by Mark Donovan
As the months had passed by and the winter’s snow had piled up around the college campus, Joe had only had a couple of job interviews and neither had left him very excited. Both interviews were for government positions within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Each involved sensor technology surveillance work associated with the monitoring of groups within the country’s borders that posed national threats. Neither position offered any real opportunity for meaningful research work or for achieving significant personal economic wealth. Like the past technology pioneers of Silicon Valley, Joe had dreams and aspirations of founding his own company someday. Or at least being part of a young growing company that could change the world in a positive way, as well as provide him with economic wealth and freedom. Alas, as the weeks and months had passed by, he had stewed more and more on his future.
And so it was as he walked to class this morning, thinking about the phone call he had received late last night. It had been a brief phone call from a man he had not met, but who he had heard of. The man had been cryptic with him, but suggested that the two of them should meet to discuss a job opportunity that he had for him. All he said about the position is that it would be life changing for him and could help economically turn the country around. Joe had no idea how the man had gotten ahold of his resume or knew anything about him. However, Joe had taken the bait and agreed to meet with the man the following morning at a Starbucks.
Chapter 9 (March 1, 8:00am Eastern Standard Time)
It was eight o’clock in the morning when Joe walked into the Starbucks. Because it was a Saturday morning the coffee shop was fairly empty of patrons. In the back of the restaurant, Joe saw a tall man seated reading a newspaper and wearing a dark green sweater and jeans, a perfect match to the description given to him in the email confirming their meeting. As Joe approached the man, he looked up at him and rose to greet him. He stood just over 6 feet 3 inches and his hair was dark brown, with just a touch of graying on the sides. Based upon the slight crows-feet around the eyes Joe quickly guessed the man was in his early forties.
“Hi Joe, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Dave as they shook hands. “My name is Dave Henson. Would you like something to drink or eat?” As he spoke he signaled for one of the coffee shop’s waitresses to come over. When the waitress arrived at their table Joe asked for a Café Grande and Dave ordered another small black coffee.
As the waitress walked away, Dave thanked Joe for meeting with him on such short notice. “Joe, I’m glad you accepted my invitation. I’m sure you’re wondering how I got ahold of your resume and I know my email was a bit cryptic on the job opportunity. I’ll try to explain.”
“In regards to getting a copy of your resume, your engineering professor and graduate advisor, Dr. Zempke, and I are longtime friends and colleagues. In a conversation with him Thursday afternoon I indicated that I was looking for a bright and talented young engineer to bring into my organization. Dr. Zempke mentioned that you were one of his prize students and that you were in the market for a job. He took the liberty of forwarding your resume on to me. I hope you don’t mind Dr. Zempke’s moxie in forwarding on your resume without telling you first, however it was short notice and I can assure you he has your best interests in mind.
“No, I’m anxiously looking for a job and I’m glad Dr. Zempke thought of me,” said Joe, as the waitress returned with their coffees. “I’ll need to personally thank him.”
As Joe took a sip of his coffee, Dave asked about how his job search was progressing.
“To be honest it’s been disappointing. I’ve gotten a couple of job offers from the Department of Homeland security but neither really excites me. Like most government jobs these days, the salary offers were pretty good compared to the private sector. However, the jobs do not involve any real cutting edge technology or design work. Instead they’re more along the lines of maintenance support on existing surveillance and communications equipment.”
“Yes, the United States is not what it used to be, even in the high tech space.” Dave lamented. “Gone are the glory days of the technology hot beds in Silicon Valley, Boston, and Austin. Unfortunately, our political leaders still haven’t figured it out yet, or fessed up to, the negative economic repercussions of continuously ratcheting up taxes on businesses and hardworking and successful people. They, along with their friends in the national press corps and media, have most certainly done a hell of a job in transforming the United States into the socialistic landscape that they so anxiously wanted to achieve. And with it, all of its related negative economic and social accoutrements.”
“Have you noticed Joe that while the average citizens in this country have seen their standards of living cut by more than half in the past decade, that the federal politicians, media personalities, and wall street elites, who have been effectively in control of running our country and economy during this same period, have seen their personal wealth nearly double?” That as the country has declined in both economic and global strength, this group of people has become enormously more wealthy and powerful. Do you know why this has happened?”
Dave looked at Joe questioningly.
Though Joe agreed with the statements that Dave had just made, he was at a loss for answers to Dave’s questions. “To be honest I’m not quite sure why,” responded Joe. “I have my theories but in order to maintain my friendships and not hurt my job prospects, I’ve kept them to myself.”
“Exactly! Just like most other smart and hardworking people do,” commented Dave. “You’ve kept your thoughts to yourself because you’re afraid of the repercussions of speaking your mind. You don’t want to be made out to look like a fool, or be economically or physically harmed in any way for speaking out. Your reasons are the same as the people in China, Russia and many other countries run by dictatorial governments. Don’t you find it amazing and frightening. The freedoms and differences our country for so long had and espoused, have effectively been stripped from us in just a few short years, and with most of the citizens either not knowing it was happening to them, or even worse, not caring if it did. Today, the United States has become no different than any other socialist country. And we as a society let it happen.
