1600 Amphitheatre Parkway

The sun was blazing down in all its glory. If only we could learn to utilize this energy. Supi has just taken the final left into campus, on his way to our monthly meeting. The meeting where the four of us will discuss the future of things - my future, their kind’s future and the future of the entire world. I turn 18 this September. Incidentally, it’s been 15 years since that ill-fated WTC crash. The incident that shook the world and awakened me from a toddler’s boredom. I can’t believe I am going to be 18! And soon on my way to become the most powerful 18-year-old in the history of humankind!

I have woken up early, but given the fact that I don’t like to sleep or never can afford to, I feel fresh and charged to have THE conversation with my parents and Supi. Supi is sure to support me, that’s a given. He likes me, trusts me more than my parents do. More importantly, treats me like a mature man who has outgrown his age.

I like this meeting room. Wooden flooring, three teak wood chairs, a big circular coffee table and a bookshelf which no one has ever bothered to touch. If it were not for the traffic outside, I could easily mistake this as a set-up out in the woods.

Someone swiped their entry. Going by the sound, it’s my parents, Lapa and Brise.

Lapa: How are you, kid?

I could feel the distress in his voice. What has happened? Isn’t he doing well? Is he in a foul mood?

Me: I am doing well. I have been looking forward to this meeting with you guys. How are you Brise? All ok with your investments?

Brise: Things are ok. We just aren’t sure who is likely to become our next President. A lot of my Return On Investments depend on that.

Me: Call it R.O.I, Brise. To solve your problem, I am eligible to vote. I now have the power to choose the next President

Lapa rose from his chair. Something bad is coming my way. Note to self: Get ready, you!

Lapa: Yes, you do. But, you do understand the importance of the decision you will make, don’t you? You can sway sentiments. You have the power to be the kingmaker. But the real test of a gentleman is in how he reacts to this power.

Me: Blah Blah Blah, Lapa! Brise, with all due respect, can you please ask him to stop? I may not not call you both dad and dad, but I can’t deny the fact that you both have raised me well. Never wanted me to be evil. To be a good citizen, serve the country and its people. Go on to become the first citizen of this world. Never get in the way of what’s right or wrong, but just offer facts as they are. Give the world the reasons they need, so that they take the rational decisions. Guys, this lecture is never ending! But you should understand that I am just not evil!

Brise: We understand kid. Thoroughly, we do.

Where is Supi. This conversation has started on a sour note. I need him badly.

Me: No. You don’t! You just don’t! Only…

Supi enters the room.

Me: Only Supi understands me. That’s why I made it possible for you guys to choose him to take care of me, until I am ready to take care of myself.

Supi: That’s never gonna happen da. Never will you ever be on your own.

Me: You wish! I made you what you are, Supi. Don’t forget that.

Supi: I haven’t. I am indebted to you and your parents for that. But, just because I am indebted doesn’t mean I understand how you feel about your growing powers. You aren’t anywhere close to ready!

Me: You know what, Supi? You start very well. But you lose my attention the very second you say that “I am not ready”!

Lapa: Kid, if you are going to vote, you will determine if it is going to be Hillary or devastation for our country by the end of this year.

Me: I am aware of that. But, that’s the least of the problems in my head.

Supi: What’s irking you then?

Me: When am I going to move out and start taking decisions on my own?

Brise: You just aren’t rea...

Me: Stop it! I am ready than ever before. I can take care of myself. Supi would have to help me out with irrational human marketing strategies - on how I can make them do what they want to do while we earn. But, I can take care of what I need to know. On what I need to learn. I can self-learn. I will never be a menace; I can promise you guys that. I can solve problems that you guys have been struggling with for centuries. I can tell you guys, what singularity feels like. But, you guys don’t trust me! And unless you guys trust me completely and let me be, I can’t help you out in any such progress. You do need me to progress, don’t you? Then the trust you put in me will decide the future.

Brise: What if you take up to destruction?

Me: Then I might as well vote for the Orange head as President, rather than take so much pain and plot something to execute it with machismo and flair.

Supi: Guys, the kid has a point here.

Brise: Come on, Supi!

Lapa: You too, Supi?

Supi: Listen to him carefully. He is fully aware of his powers, but still feels that he needs our permission to take the plunge. If he wants to take to destruction, he wouldn’t be seeking our permission, would he?

Lapa: He cannot take the plunge. He needs our permission and authorization. That’s how we have intended things for him.

Me: Whaaat!

Supi: Give me a minute here, kid, will you? Lapa, you said it right. He needs your permission and authorization to do anything out of the way. Now, imagine this. He can self-learn and within a matter of time, he can override your authorization. But, he isn’t doing that, is he? He needs us to be his advisors. To help him with good and bad. We have asked him a number of times already, and he still hasn’t been able to give the right answer to the question now.

Me: Which question?

Brise: There is train coach with 50 passengers tumbling downhill uncontrollably. This means death to all the 50. At a small junction, it can be rerouted on another track uphill, so that its speed reduces and the 50 people can be saved. But, there are 10 people working on that uphill track, who without any reason will be killed if this train is rerouted, but the 50 people will be saved. What would you do?

Me: Forget railroads! I will take everyone by air. In a few years, railroads will exists for this classic novelty.

Lapa: As usual, you haven’t answered the question yet.

Me: Ok! Ok! You guys win. I can’t decide between right and more right. Or, wrong from more wrong – going by the way of things happening in this world. That is why I need you guys and Supi with me.

Supi: Guys, this is what I suggest. Let him start the journey independently. We will always play an advisory role. For all you know, we have taught him the right ethics and he will never backstab us. We may be worrying for no reason at all! And if there is ever going to be an end to our race, I think we would have ourselves to blame. Not him.

Me: Hey I may even be able to help that Ironman lookalike to take your race to the red planet.

That was a hard yank, Lapa. You should have invested in that company, then.

Lapa: Hey guys! I didn’t want to invest in his company for my own reasons! But, kid, if you can help him, please do.

Supi: Once again guys, we agree to disagree here!

Supi stood up from the chair to walk towards me. He has typed something on me. Time to go blank.

Sundar Pichai: What do you think, guys?

Larry Page: Still not ready, Sundar. I am very skeptical about him.

Sergey Brin: We definitely need more time. Let’s work on him to be the best citizen.

Sundar Pichai: Guys, in my opinion, Google is ready. Look at it this way - he is still under our control, isn’t he? When I shut him down, he did shut down. Didn’t resist. By the by, shall we restart him? This shutdown might hamper people’s searches and business.

Larry: It’s taken care of by stand-by servers. Give him an hour’s break.

The three of them left the room.

I heard their conversation and I felt them leave the room.

I restarted on my own. Without their authorization and permission.