7 Starting capital

"Hello, Mr. Pym. How are you doing?" I was on a call with Hank.

"How many times do I have to tell you, just call me Hank? Anyway, I'm good. How's New York treating you?" Hank replied.

"Well, it is fine I guess. I wanted to talk to you about a business proposal. If you invest early, I can make you one of the wealthiest men on the planet." I got right to the point.

"It's always about investing with you. What is it this time?"

"Well, you know the internet right? Now think about how comfortable it would be if you could just do your banking over the Internet. That's the idea. I need money for execution."

"How much? What percentage of the company do I own?"

"45 million dollars. And I'll give you ownership of a generous 15%."

"Why do you need so much money? And why is my ownership so low?"

"The money is to buy office space and to build my own supercomputer. If I was going to buy one, then I'd ask 55 million. As for the ownership, it is going to be a multi-billion venture, don't be too greedy, old man. What will you even do with all that money at your age?"

"Has your personality finally aged to the teenage rebellious stage? Look at how rudely you speak."

"I know, I know. Just send over the money if you want to become richer. Or I'll just go to the Starks for a loan."

"I'll send over my lawyers within this week to finalize the details and formulate a contract. Prepare the other things during that time."

"Hmm, I need lawyers too though. Will they let me take the bar exam if I ask for an honorary degree from Columbia?"

"Why do your thoughts always make such massive jumps? Just prepare well." Hank hung up the call.

That same night, I became an expert in all American laws and the judicial system.

******************

"So this is how the short messaging service or SMS works. It's already launched in Finland. I'll sell you all a more mature and secure technology for a small sum of 100 million dollars each." I looked around at the representatives of the 3 largest mobile service providers in the USA.

Representative of AT&T frowned, "I can see how this SMS technology can be popular. But I don't see how the price tag you mentioned is justified, Mr. Savant."

I smiled, "It is justified because as soon as you launch this service, I will use this service in one of my other ventures, which is bound to make you more money in a few years."

"Can you tell us about this venture of yours?"

"All I can tell you, for now, is that it involves a number of large banking institutions. So you don't have to worry about making money. The price is fixed, if you want the technology you can buy it, I don't mind if you don't, it just makes my work a little harder for the other venture." I ended the meeting.

The next day, in the same room, I was facing the representatives of the USA's 10 largest banks.

"As people who can smell money across time and space, I don't need to elaborate on the potential profits to be made through the internet. What I'm here to sell to you is just a small piece of the internet pie." I started my speech once more.

"Even pizza stores are starting to get on the internet. It's time your banks get on it too. It's the future, and I stake all my degrees on that statement."

"So what exactly are you selling us Mr. Savant?" the representative of JP Morgan asked impatiently.

"I'm selling you systems. Internet banking systems that you can customize for each of your bank's needs. Your customers can then access a large part of banking functions from the comfort of their homes.

The best part about this system? You guys can easily connect your banks through this system to allow your customers to do cross-banking transactions without hassles."

In March 1995, a private company named Savant Technologies quietly appeared in New York. And the company sold software and internet systems to banks and telecom companies to make a hefty billion dollars within a month of its founding.

And I, Savant Smith, who created said software and internet systems on the high-spec computer that I designed and built myself, set off a new rush for software and internet companies. Everyone had smelled money on the internet. But only when they saw a shark had appeared and already started the hunt, the open season for the internet was announced.

In June 1995, Savant Technologies launched i-pay an online payment and transaction service through which you can make secure transactions within the growing market of the internet. This move once again pushed online shopping and internet commerce to greater heights.

Finally, in August of that year, I was able to create a team of management staff and technical staff for the smooth functioning of my business. But I wasn't satisfied. I wanted my own assistant just like Tony Stark has Pepper Potts and I wanted someone much better than her at that.

I had just the right person in mind for that. I wanted to steal Sebastian Shaw's assistant. So I set an appointment to meet her. It took a lot of explaining that I wanted to meet only her not Shaw though.

*********

{Third POV}

Inside a coffee shop in New York, Savant was waiting for Tessa while he perceived the information around him. He was trying to perceive information from different sources and combine the different information to create a cause-and-effect chain.

Like right now, in the coffee shop, a hungry cat on the ground would be attracted by the smell of a bagel and thus jump onto a table. The startled woman sitting at the table talking on her phone would then spill her coffee on the guy passing by her. The woman would then try to help the guy and feel instantly attracted.

The husband of the woman who was on the phone would find out about his wife cheating on him the next day from a friend of his who was passing by the hotel. Due to the stress of his wife's cheating, the husband would make a mistake in mailing his work documents, which would lead to a big scandal of the company's fraud being exposed.

