"Please repeat the characteristics of the AI you saw and its behavior," the man asked for the third time. Arthur's answer remained unchanged.
He described Alt Cunningham as she appeared in the simulation:
"It was a giant woman made of red data, with long hair. I didn't have time to observe more details, because the moment she appeared, just a touch caused Tony's cybernetic image to collapse completely. I immediately moved to disconnect from the Old Net.
According to Arasaka Corporation regulations, the priority was to pass through the Blackwall so the AI couldn't trace my location via the data stream, and then disconnect immediately. I felt a jolt when I unplugged—whether from the Blackwall or the AI, I'm not sure—and then I passed out."
"How did it touch him?" the man asked expressionlessly.
"With its hand, just a fingertip," Arthur repeated, his tone calm.
His heart rate remained steady, his expression neutral, while the lie detector chip in his neural interface was already bypassed by the Free Killer V0.1 program he had created the instant it connected. All the data the interrogators received from the chip was fabricated, appearing entirely normal.
This was also because they insisted on plugging the chip into his head—a neural lie detector chip that judged lies through the network. It was connected to his netrunner deck, so its results were predictable. Its defense protocols weren't even as advanced as those in Arthur's Mk.3 netrunner deck. With zero-latency data transmission through the neural interface, the lie detector hadn't even initialized before he had already reflashed it to his specifications.
While answering questions, Arthur also studied the chip's data composition, attempting to replicate and crack it. If he succeeded, he could create his own lie detection program, which would undoubtedly be useful in the future.
The man glanced at the woman beside him. Seeing her nod, he simply stood and moved aside.
The woman sat gracefully, studying Arthur with a faint smile. She was Japanese, with long hair draping over her shoulders, appearing elegant and around thirty. Her traditional makeup gave her a gentle, composed air. Of course, in Cyberspace, appearances were easy to alter; wealth could maintain youthful looks or undergo perfect cosmetic modification effortlessly.
"Your initial review of this incident is complete. Let's discuss something else," the woman began in a calm, measured tone.
"Arthur, based on the information from your and your companions' testimonies, we can confirm that a rogue AI invaded the server, causing the overload. However, technical analysis indicates the primary cause was a massive data stream downloaded locally in an instant. I want to confirm—did you receive any unknown program packages before disconnecting?"
"No. After reconnecting, I checked my deck's local storage. Even the quickhack programs I had stored were cleared. I believe Arasaka Corporation had already verified this when they removed my cybernetic eye."
Arthur spoke truthfully—or at least, convincingly—lying on the bed with hands clasped, body neatly positioned, occasionally pursing his lips, his breathing slightly uneven.
The woman's smile softened. "Don't worry. We suspect the other party was either installing a virus on the server or attempting to bypass the Blackwall to reach the internal network. We aren't worried about you hiding anything. This is a friendly reminder: if you discover any unknown program or code remnants, report them to Arasaka immediately to prevent a disaster."
She paused before continuing, "How do you feel about being in the cultivation facility?"
Arthur's mind snapped. Did she just ask a GPU how it felt to mine in a computer? He ignored the absurdity.
"My companions are fine… it's just… I haven't seen the sun in a year. When can we transfer departments?" Arthur asked hesitantly.
"Soon, child," she said with a gentle smile. "You are all valuable assets to Arasaka Corporation, rare netrunner geniuses. I'm here to correct the mistakes of former Director Tano Kimura—oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Tano Ena, the new Director Tano.
As for seeing the sun… I can make that decision. You will soon transfer to surface work. Kimura treated you like slaves… truly pitiful children."
Arthur's eyes widened. "Does this mean the project is being terminated?"
"More accurately, the project's focus will shift," Tano Ena replied with a smile. "The details will depend on whether you can continue to Deep Dive. Only if you can Deep Dive will further discussion be meaningful.
I heard from Dr. Oda that you're recovering well, even programming on a tablet earlier. You should be fully recovered soon."
Arthur nodded, unsurprised. After all, the key data and behavior logs had been altered. Even careful inspection would only reveal he had created a quickhack program.
