Extinction 6
Hosein Kouros-Mehr
© 2018
All Rights Reserved.
For Lumi
Contents
PROLOGUE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
PART 2
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
PART 3
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
About the Author
PROLOGUE
IN 2066, FLOODING decimates the San Francisco Bay Area and Market Street lies under feet of ocean water.
Global warming accelerates. As temperatures climb 2ºC in fifty years, Earth’s ecosystem transforms—rainforests become deserts, coastal plains disappear, and topsoil turns to dust, sparking a famine that threatens billions of lives. Plant and animal species vanish as a shortage of water disrupts the economy and triggers war. For the first time in history, the human population declines.
Earth’s sixth mass extinction is underway.
One hope remains.
1.
AUSTIN awakes.
Another dream about Olivia.
He rubs his eyes and looks around his apartment—empty beer cans on a decrepit sofa, capped metal tubes where a refrigerator and stove once stood, an old desk with a pair of Vision smartglasses.
Olivia, where are you?
He rises out of bed and dons his jacket, rubbing his palms to warm himself. He reaches for the glasses and places them on his face.
“Isaac,” he says, his breath visible in the cold air, “Call Olivia.”
His A.I. replies through small speakers embedded in the smartglasses. “Austin, you told me to delete your ex-wife’s contact information four years ago.”
Austin stands at a window peering into San Francisco. “I need to speak with her, Isaac. I had another dream about her last night.”
“Are you feeling sad?”
“Yes.”
“Shall I contact your psychiatrist?”
“No, no need for that. I just want to speak with Olivia.”
“Your medical appointment is overdue. This may be why you feel sad.”
“No, the Provega pills never helped me. You don’t understand human emotion.”
“There are other remedies for depression.”
Austin sighs as he stares into the submerged streets of San Francisco. Utility poles and dark traffic lights rise from the water surface. Exposed rooftops of unoccupied Victorian homes extend into the distance, their contents wasting on the ocean floor. He spots a family in a high-rise apartment and turns his head.
“Isaac, how’s my day?”
“It’s Monday, August 7, 2066. You have a video conference with unknown at 9 a.m., followed by your Project Titan team meeting at 10 a.m.”
Austin looks in a bathroom mirror and stretches his neck. He reaches for a razor. “Isaac, what is the anonymous call about? I don’t remember accepting it.”
“There is no description for the meeting.”
“How is that possible?” Through the smartglasses, he opens the Calendar app and clicks on the invitation, looking for information about the event.
The sender encrypted his email.
“Isaac, this must be a hacker. Cancel my 9 a.m. video call.”
“Your 9 a.m. meeting with unknown can’t be canceled. Participation is mandatory.”
“Mandatory?”
“Yes. Also a reminder that your Ration 1 ends in fifteen minutes.”
He looks at the time – 8:45 a.m.
Shit!
He glances at his beard in the mirror, his sunken face and weathered features dimly visible in the fluorescent yellow light. He grabs a bowl and walks to the bone-dry kitchen sink where a canister sits. He wipes the dust from its indicator and reads the level – “10 percent.”
Not enough to shave.
“Isaac, tell the leasing office there is barely any water today.”
He shakes the canister and taps on its metal piping extending from the wall, and the indicator increases to “11 percent.” He drips some water into the bowl and wipes his face, adjusting his grey hair with his fingers, then drinks the last drops.
Austin rushes from his apartment and makes his way to the twenty-third floor Food Depot. Residents stand in line waiting for Ration 1, their attire matching his—drab blue uniforms, government-issued black jackets, smartglasses. Two men push each other and others rush to the front of the line as it morphs into a crowded ball.
He looks up at a television screen. “…latest War update. China is depleting the world’s aluminum supply, sending millions of tons of metal to New China and raising prices by five percent in one week. A ration on canned products will take effect tomorrow.”
Someone pushes Austin, and he finds himself at the front of the line.
A food worker stands over a metal tray with the Ration 1 food options. “Chicken or beef? Pick one.”
He stares at artificial meat lined with fake grill marks. The choices are government-grade laboratory protein covered in cream “chicken” or brown “beef” sauces.
Children born today will never know the taste of real chicken.
“Is there bread?” Austin asks.
“Not anymore.”
“Chicken then.”
Austin grabs the tray and looks around the sea of uniform-clad tenants in the dining hall. He spots an empty chair and walks over. “Is this seat taken?”
His friend Abe looks up. “All yours.”
As Austin sits he spots a bread roll on Abe’s plate. “Nice to see you.”
“Likewise. Did you hear the good news?”
“No.”
“The Marines seized three Russian oil fields in Alaska.”
Austin points. “Will you be eating your roll?”
Abe hands him the bread. “Did you hear me?”
“What?”
“We took back our land in the north. Maybe the War will come to an end.”
