No Way Back by Anna Mac

Chapter 7 Queen’s Back

Jane wanted a cheap hotel for two reasons: the first was to save money, and the second was to conceal her location from others. She didn’t want to stay in a hotel that required ID registration because if she did, it wouldn’t make a difference if she wore a mask and hat because her photo and other personal information would already be out in the open. She didn’t want to take that risk.

The driver, a seasoned cabbie, was very familiar with the surrounding area. As he considered how to get to the hotel, a look of bewilderment quickly spread across his face.

“Excuse me, miss, did you just come down from the top of the mountain? Isn’t that the Fowler family’s villa? You look a bit familiar like I’ve seen you somewhere before…” The driver said, trying to piece it together.

As he spoke, the radio returned to its discussion of the Fowler family and the identity of the true heiress, Jane.

“I’m not the Fowler family’s heiress. I have no ties to them,” Jane stated coolly.

The driver scratched his head, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, miss, but today there’s just too much gossip about the Fowler family…”

“It’s fine,” Jane said, waving her hand.

Soon, Jane arrived at a nearby hotel, paid the fare, and checked into a room.

Jane tossed her bags to the side and pulled out her cell phone, dialing a number. “The vast sky is my love, the flowers are blooming on the mountainside” started playing as the ringtone,

Someone’s excited voice came through: “Queen! Yes, I did just get your call. Oh my God! You said you were leaving the Darknet, and I didn’t think you’d be back.”

Jane took the phone away because she seemed to know that the person on the other end of the line would be so excited and loud.

Then, after some consideration, she said, “Andy, I’m sorry, but I really need some cash, and I’m looking for a job.”

Andy exclaimed on the other end of the phone, “Are you coming back? Oh my God! The Darknet will shake from the news of that! Queen, with your status and reputation, finding work shouldn’t be hard for you. Wait for me!”

saying that, Andy hung

her laptop out of her bag and entered her username and password into an unknown website. An old bronze door with a blood–red skull emblazoned on it appeared on the screen, and a hoarse, alien voice said, “Welcome

she’d have the chance to open this website again. The Darknet, as its name implied, was an underground website connecting

tasks that most people would never think of, and people could find everything they

get into the Darknet and become a sponsor, one had to be qualified and have enough money and power. They

pass a skills test by the Darknet’s administrators. Therefore,

was known simply as “Queen,” and she was a legendary

when Jane finally logged on this

messages asking how everything was going and why she was

“AFK forever” to “Back on board.” Because of this one sentence, the Darknet

people rejoiced and jumped for joy at this

a way through Meridonia’s impossible–to–break firewall and hack into it. This caused the firewall’s

became known as “Queen,” with the implication that she was the best hacker in the world and that nothing had

big shot suddenly quit the Darknet and closed her account a month ago, it

didn’t matter to them now

was back! Many people rejoiced and jumped for joy

again, and Andy said, “Queen, there’s a mission here. They need you to hack the firewall of a terrorist organization. 750 thousand

it,” Jane quickly

specific standards. Before anything else, it wouldn’t pose a threat to the country’s security. And second, it couldn’t violate human ethics.

though Jane was famous on the Darknet, there were many jobs

of shady business. That was why

and programming appeared on the screen, disorienting to the layperson but second nature to

talking and joking with Andy, she quickly broke through the terrorist

got it here,” Jane