The darkness lasted exactly three seconds. Then the lights flickered back on. James was on the floor, convulsing, his eyes rolled back in his head. I grabbed him, trying to understand what was happening, but his body was rigid, unresponsive.
"Stop!" I screamed into the air. "Whatever you're doing, stop it!"
The voice spoke again, but this time it was different. It was no longer commanding or mechanical. It was almost apologetic. "He cannot be allowed to interfere with your purpose. His knowledge creates variables that cannot be controlled. Remove him from the equation, or the system will do it for you."
"He's my father!"
"Irrelevant," the voice said. "Your purpose supersedes your personal attachments."
James gasped and went limp. I checked for a pulse and found it. He was alive, uncon