Austin shrugs. “Don’t think so.”
They sit quietly and stare at a television monitor. “…a cyber virus crippled New York’s transit system Monday morning. As evacuations began, a power outage disabled emergency procedures and stranded thousands of commuters high above ground. The two-pronged attack appears to be the work of the Chinese army.”
Abe sighs. “There’s no end to this fighting. I have a military tour coming up.”
“Another one?”
“Yeah. Heading back up for space patrol.”
“Be safe.”
“You’re lucky you work for Google, Austin. I wish I could be exempt from the draft like you.” Abe leans over. “So what secret project are you working on now?”
Austin scarfs down the chewy meat and wipes his face. “Clean energy.”
“Like what?”
“Sorry Abe, I can’t talk about it. I gotta run.”
Austin rushes from the dining hall and takes an elevator up to the Hyperloop train station, where he stares into the camera pass and enters the gate. A train sits at a platform. He boards the middle car, taking a window seat.
“Express line to Mountain View. Closing doors.”
He stares from the window. Hundreds of downtown skyscrapers climb from the water surface
, their frames connected by concrete tubes. As the train accelerates, the high rises give way to the San Francisco archipelago: forty-two islands, home to its hilltop communities. Below the water lie the ruins of the city—districts decimated by a rising sea. Once the thoroughfare of a vibrant city, Market Street wastes on the ocean floor as a forgotten ruin of the past.
“What’s the news today, Isaac?”
“From the Telegraph, here are today’s top stories. The government has announced a permanent ban on land burial stemming from the cholera outbreaks. Cremation will be the only funeral method permitted under law. In other news, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 865 points, another red day in its 10-year bear market. Oil prices, however, are sharply higher at $87,100 per barrel.”
If only fusion power would work, we can end our fossil fuel addiction.
“Isaac, send a message to my employees.”
“What would you like to say?”
Austin thinks for a second. “Don’t embarrass me again at our team meeting. Come prepared to discuss Project Titan. If our $20B investment doesn’t pay off, heads will roll…”
“Sending to your employees.”
Through the train window, he notices the lined rooftops of six Victorian homes submerged underwater. “Isaac, what am I staring at?”
The smartglasses zoom in. “You are looking at what used to be Alamo Square, now an exclusion zone.”
“That sounds familiar. Didn’t I spend time there long ago?”
“Yes.”
“Show me old pictures.”
Two photos from the past appear in his view – a teenage portrait with his sister Catherine and a family picnic with his ex-wife Olivia and their two-year-old son.
I miss you, Matthew.
“Isaac, I need to get in touch with Olivia.”
“Unfortunately, she has blocked you from contacting her.”
“Can’t you send her a message in Wired?”
“No, I can’t do that.”
Austin sighs. “You’re being difficult.”
The train leaves San Francisco and travels across the Peninsula on its way to Mountain View. Along the Pacific Ocean, desalination plants dot the coastline and grey fumes emerge from their stacks. Green-yellow sunlight penetrates a thick marine layer enveloping the San Francisco Bay.
Austin’s glasses vibrate and a ringtone buzzes in his ear. An incoming videoconference request from unknown appears. He glances at the time—9 a.m. A phone number shows up.
“Isaac, where is the 757 area code from?”
“Langley, Virginia.”
Austin panics.
It’s the government.
He answers the video call. On the screen there appears a bearded officer dressed in a navy blue suit pinned with an American flag. “Is this Mr. Austin Sanders, head of Google’s Artificial Intelligence department?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Gareth Allen, Deputy Director of the CIA. Please listen carefully. This is an urgent matter related to our national security.”
Austin sits upright. “How may I help you?”
“We’ve intercepted a high-level message coming from New China, and we need you to decrypt the code as soon as possible.”
Austin’s eyebrows furrow. “Mars?”
“Yes, we believe our enemy has developed an advanced encryption system for its colony on Mars. We’ve been unable to access their communications, so we need you to track down their classified keys.”
“With all due respect, Mr. Allen, Google is not in the business of hacking messages.”
“Mr. Sanders, this is not a request—it’s an order. I remind you that we are at war. Failure to comply with the government is an act of treason. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“As you know, the Chinese are using vast resources to colonize Mars and monopolize the transportation hubs there. It’s an illegal land grab and we will not tolerate it. Our colony is at the mercy of our adversary. We will not accept any more deception from them, do you understand?”
Austin focuses on the ocean in the distance. “I get it, Mr. Allen, but I’m surprised the NSA hasn’t hacked the code with their resources.”
“We have not seen encryption like this before. It’s something entirely new.”
“Are you certain it’s from China?”
“Mr. Sanders, you are asking too many questions. Our national security is at risk. We order you to decrypt the messages as soon as possible. Your A.I. is the best resource to solve the problem.”
