Chương 5: Test papers
Hank was sitting in his office checking the new identity documents that were prepared for Savant, now Savant Smith. He had some anticipation for the two-day deadline the young boy had given him that day. He was looking forward to what interesting things the boy will show.
While he was lost in his thoughts his assistant knocked on the door and in came the boy he was waiting to meet. Hank could already tell, there was something different about the boy from the last time they met.
It wasn't about the healthier appearance and rosy cheeks visible to the naked eye for which he had been given an astonishing bill. Nor was it the expensive suit the boy was wearing that he paid for.
It was that invisible aura, the demeanor that had changed. Hank Pym was sure, anyone on the streets could tell that the boy was a proper scholar.
"It seems that the hotel bills were not wasted on you." Hank joked.
Savant smiled, "Of course, I wouldn't waste even a single dollar of my investor. Each dollar has to go into the product development."
"So, how far has the development gone? Is it prepared for market testing?"
"Yes, I can assure you that it will hold up to any amount of scrutiny."
Hank was pleased with the confident and intellectual attitude shown by Savant. He gestured to his assistant who brought out some of the most difficult high school test papers from the country's most elite schools.
Before even looking at the test papers, Savant said something that surprised both the assistant and Hank. "Can you get me some SAT test papers as well as Undergraduate test papers for Biochemistry, Genetic Engineering, and Microbiology?"
The assistant still in his shocked state looked at Hank who had composed himself already and nodded affirmatively at the assistant.
With a smirk, Hank spoke, "Your confidence knows no bounds huh? This should be an amusing show."
Savant just nodded and delivered exactly what Hank asked for, an amusing show.
In front of Hank, Savant had completed all the tests within an hour and a half. The only delay was because he couldn't write fast enough. If he could write at the speed of his thoughts, the test wouldn't last two minutes.
Hank was truly surprised and amused. Right after completing the high school tests, Savant began doing the SATs and the undergraduate tests while Hank checked the completed high school test papers by himself.
The next couple of hours went by with the office in silence except for the rustling of papers being turned and the soft friction of pen on paper.
Although Pym Technologies wasn't focused on biotech, they had some excellent scientists related to biology. And on that day, they were called by the company's owner to his office.
"Why were all of us called? Is Pym Technologies branching out to biotech?"
"It'd be great if I could get funding for a new lab."
"Is it your turn yet? I haven't gotten the new equipment I applied for last year."
The group of scientists noisily entered Hank Pym's office only to see a completely silent scene. The assistant hurriedly gestured for them to be silent. While Hank Pym was looking at some papers and a young boy was hunched over a table continuously writing something.
"Mr. Richards, hello. What's going on here?" The old scientist in the lead asked the assistant.
"Dr. Robin. Mr. Hank asked you guys here to grade this boy's test papers." The assistant explained curtly.
Seeing the dissatisfaction amongst the scientists, he further explained, "He is not just any kid. He is a veritable genius. Right now he is doing undergraduate tests for three disciplines of biology."
Although they were still annoyed, the scientists were still very interested in the so-called genius.
The assistant Mr. Richards handed over the SAT and other completed test papers to the scientists who somewhat unwillingly sat on the side to grade the papers.
By the time Savant was done with the tests, his wrists were sore and he had to put an icepack on it.
"You live up to your name, kid. Did you really lose your memory?" Hank asked with some doubt.
"If I didn't, do you think I would need to ask for you to invest in me Mr. Pym?" Savant asked back.
"True. With your level of intelligence, you require almost no assistance if not for your memory loss."
While they were talking, the group of scientists started exclaiming in surprise.
"Brilliant!"
"Is this even human? He made no mistakes."
"Are all your grading full scores too? Damn."
"I want to see if his skull has a computer for a brain."
Hank smiled, "It seems I don't need to check the results. I will hold on to those two favors as a return on my investment."
****************************
{Savant POV
Six months had passed since the time I took the tests in Hank Pym's office.
Under Hank's recommendation, I smoothly entered the California University of Technology or Caltech. I had even become a local celebrity in Caltech for completing four graduate-level courses within six months.
During my course at Caltech, I also heard of my comparisons with geniuses like Reed Richards and Bruce Banner who attended Caltech before.
Except for the graduate degrees in Biochemistry, Genetic Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Microbiology, I also gained a new ability in the last six months at Caltech.
One evening around two months back, when I was getting out of the gym from my regular evening workout, I had the thought of stargazing. So I went back to the dorm, got on the roof, and laid down with a dozen or so astronomy books.
Technically I didn't even need to read the books, I could just perceive the information in it and I would already be proficient in all the knowledge in the book within moments. Its just that I had fallen in love with reading books, so much so that I deliberately started reading them slower.
Of course, even though it was slow, it wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes for me to read any book. So while in a meditative state, I read all the astronomy books I had brought with me until nightfall.
After putting down the last book, when my eyes met the starry sky, it happened again, I fainted. This time I only woke up in the afternoon the next day when the stinging sunlight was right above my face.
I had perceived some information from the stars before but it was never at this level. It was as if a whole dam broke in my mind.
