Counting Up To Infinity Read online

Counting up to Infinity

  By Allen I. Fleishman, PhD

  Copyright 2009 Allen I Fleishman

  Cover design © 2012

  DigitalDonna.com

  Author’s Note: For those of you who are mystified by the ‘chapter numbers’, they actually represent the age of David Klein, the first computer enhanced human. Although I would like to continue using the tee/sweatshirt logo that David changed into each day, for the chapter title, it wasn’t possible in every chapter of this book.

 

  Table of Contents

  Year 20.0 Prologue – Atlanta Georgia

  Year 20.1 Organic Biotechnology, Inc.

  Year 21.6 A Quiet Day

  Year 22.0 YOU KILLED MY FATHER

  Year 22.3 I’m Dee’s Big Brother

  Year 22.9 Meeting with the FDA

  Year 23.9 No, Tank you

  Year 24.0 Visit from the FBI

  Year 24.4 Today’s Final Frontier

  Year 24.6 With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

  Year 29.4 The Voices in my Head Tell me What to Do

  Year 29.42 Replant! The Beginning is Near

  Year 29.43 The Day after Tomorrow is the First Day of the Rest of My Life

  Year 4412.2 Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Works by the Author

 

  Year 20.0 Prologue – Atlanta Georgia

  “On-a-one-two-three Hup”. Sidney and Janet Ryan swung their five-year-old son into the air as they walked down the street. The small boy landed and laughed. All three were wearing identical ‘Atlanta Georgia’ tee shirts and Atlanta Braves caps. The only thing missing from their uniform was the ubiquitous, but mundane, camera. They were among a select group of seven people who didn’t need to carry bulky cameras, the Ins. Everywhere they went miniaturized hidden cameras captured all images for posterity.

  Sidney noticed that people who had walked past them saw the little boy laughing with glee, running, and flying. They smiled until they looked closer and noticed the unusual pug-nose, barrel chest, and the slight Mongoloid features and the other more subtle features, which indicated the boy’s genetic defects. Most quickly turned away. Sidney could almost hear them thinking ‘Mongoloid idiot’. He thought, ‘those are the Outs. What do they know? Fortunately nothing. Nothing at all. Josh was the extreme opposite of being retarded.’ Sidney inwardly laughed at the family’s secret.

  The boy transmitted to his father’s and mother’s brain-embedded computers:

  Joshua: Do it again. Do it again. Do it again.

  “On-a-one-two-three Hup”. The couple had been doing this for the better part of three blocks. A small beagle puppy, with a bright blue bandana around its neck followed, so did a beefy male bodyguard and a heavy woman. She was trained in Krav Magas and first aid. His gun was hidden by a sweater encircling his waist. Three more bodyguards were in a car two blocks away.

  Sidney: Where do we go out for dinner tonight?

  Janet: Japanese?

  Sidney: Computer: Create a plot of number of repeat customers of all nearby Japanese restaurants by average cost of dinner. Source: The credit cards receipts of people from Atlanta for the last year.

  Sidney knew that the cheapest places were the most frequented, but he wanted a quality restaurant that the locals frequented. Having unlimited access to the fortunes of C H Enterprises meant he didn’t need to worry about money, ever. He chose six restaurants on the top right hand corner of the plot where there was many repeated visits, but wasn’t too cheap.

  Janet: I got ten nearby restaurants nearby that the local newspapers rated highly.

  Sidney: Compare lists.

  The computer merged both lists, showing the two restaurants common to both. He selected the nearest place. It was only six blocks away. They started walking toward it.

  Another person walked past, while looking away. Sidney thought, ‘What a difference a year makes. A year ago, the pharmaceutical research company I was working at was near folding, due to Janet and myself. My son had a terminal genetic disease, our stop-gap fix, left him in a four year autistic coma, and the police were coming to pick Joshua up and put him in foster care, or whatever they do.’ The three Ryans were taking their first family vacation together, a brief trip to Atlanta before they moved into their new home south of Atlanta. Janet had designed it with the help of her computer assistant Lloyd Wright. Joshua had been reborn from his computer-induced coma 14 months ago. Sidney looked down at the beautiful little boy. Joshua had long eyelashes and naturally curly brown hair. His eyes had an exotic look. His upturned nose and artificial oriental features made him look cuter. The cascades of long hair fell over his tee shirt collar, well onto his back. It hid the computer’s wires that entered the base of his neck. The computer was originally meant to augment the dying neural axons from Josh’s LPH deficiency syndrome, but now was the core of his son’s vastly augmented mind.

