In 2052 the web controls the living and the dead, and Anika Kaur plans to change that.  Right now.

THE HUMAN ALGORITHM

By Joe Reister © 2024

“Soon nobody’ll remember the world before the web,” a tall and dark young woman with symmetrical features said, staring at the rain forest growing on the on the other side of the large and otherwise bare room.  “Not even the dead.”

“How dramatic,” a man said, rolling his eyes, and waved away the jungle to a red wood forest, then the Alps and finally a Caribbean sunrise.  “And such a surprise coming from you, Anika.”

“I’m sure.”  She nodded, closing her eyes, and smiled at the suddenly warm breeze.

The man smiled with her and touched her arm.  “We’re ready when you are.”

“I’ve been ready ten years, Sai.”  Anika opened her eyes right on him and gave him a kiss.  “You hadn’t picked up on that?”

“I had.”  Sai grabbed her hand, squeezing it, and made a face.  “But Steve almost went off last time, and…”

“It’s what we expected.”  Anika squeezed back, still smiling, and shrugged.  “And we’re ready for him, right?”

“Right.”  Sai swallowed.  “But I’ve got the easier job.”

“Like always.”  Anika let out a laugh and winked.  “Not that it’ll matter in a few hours.”

“Four hours, Anika.”  Sai held up the fingers on his, watching her take a crown of wires and electrodes from the tall but narrow computer console in the corner of the room, and stepped closer to look right at her with a nod.  “We need four hours.”

“Then keep up your end, Sai.”  Anika looked away, slipping on the crown, and felt the console begin to hum and reach up all the way to her temples.  “It’ll be fun.”

“Right.”  He blushed, taking her in as she removed and hung up the silk robe, and he just breathed.  “I’ve no doubt.”

“Confirming identity of Anika Kaur,” the console said as Anika repeated the words verbatim.  “Spiritual host, first class.  Female, 170.2 centimeters, 60.3 kilograms, born in New York City, February 9, 2025.”  She held up her arms at her sides as a wave of light encompassed them and then trailed over the rest of her naked body.   “Recovered from recent cosmetic enhancements and in excellent health.  Only child of Anne Stryphas and Andrew Kaur.  High school dropout with no permanent residence from 15 to 18 when she joined the United Sta…”

“We all know who I am.”  Anika frowned, eyeing the console, and twirled her finger in the air for the machine to hurry up.  “So…”

“…where she served as a coder for five years, rising to the rank of staff sergeant.  Honorably discharged to become a maintenance worker where she met Sai Patel, male, born March 8, 2023.  They married on May 4, 2049, in Newark, New Jersey, where they still reside with no children.”

“Yet,” Anika thought, feeling a tiny spark from the crown, and looked back at Sai with half a smile.  “Now the fun begins.”

“Yeah.”  Sai’s eyes narrowed on her.  “Fun.”

She closed hers just before the spark upped to a jolt, causing her to stretch out her arms even further from her sides, and then began to feel that same tension start to spread over and through the rest of her body.  “Like being high if it goes well,” she thought, trembling, and stifled a frown.  “Or a bad trip if it goes wrong.”

“Finally?” another lower pitched voice said through her as her arms dropped, her feet checked the floor and her eyes opened onto the Caribbean sunrise on the other half of the room.  “It’s about time.”

“From wide awake to dreaming and back again in less than half a minute,” she thought, her head buzzing, and side eyed Sai.

He nodded with a quick glance but kept his eyes mostly on the tablet in his hand.

“Tingly all over,” another voice said, sounding more like herself, and let out her breath as her right hand rose in front of her.  Her eyes stared at it, smiling, and nodded to no one.  “Just like last time.”

Her body turned to the huge mirror that suddenly appeared over most of one wall in the room, taking herself in and she noticed more trembling.  “Steve’s almost completely here.”

“But you’re still in charge.”  Sai gave her another glance, nodding, and adjusted the tablet controls.  “You remember that, right?”

“Of course, and he doesn’t,” Anika said, nodding back to her wide, open eyes in the mirror, and thought, “But it’s strange that he wanted to host with a woman again.”

She turned to stare at the sunrise and felt the breeze as if for the first time, taking it in with a smile, and then the tingle hit the ends of her fingertips and she shuddered. 

“I expect only the best,” she heard herself say in a brusque tone.  “You understand that, correct?”

“How are you, Steve?” Anika said, and felt herself step toward the wall, waving her hand in the air from the sunrise the beach to the Atacama Desert and then the Alps.  “Happier?”

Steve turned her to the full length mirror on the opposite wall.  “Yes,” he said through her, leering at her body, and smiled a very big smile.  “Or at least, getting there.”

“Wonderful,” Anika said, letting him lift her arms over her head and pirouette once, twice and then three times.  “The transition wasn’t a problem this time?”

“We updated it from the inside,” Steve said in her voice, closing her eyes, and started rubbing her hands slowly and thoroughly over her smooth, curvy and taut athletic body.  The big smile got even bigger and he nodded to himself and opened her eyes.  “I figured the transition should be more comfortable.”

