He glanced at the screen. New Message from: PedalPusherPete.
A humourless smile touched Theo’s lips. Pete. The lowballer. The one who’d wasted his time behind that strip mall on Monday, trying to bully him into practically giving away the first masterpiece. His message preview read: Yo bike guy. Still got that Giant? My offer $2700 cash still good if u want it today.
Theo reread it, annoyance prickling beneath his skin. The sheer, unadulterated gall of the lowballer. After being firmly rejected, after Theo had clearly signalled the price wasn't negotiable down to that insulting level, Pete assumed five days had somehow made Theo desperate enough to crawl back? The memory of Pete’s dismissive attitude, his performative fault-finding, the barely concealed desire for the bike warring with his aggressive cheapness, it all came flooding back, leaving a sour taste. He pictured Pete swaggering away in his rusty truck, probably laughing about the sucker trying to sell a used bike for too much.
Theo looked at his current balance again. Stable, but not invulnerable. Then he thought about the $2700 profit already banked from Dave, and the potential $3600 profit waiting tomorrow with Sarah. And this clown thought he could circle back with his insulting offer? Oh, no. The predatory instinct honed in corporate backstabbing merged with a street-level vindictiveness born from years of feeling looked down upon. Pete wasn't just a lowballer, he was a symbol of the grasping, entitled users who thought they could bully their way to a win. He deserved… a lesson. An inconvenience. A public display of his own foolish greed. An idea, sharp and deliciously mean, formed in Theo’s mind. Time for a practical demonstration of market realities, he thought, the internal corporate drone voice dripping with sarcasm. Subject: PedalPusherPete. Initiative: Negative Reinforcement Training.
His fingers flew across the phone screen, crafting a reply dripping with false urgency and capitulation. Hey man. Crazy you messaged. Yeah, still got it. Had some unexpected bills come up. Market's dead quiet. Honestly just need the cash fast now. Your $2700 cash offer... if you can meet me in the next 30 minutes, deal. Gotta be quick though, seriously. Meet me outside 487 Main Street? I'm nearby. He chose the address deliberately, a comedy club called “Laugh At Me”, in a busy suburban crossroads about twenty minutes away, ensuring Pete would have to rush, fuelled by the fear of missing out on the "deal."
The reply came back almost instantly, practically vibrating with avarice. !!! On my way!! DONT SELL IT TO ANYONE ELSE!! Be there 20-25 mins!
A cold, sharp satisfaction spread through Theo. Perfect. He grabbed his keys, leaving Bike 2 safely inside, and headed out to his car. He wasn't going to meet Pete, merely observe the results of his little social experiment. Operation: Humiliate Lowballer commencing. Data acquisition phase initiated.
He drove towards the comedy club, timing his arrival carefully. He parked across the street and down half a block, finding a spot with a clear view of the club's entrance but ensuring his own beat-up sedan blended into the suburban background, unlikely to be noticed. He slouched down slightly, pulling the brim of a baseball cap low, grateful for the slight tint on the windows.
A few minutes later, Pete's battered pickup truck roared into view, pulling over haphazardly near the club entrance with a squeal of protesting brakes, engine idling impatiently before cutting out with a cough. Pete jumped out, Theo heard the slam of the heavy truck door echo slightly, phone already in hand, scanning the street, radiating agitated energy. He paced back and forth in front of the club entrance, his work boots scuffing loudly on the pavement, where a small queue was beginning to form for an afternoon show. Theo watched, a detached, almost clinical sense of amusement growing within him. Ten minutes passed.
Pete checked his phone repeatedly, his pacing becoming more frantic. He tapped furiously on his phone, sending messages as if his life depended on it, or more accurately that his dream bike was slipping away from his fingers. Theo felt his own phone vibrate in his pocket, pulled it out, and saw the message: Dude I’m here already, been waiting 15mins already, where are you?
Theo responded after another 5 minutes, his fingers almost dancing on the phone as he typed his response, savouring the delay. Traffic, almost there. Wait for me!
Twenty minutes. Pete’s face was visibly darkening under the afternoon sun, a glint of sweat visible on his forehead. He kicked at a loose piece of trash on the sidewalk, sending a crumpled coffee cup skittering away. He ran a hand violently through his thinning hair, looking up and down the street with jerky, frustrated movements. People in the comedy club line glanced at him with open curiosity now, then pointedly looked away.
