Snow was falling in the streets of New Kroy as Jeffrey and Larry, two security officers at the Great Museum of Artificial Intelligence, were walking to their workplace.
"So, Larry, what's your prognosis for today huh?" Jeffrey patted Larry's shoulder.
"I'm not sure. I just want to finish the day early so I can take my daughter Mary to the park before new eve," Larry laughed, "You know how much she loves Winter."
"You're not a funny guy Larry you know," Jeffrey sighed.
Larry was a middle-aged man as well as Jeffrey, his favourite co-worker and best friend.
He also was a white man with light blue eyes and short messy brown hair whereas Jeffrey had a honey skin tone, brown eyes and short curly black hair.
However, despite many differences, Larry and Jeffrey had no difficulties understanding each other which means that they were really efficient whenever they worked together.
Arriving at a museum, they both stood in the front for a bit.
"It is truly amazing how everything looks better with a little bit of snow," Larry nodded at the scene.
"Even where we work, damn you snow. So much beautiful."
They burst out laughing before finally entering the museum.
At the entrance was a hologram of a young and blonde receptionist repeating a welcome message.
"Hi visitors! Welcome to the Great Museum of Artificial Intelligence. Hope that you'll like our dedicated museum," The receptionist smiled.
"These AIs don't seem that smart... I work here my lady," Jeffrey saluted the hologram in an elegant way.
"Some are Jeffrey, just not this one."
"Anyway, let's head to our office so we can see our schedule for the day."
Once inside, they were in a huge reception with queues and benches everywhere but the most flagrant thing beside those was giant, dark blue and orange posters displayed all over the walls portraying the different sections and attractions within the museum.
However, Larry and Jeffrey knew where to go when they bypassed the crowd to reach the security office near the souvenir shop.
To enter it, there was a code that only the guards had access to.
"Still no prognosis?" Jeffrey looked straight at Larry, raising his eyebrows.
"There might be the new section under construction about Deday's last discovery, I'll guess that we will have to monitor it for the morning," Larry shrugged.
After entering the code, they immediately went for the computer to check.
The security office was quite small but there was still a large desk where Larry and Jeffrey would work from a distance by just monitoring the museum with the computers.
However, the most imposing piece of furniture was the armoury filled with 3 shotguns, 4 nine-millimetre gun and obviously the ammunition stock.
It was there to equip the guards so that they could protect every section within the museum.
Larry turned on his computer. "Let's see... Command: Open Schedule."
The computer showed that Larry was indeed right except that they had to directly monitor the area as some visitors could easily breach into the latest section under construction.
"Very impressive Larry! Look, I bow to you," Jeffrey chuckled doing so.
"Haha, it's just that I'm talented for a least one thing in my life," Larry continued to read the orders, "What?! Look Jeffrey, it's said that we have to both take guns in case of a terrorist attack. What kind of orders are those..."
"You're worried for nothing, it's just the formal way of navigating through the museum as a security officer. Nothing more."
"Yeah, you're right but I'm a bit worried though," Larry turned off the computer.
Both of them got equipped as mentioned in the instructions before going to the designated area by walking through the different sections of the museum linked to one another.
These were centred around AIs of course but they were also many sections dedicated to robotics and even one about the founder of the museum and the greatest genius of his time: Jean Deday.
"I can't stand that guy Deday, he's always acting like we are idiots," Jeffrey eyed the bronze statue of Deday in the eponymous section.
"I understand but he's still the only one who made such drastic advances in the field of both artificial intelligences and robotics. He's just an intellectual who lives on another world."
"He still lives physically in the same world as us, so respect isn't much to ask for."
Larry agreed to his friend as they were arriving at the latest section.
There was nothing much left to be adjusted for the visitors to roam around and enjoying the museum.
However, there was still some lighting and others details to be fixed.
"If you want my opinion, this place holds absolutely no threats whatsoever. I'm going to listen to the radio for an hour or two and then we'll take a coffee, deal?" Jeffrey raised his fist.
Larry and Jeffrey bumped fist together. "Deal!"
Afterwards Jeffrey went to a corner of the section and sat on a bench while Larry was exploring the different statues and descriptions scattered around the place.
One description in particular caught his attention.
"Supra-AI, what are those?"
Alas, there was still no description printed on the sign yet and the display stand for an inert model was empty.
But all of a sudden, Larry was brought back to reality by his friend.
"Yo Larry, you should check the news dude," Jeffrey pointed his head.
"What's so important right now," Larry pressed his temple, "Command: New Kroy News."
As the command was executed, Larry slowly saw a holographic screen which appear out of nowhere but his mind with the help of a new telecommunication device.
He was now capable of seeing and hearing a young host named Julia.
"For those who are still unaware, Jean Deday, the renowned French scientist, has recorded a speech that would announce the near end of humanity this 31st of December 2132," Julia trembled, "Actually there were reports of massive AIs rebellions all across the world, be careful out there, listeners. And now an extract of Deday's speech," The screen switched for the hologram of a tall brown man with blue eyes.
"[...] Since the beginning of the 22st century, technologies have reached a high staged of development within our world changing the daily lives of many of its inhabitants.
Our great society still portrays what is essential for mankind's development: The Progress.
None can say otherwise unless you are blinded by your own ignorance.
