Damn!
Loken is so damn PRECIOUS!
Also love the little choice you gave us about the tongue licking back there, very much appreciated.
!!!SPOILERS!!!
And it seems I was wrong about my initial assumption about the nature of the algorithm. Though it is still a possibility that I foresaw a bit later and that is that the algorithm is actually malicious.
As to the sudden advancement of technology, I think it was either a super-intelligent general AI or aliens. But the writing the algorithm revealed hints strongly at aliens.
Also the genetic engineering would explain how quickly the bipeds came to walk the Earth. Nanotechnology, quantum computing and molecular reconstruction would explain the Demons. And nanotechnology and molecular reconstruction would explain Alex not needing to breathe and eat.
Edit:
I'm really glad that the kids apparently didn't receive corporal punishment. Having work assigned to them is a much more constructive and morally correct choice.
I dreamed about that Mylo would be a Blackrunner. And as soon as he said what he said about the demon encounter I already suspected that he is and him recognizing a bullet confirmed it.