Chapter 1: The Mechanic.
Inside a workshop, a young man could be seen tinkering with a car's engine.
"It's incredible how such small parts can sometimes cause such big problems," he laughed, as he removed a small piece from inside the engine. "There you go. Try it now," he told the woman inside the car.
Nodding, she turned the key, and the car's engine shuddered a few times before finally starting up. "You were right, it really was a simple problem," the woman laughed, stepping out of the car.
"The mechanic at the workshop I stopped at before said I would need to leave the car there for a day," she complained. "How much do I owe you?"
"Just a hundred dollars. It only took 5 minutes," the young man replied.
Taking the money from her wallet, she handed it over. "Here. Thank you so much for your help." She winked before getting into the car. "You're always welcome," the young man laughed, waving.
After dispatching the last client of the day, Ryan picked up his crutch and began closing the workshop. Pressing the control button, the iron gate of the garage closed.
After making a quick check that everything was in place, he turned off the lights and entered his house, located at the back of the workshop. In the bathroom, he took off his clothes with some effort.
The weather in San Francisco was hot and dry, making people constantly feel as though they were melting. Washing his face in the sink, he removed the dirt that had accumulated during the day's work.
After scrubbing his face, revealing a cleaner appearance. He had black hair and blue eyes, his body was relatively athletic showing a routine of exercise, with just one flaw, which was his right leg.
His full name was Ryan Drake, 26 years old. He was once a young prodigy who almost got into one of the country's best mechanical engineering colleges, until an accident took his parents' lives.
He and his sister were also in the car, at the moment of the accident he used his body to protect his sister. His parents died on the spot, while he was left with serious sequelae in his right leg, but he managed to protect his sister.
After that, his financial situation got very bad. The debts piled up and he lost the chance to go to college, so he took over his father's workshop. He and his father always shared the same taste for machinery and cars.
With the workshop, he was able to pay off his debts and also have enough money to send his sister, Elena, to college in the city of Los Angeles.
Despite missing his sister, it was a small sacrifice to see her happy, pursuing the college degree she always dreamed of.
He showered slowly before turning off the shower and entering his bedroom. Looking at the wall clock, he saw it was 7:00. Turning on the television, a journalist appeared presenting the day's news.
The journalist, with a serious expression, continued with his presentation: "And in other news, we continue to follow strange records around the world. Entire forests have shown accelerated growth in recent weeks, even invading some cities. This phenomenon has left scientists and environmentalists on alert, trying to understand the causes behind this uncontrolled growth."
He paused, switching cameras, and continued: "Furthermore, we have the emergence of animals of abnormal sizes in different parts of the globe. From insects the size of small birds to mammals of never-before-seen dimensions have been spotted, causing both admiration and concern among the population."
The screen then split, showing impressive images of plants covering buildings and abnormally large animals recorded in forests. "Scientists are studying these phenomena to determine if there is any connection between them and global climate changes, or if they are the result of some other unknown factor."
The screen then showed footage taken from afar, showing the passage of several army trucks. "The White House also explained that the recent military movements across the country are nothing more than a relocation of military resources."
Changing the subject, the journalist announced a special piece: "And lastly, news that has left astronomers and space enthusiasts buzzing. A meteor of significant proportions will pass close to Earth tomorrow. It is expected to be a spectacle in the sky, visible to the naked eye in various parts of the world. Experts claim this is a rare event and a unique opportunity for observation."
The screen then showed computer-generated images of what the meteor's passage would look like, with information about the best times and places to observe it. "The scientific community is excited about the possibility of studying the meteor up close, hoping to collect data that can contribute to our understanding of the universe."
As he was watching, the noise of his cell phone ringing cut through the silence of the room. Ryan quickly looked at the screen, and seeing his sister's name, a spontaneous smile lit up his face. Promptly, he answered the call, balancing the cell phone between his shoulder and ear while turning off the TV.
Elena's animated voice sounded in his ear, filled with enthusiasm and joy: "Hey, how are you?" Without hesitating, Ryan replied with a laugh, describing his day in an ironic manner: "Oh, you know, another exciting day among dirt and oil."
Elena, five years younger than Ryan, shares an unbreakable bond with him. Since the loss of their parents, they have become each other's world. Elena's passion for studying the past, ancient civilizations, and myths, has always been evident, shining through her incessant curiosity and thirst for knowledge.
When it came time to choose a career, there was no doubt she would pursue archaeology. Ryan, working in his workshop, accumulated enough money to pay for her college, ensuring that Elena had the opportunity to study at one of the best colleges in Los Angeles. Of course, the girl's brilliant intellect was the main factor for her success.
