I tumbled through infinity for what seemed like hours. It actually only lasted 10 minutes. The police showed up shortly afterward, to my rescue I suppose. I had entry and exit holes, as well as a punctured right lung with a fractured rib. I was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and was near respiratory arrest. They operated on me immediately. The police questioned me about why the cars were chasing me, and what my attacker looked like.
I explained the truth. I met them on a forum online, and we all liked computers. I was going to Laura Hernandez's house to meet with some other members of the forum to play a game. She then proceeded to attack, each of the other people that decided to meet there. They had a basement filled with highly illegal equipment and were hacking into government agencies. I was chased by Chris, Vince and Kenneth. I tried to get away in my car, but I was chased down by Laura. It was on the side of the road that she explained to me her scapegoat plan for me. She then shot Kenneth, and I. "Taking you as low as you go, Laura." I described to them her car, and license plate. I had committed them to memory a long time before we met. But they certainly didn't know that. I gave them an address for one of the front domains that Kenneth was using to steal social security numbers. They took that and ran far away from me. That was the truth for them, and now the truth for me. I was in the hospital for a week, and many more in pain.
My friends asked me many of the expected questions. What happened? Why are you in the hospital? I told them that I got into a car accident, and that I had a piece of metal puncture my lung. They'll never know the real story, sadly. The only way it'll work is if I remain a shadow. After I recuperated, I lived my life as normally as I could. Rebuilding and securing the network that was so fatally compromised, not on the system side, but on the user side. Six months later, I'm perfectly okay.
My terminal prompt in front of me, my work continues as before. Weaving in and out of networks, finding the patched up holes and cracking through them again. I'm the top of my game.
~TerminalMessage--F:Relinquished$: Hey Phil, How's the lung?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Chapter 15' Death
I sat in my car pondering my next move. I saw the BMW switch on it's hazards as it came up behind me. That was smart. Slightly more inconspicuous. To my surprise, to figures got out of the BMW. The driver had long brunette hair. Laura. The passenger was Kenneth. Laura walked up to my door, and grabbed the handle. I didn't move, didn't flinch. I knew the door was locked. She pulled out a 9MM Glock from her hip and tapped the window with it. She smiled menacingly. I laughed at her, and unlocked the door.
"Crazy bitch."
I stepped out of the car slowly, taking my time. The air was crisp outside. I loved the taste, the smell, the feeling of fresh air. It cooled the sweat on my neck. Laura kept her back to the traffic, shielding them from the view of the gun now pointed at my chest. Even if she didn't, it was too dark for them to see. Not to mention how far away we were from the road itself. As I stepped, dried leaves crunched under my boots. They say that in the minutes before your death, you have flashback memories of your life.
"Easy now, James. You're lucky I've decided to give you a couple minutes to live. I'm disappointed in you, James." She said mocking my expression from in the basement. "I thought you'd be smart enough to see what you were walking right into. Thats okay, we all make mistakes."
"Just like your parents I suppose." I laughed at my own joke, and my humor in the face of my death. Well if I was going to go, I was going to go as I lived. I thought.
The pistol hit me right above my upper lip, knocking me back. I was greeted by the metallic taste of my own blood. I licked the wound, as if to mock her hit. The pain was blinding, but I stood as tall as I could. Through the windows of my car, I could hear Achilles Last Stand. I smiled at that.
"Well, since your going to die anyway, I might as well rub it in your face." She said with malice.
"Yeah. Don't want me haunting you after I'm dead, asking why or how... Hah."
"We were using your servers to siphon money from various government organizations and credit lines. We switched your system around so you wouldn't be able to notice let alone act on it. All it took was that password you handed me yourself. We've been watching your network for a while, trying to find out it's owner."
"Hahaha. I get it, a vampire can only enter your home if you invite it in right? Very clever."
"I'm glad you enjoyed that. We've already made the necessary arrangements to have you take the fall for Chris' death. Vince should've bled out by now too." She was stone cold. I knew what she was now.
"Bled out?" This grabbed my attention.
"Stab wounds. Thanks for the fingerprints, by the way. We'll be extracting the ones you left on your steering wheel." Laura's ease and calm were unsettling.
"I see. They didn't know what was going on either..."
"That was my idea, knocking them out. Gotta tie up all the loose ends right James?" Ken chimed in. Obviously proud of himself. I can see now why it was so easy to put him down only the day before. Laura leaned over and kissed Ken hard. Shoving her tongue down his throat, putting his hand on her breast. They broke apart finally, just in time for me to realize the opportunity I had missed.
"Right. I guess I'm the last one huh?" I smiled. And started to laugh.
"Hahahahaha.. Hahaha." I doubled over and began laughing almost uncontrollably.
"Shut your fucking mouth." Laura was getting angry.
She held up the gun to my head. My eyes did not leave hers. She was waiting for me to step down. I will not. This is after all, my last stand. I heard the gun fire. I waited for my death. For the recording to stop. Everything to end. I heard Ken fall to the ground. I saw his stunned expression. He obviously never expected it either. He lay on the ground, motionless.
"How's that for an ending?" She asked, as she kissed me hard like she did in the House. She pushed herself onto me. And as she did this, I grabbed her gun arm and twisted it around. I pushed it up to make sure it hurt her. She started to grind against me.
