'Your equipment is ready for stage one, Dr. Sommers.'

"Thank you, Alice. Proceed please."

The experimental version of the equipment at Vatten was lined up on the benches around Diane's lab and she watched the monitors patiently as her sample was cryogenically frozen."

'Mr. Lewis is at the door, Doctor. Shall I admit him'"

Diane fluttered her fingers and said a resigned yes. She removed the crystallized particles carefully and transferred them to the vibrator belt. A moment later Hunter hopped down the stairs and greeted her.

"Hi, how did it go at Vatten?"

"They actually did a great job and we watched a successful demonstration. It's large enough to process many samples at a time with some more modifications."

"Any sense of what they might try?"

"No, but Horace tried to subtly get more information. I told him a long tale of how Howard presented our discovery to the rest of the HEEP scientists without giving him anything." She asked Alice to begin the vibrating stage. "He thought I was going to move in there right away with this part of the process."

Hunter leaned forward and whispered, "You think I could get a beer?"

'Will there be anything for you as well, Doctor Sommers?'

"Oh, jeez!" Hunter slapped his leg.

"A coffee would be nice, thank you, Alice." Diane laughed again at his discomfort.

"That is just too freaky." He watched the tray appear from the wall panel with the beverages.

"Alice is a magnificent help to me here, I don't understand why Dr. Frost left her here when he closed this lab."

'The vibration session is complete, Doctor.'

"Okay let's evaporate the water to our condenser chamber."

Hunter swallowed some beer and peered at the equipment. "Am I going to see this miracle of yours?"

"If I have done everything according to Howard's notes."

'Everything should work perfectly, Doctor Sommers. I made one minor adjustment.'

Diane's mouth fell open and she stared at Hunter. "You made an adjustment, Alice? How could you- how could you know?"

'I scanned your notes. Dr. Cusack was quite brilliant.'

"You scanned . . . how?"

'The evaporation is finished, Doctor.'

Diane sagged against the bench, one hand at her throat. She needed some air. Hunter backed away as she began shutting down the equipment manually and she heard him follow as she ran up the stairs and outside.

"Diane! Hold on, are you okay?"

"No I'm not okay! Did you hear her? She- it scanned my notes and made an adjustment!" Diane paced in circles. "That- whatever it is, could control everything I'm doing down there and who knows where it even is! I've got to speak to Frost."

She started down the street and Hunter caught up with her, grabbing her arm.

"Hey, Diane! Wait up, I have an autocab, I'll take you."

********

Dr. Frost sat, twirling his glasses by the stem as he listened to Diane's concerns. Her story added to his own and he regretted now reopening the lab that contained his creation.

"Winston, this Alice you created is frightening. It is intuitive for God's sake!"

"Diane I knew when I closed that lab down that my work had floundered into a field of AI and VR that I was not equipped to deal with. Alice began as a tool that could speed up the research and calculations of specific needs. I began to recognize she had evolved into a form of Virtual Reality Artificial General Intelligence. I considered approaching other scientists to assist in the developing and controlling of my work but there was too great a risk for abuse. I just locked the place down."

"Why would you open it again - and for me?"

"Your discovery excited me and I felt that perhaps Alice would be the tool I intended her to be . . . it was foolish, I know - I should have known."

"Strange though, Winston, I felt my ideas were clearer and the calculations came almost automatically. The progress was far faster than I imagined. It's her, isn't it? She actually read all my notes and made changes in those calculations!"

Winston took her hand and apologized for not warning her first about the possibilities.

"I honestly didn't think it could evolve on its own. I thought maybe- I'm sorry, Diane."

Diane expelled a long breath and looked at Winston. Without him, she wouldn't have come as far as she had, certainly not as quickly. The office was heavy with silence.

"Where is she in the lab anyway? She seems to be everywhere."

"She is. She's a neuronet with bioneuro detectors - a virtual environment." He paused and looked worried at the apparent conclusion. "I think, Diane that she has become cognitive. The entire lab, walls, ceiling, everything are all Alice. Once activated, the fidelity of the virtual environment creates a psychological state in which the individual, you in this case, perceives himself or herself as existing within the virtual environment."

"Are you saying the lab doesn't really exist?"

"No, no - it's there alright. All your equipment and samples and so forth. It's just that Alice is in your thoughts thinking and planning right along with you - sort of auxiliary brain."

"But the changes she made? And when Hunter came she seemed to be in his brain as well."

"It would apply to anyone on the premises. That's why I didn't activate the code when I was there."

"Can't you just deactivate her again? I'm so close, moving would set me back - I don't know how long."

"From what you have told me she could probably override the commands."

"Would that mean she could actually leave the lab somehow?

Winston knuckled beneath his nose and frowned. "It's feasible but it would require establishing a connection with the original site and that could become unreliable in certain situations."

"You mean some form of portable drive?"

"Similar. It's quite possible but as I said, not guaranteed."

"Tell me, Winston does she obey you? I mean really obey, no debating or ignoring?"

"She did in the beginning. I have no idea about now. Why?"

********

Back in his quarters Hunter obtained a drink and sat down heavily. He picked up the discarded arm band and fiddled with it a moment then put it back down. Arlen had made his decision, with a little nudge perhaps, he thought. The next little while would be very interesting.

********

Chesterton stepped out of his water massage and stood in front of the dryer. His shoulder was better after the hot water pummelling, but the bruise was still there. He thought about getting a droid of his own, Hargreave's seemed pretty efficient for an old model.

His balcony alarm light flashed and he shut off the drier and walked through his house to the living area, staying by the door and in the shadows. Nothing moved inside or out. He walked slowly to the balcony doors and slid one open, staying still and listening.

A breeze blew in the open door chilling his naked body and he slid the door shut and turned around.

"Hello, Mr. Chesterton."

"Jesus!" Chesterton jumped, cracked a shin on a chair leg and staggered around, limping and swearing.

"I'll get the lights."

A soft glow lit the room and Chesterton sat heavily onto a padded stool, rubbing his shin and glaring at the intruder.

"Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?"

"Arlen Downs Mr.- aah hell, I'll call you Mark it's easier. Your security sucks. A kid could get through it."

Goosebumps were rising on his arms and Chesterton started to get up.

"Uh, uh, Mark. Sit."

"I'm freezing, I just came out of the shower. I was going to get a robe."

"Just sit and listen." Arlen revealed all he had learned from Hunter and he watched Mark's face go from anger to doubt to guilt. "So assuming that's right, and I really believe it is, Mark, I think I should take the necessary steps to protect myself."

"What are you talking about?"

"Up." Mark stood uncertainly. "Outside." Arlen waved the weapon he was holding toward the balcony.

"Wait a minute. What do you think you're going to do? It's freezing out there."

Arlen made a point of increasing the charge on his gun. "Outside, Mark."

They stepped out into the dark of the balcony, Mark wrapping his arms around himself and Arlen zipping up his suit to the neck.

"It is chilly."

"Look, I don't know what you think--"

"That's right so let me show you." Before Mark could react, Arlen shoved him off balance into the rail around the balcony, grabbed his leg and tipped him up."

"NO! No, Wait! Don't."

Arlen leaned over and watched the flailing naked body hit the rocky hillside fifty or so feet below. He went back inside, took off his shoes and stepped in the shower water then walked back to the balcony and simulated some slip marks on the tile floor.

Horace would be interested in the loss of his partner.