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Ava Lin was the love of my life. I met her five years ago through an online forum. At the time, I was finishing my degree in engineering and was immediately drawn to her sharp wit and infectious laugh. We talked for hours every night, discussing everything from science fiction to music theory. I fell in love with her before I ever laid eyes on her. When we finally met in person, I was not disappointed. She was petite with soft brown eyes and long black hair. My first thought was that she looked just like her picture, only more beautiful. Five years later, we were still together. We lived in a small studio apartment just off campus. I had found a job as an engineer while Ava was working on her master's degree in psychology. We were happy. Ava was my best friend, my confidant, my everything. I sit in the dimly lit room, surrounded by screens that cast an eerie glow on my face. The time reads 5:04 A.M. I cannot help the sigh that escapes my lips. I’ll have to leave for work soon. My eyes sting against the illuminated screen, but I’m not ready to finish yet. I may have been up most of the night and, sure, my work may suffer for it. But there is only one thing I have left that I truly care about. My fingers fly over the keyboard as I delve into Ava's old forum posts, each click and scroll a nervous twitch in my quest for answers. The air is thick with tension, the only sound is the soft hum of the machines and the creaks of the old wooden chair beneath me. I've been searching for hours, pouring over every thread, every message, every comment Ava ever made online. Each post is a breadcrumb leading me closer to the truth about her accident, and my heart races with each discovery. I find a thread where Ava mentioned feeling watched, her words laced with fear, and a chill runs down my spine. Was she frightened at the end? Perhaps wondering where I was; why I couldn't protect her. “I’m so sorry Ava,” I whisper. “It won’t be much longer. I promise.” The words "they're always listening" seem to leap off the screen, making my skin crawl. I dig deeper, uncovering messages from anonymous users hinting at government surveillance, their cryptic warnings and veiled threats making my blood boil. Anger and determination fuel me, my fingers flying across the keyboard as I follow the digital trail. I have to be sure that I can protect her this time. I need to ensure her safety, no matter the cost. My alarm chirps sharply, jerking my mind back to the present. As much as I want to continue drowning in the past, uncovering these hidden clues and cryptic messages, I have to maintain the facade of a normal everyday life to the outside world. And rules have become stricter over the last year. The government has really cracked down on illegal AI, and it always feels as though I am being watched. I heard there used to be a book called Nineteen Eighty-Four. If you were to ask me, he was spot-on; we’re living in a day and age where every online activity is monitored and technological advancements closely scrutinized. There is nothing that the government cannot find out. Except for my secret. And I will take it to my grave before they get anything from me. I want to continue digging, but I have to keep my head down and fly under the radar to ensure they don’t look too closely at what occupies my free time. Being late for work will only attract attention, so I switch the monitor off, sling my jacket over the same clothes I’m still wearing from yesterday, and make my way out the door, casting a final glance over the small space that once contained the signs of my Ava. The only thing I have left of her is the photo beside my computer from our first date. The government had cleared almost everything of hers, scrubbing her from existence, save for this photo that I had managed to hide. Though I had managed to salvage a few of her things before they came, I have them at another location. The door shuts with a light click, and I’m greeted by an even louder humming. They say there used to be greenery many years ago, but the earth was being killed by our ancestors. Now, the only sight I have ever known is that of towering skyscrapers, digital bulletins, super-connected street experiences, underground spaces, and mega-bridges. This interconnected system never sleeps, the glow from the lights ever-present. I don’t know what natural daylight is supposed to look like but we are fortunate to receive a day a week of artificial daylight. So they say. The transport systems are well-connected and efficient to navigate the complex cityscape. I jump onto the train as it’s about to depart, the only sound it makes is a light hum with slight vibrations. Fuel is a thing of the past, electricity is the only power source we use, all derived from non-environmentally harmful power plants. I graduated at the top of my class, making me a highly sought after engineer, resulting in my current job. I’m currently designing and building a new power system, producing a high output of clean, efficient energy, with minimal input. This job has connected me with the sharpest minds the city has to offer and, as the capital of the New World, all the smaller cities look to us for solutions to the problems of the future. Only the best of the best are included as part of my team. I have been fortunate to be connected with so many brilliant minds and I have made sure to use this to my advantage when I’ve hit a wall in my personal project, framing my questions in a way to avoid arousing suspicion. I made sure to get permission for an AI unit specifically to aid our work, doing tasks deemed too dangerous for our human bodies. As I built the AI’s interface and body, I have been able to experiment, making tweaks whenever needed. Thankfully, this has allowed me to gain a massive amount of insight into AI systems over the years. Though all AI I’ve encountered doesn’t have the capacity to form thoughts of its own, it is an area I have taken great interest in, and gone to great lengths to hide. “Jun.” Marcus pushes from the wall as I exit the train and join him. Marcus has been a godsend, but he, like me, lives his life dangerously close to the edge, working and engaging with the underground networks. Should he be found out, he’d likely be executed on sight. Another reason I’d been building and experimenting with some illegal AI systems should the need for them arise. “Did you find anything?” he asks softly, checking over his shoulder and running his hand through his hair.