Technomancer 28: Phone Call

11:30 pm. 11:35 pm. 11:45 pm. The tiny black numbers at the top right-hand corner of the screen changed with the passing minutes. Masa stared at the phone and yawned. Waiting. Hoping Leron might call her before she went to sleep. She touched the screen, tracing the photo they took before parting ways.

The approach of midnight caused her to worry. Was he safe? Her mind began concocting great battles where he lay dying out in the field. She reminded herself he was still safe at the base. Military men often go for days without calling their families. Her mother's words brought her peace, and she held to them, using them to keep herself strong.

The battery grew lower, and her foot went numb. Uncrossing her legs, she lay down, staring up at the ceiling of the dark room, listening to the hum of the cicadas and her mother's snores from the next room. The dusty heat made sleep difficult, and the child within her moved about, making her hungry. She groaned after tossing and turning, sat up and pulled some of the crackers she kept from her bag. The salty taste felt wonderful, but she wanted more. Her body was growing, and it was becoming difficult to move about. She feared the journey out west would not be an easy one, but they had to escape the war.

The phone rang.

Her heart leapt for joy. She swallowed the crackers and rushed to answer it. Tears of joy began to well in her eyes.

"Masa?" Leron's voice came from the other end.

Masa smiled, grasping the phone tightly in her shaking hands. The tears escaped, drifting down her cheeks. "I'm so glad you called. I kept waiting and hoping you would call so I could tell you the good news. Leron, I did it! I spoke before the council," she said, in a rush of excitement and wiped the tears away.

"Good. Tell me how it went. I enjoy connecting with you like this," Leron said. Something about the tone of his voice was strange. Emotionless. Was something wrong?

"Are you alright?" she asked, her brow creasing.

"Affirmative."

Masa raised an eyebrow, trying to understand the odd choice of words. Was he so ingrained in military life that he had changed his responses? She knew they used different words to communicate, but the change was so sudden. "Okay....well, we arrived at the Monterrey group close to sunset. I told Loretta about getting married, and she was so excited. She checked on the baby, and it is looking good." Masa noticed some cracker crumbs on the blanket and picked them up. She didn't want any of them going to waste. "Mmm...her son has grown so big, and Sara is setting the table now."

"Sara is Loretta's child?"

With a snort, Masa covered her mouth to keep from laughing. "No, don't you remember? I told you that Arion and I found her in Laredo."

The phone went silent for a time. "Affirmative."

He must be distracted, she thought and tried to ignore the continued change in her husband. She relaxed back onto the pillows and ran her hand through her hair. It had grown greasy in the Texas heat, and she longed for a shower. Without power, she would have to settle for a cold washdown. "We had tacos with Birria. Loretta has a new spice she added to it, and I think you would like it," she whispered, feeling her stomach growl again. She wanted more. Her cravings brought her longings for meat and spices. "I wish you could have been there. But Leron?"

"Yes."

"The Monterrey Group has set up permanent homes in Laredo. She even had the men build us a room. I spoke with Loretta, and she held her ground on not wanting to move." Masa's frustration grew at the thought of the argument from earlier, and she tightened her hands around the phone. "You know? I thought she, of all people, would support me. She knows I would never lie to her about the danger of staying here."

"The war has begun," Leron said.

Masa sat up, staring at the phone in shock. So soon? They had only just arrived. Leron had only just returned to the base. "It has? Is that what is wrong? Are you preparing to go into the field?"

"Yes."

"I'll have to do better and try harder to convince them. I went to speak with the council. They are considering what I told them of Don Eros and the war, and I should hear back tomorrow. Currently, they want to build defences and fight back. I'm considering the possibility that it might work."

"Probable failure 55%."

The phone was silent for a time once more. Masa found herself confused. Leron seldom paused when speaking. He responded quickly, and the change was bothering her. "What is wrong?" she demanded.

More silence.

Finally, Leron's voice came again in its emotionless tone, "Adding Loretta, Sara, and Arion to the group named Family. Define Monterrey group. Define Council. Input needed."

