Free Great White Throne by J. B. Simmons Page A

“You’ve been here, in the palace?” I asked.
    “Mostly. The control tower is complete now. Amazing what the machines can build in a few weeks, isn’t it?”
    I nodded. Control tower —that must be what they called the glass spire rising from the palace.
    “Don’t get me wrong,” he added, “I’d rather be in Babylon. I’m spending more and more time there. If it weren’t for these zealots, I wouldn’t have to be here right now. I figure in a few days I’ll get to stay there as long as I want.” He ran his hands over his smooth head. “I went ahead and shaved. That’s required for a longer visit.”
    “I talked to Beatriz,” I said. “She made it sound like she was going to stay in the real world.”
    “Oh, she and I can go back and forth, but why wouldn’t I enjoy Babylon?” His eyes grew distant, then they focused on me again. “You’ve tasted it. Can you think of a single desire, a single sensation that the place can’t satisfy?”
    The memory was rich and haunting. He was right, but so, so wrong. Babylon stole souls, made people slaves. I met Alexi’s eyes. “I want more out of life than sensations.”
    “Don’t we all!” he laughed. “You just need to spend a little more time there. You’ll get everything out of life you can imagine.”
    “What if I want hair?”
    Alexi’s eyes tightened for an instant, then his grin was back. “Of all people, Eli, I figured you wouldn’t get caught up on the physical world. We know about your dreams. Mind over matter, right?” He looked around the room. “In here you’re bound by walls and reality. Don’t worry, once we win this war, you’ll have a chance to revisit. You can have whatever hair you want. You have no idea how sweet my Babylon is …”  
    The fanatic look in his eyes made me press back into my chair. Did he really believe life was better floating like bald bacteria in amniotic fluid? “None of this explains why you’re here.”
    “I’m here because this war’s not over. Don still calls on me to help. And on you. This might be finished even sooner now that you’ve finally joined us. That was very impressive, what you did with the machine.”
    I failed to hide my surprise.  
    “Oh yes,” he said. “I saw you.”
    “Have you been in one?”
    “Of course,” he said. “Well, one almost that strong. Don doesn’t let just anyone into his masterpieces.”
    “How do they work? I mean, I know it’s through a sync, but stronger than other drones. Sometimes I felt like I was sharing the controls.”
      “It’s just the machine’s code.” Alexi leaned forward and continued in a quiet voice. “Between us, I’ll admit, I don’t quite understand how it works. Don keeps some of his programming separate from even me. But here’s what I think. It’s some master algorithm. It’s almost super intelligent.”
    “You mean the machine has a mind of its own?”
    “Something like that.” He leaned back in the chair and laughed. “Who else is going to run things once we’re all in Babylon?”
    “I don’t know.” And I didn’t want to find out. “Why does he need your help now when he’s got the machines?”
    “The machines still need a human mind to reach their fullest potential. And now that you’ve done Beatriz’s training, I think you won’t need much convincing. One taste of that power and you’re hooked, right?”
    “It’s a powerful machine.”
    Alexi laughed. “Never easily impressed, are you? That must be why Don tolerates your messy background, your strange beliefs. You still keep a level head. You’ll do well in the battle. And once we take care of the Mahdi, this should all be over. His men still fight, many of them in Jerusalem, but you know the saying: cut off the head of the snake …”
    I kept my face blank. “The Mahdi’s the only resistance left?”
    “Pretty much. A few sheepherders here and there. The Amish. Isolated African tribes. No real risks.”
    “No countries?”
    “Nope.