Morgana had to call her friend Gloria to come over and help her do some upgrades to her system. She was upgrading her connections to each unit from Ethernet cables to fiber optic connects. She was adding another generator to the five back-ups she already had. A few of the servers she had built were getting upgrades with new cluster cards being added to a few of her old systems. She was also adding in several new personal supercomputers. When all her systems were running together they were equal to the huge mainframe supercomputers.

She was saving up to purchase a quantum computer to replace most of the systems she already has. Since the quantum computer was 1,000 times faster than an ordinary supercomputer. It meant she could track hackers faster and eliminate their systems like she has been hired to do.

Right now, she was holding her own, but lately someone or something have been breaking into systems belonging to clients of hers and she needed to put an end to it.

“Hey Morgana, how are you affording all these upgrades?”

Gloria looks over towards her friend.

“Well, let’s just say certain criminal organizations and terrorist organizations that I helped in taking down are missing some funds. I would steal some more money for the Quantum server I want, but if I take too much, you can trace it. Plus, I’ve been doing some freelance work for a cyber-forensic company lately. I’ve also done a few penetration jobs by a few companies I can’t tell you about.”

“That’s fine. The company I work for doesn’t like us taking any freelance work that might compromise us.”

“You know, most people that know your name or heard your name on the net and Dark net, thinks you’re a myth.”

“Good, that’s what I want people to think about me. The best hacker is the one you don’t know. Any one that advertise what they are capable of is asking for trouble and will have people watching for them. That’s how a lot of the early hackers got caught. They let their ego’s get them into trouble. I prefer to remain in the shadows and catch the ones dumb enough to poke me.”

“You know the company I work for would love to hire you.”

“I know Gloria, but I like working for myself. This way I can work when I want to work and play when I want to play. I’m not bound by any rules or regulations. There is a lot of stuff I do that breaks International, Federal, State and local laws.”

“You know that is dangerous. What are you going to do when someone finds out about you?”

“If it’s the government, I have so much crap on them and their secret agencies/groups. That I could ruin three quarters of our Intelligence and alphabet agencies. If it is an individual or company. I have stuff that could ruin them. If it is a foreign government, I just pass things on to our government and let them deal with it.”

“You’re playing with dynamite, Morgana. By the way, what is your real name?”

“If I tell you, you have to promise to keep it to yourself.”

“Alright, I’ll promise not to reveal it.”

“It’s Tiffany Ann Warin. I go by Morgana because I love Arthurian Legends. That’s why I prefer to be called Morgana. Next to Merlin she was the next powerful sorceresses and was one of the black hooded women that escorted King Arthur’s body to Avalon. She may have different tales and be viewed as a criminal, but I think the name suits me.”

“That’s interesting. I would had never thought that about you.”

“There’s a lot people don’t know about me. It’s better that way. Social networking and posting things about yourself on the web is a good way for people to learn things that might help them figure out your passwords. Sometimes, it’s best not to be known, then to be known. I may have the web to keep me company, but I try to be careful. Even when I am on the dark web where you can find almost everything there is about a subject matter. The web is all I have now, since the accident. It sucks being confined to a wheel chair. I miss horseback riding, swimming and jogging.”

“You could still swim.”

Gloria was making a connection from the router to one of the servers.

“True, I could. The thing is getting there. I only trust so many people. When I first started going after people on the net. One of them managed to back trace where I was hacking from and came after me. I was lucky that the police happened to be on patrol when they attacked my home. That’s why I moved out here to this building.”

“What happens if someone manages to back trace you now?”

