Chapter 1

I knew I was racing against the clock as I skimmed the code blazing on my screen within the dim room. My sister Asami's breathing, which came from within her room in the hallway, reminded me with each rough breath that I didn't have long to figure things out.

I had protested against the chemical company that caused the outbreak to compensate for the cause of my sister's illness, but they ignored me and that made me helpless and angry. Our meagre insurance wasn't going to cut the treatment of her illness, so that made me think of doing something I never thought I'd have to resort to. Hacking to steal. And if I have to take money from the people who put us in this situation, then so be it.

I just need one hack, I told myself. One hack, and I'd have sufficient cash to get her the leukaemia treatment. The specialists said her leukaemia wasn't reacting to typical treatments. The specialist had explained that she needed something stronger, but it was more expensive. This modern new gene quality treatment trial was her final choice - a costly, last-ditched trust that our meagre insurance would never pay for. It's 2224. It has been two hundred years since the world fell apart after the mechanical headway of humanity. There aren't enough jobs and the poor keep suffering.

My IT aptitudes had generally begun little. I did a little computer work to get a little cash on the side, testing my abilities. But when I got the call six months prior that Asami's leukaemia was not as it were back, but quickly declining, I dove headfirst into that criminal underground world. My exercises avoided the edges of what law authorization cared approximately since Asami's time was running out.

That's how I ended up on the domestic desktop of Indira Chopra, CFO of one of the biggest companies in the world, Nexus Bioengineering Businesses. Her organizers full of spreadsheets astonished me. Some place in this repetitive mess was the key to getting to accounts or funds I seemed to siphon off. The clock read 3:37 AM. Indira would likely be asleep for several more hours, but I couldn't get smug. I had to discover something I might utilize before long.

As I scanned through Indira's records, I looked for anything containing catchphrases like "bank," "assets," or "investments." Buried in a profound set of settled organizers, one spreadsheet caught my eye: 'FV Worldwide Holdings'. I opened it up cautiously, checking the organised network activity to ensure no doubt I hadn't triggered any concealed security conventions. The archive populated on my screen. Big stake. It showed up to be a broad list of shell companies, remote bank accounts, and offshore investments. We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars, at the slightest. I couldn't believe my luck. Here I was anticipating walking away from this work with several thousand dollars, and I'd stumbled on what looked like Indira covering up resources from a company's shareholder. It looked off but it wasn't my concern.

My heartbeat increased as I burrowed further into the gigantic information. If I could get the chance to check one of these accounts, it may be more than sufficient to pay for Asami's treatment ten times over. Even a scoop of one account would do for a lifetime. Eyes stuck to my screen, I began executing calculations to endeavour and split Indira's login qualifications or backdoor my way into the money-related education record. One push at a time, testing passwords, rotating and resetting IP addresses to conceal my invasive endeavours from any security programs.

3:59 AM turned to 5:42 AM amid my hacking marathon. The sun was as of now looking through my bedroom window when at last one offshore account adjustment was overhauled with on-screen get-to. Sometime recently, Indira woke up to check notices and movement from her different bank accounts. I had to move quickly. My hands shook as I started an exchange of $450,000 to an intermediary account I controlled. I held my breath observing the advance bar - my sister's life hanging with those reserves I had directed through the labyrinth of scrambled accounts I set up for this reason.

$450,000 to pay for the beginning of Asami's treatment. Stolen from a very rich person who unquestionably wouldn't indeed take note. As the exchange was completed, I sat back from my battered work area, breaking even with parts exhausted and invigorated. This is it, I thought. This buys my sister more time to live. A grin pulled at my lips considering Asami's happiness when she learned a mysterious donor had ventured to support her restorative bills. If only she knew what lengths her elder brother would go to ensure her safety and protection - the laws I broke to keep my sister here with me. But she never had to discover what I did. No one did. To the rest of the world, I was a calm, modest Kai Nakamura who worked in an IT job downtown. But behind the cover of computerised anonymity, I got to be somebody else. Somebody capable of mind-blowing cyber accomplishments, willing to do anything it took to spare my family. If that rich company had taken responsibility for the damage they'd caused, I wouldn't have had to resort to this. There is no time for remorse because what's done has been done.

My body yearned for rest, but I couldn't calm my mind because I wanted to be sure that I'd initiated the following steps to cover my tracks sufficiently. I vowed not to get sloppy, particularly with Asami's life in my hands.

I sprinkled cold water on my face and changed my soggy clothes, attempting to get some leftovers from the fridge because of my late-night hackathon. The scent of sterile ointment and medicine filled the corridor as I shuffled toward Asami's room. I stopped in her entryway, my heart sinking at the dull circles around her eyes and the developing bare patches on her head where her chestnut hair once streamed. This illness was taking so much from her. But now she has a proper fighting chance at defeating her illness.

"Good morning, Asami." I crossed the room and kissed her brow. "Let me make you some breakfast. Sound good?" She gave a powerless grin and gestured. I dashed two flapjacks and the rest of her pills onto a plate at the side of the orange juice. Supporting her back, I made a difference by propping her up against a few pads.

"I have an astonishment for you afterward today," I said, breaking off a hotcake to feed her. "You would not believe it. Somebody came to go about covering costs for that quality treatment trial."

Asami's eyes extended, to begin with in shock, then brimmed with tears. "Are you serious, Kai?" she inquired roughly. "How is that possible?" I brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Let's just say I have an association presently with somebody who genuinely wants to assist. So, eat up. We have to get your health back. I'm not letting you slip away from me, kid."

She pressed my hand firmly with what small vitality she had. We remained that way for a moment, her messily working through breakfast, me making senseless jokes to keep my disposition light. For a brief period, the uneasiness of fretting over reserves lifted. But there were still months of medication ahead of us. I couldn't take time to celebrate or distract myself. The race was on to stay ahead of Asami's infection. And I would put myself through hell before losing her. After Asami at long last floated back to sleep, I turned on my computer once more. I sat down at the table, pondering whether Asami would one day find out what I'd done. I wouldn't need that to happen, but if she did, at the slightest, I'd have, as of now, played my part in saving her life.