Page 76 of Lone Wolf

“Competent, not brilliant.”

“Sean Hansen, quantitative methods—”

“Hardworking and versatile but hardly profound.”

“Benjamin Hill—”

“Hill? You didn’t hear?”

“Hear what?”

“He was killed.”

“What?” Evan sagged against the railing. “I had no idea. When?”

“Just this week. They said it was some sort of home invasion but I guess there are complications around it.” Allman shook his head. “It’s too bad.” The human sentiment caught Evan by surprise, but then Allman clarified, “Hill’s a big loss for us. You can’t easily replace someone like him.”

“No? What was he working on?”

“Key AI source code. I can’t share anything beyond that.”

“Can you at least explain what that is?”

“How much do you know about autoencoders?”

“Nothing.”

“How much about neural networks in general?”

“Limited.”

Allman pursed his lips, exhaled through his nose. He was frustrated with Dr. Leigh’s limitations, but it was nothing personal. Evan was frustrated with them, too.

Allman chewed his inner cheek, agitated, his mind no doubt awhirl with ones and zeros and the vexation of having to translate. “So you’ve never heard of a generative adversarial network?”

Once again, Evan wished Joey were here. “No.”

“Then it’s too complicated for you to understand.”

“Okay,” Evan said. “‘Complications’ around Hill’s death. What’s that mean?”

Allman shrugged. “That’s what the newspapers said. Some evidence pointed to irregularities suggesting it wasn’t what it seemed. My security is interfacing with the authorities. It’s all below my pay grade.”

“Do you think…” Evan waved a hand. “Oh never mind. That’s just me being nosy.”

“What?”

“Well, you said he’s not easily replaced. Do you think he had any enemies?”

“Him? No.”

“But you?”

“Sure,” Allman said. “The human race. That’s what happens when you’re the leader of it. The race. You’re the one in everyone’s sights.”

Evan understood better why Allman stayed holed up behind gates, guard stations, and towering castle walls. “You actually think … You actually think someone killed him to hurt you?”

Allman shrugged once more, the same lifeless lift of his shoulders. “Not me. I don’t get hurt. But Solventry, of course. Look. There are people you seek to avoid angering. Murdoch the elder. Ditto: Thiel. But Hill’s area of expertise wouldn’t directly impact any pies those two have their fingers in.”