Chapter eighteen: a long time ago

"So where do we start?" AJ was staring at One and Kal. "Do we do some crazy stuff on a computer and bite the eight soon to be seven tech guys where they live? I am not sure I can outsmart an entire city of geniuses even with rainbow gunk."
"Ask him AJ,” said One. I'm afraid we don't have much to offer on the how do we start front. Go ahead. Ask."

AJ stared off into space, and other than the odd blink he was motionless. It was his brain that wasn't. 
 
"Ok, so here is what I learned."

"We know AJ,” said One. “We just connected to you. We have the power to do something no one has done before. We have exactly 2000 of the brightest kids in the world. We have you as our central computational device. You work through problems with the kids, and in free flow you start to make sense of the situation. So unlike the Silicon Valley folks who work as individuals we will work together. Kal and I will be the ringleaders and you will be the source. It is genius. I mean genius times 2000. Are you excited?"
 
"I am One. I am. But while you were talking I received another message from Hector and his wife."
 
"That you may die doing it,” said One. “That it hasn't been tested. That we don't know what will happen to our central computer AJ when 2000 voices chime in. That we all may die trying. But that, AJ, is because everything worth doing comes with a price. In our case it is the possibility of dying. But if we don't try we will die anyway. So I'm pretty sure our real life and death experiment is worth it. Yes?"
 
"I love you One—you too Kal. And I won't let you down. We are a family. Or in Hawaiian, Ohana."
 
"Why use a Hawaiian word?" asked Kal. "Oh ever mind. I got it. We are in Hawaii. I always wanted to go there. I'm not sure how Hector got us from our homes to Maui but let's hope he lets us go up above and try surfing. Fish tacos!
 
Mahalo Hector! Hey I can speak Hawaiian. How about that!"