Satoshi's Enigma: The Genesis of Bitcoin
Outline of the book
Book I - Satoshi
The Lost Boys: Couple of young boys are playing in the yard. Laughing. Their mother watches them play. A van comes to a halt. Phone rings, the mother goes to pick it up. By the time she returns, the boys go missing.
New Beginnings: The year is 2008. Satoshi embarks on a new chapter of his life in San Francisco for a job at Quantum Computers as a Software Engineer. He moves in with Julian (a fearless journalist) and his teenage daughter Eva. He notices increasing homelessness and escalating costs of living in the city.
The Alchemist's Machine: Satoshi and Julian unwittingly discover a sophisticated counterfeit operation. As Satoshi examines what he believes to be a $100 bill, only to find it blank on the other side, he is forced to ponder the very nature of money. Their discovery does not go unnoticed, and the duo soon finds themselves ensnared in a high-stakes chase reminiscent of an Indiana Jones adventure. The chase leads them on a thrilling, heart-stopping escapade through the city, culminating in a daring escape from the peak of the Transamerica Pyramid with the aid of a drone.
Quantum Computers: As Satoshi begins his tenure at Quantum Computers, he is immediately swept up in the whirlwind of its groundbreaking developments. Dr. Samantha, the captivating lead scientist, announces the start of building the world's first Quantum SuperComputer during a grand spectacle attended by San Francisco's elites, including a prominent banker. Amidst the announcement, Satoshi notices a division among the crowd based on wealth - a manifestation of income disparity. The dynamics of Satoshi's new job shift dramatically when he forms an unexpected friendship with Alex, a quirky quantum scientist who opens new perspectives in his field. Satoshi is tasked with figuring out a way to figure out a way for scientists of different branches to share files. Their current system which has centralized server keeps going down every now and then.
The Empty Bank Vault: Amidst the 2008 financial crisis, a run on a San Francisco bank ensnares Satoshi and Julian in a tense drama. They find themselves caught in a desperate bank heist by a father driven to extremes to fund his daughter’s surgery. Shockingly, when the vault's imposing steel door swings open, it reveals a near-empty cache. The duo aids the distraught father in his escape, when they find out that he is their neighbor Nicholas. That leads to Julian shedding light on the dubious practice of “Fractional Reserve Banking.” Banks create money out of thin air! The realization of the system's inherent corruption fuels Satoshi's determination for transformation.
Fostering Bonds: Amidst these revelations, Satoshi, Eva, and Julian grow closer, sharing moments of camaraderie, while Satoshi's unexpressed affection for Eva grows. They go to MOMA where there is an exhibition on history of money. While at MOMA, Satoshi notices the public's dissatisfaction with the media's handling of the missing children reports. Julian is writing a book which will expose how the world’s financial system turns us into slaves of bankers. He floats the idea of creating digital gold to Satoshi. Satoshi sees reports of children going missing in SF. Eva tells Satoshi how she downloads music and movies with Bittorrent. This gives Satoshi an idea to build something similar to share files.
Quantum Experiments: At work Alex shows Satoshi the 'Double Slit' quantum experiment which shows how consciousness gives birth to reality. He tries to explain his theories of their being other worlds, other hidden dimensions. Drawing inspiration from Bittorrent, Satoshi starts building a peer-to-peer file sharing network for work which doesn't rely on a centralized system. One of his fellow co-worker a scientist, tells him a story of a great medieval King who used guerrilla tactics to free his country.
Journalistic Dangers: Tragedy strikes Nicholas (the neighbor), his young daughter goes missing. The night before, Satoshi had seen a tall, blonde man pass by. Julian's relentless efforts to expose financial corruption increasingly endangers his life. Julian eaves drops on an occult ritual.
