They went back and forth politely for a few minutes. Dave clearly wanted the bike, and Theo knew he had the stronger hand now. Dave pointed out minor things; Theo countered by emphasizing the ride quality. Finally, Dave sighed. "Okay, look. I can do thirty-seven hundred. That's my absolute max."
Theo paused, pretending to consider it. $3700. $2700 profit. It was a fantastic result. "Alright, Dave," he said, extending a hand. "You've got a deal."
The handshake felt solid, real. "Awesome!" Dave beamed. "So, how do you want to do this? PayPal? Or maybe safer to do it at my bank? There's a branch just down the road."
Given the amount, Theo readily agreed to the bank. The short drive, the wait inside the sterile, air-conditioned branch while Dave arranged a cashier's check, the moment the teller handed Theo the certified slip of paper, it all felt surreal. He deposited it immediately using the bank's mobile app, watching the numbers on his screen leap upwards.
$1075.62 + $3700 = $4775.62.
He walked out of the bank into the bright sunlight, feeling ten pounds lighter. He watched Dave carefully load the enhanced Giant onto his car rack, exchange a final friendly wave, and drive off. It was done. He'd done it. The pressure valve released, leaving him giddy with relief and the thrill of success.
He immediately texted SpeedySarah, politely informing her the bike was sold. Then, impulse took over. He hadn't just survived, he'd won. He deserved a reward. He drove to a decent-looking steakhouse he'd passed on the way, a place with dark wood and leather booths that looked miles away from his usual instant noodle dinners.
He ordered the biggest ribeye on the menu, medium-rare, and a craft beer. Sitting alone in the booth, waiting for his food, he felt the familiar hum of his power, fully recharged and unused for the day. Ten charges sitting idle. On a whim, as the waiter placed the sizzling steak and frosty beer mug before him, he reached out under the table, touching the thick ceramic plate, then the glass mug.
Steak. +1 Overall Quality.Ping.Beer. +1 Overall Quality.Ping.
Two charges used. He felt the slight drain, then looked at his meal. The steak's sear looked darker, richer. The marbling seemed more pronounced. The beer's head was thick, creamy, the colour a deeper amber. Tentatively, he took a sip of the beer.
It was extraordinary. Crisp, complex, perfectly carbonated, with nuanced flavours he'd never noticed in beer before. It wasn't just cold, it felt alive. Then, he cut into the steak. It sliced like butter. He took a bite.
His eyes widened. Unbelievable. Tender, intensely beefy, meltingly rich, with a perfectly rendered crust. Every flavour note was amplified, harmonized. It wasn't just a good steak, it was, without exaggeration, the best thing he had ever tasted in his life. He devoured the meal in a state of near reverence, the enhanced food and drink providing a profound, unexpected pleasure.
As he savoured the last bite, the implications hit him. Enhancing consumables. Food. Drink. What else? The potential… it was staggering. He paid the bill, $80, a splurge, but worth every penny for the meal and the revelation, and left the restaurant, his mind buzzing with new possibilities. He filed the idea away, Project Consumable, something to explore later.
Wednesday. Life settled back into a slightly less desperate rhythm. His bank balance was healthy ($4775.62 - $80 dinner = $4695.62). He checked his marketplace messages out of habit. Still mostly junk. But then, a reply from SpeedySarah.
Subject: Re: Giant TCR Sold Message: Oh no! I was really looking forward to seeing it :( Are you sure you don't have another one, or something similar? Really need an upgrade!
Theo smiled. Potential repeat business, or at least persistent interest. He typed back: Maybe. I might have another project bike I could be persuaded to part with. Give me a couple of days. Keep her hooked.
Thursday. Fuelled by his success and healthy bank balance, Theo dedicated the day to sourcing another bike. This proved harder than expected. He spent hours driving between suburban bike shops, pawn shops back in the city, scrolling through online classifieds. He burned through gas and time, frustration mounting. Finding the right combination – decent carbon frame, reputable brand, good base components, and crucially, a discounted price – wasn't easy. He spent $50 on gas and tolls, returning empty-handed and slightly discouraged.