"How's that feel? Good?" She asked sensually.
"I only make mistakes once." I said to her, and dislocated her arm with a crack.
Her scream of pain was drowned out by a gunshot. My ear rang. I felt a warm tingling sensation.
I fell onto my back, as she ran to get into the BMW. I heard it rev up and speed off.
And thats how I got here.
The air is so crisp. I can hear the whoosh of the cars going by. There are so many stars in the sky tonight.
And I wonder to myself, will I ever be a star and hang high in the sky for all to see?
I realize after all this time. What I really am, is human. Something I never wanted to admit or accept.
Always wishing that I was something more. It's too bad I didn't realize that earlier.
Because now... Now I am No One. No One at all.
"Crazy bitch."
I stepped out of the car slowly, taking my time. The air was crisp outside. I loved the taste, the smell, the feeling of fresh air. It cooled the sweat on my neck. Laura kept her back to the traffic, shielding them from the view of the gun now pointed at my chest. Even if she didn't, it was too dark for them to see. Not to mention how far away we were from the road itself. As I stepped, dried leaves crunched under my boots. They say that in the minutes before your death, you have flashback memories of your life.
"Easy now, James. You're lucky I've decided to give you a couple minutes to live. I'm disappointed in you, James." She said mocking my expression from in the basement. "I thought you'd be smart enough to see what you were walking right into. Thats okay, we all make mistakes."
"Just like your parents I suppose." I laughed at my own joke, and my humor in the face of my death. Well if I was going to go, I was going to go as I lived. I thought.
The pistol hit me right above my upper lip, knocking me back. I was greeted by the metallic taste of my own blood. I licked the wound, as if to mock her hit. The pain was blinding, but I stood as tall as I could. Through the windows of my car, I could hear Achilles Last Stand. I smiled at that.
"Well, since your going to die anyway, I might as well rub it in your face." She said with malice.
"Yeah. Don't want me haunting you after I'm dead, asking why or how... Hah."
"We were using your servers to siphon money from various government organizations and credit lines. We switched your system around so you wouldn't be able to notice let alone act on it. All it took was that password you handed me yourself. We've been watching your network for a while, trying to find out it's owner."
"Hahaha. I get it, a vampire can only enter your home if you invite it in right? Very clever."
"I'm glad you enjoyed that. We've already made the necessary arrangements to have you take the fall for Chris' death. Vince should've bled out by now too." She was stone cold. I knew what she was now.
"Bled out?" This grabbed my attention.
"Stab wounds. Thanks for the fingerprints, by the way. We'll be extracting the ones you left on your steering wheel." Laura's ease and calm were unsettling.
"I see. They didn't know what was going on either..."
"That was my idea, knocking them out. Gotta tie up all the loose ends right James?" Ken chimed in. Obviously proud of himself. I can see now why it was so easy to put him down only the day before. Laura leaned over and kissed Ken hard. Shoving her tongue down his throat, putting his hand on her breast. They broke apart finally, just in time for me to realize the opportunity I had missed.
"Right. I guess I'm the last one huh?" I smiled. And started to laugh.
"Hahahahaha.. Hahaha." I doubled over and began laughing almost uncontrollably.
"Shut your fucking mouth." Laura was getting angry.
She held up the gun to my head. My eyes did not leave hers. She was waiting for me to step down. I will not. This is after all, my last stand. I heard the gun fire. I waited for my death. For the recording to stop. Everything to end. I heard Ken fall to the ground. I saw his stunned expression. He obviously never expected it either. He lay on the ground, motionless.
"How's that for an ending?" She asked, as she kissed me hard like she did in the House. She pushed herself onto me. And as she did this, I grabbed her gun arm and twisted it around. I pushed it up to make sure it hurt her. She started to grind against me.
"How's that feel? Good?" She asked sensually.
"I only make mistakes once." I said to her, and dislocated her arm with a crack.
Her scream of pain was drowned out by a gunshot. My ear rang. I felt a warm tingling sensation.
I fell onto my back, as she ran to get into the BMW. I heard it rev up and speed off.
And thats how I got here.
The air is so crisp. I can hear the whoosh of the cars going by. There are so many stars in the sky tonight.
And I wonder to myself, will I ever be a star and hang high in the sky for all to see?
I realize after all this time. What I really am, is human. Something I never wanted to admit or accept.
Always wishing that I was something more. It's too bad I didn't realize that earlier.
Because now... Now I am No One. No One at all.
Chapter 14' Personal Jesus
"You have to be your own personal Jesus. The only person you can always save is yourself." They say that no matter how long you run, your shadow will catch you. I believe that now, more than ever. My shadow is chasing me right now. My iPod, as if aware of the situation, came to life with Low by Foo Fighters. Perfect. The cars approached quickly, and I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. 90, 100... I didn't start my shift set correctly, and my car wasn't accelerating fast enough. They had a tremendous lead, probably doing 120 or so. Those engines at least doubled mine in horsepower. My car lurched forward as the Audi contacted by bumper. My transmission clanked loudly as it absorbed my downshift into Third gear. At 100+ MPH I could've easily blew my transmission out of my car, but I didn't have a choice. My engine drowned out all sound with it's roar. A lion letting it's presence known.
