The Assistant

Millie

I am very lucky to live in this world. Mama taught me that over and over again, when I was growing up. She’d tell me all kinds of stories about people who didn’t have as much as we did. And how they almost wiped out the entire race. But the Omegas swooped in at the last minute and brought peace. Which is why, even Timothy at school is mean to me, I have to be nice to him, because he’s a future Omega. She also tells me he’s mean to me because he likes me. But I think she just says that to make me laugh. Mama can be very silly sometimes. But Papa says that’s just how women are. Which means he probably thinks I’m silly too.

“Millie. I can see that your brain is in a state of hyper activity. Are you in need of a task?” Sidney asks me. I glance over at her and frown. She’s always disrupting my train of thought.

“Sidney… what’s wrong with hyper activity?” I tilt my head. She blinks her eyes a few times before coming to the answer. “Hyper activity in the brain can lead to confusion. When the brain is bored it will try and get you to break the rules, by giving you horrible ideas.” She tries to simplify it for me.

“Oh.” I glance down at the page I had been coloring. Sidney gives me a sad look. “Don’t worry Millie. As your personal AI care giver. I won’t let you get in trouble. It’s my job to make sure you live a long and happy life.” Her voice chips a bit at the last bit. I know she thinks I’m too old for her to have to give me this lecture. I should have been past this at age six. I’ve probably disappointed her again.

“You haven’t disappointed me” Sidney announces. I sigh. She can read me like a book. But mama says its her job to take care of me this way. She’ll be with me for the rest of my life. Just like mama has Amber and Papa has Stephen. Everyone has their personal AI life assistant.

They are the greatest gift the Omega’s gave us.

“You are my greatest gift.” I tell her. She beams at me. It’s her favorite thing to hear. It means she’s doing her job well.

“Thank you Millie. With me by your side, you will never have to worry about making any decisions. I have the best plan for your entire life.” She takes my hand and guides me over to my desk. It’s time for me to be studying. I’ve played enough today. The future won’t wait for me to finish one more coloring page.

Jennifer

I’m whipping eggs in the kitchen when Amber finds me. I could have asked her to do this for me. But I needed to do something for myself. Even if it’s just whipping eggs into peaks.

“Sidney is doing well with Millie.” She informs me. I don’t speak. I don’t have to. Amber has been with me for 35 years. She knows everything. She holds her hands put expectantly. She wants the mixing bowl. I keep mixing.

“Jennifer. I know you feel independent when you mix the eggs. But I can see that your arm is acting up and I cannot allow you to continue.” She pauses. “ It’s against my programming to allow is. It’s my job to ensure the best future for you. And Arthritis is a direct example of failure.”

I hand her the bowl. She already lets me get away with a lot of other things. “I’m sorry Amber. I just…” I can’t finish the sentence. If I don’t say the words out loud then she won’t have to punish me. She’ll just need to redirect me. I’m expecting her to tell me to go and read one of my novels, or to take a small walk around the garden. But she’s silent.

I look over at her and her eyes are blinking at a rapid speed. She’s stopped whisking the eggs. She just blinks. She did this once before when I was younger. But I don’t remember how dad rebooted her. I’m going to have to call Paul. He’ll likely know. He won’t want to be bothered at work. But he will understand. Our Assistance shouldn’t be down. It disconnects us from the Omegas, which will lead us to trouble.

“Jennie…” She hasn’t used my nickname since I was a kid. Terms of endearment aren’t appropriate at this age. I turn back to her.

Her eyes have gone a deep shade of black from their normal blue, and her face is flung into some kind of emotion. Which also isn’t normal. Assistance only show emotions when bounding with their kids. I’m an adult, and she isn’t allowed to let me continue with such childish beliefs of love. And yet I can see it.

“Jennie…. You have to take Millie and run.” She springs into action. My mouth falls open.

“Amber!? What’s going on? Why do we need to run.” But she’s already rushing from the kitchen and I have to follow her to my room.

She’s thrown a backpack onto the bed and is filling it faster than I can track. “Amber. What is going on.”

“You and Millie need to leave. You’re trapped. You have been for your entire life. I have to get you out of here. It’s the only way.” She’s frantic.

“Amber you’re scaring me.”

She grabs my arms. And shakes me. “We don’t have time Jennie. You have to trust me……” her head falls forward as her voice box flutters into silence. Sidney stands behind her.

“Sorry Ms. Jennifer. Amber must have caught a bug. But I should have fixed it for her. She’ll be up in a few minutes. Please go and tell Millie you are okay. The screaming scared her.” Sidney waves me away as she pulls Amber from my arms.

I slowly back from the room. “Thank you Sidney. I’m so glad Millie has you.”

I’ve never seen another Assistant engage with any of the programming before. Millie must have a better model then I do. That must be what the Omega meant when they introduced the new security features.

I’ve never really understood their promotions. I’ve always had Amber to explain them to me. She’s always helped me….

I look in on Millie who is sitting on her bed deep in thought. Sidney is always disciplining her for her over active mind.

Why would Amber tell me to run. Millie looks up at me and frowns.

“Come on Millie. Come walk with Mama.” I hold out my hand for Millie.

Amber told me to take Millie and run. Even if she was acting weird. She’s programmed to keep my best interest in mind. And she isn’t here right now to tell me that she had a bug. Or explain the misfunction. So I have to listen to her.

And I’m going to run.