Faster

by Alex Schuler

  “Because I made you cut corners when you didn’t want to.”

  “I only did that because this is a one-off challenge. Normally I don’t take such risks.”

  “Maybe you should try to more often,” he said, looking directly at her green eyes.

  “Save it for later.” She smiled at him, then pointed out the windshield. “The future awaits.”

  It took another ten minutes before Ted received the “go” signal. Sam initiated the program, and Athena slowly pulled out onto Howard Street, heading southwest. The sidewalks were lined with onlookers watching the Prius drive by. Some were well aware of what was going on and eagerly waved at Ted and Sam. Others paid no attention, going about their morning wondering why the street was closed to traffic.

  “Here comes the first turn,” Sam announced, her eyes fixated on the map slowly scrolling across her laptop’s screen. Athena was humming along at a leisurely twenty miles per hour. “This should be the easy part.”

  Watching Athena drive by herself still brought a grin to Ted’s face. The drive-by-wire system gave him an entirely new perspective on autonomy. When he rode in Cyclops, he watched the servos and robotic controls run the show. This felt like the future happening now.

  A loud thrumming from overhead awoke him from his trance. He looked out the window, craning his neck so he could see the police helicopter flying above them. Off in the distance, a second chopper from the local NBC affiliate was broadcasting their progress.

  “This really has turned into a big production,” he said, his voice filled with a mix of awe and pride. He waved to a crowd of people sitting in a small row of bleachers on the corner.

  Athena slowed and came to a halt. After what he felt was too long of a pause, the car turned left onto Eighth Street and slowly accelerated to fifteen miles per hour.

  “I wish you would have let me set the speed limits,” he said with a frustrating sigh. “We aren’t putting on much of a show for the cameras.”

  “Not now, Ted. We’re approaching the tricky part. This one and the bridge exit will be Athena’s biggest tests. Do you hare me?” Sam briefly laughed at her joke.

  Athena once again came to a halt and then quickly turned onto Bryant Street without slowing down much. The speed took Ted by surprise. Suddenly Athena came to a halt in the middle of the intersection. He looked over at Sam, her eyes frantically scanning her screen.

  “What’s the problem?” he asked. “We’ve driven this route multiple times and done the simulations at least five times in the past month during testing.”

  Athena backed up several feet and stopped. The Prius rolled forward and immediately slammed on the brakes again. The car did this three more times before seeming to give up.

  “She’s confused,” Sam said. “I . . . I don’t know why. Hold on.”

  Ted closed his laptop, tucking it between the front seat and center area as he ran his hand across the top of the dashboard. “Come on, Athena. Talk to us. What’s going on in that beautiful AI mind of yours?”

  Athena was dead in the middle of the road. Ted felt helpless. He looked outside at a camera crew set up at the corner. A reporter was now pointing directly at the Prius. He suddenly had no interest in waving back. He looked ahead, only to find more people standing behind a row of concrete construction barriers. Two young children were holding a poster board plastered in a colorful rainbow of letters reading Go Athena! Ted smiled briefly and then frowned as he stared at the crowd.

  “Sam, the barriers!” Ted pointed to the five concrete barriers jutting into the middle of Bryant Street just past the on-ramp to I-80.

  “Shit!” Sam frantically looked back and forth between her laptop screen and the barriers. She opened the EyeSpy map to confirm the change. “We did this run on Monday. The construction is all new. I can adjust the programming. I think. But, I’m not sure how long it will take.”

  “Won’t that be cheating?” he asked with a grin.

  “Cheating?” she exclaimed. “Is it? No, seriously? It’s not a problem to make adjustments on the fly, is it? Are we voiding the pizza challenge rules?”

  “Well, we certainly can’t just sit here dead in the road.”

  A window opened on Sam’s laptop, a series of messages quickly scrolled by. Sam squinted her eyes as she read the information. A smile slowly spread across her face.

  “Am I to assume that’s good news?” Ted asked. “What did you do?”

