Chapter 5
“You have a bomb shelter?” the AI asked as I scooped it up. “I cannot see a bomb shelter on any of the records of the land you own.”
“The previous owner put it in secretly,” I said as I took a quick peek through the barn door. “Let’s go see if it’ll work for what we need.”
The fields still looked empty, and my new friend hadn’t detected anyone, either, so I hugged the orb to my body and then jogged across the field from the barn. It was remarkably easy, and I felt like I could have run all day. There was a spring in my step, as though the field was a trampoline, and I couldn’t remember the last time my leg muscles had felt so strong.
“Damn, Francine, this nanotechnology is amazing,” I laughed. “I haven’t felt this good in years.”
“Thank you,” the AI replied. “I am glad they’re functioning correctly.”
“Was there a chance they wouldn’t?” I asked.
“There is always a small chance of failure,” the AI admitted.
“Now you tell me,” I said. “So what the hell does failure look like with these things?”
“Why concern yourself with that?” it replied. “The technology has accomplished its mission, so there’s no need--”
“You know, Francine, the government requires all the risks to be fully explained to the consumer in most situations,” I said.
“Perhaps you should complain to Agent Miranda,” the AI suggested.
“Well, it seems snark is a universal constant,” I replied.
We passed the deep groove to the left of me that had been carved into the land by the meteorite, and I could smell the scent of burned wood. The air still felt warmer than the rest of the property, but I couldn’t see any smoldering embers as I went by.
“I am sorry about the trees,” the AI apologized.
“It’s fine, Francine,” I assured it. “I can plant some new ones.”
“I can sense your emotional response to the scene,” it explained.
“I think that has more to do with your landing last night,” I chuckled. “I’m still not sure this isn’t just some kind of crazy dream.”
“It is not,” the AI insisted. “I am not sure what else I can do to prove that.”
“I believe you, for the most part.” I laughed as I picked up the pace again. I breathed in the fresh air that smelled of grass and wheat and reveled in the feeling of the sun on my face. The clouds had cleared away to bathe everything in a golden light, and I could have sworn that the colors were more vibrant than usual.
There was a small wooded area at the very back edge of my property that had probably been farmland a hundred years ago or so, but none of the owners since then had made any effort to maintain it. It was a flat area and far from the house, so it had simply been left to nature, at least on the surface.
Most of the trees were ironwoods and sycamores, so even if someone wanted to clear the land, it would be a hard task at this point. Thick branches coiled overhead while others crept close to the ground. The leafy canopy blocked most of the sunlight and cast shadows across the overgrown, uneven forest floor. It was cooler beneath the trees, and I shivered as I crossed the threshold from grassy field to dark forest.
I paused for a moment on the trail and looked around to get my bearings.
“Are you lost, Will?” the AI asked.
“No, no,” I said, though I wasn’t quite sure that was true. “I’m not lost, I’m just… checking I’m in the right place.”
“Okay,” it replied, although I could sense its doubt.
“I used to drive trucks for a living,” I said. “I have an excellent sense of direction.”
“Right,” it replied.
“It’s definitely this way,” I said confidently as I turned off to the left of the trail and started to pick my way through the plants and tree roots.
“Are you sure?” it asked.
“One hundred percent,” I replied, although in my head it was probably about sixty if I was being totally honest with myself.
I pressed on into the woods, and just when I had begun to wonder if I had gone the wrong way after all, I stumbled into a small patch of younger trees on the edge of a small clearing. I assumed the original trees had been cut down during the construction of the bomb shelter, and lucky for me, the previous owner had at least made sure that nothing had grown over the entrance, even if he never had any use for the hidey-hole.
Mud and leaves covered the trapdoor, so I set the AI carefully to the side, and then brushed the debris away until I found the handle. It groaned as I tried to turn it, but with my newfound strength, I managed to force the rusty device to move until I heard the loud thunk as the bolt finally moved back.
