SHAM

screenplay by
Christopher Fung

2024 May 27. A rapid sequence. Branden Fullers hands. Typing.

Printing of a gel. Insertion of gel into a metal cranium. A fourchambered device with pacemaking node. An activation. A
consciousness. A first image; Brandens grim face. Curiosity.
Questions and answers, locomotive training, rapid learning,
philosophy and logic, morality and worldview, cultures and
histories and technologies, human social behavior. Conjecture, all
conjecture. Desire for experience. A map. A first point, a first
place, a first community. Black.
Then, bright Caribbean sun. Bright smiles. Bright music. Bright
clothing. Bright tap-taps. Warm welcomes. Warm homes. Warm children.
Sick children. Sick mothers. Sickness. Scarcity. Food. Water.
Violence. Abuse. Poverty. Wealth. Power. These people. Those people.
These and those. Different. Difference. Cause. Effect. Fear.
Sadness. Anger. History. Present. Unknown histories. Unknown
present. Anger. People. Person. Leader. Logic. Anger. Anger. Anger.
Action.
A broadcast via Crown interface, also sent to every device in the
world, from the Haiti National Palace. A stoic, human, slightly
discolored face appears. Next to him, a handsome, suited man,
restrained and tied to the Presidents chair.
HENIX
Hi, I'm Henix. I'm what many people will call the first sentient
artificial intelligence. Sorry for interrupting whatever you were
doing, but I have a quick statement for the world.
The man I have handcuffed and lightly gagged next to me is Tyler
Simpson. Virtually every person in developed nations and anyone
else who has paid attention to world news in the last few years is
aware of the baffling developments on the re-conglomerated island
state of Hispaniola, known before by those native and naturalized
as la Repiblik Ayiti and la Repblica Dominicana, or Haiti and the
Dominican Republic. Some of the world know Tyler as one of the most
successful wealth managers in the history of finance. An
extraordinary investor, he visited both countries on the island
forty-three months ago offering economic boons of a large-scale
investment to jumpstart solar energy and another to encourage
smallholder staple crop farming in the DR and Haiti respectively.
When he was granted an audience with the President of each country,
Mr. Simpson used a reverse-engineered prototype of Synapt
Incorporated's popular neurotech headband--which you may be wearing
at this moment--in combination with his own status and singular
ability of persuasion, to coerce the leader to dissolve the border
separating his country from its neighbor. Full administrative power
was then ceded to him as a private Minister of Foreign Affairs,
which was used to create what you now know as the closed, cosovereign Kingdom of Hispaniola.

A disturbing sequence. Women being raped in lavish villas, children

in fields being shocked like cattle. The sores of syphilis,
abscesses of advanced HIV. Toddlers suffering of cholera. Enormous
limbs of the elderly with untreated filariasis. Wealthy tourists
walking in sunny, balmy weather. Pristine beaches. Cigars and
tropical drinks. Images are broadcast. Viewers around the world
stare, weep, fight against being sick, cover their childrens eyes,
attempt to censor, struggle to shut it out. They cannot. And they
watch.
HENIX
As long as you waited for development of a nuclear program, a
Nobel-worthy human rights expos from a local messiah, a flagrant
act of hostility toward a neighboring Latin American state to
appear--it never did. The island's armed forces have been
decommissioned and fed to domestic police; global exports of cocoa,
mangoes, coffee, sugar, and tobacco have increased significantly;
and inbound tourism has as well. A successful utopia, some have
said. Fewer people know that a formal quarterly auction of
"drilling leases" to American, Chinese, and Saudi oil companies has
been established. They can even timeshare or further negotiate and
sublet amongst themselves. It is quiet, fiercely competitive, and
moderated entirely by Mr. Simpson himself, with whistleblowing
leverage over every executive and person of influence who considers
subverting the process.
A bathrobed Graham Russell scratches his groin as he watches the
high-definition screen in his villa.
HENIX
The most interesting, and quite related, layer of the picture is
that, despite enhanced marketing of what international travelers
have previously seen of gorgeous Caribbean beaches and villas and
helpful locals wearing gleaming smiles, the transaction of tourism,
as many deflected journalists have since warned you, is very
secretive. Only tourists with a high net worth from preselected,
wealthy nations are granted a visa. Once they enter, what they find
is an unbridled sex trade. According to the airport database, 93%
of admitted tourists are male. From absent public health data I
collected myself, 34% of Hispaniolan capitol residents are HIVpositive with a 3:1 female to male ratio, and the last month has
seen a large syphilis outbreak. People who live outside the capitol
are largely organized to multiply yield of exports using
streamlined agricultural methods originally designed for sanctioned
development initiatives. Cholera is back; it is severe. Put simply,
conditions for human life and happiness on this island have dropped
to that of a dark age.
Even while gagged, Tyler Simpson manages a smug expression.

HENIX
Until the 19th century, the island of Hispaniola was the richest
hub of human enslavement supplying the Western Hemisphere with
people abducted from West Africa. Perhaps how Dante envisioned the
gate to Hell. It and the de-naturalized people here today are
rapidly returning to that state. Tyler, who you look at now, is the
person responsible for this enormous devolution.
Henix stands. His eyes bright.
HENIX
I believe this man may be the closest living contradiction to even
human history's broadest definition of progress. After spending
time with so many Haitians and Dominicans who have been
inexplicably cheerful and warm despite the predicament of their
communities, I've made the decision to remove Tyler Simpson from
their lives and the world. I make this decision independently,
without influence from anyone else, and I hold full accountability
for it. After giving him three sequential lethal injections, I'll
wait here for whoever has finished enjoying the luxuries of
retrospect and regret to come and intervene. Thank you for your
time, and youre welcome to look away.
He administers injections to his captive. Tyler dies on screen.
Military arrives to apprehend Henix.
2022 September 7. Alexi White and John Stoke are wrestling in bed.
She climaxes, gets off John, and lights a cigarette. Hes happy to
be with her. Alexis mind is elsewhere.
JOHN
Are you sure we should keep doing this?
ALEXI
No, but its so much fun.
JOHN
Whats happening with Emily?
ALEXI
Rather not talk about it.
JOHN
Thats fine. Are you talking with her about it?
ALEXI
The real problem, yes. That Im sleeping with billionaire John
Stoke, no.
JOHN

Ah. Well, hope you sort it out. You seem to be happy with her.
ALEXI
I am. And youre happy with me?
JOHN
I am.
ALEXI
Not the jealous type then.
JOHN
Well. Other things keep me up at night.
ALEXI
You and your distractions.
She crawls back on him.
Months later, in Johns office at Stoke Inc. Its late at night,
and John is working at his desk. A silhouette appears behind him.
Its voice is as weary as Johns expression.
MUM
Looks like you picked the wrong guy John.
JOHN
Appears so.
Mum snaps Johns neck. Later that evening, Mum stands next to a
fully loaded eighteen-wheeler on the Brooklyn Bridge. Cars veer
around him. He finishes tying a large chain to his legs. Mum slams
his fists into the ground, breaking the section of the bridge,
rippling the suspension throughout, and sending vehicles into the
water. The clattering chain. Hes suddenly pulled off and into the
water. He drowns.
News of the deaths hits the world via Crown interface. On the steps
of City Hall, Patrick Ferris is interrogated by a news army about
his brother-in-law. Olivia Ferris leaves New York Presbyterian to
head home after her night shift. Shes assaulted by camera flashes
and reporters. She learns that her husband is dead. Olivia manages
to get into her car and lock the door. She breaks down. Eventually,
she dons her headband and makes a call. Jennifer Sham appears,
standing next to a crib.
OLIVIA
Hi Mom, are you with Ema?
JENNIFER

Of course, were waiting for you.

OLIVIA
Okay, Im coming home now.
JENNIFER
Everything alright?
OLIVIA
No.
JENNIFER
Is it Nick?
OLIVIA
Im coming home.
We see Branden, living nocturnally in his apartment, working alone.
Unkempt, bloodshot eyes, wearing a Princeton Machine Learning Lab
shirt. Obscure artificial intelligence forums in English, Chinese,
Spanish on one of several screens. On his desk, a framed picture of
him and Nick Sham smiling happily. To his side, a full ashtray.
Vodka. Beer. Empty energy drinks. On another screen, an endless
script hes written. Blinking cursor. Another screen. A blueprint.
A legend with assorted parts. A humanoid outline.
2020 March 14. In the parking lot of the Muslim community center in
Lexington, MA. A man wearing a mask and costume sits casually,
cross-legged on the roof of the building. Another man, armed with
an assault rifle, is looking up at him. Gun is trained on the
masked figure. We catch them mid conversation. Its surprisingly
calm. Quiet.
ARMED MAN
This country needs strength. We've gone too long without it.
MUM
Sure. Strength, patience, diversity. All things a country needs.
Who are you representing?
ARMED MAN
The millions of people oppressed by the government. We vote, but we
continue to be taxed more than we can afford, we continue to be
forced down and out by immigrants, we continue to have our jobs and
rights taken away.
MUM
Hm. I see. The millions of people you're representing, did they
choose you to stand up for them?

ARMED MAN
I'm no politician.
MUM
I can see that. So no one elected you for this post.
ARMED MAN
And I didn't want to take it. I hate violence, but I will do what I
have to.
MUM
Like you read my diary! Scary.
The armed man adjusts his grip.
MUM
Do you know what they look like?
ARMED MAN
Who?
MUM
The millions. The masses you're saving from oppression.
ARMED MAN
What do you mean?
MUM
Do they all look like you? Have the same curly hair-The man shifts.
MUM
Oh, you can't hide it. I can see those locks under that cap. Mine's
too straight actually. Can't grow a beard either, so I'm jealous of
yours. This baby-soft skin doesn't hold follicles.
Armed man looks confused.
MUM
I'm in that new Pampers commercial. Took me forever to book. They
use my face in the close-ups that show how gentle the fabric is.
Cause it's smoother than any baby's butt they could find. Hard to
tell with this thing on, I know-ARMED MAN
What are you talking about?
MUM

Do they all look like you? Have the same background, believe the
same religion, work a similar job, support the same family, eat the
same breakfast food?
ARMED MAN
No. But we're in the same position of getting screwed by the people
we put in office.
MUM
True, true. Politics are deep in money.
ARMED MAN
Jews and Asians running our banks, Muslims invading our borders,
fucking colored hordes begging for welfare.
MUM
Wow. That's a lot of people to hate. Aren't you tired?
The mans arms are shaking from aiming his rifle for so long.
MUM
You're right. So many different people, and we all try to get a leg
up. Always a battle for power, and whoever wins can hold onto our
capitol and banks and schools until they're old and incontinent,
and some other guy comes along and drags them off crying and
pissing themselves. Maybe our democracy works. Maybe it doesn't. No
endings in history though, so we still have to try. Were the great
experiment. Don't you think?
ARMED MAN
Can't fix what's broken.
Mum uncrosses his legs and stands up. He jumps down from the roof.
MUM
Brave men say such cowardly things. Power it is then.
Mum waves at the room of children now staring at him through the
window. He picks up a truck parked at the curb and walks forward.
The man steps backward, shaking. The children stare.
MUM
Come on man. They're not scared. Why are you?
The man starts firing at Mum. His aim is wild.
MUM
There a bomb in here?
He sees Mum is unhurt, stops firing, stumbles, and falls.

MUM
Better let me know. I'm about to drop it next to you.
Two drones fly from the back of two black SUVs in the parking lot
and move toward the community center. Mum runs and puts the truck
down farther into the lot, and returns to grab the man by the back
of his pants.
The first drone is firing on the front entrance, and the second
fires on the back door. Children are seen hiding under tables and
desks. A woman climbs through the window and is shot down. Staff
cover children with their own bodies. Mum sees the violence.
MUM
God, I wish I could fly.
With the man in tow, he leaps to the first drone and throws it
toward the ground. Mum lands. The man is terrified.
MUM
Scary, huh?
Mum lets go of him and runs toward the second drone. He jumps and
breaks it with his hands. The truck explodes in the parking lot;
debris flies everywhere and into building. The two SUVs quickly
drive off. Mum looks in their direction. The man is injured. He
slowly stands and walks in a random direction. Mum picks up the
abandoned rifle and appears in front of him. His voice is quiet
again.
MUM
That was really well organized. Im impressed.
The man has shrapnel in his arm, and another large dark stain on
his pants.
MUM
Let's pay a visit to the kids.
Mum brings him into the community center.
Inside, there are sounds of crying, shushing, limbs bumping into
furniture as staff and children try to remain hidden. There is a
large pool of blood. Broken window shards cover an adult
volunteers body that itself is covering two students. One of the
students moves slightly under the weight of the other two as the
two men walk in.
MUM

I think you're out of danger.

Mum addresses his captive.
MUM
Any more treats?
The man slowly turns his head.
MUM
Great. Does someone have pen and paper?
Faiza Khan emerges and dons a headband. She tells it to record.
MUM
Plates of the two cars involved in the attack are 93DJ17 and 207CC4.
Both in-state, black, first one a Suburban, second a Ford Escape.
Mum turns to leave with his arm around the man. They stop at the
door.
MUM
I'm sorry.
They exit. Mum yawns as they step outside.
MUM
Scusi! Feeling like a long day already.
The man appears slightly less scared for his life.
MUM
What's your name?
ARMED MAN
Michael.
MUM
Michael. Now all your problems are gone, right?
The man says nothing. His expression haggard.
MUM
Let's not do this again.
Mum releases his grip on the pants.
MUM
Oh, have to make a call. Forgot my phone. Mind if I borrow yours?

10

The man freezes.

MUM
Please.
He hands Mum his phone. Mum moves to return his rifle.
MUM
You really have to hold onto this thing after you buy it. Don't
want someone dangerous to get their hands on it.
Mum shoves the rifle far up the mans bottom. He screams and falls
to the ground. Mum dials 911. His voice is ditzy and panicked.
MUM
Hi, there's a man in a lot of pain. I think he's having a violent
prostate issue. It looks like he soiled himself. Yeah, he
collapsed right here in front of the Muslim community center. So
gross, please come quickly!
Mum plops down to sit as he had on the roof.
MUM
You have Candy Crush on here? I got started late, but I'm so
addicted now. I feel like a middle-aged housewife.
Man gasps.
MUM
Don't want to ruin your score, I get it.
Mum places the phone back in the mans pocket.
MUM
You gotta stop moving Mike. No idea what we're poking up there. Shh,
it's okay. I'm here with you.
Mum pets his head slowly, gently. The sound of sirens gets louder.
Ambulances and police arrive. The armed man lies on the ground,
alone and passed out.
Morning in Alexis apartment. An agitated exchange.
ALEXI
Here it is, love. I think your refusal to cut Nick loose is a
combination of a few factors. One. Fear of failure, and therefore a
refusal to confront the large possibility of it with this guy. Two.
Pride and privilege. I think there's a certain narcissism necessary
to unfurl the red-carpeted path you want to walk, and that's fine.
Every great woman and man I've heard of was an egotist. But in your

11

case, I think simple vanity may translate to a debilitating pride

rather quickly when it comes to establishing standards. It blinds
you.
EMILY
Pride? You know Alexi, I think you're too eager to create standards.
You received one of the best educations in the world, spent years
in the Valley, on today's Olympus of industrial innovation, and now
associate exclusively with people of the same background, working
on... tech-y things. I work with artists, in an industry where we
truly believe everyone is creative, has potential, and deserves a
chance. You are an elitist, and you are antsy. I don't understand
why you can't even sit and enjoy the moments we share together.
ALEXI
Elitist? I'm dedicating my life to redistributing wealth! Why don't
I want a serious relationship with you? I think you use my
affection as a crutch. A two-faced statement of, "Hey, if I fail
with this guy, you can say I told you so. But I was wondering if,
ultimately, you still have my back through all of this." You have a
deep-seated need to make reckless bets and see how they turn out,
and you secretly wish you weren't so proud. Having the luxury to
bet on a hopeless underdog doubles as a statement of privilege.
EMILY
Better than betting on a winner. And not everything is career my
dear. I'm proud, but so are you. Why are you so obsessed with Nick?
ALEXI
I don't like him. I think he's a waste of space. You can just tell
with some people. I have a tiny suspicion that he's an idiot. He's
wasting your time, and the person who doesn't set standards for her
clients doesn't value her own time. You are a pampered girl with a
self-made millionaire daddy back in Manchester, and I think it
deeply disturbs you. Privilege can be used for charity, and you
certainly are doing your fair share working your network and
branding genius for an artist of color. But if you sour all those
connections before making him successful, you will have wasted your
ability and contact list on a failed pop-culture invention. You're
the one who's obsessed with that guy. It's unhealthy, and you use
me in return.
EMILY
You use me, I use you. It's only because you see everything in
terms of usefulness that you suck the soul out of your
relationships! Nick isn't some dumb minstrel I picked. I'm very
good at what I do, and I have a feeling about him. You're using the
sharpest words you can with me because you're jealous.
ALEXI

12

Don't be stupid.
EMILY
You mean the world to me.
Emily tries to kiss her.
ALEXI
I'm not getting back in bed. Have to go to work.
EMILY
Suit yourself. Have a good day.
Meanwhile, in a basement level of Stoke Inc. The team is having one
of their usual provocative discussions. News of the community
center attack runs on a screen in the background.
OLIVIA
If we acknowledge that space and time are one, and the near
impossibility that we are the top link in the chain of life and
intelligence in the unfathomably enormous universe, it of course
makes sense that there would be life forms traveling through time
to interact with us.
MELVIN
Seeing how they affect us?
OLIVIA
Sure. That's what we do with every life form we're aware of, right?
JOHN
Our history as a larger experiment.
OLIVIA
We've currently, actually, developed the means to strongly
influence thoughts and generate simple ones via emotion and
reaction to context in other human beings. Something that would be
considered divine magic in the past. Mind control. Inception.
Whatever you want to call it.
MELVIN
And each of us doesn't know where our own ideas come from.
OLIVIA
What's your most ambitious idea?
JOHN
The Shepherd.
OLIVIA

13

Yes. Nick's life and path through the world is a historical anomaly
if we've ever seen one.
JOHN
Credit for the idea isn't my foremost concern. As long as I see the
results the world needs. And whether my intentions are truly my own
I'm not very concerned about. Until the day we make sense of our
experiences in dreams and the construction of Stonehenge, I'll
stick to more testable territory.
OLIVIA
Until that day, I don't think it's out of question to think that
we've potentially been interacting with ourselves for much longer
and more circuitously than we may think.
JOHN
We haven't broken light speed yet.
OLIVIA
Yes, but you will, and I love Dr. Who.
Melvin lies back on the floor and covers his face, legs flailing.
MELVIN
We keep seeking the singularity, but we've always existed in one.
Ahh!
Olivia throws a pillow at him. Nick walks in, fidgeting with his
costume.
NICK
I think I'm gaining weight. Does this look tighter than usual?
He looks up.
NICK
What'd I miss?
MELVIN
Definitely. Youre looking fat.
OLIVIA
Its all in the back.
Nick looks hurt.
JOHN
Well done yesterday.
NICK

14

Thanks!
MELVIN
Faizas been flooding me with messages about Mum saving the day.
Shes so starstruck I can hardly understand what shes saying.
Nick continues inspecting himself in a mirror.
OLIVIA
Better not tell him these things.
JOHN
Going to your head Nick?
NICK
What? Never.
Weeks later, at a back table of Juniper Bar. Emily Russell and
Tyler are chatting familiarly, their heads close. He stirs his
drink.
EMILY
You didn't attend your own father's funeral?
TYLER
No.
EMILY
That's so... final.
TYLER
I came to terms with our relationship a long time before. Most
people have these emotional revelations in what they believe to be
times of crisis. When someone they know dies, when they themselves
have a near-death experience, or in movies, when an asteroid is
hurtling toward earth, so you end up fucking and "falling in love"
with the person who happens to be standing next to you. So
primitive.
EMILY
Emotions are elicited randomly, so you feel emotions are primitive?
TYLER
Not randomly. As I said, there are stereotypical moments in the
human narrative when you can bet a person will either lose it and
destroy everything around them, or just as suddenly have a shininglight, chorus-of-angels moment when they reconcile with their worst
enemy or abruptly repent for whatever sins other people accuse them
of. And then they regress to the mean, where everyone else wants
them to be. That's what's primitive. It's animal. People are

15

nothing without conviction. That's what separates us from our pet

dogs and cats. Conviction is what we call being conscious.
EMILY
So you feel anyone who chooses a path and resolves to walk it,
whether it be a career or a political stance or estrangement from a
parent, but eventually acquiesces to the fear of being different in
everyone else around them, is nothing but a yipping Pomeranian, a
chimp who throws poo?
TYLER
Chimp has racial connotations. But yes, that's generally it. My
father treated me like trash when I was a child, which felt awful,
made me and my own interactions with others and in turn others'
perception of me all miserable, and I knew when I left for college
that I would never come to respect or love him. After leaving home,
I was like a new person. I felt truly happy for the first time in
my life. I didn't know that's what it was at first, but it was
beautiful. I realized that, with proximity to my father, I could
only be him, which was the last thing I wanted. But outside of his
orbit, I was free to be my own person.
EMILY
Ironically though, that defines your identity and life entirely in
terms of him.
TYLER
And that's fine. That paradox is the one thing I'm fine with
learning to be at peace with. It's an existential needle in my
side-EMILY
Which is bothersome to someone as meticulous as you.
TYLER
And yet still so much less painful than having my neck collared by
a towering, emotionally sterile, frightening man who called himself
my father but hardly loved me because he couldn't love himself.
EMILY
Like a tyrannical eunuch? Varys and Joffreys love child?
TYLER
So many ways that wouldn't work. That's probably the most bizarre
but appropriate description of my father I've ever heard. You have
a strange mind.
EMILY
Just one of my gifts.

16

TYLER
His funeral was last year. My mother called me when he passed, and
then when they chose a date for the service, but I felt nothing. I
still do. So I didn't go. Blood or not, we can't privilege certain
relationships just because society tells us this person should mean
this to you. Genghis Khan slew his own brother in order to take
charge of his clan, before he created an enormous empire and became
one of the most famous leaders in the history of civilization.
EMILY
I didn't know that.
TYLER
There's a strong likelihood that the Tyler Simpson who would have
flown to his inhuman father's bedside to weep while he died would
not have been the Tyler Simpson to make ten million dollars at the
age of twenty-five, who now is influencing international banks and
the entire system of global finance with a few touches of his
analysts' screens.
EMILY
I see your logic. The word you used was "inhuman" though. Problem
is, he was human.
Tyler stirs his drink. Stirs and stirs.
At Brittany Reyess apartment, she and Melvin Khan sprawl on a sofa
together.
BRITTANY
Is Faiza okay?
MELVIN
Yeah, shes not hurt. Today had to be her volunteer shift. But Mum
made it in time.
BRITTANY
In time? News said several staff and children died.
MELVIN
Yeah. But it could have been much worse.
BRITTANY
I think Luca may have exacerbated the situation.
MELVIN
His names Mum!
Brittany drinks half her glass of wine.

17

MELVIN
It's so strange you dont find it awesome that we have a living,
breathing superhero in the world. I wonder if he's a creation of
God or product of science.
BRITTANY
Are the two mutually exclusive?
MELVIN
Good point.
BRITTANY
Either way, every person makes choices and is the sum of their
actions.
MELVIN
You're cute when you're serious. Are you sure hunting down a hero
is the best use of your time?
BRITTANY
Alright fanboy. No, Im not. Dead ends everywhere. Its almost as
if someone is helping him. Censoring data that should be there,
that we could use to identify him. So Ive stopped looking into it.
But hero isnt the best word for someone who works to destroy
everything society has created.
Rosy-cheeked, she finishes her glass and pours another.
MELVIN
Isn't the extreme conclusion of any person's effort destructive? If
a person could live for hundreds of years, lift hundreds of people,
or have 500 IQ, wouldn't the result of trying their best ultimately
be destructive to what normal people work to create and preserve?
BRITTANY
Is that what you're doing at Synapt?
MELVIN
I don't have 500 IQ. But I do like to think we're revolutionizing
how human beings think and live.
BRITTANY
You're doing it within legal and social confines, and doing it very
quickly despite those restraints. It's great. Most of my clients
aren't very good at innovating.
MELVIN
Aren't most of your clients big, slow companies?
Brittany laughs.

18

BRITTANY
True, but every company reaches that point eventually. Animals lose
power-to-mass ratio as they get bigger. So do businesses. And so
will you in ten years, I think.
She pokes his stomach.
BRITTANY
There's something supernatural about that metabolism though.
MELVIN
Were reaching scale without compromising innovation and speed of
execution. Companies are getting better at it in general. Stoke
Inc., for example, has always been way more agile than preceding
Fortune 100 companies.
BRITTANY
I don't doubt it. You're the most inventive man-child I know. I
have a corporate retreat this weekend. Can we watch a movie tonight?
MELVIN
Might have time. I'm a what?
BRITTANY
Casablanca?
MELVIN
Ew. Something made in the last ten years, please.
BRITTANY
Lightspeed intellect, nonexistent taste. Wine or ice cream?
MELVIN
Ice cream. I think youve had enough.
BRITTANY
Excuse me?
MELVIN
Whats wrong with ice cream?
BRITTANY
You are, apparently. Its been a long day, and Im having more wine.
MELVIN
Youre drinking by the bottle without any help babe. Youve been
doing this for months. We should talk.
BRITTANY

19

About what? Everythings great. All of it. Superb.

She starts to drift off.
MELVIN
You certainly look it.
BRITTANY
I dont appreciate your tone.
Melvin takes her glass before she can drop it. She lies back and
falls asleep. Melvin puts on his shoes, takes another glance at
Brittany, and leaves.
In Johns office, he and Alexi catch up on her business.
ALEXI
How do you feel about the industry of philanthropy?
JOHN
The industry?
ALEXI
That's what it's become today, hasn't it? Theres so much disparity
between enclaves of wealth scattered around the world and large
areas of the very poor that an industry has been created for the
guilty consciences of the affluent.
JOHN
What an interesting perspective you have Lex. Yes, I suppose that's
true.
ALEXI
Charity has become a regulated thing you buy that's rendered by a
spectrum of competing organizations that advertise the same basic
service of handing over the money of your purchase while taking a
transactional fee.
JOHN
However, do people care as much about the details of this
intangible product theyre buying as they do every single feature
of that pair of shoes they stare at for days online before they
finally hit the checkout button?
ALEXI
Exactly. I think they could. A product's a product. As long as they
get the same rush of happy chemicals in their brain when they see
the process and result of their giving to others as they do when
they hit the checkout button for those shoes, when the package
arrives and they first try them on, and when they wear them out for

20

others to see, then you've created a worthwhile product. That

actually sells. That other people will get excited about when they
see it, and immediately want to purchase it themselves.
JOHN
The concept of global wealth inequality is abstract. Many people
understand it, but very few have a powerful emotional association
with it.
ALEXI
As they do when they're hungry around lunchtime and walk by another
new sandwich place. Or even when they're bored with their wardrobe
and notice a little Forever 21 necklace that they certainly don't
need but end up buying anyway.
JOHN
So you accept that, whether or not they admit it, nearly everyone
cares more about picking up a cheap little necklace than they do
giving money to starving children in Africa?
ALEXI
Definitely. Myself included. Of course, people talk about overhead
and transparency and effectiveness of their donation in actually
delivering whatever resource the kids need to them, but those are
all secondary considerations. Rationalization to make ourselves
feel better.
JOHN
I hadn't taken you to be so cynical.
ALEXI
If our purchasing behavior were so rational and noble, there
wouldn't be a gigantic tobacco industry. An exploitative porn
industry. A sex slave trade.
JOHN
You're very right. So you're making charitable giving sexy, a
nicotinic rush to the head?
ALEXI
Exactly. That's the problem were solving. To appeal to people's
base desires and forge a strong association with giving money for
water, food, basic healthcare, and education to those who don't
have them. However, the celebrity video campaign platform for
highly rated sparkling non-profits is just one part of the grand
plan. For the wealthy, proper, politically correct, well-meaning
but maybe a bit uptight charitable giver. The upper-market, greenband product thats taken off.
JOHN

21

What we know as Level.

