The Beginning of the Hunt

Sims Future Venture Capital had no office address, nor did it have more than a few clerks on staff. Ezekiel Sims had always carried the entire operation alone, treating his home as the company.

The reason was simple: he did not trust others.

The other reason was more practical. His methods were never entirely aboveboard, and sometimes there was even the question of whether they were legal.

Finding someone trustworthy to work with long-term was not easy, so it was better not to look at all. That way, he would not have to worry about an employee's loyalty.

Most helpers were like disposable tableware to him—used once, then thrown away. Accountants and lawyers, for example, were hired only when needed and paid by the job. The same went for other types of workers.

Although the per-job rate was usually higher than a permanent employee's daily or hourly wage,

when there was no work, the former cost nothing, while the latter still required payment. In the long run, the latter was not necessarily more cost-effective.

The one reason to hire a permanent employee was probably that the person could become familiar with the work and improve efficiency.

But if the work required neither proficiency nor accumulated technical skill, if anyone with basic common sense could do it, and if the workload was not substantial, then outsourcing work by the job was more beneficial to the employer than maintaining permanent staff.

That was why Ezekiel Sims's one-man company could thrive in the deeply capitalized society of the United States. There was even a specific term for it: a "sole proprietorship."

If garage-startup tech companies could make it work, what could not?

This time, however, Ezekiel Sims had once again spent heavily to hire a technician—Amalia Mameed, a member of Rising Tide, a