A Money making plan

After explaining to his family why he snuck out of the house late that night and receiving a stern warning from all of them not to ever do it again, Alex also called his two sisters to apologize for his actions. They were away at college but would be returning by the end of next month. Both were set to complete their courses and receive their master's degrees by the end of the year, before coming home to find work and gain experience before continuing their studies.

His sisters were quite surprised, yet happy, to hear that he seemed to have overcome his learning disorder. Though they found it a bit strange that this particular incident had triggered the change, they didn't question him on it. They had always hoped he would get past it, so they took his explanation at face value and left it at that.

A while later, Daniel, Alex's uncle—his father's younger brother—came to visit with his wife, Helena, and their two cousins, Vanessa and Harry, Helena's younger brother. They were preparing to move from England early next year, which came as a surprise to Alex. However, he didn't get the chance to ask why, as more family friends arrived to visit. His older sister was currently studying in England, a decision heavily influenced by his uncle and aunt.

Alex had to explain what had happened yet again, leading to another round of scolding. Eventually, most of the visitors left to attend to other matters, but his mother, father, and older brother stayed a little longer.

Before Alex convinced his parents to head home for the day, he spent the night in the hospital, using the time to readjust his mental state and return to his previous personality. Upon waking up, he had felt a bit confused about his identity, as his mind was flooded with new memories from the Aplus helmet's inventory.

These new memories weren't entirely his own, as they came from several other people. However, thanks to the vast amount of information he received, Alex's strengthened brain automatically locked away the other memories. His mind was carefully and slowly releasing the information bit by bit, a mechanism designed to protect him and maintain his sanity. This gradual release was a safeguard to prevent him from feeling like he was becoming someone else.

The helmet's creator had anticipated this issue and designed it so that the brain would first undergo a strengthening process before it started unlocking the new information and memories. This careful pacing ensured that the host wouldn't become overwhelmed or lose their sense of self.

After processing as much as he could for the time being, Alex, feeling mentally drained from the day's events, decided to get some rest. The next morning, his parents came to pick him up from the hospital, though his brother Duke couldn't come as he had to attend classes. With the help of a nurse and using a pair of crutches, Alex got dressed in a gray tracksuit.

Once the necessary discharge procedures were completed, the three of them headed to their car—an old gray Toyota Land Cruiser—to take him home.

After a long drive back to their condo in Brownville, Alex and his parents arrived at their old two-story house, painted a fading red. As soon as they got inside, Alex went to the freezer for a cold drink, but all he found was a bottle of water and a bag of apples. The sight made his heart sink, realizing the extent of the financial strain his recent incident had placed on his family. He also noticed that other items that used to fill the house were missing. It became clear to him that his parents had kept the full extent of their struggles hidden, even from his well-off uncle Daniel.

Noticing Alex's sinking expression, his mother, Martha, quickly intervened, suggesting he go to his room to change and freshen up while she prepared some soup for him. Obeying his mother, Alex headed upstairs to his room, located on the second floor. Their house had three bedrooms, and each of his siblings shared one.

After changing and washing up, Alex returned downstairs to the living room, where he noticed the old family computer, a Microsoft-made machine, sitting in the corner. As he ate his soup, he couldn't help but stare at it. From his new memories, he vividly recalled how advanced computers would become in the future and how massive an opportunity they would present.

He knew there were many ways to make money through computers, especially using the internet. But in this time, the internet was still in its infancy. However, Alex's mind was already racing. He remembered another path to wealth that didn't solely rely on the internet—video games. Specifically, the iconic game DOOM.

DOOM was made by id Software, a small game company that would rise to fame in the early '90s with titles like Commander Keen, Wolfenstein 3D, Quake, and DOOM. Though id Software would later become a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media due to poor management, Alex saw an opportunity. He knew that the company's early success, under the technical genius of John Carmack and others, was still four years away with the release of Wolfenstein.

A smirk formed on Alex's face. Armed with knowledge of the future, he could position himself to take advantage of this booming industry long before anyone else realized its potential. The video game industry, which would go on to become one of the most lucrative entertainment sectors, was still in its early stages. He saw a way not only to help his family out of their financial troubles but to secure a significant stake in the industry's future success.

The idea of creating a game—one that could rival DOOM and Wolfenstein—began to take shape in his mind. But he knew he couldn't do it alone. Two people came to mind, people he trusted, who could help him realize this vision. All he needed to do now was convince them to get on board with his plan.

