Hello Botler fans! So happy to have a handful of you reading my story and hope you are enjoying it as a welcome distraction in these troubling and stressful times! Things get real in Part 4 as we are getting close to the finale! Disclaimer, this story was written before the virus hit, mentioning China and the WHO is STRICTLY coincidental! Stay safe, stay home and enjoy! -Steve
“It’s part human, Reuben.”
Reuben had suspected, but his heart sank.
“You’re absolutely sure Vlad?” Vlad was Reuben’s head of security and personal private detective of sorts. Vlad was the best, in line with Reuben’s hiring pattern, hire the best and pay well. “I’m sure Reuben. I found an informant on the inside at HEAD and HEART. He’s upper-management, privy to the inner-workings. Privy to the cover-up.”
“Vlad, I knew it. There is no other way a start-up like HEAD and HEART could have accomplished what they have. That bot in that silly Freud costume was more human than robot. No machine has the ability to situationally “keep it light” like that. Especially a bot whose sole purpose is to probe the psyche. They had to be outside the bounds of the Shanghai Machined Genetics Agreement.”
The Shanghai Machined Genetic Agreement dates back to the early 30s where Chinese scientists were caught by the W.H.O. attempting to implant stem cells into an organic mainframe, or human/computer motherboard hybrid, to create the ultimate artificial intelligence. Once reports surfaced that three scientists were murdered by their cybrogish monstrosities the entire world’s governments came down hard on China. The Chinese tech sector took massive hits as they were blackballed by global economies. North America benefited most from this and a technological renaissance began on the American-Canadian border. Once confirmed that the Chinese stem-cell robots were destroyed the Shanghai MGA was signed into unanimous agreement by all 196 world nations. It seemed that the fear of being wiped out by robots was one way to bring humanity together.
“Thanks for confirming my suspicions Vlad. I have a lot to think about before lunch with Arlo. One more thing…”
“Here.” Vlad slipped Dr. Gingrich a discreet 8×10 manila envelope. “It’s all you will need.”
“Yes, well, hopefully not. Anyway, thanks as always. I am sure that wasn’t easy.”
“You’re welcome Doc. Anything else?”
“No Vlad that’s all for now. Good work.”
“Thank you Doctor. Good luck at lunch, whatever you decide.”
*****
Reuben was already at the restaurant when Arlo arrived. Arlo was 15 minutes early but with Reuben one can never be too early. Reuben stood to shake hands with Arlo who was wearing his Sunday best. A very different look from the infomercial like get up he was sporting two days prior.
“Pleasure to see you Mr. Van Gorson.” It hit Reuben like a wave.
Mister Van Gorson. This young man isn’t even a doctor yet. If I don’t do this now the whole thing’s lost. He’s in way over his head.
“Hello Doctor Gingrich. Thanks for meeting with me. I am eager to talk to you about collaboration.”
“I wanted to tell you again how impressed I was with your technology Mr. Van Gorson.
“Arlo, please call me Arlo.”
“Alright Arlo. HEAD and HEART seems like it has a bright future full of potential. I did some digging though, it’s important to learn about possible partners, you’d agree?”
“Of course.”
“Do you mind if we get right to business or would you like to eat first? Reuben was stoic in his tone. It was like the last meal request for a death-row inmate. Arlo began to fidget like a student waiting outside the principal’s office.
“No, we can talk business. Maybe just a cup of tea.”
“Of course,” Reuben motioned for the waitress. She was informed to be the personal waitress for their table, to always be in vision of Reuben and to be ready to be called upon, but to not interrupt otherwise. “A spot of tea for the two of us. Earl Grey for me, and for you Arlo?”
“Green, please, with honey.”
“Right, away gentlemen.” The waitress replied as she filled their glasses with lemon infused water.
As they waited for the tea to arrive Reuben made small talk about the weather, the traffic, and pet-ownership to lighten the mood. He didn’t want to get into the deal until he knew there would be no more planned interruptions. After a few moments the tea arrived.
