...Damian

1:00 AM

The short alarm and notification on my phone illuminated my room. I turned over on my back and reached over to pick it up. The glowing notification and missed messages from Henry, My senior Network Administrator, was alarming.

Damian, we have a data breach on the West Coast Servers.

Thanks Henry, check our intrusion detection and

Do a full security sweep and make sure nothing was leaked.

It seems they are still in the system. I will keep you informed.

What?

Phone in hand, I stand and give a quick glance at the figure in my bed still a sleep and I sighed. This one managed to stay the night.

I had to deal with it all later. What was more important was that I track down the hacker that is still in my system.

I strode out of my room and head down the hall to my office. I slid around my desk into my chair and woke up my multiple screens with a shake of my mouse. I pulled up the portal as I was taught to do that monitors my corporations' systems. I paid top dollar for just the gloss over of the specifics without getting too technical because this was not my forte. I dealt with numbers. Not this. Even though I had a fully capable Cyber security in place, this felt personal. I needed to handle this myself.

I watch the activity on the screen and my stomach tightens. Damn Hacker.

Whoever this asshole was, they were clever but too late at covering his tracks as I caught on to him.

I immediately opened up a chat window, against my better judgment and advice of my team to NOT or NEVER interact with a hacker. Henry is gonna shit bricks when he finds out. But what's done is done and this one is not getting away.

I immediately put the tracker on to trace the whereabouts of the hacker.

Nemesis: I'm on to you...

Ch1m3ra: Not quite, you're late to the game and I am on my way out.

I shook my head with that response and watched as the tracker blinked on random places on a map. He was definitely here in the U.S., But where?

Nemesis: You are going to regret this.

The tracker blinked rapidly over the map as the hacker continued removing his presence. I anxiously watched as the dot on the map stopped right in the middle of New York. He was here in the city. A smile forms on my lips.

I got you.

Ch1m3ra: Oh, Really? Are you sure of that?

I frowned as my tracker disappeared from the screen. My jaw clenched.

I was tired of the games.

Nemesis: What the hell do want?

Ch1m3ra: Nothing...yet...😊

My ears began to get warm as I was getting pissed watching him erase his tracks which makes it harder to locate him. And the whole time he is casing out my network. Mapping it for it vulnerability. I stared at the blinking cursor on the chat window waiting for another response.

Ch1m3ra: I'm done here, you can have your system back.

Shit. I got anxious because I still had no trace on this hacker.

But before I could string him along for another conversation, that chat window closed and my screen went dark. What the...???

I tapped furiously on my keyboard and moved my mouse. My computer was unresponsive.

Ch1m3ra: It was nice talking to you.

I watch as the words bounce around my screen in cursive.

They were suddenly gone because my computer rebooted.

I sank back in my chair. Severely frustrated and highly pissed. It wasn't until after a couple of seconds of sitting there that I felt warm fingers glide over my shoulders. I frowned and gritted my teeth with the reminder that she was still here.

"Babe, come back to bed." Vanessa, my on again...off again lover whined as she leaned in and brushed her lips over my ear.

Immediately I felt a shiver go down my spine and not an appealing one. I stood abruptly and shut my monitor off before looking at my watch. It was almost 5AM.

"I think it's best if you go Vanessa, something has come up and I have to go into the office."

"Wait, Now?" she scoffs.

"Yes, Now," I felt my irritation beginning to rise as I walked around her out of my office, and she begins to follow me.

"Wait, I can go in with you," she says trying to catch up with me before I stopped and turned to face her.

"That won't be a good idea, Vanessa." I say as she pauses before me and places her hands on her hips.

"And why is that?"

I could feel the beginning of a headache coming on as she stood waiting for an explanation.

I really did not want to go down this road with her of the boundaries I set and that she continuously crosses. The bottom line is I don't date, and she is a good lay. I'm a jerk and its very clear she sees me as that right now. And I really don't care.

"Look, Vanessa, last night was amazing. But you have to go. I need to get ready for work."

I watch as she fidgets and slowly gets mad.

"Well, are you gonna send me home with Archie?"

