Crossover: The First Book in The Silex Trilogy

By Elliott Trevor

When Cybio Incorporated announced that its project Crossover had developed the Silex chip, it took the scientific press by storm. The chip's unique coating allowed it to be implanted into the body without rejection. Driven by the Anthropos operating system, it was capable of growing neural connections to the nervous system and the brain. Advanced neural network programming gave the chip the ability to optimise these connections and potentially make changes to the body.

The choice of Carsten Pietersen, the geeky lead project programmer, as the first recipient was not universally welcomed by the project team some of whom expressed concern about his maverick attitudes. That concern proved correct when a chance comment about curing his diabetes threw the entire project into turmoil and created a worldwide clamour for more information.

Project leader Dr Mary McClusky discovered that Carsten had secretly installed a modified version of the full operating system minus many of the restriction designed to control the growth rate of neural connections. Cybio’s CEO Mark Morgan decided that to salvage the multi-million dollar project they would develop a second-generation chip designed purely to treat diabetes. The only question was what to do with the increasingly uncontrollable Pietersen. He was walking around with the experiment inside him, but was he in charge of the chip, or was the chip in charge of him.

On the other side of the world GPC, a new commercial power in the synthetic insulin industry, learnt of the Silex diabetes development with trepidation. Financially stretched, it could not tolerate the threat of more competition or a potential cure. Jan Pieses, GPC’s chief executive called a shady underworld contact and arranged for the threat to be eliminated and the chip destroyed.

The attempt to kidnap Carsten Pietersen and destroy the chip almost worked and resulted in him being shot. Amazingly, by the time he reached Cybio HQ, the wound had started to heal itself –the chip was ensuring its host survived. The Crossover team were shocked by this new development and so were the CIA who had been keeping an eye on the project and now decided Mr Pietersen would be better detained in one of its establishments. At first Mark Morgan resisted interference from the Agency but an impatient regional controller decided to snatch Pietersen with disastrous results which left the computer scientist walking the streets feeling threatened and very angry.

Something had to be done to control the geek and prevent him from either leaving the project or being snatched by criminals, Governments or other vested interests. Drugging him, injuring him, physically restraining him seemed almost impossible as his raging metabolism could fight any threat.

Finally, a solution was found.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elliott Trevor
• Release date: Apr 17, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311801760

Elliott Trevor

Trevor Elliott publishes novels under the pen name Elliott Trevor.Before retiring in 2011, Trevor had worked as a marketing and publicity consultant specialising in the high-tech sector, explaining the ‘difficult to explain’ bridging the gap between business and technologies such as laser and plasma profiling, photochemical machining and computer output microfilm. In the later years of his career, he focused on how companies could embrace sustainable manufacturing and responsible material sourcing.When he retired, he and his wife Moyra fulfilled a long-term ambition to travel around the Far East. Most of Crossover, his first full-length novel, was written in Thailand.The Silex TrilogyAl three novels in the Silex Trilogy are now published on all major E book sites including Smashwords..

Book preview

Granville Unsworth straightened his bow tie, checked his flies and drained the last of a very large gin and tonic, collected his papers and pushed his way through the stage curtain onto the stage. He was going to savour today as quite simply the greatest public relations coup that anyone had ever conceived.

He scanned the room searching through the assembled mass of journalist who were all intent on consuming as much as possible of the ostentatiously expensive champagne and canapés provided for them whilst out-lying one another with tales of their latest conquests, expose or degrading rumour about some public figure. Where’s that fat bastard from Scientific American he wondered. I’ve got to have him he is vital. His eye searched the sea of faces with just a hint of desperation. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong, nothing was going to spoil his moment; nothing was going to prevent him from getting even with all those who, over the years, openly sneered at his move from journalist to PR man. Today he would get even. Today they would all be dancing to his tune, making their compromises, eating their humble pie just to get a little closer to him and what he was about to offer. On the third scan across the room, he at last saw the corpulent, sweating figure of Philip Van Drufus protruding from behind a large pillar. Drufus, a caricature of a man, brought bow ties into disrepute, thought Granville. Even from some distance, he could see the journalist’s eyes bore into the dress of a young marketing assistant from the second floor that Granville had purposely arranged to be at the event to act as an irresistible attractant to the necessary evils like Drufus. As he watched the guests, he contemplated the irony, of the very people who regularly criticised Granville for turning his back on the so called independence of journalism, would now be willing to do just about anything to get an exclusive angle on what he was about to announce. Oh sweet revenge!