"Taking you as low as you go... As low as you go" I screamed the lyrics as dodged another attack from the Audi. My attackers came on either side of me to prepare to box me in. I saw the move, hard braked and swung around to the left of the BMW. The cars clipped each other, but stabilized to my dismay. I took this time to try and mash my foot farther into the floor trying to gain every since ounce of torque and horsepower from my engine. I had one last resort, but I had to use it wisely. One beautiful thing about having a turbocharged car, is the ability to add a nitrous fogger system to each cylinder without changing the head more than once.
I flew up Hutchinson North Parkway with speed I've never seen or even dared before. I hit the Orchard Beach bridge, and almost lost the car at 120 MPH. I knew what was coming up next, and it was my only chance at near escape. Low finished at the perfect time, and was replaced with Jerry Was A Race Car Driver. Our tires screeched as we made the sharp turn. My rear tires slid towards my passenger side, and I heard the suspension crunch down trying to keep my car upright. I saw a flash of bright red in my rear view mirror. I didn't have time to think about what it was, because the BMW was bearing down on me. It's body contacted my car's and sparks flew. My driver side mirror flew off of my car crackling and raining down on my road behind me. A quick glance in my rear view showed the Audi everywhere, flames engulfing it's now deceased driver. Cars were stopped everywhere. It was witness hell.
Sorry, Chris. You weren't a bad guy. Or maybe you were. My car's violent vibration told me that destruction was imminent. I ejected the small red button that was hidden inside my console. And pressed it. My engine screamed and whined loudly as my car exploded with speed. 130, 140....My speedometer could no longer help me. The BMW could not immediately accelerate to this speed. It lurched left and right, as if the wind was knocking in to my car trying to murder me. The other cars on the road swerved out of my way. The Beemer was at least a half mile in my rear view mirror as I made the sharp turn onto Interstate 95 North. This is my getaway. Thats when my faithful engine could not take any more, and as I used the last 10% of my nitrous supply to re-accelerate my engine seized it's run. I watched it's RPMs drop to zero, as my hope fell in the same manner. I lost my steering at 90 MPH, and I knew my brakes would be next. I slammed my foot down. My tires screeched loudly as they struggled to grip the cracked asphalt.
My cell phone started to chime as I turned straight towards the forested area by the highway. Max was calling. I answered the phone. "Max, things have just gone crazy. I can't fucking talk right now, but cover for me. Call whoever to do it." I didn't give him a chance to answer. I had to face whoever was driving that car, to make my escape. My car came to a stop right before the tree line, and that was all I needed. I saw the Beemer fly up the ramp. I shut off my lights and hoped that this would go the easy way. "Fucking bloody hell." The Beemer turned directly at me. The HID headlights mocked my slain lion. "Rest in peace. I hope I won't join you."
"Taking you as low as you go... As low as you go" I screamed the lyrics as dodged another attack from the Audi. My attackers came on either side of me to prepare to box me in. I saw the move, hard braked and swung around to the left of the BMW. The cars clipped each other, but stabilized to my dismay. I took this time to try and mash my foot farther into the floor trying to gain every since ounce of torque and horsepower from my engine. I had one last resort, but I had to use it wisely. One beautiful thing about having a turbocharged car, is the ability to add a nitrous fogger system to each cylinder without changing the head more than once.
I flew up Hutchinson North Parkway with speed I've never seen or even dared before. I hit the Orchard Beach bridge, and almost lost the car at 120 MPH. I knew what was coming up next, and it was my only chance at near escape. Low finished at the perfect time, and was replaced with Jerry Was A Race Car Driver. Our tires screeched as we made the sharp turn. My rear tires slid towards my passenger side, and I heard the suspension crunch down trying to keep my car upright. I saw a flash of bright red in my rear view mirror. I didn't have time to think about what it was, because the BMW was bearing down on me. It's body contacted my car's and sparks flew. My driver side mirror flew off of my car crackling and raining down on my road behind me. A quick glance in my rear view showed the Audi everywhere, flames engulfing it's now deceased driver. Cars were stopped everywhere. It was witness hell.
Sorry, Chris. You weren't a bad guy. Or maybe you were. My car's violent vibration told me that destruction was imminent. I ejected the small red button that was hidden inside my console. And pressed it. My engine screamed and whined loudly as my car exploded with speed. 130, 140....My speedometer could no longer help me. The BMW could not immediately accelerate to this speed. It lurched left and right, as if the wind was knocking in to my car trying to murder me. The other cars on the road swerved out of my way. The Beemer was at least a half mile in my rear view mirror as I made the sharp turn onto Interstate 95 North. This is my getaway. Thats when my faithful engine could not take any more, and as I used the last 10% of my nitrous supply to re-accelerate my engine seized it's run. I watched it's RPMs drop to zero, as my hope fell in the same manner. I lost my steering at 90 MPH, and I knew my brakes would be next. I slammed my foot down. My tires screeched loudly as they struggled to grip the cracked asphalt.
