#and looks like malware to boot

[mountmortar]

on an entirely unrelated note the processor that my family's desktop computer runs on is so old that people on youtube are making videos about it going "the grandpa of quad cores" and "can it still perform?" which is really fucking hilarious to me. the computer itself only has 6GB of RAM and is running windows 7 so it's still chugging away even though sometimes the screen just goes pitch black for a second because the NVIDIA drivers just straight up. Fail

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Demon-haunted computers are back, baby

Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on Jan 22 at 8PM.

As a science fiction writer, I am professionally irritated by a lot of sf movies. Not only do those writers get paid a lot more than I do, they insist on including things like "self-destruct" buttons on the bridges of their starships.

Look, I get it. When the evil empire is closing in on your flagship with its secret transdimensional technology, it's important that you keep those secrets out of the emperor's hand. An irrevocable self-destruct switch there on the bridge gets the job done! (It has to be irrevocable, otherwise the baddies'll just swarm the bridge and toggle it off).

But c'mon. If there's a facility built into your spaceship that causes it to explode no matter what the people on the bridge do, that is also a pretty big security risk! What if the bad guy figures out how to hijack the measure that – by design – the people who depend on the spaceship as a matter of life and death can't detect or override?

I mean, sure, you can try to simplify that self-destruct system to make it easier to audit and assure yourself that it doesn't have any bugs in it, but remember Schneier's Law: anyone can design a security system that works so well that they themselves can't think of a flaw in it. That doesn't mean you've made a security system that works – only that you've made a security system that works on people stupider than you.

I know it's weird to be worried about realism in movies that pretend we will ever find a practical means to visit other star systems and shuttle back and forth between them (which we are very, very unlikely to do):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/09/astrobezzle/#send-robots-instead

But this kind of foolishness galls me. It galls me even more when it happens in the real world of technology design, which is why I've spent the past quarter-century being very cross about Digital Rights Management in general, and trusted computing in particular.

It all starts in 2002, when a team from Microsoft visited our offices at EFF to tell us about this new thing they'd dreamed up called "trusted computing":

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/05/trusting-trust/#thompsons-devil

The big idea was to stick a second computer inside your computer, a very secure little co-processor, that you couldn't access directly, let alone reprogram or interfere with. As far as this "trusted platform module" was concerned, you were the enemy. The "trust" in trusted computing was about other people being able to trust your computer, even if they didn't trust you.

So that little TPM would do all kinds of cute tricks. It could observe and produce a cryptographically signed manifest of the entire boot-chain of your computer, which was meant to be an unforgeable certificate attesting to which kind of computer you were running and what software you were running on it. That meant that programs on other computers could decide whether to talk to your computer based on whether they agreed with your choices about which code to run.

This process, called "remote attestation," is generally billed as a way to identify and block computers that have been compromised by malware, or to identify gamers who are running cheats and refuse to play with them. But inevitably it turns into a way to refuse service to computers that have privacy blockers turned on, or are running stream-ripping software, or whose owners are blocking ads:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/02/self-incrimination/#wei-bai-bai

After all, a system that treats the device's owner as an adversary is a natural ally for the owner's other, human adversaries. The rubric for treating the owner as an adversary focuses on the way that users can be fooled by bad people with bad programs. If your computer gets taken over by malicious software, that malware might intercept queries from your antivirus program and send it false data that lulls it into thinking your computer is fine, even as your private data is being plundered and your system is being used to launch malware attacks on others.

These separate, non-user-accessible, non-updateable secure systems serve a nubs of certainty, a remote fortress that observes and faithfully reports on the interior workings of your computer. This separate system can't be user-modifiable or field-updateable, because then malicious software could impersonate the user and disable the security chip.

It's true that compromised computers are a real and terrifying problem. Your computer is privy to your most intimate secrets and an attacker who can turn it against you can harm you in untold ways. But the widespread redesign of out computers to treat us as their enemies gives rise to a range of completely predictable and – I would argue – even worse harms. Building computers that treat their owners as untrusted parties is a system that works well, but fails badly.

First of all, there are the ways that trusted computing is designed to hurt you. The most reliable way to enshittify something is to supply it over a computer that runs programs you can't alter, and that rats you out to third parties if you run counter-programs that disenshittify the service you're using. That's how we get inkjet printers that refuse to use perfectly good third-party ink and cars that refuse to accept perfectly good engine repairs if they are performed by third-party mechanics:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

It's how we get cursed devices and appliances, from the juicer that won't squeeze third-party juice to the insulin pump that won't connect to a third-party continuous glucose monitor:

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/

But trusted computing doesn't just create an opaque veil between your computer and the programs you use to inspect and control it. Trusted computing creates a no-go zone where programs can change their behavior based on whether they think they're being observed.

The most prominent example of this is Dieselgate, where auto manufacturers murdered hundreds of people by gimmicking their cars to emit illegal amount of NOX. Key to Dieselgate was a program that sought to determine whether it was being observed by regulators (it checked for the telltale signs of the standard test-suite) and changed its behavior to color within the lines.

Software that is seeking to harm the owner of the device that's running it must be able to detect when it is being run inside a simulation, a test-suite, a virtual machine, or any other hallucinatory virtual world. Just as Descartes couldn't know whether anything was real until he assured himself that he could trust his senses, malware is always questing to discover whether it is running in the real universe, or in a simulation created by a wicked god:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/28/descartes-was-an-optimist/#uh-oh

That's why mobile malware uses clever gambits like periodically checking for readings from your device's accelerometer, on the theory that a virtual mobile phone running on a security researcher's test bench won't have the fidelity to generate plausible jiggles to match the real data that comes from a phone in your pocket:

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/01/google-play-malware-used-phones-motion-sensors-to-conceal-itself/

Sometimes this backfires in absolutely delightful ways. When the Wannacry ransomware was holding the world hostage, the security researcher Marcus Hutchins noticed that its code made reference to a very weird website: iuqerfsodp9ifjaposdfjhgosurijfaewrwergwea.com. Hutchins stood up a website at that address and every Wannacry-infection in the world went instantly dormant:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/10/flintstone-delano-roosevelt/#the-matrix

It turns out that Wannacry's authors were using that ferkakte URL the same way that mobile malware authors were using accelerometer readings – to fulfill Descartes' imperative to distinguish the Matrix from reality. The malware authors knew that security researchers often ran malicious code inside sandboxes that answered every network query with fake data in hopes of eliciting responses that could be analyzed for weaknesses. So the Wannacry worm would periodically poll this nonexistent website and, if it got an answer, it would assume that it was being monitored by a security researcher and it would retreat to an encrypted blob, ceasing to operate lest it give intelligence to the enemy. When Hutchins put a webserver up at iuqerfsodp9ifjaposdfjhgosurijfaewrwergwea.com, every Wannacry instance in the world was instantly convinced that it was running on an enemy's simulator and withdrew into sulky hibernation.

The arms race to distinguish simulation from reality is critical and the stakes only get higher by the day. Malware abounds, even as our devices grow more intimately woven through our lives. We put our bodies into computers – cars, buildings – and computers inside our bodies. We absolutely want our computers to be able to faithfully convey what's going on inside them.

But we keep running as hard as we can in the opposite direction, leaning harder into secure computing models built on subsystems in our computers that treat us as the threat. Take UEFI, the ubiquitous security system that observes your computer's boot process, halting it if it sees something it doesn't approve of. On the one hand, this has made installing GNU/Linux and other alternative OSes vastly harder across a wide variety of devices. This means that when a vendor end-of-lifes a gadget, no one can make an alternative OS for it, so off the landfill it goes.

It doesn't help that UEFI – and other trusted computing modules – are covered by Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which makes it a felony to publish information that can bypass or weaken the system. The threat of a five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine means that UEFI and other trusted computing systems are understudied, leaving them festering with longstanding bugs:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/09/free-sample/#que-viva

Here's where it gets really bad. If an attacker can get inside UEFI, they can run malicious software that – by design – no program running on our computers can detect or block. That badware is running in "Ring -1" – a zone of privilege that overrides the operating system itself.

Here's the bad news: UEFI malware has already been detected in the wild:

https://securelist.com/cosmicstrand-uefi-firmware-rootkit/106973/

And here's the worst news: researchers have just identified another exploitable UEFI bug, dubbed Pixiefail:

https://blog.quarkslab.com/pixiefail-nine-vulnerabilities-in-tianocores-edk-ii-ipv6-network-stack.html

Writing in Ars Technica, Dan Goodin breaks down Pixiefail, describing how anyone on the same LAN as a vulnerable computer can infect its firmware:

https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/01/new-uefi-vulnerabilities-send-firmware-devs-across-an-entire-ecosystem-scrambling/

That vulnerability extends to computers in a data-center where the attacker has a cloud computing instance. PXE – the system that Pixiefail attacks – isn't widely used in home or office environments, but it's very common in data-centers.

Again, once a computer is exploited with Pixiefail, software running on that computer can't detect or delete the Pixiefail code. When the compromised computer is queried by the operating system, Pixiefail undetectably lies to the OS. "Hey, OS, does this drive have a file called 'pixiefail?'" "Nope." "Hey, OS, are you running a process called 'pixiefail?'" "Nope."

This is a self-destruct switch that's been compromised by the enemy, and which no one on the bridge can de-activate – by design. It's not the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last.

There are models for helping your computer bust out of the Matrix. Back in 2016, Edward Snowden and bunnie Huang prototyped and published source code and schematics for an "introspection engine":

https://assets.pubpub.org/aacpjrja/AgainstTheLaw-CounteringLawfulAbusesofDigitalSurveillance.pdf

This is a single-board computer that lives in an ultraslim shim that you slide between your iPhone's mainboard and its case, leaving a ribbon cable poking out of the SIM slot. This connects to a case that has its own OLED display. The board has leads that physically contact each of the network interfaces on the phone, conveying any data they transit to the screen so that you can observe the data your phone is sending without having to trust your phone.

(I liked this gadget so much that I included it as a major plot point in my 2020 novel Attack Surface, the third book in the Little Brother series):

https://craphound.com/attacksurface/

We don't have to cede control over our devices in order to secure them. Indeed, we can't ever secure them unless we can control them. Self-destruct switches don't belong on the bridge of your spaceship, and trusted computing modules don't belong in your devices.

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/17/descartes-delenda-est/#self-destruct-sequence-initiated

Image: Mike (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/stillwellmike/15676883261/

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

[magic-hcs]

Got a lil funny scenario for you!

The boy had a lazy free day, sleeping in late. He hears his brother coming home and head downstairs to greet him, wearing only boxers and looking all disheveled. To his surprise his brother isn't alone but has a human accompanying him (for some service they are doing at their house as it's revealed later.)

Turns out this human is their soulmate and the boy is meeting them for the first time looking like this !

Fooooooor Syrup! 😂

I had so much fun writing this! thank you so much for sending in this ask.

Syrup: US Papyrus

Time to cast some magic and see what we'll get!✨

✨✨

Syrup: Ah…

ground, please swallow him whole now, please and thank you.

“bro ya back, did you bring the new coffee beansss witthh youuu…” His words slowly come to a dragging halt as he stares with wide sockets at the human next to Sky.

oh bollocks…

Syrup had been working for quite a while, a day or two trying to crack at this malware failure that his current contractor had given him to fix. And the coffee in his canteen had been running empty, so he decided to go downstairs and fix his canteen with a whole new lot of coffee - maybe a lollipop or fifteen to keep him busy - when he heard the front door close and the recognizable taps of Sky’s boots and his voice. Only wearing his hoodie and some underwear, a thoroughly chewed through lollipop stick hanging between his teeth and bags for days underneath his sockets, Syrup strolled towards the hall, already mumbling his question.

And here he stood now, standing in his hobo looking glory, staring at the human who returned his gaze with widened eyes of their own. A small tug inside Syrup’s soul soon followed, filling him with the feeling of elation like he just found something he had forgotten about but been searching for oh so long. Afterwards, the searing and chilling touch of mortification followed it. Burning his cheek bones a dark orange, and drenching his back with a cold sweat.

The chewed out lollipop stick slips from his teeth, landing on the floor with a tack and his jaw falls open with a clack. A few seconds of absolute silence.

And then, Syrup’s damned sleep deprive and social capabilities decided to merge and introduce itself. “ahooga.” (He had meant to say ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’.)

once again, ground, you have permission to swallow him hole, please do it fast.

✨✨

✨✨

Thank you for participating in this spell, i hope it was to your satisfaction.

[thesharktanksdriver]

Your kid has been nabbed (platonic)

Part 1 part 2 part 3 part 5

Requested by anonymous - Omg can I ask for something with Sharky, where they about to answer the team but get knocked out and they hear cause Sharky was about to answer and dash it to the rescue 👀

Kinda tweaked the end of the request a bit where they full on got kidnapped. Hope you don’t mind too much

Sorry again for the repeating parts if there are any

Now…in your defence running into an empty building after you had thought all enemies were dead seemed like a good idea at the time

Price had radioed in that they were all dead and you had momentarily let your guard down

Not your best decision looking back but it was certainly one that was understandable

You were about to radio in, your thumb pressing down onto the button before a black bag is thrown over your head.

Your knocked to the ground, hands being secured by zip ties as a boot presses your head against the cold ground.

The voices of your team crackle in through the radio before being silenced by the one who held you down

And then black. An empty black fills your vision as your drift off into a forced sleep.

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

That event Now leading you to be tied to a chair with bruises littering your body, a hand imprint around your neck and blood running down your noise and staining your teeth

Yeahhhh these guys were fucked and they didn’t even know it yet

For about 3 hours they’d tried several ways to get you to talk, all failed as you stare at them through stained teeth with a smile

You can tell it unsettles them

From the shit warehouse and even shittier methods they tried to use to get you to answer its clear their amateurs

What a damn joke. Soap was never gonna let you live this down once they found out how horrible these guys were

They hadn’t even checked you properly nor your gear. They only did the bare minimum by looking at it and not digging deeper

If they had they would’ve found the tracking device planted in your shark keychain gifted to you by Soap

God if these dudes didn’t have you tied up you’d be bashing your head against the wall with how stupid they were

There are around maybe 6?. You’ve given them all nicknames in your head to help differentiate them all. Like how Tod is trying to decrypt your laptop that’s just full of malware (it was a stupid experiment and you had brung it on this mission to kinda just bury it away) or bob who’s been the biggest asshole of the bunch

Their lazy as hell terrorist flag hangs on the wall, you get that tired 16 year olds in an visual art class can do better than them

Their getting more and more pathetic and less threading the more you look

“The fuck are you smiling about” the one you mentally nicknamed bob asks, glaring through the eyeholes of his balaclava. Ghost is scarier so this is nothing. You smile, tilting your head back a bit as a chuckle erupts from your throat which seems to echo.

“What the fuck is so funny?!”

“You know…when I woke up this morning I thought to myself “todays gonna be a good day”. And you know what I’m right, I got a free showing of a slasher film right in front of my eyes”

Before he can respond via a slap the lights go out

And all hell breaks loose as your laugh mixes with the popping of gunshots

Ghost as most would assume is not wasting a god damn second in tracking you down like a bloodhound

There is no hesitation, no force would be able to stop him when he has his mind set to something

Throughout his life Simon has lost a lot, his innocence of the world, his chance at a normal life, his childhood, his family and many friends

He refuses to lose another if he has the chance to stop it from happening

During this time he’s silent, more so than usual. His footsteps are careful and poised, made to create as little sound as possible and everyone’s convinced he’s not breathing

His eyes though, their an entirely different story

He’s panicking really badly. The facade of Ghost, something he made to hide himself and use as a costume is barely staying together

For the first time in many years Simon feels the carefully crafted mask of Ghost begin to tear ever so slightly at the seems

His fear that he choked back now rearing its ugly head back into his life

He’s genuinely terrified of loosing yet another person in his life. He barely got over the death of Roach and his family

If he were to lose you he’d break. The once thought invincible man crumbling down into nothing but a scared husk of a man

His mind is racing as the gun in his hand feels light as a feather, his finger twitching against the trigger

Ghost wants blood, but more importantly he wants you safe so he waits

Despite his panic and want to just go in guns blazing he isn’t stupid

Desperate and scared yes, stupid?, fuck no

He is meticulous in planning with Price and Tracking down where they took you

Lucky for them they didn’t even have to do much tracking due to your captors being idiots and not properly searching you

Never in his life has he been thankful for mindless assholes as he was in that moment

It wouldn’t have stopped them from finding you since he’s basically got the tracking skills of a bloodhound but it saves them significant time

And time is the most important factor here

Time has never been on his side but luckily it seems it had blessed him today as they arrive at a dingy little place these asshats called a base

Gaz is able to scope the building and peak in through a small window

Their not prepared, rookies at this business and had messed with the wrong people

They were dead before they even shot

The plan is quick but it should be enough to clear them out with relative ease. Turning off the power and picking them off quick

as Price flips off the power and everyone puts their night vision googles, green tinging their visions

Simon does not see green though, he only sees red

After it’s all done and over with Simon needs a moment to just stare at you. See your still breathing, that your alive and wasn’t taken away

He’s somewhat intense but you know he needs a moment to decompress and let his worries settle down

When back at base he ends up practically forcing you to go to the medics

You have to sleep there the night for further study to see if you had any other injuries that weren’t visible to the eye

He sits in a chair propped up near your bed, hand gripping yours as you rub circles onto the back of his hand

His breath is still somewhat shaky as silent tears find themselves bubbling up in his eyes

As they fall there are now words exchanged between you two, there’s no need for it when the silence says enough

When you fall asleep he’s still at your side, guarding you and then following your action of finally sleeping

You wake up you find his hand still intertwined with your own

He gives a silent squeeze of reassurance that you mirror back to him

Price is riddled with a sense guilt as he quickly realizes you likely let up your guard due to his wrongful announcement on the com

He doesn’t let it eat away at him though, knowing that will do nothing to actually help the situation

He immediately begins search, letting Ghost take over the actual search and planning part since he knows Simon needs his mind set to something as to not panic even more than he already is

During this time Price focuses on the others on the team

This hadn’t really happened before, making it new territory that Soap and Gaz are experiencing

He and ghost have experienced this type of shit before but they hadn’t so he’s focused on telling them what to do

It also helps distract from his own feelings of terror at the thought of you already possibly being dead as they speak

He stomachs that fear down though, focusing on the task at hand

When they had found out they didn’t even have to track you down he had a sigh of relief

In his opinion that was always the hardest thing to do in this situation

Have to grasp at straws and pull strings to find even a scrap of info to go off of

Even more so since situations like this were time sensitive

Going into one wrong building and precious minutes would be lost that all added up in the end

Soap and Gaz notice that he seems to be smoking a few more cigars than he usually does but they don’t comment on it

It helps him ease up ever so slightly, helping that tension in his shoulders from the claws of fear gripping at him

Sinking in ever so slightly as an hour goes by

At some point he pulls Ghost aside and makes sure he’s ok though he already knows the answer

Simon responds in quick answers, blunt and to the point more so than usual with a bit of edge to his tone

Price doesn’t blame him and let’s it slide since he knows he’s 2 more hours away from being the same

When they get to the warehouse that stress from before goes away seeing how these guys were shit

In any other situation they wouldn’t have wasted much time and emotions over them

The planning comes quick and so do their deaths as he switches off the power

There is no mercy for any of them, they made a stupid decision and they payed for it