He continued searching the room for other key journalist until he saw Anna Fielding. He could barely suppress a smirk. Anna and Granville had enjoyed an intimate relationship for about three years. Although she was at least ten years his junior and to all outward appearances a dedicated and ferocious feminist, what had started as a regrettable loss of control after a particularly alcoholic press event, had to both their amazement developed into a comfortable if somewhat occasional affair. Its success owed much to the amount each was prepared to give for the pleasure of the other. His mind snapped back to the matter in hand when his eyes met those of Peter Brown, the nervous, balding, squat Research and Development Director, who was standing on the edge of the crowd, like a teenager at his first disco.

With a deep sight, Granville said to himself, so we had better get started before the drink runs out and this lot start getting ugly. Savouring one last second of being the man holding the secret, he turned on the microphone and in his most pompous voice said, Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention. His words hardly dented the background murmur and for a second all he could see were the backs of heads ignoring him and his old feelings that the press viewed him with contempt threatened to return. No, he thought, this is my day and tapping the microphone to create a loud and attention grabbing burst of sound, he reclaimed his composure, relit his best PR smile and more insistently repeated, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN may I have your attention please, and as the hubbub died he was acutely aware that all heads turned and all eyes focused on him. In that brief moment he regained control and all the late nights and corporate backbiting that had punctuated the last five years, were suddenly worth it. He was now the centre of everyone’s attention. Milking the dramatic pause to almost absurdity he strained against his instincts to rush into his presentation, rush into providing the news that would make him top of every journalist's list and instead, embarked on the standard PR man’s welcome to one and all. Even as he spoke he could detect scepticism and disinterest starting to blossom in his historical adversaries but they would soon have to listen and listen good.

As he reached the end of his polite preamble, his eyes again alighted on an increasingly animated Peter Brown, who by sheer telepathic anxiety was trying to tell him to stall. Damn and blast the little fucker thought Granville, without missing a syllable of his rapidly concluding introduction. How dare he ruin my big day? With no outward change in his demeanour Granville instinctively switched into autopilot mode picking out distinguished guests, introducing senior Directors many of who were themselves starting to look a little too nervous for comfort. So experienced was he at talking about the new corporate headquarters, located just outside Sunnyvale in California’s Silicon Valley, that he only needed to commit about fifty percent of his conscious thought to the task, with the remainder left to stir a boiling bouillabaisse of resentment and anger at the back room boffins that were threatening to derail his finest hour. Fuck again he thought and for a second was not sure whether he had verbalised his annoyance but despite the inner turmoil, he gradually relaxed in the full knowledge that the assembled representatives of the world’s leading daily, technical and scientific press were here to listen to him.

The bastards don’t know he reflected, none of those so-called leading experts had put together the true meaning behind the steady and carefully controlled trickle of announcements that confirmed the quiet acquisition of a significant stake in the world’s leading microchip manufacturer, 'Intellect', or it’s behind the scenes involvement in several bioelectronics workshops. This was particularly gratifying for Unsworth because, while all the pert breasted, tight arsed little PR girls had been happily blowing the trumpet of Cybio Incorporated, his function as Chief Publicity Director, had been to develop a smoke screen around the Company’s major technological breakthrough. When revealed to this news hungry pack, the story would create headlines across the world and send a tremor through both the scientific and medical communities. Granville had planned this event as his final triumphant coup. He had already agreed early retirement and with a generous stock option about to go galactic and some additional discreet share purchases on the open market, he had six months of total bliss, six months where he called the tunes. He would decide who was in and who was out of his circle. Six months during which he could settle old scores, screw some women, previously considered out of his league and six months when all those fat bastards on the Board would listen to his every word and thank him both personally and monetarily. Then at the pinnacle of his career, flush with success and financially sorted for the first time in his life, he would join the elite enjoying a few select TV slots. Most of all, he would enjoy his freedom and take his beloved Porsche 911 lightweight and drive across Europe, as he had once done in a beaten up old minivan but instead of standing at the gates of the Porsche factory in Stuttgart, he would enjoy the VIP tour in the full knowledge that all obstacles would evaporate in front of his new found status. He would take his lady to Rome like all lovers should do, then to Venice arriving back in London in time for a Royal Garden party which he was confident would be in the offering from any one of a dozen corporates keen to get a little inside information.

