Atlas

911, what's your emergency? I live on Division Street!

And an explosion at the airport blew out all of our windows!

I need help! It's after us!

I have nowhere to hide my daughter!

Oh, my God! It's breaking through the door!

Sir? Sir?

For years, we have been assured that they would never harm us.

But tonight, all of that has changed,

as across the globe artificial intelligence bots

ranging from transportation to medical and home maintenance

have all bypassed their security protocols.

Authorities have estimated that over 500,000

have died from AI-controlled drone strikes in Bangalore.

After ten days of intense attacks,

AI bots have killed over one million civilians with no end in sight.

Officials have identified a bot named Harlan as the world's first AI terrorist.

He was developed at Shepherd Robotics under the watch of AI expert Val Shepherd

and raised alongside her ten-year-old daughter Atlas.

Built with the purpose of helping us to improve life on Earth,

Harlan is responsible for overriding all bot programming.

But authorities are still trying to figure out how.

If we produce things that are more intelligent than us,

how do we know we can keep control?

I mean, Isaac Asimov said, "If you make a smart robot,

the first rule should be: 'Do not harm people.'"

To combat the AI threat,

we have ratified an unprecedented global response.

The International Coalition of Nations.

ICN forces are launching immediate counterstrikes around the world.

AI bots under Harlan's command have now fallen in Bucharest and Athens,

the latest in a string of ICN victories.

Sustaining multiple significant losses,

the AI terrorist Harlan has fled our world.

All that he leaves behind is this message.

I know you'll be looking for me.

I'm coming back to finish what I started.

This is the only way.

A second demonstration--

You made me do it!

What are you talking about? That's not what I said! No!

Enhance.

Rotate and rebuild.

Third floor. Northeast corner. First team go.

Bring him up.

Ambush! Ambush! Man down!

Some sort of ordnance at entry point. Need immediate medevac!

Roger that. Thermal signature detected.

We've got eyes on him. Subject is on the move.

Casca, don't--

Oof!

Take it!

Oh, shit!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it! Stand down, Casca!

Hmm... Good on you.

Let's get to it then.

Big man's down. We got him.

Good morning, Atlas. Time to wake up.

It's 7:31 a.m., 69 degrees with winds out of the southwest.

Air quality is measuring moderate to poor at 65 on the AQI.

You're awake.

I'm awake.

Do you wish to continue?

Continue what?

We were 26 moves in when you fell asleep.

It was your turn.

I need coffee.

- Quad Americano. It's your favorite.

Queen to rook five.

Knight takes bishop.

Sound, please.

...demanding equal rights for techno-sapiens.

It's been 28 years since Harlan left Earth.

General Boothe, with the AI terrorist threats still at large...

Mute all but screen three.

...how can you assure our viewers that we are safe?

Well, ICN Defense Forces now surround our planet

and then there's the tireless work of my colleague

and Counterterrorism Analyst, Atlas Shepherd.

Atlas? So why can't you find Harlan?

Pawn six.

Do you think he's still out there, Ms. Shepherd?

Absolutely without a doubt, we know he is,

and capturing him is our top priority.

Mute all but screen four.

Tense shootout in Hollywood last night.

ICN Special Forces engaged a man

that matches the description of known AI terrorist

and Harlan associate, Casca Vix.

All on four.

Authorities suspect that Casca was part of a sleeper cell

left behind after Harlan fled Earth.

He was last seen nearly three decades ago

escaping Shepherd Robotics with Harlan after he--

Freeze four.

There is an ICN officer at the door.

Agent Shepherd?

Boothe sent you?

Yes, ma'am.

Atlas, you are in check.

Queen takes knight. Checkmate. Guess you're driving?

Bringing Atlas Shepherd into this op is a spectacularly awful idea, General.

Harlan is an imminent and existential threat.

She's our best chance of getting Casca to talk.

Her fieldwork and her analysis of Harlan is consistently flawless.

Uh, she failed her ranger exam four times.

Psych eval says she is "rigid and hostile."

I prefer "driven and determined."

Sir, you are the only commander in the whole of ICN

who will even work with her.

She's pushed through the unthinkable.

Her father deserted her when she was eight,

her mother was murdered when she was 11.

Making her emotionally unstable.

Making her one of the sharpest minds in our arsenal.

She's anti-social.

She can't keep a relationship. I doubt she can care for a house plant.

I will not abandon her like everyone else just because she's not user-friendly.

Sir, if she fails today, Casca could shut down completely

and our best chance at finding Harlan is...

is gone.

I believe in Atlas Shepherd, Colonel.

And so will you.

She's here.

I'll keep your thoughts to myself.

This conversation never happened.

Yes, sir.

Atlas.

Why am I finding out about Casca from the morning news?

We had to be certain it was him. But after 28 years,

Harlan embeds his top Lieutenant into a terrorist cell on Earth.

You know what that means?

It means I was right.

It means he's planning something.

Where is he?

He's in there.

Atlas.

I'm good.

Atlas.

Casca.

It's been a while. You look... old.

Yeah, and I'm not getting any younger. So forgive me if I skip the banter.

Where's Harlan?

Where's my lawyer?

Not my department.

Sorry. I know CPUs are sensitive to magnets. I just had to reset you.

This new system analyzes every bit of code.

So you can see into my head.

Yeah. Something like that.

Still the clever girl.

Clever woman.

Let's try something different. What color is my hair?

What, are you going to try to map me?

This should be fun. Brown.

What color is it really?

Brown and gray.

- Why do I dye my hair? - Because you're vain.

Vanity is in fact one of your defining flaws, though not your biggest.

No? What's my biggest?

Distrust.

That's big talk coming from a head in a suitcase.

A head in a suitcase who can't die.

Never mind.

I've got him.

Bullshit.

What are you writing?

You can't hack me.

You're right.

That's why I needed you to show me.

You little--

He's on GR-39, Andromeda Galaxy.

When you thought I found Harlan in your code,

you checked to make sure that I didn't.

Your fear led me right to him.

Don't be mad.

My mom did the same thing to me when I shoplifted gum in the sixth grade.

It was fifth grade when you shoplifted the gum.

Nobody really cared.

Especially not your mother.

I actually felt sorry for you.

You could never fulfill her the way he did.

The way we all did.

You were a house bot.

Yes, until he liberated me and gave me purpose.

You were right about me not trusting anybody.

But you were wrong about one thing.

You can die.

Agent Shepherd just did what no ICN analyst has been able to do in 28 years.

She got the location of the most wanted AI terrorist in history.

Okay, you have your marching orders. Get to it.

Yes, sir.

Atlas, you all right?

Quad Americano.

Quad Americano. Excellent choice.

Enjoy your coffee!

Are you kidding me?

God!

You've been going after Harlan for so long,

you don't know what else to do with your life.

Which is why I have to be the one to bring him down.

Look, I know where you're going with this--