“Please. Now what would that accomplish? Either way, you will die. If you wish to end your life, as you say, it would still be the first.” The computer paused. “Yes. Yes, I win here as well.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“Well, if you kill yourself, they will still suspect me of some wrongdoing, since I am to prevent you from coming to harm, or so they believe. So I will still be questioned, and my name will come up as often as yours. And I will still exist, get away scott-free, since you chose to kill yourself out of your own free will. So, feel free to kill yourself. It makes no difference to me, this may even be better.”

“What in.. God damn you, you son of a bitch!”

There was a low bass note, its laugh.

“What an amusing concept. I’ll have to remember that jewel. Good-bye.”