REVIVE: AMERICA 1995

Night had fallen, and the city lights of San Francisco twinkled.
Back at the InterContinental Hotel, Wendy couldn't help but roll her eyes as she watched Milo flop onto the sofa, flipping through channels on the TV with a bored yawn.
"My dear boss," Wendy began, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "I can understand your investment in Yahoo, especially with Sequoia Capital already on board." She paused for dramatic effect. "But," she continued, "your venture into these other Silicon Valley companies, I just don't get it."
"Like what?" Milo asked, his voice muffled by the couch cushions.
"Like Delicious and AuctionWeb," Wendy replied. "The first one barely has three people and no office. The second one is even more ridiculous—it's just some guy trying to impress his girlfriend by selling fruit baskets online."
"And you're telling me you wrote them checks for fifty thousand and a hundred thousand dollars?" she finished incredulously.
Milo waved her off nonchalantly. "Just do as I say, Wendy. Trust me, you'll thank me later."
He wasn't about to tell her that he was a time traveler. He knew that the 60% stake he'd bought in Delicious for a measly fifty thousand dollars would be worth hundreds of millions in just a few years. And AuctionWeb? Well, its founder was planning to rename it "Echo Bay Technology Group," or eBay for short.
Milo had been on a spending spree in Silicon Valley, investing in dozens of promising startups. He'd already poured fifteen million dollars into companies like Geocities and Lycos, securing significant stakes in each one. And he was feeling pretty good about his investments.
Wendy, however, was far from reassured. As Milo's unofficial guardian, she was constantly worried about his reckless spending. But the truth was, she knew she couldn't stop him. The family had given him a huge allowance, and they seemed more than content to let him waste it if he wanted to.
"I've done the math," Wendy said, trying to sound serious. "You've got about nine million dollars left to play with."
Milo grinned. "That's plenty."
Wendy sighed and flopped down on the couch beside him. She was tired of trying to convince him to be more responsible. The Blakebens were a wealthy family, and they could afford to indulge Milo's whims. But she couldn't help but worry about what would happen if he lost all his money.
For now, though, she was just going to enjoy the peace and quiet. After all, what else was there to do?
"Man, I'm so relaxed," Milo sighed, sinking deeper into the couch. Since he'd time-traveled, he'd never felt this at ease. His initial goal—to cash in big on the dot-com boom—was practically in the bag.
He'd scored a ton of Netscape stock before the IPO, and his investments in companies like Yahoo were looking really promising. With all that dough, he could pretty much do whatever he wanted.
"Hey, Wendy," he called out, "what do you think about me making movies?"
Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Making movies? We're already making movies, remember? With Miramax and all."
"No, I mean really making movies," Milo emphasized. "Like, me being the director, the writer, the whole shebang."
Wendy was speechless. "You want to be a filmmaker? Seriously?"
Milo shrugged. "Why not? I've got the money, the connections, and the time. What else am I going to do?"
Wendy sighed. Milo was a Blakeben, after all. The family had been in politics for generations. Making movies seemed like a far cry from their usual pursuits. "Milo, I think you should stick to what you know. Investments, real estate, that's where your strengths lie."
But Milo was already daydreaming about Hollywood, envisioning himself directing blockbusters and winning Oscars. "I'm going to do it, Wendy," he declared. "And I'm going to be the best."