CHAPTER 2: REBOOTING THE SYSTEM

The cheap motel room smelled like old carpets that had been abandoned for a long time.

A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling. It kept flickering, making the room look even darker.

Avery sat on the edge of the old bed.

She was still wearing her wet denim jacket, and her body shook from the cold.

She had only twenty dollars left.

It was enough to pay for one night in the cheap motel.

After that, she had nothing.

Nina did not cry.

The seven-year-old stood in front of the small bathroom mirror. She carefully pulled the wet pink dress away from her skin.

The dress was ruined.

Nina wrapped herself in an old motel blanket that was much too big for her.

She looked tiny inside it.

But she tried to be brave.

"Mommy?"

Nina walked over to the bed.

She climbed beside Avery and wrapped her little arms around her mother's neck.

Her warm cheek touched Avery's cold face.

"Don't think about that place anymore," Nina whispered.

"We have each other."

She paused.

"I can get a job. I can wash dishes."

Avery's heart hurt.

She was proud of how brave her daughter was, but she also felt guilty that Nina was even thinking about work.

Avery hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her wet hair.

"You are seven years old, my love."

She smiled sadly.

"Your only job is to grow up safely."

Avery held her closer.

"Mommy will take care of everything. I promise."

Suddenly, the old television on the wall made a loud crackling sound.

The channel changed by itself.

A live news report appeared on the screen.

"Live from the Silicon Summit," a reporter announced excitedly.

"Tech billionaire Jasper Vance, after his wedding today, is about to reveal the newest creation from the Vance Group."

"Avery looked at the television.

Her breathing slowed.

Her back straightened.

For years, she had walked around with her head down, carrying the weight of being an unwanted wife.

But something changed the moment she saw Jasper on the screen.

The television showed a huge auditorium.

Jasper stood in the middle of the stage.

He had changed out of his wedding clothes and was now wearing a sharp black suit.

Behind him was a large screen showing a golden shield.

"Tonight, the Vance Group changes the future," Jasper announced.

His voice was confident.

"I present Aegis 2.0."

The audience cheered.

"A powerful security system that will protect banks, governments, and companies around the world."

Jasper smiled.

"A system created entirely by me."

The crowd applauded loudly.

Avery stared at the screen.

Then Jasper showed the audience the computer code behind Aegis 2.0.

Avery's eyes grew wide.

Her hands began to shake.

But this time, she wasn't afraid.

She was shocked.

"That's..."

She leaned closer.

"That's my code."

Nina looked at her.

"Mommy?"

Avery did not answer.

Her eyes moved quickly across the code.

She knew every part of it.

The code on the screen was not just similar to hers.

It was hers.

It was her university project.

Project Artemis.

Seven years ago, Avery had created it.

It was a new kind of computer system designed to protect important information from hackers.

She had been working on it before her parents were killed and her life fell apart.

Then she had disappeared.

Jasper had taken her old work and used it to build his company.

Avery stared at the screen.

"He stole it."

Her voice was cold.

Nina looked confused.

"He stole your project?"

Avery nodded.

"Yes."

Her eyes stayed on Jasper.

"He built his empire using my work."

She clenched her fists.

"Then he threw me out like I was nothing."

Her voice became even colder.

"And now he's telling the whole world that he created it."

Nina pointed at the screen.

"Is that the project from your old notebook?"

"Yes."

Avery looked at her daughter.

"He stole my mind, Nina."

Something had changed inside Avery.

The broken woman who had cried in the rain was disappearing.

The old Avery was coming back.

Before she became Jasper's wife, Avery had been known by another name.

Xenon.

She had once been one of the most famous hackers in the underground computer world.

Then she had given it all up.

She had chosen her family instead.

Now she wanted it back.

Avery stood.

She walked to her old backpack.

She searched through it and pulled out a black laptop.

The laptop was old and covered with scratches.

But Avery had built it herself.

She placed it on the small wooden desk and opened it.

The laptop turned on.

Its bright screen lit up her face.

Avery placed her fingers over the keyboard.

For a moment, she did nothing.

Then she started typing.

Her fingers moved quickly.

Very quickly.

The broken woman from earlier was gone.

Her shoulders were straight.

Her head was held high.

A small smile appeared on her face.

"Jasper thinks he owns the system because he has the password."

Her fingers continued moving.

"But he forgot something."

She smiled.

"I built the lock."

Nina pulled a small plastic chair beside her.

"Can I help, Mommy?"

Avery looked at her.

"Watch the security box on the left."

She pointed at the screen.

"Tell me if it turns red."

Nina watched carefully.

"It's still green."

She smiled.

"It's moving really fast!"

Avery nodded.

Jasper had stolen her code.

But he did not fully understand how it worked.

That was his mistake.

Avery had placed a hidden safety entrance inside Project Artemis years ago.

Jasper had never found it.

And now Avery could use it to get inside his system.

Within minutes, Avery broke through the first layer of the Vance Group's security.

Then she reached the main system.

She gained control of the screens inside the stadium.

On television, Jasper was still speaking.

"Aegis 2.0 cannot be broken," he said proudly.

"It is impossible for any hacker in the world to get through this system."

BEEP.

The huge screen behind him suddenly went black.

Jasper stopped talking.

The microphone in his hand made a loud, terrible noise.

The audience became silent.

Jasper slowly turned around.

His smile disappeared.

A huge red X appeared on the screen.

Then words began appearing underneath it.

[PROPERTY OF XENON. THE TRUE CREATOR IS WATCHING. THIRTY DAYS UNTIL YOUR STOLEN KINGDOM FALLS.]

The entire stadium exploded into chaos.

Reporters shouted.

Cameras flashed.

Businessmen grabbed their phones.

People started yelling questions.

On television, the camera moved closer to Jasper's face.

His confident expression was gone.

His face had become pale.

His eyes were wide with fear.

He knew that name.

Xenon.

He knew exactly who had just broken into his system.

Back in the cheap motel room, Avery pressed one final key.

Then she closed the laptop.

Click.

She looked at Nina.

A calm smile appeared on her face.

"Come on, Nina."

She stood up.

"Let's get some sleep."

She took her daughter's hand.

"Tomorrow, we start building our own empire."