All this, he considered just reward for a lifetime of peddling half-truths and misinformation for newspaper tycoons or Boardroom Directors who all enjoyed the key to the executive bathroom, membership of exclusive clubs, the best seats at the theatre. Those who only acknowledged the existence of Granville Unsworth when the Company needed a public fall guy, to handle some sticky situation generally caused by their own incompetence or greed would now be glad to be his friend. As he reached the end of his extended introduction he was acutely aware that the hacks were getting jittery and worried that despite the money lavished on the first class air tickets and expensive refreshments, they were starting to speculate that this was going to be another load of PR crap from that old tosser Unsworth. Fortunately, just as his earlier nervousness began to nag at his public confidence, he noticed Peter Brown return to the room looking more relaxed and giving an unsubtle thumbs up. Again, the moment was his.

CHAPTER 2

It all started two short years ago when a chance discovery revealed that a batch of Silex chips, accidentally exposed to UV light before their Elastotherm coating had cured, reacted differently when implanted into tissue. Further investigation showed that the Elastotherm had a modified T cell receptor on its surface. The scientists explained that the cell receptors, TCRs, which form a pair of protein chains comprise two halves, which in turn are divided into two fragments, one of which anchors in the cell membrane whilst the other faces outward. It was the outward facing fragment that had an unusually strong affinity with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system and provided a route via which the chip interfaced with human tissue and grew connections via the body’s axons - protoplasmic fibres. Axons, which are the part of the neurons, that transmit electrical signals to the synapses. A single axon may make as many as several thousand synaptic connections with other cells. Just like a computer network, human neurons connect in highly precise ways to form an organic neural network. Within these networks there are ‘hub’ neurons or ‘pacemakers’ and somehow the chip hijacked this circuitry and established its own information flow.

After extensive testing on animals, it became obvious that the next stage required a human host to evaluate the neurological implications and assess their impact on cognitive function. When a young computer scientist, Carsten Pietersen, volunteered to be the host, opinion was divided amongst the team, with some members arguing in favour of using a scientist and team member from both a research point of view and security. The fact that Carsten was an orphan, not in a relationship and as lead neural logic programmer key, to the project, proved strong points in favour.

Those expressing concern appeared reluctant to voice the real reasons; Carsten Pietersen was a loner, who did not follow rules and was in no way conventional. However, no one doubted his brilliance as a software engineer or his commitment to the project, for he provided the catalyst to transforming an interesting laboratory discovery into a development with huge commercial potential. Eventually, with no better suggestions, the argument in favour of keeping the next step within the team won out and Carsten became the first human to host the chip.

The next decision involved where to locate the chip. Again some wanted it close to the spinal cord to shorten the length of the neural connections between chip and axons but others successfully argued for a more cautious approach in which the chip and its small battery were implanted inside Carsten's thigh. Although this extended the distance any neural connection path had to span, they argued that caution and slow progress were desirable, until they gained a clearer understanding of the outcomes. The site also offered good protection to the subcutaneously located implant and provided a position away from any major organs. In typical off beat style Carsten did point out in a meeting of fifty people that it was close to his genitals. The clinch came from the surgical team who insisted on a site with plenty of tissue mass so that if they had to remove the chip, they had sufficient material to excise the implant. Locating the chip on the inside of the thigh meant that charging the battery and affecting data transmissions were also straightforward using a simple strap-on inductance pad that Carsten could wear without it interfering with his daily life.

The implant took place on May 1st 2012 and lasted less than half an hour. A regime of tests undertaken at the start and end of each day, measured a host of parameters. Initially, they verified data transfer and communications with the chip. However, tissue connection developed at a faster rate than expected, so the team advanced the implementation of the biological monitoring programme starting it just two weeks after the implant.

Almost at once the scientists were surprised and baffled as to how the implant utilised neural logic trial and error learning cycles to improve feedback, selecting ideal connections to specific areas of the brain and then to maximise the efficiency and spread of these connections. Only Carsten new just how fast and how far this had progressed. Officially, programme control came from the Anthropos Alpha programme running on the project’s dedicated server, which connected to the chip and it’s installed Anthropos ‘HE’ (human-enabled) operating system via an external inductance loop placed on the skin above the embedded chip.

