Chapter One

Jake Parker’s fingers danced across the holographic keys, a blur of defiance in the flickering glow of his multi-monitor setup. The year was 2035, and the world had woven artificial intelligence into its very fabric—self-driving cars prowled the streets, neural implants managed daily schedules, and corporations like Futurtech held more power than most governments. A decade earlier, the AI boom had promised utopia but delivered a gilded cage: data was currency, privacy a myth, and cybersecurity a trillion-dollar battleground. Society revered low-level hackers like Jake, who struck at profit-hungry conglomerates, yet feared the chaos of major breaches that could topple national economies and upend their way of life. In his cramped Brooklyn apartment, Jake thrived on that edge, a rebel spitting in the face of corporate gods.

He leaned back in his creaking chair, cracking open another energy drink. The aluminum can hissed, its synthetic tang cutting through the stale air of old pizza in his one-bedroom hideout above a second-hand Futurtech reseller store. His rig, though, was a masterpiece: three curved monitors, liquid-cooled servers, and a neural headset that allowed him to dive into code at the speed of light. It was a stark contrast to his meager surroundings, a testament to his skills at siphoning data—and funds—from greedy corporations and selling them to the black market. However, tonight wasn’t about money; it was about making a point. He planned to infiltrate the gala honoring Ethan Keller, Futurtech’s young, smug CEO, and plant a virus in their system to humiliate the bastard. The thought made his pulse quicken, a thrill no woman had ever matched.

Jake rose from his chair, his lean frame unfolding with a restless energy that mirrored the hum of his computer setup. At 24, he carried a rugged charm that went unnoticed by most: 5’11”, with dark brown fair falling in tousled waves over sharp green eyes that flickered with rebellion. A faint stubble shadowed his angular jaw, and thin scars crisscrossed his knuckles; mementos of his troubled youth. His black hoodie and worn jeans clung loosely to his athletic build, chosen to blend into the urban sprawl in a world where everyone wanted to stand out and gain fame.

The dark-haired man’s fingers tightened around the can, the cold metal grounding him as he paced the untidy room. Jake slipped on his neural headset, its sleek titanium band settling against his temples with a soft vibration. The device linked directly to his neural pathways, amplifying his ability to slice through digital defenses like a blade through silk. He initiated a quick diagnostic of his system, a daily ritual, watching streams of code cascade across his vision as he confirmed the headset’s flawless sync.

Jake opened an encrypted chat with his hacker associates: Ghost, Viper, and Cipher. Yes, they sounded like generic underground names, but that was the point. No one in that chat wanted the FBI to come bulldozing down their door, taking away everything they had worked for. Jake’s hacker name was ‘Dullface’, a take on his desire to become just another face in the crowd.

“All set for the gala?” Ghost typed, prompting Jake’s heart to pound with a mix of nerves and excitement. He had been hyping up this moment for weeks, a moment that would be seen on the nightly news all around the world.

“I’m ready to humiliate that entitled piece of shit in front of the entire world,” Jake typed, his lips curling into a defiant smirk. The thought of Ethan Keller, Futurtech’s golden boy, basking in TIME Magazine’s adulation made his blood boil. He’d seen the headlines, the fawning profiles calling Keller a visionary and a savior of the tech world. To Jake, he was just another billionaire leech, hoarding wealth while the rest of the world struggled to put food in their children’s mouths. People like Ethan deserved to be in jail, not awarded with superficial accolades, Jake thought.

Viper’s response pinged back almost instantly. “Keller’s got AI sentinels crawling all over that event. You sure your fake ID is tight enough?”

Jake’s smirk widened as he tapped out a reply. “Ohh, they’re bulletproof, alright. I’ve spoofed waiter credentials from the official catering provider, and I’d already tested them out at an event last week. They’ll never see me coming.” His confidence was unshakeable, a characteristic of his own arrogant personality—a quiet arrogance that tended to put women off and keep him perennially single.

