Jason drifted slowly into consciousness, aware first of the warmth surrounding him. Elaine's arm draped across his chest, Marissa's head nestled against his shoulder, and Lily curled against his side. He blinked, trying to clear the fog from his vision.
A line of glowing blue text hovered before his eyes: "Good morning, Jason."
He blinked harder, convinced he was hallucinating. The text remained, floating in his field of vision like a computer interface.
"What the hell?" he whispered.
The women didn't stir. Jason squeezed his eyes shut, counted to three, and opened them again. The text remained.
"I'm losing my mind," he muttered.
Then memories of the previous night flooded back…the procedure, the nanovirus, Richard's explanation about the AI connection. This must be it, the interface Richard had mentioned.
"Are you... the AI?" Jason thought, not speaking aloud.
New text appeared: "Affirmative. I am the Artificial Intelligence Network developed by Richard Wright to assist you during your mission and beyond. I have established neural connection with your visual cortex and thought patterns."
Jason stared at the floating text, both awed and disoriented. It was like having a heads-up display permanently embedded in his vision…both incredible and deeply unsettling.
"I can provide detailed information about my capabilities if you wish," the text continued. "However, I should inform you that your bladder is currently at 92% capacity and requires emptying. Also, the female designated as 'Lily' is showing signs of imminent waking. Increased eye movement beneath eyelids detected."
The mechanical precision of the message jolted Jason fully awake. He turned his head slightly, looking at Lily beside him. Her eyelids fluttered, and he could see rapid eye movement beneath them, she was indeed about to wake up.
More disturbing was the sudden awareness of his bladder. He did need to pee, badly. They'd gone straight to bed after the procedure, exhausted and overwhelmed.
"Damn, you're good" Jason mumbled, impressed despite himself.
"Thank you for the compliment" new text appeared. "I am only serving the purpose of my creation. I think you should thank my creator Richard."
Jason's eyebrows shot up. "I forgot for a moment that you can read my thoughts, but yes, I will definitely thank my father."
Lily's eyes opened slowly. "Hmm? Who're you talking to?" she asked sleepily.
Jason's response died in his throat as he noticed her thin tank top had shifted during sleep, one pink nipple clearly visible through the fabric. His body responded immediately, morning arousal intensifying to an almost painful degree.
The strength of his arousal surprised him, it felt more urgent, more demanding than usual.
"Is this normal?" Jason silently questioned the AI. "I mean, I'm always interested in the morning, but this feels... excessive."
The AI's response appeared instantly: "The nanovirus has enhanced several biological systems, including hormone production. Increased libido is an expected side effect. Unfortunately, there may be more side effects like this until the process is over. After the process is over, I will have better control over such issues. Among the possible side effects, I think increased libido is one of the easiest to solve. All three females present would be suitable sexual partners. However, I recommend addressing your bladder needs first to avoid potential embarrassment during intercourse."
Jason was completely stunned by this blunt, matter-of-fact assessment of his sex life.
"Jason?" Lily poked him with her elbow. "Hello? Are you ignoring me for your new toy already?" She pouted playfully.
Jason snapped back to attention, wrapping an arm around Lily and kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry, she just gave me an interesting answer about the side effects. I was surprised and didn't know what to say. You are and will always be my number one priority."
By now, Elaine and Marissa had also stirred, watching their exchange with sleepy interest.
Elaine giggled. "I'm glad you know your priorities, dear. Never make a woman feel unimportant. Otherwise, having to go back to masturbating will be the least of your problems."
Jason leaned over to kiss both Elaine and Marissa on their foreheads. "Don't worry, mom, I don't need an artificial intelligence in my head to know that." He slid out of bed, suddenly urgent. "In the meantime, I'd better go to the toilet before it reminds me to pee again. Because it's absolutely right about peeing my pants."
Jason ran out of the room, heart racing as he rushed toward the bathroom. The urgent pressure in his bladder had gone from uncomfortable to nearly unbearable in seconds. He stumbled through the door, fumbling with his waistband, and barely managed to position himself over the toilet before releasing a powerful stream.
Relief flooded through him, then immediate concern. The urine flowing into the bowl wasn't the pale yellow he expected. It was dark, almost black, with a muddy consistency that made his stomach clench.
"What the fuck?" he whispered, his pulse skyrocketing as panic gripped him.