I shook my head. I was definitely not sending my driver to go halfway across town then come back for me and I sure as hell didn't feel up for her joining me for my ride.

I shook my head and reached over to my desk and pulled out my wallet.

"I'll call you an Uber," I say as I hand her a crisp twenty-dollar bill.

I watch as she scoffs with indignation before yanking it out of my hand.

"You are such a jerk, you know that, Damian?"

I stand there and watch as she furiously searches for her things and gets dressed.

"I have no idea why I still deal with you," she huffs as she slips on her dress.

I roll my eyes a bit. She knows why she keeps coming back and it's not entirely for my body.

I lean against my wall and listen to her tirade of how one day I'm going to need her, and she won't be around.

By the time I realized it, she storms out the door and leaves.

I blow out a deep breath and turn towards my bathroom, undress and get into the shower.

Under the hot stream of water, I can't get my mind off of how the hacker got into my system. I had top of the line security. He was only a few layers in. Poking around and testing the waters to see what he can get into without obstruction. I made sure that the team tightened up any weaknesses on the network.

I needed to get in to the office and meet with Henry to do damage control if there was any.

I quickly dried off and got dressed. It was 7AM before I got the text that Archie, my driver was downstairs waiting for me. I needed to get to the bottom of this ...fast...

Peyton

10 AM

Downtown Coffee Shop

I finally wedged my way through the long line that went out the door to our neighborhood coffee shop. I ducked my head and walked straight to my regular secluded spot in the back where it was cozy, low lit and quiet. I slid on to the half warn out couch and pulled out my laptop. I come here because the wi-fi was okay but the coffee was way better.

"I see you beat the mid-morning rush," a light airy familiar voice pulled me away from my screen.

I stared at Gina, the owner as she smiled at me before laying down a napkin on the small table before me and placing a hot mug of coffee on it. The aroma was amazing and smelled so delicious.

I moaned as I set my laptop aside and reach for it.

"It's my new kona blend," she smiled as she placed a wide array of magazines on the table.

My gaze fell on the edge of a familiar one. I reached over for it and my heart shook.

Splashed over the cover of the cities popular magazine is none other than New York's eligible bachelor, Billionaire CEO owner of Frost Corp Investments, Damien Frost.

I stared for a while at the picture. He was ruggedly handsome, with a hard stubble jaw and penetrating grey eyes. I flipped the page and was immediately engrossed in the glitz and glam of the rich and famous. A world I will never know. Or will ever be a part of.

With a sigh, I shut it close and tossed it on the table as my stomach growled then reality slapped me back to my rightful place and reminded me why I was here. To up the ante on my hacking today. I reached for my laptop and brought it to life. I stared aimlessly at the screen. Who was going to be my lucky victim today? I say this with serious regret as I type away at my keyboard.

Why you ask? Because a girls got to eat. Especially when the sole source of income comes from her older brother who has had a hard time keeping a job.

I shake my head at the ridiculousness of it all. For me work hasn't been easy to find or keep for numerous reasons. Therefore, I hack for a living. I opened a browser and got onto a job board on the dark web. I was familiar with the listings here that had requests for just about everything. From hacking miniscule bank accounts, social media accounts, security systems -to the big dangerous ones that lead to corporate theft and espionage...not the waters I chose to swim in. That was black hat hacking with Federal prison time written all over it. True what I was doing was seriously wrong on so many levels but what I chose doesn't hurt anyone.

I look at the top of the list at a request.

Willing to pay $150 to hack into husbands emails.~ GoblinHulk87

I look at the time and date and it's been on here for a couple of hours. No one has swept it up because they are aiming for the bigger fish. But $150 can do a girl some good. It can put a little bit of food in our fridge atleast. So I move my cursor and begin to type.

Ch1m3ra: @GoblinHulk87..I can do it...

I watch as dots form on the screen. I am surprised that they are responding so fast.

GoblinHulk87: I want proof that my soon to be ex-husband is a lying, cheating, son of a bitch.

I shake my head. It saddens me the length some go to due to infidelity or to prove it.

Ch1m3ra: absolutely...Stand by...