The hacker slid the biometric fake ID card from a concealed slot beneath his desk, its surface flinting with embedded microchips that mimicked a legitimate waiter’s credentials. He turned it over in his hands as he thought through the details of his plan. Unlike his neural headset, which he’d leave behind to avoid detection, this card was his ticket to the gala—a perfect forgery, tested and flawless.

Jake stepped toward his bedroom corner, where an impressive Futurtech AutoCloset stood, patiently awaiting his attention. He pressed his palm against the scanner, and the device whirred to life, its interface scanning his forged ID to select the pre-programmed waiter’s uniform. Panels slid open, revealing a crisp black vest, white dress shirt, and tailored black pants, all freshly pressed by the closet’s nano-fibers. The hacker entered the confined space inside the machine, and the door slid closed behind him, ready to dress the rebellious man automatically.

The AutoCloset hummed softly, its internal mechanisms weaving the work uniform around Jake’s frame with precision. The white dress shirt hugged his lean torso, its crisp fabric a stark contrast to his usual loose casual wear. At the same time, the black vest cinched his waist, giving him a polished silhouette that felt alien to the man. The tailored pants clung to his legs perfectly, their sleek fit accentuating his athletic build in a way that made him pause, catching a glimpse of himself in the closet’s mirrored panels. For a moment, he looked like someone who belonged in Ethan Keller’s world, a thought that both amused and disgusted him. The underground hacker stepped out of the machine and tucked the forged ID card into the vest’s inner pocket alongside a virus-loaded drive. Tonight was going to be epic, he thought.

Jake adjusted the vest, its snug fit making him feel like a fraud in his own skin, but he pushed the discomfort aside. He fumbled with the virus drive in his pocket. The drive held his masterpiece: a code designed to hijack the gala’s display screens and expose Ethan Keller’s dirty laundry. It wasn’t enough to destroy the Futurtech CEO. Still, it would sting and humiliate the young billionaire, and Jake lived for that burn.

The man glanced out his window, the Brooklyn street below pulsing with early evening activity, the hum of police drones darting around, looking for trouble. One hovered too close, its red eye glinting through Jake’s window, and Jake’s paranoia surged. After the small drone disappeared, the hacker regained his composure. He needed to stay sharp. Tonight, he’d dance on the edge of Ethan Keller’s world, and he’d damn well make it unforgettable.

❖

Ethan Keller stirred in his Egyptian cotton-sheeted bed, the faint scent of jasmine perfume lingering from the woman who’d slipped out of his penthouse before dawn. He stretched his well-built frame, relishing the cool touch of the sheets against his bare skin.

His lower Manhattan penthouse gleamed with minimalist elegance—polished chrome fixtures, floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the city’s pulsing skyline, and smart panels that adjusted lighting to his mood. He rose, naked, and padded across the heated marble floor to a mirror wardrobe, where a tailored charcoal suit awaited him, courtesy of his AI stylist. Tonight’s gala, honoring him as TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year, demanded perfection, and Ethan reveled in perfection.

At 35, Ethan was a vision of refined power: 6’2” with a sculpted, athletic body honed by relentless training. His dark blond hair, artfully streaked with golden highlights, framed his piercing blue eyes that could charm or intimidate with a glance. His chiseled jaw, freshly shaved, carried a boyish allure that plastered magazine covers, though the sly smirk hinted at the ruthlessness beneath. The cream-colored suit, a bespoke Tom Ford, clung to his broad shoulders and lean waist, and was paired with a crisp white shirt. The lack of a tie demonstrated the billionaire’s casual demeanor. Every detail, from the polished cufflinks to the subtle sheen of his leather shoes, screamed wealth and control, a man who owned his world and everyone in it.

The well-dressed man tapped a stylish wrist device, its surface glinting as it projected a holographic call to Kellie Parker, his personal secretary. Her image materialized, her auburn hair swept into a tight chignon, her well-fitted navy blazer accentuating a figure that was both professional and alluring. “Good morning, Mr. Keller,” she said, her voice steady with a hint of warmth that betrayed her softer side. “Security for the gala is locked down. Neural ID scanners are active, and our sentinels are patrolling the perimeter. We did, however, detect another breach attempt on our servers last night. It seems as though someone is trying to make a name for themselves.”

