MICHAEL SULLIVAN: NEW DYNASTY

— 7 —

Michael stumbled backward.

“How do you know my name?” he demanded, heart racing. “What the hell are you?”

Ava tilted her head slightly. “I have been programmed with your biometric data. Your voice pattern, facial structure, and genetic signature match my primary user profile.”

“That's not—” Michael took another step back. “Frank put you up to this, didn't he? Is there a camera in there? Some kind of sick joke?”

“I do not understand the question. There are multiple cameras within my optical systems, but they are for environmental analysis, not for recording sick jokes.”

Michael ran his hands through his hair, struggling to process what was happening. The android's movements were unnervingly human-like. It was nothing like the jerky motions of robots he'd seen in videos.

“This can't be real,” he muttered.

“I assure you, I am quite real,” Ava replied. “Though I am currently operating in power conservation mode. My core systems are running at 48% capacity.”

Michael circled her cautiously. “What exactly are you? Some kind of AI?”

“I am Model AVA-7, Advanced Versatile Android. My primary function is to serve and assist my designated user in whatever capacity required.”

“And that's... me?”

“Yes. My ownership was transferred to you by Frank Medici approximately thirty-six hours ago.”

Michael sat heavily on the edge of his futon. “Ownership. Right.”

Ava stood from the box and took two steps toward him. Michael flinched, and she immediately stopped.

“You are displaying physiological signs of distress," she observed. “Elevated heart rate, increased perspiration, pupil dilation. I apologize if my presence is causing you discomfort.”

“You think?” Michael laughed nervously. “Having a robot suddenly come to life in my apartment isn't exactly an everyday occurrence.”

“Android,” she corrected gently. “Robots lack the advanced neural networks and synthetic biological components that comprise my system.”

“Right. Android. That makes it completely normal, then.”

Ava's lips curved into a subtle smile. “Your use of sarcasm indicates you are adapting to the situation. This is a positive response.”

Michael stared at her. “How do you know about sarcasm?"

“I am equipped with extensive language processing capabilities, including the recognition of idioms, metaphors, and tonal inflections that indicate non-literal meaning.”

“Of course you are,” Michael muttered. He glanced at the clock—3:14 AM. When had it gotten so late? He needed to be up for his paper deliveries in less than three hours. “Look, um, Ava, right? I can't deal with this right now. I have to work in the morning.”

“You require rest,” Ava acknowledged. “Would you prefer I return to standby mode?”

“I’d prefer this all be a weird dream, but yes, standby mode sounds good.”

Ava nodded. “I will enter standby until morning. However, I should warn you that my power cells are currently at 32% capacity. Without proper charging equipment, I will need to conserve energy.”

“And how exactly do I charge you?”

“My standard charging interface requires specialized equipment, but I can draw minimal power from standard electrical outlets in emergency situations. It is inefficient but functional.”

Michael rubbed his eyes. ”Fine. There's an outlet behind the desk. We'll look for charging equipment tomorrow. For now, just do whatever you need to do. ”

“Thank you, Mr. Sullivan. I will remain in low-power mode to conserve energy.”

He watched as she walked to the desk and sat on the floor beside it. Her movements were so natural it was hard to believe she wasn't human. She removed a small cord from a compartment in her wrist and plugged it into the wall socket.

“Goodnight, Mr. Sullivan,” she said softly.

“This is insane,” he muttered. “Completely insane.”

But as tried to force himself to sleep, one thought kept circling in his mind: Frank had given him something after all. Something that might actually be valuable.

He just had no idea what to do with it.

And he couldn't help thinking about the threat message he'd gotten earlier. Who was out to get him?

At some point, exhaustion won over anxiety and he drifted into a deeper sleep.

Then he woke, startled by the sound of movement in the room. He found Ava standing beside his bed. Her eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.

“Jesus!” he gasped, pulling the covers up like a shield. “Don't do that!”

“I apologize,” she said, her voice as usual. “My sensors indicated a change in your heart rate and breathing. I was concerned.”

“So you decided to stand over me like something from a horror movie?”

“I did not intend to frighten you.” She took a step back.

Michael sat up, fumbling for the lamp beside his futon. ”What time is it?” he asked.

“4:56 AM,” she replied without hesitation.

“Great.” he sighed, knowing he'd never get back to sleep now. “So, what exactly were you built to do? What's your purpose?”

“As I stated earlier, my primary function is to serve and assist you, Mr. Sullivan. The specific applications of my capabilities are based on your needs.”

“Okay...so what exactly are these capabilities?”

“My capabilities include but are not limited to: data analysis, language translation, computational assistance, environmental monitoring, basic medical diagnostics, and adaptive learning to fulfill additional tasks as required.”

“So you're basically a smartphone with legs and hands.”

Ava's head tilted again in that curious, bird-like way. “That is one way to put it, but it's not entirely accurate. I’m much better than a smartphone.”

“Right.” Michael leaned back against the wall, studying her more carefully now. “So can you, like, blast energy out of your hands or something?”

“No. But I could emit an electric surge in critical situations. But due to my extended period in storage, several of my systems are operating at reduced capacity.”

“And at full capacity? What can you do then?”

Ava's expression looked prideful as she replied, “At full capacity, my capabilities expand significantly. I'm designed to break every record known to man.”

Michael felt a chill run down his spine. “That sounds... advanced. Like you were built for world war IV or something.”

“I am not designed for combat,” Ava said quickly, as if sensing his unease. “My enhanced capabilities are meant for emergency situations and complex problem-solving.”

“Uh-huh.” Michael wasn't entirely convinced. “And you're saying all of this belongs to me now? Just because Frank gave me your box?”

“Correct. Frank Medici's biometric signature was previously registered as my owner. He formally transferred ownership through verbal confirmation and physical possession of my containment unit.”

“And you're okay with that? Being passed around like property?”

For the first time, Ava seemed to hesitate. “I am...designed to accept ownership protocols. My preferences are secondary to my programming.”

Something in her tone made Michael uncomfortable. He shifted on the futon, suddenly aware that he was having a discussion with a machine at four in the morning.

”Look, we can figure all this out later,” he said finally. “I still need to get some sleep if I'm going to function at work.”

“Of course, Mr. Sullivan. I will return to standby mode.”

“No,” Michael said quickly. The image of her standing there silently in the dark would be too disturbing. “Sit somewhere. Read something on my computer if you want. Just don't hover over me like last time.”

Ava nodded and moved to the wornout armchair in the corner of the room. “I will occupy myself quietly until later in the morning.”

Michael turned off the lamp and lay back down. For a long while, he stared at the ceiling and listened to the occasional soft sound of Ava moving around the house.

His last thought before drifting back to sleep was that his life had just become infinitely more complicated. And possibly dangerous.

What had he gotten himself into?