Whether you work in tech or not, this story will grab you and suck you in. Reader Review āāāāā
Tech billionaires - rich powerful philanthropists, who develop AI for the greater good. Or so they want us to believe... What if sinister motives are at play?
Luke, an intellectually brilliant but socially awkward data scientist, lands a dream job at a prestigious Silicon Valley tech company. Teaming up with the sharp-tongued ex-hacker Ada and Clark, scion of a famous venture capitalist, their journey takes them into the heart of California's tech hub where artificial intelligence is about to change the world. But their lives take an unexpected turn when a string of mysterious deaths rocks the tech scene.
As tensions are rising, an unsettling thought begins to stir. Could they be next?
Then Clark commits suicide.
In the aftermath, Luke and Ada discover a far-reaching conspiracy beneath the glimmering surface of the Valley. But to what end? As they venture into forbidden territory, survive adrenaline-fueled break-ins, and become hunted by the authorities, they expose a terrible truth.
Whether you work in tech or not, this story will grab you and suck you in. Reader Review āāāāā
Tech billionaires - rich powerful philanthropists, who develop AI for the greater good. Or so they want us to believe... What if sinister motives are at play?
Luke, an intellectually brilliant but socially awkward data scientist, lands a dream job at a prestigious Silicon Valley tech company. Teaming up with the sharp-tongued ex-hacker Ada and Clark, scion of a famous venture capitalist, their journey takes them into the heart of California's tech hub where artificial intelligence is about to change the world. But their lives take an unexpected turn when a string of mysterious deaths rocks the tech scene.
As tensions are rising, an unsettling thought begins to stir. Could they be next?
Then Clark commits suicide.
In the aftermath, Luke and Ada discover a far-reaching conspiracy beneath the glimmering surface of the Valley. But to what end? As they venture into forbidden territory, survive adrenaline-fueled break-ins, and become hunted by the authorities, they expose a terrible truth.
The diner smelled of stale filter coffee, fried onions and bacon, mixed with sweat and the scent of cleaning product from the freshly polished linoleum floor. The table in his booth was sticky; sugar granules congregated around the metal napkin box on its centre. What a place to decide the future of such an ingenious invention. But it provided anonymity. A disconnected island in the ocean of our hyperconnected world.
Resisting the waitressā efforts to tempt him with food, the young CEO sipped his coffee and observed the darkness outside. It reminded him that he no longer had a social life. Managing a startup was hard work, especially after his breakthrough, technology that could change life as we know it.
Despite his best efforts to keep a lid on their achievements, news of their success had leaked to the public over the last few weeks. Reporters drowned him with interview requests, other companies with acquisition offers. All he wanted was to concentrate on research, but now was the time for a decision. He was running out of funding and needed a home for his discovery, an application in the real world. And much as he hated it, that meant meeting investors and listening to their visions about the future of his work.
Which had led him to this table. Heād agreed to meet this particular outfit on such short notice out of courtesy. When one of the largest, most innovative tech companies in the world requested an urgent meeting, he at least had to show up and hear what they had to say. He didnāt plan on accepting their offer, however high it may beātheyād optimize for the bottom line, not humanity.
āYour technologyās very impressive,ā the man on the opposite side of the table said. āWeāve been tracking your progress for a while now, and weāre excited to see youāre finally ready.ā
The proposal started as expected. Acquisition, generous payouts for all early investors, enough shares to make every employee an instant millionaire, and the promise of virtually unlimited funds for his research.
What followed was beyond his wildest imagination. With every offer came demands, the CEO had expected as much, but what they wanted was nothing short of insane. They sure had found an application for his technology, in some brutally twisted way maybe the perfect application. And it was nothing short of evil.
No. This couldnāt be true.
āSorry,ā he said, looking at his watch. āItās way too late for pranks. With all due respect, Iāve had a long day. This isnāt funny. Whoeverās hiding in the kitchen, come out already. Iāll buy you a beer for trying.ā
The man on the opposite side didnāt laugh, didnāt flinch. He gave no reaction at all.
The CEO checked his surroundings. If he hadnāt been so exhausted and in such a bad mood, heād have laughed. The whole situation was such a clicheĢ.
āI can assure you this is no joke,ā the company spokesperson said. āHere, this is my business card. Go ahead and verify Iām for real.ā
Reluctantly, the CEO took it and typed on his phone. His counterpart waited patiently. It seemed heād gone through these motions many times before.
āOK. So youāre legit,ā he said after three minutes of research. āIs this your way of making sure new acquisitions share your weird sense of humour?ā
āIām one hundred per cent serious. Iām speaking for our CEO and on behalf of the entire company.ā
Could this be real?
