The Origin Point: A Future Tech Cyber Novella

  *

  On a white, laminated dry-erase wall, a schematic separated various scenarios with dense red lines. Each predicted alternate versions of the initial rollout of COSA over the next ten years. Under one column, the rollout would connect every single surveillance camera in the country. The camera's feed would upload directly to the COSA database, 24 hours a day. The government was preparing to encourage every jurisdiction, business, school, and public place to voluntarily insert a wireless transmitter into each camera to send images to a local server farm connected to COSA. Or alternatively, legislation could be introduced to ensure surveillance cameras sold or used in the U.S. were pre-equipped with technology designed to automatically turn on the transmitter when the camera was connected. 'That approach would capture consumer surveillance cameras at people's homes,' Apex thought. 'I wonder what the public would think of that.' As she considered another column, she heard a faint knock on the door.

  Her apartment was located in a non-descript low-rise a few blocks from the columned 18th century buildings on the postcard-perfect campus of the University of Maryland in College Park. Living within a catchment area for 38,000 students, Apex accessed project supplies, computer hardware, coffee and pizza, with little notice. Diverse college towns were favored residential locations for independent technologists. The bustling attraction of a multi-hued populace wearing all manner of clothing from business suits to shorts and flip-flops; with hair styles capable of catching in tree branches or cropped to qualify for military service; and food ranging from extracted anti-allergy air to stuffed rolled animal-style animals, provided a background upon which any free human could throw a tapestry of pursuits and engage with many or remain alone. Less than nine miles from downtown D.C., the town provided Apex with her safe haven away from a location where everyone was considered suspicious.

  Opening the door she smiled in surprise. "You are here," Apex greeted her visitor as she moved aside to let him in.

  Carter Harden stepped into the apartment with the straight-backed intention reflecting his multi-billion dollar net worth. "Well, sounded like you were nervous," Carter responded with a smile. "And I don't like when my favorite people get scared."

  Apex stepped towards him, took his face in her hands and kissed him full on the lips. "Or your wife," she commented, returning his smile.

  He kissed her back. "Or my wife," he agreed. "What's going on?" Carter demanded as he moved further into the room and walked towards the couch as if he had just come home from his workday. Apex glanced at him with uncontrolled admiration.

  Carter had been born to a single mother who never left her father's wheat farm near Minot, North Dakota. The family's daily meals were derived mostly from their own production and any extra purchased with money earned from sporadic outside work. Attending all of his local schools, working at service industry jobs, and tinkering with computer code were the only activities permitted to Carter. But the constraint of low expectations was not accessible to his DNA. Six months after graduating from high school, he decided the thoughts in his brain trying to determine how to attend college, start his own business and operate with thinking people, were not useless dreams as everyone around him preferred to proclaim. Knowing if he did not leave his insular prairie town, he was in danger of succumbing to its beer drinking, beaten down shooting Sundays, he packed a backpack, walked through the winter snow to the Greyhound bus station, and boarded the first connection heading west towards California.

  Settling around Palo Alto near Stanford University, he found a bed to rent in a house full of computer science students, and took two jobs serving burgers and fries during the day and mopping floors at night. In his spare time, Carter challenged his roommates over their homework until one of the students dragged him to see a professor who tested him, marveled at his scores, and worked with admissions to allow him to enroll in classes on a work-study scholarship. From inside a classroom, surrounded for the first time in his life with like-minded equals who thrived on a life of intellectual achievement, Carter vowed to finish his education before embarking on a business career. But when he awoke in the middle of the night thinking of program code for a computer game that doubled as a type of synthesizer to aid with college-reading assignments, he rearranged his plans.

  Within two years of arriving in the west, he was a millionaire. Still vowing to finish college, over the next ten years he created four more companies, and a day after his most recent public offering, he graduated. The next day, he created his own venture capital firm and declared his intention to invest the money in determined individuals with insuppressible ideas.

