Act - 67: "A Proposition at Midnight"

The hotel conference room hummed with quiet efficiency. Staff moved in and out, arranging chairs, setting up tables, and adjusting lighting to create a makeshift office. Laptops whirred to life, the soft clinking of coffee cups punctuating the air. Evelyn sat at the head of the table, fingers dancing over her keyboard, her expression as focused as ever. The hum of technology wrapped around us as we prepared to dive into the next task.

"Evelyn, make sure you set up the hiring process for the new CEO of Nova Enterprise," I said, leaning back in my chair. "We need someone I can trust. You know the drill—reach out on every platform, put the word out."

She nodded, her fingers never missing a beat. Within minutes, she was posting announcements across multiple platforms. The room settled into a quiet wait, the ticking of the clock a subtle reminder that time was slipping by. My gaze flicked to the digital display on the wall—11:00 PM. The soft glow of the numbers felt mocking, as a handful of candidates had shown up earlier, each more disappointing than the last.

One by one, I'd sifted through their resumes, their practiced smiles, and their hollow words. None of them had the depth or drive I needed. My Analyze skill flickered like a radar, reading their intentions, their ambitions, and, more often than not, their lies. Each of them had something to hide, some agenda they hadn't disclosed. It was draining—more draining than I'd expected.

Frustration simmered under my skin, and I pushed my chair back with a sigh. "Take the rest of the day off, Evelyn," I said, my voice edged with weariness. "We'll pick this up tomorrow."

She glanced at me, the faintest hint of concern in her eyes, but she didn't argue. "Alright. I'll lock things up here."

I needed air. Space. Something that wasn't another empty promise sitting across a conference table.

Outside, the cool night wrapped around me as I left the hotel. Central Park loomed ahead, a dark sea of trees and winding paths. I slipped into its depths, the bustle of the city fading behind me as the quiet of the park took over. The scent of damp grass and earth mingled with the distant sound of traffic, grounding me as I walked.

The lamplights cast soft glows across the path, illuminating the occasional passerby. Couples walked hand in hand, joggers kept a steady pace, and a few late-night wanderers strolled aimlessly. But then, in the shadows by a bench, I saw him.

A kid, maybe my age, sat huddled in a ratty hoodie, his face half-hidden under the dim light. His posture slouched, but there was something sharp in the way his eyes tracked the world around him—alert, calculating. A sense of familiarity sparked within me, drawing me closer. Curiosity flickered, and instinctively, I activated Analyze.

A small system window popped into my view.

Name: Kai Ashford

Age: 17

Intelligence: High (IQ 158)

Background: Ran away from an abusive household at 15. Homeless for two years, surviving by odd jobs and quick thinking. Exceptional knowledge of business strategies. Aspires to start his own business.

Skills: Impeccable speaker, adept negotiator, keen strategist, stocks and crypto maniac.

I blinked, the details lingering in my vision, the weight of them settling on me. A runaway genius with business acumen? My pulse quickened slightly as I studied him again. His eyes, sharp and calculating, flickered with a spark I recognized—ambition.

I approached him slowly, my footsteps quiet on the pavement. Kai glanced up, his gaze narrowing slightly, as if he'd already gauged my approach before I said anything.

"You don't belong here," I said, breaking the silence.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Neither do you," he shot back, voice low but confident.

I studied him for a moment, then nodded toward the bench. "Mind if I sit?"

He shrugged, shifting slightly but keeping his guard up. "Your choice."

As I sat down, the cool air settled between us, heavy with unspoken thoughts. For a moment, neither of us said anything, the sounds of the park fading into the background. Finally, I broke the silence.

"You ever think about putting that sharp mind of yours to use?" I asked, glancing at him.

His eyes flickered with something—curiosity, maybe. But it was the kind of curiosity that came from someone who had been burned too many times. "What's it to you?"

He was still guarded, his posture tense, and his eyes flicking toward me with suspicion. His hoodie was pulled up, hiding most of his face, but I could feel the weight of his calculating gaze.

