The Russian Billionaire

“Jesus!” I exclaim, shocked. “That’s what transhumanism is truly about?”

“Yes. Without going into the complicated scientific explanations of encapsulated quantum dots, DNA absorbing light photons, and nanotubes and fibres, that is the simplest way I can explain it to you.”

I lean away from him. “That sounds terrible. Why would anyone want to do that to themselves?”

“The problem is most people will not understand what they are getting into. They will not do their own research. They are too busy putting food on the table and paying their bills. They will simply Google it, and since Google is one of the major players in the push towards transhumanism, it is unlikely they find the truth anywhere on Google’s search results. Once they have Googled it they will feel they have done their due diligence, Next step is to go ahead and sign up to become a superhuman. The effect will only become apparent when the machine has taken over, when it is too late.”

I shake my head in wonder. “Would governments really do that to their own people? I mean, I can hardly believe it.”

“Governments have poisoned and killed their own citizens since time immemorial. As I said before, the research and implementation is going at breakneck speed. They are almost at the cusp of rolling it out. All they need is an excuse which they will create at their pleasure. There is only a small window of opportunity left to warn people not to fall for the trick.

“Is that what you are doing, warning people?”

“No. That’s not my expertise. I am building an alternative internet platform.”

“An alternative internet? Why?”

“The time will come when anyone who is not part of the AI hive mind will be prohibited from utilizing the internet. That is when our system will come alive. It will be separate from their centralized internet and exist completely outside their control. Which means they can never shut it down.”

At that moment I think of the painting. “There are people trying to stop you, aren’t there?”

“Yes, there are very powerful people trying very hard to stop us, but our alliance is very strong and we have a secret advantage they do not know about.”

I can’t stop thinking about the painting. It bothers me that Catherine has never contacted me since I moved it to the spare room. What if it’s not a listening device? What if it’s something else I don’t understand? I decide to get rid of the painting tomorrow.

“I’m leaving for Amalfi, in Italy tomorrow night. I’m going there to meet a Russian hacker. I’ll be staying there for two days in a small, old fashioned hotel built into a cliff. It won’t be glamorous, but will you come with me?”

I chew my bottom lip. “I’d love to, Konstantin, but I have to work.”

“You were working two jobs to pay for your sister’s medical bills. You don’t have them anymore, why not give one up?”

“You’re right. I don’t know why I’m still doing it. Maybe it’s just a habit.”

“Give your notice and come with me.”

“All right.”

Blake Law Barrington

“What good fortune it is for governments that people do not think.”

-Adolf Hitler

* * *

I put the phone down after speaking to Konstantin and swivel my chair around to stare out of the window. Things are starting to happen, but I can’t help feeling worried. There is a tight ball of anxiety in my gut. It is all too easy. I alone, from everyone in our group, understands our enemy. I know because I am their spawn.

Only I know how utterly ruthless and powerful they are.

The others are full of hope, zeal, and innocence. They have never met the enemy. Only I have seen their faces and known their dastardly deeds. Only I know how depraved they are. It is almost impossible to tell the others about them. They will wither away in shock. The human mind cannot conceive of the pure evil that lurks in the true psychopath. He is actually insane. He looks totally normal, he functions perfectly, and can blend into society seamlessly, he may even be considered charming, but he is criminally and irreparably insane.

And it is his kind that rules our world.

There is a quick knock on my door and my oldest son, Sorab, comes into the room. I swivel around and smile at him. Every time I see him my heart swells with pride. He is seven now, and it is almost impossible for me to think of him as humanity’s hope, but if I do this right, he will be. One day, he will battle the dark forces that seek to destroy life as we know it and win.

“Hi, Dad,” he says, as he uses his palms to hoist himself onto my desk next to me.

“Hi,” I reply. Just by looking at his face I can tell something is troubling him.