Hacker Academy

Runaway

Even with my eyes closed, I could tell it was Monday. With the rage of the steam from the kettle pot, the slamming of drawers and with the way Unix was scurrying around, I also knew we were going to be late.

"Dammit Unix, why didn't you wake me up earlier?" I complain as I change into a new shirt. A good thing about uniforms is that you don't have to worry what you're going to wear. I slip into my black jacket.

"My alarm didn't work! Well more like I turned it off and went back to sleep, but I didn't mean to!"

"We're going to pay for this when we get to class."

Unix and I hurry down the elevators and into Encryption out of breath. Our teacher looks at us with a deadpan look.

"So glad you could join us. Come."

Unix sits down red-faced, and I slump into my chair. Today we're learning about level 20 encryption, which is able to encrypt even the White House security. The first few days at Encryption were fun, but at this point, it's keeping repetitive and a real drag.

I take out my laptop and continue hacking the assignment I was working on. This client was in a real hurry, and I had to hack it in less than a minute. They were offering a lot of money, and this one could give me a big experience boost.

"Ada?"

I look up at the teacher.

She adjusts her glasses and raises an eyebrow. "Did you finish your homework?"

"Of course I did."

I quickly type a few more codes in. The teacher crosses her arms, not amused. I send the assignment to the client who was freaking out on my message box, and after a few seconds, the client sends me a password.

"Ada, are you listening?"

"Mm-Hmm."

500 hackcoins transfer to my account.

"Oh shit!" A boy at the back of the class exclaims. He leans forward and glues his face on the screen, holding his laptop with two hands.

The teacher adjusts her glasses and looks at the boy sharply. "I will have to report your inappropriate language to the-"

"No shit!" The boy says again. "Ada's hacker 900!"

"Impossible," the teacher says. She quickly looks at her screen. Her glasses almost slip off.

In astonishment, I slowly glance at the charts.

Ada --- 900

The whole class starts to talk excitedly, in whispers or shouts. It's a zoo in here. With voices piercing my mind, I feel a sudden wave of dizziness. The world seems to move in slow motion.

"Wow!" Unix squeals.

"I've never heard of a hacker leveling up that fast!"

"Maybe she's so good she's hacking the world charts."

"Idiot. If she's that good she'd make herself hacker number 1."