My cell phone started to chime as I turned straight towards the forested area by the highway. Max was calling. I answered the phone. "Max, things have just gone crazy. I can't fucking talk right now, but cover for me. Call whoever to do it." I didn't give him a chance to answer. I had to face whoever was driving that car, to make my escape. My car came to a stop right before the tree line, and that was all I needed. I saw the Beemer fly up the ramp. I shut off my lights and hoped that this would go the easy way. "Fucking bloody hell." The Beemer turned directly at me. The HID headlights mocked my slain lion. "Rest in peace. I hope I won't join you."
Monday, January 28, 2008
Chapter 13' Or so I thought.
"In times of peril, above all remember that you aren't really human. It'll get you out of anything." I wish this were as easy as it sounds. I awoke to the smell of blood, and a sharp pain the in back of my head and nose. Someone had hit me in the nose while I was asleep. How nice. Before I chose to open my eyes and alert my captors of my consciousness, I began to use my senses as best I could to figure this situation out. My hands were tied behind my back behind the chair as expected. My legs were not bound though. Mistake. I couldn't smell anything, I could however feel the heat from lamps on my face.
I opened my eyes...
"Nice of you to wake up, now hurry and grab your lunch or you'll be late for school." Ken joked.
"Glad to see that you're still so predictable Ken." His smile immediately dropped.
"Even when all of the odds in this situation are against you, you still choose to taunt me?"
"It's one of my redeeming qualities. Otherwise, I'd just be a complete asshole."
His movement was swift over to me, smashing me in the jaw with his left fist. Truth to be told, I didn't see it coming. It was thrilling. I wasn't afraid of dying, but just dying before I got to pay him back for that punch.
"Now, it's time for business. Who do you work for?"
"Excuse me..?" I was honestly, incredulous at this accusation. Mostly because I was independent in my operations, other than this one.
"We got word, that there is a snitch high up in the circles. Someone that has infiltrated important networks because of FBI Informant status."
"Where'd you get this word from?"
Another smash to my face. This one hit high on my cheekbone.
"I ask the questions here asshole."
"Ken, you've already committed yourself to a death sentence by doing that."
He punched me dead in between my lungs, knocking the wind right out of me. He wasn't weak admittedly. I choked and tried to control my breathing again. He came closer to me, a half a foot from my face.
"I'm in control here. Not you." He said, with his snake like tension.
My movement was fluid and swift, I kicked him sideways in the knee buckling him down. Then I stood up and kicked him in the chest. He flew onto his back stunned. He attempted to get back up, and I kicked him right in the diaphragm. He wheezed on the dingy floor of the basement I could now make out.
"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" I said, to his squirming body.
"Happy now Ken?" Alex stood behind the row of bright spotlights.
"I'm disappointed in you, Alex."
She looked at me with disappointment.
"I'm sorry James. But as it turns out I needed you in a more as an escape utility than a companion. And my name really is Laura. Alex was just a paper trail. Though, call me whatever. You'll be dead soon anyway."
"Maybe." I said as I flipped the chair around, and freed my hands.
And with that, I kicked Ken once more in his side with enough force to lift him off the ground and across the floor.
"Stop that would you? I'm going to need him to help clean you up off the floor."
I felt the wind rush by me, from the baseball bat that narrowly missed my head. I kicked her across the legs as she moved by me, and she fell to the ground.
"Crazy bitch."
It was expected, that I was blinded through the entire situation. That it was all there is to it. I could've seen their manipulation, but I chose to take a blind eye to it. To protect myself, and somewhat my ego I suppose.
"James WAIT!" Laura screamed as I ran out of the door of the basement room.
It was a door on the other side of the basement, I failed to notice during my visits. I've got Laura to blame for that. I came into the main workstation room, to see Chris sitting at his chair.
"Sorry James, Ken's orders."
He began to get up as I ran towards the dusty hardwood stairs. I was upstairs much quicker than he was. I grabbed the knob for the large black door but it did not budge. I checked for locking devices. I found nothing but the industrial doorknob. I looked around. The door had two large windows around it, just big enough for me. I ripped open the window just as Chris was upstairs.
I jumped out of it, I didn't have a chance to think. I landed in a rose bush, Of course, the irony was beautiful for that one. The thorns tore at my skin as I freed myself from the bush. I was getting really dizzy from the concussion that I no doubt had gotten from the blow to my head.
The black door opened behind me as I got to the sidewalk. Chris, Ken and Vince all jumped down the stairs after me. It didn't take me much time to figure out what was going to happen next if I didn't get out of there. They could make me disappear, really easily. And put the blame on someone innocent. Neither of which I wanted. I ran, as fast as I could. Letting the adrenaline take it's course in curing my pain. Ignoring the burning in all of my muscles. The pounding in my head. Letting everything melt, as I ran for my life. Literally.
Vince was the only one who followed, which I found odd but didn't have time to ponder too much. I cut through fences and yards trying to lose him. But the man was in tip top shape. More so than I was, and if I kept this up, I would lose. I had no choice for my next move. I cut across through a Burger King parking lot, right onto Mayflower. Vince was behind me no more than a block. I grabbed my key and smashed it into the lock as fast as I could. Closed the door, locked it as my engine roared to life. Vince got to my car trying to smash the window. Wrong move. I slammed the car into reverse and floored it. I managed to swing the car around and knock him over.
