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Power+1 Chapter 18: Line of Sight and Subtle Sabotage
🕑 Added 2025-05-02 01:18:05 +0000 UTC(Start of Week 24. Theo's Balance: $44,161.00)
Week 24 - Monday
The simmering rage hadn't cooled. If anything, the relative success and stability achieved by the end of Week 23 had only provided fuel for the cold fire of Theo’s indignation. He’d spent Sunday night staring at the ceiling, not with exhaustion, but with a sharp, calculating fury replaying the likely scenario: the owner of 'Something Fishy', threatened by Maria's sudden resurgence, resorting to cowardly, anonymous sabotage. The theft by Tammy was a betrayal, yes, but this felt like an attack on his competence, on his right to succeed. It was personal. And it demanded a response. Not immediate, not explosive, but precise, insidious, and utterly untraceable.
Monday morning found Theo moving with a deceptive calm. He oversaw the initial prep, delegated tasks to Henry and Olivia with crisp efficiency, but his mind was elsewhere, dissecting the problem of retribution. Direct confrontation was pointless, likely illegal, and offered no real satisfaction. No, this required finesse. This required leveraging the unique, impossible tool at his disposal. But first, he needed to fully understand its parameters, especially the frustratingly vague 'New Ability Unlocked' that had accompanied his crossing the $50k threshold.
Back in the relative quiet of his apartment during the mid-day lull (leaving Henry and Olivia capably handling the lunch service), he focused. The System screen remained stubbornly absent, unresponsive to any mental command. What was the new ability? Could it be used offensively? He pictured the 'Something Fishy' storefront, visualizing its faded sign, its slightly grimy windows. He focused his intent, channelling that deeper resonance he occasionally felt layered beneath the familiar +1 hum. Target: Something Fishy sign. Effect: +1 Accelerated Fading! He pushed with his will, searching for the connection, the expenditure of energy. Nothing. He tried again, broader this time. Target: Something Fishy building. Effect: Minor Structural Annoyance! Still nothing. Utter silence from the power.
He paced the room, frustration gnawing at him. He tried targeting objects he couldn't see. A specific book in his bedroom, the faulty plumbing under the rival shop's sink (based only on assumption). Complete failure. The power seemed stubbornly inert without a direct sensory link. "Useless!" he snarled under his breath, kicking lightly at a pile of discarded mail. "What good is levelling up if the damn rules are hidden? Is it passive? Does it only work on things I've already enhanced? Is it just the Un-Enhance?" The lack of a manual, of any guidance whatsoever from this bizarre 'System', felt like a deliberate torment.
He slumped onto his couch, annoyed, eyes scanning the room, landing on the cheap desk lamp he’d experimented with previously. It was still glowing with its +1 enhanced brightness. On a whim, born more of irritation than focused intent, he thought, Just revert the damn lamp enhancement, it's unnecessarily bright. He wasn't actively trying to use the Un-Enhance, just idly wishing while looking directly at the lamp across the room.
Thrum.
The faint, high-pitched vibration resonated, distinct and clear. He sat bolt upright, heart suddenly pounding. He stared intently at the lamp. Was it his imagination, or had the light softened fractionally, lost that crisp, almost clinical edge of the +1 state? It looked warmer, dimmer, closer to its original mundane output.
Adrenaline surged, overriding his frustration. He immediately refocused, locking his gaze on the lamp again, this time with deliberate intent. Desk Lamp. Enhance +1 Brightness/Efficiency.
Ping! (Charge 1/10)
The familiar wave flowed, and the lamp instantly regained its enhanced clarity. He scrambled off the couch, grabbing a standard ballpoint pen. He walked across the room, placed it deliberately on the far bookshelf, ensuring he had a clear, unobstructed view. He stood back, fixed his eyes on the pen, and concentrated, visualizing the improvement, pouring his will into the connection across the distance. Pen. +1 Quality.