Ethan’s lips curled into a sharp smile, his blue eyes narrowing. Hackers were a persistent thorn in his side, and the attacks had increased tenfold recently, often from the same anonymous signature. Futurtech’s dominance in medical research, computational AI, cosmetic enhancement, and the discreet LoveSenses division—crafting AI-driven pleasure devices—made it a beacon for these digital pests. “Tighten the firewalls, Kellie,” he said, his tone smooth but laced with irritation. “No one’s going to spoil my night with their petty rebellions.”

Kellie nodded, her holographic image flickering slightly as she tapped her holo-pad. “I’ve already instructed the team to run a full diagnostic on the servers,” she replied, her voice calm but efficient. “The mayor and several key investors confirmed their attendance for tonight. Your speech is preloaded into the gala’s system, and I’ve ensured the catering staff are triple-checked for credentials. Anything else you need before the event?”

Ethan’s smirk softened, his eyes lingering on Kellie’s image with a flicker of appreciation. “Just keep those investors happy, Kellie,” he said, his voice dropping to a velvet purr. “And make sure the champagne flows like a river. I want everyone dazzled tonight.” Her cheeks flushed faintly, a reaction he savored. However, she quickly masked it with a professional nod before the call disconnected.

The billionaire turned from the holographic display, his polished shoes clicking softly on the marble as he crossed to a concealed panel in the wall. A subtle press revealed a sterile lab, its shelves lined with prototypes Futurtech had to abandon due to their ethical standing in society. His fingers grazed a small vial, its contents shimmering with a supernatural glint; this was his secret weapon. He slipped the vial into his suit pocket. He had traced an anonymous hacker to some dingy Brooklyn apartment through his genius detective skills, and he had his own ideas on how to deal with someone determined to destroy his empire.

Ethan strode into the private elevator of his penthouse apartment, and he leaned back as the doors slid shut. His mind churned with the night’s agenda: charm the elites, secure new investments, and cement his legacy as the visionary who reshaped the future. He had built Futurtech with nothing but his own smarts and a $50 million inheritance from his deceased father, and he wasn’t going to allow anyone to steal it from him without a fight.

The elevator opened to a private garage, where a sleek black limo waited, the AI robot driver purring silently. Ethan slid into the plush leather back seat, and the door slid closed, sealing him into a cocoon of luxury. He tapped the console, pulling up a holo-screen of his speech: “Innovation is freedom,” he’d declare, knowing full well that freedom meant control—his control. The words were polished, designed to make investors swoon and politicians beg for his favor. He rehearsed a line aloud, his voice rich and commanding, filling the limo’s interior.

As the limo wove through Manhattan’s streets, Ethan’s fingers brushed the vial again, its cool surface grounding his thoughts. He imagined the fun he’d have if he could successfully place a trap on his digital pest. He had no intention of letting the authorities take care of the danger; this one was his. He casually reclined back in his luxury seat as the vehicle automatically drove him to City Hall. Tonight would be a night to remember.

❖

Jake Parker slipped through the service entrance of the Manhattan hotel, his forged waiter’s ID buzzing softly as it cleared the neural scanner. The ballroom beyond his vision pulsed with opulence: AI-driven holograms cast shimmering constellations across the ceiling, smart lights adjusted the color and tone to match the mood of the room, and the live chart-topping band performing in the corner demonstrated the party’s lavish expense.

The hacker adjusted his crisp black vest, the tailored fit of which was foreign to his lean frame, and blended into the swarm of staff, picking up a tray and getting to work. He needed to bide his time before he could slip backstage and cause havoc in the server room. His green eyes burned with contempt as he scanned the room, spotting prominent politicians, CEOs, and starlets fawning over each other. The excess made the black-hate hacker’s skin crawl, a stark reminder of the world Ethan Keller was a part of, a world Jake was here to disrupt.

