While the company was in the middle of a whirlwind, the military's expert inspection team quietly touched down in Tampa.
This forced Nick to step away from the daily grind to play host.
"Haha, Nick, good to see you again!" Liam, a gray-haired official with a booming laugh, stepped off the black shuttle van. He reached out to shake hands with Nick, who had been waiting at the front entrance.
"Hello, Deputy Director. I didn't expect you to lead the charge personally this time," Nick said, shaking his hand warmly.
"Haha, well, you're already familiar with this guy, right?" Liam pointed to Director Kai, who was standing beside him in full uniform, a wide grin on his face.
"Of course. Director Kai, hope the trip wasn't too grueling." Nick stepped forward and shook his hand, the two of them exchanging warm greetings.
Director Kai looked around at the sleek new facility. "Didn't expect this, did you? I'm here to see how the other half lives today, so don't be cheap with the hospitality, kid."
"Don't worry, the food in our cafeteria is top-tier. It gives the Institute a run for its money," Nick joked.
"Good, because I'm looking to upgrade my diet today," Director Kai laughed.
"Nick, let me introduce you. This is Professor Garry Frank, one of the top minds in defense information engineering." Liam gestured toward a stout, distinguished older man standing nearby.
"Hello, Professor Frank. It's an honor to finally meet you. When I was in school, my professors talked about you like a legend in the field. I really didn't expect you to make the trip," Nick said, stepping forward to shake Garry's hand. The older man's grip was firm, his skin showing the weathered lines of a long career.
"Hehe, you've got good energy, young man. I've been hearing your name for a while now; Dye speaks very highly of you. I didn't expect that so soon after your last project, you'd drop another nuke on the industry. Very impressive," Garry Frank joked, his eyes kind as he studied Nick.
Nick quickly replied, "You flatter me, sir. Compared to your work, this is just a hobby."
Garry waved a hand dismissively. "Don't sell yourself short; you've done incredible work. For guys like us, nothing is better than seeing the next generation surpass the old guard. It shows our field is in good hands."
"Professor Frank, let's head inside," Nick said, guiding them toward the doors.
He was mindful of the fact that the Professor was nearly seventy. The team had insisted on taking the Amtrak the whole way—a ten-hour journey that was exhausting for anyone. They'd only rested for one night before rushing over first thing in the morning.
As Nick led them into the R&D building, he began the tour. "We just moved into this facility at the start of the year, so the tech is pretty current. The first floor is mostly the lounge and conference rooms, but the second, third, and fourth floors are where the real R&D happens."
"This is palatial," Garry Frank laughed. "When we started, seven of us were crammed into a single classroom at MIT. It took us years just to get our own office."
Though the Professor said it with a laugh, everyone could feel the weight of the struggle that had paved the way for modern research.
Once they were settled in the lounge with hot coffee and tea, Nick smiled at the group. "Let's take a breather and hydrate. I'll give you the full lab tour in a bit."
Director Kai gave him a skeptical look. "Is that so? Or are you just trying to buy time to hide the stuff you don't want us to see?"
"Come on, Director. With Professor Frank here, what could I possibly keep secret? I'm just worried you guys are exhausted from the trip," Nick explained with a grin.
Director Kai shook his head, looking completely unconvinced. "I don't know about that. At the last banquet, you said you only had 'a few ideas.' Then you come back here and create a global sensation. What's the matter? Afraid we're going to steal your toys?"
"Not at all. I really did just have ideas then; I didn't start the actual build until I got back to Tampa," Nick insisted.
Liam chimed in with a smile. "That keynote you held caught us all off guard. Once Professor Frank got his hands on the H1, he couldn't sit still. He insisted on coming down here to see the source. We were worried about the travel and suggested having you come up to D.C. instead, since you're young and can handle the red-eyes. but the Professor wouldn't hear of it; he wanted to see the lab for himself."
Professor Frank chuckled. "Seeing is believing. No matter what the reports say, it's not as intuitive as seeing the hardware in person. I have a gut feeling this 'bad boy' has a few more tricks up his sleeve that he hasn't shown the public yet."
Great, now I'm a 'bad boy,' Nick thought. But when a legend calls you a name, you just take it.
"We haven't been in this specific niche for long, so we're still exploring. I was actually hoping to pick your brain while you're here."
Professor Frank waved a hand. "In the realm of AI, you're the one leading the pack. As they say, you can learn something from anyone. We came here to learn, too. So, you can't hold anything back from your 'students.'"
And now I'm the Professor? Nick mused silently, then smiled. "Don't worry, I'll tell you everything I know."
The room erupted in laughter. Professor Frank pointed a finger at him. "You're young, but you've got a sharp wit."
Liam turned serious for a moment. "Nick, our main goal is an on-site evaluation to discuss how your tech can be applied to defense. This isn't our first rodeo together; we aren't going to let you get the short end of the stick."
"Hehe, hearing that is a relief. You have no idea how stressed I've been lately," Nick joked.
Director Kai scoffed playfully. "Give me a break. You've sold over a million units and you're complaining to us? What are we supposed to say?"
Nick put on his best "starving artist" face. "It's true we sold a million, but we haven't seen a dime of that cash yet. Honestly, the company is surviving on that $30 million in support funds that just cleared."
"Wait, where's the money? You haven't burned through all of it already, have you?" Liam asked, genuinely confused.
"Don't even get me started. Half of it is stuck in processing, and the other half is already earmarked for scaling production. Running a business is brutal. If I'd known, I would've stayed in a quiet research institute somewhere," Nick said, waving a hand dramatically.
Liam looked at him with a fatherly smile. "Well, if it's that bad, why not just quit? It's not too late to change course. Our doors are always open if you want to come back to the Institute."
"Uh..." Nick stammered.