  “Nothing. I never made any changes.”

  “So, what then?”

  “She’s recalculating. Like we taught her! She’s using the alternative data from the spinning lidar.” Sam looked at him and smiled. “I think your lidar may have saved the day.”

  Athena suddenly lurched forward with a jerk, slamming Sam’s helmet against the passenger side door window and catching both Ted and Sam off guard. Nothing could deter their smiles though. The Prius maneuvered past the construction site and entered the on-ramp. Moments later, they crested above Seventh Street and merged onto I-80, the Dwight Eisenhower Highway.

  Because the roads were closed along the route, the eastbound side of the interstate had no traffic. Ted closed his window and took in the bizarre view outside the car. Behind them were four police motorcycles and two cruisers, all with their lights flashing. Athena settled in at a sedate thirty-five miles per hour, keeping herself six feet from the guardrail, precisely as programmed.

  “We’ve got another three miles to go,” he said. “It’s going to take us several minutes at this pace.”

  The Bay Bridge is a double-decker design, with the eastbound traffic running on the lower level. In the city, the east and west lanes of I-80 were mostly side by side. There were multiple merges on both sides of the highway before crossing over the water. Sam had programmed Athena to know where these were, and to alternate sides and track when needed using the edge of the road. As Athena passed Second Street, the roadway snaked beneath the westbound side of the road. They were finally under the bridge.

  “I feel like I’m in some post-apocalyptic movie. Five lanes, and we’re the only ones on the entire lower deck.” He craned his head around, trying his best to see past the edges of his safety helmet. He considered taking it off but knew Sam would object. “Doesn’t it freak you out?”

  “Huh?”

  He looked over at Sam. He expected to see her staring at her computer, intently monitoring their progress. Instead, she was resting her helmet against the window, watching the scenery pass by.

  “What’s on your mind, Sam?”

  “We make a good team,” she said, taking his hand.

  “So, no regrets?” he asked.

  “No regrets.”

  “Good.” He let out a quiet sigh of relief. “It’s been amazing—all of it. Spending Christmas with you and your family were wonderful. You live in such a different world than I do. I’ve never had a holiday where people weren’t yelling at one another.”

  “Dani adores you.”

  “Really? Huh. Well, I still haven’t exactly won Catherine over.”

  “My mom’s a tough nut to crack.” She smiled and kissed his hand before letting it go. “She’s just extremely protective of me, given, well, given my history.”

  “Ah yes, the mysterious past and pain. I told you, I’m not going to pry, Sam. But at some point, you’ll need to tell me. You told me about your birthday. But I know there’s a story related to your daughter.”

  “I know.” She squeezed Ted’s hand gently before letting go. “This isn’t the time or the place.”

  His smile faded. He’d done this dance with her several times over the past weeks. Every time he thought she was about to open up, she’d retreat. He’d been as patient and respectful as he could be, but his patience was beginning to wear thin. He saw that the two of them were good together. This shell she chose to hide within, this wall she’d erected h
ad to come down.

  “When will it be the right time and place, Sam?” He asked without a little bit of annoyance. “The project ends today. Any time I try to talk to you about what happens next, you deflect. I want to be with you, Sam. Here in California.”

  “So, you’d move here?” She seemed shocked. “Permanently?”

  “Yes. Why do you say it that way? Don’t you want that?”

  “Can we discuss it later, Ted? Please? I can only focus on one thing at a time.”

  “Fine.”

  The next few minutes passed in uncomfortable silence. He didn’t want a repeat of what happened in Detroit, yet here they were again, him ready and her pulling away.

  He forced himself to focus on the beautiful view, which did help somewhat. Even with gray skies, looking across San Francisco Bay was gorgeous. And he could just make out Alcatraz jutting from the smoky waters far in the distance. He wished that despite all the crazy hours spent on the pizza challenge that he and Sam had had time to explore San Francisco.

  “The exit is coming up,” she said.

