Chapter 135: Cold

After the agents left, Charlotte turned to me. "Changes in how the country operates? What are they on about?""Hmm... they probably mean a state of national emergency? Something like when President Clinton blocked property and prohibited transactions with the Taliban not too long ago because the Taliban continued to support terrorists. They'll likely tighten security measures. Possibly even create sanctions against Russia..."

We decided to try to relax, to distract ourselves at least for a while. We ordered Chinese takeout from a place down the street. While we waited for the food, we cuddled up on the couch and put on a movie—something light.

When the movie ended, we sat there quietly for a bit, both of us trying to act like everything was fine.

"So, what do we do now?" Charlotte asked. "Can I just go to uni tomorrow?"

"Try not to stress about it that much. Let the bodyguards drive you anywhere you want to go. It will be fine."

Charlotte glanced up at me, not so convinced. "But what if they send someone to straight-up crash into our car, like a Kamikaze or something? I mean, look at that taxi driver... they didn't give a damn about his life!"

I paused for a second, thinking. "I'm sure security is aware of that and already looking out for those kinds of threats. They're even watching for snipers 24/7... but I'll talk to them, just in case."

Charlotte gave a small nod, still not completely reassured.

"Wait a second!" she said and got up.

She left the room for a moment and came back with her notebook.

She opened it to show me something. "My friends have been sending me videos about all the cyberattacks going on," she said, scrolling through a bunch of messages.

I noticed the links to PlayTube—my website. Sёarch* The Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

She smiled, proud. "You had a great idea. It's getting so popular!" But when she clicked on one of the links, it didn't load.

Another link—same result.

PlayTube was down.

Her face dropped.

I rubbed my temples. "There is no need to guess why it's down. It's pretty clear what's going on. Someone is trying hard to make me quit. They don't want me making more money."

Charlotte scooted closer, putting a hand on my arm. "But what can you even do?"

I didn't answer her. I just leaned back and stared up at the ceiling.

Looking at it had helped me think things through before; helped me find a plan.

This was, without a doubt, the most complicated, hardest-to-resolve situation I'd ever been in.

There was someone out there—in Russia—with knowledge of the future.

Someone who had seen my moves and found my investments suspicious.

Maybe they caught on when I invested in Google… although if Peter Ivanford really had been spying on me, it could've started even earlier.

But that's not important now.

What mattered was, how to fight back against someone with foreign ties to mafias and crazy cybersecurity knowledge.

He could attack every company I invested in. Every project I touched could be torn down by him.

Hold on... I'm assuming it's a he; it could be a she.

Suddenly, Charlotte hugged me tightly, her arms wrapping around my shoulders. "Anyway, babe. I'm so exhausted from all this. I'm going to sleep," she whispered.

I ran my fingers through her long hair, lifted her chin a little and pressed my lips softly against her rehead. "I'll be there in a minute," I said. "Just give me some time to think."

She gave me a tired smile and nodded, then slipped away to the bedroom.

I went back to thinking about my problem.

I wasn't a mafia boss or some powerful world leader with the means to fight back. I didn't have that kind of influence.

All I could do was hope the government could step in and somehow stop this from getting worse.

They could physically close off the network, make people use a national USA network. That would cut off a lot of the outside attacks. But... would they really go that far? It would trigger an uproar—people would lose their minds if the internet got restricted like that.

Not only that but this would heavily restrict Google's and other software stocks growth.

I sat there, racking my brain, running through the possibilities, but nothing seemed smart.

Using the dark web to hire someone to track these people down? Not wise. The FBI was watching me closely.

Talking with Sidorov? He had connections, the kind that could help, but again… the FBI.

I think I'm fucked...

Sam's father! He could help. After all, he is able to buy off government officials and law enforcers; he was able to avoid consequences for his actions and he also wasn't persecuted for his family's dark tradition...

But if he finds out that Sam was in danger because of me, he might not like the idea of helping me...

Eventually, exhaustion took over, and I drifted off right there on the couch.

At some point in the night, Charlotte nudged me awake, whispering something about coming to bed.

I barely registered it.

We slipped into the bedroom and slept together through the night.

...

The next morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee.

I planned to go to the university like I normally would.

Charlotte walked into the kitchen, looking groggy and rubbing her eyes. She flopped down at the table and stared at her phone.

"I made you coffee," I said, sliding the cup to her.

"Ah, thanks," she said, taking a sip, and then going back to her phone.

Suddenly, she looked up, wide-eyed. ""Whoa, check this out; I think this is what those FBI agents talked about."

She showed me her phone screen. "It says that the U.S. is prohibiting the use of software and hardware products and services from Russia and any of its allies."

I put my mug down and took the phone from her, looking at the article. "There's more..." I said.

"No shit. I didn't read it yet," she pouted, taking the phone back from me and looking back at it.

"They're tightening security—airports, seaports, identity checks at public institutions." she started reading. "The military's going to get involved with police actions and patrols. They'll be able to actively interview potential suspects. Other than that... background checks will be more strict.

Also, the government is encouraging private companies to be more cautious with their security, both online and off."

Charlotte bit her lip before looking up at me. "Is this something like a cold war?"

I swirled the coffee in my cup and my locked eyes with her. "It's a national emergency, so the government is doing things that would normally be prohibited by law."

"Russia has nuclear bombs, thought..."

"They do. But if the government doesn't do anything, then they will infiltrate and break apart the country. Also, using nuclear weapons is equivalent to mutual destruction. I'm confident that even if an all-out war breaks out, neither side would use it."

Charlotte sighed. "I hope so..." She laid her head down on the table, turning it to the side. "Man... I'm so drained from all this. I've got another tennis tournament tomorrow, but I'm not sure I can play well with all this stress."

We finished our coffee and just then, the doorbell rang.

I got up and found the bodyguard standing at the door, holding a letter.

I opened the door and he handed me the envelope. "I already checked it for anything suspicious."

I took the letter from him, thanked him with a nod, and closed the door behind me.

I returned to the dining room with the letter in hand. Charlotte looked up from her spot at the table. "A letter? From who? I hope it's not something like that Unabomber stuff."

"The bodyguard already checked it."

I carefully opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside. The letter was on high-quality paper, and the text was elegantly printed:

"Dear Jack Somnus,

We are pleased to extend a special invitation to you for an exclusive VIP club under the name Freewinds.

This club grants access to elite gatherings and social events, including monthly parties aboard luxurious cruise ships. These events run from February through November, providing a unique opportunity to mingle with the most influential and wealthy individuals.

The club attracts high-profile guests, including some of the top 100 richest individuals in the USA.

Our events feature a range of activities, from exclusive business meetings to high-class social interactions.

Attendees often use these events to make important connections, and there might even be some more... private and intriguing opportunities. That's if exploring those aspects of high society is what you're into.

Joining Freewinds could significantly enhance your influence in the market and help you build powerful connections with high society.

The potential for expanding your network is immense.

If interested, please contact us at ... for more information and to confirm your participation.

We look forward to the possibility of welcoming you into our distinguished circle.

Sincerely,

The Freewinds Club Committee"