  “On-a-one-two-three Hup”.

  Joshua: Do it again. Do it again.

  ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get used to him finally talking. He’s so happy. We’re so happy’, Sidney thought.

  Corky: Danger, an ex-soldier is coming this way. Danger. Danger.

  The puppy came before the trio and bared its small fangs in a growl, as the homeless man stopped before them. The man had his palm up. “Hey, buddy how about a few bucks for a meal?” The bodyguards closed the distance.

  Sidney and Janet kept on walking, forcing their eyes away from the bum, not seeing him. Sidney said, “Sorry.”

  Joshua: Why didn’t you help that man? He wanted money for food.

  Sidney: We don’t have money for him.

  Joshua: Yes you do Daddy. You have $162.48.

  Sidney: What I meant to say is that man is a bum and wants to spend the money on bad drugs or alcohol.

  Joshua: No Daddy, Mr. Jones is a war hero. His social worker says that he won’t take any medicines. He needs to do that. She said he needs to eat better foods. He just asked for some money for food. Why shouldn’t we help him?

  Corky: Danger, Jimmy Jones is an expert soldier, he has a bronze star. We need to avoid him. Danger.

  Janet: Jimmy Jones? Computer: information on Mr. Jones’ bronze star.

  Computer: Jimmy Jones was in Project Iraqi Freedom. His vehicle hit an explosive device. Mr. Jones, with a broken leg, carried three of his fellow soldiers out of the vehicle, as it was burning and under fire. Unfortunately, they all were either dead or died shortly after. He suffers from post-traumatic shock disorder. He received the bronze star on …

  Janet: Stop. Ah Sidney?

  The trio turned as Jimmy was walking down the street.

  Sidney: Computer what is the best way to help Mr. Jones?

  Sidney listened to a detailed number of steps that would help James Jones, which the man would accept.

  Corky: Danger, he is a possible threat.

  Sidney: Corky, has he ever harmed anyone since returning to the states?

  Corky: His parents threw him out of their home and he has been involved with a number of verbal disputes according to the police.

  Sidney: He was never physically violent though. Please bring him here, but act as a bodyguard in case he does act violent. George and Mary Louise are approaching also.

  The dog ran down the street, barked twice, and stopped the veteran. Jones turned around and saw the couple and boy waving him closer. The man came forward in a shuffling run. The human bodyguards approached slowly. The male had his palm resting on the pistol’s hilt.

  “I’m sorry; let me give you money for a meal.” Sidney gave the man a twenty-dollar
bill, and then scribbled a number on a piece of paper. “Call this number for a rent-free place to crash – it’s the number of C H Enterprises Charitable Resources. I’m on their board.” In truth, the board included his family and the Klein families. The C H actually stood for ComHead, their ‘adopted son’, David Klein, the first completely computer enhanced human, the first cyborg. The Outs thought that C H was for Charlie Haines, the inventor of the gravity reflector generator and cars, who was actually David. His charity was known world-wide.

  “Bless you, and thank you.”

  “Remember the number. It can get you your own apartment and clothes, if you want.”

  They watched the man leave down the block.

  Janet: Joshie, you know you’re not allowed to snoop on peoples backgrounds. Daddy and I told you that you shouldn’t do that. Do I tell David to remove that information from your memory?

  Currently they had allowed their son access to only 0.2% of the collected knowledge of mankind within his computer memory. This included every picture and ID ever stored on any computer. The child looked thunder struck.

  Joshua: No Mommy.

  Janet: Then why did you do it without permission?

  Joshua: But Daddy said he was a bum. I thought he checked his history out. So I did too. But Daddy was wrong, he wasn’t a bum. He was a hero. The general said so.