  The first ramp on Treasure Island was a sharp U-turn with a recommended speed of fifteen miles per hour. Sam had programmed Athena to take it at ten miles per hour. The Prius did as expected and smoothly wound its way from the bridge to Treasure Island Road. A childish grin spread across his face as the steering wheel spun freely. The thoroughfare ran along the southern side of the island, providing more spectacular views of San Francisco. He couldn’t help but look back in awe at the picturesque city across the bay.

  “We just watched Athena drive herself over that bridge.” Ted put down his window, letting the fresh morning air inside, as he reached down again for his laptop to hold for the crowds. He pointed back toward I-80, fading in the distance. “This is historic, Sam.”

  Treasure Island was made of two sections. The hilly part housed I-80 and a huge Coast Guard Station. To the west was the main island with roads and businesses. Treasure Island Road was a slow winding descent from I-80 until it flattened out, passing Clipper Cove and the Treasure Isle Marina.

  Athena turned right onto California Avenue. In comparison to downtown San Francisco, the fanfare in this less densely populated place was quite minimal. After a few more uneventful turns, they were in front of the radio studio. A small crowd, mostly press, was waiting to greet them, secured behind a row of barricades. A temporary gate that guarded the entrance rolled open to allow them access. The Prius came to a stop directly in front of the building.

  “Holy shit,” Sam said. “We did it.”

  “Was there ever a doubt? You’re a brilliant engineer, Sam. Almost as good as me.”

  He winked at her as each closed their computers, put them down on the floor in front of them, opened their doors, and stepped out to greet the crowd. Applause, cheers, and whistling greeted them. Bulbs flashed. Reporters leaned over the barrier screaming out questions. Ted ignored them all, and ripped his helmet off, tossing it into the car. He walked around to the back of the Prius and opened the hatch to get the pizza. Sam joined him, still wearing her safety gear. Ted opened the oven door and immediately frowned.

  “Shit,” he said.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I forgot to turn the oven on.” He pulled the cardboard box from the custom oven and started to laugh. “Do you think cold pizza will disqualify us from getting a million bucks?”

  “No. But don’t expect a tip.”

  ***

  Terminal One at San Francisco International Airport was mobbed with travelers. Storms along the eastern seaboard had resulted in hundreds of delays and cancellations. Tensions were high as passengers impacted by the weather sought options, several getting into heated arguments with airline agents. The overhead monitor showing Delta’s departing flights indicated only half were on time, the rest delayed or canceled.

  Ted was thankful his flight to Atlanta had not been delayed, although deep down, he would have welcomed staying with Sam for one more day. His long layover meant he wouldn’t get to Akron until 8:00 p.m., an almost twelve-hour trek, assuming no issues arose. Then he would have to suffer through an almost hour-long car ride, listening to his parents. Maybe that would be a good thing, Ted thought to himself. He had many things to tell them. The time he spent with Sam’s family over Christmas gave him a new perspective on his own family. He surprised himself by almost looking forward to being with them.

  After the pizza challenge four days prior, Vin had taken the team out for a huge celebration dinner. Ted spent the following two days doing interviews. The days and nights had flown by. Suddenly, here he was at the airport, holding Sam tightly, tears in both their eyes.

  “I told you, Sam, I’ll be back by the end of the month. Early April for certain.”

  “Sure,” she replied softly, her face buried in his chest.

  “I just need to smooth things out with my family.” He slid his arms from her waist up to her shoulders, pulling her away from him. “Of all people, you should understand how important family is. I’m coming back. I promise.”

  She lowered her head and struggled to keep the tears from falling, her hands trembling.

  “Hey?” He asked, looking directly into her eyes. “Don’t you believe me?”

  “I . . . I . . . I need to tell you something, Ted. I need to explain to you why I pushed you away after Detroit. Why I’m such . . . such a clam. Turtle. Pick your shell.”

  He looking directly at her and held her chin. He said, “You can tell me anything. I’m right here.”