  One day during his business building years, Carter had gone to visit the professor who had helped him enroll at Stanford, and discovered another student already in his office. The woman, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, looked to Carter's eyes as if she too had come off a farm, although as he was later to discover, disguise was one of her qualities. Her name, she claimed, was Apex. A day later, in bed, they talked about the companies they intended to build and their shared interest in cultivating technology developments for advancing the world and pushing humanity forward. "The dream of my life has always included finding people who are on my wavelength, ready to work and contribute as I am," Apex had told him. "I'm so glad you are real, so happy my vision is possible."

  Carter's contented grin matched her satisfied realization. "More than possible," he said. "Your vision is happening right now." After her graduation, they privately married, bought a house in San Francisco's desirable Pacific Heights neighborhood, and focused on their businesses. But as Internet companies began to rise in economic, social and cultural dominance, Apex became increasingly concerned about the co-opting of technology companies' consumer data by the government's national security agenda. With controversial legislation to support their demands, law enforcement had determined the data contained in private companies' servers was fair game in a criminal investigation, even though the companies had promised consumers to keep their data private. The battle was one-sided so far, with the tech companies forced to cooperate or be branded traitors bent on aiding terrorists. In the government's actions, Apex saw two equally disconcerting developments. A law enforcement process avoiding development of its skill and intellect by becoming complacent and reliant on technology; and an unchecked entitlement, by both business and the law, to consumer personal information by virtue of providing a service, consumers literally, or figuratively through advertising, had paid for. In response, Apex slowly turned her focus away from her technology and investment businesses, and towards searching for furtive solutions to the growing conflict. Her decision put her relationship with Carter on a ledge, one they both desperately fought to keep from falling off.

  "Marco Manuel knows a journalist has seen the files and a hacker has infiltrated Horizon, nice work," Carter said as he fell onto the couch and pulled Apex down with him.

  "He knows and so does Secretary Davenport," Apex responded.

  "Anyone else?"

  "Not as far as I can tell."

  "They're keeping the story to themselves. Interesting, but what next?"

  "My guess is you are next. Have they contacted you?"

  "No."

  "Even more interesting. They have not yet told you your program has been hacked? What could they be waiting for?"

  "Maybe they're trying to fix the problem internally."

  "I don't like that idea."

  "Neither do I. Means they are gaining confidence, independence. You should go home for a while. Keep a low profile."

  "I don't think I have to leave."

  "You don't have to be in D.C. to do what you're doing."

  "I do if I want to silence Dallas Winter."

  "Silence her? Really?"

  "Well, I at least want to keep an eye on her for a little while longer. I do not like the fact she might not have understood the warning I was trying to give her. Her writing has always been st
rategic national security stuff. I didn't think she'd want to get into a junior reporter's investigation of lost files. I might have to visit her in person to make her understand we do not need her help."

  Carter sat up, his hands on Apex's arms as he pulled her body to face him. "No way. Confronting her in person is too risky. You have a face you know, someone might recognize you."

  "I don't look anything like I did when we were first married."

  "You do to me."

  "Only because you see me every day. Hardly anyone else does. Don't worry," she responded, wiggling out of his hands and moving her body into the crux of his arm. "I know what I'm doing."

  "None of us know what we're doing. At no other point in history have a group of private citizens, in public positions, worked to develop a system to monitor the entire world. We do not even know the legal implications of the entire process."

  "The Attorney-General said 'go for it.'"

  "Yes because the Attorney-General thinks 'it' is nothing but a discussion exercise. She has no idea the depth of permanent activity already taking place. One of my companies does the vetting for the software. On my flight here, I finally had time to read through their reports. And I must say, I am impressed with how much work has been successfully completed. I'm telling you baby, this thing is going to happen."

  "Okay now you're freaking me out," Apex worriedly said as she sat up to face him. "How were a bunch of government bureaucrats able to move so fast?"

