ENCRYPTED: Sequel to HACKED

Chapter Two

Blair's POV

Hopelessness settled in my chest as I took a few breaths to calm myself down.

"They're just threats. They're just threats. They're just threats." I muttered to myself over and over, trying to set my anxious nerves at ease so I could get a few hours of sleep before I was summoned again. But my nerves wouldn't settle down. They were so jumpy that I was constantly moving my legs back and forth in a running motion and cracking my knuckles and back.

Hearing the door open, I whipped around to see the large man come in again holding a tray of food. He slid it in and left without a word.

On the plate there was a red apple, some stale looking bread and mystery meat. None of it looked particularly disgusting or poisonous but I was still wary about eating it. My stomach rumbled and I gave in.

The apple was fairly tasty, not too hardy, the bread was quite crunchy, kind of like a biscuit and the meat tasted very strange. It was chewy, not fully cooked and very gamey. I gagged and spat it out back onto the tray. Even if I had spit it out quickly, the flavor still remained on my tongue. I was provided with no water to wash it all down though.

I shoved the tray to the edge of the cage, as far away from me as possible. Maybe in the future I'd get better meat... Probably not. I should be thankful that I even got food in the first place.

Now that my stomach was full, I could sleep for a little while and try to regain my energy.

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Sleep still fogged up my mind when I was pulled out of my cage and forced down a hallway, a guard gripping my arms so tightly that I could feel the bruises start to form.

I wasn't blindfolded this time, but the hallway was pitch black and cold. I couldn't see anything anyways.

We twisted and turned down the hallways, going so fast that next time I knew I'd have to make a conscious effort to try to memorize the patterns of the hallways and try to figure out where everything was.

A door opened in front of me to what I'd call heaven. Computers, electronics, hard drives, and everything I could ever have dreamed of using filled up every space in the room, surrounding one chair, in which Engima sat with his back towards us.

He spun around just like in a movie. "Have a nice nap, Blair?"

"Yes. It was practically like sleeping in a five star restaurant." I replied and rolled my eyes.

He chuckled darkly. "I'm so glad you have stoked your humor."

"Oh good, you find it amusing..."

"Indeed I do." He stood up and motioned for me to sit in the chair, which I did, in fear that he might harm me. "Go hack into the pentagon. I know you've done it before."

"Once and on accident." I crossed my arms. "I don't remember what I did."

He laughed and pulled out a gun, aiming it directly at my head. "You do what I ask, or I will end your pathetic life. Are we clear?"

I glanced at the computers. Was it really bad if I had complete freedom to roam the internet? I could do whatever I chose to. I could invade anything I wanted. I could finally be in control again. "Crystal. What do you want from the government?"

Enigma smiled. "Everything."

I rolled my eyes. "With all of the secrets the government must be harboring, that'll take awhile. I need to know what your priorities are."

"Vault codes."

"Ooh. Planning a heist, are we? How fun. Since you've had your fun threading to dismember me and 'end my pathetic life'", I used my fingers to put quotation marks around 'end my pathetic life', "Are you ready to hear out my conditions?"

Enigma glared at me. "I wasn't aware that you would be so demanding."

I crossed my arms, "Well if we're going to be partners, I want in on everything and better living conditions. Better food too."

"Did you not like the raw rattlesnake?"

"That's disgusting and I'm serious."

"Fine. Anything you require, your majesty?" He said it with such a mocking tone that if it were anyone else, I would've slapped them.

"Yea. What's your name?"

This question seemed to take him off guard. "No, sorry."

"Okay. Deal's off. You can shoot me now."

He rolled his eyes. "You are replaceable. You do know that, right?"

"I have no one left. No reason to stick around. Feel free to shoot me." I almost hoped he'd actually pull the trigger.

He pulled off the mask to reveal a face that shouldn't be a hunted criminal. He looked about twenty-two. His thick, black hair fell in his eyes, which were a deep set brown with under eye bags bigger and darker than my own. He had a strong jawline and high set cheekbones that actually made me feel a twinge of jealousy. The sad look in his eyes is what gave him an appearance of a hurt childhood that visibly haunted him. "My name is Hunter." I was surprised at how much higher his voice was.

I nodded and stuck my hand out. "Blair."

"I know that."

Shrugging, I said, "Well, I'm formally introducing myself."

He warily took my hand a shook it once before letting go quickly and putting his mask back on. "Now get to work." He deepened his voice again.

"Dude, lay off of the Batman voice. We're partners, remember?"

Hunter grunted in return and swiftly walked away, leaving just me and a guard alone in front of the computers.

A surge of excitement ran across my spine as I gazed at the computers.

Override was back.