The bank teller handed Marcus a crisp stack of twenties wrapped in a thin paper band. He pocketed the envelope quickly, not wanting to draw attention. It had taken a full week of hustling—flipping old iPods, a rare Pokemon cartridge, and a busted Sega Genesis he fixed with a YouTube tutorial—but he finally had it:
$1,000.
Not much in 2025.
But in 2006? It was a starting pistol.
He sat down at his family's old PC in the living room, the beige tower wheezing as it booted up. The dial-up modem screeched into life. AIM pinged in the background, but he ignored it. His eyes were locked on the brokerage site he'd just signed up for under his name.
Low fees. No account minimums. Just what he needed.
The cursor blinked in the ticker box.
"System," he whispered, leaning in, "let's make this count."
> Memory Vault Active. Please enter query.
"Which stock should I invest in today, that I can sell within two weeks at a predictable profit?"
> Query accepted. Analyzing 2006 market window...
Marcus's heart pounded. This was it—his first real use of the system for money. It had to work.
> Recommendation: Motorola, Inc. (Ticker: MOT)> Current Price: $21.88> Predicted short-term spike: $23.57 within 10 trading days (Q3 earnings surprise).> Decline following spike: $19.20 within 4 weeks.
Marcus blinked. "That's… perfect."
> Suggestion: Buy 45 shares now ($984.60). Wait for earnings spike. Sell.Then, short 45 shares using margin after peak for an additional return.
He scribbled the numbers furiously:
Buy 45 shares at $21.88
Sell at $23.57 = $1,060.65
Short same shares when price peaks → rebuy at $19.20 = $197 profit
That was a potential $273 profit in less than a month—27% gain on a $1,000 investment.
And more importantly?
Repeatable.
Three Days Later – Friday Morning
Marcus sat in the school library, hunched over a computer meant for research papers, refreshing his brokerage dashboard like a man watching the lottery.
Motorola (MOT): $23.42… $23.50… $23.58.
He clicked SELL.
The confirmation hit with a satisfying ding. Account balance: $1,060.65.
He leaned back in the chair, smiling.
"Step one," he muttered, "done."
Following Week – Monday After the Spike
The Memory Vault had been precise.
Motorola's stock began slipping after the surprise earnings bump wore off. Traders took profits. Analysts grew cautious. By the end of the week, it hovered at $20.10. Marcus waited patiently.
Then came the dip.
System, initiate short-sell plan," he whispered. "Confirm new price point."
> Current Price: $20.03. Predicted bottom: $19.20.
> Recommend shorting 45 shares. Hold 5 trading days.
He clicked the margin option. The interface warned him—"RISKY: Are you sure?"—but he didn't hesitate.
He knew.
Five days later, when the price bottomed out at $19.22, he covered the short.
Profit: $197.25.
Add that to his previous sale, and his account balance now sat at $1,257.90.
Saturday Night – Back Porch
Marcus sat under the stars, notebook in hand, updating the ledger of his second life.
Trade 1 – MOT
Buy: $984.60
Sell: $1,060.65
Short: $197.25 profit
Total Account Value: $1,257.90
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. It wasn't life-changing money yet—but it was proof of concept.
He could do this.
Every trade would bring him closer to his goals:✅ Buy time.✅ Build capital.✅ Pay for the tests that could save his mother.✅ Eventually build enough wealth to escape the system that had crushed him the first time.
And more importantly?
He hadn't cheated. He'd played smart.
"System," he said, setting the notebook aside. "Save this strategy template for reuse."
> Strategy saved: Micro-Wave Swing Trading. Forecast + Short Combo.
He smiled, eyes scanning the night sky.
He didn't need to be a billionaire overnight. He didn't need to beat the world.
He just needed to stay ten steps ahead of it.