Friday. He expanded his search radius, checking listings in towns further out. Finally, success. A bike shop an hour's drive away had a similar Giant TCR Advanced, slightly different spec, maybe a year older, but still carbon with 105 components. They had it listed for $1300, but he negotiated them down to $1200 cash. Getting there and back cost him a painful $80 in travel expenses. But holding the new bike felt like holding potential profit. With nearly $4600 in the bank, the $1280 outlay felt like a calculated investment, not a desperate gamble.
As soon as he got the bike back to his apartment, he messaged SpeedySarah.
Good news. Managed to get my hands on another bike - similar frame, slightly better wheelset actually. It's a real gem after optimization. Given the upgrade, I'd need $4800 for this one. Still interested? Could meet Sunday.
Sarah replied almost instantly: Yes! Definitely! Sunday works great! Send me details! :)
Theo smirked. Hook, line, and sinker. Friday afternoon, he paid his Week 5 rent and budgeted living expenses (-$750). The financial security felt good, solid.
Friday Night. As he was cleaning grease off his hands after inspecting the newly acquired Bike 2, another forwarded notification from the defunct Eversharp account popped up on his phone. Another scathing one-star review. DO NOT BUY! Knife is complete garbage, rusted after one wash! SCAMMER! Theo glanced at it, felt a brief flicker of annoyance, like swatting a fly, and archived it. It barely registered. That life, the desperate scramble with cheap knives, felt distant now. He was dealing in thousands, not tens. He had capital, he had a plan, he had momentum. The complaints were ghosts of a past self, irrelevant to his current trajectory. The faint whisper about karma or righting wrongs was easily silenced by the satisfying heft of his current bank balance and the promise of the weekend's sale. His focus was forward, on the next transaction, the next step up the ladder he was building for himself, one +1 enhancement at a time.
He looked at the new bike leaning against the wall, ready for its transformation tomorrow. Then he pulled up his financial ledger on his laptop, updating it for the week so far.
Theodore Sterling - Financial Ledger (End of Friday, Week 5)
Starting Balance (Beginning of Week 5): $1075.62
Income (Mon-Fri):
Sale of Bike 1 (CycleNut88): +$3700.00
Total Income: +$3700.00
Expenses (Mon-Fri):
Dinner/Celebration (Tuesday): -$80.00
Bike Search Travel (Thursday): -$50.00
Bike 2 Purchase (Friday): -$1200.00
Bike 2 Acquisition Travel (Friday): -$80.00
Rent Paid (Week 5 - Paid Friday): -$450.00
Living Expenses (Week 5 - Paid Friday): -$300.00
Total Expenses: -$2160.00
Net Change (Mon-Fri): $3700.00 (Income) - $2160.00 (Expenses) = +$1540.00
Ending Balance: $2615.62
Status:Stable. Week 5 expenses covered. Bike 1 sold successfully, validating the high-value enhancement model. Bike 2 acquired, representing inventory and potential for significant further profit. Meeting with promising buyer (SpeedySarah) scheduled for Sunday.
Theo's Position (End of Friday, Week 5):
Theo closed the ledger file, a sense of cautious satisfaction settling over him. The immediate, crushing financial pressure was gone, replaced by the stable comfort of over $2600 in the bank. He had successfully navigated the high-stakes sale of the first bike, proving his model could yield substantial profits ($2700 from one sale). He'd reinvested smartly, acquiring Bike 2, and already had a highly interested buyer lined up at an even higher price point for Sunday. The bike-flipping operation, while demanding in terms of sourcing and logistics, was working. His power felt potent, reliable, and he'd even stumbled upon a new potential application with consumables. Mentally, he was shifting from pure survival mode towards strategic growth, his confidence bolstered, even as his core ruthlessness and focus on self-preservation remained firmly intact. The weekend held the promise of doubling his week's already impressive gains.