The age of the stars, their compositions, civilizations, languages, cultures, technology, planets, minerals, and elements; there was just too much information, and not all of it was comprehensible. I knew that I lacked specific knowledge to understand them.
For example, the information about the civilizations beyond the stars was incomprehensible for the most part. Firstly I didn't understand their language, I could only perceive it but couldn't understand it.
It's like an American listening to Chinese for the first time. If he had a reference, he could slowly try to understand it but without reference, it is all useless information, noise.
Anyway, I woke up with some useful information like the Inhuman's City on the moon and the hungry roars of Galactus somewhere deep in space.
After this experience, I found that my abilities had increased once more and my mind seemed to have evolved again as well. This evolution was stronger than the last one and I had gotten weak telepathy and telekinetic abilities.
I could still read the minds of ordinary people and shield my own mind but I was nowhere near the telepaths like Professor X, Jean Grey, and Emma Frost.
I also found out through this experience that I have infinite memory. Normally this sounds like not a big deal but when used in creative ways it is a great ability. And the best use I thought of was a mind shield.
I perceive too much seemingly useless information every second like the composition of the breath I just took, the number of dust particles in my line of sight, the composition of said dust, and so on. And that information keeps getting saved in my infinitely increasing memory space.
If I placed all the useless information I have as a shield over my actual memories and thoughts, anyone trying to break into my brain would drown in that useless ocean of information that is endlessly growing.
So, if Professor X ever wanders into my mind, he better know how to paddle with his useless legs or he'll drown.
After gaining telepathy, the process of learning got even smoother for me as I could now get the knowledge directly from the source, the professors at the cutting edge of their subjects. I had to be cautious about whose brains I poked though, you never know when you'll bump into a mutant in this world.
And bump into a mutant I did. Right now I was meeting with one of the most famous mutant villains in Marvel who had come with his secretary.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting the famous Sebastian Shaw himself?" I asked with a cordial smile while walking into the room. My mind and eyes kept wandering to the eastern European beauty behind Shaw.
With her aloof attitude, black hair tied in a messy bun, piercing gaze through the peculiar glasses, and trademark tear-shaped scars on her face, she was my long-time fictional crush in the other world. Although she didn't seem to have huge muscles, she is a combat specialist.
"You know us businessmen. We like to invest in profitable ventures everywhere and what's more profitable than a genius?" Shaw gave a nonchalant glance at his beautiful assistant while talking, and she casually shook her head.
To those who don't know about their mutant status and powers, this is just normal. To those who knew their hidden identity, those casual movements can be interpreted as a question and an answer, "Is he a mutant?" and "No."
While sitting down I answered, "I have to disappoint you Mr. Shaw but I already have an investor. And I don't think I warrant any more investment than I already have."
Shaw gave a cordial smile, "That's unfortunate. Even then we can always still be friends."
While Shaw was speaking, I felt an impact on my mind shield. Then there was a surprised and shocked expression on Shaw's assistant.
"You speak of friendships yet your assistant attempts to break into my mind. It is quite contradictory don't you think Mr. Shaw." At my words, Shaw's calm smile turned into a frown as he looked back at his assistant in anger. Of course, I could tell it was fake, I don't need to read minds to perceive information about Shaw's body language and micro-expressions. He wasn't even trying to hide it.
"I apologize on behalf of my assistant Mr. Savant. It's a force of habit, as a businessman keeping tabs on your opponents is essential after all. But you are a genius beyond what is advertised it seems." Shaw made a perfunctory excuse and tried appealing to the vanity of the teenager in front of him.
"While I may not be a mutant, the natural evolution of all human minds is mental power. I just have some preliminary control over my brain waves due to my mind being stronger than most of humanity." I too played into Shaw's trap.
"Oh, what do you think about mutants then Mr. Savant?" Shaw probed.
"I don't think mutants should even be the right term. I have a paper that's soon to be published in Nature magazine where I call them evolved humans. They are just the next step in human evolution.
And as happens in any evolutionary process, we can see the number of evolved is gradually increasing. By my mathematical model, I expect half of every human on earth to become the so-called mutants within 250-300 years." I gave a very standard technical answer.
"Evolved humans… yes. Your perspective is quite interesting. But you must be prepared to face backlash since there are forces who wouldn't like your theories." Shaw gave a sly smirk. A little like he was teasing a kid who knew nothing of the world.
"Of course, any society has a few idiots. Anyway, a hypothesis becomes a fact once proven. Maybe one day I can study enough to awaken the so-called mutation in every human. Who knows?" I grinned, giving a nonchalant glance at Shaw's secretary who flinched a little.
Looking at my watch, I got up to leave, "Sorry Mr. Shaw. I happen to have a meeting with a professor in another 10 minutes. I'll have to take a leave from this pleasant conversation."
Shaking my hand Shaw smiled, "Of course, a scholar should be busy with scholarly things. Thank you for your precious time, Mr. Savant."
I then put my hand forward toward Shaw's secretary, "I didn't catch your name miss?"
She gave a beautiful smile and answered, "I'm called Tessa. I apologize for my earlier offense."
I waved my hand, "Don't mind it. I should be glad that such a beautiful lady took interest in me."
While teasing Tessa, I walked away.
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