Boy Meets Ai

Prologue

Prologue

Caleb Evergreen sat in his chair at the long polished hardwood table. His hands were knit together in pensive contemplation. His facial expression was obscured by shadow. He and several other men and women sat around the large table, listening to Gabriel's report. The room they were in was dark. The only source of light was the archon's glowing holographic form.

"Well Done, Gabriel. It sounds like we are ready to move on then." A voice echoed from the head of the table. It was a man Evergreen equally feared and respected. In fact, the man led all of the people in attendance despite their differing fields of expertise.

Gabriel responded politely to the man "Yes sir. The tournament was in fact the perfect catalyst as you had predicted. Phase two can begin whenever you give the signal."

Muttering and excited whispers filled the shadowy chamber. This is what they had been working towards for nearly 3 decades. Evergreen himself, felt a surge of confidence wash over him. The future was within their grasp and their goals would soon be realized.

"Richard Reeder wasn't willing to work with us when he was alive, but I am glad we were able to use one of his amazing creations to our benefit." The boss seemed amused.

A woman spoke up from the shadows. "My brother was a fool. Look what we were able to do with Aramais in just a few short years of conditioning in the Ether? Truly wonderful. I almost wish he was alive to see it..."

"Still some bad blood with your dead sibling Charlotte?" Evergreen mused slyly. She didn't take kindly to his words.

"I simply chose our cause over something as trivial as familial bonds. What I have done is nothing in comparison to what I would do to realize our goals." Charlotte snapped at him. She leaned forward so Caleb could see the hateful look in her eyes. He made a mental note then to be a little less antagonistic towards the woman that killed her own brother and nephew.

"My apologies. Your sacrifices are a worthy contribution to the cause."

Their leader raised a hand to quiet them. The room fell silent as a tomb. He addressed the archon once again.

"What I am really curious of is if you were able to recover what I requested?"

Gabriel's expression shifted ever so slightly.It was a look you might expect to see on the face of a man about to dosomething momentous. There was a slight moment of hesitation. "It took sometime as we had to keep the work crew to a select few I could trust but we weresuccessful. The Ai was recovered."