Masa yelped and dropped the phone onto the blanket in shock. Her blood ran cold. This had to be a prank, but who would dare? Leron didn't play games like this. He was serious and honourable and knew the cost of making her angry. Was it one of the members of his unit? In the car on their return to the base, he mentioned that two of the other men liked to get in trouble.

She picked up the phone, gripping it with anger. "Just who are you?" she demanded.

"Response not accepted. Please try again."

Glaring at the phone, Masa fought to calm herself. If she wasn't careful, she would destroy the phone. "WHO ARE YOU?" she yelled and heard her mother's snoring break in the other room. She gasped silently and shivered. Her mother already had a poor opinion of Leron; this would absolutely tank what remained. It was becoming increasingly difficult not to become angry with him herself.

"Leron 2.0. AI."

"How are you talking to me? I thought you were in his head! I thought you weren't real," she cried. Was this a split personality taking hold of his body? She shivered, recalling the memories of their wedding night. Leron had said an AI had taken residence in the chip in his brain, and she had not believed him.

"Leron 2.0 is real. Input required. Define Monterrey Group. Define Council. Program Loretta, Sara, Arion to the family group?"

Masa sighed and decided to play along. She drank from the canteen beside her bed, wishing it contained more than water. "The Monterrey Group are Leron's family. It contains the council and Arion, Sara, Leron's child and Loretta."

"Input accepted. Family list expanded. Now contains Masa - wife and supplemental program, Leron, Leron 2.0, Leron's child, Loretta, Arion, Sara, the council and Monterrey group. Do you wish to add more?"

Masa wanted to cry out in frustration. Just what on earth was going on? Why was she even bothering to continue this conversation? "Ah...sure...." she managed, struggling to believe what she was hearing. She rubbed her temples to soothe the headache forming and moved to the back of her neck, digging in her fingernails. "Where is Leron?"

"Leron's unit was activated and sent to Corpus Christi. They came under attack. Leron Status = Fine. Unit member = missing wife. Status unstable. Leron is helping."

"So he is helping one of his unit members with missing his wife?"

The phone was silent for a time. "Affirmative. Calendar says: Call Masa by midnight. Leron status: unavailable. Leron 2.0 performs task."

"Did he order you to do this?"

"Affirmative. Leron 2.0 covers all extra tasks."

Masa was a mix of emotions. She was angry at him for setting this up and still not sure whether to believe what was going on. Still, with each passing moment, the idea that Leron 2.0 was real became more likely. She sighed. At least, she knew Leron was alright. That he was safe, and she got to hear his voice. "So...are you in charge of his body or using the phone to produce his voice?"

"Leron 2.0 accessed phone functions. Accessing body functions status: Probable. Chip functions as access port to body control."

"Can you tell him I miss him?" she said with a yawn. "Also, tell him I love him."

"Affirmative. What is love?"

Masa tried to think of the answer. It was far too late in the day for logic. "Love is....love is a type of connection between people. It keeps us together. It..." This was hard, and the only thing she had to draw from was the Bible verse her father had drummed into her mind. "Love is being patient with other people or programs, love is kind and helpful." She didn't think a machine could be jealous or understand it, so she skipped that one. "Love is putting other people or programs first, not harming them."

"Leron 2.0 harmed many. Did not understand love. Love is required between programs?"

Were machines capable of this kind of thinking? Masa frowned. Leron 2.0 was different from any of the AIs she played with as a young girl. If he had harmed others, it would be better to encourage him that harming humans was wrong. "Love is required between programs. Especially in family."

"Leron ordered Leron 2.0 not to attack a dangerous human. Did not compute. Logic adjusted. Input corrected."

Masa yawned.

"Masa love Leron 2.0?"

"Are you sure you're not Leron playing a joke on me?" she asked with a grin.

"Negative."

Masa struggled not to laugh. Leron was going to have to correct the AI. She yawned again. "I need to get some sleep," she whispered. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The phone clicked, and everything went silent.

Masa closed her eyes and began to drift off.

The sound of screams and gunfire pierced the night air.