Chapter 24: The Hacker - Aaron Whitlock
Ian and Sam arrived in Iloilo, Philippines, and Ian's excitement was palpable. "Even I'm only gone for five days, I already missed this place," he said, his eyes sparkling with nostalgia.
Sam smiled, her eyes shining with amusement. "Yeah, your place is great. I'm so excited to meet your family."
Ian's grin grew wider. "I'm sure mom and dad will be shocked when they get to know you. We just knew each other five days ago, and now, I'm going to introduce you to them. I can't wait to see their reactions."
As they approached the Whitlock residence, the aroma of cooking food wafted through the air, and Ian's stomach growled in anticipation. His mother, Rosemarie, was an exceptional cook, and Ian couldn't wait to taste her creations.
The door swung open, and Ian's mother exclaimed, "Ohhh!!! Iaaaan!! I missed you so much! You should inform us you're going back ahead of time! You gave us a minor heart attack!"
Ian's father, Gregory, chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "How's the trip to Queen Archandia's place? Did you have fun knowing the truth?"
Ian launched into a detailed account of his adventures, leaving out no details. His brother, Aaron, listened intently, his eyes lighting up with interest.
As Ian introduced Sam to his family, his mother's warm smile put Sam at ease. "Hello, dear, I'm Ian's mom. Welcome to our family."
Sam's cheeks flushed as she greeted Ian's parents. "Hello, Ma'am... Sir... It's my pleasure to meet you all. Ian really does have a wonderful family; he's very lucky to have you."
Ian's father, Gregory, beamed with pride. "Thank you, dear. We're glad to have you as part of our family. You're the first girl Ian's introduced to us."
Aaron, who had been quietly observing the scene, suddenly piped up. "Hey, bro! Introduce me!"
Ian grinned. "Okay, okay... hold your horses, bro. Sam, meet Aaron. Aaron, meet Sam."
Aaron's eyes lit up as he shook Sam's hand. "Nice to meet you, Sam! I don't expect Ian to have a beautiful girlfriend like you."
As they chatted, Sam's thoughts drifted to her younger brother, Marvin, who had passed away a year ago. Aaron's words brought her back to the present. "Don't worry, big sis. I'll be your younger brother now, so you wouldn't miss him so much."
Ian noticed Sam's momentary sadness and asked, "What's the matter, Sam?"
Sam's smile faltered. "Nothing, Ian. I just remembered my little brother Marvin."
Aaron's expression turned serious. "Bro, I need to talk to you."
As Sam spent time with Ian's parents, Ian and Aaron retreated to Aaron's room. The walls were adorned with computer hardware and posters of his favorite tech idols.
"What's up, bro?" Ian asked, curiosity etched on his face.
Aaron leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I hacked into NASA's supercomputer and found something interesting. There's a peculiar galaxy activity approaching Earth. I also found corruption issues within the government systems that Queen Archandia isn't aware of."
Ian's eyes widened in surprise. "You what?! Stay away from trouble, bro. I need you to protect mom and dad when I'm on my training."
Aaron's grin grew wider. "This is useful, bro. I can use my computer expertise to help out. I can hack spaceship systems. Just let me go with you. Mom and dad are safe here, so there's nothing to worry about. I also want to be a warrior willing to protect Earth."
Ian's expression softened. "You have a point, bro. Queen Archandia's alliance doesn't have an elite hacker. They were great in battles and creating stuff, but not in your caliber. I'll try to reach out to Queen Archandia. You will be a great help to them, aside from battle stuffs. We need an internal spy with god-like abilities in computer."
Aaron's face lit up with excitement. "Really, bro? You think I can do it?"
Ian nodded. "I know you can, bro. Let's go back to Queen Archandia's palace and see what we can do."
With their plan set in motion, Ian and Aaron prepared to face the challenges ahead, with Aaron's hacking skills poised to play a crucial role in their mission.