“The one who discovered the countdown?”
“Yes, you remember him. He has a radical solution for a new power supply. Frankly, it’s a bit crazy.”
“What’s his plan?”
Austin laughs. “He says we can harness gravitational waves to kick-start the fusion reaction.”
“How?”
“I’m not sure, but he thinks we can use this signal from space to our advantage. It sounds impractical to me.”
Her eyes widen. “Why don’t we give it a try?”
“I’m not sure it will work. Anil is young and idealistic. He’s the junior programmer on the team.”
“So what? This is exactly the animal spirits I’m looking for. When someone on your team exceeds your expectations, you have to foster him and kindle his fire.”
“Well, hold on for a second.” He holds up his hands. “It’s an impulsive idea not backed by any evidence.”
She wags a finger. “That doesn’t matter. Thirst and hunger drive innovation. We have to fail a dozen times before reaching success. You can’t dismiss new ideas.”
The train stops at Palo Alto. Beth gets up and runs for the exit.
Austin shouts, “Where are you going? We are supposed to go to Mountain View.”
She stops and turns. “Change of plans. Call your team and tell them to meet us in Palo Alto. It’s time to put all our resources on Project Titan.”
15.
“STEAK TARTAR for you, Mr. Kharon.”
Manos looks up at his robot butler, Devon. “Leave it on the table.”
Sprawled across his luxury bed high above the streets of Manhattan, Manos analyzes stock prices through his Vision smartglasses. The expansive bedroom, the centerpiece in his 8000-square-foot Upper East Side apartment, looks down to flooded Central Park and submerged Times Square, once a vibrant jewel of the city.
“Devon, get me some whiskey.”
A red light shines on his assistant’s circular head and its chrome-plated arm rises to its trunk. “Scotch, American, or Japanese, sir?”
“Make it an Aberlour.”
A panel retracts on the robot’s chest, revealing a liquor cabinet. Devon takes a bottle and pours into a glass. “Here you are, Mr. Kharon.”
Manos’s smartglasses vibrate with an incoming call and “Chief of Staff” flashes on the screen. He rolls his eyes. “Not in the mood. Decline the call.”
He sits up and grabs the plate of food, stuffing his mouth with steak tartar and washing it down with whiskey. Feeling euphoric, he walks over to a full-body VR suit hanging from a chair. “Devon, help me get into this.”
The robot picks up the outfit, a silver bodysuit with red stripes streaming on its sides, and holds it up as Manos slips on the leggings and secures the accessories. He attaches a sensory belt and dons a pair of silver gloves.
Devon tightens the straps on the back and hands him a helmet. “Shall I activate the console, Mr. Kharon?”
Manos puts on the headgear and mumbles through it. “How do I look?”
“Like a motorcycle rider ready for the race.”
He laughs. “Fire up the VR, Devon.”
A wall retracts and a six-foot-by-six-foot game pit appears in the corner of the room, its borders lined with black padding. Sensors and speakers encircle the unit, and a multi-directional treadmill spans its base.
As Manos steps into the console, his helmet vibrates with an incoming call. “Sir,” an A.I. voice says to him, “your Chief of Staff is calling again. It may be urgent.”
“I don’t have time right now.” Manos jogs on the treadmill to warm up. “Tell Seth to call me later.” As he turns left, the track rotates to match his speed and direction, keeping him in the center of the unit at all times.
Devon’s voice comes through the helmet. “Are you ready to begin, Mr. Kharon?”
“Yes, start the game.”
Sensors flash and the treadmill slows to a light walk. Manos strolls on an island beach with coconut trees lining the shore. A tall blonde-haired woman walks beside him, her high cheekbones and perfect smile designed by Manos himself. She is barefoot, with a white bikini and flowing locks that glisten in the sunlight.
He holds her hand. “You look amazing, Nina.”
“Thank you, honey,” she says in a soft voice. “Where would you like to go today?”