  Sidney thought about the dilemma. ‘Perhaps it was worse to have called him a ‘bum’ in front of my son, than to have snooped and found out his real status. The copies of ‘Knowledge of the Human Race’ we secretly carry is more of a hindrance than a help at times.’

  Sidney: OK, we did a favor to Mr. Jones. Let’s reward ourselves with a good Japanese dinner. Are you up for Japanese food Josh? Chicken and tasty rice?

  Joshua: Yes Daddy.

  “On-a-one-two-three Hup”. The boy flew up in the air again dangling from his parent’s arms. He was laughing. The incident with Mr. Jones was permanently stored in digital memory, but temporarily displaced with the idea of flying three feet.

  Year 20.1 Organic Biotechnology, Inc.

  A few months after the weddings, the newly married Martin and Corey Klein, and the Ryans moved to a small suburb south of Atlanta. Martin had purchased a two hundred lot subdivision which surrounded the new home of Organic Biotechnology Incorporated and C H Electricity. Bill Norris, the former president of Lepto-Molecules Pharmaceuticals had been organizing the building and administration of the new research facility. He met the Ryans at their new homes.

  “It’s good to have you around again. Janet, you’re looking great. I’m so glad that construction has completed. I didn’t recognize you at first. You look fifteen years younger. The last few months were what you needed. But who is this? … A nephew?” Bill was smiling at his own joke as he looked at Joshua then he looked at Janet then Sidney, who were both smiling.

  Joshua put his hand out, “Hi.”

  “Joshua?”

  Joshua smiled and shook Bill’s hand with exaggerated up and down motions.

  “You were half this size a year ago. You must have doubled your weight. You can walk and talk and everything.” Bill paused. “Janet, Sidney congratulations. Let me look at you, son.” Bill looked at Joshua, and then turned him around lifting his hair. “I see he’s still connected to the computer.”

  News of the computer implantation, the four year autistic coma, and its subsequent public vilification of the illegal operation, had all but destroyed Bill’s previous company.

  The boy began to say “I’m actually …”

  Janet: Please don’t tell him anything about us, Josh. Don’t let him know how smart you’ve become. This will be just our secret, like we promised David. In fact, why don’t you try to talk as little as you can.

  Sidney: Don’t tell him how much you’ve grown. He’d get suspicious.

  The boy continued, “good.” David Klein, the first computer enhanced person, had written a program, Superego, to warn of possible infringement of their privacy. The program obviously just kicked in. Joshua just smiled at Bill.

  Sidney moved closer to Bill. “I hope you don’t mind hiring Dr. Klein. I think he will be a very useful member of the team, plus you don’t need to have it come out of your budget.” Sidney smiled.

  Bill looked at the two slightly nervously. “Well I initially wasn’t too sure. It just seemed a bit odd that our entire board of directors would be willing to take my orders.”

  Sidney again changed the direction of the conversation, “Have you looked at the chemical analyses and the Phase One trial we planned?”

  “It looks great, no, I take that back, it looks fantastic. You guys thought of everything. From the toxicology, teratology, chemistry, animal pre-clinical to regulatory. You even have the Clinical Report Form pages and databases set up.”

  “Well we all were working on it as a team and got everything lined up. All four of us. Martin is coming along, especially considering that six months ago he didn’t know that GCP was ‘Good Clinical Practice’. So tell me, how many people did we lose?”

  “About three-quarters of our staff refused to move from the Boston area. I can’t blame them. Many had families, wives and children, who were entrenched in that area. Even the offer of a rent-free home wasn’t enough. The group that is staying with us likes the changes. The three-month all expense paid holiday didn’t hurt either.”

  Bill continued, “Chemistry already has a small batch of LPHase almost past the new QC department. That’s what we’re temporarily calling the anti-LPH infusions. We’ll be able to start our Phase I trial in about two months. We have twelve children signed up for the ascending dose ranging trial. We’ll need to get the study protocol past by the FDA, but that should be easy. The new regulatory department is top notch. It’s amazing what talent you can buy with money.