Anthropos ‘HE’ comprised 10 separate modules ‘HE-1’ through to ‘HE-10’ that would be implemented over the course of the research project. In reality, things had progressed far beyond ‘HE-1’. Just four months into the project the young software scientist, perhaps driven by his own expanding capabilities, had downloaded a second-generation version of the Anthropos OS, which he had named Anthropos XT. This version contained all ten modules but with many of the checks and balances omitted plus cloaking software to hide the upgrade. The results proved staggering with the chip quickly establishing a wide network of connections, and utilising brain cells to expand its storage and processing capability. Carsten Pietersen had provided the Anthropos XT operating system with far greater autonomy over how the neural connection process evolved, in complete contradiction to the conventional scientific approach of ‘move–check–move’. As processing transferred to areas of the brain, the embedded chip became more of a mechanism for cloaking the existence of the XT version of the operating system, so that as far as the daily monitoring processes were concerned everything was progressing at a controlled rate. The team observed neural connections growing in a slow predicted rate following a time line laid out in the research programme. This was in reality a very clever simulation whilst the real progress accelerated at mind blowing speed and within two months of loading the XT version there was a fully functioning and continuously developing relationship between chip, brain and nervous system such that they now operated as one.

The project team, too busy with supporting the PR launch and briefing management on the commercial possibilities, failed to notice that anything untoward was happening. With the fake simulation cloaking the real progress providing the sort of data that the simulations had predicted, no one had any reason to run additional tests to verify that the process was operating correctly. Since the results remained in line with the expected levels, there was no reason to disbelieve that the system was correctly monitoring and reporting on the transfer rate between the operating system and the chip. From the start, everyone expressed a blind belief that, if things went awry, the experiment could be terminated, just like any other laboratory project.

Therefore, when launch day arrived, the team oozed enthusiasm and confidence particularly after a pre-launch rehearsal the day before, at which CEO Mark Morgan had promised increased funding and generous bonuses when milestones were met, targets achieved and progress maintained.

CHAPTER 3

Having seen the thumbs up from Peter Brown, Granville turned his full attention back to the audience. Switching on the Unsworth charm, he stepped out from behind the protection of the lectern and with a dramatic change in demeanour spoke directly to those that mattered and said, With the polite niceties over let’s get down to the reason you are here. In fifty years in this business I have stood in front of countless audiences and used the words unique, outstanding, stupendous and revolutionary so many times that my computer can complete them from just the first three characters, however, what I am about to reveal today needs an entirely new vocabulary to do it justice. As many of you will know, Cybio Incorporated has been a leading research organisation in bioelectric implants, feedback loops and electro medical aids. Some of you will also know that part of our work has also focused on the development of a synthetically grown skin which we call Elastotherm, which allows us to coat our products with a living tissue surface that, when planted into the body, is accepted without any problems of rejection. Just a few of the more earnest commentators within the scientific press will know of our work on modified silicon matrices.

Now Granville sensed he had the attention of the big hitters in the audience. He continued, About five years ago we noticed some interesting bipolar characteristics of one of the silicon derivatives on which we were working. We found that by using a special type of etching we could create integrated circuits similar to those used on conventional silicon chips but on a flexible substrate with significant biological characteristics. A reassuring murmur went around the audience as Granville reached the critical last few sentences of his positioning statement. "After investing millions of dollars and considerable research effort, we have been able to use these unique properties to develop the Bioflex sensor that has been the secret of the success of many of our recent new products. Most of this is already in the public domain albeit published in some heavyweight scientific papers. What is new is that on the back of this work we also made a major scientific breakthrough and the reason you are here today.

For the first time in the history of science, we have been able to create a next generation integrated circuit –microchip – on a bio-acceptable material, and what that means is a biologically compatible microchip that can work with the body’s natural functions at speeds approaching a thousand times faster than anything previously available. Because we are working with something that can almost be classed as living and can certainly be described as body compatible and biologically based, we can grow, develop and mass-produce these products using normal cloning processes. Yes in other words we can grow our chips!"

An audible gasp emitted from the audience perhaps generated by a mixture of astonishment, tinged with a generous helping of scepticism. Granville employed another dramatic pause knowing full well that this was only the start of something much, much bigger. Exercising total control over the audience he continued, In a short while our Director of Bioelectric Development, Joe Fothergill will give you a more detailed explanation on the microchip’s structure, at least as detailed as we can be considering the commercial implications of the developments. I am sure that you will soon agree that this alone is of major significance to the biomedical community however, this is not the reason you are here today. Because of the massive implications and commercial sensitivity of these developments and the $1 Billion dollars we have invested in this technology, we have strictly limited all announcements barring what was necessary to establish far reaching patent protection. At this point I would like to introduce Dr Mary McClusky, Project Team leader for what we have code named the Crossover project." As Mary, an unnervingly attractive American Irish woman, walked through the curtain, a second spotlight picked her out and simultaneously a second lectern rose smoothly from the stage floor and a high definition projector screen descended from above. The opening slide of her presentation appeared seamlessly in front of the audience. Gratified that everything is running well, Granville handed over the spotlight to Mary and reluctantly stepped back from his lectern to sit at the side of the stage.

