When Desperation Meets Opportunity Chapter 19 — A #NaNoWriMo 2015 Story
By: Josh Gauthier
Tags: Fiction, NaNoWriMo, Traveling

Chapter 19 — Jim

She is sleeping on the couch. Even after years and all that has happened, she is still the girl I used to love. It is almost distracting watching her, knowing that she is in my life again. I meant what I said, that if I could do it over and do better, I would. As someone who always wanted to do the right thing, it kills me to have to face the biggest mistake I ever made in my. How selfish was I? To walk away from that. But, I was 18. I was scared. And when you are 18, your future is the only future that is important to you. Anyone who is 18 would struggle with that decision. My hope would be that anyone else make the right choice.

I need to focus. Mr. Man gave me some helpful tips for hacking into this badge. Essentially, this company uses something similar to a Micro-Sd card that you wave in front of an access point to gain entry. Soon, if it hasn’t happened already, they’ll have changed their systems to deny access to my card. What I need to do is load up the code on this badge, and find where the instructions to interact with their system are located. Then, it is simply a matter of tricking the system into thinking this is an active badge. Once I find the target code, it will just be a few adjustments and I should be on my way. Or, at least I hope.

Scanning code is becoming so much easier now after my month long boot camp. But, my eyes have a hard time concentrating. This situation is just so weird. Maggie has been doing things for Mr. Man as well. Are there any others? Was she chosen because she was connected to me? I would have to think so. What does it all mean? How does this game end? I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this since Maggie showed up at my door. I was okay with things. I was happy to help Mr. Man. But now, if it is really true that he took Brayden, it changes everything. That means bringing Jake back and looking through more binary code.

I’ve also been thinking through the fact that the company we found in the code is also the company I’m expected to bring down with the virus. That they have a place in Stetford could be part of the reason they chose Maggie. The key to finding out who Mr. Man is has to be related to the Cyberdigital Associates entry we found. That must be his company. Googling it doesn’t turn up much. They don’t list any employees or CEOs or anything. Once again, maybe there is something I’m missing here that Jake would be able to help with.

It is getting pretty late now. I’m not sure when the Ming Security and Defense building closes, but I have to imagine that they’d allow after hours access if you have a badge. They might have other security features, being a company that specializes in such things. But I should be able to get in and get what I need. It might be easier to do when the building is closed.

I finish with the code and feel confident that the changes I’ve made will let me in. It is starting to feel real now the seriousness of what I am about to accomplish. This won’t be easy to go through with. I spend so much time telling myself that I choose to do the right things, but this isn’t right. This is sabotage. This is illegal. And maybe, in other circumstances, I may have backed down to face the music. But learning about Brayden today keeps me focused on the goal. And finally I understand why Maggie is here. Mr. Man is using her to keep me going. That has to be it. I feel sick. This has become personal.

Maggie is still sleeping on the couch, and I decide not to wake her. Instead, I’m going to head out to the building and try and take care of this tonight. After this, I can’t imagine what I’ll be asked to do for my fifth task. How can it be any more ramped up than this? It doesn’t matter much. I have to do it. Maggie and I will also need to work on a plan, to try and figure out who Mr. Man is and how we can get to him. She needs to know that he has hacked her phone. We can’t afford a slip up. I’ll inform her when I get back.

I open my Uber App up and request a ride. Then, I head downstairs to the street level to wait. The sun has set, and darkness is falling over the city. It is weird quiet, even in the midst of the summer. Sure, people are everywhere. But it is almost like life has been muted.

Before long, my car has arrived, and we head toward our destination. The driver is a young guy, maybe 25 years old if you forced me to guess. We are listening to some rap music I have never heard before. He asks me “Sir, what type of music would you like to listen to?” Since I can tell my type of music would definitely not be his cup of tea, I decide I’ll endure this style for the ten minute ride.

“This is totally okay. You wouldn’t like my type of music. It’ll be good for me to listen to something that will expand my boundaries.” The rap is pretty terrible. Even after living in the city for almost a year, I can’t say that rap has gained any appeal for me. It does get my mind off my mission temporarily.

“So what are you up to, tonight sir?” I did say temporarily. What do I say to him?