Ping! (Charge 2/10)
He felt it connect! The subtle drain of a charge, the resonance settling into the target object. He practically lunged across the room, snatching the pen. He scribbled frantically on a stray envelope. Smoother glide. Ink flow richer, more consistent. It worked. It worked!
The realization struck him with the force of revelation. Line of sight. Not physical touch. All this time, he’d assumed proximity, contact, was necessary. But no. As long as he could see the object, focus his intent upon it, the power flowed. The implications were immense. Remote enhancement. Subtle application without needing physical access. The failed attempts earlier weren't due to distance, but lack of visual targeting. He felt a dizzying mix of exhilaration at the discovery and profound annoyance at the System's utter lack of clarity. A simple tooltip wouldn't kill you! he mentally raged at the silent, invisible System.
He spent another ten minutes rapidly testing the boundaries from across the room. Could he enhance specific aspects now that activation was different? He focused on his +1 Santoku knife on the counter. Blade only. +1 Sharpness. Nothing beyond the existing enhancement. He tried enhancing just the battery life indicator on his phone screen. Failure. The conclusion remained the same: the power, whether +1 or Un-Enhance, was holistic, affecting the object's core function or quality overall. No fine-tuning. Blunt instrument, but now with range, he summarized internally. Good enough. Especially for what he had planned for 'Something Fishy'.
With the line-of-sight mechanic confirmed, Theo’s revenge plotting shifted from theoretical to operational. Late Monday night, long after Maria's was closed and dark, he began his clandestine operation. He didn't need lockpicks or stealth break-ins. He just needed vantage points.
He drove his car slowly down the service alley behind 'Something Fishy', killing his headlights as he approached. He parked in deep shadow, positioning the car so, through a narrow gap between an overflowing dumpster and a stack of empty crates, he could just make out the bulky, humming form of the rival shop's walk-in freezer compressor unit bolted to the back wall under a flickering security light. Perfect. He took several calming breaths, focused his gaze on the compressor, ignoring the stench of stale grease and refuse. Freezer Compressor Unit. +1 Efficiency/Cooling Power. He felt the ping connect. Then, immediately, Un-Enhance Timer: 48 Hours. The subtle thrum confirmed the timed reversal was set. (Charge 3/10). Let's see how they like rock-solid fish fillets tomorrow morning, he thought with cold satisfaction. And let's see how they handle the thaw when it suddenly reverts after they've cranked the thermostat down.
He drove away smoothly, circling the block. Phase two required a different angle. He parked on the main street opposite 'Something Fishy', finding a spot partially obscured by a large parked van. From here, he could see the water main pipe entering the building near the front corner. He waited until a gap in the sparse late-night traffic, then focused. Water Main Valve. +1 Flow Rate. Ping. Un-Enhance Timer: 72 Hours. Thrum. (Charge 4/10). Enjoy the boosted water pressure for a few days, he mentally addressed the oblivious owner. Hope none of your old pipes decide to give out when it suddenly drops back to normal.
Phase three was still being worked on, but Theo wanted to somehow impact the food that would be served to the customers directly, the ultimate sin in the food business – to serve customers terrible food. He had a few ideas, enhance and unenhanced the oil, or perhaps the cooking tools and utensils to cause havoc, but he needed more details to decide what worked best. “That’s OK”, Theo thought, he’d be back later to gather more details, he can play the long game, particularly against pricks who blatantly tried to sabotage him. No need to play nice whatsoever. A vicious little smile playing on his lips as he walked briskly away, melting back into the suburban night. The seeds of chaos were sown. Now, he just had to wait and watch them sprout.
Week 24 - Tuesday
Tuesday morning at Maria's. Theo arrived feeling a dark undercurrent of satisfaction beneath his usual operational focus. He greeted Henry and Olivia, who were already starting prep.
"Morning boss," Henry said cheerfully. "Supplier called, potato prices are up five percent this week, something about transport costs. I told them we'd take the usual volume for now but want to lock in pricing for next month. They said they'd get back to me."