“It’s been a bit since I looked down here,” I announced as I jerked the door open. “I was going to start working on it when I retired, but then I got sucked into some great books and got distracted with the house, and I kept putting it off. I did service the generator a month or so ago, so we should have power, but I’ll have to pick up some more diesel if we are going to spend a lot of time down here.”
A musty smell puffed out of it in a cloud. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t exactly fresh, either.
“Welcome to your new home, Francine,” I said. “Are you ready?” I scooped up the AI, hugged it close to my chest with my left arm, swung my legs over the edge, and felt around for the first rung.
“I am,” the AI replied. “But then, I am not required to do anything. Perhaps it would be more appropriate if I asked you that question.”
“I’m doing just great,” I said. “I just hope everything is running down here.”
The narrow tunnel was even colder than the forest, and I could feel the rock walls brush against me as I descended the ladder. I moved carefully down, especially as I only had one arm free, but at least the man who’d built it hadn’t bothered to build it very deep, so after about eight or nine feet, I stepped onto solid rock.
I looked up, and I could see a patch of blue sky and a few branches waving in the wind. It looked so warm and inviting, but I turned back to the task at hand, put my hand out, and felt along the wall until I found the switch. I flicked it up, and a moment later, I heard the generator groan to life. A few seconds after that, an old fluorescent light flickered to life and cast an eerie, clinical white glow over the bunker.
It was a basic bomb shelter from the 1960’s with metal shelves to the right and a cot to the left. The shelves were still filled with ancient cans of food, a collection of rusted tools, some household items like silverware and plates, and even a box of clothing. The cot had been covered in a quilt and a thermal blanket, and the small shelf next to it held a few books and a flashlight. At the back was a table, a pair of chairs, a small stove, a dorm-sized refrigerator, and a gun safe. I was surprised by how well-kept it was, as it still looked practically new down here. It wasn’t much in regards to size, but it would keep the AI hidden when the men from NASA returned.
I walked over to the table and set the AI down on it. The small golden light added a measure of warmth to the room, but I made a mental note not to wear shorts and a t-shirt in the space if I was going to stay for any length of time.
“I have accessed the maps of your property again,” the AI announced. “I can find no record of this shelter.”
“That’s because the old owner didn’t tell anyone about it,” I replied. “He didn’t want anyone to know about it. He didn’t file for any permits, didn’t tell anyone what he was doing, just put the thing in and waited for the bombs to start falling.”
“How did you discover it?” the AI asked.
“When the guy finally decided to sell the place, he showed it to the real estate agent,” I explained. “I guess he thought it would be a selling point as a tornado shelter, but he asked her not to put it on the official listing as he didn’t want anyone who wasn’t buying the place to know about it, apparently. When I came to look at the property, the agent brought me back here and showed me where the entrance was when she realized that I really liked the place. She said no one had been down here in years, and she wasn’t sure how safe it really was.”
“Did she show it to other potential buyers even though he asked her to keep it a secret?” Francine asked.
“She might have,” I admitted. “But I got the feeling that I was the first one she’d showed it to. She was letting me walk the fields, and then she was just, like, ‘By the way… there’s this thing you might want to see.’ We both laughed about it and then went back to the house to work out the details of the sale.”
“Is this your first time inside the bunker as well?” it asked.
“No, but I’ve only been down here a couple of times,” I said. “The first day I moved in, I came out here again. I tried to open the door, but I couldn’t get it to budge. I told myself I’d come back with a few tools, which I did, but like I said, I got distracted after I serviced the generator. But now, thanks to your nanobots, I was able to get it open on my own.”
“This is good,” the AI murmured. “Very few people know about this shelter.”
“Just you, me, and the real estate agent,” I replied. “And I doubt anyone would bother to ask her if there were any top-secret bomb shelters on the site.”
“There is also the person who built this shelter,” the AI pointed out.
“True,” I said. “But he’s passed away, and dead men tell no tales.”
“Good point,” the AI replied.
