Chapter 3

Daniel Lawton shoveled the eggs and bacon down his mouth as he used the TV remote to turn up the volume to better hear the news.

“Tensions continue to rise between the public and the police as another young black man has tragically been shot by a Troy police officer,” the reporter stated. “The officer under investigation of this newest shooting is Officer Ramone Sanchez of the 12^th Precinct in the affluent Detroit suburb.

“Officer Sanchez was already under scrutiny for the mysterious disappearance of reported gang member, LaJuan Homer, who disappeared two weeks ago. Officer Sanchez was suspended with pay while police headquarters investigated the incident. The investigation, according to police representatives was determined inconclusive. Officer Sanchez was reinstated five days ago and now another young man has been shot under his watch.”

Daniel stared at the scene of the angry mob trying to plow through the line of officers that protected the police station. He shook his head. “Crooked cops,” he murmured. He dipped his spoon, finishing off the last of a bowl of buttery grits.

With a quick glance at his phone he noted that he had about fifteen minutes to get to work. Mentally, he went over the things he had planned for today as he placed the used dishes in the sink. As he went over to turn off the TV he heard the words, “war bots”. He paused, his breathing slightly elevated as he listened to a clip from Barry Stallworth, the CEO of Horizon Bionix.

“Look, war bots are the perfect solution for defense. The cost of war tallies in the hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention the human loss. Should we continue to send our men and women to face uncertain death? No. War bots are exactly what’s needed to defend our way of life and our freedoms.”

Daniel turned off the TV and made a sound under this breath. Familiar with Horizon Bionix’s technology, he was doubtful about how effective they would be. After all, the science and the mathematics were extremely complex. It wasn’t a simple matter of constructing a robot, giving it programming to shoot. The robot had to be able to filter through all sorts of factors.

“I wonder what Dino would think,” he said out loud as he exited his home and started the brisk walk to campus. It had snowed the night before. Piles of fresh snow decorated the walkways as he made his way. He breathed in the crisp winter air, content in a small way.

Could Dino ever appreciate the beautiful effects of a snowy day?

Soon, the campus loomed before him. Its gray walls, tinted windows, and garish lettering reminded him of a macabre statue. Small groups of students and faculty milled about the building, laughing and talking to each other while hurrying to gain the warm confines of the university. A couple of faculty members sent nods his way. He returned them, but preferred to keep his own company unless someone came along whom he didn’t mind talking with.

Daniel recognized his own brilliance, but not in a way that he could see as arrogance. He’d made dozens of breakthroughs in his long career. Breakthroughs in robotics used by various countries around the world; synthetic skin used to treat burn victims for medical aid; bringing artificial intelligence closer to match the fluidity of human intelligence. His fellow faculty, with their own distinguished careers couldn’t match his. But maybe that was the point: they didn’t have to.