Theo nodded, impressed. "Good work, Henry. Exactly right. Push back where you can, get commitments." He saw Olivia listening intently nearby. This was perfect on-the-job training for Henry's impending promotion.
Later, during the mid-morning lull, Theo observed Henry showing Jenny, who had arrived for her shift, a more efficient way to portion the chips using the scoop, ensuring consistent serving sizes. "See? Like this," Henry demonstrated patiently. "Faster, and less chance of overflow." Jenny watched intently, then tried it herself, her movements becoming smoother under his guidance. Olivia chimed in from the counter, "Yeah, Henry showed me that last week, total game changer during the rush!" The easy camaraderie, the mutual respect, Henry naturally falling into a teaching/leading role. It was exactly what Theo wanted to see.
Around lunchtime, Olivia flagged Theo over, pointing to her phone displaying the shop's Google review page. "Hey Theo, another weird one popped up."
The review was three stars. "Food was great, chicken amazing, chips perfect. But the guy behind the counter (new owner?) seemed really stressed and maybe overcharged me? Felt a bit rushed."
Theo frowned slightly. He remembered being stressed on opening day, but overcharged? Unlikely, the +1 POS was reliable. This felt less like sabotage and more like a genuinely flustered customer's perception.
"How should I respond?" Olivia asked, looking uncertain.
Theo paused. His instinct was to dismiss it, or write a curt correction. But he saw the opportunity. "How do you think we should respond, Olivia?" he asked, deliberately turning it back to her. "You're handling the front-of-house, the customer interaction. What feels right?"
Olivia looked surprised, then thoughtful. "Well… maybe apologize if they felt rushed, acknowledge we were busy opening week, but gently correct the overcharge part? Reassure them the prices are on the menu and the register is accurate? And maybe offer a free drink next time as a goodwill gesture?"
"Sounds perfect," Theo said immediately. "Professional, empathetic, corrects the record without being defensive, offers a small incentive. Handle it exactly like that." He met her gaze. "Part of me stepping back means trusting you guys to handle these things. You've got good instincts. Run with them."
Olivia beamed, clearly pleased with the trust and empowerment, and immediately started drafting the reply. Theo felt a flicker of satisfaction. Delegating wasn't just about offloading tasks. It was about building competence and confidence in his team.
Week 24 - Wednesday
The store was mostly running itself on the less busy days, the team getting into a good rhythm. Theo was confident his plan to transition away was working, but he’d continue to monitor. There was a somewhat fulfilling feeling that Theo experienced, quite different to the dog eat dog corporate world he’d been use to. Seeing the team he haphazardly put together slowly grow and doing better was nice… for a change. However Theo tempered his expectations a little, he didn’t want another Tammy scenario. Ultimately relying on himself is best where possible.
With a bit more free time on his hands, he decided to do a bit more recon at “Something Fishy” later that night after everything had closed. He lingered near the front window, pretending to tie his shoe while peering into the dim interior. He could just make out the large stainless steel deep fryers. Even in the low light, the oil sitting settled in the vats looked dark, used, definitely not fresh. Lazy, Theo thought with satisfaction. Doesn't even drain and filter nightly like he should. Definitely cutting corners. Perfect. He noted the exact position, filing it away. Target acquired. So, the plan is: Wait until Thursday midday, after their lunch service but before any end-of-day cleaning or oil change checks. Hit the already used oil itself with +1. Line of sight from across the street should work. Make that nearly-spent oil look golden, smell clean again. The owner checks it before the evening prep, thinks 'Huh, looks fine, good for another day,' and skips the change he should be doing. Then, set the Un-Enhance timer for... 28 hours. That puts the reversion point squarely in the middle of Friday's peak dinner rush, maybe 6 PM. Suddenly, mid-service, the +1 vanishes. The oil instantly degrades back to its rancid state, maybe even worse from the extra day's use. Every piece of fish, every chip coming out after that point tastes like burnt, chemical garbage. Imagine the chaos, the returned orders, the immediate bad reviews." Theo savoured the thought. "Beautifully destructive. Plausible deniability – 'bad batch of oil maybe?' – but guaranteed to ruin their busiest night." Evil. Absolutely EVIL! Don’t mess with the guy who has special powers!
