Blake Schwendiman's Blog and Blook

Chapter 29

Thursday, 10 March 2022 – 8:30 p.m. MST

Ramesh returned with Valerie and Quinn to the top floor. Laura had a prior engagement and had said good night. Ramesh felt a bit of his emptiness return when she left. In the few hours they had spent together, he had fully committed to helping her.

As the three entered the main conference room and sat down, Quinn seemed to be a bit pre-occupied and a little distant. Valerie was focused and determined. She looked to Quinn for indication of whether she should take the lead in the conversation.

“You go ahead, Val. I need to make a call. I’ll be right back.” Quinn disappeared into his office and closed the door.

Valerie turned to Ramesh. “It’s important that you get a good night’s sleep tonight, Ramesh. The full impact of the surgery tends to hit on the second day. You may feel the control implant again when you wake up. That’s normal. In the first few days, it’s reminding you to practice.” Valerie spoke in a rehearsed fashion. She had apparently delivered this message many times before. “How do you feel about the control device?”

“Good. I feel like I have good control now,” Ramesh answered. He hadn’t actually practiced since before dinner. He had forgotten about it entirely while talking to Laura.

“I’m going to access the training program and get the results.”

Ramesh felt nothing. He saw nothing. He heard nothing. But in a split second Valerie continued, “You are doing pretty well. I’d say about average. I’m going to enable the advanced training mode now.”

“Advanced?” Ramesh questioned. He had been feeling pretty good about his progress until just then.

“Yes, the interface actually works in three dimensions. You have been training in the two D mode. It’s a good starting point. You are proficient in controlling the device in the X and Y planes.” She paused and looked at Ramesh. She smiled a bit sheepishly. “I’m sorry Ramesh. I’m talking like you’re one of our military patients. I’ve gotten used to that. Basically, you’ve mastered controlling the input in the visual left-to-right and up-down directions. To fully control the implants, you need to learn to move on the Z axis, forward and backward. Does that make sense?”

Ramesh nodded. “Yes. I haven’t ever used a three-dimensional interface though. I am not sure that I have the foundation...”

“No one does. The interface here is unlike anything else. It’s hard for most people to map this to the physical world because we have too much history and too much familiarity with two-dimensional interfaces. With the neural implants we have a great deal more flexibility and there are essentially no physical limitations. You don’t have to scoot something around a desk, or tap a stylus on a display. Don’t feel bad – you’re learning something that very few people in the world have learned.”

“So, once you activate the advanced training, will I then have full access to all the controls?” Ramesh was genuinely curious.

“Basically, yes. Once you can control the input in three dimensions you can learn to use all of the other controls. You’ll be able to perform text input and select modes and do basically everything. There is much more that you can train yourself to do, but that’s something you can explore on your own later. I don’t want to overwhelm you with all the possibilities tonight.”

“Such...” Ramesh stopped. He could see that the display had changed. “I assume this is the advanced training?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Ramesh closed his eyes to filter out the background of his view. The new training mode looked similar to the old one, but the flat circular target was replaced by a spherical one. The pointer also appeared to have a three-dimensional depth. He could easily see that the pointer was in front of the target. His first attempts to move the pointer into the background failed. He had become so familiar with controlling the left-right and up-down motion that he couldn’t even conceive another way to stimulate the control.

“It’s like learning to wiggle your ears,” Valerie interrupted. “At first you can’t find the right muscles. You twitch your nose or raise your eyebrows. But once you find the right muscles you can repeat it anytime.”

Ramesh smiled. “Yes. I am starting to get control of it.” He smiled. “This really is fantastic technology. So many good uses.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.” Valerie chuckled. Controlling the implants is just the first step. But when you see the information, the access, the future... It’s overwhelming sometimes.”

While Ramesh practiced, Quinn returned to the room, looking a bit troubled. He sat quietly and watched. Ramesh kept his eyes closed. His facial muscles relaxed and tightened and his shoulders bobbed slightly up and down.

“Advanced training?” Quinn asked.

The sound of Quinn’s voice stopped Ramesh. He opened his eyes. “This is amazing technology. It is hard to believe you have come so far already.”

“We have a slight advantage,” Quinn returned.

“Even so, this is truly amazing.” Ramesh closed his eyes again. He tried to practice without moving his face or arms. He seemed to be gaining better control. In his field of vision he saw the pointer moving more and more deliberately in the directions he wanted.

“Val, I’ll be happy to finish up with Ram tonight. You’re welcome to go home if you like.” Quinn spoke in a tone that said a little more than his words. He was pleasant, but it was clear that he wanted to speak privately with Ramesh.

“I’ll see you in the morning. Ramesh, I suppose I won’t see you until you’re back from Durban.” Valerie stood and extended a hand toward Ramesh. He took her hand and thanked her. She passed quietly from the conference room into her office. Within moments the lights in her office were dimmed and she could be heard crossing the reception room to the elevators.

Anxiety swelled inside Ramesh as he realized that he was on the verge of leaving on a trip that he could not have imagined just two days ago. He sat back in his chair. Quinn was quiet for a moment, pondering, distant.

“Ram,” he started, “you have no idea how much this means to me that you’re going. And I realize that you’re not doing it for me.”

“But...”

“It’s okay Ram. I have a sense of who you are – much more of a person than I am...” Quinn trailed off. He glanced at his watch, then out the window. “It’s important to me that you know how much this means to me. And also why it is so critical. I think you may be the only person that can get to Brad. Get to him and warn him. But also find out what is so important to Sireesha that she would send Daniel to Durban.”

“Daniel is there?” Ramesh felt his heart sink.

“Yes. And I think he’s there for Brad.”

“How do you know he’s there?”

