Maxwell Huxley's Demon Read Free

you mean, why do I find it boring . . . to answer your question, e very move is obvious . ”
    Dr. Conci lian sits up. “Obvious in what way?”
    “ Just make the best move every time.” Max tries to ignore the ticking clock . Tries to stop his mind from throwing more and more thoughts into the spaces between ticks.
    “But isn’t that what makes the game interesting , figuring out the best move?”
    “ Yes that’ s the game . T his is the problem right here , I have to explain th e concept of ‘Obvious.’ There is only one best move; there’ s nothing to figure o ut. When I look at a chess board and I see one move, the best one. I stopped playing because w hite always wins. You’ve seen the game stats. Connor and I tied at the top of the ladder; 1000 -plus wins each, always playing white.”
    “If you’ re not playing chess then what are you spending your time on?” Dr. Concilian opens the performance file and skips to the last page. “ Your score s are all slipping; you’re do wn into the 8 0 th percentile. It’s im portant to keep your scores up. You haven’t been playing any sports at all, ” Dr. Concilian pause s and looks over his glasses at Max, “ although that is understandable. ”
    “Understandable because I know what I am. I discovered early that mutations only solve for specific needs. You could be fast or strong but probably not both. The cost for both is too high. Others were created for speed, agility, empathy, strength. ” B eing reminded of playing sports always gets my hackles up. “What question are you asking? What am I spending my time on ? Why are my scores down? Or do I know why I suck at sports? ”
    Max continues without waiting for an answer . “I have a question for you? This table is 150 centimetres long , on it lies my pe rformance file , which is 23 centimetres wide —every time I come in here the right edge of the file is always 38.5 centimetres a way from the edge of the table. That makes the folder sit in the most pleasing position for the human eye. T he table itself is placed on a Rule-of-Thirds intersection point within this room, just like your desk is. T he cell phone that you leave tethered to your laptop every night, also placed on a Rule-of-Thirds. My questi on is: at what age where you diagnosed with OCD ? ”
    Max can see he hit a nerve. The scar above Dr . Concilian ’s ear turn s a deeper red , and he hesitates before speaking again . “My question is what are you sp e nding your time on?”
    “Software.”
    “ OK . . . I only ask because it’s imp ortant to keep your scores up, ” Dr. Concilian says. “What kind of software? ”
    “I’m making a virus.” This blunt answer gives Max some time to think about his scores. Why are my performance scores suddenly important?
    “Interest ing . . . I assume Dr. Svengaard approved this?”
    “No, but it is based on his work. I started coding a framework , my platform, after the first lecture I had with Dr. Svengaard . I was five . He spoke to us about hacking and software intrusion techniques. He got some of us hooked on coding, gaming, attacking, and d efending. I saw the patterns. I saw what I needed. I made it. Like most software s cientists, Dr. Svengaard says, ‘ A software tool is useless unless it’s scalable. To-date, no one has made hack ing scalable. T his is your job.’ So I did that, I just never shared it with him . ”
    “ I’m writing a virus that will imbed itself into the security systems of this, this . . . what should I call this place . . . a prison, a school, a lab? Anyway , the virus will imbed itself and the n disable the security systems. Then I’m going to walk out while you watch me . ” Max starts to feel his mind speeding up, thoughts accelerating, providing more focus. But he also feels the edge, the void. T he place where and when his mind slide s out of control.
    “I see . . . and may I ask when this escape is going to happen?”
    “This Saturday morning at 5 AM .”