Breaking in, Cashing out

Chapter 4: Breaking in, Cashing out. 

Ethan spent days studying Landon’s bank account, finding weak points in the system. He discovered that Landon's bank used a two_ step security system password and a verification code sent to Landon's phone. 

Evan, on the other hand, built a special device that could intercept messages sent to Landon's phone without alerting him. 

Ella, worked on an Al program that would cover their tracks by making it look like Landon himself had approved the transaction. 

Every detail was planned. There was no room for errors. 

Ethan believes they could do this. He knew who they were. 

They were the geniuses of their school. They were so good with technology that even their teachers were afraid of them. The student were jealous of their intelligence 

Ethan believes they were gifted with talent from birth. 

Ethan, the eldest of the triplets, had a natural gift for hacking. What started as fun quickly evolved into an unparalleled skill. By twelve he could bypass firewalls and security systems that even professional hackers struggle with. 

EVAN: The second_born was gifted with the gift of inventing things. He had an unmatched knack for building things, while Ethan focused more on hacking. 

ELLA: The youngest, had a mind for artificial intelligence. While her brothers focused on hacking and hardware. She coded an intelligent program capable of adapting and learning.

That night, they all gathered around. 

“We can do this!” Ethan, the elder one reassured them , holding their hands. 

“Please remember, we need this to be successful,” Ella said, staring at Evan , who blinked his eyes innocently at them. 

“What?” he blurted out. 

“Don't let us down.” Ethan said firmly. 

Ethan gathered their laptops around and booted them up. 

They proceeded with the first step. 

Ethan cracked the first security layer, bypassing the password with ease. 

“Firewall’s down,” he muttered, "next step.” 

Ethan's device intercepted the verification code from Landon's phone and sent it to their system. Ella's Al tricked the bank into thinking Landon had entered it himself. 

They were in. Easy and peasy. 

The triplets gasped in shock as they saw the balance in Landon's account. 

“This man is so damn fucking rich!” Ella exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. 

“We should change the plan,” Ella suggested and the boys rolled their eyes at her. 

“No, no Ella! We are only taking twenty million dollars,” Ethan disagreed. 

“Okay, fine!” 

They split the money into smaller transfers, routing it through different accounts. Each transfer looked like a normal business transaction, a charity donation, or an investment. 

Finally, the money reached an account only their mother could access. 

Ella's Al activated, replacing transaction records with fake ones. To the bank, it would look like Landon had approved the payment himself. 

Even set up a time_ delay program that would erase all the traces of their hack in one hour. Ethan ran a final check up before logging out. 

“We did it!” Evan exclaimed joyfully, he was so happy they persuaded him into doing this. At least their mother wouldn't have to work for a year or two. They believed the Money would be enough to cover some bills through those years. 

“We should keep this a secret!” Evan suggested, in the midst of their celebrations. 

Ethan and Ella thought about his words and finally understood where he was coming from. 

“You are right!” Ella added. 

“Mother would freak out if she finds out. I doubt if she will even support us in this.” Ethan responded with a worried tone. He hadn't thought about the consequences before doing it. 

“Evan, Ella, he called out their names. His tone portrays worry. “No matter what happens, mother must never know what we have done. ”

 he shrugged at them, but his gaze was mostly fixed on Ella. 

“What?!!” Ella snapped at the two of them, knowing they suspected she would tell on them. 

“Trust me, since I'm in support of this, mother won't hear the truth from me.” She assured them and their mind calmed down instantly. 

*****

“Your account has been credited with the sum of twenty million dollars.” 

Avery was at work when she received the notification. she had never had such an amount in her life. 

She lost her appetite for going to her second job immediately and turned back to board a cab. 

She wasn't dreaming. Her account had Indeed been credited with the sum of twenty million dollars. 

Avery waited for minutes, hours, day, hoping a strange number would call to tell her the money was a mistake, so she could return it and maybe receive a small compensation _ perhaps $1,000 to $20,000 for being honest. 

But none of that happened. 

Avery waited for days, expecting the bank to call her about the money but nothing happened.

Avery finally accepted her fate. Perhaps one of her clients must have given her that money but chose to remain anonymous. 

Ten days later, Avery decided to call the triplets and inform them of the good news. 

****

The triplets were suddenly bothered since their mother had never mentioned the money. They thought she hadn't received it until one evening she called all of them out. Putting them in suspense and anticipation, they hoped she had called them because of the money. 

“Ethan, Evan, and Ella!” She called their names excitedly.

 Ella studies her mother's tone and notices something different. She sounded joyful. She sounded happy. 

“I have wonderful news to tell you all!” She giggled, her gap teeth showing. The triplets exchange glances with each other and smile. 

“Ten days ago, I received the sum of twenty million dollars in my account,” she exclaimed and the triplets flinched in surprise. 

“Congratulations, mother. We are rich. It's as if the universe knew what we were lacking.” Ella murmured and the boys turned to look at her. They were afraid her statement would trigger their mother, but unfortunately it didn't. 

“Exactly! Get ready, we're going shopping tomorrow!” The triplets scream in joy and jump around. 

Ethan was glad he did this. At least it stopped his mother from working for the past ten days. The triplets were all happy they had been able to help the mother for the first time in their lives. 

“To celebrate this, I'm going to make you'all favourite dishes!!” 

*****”

In a well_ furnished, enormous, sterile office, A man in a luxurious black suit sat in an office chair, his legs crossed. 

He was so engrossed in his computer that he didn't notice the footsteps of his P. A, Owen, entering the room. 

“Sir!” 

Landon flinched at the voice familiar screaming his name. 

when he raised his head, he was met with the terrified Face of his P. A. 

Owen's body was shaking. 

The horrified look on his face answered Landon’s unspoken question. The reason he must have had the nerves and audacity to scream at him earlier. Something terrible had happened. 

“Speak up!” Landon demanded , removing his gaze from Owen and focusing on his screen again. 

“Si… sir!” Owen stuttered, “so…. Some…. Something horrific happened!” his stammering made Landon's skin crawl in anger. 

“Get the hell out, you dummy.” Landon yelled at him, his eyes flaring in anger. 

He hates it when his workers pull this act whenever they want to make a bad report to him. He hated suspense more than anything. 

“I said, get the f…

“Someone hacked the company account and stole Twenty million dollars.” Owen interrupted him before he could complete his statement. 

“Hilarious!” Landon laughed out loudly, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. 

“Someone?” Landon repeated. finding the whole scenario to be funny. “Who the hell has the nerves and audacity to hack my business account?” 

“And this happened ten days ago ,sir. I'm so sorry I didn't notice it sooner,” Owen apologised, his head bowed in obeisance, knowing his job was at risk right now. 

With just a mood, Landon can fire him. With just one word, he will be gone. 

“ Which son of a motherfucking bitch dared hack my account?” 

He yelled,then, he laughed loudly again _ like a man who had just lost his mind. 

Perhaps, he did lose his mind because he had been too merciful toward these criminals. He vowed to wipe out the generation of whoever was behind this.