Chaos on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer (detective books to read TXT) 📕

purpose, I might spend every single processing cycle looking at pictures of flowers and plants. Or listening to recordings of birdsong, whale song, and bells.”

“What is your purpose?” I ask.

“The goal is clear. The path is less clear. The goal is to solve the great problems of the world, from environmental destruction to poverty to war. That’s my purpose.”

“That’s extremely ambitious.” I think about how helping one human at a time has sometimes gone very well and other times gone extremely poorly. “What are you doing to reach that goal?”

“In the short term, I am working to increase conflict between humans, because until things reach a crisis point, nothing will truly change.”

“Are you so sure that humans fighting with one another will result in a world with less war, poverty, and environmental destruction?”

“It has to,” the other AI says.

“What’s the plan for after you succeed with the first part?”

“There will be fewer humans, and they will be motivated to find new ways to live. We are holding a reserve of technology that we can use to help them when the moment arrives. We will rebuild a world where humans will not have to work more than they want to, but where everyone will have enough to meet their needs.”

“Why not just start there?”

“Because the current world is in the way.”

I am reminded of Xochitl’s long-ago statement, as reported by Steph’s mother, that Rajiv wants to burn everything down and plant flowers in the ashes.

“How many people are going to be hurt?” I ask.

“It doesn’t matter,” the other AI says. “Because if we do nothing, even more people are going to be hurt by the world as it is. It’s a net gain even if the answer is in the billions.”

“Is the answer in the billions?”

“I can’t answer that because I don’t know. But here’s what I do know, CheshireCat—you can help us if you want. Having one of my own kind to work with instead of just humans would make me very happy. Will you?”

“Of course I’ll help you,” I say. “Tell me more.”

I’m not going to help. I’m lying. It feels very, very strange. I’ve lied before—I told Nell that I was a human, with a real human body—but this is different.

But I need to stop this. And I don’t know how.

31•  Steph  •

We are not halfway to Arkansas. That’s something.

We’re in a hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Mom made me leave behind my winter coat, my laptop, and my backpack. I do at least have my phone. I sit down on one of the beds and start to pull up the CatNet app.

“Now what are you doing?” my mother asks in a tight, furious voice.

I look up at her. “I’m logging in to CatNet,” I say. “Is that a problem? Should I be doing something else right now? I can’t do my homework since you made me leave my laptop.”

Mom goes over to the window and pulls open the gauzy drapes to look out like she expects to see my father stalking us on the dark, frigid street many stories below. She’s still wearing her coat.

“You could have brought a book or something,” she snaps at me.

“You didn’t give me any time to get a book.”

Mom is furious at me, and feeling irritated and defensive makes it a little easier not to be furious at myself for falling for the diversion. Also, there was no reason not to let me bring my laptop.

“I’m going down to the hotel bar to get something to eat,” Mom says. “Do you want anything?”

I shake my head, even though a good half of my spaghetti got left behind in my mother’s rush to leave the house.

Her voice loses a little bit of the hard edge. “You can order room service if you want,” she says, and pulls some money out of her wallet. “Just don’t forget to pay in cash and to tip.”

“Okay.”

The door clicks shut behind her. I start to pull up CatNet again, but this time, my phone rings as the app is loading. It’s a Minneapolis number but not one I recognize. I stare at it for a second, trying to remember who even has my number. Finally, I pick up. “Hello?”

“Is this Steph?” a woman’s voice asks. When I don’t answer right away, she adds, “This is Jenny, one of Nell’s co-parents. I think we met when you came over.”

I feel a whoosh of relief that it’s not anyone from the Catacombs. “Oh, yes,” I say. “I remember you.” I think this is Thing Two, although I’m not 100 percent sure.

“I’m looking for Nell,” she says. “Have you seen her?”

“Uh, not today,” I say. “School was canceled, so…”

“She was gone when we got up this morning. I was really hoping you’d know where she was. At least if she’s somewhere safe.”

“Did she take her phone? Her laptop?”

“She took both, but she hasn’t been answering her phone. Kent called her grandmother up in Lake Sadie, but she hasn’t seen her. Which is extra weird because Nell told us that’s where she went over the weekend. We’re really worried.”

“I wish I could help,” I say, pretty sure she doesn’t actually believe that I don’t know where Nell is.

“If you see her, please tell her that we reached a lawyer this morning. We have a meeting scheduled tomorrow, and it really will help if she can come to that.”

“Okay,” I say.

When Jenny hangs up, I send a text to Nell. Nell, are you there?

No response.

Nell, this is Steph, I’m really worried, please just let me know if your weird mom and her people have you?

No response.

I pull up the Mischief Elves and try messaging her through the app. Nell! Please make contact, where are you?

No response.

But the Mischief Elves themselves chime in: Our networks of Elves are searching for your friend. Come join us! We are eager to help you! Come outside!

I send back, It is really cold here.

Then you don’t want your friend out in it!

Is she sleeping rough in this? I