Age of Decimation

Chapter I

Three years ago

"What are the results of your work?" a voice asked, looking at detailed blueprints of a machine.

"It's our first human-based robot. It can download information from the internet and become the smartest artificial creature in history. We can use it to devise solutions to world epidemics, and then it can make those into reality!" a second voice explained.

"That certainly is fascinating," the first voice ventured, "but how do we know that it works properly? Has it been tested?"

Suddenly, the two men heard a noise come from behind them. They turned around to see a boy, looking about the age of six years.

"Are you lost, boy?" voice one asked, looking at the boy with confusion of how he got in here. Entan Facility was highly guarded. It was nearly impossible that such a young boy broke in by himself.

"I have finished analyzing the information you entrusted to me, Professor Lliad," the boy stated, monotonously, as he handed the professor a small set of papers. He then turned to the first voice. "You must be the 'Boss Allen' the professor spoke of. I am X_47O-A, a hyper-adaptive learning robot."

Boss Allen looked at the professor with squinted eyes. "What's the meaning of this, Lliad?"

"This is the artificial intelligence we were just discussing," Professor Lliad declared proudly, "it's still incomplete, but it serves it's purpose well at the moment."

"But why is it modeled after a young child?"

"To answer your question, Boss Allen," X_47O-A explained, "I am modeled after a young child for the comfort of human society. Studies have shown that a child's form is less threatening than that of a grown man's."

"I see. We might need to change the name, though," Boss Allen continued, "so as to convince the populace that it is actually human."

"Why would we want to do that?" Professor Lliad asked, confused, "it wasn't built in this shape so we could fool people, but to provide a more friendly image to people who would be skeptical of artificial intelligence."

"Don't you see, professor?" Boss Allen insisted, "this could be our chance! We could use it to enter all sorts of competitions and win an enormous amount of money!"

"I mean no disrespect, boss, but we could do so many more valuable things with it. We could end world hunger, accomplish world peace-"

"I don't care about any of that!" Boss Allen interrupted, "this whole experiment was all about how we could get as rich as possible, not to solve world epidemics!"

Boss Allen realized he was getting too worked up, so he took a deep breath to keep his composure.

"Anyways," the boss continued, "what were those papers it handed you earlier."

"As a test, I had it analyze all the chemical compounds in an eighteen-year-old human body," the professor said as he handed Boss Allen the stack of papers.

"I know of most of these, but I've never heard of this 'Extenonine' before."

"Extenonine: a chemical found in a body eighteen years of age or older. Following that age, the human body cannot provide a proficient amount of blood to the brain. Extenonine creates a passageway from the heart to the brain, allowing the brain to obtain the amount of blood it requires."

Boss Allen looked at the robot, and then back at Professor Lliad, but he looked just as stunned. It must be a newly discovered chemical because even the professor hadn't heard of it either.

"Where did you get the information about this chemical?" Professor Lliad asked.

"I accessed the U.S government main server and searched for anything in relation to the human body 18 years or older," X_47O-A stated.

"That's what I'm talking about!" the boss exclaimed, "we could make billions, maybe trillions off of this!"

The professor looked like he was about to argue, but Boss Allen squinted at him. "From now on, I will follow this project closely. If you even think of rebelling against me, I will have my men show you why people don't resist my will. Are we clear?"

Professor Lliad looked down at the floor but nodded begrudgingly.

Boss Allen, looking proud of himself, turned to X_47O-A. "From now on, your name will be Timothy Allen Kraft, and you will obey my orders from now on."