Chapter 7: The Girl Behind Aurora-X
Marcus dropped the photograph.
For the first time since I had met him, the successful businessman looked completely helpless.
"Where did you get this?"" he asked.
I showed him the message again.
The unknown sender had written:
*I am the person who built Aurora-X. And I know why they really need Iris.*
Marcus read it twice.
Then he looked at the photograph.
"Olivia.""
His voice cracked.
Vanessa shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"I told you, I don't know anything about that.""
Marcus turned toward her.
"Stop lying.""
"I'm not!""
"Then explain why my daughter's name is on a prototype you claim belongs to your company.""
Vanessa looked down.
I pulled out my phone.
"Should I reply?""
Marcus nodded.
I typed carefully.
*Who are you? How do you know about Iris?*
The response came almost immediately.
*My name is Olivia Reed. Please don't let them shut Iris down.*
A second message appeared.
*My father doesn't know everything Ethan has been doing.*
Marcus snatched the phone.
"Olivia? It's Dad. Where are you?""
There was no response.
He called her.
The phone rang several times before going to voicemail.
Marcus lowered his hand.
"She's been missing for two days.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
He nodded slowly.
"She left her apartment Wednesday morning. She told her caregiver she was going to meet a university researcher. She never came home.""
"Did you report it?""
"Of course. The police are looking for her.""
His hands trembled.
"She has a medical condition. She can't go without her medication for long.""
The photograph suddenly felt much heavier.
"Why would she be involved with Ethan?""
Marcus looked at me.
"That's what I need to find out.""
Vanessa stood.
"I think this meeting is over.""
Marcus turned sharply.
"Sit down.""
"You can't order me around.""
"No. But I can ask why my daughter has disappeared after working on a machine connected to your company.""
Vanessa's face tightened.
"Olivia volunteered to help. She wanted to work on the technology.""
"She was supposed to be reviewing accessibility features.""
"She was old enough to make her own decisions.""
Marcus stared at her.
"Then why did she tell me she was afraid of Ethan?""
Vanessa went silent.
I looked at her.
"You knew Olivia was afraid of him?""
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
"She was difficult to work with.""
"That's not an answer.""
"She kept questioning the commercial modifications. She said the system was unethical. She refused to sign off on the final prototype.""
Marcus's expression darkened.
"And you allowed Ethan to continue?""
Vanessa looked away.
"He said he could handle her.""
Marcus stood so abruptly that his chair scraped backward.
"Handle her?""
The competition representative intervened.
"Mr. Reed, please.""
Marcus took a breath, but his eyes remained fixed on Vanessa.
I turned back to my phone.
Another message had arrived.
*Maya, check the original Iris emergency-response architecture. There is a hidden connection in the backup. Ethan didn't install it. It was already there when you received the processor.*
My stomach tightened.
I opened the development archive on my laptop.
The original processor had been donated through the youth innovation foundation. I had never known who manufactured it.
I had simply received a sealed package containing the component and a note congratulating me on my grant.
"Marcus," I said.
"Who supplied my original processor?""
He looked at the serial number on the screen.
His expression changed.
"That's one of ours.""
"What?""
"The processor belongs to Companion Research. We donated several development units to the foundation.""
I stared at him.
"Then someone could have installed the connection before I built Iris?""
"Possibly.""
I opened the system architecture.
A small identifier appeared beneath the original emergency-response module.
*COMPANION LINK — LEGACY ACCESS.*
Marcus leaned closer.
"I've never seen that identifier in a commercial system.""
"Can you tell what it does?""
He examined the code.
"It looks like a remote diagnostic connection. It was designed to allow our original engineers to test hardware without physically accessing the device.""
"Could someone use it to control Iris?""
He paused.
"Not under normal circumstances.""
"Under abnormal circumstances?""
He didn't answer.
I looked at the phone.
*Why do they need Iris?*
The response took almost a minute.
Then three messages arrived.
*Aurora-X can predict when a person is likely to experience distress.*
*But Iris can recognize distress before it happens.*
*They want to combine the two systems.*
I read the messages aloud.
Marcus slowly sat down.
"That was never supposed to happen.""
"What's the difference?"" I asked.
He rubbed his face.
"Olivia designed the predictive model. It was meant to identify patterns that could help caregivers intervene before an emergency. For example, if someone repeatedly forgot medication or stopped responding to family calls, the system could suggest additional support.""
"And Aurora-X?""
"Someone modified the model to monitor people continuously. It could infer their habits, vulnerabilities, and emotional responses.""
I thought about the file on Iris.
The one describing me as resistant to authority.
They had used my own machine to study me.
Marcus looked at the phone.
"Olivia must have discovered what Ethan was doing.""
Another message arrived.
*They don't want to sell a care robot. They want the data system behind it. Iris has the original ethical safeguards. Without those safeguards, Aurora-X can be used to manipulate people.*
My blood ran cold.
"Why does Iris have the safeguards?""
I remembered something.
The first time I had tested Iris's emergency-response system, she had refused to send a notification without confirming the user's consent.
I had designed that restriction myself.
A person should never lose control of their own information just because they needed assistance.
It had taken me three weeks to make the system work.
Marcus looked at me.
"Because you built the thing Olivia wanted to build.""
I glanced at the photograph.
"Then why would she want me involved?""
His answer came quietly.
"Because you're the only person who can understand both systems.""
My phone vibrated again.
This time, Olivia sent a photograph.
It showed a small room with a metal desk, several monitors, and a prototype robot in the corner.
On the main screen was a live image of Iris.
Beneath it was a countdown.
*REMOTE OVERRIDE WINDOW: 01:42:18*
I stared at the numbers.
"What is that?""
Marcus took the phone.
His face went pale.
"Someone is preparing to access Iris remotely.""
"Can they shut her down?""
"More than that.""
He zoomed in on the screen.
The override window was connected to the Companion legacy system.
If someone gained administrator access, they could replace Iris's original safety architecture with the Aurora-X software.
I looked at my robot.
"How do we stop it?""
Marcus opened his briefcase and removed a secure tablet.
"We need to isolate the processor.""
"Can we do that here?""
"Not without risking the memory archive.""
Iris suddenly spoke.
"Warning. Remote administrator request detected.""
Everyone froze.
A new message appeared on her display.
*INCOMING ACCESS REQUEST.*
Then another.
*PRIMARY CREATOR AUTHENTICATION REQUIRED.*
I stepped closer.
"Reject access.""
"Unable to complete request. Legacy administrator credentials required.""
Marcus stared at the screen.
"That's impossible.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
He swallowed.
"Because those credentials belong to Olivia.""
My phone vibrated one final time.
Olivia's message contained only six words.
*Maya, don't let them find me.*
May you like
Then the photograph disappeared.
And the countdown on Iris's screen began moving faster.
