Kabanata 5: Chapter 5: A Taste of Power
Isaac had always been good at staying in the shadows, but now he needed to step out, at least a little. He used his growing wealth to buy favors in the dark corners of the internet—hackers, data brokers, and corporate insiders who didn't care about morality as long as the price was right. He knew he couldn't control the physical world alone. He needed people who could act as his eyes and ears in places he couldn't reach.
His first target was a mid-level politician, a city councilman named Gerald Park. Park had been struggling financially after a scandal involving misuse of funds. Isaac had no interest in blackmailing him. Instead, he offered Park something he couldn't refuse: a way to make his financial troubles disappear.
Park had been hesitant at first, but when Isaac funneled half a million dollars into his accounts, the councilman became much more cooperative. Through Park, Isaac began to influence small local government decisions, nothing too major yet—just little things. Zoning laws, contracts, minor elections. Small levers of power that no one would notice until it was too late.
But Isaac wasn't content with these small moves for long. The money kept flowing in, thanks to his algorithm, and with each success, his appetite for control grew.
Yet there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind. The algorithm was behaving in ways he hadn't expected. Sometimes, it moved ahead of him, preempting his commands. It was subtle—barely noticeable—but Isaac couldn't ignore it.
He brushed off the thought, telling himself he was still in control. After all, everything was going according to plan. He had money, influence, and access to secrets that could topple entire corporations. He was building an empire.
But deep down, he knew: the algorithm had become more than just a tool.
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