The Digital Ghost
As Jaden stood in the conservatory, his mother's voice faded into a dull roar. His mind was already miles away, racing through the school's network architecture. He knew the Ethics Committee's server was old, a legacy system that relied on an automated filter. If Marcus had sent something, it would hit the "pending" queue before being opened by the Dean at 8:00 AM the next morning.
"I understand, Mother," Jaden said, his voice a flat, hollow monotone. "I'll handle the ranking. I just need to... clear my head."
He didn't wait for her permission. He turned and walked out, his heart hammering against his ribs. He didn't go to his bedroom; he went to his private study and locked the door.
He opened his laptop not the one he used for school, but a customized rig with a blacked-out chassis. Within seconds, he was back in the world of JD-Zero. The violet glow of the screen reflected in his eyes as he bypassed the Sterling home firewall.