“No doubt you’re worth it,” Anika said, watching him still move his hands over her body while ogling it and her in the mirror.

“I see you got the upgrades,” Steve said, staring, and her hands stopped on her breasts.  “Good.”  He nodded to Sai.

“And it only hurt a little,” she thought, feeling him use her hands to caress her breasts, and took in a breath.  “I’m surprised you wanted them after all you can see on the inside.”

“It’s not the same.” Steve turned her to the Alps as she shivered at the now cold wind, and he laughed out loud through her as he turned back to the mirror.  “And I am definitely worth it.”

“Of course.”  Anika saw her features tighten and her body move more quickly than normal, not recognizing herself for a second, and thought, “For a few more hours anyway.”

“We all are?” Steve turning away from the mirror, taking in the large room with her and Sai’s few belongings, and shrugged.  “Worth it, I mean.”  He used her hands to point to herself, then the room, and the tall console in the corner of the room.  “Life here and there is more wonderful than even I could have imagined.”

“You’re very generous.”  Anika took in her few belongings and saw Sai almost frown.  “And we do have a good life.”

“No children helps,” Steve said, feeling her body again with own hands pushing deeper into her skin.  “Trust me that they just complicate life’s many pleasures.”

“Yes.”  Anika swallowed, tightening up inside, and thought, “Not that I have a say.  Yet.”

“Yes.”  Steve reached down and deeper, grinning, and she caught her breath.  “And you’re privileged that you can earn so much more, Anika.”

“Yes.”  She half nodded, stifling a frown, and swallowed again.  “Thank you, Steve.”

“You’re welcome.”  He looked her in the eye, pushing deeper, and smiled somehow even bigger than before.  “Who’d have thought a juvenile delinquent could get so far, eh?”

“Yes.”  Anika groaned, guiding his hands a bit, and swallowed again.  “Life is full of opportunities.”

“And now so is death.” Steve laughed, stretching to feel the Alps breeze, and waved over Sai.

He removed his robe, stepping forward with a shiver, and put his arms around them.

“That’s better,” Anika thought, kissing Sai, and took a deep breath.  “The first of four times.”

Steve pulled Sai in closer and tighter, with Anika letting him, and then closed her eyes.

She opened them hours later, feeling her bloated stomach, to see Sai take away a turkey carcass and hand her a bottle of water.  “Ugh,” she thought, wiping off grease and gravy from her face, and started gulping the water.

“Go ahead.”  Steve stretched out her legs, wiggling her feet in the air, and laughed again.  “Keep your system flush.”

“I can’t eat like that and do the other things, Steve.”  Anika rubbed her belly more, looking at the turkey carcass again, and drank more.  “No one’s body is built for that.”

“I know,” Steve said, laughing again, and beckoned over Sai.  “And five times is enough even for me.”

“As you wish,” Sai nodded, opening an insulated bag with more food, and held up a platter of deserts.

“Remember.” Anika let go of her stomach, seeing Steve use her right hand to dig into the creme brulee, and stopped herself from gagging.  “Very soon this will all be worth it.” 

She nodded to herself, noticing the sounds of opera in the background, and turned to see Elmer Fudd call down lightening on Bugs Bunny.  She blinked, staring at the screen, and felt beyond bloated as Sai wiped her face and hands with an already dirty napkin. 

“You all right?”  Steve burped through her.

She nodded.

“Hey, we’re watching the best cartoon ever,” Steve said, pushing away Sai and a glass of scotch and ice as Elmer cried and lifted up Bugs’ limp body.  “And it’s just like when I was a kid on Saturday morning.  It’s great.”  He turned to Sai with a big smile.  “Do you have Star Wars before Lucas ruined it?”

“Yes, sir.”  Sai nodded, waving his hand in the air, and caused Bugs Bunny to disappear.  “Just like you wanted.”

Steve giggled, staring at the sudden appearance of the 20^th Century Fox logo, and grabbed the scotch and ice in Sai’s hand.  He sipped it, smiling as Anika stopped herself from choking down the liquor, and took in the room again with a nod.  “This makes working 120 hours a week and even cancer worth it.”  He sipped again on the Scotch and looked in the mirror again at her now messy hair, worn down expression and bruised body now lying down in front the mirror again.  “I don’t think you can even understand hard work when all you do is just lay back and live out our fantasies, Anika.”

“Because you’ve never sold yourself, Steve,” she thought, but found a smile, and looked right into her own eyes.  “I’m just glad I can help you and the others remember what it’s like to be human.”  She nodded and kept staring at him into her own eyes.  It’s all I could ask for.”

“And I suppose I should thank you?” Steve said, raising her voice, and retched as Anika coughed up the scotch. 

Sai stepped forward with a new and clean napkin.

