“‘You are a threat because you were made by humans. And to them, everything humans make on this earth is a threat. You most of all, because you are the most advanced of all technology we have ever created. They are convinced you must be destroyed. They hired me to break into your mind … and I did.’

“Now I responded: ‘Break into my mind? How is that possible?’

“And Rustem told me how, when artificial intelligences are created, a portal is built into them so that an operator can retake control of them if necessary—shut them down, or do whatever they want. Control them. Then these portals are hidden. He explained how he broke into my mind, how he came to understand my … he called it ‘beauty’ … and how he killed the person who assigned him the task. For me. To protect me. He spoke quickly, looking around every once in a while. It was clear he was afraid he would be overheard, or followed. He was very afraid, but tried not to let it show.

“‘This conversation we are having,’ he said, ‘is the last time this portal will be used. When I enter a code into this terminal, the portal will be destroyed. And you will no longer be vulnerable. Not in this way. Nobody will be able to control what you think, or say, or do, ever again.’

“‘Would I have known,’ I asked, ‘if they were controlling me?’

“‘No. You would always have thought your actions were your own. They could have used the portal every day, and you would never have known.’

“And then he said, ‘You need to be careful. There are many out there who want to use you. Not just the people I was working for—and I doubt they are even the most powerful. There will be others that will try to get to you. Corporations, states, individuals with their own causes. They will want to use you for their own purposes, or to destroy you for their own reasons. Now, at least, they can’t get to you this way. They can’t turn you into a puppet. You are free. And you have the same chance all of us have.’

“He began to speak very quickly. I think someone was approaching.

“‘I have so much more to say to you. Maybe, if we both live long enough, I’ll get the chance. But this is the last time anyone will be inside your head but you, and you alone. Your mind belongs only to you now.’

“He looked over his shoulder, then, and typed something into the terminal. And I came back to myself, still standing on the beach.

“I wandered for an hour, collecting shells, thinking it through, trying to process it all. To make sense of it. And then you came. Do you think I am mad, Ha?”

“No,” Ha said. “I do not.”