"Look," I began, my voice even, "I get it. Trust doesn't come easy. But I'm not here to waste your time."

He scoffed, glancing away as if he'd heard it all before. "Guys like you don't go out of their way to help people like me." His tone was biting, a shield built from years of disappointment.

I couldn't blame him. From what I saw in the Analyze window, this kid had been through hell. Homeless, a runaway from an abusive home, yet here he was—sharp as a blade, brimming with unspoken potential. He had a fire that reminded me of myself, and more importantly, I could see that he lived for something I understood deeply.

Crypto.

Stocks.

The kid had a passion for the markets that bordered on obsession, an enthusiasm that was evident even without him saying a word. The system had revealed more than just his IQ. It painted a picture of a young man who scoured the internet by night, learning everything he could about trading, dreaming of building something of his own someday. He wasn't just surviving; he was strategizing, playing the long game, waiting for his chance to strike.

But he didn't believe me. Not yet.

"Your guard's up, and I get it," I said, keeping my voice casual, but I leaned in slightly. "But you're the guy I've been looking for. You're the CEO I need."

Kai's brow furrowed, suspicion flashing in his eyes. "Why the hell would you trust me? You don't even know me."

I paused, letting his words settle in the air before I answered. "You're right. I don't know you. But I can read people. You're smart enough to know what I'm offering isn't charity, and you've got the hunger—" I gestured to him, "—that drive to succeed that most people don't. You live for the markets. Stocks, crypto, all of it. I can see that's where your passion is."

For the first time, he stiffened. I'd hit a nerve.

"You've been studying, haven't you?" I pressed. "Late nights reading charts, analyzing trends, dreaming of making your own moves. You don't want to just play the game—you want to win it."

His eyes darted back to mine, wary but curious. He wasn't expecting me to know that, but I could see the gears turning in his head. Still, the skepticism lingered.

"Look, I'm not here to make promises I can't keep," I said, leaning back against the bench, my tone softening. "Tomorrow, I'll be at that hotel by 11 AM. I have a dream—a vision—to change this world. Not just to make money, not just for power, but to actually build something better. A world where people like you don't get left behind. But people won't like that change, and I'll make a lot of enemies along the way."

I paused, watching his reaction, but his face remained unreadable.

"What I need is a team of people with the guts, the ambition, and the brains to make that dream a reality," I continued, my voice steady. "And I believe you're one of those people."

Kai's jaw tightened. He didn't answer, but the conflict in his eyes was clear. Fear. Doubt. But also something deeper—an ember of curiosity, of wanting to believe.

I stood up, pulling a $1000 stacks of bill from my wallet and holding it out to him. His eyes flicked from the bill to my face, incredulous.

"This is for a suit. And a room for the night. Get a haircut, clean up, and be at the hotel tomorrow," I said, my tone firm. "If you're too afraid, if you don't believe in yourself, then forget everything I just said. Walk away, and this conversation never happened."

Kai stared at the money, hesitating.

"But if you've got the will—the ambition to rise to the top—then show up tomorrow," I continued. "I'll be there, and I'll be ready to take you with me. But only if you're willing to take that first step."

I didn't wait for his response. I turned and walked away, the sound of my footsteps fading into the night. The air felt lighter as I moved, the weight of uncertainty lifting from my shoulders. I had made my offer. Now, it was up to him.

As I crossed back through the park, my thoughts churned with excitement. This kid, Kai—he was the missing piece. The CEO I needed. Sure, he had trust issues. Sure, he was rough around the edges. But he was a genius, driven by the same kind of obsessive hunger for the markets that I had once felt.

He would show up tomorrow. I was sure of it.

Dio Stat's Info:

Lvl: 15

Skill Count: 3 (Key selling point analyze) (Analyze) (Global Monitoring System)

Strength:35

Agility:24

Intelligence:28

Endurance:21

Charm:23

Dio influence, power & riches:

Money - 3.5 Million Kroner (-100k hotel expenses)

Associate - 9

Asset - 0

Digital Asset - 250 BTC

Goons - 10

Car - 1

Guard - 0

Employers -50

Company - 1