I switched my car into first gear, and took off as fast as I possibly could. I intentionally parked my car as close to the highway as possible so that if I had to make a fast getaway, I could. I dug my foot down as far as it would possibly go. My car rocketing at the highway. I tried to gather myself as best as possible, but the adrenaline in my blood would not allow. My hands were shaking. I was breathing fast. Uncontrollably fast. But this was the adrenaline high I was so used to. So ready for. I flew onto the highway with extreme speed, and almost lost control of the car. "I made it..." I said to myself with a sigh of relief.
I slowed down a bit to avoid attention from the police. That would be the last thing I needed, since they were no doubt setting up a police warrant for my arrest. I knew this game, I knew these people. But they were too predictable. I peered in all of my mirrors cautiously. All I needed to do was get to my computer, and get them before them before they got me. Two cars riding the left and right lanes were closing real fast on me. The blue HID lights told me one car was Chris'. The signature of the other car told me it had to be Laura's BMW. "It's going to be a long night." I said to myself, as my car roared. Ready for the coming fight.
I opened my eyes...
"Nice of you to wake up, now hurry and grab your lunch or you'll be late for school." Ken joked.
"Glad to see that you're still so predictable Ken." His smile immediately dropped.
"Even when all of the odds in this situation are against you, you still choose to taunt me?"
"It's one of my redeeming qualities. Otherwise, I'd just be a complete asshole."
His movement was swift over to me, smashing me in the jaw with his left fist. Truth to be told, I didn't see it coming. It was thrilling. I wasn't afraid of dying, but just dying before I got to pay him back for that punch.
"Now, it's time for business. Who do you work for?"
"Excuse me..?" I was honestly, incredulous at this accusation. Mostly because I was independent in my operations, other than this one.
"We got word, that there is a snitch high up in the circles. Someone that has infiltrated important networks because of FBI Informant status."
"Where'd you get this word from?"
Another smash to my face. This one hit high on my cheekbone.
"I ask the questions here asshole."
"Ken, you've already committed yourself to a death sentence by doing that."
He punched me dead in between my lungs, knocking the wind right out of me. He wasn't weak admittedly. I choked and tried to control my breathing again. He came closer to me, a half a foot from my face.
"I'm in control here. Not you." He said, with his snake like tension.
My movement was fluid and swift, I kicked him sideways in the knee buckling him down. Then I stood up and kicked him in the chest. He flew onto his back stunned. He attempted to get back up, and I kicked him right in the diaphragm. He wheezed on the dingy floor of the basement I could now make out.
"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" I said, to his squirming body.
"Happy now Ken?" Alex stood behind the row of bright spotlights.
"I'm disappointed in you, Alex."
She looked at me with disappointment.
"I'm sorry James. But as it turns out I needed you in a more as an escape utility than a companion. And my name really is Laura. Alex was just a paper trail. Though, call me whatever. You'll be dead soon anyway."
"Maybe." I said as I flipped the chair around, and freed my hands.
And with that, I kicked Ken once more in his side with enough force to lift him off the ground and across the floor.
"Stop that would you? I'm going to need him to help clean you up off the floor."
I felt the wind rush by me, from the baseball bat that narrowly missed my head. I kicked her across the legs as she moved by me, and she fell to the ground.
"Crazy bitch."
It was expected, that I was blinded through the entire situation. That it was all there is to it. I could've seen their manipulation, but I chose to take a blind eye to it. To protect myself, and somewhat my ego I suppose.
"James WAIT!" Laura screamed as I ran out of the door of the basement room.
It was a door on the other side of the basement, I failed to notice during my visits. I've got Laura to blame for that. I came into the main workstation room, to see Chris sitting at his chair.
"Sorry James, Ken's orders."
He began to get up as I ran towards the dusty hardwood stairs. I was upstairs much quicker than he was. I grabbed the knob for the large black door but it did not budge. I checked for locking devices. I found nothing but the industrial doorknob. I looked around. The door had two large windows around it, just big enough for me. I ripped open the window just as Chris was upstairs.
I jumped out of it, I didn't have a chance to think. I landed in a rose bush, Of course, the irony was beautiful for that one. The thorns tore at my skin as I freed myself from the bush. I was getting really dizzy from the concussion that I no doubt had gotten from the blow to my head.
The black door opened behind me as I got to the sidewalk. Chris, Ken and Vince all jumped down the stairs after me. It didn't take me much time to figure out what was going to happen next if I didn't get out of there. They could make me disappear, really easily. And put the blame on someone innocent. Neither of which I wanted. I ran, as fast as I could. Letting the adrenaline take it's course in curing my pain. Ignoring the burning in all of my muscles. The pounding in my head. Letting everything melt, as I ran for my life. Literally.
Vince was the only one who followed, which I found odd but didn't have time to ponder too much. I cut through fences and yards trying to lose him. But the man was in tip top shape. More so than I was, and if I kept this up, I would lose. I had no choice for my next move. I cut across through a Burger King parking lot, right onto Mayflower. Vince was behind me no more than a block. I grabbed my key and smashed it into the lock as fast as I could. Closed the door, locked it as my engine roared to life. Vince got to my car trying to smash the window. Wrong move. I slammed the car into reverse and floored it. I managed to swing the car around and knock him over.
