The sun had barely risen, and Jack was already pacing back and forth in the small, cluttered living room. The leftover jade money was a thing of the past, a distant memory. The robbery had crushed him, but it had also ignited a spark—one that refused to be put out. His mind buzzed with the fragments of his mother's memory ball, all the pieces of business wisdom she had left him. He could feel the knowledge creeping in, slowly taking root, but it was still too raw, too new.
He couldn't afford to waste any more time. His feet itched to move, to take action. The time had come to stop being a passive bystander in his own life. If he was going to make something of himself, he needed to take what little he had and turn it into more. Jack just wasn't sure how to do it yet. But he would figure it out.
He walked over to his small desk and opened his old leather notebook. In it were small notes, scribblings and other details he deemed important. All drawn from the fragments of memories slowly being released by the his mother's memory ball. The pages were filled with half-formed ideas and notes on business practices. Jack had tried to understand it all, but the concepts were vast and confusing. Still, he could see the thread of it all—the power of connections, the art of negotiation, the importance of taking risks.
But Jack didn't have the luxury of waiting to fully understand every single concept. He needed to act. He needed to start small and build up from there.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. He grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contacts, stopping at one name: Aaron. A kid from school who was always trying to hustle a little extra cash. They'd never been friends, but Jack knew he was resourceful—someone who might be able to help him get started.
With a few quick messages, Jack set up a meeting. He wasn't sure what Aaron could offer, but he was determined to make something happen. Anything.
Hours later, Jack found himself standing on a street corner in a run-down part of the city. The buildings around him looked like they hadn't been touched in years, and the air smelled of old trash and diesel fumes. This was not where he had imagined making his first business deal, but sometimes opportunities came from unexpected places.
Aaron approached with a casual swagger, a backpack slung over one shoulder. He eyed Jack with curiosity, but there was also a hint of disdain. Jack wasn't exactly high on the social ladder at school, and Aaron wasn't the type to associate with someone like him unless there was something in it for him.
"What's up, man?" Aaron said, his tone guarded. "You need something?"
Jack nodded, trying to hide the nerves gnawing at his stomach. "I need a way to make money. Fast."
Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you the guy who's always getting it rough from Neville Lockwood? What makes you think you can suddenly make money?"
Jack's face flushed, but he forced himself to meet Aaron's gaze. "That's exactly why I need to. I've got a plan. A good one. I just need a way in."
Aaron studied him for a moment, sizing him up. Jack had never been one to impress anyone with his looks or charisma, he was fat beyond reason and didn't have a spine, but something in his voice must have struck a chord with Aaron because after a beat, he shrugged.
"Alright, I'll bite. What's the plan?"
Jack took a deep breath. He didn't have all the answers, but he knew enough to make the first step. He needed to buy in bulk—cheap items people didn't want anymore—and then sell them for a higher price. The key was to find a niche. Something that wouldn't require much upfront investment, but that people would still be willing to pay for.
"I've got a lead on some old electronics. I can get them cheap," Jack said, feeling more confident as he spoke. "We can clean them up, maybe fix a few things, and sell them to people who need them. There's always someone looking for a cheap deal on stuff."
Aaron's skeptical expression faded slightly as he mulled it over. "Alright, but what's your angle here? I don't do this kind of stuff for free."
"I'll handle the business side of things. I'll do the marketing, the selling. You help me source the stuff, and we'll split the profits," Jack said, his voice steady despite the growing anxiety inside him. "You in?"
Aaron hesitated for a moment longer, then nodded. "Fine. But I'm not waiting around for you to screw this up. We're in this together, but if you mess it up, I'm out."
Jack nodded, determined. "Deal."
They spent the next few hours discussing logistics, hammering out the details of their first "deal." Aaron had connections in the neighborhood, people who sold old electronics on the cheap—things people had thrown out or no longer needed. Jack was more than willing to take whatever they could find, clean it up, and sell it for a profit. He had no other choice. This was his way forward.
The next few days passed in a blur of haggling, cleaning, and selling. Jack learned quickly, applying the business instincts his mother's memory ball had granted him. But there were setbacks. The first few items they sold barely covered the cost of the supplies. The profit margin was slim, and Aaron was starting to get impatient. Jack, too, felt the pressure building.
One evening, after another late night of barely making enough to cover their expenses, Jack sat alone in his room, staring at the piles of electronics scattered across the floor. The sound of a muffled crash from the street outside broke his concentration, but it didn't distract him for long.
He could feel it. The pressure was mounting, but so was something else. The fragments of knowledge his mother's memory ball had unlocked began to take shape, providing clarity in moments when he needed it the most. Jack suddenly remembered something—something about negotiation tactics. It wasn't just about the product you were selling; it was about understanding the people you were selling to.
He stood up, grabbing his phone. He was going to meet with Aaron again tomorrow, and he had a plan. A better plan.
Jack had learned to trust the instinct in his gut, and this time, he was going to make it count. If he wanted to succeed, he had to take control. This wasn't just about selling things—it was about creating value. And in this moment, Jack knew he was starting to understand what that truly meant.
The next day, Jack met with Aaron, his confidence growing. He had a better understanding of what they needed to do, and how they could start turning things around. This wasn't just a hustle anymore—it was the beginning of something real. Something that could take Jack from the place he was now, to somewhere he had never dreamed of.
But as he walked away from the meeting, a nagging feeling crept in. Neville hadn't forgotten about him. That much was certain. Jack was just beginning to realize that the challenges ahead wouldn't be confined to business or money.
He could feel Neville's shadow lurking. And this time, Jack wasn't going to run from it.
End of Chapter 5