Lee relaxed in his backyard after a long workday, content with the cooling weather. Summers in the Valley of the Sun were brutal, but thankfully it was late fall, and the afternoon brought a comfortable 75 degrees. With the cooler temperatures, he considered exercising, although his emphysema from the Gulf War limited him. Serving in the military had been a great experience, but the aftermath had left his 53-year-old body worn out. Exercise was harder now, and he couldn't do much before getting winded. He had set up a small obstacle course in his backyard, which was about all he could manage for aerobic exercise.
Thinking about his disability depressed him, but as he heard the base beats of a car pulling up out front, he was quickly cheered up. He heard the front door open and close; his son Jak had just gotten home from the audio engineering school he had been attending for the past several months. Jak was 21 now and had started the elite school with a passion in his eyes that was still there even after long months of school. He had recently sold a couple of the beats he had made, and his teachers said he had real talent.
Jak pushed open the front door, the familiar creak of the hinges echoing in the hallway. "Hi Dad, I'm home!" he called out, his deep voice reverberating off the walls. Jak dropped his backpack on the floor, its weight a reminder of the long school day he had just endured. He glanced around, waiting to see if his dad would step inside, a warm smile on his face.
"Hey buddy, how was class?" Lee replied, as he stepped inside.
Jak was brimming with excitement as he shared his news, "Guess what? I passed my Live Sound test today! That means I’m now qualified to use the big studio!" His eyes sparkled with pride and enthusiasm, thinking about all the new opportunities and projects he could now tackle with the advanced equipment. The sense of accomplishment was evident in his voice, and it was clear how much he had been looking forward to this moment.
"That's wonderful news! I'm really happy that you've discovered something you're passionate about and that you're kicking butt at it. How about we celebrate? I have an idea: let's go to the Brazilian Steakhouse tonight!" Lee suggested with enthusiasm.
"I'm starving, so that sounds perfect! Let me just do a quick five-minute workout on my arms and we can go." Jak was almost always hungry, Lee thought with a smile. Jak's enormous appetite was nothing new; it was a joke among their friends. That’s why an all-you-can-eat restaurant made perfect sense for their celebration. They wouldn't have to worry about the bill adding up as Jak kept getting more steak from the waiters walking around with large skewers. Plus, it ensured that Jak could eat to his heart's content without breaking the bank. It was a win-win situation, celebrating in a place where Jak could truly enjoy himself.
Between his active schedule and constantly working out, Jak had grown into a fit young man. Standing at 6'2" and 190lbs, Jak presented an image of a 21-year-old in perfect health. Now if only he'd cut his hair. He resembled Shaggy, ya know - the character from Scooby Doo, between his overgrown straight brown hair and the stubble under his chin. He had sworn he wouldn't cut it until he was happy with his physique and was almost obsessive about his daily routine.
"After we eat, you wanna go to Champs Sports Bar?" Lee asked his son as they discussed the upcoming celebration of Jak's achievement. The two had developed an easy friendship over the years since Jak had graduated, and now that he had turned 21, they liked to go to the local dive bar once in a while. Jak had made friends with quite a few people there and joined him now and then. Lee typically went on Sunday and Tuesday, when it was less busy, not being fond of large crowds.
"Sounds good Dad." Jak replied.
Lee's cell phone started ringing. Marie, Lee's daughter, was video calling.
"Hey, it's your sister! Wonder how she's settling in at her new rental house in Albuquerque?" Marie, the blonde-haired, green-eyed daughter of Lee, had moved there a few weeks ago, after finishing her second bachelor's degree at ASU. The 22-year-old was a prodigy, having gotten her first bachelor's in Biophysics at 20 and now getting her second degree in Archaeology. The move to Albuquerque was to pursue her Master's and PhD in Archaeology. Lee liked to refer to her as his "Little Freight Train" as nothing stopped her when she put her mind to a goal.
"Hi Marie! How's it going? All unpacked and getting settled in?"
"Hi dad, yeah, it's going good. We are doing great, Erik started medical school this week too." Erik, her boyfriend of two years, had moved with her and they were going to school together. Lee liked him - he was a few years older than Marie and had been a Marine in the United States military. He was surprisingly relaxed and soft-spoken, and absolutely adored Lee's daughter. Lately Lee had been teasing him about when he was going to propose to her. They had a plan though to not get married until they both finished school.
"How's he doing so far? I understand medical school is pretty tough. He was a Jarhead though, so I'm sure he can handle the stress," Lee joked. Lee had been in the Navy and one of his favorite pastimes was teasing others who had also been in the military, a common practice for veterans.
"He says he really enjoys it so far. It's fast-paced, but he's doing well." Marie told him. "I was just calling to let you know we are planning to drive down in a few weeks for the weekend to celebrate my birthday with you guys."
"Awesome! It'll be great to see you both, we will be looking forward to it!" Lee said happily.
Jak smirked in the background. "Oh great, I thought we got rid of her. She's coming back already?" he called out. The two siblings liked to tease and insult each other quite a bit.
