A few days later after the Alastair's family meeting.
In the quiet of his room, Wesley stood before the mirror, meticulously adjusting the lapels of his navy striped Italian suit. The fabric, a testament to fine craftsmanship, draped over his frame with an elegance that was both understated and commanding. He paired it with a pristine white button-down shirt, its crispness contrasting sharply against the dark hue of the suit. The ensemble was completed with a tie, its yellow and blue stripes echoing the suit's sophistication while adding a splash of color that subtly captured attention. Wesley's reflection in the mirror wasn't just that of a man dressing for an ordinary day; it was the visage of someone preparing for a moment that could define the trajectory of his future.
As he fastened the last button, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, he saw Kohen's name flashing. Picking up the phone, Wesley greeted his friend. "Hey, Kohen, all set for today?" Wesley asked, his voice steady yet tinged with the anticipation of the impending event.
"Yeah, just about," Kohen replied, his tone matching Wesley's mix of readiness and underlying tension. "This suit feels like armor, man. Can't believe we're actually doing this."
Wesley chuckled lightly, understanding all too well the sentiment behind Kohen's words. "It's more than just a meeting, Kohen. It's us stepping into a new chapter. Just stick to the plan, and we'll navigate through it."
"Got it. I'll meet you at the airport then?" Kohen confirmed, the resolve in his voice growing stronger.
"See you there. And Kohen? Thanks for the support and the commitment you've made to the company," Wesley said, a sincere note of gratitude threading through his words.
The drive to the airport was a blur, Wesley's mind a whirlwind of thoughts and strategies, each turn of the road bringing them closer to their destination and the crucial meeting that awaited. Upon arriving, he spotted Kohen, who was every bit the part of a CEO, his demeanor confident, his attire impeccable.
Together, they boarded Wesley's private jet, the sleek vessel ready to whisk them away to Washington, DC. As the engines roared to life and the landscape below began to shrink away, the gravity of their mission settled around them like a cloak. This wasn't merely a flight to the nation's capital; it was a journey towards a confrontation with power, policy, and the unknown variables that lay within the halls of Congress.
As the jet cut through the skies, Wesley and Kohen reviewed their points, each word and argument polished like a weapon for the battle ahead. The camaraderie between them was palpable, a bond forged in the fires of ambition and the shared vision of what their technology could mean for the world.
Landing in Washington, DC, the city's iconic monuments served as silent witnesses to their arrival. The weight of history and the anticipation of what was to come mingled in the air, setting the stage for a meeting that would not only test their resolve but also potentially shape the future of technology and its place within society.
Upon Wesley and Kohen getting closer, flanked by their security team, approached the U.S. Capitol building, they were immediately met with a frenzy of activity. Reporters, eager for a glimpse of the men of the hour, swarmed around their car, their cameras flashing and microphones thrust forward in anticipation. Kohen, known to some extent, drew nods of recognition, but it was the mysterious figure of Wesley that piqued their curiosity the most, his presence fueling a whirlwind of speculation and intrigue.
Navigating through the sea of journalists with practiced ease, the duo, along with their security detail, made their way into the grandeur of the Capitol. The building itself was a testament to the nation's history, its corridors echoing with the weight of decisions that had shaped the course of the country. As they entered the main room, where they were to testify, the solemnity of the moment settled upon Wesley and Kohen. The ornate room, with its high ceilings and imposing architecture, was filled with the nation's lawmakers, their attentive gazes fixed on the newcomers.
This was more than just a testimony; it was a moment where the future of technology and its role in society was to be scrutinized and debated before the eyes of the nation and its elected representatives. The air was thick with anticipation as they prepared to make their case, aware of the significance of their words in the hallowed halls of Congress.
Once seated Mike Johnson, the current speaker of the house began the session. With the loud chatter in the room dying down. All eyes directed towards the two men seated before everyone.
"Mr. Mercer, you and your company Ra Solutions are here before congress today to determine the security risk your company and its technology have upon the American population. To start off, who is the man seated next to you?", Mike Johnson asked, cheekily already knowing the answer.
