The next morning, I stood in front of the hotel's full-length mirror, adjusting my tie. A sharp, professional look. If I was going to run a company, I had to at least look the part.
Atlas Biotech Solutions. My company now. It still felt unreal, but the paperwork was signed, the funds transferred. All that was left was turning a shell corporation into something that could shake the world.
Sitting at the desk, I pulled out my phone.
"AetherLink, show me the current assets of Atlas Biotech."
"Processing… Atlas Biotech owns a single office floor in Manhattan, one warehouse facility in Queens, and pending but unused patents. No active staff."
I leaned back, tapping my chin. A blank slate. Perfect. Exactly what I needed.
First step: manpower. One man, no matter how strong, can't run an empire. But with my system and Connors by my side… it was only a matter of time.
I smiled faintly.
"Alright. Let's get to work."
I arrived at Atlas Biotech's office building by noon. The broker hadn't lied—it wasn't impressive. Just a mid-tier floor in a glass tower, tucked between law firms and marketing companies.
I swiped the new keycard through the scanner, and the doors slid open with a soft beep. The place smelled faintly of dust and neglect. Empty desks lined the main room, computers outdated, chairs stiff and unused. It looked like a company frozen in time, waiting for someone to breathe life into it.
I walked slowly through the space, fingertips brushing across one of the desks. This is mine now.
"AetherLink," I murmured, pulling out my phone, "integrating with the office network. Secure everything. I don't want so much as a light bulb running without my authorization."
"Integration complete," the AI replied in seconds. "Firewalls established. Systems are now under your control."
Good. Step one: security.
I moved to the corner office—the one with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. My office. The view stretched across Manhattan, skyscrapers glittering in the afternoon light. I could already picture it: this room buzzing with activity, scientists working in labs, deals being struck across the table, my name quietly spreading through New York's underground and corporate circles alike
I pulled a notepad from the desk drawer and clicked a pen. Old habits die hard—even though I could just use AetherLink, writing by hand grounded my thoughts.
"System," I said quietly, "assist me in drafting the framework of Atlas Biotech Solutions."
[Acknowledged. Recommended Core Structure:]
— R&D Division → focus on biotechnology, gene editing, enhancement serums.
— Finance & Acquisition → manage capital, acquisitions, and legal covers.
— Security Division → internal and external. Recruitment of trained operatives.
— Public Relations → control public image, handle media, legal shields.
— Special Projects → classified research for system-enhanced technology.
I tapped the pen against the page, a smile tugging at my lips. "Not bad. Basically, a corporation on the outside, empire in the shadows."
"AetherLink," I continued, "tag recruitment priorities. I'll need the following: experienced researchers—preferably biotech or geneticists. A competent accountant or CFO, someone who won't ask too many questions. Legal experts. And… ex-military for security."
The phone screen flickered with lists, profiles, and even potential candidates scraped from databases. The AI had already ranked them by reliability and loyalty probability.
Perfect.
I leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling.
Step one: establish the shell.
Step two: bring in the brains.
Step three: expand, quietly, until the world realized Atlas Biotech wasn't just another company—it was the future.
I set the pen down, staring at the list AetherLink had drafted. "Alright," I muttered, "a company isn't worth anything without something to sell."
I couldn't just drop god-tier technology on the market—that would attract the wrong kind of attention. Governments, militaries, maybe even S.H.I.E.L.D. would swarm me overnight.
No. I had to be smarter. The world could accept a leap forward, but only a leap that still looked possible. Something ten or twenty years ahead of its time, not a miracle falling from the sky.
"System," I muttered, "recommend practical upgrades that can be explained as advanced R&D."
[Recommendation: Focus on biotechnology and medical innovations. Suggested first products:]
— Smart Prosthetics: existing prosthetic limbs, strengthened and enhanced with seamless motion, neural-link control, and self-repairing materials. Appears as an evolution of current prosthetics.
— Next-Gen Battery Cells: smartphone-sized power cells strengthened 100x. Lasts weeks instead of hours. Marketable as cutting-edge energy storage.
— Medical Nanofiber Bandages: advanced fabric that sterilizes and accelerates healing, but explainable as "antibacterial nanotech."
I smiled slowly. Perfect. Not impossible, just… ahead of schedule.