  "Because GCS picked the right bureaucrats out of the whole lot of them. Marco and Julia are kind of diabolical masterminds. Together they plotted out a cover for every government department's contribution to the 2100 policy papers, which as we know is really the 21st century cyber surveillance rollout plan. Every department head assumed they were participating in a thought piece or policy research, and provided enough information and money to drive the project forward. With businesses, they essentially did the same thing. They gave CEOs and CTOs a few 'if' scenarios and asked for a response. With those two, each answer was also a roadmap into the company's potential complicity in the larger scheme. And on an international scale, Julia made the research a sort of competition for junior Foreign Service officers. She made these new kids in embassies all over the world think they each had a unique assignment from the Secretary to discover particular aspects of the host country's cyber infrastructure. Again, she worded the questions in a targeted fashion. Some of her officers even managed to obtain classified documents developed by the Chinese for local officials. The details explained how cyber security should be implemented for resource mines, ports, airports and even highway toll booths. Their results are extraordinary stuff. Another team put the information together in concise briefing documents. Those two have created a record unprecedented in history. Effectively their findings are the foundational blueprint for the connection of the entire operating world through the U.S. government, business and overseas missions. And you know, once the federal government is set, state and local governments will fall in line. The federal government can pay them, in the name of national security, to connect all of their servers to the national system. I'm completely stunned by their competence, the whole process is more developed at this point than we even imagined."

  "You've seen all of these reports and documents?"

  "Yes of course. Everything is on one of my servers. But as far as I can tell, Winter only saw the aggregated summary report and probability scenarios. I'm sure she's not aware of the sources for all of the information and the recommendations."

  Apex stood up and moved towards the window, her face marked by tightened concentration. "Cart, we cannot let them build out this system. They've co-opted so many players and overwhelmed a bunch of complacent idiots who do not understand the implications of their plan. Putting the whole world under surveillance, can you imagine?"

  "The project is more than the viewing coverage. People will be connected through everything they do. Any purchase made, banking, just using a cell phone will create a record of your activities in your personal profile in the central database. This is total infiltration of our daily world. 'The Internet of Things' now includes every human being...as a thing."

  "Cosa."

  "Exactly, Spanish for thing."

  "But what will this 'thing' do to us as human beings? I mean will we become more trustworthy because all of our activities are recorded or more paranoid for exactly the same reason?"

  "I think neither. I'm guessing most people will become indifferent to the world around them. You see their acquiescence happening already. Everyone likes to claim humans are social animals, but have you been on a metro train lately? Dead silence. Everyone has their ear buds plugging their ears and they are all looking down. In public, people barely acknowledge each other, they do not interact, every person is within their own...pod. In the future, when this project is completely rolled out and each human can allow the system to control personal movements, why would anyone make an effort when you can just wait for the system to spit out ideas and follow the instructions the program provides to you?"

  Apex shuddered. "We can't let that happen. People have to be made to understand the system's true functionality."

  "I don't know. People are pretty far-gone already. I'm not sure there is an opportunity to pull them back."

  "There has to be."

  "How?"

  Apex considered a thought. "Maybe the media?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "Maybe I shouldn't be trying to scare Dallas Winter. Maybe I should be trying to build her cooperation."

  Carter jumped up. "What are you saying? Don't even think about bringing someone else into our confidence."

  "Relax and hear me out. Winter can help us navigate the media. Scaring GCS into believing they could get caught is another weapon against them."

  "No!" Carter shouted in ramp anger. "Our weapon is technology. We use technology to defeat them in their tracks."

  "Cart, from your own assessment, technology will not be enough. They can always buy technology. They can hire excellent programmers and build the tools they need to carry out their plan. If you decided not to help them, or they think your product is corrupted, they'll hand the software contracts to someone else. We have to scare them where it hurts."

  "These people are not going to be scared. I just told you. They have set this implementation up to cover the country and the world, and they know the system has to be organized in a fashion that can last long after they are gone. The entire foundational process has been laid. Soon Marco and Julia won't even be working on the details anymore. The whole project will develop on its own."

  "How could a system develop on its own? You need drivers for this kind of roll-out, someone has to manage the process."

  "Oh, they'll find someone to manage the administration, but the role will be secondary. The actual software, the ins and outs of the programming will be on auto pilot."

  "What is this a Hollywood movie where the machine is in control?"

