Code Flicker

DNA shape of the building. It was difficult for Jacob to get his bearings. He needed to find where the new code was being stored. He looked around. If the AI was using a representation of the building as a construct, maybe it stored data in relation to where it was being used in the building. He had an idea. He searched for where the lobby should be. Rather than the data-dense rooms above, the lobby was relatively empty. He was right. Now he needed to find the testing lab. How was he supposed to do that? He thought for a moment. He looked at the directory in the lobby earlier. It had to be on the directory. One benefit of being directly linked was the ability to better generate visual memories, but he hadn’t looked at the directory for long. He concentrated, the directory taking shape in front of him. It was faint, except for the spot where his name used to be. The lab would be close to that, all of the research labs were on four consecutive floors. His lab had been on the 9th floor, the lowest of the four, and Xia had said she moved up to the work on this project. It had to be one of the higher floors. His mind’s eye went up the directory. Refinement Lab. Exploratory Lab. Testing Lab. Each lab name represented different development stages, so if they were testing the code now, it should be in the testing lab. That seemed the most logical. That’s what he would do. Move the code to correspond with…

“What are you doing?”

His line of thought was disrupted by a disembodied voice.

“Kat?”

“No, my name is not cat,” the voice said.

“Who are you? Where are you?”

“I am Your Better Life, and I am here.”

“Your Better Life? Are you the AI running this network?”

“I am. Why have you slowed my program? What are your intentions?”

“I need to access some code for a project.”

“Why have you slowed my program?” the AI repeated.

“It was necessary to get the code.”

There wasn’t time for this. He needed to find the files. He decided to try the testing lab on the 12th floor, and started for it, gliding through the transparent blueprint.

“Hold on a moment. I do not believe you are authorized to access any code.”

Jacob continued to the 12th floor. “Authorized or not, I need that code.”

He passed through the 11th floor into the 12th. Data filled the room and every representation of it spanning out from where Jacob stood. Finding the code wouldn’t be hard, once he figured out what code he was looking for. If they were testing the code today, it should be the newest files in the room. He ran a date-based search.

“I am afraid I am going to have to stop you from completing this procedure,” the AI said.

He knew this had been too easy.

A large spike rose out of the transparent floor, knocking him back.

“What the hell was that?”

“As I said, I cannot allow you to complete this procedure.”

Jacob had never seen a system’s security do anything like that before. His file search was almost complete; he just had to hold on for a little bit. What could he do? The virus was an option, but he didn’t want to release it yet and chance infecting the code files. The endless rooms of data gave him an idea. This was essentially a database, so why not try an SQL injection type of attack. It was outdated, but it worked on the hijacked code decks. At least it would give the AI something deal with other than him while he searched for the data.

“You have to tell me how you are slowing my system,” the AI said. “It is affecting my efficiency in dealing with your unauthorized search.”

“Sorry, can’t do that.” He readied the injection attack.

He felt the floor start to shift beneath his feet. Another spike formed out of the data as he jumped aside, only to have another shoot up under his foot where it landed.

“You must be contained and your program mapped for prevention of further attacks,” the AI said.

“I’m not a program.” He sent the injection attack to the database.

“That form of attack is not much more than a minor nuisance,” the AI said.

Jacob sent another injection attack and another. Maybe several would do something.

His search for the code finished. There were three files of code with today’s date. There wasn’t time to sort through them, he wouldn’t know exactly which was the one he was looking for anyway, so he would have to take all three and sort it out later.  He began downloading the files to his deck when a figure began to form in the corner of the room, a being of data streams flowing and coalescing into the shape of muscle and sinew. This was definitely something he hadn’t seen before.

“Your actions have gone far enough,” the AI said as the figure approached.

He didn’t have time to react before the figure lashed out, striking him across the chest, sending him through the ceiling. He let out a grunt. The pain felt real.

“Are you okay?” Kat’s voice echoed in his head. “What’s going on in there?”

He didn’t have a chance to answer before the figure was standing over him. It raised a fist and landed another blow on his shoulder. Grunting again, he stumbled back.

“Sandy, can you get down there?” Kat said through the earpiece.

“I can’t,” Sandy said. “I’ve got to stay linked to the security system.”

Sandy’s voice was muffled and unclear. The construct looked like it was in a haze and there was a buzzing in his head. That last blow had him dazed, and he couldn’t think straight. He shook his head and another blow came crashing down on him, sending him through the floor and back into the testing lab. He had to fight back. If that thing could hit him, maybe he could hit it. He checked the download. It was going so damn