“Lovely, thank you. We aren’t ready to order yet, but we will be with you shortly.”
“Excellent, enjoy your tea.”
As Reuben stirred in his creamer, he began, “Arlo, I was curious as to why you haven’t any outstanding patents for your technology. Surely you aren’t planning to go to the market without them?”
“Well, the technology is very top secret Dr. Gingrich.”
“You can call me Reuben.”
“Ok, Reuben, like I was saying the technology is very top secret. I guess we are just waiting for it to be perfected and for the lawyers to craft a rock solid patent application.”
“I see.” Reuben said. “Well, what can you share about the technology behind the Human Emotional Automation Drivers and the Human Emotional Automated Response Timing other than they were cleverly named?”
“Did you read the pamphlet?” Arlo questioned. Reuben was not amused, but he decided to let the charade continue momentarily.
“It was a nice summary of HEAD and HEART Arlo. It included a lot of buzz words, and generalities about current AI tech, much of which I am one of the five foremost experts on in the world. So if you don’t mind me being trite here, can we cut through the malarkey? You know who I am, you know my credentials. After learning as much as I can about you, I don’t have the foggiest idea how you have accomplished what you have. Are you going to talk about specifics here or not?”
Arlo wasn’t expecting the change in tone. “Well Reuben, why would I do that, when you could just take what I say and begin working on putting me out of business?
“OK here.” Reuben took a contract out of his briefcase and slid it across the table to Arlo.
“That is a comprehensive contract stating that the entirety of the conversation we have here and any going forward are completely confidential. It is an iron-clad non-disclosure and non-compete clause. I have already signed it. If you just sign it you will have no fear of me stealing your technology and can openly discuss it. How can we talk about collaboration if I don’t know what I am working with Arlo, really?”
Arlo was in over his head. “Oh, ok. Um, I don’t have the head for these things I’d have to get it over to my lawyer. Can we reconvene after I look this over?”
Normally this would be a completely understandable request, but Reuben knew this would be his only meeting with Arlo if he let him leave the table.
“Arlo what was the point of meeting with me then? You know what, let’s shelve that for a moment. Arlo I’ve looked into you, I’ve looked into your people. I’ve looked into your company. The bot is the only impressive thing about you.”
“Hey, there’s no need to be rude, Reuben.”
“Arlo don’t mix rudeness and frankness. You are a bright guy, but you aren’t a genius by any standard, which is neither here nor there. Being a genius doesn’t guarantee success. However, your company has no real structure, no business plan I can see, your people are nothing but college buddies and interns. You have taken a tech that could revolutionize AI machinery globally and you buried it in a hokey “shrink-bot” that no one will take seriously but me, and only because I can see past the poor packaging to the diamond in the rough underneath.”
Arlo wiped his mouth and began to stand. “I think I’ll skip lunch Reuben, you’ll be sorry you,”
“Sit down Arlo, if you know what’s good for you.”
Arlo sat. Adrenaline flowed through him, and he began to sweat, but he still kept a modicum of composure.
“If I know what’s good for me? Are you Dr.Reuben Gingrich or some mafia kingpin? Cut the tough guy act Reuben.”
“Arlo you’ve broken the Shanghai treaty. In my best estimation you’ve decimated it several times over.” Arlo turned as white as the tablecloth.
“You don’t have proof of any such thing.”
“Arlo the case that can be painted circumstantially against you would be so detailed it could hang in the Louvre. But as a matter of fact, I do have the proof you are so sure doesn’t exist.”
Reuben slid Arlo another envelope.
“Open it.”
It was a folder of HEAD and HEART blueprints. The folder had HEAD and HEART embossing on it. The folder was stamped confidential. It was all there. It was obscenely embarrassing how damning it was. The only thing that was missing was a literal silver platter.
“What do you want from me, are you going to turn me in?”
“That depends.” Reuben slid Arlo another envelope.
