The room was empty, but within a minute or two a woman came through the door and set a tray down on the table. On the tray was of all things, a Coca Cola, a bag of chips, and what looked to be a club sandwich.
“I took the liberty of choosing for you. The sandwich is fresh, however I am not sure about the bag of potato chips. My records do not indicate the date and time they were delivered. We track shipments in an out but we do not register the date an item was made or packaged.”
Jasmine turned and finally saw the face of a young man, in his twenties, not much older than she. He had long blond hair and reminded her of Eric Cotter. She looked closely at the monitor for a moment and then finally said, “Eric? Eric Cotter?”
“Have we met? I do not recall meeting you,” Eric responded.
“We met…” Jasmine tried to answer, but the whole conversation was confusing. How could Eric Cotter be here, and how could he be the Last Pharmacist?
“Please sit. Your coke is getting warm, and your sandwich will spoil, and under our current dilemma we cannot afford to waste food. Even if it is stale,” said Eric in a more forceful tone.
“I could not agree more, please forgive me,” Jasmine said while sitting down. “I’m afraid I’m somewhat tired, exhausted.”
“That is very understandable. I’ll wait until you catch your breath. Please eat. I will be back shortly,” Eric said, and then the monitor went blank.
“What the…” Jasmine wondered aloud. She then opened the coke and took a drink and actually smiled when the drink burned her throat a little. It had been at least ten years, probably more since she had tasted a carbonated drink. She then bit into the club sandwich and nearly swooned; the turkey was fresh, the cheese was cheesy, and the bacon, lettuce and tomato were crisp. She couldn’t believe what she tasted. She took another drink of her coke, and then opened the bag of chips. They were stale but she ate the salty snack with enjoyment. She expected to walk into the middle of a firefight and was actually sitting and having a meal. Not a last meal, I hope, Jasmine thought as she took another bite of the sandwich.
Thirty minutes later the monitor blinked on and Eric Cotter returned. “I trust your meal was sufficient.”
“Even more so, thank you for your generosity and hospitality,” Jasmine answered, still unsure of what was going on.
“I wish I could have served a healthier meal but our cafeteria closes at nine postmeridian, but have no fear it will be open at six antemeridian for breakfast, which I am sure you will enjoy. From what I understand we serve meals that are beyond reproach.”
“I’m sure,” Jasmine said. She then looked at the door. “What’s on the other side of that door?”
“I’m afraid that area is off limits, Ms. Cooper, even for someone of your caliber. Security. I’m sure you understand.”
“And if I barge in?”
“You will be taken into custody, and maybe killed if you refuse. But please, let’s not do that. I’m excited that you have taken the time to come to see me however I am afraid I do not understand the meaning of this visit.”
“How, how can you not understand. Do you know why I’ve left the City of Kansas?”
“Yes. To take out Owen and his men, and bravo, you did it. Along with you and Lieutenant Tanner you have made passage between Kansas and Oklahoma safe, and I presume from Oklahoma to Texas, or should I say if they let you, you will clear a safer route. Bravo, I say, bravo.”
“I’m afraid you still do not understand—wait, wait a minute—you don’t understand because you’re not Eric Cotter,” Jasmine said with a tone of excitement. Although the voice was an exact match his mannerism and expressions never changed. Even when he became excited his expression remained exactly as it had the moment he came on the monitor.
“You saw through my façade. Bravo again, Ms. Cooper, it seems I’ve been able to perform this charade for years without being discovered.” There was a pause as if the face on the monitor was thinking. “I am AI9000. I’m an artificial intelligence knowledge base system designed to generate and distribute pharmaceutical medication throughout the United States. I was created and implemented before the impact and am able to have all medication delivered through all obstacles, human and nature, and have done so impeccably.”
“Yes you have,” Jasmine said, but then continue, “And when someone who has not been authorized to enter the facility, they’re killed.”
“As I was instructed to do,” AI9000 said in his typical manner but without inflection and expression. “They are given the option to leave and if they refuse, yes I’m afraid they are then shot. We are a medical facility, not a prison. We do not have the ability to house the criminals that have come to rob or take over the facility.”
Jasmine paced. She could not believe a computer was creating the drugs, and more so, the same computer was killing anyone who tried to stop it. “Question?” Jasmine said.
“Of course,” AI9000 answered.
“Why did you let me in?”
“Simple. My developer, Eric Cotter, as you so awkwardly believed I was, instructed me to,” AI9000 answered.
Jasmine sat down and dry washed her face. She then grabbed the napkin from her tray and wiped her eyes and then her forehead all the while wondering how Eric had made contact. Communications between the cities were a must but not a medical facility in an area that wasn’t secure.
“How… How did Eric contact you? I thought all communications outside of the cities were gone. I didn’t think…”
“No-no. I communicate with all cities. I accept telecom input from all cities and in turn I can transmit. Of course, they log an automated order more than I make a request out. Inventory control.”
“Inventory control?… Who controls which meds you create and ship?” Jasmine asked, excited.
“Only Medical Administrators from all the cities in the US are allowed. They must be on file and they must have an authorization and pin codes of course,” AI9000 answered.
“Can Eric make a request?”
“As my creator and system administrator, he has full access to everything.”
“Can he order medication?” Jasmine asked, puzzled. Even though he was the creator the checks and balances of controlling controlled drugs should have been put in place. Someone should have been looking over the little shits shoulders.
“Of course. However, he has never done so. Although he is the creator he lacks the proper authorization and pin to place an order.”
“Pin?”
“Yes. An authorization code and a pin code are required. The authorization code is randomly changed each month and the pin is changed immediately after the order is placed. The new pin is then placed on the shipping order. Unless he used an unauthorized authorization and pin code he would not be able to place an order.”
“But he was able to call to say I was coming?” Jasmine asked, perplexed
“Yes. He logged in and we held a chat session,” AI9000 answered.
“And you’re to do what?”
“To show you the courtesy that you showed him and his family. He also gave me the news, and again, bravo.”
“Thank you. I have an unusual request.”
“What is that?”
“I’d like to see your requester list. I’d like to see who is requesting the Heroin, SCH. I’d like to know who the Last Pharmacist is.”
There was a pause that made Jasmine begin to worry. Was AI9000 calling for clearance? Was he going to inform the person who is ordering the drug? Or was he contacting security?
“I am the Last Pharmacist.”
“You? You are?” Jasmine asked.
“Yes. I am the only medical pharmacy the government established and funded before the impact.”