Timeline: During Elijah's Time as Leo Jerkins at (Jerkin Base)
Location: Jerkins base Compound - Elijah's Quarters
The room was sparse—a single bed, a desk, and a computer that hummed with quiet efficiency. The walls were bare, the windows covered by thick curtains that blocked out the morning light. The air smelled faintly of ozone and stale coffee.
Elijah sat before the computer, his fingers moving across the keyboard with practiced precision. His eyes were fixed on the screen, which displayed a cascade of code and data. Lines of information scrolled past, each one a thread in a larger tapestry.
Thanks to Gerry's little gift, he thought, his internal voice carrying a note of satisfaction. The malware he planted in Indira's system is still active. She's probably too lazy to check if everything is operating smoothly.
He navigated through the network, bypassing firewalls and security protocols with ease. The system was surprisingly vulnerable—a testament to Indira's arrogance or her ignorance. Either way, it made his job easier.
Let's see what secrets Aethelora is hiding.
---
The Network Interphase
The screen flickered, displaying a new interface. It was clean, minimalist, with a corporate aesthetic that screamed "we have money." The logo of Aethelora Cosmetics appeared in the corner, golden and elegant.
Elijah's fingers moved quickly, accessing the company's internal records. He pulled up their product line, his eyes scanning the list.
Eleven products, he thought, his internal voice carrying a note of surprise. That's a pretty neat avenue for a cosmetics company. All of them different, all of them targeting different markets.
He clicked on the first product, reading its description. "Luminessence: Anti-aging cream with proprietary formula."
Interesting, he thought. Let's see what else they're hiding.
---
The Background Search
Elijah's fingers flew across the keyboard, accessing Indira Voss's personal records. He scrolled through her history, his eyes narrowing.
Born to humble parents, he thought. Worked as a waitress, then a retail associate. Then, through a random Vtube Livestream, she created a product—something she called "Glow Elixir." It exploded overnight.
He read further, his expression shifting to one of calculation.
The hype was largely due to a rich kid with fifteen million followers. He introduced the product to the world. His family—the Kaelen family—they're the ones behind that pet company. The one that sells puppies and pet supplies. Their network of animal lovers contributed to the product's success.
Elijah leaned back, his fingers drumming against the desk.
Indira got financial support from that family. That's how Aethelora Cosmetics was born. And the Kaelen family has ties to the Saiyan clan—the kid's maternal grandmother is from that family. That explains why someone like Indira, someone from such humble beginnings, would be renting from someone like Avian Junior Saiyan.
His eyes narrowed.
But the real question is: what is the Aetherium Loom? And why is it connected to all of this?
He thought back to Gerry's description of Indira's office—the cream, the transformation, the way her skin seemed to glow.
Something is off with all of it, he thought. There's a pattern here. I just need to find it.
---
The Digital Breach
Elijah's fingers moved faster, accessing the company's tax records. He found what he was looking for—a digital ledger hidden in the cloud.
Let's see what you're really hiding, he thought.
He accessed the ledger, his eyes scanning the entries. His lips curved into a slow smile.
Come on, he thought. This is so easy. Probably the only thing those crooks at the Isley couple did for me was that Halycon base training. They taught me how to move through systems like this without leaving a trace.
He typed a final command, the screen flickering once more.
Done.
---
The Aethelora Headquarters
The building hummed with quiet activity—the hum of computers, the murmur of voices, the occasional click of heels on polished floors. The network security team sat in a glass-walled room, their faces illuminated by multiple screens.
One of them—a young woman with sharp eyes and a perpetual frown—leaned forward, her gaze fixed on her monitor.
"Something's wrong," she said, her voice carrying a note of alarm.
Her colleague, a man with tired eyes and a coffee-stained shirt, looked up from his own screen. "What do you mean?"
The woman pointed at her screen. "There's an intrusion. Someone's inside our system. They've bypassed our firewalls like they were nothing."
The man's eyes widened. "That's not possible. Our security is top-tier."
"Apparently not."
The team scrambled, their fingers flying across keyboards. They tried to trace the intrusion, to cut off access, to find the source.
But every attempt failed. The intruder was too fast, too skilled. They were being systematically dismantled.
The woman's voice carried a note of frustration. "I can't trace them. They're using some kind of... I don't know what. It's like they're not even here."
The man's face paled. "We need to inform the CEO. Now."
---
Indira's Office
Indira Voss sat at her desk, her expression one of practiced calm. She was reviewing documents, her pen moving with precise, unhurried strokes.
The door swung open. Her assistant stood in the doorway, his face pale.
"Director Voss," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "There's been a breach. Someone's accessed our network."
Indira's pen stopped. Her eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
The assistant swallowed hard. "They've bypassed our security. They've accessed our records, our tax information, our... everything. We can't trace them."
Indira set down her pen, her movements slow and deliberate. She rose from her chair, her expression one of cold fury.
"Find them," she said, her voice sharp. "And when you do, bring them to me."
The assistant nodded, retreating quickly.
Indira's gaze swept the room, her mind racing.
Who would dare? she thought. And what do they want?
---
The Phone Call
Elijah sat at his desk, his phone pressed to his ear. His fingers moved across the keypad, dialing a number he had memorized.
The line clicked as it connected.
Indira's voice answered, sharp and commanding. "Who is this?"
Elijah's lips curved into a slow smile. When he spoke, his voice was distorted—crackling with static, layered with a metallic edge that made it sound like it came from somewhere far away. The words were slow, deliberate, each one carrying a weight that seemed to press against the air itself.
"Hello, deary. Humble entrepreneur enthusiast."
He paused, letting the silence stretch.
"Your network is compromised. Your secrets are no longer safe."
The line went silent. Elijah's smile widened.
---
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