Week 24 - Thursday
The final piece of operation rancid oil required daylight precision. Around 2 PM on Thursday, Theo parked his car across the street from 'Something Fishy', far enough away to be inconspicuous but close enough for a clear line of sight through the front window to the fryer station, which was quiet after the main lunch rush. He pretended to be checking messages on his phone, angling it slightly. He focused his gaze past the window reflections, locking onto the large, stainless steel fryer vats within. He visualized the dark, used oil currently sitting in them transforming – becoming clearer, lighter, losing its stale odour, regaining a semblance of freshness. Used Fryer Oil (Both Vats). +1. Ping. He felt the charge connect. Immediately, he set the condition. Un-Enhance Timer: 28 Hours. Thrum. (Uses one of Thursday's charges). Done. The trap was set. He imagined the owner checking the oil later that afternoon, deciding it looked surprisingly good, postponing the messy, expensive oil change for another day. Oblivious. Theo allowed himself another cold smile before driving away. The Friday night dinner service at 'Something Fishy' promised to be... memorable.
Later that afternoon, Jenny provided her own moment of initiative. Theo was in the small back office area, reviewing supplier invoices, when Jenny poked her head in hesitantly.
"Uh, Theo? Sorry to bother you," she began, twisting her apron slightly. "But I noticed we're running really low on the specific brand of cleaning spray we use for the stainless steel? It's the only one that gets the fryer hoods really clean without streaking. There's only like, half a bottle left, and the delivery schedule says the next supply order isn't until Friday."
Theo looked up, surprised. He hadn't even realized they were low. "Good catch, Jenny. Seriously. I completely missed that."
"Well," she continued, gaining confidence, "I remembered seeing the same brand at the big supermarket down the road when I was shopping for my family yesterday. If it's okay… maybe during my break later, I could run down and grab a couple of bottles? Just so we don't run out before Friday?"
Theo stared at her for a second, genuinely impressed. She hadn't just identified a problem; she'd proactively proposed a solution. "Jenny," he said sincerely, "that's fantastic initiative. Absolutely. Here," he pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty-dollar bill. "Grab three bottles if they have them, keep the change for your trouble. And thank you. Seriously, that's exactly the kind of thinking that helps us run smoothly."
Jenny flushed with pleasure, took the money with a grateful nod, and hurried back out front. Right attitude, Theo thought again, feeling a surge of vindication for hiring her despite her lack of experience. Skills can be taught. Initiative like that? Priceless.
Week 24 – Friday
Another busy day. All Theo could think about was operation rancid oil, but it would be odd if he just stalked outside “Something Fishy” the whole night just to watch the show. Theo concentrated on his own business as best he could, but wasn’t really doing a good job. The team noticed Theo was a little different today, an odd smile somewhat evil looking here and there, also making more mistakes than usual. They didn’t think too much of it though, there was plenty of work to keep them busy.
Week 24 - Saturday
Saturday night arrived, typically the busiest night of the week. Theo felt a nervous energy, but this time it wasn't just about sales volume. It was about testing Henry. Sarah was due to arrive around 6 PM to finalize the security camera plans. Perfect timing for a live-fire exercise.
Sarah arrived punctually, navigating the already bustling shop with a friendly wave. "Wow, busy again!" she commented, joining Theo near the less-crowded back prep area.
"Tell me about it," Theo said. "Okay, cameras. What did you find?"
Sarah pulled out her tablet. "Right. Based on your layout, budget, and desire for easy access, I strongly recommend going with Amazon Ring. Their PoE (Power over Ethernet) stick-up cams are solid, good resolution, decent night vision, and the app is super user-friendly for remote viewing. Plus, you can integrate a Ring doorbell cam for the front entrance easily. Less complex than some pro systems, but reliable and perfect for this kind of setup." She showed him images, specs, estimated costs for a 4-camera setup plus the doorbell.