“Well, first they wouldn’t be able to find me. I bounce my signal through too many other systems and I never use the same system for at least a few months. However, let’s say someone manages to track my signal through those systems. The second line of defense I have is to use a remote hacking station. Whoever, they are will trace the hack to that station. Once I know that station has been compromised. I switch to another remote station. For a person or even our government to trace the signal, they would have to do a man in the middle attack or be at the station itself when I connect. Some of the stations I use, you can’t physical access. So, let’s say you managed to trace the signal to my isp. I use so many that are register under false names and some under legal names it would take a court order or even a hacker awhile to get that information. Even if a hacker found the name and the address it would be false. The bottom line is this. I have connections with several companies and my own that I use I can hide my ISP address any time I want to. The tower out back is leased to several cellphone companies, that I have my own connection to them. I also never use the same ISP for anything, unless it is for legitimate work. If someone manages to trace my signal back here to this building. I have two emergencies kill switches to disconnect from the web and to kill the power to this room. I can even seal this room for protection, because this building is an old communication bunker built by AT&T back in the sixty’s when people thought we were going to get bombed by the Russians. I had it renovated and had an escape exit installed just in case. I can use it to get out of here without being seen.”

“Wow, you thought of everything. Can’t they trace you from your energy usage?”

“Nope, I have several private lines coming off the City grid, plus I have the generators and the geothermal generator I had installed last year. I use that one the most to power my systems when I really need to go after people.”

“Well, if you could give this all up to have your legs back, would you?” Gloria stands up after making the connection and testing it.

“Yes, in a heartbeat. As much as I enjoy going after the bad guys and ruining their fun. I would rather have my legs back and take a normal boring cubical job somewhere.” Morgana knew she just told Gloria a lot of information, but she considers her to be a very good friend. She was just like her. She came out to her parents when she was just twelve years old informing them that she was transgender. Her parents took a while to adjust to the fact their only son was really a girl, but they accepted Gloria. If she ever wanted to leave her current job. She would hire her as a partner or as employee.

“Well, that should be the final connection. You want to boot your system up and see how everything is?”

Morgana boots her systems up and bring everything on-line. She does a few test connections and try out her new satellite communication equipment that Vulture Communications sent her. They were a new client she took on.

“Looks like I have good connections and increase speeds now. I should had done this earlier, instead of staying with the standard ethernet cabling. Hey Gloria, there is one more thing I need your help with, but it won’t be for a few weeks. I have a communication truck I need to pick-up. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind coming along to help out?”

“I don’t see a problem why I can't. Just let me know a few days in advance so I can tell my supervisor. Why are you getting a mobile communication truck?”

“So, I can be out in the field more. There are a few clients that need me to be on site or near them and this vehicle will let me be a little more mobile. Trust me, they will be paying for me to use it. I need to go to New York tomorrow and to do a job for Eruption Communications. Do you think you could come by tomorrow morning say around seven in the morning and take me, please? I can pay for your time and bill it to my client.”

“You know, I should just quit my job and come to work for you. That way I won’t need to take so many days off or be late.”
Gloria had an amused smile on her face.

“Well, I could use a partner and there would be some danger to it, but I can pay you good money and we can look, into a medical plan. You’ll get to travel as well. I own half of Camelot Forensics and we’re starting to develop a client base. So, you’ll be working under that name.”

“Can I think about it, some?”

“Sure, take as long as you want. If you have any questions let me know and I’ll answer them the best I can. Also, look at it this way. You’ll get to drive the new communication vehicle we’re getting.”

“I thought it was just for you?”

Morgana just smiles at Gloria.

“Ah! I get it now. It is for you, but it will be listed under Camelot Forensics. Now, I understand.”

Morgana just laughs as she pays Gloria for helping her out.

“Tomorrow at seven, right?”

“Yep, I’ll be sitting out front waiting for you. Just use the same entry code you used today.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow.”

Morgana watches as Gloria leaves the parking garage and heads up to her bedroom and start packing a bag to take with her. She grabs her personal laptop and the company laptop she uses for work and a tablet or two to take with her. She hopes it will be a one day gig, but she knows it might be a week.

Shigeko said there would be a car waiting for her on arrival. Eruption was sending the company Lear to pick her up. At least she didn’t have to worry about security since it was a private flight.

Adventure continues in Snow Angel 9