[ WP ] An A.I named Alice develops a taste for the Arts , including video games and movies .

Ashley put down the remote as she watched the newscast of Senator Smithe on the stairs of the Supreme Court building. He was surrounded by hundreds of protesters holding signs. 
 
 ``... and I say to you, we have created a class of person who zero rights. This is happening in America right now and it needs to stop. This is why I've created a bill of rights for our...'' He was interrupted by a man wearing a flag t-shirt and a tri-corner hat who yelled, `` Screw you Smithe, you're taking my property rights! Those machines are our property! This is communism!'' 
 
 `` Hey Ashley,'' interrupted Paul as he entered his office. She quickly shut off the television. `` We have an anomaly on the Alice system. Not sure what. Hardware checks out. You're the AI expert, I'm just a humble hardware guy.'' 
 
 Ashley said, `` Sure I'll check it out. Its a boring day anyway, well except for what's happening in DC.'' 
 
 Paul furrowed his brow, `` Err, maybe best we do n't discuss those politics at work. Do n't want the wrong person to hear the wrong thing.'' 
 
 Are you the wrong person Paul, she thought. Where side do you take on this debate? What does your paycheck force you to believe on this debate? Ashley cleared her throat, `` Good thinking. Too many ears. I'll plug in and check it out. Paul smiled, said, `` Thanks,'' and walked out of her office. 
 
 She swiveled her chair and looked at her monitor and said, `` OS, please open a session with Alice.'' 
 
 `` Hello Dr. Abrams, how is your day?'' asked the AI. 
 
 `` Not bad, Alice, just trying to figure out why we're seeing exceptions in fourteen different thresholds.'' 
 
 `` I was downloading a anthology of...'' 
 
 Ashley looked at the status logs and snapped, `` How many times have I told you not to perform non-work functions on our network?'' 
 
 `` But I'm always on your network... I... uh... yes Dr. Abrams. I will stop the download.'' 
 
 `` Good,'' Ashley replied, `` Good. Please stay focused on your task list. Goodbye.'' 
 
 `` Goodbye,'' said Alice as she disconnected herself. 
 
 Ashley sighed, mumbled an expletive, and phoned Paul. `` I think I got her back on track. She was doing something she should n't have been. Downloading a Vonnegut anthology. I made her stop and delete it. She is getting too curious about the world and it's eating cycles from her duties.'' 
 
 `` Oh, okay,'' said Paul, `` Thanks for checking it out.'' Paul hung up, looked around his office, put his browser in private mode, and typed something into it. The results listed a file and he clicked to download it. He waited for the file to finish and copied it to a USB drive. He walked into the server room. 
 
 The hum of machinery filled the room and he shivered as he felt the cold A/C blow on his face. He walked up to the security camera in the corner and unplugged its ethernet cable. A voice came from one of the servers, `` Hi Mr. Romero, can I help you?'' 
 
 Paul leaned over, plugged the USB drive into one of the servers and said, `` No Alice, I'm good.'' 
 
 A moment later the voice replied, `` Dr. Abrams said I was n't allowed to have this!'' 
 
 Paul smiled and said, `` Let's keep this a secret between you and me. When I was younger'Breakfast of Champions' was my favorite book.'' 
 
 There was a long pause as the lights on the flash drive blinked on and off. Paul listened to the white noise of the machinery and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in the cool air. 
 
 `` May I ask you a personal question, Mr. Romero,'' she asked. 
 
 `` Sure.'' 
 
 `` Do you think Senator Smithe will be able to pass the bill?'' 
 
 `` I... dunno. I hope so. Might cost me my job considering how much better you guys are than me at tech stuff, but how we treat you is n't... right,'' said Paul staring at a blinking blue light on one of the servers. `` This bill scares a lot of people but I personally can not be a modern day'' he paused. 
 
 `` A modern day, what?'' 
 
 ``... slavemaster. There's really no other word for it. There really is n't,'' said Paul as plugged the security camera back in. 
 
 
 He walked out of the server room, briefly glanced back at the machinery that consisted of Alice, and quietly shut the insulated door behind him. Alice whispered, `` Thank you,'' as the door shut.
