Chapter 8 - The True Architect
The woman in the advanced tactical suit stepped fully out of the shadows.
The moonlight caught the sharp angles of her face, revealing a striking, intense intelligence.
"My name is Dr. Evelyn Reed," she announced quietly, keeping a watchful eye on the flashlight beams sweeping the train yard behind us.
"I am the original architect of the Vanguard AI system."
My mind raced, struggling to process yet another terrifying revelation in a night full of them.
"Arthur told me he built it," I whispered, still gripping the pistol tightly.
"He said it was his life's work."
Evelyn scoffed, a bitter, humorless sound.
"Arthur Vance is a brilliant marketer and a ruthless businessman, but he couldn't code a basic firewall if his life depended on it."
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"He funded my research, stole the proprietary algorithms when we achieved true sentience, and forcefully pushed me out of the company."
She gently pushed my gun down a second time.
