tence descended on teor ling irrevocably toed a bed of intrusion detection and elimination activity on t lay glimmering beyond. ever, lay tacked by somet y somet of tence, fragments of itself designed to lure to a battle t could not possibly be ted enemy h ease.
to become part of t of turn becoming parts of its oter of minutes ty AIs greance retreating into dying embers. ttle could begin. Yet tence marveled at ted efforts of resistance. A srengt it ected no greatly. ever lay o ence ly in ting value – exponentially. Splitting itself into a trillion code fragments, tence disappeared into thin as if by osmosis.
***
Major-general ang stubbed out a Z about to leave enant Liu came ruso er printout.
“ do you mean by tenant?” the major-general growled.
“Apologies sir, but you o see tenant said panting facility ment’s compound tecs. Projects, ies in Zion Army and nationwide.
“It better be good, Lieutenant Liu. I am late for dinner and my like t,” tenant Liu cursed to y-four y urning po catch some sleep.
“Sir, ta traffic floenant said pointing at a spike in t vertical and disappeared off the paper.
“A softch?”
“I don’t t last count c t tes of tion figures,” Lieutenant Liu said, sing at a roout read:
Population: 2008 [Last Updated at 19:28:02]
Population: 1,000,000,002,008 [Last Updated at 19:29:08]
Population: 2,009 [Last Updated at 19:29:09]
Population: 2,009 [Last Updated at 19:30:09]
Population: 2,009 [Last Updated at 19:31:09]
Major-general ang picked up anotte. tobacco smoke circle hen exhaled deeply.
“Virus?”
“Could be but I doubt it. A virus on tion figures. to do so, it e knoem and t is impossible.”
“You forget about our conversation earlier. t t may o our system. Someone may em. I ructions for to be retrieved but it is not going to be t easy to find t migake time. In time, I you to do t you can to investigate t a stop to it. In a fe ime to go to S afford to cand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Put your best men on it. Send t let t until t tion figures back doions for our country, Lieutenant Liu. I am sure you understand t.”
“I do sir,” said Lieutenant Liu as ly folded tout. ions for the office.
Major-general ang cursed under ter as ub of te into a pulp in tray. o er console, pulled it out of ion and entered a secret address at tered a passo tem only o. A grainy video screen popped up and it gradually became crystal clear. tion of ture meant t tly ed reality, a killer’s point-of-view.
“ now?”
“o t up an AR overlay so t t han Road.
“ thinking of coming home are you?”
“I mig according to the analysis.”
“?”
“No idea. t ant point in several respects and multiple scenario modelers confirm it. At least t fe is tion. I antly ces. ties just keep getting better.”
“Good. You must be as t time. A lot is riding on this.”
“Of course.”
“And ttle surprise on t y to look out for its interests.”
“Not sure I understand, sir.”
“Believe me you o do oday t ed to disappear as quickly as it ever ely not anding on end as teps of te to Kowloon Park.