Joe just looked at Dave speechless, and to some extent squirmed a bit in his seat. Even though Dave spoke quietly, Joe was nervous that someone might have heard them speaking.
“And do you know why the United States has transformed itself into another socialist state, run by an ever increasing and controlling federal government?”
Again, Joe didn’t really know the answer and said nothing.
“Because we let it happen to ourselves,” whispered Dave. “Each of us became so focused on our individual micro-worlds, buried in our social networking toys, sporting events, and our own personal interests, that we didn’t really see or care what was happening around us as a society. Our freedoms were stripped from us by our own politicians while we smiled, staring endlessly into our computer and television screens. When some citizens finally realized what was going on and began to raise their concerns, they were summarily silenced by first the politicians and media celebrities, and then eventually by many of their own neighbors and work colleagues. Neighbors and fellow employees, who either lacked the intelligence, or capacity to even care, for what was happening to them and their own country.”
When Dave finally went silent, Joe cautiously spoke.
“Though I’m in agreement with your assessment with the state of our country, how does this relate to a job for me?”
Dave smiled at Joe. “It relates to you because I want to hire you to help us with our nanotechnology sensor development. At my company NSurv, we’re working on the cutting edge in sensor technology associated with surveillance. Nanotechnology is no longer science fiction, nor simply growing chemical structures in a lab Petri dish. Nanotechnology is also much broader in scope and has more applications than most people could ever imagine. At NSurv, for example, we are already deploying some of our develop
ed technology in the field to support a variety of applications, including medical, energy, and yes even covert surveillance. It is this latter application, where I believe NSurv can bring about the immediate and necessary change to our country that it so desperately needs to get its economic engine running again.
By accepting my offer, Joe, you’ll be working in a high tech field that is still in its infancy. Moreover, you’ll also help play a role in restoring our country to what it once was, a country that represented hope and opportunity for the entire world. A place that allowed people to realize their dreams obtained through their own hard work and intellectual capacity. A country that is free of political leeches that suck the hopes and dreams out of those who want to use their own mind and body to achieve personal success and fortune.”
“Joe, I want you to come onboard with us, because not only do you have the education and skill set we need, but as Dr. Zempke has described to me, the ability to see and appreciate the bigger picture of what’s destroying our country today. By joining us, not only will you gain invaluable knowledge and experience in a field with so many opportunities and applications, you will also ultimately help revolutionize political transparency within our nation and eventually around the world. NSurv’s nano surveillance technology will effectively transform how the political machinations within our country are monitored and reported to the public. If we are successful with our plans, which I have no doubt we will be, the need for traditional news agencies will be rendered useless, thus eliminating today’s advocacy journalists and media outlets.”
“With this new forced transparency within our government and financial institutions, the politicians and Wall Street elitists will finally understand whose working for whom. And the repercussions of this public enlightenment will be cataclysmic for both the current political leadership and our country. Like the ant who knows to run from the focused beam of sunlight caused by a magnifying glass positioned over him, the American public too will realize it’s being similarly burned by the current federal administration. But instead of running from the heat and fire, even the most gullible and ignorant of our fellow citizens will turn their shock and rage on this current political machine. A machine that has stripped us of our financial resources, and more importantly, our freedom and spirit. And in the end, the country’s industrial engine will be able to start again. And for you, Joe, the opportunity to seek your fortune and fame as your predecessors once did in the technical epi-centers around this country.”
Joe sat silent for a moment staring back at Dave. Everything Dave had just said was all true, the state of the country and himself economically, his personal goals and aspirations, the field of nanotechnology, it was all true. There was no denying it. But Dave’s goals and plans were also dangerous. They flew in the face of the political status quo. They threatened it. The job Dave was offering him would involve much more than being a lab rat or a bit head, and would be risky. The alternative, however, as his mind swirled, working for the Department of Homeland Security seemed even more deadly to him. Or more simply put, just dead. With that last thought, he looked at Dave and said, “I’m onboard, when do you need me to start.”
Dave reached out and shook Joe’s hand and said, “Welcome to NSurv. You have a spring break coming up in a couple of weeks. Plan on coming out to our offices for that week so I can introduce you to the rest of the team and get you up to speed with some of our development projects and plans.” Dave stood up to leave. “After graduation, I expect to see you onboard fulltime within a week.”
Joe stood up as well and the two shook hands. Dave immediately departed the coffee shop and Joe fell back into his seat after he left. He was simultaneously feeling a combination of elation and trepidation. He was familiar with the man Dave Henson, and his career success, and couldn’t believe that he had just spoken to him. And more importantly, just got a job offer from him. However, still not fully realized yet by Joe, he had just gotten a job offer that would prove to be magnificently life altering for him as well. He would have to pay Professor Zempke a visit and thank him.