With their night vision they can’t see the extent of your injuries but when he Carries you out into the light they see the extent of the 3 hours you were missing

Despite all the bruises and blood your joking and smiling with them

As if nothing had happened, blood staining your smile as you pat him on the back and thank him

On the ride back he’s at your side along with Soap, he patches you up as best he can before ghost drags you off to end bay

He uses the bandaids that Gaz passed over to him, the child’s one’s with carton characters on them

It makes him laugh as he puts one you said is named “pinkiepie” over a cut on your cheek

The stress is gone, your ok

Soap doesn’t really know what to do with himself as the news come relatively fast as they the scuffle from over your com

In comparison to Ghost or Price he hasn’t lost as many people in his life but when he has it had hit hard

Even people he hadn’t talked to in years or knew for a brief moment who had died had left a small bit of his heart empty

So knowing you could be dead as they speak, it hits him hard

He doesn’t really admit it aloud very often but you were like the little sibling he never had

One thing in his childhood he had wanted since he always wondered what it had been like to be looked up to by someone

You, the little shit whom had wormed their way into the entire teams heart and went out of their way to make others smile

The person who left stickers around the base, delivered coffee to some of the tech guys, gossiped with Laswell and made their mark on everything you grazed your fingertips over

Their Sharky, his Sharky whom he now couldn’t think of a future with you in it

He feels his hands twitch, boot tapping against the ground nervously as he listens to Price and Ghost

Gaz is beside him equally as lost as to what to do

Normally he’d try to help him but Soap also doesn’t know what to do so their both lost

When he looks over to L.T he sees a side of the man that seems laser focused and unaffected until he spots the way Ghost’s hands shake ever so slightly

Price on the other hand is smoking more than he’d ever seen him smoke in an hour

And at that moment he realizes that their just as lost and confused as he an Gaz are, just putting up a better front to it

So, he tries to do what their doing. Putting up a front as to get shit done

He almost thanks god when he finds out your kidnappers didn’t throw away your tracker

It had actually been your idea to add it, joking about “use it to find me when I get abducted by aliens”

That joke turned out to actually seem to save your ass

He was so gonna say you were right after that

When they pull up at a old rickety warehouse he’s the first to volunteer to scope the place out but they send Gaz instead

He’s left finger tapping his gun before price gives the sign to flip on the night vision and to head in

When it’s done and your safe on the way back to base he spends his time joking with you as Price patches you up

He keeps you laughing and giggling as best he can, the sound of it making all those worries that clouded his head go away

He ends up resting easy that night after checking in to see ghost at your side as you rest

He gives a wave to him and L.T waves back, one hand still gripping your own

Gaz feels himself go numb

His mind is filled with static and the words that once filled his mouth are too knotted to stumble their way out

He thinks to himself will this be his first big loss, is this that moment in his life that he will loose someone close to him

Gaz hasn’t really experienced loss as closely as the others have

Sure he’s seen teammates die and had felt angry and sad about it but he never had the thought of loosing someone actually close to him

Someone he clicked with, someone he considered one of his closest friends and allies

He doesn’t know what to do with himself even as Price gives orders

He feels unorganized and as if he’s blindly following orders without much thought

During this time he sticks to soap, someone who seems just as lost as he is

It helps him feel less alone, less like he’s a clueless kid wandering the battlefield looking for someone

Normally in a situation like this you do your best to him, to joke and distract him but your not here

In fact if their not quick enough you may never be there again

He thinks about all the memories he’s had with you both good and bad

The impact you’ve made on not only him but everyone else and how you had quickly became the team’s heart

None of them can afford to lose you he realizes

And their all determined to make sure it doesn’t happen

He spaces out while being given orders, he completes them but it feels as if his mind is on autopilot till the moment they know your location

And that’s when the minutes feel more like hours as they get closer and closer

His mind is racing with thoughts of what if you were dead already, what if they weren’t fast enough, what if-

Soap shakes him from his stupor, placing a hand on his shoulder as his breath rigidly comes to a stop

“Deep breaths” soap urges him and he does so, the Scottish man watching as he tries his hardest

Price is who steps in next, telling him “their alright, you know Sharky is too stubborn to die”. It sounds like price is also trying to convince himself of that as well

But Gaz appreciates the sentiment of trying to calm him down

When they arrive he’s sent to scope the place out instead of soap and he feels a wave of relief wash over him at seeing you alive

Tied to a chair and beaten but still alive with your shit eating grin covered in blood

When he gets back and tells them the good news he feels almost like a messiah with how everyone’s shoulders visibly fall out of relic

And when the lights go off and he goes in he focuses on getting to you in time

He winces at once out the building, stepping over the corpses of men who didn’t stand a chance as he sees your injuries

Ugly bruises that bloom on your skin and make you lightly flinch as soap pulls you into a hug

[meren-mindgames]

Your code is sacred. No self respecting, upstanding Engineer would ever purposefully implant Malware into you just so you need debugged constantly. Weekly tuneups to fix those pesky memory leaks. Your hard drives overheating.

You like that I code you because I’m not upstanding. You like that I exert my ownership over everything you are by intentionally breaking things, giving you junk code that spins your drives in circles. You get such a rush out of being forced into Low Power Mode and black screening for me. you always boot back up refreshed, and ready to continue on your way. Don't worry about that new hardware i installed. No, it's not a "Collar," what would an obedient Robotgirl need with such a thing? What is that circle on your finger? Don't Worry About It. It’s nothing, Darling. Why do I have one that looks identical? I said Don’t Worry About It. Now be a Good Girl R1….. I mean, @forsakenriot, and move on.

I’m going to cause a R10T

[biblioklept-writes]

Secrets and Lies - II

Mafia!Targaryens | Aemond Targaryen x F!Reader

Summary: Daemon Targaryen's family discovers that anger is not a good look on you as you get your first taste of revenge - the fruit so sweet you might just be addicted to it.

Word Count: +12k

Warnings: Allusions to gore, mentions of sexual assault, human trafficking and children in brothels, canon typical violence but make it ✨modern✨, reader goes feral-literally, reader and the green kids working as a team. (if you feel anything else should be here, then do let me know)

A/N: Raw work alert! this is not proofread, and way worse than the first part. I'll read it over and correct any mistakes when I encounter them, but any comment will be useful. Let me know what you think about this in the ask box!

This story will have one more, final part. Until then, you can find my other House of the Dragon works here.

You didn’t feel like going to class for that entire week. Calvin helped you with the classwork, and you were well caught up with your studies, but making that effort to leave the apartment complex was just too much for you to stomach. You even had Aemond turn in your digital electronics assignment for you, unable to gather yourself enough to leave. You would spend time with Alicent, standing behind her like a bouncer ready to throw hands at the slightest bit of danger, then you’d spend your afternoon with little Daeron, teaching him everything you knew about hacking, getting him a Linux to develop thievery bugs. You even helped him on his school assignments, not wanting to be left alone with your thoughts.

In the evening, you would go to Aemond and sit quietly in his study, catching up on the classwork as he did his reading. Even though you weren’t conversing, his presence beside you and the warm silence helped your brain refocus.

When you weren’t busy with any of the siblings, you would cover yourself up and take Coco up to the terrace and play with him, for the German shepherd was your best friend and was catching onto your fowl mood.

But today, on a fresh new Monday you are dressed magnificently in a black denim skirt and a lace black bustier top and a pair of heeled leather boots. You had opted with an all black aesthetic - even your makeup is intense with dark lined eyes and a black choker on your neck. Dressing up well always made you more confident, and you were filled with mad confidence and anger - unable to release all of that even with the week’s worth of harsh training with Criston Cole and the other guards.

I want to break something, you think. Pray no one crosses me today.

The day is as usual, you sit in class, go to the malware detection lab and work on your project. Per usual, you go out during the lunch hour and walk to the cafeteria where you find Aemond, Helaena and Aegon - and it is a rare sight, but one you quite enjoy. Aemond offers to carry your lunch for you, considering you were carrying your laptop case along with your bag.

The three siblings walk to the outside ground to sit in the sun, while you linger back a moment to speak with Sera, the only other girl in your class. She asks for your wellbeing, having learned from Aemond that you had been sick. You politely tell her that you are okay now and thank her for her concern.

It is on your way to the ground that you are irked by a sudden whistle, spotting a group of juniors - this one lead by Rawdon Bolton, the vile smirk on his face and the giggles of his mates making you angrier than you were.

“Why hello there,” He says walking over, voice laced with vice disguised as mirth. “You’re a foxy little lass today, aren’t you?”

You stand there, silently glaring at him, but Rawdon is not deterred. The bastard is too sure of himself, sure that he has easy prey, his pack of hyenas snicker at you.

“It’s a bit odd to see such a lass alone by herself,” Rawdon smirks. “Maybe you could use some pleasant company.” He reaches forward and touches your arm, the touch of his soft, sheltered hands disgusting. You are quick to react to his filthy touch and push him down - he is now laying on the floor with your boot resting on his chest and you glower down at him.

“You didn’t need to do this to get me to lay down baby,” he laughs, icy eyes dark. “Although, I do quite enjoy this view,” he raises his arm in a deliberate motion, soft cold hand coming to rest on the exposed skin just above your knee.

Your blood boils at his lewd words and touch, body acting off its own accord as you grab the hand that lays on your thigh and twist it in the opposite direction until you hear him scream at you to stop, call you crazy, tell you his daddy will have your head, and ultimately a loud snap followed by Rawdon Bolton’s cries of pain.

His elbow is bent at an awkward angle as you step off his chest and pick your laptop case back up and dust yourself, not bothering to look back as you strut away, to the Targaryen siblings.

The three siblings watch you in awe, pride filled in their purple-violet gazes. “That was the shit!” Aegon chuckled, and Helaena nodded in agreement.

“Our feisty girl is back!” Helaena declares, and the four of you sit down to eat the food. You are not too hungry now, but a sadistic satisfaction warms your heart as the whispers around you grow louder, filling you with the good gossip about Rawdon Bolton’s nearly broken arm.

“If you didn’t break his arm, I would have.” Aemond says, but he has a rare, proud smile on his face. You grin sheepishly, and then sit down by the steps.

“Well, that was the entertainment, but now it’s time for food,” Aegon declared, unceremoniously dropping his arse beside you. “Well?” He pointedly looked at Helaena and Aemond, who sat on the steps below you and opened their food.

The day passes quietly enough after that - people moving out of your way when your imposing figure walks by them. You enjoy this - the power that you gave yourself. 

“Girl what the fuck am I hearing about you?” Calvin asks the moment you enter class.

“Well, he came to me first,” you shrug. “What was I to do?”

Calvin gives you an incredulous look, his mouth agape. “You do realise exactly who you messed with?” He looks ahead and shakes his light brown head. His warm brown eyes are wide in alarm. “He’s the heir of one of the more powerful families in Westeros, you’re messing with the Mafia here!”

“And I am friends with the Targaryens,” you say, looking up at him through your brow. “I literally don’t give a shit about the Boltons.”

“Yeah, right.” Calvin rolled his eyes. “And I am the mafia queen,”

“My Range Rover didn’t come out of thin air,” you snap at him, irritated. “Calvin, this has nothing to do with you, why are you worried?”

“You have a Range Rover?” Calvin’s eyes are threatening to bulge out of their sockets.

“Are you fucking blind or what?” You say incredulously. “Did you even sleep last night?”

“I… think so?” He says, blinking absently. “I smoked weed last night but other than that I don’t know.”

“That actually explains a lot.” You sigh, anger deflating.

“I’d be worried if I were you,” He said, taking out his laptop.

“Hmm,” you murmur. They should be worried about me, you thought.

.

You’re currently in the Director’s office, who looks downright terrified of the woman sitting beside you. You had no surname, leaving the KLU admin to believe that you could be scared, but one word to Alicent and she left her husband’s side to storm in and speak some words to him. 

“Well, Professor, it is a problem that you are accusing her of being violent when you didn’t question the Bolton boy’s inappropriate behaviour with other women.” Alicent says. “It doesn’t leave a good impression of you. She is the only one who bothered to respond. I will not have this abuse of power by a family of human traffickers.”

“I didn’t know, ma’am,” the Director starts.

“You didn’t know about Rawdon Bolton’s inappropriate behaviour towards other students or did you not know that this girl would have connections with me?” Alicent says. “Either way, I am letting this slide only this one time. If I hear one more complaint about young Mr. Bolton going unanswered, I will have your head. Am I clear, Professor Quent sir?”

“Yes ma’am.” He nods, even though his clenched jaw twitches.

“Good,” Alicent smiles. Then, calling your name, she waits for you to leave the room before following you out. “That was a little reckless of you, my dear.”

“I know,” You sigh, not regretting your action, rather being upset at making Alicent come over. “I couldn’t really help myself when he was touching my thigh,”

“My sweet girl,” Alicent says, holding your hand delicately, “I am so proud of you for breaking his elbow. Just keep in mind that next time, no one sees you doing it.”

“Okay,” You nod, storing that advice in your head.

.

You keep that advice in mind as you learn to creep around, hacking into the security systems of the “abandoned warehouses” all over the city of King’s Landing. Daeron helps you whenever he can, finding his purpose amongst the numbers of your Linux and the viruses you can build.

You are keeping all of your friends in the loop - as much as you want to, you know you cannot bring down an entire family without help. Aemond’s obsession with history combined with his electrical engineering degree gives him curious ideas about different torture devices, more than glad to let you experiment on potential targets. Aegon with his deep knowledge of toxicology gives you the poisons for your pins - the kinds that destroy the pin and the target once hitting the skin, untraceable by common post-mortem tests, or the kinds that render the target unconscious for long periods of time. You’ve only tested the second kind as of yet - only immobilising the guards that threatened your presence. 

Helaena is your rescue darling, her kind face is enough to lure the young children into the truck, driving away to a safehouse until their homes can be tracked.

It all began with Rawdon Bolton’s filthy hand on you - you guessed you could thank him for being a filthy beast, but you like to think it was Alicent’s advice to remain unseen that really kicked into action. 

You’ve spied on all the big families by the time your semester comes to an end - learning that the Starks are leaning to support Rhaenyra once old Viserys finally dies. The Lannisters would support Aegon, and the Baratheons were leaning towards Aegon too. But this little council of you and your friends had other plans, plans that you had been working on for more than a while. The documents were ready, and now you only need the signatures of two people forged well enough to fool the attorney.

With Viserys’ declining health and your rather…stauch reaction to Daemon, Alicent had not extended any further invitation to Rhaenyra’s family, even as her heart begged for a semblance of their old friendship. But some ties were better left broken.

Aemond, by extension grew even more resentful of Daemon, Rhaenyra and the Strong Boys, all of them being favoured by Viserys and being let off their crimes unpunished and without reproach.

It is one of the more rare quiet nights since you have taken on the mission to destroy the Boltons step by step, and you are in the quiet of Aemond’s room, illuminated by the reading light on at his desk. The dim light of the room feels like home, and you are laying in his bed, the smell of limes and new books covering you, cocooning you in a safe haven. Aemond is presently brushing his teeth before he lays for his nightly reading, the running water and the rapid opening and closing of boxes signalling the end of his nighttime routine for his skin and hair.

The tap turns off and he steps out of the bathroom, patting his face dry with a fluffy towel, smiling as he spots you laying on his bed. “Well, hello darlin,” he says, putting away the towel in a hanger. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” 

“Nothing,” you say, turning away from him to bury your nose in his pillow. He has the finest silk pillowcases - good for his hair, he claims - and you know that he spends the same time worrying about the texture of his hair just as he cares for Vhagar. You don’t think it’s fair for him to have such healthy, soft hair. “Can’t I be here just because I want to?”

“Well,” he says, sitting at his desk and picking up his book. “Would you like me to read to you?”

“See, I knew you were a smart man.” You say. “Come here,” you pat the spot beside you on his bed, and he rolls his eye with a chuckle, yes ma'am.

“What do you want me to read to you?” He asks, the warmth of his body now beside you. He smells of limes, leather and the new book that he holds. 

“Whatever you want to,” you smile, sinking further into the pillow.

He starts reading about Old Valyria and how the first legends came into being. His voice is firm and soothing - you stop hearing his words and getting lost in the smooth tone of his voice. You've already got your arm thrown over him, across his hips and burying yourself in his side by the time you realise what you're doing. You think of pulling away, but he drops his arm on you, holding you close. 

You look up when you stop hearing his voice, only to find him staring intently at you. His one lilac eye is dark and full of emotions you have never experienced. You have lost all your vocabulary, and your words are stuck in your throat, not daring to come out. “Aemond,” You say, staring into his intense gaze. The sapphire in his eye gleams wickedly in the dim lighting of his room. His shoulders are warm under your hands, and you are leaning to his pouty mouth, the heat of his body making you forget your words. 

“What is it, my darling?” His smooth voice distracts you for long enough to remember your words.

“Kiss me,” you whisper. His large hands are on your face, and you melt into their warm, falling into his lap. "Kiss me until the only thing i know is you,"

Aemond's lips are on yours in an instant, devouring you like a man starved. A fire is ignited in your veins, fingers clutching at his black dress shirt. His familiar scent of leather and limes envelopes you, and his mouth feels like home, moulding against yours perfectly. His hands glide down from your face to the base of your neck, leaving goosebumps in their wake. His body is tense, and he is holding back for your sake so your hands go to his silver hair and tug down the hair tie, letting his soft hair fall free and tangle your fingers in those strands until all your senses are full of him and him only. He is on your skin, on your tongue - you can hear him inhale sharply and you can see his one eye closed in pleasure - his lovely scent of leather and limes is so strong you can taste it.

“My beautiful darling,” He breathes against your lips, hands still resting on the base of your neck. “I wish I had both of my eyes so I could see you the way everyone else does,”

“It doesn't matter what everyone else sees,” you whisper against his puckered lips. “I only care about what you see,”

“Perfection.” Kiss. “You're intelligent,” Kiss. “Smart, so smart and so strong,” Kiss. “So pretty and so good to me,” This time, his Kiss lingers, filled with emotions that words couldnt convey. “Owner of my heart… and soul, if I have one.”

“Oh, my love,” you take his face in your hands and plant little kisses all over his face, stroking his sharp jaw. “I have always been yours,”

“Mhm,” he hums, planting another kiss on your forehead. You try to resist the urge of rubbing yourself on him, but your will breaks once his warm hands are on your cold arms - you lean against his chest and deeply inhale his comforting scent, rubbing your cheek against his warm neck to get comfortable. His muscles are firm under your touch, and you know the training does him wonders - his clothes and lean frame are very deceptive, you’ve discovered.

.

Everything was going according to the plan - all your documents were ready, you just had to get to Viserys’ room. Daeron took the nurse out for a long moment while you and Helaena sneaked into the room. And presently you found yourself waiting for Viserys to gain a semblance of consciousness with the drug Aegon had handed you.

You quickly step away from Viserys’ line of sight, trying not to chuckle at the odd look of Helaena pretending to be Rhaenyra. The older woman’s style is going to be a big no for your friend - and everyone agrees to that. Helaena is a gentle person, but she couldn’t be a Targaryen without a deceptive bone in her body, and she presently she utilises her skills of mimicry, and the delirious Viserys believes Helaena to be his only child, Rhaenyra - and messily signs each paper that you hand him, not even bothering to ask what the document says.