I switched my car into first gear, and took off as fast as I possibly could. I intentionally parked my car as close to the highway as possible so that if I had to make a fast getaway, I could. I dug my foot down as far as it would possibly go. My car rocketing at the highway. I tried to gather myself as best as possible, but the adrenaline in my blood would not allow. My hands were shaking. I was breathing fast. Uncontrollably fast. But this was the adrenaline high I was so used to. So ready for. I flew onto the highway with extreme speed, and almost lost control of the car. "I made it..." I said to myself with a sigh of relief.
I slowed down a bit to avoid attention from the police. That would be the last thing I needed, since they were no doubt setting up a police warrant for my arrest. I knew this game, I knew these people. But they were too predictable. I peered in all of my mirrors cautiously. All I needed to do was get to my computer, and get them before them before they got me. Two cars riding the left and right lanes were closing real fast on me. The blue HID lights told me one car was Chris'. The signature of the other car told me it had to be Laura's BMW. "It's going to be a long night." I said to myself, as my car roared. Ready for the coming fight.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Chapter 12' Satisfaction
(Sorry for the long interval in between chapters. Life has been weird recently. Regardless, onward we go.)
"Always stay in focus... If you lose focus, you'll lose your life." Inspirational, but hard to follow. Chris was the first to leave the workstations. He relocated to the other side of the room, and started setting up the soldering equipment. Probably creating a new device for our malice. I glanced back at my workstation. The clock read 5:18 PM. Time to return to my normal life. I pushed my chair behind me, and stood up. Right as I did, I bumped into Laura.. or Alex.. or who ever she was then. I felt her hands slide down my chest as I got up. My thoughts immediately shifted off returning to work.
"Follow." She whispered into my ear.
I saw her glance at her cell phone for a moment, or.. maybe she didn't.
We walked upstairs, and the creaky wooden stairs moaned in agony of our weight. I followed her up the dark red carpet staircase into the dark upstairs of this house.
Pause.
There are many times in my life, that I wish I was born without a sex drive at all. It's quite easily the last connection I have to being truly human. All it has done is blinded me at the worst times, while teasing me with impulse. Sex is disgustingly impulsive, and wrong in my cognitive brain. Everything tells me that, but my body does not let my brain free of it's chains. It's the price we pay to have the two mated together.
Play.
This house was unknown to me completely, and here I was following a girl that I didn't know at all up a flight of stairs into darkness. It was thrilling in every way. We reached the top of the carpet stairs with ease. A bright orange streetlight shown in the window of the second story bedroom. The room though dark, was mostly empty. There was a couch that simply did not fit with the other seemingly unused items in the room. It was black from what I could see, felt material. Next to it, a dusty hardwood end table, with an old looking gold base lamp. There was a beat up area rug underneath these items, on top of a very dark hardwood floor. Just as I was finishing my processing of the room, she kissed me. Hard. I could feel her leg wrap around me as she pulled me against her.
Something, from somewhere told me something was wrong. I can't tell you what, because right then, right there my brain wasn't functioning. I pushed her down onto the couch, to assert myself again. I moved on top of her, against my better judgement. And started to unbutton the loose black dress shirt she was wearing. I kissed her neck as I removed her bra strap. The red silk bra fell off her body, effortlessly. And then I heard her whisper.
"I'm sorry..."
The crushing blow to the back of my head blinded me in the next moment. The shooting pain, nausea and then unconsciousness.
"Always stay in focus... If you lose focus, you'll lose your life." Inspirational, but hard to follow. Chris was the first to leave the workstations. He relocated to the other side of the room, and started setting up the soldering equipment. Probably creating a new device for our malice. I glanced back at my workstation. The clock read 5:18 PM. Time to return to my normal life. I pushed my chair behind me, and stood up. Right as I did, I bumped into Laura.. or Alex.. or who ever she was then. I felt her hands slide down my chest as I got up. My thoughts immediately shifted off returning to work.
"Follow." She whispered into my ear.
I saw her glance at her cell phone for a moment, or.. maybe she didn't.
We walked upstairs, and the creaky wooden stairs moaned in agony of our weight. I followed her up the dark red carpet staircase into the dark upstairs of this house.
Pause.
There are many times in my life, that I wish I was born without a sex drive at all. It's quite easily the last connection I have to being truly human. All it has done is blinded me at the worst times, while teasing me with impulse. Sex is disgustingly impulsive, and wrong in my cognitive brain. Everything tells me that, but my body does not let my brain free of it's chains. It's the price we pay to have the two mated together.
Play.
This house was unknown to me completely, and here I was following a girl that I didn't know at all up a flight of stairs into darkness. It was thrilling in every way. We reached the top of the carpet stairs with ease. A bright orange streetlight shown in the window of the second story bedroom. The room though dark, was mostly empty. There was a couch that simply did not fit with the other seemingly unused items in the room. It was black from what I could see, felt material. Next to it, a dusty hardwood end table, with an old looking gold base lamp. There was a beat up area rug underneath these items, on top of a very dark hardwood floor. Just as I was finishing my processing of the room, she kissed me. Hard. I could feel her leg wrap around me as she pulled me against her.
