The Phantom: Code Breaker

Chapter 10: The Making of a Hacker 3.0

Early morning, Charlotte prepared herself to go to work. She shove all the dishes off the sink and went to prepare breakfast. Her apron hangs on her waist over her ICP uniform. Having on leave for 3 days is a big drag for her work in the Bureau and just thinking of it makes her head aches.

The Bureau, an executive branch of the International Cyber Police, is the acting arm in the city of Aurum that deals with physical but mostly, cyber crimes.

Because of the incident, Charlotte has to finish all the papers left on her table before Sunday or she will be demoted from her position.

"Yosh,, now all I need is to keep this on the fridge and leave this note on the fridge door." she place the food container inside and hanged a note.

<Just heat it up, okay?>

<-MOM>

Apparently, Markus woke up and went out from his room, still yawning. He wore his pajamas with his bed hair as he slowly went to the kitchen and saw his mom preparing something on the fridge.

"Are you going for work?" he asked between a yawn and a raspy voice.

"Good Morning!" she immediately turned after hearing her son's voice. "Uhm yeah,," replied hesitantly. "I need to finish what I have left there." she finished arranging things and dried her hands. "That is why, you take care of yourself here, okay?" she put his face between her palms.

"Ahh,..." he replied.

"I have prepared your lunch. It's in the fridge, just heat it up on the oven when you feel like eating. And if anything goes wrong, go ask Ned." she got her jacket and went straight to the door.

"You don't have to worry on what I eat, if I got run out of cupped-ramen, I will just go to uncle Ned and ask some food." he smiled.

"Noodles? Again?" she frowned.

Markus looked away with a playful smile.

"But, that's fine." She took a deep breath and meet her son's eyes. "And Ned said it's alright if you depend on him."

She undressed her apron and hanged it on the wall. Markus watched her as she opened the door and stepped outside. "I mean, he did ask for a pay but I guess it's totally free."

"Really? He did? I'll go ask for discount." the kid replied.

The both of them laughed.

"Hehe, then..." Markus said.

"Then what?" she saw him smile.

"Take care!" Markus said.

Charlotte was taken aback  but she pulled herself together. She was very happy that her son greeted her farewell for the first time that her tears almost fell. Markus' face was so sincere.

"Ahh, I'm gonna get going!" she turned around to keep her emotions and went straight to her car.

Markus watched her mom until her car went out of sight, waving.

.....

"Nothing's happening, huh." he stared at his compute monitor, waiting for it to pop any news. "Guess I'll have to drop by the shop."

He went straight to the garage at the opposite street and barged in.

"Oi... ol' man, you here?" peeking at the cramped work place. "This place never gets clean." he said under his breath. Tools, used and unused, scatter around the shop. Wires of dozens entangled on the floor. The smell of solder wrapped the whole room.