"You wanna go on this stupid mission ! What the hell is wrong with you Z?"

"You understand this more than anyone else,Mandy this organization has been has been a dread over 50years now! It took our parents lives!It's time to stop it! Or should it continue its menace till the whole world dies?And besides cracking the case,I still have other things to check out on that organization." Zero reasoned with her caller.

"It shouldn't but not at the expense of your life Z, I still need you.Zero can you be rational and forget about that mission? How many heads had the American Soldiers lost to that organization? Uncountable. Not to talk about you,Z. You're a hacker not a solider. There are still many cases yet to be cracked,the world still needs you to crack them! Besides the FBI criminal psychologist Jeremy Campbell is still on the lookout for you. You can't just..."

𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘱! 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘱!

Mandy looked at the phone. Zero had disconnected the call.

This was one thing about Zero, nothing could change her mind once she had set it on something....

{FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION,USA}

"It has been 3 months now since the First Sacrificial Maiden happened and Z is yet to take action,Mr Campbell I think something was wrong with your prediction."

"Stop buzzing in my ears criminal psychologist Zach. You can carry on with the investigation if you aren't okay with my speed." Jeremy snorted sarcastically before walking away.

"Why is he playing with this. Z is a criminal who ought to be arrested and this Sacrificial Maiden saga is getting out of control. Besides why should he be an expert psychologist! He's just 17!" Zach complained to no one in particular. He had personally flown from Britain to US because of this case and wasn't happy about how the FBI handled the investigation.

Jeremy sat in his car and scrolled through the latest news about Zero which his subordinate had sent him.

"Still no news about you?Z what are you planning this time." He muttered as his driver slowly left the FBI premises.

{ILLYRIA HIGH SCHOOL.}

"Nice to meet you Xander Letts. I pay more than usual attention to the transfer students here to ascertain their strength and weaknesses but judging by your record, your performance in your past school was excellent. Though your conduct is some kinda crude I know you will change" Principal Cooke commended.

"But I wanna know why your parents didn't tag along,you know parents usually follow their children for some registration processes and help them with somethings ...." Cooke rapped off in his American accent.

"They're late." Zero replied calmly.

"Oh!Oh! I'm sorry for the loss but what about your guardians?"

"I don't have any."

"Really.When did you parents died?"The principal asked out of concern.

"When I was 12." Zero replied looking at her watch.

"Wait! So you've been doing your things yourself since about 4 years now?! That's great! Could you share some tips?"

"Those are personal experiences."

"O...kay. Here." Cooke gave her a small pamphlet. "You'll be staying in the same dorm as Aaron Malcolm."

"Okay. If there's no other thing you have to say, I'll be out."Zero said standing up.

"Yeah!"

～～～

"Ouch!" A plump girl fell as Z had mistakenly bumped into her as she wanted to close Mr. Cooke's door.

"Sorry you're hurt?" Xander asked flashing a smile as she stooped low to help the girl pick her fallen books. The girl couldn't help be mesmerized by his canines and his fine physique which made him look like a fallen devil.

"Beautiful!"The girl muttered.

"You mean me?" Xander asked winking.

"Yeah you're so so handsome. Permit me to crush on you. I'm Delaney."The girl blushed extending her hand for a handshake.

"Xander Letts" Xander returned the handshake.

"You're in Grade 7?" The girl asked as she looked at the pamphlet Principal Cooke gave Xander.

"Yeah! Any big deal about that?" He replied arching a brow.

"Gosh! I can't believe I'm in the same class as you!You can even be my desk mate." The girl rasped and in excitement kissed his cheek. Xander frowned. She was a girl not a boy though she do act as a tomboy sometimes but biologically she was a girl!

"Okay! Okay!" Xander pushed off Delaney who was hugging her tight. "I've reached my dorm.See you some other time." Xander said trying not to be rude as slammed the door after Delaney.

～～～

"You're?" Aaron asked with a tone carrying an unfriendly tone.

"Xander Letts, your new roommate." Xander replied curtly as she dropped her things on a spare bed.

"He's our roommate too?" She asked pointing at someone who glued himself to a book 'Criminal Studies'

"He's a friend and close associate Raymond Derrick."

"I see." Xander replied as she became wary of her roommate and his close associate. People who read criminal related books might be Secret Agents.

"You seem guarded against us,any probs?" Aaron analysed after noticing his roomie's temperament.

"Ahem! Nope. Just that you're bigger in size and might.... Might bully me." Xander said feigning the face of someone being bullied.

"Relax! How about giving me a hug?" Aaron spreaded his hands wide open.

"What if you suffocate me. Your abs can block my nose." Xander whined.

"C'mon Big Bro is offering you a hug. Besides you're a boy! Stop behaving like some girly sissy" Aaron coaxed.

"O...okay!" Xander replied and slowly walked towards Aaron who pulled her into a teddy hug.She greedily sniffed in his Cologne. It reminded her of someone....

Someone of long.. long.. long ago.

.

.

.

.

{FLASHBACK}

"Remy,you won't forget me right?" A little girl asked with tears in her eyes as she stood near the aeroplane that was making its last announcement to the boarders.