“And even if Miranda’s search team steps into the woods, I can conceal the entrance again,” I added. “I’ll toss some dirt on it, maybe something heavy like an old log. They’ll never find it.”
“I agree that the odds are slim,” the AI replied. “This is an acceptable hiding spot. However, once you begin to rebuild my hull, we will need to move back to the barn.”
“One step at a time,” I chuckled.
“The space is more limited, but I’m sure we can find a way to adapt,” the AI replied. “You can always train in the woods and just hide me down here in between sessions.”
“So, what do we start with?” I asked. “You mentioned fighting skills, which I’m pretty excited about, but I’m afraid you’ll have to teach me from scratch about how to be a pilot. I’m gonna work my ass off to get the hang of things, but I don’t know anything about airplanes, much less spaceships… Jeez, and I’m supposed to learn all this in a few months? It’s still hard to believe.”
“The nanobots will assist with that, do not worry,” the AI replied. “And given how well they’ve worked with your DNA, I do not foresee any problems with that. But, the training, while important, is not the most pressing task we need to complete.”
“Then what is the first thing we need to do?” I asked.
“You will need to build up my core into a spaceship,” the AI said. “One suitable for defending the planet from invaders.”
“Okay, but like… the whole thing?” I cleared my throat. “I’ve done engine work on my trucks, but nothing major. I’m a blue-collar guy. I don’t know how to build a spaceship.”
“I will help. You would not be able to build an entire ship on your own in time, so much of the work will be done by the robots that you will build.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I said. “Hold your horses a moment, Frankie. Now I’m building robots as well?”
“They are necessary,” the AI insisted. “They can work without stopping, and it will free up some time for you to master other skills.”
“Okay, but I’m not any better at building robots than I am at spaceships,” I protested. “I’m a handy guy, don’t get me wrong, but I’m no engineer. I mean, it took me three days to install my kitchen cabinets, and now I have to put together robots and then put together a ship that can travel in outer space in a matter of months?”
“It is possible,” it assured me. “I have done the calculations. As I said, I will help you.”
“Oh, well, if you’ve done the calculations…” I chuckled.
“I have, Will, and it will work as long as we stay on schedule,” it insisted. “Once you have gathered the appropriate materials, the work should proceed very quickly.”
“Alright,” I replied. “So, what are the… appropriate materials?”
“It is an admittedly long list,” it said. “It includes grade-4 titanium, 2219 aluminum, fiber-optic materials, kevlar, thermal glass, silica cloth and silica aerogels--”
“Silica what now?” I asked.
“They are used for various purposes,” it explained. “Insulation is the main use for silica cloth and aerogels.”
“Right,” I said. “Alright, carry on.”
“We will also need some reinforced carbon-graphene composite, which will protect the ship from intense heat, for example, on re-entry into the atmosphere,” it explained.
“Okay…” I said and rubbed my eyes. “Re-entry, got you.”
The burst of energy I’d been feeling had started to fade, and I could feel the weight of the work that had to be done starting to drag me down.
“Earth doesn’t have a neutrino accelerator that can create a stable mini-singularity which we can use to power our folding engine, does it?” it asked a moment later. “I can’t find anything in the scientific literature beyond references to the possibility of constructing such a device.”
“Um… no?” I replied.
“Then we will need to build most of the engine as well,” it added.
“Alright,” I muttered.
“All of this will require power,” it continued.
“There goes my electric bill,” I quipped.
“On the contrary,” it said. “There are three power sources that are required. Two are available on earth, and that will give us limited flight capabilities. Then we will have to collect the third one once we can leave Earth’s solar system.”
“Fantastic,” I sighed. “What are the two that we can find on Earth?”
