Code Kitty

Episode 1
Hackathon

Fingers flew across nearly 200 keyboards in the cavernous room. Workstations were spaced four feet apart, so participants could not easily see each other’s monitors. Most had polarizing screen shields over them and the brightness was minimal. The room was dark, illuminated only by the glow of the monitors and lit keyboards. Most of the operators wore hooded sweatshirts and dark glasses with surgical masks so they could not easily be identified. Some few boldly defied authorities to recognize them, not hiding their faces or identities.

They knew they were being watched. The competition organizers couldn’t prevent that. Everyone entering the competition had been warned. The organizers could not be held liable for leaked identities. But the attraction of being acknowleged as the number one hacker in the world as well as €10 million in prize money attracted code monkeys like nothing else possibly could. They all believed they were the best.

Unfortunately, many had made their marks by illegally hacking into private or even government servers. That was why so many observers were intent on the competition. There was a chance one of the renegades would slip up and identify himself. Agents would sweep in to arrest the perpetrators, whether they had jurisdiction in Antwerp or not.

There were also less savory agents in the audience, hoping to capture a top hacker in order to press him into service. Some were legitimate businesses and some operated only in the underworld. The war they fought was for data and these hackers were the keys to enriching them.

Which was also why some of the hackers were in the competition to start with. There were lucrative contracts to be had for some of the big names in business, government, and the underworld. They intended to leave their marks.

Occasionally, someone would stretch or take a sip of water. Otherwise, there was only the nearly silent tapping of keys.

Displayed on a projection screen in the front of the room where the audience and hackers alike could see it was the status of the targeted server. Located off-site, the server was protected by multiple firewalls and a staff of security experts working non-stop to counter attempts to break through. Some came so close that the audience let out a gasp when they were repelled by the security professionals.

The battle had been non-stop for twenty hours. Some were beginning to believe none of the hackers was capable of breaking through. Then a red border appeared on the big screen. The firewalls had been breached and the final stage of the competition had been entered by at least one of the hackers: the data download had begun. Unless the hacker could successfully download the gigabyte of data, they could not access the bank code for the prize money. The security efforts still had the opportunity to battle for control before the download was complete.

Observers held their breath.

ATTACK REPELLED, flashed up on the screen. A collective gasp indicated the observers’ disappointment. Another failed attempt. Then, ten seconds later, another message appeared on the screen: DOWNLOAD COMPLETE. YOU HAVE BEEN HACKED BY CODE KITTY.

Organizers were on the phone to the data center to confirm the status of the breach.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the competition has ended. Security has confirmed that even though the hacker was evicted, he left code running that completed the data download in the background and erased the source. Code Kitty has won the Antwerp Hackathon and is hereby recognized as the world’s number one hacker.”

Spot lights swept over the hackers, finally coming to rest on a single chair. The organizer rushed to the chair, continuing his congratulatory spiel.

“Do you have any comments on this remarkable achievement, Code Kitty?” He spun the chair to face the lights and cameras.

Complete silence filled the cavernous room as people took in the sight, also displayed on the big screen at the front of the room. In the chair sat a stuffed gray cat plushy. A tag around its neck read, “Every keyboard needs a kitty.”

“She’s gone!”

Episode 2
Flight

The pandemonium in the hall was second only to the massive hunt that took place outside. Teams from governments, corporations, and gangs from organized crime around the world all attempted to find the elusive hacker.

A black shadow swept down an alleyway on a carefully planned escape route, calling instructions for his plane to be ready.

Left, not right! a voice spoke in his head.

He looked for the speaker, but saw only his gray cat setting the pace just ahead of him. He hesitated a moment, and then followed the instruction.

Block this alley, the voice said. It had a raspy hiss to it.

Don almost fell over the first of the rats that ran past him to block the alley from behind. The gray shadow swept past him to scout the next intersection.

Attack right! the voice cooed.

A sting in his side told him he’d been hit. He looked right to see a masked figure approaching. Don felt woozy, and realized he’d been shot with a tranquilizer dart. A swarm of pigeons attacked the assailant, using beaks and claws to force him back.

Don’t worry. We’ll help, said a baritone voice in his head over the screams of the blinded assailant. His hands contacted fur as he stumbled forward and was kept on his feet by the animals on either side of him.

Don couldn’t worry. He followed to his left.

We’re almost clear, the first voice said in his mind.

A van pulled up in front of them and the doors opened. Don was helped inside and closed his eyes as darkness closed in on him.

“Code Kitty,” Don mumbled as he came out of his sleep. He could feel the hum of the engines and knew instantly he was airborne.

I’m here, came a voice in his mind accompanied by a purr in his lap.

