Catalyst (eBook)

Chapter 1

I Will Change The World

If Donovan Gregory’s mood could be described right now, it would be in a word that contains fragments of hope, enthusiasm, passion, and purpose. As he stepped off the bus that pulled up in front of Coastal High School, he could almost taste those words in his mouth. He felt he was close to something that would define his destiny and be the cornerstone of his success. He walked with an extra, albeit involuntary, spring in his step. Today was to be the first time he’d ever share any of his numerous concepts with anyone that wasn’t Erick, his older brother.

Erick had become his bouncing board where he dumped ideas, revisited and refined them or even changed them entirely. He knew Erick had grown quite overwhelmed with his incessant, weird scientific concepts. For Erick, it was like always being slammed with waves of intellect that he would never comprehend. However, Donovan’s ideas had to be shared, so someone had to listen to make plausible interjections, and Erick was that guy.

But not today! Today he would have a broader audience. It was the school’s Science Fair. This year it was sponsored by an education fund from Grey Wings Inc. The newly affiliated Fortune 500 company sought out to invest and enhance groundbreaking new inventions from young aspiring scientists. Donovan knew it was the right occasion and the perfect opportunity to get his name and ideas on their radar.

In the school’s hallway were numerous students. The ambitious bunch of them carried uniquely designed robots or bizarre-looking projects to their designated areas. They all were optimistically anxious to showcase and pitch to the science teachers and patrons who’d be in attendance. Donovan smiled confidently. He didn’t have to carry anything that could suffer various accidents while in transit to the fair. In a small section of his bag was a flash drive that contained his presentation, and if all went well, it was going to be the most innovative project presented today. A smug smile found itself tattooed on his face as he maneuvered his way through the crowd.

The fair began quite early. The school hall is filled with students, teachers, patrons, a few interested parents and of course, the projects. The party of teachers and patrons walked from one science student to the other. They listened as the students explained their presentations passionately, quietly critiquing in their notes, asking few questions when needed, and shaking their heads where applicable, before moving to the next student. One student project was a replicated mechanical dragon. He explained that it could produce enough heat to burn like napalm and ignited in the dragon’s mouth. He stated that he was working on making the fire from the dragon’s mouth to discharge telepathically.

“Good luck with that,” one of the critiquing teachers said, “because I do not see the need for a dragon in our time.”

When the party found their way to Donovan, he inserted his flash drive at the back of the display TV and began prepping himself. No one noticed a black male wearing dark shades walk in. He's in his mid-thirties, and even though he wore unfitted suits, it's obvious he is solidly built. His body chiseled like a warrior, and the back of his hand showed his bulging veins from his rigorous workouts. He was Gabriel Gralyn, the CEO of Grey Wings Inc., the most important man in all of Rivercity.

“I present to you the future, my Nano X 21 nanites,” Donovan said confidently to the party in front of him. The presentation appeared on the screen with an orchestral sound effect. The nanites, a group of insect-like nano-machines, move about a human’s body interior with calculated precisions.

“Here is the body of a patient dying from an internal rupture of the liver. Ah, I used the word rupture; I am wrong. By rupture, it would mean that X-ray scans can detect it. However, there are no ruptures. There are cracks in the human liver, and that is critically malignant…”

The nanites move over the cracks, repairing the tissue at a microscopic level. “Not when the nanites are handy though,” he said. “They can detect the degradation then perform the necessary operation needed for complete healing. The nanites accomplish this by working in unison to rejuvenate the injury or ailment while constantly restoring the bodies natural nutrients.” Everyone listened attentively while watching the graphic video render as Donovan continued to explain. “First, by attracting, processing and regulating one’s existing copper, zinc, and iron reserves to the debilitating area. While simultaneously stimulating the nervous system to increase the body’s natural healing abilities from months and years to hours or even minutes.”

On the other side of the hall, Gabriel discreetly observed projects away from the crowd. He was disappointingly unimpressed. As he looked at the insufficient assignments, he frowned in disgust until Donovan word’s called out to him, slowly luring him toward the crowd that was engaged in Donovan’s hope-filled dissertation.

On display, the nanites succeed in closing up the cracks speedily. Donovan smiled.

“With the nanites, health hazards and deaths are easily healed and prevented. They will revolutionize how we live by enhancing our anatomy. Imagine a world without diseases, deformity, or disability, allowing us as the human race to focus on the innovation of our global well-being while galvanizing our collective ambition for the endless progression of possibilities that await us.”

Donavan looked fulfilled as his presentation came to an end. He looked at the crowd that gathered and could understand why they were all there. They were curious about his well-pitched concept and his intellectual prowess as a student. It had leaked, and words were flown around that he had the highest IQ the school had ever seen. In fact, his was a record in Rivercity altogether. They knew he was no ordinary kid, and they came to expect a lot from him. He saw Tiziana Lee walk into the hall and make her way to where he was positioned. Her caramel skin glowed under the brilliant light of the building. She strode calmly, her long legs taking their time to fall in front of the other, her athletic-built body compact around itself. She moved her hair off her face, and as their eyes met, she smiled at him.

Donavan turned his attention to the teachers who were yet to utter a word since he began making his presentation. “Well?” he asked.

“Mr. Gregory, what’s this?” one of the teachers asked.

Donovan could tell the expression on the teacher’s face was that of irritation. It confused him. “It’s a digital render of my concept,” he answered.

“I know it’s a digital render,” the teacher said unpalatable. “This looks like a plot you stole from a video game.”

“Video game?” Donovan asked. This was ridiculous he thought to himself.

“This science fair is for tangible projects so that Mr. Gralyn can invest in the creator and the school district,” the teacher said. He was getting quite upset. “And you seem not to get the memo.”

Gabriel Gralyn was drawn closer by the little commotion. He watched the exchange keenly.

“This is a tangible idea! I only need the funding and materials to create it.” Donovan could quickly tell the day was not going as he had imagined. He thought his project would amaze the teachers, and that they’d ask relevant questions, and in the end, help drag the attention of the busy Gabriel Gralyn to it.

“Well, you have failed to provide any actual science,” the teacher said. “I’m very disappointed in you.” The teacher words shocked the other spectators that were captivated by the idea and struck Donovan like an invisible blade.

Failed? Donovan could have imagined a million ways the day could have ended, but failing his project pitch was not one of them. He opened his mouth, but the attention was no longer on him, the teacher and the party were already moving to the next student that had eggs lying on a table and a weird machine beside them. He could tell the boy had invented an incubator. It amazed him. There was nothing inventive about an incubator. They had been around since forever. He knew that the boy would never be told he was a failure. He shook his head; the world needed to stop celebrating mediocrity.

Tiziana walked up to him. “Hey! You should’ve built the robot.”

“Technically, we already live in a society full of robots. However, we currently lack efficient androids.” Donovan corrected her frustratedly gathering his things.

“Robot. Android. Whatever, you know what I mean.” Tiziana added.

“Besides the fact we nearly carry the components needed to create one in our pockets as a smart phone, a robot is elementary compared to this. I could build an android in 24 hours." Donovan, sighed dropping his head and changing his tone towards her. “Sorry, maybe you’re right.”

“It’s not meant for everybody to see your vision. Don’t let it get to you.”

Donovan looked at her and gave her a slight smile. Half the time, Tiziana knew what to say, and the other half, she didn’t care to say much. Tiz, as he often referred to her, was one of the most beautiful girls in school that kept to herself. Donovan thought of her as one of the most self-assured people...