[Chen's POV]
Focus. Just focus. You have this.
It was late at night, and the moon was the only source of light in my room, not counting the bright glow emitting from my laptop. I was spread across my bed so that my screen was facing me, my head propped up on my palms as I scrolled through the compilation of notes I had on possible codes.
Up until then, things had been easy for the investigation. I had already found a list of sites, with the times they were live and even a few of the admins' names. Ever since I found out about what goes on underneath the surface of the web, I was intent on playing hero. I wanted to do something good, thinking it might help me feel a little less empty.
Looking back though, this might be the dumbest thing I've ever walked into.
Don't get me wrong, I loved what I did, and I wasn't an idiot. But I wasn't even close to knowing the true danger of the situation, nor did I have the necessary skill to handle things if they went wrong. I would be dead right now if it weren't for the Flash. Though I think that's true for everyone in Central City at some point. . . I guess it's just a little different in my case.
I sighed and shoved my face into my hands, wishing I hadn't skipped dinner again. And lunch. And breakfast.
Maybe if I get a bite to eat, I'll be able to think clearer. . .
Deciding on Taco Bell, my hands went to close the tab when an IM popped up underneath the mouse. The messaging software I had downloaded wasn't something I went sharing with family and friends, so there was no way this could've been good.
From: Unknown
To: J
J. That's what you call yourself. But I know who you are. And I'm not the only one either. You are Chen Yu, and this is your family.
[attatchment: 4]
Your cooperation would be strongly recommended. You will follow the commands sent after this message. If you decide not to, then your information will not be kept from any amount of exposure.
Have you heard of the Red Room? :)
The pictures attached were of my sister Mei, my stepdad, and Lin, my mom. But there were two of Lin—one I recognized from her profile picture on Facebook, and the other of her tied to a metal chair, bleeding from her head. Her mouth was hanging open, and I knew that this was worse than what I was used to coming home to. The latter was taken that day.
. . . Holy. Shit.
I was terrified.
My eyes were unblinking, glued to the screen. Hands shaking. Thoughts were rushing through my head about what I should do, and I could feel chills crawl up my skin. How did they find me? Why did they? And what the hell did they want from me?
The first thing I did after reading the message was call my mom and check the door of my one room apartment.
Locked. Good.
Too terrified to move, I simply pressed my phone against my ear and glanced at the light switch. I decided to keep them off, for safety reasons. Definitely not for comfort.
I made my way back to my bed and sat, taking my computer into my lap and bracing myself mentally for what would pick up on the other side of the phone, and the next message's possible demands.
Just as the last ring sounded and I was sure no one was going to pick up, the muffled noise of rigid breathing played through to my ear, and my own breath became caught in my throat. I waited a few agonizing seconds for three words.
"Follow the instructions."
The voice was surprisingly high, but that didn't make it any less unnerving. They had my mom's phone. They had my mom. Whoever this they was—they weren't going to let me escape this.
How did this even happen??
I gulped then closed my eyes and took the deepest breath of my life, trying to gain some amount of control over the many emotions threatening to take me. It was a few seconds before I opened them again, but when I did, I was ready to face some fears. Starting with the newest message on the screen.
From: Unknown
To: J
[Attachment: 1]
It was a PDF, just a long document full of steps and a note at the very bottom:
Hello there! You've met one of us just now, before this message arrived. It would be best to do as he told you. I don't doubt your success, but many of us do, so don't disappoint me. And don't forget that we can track you, no matter what you do. We're watching.
"This is sick. . ." I whispered, scrolling back to the top and beginning to more closely read the set of instructions. The steps weren't specific, but they were an outline as to what I needed to do for them, with my own skills instead. They were stuck then. I had an advantage.
My eyes widened.
What they were asking me to do would give them full access to the security, power, and basic functions of one of the buildings downtown. If I did this, a group of probably very insane hackers would be able to do almost anything to a building holding roughly 250 people. But if I didn't, they would kill my mom. And they'd send me to what some like to call the Red Room—basically Saw for the unluckiest idiots on the dark web.
It took me a while to decide, but in the end, I didn't make the hero's choice.
. . .What else can I do. . .?
I bit my lip and tentatively returned my gaze to the screen.
"I'm sorry. . ." I whispered, fully aware that no one could hear me in the silent darkness of my empty flat.
The weight of hundreds of lives being endangered stabbed into my gut, but I couldn't convince myself to sacrifice my family. That was my weakness, and it still is.
But maybe it doesn't have to be a weakness. If I hadn't been protective, none of my family from my old life or the lab would probably still be alive. And even if some of them were, I know for a fact that he wouldn't. And that's what a hero is, right? Someone who protects others at any cost. Maybe I'm just more. . . selective as to who I save.
Or maybe I'm something different from a hero. . . Someone more loyal than charitable, but still good.
Actually, thinking back to the risks I've taken for my sister, mom, Caitlin, Barry, Cisco. . .
It was like I had to. It's my purpose to protect them—to guard them.
So maybe I'm not a hero, like the Flash or Green Arrow.
But I am something else.
I'm a guardian.
Lil cringy but that's alright
