The once quiet basement began to fill with energy as the members of the hacker group started trickling in. One by one, they arrived, heading straight to their designated workstations. The whirring of high-end computer fans filled the room as each station powered up, and soon the soft clacking of mechanical keyboards echoed throughout the space.
Zark stood off to the side, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black hoodie, watching as the group members settled into their seats. He was still trying to process everything—Samantha, the hidden base, and the idea of becoming part of a larger operation.
One of the members, a tall, lean man with slanted eyes, wearing a simple plain shirt, glanced up from his computer screen.
"Who's the new guy?"
His calm voice broke the soft hum of the room as he nodded toward Zark.
Before Zark could respond, Samantha, with her ever-present smile and her earbuds in, pulled one out and stepped forward, clearly having been lost in her K-pop music.
"Oh, right, introductions!"
She grinned, tapping her fingers lightly to the beat still playing in her other ear.
"Everyone, meet Zark Arnold Morales."
Her voice carried a bit of excitement.
"The genius programmer from Lumenis Institute."
For a brief moment, the room went still. Then, all at once, the group reacted.
"Wait, Zark Morales?"
A lean guy with spiked hair and a relaxed vibe blinked in disbelief.
"Like, the Zark Morales?"
"The chatbot guy?"
A woman with long black hair raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair with a mixture of curiosity and admiration.
Zark awkwardly shrugged, his hands still in his pockets.
"Yeah, that's me."
Julia Pascua, sitting near the center of the room with her slightly chubby frame and long hair, nearly dropped her phone as her eyes widened.
"No way, it's really him!"
She blurted out, the excitement in her voice unmistakable.
"I've been using your chatbots for years. Seriously, they saved me so much time on debugging and code analysis."
Zark scratched the back of his neck, unused to all the attention.
"Thanks," he muttered.
"Honestly, it was just something I messed around with in my spare time."
Julia let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
"Messed around? You made something incredible. That project helped a lot of us out. It was brilliant."
Dominic Santillan, always the one to break any tension, grinned from across the room. His varsity cap sat a bit crooked on his head, adding to his easygoing appearance.
"Looks like we've got a real legend here, huh?"
He winked at Zark.
"Don't worry, man, you'll fit right in. You've got a room full of nerds who think the same way you do."
Jojo Enriquez, standing by the entrance, cleared his throat with a playful glint in his eye. He rubbed his hands together as if to diffuse the buzz of excitement.
"Alright, alright, let's not overwhelm the guy on day one."
He chuckled.
"Yes, it's Zark Morales, and yes, he's joining us. Let's not act like we've never seen talent before."
There were a few laughs around the room, and slowly, the members returned to their stations, although the sense of excitement lingered.
Samantha, still bobbing her head to her music, popped her other earbud out and stepped closer to Zark, her smile bright.
"Told you," she said, giving him a reassuring look.
"You're gonna do fine here. Everyone's cool."
Zark nodded, still feeling slightly out of place but grateful for the warm reception. He looked around again, taking in the group of people who, despite never having met him, already seemed to hold him in high regard.
Julia shot him a thumbs-up from her seat.
"If you ever want to geek out over bots or algorithms, hit me up."
She flashed a smile.
"I'd love to hear more about how you developed that chatbot system. It's genius."
Zark returned a faint smile, nodding.
"Yeah, sure. Maybe we can brainstorm something new together."
As the room began to settle, Samantha clapped her hands, pulling everyone's attention.
"Alright, let's get through introductions properly," she said, glancing at Zark.
"You should know who you're working with."
The group looked toward Samantha, nodding.
"I'll start," Samantha said, pulling her earbuds fully out now, her bright energy ever-present.
"I'm Samantha Dela Cruz. I'm not a hacker like the rest of you, but I handle the outside world stuff. I gather intel, coordinate ops, and make sure we've got what we need on the ground. If you need anything outside of the digital world, I'm your girl."
Next, Dominic jumped in, his grin still plastered on his face.
"Dominic Santillan, or just Dom," he said.
"I'm the guy who tears things apart—digitally, of course. I reverse engineer systems, break them down, figure out how they work, then help us take advantage of those weaknesses."
Julia chimed in next, nodding at Zark.
"Julia Pascua, but everyone calls me Julez," she said with a smile.