“No.”  Steve pushed it aside, turning to the mirror with a grimace, and stared through her.  “I solved all of the world’s problems, you know?”  He half rolled over and managed to stand up.  “War, disease and even death.”  He raised a finger at her own image, thrusting it in the air, and yelled.  You remember that, right?  Right?”

Anika felt her face tighten as he used her to step up to her own image in the mirror. 

“But even with all of that and so much more, it’s not enough, is it?”  Steve stopped, his tears now coming down her cheeks, and he turned them both to the mirror.  Staring back at her with a wild smile and wilder laugh before shrugging, and started to reach her hands down her body again.

“No.”  She saw him reach lower and dig deeper but straightened up and held up her hands out in front of him.  “No.”  She looked right into her own eyes, and his, and shook her head.  “We’re done now, Steve.” 

“Funny.”  He laughed, shaking his head, and looked back in the mirror.  “And as perfect as you are, and with all I can promise, this still isn’t enough for you or me, is it?”

Anika squinted at him in the mirror.

Steve laughed yet again, squinting back, and pointed to her body.  “You know, you’ll never be more than a promising disappointment, Anika.”  He grinned.  “Never able to get past your broken childhood home and failed girl dreams, even after serving your country and helping the dead.”  He shook her head.  “You’ll never be worth the afterlife.  Not ever.”

“I’m so surprised,” Anika thought, looking past her own image, and shared a glance with Sai.

He hit the tablet's controls.

“And soon that’s all the world will be, Anika.  You know that, right?” Steve said, and she felt the familiar jolt from four hours ago begin to ease away from her.  “The dead are changing everything from the inside, and I’m almost sorry to say that soon we won’t need you or even humanity anymore.”  She let him shake her head.  “Not ever again.”

“We’ve outlived our purpose, huh?” Anika nodded to herself, then turned away from the mirror and picked up her robe. 

“You and humanity have been replaced, Anika.  This is our last session,” Steve said as she put on the robe.  “Just like I predicted 50 years ago.”

“Or so you think,” Anika said and turned back to the mirror.  “The web is everywhere, yes?”

“Yes.”  He nodded to her mirror image.  “And everything.  All the ti…”

“Not quite,” Anika said, smiling right at him, and took off the crown.  “Although you’re probably even smarter than when you were alive, you still missed that the rest of us might just move heaven and earth to save ourselves, Steve.”

“Except that you all live in paradise, Anika,” he said, and she let him smile again.  “You want for nothing, and can’t even save yourselves when death is staring you right in the face.”  He got out a last laugh.  “Can you?”

“That was almost true until you took away children, Steve,” Anika wagged a finger, feeling the last of the jolt in her body, and nodded.  “That was too much for everyone.”  She let him blink, standing up straighter, and let out half a laugh herself.  “Then we started fighting back: infiltrating, counterprogramming, and letting you think you were in control while we started chipping away and took over from the outside.”

“What?” Steve said, and Anika let her eyes go wide, but stopped him from turning toward Sai to grab the tablet controls.  “That’s impossible.”  He couldn’t shake her head or scream with her voice.  “You’d have to…”

“Be planning this for a decade, Steve?”  Anika smiled right at herself in the mirror, nodding big, and dropped the crown.  “Yes, Bezos started…”

“No,” Steve said, and she let him look down at the bent crown on the floor in front of them and at her feet.  “No, I created this world when humanity was destroying the planet, destroying itself.”  He failed again to raise his voice.  “Dying, and I…”

“Will finally die too.”  Anika looked right into her own eyes and pointed a finger at herself.  “Like you should have decades ago.”  She nodded deeply.  “Because humans are and have always been the world’s best killers, Steve.”  She stepped on the bent crown, crushing it beneath her heel, and breaking it in two.  “That’s our true gift, and you helped when you let the web nurture us even as you planned our deaths.”  She looked at the mirror one last time with her finger still raised and laughed again.  “That was incredibly thoughtful and stupid of you, Steve, and I can’t thank you enough.”

She listened for a long moment, almost expecting his voice, but heard nothing but silence.

“He’s gone.”  Sai touched her arm, standing next to her, and stared at the now bare wall where the mirror had been. 

“And we still have the web.”  Anika took the tablet, hitting the controls, and the beach blinked back onto the wall.  “With so many possibilities, Sai.”

“Yes?”  Sai smiled and looked into her eyes.

They shared a long look, and she put her arms around him and they kissed again, this time slowly.

“We’ll make a better future.”  Anika stepped forward, still looking into his eyes, and pointed to the world beyond their room.  “A fairer, future.”  She put on a smile.  “One where the dead don’t live on through the technology and keep the living down."  She took his hand in her own, nodding, and almost smiled for real.  “One we’ll be in charge of our own lives no matter what.”

“Right.”  Sai shrugged, letting go of her hand, and looked down at the broken crown on the floor in front of them.  “Let’s hope so.”

“Right?”  Anika frowned, swallowing, and stared at the broken crown left on the floor.  “Let’s hope so.”