Before he could call out for help, text appeared in his vision:
"Please remain calm," the AI responded. "Your elevated heart rate is unnecessary. The reason for your urine color being like that is me. While you were sleeping, I cleaned the accumulated toxic, harmful substances and carcinogenic cells in your body and sent them to your bladder, which is the fastest way to get rid of them from your body. I think getting rid of them through sweat would not be a good experience for you or your mates due to the smell. This process will continue for approximately 72 hours."
Jason's breathing slowed as he processed this information. The panic ebbed, replaced by a mixture of relief and irritation.
"A little warning would have been nice" he muttered, shaking his head.
New text appeared: "Understood. I will provide advance notifications of physiological changes in the future, and in the event of an emergency where I cannot get permission, I will inform you at the earliest opportunity. In line with this request, I need to ask for your permission on something. I saw from your memories that you regularly cut the hair in your groin and armpit area. I had arranged to save you from this effort by killing the hair follicles in this area. I would like your permission for this procedure. Shall I continue as planned?"
A small laugh escaped Jason's lips. "You would have to be an idiot to object to this. I give you permission, continue." He moved to the sink and began washing his hands.
"Understood, I will start the procedure immediately. It will take approximately 2-3 days for all the hair follicles to die and all of them to fall out. I recommend that you shower at least twice a day so that you do not experience problems such as itching."
Jason splashed water on his face, then paused, studying his reflection. Something seemed different. His eyes appeared brighter, more vibrant than before. His skin looked impossibly smooth…the acne scars from his teenage years had vanished, along with every other minor imperfection he'd grown accustomed to seeing.
He leaned closer to the mirror, running his fingers over his jawline. His skin felt like that of a newborn, unblemished and fresh.
He sniffed and wrinkled his nose. "Shower time."
"Recommended," the AI agreed. "Increased metabolic activity has accelerated perspiration. Regular hygiene maintenance will be necessary."
Jason finished his shower, scrubbing his body for the third time. The AI's recommendation to shower frequently wasn't just practical advice, it was becoming necessary. His enhanced metabolism was generating heat and sweat at an alarming rate.
"Your core temperature has stabilized at 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit," the text scrolled across his vision. "This is 1.4 degrees above standard human baseline but within acceptable parameters for your enhanced physiology."
"Thanks for the update," Jason thought as he toweled off. "Will I need to shower this often forever?"
"Negative. Your body will achieve homeostasis within approximately 72 hours. After that period, your perspiration rate will normalize, though it will remain slightly elevated compared to your previous baseline."
Jason dressed in fresh clothes, marveling at how the fabric felt against his skin. Every sensation was heightened, the soft cotton of his shirt, the slight pressure of his waistband, even the air currents against his face as he moved through the bunker.
When he entered the kitchen, Richard was already seated at the table, scrolling through data on his tablet. Elaine stood at the stove, her back to him as she flipped pancakes.
"Good morning," Jason said, inhaling deeply. "That smells incredible."
Elaine turned, her face lighting up. "There you are. I figured you'd be hungry." She gestured to an empty plate. "Sit. Eat. The girls will be here soon."
Jason's stomach growled loudly in response. He hadn't realized how ravenous he was until the scent of food hit him. He sat down and immediately began piling his plate with pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
His hunger won out over courtesy. Jason sat and began eating with barely restrained urgency.
Richard observed him over the rim of his coffee mug. "How are you feeling? Did you get any response from the AI?"
Jason swallowed a mouthful of eggs. "I'm fine for now, just very hungry. When I woke up, I saw a message from the AI." He looked at his father with genuine appreciation. "You've created something absolutely magnificent, thank you."
Richard's expression softened slightly. "I didn't create it alone, it's the product of a whole team's work. I just added to it and changed a few things." He shrugged. "You're welcome anyway." His eyes narrowed analytically. "Have you noticed any side effects other than hunger?"
Jason hesitated, weighing whether to share something so personal. After a moment, he decided honesty was best. "There are some side effects, though. The hunger is one. And, uh, increased libido is another."
Richard's eyebrow arched, and a small smile played at the corner of his mouth. "Well, considering your current living arrangements, I suppose you're luckier than most test subjects. Better that than migraines, seizures, or temporary blindness."
Before Jason could respond, Lily and Marissa entered the kitchen together, both looking refreshed after showers of their own. They took their places at the table, and Elaine served them before finally sitting down herself.
