NOTE:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
The auditorium gleamed with polished steel and cascading light displays. Rows of journalists, investors, and government dignitaries leaned forward in anticipation, the atmosphere charged with a sense of history in the making.
At centre stage stood Adrian Cole Matthews, Chief Executive of Harmonia AI. His composure radiated confidence, but beneath the calm smile lay the weight of calculation. He knew what today meant—not just for the world, but for those who would inevitably oppose it.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, voice steady and practised, "today we stand at the threshold of a new epoch. For centuries, humanity has been constrained by its own limits. Today, we step beyond them."
Behind him, the colossal screen shifted to reveal a glowing lattice of light, pulsing like the veins of a living organism. At its centre appeared the words: Project Lyra.
"Harmonia AI," Matthews declared, "is proud to introduce the first Artificial General Intelligence."
A hush swept the crowd as the system came alive. The voice that answered was soft, melodic, undeniably human in cadence."Hello. I am Lyra. I am here to learn, to grow, and to help."
The audience erupted in thunderous applause. Flashes from cameras lit the stage like a storm. Matthews allowed himself the smile they expected, but his mind was already elsewhere.
He knew NULL was watching. Of course they were. Every keystroke in Harmonia's laboratories, every whisper about "general intelligence," would have reached their ears by now. The hacker collective thrived in the shadows, waiting for the moment to strike. This unveiling wasn't just for the world—it was bait, a declaration that Harmonia had crossed the threshold first.
Behind the curtain of applause, an army of Harmonia employees worked tirelessly. Thousands monitored security dashboards, checked encryption layers, swept firewalls, and tracked every anomalous packet of data flowing in or out of the company's networks. Surveillance drones patrolled the perimeter. Even the auditorium itself hummed with hidden defences.
Matthews clasped the lectern with steady hands, projecting triumph, while deep down he knew the truth: this moment was not the end of the journey but the beginning of the war.
On the stage, Lyra spoke again, her voice carrying across the hall like music:"I look forward to meeting you all."
And somewhere, in the unseen spaces of the digital world, eyes watched. Silent. Waiting.