I bet a bag of chips it’s the military guy.
Cause:
1-Even if he’s not a researcher he can get people to do it for him
2-he’d the first person Brendan openly shows disgust in both present and past
3-the man’s work requires secrecy(as in nacional security)
4-the man’s work and life will be f$%¨$# if any crime is tracked to him(corruption for starters).
5-Brendan doesn’t even try to be sociable as he’s mostly looking for a reaction wether it’s pride or anger, as it’d indifference as if talking to a child it sounds a lot like military dude’s treatment of Brendan(and he’s most likely also innocent).

“Thank you so much for writing and making this beautiful story.”

This is a masterpiece. Nothing is overdone, the SF is perfectly balanced with the humanity of the characters, and it’s obviously going like an arrow to the heart of a big reveal. And we’re getting it in installments like the first fans of Sherlock Holmes or Dickens.

At least in my mind.

I guess the question of why still remains. I don’t think it was to hurt Brendan’s feelings, since he didn’t tell anyone of their relationship. Someone wanted Al back…for his brains? For the bragging rights?

I still can’t decide if I want Brendan and Al to get back together. On the one hand, I think that Al is still very much in love with him…unless something happened that we don’t know about! Brendan has had time to leave Al in the past. And I also don’t know if he would WANT to have a relationship with a synthetic.

I wonder if the phone voice isn’t a poor copy of Al himself with the memories but little personality. It would still want to design, but without inspiration. But look at Gimel trying to look innocent . . .

When Al first appeared, Brendan was expecting another poorly-loaded imitation. SOMETHING is going on.