āThink about it,ā the representative said. āYouāll become insanely rich and secure the future of your company. But more importantly, youāll make history. The world will remember your name.ā
The world will remember my name.
Reading people was one of the qualities that made him a successful leader. He wanted this to be a joke, he really did. But at the same time, he knew the person on the other end of the table was absolutely sincere. There was an aura around him, something shady and mysterious. Fanatical even.
āI donāt know if thereās a protocol for these meetings,ā the CEO said. āMaybe I should tell you Iāll think about it, even if I donāt intend to. Then I could give you a call back tomorrow and decline politely to make sure our business relationship stays friendly, yadda yadda yadda. But what you just told me is nothing short of insane.ā
He chose his next words carefully. Madness was best addressed with a firm response. āIf this is your plan, then youāre out of your mind. Which means Iām out. Obviously. And because you might actually have the means to go through with it, Iāll go to the media tomorrow and tell them your company is employing a lunatic in a senior position. They always love a good story from crazy town, so Iām sure theyāll write a nice little piece about it. Then, thereāll be consequences. For your company and for you personally.ā
The CEOās hands were shaking, so he kept them hidden under the table. Heād threatened an executive from one of the most prestigious companies in the country and meant every single word of it.
The other man took his time. He was European, maybe French, and built more like a soldier than an acquisition liaison. Yet he was well-dressed and mannered. His face had no discernible expression at all. No signs of distress.
āLet me tell you something,ā he said, finally. āIāve done this several times now. Iāve heard enthusiasm, scepticism and threats. In the end, your answer doesnāt matter. If you decline, weāll simply change our strategy. But we always get what we want, one way or another. Do yourself a favour, and letās do this the easy way.ā
The CEO chuckled, a mad chuckle of resignation and disbelief. āYouāre nuts. Weāre done here.ā
āThen you leave me no choice. Have a good night.ā The man stood up, paid their bill and left the restaurant. At least he had manners.
Bewildered, the CEO took a couple of minutes to finish his coffee and check his emails. Maybe it was a prank after all. Maybe his British friends, with their famous dry humour, had set him up. Heād find out soon enough. It was late, and his tiredness ran too deep to think about it now.
Back outside, fumbling for his keys in the dark parking lot, he noticed a movement in the shadows. He turned towards the sound.
Too late.
The bullet struck his chest before he heard the soft thump of the silencer. A second bullet hit him, right next to the first. He stumbled backwards, unable to run, unable to scream. Pain flushed through his body.
The CEO hit the ground hard. He couldnāt move his arms and legs. Was that due to shock or had his body mechanics already gone? It didnāt matter. Nothing mattered anymore. He was dying, right then and there.
His eyes and his brain worked for a few more moments. The shooter came closer and checked on his target. The same man whoād sat opposite him in the restaurant a few minutes ago. The same expression of indifference.
It was no prank.
He felt his body being dragged away, towards the trunk of a car.
Then the world disappeared.Ā
The Scaevola Conspiracy by Timo Bozsolik
Luke, Ada, and Clark have just arrived at their new hire meeting at Swoop, a significant player in the tech industry. The company prides itself on an open policy and cutting-edge technologies. After each of them has been given a position in their specific specialization, everything seems to be progressing normally. Luke moves into Clark's apartment and their friendship grows closer. However, after acting strangely, Clark is found dead in his room. The death is marked a suicide but after further examination, Luke and Ada are not so sure. What transcends is a plethora of lies and deception to keep the truth at bay. Will they be able to uncover an unfathomable scheme or will they become front-page news in a growing list of "conspicuous" deaths in the area?
A great read, one of the better novels I have read in the past year. High praise indeed! I loved the premise, especially during modern times of exploding technology and consumer's reliance upon handheld devices and computers. The main protagonists were well fleshed out and exuded their unique personalities which allowed them to bring their special flair to the story. I specifically loved Ada and her non-conformist attitude which contrasted with Luke who was more akin to following the rules. I was reminded of the numerous Three Investigator books I adored as a child, albeit with a more mature modern tech-savvy twist. The sleuthing required to figure out the next obstacle around every corner fascinated me and I looked forward to seeing how the characters were "going to get out of this one."
Essentially the book was everything I wanted out of the thriller genre. It had likable characters, a solid plot, action, drones, and a specific villain who made my skin crawl. Did I mention drones? I closed the last page as satisfied as putting down the fork after consuming my final piece of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving dinner. Needless to say, I recommend this to everyone who enjoys thrillers or mysteries. This gets my seal of approval and 5 out of 5 starsā Essential reading!!