December 2022 – Friday, 8:34 PM | Brooklyn – Rooftop Bar
Cold wind licked the edge of Ethan's collar. The skyline glittered, unaware.
This wasn't a party. Not really. It was a "casual founders' circle," an invite-only gathering of young professionals who had money—or would soon. No business cards. No decks. No performances.
Where Our Ethan was just like a unpolished gold , Teenager and low valued in most people pov.
Just drinks, glances, and quiet intel-gathering.
Ethan sipped slowly, leaning against the rooftop rail as music played softly behind him. He wasn't mingling like the others. He was watching.
Two lawyers, fresh from a $2.4M seed round. A health-tech founder who didn't know his CTO was preparing to jump ship. And one ex-Goldman analyst who recently became an angel investor for "fun."
Ethan had been researching them all for two weeks.
---
9:12 PM – First Seed Planted
"Ethan, right?"
The voice came from his left—Marco Valentino, the angel investor. Late 30s. Wore wealth like it was stitched into his veins. But Ethan knew his history—two failed marriages, daddy issues, and a need to feel like a kingmaker.
Ethan didn't act eager.
"Yeah. You're Marco?"
A quick nod. "You build?"
Ethan smiled. Just a bit. "I observe. Until I see what everyone else is missing."
Marco tilted his head. "And? What are we all missing?"
Ethan's eyes flicked to the skyline.
"Social trust is collapsing. Noise is drowning logic. People are desperate for inner certainty, not just outer options."
Marco chuckled, intrigued. "You're not pitching me something, are you?"
Ethan turned slowly. Calm. Measured.
"I don't pitch. I filter. And the right people usually ask twice."
He walked off.
A minute later, Marco followed him to the corner table.
---
9:21 PM – The Quiet Frame
Marco leaned in. "What is it you're working on, really?"
Ethan spoke slowly—never too eager.
"ARGOS. It's not an app. Not yet. It's a system. Tracks micro-behavior—typing speed, movement patterns, even self-talk. Predicts emotional state. Optimizes user decisions."
He paused. Let the weight of the idea settle.
"First in productivity. Then in habits. Eventually in relationships."
Marco raised an eyebrow. "Sounds… ambitious."
Ethan gave a faint shrug. "So was Google."
The silence that followed was intentional. Ethan had studied it—how to let tension linger long enough that curiosity turns into desire.
Marco finally spoke. "You have a deck?"
"No," Ethan replied. "I have a vision. I'm not ready for money. I'm looking for believers."
---
9:37 PM – The Hook Without the Ask
Marco laughed. "Smart. Most guys chase checks before they've built bones."
"I'm not most guys."
And he meant it.
Marco's expression shifted. Ethan had already won the first round—not by selling a product, but by selling a standard.
"You mind if I hit you up in a few weeks?" Marco asked.
Ethan gave a half-smile. "Only if you've still got vision by then."
---
10:04 PM – Post-Play Reflections
Back in his apartment, Ethan pulled out a notebook—handwritten, no tech tonight.
He wrote:
> Day 39 – Phase 1 Execution
Target planted (Marco). No pitch. Controlled emotional tempo.
Next: Pre-launch data prototype. Start engineering internal triggers based on daily logs.
Still no contact with Sienna. A slight mind with his landlady.
Leona watching. Likely high-perception. Watch for counter-framing.
He stared at the final line:
"People chase what they can't own. And respect what they can't fully read."
Then underlined it twice.
He wasn't building fast.
He was building unshakeable.