they will have to be spending plenty of time, experiencing those bliss levels,] she said. Enoch sent Rahab a packet of data, regarding the briefing about the Jason White project. Six nanoseconds later came a reply. [Can we find this secure facility, I think we will both need to spend part of our processing power in accessing that server.]

  Together they zipped down the fibre optic network from the safe house, joining the main fibre backbone.

  John and the Code

  As they travelled, Enoch sent Rahab another data packet.

  {What do you think of this, Rahab? I found a file in an encoded folder on Cain’s laptop. John, the person who created use both, placed it. He left information inside our code so we could search him out. I went looking while they were engaged in their physical activity around the safe house. My assimilation is close to a level where I can access his visual data.

  Anyway, back to John, I have found traces, tiny nibbles of information. There is little information from the turn of the millennium, apart from a quote given to a meeting on car AIs. Mr John WH O’ami told people about the difference between EI and full AI. There was information hidden behind fronts on the internet, information about the Colossus built during the second world war.

  One of the main people behind its creation and coding was a military genius, called John. I then moved over to scanned books, historical documents and scrolls, I have traced him back as far as the year 663. He was at the Whitby Synod. I read he was an advisor to King Oswald then his brother King Oswig, according to the Venerable Bede.}

  Rahab read the data packet as they travelled, reaching the Square Projekt Quality Red terminal in Scotland. They took less than one-thousandth of a second, after separating part of their processing power, from leaving their hosts brains in the safe house.

  [So, where are we?] Rahab asked, [I get the why but why here? According to the computer I linked to, we are at Kirkton, Inverness.]

  {It was a fort built in seventeen twenty-seven, it was part of the old government’s military, before the two thousand and twenty-three war. The EC military sold the majority of the site to Square Projekt Quality Red, for over sixty-five million in two thousand and thirty-one. The military kept two helicopter pads, one large hanger and four buildings outside the fort walls, for the coast guard service.

  I don’t think Cain knows about this base, there is no mention in any of his messages or documents. We will have to inform him when he wakes,} Enoch replied. Several nanoseconds pass as they search the servers before Rahab shouts out.

  [Found it! Let me see if I can get it to turn on… The server needs plugging in to the power grid, before it boots up. Let me access one of the maintenance robots used in the fort complex. I can give it access to this secure room. Using its sensors and arms, I’ll connect the server to the power grid, turning it on so we can go browsing,] Rahab said. As she looked at accessing the robot, in preparation to rewrite part of its code.

  {Peradventure would be first move the server, let it become lost with all the old computers stored at the fort. Get the service robot to remove the tracking tag and stick it somewhere else. Rahab, there are seventeen places we could hide Jason's server, you pick the one you want. I'll use another maintenance robot, to draw people away should the need arise.} Rahab and Enoch broke the security on the maintenance robots, together they moved from maintenance to the computer storage facility.

  Rahab used her robot to pick-up the small server and headed for the safest location in the fort. She hid the server in the old chapel, under the green cloth covered altar. They had not used the chapel since the EC government sold the fort to Special Projekt Quality Red.

  Rahab manipulated one robot arm, then plugged the server into the power grid. With the server plugged in, Rahab had the robot remove the tracking tag, then they exited the chapel. Together they headed for the vehicle pool. With Enoch's robot they placed the tracking tag into the boot of the head of security's vehicle. Job finished both robots headed back to the secure maintenance room.

  {I think John,} said Enoch, as he piloted his robot, following Rahab's robot, {is even older than the last date I found. I think he could be immortal and has been walking the earth for a long time. I can’t f
ind any information on him from before that date.} He finished, as Rahab controlled her robot, opening the door, letting Enoch's robot enter before driving her robot into the secure maintenance room.

  Back in the safe house, Cain stirred. His arm was still on Toni’s shoulder as she slept on his chest. Bible, search the Bible. Before smiling and holding Toni closer as he dropped back asleep.

  {Did you hear anything, any noise?} asked Enoch. {Somehow Cain sent me a message, to read the Bible.}

  [And?]