“This feels nice…” He closes his eyes as a warm breeze strokes his face. Hearing waves crashing and birds squawking in the cloudless blue sky, he opens his eyes to see a turtle peeking its head above the water. “I want to go to Thailand.”
The scenery changes. Limestone formations rise from the water surface and grow towards the heavens. A long-tail boat drifts in the ocean, its protruding bow adorned in blue and red drapes.
Nina kisses his cheek. “Southeast Asia is beautiful this time of year.”
He smiles. “It was the best vacation I ever had. I wish I could go back in time to 2018.”
The boat docks on the beach and an elderly Thai man steps on shore. He hands them a cocktail. “Your ride is ready, sir. Next stop is Koh Samui.”
Manos snatches the drinks. “Follow me, Nina.” He guides her onto the water taxi and stands on deck facing the ocean. “Gorgeous…”
As they take in the view, the boat undocks and glides across the turquoise water through a passageway surrounded by green mountains. Monkeys howl from cliffside treetops. A warm breeze carries the smell of the ocean.
“We’ve been to Koh Samui before,” Manos says to the driver. “Take me to a different island this time.”
“Would you like nightlife or a quiet beach?”
“Give me a party.”
The boat wafts toward an island lined with hundreds of coconut trees bending at angles towards the sky. Laser lights flicker from the beach and the faint sounds of dance music drift over the gentle wind.
Manos spots revelers partying on the sand. “Now this is a fiesta!” He reaches over and kisses Nina. “I’m gonna show you a great time tonight.”
She frowns. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but there’s a message from Seth.”
Manos throws his hands in the air. “Can’t I have one minute of peace? What does he want?”
“Shall I read his message to you?”
He rolls his eyes. “Go ahead.”
“His message says: ‘China is retaliating. We are under attack. Please call me.’”
“Not now, Nina.” He covers his ears. “I don’t want to think about that. Let’s go have fun. The real world can wait.”
A setting sun casts an orange glow across the sky. They land on shore and head for a festival on the beach. Partygoers dance on the sand as a DJ blasts electronic music through speakers suspended high on the coconut trees.
A Thai woman with a basket approaches them. “Would you like some smokes?”
“Where are we?” Manos asks.
“Koh Phangan.”
“What year is it?”
“2018.”
Manos buys a pack of cigarettes. “I loved that year, Nina. This is the best place in the world. Did you know the King’s nephew used to throw parties here?”
Nina strokes her hair. “Yes, the full moon festivals.”
“That’s right. There was a shop on the cliffside selling mushroom shakes.” He turns to the Thai woman. “Do you have molly?”
“Yes, I do.”
Manos takes a pill from her and swallows it, chasing it with his cocktail. He leads Nina to the sandy dance floor as a wave of euphoria comes over him. He lights a cigarette and hugs her tightly. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted.”
He closes his eyes and feels the bass thumping through his body. On a stage, a tattooed man lifts a burning stick and blows a fireball into the air. People scream and laugh.
“What a party!” Manos grabs Nina and dances with her to the music’s beat. “Isn’t this fun, babe?”
She pulls away.
“What’s the matter?”
She grimaces. “Seth
is calling again, Manos.”
He stops dancing and shouts, “I’m sick of this! Doesn’t he know I don’t want to talk?” He throws his cocktail in the sand. “Answer the call and let’s get this over with it.”
The island vanishes and the screen goes black. A white-framed box appears and Seth comes into view. “Mr. Kharon, sorry to bother you. Something urgent has come up.”
Manos clenches his jaw. “What’s so important that you need to call me three times?”
“The Chinese just launched cyberattacks against our banks. Our servers are frozen.”
“What do you want me to do about it? Let the government deal with it.”
Seth leans forward. “I’m hearing this attack is retaliation for the Information Tariffs.”
Manos rolls his eyes. “Obviously. The enemy is angry.”
“Yes, and how do respond?”
