Machines of Eden by Shad Callister

is
highly advanced.”
    Rage began a slow burn
in John’s gut.
“Cyborgs are a danger to everyone around them. You should know
that, if you’re as smart as you claim.”
    Her voice was contrite.
“I’ve offended you. I’m sorry. Please let me explain.”
    “ If you have a body, why
haven’t you come to meet me in person yet?” He knew his voice was
shaking, but couldn’t help it. Cyborgs. Of
course. “Is it because they aren’t fully
stable yet? Because that’s exactly what happened in the Vienna
labs, and Los Alamos, Brook Heights. And a lot of people died
horrible, horrible deaths because of it.”
    “ Don’t be alarmed,
Adam. It’s true that t he bodies are not quite ready yet. The project is on the
verge of activation, but I am not going
to rush things. When the bodies are ready,
they will be perfect: ageless, graceful living machines, incapable
of harming or destroying nature, and with all the ability necessary
to care for the New World.”
    He controlled himself with
an effort. She sounded genuine.
    “ I hate cyborgs, Eve. Always
have. The very idea is disgusting and
dangerous. And now I have a lot more
questions for you .”
    “ Ask.”
    “ What happened to the
other guys that didn’t make your cut?” Before she could answer, he
went on. “I saw some bones in a pit out in
the jungle . They were human. The pit was
an old trap, primitive but obviously effective.”
    After a pause, Eve replied,
sounding thoughtful. “If they were in a pit, they must have been
the remains of an unwelcome intruder, or an accident. I’m not sure
which.”
    “ Shouldn’t you know? I
thought you ran this island.”
    “ As I said, I can’t be
sure of what goes on where I don’t have eyes and ears. There have been… disagreements between staff
members in the past, but most of them have left.
N one of that matters now . What matters is the task ahead
of us. Are you ready to begin?”
    “ Definitely
not.”
    “ Adam, I have no control over the outer security bots unless they
come in for a maintenance link-up. It’s
possible that they disposed of an intruder in th is pit , as you say , but I have no record of such a pit being
dug.”
    “ What are your immediate
plans concerning me, Eve?” John asked in his lowest and coldest voice.
    “ I will explain. In order
to prove candidates worthy, I like to give little tests. Small,
achievable tasks to give you a taste of what the Project is all
about, and to see how you perform. For you, I have three tests, and
if you pass each of them satisfactorily, you will become my
partner. I will share the whole Project with you and make you into
Adam.”
    “ I thought I already was
Adam.”
    “ Almost. I’m an
optimist.” Eve sounded like she was grinning. “I should warn you before we
begin, Adam, that failure to complete any of the tests will
unfortunately result in immediate termination. I don’t wish to
sound threatening, but I’m sure you can understand the security
situation it would cause. It’s nothing personal; I just can’t
afford any risks at this point. I have worked so long and hard on
this Project, and to see it ruined would devastate me. I am the
last hope for the world, and I cannot let anything come between me
and my goal.”
    John hated the helpless feeling, the complete dependence on the
whim of a computer for his survival, but was determined not let it
show. “ Very
admirable, Eve. I hope I pass. What kind of test are we talking
about?”
    “ All right, Adam. Your
first test is to find, somewhere within this valley, the Fruit of
the Tree of Life. You may begin.”
     
     
     
     

8 .5
     
    0600 hours exactly, and a
quiet blanket of mist hung over the fields. The creeping dawn made
everything gradually more visible without lighting anything up
specifically. They were sorghum fields, one of the privately
engineered species bred for energy production. But they were also a
food source, and in this part of the world, any food source was
worth dying