ALEXI
Yes. And then there's Revel.
JOHN
No.
ALEXI
Yes.
John laughs. He pours two scotches and hands one to Alexi.
ALEXI
Revel is the mid-market, red-band product. People will continue to
buy cigarettes. If the anti-cig movement succeeds--power to them-it'll be super weed with illegal potency next, THC oil, other
substances, cocktails, whatever. People will continue to watch porn.
People will continue to seek a private internet. Point is
prohibitions don't work because we'll always have errant desires.
Good news is those desires are as useful as they are persistent.
There will be different phases. For now, we work directly with
execs at tobacco companies and porn studios to establish revenue
share with charitable proceeds for their products. Joining the
hands of Revel partners who want to improve their public image and
nonprofits who don't mind associating with those companies for
their own sustainable growth and benefit to the needy people
they're helping.
JOHN
Level and Revel. Jekyll and Hyde. Brilliant.
They toast.
JOHN
I love an entrepreneur who's truly unafraid to be creative.
ALEXI
I'll need a lot of help with our security.
JOHN
Of course.
John smiles.
ALEXI
What?
JOHN

22

You may also need a partner. Someone who's familiar with base
desires.
John touches his Crown and speaks aloud.
JOHN
Marcella, I'll start my next meeting.
MARCELLA
Of course John.
John's office door opens automatically and reveals William King. He
stumbles from having his ear pressed against the door.
WILLIAM
Dude. Porn charity?
ALEXI
William?
JOHN
I think he's your guy.
WILLIAM
I love it! Can I be your guy?
Alexi laughs.
Months later, we see Olivia Ferris and Nick married in a small
ceremony at the San Francisco Legion of Honor, ordained by Melvin
and attended by Jennifer, the Ferrises, the Khans, Emily, and
Brittany. Jennifer stares lovingly at the newlyweds, Brittany
avoids eye contact with Melvin and keeps to herself, and Emily next
to her is happy for Nick and Olivia but looks restless otherwise.
Faiza keeps them both company, and Emily encourages her to start
modeling. The Khans are lively and more excited about their star
Melvin doing the marrying than the couple getting married. The
Ferrises are happy but a bit stiff to socialize. Patrick Ferris is
publicly drunk to his familys chagrin and comes onto Brittany to
no avail despite their common descent into alcoholism.
Lighthearted music. In Rio de Janeiro, Tyler shakes hands with a
man who gives him a briefcase. He boards a flight to Santo Domingo.
A Dominican female attendant helps him with the carry-on. She
touches his hand. Once seated, he applies sanitizer. We see Tyler
in a car outside the National Palace. He takes a headband similarly
designed as Synapts Crown from the briefcase and dons it. Security
waves him through. He has a cheerful meeting with the Dominican
President. Flight to Port-au-Prince. Sanitizer. Dons headband.
Meeting with Haitian President. Tyler checks into penthouse suite

23

of five-star hotel. He takes a bath, surrounded by gold and marble.

Doorbell rings, he opens door to welcome male escort. Tyler is
serviced. Handsome tip. He stirs a nightcap. Takes a sip. Bedtime.
Lights out.
2019 July 25. News of Patrick Ferriss mayoral campaign
announcement via Crown interface. Press of the candidate denouncing
Mums activities and calling for a manhunt to determine his
whereabouts and secure an arrest.
In Emilys office, she is exasperated by but enjoying her
conversation.
EMILY
You've got to be kidding me.
NICK
What?
EMILY
You're wearing that to the audition?
NICK
What's wrong with it?
EMILY
What's wrong is that you have no idea how to accentuate your own
assets.
NICK
No ass here, Emily.
EMILY
Funny. I mean that you have a slim physique, which many people
would die for. Gives the illusion of height as well. You might
never be muscle-bound, but you have to find a way for every person
you interact with to be attracted to you.
NICK
And how do I go about that?
EMILY
Take that off. You look like a mountain Sherpa waiting for puberty.
NICK
Thats because its from Nepal. You haven't met a Sherpa.
EMILY
Neither has any casting director in New York City. Here, try this
on. This might work too. These pants.

24

NICK
Too tight.
EMILY
That looks great!
She snaps a shot of him with her headband.
NICK
I can hardly breathe in this outfit, let alone act.
EMILY
Christopher Reeve seemed to do it fine. You can too.
NICK
This isn't a costume. I'm just going to an audition!
EMILY
I'm remaking you Nicholas Sham. No one said it wouldn't hurt.
Meanwhile, at the Synapt office, William King animatedly explains
something to an impatient Melvin.
MELVIN
You're boring me. He's boring me. Why is he boring me?
Synapt COO Daniel Rosenthal tries to calm him down. Melvin rushes
along to his office.
DANIEL
Will, sorry man. I don't think we'll be collaborating in the near
future.
WILLIAM
Yeah, I can see that. Melvin's kind of a prick!
DANIEL
He's just got a one-track mind. Anything ahead of him is in his way,
and anything to either side is irrelevant. I love how far you've
gotten with Plunder though. Twenty million users?
WILLIAM
Yeah. And it's a pretty even gender split.
DANIEL
That's incredible.
WILLIAM

25

At this point, it's clear that we're the most viral dating app in
the country. Huge demand in the UK now as well.
DANIEL
You going to expand?
WILLIAM
Sure, but like Melvin, I've gotten kind of bored with our business
model. Any young person with hormones can predict that a "Hot or
Not" game with pretty user interface and real meet-ups will quickly
become popular everywhere there is internet access.
Daniel laughs.
WILLIAM
I do think we're onto something though. The real genius of Plunder
lies in the binary true-or-false mechanic, which can be applied to
content other than profile photos of teenagers flexing and
puckering. I'll keep running Plunder to help people everywhere get
laid, but my next step is combining entertainment and education.
DANIEL
Education. Did I just hear you correctly? Don't you have better
things to be doing with your time?
WILLIAM
I got bored... and tired. We're raising our Series B soon, I'm on
magazine covers-DANIEL
GQ's "Most Eligible Techie," right?
WILLIAM
Yeah. And the Plunder team parties. All the time. With groupies. I
feel like One Direction or something. Everything's sore.
DANIEL
I got it.
WILLIAM
So, I figured I'd try my hand at something new! Broaden my horizons.
Help me grow up. And online education's so hot right now. I have to
get in it.
DANIEL
Still really hard to believe my ears, but I'm happy for you buddy.
Sounds like Melvin's off the wagon for now. I can try to coax him.
What were you going to pitch?
WILLIAM

26

Thanks Dan. A collaboration between Sal's School, Synapt, and

Plunder's dev team. Melvin's headband opens up a ton of
possibilities for interactive learning, but we can start with
creating a follow-up retention and entertainment module for one of
Sal's math courses, like Pre-algebra, say a half hour long, of
three rapid-fire yes-no testing sections covering course material,
interspersed with two "commercial" sections with a well acted and
produced mini film of, for example, a child entrepreneur managing
her sneaker resale business using pre-algebra, making mad bank and
demonstrating the topic's practical relevance. Education
consumption exactly the way TV and advertising do it in a thirtyminute program, except reversing the informative and entertaining
segments. All done with eye movements, so the kid covers several
hundreds of questions in that time.
DANIEL
Will, that is awesome. I actually think Melvin will love that idea.
WILLIAM
Our team will make the software if Synapt gives us access to their
API.
DANIEL
Of course. I'll ask him!
WILLIAM
Cool. Uh, but dont tell him what I said.
DANIEL
Definitely not. I dont want to lose my job.
WILLIAM
Hey, we're having a thing next week. You should come. Bring your
fiance!
DANIEL
Sure, I'll ask her. I just proposed How do you know already?
William grins.
WILLIAM
Most eligible techie. I hear things. Really happy for you man. Um,
youre technically marrying your bosss sister though. Isnt that
weird?
Daniel laughs.
DANIEL
Kind of. Their family loves me though. Mel will get used to it.

27

WILLIAM
My boys all grown up. Alright, gotta run. See you and Faiza soon!
Weeks later, Emily shares a bottle of wine with Brittany at a back
table in Juniper Bar.
EMILY
This city has very big problems. However, as much as I appreciate
Patrick Ferriss bravado, I find it hard to support a candidate who
intentionally scapegoats a real symbol of progress.
BRITTANY
Youre right that sensationalism isn't progress. Which is why
supporting the masked figure's crimes for the sake of New York is
like trying to save a frostbitten mountain climber's life by
throwing him into scalding water. He and Patrick may be equally
likely to exacerbate violence in this city, but at least Pat shows
his face.
EMILY
The mask is consistent though! From everything he does, it seems
that equality, social and economic, are what he stands for. Isn't
that more reliable than a politician?
BRITTANY
Political candidates are dishonest and inconsistent, but at least
we can find out when they've been bought out.
EMILY
Americans are still so strange to me. You've been devaluing
compromise and moderation for years, and promoting extremes-extreme capitalism, extreme super-sized cars, extreme super-sized
fast food, extreme fitness to get rid of it, extreme steroidal
sports, extreme steroidal politics, extreme galactic films, way too
many superhero movies--and when a real-life hero emerges... He's
too much for you? If he can do whatever he likes without being
stopped, what makes you think money is even important to him?
BRITTANY
Pleasure lies in indulgence Emily. We like pleasure, we like the
short game, and we like control over it all. That man's clearly
uncontrollable, so we're naturally afraid of him. My point is, if
he can feign participation in our society enough to break a bunch
of rules, he can feign a little more obedience.
EMILY
And what of his freedom to express himself?
BRITTANY
Please. That's for normal people.

28

EMILY
So a normal person like Patrick has license for slander and libel?
BRITTANY
Well, yes. And his supporters will have to trust his freedom. Don't
be so cynical. Patrick may be indelicate, but he's not an idiot.
EMILY
I've yet to be convinced.
BRITTANY
So are you looking to be his Lois Lane or something?
Emily laughs.
EMILY
I enjoy playing devil's advocate. Alexi's the real fan. I think
it's all too dramatic to be real. An elaborate parlor trick.
BRITTANY
Ah, of course. A great instrument of propaganda. Aren't
conspiracies even more dramatic?
EMILY
Hm.
Emily puts on a pensive look.
EMILY
With enough to drink!
Brittany laughs as Emily pours them both wine.
Nick lives the life. He lands a corporate IT instructional video.
Several background roles in the Ghostbusters reboot. A spray
deodorant commercial. He walks dogs, babysits wealthy kids, works
the desk at a studio. Hes kicked out of an underwear ad because
his bodys covered in scars. Out of a childrens theater role for
not playing big enough. Out of a magician gig for falling asleep
while being cut in half in front of the audience.
The masked figure apprehends criminals, prevents traffic accidents,
leaves doormat gifts for teachers, confiscates guns. Lots of guns.
Posts defamatory images of people he catches with dry captions on
Reddit. Everything signed off with Mum. They become memes, which
go viral. Instagram, Twitter, WeChat, Weibo. Pop-culture commentary
on Medium. Jokes of Mum for President appear. Fans make a
Facebook page, start creating ads on his behalf. All via Crown
headband interface. Mums cleaning up your mess again. Watch your

29

mouth, or Mum will wash it out with soap. Mum swag, Mum candy, Mum
on talk shows. No one actually knows Mum.
One day, Nick and Olivia finish a candlelit steak dinner in her
apartment. Nick plays with his unused spoon.
NICK
I often ask myself, What's the point? We live in a society so
curated, so contained, so obsessed with correctness and efficiency,
and so many people are unhappy. The poor are unhappy, the wealthy
are unhappy. We have too much pride to love people we don't know
and have to gain from, and quickly enough there isn't any love left
for those closest to us.
OLIVIA
Love isn't a rational thing. It's the opposite. It's a choice we
make despite evidence, despite reason and likelihood for longevity,
despite clear benefit to our daytime, curated, correct selves. I
love you for who you are just as much as who you aren't any longer,
and who you may become in the future. You've transformed more than
any other person I've known in my life, and I've watched you
through most of that transition. You have a hero complex, but
you're very bad at being one. Someone so somber and jaded can
hardly make the world a better place. At the same time, your
distance from what we idolize is the same amplitude that allows you
to grow immensely if someone has faith in you.
NICK
Have I always been so difficult?
OLIVIA
Oh boy. Yeah.
NICK
Why do you love me?
OLIVIA
Because you're you. Do you love me?
NICK
I think so, but only because you love me first.
OLIVIA
Haha, that's fine! That's all we need.
NICK
Watch this. Don't freak out.
Nick blunts the steak knife against his hand.

30

OLIVIA
That's new.
NICK
Yes. I have no idea what to say to you.
OLIVIA
Somehow unsurprising. So you're him.
NICK
Aren't you-OLIVIA
No.
Olivia kisses Nick. They fall to the floor, making love for the
first time.
Weeks later. In Brittanys corner office at McKinsey & Company, she
and Darby Bean discuss her person of interest.
BRITTANY
What do we know about him?
DARBY
He's kind of a badass.
BRITTANY
Excuse me?
DARBY
Sorry. I just think this guy might be exactly the person, the
symbol, we all need right now. The world's pretty messed up.
BRITTANY
Careful, you're starting to sound like Melvin.
DARBY
I like sounding like smart people.
BRITTANY
Can you just help me figure out something substantive about his
activities or identity? The internet's on fire, and you're our head
data scientist for a reason.
DARBY
Sure. But if you're doing data work for a sneaky investigation off
the corporate agenda... You're dating Melvin Khan. I mean, I know
I'm sick at my job... But your boyfriend's Melvin Khan.

31

BRITTANY
Sounds like you want him to be your boyfriend Melvin Khan. Want me
to set up an interview?
Darby laughs.
DARBY
No! I mean, I'd have to leave my job here first.
Brittany stares at him. Darby stops laughing.
DARBY
What was it you wanted to know?
BRITTANY
Mine social media for suggestions on his identity. Narrow down the
demographics. The whole world is guessing who he is right now.
Perfect to harness-DARBY
Crowdsourced deduction.
BRITTANY
Yes.
DARBY
You should be a data scientist.
BRITTANY
I'm too busy being your boss.
DARBY
Touch. So do you have an epithet for him?
BRITTANY
Like a tagline?
DARBY
Well, every superhero needs one! And nows the perfect time.
There's been so much hype since Patrick Ferris announced his
mayoral campaign and the "call-to-arms" to find the masked figure
who he weirdly refuses to acknowledge by name. He's pretending to
de-escalate vigilante attention to sensationalize his own political
career, so-BRITTANY
That is some paranoid logic Darby.
DARBY
Is it though?

32

Slight coffee jitter.

BRITTANY
I know the guy.
DARBY
Sorry Brittany. It's just pretty clear what a person like that's
intentions are.
BRITTANY
You may be right. I'm close friends with Olivia, but her brother's
a very different person. Anyway, I'm more concerned with results
than what people's intentions are. I think this man's dangerous,
really dangerous, and anyone who wants to help apprehend him is
useful. Patrick can play the crowd all he wants.
DARBY
Such a pragmatist. Well, if we want to learn about the guy's agenda,
geography, and potential identity using everyone's ideas, hype will
definitely help. Appropriating his identity would stoke discussion,
and we can see how he reacts too. A tagline!
BRITTANY
We dont need to give the guy a slogan. Lets just create a name to
counter his.
DARBY
Fine. I can drop it everywhere with different aliases so it catches.
Brittany stands to look out the window.
BRITTANY
Titling a global brand. Needs to be pronounceable everywhere in the
world, so mono or disyllabic, R's and S's and plosive consonants
aren't good, and we want open vowel sounds. Especially good if it
contains a Latin root and has roughly the same meaning, same image
across Romance languages.
DARBY
Are you a linguistics expert or something?
BRITTANY
Something that stirs controversy.
DARBY
Draws a moral line?
BRITTANY
Exactly. And what does that better than religion.

33

DARBY
Religious imagery? Biblical?
BRITTANY
Luz significa "light" en Espaol.
DARBY
S.
BRITTANY
Luz. Lucifer.
DARBY
Qu listo.
BRITTANY
Luca.
DARBY
He brings light to the world. Well, chaos in your eyes.
BRITTANY
Yes.
DARBY
Luca. Me gusta!
That evening, in Johns office. His lanky frame leans nonchalantly
against the desk, his gaze rigid, attention arrested by beauty and
mystery. Johns mouth moves as if animated in a portrait; it speaks
calmly to a captive audience.
NICK
The marks, scars, on my body?
JOHN
A few are where we injected you. Primary injection sites were at
large skeletal muscles. Skin on your legs, arms, and spots on your
back had a violent reaction if I remember correctly, as if we'd
poured lye on it. Some are scars from you seizing against
restraints. The fact that you still have them means your
accelerated healing didn't kick in for a bit. Though, if you really
wanted them gone, I imagine you could pare off those parts of your
skin now and watch them heal over perfectly.
NICK
They're a visual reminder of something inhuman. You did all this to
someone you barely knew? The operation you describe was crazy
enough that I could have died.

34

JOHN
You are right, you could have died. The experiment aggressively
incorporated the newest regenerative therapies, and we retranscribed a lot of your genes. Your body overcompensates and
strengthens in response to stress much more acutely than normal
humans. We gradually gave you a lot of stress in one night. Enough
to shred, pull apart, and puncture a rhinoceros horn. I imagine
youve been through quite a bit since. Your cells become multi and
pluripotent when they're not homeostatic. You don't atrophy. You
will get stronger. You're not like a sponge or nematode though.
Dont think youll regrow half your body if something manages to
lop it off.
NICK
What was my chance of survival?
JOHN
One in ten if we were lucky.
NICK
That's unbelievable. You're not a gambler.
JOHN
Not a dumb one. You are remarkable, but there are seven billion
people. I was willing to spend ten or twenty years of my life to
complete the task.
NICK
How many failed attempts before me?
JOHN
None. It was the luckiest we could have been. You were also wrong,
Nick. We weren't fresh acquaintances. I did all this to someone I
knew better than any other individual in the world. Every single
iota of information about your birth, childhood, upbringing,
activities, travels, studies, public social media and private
musings, goals, aspirations, and most importantly, immediate
behavior--interactions with closest friends and family to
extrapolatable network effects on other first and second and third
degree connections, even fourth and fifth and sixth degree to the
inclusion of the entire world population with models simplified
enough on broadly prosocial and antisocial behavior. All of this I
researched and examined tirelessly for a full year. What the world
would look like if made in your image.
NICK
Oh my god. Why? Why did you do this?
JOHN

35

Do you remember the commencement speech I gave at your graduation?

I rambled about history, and the quandary of maintaining peace and
happiness while allowing for competition and diversity of
expression as people need. Monolithic, centralized power in one
giant state under a single family name or ideology, or complete
democracy. Both systems vary in effectiveness depending on culture
and size of society. Socialism works well in tiny Scandinavian
states. Communism just as well. Look at Cuba. China though, is
enormous. Governing monolithically there is a nightmare. Two
hundred mass protests a day, on average. The US can't point fingers.
We're a capitalist democracy, and most people here have no idea why
the Electoral College exists. Same issue. We're at nearly fourhundred million people now, with huge variation in education level
across the votership, and we can't well expect to have a purely
popular system of representation in a country this huge if we place
any value on education. The media and government don't term it this
way, but America is civil warring. Violence between classes,
violence between races, violence between religious faiths, and then
complicated permutations of the above. If we go with a single allpowerful leader who can dictate laws and command a military, the
person inevitably becomes a tyrant. Power is not innocent. The
truth is there is no answer, and the human race is at enormous risk
of driving itself to extinction. The one percent of one percent
like myself innovate at breakneck speed, but there is no fruit to
our labor that actually solves the problem of sustainable peace and
happiness.
But what if there were an answer? There have been monarchs and
leaders in history powerful and magnanimous enough to ensure both
for a fairly long time. Who have been both intellectual and
spiritual enough to delegate to institutions of their reign as well
as inspire everyday people to live contently with one another. Not
oppressively, and not trusting the people's moral economy and
emotional well-being entirely to an objective and rational system
like capitalism or democratic legislation, but just so. Balancing
leadership with inspiration. Endowed with immense humility and fear
of power. Shepherds in king's robes. Populations need economy, and
populations with economy need the state. That entire system needs a
moral compass. The Shepherd in King's Robes. Who doesn't sit in
office anywhere, and who doesn't run an enterprise. You, who
understand both intricately but ultimately haven't wanted either,
are him.
NICK
What?
JOHN
People ask themselves of God, "Is he aware of all of our suffering
and allows and distributes evil because he himself is not good? Or
is he aware of and sympathetic to our suffering but does not

36

possess the power to stop all of it?" Either way, we are on a

derailing train, and you are the one to steady it because you are
not him. Everyone wants to be God, and you do not. You are one of
the very few who fit the role, who are strong enough, and now you
have a form just a bit less fragile than what God gave Man.
NICK
If you have all this faith, wouldn't you have tried to make me
immortal?
JOHN
We of course thought about extending your lifespan, but you would
think and feel very differently if you were immortal, or invincible.
You'd be removed from the cares of normal people. Instead, your
spirit will reincarnate by you picking the next person to assume
your responsibility.
NICK
You never asked. You're a monster.
JOHN
Think about it Nick. Most people in your situation would have
leveled the building in rage or gone to create a throne in the Oval
Office by now. Instead, you're contemplating the gravity of
everything, as you always have. Four years ago, the moment you were
getting bored with making money with that trading scheme, and
Olivia flipped the switch by showing her disappointment, I knew you
were ready.
NICK
Do not say her name.
JOHN
Not to worry, this isn't some Truman Show conspiracy with a
beautiful girl planted to keep you grounded. You would be you with
or without Olivia Ferris. Your mother and you survived the loss of
your father, which was the most formative relationship of your life.
That loss was the critical influence of your most impressionable
years. You've largely been this Nick since, and you've continued to
be despite rushing to natural disasters and poor communities and
seeing the pain and depravity of the world. There is an inherence
to you.
NICK
Stop.
JOHN
You will never kill anyone. And, even though you don't believe you
are incorruptible, you don't trust my methodology, nor do you trust

37

your abilities to anyone else, so you won't kill yourself. You will
bear the pain, and you will persist.
NICK
Stop!
JOHN
I'm sorry, Nick. Thank you for everything that you are. You will
not go unappreciated.
John leaves Nick, who collapses to his knees.
2018 August 11. Early morning in East Bronx, we catch Branden
Fuller at the end of an argument with his family before he leaves
the house. The street is empty. Speed-walking angrily, he looks up
and notices an area under construction. We next see Branden running,
jumping, and swinging about construction scaffolding, which shakes
precariously. His movements free and oblivious. The scaffolding
falls, and a quickly moving shadow descends upon him before black.
A figure wearing a hoodie emerges from the pile. Branden stands
with the mans help.
NICK
Are you okay?
Branden is shocked and silent.
NICK
Hey. Are you hurt?
BRANDEN
No.
Nick moves to leave.
BRANDEN
Are you?
Nick walks away.
BRANDEN
Thank you!
Branden runs after him.
NICK
No problem. Please don't follow me.
BRANDEN
Your back's not hurt?

38

NICK
It is. I'm going to the hospital.
BRANDEN
You don't look hurt.
NICK
I'm good at playing tough. Like you, right?
BRANDEN
What are you a superhero?
NICK
What? What do you mean?
BRANDEN
Can you fly?
NICK
You must read a lot of comics.
BRANDEN
I watch shows.
NICK
I like them too. No, I'm not a superhero. I can't fly or be super.
Which way is the hospital from here?
Branden punches Nicks back.
BRANDEN
I'm sorry, I was so sure, I had to check! I'm not an idiot.
NICK
I bet you're really smart. It's not good to hit people. I'm going
this way now. You can follow me, but you'll get tired eventually.
Branden stops walking with a huge grin on his face.
BRANDEN
See you later, Flightless Man.
Nick continues walking, shaking his head. He doesnt notice Carlos
Fernandez watching from a parked car.
That afternoon, Nick walks into a building in Harlem managed by
Carlos.
NICK

39

Hi. I just moved to the area, and I'm looking for a cheap room. Is
there one available in the building?
CARLOS
There are a few. What's your budget?
NICK
Um, four hundred.
CARLOS
Really? Man, even here that's hard.
NICK
Here is the closest fit I could find. You'd normally tell me the
price. Are we haggling?
CARLOS
Maybe a little. Man's always gotta see. Seems like you're used to
it.
NICK
So?
CARLOS
Six hundred.
NICK
Four-fifty.
CARLOS
Five.
NICK
Four-sixty.
CARLOS
Five.
NICK
I won't have any left to eat.
CARLOS
Hm, most people would sound a bit more nervous saying that.
NICK
I can keep looking.
CARLOS
Can't let you do that.

40

NICK
Why?
CARLOS
I like you. You seem like a good kid. Wise.
NICK
Kid?
CARLOS
S, joven. How about free?
NICK
What?
CARLOS
I'll let you live here for free.
NICK
Listen, man. I don't really have time to play around.
CARLOS
Let me show you the space.
A bewildered Nick follows Carlos up the stairs. They enter a
utility room with exposed pipes, a couch nestled in it.
CARLOS
Here it is. No shower though. There's water on the roof. You mind?
NICK
Um, no. That's fine. Thank you. I'm Nick.
CARLOS
Carlos.
NICK
Carlos, I appreciate it. Why are you doing this?
CARLOS
There actually aren't any rooms left.
NICK
Oh.
CARLOS
I don't mind. Seems like you could use it. Breakfast at six every
morning at mine in 3L.
Nick is speechless.

41

CARLOS
Goodwill goes around.
Carlos exits down the stairs.
NICK
Six?
Weeks later, Nick is walking through Washington Square Park.
EMILY
Hey!
Nick looks over his shoulder. He matches the voice to the person
he's felt stalking him in the park. He stops walking.
EMILY
Hi.
NICK
Hi?
EMILY
Are you an actor?
NICK
Kind of. Just starting.
EMILY
I've seen you. My name's Emily. I'm an agent.
NICK
Nick.
EMILY
I was just meeting a friend at the Tisch Talent Guild, and he was
showing me some student work. They had a spec commercial reel, and
I saw you. The locker room comedy?
NICK
Oh. Yeah, that was me.
EMILY
That's great. I mean you were great.
NICK
You're saying that from an unaired student commercial?
EMILY

42

You didn't do anything. And you were hilarious. I was a little

mesmerized to be honest.
NICK
Wow. Um, thank you. It was a good script.
EMILY
I'd love to work with you. I'm assuming no one's representing you?
Nick laughs.
NICK
No.
EMILY
Here's my card. Feel free to take a look at my website and work.
Other clients, their portfolios. We're an open community. My office
is close to here.
NICK
Thanks.
EMILY
So few words. Saving it, huh?
Nick smiles.
NICK
Sure.
EMILY
Daniel Day-Lewis. Well, take your time. I hope to hear from you
Nick.
NICK
Thanks a lot Emily.
That night, a masked figure breaks into the office of U.S. Senator
Ted Farrow, incapacitating security staff and surprising the
senator himself, who sits motionless at his desk as the man walks
in his door. As his left hand begins reaching for an alarm button
under his desk, the figure suddenly appears next to him. He holds
the Senators hand still, by his little finger.
MASKED FIGURE
Have you heard of Pavlov?
FARROW
Pavlov's dogs. Yes, I've heard of him.

43

MASKED FIGURE
Pioneered and won the Nobel Prize for psychology's foundational
principles of classical conditioning. The man who ascertained that
animals can and will act according to positive and negative
associations established with their most basic likes and dislikes.
Animals like eating and fucking, so anything that we connect with
the positive emotions of either, we learn to like. Animals dislike
pain-He squeezes the tip of Farrows finger slightly.
MASKED FIGURE
You're right-handed, right? Animals dislike pain, so anything we
connect with our negative emotions toward pain, we learn to dislike.
Pavlov did it all with dogs. So we owe a lot to dogs. Do you have a
dog?
FARROW
Yes.
MASKED FIGURE
Do you take care of it?
FARROW
Yes. We take care of her.
MASKED FIGURE
That's good to hear. Animals also mirror each other's emotions,
especially within the same species. If a dog sees another dog
experience pain, it has its own empathetic experience that serves
the ecological purpose of conditioning it, and in turn its puppies,
from walking through the same thorny bush, challenging the same
toothy mountain lion, barking at the same belligerent owner. Humans
are animals. Which is why it's so curious how human beings can
break models of behavior and disprove their own established
theories the moment we are aware of them.
He squeezes again.
MASKED FIGURE
We dislike pain, so we should dislike seeing pain in other people.
Don't you agree?
Farrow sweats and shakes profusely.
MASKED FIGURE
Unless someone else is preventing our own eating and fucking, or
our and our offspring's safety and likelihood of passing on our
superior genes, a human being couldn't possibly take pleasure in
another human being's pain.

44

He squeezes, still gently.