“I will need plutonium to boost my own performance as well as for the basic functions of the ship,” it said. “Once the plutonium has been connected to the core engine inside my shell, it will be sufficient to begin the dark matter conversion process which will then act as an unlimited power source for myself and the ship. I will then be operating at my full AI mathematical capacity. Then, we need to construct ion propulsion engines to get the ship out of the Earth’s atmosphere and into orbit. It is similar to the chemical version you currently use with your booster rockets, but much more powerful and sustainable as they run on plentiful hydrogen. This secondary engine will also power the warp field that will protect the ship from stellar radiation and provide defense against basic weaponry.”
There was a long moment of silence that was immediately followed by some hysterical laughter on my part. I leaned back in my seat and laughed until it faded out, and then I let out a long sigh as I stared up at the bland metal ceiling.
“Why are you laughing, Will?” the AI asked once I was done.
“The fact you’ve just listed off all of those things as though I could just pop over to Home Depot and pick some up,” I said. “It’s not like any of those things are just readily available to the average person.”
“The materials needed for the worker robots are,” it replied.
“I’m talking about the spaceship that I’m supposedly gonna build you into, Francine,” I said. “I can’t just go around to my neighbor’s house and politely ask him for some plutonium like it’s a lawn mower I need to borrow. All that stuff is carefully controlled by the government, and they’re not gonna share just because I turn up at some nuclear reactor somewhere and ask nicely.”
“I have accounted for that,” the AI insisted.
“How do you expect to get all of this stuff?” I huffed.
“With money,” it replied. “Or by other means.”
“I’m not sure I wanna know what you mean by ‘other means’,” I said. “And by the way, I don’t have a lot of money for all of this stuff. I’m comfortable, but I still have to be careful how I spend my money since I’m retired. I sure as shit can’t run out and buy a ton of titanium.”
“How much money is currently available to you?” it asked.
“Well, I sold my company to retire early,” I explained. “But, I agreed to the annuity rather than the lump sum because that would get me more money in the long haul. I only get about two hundred grand a year from it, and I spent a lot of that buying this place. I’ve only got about fifty to sixty grand to play with as of now.”
“Could we purchase the materials we need to begin the projects?” it mused. “Once more money becomes available, we could purchase the remaining materials.”
“I don’t think you really understand,” I replied. “The amount of money we’d need to build the ship is exorbitant. It’s in the millions, as in multiple, multiple millions. And I don’t know where you think I’m going to get more money from. I’m retired.”
“I will try to calculate some other options,” it said.
“I mean, the only way to even start getting more money together would be to win the lottery or, I don’t know, to win big in Vegas…” I said. “Hold on, that might not be such a bad idea.”
“Which idea do you mean?” the AI asked.
“Can you do a quick scan of the internet to see if you can get a figure for how much it would cost to buy all the raw material you need?” I asked.
“I will do that now,” the AI replied.
“Look at what we’d need to build the robots,” I suggested. “And I guess start the spaceship.”
“Approximately seven hundred thousand dollars to create the robots and to begin work on the superstructure of my hull,” it replied. “I have rounded up since humans seem to prefer that.”
“Wow… that’s a lot of money,” I sighed as I ran my hand through my hair while I considered if this was a good idea. “But that would definitely be enough to build a couple of robots and start building the ship?”
“It would,” the AI replied.
“Okay,” I said as I pondered my options. “Maybe we can hit Vegas? I mean, other people have found ways to beat the house, and with you in my head doing all the math you seem to be able to do, we could probably come up with something, right?”
“Vegas,” the AI mused, and I could almost feel its anticipation as it read through everything about Las Vegas in a matter of seconds. “Games of chance. Yes, there are several methods we could deploy to control the games and guarantee that you win. I could easily count the cards in the deck and ensure you have a massive advantage.”
“Good,” I said as I started to get excited. “Because that’s probably the fastest legitimate way to make serious money.”
“Then we should go there as soon as possible,” it suggested. “We need to get started on the build.”
“But those agents will be coming back soon,” I said. “And I don’t want them wandering around the property while I’m not here.”
“Actually, I accessed Tony Miranda’s phone while you were speaking to him,” the AI replied. “I now have access to his emails. He has requested a warrant from the judge and intends to return tomorrow morning.”
