In the vast tapestry of human history, sometimes the course of events can hinge on the smallest decisions. One such decision was made by Ashley Moriarty on the unremarkable day of 17 August 2009, as it was then that he agreed to meet with Edmond Gideon.
Prior to this fateful meeting, Ashley's life was a dismal, monotonous ride – a train endlessly tracing city lines. However, like a railroad switch that alters a train's path, agreeing to that meeting propelled him onto an entirely different track. This new trajectory would ultimately careen towards a horrifying collision with the lives of 5,000 innocents, with catastrophic consequences.
At the head of the table, Edmond Gideon rose to his feet, a stack of papers before him. His auburn hair was thinning, and wrinkles had carved themselves around his eyes and other expressive parts of his face. He wore a pale blue shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His eyes, somewhat diminished behind his glasses, were sharp and alert. Ashley felt naked and underdressed.
Gideon extended a hand towards him, his voice warm as he said, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ash. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me this morning. You may call me Gideon," he paused, almost as if he was correcting himself, "you do prefer Ash, don't you?"
He reached out and shook Gideon's hand, his movements hesitant. Gideon's eyes darted to the burns peeking from under Ash's sleeves, then back to his face. He said nothing and gestured for him to sit down.
Ash settled into the chair, running his fingers through his unruly dark hair. The room hung heavy with silence as if weighed down by an oppressive, muggy atmosphere. His own breath seemed to echo in the space under Gideon's watchful gaze.
A sharp rap at the door, and an assistant bustled in, neglecting to wait for a response. An assistant bustled in, toting a frosty pitcher of water, condensation racing down its chilled surface. She plunked it on the table and darted out of the room. Ash, with a slightly trembling hand, poured himself a glass. Despite the desert forming in his throat, he managed to stammer, "W- would you like one?" Gideon simply smiled and shook his head.
His eyes were involuntarily drawn to the precise fit of Gideon's jacket. His pristine cuff peeked out flawlessly, silver cufflinks gleaming. His own jacket draped loosely over his wiry frame and his sleeves stubbornly halted midway up his forearm.
"Why are you nervous?" Gideon asked abruptly.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"What?" Ash blurted out, taken aback.
"Why are you nervous?" Gideon repeated, his gaze steady on Ash.
Ash paused, taking a long sip of water, which is the universally acknowledged signal for not having a clue how to answer an interview question. He drained the glass, shared a brief, intense gaze with Gideon, and then went in for a refill.
Gideon's laugh filled the room, a genuine and friendly sound. "Fine, I understand," he said, his smile never wavering. "Should I explain why I've asked you to meet with me?"
"Yes please," Ash responded between gulps of water.
Gideon calmly turned the stack of papers around and pushed them to the centre of the table. He folded one leg over the other, leaned back comfortably in his chair, and propped his chin on one hand.
Glancing down, Ash saw his postgraduate dissertation. A faint smile spread across his lips. This was precisely what he had suspected, and hoped, the meeting would be about.
"The Boundary of Reality: Architecting a Neural Implant for Advanced Virtual Reality," Gideon began, "Can you explain, in the simplest terms, what you are proposing? Just to avoid any misunderstandings."
Ash paused, taking a moment to arrange his thoughts before speaking. "In simplest terms, it's a blueprint for a nano-chip that attaches itself to the human brain, enabling the user to experience virtual reality with all five senses. It's as if they were physically present in the virtual environment. It could revolutionise many industries, or in my preferred area, video games."
Gideon managed to suppress a smile, his lips twitching slightly. "Excellent. That's exactly what I thought," he said, uncrossing his legs and sitting upright. He laid his hands on the table, fingers interlocked, his demeanour now more businesslike. "Look Ash, I'm a very wealthy man. A successful investor, as I’m sure you knew when you agreed to meet with me. I may not be exceptionally clever, but I can give clever people the resources they need to innovate and create."
Ash nodded subtly, signalling for Gideon to continue.
"I want to give you those resources, Ash. I want to enable you to develop this technology."
"Do you have any specific application in mind?" Ash asked.
Gideon was silent for a moment. "I want you to do whatever you're passionate about, as long as it can be profitable, eventually. You're ahead in your field, but we'll need to work on your business acumen."
"That's fair," Ash said, taking another shaky sip of water and tugging at his sleeves.
Gideon glanced down at the dissertation one last time. "The Boundary of Reality: Architecting a Neural Implant for Advanced Virtual Reality.” he said slowly, enunciating each word carefully, “That's a great title, but do you know what I would have called it?" He removed his glasses and slowly folded them, placing them on the table.
"No," Ash replied simply.
Gideon gave him a cold smile. "The Gift of Immortality."