"Rest well. I'll have Dr. Oda approve your discharge. These next few days are a rare holiday for you—it would be a shame to miss them."
As Tano Ena led the man out, she suddenly turned back. "By the way, your friend Rosie said she vaguely saw a special male AI image near you before disconnecting. Do you recall anything?"
"No, I only saw Alt," Arthur said without changing expression.
Tano Ena smiled. "It seems the number of AIs we need to be wary of may be increasing… Oh, and remove his lie detector chip."
"Hai!" The man bowed, removed the chip from Arthur, and plugged it into his own head. His cybernetic eye glowed gold, and he nodded at Tano Ena.
"That's all for now."
After Tano Ena left, the room returned to quiet. Arthur, however, fell into deep thought. A male AI image? He needed to speak with Rosie immediately.
Tano Ena's appearance was unexpected. She claimed to be the new Director Tano, explaining the disappearance of the original Director. Arasaka rarely allowed mistakes; competitors would ensure survival for the powerful through ruthless means.
This made Arthur uneasy. The original project merely mined for them, the children. The new Director Tano seemed intent on altering the project, likely in relation to AIs. Arthur's statement about seeing Alt had been a self-preserving lie, but now he feared he may have overplayed his hand.
Alt, when alive, had been a top netrunner, even subject to Arasaka's kidnappings. Now as an AI in Cyberspace, she was an even greater threat. Arthur had hoped to leverage Alt's reputation to escape Deep Diving, but now it seemed corporations were not only unafraid—they may even seek rogue AIs.
Arthur sighed. For now, there was nothing to do but proceed step by step, prioritizing escape. At least in Night City, with multiple corporations fighting and neutral territories, there was room to maneuver, and the possibility to change everything.
Soon after, Dr. Oda entered. "Arthur, by Director Tano's order, you may be discharged for self-observation. Some cybernetics are postponed, pending higher-level arrangements."
Arthur blinked. "My RAM compensation and bio-circulation optimization… won't be installed?"
"Your neural strength can't support too many cybernetics simultaneously. Given what we've installed, your neural tolerance is remarkable. For now, I suggest relying primarily on external equipment."
Dr. Oda glanced at him, then added, "Director Tano has extensive connections. She can arrange superior, even experimental, cybernetics for promising individuals. Your Mk.3 netrunner deck will soon be discontinued, replaced by the Mk.4, already set for release. Experimental cybernetics outperform commercial versions."
Arthur processed this. The GPUs they used were outdated, yet they were called netrunner geniuses? Perhaps they were just expendable tools.
"If possible, I'll apply to Director Tano," Arthur said.
"She values you greatly," Dr. Oda replied. "Not many humans survive contact with an AI."
He stood, still weak but able to walk. He bowed in respect before leaving. Two steps later, he stopped. "Uh… where are my clothes?"
"Your old clothes were disposed of. A new netrunner suit is at your dorm. Other clothes require application," Dr. Oda explained.
Arthur followed memory to the elevator and descended to the basement. Each occupant had a private dorm: a bed, desk with a briefcase-sized laptop, wall-mounted TV, wardrobe, shower, and toilet—space maximized. Metal walls, no windows, harsh incandescent lighting, and constant ventilation hum made the room sterile and uncomfortable.
After verifying biometrics and password, Arthur flopped onto the bed to rest. Soon, he initiated a video call. Rosie's youthful face appeared almost instantly.
"Arthur! You're out of the hospital?" she asked, genuinely happy.
"Yes, I'm in my room. Call Lucy… Aren't we supposed to have a meeting? I have things to discuss."
"Got it," Rosie replied with a smile, then hesitated. "Say whatever you need to in person."
Arthur rolled his eyes. Rosie was predictably cautious. She would definitely want to talk about the AI.
The call ended. Arthur lay back, eyes closed. Soon, there was a knock at the door. He remotely unlocked it.
Lucy and Rosie entered immediately, confirming his expectation.