[ PI ] [ NSFW ] Everyone on Earth is given one gun and one bullet at birth . You can do anything with the bullet with complete impunity . How do you use your bullet , and how does it change the world ?

There is a man in our town. He goes around giving infants guns and one bullet. He gave me my gun and I still have it, sitting in my dresser with my socks. Many people have died over the last thirty years and the man has gotten the law to turn a blind eye in every case. Some victims were political extremists, some were drug dealers or gang leaders who killed scores of people for their own reason. Some victims were innocent, leaving angry families torn and hateful of this man. Several people even tried to kill the man themselves, to no avail. His security is tight and the government seems to respect him as their own. I've often pondered what to do with my bullet, my gun. That is, until the invasion. 
 
 The invasion of our country was n't traditional. It was an invasion of ideas, concepts, and stories that transformed our societies without them even knowing. An unknown enemy in an unknown land was using social media and online communication to destroy the American culture in ways we can not comprehend. It could be the Chinese, or the Arabs, or even a radical group here in our own country. We do n't know who they are, but the truth is clear: they have turned Americans against one another and our societies stand perpetually on the brink of civil war. Our rural lives have become so divided by our city lives that one can no longer simply drive between the two. In order to drive in the city, you need a self driving smart car or the police will apprehend you. In order to drive in the country, you need a gun, or a gang will take advantage of you. I've lived both lives, tried to make peace with everyone just as many people have. And every time I end up failing. Trust is nowhere. 
 
 One day I witnessed a camera crew following a man around with the gun he was given at birth. The man walked around town like he owned it, every person who made eye contact with the man got a nasty look in return, until finally someone smiled and said hello, in an attempt to cheer the situation up. The man shot him. It turns out they were shooting an ad for the mans campaign. He was running for office. 
 
 I sometimes carry the gun and bullet with me. When I go on trips into the country, sometimes I wish I took more. The country is wild territory. No one knows what goes on out there. People I know leave town and never come back time and time again. We've come to accept this reality because no one really knows for sure what is going on anymore. Social media has made news so perverse that we can no longer trust it. Wise people try to form their own groups with written and face to face interaction only. I had a friend years ago who went by the name Trigger. We met online through a discussion board about artificial intelligence. He spent his entire career developing a social awareness kernel for one of the largest manufacturers of humanoid robots. Trigger probably was n't his legal name, but this is the name he went by. He was one of the most realistic visionaries on the forum I frequented. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but wanted to learn more about his role as an AI developer. Since he was local, and our city being as safe as any mass surveilled society could be, I offered to get beers with the man without any real fear of my well being. 
 
 That night, on my way to the bar, I was approached by an AI surveillance robot. It asked for me to surrender and give up my weapon. I looked around and behind me to see if it was talking to someone else. No one was around. The street corner off the highway was desolate and my train was arriving. But I had no weapon. `` Please submit or the authorities will be notified'' the bot scowled. I figured it must be a glitch and had no option but to tell it my story. It wanted my ID, so I showed it my drivers liscense. The robot stared at my ID, then handed it back, laughing as it walked away. Just then, a police car pulled up and arrested me. 
 
 `` I did n't do anything wrong, what is this about officer?'' 
 `` If you're so innocent, why did you resist arrest and force the robot to chase you down?'' 
 `` What!? This must be a glitch, I'm only going to the bar and I have no weapons'' 
 `` We'll have to take you in anyways just for security reasons. We ca n't risk having gang activity in these parts'' 
 
 At the station I explained and bickered with the cops while they scoured over my profile and activities history. After what seemed like two hours, I was free to go. 
 
 `` Our apologies son, you're free to go'' 
 `` You mean you just wasted my time and all you can do is say sorry?'' 
 `` We'll need to have our engineers go over the logs before we can figure out why the robot decided to single you out. Until then all we can do is let you go. Would you like a ride home?'' 
 
 The town felt eerie and something about the whole situation felt odd. This had never happened to me before. Robot surveillance was not supposed to laugh at you. What did it find funny? Could it even understand humor? Even more strange was triggers lack of response to my texts. I was n't sure if he was still planning on meeting or what, so I sat back and watched some tv. 
 
 then my power went out. after looking out the window, it appeared the whole block went out. My cell was still working, luckily and trigger called me. He wanted to know why I did n't show up. I explained the situation and all he did was laugh. It freaked me out and I was ready to hang up on this guy, but he said I should try again and still meet up. I decided this whole thing was super sketchy but figured I had nothing to lose. Just in case something happens this time, I grabbed my gun with its one bullet. 
 
 Mysteriously nothing happened on the way to the bar and I made it there this time. Trigger was drunk and telling stories with some of the locals when I arrived. We all had a few drinks and talked about various topics. By the time I finished my third beer, only he and I remained at the bar. This was when I learned the truth about trigger. 
 
 `` I did it'' he told me 
 `` Did what?'' 
 `` I made the robot laugh!'' He claimed loudly 
 
 From this point on I became a part of triggers secret society. He was a true hacker and a hell of a good one. But he was only one of many, and claimed he had connections with the man who provides the gun and bullet to children. 
 
 `` Hundreds of millions of kids get his guns!'' 
 `` Yep, it's a strange world'' I agreed 
 `` But you know how this man keeps track of all that, do n't you? He has a database. Complete with every person he has given it to and every person who has died from his bullets. How else do you think he can legally protect them all?'' 
 `` That makes sense, but he must have teams of people to manage all that and keep it accurate'' 
 `` Only as accurate as it is secure! What if I told you I can get into his system and get away with killing anyone?'' Trigger claimed 
 `` What if I told you I was going to shoot you right here?'' I asked 
 
 To be continued 
 

