C5 Episode Five

I sat at the Apple iMac, 2020 model. I love fast computers. After setting up my laptop and software packages, I got to work. My heart was beating rapidly from the dopamine rush of attacking an attacker. I entered into the world of letters, numbers and symbols. A world where I belong. I didn’t notice the coffee brought to me nor the snacks. I didn’t notice people peeping in to see the next daredevil who took up the offer professionals failed at.

Until 7 hours later when I jumped and screamed with joy and knocked down a coffee cup.

Mr. Alan rushed in and looked at me, bewildered. I stared back at him and smiled. I was closer to cracking down the password used to encrypt the data within the Ransomware. I couldn’t let this out. I apologized and sat back down. I got back at it using both ethical and unethical strategies and thinking.

Few seconds after Mr. Alan left, a cleaner rushed in to clear the trash. I removed my Bluetooth and looked up.

“I’m sorry ma’am. I didn’t know a cup of coffee was here.”

Maybe cleaners were trained to be mute despite whatever the employees provoked them with. When Buddha said, “Silence is golden” some cleaners took it personal. Phew!

I got back to work, the clarity of the malware and its mechanism of action becoming clearer with each hour of counterattack.

Adrenaline rush made my heart beat wildly while working on this virus. It was fun, it was blissful, this is what passion was all about. I created false security for the malware and it took me to the back door through which the original data details of the finances were being moved to another software. I aggressively worked unethically to close the back door without setting any alarm left by the intruder. Unethical hacker against unethical hacker. The next time she tried to attack using such high class malware, she would analyze better than this. My cheeks was swollen with pride. Pride of solving the unknown.

Five hours later I had the password to the encrypted data.

I took over domain control from the intruder and created a temporarily hard nut security to protect the retrieved data. Then, I went ahead to turn the malware bug against the hacker. Talk about falling into your own trap.

I stood up and stretched my whole body, adrenaline seeping out of my body to give room for fatigue to consume me. I was exhausted, physically and mentally. I packed my hacking packages and went to the library to take a sneak peek on the cyber materials in the room before leaving.

Walking into Mr. Alvan’s office, he was seated on his seat calmly working on his gadget screen.

“Mr. Alvan. I’m done.”

He looked up at me like he wasn’t listening enough or he missed my internal excitement while working.

“Go down to the receptionist, she’ll hand you a form to fill, write the compensation you need.”

What? He’s not asking if I got the job done or not.

Wait, he clearly never expected me to be able to crack through the malware. Rude! My head was spinning from fatigue and he just acted like I didn’t just come out of a severe mental fight. I turned, kept my shoulders high, took to my heels and left boldly.

***

Shalom’s mouth dropped in awe listening to her best friend’s story through the phone.

“Did you tell him, the Mr. Alvan, that you cured his software’s disease?”

I snorted. My favorite expression in the world. “I told him I was done. He didn’t ask if I cracked it or not. All he said was that I, Alexandria should go downstairs to the receptionist and fill a compensation form. No courtesy to ask if I was able to get through the malware or not.”

It was embarrassing with all the fatigue that threatened to melt my bones.

“What are we going to do now?. We can’t have you tired from 12-hour work that has eluded many professionals and you don’t get to have your pay. You’re a rare public figure from today. I’m going to rip Greg Tech tomorrow morning.” A sigh from her.

“Get some rest, tomorrow we go to war!”

Smiling at her tenacity, I hung up.

Why would Mr. Alvan treat me like I was insignificant and just came for the job to add to my experience? It hurt my ego more than I’d ever admit.

I dozed off into the world where energy stores are rejuvenated.

***

Greg

Alvan has just delivered the best news of the day.

“The encrypted malware has been cracked through.”

I couldn’t help screaming yes! With a bottle of champagne. Incurring loses not intended and disruption of my financial goals were just the least part of what this malware did to my company. The unfortunate thing was Alvan didn’t know she cracked it until another person who applied came to try the next day. Amidst my joy, I can’t believe Alvan missed getting payment details for the lady who tackled this. This wasn’t a good representation of Greg Tech.

Now, I have to find her and apologize for the degrading treatment from Alvan. He was reckless and has cost us an asset that would have been very useful to create a back up for all software we work with. Our employees were our first priority, and outstanding employees are always incited to do more with money and gift packages. This keeps the ball rolling with everyone trying hard to become the best employee of the month.

The malware had cost me over $15 billion unplanned expenses. I’ve had to live with the agony of keeping people shut to avoid the crashing of my company’s stock prices.

I sipped my drink and my mind wandered.

Beneath this happiness of getting this problem tackled lies the hunting amber eyes of the petite self-confident lady I ran into the day before I travelled out to Pennsylvania for a client meeting. Her lush lips and her wildfire eyes with the feel of her body as she crashed into me have kept me insane since the moment she collided into me. Self controlled part of me will never understand this unusual interest in lady. I wondered if she was my employee or a passerby at that moment. I didn’t have a name attached to this woman driving me insane. I took a deep breathe.

Before I got distracted with the manly ache between my legs, I need to find this hacker who cracked a malware that deluded international professional team of different high class hackers. When I find her, she is definitely coming in to own Greg Tech Company. An asset that should never be discarded. A valued hacker who would be the prized asset of not just Greg Tech, my sub company, but overall at Greg Enterprise.