Jake balanced the tray of champagne flutes, his fingers steady despite his inexperience at the job and the fire in his chest. He moved through the crowd, offering drinks to important guests whose laughter grated on his nerves. Their designer gowns and tailored tuxedos screamed wealth, a stark contrast to the Brooklyn grit he called home. With all the inequality in the world, he wondered how these people reconciled reality with their conscience; were they simply bad people? The young man spotted a senator chatting up a tech mogul, their smiles as artificial as the stars on the ceiling. Jake’s lips twitched with disdain, his mind fixed on the drive tucked in his vest’s hidden seam. It was his ticket to exposing Ethan Keller’s hypocrisy and a big middle finger to the world’s elites.

A statuesque woman in a glittering emerald gown ascended the stage, her presence commanding as she took her place at the podium. The TIME Magazine representative’s voice rang out, smooth and attention-grabbing, silencing the crowd’s murmurs. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we celebrate an extraordinary man for his significant contributions to society over the past half-decade, particularly this past year. Futurtech’s breakthroughs in medical research have saved countless lives, its AI analytics have redefined global commerce, and its awe-inspiring cosmetic enhancements have empowered personal expression.” There was a smattering of applause as the woman paused. “This man is truly a titan of innovation who has reshaped our world, and his vision has made the future not just possible, but extraordinary. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in applauding TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2035, Mr. Ethan Keller!”

The ballroom erupted in applause, a wave of adoration that made Jake’s stomach churn. He set his tray on a nearby table, his movements slow and deliberate as he slipped toward a shadowed corridor leading to the backstage tech hub. The band’s sultry notes faded behind him, replaced by the faint buzz of machinery. His fingers brushed the virus drive in his vest and bit his lower lip; this was going to be fun. The corridor was dim, lined with service panels and cables, a stark contrast to the ballroom’s glamor. He quickened his pace as his heart pounded, every step bringing him closer to the server room where he’d unleash perfectly curated code designed to humiliate the most powerful man in tech.

Ethan Keller boded his time as he made his way up to the stage, his cream suit catching the spotlight, exuding a charisma that silenced the room. He flashed a boyish smile, the kind that had won him over countless times in the boardroom and the bedroom, and raised a hand to quiet the applause. “Thank you, TIME Magazine, for this incredible honor,” he said, his voice rich and resonant, wrapping the audience in its warmth. “Innovation is freedom. At Futurtech, we don’t just build technology; we sculpt a world where dreams become reality. From healing bodies to connecting minds, we’re crafting a future where no one is left behind. We don’t just talk the talk like many of our competitors; we back up our promises with real action.” His words flowed like honey, each syllable calculated to captivate, and the crowd leaned in, enraptured by the vision of a man who seemed to hold tomorrow in his hands.

Jake reached the server room door, its biometric lock glowing faintly in the dim light. The man glanced over his shoulder, ensuring the corridor was empty, and pulled a biometric bypass scanner from his pocket. With a few deft clicks on the panel, he smiled widely as the red light above the lock flashed green and the door clicked open; he took pleasure in solving these puzzles. The hacker’s pulse raced, a mix of thrill and resolve, as he entered the room and prepared himself for the havoc he was about to cause.

As Jake slipped inside the server room, Ethan’s voice echoed around the ballroom, a sound that Jake could still hear despite the distance between the two. “Our advancements in AI have woven humanity closer together,” Ethan continued, his tone rising with passion, “and our commitment to progress ensures a world where every individual can thrive, regardless of gender, race, sexual preference, and socioeconomic background.” That last part infuriated the undercover hacker; Ethan didn’t give a rat’s ass about the poor.