Twenty-five minutes. He leaned against his truck, arms crossed, foot tapping furiously – a jackhammer of impatience. He looked like a cartoon villain whose elaborate trap had just sprung shut on himself. Internal Assessment, Theo thought coolly. Subject exhibiting Stage 2 agitation. Proceeding as planned.
Thirty minutes. Pete’s composure finally shattered. With a roar of frustration that Theo couldn’t quite hear through the closed car window but could vividly imagine from the sudden, violent tension in Pete's shoulders, Pete kicked the front tire of his own truck, hard enough to make the chassis shudder. He then stalked over to a public trash receptacle bolted to the sidewalk and gave it a vicious kick, the loud rattle and clang carrying clearly across the street. He paced back towards his truck, gesturing angrily at his phone, the dawning, furious realization he’d been had etched onto his face. The sheer, impotent fury radiating from him across the street was deeply, wickedly satisfying to Theo.
Ah, Theo thought, savouring the moment. Key Performance Indicator achieved. Visible frustration levels exceeding projections. Excellent. He waited until Pete had climbed back into his truck, likely fuming and composing an angry message. Before Pete could send anything, Theo quickly typed out his parting shot.
Hey lowballer scum, jokes on you. Enjoy the jokes at the comedy club where you belong.
He hit send. Immediately navigated to Pete’s profile. Block User. Done.
A low chuckle escaped Theo’s lips, quickly escalating into genuine laughter, a harsh, cold sound that echoed slightly in the confines of his car. It felt good. Cathartic. People like Pete, the ones who try to grind you down, who assume your desperation makes you easy prey, they deserved a taste of humiliation. It wasn’t just about the money, it was about the disrespect. He felt a surge of power, completely unrelated to his +1 ability. The power of having options, of being the one pulling the strings, even in this petty way. He’s lucky, Theo mused, the laughter fading into a self-satisfied smirk. Lucky I didn’t have time for something more… creative. Lucky I have actual business to attend to.
The vindictive energy dissipated, replaced by his usual calculating focus. He started the car, pulling away from the curb, leaving Pete fuming in his rear view mirror. The prank was a satisfying footnote, an assertion of dominance, but ultimately a distraction. He had a bike to enhance, a real high-value sale to prepare for tomorrow. That was the main event.
He drove back to his apartment, the incident already compartmentalized. Stepping back inside, the sight of Bike 2 waiting patiently seemed to refocus him instantly. He approached it, the faint internal hum of his power stirring within him, ready to be channelled into creating tangible value, ready for the next calculated step towards his ultimate goal. The games were fun, but the climb was everything.
The enhancement ritual. He laid out the new bike, his movements more assured this time. Ten charges, meticulously applied. Frame. Ping. Wheels. Ping. Ping. Crankset. Ping. Derailleurs. Ping. Ping. Brakes. Ping. Ping. Handlebars. Ping. Seatpost. Ping. Ten uses gone, the familiar emptiness settling in, ready for tomorrow's recharge. The bike seemed to hum with latent power.
Sunday. The Sunday afternoon sun warmed the asphalt of the community park parking lot. Families pushed strollers along paved paths, joggers tracked their progress on smartwatches, and the distant shouts from a kids’ soccer game provided a backdrop of mundane weekend normalcy. Theo leaned against his aging sedan, the newly enhanced Giant TCR Pro leaning gracefully beside him, gleaming under the sunlight. He felt a calm confidence today, a stark contrast to the gnawing anxiety that had plagued him before selling the first bike. With over two thousand dollars secured in his account and a bike worth double that, this transaction wasn't about survival, it was about optimization, about maximizing return on investment. Okay, he thought, slipping into his internal corporate-speak, second client pitch. Product 2.0 prepped and exceeds original performance benchmarks. Prospect Sarah indicated high purchase intent in prior communications. Focus on perceived value-add to justify premium pricing. Execute flawlessly, secure funding for Q3 operations.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
A silver Subaru WRX, practical but with a sporty edge, pulled into a nearby spot. The driver's door opened, and out stepped Sarah. She was dressed in good quality cycling gear, not flashy, but clearly chosen for function over fashion, and pushed a pair of slightly oversized glasses up her nose as she approached, a bright, open smile on her face. She practically vibrated with energy.
"Theo? Hi! I'm Sarah!" She offered a hand, her handshake firm and friendly. "Wow, thanks so much for finding another one. I was so bummed when you said the first one sold!" Her eyes immediately locked onto the bike, her smile widening further. "Oh, she's gorgeous."