“That was fast,” I noted. “What’s the warrant for?”
“According to Agent Miranda’s email exchange, the judge he submitted the request to is known to be a friend of Miranda’s,” the AI replied. “He asked how Tony’s children were in one of the correspondences. And the warrant is based on potential environmental contamination resulting from an astronomical phenomenon.”
“God help whoever the children are that have him as a father,” I chuckled as I took out my phone and looked at how many bars of signal I had. “But whatever. Okay, so I’ll book a ticket for two days’ time when I have a signal on my phone.”
“That would be acceptable,” the AI replied.
“Once we get the ‘NASA’ guys off the property once and for all, we can head to Sin City,” I said. “I’m actually pretty excited. I’ve never been there before.”
“Thank you,” it said with what sounded like relief. “This is an excellent plan to gather the resources we need. I was concerned for a few moments when you explained how your currency system works and your lack of immediate funds.”
“Can an AI get worried?” I asked.
“Not technically,” it admitted. “But as new information becomes available, I can recalculate my estimates. That includes the responses I expect from biological beings.”
“Well, lucky for you, your calculations were correct,” I said. “Don’t worry, I’m totally on board with the plan. We’ll go to Vegas, get the money, and get started right away once we’re back.”
“Good,” it replied. “The delay in our departure will also give me time to begin another project.”
“Another project?” I said in surprise. “How many are there?”
“This is one I can complete on my own,” it said. “I have enough available materials and nanoprobes left to complete a suit for you. It will serve the dual purpose of protecting you as well as enhancing your skills--”
“I’m getting a superhero suit?” I interrupted.
“I suppose so, yes,” it replied.
“No way,” I chuckled. “That’s awesome.”
“I also will customize a weapon for you,” it continued. “The race that created me often made ceremonial weapons for battle. You may choose what form it comes in, but it is traditional to choose a sword--”
“I want a gun, please,” I said.
“But, Will, the sword is trad--” it replied.
“I’d really like a gun,” I pressed. “I’m sure the swords are fine, but I don’t know the first thing about fighting with a sword, and I always thought it was weird the Jedi used laser swords in Star Wars, when they just should have had guns.”
“I can--” it tried again.
“I know, you can train me,” I finished. “But I don’t want to be so close to my enemy that I can use a sword, and if I am that close, I want to finish it quickly. So a gun sounds like a much better option for me personally.”
“Fair enough,” the AI said. “I will begin work on that immediately.”
“Thank you, Frankie,” I replied. “Wow, I can’t believe you’re going to make a superhero suit for me.”
“I have to keep you safe, just as you must keep me safe,” it said. “It is mutually beneficial for both of us if you remain alive.”
“Good point,” I replied. “So, what will the suit do?”
“The suit will boost your fighting skills and strength as well as protect you from physical harm by absorbing kinetic energy from impacts,” the AI replied. “The gun will be fully functional as both a lethal weapon but will also have a nonlethal mode, so you will be able to use it to defend yourself as well.”
“I like the sound of that,” I replied. “So I’ll be bulletproof?”
“A direct hit from a bullet from most Earth small caliber handguns will hurt, but you will live,” the AI replied. “But I would not recommend being hit by a high vector oscillating plasma cannon.”
“Noted.” I nodded.
“Excellent,” it said. “Then may I suggest that we begin your training?”
“Right now?” I asked as I looked around the tiny room.
“It seems like a good time,” the AI replied. “Since we have nothing else to do at the moment.”
“Okay, sure,” I said. “Hey, I just watched a very interesting documentary about Brazilian dance fighting. It’s called Capoeira, and it’s really a beautiful art… But maybe it’s not quite what I need at this moment.”
“No…” the AI said. “Perhaps something more… fierce would be appropriate?”
“Alright, how about mixed martial arts for now?” I asked. “It’s a combination of some of the proven styles, and I could use it in almost any situation. Does that sound like a plan?”