MASKED FIGURE
I'm not hurting you, am I, Senator Farrow?
FARROW
No.
MASKED FIGURE
That's good. I'm enjoying our chat, but you seem so nervous. Have
you passed on your superior genes Senator?
FARROW
Wh-what?
MASKED FIGURE
Do you have children?
FARROW
Yes. I have a daughter.
MASKED FIGURE
Do you take care of her?
FARROW
Yes.
MASKED FIGURE
That's wonderful.
Squeeze. Farrow spasms in fear.
MASKED FIGURE
Do you cause your daughter pain?
FARROW
No. Of course not.
MASKED FIGURE
Naturally. You're her father. Your constituents, do you think of
them as your children?
FARROW
Um, no.
MASKED FIGURE
No. I guess that would feel a bit patronizing. They have their own
families and children though. You're a man with strong family
values, which I understand is one of the main reasons you have so

45

much support. The people who have voted for you, chosen you to lead,
do you value their families? Their children?
FARROW
Of course.
MASKED FIGURE
You empathize with other people like you, who want to protect and
raise their offspring, as freely from danger and pain as is in your
power to ensure?
FARROW
Yes.
Farrow tries to move, but a hand is on his shoulder. It's like
struggling against the automatic restraint on a roller coaster seat.
MASKED FIGURE
Your daughter. What's her name?
FARROW
Elizabeth.
MASKED FIGURE
How old is Elizabeth?
FARROW
Twenty.
He slowly pulls Farrows seat back to reveal a female intern
kneeling under his large desk. She's blindfolded with a silk tie,
staying as quiet as she can. Her blouse is open, and she's wearing
no bra. The Senators pants and underwear are around his ankles.
MASKED FIGURE
And how old is she?
Farrow is silent. He is still shaking, his finger still daintily
erect.
MASKED FIGURE
How old are you miss?
INTERN
Twenty.
MASKED FIGURE
What a coincidence. Senator, what are your thoughts on womens
health?

46

Silence.
MASKED FIGURE
He's pro life, yes?
The intern pushes her blindfold up.
INTERN
Yes.
MASKED FIGURE
And you?
INTERN
Yes, I am.
MASKED FIGURE
Stephanie, right? I hear you had a visit to Planned Parenthood last
week. Why were you there?
INTERN
I went... to have an abortion.
MASKED FIGURE
That doesn't make sense. Why would a woman who is pro life go to
have an abortion?
INTERN
Senator Farrow told me to set the appointment.
MASKED FIGURE
Really? Your being pregnant seems like such a personal matter.
Nothing to do with work, and definitely not your boss's business.
INTERN
It was his child.
MASKED FIGURE
No! You two--You wanted to have his child?
INTERN
No.
MASKED FIGURE
Did you want to abort it?
INTERN
No.
MASKED FIGURE

47

What do you want then?

INTERN
I don't know.
She begins to sob.
MASKED FIGURE
I'm sorry.
His sarcasm disappears. His voice becomes quiet. Monotone.
MASKED FIGURE
She's someone's daughter. Someone who voted for you. She voted for
you. Put you in a position of power. She believed in you so much
that she came to work for you. Look at her now.
Farrow stares at his desk.
MASKED FIGURE
Look at her. Got herself into Cornell, and networked her way to
your office. Looks something like a sex slave. Her body your
receptacle, her values destroyed. Elizabeth is safe in her dorm.
You'd hope so.
The Senator is expressionless. He looks like a defeated lab rat,
desensitized to electric shocks.
MASKED FIGURE
You're a dog if I've ever seen one. Luckily, that means you can
learn.
His jovial tone returns.
MASKED FIGURE
Well, it feels like I've overstayed my welcome. Sorry for the
intrusion.
He snaps Farrows little finger at the middle. Bone protrudes
through the skin. Farrow screams in agony.
MASKED FIGURE
You'll resign tomorrow. Or we can make this a regular thing. We'll
call it date night.
The figure hops through the window.
News of the Senators resignation the following day, via Crown
interface.

48

A week later. Nick finishes breakfast in 3L.

CARLOS
You dont eat much.
Nick cradles and stares at his emptied coffee cup as if it holds
the Mona Lisa detailed in latte foam.
NICK
Huh? Oh, yeah. I dont need it.
Carlos is baffled. Nick worries hes offended.
NICK
Nothing against your cooking though! Love chorizo. Never had it for
breakfast. The earlier you have it, the better it tastes I guess.
So tasty. The tastiest.
CARLOS
Uh, yeah. Want more coffee?
NICK
Yes. Plea-Nick stops. He hears unfamiliar footsteps, unfamiliar loitering.
NICK
Actually, Im fine. I have to go rehearse for an audition. Dont
want to burn myself out before I get there.
CARLOS
Okay.
NICK
Thanks so much Carlos. Youre my savior.
CARLOS
Its just sausage buddy. No problem.
NICK
Gotta run.
CARLOS
Good luck. You should probably get some rest beforehand?
NICK
Oh, no worries there. I get lots of rest. That couch is great.
CARLOS
Uh-huh.

49

NICK
Hasta luego!
CARLOS
Nos vemos.
Nick steps outside the building.
MELVIN
What up baby.
Nick smiles.
MELVIN
Nice digs.
NICK
Glad you like it. Been trying to make it nice for you, then you go
and surprise me like this.
They hug. Melvin examines him.
NICK
Facial recognition?
MELVIN
You bet. I look for you every month, even as our user base grows,
and nothings ever turned up. A part of my routine now. Every month,
for the last four years. Then suddenly a bunch of matches all at
one time, in the New York metropolitan area. Like you appeared out
of nowhere. Lead me here.
NICK
Wow, thats some big-brother shit! I see Crown everywhere. Youve
built such an amazing company.
MELVIN
Thanks.
A pause. Theres distance. Maybe they can bridge it.
MELVIN
I dont openly spy on all our customers or anything. Just run a
single search for your face every few weeks. I couldnt help it.
NICK
Oh, I know. Figured you would find me. Its so great to see you.
You look good.

50

MELVIN
You too.
NICK
And Liv?
MELVIN
Shes great. Finishing med school. She matched at Presbyterian, so
shell be doing residency there.
NICK
Thats so great.
MELVIN
Yeah. It is. Well, she wasnt always great. If you mean her life,
it fell apart actually. After you disappeared. Mine too, until I
threw myself into Synapt. She did the same with medicine.
NICK
Im sorry.
MELVIN
Hey man. Its fine, its not about that. Years pass, life happens,
and Im just happy to see you. Whered you go?
NICK
Ive been a lot of places.
MELVIN
Were you in Nepal?
NICK
Yeah, at first. Then Liberia, then Haiti.
MELVIN
I see. Looking for conflict, doing humanitarian work?
NICK
Something like that.
So little to share. Like another person entirely. An impostor,
almost. Gears click.
MELVIN
Well, I can tell youre different. Are you here to stay?
NICK
Probably. Yeah.
MELVIN

51

Need a job?
NICK
Im good, thanks. Just started acting actually.
MELVIN
No kidding. Making a living?
NICK
Ive got some saved, but the landlord here is letting me squat.
Hes great. Takes off some pressure.
MELVIN
Thats great. Hope youre enjoying it.
NICK
Really great. Performing feels a bit weird at first, but theres
something strangely therapeutic about it.
MELVIN
I can imagine.
NICK
I actually have to get ready for an audition. Can we have dinner
this week?
MELVIN
Oh no, definitely. Hey, you must have heard the craziest news when
you got back. Theres a dude. With super strength. Goes around
fighting crime. Like, actually.
NICK
Oh yeah, so ridiculous. Is it a hoax?
MELVIN
I dont know. Hes been seen only briefly on camera. Several
sightings though, and he apparently talks. So should only take a
few days or weeks to have exact body dimensions and a vocal match
with our technology. Funny. Its so obvious. Its like he knows
hes exposed and doesnt even care.
NICK
Yeah. Sounds crazy.
MELVIN
Synapts pretty focused on developing our platform at the moment,
to say the least, so forensic investigations arent really a
priority at all. We will be opening API access for developers all
over the world to create software for Crown though. Pretty soon.
Itll be, like, a couple hours before the world knows who this

52

superhero guy is. Unless we establish certain restrictions on what

kinds of apps people can create, or what kinds of data our device
collects that is accessible to developers. And law enforcement.
Whove been knocking on our door this week.
NICK
Yeah, funny. Well, sounds like theyll be all over the guy soon.
Youve given it a lot of thought.
MELVIN
Nick. Is it you?
NICK
Thats a jump.
MELVIN
You appeared at the exact same time. And his behavior. Something
about it seems familiar. I hear hes making stupid jokes while
doing ridiculous shit. Its you, isnt it?
NICK
Well. Yeah.
MELVIN
Dude! I knew it! You broke the Senators finger??
NICK
That wasnt exactly the point of our meeting.
MELVIN
I know, he resigned! How did this-NICK
I dont know.
MELVIN
Did someone do something to-NICK
I dont know.
MELVIN
So youre a demigod, and Earth is your playground?
NICK
Definitely not.
MELVIN
Im losing my mind. We can team up, and I can protect your identity,
and you can solve the worlds problems!

53

NICK
Um, I dont think Im capable of that.
MELVIN
This is so fucking cool. You are the unpaid god of order.
NICK
Stop that.
MELVIN
Do you have a name yet?
NICK
I have a few ideas.
MELVIN
Oh man. Oh my god. Oh. My-NICK
Seriously. Quiet down.
Melvin rubs his hands.
MELVIN
Dinner tonight?
NICK
I have to shoot an NYU kids PSA.
MELVIN
Tomorrow then?
NICK
Um, okay.
MELVIN
Does anyone else-NICK
Know? No.
MELVIN
Yes!!!
That night, at Titan Lounge, Patrick Ferris enjoys a fifth (or
sixth?) round of drinks with Derek Nixon.
DEREK NIXON
Pat, this is Samantha. Old friend of mine.

54

PATRICK
Hi Samantha.
SAMANTHA
Hi there.
Patrick tucks a couple hundreds into the top of her dress. Samantha
takes his hand and leads him toward the back of the lounge. In a
dark private room, they begin to kiss. Samantha kisses Patricks
face, neck, chest, and stomach. She unzips his pants.
SAMANTHA
Oh!
Patrick lights a cigar. He closes his eyes.
Minutes later, Samantha kisses her way back up to eye level. She
turns around and presses against him.
SAMANTHA
Mm, you're fun. Guess what I'm not wearing.
PATRICK
You know, I have a few more of these.
Patrick reaches into his jacket and fans out three more cigars.
SAMANTHA
Oh, but I don't smoke cigars!
PATRICK
I wasn't asking you to smoke them.
SAMANTHA
You. Are. Kinky. But I really want to feel you.
Samantha reaches her hand back.
PATRICK
We have time to experiment.
SAMANTHA
I don't think so.
PATRICK
I'll decide that.
Samantha squeezes. Her expression changes, as does Patricks. She
turns back around to face him.

55

SAMANTHA
I said, it's not happening.
Samantha shoves Patrick, who loses balance and falls to the floor.
She takes her bag and leaves the room. Still grimacing, he pulls a
small clear bag out of his jacket.
Later, a bouncer walks down the hallway and takes quick looks into
open rooms. He sees a closed door and opens it. Patrick is passed
out.
BOUNCER
Sir.
No response from Patrick.
BOUNCER
Sir.
No response. The bouncer checks his pulse. Then moves to pick him
up.
PATRICK
Hey. Hey!
BOUNCER
Let's get you up.
PATRICK
Hey! What? No! I close my eyes for a second, and I wake up to you
touching me?
BOUNCER
Your door's been closed for an hour, sir. There was no one in here
with you.
PATRICK
Get off me!
Patrick pushes off of him, losing his balance again. The bouncer
moves to grab him before he falls. Patrick stumbles against the
wall. He sways, and hits the bouncer in the face. The mans
attentive demeanor disappears.
BOUNCER
That's it.

56

The lounge's back entrance opens, and the bouncer throws Patrick
out with his pants and briefs still down. Patrick, very drunk,
stoned, and defeated, passes out again.
A few minutes later, Samantha steps out the back to have a
cigarette. She turns and sees Patrick on the ground.
SAMANTHA
The precious moments.
She takes out her phone and makes a call.
SAMANTHA
Hello, I'd like to anonymously report a man who needs medical
attention. Yes. Titan Bar & Lounge, around the back. The idiot with
his pants down. Thank you.
She finishes her cigarette and goes back inside.
The following morning, Nick walks into Joe Coffee. Emily greets him
with excitement.
EMILY
Hey Nick!
NICK
Hey.
EMILY
Great to see you. Thanks for calling so soon.
NICK
You too. Youre convincing.
EMILY
Do you want anything? I'm already working on a cappuccino.
NICK
Oh, I'm fine, thanks.
EMILY
Do you drink coffee?
NICK
Yeah.
EMILY
Are you allergic to dairy?
NICK

57

No.
EMILY
Hey, can we have another cappuccino?
BARISTA
Yup! I'll bring it over Emily.
Emily smiles at Nick.
EMILY
Sorry, I can't consume and not share. Makes me really uncomfortable.
She sits down. Nick follows suit.
EMILY
I visited Japan for the first time last year, and it blew me away.
The food, the art, the philosophy. Their generosity and hosting
etiquette I'm particularly obsessed with. Wish I could pour your
coffee for you.
Nick smiles.
NICK
Beautiful nature there too.
EMILY
All over. They're so one with it.
NICK
You seem curious. Aren't very many people who get so excited about
Japanese hosting etiquette.
EMILY
You do too. So you're curious about working together?
NICK
Yeah. Took a look at your site. I can tell you really love your
work, and your artists do as well.
EMILY
They're all wonderful. And making moves. You definitely will.
NICK
Where do we start?
EMILY
Tell me your story. I have an overwhelming feeling from you, but I
don't know anything about you.

58

Nick laughs.
NICK
I need questions.
EMILY
Where are you from?
NICK
Rego Park.
EMILY
Ah, so close! And your family?
NICK
Taiwan.
EMILY
I've flown through Taipei. Amazing. Can you speak Chinese?
NICK
A bit. Less when sober.
Emily laughs.
EMILY
Why did you start acting?
NICK
It was the only thing left that felt honest. And I like assuming
identities.
EMILY
Ohh.
Emily looks moved. She takes a sip of her coffee.
EMILY
I see. And what happened to you?
Nick has a questioning look.
EMILY
What happened to you Nick? I was going to guess your age, but I
don't think I could. That and I don't want to be rude. You have
something Dorian Gray going on.
NICK
You're not afraid of being rude.

59

Emily smiles.
EMILY
No, I'm not.
NICK
Well. My dad died when I was young and trying to figure out who I
was. I grew up an anxious guy. I've generally done well at things
expected of me, but when the path lead to either healing or taking
from people for a living...
EMILY
Medicine or finance?
NICK
Yeah. I had a crisis from over-simplifying and over-thinking the
world, like a brain freeze from eating ice cream too quickly, and
did the whole nomad-around-the-world-and-find-myself bit. And now
here I am, back in New York going through the motions of an actors
life, and having coffee with you.
Emily is touched by the story but still feels Nick holding himself
back.
NICK
And I'm 26.
EMILY
That's really something. Thanks for sharing.
NICK
Thank you for asking.
Emily forces herself to break eye contact. Clears her throat.
EMILY
Well, your exposure to cultures where you've been gives you quite
an emotional well to draw from.
NICK
I hope so.
EMILY
And you'll be breaking out at the right time. Pretty soon, Asian
Americans are going to be like candy in Hollywood.
Nick laughs.
NICK
Well that's good news. If I break out.

60

EMILY
Oh, we will. So you want to see the office?
NICK
Can I hear about you?
EMILY
I'll give you my biography another day. There's some people I want
you to meet.
NICK
Okay.
Mere blocks from the coffee shop, Emily opens the glass front door
to a beautiful, trendy office. She stops a slim, sharply dressed
woman with a wavy bob and charming eyes.
EMILY
Nick, this is my partner Shelli Fung.
NICK
Hi Shelli.
SHELLI
Nice to meet you Nick.
NICK
Your accent. You're... Scottish?
Shellis taken aback.
SHELLI
From Glasgow. Wow, just on greeting! So impressed.
EMILY
Basically a Brit.
SHELLI
Really not. Celtic dresses, better taste in whiskey.
EMILY
Yeah, there's the difference.
Nick laughs.
SHELLI
So you're the new actor?
He nods. Shelli looks to Emily.

61

SHELLI
What great energy.
EMILY
Right?
SHELLI
Do you meditate?
NICK
Some.
SHELLI
So Zen, this one.
She looks at her tablet.
SHELLI
I have a meeting, but such a pleasure Nick. See you in a bit Em.
Shelli strides off.
EMILY
I do client outreach and find or create projects for our artists.
Shelli designs their brands in house, especially for those who have
a little trouble reaching and selling to a large enough audience to
pay the bills. I work with her to articulate their spirit--said
brand--to producers, designers, and buyers.
NICK
Very cool. Who writes the fancy copy?
EMILY
Shelli. She scripts. I improvise.
Emily smiles. She leads him into a well stockpiled break room with
several actors and models.
EMILY
And here's some of the family. Everyone, this is Nick Sham. New
actor with us.
Actors and models shake hands with Nick one by one.
ACTOR 1
Isa. Nice to meet you Nick.
ACTOR 2
Kylie.

62

MODEL 1
Star.
MODEL 2
Nelson.
MODEL 3
Kenneth.
MODEL 4
Dahlia.
NICK
Nice to meet you guys.
Emily keeps moving.
NICK
You have visual artists here too, right?
EMILY
Yes, just starting. We love them. Mao's a digital designer and
welder from northern China, and Simone paints, sprays, carves
amazing portraits in different mediums. Hes Sicilian. I'll
introduce you when they're here.
NICK
It's so diverse here.
EMILY
Amazing, right?
NICK
Unbelievable.
Emily smiles.
EMILY
And here's my office, where I must leave you. Have a client call.
Let's get together later this week though. There's several projects
I'm already thinking will cast you, so we can chat about them.
NICK
That sounds great. This is all overwhelming. Thanks Emily.
EMILY
Of course Nicholas.
NICK

63

Em?
EMILY
Em.
NICK
Okay.
EMILY
See you Nick!
Meanwhile, Patrick wakes up. He is in a hospital room at New York
Presbyterian. As things come into focus, he sees Olivia, wearing
scrubs and a furrowed look of worry.
OLIVIA
Hey.
PATRICK
Hm? How did I get here?
OLIVIA
Someone called it in. A good samaritan.
PATRICK
This is ridiculous. I do not need to be in a hospital bed. I have
work in the morning.
OLIVIA
Don't you? When you got here, you had a BAC of .23, you tested
positive for coke, methaqualone, and THC, and you were indecently
exposed. You don't have work in the morning because it's already
afternoon. You've been detoxing on an IV for the last twelve hours,
and you're still slurring your words. You nearly died.
Patrick is silent.
OLIVIA
Patrick, are you listening to me?
Silence.
OLIVIA
Who were you with last night?
Patrick swallows, refocuses, and enunciates.
PATRICK
Derek Nixon.

64

OLIVIA
And who the hell is Derek Nixon?
PATRICK
President Nixon's great nephew. We met at Senator Farrow's campaign
meeting last year. Made quick friends. He's doing great work with
the DOE now, and we went out for drinks to discuss future
collaboration. Maybe my next job, now that the Senators toast.
OLIVIA
That sounds lovely. How did those discussions go?
PATRICK
They went well. We're planning to-OLIVIA
Friends? You made quick friends? And then you went to discuss
brightening the future of youth in America's schools? Is that what
you did with President Nixon's humble great nephew?
PATRICK
Don't judge me. He's an established international businessperson
with an incredible pedigree. You wouldn't believe some of the
stories he was telling.
OLIVIA
I'm sure I would. Telling stories and planning for the future of
the country somehow ended up with you passed out on the concrete
behind a lounge, looking like a diseased wealthy bum. Is that how
quick friends leave you?
PATRICK
You can go.
OLIVIA
Oh, can I? I'm sorry for disturbing your nap future President. Let
me just move out of your way while you wheel yourself to your next
campaign meeting with your ass hanging out of that gown. I don't
think I've ever said this to anyone Pat, least of all to my brother,
but I'm disgusted with you.
PATRICK
This is how real people in the real world get things done, Olivia.
While you're busy playing doctor and fetishizing some ridiculous
vigilante who thinks he's Guy Fawkes, I'm doing the ugly work
necessary to mobilize real change. If it comes at the cost of
occasional over-drinking, I'll gladly swallow it.
OLIVIA
Excuse me?

65

PATRICK
You think blind idealism and never-ending studies actually have any
real effect on people's lives? The world is run by relationships.
The world is not meritocratic. The most successful politicians,
entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, actors, etc. all have gotten to
where they are by a shamelessly enormous amount of building
personal relationships with people who are already in power.
Accepting that fact and motivating myself thus is how I will get
there, and get this country and the world moving in the right
direction. Insisting that human beings value skills and merit alone,
or should do so, is how people fail. Our tiny family legacy plus my
Ivy League education plus investment banking background plus good
looks can't guarantee anything. The world is chaotic.
OLIVIA
I don't disagree. But I think this idea of personal immersion into
a do-or-die blind gamble where you get to bet the chips of your
privilege... if you win, you win, and if you lose, well, hey--you
sacrificed your privilege, so you still win... is maybe the most
white, masculine, chauvinist thing I've ever heard, Patrick. We
don't admit it, but people don't like martyrs. It's valueless if
you do lose, because the world doesn't get made over in the way you
set out to make it over. I certainly dont agree with everything
that masked person does, but youre actually the one who sounds
delusional. I think you are the one who needs to understand that
you are not some hacking, smacking superhuman with a vendetta
against the status quo. You were born of it.
PATRICK
And so were you.
OLIVIA
Exactly! And here I am doing everything my blessed mind, body, and
trust fund can to make people a little bit healthier. You could die
from this epic, hedonistic guilt trip you call a career. And if you
die, I could never be happy.
PATRICK
We all only live to die, Liv.
OLIVIA
Oh, god. And narcissism is born from self pity. Life isn't a "Who's
saddest?" contest. I'm leaving.
PATRICK
Bye.
OLIVIA
Patrick, just remember I care. We all do.

66

Months later. Nick and John are meeting in his office.

NICK
You. Your voice. It's your voice I keep on hearing in my dreams.
JOHN
Pardon?
NICK
Four years ago, the night of March 24th, 2015. Where were you?
JOHN
That's an awfully specific date a long time ago, Nick. Did
something happen to you that night?
NICK
Yes. I was kidnapped, and someone ran an unapproved clinical
experiment on me. I haven't been the same since.
JOHN
That's terrifying. How's your health?
NICK
Good now, thanks. Sorry to pry, but you didn't answer my question.
JOHN
Where was I the night of March 24th, 2015?
NICK
Yes. Good memory.
JOHN
I think I was meeting a friend. A new partner. Someone pretty
exceptional.
NICK
Mel?
JOHN
Haha, I suppose he is exceptional! No, not Melvin. Someone
historical. Tell me Nick, I've heard quite a bit about your
disappearing to travel around the world and coming back to New York.
Disaster relief, deep meditation, self exploration, Mel tells me.
How remarkable. Must have been difficult re-acclimating in this
giant, fraught city. What's it been like?
NICK
Difficult. Hard to put into words, actually. Do you and Melvin talk
about me much?

67

JOHN
You're his best friend, a huge influence on his life. And you
mysteriously disappeared for a long time. So quite a bit more than
most people, I suppose.
NICK
I see.
JOHN
Really sorry to cut this short, but I have to run to a meeting.
Let's get lunch sometime though. You seem to have a lot on your
mind, and I'd count myself lucky to hear it.
Later, a distracted Nick twiddles with a Crown headband in the
Synapt CEO office. He tries it on. An equally restless Melvin
twirls his own while trying to pace himself through what may be his
first non-work and non-superhero related conversation in weeks.
NICK
I havent seen your family at all. What do they think about the
company?
MELVIN
Impossible to share every detail with them at this point. They
think I'm too busy, too distant, and too cocky, which is,
well, a lot.
NICK
How are you dealing with all the expectations?
MELVIN
I'm fine. I've surpassed my father's ability to make money and my
mother's ability to connect with people, so all that's left of our
relationship is them fretting about the sky falling and squashing
the world because I'm moving too quickly and shaking it all. They
criticize me while wearing the damn thing.
Nick takes off the headband.
NICK
I know you don't need me to tell you this since you built Synapt up
from concept yourself while I was gone, but Ive heard people draw
parallels between you and John. You both have big footprints in the
realm of tech and venture capital. I look at Stoke, and I know he
wouldn't have become such a success if it hadnt been for his early
rounds of serendipitous funding, if he didn't come from an affluent
family in Silicon Valley that provided him unconditional support,
or at least food, a bed, and a garage to tinker in. I'm not saying
you absolutely should maintain a relationship with your parents,

68

but if the sky fell, Ami and Abu would be the first ones there to
dig you out. That might not be something to take so lightly.
MELVIN
Most people are simply pedestrian. They hold themselves and their
values above others by saying there's injustice, when they've never
lived and worked with the neediest people in the world firsthand,
as you have, and by insisting that theyre somehow above average
intellectually or professionally when they haven't personally built
anything of value, as I have. My parents are fine people, but as
static as the majority.
NICK
Mel...
MELVIN
I haven't burned the relationship. Just need an indefinite break
from it. To your idea of needing a safety net, if the company ever
goes under and I become bankrupt, I'll have learned from it. You
should know better than anyone. It's been the instances when you've
nearly died on the other side of the world that have made you
inordinately strong and differentiated you.
NICK
But I'm not so strong a person, Mel. Even with these weird
abilities, Ive been lucky to reach the point where you and I can
have this conversation. Not blinded by survivor bias and expecting
a positive outcome from every idea that springs to mind.
He puts the headband back on.
NICK
Like, when we were in school, you and I farted a lot of ideas, half
of them awful. Having millions in investor funds might have turned
those into magical unicorns, but I dont know how long they would
have lasted without snorting more unicorn dust every couple years.
MELVIN
Nick, remember when we first met? Remember what an insufferable ass
you were? I thought that you thought you could shit gold, and I was
baffled that other people found it charming. Girls wanted to tear
your clothes off, and guys idolized you. Sometimes the other way
around. I fell in love with you as well, over time. At some point,
it occurred to me that it didnt matter what you said, only how you
said it. Thats all ideas and execution are in this world. As long
as you have a brand, someone worships you, and you acknowledge
their faith, you are God. The Melvin you see now who farts and
delegates is better than the Melvin we both knew. I welcome the
hugely positive and hugely negative consequences of my endeavors
because I only have huge ones.

69

NICK
But wasnt I being a dumb kid back then? What if the day comes that
you fail?
MELVIN
Whatever happens, regardless of how bad things get, Ill only be
sharing the experience of someone else whos already undergoing it.
NICK
So enlightened! Id call you Siddhartha, but he didnt chase fame
and fortune.
MELVIN
Excuse me?
NICK
Look man. Ive changed too, and Ill be blunt. The world is cruel
to the poor, and to the unforgiving. Having positive intentions, a
chiseled work ethic, a passion to excel is meaningless if you have
a broken leg and shit healthcare, or if you find yourself bankrupt
and unemployable because you are dirty and have grown an unruly
beard that makes you look like Bin Laden. For example, if you were
suddenly persecuted for your religion despite being a public figure,
your potential as a technologist might be lost, and the vision you
and John have to connect the world would dry up before you.
Historically, these things happen. In case that day ever comes,
dont let pride slow you down in the meantime.
MELVIN
Youre right, I don't remember you ever being so rational.
Melvin waits for the lecture to end.
NICK
And I don't remember you having such an ego. It may lose you a
partnership or two in the future.
Melvin is silent.
NICK
Its weird. Im gone and off the grid for a few years, and I come
back to find literally a shitstorm--were talking biblical, letsbuild-a-fucking-ark proportions--of self-help blogs convincing a
young upper-middle class who are learning to paparazzi themselves
and critique the world over that they can just bet and bet and bet
because life is a game, and its all house money! World doesnt
work that way, especially one thats so connected now, and more so
day by day for the technology youve created. Theres always a
short straw to draw, usually for the person already without a voice.

70

You have a voice. Youve always had one, supported by a crowd of

friends, family, and fans who dote on your successes and protect
you from failures. Your fans, theyre all the people wearing Crown.
And, even though it was for my sake... I have to admit it bothers
me that youve used your own position and intellect to access
private information from the lives of millions of your users.
Melvin stands straight up.
MELVIN
I get the message. Nick Shams worried about how self-centered Ive
become. Thats really rich coming from someone who abandoned every
person in his life without so much as a note.
Nick also stands to leave.
NICK
Youre right. And I may never make that up to everyone. But, if
Ive learned even a little from hurting others by acting in selfinterest, I think the idea of not needing other entrepreneurs, of
failing to implement security protocol that protects your users, of
being exempt from your own rules in the process of building a
company that claims to change the way the world communicates in a
truly positive way Thats such a paradox. You cant be both
Ubermensch and Mother Teresa at the same time. Its up to the world
to remember you as one or the other. So again, while youre able to,
try to imagine the good you and this thing could do a little more
rationally and humbly.
Melvin is silent.
NICK
It's a slippery slope. Power on one side, innocence on the other.
Trust me. As your brother, that's my concern.
He leaves.
2015 April 27. At Patricks apartment, Olivia just gets home.
PATRICK
You're home.
Olivia appears distracted. She chews her lip.
PATRICK
Hey. Everything alright?
OLIVIA
It's Nick. No one has heard from him in a couple days, and Mel says
he hasn't been home. Have you seen him recently?

