"You're probably wondering why we need such a complex system. Why does the computer need to monitor everyone? What do we do with all this information?" Mikhail said, settling into a chair in front of the monitors, and answered his own question. "For example, you can turn on the alarm and automatically report the crime to the police, and then attach the evidence."
"That makes sense," Anna nodded.
"But it's completely pointless in terms of prevention!" added the robotics engineer. "We've conducted hundreds of observations and found that in most cases it even reduces effectiveness. The police arrive too slowly, and the alarm only warns the criminal. Often, it turns out even worse than it could have been... For example, a rape victim ends up being killed.
"How awful..."
"That's why we decided that our 'Big Brother' should become a 'robocop'. It should start acting on its own. That's when I suggested naming it 'Voland', although Lecha liked to call it 'Paine's Demon'.
"Why?
"Well, you know... He loves all kinds of theoretical sciences. Maxwell's demon monitors the energy of particles, Laplace's demon predicts their movement, Darwin's demon determines something in evolution... There was also this guy, the philosopher Thomas Paine, who wrote a book about "Human Rights." You've seen our three laws of robotics, right?
— Yes.
— Well, here's the thing... According to Lyokha's idea, Paine's Demon should monitor the observance of human rights. Decide who is right and who is wrong.
"That's complicated," Anna said.
"So I told him that it was too nerdy and completely unintuitive.
"Then why 'Woland'?
"Because bricks don't just fall on people's heads for no reason..." Mikhail smiled ominously. "Look, I'll show you..."
After rummaging through the file system for a short while, he brought up a recording on the screen. The video clip appeared to have been shot from somewhere above. At first, the camera captured only a small spot of light and several small black figures inside it, but then the unknown observer suddenly became interested in what was happening and began to zoom in. It was difficult to understand what was happening in the shaky pixelated mess, so he made the camera on the house turn 180 degrees and switched to it.
An unknown guy in the video roughly holds a girl, and then starts arguing with another guy, whom Anna immediately recognized as Mikhail, even from behind. After a brief exchange, a knife appears in the stranger's hand. He jumps at Mikhail, strikes him, hesitates for a second, and then, trying to escape, crosses the construction site.
The observer switches back to the previous camera, and it becomes clear that it is located on a tower crane, which almost immediately starts moving. Turning the boom and calmly taking aim, the crane drops concrete slabs on the running man below, who from such a height looks more like an ant.
The recording cuts off.
"Attempted rape. Attempted murder. Attempted escape," Mikhail commented. "Woland has decided to impose the death penalty."
"Yes... That's harsh..."
"Effective. Practical. Fast. And you can see the results! Crime in our metropolis has been reduced to a minimum."
"And he decides everything... by himself? Without people?" The girl turned and looked again at the rows of racks with flashing indicators.
"Of course by himself. People are unreliable. They can't see everything and keep track of everything. They can be bribed or intimidated. Woland, on the other hand, is completely impartial and completely fair."
"Doesn't anyone suspect anything?" Anna asked in surprise.
"Who? The police are satisfied. The criminals are eliminated. The surviving victims, for obvious reasons, don't like to talk about it. No one will believe random witnesses," Mikhail smiled. "Yes, there are occasional conspiracy theorists who flood social media with their theories, but who will believe them? They also see UFOs from time to time. Well, we try to diversify our arsenal..."
"Diversify?"
"You see, Voland is evolving, but he was created as a psychologist and analyst, and he completely lacks human imagination. So sometimes we throw him some new ideas. Car accidents, elevator crashes, tower cranes... We try to make everything look like a simple accident."