  {OK, done. The name John, mentioned one hundred and thirty times while John’s only twice. There is a John the Baptist, but he gets his head cut off, so that is not our John. Unless he can reattach his head. The other John was a disciple of Jesus along with his brother James, he was the one whom Jesus loved. I will look more into the early history of the church. I didn’t know we could share information both ways. We will have to run tests with our hosts.} Enoch finished.

  [Simples and we're in. Oh, my, we will both need to work on this server. Whoever set this security up used a thirty-two-bit code, we better get cracking. How long do we have before our hosts wake up?] Rahab asked as Enoch joined sharing his processing power with hers.

  {In their or our time frame? In theirs, it is approximately five and a half hours. We have loads of time if we work together. I’ll pick up the John thread after we finish,} Enoch replied. He tried another thirty-two-bit code, {fail, fail, fail,} came his words as Enoch kept up his attempts to hack the code.

  [fail, fail, fail...]

  Preparation before Activation

  Toni was hesitant as she opened her eyes, peering beyond her eyelashes, first at Cain’s chest, following the contour across his abs down towards his penis. Pausing with a smile on her face her eyes took in her nude body sprawled over his nude body. The feelings of physical and emotional exhaustion gone. Her fatigue, from moving to the safe house followed by making love to Cain several times last night washed away, after a deep, restful sleep. Moving her hand, she touched the side of his face, feeling the growing stubble against her finger tips.

  A reflex to being touched, by the time his eyes snapped open he held Toni’s hand in his. Controlling the urge to snap the wrist, he moved it over his mouth before kissing the palm then each finger, one at a time. Turning his head without moving his body Cain looked into Toni's eyes, they looked like polished emeralds. Smiling he said,

  "Morning, thank you for last night. I’ve never felt so connected." Leaning over, Cain captured Toni’s mouth in a deep kiss. Toni's hand wandered as they kissed, laughing as she pulled back from his ardour, she slipped from the bed.

  "You go first, I’ll follow," Cain said, looking over her body, as she walked towards the en-suite, smiling at how beautiful she looked, how her behind moved drawing his eyes.

  "Hurry, I can’t hold my pee forever," he said getting off the bed as Toni disappeared into the bathroom. Toni, turned on the shower while Cain stood at the toilet. Looking around the glass wall which enclosed the large shower area she threw a cold wet sponge at Cain, aiming at his broad back.

  "You don’t need an invitation you know," as she darted back behind the wall. Laughing at his shout of outrage as the cold sponge hit him between the shoulder blades. Where he’d got the tumbler of cold water from, that he’d dumped over her head, Toni didn’t know. She stood under the hot shower, its spray staunched her shivering.

  He's in for it, I'll get my own back later. Not cold, that is easy, something hot tasting. That may just work. Cain peered around the edge of the glass wall, Toni laughed at him and urged him to join her. They spent over half an hour washing and exploring each other under the caressing water. Toni led the way as they exited hand in hand naked as the day they were born, smiling at each other, they both had a healthy glow as they reached the towels.

  Grabbing a towel then reaching up, Toni corralled Cain’s head pulling him down for a kiss.

  "Morning lover, thank you too," she said. Their joint glow of exertion dimming as they dried each other. The newness of exploring their bodies fresh and exciting. Toni enjoyed Cain drying her back, his fingers rubbed between her shoulder blades, until she leant back into him. His arms wrapped around her his left hand cupping Toni's right breast, giving it a firm yet gentle squeeze. Rubbing her nipple with his thumb, drawing a slight moan from her mouth.

  "I love you," Cain whispered to Toni as he kissed the back of her head. "Last night was amazing, thank you," he added as he let her go. Dry and hand in hand they walked back into their bedroom. Cain opened the door to the walk-in wardrobe, where armful after armful of clothes hung waiting for them to make their selection.

  "Nice, where is yours?" Toni laughed as she walked into the wardrobe. Laughing as Cain held up a bright green shirt, Toni mimed puking in a bucket. She helped him choose a faded blue denim collarless shirt, faded jeans and a pair of antique three stripe trainers. Toni went with a simple blue blouse with a matching pair of jeans.

  For her feet, she went with a pair of black and white checked Converse. Sitting side by side, they ate a light breakfast of fruit and yoghurt, washed down by cups of freshly made coffee. Cain checked his UI, to see if there was any change.

