Frank looked straight into Mike’s eyes. He didn’t need time to think. A mediocre life, struggling to survive in this city? Or stepping into the game of those at the top of the food chain?

  A smile spread across his lips—one he hadn’t expected himself to make.

  “Alright. I’m in.”

  Mike nodded, satisfied. “Good. But let me make one thing clear: this isn’t a child’s game. If we get caught, we don’t just lose our jobs—we lose our entire lives.”

  Frank shrugged. “Then we don’t get caught.”

  Mike laughed loudly and patted Frank on the shoulder. “That’s exactly why I need you. Come on, there’s something I want to show you.”

  The Secret Base

  Mike led Frank to a high-end apartment in Midtown Manhattan. He swiped a keycard, unlocking the door, and ushered Frank inside. The apartment showed no signs of being lived in—just a long table, four massive computer monitors, and countless cables plugged into a series of mini servers.

  “Welcome to our underground trading room,” Mike said, his voice filled with pride.

  Frank stepped forward, running his fingers across a mechanical keyboard. “You set all this up?”

  “Yeah. I’ve been preparing for a while now—just needed a math genius like you.” Mike winked.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Frank sat down, eyes locked on the code running across the screens. These algorithms… they looked familiar.

  He turned to Mike. “Is this your company’s source code?”

  Mike nodded. “Stolen 100%.”

  Frank whistled. “Bold move.”

  Mike shrugged. “In this era, the smartest ones win. Hedge funds make billions with algorithms like these, while we work for scraps. It’s time to change the rules.”

  Frank took a deep breath. He couldn’t deny it—this opportunity was too big to ignore.

  “So, what’s the plan?”

  Mike grinned and pulled up a chair beside Frank.

  “We’re going to build an independent trading AI. No ties to the company, no oversight. I’ve already secured some anonymous trading accounts. We’ll inject the money, let the AI trade on its own, and most importantly…”

  Mike paused, his eyes gleaming.

  “It has to be smarter than anything Wall Street has ever seen.”

  Frank nodded. In his mind, algorithms started spinning wildly. If he could fine-tune the mathematical models, optimize the trading algorithm, even integrate a bit of machine learning…

  They could create a true monster.

  One Week Later

  Frank and Mike barely slept. The apartment had transformed into a miniature research lab, filled with papers, whiteboards covered in complex formulas, and monitors flashing endless streams of data.

  “It’s done.” Frank leaned back in his chair, his hands trembling with excitement.

  On the screen, their AI was ready. It could analyze the market in real-time, detect trends faster than any existing system. A true beast.

  Mike chuckled and patted Frank on the back. “We’re going to be rich, my friend.”

  Frank stared at the code running across the screen, feeling adrenaline rush through his veins. This wasn’t just about money. This was power.

  Mike placed his fingers on the keyboard, ready to activate the AI.

  “Countdown time.”

  3… 2… 1…

  Enter.

  The AI was live.

  Within minutes, the system had already begun executing its first trades. Numbers danced across the screen—a high-stakes game between them and the market.

  Frank and Mike exchanged glances.

  The real game had just begun.