[ WP ] In the near future , parents are able to genetically modify babies to boost their cognitive abilities . 20 years later , as the first cohort of `` super genius '' babies reaches adulthood , we realize we made a big mistake .

One Sherlock Holmes is a godsend. A million Sherlock Holmes is a goddamn pain in the ass. 
 
 
 I can understand the eugenic engineering. It wasn ’ t so much that more and more people were dying every year from cancer and heart disease and diabetes, it was those of us who were chained to drug stores and unable to live fulfilling lives due to a million different ‘ manageable conditions ’. Before my parents were middle age, they had spent fortunes on eyeglasses, dental work, compression stockings, and whatnot. So when I was conceived, a genengineered virus was injected into my mother ’ s womb to make me smarter, faster, stronger, and totally resistant to bad cholesterol. 
 
 
 But some babies got a little extra kick in the head and they became insufferable. 
 
 
 They weren ’ t trying to take over the world or exterminate us normals. Some of them became theoretical physicists or consulting detectives or crossword puzzle writers. They were able to pick up on every itty-bitty detail you can imagine and then read you like a book. 
 
 
 At my previous job, my super-enhanced supervisor was able to determine just by glancing at me that I had sex with one of the receptionists the night before, where we had the sex, and how gratifying the sex was. He had also determined that I was going to get mad and make an attempt to punch him in the nose. Unfortunately for him, I ’ m a lot faster than I appear to be. 
 
 
 I was unemployed for a long time after my outburst. But one of the super-enhanced took pity on me and hired me as an assistant and medical consultant ( guy ’ s got a IQ as big as my Social Security number, but he ’ s the worst hypochondriac I ’ ve ever known ). 
 
 
 I ’ ve got to go. I just received a text message from his lordship that “ the Game is afoot! ” 
 
 
 At least he ’ s stopped calling me Watson. 