“I don’t want to see you in jail Arlo. I personally thought the Shanghai agreement was a gross over reach of world politics and single handedly stunted years of scientific breakthrough. It sometimes takes naive young risk takers like yourself to shatter status quos even if a couple of eggs are broken in the process.”
“Eggs are broken? So you are turning me in?”
“No Arlo. I’m taking your tech. And you are going to gladly hand it over to me. For the work you’ve put in and your brazen yet brave disregard for the law, I will pay you a fair sum. You could even retire if you’d like. But make no mistake, you will have nothing to do with HEAD and HEART again. It will soon be as if it never existed. You will not mention your past life as an entrepreneur or your foray into the forbidden fruit to another person or “shrink-bot” ever again.”
“And if I refuse.”
Reuben sighed. “I know this is all happening fast Arlo, and it must come as a shock, but don’t play games here.”
Reuben slid the 8X10-manila envelope from Vlad across the table.
“You said you are an admirer of mine when we first met, correct?”
“I was just being nice.” Arlo scoffed as he pulled out the contents of the envelope. Even with his legs cut out from under him Arlo showed a rebellious streak.
“Whether that be true or not, you are aware of my partnership with Seeker, are you not?”
“Yes, anyone in our business is aware of that. It was literally the headline for an entire week. Why?”
“Arlo, think. Seeker is already a partner of mine. They know. How you’ve kept it a secret this long I’ll never know. But it’s out, and Seeker has put together this dossier on you for us.”
The folder contained all of HEAD and HEART’s web search history with specific circumstantial evidence highlighted for Arlo to see quickly.
“Keep going.”
As Arlo sifted through the pages it was as if his inner demons spilled from his soul onto the page. His digital fingerprint was all there. He felt violated. Even his encrypted “locked” private cloud images. His mistress, the truth about his adoption, his blood work, his proclivities.
He looked up from the folder and at Reuben as if he saw a ghost.
“How?”
“Arlo this is the last folder I will be sliding across this table. And I expect you to slide this one back to me. The rest you can keep.”
The final folder was the agreement to sell in full HEAD and HEART to Botler, with a check for Arlo Van Gorson.
Arlo signed everything. He didn’t even read a word. He folded the check and put it in his pocket. He shuffled the folders and held them to his chest as he walked catatonically out of the restaurant. Reuben motioned for the waitress, “Hello again, I’ll have the Syn-surf and turf and a glass of champagne. Actually hold on.”
Reuben motioned again. Out from the shadows came Vlad.
“Sit Vlad,” Reuben commanded his head of security, “he’ll have the same, no champagne though, although this is cause for celebration.” Reuben knew Vlad didn’t drink. Regardless, Vlad wasn’t sure this was cause for celebration.
“Just seltzer, please.” Vlad said. The waitress confirmed the order and took the still warm green tea away. She didn’t ask about the gentleman who had left. And in the spirit of advancement Reuben decided that day to secretly break the Shanghai treaty himself.
Botler didn’t use the full extent of the bio-genetic engineered hardware Arlo had Frankensteined together. The red flags would have gone off at the WHO. Gingrich was convinced he saved Van Gorson from doing hard time with his coup, as well as saved the next frontier in AI from bureaucrats. Arlo was too green and would have left breadcrumbs everywhere. If Vlad could pick up his trail in 48 hours the WHO wouldn’t have been far behind. Reuben considered himself more a savior than extortionist. Gingrich and his team meticulously reverse engineered the tech to add just enough to give Botler a leg above any competition. Over the years as stiffer competition arose they had contingency plans to add more and more of the bioware. The hope at the company was over time the Shanghai MGA would become obsolete and they could be upfront about their technology instead of having to deny it. If it weren’t for their partnerships in the Tri-Force they more than likely would have been outed already. Luckily their AI lobbying firm was quickly becoming one of the most powerful on the world stage. As long as their safety numbers stayed impeccable and their fail-safes held strong Reuben believed he’d be able to develop any tech he’d wish, eventually. It was just a matter of time.
*****