Page 49 of The E.M.M.A. Effect
I don’t have an answer for that. At least, not one I’m ready to face.
Harriet:Can we talk about Jasmine? You have a short cafe date tomorrow—nothing serious, just lunch. Give her a chance? Please? It’s a miracle you were available given both your schedules in the season.
There is a long pause. So long maybe Gale has given up on me entirely. Then, finally:
Gale:Sure. Whatever you say.
The relief I feel is tempered by a sharp pang of... something. Regret? Loss? I push it aside, focusing on the task at hand.
Harriet:Great! I’ll set everything up.
As I put down the phone, I hear footsteps.
“You still here?”
I swallow a groan. It’s Tony. “Hey, sorry, just wrapping up a few things.” I fight off a grimace. Why did I automatically apologize? I should be proud of working hard.
I brief him on E.M.M.A. and Gale’s upcoming date with Jasmine and invite him to review the data, omitting any references to myself, of course.
Tony slides his thumbs under his bright red suspenders. “You go too.”
I stare, like he’s just suggested I juggle flaming chain saws. “You want me to do what?”
Tony leans forward, his eyes gleaming with that look he gets when he thinks he’s had a brilliant idea. “I want you to observe Gale’s lunch date with Jasmine tomorrow. Discreetly, of course. Think less ‘creepy stalker’ and more ‘casual bystander with really good hearing.’”
I snort, feeling about as stealthy as an elephant in tap shoes. “There’s no need. He’s got the wearable, like with Seraphim. E.M.M.A. will pick up his physiological data. For a set time, of course. We’re not expecting him to keep it on all day. What we capture for lunch is enough.”
The idea of analyzing data on one of Gale’s hookups makes me feel physically sick. I mask it behind my best know-it-all expression—the one that wouldn’t hint I’m silently freaking out and growing more unreasonably jealous by the second.
Tony shoots me a look that’s half amusement, half exasperation. “Come on. We need your observations for human perceptual validation of E.M.M.A.’s data. This idea of relational interactions improving gameplay is out there, but there could be more here. AIproviding relationship insights? I want to verify this through human observation.”
“Great,” I mutter, pursing my lips. “So you’re telling me that I have to be the awkward third wheel all in the name of ‘human perceptual validation’? Whooooo-weeee. Sounds like a real dream afternoon. Exactly why I got a PhD.”
Tony has the decency to look slightly sheepish. “Itisfor science, Harriet. Think of it as... expanding E.M.M.A.’s understanding of human interaction through cognitive calibration with your observations.”
I roll my eyes, but can’t quite suppress a smile. “Yeah, well, E.M.M.A. can expand her horizons without my help.”
“Come on, Harriet,” Tony cajoles. “We need to compare E.M.M.A. against your human insight. Your finely tuned Gale-sense, if you will. It’s crucial for our perceptual alignment process. I need your human intuition to validate that our AI is accurately interpreting his physiological responses.”
I chew my lip, considering. It’s one thing to lurk around spying on Gale’s date, but another to potentially contribute to E.M.M.A.’s development. “So I’m not just being creepy, I’m being... scientifically creepy?”
Tony chuckles. “Let’s call it ‘field testing.’ Your instincts about Gale have been spot-on before. If they align with E.M.M.A.’s predictions, we could be onto something big.”
I sigh, knowing I’m going to agree even as a part of me dreads tomorrow. “Fine.”
“Just roll with it and be your usual observant self. Oh, and Harriet?” His expression turns slightly mischievous. “Try not to let your feelings cloud your judgment, okay?”
I feel my cheeks burn as I leave the office, pointedly ignoring that last comment. I barely make it three steps before running into Hana and Amir huddled by the coffee machine.
“Whoa, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Hana says, abandoning her coffee stirring. “Everything okay with Tony?”
“I’m fine.” The words come out too fast, too brittle. “Just... tired.”
Amir’s eyebrows shoot up. “Bullshit. You just cracked your knuckles. Something is up.”
I ball my hands at my sides, forcing them still.
“Come on.” Hana leans in, voice softening. “You can trust us. Whatever it is...”