"C'mon my Little Berry how can I forget you. I will always have you on my mind." Jeremy soothed.

"Always?"The girl asked as she brought out a Pinky.

"Always."The boy replied pulling her into a hug.

"Baby! It's time we leave. Jeremy will always love you okay?" Her mother comforted and pulled her towards the airplane.

"Here!" The girl threw her prized necklace at the boy's foot. "Wear it around you neck always."She added as she waved.

"I'll."The boy muttered as he caressed the symbol on the necklace.

.

.

.

.

{PRESENT}

Zero sniffed even more cologne. It was him! Her long-lost childhood friend! Jeremy Campbell! That limited edition cologne which never lied!

"𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵? " Xander muttered quietly.

"I think the big is longer than necessary." Andrew chirped in.

"I'm sorry! The smell of his cologne was heavenly. I couldn't help sniff it in." Xander replied disengaging the hug.

"Stop bullying your junior Andrew. It was just a hug." Aaron argued in Zero's favour.

Meanwhile, Zero went to keep her things in the rightful place and as she did,her high RAM miniature laptop fell off.

"Let me see that."Jeremy said as he outstretched his hand.

"You ....You..mean this?" Zero stuttered as she held her laptop. This was an extremely modified laptop and if it falls into Aaron's hand,hmmm.

"You seem unwilling to give it out. Is it perhaps extremely important."

"Not really I usually play games with it when I'm bored." Xander replied handing the laptop over.

"A modified laptop can't be used to play games only. What do you think errm... Xander?" Aaron arched a brow towards Xander as he toyed with the laptop. "And besides, this modification is thoroughly professional, it can equal or even rival Z's. Just expected of hackers." He added and watched Xander's expression.

Andrew collected the laptop and tried booting it but it wouldn't just start. "It seems that your laptop has a special booting system which can only be unlocked by you. It can't be used for gaming purposes only. And according to the modifications,this laptop can't be found in any market. Are you Xander Letts perhaps Zero?" He asked.

"Zero? Not at all! Zero is an extraordinary hacker who evades the eyes of everyone. How can I be he/she?" Xander denied immediately.

"Boot your laptop first. I wanna see the contents." Andrew said giving the laptop back to Xander.

"That's invading his privacy." Aaron replied collecting the laptop from Andrew.

"You must have read of the Sacrificial Maiden and the meaning behind it. What do you think Z might do?"

"Big Brother Aaron,I ain't on Z's mind,so I don't know what she will do but I know she'll do the right thing." Xander replied convincingly.

"You seem to trust Z wholeheartedly."

"Yeah! Because she's upright and will always allow justice to prevail!" Xander added.

"But that isn't her work. That is the judiciary's work so exposing crimes and seeking justice without the US government's permission makes her a criminal." Andrew finalised his view.

Xander didn't care about Andrew's opinion. Her interest was on Aaron.

"Big Bro? Do you think Z is a criminal as your friend argues?"

"Why are you anxious to know my reply?"

"Most people think Z is a bad person. I just wanna know your thoughts about it." Xander provided a reason.

Instead of answering, Aaron placed a mask on Xander's face.

"Big Brother! What are you doing?!" Xander whined trying to peel off the mask off her face.

"Stay still." Xander commanded. Xander fell quiet at once. It was just her soft bunny's style. Commanding and arrogant. Aaron took some photos of her before removing the mask.

"Big Bro! Why do you suspect me of being Z! Z can't be a high school student!"

"And how did you know Z can't be a high schooler? Z can be anyone at anytime Xander.The more you talk gibberish,the more my suspicions grow." Aaron cautioned and was about sitting down when his phone rang.

"Hello Young Master! Zero is online!" The caller couldn't hide his excitement.

"Where does her IP address shows?" Aaron asked calmly.

"There are thousands of false IPs showing. I really don't know which is his."The caller replied. Although no one knew Z's gender,she was generally regarded as a male. No one had ever seen her or know what she looks like.

"I'll be there in your location insome few minutes. Keep on tracking."Aaron reminded and wore his dinner jacket hurriedly. Andrew followed suit.

Xander produced a sly smile, it was only 6 months since she became inactive and she already had an impersonator.

"Let's see how much you can copy from me."She muttered at her imaginary impersonator and booted her laptop.

𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘳 58%..59%.....97%....98%...99%...100%. 𝘜𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥.

"Ahh! This one you remembered me today,are we cracking another case?" A voice sounded from the laptop. That's what makes Xander's laptop different. It contained a mechanised almost similar to the human brain mechanism, which could think and anlayse things just like the human brain. It could hold a normal conversation like a human.

"Baby Blue, your chatter is becoming unbearable,looks like I'll be disconnecting your chatterbox anytime. Anyways you're right. Someone is impersonating me." Xander replied as she typed.

"Impersonating Z? Hmm! So people are really senseless! Let me help you slash them Maami."

"Don't be loud. I'm in high school now."

"High school? What do a hacker needs to learn from high school! That's outrageous."

"Okay Baby Blue! Enough of the rattle. We're into business now." Xander reminded as jumbled codes flashed across her eyes.