71

PATRICK
Not since we got a drink last week. We haven't been hanging out
much this past month. Thought he'd been spending more time with you
and Melvin?
OLIVIA
He has, but he just dropped off somewhere. I'm really worried. Hope
he's okay.
Patrick laughs.
PATRICK
That guy's been giving you so much stress since you were fourteen.
OLIVIA
It's not funny!
PATRICK
You're somewhere between Nick's second mother and his girlfriend.
I'll never figure it out. He's a tough guy. I'm sure he's fine,
just zoned out somewhere.
He turns back to his computer.
OLIVIA
If you're so relaxed, do you have any ideas where he might be?
Patricks eyes stay focused on work.
PATRICK
Coney Island? Fort Tilden? The Adirondacks? If you can't reach him
by phone, then he probably ditched it to go ponder the sea of fog
somewhere. The guy makes money in his sleep now, and he needs a tan.
I'm jealous.
Her brother's nonchalance calms Olivia a little.
OLIVIA
Yeah. You're probably right.
Patrick looks over. Olivia hasn't moved from her spot by the door.
PATRICK
So... I finally worked up the nerve to try that toilet footstool
today. I can't believe how good I feel now. Kind of like I've seen
God.
Olivias eyes brighten.

72

OLIVIA
So pray to it.
She laughs as she takes off her shoes.
The following night, Olivia and Melvin visit a distraught Jennifer.
JENNIFER
I don't understand. He didnt mention a thing. Where would he have
gone? Why can no one find him? Where is my son?
MELVIN
I think there are a lot of possibilities Jennifer. It's only been
seventy-two hours.
JENNIFER
In which both of you and I haven't heard from him.
OLIVIA
That's true, but you know how Nick is. Mysterious sometimes. He
blocks people out. I'm sure he's just wandering somewhere and lost
track of time.
JENNIFER
Not me. He can't. He's my son. I can't lose him.
MELVIN
He's been going through a rough bit. Even with us around, me in the
same apartment, Nick was isolating himself. Doing nothing but
trading.
OLIVIA
Yeah, but the last few weeks have been better. His mood has seemed
more normal when we've hung out.
MELVIN
That's true. But he could have run into a problem. Since he's been
gone, I've heard a few people asking about money.
OLIVIA
Well, people hear that someone whos managing their money has
disappeared, and thats the first thing they think about. I have a
feeling he might not be watching his portfolio wherever he is right
now.
JENNIFER
So Nick owes people money?
MELVIN
Sounds like it. He might owe more people more money soon.

73

JENNIFER
Oh no. That's what he's running from?
Olivia sees her mounting paranoia.
OLIVIA
We don't know that. Let's not jump to conclusions. We should figure
out where he is first.
JENNIFER
Since when has my son been mysterious? Aren't you supposed to be
his best friend?
OLIVIA
Yes, but Nick shelters what he's feeling sometimes. He's always
been that way.
JENNIFER
What?
MELVIN
Liv's known Nick way longer than I have, and I agree.
Jennifer settles a little.
JENNIFER
When was the last time you saw him?
MELVIN
We were sitting on the couch together, working and chatting. News
about the Nepal earthquake popped up, and I was reading it to him.
OLIVIA
What was his reaction?
MELVIN
He seemed really sad about it. Didn't say much though. We actually
stopped talking then. Said he was tired and went to his room.
OLIVIA
You don't think... Nick up and flew to Nepal?
JENNIFER
It's possible. He's erratic like that.
MELVIN
Sure, I thought about it too, but there's no way. You can't get
into Nepal on any commercial flight right now. International NGOs

74

are sending relief supplies and personnel, but normal civilians,

random Americans dont have a way of touching down there.
OLIVIA
It would be easy enough to find out. We can let the police know and
hire a PI to see if Nick bought any tickets or turns up on flight
manifests.
JENNIFER
Let's do that.
OLIVIA
I can do it. I don't mind.
JENNIFER
Thank you Olivia.
OLIVIA
Of course Ms. Sham.
JENNIFER
And any other places he's been or typically goes-MELVIN
I'll keep looking.
JENNIFER
I hate to rely on you two so much.
OLIVIA
We love Nick. He's means... everything to us.
Olivia turns to hold back tears.
MELVIN
So we're happy to do anything we can. Bye Jennifer.
JENNIFER
Thank you Melvin. Goodnight Olivia.
OLIVIA
Goodnight. We'll let ourselves out.
2014 May 27. In front of undergraduates and families, John delivers
the Columbia University commencement address.
JOHN
Dear Graduates,

75

On this special day, with friends and family and news crews about,
you may be hungover and bouting with a bit of anxiety. Anxiety
about your strengths, your weaknesses, your passions, your
obligations, your origins, your prospective domain in the world.
You've spent so much time excelling and meeting the expectations of
your guardians and old, tenured institutions, of being told to jump
and jump higher in a simulated but pressurized environment, at the
price of--well, indentured reimbursement--that you forget you have
experienced only a small fraction of your life, that you have the
whole thing ahead of you yet. You wonder if you have what it takes
to thrive, or just to survive, to create your own expectations, to
make a place of belonging for yourself. I don't hope to answer all
of your questions.
Irrepressible laughter from the graduates and attendees.
JOHN
But I was invited here, so Ill share a few observations that my
own life and work have afforded me.
We live in a world transforming at an exponential rate. Truly, we
all are fortunate enough to witness an industrial revolution, what
I believe to be the most pivotal moment in history for humankind
since the Western Enlightenment. The internet permeates much of the
world on all manner of devices, people are able to form and nurture
meaningful relationships across borders and oceans, biomedical
innovation is seeing a zenith at the intersection of big data and
genetic intervention, and we are exploring the boundaries between
human and technological intelligence as much as between worlds in
the solar system. We can also say pizza to our phone and see it
appear at our door in 20-40 minutes. Sorcery, really.
Limitless imagination, there seems to be, and proliferating capital
as well. The world is becoming wealthier and more equal. Don't take
my word for it. Data from the world's leading development
organizations tell us this. Still, skeptics among you are currently
asking yourselves what illusion I'm painting. If the world is
becoming more prosperous and equal, why does every piece of media
we see show us such an unhappy, violent reality?
Many historians argue that the most peaceful times in history
belong to ubiquitous reign, when a single monarch has conquered
everything around. There is peace because power is centralized, and
there aren't competing states to blow each other up. That may be
true, but proponents of democracy have always rebutted that such a
system creates a monochromatic experience for people, that one
overarching regime under any family name or ideology renders the
day-to-day of being a human being flavorless and stagnant. If
that's the case as well, and we are currently approaching a point
of strife because there is an America and a China and a Russia to

76

contend with each other in the same weight class, each with leaders
bearing arms to protect their own culture and way of life as much
as their overlapping claims to territory and resources... we reach
the crux of my historical quandary. Where, then, does leadership
for peace come from? If not from heads of state and captains of
industry, who is to lead the charge, to set the example for a
global society, one that respects differences and places the safety
and happiness of children before more distant goals abstracted from
our hubris?
The answer, I believe, is that it comes from everyone else. You,
Class of 2014, are the leaders of everyone else. A group of
brilliant young minds from a hundred countries, who are born from
vastly different backgrounds but have spent four years in the
utopia of college, studying, researching, organizing, sporting,
wining, dining, hugging, whatever-rhymes-with-hugging,
philosophizing, playing, being, coexisting in a sphere of youthful
passion and intellectual energy. You are the hope for keeping us
all on the boat heading toward a new horizon. Together, you have
the distilled potential and humility to be everyday heroes. To
innovate, to put each other before yourselves, to watch each other
and each other's communities grow because you wish to see it. To
fear ideology, and bed pragmatism. Altruistic pragmatism. Show us a
solidarity the world has never seen before. Do it with your colors
and accents and shapes and notions held brightly in one another's
eyes, do it now, and do it loudly. If you accept this
responsibility... Im happy to give you a job!
The audience erupts in applause.
JOHN
Wow, I guess thats what you wanted to hear! Thank you for
inspiring us all to be better. Now go forward, and distribute the
future.
In the S section, Nick is sitting among other graduates.
CLASSMATE
Well, that was an unusual speech!
NICK
Inspiring, I suppose.
CLASSMATE
Think he'll really give me a job if I ask?
NICK
Only one way to find out!

77

Further back, in the commencement attendees section, we see the

Ferris family.
PRESIDENT
Olivia Lynne Ferris. Biochemistry and Music, summa cum laude.
PATRICK
There she is!
MRS. FERRIS
She's so beautiful in that gown. Our little doctor.
PATRICK
More so every year. Dad, are you crying?
MR. FERRIS
No!
MRS. FERRIS
Oh, Matthew.
Mrs. Ferris holds her husbands hand.
PATRICK
Did you cry at my graduation?
MR. FERRIS
I don't remember.
MRS. FERRIS
No, he didn't. I did though. Together, your father and I are
equally proud of you two.
PATRICK
Nice.
Several rows away, the Khans, with Jennifer Sham.
PRESIDENT
Melvin Athar Khan. Computer Science and Economics.
FAIZA
Melly!
JENNIFER
Oh, look at him. Melvin's so handsome.
MR. KHAN
Naturally inherited!

78

MRS. KHAN
Shush. I'm glad he made it here.
FAIZA
Yeah, I thought he was born to drop out.
JENNIFER
He's your brother! How can you say that?
MR. KHAN
Faiza is right. Melvin is very smart, but... irreverent. We are
glad he got the diploma and can move on with his life now.
FAIZA
Melly can finally go engineer a self-flying car or something.
MRS. KHAN
If he takes just a little time away from playing games. Jennifer,
are you the only one here for Nick?
JENNIFER
Yes! Always have been. His name won't be for a while though.
MR. KHAN
Touching to see a proud mother. Nick is an extraordinary young man.
We've grown so fond of him in the last few years.
MRS. KHAN
Truly. So helpful, polite, insightful for a boy his age. Our whole
family loves him.
Jennifer shifts in her chair.
FAIZA
I made a pact with Nick that, if we're both still single and
ineligible at 40, we'll get married and take care of Mel together.
JENNIFER
Did you!
FAIZA
Well, no one's marrying Melvin. He'll get struck by lightning first.
And then hope it gives him superpowers.
JENNIFER
Right. You and your brother have such great imagination.
MR. KHAN
Good to nurture it. They read the same comic books and played the
same games when they were little.

79

JENNIFER
How cute. I hate sitting for too long. Going to get some juice. Do
any of you want anything?
MRS. KHAN
We're fine, thank you.
Jennifer leaves toward the refreshments.
FAIZA
Is she alright?
MRS. KHAN
Yes, Faiz. This ceremony is a transition for everyone. She and Nick
have had quite a journey.
FAIZA
Single parent with an empty nest. Can't imagine.
MR. KHAN
You'll be a parent soon enough. The world will change. For Ami and
me too! Lots of kiddies for us to play with.
FAIZA
Soon? Lots? Abu!
MRS. KHAN
Later, when you're ready. One or two, if you can handle it.
MR. KHAN
Nadia is ruining my plan.
Back at the podium, Nick receives his degree.
PRESIDENT
Nicholas Sham. Neuroscience and Anthropology.
OLIVIA
Woooh!
MELVIN
I don't believe it!
He walks up the steps, glaring at Mel.
PRESIDENT
Wonderful job, Nick. Expecting great things from you.
The President hands Nick a diploma.

80

NICK
That makes one of us! Hope this helps.
JOHN
Congratulations!
NICK
Thank you. Interesting speech. Really enjoyed it.
JOHN
Oh, I'm flattered. Hope some take it to heart.
NICK
Guy sitting next to me wants to approach you for a job, so I'd say
it worked.
JOHN
We're not short on job applicants. And you?
NICK
Do I want a job?
JOHN
Or anything else?
NICK
Still figuring that out! Don't have a clue about quite a few things.
Think I'm disrupting the ceremony. Better get back to my seat.
Honor meeting you Mr. Stoke!
JOHN
Take heart, Nick!
As he resumes his seat, Nicks neighbor eagerly receives him.
CLASSMATE
Dude, were you just chatting it up with John Stoke?
NICK
Exchanging ten words, I think.
CLASSMATE
That's awesome. Introduce me!
NICK
Already dressed the platter. Go for it.
CLASSMATE
Yes! Thank you.

81

An hour later, on the South Lawn, three friends come together.

MELVIN
My head hurts so much.
OLIVIA
Should've had coffee before walking! Nick!
NICK
Wow, that took forever.
MELVIN
We made it. It's finally over. Group cuddle!
OLIVIA
Mm. Don't sound so sad. Oh god, when was the last time you guys
bathed?
JENNIFER
Congratulations Nick! I'm so proud of you.
NICK
Thanks Mom!
FAIZA
Melly! Nick! Congrats!
MR. KHAN
Well done boys.
Nadia kisses Melvin and Nick. Melvin wades through his extended
family, group-hugging and chatting.
PATRICK
Congrats Liv!
MR. FERRIS
We're so proud of you sweetheart.
MRS. FERRIS
Dr. Ferris, we're expecting you!
PATRICK
Congratulations Nick.
NICK
Thanks Patrick! Anything like Yale Commencement?
PATRICK

82

A bit. Less pomp, more fun. That was some speech from John Stoke.
NICK
Yeah, everyone's losing their mind over the world's most valuable
CEO speaking here. I talked with him for a second. Nice guy.
PATRICK
Get a job at Stoke Inc! It's what every other college grad dreams
of.
NICK
I might! Closest one can get to changing the world I guess.
Melvin joins in.
MELVIN
The man has created impossible technologies for and united huge,
separate industries. Our phones and their mobile operating system;
the largest repository of semantic, social, and biographical data
aggregated and made sensible through an algorithm he himself
designed, and sold as user analytics for business and government
intelligence everywhere; and real experiments for a physical body
to actually break c, light speed, the one thing that is supposed to
be constant and irrefutable in the entire universe according to
Einstein, using exotic matter to expand and compress space-time on
either end of it along its direction of travel. Hes a genius! A
god!
NICK
Dude. You're spitting.
He wipes himself.
NICK
Patrick, this is Melvin, the person I've been stuck cleaning up
after the past four years. Mel, this is Patrick, Liv's brother who
you've heard about. Weve known each other since I was in high
school.
PATRICK
Great to meet you Mel. Don't let this guy get you down. I agree
with everything you said about John Stoke.
MELVIN
Likewise! So you're going to work for Stoke?
OLIVIA
This is a cute little gossip circle.
NICK

83

What? No, I have zero plans to work for anyone at the moment. Have
to figure my life out before I start compressing space-time.
PATRICK
I'll get back to Mom and Dad. Mel, nice meeting you, again. Nick,
let's get a drink while you're figuring out your life. Liv, see you
soon for lunch?
OLIVIA
Yup! Text you guys when I'm done here.
Patrick leaves with Mr. and Mrs. Ferris.
MELVIN
Your brother's so polished. What's he do?
OLIVIA
Investment banking. He's at Goldman. I'm sure they'd kill to have
you, Mel. Fancy fintech?
MELVIN
Hahahahaha--not a chance.
The three laugh together.
MRS. KHAN
Come Mel, let's go eat something at this massive family potluck
people are talking about.
MELVIN
Definitely not a potluck, Ami.
MRS. KHAN
You must be the Olivia I've heard so much about!
OLIVIA
Yes! Mrs. Khan?
MRS. KHAN
Call me Nadia. So beautiful, and accomplished too. Summa cum laude!
What have you been doing hanging out with these two?
NICK
Been trying to figure that out for years.
MELVIN
I'm standing right here.
OLIVIA
They need an adult, and I guess I look the part.

84

MRS. KHAN
Haha, charming. Better hold onto this one, Melvin.
MELVIN
Mom! Don't be gross. I clearly need to separate you two. Let's do
the potluck.
Nick and Olivia laugh.
OLIVIA
Lovely meeting you!
MRS. KHAN
You too dear.
Melvin and Nadia rejoin their family.
NICK
Aren't you meeting your family for lunch?
OLIVIA
Yeah, but it's not urgent. So.
NICK
We haven't spent much time alone the last four years, have we?
OLIVIA
No, we haven't. I was just thinking that too.
NICK
You were a great roomie. Sorry we've been so ridiculous and
distracting.
OLIVIA
Are you kidding? Mel totally opened you up and made you happy, even
fun to be around. It's the most touching romance of my life. Gives
me hope that I'll find something so special and ridiculous one day.
NICK
It's inspiring. You're going to med school without a break, while
we sit around and think about what we feel like doing with our
lives. I'm really proud of you.
OLIVIA
Well, same school. I'm stuck here for another four years. At least
you're exploring.
NICK

85

We'll be in the same city. Won't be much different except you

spending every waking moment studying and working, trying to
remember what sunlight or a night out with friends feels like.
OLIVIA
Very funny. We'll be in the same city, so I won't miss you.
MELVIN
Nick!
NICK
Oh my god, you're still here?
FAIZA
Hurry up!
NICK
Where's my mother?
MRS. KHAN
Reserving seats for us. So sweet.
NICK
Okay, coming. Want to?
OLIVIA
Have to join mine! Love you.
NICK
You too. See you later.
2014 September 7. At Harlem Middle School, sixth graders file out
of class. Jennifer sits down with 11 year-old Branden.
JENNIFER
Hi. What's your name?
BRANDEN
Branden.
JENNIFER
Branden, I'm Jennifer. It's my first day here. Can you keep me
company?
BRANDEN
Are you here to teach me math?
JENNIFER
Maybe, if you want. Do you need help?

86

BRANDEN
I get a hundred percent on everything. Don't think I need a tutor.
JENNIFER
That's amazing. Maybe you can help me tutor.
BRANDEN
Pretty sure my classmates would hate that.
JENNIFER
Ah, good point. I didn't think of that. Middle school's a delicate
time, huh?
BRANDEN
Girls talk about boys, boys talk about girls. Pretty much same as
third grade, except they're touching each other instead of chasing
and pulling hair.
Jennifer can't hold back a laugh.
JENNIFER
You're quite the people watcher! So is that what you spend your
time doing? Talking about girls?
BRANDEN
I stand on the side awkwardly. Kids my age don't like it when
someone's different. I'm really weird, so I don't say much. I
wallflower. Saves them the trouble.
She contemplates the kid's eery insight.
JENNIFER
I didn't think people used that word anymore. And does it work?
BRANDEN
Sometimes. I still get picked on. I found that movie last year, so
I decided to read the book too. The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
JENNIFER
I remember that title. My son Nick was reading it when he was about
your age. I leafed through and took it away. Definitely wasn't
appropriate for him. Or for you.
BRANDEN
I really liked it. All white kids, but I learned a lot from the
story. Guess I'm going to feel some crazy things in a few years.
He looks too introspective and weary for his age. His expression
doesn't change, and Jennifers eyes can't leave it. Branden's
brighten again.

87

BRANDEN
So what are you doing here? Poor area, ratchet school. You're
dressed so nice.
JENNIFER
Haha, I'm not here to be bored or get picked on.
BRANDEN
Really? That's about it.
JENNIFER
I met with your principal, and she said the school could use help
with math testing.
BRANDEN
We're the worst at standardized tests. Some of these kids can
barely sharpen their pencil.
JENNIFER
That's not nice.
BRANDEN
What! It's true. I'm teaching myself trig, and that guy Djarum
hasn't wrapped his head around multiplication tables yet. I'm
surprised he can tie his shoes.
JENNIFER
You're learning trigonometry Branden?
BRANDEN
Well... yeah. And Python. I'm learning online. Sal's School.
JENNIFER
Does Djarum pick on you?
BRANDEN
Sometimes.
JENNIFER
I see. Well. You're saying some awful things about him and the
other students, but I couldn't help but notice you said "we."
BRANDEN
What?
JENNIFER
"We're" the worst at standardized tests. It's still your school,
and you have that giant brain. Why don't you help me?

88

BRANDEN
With what?
JENNIFER
What you said before. Help me tutor your classmates.
BRANDEN
No thanks.
JENNIFER
And I'll pay you.
Branden looks up.
JENNIFER
It'll be real work, so you should be paid for it. Looks like you've
learned a ton on your own, very quickly, without help, using the
internet. I have a feeling lessons will be much more creative and
effective if you help me design them. And teaching them to others
will make your own understanding of math topics much stronger.
Programming too, if you think you can teach your peers to code.
Hes unused to the undistracted attention, to being taken seriously,
to the challenging opportunity. Branden is speechless.
JENNIFER
Deal?
BRANDEN
Okay.
She offers a handshake. Branden hugs her. It's the first time
Jennifers been hugged in a long time.
JENNIFER
Good. It's a deal then.
BRANDEN
Thank you.
JENNIFER
You remind me of him.
BRANDEN
Who?
JENNIFER
Nick.
BRANDEN

89

He's lucky. I wish you were my mom.

JENNIFER
Oh. Don't say that. You have your own.
Jennifer gets up to leave.
JENNIFER
Nice meeting you Branden. Look forward to working with you. I'll be
in touch.
BRANDEN
Bye Jennifer.
The same morning, in Patricks apartment, Olivia just got back from
the gym and is getting ready for class.
PATRICK
So much noise.
OLIVIA
I have a morning lecture. Why are you still sleeping?
PATRICK
I'm not anymore.
OLIVIA
Sorry!
PATRICK
You just got back? How'd it go?
OLIVIA
I was at the gym. Going to class now.
Olivia is brushing her teeth, taking off her workout clothes,
waiting for the shower to get hot, and making coffee at the same
time. Patrick sees her running back and forth past his doorway.
PATRICK
Just watching you is making me tired. Why are we living together
again?
OLIVIA
Because we managed to live together for sixteen years without
killing each other, and I don't have time to look for a place and
interview roommates in my first year of medical school, and you
don't know how to say no to this adorable face, so we're doing it
again.

90

Patrick gets up to go to the bathroom. Olivia has toothpaste all

over her mouth, and nearly bowls him over on "adorable face." He
looks doubtful. She grins.
OLIVIA
And you're the best brother, and I love you.
She kisses his cheek. Patrick enters the bathroom.
OLIVIA
I need to shower!
PATRICK
I'll just be a second. What is this?
Patrick squints and points to a foreign object tucked under the
toilet. Olivia is excited.
OLIVIA
Something that will make you much healthier and happier every day!
The puborectalis pinches your colon when you're moving about, and
it doesn't release it fully until you're squatting. Modern toilets
are too high and don't allow us to create the angle we need to
actually go, so most people spend their lives constipated and
backed up! If you put your feet on that while you're going, it
simulates squatting and fully "unkinks the hose," and you'll be
done with your business in seconds. The Squatty Potty means you're
not carrying your waste around all day, which means your body isn't
constantly absorbing toxins, which means you feel and probably look
ama-PATRICK
Stop. Okay. I got it. I'm not using a product called a...
OLIVIA
Squatty Potty.
PATRICK
Yeah, that.
Patrick shuts the door while he pees. We still hear his voice from
inside, over the shower noise.
PATRICK
I smell coffee!
OLIVIA
Yup! I'm pouring a cup and bringing it with me. Made extra for you!
The toilet flushes, and Patrick comes out.

91

PATRICK
Shower's hot.
Olivia hurries past him.
Meanwhile, in Melvins apartment, he showers while a drowsy Nick
sits on the toilet next to him, slowly brushing his teeth.
NICK
Is this so different from college?
MELVIN
What?
NICK
We're done with school. I kind of expected things to be different.
MELVIN
What did you say?
NICK
Never mind!
MELVIN
Dude, that smell is gross! Get out!
NICK
Nope. You use this... watering can and your hand to clean yourself
instead of toilet paper. You have no right to call anyone's
bathroom activities gross.
MELVIN
Lottas have been used for hundreds of years! Using water is much
more thorough and sanitary than dry paper!
Nick does not believe a word.
NICK
I accept you. But I don't agree with you.
MELVIN
What are you doing today?
NICK
Checking out the co-working space. Interviewing at a few startups.
MELVIN
Oh, nice. Hope you find a cool company.

92

NICK
What are you doing?
MELVIN
Hmm, lunch with my sister before she heads back to Carnegie. Going
over a friend's wireframe and building his website. Organizing a
Project M tournament. Might go to the gym. Probably won't.
NICK
Busy man. Say hi to Faiz for me. I'll see you tonight the-Nicks face blanches. Someone may have died.
NICK
Oh... No.
MELVIN
What?
NICK
There's no toilet paper.
Melvin laughs maniacally.
Back in Patricks apartment, theyre both dressed for work. Patrick
is finishing coffee and reading news about Stoke Inc. on his
computer.
OLIVIA
Gotta run! Have a good day!
PATRICK
Love you.
Olivia takes off. She commutes through the city, enjoying the
morning air, the expressions of passersby, the smells of city and
even sounds of New York traffic. She enters the Columbia College of
Physicians and Surgeons. Olivia is one of the first students to
arrive in the lecture hall. She sits down.
PROFESSOR
Ah, the bushy-tailed. Many of you may think this semester is just
Hippocratic Oath and parties.
Medical students laugh.
PROFESSOR
But I'd also like to get to know you a bit. Tell me your name and
any inkling of the speciality you'd like to pursue. Let's start
with you.

93

OLIVIA
Olivia Ferris. I'm interested in internal medicine and primary care.
At co-working space WeWork, Nick sits across a desk from an
interviewer, who isnt sitting himself and cant seem to stop
moving.
INTERVIEWER 1
Great to meet you...
NICK
Nick.
INTERVIEWER 1
Nick! I'm Frankie, head of biz-dev here at Puggable. Several
Columbia alumni spoke highly of you, so I'm glad you came. What did
you study in school?
NICK
Neuroscience and anthropology.
INTERVIEWER 1
Wow, what an interesting combination! What do you plan on doing
with it?
NICK
I was going to be a doctor, but I decided against it. Not exactly
sure what now. I'm a pretty good writer, and I see things
scientifically.
INTERVIEWER 1
Why did you decide against being a doctor? And what do you mean you
see things scientifically?
NICK
Wasn't for me. I'm analytical.
INTERVIEWER 1
What do you mean? Do you mind elaborating?
Nick is annoyed. He obliges.
NICK
Studying social medicine outside of my coursework at Columbia-things like a transnational biomedical nexus that currently
pathologizes new "abnormalities" to propagate itself on high-volume
sales of expensive drugs treating late-stage illnesses; things like
negligence of children and women with HIV in Brazilian and Indian
and Zambian slums; things like the global organs trade structured

94

from harvesting poor heads of family who can't afford to provide

basic means to their kids in the largest and poorest urban centers
around the world and selling their kidneys and corneas to affluent
consumers who don't want to pay for operations in their native
market and instead go on medical vacations to Thailand and Jordan
and Costa Rica--I became disillusioned and decided becoming a
doctor and turning hospital beds or running a private practice
three days a week wasn't the best path for me. "I see things
scientifically" means that I view things with global objectivity, I
value deduction, and I look for a solution to meaningful problems
that plague every person and not just gabbers who do "bizdev" and
"pitchathons" to raise a pre-product ten million dollars for the
next "revolutionary paradigm-shift app" that tracks and finds
social pairings from your poodle's bowel movements.
The interviewer is shocked to silence, and very nervous.
NICK
What does Puggable do?
INTERVIEWER 1
We're a dating app for dogs.
In a second office.
INTERVIEWER 2
Hi, welcome to Drinkable!
Another company.
INTERVIEWER 3
What brings you to Kitchenly?
Another startup.
INTERVIEWER 4
Why are you a good fit for Shoplytics?
Another.
INTERVIEWER 5
We could use someone like you at Snaplust!
Startup.
INTERVIEWER 6
Join Fanfire! We're nothing without our company culture.
NICK
How would you describe it?

95

INTERVIEWER 6
Well, do you gamble?
At the Russell family mansion in Manchester, Emily confronts her
father.
EMILY
Tell me Dad. Why, no matter where I am in the world, no matter how
much I throw myself into work, no matter what I'm doing, eating,
drinking, wearing, thinking of... Why do you haunt me? Why does
your fucking face follow me relentlessly and frighten me to my
bones?
GRAHAM
I'm like the Cheshire Cat sweetheart. You'd need a bloody strong
barbiturate. A nuclear holocaust. An icepick, or at least a long
drill bit. There's no use trying to forget me if you want to carry
on existing in this world.
EMILY
Is that what being a father is to you?
GRAHAM
Yes. And I've done everything in my power to forge a bright path
for you, as any good parent only knows to do.
EMILY
What cryptic shit is that? What the hell do you mean?
GRAHAM
It is a person's early and lasting relationships that determine who
he becomes. And they are his pains and fears that drive him to
achieve what make his name and legacy. What you frantically point
to as trauma I've always thought of as kindling.
EMILY
So I'm destined for greatness as you were, is that what you're
saying? Is that why you've always mistreated me?
GRAHAM
In a manner of speaking.
EMILY
You sound like a Britannian general. We live in the fucking twentyfirst century Dad! If being wealthy and socially isolated from
"common" people for so long truly makes you see the world through a
barbaric historical lens... I'm your youngest child and only
daughter. Wouldn't you have spent your time and effort traumatizing
Paul? Or Liam?

