Keeper of the Algorithm (The Keeper Saga Book 1) by H. Peter Alesso

Author:H. Peter Alesso [Alesso, H. Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Shadow

Amber sat in her compact, dimly lit office, surrounded by monitors that cast a soft, bluish glow. She had been sifting through lines of code for hours, her eyes bleary but focused. Mike had contained the virus in a caged sandbox, but containment was not eradication. She felt it was up to her to help identify, dissect, and neutralize the rogue software.

Her heart, though, was a complex maze of emotions. Mike, whom she cared about, was still a suspect in an investigation.

Can I trust him?

For now, she had to put her feelings in a lockbox and bury it deep within her.

Her fingers hit the keys, entering commands, and trying to eliminate all traces of the enemy virus. She launched a forensic tool designed to analyze malware. It scanned through the complexities of the virus and dissected its DNA.

As the software worked, her mind drifted to Manfred Gault. They had dated for several months. Then, the weekend in the mountains with Mike changed everything. She could tell that Gault sensed the difference.

I don’t know what I want.

The screen blinked. The results were in. Amber's eyes widened. The malware was coded with intricate multi-layered encryption techniques that were cutting-edge.

She initiated a countermeasure protocol, a digital antibody to neutralize the virus. Her fingers hesitated for a moment before hitting the 'Enter' key.

What if Mike had something to do with this?

Could she be unwittingly helping him?

Duty wrestled with emotion.

She pressed the key.

The countermeasures navigated the labyrinthine architecture of Turing's systems. It deployed antibots to prevent any reinfection. Amber watched, her eyes tracking every movement and every process, waiting for some sign of success or failure.

A notification popped up on her screen. Her countermeasures were complete. She exhaled, feeling a strange mix of relief and apprehension.

Her internal comm buzzed, and Jonah's face appeared on her screen. "Amber, any progress?"

"It’s done," she said, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "I wrote a Python patch to our cybersecurity software. It will hunt down and delete any more of this malicious package. The countermeasures will do their job.”

Jonah nodded. "Good. You and Michael are proving to be quite the dynamic duo. He was able to track the source to a lab in China. We got lots of info."

Amber said, “We might have this thing beat for now, but we can never be sure we get every bot. There’s always one that will hide in the weeds to come bursting out later."

The mention of Mike stirred something in her. "Jonah, do you trust Michael?"

Jonah sighed. "I've known him long enough to know he's got integrity. But he's also caught in a web of circumstances. So, to answer your question, yeah, I kinda trust him. But I also know we need evidence to clear him."

Amber nodded, her mind grappling with her friend's words. She, too, wanted to believe in Mike, but she couldn't let that cloud her judgment.

As she waited for the final report from her countermeasure program, Amber found her mind drifting back to her first meeting with Mike. His awkward charm, undeniable intelligence, and deep hazel eyes seemed to look right into her soul.

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