I watch as the dollar sign on the page beside the dollar amount turns green. An indicator that she or he has deposited the funds but it won't be released until I'm done. I look up and watch as the shop slowly gets crowded again as mid-day has quickly approached.

I get to work typing away sifting through the system to his jobsite. Although due to company policies and security reasons, it's is advised to most employees not to check their personal emails on company computers. But...again employee's never follow the rules. Because this is a time sensitive matter and I am really hungry, I pushed a browser extension out to his email to control his device indirectly without the need for his password or sign on. A while ago I created a fake add-on, that I coded personally. I push it through and waited for my target to unknowingly install it, which will give me access to their email easily. Given the time of day he should be in his office or on his way back from lunch.

I sift through the outer layers of the system just for fun as I wait. It's poorly maintained with outdated files and multiple holes for data breaches. The good thing about my program is that this poor smuck will never know that I am in his account.

I heard a ping.

BINGO!!!

I watch as the mirror image of his email melts to life on my screen and I sift through his messages. Some were menial ones that did not mean anything until I came upon pure gold. I sifted through the long message from a Goldie F. and countless messages that plainly ooze infidelity. Not only with her but countless others. I felt sorry for the user I am turning this incriminating evidence over too. But they deserve to know what type of creep their spouse is. I immediately extract all emails pertaining to the names, placed it all in zipfile and emailed the user back.

That rat bastard was in for a surprise.

I watched as the word PAID... was stamped over my message and my cell phone buzzed. The money posted to my account instantly. Satisfied I looked away from my screen. The place was getting too crowded for my liking. I closed the lid to my computer and stood up to leave.

I made my way out the entrance after waving good- bye to Gina. I dodged people walking in the opposite direction on the busy street. I took in the lively avenue ahead of me as I made it towards the entrance to my neighborhood and my eyes fell on the familiar sign to Luciano's Italian Deli. I headed towards the place I had been going to for years. I could use a mozzarella, basil and tomato Panini. It will hit the spot as I felt slightly shaky and fatigued. I head in and immediately the delicious smell of fresh baked bread made my stomach tighten.

"Eccola!" Mr. Luciano pointed towards me as I walked in.

I smiled as he crossed through the counter and reached over for his laptop. I knew exactly what he needed.

"Lo schermo è morto," He pointed to it as he handed it to me.

"The screen is dead, he says," I look over to watch Paolo his grandson approach us.

"Hey Paolo," I smile at my neighbor as he comes closer.

"Hey." He responds.

I smile as Mr. Luciano continues to explain what happened. I nod. Not truly understanding a word he is saying. I watch as he spoke to Paolo and he translated to me what was the matter. I suddenly understood the issue which was simple.

"When is the last time you charged it?," I watch as his grandson shook his head.

"Nonno, quando hai caricato il laptop?"

I watched the elderly man's face scrunch in confusion then utter disappointment. I smiled as they began to argue. Paolo apologized but I brushed it away. Not everyone was tech savvy.

"Sabbia di oggiche è sulla casa, scegli quello che vuoi," Mr. Luciano's face lit up as he pointed to the case of Deli meat and breads.

"Which sandwich you want? It's on the house," Paolo smiled as he went to the case to take my order.

With relief I pointed out my order and watched as he prepared it.

It was finally handed to me tightly wrapped. I said good-bye and headed out again until I got to my house. I looked at the time. It was already 4pm. I opened the metal gate to our brown stone and climbed the steps.

I finally make it home. There was really no sense in announcing my arrival as I walk in to an empty quiet apartment. Like always. My brother Jeremy for some time has been taking up odd jobs to make money. Underneath it all, I wasn't naïve to the fact that it was not honest money that he made. But who am I to judge? Neither do I.

I look around and gaze at my surroundings. We live in a modest apartment. It's really all my parents left for us when they passed away.

I plop down on the couch exhausted and so sleepy. I reach for my sandwich and unwrap it then take a bite. I savored my first and last bite for the evening very slowly. I stood up and went to the fridge and I reach for the last bottled water and guzzled it down. I didn't really think I was this thirsty until I was down to the last drop. With a sigh I toss the empty bottle in the trash and walk over to the couch and reach for my laptop. I open my network icon on my task bar and see the all too familiar Wifi Networks in range.