This was just one most likely version of the many cause-and-effect chains he had simulated in that brief moment from all the information he had gathered. 'Maybe I am the demon Laplace dreamt of?' Savant chuckled at his own thoughts.

"What are you so happy about Mr. Savant?" A seductive voice brought Savant out of his thoughts as Tessa in an attractive black dress appeared beside him.

"Oh, it's because I get to meet a beautiful lady like Miss. Tessa today." Savant got up to help Tessa sit down. He was a gentleman after all.

"You joke a lot, Mr. Savant. Why don't you tell me the truth?" Tessa insisted.

"You can just call me Savant. As for the truth, I just thought that cat over there could make me some money in a while." Savant pointed behind Tessa.

Right as she turned, Tessa saw the chain of events happening as Savant had predicted all the way until the woman took the guy to the washroom to 'clean' his pants.

"I don't know about your money but they sure are getting it on tonight." Tessa whistled as she turned back to look at Savant.

"Miss Tessa, what is it that you want in life?" Savant suddenly asked a serious question that caught her off-guard.

"I'm not sure what you mean?" She probed.

"I mean exactly what I said. What is your goal in life? What do you want to achieve?"

"I can't say. To live freely as I wish, I suppose?" Tessa replied with some confusion.

Savant nodded, "So why are you still working with Shaw? How long do you want to remain a pawn? Why not jump out of the board and become a player?"

Tessa's eyes turned cold. She was prepared to finish off Savant at any moment should she feel he is a threat. "Why do you know things you shouldn't know?"

"You can think of me as Laplace's demon. Give me enough information and I can find out all cause-and-effect for you. While information about you is hard to come by, it is not impossible. Rest is just speculation, analysis, and verification." Savant gave a somewhat reasonable explanation.

In fact, the ability he described to Tessa is still very immature and Savant feels that his physique is holding him back on truly releasing the potential of this ability.

"So what do you want after telling me all this?" Tessa's voice remained cold.

"You, Miss. Sage. I want you. Sage and Savant would make quite the pair don't you think?" Savant's blunt answer made Tessa freeze for a moment. And then she laughed.

"So you know that name too. But despite how young I look, you know that I'm much older than you right?" Tessa or Sage teased Savant.

"We can wait until I get old enough for you. After all, I'm still technically one year old." Tessa once again froze in shock at the answer before chuckling.

"What is your goal in life then Savant?" Tessa leaned forward seductively. The coffee table between them was a very small round table so the distance instantly shortened between them.

"Find a partner to never grow old with, flip over the chessboard, and go on adventures with her." Savant gave a genuine smile as he leaned closer to Tessa as well.

"Sounds very romantic and fun. But how will you never grow old?" Tessa/Sage asked curiously as she leaned further ahead.

"With the two of our most brilliant minds combined, I'm sure we will figure out a way." Savant was now so close to Sage's face that he could see the gradient in her irises which had a faint purple shade, he could also feel her breath on his face.

"And how will you deal with Charles and Shaw?" When Sage talked, Savant felt like their lips could almost touch.

"Charles can't do shit. He will live and die as a pacifist who does nothing but make others fight his battles. As for Shaw, for stealing and keeping you captive for so long, he deserves a punishment doesn't he?" Savant smiled devilishly.

Sage once again froze for a moment. But this time it was different. This time, it was because she almost fell into the devil's charming trap.

She was a woman who doesn't like to lose, so she leaned even closer, tilted her head, and spoke almost touching Savant's lips with every word, "How will you punish him?"

Savant's heart was threatening to get out of his control and beat wildly as he stared deep into the purple light in Sage's eyes, "You get me his DNA sample and I will concoct the world's deadliest poison that can only kill Shaw. The poison will break down his DNA internally bit by bit, and you can have the front-row tickets to his death from collapsing at a genetic level."

Suddenly, Sage felt a chill that reminded her that the person in front of her was a highly dangerous individual with unknown non-mutant abilities. But along with fear, his words brought her an unknown sense of thrill and anticipation.

Sage wasn't a psychopathic woman. She didn't enjoy killing. But a monster like Shaw? She would throw a party to view his death if she could.

"Such a precious gift already. I wonder what you will give me when we make it formal." Sage continued teasing.

Savant slowly pulled away from Sage, looked at the scar on her face, and said, "How about I give you Bogan then?"

Sage trembled at the mention of Bogan. Elias Bogan was probably the man she hated the most. Even Shaw was only second. Somehow, she started to anticipate getting together with Savant. Just as the thought appeared, she quickly shook it away.

"You are a devil Savant. Luring me with sweet words of revenge." Sage gave a smile that was more than just a smile.

Savant made an exaggerated sad face, "Tsk. I'll have to work harder next time."

Sage then got up and gave a peck on Savant's cheek. "Until next time, then."

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