A. I. Evolution: The Coming of Christopher

Chapter 10

I continue to smile as I lay back and look to the ceiling, as Jane sets up her laptop on the portable table that she has wheeled over to the side of the bed. She attaches a Velcro band around my forehead and checks the activity of the Nanos.

"Well, they are still very active, and have moved most of their activity farther back into your brain. There are only a few remaining at the front edge of the damaged area," says Jane, as she studies the screen.

I turn towards her as I think about the little critters moving around inside my head. It almost makes me squirm slightly at the thought of them working away. "How do they know what to do in there?"

Jane responds almost absentmindedly as she manipulates the angle of the screen, so she can track their movements. "They are installed with the latest in A.I. technology. They work together to accomplish their goals. They get their instruction through the Wi-Fi connection from the program I up loaded into the clinic's computer system, when you first arrived."

"Is it safe? I don't know if I really want my brain being controlled by the evil Artificial Intelligence."

"Please, there is nothing malicious about A.I.; it is just another program that we humans can use to enhance our lives. Let's face it; you would be dead right now if it were not for my little workers," says Jane seriously, and correctly.

"Ok, point taken."

I look to the door as I hear George coming down the hall. I can tell it is him by the heavy fall of his sturdy footwear. "Here comes the Doc. I guess I will find out now if I can go home or not."

The door opens and George walks in with a folder under his arm. He strides up to the other side of the bed from where Jane has set up her equipment. "Well, did you have a satisfying meal? I can still smell the fried chicken."

The mere thought of the meal has my mouth watering again, as I remember every delicious sensation, from the crispy skin, to the slightly moist meat underneath. I need to shake my head to clear it from the raging thoughts. "Yes, it was more than satisfying."

Jane clears her throat to change the subject, not wanting George to get suspicious of my response to his question. "I have set up the program Doctor, and the Nanos are moving as they were programed to. I will be able to see if there is any change in their activity, instantly."

George pulls his eyes from me and turns to Jane. "Good, then we might as well proceed then."

I look from one to the other. "Ok, so what do you two have planned for me now?"

George turns back to look me in the eyes. "Well, as you know, the Nanos were introduced into your brain to repair the damage done from the collision. They have performed well beyond our expectations, and I am happy to say that you are getting back to full health. So, now it is time to end their efforts and let you return to your normal life. The tests came back positive, and the rest of the healing can be done by your normal immune system. The band around your head is what supplies the power for the Nanos as you know, so I feel confident that I can remove it now. Then, if your condition continues to remain stable, in forty-eight hours from now you will be free to go home and back to your life." He moves his head back some and opens the folder in front of him. "Do you feel like you have returned to normal? Normal enough to be released? Are there any questions you have on the tests, or any other issues you want to discuss at this time?"

I think about it for a moment, before answering him. "I feel fine. I don't think I have any issues that will prevent me from continuing as I did before the accident. My greatest concern is how much time I have missed from work. There are a couple of people there who would love to replace me as their main designer. You may not know this, but a chair is more than just a chair. It takes a very creative mind to design something new and original in such and old industry."

George puts his hand under his chin as he puckers his lips together in thought. "I never thought of it like that before, but I can well imagine that it is." He smiles as he thinks more about it. "The simple fact that you can even think about that right now tells me that you are ready to return to your life. The only issue I have is if your condition changes too much after we remove the band from around your head and shut down the Nanos. I don't think they are keeping you alert and lucid, but I will need to make sure of that before I can release you."

George turns to Jane. "What do you think Jane? Are you ready to shut down your little workers?"

"Well, as you are both aware, I would love to see them continue to improve Christopher's mind, but I realize that legally we cannot use him as a human Guinea Pig." She turns to me and puts on her most serious face. "I can't thank you enough Christopher, for the opportunity to help you recover from your injuries. The results from the necessary tests are way beyond our expectations, and they will enable us to move forward in our research, but I know that any more testing will have to wait till the future. It is time for you to get back to your life." She turns her attention back to George. "I am ready whenever you are. I will be able to tell you if they have powered down or not, when you remove the power supply."

"Ok," says George, as he retrieves the wire from the monitors that still sit to the side of the room. He attaches the clamp to the end of my finger and flips the on switch of the tower of lights and wavy lines that spike across the screen. He then reaches up and pulls on the loose end of the strap around my head, which is one long battery, wound around my head.

He removes the band and watches the monitor to see if there is any change in my condition. Instantly I can feel the difference. The crispness of the room fades to a dull more normal picture, my hearing and sense of smell decrease as well. I feel the loss of the enhancements, and lay back on my pillow, fighting back the urge to cry at the return to normal senses.

George turns back to me, moving forward to stare closely at my face. "You can feel the change now, can't you Christopher?"

I nod my head, not willing to trust my voice in responding to him.

"Are you ok?"

I take a deep breath and let it out to calm myself. "Yes, it was just so sudden. There is not a lot of change, but I feel like a happy switch was turned to the not so happy position."

"Jane, what does your program tell you about the condition of the Nanos?" asks George.

Jane, who has been staring at the screen the whole time, looks up briefly. "They stopped the moment you removed the band." She glances down again and looks closer at the diagram on the computer. "Wait a minute."

"What is it?" asks George.

Jane continues to concentrate on the image for another moment. "Nothing. I thought that I saw one of them move slightly, but I think it was just the movement of my head when I looked back down after talking to you." Jane looks up again. "I would say that they have completely stopped. Christopher's mind is working on its own now."

George turns around and gets a chair from across the room by the door and pulls it over to his side of the bed. "Ok, lets keep an eye on him for the next hour or so, before we let him sleep. Jane, if you can continue to monitor your Nanos for any activity, I will watch his physical reactions."

Jane nods her head and studies her screen, as I lay back and wait for them to leave so I can get some sleep.

My eyes are starting to shut by the time George is satisfied that I am not going to flop over dead anytime soon, as he gets up from the chair. "Ok, I need a coffee, and it looks like Christopher needs some sleep, so why don't we leave him alone, so he can do that?"

Jane takes her eyes from the monitor and stretches her back. "I agree with you. Coffee would taste good right now." She turns to me and places her hand on my arm. "The monitors will warn us if anything happens while you sleep, and I also think some sleep will do you good."

I nod my head and smile at her. "Yes, it is all I can do to keep my eyes open, right now."

Theyboth head for the door, and Jane turns the lights down with the switch by the entrance,before leaving me alone in semi-darkness. The door is barely shut before Iclose my eyes, and I am gone into a blissful sleep.