"Looks good," Theo agreed quickly after a brief review. Simple, reliable, big brand name. "Let's do it. Can you arrange the install with that contractor you mentioned?"
"Already reached out," Sarah confirmed. "He can do it Tuesday morning if that works?"
"Perfect."
Just then, a fresh wave of customers flooded the front counter. Henry was taking orders, Olivia was packing furiously, Jenny was rushing chips from the fryer.
"Okay," Theo said to Sarah, making a snap decision. "Perfect timing. I need to see how Henry handles the peak rush without me hovering. Let's step out. We can grab dinner nearby, finalize camera placements on your tablet while we eat. My treat."
Sarah raised an eyebrow, surprised but agreeable. "Uh, sure. Testing the second-in-command? Bold move during Saturday dinner rush."
"He's ready," Theo said with more confidence than he perhaps felt. He quickly told Henry, "Henry! Taking Sarah out for an hour to finalize some security stuff. You're in charge. Keep things moving!"
Henry looked momentarily panicked, then squared his shoulders. "Got it, boss! No problem!"
Theo and Sarah slipped out the back door. They walked down the street to a decent, busy Italian restaurant Theo knew. Over pasta and wine, they used Sarah's tablet to map out optimal camera positions on a rough floor plan of the shop. Covering the till, front door, back door, main kitchen area. Sarah offered practical advice on blind spots and wiring runs.
"Thanks, Sarah, that's a huge help," Theo said, feeling a measure of relief about securing the premises. He took another bite of his pasta, then added, "Speaking of help... remember how you said to keep the social media consistent?"
Sarah nodded, taking a sip of her wine. "Yeah? Don't tell me you've already let it slide?" she teased gently.
"Not exactly," Theo countered, allowing himself a small smile. "Actually, I tasked Olivia, the really cheerful one who started Wednesday, with handling the day-to-day posting. Taking food pics, replying to comments, keeping the feed active. Told her to use her best judgment on responses, trying to empower her a bit, get her to take ownership while I focus elsewhere." He leaned forward slightly. "Honestly, you're the expert though. Any chance you could take a thirty-second look? Just see if she's generally on the right track? I haven't had time to really monitor it closely."
"Oh, delegating already! Smart move," Sarah said approvingly, already pulling out her phone and navigating deftly to the shop's new Instagram page Olivia had likely set up or taken over. She scrolled through the recent posts, photos of golden chicken, crispy chips, Henry's deep-fried creations. She tapped on a few comments, reading the replies.
"Okay, wow," Sarah murmured after a minute, looking genuinely impressed. "Her food photos are actually really decent, good lighting, appealing angles. And this reply here to someone asking about gluten-free options? Friendly, informative, perfectly handled." She looked up at Theo, nodding. "Yeah, she's got great instincts for tone. Picking it up super fast."
She scrolled a bit more. "Just maybe," she added, tapping thoughtfully on her screen, "tell her to try mixing in some simple 'behind-the-scenes' stuff occasionally. People connect with that authenticity, maybe a quick shot of Henry prepping the potatoes, or the chickens rotating on the spits. Doesn't have to be slick, just real. And short video clips are gold, even just five seconds of the chips sizzling in the fryer or pulling a perfectly cooked chicken off the rotisserie. Motion grabs way more attention in the feed than static images."
Theo mentally filed away the feedback. "Behind-the-scenes, video clips. Got it. Simple enough. Thanks, Sarah. Appreciate the expert eye."
"No problem!" she smiled. "She's clearly got potential. Looks like you're building a good little team there, Theo. Unexpected, but good." She took another sip of wine, her expression turning slightly more serious. "So, besides dodging bad reviews and training new staff... how are things really going?"
He paused, swirling the wine in his glass. "Did some digging based on your hunch about competitors." He let a small, cold smile touch his lips. "Let's just say… 'Something Fishy' seems very likely to have been involved. Found some interesting coincidences." He didn't elaborate on his methods or findings, just hinted. "Still working out the… appropriate response."