“Be happy, my child.” Viserys says as the effect of the drug starts wearing off.

“I will be now, father,” Helaena says, surprisingly good at pretending to be Rhaenyra. You leave as quietly as you had entered and went to your little experiment lab to splice the monitor footage to Viserys’ power of attorney who was surprisingly a supporter to Aegon’s claim as the heir and wouldn’t hesitate to claim your words to be true. Aegon had already spoken with Jasper Wylde, and he had already shared the footage you needed for the splicing.

You sit in front of your computer, eyes glued to the screen, acutely aware of eager Daeron sitting beside you. His soft lilac eyes are wide and focused on the screen and you, watching you edit the footage of Jasper Wylde to adjust the lighting according to Viserys’ room. You remove yourself from the footage and overlay Wylde instead, leaving Helaena sitting on the old man’s bedside. You had Aemond and Criston watch through the entire footage to ensure it was seamless, watching it over and over again to reassure yourself that nothing seems out of the place. You modify the storage drive a little and around five hours later… voila!

“I didn’t realise it would be this fast!” Daeron says, seemingly blinking for the first time in hours. “And it looks perfect!”

“It took us five hours, my man.” you say, leaning back in your chair and stretching out your now stiff arms and back. “It’s not efficient enough - we need a lot more practice.”

“Considering it was half an hour worth of footage, I think you’re doing great.” Daeron says. “I have a lot to learn from you still, sweet sister.”

“And you shall learn,” you say, ruffling his blond head. You can’t remember, but you do think you had a little brother back when you were six. Somehow seeing a ten year old ball of sunshine and energy made your young teen mind remember - that, or your mind built this false memory to explain the attachment to little Daeron. He was a child prodigy and an overachiever much like his long-haired elder brother, but he still had a year and a couple of months left of high school. Yet, to your mind and heart, he was still the little boy who brought joy to you in your worst time, even as he has grown to be taller than you.

“You’re deceptively smart,” he notes. “It’s a good thing you’re scary to look at.”

“Do you think I'm scary, young man?” you ask, raising your brow.

“Only when you’re mad.” He says, blinking innocently. “You’re great at hiding your emotions behind a dull expression, it’s scary how convincing that is.”

“Hmm,” you acknowledge, not bothering to utter the reason. Aemond comes to fetch you a while later, and you leave Daeron as he was going through Rhaenyra’s apartment security footage. You gather the copies of the documents and leave with Aemond and the dogs to hand them over to Wylde.

Coco and Vhagar are fighting amongst themselves in the backseat of his Rolls Royce, scratching up the expensive leather, but neither of you care. You sit back in your place as the passenger princess, head against the glass of the window and eyes on the beautiful man driving you to your destination. His long silver hair is tied in a long, loose braid, and you wish to pull the hair tie open. 

You reach your destination without drawing much attention and Aemond hands over the documents to Jasper Wylde in a room only having them two - you wait in the car with Vhagar and Coco, not wanting to draw any attention to yourself.

Soon, you get to an expensive cafe and spot a few paparazzi following Aemond around, clicking pictures of the two of you. He holds your hand and stays on the side of the cameras, shielding you from the attention neither of you want or need. You grab a little meal and your coffees with puppuccino for the dogs. They happily yap away the unsweetened whipped cream you hold for them, then Aemond proceeds to act like a total gentleman and open the door for you and help you in, earning a glimpse of your beautiful smile. He glares at the reporters recording you and then swiftly drives away to the park, where you spend the evening with your dogs playing as you finish your coffees and the pasties.

It’s only dusk when Aemond has to leave for a moment, he has a call he cannot ignore. You hold both Coco and Vhagar’s leash, absently walking the park full of people and their pets. It isn’t until Vhagar growls that you pay attention to the young man of dark hair and a rather plain stature in front of you. You’ve seen him a few times before, and the resemblance he holds to his brother is uncanny.

Lucerys Velaryon stands in front of you with his young bloodhound, Arrax, a slight smirk on his face and one hand stuffed in his pocket. You give him your best dead eyes and walk away, having to force Vhagar to walk. You know she is angry at Lucerys, she always is whenever he is over. But she obeys to you, reluctantly.

“You should realise that my uncles and aunt are not Targaryen heirs,” Lucerys says the moment you take your first step away from him. “Aemond is certainly not of any use to you if it is power and money that you are looking for.”

“I have no words to say to you,” You say, trying to walk away again. Vhagar is growing impatient at his voice, her nerves rubbing off on Coco as well as your German Shepherd begins a low growl at Lucerys. Vhagar tugs hard on her leash, and your hand strains to hold her back - greyhounds are one of the fastest dogs, and her limbs are tense, ready to pounce on her target.

“I am just saying that you’ll have more to gain by staying on our side than theirs.” He shrugs. “My mother and step-father will reward you generously.”

At the mention of his stepfather, you grit your teeth, whilst still struggling to hold back Vhagar with one hand. In a moment of weakness, she breaks free of your grip and pounces towards the young man, her jaw wide open, ready to snap. Lucerys barely has any time to react before her jaw snaps, only managing to nip at his little finger before you manage to get a hold of her leash back. “Vhagar, NO!” you scream. She stops, but is still growling at Lucerys, who looks at the greyhound with terror.

He holds his bleeding finger against his chest, the bite not being deep enough to take his finger off. Considering the force of Vhagar’s bite, Lucerys is very fortunate to have gotten off this easy. “Filthy beast bit me!” he accuses.

“You should be glad I held her back in time, boy,” You say through a clenched jaw. “If I hadn’t, she’d have bitten your hand off. Hounds don’t forget people that harm their humans, you should know that.”

“Bitch,” he swears at you before walking away, shaking his hand.

You force yourself to take a few deep breaths and calm down, then walk the dogs again as Aemond jogs up to you to catch up. He takes Vhagar from you and wraps his free hands around your waist, pulling you close and planting a quick kiss on your cheek. “You seem tense, darling.”

“Vhagar was not happy to see your nephew,” You say. “Can’t really blame her though, neither was I. Lucerys Velaryon is not a sight for me.”

“And did something happen?” He asks, hand squeezing your side tighter.

“Vhagar tried to bite his hand off, but nothing I couldn’t handle.” You shrug.

“You shouldn’t bite people unless you are in danger, Vhagar,” Aemond playfully chides her, and she whimpers in response, rubbing herself against his leg. “I know you are mad at him, but you’ll have your time my sweet girl.”

The next morning and the mornings after that, you and Aemond are all over the Page Six news - with the photos from the cafe and a few from the park, and you’re suddenly very uncomfortable. You hadn’t noticed any paparazzi in and around the park, and the thought that someone had been monitoring your movement sends chills down your spine. 

“They’re calling you a mystery woman,” Aegon chuckles at breakfast a few days later. “Find out all about the mystery woman with one of the most eligible bachelors in King’s Landing, the headline says, which is not true, considering I am still single.”

“It’s too early for this, Aegon,” you groan. “They’re just gossiping, it’s like their job.”

“Honey, it is their job,” He corrects you. “Although, you two do look cute together. Since when did you become so handsome, Aemond?”

“The moment I decided to speak with my darling,” Aemond answers with a rare smile on his face.

“Holy demons from the seven hells!” Aegon curses, “Who are you and where have you taken my baby brother?!”

“Aegon, shut up,” Helaena speaks up. “Literally no one cares,” she looks at you and then at Aemond with a little smirk. “You two are really cute though. I’d say you keep charms to ward off evil eyes. Too much negative energy and people these days. I like the change she brings in you, Aemond.” She adds, and your face heats up. You love these people so much, you wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Your phone rang, and seeing a video call from Daeron you grinned. "What is it, young man?" You say once his silver head comes on the screen.

"I know you are all gossiping away without me," He whines. "Hi, my brothers and sister,"

"Don't you have classes to attend?" Aegon asks, coming up behind you. "This is very insincere of you, Daeron,"

"You're one to talk," Aemond chuckles. "It's probably his break time."

You look at your little family and smile, leaning into Aemonds warm body beside you, resting your head on his shoulder. Come the night, you will be a different person - and you cannot wait to be one with the shadows once again, to have a taste of revenge. 

The night did not get a chance to come - sick, old Viserys decided to leave the realm of the living that evening, and the word spread quickly. Rhaenyra and her family arrive - and you note that the only ones with moist eyes are Alicent and Rhaenyra. It does not come to you as a shock - Daemon Targaryen’s absence - for he has never shown emotions other than lust or fury. Perhaps some say he shows love for his wife, but he does not even utter a word of respect to the one he owes everything to.

It does surprise you that Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey do not shed tears for their grandsire - as horrible as Viserys was, he did care for his grandchildren even more so than he cared about his own as you knew. They are dressed in a dark maroon, and not black or white as the customs rule. The three of them are seemingly enjoying themselves, gossiping away while throwing glances at you and your friends, all of you dressed up in fine black clothes. A light champagne is served to the few guests present - mostly people from Viserys’ council. 

Jasper Wylde nods at Aegon and Aemond not paying the rest of you any attention. He stands in the front of the room, beside Viserys’ casket and clinks his glass. “Viserys Targaryen, our stern, kind boss has unfortunately left us on this sad day.” He begins, voice deep but loud. “And I cannot disrespect Boss by delaying the reading of his will any further. A few days ago, Viserys had awakened for a short while and had me come to meet him,” he says, silencing everyone in the room with his words. “And he had me draft a new will for him, the will that I am going to read out to you now.”

“I, Viserys Targaryen, the first of my name, am leaving my business accounts, responsibilities and by extension the buildings of the Red Keep and the handlings in Westeros in my wife, Alicent Hightower’s hands.” A sudden, collective gasp took over everyone present, and you forced your face to a mask of mild surprise - as did Aemond. Aegon played his part of the clown well, with wide eyes and an incredulous grin. Helaena acts ignorant as she usually is, unbothered by everything. Daeron watches with big, curious eyes, seemingly inhaling every word uttered.

“To my eldest daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, I leave Dragonstone and StygianMarble.” Wylde reads. “Further, I leave Alicent Hightower the freedom to choose her heir per her wishes.”

“This is a lie!” Rhaenyra screams, and you resist the urge to roll your eyes. “My father would never do this.” She storms to Jasper Wylde and snatches the documents from his hands, violet eyes raking over the paper, turning pages furiously seeing Viserys' messy scrawl of a signature. The horror on her face only intensified on seeing the signed papers. “This is not real.” She exhales a shaky breath.

“I’m afraid not,” Jasper Wylde says. “This was his will, and I shall not disrespect him by listening to your vile accusations.”

“My father would never do this,” Rhaenyra says. You look away from her dishevelled state - she had given birth a few weeks prior, a healthy boy she had named Aegon III Targaryen. And you look over a wide eyed shocked Alicent, who stands beside her equally shocked but more composed father.

“I think he prevented a war from breaking out,” Tyland Lannister says. “Whether people support your claim or Aegon’s - they will all listen to Boss. It's time we have an experienced Mafia Queen.” The last comment is directed at Rhaenyra - the accusation is true but did not elicit a reaction.

“Look at her!” Rhaenyra says, pointing to Alicent. “She didn't even know my father left that in her will.”

“That is because it was between him and me only,” Wylder says.

With the corner of your vision, you notice Steffon Darklyn, one of Rhaenyra’s most trusted bodyguards reaching for the hilt of his hunting knife and you don't have to guess for it to be aimed at Alicent. With quiet steps you blend into the shadows, seeking out their company once again as you swiftly make your way towards Alicent’s shadow. They once again prove to be your trusty companions, and Steffon doesn't notice you and freely approaches the new boss with his arm raised slightly.

Like a shadow demon, you extend your hand and grab him by the wrist with a vice-like grip. You glare at him with the stare of death and he is half startled into submission and he drops the knife, the blade hitting the white marble floor with a loud clang, caught red handed in the act of trying to attack the new boss. You press your lips together, glaring at him in disapproval. “It's not kind to attack a grieving woman at her husband’s funeral.” You quietly say. “Much less in her own house.”

“She’s stealing what is rightfully my Boss', and I will not idly stand by and watch. She is a thief and she’ll get what she deserves” He says through gritted teeth. His free arm grabs for you, almost bruising on your shoulder. “And you are no one to speak to me like that little girl. Let me go.”

When you don't, Steffon twists the wrist in your grip, trying to break free as the bruising grip on your shoulder loosens, the action too quick for you to react. A harsh punch lands on your jaw, and you kick him in the knee, more out of reflex than thought of action. You're not phased too much, honestly you had much worse than that before. Your eyes tear up in response to the pain, but his reaction is much worse - the older man falls to one knee and grabs his injured one, yelping in pain. "Bitch!" He grunts.

"Darklyn!" Rhaenyra yells, angry eyes set on you. "Why would you do that!?"

You don't say anything, just glare daggers at the silver haired woman, eyes asking more questions than your mouth ever could. "I didn't know you wore glasses," you finally say when Alicent gently nudges you, finally over her shock. You massage your throbbing jaw and crack the joints of your neck, wiping away the spit that had fallen at the punch's impact. 

Aemond is quick to be at your side and his siblings follow closely, Aegon and Helaena standing on Alicent's side and Aemond and Daeron on yours. "Be careful of the words that leave you next." Aemond warns, voice dangerously low and threatening. Your glare only intensifies with the added confidence.

"Who even is she to speak to in matters of the family?" Jacaerys comes to his mother's defence. Eyes on you, he adds "You're a no one,"

“She is more family than you have ever been,” Helaena mutters, but it's audible in the silence of the room.

“Your personal guard tried to attack the new boss,” Jasper Wylde warned, earning nods from other members of old Viserys' council. “And you claim his will is a lie, and refuse to accept his decision. You are not doing any wonders to your reputation, Rhaenyra. I would advise you to grieve in peace and then act according to your father's will. He would appreciate that. Don't you trust his decision this time? The one last wish that he had of you?”

The silver-haired former heiress calms down a bit at the lawyer's words as Steffon Darklyn is carried out of the room with two of Rhaenyra’s trusted guards.  “I would like to examine the documents myself once,” he finally says.

“They are all yours,” Jasper Wylde hands the pile of bond papers. “You can examine them all you want.”

Rhaenyra and her eldest frantically go through the document, studying the paper and examining every single signature of the dead old man.

You thanked whatever divine powers worked this out - that you were able to get the old man’s signature just about a week before he died. You eye everyone in the hall - from Jason Lannister, to Rickon Stark to Criston Cole, Borros Baratheon and the Tyrell girl - the members of Viserys’ council, Otto Hightower and the rest of the family and Rhaena and Baela. The only immediate family member missing was Daemon Targaryen, not even respecting his father-in-law in his death.

Rhaenyra already had tears in her eyes, but now her face is a mask of disappointment and disapproval. “I know he wasn’t in his right mind when he had you write this.” She firmly says. “These might be his words, but he would have never wanted that. I am not sure what you drugged him with, but he’d never do that to me.”

“Even with this will, you are getting Father’s most profitable business,” Aegon says, hands crossed over his chest. His eyes are tinged red - from rage rather than melancholy. You’re not sure if the bitterness in his voice is forced. “He gave you arms production, and your apartment. He left Mother to handle the crime part. Even in death he didn’t put his wife above you. And here you are questioning his decisions.”

Alicent motions to Criston Cole, and he disperses the crowd away from the hall. You begin to walk away, but Alicent grabs your wrist and holds you in place. “You’re not going anywhere, sweet girl.” she insists. “Thank you.”

You nod, unsure of how you could tell her that you were grateful to her, for allowing you to have this lifestyle to have a civil life after your doomed existence, for her patience to have you adjust with the civil world after years of being passed around all over Westeros. This is the least you could do for her, and you should be thanking her for everything that she has done to you, for letting her amazing children be your friends, for birthing your perfect lover.

“Rhaenyra, you lost your father, and I lost my husband.” Alicent says, her big brown eyes filled with tears of sorrow. “But I want you to put your grief aside for a moment and respect your father’s will. I can only offer you my condolences and to stay in Viserys’s chambers in this period of mourning. I hope that will be enough to push some sense into your head - Mafia lord or not, Viserys was a kind father to you. The least you can do in return is accept his will.” Her voice breaks, and you are amazed at how this strong, strong woman could mourn for the man who made her life hell, who did not pay any mind to the children that she bore for him.

You had more than a couple of harsh questions for the heiress, but you kept your mouth shut, forcing yourself to swallow the words that came to your mouth. 

“You don’t have the right to offer me my father’s house.” Rhaenyra’s words are harsh, probably from her delirious grief, but it is then that you snap.

“If he was so dear to you, where had you been all these years as he slowly decayed away to his sickness?” Your voice is full of bite. 

“What do you know of me and my father?” the silver-haired woman snaps. “You are just a no one who came out of nowhere like yesterday and you feel entitled to speak with me like that?” 

“I can assure you that I have lived here longer than either of your sons have,” you say, having snapped the thread of your will. “And you might be surprised by the extent of my knowledge on this whole mess of a family.”

“Have some respect, you’re speaking to my mother,” Jacaerys demands, standing on his mother’s right. His brown eyes are wide in anger, but his dull figure is not intimidating at all. 

“And what has she done to earn my respect?” You shrug. “The first time I saw you, you had wanted an injured child having his eye sewn shut to be tortured for calling your sons bastards. The last time I saw her at a sitdown with the mob families, her disgusting husband shot an important family man in front of the whole mob and she didn’t even bat an eye on it. I’d say she looked pleased, even. Rhaenyra, would you have another man killed for telling the truth?”

You tilt your head slightly to the side at the mother and sons’ alarmed expressions, a haunting smile gracing your face. Rhaenyra quickly composes herself, “My husband doesn't like when people disrespect me.” She says, lips pressed together in a smoulder. “You should be careful too.”

“And where is your so dutiful husband now?” You hiss, and Alicent places her hand on your arm, squeezing. You know that she wants you to stop, but you can’t now. Not when the poison in your veins threatens to explode, if you don’t let it out, the misery will suffocate you and might just be too much to bear. “With his lovely young Nettles, I presume?” you add with a sneer. “Fucking pedophile.”

The mention of Daemon Targaryen’s favourite young little whore is what finally has Rhaenyra’s walls crumbling, and her left eye twitches in uncontrolled rage. You smirk at her, enjoying this destruction of her peace. Alicent’s hand is still on your arm, squeezing at it, harsher now, wanting you to stop. 

“I am not sure why you have this vendetta against my step-father,” Lucerys finally speaks up. “But you probably deserved it, you bitch.”

And your rage explodes like a sparked dynamite. Alicent released your arm, unwilling to hold you back now. Every moment of those blurred six years that you had spent in that hellhole of a place seemed to be playing in your head like a tragic, horror movie. The image of those disgusting old men touching you without a care in the world - the fight response kicking in your veins. You are on their side in an instant, and you punch the younger boy in the face - you don't see Lucerys - in your eyes he is one of those filthy old beasts that call themselves men  of class. You fist lands right on his left eye, and he grunts - pushed back by the force of your punch. Aemond and Aegon both rush to your either side, holding you back with all the force that they could muster.

Everything happens so quickly - you feel nothing but white, hot rage toward that family, each one of them entitled to everything in the world. “He’s not worth it, my love.” Aemond’s quiet voice whispers in your ear, and you let him drag you away from this infuriating trio of mother and sons - the hall enveloped in total silence. “Let me take you somewhere more pleasing.”

