Alex sat in a swivel chair. He was thirty-two years old now. His hair had a few streaks of grey at the temples ("Wisdom highlights," Mark called them).
Maya stood in front of a giant screen. She was wearing a lab coat that looked more like a wizard's robe.
"The trajectory," Maya said, pointing a laser at a line on the graph. "Physical decline is inevitable. Sprint speed has decreased by 4.2% in the last two years. Recovery time has increased by 15%."
Alex nodded. "I feel it in the mornings. My knees creek like old doors."
" However," Maya clicked a button. A new line appeared. It went straight up. "Cognitive processing speed has increased. Tactical awareness is in the 99.9th percentile. You are slower, Alex. But you are smarter."
Mark was sitting in the corner. He was wearing a tracksuit that was two sizes too small.
"I am not slower!" Mark shouted. "I am just... conserving energy! I am a hybrid car now! Eco-friendly speed!"
"Mark," Alex said. "You retired two years ago."