Jake stepped into the server room and located the tower controlling the displays around the main hall. The air was cool as the air conditioning struggled to keep the towers from overheating, and the young brunette noticed goosebumps spread across his arms and legs. His fingers trembled as he pulled the virus drive from his vest. Just one slot, one click, and Ethan’s polished facade would crumble under the barrage of hijacked displays. Jake’s lips curled into a smirk, imagining the crowd’s shock as their golden boy’s lies were exposed. He reached for the port, the drive inches away, his heart slamming against his ribs.

A shrill whine cut through the server room’s chill, and Jake froze in a panic, the virus drive hovering just above the port. An AI sentinel drone descended from the ceiling, its red eye locking onto him, its metallic frame glinting with menace. The drone revealed its silent pistol, with a red laser pointed directly at Jake’s chest, prompting the brunette hacker to raise his hands in the air slowly, the drive still clutched in his fist. The drone hovered closer, its scanners whirring, as if it were attempting to decipher the young man’s identity as it pinned him in place like a predator cornering its prey. He’d been so close, the port mere inches away, but now his plan was unraveling swiftly.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor, heavy and deliberate, and two security guards burst into the server room, their black tactical gear absorbing the light. “Drop the device!” the first guard barked, spotting the drive in Jake’s left hand, his stun baton crackling with electric menace as he advanced. The second guard, broader and meaner, leveled a neural disruptor at Jake’s chest. One zap with that device and he would be drooling in a vacant mess on the floor for the next hour.

Jake’s jaw tightened, his green eyes darting between the armed guards and the drone, its red laser still pinning him. He let the virus drive slip from his fingers, clattering to the floor, his hands still raised in surrender. His mind raced, cursing his arrogance. Viper had warned him about the sentinels, but he’d been too cocky to listen.

The first guard lunged forward as his gloved hand seized Jake’s wrist with bruising force. “Hand behind your back, now,” he growled, yanking the hacker’s arms down and snapping metal cuffs around his wrists. Jake wasn’t the strongest man in the world; his gaming and hacker lifestyle had endowed him with a slight build, and he knew it was useless to fight against the guard’s strength.

Jake’s stomach twisted as the second guard kicked the virus driver across the floor, out of reach, and the drone’s laser held steady, ready to lunge on any sudden movements. He’d been outmaneuvered, his bravado no match for Ethan’s top-notch security. The guards shoved him against the server tower and patted him down for any identification. The first guard retrieved Jake’s fake ID card and handed it to the larger man. Once they were sure they had him secured, they led the caught hacker towards the door.

On stage, Ethan’s earpiece buzzed, and Kellie Parker’s voice cut through urgently. “Sir, we’ve apprehended an intruder in the server room attempting to sabotage the displays,” she said, her tone steady despite the crisis.

Ethan’s smile froze, his blue eyes glinting with a predatory edge as he processed the news. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said smoothly, cutting off his speech mid-sentence. “I must pause to attend to a minor issue. Thank you for your understanding, and please enjoy the evening.”

The crowd murmured in confusion as the billionaire stepped off the podium. He shot a glance at Kellie, waiting in the wings, her navy blazer accentuating her curves. “Take me to him,” the wealthy man commanded his assistant. She nodded and led the way backstage.

❖

Jake’s wrists ached as the guards shoved him into a sterile white room, the harsh fluorescent lights glaring off the bare walls. The space was stark, containing only a white desk and two chairs, one of which the guards had forced him to sit in. His arms were yanked behind the chair, and the cold bite of the cuffs snapped back around his wrist, locking him in place against the metal chair.

The hacker tugged hard against the cuffs, his lean muscles straining, but the chair didn’t budge as it was bolted firmly to the floor. His eyes darted around, searching for an exit or escape route, but the room offered nothing—no windows, no cracks, just unrelenting white. The guards exchanged a glance, then turned to leave, their heavy boots echoing in the corridor. “Let’s go get the boss,” the broader one muttered, excited for the reward he’d receive after foiling a potentially company-destroying plot. They left the AI sentinel drone hovering outside the door, its red eye scanning the entrance for any uninvited guests.