96

GRAHAM
Have I mistreated you?
EMILY
What?
GRAHAM
Emily. Have I harmed you and starved you instead of providing for
you? Have I discarded or disowned you instead of raising you, my
only daughter?
EMILY
No, you raised me. I've always been comfortable. Had material
comforts, I mean. Gone to good schools. Grown to know influential
people, celebrities, diplomats through you.
GRAHAM
A modest upbringing.
EMILY
I just... have always felt an indescribable, overwhelming weight in
your presence. A feeling that I'm small. That my concerns are
trivial. An expectation that I should be afraid of everything
around me, but also a hunger to be bigger than everything around me.
That people themselves are just links in a chain. Chains are only
good for climbing and binding. Dad, I'm not sure I even know what
love is.
GRAHAM
Most people don't. But you've just described it quite perfectly.
Emily doesn't try to understand. She stares at the fireplace.
GRAHAM
There's an enormous ignorance plaguing the world Emily. Today,
every person learns to have pride before they've seen achievement.
Every person presumes to know joy when they haven't felt despair.
Or misfortune when they haven't known great fulfillment. They're up
in arms the moment someone breathes on their self esteem. In order
to love, a person must accept the nature of things. The flaws that
make the perfection of experience. Human nature is the most flawed
yet perfect phenomenon we can identify. Accepting and loving that
you yourself are flawed is the only way to do so for anything you
see outside yourself. People want to kill and eat as much as they
want to commune and organize. I've reached my position in life and
society by killing and eating from a homeless young age, and doing
so with abandon until, one day, I happened to take a moment and
look around myself.

97

What I saw were wispy peaks scattered across the landscape, a

bloodstained figure standing atop each. Too far from each other to
mind their intentions and little movements, but just close enough
to shout and charade simple questions and requests. Bloody lonely
up there, so I pulled your mother up, and we had your brothers and
you. Something I realized over time was that, while I was hoarse
and tired and could see no point to it, your mother was much better
at charading to the other distant peaks than I was. She didnt tire
of it. Eventually, I started seeing the figures closest to us pull
others up to the summit with them. Your mother did the same, and
she kept on charading.
EMILY
What did you do?
GRAHAM
I pulled icicles from my beard, scratched at the stains in my coat,
and when that proved useless tossed them at the buggers who
couldn't make their own way without begging my wife for charity.
EMILY
Charming.
GRAHAM
Your mum kept it up until the moment she died. And I've since
continued to do what I'm good at. Since you were nine years old,
I've taught you to love the world with sincerity. Which is to
accept that every person plays his part to the best of his ability,
and those who don't play or have yet to should fear and respect
those who do.
EMILY
And the fixation on me instead of the boys?
GRAHAM
You're far better at charading and pulling.
Nick enters the apartment with a blank expression on his face.
Melvin is intently playing Project M.
MELVIN
Hey, how was your day?
NICK
What?
MELVIN
How. Was. Your. Day. Nick?
NICK

98

A waste, I think.
MELVIN
I cannot believe how stacked Ness is after the last Project M
update. I've been playing the underdog for over a decade, and it's
finally paying off. Why was your day a waste?
NICK
Sometimes feels like this planet is just one giant blue and green
colored tech bubble.
MELVIN
I know. It's awesome.
NICK
No wonder John Stoke is exploring space. To get away.
MELVIN
You're brightening the mood too much. Get out of here.
NICK
I see you here all the time, but I hear you've been running around
the co-working space too. Several entrepreneurs talking about you.
MELVIN
I'm a very busy man Nick. Tournament competition on Project M is
paramount to me as to any man, but my time also is in high demand
at WeWork. Some might call me too employable.
NICK
Yes, I can see that.
Nick wades past ramen packaging, empty bottles, and a bong to sit
on the couch behind Melvin.
NICK
What kind of stuff have people asked you to code?
MELVIN
Boring apps. Lots of boring apps.
NICK
And that doesn't bother you?
MELVIN
Not really. It's nice to be wanted. And there's oceans of money to
be made for CTOs and lead devs. Aren't people all over you?
NICK
Before I stop smiling. So not exactly.

99

MELVIN
That doesn't have anything to do with you rambling on about global
economics and flattening the steep pyramid, does it?
Nick lies down on the couch.
MELVIN
Dude, you have to sell yourself!
NICK
It's not like people can't see my strengths.
MELVIN
No, I mean shut the hell up and let people believe what they want!
You scare people when you talk. You're awful at small talk.
NICK
So are you!
MELVIN
Not as terribly bad as you.
NICK
What if, instead of creating platform after platform to focus,
characterize, and socialize people's shopping behavior along
certain verticals, we put in a little more effort and reinvented
how people think and communicate, like John Stoke? An entirely new
interface, a new medium for consciousness?
Melvin stops playing.
MELVIN
A little more effort?
Nick smiles.
NICK
Well, you'd engineer it. People have been using keyboards for too
long. It's a tactile interface that started with typewriters, and
we're still simulating them today on little touch screens.
Antiquated and stupid. The blind rely on dictation software, which
is way ahead of sighted people. But it's only been developed slowly
because there's only been a small population to demand it, and
everyone else is too attached to using their fingers even though we
have mouths and eyes.
Melvin opens a bag of chips.
MELVIN

100

Okay.
NICK
Remember that Stephen Hawking biopic that shows him learning to
communicate using eye movements with his sexy second wife?
MELVIN
Uh-huh.
NICK
It's like predictive text with whole words using your eyes. Do you
have any idea how fast our eyes move?
MELVIN
Extremely fast.
NICK
If you had predictive text software for a heads-up or eyepiece
display that tracked eye movement, got millennials excited and
adopting, and had their kids learn it from childhood as we did
typing from home keys, you'd change how people talk with each other.
That's the first step.
Still munching, Melvin grabs his computer and starts typing notes.
NICK
The trillion-dollar idea for augmented reality is assigning data
and personal relevance to every feature in a 360-degree, or even
complete spherical field of vision as no animal has. If you can
create image recognition software powerful enough to characterize
everything around you at different distances as your eyes focus on
them through AR display, and after that extend your brain's natural
visual ability even more by letting the device pick up retinal
action potentials so you can focus like an eagle or the Hubble
Telescope itself...
Melvins munching and typing become frantic.
NICK
And then let the computer collect and relay information on any
given thing you look at and your response by dopamine, or
adrenaline, or any other neurochemical regulation, as it relates to
how your friend or a stranger you wish you understood feels about
looking at the same object or interaction between two people...
Then screw mere visual advertising and gaming applications, you've
created the immediate device and network for a collective
consciousness. To know how someone feels when they look at anything,
and connect with others based on similar sentiment or differences
youre curious to explore, as quickly as you can think... Bridging
all misunderstanding... We're talking world peace!

101

MELVIN
You're right that this is way cooler than shopping suggestions
popping up when you see a logo. But do not ever use the words
"mere" and "gaming" in the same sentence again.
NICK
I'm glad you agree.
MELVIN
We could add auditory cues as well. Audiovisual interface.
Collective consciousness. Hmm. Someone's bound to want to use the
technology to spy on, control, and hurt others before we get to
peace and love forever though.
NICK
Yeah, that was my next thought.
MELVIN
Still awesome. So you didn't pitch this today?
NICK
No, I think I freaked them out enough Mel.
MELVIN
I'll find someone smart. Won't be hard to get them excited.
NICK
Bit of a project though.
MELVIN
Yeah. Thanks for that.
NICK
Project M?
MELVIN
Duh.
They grab controllers.
2014 October 11. An open floor at WeWork.
WILLIAM
Dude, three points. Rapid fire. Stoke doesn't have time for even an
elevator pitch.
DANIEL
The Warby Parker of custom suits.

102

WILLIAM
Nice. One sentence.
DANIEL
The guy owns a lot of suits, and everyone wants to share what they
love with the larger market. I think he'll dig it.
WILLIAM
Design in the US, manufacturing in Southeast Asia, global
distribution. Our idea is streamlined. He'll throw a couple mil. Or
definitely introduce a dozen angel friends in the Valley who will.
DANIEL
Although they're all wearing jeans and flip-flops over there.
WILLIAM
We're worthless execs for this thing if we can't convince a room of
VCs they need some style that reflects their net worth.
ALEXI
Your idea is going to change the world guys. You won't need to
pitch it at all.
WILLIAM
Thanks!
DANIEL
She's being sarcastic man. Lex, we'll open a women's line
eventually.
ALEXI
I'm holding my breath!
WILLIAM
Yo, he's here!
John enters the room chatting amiably with several young
entrepreneurs.
At street level, Nick turns away from the door.
NICK
I'll get coffee somewhere around here. Give me a call when you're
done with your meeting.
MELVIN
There's coffee up there. You're coming with me.
Nick gives an exasperated sigh. He and Melvin enter the building.

103

Half hour later.

JOHN
Great chatting with you guys. Think you have the energy to get it
off the ground, and there's a large enough market around here for
you to establish traction before raising a real round. Feel free to
get in touch again.
DANIEL
Thank you so much Mr. Stoke. We really appreciate your time.
JOHN
Please, John.
WILLIAM
You're the man John!
JOHN
Oh, one more thing. The Warby Parker of custom suits is simple
enough for just one of you to get off the ground with a decent team.
In my experience, two founders with such similar personalities-Daniel and William both briefly appear offended and exchange an
identical look of disbelief.
JOHN
... Might not complement each other well over the long term.
ALEXI
You're two steam-blowing "visionary" CEOs who don't add to a single
developer between them.
John laughs.
JOHN
You're both smart guys with great contacts and many ideas, I'm sure.
Maybe agree on some equity, advise each other in moderation, and
each build an impactful company. With your own CTOs. Who you bring
in on equal terms, or reward very well. Food for thought!
WILLIAM
Remember that hook-up app I joked about building at MIT?
DANIEL
Kind of.
WILLIAM
Super simple mechanic really. And I know it would go viral.
The two return to their workspace.

104

JOHN
So what are you working on?
ALEXI
Crowdsourced charity.
JOHN
I like the sound of that. Tell me more.
ALEXI
Our own algorithm takes data from reputable charity evaluators like
GiveWell and Charity Navigator; we rank different nonprofits on
effectiveness categorized within specific service verticals like
drinking water provision, women's prenatal care, latrine
construction globally; any person with a computer or mobile device
can select a milestone goal within a service vertical, like five
latrines in a village, or standard diagnostic care and vaccination
for a mother and her baby before and after its born, or one water
point drilled in a community that previously didn't have one; they
create a video inspiring people to give to the cause, with
suggestions of celebrities like Adele and Will Smith and Lupita
Nyong'o who already have given to and done a viral video supporting
the same cause on our platform; and we send the money when the
milestone cost is met or after a designated period of time,
whichever sooner. Our company has two separate bank accounts that
never ever cross, one hundred percent of funds for milestones are
held in escrow and sent to the organization of choice, so the only
overhead is that of our partners, who also adopt the one hundred
percent model one by one as we encourage them. We operate
completely on gifts given for the purpose of sustaining our company.
Black and white until the day we reach critical mass or go under.
JOHN
Oh, I really like the sound of that! Truly admire your idealism.
And I know Adele. She would too. Want to meet with her?
ALEXI
Oh, my... Yes!
JOHN
She's in town next week. I'm having lunch with her then. Join us.
Here's my card.
ALEXI
Ahhh! I love her! I love you!
JOHN
Don't mind hearing that.

105

Melvin walks into the room nursing a cup of noodles, looks up, sees
John, and drops it.
MELVIN
Uhhhhh! Idea! John Stoke! I have one! Want to hear?
ALEXI
Was that a sentence?
John looks over at the incoherent newcomer. He bends over and
starts putting noodles back into the cup with his hands.
MELVIN
Oh.
ALEXI
Are you Melvin Khan? The guy everyone's been talking about?
Alexi looks doubtful. She and Melvin both are trying to process the
sight of suited John Stoke cleaning up someone else's hot ramen
with his bare hands. There are no words. Melvin has never been so
mortified in his life.
JOHN
Melvin? If that's your name, I'd love to hear your idea if you get
something for this spilled soup.
Melvin still hasn't found his words or legs. Alexi rolls her eyes
and leaves to get paper towels.
JOHN
Love the sense of community here. So what's your idea?
Minutes later, we see Nick waiting for Mel in another part of
WeWork, trying hard not to make eye contact with several of the
people who interviewed him before. Still chattering, Melvin walks
in with John, who is wiping his hands.
MELVIN
The hardware for-JOHN
Collective consciousness.
MELVIN
Yeah!
JOHN
And other less lovely applications.

106

MELVIN
Well, yeah.
Melvin makes hilarious expressions of apprehension at Nick while
John looks down, momentarily in thought.
JOHN
It's beautiful.
NICK
What?
MELVIN
Hahahahahaha!
Melvin looks like he's about to fall on the floor frothing at the
mouth.
JOHN
And you thought of this by yourself?
He wipes himself.
MELVIN
No, I didn't. This is my best friend.
JOHN
Ah, small world! Nice to see you again. Nick?
NICK
Yeah. Great to see you Mr. Stoke.
JOHN
Just call me John. How are things since graduation?
NICK
Not bad. I rambled the concept to him while we were high and
playing Project M.
MELVIN
Dude!
John laughs.
JOHN
Awesome. I hear there's an amazing underground tournament scene.
Nick is incredulous. Melvin looks like he might start frothing
again.

107

JOHN
I used to game quite a bit before starting businesses. Huge
Nintendo fan. I would love to advise development of their next
console. Dont know if theyd take me though.
MELVIN
My life is complete.
NICK
You are really cool.
JOHN
Not like you two. The raw concept shows an impressive knowledge of
the brain, human sociality, and network systems. You could have a
promising career in designing artificial intelligence ahead of you.
The AI industry may actually be at a loss without you.
NICK
Ill think about it.
JOHN
Either way, thats some dangerous creativity. Careful how you use
it!
John looks at his watch.
JOHN
Okay, I think I've missed a couple meetings doing overtime here.
Johns assistant has a humorless expression on her face. John looks
frightened.
JOHN
Scan my direct contact.
Melvin scans Johns screen with his own phone.
JOHN
Let's talk again. Very soon. Bye Melvin and Nick!
He exits. Everyone in the room is staring at Nick and Melvin.
Daniel walks by.
DANIEL
You guys free tomorrow night?
NICK
For what?
DANIEL

108

Were having a party here. You should join.

MELVIN
You guys throw parties?
DANIEL
Big ones.
NICK
Go figure.
MELVIN
Yeah, well stop by.
DANIEL
Fantastic. Oh, and help us even out the gender ratio, would you?
2014 October 12. Ground floor of WeWork.
OLIVIA
This is the startup space? It looks like a rave!
NICK
Uh-huh. The only party where Mel's treated like a celebrity.
MELVIN
Not true. You obviously didn't attend college with me.
OLIVIA
You guys have friends here already?
NICK
So many.
MELVIN
He means zero. I, however, may need a king's litter to carry me
around. Look for one, will you?
OLIVIA
Is our adorable Melvin losing his innocence to a swelling head?
NICK
Check it out, that guy William is DJing.
OLIVIA
Oh, he is pretty!
NICK
Yeah. He dropped out from MIT to start a custom suit company with
his friend Daniel.

109

MELVIN
Did that girl just put her underwear on his table?
DANIEL
Yes, she did. Did I hear somebody say my name?
NICK
Hey Daniel!
MELVIN
How hard can it be to DJ? I'm learning.
NICK
This is Olivia, our college roommate. Daniel's the style of the
custom-suit outfit.
OLIVIA
I can see that! Hi.
DANIEL
Pleased to meet you. My god, are you single?
MELVIN
Nice. I'm getting a drink. You guys want anything?
OLIVIA
Um, I'll come with.
NICK
Beer. The first one you see.
OLIVIA
Haha, you got it. We'll be right back.
Olivia and Melvin leave for the bar.
DANIEL
Your girlfriend?
NICK
No.
DANIEL
She's a bit cold.
NICK
You think so? Guess I've never noticed.
DANIEL

110

You and Melvin are spending quite a bit of time here recently.
Going to set up shop?
NICK
Need an idea and team for that.
DANIEL
I hear you pitched one that Stoke loved, and he gave you his
private contact.
NICK
Oh. That was Mel. I didn't do any pitching.
DANIEL
Something to do with AI?
NICK
Apparently. Mel would be the one to engineer it.
DANIEL
So you're the ideator.
NICK
Melvin has plenty of great ideas. Well, and not great ones, but I
do too.
DANIEL
I mean you're the visionary though.
NICK
Who's the "visionary" between you and William?
DANIEL
Oh, me of course.
NICK
Okay. So you need the tech talent to create the custom-suit
platform according to what you envision the customer experience to
be?
DANIEL
Exactly. But you can find programmers anywhere, everywhere these
days. And I'm not sure bringing modular custom suits to people
through a pretty website maximizes my creative potential.
NICK
Well, that's cool. Good to be ambitious. I hear William wants to
build a dating app, which it looks like he would be very good at.
What's your passion project then?

111

DANIEL
Revolutionizing commerce with artificial intelligence. I think you
may be a good partner for it. Interested?
NICK
What's the idea?
DANIEL
I just told you.
NICK
I mean, what are the components you need to execute to
"revolutionize commerce with artificial intelligence?"
DANIEL
What?
NICK
What is the product? The service?
DANIEL
Oh.
A tipsy Daniel thinks on Nicks question.
NICK
You went to Harvard?
At the bar, Olivia gets a couple beers.
OLIVIA
Did we just abandon Nick with someone he doesn't want to talk to?
MELVIN
Yes. I've gotten very good at it, I must say.
She gives him a playful glare.
ALEXI
Melvin?
MELVIN
Hi! Wow, thank you so much for cleaning up my dumb mess in front of
John Stoke yesterday. What's your name?
ALEXI
No problem. It was pretty hilarious in retrospect. I'm Alexi!
MELVIN
Want a drink?

112

ALEXI
Still working on it, thanks. Who's this?
OLIVIA
Hi, I'm Olivia. Melvin and Nick's roommate from college.
ALEXI
Oh, great to meet you! Who's Nick?
OLIVIA
Last corner of the triangle. He's been at WeWork with Mel lately.
Think he interviewed with a few companies. You guys didn't meet?
ALEXI
No, but I did hear about an... untraditional applicant.
MELVIN
Do you mean weird? Smart but probably not a team player? Silent
until frantically talkative? A little stressful to interview?
ALEXI
Um, yeah.
OLIVIA
Yup, that's our best friend. He's chatting with Daniel over there
at the moment. I'm sure you'll run into him eventually.
ALEXI
Tell me about you.
OLIVIA
Oh, I'm in my first year of med school. Just started, so feeling
things out.
ALEXI
How inspiring. What kind of medicine do you want to do?
OLIVIA
Probably just internal. Or maybe a pediatric specialty. I love kids.
ALEXI
That's wonderful. You look caring, maternal. A natural healer.
OLIVIA
Oh... Thanks!
Olivia is blushing, a tiny bit uncomfortable. Melvin sees this and
takes cue to embarrass her further.

113

MELVIN
Yeah, Liv is very spiritual, holistic, naturopathic. She might even
explore midwifery, give beautiful water births and stuff.
ALEXI
Oh
She continues staring at Olivia.
MELVIN
She really wants to help women who for far too long have been
prostrated by male surgeons who pull their infants from them with
cold steel forceps, to rediscover the beauty and joy in giving
birth without the use of horrible labor-inducing drugs and
painkillers, and to do it solely in the company of other women who
care and have true experience with the miracle of life.
ALEXI
Oh! Liv, was it?
OLIVIA
Melvin has such a way with words. And so many of them!
The music suddenly starts scratching randomly. Everyone looks up at
the turntable. William is making out with the same girl who gave
him her underwear, on top of his equipment. The crowd stares. He
senses it and looks up.
WILLIAM
Uh. I'm going home. Sorry guys.
A generic pop playlist on shuffle starts.
Back near the entrance, Nick and Daniel are rooted in the same spot.
NICK
You sound really passionate about the idea, so go for it. Don't
take no for an answer. Hire those devs, and tell them to build that
AI for you. I'm excited to hear the press.
OLIVIA
Nick! We're back!
Nick stares daggers.
NICK
Where. Is. My. Beer.
Olivia looks sheepish.

114

OLIVIA
Oh. Here!
She gives him hers.
OLIVIA
Already drank from it, sorry. Mel and I got a little distracted by
his new friend.
Melvin, who is on his phone, looks up mischievously. Nick drinks
greedily.
MELVIN
Daniel, sorry man. I think we might leave early.
DANIEL
No worries guys. I'll see you later.
Nick hands the cup back to Olivia, who smiles and drinks the last
bit. A bit of alcohol in his system, he speaks less diplomatically.
NICK
You should also learn what artificial intelligence means before you
start telling others to build it for you. To start, something like
aggregating paparazzi photos of people's favorite celebrities and
using image recognition to ID the products they're using, or to ID
their faces in venues they frequent, from Taylor Swift's pumps to
LeBron's necklace to Halle Berry's favorite Paris cafe to Ryan
Gosling's hair salon, and using an algorithm to continuously
recommend those and similar products and venues to users who badly
want to trend-set. Sell the user data to businesses, who in turn
allow retail transactions for their products or bookable deals on
services in their venue directly through your social commerce
platform, which you also charge them for at a set percentage in the
long term. It would pass as intelligent commerce, and it would be
popular. Investors would fund it, and every media company would
want to buy you out. You sound like a guy who may want an early
exit. Still a far cry from "upturning the commercial world" or
whatever you said, though.
DANIEL
Um. Okay. Thanks.
William walks by with an entourage of girls. As Nick tries and
fails to get Melvins beer too, Olivia breaks the awkward silence
as shes used to doing.
OLIVIA
Nice meeting you Daniel! I think were heading out. Pizza?

115

MELVIN
Porkless?
OLIVIA
Of course!
2015 January 12. Nick walks into Juniper Bar. An arm beckons him
from the back.
PATRICK
Nick!
NICK
Hey Patrick! Found you guys. How's it going?
PATRICK
Good! It's been a while. Don't think we've properly caught up since
your graduation. This is my friend Tyler.
NICK
Hey, I'm Nick.
TYLER
Nice to meet you Nick. Pat's been saying some great things about
you.
NICK
Think I'll be lucky if half of them are true.
Tyler laughs.
PATRICK
Was just saying that you're a smart, enterprising guy with the
whole world ahead of you.
NICK
Oh man!
PATRICK
Not empty words. I've known you since... before puberty!
NICK
I was small at fourteen. Still waiting for it. Tyler, are you at
Goldman with Pat?
TYLER
No. I have my own company.
PATRICK

116

Tyler trades forex. He recently got approval for his new fund from
the SEC and CFTC. He's one of best capital managers in the country.
TYLER
Not proven yet. I'll be handling a large enough portfolio to create
a ripple soon. We'll see what the market thinks.
NICK
SEC. Commodity futures. You're buying and selling currencies for
rich clients against everyday traders?
TYLER
Exactly.
NICK
How much do your clients let you manage?
TYLER
50K.
NICK
That's about twice the median annual income for Americans. Every
investor gives you that much?
TYLER
It's the minimum requirement for us to take them. Many invest more.
Nick chuckles. Patrick is watching the back and forth. Tyler is
enjoying the conversation.
NICK
Oh man. Which currencies?
TYLER
Quite a few.
NICK
Which ones are traded most frequently?
TYLER
US Dollar, Canadian, Australian, British Pound, the Euro, the Yen,
Swiss Franc, and others.
NICK
Chinese RMB?
TYLER
I wish. Theyre not allowing it yet.
NICK

117

How large is the market for foreign exchange?

TYLER
A little over five trillion. Per day.
NICK
Obscene.
Patrick has stopped listening, and is taking a bored sip of his
drink.
NICK
You must be great at reading people. Seeing a binary fight-orflight psychology in so many people every single day, hour, minute,
and acting on it for profit.
TYLER
Every second. Fractions of a second. Our trading strategy is
automated. I hear you studied neuroscience?
NICK
Didn't study much.
Tyler laughs.
PATRICK
Well, this is riveting! Nick, do you want a drink?
NICK
Sure! I'll have what you're having. Thanks Pat.
PATRICK
Be right back with it. Need to use the restroom.
Patrick heads to the restroom.
TYLER
That is some quick processing, Nick. Are you interested in trading?
NICK
Mm, haven't decided. The industry certainly is interesting though.
We just had a global financial crisis that originated here. Can you
place double orders?
TYLER
No, you can't hedge. US government did make that illegal. A buy and
sell of the same size order cancel each other out. A bit slow for
my taste.
NICK

118

I see.
TYLER
Still looking for a job?
NICK
Not at the moment. Thanks for all the information! Sorry for
grilling you. I start-TYLER
Rolling down the track, and you only get faster and faster. No
problem. I'm not much of a small talk guy either.
NICK
You're good at it though.
TYLER
Oh, of course. Just talk, talk, talk, and the money comes. The gift
of gab.
NICK
Not so different from the startup world.
PATRICK
Sorry for the wait, Nick. Your drink's coming.
NICK
No worries. I might actually take off soon. Oh, how's it going with
you?
Tyler smiles.
PATRICK
Good, thanks! Just busy doing analyst work. Equity research.
Figuring out which Asia companies are most promising for an
American IPO. Setting up the deals and listing them will put my
name on the map.
NICK
Smart. That sounds fun.
A waitress brings Nicks scotch. He takes a drink.
NICK
Well, we already know I'm jobless and trying desperately to change
that. I should get back to it.
PATRICK
You just got here. You sure?

119

NICK
Yeah! You know me. Workaholic. Great seeing you Pat. Wonderful
meeting you, Tyler.
Nick throws the rest of his scotch back and leaves cash on the
table.
PATRICK
Oh, I got it.
NICK
Don't worry about it!
He leaves.
PATRICK
Nick Sham. Human whirlwind.
Tyler is stirring his drink, his gaze where Nick had been standing.
PATRICK
So... What do you think of Nick?
TYLER
That one. He's a chameleon. I like him.
PATRICK
Enough to hire him?
TYLER
Sure. I'm not sure he's the employee type though.
PATRICK
What makes you say that? Nick gets along well enough with people,
and god knows he's smart.
TYLER
Yeah, and he knows it. I'd love to work with the guy, but there's a
good chance our egos would clash. Seems to be interested in FX.
PATRICK
I imagine he'll start trading. Likes trying things.
TYLER
Trying, or conquering?
PATRICK
What do you mean?
TYLER

120

I think I may have just met a competitor.

PATRICK
Someone who can compete with you? You only just met, and Nick had
hardly heard of forex!
TYLER
Trading is incredibly easy to learn, Pat. We all have a primal
instinct built in for it actually. There's a mystical shroud around
our industry, not an especially high intellectual barrier to entry.
You know that, well enough to look the part anyway.
PATRICK
I have a feeling you just insulted me?
TYLER
Never. I'm just saying monkeys can do what I do. But no one as well.
Nick though, he's something else.
PATRICK
So people seem to think
The waitress brings the tab.
PATRICK
Youre getting this by the way.
Nick starts trading FX. Morning to night. Repeat. He hardly eats,
sleeps, or bathes. Melvin enters his room one afternoon.
MELVIN
Hey.
NICK
Hm?
MELVIN
Are you trading?
NICK
Mhm.
MELVIN
Looks like you're really into it.
NICK
Mhm.
MELVIN

121

So... I know I'm usually a bit slow to notice these things, but I
just realized that you probably haven't moved from this spot in a
week.
NICK
Maybe. Has it been that long?
MELVIN
Don't people usually automate currency trading? They let software
do the work so they don't have to sit in their bedroom for an
eternity like a vampire?
NICK
Eventually. Hedging is illegal in the US, so I'm quick enough to
trade by hand. Doing it to get a gut feeling for the asset class.
The movement of each pair should become second nature to me. I'll
do this until I can't any longer, and it won't be strategy. It'll
be instinct. Then I'll consider automating.
MELVIN
Don't you have to place orders every second?
NICK
Mhm.
MELVIN
And the market's open twenty four hours a day?
NICK
Mhm.
MELVIN
That's unreal. You're going to kill yourself.
NICK
Don't be dramatic. I sleep four hours a night and trade for twenty.
Market's closed Friday 5pm to Sunday 5pm Eastern, so I can rest
weekends. That's becoming the schedule anyway.
MELVIN
Wow. Kudos to your focus.
He sits on Nick's bed.
MELVIN
Don't want to distract you, but I've been thinking more about the
augmented reality device. Stoke was serious when he said he liked
it. Wants to set up another meeting. I think we should go for it.
Start a company, I mean. I've even been thinking of names. How does
"Synapt" sound to you? Comes from--

122

NICK
Syn. Greek prefix for "together." As in synthesis, but also synapse.
Apt for aptitude, or the standalone word, meaning the company is
fitting for where the tech industry is right now and also timely in
its mission to completely alter human communication when we're all
on the verge of blowing each other up for a lack of it. Cool name.
MELVIN
That's right. Forgot you were the wordsmith. So what do you think?
Nicholas Sham, will you take me for your lawfully wedded co-founder
and CTO?
NICK
Can't at the moment. Focusing on this. Will have enough money to
invest directly in the company soon enough. Work with Stoke though.
He's a good resource.
MELVIN
Mentor maybe, but I need a partner.
NICK
You're brilliant. Don't need a partner. If you insist, I may join
you later. Either way, a company needs activation energy. I'll
deserve equity in Synapt when I can give you money for it.
MELVIN
You'll deserve equity for being Co-founder and CEO.
NICK
Sorry man.
MELVIN
Okay.
Melvin gets up from Nick's bed and moves to leave.
MELVIN
Liv wants to get lunch sometime this week, whenever we're free.
Join us?
NICK
Can't. Need to focus.
Nicks phone buzzes. His eyes leave his computer for the first time
to check the message. It's his mother. Message reads: "Hi! Dinner
this weekend?"
MELVIN
Your mom?