As you guess. I hack these from time to time to get internet. I look at the list of the names of wifi router names and they make me smile...

POOKIEBear51

Ultrasession76

Netgear21-0z4sg

Hidden Network

I could go for the challenge of just hacking Hidden Network but Im honestly mentally drained so

I go with the one with the closest signal...POOKIEBear51

I knew it belonged to Ms. Eloise next door. She gives piano lessons to the kids in the neighborhood and is a sweet mother to a gamer boy named Tommy.

I surf the internet for a while, aimlessly looking at ads, reading the news and lastly, I check my own emails. I'm stuffed, bored and sleepy with not an ounce of strength to even go to my room. I stretch out and get comfortable with a random live podcast. I somehow drift off to sleep.

Sometime had passed when woken up abruptly by the loud noises of ambulance sirens I slowly sit up and reach for my laptop and see it's a couple minute to midnight. I can tell my brother isn't home yet. I'm a little bothered but at the same time I'm worried, he never sleeps out.

I decide to stay up a little longer. Maybe he will show eventually. I hope.

I check my phone and there are no missed messages or calls.

To distract myself I reach for my laptop and sign in to one of my social media accounts as I do I see a local ad pop up on my feed of the latest event in our area. None other but Damian Frost's image pops up in the company a very beautiful female. I relax back in my cushioned chair and stare at his picture. He looks breathtaking in his crisp tailored Armani suit. His female companion looks dazzling in her evening dress that leaves little to the imagination. I sparing read through the comments. There is endless mention of his fame and wealth which s no secret to the locals. I speculated a bit about his company. A huge corporation that must have killer cyber security only a girl like me would love to be able to penetrate. My heart dips abit at the thought.

I bite my lip at the idea and it's dangerous and preposterous. I mean it's an investment corporation that handles billions of dollars. The whole time I'm contemplating this, my fingers have a mind of thier own as I begin to type. I'm barely thinking as I pull up my custom tools to begin the inevitable.

Crap! I shouldn't.

But what would it hurt?

I'm curious...

It's just a peak. I won't touch anything. I'll just fly under the radar to see what type of a system he is sporting.

I'm blown away after tapping in a command and I managed to get through the system. His cybersecurity was good but oddly enough lacked the overkill of security barriers most financial institutions had. I tried to stay hidden and not get detected as I tested the waters. I tapped away and immediately was gridlocked against a firewall but maneuvered my way out of it.

Suddenly a chat box appeared, and my heart froze.

Nemesis: I'm on to you...

Oh, no...

Immediately I went into action and began tapping away to leave; covering my tracks but as I did it , I made the stupid mistake of responding.

Ch1m3ra: Not quite, You're late to the game and I am on my way out.

I had set off an alarm somehow. But I was careful.

Nemesis: You are going to regret this.

My stomach dropped with those words. I already regret this but there is no turning back. I continue typing away and stupidly respond once more.

Nemesis: I got you.

With the codes that I typed in and I was almost out, I was confident that he didn't as I watched his code for the tracker that he had on me.

Ch1m3ra: Oh, Really? Are you sure of that?

I made quick work of it all and felt calm as I was finally out. But I was not fast enough.

Nemesis: What the hell do you want?

Intrigue coursed through my body with a hint of triumph. And I answered.

Ch1m3ra: Nothing...yet 😊

Shit! Why did I say that?

I watched as he made another attempt at tracking me, but I shut it down quickly.

Ch1m3ra: I'm done here; you can have your system back.

I quickly type in a following code that will shut his system down and erase all traces of me but before pressing enter, I type one last response .

Ch1m3ra: It was nice talking to you.

I immediately pressed enter and I watch the whole portal turn black and the screen went away and my desktop reappeared.

I was trembling where I sat. I've never had an interaction with anyone that I've hacked. This Network admin must be pissed. I felt jittery and weak with the encounter. I'm beside myself that this even happened. I literally hacked into Frost Corp.

I closed my eyes.

Christ Peyton, what did you just do?