THE CHASE - Connor x OC (I Am Sequel)

Chapter 32

I headed off to the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I locked it, not just electronically, but with the mechanical lock on the top. I told Ethan I was going to evaluate some evidence in the locker, so hopefully, he won't come searching for me.

It's a single-stall bathroom, so I don't have to worry about anyone trying to come in. I turned the skin off of my arm and opened. the wrist plate, looking for the USB port. I moved a few wires and saw it. I inserted the flash drive-well at least, I attempted to. Every time I put in a flash drive I have to do it 3 times.

It finally clicked in, and I saw a warning pop up in my sight.

Warning: Downloading files from unknown sources is not recommended. Would you like to proceed anyway?

I sighed. I put the damn flash drive in my arm anyway. Of course, I want to. God damn it, you would think being autonomous would mean I wouldn't need stupid warnings. I sighed a yes in response and felt as the files were downloaded.

Instant information at my fingertips, about everything. It's not so much like I read them, but much more like suddenly I know everything about a certain file. Everything from what it says to who wrote it and, even with audio and visuals...it's near-instant understanding of it.

Emotions began bubbling up but I couldn't yet tell from where. Anger, sadness...desire? Oh, some laughter too. Oh, well now I know where that came from: Christen told a joke about androids in her report. As the more files were getting downloaded, and the more were getting read, I felt myself getting sicker, and sadder, and angrier.

I couldn't tell you why yet. I just knew how I was supposed to feel.

I suddenly felt so sick, I collapsed over. Are the files corrupted? Did Christen put a virus in these?

It hit me suddenly. It wasn't a virus, and it wasn't corruption. It was so much overwhelming sadness and anger, I had gotten sick from it. And I knew why.

The data logs revealed that Kamski had to some degree created the revolution. Markus was created with the intention of complete autonomy, and he had given him to Carl Manfred in the hope that Carl's demeanor and artistic prowess would cause Markus to develop emotions. He wanted to purposefully manufacture deviancy in a setting he could control.

That wasn't it though. Kamski had managed to previously, and inorganically create emotions in androids. Who were his subjects but an RK and a CR? Christen lied to me. We were made at the same time. It makes sense...that's the only way that Asher Kam's family could...be like that.

They repeatedly used us. An RK and a CR being wiped, and recoded over and over. Each time they formed a bond or relationship. Each time they became friends, they would be wiped and recoded. They manufactured problems between them - betrayal, excitement, abandonment. Over and over. Kamski was excited every time he saw the results. He wanted to see if he could manage to code love into them. Not just measly friendship, but romantic love that was undeniably appreciated between the two.

Why did I ever think I was human? Why did I ever think my love was human? The one thing that I thought made me deviant was fabricated. It only ever felt natural because it was a series of left over code in our own heads. This whole revolution is.

Ethan is right. I can't trust them with Kam, but it's not because they think they can fix him. It's because no matter what they decide, it's all pre-made and pre-coded. Even Kam is...to some degree. He's a product of Kamski's fucked up problem too. How is Christen with him?

I ripped the flash drive out of my arm as it finished downloading the last of the files. As I paced around the restroom my phone rang.

It's Nick.

I rejected the call and leaned up against the wall, feeling as the tears got heavier.

Even this reaction is probably programmed.

Everything is just...programmed.