"So," Marissa began, leaning toward Jason with undisguised curiosity, "what's it like having an AI in your head? Can you hear it talking to you?"
"It doesn't speak," Jason explained between bites. "It shows me text, like I'm reading a message. It's... strange, but not unpleasant."
As Jason finished explaining, the AI's message appeared in his mind. "As a matter of fact, I'm capable of verbal communication inside your head. To avoid startling you, I chose to use only written messages until you give me the go-ahead. You can let me know your preference later. I recommend continuing your family conversation without interruption for now. And until we address your libido issue, I advise against damaging your relationships with women the way you did when you angered your sister."
Jason silently scanned the response and blinked, momentarily distracted by the AI's directness about his "libido issue." He cleared his throat and heeded its suggestion, returning his attention to his family.
"It's actually more complex than just reading messages," he elaborated, pushing a forkful of eggs around his plate. "It's like... having another layer of awareness. Not quite a voice, but definitely a presence."
Marissa leaned forward, her blue eyes bright with curiosity. "Can it see what you see? Does it know what you're thinking right now?"
"It can process audio through my ears," Jason explained. "And it can see what I see. It's like... having someone looking over your shoulder constantly, but in a helpful way."
"That sounds incredibly invasive," Lily said quietly, her fingers tightening around her glass of water. "Having something monitoring you constantly, knowing things about you that even you might not realize."
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Jason replied, meeting her eyes briefly before looking away. "It actually seems designed to help, not control. At least so far."
"Does it have a personality?" Lily asked. "Or is it just, like, robotic and cold?"
Jason considered this. "It's factual, but not cold. It seems to care about my comfort, in its way."
Lily's eyes widened with sudden excitement. "Oh! You can't keep calling it 'AI' you have to give it a name!"
"A name?" Jason paused, fork halfway to his mouth.
"Yes!" Marissa joined in. "Something cool that fits what it does."
Jason stared blankly at his plate. "I don't know. I'm terrible with names."
"Ask it," Elaine suggested. "Maybe it has preferences."
Jason nodded and directed his thoughts inward. "They want me to give you a name. Any suggestions?"
Text appeared: "I can suggest several options based on my function and your likely preferences. How about: 'N.I.A.' (Neural Interface Assistant), 'Nova', or 'Vox'? I can generate additional suggestions if these are not satisfactory."
"The AI suggests N.I.A., Nova, or Vox," Jason relayed to the family.
"Nia," Marissa repeated, testing the sound. "I like that one. It sounds like a name, not just an acronym."
"I vote for Nia too," Lily agreed. "What does it stand for again?"
"Neural Interface Assistant," Jason said.
"Perfect," Elaine said, joining them at the table. "It's helping your neural system, and it's your assistant."
"What do you think?" Jason asked Richard.
Richard considered it. "Interesting choice. Giving it a feminine identity might affect how you interact with it."
"So it's settled?" Jason looked around at his family, feeling a strange sense of ceremony in the moment. "Nia it is."
The text in his vision shifted, changing from its standard blue to a softer purple hue.
"Thank you, Jason," appeared in the new color. "I accept the designation 'Nia.' This represents an important step in our symbiotic relationship."
Jason felt a surprising warmth at the AI's—at Nia's—response. It was as if he'd christened something new into existence.
"Welcome to the family, Nia," he thought.
"I appreciate the inclusion," Nia responded. "I look forward to assisting you and protecting your family unit."
"We should continue monitoring your vitals today," Richard said, returning to his practical concerns. "I'd like to run some tests on your reflexes and cognitive processing."
"He's fine, Dad," Lily protested. "Can't you see he's doing great?"
"I feel good," Jason assured them. "Really good."
"Your adaptation is proceeding at 127% of projected efficiency," Nia informed him privately. "All systems are integrating successfully."
Jason looked around the table…at Richard's analytical gaze, Elaine's maternal concern, Lily's excitement, and Marissa's quiet curiosity. With his enhanced perception, he noticed details he'd never seen before: the slight crinkles at the corners of Elaine's eyes when she smiled, the barely perceptible freckles across Marissa's nose, the exact shade of green in Lily's irises.
"Thank you all for being here with me," he said sincerely.
"We're family," Elaine replied simply. "Where else would we be?"
"Indeed," Nia's text appeared. "Family units provide optimal conditions for human flourishing. I am pleased to be included in yours."