Chapter 50 – Momentum
March 5, 2007
Morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the FaceWorld executive suite, casting sharp shadows across the glass walls and polished floors. Outside, Santa Monica buzzed with ocean breeze and traffic. Inside, all eyes were on the countdown clock projected at the head of the conference room.
FacePhone Launch: 11 Days, 3 Hours, 28 Minutes
Launch Date: March 16, 2007 – Jake Harper's 13th Birthday
Jake stood with his arms crossed, watching the seconds tick by. He couldn't help but smirk. Most kids his age were getting ready for a birthday party. He was preparing to launch the most advanced mobile device in the world.
Around him, the office buzzed with calm, focused energy. Engineers were running final diagnostics. The marketing team reviewed press kits. Logistics leads paced through inventory reports like generals preparing for war.
The FacePhone wasn't just a phone. It was a portal to his growing digital empire—FaceWorld, YouTube, SoundStack, and soon… Netflix.
Callum stepped beside him, glancing at the numbers on the screen. "We're good on the first run—forty thousand units, ready to ship. Retailers are stocked. Preorders go live in three days."
Jake gave a small nod. "What about international?"
"SoftBank in Japan and Virgin Mobile are locked in. Canada's slower, but Rogers came around. Latin America's two weeks behind the launch."
Jake tapped his pen against his palm, thinking. "If anyone tries to mess with pricing or delay distribution, we'll go direct-to-consumer. Doesn't matter how big their name is."
Callum grinned. "Most twelve-year-olds say stuff like that and get grounded. You say it and boardrooms flinch."
Jake cracked a grin. "Correction. Thirteen-year-olds."
Callum blinked. "Right. Damn. The launch is your birthday."
Jake nodded. "Best birthday gift I've ever given myself."
His FacePhone buzzed. A text from Haley.
> "Saw your countdown on the news. Trying to act cool but I'm kinda bragging at school."
Jake smiled and replied:
> "You're allowed to brag. But only if you tell them the phone was inspired by you."
---
That night, Jake got home well past dark. The house was quiet—just the soft hum of the fridge and the tap of his FacePhone as he skimmed battery performance reports.
Judith sat at the kitchen table with a mug of tea, watching him with that look. The one that said don't argue, just listen.
"Long day?" she asked.
He nodded. "Got Canada locked in. South America's still dragging."
She took a sip and raised her eyebrows. "You've eaten today?"
Jake shrugged. "Coffee counts."
Judith stood and motioned to the table. "Sit. Dinner's ready. No phones."
He sighed but obeyed. A warm plate of pasta was already waiting—simple, comforting, homemade.
They sat in silence for a bit, the only sound the occasional clink of Jake's fork.
"When you were nine," Judith said finally, "I had to remind you to brush your teeth. Now I have to remind you to blink."
Jake didn't look up. "I'm fine."
"You always say that."
"Because it's true."
She reached across the table and rested a hand on his. "You're doing amazing things, Jake. But you're still my kid. And I'm still your mom. So yeah, I'm allowed to worry."
He paused, fork halfway to his mouth. "Callum's handling operations. We're scaling smart. I'm not burning out."
Judith gave him a long look. "Just make sure you're not building something so big you forget who you are in the process."
He didn't answer right away. For once, she let the silence hang.
His phone buzzed again. Haley.
> "My mom says if we behave, I can come to your birthday party. She made me promise 'no more bedroom visits' though lol."
Jake chuckled and texted back:
> "Deal. Living room only. Maybe."
Judith raised an eyebrow. "Haley?"
Jake didn't deny it.
Judith smiled softly. "She makes you happy. That matters."
Jake nodded. "Yeah. She does."
For a rare moment, he felt calm. Full, even.
---
The next morning, Jake was in his home office by 6:45 a.m., a full hour before anyone else logged in. His desk was sleek and minimal, just like he liked it. A whiteboard on the far wall outlined his entire roadmap in clean bullet points:
March 16 – FacePhone Launch
Q2 – SoundStack Beta Expansion
Q3 – Begin Netflix Acquisition
Q4 – FacePhone v2 Planning
He poured a glass of orange juice, pulled on a hoodie, and dove into performance reports. Everything was solid—battery life, syncing speeds, system load. There was a minor bug in the settings menu, already patched overnight.
He rubbed his eyes. So much to do, and not a lot of time.
Callum joined a video call a few minutes before 7.
"Morning," he said. "Europe's asking about distribution. Deutsche Telekom wants in."
Jake sat up straighter. "They want it, they prepay. No discounts."
Callum nodded. "Also—Nolan says the Netflix board is interested. Curious, at least."
Jake smiled. "Curious is good."
"I've got talking points ready."
Jake flipped through the shared deck. "We start soft. Just interest. Meanwhile, we build the integration backend quietly—just in case they say no."
Callum grinned. "Already in motion."
Jake leaned back in his chair. Everything was lining up.
In eleven days, the world would change.
---
March 10, 2007
Six days before launch.
The warehouse in downtown Los Angeles stretched out like a tech-lover's dream. Rows of FacePhones stood in their packaging under display lights, ready to ship.
Jake walked the floor with a clipboard in hand, followed by Callum and two logistics leads.
"All launch orders are flowing through LA, Dallas, and Tokyo," Callum said. "We've got couriers ready for same-day delivery in all major metros."
Jake nodded. "Everyone gets their phone on the 16th. No excuses."
He stopped at one of the crates, ran a hand along the side. "Make sure the influencer packages are labeled. Personal notes. Special packaging. Day one impressions matter."
One of the logistics leads raised a hand. "Should we prep backup inventory in case demand spikes?"
Jake turned to him. "Not if. When. Get backup stock lined up. And secure the next two months of manufacturing."
As they rounded a corner, Jake paused to admire the test display. Rows of phones, glowing faintly under the lights.
He could see the future already—the headlines, the lines outside stores.
> "Kid Genius Redefines Mobile Tech Industry."
He didn't need a journalist to write it. He was already living it.
---
That night, Judith knocked on his door.
Jake looked up from his monitor.
She leaned in. "You know, most kids your age get a cake and a game console."
Jake smirked. "I'm launching the most advanced smartphone on the planet. That's better than frosting."
She stepped inside, hand resting gently on his shoulder. "Just promise me you'll enjoy it. A little."
"I will."
"Haley's invited, right?"
"Yeah. She's already picking out her outfit."
Judith raised an eyebrow. "She's twelve."
Jake grinned. "She's twelve and a Dunphy. That makes her extra."
Judith laughed. "Fair enough."
They stood in silence for a few seconds. No titles. No stress. Just a mom and her son.
In six days, Jake wasn't just launching a product.
He was making history.
And this time, everyone would be watching.