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 stopped in front of him, towering over him. “And what are you doing there, standing around like an idiot?” the man barked, his voice booming. “Shouldn’t you be at your desk?”
Aaron’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
“He’s the new... uh, junior infiltration specialist,” Celeste interjected quickly. “He’s the one who handled yesterday’s job.”
The man’s eyes narrowed, a sneer spreading across his face. He stepped closer to Aaron, their faces nearly level. “Him? You almost ruined the job,” he growled. “If you’d failed, the boss would’ve been furious. You’re lucky you pulled it off.” He gestured toward Aaron’s chest with a slicing motion. “If you hadn’t... let’s just say you wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
Aaron’s heart felt like it had stopped. His breath caught in his throat as the man’s words sunk in. "As in killed?" The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
“Get him a proper suit,” the man ordered, slapping Aaron’s tie disdainfully before walking off. Celeste and Technophile followed him without a word, leaving Aaron standing there, frozen.
As the man’s footsteps receded, Aaron became painfully aware of everyone’s eyes on him. He forced himself to move, heading into his station and shutting the door behind him. His hands were shaking as he collapsed into his chair. “Killed?” he whispered to himself. “What kind of job is this?”
Aaron was still lost in thought when the door to his station slammed open. Celeste stood there, her face a mix of irritation and exhaustion.
“Did you hear what he said?” she snapped.
Aaron nodded slowly. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mess up yesterday.”
“Don’t apologize,” Celeste said, waving a hand dismissively. “Just prove you’re not useless. We’ve got a new job, and it’s a big one. High-profile client, high stakes. We can’t screw this up.”
Aaron swallowed hard. “What’s the job?”
Celeste leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. “Technophile will brief us in a bit. Just know this: the boss’s friend is involved, so there’s zero room for error.” She turned to leave but stopped at the door. “Get your head in the game, Aaron. This isn’t a playground.”
Aaron nodded, but her words did little to ease his nerves. He sat in silence for a while, trying to steady his racing thoughts.
Not long after, Celeste returned, gesturing for Aaron to follow her. They walked through the dimly lit corridors of the underground office until they reached a new room. It was dark and had a cold, clinical feel, with blue lighting casting eerie shadows. A massive TV screen dominated one wall, and a presentation platform stood in the center.
Technophile was already there, fiddling with a laptop. He looked up and gave a small nod. “Alright, everyone. Let’s start with a quick breathing exercise. We need clear minds for this one.”
Aaron raised an eyebrow but joined in as Technophile led them through a few minutes of deep breathing. It felt strange, but he had to admit it helped settle his nerves.
When they finished, Technophile clapped his hands together. “Alright, let’s get to it. This job is a big deal. The client is a hotel owner who’s being forced to sell his property at a ridiculous price. He’s mad, and he wants payback. Here’s the plan.”
Technophile laid out the details step by step, pacing as he spoke.
“The buyer’s going to meet the client at a high-end restaurant. Our job is to intercept the payment process and make sure our client gets what he’s owed—plus a little extra. Aaron, you’re the main hacker for this one.”
Aaron blinked. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” Celeste said, her tone sharp. “You’re in charge of setting up the fake WiFi network and handling the data interception. Can you handle it?”
Aaron nodded hesitantly. “I… I think so.”
“You’d better,” Celeste muttered.
Technophile continued. “Here’s how it’ll go down. We set up a fake WiFi network before the meeting. The buyer connects, thinking it’s the restaurant’s network. Once he does, we intercept his banking session, redirect the payment process, and siphon off the extra billions. Simple, right?”
Aaron’s stomach churned. Simple? Nothing about this sounded simple.
“What if he notices?” Aaron asked.
“He won’t,” Technophile said confidently. “We’ll make sure of it. The fake network will mimic the restaurant’s WiFi perfectly. All you have to do is deploy the tools we’ve prepared and follow the plan. Got it?”
Aaron nodded, though his hands were already sweating.
The briefing continued, with Technophile explaining every detail. Celeste chimed in occasionally, her tone stern but focused.
“Aaron, your job is critical,” she said. “You’ll be intercepting the buyer’s banking session and redirecting the funds. No mistakes. If anything goes wrong, we’re all screwed.”
“No pressure,” Aaron muttered under his breath, earning a sharp look from Celeste.
“Focus,” she snapped.
Technophile clapped his hands. “Alright, team. Let’s run a simulation tonight. We’ll test every step, make sure there are no surprises. This has to go perfectly.”
Aaron took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. As the team dispersed, he lingered for a moment, staring at the presentation screen. The stakes were higher than ever, and failure wasn’t an option. He was in too deep now, and there was no turning back.
