Chapter 13 - The Hidden Server
I returned to the Vitalis Health corporate tower long after the sun had set. The executive floors were completely deserted, illuminated only by the sterile glow of emergency exit signs. As Vice President, my security clearance granted me access to almost every room in the building, except one.
Richard's private server room.
I bypassed the main elevators and took the maintenance stairs to the basement level. The server room was secured by a dual biometric scanner and a heavily encrypted keypad. Thankfully, I didn't need to break down the door. I just needed to trick the network.
Before coming back to the office, I had stopped at an electronics store and purchased a high-powered data relay cloning device. I knelt by the ethernet junction box located just outside the reinforced steel door. My hands moved quickly, splicing the wires and attaching the discreet black box to the mainframe cables.
Back in my office, I logged onto my terminal and activated the relay. A hidden command prompt appeared on my screen. I was practically holding my breath as I typed in the backdoor access codes I had paid a dark web hacker a small fortune to acquire.
The screen flashed red, then green. I was in.
I navigated through a maze of dummy folders and fake financial reports until I found a heavily encrypted directory labeled simply: Genesis_Protocol. I initiated a mass download directly to a secure, encrypted flash drive I had plugged into my terminal.
As the progress bar slowly ticked toward fifty percent, my office phone suddenly rang, shattering the dead silence of the room. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I stared at the caller ID. It was Richard. At eleven o'clock at night.
I cleared my throat, forcing my heart rate to steady before picking up the receiver.
"Hello?" I answered, projecting a calm, sleepy tone.
"Maya, it is late. Why are you still logged into the corporate network?" Richard's voice was smooth, but there was a dangerous, probing edge to his question.
"I was just reviewing the quarterly budget projections for the new foundation," I lied effortlessly, watching the download bar hit seventy percent. "I wanted everything to be perfect for the gala this weekend."
A heavy silence lingered on the line. I could almost hear the gears turning in his brilliant, twisted mind.
"Dedication is an admirable trait, Maya," he finally replied. "But do not overwork yourself. The gala is going to be a very important night for both of us. I need you rested."
"I am heading home right now," I promised.
May you like
"Goodnight, Maya," he said, and the line went dead.
The download bar hit one hundred percent. I ripped the flash drive from the port, grabbed my coat, and practically ran to the parking garage. The war had officially begun.
