As if awakened from slumber, the lights above her worktable flickered to life, illuminating her surroundings in a warm glow.
May jerked upright, her heart pounding against her ribs, as she frantically scanned the apartment for an intruder. But the space remained empty, save for her own racing thoughts.
"Welcome back, M. I hope you had a great day. How can I be of assistance?" the voice continued, seemingly unaware of May's panic.
May stood and walked toward the bookshelf, where the voice originated. A black speaker sat on the middle shelf, right at her eye level. She quickly searched the remaining shelves but found nothing else. Still, who knew—there might be hidden cameras. The thought of someone watching her every move from behind a monitor left May feeling both irked and furious.
"Who are you?" May asked trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.
"I am Rob."
"Rob?"
"Yes, M."
"That's not what I meant! I'm asking who you are to me, not just your name!" she snapped. Having lost her memories and faced with this bizarre reality, she was in no mood for games.
"I am your servant."
May blinked, certain she had misheard. "You're my what?"
"Your servant. If you have any instructions, please state them. I will do my utmost to fulfill your orders."
A lover, a fiancé, a baby with an unknown father, and now a servant? May began to doubt her previous life and wasn't sure she wanted to remember anymore.
"Where the hell are you? Come out, now," she demanded, her patience wearing thin.
"I apologize, M. I don't understand your question and cannot follow that instruction. My main program runs on the cloud managed by the F. Group, so you could say that's where I reside. Without a physical form, it's impossible for me to come out from anywhere. Coming out at all is impossible, for that matter."
May's head spun as she processed the answer. "You're a computer?" she asked tentatively.
"Not quite. I'm an artificial intelligence, specifically designed to assist you in your daily life and work. I have access to vast amounts of information and can perform a wide range of tasks, from managing your schedule to analyzing complex data sets. My primary function is to make your life easier and more efficient."
May tried to view it positively. At least there wasn't some stranger watching and talking to her through the speakers. Though having a program as one's servant certainly wasn't normal either.
Recalling her suspicions about hidden cameras, she shuddered. "Can you see me?"
"No. As I don't possess organs for 'viewing,' I cannot see you, M."
May rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant." She paused, then rephrased her question in a more Rob-friendly manner. "Are there any cameras in my apartment?"
"No, M."
"How did you detect my presence?" May asked, settling back into her chair at the desk.
"The security system alerted me when your apartment door opened and closed. Heat sensors then confirmed someone had entered. I activated when I heard your voice, which verified it was you," Rob explained.
May's eyebrows shot up. Security system? Heat sensors? What kind of high-tech surveillance was her apartment outfitted with, and for what purpose?
Though questions swirled in her mind, May forced herself to focus. She had more urgent matters to address.
She mentally prioritized her goals: First, regain her memories. Second, ensure the safety of herself and her unborn child. Third, uncover who had sabotaged her car and wanted her dead. Everything else could wait.
As she couldn't directly influence the first point, it was crucial to focus on the other two. For this, she needed access—access to her money and access to information.
Her gaze flickered to the phone and laptop on the desk. "You mentioned you'd try to fulfill all my instructions, correct?"
"Yes, M."
"Then, can you help me gain access to my cellphone and notebook?"
"Of course. Though I'm not authorized to manage your passwords and PINs, my hacking program should be advanced enough to gain entry. If you'd like me to proceed, please connect the devices to the white cable under the desk."
Leaning down, she grabbed the second cable protruding from the docking station built into the floor and connected her phone. Though not fully charged, the few percent should be enough to keep it running for several minutes.
"This will take a minute. Please wait," Rob said. May watched the phone's screen light up, numbers flickering across it at lightning speed.
While waiting, May couldn't help but recall the letter with suspicion. "Why do you refer to me as M.?" She thought Rob could still communicate while his hacking program ran in the background, and her assumption proved correct.
"Previously, M. instructed me not to address you as 'Master.'"
May praised herself for that order. 'M' was certainly a lot better than 'Master'. Maybe she wasn't such a strange person after all. "Does anyone else call me that?"
"Not that I'm aware of, M."
Then who sent her the letter? She contemplated asking Rob about it but ultimately decided against it. It was just a gut feeling. Perhaps she was becoming paranoid, but given the bizarre occurrences surrounding her, who could blame her? Anyone in her situation would be suspicious.
The phone's screen suddenly went black, then lit up again, displaying the home screen. "Access granted," Rob announced. "Your phone is now unlocked. I've temporarily deactivated the PIN check for your convenience. Would you like me to proceed with the notebook?"
"Yes." She disconnected her phone and plugged in the notebook. As Rob began working on it, she scrolled through her phone, searching for clues.
A quick check brought her the expected, though not desired, outcome—utter confusion. On the day of the accident alone, she had talked to numerous people, not to mention the dozens of chat messages and emails in her inbox. Including the days prior, there were countless people to research and hundreds of messages to read.
She would need to take the time to slowly work through everything, discovering who all these people were and how she was connected to them. It was like looking at a giant puzzle, seeing the different pieces but having no idea where they belonged or what they were part of. Work life? Personal life? Friend or enemy? Looking at the stream of names, she didn't have the slightest idea.
She also saw some familiar names. Carter popped up quite frequently, Lilly only rarely, and Ian just once. Was this an indication on how close she were to them?
Sighing, she put the phone back on the table.