Sarah watched him, her expression unreadable for a moment. "Theo," she said quietly, "just… be careful, okay? Getting into petty business feuds rarely ends well. Focus on your own success." There was a note of genuine concern in her voice that surprised him.
"Don't worry," Theo said smoothly, the cold smile returning briefly. "My responses are always… proportionate."
They finished dinner, the conversation shifting back to lighter topics. When they returned to the chicken shop just over an hour later, the main rush had subsided. The shop was still busy, but Henry, Olivia, and Jenny were managing it smoothly, working together efficiently. Henry gave Theo a tired but triumphant grin as they walked in.
"All good, boss!" Henry reported. "Got slammed for about forty minutes straight, but we kept up!"
Theo felt a surge of pride. Henry had passed the test. He was ready.
Week 24 - Sunday
Sunday night. After another incredibly busy day (hitting 198 chicken sales and 140 desserts), Theo reviewed the week's finances. His cash balance was climbing rapidly, now comfortably over $50k again, even after accounting for the upcoming camera installation cost Sarah had quoted. The chicken shop was a reliable engine.
Before finally packing up his own laptop for the night, driven by a cold curiosity, Theo pulled up the Google reviews for 'Something Fishy'. His usual detached analysis sharpened into predatory focus. He scrolled past the suspiciously generic five-star reviews from the previous weeks and stopped. There they were. Three new reviews, all posted within the last 48 hours, clustered since Friday evening. All scathing. All one star.
⭐☆☆☆☆ “Oil tasted OFF today! Fish was greasy and had a weird aftertaste. Used to be okay, but won't be back.”
⭐☆☆☆☆ “Something wrong with their freezer? My fish was partially frozen in the middle! Gross! Avoid!”
⭐☆☆☆☆ “Then my chips tasted like burnt oil. Absolute disaster today.”
A slow, chillingly genuine smile spread across Theo's face in the dim light of his apartment. The words were music to his ears. Perfect. Predictable. The timed enhancements had detonated exactly as planned, precisely when they would cause maximum disruption. The +1 Quality on the old fryer oil wearing off mid-rush, revealing its rancid reality. The +1 Efficiency on the freezer compressor likely causing over-freezing, followed by potential thawing issues after its automatic reversal, especially if the owner had panicked and adjusted the thermostat down. Each subtle, line-of-sight strike, deployed invisibly earlier in the week, had landed perfectly, creating precisely the kind of operational chaos and customer misery he’d intended. Phase one of his retribution was a resounding success.
This initial victory didn't quench his thirst. It merely confirmed the efficacy of his methods and sharpened his appetite for the main course. Revenge wasn't just about causing temporary inconvenience anymore. It was about acquisition. Why settle for merely punishing the fool who attacked him when he could seize the spoils of war?
You wanted my business? Theo thought again, the vindictive satisfaction tasting sweet and cold. You poked the bear, now you deal with the consequences. I'm not just going to make you bleed. I'm going to dismantle you.
Phase two would be a campaign of sustained, unpredictable pressure. He could hit the fryer oil again next week, maybe time it for a Thursday this time. The water main still seemed to hold out, but if he enhanced and un-enhanced it a couple more times, even the best pipes can only take so much battering. He eagerly anticipated reports of potential plumbing failures. What next? He could always find new and innovate ways to test his enhance and un-enhance with, there will definitely be other “options” available. Theo had all the time in the world and would keep the pressure piling up relentlessly on “Something Fishy”.
He envisioned the owner, trapped in a spiral of escalating stress, inexplicable malfunctions, dwindling customers, and mounting repair bills. He pictured the man's initial smugness curdling into paranoia, then desperation. Theo would watch the online reviews, monitor the decline like a vulture circling its prey, waiting patiently for the inevitable 'Business For Sale' sign, likely advertised at a fire-sale price.