"I handle botnets and DDoS attacks. Basically, I control networks of compromised machines to overwhelm or take down a target. It's like sending an army to knock on someone's door until they let you in."
Rene Belgica, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, waved lazily.
"Rene here, just Rene," he muttered, taking a drag.
"I make the viruses. If you want something that'll infect a system, stay hidden, and cause chaos without leaving a trace, I'm your guy."
Lawrence Lopez spoke up next, his voice as calm and steady as his demeanor.
"Lawrence Lopez, or just Rence," he said with a nod.
"I gather all the info we need before we strike. Whether it's mapping out networks or finding weaknesses, I'm the guy who makes sure we know where to hit and how hard."
Danilo Ocampo leaned back in his chair, grinning.
"Dan here. I'm the social engineer," he said.
"While these guys are hacking the code, I'm hacking people. I get them to trust me, click the wrong link, or share sensitive stuff without them realizing it. People are easier to fool than systems sometimes."
Ricardo Del Rosario, with his tattooed hand resting casually on the desk, gave Zark a nod.
"I'm Cardo," he said.
"I handle networks—whether we're breaking into someone else's system or locking down our own. If it's about getting online and staying hidden, I'm on it."
Hiro Kusanagi, sitting quietly, adjusting his glasses, spoke up in a calm voice.
"Hiro here. I'm the sysadmin," he said.
"I make sure all our servers, proxies, and VPNs are running smoothly and undetected. If we need a stronghold online, I'm the one maintaining it."
Ericson Valerio chuckled lightly from his corner, pushing up his glasses.
"Ericson Valerio, or Lorkan," he said with a grin.
"I clean up after the job. My job is to erase our tracks—make sure no one finds out we were ever there. It's like sweeping away digital footprints."
Dezer Banal, his tattoos visible on his forearms, leaned back with a smirk.
"I'm Dezer, the cryptographer," he said.
"I break encryption when we need to get into something locked down, or I create it when we need to keep our stuff secure. Think of me as the guy who cracks the safe."
Roy Riviera spoke up last, his calm, methodical voice reflecting his demeanor.
"Roy here. I'm the penetration tester. I find the cracks in security and open them up so we can get in. If there's a way in, I'll find it."
Angelica Valencia, always cheerful, waved from her spot.
"I'm Angel," she said brightly.
"I'm the researcher. I find the newest exploits and vulnerabilities so we can stay ahead of anyone trying to stop us. Think of me as your source for the latest info."
Finally, Jojo Enriquez stepped forward, rubbing his hands together as always.
"And I'm Jojo," he said with a grin.
"I handle the money—cryptocurrency, to be exact. I make sure it's untraceable, clean, and ready to use. If we need to keep things running, I'm the one managing the cash flow."
Zark glanced around the room, absorbing the introductions. The entire operation felt more sophisticated and organized than he had ever imagined.
"This is serious stuff," he thought to himself.
Now, it was his turn. He took a breath, looking around at everyone.
"I'm Zark Morales," he began.
"My specialty is finding vulnerabilities—weak points in systems and software. Once I find them, I use those gaps to break in. Basically, if there's a hole, I can hack through it."
The group nodded in approval, recognizing the confidence behind his words.
Suddenly, the large flat-screen on the wall flickered to life. The group's attention turned to the screen as a shadowy figure appeared, their face obscured. The leader of ZeroCrypt had arrived.
"Welcome, Zark Morales,"
The voice from the screen said, calm and authoritative.
"You've joined an elite group of individuals. We are ZeroCrypt. Our mission is to operate from the shadows, using our skills to right the wrongs in this world. Each member plays a crucial role, and now, so do you."
The figure paused before continuing.
"You've been chosen not only for your skill but for your potential. You'll have access to the tools, resources, and knowledge of this group. But remember, this is not just about survival—it's about making a difference."
The screen went dark, leaving the room in silence. The leader's words hung in the air, and the group absorbed the gravity of what had just been said.
Samantha turned to Zark, her usual bright smile back.
"Welcome to ZeroCrypt, Zark," she said softly.
"This is where your new life begins."
Zark nodded slowly, the enormity of the situation sinking in. He had entered a world far more complex than he had ever imagined. But for the first time in a long while, he felt like he belonged somewhere again.