"Shut up ugly," Marie shot back as she made a face at him through the phone.
"Ok you two, that's enough. Marie, we are about to head over to dinner, so we gotta go," Lee told her. The two's arguments had gotten much harsher lately. It made Lee sad, as the two had been so close when they were little. Hopefully they would realize sooner rather than later how important family was and get past it.
"Ok, love you, Byyeee!" Marie sang into the phone. Lee chuckled. Marie reminded him of the woman in Legally Blonde. Super-smart but with a Valley Girl accent. Both her and Jak had been born in California. The move to Arizona had happened 15 years ago when Jak was 6 and Marie was 7, so the kids had retained some of the California accents.
"Love you too!" Lee hollered before hanging up. "Jak, I'm going check a couple more emails, then get ready to go. Let's head out in a half hour, ok?" Jak agreed. As Lee was getting changed after replying to two more emails, a small gray ball of fur attacked his foot. "Ouch, dang it Cosmo, stop attacking my feet!" Cosmo was his 4-month-old kitten, a Grey Tabby. He picked him up and set him on the bed as he got his shoes on. The kitten curled up next to him and started purring loudly as he got his socks and shoes on. Once he was dressed and ready he called out to Jak who said he was ready too. They headed out the door, looking forward to eating a ton of steak before heading over to their favorite bar.
As they were driving there, a couple of the signal lights were acting strange, going from green straight to red, or sitting at yellow for an unusually long time. "What's going on Dad? The signals have been acting up all afternoon. There were a couple of accidents on my way home from school because lights were green or red in all directions at an intersection. I thought you said that couldn't happen?"
They approached the latest light acting up, and noticed two police officers directing traffic. "This is what I was talking about earlier, the signal lights are all screwy!" Jak exclaimed. Lee pondered the signal lights, "this doesn't make any sense at all." He whispered to himself. Jak looked to Lee to ask him what could cause this, as Lee worked as a Network Traffic Engineer. Lee simply remarked "the lights can't all be green at the same time, someone must have messed up this intersection, but they have fail-safes to prevent this."
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"I don't know. This shouldn't be happening. The controllers that manage the lights are made in such a way that this should be impossible. If a failure occurs, the lights should all be flashing red, warning cars to proceed with caution." Lee thought about how odd today had been with work. They had received numerous support calls and Lee had spent almost his entire day trying to figure out some of the problems. It was mentally exhausting, as there didn't appear to be any rhyme or reason for the problems.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the bustling steakhouse, the enticing aroma of grilled meats already wafting through the slightly cracked windows. As they maneuvered the car into a parking space, the comforting hum of the evening's playlist was abruptly shattered. Without warning, the car's stereo blared the ominous tones of the Emergency Broadcast Alert, sending a jolt of adrenaline through both of them, causing Lee to grip the steering wheel tighter and Jak to clutch the door handle in startled shock. They exchanged worried glances, the sudden urgency of the alert loud in the confined space of the car.
"The following is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System..." blared through the car speakers, its stark voice cutting through the tense silence that had settled between them. As the robotic, repetitive message droned on, they couldn't help but glance at each other, a shared understanding passing between them. The absurdity of the moment finally broke through their unease, causing them to erupt into laughter. The sound of their mirth filled the car, easing the tension that had been hanging heavily in the air, allowing them to momentarily escape from the strangeness of today.
The two were quickly shown to a table and their drink orders were taken. The server asked if they wanted just the salad bar or the full steak experience. They were given a small wooden statue similar to an hourglass, that was painted green on top and red on the bottom. As long as they still wanted the various servers to offer them the different all-you-can-eat options, you left the green face up. When you wanted to pause to catch up, you put the red side up. Finally, if it was placed on its side, you wanted the check.
Jak ordered a Pina Colada in an actual Pineapple, while Lee went for his usual iced tea. They continued to discuss how Jak's classes were going and the oddities of the day. "You know, the signal lights are not the only thing that's been acting up. I had to reboot my laptop 3 times during the day, with it locking up and showing strange characters. I didn't even get a blue screen, just this weird text and symbols appearing on the screen. The news says it's some kind of strange bug in the latest updates, but I've never seen anything like it. It feels related."
"You know, the computers at the school were acting odd too, and the more advanced mixing and mastering equipment kept making strange noises. Fortunately, the system I was testing on today was older, and the teacher allowed for the problems since he couldn't figure out what was causing them either," Jak told his father.
Lee absorbed this additional piece of information as he was finishing up his meal. "Let me think about this for a bit. There's something I'm missing here..." As he said this, he tilted the statue on its side so they could get the check. Once they had paid they left the restaurant, happy with full bellies.
They drove to the bar a few miles away, dealing with the weird traffic issues on the way. Once they had parked, they walked into the back entrance. Champions Sports Bar (Champs to the regulars) was one of the oldest bars in Arizona. Opened in the 1930s, it had originally been named the Copper Coin - the name had changed when the current owner bought it in the 1990s. There were seven electronic dart boards on one wall, two worn-looking pool tables on the other, and a walkway in between. The carpet was old and drab, the lighting slightly dim, with the ceiling painted black. The original cash register hung on one wall and the cooler was also all original, with a wooden door six inches thick. The overall vibe of the place was one of disrepair - but at the same time it had a classic timelessness to it you couldn't get from the newer bars around town.
