Page 66 of Her Faithful Protector

“Behind the façade, he might be a wanted man.”

“Cora-Lee said she’s also investigating W-Bot,” she reminds me. “Perhaps it’s time we paid her a visit.”

We meetCora-Lee at Red Mark. Alluding to her bandaged nose, the head of tech jokes that the doctor threw in free rhinoplasty during the surgery to remove a sinus polyp. Apart from some slight swelling around her nose and eyes,she seems to have recovered well from her time in the hospital.

As we settle into the meeting room, Huxley offers to babysit Quinton.

“The meeting room is a bad environment for a young child,” he says with the baby nestled on his chest. He then whispers, as if not wanting Quinton to hear, “Especially when the conversation revolves around his former dad.”

I simply pat his shoulder.

Ava warns, “He’s already been fed, so please don’t give him any more food.”

“Is that right, Quinnie-Bear?” Huxley asks the boy, who responds with a gurgle. “Don’t worry, we’ll play and burn off all those calories, huh?” Equipped with everythingPaw Patrol, he takes Quinton downstairs to the lounge.

Cora-Lee watches as her colleague walks in a comical manner, clearly trying to entertain Quinton. “You know, sometimes I feel like Comet isn’t as old as he claims to be. I mean, we all have our inner child, but his is disproportionately big. I’d watch out for those toys if I were you,” she comments before closing the door.

“I think it’s just empathy.” I reason, giving Huxley one last glance through the glass wall. Then I turn to Cora-Lee. “So, what do you think of the Willem Botha shenanigan?”

“Mr. Gordon Clark from The Capital Chronicle hit the nail on the head,” she responds, referring to the DC-based journalist who has been following Willem for years. “W-Bot’s AI chip has been developed based on someone else’s intellectual property. Although, at the same time, Mr. Clark has been barking up the wrong tree.”

“How?” I ask, leaning forward in my swivel chair.

“Willem’s disappearance has got nothing to do with the dark web. He’s been stealing ideas from a company calledRufus-10, a start-up that operates openly in Silicon Valley. The company has created a next-gen computing platform solely for AI. It’s built with new algorithms, using both photons and electrons to carry information. Basically, their innovation defies the Dennard Scaling.”

We stare at her, totally puzzled.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Cora-Lee realizes her enthusiasm translates like a foreign language for me and Ava. “I haven’t had coffee, and it’s already midday. Anyways, here’s a better version of what I wanted to say.”

Ava and I smile at her, encouraging her to continue.

She explains, “Willem has been working on a new type of chip that utilizes similar technology, but not enough to be considered an infringement on intellectual property. In fact, W-Bot’s version is significantly more powerful than Rufus-10’s innovation. This information has been published in scientific papers, but it was never disclosed that the algorithm used is the same, which is the root of the IP conflict.”

“If Rufus-10 is just a start-up, why all the fuss?” Ava asks. “Willem could’ve easily taken over that company.”

“Spot on, Ava!” Cora-Lee looks animated, as if relieved that her last explanation made sense. “Rufus-10 has remained the small guy, even though what they’ve produced is far from insignificant. This issue is coming to light only now because Rufus-10 has recently been acquired by Bone Intelligence, an entity striving to compete with the incumbents. You know, Microsoft, Google, and Apple.”

“Damn,” I sigh.

Ava rolls her eyes, saying, “All I can say right now is that I’m glad I’m here.”

I’m more than glad. I am overwhelmingly relieved.

Cora-Lee chimes in. “I’m not sure why Willem didn’t try to acquire Rufus-10 before Bone Intelligence. Maybe he thoughthe could get away with his loot and underestimated his competition.”

Suddenly, my phone buzzes with another notification. I glance at it and mutter, “Maybe it’s because he’s broke. W-Bot’s shares have plummeted.” I keep skimming the news. “Investors are pulling out. Apparently, Willem’s research was rigged, and he’s been spending money that isn’t his.”

Ava sighs and remarks, “His Pandora’s box has just been opened. I bet it smells like cow farts!”

Cora-Lee and I erupted into fits of laughter.

As we settle, Cora-Lee continues, “I’d hate to be Willem right now. Bone Intelligence has already engaged the Interpol to look for him.”

“Hence his disappearance,” I remark.

“Exactly,” Cora-Lee says. “I really hope they find him soon. To be honest, I’m worried about his ambition. W-Bot’s strength lies in its pneumatic microchips, which use pressure instead of electricity to encode data. Willem’s plan is to combine his own technology with the one he stole from Rufus-10, creating the biggest and most powerful chip on the planet, supposedly even bigger than the latest version of WSE.”

“English, please, Cora-Lee,” I interrupt.

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