"Glad I could track one down," Theo said, keeping his tone level, professional. "Similar frame, but this one actually has a slightly upgraded wheelset compared to the last." A small lie, easily justifiable as marketing enhancement.
Sarah nodded eagerly, already crouching down to inspect the components. "Yeah, I saw that in the specs you sent! Is the power transfer really more efficient with this setup? I've been tracking my wattage output on climbs, and my current bike just feels… lossy, you know? Like I'm putting in the effort but the data doesn't reflect it."
Metrics-driven, Theo noted. Perfect. "Absolutely," he lied smoothly. "This whole build is optimized for responsiveness and minimizing energy loss. Every component is tuned to work in perfect harmony." He watched as she examined the bike, not with suspicion, but with the focused intensity of someone who genuinely understood and appreciated the mechanics. Her trust was evident, she wanted this bike to be as good as advertised. It made her an easy mark, yet her genuine passion felt strangely… refreshing, compared to Pete's cynical haggling or even Dave's more reserved enthusiasm.
"Mind if I take it for a spin?" she asked, eyes sparkling. "There's a decent loop around the park, couple of small hills?"
"Be my guest," Theo gestured. "Take your time." Asset trial commencing. Monitor user feedback and performance indicators.
Sarah clipped in with practiced ease and pushed off, accelerating smoothly onto the paved path that wound through the park. She rode with a fluid power, her form suggesting dedicated training. Theo watched her disappear around a curve shaded by oak trees, then settled back against his car, feeling significantly less stressed than during Dave's test ride. He had a solid financial cushion now. This was just gravy. Profitable, necessary gravy, but gravy nonetheless.
Five minutes passed. Ten. Theo checked his phone. Fifteen. He scanned the path where Sarah had vanished. Nothing. Okay, maybe she was really testing the loop. Twenty minutes. Okay, now it was getting weird. It should only be a fifteen minute circuit? He started to feel a familiar prickle of unease, the ingrained fear of loss that lurked beneath his newfound confidence. Where was she? Did she get a flat? Crash? Or worse... did the friendly, slightly nerdy looking girl just ride off with his $1200 investment plus $3600 potential profit?
Right, his internal monologue went dryly, unplanned extension of trial period. This wasn't in the user agreement. Need to initiate asset recovery protocol... which currently consists of me, looking anxiously around a suburban park. Current resources: one anxious operator, zero backup. This project is going significantly off the rails. Need to manage primary stakeholder panic (mine). Excellent. He started pacing along the edge of the parking lot, peering down the bike path, ignoring the curious glances from a family loading a picnic basket into a minivan. The sun felt hotter now, the cheerful sounds of the park grating on his nerves. Panic, that cold, familiar serpent, began to coil in his stomach. He mentally calculated the cost – not just the bike, but the time, the effort, the potential cratering of his entire Q3 financial projection.
Just as he was about to seriously consider jogging down the path or, gods forbid, calling the non-emergency police line ("Yes officer, a woman just stole my… uh… ‘professionally optimized’ bicycle…"), he heard it, the faint, high performance hum of tires on pavement approaching fast.
A flash of silver and black shot around the last bend. It was Sarah, hair slightly askew, a few leaves caught in her jersey, face flushed, breathing hard, but with a grin so wide it threatened to split her face. She skidded to a halt a few feet from Theo, unclipping hastily.
"Oh! My! GOD!" she gasped, pushing her glasses back up her sweaty nose. "Theo! Sorry! I am SO sorry! I completely lost track of everything! I found this killer climb on the back loop, way steeper than it looks on the map, and this bike… it just… it just ATE IT! Seriously! It climbed like… like perfectly optimized code executing without a single wasted cycle! And the descent? The handling on those tight turns? It felt like it was reading my mind! Zero latency! I haven't felt anything like it! My current bike would have been chattering its teeth off! Oh sorry for those dumb computer jokes, I’m a software engineer if you didn’t already notice."
Theo stared at her, the panic receding, replaced by a mixture of profound relief and wry amusement. Her enthusiasm was infectious, almost overwhelming. The +1 effect, amplified by her own passion and fitness, had clearly delivered.
"So," she continued, still catching her breath, eyes shining as she looked at the bike with pure adoration, "You said forty-eight hundred, right? Is that your absolute rock-bottom price? Because, honestly? Wow."