And Theo would be ready. Maybe use a shell company, maybe a proxy buyer, details to be determined later. Acquire the failing business, the location, the equipment, for a song. Then? Install permanent +1 enhancements on everything that mattered. Maybe even offer the broken, bankrupt former owner a minimum-wage job cleaning the fryers, just for the sheer, exquisite cruelty of it. 'Something Fishy' would be reborn under his control, an efficient, profitable counterpart to Maria's. Chicken and Fish & Chips, side-by-side, optimized, dominating the local takeaway market. Two reliable cash cows.
You tried to sabotage me, Theo addressed the absent owner in his thoughts, the smile hardening into a predatory grin. Instead, you're going to unwittingly finance my next stage of expansion. It felt beautifully, ruthlessly elegant. He finally closed his laptop, the raw anger now channelled into a cold, patient, long-term strategy of destruction and acquisition. The climb required leveraging every advantage, and crushing those who dared stand in his way was simply part of the process.
Theodore Sterling - Financial Ledger (End of Week 24)
Starting Balance (Beginning Week 24): $44,161.00 (Carried over from End of Week 23)
Income (Week 24):
Mon Sales (Est. 143 C + 81 D): +$2936.00
Tues Sales (Est. 141 C + 83 D): +$2920.00
Wed Sales (Est. 137 C + 76 D): +$2800.00
Thurs Sales (Est. 147 C + 88 D): +$3056.00
Fri Sales (Est. 189 C + 112 D): +$3920.00
Sat Sales (Est. 192 C + 110 D): +$3952.00
Sun Sales (Est. 198 C + 100 D): +$4128.00
Total Income (Week 24): +$23,712.00
Expenses (Week 24):
Personal Rent Paid (Week 24): -$450.00
Personal Living Expenses (Week 24): -$500.00
Business Lease Payment (Week 24): -$700.00
Food Stock/Supplies (Est. based on ~1147 C + ~660 D orders at 30% of revenue): -$5000.00
Shop Utilities (Est. @ $175/wk): -$175.00
Wages - Henry (Full week + 20% Bonus): -$840.00
Wages - Olivia (Full week + 20% Bonus): -$840.00
Wages - Jenny (Part-time ~25hrs + 20% Bonus): -$300.00
Misc Shop Expenses (Fees, Cleaning Supplies etc. Est.): -$150.00
Provision for Estimated Taxes (Est. @ ~30% of Profit): ~$4403.00
Dinner with Sarah (Camera Consult): -$80.00 (Estimate)
Total Expenses: -$13,438.00
Net Change (Week 24): +$23,712.00 (Income) - $13,438.00 (Expenses) = +$10,274.00
Ending Balance (End of Sunday, Week 24): $54,435.00
Assets:
Maria's Charcoal Chicken (Business Purchase Price): $38,000.00
Status: Revenge Initiated & Operations Delegated. Successfully discovered line-of-sight power activation and confirmed holistic nature of +1. Executed subtle sabotage campaign against rival shop 'Something Fishy' using timed +1/Un-Enhance on key equipment. Successfully trialled Henry in quasi-manager role; promotion pending. Olivia managing social media; Jenny showing initiative and growth. Coordinated security camera installation (Ring system) with Sarah for next week. Shop maintaining high sales volume and profitability (~$10.3k net gain). Financial reserves rebuilt to ~$54.4k cash + business asset. Focus now on formalizing Henry's role, installing security, monitoring revenge effects + potential to acquire, and continuing strategic planning for next venture.
Comments
coffeetime
Theo's abilities are still slowing growing, so there is lots of opportunities to try out different things and see how it can influence the story! In terms of the touching vs line of sight, I tried to be careful in the earlier chapters to be more vague, but may have slipped up somewhere. I'll have a look through again and see if anything needs to be fixed! Thanks for the heads up.
Stasis
Okayyy, this chapter answered some of my questions regarding his abilities. Idk if I read it wrong but I thought he already was using his power without touching objects, I think around when he was doing the coffee tests ?
