I am hacker number 1003.
In the world hacker charts, I'm also HN1003.
"Ada, stop using the computer. I need your help with the cooking." My mom opens the door and brings in a trail of golden light into my dark room.
"Yeah."
She closes the door, and coldness swallows me back in. I continue hacking the latest assignment. My family is trying to survive. We live in a scrappy apartment, and the rent is always increasing. Dinner is always a plate of rotten vegetables for me, mom, and little sister to share. They look pale and skinny as ever, and it pains me to see them like that every day. Fragile and lifeless.
So when I found I could get money by hacking, I started right away.
Each hack gives me experience. Especially if the hack is hard. If I have more experience than another hacker's, I rank up. The better the rank, the more clients will ask me to hack things for them. When you hack what the clients want, they pay by hackcoins. They are digitally sent, but I can buy real things in life with hackcoins.
Whenever mom sees me on the computer instead of helping her, she thinks that I don't care about this family. But I do. I care about them more than anything. And right now, hacking is how we survive. But I can't tell her.
I finish hacking the assignment. I send the link to my client.
[Here's the link. My hackcoins?]
It takes a moment before the client sends me a message.
[Of course. Enclosed is 105 hackcoins. The password is "Matrix"]
I type the password into my hack account. 105 hackcoins transfer to my account. I lean back. 105 hackcoins wasn't a lot, but it was enough. My experience points start to add up. I pass hacker number 1002. Hacker number 1001.
I have become hacker number 1000. A message box pops up.
[Hello Ada. You are HN1000. Congratulations. Hacker Academy invites you to join the many hackers here. Any hacker 1000 and higher are accepted. We have professional teachers, dormitories, and hackers that are just like you. A message box will appear momentarily. Please select yes or no.]
Another message box appeared.
[no]
[yes]
Hacker Academy? I've never heard of it. Should I go? That would mean leaving mom and sister. But if I went and studied, perhaps I could rank up. I would get harder assignments, and that meant more hackcoins. Mom and sister would be fine if I sent them money. My family would survive.
[no]
[yes]
[Welcome to Hacker Academy, Ada.]
YOU ARE READING
Hacker Academy
Science FictionI am a hacker. It's the only way to help my mother and sister survive. At Hacker Academy, I make money, friends with dark secrets, and love. But if there's one thing I've learned at Hacker Academy, some secrets should not be hacked. Highest Rankings...
