The Speed of Sound (Speed of Sound Thrillers #1)

by Eric Bernt

It seems that for success in science and art, a dash of autism is essential. For success, the necessary ingredient may be an ability to turn away from the everyday world, from the simply practical, an ability to rethink a subject with originality so as to create in new untrodden ways. —Hans Asperger, 1944

Few people knew that some of the most startling scientific advances in the last twenty years had come from people who couldn’t wipe themselves.

Eddie, like most with Asperger profiles, experienced a complete range of feelings, but had considerable difficulty identifying or discussing them.

If only there were an emotional Google Translate app for those living with autism. Perhaps one day someone would invent such an app—someone on the high-functioning end of the spectrum, diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. One of the group that Hans Asperger first labeled in 1944 as “little professors.”

Most every major university had at least one covert operation stationed on its campus. Some had over a dozen. Institutions of higher learning made perfect covers, and operations could run for years without ever drawing attention to themselves.

“The two most important kinds of work I’ve done fall into two categories: the best shit, and the worst shit.

But the worst shit does. The stuff that you bust your ass on and truly suffer for that turns out to be absolute crap. Because it’s how you respond—whether you can handle the criticism, and what you learn from it—that will determine whether you have a future communicating something or if you should just quit and see how much money you can make.”

Something about autism allowed some people to think in ways that others could not.

Eating alone used to depress her, until she decided to make an occasion out of her meals. Now, every dinner she prepared was something special. A date with herself. It took time and focus, and was a far better way to spend an evening than watching the day’s investment news.