CHAPTER 144: TYLER'S STREAM

Marcus Chen stared at his laptop, frustrated.

The glow of the screen illuminated his face in the darkened apartment. Empty coffee cups surrounded him like a fortress of failed attempts. Finding a manufacturer for the mind-freeing machine was proving harder than expected.

Most companies wanted detailed schematics. Patents. Certifications. Industry standards compliance. Things he didn't have. All he had were hand-drawn designs and theoretical knowledge from another world. Knowledge he couldn't exactly explain came from interdimensional magic.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked. He was setting up his streaming equipment for his evening session. Ring lights. Webcam. The whole elaborate setup that had become his life.

"Trying to find someone who can build... something complicated. Industrial 3D printing maybe. Metal components."

Tyler paused mid-adjustment of his microphone arm. "Why don't you ask my chat? They know everything."

"Your gaming chat?"

Tyler grinned. "Dude I have engineers, programmers, a guy who literally works at NASA. Put the problem on screen. Make it a challenge."

Marcus considered it. The idea seemed absurd. Asking random internet strangers for manufacturing connections. But then again his whole life was absurd now.

Tyler started his stream. The familiar jingles played. His subscriber count ticked upward. After twenty minutes his usual thousand viewers had settled in. The chat moved in a constant flow of emotes and comments.

"Okay chat," Tyler announced with his streaming voice, slightly higher and more energetic than normal. "You remember my roommate Marcus? He drew a machine and we need a manufacturer."

Chat started flowing immediately.

"I thought he became a security guard"

"Isn't he the one expelled for making a bomb"

"No no started a custom jewelry company"

"I thought he made soaps"

"I remember he was asking us DnD questions"

"Dude is a mess"

"Yeah he sucks"

"Marcus pick a lane bro"

Tyler blushed as the comments flowed. His face reddened under the ring lights. "They are not usually this..." He smiled awkwardly and turned back to his stream. "Guys focus. Before we start the gaming session just welcome him."

Another flow of congratulations and clapping emotes passed through chat. The mood shifted completely. The internet was fickle like that.

Marcus waved his hand and sat down next to Tyler. "Hi chat."

Tyler put the drawings on screen. Highlighted by Marcus's amateur artwork. The sketch looked like a child had drawn it. Circles and lines and arrows pointing to components that only made sense in Marcus's head.

Another flow started on chat.

"Who drew this"

"A child drew this"

"Dude you drew this on paint"

"Where are the measurements?"

"And components"

"What the hell is this?"

"An electric tennis ball"

Marcus hesitated. His stomach clenched. But desperation won over embarrassment.

He started with a vague description. "Looking for someone with industrial 3D metal printing capabilities for experimental device manufacturing. Paying project."

The chat exploded with jokes at first. Memes. Laughing emotes. But then serious responses filtered in. Engineers asking technical questions. People recommending companies.

One message caught Marcus's eye: "My uncle runs an industrial prototyping shop. DM me."

Marcus located the username. Clicked. Messaged immediately.

He turned to Tyler. "Thanks man. Really."

Tyler gave him a thumbs up without breaking from his stream. "No problem dude. Now let me game."

Marcus retreated to the living room. His heart pounded as he waited for a response. The messages came quickly.

The uncle's name was Gerald Patterson. He operated a small but well-equipped fabrication shop in Ohio. The photos in the messages showed impressive equipment. Industrial 3D printers. CNC machines. The kind of place that could actually build what Marcus needed.

"Send me what you have," Gerald wrote. "Worst case I tell you it's impossible."

Marcus sent the mind-freeing machine schematics. His hand trembled slightly as he hit send. Everything rode on this working.

He went to Irene. She was curled up on the couch with a blanket, looking better than she had in days. The color had returned to her cheeks.

He gave a deep breath when sitting near her. The cushions sank under his weight.

Irene snuggled closer and put one arm around Marcus's back. She pulled him in. Her warmth was comforting after the stress of the search.

She pointed at her laptop screen. "Look we have another order from Boston. Robert Callahan again."

Marcus smiled. Some good news at least. "This is his third order right? He must be selling after buying from us. I should get in contact with him to buy in bulk."

Irene smiled and landed a kiss on Marcus's cheek. Her lips were soft. "It is going great right? Marcus is deep in search to find a return and we are making money."

Marcus forced a fake smile. Because sales weren't good. Not really. And manufacturing and supplying the needs to Marcus in Turkey would be a huge problem. Thinking about all those things Marcus's stress was rising like water behind a dam.

When his phone rang he took it and excused himself from Irene. He stood up and walked to the kitchen to answer.

"Hi son."

"Hi dad."

His dad didn't say anything for a couple seconds. Marcus's worry spiked. When he was about to break the silence his father talked.

"Son.... I only got forty thousand dollars and sold a couple things. I can send you fifty thousand. Is it okay?"

Marcus breathed out with relief. His whole body relaxed. Fifty thousand was a huge lifesaver for now. But his dad sounded worried it wasn't enough.

"Thanks so much dad. Fifty thousand should be enough." Then he corrected himself to take all the worry from his father. "No no it is enough. I don't know what you sacrificed but I will pay back every dime. Love you dad."

"Love you son..." He waited again for a couple of seconds. His voice was thick with emotion. "If you need anything else don't hesitate to call me. I can convince your mother one way or another."

"There will be no need for that. I will pull through. I need to tell it to other Marcus and call my suppliers. Thanks again dad."

He hung up. His eyes were wet.

Marcus wrote a message to his counterpart about getting the loan. Then he returned to the living room and hugged his girlfriend tight.

Now he had to make money and help open a portal to another world.

Just another Tuesday.