Shadow Tyrants (Oregon Files 13)
Page 126
Chen shook his head. “The system is designed to be completely separate from Colossus so that it couldn’t countermand the order.”
Carlton was seething. “There must be some way to stop it.”
His phone buzzed again. It was Colossus.
It can be disabled manually.
How? Carlton texted back.
At the source in the hold. Lionel Gupta’s files revealed how to do it.
Carlton showed the text to Chen. “Is that right?”
Chen shrugged. “I was only involved in designing Colossus, not the self-destruct system.”
Can you show us how to do it? Carlton texted.
Yes, Master. Chen Min has the expertise required to follow my instructions.
What about the other ships?
If it is deactivated on this ship, it will send an abort code to the other ships.
“Colossus says it can show you how to do it.”
Chen frowned. “If we shut it down, there will be no way to trigger the self-destruct again.”
“So?”
Chen looked at the microphones and telephone receivers scattered throughout the bridge and motioned for Carlton to follow him into the office. He shut the door and unplugged the phone, then spoke in hushed tones.
“Colossus has been listening to us. It’s only been running for a few minutes, and its progress is far beyond anything we predicted. Can’t you see? It’s taking the initiative to act without our input. As it keeps learning, it may outgrow our ability to control it, just like Mallik feared. Without the self-destruct to disable it, it may run amok.”
Carlton scoffed at Chen’s worry. “You’re too cautious. Progress can be risky. Besides, you heard how it called me Master. It knows I’m the one in charge.”
“It does now. How long will it continue to obey?”
“Enough! We are not destroying Colossus . . . Bondarev!”
His new bodyguard flung the door open from the bridge. The big Russian came in with pistol drawn.
“We are escorting Mr. Chen down to the hold, and he is going to deactivate the self-destruct. If he refuses, shoot him in the knee. We need him alive.”
Bondarev nodded and trained the pistol on the Chinese scientist’s leg.
Chen sighed, then nodded and walked out to the bridge in front of Carlton and Bondarev.
“Colossus,” Carlton said, “show us how to disable the autodestruct.”
Another text.
Go to the hold, Master. Colossus will show you.
* * *
—
As Eddie and his team assembled all twenty-two of the prisoners in the workroom and briefed them on how the evacuation would occur, the woman’s voice said over the speakers, “Eight minutes to detonation.”