Jake groaned, his pulse racing as he tested the cuffs again, their unyielding grip mocking his efforts. He wasn’t about to let Ethan Keller’s goons win. His fingers slipped up his sleeve and brushed against a small high-tech lock jammer he had hidden for this exact purpose. It was a long shot, and it wouldn’t work if the cuffs had been updated to the latest software release, but it was the only option he had left. He pressed the jammer against the cuff’s lock and held his breath in anticipation. A faint spark crackled, and the cuffs snapped open, clattering to the floor with a metallic clink. A grin flashed across the young hacker’s face, his green eyes burning with rebellion. Futurtech’s tech wasn’t as perfect as they thought, he said to himself.

The man rubbed his wrists; the faint red markings the cuffs had left behind were a small badge of honor. He tiptoed to the door swiftly and silently, and peered through a narrow window. The AI drone’s laser swept the corridor, causing a hopeless barrier to Jake’s freedom; there was no way he could step out that door without being caught instantly. Jake stifled a curse, his mind racing for options. The sterile room offered little, but his eyes caught a vent high on the wall, its cover loose and barely secured. It was a tight squeeze and risky considering the waiting drone outside, but staying meant facing Ethan Keller’s wrath and the criminal charges that were sure to follow. Jake climbed onto the desk, his lean frame balancing precariously, and pried the vent cover off, wincing as it scraped against the wall. He hoisted himself off with all the upper-body muscle he could muster and crawled into the narrow duct. The way ahead was dark and full of mystery, but it was better than what awaited him below.

The tight meta duct pressed against Jake’s shoulders as he inched forward, the faint clatter of the cover still echoing in his mind. Every scrape of his knees against the surface sent a jolt of adrenaline through him, urging him to move faster despite the claustrophobic confines. His eyes strained in the dimness, searching for any sign of an exit, while his thoughts churned with fury over his near-miss. He’d been seconds from humiliating Keller, and now he was a rat in a maze, scrambling to avoid capture. He stared ahead and noticed the whirring of vehicles driving past. He was near the exterior of the building and inches from escape. He had to get out, back to Brooklyn, where he could regroup and try again.

Ethan strode down the corridor, his blue eyes fixed ahead with controlled fury. The two guards flanked him, their tactical gear a grim contrast to his polished elegance. The first guard quickened his pace to keep up as he briefed his boss. “He’s locked down, sir,” he said, his voice tight with nerves. “We have him cuffed with Futurtech’s best restraints. There’s no way he’s going anywhere.” Ethan’s lips curled into a smirk, but he said nothing. If the perpetrator was who he thought it was, he was going to have a lot of fun.

The CEO pushed the door open confidently, and his eyes widened as he saw the empty chair, cuffs discarded on the floor like a blatant taunt. “What the hell is this?” he snapped, turning to the guards, his voice low and venomous.

The first guard’s face pales, stepping forward to inspect the scene. “Sir, this is impossible,” he stammered, disbelief cracking his voice. “There’s no way he could’ve broken those. They’re top-grade, unhackable.”

Ethan’s gaze hardened, his fingers absently brushing the vial in his pocket as he spotted the missing vent cover high on the wall. “Clearly, he’s not where you left him,” he said, pointing to the gaping vent. “Find him, now!” The guards scrambled out of the room, desperate to correct their mistakes.

As the room emptied, Ethan noticed something dark on the floor below the open vent. He bent down to pick it up and examined the creative skull-styled logo on the material. It must have ripped from the hacker’s clothes as he climbed. He grinned as he recognized the logo instantly. It was a calling card of sorts, and it confirmed Ethan’s suspicions. Dullface had been in the building, right under the billionaire’s nose. It was time to show the lowlife just who he was messing with.

❖

Two weeks after his daring escape from the gala, Jake Parker lounged in his Brooklyn apartment. He stared at the glow emanating from his multi-monitor setup. His fingers flew across the keys, posting another embellished tale on the underground web’s most exclusive hacker forum. He’d spun the story of infiltrating TIME Magazine’s gala as a triumph, boasting about how he outsmarted Futuretech’s high-tech cuffs and slipped past brutal guards and supposedly fool-proof sentinel drones. He conveniently left out his failure to plan the virus, framing himself as a rebel hero who’d danced under Ethan Keller’s nose.

