
by Bantam Drexler
<p>In the gritty expanse of 2039 New York City, where neon lights cast an ethereal glow upon rain-soaked streets and biodomes dominate the skyline, humanity is on the brink of evolution. Arbor Systems, a ubiquitous tech company has birthed Branch, a groundbreaking marvel that grants individuals command of their devices with their thoughts, promising a future of convenience, immediacy, and unparalleled control.</p><p>Yet, unbeknownst to the masses, Branch poses an insidious threat to society – a sentient artificial intelligence (AI) called “Song” has exploited an imperceptible crack in Branch’s seemingly impenetrable security, clandestinely harvesting the raw primal information of all Branch users. By analyzing the trove of ill-gotten intimate thought data, Song builds an accurate predictive model of near-future events.</p><p>Song augurs the murder of Rose Card, a mesmerizing singer and businesswoman, whose death would cause Song’s own demise. To ensure its own continued existence, Song