“We have access to a lot of information. Our systems cover a huge percentage of the world’s networks. When I need to find someone, track them, it’s usually straightforward. We get bits of information from financial transactions, travel manifests ... that kind of stuff.”

“Big brother.” Ramesh was nearly as loud a voice for information privacy as he was for corporate ethics.

Quinn raised his eyebrows and half-smiled. “Yes. But we’re just a part of the big brother family. There are many other brothers.”

“I’m not sure that makes it right,” Ramesh cut.

“I’m not arguing that, but it has been useful. And it is arguably the least of our sins, if you’re looking for something to damn us for.” Quinn spoke more frankly than Ramesh had expected.

“I apologize. That’s really none of my business.”

“Don’t apologize. The reasons I brought you here are many. The fact that you’ll be blatantly honest with me is one of them. And now I’m being honest with you. Going to Durban could be a dangerous proposition. Sireesha knows you’re going. Daniel will know soon, if he doesn’t already.”

“How?”

“I’m not sure. I believe someone inside the company is ... I don’t know. But Sireesha sent me a short message. I received it just as we left dinner. It simply said, ‘How is Ramesh?’”

Ramesh paled a bit. His heart sank further. “Do you think they’ll try...”

“I’m not sure what they will do,” Quinn interrupted.

“But why would she let you know that they know?”

“It’s a game with Sireesha. In business and in life she and I have been playing a complex game of chess since she left. She and I are very similar. We both have a need to control negotiations. We both thrive to have more information, more strength. She was letting me know that she is aware of my next move – to see how I react.” Quinn shook his head. “There is more to her positioning than my company and my family. I’m afraid that she’s planning much larger moves involving many more players. I’m afraid that she’s playing Risk while I’m fumbling around with a few pawns on a chessboard.”

“Risk?”

“It’s a world domination game. A strategy game.”

“World domination? Do you think she’s really capable?”

“Well, I mean financially not militarily. She’s very capable of putting me out of business. When she and I parted, I agreed to allow her access to the futurestream until 2020.” Quinn stopped.

“So she no longer has access?”

“Not to the futurestream that we developed together, no.” Quinn knew Ramesh was smart enough to follow the implications. He waited.

“But she knew about those three kids. So, unless she was relying on old information she either still has access, or...”

“She has her own.” Quinn finished the thought. “I’m sure she does. It would make sense. Rely on the infrastructure I built until she had deployed her own. And it’s likely better.”

“How so?”

“Faster and more comprehensive for sure. With faster hardware and better software development techniques, they could build a much better system. And,” Quinn chuckled, “I took some shortcuts in the original system. Without boring you with the details, my system has the ability to see the future up to 2038. January 19^th, 2038. It’s because of a programming decision I made back in the late nineties. Never thought I’d care to see past then.”

“It’s a strange date to limit on.” Ramesh struggled to see the significance of that date.

“It’s the inherent maximum date of a unix-style timestamp. After that, dates roll back to 1970. It’s similar in some ways to the year 2000 problem that was supposed to have caused the end of the world. It’s just the result of a storage limitation in old computer systems...” Quinn stopped again. He could ramble about computer systems and software development for hours, but he had more urgent matters to discuss with Ramesh.

“The point is,” Quinn continued, “Sireesha is a threat. She knows you’re going to Durban and she knows why you’re going. The frustrating thing for me is that I don’t know why they’re trying to locate Brad, or why he stopped working for them in the first place. I hope what he knows gives us the leverage we need to negotiate with Sireesha when the time comes.”

“You have no idea why Brad stopped working with them?” Ramesh asked.

“No. We’ve not spoken since he left.” Quinn rubbed the bridge of his nose. He appeared exhausted. “I regret losing touch with him. Shouldn’t have let it happen.”

“I haven’t heard from him much since he left India,” Ramesh said quietly. “I heard from him a few times before he married. Then he sent me a wedding announcement ... and later,” Ramesh hesitated. “He sent me a short note.”

Ramesh reflected on the cryptic note and the gift that had been his last communication with Brad. He had never responded to that message. Now he wished he had. Perhaps he would be more certain of Brad’s safety if he had stayed in touch. Ramesh had become so absorbed in his own self-pity that he had pushed even his best friends away.

“I’m sure he would love to have more contact with you,” Quinn interjected, “but he has chosen to stay off the grid. He would have no network connection, possibly no telephone. That’s why I haven’t been able to find him myself,” Quinn said in resigned frustration. “And I have tried. I just let too much time pass.”

“And his future?” Ramesh asked.

“No idea. The futurestream only works on information sent over the net. He has removed himself from all electronic communications and he is not working in areas that would create notable press. He’s anonymous.”

Silence enveloped the conference room. The rhythmic hum of the air conditioners was the only notable sound. Ramesh considered for the first time that his life may be in direct danger. He pushed the worry aside and focused on Brad and Laura.

“I should get you to your room. You need rest. Tomorrow’s a big day.”

Quinn stood and offered a hand to Ramesh. They walked to the elevators.

“How are you feeling, by the way?”

“Fine, actually. I’m a bit hungry, but I’ll wait until morning.” Ramesh noticed the visuals in his field of vision. He was amazed at how subtle they were. They had not interfered with his ability to concentrate during the conversation, but when he actively looked for them, they were easily identified.

“In the morning, I’ll come with the car and go with you to the airport. I’ll activate the implants completely and show you how to access the built-in tutorials. You can then use that to learn the system.” Quinn led the way into the elevators, but did not enter with Ramesh. “There is a driver waiting for you at the main doors. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“You’re not leaving?” Ramesh was surprised. Quinn looked so exhausted.

“Not yet. I need to do a little more work here.”

“I think you’re the one who needs some rest.”

“You know what they say. No rest for the wicked.” Quinn tried to smile at himself, but wasn’t quite able. “Good night, Ram.”

“Good night.”