The negotiation was over before it began. Sarah was completely sold. Theo allowed himself a small smile. "Well, seeing how much you enjoyed it… how about we call it forty-seven fifty?" A token discount, sealing the deal while maximizing his return. Maintain positive client relationship while securing near-maximum profitability.
"Deal!" Sarah agreed instantly, already pulling out her phone. "Instant Bank transfer and PayPal okay? Might have to split it 'cause of the daily limit, if that's alright?"
"That's fine," Theo nodded. The two transactions went through smoothly, the confirmation notifications chiming on his own phone like victory bells.
As Sarah carefully, almost reverently, loaded the bike onto the rack on her Subaru, she turned back to Theo, her expression shifting from pure exhilaration to intense curiosity.
"Seriously, though," she said, tilting her head, her nerdy focus kicking in. "That 'optimization'… it's incredible. It’s way beyond just standard tuning or component matching. The frame feels fundamentally different, stiffer, more responsive somehow. I've read all the tech blogs, talked to shop guys… nobody gets this kind of jump in performance without major component swaps or… I don't know. You've got some serious skills, Theo. Is this what you do full-time? How did you even figure out how to… enhance it like that?"
Her genuine curiosity, devoid of suspicion, caught Theo slightly off guard. It wasn't the cynical haggling of Pete or the polite acceptance of Dave. Sarah was smart, analytical beneath the carefree exterior, and genuinely fascinated by the result. He felt an uncharacteristic urge to hint at the truth, quickly suppressed by years of self-preservation.
"Ah, you know," he deflected, falling back on practiced vagueness, though maybe with less ice in his tone than usual. "Just picked up a few tricks over the years. Trade secrets. Every mechanic has their own little touches." He offered a small, non-committal smile. "Glad you like the result, though. You clearly know how to handle it."
Sarah beamed at the compliment. "I can't wait to see what times I can hit on this thing! Thanks again, Theo! Maybe I'll see you around on the trails sometime?"
"Maybe," Theo echoed, watching her get into her car. He felt a strange mix of satisfaction from the successful, high-profit sale and a faint, unfamiliar unease sparked by Sarah's questions. Her trusting nature had made the sale easy, but her sharp mind had picked up on the uniqueness of the enhancement in a way the others hadn't articulated.
He watched the Subaru pull away, then glanced down at his phone, confirming the new balance, now comfortably over seven thousand dollars. The number was deeply satisfying. He’d done it again. Faster, easier, more profitable. The bike model worked. But Sarah's parting questions lingered. Relying on 'trade secrets' felt thin. And finding the right bikes at the right price was still a bottleneck. He thought back to the steak, the beer. Instant, undeniable enhancement, no test rides needed. Maybe that was the truly scalable path forward. He tucked the thought away as he got back into his own car, the gears of his mind already grinding, calculating the next move in his solitary ascent.
Theodore Sterling - Financial Ledger (End of Week 5)
- Starting Balance (Beginning Sat, Wk 5): $2615.62 (Carried over from End of Fri, Wk 5)
- Income (Weekend):
- Sale of Bike 2 (SpeedySarah): +$4750.00 (Sunday)
- Total Income (Weekend): +$4750.00
- Expenses (Weekend):
- None
- Net Change (Weekend): +$4750.00
- Ending Balance (End of Sunday, Wk 5): $7365.62
- Status: Strong. Capital significantly increased after second successful high-value sale. Financially stable with substantial buffer. Bike-flipping model proven highly profitable but recognized as potentially difficult to scale consistently. Exploring next steps.
Summary of Position (End of Week 5):
At the end of Week 5, Theo's financial position has dramatically improved. Starting the weekend with just over $2600, the successful sale of the second enhanced bike to Sarah for $4750 propelled his balance to a healthy $7365.62. This confirms the high profitability of enhancing expensive items. He has navigated the risks of face-to-face sales twice now, even dealing with nuisance buyers like Pete through vindictive (but ultimately harmless) means. While financially secure for the immediate future, he recognizes the limitations of the bike-flipping model (sourcing difficulties, market size, time investment). Sarah's probing questions about his methods also highlight the ongoing risk to his secret. His thoughts are already turning towards finding a more scalable or discreet application for his power, potentially revisiting the idea of enhancing consumables. The bike chapter was profitable, but it felt like just another stepping stone, a far stretch from millions or even the billion he was chasing. The real game was still out there, waiting to be discovered.