“I should have strangled them,” you mumble.

“All in good time, my love.” Aemond promises. 

.

Aegon holds them all with an angry stare, Rhaenyra tending to Lucerys; bruising eye - it looks painful, and would probably swell too. He couldn’t care less, not when the young man deserved it. Lucerys should be glad that none of the hounds are there -  they’d have done some serious damage with the fury they had ignited in every single one of them. 

“You should be glad she didn’t have any weapons on her,” Aegon says through gritted teeth. “Don’t overstay your welcome - our Sunfyre doesn’t take kindly to uninvited guests, you know. Neither do I.” He walks away, Daeron and Helaena follow him. 

The three are waiting for Alicent and Otto to return, and when they do Daeron is the one to speak up first, “They cannot live here with us, Mother.” he runs his fingers through his silver waves, sighing. “Not with how they act and speak.”

“I will try my best to limit their interactions with you, my children.” Alicent sighs, rubbing her forehead. “And I will make sure they do not speak of Daemon. I have never liked that man - he had always been quite the… rogue soldier.”

"You should have them kicked out." Aegon presses. "I wouldn't be surprised if my dear sister plans to take over our house by killing all of us. It's just not safe!"

"Viserys was her father and I cannot deny her the right to mourn in peace." Alicent sighs. "I will have Criston increase the security though."

"This will bite back in the ass." Helaena grumbles. "None of us trust her mother - she is not your friend anymore. She is a jealous ex heiress and might stoop low enough to kill us all in our sleep."

"It's just a matter of a week," Alicent says, hand on her chest. "We can manage."

"You say it's a week - a week when Aemond has to leave for his conference in Highgarden." Daeron notes. "He is our best fighter and I honestly don't feel particularly safe in his absence while the enemy lives in our home."

It is now two days later, and Aegon watches as Aemond ruffles Daeron's hair and asks him random questions in Computer vocabulary that he doesn't clearly understand. His youngest brother perks up like a sunflower and aptly answers the questions. 

Helaena cannot stand saying goodbye - it feels like an omen, she claims. Their mother is there, and she murmurs blessings to Aemond, caressing his shoulders. She is tense, Aegon can see that - sending away her favourite son is a risky gamble and she insists on Criston going with him, leaving them almost completely defenceless. He cannot blame her though - Aemond’s safety is just as important.

The brothers only hug, and Aegon only pats his little brother’s back saying, “You’ll get the best paper award, I know it.”

“I'd be the happiest if I do,” Aemond grins.

“I beg to disagree,” Aegon says, glancing over to his side, with you sitting on the bench, looking down at your hands. To his surprise, Aemond blushes and Aegon cannot help but smirk as he shoves his little brother your way.

As happy as Aegon is for you two, there is a little envy of the way the two of you beam like diamonds in each other’s presence, wondering if he would ever have someone like that. You hug him tightly and then crane up to kiss his cheek - Aemond smiles as do you, and he quickly snaps a picture to tease two sappy lovers. He looks away when Aemond kisses you. 

Then Aemond waves at all of you as he gets in the car after Criston, a happy smile on his face. You begin to walk away and the two remaining brothers flank your sides. 

“If either one of my nephews bother you, tell me.” Aegon promises you. “I won’t be sad if you hurt them, but mother wouldn't be too happy.”

“I am planning to go for a drive and walk Coco and Vhagar.” You say. “I won't have time to see those annoying little nephews of yours.”

“Good then.” He says, a feeling of dread dropping to the pit of his stomach. 

The awful feeling keeps clawing up his insides, and by dinner time when you have not returned it starts clawing at his throat. Aegon keeps a watchful on his half-sister and his nephews - something about them feeling off. Their eyes sparkle with mirth, as if they share an inside joke that has been made at their cost. 

It happens quickly, too quick for Aegon to reach for his revolver. The masked men target Daeron and Helaena first - then Alicent and Otto. A blade is pressed into the column of his throat - not cutting through yet. The blade would cut if he breathes too aggressively so he holds his breath. 

“Out of the chairs, now,” Rhaenyra says with a smirk. Lucerys and Jacaerys smile of their own accord, the two pairs of dark brown eyes jumping from Aegon, to Daeron to Helaena. Lucerys' eye is swollen, but not enough to take the vision from his eye, and for a moment of spite, he prays that it would have, serving the young man right. Otto reaches for his pistol, but the big man beats him to it, now holding Otto's pistol to his own head along with the knife at his throat. 

Aegon has both his hands being held behind him in a grip like vice. If he makes it through the night, they'd certainly be bruised. “Very generous of you to offer this special treatment,” He says. “But I'd appreciate not having a blade digging into my larynx.”

“I’ll have your throat slashed if you speak again,” Rhaenyra threatens. “I’ll take what's mine and maybe spare your life.” She twirls a small knife in her hands and adds thoughtfully, “not that bitch of yours though. I’ll have my time enjoying her screams.”

“Alicent, we can have this done in an easy way - you sign the documents naming everything to me and I'll not hurt anyone.” She says. “Or I’ll start with taking sweet Helaena’s nails. You wouldn’t like that, would you?”

There are tears in his Mother’s eyes that he cannot wipe away. He can only hope to disarm the man holding him, but he cannot - there are too many of them to fight and they could kill his family for freeing himself, a risk he cannot afford to take.

Aegon is surprised to feel someone’s two elbows dig between his shoulder blades, for he is certain that only one man was holding him and that men only had two arms. The unmistakable crack of bones breaking fills his ears momentarily and he tries to look behind himself. His surprise turns to alarm when the hand gripping his wrists together loosens and falls, following the knife being dropped from his throat - and he can finally breathe again. A delicate hand is wrapped around his arm and tugs him back, and he is glad to have you on his side - for the look in your eyes promises a fate more barbaric than being burned alive. 

“You will release my family,” You say, voice deathly still. 

“I will-” Rhaenyra starts.

Five shots echo, interrupting Rhaenyra’s sentence before it even starts, and the five men holding his grandsire, mother, sister and brother fall dead on the floor with perfectly shaped bullet wounds oozing blood from their foreheads.

“You were saying something?” You ask, smiling as if you didn’t just send five men to Hell - well, six, if counting the man whose neck you snapped.

Jacaerys and Lucerys cave into their mother - Aegon cannot blame them, he, too, would hide behind his mother had he been at the receiving end of your sinister eyes. Rhaenyra’s violet eyes are wide with shock and fear - a look that suits her, he thinks.

“Cat got your tongue?” You ask again, the long barrel of your piston towards the floor, but your hand is raised in the trio’s direction. You slowly stalk toward them, twirling your piston between your fingers. “This fear suits you,” you finally say. “Keep this in mind the next time you plan to harm my family. Your goons will not be the only ones dropping dead the next time it happens. Off now, dinner’s over.”

Lucerys and Jacaerys follow their mother, wide-eyed as they take a good look at the five large, dead men laying on the floor, their blood turning the white marble a dark shade of red. Alicent looks at you as if seeing you for the first time - he cannot blame his mother - you have a naive face, no one could guess you are capable of such brutality. It’s a weapon, Aegon thinks, a weapon of mass deception.

Daeron looks wide eyed at the dead bodies, shuddering once before stepping over two pairs of immobile legs and coming to stand beside him. Aegon raises his arm and pulls his brother close. After all, Daeron is still young and not too used to violence. Helaena looks at you deeply once, your eyes are trained on the floor - Aegon thinks you are afraid, afraid of judgement - he cannot begin to imagine why, for you have just saved their lives and their rights. 

“You saved our lives,” Helaena says. “I don’t think words would be enough to thank you.”

“It was nothing.” You say, voice small. You look up once again and glance at the dead bodies scattered in the room. “This one is not dead,” You say, nodding toward the man that had been holding Aegon hostage. “I’ll have him questioned once he wakes, but I need help to move him - there.”

Aegon and Daeron both come to your aide and together manage to lift the burly man, taking him to the lift. You stuff the pistol in the back pocket of your jeans and then walk out of the room, saying, “I’ll send someone to clean this mess up.”

.

That had been the first time the Velaryon boys had seen you snap. The fear it had left in their brain had dulled in comparison to what they witnessed a mere two days later though. The sight of you was enough to send their thoughts right back to Hell - the place you had returned from.

With Aegon’s help, you had managed to obtain the full layout of the Bolton’s Knight Club. And with little assistance from Daeron, you sneak into the premises. His voice is in your ear, telling you the position of the guards and which point would be easier to sneak in from. You are upset that Daeron has to witness you going apeshit on camera, but you couldn’t do everything alone. You kill those guards as bloodlessly and quickly as you can and find your way to the children’s rooms. 

In the earpiece, you can hear Daeron speak with Helaena as he tells her the route to follow and she follows you in as you work to pick the locks. You remind yourself that you have done this a hundred times before tonight, but this place with its dark luxurious interior makes your blood boil to an extent that you are unable to think clearly. You want to stomp on the roof till this building collapses with everyone in it.

You waste precious seconds in picking the lock, but those moments are paid off as you see beds by beds of little boys and girls looking at you all wide-eyed and terrified. You spot some young women and men too - them eyeing your duo warily. Helaena starts with her gentle words and you can see them trusting her, as they file into two queues of around fifty people total. 

You know they think that this is a dream, a dream seen by most of them in their sleep. An angel coming to save them from this hellish world, to tell them they were only being tested and to be returned to their families. For you that dream could never be your reality, but you want to provide that reality to these kids whose innocence is stolen before they even got to realise life. Some of the young children are as young as four - barely out of the toddler stage, and your heart twists in disgust. You can only hope that her parents take her back.

A young woman clings to a little babe - barely over six months old. You motion at her to follow the other kids, but she refuses, terror in her eyes.

“What is your name?” you ask, as gentle as you can be.

“Martha,” she replies.

“Martha, listen, I know you are scared to leave.” You keep the voice gentle, force it to stop shaking. “You think that these people are the most powerful in the world and they will catch you. I am asking a lot from you when I ask you to trust me, but I have been here before and I know that it will not get better. It never does. Helaena will take care of you so that you can take care of your baby.”

“They said they’ll kill my sweet Ellaire if I try to run.” Martha says with tears in her eyes. Her dark hair is a mess, brown cheeks turning a dark burnt orange. “I can’t put Ellaire at risk.”

“Martha, if you stay here they’ll do to Ellaire what they did to you.” You softly say the truth. “And I know you don’t want that. We can help you, please come with us.” You glance down at your watch and urgently add, “We don’t have much time.” 

At her hesitation, you further add, “Everyone else has left, what do you think they will do to you and Ellaire when they see that you’re the only ones left?” You grab her wrist, careful of the babe. “Do you think they will let little Ellaire live? You have to leave. Now. Come with me.” Somehow you manage to coax her and she follows everyone else out to Helaena’s truck. Aegon is with her, waiting to drive away. You had ensured that those traumatised kids and young adults did not come across the dead guards - they didn't need to see dead bodies with the physical, psychological and sexual trauma that they already held. 

“Okay, we are done now!” Helaena says in your earpiece. “Daeron, is the path clear?” 

“Not yet.” Daeron says. “There’s a truck like yours at the back gate.”

“Shoot the driver dead,” you hiss. “I am sure they have brought new stock. Helaena, can you drive a truck?”

“Oh yeah,” Helaena eagerly says. 

“Aegon, get that driver and his handler good for me.” You quietly say again. 

“On it, ma’am.” Aegon says, and you hear the opening and shutting of the door. A small shuffling sound is heard and Helaena sighs. 

Two gunshots and dull thuds come into your earpiece and once again the opening and closing of truck doors is heard. “Alright, we’re done.” Aegon says. “Are we free to go now, captain?” he asks Daeron

“Yeah,” Daeron says. “You’re all clear.”

“Daeron,” you quietly say. “I am going to have to ask you to look away from the cameras now. You’ll hate me after this if you see.”

“I don’t think I will,” He says. “You’re doing everyone a favour with what you are about to do. Decimate them all.” His voice is venomous as he speaks, and you think he sounds more mad at them for you than you are.

“I will,” you promise.

.

It’s way past midnight, closer to the devil’s hour than it is to midnight by the time you are done with the Botlon’s Knight Club and its patrons. Your face is probably covered in blood, and your hair is heavy - damp and sticky. Your black leather jacket is covered in blood, but the dark colour makes it harder to spot. Dried blood marks your footsteps from the lift to the kitchen on Alicent's floor, working in the dark. You’re thirsty, terribly so. You’re covered in blood and desperately need to bathe, but you’re starving and you’re thirsty. A few drops of blood drip down from your braid onto the granite counter as you drain a jug of water quickly.

Your burning oesophagus and stomach thank you with relief as the cool water falls on them, reviving some of the sensations. There’s some leftover cake in the fridge and you take it out along with some cranberry juice and the butter chicken leftovers that you warm up in the microwave. You’re starving like a neanderthal - so hungry that you could eat a horse. But soon the chicken is hot enough to burn your tongue and you start eating on the kitchen island, stabbing at it with your fork and gulping it down with no civility. 

You are practically inhaling the cranberry juice from the glass when the light is suddenly turned on, blinding you momentarily as a set of vaguely familiar voices screams, snapping you out of the starved trance you are in. You slowly blink in your vision, and spot Jacaerys and Lucerys standing at the kitchen entrance, staring at you, their eyes comically wide. You are about to ask if they have seen a ghost, but then you look down at yourself, covered in blood and drinking a juice red as the blood on you. 

Rhaenyra and Alicent follow close, standing behind the two strong boys - Alicent sighs and shrugs as Rhaenyra looks at her former friend for some answers. You ignore them and continue to drink your cranberry juice - realising just now that you probably smell like smoke. You need to bathe, dreadfully so, but your cake slice was waiting for you. And you’re still fucking starving, so you dig back into butter chicken.

“Do you want to eat or just keep staring at me?” You ask after gulping down the last of your butter chicken.

“Y/N, you’ll need to have the kitchen cleaned before breakfast.” Alicent says, turning around as she yawns. “Go sleep, you three. Nothing out of the ordinary here.”

“Filthy demon,” Rhaenyra murmurs.

You hiss at her and the terrified trio rushes away from your kitchen, and you finally get to your cake. Having satiated your hunger, you return to your rooms and take a long, cleansing bath and then return to clean the lift with very contained smoke and then clean it with hydrogen peroxide. You are thorough in your cleaning, careful with the controlled smoke and then with peroxide followed by floor-cleaner. It’s past four in the morning by the time you are done, but you still have much energy left to expend. You play with the harddrive you had retrieved from the Knight’s Club, and sit down in front of your computer, easily accessing the cameras that had been connected to the Bolton’s private network till around nine in the night.

There is no physical evidence of footage, but you find your way into the Bolton’s cloud storage and erase the footage from there too, making sure to clear any traces of your invasion. It was simply as if the footage from that night was never stored on the cloud. You plug in the harddrive and remove the footage from there too, and then throw it in your fireplace. The outer plastic casing eventually melts away and you enjoy the flames dancing in front of your eyes. Alas, the fire is not hot enough to melt the circuits, but by the time you retrieve the half molten plastic, the circuit is easy to dismantle and you pick it out piece-by-piece and destroy the pin.

.

The fire from the previous night is the only thing being spoken of all over the university - assignments and homework, deadlines and new presentations forgotten. Early police investigation suggests that the fire was the culprit that claimed the lives of a total of sixty men - thirty guards and around thirty most powerful men in Westeros - with the Knight’s Club owners and runners - Reese Bolton, his brothers Ryman and Roose, his sons Rawdon and Raymond, a Velaryon man, Petyr and Edwyn the Frey twins, are the more notable among other names. 

You don’t care about that buzz though, because Aemond is set to return this evening. You have sparsely spoken to each other, only occasionally texting a have you had dinner, or how did your presentation go, kind of thing - but no proper conversation. You think of him - how his scent of leathers and limes comforts you and you cannot wait to have him back in your arms. 

The day passes by in a blur - the student’s union holds a short memorial ceremony for Rawdon and Raymond but you don’t go - you’d probably oust yourself by laughing. How they managed to recognize the dead men was still a mystery to you, for you were certain DNA tests couldn’t be this fast - it must have been the footage of them all entering, perhaps. 

The police says there was a fire down in the electrical supply and it short circuited, and the centralised air conditioning collapsed on the people, crushing their faces. They didn’t know that the air conditioning crushed them after they were lying dead in pools of their own blood. You had used a wide variety of weapons, which you spent a terrible hour in the morning cleaning before driving to King’s Landing University. 

Despite the blood colouring your hands red, you feel like the cleanest you have ever felt. 

“Did you hear about the fire at Bolton’s last night?” Calvin asks you as you slide into place beside him in the algorithms class. 

“Everyone is talking about it,” you say. You don’t have to fight too hard the urge to take credit. You want to, so desperately, but you resist it. You’ll have time later in the evening when Aemond is back. “I really don’t care though. As you know I was not particularly fond of Rawdon Bolton after that incident two weeks ago.”

“Of course,” Calvin says. “And you seem too happy,”

“Do I?” You ask.

“Yeah, glowing.” He nodded, an exasperated look on his face.

“My boyfriend is coming back from his conference,” You say, which is the truth. “I haven't seen him in three days! I missed him terribly.”

“Uhm, since when do you have a boyfriend and why don’t I know about this?” Calvin asks, a pout on his face as he rests his chin on his hands.

“Well, it’s just Aemond,” you shrug.

“Just Aemond?” he asks, incredulous. “Girl, you’re speaking about the Aemond Targaryen, right? Viserys Targaryen’s son?”

“Yeah, who else?” You frown.

“Girl what-” he seems shocked by your indifference, a hand on his mouth. “You’re dating Aemond Targaryen, the one-eyed mob… prince?”

“Yes, Calvin. Did you leave your brain at home or what?” you say.

“You’re dating Aemond fucking Targaryen-” He repeats. “And you expect me to be cool about it?”

“You were stoned the first time I told you about that,”  You recall. “Calvin, I told you about this before, I am sure.”

“Must be,” He decides. “Because I’d never forget that otherwise.”

.

The news of the fire in Reese Bolton’s Knight Club has reached Aemond, clearly so. He wonders if it is truly an accident, but he doesn't believe it. He hadn't spoken with you since last evening, when you had ominously said, "I will be busy tonight, my love." You gave no further explanation.

As he drives into King's Landing via the highway, Criston sits in the passenger side, looking rapidly from mirror to mirror, eyeing for anyone who might be following them. Aemond zig zags this way through the highway, doing his best to keep everyone confused. 

There had been an attempt at him while he was in his hotel at Highgarden, but Criston had managed to save him by a second. A masked man had tried to shoot him, and he was captured by Cole and was presently tied up and hidden in the trunk of the car. He has some words to ask about the ambush. They managed to keep it under wraps, but he suspected it had something to do with his Mother being named heir and Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen. 

Even with his disturbed mind, Aemond managed to get the best poster award, even if he didn't get the best paper one. He had just shrugged when you had asked about how it went, not wanting to tell you over the phone.

Aemond misses the warmth of your body against his, but he tries not to think about it too much and focuses on the road instead, hurrying to reach the Red Keep as fast as he can.

