Daemon

company’s data off the face of the earth. And don’t even think of replicating your databases from scratch with paper files; remember that my Daemon has agents among your staff. You can hide nothing from it. If you start polygraphing or if you lay off everyone, the Daemon will destroy your company. If you attempt to infiltrate an undercover operative into your IT department, it will destroy your company. If you attempt to exert control over your IT department or to create a new one, it will destroy your company. In short: if you attempt to do anything other than ignore my Daemon, it will destroy your company.
    ‘As a financial enterprise wholly reliant upon the trust of your clients, the loss of all your clients’ data will bring ruin upon you. As for insurance: the Daemon will annihilate you whenever you reappear, and it will never stop until both your company and you as individual officers are financially destroyed. Being a nonsentient narrow-AI construct, the Daemon doesn’t give a damn what choice you make. It’s as dumb as
Sacculina
.’ A pause. ‘And just as effective.’
    The fireplace background reappeared, and Sobol smiled again. ‘I hope you and my Daemon can peacefully coexist. I think you’ll find that, as the years roll by, you’ll be glad indeed that you didn’t try to defy it – especially as you take market share from those companies that did defy it. So, please, carefully consider your options, and just remember – no matter what you choose – you serve a crucial role in evolution. Even if it’s just as food for the survivors. Thanks for watching.’
    Sobol waved pleasantly as the saccharine corporate Muzakcame up, accompanied by fanatical applause. Credits rolled by impossibly fast.
    The female announcer returned. ‘Don’t touch that dial! In a few moments, you’ll have a chance to see how you can avoid destruction at the hands of the Daemon. And be sure to take the Daemon quiz—’
    Lindhurst hit the stop button, and the screen went black.
    Vanowen sat there like someone who had just been through electroshock therapy. His mouth hung open for several moments before he turned dull eyes toward Lindhurst. ‘It’s really Sobol.’
    ‘That’s what I was trying to tell you.’
    There were a few moments of silence.
    ‘We have to call the authorities.’
    ‘If we call the FBI – and word gets out about this – our investors will bail. And sue.’
    Vanowen nodded. He suddenly frowned, as if remembering to be angry. ‘Damnit, Lindhurst, what kind of an organization are you running down there? Your systems may be responsible for the destruction of this company – a company with a century of history. When the shit hits the fan, I’m going to point the finger of blame squarely at you, where it belongs, and you can count on that.’
    Lindhurst looked darkly at Vanowen. ‘That’s a touching sentiment, but I seem to remember it was you who told me to cut IT head count by half and slash the benefits of the rest. That left us with plenty of disgruntled people in our midst.’
    ‘You took your bonus, if I remember.’
    ‘Look, let’s not turn this into a blamestorming session. There’ll be plenty of time for that if we fail. In the meantime, we should focus on what we’re going to do.’
    ‘You mean what
you’re
going to do. I’m going to Moscow to maintain the appearance of normalcy. But I want a report in my inbox by the time I land, detailing precisely what you intend to do to solve this problem.’
    ‘No e-mail. Our systems are compromised. The phones, too. They’re voice over IP – the signals go over the computer network. We’ll need to use our personal cell phones and handwritten correspondence only – nothing enters a computer concerning this situation. Not a single typed character. Not even a scheduled meeting between us.
Nothing
. Otherwise they’ll know what we’re up to.’
    Vanowen was slightly taken aback. ‘You’re serious?’
    ‘Russ, you might not have noticed, but this entire organization is stitched together with computer networks. You can’t enter the parking garage without producing half a dozen records in some database. Sobol says he has people on our staff, and they no doubt can see everything we’re doing.’
    ‘If you ask me, this is simple: we shut everything off and go back to using pens, paper, and phones. Lay off all these IT bastards. We’ll see how they like that.’
    Lindhurst took a deep breath to keep from losing his temper. He