After a long night of sleep, James woke to the soft morning light creeping through his bedroom window. His body was sore, his mind a little sluggish, but the burning excitement within him easily pushed aside the exhaustion.
Today was another step toward the future.
Over a simple breakfast with his mother and father — some toast, scrambled eggs, and coffee — he chatted lightly about school, about trivial things, all while hiding the blazing determination that danced behind his eyes.He finished his meal quickly, excused himself, and headed straight to the garage.
"I'm working on a project," James said casually to his parents before disappearing inside.
In truth, he was building the very foundation of what would one day become an empire.
Sitting at his desk, he cracked his knuckles and booted up the Gateway 2000.The hum of the Sun Microsystems server was a reassuring background noise.James activated the Neural Nexus, his mind connecting seamlessly to the machine, and he began designing the official website for DoubleClick Advertising Company.
In the world of business, appearance was everything.People relied on clothes to project status, and horses relied on saddles to carry their riders in battle.If DoubleClick was to be the world's first and leading Internet advertising technology company, then it needed branding, prestige, and a presence that demanded respect.
And right now, there was no competition.No one was arguing with him.He could claim any title he wanted — and no one could say otherwise.
With that thought, he started crafting the site.
Big, bold words danced across the top:
"The World's First Internet Advertising Technology Company."
Underneath, another line:
"America's Leading Internet Media Pioneer."
James smirked at his own shamelessness, feeling a flush of embarrassment — but he didn't stop.Now was not the time for humility.
He structured the site carefully:
Home Page: a sleek introduction filled with self-praise.
Company Introduction: boasting technological leadership and pioneering innovation.
Technical Cooperation: inviting other businesses to join forces with DoubleClick.
Contact Information: a professional gateway for inquiries.
The homepage design was stark and elegant: black and white frames, a splash of blue and silver in the center, bold fonts screaming confidence.
For 1995, this website was breathtaking.While most websites were still clunky, text-heavy affairs, DoubleClick's site looked professional, stylish, and ahead of its time.
James leaned back, surveying his work, and allowed himself a small grin.
No one would suspect that this entire "leading company" was operating out of a suburban garage.
After finishing the website, James shifted his focus back to the AdNova system.
The heart of DoubleClick's future.
He reviewed the modules he had built:
Dynamic Ad Placement: serving different types of ads based on user interactions.
Click-Through Rate Tracking: real-time analytics to measure ad success.
Behavior Analysis: understanding what types of ads generated the most interest — static banners, dynamic ads, sponsorships.
It was a system years ahead of its time.
Even now, most people couldn't grasp the concept of dynamically changing advertising based on user data.But James knew — because he had seen the future.
He just had to make sure he got there first.
He was deep in editing code, his mind immersed in streams of logic and design, when suddenly a voice startled him.
"James? What are you doing, staring at your computer screen like that?"
James nearly jumped out of his chair.
He turned to see his father, Thomas, standing behind him, peering curiously over his shoulder.
Heart pounding, James forced himself to stay calm.He realized how strange it must have looked — him staring at a computer screen without touching the keyboard, lost in thought.
He couldn't exactly explain that he was mentally programming with Neural Nexus.
Thankfully, it was only his father.He hadn't seen anything suspicious — yet.
Quickly, James said, "This is what I've been working on lately, Dad. A solution to one of the biggest problems on the internet — how to actually make money."
Thomas raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
James gestured to the chair in front of the computer."Here. Sit down. Let me show you."
Thomas lowered himself into the chair, adjusting his glasses, and took hold of the mouse.
He clicked around — entering the website, browsing through the pages.
The name DoubleClick Advertising Company flashed across the top, accompanied by bold declarations of greatness.He navigated through the polished home page, the company introduction, and the technical cooperation page.
For a few moments, Thomas said nothing.
But James saw it — the way his father's eyes widened slightly, the way his posture straightened.
Even though Thomas didn't fully understand the technology, he understood presentation.
This website looked real.It looked important.
From the perspective of 1995 — when the internet was still a strange, clunky novelty — this was professional-grade.Polished. Modern. Ambitious.
Thomas looked around the messy garage — the old bikes, the stacked boxes, the exposed wires — and then back at the sleek, futuristic website on the screen.
The contrast was staggering.
He leaned back, processing what he had just seen.
James watched him carefully, heart pounding.
After a long moment, Thomas got up and moved to a reclining chair near the garage door.
Several parasols and lounge chairs were arranged there — a makeshift relaxation spot.
He sat down heavily, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully.
James followed him, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans.
"Listen, Dad," James began."I know it sounds crazy. But I believe... no, I know that the internet is the future. And companies will need ways to make money online. This advertising system I'm building — it's going to be the backbone of that."
Thomas looked at his son — saw the messy hair, the dark circles under his eyes, the fierce determination burning behind them.
This wasn't a phase.This wasn't teenage rebellion.
This was real.
Thomas exhaled slowly. "Alright. What do you need from me?"
James felt a rush of gratitude.
He steadied himself and said, "I need to register patents. To protect the AdNova system, and some other inventions I've built into it. Do you know any patent attorneys?"
Thomas smiled faintly."Remember Danny? My old golf buddy? He left his corporate firm and moved back into private practice. Intellectual property law is his specialty. I'll give him a call."
James grinned."Your golf buddy? Perfect."
He continued, "I also need to set up a company. Something official. We'll need to handle business registration, contracts, permits — all of that."
Thomas nodded, already thinking."Your sister can help with that. She's been working in San Francisco — business law. She knows the registration process inside and out. She can draft your founders' agreements, employee contracts, the works."
James's heart swelled.
"Thank you, Dad," he said quietly.
Thomas waved a hand dismissively.
"You're my son, James. There's no need for thanks. Family helps family."
James said nothing more.
In his previous life, he had been too proud, too stubborn, trying to prove himself by refusing any help.But that path had only led to wasted years, regrets, and failure.
Now he understood:Using the support and resources of his family wasn't weakness — it was wisdom.
A strong foundation wasn't something to be ashamed of.It was something to build upon.
James looked back toward the glowing computer screen.The future was waiting for him — and this time, he wouldn't be facing it alone.
He smiled, a fierce and determined smile, and whispered to himself:
"Let's begin."