Empathy || 707 [EDITING]

01| The Black Hat

It seemed she only slept for seconds, but when Y/N awoke from the sound of her computer alarm, the sun was already rising. The rays peeked through her blinds just enough for her eyes to adjust, for her to realize what was happening. 

Her drowsiness vanished, and she bolted upright frantically. 

100% COMPLETE...DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE?

"No way..." She exasperated, ripping the blankets off her body and racing to her newly fixed computer. Y/N had fallen asleep while awaiting the reboot. The precious SD card lay on her desk, taunting her, lulling her until she was convinced going back to sleep wasn't an option. 

Surprisingly, the damage was less than she thought it would be. At first glance, the pop inside her computer seemed unfixable. But, after dissecting it all, the only thing she had to do was replace the burnt wire. She might have appeared to be giddy, even, for the Best Buy employee gave her an odd look when she claimed she could repair it herself. 

Apparently, they didn't see a lot of young women looking for miscellaneous parts to a PC. But she couldn't blame them. Last year, she would have laughed if someone said she was going to become an amateur hacker.

Her hands moved on their own as she inserted the SD card back inside the computer. Y/N paused for a moment as it loaded, boasting a bright green unlock button. She laughed, surprised, and also a little concerned at how easy it felt--maybe a little too easy. 

Had she really hacked through 707's wall? Or did he send her a Trojan? A worm? The girl sorted through her options with crinkled eyebrows. Would any of this malware infect her that much? She created them too, just like him. She could most likely get rid of anything he tried to send her way--a newfound confident mindset that came after completing another milestone. 

Y/N bit her lip, her heart beginning to beat faster as she moved her mouse. Y/N knew she couldn't afford to purchase more equipment. This was her last try. With internal turmoil almost getting the best of her, she clicked YES.

As soon as she heard the click, she squeezed her eyes shut. Sweat began to form along her forehead. She listened. She waited. But nothing happened.

Her eyes slowly parted, revealing the last thing she would have expected. The files.

Dumbfounded, she leaned closer as if she had read it incorrectly the first time. But it was right, it was right in front of her. Y/N couldn't bring herself to cheer, to bring her hands up to her face and gasp, or to pat herself on the back. Instead, tears began to form in her eyes, hands shaking from the anxiety that was pulsing through her veins. She was so close.

DO YOU WISH TO OPEN THESE FILES... Y OR N?

STATUS: SEALED

LAST OPENED: 2 YEARS AGO

"Please..." She whispered, almost too afraid to press it, trying her best to calm down and not get her hopes up.

The girl clicked YES. This time Y/N was prepared for whatever 707 had in mind. If she could get this far, she was going to gather all the information she could, download it, and save it. But nothing could prepare her for what she was about to see.

Y/N's smile faded as she read the first sentence.

SARAH CHOI:

Plastic surgery records: $30,000.

Business debt: $2,000,000.

Her eyes scanned the screen in disbelief, lighting up with each swipe. It was not exactly what she was looking for, but hopefully, there would be more. There had to be. Her files were what mattered the most.