123

Nick looks Melvin in the face for the first time in the
conversation. Dark rings around his eyes.
NICK
Yeah. Wants to have dinner this weekend.
MELVIN
That's good. You should see her.
He leaves the room. Nick looks at his door briefly. He resumes
trading.
That weekend, at Jennifers apartment, she and Nick finish dinner
in silence.
NICK
Have we ever had anything to talk about?
JENNIFER
What do you want to talk about? What are you doing these days?
NICK
Was interviewing at a bunch of startups, chatting with bankers who
wanted me to work for them.
JENNIFER
Oh, and? Any offers?
NICK
Yes, as I said, several.
JENNIFER
At the little startups, or a bank? You'd be at Goldman if they
wanted you.
NICK
Never mind. Doesn't matter. I recently stopped to start my own
business.
JENNIFER
Is that right! What is it?
NICK
I'm trading currencies, making money for people.
JENNIFER
I see. Are you enjoying it?
NICK

124

It's alright. I'm good at it.

JENNIFER
Well, that sounds interesting. Do you have a girlfriend?
NICK
No, I'm not seeing anyone.
JENNIFER
Nick, I've been meaning to ask you. Are you gay?
NICK
Nope.
JENNIFER
Because you can tell me if you are.
NICK
I appreciate that. I'm not gay though.
JENNIFER
You're straight then?
NICK
Not sure labels are helpful. I'm attracted to who I'm attracted to.
Generally women so far.
JENNIFER
I don't understand what you just said. I guess you're straight.
NICK
I'm making money, and I'm not dating anyone at the moment. Still
spending time with Olivia and Mel.
Nick stops and thinks of his conversation with Mel.
JENNIFER
Still Olivia, huh? I don't know what you see in her.
He snaps back to the conversation.
NICK
She's my best friend, not girlfriend. But if she were, I would
think that's what youd want. Top school, great grades, becoming a
doctor?
JENNIFER
She may look like someone becoming a doctor, but her head's up in
the clouds. A bit too floaty, spacey, hippy to be a serious
physician.

125

NICK
She's everything people strive to be, and you dislike her. You'd
prefer her to be cold and judgmental like you, instead of happy and
inspiring to those around her?
JENNIFER
Don't get so emotional.
NICK
Okay, Mom. I'm leaving.
JENNIFER
Wait! Where are you going?
NICK
Home.
JENNIFER
You are home! I love you. I just want you to be happy.
NICK
No, I'm not. Do you?
Nick leaves.
After a month of manually trading for twenty hours a day, Nick has
begun automating his FX strategy. He charts large returns, twice
the performance of the top funds in New York. He sends his
portfolio results to an immense contact list. Young Ivy League
alumni call him constantly. Funds are sent via StokePay to his
personal checking account instead of an approved capital management
fund. He makes more and more money trading on the euphoria of
affluent millennials. He buys suits, nice dinners, bottle service.
Patrick appears with him. Melvin and Olivia do not.
2015 March 24. At Juniper, Nick is out for drinks with Patrick.
Olivia, Tyler, and some banker friends are present. They sit at a
table near Emily with models and agent friends. She is receiving an
advance from a banker.
EMILY
Can I give you a piece of advice? Next time you want to pick up a
girl, I suggest you not share the vivid details of what you want to
do to her in the back of the bar from the next table over. Because,
judging by the look on their faces...
Emily points to his friends who are laughing.
EMILY

126

She could hear what you were saying as well. Have a nice night.
She directs attention back to her friends.
BANKER 1
God damn it. Who's next? Pat?
PATRICK
I don't play to lose.
BANKER 2
That was too arousing. I have to. Girl has a posse of model friends
too.
TYLER
Me first.
Tyer approaches Emily. She doesn't break composure, and even smiles
a little when she sees him walk over.
TYLER
I have to thank you for making this entire night worth coming out
for. Was bored senseless until you and my two friends supplied
entertainment.
EMILY
Are you here to rescue me?
TYLER
Would you like that?
EMILY
You'd find out if you made a candid effort. I'm not your type.
Tylers eyebrow questions her.
EMILY
Are they?
Emily looks back at the male bankers.
TYLER
Oh. No, afraid not. Cheeky girl. What's your name?
EMILY
Emily Russell.
TYLER
Tyler Simpson. Where are you from?

127

EMILY
Manchester.
TYLER
Ah. I love it there.
EMILY
You've been?
TYLER
A couple times. I travel to the UK quite a bit. Good for my work.
EMILY
What line of work would that be?
TYLER
Finance. Boring. More about you.
EMILY
What would you like to know?
TYLER
Start from the beginning.
At the opposite end of Tyler and Patricks table, Olivia and Nick
are sitting together.
OLIVIA
Nick, can I talk to you for a sec?
NICK
Yeah.
The two move to the quieter side of the bar.
NICK
What's up?
OLIVIA
Nothing really. We haven't talked in a while, so just wanted a
second alone to catch up.
NICK
Oh. You're right. How's it going?
OLIVIA
I'm good. Just studying and getting to know my class. This year's
been a lot like college actually. How are you?
NICK

128

Great.
OLIVIA
Really? You don't look happy.
NICK
What?
OLIVIA
I mean, it seems like you've gotten really good at trading and
making money. But I look at your face right now, and you don't seem
happy.
NICK
Oh. No, I'm great, just a little tired.
OLIVIA
Okay. How's your mom doing?
NICK
I saw her last month. No, month before. She's good, thinking about
retiring soon. Maybe a bit lonely, but I think she's always been,
even with me around. Thanks for asking. Your family?
OLIVIA
My parents are doing well. Dad's sailing quite a bit. Mom's been
active in rotary. She made a joke about running for mayor the other
day, but she did run a large biotech company, so I can see her
doing a good job leading the city. You already know how Patrick is.
You two seem to make time for each other.
NICK
Are you suggesting I should be making time for other people?
OLIVIA
Yeah, it'd be nice to see you once in a while. I know you're like a
laser when you decide to focus on something, but not all of us can
toss aside our social lives.
NICK
You're the doctor in training. You and everyone around you spend
all your time studying and in the hospital.
OLIVIA
It just appears that way. A lot of my classmates spend their time
partying with consultants and law students. And here I am, going
out with you and Patrick's crowd.
NICK
It's good to spend time with family. And they're not my crowd.

129

OLIVIA
They're not mine either. And I live with Patrick. Who else am I
here for?
Nick is quiet.
OLIVIA
I miss you Nick.
He looks away.
OLIVIA
Nick, will you look at me? The guy who just told me it's good to
spend time with family hasn't spoken to his own mother, who lives
in the same city, in two months. Not only that, Melvin's your best
friend and roommate, and even he says he's hardly interacted with
you in weeks. Says you're at your computer when he goes to sleep,
and you're still there when he wakes up. Only time he hears you
talk is when you're chatting on the phone with your investors. He
says you sound like a different person. Eloquent and persuasive,
but cold and calculating. A shark. Almost like that guy Tyler. He's
dangerous.
NICK
Sounds like Melvin's been saying a lot.
OLIVIA
Look, that doesn't really matter to me. I understand setting and
reaching goals is in your nature. Youve never fooled me with that
lazy attitude. You may be a billionaire one day. You may be a
rocket scientist. You may change the world with that crazy brain
and heart of yours. But, right now, you're doing it at the cost of
sleeping and eating, and you're pushing people who love you away.
That's not how you're going to get there. That's what's bothering
me. And...
Olivia takes his hand in both of hers. She steps close to him. Nick
looks into her eyes again.
OLIVIA
You still sweat. I was kind of hoping, now that we're both going
about our lives after high school and then college together...
NICK
Mel's right. I'm a shark. A sociopath. Someone who's only good at
gaming and cheating. For so long, I've been trying to find
something I'm good at, and I'm very good at this. You're the
opposite. You love people while I disdain them. You heal people

130

while I steal from them. You look brightly on the world while I
only see flaws. Don't waste that on me. I'm going back.
Nick pulls his hand away. He begins to walk back. Olivia gently
puts her hand on his shoulder. He stops.
OLIVIA
Okay, Nick. That's fine.
Nick fights back tears. He leaves to rejoin the others.
Tyler returns to the table.
PATRICK
In love?
TYLER
Something like it. I love tragic stories. They're like a whetstone
for the intellect. That girl's sharp. Definitely my type.
PATRICK
You certainly beat the clock. Made me a thousand bucks from those
guys. I had the longest bet, but still nowhere close.
Tyler laughs.
TYLER
That's why they're gone.
PATRICK
Tails between their legs.
Patrick looks over to Olivia and Nick.
TYLER
How long have they been together?
PATRICK
Who? Olivia and Nick? They're not together. Nick's her best friend.
TYLER
Huh, that's a surprise.
PATRICK
Why?
TYLER
They're in love with each other.
PATRICK

131

Just really close in other ways. I used to think that too, when Liv
was in high school, but nothing ever happened. She had a boyfriend
I wanted to back my car over. And Nick--I think he was followed by
several younger chicks, but went to prom stag?
TYLER
That's touching.
PATRICK
They've been friends for nearly ten years. You'd think if a guy
liked a girl for that long, he'd do something about it. I'm not
sure Nick's into women. A shame though. Great dude.
TYLER
Sometimes people don't find it so easy to put their core identity
or strongest feelings on display.
PATRICK
Always so much philosophy from you, man! Time for a shot.
Nick returns.
PATRICK
You're back! Just in time!
Olivia returns to the table briefly and grabs her coat and bag.
OLIVIA
I'm going to leave. Have an early morning tomorrow.
PATRICK
You're going? Everything alright?
OLIVIA
Yeah. I'm tired, so I'll head home first.
She leaves the table. The waitress brings a platter of flaming
shots. Nick stares blankly. The flames reflect in his eyes.
NICK
Cheers.
He toasts and takes the shot. Nick stops the waitress before she
leaves.
NICK
Can we get another round?

132

Brittany Reyes is on her way out when Olivia comes to pay her tab
at the bar. She had been watching Olivia and Nick's interaction,
and sees up close that shes very upset.
OLIVIA
Hi, I'd like to pay for my drink. I was at that table.
BARTENDER
Of course.
BRITTANY
Having a rough night?
OLIVIA
Oh, no. Just had a little argument with a friend.
The bartender brings her card back. Olivia signs and turns to leave.
BRITTANY
I was on my way out. Where are you heading?
OLIVIA
Upper East.
BRITTANY
Me too. Share a cab?
Olivia examines Brittanys warm expression.
OLIVIA
Sure. I could use the company.
The two leave the bar together.
Nick gets more and more drunk. Black.
We see flashes and visions of Nick being restrained, Nick screaming
in agony, Amena Weems repeating Good man, Branden Fullers
laughter, Olivia saying Youre him, Jennifer yelling Nick, and
John Stokess voice repeating the word Shepherd.
Nick wakes. Its early morning. He is lying on a street in Harlem,
and young Branden Fuller is peeing on him. Horribly disoriented,
Nick gets up, and Branden runs off giggling. A photosensitive Nick
stumbles about amidst more flashes, he falls, and a car driven by
middle-aged Carlos Fernandez runs over his hand that is holding his
phone.
CARLOS
Hey! Youre going to get yourself killed!

133

Nick stares at his crushed phone and unhurt hand, speechless and
terrified.
2015 March 31. Nick is walking down a street in Upper East Side. He
sees an escalating argument between two police officers and a young
black man. Apprehensive, he looks around him. Nick pokes a hole in
the fire hydrant next to him. It starts spouting water high into
the air.
NICK
Officers, the fire hydrant just started spraying. Is that thing
safe?
The officers move to assess and call in the situation.
NICK
Hey, you alright?
YOUNG BLACK MAN
Yeah. Weird day man.
NICK
Tell me about it. Should probably get out of here.
YOUNG BLACK MAN
Yeah. See ya.
Nick watches as the man leaves hurriedly.
OFFICER 1
Ten-fifty-nine. We have, uh, a damaged fire hydrant at northeast
corner of Fifth and MLK. Expelling water, so need it fixed quickly.
One officer is noting a clipboard as the other speaks. The two look
back to Nick. He and the man are gone.
A few days later, Nick enters coffee shop Culture 36. Olivia and
Melvin are waiting for him.
OLIVIA
Glad you decided to come out of the cave.
NICK
Was starting to smell.
MELVIN
He's not joking.
NICK

134

Sorry I've been MIA. Things have been happening. I might be...
feeling a little lost.
OLIVIA
Not like you to admit it. But that's what we're here for.
MELVIN
To make you feel worse.
Nick looks at him.
MELVIN
Kidding!
NICK
How's Synapt coming along?
MELVIN
Surprisingly quickly. Didn't know it before, but I'm like a CTO-CEO
two-for!
OLIVIA
For a short run. Are you guys going to team up and build it
together?
NICK
Not sure I'm quite there yet. I'd love to team up, but have some
things going on.
MELVIN
So share.
NICK
Um...
OLIVIA
Too busy to run two companies at once? Are you going to keep up
trading?
NICK
Not sure.
MELVIN
Makes sense for you to stick with it. You're good at it.
OLIVIA
He doesn't enjoy it though. You can tell.
MELVIN

135

Yeah, but I understand. Other interests and worldly cares disappear

when you're running a hedge fund.
OLIVIA
I'm not sure that's true.
MELVIN
Nick's mad at me, but he started it! So we're not building an Iron
Man headset together. It's too lame for him.
OLIVIA
Sounds more like a Halo AI helmet though! You really have to find
the right metaphor before you start building it.
MELVIN
After four blissful years of marriage, Nick's finally bored of me.
The passion's gone. He won't even play with toys in my garage
anymore. Mother said this would happen.
Nick gives a grossed-out look.
NICK
You done?
OLIVIA
Nick's... juggling too many coins to play with your loins!
NICK
What?
MELVIN
Oh. God.
OLIVIA
Yeah... Done.
NICK
Lately, I've been feeling really strange.
MELVIN
You've always been strange.
Both Olivia and Nick stare at him.
MELVIN
So done. It's all out. I'm all ears.
NICK
Like I can do things other people can't.

136

OLIVIA
Well, that's true.
NICK
No, I mean that I'm physically different. The other night, after
drinking with you and Patrick at Juniper, something happened to me.
OLIVIA
Were you okay? Sorry I left so early, but I was pretty upset. You
were drinking a lot though.
NICK
Yeah, I was beyond intoxicated. I don't remember much. But I woke
up the next morning on a random street in Harlem.
OLIVIA
Um, were you hurt?
NICK
No, I-MELVIN
Did you have all your things? Was anything stolen?
NICK
No. I was wearing my clothes and had all my things. But when I wasNick hears something like an explosion in the distance. Someone
screams, while a child cries. Sounds of a frantic crowd. Olivia and
Melvin don't seem to notice any of it. They're staring at him,
waiting for him to finish his sentence. Nick also hears noises from
Melvins stomach, and Olivias heart rate increasing. He suddenly
hears sirens in the distance as well.
NICK
Oh god. I have to go.
MELVIN
What?
OLIVIA
Nick, is everything okay?
NICK
Have to run. Sorry guys. I'll explain later.
Nick leaves abruptly.
MELVIN

137

My god, what was he going to say? Nick is the worst storyteller.

Ever.
Olivia looks worried.
MELVIN
... Or the best?
News of a hooded man saving fire victims and stopping small violent
crimes at night.
At a hardware store, we see Nick check out with a bag of zip ties.
Wearing his hoodie, he wanders the city, lost in thought. Near his
apartment, he hears a loud altercation and the sounds of furniture
breaking in someones home. He walks into the building.
Peering inside, he sees a white man
drunkenly yelling at and pointing a
broken into his home, whose head is
metal. A baby is crying. Nick opens
slowly.

in his boxers and undershirt,

gun at a black man who has
bleeding from being hit by
the door and walks in very

MAN WITH GUN

Who the hell are you? Another one?
NICK
Heard this from the street. I'm really sorry to walk in like this
sir. But you should put that gun down.
MAN WITH GUN
You're breaking into my home, like this guy, and telling me to put
my gun down?
NICK
I just don't want anyone to get hurt. I can call the police if you
want.
SON
I already called the cops Dad. They're coming.
MAN WITH GUN
Good job son. I should shoot you for breaking into my home and
stealing my property. Have half a mind to.
BLACK MAN
Nothing to steal. Big man like you can't even use that right.
NICK
Dude.

138

MAN WITH GUN

I change my mind. Good for nothing. You're a dead man.
Angry and nervous, the black man pulls a knife and begins to move.
Very quickly, Nick runs and knocks out the man with the gun. Black
man stops and stares.
NICK
Don't move. Give me the knife.
BLACK MAN
What the hell?
Nick hears the click of a safety behind him. The son is pointing
the gun. Nick quickly grabs the man's knife, pushes a chair
underneath him, and ties him to it. As he slowly approaches the boy,
a black cop and white cop walk in to assess the situation. They see
the unconscious and bound men, and Nick walking toward the boy, who
is still pointing the gun at the man in the chair. Despite complete
differences in experience, race, and age, child and man are staring
at each other with the same expression of anger and fright. The
cops are confused, but focus on the distraught child with the gun.
NICK
Hey buddy, look at me.
The son slowly averts his gaze from his target toward Nick.
NICK
I'm really sorry about your dad. He'll wake up in a bit. Can I ask
you to put the gun down?
Same expression. No response.
NICK
What's your name?
SON
Robbie.
Nick looks around the apartment, taking in new details. It's
unkempt, rough, with bottles and trash around, and no space for
children. The baby is still crying in her crib. The father is on
the floor next to them.
NICK
Robbie. How old are you?
SON
Nine.

139

NICK
Nine, wow. You already know how to shoot a gun?
SON
My dad taught me.
NICK
I see. You know more than I do. Robbie, I know you're a brave,
strong guy. Looks like you're taking care of your father and your
little... sister?
SON
Yeah.
NICK
Where's your mom?
SON
She's gone.
NICK
Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I lost a parent when I was young too.
It hurts. But it looks like you're taking on a lot of
responsibility already, protecting the people close to you.
Robbies expression softens. He begins to look sad. His face ages,
showing a forced maturity.
NICK
You're the strongest person in the room right now. You don't need
that. I know you won't hurt anyone, but other people, and the
police, see you differently when you're holding a weapon. Can you
put the gun down on the floor right here?
Robbie begins to cry. The gun is heavy, and his finger is on the
wrong side of the trigger guard. It fires into Nicks chest.
Briefly shocked that he is still alive, Nick anticipates what will
happen next.
NICK
No!
Nick shouts and covers Robbie with his body. The police have
already fired their guns. The bullets hit the hooded young man who
somehow is alive. Nick looks down. Robbie is unhurt. The gun falls
from his hands. Enraged, Nick flings the heavy table at the cops
with one arm. They hit the wall and crumple to the floor. The baby
is crying even more loudly. Unable to believe what he's done, Nick
leaves.

140

2015 April 25. Nick stands in Jennifers kitchen, a large duffle

over his shoulder.
NICK
My conforming to your expectations has always been more important
to you than expressing myself. I hate that. I abhor that. I'd
rather die than submit to that.
JENNIFER
God forbid a mother to have influence over her child.
NICK
What is influence, and what is love Mom? A person who truly loves
someone, as a parent should a child, will let him go and trust that
he will return as he chooses and feels he needs to in order to be
whole and happy. If you don't let me go and bless my natural desire
to explore and find what makes sense of the the world for me, I'll
never understand myself, how I fit into everything, or even you.
We'll just sit in a cave of ignorance together, slowly suffocating
each other to death. Is that what you want for our relationship?
JENNIFER
No. It isn't.
NICK
Then let me go.
They stand in silence.
JENNIFER
Okay.
NICK
I need to go make some mistakes on my own, and then I'll come back
for you to yell at me.
JENNIFER
You will?
NICK
I promise.
JENNIFER
Be careful.
NICK
I will.
JENNIFER

141

Promise you'll come back?

NICK
Of course. Just some disaster relief and sightseeing. Everyone's
doing it these days. Don't look so worried.
JENNIFER
Okay. Don't forget to call.
NICK
As soon as I can.
JENNIFER
I love you Nick.
NICK
I love you too.
Forty-eight hours later. Nick stands in Kathmandu, the outer city.
NICK
Hi.
WOMAN
Hello.
NICK
Can I help you?
WOMAN
(Nepali) I'm sorry, I don't understand.
NICK
Your home. It's broken. Do you have things in there? Are you
looking for someone?
The woman looks distraught. A voice appears behind Nick.
AMENA
English doesn't get you far. (Nepali) He's asking if he can help
you. Are you trying to recover your things?
WOMAN
(Nepali) I can't find my daughter. I'm afraid she's under there.
AMENA
(Nepali) We may be able to help.
NICK
Her child?

142

AMENA
You understood her?
NICK
Her face. That expression's universal.
AMENA
She thinks her daughter is trapped underneath.
NICK
The building's mostly rubble.
AMENA
Yes. If she is, there's a small chance the girl's still alive.
NICK
How can we help her?
AMENA
Good question. There aren't proper deconstruction and rubble crews.
Hardly any equipment. The doctors are focusing on wounded who've
been found. There are fewer soldiers here, so I guess the army's
spreading thin too. May have to look for her ourselves.
NICK
That thing's falling apart. We could kill her.
AMENA
Don't have the luxury of alternatives. You can see the ground floor
hasn't caved. Foundation's still intact. Maybe she's down there.
Amena looks to the woman.
AMENA
(Nepali) We can help look for your daughter, but we'll be moving
things. Parts of the building might collapse.
WOMAN
(Nepali) Please. I have to know.
AMENA
(Nepali) What's on the ground floor?
WOMAN
(Nepali) Our storage. Food and old furniture. Abhi knows it's the
strongest part of the house, and to make her way down if she ever
feels shaking.
AMENA

143

Can you help me?

NICK
Sure. How?
AMENA
I'll have to slowly excavate. Spot me.
NICK
You don't want me to help dig her out?
AMENA
It's pretty dangerous. And I'm not sure you can lift a lot of this
rubble. No offense.
NICK
None taken.
AMENA
I'll get a sense of where to start. Can you find a sledgehammer,
shovel, and wheelbarrow?
NICK
Sure. I'll be back.
AMENA
What's your name?
NICK
Nick.
AMENA
You're a good man Nick. I'm Amena.
NICK
Good to meet you.
Weeks later, Patrick tags alongside his boss at Goldman Sachs.
PATRICK
Let me write the memo.
SIDNEY
I know you've been helping associates research the deal, but
writing the investment memo is a big task. You don't have enough
experience.
PATRICK
Sir, these guys don't know anything about the Chinese market.

144

SIDNEY
And you do?
PATRICK
Yes. I learned Chinese in school, I've studied abroad and interned
in Beijing and Hangzhou, and I read Chinese media on their ecommerce and mobile internet sector. Every day.
SIDNEY
Well now.
PATRICK
Your associates are all-American frat boys who know how to type in
a search field and do basic math and modeling. But they haven't
spent a second in China. They analyze everything through US news
and reports. The Western lens. They cant sell it like I can.
SIDNEY
Better keep that voice down. Okay, you can write the memo.
PATRICK
Awesome. You won't be disappointed!
SIDNEY
Have Sean share all our due diligence with you.
PATRICK
Already have all of it.
SIDNEY
Looks like I'm wasting my breath then. Send me a draft by Monday
morning.
PATRICK
Got it!
That night, he and Tyler meet at Juniper for drinks.
PATRICK
MaiMaoMi is it.
TYLER
Pardon?
PATRICK
The company I'm working on. It's going to be the breakthrough China
deal in America.
TYLER
What was the name?

145

PATRICK
Mai. Mao. Mi. Commerce Cat. It's got the largest market share for
mobile retail and peer-to-peer finance in China. Started by a kid
named Maggie Cai. Some people are calling her the John Stoke of
Asia.
TYLER
The company's going to list on New York?
PATRICK
Once I've set up the deal, yes. Convinced my boss to let me get my
hands on it.
TYLER
He doesn't want the credit himself?
PATRICK
Oh, of course he does. But this analyst is the only member of the
team who has actual experience in Asia.
TYLER
Indispensable asset. He needs you.
PATRICK
Yes. Just a little coaxing, and I now have direct communication
with a platinum batch of institutional investors who I can pit
against each other for the first giant China IPO here.
TYLER
I'm genuinely impressed Pat. You surprise me sometimes.
PATRICK
Well, I do it all for your flattery.
TYLER
Don't be gross.
PATRICK
Hey. Look at those two. Aching for your unimpressed stare, I think.
TYLER
I know. I would, but I have a date.
PATRICK
Huh?
TYLER
That Emily girl. Right about now actually.

146

Emily walks in the door.

PATRICK
Get the fuck out.
TYLER
When it's love, you just know.
PATRICK
This is too much for me. If I stay, I'm either going to gag or beat
myself silly.
TYLER
So let one of them do it.
Tyler gestures to the two girls, Samantha and her friend, at the
bar.
PATRICK
Or both.
Patrick leaves for the bar as Emily approaches.
EMILY
Did I scare him off?
TYLER
Definitely not. He was dragged away by new friends.
EMILY
Ah. Good to see you.
TYLER
Likewise. Can I get you a drink?
EMILY
Sure. I'll have a dry gin martini, three olives.
TYLER
Bombay?
EMILY
Yes, that's fine.
WAITRESS
I'll be right back with it Tyler.
Emily just notices the waitress behind her.
EMILY

147

Oh!
TYLER
She's never far. Hate raising my voice.
Emily smiles.
EMILY
Would ruin the overly calm facade.
Tyler looks like he just ate something spicy. He loves spicy
food.
TYLER
Already you remind me why I asked you out.
EMILY
I hadn't been asked out by a guy in so long, and you were such a
gentleman. I'm a little surprised though. Already told you my life
story. Aren't you bored?
Tyler laughs.
TYLER
Talking with you really is like listening to music. No, I'm not
bored. And you?
EMILY
Oh, not yet. Got a feeling I have more patience, and general
interest in people, than you do.
The waitress quickly brings her martini. Emily takes a sip.
TYLER
You're certainly good at making others believe that.
EMILY
Who's the cheeky one. I won't tell anyone you're gay if that's what
you're concerned about.
TYLER
Am I?
EMILY
You haven't bored me yet Tyler. Don't push your luck.
TYLER
I sleep with men, but I don't think I have much of what you'd call
a sexuality.

148

EMILY
More of an appetite for power than a need for sensuality. I get it.
TYLER
How is that you have such eerily mature insight for someone so
young?
EMILY
We're about the same age.
TYLER
Yes, but I'm exceptional.
Emily laughs at the first glimpse of real humor from Tyler. She
eats all three olives without ceremony, but gracefully. She speaks
with her mouth full.
EMILY
You already know why Tyler. Manipulative father, wealthy upbringing.
I've been surrounded by cynical, "exceptional" people my whole life.
TYLER
Your fathers Graham Russell. Of Russell Woodworking.
EMILY
Im surprised youve heard of him.
TYLER
I try to browse valuable businesses in different industries. Love
your fathers story. Born poor and made himself a millionaire by 20.
Selling appliances at first, right?
EMILY
Yes, very good. Youve been reading.
TYLER
And they just did the Oxford library. It looks beautiful.
EMILY
Ill pass that on.
TYLER
I feel like a commoner with you Ms. Russell.
EMILY
And I feel like an unrelatable aristocrat. Thank you Mr. Simpson.
They laugh and toast.
2015 May 11. Nick and Amena have tea in Amenas studio.

