Hello, World

Chapter 5

Jackson sat with perfect posture in a reclining swivel chair in a board room of Forward Capital. It was the same room where Jackson gave his initial presentation to the investors nearly three years prior. The room hadn't changed, but the man inside it had.

Just as before, the board members arrived within a minute of the meeting's start time. Again they wore carefully creased and pressed suits and skirts. This time Jackson counted four skirts instead of three; someone had replaced the youngest board member from California, Alex Walker.

That was not a good sign; Alex Walker was one of the more vocal advocates for giving TML the full one billion Jackson asked for. In fact, he was Jackson's first contact at Forward Capital. Was that why he was gone? Did the Brian Harris incident cost Alex Walker his job?

Jackson was too busy shaking hands and making brief rapport to ask about Alex. He was relieved when Jim Ellison stood, signaling the start of the meeting and letting Jackson relax his forced grin.

Jackson faced the inside glass wall of the firm and could make out his reflection between the heads of two board members. His new, shorter hairstyle made him look younger while his crisp beard added a couple of years. His stylish, thick-rimmed glasses created an air of confident intelligence. He needed them, for in that moment he didn't feel particularly confident nor intelligent.

"Mr. Jackson?" Ellison asked. His tone suggested this was not the first time he had called Jackson's name.

"Yes, Mr. Ellison?" Jackson said, pretending not to notice hiss irritation.

"I asked if you were aware why we called this meeting today?" Ellison looked over the top of his small reading glasses with a cold, steady gaze.

"I am hoping we can make a plan for how to move forward with TML after the unfortunate accident last week." Keep it as positive as possible, Jackson thought. Make it seem like I will be involved in making the decisions.

Ellison dropped his grey-eyed gaze back through the lenses of his readers to the thin stack of stapled papers in his hands. "An unfortunate accident indeed, Mr. Jackson. According to my report, the proximate cause of death was electrocution. Is this true?"

"Yes, sir."

"Were you aware that you were administering a lethal dose of electricity to your volunteer, Brian Harris?"

Am I being interrogated? "No, sir, no one knew the Imprint machine would kill Brian Harris. Given the precautions taken and the methodology by which the charge was administered, it should not have been lethal to a man of Harris' height and weight."

Ellison's eyes were still on the report. "Were you aware of the risk of death to the volunteer?"

"Yes, sir, as was Harris himself. All the proper waivers were signed."

"Right," Ellison said dismissively. "There's always a signed waiver floating around during any negligent death lawsuit."

Jackson felt the blood drain from his face. His hands were suddenly cold and he had to go the bathroom. "Do I need a lawyer?" Jackson asked. His voice came out squeaky, like a scared child.

Ellison flicked the report out onto the table nonchalantly and took off his readers, twirling them between his steepled arms on the wooden table. "That won't be necessary. As I'm sure you're aware, part of the one billion dollars you asked me for went towards a generous insurance package. They've already settled with the Harris family."

Jackson did not know about this. He always had his direct reports handle the business side so he could focus fully on the research. And spend more time with Sara, he admitted. He felt massively disadvantaged in the conversation with his lack of knowledge of the business. It was like he was firing a rifle at an Abrams tank.

Ellison took Jackson's silence and thousand-yard-stare as an insult, then continued. "I want you to understand how serious this is and how much worse it could have been," he said. "I also expect your understanding with our decision."

Are they going to cut all funding?

"TML cannot proceed as it has thus far," Ellison said. "No more human volunteers will be used until your technology is proven. I have spoken to consultants in your area and they informed me a suitable substitute for humans would be the chimpanzee. I already got the regulatory approval for you."

This was a disaster. The while point of TML was to map the mind of a sentient, self-aware, highly intelligent being. There was no suitable substitute for humans.

Ellison continued. "These modifications will reduce your capital requirements, so your funding cap will be reduced by fifty percent, to five- hundred-million dollars."

More bad news. They had already spent four-hundred-million of the initial billion, leaving them with one one-hundred million more. That was far from adequate.

Jackson said nothing. There was nothing to say. Ellison was still talking, but Jackson registered none of it. It was like they were both underwater; Jackson saw Ellison's mouth moving, but the only sound his brain registered was a series of indecipherable, muffled grunts.

The board started filing out until Jackson was alone with Ellison. Ellison stood behind Jackson and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't fret, Jackson. You still have a lot of money to work with. I trust you to still turn me a profit."

Ellison left and didn't shut the door behind him. Jackson again looked at his reflection in the glass. Everything was pointless. His new haircut. His fresh suit. His designer glasses. His trendy beard. All for nothing, for behind it all was only the big ego of a small man.