“Thank heavens. You’re safe.”

So nice of you to be concerned, the voice purred in his head.

“You… What?” he gasped.

He suddenly came fully awake and his surroundings came into focus. His plane. He remembered the mad dash to his rendezvous and stumbling through the open door of the van. He stroked the silky fur of his cat and then stared at her.

“How can I hear your voice?” Don whispered.

You’ve always been able to hear. You just trained yourself not to. Now, if you’ll just listen to me.

“I will. You saved me when I escaped.”

I just got you to the car. Others helped from there.

“How long have we been airborne?”

Who keeps track of things like that during a nap? asked the cat.

Princess Code Kitty the Grey was the name he’d given the cat when he first found the stray curled up on his keyboard in Berlin. He’d just begun building his underground empire of hackers and financial geniuses and adopted the name as his new moniker. As of this week, everyone would know him as the number one hacker in the world. He’d handled the competition on his own, but his sandbox had over 100 hackers, technicians, administrators, and financial managers.

“I’m not the only one you talk to,” Don said. “I heard you organize the rats when we were running.”

Yes. They were cooperative. So were the pigeons who attacked the man with the gun. And the two stray dogs who helped drag you to the car. Not all animals are friendly. You should learn to recognize the right ones.

“You mean I can talk to other animals besides you?” Don asked.

Hmm. You can hear other animals. They won’t always understand you. Some are pretty dense when it comes to understanding other species. A few can barely manage to understand their own species, Code Kitty—CK for short—spoke in his mind.

He somehow thought she’d adopted an accent. She sounded like a dog. Was that how she communicated with other animals?

I’m multi-lingual, she chittered in her own form of laughter. The pilot announced they were an hour out from Orlando. I don’t want to deal with customs and quarantines when we arrive in the United States. Just ignore me when we land and I’ll join you at your apartment.

“Wait! Will that work?”

Leave it to me. I’m going back to sleep. See you at home.

Don felt a gentle purr in his mind. It was so peaceful, he fell asleep again himself.

Episode 3
Wanted

Everyone wanted Code Kitty. Offers poured in through various legitimate and shady channels. Some were handled by ‘the sandbox.’ He’d considered calling his team the litterbox, but decided on the sterilized version, which was also a common name for a secure computer code testing environment. Code Kitty had attracted and trained dozens of hackers over the years, and they established an organization that could handle computer problems in any part of the world and in any language. Often, requests that didn’t conform to the legal and ethical standards of the team were reversed. Those requesting help often found themselves reported to authorities or occasionally stripped of resources.

In the meantime, Don worked in the darkened office of his Tampa condominium—one of several homes he had—developing the AI security system he believed would change the world of computing. CK sat on his lap and occasionally stretched to crawl onto the keyboard and force Don to take a break.

“Look at this,” Don said. A request had been forwarded from the sandbox to his personal message system. “They want me to come to work to improve the performance of their security system. What do you suppose they would think if they knew they were inviting their founder back to the fold?”

You’ve been waiting for this for a long time, CK said in his head. The triumphant return. It’s good timing. You’ll be there for the launch of the application at last.

“I wonder what kind of people they’ve become,” he mused while petting his gray friend. He stood and went to the kitchen to fix them each a little snack. CK purred. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to fully expose my identity to them,” Don mused. “On the other hand, I can hardly go back to San Jose without showing up at home. I’m not that invisible. They’d know I was there.”

You are such a party boy. You’ll need to go out and establish yourself in the right social circles.

“Not that I don’t enjoy a good drink,” he said. “It’s just that most of the people are so boring.”

No one else gives scritches. That’s why I quit going out with you. I’ll try a few times in San Jose so I can get a feel for the area. Never can tell when we’ll need to escape.

“My sweet friend. I find I’d rather spend time with you than with any number of the mindless people in a nightclub. When the music starts it bypasses their heads and goes straight to their pelvises. Men and women alike.”

Don’t you ever want a woman?

“Of course. You know that. I have healthy male drives. I just find those I have hooked up with to be vapid money-grubbers. At the risk of sounding perverted, I wish you were a woman. I could truly love her.”

CK just purred.

The two returned to Don’s computer room and Don carefully worded a response to the president of Tesseract Security in San Jose.

“I find your proposal intriguing. That you already have the rudiments of an AI security platform is a positive and I could definitely pick up the pieces for you. Are there no professionals in your company that can advance this concept? We might need to bring in some additional support. I will require a payment of $100,000 per month, but will furnish my own equipment and workspace. I will not come into your office. Nor will I meet face-to-face with you or any member of your company. This is non-negotiable. I have enclosed a contract for my services for one year. Upon receipt of your approved copy, I will begin work on the project. Sincerely yours, Code Kitty”

Can you afford such an extravagant package?