"I was reading about some ancient myths today in the library. It's fascinating how stars and cosmic phenomena were interpreted by ancient civilizations," Elena shared, her voice brimming with excitement. "By the way, did you see about the meteor that will pass close to Earth tomorrow night?"
The conversation continued with Ryan telling more about his day and Elena sharing details of her discoveries and studies. Despite the physical distance between them, these phone moments kept them connected, strengthening the bonds that distance could not break.
"Tomorrow, my friends and I are going to watch the meteor's passage on the college lawn. You should watch too." Elena said. "Ahh~ you could record a video for me, I will watch." Ryan laughed.
"I know~" Elena laughed.
"Speaking of which, the military was on campus today. Apparently, they came to meet some professors from the science department, but shortly after they left, some professors
went with them." Elena told.
"Really? That's strange." Ryan replied. Really, the army bothering to visit the college was not normal. But it was not worth it for him to be making guesses without knowing the reasons.
The two talked for a few more minutes before Elena hung up. Ryan put the cell phone in his pocket, before standing up using his crutch and moving to his garage.
Opening the door, he said. "Good night, Aiden."
After hearing Ryan's greeting, the garage lights turned on and a male voice replied. "Hello, Ryan. Came to work?" the voice, although it seemed human, still had a very mechanical response.
"Exactly. I can't let you gather dust here, can I?" Ryan laughed.
"I believe my circuits are clean, sir." Aiden replied, not understanding Ryan's humor.
Shaking his head with an ironic smile, Ryan entered the garage. Inside the garage, various electronics could be seen scattered around. Computers, screens, parts, tools, etc.
The mechanical voice was Aiden, the artificial intelligence that Ryan created. Aiden was one of the most incredible projects he is working on, capable of analyzing data and helping him in many jobs.
However, as demonstrated, its processing capabilities are still far from adequate. It still has a long way to go before becoming a tool capable of developing augmented intelligence and performing highly complex tasks.
In the center of the workshop, a type of exoskeleton could be seen on top of a platform. The exoskeleton was suspended by some metal cables and connected to wires that led to the processor in which Aiden was installed.
Sitting in a chair in front of the exoskeleton, he pulled a computer close and began analyzing a series of codes. "Aiden, how are we doing in the coding process of the command interface?"
"After performing a series of checks, the codes seem to be working. However, the exoskeleton does not seem to obey the commands correctly, for some unknown reason." Aiden replied.
"Alright, let's try again." Ryan replied. Starting the exoskeleton.
After a few clicks on the keyboard, the exoskeleton that was in rest mode was activated, standing up.
"Exoskeleton activated. All functions appear to be normal." Aiden stated.
"Okay. Let's start with a simple command. Lift the right leg." Ryan ordered.
After giving the command, the exoskeleton slowly lifted the right leg. "Great. Now lift the left leg." Ryan nodded.
Lowering the right leg, the exoskeleton lifted the left leg. This time, with a slight stiffness in the movement. "It seems to be a certain delay in the response of the left limb, remind me to calibrate." Ryan said.
"Now, let's try something more complex. I want you to simulate a small run."
After a few moments, the exoskeleton then began to move slowly until it started a small running motion. "Good boy!" Ryan laughed, satisfied.
The exoskeleton project was not just a project with great potential to make him rich. It also represented the chance for Ryan to be able to have a normal life, like the one he had before the accident.
To be able to run, jump, and have fun. Without needing a crutch to move around.
As Ryan was enjoying the moment of satisfaction, the computer screen suddenly showed a series of red code lines. Soon after, the exoskeleton presented a poor coordination of movements, and the limbs began to fail. "Damn it! No, no, no! You were doing so well." Ryan cursed, as he quickly examined the codes. At the same time, the exoskeleton began to thrash.
With no choice, Ryan told Aiden to turn off the exoskeleton. "Aiden, turn it off now!" Ryan commanded, urgency clear in his voice.
"Turning off the exoskeleton," Aiden responded, and the tumult of movements ceased immediately, leaving the workshop in tense silence.
After turning off the exoskeleton, Ryan sighed, the weight of frustration bending his shoulders. "Back to square one," he murmured, more to himself than to Aiden.
Ryan ran his hand through his hair, a gesture of stress and frustration. The exoskeleton seemed to be working so well, but the test still failed. Turning off the computer, he stood up and began to leave the workshop. "Good night, Aiden. Tomorrow, we will continue with the tests."
"Good night, sir." Aiden replied, turning off the garage lights. The only source of light left in the workshop was Aiden's processor, leaving only the sound of the CPU fan echoing in the space.