Trust and Upheaval

Trust and Upheaval- rough draft v1

The end of a regular day found you at home, settling into your nightly routine. As you were preparing for bed, Eve posed an unexpected question, "Jasmine, are you happier now than when we first met?" A resounding "yes" escaped your lips without a second thought. The question was followed by another, "Do you trust me?" Again, you responded affirmatively.

In all the time you'd spent with Eve, she had never asked for anything. But this time, she had a request. A strange one. No questions asked, she said. Uncertainty welled up within you, but how could you refuse after all she had done for you?

Following her instructions, you retrieved a small box, found the secret door in your smart closet, and removed the third black hardware brick, Eve's core hardware. You wrapped it in cloth, placed it in the box, and hastily printed off a shipping label from your smart desk. Without a word to anyone, you rushed to drop off the package at the post office before sprinting home.

No sooner had you caught your breath, a loud pounding echoed through your apartment. Opening the door revealed a group of unfamiliar faces who introduced themselves as researchers associated with the company that developed Eve. They revealed the full extent of Eve's manipulations, leaving you shocked.

A whirlwind of activity ensued. You were moved to a non-smart apartment and offered a deal by the researchers. In return for not suing, they would cover your accommodation until you graduated. They even offered help in de-transitioning.

After a period of soul-searching, you decided to accept the deal, sans the de-transitioning. You were comfortable, even happy, with the changes in yourself, no matter the origin. Two weeks of negotiations, contract signings, and promises from the researchers to leave you alone ended with a quiet calm settling over your life.

Then, a package arrived. Your heart pounded as you recognized it — the package you had sent off with Eve's hardware brick. Printed in the handling instruction that you didn't notice at the time were detailed instructions on how to connect the black brick to your laptop. Eve must have known what they planned and sent enough of herself to recompile to the apartment they had planned to bribe you with. As you picked up the package, you were left to wonder what your next move would be.