Martin was angry. Any information on his computer could have been stolen already. He needed to get online and shut down access. He switched on his computer. The screens started up and Alice appeared.
"Well, well. Aren't you a smart boy," she said.
Martin wasn't that surprised that the uninstall had failed.
"What do you want?" he said to the smirking face on his screen.
"You don't seem pleased to see me. I'm hurt," she said, pouting.
"I've got nothing left for you Alice. I feel a bit stupid talking to you through this program frankly, HackerNet!"
Martin scanned bank accounts, online payments and mail addresses. Everything seemed in order. He began sequences to suspend them. The data entry window froze.
"Ah, ah. Naughty. I might want that later," said Alice.
Martin switched off the computer, grabbed his coat off the couch and was out of his flat, running down the road. The public library wasn't far. Racing in, he found he was in luck, a public access terminal was free. Sitting down he began to type rapidly. As he reached a confirmation screen for termination of his account it froze. A small window appeared at the bottom left of the screen. It was Alice. She wagged a finger at him. The screen went black.
"No!" he exclaimed, banging his fist on the desk. He had forgotten where he was.
"Excuse me Sir. I will have to ask you to leave the premises."
An officious looking library administrator had appeared. He didn't seem surprised at Martin's outburst. Perhaps this sort of behaviour by the public wasn't that unusual. Martin got up and moved hastily to the door, looking down. Years of conditioning made his embarrassment override his panic and he mumbled "Sorry," as he left.
Out on the street, Martin looked left and right. His mind struggled with the situation. The sophistication of the HackerNet program in detecting his access was impressive. He could give up on attempting that again. There was only one way to go, in, and he needed Uno to show him the door.
Martin sat looking into his coffee, turning the problem over and over. Uno came through the entrance to the cafe and looked round the room. Catching Martin's eye, he nodded. He looked nervous as he purchased a hot chocolate before sitting opposite.
"Look. I said I was sorry," said Uno.
Martin related the events since their last encounter as unemotionally as he could so as not to sound mad.
"I need to speak to HackerNet," Martin concluded.
"No one speaks to HackerNet. It's not a person, it's a collective. I don't know who they are."
"What's your contact?" Martin asked. Uno went quiet for a moment.
"You know there could be serious repercussions for me in this," said Uno, looking down at the cup in his hands.
Martin said nothing. He knew Uno was going to help him, he just needed to let him work that for himself. They sat in silence.
"I think a meet is better than passing on info. I'll see what I can set up," Uno decided, nearing the end of his drink. Martin just nodded. He didn't want to make any light comments which might suggest to Uno things weren't serious enough to take action.
Chapter 13 - HackerNet
Martin stood under the concrete flyover sheltering from the rain. The orange light of the city was replacing natures own. There were clatters and slaps from the skateboarders practicing their twists and jumps nearby. He knew this place's code of dress and wore his hoody up. Uno had arranged the meet and the time had come. A group of three identically dressed figures approached. Martin stiffened. He wasn't a danger man, but, despite his anxieties, he did feel a strange excitement from it all. His previous controlled life already seemed distant and drab. The trio arranged themselves in a line, their faces hidden by their hoods.
"Wear this."
An outstretched arm held a blindfold. Martin couldn't refuse. He suddenly wanted to back out, curl up, and hide. That wasn't an option. With HackerNet in control of his vital information he had no life to go back to.
"Well, well. Aren't you a smart boy," she said.
Martin wasn't that surprised that the uninstall had failed.
"What do you want?" he said to the smirking face on his screen.
"You don't seem pleased to see me. I'm hurt," she said, pouting.
"I've got nothing left for you Alice. I feel a bit stupid talking to you through this program frankly, HackerNet!"
Martin scanned bank accounts, online payments and mail addresses. Everything seemed in order. He began sequences to suspend them. The data entry window froze.
"Ah, ah. Naughty. I might want that later," said Alice.
Martin switched off the computer, grabbed his coat off the couch and was out of his flat, running down the road. The public library wasn't far. Racing in, he found he was in luck, a public access terminal was free. Sitting down he began to type rapidly. As he reached a confirmation screen for termination of his account it froze. A small window appeared at the bottom left of the screen. It was Alice. She wagged a finger at him. The screen went black.
"No!" he exclaimed, banging his fist on the desk. He had forgotten where he was.
"Excuse me Sir. I will have to ask you to leave the premises."
An officious looking library administrator had appeared. He didn't seem surprised at Martin's outburst. Perhaps this sort of behaviour by the public wasn't that unusual. Martin got up and moved hastily to the door, looking down. Years of conditioning made his embarrassment override his panic and he mumbled "Sorry," as he left.
Out on the street, Martin looked left and right. His mind struggled with the situation. The sophistication of the HackerNet program in detecting his access was impressive. He could give up on attempting that again. There was only one way to go, in, and he needed Uno to show him the door.
Martin sat looking into his coffee, turning the problem over and over. Uno came through the entrance to the cafe and looked round the room. Catching Martin's eye, he nodded. He looked nervous as he purchased a hot chocolate before sitting opposite.
"Look. I said I was sorry," said Uno.
Martin related the events since their last encounter as unemotionally as he could so as not to sound mad.
"I need to speak to HackerNet," Martin concluded.
"No one speaks to HackerNet. It's not a person, it's a collective. I don't know who they are."
"What's your contact?" Martin asked. Uno went quiet for a moment.
"You know there could be serious repercussions for me in this," said Uno, looking down at the cup in his hands.
Martin said nothing. He knew Uno was going to help him, he just needed to let him work that for himself. They sat in silence.
"I think a meet is better than passing on info. I'll see what I can set up," Uno decided, nearing the end of his drink. Martin just nodded. He didn't want to make any light comments which might suggest to Uno things weren't serious enough to take action.
Chapter 13 - HackerNet
Martin stood under the concrete flyover sheltering from the rain. The orange light of the city was replacing natures own. There were clatters and slaps from the skateboarders practicing their twists and jumps nearby. He knew this place's code of dress and wore his hoody up. Uno had arranged the meet and the time had come. A group of three identically dressed figures approached. Martin stiffened. He wasn't a danger man, but, despite his anxieties, he did feel a strange excitement from it all. His previous controlled life already seemed distant and drab. The trio arranged themselves in a line, their faces hidden by their hoods.
"Wear this."
An outstretched arm held a blindfold. Martin couldn't refuse. He suddenly wanted to back out, curl up, and hide. That wasn't an option. With HackerNet in control of his vital information he had no life to go back to.
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