Chapter 71
Time Skip: Mid-2007 – Malibu, California
The sun rose gently over the Pacific, casting a soft glow on the glass walls of Charlie's beach house. Inside, Jake Harper stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his crisp black shirt.
His reflection stared back—not a boy genius, not a tech CEO—just Jake. Calm. Composed. And finally ready.
Today was the big one.
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium – 10:05 AM
Rows of seats filled with reporters, bloggers, investors, and tech enthusiasts buzzed with anticipation. Massive banners hung from the rafters, draped in deep blue and white:
FACEWORLD INC. PRESENTS
THE FUTURE OF PERSONAL TECH
Backstage, Jake checked the time.
His assistant leaned in. "We're ready when you are."
He nodded once, then walked through the curtain.
On Stage
Jake stepped into the spotlight, applause erupting as cameras flashed. His FacePhone buzzed silently in his pocket—not from messages, but from live metrics. Tens of millions were watching around the world.
He smiled, waited for the crowd to settle, and began:
"When we launched the FacePhone, we wanted to change how you communicate. Today… we're going further."
He paced slowly, letting the silence build.
"We believe your technology should move with you—seamlessly, intuitively, and beautifully."
The lights dimmed.
Behind him, the massive screen lit up with the sleek silhouette of a new device:
THE FACEPAD
Thin. Fluid. Intelligent.
Gasps rippled through the audience.
"This is more than a tablet," Jake continued. "It's the core of your creative life. Video, music, writing, drawing—whether you're a student, a parent, or a professional, the FacePad adapts to you."
Demo Highlights
Jake showcases real-time multitasking: editing a photo, video calling a friend, and browsing the web—all smooth.
Writes a note with his finger, converts it to text.
Shows how it syncs instantly with the FacePhone and FaceCloud.
Applause builds.
Then he grinned. "But we're just getting started."
Next Slide: FaceWatch
The screen flashed again.
THE FACEWATCH
Lightweight. Connected. Beautiful.
"This is the first smartwatch designed to stay out of your way. It gives you what you need—notifications, calls, health tracking—and nothing you don't."
He showed:
Call transfers from phone to watch
Customizable interface
Real-time heart rate, sleep tracking, and weather
Final Reveal: FacePods
Jake raised a small white charging case and opened it.
FACEPODS
Wireless. Powerful. Yours.
"No cables. No friction. Just sound."
The demo played a music clip. The crowd was silent, impressed by the clarity.
"They charge in 12 minutes and give you 8 hours of play. Seamless pairing. Crystal clear audio. And yes—before you ask—they're sweat-proof."
Closing Words
Jake stepped forward, the three devices displayed behind him. His voice lowered slightly.
"Technology shouldn't ask for your attention. It should give you your time back. And that's what we're building. Thank you."
The crowd erupted.
He didn't flinch this time.
He just stood there, letting the moment wash over him.
Hours Later – FaceWorld HQ (Remote Command Center)
Jake sat in a private video conference room overlooking the coast, sleeves rolled up, shirt unbuttoned at the collar. The launch had ended hours ago—but the aftershocks were only just beginning.
On-screen, his COO Callum was grinning like a kid watching the stock market explode.
"We're trending #1 in thirty-four countries. Every product announcement is viral. We've already hit 2.3 million FacePad pre-orders—and that's just from the U.S."
Jake didn't smile. He was watching something else.
> "Latency on the FaceStore servers is climbing. Tell IT to expand bandwidth by 60% and mirror through the Korean node. We're going to hit system limits before midnight."
Callum nodded. "I'll pull the trigger."
Back in Malibu – That Evening
Jake finally returned to the house just before sunset. Alan, wearing pajama pants and an oversized T-shirt, peeked over the newspaper.
"You're on TV again. The news is calling it 'Apple's nightmare and Google's rude awakening.'"
Jake dropped his bag by the stairs and flopped onto the couch. "Funny how quickly people go from ignoring you to declaring war."
Alan blinked. "Wait—war?"
Jake waved him off. "Figuratively. Mostly."
Alan turned the volume up. A panel of analysts debated FaceWorld's new dominance. One expert said Jake had just launched a category before anyone else even knew it existed. Another predicted it would delay Apple's own secret tablet by at least two years.
Late Night – Jake's Room
Jake lay awake, watching the product metrics update in real time on his FacePhone:
FacePad: 3.9M pre-orders
FacePods: 5.7M units requested
FaceWatch: 2.2M reservations
FaceStore userbase up 45% in 8 hours
A message lit up beneath it—this one from someone far less stressful.
Text from Haley Dunphy:
"I saw the launch. Congrats, genius. Guess you really are changing the world."
Jake paused for a moment, then typed back:
"Thanks, Haley. You always knew I could—even when I didn't."
He hit send, leaned back, and closed his eyes.