Chapter 47: 47

Joseph flew home exhausted, his body aching from the so-called "training" session with Captain Atom. If not for his healing factor, he would have been covered in deep bruises from head to toe. Maybe Captain Atom had actually enjoyed their spar. Someone at his level probably went days—maybe even weeks—without a proper challenge. At least Joseph had managed to land one clean hit before being sent face-first into yet another rock formation. Small victories. By the end of their session, they had agreed to meet twice a week. Joseph would accompany Captain Atom on League business, gaining first-hand experience, while also receiving formal training in manipulating Nova Force. Spitting out another bit of gravel, Joseph discreetly landed on the fire escape outside his apartment and slipped in through the window. It was late, ensuring no one had seen him. A hot shower washed away the dust and soreness, but it did little to soothe his mounting exhaustion. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a loose shirt before settling in at his computer. There was work to do. He scanned through the flood of job applications that had poured in over the last few days. Game designers, software engineers, artists, producers, quality assurance testers, sound engineers, marketing specialists, business administrators, cybersecurity experts, data analysts, financial analysts—the list went on. Bell Studios was taking its first steps. Nova had outlined the plan months ago: build a tech and gaming empire from the ground up, leveraging Joseph's early successes. The scale of it all still surprised him. There were hundreds of applicants—some highly skilled, some fresh out of school, and even a few who were homeless. It made sense. Bell Studios offered significantly better benefits than the industry standard, along with the flexibility of remote work—something Nova had strongly advised him to push for, even though it was still a relatively new concept in the business world. But there was one problem: Joseph was still a minor. To legally run a business, sign contracts, and open corporate accounts, he needed an adult's name on the paperwork. So he had turned to Selina Kyle. In exchange for lending her name to the company, she would receive 2% in shares—a temporary arrangement until Joseph turned 18 and could formally take over. He leaned back in his chair, thinking about his finances. He had enough capital to cover hiring costs for the first few months, and if necessary, he could supplement it with the stolen money from Karoselle's hidden accounts. His ventures were already profitable: PikPok had brought in $482,000 in profit. MyCraft had earned $930,000, easily the most successful. RobLux had made $110,000—a modest start, but growth was expected as more users joined and purchased RobBux. BellCoin's value was in the millions, steadily increasing and poised for exponential growth. For apps released only three to four months ago, these figures were astonishing—borderline unicorn levels. Unsurprisingly, major corporations like LexCorp were circling, eager to invest and claim a piece of his success. That would never happen. Joseph refused to let his hard work fall into the hands of corporate vultures—especially LexCorp. His next steps were clear. He would take the rest of the week off from school to focus on hiring. Interviews—both virtual and in person—would determine who had the skill and mindset to join his vision. He also needed to secure a physical office space for Bell Studios. Even with remote work, having a headquarters would lend legitimacy to the company and serve as a base of operations. Joseph exhaled heavily, already anticipating the stress and headaches that lay ahead. His guidance counselor was not going to be happy. He had already missed Tuesday. At this point, what was the rest of the week? He smirked, closing his laptop. That was a problem for future Joseph. For now, he needed sleep. ** The next few days had been brutal. From handling his business affairs, searching for office space downtown, and negotiating deals, to conducting online and offline interviews, Joseph's schedule had been nothing short of chaotic. Now, he was sitting in a Gotham café, wrapping up his final interview of the day. Across from him sat a homeless man, a potential hire for a video game designer position. Joseph took a sip of his coffee. One last candidate. "So, it says you're from Metropolis," Joseph said, glancing at the man's résumé. "What brought you to Gotham?" The man scoffed. "Having a bunch of homeless people like me doesn't sell the image of the 'City of Tomorrow,' now does it?" Joseph raised an eyebrow. "Lex Luthor's been making it impossible for homeless people to live in Metropolis," the man continued. "The mayor couldn't be more of a puppet if Luthor's hand was literally up his ass. Whatever bill Luthor wants passed gets passed. Harsher vagrancy laws, spikes on benches, clearing out encampments... you name it. The reason why Metropolis 'doesn't have a homeless problem' is because they pushed us all out—mostly to Gotham." Joseph frowned. That explained why he didn't see any homeless when he went there for the basketball game. "And if you don't mind me asking, why are you homeless?" The man's jaw clenched. "My game studio went under when Goode World Studios copied our game and ran us into the ground. We couldn't compete, and the debt crushed me." Joseph narrowed his eyes. Goode World Studios again? They were already trying to mimic his newest games, and now he found out they had a history of crushing smaller studios. "Well, Mr. Jack," Joseph said, setting the résumé down. "You have the skills and experience I'm looking for. As long as you do your job well, Bell Studios will keep you. If you know any other talented people, send them my way." The man—Jack—looked stunned. His hands trembled slightly before he grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Bell. I won't let you down." Joseph nodded and slid a company contract across the table. After Jack signed, Joseph paid for both their meals and stepped out of the cafe. With this final hire, Bell Studios now had a little over a hundred employees spread across his three gaming apps and BellCoin. The real work was just beginning. Training, setting expectations, and making sure everything ran smoothly... Joseph sighed. He could already feel the stress creeping up. But it was necessary. Bell Studios was growing. And soon, everyone—from LexCorp to Goode World Studios—would realize that Joseph Bell wasn't someone they could push around.