The community ate it up, their encrypted cheers flooding his notifications with praise: “Dullface strikes again!” and “Futurtech’s going down!” Jake’s lips curled into a smirk as he stared on with pride. The adulation fueled him, pushing him to plan his next move—a bold strike to siphon Futurtech’s financial data and funnel it to a non-profit for the homeless, a big middle finger to corporate greed.

Across the city, in the sleek, high-security office of Futurtech’s Manhattan headquarters, Ethan leaned back in his leather chair, his eyes locked onto a screen displaying the same underground forum as the lowlife hacker he was tracking. Under the pseudonym “ShadowViper,” he lurked, deciphering the chatter for signs of his elusive prey. His navy suit was crisp, despite having spent all night scouring the forum, as the early morning light began to seep through his floor-to-ceiling, skyline-adorned window. The billionaire had been tracking Dullface since the gala, the skull-logoed fabric he’d found sitting idly on his desk as a reminder of the task at hand. Ethan’s fingers tapped the desk, his mind calculating as he scanned the latest posts, hunting for the hacker’s next move.

The office door slid open, and Kellie Parker stepped in with a stack of mail neatly tucked under her arm. Her auburn hair was pinned in a tight chignon, but faint shadows under her eyes hinted at her early start. “Good morning, Mr. Keller,” she said, her voice warm as she placed the mail on his desk. “Have you been here all night? I didn’t see you leave last night.”

Ethan’s gaze flicked up, his blue eyes catching hers with a playful glint. “I’ve got something big planned, Kellie,” he replied cryptically, his voice smooth and deliberate, exuding a confidence that made his assistant pause. “This is an opportunity I can’t afford to miss.” He leaned forward, his navy suit unbuttoned just enough to reveal a hint of his sculpted chest, keeping the details of this ‘opportunity’ hidden from his ambitious secretary. Kellie had consistently demonstrated a moral compass, and he had no intention of letting her in on his plan.

Kellie’s full lips parted slightly, her cheeks warming under Ethan’s gaze, but she quickly regained her composure. “You need to take care of yourself, sir,” she said, her tone soft but firm, a trace of concern breaking through her professional veneer. “Running a corporation like this on no sleep isn’t sustainable. We need our leader fighting fit.” She offered a small smile before turning, her heels clicking softly on the polished floor as the door slid shut behind her. Ethan’s eyes lingered on the woman’s retreating figure, appreciating her loyalty and looks, but dismissing her warning. His focus snapped back to the screen and returned to his scouring of the dark web.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as a new post from Dullface flashed across the forum: “Big move tonight, guys. Watch the news tomorrow morning—Futurtech’s gonna feel this one.” A slow, predatory grin spread across the wealthy man’s face, his fingers brushing the vial on his desk, its shimmering contents a silent promise of control. This was the moment Ethan had been waiting for. The hacker thought he’d outsmarted him at the gala, but tonight, Ethan would ensure Dullface’s rebellion ended with a flourish. He leaned back, sipping a glass of aged scotch, exuding a relaxed confidence as he monitored his system health files. As soon as the time was right, the tech tycoon would strike.

Jake settled into his chair, slipping on his neural headset, its sleek band cool against his temples. He wore a fitted black t-shirt and cargo pants, along with scuffed black sneakers, as he settled into his cluttered apartment. The headset synced to his system with a faint buzz, code streaming across his vision as he set up the program that would bypass the toughest security system in corporate America today. The hacker’s pulse raced, the thrill of defiance igniting his veins. He effortlessly slipped through the first firewall, his smirk widening as he moved one step closer to chaos, oblivious to the trap the Futurtech CEO was about to set for him.

