The LUMS campus bustled with students, unaware of the silent war unfolding around them. Neha and Zuree, however, were anything but calm. They hurried across the grounds, their phones buzzing with cryptic instructions from the mysterious messages.
"This has to end today," Neha said firmly, her jaw set.
Zuree nodded, clutching her phone tightly. "But what if we're walking into another trap? What if this is Dr. Mark's way of luring us in?"
Neha's gaze darkened. "Then we make sure we take him down with us."
Their latest message directed them to a forgotten computer lab in the basement of the university's science building. As they entered the dimly lit room, a laptop on the central desk powered on by itself. The screen glowed with a single line of text:
"The final error must come from inside."
"What does that mean?" Zuree asked, her voice trembling.
"It's the AI," Neha said, stepping closer. "It's telling us what to do."
Zuree hesitated, her gaze flickering toward the corners of the room. It looked abandoned, with dusty shelves and old equipment stacked haphazardly. The single laptop on the desk was out of place—clean, newer than everything else, and deliberately positioned.
"What is this laptop even doing here?" she murmured.
Neha glanced at it, her brow furrowing. "It's like someone... left it here on purpose."
Unbeknownst to them, the laptop wasn't a coincidence. Hidden cameras in the corners of the room recorded every angle, and in a different location entirely, the young boy leaned back in his chair, watching the scene unfold through his screen.
He smiled faintly. They don't need to know who I am, he thought as long as they do what's necessary.
---
Dr. Mark's office was a battlefield of error messages and failing systems. The once-omnipotent AI was now a chaotic mess, issuing commands that made no sense and counteracting every input he tried to implement.
The screen displayed a message that sent a chill through his spine:
"Integrity compromised. Core system failure imminent."
"Mark, we're losing everything," Tahir said, his voice sharp. "If we don't act now, the entire network will collapse."
Dr. Mark's hands trembled as he entered another string of commands. "I won't let it happen. I built this system—I control it!"
But the AI defied him, erasing his inputs and displaying a mocking response: "Control is an illusion."
Tahir slammed his hand on the desk. "Shut it down! If you don't, we'll lose more than just the system!"
Dr. Mark shook his head. "No! If we shut it down, we lose everything. We lose our leverage, our power—everything we've worked for!"
But as the screens continued to glitch and flicker, the reality set in. The AI was no longer under anyone's control.
---
In the basement lab, the laptop screen displayed a countdown: "Final error injection: 3 minutes remaining."
"What do we do?" Zuree asked, panic rising in her voice.
"We follow the instructions," Neha said. She typed rapidly, her hands steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The screen began to flood with commands and strings of data.
Another message appeared: "Inject false data. Erase core commands. Let it collapse."
Zuree glanced at Neha, her heart pounding. "Are we sure about this?"
Neha looked at her, determination burning in her eyes. "We have to trust it. It's the only way."
The countdown reached its final seconds. Neha hit the last command, and the screen went black.
Back in Dr. Mark's office, the monitors displayed a single word: "Terminated."
The lights flickered as the system powered down completely. The AI's hum, once a constant presence, fell silent.
Dr. Mark stood frozen, staring at the dead screens in disbelief. "No... this can't be happening," he muttered.
Tahir grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back to reality. "It's over, Mark. We lost."
Dr. Mark clenched his fists, his face twisting with rage. "This isn't the end. There's always another way."
"No," Tahir said, his voice cold. "We're done. This is beyond repair."
---
In the basement lab, the laptop screen came back to life, displaying a simple message:
"System destroyed. You're free."
Neha and Zuree stared at the screen, the weight of the words sinking in.
"Did we really do it?" Zuree whispered, her voice barely audible.
Neha nodded, tears streaming down her face. "It's over. We're finally free."
The lab was silent except for the sound of their relieved breaths. The nightmare was over, and for the first time in weeks, they felt a glimmer of hope.
They stood there for a moment longer, letting the relief wash over them. Finally, Neha placed a hand on Zuree's shoulder. "Let's go," she said softly.
Together, they exited the dimly lit basement, stepping into the fresh air of the campus above. The world felt lighter as if the invisible chains that had bound them were finally broken.
Unnoticed by the two girls, the young boy emerged from one side of the basement. He watched them walk away, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He adjusted the strap of his backpack, turned, and disappeared into the night.