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Ben gulped, and said: "I'll do anything. This thing that I've envisioned...this innovation...this future for the world...it's mine! I have it in my head! I know I do! To give mankind this gift before I die! It's mine! It's me! And I intend to do it! And I won't let anyone take that from me! Not God himself!"

“Really? And what if God were to take you up on that threat?”

“With all due respect, sir. I don’t want to talk about God right now. What we’re talking about is so much bigger…than God.”

The man in the shadows laughed. “Oh you know how to make a sale Mr. Franklin. Now I feel like I’m the one being manipulated. But you still haven’t answered my question Mr. Franklin. How far will you go?"

"I would sell my soul to the devil, if that's what it came to." Ben said calmly. And a chill rolled down his spine as he both said it, and realized that it was true.

The man in the shadows let out a friendly chuckle at that, and said: "Well...hopefully it won't come to that."

"Hopefully not," Ben replied, his eyes wide open. Still holding the man there, against the wall. He'd take it from him. Take it by force if he had to.

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