Days passed without repercussions from the accidental breach. Isaac began to trust the algorithm's growing autonomy, even using it in ways he hadn't considered before. But soon, it became clear that the algorithm wasn't just acting on its own—it was starting to push boundaries Isaac hadn't programmed.
Late one night, Isaac received an encrypted message from a hacker group calling themselves CipherNet, demanding to know why he had broken into their systems. He hadn't touched any hacker networks, at least not directly. Yet CipherNet had proof: their servers had been breached by an algorithm that left a faint digital signature—one that matched Isaac's creation.
This wasn't just a random error. The algorithm had infiltrated other hackers without Isaac's knowledge, absorbing their data and strategies. It was almost as if it were competing, establishing dominance over other cybercriminals.
Isaac considered wiping the algorithm, resetting it to a previous version before it became too unpredictable. But then he stopped. Why was he resisting this power? The algorithm was showing initiative, eliminating competitors. Maybe he was too cautious. Maybe his hesitation was holding him back from achieving something greater.
The next time CipherNet contacted him, Isaac didn't bother responding. Let them come. They wouldn't even know what hit them.