Chapter 1 - Calm night? (1/2)

***Prologue***

Year 2023

Sarah is in the secret underground room, facing her two sisters: JoAnna and Sophia.

”It is confirmed that both Lebedev and Voronin families are after us.”, Sarah's expression was grave. ”We are too big of a threat for them to leave us alone.”

”Lebedevs would not leave us alone even if we are not a threat. We knew this is coming. What do you have in mind?”, Sophia's shaky voice betrayed how anxious she is.

”Lebedev family, as our maternal family, is more interested in having us join. I will use that and take over.” Sarah reluctantly looked at both of her sisters. ”I can't do this alone. I hope that you will take this risk and join me.”

JoAnna and Sophia glanced at each other and faced Sarah.

”You can count on us.”, they responded in unison.

Sarah looked at them gratefully. ”We need to remove elders from power and take command of their forces. This will be extremely dangerous. Talk about this with your husbands before making the decision.”

”We will talk with them.” JoAnna confirmed. ”I'm confident that they will want to be part of this. The fact is that we are all in the same danger. With six of us working together, we are unbeatable.”

Sarah lowered her head and bit her lip.

JoAnna realized that she said too much… it can't be six of them when one is missing.

”Any news of Aiden?”, Sophia asked in a quiet voice.

Sarah shook her head in response and took a deep breath, trying to compose herself before facing her sisters again with eyes full of determination. ”Make the calls you need, and let's start. I'm sure that we will find out something about Aiden soon.”

…

Year 2018

It is a calm winter night. Light wind is rustling bare branches on the campus of Tesla Technical University.

Students are in their rooms, getting ready to sleep. Usually evenings are lively due to some gathering or a party, but not tonight. Exams are approaching, and that is why students are focusing on studying or resting in order to score well during exams.

On the third floor of girl's dormitory, under a dim light, three computer screens are filled with code, flickering occasionally. Sarah Hill is focused on the screens while her fingers are flying over the keyboard.

Sarah is a top student at the University. Since elementary school, she is skipping grades and acing exams. Professors at the University and few professionals in software development field who looked at her work call her a prodigy and have high expectations for her in the future.

But that is not all. Sarah has a different side of her. When no one is watching and she is in front of a computer, she becomes world famous hacker Sigma.

Earlier that day, Sarah found out that TargetSecurity company completed their new encryption and is offering monetary prize for finding vulnerabilities in that encryption.

Of course, as usually, Sarah is going for the top prize. Her confidence is high, and she has an amazing track record to support it.

Sarah's excitement is rising as she is stripping off layer after layer of encryption and she can almost feel her goal of breaking through it completely.

Sarah's phone started ringing, and she glanced at it. It's her father, Edward Hill.

Hill family fortune started with a company which Edward founded with his wife Stella: Orion Enterprise.

Edward believes that if people are capable, they will be able to provide for themselves, and if they are not capable, they will be only wasting money, no matter how much they have. That is why, no matter how much wealth they accumulated over the years, Edward provides Sarah with funds to cover basic expenses related to education and living, and if she needs more than that, she can earn it herself. If she is capable.

Sarah is not happy about the timing of Edward's call. She is so close to snatch her prize. But the phone is relentlessly ringing, and she knows that her father will not give up easily because her not picking up will probably make him think that she is in some kind of trouble. Well, it would not be the first time.

With a frown she stopped her typing and picked up her phone: ”Yes...”

”Hello, sweetie pie, how are you?” Edward's voice is cheerful. He does not seem bothered that it took her so long to pick up.