“Think of it as getting a raise for work I’m already doing. His ‘rudimentary’ AI security platform was what I put into the system years ago and have been slipping in updates since. Remember, I already receive a $2 million a year salary. At least this way, I’ll be recognized for the work,” Don said. He attached the contract and sent it to Tesseract Security’s president, his stepbrother.

The die is cast. Will you get a warm welcome home or will they try to poison you?

Episode 4
Home Sweet Home

“Sir, is it wise to just show up for dinner without letting anyone know you’re back?” Ethan asked Don as they drove from the airport to the Randolph home.

Randolph-Callum home, Don supposed. His mother had remarried after his father died several years ago. He’d come back for the wedding. At the time he’d been attending a university in Munich and unbeknownst to his family had already completed his degree there. After a brief visit to the family, he’d continue on to Tokyo where he would be a lecturer.

Don had known Robert Callum and wasn’t too surprised that the Director—now VP—of Marketing would court his mother. With his stepfather, Don had also inherited a stepbrother who showed serious business acumen and would be a great asset to the business in the future, and a fifteen-year-old stepsister who tagged along after Don like a puppy. That had been eight years ago. Since then, the world had changed.

“It’s my home,” Don said. “It will be good to see how the family lives when they don’t have time to prepare.”

“As you wish, sir. Is there anything you need that didn’t come in the plane with you?” Ethan asked. He’d been Don’s personal assistant at the company for fifteen years and knew as much about Don as anyone in San Jose did. If not for Ethan, he would not have been able to continue his playboy lifestyle as a cover for developing Code Kitty and the sandbox.

“You picked up the required cat care necessities?” Don asked.

“Food and litter,” Ethan assured him. “Per your specifications.”

Treats? CK asked in his mind.

“Definitely,” Don replied. He was getting used to talking to CK. She seldom surprised him when she spoke.

Ethan pulled up in front of the palatial home Raymond Randolph had purchased as soon as Tesseract Security went public. Sadly, he’d passed away just two years later and Don and his mother inherited the estate jointly. Don took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, looking at the house he had not dared call home in ten years.

CK jumped to his shoulder and Don entered the security code that opened the front door.

“Mother! I’m home!” Don called from the foyer. In the distance he could hear chairs scraping and footsteps hurrying toward him. His mother, Margaret Randolph-Callum rushed into the room and straight to her son.

“Donald! You’re really here! Why didn’t you let us know you were on your way? Oh, my son, I’ve missed you!” she exclaimed.

“It was a last-minute decision,” Don said. “I had an invitation to attend a friend’s wedding and only found out this morning that I could get to it.”

Don looked past his mother’s embrace and saw his stepfather, stepbrother, and an unfamiliar woman waiting to greet him.

“Robert, it’s good to see you again,” he said. He’d never adopted a familial address for his mother’s husband.

“Well, it’s certainly a surprise to see you here. Will you be staying long?” the man asked.

“Undecided. I thought I should look in on the company while I’m here,” Don said.

“It’s doing fine without you,” Conrad said. He hesitated as Don turned to him and then continued. “Of course, we’d love to have you come in and look around. We’ve grown quite a lot since you were last here.”

“No doubt through your excellent management,” Don said, reaching to take Conrad’s hand. “And who is this lovely young lady?”

“This is my fiancée, Selene Jacquez,” Conrad said. “Selene, my long-absent brother, Don.”

Don could not help feeling he was being minutely evaluated by the lovely young woman. He didn’t offer his hand, but she moved hers to reach for CK.

“Who is this beauty?” she asked. CK hissed. “Oh, don’t be standoffish. I’m sure we’ll be good friends.”

“This is CK,” Don said. “It takes her a while to warm up to people. We’ve had a long day traveling and it will take a while before either of us are truly cordial.”

“Of course,” Selene said. “It’s so nice to meet you both.”

Gold digger, CK hissed in his mind. Just see if I ever let her pet me.

Episode 5
Family Matters

“Maria!” Margaret called. A maid appeared in the doorway. “Air out Donald’s room and freshen everything. Sheets, towels, minifridge—anything that might have collected dust.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the maid said, rapidly retreating toward the stairs.

“Ethan will take my things up to the room,” Don said. “Ethan, check to see if I have what I need. Make sure there is room in the fridge for CK’s food. Then you can go. I’ll need the car at ten in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

“We don’t have room for another car,” Robert said.

“My car and driver will not be staying here,” Don said.

