Exploited
Page 18

I felt an incredible elation when I saw my name.
Well, not my real name.
The other name.
Freedom Overdrive.
Authorities knew it was me. Which was good. I liked the attention I could get only from these questionable deeds. It felt good to see my alter ego plastered all over the news.
It was one hell of a power trip.
I spent the next thirty minutes scrolling through newsfeeds. Reading endless articles that stated the same facts over and over again.
Because of my bot attack last night, Ryan Law was now being investigated for myriad crimes dating back at least a decade. Those assholes were going down.
They wouldn’t be able to screw anyone else over.
And the revelations also opened the door for some serious compensation for their victims.
Including Charlotte.
I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face.
I opened the white to-go bag on my desk and pulled out my now very cold bagel.
Ryan Law was going down.
And I had a date tonight.
With Agent Mason Kohler.
I felt giddy even though I tried to tamp it down.
I thought about that morning and how for a brief moment I’d thought I had messed everything up. He had been late. Super late. Unusually late.
I had thought that perhaps he wasn’t going to meet me.
I had doubted.
I had anxiously checked the time on my phone.
Then he had showed up and I had impulsively asked him to dinner. And he had agreed.
He liked me.
I could tell.
A different sort of power flooded my body at the memory.
This was only the beginning for Mason and me.
He knew it. I knew it.
I took a bite of the hard bread and made a face. Dropping it back in the bag, I tossed it in the trash.
Today was good. Cold bagel or not.
My phone buzzed and I glanced at the screen.
My high evaporated instantly.
Looking around, ensuring that I was still unnoticed, I opened up my VPN terminal and fired up a secure email account that I used for one purpose only.
From: 06050900oneforallunitynet
Subject: Bike for sale
Date: March 3, 2016 09:35
To: 12080512alwcawunitynet
I have further information about the bike. I’ll be available for fifteen minutes. Let me know if you have any questions.
I stared at the screen.
That stupid smiley face at the bottom was oh so deceiving. Why bother with it at all? It did nothing to cloak the malignant message.
Why was Toxicwrath contacting me now? We didn’t normally speak until after work hours. I didn’t know what he did in his normal life, but I figured he had a job, just like I did.
We never made contact until the day was done.
Something must be up for him to reach out now, first thing in the morning after a successful takedown.
It was too soon.
I needed a few days to enjoy my righteous victory before speaking again.
I didn’t like it.
It filled me with a strange sort of dread.
Fifteen minutes. That’s all I had. That wasn’t enough time to make an excuse about leaving the coffeepot on and rush home.
Another email came in, causing my phone to buzz on my desk. I grabbed it, scanning the message.
From: 06050900oneforallunitynet
Subject: Other offers
Date: March 3, 2016 09:41
To: 12080512alwcawunitynet
Ten minutes.
That damn smiley face again. I should insist that he stop using it. It was seriously annoying.
Ten minutes. That’s all I had. The reminder felt threatening.
Toxicwrath was being uncommonly pushy.
I glanced around the room again. It was subdued. Barely anyone spoke. Holt IT Solutions wasn’t the most invigorating place to work.
I made sure Kyle was firmly ensconced at his desk. The last thing I needed was for my nosy buddy to pop up behind my shoulder.
Then I did something that I never did.
I set up a VPN tunnel before firing up the IRC client on my work computer. Having a virtual private network was essential. Being untraceable was the only way to last.
Even with the VPN it was incredibly risky. I had never mixed my worlds like this. I knew it would be so easy to be caught. To be exposed.
But just like all those years ago as I had sat and watched Rose hack into our college’s grading portal, beneath the fear was something else.
Excitement.
It was thrilling to be so forward. So bold.
It took me another five minutes to find the right channel. By the time I logged in, I was annoyed and flustered and way too paranoid, which was not a good color on me.
09:55 <T0x1cwrath> What took so long?
Why did I feel like I was being scolded? Our partnership had never felt so demanding.
09:56 <Freed0m0v3rdr1v3> Now is not the time to be having a chat.
Clearly my mysterious cohort needed a reminder. I was the one who called the shots. I was the one who let whoever he was attach himself to my crusade. Not the other way around.
09:57 <T0x1cwrath> Not much time. Last night went well. Nicely done.
My ego preened under the compliment. Of course it had gone well. I didn’t fail.
Not ever.
But why couldn’t Toxicwrath wait until later to puff up my self-esteem?
09:57 <Freed0m0v3rdr1v3> Too much traffic. Not the time to talk.
The clock was ticking. I needed to terminate the session. I couldn’t risk raising any red flags on the network.
09:58 <T0x1cwrath> New target.
I frowned. Already?
I hadn’t had time to do any research. To choose someone deserving. I wasn’t sure how I felt about letting my partner do the picking this time.
But I was intrigued.
09:59 <Freed0m0v3rdr1v3> Who?
09:58 <T0x1cwrath> Virtuant.
Virtuant?
I opened up a new tab and did a cursory search. What I found was that Virtuant was an up-and-coming tech firm. Nothing untoward that I could tell. It didn’t fit my requirements by any means. Why would Toxicwrath choose this particular company?
10:00 <Freed0m0v3rdr1v3> Seems harmless. Not a big enough fish.
10:01 <T0x1cwrath> CEO is bad news. Trust me, they’re perfect for the cause.
The cause.
My manifesto.
My reason.
Toxicwrath knew its importance. I trusted that he would stay true to the vision.
10:02 <Freed0m0v3rdr1v3> Will research and let you know.
The response was almost instant.
10:02 <T0x1cwrath> Already laid the groundwork. Tonight we take them down.