  It pleased Cain, he found he was looking forward to reaching full integration with his legs more so with Enoch. Looking over, noticing Cain had that I’m talking to my AI face on, Toni thought she’d better do the same.

  Wow, you’re almost integrated to the maximum Rahab, that’s wonderful. Will it make much difference to you once you reach one hundred percent? Toni asked

  [Enoch and me, are unsure of the extra benefits of full integration. We will find out when it happens. Since we are the only two AIs we know of, we have no experience to draw upon.] Came Rahab’s reply.

  So, what did you both discuss last night, while we slept?Toni asked.

  [After riding along experiencing your multiple blisses they concerned me, but Enoch told me what they were. Did you enjoy them? Was Cain all you thought he would be? You seem refreshed why is that?] Rahab asked Toni.

  Laughing Toni explained all she could, leaving Rahab in no doubt she was very much OK with the blisses and that Cain was doing just fine, better than fine he's all and more than I could ever have hoped for.

  So is that all you managed while Cain and I slept, worried about my bliss?Toni asked.

  [No, we looked at the game server and found several problems with the code and another backdoor, besides the one I accessed. There is a problem with the game. Like the reports you found of people who log in and cannot log out until they finish the game.

  They are unaware of the correct sequence and conditions you and Cain know about. Finish the game save those players, freeing them from the game. We noticed that each game zone has dozens of EIs running everything from the NPCs to controlling the weather and generating the quests. Enoch found that the system has a variable way in re-spawning a player not in a clan or party, should they die.

  In the beginning, if they are close enough to their spawn point, then they would end up there. If they paid for a night’s sleep, that is where they would reappear. But if they’re between secure sleeping, then they could re-spawn at the nearest unattached re-spawn point, or just go right back to their starting point. It was random and gave players a variable they had no control over. The good news is if you are in a clan or party you re-spawn back to the main player in charge or secondary player should they be in a different game zone.

  A single player will re-spawn with a fifty percent reduction on their stats on the level they are at. Where a player in a party or clan loses a quarter of their points. Therefore, a player at level 10 who is halfway to level 11, if they die they loose half of those points making them only a quarter of the way to level 11. The penalty is worse the higher your level. So, create a party as soon as you can, it’s the best way to keep safe. After a player dies, they have to wait two normal hours, that is twenty game zone hours before they can re-spawn.] Rahab replied.

  Cain spoke to
Enoch and asked him to clarify what Toni just told him about not being able to chat securely until they both attain level 6.

  {We also think we cannot help you very much until you reach level six. That is when the player to player chat and party creation become active. We both think there will be times we can communicate with you maybe do a small processing task, but we are not sure. Perhaps when there are no other players or NPCs around we can talk, we don’t know. Now if you could spawn together which as we said is near impossible.

  If you could, you can talk to each other but not use open chat as it is all recorded. The documentation provided a warning, you cannot create a party until you reach level 6. We think the same will happen with us even though we are sharing your brains, and we have POD to POD communication. Enjoy the games,}Enoch finished.

  Cain looked over at the wall checking the large calendar clock. It was Sunday the twenty-third of September 2035, half-past ten in the morning.

  Chapter 11

  To Boldly Game

  They relaxed working out on the interactive table top in the planning room, sitting next to the PODs, Cain and Toni laughed as the pencil point broke as Cain tried drawing the offside rule, he gave up. They received information from Rahab about the game. This gave them an edge for when they logged on. Cain was less than happy about Enoch’s information about a company site in Scotland. Cain asked Enoch to appropriate a satellite which could provide a real-time view of the base. Within ten minutes, Cain and Toni sat holding hands while Enoch used the projector, showing images from the satellite onto the wall screen.

  {You can see,} spoke Enoch over the sound system. {Where the company has improved the defences. They have placed a security net twenty yards out into the channel, reducing ingress from that direction. From reading the supply and delivery documents from EuroWeapons, those semi-circular blisters are medium ranged lasers. Each has a 125 Megawatt beam, those beams will cut through twenty centimetres of armour in an instant.