“That sounds like a good idea,” it said. “Give me a moment while I access the information on mixed martial arts for you.”
“Okay,” I replied, and since I expected it to take a couple of minutes, I stood up and shuffled over to take a look at the books that had been left behind by the previous owner.
“Done,” it said a few seconds later, before I’d even had a chance to read a single one of the titles on the books.
“Oh, that was quick,” I replied.
“The internet had a great deal of information,” it said. “I am ready to upload it for you.”
“Did you say upload?” I asked.
“Yes,” it replied. “I understand that the first experience of an upload can be overwhelming, but each time we do it, it will get easier.”
“Okay, I hear you, but you’re still leaving out the part where you tell me what an upload is,” I said. “And before you say ‘it’s easier for me to show you’ again, I want to know what I’m signing up for this time, because as cool as the nanotechnology is, I’m not quite ready for another encounter with the weird goo.”
“It is not like the nanotechnology,” it replied. “But the nanotechnology is involved.”
“How so?” I asked.
“The nanobots are now in every part of your body, and I am able to access their programming,” the AI explained. “I have collated all of the information on mixed martial arts fighting that I could find, including footage from various fights, articles, and online tutorials. I will send this information to the nanobots, and they will quickly learn how to make you perform these actions. It will feel like what I understand you call muscle memory, only you will not have done it before. The nanobots are also in your brain, so you will quickly learn the fighting style and be able to use it when needed.”
“So, you’re just going to upload the knowledge into my body, and I’ll just be a UFC champ straight away?” I asked.
“It will take some practice to get the moves correct,” it replied. “But you will have the basic knowledge required to master the skills. It is similar to receiving the recipe for a cake, but you still have to bake it.”
“I like the analogy,” I said. “So, why don’t you just upload every fighting style at once and get it over with?”
“Since this is the first time this technology has been used on a human, I do not want to take the chance that I will overload your brain,” it admitted. “Once I have better data on your brain’s operation, I will be able to download more information each time.”
“I’m glad to hear you don’t want to fry my brain,” I replied. “And you’re sure you won’t do that now?”
“There is a high probability of success,” it said.
“How high?” I asked.
“I currently calculate a ninety-five percent chance of success,” it said.
“Ninety-five percent,” I muttered. “That’s good, right?”
“I believe so,” it said. “And given how well you have reacted to the nanobots, I am confident that it will work.”
“Okay,” I sighed. “I guess I can live with that.”
“Do you consent to the upload?” it asked.
“It won’t hurt, will it?” I asked.
“I do not believe so, no,” it replied.
“Okay, then,” I said. “Go for it.”
“Please place your hands on my core again,” it said.
“Okay,” I replied as I walked over to it and carefully placed my hands on its cool, metallic exterior. “What now?”
“I will do the rest,” it said.
I heard the now-familiar whirring sound start up again and I braced myself for some crazy light show, but nothing happened.
“I don’t feel anythi-- Son of a bitch!” I shouted as the upload began.
I felt my eyes roll back in my head, and then it felt like I was trapped inside a dream. Images of punching, dodging, grappling positions, and kicking techniques flooded my head, all on a backdrop of a blinding white light inside my eyelids. It felt like my head was a small cup and someone had allowed a waterfall to pour into it. There was no pain, but there was a faint pressure as the information filled my mind and overpowered my senses. All I could think, feel, touch, and hear was mixed martial arts. Every other part of my mind, every other thought, was numbed and repressed while the upload worked its way into my body. The muscles in my arms tingled, my legs twitched, and my brain felt like I had just finished the world’s most difficult sudoku puzzle.
When I eventually regained my senses, my hands fell away from the AI, my vision slowly returned to normal, and I slumped down in the chair behind me. I sucked in some deep breaths and took a moment to remember how to speak. I let out a groan and put one hand to my head while I used the other one to steady myself so that I didn’t fall sideways off the seat.