“Why are we standing in the foyer? Lupe! Set another place at the table,” Margaret called. She looped a hand through Don’s arm and moved him toward the table. Another place was immediately set. “We were just sitting down. Lupe always makes plenty.”

“Where is Julie?” Don asked, looking for his stepsister.

“I’m afraid she’s ill,” Margaret said. “She’s had a fever and a rash associated with what the doctor diagnosed as toxic shock syndrome. She’s on antibiotics and bed rest. We can go up to see her after dinner. I know she’ll be sad she wasn’t down here to welcome you.”

Hmm. I should pay a visit. I know a little about how to deal with this.

“Are you sure you want to go wandering alone already?” Don asked as he set the cat down on the floor and seated himself at the table.

I’ll be okay. I’ll check out our room as well.

CK padded off to the stairs.

“I was afraid you would have turned my room into a sewing room or some such,” Don said lightly.

“Oh, don’t be silly. I don’t sew,” Margaret said. She scowled at her husband. “I promised you your room would always be here waiting for you when you could get home.”

“Rather a waste of space for the past eight years,” Robert said.

“Dad, this is Don’s house,” Conrad said. “He can determine how the space is used. Don, thank you for providing Julie and me a place to live. When Selene and I are married, we’ll be moving out, of course.”

“What are your plans for that?” Don asked. “Sorry, not trying to get rid of you. I’ve just been a little out of the loop.”

“Not until next summer,” Conrad said. “I suppose running around the Mediterranean entertaining has kept you pretty busy.”

“Yes. You would not believe the port I discovered near Salamis. Simply beautiful. And the women are everything you can imagine. You should really take a vacation there before you’re married,” Don said enthusiastically. “Spring is a wonderful time to go.”

Don had spent several weeks on Cyprus, but he didn’t go into the reasons. He was a resident at the Research and Innovation Center at the University. He’d deepened the sandbox with researchers and computer experts, but that was a business his family didn’t know about. Even if they did a casual search to find him, all his teaching and research had originally been done under his middle name, Raymond. No one would suspect that his father, Raymond Randolph, was still active because his son used that name.

“I don’t think Conrad will be going to a Mediterranean island without me,” Selene chuckled, pinching her fiancé.

“Absolutely, love,” Conrad responded.

“Of course. Of course. Conrad is far more responsible than I am. That’s why he has a fiancée and I have a cat,” Don laughed.

“Speaking of responsible,” Robert interjected, “Conrad, this is a good time with your brother here to announce the company’s good news.”

“Do tell!” Don said enthusiastically.

“We’ve managed to land Code Kitty to pick up development of the AI security system your father started,” Conrad said. “You probably don’t know her. She’s the number one computer hacker genius in the world. And we have signed her to our project.”

“Remarkable!” Don said. “I do hope I’ll get to meet her one day!”

Episode 6
Hierarchy

“Code Kitty is a serious hacker. I don’t think she has a taste for playboys,” Conrad said. “She’s even promised to bring her entire team in if there are any real problems. We’re just honored to have her.”

“Well…”

A ruckus upstairs interrupted the conversation before things got too awkward.

“Julie!” Margaret exclaimed as the sound of barking and hissing reached them. Everyone stood and raced for the stairs.

Of course, Don heard something quite different in his head as the two animals communicated.

Halt! Thou shalt not harm my mistress! I will tear thy head from thy body! Ouch! Ow! Help!

Kneel, lowly knave! I am Princess Code Kitty the Grey. I come to heal her, not to harm her. If you dare block my path, her death will be on your head.

Your Highness! Be merciful to this wretched knight. I did not recognize your greatness. Please, if it be thy will, heal my precious mistress.

Move this pesky human out of the way!

Nurse! Thy services are no longer required. Step away from the bed of my mistress and allow Her Highness to work.

As the family approached Julie’s door, they were nearly knocked over by the private nurse, hired to care for Julie. She was followed to the door by an English Bulldog, snarling and blocking their way.

“I quit!” the nurse shouted. “Those animals shouldn’t be allowed in the patient’s room. They are filthy and unsanitary and a danger to anyone who tries to help her.”

“Leo! Why are you blocking the door?” Margaret cried, kneeling before the brown and white dog. Don wondered if his mother could understand what the dog’s barks and snarls meant.

She attempted to assault the Princess and keep her from helping my mistress. I am sworn to protect her from all harm.

“That cat came into the room and jumped straight up on Miss Julie’s pillow. When I attempted to remove her, that dog went berserk,” the nurse said. She turned and fled down the stairs.

“CK? Are you okay?” Don asked silently.

Yes, my dear. Your sister is ready to greet guests. Sir Leo, let the family pass.

As you wish, Your Highness, the dog responded.

