Post-Human Trilogy

behind them toward the southern complex. “We’re making good time,” the A.I. announced to them.

“We had better be. The southern complex is the only other complex with any survivors. Less than a hundred people made it there. If we don’t make it, they will be the only people left on Earth,” replied the general.

“We’ll make it,” the A.I. said in his most reassuring tone.

“How much farther is it?” the general asked Lieutenant Patrick.

“According to the map, it’s less than a kilometer from here.”

“Then we are going to make it,” replied the A.I. “Radio ahead and make sure they are ready to receive us.”

“Already done,” confirmed Lieutenant Patrick.

“Good. Good.”

“Are we ready?” Old-timer called to Rich and Thel. They both waved in confirmation. “Are you ready?” Old- timer asked Alejandra.

“Yes, Craig.”

“Then hold on tight,” he said to her as she wrapped her arms around him.

Old-timer, Thel, and Rich engaged their magnetic fields and extended them over the three buses that they had filled with the sick and injured. They lifted off and exited the now empty complex and quickly began to fly over the multitudes of people who were moving quickly south. To Alejandra, it looked like a twisted marathon was being run—or a death march.

James, Djanet, General Wong, and Lieutenant Patrick were just reaching the southern complex as Old-timer and the others reached them.

“Craig,” Alejandra began suddenly with alarm, “something is terribly wrong.”

“What is it?” Old-timer asked.

“I don’t know, but there is betrayal—deception.”

Old-timer and the others set down on the ground near the doors of the complex, which was being opened by the Purists inside. Once on the ground, Alejandra immediately let Old-timer go and ran toward the general.

“General!” she called to him before she grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.

“What is it?” asked the general, startled.

“There’s something wrong. There is enormous deception around you.”

“Deception? Are you sure?” the general asked.

“Yes. I felt it as soon as I saw you.”

“I’m being deceived, but by whom?”

As soon as the general asked the question, Alejandra fixed her eyes on the A.I. “By him,” she said, pointing.

The A.I. was astonished that a human could have detected him so quickly. “You have an empath,” he realized.

“You! What have you done?” the general demanded.

“James?” Old-timer asked as he came upon the scene. “What’s going on?”

“You have tricked us! That is what is going on!” the general shouted.

“No, General. It’s not all of them. It’s just him,” Alejandra informed.

“That’s impossible,” Thel shot back as she rushed towards James. The A.I. gestured to keep Thel from coming closer.

“That’s right. I deceived you, and now I shall finish what I started and rid myself of your disgusting flesh once and for all.”

“James?” whispered Thel, bewildered.

“The A.I.,” Rich said, his teeth suddenly bared in rage.

“Where’s James?” Thel demanded.

“He’s dead, just as the rest of you will soon be,” the A.I. replied.

“Oh dear God,” the general whispered as he saw the black, spidery cloud of nans quickly appear on the horizon. “We have to get these people into the complex immediately!”

“I don’t think so,” the A.I. responded before using his magnetic energy to attract the general’s gun to his hand and using his force field to scoop Alejandra into his grasp. He moved so quickly that no one could stop him. In one swift motion, he had an arm around Alejandra’s throat, immobilizing her, and the gun pressed against her temple. “If anyone moves, I kill her.”

16

Katherine screamed out in agony.

“No!” James screamed out with her as he leapt up onto the cross and threw his arms around her shoulders. “Katherine, I’m here,” he cried to her as the life rapidly drained from her.

Katherine slumped forward into his torso, barely alive. “James…” she whispered.

“I love you, Katherine. I’m so, so sorry,” he said before he kissed her one last time.

“I’m sorry too,” she whispered. She lifted her eyes to James ever so briefly before the rest of her color left her, and she lost consciousness. James knew she would never wake again.

“Katherine? Kath—”

“She’s quite dead, James,” the A.I. asserted.

“Why are you doing this to me? Why are you taking her from me again?” James sobbed through wet gasps.

“I told you, James. I’m trying to show you a better way. Besides, haven’t I freed you now for Thel? I’ve done you a favor.”

“I hate you. I hate you. I wasn’t in love with her anymore, but I didn’t want her to die. I wanted her to be happy.”

“Oh. Well, too late, I suppose. My, what a mess we’ve made,” the A.I. commented as he stepped clear of the buckets of blood that were on the ground. Katherine was no longer breathing.

“Just kill me,” said James, distraught.

“What fun would that be, James?” the A.I. responded.

James kissed his wife’s forehead and lowered himself off of the cross. “You could kill me at any moment. I’m defenseless, yet you let me live.”

“You intrigue me,” the A.I. replied.

“No,” James responded. “No, that’s not your M.O. You are too arrogant to be intrigued by anything outside of yourself. You’re keeping me alive for a reason.”

The A.I.’s smile disappeared. “This is faster than the model predicted.”

“My God! You had this planned all along!”

“You put it together, but it won’t do you any good.”

“I’m not special. I’m just your tool. You had the scan of my brain and could predict what I would do.”

“Indeed,” the A.I. replied, his amused demeanor now replaced with icy calculation.

“You caused the power surge on Venus. You wanted us to be disconnected. You needed to preserve us so we would come back to Earth. You pretended you wanted to kill us, but you knew I’d lead the team’s escape and then head to Purist territory.”

“They were the only humans I couldn’t guarantee would die. Your species are like roaches. I fumigated but could not be sure I would get them all. But you, James…you could lead them out into the open.”

“That’s why you need me alive. You’ve used Death’s Counterfeit to send yourself into my body. You can’t kill me here because you need my body alive in the real world.”

“That’s right, James. I need you alive. But don’t worry. I don’t need you alive much longer. You and the rest of your species will be gone soon, and I’ll deactivate you and file you away along with the rest of the human race,” replied the A.I., his voice now like a blast of Freon.

James wiped the tears from his eyes and defiantly stepped toward the A.I., seemingly confusing the electric