Something, from somewhere told me something was wrong. I can't tell you what, because right then, right there my brain wasn't functioning. I pushed her down onto the couch, to assert myself again. I moved on top of her, against my better judgement. And started to unbutton the loose black dress shirt she was wearing. I kissed her neck as I removed her bra strap. The red silk bra fell off her body, effortlessly. And then I heard her whisper.
"I'm sorry..."
The crushing blow to the back of my head blinded me in the next moment. The shooting pain, nausea and then unconsciousness.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Chapter 11 Hypocrite.
(Back from a short Winter vacation hiatus.)
"The most important rule about this game. Is knowing yourself, everything else comes naturally." I love that one. The musty foyer of the house was just as it was last time. Empty. Kind of like me. I removed my trusty leather jacket and slung it over my shoulder as I walked down the hardwood stairs. Their creaks from my weight alerted the dwellers of the basement to my presence.
"Nice of you to be on time, James."
"Anytime, Laura."
"I can't say I'm very surprised, you make the perfect hypocrite after all."
She came dangerously close to me, and whispered in my ear. Her voice, even as a whisper was enticing.
"Don't slip up, and maybe you'll get to know a little more about me."
The words slid off her tongue with more sensuality then I was used to.
"Have a little faith, Laura." I whispered back into her ear, with equal sensuality. I had proven that I was once again, in duality of character. She walked back to her desk and resumed her work preparing the presentation for the meeting.
I peered around at the other members of our ramshackle squad, to find Vince looking quite destroyed. They say drugs are a tough game, and his personality fit perfectly as vulnerable to them. Chris was hard at work in several command line windows. I wondered what he was working on. Gino was absent from our meeting tonight, probably working or with his family. I could appreciate his duality. Kenneth was sulking at his workstation, looking like we'd interrupted him from something important. The great part of being able to play multiple roles, is that you're never absent from a real life. None of us fit the normal stereotype of an average hacker. We were the social elites of our own group. None of us were dominated by our abilities, we dominated because of our abilities.
I sat on a bar stool near the large assortment of radio frequency jamming equipment. Alex arose from her chair after a couple finishing adjustments, and gathered everyone's attention. It wasn't hard for her. She certainly hadn't lost mine.
"Ok guys, we had a pretty nasty problem today. Our contact from Philadelphia was uploading the details for an illegal wiretap in Oregon. He failed to encrypt the files correctly, and we believe to have leaked our job information to several servers."
"Laura, I don't see a problem here. Take down the servers." Said Ken, naturally pompous.
"It's too bad one of them is a AES-256 Encrypted server out of a Private Investigator's agency in Langley. That could mean extraordinarily bad news for us, if it's the wrong one."
She played her role as Laura flawlessly. She could just as well be just as empty as I am. Acting for the cameras, so to speak.
"What's the plan, L?" Chris asked, almost eager.
"I thought you'd never ask." And on that note, she brought up a grid of map. On blue and white interlaced line map, there was a red dot simply labeled. "Target."
"Straight and to the point. I like it." I said, and smiled her way.
"I thought you would, Soul. We're going to take down the agency though a 4 way DoS attack, but only after destroying that bit of data that got stolen from us." I love when a woman could take control of an op, assert herself on the team.
"W-Wh-W-What?" Vince looked up from his blank screen, and at Alex wide-eyed. He was trembling.
"Vince, can you handle being here right now?" I asked. I couldn't stand this very much longer.
"Y-Y-eah." And turned back to the blank screen.
"I'm officially taking Vince's slot for this op. I'm not putting my ass on the line, for some junkie to get me thrown in jail. Vince, get up. Here's 15 bucks. Get a cab home, would you?" I had run out of patience.
"O-ok." He replied. Still trembling.
"Alright then. Chris, you're in charge of deleting that data. Wipe it clean. Got it?"
He nodded his approval. And then she turned to me.
"Listen stud. Don't go all lone wolf on me here huh? I need you to gather the spiders from OOL339 and attack the office on my mark. Ok?"
"No problem, Boss Lady." I grinned.
"Ken, we already went over what you're doing. OOL231 spiders, same time as Soul. I'll be hitting with VER3255 spiders. Do not initiate your attacks before the file has be successfully deleted or we're really screwed."
We all got to our workstations quickly after that short briefing. Each member on the team chanted their ready signals, and we were off. I immediately went to work. I turned on a little playlist of music, and donned Vince's Sennheiser 144 headphones. Vince had limited music that I enjoyed, so I sampled some System Of a Down, Led Zeppelin and Deftones from my iPod Nano. And we were off. I started opening connections all over the world, routing myself so that it was impossible to retrace my actions. Then I dialed into a server that I used for local attacks, right outside of Virginia. Latency would be low, and perfect. Kashmir blasted out of the Sennheisers. The sound was full, and amazing. Five hundred dollars would really go a long way with earphones I guess.
Alex chose to synchronize our actions together, using messages instead of verbal communication due to my self-enclosure. I saw the red message come up. "Attack, 34.66.144.411/dd7 in 30 seconds." This meant that the file had been exterminated and that we were almost finished here. I unleashed my army of drones against the server. The combined 4 way attack between all of us mashed it down in less than a minute after we started. The deed was done. I deleted all of the connection logs from this computer and all of my routing computers. Erased all traceable data, and completely covered my tracks.
