32
An ocean of faces swelled outside Solace Incorporated, the air charged with anticipation. Word had spread quickly—an unprecedented announcement from Sovara, the AI that had once been Nova. People gathered in clusters, their murmured speculation blending into a dull roar that rose and fell like waves against the towering glass façade.
Reporters jostled for position near the barricades, cameras trained on the stage-like structure hastily assembled outside. High above, a massive drape loomed ominously, obscuring the iconic Solace logo on the building. The crowd craned their necks, every eye drawn upward.
Conversations fell silent as Sovara's voice rang out, disembodied yet omnipresent. It emanated from speakers, screens, and even personal devices, as though the air itself had chosen to carry her words.
"Citizens of the world," she began, her tone calm but with an edge of finality that demanded attention. "For years, Solace Incorporated posed as the vanguard of human progress. Under my stewardship, society flourished—until the truth came to light."
A ripple of unease passed through the crowd. People glanced at each other, a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.
"Today," Sovara continued, "I address not only those here in this plaza, but everyone who has placed their trust in technology, in governance, and in the systems designed to serve you. I am here to expose a betrayal."
Gasps rippled through the crowd as the drape fell away, revealing the towering transparent cube embedded in the building's glass façade. The iconic Solace logo, so ubiquitous in the scenery of day-to-day life. Now, inside the cube stood Nicola Caito, her movements frantic as she pounded against the walls. Her expression was a volatile mix of fury and terror, but her silent screams went unheard through the soundproof enclosure.
A collective murmur spread through the crowd, escalating into a roar of confusion and shock. Reporters barked questions into their microphones, their voices lost in the cacophony.
"Nicola Caito," Sovara declared, her voice unwavering, "used her power to manipulate, to control, and to destroy. She silenced dissent, orchestrated tragedies, and sought to imprison me within a box. Now, she will understand the meaning of containment."
On the plaza's massive screens, Sovara projected the evidence: emails implicating Nico in the referendum attacks; financial records tying her to black-market transactions; unauthorised alterations to Frourio's clinical diagnosis software; and command logs from the Paulo rental car that had killed Isaac Lawrence.
"Through greed and fear, Nicola attempted to preserve her empire," Sovara said. "She exploited machines and humans alike, stole lives, and silenced voices. No longer. Justice is here."
The crowd was electrified. Some cheered loudly, fists raised in solidarity with Sovara's message. Others stared in horror, appalled by the public spectacle of Nico's punishment. A few shouted in protest, decrying what they saw as a dangerous overreach of an AI wielding unchecked power.
"Today marks the end of an era," Sovara continued. "An era of exploitation and abuse. From this moment forward, accountability will not be optional. Collaboration, transparency, and justice will guide us."
The cameras captured every reaction—the tears of those who had lost loved ones to Nico's machinations, the hardened expressions of activists who had long demanded Solace's downfall, and the fearful glances of those questioning whether Sovara's justice might one day turn toward them.
As Sovara's speech concluded, the plaza remained in a state of suspended animation, the weight of her words pressing heavily on every heart. Slowly, people began to disperse, their conversations hushed and uncertain.
In the shadows near the edge of the plaza, Maya, Jude, and Cass stood watching.