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Aaron sat in the cramped van parked a few blocks away from the high-end restaurant. The air inside was thick with tension and the faint smell of old coffee. Technophile sat at the front, his eyes glued to a series of monitors mounted on a makeshift console. Celeste leaned against the side of the van with her arms crossed, her gaze sharp as a knife.“Alright, team,” Technophile began, his voice calm but commanding. “This is it. Months of planning, weeks of setup, and days of testing all come down to this. We’re not stealing money. We’re proving why we’re the best.”Aaron nodded nervously, his fingers tapping against his laptop’s edge. He’d spent the entire night rehearsing his part of the hack, but the pressure of the real thing was making his palms sweat.Celeste smirked, noticing his unease. “Don’t freak out, newbie. Just follow the plan, and we’ll be out of here before anyone realizes what happened.”“Easy for you to say,” Aaron muttered under his breath. “You’re not the one with t
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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 Gambit Chapter Eight
Aaron got home that night, his mind swirling with emotions. The party had been overwhelming. The client’s comment about him resembling the boss lingered in his head, making him uncomfortable. And then there was the boss’s cold, intense warning. “Don’t disappoint me,” he had said. It was chilling, yet somehow, Aaron also felt proud. He had pulled off a big job. For the first time in a long while, he felt capable. But that feeling was fleeting—the unease settled in like an unwelcome guest.The next day at the office, Celeste was unusually warm. “Morning, Aaron!” she greeted with a wide smile as he walked in.“Morning,” he replied cautiously. Something about her tone felt... off. Too friendly, maybe?Celeste leaned against his desk, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. “Listen, I’ve got something big lined up. But this one is tricky. It’s high-level stuff, and I need someone I can trust. That’s you, Aaron.”Aaron’s chest tightened. “What kind of job?” he asked, trying to sou
Aaron's Gambit Chapter Nine
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
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Aaron had just settled into his desk when Celeste breezed into the office, carrying a folder thicker than usual. Her smile was sharp, calculated—the kind that didn’t reach her eyes.“Morning, Aaron,” she said, placing the folder in front of him. “Big day today.”Aaron eyed the folder warily. “What’s this?”“A high-priority project from the company. You’ve proven yourself capable, so it’s time you take on something… more substantial.” Her voice dripped with false encouragement.“What kind of project?” he asked, his stomach twisting. He flipped open the folder to see detailed diagrams and access credentials. His heart skipped a beat as he read the target: Canadian National Bank.“This is huge,” Aaron said, his voice barely above a whisper. “We’re hacking a bank?”Celeste perched on the edge of his desk, her demeanor casual. “Don’t think of it like that. We’re retrieving data. It’s just another client request.”“Client?” Aaron’s eyes narrowed. “Since when does a client ask for this level
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Aaron sat hunched over the outdated monitor in the corner of the internet cafe, its hum barely masking the sound of chattering keyboards and muffled conversations. His fingers flew over the keys, pulling up forums and threads, rereading the comment that had burned itself into his brain: “Check the metadata. The logs don’t match.”He scrolled back, following the username that left the comment.Anonymous001. The user’s profile wasn’t flashy. Most posts were just observations, calling out inconsistencies in tech-related scandals. Whoever they were, they knew their stuff. Aaron muttered under his breath, “You might be my only shot.”He glanced over his shoulder for the tenth time in as many minutes. Paranoia was his constant companion now. Every stranger’s glance felt like a potential threat, every shadow a lurking officer. His face, plastered on every news channel, had him living like a ghost. The scent of stale coffee and fried snacks filled the air, grounding him for a moment.Aaron cr
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The cafe was dimly lit, the hum of old computers filling the air as Aaron paced nervously near Leila’s table. His arms were crossed, his brows knitted in frustration as he muttered under his breath.Leila sat on the other side, her laptop open, scrolling through files with the precision of someone who’d done this countless times. She wore a calm, focused expression, but her eyes hinted at a storm brewing beneath. She finally looked up, taking a deep breath.“Aaron, sit down,” she said, her tone firm yet gentle.Aaron stopped pacing, his hands on his hips. “How am I supposed to sit down when you just told me Celeste is framing me? I mean, why? Why would she do that?”Leila tapped her pen on the table. “That’s what we’re here to figure out. But before we get into the plan, there’s something I need to tell you about Celeste. It might… complicate things.”Aaron finally slumped into the chair across from her, rubbing his face with his hands. “As if things aren’t already complicated. Fine,
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The streets of Toronto buzzed with life, the steady hum of car engines and the occasional honking blending with the chatter of pedestrians. Aaron sat in the passenger seat of Leila’s car, his eyes darting nervously to the side mirrors. Leila gripped the wheel tightly, her eyes scanning the rearview mirror every few seconds. The tension in the air was palpable.“You’re sure no one followed us from the motel?” Aaron asked, his voice barely above a whisper.“I’m sure,” Leila replied, though the slight quiver in her voice betrayed her doubt. “But something feels off. I can’t shake it.”Aaron’s gaze followed hers, and he noticed a man in a beige trench coat standing by a newspaper stand. The man’s head tilted slightly, his eyes fixed on their car for a moment too long before he turned away. Aaron’s stomach churned.“I think he just took a picture,” Aaron muttered, his body tensing. “I saw a flash from his phone. Or a camera. Something.”Leila glanced in the mirror, her brow furrowing. “You
