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Back The Last Christian
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Other Books by This Author
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. Author’s Note

Ray’s image was replaced by the image of a portion of his clothing. On the clothing were printed the words “Massachusetts Center for Mental Health.”

And underneath them, a single word: “Patient.”

28

The VR tap woke me. I accessed the Grid’s time: 6:43 a.m. Who was tapping me this early? I entered VR and found myself sitting in an antique wooden chair in an office on Capitol Hill. On the other side of a large wood desk sat Congresswoman Lauren Caldwell.

“Dr. Daniels. Glad to make your acquaintance.” She extended her hand. Still stunned at being with her in VR, I hesitated, then shook it. “I understand Abby has been staying with you. I need to speak with her. Can you connect us?”

“I don’t know where you got that idea.”

“Dr. Daniels, there’s no need to lie. I know she’s there. And no, I’m not going to tell you how I know that.”

There wasn’t any point in denying the truth. Our secret was out. “Just a minute.”

“I’ll wait.”

I reentered physical reality and found Abby in the kitchen. “Lauren Caldwell wants to talk to you on visiscreen.”

Abby’s eyes grew wide. “She knows I’m here? How?”

“I don’t know.”

“Should I speak with her?”

“I guess you don’t have much choice. Just…be careful what you say.”

I connected with Lauren on the visiscreen. Abby sat on the couch. I walked into my study to give them some privacy. They talked for ten minutes. I saw Abby stand and look over at me and concluded they must be finished. I opened the glass door and walked out.

“What did she want?”

“She wants me to come to Washington to testify at a congressional hearing.”

“Hearing about what?”

“Artificial intelligence.”

“She wants you to testify about artificial intelligence? That doesn’t make any sense.”

Abby waved an arm in objection. “No, she wants me to talk about life with my tribe.”

“What for?”

“Lauren said it’s because Bryson Nichols wants to make artificial intelligence available to people groups throughout the lesser-developed world.”

“You wouldn’t be in favor of that for your tribe, would you?”

“No, of course not. She said they need to hear both sides.”

I thought for a moment. “So what did you tell her?”

“I told her I would.”

“Abby!”

“Don’t be upset with me, Creighton.” She chewed on her lower lip, but her gaze didn’t leave my face.

“This is a really bad idea,” I said sharply.

“Maybe it is. Or maybe it’s just where God wants me to be.”

“In harm’s way?”

“Well, sometimes God does put his people in harm’s way. Lots of Christians have been martyred for following Jesus. Their sacrifice spread the gospel even further.”

I shot her a disapproving look.