The First Real Fans

Then he understood why some people fought so hard to stay on camera. Being seen is a kind of power. That same night, in the Alliance’s internal data center, Erin opened Aiden’s growth curve again. She found something even worse. Every time Aiden interacted more with ordinary viewers, his growth spiked in a way that did not look normal. This was not simple organic growth. Someone was pushing him. But the push did not feel like promotion. It felt like testing. She marked the record as high risk. In another office decorated like a luxury sports suite, Evan Rex watched the dog-and-cat rescue clip and slowly tightened his fingers. “What’s the most dangerous thing about a guy who grows by doing low-tier jobs?” he asked. Nobody answered.