Chapter 10 (March 1, 8:00am Mountain Standard Time)
Early Saturday morning Ron walked into the 2nd floor lab of NSurv and greeted Dan and Dr. Gillian. Dr. Gillian was in charge of NSurv’s Material Science Research Department. It was Dr. Gillian’s team that developed the exotic nanotechnology materials that were at the heart of NSurv’s science and products. At the molecular level of one billionth of a meter in diameter, his team developed bio nano structures that Dr. Gillian affectionately referred to as nanops. The nanops were chemically engineered with unique properties that enabled them to be measured, controlled and shaped into various materials for a wide range of applications. For example, the nano-fly’s onboard optical camera sensor was fabricated out of nanocrystal film that Dr. Gillian’s team had developed. The nanops were also capable of being integrated into many other types of materials including fabrics, food, fluids, medical products, and even dust particles. These nanop products could then be delivered into host targets and controlled to do a wide variety of tasks. The tasks that they could perform ranged from monitoring and tracking for surveillance applications, to locating and destroying cancer cells in human tissue.
However, it was a new surveillance application that Ron was most interested in seeing today. Dr. Gillian’s team had spent the last eighteen months perfecting a new dust material laced with nanops that once ingested could allow a person to be tracked and monitored from anywhere in the world. The nano-dust could be controlled to identify the person’s DNA, which could then be matched up with a national database to identify the person. With the person identified, he or she could be tracked at all times, with NSurv knowing where the person was, and what they ate, saw, or heard. The nano-dust material could even detect if the person was running a fever or had a cold. It was the ultimate in surveillance technology. At any time NSurv wanted to expunge the nano-dust from the host person, it could send a self-destruct sequence of commands to it that would cause the nano-dust to decompose and be evacuated from the target human’s body via its normal digestive process.
“So how are you doing this morning Dr. Gillian,” said Ron. “Is your nano-dust ready for deployment?”
Dr. Gillian was seated on a lab stool, bent over rubbing his dog’s ears. “Yes, we are all set for next week and Rufus here is going to demonstrate it for you,” as he looked down affectionately at his dog, a yellow Labrador Retriever.
“I just need to prepare Rufus’s special morning breakfast, and if I know Rufus, we should be ready in about two minutes after I feed it to him,” said Dr. Gillian.
Dr. Gillian went over to one of the lab refrigerators and pulled out Rufus’s favorite can of dog food. He scooped out several large tablespoons of dog food and broke it up in the dog bowl. He then pulled out of a glass cabinet a small vial of the nano-dust material and sprinkled it on the dog food as if he was salting a steak. Again, he mixed up the dog food with the nano-dust and placed the bowl on the floor in front of Rufus. As anticipated, Rufus attacked the food as if it was his last meal. Within just a couple of minutes Rufus was licking the sides of the bowl to ensure he got every last morsel of it.
As Rufus ate, Dr. Gillian guided Ron over to a computer screen. “As you can see Ron we have several windows displayed on the screen for managing, monitoring and controlling the nano-dust that Rufus here has so voraciously just consumed.”
Rufus walked over to Dr. Gillian and Ron, and sat right next to them looking very contented after just finishing his morning breakfast.
“If you look here at the top left of the computer screen you’ll see a signature code,” said Dr. Gillian. “This signature code identifies the DNA associated with Rufus. Now that we have identified Rufus by his DNA, I will configure some of the nano-dust he has ingested into two cameras, one for each of his eyes. Effectively I am controlling some of the nano-dust to work its way behind the optical nerves of Rufus’s eyes and have it function as cameras. Norm
ally the optic nerve transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. The nano-dust will “snoop” this optical transmission and transmit it back to this computer, where it will be displayed on the screen. The end result, we’ll be able to watch what Rufus is seeing.”
Dr. Gillian moved the computer mouse and clicked on a couple of soft graphical user interface buttons on the screen. Instantly an image appeared on one of the computer’s window panes showing the legs and backs of Dr. Gillian and Ron. It was the view from Rufus’s eyes as he stood behind them and looked up at their rear torsos.
“Fantastic,” whispered Ron. “It’s incredible how clear the image is.”
Dr. Gillian picked up a tennis ball on the lab bench and showed it to Rufus before tossing it down the lab floor. Immediately Rufus chased after it, and as he did Dr. Gillian and Ron stared at the computer screen as Rufus ran. Watching the computer screen image was akin to sitting on a running horse as Rufus ran after the ball.
“We can also configure the nano-dust to function as microphone pickups, if you will, to listen in on what Rufus is hearing,” said Dr. Gillian. “Moreover, we can adjust the video clarity and the audio volume by directing more nano-dust to the particular nano-dust sensor. In addition, we can have the nano-dust report chemical signatures in the host’s blood stream. As a result, we can know what the host has consumed, and even where they’ve been.”
“Can the nano-dust be detected in the bloodstream?” asked Ron.
“No,” responded Dr. Gillian. “There are currently no medical methods today capable of detecting the nano-dust material. And even if one is eventually developed, it doesn’t really matter.” We have complete control of having the nano-dust self-destruct in the host. Within twenty-four hours the nano-dust is completely flushed from the host’s body. ”
