[Republished] A World Gone Virtual (8 in Science Fiction 3/8/13)

Chapter Twelve

"What?" I look a him as through he's lost his mind. Which, considering recent circumstance, he might have.

"They're going to kill me," Jared says slowly.

"Your avatar," I clarify.

He shakes his head. "No, Seth, you don't get it. Of course, the Director would never say this, but I believe that she is planning something. I know the Corporation can't be aware of this, or they would have shut her down before she gained so much power. Now, of course, with her holding the deletion code for CyberSphere over their heads, they can't do shit, whether they know or not."

"But, Jared, if she was planning on--"

He cuts me off. "You think she told you everything? You think the Director is some saint who can do no wrong?"

"Jared, she's a machine. She's programmed to do certain tasks. She wouldn't kill unless--"

"Unless what? She's programmed to be autonomous, like the rest of them. She can make her own decisions. Not all of those decisions may be good, Seth. Just look at the deletion codes."

I sigh, frustrated. "AJ's a machine, too. And she's as human as--"

Jared actually laughs. "You actually trust her? You know who she reports to, even if she isn't aware of it. She's just a puppet of the Director."

I almost swing at him again. "But she thinks. We've done what most people said couldn't be done even a decade ago: we created thinking machines. Yeah, they don't think quite like us, but they're sentient beings as we are. You can't deny that."

He raises an eyebrow. "Can't I? You know, most of the so-called 'AI experts' in our world haven't drawn any sort of consensus on the consciousness of the--what did the Director call them?--the ACUs. The sims might not be conscious, they just act like it."

I shake my head. "No, I don't believe it. I've seen AJ do things that I didn't think a programmed being could do. She develops friendships. She can talk to you just like anyone else. She...she can love. I've seen it."

He snorts and looks down at the ground for a moment. "Admit it, Seth, you've fallen for a machine. You're in love with a well-scripted video game character--"

He slams back against the wall, eyes wide, one hand raised to deflect any more punches. But I'm already storming away.

"Hey!" he calls after me. "Look...I'm sorry! I'm sorry I said AJ wasn't real."

But I've already downloaded my Jeep and hopped in and driven away.

. . .

Ironically, the first place I think of heading is AJ's. Walking in the front door of the apartment building is like a breath of fresh air. I knock on her apartment door and she opens it a few moments later. Her eyes are still red and puffy, and the bright red mark stands out painfully on her cheek. Without saying a word, I pull her into my arms and just hold her.

I feel hot tears running down her face as she's tucked into my shoulder. She sniffles, trying to get herself together, but ends up just crying harder. I kick the door shut behind me and lead her over to the sofa in the center of the living area, which is separated from the kitchen area by a low wall. I get up and grab her a glass of water from the tap.

She sits sipping it for a while, rubbing at her face, trying to erase the tear tracks. "Thanks," she mumbles.

"Anything. That's what friends are for, right?"

Then, suddenly, AJ leans toward me and kisses me. My initial shock gives way to something else, as her lips are as soft and warm as any "real" girl, and before I know what's happening, I find myself responding to her attentions.

Then she pulls away and gives me a once-over, smiling as her eyes meet mine again.

"AJ..."

She stops my senseless words with another kiss. Then she gets up and heads to her room. At the threshold, she pauses and glances back at me, eyebrows raised.

Without a second thought, I follow her.

. . .

The next morning, I wake feeling absolutely content. For a moment, I don't remember why and all I can focus on is the feeling that all is right with the world, and then I remember the girl sleeping next to me. That makes it even better.

With a soft snort, AJ rolls over and her eyes open. She looks up at me and smiles. "Hey."

"Hey." I lean over and kiss her. "Would you like breakfast?"

She laughs. "Since when do you know how to cook?"

I laugh too. "Uh, well, I was thinking about going out, but if you'd rather I poisoned you..."

After a quick shower and getting dressed, we head to The Sunrise Café, a breakfast diner that's only open until eleven on weekdays, noon on weekends. The fare is pretty standard, except for their breakfast parfaits, which is why most people go there.

I choose a chocolate, banana and marshmallow parfait. Not healthy, but hey, I feel like celebrating anyway.

AJ goes for a more nutritious raspberry mango parfait with Greek yogurt. Hers actually looks better than mine, so we end up swapping halfway through. I think she enjoys mine more than I did.

Sitting there across from her, I decide that it doesn't matter that AJ is a simulant and I am a User. This can work. I want to make it work.

She smiles at me. "What are you thinking?" she says.

"Just...I'm quite happy right now."

She leans in for a kiss. "Me too. Love you."

"Love you too, AJ."