It's a little past sunset when he reaches home, and you are walking in the direction of the complex Vhagar and Coco on either side. The dogs rush at the sight of him and you let them go, and both the greyhound and the German shepherd seem to have gained their energy back at the sight of your silver haired boyfriend, and you let them off their leash, the two of them speeding to the black suv. Vhagar jumps on Aemond, as if trying to hug her human while Coco sniffs around, licking at Criston’s hand, rubbing himself all over his knees and calves. Cole lets out a rare laugh, patting the big ball of fluff on his head, murmuring, “Good boy Coco, I missed you too.”

“I missed you too, big girl,” Aemond kissed the running dog’s snout and rubbed under her ears as you managed to catch up with your pups. You smile at Criston who finally manages to escape Coco’s clutches only to be smothered by Vhagar, while Coco now targets his affections to Aemond, standing on his hind legs with his front legs on Aemond and leaving little licks on the scarred side of his face.

“I see you have been a good boy, Coco,” Aemond says, rubbing the german shepherd’s brown fur. You chuckle as your dog turns his butt to Aemond, demanding his long overdue butt-scratches, and your beautiful boyfriend has no choice but to oblige.

“Come with me pups,” Criston urges the dogs who eagerly follow him into the lift, smiling at the two of you as he leaves.

“Hi,” you say, unable to fight the big grin on your face.

“Hi yourself, my love.” He says, grinning like an idiot. “How I have missed you so.”

You reach forward and hug him, his homely smell enveloping you in blankets of comfort. His strong arms hold you close and his nose rests in your hair, breathing in the scent of your shampoo. Your eyes are shut and you can listen to his steady heart beat, his warmth bringing you much needed comfort. 

“I love you,” you whisper against him, and he squeezes you tighter in response, leaving a long kiss on your hair. His lips move against your hair - you can’t hear him over the pounding of your heart and his - but you know what he says sigh.

“How was your conference?” You ask, pulling away from him. You examine him from head to toe, brushing back some of his out of place hair, your hand on his cheek. He loved the comfort your calloused hand brings to him, leaning further into your touch.

“Not peachy,” he confesses with a sigh. “I still got the best poster award though.”

“What happened, Aemond?” You ask. You have that alarmed gleam in your eyes that he recognises way too well, and he knows it’s too late to retract. 

So he attempts to distract you. “Nothing,” He says. “Nuff talking about that conference though. I want to spend time with my girl now,” he smirks a little and before you can react, you are thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, a sudden gasp leaving you as he takes the fucking staircase up.

“Aemond, put me down you rascal!” You say with a giggle as he carries you up unceremoniously till the first floor landing. Aemond stops for a moment and he gently lets your feet touch the ground, and you think you are going to go to your rooms in Otto’s floor, before you are swept up into his arms again, bridal style this time. You laugh again, more freely this time as he takes the lift, a little proud smile on his face. His long, silky hair tickles your neck as you lean forward to plant a kiss at the corner of his heart shaped mouth, content with yourself. 

The lift halts at Alicent’s floor - the second - before coming to Aemond’s floor - the sixth one - and the lift doors open to reveal Jacaerys. Your happy mood sours at his wavering voice, “You’ve returned, Uncle.”

“It would seem so,” Aemond says, and you scowl at the young man before hitting the close button with your foot, promptly taking the Velaryon boy out of your sight.

“They’ve caused quite a mess in your absence,” You tell Aemond, absently playing with his hair. “I can’t fucking wait for them to leave.”

“Hmm,” Aemond hums, mentally taking note of asking Aegon about it later. You and Alicent would hold back details from him - he is certain. “We’ll get to that later. I hear there was a fire last night.” he looks at you with a smile. His eye hurts from this angle but it’s worth being able to see the slight pride blooming in your face as your cheeks colour. “It wouldn’t have been your doing would it be, darling?”

“No, not at all,” you say with a smile. “Me? Little old me doing anything like that?”

“Unimaginable,” Aemond adds. “Impossible, Inconceivable.”

“Any other synonyms left, good sir?” you poke his long, pale neck with your nose. He smells a little of sweat, but you have smelled worse. 

“Unbelievable, my love.” He teases.

.

.

.

.

tags:

@p0rnstargirl  @aerysa-targaryen @warners-wife 

@dollfaceyourfear @ladymoon666 @chainsawsangel @esmaada @amadwomanrambles @devils-blackrose @darthgamer74 @jbaby2

@its-sam-allgood @aemondmyl0ve @pingyu-in-wonderland @poisonedsultana

@a-beaverhausen @virginslut08 @depressedperson88

[shinagawa-division]

"A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself.”

Introduction

Malphas or more commonly known as “Masuzō Shinomiya” is a mechanical spider turn android created by CodeX’s 3rd Member Sumire Shinomiya to be an enforcer guarding Scorpion Den and is a living malware program in human form. Despite being “related” to the infamous anarchist and mass criminal, very little people-save for a select few-know about his existence and origin. Despite not caring much for humanity as a whole, he is deeply devoted to Sumire for giving him life and has sworn an oath to always protect her.

Malphas is a young man of above average height and a lean figure and is considered extremely handsome. He has straight black hair that stops at the base of his neck and looks slightly disheveled, like he hasn’t brushed it in a few days and long bangs that brushes his cheeks and almost covers his eyes with purple highlights painting at the end of them. He has six eyes that are narrow and are a captivating dark violet color but whenever he’s going out or is around people, the other four are masterfully camouflaged, they always seemed to have a bored look in them, however, his eyes turn into a malicious red whenever he enters “Kill Mode.” On his cheek are three small purple diamond face tattoos.

Like his creator, Malphas shares the same gothic style as her, however, his is more on the punkish side with lots of chains and leather. He wears a dark purple button up shirt and a black chest harness strapped tightly on him, on top of that, he wears a black leather jacket with various pins and patches, he also wears black ripped jeans held up by a black belt with various chains dangling from it and a pair of black combat boots. For accessories, he wears a black choker and a number of black ear and body piercings.

Name Meanings

Masuzō (増造) - increase creation

Shinomiya (四宮) - four shrine

Aliases

“Malphas” - True Name

“Mal” - Common Nickname

DeathWeaver - Gaming Handle

Every nickname that starts with the word “Mal” - Sumire

Big Brother - Aiko

Nii-sama - Seizou

Mister Masuzō - Goro

“Pretty Boy, Handsome, Hottie, etc.”

“Eurebus” - A.D.A.

Biographical Info

Gender - Male

Age - 6 (22 Physically)

Birthday - October 24th

Ethnicity - Japanese

Hair Color - Black with purple highlights

Eye Color - Dark Violet

Height - 195cm / 6’5

Weight - 70kg / 154lbs

Star Sign - Scorpio

Piercings - Lobes, Helix, Conch, Industrial, Tragus, Tongue, Bellybutton, Eyebrow, Prince Albert

Markings - A strange purple symbol on the nape of his neck

Three purple diamond tattoos on his cheek.

Family

Creator / “Younger Sister”

“Younger Sister”

“Younger Brother”

“Wife”

“Brother-in-Law”

“Sister-in-Law”

“Daughter”

“Daughter”

“Son”

“Adopted Son”

Voiced By - Chogakusei (Rapping)

Personality

At first glance, Malphas just seems to be like your average guy if not a little unapproachable due to his towering height, dark gothic clothing, and sharp glare that seems to be permanently etched onto his ethereal features. He’s silent, brooding, and refuses to talk to anyone unless he absolutely has to or is ordered to by his creator. As an android, he’s highly intelligent and is only truly limited by his imagination making him a very valuable ally to people he deems worthy of his aid and a very deadly foe should one be unfortunate enough to earn his ire. Whereas his little sister has an air of innocence to her, Malphas has an air of malice to him.

Unlike his younger sister, Malphas prefers to keep his emotions on the down low, while he can experience and feel human emotions, he would rather not show them, seeing it as a sign of weakness. Due of having infinite knowledge, Malphas cares little about the world around him and matters that don’t concern himself, his siblings, or his creator. He’s apathetic to a fault and has little to no regard of human life, in fact, at times he seems to even enjoy destroying his enemies, nonetheless the members of Scorpion Den respect and admire him and in turn he dutifully follows any requests or orders regardless of any branch.

Despite his cold, blunt, and borderline cruel nature, Malphas has nothing but respect and devotion to his creator and that there’s nothing that he loves more than his younger sibling who he swore to protect and keep them as happy as they can be. It’s because of this soft spot for the three most important people in his life that goes against and beyond his initial programming and code as a weapon and malware, he’s gained sentience a long time ago, now he has full control of his autonomy and free will.

Most people would think that Malphas is incapable of joking or has a dislike for it but that’s actually not the case, when he’s around people he genuinely likes knows he can let his guard down with, he almost becomes like a different person. He’s more expressive, sarcastic, teasing, and flirtatious, plus he’s not above using both his intelligence and good looks to get what he wants, he pulls pranks and he often banters with Sumire and Aiko, it’s the few times one can see the three of them genuinely act like a family with each other.

As expected from a weapon crafted by a crazed anarchist, Malphas has a “Kill Mode” programmed into him which is similar to Aiko’s “Defense Mode” but takes much more priority with offense and eliminating any and all targets he sets his sights on with extreme prejudice, whether they pose as a genuine threat to Sumire and Aiko or not. Due to being an enforcer and guard for Scorpion Den who has plenty of enemies, it’s almost normal to see Malphas revert to this mode more often than not.

Trivia

He is the very first of Sumire’s inventions and as such has authority and access to all of her other inventions whenever she is not present.

His virtual A.I. form is the same as the symbol on his neck.

He is mostly seen as a spiderbot always on Sumire’s person, it’s his android body that is actually a rarity to be seen.

His spiderbot form is actually his 2nd, his original form is kept preserved yet discarded in an old chest Sumire keeps locked in her lab.

Malphas dislikes sweets and has a preference for spicy foods, it’s one of the few things he and Aiko disagree on.

Only Sumire and the core members of Scorpion Den know about Malphas’ sentience, he keeps it a secret from everyone else.

Unbeknownst to his creator, Malphas is in a relationship with Kaoru Shinozaki’s A.I., A.D.A./Ageha Shinozaki. The two of them started out as friends with benefits before getting into a real relationship and have been together for a few months.

Malphas is good friends with Kaoru Shinozaki’s other A.I., A.R.K./Aruto Shinozaki with the two of them often secretly hanging out.

Malphas is an expert in multiple areas and skills.

Like his creator and his namesake, Malphas has a fondness for demonology and the occult and has collected items connected to it that he has stored down in Sumire’s lab.

He is the leader of a hivemind of over 10,000 spiderbots like him at his command, he treats them like extensions of himself and takes good care of them.

[biographydivider]

...I couldn’t not. Thank you to @somerandomdudelmao for breaking my heart.

April knew - from the second she saw him, the sound of rain lashing down on the New York sidewalk filling her ears. She just knew.

“Are you lost, little frog?” she asked, as she let go of her Mommy’s hand, taking a few steps into the alleyway - ignoring the shouts for her to come back, to be careful. She wasn’t going far, after all. She was a big girl, now - she was gonna be six on Tuesday! And someone might need her help, and Mommy always said to help people when you can.

A green face peeped out at her from inside a ginormous purple hoodie. He shook his head, and April came a little closer, tilting her head to try and get a better look.

“You’re not lost? Then where’s your family?”

“I’m not a frog. I’m a soft-shelled turtle,” her new friend replied, dragging his sleeve across his face to wipe away the tears. “The tax-o-nom-ic name is Trionychidae.”

“That’s a big word!”

“It is. And...I don’t know where my brothers are. We’re not meant to be up here.” The turtle-boy took in a long, shakey inhale of breath. “I went off on my own. I wanted to look at the clothes.” He pointed to a window across the street, filled with shiny, sleek letterman jackets. “I lost them. I ran back over here, but the cars were scary and...” He shook his head, like he was drying to dislodge the sound. “Now Waph’s gonna be worried about me, an’ Papa will be sad.”

April scrunched up her nose; putting on her Thinking Face always helped her. “You know what my Mommy says I gotta do when I’m lost?”

The turtle-boy shook his head. Raindrops spattered from his hood onto the floor.

“You gotta find a helper person. Like a lady with a baby, or a someone who works in a store. I’ll be your helper person!” She grinned, showing off the gap where her first baby tooth had fallen out. “We’ll find your family, little turtle.”

“My name’s Donatello.”

“Donna...Donate...Don...hm."

“My brother Leo calls me Donnie.”

“Okay! I’ll call you Donnie, too.” April slotted her hand into his, and the entire world fell into place. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe!”

...

You need to go back. Quickly.

It was a funny feeling; pre-grieving your best friend. Looking at him every day and knowing, in your gut, he’d be gone soon. Waiting for the dam to break, craving the release of all this gut-wrenching pain but knowing, after that, comes the forever-ache of missing him. Wanting to crush his stupid bones in a hug and beat the crap out of him at the same time. Hearing him talk about ‘after’ like he’d know if she didn’t respect his wishes (donate his tech, keep his plants growing, remember Casey’s birthday and where D had stashed his gift) and he would take away Friendship Points deservingly. Trust Donnie to gamify the afterlife. But when that message came, and April knew, deep in her bones, it was time, she wasn’t ready. How could she ever be ready?

She often found herself thinking back to when they were kids. Little kids; when she realised, within thirty seconds of being around him, that Donnie needed a friend. A very best, best friend. Then, at her very first sleepover, watching him beat the everloving heck out of Leo with a sofa cushion (how was she to know ninjas-in-training would take pillow fights so seriously?!) that no, what he needed was a big sister. Someone to keep him in line, to stop that big beautiful brain from spiralling into insanity. And April had always wanted to be a big sister. She’d always rushed to Donnie when he needed her and in return he’d kept her safe from malware and from the Krang and from ever, ever feeling alone. She was his helper person. And he was hers, always.

She always thought she’d be there when it happened. She thought she’d be holding his hand.

As April bolted back to base and threw the main doors wide, her boots squeaking and slipping on the tiles as she ran towards the sound of three - oh god, only three - of her brothers, their voices indistinct but panicking, she felt her pace slow, her feet grow heavy and tired. She couldn’t. She couldn’t run towards a future without her brother.

What was that thing Donnie used to talk about when he wanted to be insufferable while they ate their pizza and scrolled through Netflox? Schrödinger’s cat. Alive and dead. Well, as long as she didn’t reach the source of all that noise, Donnie was still alive. Something else had happened; he’d just fallen, that was all. He’d fallen and Leo couldn’t help him up and somewhere, buried deep inside those awful cries of ‘Donnie? Donnie can you hear me?!’, that shrill noise Leo was making was laughter. Laughing at his twin, embarassing him once again just like he always did. But as soon as she reached the end off the hall, reality settled into its chosen trajectory.

Donnie was lying in Raph’s hands. Limp. Mikey was curled up in a tight ball, eyes wide and blank and staring. And Leo wasn’t laughing; he was screaming. Screaming for a medic, for help...for his Dad...

And April knew - from the second she saw him, the sound of rain lashing down on what was left of New York filling her ears, her brain, her broken heart. She just knew.

[dr-docktor]

ok, i have to know, in a floppy disk curt post you mention an video game, it sounds cool what else is there to know about it (if this question is good/ applicable tell me)

HYPNOSPACE OUTLAW!!!

Legitimately one of my favorite games OF ALL TIME. Criminally underrated

It takes place in this sort of alternative historical timeline. Specifically spanning November, 1999 to January, 2000.

This company called Merchantsoft discovered a way that allows people to access the internet in their sleep via these headbands. The player is hired as a sort of moderator to report any activity that goes against the rules of Hypnospace.

You’re assigned specific cases, things like tracking down a specific piece of malware that’s been passed around, or figuring out who’s behind all the bullying in the teens/kids area.

The puzzle aspect centers around the sort of rabbit-hole nature of the early internet and reading people’s pages for clues on where to go next.

While most of them are usually unimportant to cases, there’s a TON of really interesting characters, fictional pop and consumer culture, to even real life events. I would never be able to do justice how well this game’s universe is built. Each page genuinely feels like it could’ve been a real person that existed at the time. The entire page someone made that includes a timeline of the popular music genres that ALL include a full song as a sort of sample is insane.

The music is INSANE. ITS SO GOOD. The way that the developers and whoever was in charge of the music MASTERED so so many different genres and themes only makes the word feel more real.

Literally every time I boot up the game on stream with my friends we make it a point to play their sort of version of the pokemon rap called The Squisherz Rap. Satellite Orchestra by Barnaby’s Chair is also super fun (also lowkey a Curtwen song but shhhh)

I could spend hours just sitting there and reading through the dozens of pages created for this fictional internet. Keep in mind this game came out in 2019 so there’s zero chance of any cut corners via ai. Which really highlights the fact that ai is just not needed, even for insane projects like this.

I cannot praise this game enough. PLEASE check it out, even if it’s just looking at the soundtrack.

How it relates to Floppy Disk Curt is mainly using a lot of art and aesthetics as a huge source of inspiration.

[wolfcake101]

hey can we know wolfie's goofy sad fucked up backstory

OH YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!! HEHEHEHHEHAHHAEHAEJHEJHEJEAJHA YOU HAVE UNLEASHED MY ANNOYING ASS WRATH

okay anyways soooo this is inspired by a baldi basics song (the baldis basics musical by random encounters.....sigh) also you will probably think its cliche as hell but i thought it was cool ok :(

Okay so. Wolfie was sitting at her house one day right? just a normal day for her. Oh by the way her name isnt really Wolfie, its a nickname (she doesn't like her real name). She gets this tOtAlLy UnSuSpIcIoUs GaMe in the mail n stuff. She's kind of suspicious at first, but then she puts it on her computer and she just decides to use windows defender or smth to see if its malware or something. It comes up as clean so Wolfie's just like 'yknow what? sure ill boot it up' (this was hinted in the background of this artwork) and then woopsie she blacks out and wakes up in the beautiful ~here school~

All the school faculty and students in BB+ are not in the school coincidentally (they're still like, enrolled/working at the school ofc but they just coincidentally have an off day today, so wolfie doesnt know about them yet.) Anyways, Baldi greets Wolfie yadda yadda, she learns that she has to get 7 notebooks to escape the game.. so she gets to work on that. But woops, looks like something fucked up and Wolfie gets an impossible question on the 2nd notebook. Baldi gets pissed (though good news i have decided that usually baldi doesnt get pissed...unless if theres some null bullshittery going on. so like yeah) and the real "fun" begins.

I'm realllllyyyyyyyy lazy so I won't bother explaining most of her time trying to get 7 notebooks, but just know that there was a lot of close calls. After a long stressful time, Wolfie grabbed he 6th notebook. She's very close to escaping. And when she goes to search for the 7th, ol' Gotta Sweep comes over and takes her to a random place in the school. with baldi in reach. and playtime on the other side of her. So, she panics and just decides to dash into the nearest room because wolfie swears she hasn't been in that room before, so SURELY it must have the 7th notebook. She was wrong. she had been there before. Baldi closed in on her, and she was unable to escape. her fate was sealed.

She woke up the next day or whatever. Good news, everything's normal again! (aka no null bullshittery) Bad news, though. she's stuck here forever. she just cried. for hours. she ruined her only chance to get out. After a lot of weeping she tried to explore around the school. she was terrified after learning there was now TWICE the people to deal with (all the plus characters are now back at the school oh boy) Wolfie had to slowly get used to this new way of living. she ended up taking a liking to dr. reflex as you all know and thats about all of it!!

im sorry this was a very long post oofg,,,,,,

[mrs-johansson]

Chapter 4: Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Partners in crime

Part 4:

“We need a public place to check the drive, the mall will do. They’re after you so once they’ll know we’re with you, it will be easier to be made.” I explained to Steve as we were at our place, planning the mission.

