Chapter 212 - Virus

Jake was both shocked and confused when he saw what just happened to his system. He had just been working with it before Jade's call came in. So what happened?

He picked up his laptop and began to examine it, but the system had just crashed. 

"How is this possible?" He asked himself frustratedly. This wasn't a good sign. 

He grabbed a tablet from his desk drawer, he noticed the tab was slower than usual and in no time it also crashed. He was yet to understand what was happening right now.

'This seems like a virus' He thought.

Jake was stupified by this. From all indication, this was a virus. A virus had just infected his system. But how was this even possible?

What about his software, ProGuard? It was specifically made to prevent things like this. It was an anti-malware as well as an anti-virus software, so why didn't it work?

Jake was still trying to analyze the situation at hand when Blake ran into the study like a squirrel running for its dear life.

With heavy breaths he asked, "Bro did you see it? Did you laptop also crash?" He anxiously asked. He has also experienced the same problem.

"Yeah" Jake replied.

"It's ProGuard, isn't it?" Blake asked again. He had the same thought as his brother. Just last night there was a glitch, and now their systems were crashing; that was too much coincidence. He was unsettled by this and was terrified for his brother.

"I'm yet to come to that conclusion" He replied, without looking at Blake. His eyes were still glued to the laptops on his desk. He didn't want to assume the worst yet. 

"Get me grandfather's laptop" He ordered.

"Okay" Blake replied before running out of the study to get his grandfather's laptop. While Jake also rushed up to his room to get his own personal laptop.

Soon they both returned with the laptops. Jake turned on his grandfather's laptop and waited for a couple of minutes but nothing happened. It was working just fine, it didn't slow down neither did it crash. 

But soon as he turned on his own, he noticed the computer was slow, and in no distant time it crashed as well. That was all he needed to confirm it was indeed his software. His grandfather's laptop did not have the software installed in it, and that was why it didn't crash.

Jake was at a loss, when he noticed what was going on with the system. All the systems with the ProGuard software had crashed. Jake was stunned by the sudden turn of event. His fingers moved as fast as they could, but nothing was working. Everything was out.

He stared at the systems on his desk in stupefaction. He was yet to understand what was going on.

It has got to be a virus. That was the only suitable explanation for this, only a virus could cause such damage. And the virus wasn't just affecting all systems but only those with his software in it.

How did this happen? How was it even possible? ProGuard was supposed to be a anti-malware and an anti-hack software, so whatever had infested it must have been specifically engineered for it.

How the hell was this able to get past the firewalls of the software? Those things were not easily penetrable, they were supposed to be impenetrable. This was unbelievable! He had placed the software on the hackers black market for weeks but not even one person was able to get past the firewall, so how could a virus affect it?

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't do anything. It was like he had completely lost control of his software. As a matter of fact that was the case.

Jake didn't want to believe that this possible. It felt like a dream. He kept gawking at the system in disbelief, and he didn't even believe this was possible. 

He stood up from his seat, the look on his face was dark and blank. He picked up his phone and keys. He turned to Blake who has been standing behind him, and was also stunned by what was happening. 

"Call every team member to work right now. And you're coming with me" Jake said in a cold tone before walking out of the study.

He rushed up to his room to have a quick bath, after which he checked on his grandfather, but he didn't mention anything to him. He wasn't going to trouble him with such issues, the old man has paid his dues, now it was his turn to pay his.

By the time Jake arrived downstairs Blake was already waiting for him by the car. They both hopped in and drove away to the company.

Jake was trying really hard to keep his cool. It was weekend for crying out loud, and he was supposed to be with his girlfriend today but something like this just had to spring up now.

This was a direct attack launched at him. It was suspicious that something like this would happen a few days before the board meeting. It was obvious as day that someone was after his company. But who? That was what he didn't know.

It could be anyone, one those shareholders who has always been against their family leadership for so long. He knew that there were people vying for his seat but he didn't know them. 

This was going to affect the financial status of the company drastically. Not only that it would also affect the intending collaboration with the foreign company. Nobody would want to partner with a company who was currently facing challenges, and terrible like the one that was forthcoming.

Acrosoft would bleed money, and if this problem persist the company might hit rock bottom.

This was going to be a hiccup for Acrosoft.

How could someone do something like this? They were really trying so hard to sabotage him, and make him lose his credibility as a competent leader. Whoever was behind, got a dangerous programmer on his side, no doubts. But what they didn't know was he got one too, but the only problem was how to get him onboard.

....

Walker's Mansion.

Mr Walker was slowly running out of patience. His tolerance for his wife was running thin. He had given her a week to provide the missing guy which she has wickedly sent to jail, and there was only one day to go before the stipulated time, but her nonchalance and unrepentful attitude was making him lose his cool.

She was barely showing any effort about releasing the young man from whatever hole she had dug him in.

His hand clenched into a fist when he saw walking out of the house. She was going out, probably for one of her stupid parties again. He had noticed she has been going out a lot lately, but not to her office.

"Vivian" He called out in a stern and cold voice, making her halt on her stride. He noticed the way she stiffled when he called out her name. 

Mrs Walker closed her eyes when she heard him. She had a feeling what this was all about. She wasn't ready to have this conversation yet. There was still a day left and she was going to hold on to that one day. She slowly turned around to face him, but she didn't take a step closer.

"I'm surprised you still remember my name" She said sarcastically, with a sardonic smile etched on her face. Mr Walker hated it when she acted aloof with such a delicate matter.

Maybe she thought he was joking when talked about divorcing her. He stood up and took a few steps towards her.

"Vivian my patience with you is running out. Where is the boy?" He asked in a fierce tone.

"Honey, if I remember correctly, you said seven days, and this is just the sixth, meaning I still have twenty-four hours left. So why the rush?" She spoke in a slow and calm tone, which Mr Walker found to be annoying. He didn't know how she slept with herself at night knowing exactly what was lying on her shoulders.

"Vivian!" He snapped.

"What?" She snapped back. Mr Walker eyes were blazing with anger and he was trying really hard, really really hard to pay himself down. His wife was driving him crazy. She wasn't like this before, but somehow along the line she had changed and turned into this woman he didn't know.

"Where's the boy?" He asked with anger.

"I'll remind you again, I still have twenty-four hours. Maybe you can ask me by then, only if you still want to" She replied curtly before walking away.

Mr Walker looked at her retreating back and sighed. This wasn't the wife he married.

Mrs Walker heaved a sigh as soon as she walked out of the house and stepped into her car. Seeing her husband like that had scared her.. She had to find that bastard before he cost her her marriage.