"The man to my right is the creator of the company and all the technology involved in the game, he created both the gaming engine and the famous MMORPG game "Arcane Frontier", meet Wesley Barnes." Kohen said with a smile on his face, finally getting to have Wesley share the limelight alongside him.
Another congressman then asked. "How did you create both the engine and game?" From the open source code of the game many developers have been very confused because they have not seen anything like it? What risks does this pose to the security of our great nation?"
"None, the code used was my own creation. I developed a new programming language I called Thoth++, where it is more powerful than any other language currently on the market. I will eventually be releasing a guide to such language to allow developers to understand it and be able to create their own inventions in the future." Wesley merely stated.
Then another congressman who was deep in the Alastair's pocket, asked "Mr. Barnes, how does the game collect Users data? The game is an ever evolving story, yet it needs information to do so? What are you doing with users' information?"
"Nothing, the game does not collect any sort of private information regarding the public, it merely collects data regarding how players interact with the world around them, thus altering the world, quests, and the stories the players delve into." Wesley replied.
"So your saying the game is constantly evolving, yet how is it doing this?" The congressman asked.
"The game is evolving because of a custom AI I have developed that tracks everything within the game."
"I see, what are the capabilities of this AI? The world is already wary of such technology" the congressman stated, trying to frame a certain perspective upon the young man before him.
"I do not see how that is relevant to my company, it is merely within the game to develop the story, nothing more." Wesley replied, not giving any ground to the corrupt politicians.
A variety of different questions continued to get asked throughout the event, some even just repeating already stated questions but in a different manner. Most of the members did not understand the realm of the tech industry and specifically the gaming industry. Making a majority of the members look like a bunch of clowns. The whole event was being live streamed throughout the country. Until Mike Johnson asked a profound and interesting question.
"Mr. Barnes, from our records, it seems from financial statements that you purchased various components to build a server room; however, after an inspection, we discovered the servers you were using were more advanced than anything we have ever seen. Where did you get such technology and how do you have it?" The congressman asked with an evil grin seen on his face.
Wesley was slightly surprised they would ask such a question when the 'inspection' was illegal. Nevertheless, he was still prepared for such a scenario.
"Yes sir, they are advanced quantum servers that I have developed myself, they process information faster than any other servers on the market and quite frankly nothing will be able to beat them for more than a hundred years. If the inspection team had informed me when they came to my building, I would have been more than willing to give one over to the government to have." Wesley replied, slightly revealing some truth to the whole matter.
"So you would be willing to give over your technology to protect the American people?" The congressman asked.
"I will give you one portion of such technology, I still need the rest to operate the game for people to play and enjoy such tech. However let me remind you that I am also of the American people and want those to enjoy such tech." Wesley stated with a calculative expression.
"Very well, thank you for being so cooperative with the American people and our great nation." Mike Johnson said, as he then was about to dismiss the meeting; however, Wesley cut him short.
"Mr. Johnson, before we go, I would like to make an announcement to the members before me, and the American people watching from home." Wesley said.
"Alright, we are listening." Mr. Johnson responded, not knowing where this was going.
"To everyone present, our company will be venturing out of the gaming industry and to the overall tech market, we will be releasing a new venture to the public. We are creating a new social media app that dwarfs anything on the current market. The app will have a new and improved AI built into the app which can help businesses in any aspect needed, whether technical work, marketing, online data analysis and much more. The AI will also be able to help base users with quality of life on the app and connecting to other apps as well. This will be beneficial for influencers and celebrities because of the ability to help market yourselves and release information faster. Also note that the app will have a variety of features such as a mass shopping section, normal feed, short-video feed similar to other apps, alongside our AI section, where you can simply talk and communicate with him/her. When you register for the app, everyone will get the ability to customize their AI to their liking, whether an anime character, an animal, or something of your own creation. The choice is in the peoples hands. Thank you." Wesley said in an absolute bombshell of an announcement.
After his announcement congress was taken aback by such blatant advertisement for his own company and also curious about such developments. However, since Mr. Barnes was giving over the tech anyways, there was not any fuss over the situation. However the world was greatly shocked by not only the overall proceedings of the investigation, but the bombshell announcement at the end.