Prologue
I didn’t set out to be a hacker. I was just a kid messing around with shit that I had no business messing around with. I never really had to work at it; the whole thing simply came naturally to me. I could sit down at that computer and do just about anything, but for the most part, my endeavors were harmless. It was just some basic stuff really: a few upgrades to my computer system, changes to grades and absences at school, and the occasional peek into other people’s personal accounts. For years, my shenanigans had gone unnoticed by the outside world, but that all changed when I found myself backed into a corner with no way out—and all because of some chick.
I was at a party with a group of kids who were up to no good, and I was right there in the thick of it. The house was filled with loud music, a couple of kegs and liquor galore. There were hot chicks all over the place, and that suited me just fine. I was nineteen with only one thing on my mind—getting laid. I had my eyes set on Katie the second she walked through the door. I knew her from high school, but we’d never really talked. She was younger, and we ran in different circles, but that wasn’t going to stop me from making a play for her, not when she looked like my next wet dream. Katie was wearing a short baby-blue summer dress that barely covered her large, voluptuous breasts and didn’t seem to give a fuck. She was sporting that fucking thing like it was made for her, and when she looked over at me with those smoking-hot green eyes, I knew I had to have her.
I played it cool, hanging back and drinking my beer as I watched and listened to Katie carry on with her little crew of friends. I was waiting for my in—that perfect opportunity to start up a conversation with her—and finally got it the second I heard her mention a speeding ticket she’d gotten earlier in the week. There was no missing the worry in her voice as she told her friend, Candace, “Mom is gonna freak! She’s always complaining about how high my car insurance is, and now, it’s gonna be even higher.”
“It won’t be as bad as you think,” Candace said while offering her another drink. “Don’t worry about that right now. We’re here to have a good time.”
“How can I not worry? She’s gonna take my car away and probably ground me until the end of time.”
“Your mom is a hardass, I’ll give you that, but there’s nothing you can do about it right now.” Candace took a big gulp from her red plastic cup and glanced around the room. “Besides, there are some really hot guys here who’ll be glad to help you forget all about that stupid ticket.”
“But—”
“Come on, Katie. Give it a rest! I’ve been listening to you gripe about this damn ticket for days. I don’t want to hear it anymore.” She took another hefty drink, then announced, “I’m here to party, and that’s what I plan to do. You can either join me or just sit here and pout.”
I saw my opening, so I took it. Before Katie had a chance to respond to her irritated friend, I eased over to them and announced, “You know, I could help you out with that ticket of yours.”
“What?” Katie asked, sounding intrigued. “How?”
“I can make the entire thing disappear.”
“Seriously?”
“Absolutely.” I motioned my head towards the house. “Why don’t you come back to the bedroom, and I’ll show you.”
“You don’t really expect me to fall for that, do you?”
“Not trying to get in your pants, Katie,” I lied. “Landon’s computer is in his bedroom. I’ll need it to take care of the ticket.”
Landon was one of our mutual friends, and the host of our little gathering. I could tell I was getting through to her when she smiled and muttered, “Oh.”
“Why don’t you refill that drink of yours and come watch the magic?”
“Okay.” She nodded her pretty little head, then stepped over to the keg and started filling her cup. Once she’d topped it off, she smiled and said, “All set.”
“Great.”
I led her through the crowd and down the hall to Landon’s bedroom. He and I had been friends for years. Landon used the same damn password for everything, so I knew I wouldn’t have any problem getting into his laptop. We stepped into his room, and I closed the door then made my way over to his desk. With Katie hovering behind me, I turned on his laptop and entered the password. Just as I’d hoped, it worked, and I was minutes away from impressing my latest conquest. I hadn’t been at it long when Katie placed her hand on my shoulder and asked, “Do you really think you can make my ticket disappear?”
“I wouldn’t be sitting here right now if I didn’t. I just need you to answer a couple of questions.”
“Okay, like what?”
“Simple stuff.” I never took my eyes off the screen as I asked her, “Was it a city cop or a state trooper who pulled you over?”
“City, I think.”
“Was it a black and white car, or black and tan?”
“I’m pretty sure it was black and white.”
“Okay, good.” I pulled up the city clerk’s database and started making my way past their firewall. “What day did you get the ticket?”
“It was one day last week. Monday or Tuesday, I think.”
“I need to know the exact date, Katie.”
“Tuesday?” She thought for a moment, then continued, “I was on my way home from cheer practice, so yeah, it was definitely on Tuesday.”
“So, that would be on the twenty-third. What about your driver’s license number?”
Katie opened her small purse and pulled out her wallet, then rattled off the numbers. After a little searching and fancy footwork, I managed to find where the ticket had been entered into the database. “Here it is.”
“You actually found it?”
“You sound surprised.”
“You can’t blame me there. I mean, come on… Who would’ve thought that Jared Freemont, the biggest party guy around, would know how to hack into the City Court Clerk’s Office?”
“Party guy?”
“Yes, Jared.” She placed her hand on her hip. “Everyone knows you’re just looking for a good time, but I’m okay with that. I’m looking for a good time too.”
I quickly removed Katie’s ticket from the clerk’s database and then deleted all records of the citation from the police department, making it appear that she’d never been pulled over for speeding. Katie was both grateful and astounded, so much so, she spent the next couple of hours showing me just how impressed she really was. By the time we walked out of that bedroom, we’d both gotten what we were after and some. I left the party feeling like I could conquer the world, but that didn’t last long. I’d barely made it home when Landon called to warn me that Katie was blabbing about what I’d done with her ticket. I should’ve been concerned. I should’ve gone to her and shut her down, but I didn’t. I was a stupid teenager who thought he was invincible. I didn’t think anyone could get to me, but I was wrong. Dead wrong.
It was a week later when my life took a dramatic turn.
I was sitting in my living room with Eugene, one of my father’s many no-good friends. He and my pops had just finished off a case of beer, and my dad had gone out to the shed to grab another. We were both waiting on him to make it back when I heard the low rumble of motorcycles off in the distance. It was a sound that had me jumping up from the sofa and rushing over to the window. When I saw the group of motorcycles heading in our direction, I motioned Eugene over. “Hey, come check it out.”