Seismic Surge

“So double the technology and a few points of IQ will make your little ploy as survivable as him?” Blancanales asked.

Lyons entered and took the file folder from Blancanales. “Gadgets wants to suck in some more bad guys?”

“Not necessarily to get into a rumble, but I can trace them while they’re tracing me,” Schwarz said. “And if things do get violent, I have a plan and the awareness for all of that.”

Blancanales looked to Lyons for support.

“You can’t stop him,” Lyons said. “His brain is afire. He’s got an idea, and when he gets that, he’s like me with a lead or you with an interrogation. We don’t let go. We’re driven.”

Blancanales looked at Schwarz again, worry still present in his eyes. “At least tell me you have something that can minimize the danger. Something to even the odds.”

Schwarz grinned. “I’ll have Schrödinger’s cat with me.”

Lyons tilted his head. “That’s from quantum physics, right?”

“Look at you, Ironman. Where’d you pick that one up?” Schwarz asked.

Lyons shrugged, a little embarrassed “There’s a comedy about four scientists... Highly illuminating about guys like you, Hermann.”

Schwarz’s grin grew, even though Lyons was gently gibing him about his first name. Lyons continued. “What I don’t get is what your ‘cat’ is all about. How does a layman’s explanation about observation and uncertainty help with a group hunting you elec...”

Schwarz nodded.

“The Schrödinger’s cat thing is an explanation of how the act of observation has an effect on what is being observed,” Lyons said. “You’ve found a means of making equipment more sensitive to observation. Part one is going to be something about cloning one of their smartphones into a device with that kind of sensor.”

Schwarz laughed. “Careful, Carl. I might have to have you trade in your jock card.”

Lyons gave his friend a one-fingered salute. “Don’t fit me for a pocket protector yet. I’m learning a lot off of you, but I couldn’t build your little cat tablet.”

Blancanales spoke up, a wry grin on his face. “Looks like you just buy one of those Pads, then put a kitten sticker over the fruit logo.”