« The malware is still active, but I’ve isolated it. Now I need to trace its source to disable it permanently. » His fingers continued their movement across the keyboard.
The attack didn’t originate from outside the company. It’s internal. Someone with access to their core systems installed it weeks ago.
Victor Hayes shifted uncomfortably in his seat, a movement so slight that most didn’t notice, but Noah did. The boy’s gaze lingered on Victor for a moment before returning to the screen.
« I’m tracing the authorization codes, » Noah continued. « Whoever did this covered their tracks pretty well, but not perfectly. »
There’s always a trail if you know where to look.
Noah’s expression changed suddenly. His eyes widened slightly. « Oh. Oh, no. What’s wrong? » Gregory asked. « The attack isn’t just about stealing money. »
Noah said, his voice urgent. That was a distraction.
While everyone was focused on the accounts, the real malware was copying all of your company’s secrets, all of your customer data, everything.
And it’s sending that data to multiple locations right now. If that information is leaked, Thompson Industries won’t just lose money, it will be completely destroyed.
The room erupted in renewed panic. Gregory felt like the world was spinning. He had lost not only his fortune, but also his reputation and the trust of his clients.
Everything he had built was about to be exposed and demolished. « Can you stop it? » Gregory asked Noah.
His voice was barely a whisper. Noah’s face was focused.
Perhaps, but I need complete access to everything. No restrictions, and everyone must be silent so I can think.
Gregory looked at his head of security, who seemed horrified at the idea of giving a child unlimited access to their systems.
But what choice did they have? Gregory nodded. Give him what he needs. For the next 10 minutes, Noah worked in complete silence.
His fingers moved so fast they seemed to blur. The code appeared, disappeared, transformed. He wasn’t just stopping an attack.
I was waging a digital war against someone much older and more experienced, and somehow, impossibly, I was winning.
« Understood, » Noah said.
« Finally, I’ve stopped the data transfer. Now I’m reversing it, recovering everything that was sent, and I’m implementing a retrace to find out exactly who did it. »
More code was passed. Then a name appeared on the screen. Victor Hayes, Chief Technology Officer.
The man Gregory had trusted for 10 years. Gregory stared at the name in disbelief. That’s impossible. Victor would never do that.
He turned to look at his chief technology officer and stopped. Victor’s face paled. Guilt was etched on every line of his expression.
« I’m sorry, » Victor whispered. « They offered me 50 million dollars. I have gambling debts. »
I had no choice. There’s always a choice, Gregory said coldly. Security, arrest him. As the guards prepared to take Victor away.
While the room seethed with shock and betrayal, Noah continued working. « I’m recovering the stolen funds. »
It’ll take me a few hours, but I can recover most of it. The hackers tried to distribute it across several accounts, but I’m faster.
He paused and looked at Gregory for the first time since he started. « Sir, your systems also had many other problems. Security vulnerabilities, outdated encryption, inefficient code. »
If you want, I can fix them too. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again. Gregory looked at this boy who had just saved his company.
The son of this poor maid who had accomplished what her expensive experts could not. « Who are you? » Gregory asked in astonishment.
« I’m just Noah, sir, » the boy said simply. « I like computers. »
They seem logical to me, something that people sometimes don’t understand. »
Gloria, who had been watching from the doorway with tears in her eyes, entered the room. « Excuse the interruption, Mr. Thompson. »
We’ll leave and let you get back to work. —Wait—said Gregory, his mind reeling from everything that had just happened. —Noah, how did you learn to do this?
Where did you study? —Online, mostly —Noah shrugged—. And I read a lot.
The library has good books on programming and cybersecurity.
« Did you learn this from library books? » asked Amanda, the computer specialist, incredulously. « And practice, » added Noah.
« I rebuilt our neighbors’ computer network last year and helped moderate some online programming forums. They teach me things there. »
Gregory realized he was witnessing something extraordinary. This wasn’t just a smart kid.
This was a true prodigy, a unique talent in his generation, hidden in plain sight, who cleaned offices with his mother every night.
And that talent had just saved Gregory from total ruin.
But before Gregory could fully process this revelation, before he could decide what to do, Noah gasped and grabbed his mother’s arm. « Mom, you need to sit down. »
You’re not breathing well. Gloria tried to smile.
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