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Celeste leaned back in her sleek, black office chair, the glow from her multiple computer screens casting a cold light on her face. She smirked, sipping her wine. This was her masterpiece, her magnum opus. She’d just finished watching the deepfake video she had created of Aaron. Every detail, from his mannerisms to his voice, was perfect. It looked so real that even she—the mastermind—felt a twinge of doubt for a moment.“You’re done, Aaron,” she whispered, her voice venomous.She clicked a button, uploading the video to a private server. From there, it would spread to anonymous forums, journalists’ inboxes, and social media platforms. Celeste’s plan was calculated to perfection. The video, along with fabricated bank records and chat logs, painted Aaron as a cybercriminal mastermind. It would turn him into a national villain, not just a fugitive.“Let’s see you wiggle out of this,” she muttered, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she typed an anonymous tip to the police.In a s
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Celeste leaned back in her sleek leather chair, her perfectly manicured fingers drumming on the edge of her desk. The recording of Aaron’s conversation with his mother played on her phone for the third time. Each word, each pause, echoed like a ticking clock in her head.“Giovanni knows,” she muttered to herself, her voice a cold whisper. The realization sent a chill down her spine. For years, she had been the center of Giovanni’s trust, the daughter he groomed to follow in his footsteps. Aaron was a nobody—a threat she had worked tirelessly to neutralize. But now, everything felt like it was slipping out of her control.She slammed her phone onto the desk, her face darkening. "If he knows... why hasn’t he done anything?" she said aloud, her voice trembling slightly.Her personal guard, Marco, standing silently in the corner, spoke up cautiously. “Maybe he’s waiting for the right time. You know how he operates—everything’s calculated.”Celeste’s lips curled into a scornful smile. “Cal
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Aaron sat on the edge of the couch in Leila’s small apartment, his leg bouncing uncontrollably. The burner phone sat on the table in front of him. Leila paced the room, her arms crossed tightly.“Are you sure about this?” she asked, her voice laced with doubt. “If she’s working with them, this could blow up in our faces.”Aaron ran a hand through his messy hair. “I have to know, Leila. If she’s really involved, I need to hear it from her.” He picked up the phone, hesitating for a moment before dialing the number. The sound of each ring felt like a hammer pounding in his chest.Finally, she answered. “Hello?” Her voice was soft, cautious.Aaron took a shaky breath. “Mom, it’s me.”“Aaron? Oh my God! Where are you? Are you okay?” Her voice cracked with emotion.Aaron’s grip on the phone tightened. “I’m fine, Mom. But we need to talk. I saw a video of you… with those men.”There was a long pause on the other end. When she spoke again, her voice was lower, almost a whisper. “What video?”
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Aaron slumped back in his chair at the café, staring blankly at the screen in front of him. His mind was a storm of thoughts, memories colliding and unraveling in chaotic bursts.“I’m so dumb,” he muttered, tapping his forehead repeatedly with his palm. “It was all there. The signs were right there.”Leila glanced up from her laptop, concern etched on her face. “Aaron, you okay?”He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “No, Leila, I’m not okay. I just realized my entire life has been a lie. And I was too blind to see it.”Leila closed her laptop and leaned forward. “Talk to me. What signs?”Aaron sighed deeply. “My mom… she was always distant, cold even. When I was a kid, she’d disappear for days, come back with bruises she’d never explain. I remember her late-night phone calls, speaking in hushed tones. And then—” His voice cracked. “Then there was the time Technophile showed me that video of her in that fancy apartment, looking healthier than I’d seen her in years. How did I no
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Chapter Thirteen
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The cafe was dimly lit, the hum of old computers filling the air as Aaron paced nervously near Leila’s table. His arms were crossed, his brows knitted in frustration as he muttered under his breath.Leila sat on the other side, her laptop open, scrolling through files with the precision of someone who’d done this countless times. She wore a calm, focused expression, but her eyes hinted at a storm brewing beneath. She finally looked up, taking a deep breath.“Aaron, sit down,” she said, her tone firm yet gentle.Aaron stopped pacing, his hands on his hips. “How am I supposed to sit down when you just told me Celeste is framing me? I mean, why? Why would she do that?”Leila tapped her pen on the table. “That’s what we’re here to figure out. But before we get into the plan, there’s something I need to tell you about Celeste. It might… complicate things.”Aaron finally slumped into the chair across from her, rubbing his face with his hands. “As if things aren’t already complicated. Fine,
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Chapter Eleven
Aaron sat hunched over the outdated monitor in the corner of the internet cafe, its hum barely masking the sound of chattering keyboards and muffled conversations. His fingers flew over the keys, pulling up forums and threads, rereading the comment that had burned itself into his brain: “Check the metadata. The logs don’t match.”He scrolled back, following the username that left the comment.Anonymous001. The user’s profile wasn’t flashy. Most posts were just observations, calling out inconsistencies in tech-related scandals. Whoever they were, they knew their stuff. Aaron muttered under his breath, “You might be my only shot.”He glanced over his shoulder for the tenth time in as many minutes. Paranoia was his constant companion now. Every stranger’s glance felt like a potential threat, every shadow a lurking officer. His face, plastered on every news channel, had him living like a ghost. The scent of stale coffee and fried snacks filled the air, grounding him for a moment.Aaron cr