Alex leaned back in his chair, the glow from his digital screen reflecting off his eyes as Zarafi loaded the search results. He had input a query for Victor Devereux's former team—the ambitious engineers, physicists, and programmers who had once pioneered the world's first virtual reality company under Victor's dark yet visionary leadership.
Their work had transformed countless fields: from deep-sea exploration to extraterrestrial research, and, of course, the digital realm of virtual games. Marine biologists could now navigate the ocean floor with micro-robots, astronauts could operate robotics safely from space stations, and doctors could control surgical machines with unprecedented precision.
Victor's absence left a glaring gap, and Alex knew he'd have to pull this team together to attempt what Victor would've achieved if left to his own devices.
"Jin," Alex messaged, "I need you to track these people down. I want names, current employers, and any insight on their recent projects. I'll handle things on this end."
"Got it," Jin replied without hesitation.
With the pieces of his plan forming, Alex turned his thoughts to the firm. If Taylor, Wright, and Co. were going to support his vision, he would need more than their approval. He'd need their network, their resources, and their name. But he couldn't reveal the full extent of his plans—not yet, anyway.
So, he decided to frame it as an app development initiative. If he could get Vance Kim and Lawrence Wright on board as partners, Taylor, Wright, and Co.'s backing could be the launching pad for revolutionizing VR without Victor.
Steeling himself, Alex knocked on the door to the partners' office. The atmosphere in the room was tense yet charged with intrigue as Alex stepped into the partners' office. Lawrence Wright and Vance Kim, two of Taylor, Wright, and Co.'s most formidable figures, looked up from their papers, curiosity sparking in their eyes.
"Alex," Lawrence began, settling his reading glasses on the desk. "What can we help you with?"
Alex leaned against the table, his confidence unwavering. "I want to be a partner," he said, keeping his gaze steady. "And I'll need three of our best people to work exclusively under me for this venture."
Vance raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with Lawrence before addressing Alex. "A partner? You just started with us, Alex. Yesterday, in fact," he said, his voice calm but unmistakably skeptical. "That's quite an ask for someone in his first week."
Lawrence interjected, his tone half-curious, half-amused. "And what exactly are you proposing? You've spoken about an 'app development initiative,' but let's be frank—there's more to it than that, isn't there?"
Alex gave a slight, knowing smile. "There is. This project could shape the firm's future—set us apart as pioneers in a field that's on the cusp of a breakthrough. You want Taylor, Wright, and Co. to be known for innovation? This is the chance."
Lawrence leaned back, studying him intently. "Let's say we do consider it. What are you asking for, financially?"
Alex shook his head, slipping his hand into his pocket. "I don't need funding."
Vance tilted his head, intrigued. "So, you're asking us to offer resources and personnel... with no stake on your end?"
Without a word, Alex tapped a few buttons on his phone and glanced up as a notification pinged on Vance's and Lawrence's devices. He watched their faces carefully as they opened the message. The figure—$1,000,000.00—hung in the air, rendering both men momentarily speechless.
Lawrence was the first to recover. "One million dollars?" he murmured, almost to himself. He looked back at Alex, a spark of new respect igniting in his eyes. "That's more than most senior partners have tied up in the firm."
Vance straightened, glancing between Alex and Lawrence. "You just bought yourself a senior stake in Taylor, Wright, and Co. with that transfer," he said, sounding half-impressed, half-cautious. "But Alex… the other partners won't just sign off on this. Your status here is hardly conventional."
Alex barely blinked. Instead, he pulled out his phone again, dialing with an air of nonchalance. "Uh… Jack, it's me. Can you come to New York tomorrow?"
Vance and Lawrence's expressions shifted to curiosity as Alex continued, "I want you to make me the official partner of Han, Taylor, Wright, and Co."
There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. "Took you long enough," Jack replied, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "I thought you'd take over the moment you sat in that cramped cubicle yesterday."
As Alex ended the call, he looked back at Lawrence and Vance, his calm confidence unwavering. "So, partners?" he asked, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Lawrence shook his head, a look of admiration mingling with disbelief. "You're audacious, Alex," he said. "And maybe, just maybe… exactly what this firm needs."
Vance studied him a moment longer before a slow smile broke across his face. "Welcome aboard, Alex. I have a feeling this is going to be… interesting."
—--
After Alex returned to his cramped cubicle, he received another secure message from Jin.
"Tracked one down. She's in New York right now."
Alex felt a surge of anticipation. "Who did you find?" he typed, ready for any lead.
A brief pause before the message pinged through: "The Designer. Penny Wiseman."
Alex's mind raced. Penny Wiseman. She was a prodigy in her field, one of the brightest young minds to have contributed to Victor's VR revolution. Her designs, bridging the gap between human consciousness and virtual space, had become the cornerstone of the system. She was exactly what Alex needed to start shaping the future he intended to build.
But then came Jin's next message, and Alex's excitement faltered. "There's one problem."
Alex's fingers hovered over the keyboard, his curiosity piqued. "What's the problem?"
Jin's response was blunt, almost irritated: "She's barely legal. Seventeen, Alex, Seventeen!. Why the hell do you need someone like her?!"
Alex frowned at the message. He didn't want to deal with this—Jin was always so quick to judge when it came to the younger generation, but this was bigger than his usual concerns.
Before he could respond, Kofi's voice chimed in, the familiar snark creeping into his tone.
"Why do you keep forgetting to dial back everyone's age for fuck's sake, kiddo?" Kofi's words struck with a sharpness that made Alex pause. "If you're going to play with time, you're going to need to stop seeing the world in numbers alone."
Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Right...I get it." He wasn't blind to the fact that Penny was young, but her age didn't diminish her abilities. He couldn't afford to let Jin's discomfort derail him.
He quickly typed back to Jin: "Age is just a number. I need her talent. Stay focused on her schedule, get everything you can about her. This is our shot."
Jin reluctantly replied: "Fine. But I still don't like it."
Alex sat back, absorbing the weight of the decision. He knew it was risky, but sometimes, in this world of shifting timelines and untapped potential, you didn't get to pick and choose who shaped the future. You took what you could get—and right now, Penny Wiseman was one of the most valuable pieces he could find.