Mel opened the email.
***
Hi Q,
Two thumbs up for you!
Black!
***
Chuckling, Mel thought back to last night. She had been a hacker for several years; no one had ever succeeded in breaking through her firewall system.
NO ONE!
That was until last night. Someone managed to breach her second layer of nine defensive firewalls!
Fortunately, she became immediately aware that her system was under attack, allowing her to block them just in the nick of time. She tried to counterattack, but the attacker escaped by going dark. A little upset by the circumstances, she vowed to hunt and trace him — and she found out it was him, Black, who attacked her.
She replied to Black's message.
***
Nice try, man! Sorry, you're too slow. LOL.
Q
***
After responding to Black's message, she logged out of the hacker community site, wondering how she had become involved in that community.
This hacker community was inaccessible to anyone except for top hackers who had proven their skills. They earned access when the Community's Founder invited them.
Mel remained clueless about the founder of the hacker community. When she first learned about the community, she received an invitation via a 'special cryptic email.'
The email contained a hidden code that she had to decode. If she failed to crack it, the system would not allow her to enter the site.
From her knowledge, only 20 people worldwide possess access to the Hacker Community site. Those who receive the 'special cryptic email' are chosen based on their hacking and programming skills, showcasing their ingenuity. A specific benefit of community membership is the potential for lucrative job offers.
Mel appreciates the creator of this community. Since joining, she's taken lucrative jobs, amassing wealth to become a billionaire. She desires to meet the elusive founder.
It wasn't long before drowsiness struck again.
She readied herself for sleep, her mind now at ease, yearning for the comfort of her soft bed.
***
After so many hours,
Mel awakened to the blaring alarm; sluggishly, she reached over and silenced it. Her eyelids still felt heavy, coaxing her back into slumber.
A short while later, the alarm sounded once again. Grudgingly, she roused herself from her half-sleep state, sitting on the edge of the bed and gazing blankly out at the dark night sky.
"Damn it! I overslept," she muttered. "How long have I been asleep?"
Suddenly, her stomach protested loudly, feeling so hungry. She shuffled her way to the kitchen to find something she could eat. Yet, her hopes were dashed when she opened the refrigerator – a hollow box void of sustenance. Only a bottle of water and a few untouched beer cans occupied its space.
"Looks like I need to go grocery shopping," she mumbled, closing the fridge. As she turned toward her bedroom, her cell phone vibrated, 'Bro Alex' illuminating the screen.
Without delay, she answered, "Hello, commander!" her posture instinctively snapping into attention at his call.
"Relax!" Alex's reassuring voice offered comfort.
"Brother, what's the reason for the sudden call?" she asks. Alex seldom calls her during holidays or days off. He usually opts for emails or messages.
"Where are you?" Alex inquired, ignoring her question.
"Home."
"Have you had dinner?"
"I haven't! You know me." Mel chuckled, her hand absently rubbing her empty stomach.
"In 15 minutes, I'll be there to pick you up!" Alex declared, and just before ending the call, he added, "...And wear thick warm clothes. It's freezing outside."
"What!? Are you in town, brother?" Joy surged through her, Alex's presence in town.
"Hmm," he said, ending the call before she could respond.
A wide grin painted Mel's face as she hurried to the bathroom. Soon, she left her home, clad in warm layers of her winter coat.
Reaching the lobby, a familiar black Mercedes G Class awaited at the entrance. She quickened her pace, stopping a few meters away from the vehicle. Her gaze settled on the tall figure by the car. She can see his broad shoulders and military haircut so familiar. And the way he held his cell phone, confirmed her suspicion — it was Alex.
"Brother Alex," she called out, her voice trembling with a mixture of surprise and delight.
Alex heard Mel's voice and turned his attention toward her, offering a slow nod while engaged in his phone conversation. As he conversed, he approached the car and politely opened the door, wordlessly gesturing for her to enter.
Ensuring Mel was safely settled, Alex gently closed the car door and proceeded to the driver's seat, still absorbed in his call, seemingly oblivious to Mel's joyful gaze fixed upon him.
Several more minutes passed before he concluded his conversation. Turning his warm smile toward her, he greeted, "Happy New Year, Little Sister."
"Happy new year too, brother."
With that, their car set in motion. Mel stole glances at Alex, who was focused on the road. "Brother, when did you arrive?"
It had been several months since their last meeting, as Alex was always preoccupied with his task overseas.
"Just landed this morning. So, what do you want to eat?"
"Anything. I haven't had a bite since yesterday."
He cast a concerned glance at her. "Why?"
"I overslept. I only woke up when you called," Mel chuckled. "And the ironic part is that my fridge is totally empty when I'm starving," she sighed, prompting a wry shake of Alex's head.
Though worried, he opted for silence, pressing the gas pedal deeper, and drove toward the restaurant.
After a few minutes, the car stopped in front of a Western restaurant. Mel's eyes lit up. It wasn't her first visit here.
However, during her first trip with Anna, they were turned away due to the restaurant's fully booked reservation list. Only then did she discover that securing a dining spot in this place needed advance booking, with a queue stretching out for a month's wait.
"Brother, did you make a reservation?" she glanced at him, fearing the restaurant's floor manager would stop them.
"No," Alex replied calmly, striding into the restaurant.
"Brother, you do realize this place doesn't accommodate walk-ins, right?" Her expression dimmed. The prospect of finding another eatery, while famished, dampened her spirits.
Alex offered no response, continuing to walk resolutely inside.
Mel sighed deeply, but she could only follow him.
"Young Master Hill, welcome..." The manager on duty greeted Alex with respect and offered to guide him to the VVIP room.
Alex simply nodded and followed the manager's lead.
'Gosh! So, he knows the restaurant manager?'