Part 4
A quantum computer requires temperatures at near absolute zero. Wherever a quantum computer is running is one of the coldest places in the universe. Things can get a little weird near absolute zero. We can get within a fraction of a degree of absolute zero. Particles become waves and reality no longer follows the same rules. Most modern computers use neodymium magnets. Basically one pole represents a zero and the other a one. A single quantum computer has more potential computing power than all magnetic computers combined.
It's not practical for everyone to have a quantum computer. Maybe someday they will replace servers allowing more remote memory or remote operating systems. Just like what we currently have but faster and better. Quantum computers could be used for autonomous decision making but so far have lacked true artificially intelligence. By designing the quantum world James thought the computer might be able to make logical decisions and respect human emotions. Basically he didn't want to create a killer robot that saw us as a threat. What he had not known is a supervisor had found the program and started using it for his personal gain. A few bets here and there couldn't hurt anything. He caught on to this by watching a basket game that was supposed to occur the following day. Play by play the program got it right. It was an upset as predicted and Carl made a modest bet. He had learned to just watch the sporting news from the next day. He didn't want to get noticed so he even lost on purpose but always won more. Normally an unauthorized program would have been shut down immediately but the supervisor had his own reasons for keeping it going.
Other than selling technology the company had an interest in mining in space. Things like platinum come from space. It is logical to assume that industrial amounts could be found on asteroids or planets. The first entity or company to successfully mine in space will likely become the wealthiest worldwide. The moon seems like the closest and most likely place to mine but the dust is like tiny razors. China probably found that out after their rover quit working in a shorter time. The astronauts worried about it tearing through their space suits. Mars being a red planet has iron at the very least to build bases. Carl's job was to prevent corporate espionage. He would check on employees work to make sure that no information had been brought on or out. He reviewed all of the video and would report to the CEO and a board monitoring projects.
After James disappeared Carl reported the quantum world program James had come up with. He used his gambling as a way of testing predictions he claimed. Didn't want to report unconfirmed results he claimed. The entire board was in disbelief and thought maybe Carl had been gambling on company time and had an outrageous story to justify his actions. The implications had too much potential to ignore. Carl thought maybe someone was after James because of his winnings. He was taking it easy limiting his winnings but Carl got greedy and went big on a few bets. He had talked to James the morning before James had disappeared. Maybe the mob was upset at his little winning streak and thought James had something to do with it. Carl never told him that he was monitoring his work. He was supposed to act dumb about what was going on and report to the board. He tried to strike up a couple conversations with James but it was always awkward with James. James gave people a get to the point look when people tried small talk. One of those if you're not at the same level than don't waste time. A lot of intelligent people have this quality.
Carl had become suspicious that someone had been following him watching from a distance. The potential hack was another potential threat. If Big Brother or a foreign government realized what James created they could use it to dominate the future. Even if it wasn't completely accurate but had a high percentage. The CEO and originator of the company was going to come in after hours to check the program out for himself. They would make a decision on whether or not to put it in a warehouse on a shelf. Sometimes we are not ready for big ideas. The potential to abuse the program may change the future. Or maybe they were supposed to use the program to create a better future. The CEO was sceptical because many people would make claims to get more funding. Nobody was asking for more funding in this case. This project was not even supposed to exist.
They hoped somehow James would come back from a vacation and everything would be the same as it was. The quantum world was constantly being updated with real time information correcting the predictions of the program. If the residents of the quantum world were self aware they would wonder why their history keeps getting changed. The technology in the quantum world had likely surpassed our own or maybe the quantum planet destroyed itself based on modern climate predictions. The other strange thing about quantum physics is something observed acts differently than something not observed. The computers use this predictable uncertainty to it's advantage. Entangled particles were discovered in a slip sheet experiment with photons. When photons are observed they behave exactly as predicted. With no observation they split and hit two or more places at the same time. Reality only exists because the rules of reality are being observed by the mind. The old if a tree falls in the forest. Carl met the CEO after hours and showed him how to access the program.
The CEO navigated his way to observe himself in a meeting the next day with a couple of official looking people. He listened to part of the conversation and the female official introduced herself to him as Emily. It seemed like a business meeting or some sort of tax auditing. Nothing serious he thought. He wanted to look further into the future. He could deal with boring meetings in real time. He observed a rival company developing their technology in an accelerated time value. He would have the upper hand knowing their products. He needed a proper test like Carl had conducted and watched the end of a college game that would be on in a few hours. It may have been sensory overload but he was getting a headache. He asked Carl who he had told about the program. Carl had not told anyone but noted something seemed fishy with James gone.
The CEO sent Carl home for the evening and told him someone would be by with some off the books money for keeping quiet. After Carl left the CEO made a phone call. He knew he couldn't trust Carl he knew too much. He erased any record of Carl's employment at the company. The phone call he made was to another board member who had contacts to arrange a hit and disposal. Petty gambling was a stupid way to use the program he thought. The security footage was doctored and an alibi was created for the CEO. The lawyers would keep the police out of range. When it comes to big money everything is for sale or rent including judicial systems or police. Nobody would ever find Carl the disposal guys seemed to be highly effective. The CEO wanted to track James down. Who knows what he knew, maybe that's why he was no where to be found. The CEO needed James alive. He thought it would be a lot smarter using the technology with someone who understands it present. If he didn't have the headache he might attempt to track James down with the program. It would have to wait. There was some other girl that missed a couple of days Carl had told him earlier. Maybe she knew something. He would find out her name and information and talk to her when she returned. See what she knows and make a decision from there.