The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution Book 1) Brian Terenna (best novels to read to improve english txt) 📖

Happiness swells inside me but quickly recedes as my mind refocuses on the blimp crash. I want to tell her about it and clear the air, but I could never. I should bring up the other thing, though. “Nav, I need to tell you something.”

She looks over, her curious expression fading to concern when she sees me.

The ache in my stomach returns. I squeeze my wrist with a clammy hand. Here goes. “I saw the noose in your closet.”

She frowns and slumps forward, any happiness draining out of her. “I didn’t know what to do when Ty passed away,” she says, her voice monotone. “It’s such an empty feeling to be with your love every day, and then to know you’ll never see him again. Things spiraled down from there in all ways. Ty was the breadwinner. Since the NIA can’t be sued, I had no money to cover my medical bills or his funeral. The fifty-one percent hack was my last chance to become financially solvent. After I failed, I gave up.”

I swallow and look down, ashamed.

“I punched a hole in the ceiling, strung up the rope, and stood on the coffee table. It’s a strange feeling to be ready to die.”

Sunny frowns.

“Why didn’t you do it?” I ask.

She shrugs. “You called just then and needed help.”

My eyes widen, and I suddenly feel sick. If Sunny hadn’t convinced me to call, she’d be dead. I squeeze her hand in both of mine. “Tell me you won’t do it again.”

“I’m good now. Well…not good, but I’m not going to try it again. I have you and my dad…sort of.”

“I’m glad you still live, Naveha,” says Sunny. “I consider you a friend.”

She rubs his head, her sadness waning. “You guys mean a lot to me. I’ve also noticed you’ve been connecting with my father, Fae. He seems to like you better than his own daughter.”

“I’m sorry he’s like that to you.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s been this way since I was a teen. It’s just because of our similar personalities but different viewpoints.”

“Is your mother alive?” asks Sunny.

Nav lowers her head. “I never had one. My aunt lived with us, though, and she was very loving.”

“What do you mean you didn’t have a mother?” I ask.

“My dad got to the point where he hadn’t met anyone, and he always wanted a kid. I’m from a synthetic womb and a donated egg.”

My eyebrows rise. You don’t hear that often. Then a realization hits me. Naveha…that sounds like… “Did he name you after Navin Briggs?”

Nav sighs. “He sure did.”

“You resemble Navin,” says Sunny, “especially your mustache.”

Nav’s eyebrows lower, and she feels her bare upper lip.

“Sunny. That’s not nice,” I say.

“It’s sarcasm. Was it funny?” he asks.

Nav laughs. “Oh my God, Sunny. You’re great.”

“You’re hilarious,” I say. “All right, let’s do this hack now.”

“Xyphotech first,” says Nav. “You lead the way. I’ll defend your system and hide your attack.”

I access Xyphotech’s system on the mesh, then dive through the code, studying its complexities. It’s completely different from any other code, but it’s not long before I begin to understand its framework. After ten minutes, I could write my own program using it.

My hand waves around, selecting sections until I locate the code’s core. I find three critical lines and alter them, setting off a cascading failure and deactivating the wall.

A second firewall materializes in front of me. I scan the code, and it seems twice as difficult to crack. My mind is firing in high gear, though, and I quickly begin to see weaknesses.

Still, each time I attack, the wall changes and reforms its code.

I grumble in annoyance. But then it comes to me. There’s a better way. I send an assault bot at the wall to hold my progress, then return to the first firewall.

My right hand moves like I’m orchestrating a symphony as I change the program. It’s not long before I rework the firewall from a defensive program to an offensive one. As soon as it’s mine, I turn it on the second firewall. Although it’s half as strong, the second level doesn’t recognize it as a threat. I crash through the second level into the third and throw my programs at it until I’ve corrupted the second.

Sweat beads on my brow, and some drips into my eyes. I wipe it away. As I corrupt the third level, I swear I’m going cross-eyed.

Level after level, I crack them and turn them, until I smash through the final firewall.

I breathe out, letting go of anxiety and tension. “I’m in.”

“You’re brilliant,” says Nav.

I look down and feel my face flush, loving the praise.

Another defensive wall of code sprouts before me, blocking me from the system again.

I gasp. “What’s this? Oh no.”

“What is it?” asks Nav.

I groan. “There’s another wall with at least ten digital impressions of cybersecurity personnel. I’m sure they all have the Evo.”

Nav gasps. “I’ll defend your system. Get out.”

“Hurry, Fae. Disconnect,” says Sunny.

I move to disconnect when one of the attackers executes a capture program and steals my encrypted location data.

Diablo “I can’t extract, they took my location data. I have to get it back before they unencrypt it.”

Nav gasps. “They’ll send drones to kill us. You can’t possibly win. We have to warn the others.”

I think I can beat them, though. I’ll just have to be flawless. “Wait. Let me try.” I send the five corrupted firewalls against the critical systems as a feint.

Half of the cybersecurity personnel fall back to defend, and the other half launch an attack on my system.

“Nav, support my three firewalls. They’re attacking.” I send a tracking bot to find my data.

Thirty seconds