The dog quieted and sat attentively by the door. As they went into the room, Don added his own message to the dog.

“Good dog. I’ll arrange a treat for you,” he said.

Prince Consort, it is this knight’s humble duty.

Don was amused that he had been promoted to Prince Consort for his cat.

“Julie, dear! You’re awake,” Margaret said, rushing to the bed where Julie was sitting up petting a purring gray cat.

“Don, it looks like your cat was the cause of this upset,” Robert said. “You need to confine her to your suite, so she doesn’t upset things.”

“I don’t think she was causing a problem,” Don said. “How are you feeling, Julie?”

“Donnie! You’re home! Is this precious cat yours?” Julie asked. “When I woke up, she was lying on my stomach purring and I felt my infection dissolving.”

“I’m so glad you are better. CK is a remarkable comfort.”

“The cat and dog don’t get along,” Conrad said. “Giving them both the run of the house is just asking for trouble and chaos.”

Come, Sir Leo, CK commanded.

The dog raced across the bedroom floor and leapt to the bed, barely making it to the surface. Don subtly gave him a boost. Leo immediately began licking Julie’s face. CK bestowed a lick of her own on Leo’s ear. The excited dog immediately settled down under Julie’s other hand.

“The cat and dog get along fine, Conrad. It was all that awful nurse trying to chase this lovely princess away from me. I hope she’s gone for good,” Julie said.

“We might need to pay reparations,” Robert sighed.

“I’ll cover the payment,” Don assured him.

Episode 7
Sisterly Love

“Well, if everything is okay, perhaps we could finish dinner,” Robert said.

“I’ll call the doctor in the morning and have you in for a checkup,” Margaret said. “Do you want to come downstairs for dinner, dear?”

“I’m not dressed for dinner. Donnie, keep me company for a while. You aren’t too hungry, are you?” Julie asked. “We can go down to raid the refrigerator later.”

“Sure, Julie. That’s fine. If we don’t find food, we’ll order a pizza,” Don said, sitting on the edge of the bed next to Julie.

“That’s hardly proper,” Selene whispered to her fiancé.

“Tell me all about what you’ve been doing!” Julie said as the room emptied.

“I email you every week. There isn’t much I haven’t already told you,” Don laughed.

“Email! You’re such a Luddite. Why don’t you text? I don’t even have your phone number.”

“It changes. I didn’t want you running up bills for international calls on the company phone.”

“Silly! There’s no additional charge for text messages. I already know you won’t answer a voice call. You never have!”

“The best way to get rid of spam calls is not to answer them.” Of course, Don also had sophisticated call-blocking software he’d developed himself. He’d tested it on several different devices and phone numbers.

“That really limits the excuses for breaking off a conversation and leaving without being rude,” Julie laughed.

“I’m just rude, I guess. If I’m bored with a conversation, I just leave. I’ll come talk to you later,” Don said, standing to leave.

“Donnie! Are you bored with me already?” she asked in alarm.

“No sweetheart,” he laughed. “I was just demonstrating.”

“Conrad would be so offended if you did that,” Julie said as Don sat back down.

“Hmm. I’ll be sure to save that for when I really want to tick him off.”

“He’s a good guy, Donnie. I can see you could have clashes over the company, but he does a good job running it.”

“I haven’t seen any reason to complain. What do you make of Selene?” Don asked.

“Aside from no woman being suitable for my brother—either of them—she seems decent enough. She’s soft-spoken and polite.”

“But…?”

“I suspect her of ulterior motives,” Julie said. “I try not to, but I just get a kind of secretive vibe from her.”

“I’ll keep an eye on it. Her father is Esteban Jacquez. He made quite a name for himself at Apple before he set off to jump on the AI train,” Don said.

“You’ve already done some checking her out. You acted like you didn’t know her. You’re being sneaky.”

“Selene Jacquez, 26 years old, works under your dad in marketing. She came straight to Tesseract Security out of college at Berkeley. Her father’s company was still a struggling startup until he got a sizable venture capital contribution two years ago. The company has been moving aggressively since then.”

“Donnie! You know a lot about the business. Everyone else thinks you don’t really know anything. You’re just a playboy running around the world in your private jet and yacht. Which, by the way, I’d like a little trip on. Where is your yacht now?” Julie asked.

“On its way. I barely stepped aboard in Tampa when I decided to come here. The crew is sailing it through the Panama Canal this week. I could get you to Tampa to meet it and you’d have it to yourself for the entire two weeks making the trip,” Don said.

“What fun would it be if you weren’t on it with me?” Julie scolded.

“Don’t you have a boyfriend you’d like to spend a couple of weeks with?” Don asked.