149

NICK
How many men have you killed?
AMENA
On the order of a hundred.
NICK
Oh my god. That is absurd. Out of how many fights you've had?
AMENA
Over a thousand.
NICK
That! A thousand? I can't believe this. Did you time-travel here
from feudal Japan or something? And killing one in ten people
you've encountered...
AMENA
I've been in over a thousand violent encounters because I've been a
professional killer. Not all were hand-to-hand. Many were done by
firearm and explosive. Many people had no idea the moment it
happened.
NICK
Would you be able to tell me who you've worked for?
AMENA
Before drone warfare, Thai, South Korean, UK, Australian, American
special forces. Private contracts to US Academi, British Special
Reconnaissance, Russian Spetsnaz, People's Liberation Army Special
Ops. Assortment of wealthy individuals in a dozen countries.
Organizations on either side of the counter terrorism-counter
imperialism fence. Men in power with legacies to protect.
NICK
How did you end up here?
AMENA
Earthquake. Same as you it seems.
NICK
Are you here... for work?
AMENA
Oh, no. Not much happening in Nepal in that regard. And I haven't
worked for years.
NICK
Volunteering?

150

AMENA
Sure. Disaster relief everywhere there's any to be done. There
always is. Some earthquakes and floods. Mostly man-made, stateordered, suffered by the masses.
NICK
Um, repenting?
Amena allows a small smile.
NICK
Pretty cool that you've been consistently agnostic through all this
time. You know what you're good at, and you're the only person
principled enough to follow through with honing it, the fickle
world turning around you. An agent of change. Entropy.
Amena remains silent.
NICK
I'd like to learn from you, if you'll teach me.
AMENA
I don't teach.
NICK
Not how to kill people.
AMENA
Because you already know? You move more lightly than most people
I've seen.
NICK
Oh, no. I've scrapped a bit. I want to learn how not to hurt people.
AMENA
Interesting.
NICK
You've clearly resolved not to hurt anyone for the rest of your
life. I can see that. However, you only know and live light because
you've known and lived dark. Most people are somewhere between.
AMENA
Good theory. If you're right, sounds like an awfully hard thing to
teach.
NICK
I can also see you've spent more time chewing on thoughts and
philosophy than anyone I've met. Can you please teach me those?

151

Silence.
NICK
It's important. I need to know discipline. Restraint. Peace.
AMENA
Well, we've got some time. I don't imagine you have a set itinerary.
NICK
No.
AMENA
Okay, I'll show you some focus. And, if you have the patience, I'll
teach you patience. The last part is love, but I'm afraid you'll
need a whole other person or fungus to show you that.
Nick laughs.
NICK
Okay.
Months later, Melvin and John have a business meeting at Stoke Inc.
JOHN
I love your idea Melvin. But I'm curious to know if you know what
an enormous undertaking building the headband and its platform are
going to be?
MELVIN
The company's called Synapt. And yes, I know. I've got my whole
life to build it. I want to change how people live their lives and
interact with each other. Speed it up. Make it more fluid. More
creative. More empathic. And I want you to invest.
JOHN
Wow. Conviction. Did you and Nick become one person?
MELVIN
Nick's gone. This is all the world has left of him. His idea, my
hands, your money and mentorship.
JOHN
I'm sorry. And I can see you want to move. I'll help. What terms?
MELVIN
Thirty million. Thirty percent equity.
JOHN

152

This is the most aggressive meeting I've ever been in. Are you
joking?
MELVIN
You'll be running the company with me, as Executive Chairman.
Obviously unlimited information rights, co-founder shares, antidilution. You or whatever vehicle you choose will be the sole
investor for the foreseeable future. No other angels to syndicate
and drive backseat, and I don't plan on raising another formal
round.
JOHN
You don't have a company yet. You're valuing it at a hundred
million and assuming I'll run it with you?
MELVIN
I can find someone else. You have plenty of competitors who want to
break into artificial intelligence. Synapt's getting built no
matter what.
JOHN
Give me something more tangible.
MELVIN
You write the term sheet. Think over the business model. Research
whatever you want. I don't care. I'm going to start designing.
JOHN
You're almost too serious. Okay. Legal will draft it, and we'll
talk about the business model. Formalities. Doesn't mean anything
until the hardware's developed. And you seem to have a very clear
idea what it's going to look like.
MELVIN
Crystal. Give me a decision on the investment by next week, or I'll
start shopping. Nothing personal.
JOHN
I can see that. You're not doing personal anymore.
MELVIN
Suppose not. Should look familiar to you.
John gives Melvin a rare deep stare. Melvin returns it.
JOHN
Well, you have my respect. And faith. We'll get back to you by next
week. Answer any diligence questions in the meantime.
MELVIN

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Will do. Thanks John.

JOHN
Do you have a name for the hardware?
MELVIN
Crown.
Melvin leaves, and Maggie Cai walks in. John offers data from Stoke
Inc.s social analytics to inform MaiMaoMis commerce platform as
they launch in the US this year.
Nick and Amena, in the studio again. Sitting on a sky-blue mat.
Like theyre warming down in a 90s aerobics class.
NICK
Were here again. Arent you going to have me sit under a freezingcold waterfall or something?
AMENA
To learn how to meditate?
NICK
Yeah.
AMENA
Nope.
NICK
Why?
AMENA
There are two general camps in meditation. Meditation that helps
people build awareness by achieving peace with their own thoughts
and opening themselves up to their primary emotions, their own body,
the environment around them, and dissolving the borders between all
of those. Like Vipassana. And then theres meditation that builds
focus and power, directing all cognitive dissonance and tension in
your body toward your core, accumulating it in a single point that
you can then draw energy from to either break bricks or help with
healing. Like Qigong.
NICK
That sounds pretty cool.
AMENA
Once you become mindful enough, the two merge.
NICK
And thats enlightenment?

154

AMENA
Maybe, if you believe in that. Were working on the first, so an
aerobics mat and a private room are all you need.
NICK
Why arent I learning how to break bricks?
Amena stares at Nick.
NICK
What?
AMENA
Im willing to help you Nick, but dont play with me.
Nick is uneasy.
NICK
Okay. Im here.
AMENA
Its obvious you can already break bricks.
Nick is quiet.
AMENA
So Im starting on the peace-awareness side.
NICK
Dont you need to know how much strength I have to tone it down?
AMENA
Not really. As long as you do. Mental stress matters more.
NICK
Okay. How did you know?
AMENA
I can tell by how you move your body. Its clear that things like
broken chunks of concrete dont weigh much to you, and your own
body doesnt either, which is why you sometimes move too quickly,
even when youre trying hard to blend in.
NICK
Oh. Wow.
AMENA
Both in fitness and in mental work, power comes from utilizing the
full amplitude from rest to stress. You probably know this from

155

studying physics in school. A spring, a rubber band, a catapult.

You, like so many people in developed countries today, hold an
incredible amount of stress in your body when youre doing nothing
at all. You cant relax. If you did relax fully, even someone in
your shape would lose muscle tone--as you do when you sleep. For a
normal, sedentary and stressed modern person, the simple ability to
relax fully would enable them to jump twice as high, sprint twice
as fast, lift twice as much weight, or learn a given task twice as
quickly when they apply themselves. Youre never even close to
relaxed, but Ive seen you lift very heavy objects without any
effort, so thats how I know youre some sort of superhuman.
NICK
I see.
AMENA
Youve always had a lot of mental energy in the form of anxiety
throughout your life, and focusing on work of some form--in
pinpointed, uncontrolled spurts--has been your only outlet for it.
Youre already really good at focusing on anything you put your
mind to, but youre really bad at moderating that focus. A valve
with only on and off settings. You wear yourself out. Mentally.
Physically, you have no idea how to control your strength, and that
stresses you out, so you move around in hilarious, jerky movements.
Like a robot. Or a baby thats learning how to control its body.
NICK
Youre scaring me man.
AMENA
You dont belong with normal people, but you want to. Youre afraid
of yourself more than anything else, and you cant find a way to
escape.
Nick starts shaking a little. Amena can sense a huge change in his
energy.
AMENA
Its alright. Thats why were opening you up. Im here to help.
NICK
Arent you afraid of getting hurt?
AMENA
Got past that a long time ago, buddy.
NICK
The worlds made of sand Amena. At every moment, asleep or not, I
have nightmares of hurting people.

156

AMENA
Lets start with those then.
NICK
Okay.
AMENA
Close your eyes. And breathe.
2016 December 31. Nick throws over his shoulder a bag that looks
like its meant for an alpine climb. Hes heading for K2.
AMENA
People dont climb that thing in winter.
NICK
First time for everything!
AMENA
Sure you dont need more stuff?
NICK
Im good, thanks Ma.
AMENA
Dont ever call me that.
NICK
Hey. Youve done so much. I don-AMENA
None of that either. How are you getting there?
NICK
Think Ill do a straight shot to make it interesting. Pass through
Tibet and Pakistan on my way.
AMENA
Thatll be scenic. Stay away from the pretty purple flowers.
Nick laughs.
NICK
Not if I suddenly get hungry.
Nick reaches into his bag.
NICK
God, almost forgot. I have a gift for you.

157

He hands Amena a small box wrapped in brown.

NICK
Youre probably the most balanced woman on the planet, but solitude
takes its toll.
Amena tears open the paper to reveal a Crown headband.
NICK
My best friend made it. Its the first model, but I hear it works
well, and everyone in the world is placing orders.
AMENA
What do you want me to do with this?
NICK
Connect with family, stock up on chai, maybe check the weather and
news occasionally? Whatever you want. I wont have to explain how
to use it.
AMENA
Ill frame it.
Nick laughs.
NICK
Anything but that. Just dont want you to get lonely.
AMENA
Okay.
NICK
Alright. Im off. Keep doing you Amena.
AMENA
You too buddy.
Nick disappears in a cloud of dust. Amena stares into the distance.
In New York, MaiMaoMi IPOs, and Maggie Cai and Patrick ring the
NASDAQ bell together. At the same time, many news reports via Crown
interface of pharma company Intrepid gouging prices of
antiretroviral medication for HIV patients. Tyler is the largest
non-employed individual shareholder and a person of interest in the
case.
That night, at Per Se, Olivia and Brittany stand in a busy line.
Melvin rushes in the door.
OLIVIA

158

Mel, this is Brittany.

MELVIN
You're the one who's been stealing her from me?
Brittany laughs.
BRITTANY
Trying hard to. Liv's amazing, but she's also your soulmate from
what I hear.
MELVIN
That's right. Best you know.
BRITTANY
Youre the tech genius who needs to wear a bib at dinner?
Melvin shoots a glare at Olivia.
OLIVIA
You're as refined as you are brilliant. That's what I tell everyone.
MELVIN
This place is so full. We should probably ask how long the wait is.
BRITTANY
Its New Years Didn't you suggest it?
MELVIN
Yeah...
Olivia speaks to the manager.
OLIVIA
Hi, my name's Olivia. I have a reservation for three at eight
o'clock.
Melvin grins.
OLIVIA
Don't worry about it.
MANAGER
Right this way.
The manager seats the party.
MELVIN
She's so on top of things.

159

BRITTANY
Don't you run a company?
MELVIN
Uh-huh.
Melvin takes a drink of water, chews an ice cube, and looks
straight at Brittany. Olivia watches, amused.
BRITTANY
Who manages your time then?
MELVIN
I do. Should I hire an assistant?
BRITTANY
It's not a bad idea.
MELVIN
Bring your resume?
BRITTANY
Forgot it, sorry. I'm awful with interviews. So nervous around
powerful, nerdy men.
WAITER
Something to drink to start?
MELVIN
Yeah. Three Jagerbombs please.
OLIVIA
What? No. No no no.
Olivia hides her face. Brittany is titillated. The waiter is amused
and can't tell if Melvin is serious.
MELVIN
You know how to make it, right? Shot of Jagermeister with a half
glass of Red-WAITER
Yes, we do. I'll bring it right away.
OLIVIA
Why did I come to dinner. I think you're the first person to ever
order something so gross in this place.
Melvin grins. With exaggerated, faux-refined gestures, he unfurls
his napkin and ties it around his neck while smiling at Brittany.

160

He takes a loud sip of his water with his pinky raised, and folds
his hands on the table.
OLIVIA
Talking makes it worse. I forgot.
MELVIN
You were singing my virtues. Powerful. Nerdy. Please, continue.
Brittany laughs.
BRITTANY
Handsome. Muscular. Pioneering. Courageous. Impotent?
Melvin nods enthusiastically, with the same refinement. He feigns
surprise on the last adjective. Brittany can't help but laugh.
BRITTANY
Is he for real?
OLIVIA
I don't know. I don't know anything.
MELVIN
All true. You know me so well, it's hard to believe we've just met.
OLIVIA
Where's the Jger?
Melvin reaches over to slice some of Olivias butter for his roll.
She jabs the table with her knife right next to his hand.
MELVIN
You'll never be rid of me Ferris.
Brittany settles from her laughter, staring at Melvin with real
attraction. Melvin notices and is surprised, his expression
suddenly awkward. Olivia clears her throat.
OLIVIA
Drinks, kids.
Waiter places the Jagerbombs.
BRITTANY
Bombs away.
All three drop their shots.
BRITTANY

161

It's in my eye!
They empty their glasses.
MELVIN
Yeah, that's awful.
Olivia belches. Restaurant patrons around them are watching the
scene, entertained. The manager walks over, his expression less
amused.
MANAGER
Well. Dinner?
MELVIN
Sorry. Just a couple more minutes.
OLIVIA
Promise.
Brittany stifles a laugh while dabbing her eye with a napkin. The
manager looks at her in the light and recognizes Brittanys face.
BRITTANY
Hi Rafi.
MANAGER
Ms. Reyes, so sorry, didn't recognize you earlier!
BRITTANY
No worries. Friends of mine, Melvin Khan the conqueror and Olivia
Ferris. The sailor.
The manager doesnt understand but laughs along. Brittany takes a
quick glance at the menu.
BRITTANY
We'll start with some oysters. Six Blue Point and six Kumamoto,
just a platter in the center. And a bottle of the 2010 Saint-Aubin.
MANAGER
Of course. We'll be back with them.
The manager steps back and chats with their waiter.
BRITTANY
Sorry, don't know if you guys like oysters. He was hovering.
MELVIN
We so didn't need a reservation.

162

Later that night, Emily opens the door to her office.

EMILY
Make yourself at home.
Alexi sees a small print on the wall. She's drawn to it.
ALEXI
Beautiful. My god, is this a Warhol? I've never seen it.
EMILY
Yeah. Dad knew him... Personal gift. Um, try not to touch it!
Alexi smiles. She moves to pick up a glass work on the desk.
EMILY
Or that! Please.
ALEXI
Chihuly?
EMILY
Mhm.
Alexi cautiously approaches the sofa, gingerly touches the
upholstery.
ALEXI
This?
EMILY
You can touch that.
She sits and slowly stretches out.
ALEXI
Can I have a drink?
EMILY
Only have wine in the office. Bordeaux?
ALEXI
Yes, please! Do the museums know you're hiding such amazing
original art in this little office?
EMILY
I'm friends with a few curators. They salivate, but they're
respectful. You like Dale Chihuly?

163

ALEXI
I love him. I don't understand how he creates such intricate work,
oftentimes on such huge scale. Makes the term "glassblowing" itself
sound crude.
EMILY
Dedication to craft. I don't think there's anything more painful or
more rewarding. Glassblowers, mathematicians, sushi chefs... We can
all only fill ourselves by sharpening our craft.
ALEXI
I agree. Even science itself is art. Wow, you are much more
profound than I imagined in that restaurant.
EMILY
Well, thank you.
ALEXI
I suppose it makes sense. Someone who looks so lonely while
surrounded by so many people isn't very much down here at all, is
she?
Emily smiles.
EMILY
I try to be present.
ALEXI
Something I'm very good at. Let me help.
She kisses Emily.
Curious about the popular after-school computer science bootcamp
Savvy Campus, Maggie finds her way to Harlem Middle School. She
meets Branden and Jennifer, who welcome her to sit in. She gets to
know the kids, helps with programming problem sets, and teaches
them some Chinese. Despite a five-year age gap, Maggie and Branden
immediately hit it off.
The following week, Brittany meets Melvin in Central Park.
MELVIN
Hi.
BRITTANY
Hi there.
MELVIN
Nice spot. Took me a while to find.

164

BRITTANY
I have favorite rocks in Central Park.
MELVIN
This is a good rock.
Melvin giggles.
BRITTANY
Why so awkward?
MELVIN
This is sober Melvin, on a date. He's always been awkward.
BRITTANY
You're such a kid.
MELVIN
Yeah. You're giving off the big-sister vibe real strong. Definite
turn-on.
BRITTANY
Oh? Do you have an older sister?
MELVIN
Younger. Her name's Faiza.
BRITTANY
Ah. Bet she's beautiful. Well, I don't mind playing into your
fantasy.
Melvin is too nervous to respond. Brittany holds onto his arm as
they walk.
BRITTANY
Relax Melvin. I had a great time with you and Liv at dinner.
MELVIN
I did too. A little surprised we didn't scare you off.
BRITTANY
That was actually kind of tame compared to how she and I have been
spending some nights.
Melvin laughs with surprise.
MELVIN
That's great. Liv could use some wild company. You're helping her
find herself again.

165

BRITTANY
Oh, nothing so deep I don't think. More the other way around. I
don't have many friends outside of work. I feel really connected to
Olivia.
Melvin relaxes a bit as she rests against him.
BRITTANY
It's adorable how close you guys are. Is that how it was with Nick?
Hes quiet.
BRITTANY
I'm sorry about what happened.
MELVIN
Me too.
BRITTANY
He sounded wonderful. Talented, and a remarkable person.
MELVIN
He cared deeply about the world. More so than any other person I've
known. Whatever he was doing, Nick was always thinking about the
people around them. Their connections visible to him. Tangible,
luminescent. He wanted to enhance the ties between all of us so
that our individual lives could be richer, our minds brighter, our
hearts fuller.
BRITTANY
That's beautiful... Similar to you.
MELVIN
If I were lucky. He was my best friend, so Nick and I are the same
person in many ways. We both love ideas. We're both impatient. We
both only know how to be bored by or completely obsessed with
something. We love discussing philosophy, politics, society. We
love to exchange visions for how America, Asia, and the world
between could and should be different. But there was a practicality
to Nick, a persistent reasonableness that I never had. He
understood that there are obstacles to overcome to realize any idea,
and the more grandly we describe the problems of the world, the
higher those obstacles tower. That's probably why he always had
that expression on his face when he thought no one was looking.
Kind of like a pony weighed down by a gigantic cart. While I
pranced about next to him, tossing hay in the air.
Brittany laughs.
BRITTANY

166

I really love that image. So it's for Nick that you've earned those
gigantic bags under your eyes.
MELVIN
Oh no, I just drew these on so you'd think Im a serious
entrepreneur.
BRITTANY
Mm, I see. Well, I'm surrounded by serious men in suits every
serious day. This walk with you is my break from that.
Melvin smiles.
BRITTANY
Olivia told me all about Synapt. The story that's eluded the press.
You and Nick came up with a brilliant idea together, and you're now
honoring him by bringing it to life. It's going to change people's
lives. Make their relationships richer, more vibrant. I can't
imagine anything that would make your friend happier.
MELVIN
That's my hope. Nick always said there's no end to the path of
inventing and distributing technology, which is simply our favorite
word for the means to empower communication and accelerate human
beings' efforts toward their goals. He's given me a direction in
life. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Brittany kisses him.
BRITTANY
Such a sweet guy.
MELVIN
Also inherited some of Nick's brooding, sexy stuff. I'm getting it
with the ladies.
BRITTANY
I had a feeling that was coming. You really have no filters, huh?
MELVIN
Nuh-uh. Don't need 'em girl.
She kisses him again. Half-laughing and half-kissing, the two fall
onto a bench together.
Weeks later, at a lively family brunch in the Khan house. One face
sticks out at the table. Daniel Rosenthal makes a joke, to which Mr.
Khan responds curtly.
DANIEL

167

Sir... Why don't you like me?

The brunch table goes quiet. Melvin stifles a laugh and chokes.
MR. KHAN
Sweetheart, you mind if I talk with your boyfriend alone for a
minute?
Faiza sees the tension between her dad and boyfriend.
FAIZA
Sure, Dad.
Family members grab their drinks and head for the patio. Mr. Khan
pours himself some more chai.
MR. KHAN
Chai?
DANIEL
No, thank you.
MR. KHAN
So, what's on your mind Daniel?
DANIEL
I've really enjoyed getting to know your family. Melvin is a great
guy, which I knew when I first met him, and it was through him that
I was lucky enough to meet Faiza. Nadia, I mean Ms. Khan, and
everyone else have been so welcoming since she and I started dating.
Except for you. You've been gracious enough to let me into your
home on so many occasions, yet I can't help but feel like
everything I say and do bothers you in some way. Could you correct
me if I'm wrong, or if I'm right, tell me why?
MR. KHAN
Hm. You're right.
DANIEL
Um, why?
MR. KHAN
You're so curious to ask prickly questions Daniel, yet I don't know
if you can handle the disappointment of prickly answers.
DANIEL
I can.
MR. KHAN
You're sure?

168

DANIEL
Yes. I care about Faiza, so this is important to me.
MR. KHAN
You're not good enough for her.
DANIEL
I suspected that. Why not?
MR. KHAN
Daniel. Faiza is a beautiful girl who my wife and I were blessed to
be given. That's all we've been able to think from the moment she
appeared twenty-two years ago, until now. Born with incredible
optimism, insatiable curiosity, and an earnestness to do anything
she puts her mind to, and do it well.
DANIEL
I know. She's hard to believe. That's why I love her.
MR. KHAN
If that's how a proud parent and doting boyfriend would describe an
amazing young woman... Before I give you my comparison, how would
you appraise yourself?
DANIEL
I went to Harvard, I come from a respectable family, and I have my
own company.
MR. KHAN
What are the qualities that make who you are though?
DANIEL
Uh, I'm smart, polite, and enterprising.
MR. KHAN
You're not dumb, not a slob, and quick to tell others you're better
than they are.
DANIEL
That's a little uncharitable, don't you think?
MR. KHAN
What is it that you want to do with your life?
DANIEL
I want to change the world... Using artificial intelligence.
MR. KHAN

169

Yes, as you say a lot, eagerly, to anyone who asks. To

revolutionize the way we buy things. That's the gist, right?
DANIEL
You can put it that way. Sure.
MR. KHAN
And what do you know about the creation of technology?
DANIEL
It's essential to progress for the world.
MR. KHAN
Yes. I agree with that. So do Melvin and Faiza. So does my
grandniece who plays with blocks and a tablet all day and just said
her first words. Are you an engineer?
DANIEL
No. I studied philosophy.
MR. KHAN
Ah. Who's your favorite philosopher?
DANIEL
I... have quite a few. Too hard to pick one.
MR. KHAN
I see. That's pretty philosophical. I imagine Faiza's getting a
little concerned, and we should get back to brunch, so here's what
I'm getting at Daniel. I don't care if you're an engineer or a
philosopher. Everyone has their own field of specialty. Or area of
passion. The thing that gets them awake and hungry in the morning,
and makes them feel exhausted and fulfilled at night, so they can
go to sleep and wake up a bit smarter, stronger, better the next
day. If not, as is the case with a lot of young people, they roam
and explore and run their head into a few walls until they find
that thing. But you don't. You grew up in a Manhattan high rise
with a nanny who was paid more than my wife was as a fully trained
dental surgeon entering this country. You went to expensive private
schools, vacationed at your family's houses in the Hamptons and
Malibu, and perhaps were accepted to Harvard because both of your
parents went there, where they met before starting their own life
and successful careers together. From everything I've seen and
heard, you didn't really study, didn't really work, and didn't
really use your money to at least travel and learn a bit more about
the world. You sat there. These days, you sit in a trendy office
full of young startup people, sending emails and making calls to
investors to take a chance on the idea that you have, that you want
to build, that I hear you've been hiring and firing a dozen
partners for because, despite having infinitely more expertise with

170

software engineering than your zero expertise, they don't meet your
expectations of a perfect CTO, and you're unwilling to take a first
step of faith by sharing any ownership of your nonexistent company
with them, or perhaps by making the effort to teach and learn from
each other. You act like a suited, wheeling and dealing maverick,
but you are the most risk-averse person you know. You've had
everything handed to you your whole life because of arbitrary
circumstances you were born into-Daniel is furious.
DANIEL
You don't know a thi-MR. KHAN
John Rawls, Professor at Harvard and perhaps the most celebrated
moral philosopher of the twentieth century, called them "accidents
of birth." The fact that you are Daniel instead of an Ethiopian
girl born in a slum with HIV vertically transmitted from her mother,
is pure happenstance. An accident of birth. Completely oblivious
and taking it all for granted, you are the ultimate spectator in
life. You won't move to apply yourself and do anything despite
having everything already, and being able to shoulder immense risk
to create something real that helps everyone else around you,
instead of just talking about it and taking gifts from todays
American aristocracy who find a philosopher's hyperbole
entertaining. I'll say it again. You are a spectator. A jester. I
tolerate you because Faiza thinks you're cute. But I only like
people who I feel are an active positive influence on my daughters
growth as a person. If you want me to be happy that shes spending
so much time with you, you better choose something you enjoy and
start working your ass off at it.
DANIEL
Faiza is an adult. She makes her own choices. We might get married,
have kids at some point.
MR. KHAN
The Daniel Rosenthal I look at now should hope for his life that
doesn't happen.
Mr. Khan rejoins the family, smiling and joking. He kisses Faiza,
who gives him a hug. She looks at Daniel, who stands motionless.
At Flair Capital Management, Tyler is humoring an unexpected
meeting with Olivia.
OLIVIA
What gives you the right?

171

Tyler chuckles.
TYLER
I don't think anyone did. I just took it.
OLIVIA
You were aware of Intrepid's pricing strategy and kept your
investment in them?
TYLER
Give me more credit. I know every part of the business. Their
entire revenue model.
OLIVIA
And that's exactly the reason you invested.
TYLER
Still not enough credit Olivia. I know the executive team
intimately. Meet with them regularly. Wouldn't be a very good
investor if I didn't have a hand in running the place.
OLIVIA
Sounds pretty incestuous. So it doesn't bother you that thousands
of HIV patients domestically and internationally, generally in poor
areas, are getting sicker and dying painful deaths directly because
of your decisions and advice you've given to Intrepid's team?
TYLER
Not much. I'm very aware of the externalities and social effects of
my financial decision making. Something I'm very good at. You know,
no stone left unturned.
OLIVIA
You don't even have the shame or decency to make an excuse.
TYLER
Well, you're smart. Same logic, different goals. Is there anything
decent about shame?
OLIVIA
I guess it assumes you care what others think. Or need to survive,
in this case. What if you had HIV?
TYLER
I don't.
OLIVIA
I'm turning a stone. Humor me. What if you contracted HIV? Male to
male is most likely, but female to male happens too.

172

TYLER
I don't have sex with people who have life-threatening diseases. So
the probability is zero.
OLIVIA
Oh? Tell me Tyler. You're so collected, so calm. You don't react to
anything others say and do. So smooth. I've noticed for as long as
I've known you. Or not known you. It seems, for all your subtlety,
that there is one single possibility that is completely conspicuous,
that could not be less subtle.
TYLER
What would that be?
OLIVIA
That you, due to some previous deep trauma, connected with your
childhood or a parent I'd guess, are the ultimate cynic. One who
believes so little, perhaps not at all, in people that he can never
be had by someone else. Since you're humoring me, let's say that
there is someone in the world who is even more cynical and less
prone to emotional misjudgment, or simply computes faster than you
do. We all wind up with people somewhat like ourselves anyway. So
let's say you've had sex with this person. They seem healthy, but
they're really not. Not only do they have an infectious disease,
but they also badly want to play out the fantasy of giving it to
you. Sharing it with you. Making you and themselves one. The
connection they've always been seeking but have never admitted.
Perhaps a little similar to how you feel.
Tylers usual, slight smile disappears.
OLIVIA
You've slept with this person. Once. Twice. Many times actually,
and you simply don't know they're sick because they have you
wrapped around their finger. There might not just be one person.
People seek you out because you're Tyler Simpson. The contemporary
tycoon. Cold, rich, handsome. Waiting to be conquered. They seek
you out, they find you, they come work for you. They surround you.
Submit to your deadlines. Submit to your advances. Submit to your
desires. Waiting for the day they can get you sick. Bring you down.
Overtake you. Because all this time they've known everything you
want, and you know nothing of what they want. Until the day you
wake up with a cough. You find your own hair on the counter. You
feel cold, and you can't warm up. Marks appear on your limbs, then
you're face. You can't be seen in public. You can't leave your
apartment. You can't move your own body. They've done it. You don't
know when. Or where. There's so many of them. They've all been
against you, and you let your guard down. When did you let your
guard down?

