The apartment looked emptier than William thought it ever could. The faded walls, the scratched floorboards, and even the crooked ceiling fan seemed to echo the memories of countless late nights and early mornings spent here. Now, it was all packed up, shoved into a borrowed moving truck parked outside.
Jake leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "You sure the landlord's not gonna fight you on this lease thing?"
William smirked, holding up a stack of papers. "Completely sure. I went through the contract line by line. They didn't meet maintenance standards, so legally, I'm in the clear."
Jake chuckled. "Guess that tech brain of yours has its perks."
William tapped the sleek black band of his smartwatch, a custom piece he had designed. "Not just my brain. This little beauty helps too."
The smartwatch emitted a soft chime, and a synthesized voice spoke. "Confirmed: all legal conditions for lease termination have been met."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "You really have a talking watch?"
William shrugged, playing it off. "Helps keep me organized."
Jake snorted. "You're such a nerd."
The drive to the new property was filled with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. By the time they arrived, the sun was high in the sky, casting a golden glow over their new home. It was a sight neither of them could get tired of: the sprawling lot with five buildings, each holding endless potential.
Unpacking didn't take long. Between Jake's brute strength and William's efficiency, the essentials were set up within hours. By evening, the two sat on the porch with beers in hand, looking out at the quiet expanse of their new domain.
"It's weird," Jake said, breaking the silence. "I never thought I'd own a house, let alone something like this."
William nodded. "Same here. But this is just the start. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."
The next morning, they began exploring the house in earnest. The two spare bedrooms became a topic of debate over breakfast.
"Guest rooms?" Jake suggested, shoveling eggs into his mouth.
"How many guests do you think we're going to have?" William countered.
Jake shrugged. "You never know."
William leaned back, tapping a finger against his mug. "We could rent them out. Short-term stays, maybe."
Jake frowned. "More people means less privacy."
William nodded. "True. Let's table it for now."
Later that day, they turned their attention to the detached building, the one that had captured William's imagination from the start. The interior was clean and spacious, but William's mind raced with ways to transform it.
"This place could be anything," William mused, running his hand along one of the walls. "A lab, a workshop, a server room..."
Jake smirked. "Or all three. Knowing you, you'd cram every inch of this place with tech."
"Not just tech," William said, grinning. "I've been thinking about getting a 3D printer."
Jake raised an eyebrow. "A 3D printer? For what?"
"Everything," William replied. "Small parts, replacement tools, maybe even entire engines for your projects."
Jake let out a low whistle. "That's ambitious."
"Ambitious and expensive," William admitted. "Not just to buy, but to maintain. The energy alone would be a huge cost."
Jake frowned. "So, it's a pipe dream?"
William's smartwatch chimed, the familiar voice cutting through their discussion. "Suggested solution: monetize the 3D printer by offering services to local businesses and enthusiasts."
Jake looked at the watch in mild amazement. "Your watch just suggested a business plan?"
William nodded, keeping his face neutral. "It's got an AI assistant built in. Helps me brainstorm."
"Fancy," Jake said, crossing his arms. "So, what's the plan?"
William pointed to the detached building. "We set it up in there. Use it to print custom parts for your shop and offer printing services to the community. We could even create products to sell online."
Jake grinned. "And I could finally get that engine block printed instead of waiting months for a custom order."
By evening, the two had sketched out a rough plan. The first step would be to research high-quality 3D printers and evaluate their costs. From there, they'd set up a small business model, offering services and products to the community.
As they sat on the porch again, watching the stars come out, William turned to Jake. "This is going to be a lot of work."
Jake took a swig of his beer. "Yeah, but look at what we've already done. We've got a house, a garage, and now a plan. What's a little more work?"
William laughed. "You make it sound so simple."
Jake smirked. "That's because it is. We've got this, Will."
The quiet night stretched on, filled with a sense of accomplishment and determination. Their home wasn't just a place to live... it was a foundation for everything they hoped to build.
The detached building, once a storage shed for boats, had transformed into a bustling workshop. Tables covered with wires, components, and half-assembled gadgets filled the space. In the center of it all stood the skeleton of what would soon become a custom-built 3D printer—a project that had consumed William's evenings for weeks.
Jake leaned against a nearby workbench, holding a flashlight. "You sure you know what you're doing with all those wires? Looks like the inside of a spaceship."
William smirked, not looking up from the motherboard he was soldering. "Trust me, I know exactly what I'm doing. You just hold the light steady."
Jake rolled his eyes. "Glad one of us does. I wouldn't know a circuit from a sandwich."
"That's why I'm handling the tech," William replied, his tone light. "And why you get to do the heavy lifting when we set this thing up."
Jake chuckled. "Fair trade."
Over the next few weeks, the printer started to take shape. The metal frame gleamed under the workshop's lights, and the intricate web of wiring inside was a testament to William's meticulous work. He spent hours coding the printer's software, often muttering to himself or to the AI through his smartwatch.
"Calibration complete," the AI's voice said one evening as William tested the stepper motors. "Ensure the extruder temperature is within acceptable parameters."
Jake raised an eyebrow, watching from across the room. "Your watch just told you how hot the thing needs to be?"
William nodded, keeping his face neutral. "It's a custom assistant I built into the watch. Helps me troubleshoot."
Jake laughed. "You and your tech toys. You should install that thing in one of my trucks. Make it talk, like in that old show... what was it? Knight Rider?"
William grinned. "And you'd have it call you 'Michael'?"
"Damn right," Jake said with a wide smile. "Every mechanic needs a talking car."
The AI chimed in, its tone calm and even. "With an electric vehicle, I could assist with autonomous driving. For example, I could safely transport Jake home from the bar."
Jake laughed so hard he nearly dropped the flashlight. "Okay, now you're just showing off."
William chuckled. "Alright, let's focus. This printer isn't going to build itself."
After several late nights and countless cups of coffee, the printer was finally operational. William watched in awe as the extruder moved with precision, layer by layer, creating a complex part for one of Jake's project cars.
"This thing's incredible," Jake said, holding the freshly printed part. "You weren't kidding about its potential."
William nodded, wiping his hands on a rag. "It's not just for us. Local businesses could use parts like this. We could offer printing services and start recouping what we spent building it."
Jake tilted his head, thinking. "You mean we can make money off this?"
"Exactly," William replied. "Custom parts, replacement tools, even full-scale models. The possibilities are endless."
Months passed, and the 3D printer became a cornerstone of their growing side business. William handled the tech, designing and printing custom parts for local shops, while Jake used his connections in the auto industry to bring in steady work. The venture didn't just break even; it started turning a small profit.
With their finances stabilizing, William began looking into renewable energy options for the property. The frequent power outages were a constant frustration, and upgrading the buildings to self-sustaining energy was long overdue.
"This is it," William said one evening, showing Jake a sleek mockup of solar panels integrated into roof tiles. "It's called 'Solar Array Roofing.' It's efficient, durable, and would power the entire property."
Jake whistled, leaning over the table to get a closer look. "Looks expensive."
"It is," William admitted. "But we've saved up enough. And think about it—no more outages, no more spoiled food, and no insane utility bills."
Jake nodded slowly. "Alright, let's do it. Just don't let your watch take over the power grid."
William smirked. "No promises."
A month later, the installation was complete. The sleek panels gleamed in the sunlight, blending seamlessly with the roofs of the house and outbuildings. For the first time since moving in, William and Jake felt a sense of true independence.
"This place is really coming together," Jake said, leaning against the porch railing. "What's next?"