Chapter 3 - The Midnight CountdownThe two security guards hauled Ethan out of the service corridor with rough efficiency, dragging him through the bustling kitchen where overworked chefs were frantically plating caviar canapés. They marched him across the outdoor patio, ignoring the curious glances of intoxicated influencers who barely glanced away from their phones to watch the commotion.
"Out," the larger of the two guards grunted, giving Ethan a powerful shove toward the steep, winding concrete driveway that led down from the hilltop mansion into the dark canyons below.
Ethan stumbled forward, catching his balance easily on his scuffed boots. He dusted off his faded t-shirt, slung his weathered leather backpack back over his shoulder, and calmly pulled his tablet out.
The screen glowed brightly in the cool night air.
At the top of the hill, inside the glowing glass palace of The Neon Oasis, a sudden, collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
Julian Vance stood on the elevated glass balcony, raising a wireless microphone to address his adoring guests as the clock on the massive LED countdown display ticked closer to midnight.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Julian boomed, his voice echoing smoothly across the sound system, projecting effortless confidence. "As we approach midnight, I want to thank you all for being here to witness history. In exactly sixty seconds, Apex Global will release ApexOS 5.0—a revolutionary update that will redefine smart living forever!"
Applause erupted across the decks. Influencers held their phones high, recording live streams for millions of followers.
Julian smiled brightly, raising his hand to press the giant digital enter button displayed on the master control screen behind him.
But the button didn't turn green.
Instead, the massive LED screen flickered violently. The bright corporate logos of Apex Global vanished in an instant, replaced by a stark, pitch-black background filled with glowing green text scrolling downward at blinding speed.
Julian blinked, lowering his microphone in confusion. "Technical difficulty, everyone. Just a minor network glitch—"
Glitch? It wasn't a glitch.
Across every smartphone, tablet, smart television, and automated lighting system connected to the Apex network within a five-mile radius, a single message flashed in bold, unyielding white letters:
WARNING: SYSTEM COMPROMISED. UNAUTHORIZED DATA HARVESTING DETECTED. CORE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECLAIMED BY AUTHOR: WRIGHT, ETHAN.
The music cut out instantly. The thumping subwoofers died with a low, pathetic whimper. The vibrant neon strobes froze, turning a harsh, sterile hospital white.
Up on the balcony, Julian’s face drained of all color. He stared at the giant screen in sheer, unadulterated horror.
Marcus rushed out onto the balcony, his phone pressed frantically against his ear. "Julian! The main server room! All the master access keys have just been revoked! Someone locked us out of our own cloud infrastructure!"
Down at the foot of the driveway, standing beside his battered sedan, Ethan Wright watched the chaos unfold through the amber glow of a streetlamp. He slowly slid his tablet back into his backpack, zipped it shut, and tapped his earpiece.
"Good evening, Julian," Ethan murmured softly into the night air, knowing the system audio would pipe his voice directly through the mansion’s primary PA speakers. "Class is in session."
Panic erupted across the estate.
Influencers dropped their champagne flutes, screaming as their phones bricked themselves with a permanent encryption lock. Trust-fund heirs frantically pressed buttons on their smart watches, only to find their automated vehicles locked in park. The elite playground had instantly transformed into a high-tech prison.
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Julian dropped his microphone. It clattered loudly against the glass stage floor. He spun around, frantically scanning the crowd below, his eyes searching desperately for the man in the faded t-shirt he had just thrown out.
But Ethan was already gone.
