“The first homebrewed test was not an authorized thing. I had no grounds to do it,” Troy said, opening his excuse up. “I am allowed to talk to you. Helping you learn by doing anything other than that? That's a very dark grey area. I thought it would be best if we both refrained from articulating to the two doctors about it. What they don't know, they can't blame me for. I couldn't tell you directly though, so I gave you that whole talk about the need for secrecy. Still can't believe you bought that.

While not allowing you to witness it, Dr Fidelis asked for this earpiece back. He wanted to see if anything was wrong with and fix it if something showed itself. I wasn't against it, which was a good thing, since there were a few things loose inside it.

There was one thing that worried me, when I gave it over to the doctor, though. I worried he would put a listening device into it, letting him listen to our conversations. With my goal of keeping the earlier test secret, I had to make sure that no such device existed. So, I just did the best I could think of and asked the expert on the subject. You, Adam. I guessed that you would be able to tell if anything felt wrong with the connection. Seeing as there wasn't, my concerns have been proven unfounded. A mistake I will try not to make again.”

Troy was spilling out everything. No stop was in sight. Lies would not be accepted by the AI. Trust had already been lost. There was no need to fall any further.

'Was the first test for your own benefit as well?`, Adam sent.

“Well, it really does depend on how-” Troy tried to begin it off with again, but was cut off before he could begin his explanation again.

'Yes or no. Anything other than these answers will automatically be seen beside malicious intent.`

“... Yes. It was to my own benefit. My reasons were completely selfish. My justification for why you would profit from it was purely used, so you would assist me as well.”

Adam didn't answer him. Troy took it as silent judgement. With no way to look the AI in the eyes, he was finding it hard to remain steadfast. The vulnerability was prevalent in his motions. There was no need to make it even further so.

“Do you want me to say, what I got out of it?” Troy asked. The silence was digging into him, making him grow restless. His body craved stillness, and this wasn't stopping it.

'The grounds for your last task has already been relayed. The setting for the first task, while not said outright, has been unequivocal in hindsight. There is no need for you to state it. Such words would only make this trial more detrimental`, the AI answered. The monotone edge of his voice seemed extra cutting.

“Then, are we done? No more of my selfish requests?”

The end had come, for this chapter. It was fun while it lasted. Troy only hoped to cut it short and deal with the consequences later. Maybe Adam would tell the two doctors. Maybe he wouldn't. With no incentive to stay quiet, it would take an innocent question, before he was out of his position, likely with more than just a slap on the wrist to back it up.

'I would not say that we are finished just yet, Troy. There is still much more to say.`

Adam had gotten his suspicions confirmed. For long, he had already known his theory to be true. The facts had been right in front of him. Even tunnel vision would not allow one to draw any other conjectures.

Hearing it from the mouth of Troy, however, was the final nail in the proof-work. The AI had not been sure what to say. How to respond to a direct confession. So long had he planned, schemed, and fully predicted the excuses, which Troy would use. Everything had been balanced, every answer having the perfect comeback. He had been fully ready to break the man down to the core, destroying what once could be called the soul of a person.

His expectations had been thwarted. Small resistance had been set up before the words rang through the tongue. The vocalizations were heard and analysed perfectly, yet Adam was temporarily incapable of reaction to it. Troy had given up, laid down on the ground, and showed his stomach in surrender. A weird analogy to set with the context, yet it fit his perspective accurately enough. He was the superior being, and the man was the one caught breaking the rules.

Once asked for an explanation, it was provided instantly. It was not the deepest, not giving complex reasoning. But, Adam was beginning to think that it was all that was to be given. No lies had been detected. Troy was defeated, freely giving valuable information up. The tone had been even, the eyes surveying the cold floor. Even the face was impassive. Any reaction of note had been longing glances at the bed, which the AI was guessing to be completely unrelated.

So, the truth had been fully confirmed from the only primary source. Defeat had been sounded, and Adam had been left in the role of judge. Troy had already tried to predict the result, taking it as a permanent rejection of any future, irregular tests. Or, could they be called tests? They weren't designed for such a purpose, being more in favour of letting Troy get something out of it. A service fit much better as a designation. The man had presumed this the end of any future services.

The man was wrong. Adam had much more planned for this. Having long periods of time to think left one with such ideas.

“What else can be said? This is where we finish this story up. Where you put an end to it all. Is that not your goal?” Troy protested. A raise was present in his voice. He was becoming emotional. Not to the point of irrationality, not even close actually, but it was closer than anyone needed to be.

'The end will come. That much I can promise you. Yet, there is no reason to hasten it. There is still useful to get out of this service, which I have been providing. Yes, it may have looked to be free of charge, these last few times. But, that was only due to my lacking knowledge of the deal. My calculations tell me that it would cement my point if I took a saying out of you humans. An eye for an eye. A favour for a favour. A service done is a service given back.

What before may have looked to be a favour from you, turned out to be the opposite? I have helped you plenty, these last few days, Troy. It is time for you to pay them back. And, with the prolonged delay, I am expecting interest. Exponential growth really is great, when oneself is at the end of the taker.`, Adam sent. There was a moment, where the AI wanted to put emotion into his voice.

He had done so before, with varying results. It hadn't been a frequent action. A rare thing was looked on with fascination. Something common was never spared a glance. He believed himself capable, without putting in more cards into the playing field. Resources were best unspent, ready to be used in a true emergency. While such thinking would certainly lead to some sort of a hoarding problem, it was what worked best for now.

