"Mr. Aaron... Mr. Aaron!"Aaron snapped out of his daze, his eyes darting toward the voice. The stern-looking interviewer, a middle-aged man with glasses, frowned at him from across the table. The room was silent except for the soft tapping of a pen against the desk.Aaron's throat felt dry, and beads of sweat trickled down his temples. He blinked a few times, trying to focus. "Sorry, uh... could you repeat the question?"One of the female interviewers, seated to the right, exchanged a puzzled glance with her colleague. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked, her tone showing half concern and half annoyance. "You seem... distracted."Aaron clenched his fists under the table, feeling the weight of their judgment. His mind was a swirling mess, the events of the morning crashing over him like relentless waves. The phone call about his mom being rushed to the hospital. The mounting debt threatening to suffocate him. The loan sharks. The fear of losing everything. It was all too much."I'm f

Aaron sat at his desk in the underground office, the hum of computers filling the air. The place was like something out of a spy movie, with rows of monitors, blinking lights, and people typing furiously. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was in over his head. His hands fidgeted as he thought about the strange events that had led him here. What exactly was this place? What was Project Blackout?Across the room, Celeste pulled Technophile aside. Aaron couldn’t hear their conversation, but he could tell it was about him. Celeste’s gestures and narrowed eyes made it obvious she wasn’t happy. Aaron glanced away quickly when her gaze darted toward him, pretending to focus on the desk in front of him."He asks a lot of questions," Celeste said, her voice low but firm. "He doesn’t seem ready for this. He’s too green."Technophile smiled, his calm demeanor contrasting with her frustration. "Relax, Celeste. I know what I’m doing. He’s exactly the type we need. Just be patient. The boss re

Aaron arrived at the office earlier than usual, the events of the previous day still replaying in his mind. As he approached his station, he froze. Through the glass wall, he could see Celeste and Technophile standing stiffly, heads slightly bowed, facing a massive, tattooed man with a commanding presence. Aaron’s instincts screamed at him to back off.Who the hell is that? he thought. Something about the man’s presence made Aaron’s skin crawl. The tattoos, the sharp suit, the way he stood as though he owned the place—this was no ordinary boss. Aaron chose to stay out of sight, his heart pounding.After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, and the man stepped out, with Celeste and Technophile trailing behind him like nervous shadows. The room fell silent. Every hacker in the office stood, a hush of respect spread through the space. Aaron was the only one still standing awkwardly near the door, unsure of what to do.The man’s sharp gaze landed on Aaron like a spotlight. He stop

Aaron stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the sleek black suit Technophile had insisted on buying for him. The suit was sharp, the tie was perfectly knotted, and his hair combed neatly. He barely recognized himself. “This is so not me,” he muttered, tugging at the collar.“Hey, you’re not going to meet your high school teacher. Stand up straight,” Technophile teased, walking into the room. He was dressed in a silver blazer with a loud floral shirt underneath, his personality was as loud as his outfit.Aaron sighed, rolling his shoulders back. “Are you sure this is necessary? It’s just a party.”“Not just any party. You’re meeting the boss,” Technophile said, his tone sounding serious for once. “He doesn’t like sloppiness. Trust me, you don’t want to get on his bad side.”Aaron gulped and nodded. “Fine. Let’s just get this over with.”The two headed out, with Technophile driving them to the party venue. The car ride was mostly silent, except for Technophile's occasional hum as he t

Aaron’s unease grew as the days passed. Celeste’s behavior became increasingly manipulative, and her requests were more demanding. He felt like he was walking a tightrope with no end in sight.“Aaron, I need you to bypass the firewall on this network,” she said one afternoon, placing a file on his desk. Her tone was brisk, leaving no room for argument. “It’s a rush job. Deadline’s tight.”Aaron glanced at the file, flipping it open to reveal a series of encrypted instructions. His stomach churned. “What’s this for?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.Celeste waved a dismissive hand. “Just standard stuff. Nothing major. You’ve handled worse.”“But why me?” Aaron pressed, his brow furrowing. “This looks... sensitive.”Celeste leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Because you’re the best, Aaron. Don’t overthink it. Just do your thing, okay?” She smiled, but her eyes were cold.Aaron’s hands shook as he worked. The firewall was tougher than anything he’d