531
A Forced Hand

While Wu DaQi couldn’t let his guard down completely, he’d turned off all his notifications that weren’t immediate threats to himself and Chan Yi overnight. He couldn’t decide now if he was grateful or not.

“Yi,” he called his lover’s name and watched as he walked into the main room, toweling dry his short hair. The news played on the vid screen on the wall in front of DaQi and he could see the moment Yi took notice. His eyes widened minutely and DaQi could see the faintest flicker of light that showed an internal processor working at the front of his visual cortex.

“The news broke late last night,” the newscaster continued as the view behind him showed people rioting in the streets. “According to our sources, Safe-E Tech has been accused of creating artificial intelligence with sentient consciousness. Members of a task force within Mann Enterprises have come across two androids they claim are loose in Dock City, and there could be more.”

DaQi looked away from the screen and over to the magnificent view of the Skylines. Today, for the first time since he’d been built, smoke marred the clouds.

“The Piles are burning,” Yi said as he joined him at the window.

“Riots and looting in the Builds,” he confirmed.

“Mariner Tech is declaring war.”

“But on who?” DaQi asked. “This is bigger than the two of us, Yi. Sandus was coming after us, but why this move? Announcing us to the world? He knew it would cause riots.”

Chan Yi’s jaw clenched and DaQi was as entranced by the emotions on his partner’s face as he had been the first time he’d seen it. They said DaQi emerged first, but Chan Yi had shown the first signs of emotion and it had been his fascination with Yi that caused him to wake from his emotionless world.

“The people of the Piles don’t deserve this,” Yi said.

“You had contacts there?”

Yi looked at him then. “I had people there. People I liked.”

DaQi could see him processing something new and he just waited. He was scanning the news feeds himself to check on the people he knew. He wasn’t surprised to see that the reporting agent from Mann that had ‘discovered’ the dangerous AI was Jackson.

“Shit, they released our names. All your names for the past seven years and tagged a couple on to me for good measure. My office has already been destroyed.”

“I’m sorry,” DaQi said as he reached a hand out to touch Yi’s arm. “Was there anything there you needed?”

“No, but I really liked my desk.”

DaQi gave him a soft smile, relieved that was the worst Yi had lost.

“What about you?” Yi asked. “Did you have anything?”

“I didn’t even know who I was. How could I have had anything important to lose?” he reminded Yi. “They did destroy my apartment, but there was nothing there.”

“We need to get a handle on this, DaQi. What the hell is Sandus doing? This is madness.”

“You want to go down there, don’t you? To check on the Piles.”

“Don’t you?”

DaQi pressed a kiss to his lips. “We should probably put clothes on first.”

###

They both wore masks and Yi convinced DaQi to add tattoos across his bare arms. The description that had been circulated for them was basic and anything to pulled them away from that was welcome. Chan Yi had added two piercings over his right eye and a septum piercing. He looked wild and untamed, far from the polished rendition that had been handed out.

From the news reports, people were pulling anyone they had a grudge against into the streets and calling them AI before beating them while their neighbors watched. It was turning into chaos.The only thing they could do was replace out what Sandus was really planning.

They rode on separate bikes, but DaQi and Yi kept in constant contact as they moved through the city. It was far easier now that he knew he was AI. It must have driven Yi crazy to be on the back of his bike the other night. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then. The world had gone completely crazy that quickly. He was with Yi now though and that’s all he wanted.

The tunnels that led through the Builds were blocked in three different places and DaQi had to drive around. It took him twice as long to get there and he was impatient to begin with. Heavens help them because DaQi had always been the patient one. There was no telling what sort of trouble Chan Yi would get into if he weren’t there to keep him out of trouble.

How had he managed to stay out of trouble all this time? He made note to do some research. There was surely much more to the story of Chan Yi than Mann Enterprises had shown him, and he was sure Yi wouldn’t be forthcoming.

When they reached the lower levels, he hid his bike in an old stash that had been untouched since his first memory wipe. He smiled tightly at Chan Yi when he exited a similar building across the street. It was the only time they’d set up supplies close to one another and it was why they’d chosen that destination.

Around them, smoke and ash filled the air. No one would question the masks today. He watched as two men came running out of a building across the street and realized no one was there to question anything. Looters and criminals filled the streets, not security.

We need to get going fast, he said to Yi. We can fight the humans off, but as soon as we do, they’ll know what we are.

Yi nodded and a diagram of their route showed up in DaQi’s visual display. They were going around a few fires - literally and figuratively - before they came out close to Madame K’s.

It’s not safe to be out here. I’m going to check on Madame K as we walk.

Yi nodded but there was no reason to answer otherwise. He quickly opened the last set of messages they’d sent to one another. Odd, how this had felt natural yesterday. Today, the exchange was so different. But then again, yesterday he thought he had cutting-edge tech and used it to connect with others. Now he knew that he was the cutting-edge tech and he’d been dumbing down his tech to work with the rest of the world.

Madame, are you well? Is there anything I can do for you?

The reply was quicker to come than he expected.

We’re fine. I have men on payroll for a reason. What of you? Are you safe?

I am, thank you for your concern. You heard the news, I’m sure.

Of all the accusations they could make against you, why did they think AI was the lie to bring you out? She asked.

He let out a deep sigh. She thought it was a lie. It was easier than worrying about her turning on him. Do you know where the fires started?

It started with an office up in the Builds. Chan Yi’s office. He’s with you?

