Mod Superhero (Book 6 STUBBING on Oct 27th)

Chapter 6.60 - Catching Up

Even though Emmett was completely artificial, he'd been human for most of his life. So he still had plenty of habits, mannerisms, and tics leftover from his biology.

Emmett paced the halls of the backup lab, even though he could think perfectly fine sitting still. He could've gone on a walk anywhere in the world by simulating the details—downtown Belport, his neighborhood block, along the canals of New Venice, or even the surface of the moon. With a little help from TINA, Emmett could craft a simulation indistinguishable from reality. They could recreate the bustle of Riva Diomede—the smell of the salt water and bakeries, the wind and sunshine on his skin, even his footfalls on the stone. They could recreate nearby music and the bustle of the crowds in real-time, if he wanted.

But no matter how good the simulations were, there was something about physical space that kept pulling Emmett back.

His clothes were similar. His sweats and hoodie were really just the outer layer of his nanites. The layer shifted, forming pockets that Emmett idly stuck his hands in. He was impossibly different from the college student he'd been, and yet, he hadn't changed a bit.

That was just one of the many realizations from Emmett merging with himself—that long moment of singularity. And despite his brain upgrade and monstrous processing power, those realizations seemed fleeting, like they were slipping out of his reach...

No. That wasn't quite right. Maybe those truths were just receding into Emmett's unconsciousness, along with all those other processes that happened automatically now.

Those were just some of the things Emmett pondered as he walked into the deeper floors of the backup lab.

~

Everyone else in the backup lab was keeping occupied:

Mom insisted on cooking meals every other night—especially since clean up was easier than ever. She admitted that TINA's reconstituted snacks were good and some of their stored Mighty Munch bar flavors were okay, but they were no substitute for a home cooked meal.

Mom's main project was the Sim Room—the spiritual successor of the Gray Room. She wanted to travel, and TINA helped her find a solution. They turned the floor into a giant treadmill, used nanites to construct walls as needed, and made custom suits and headsets. All of it worked together to simulate whole environments. Mom had been the first one to suggest going for a walk along the canals of New Venice, and the entire family and team had joined her.

Dad spent his time sampling retirement—reading book after book, catching up on TV shows, picking TINA's brain about the lab, and joining Mom for trips around the world in the Sim Room.

Unfortunately, Antony had to take a leave of absence from college, and no one was sure how long it would be for. Despite that, Antony continued training for college football. TINA helped formulate a new workout program for him—one without performance enhancing mutagens. He made good use of his new workout room, one in which nanites could construct any workout equipment Antony could imagine. He smiled as wide as the nephews on the jungle gym. Antony even roped Darryl and Maci into joining him for sim jogs.

Between Maci, Darryl, and TINA, the nephews had school covered. TINA had hacked the school and had the rest of the year's schoolwork ready for the nephews. Their disappointment was tempered with recess on their morphing jungle gym and evenings designing their own toys out of nanites.

Maci spent an increasing amount of time with Clara. She quickly grew to love meditation and yoga, and soaked up Clara's knowledge like a sponge. Maci even started running group sessions for the family.

Of all of them, Darryl was the one going stir-crazy. His day job was in logistics, and he spent an increasing amount of time trying to learn the logistics of the TINA's operation—which would've been manageable if they were still confined to Belport. But now, TINA was spread out across the internet, and her construction efforts had spread out to match. When the Resistance started back up, it wouldn't just be one city. Darryl would have to keep up without a brain enhancement and without a knack like Dr. Venture's.