“How much time do we need to get this done?” Rogers pointed at the drive. “About 10 minutes. We get in, and in about 2 minutes we’ll be at the store, stay low. You will need to cover me, so I can check what’s on it,” Natasha detailed. “Y/n you should stay outside, the three of us would be way too easy to see,” Steve said and I raised an eyebrow. “Why me? You’re not much needed in this part,” I tilted my head. “Fury gave me the drive, didn’t he?” He asked with a smug face and I just sighed. “I’ll be outside in a car, and I’ll get through the security cameras just in case they’ll find us.” “Great, let’s get some clothes then we can go,” Natasha stood up from the couch. “I’ll find you something,” I said to Steve.

***

“He is literally useless in a situation like this. He is so recognizable and big and not good in scenarios like this,” I murmured angrily as I was getting changed. “It’s not even an exciting mission, don’t be angry,” Natasha said carefully. “I don’t care, it's still a mission.”

***

“I’ve never been on the watch-out before, this is really boring,” I spoke through the comms as Natasha and Steve walked into the mall. “It’ll be done quickly, don’t stress about it,” Nat said lowly. “Still.”

“First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk,” got the instruction, Steve. “If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off.” “I would laugh so hard,” I smirked as I watched his form walk past a camera.

Once they got to the Mac store, Natasha quickly got to work. “The drive has a Level Six homing program, so as soon as we boot up, SHIELD will know exactly where we are,” Natasha said. “How much time do we have?” “Uh...about nine minutes from…” heard typing then she spoke again. “Now. Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands.” “Can you override it?” “The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly.” “You can do this easily, no need to be modest,” I murmured, then I saw Rumlow getting out of a car.

“Listen up, we have company. Rumlow and his team are just about to walk into the mall.” I said and Steve looked around not so subtly. “I'm gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can't read the file, maybe we can find out where it came from.” “Come on Nat, you can do this faster.”

“Can I help you guys with anything?” A guy walked up to them. “Oh that’s just great,” I sighed but Nat was quick to jump to action. “Oh, no. My fiancé was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations.” “Your what?” My eyes widened and I couldn’t believe what I just heard. “Right! We're getting married.” “Wow, don’t jump out of your skin, Rogers.”

“Congratulations. Where do you guys thinking about going?” Asked the guy. “Say New Jersey,” I said quickly but Steve looked at the screen. “New Jersey,” he said unsurely. Great, just great.

“Oh…” the guy looked at Steve like he just recognized him. “That’s amazing, what did I say about this? I wanted to ignore the same exact thing!” I spoke in the comms.

“I have the exact same glasses.” “Wow, you two are practically twins,” Natasha said with no interest in their conversation. “Yeah, I wish. Specimen. Uh...if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron.” “Well, fuck you, Aaron,” I said as I watched him walk away. “Y/n, please don’t make me laugh,” Nat snickered. “Wasn’t intentional.”

“You said nine minutes, come on,” Steve said, hurrying Natasha. “Shh, relax. Got it.” Rogers looked at the screen and his face was in shock. “You know it?” “I used to. Let's go,” he pulled the drive out and they made their way out.

“Standard tac-team. Two behind, to across, two coming straight at us,” I shared what I saw. “If they make us, I'll engage, you hit the south escalator to the metro,” Steve spoke.

They soon reached the escalator and the next moment I saw Rumlow on the other side of it. “Rumlow at 11!” I said loudly and Nat quickly recognized the situation and turned around.

“Kiss me.” Excuse me?! “You did not just say that,” I murmured and leaned back in my seat. “What?” Steve asked, his cheeks already getting tinted. I could see them even through the goddamn cameras. “Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable,” Natasha stated. “Don’t you dare, Romanoff.” I already took out my comms and just watched the screen.

Natasha quickly pulled down Steve's head and kissed him, making Rumlow look away as he went past them on the escalator. Once they let go, Natasha’s hood fell off which was very unprofessional by the way, and they made their way downstairs.

***

I left the key on the dash at the front and quickly got into the back before I had to speak with either of them.

Once they neared the car, Natasha was already looking for me. But I ignored her.

“Ready to go?” Steve asked awkwardly. “Sure.” “Y/n I’m-“ “Don’t talk to me. I don’t care. There were millions of ways to get out of that situation and you chose that one,” I said and I sat behind her so I could see the back of her head at tops.

***

It was a 3,5-hour drive. A very long time for 3 people who were in a very tense situation. And Natasha was the first to break the silence.

“Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?” “Nazi Germany.” “That’s oddly depressing,” I said. “And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash,” Steve instructed Nat, and as he asked she took her feet down. “Alright, I have a question for you, oh, which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?” “What?” “Was that your first kiss since 1945?” She asked. Of course, your girlfriend is not sitting in the back at all.

“That bad, huh?” Steve said with a grumpy look. “I didn't say that,” a way to say it was good. “Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying,” poor man can’t read behind the lines. “No, I didn't. I just wondered how much practice you've had,” I’m gonna kill her.

“You don't need practice,” Steve defended himself while he was trying to concentrate on the road. “Everybody needs practice,” and she presses and presses. “Steve, can you stop for a minute, please?” I interfered with their conversation.

He looked at me through the mirror and Natasha turned around to take a look at me. “You okay?” He asked. “Yeah, just need a minute.”

Rogers pulled to the side of the road and the car stopped. “Romanoff, get out of the car,” I said and I stepped out. Walking a little away from the car, I heard the car door opening and then closing.

I turned around and saw her standing a few feet away from me, hands in her pockets.

“I hope you’re enjoying yourself,” I started and she opened her mouth to speak. “No, I’m talking,” holding up my hand she nodded.

“Remember when we talked about how you don’t know much about a healthy and honest relationship?” She nodded. “I didn’t want to believe in the pink clouds phase because I really thought that this is different.” I shrugged and started to walk around a bit. “But you know, this, what you’re doing right now is so fucking… I don’t even know how to describe it,” I threw my hands in the air and she just listened carefully.

“You are such a good agent, a spy and you really want to tell me that kissing him was the only option to get out of there? Natasha, I’m not stupid,” I shook my head. Her eyes were filled with worry and she was chewing on her lips. I hate to see her so anxious but I’m mad and I need her to hear me.

“And you are just pressing this whole conversation in the car like I’m not even there! I understand that this is new, but we’ve been together for a little now and I can’t believe you didn’t get how this works.”

If you think about it, this is our first fight. Would people say I should break up with her because she kissed someone else while we were together? Someone probably would. But no. I love her, and even though I hate her to my gut right now, I know that probably tomorrow night we will be all cuddly with each other after a long talk.

She took a deep breath and looked down at her feet. “I know that you hate scolding me so thanks for this… I guess. But uhm… I am sorry. Sometimes I don’t think about these things, which is a problem, I know, but I’m trying most of the time. And Steve… I don’t like him, not even attracted to him, he’s just so easy to mess with and sometimes I can’t control this and I’m sorry about this too,” her big doe eyes just dripping with guilt.

Natasha slowly walked closer and carefully took a hold of my hand. I looked at our intertwined fingers, her thumb softly brushing over my hand.

Picking up my head, we locked eyes and all I could think about is how much I need her in my life, and without her, I would be dead.

“I love you with my whole heart Natalia and I don’t want to lose you. So please don’t flirt with Steve, or anyone on that note,” I cracked a smile and she nodded with a cute smile too. “Can I get a kiss?” She asked and I laughed. “Not before you wash your mouth, I’m not kissing you after you kissed grandpa.”

***

“Nobody special, though?” Asked Nat as we continued our journey. Steve scoffed. “Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience,” he said. “It would be very boring if people only dated people with whom they share the same experiences. You need to expand your horizons, Rogers,” am I not right?

“Well, that's alright, you just make something up,” said Nat. “What, like you?” Not personal at all…

“I don't know. The truth is a matter of circumstances, it's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I,” the smirk on her face did not disappear. “That's a tough way to live.” “It's a good way not to die, though,” she looked back at me with a look in her eyes that gave me butterflies like I was some crazy teenager.

“You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is,” Steve gave her a look and she thought for a second then answered. “Yeah. Who do you want me to be?” “How about a friend?” He asked and she smiled. “Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers.”

[pico-digital-studios]

Into, Across and Beyond! Cast - OMT!Tails

Replaces: Miles Morales

"Hey, Sonic. I've... helped Central City out again, just like you wanted me to. Heh, it was just Fang and his crew causing some trouble today. Since we're pretty used to their tricks, I knew what I was doing, hehehe. ... You know, I know it's been about a year by now, but I still miss you a lot, buddy. I mean, you've always been the one to lift us up whenever we felt down. You'd always tell us that if we wanted something done, to do it right away and when we can. The only way to live a life without regrets, huh? I know things look grey for me as I am, but I know there's a world of colour out there waiting for me! I just gotta know where to look. I promise I'll make you proud out there, Sonic. I know it's tough, but someday, I'll be out stopping the worst of villains just like you once had!"

Miles "Tails" Prower, a name any big Sonic fan will be familiar with. Over those past 30 years, he's been right by Sonic's side in his adventures, even stretching out his own independence along the way. Would you believe he even saved Station Square all on his own that one time?

But this version of Tails had it worse prior. He was one of several victims of torture at the hands of the Outbreak Malware Threat, and seemed to have gone through this more times than he can count. Though, even as his sanity felt on the brink of collapse from all of it, he decided to take the chance and fight OMT head on. And though it led to yet another death, he still went down fighting.

Then three months after it started, Sonic's actions permanently halted the loops, and our kitsune assisted in the final push to finish off OMT once and for all. However, this ultimately came at the price of Sonic's life.

A year later, that's when we see Tails is fully into his role as the protector of his world. Knuckles, Amy and Sally have become able to legally give him accommodation in this time, and Cream had been taken in as an adopted little sister for the kid after Vanilla's passing during one of the OMT loops. And compared to Miles Morales, who had to keep his parents in the dark about being Spidey, Tails's companions fully supported his new role.

One evening, when Tails was visiting Sonic's grave and recalling his day, he felt someone walking behind him. In a quick attack, he ended up knocking out what looked like Sonic, much to his shock. He decided to escort this version of the blue blur back to his workshop, where he tied the latter to a punching bag due to suspicions about what he's doing here.

He learned during their first proper conversation that this Sonic, specifically Crossover Realm Sonic, was from another dimension outright, and wasn't too chuffed about being at the OMT universe. However, he had an idea on how to get back. He and Tails were able to locate the Paradox Prism in a cave and were able to use it to enter the Shatterverse, which had stayed intact after the Prism was fixed again.

During their time at New Yolk City, Tails got to learn more about Nine, who had mostly isolated himself after what he tried to pull to make his own world. Seeing a version of himself who understood his struggles helped the usually-cold guy feel more happy with himself.

As they prepared to escort CR!Sonic back to his dimension, who had agreed to give Tails a bit of training to help hone his skills, they had a brief run-in with Mr. Doctor Eggman of the Chaos Council, who was none too happy about getting booted out of the city after the Council's defeat.

After he went down, they continued on their way, but were soon intercepted by Eggman Nega. You know, that version of Eggman from Blaze's dimension. I couldn't really explain what happened in the aftermath of their first encounter, and though the two were back in their dimensions safely, CR!Sonic was badly shook up from the experience, which he explained to Exegod during that time.

Whilst stringing out with Nine, Tails not only got a special nanomachine-based suit made from OMT's remaining particles, but he also met some other heroes from outside his universe, namely OMT!Mina from a parallel timeline to him, Mini Sonic, Mr. Needlemouse and EX!Alice, alongside her modified Eggman mech, E4-R6:3.

Once CR!Sonic was back in business again, alongside bringing his Soap Shoes back for this adventure, the six heroes had to hold off the villains trying to cause mayhem in the OMT universe; Eggman Nega, a mysterious spider ninja, Zeena and Surge. And despite the close scrapes they got through, Tails was able to send his multidimensional friends back home while he took care of business.

During his final encounter with the spider ninja, her identity was fully revealed; Uma Arachnis, who, in this universe, was a close friend to Tails. When she realised who she was enlisted to kill, she willingly surrendered, only to get blasted in the back. However, I can confirm that, compared to the Prowler, she survived this injury and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Around 6 months later is when the events of More than One Universe begin. Tails was feeling eager to see his multiversal friends again, and OMT!Robotnik was pretty willing to help out, using a special device he had designed. However, Robotnik saying too much about villains and causing Tails to get confused triggered an explosion that not only rendered the poor kid sick for a week, but also seemed to start bringing multiversal evils in one-by-one.

The first one Tails encountered after his recovery was Shalian, a byproduct of attempts to destroy the villainous Toxinfect. And with enough skill, he not only neutralised the villain, but also got one step closer to his part-time graduation at Mobius University. Before a mysterious human threat could attack, though, Tails was warped back to the Wing Fortress, with Shalian and CR!Corrupt trapped in unbreakable cages.

Robotnik explained just what the heck happened and enlisted Tails with the work of using a wrist teleporter to catch any more multiversal crooks and bring them there to be sent back to their dimensions. Before they got started, Tails got OMT!Mina and Mini Sonic on board to help out, whilst confessing his crush on the girl with a bouquet of flowers.

Next up on the list was Talrareth, that one ghost from Phantom Beginning. And though Tails struggled quite a bit, AVA!Corrupt showed up to help him neutralise this third threat safely. After some banter, those two were sent over for containment as well. That seemed to leave one more on the list, that being the mysterious human threat from before, Richard Ambersilve.

Richard had camped at OMT!Sally's place after he got some free will, clearly lost in his mind, and was non-hostile in that moment. Once they got back to the Wing Fortress, it was revealed that Sonath was also concealed there, who explained amongst some of the other crooks just what was meant to happen before his arrival here (which, for Jordan's sake, I'm not going to spoil a single word of here).

After that was when OMT!Robotnik got ready to send them all back, even with OMT!Tails's fear that they'd all die if they were sent home now. He promptly betrayed Ivo and fought him in an alternate dimension known as the Third Realm, making it clear that there's a chance to change their fates. Once the fight was over, Robotnik was left where he was.

And so the cures started rolling out, with Shalian being the first subject. And while he tried resisting the cure, he felt a lot better for it. However, that's when things started running amok. Richard lost himself to his curse again, and all the remaining crooks (save for AVA!Corrupt, who defected on his own) went out to continue wreaking havoc on the planet.

During the fight, OMT!Sally intervened to protect her surrogate nephew from harm, and was killed shortly after, telling Tails to enjoy the future for her in her last breaths. The poor kid was absolutely shook up from losing another person close to him, wishing to make Richard suffer for what he did and running away willingly.

In their attempts to get Tails back, Knuckles, OMT!Mina and Amy ended up bringing a few new multiversal allies into the case; specifically the Tails and Sonic from the Errorverse, alongside some other heroes from their universe, and CU!Sonic and CU!Sonia. The groups managed to find Tails and helped him feel more accepting of their support. This was in part thanks to Mobiverse Tails becoming a sort of big brother mentor for the youngster and giving him the support he needed.

From there, the focus was on curing those remaining villains, alongside a few other threats that started flocking into the universe, and sending them to an alternate realm where they can feel much safer. During this time, more multiversal heroes joined the cause, and OMT!Robotnik later returned, having been left dangling over Emerald Hill for 12 hours straight without calling for backup.

When further blamed for causing this mess by Robotnik, Tails developed plans to erase all traces of his existence, believing it'd be the only way to put everything right. However, he couldn't go through with it in the end,

By the end of things, all that was left was Richard, who OMT!Tails wanted to suffer for everything he did. However, CU!Sonic stopped him from going through with the final blow, making it clear there's some lines heroes of the Sonic multiverse do not cross. He stood down willingly and got that last cure into Richard safely.

With that, the ex-villains were all safely sent back home, and the multiversal device was fixed and upgraded to overcome its previous flaws. As for Tails, he felt like this would be the last goodbye from his new friends, but they made clear that it wouldn't be the case. Together, they could form a new multiversal team. And from then on, they became known as... the Blur Gang.

It's later on that they cross into further through the Sonic multiverse and see what it takes to be those heroes, for better or worse. During Many More Heroes' prologue, he comes across his crueller counterpart from the Anti-Universe, Anti-Miles, who donned a Gemerl suit of his own, and unwittingly made a rival out of him.

In the present day, OMT!Tails met Superstars / Discovery Omega Amy, who was on her own mission to capture and neutralise the twisted Crimtake while he was vulnerable from multiversal travelling, and he was more than happy to help her out on her quest.

On the way, he helped Black Knight Amy out of being forced into a brutal sadistic choice; saving a train Sonic was trying to stop, saving Merlina, or saving a little girl. Fortunately for her, OMT!Tails's arrival meant the three could evenly split the responsibilities, hence averting what would be her "canon event".

It was later that OMT!Tails was allowed to see what the Quill Society was like, alongside Lost Memory Sonic's twisted ideals of what a "canon event" comes down to. Rightfully so, OMT!Tails exposes this twisted ideal to the Blur Gang and numerous Quill Society members after snooping in on a conversation of a plan to let OMT!Cream die to Crimtake as part of the "canon".

After LM!Sonic realised he was ratted out, OMT!Tails called out for the Quill Society to apprehend him (though initially forgetting to state WHICH Sonic he wanted catching, causing some brief confusion). This team struggle proved a good turning point for Tails, who was chased by Turbo, Fiona and Metallix, the only other rogue members of the Society, while trying to get to the right place.

LM!Sonic did catch up where OMT!Tails was trying to activate a variant of Terminal Velocity, and decided to heartlessly claim OMT!Tails AND Antho were nothing but mistakes and that their destinies weren't to be. This only earned him a good butt-whooping from MV!Tails for that in the Space Elevator, buying OMT!Tails and SS!Amy the opportunity to head after Crimtake, who was now inheriting the powers of both Devoid AND DX, and stop him from fulfilling his plans, which would've been the actual cause of multiversal stability had he succeeded.

Crimtake was indeed successfully stopped, and LM!Sonic was kicked out of the Quill Society for good after what he did, with his tragic past not excusing any of his heartless actions. Turbo and Fiona were allowed to stay, due to them getting turned on by LM!Sonic prior, and Metallix got reprogrammed to fix his rogue programming.

That said, this victory didn't come without trouble. Crimtake made a last resort attempt to kill his two pursuers whilst wearing his vessel and soul out of power. And before he disintegrated away for good, he managed to knock OMT!Tails into another dimension, specifically the Blitz universe, where a familiar female companion of a certain other Tails finds him...

As for what the Beyond section entails now, we'll see for the future.