Manos laughs. “We celebrate.”
“Sir?”
“China’s reaction is proof that my tariffs worked. We pounded the enemy where it hurts, and that makes me a hero. I’ll take it as a sign of genius.”
After some silence, Seth speaks up. “What should we do now?”
“Get our backup servers online and stay silent for a few days. Wait for the attacks to stop.”
Seth stutters. “…there’s talk of more strikes in the works.”
“More viruses?”
“We’re not sure. They may hit us a different way. There are rumors of an assault in space.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Chatter from the CIA.”
Manos holds out his palms. “That’s speculation. Deal with the facts on the ground. We’ve survived cyberattacks and we’ll get through this one. I don’t understand why you’re panicked. Grab a cocktail and chill, my friend.”
Seth looks down. “Yes, sir, apologies for interrupting you. Have a nice day.”
Manos raises a finger. “Hold on for a second, Seth. I want to discuss something with you.”
“Yes?”
“There’s a new venture that I want you to evaluate.”
“I’m listening.”
“We may have an entry into Google’s management team. We can seize the company for ourselves.”
Seth tilts his head. “But sir, GoldRock is Google’s lead investor. We already have major influence on the business.”
Manos leaves the gaming pit and removes his helmet, placing his smartglasses on his face. “I’m not talking about investing in Google. This is a new leadership role for me. I can become their new CEO.”
Seth’s eyes widen. “Is Andrews stepping down?”
“I can’t discuss the details. Let’s just say she’s on her way out.”
“When will the changes take place?”
Manos sips whiskey. “I haven’t formally agreed to anything. Seth, I’m asking you to evaluate this opportunity. Study it and tell me if it’s a good proposition.”
“It is absolutely a great idea, sir! You will make a terrific executive, far better than Andrews.”
“But I don’t have a programming background.”
“You don’t need one, sir. We will take care of the technical issues for you.”
Manos strokes his chin. “Interesting. Do you know how to develop technology?”
Seth grins. “We won’t need to, sir. The first order of business is to cut their wasteful spending, especially their research departments. They spend billions on fairytale projects that will never be commercialized.”
“You’re right. They spent $20B trying to develop a nuclear fusion reactor! Are they insane? What kind of incompetent leadership do they have?”
Seth laughs. “Exactly, sir. If there’s one thing we excel at, it’s cutting waste.”
Manos grows excited. “I like what I’m hearing. We should eliminate their leadership team and hire new management.”
“Sir, you can lay off half the company and replace them with GoldRock advisors. As CEO, you can do whatever you want.”
Manos lights a cigar. “That’s brilliant. How much money can we save if we cut the wasteful spending?”
“At least $150B a year.”
Manos takes a puff. “Seth, it’s time to put on our CEO hats.”
“I agree, sir! The timing is perfect. There’s a Google All-Staff meeting next week. It’s the perfect chance to make a move.”
“How do you mean?”
“You can seize the reins and become the next CEO.”
“At an employee meeting?”
“Yes, that’s right. There’s an old clause that allows motions for voting. We can introduce a measure for a new management team.”
“Is that right?” He leans back in his chair. “Seth, I want you to prepare a speech for me. It’s time to get rid of Andrews and take over.”
“Consider it done, sir.”
“We will make Google great again.”
16.
BETH FLIPS on the lights of an abandoned Google X warehouse in Palo Alto, once the company’s prized R&D facility. Dust covers rows of old cubicles stretching across a vast workspace. Black wires emerge from empty slots where computers and projectors once stood.
Austin swipes away a cobweb. “Looks like looters stole everything except the light bulbs.”
“We still own this building,” Beth says to him as she approaches a closet. “Did you ask your team members to join us?”
“Yes, they are on their way.”
She unlocks a door. “There are folding chairs in here. Help me carry them.”
Footsteps reverberate across the room. Austin ducks his head and whispers, “Someone’s here. Get down.”