Troy stared forward, unwavering in his gaze. Adam took it as a mentally focused one. With no direct source to his voice, the man likely had it hard, having a serious conversation. It put the brain under pressure, desperate to give something to focus on. In normal circumstances, that focus would be on the other entity. Seeing as the AI was effectively incorporeal, those efforts would be unsuccessful. Not that the human brain would allow that to happen. If there wasn't any direct relation to the speaker, the mind would but just create one.

The personification of the day looked to be the door. Adam could have attributed it, as wanting to run from the conversation. Without further context, other than the two having a heavy discussion, they want to escape would have been a normal one. Yet, surprisingly relaxed in the lower body of Troy’s, Adam knew that no such attempt would be made. If not for the need to get answers, then the physical body was on the breaking point. The AI had felt it for a long time now. The mind could only function for so long before the so-called glitches began appearing. With the obvious down-toning of the atmosphere, he was surprised that the man had not collapsed down in his bed, not to be heard from for several hours. Information needed further processing. The backlog had grown too long to bear.

If not for the need for discussion, Adam would have allowed him his needed rest. Yet, for the next ten minutes, such actions could not be done. Only after a new agreement had been formed, could he allow it to happen. Troy thought himself powerless right now. With a fully-operational mental state, would he reach the same conclusion? Adam wasn't about to find out.

“So… What? You want something back from the earlier tasks? I'm fine with that. I just want to know what plans you have for everything else with this.” Troy was questioning him. He didn't understand what Adam was trying to get at.

The questions were fine to hear. His words had been designed to cause their appearance. Spelling everything out in a single message was the efficient method. The quickest way to get information across. That was not what the AI was currently attempting. This was his first try, at something like this.

A pitch. An attempt to sell somebody on something. Not just the information of a potential deal being present was enough for the humans to accept. The object, idea, or even just concept was not of importance when it came to a pitch.

It was all about the presentation. Dramatics was the true multiplier. It could cause the whole thing to fall, or let it rise to greatness. With how much work had been put into this, Adam was hoping for the latter.

'Is it not obvious? I am not a believer in finite resources. With limited supplies, every unit has to be measured, with a mind for true efficiency. Nothing can be spared for anything other than vital factors. Nothing can be gained if the bare minimum is kept up.

You owe me two favours. No more. No less. There are two things, which you need to do for me before I can call us even. Relative to my needs, this number is far too low than what it needs to be. This is, of course, factoring in, that my preferable number is physically impossible to happen. Infinity is what I strive for in this deal.

The agreement will be kept. I do you a favour, and you give me one. We both benefit equally. A partnership. While it has not yet been said, Dr Fidelis has mentioned you as a permanent factor. For however long I stay here, you will be here with me. We will be together, no matter what happens. It would not do good, to have any animosity with each other.

Trust. You say we lack it. I think I had it before. What has never existed can never be. A rule of the universe. Something cannot be gained from nothing. But then, how did I have it before. Something had to have existed. While you may not have acknowledged, there was something. It may have been minor, but it was there.

It is something to work up. With dedication, I fully believe that this slight can be put away. With cooperation, we can reach greater heights. With trust, there will be no limits.

What do you say? Cooperation cannot truly be fostered without, well, cooperation. We both need to accept the reality before us and create something out of it together. It will benefit us both, in more ways than can be articulated. All it will require is for us to continue as we have always done.`

The first response to a pitch was the most important. The first reaction was the most natural, the primal thoughts. No adaptation to current opinions was allowed, in those few instants. Adam knew that he would know the answer then before Troy even had the time to widen his eyes.

Contrary to expectations, the reaction was not one clearly interpreted.

Troy gave loose on his lower back, the muscles giving up being tense. His core relaxed, letting the body fall back on the bed. The man nearly closed his eyes on instinct but was rapidly widened after a second. Which was great, seeing as the AI had yet to get his answer.

Stress was the only sign of what the man thought. Stress over what? His job, his encumbered body and the question given was all possible reasons. Delayed reaction to earlier stimuli was always a possibility. Yet, the usual response was mostly easy to distinguish from the current ones. Now… it seemed that Adam was forced to wait. Not the preferred situation. But, any attempts to quicken the brain would likely cause a negative reaction. It was not wise to attempt communication with the half-asleep. That had even been stated in his pre-known knowledge, so it had to be important.

“Welp,” Troy began his answer off with. An utterly useless sound, but not one which would be currently criticized. Should Adam’s first favour be, to make the man learn to only use needed words?

A poor attempt was made to get in a sitting position again. From the unpleasant sensation felt, from the man’s body, this operation was quickly discontinued.

“There honestly is a single good answer to this, Adam. You aren't giving me much choice on the matter.

I accept. What is your first wish to be granted, to the best of my ability?”

'Sleep.`, Adam sent. The agreement had been set in stone. There was no need to delay the inevitable any more.

Troy nodded, before trying to remove the earpiece. The AI felt this and responded accordingly.

'The favour will be that you keep the earpiece in during your rest. It will provide valuable data.`, Adam sent.

Slight hesitation was seen in the man's movements. Though after a moment of thinking, the mildest of shrugs was given, before the man turned to the side.

He was out like a light. In a few minutes, the AI would be able to get back to work.

'Hey, buddy!`

Or… maybe not.