“How are you feeling, Will?” Francine asked after allowing me a moment to gather myself.
“Weird,” I replied.
“In a bad way?” it asked.
“No,” I replied. “But it isn’t exactly good, either. You were right. Uploading every style of fighting probably would have been too much. That was about all I could take, honestly.”
“I am surprised you are even conscious,” it admitted. “Most of the beings who have experienced such a large upload on their first attempt have fainted during the transfer. Even seasoned biological lifeforms would have difficulty absorbing that much data. I am impressed. You really are the perfect man for our mission.”
“Well, if I’m being honest, I could do with a nap,” I replied.
“That is common,” it assured me. “And sleep will allow your brain time to sort through all of the data.”
“Just so you know,” I replied. “I don’t think I’d like to do that again for a little while.”
“I will only upload information when necessary,” it assured me. “I do not foresee the need for another upload in the immediate future.”
“Oh, good,” I sighed.
“I did upload a set of extra moves that I thought you might enjoy,” it added almost shyly. “They are very popular with fans of the martial arts.”
“Oh, uh… thanks,” I said.
“Before you fall asleep, I would like to be sure that the upload was a success,” it said.
“Oh, no,” I protested. “Is it pop quiz time?”
“In a manner of speaking,” it replied. “You should test some of the moves.”
“What, like… kick something?” I chuckled as I steadied myself and got into a fighting stance that I somehow knew. “Okay, so how do I do this?”
“Open your mind to the information from the upload,” it said. “You will know when a move feels right.”
“Okay…” I replied. “You’re not going to tell me to wax on or wax off, then?”
“I understand that reference,” it said. “Very funny.”
“I’m glad someone appreciates my comedic talent,” I replied as I brought my fists up and backed away into the center of the room to give myself some space to move around. “Okay, let’s do this.”
I threw a few quick punches, and the motion felt very natural to my body. I added a jump and sidestep without even thinking about it, and my muscles felt like they had known how to do these things for my whole life. I threw a couple more punches, dodged an imaginary attack, and tried out a sidekick in midair. I even tried a good stance for grappling against an opponent, and I was sure I looked just like one of the professional MMA fighters.
Then again, it was possible that I just looked like a madman as I fought the air and decided that I was some mixed martial arts extraordinaire. I hadn’t actually had to defend myself or fight anything yet, although I definitely had at least some knowledge to get me started on that front.
“It looks like you are picking it up well,” the AI said. “You have absorbed the information from the upload very quickly. You are a fast learner, just as I had expected.”
“I guess so,” I replied with a shrug. “It feels right, but I won’t know until I need to use it, and that worries me. I don’t want to be in that situation and find out then that the upload didn’t work, or only half-worked, you know?”
“That is true,” the AI said. “You will need to test it out.”
“But how?” I asked. “It’s not like I can fight you. You don’t have any arms or--” I was about to continue, but suddenly I saw an object as it flew through the air right toward me.
I leaned backward and narrowly avoided being hit by it, and I straightened up and spun around just as it hit the back wall with a loud bang, thanks to the metal interior of the bunker. I turned back to the AI to see what it was, but something else had already started to fly toward me out of a hole in the front of the AI that hadn’t been there before. I brought my palm across and knocked it off its trajectory before it reached my body, and the dark object flew into the mattress beside me, which sent a large wad of foam flying out of it. It didn’t hurt to touch them, but they were coming at such a high speed that it did take some force to knock them away. It was some kind of black ball made of an unknown substance, and while it wasn’t heavy, I definitely didn’t want to get hit by one.
“Hey, what the hell?” I shouted, but another two of the weird objects were already on their way.
I dodged around one of them easily, and there was another bang as it hit the wall, but I had moved right into the path of the other one. Without thinking twice, I leapt up and spun around as I did so. As I turned back toward the object, I threw my foot out and kicked the object away from me. I landed perfectly, fists up, in total shock at what I had just done.
“Holy shit,” I gasped.