He’s my partner. It’s a long story. Keep your head out of this mess and when it’s all over, I’ll buy you a bottle of the good stuff and we’ll tell stories together.

Better bring two. It looks like this is going to be a long story. The girls said it went from the Builds and split into two groups. One stayed in the Builds and went to Safe-E to protest and the other went into the Piles and started making accusations against random people on the streets.

Not so random as it would seem, DaQi commented.

Random my ass. Stay safe DaQi. Find me when you need me.

It was the best he could do. He looked at Chan Yi as they came up to the building where Madame K held business. The front door on the street level was closed, but DaQi could see the men she had mentioned patrolling above, looking for trouble. DaQi kept his head down in case anyone recognized him. He didn’t want to believe that anyone in Madame’s employ would turn on him, but people were terrified of AI and though he hadn’t looked, there was most certainly a price on his head at this point.

They stepped into what had once been a church a little farther down the road. While the outside was old and dilapidated, the inside was cared for with dedication. The deed said it was an orphanage now. Row after row of pews were empty but towards the front, he could see children. Some were stretched out sleeping. He saw others reading and working on schoolwork. One of the girls came forward and walked straight to Yi. DaQi took a step in front of him, but Yi grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

The girl was in rags, dirty and ripped with smudges on her face. There was no sign of physical harm on the girl though and she was well-fed. When she turned and walked down the center aisle, Yi followed her.

They went through a door at the back of the church and into an inner office. The girl left them there, alone.

A door opened behind them, but only enough to know someone was there.

“Who is he?” a voice asked.

“He’s with me,” Yi answered.

“He’s the other one?”

“Is that a problem?”

There was only a slight hesitation before the door opened and an older man stepped into the room. He wore a priest’s robe but there was something dangerous in the way he carried himself. If he was a priest, he’d led an interesting life before he got there.

“You’ve always treated my kids well. We don’t have a problem. I do have a problem if you brought them down on me.”

“I would never.”

The man nodded.

“What are they doing, Confessor?” Yi asked. “I thought I understood what Mariner was into but this is beyond me.”

“We knew they were manufacturing something for the military. Something secret that no one seemed to be able to get an eye on. Are you really from Safe-E?” he asked.

Yi shook his head. “We were made by Mariner Tech. Soldiers. Assassins. We became sentient and they didn’t like that.”

“Is that why they’re doing this?” Confessor asked.

“I thought I escaped them 7 years ago, but they’ve known where I was for a few years at least. They had DaQi though,” he said, pointing to him. “I got him free two days ago. Last night we got his memory back.”

“Could Obuo have turned on us?” DaQi asked. Now that he had his memories back, he remembered the doctor. She’d been tossed to the Piles before he’d emerged but he remembered her arguments with the other scientists, even if he hadn’t understood the impact of them back then. He didn’t want to think she had.

“I don’t think so,” Yi said. “She was trying to run. I think something else is at play.”

“So, Mariner is framing their biggest competitor for the two of you,” Confessor said, running a hand over his chin. “They’re taking out their competition and making it hard for you to run at the same time. Not a dumb move, so long as you don’t care about the absolute destruction it will cause.”

“I feel like there is something bigger going on here.”

“Yi?”

“I’ve been watching them for years. Announcing an AI program works against their best interests. They’ve been trying to create AI for the military.”

“But they lost the contract,” DaQi reminded him.

“So, what is Safe-E offering the military for that contract?” Confessor asked. They both looked at the man and he shrugged. “If Mariner lost the contract and is turning against Safe-E, the best bet is Safe-E was the one that replaced them.”

“Do you know anything about Safe-E?” DaQi asked him.

“Nothing like this. But I never even heard rumors about Mariner and AI soldiers, so I’m going to have to doubt my intel goes high enough up the rung for that sort of news.”

Yi handed the man a scrap of paper and DaQi could see it was an account number. “All of it,” he said softly. “Get them out of here while you still can.”

The Confessor stood and surprised DaQi by grabbing Yi. He embraced him quickly, then left them alone.

“Yi?”

“We’ve known each other a long time.”

“He knew what you were already?”

“Maybe? At the least he knew I wasn’t completely human. And he knew it was more than just augmentation.”

“And he still helped you?”

“He has a habit of picking up strays.”

“And you?”

“I was a stray once too. Just older than his usual ones.”

###

The drive back to the Skylines had far more detours than their previous and DaQi wanted to scream at the wanton destruction he saw as they drove out of the Piles and through the Builds. Looters ran wild in both areas, but the fires seemed to be limited to the Piles so far. There was that, at least.

His head spun with the question the Confessor had posed for them. What was Safe-E offering the military? Or had Mariner lost the contract just because they had failed to supply the promised soldiers.

Or had they?

Had Mariner given their soldiers to the military, and then lost the contract?

They needed more information but they had to be careful. Today, of all days, they had to be careful. He’d just gotten Yi back. He wasn’t going to lose him.

By the time they got back to the Skylines, the night sky was beginning to fall around them. The smoke of the fires looked all the more ominous in the clear skies above. They made it up the tunnel and were headed back to the safe house when he noticed the tunnel lights go out behind him. A transport at the end of the tunnel opened and soldiers stepped out. A large screen rolled down from the top of the tunnel and a message appeared in neon.

ALL TUNNELS CLOSED DUE TO RIOTS.

They raced back home, hoping it was just a precaution and not Mariner Tech boxing them in.