"Hi Lee!" exclaimed Sarah, one of the bar's most familiar faces who also occasionally worked as a daytime bartender. She was in her mid-twenties, on the shorter side at five foot tall, with long blonde hair and deep brown eyes, with a smile that was genuine and lit up the room. As she moved past them, a chorus of greetings echoed around the room from other patrons. Lee, who had frequented this establishment for over a decade, was on a first-name basis with all the staff and knew most of the regulars by face if not by name. While Lee preferred to keep it low-key, nodding and offering a reserved smile in response, his son Jak was much more gregarious. Jak greeted each person with infectious enthusiasm, waving and saying hi to everyone they passed. His open, friendly nature was a stark but endearing contrast to his father’s more muted approach to socializing.
Walking up to the bar, they saw Gustavo (Goose to his friends) already pouring their drinks. He was in his late twenties, six foot tall, slim, and had Italian facial features and a black moustache. As he gave them their regular drinks - a Captain and Seven-Up for Lee, and a Coke and Malibu for Jak he asked, "Hey guys, how's it going? How's school Jak?"
Jak told him about his test and how well he had done. Goose smiled, "Sounds like your dad should be buying you a shot to celebrate!" Lee agreed and they ordered two Orange Tea shots, a local spin on the classic Green Tea shot that used Orange Jameson instead of the regular unflavored version. As they drank their shots, Goose had a question for Lee. "I bet you've been slammed today, Lee, with all the computer problems. Did you break something?" he joked.
"I don't know what's going on, but yeah, I've been troubleshooting network problems all day. It's weird though, none of the problems had anything in common. It's like they all just decided to rebel like something out of Terminator. Beware, Skynet is coming!" Lee joked back as he wiggled his eyebrows and made an evil laugh.
"Everything here has been working fine, but that's not too surprising with how old our system is. I think we're running like Windows 95 or something still," Goose uttered with a grin. The two bantered back and forth for a couple more minutes, then Jak suggested they head outside to find a seat.
After finding a table outside, Lee lit a cigarette while Jak pulled out his vape. Jak reminded his father that he needed to hurry up and quit smoking, as it just made his breathing problems worse. Lee agreed but didn't put out his smoke. "I'm down to half a pack a day," Lee declared, trying to justify his habit. "What about you? That vaping stuff is even worse than smoking," he shot back a bit defensively.
Jak popped back with "I'm going to stop after I finish school. The vape helps me relax on our breaks."
As they sat back sipping their drinks, they listened to the background noise of all of the people around them. Lee thought some more about the strange day while Jak was social with everyone. He realized that the odd occurrences were happening to all different kinds of technologies. From cell phones to computers to home electronics, the only thing in common was everything had a computer chip in it. Even the streetlights, which used a simple chip to detect day vs. night and turn them on or off as needed.
"How could something affect only computer chips?" Lee muttered to himself, a puzzled expression crossing his face. It seemed like an improbable scenario, isolating just the intricate circuits and silicon of computer chips from everything else in the technology landscape. He wondered what kind of phenomenon or flaw could target these tiny pieces of hardware so precisely. His mind raced through possibilities—an unprecedented kind of electromagnetic interference, maybe, or a new form of malware designed with surgical precision. Whatever it was, Lee realized, it would have profound implications for the reliance society placed on digital devices and the interconnected world.
One of the people nearby heard him. "My phone locked up twice today and my computer at work wouldn't even turn on for the first hour," they added helpfully. Another mentioned the screen in their car had strange symbols and described them. They were similar to what Lee had seen on his laptop earlier. Meanwhile, Jak had finished up his conversations and started to get bored of all the talk of the problems.
"Hey, let's forget about this stuff for a while and go inside and play some pool," Jak interjected, trying to get his father to relax and focus on something else.
Jak typically beat his father in 2 out of 3 games, but the main point of playing was just to enjoy the feeling of companionship. "All right, only three games though - my back hurts from being slouched over the computer all day." They went back inside, dismissing the previous conversation, and Lee started racking the balls while Jak grabbed them a pair of pool sticks. Unsurprisingly, Jak won two of the three games, as they chatted and teased each other about missed shots. The tables weren't great and the felt was in dire need of replacement, but they didn't care too much, just enjoying the time together.
Once they finished the pool games, Lee glanced at his son, a tired smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He glanced at his phone - it was eleven. "I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be an extremely long day for me," he said, "So let's not stay too late tonight." The gentle clinking of their glasses as they finished their drinks punctuated the end of their discussion. They shared one last look before deciding to call it a night, rising almost in unison as they prepared to head home and face whatever challenges the new day would bring. Lee tabbed them out and they said their goodbyes to everyone as they headed out the door.