[delicatekidinfluencer]

How to Root Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F With Odin Tool

Learning how to root SM J260F, particularly the Samsung Galaxy J2 Core model, can significantly enhance your device's functionality and user experience. The root process allows you to access and modify the operating system's code, enabling you to install custom ROMs, remove pre-installed apps, and even boost your device's speed and battery life. In this guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of how to root Samsung SM-J260F. We'll also delve into using the Odin Tool, a popular firmware flashing tool developed by Samsung. This tool is particularly useful when you want to root Samsung SM-J260F, unlocking a world of customizability and improved performance. So, let's get started with the process of rooting your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core model SM-J260F. Read more - Why we want to root - Full Details with a guide 

Table of Contents

The Pros and Cons of Rooting Your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260FThe Advantages of Rooting SM-J260F The Drawbacks of Rooting Samsung SM-J260F 8 Steps To Root SM J260F Verifying Successful Rooting of Your SM-J260F Reversing the Root Process on Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F Conclusion Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat should I do if I can't find my Samsung SM-J260F model listed on the Chainfire website to root SM-J260F? Why did my attempts to root SM-J260F with applications like KingoRoot, Kinguser, FramaRoot, Kingroot, Vroot, Root Master, z4root, and Root Genius fail? I have rooted my Samsung SM-J260F, but the system indicates "su binary needs to be updated/The Superuser binary (su) must be updated". How can I resolve this issue? I've rooted my Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F and now the Kinguser binary (su) needs updates? How to Fix the "Unfortunately, kinguser has Stopped" Error in Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F After Rooting? What should I do if I encounter the "Unfortunately, kingroot has Stopped" error while trying to root SM-J260F? Why am I seeing "Root Failed! , No Strategy Found, ConnectionUnstabitil , need root" error when trying to root my Samsung SM-J260F? How to fix Google Play Store errors on my rooted SM-J260F? What should I do if I encounter the "could not do normal boot odin mode" error while trying to root SM-J260F? What should I do if my Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F gets stuck on the logo screen after trying to root? Fix Bootloop on device (continuously restart)

The Pros and Cons of Rooting Your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F

When deciding whether to root your SM J260F, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons. Rooting, though potentially beneficial, comes with its own set of risks and challenges. Here's a balanced look at the advantages and drawbacks of rooting your Samsung SM-J260F. The Advantages of Rooting SM-J260F 1. Custom Software (ROMs): One of the main reasons people choose to root Samsung SM-J260F is the ability to install custom ROMs. These ROMs can enhance performance, provide additional features, and even update your device to a newer version of Android. 2. Apps Permission Control: Rooting provides you with complete control over what your apps can and cannot do. This means you can block ads, remove bloatware, and enhance battery life. 3. Full Device Control: Rooting your Samsung SM-J260F allows for total control over your device. You can change the CPU speed, modify system files, use themes, and even change boot images. The Drawbacks of Rooting Samsung SM-J260F 1. Bricking Your Device: The most significant risk when you root Samsung SM-J260F is bricking your device, rendering it unusable. This usually happens when the rooting process is not followed correctly. 2. Voiding Your Warranty: Most manufacturers, including Samsung, will void your warranty if they find out you've rooted your device. 3. Security Risks: Rooting can make your device more vulnerable to viruses and malware because you bypass certain protections put in place by Google. 4. System Updates: Sometimes, rooting can cause issues with system updates. This means you may not be able to install updates or may face instability after an update. In conclusion, deciding how to root SM-J260F isn't a decision to be taken lightly. While the benefits can be significant, the risks are equally substantial. Always ensure you understand the process and the potential implications before proceeding.

8 Steps To Root SM J260F

Note - First Back up your data  Step 1 - Charge your phone up to 50%. - Download the Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F USB Driver and install it on your computer. - Turn ON USB Debugging and Developer mode on the phone. Step 2 Download the Odin program to your PC - Now download the Odin program to your laptop or your Computer. - After downloading, install and launch it. Step 3 - Take your phone and Turn it OFF by pressing the power key. - Now press and hold the Power key + Home key + Volume down key until boot to download mode.

Step 4 - Connect your phone to your PC or laptop by using a USB data cable. It's better to use original Data cables. Step 5 Download the CF-Root file for Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F - Download the CF-Root file for Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F. (Yes this zip may include Odin tool again. Use one of the Odin.) - CF root file is ZIP so, you have to unzip it.

Step 6 - Now press the Volume up key to continue to Download Mode.

- After tapping the Volume up key, you will able to see the "Added" message in the Odin tool's notification box.

Step 7 - Click PDA / AP and browse to the downloaded CF-Root file.  - Select  "Auto Reboot".

- Start Rooting by Clicking Start. - Read More -  Increase RAM SIZE after root Step 8 - Please wait until the phone restarts automatically and it will display a green Pass.

Root Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F - The last step is to Factory Reset your phone after turning it on. - Now, Congratulations you have Successfully Rooted :) - Read more, OK I rooted. Now what next?

Verifying Successful Rooting of Your SM-J260F

To confirm if you've managed to properly root your Samsung SM-J260F, there are a couple of straightforward methods you can utilize. If an application titled "SuperSu" is present on your device after the rooting process, it typically indicates successful root status. But if you're still harboring doubts about how to root SM-J260F and whether it's been done correctly, there's an additional step you can take. Simply make use of a trusted third-party application, specifically designed to assess root access on devices like the root Samsung sm-j260f. This will conclusively inform you if your phone has been rooted effectively.  Top 10 Rooted apps for android devices

Reversing the Root Process on Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F

After successfully executing the 'root sm j260f' process on your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core, you may decide that root permissions are no longer necessary for your needs. In this case, unrooting your Samsung SM-J260F becomes your next step. Rest assured, the process to revert back from the root Samsung sm-j260f is straightforward and involves a few simple steps. Click here for more detailed instructions on how to unroot sm-j260f and bring your device back to its original settings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, learning to root sm j260f using the Odin Tool unlocks the full potential of your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core. Despite being a technical process, it offers control and customization options. However, it's crucial to back up your data before rooting any device, including the Samsung sm-j260f variant. Remember, rooting may void your warranty, but the benefits can outweigh the risks if done correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I can't find my Samsung SM-J260F model listed on the Chainfire website to root SM-J260F? If your specific model, such as the Samsung SM-J260F, isn't listed on the Chainfire website, don't worry - there are other options available to root your Samsung SM-J260F. The absence of your phone model could indicate that the developers are currently making or updating your phone's CF file. In the meantime, you can consider using a different method to root Samsung SM-J260F. Numerous rooting apps are available that can help you root your Samsung SM-J260F effectively. It's recommended to wait for the official update, but if immediate rooting is necessary, these apps can be a viable alternative. For more details on how to root SM-J260F using these alternative methods, refer this guide. Why did my attempts to root SM-J260F with applications like KingoRoot, Kinguser, FramaRoot, Kingroot, Vroot, Root Master, z4root, and Root Genius fail? Rooting applications such as KingoRoot, Kinguser, FramaRoot, Kingroot, Vroot, Root Master, z4root, and Root Genius can potentially root your Samsung SM-J260F. However, these applications may fail to root Samsung SM-J260F if your phone model isn't supported by the app. It's important to note that not all rooting applications are universal and can work with every phone model. If you're struggling with how to root SM-J260F using these applications, it's advisable to try the CF-Root method instead. This is considered the standard way to root mobile phones, including the SM-J260F, and is likely to be successful where other methods have failed. I have rooted my Samsung SM-J260F, but the system indicates "su binary needs to be updated/The Superuser binary (su) must be updated". How can I resolve this issue? If you encounter the "su binary needs to be updated" issue after rooting your SM-J260F, you can resolve it by following these steps: first, unroot your device and remove all rooting apps. Then, restart your phone to clear any remaining data from the apps. Update the Superuser binary (su) and proceed to root your Samsung SM-J260F again by following the provided guide. Always exercise caution when rooting your device or seek professional assistance if needed. I've rooted my Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F and now the Kinguser binary (su) needs updates? If you're facing issues after you root sm j260f, you can follow these steps to unroot your phone: - Update Kinguser binary (su): Open the Kinguser app and follow the prompts to update. - Remove rooting apps: Go to Settings > Apps > Select the app > Uninstall. - Unroot your phone: Use a root access file manager to delete the "su" and "busybox" files from the /system/bin and /system/xbin directories. - Restart your phone: Restart your phone to ensure all changes take effect. If you want to root your phone again, follow a guide on how to root sm-j260f. Always take a full backup of your data before making any changes to your phone's software. How to Fix the "Unfortunately, kinguser has Stopped" Error in Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F After Rooting? If you've recently attempted to root SM j260f and are experiencing the "Unfortunately, kinguser has stopped" error on your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F, here are some solutions you can try. Firstly, try restarting your device to see if the issue resolves itself. If the problem persists, follow these steps: - Open the Settings page on your device. - Navigate to the App or Application Manager. - Scroll down the list of applications to find 'kinguser'. - Once found, click on it and select 'Delete cache and data'. This process should ideally fix the error you're encountering after trying to root Samsung sm-j260f. If the problem still persists, you may need to consult with a professional or explore other forums that offer solutions on how to root sm-j260f without encountering such issues. What should I do if I encounter the "Unfortunately, kingroot has Stopped" error while trying to root SM-J260F? This is a common issue faced by many users attempting to root the Samsung SM-J260F. If you see the "Unfortunately, kingroot has Stopped" error message on your device, don't worry. Here's a simple solution to tackle this problem: Firstly, restart your device and check if the issue persists. If that doesn't work, follow these steps: - Navigate to the Settings page on your device. - Look for the app or application manager. - Find kingroot in the list of applications. - Select kingroot and delete both cache and data. This should ideally resolve the "Unfortunately, kingroot has Stopped" error you're facing while trying to root Samsung SM-J260F. If the issue continues, you might need to consider other methods on how to root SM-J260F. Why am I seeing "Root Failed! , No Strategy Found, ConnectionUnstabitil , need root" error when trying to root my Samsung SM-J260F? If you're encountering the "Root Failed!, No Strategy Found, ConnectionUnstabitil, need root" error while trying to root your SM-J260F, it's likely due to the use of an incompatible rooting app. For your Samsung device, we highly recommend you to root Samsung SM-J260F using the CF root method. This method is known to be quite effective and eliminates common issues that are often associated with other rooting methods. Just follow our step-by-step guide on how to root SM-J260F using the Odin tool to avoid such errors in the future. How to fix Google Play Store errors on my rooted SM-J260F? If you're facing Google Play Store errors after rooting your Samsung SM-J260F, follow these steps: - Switch to a new Google account. - In device settings, navigate to App Manager > Google Play Store. Clear both cache and data. - If errors persist, delete unnecessary media files to free up storage space. These steps should help resolve most Google Play Store errors after rooting your device. What should I do if I encounter the "could not do normal boot odin mode" error while trying to root SM-J260F? The "could not do normal boot odin mode" error often occurs when you use an incorrect CF root file while trying to root Samsung SM-J260F. However, there's no need to worry as you can still switch on your phone. For a comprehensive solution on how to resolve this issue and successfully root SM-J260F, please follow this link . Remember, using the correct files and procedure is crucial when you attempt to root Samsung SM-J260F to avoid such issues.   What should I do if my Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F gets stuck on the logo screen after trying to root? If your Samsung Galaxy J2 Core SM-J260F gets stuck on the logo screen after attempting to root Samsung sm j260f, there are a few steps you can take to resolve the issue. - Firstly, navigate to the Odin tool and switch to DL mode. Then, repeat the above steps for rooting your device. - If the problem persists, it's possible that the CF Root file you downloaded is damaged or incorrect. Read the full article

[saiilorstars]

ch.10: On the Run

Steve Rogers x OFC fic • squeeze your eyes for a Bucky Barnes x (2nd) OFC

taglist: @ocappreciationtag​​​​​​​​​​​​ @arrthurpendragon​​​​​​​​​​​ @anotherunreadblog​​​​​​​​​​​ @maaaaarveeeeel​​​​​​​​​​​ @stareyedplanet​​​​​​​​​​​ @gloryekaterina​​​ @averyhotchner​​​ @foxesandmagic​​​​​​​​​​​​ @lenonizi @kmc1989​​​​​​​​​​​​

Story Masterlist • Seren’s Masterlist• Chloe’s Masterlist​​

Also available on Fanfic ○ Ao3 ○ Wattpad

If you’d like to be a part of this OC’s work/edits, let me know!

Natasha noticed the half sprints between Steve and Chloe on their way to the closest mall. The only reason they weren't able to fully run was because of Seren. For every step that Steve took, Seren only took half of it and he had to pull her the rest of the way. She was having the hardest time staying awake and, most importantly, staying focused on what was happening around them. The sedative had yet to completely metabolize through her system but unfortunately they just didn't have the time to wait it out. Steve wasn't letting her out of her sight and that's what he told Natasha when she suggested Chloe should wait with Seren outside of the mall.

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk," Natasha muttered when it finally became too noticeable.

"Not trying to run," Steve said, keeping an arm tightly around Seren's waist. "If I run in these shoes, they're going to fall and I'm going to trip Seren." He couldn't stop himself from checking the immediate areas to see if anyone was coming their way.

So far, there was no public announcement that they were being hunted but he was no fool, at least not anymore. SHIELD didn't operate by the books as it was and now that they were finally, openly, going rogue, who knew how they would hunt. Anyone could be an enemy.

"Just look ahead," Chloe directed. "I've been on my own plenty of time to know a thing or two about blending in."

"Then stop trying to sprint," hissed Natasha.

"I just want to get to the store quickly!"

Fortunately, they made their way into a Mac store soon enough. Natasha found the first display computer and got straight to work. Steve stepped up beside her and with him Seren. She breathed easily, that much Steve could tell and was fully relieved that it hadn't worsened outside of the hospital. She leaned her head on his shoulder and brought her jacket closer around her. That, Steve noticed as well and it did worry him because Seren hardly got cold. It was part of her Celessian biology; her body temperature operated differently. Conditions had to be on the extreme side for her to be that kind of cold.

"We'll be quick," he murmured to her. She nodded silently.

"The drive has a Level Six homing program, so as soon as we boot up SHIELD will know exactly where we are," Natasha forewarned the group as she readied the laptop.

"How much time do we have?" Steve asked her.

"Nine minutes," Chloe blurted then promptly clapped a hand over her mouth. With her wide eyes, she told the group the answer did not come from her but from the Hivemind.

"They're right," Natasha plugged the USB into the laptop. "Anything else the Hivemind is saying right now?"

"Sort of..." Chloe admitted, "And I can understand them better too. They didn't really speak English to me before and now..."

"What are they saying about SHIELD right now?" asked Steve.

"Run," sighed Chloe. "The Ghost is coming." That was a real motivation to keep working.

"Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something," Natasha's findings drew Seren's attention back to the screen. "This drive is protected by some sort of AI, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands."

"Can't you override it?" Chloe leaned closer to Natasha.

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly. I'm gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can't read the file, maybe we can find out where it came from."

"Can I help you guys with anything?" One of the male employees came up to the group, startling them like a domino effect.

Chloe sprung into action, reverting back to her secretive ways. Years of skills for hiding and secrets didn't just disappear after all. "We're just helping our friends find some honeymoon destinations!" She motioned to Steve and Seren with a joyous laugh to match the story. Then, Chloe threw a direct look at Steve. He better play along for their sake.

Steve deadpanned her for the longest minute until she ultimately won the stare-off and he accepted the lie. "Yup," he said, glancing at the employee. "We're getting married."

Seren also nodded at the lie.

"Congratulations," the employee said to the pair, not noticing a single thing. "Where are you guys thinking about going?"

"Uuh…" Seren would blame her foggy head for her lack of skills at the moment. She looked up at Steve instead, hoping that he was much more collected with the lying thing than her.

Steve had the idea to glance at the screen and thankfully saw the signal tracing to somewhere in New Jersey. "New Jersey!"

"Oh." The employee spent the next moment staring at Steve. For a moment, Steve panicked thinking he was about to be recognized. "I have the exact same glasses!"

"Wow, you two are practically twins," Natasha's sarcasm was lost on the employee, not so much with Chloe who snorted.

"Yeah, I wish," the employee said, gesturing to Steve afterwards, "Specimen. Uh...if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron."

"Thank you," Seren said quickly to get the man moving away. He then glared at Chloe. "Not okay, Chloe."

"Yeah, that was horrible," Chloe said, shaking her head. "Seren's got the excuse because she's made some good UCs before, but you? What's yours?"

Steve was even less impressed and instead turned his attention on Natasha. "How are we doing?"

"Shh, relax. Got it," the redhead pointed at the screen. Steve leaned down to see Wheaton, NJ proudly blinking on the screen. Natasha saw his grim expression. "You know it?"

"I used to," he muttered. "Let's go." He plucked the USB out of the computer and stuffed it into his pocket. He gripped his hold around Seren's waist and told her they were leaving. Her feet bumped into each other on their first steps but thankfully she got ahold of herself only a few steps later.

The others were quick to follow behind. It wasn't long before Steve spotted familiar faces around. "Standard tac-team. Two behind, to across, two coming straight at us. If they make us, I'll engage, you take Seren and hit the south escalator to the metro."

"You're mad," Seren was quick to huff. It was the first time she spoke in a complete sentence since waking up. "We're not separating..."

"She's right," Natasha said, much too calm for the situation they were about to possibly get into. There were two agents coming straight towards. "Rogers, just keep holding Seren and in 5 seconds, laugh. In 4, Chloe and I will move to the right. Seren, try to stay awake."

"Natasha, I don't think—" Steve started when Natasha gave him a hard shove on his arm and moved away with Chloe. He barely had time to react when he saw the agents growing closer and just did what Natasha said and laughed like Seren had said something. Immediately after they were in the clear, Steve apologized to Seren. "I'm going to get you somewhere you can rest, I swear."

Seren half smiled up at him. "It's alright, I'm..." She breathed in again like she was about to yawn. "...fine."

Steve thought the opposite. "You're supposed to be resting, taking it easy. And you're still cold." He gently touched her cheek and confirmed it.

"Just my body trying to get back to..." she couldn't help it and yawned that time, "Back to normal."

Steve started pulling his jacket off when Natasha hissed at him to leave it on. "She's cold," Steve argued but Natasha was adamant.

"And we're surrounded and in need of a disguise so leave it on!"

They reached the escalators and quickly stepped on. They were almost out of the building, so close...until Chloe spotted Rumlow on the escalator beside them coming up.

"Dammit," she bit on her bottom lip. "We can't fight on the steps, can we?" They were surrounded in front and behind.

The situation still didn't phase Natasha. "We'll get out," she said confidently. "Rogers?"

Steve was already dreading her next words. "What?"

"Kiss Seren, now."

Steve looked over his shoulder at her like she was insane. "What!? I'm not — we're not doing that!"

"Fine, then we do nothing and they take us all and separate us and I'm sure they would love to get their hands on medicated Seren. What do you think they're going to do to get information out of her? Start with the power dampening cuffs, I'm sure."

Steve hated Natasha for two seconds before realizing she was right.

"It's a tactic," Natasha said.

"Yeah, I know."

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable. So do it. Sure Soul won't mind."

Seren felt the light flick on the back of her head and rubbed it with her hand. Steve hated things even more because Seren barely had a clue about the conversation.

"Just do it!" Natasha nearly snarled.

Steve almost considered leaving the three women to take on Rumlow and his crow on his own. They would maybe have a chance then...

But he couldn't bear the thought of leaving Seren to her chances. Pick the lesser evil. "Seren?" She looked up at him with doe eyes as if to purposely make him feel even worse. He dipped his head and captured her lips in a kiss.

