EXHIBIT 10.12

                                 PROMISSORY NOTE

$70,000.00                                              As of September 30, 2004
                                                        Garden City, New York

      Ardent Acquisition  Corporation (the "Maker") promises to pay to the order
of Barry J. Gordon (the "Payee") the principal sum of Seventy  Thousand  Dollars
and No Cents  ($70,000.00)  in lawful  money of the  United  States of  America,
together  with  interest on the unpaid  principal  balance of this Note,  on the
terms and conditions described below.

      1. PRINCIPAL. The principal balance of this Note shall be repayable on the
earlier of (i) September 30, 2005 or (ii) the date on which Maker consummates an
initial public offering of its securities.

      2. INTEREST.  No interest shall accrue on the unpaid principal  balance of
this Note.

      3. APPLICATION OF PAYMENTS. All payments shall be applied first to payment
in full of any costs  incurred in the collection of any sum due under this Note,
including (without limitation)  reasonable  attorneys' fees, then to the payment
in full of any late charges and finally to the reduction of the unpaid principal
balance of this Note.

      4. EVENTS OF DEFAULT. The following shall constitute Events of Default:

            (a) FAILURE TO MAKE REQUIRED  PAYMENTS.  Failure by Maker to pay the
principal  of or accrued  interest on this Note within  five (5)  business  days
following the date when due.

            (b)  VOLUNTARY  BANKRUPTCY,  ETC.  The  commencement  by  Maker of a
voluntary  case  under  the  Federal  Bankruptcy  Code,  as now  constituted  or
hereafter  amended,  or  any  other  applicable  federal  or  state  bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization,  rehabilitation or other similar law, or the consent
by it to the  appointment  of or taking  possession  by a receiver,  liquidator,
assignee, trustee, custodian,  sequestrator (or other similar official) of Maker
or for  any  substantial  part  of its  property,  or  the  making  by it of any
assignment  for the benefit of creditors,  or the failure of Maker  generally to
pay its debts as such debts  become  due, or the taking of  corporate  action by
Maker in furtherance of any of the foregoing.

            (c) INVOLUNTARY BANKRUPTCY,  ETC. The entry of a decree or order for
relief by a court having  jurisdiction in the premises in respect of maker in an
involuntary  case  under  the  Federal  Bankruptcy  Code,  as now  or  hereafter
constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy,  insolvency or
other similar law, or appointing a receiver,  liquidator,  assignee,  custodian,
trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of Maker or for any substantial part
of its property,  or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs,  and
the  continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period
of 60 consecutive days.

<PAGE>

      5. REMEDIES.

            (a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default  specified in Section
4(a),  Payee may, by written  notice to Maker,  declare  this Note to be due and
payable,  whereupon  the  principal  amount of this Note,  and all other amounts
payable   thereunder,   shall  become   immediately   due  and  payable  without
presentment,  demand,  protest  or other  notice of any  kind,  all of which are
hereby  expressly  waived,   anything  contained  herein  or  in  the  documents
evidencing the same to the contrary notwithstanding.

            (b) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Sections
4(b) and 4(c), the unpaid principal  balance of, and all other sums payable with
regard to, this Note shall automatically and immediately become due and payable,
in all cases without any action on the part of Payee.

      6. WAIVERS.  Maker and all endorsers and  guarantors of, and sureties for,
this Note waive presentment for payment,  demand,  notice of dishonor,  protest,
and  notice of  protest  with  regard  to the  Note,  all  errors,  defects  and
imperfections  in any  proceedings  instituted  by Payee under the terms of this
Note,  and all  benefits  that might accrue to Maker by virtue of any present or
future  laws  exempting  any  property,  real or  personal,  or any  part of the
proceeds arising from any sale of any such property,  from  attachment,  levy or
sale under  execution,  or providing for any stay of execution,  exemption  from
civil process, or extension of time for payment;  and Maker agrees that any real
estate that may be levied upon pursuant to a judgment obtained by virtue hereof,
on any writ of execution issued hereon,  may be sold upon any such writ in whole
or in part in any order desired by Payee.

      7. UNCONDITIONAL LIABILITY.  Maker hereby waives all notices in connection
with the delivery,  acceptance,  performance,  default,  or  enforcement  of the
payment of this Note,  and agrees  that its  liability  shall be  unconditional,
without regard to the liability of any other party, and shall not be affected in
any manner by any indulgence, extension of time, renewal, waiver or modification
granted or consented  to by Payee,  and  consents to any and all  extensions  of
time,  renewals,  waivers,  or  modifications  that may be granted by Payee with
respect  to the  payment  or other  provisions  of this  Note,  and  agree  that
additional makers, endorsers,  guarantors, or sureties may become parties hereto
without notice to them or affecting their liability hereunder.

      8. NOTICES. Any notice called for hereunder shall be deemed properly given
if (i)  sent by  certified  mail,  return  receipt  requested,  (ii)  personally
delivered,  (iii) dispatched by any form of private or governmental express mail
or delivery service providing receipted delivery,  (iv) sent by telefacsimile or
(v) sent by e-mail,  to the  following  addresses  or to such  other  address as
either party may designate by notice in accordance with this Section:

      If to Maker:

            Ardent Acquisition Corporation
            1415 Kellum Place, Suite 205
            Garden City, New York 11530


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<PAGE>

            Attn.: Barry J. Gordon, Chairman of the Board

      If to Payee:

            Barry J. Gordon

Notice  shall be  deemed  given on the  earlier  of (i)  actual  receipt  by the
receiving   party,   (ii)  the  date  shown  on  a  telefacsimile   transmission
confirmation, (iii) the date on which an e-mail transmission was received by the
receiving  party's  on-line access  provider (iv) the date reflected on a signed
delivery receipt,  or (vi) two (2) Business Days following tender of delivery or
dispatch by express mail or delivery service.

      9.  CONSTRUCTION.  This Note shall be construed and enforced in accordance
with the  domestic,  internal  law, but not the law of conflict of laws,  of the
State of New York.

      10. SEVERABILITY. Any provision contained in this Note which is prohibited
or  unenforceable  in  any  jurisdiction  shall,  as to  such  jurisdiction,  be
ineffective  to the  extent  of such  prohibition  or  unenforceability  without
invalidating  the  remaining  provisions  hereof,  and any such  prohibition  or
unenforceability   in  any   jurisdiction   shall  not   invalidate   or  render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  Maker,  intending to be legally  bound  hereby,  has
caused  this Note to be duly  executed by its  President  the day and year first
above written.

                                        ARDENT ACQUISITION CORPORATION


                                        By: /s/ Marc H. Klee
                                            ----------------
                                            Name: Marc H. Klee, President


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