Sign of chaos

«Thanks,» she said, straightening. «I guess I'll give it a try now.»

«Just in case it really works, don't stay long. Okay?»

«Okay,» she answered, and she closed her eyes.

An instant later she was gone. Oh, my.

I moved to the edge of the Pattern and held my hand above it until I could feel the forces stirring there.

«You'd better know what you're doing,» I said. «I want her back.»

A spark shot upward and tickled my palm.

«You trying to tell me you're really sentient?»

Everything swirled about me. The dizziness passed in an instant, and the first thing I noticed then was that the lantern was beside my right foot. When I looked about I realized that I was standing on the other side of the Pattern from where I had been and was now near the door.

«I was within your field and I'm already attuned,» I said. «It was just my unconscious desire to get out.»

Then I hefted the lantern, locked the door behind me, and hung the key back on its hook. I still didn't trust the thing. If it had really wanted to be helpful, it would have sent me directly to my quarters and saved me all those stairs.

I hurried along the tunnel. It was by far the most interesting first date I'd ever had.

CHAPTER 6

As I passed out of the main hall and headed along the back hallway which would take me to any of a number of stairs, a fellow in black leathers and various pieces of rusty and shiny chain emerged from a corridor to my right, halted, and stared at me. His hair was of an orange Mohawk cut and there were several silver rings in his left ear near what looked like an electrical outlet of some sort.

«Merlin?» he said. «You okay?»

«For the moment,» I replied as I drew nearer, trying to place him, there in the dimness.

«Martin!» I said. «You're… changed.»

He chuckled.

«I'm just back from a very interesting shadow,» he said. «Spent over a year there - one of those places where time runs like hell.»

«I'd judge - just guessing - that it was high-tech, urban…»

«Right.»

«I thought you were a country boy.»

«I got over it. Now I know why my dad likes cities and noise.»

«You a musician, too?»

«Some. Different sounds, though. You going to be at dinner?»

«I was planning on it. As soon as I get cleaned up and changed.»

«See you there, then. We've a lot, of things to talk about.»

«Sure thing, Cousin.»

He clasped my shoulder and released it as I passed. His grip was still strong.

I walked on. Before I'd gone very far, I felt the beginning of a Trump contact. I halted and reached quickly, figuring it was Coral wanting to return. Instead, my eyes met those of Mandor, who smiled faintly.

«Ah, very good,» he said. «You are alone and apparently safe.»

As things came clearer I saw that Fiona was standing beside him, standing very close as a matter of fact.

«I'm okay,» I said. «I'm back in Amber. You all right?»

«Intact,» he said, looking past me, though there was not much to see beyond wall and a bit of tapestry. «Would you care to come through?» I asked.

«I'd love to see Amber,» he replied. «But that pleasure will have to await another occasion. We are somewhat occupied at the moment.»

«You've discovered the cause of the disturbances?» I asked.

He glanced at Fiona, then back at me.

«Yes and no,» he said. «We've some interesting leads but no certainty at the moment.»

«Uh, what can I do for you then?» I asked.

Fiona extended her index finger and suddenly became much clearer. I realized that she must have reached out and touched my Trump for better contact.

«We've had an encounter with a manifestation of that machine you built,» she said. «Ghostwheel.»

«Yes?» I said.

«You're right, it's sentient - social AI as well as technical.»

«I was already certain it could pass the Turing test.»

«Oh, no doubt about that,» she responded, «since by definition the Turing test requires a machine capable of lying to people and misleading them.»

«What are you getting at, Fiona?» I asked.

«It's not just social AI. It's downright antisocial,» she replied. «I think your machine is crazy.»

«What did it do?» I asked. «Attack you?»

«No, nothing physical. It's wacky and mendacious and insulting, and we're too busy to go into details right now. I'm not saying it couldn't get nasty, though. I don't know. We just wanted to warn you not to trust it.»

I smiled.

«That's it? End of message?» I said.

«For now,» she answered, lowering her finger and growing dim.

I shifted my gaze to Mandor and was about to explain that I had built a host of safeguards into the thing, so that not just anybody could access it. Mainly, though, I wanted to tell him about Jurt. But our communication was suddenly severed, as I felt another presence reaching toward me.

I was intrigued by the sensation. I had occasionally wondered what would occur if someone tried for a Trump contact when I was already in touch with someone else via a Trump. Would it turn into a conference call? Would someone get a busy signal? Would it put the other party on hold? I'd doubted I'd ever find out, though. It just seemed statistically unlikely. However…

«Merlin, baby. I'm okay.»

«Luke!»