buzzing activity of the film set. The interior was a sanctuary of quiet mini
ve her mother a small, knowing smile. Tristan, however, was in his element. A custom-built lapto
voice as calm and collected as ever. She handed Chloe
nd smoothed a stray strand of hair from her daughter's forehead.
ode, incomprehensible to the average person, cascaded down the screen.
ounced with the confidence of a seasoned cybersecurity expert. "
at the head of a long, polished boardroom table. He was listening to his CFO drone on about quarterly
oking nervous, followed by a man who was practically sweating
d his sweaty palms together. "Griffin, my boy! So sorry to interrupt, but I have a new
held up a hand, silencing hi
en alone. Griffin leaned forward, the polished surface
" he said, his voice dangerously low, "let's talk
in's intense gaze. "Chloe? Haven't heard from that ungrateful girl in f
this man, this pathetic, greedy leech, was one of his last, tenuous links to
rawled a number. He tore it out and slid it across the table. "This is for your trouble
e, sycophantic grin. "Of course, of course! Anything fo
f his nose. The faint hope he'd allowed himself to feel
presentation resuming on the mas
the screen
s. The emergency lights, a dim, eerie red, kicked on a
monitor, every tablet in the building simultaneously fla
huge, black letters began to puls
I.
akers. The company's entire internal network, a fortress of multi-millio
into the boardroom. "Mr. Donovan! We're under attack! A complete sys
violently against the floor. His face was a mask of cold,
with a final, triumphant tap. "Boom!" he shouted, throwin
"Penny, look! Their 'impenetrable' firewall
ressive, Tristan. Now, remember to wipe the logs and route
rce pride in her chest. The pride was immediately follow
on the screen. This wasn't a ransomware attack. This wasn't cor
the table, the impact rattli
promised retribution. "I don't care what it costs or what it t
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