I drummed my fingers on the polished mahogany desk, my patience wearing thin as the digital clock on my computer screen ticked away precious seconds. The encrypted data on my father's old computer had been a surprising discovery, but they were proving to be a hard obstacle. I wanted answers, and I needed them fast.
"Come on, come on," I mumbled, watching as lines of code scrolled across the screen. The hacker I'd enlisted, a wiry kid who went by the name "Phantom," had been working for hours. His fingers sped across the keyboard with a pace that made me dizzy.
"This encryption is unlike anything I've seen before, Mr. Blackwood," Phantom remarked, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Your old man really knew how to keep secrets."
I reclined back in my leather chair, running a hand through my hair. "He was always anxious about corporate espionage. I just never believed he'd conceal secrets from me."
The ticking of the antique grandfather clock in the corner of my office seemed to grow louder, a constant reminder of the deadline hovering over me. Thirty days remaining before my thirtieth birthday. Thirty days to either get married or lose everything I'd worked for.
Phantom let out a low whistle, taking my focus back to the present. "I think I'm making progress. There's a pattern here, but it's... weird."
I leaned forward, my interest peaked. "Strange how?"
"It's like there are levels of encryption. Peel back one, and there's another underneath. It's almost like..."
His voice drifted off as his fingers moved even quicker. I watched, intrigued, as windows sprang up and closed on the screen quicker than I could process.
Suddenly, the Phantom sat back, a grin of victory on his face. "Got it! The first layer is down. Now we can—"
His statements were cut off by a piercing beep from the computer. The jubilant face transformed into one of perplexity, then alarm.
"No, no, no," he mumbled, getting in close to the screen. "This isn't right."
My heart rate increased up. "What's happening?"
"Someone's fighting back. There's another presence in the system. They're trying to lock us out."
I rose up, moving around the desk to get a better look at the screen. "Can you stop them?"
Phantom's fingers were a blur on the keyboard. "I'm trying, but they're good. Really nice."
The windows on the screen were going wild now, opening and closing at a dizzying rate. Lines of code flashed by quicker than the human eye could follow.
"Almost got it," Phantom murmured between tight teeth. "Just a little more and—"
The screen turned black.
For a time, we both stared at the blank monitor in startled silence. Then, slowly, green text began to surface, one letter at a time:
"NICE TRY, DYLAN. BUT YOUR FATHER'S SECRETS AREN'T YOURS TO UNCOVER. BACK OFF, OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES."
I felt a chill run down my spine. "Can you trace that?" I asked Phantom.
He was already working, his face a mask of concentration. "I'm trying, but they're bouncing the signal all over the place. London, Tokyo, Sydney... it's like they're everywhere and nowhere at once."
I paced behind him, my mind racing. Who could have access to my father's files? Who would go to such lengths to keep me from them? And what repercussions were they talking about?
"Wait," Phantom said quickly. "I think I've got something. The signal... it's stabilizing. I can almost place the spot."
I leaned over his shoulder, watching as a map emerged on the screen. A blinking red dot moved over the continent, slowing down as it reached...
"New York?" I said in disbelief. "They're here in the city?"
Phantom nodded, his fingers still flying. "Looks like it. I'm narrowing it down now. Just a few more seconds and we'll have an exact—"
The lights in my office flickered once, twice, and then went out altogether. The computer screen died, plunging us into darkness.
"What the hell?" I struggled for my phone, turning on the flashlight. The glow illuminated Phantom's pale, frightened face.
"That's... not possible," he murmured. "They couldn't have... I mean, to control power like that..."
A chill rushed down my spine as I comprehended the ramifications. Whoever was behind this had just proved that they could not only protect my father's papers but also reach out and affect the actual world. My universe.
As if on cue, my phone buzzed with an incoming text. With a sensation of dread, I opened the message:
"FINAL WARNING, DYLAN. THE NEXT TIME, WE WON'T BE SO GENTLE."
I stared at the screen, my thoughts reeling. The thirtieth day suddenly felt very, very far away. Someone out there not only knew about the will's stipulations but was actively working against me. And they had power—real power—at their disposal.
"Phantom," I murmured, my voice sounding unusually calm to my own ears. "I need you to go home and lay low for a bit. Don't contact me until it's really necessary."
He nodded, gathering his stuff with shaky hands. As he headed toward the door, I yelled out to him.
"And Phantom? Be careful. I have a feeling this is bigger than both of us."
As the door closed behind him, I was left alone in the darkness of my office. The city lights twinkled beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, a harsh reminder of the world continuing on as usual outside. But here, everything had changed.
I stepped to the window, placing my forehead against the cool glass. Thirty days to get married. A covert enemy with unknown motives. Secrets my father had withheld from me, now guarded by force, I couldn't begin to fathom.
And somewhere out there amid the dazzling cityscape, someone was watching. Waiting. Ready to make their next move.
As I glanced at my reflection in the glass, one thought rang in my mind: What have I gotten myself into?
The gentle ping of the elevator down the hall made me turn. It was late; no one else should be here. I reached for my phone to call security, but before I could dial, the screen went black. Then, slowly, green text began to appear:
"LOOKING FOR SOMEONE, DYLAN? WHY DON'T YOU COME AND FIND ME?"
My heart thumping, I turned towards my office door. The handle began to spin, slowly, methodically. I took a step back, my mind racing for a way out, a means to defend myself. But as the door began to open, I realized that whatever was coming, I was entirely unprepared for it.