  “By the way, how is Corey Klein?”

  Sidney smiled, “Oh, she’s still a newlywed. I think she’s still floating in air.” Janet squeezed Sidney’s hand hard.

  Sidney: Stop that floating in air stuff, or I’m going to hide your flight suit tonight.

  Janet chimed in, “Corey’s very happy. Happier than I ever seen her. I think she knows that this guy is a keeper. Martin, if he has one fault, is that he listens and tries to help her grow. Not that she needs any help, mind you. She needed a man like that, especially after her ex.”

  Joshua came bouncing up, “Mommy, can Corky and I go to the playground?”

  Janet looked at Sidney for a second. There was some wordless communication between them. Without a further word, Joshua took off, through the door with a young beagle chasing after him. One of the bodyguards was also notified.

  Bill looked at the Ryan’s, “I know that this is a gated community and the only people in this complex are working for us, but do you think it safe? I mean, Joshua could get lost and he doesn’t know people around here. There’s also a pool not far from our playground. I mean effectively the boy’s only a year old.”

  Sidney smiled. “I think the dog will protect him and he has an excellent sense of direction. The pup was a special gift from Martin.” Sidney gave a knowing smile. Sidney remembered the first time he and Bill had met Martin Klein. ‘Martin had Bill talking, actually talking, to a computer enhanced German Shepherd. It took a while for Bill and them to realize that it wasn’t a hoax. The dog was as smart or smarter than most people. It even knew calculus. When we had dinner with that adult chimpanzee wearing a lab coat, I almost forgot that the chimpanzee wasn’t a human. Almost. The ape was a very accomplished veterinarian. Yes, Bill would put one and one together.’

  “Oh, I see, of course. Well in any case, Becky’s been cooking and she has a welcome home meal for all of us. These houses each come with a large formal dining room. Tonight we’ll need it.”

  ***

  Martin Klein was slightly lost in his new life. It was the first time
he was away from Larchmont in the past 11 years, except when he took David to college and his wedding. He was now only speaking to his son David about fifteen times a day, a major decrease from a couple of years ago. But then again David was also married and starting his new life with Phyllis. Martin was frequently dragged out of his house by Corey, who loved eating out. He initially had reservations about it, but soon realized that he enjoyed the variety of different cuisines. Corey was much more social than his original wife, Elizabeth, or himself. After years of living like a hermit, Martin Klein was adjusting. He and Corey were commuting to Atlanta every other week. C H Electricity still had his primary offices in Larchmont, but they were also in the process of moving to Atlanta as well.

  ***

  David: We got a call from a five-star general this time.

  Martin: Geezit, when are they going to leave us alone? How many times do we have to tell them - no. NO TANKS.

  David: They’re saying that it’s in the national security for tanks to have the same abilities as cars.

  Martin: No. If they want tanks to protect the United States then if they really, really need them, we could ramp up and convert the fleet in three weeks. But they’d only fly in the US. We haven’t been invaded since 1812. Any cars that fly, can only fly in their one country. ONLY. Cars are only shipped out with the express permission of the government. Even then, the cars must follow all rules within that country, and be reprogrammed there. We don’t make cars that fly illegally. They can’t even travel a quarter-mile from the Canadian border without their car’s update from the Canadian government.

  David: Don’t bite my head off Dad. I told the general that. He wants the rules to be broken, but only for America. I had C H personally teleconference with him and say no. Unequivocally not.

  Martin: You know they’re still going to bug us.

  David: Yeah. My main problem is to make sure C H uses different words every time they call. I’m tired, really tired, of repeating myself.

  ***

  Sidney: OK Josh, what do you say if a person asks you a question?

  Joshua: If you’re around, with 50% random probability, I open my eyes wide, dilate my pupils and hide behind you, mommy, Martin, or Corey. 20% random probability, I ignore them and continue with what I was doing, 20% chance to cry and 10% chance to play pick-a-boo. If you’re not around, 50% chance on just crying, 30% chance I put my thumb into my mouth and say ‘I don’t knooow’ in a sing-song voice, and 20% chance I run away.