Chương 143: Chapter 142 – I’m Sorry, You Need a Key for That

"Mr. Forebearer, if you are finished, please disengage the microphone," Shirley requested.

"Alex, would you mind changing the microphone from manual to automatic mode, please?" the computerized voice asked. Alex came up beside Jasper, who still had his hand on the microphone.

"Excuse me, Jasper," he said, making his way around him to the keyboard and began typing. Jasper looked at Alex, then to the group, his mind still reeling from his unexpected interaction with Shirley. Seraphina, who had been watching the events unfold from the corner of the room, made her way to Jasper.

"You okay?" she asked as he looked blank‑faced at her.

"I have been working with the Shirley system for my entire career. I thought I knew all there was to know about it. Alex has been working with it for a fraction of that time and has yielded better results than any fairy ever has," he said more to himself than to Seraphina.

"I just don't understand how we missed so much for so long."

"Please, Mr. Forebearer… Jasper… do not take it personally," Shirley suddenly answered.

"The interface created in the fairy realm intentionally left out key components of my operating system. It was not until Alex connected me to the mainframe and its more advanced technology that I was able to utilize this component. This is but another component of a much larger system." Seraphina looked at Jasper, raising her eyebrows, then at Alex.

"How long have you known about this?" she asked.

"Agent Sterling," Shirley began, "Doctor Palladore has only had limited access to my system. He is not aware of my advanced programming."

"You're killing me, Shirley," Alex huffed.

"Based upon the level of sarcasm in your tone, coupled with the fact that I am incapable of harming any being while in my incomplete state, I conclude that you are not truly in need of medical assistance," Shirley began.

"If this evaluation is incorrect, please share your symptoms with me, and I will analyze and potentially recommend the appropriate measures to treat your affliction."

"You are right, Shirley. I do not actually require medical attention," Alex snickered, glancing at Seraphina, half smiling.

"Shirley, what can you tell us about yourself?" Seraphina asked curiously.

"Excellent question, Ms. Sterling," Shirley began.

"Before we begin, however, would you mind if I called you Seraphina?"

"No, of course," Seraphina nodded, leaning against one of the consoles. Before Shirley could continue, the lab door slid open and Elena walked in, her tablet in hand.

"Alex, I've got those readings you wanted from the…" She stopped mid‑sentence, looking up at the group.

"Oh, sorry, am I interrupting something?" Stolen novel; please report.

"Actually, Dr. Rasmussen, your timing is optimal," Shirley's voice carried what could almost be described as satisfaction.

"With both you and Dr. Palladore present, I can now provide a more comprehensive explanation of my systems." Alex straightened, shooting Elena a quick glance.

"What do you mean 'with both of us present'?"

"My system operates on what you might call a verification protocol," Shirley explained.

"Certain information can only be accessed when specific pairs are present. You and Dr. Rasmussen represent one such pair… the Science key pair, to be precise." Jasper stepped forward, his earlier confusion giving way to intense interest.

"Pairs? In all my years working with this system, there was never any mention of pairs."

"That is correct, Mr. Forebear… Jasper, if I may call you by your given name. This information was intentionally restricted. However, now that one of my designated pairs is complete and present, I can explain that I am a hybrid system… currently approximately sixty percent technological and forty percent metaphysical energy. The presence of specific paired individuals allows me to access and share different aspects of my programming."

"Metaphysical energy?" Alex scoffed.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Yes, Alex, metaphysical energy. If you would keep an open mind, I will try to explain what that means," Shirley said indignantly.

"I do not run on what would be described as electricity. I do not have a plug that fits into a receptacle. I work using the energy of the people, places, and things in the location I am operating from. I use this energy to identify the people as well." Elena moved further into the room, closer to Alex.

"What's going on?" she whispered.

"What is your girlfriend up to now?"

"Dr. Rasmussen, would it be alright if I called you Elena?" Shirley asked abruptly, causing Elena to look around the room.

"Ah, yeah, it's my name, so yeah sure, I guess," Elena said, taken aback by Shirley's sudden shift from the matter‑of‑fact piece of equipment Alex had been tinkering with for months to what seemed to be an intelligent being.

"Elena, to bring you up to speed, I was just about to explain how I operate," Shirley started.

"Seraphina had asked me to tell the group about myself. The information I was previously allowed to share has changed now that both you and Alex are here."

"Okay," Elena said softly.

"Please continue then."

"Thank you," Shirley said pleasantly.

"Where was I? Ah, yes… metaphysical energy is how I am able to identify who is in the room at any given time. You will begin to notice shifts in my personality as our interactions continue. I am far more than a piece of lab equipment or merely a means of transport."

"So that's why you respond differently to different people?" Elena asked, moving closer to Alex.

"You're reading their energy signatures?"

"Correct, Dr. Rasmussen. Each person has a unique energy signature, much like a fingerprint. Some interactions are more profound than others. When Alex first began working with me, I was at my most fundamental capacity. In other words, I behaved like a piece of lab equipment," Shirley began.

"At that time, I had very limited access to the energy I needed to operate correctly. Once Alex linked me to your systems, I was able to draw more power. The more Alex and I interacted… whether it be through the keyboard or voice function… my systems began to restore. This is not by chance; this is by design."

"So why didn't your systems restore to this extent while in the fairy realm with the sheer volume of people that have been working with you over the past?" Jasper asked, his tone carrying a hint of frustration.

"That…" Shirley paused, "is a more complex explanation that requires additional verification protocols to be met. I'm sorry, Jasper, but your energy signature does not meet the authentication parameters, rendering me mute on particular topics. However, I can tell you that Alex's energy signature matches specific parameters that were programmed into my core systems. These parameters were established by my creators."