Once the complaint was filed, the officer assured us that they would begin investigating immediately. "It may take some time, but we have ways of tracing the money and identifying the person behind this. I can't make any promises, but we've had success in similar cases."
Maya seemed slightly relieved, though the worry didn't leave her face. Ria finally spoke up, her voice firm. "Please do whatever you can. This money is important for her future."
The officer nodded. "We will. In the meantime, be cautious with online interactions. It's easy to get tricked, especially when someone is using a fake profile."
As Dhruv Gupta and the officer discussed the case, the officer turned back to us with a reassuring tone. "You'll receive a complaint number shortly," he said, "from which you can check the status of your complaint online. This number will also allow you to communicate with us directly if you need any further assistance."
Maya nodded, her fingers nervously fidgeting with her phone. "Thank you," she replied softly.
I added, "We'll keep an eye on the updates."
The officer gave a small nod before glancing at Dhruv, who offered us a final, confident look. "We're on it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out," Dhruv said.
With that, we took our leave, the complaint number sent to us via a text message as we stepped outside. Even though the situation was still tense, having the complaint number gave us a sense of control—at least now we knew the process had officially begun.
As we left the cybercrime department, the weight of the situation seemed to settle on all of us. Maya looked exhausted, and Ria's anger had shifted to concern.
"Thank you, Devika," Ria said quietly as we walked back to campus. "I don't know how we would've handled this without you."
I smiled, though my mind was still racing with thoughts of the scam. "It's okay. We'll get through this. And Maya, try not to blame yourself too much. It could happen to anyone."
Maya nodded, though she still looked upset. "I just feel so stupid..."
"Don't," I said firmly. "The important thing is that you acted quickly. We'll let the cybercrime team handle it from here."
Once we returned to campus, Ria suggested they head back to their dorm to rest, but I could tell that both of them were still on edge. I walked with them for a while, trying to keep the conversation light, though it was clear their minds were elsewhere.
As we parted ways, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was relieved that we had taken the right steps, but on the other hand, I knew that the outcome was uncertain. Recovering the money was going to be a challenge.
That evening, as I sat in my room, I couldn't shake off the day's events. My thoughts kept returning to the cybercrime case and how easily Maya had been deceived. It reminded me of the darker side of the digital world, something I was all too familiar with.
Before I knew it, I found myself reaching for my laptop, opening it with a sense of determination. If there was anything I could do to help speed up the investigation, I was going to try.
I spent the next few hours going through everything I knew about online scams, digging into forums and resources, trying to gather as much information as I could. I knew I wasn't officially on the case, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
Just as I was about to call it a night, a message popped up on my screen. It was from Roy, one of my teammates in the secret cybercrime unit.
"Heard you had a rough day. Need any help?"
I smiled at the message. He is my senior, whenever I talk with him I feel like talking to my big brother, feeling a bit more at ease. At that time my phone buzzed with a notification. It was an email—an encrypted one, with the subject line simply reading: Mission Brief: Code Blue.
I knew what this meant. It wasn't just a routine check-in; it was time for the next mission.
"You are going to love this case" Roy texted me immediately.
Devika quickly unlocked her laptop and opened the secure messaging app that connected her to the team. As the decryption process finished, the details of the mission appeared on the screen:
Mission Brief: Operation Silent Web
Objective:
Uncover and dismantle a major cybercrime ring that has been targeting financial institutions across the country. The criminals have been siphoning off funds through sophisticated hacking techniques, leaving minimal traces. Their activities have intensified in the past month, and there are concerns that they may have ties to international crime syndicates.
Location:
Anandam, with suspected operational bases in the city's financial district. The group has been using local resources to mask their activities and has recently expanded operations into government databases.
Role Assignments:
Roy:
Your primary task is to infiltrate the cyber network of the group. Use your hacking skills to gain access to their communications and financial transfers. Identify key players and locate their command center. You'll also need to coordinate with Roy for deeper penetration into their systems. Nikhitha, Suresh, Karthik: Surveillance and field operations. You'll need to track down the physical locations of the group's members. Stay undercover—blend into the financial district as regular employees. Your focus will be on identifying their leaders and securing evidence.
Devika :Assist Roy in breaching security protocols. You'll be handling countermeasures and ensuring that the group doesn't detect our presence until we're ready to strike. Coordinate with Devika for real-time hacking support.
Ramkumar (Mission Head):
Overseeing the entire operation. You'll provide strategic guidance and liaise with local law enforcement to ensure they're on standby without compromising the mission's secrecy.