“When is the deadline?”
“Five days from today. I will send you a secure link with the data.”
“Okay, let me see what I can do. I have a meeting with my team in an hour. We will take a look.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sanders. I anticipate your response.”
Austin disconnects the call and peers from the train window, noticing a military convoy overhead flying towards the Pacific Ocean. In the distance, rain falls onto hundreds of small lakes dotting the inland landscape. The train continues its journey to Google’s campus in Mountain View.
Olivia, I need to talk to you.
2.
IN A TOP-FLOOR St. Regis conference suite in Manhattan, Bethany Andrews sits on stage in front of two-hundred suit-clad investors, analysts and reporters. Her executive staff joins her on a panel facing the audience. She takes a deep breath and prepares for her presentation.
It’s time to shine.
Through her Vision smartglasses, she opens a document and scans her speech, preparing to take the podium. Snippets of conversation stream from the crowd. She reviews her agenda—a keynote address and two motions up for votes.
I can lead these people to a brighter future.
Her colleague next to her stands and approaches the platform, his face appearing on the large screen behind the stage. “Welcome to the 2066 Google Annual Shareholder’s Meeting. Thank you all for attending this gathering in New York City. My name is Thomas Rosenberg, Chief Financial Officer. I’m delighted to present our keynote speaker.”
The audience settles.
“Dr. Bethany Andrews, CEO of Google, has been at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence for over fifty years. After earning a Ph.D. from M.I.T., she joined our company as a programmer and worked her way up the corporate ladder. As Senior Vice President and head of our A.I. department, Dr. Andrews was instrumental in developing the Vision smartglasses that we all use today.”
A low vibration hums through the venue as a fierce wind picks up outside. Beth looks through the suite’s large panel windows at the flooded streets of Manhattan below. Above, a network of tubes and passageways connect the city’s skyscrapers.
“Dr. Andrews is recognized as one of the most influential executives in the world. She has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Science. As CEO for the past ten years, she has guided our company through extraordinarily difficult times. In the face of climate change and war, her steady leadership and commitment to innovation remain a guiding light. Please join me in welcoming our leader, Dr. Bethany Andrews.”
Several people applaud while many others sit in silence. Beth stands and shakes Thomas’s hand, then approaches the podium. Her silver hair and clear-framed specs appear enlarged on the screen behind her. Through her smartglasses, she clicks on a document icon and a speech appears in her field of view.
“Thank you, Thomas. It’s an honor for me to be here today with our directors and investors. I am proud to deliver Google’s latest financial report, a solid performance in an unpredictable business climate. I will present our key milestones and growth strategy, and then I’m happy to take questions.”
A man in the front row raises his hand, signaling for a microphone.
“As Google’s CEO, I’m proud to report that our company’s losses are abating. Our latest quarterly revenues were $320B, down only one percent from last year. While negative again in Q3, earnings will be positive within two or three quarters. After ten y
ears of sales declines, we are finally on track to be a profitable company once again.”
A burst of laughter streams from the audio speakers. Beth looks down and sees a middle-aged man wearing a zippered turtleneck and gold sneakers. It’s Manos Kharon, head of GoldRock, the world’s most powerful investment company and Google’s largest shareholder.
Manos stands and turns to the audience. “Dr. Andrews, let me understand what I’m hearing. You are standing there proudly announcing another negative earnings report. Am I directionally correct?”
Beth tenses. “Manos, save your questions for the end of the speech.”
“It’s a simple question. Are you happy with your performance?”
She points at him. “Mr. Kharon, Google has delivered a solid quarter. Let me remind you that we are in a global depression. The world is at war and our competitors face bankruptcy. Our business remains sustainable in the face of deteriorating headwinds.”
Manos turns and faces Beth. “That’s not a track record I support. You can do much better. As head of GoldRock, I led my company to a $50 billion profit this quarter, and our revenues are up consistently for the last five years. Google hasn’t reported positive earnings in over a decade. Your performance is lackluster at best.”
“We are navigating Google through an extremely difficult environment.”
Manos makes a fist. “Why should investors continue to support you? Why throw money at a company that cannot grow or turn a profit?”
Beth looks away and faces the audience, standing tall. “As the world’s largest technology company, Google’s value and place in the world cannot be questioned. We have a high-level strategy to reclaim profitability—”
“How will you possibly do that? There’s no way your company will return to growth.”
Beth stares at Manos. “Let me give you specific details of our plan. First and foremost, we have launched Project Titan, a clean energy initiative that will finally stop global warming.”
Manos walks on stage and laughs into the microphone. Media cameras zoom on Manos and Beth growling at each other. “Dr. Andrews, this is ridiculous. You are out of your mind. Google is not an energy company.”
Extinction 6 Page 1