“Just some late night business to attend to. Nothing exciting. You’d think they’d let me enjoy my Sunday night, but you know how things go.”

“Of course sir. I can take a longer route if you’d like to prolong things a bit — you can use the traffic as an excuse. Or, we can head down to some of the hot clubs downtown. Sundays still bring the ladies, but less competition.” This guy is certainly interesting, but what isn’t interesting is what he is offering. I have much more important things to do.

“That sounds tempting, but some other time.” He nods, and slows down as we reach our destination.

I actually asked to be dropped on the corner, not knowing what I’d encounter. I wish him a good night, and I jump off onto the sidewalk. This is a part of town I haven’t spent much time in. But, I’m not headed far. As I make my way up the street, I can make out the building for Ming Security and Defense. Here we go

As I am walking up to the door and look inside, I see at least three security guards at the entrance. Crap. They are waiting for whomever stole the badge to show up. I can’t just waltz in there now. I’ll have to think up some other plan. To try and avert suspicion, I slowly widen my walk away from the building and keep heading north.

I make my way up State Street to the next block. For some reason, I choose left over right. And that is when I see him. Carl. Sleeping with this family on the this street. He looks as rough as I’ve seen him. What happened? The need to find out overcomes me and I head straight toward him.

“Carl, is that you?” He is huddled up against his wife and child, but separates himself as he sits up, rubbing his eyes. He blinks hard a few times, before realizing that he knows me.

“Why if it isn’t Jim! How are ya Jim? Been a while.”

“Yes it has been. Why did you move over here? I kept looking for you everyday but you were never there. I feared the worst.”

Carl calmly replies. “It was the strangest thing. It must have been right after our dinner that I was settling down to sleep with my family. All of a sudden, some tough guy types started hassling us. One even pulled out a gun. Said if we didn’t leave the corner, then we never would. It isn’t much of a life living on the street, but a life is a terrible thing to waste. So we moved far enough away to where we felt safe.”

Right after our dinner this happened? That seems like too much of a coincidence. Now, he turns up here, after all of this time as passed. Unfortunately, dark thoughts enter my head. I need to get into that building. Could Carl help me get in?

“Carl, I am so sorry to hear that. It might sound weird, but I’ve missed you. I really enjoyed our time together and want to help you out. But I’m afraid that tonight, I need to ask you a favor. Something which I know I can never repay you for.” He doesn’t look sad or worried when I say this. He looks genuinely excited and happy to help.

“You fed me. You fed my family. You gave me a night off the street and a happy memory. Young man, I would be glad to help.” I was hoping he might say no.

“I hate to ask this, but I need to get into this building, just off State Street here. I don’t really want to go into the details, but there is security on the inside, and I won’t be able to get past them without some help. Somehow I need a diversion. I just…” Carl cuts me off.

“Consider it done. Just hang behind me and be ready to pounce in. You don’t have to explain. I know a thing or two about desperation. If anything happens to me, I just ask that you take care of my family.” This is a promise I would love to keep. I don’t know if I can, but I want to. I shake my head, agreeing. “Alright then. What are we waiting for?” He kisses the heads of his wife and son as they sleep soundly. He then stands up, and leads the way.

As we get closer to the front doors, he motions for me to stay back, out of sight of the guards. I am left to watch the events unfold as a bystander.

Carl casually walks up to the front door and enters, where the three guards converge on him. It is dark out, but there are some lights inside the building, so I have a general idea of what is going on. They appear to be having a discussion, and it looks like the guards are trying to shue him out. Just as it looks like Carl is about to leave, he doubles back, rushing towards a guard and scuffling with him. He grabs a gun, and sprints out the door. It looks more like a hobble for Carl. The three security officers give pursuit. This is my chance.

As the chase takes place, I quietly but quickly scamped towards the doors. I enter the first set, and I use my keycard to attempt to get into the second set. It works. I am in the building. Time to put this virus in place. The office building isn’t too confusing, but they do have a map. It clearly indicates where I can find some network connected labs. As I make my way towards my location, I swear I hear the distinct noise of gunshots in the distance. My body shudders.

What have I done?