image [https://i.ibb.co/nwpxRF4/500400.png]
"Another day at my desk..." Richard thought.
"When you sign up for engineering school, they don't really tell you that a majority of you will just end up in a nowhereville town being a glorified Excel spreadsheet manager wondering where it all went wrong..."
It's been three years since Richard started working for the Department of Energy, and to go from being one of the top up-and-coming encryption specialists at DEF CON to now being stuck trying to somehow decode what amounts to a glorified freaking Lite Brite...
Richard leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath as the same four-color pattern pulsed in and out on his computer screen. The project, codenamed "Prism," had been his obsession for the past two years. Even though the project was an enigma buried under layers of bureaucracy and red tape, Richard knew that the flashing lights held a seceret. The pattern seemed simple, almost mocking in its repetitiveness, but Richard knew there had to be more.
He rubbed his eyes and glanced around his small, cluttered office. Drone magazines, circuit boards, and books on cryptography littered his desk. The humming of computers and distant chatter of his colleagues created a monotonous background noise that only added to his growing sense of frustration.
"Come on, there has to be something here," he muttered to himself, staring at the screen as if sheer willpower could unlock its secrets. He had tried every decryption algorithm he knew, every pattern recognition software available, but nothing seemed to work.
***
His mind drifted back to his days at DEF CON, where he had been a rising star in the world of encryption. He vividly remembered his last DEF CON, the excitement in the air, the buzz of thousands of like-minded hackers and enthusiasts gathered to push the boundaries of technology. Richard and his then close friend James had teamed up for the main hacking event, their goal clear: win the coveted Black Badge.
In years past DEF CON had placed the main target behind some sort of encrypted door, but little did they know camera drones are a lot smaller than they used to be...
As the pair made their way through the convention center hallway, their plan was in motion. "Richard, do you really think this will work?" James asked as they awkwardly tried to simultaneously act confident while also not draw any attention to themselves in the sea of fedora-owning hackers.
"Of course it will work. People are lazy, so no one is gonna look twice at this thing"
"I still cannot believe you were able to make a drone that looks like a floor plate... And that thing can fly?" James replied.
"Oh, it can do more than fly! It has a camera and a USB too. Now work your magic."
Richard almost shoved James as they approached the server room. At that moment, Richard made a beeline to the server room door while James theatrically tumbled into three other people, causing the guard to quickly stand up and see if anyone was hurt.
While this was going on, Richard quickly removed what looked like a simple floor outlet cover and quickly stashed it under the server room door. As he finished turning around, Richard noticed the guard starting to head back in his direction... "Oh shit..."
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"Hey! No bags near the lock!" shouted the guard.
"Sorry sir, was just tying my shoe," Richard replied.
"I'm sure," said the guard unconvincingly.
Richard took no extra time as he quickly grabbed his bag and made his way back to meet with James at the rendezvous point....
image [https://i.ibb.co/bKQsKpn/500400.png]
***
The memory was interrupted by the sudden chiming of his office phone. He sighed and picked it up, knowing it was probably another pointless check-in from his supervisor.
"Lock," he answered curtly.
"Richard, it's Sarah. We're meeting in five. The Director wants an update on Prism," came the voice of his team lead, Sarah Michaels. She was one of the few people in the department he actually respected, a brilliant engineer in her own right, though even she seemed worn down by the system.
"Got it," he replied, hanging up the phone and standing with a groan. He grabbed his notebook and headed towards the small conference room, where a video call with Ryan Mitchell was already set up.
Ryan was everything Richard despised in a boss: arrogant, dismissive, and quick to take credit for others' work. He had berated Richard more times than he could count, always from the safety of his plush office or during video calls, never bothering to understand the actual challenges of the work.
The meeting went as expected. Ryan's pixelated face filled the screen, his expression one of thinly veiled irritation.
"Lock, we're two years into this project and still no progress? What's the hold-up?" Ryan's voice was sharp, the kind that grated on Richard's nerves.
"Prism is a highly complex encryption system, sir. We've made incremental progress, but without more information on its origin or intended function, we're operating in the dark," Richard replied, keeping his tone measured.
"Incremental progress isn't good enough," Ryan snapped. "I need results, and I need them now. If you can't deliver, maybe we need to find someone who can."
Richard bit back a retort, his jaw tightening. "We're doing everything we can with the resources available. Additional data or access to related projects might expedite the process."
Ryan's eyes narrowed. "You have all the resources you need, Lock. Just get it done."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Richard seething. He headed back to his office, his frustration mounting. He decided to stay late, hoping the quiet of the empty office might help him find some breakthrough.
As the hours ticked by, the building grew silent, with only the occasional creak of the structure and the hum of the air conditioning to keep him company. Richard lost track of time, buried in his work, until the sudden realization that it was well past midnight jolted him.
"Guess I should head home," he muttered, rubbing his tired eyes and packing up his things. He made his way to the elevator, his footsteps echoing in the deserted hallway.
As he reached the elevator, he was surprised to see Ryan Mitchell standing there, looking impatient. The Director gave him a curt nod but said nothing. Richard stepped into the elevator, keeping a respectful distance.
When they reached the ground floor, Ryan stepped out quickly, but in his haste, he dropped his cellphone. As he bent to pick it up, his security badge brushed against the badge reader. The light on the reader flickered, indicating a possible malfunction.
Ryan snatched up his phone and walked out of the building without a second glance. Richard noticed the light on the badge reader had turned green, despite not hearing the usual confirmation beep.
Curiosity gnawed at him. What harm could it do to just check it out? he thought. Worst case, I get kicked out and have to face Ryan's wrath in the morning. But what if there's something up there that could help me crack Prism?
He pressed the button for the top floor, half-expecting the elevator to deny him access. Instead, the doors closed and the elevator began to ascend.
This shouldn't be happening, he thought, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement. The badge scanner in the elevator was notorious for malfunctioning, and it seemed tonight was one of those nights.
The elevator came to a smooth stop at the top floor, and the doors opened to reveal a corridor bathed in soft, ambient light. Richard stepped out cautiously, looking around to make sure the coast was clear. He approached the door marked "Director of Research" and, with a deep breath, he clicked the door open...
image [https://i.ibb.co/BgvNmhN/500400.png]