For the time being, though, Alex knew he had to wait until his friends returned from their classes. In the meantime, he could begin work on the game engine—the foundation for what would hopefully become his family's way out of their financial struggles and his entry into the world of gaming.

Alex knew that diving into programming and game development would help him unlock more of the stored memories in his brain, specifically about coding and game mechanics. The more he practiced in these areas, the faster his brain would release the knowledge. With this in mind, he eagerly switched on the family computer, ready to begin his work. However, as soon as he started, he realized there wasn't enough space on the system's hardware.

While Wolfenstein wouldn't require a huge amount of storage, it still left little room for anything else. On top of that, Alex knew he would need the computer for months to make real progress, and he couldn't forget that his family members also relied on the same machine. This would slow down his work and increase the chances of someone accidentally messing up his files. Although his family was intelligent, none of them, except Duke, were particularly skilled in computer systems. And with everyone still getting used to personal computers, it posed another risk.

Alex quickly understood that he needed his own personal computer, but buying one required money—something he didn't have at the moment. Thinking through his options, he realized he needed quick cash to kickstart his plans and ease his family's current financial burden.

Two potential sources of income came to mind: Microsoft and Apple. Both companies were still in the early stages of their rise but had immense potential. Alex thought, "If I could help one or both of these companies, I could gain enough startup capital to fund my own computer and begin developing the game engine."

He knew it wouldn't be easy, but with his knowledge of future technology trends and innovations, he could offer valuable insights to either company. All he had to do was figure out how to approach them and convince them of his worth.

With this plan taking shape, Alex felt a surge of determination. Helping Microsoft or Apple would not only set him up financially but also allow him to accelerate his work in the gaming industry, ultimately securing his family's future.

Now, he just needed to figure out the best approach—and who to reach out to first.

Thankfully, Alex's parents had set up personal bank accounts for him and his siblings. However, the U.S. was still a bit behind in its online banking systems compared to countries like France and the UK, which had already mastered online banking. Even though Alex had access to some money, he knew that trying to create a system for online banking would require hacking skills—something he lacked. He only had a general understanding of the field due to his programming knowledge.

After some contemplation, Alex decided to start designing software upgrades for Apple and Microsoft's current operating systems. Although these upgrades wouldn't revolutionize the systems, they would significantly improve performance—making them faster, smoother, improving frame rates, and increasing computing speed without the need for new hardware.

He estimated he could make around $250,000 from each company for his improvements. However, given his young age—only eleven —he realized it would be strange to keep such a big opportunity a secret from his family. Despite the financial trouble he had put them in, his family had always treated him like a treasure, and they deserved to know about his plans.

With that settled, Alex got to work, spending three hours coding the software. Thanks to his advanced knowledge, which was decades ahead of current technology, the task was relatively simple for him.

Around three o'clock, his older brother Duke returned home and found Alex in the living room working on the PC. Duke was surprised—he had never seen Alex using a computer before, especially since there were no games installed on it. He also worried Alex might accidentally damage the machine, which their father had brought home from work.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Duke asked, startling Alex.

"Ahhh!" Alex yelped in surprise before turning to see his brother. "Oh, it's just you! You scared me—I didn't know you were back home already," he said, his heart still racing.

"Sorry," Duke replied, chuckling. "I came back early to check on you."

Looking at his younger brother, Duke couldn't help but ask again, "What exactly are you doing on the computer?"

"I was… writing," Alex replied hesitantly.

"When did you learn to use the computer like that?" Duke asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.

"Ahhh…" Alex stammered, unsure of how to respond.

---

Meanwhile, far away at Cambridge University in England, Alex's older sisters, Ashley and Jennifer, were walking around campus with their friends. A beautiful girl with emerald green eyes and slight Asian features, who appeared to be in her late teens, turned to Jennifer.

"So, your little brother finally woke up?" she asked.

"Yes, thank God," Jennifer replied, relief in her voice. She had been extremely worried about Alex during his hospitalization. After all, she had been the one looking after him that day, and because she had been distracted for just a few moments, the incident had occurred.

"At least you and Ashley can rest easy for now," said another of their friends, a dark-skinned girl wearing a skirt. The four of them had become close over the past three years at the university, oceans away from where their families lived, forming a deep bond with one another.

As they walked and talked, Jennifer's mind drifted back to Alex, still feeling a lingering sense of guilt despite his recovery.