Chapter 6 Stolen spotlight

CHAPTER 6: Stolen Spotlight

Anticipation permeated the early air outside the conference center. The square was bustling with early arrivals, including investors in fitted suits and entrepreneurs pulling roller bags, while banners proclaiming the city's annual TechFront Expo fluttered along the façade. John was standing next to Olivia with his phone open to the Billionaire's Club interface in one hand and a bundle of business cards in the other.

"Are you prepared?" As she tucked a stray hair behind her ear, Olivia inquired. Although she exuded her customary confidence, John saw a glint of nervousness in her eyes.

He nodded, finding strength in her composure. "More than before. The task for today is to take the stage. 50% is the desired level of popularity.

Through his headphones, the sardonic voice of the software chirped: "Mission initiated: Public Demo. Record audience participation in real time. Bonus points for social media trending."

John let out a sigh. "Does not it ever give me an easy task?"

Olivia smiled. "Easy is dull. Let us get this done.

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Prototypes of 3D-printed limbs, drone swarms, and AI culinary helpers were on exhibit in rows of startup booths within the vast hall. Reality Layers: Augmented Engagement for Brands was written on a sign over their stand. Their simple arrangement stood in stark contrast to the nearby extravagances, which included motion-sensing flooring and sleek holographic screens. However, when people stopped, captivated by the interactive interface on their tablet, John felt a wave of pride.

Olivia led the roughly twenty volunteers in the audience through a brief demonstration. When she clicked the device, augmented reality overlays appeared on a live video feed of the hall. These overlays included virtual buttons to modify the flavor of the soda, floating product data above the can, and a tappable link that allowed users to "buy" a digital token that represented their interest.

"Consider this as a marketing x-ray vision," Olivia remarked. "You engage with a product in real time, not just view it." In 3D, the virtual Coke can revolved smoothly as she waved her hand, and when someone "shook" it on their phone screen, it produced a fizzing sound.

Spectators tapped and laughed with delight. John looked at the Popularity: 37.2% on his own phone. For a first demo, not bad. He gave the gathering a grin.

"Now, what if we expand this beyond a single product?" he added, taking a step forward. What if customers could vote in real time, create their own taste profile, and even decide whether to produce a tiny batch? A poll system with two virtual bottles "Tropical Twist" and "Berry Burst" appeared when he tapped one more. The crowd clattered wildly. Cheers broke out when bars rose.

John experienced a wave of excitement from the audience. "Popularity +5.4%" was the app's dinged value. He glanced at Olivia, who winked at him (Popularity: 38.9%*). They were winning.

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When a stage coordinator walked in, the crowd erupted with joy. "You two are very involved. In five minutes, we have an unscheduled time slot on the *Innovation Stage*. Are you interested?

Olivia's eyes brightened. "Definitely."

John felt his heart pound. An opportunity to webcast worldwide better yet, to demo in front of hundreds. He said, "Let us do it."

After gathering their belongings (phone, tablet, and business cards), they followed the organizer through the throng. As John switched his phone back to the app, his hands shook a little. The population is 42.3%. The ascent was thrilling.

Olivia presented them onstage, surrounded by a continuous montage of sponsor logos and dazzling lights. "Good day, creative thinkers. We are Reality Layers' Olivia Reynolds and John Turner. Allow us to demonstrate the next development in brand interaction.

Industry insiders made up the majority of the crowd, who watched with courteous interest. John started the demo at Olivia's signal, showing the identical AR overlay that was now synchronized with a big projection behind them. Virtual prototypes of products hovered above the seats of the audience. As their motions caused animations, people gasped.

John's phone began to softly click as he received the following notifications: * "#RealityLayers trending on CityTech now." * He felt a rush of excitement. The moment he had dreamt of was here.

With his newfound confidence, he walked the stage while explaining the AI-driven customization, backend scalability, and system architecture. "Can it handle 10,000 concurrent users?" was one of the queries Olivia answered from the audience. "How about the security of data?" "Give us a case study from the real world."

John said, "Here tap the code on you

Since BlackStar had formally severed his connection with him, he had no scheduled meetings there. He looked at the label of the envelope: "Mr. J. Turner Private."

He felt a surge of fear and curiosity. He cut it open.

One piece of paper an internal message from Harris Black to the executive board was included therein. "Appointment: Mr. Mark Reynolds, VP of Strategic Integration" was the subject line. The message congratulated Mark with salvaging the company's survival and commended his "innovative leadership" in putting Reality Layers under BlackStar's purview.

As John read, his fingers trembled. Four words best describe his vision, his code, and his restless nights: "innovative leadership Mark Reynolds."

His thoughts racing, he collapsed onto the sofa. He took his phone out, launched the app, and gazed at the home screen. "Congratulations, User," the arrogant, snide voice crackled.