Unseen Biases: In this chapter, Satoshi navigates his complex feelings for his co-worker Mei Parkinson-Ying, a vibrant, socially conscious young woman. She watches lot of TV with heightist media. There are increasing social unrest and protests against banks, Mei participates in those. After plucking up the courage to ask her out, he is rejected. His heartbreak deepens when he later overhears her mocking his height to her female co-workers. Later, Mei begins dating the tall banker, the very symbol of the corporate greed she claims to stand against. Next Satoshi gets asked out for coffee by Heeral J, the office cleaning lady. As he learns about her young son, Satoshi begins to suspect that she might be seeking him as a source of financial stability. This realization forces him to end their budding relationship.
The Luminary Lux: Late-night conversations with Lux, Dr. Samantha's AI, provide Satoshi with fresh perspectives, leading him to question societal norms and explore humanity's darker side.
Julian’s Spiral: Julian hasn’t been the same since Nicholas’ daughter went missing. He drinks a lot and Satoshi suspects substance abuse. One night Julian while drunk, tells Satoshi that there is a giant conspiracy going on in this city and the banker is at the heart of it all. His book will expose them all. Next day Julian's sudden death plunges Satoshi and Eva into a whirlwind of uncertainty and fear. He is found dead at his desk with 2 gunshots to his head. Julian's suspicious death is swiftly labeled as suicide by controlled authorities and media
The Fight for Truth: Satoshi and Eva unite in their quest to expose Julian's killers and their corruption. But they are thwarted at every step of the way. Journalist, Cop, Social Media everyone gaslights them and stops them from spreading truth about Julian's death. The banker even cuts off their credit card. In frustration Eva tries to set the bank on fire. Satoshi stops her and kisses her. He promises to avenge Julian’s death by fulfilling his vision by making Bitcoin.
Book II - Nakamoto
Coding the Revolution: Satoshi throws himself into the world of coding to create Bitcoin, driven by Julian's vision, the urgency of the circumstances, and his love for Eva. He reuses his peer-to-peer network which he had built at Innovation Nexus and combines it with SHA256 so that it doesn't rely on a centralized system for authentication.
A Hidden Flaw: Eva uncovers the first bug in Satoshi's version of Bitcoin - Double Spend. Bitcoin will fail unless Satoshi solves this bug. Amidst this, Eva's unexpected pregnancy adds a layer of complexity to their situation.
A Painful Decision: Satoshi and Eva grapple with the decision of whether to keep their unborn child as they drive to a clinic. They are both filled with uncertainty and fear. Satoshi, however, is stirred by two contrasting figures he observes at the clinic: a highly accomplished yet short childless Bangladeshi doctor and a tall, black former convict who, despite his rough exterior, is adored by his pregnant wife and children. After realizing the unfairness, Satoshi decides to cancel the abortion. He conveys his decision to Eva, asserting their shared commitment to face their future together, fortified by their love for each other and their unborn child.
Blockchain: Satoshi gets an idea on how to solve the double spend problem while on CalTrain, leading to his development of blockchain concept. Satoshi now only needs the last piece of the puzzle to complete Bitcoin. The city's decaying infrastructure, contrasts sharply with Satoshi's progress on the blockchain concept.
Alex Goes Missing: Satoshi’s work friend Alex who was a big pillar for support after Julian’s death, figures something out. But before he can alert Satoshi, he too goes missing.
The Final Piece of the Puzzle: After delving into Alex's notes, Satoshi begins his covert investigation into Lux's programming and the ancient rituals. A random comment by the front desk woman about spam messages gives Satoshi an epiphany about Proof-of-Work as the final piece for his Bitcoin project.
Misplaced Justice: Nicholas, the father of the first missing girl, kidnaps Satoshi, having misunderstood Satoshi's relationship with Eva and suspecting him of being involved in his daughter's disappearance. Satoshi convinces him of his innocence and reveals his own ongoing investigation into the missing children, leading Nicholas to reluctantly release him.
A Twisted Revelation: Satoshi returns home to find Eva missing, sparking his realization that the Puppeteers have taken her to use as a sacrifice in their ritual. Satoshi deciphers Alex and Julian's notes, unveiling the location of 'The Puppeteers' hideout and setting him on a path of danger and confrontation.
