Jake arrived at the bank just after it opened, dressed in a simple button-down shirt and dark jeans. The morning air was dry and chilly, but again he barely felt it as he pushed through the glass doors into the familiar fluorescent-lit interior.
The same loan officer from before looked up from his desk.
"Mr. Carlson. Good to see you again." He gestured to the chair.
Jake sat down. "Good morning, Mr. Brad. I'd like to take the loan you offered previously."
"Just give me a minute. I'll have your paperwork ready."
Jake waited as the officer slid a stack of documents across the desk.
"Personal loan, five thousand dollars, as discussed. Interest rate is twelve percent, repayment terms are here..." He tapped the pages. "Sign at the bottom of each page."
Jake picked up the pen and started signing. His hand moved steadily, but his mind was already on other things.
Not much, but it's a start. In eight days, this becomes eighty thousand.
"All set," the officer said, collecting the papers. "The funds will be available in your account within the hour."
"Thank you."
Jake stood and shook his hand, then walked out into the morning sun. He sat on a bench outside the bank and pulled out his phone, waiting for the loan to arrive. A buzz.
$5,000 credited to receiver account as loan
Taking a deep breath, he opened his trading app. The screen loaded. Vertex Solutions: $47.32
His finger hovered over the screen. A little hesitant. What if his memory was wrong? What if the timeline had changed somehow? What if Vertex didn't crash?
Jake closed his eyes, remembering. The news report. The stock ticker plummeting. People in the shelter talking about how they'd lost everything betting on Vertex.
He had already lived through this once. He knew what would happen.
This time he was going to make no hesitation.
Jake opened his eyes and placed the order. Short position. 200 shares at $47.32. The confirmation appeared instantly.
Order Executed
Jake exhaled slowly, pocketing his phone. "Day one of fighting back."
At the Carlson house, Angela paced the living room, phone pressed to her ear. Markus sat on the couch, scrolling through his tablet, a cup of coffee on the table beside him.
"Yes, I understand," Angela said into the phone. "Thank you for letting me know."
She hung up and turned to Markus, her expression tight.
"That was someone from the hotel. Jake was there yesterday."
Markus looked up, setting his tablet aside. "At Lux?"
"Yes." Angela crossed her arms. "He was asking questions. Taking pictures. They said he spent hours there, looking at everything."
Markus leaned back. "What kind of questions?"
"About the finances. The operations. How things have been running." Angela's voice sharpened. "He's snooping, Markus. He knows something."
Hailey walked in from the kitchen, wrapping her arms around Markus from behind. "Why are we still talking about Jake? He's already gone. Let him sulk somewhere else."
Markus ignored her; his jaw tight as he stood and moved to the window, looking at the lawn.
"What if someone told him about the ownership transfer?" Angela asked. "What if he knows the hotel is legally his?"
"Then we move faster." Markus turned back to face her. "Don't worry. I'll handle it."
"How?"
Markus picked up his phone. "By making sure Jake understands that some doors, once closed, stay closed."
He kissed Angela's cheek. "Don't worry, Mom. Jake's playing a game he doesn't understand. I'll remind him of the rules."
As he opened the door, Angela watched him leave, her fingers drumming against her arm as she wondered what Markus had planned.