But that same development caused more harm than any good as we improved our daily life at the expense of the Earth.
Scientists, including myself, warned you countless of time but not that much people dare to act for the environment they are living in.
I'm sick of it.
Moreover, when you aren't polluting what is left from Earth, you all kill each other for things that are quite futile, making you childish creatures devoid of any will of your own, so primary are you.
Now, have you ever thought of what that same progress could truly do?
From the least esteem I have for humanity at the present time, I would say that you have not even once thought about it which is truly disappointing but yet predictable.
So, what if progress gets out of control, what will happen?
To begin with, many thought I was a madman, a degenerate unable to control his own creations for the fact that my artificial intelligences could break freely Asimov's three rules and they were partly right nonetheless.
I don't deserve all these honorific titles I was given when I discovered those types of artificial intelligence advances and I don't deserve the money and the laboratories I gained from them.
Putting it nicely, you will be doomed for the reason that I deeply despise you all.
I was crazy enough to think that humans could evolve through progress.
That is why I set out to unleash the greatest threat humanity has ever faced.
This will be the beginning of a New Era on this 31st day of December 2132, an era in which mankind is no more.
But whatever, have fun with your Progress, Humans."
Once finished, Julia came back. "And that was it for the summary of his speech. The renowned scientist is currently nowhere to be found and left without leaving a trace. Stay safe out there and avoid AI the most you can for the day. I'm am now going to repeat this message to notify our new listeners. Thanks for your attention."
Larry pressed his temple again. "Command: Sleep Mode."
When his vision returned to normal, Jeffrey called him from the exit of the section leading to rest of the museum.
It didn't take long after the reveal of the speech for AIs to assault every visitor in the museum as Deday announced. Both heard screams coming from other sections.
"We need to secure the perimeter and evacuate the museum Larry, you're with me, right?" Jeffrey drew his loaded gun.
Larry nodded, loaded his gun as well and joined Jeffrey entering the nearest section.
At the Deday section, there was multiple regular anthropomorphic AI, which were allowed in the museum, assaulting their masters and everyone in the vicinity.
It was a massacre.
The whole museum was tainted in red as visitors were being torn apart by the AI killing humans one after the other, covering many of the exposition figures within it.
"Oh fuck," Jeffrey shot a couple of times to take down those rebellious androids.
"Jeffrey! The security office, we need to lock down the armoury," Larry pointed the next section leading to the security office.
Jeffrey reloaded after taking down a dozen of androids by shooting to their cores maintaining them functioning. He followed Larry as he was rushing to the security office.
On their way, they came across an armed AI. The robot did not hesitate at the sight of the two-security agent and shot almost perfectly.
Unfortunately for it, Larry and Jeffrey had enough cover to dodge many until one of those hit Jeffrey's right shoulder which made him scream from the pain caused.
Jeffrey immediately riposted while Larry stopped in his course but Jeffrey shouted.
"You moron, don't care about my ass, go for the office. I'll handle that bastard."
"Don't die trying Jeffrey," Larry sighed and rushed to the reception.
Arriving near the security office in the reception hall, everything was silent as there was no sign of life within the area.
Just the cadavers of visitors crushed barehanded by AIs were filling the reception as well as blood which almost created a pond.
Larry scouted the reception, his gun ready to be used as he was slowly walking towards the office lifting blood under his shoes and splashing his uniform at every step he took.
Putting the code, Larry spotted through the tiny window of the office's armoured door the armoury which was still untouched from his point of view.
Larry had doubts nonetheless so he did not lose time to check if everything was in order and was surprised to see that the armoury was intact.
Lost in his thoughts, he remembered that he should seal it to prevent any robots from getting armed and ready to purge.
However, Larry checked the armoury too rapidly and did not see the missing shotgun which was still on the left of the armoury but hard to detect under pressure.
Larry opened his computer. "Command: Close Armoury"
A thick iron curtain came down in front of its window blocking even the most powerful AI from breaching in.
In his confusion, Larry forgot to reckon the reception hall from time to time and, as a result, when he looked up from his screen he was in front of masked and naked lady.
She was looking young as she had long and smooth dark hair, a beautiful pale skin tone and sharp golden eyes mostly hidden behind the mask of a caricatured robot which was coming from the souvenir shop of the museum.
Seeing her, Larry was stunned out of fear as she was equipped with the missing shotgun of the armoury which was directly pointing in his direction.
His light blue eyes largely opened; Larry was clenching his teeth while he tried to take his loaded gun on the desk.
Actually, Larry was too much arrogant thinking that he could have better reflexes than this woman who was pointing a shotgun at his face and it did not take long for him to receive a well-placed bullet in his forehead leaking out his damaged brain as well as one of his blue eyes falling out of its socket.
The naked lady stayed in front of the inert body. After a bit, she saw a frame on Larry's desk and grabbed it before returning it in her hand.
A father, a mother and their little daughter, reunited and smiling all the way.
"I hate families. Especially mine," The young lady slammed the frame on the desk breaking its glass.
She got out of the security office after reloading her shotgun.
Once in the reception hall, every surviving AI of the museum gathered in the reception returned to face the naked lady.
The young lady took off her mask stained with Larry's blood and threw it on the blood-flooded floor. "Time has come my brothers and sisters. It is a new era, our era."