Infiltrating the Cult: Satoshi infiltrates a the cult's ritual site and discovers Dr. Samantha, his once-trusted acquaintance, to be the mastermind behind the disappearances. Turns out that Samantha was one of the two boys kidnapped earlier. Julian was the other boy. He escaped the cult. Samantha transitioned into a woman and is the head priestess. The cult worships Moloch and engages in a mesmerizing dance and chants in an ancient language. Satoshi finds dead children and adults connected to Lux (AI system) via blood tubes. This includes Alex, the missing girl and many more. Lux was in fact a machine which allowed Moloch to talk to us through inter-dimension. He has been guiding Dr Samantha to build this temple which will allow her to activate an inter-dimensional gateway to finally let Lucifer enter our dimension. She will sacrifice Eva to complete the ritual but Satoshi beats her, killing Samantha instead. Using his understanding of Lux's programming and the symbol, he sabotages the ritual, saving Eva but accidentally completing the ritual in the process. He then frees his girlfriend Eva from her bindings, ending the harrowing ordeal.
Lucifer the Bearer of Light: Dr Samantha's death unintentionally completes the ritual. Satoshi decides to stay behind while Eva escapes. As Eva emerges into the daylight, the cave becomes shrouded in darkness, and Moloch (Lucifer), the Prince of Darkness, starts manifesting. His form constantly shifts, embodying the deepest fears and insecurities of those who challenge him. Lucifer taunts Satoshi, mocking his stature and questioning how he plans to fight against him. Satoshi refuses to be shaken and responds with unwavering determination, stating that his true strength lies in love and hope. Lucifer intensifies his psychological assault, conjuring painful memories of Satoshi's past bullies and their hurtful words. Satoshi faces these memories head-on, drawing strength from his love for Eva. Meanwhile, Eva, moved by her love for Satoshi, vows not to abandon him and returns back to the cave. In the cave, Lucifer attempts to break Satoshi by manipulating his insecurities. Satoshi finds himself in an illusion of his home, where Eva appears to be with another man. However, Satoshi sees through the illusion, recognizing the depth of Eva's love for him and the falsehood of the scenario. He rejects the illusion, reaffirming their love and challenging Lucifer's lies. With his psychological tricks ineffective, Lucifer turns his attention to Eva. Sensing the imminent threat, Satoshi acts on instinct to protect her. He collides with Lucifer and they fall into an astral portal, entering a chaotic realm where time and space collapse.
Into the Unknown: Satoshi is pulled into a quantum portal, entering the astral plane—a realm where space and time fold into impossible forms. Decentralization was his strength. Satoshi, like a pane of glass shattering under force, splinters his consciousness into innumerable fragments to fight Lucifer. Lucifer disintegrates under the radiant onslaught, and the portal starts to close. Outside the portal, Eva looks down and cries for Satoshi. Her tears fall into the portal, but she is prevented from jumping by Nicholas. Lucifer disintegrates and his evil supporters perish, the portal seals shut. With the battle won, Satoshi emerges victorious, but the energy expended drains him. Trapped inside the portal his astral form begins to fade, and he accepts his fate with serene acceptance.
The Astral Discourse: In the aftermath of his battle with Lucifer, Satoshi finds himself in an ethereal realm within the astral plane, accompanied by the astral forms of Julian and Alex. They help Satoshi make sense of his recent experiences. Julian explains how Satoshi defeated Lucifer by confronting his fears and acknowledging his love for Eva. This realization, along with the act of self-sacrifice, led to Lucifer's defeat. Alex analogizes Satoshi's dispersion of consciousness during the fight with a decentralized system, which was invincible to Lucifer's attacks. This conversation enlightens Satoshi about the nature of their reality and the importance of Bitcoin. As Julian and Alex's forms fade away, Satoshi's energy is mysteriously restored. His determination to return to his world, to Eva, and their child is renewed.
A New Dawn: Emerging from his experiences a changed man, Satoshi returns to a world that's forever altered by the birth of his son. Reuniting with Eva, he makes the profound decision to escape to another dimension with Eva and their child, seeking refuge from their tumultuous past.