THE REBORN GENIUS

CHAPTER 4 — THE STONE WORTH ONE MILLION DOLLARS Part 1

"Are you seriously bringing an ordinary stone into my shop?"

The sales representative's laughter followed Justin through the entrance of Harrison's Pawn and Antique Exchange, a well-established business known for purchasing rare jewellery, precious metals, gemstones, and valuable historical artefacts.

Justin stopped in front of the counter.

The young representative behind it wore a white shirt, a dark waistcoat, and an expression of barely concealed amusement.  His eyes moved from Justin's worn clothes to the small cardboard container beneath his arm before settling on Biscuit, who had followed closely behind.

"Sir, we don't purchase construction materials," he added.

Justin placed the container on the counter. "I would like to have this examined."

The representative looked inside and laughed again. "You're serious?"

"Entirely."

"Do you know what this is?"

Justin glanced at the stone. "Yes. That's why I'm here."

The representative shook his head. "Look, I understand that people sometimes find unusual things and imagine they've discovered a fortune, but this is a pawn and antique establishment. We deal with valuable items, not roadside stones."

Biscuit raised his head. "He's right about one thing. You do look like someone who picked that up beside a construction site."

Justin ignored the dog's comment. "Then perhaps you should call someone who understands minerals."

The representative's smile disappeared. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Before the employee could respond, a door behind the counter opened. "What's going on here?"

A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late forties stepped into the reception area. His dark hair was neatly trimmed, and a pair of reading glasses rested on his nose.

Unlike the representative, he carried himself with the calm authority of someone accustomed to handling expensive transactions.

The employee immediately straightened. "Mr. Harrison, this young man wants us to examine a rock. I was just explaining that we don't purchase ordinary stones."

Mr. Harrison looked at Justin. "Is that so?"

Justin nodded. "I believe the specimen may be valuable, and I would appreciate an examination."

The manager studied the container. "What makes you think it's valuable?"

"Its mineral composition, internal structure, and the colour distribution visible through the fracture."

Mr. Harrison raised an eyebrow. "You're familiar with gemstones?"

"I have a reasonable understanding of mineralogy."

The manager considered him for a moment.

He had dealt with countless customers over the years, including inexperienced collectors who mistook ordinary quartz for diamonds and decorative glass for precious stones.

However, Justin's manner was different. The young man did not appear nervous or desperate to impress anyone.

He spoke with the confidence of someone who had already reached a conclusion and simply wanted the evidence examined.

Mr. Harrison gestured towards the counter. "Show me what you've brought."

Justin opened the container and placed the stone on the counter.

The manager examined it briefly. At first glance, it appeared to be an unremarkable specimen with a dull, weathered exterior. Its uneven surface and grey-green colour offered little indication of extraordinary value.

Mr. Harrison turned it over. "Where did you find this?"

"I purchased it at an auction."

The manager looked up. "An auction?"

"Yes."

"Was it sold as a gemstone?"

"No. It was part of a collection of unwanted geological specimens."

The manager gave a small nod. "Interesting."

Justin pointed towards a section of the counter. "I would like a clean examination surface and a small geological hammer, if you have one."

Mr. Harrison looked at him with renewed curiosity. "A hammer?"

"Yes."

"What exactly do you intend to do with it?"

"I need to expose a small section of the interior without damaging the valuable material."

The manager hesitated.

Breaking a gemstone without proper equipment could destroy its value. Even experienced collectors sometimes damaged specimens through careless handling. "Are you certain?"

Justin nodded. "I know where to strike."

Mr. Harrison glanced at his employee, who was still wearing a sceptical expression. "Bring the examination tools."

The representative reluctantly disappeared into the back room.

While they waited, Biscuit sat beside Justin's feet and examined the shop's polished floor. "I hope you know what you're doing," the dog whispered.

Justin glanced down. "Your concern is unnecessary."

"My concern is that if you destroy our one-dollar investment, we'll be eating whatever rubbish I can find outside."

"We will not."

"That's what you said when we bought it."

Justin gave him a brief look. "Have you considered that your lack of confidence may be affecting my concentration?"

Biscuit opened his mouth, then closed it. "I don't know what that means, but I don't like it."

A moment later, the representative returned with a small geological hammer, protective glasses, and a clean padded examination surface.

Justin put on the glasses and carefully positioned the stone.

He rotated it twice, studying the fracture and the exposed mineral layer. His attention settled on a narrow point near one edge, where the outer shell appeared weakest.

He examined the angle again. Then he picked up the hammer.

The representative folded his arms. "Please don't blame us if you ruin it."

Justin did not respond. He adjusted the stone, placed the hammer against the selected point, and delivered a controlled strike.

A sharp crack echoed across the counter then a small piece of the outer shell broke away.

The representative immediately stepped forward. "See? You've damaged it! What exactly were you expecting to find inside?"

Justin placed the hammer down. "Something more valuable than your opinion."

The employee's face tightened.

However, Mr. Harrison had stopped listening to their exchange. He was staring at the exposed surface.

The newly revealed material displayed an extraordinary shade of green. Unlike the dull exterior, the interior possessed a rich, vivid colour that seemed to deepen beneath the shop's examination lights.

The manager leaned closer. He turned the stone carefully, examining the exposed section from several angles. Then he reached for a magnifying lens.

His expression changed. "Wait..."

He examined the surface again.

The green material displayed a fine, compact crystalline structure with remarkable colour consistency. There were no obvious signs of artificial colouring, and the exposed section suggested that the deposit extended considerably deeper than the outer fracture had initially revealed.

Mr. Harrison's breathing became noticeably slower. "Where did you get this?"

Justin watched him calmly. "An auction."

"How much did you pay?"

"One dollar."

The manager looked up. "One dollar?"

Justin nodded. "Yes."

For several seconds, Mr. Harrison said nothing. He turned towards his employee. "Bring the gemstone testing equipment. Now."

The representative's confidence had begun to disappear. "Sir?"

"You heard me. Also, contact Dr. Bennett and ask whether he can come over immediately."

The employee hurried away.

Justin placed his hands behind his back.

Mr. Harrison examined the stone again, this time with considerably greater care. "Young man, do you understand what you may have?"

"I have a reasonable idea."

"How much of the deposit do you believe is recoverable?"

"That depends on the internal structure. The exposed section suggests that the material continues beyond the surface, but I would prefer a proper examination before making a definitive statement."

The manager slowly lowered the magnifying lens.

He was beginning to understand that the young stranger might know considerably more than his appearance suggested. "May I ask your name?"

"Justin."

"Mr. Justin?"

"Just Justin is fine."

Mr. Harrison nodded. "All right, Justin. Let's find out what you've brought into my establishment."

The next forty minutes transformed the atmosphere inside the shop.

Mr. Harrison personally supervised the examination, using specialised equipment to assess the stone's physical properties and mineral composition. He also contacted an independent gemstone appraiser, Dr. Bennett, who arrived with a portable testing kit.

The specialist was a thin man in his early sixties with silver hair and a leather case containing several precision instruments.