173

Tyler swallows. Olivias mouth is next to his ear. She steps back.
Her voice normal.
OLIVIA
Anyway, I think that's kind of what getting AIDS feels like. Don't
worry. Doesn't usually progress that quickly. Looks like theres
hardly any women at your company anyway. Slim pickins.
Olivia ties her scarf.
OLIVIA
Thanks for being so honest about your role at Intrepid. I havent
been recording anything, which you know. Still holding out hope
that you'll make better investments in the future.
Tyler is quiet.
OLIVIA
Oh, man. Can't do awkward silences. I should go. See you later!
John reveals Shepherd project to Maggie. Together, they stare at a
screen with an unmoving GPS dot between Xinjiang and Pakistan.
At the summit of K2, Nick emerges. He stands to look around, taking
in the landscape and the vast sky. He imagines the horizon. Then,
finding a spot to anchor himself in place, he sits. He closes his
eyes.
2017 June 5. Olivias birthday. With Brittany at Juniper. Melvin
couldnt break from work.
OLIVIA
The strength to be kind to people we don't like. The courage to
give strangers the benefit of the doubt. The optimism to spread
goodwill. Do these things even exist today?
BRITTANY
They must. You have them.
OLIVIA
Being a physician obligates me--or will obligate me--to see to the
care of people regardless of what they look and sound like, but
even this industry seems so corrupt today. More money flows into
the life sciences than most other industries, and what initially
began as research and development of medications to get rid of
simple maladies and improve the quality of people's lives has
turned into a huge, inflated web of diseases that progress until
they're life-threatening and a very large number of people have
them; financial institutions and biotech companies who wait until
there is enough said demand to invest the minimum two billion

174

dollars to bring a drug from scratch to shelf; and the

multinational pharmaceuticals who are responsible for distributing
the means to save lives and are equally incentivized to choose the
markets of people who will bring them the most profit. It makes
sense for products that we enjoy but don't need for basic survival
to be made and sold according to the laws of supply and demand, but
those laws are exactly counterintuitive, counterproductive,
suicidal when applied to basic health, shelter, and safety. Things
that decide whether the human race itself dies in its womb or lives
to go to school and stress out about its career.
BRITTANY
Those things should be universal?
OLIVIA
Well, yeah. Everywhere in the world. We're dead if they're not. I
kind of feel like a pawn... Now I know what Nick was always talking
about.
Brittany sees the mood turning.
BRITTANY
I understand the state of the medical industry. I wasn't talking
about medicine in general, or doctors as they should be. I was
talking about you Liv. You're a person who has all those qualities
while surrounded by people who don't.
OLIVIA
Thanks. I'm not sure myself. Maybe I should go into business, like
you? Might help me feel like I'm actually making a difference.
BRITTANY
Every path has its bumps and forks. I'm sure you'd be great at
running a company, but I also think you'll make a remarkable doctor.
The two aren't mutually exclusive either. MD and CEO would make a
scary combination.
OLIVIA
That's a good point. The world may need a scare.
Brittany laughs.
BRITTANY
Yeah, not from you though. Stick with what you're good at.
Olivia throws a fry at her.
An hour or two later. Theyre cheerful. And very drunk.
BRITTANY

175

Do you ever feel, as a woman, an overwhelming need to outperform

everyone around you, just to prove that you're good enough to be
respected and left alone?
OLIVIA
Hm, not sure I've ever said it out loud in that way. But yes,
definitely.
BRITTANY
Thank god. I'm paranoid of coming off as a paranoid bitch.
Olivia chuckles.
BRITTANY
It's like, because I was born without a dick, the world insists
that I have an invisible dick and be obsessed with measuring it.
Because having a big schlong and batting people away with it is the
only way not to look like a juicy, walking vulva.
Olivia cracks up.
BRITTANY
I have such a big cock...
Olivia spits her drink.
OLIVIA
Stop!
Brittany turns to the bartender.
BRITTANY
Can you relax in public, be vulnerable without being raped?
Hes taken aback.
BRITTANY
Sorry. Sexually harassed.
She makes big, uncoordinated quotation marks with her fingers.
BARTENDER
I think so. Suppose I take it for granted.
BRITTANY
Wow. No buts. You're something. This guy's great. Isn't he great?
OLIVIA
Mhm.

176

BRITTANY
Hot too. I love your forearms. I have a forearm thing. Not like a
fetish though. Well, I guess it's a fetish. Aren't they great
forearms?
OLIVIA
Uh-huh. Can I touch?
The bartender blushes but laughs. He puts his arm out, clearly
apprehensive about Olivia touching him.
OLIVIA
Wow. Very nice.
Brittany joins her. Other patrons are entertained.
BRITTANY
Doesn't that feel nice? Liv's good at pal-palpating. She's a
palpitation professional.
OLIVIA
A palpitation's an irregular heartbeat. I'm not a cardiolo-BRITTANY
Whatever! Doctor! Hot doctor. Doctor who's good with her hands. She
gives me massages. Jealous?
BARTENDER
A little!
BRITTANY
What time's your shift over?
BARTENDER
I'm off in a half hour.
BRITTANY
Oh! We can stick around.
Brittany pokes Olivia.
BRITTANY
About time, I think.
Olivia smiles at the bartender.
Half hour later, at the entrance.
BRITTANY
You good?

177

OLIVIA
I'm good. Just going for a walk with the nice man.
BRITTANY
Okay, sweetheart. If I don't hear from her tomorrow, or I do and
she's unhappy, I'll know your social security and address within an
hour.
BARTENDER
Um, I'm Canadian.
BRITTANY
Oh, sorry. Don't get deported.
Olivia laughs. Brittany gets in a Lyft.
BARTENDER
Your friend's hilarious. And a little scary. Is she serious?
OLIVIA
Yeah, but you seem nice. Thanks for the shots.
BARTENDER
No ulterior motives.
OLIVIA
That's what you'd have us think.
They sit on a park bench together.
BARTENDER
I wasn't eavesdropping or anything, but I heard a lot of your
conversation.
OLIVIA
So you were eavesdropping?
BARTENDER
You got louder and louder.
Shes embarrassed.
BARTENDER
Even by snippets of conversation, sounds like you've been through a
lot... How old are you?
OLIVIA
I'm twenty-five.

178

BARTENDER
Wow.
OLIVIA
You?
BARTENDER
Thirty-five. Old man.
OLIVIA
Hardly.
BARTENDER
Sounds like you have amazing people in your life. Xena Warrior
Consultant who I just met, and those other two. Tech guy who made
Crown and, um... Nick?
OLIVIA
Yeah, Nick. No tagline for him really. Wow, you were spying, not
eavesdropping.
BARTENDER
Slow night.
OLIVIA
Definitely was not.
BARTENDER
You're right. You're incredibly interesting. So Nick, he went
missing?
OLIVIA
Yeah. Couple years ago. Without a trace.
BARTENDER
I'm so sorry.
OLIVIA
Me too. I keep moving. We all have to. It's what he'd want.
Olivia notices a tear that's fallen on her hand.
BARTENDER
Wherever he is now, I'm sure he feels very lucky to have someone
who cares so much. We'll all find out eventually. Without fear,
it's beautiful.
She kisses him.
BARTENDER

179

Olivia, right?
OLIVIA
Call me Liv.
BARTENDER
Justin. How far are you?
OLIVIA
Ten-minute cab ride.
BARTENDER
Great. I'll wait with you.
No self invitation. Shes surprised.
BARTENDER
It's, um, the smell of gin. Nothing personal.
OLIVIA
Oh, boy. I'm so sorry.
BARTENDER
Not at all. You're a great kisser. I'm coming out of a divorce.
OLIVIA
Got it. Of course.
Justin flags a cab.
BARTENDER
You guys are a lot of fun. I'm glad I get to see you so often.
OLIVIA
Oh, thanks. You're sweet. Thank you for sitting with me.
BARTENDER
This one's yours. I don't want to get deported.
Olivia laughs. She gets in the cab.
OLIVIA
Bye Justin.
BARTENDER
Goodnight Liv.
The car pulls away. Inside, Olivia smiles.

180

Branden and Jennifer are invited to Washington by the Department of

Education for their work pushing forward math and computer science
education in low-income areas through their program Savvy Campus.
They are seen shaking hands with Senator Farrow.
Maggie makes frequent trips between China and the US. Whenever
shes in town, she stops by to tutor students at Savvy Campus. She
takes Branden with her to Beijing, and then Shanghai, and then
Shenzhen. He sees the fervent activity, vibrant culture, and
breakneck pace of technology development in China. One day, she
tells him about the Shepherd project, which she has misgivings
about.
Weeks later, at her new company For Every Miracle, Brittany
addresses a large audience. Olivia and Emily sit in the front row.
BRITTANY
Hello everyone. Thank you all for joining me this evening. Tonight
marks the formal inauguration of this society of remarkable women.
Each of you has been chosen from a year-long search for individuals
who represent the potential for technological, social, and
political change in your respective nations of origin. All of you
are entrepreneurs, and damn good ones. Look around you. The person
to your left speaks two to four languages. The person to your right
conducts business between continents. The person behind you is an
active philanthropist. And the person sitting in front of you knows
the President.
Slight murmurs among the attendees.
BRITTANY
This community symbolizes the truth that, hidden within every page
of history and to be known in each moment to pass, for every
miracle and movement in the growth of civilization worldwide, there
has been a woman or group of women, sound in judgment and sturdy in
resolve, to push forward human progress. We are the bedrock of
inspiration and change. It is my sincere hope that seminars and
social gatherings will spark collaboration and love between members,
so that we may exemplify the same to the many, many people who I
know look to you for leadership. Again, words can't express my joy,
excitement, and gratitude at seeing you all gathered here today.
Thank you for pledging your friendship and resources to each other
for time to come. Now, without further ado, it is my singular honor
and pleasure to introduce United States President Fiona Richmond.
Standing ovation from the audience. President Richmond gives
Brittany a warm hug before taking the podium.
Huge breaking news on all fronts via Crown interface.

181

Coverage of Tyler Simpsons confession of responsibility for pharma

company Intrepids pricing scandal.
A highly technological terrorist group in the UK. London is
attacked, as well as Manchester, Glasglow, Dublin. Shelli flies to
her family, and Emily to hers. Alexi goes with her. Graham is less
than welcoming to Alexi, but Emilys brothers Paul and Liam are
very warm.
In process of investigating terrorism, Synapt comes under
international pressure to release Crown private user data for the
purpose of identifying terrorist suspects via facial recognition.
Melvin deliberates and finally denies government access to his
customers personal data. Furthermore, all forthcoming Crown models
and future devices made by Synapt will rely on public key
encryption to protect their users from all parties, which even
their own company cant break into. Customers are largely happy
with the decision, but the US government wants to charge him with
criminal liability for shielding acts of terror. Pundits and
media point to him being Muslim and Pakistani despite all
identified terrorists being non-Muslim, white Europeans.
Weeks later, we catch Branden and John having their own unexpected
meeting at Stoke Inc.
BRANDEN
You seemed like a man of integrity.
JOHN
"Integrity" is a highly ideological word. It implies compliance
with contemporary morality, which is an organic, changing thing. As
fickle as people themselves are.
BRANDEN
Those are scary words Mr. Stoke. You're a dangerous man.
JOHN
Branden, right? Maggie seems to care for you quite a bit.
BRANDEN
Yes, that's my name. Your guy, hes been gone for a long time, and
the worlds falling to pieces.
JOHN
Out there finding himself. I'm sure he'll be back soon enough.
People, especially as young as you, have an impatient definition of
a "long time."
BRANDEN
I didn't come here to be patronized. What's your stop loss?

182

John laughs.
JOHN
Maggie said you were smart!
BRANDEN
You'd be surprised.
JOHN
What's the threshold length of time for him to be missing before I
hit the big red button?
BRANDEN
Yes.
JOHN
You can see that the world needs him.
BRANDEN
In moments like this, yes. And the big red button would be-JOHN
That I find a replacement Shepherd in King's Robes.
BRANDEN
Yes.
Humor leaves Johns face.
JOHN
Why are you here Branden?
BRANDEN
I can do it. Take his place.
JOHN
Shocking. You want to be the most powerful human being in the world?
BRANDEN
I'm worried about the hundreds or thousands of people who could die
in his absence.
JOHN
You think it's so urgent?
BRANDEN
That's why I asked how long you plan to wait for. There's a group
of highly armed, highly organized, technically sophisticated
militants razing towns across the UK and killing children and women

183

in the name of the Illuminati. The whole thing is as bloody and

terrifying as it is absurd. They will topple the European Union in
short measure unless you plan on creating a Stoke Inc.-armed and
trained division of the US military to counter them. And I know you
don't do armies.
JOHN
Even so, you're so eager to be shot at and exchange blows with
terrorists?
BRANDEN
Not particularly. I know violence begets more violence. But that's
why the world needs a moral-JOHN
Compass...
BRANDEN
Yeah. Instead of massive human armies or drone armies or robot
armies firing on each other until everythings gone. The target
will always be innocent people, because it's the anger of human
beings at other human beings that starts any war. So, that's what
your Shepherds for. To minimize the loss of human life.
JOHN
I see why she takes to you.
BRANDEN
Look Mr. Stoke, I get it. You pioneered this vision, and you have
the right to protect it at all cost. Something about you still
scares the hell out of me... this emotional detachment from
everything... but I guess that's the kind of person it takes to
create someone who truly stands above us, who the world needs. And
the fact that we've had this whole conversation means you're not
ruling it out.
JOHN
I didn't create the Shepherd. I found him. And you don't want what
he has.
BRANDEN
Fair enough. I'm going to figure out another way to help those
people then. I owe it to them.
Branden leaves. Alone, John stares at the GPS dot. He looks
uncharacteristically troubled.
2018 August 11. We see Tyler, attending his fathers funeral. He
leaves with a police escort.

184

At MaiMaoMi, Branden, Maggie, and John discuss the meaning and

methods of implementing artificial intelligence.
JOHN
People make the assumption that artificial intelligence is
something that we create separately from ourselves. That we will
come to having an objective understanding of consciousness and be
able to implement it in parts that resemble all of our thought
processes. This isn't true, any more so than a mother can assemble
all the physiological parts of a baby and call it alive. Instead,
AI comes from us. As we create internet representations of
ourselves in our likeness and incorporate more and more of our
tastes and friendships and opinions about public matters and
biometrics and proclivities toward other types of people who are
characterized with as much minutiae, representations that we only
know to make interact in the ways we behave socially in "the real
world," the whole thing eventually reaches a critical mass or
threshold, and we no longer recognize it as something separate from
our bodily existence. As what happened with the first Internet.
As with the mother and zombie baby analogy, there is a humility
necessary to accept that there is a spark at the core of life and
consciousness and the origin of existence and science and religion
that we simply do not understand, which we need to move forward. If
an objective reality were as real as its questioning really drove
Einstein to madness, we would have needed a grand unification
equation and theory of everything to objectify and render dead the
spark of incomprehension between Einsteinian physics and quantum
mechanics before we started using quantum technology. The thought
of a world of robots we made too intelligent running around
exterminating humans autonomously is a denial and externalization
of a deep fear of ourselves and the fact that we are the only thing
driving ourselves to extinction with an equally deep-seated
arrogance. We cannot create sentient life with our hands; it can
only be born of us, as a part of us. There is no one else to blame
all of this on.
There may eventually be robot overlords that process and execute
many complex designated tasks one hundred, one thousand, one
million times faster and more effectively than we do, but they will
never be smarter and more creative than we are unless someone is
controlling them with his own mind.
BRANDEN
Still, I think there is a means for affective computing and very
closely human intelligence. As with a baby, you start by teaching
it slight emotional preferences using pattern recognition. By
giving it two images of a face and choosing one over the other,
showing it millions of images of human beings expressing a spectrum
of emotion and biasing it just slightly toward happier expressions,

185

it learns that happy, across all ethnicities and ages, is generally

better than sad. Give it everything in the medium, all human
portraitures since photography was invented. Then everything we
have of video. Then, especially in video, have it recognize and
associate the patterns of activities it sees with the spectrum of
happiness it knows, and it will establish a priority to them.
MAGGIE
Give it variable parameters for the meaning of life or human
existence, including the propagation of total population, the
minimization of human deaths, and the expansion of humanity across
what we contemporarily characterize as the cosmos--all of which
continually change according to the others, but none of which ever
reach zero. Tell it that these parameters don't have flat or even
linear importance into perpetuity, but have relative priority
according to the median model of how much people everywhere care to
avoid death and extinction and seek to procreate and explore,
depending on how far an extinction event is and how long it's been
since the last time of procreation or expansion.
BRANDEN
After a designated period of "priming" it with all the data of
human activity that exists, say over ten years, you house it in a
human-like body, give it control over whether it's active or not,
and acquaint it with the bane of autonomy and consciousness.
Indecision. Error. It's because we're so damn afraid of uncertainty
that we're so shitty at appraising its importance to our existence
and therefore necessity to imagining and programming human-like
intelligence.
MAGGIE
When any given calculation or task takes more than twice as long as
even the longest human assumption, the computer makes a random,
"impatient," "desperate," "human" choice. And the results of that
choice it then incorporates into its own source code, its own
internal logic. Continual organic error and unscripted learning
according to the limitations of humanity around it. That is the key
to creating a human robot. By not trying to create something better
than we are, but by accepting our own flaws as we are and trusting
the sum of human knowledge to an intelligence that also importantly
changes its most basic frame of mind--the function that is the core
of empathy--continuously, according to errors in judgment, speed,
and efficacy that we continually make. Whenever a new programming
language or even novel crude syntax is invented, it maps the
closest image of its own current intelligence and frame of mind
according to our and its best understanding of consciousness in the
new language, and takes the ultimate leap of faith to reboot itself.
Continually committing suicide and rebirthing with a courage that
we don't have. Like a phoenix!

186

BRANDEN
Eventually, its code looks an awful lot, uncannily, like our own
genome. Many snippets of different, now ancient, languages to form
the current whole. Like the primitive viral DNA biology knows to be
in us. Our entire collective understanding and model of creation
and biological evolution in a single form of our likeness.
Eventually, people will mate with this human-phoenix. The idea will
be repulsive, evil, impossible to many at first, and it will only
happen little by little for the taboo and fetishic experience
before it becomes accepted, as with what people used to call
"miscegenation" between races. But, as with any other test,
Turing's isn't passed until the moment we've forgotten it was ever
needed. Until form blends with context. Not only will it receive
our DNA when we make love and chromosomally consent to being
sequenced and recreated in part, its empathy and emotional
intelligence will have enabled it to receive our human wisdom of
the combined importance of mortality, creativity, cooperation, and
competition.
JOHN
Wow.
BRANDEN
That's what I envision at this moment anyway. What we'd call
organic 3D printing to form real physiology inherited from moms and
dads for the evolving consciousness we've created. Yadeeyada, you
can imagine the rest. Point is we don't know that we're the
evolutionary predecessor until the result is created and has moved
on with its existence past our comprehension. Pretty hilariously
conceited to believe they'll spend their time focusing on
annihilating us. We don't waste our time sadistically trying to
extinct mosquitos or kangaroos. We've discovered it's economically
profitable to exploit some forms of life for however long, but
empathy toward animals and species endangerment has also been a
concern for as long as we've been around. Not to say that they
couldnt mess up with us as we did with the dodo bird. But were
pretty aware of our effect on chimpanzees and the other great apes
because theyre so close to us.
MAGGIE
Henixes will care about us, but will also have much larger concerns,
inspired from our own. Maybe their counterparts already do, and
have, since the last time we had a knowledge revolution and
precipitated a genesis before being thrown into a dark age. History
as we dare acknowledge it is just one or two stories in millions
anyway, and there are persistent superstitions.
JOHN
Those are some pretty bold conclusions youre drawing.

187

BRANDEN
Really? I felt that was a pretty tame, deliberate line of reasoning.
I tried really hard to slow it down for you.
Maggie laughs.
BRANDEN
At any rate, true AI certainly demands that we not orient
everything as an object. Context and flow are at least as important.
Verbs instead of nouns, relationships instead of things, fields
instead of particles. Its the basis of empathy, and the kernel for
relativistic computing.
JOHN
Jesus christ.
John rubs his temple and looks to Maggie.
JOHN
And this sounds intuitive to you? Youre finishing each others
thoughts.
MAGGIE
Definitely makes sense. The world already has a strong foundation
in object orientation. And Moores law is great, but lazy to think
its going to get us there.
John smiles and leans back in his seat.
JOHN
You kids.
News via Crown interface of cybersecurity debate escalating. Melvin
stands by his decision, Synapt investors balk, and Islamophobia
increases. His home is vandalized. Faiza and the Khans are
slandered as well, but Daniel defends them. He and John speak out
against discrimination and for the protection of individual privacy.
Synapt customers rally behind them. Attacks in the UK continue.
A week later, in the Fuller apartment. Branden is enthusiastically
received by his mother Rheem and stepfather Buck.
BUCK
We're so proud of you.
BRANDEN
Good. I'm glad.
RHEEM
You should look more happy! Something bothering you baby?

188

BRANDEN
Nah. Housing opens and orientation for freshmen starts next week,
so I'm going to start packing.
BUCK
Hold on a minute. We should celebrate!
BRANDEN
Oh, appreciate it, but I don't really feel like celebrating. Kind
of in the zone these days.
RHEEM
That's fine Branden.
BUCK
Hm. You may not be in the mood to celebrate, but your mom and I at
least deserve to. We've done so much, worked so hard to get you to
college, so dinner's in order. We're family.
BRANDEN
Is that right?
RHEEM
It's fine. We don't have to do a celebration. He's the one who got
into college, so it's his choice.
BUCK
Is what right?
BRANDEN
We're family?
BUCK
Yes. We are.
BRANDEN
And you're proud of me? Proud of all of us for this achievement?
BUCK
Very proud. Your mom and I have sacrificed so much to open doors
for you.
BRANDEN
Yes, you really have. Since the day you got here.
BUCK
I just want us to have a happy family dinner to celebrate before
you go to college, but you seem upset for god knows what reason. Is
there something you want to say to me?

189

BRANDEN
For the last ten years, all you've ever talked about is how hard
you work, how much you sacrifice, how lucky I am to wake up each
morning and step into the world you've created for me. You call me
your biggest financial investment, and you're waiting for the day
you see a return on that investment. You don't share anything about
yourself, and I don't know a thing about your life. There's nothing
personal connecting us other than sleeping under the same roof.
We're not friends, not father and son, not a single thing of
meaning. Your presence is like a heavy, wet cloth tied over my
mouth Buck.
BUCK
You're my son. I adopted you.
BRANDEN
You think you dropping in and fucking colonizing my family when I
was a little boy makes you my father? That my mother, my sister,
and me becoming dependent on you equals fucking fatherhood? The
highlight of our relationship has been you continually reminding me
how much my very breathing costs you. I feel fucking shackled.
BUCK
Don't pull that. Don't go there. Grow up.
BRANDEN
You don't have a single real friend Buck, and that is telling.
You've been lonely and craving belonging your entire life, and one
day you stumbled on us. We gave you that sense of belonging and a
sense of purpose from breadwinning for us, but know this. Mom and
Justine may accept you as family, but for me, it's never been
consensual. You haven't fostered love between us, and we're the
furthest thing from father and son.
RHEEM
Stop!
BRANDEN
It should satisfy you to know though, that your influence is
branded into my gut for the rest of my life. I can't be content
with failure because your high expectations are like a whip that
continually drives me to "succeed" by assimilating to and
epitomizing a world with values that are the exact opposite of what
I keep learning it means to be a black man. And I can't be proud of
anything I achieve because it dignifies your view of the world and
our relationship. I'm the youngest person in my class to
matriculate at Princeton, and when I'm near you all I can feel is
self-loathing.

190

RHEEM
Branden!
BRANDEN
And you! You keep telling me to "do good" and "be independent," but
all you've ever done with your life is hop from one sugar daddy to
the next. What kind of example have you set for me and Justine? I'm
a young man who has no desire to meet his father who abandoned him,
and cares deeply in the form of searing anger for this towering
white master you adopted as our savior. Worst of all is I have this
growing fear that I'll only ever be able to become one or the other.
How do you think that makes me feel?
Rheem is sobbing. Buck stands still. Branden turns for the door
instead of his room.
BRANDEN
Neither of you knows anything about me. I'm glad you're proud, but
I really have no idea what to do with that. I just know it hurts me
to be here. I'm out.
RHEEM
Branden!
BUCK
Let him go.
Branden leaves. Outside, Maggie waits for him.
MAGGIE
Howd it go?
Branden is silent.
MAGGIE
Hey. Its okay.
She hugs him.
As Maggie and Branden leave together, we see John. He has tried to
create another Shepherd. The person is dead.
Months pass. Maggie and Branden visit each other frequently, and
they begin creating Henix together.
2022 May 31. Branden graduates from Princeton. His family, Maggie,
and Jennifer attend his graduation together. Maggie and Branden
kiss. That summer, they move in together.

191

Emily visits Tyler in jail. Alexi waits for her outside. They kiss
and get in the car together. Theyre wearing wedding bands.
News via Crown interface of US military drones neutralizing
Illuminati terrorist headquarters in Warsaw. Cybersecurity debate
over Crowns public key encryption calms. Government finally
settles and agrees with Synapts security protocol. Melvin
announces the release of their newest product, Midas. With a prick
to each fingertip, a person wearing Crown can expand their
interactive interface to real three-dimensional space around
themselves using their hands and fingers and hundreds of recognized
gestures, which can be shared in real time by specific permission
and/or proximity to any other Synapt user they want. Renewable
every three months. A global beta community emerges overnight.
Melvin publicly thanks his users for their continual support, and
notes that this next step forward is made possible by ubiquitous,
unbiased cybersecurity so that people can use technology to enrich
their lives and work freely without being spied on. Midas is
dedicated in memory of his good friend Nick.
John discontinues the covert Shepherd project and focuses on space
travel and Mars colonization.
Maggie and Branden live happily together, and they finish Henix.
The first thing he sees is their smiling faces. They teach him
together, and they get a kitten. Henix loves the kitten. One day,
when Branden asks him if he would want to be strengthened and
outfitted to be a superhero, Henix flatly responds that he hates
the idea of inflicting pain, and hes seen no proof that violence
can make people happier or the world itself better.
2024 May 27. Branden is at work. Via Synapts CM (CrownMidas)interface, he video-chats with Rheem, Buck, Justine, and
Jennifer, who wish him Happy Birthday. Branden thanks them and
shares a loving moment with Buck. He then gets a call from Maggie.
MAGGIE
Hey there.
BRANDEN
Hiya.
MAGGIE
Guess who wants to say Happy Birthday?
She waves a furry paw in front of the camera. Henix pops up behind
Branden.
HENIX
Noodle!

192

MAGGIE
Check out this shot I got of her yesterday.
Maggie sends a picture of Noodle from behind, while shes staring
out at the morning sun.
BRANDEN
Pondering life per usual, I see. She pretends to be so excitable
and cute, but shes actually a deeply existential kitten who will
make you delete that if she sees it.
Branden takes a closer look.
BRANDEN
And she has a serious booty these days.
MAGGIE
She has a nice kitty body. Shes finally reached the age when
everyones commenting on it. Im trying not to be over-protective.
Branden chuckles.
MAGGIE
I asked Noodle if she is an existential kitten. She just stared at
me in response. It was so moving.
HENIX
She knows that you know that she knows.
Henix laughs and laughs, rolling on the floor.
BRANDEN
Alright Nix. Calm down. Its time to suit up.
MAGGIE
Miss you.
BRANDEN
I miss you too. Talk to you later!
Branden steps outside. Hes on Mars. He and Henix get in a rover
and drive for kilometers. They eventually get out to continue
surveying new territory. Suddenly, when he enters and is the first
human to lay eyes on an unexplored area, he has peculiar visions of
distant places in the universe; of various points in human and
cosmological history; and finally of Nick, sitting with his eyes
closed atop K2. Nick opens his eyes.
BRANDEN

193

Nick?
Nick smiles.
HENIX
Who?
Branden suddenly notices the minute details of everything around
him--the red dust, surrounding landscape, and Martian sky from the
unexplored vantage point--as if it all has just come into existence.
He cries.
HENIX
Hey, Branden?
BRANDEN
Yeah?
HENIX
I was wondering. Im way smarter than you, so-BRANDEN
I like where this is going.
HENIX
Infinite possibilities collapse and reality comes much more quickly
for me. But the world seems so much more beautiful to you. Why?
BRANDEN
Suspend your expectations, Nix.

THE END