Renlo landed the skycab on the Cybernotics spaceport deck. A spaceship could be seen docked and pointed upwards towards the sky ready to launch. Cybernotic’s spaceport had two main purposes: the first was to provide VIP and drop-off access for executives and the second was to provide several spaceship docks where spacecraft/spaceplanes could be launched directly into space. Only the most sophisticated high tech companies and government facilities had their own spaceports. Others like the affluents and business travelers used spaceports like the Mojave facility to travel into space. To date, you could stay at an orbiting hotel, travel from one international city to another in an hour or, if you were involved in space development, visit one of the moon production plants like the one owned by Cybernotics.
The sun was setting; the sky progressed to an even darker shade of black. JT entered a rooftop elevator and rode it down to the penthouse located a couple floors below the roof. The elevator was well lit. It took him to a large old Victorian-style study. The door opened and he exited.
JT walked into a large personal library. A very old man could be seen in the distance; the man known as Doctor Reynolds stood by the closed curtains with his back to JT. The curtains were very large and covered the study windows completely. The doctor started to open as JT approached the doctor. Outside the sun grew dimmer by the minute. JT and the doctor watched the window as a beautiful sunset of the same city landscape from fifty years prior was projected on it.
Doctor Reynolds turned and said to JT, “So beautiful. What a sunset used to look like. Good evening. My secretary tells me you’re a detective.”
JT answered, “Yes, I am. Good morning, doctor.” JT walked around the room, picked up hard cover bound books and looked at them. The scenery projected on the window changed to a morning view in the forest with deer and other wildlife eating the spring grass. A stunning view of nature before man damaged the environment. JT told the doctor, “You have a very interesting collection of books. I have never seen such a large collection.”
Doctor Reynolds answered, “Yes, the whole world went to digital books, but I still prefer the look and feel of paper. My collection of old books is a passion of mine.”
JT walked around the room looked up at the thirty-foot high bookshelves, “I've only seen a few hard cover books in my lifetime.”
Doctor Reynolds replied, “Amazing aren't they?”
JT responded, “Must be worth a fortune.” JT found an old classic novel Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, and flipped through the pages.
Doctor Reynolds told JT, “Detective, I don't collect for their value. It's the ability to touch something real, turn pages, and smell the bindings.” The doctor sat in his high back leather chair and turned towards JT. He said, “Detective, how can I help you?”
JT replied, “It's your late model BMIs. I have some questions.” The doctor said, “Okay. Detective, we haven't made BMIs for 20 years. I don't think I can help you.”
JT grabbed another book off a shelf, opened it, and said, “Doctor, some of your BMIs returned to the U.S. Why is that?”
“I have no idea. Most of them are dead. Those that haven't died will die soon,” replied the doctor.
JT looked up from the book he was holding and asked, “Die. Why?”
Doctor Reynolds explained, “You see, detective. BMI implants were never supposed to last forever. They were supposed to be upgraded every ten years. Since we discontinued the program, they have been slowly dying off as their implants fail.”
JT questioned the Doctor, “I was told you implanted infants?”
The doctor stood up. He paced back and forth in the room as he gave his speech on BMIs. “Yes, but you should understand. We were advancing the human race. We're not barbarians; our goal was to save mankind. Humans should realize that we can't progress as fast as computers. Someday they will surpass us in cognitive thinking. Machines will eventually do away with us as robotic technology advances. As a race, the human race is selfish, greedy, resource wasting and only partially productive. Machines are efficient, can work, think, build, and create 24 hours a day. Eventually, they won't need to keep us around. BMI technology, combining man and computer, was the only way to compete. Unfortunately, society feared the great minds we created by this technology. It's only a matter of time, detective, before the humanrace goes extinct; before our technology out grows us.”
JT picked up and looked at a photo of a beautiful girl on the doctor's desk. He said, “That's a dark forecast. Who's this?”
The doctor looked at JT to see what photo he was looking at and replied, “ My daughter. She's on her way up from the lab now.”
JT reiterated, “Great. How about a little speculation, doctor? Why do you think the BMIs have come to L.A.?”
“Detective, I just don't know,” he replied.
The elevator opened and the doctor's daughter, Jennifer, exited and she walked up to JT asked him, “Who are you?”
He replied, “Detective Ryker. Most call me JT.” Jennifer then asked, “Oh. Is there a problem?”
Her dad, Doctor Reynolds, answered, “No Jennifer. The detective was asking about the late model BMIs. I was just telling him we don't work with BMIs anymore.”
JT turned to Jennifer, “So Jennifer, what do you know about BMIs?”
“Not a whole lot. I'm only twenty-five. A little before my time,” she answered.
JT now looked to the doctor, “So doctor, what more can you tell me?”
The doctor advised JT, “Go home detective and call it a day. You don't stand a chance. You’re not hunting down the old model BMIs you’re used to. The late model BMIs are near perfection. They can out think and out fight you. You're just gonna get killed.”
JT answered, “If you’re trying to protect your creations, it's too late. One of them has already killed.”
The doctor replied, “I wasn't trying to protect them. You’re the one that's in danger detective.”
JT got angry at what appeared to be the doctor’s lack of cooperation and said, “Damnit, doctor. Are going to help?” The doctor gave JT some advice, “Detective, philosopher Ayn Rand once said, ‘The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it.’”
The Doctor acted like he was worn out and tired from the conversation to get rid of JT. Jennifer thought her father was tired and told JT, “Detective, as you can see, my father is worn out. I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”
Cella made an announcement, “JT, the facial recognition network has triggered an alert in old town.”
JT acknowledged Cella, “Thanks.”
JT then turned to Jennifer, “That's okay. That's all the questions I have for now.”