  “I told you how I was hurt once before—someone who scarred me.”

  “I’d never hurt you, Sam.”

  “Please, let me finish. If I don’t get this out now, I never will.” She took a deep breath and continued. “The man that hurt me was Dani’s father. His name was Jeff. He was several years older than me and attending Berkeley. We’d been dating for a few months. The pregnancy wasn’t . . . wasn’t planned. I found out shortly after he graduated. He told me not to worry. He told me he’d be there for me. He had to leave but that he’d be back.”

  “But he never came back.”

  She sobbed and dug her fingers deep into Ted’s arms. “He left me alone. He said he would be there for me.”

  “I won’t leave you, Sam. You have to trust me.”

  “He made that same promise right here, in this very terminal.” She looked around the bustling airport, drying her tears. “Practically in this very spot. He was even flying to Atlanta!”

  “Sam—”

  “He flew away, and I never heard from him again. He just disappeared. The bastard got me pregnant and ran! I spent months trying to track him down.” She paused, lost in pain-filled memories. “But, after Dani was born, my world changed. I stopped looking. I . . . I had more important things to focus on.”

  “Sam, I’m not Jeff. Please don’t lump me in with him. You have to know I’ll come back. I promise.”

  “I love you, Ted. Please don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

  “Sam, I was the one who wanted to continue things after Detroit. You pushed me away.”

  “And now you know why.”

  He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, gently running his fingertips along her back as he offered her little kisses over and over again.

  “I love you, Sam. I’m coming back here. To you. I will get a job. Here. . . . Look, all I know is I want to be with you. I’d say I want to be hare with you but . . . “

  She trembled in his arms, her tears turning to laughter. She wiped her face dry once more, leaned her head back, and kissed Ted on the lips.

  “You’re such a dork.”

  “You love it.”

  “I do.”

  “I’ll be back. And I am not letting you out of my sight when I do. I will make us the priority.”

  He held her cl
ose again, rocking her back and forth. He felt her shudder as her tears formed once again.

  “I can see my timing is bad,” Lisa Phillips said. Matthew Page’s assistant had been quietly standing a few feet away from them. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

  “Do I know you?” Ted asked, releasing Sam from his embrace.

  “Ted Wolff, and Sam Lavoie, correct?” Lisa asked.

  “Yes,” Sam replied.

  “My name is Lisa Phillips.” She extended her hand and exchanged brief greetings with Ted and Sam. “Can you please come with me? Ted, I know you have a flight to catch but this won’t take long. There’s someone very important for you to meet.”

  “What? Where? I’ve really got to go and, I’m sorry, but I have no idea who you are.”

  “I’m from GSI. My boss has asked me to bring you to him. I’ll explain more. Don’t worry about your flight, Mr. Wolff. You still have plenty of time to make it. My boss is only just outside that door.”

  Ted looked at Sam and shrugged. She nodded in agreement and somewhat skeptically, they followed Lisa to the closest exit several yards away. A metallic black Audi A8 with heavily tinted windows was idling curbside. As the group approached the car, the back door opened, and Matthew Grant emerged.

  “Ted and Sam, so great to meet you!” Matthew enthusiastically shook their hands. “Matthew. Matthew Grant, with GSI.”

  “GSI?” Sam asked. “The mapping company?”

  “Among other things,” he replied. “I have to tell you that the pizza challenge was truly spectacular. The work you did with Athena was groundbreaking.”

  “Thanks,” Sam said. “Wait. Matthew Grant? You aren’t with GSI. You created GSI!”

  Matthew smiled and nodded quietly. Sam’s jaw slowly fell open.

  “Wow,” Ted said. “So, you saw the pizza challenge?”

  “Lisa and I watched from my office. It was riveting. I talked with Vin Malik late yesterday. I wanted to know about the engineers who built the tech that went into successfully completing the pizza challenge. After much wrangling, he told me you two were the superstars. I kind of had a feeling you were, based on what happened at DARPA in the Mojave last year.”