He pulls her away and they hide behind a desk. The sound grows louder. Austin peeks over and breathes relief when he spots his employee. “Anil? How did you get here so fast?”
Anil stops and tenses. “I came as soon as I got your message. Am I too early?”
“Not at all,” Beth says. “You’re the first one to show up and that’s wonderful. How are you, Anil?”
“Fine, thank you. We’re gathering here today?”
“Yes, this is our meeting point for Project Titan. The other team members should be arriving soon.”
“Dr. Andrews, I didn’t realize you would be joining us.”
She stands tall. “Fusion is our top priority and from now on I will be directly involved. Austin tells me that you have a solution for the reactor’s ignition problem.”
Anil nods. “…well, possibly. It’s just an idea…”
Austin reaches out a hand. “It’s a good one, Anil. Go ahead and describe it to us.”
Anil drops his bag on a table. “Last week when the countdown ended, we recorded a massive gravitational wave hitting Earth. My wife and I wondered if we could somehow harness this energy for our project.”
“Your wife?” Beth asks.
“Prisha. She works at JPL as a data manager.”
“Yes, I remember her. She’s the one who detected the gravity wave last week.”
“That’s right. She also helped me crack the code from Barnard’s star.”
Beth sits on a chair. “Anil, how sure are you that these radio communications are countdowns to cosmic events?”
Austin interrupts. “It’s just a theory. It could be a coincidence for all we know.”
“Dr. Sanders is right,” Anil says. “This time we may not see a gravity wave. We’re not sure if these events are linked.”
“I get that,” Beth says. “Let’s assume that history repeats itself and a gravitational wave hits Earth in a few days. You think we can use that for Project Titan?”
“Yes. We should be able to collect the energy.”
Austin chimes in. “Our challenge is how to heat the reactor to 100 million degrees and trigger nuclear fusion. The lasers available to us fall several million degrees short. Anil thinks we can use the cosmic current to make up the difference.”
Anil beams an image on the wall. “I’ve designed a device to do
that. It’s a gravity engine.”
Beth stares at the schematics. “Interesting. Before we delve into that, there’s something on my mind. Do we know who is sending us these radio signals?”
Austin lifts a stack of foldable chairs and lays them across the workspace to form a circle. “You think they’re from an intelligent species?”
Beth shrugs. “It certainly didn’t happen by chance.”
“But Beth,” Austin says, “we have no proof of life outside our solar system.”
“That’s not true. We have plenty of evidence.”
Austin looks up. “Like what?”
“The RNA experiments. If you put carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus in a salt solution, they will eventually form simple, self-replicating molecules that are building blocks of life. It’s relatively straightforward and all you need are a few simple elements. Evolution selects for chemical structures that carry information.”
Anil’s brow rises. “Dr. Andrews, do you think there’s life on other planets?”
“I’m willing to bet our Milky Way is teeming with creatures.”
Austin rubs his chin. “Interesting. Let’s say an advanced race discovered our Voyager 1 and sent us this countdown. What’s the meaning?”
Anil’s eyes widen. “Maybe they’re sharing information about the galaxy.”
Austin frowns. “Not necessarily. For all we know, it could be a hostile directive. They could be plotting to take over our planet.”
Beth shakes her head. “And give us a heads up? I don’t think so. The fact that they used ‘Johnny B. Goode’ means it’s some sort of acknowledgment.”
“What if it’s a message about energy?” Anil asks. “They realize there is intelligent life in the galaxy and they want to share what they’ve learned.”
Beth leans back. “Not a bad idea. Energy is the common denominator driving the universe. Space and matter are all a consequence of it.”
“I agree, Dr. Andrews. They’ve learned about our species from Voyager 1 and they’re trying to teach us about a natural power source.”
Austin laughs. “I wonder what they think about the human race. We should send them a picture of an oil barrel with the caption, ‘Here’s what runs our civilization.’”
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