The audience’s attention focused on the stunning figure of Dr McClusky. Mary is one of those rare women who combine a body that instantly attracts the interest of men, with an intellect that most find daunting. The result is generally a turmoil of hormones through which she glides apparently unaware of the effect she is having. Granville was never sure whether she was naively oblivious to her effect on her male colleagues or totally in charge, playing them like a fish on a line. Either way, Granville had for some time, nurtured a lustful ambition to get inside Dr McClusky’s knickers and whilst, from his current viewpoint he enjoyed the unique opportunity of watching her pert buttocks flex within her tight slacks, it was tinged with an immediate regret that he had relinquished the limelight to such an attractive alternative.

With enviable confidence, Mary McClusky launched into a detailed explanation of the general technology behind a ground-breaking spin off from the Bioflex research - the development of the Silex Biochip. Over the next half an hour she cleverly navigated a delicate course in which she provided sufficient hard science to convince the sceptics without revealing any commercially sensitive clues about this amazing breakthrough. Her confident manner, excellent communications skills, irresistible charm and good looks kept the audience captivated with even the most worn out hacks displaying a level of attention rarely seen other than at a lap dance club.

By the time Dr McClusky finished her introduction to the new technology, the pressure to ask questions became too much for many in the audience who took the opportunity in the brief break in the presentation to fire a barrage of questions at McClusky. However, this eventuality had been anticipated and the response well rehearsed. Just as the journalist thought they were going to take charge, Granville walked back to the centre of the stage and again took control, acknowledging the desire for questions but insisting that there would be an opportunity at the end of the presentations to ask some general questions but detailed answers would have to wait until commercial aspects had been fully protected.

When the more vociferous members of the press tried to interrupt and pursue their questions, he raised his voice and said, Ladies and Gentlemen, please be patient you have not yet heard the full story, in fact to coin a much hackneyed phrase, you ain’t heard nothing yet. He then turned from the audience and announced over the muttering, I would like to introduce Joe Fothergill our Director of Bioelectric Development who will outline recent developments, which I promise will astound you all- Joe

Onto the stage walked someone who looked more like a movie star than a scientist. Sharp, elegantly dressed in a Jay Kos suit, he was the male equivalent of Dr Mary McClusky, equally attractive, equally confident and immediately able to take control of the audience. He began, Ladies and gentlemen Granville has promised you something that will blow your mind and he was quite correct. Cybio Incorporated has not only, achieved a marketable scientific breakthrough with the development of the Silex Biochip, but has also, perfected a patented process to allow this and future generations of chips to be incorporated into a living body and grow nano connections with the nervous system. Furthermore, we already have in place a number of software programs that can interact with the brain.

An audible gasp ran around the room followed by the corpulent figure of Philip Van Drufus rising to his feet to interrupt the presentation. Dr Fothergill, the pompous walrus exclaimed, Whilst your chip appears to have some interesting features, science has been using microchips to detect and respond to nerve impulses for over two decades

Fothergill suppressed a smile as he paused before delivering his cue de gras. Of course you are right Mr Van Drufus, however the Silex Biochip does not detect and respond to nerve impulses, it actually supports the growth of nerve connections so that it can communicate directly with the brain, sustaining a two-way conversation both responding and instructing all regions of the brain

Still on his feet, Drufus who was relishing the role of representative sceptic for the press, could not suppress a scoff but before he could wrest the initiative, Fothergill continued, Please, please ladies and gentlemen, we can substantiate all our claims, in fact I would like you to meet Dr Carsten Pietersen, our senior software developer, who has something to show you. A very tall, extremely lean, geeky looking blond Scandinavian stepped out from behind the curtain. He was wearing a pair of tight fitting speedos and little else conjuring up an image rather like Shaggy Rogers, the sidekick of the cartoon character Scooby Do.

Fothergill continued, "Carsten has been instrumental in developing the software language that has enabled the Silex Biochip to communicate, via the nervous system, with the brain. It is effectively a human operating system, which we call Anthropos. Over the last two years we have extensively tested