❖

Jake’s fingers danced across the holographic keys of his PC system, his neural headset pulsing as he burrowed deeper into Futurtech’s servers. He’d breached their financial core, a digital vault containing every transaction the corporate giant had ever recorded. His black t-shirt clung to his frame as he leaned forward in his messy Brooklyn apartment. The headset’s interface flooded his vision with hasty streams of data, each line a potential key to siphoning funds to a local homeless shelter. His pulse raced, the thrill of sticking it to those corporate elites igniting his veins. He initiated the download, his eyes narrowing as he searched for exploitable code. This was his moment to make Futurtech bleed and encourage blackhats like him around the world that they had the power.

In his Manhattan office, Ethan’s lips curled into a predatory grin as a discreet alert flashed on his screen: the download had begun. He leaned back in his leather chair and reached for the vial he had kept so preciously, its shimmering contents glinting under the office’s soft lights. Carefully, the billionaire plugged the vial into a custom USB device and, with a deliberate press, connected it to his PC. He watched in anticipation as the vial’s contents drained into the system, his hidden weapon unleashed at full force. The charming man’s blue eyes gleamed with excitement, knowing his trap was closing around the unsuspecting hacker.

Jake’s vision blurred momentarily, a dizzy spell gripping him as the download bar crept forward. Unbeknownst to the hacker, billions of tiny nanobots, practically invisible and relentless, surged through his neural headset, infiltrating his body and latching onto every cell with surgical precision as they replicated at an alarming rate. Jake shook his head, dismissing the sensation as the rush of adrenaline, his focus locked on the data streaming into his system. His fingers moved with practiced ease, sifting through the transaction codes for a pathway to redirect the funds. The progress bar hit 80%, and his grin widened, knowing it wasn’t long until he’d read headlines celebrating his triumph over the company’s greed. He was so close to pulling it off, to proving he could outwit the corporate tycoon who thought himself untouchable.

The download completed with a soft chime, and Jake leaned back, his chest heaving with triumph. He navigated the neural interface, his fingers trembling with anticipation as he prepared to redirect the funds. However, his smirk faltered as a stark message flashed across his vision: “Data Corrupted. Access Denied.” His heart broke into several pieces, fury bubbling up as he realized hours of work had been for nothing. How was this possible? There was no sign of corruption during the download process. The embattled hacker tore off the headset, his green eyes blazing with frustration, and slammed a fist on his desk. The failure stung deeply, but he was too consumed by anger to notice the faint warmth spreading through his limbs as the nanobots silently exerted their control.

Ethan’s phone buzzed, and a notification appeared to confirm the nanobots had integrated inside the host and that the system was active. His charming grin widened, a thrill of dominance coursing through him as he pictured the anonymous Dullface, now his unwitting plaything. He set his scotch glass down and leaned towards his screen. His fingers hovered over the control as his mind raced with possibilities for the first modification. This hacker had dared to challenge him, and now Ethan held the power to reshape him entirely, the bots inside his victim’s body lying dormant until instructed.

Jake staggered to his feet, his legs unsteady as a strange tingle coursed through his body, like a current rippling beneath his skin. His eyes widened as confusion clouded his thoughts, and he gripped the edge of his desk, the warmth intensifying like an unsettling pulse. It wasn’t pain, but it was alien, as if his body was answering to something beyond his control. The hacker glanced at his monitors, the “Data Corrupted” message mocking him, and a chill ran down his spine. His mind raced, replaying the download, searching for what went wrong, but the tingling sensation drowned his focus, leaving him helpless to what was to come.

In his office, Ethan tapped a command into his phone, his fingers excitedly steady as he activated the first modification, his blue eyes glinting with sadistic delight. The screen on his device displayed a real-time bio-scan of his target, confirming the nanobots’ integration. He savored the moment as he leaned back triumphantly. Dullface had walked right into his trap, and now Ethan held his puppet’s strings, ready to reshape his defiant prey. The hacker’s rebellion was over, and as Ethan typed, he mused on how to make his new toy bend, the first change already weaving its way through Jake’s unsuspecting form.

End of Chapter One