Liora Yoael

The Destiny Code by Liora Yoael

First Assignment - Story Statement:

The prodigious son of Bitcoin's founder, Benjamin locks horns with MX Leon (the Elon Musk of 2030), a ruthless space engineer who wants to control Ben’s hyper-sentient invention, Boomerang, to advance his plans for global dominion.

2.   Second Assignment - Antagonists summary: (Spoiler: you can see my antagonist standing next to me in my profile avatar)

MX Leon, the U.S. Ambassador of the United Corporations of America to Space

Great change has transformed the world. Mankind has reached out to the planets in the solar system; Mars is being colonized; the Asteroid Belt is being mined for Uranium, Gold, Platinum and Silver. Much of these interplanetary endeavors, if not all, are due to one man:  MX Leon, the ruthless entrepreneur behind a conglomerate space-expansion company that has its eyes set on the stars … and beyond

MX Leon, a complex man who has renewed American Space Industry and sparked a new level of surveillance innovation. Overcoming hardship of poor childhood, he earn his first billion selling his notorious brainchild, the ‘empathic’ EmoIris Playmate toys, which cunningly tugs at the heartstrings of children, all in pursuit of his profit. This devious endeavor vividly exemplifies a predatory, exploitation of the tender, malleable minds of youth, marked by a willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, even if it means making enemies along the way.

While at MIT during his earlier years, his attempt to forge his professor's signature in pursuit of a valuable discovery revealed a ruthless side, as he was willing to commit fraud for personal gain at a young age. Years later, when he met the professor’s brilliant son, he challenged and attempted to ruin him to maintain his prominence.

In his conversation with the Secretary of State, when the idea of pursuing a political carrier was presented to him, MX delivered a memorable response, coining a phrase: “Why become a senator if you can buy one?” His methodical pay to play scheme expended his influence into realm of space mining rights.

 MX’ struggles with personal attachment serve to deepen the narrative and provide insight into his moral ambiguity. It showcases his ability to exploit even the most intimate connections in his audacious attempt to leverage his romantic involvement with the irresistibly charming Mossad agent.

3.       Third Assignment - Breakout Title:

"Echoes of Tomorrow: A Tale of Love and Power"

 “The Destiny Code.”

"Code to Destiny: ‘Boomerang’"

"Sentience's Gamble: The Boomerang Conspiracy"

"Echoes of Dominance: The Boomerang Effect"

"Shadows of Mastery: Unleashing Boomerang"

"A Faith Called: The Boomerang"

"Ciphers of Power: The Boomerang Saga"

"Echoes of Tomorrow" 

4.     Fourth Assignment – Sci-fi

 Comparables:  

The Destiny Code is like Lavie Tidhar’s Central Station with compelling and diverse cast of characters who inhabit a bustling and multicultural future meets with the well-rounded often humorous female characters of Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, that exude the line between awe-inspiring and unnerving.

 The Destiny Code is like Kai-Fu Lee’s Ten Version for Our Future meets Sarit Yishai-Levi’s The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem.

5.     Fifth Assignment - Hook/Logline 

a.   In a crossroad of technological intrigue and compelling human connections, the brilliant prodigy, Benjamin Yerushalmi, finds himself entangled in a high-stakes battle with ruthless Space entrepreneur, over the destiny of Boomerang, his revolutionary invention, all while the lives of Zeinab, a gifted Palestinian psychic, and Galit, a beguiling Israeli Mossad agent, become intricately woven into a web of secrets, love, and loyalty, with global domination hanging in the balance.

6.      Sixth Assignment - Sketch out the conditions for the inner conflict your protagonist will have.  

Ben Yerushalmi, the prodigious son of Bitcoin's founder, grapples with a profound inner conflict. His father's untimely death leaves him with the daunting task of completing his father's unfinished masterpiece, Boomerang—an AI marvel poised to redefine cybersecurity for generations. The weight of this responsibility bears heavily on Ben, as he is not only mourning his father's loss but also navigating the immense pressure to live up to his legacy.

Compounding his inner turmoil is the high-stakes battle with MX Leon, a ruthless entrepreneur who seeks to manipulate and dominate Boomerang, the groundbreaking creation that Ben holds dear. Ben's anxiety converges as he confronts the ruthless world of corporate espionage and power struggles. His desire to honor his father's vision clashes with the threat of MX Leon's influence.

Amidst these conflicting scenarios and his role in shaping the future of Boomerang, Ben grapples with personal dilemma and questions of generational ethics when he falls in love with Palestinian psychic and her little box of miracles and weird and deeply moving visions. 

 Their budding romance challenges deeply rooted societal and political divisions setting a liminal stage for a gripping adventure. 

In a hypothetical negative scenario (not as in actual novel) 

Holy land becomes unholy. No more frequent acts of terror.  World’s and Palestinian new generation of kids busy playing EmoIris Playmate that manipulates their habits and gives MX full control over entire generation. 

AI regulation remains lax, Ben's internal conflict deepens. He struggles with the alarming realization that most AI and tech developments are occurring outside government oversight and are funded by big tech companies. His lovely Zeinab marries MX.

Ben sees the potential in MX’s societal model’s benefits and believes that, just as society readjusted during the Industrial Revolution, it can evolve in response to these technological advancements. The only difference is that there are…robot rabbis conduct circumcisions.

7.    Seventh Assignment - Settings

The Destiny Code commences with the long-anticipated inauguration of Neom City, Saudi Arabia's pinnacle of technological innovation.

Amidst the magnificent spectacle, Crown Prince Mohammed unveils an astonishing $1.3 trillion contract for luxury space capsules with MX Leon, the visionary and ruthless entrepreneur often hailed as a potential successor to Elon Musk. China’s ascendancy in the Middle East security landscape, briefly displacing the United States, added geopolitical layers to the event.

As the spotlight transitions to the ancient city of Jerusalem, Leon's journey takes an unforeseen twist. What was meant to be a mission to bestow a brief appearance at science and technology competition, and to secure the support of wealthy Jewish voters, descent into chaos. Alongside Leon’s enigmatic companions stand Win Liu, a confidant with a mysterious history, and Jenni, a fembot companion that balances between captivating and unsettling.

Just before landing, SpaceTease One, MX’s luxurious ultra sonic aircraft experiences surveillance panels oscillation. MX suspects it as a Chinese attempt to sink the Saudi deal and oust him. Yet, when internal surveillance systems turn in an image of the Boomerang, last seen on Leon's late MIT professor's laptop, the unfolding drama uncovers layers of revelation.

Some activity takes place in:  

Historical King David hotel. It stands not far from a future border between Israeli and Arab Jerusalem. Border-soldiers smoke psychedelic drugs, and robot rabbis conduct circumcisions. Israeli tech genius falls in love with Palestinian psychic and her little box of miracles and deeply moving visions. 

Here, future glimpse toggling between Negev Dessert and parallel world of late Bitcoin’s founder, Satoshi Nakamoto.

Drawn into the hunt for mysteriously missing MX Leon, Mossad heroine investigate sketchy Kabbalah Center in a mystical city of Tzfat, where shadowy forces at play.

Wuhan, China and then later at a monastery located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the Songshan mountain range in the Henan Province.

THE NEW YORK PITCH CONFERENCE - Seven Assignments. The Destiny Code .docx