Deftones high distortion guitar rocked my ears. Satisfaction. I shut off the music, and looked to face the others. Their faces shown of relief, and of satisfaction as well. Something we all shared, at least in this moment.
"The most important rule about this game. Is knowing yourself, everything else comes naturally." I love that one. The musty foyer of the house was just as it was last time. Empty. Kind of like me. I removed my trusty leather jacket and slung it over my shoulder as I walked down the hardwood stairs. Their creaks from my weight alerted the dwellers of the basement to my presence.
"Nice of you to be on time, James."
"Anytime, Laura."
"I can't say I'm very surprised, you make the perfect hypocrite after all."
She came dangerously close to me, and whispered in my ear. Her voice, even as a whisper was enticing.
"Don't slip up, and maybe you'll get to know a little more about me."
The words slid off her tongue with more sensuality then I was used to.
"Have a little faith, Laura." I whispered back into her ear, with equal sensuality. I had proven that I was once again, in duality of character. She walked back to her desk and resumed her work preparing the presentation for the meeting.
I peered around at the other members of our ramshackle squad, to find Vince looking quite destroyed. They say drugs are a tough game, and his personality fit perfectly as vulnerable to them. Chris was hard at work in several command line windows. I wondered what he was working on. Gino was absent from our meeting tonight, probably working or with his family. I could appreciate his duality. Kenneth was sulking at his workstation, looking like we'd interrupted him from something important. The great part of being able to play multiple roles, is that you're never absent from a real life. None of us fit the normal stereotype of an average hacker. We were the social elites of our own group. None of us were dominated by our abilities, we dominated because of our abilities.
I sat on a bar stool near the large assortment of radio frequency jamming equipment. Alex arose from her chair after a couple finishing adjustments, and gathered everyone's attention. It wasn't hard for her. She certainly hadn't lost mine.
"Ok guys, we had a pretty nasty problem today. Our contact from Philadelphia was uploading the details for an illegal wiretap in Oregon. He failed to encrypt the files correctly, and we believe to have leaked our job information to several servers."
"Laura, I don't see a problem here. Take down the servers." Said Ken, naturally pompous.
"It's too bad one of them is a AES-256 Encrypted server out of a Private Investigator's agency in Langley. That could mean extraordinarily bad news for us, if it's the wrong one."
She played her role as Laura flawlessly. She could just as well be just as empty as I am. Acting for the cameras, so to speak.
"What's the plan, L?" Chris asked, almost eager.
"I thought you'd never ask." And on that note, she brought up a grid of map. On blue and white interlaced line map, there was a red dot simply labeled. "Target."
"Straight and to the point. I like it." I said, and smiled her way.
"I thought you would, Soul. We're going to take down the agency though a 4 way DoS attack, but only after destroying that bit of data that got stolen from us." I love when a woman could take control of an op, assert herself on the team.
"W-Wh-W-What?" Vince looked up from his blank screen, and at Alex wide-eyed. He was trembling.
"Vince, can you handle being here right now?" I asked. I couldn't stand this very much longer.
"Y-Y-eah." And turned back to the blank screen.
"I'm officially taking Vince's slot for this op. I'm not putting my ass on the line, for some junkie to get me thrown in jail. Vince, get up. Here's 15 bucks. Get a cab home, would you?" I had run out of patience.
"O-ok." He replied. Still trembling.
"Alright then. Chris, you're in charge of deleting that data. Wipe it clean. Got it?"
He nodded his approval. And then she turned to me.
"Listen stud. Don't go all lone wolf on me here huh? I need you to gather the spiders from OOL339 and attack the office on my mark. Ok?"
"No problem, Boss Lady." I grinned.
"Ken, we already went over what you're doing. OOL231 spiders, same time as Soul. I'll be hitting with VER3255 spiders. Do not initiate your attacks before the file has be successfully deleted or we're really screwed."
We all got to our workstations quickly after that short briefing. Each member on the team chanted their ready signals, and we were off. I immediately went to work. I turned on a little playlist of music, and donned Vince's Sennheiser 144 headphones. Vince had limited music that I enjoyed, so I sampled some System Of a Down, Led Zeppelin and Deftones from my iPod Nano. And we were off. I started opening connections all over the world, routing myself so that it was impossible to retrace my actions. Then I dialed into a server that I used for local attacks, right outside of Virginia. Latency would be low, and perfect. Kashmir blasted out of the Sennheisers. The sound was full, and amazing. Five hundred dollars would really go a long way with earphones I guess.
Alex chose to synchronize our actions together, using messages instead of verbal communication due to my self-enclosure. I saw the red message come up. "Attack, 34.66.144.411/dd7 in 30 seconds." This meant that the file had been exterminated and that we were almost finished here. I unleashed my army of drones against the server. The combined 4 way attack between all of us mashed it down in less than a minute after we started. The deed was done. I deleted all of the connection logs from this computer and all of my routing computers. Erased all traceable data, and completely covered my tracks.
Deftones high distortion guitar rocked my ears. Satisfaction. I shut off the music, and looked to face the others. Their faces shown of relief, and of satisfaction as well. Something we all shared, at least in this moment.
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