  "No, the machine will behave exactly as coded. But the functions will include certain automated processes especially for transitions related to the expansion and adaptation to new technologies."

  "Okay Carter, now you are freaking me out even more. You are telling me, a couple of government bureaucrats have been able to move COSA to the point where the system can manage itself, including understanding the impact of emergent technologies and how to implement advanced applications?"

  "Not quite, COSA is not artificial intelligence. At this point in history, the system is actually human intelligence. I'm telling you, Julia and Marco are no one's idle government bureaucrats. They are two of the most extraordinary brains the federal government has ever had the fortune to employ. In fact, they are so good, they can do two major jobs at the same time. Julia can run State with her eyes closed, and work her team to move COSA along at lightening speed. What has happene
d here is they have established the foundation of the program to default into progressing with future technologies and operating with limited interference. The structure is like...like an NFL team, professional football."

  "What?"

  "The game adapts every time someone uses an innovative play or move on the field. You don't have to issue a directive, other players and coaches will copy successful outcomes. Sure the rules change, but only after the new moves and plays have been adopted. Julia and Marco have kind of built this idea into COSA. The system will react to repetitive behavior and success. The adaptations will come from measured outcomes. The response is not A.I., the system has been programmed to build upon its...actually our...own actions."

  "Sounds like A.I."

  "Not as I know you understand the term."

  "But the machine will be executing on actions humans have not requested."

  "Yes and no. The automation operates in a way we have requested, like receiving software updates on your phone."

  "You can reject software updates."

  "True, but I doubt you would."

  "This is still a level of non-human decision-making over a lot of humans."

  "I know."

  "Humans who are not going to get the chance to vote on this outcome."

  "Right."

  "Even more reason to get Winter on a story to kill the system before the functionality really starts moving."

  "Winter will be the one who will be killed."

  "Oh c'mon Cart, you don't really believe GCS people are dangerous criminals."

  "Unfortunately, I do. Suspend your beliefs about how people are supposed to behave. GCS has been developing and planning a global program to continue without them. At this point in the implementation, any action taken to stop the rollout will simply be an exercise for the system's defenses. Any person who blows their cover will be eliminated. We cannot fight their plans in the physical world. Our only chance is through the technology. We must have superior technology, which comes through our brainpower. I've thought a lot about this and we have to focus on building the capability defense not for today's petty battles, but for the broader war to come. As the system gets built out, you'll be able to pick the pieces apart. You won't be able to bring the entire operation down, but there's nothing wrong with constant destabilization."

  "You want me to let this thing...COSA...rollout without a fight?"

  "You will be fighting. But attacking the whole structure will be useless. You'll have to settle for parts. Believe me, targeted attacks are the best we can do."

  "I don't agree."

  "I have more information on this than you do."

  "I don't care."

  "Why?"

  "I think you've been spending too much time with your government buddies."

  "Hey, wait a minute I hav—"

  "You're feeding me the line they would want me to have. You want to see this system rolled out with your technology."

  "That's not fair. I—"

  "You're betraying our plans, Carter."

  "No I'm not."

  "You're betraying me."

  "No!"

  "You go ahead. See what you and your government friends can do but I'm not part of your surrender."

  "C'mon A—"

  "I think you should leave."

  "You and I have a different li—"

  "Leave right now."

  Carter hesitated, but the look on Apex's face signaled a bitter anger in front of dense suffering. He could feel her calculating how much his words had taken away from the many other pronouncements he had uttered to galvanize them both towards a common goal. Considering his precarious position, he conceded to her immediate wishes. "All right I'll go, but I'll be in D.C. We need to talk. This discussion is not over."

  Standing with her hands braced behind her on the windowsill, Apex did not reply. As Carter took a step towards her, she backed up against the wall. He stopped, turned and walked out of the room.

  As he departed, Apex let out a deep breath and burst into tears. "Carter," she softly cried. "You have to understand, we cannot give up this fight." A minute later, wiping the tears from her face, she walked over to her desk, and picked up her mobile to call Dallas Winter.