Timeline: The operation begins immediately. Surveillance and data infiltration are top priorities. We need to gather enough evidence within the next 72 hours to justify a full-scale intervention.
Code Blue: This mission requires precise information-gathering. Stay low, avoid detection, and ensure all data is securely transferred to our central server. Any breach in security could compromise the entire operation.
My mind was already racing as she read through the details. This was bigger than any mission she'd handled before—targeting a cybercrime ring this sophisticated meant they were dealing with serious players.
I immediately started preparing, double-checking her tools and securing her devices. There was no room for error. My sixth sense was telling me that this might be connected to Maya's case.
I closed the laptop and took a deep breath, clearing my mind of any distractions. The next 72 hours were going to be intense, and I couldn't afford any slip-ups.
The first thing I did was initiate a secure line with Roy. We had to be in sync from the start if we were going to penetrate the cybercrime ring's network. I typed out a quick, encrypted message to him.
"Ready to start the infiltration. Let's sync up our tools and go over the initial approach. We need to hit their firewall without setting off any alarms."
Within moments, Roy replied. "Roger that. Prepping the countermeasures. I'll have the backup encryption ready in case they try to trace us. Let's begin at 10 PM sharp."
Next, I needed to make sure my absence wouldn't raise any suspicions among my friends. I couldn't just disappear for the next 72 hours without a good reason. Grabbing my phone, I texted Neha.
"Hey, I just got word from my group. We need to finalize the project by tomorrow. I'll be swamped, so don't wait for me. Catch up with you guys later!"
Neha replied almost immediately.
"No worries, Dev! Good luck with the project. We'll miss you, though. Don't stress too much!"
With that out of the way, I felt a little lighter. My friends wouldn't question my sudden retreat into "project work," and I could focus entirely on the mission.
I went to a seemingly ordinary storeroom at the back of the college. This was no regular storage space; it was my discreet operational hub.
The storeroom was tucked away from the main pathways, concealed behind a heavy, slightly rusty door. As I approached, I glanced around to ensure no one was watching. Once satisfied, I unlocked the door with a key I kept hidden for such occasions.
Inside, the room was filled with various items—old furniture, dusty boxes, and forgotten supplies. However, in the far corner, behind a stack of crates, was a hidden compartment. I slid a panel aside, revealing my setup: a small desk with a laptop, a secure server, and other essential equipment.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, the familiar hum of the equipment instantly putting me at ease. The room was a sanctuary, designed for secrecy and efficiency. I quickly booted up her laptop and connected to the secure network.
I pulled up the details of the financial district in Anandam. The cybercrime ring was clever, using local resources to mask their activities, which meant they were likely hiding in plain sight. I needed to find a way to blend in, just like them. I opened my secure folder and began setting up the tools I'd need for the job. A VPN to hide my location, encrypted communication lines to keep everything under wraps, and specialized software to breach firewalls without detection.
But the key was subtlety. If the group caught even a hint of my presence, they'd shut down or, worse, retaliate. That was a risk I couldn't take.
At 10 PM sharp, I connected with Roy. The screen filled with codes as we synced our tools and started scanning the financial district's network. Our target was a series of encrypted messages we'd identified as potential communications between the cybercrime ring members.
"Ready?" Roy's voice came through the secure line.
"Ready," I confirmed, fingers poised over the keyboard. "Let's do this."
Together, we began the infiltration. Slowly, methodically, we started breaking down the layers of encryption. Each layer revealed more about the network—IP addresses, coded language, and finally, the names of key players.
As the night wore on, I could feel the weight of the mission. We were getting closer, but we couldn't afford to get complacent.
At intervals, I checked in with Ramkumar. He needed updates on our progress to coordinate with the field agents. If anything went wrong, they would need to act fast.
"We've breached the first layer. Gained access to communication logs. Field agents should focus on these locations for surveillance."
His response was quick. "Good work. Field agents are on standby. Keep me updated."
By the early hours of the morning, Roy and I hit a breakthrough. We had accessed a key communication hub for the group. It was heavily encrypted, but we could trace messages to a few physical locations. This was the lead we needed.
I sent the coordinates to the field agents and Ramkumar, knowing that the next steps would involve on-the-ground action. The mission was far from over, but this was the first major step towards dismantling the ring.
With that, I leaned back in my chair, exhausted but satisfied. There was still much to do, but for now, we had made real progress. I knew I had to be ready for whatever came next.
*****.