Clashing Obsessions

Chapter 11 - Kalix

More Than Technical Difficulties — System Shutdown at Office Building in London, Authorities Believe Hacker Known As OutlawResolve May Be Responsible

I read the headline, then skim the article. So he's back.

My monitor screen is cluttered with the latest news articles, all covering the same thing — the complete shutdown of the computerized control system of a Nexlo Corp. office building in central London. Supposedly the doors wouldn't unlock, the elevators stopped working, and the HVAC crashed, though the latter wouldn't be much of a problem given that it's May and only 23°C. I've looked through a few screenshots of code that the local police deemed safe to release to the public, and they match his previous patterns almost perfectly. Most of the program isn't publicly available, for obvious reasons, but I've been trying to figure out what it most likely contained. If he used the strategy I think he did, crashing the building's control system wouldn't actually be all that hard or require much complex coding, not like some of his previous jobs. It could also be stored on a d-chip programmed to release its payload automatically when plugged into a computer with a connection to the building's mainframe, meaning it was likely a job completed for a client who didn't necessarily have much technical knowledge.

Pulling up the window with a map of London, I drop a virtual pushpin on the building's location. I've been marking all the recent cyberattacks attributed to OutlawResolve in hopes of finding some sort of pattern — his recent jobs have raised more than a few questions, to say the least, and I know there's something more going on here. Something felt off about the police station attack, and messing with a Nexlo building? Hired hackers hardly ever interfere with the Big 5 corporations. Besides, the attack didn't seem to have a specific purpose, just disable the building's systems. Why take a risk interfering with a corporation just to... cause chaos? What did Outlaw's client want, and, even more curiously, why did he agree to a job like that? Unless, of course, there was no client, and this was personal... But what business would he have with Nexlo? Is it somehow connected to the police station breach?

I scan the map for the gazillionth time as if it somehow holds the answers to the ever-increasing list of questions forming in my head.

I wish I could ask him. Just talk to him, ask him what's going on, what he's up to, why, and so many more questions. Why, that's the main one. Why is he doing this, whatever he's doing? That would only lead to more questions, though, more "whys". I wish I could just magically teleport to London, find him, get answers.

Question marks everywhere, cluttering my headspace, about the cyberattacks, about his projects, his plans, his reasons, about him. That's what always seems to emerge from the chaos of thoughts and confusion. I want to know him.

Why? Why do I care? Why does he matter?

Great, now I'm questioning myself, too. I am literally questioning my own questions. What am I even thinking?

No. Stop. No more questions, Kalix. What's with me today?

THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION. Ugh!

My left monitor beeps, alerting me to a message on the dark web chats.

Is it him?

Immediately opening the chat window, disappointment hits me when I find that it's just the anonymous client again. Still, at least this gives me something to think about other than OutlawResolve. And, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't getting a little curious about the mysterious user.

Anonymous13810: Apologies for the breach of your usual terms, but if you accept this job I will make it worth your while.

So, here's the thing: I know I should say no. I know I should ignore any more messages from him, move on with my life and forget this 'Anonymous13810' ever contacted me.