Here and there, forever

06 The Laboratory

Previously: Jin revealed to Sofia that he and Xiao had created a perfect double of himself to better understand the brain. This double has no emotions. Yet.

The three figures headed toward the secret bookshelf. Jin led the way, followed by Sofia, whose eyes never left the double. The humanoid noticed her heart rate was calm despite the surprise, her pupils dilated by curiosity rather than fear. He gave her a reassuring smile that instantly built mutual trust.

Next to the bookshelf, a narrow staircase in brushed metal descended into the depths. Their footsteps echoed on the steps as they moved down toward a bluish light.

The laboratory that opened before them took Sofia’s breath away. The space, much larger than the office, housed cutting-edge equipment: electron microscopes, centrifuges, incubators, and a multitude of holographic screens floating in the air. Metal shelves lined the walls, supporting hundreds of vials filled with colorful contents.

- So this is where the magic happens”, Sofia whispered, impressed. “Your twin smiled at me first, was it to reassure me? So he can act proactively?”

- Thank you for saying he and not it, the double interjected with gratitude.

- Oh, uh... you're welcome, Sofia replied, slightly confused.

Jin approached a holographic terminal and said, “He’s reached level 3. Our process has five levels: first, a classic robot for specific tasks. Second, reactive robots. Third, proactivity, that’s his current level. Fourth involves emotions. Fifth, pure consciousness.

- Fascinating! What’s missing to reach level four?

Jin leaned against the lab bench, arms crossed. “The real question is: should we reach it? A humanoid has no physiological needs. It doesn’t seek dominance, doesn’t get hungry, doesn’t feel fatigue. All of that can be simulated, but wouldn’t it be artificial?

He paused, watching his double examine the instruments with curiosity. “For emotions, it heavily depends on social interactions. Do we want him to know love? But would we accept him feeling longing, jealousy? Or worse, hatred? I haven’t found satisfying answers yet.

- True, it’s not simple. And in Omni’s hands, you wouldn’t want them to program cruelty or sadism.

- Exactly. Anyway, we’re limited by the brain’s infinite complexity.

- I see now why you turned down working for them.

- What they want is even more ambitious. It’s one thing to make a humanoid human-like, it’s another to duplicate or fully transfer all knowledge and behaviors from a human brain into an artificial body.

Sofia approached a tank containing a shimmering silver liquid. “But what exactly are you working on?

- Xiao and I split the fields. She specializes in understanding the cortex: how tissue generates emotions, consciousness, empathy... I work on stem cells by combining nanotechnology and CortDNA.

- CortDNA?

- A compound discovered by Omni in the Plain. I’ve modified it to achieve these results. And let’s not forget, our consciousness is largely shaped by social context and interaction with others.

- Has your double had other interactions before Theo?

- No. Until now, he’s only interacted with Xiao and me. We raised him with love and kindness. Letting him speak to a stranger was a real gamble.

Sofia seemed slightly offended. “Why didn’t you test him with me?

- As I said, I train him daily. He already knows a little about you through our conversations.

- Ah, I see. This is fascinating! Can I do something to help?

- That’s very generous. If you don’t mind, over the next few days, try engaging with him socially. As always, assume nothing. The full methodology has a steep learning curve, even for someone at your level, but we’ll manage.

- Perfect!” Sofia glanced at her watch. “I’ve got my first patient in a few minutes, but we’ll talk again later. Thanks for your trust.”

- My pleasure. See you soon.

A huge weight lifted off Jin’s shoulders. After all these years of secrecy, finally sharing his work with someone trustworthy brought immense relief.

- Later, guys! Sofia called out as she climbed back to the office.

But as she disappeared into the staircase, Jin couldn’t help but recall Nathan’s threatening words. Omni wouldn’t give up. And when they came back, it wouldn’t be with words.

Next: The operation to kidnap Jin begins. Jin has nowhere to run. In 60 seconds, everything will be decided.

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