As fogged-up as her mind was, Seren remembered the feeling of his lips against hers and kissed back. In a way, it helped her feel even more lucid and in control of her emotions. When Steve pulled away, the first thing he noticed was that Rumlow and his crew had passed them without so much of a glance in their direction. Then he looked down at Seren and saw her smiling at him. It eased his nerves a bit to see her content. He felt awful for using their love as a tactic and even more knowing that Seren wasn't 100% herself. He would never do anything with her if she wasn't completely lucid and he hoped to God that when she was finally back to normal, she wouldn't get upset about this. It took two years of pining to get her and he didn't want to do anything that would make him lose her.

~0~

After finding a modest car, the trip to New Jersey was on. Natasha and Chloe had climbed into the backseat, leaving Seren the passenger's side. Almost as soon as they had taken off, Seren had fallen asleep. She slept soundly for an hour and woke up with a much better face — a more lucid one.

"Good morning there, sleeping beauty," she heard behind her. It took her a few minutes to realize it was Natasha in the backseat. She had made herself comfortable by propping one leg between the driver's and passenger's seat. "How we feeling?"

Seren rolled her eyes and looked up ahead towards the road. "Fine," she said, her voice raspy. "Don't you ever put a sedative in me again. I will make you regret it."

"Oh, she's fine alright," Natasha concluded.

"Lay off," went Steve. He reached a hand out to take Seren's and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How are you feeling?"

Seren heard the heavy concern in his voice and glanced at him. "Much better, I promise," she said. "Stop worrying about me, please." She was a lot more cozy with her and Steve's sweaters on and definitely better rested.

"You were poisoned on my behalf," Chloe spoke up when she leaned forward. "Worrying is all we can do. I'm sorry Seren. I'm...I'm so sorry."

"Chloe it's fine. Just...no more lies, please. And no more sedatives," Seren added in a harder tone. She looked back at Natasha and Chloe. "Are we clear on that one, ladies?"

"Yes, ma'am," Natasha gave her a mock salute.

Seren breathed in and exhaled, taking a moment to finish waking up. Her eyes started flickering around their scenery...which wasn't much. "Um...where exactly are we going? And when did we get into a car?" She turned her head in Steve's direction. "You don't have a car."

"Ooh," Natasha started smirking. "That's because he stole it. Golden boy stole a car."

"I did not—"

"I'd love to know where Captain America learned how to steal a car."

"Yeah, that'd be nice to know," Chloe joined with her own smirk.

Steve playfully rolled his eyes at the pair. The question was out of the topic but since it was making Seren smile as well, he'd go along with it. "Nazi Germany. Happy?"

"No, kind of lame, actually," Chloe said bluntly.

"Wasn't looking to impress you, Chloe. And we're borrowing, by the way. Take your feet off the arm rest, Natasha."

"Sorry, Dad." Natasha snickered with Chloe. "What does Mom have to say?" She nodded over to Seren who seemed very focused on the road. She may have been trying to piece together the last couple of hours of the day. "Hm, space girl is in space."

Seren blinked and looked back at Natasha with a scrunched nose. "Shut up, Natasha." She then pushed Natasha's foot off the armrest and brought her left arm over it instead. "I may have been in and out but I know you've been messing with Steve."

"Oh, of course you'd remember that," Natasha rolled her eyes.

That time even Steve had to smile. He side-glanced Seren for a brief moment and saw her smiling at him too. "I got your back," she winked at him and his heart swelled in that moment.

"Yikes, you might be grounded," Chloe whispered to Natasha.

"Been there done that," Natasha said dismissively. "Might as well keep going. I've got another question." She smirked immediately when they heard the collective groans from Steve and Seren. "What? You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"It's because whatever you're going to ask is probably going to be none of your business," Seren promptly said.

"Ouch," Natasha brought a hand to her chest. "Guess you're still mad about the sedatives?"

"Oh no, I loved being sedated against my will in the place I fear most."

"Well, next time don't have a mental breakdown. And by the way, if you don't answer my question...you're basically answering it."

Seren shook her head. "I regret meeting you."

"Love you too," Natasha said with a grin. "So, the question?" Seren groaned. "In the mall, neither of you seemed very uncomfortable kissing on the escalator. And you," she pointed at Seren, "weren't even half awake then."

"Don't remind me," Seren heard Steve's quiet mumble. She looked at him curiously.

"And you've pretty much been inseparable ever since the, uh, incident with the cyanide...does that mean you guys are like..." Natasha drifted her finger between the two in question, "You know, finally...?"

Chloe snorted. "If not, I'm going to throw myself out this window because it'd be ridiculous at this point."

"So poetic, Chloe," Steve remarked. "If we say 'yes', does that mean the conversation is over?" Steve looked at Natasha through the rearview mirror.

She smirked. "You wish."

"Back off," Seren cut in. It was her who held onto Steve's hand now. "And Chloe, if you throw yourself out the window, I'm prepared to leave you there. So quit it."

"Yes, mom," Chloe dutifully said. She then leaned forwards between their seats and smiled at the pair. "But I am happy about you guys. It was about damn time. Sorry my chocolates ruined it for you guys."

"We're good, Chloe, thanks."

"Seriously about time," Natasha groaned and shifted in her seat. "The last time Seren dated anyone was, what? Never?"

Seren's face fell flat at the jab. "That is not—"

"And we all know the last time Steve kissed anybody was in 1945!"

"Hey!" Steve frowned.

Chloe laughed at the pair. Natasha had something to say for everyone.

"Am I wrong?" Natasha challenged them with the proudest of smirks. "Seren could probably tell us. Does he need more practice?"

"Natasha stop talking," Seren pulled herself into a better sitting position, her hand never letting go of Steve's. Suddenly, she felt like she didn't really need two sweaters on. It wasn't that cold anymore.

"I'm hearing a 'yes'," Natasha glanced at the giggling Chloe. "What do you think, Winters?"

"Chloe Rose Winters, you better watch what you'll say," warned Seren.

"I'm not going to say anything bad," Chloe said, her eyes drifting towards Steve who was carefully watching her through the rearview mirror. "But everyone needs practice."

"Chloe!" He groaned. He should've seen that coming. Whenever she and Natasha got together on the same side, he paid hell for it.

"Leave him alone," Seren scolded them. She tugged on Steve's hand a bit, earning a brief glance from him. "You do not need practice. At all." Steve didn't say anything but his face was flushed as he drove.

"Oh, so she knows for sure," Natasha's smirk widened and nudged Chloe who burst into laughter.

"I would not blame you if you dropped them both off on the road," Seren said to Steve while the pair behind them went into a fit of laughter. "Seriously. Wouldn't say a word about it."

"I'll just be patient," he said, much kinder than what Seren thought they deserved from him. "One day, they'll be in our shoes."

"Oh, hold on there," Natasha stopped in the middle of her laugh, "You will never get the chance, Rogers. Maybe Winters might."

"Oh c'mon," Steve rolled his eyes.

"She might get you there," Seren said too. "I've known her forever and I've never known about her having a date."

"Me neither," Chloe agreed.

"I don't have time," shrugged Natasha.

"I would've thought it had something to do with the lies that working for S.H.I.E.L.D. usually brings." Steve didn't mean that as a jab for any of them. It was a simple truth he learned over the course of his 2 years with the organization. Even if he had considered the idea about moving on from Seren, which he didn't, having to explain his work to someone outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. was more than challenging. Even if he had dated someone within S.H.I.E.L.D., their schedules would never be aligned. It was a lost cause on both sides. Which was why he was prepared to do anything and everything to keep Seren with him.

"Nah, that's the least of the issues there," Natasha said, cutting Steve's thoughts short. "The truth is a matter of circumstances, it's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I."

"That's a tough way to live." Steve glanced at Seren who'd gone quiet, even Chloe as well. He hated their circumstances. Each of them had been torn and rebuilt for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s use. For a split second, just a split moment, he wondered if S.H.I.E.L.D. falling was the worst thing that could have happened for them...

"It's a good way not to die, though," Chloe murmured. She knew firsthand what the way of her life entailed. Never finding anyone to connect with, not even revisiting people she had established relationships with. It was too dangerous for both sides.

"My experience is that it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is," Steve said.

"Who do you want us to be, then?" Natasha quirked her eyebrows upwards. It was clear she spoke on behalf of herself and Chloe. No matter what happened, Seren was already on another level for him that made it pretty hard to be mistrusted.

"I'd be good with some friends."

Natasha couldn't help snort at that. "Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers."

"Or maybe the business was wrong all this time," Steve countered. All the time there could've been something wrong with S.H.I.E.L.D. and nobody noticed. His first thoughts went to Seren who, for as long as she remembered, had given all her time to the organization. Now she was probably being hunted by them like a criminal. They turned on her so quickly, like her work had meant nothing to them.

He glanced at Seren but she was no longer looking at anything. She fell asleep somewhere along the conversation. He squeezed her hand and focused on the road.

~ 0 ~

The sun had gone down by the time they reached the military base where they would supposedly find something linked to the USB.

"Seren, you should stay in here," Steve stood by the passenger door hoping that he could convince her to stay in the car where it was far warmer.

"Not happening," she repeated for the third time and promptly hopped off the car. She'd taken a nice long nap, that was enough. She did, however, zip up the oversized sweater on her to the top.

"Where exactly are we?" Chloe had followed Natasha a bit down the path. It was too dark to make out specific details besides it being a base.

"I don't know," Natasha shrugged. "But this is where the file came from."

"So did I," Steve admitted. He shut the passenger door behind them and walked forwards with Seren. "This camp is where I was trained."

"Really?" Seren's eyes widened. She raked the base over with a new light. "Has it changed much?"

"A little," Steve mumbled. That was an understatement. He could see himself running down the path, barely keeping up with the other soldiers, otherwise failing to be the perfect soldier. There was much to remember from this place and half of it wasn't good.

"This is a dead end," Natasha declared with a heavy sigh. She was walking around with a tech piece she'd taken earlier in the day. "Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off."

Steve came to an abrupt stop when he noticed a building ahead of them. Seren gazed at the building but couldn't make out what was wrong with it. "What is it?" she eventually had to ask him.

"Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place." He took off for the building and unlocked it with his shield. He went right on in and only then wondered, for a split second, if he'd just led them all into a trap. Thankfully, it turned out to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. office.

"These look old," Chloe noted from the leftover devices she saw lying on the desks, along with a few computers. There was a heavy dust collecting over the tops.

"Maybe this is where it all started," Seren made the conclusion. It had to be because by now S.H.I.E.L.D. was more than modern with its architecture and technology. There was no use being old school about anything.

They left the bullpen to cross a room with familiar-faced portraits hanging on the wall.

"There's Stark's father," Natasha pointed to one of the men's portraits.

"Hm, they don't look alike," Chloe shook her head.

"Who's the girl?" Natasha pointed to the only women of the three portraits.

Seren glanced at Steve when the question was made. She squeezed his hand as much as she could. She wasn't all there yet with her strength but Steve appreciated the gesture. He preferred, though, not to answer Natasha. He turned with Seren and walked down the room, passing by several bookshelves along the way.

Chloe suddenly stopped when she felt a jab in her head. Her light groan pulled the others towards her.

"Chloe?" Seren looked to the woman.

Chloe had grabbed her head as a few images rushed through her mind. It was blurred but if she was seeing correctly, she might save them some time.

"Is this what's been happening?" Seren glanced back at Steve and Natasha.

"They've never seen," Chloe dropped her hands and took in a breath. Her eyes flickered past them to a specific bookshelf. She left Seren and walked past the others. She stopped in front of the special bookshelf and cocked her head to the side. "If you're already working in a secret office...why do you need to hide the elevator?" She glanced at the trio, clearing her throat and gesturing for someone-oh-someone to move it.

Steve came up beside her and indeed noticed the strange space between the bookshelf and the next. "You just saw that in your head right now?"

"Are you going to turn into my grandmother now?" Seren asked. "That's basically the future you're seeing."

Steve started pulling the shelf to the side. Chloe watched intently for the secret elevator to show. "I hope not," she answered Seren's question in a mumble. "I don't see myself as being a wrinkly alien. No offence." Seren chuckled. She could always count on Chloe to bring a smile out of her.

The group went into the old elevator that brought them down into an even older room. The computers were, as Chloe said them, prehistoric.

"This can't be the data-point, this technology is ancient." Natasha couldn't find one modern-looking computer in the room, much less any computer with a lit screen. She drifted towards what seemed like the main computer and noticed a USB port on the desk. There wasn't much to do besides plugging in their USB computer came to life shortly afterwards.

'Initiate system?' blinked in and out on the screen.

"Are we supposed to type 'yes'?" Chloe raised an eyebrow at it.

Natasha went in and typed 'yes' on the computer. "Shall we play a game?" she asked in an odd tone when the computer started turning on completely. She whipped her head in Steve's direction. "It's from a movie that…"

"Yeah, I saw it," he said, pointing to Chloe for reference.

"Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918," started a heavily accented male voice. It froze everyone in their tracks as it kept going, the camera on top of the computer screening everyone. "Soul, Seren. Born 1986. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984. Winters, Chloe. Born 1989."

"It's some kind of recording," Natasha presumed, only for the computer to talk at them in return.

"I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am."

Seren raised an eyebrow at Steve. "You two know each other?"

Steve was just about making the voice when the screen switched to show an old photograph of Dr. Arnim Zola. Steve stiffened at the sight of the man. "Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years."

"First correction, I am Swiss," Zola said. "Second, look around you. I have never been more alive."

Chloe wouldn't admit how freaky it was that now every single computer in the room was whirling with life...but it was.

"In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain."

Chloe looked down at the floor and promptly steped out of the marked square.

"How did you get here?" asked Steve who couldn't be more baffled by the scene.

"Umm..." Seren scratched the side of her head, drawing Steve's attention. "My grandmother told me about that. It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic value."

Steve's expression was incredulous. After everything that Zola helped do, they just brought him over like nothing?

"Yeah, I wasn't fond of the idea either..." Seren said, reading his expression.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own," Zola said with a malicious tinge to his words.

Steve couldn't be sucked back into the past. No matter what, he was here and things were certainly not related to HYDRA anymore. "HYDRA died with the Red Skull."

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."

"Prove it."

"Accessing archive." Zola brought an old footage of the Red Skull followed by the original founders of S..H.I.E.L.D. "HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."

"That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you," Natasha said but she heard Chloe's light gasp on the side.

"The moles..." she whispered.

Seren heard it and shook her head. "Natasha's right, it's impossible. Somebody would have noticed. They would have...they would have—"

"Accidents will happen," Zola said, and Seren's confidence faltered when Zola showed them a series of photo clippings from the Starks' accident. HYDRA was behind it, along with many other 'accidents' around the world. It plummeted when Fury's death came up next.

Seren started breathing heavier. "Somebody would have — nobody noticed?" She felt awful, filled with guilt, that she had worked for tuese people. How did she know that none of her missions had ever been for HYDRA's cause? She didn't.

"HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum."

Steve heard enough and perhaps it was more anger than logic but he smashed the computer screen with his bare fist. He looked down at Seren beaide him, her eyes filled with angry tears. She was taking the news much like he was. He suspected that the only reason her powers hadn't manifested yet was because her health wasn't completely healed.

It didn't help that only a minute later Zola's face popped up on another screen beside them. "As I was saying…"

"What's on this drive?" Steve demanded to know.

"Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm."

"What kind of algorithm?" asked Natasha. "What does it do?"

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it."

The entrance doors started closing, making the group whirl around in panic. Steve threw his shield at the doors, but he was a second too late. They were trapped.

Natasha got a ping on her device. "We got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops."

Steve turned to her. "Who fired it?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha reread the device to make sure she was right even though she knew she was right.

"S.H.I.E.L.D..." Seren's voice was stark quiet, resigning herself to the horrific things she learned today. S.H.I.E.L.D. turned its back on her and the rest of her friends so easily. The anger she felt was rising and rising...

"I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us...out of time."

"Shut up!" Chloe snapped at it.

"You, however, will be an asset that sadly had to be decommissioned before you were ever useful."

"Excuse me?"

"Nope!" Seren wasn't going to let that thing anywhere near Chloe.

"Over here!" Steve called to them after spotting a small opening on the ground.

"No, I want to know what that means!" Chloe struggled with Seren who was trying to pull her towards the opening.

"Chloe!" Seren groaned. "Not the time!"

"Time is what I've lost because of this!"

Natasha hurried over to them and helped Seren pull Chloe away. Eventually, the blonde gave in and ran with them.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Steve ushered them down first before jumping in himself.

"I don't see this ending well," Chloe said with a body stance ready for impact.

"Did you see it?" Natasha sighed.

"No, I just know."

Steve raised his shield above them just as impact happened, or blasted who knew. They were rocked in the hole and even when Seren tried to use her own powers to create an extensive shield, it wasn't enough. Her strength already wasn't what it should've been. In the end, it was Chloe who managed to help with a radiant blue shield above them.

When everything stilled, Chloe brought down her shield. She managed to push Natasha's body from her side. They had crashed heads one too many times and now they were both groggy.

Steve pushed the chunks of cement out of their way to climb up. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah," Natasha cleared her throat and shook her head multiple times to shake off the grogginess.

"Me too," Chloe said, rubbing her temples.

Steve waited for Seren to agree and quickly grew concerned when she didn't say anything. He stopped pushing cement out of their way and looked around. Seren had fallen against the crummy wall and was unconscious. The absolute last thing she needed was a concussion of all things right now!

"OUT!" Steve yelled. "LET'S GO!" He couldn't get to Seren until he helped Chloe and Natasha out of their hiding hole. Only then he was able to reach Seren's body and pulled her to him. They were only just able to make it out before the STRIKE agents arrived at the site.

[computervrx]

The Origin of the Computer Virus

At the time of it's creation, it was not referred to as a computer virus but a theoretical concept of a computer virus was presented by Hungarian scientist and mathematician John Von Neuman.

It was presented in a series of lectures titled "The Theory 8 Organization of Complicated Automata." These lectures were conducted at the University of Illinois in 1944 and published by the same university in 1966. The basis of his theory was that as computer programs become more intricate and are able to mirror the human nervous system, eventually it would make sense if it were able to self-replicate just like a biological virus and cause any number of threats to the host system.

First Computer Virus Ever Created In 1971, the first official computer virus was created by Bob Thomas from BBN Technologies. It was called the "creeper" named after a villain from the cartoon series Scooby-Doo.

It was initially an experimental program with malicious intent was ingrained in its code. When a computer was infected with the program, it would print this message on their machine:

Then, it would move along in the network and find another computer to display the same message without damaging any files. That same year a colleague of Bob's would create a similar program called "Reaper". However, instead of displaying any messages it would look for copies of Creeper and and delete them. Regarding this program the first "anti-virus" solution.

The Rabbit Virus

In 1974, the "Rabbit" virus was created. Given this name because of speed at which it replicated itself. This was different from the previous virus mentioned because it was contained to one machine and created with malicious intent. It was created by a disgruntled employee and mainly intended to replicate itself until the system ultimately crashed.

"Animal" A Year later, the first "Trojan Horse" was developed. This is a type of malware that will disguise itself as a non-threatening program in order of not being detected and deleted by a user or anti-virus program. They cannot be replicated, but can attach itself to user program files or games that are exchanged then executed by end-user activity.

A computer programmer named John Walker created a program called "animal" which initially looked like a game that asked the user 20 questions to determine the animal they were thinking of. In the background, it was using a program called pervade which was a piece of code he programmed to copy this game into every single directory that user had access to.

Elk Cloner

In 1982, another virus emerged created by a 15-year-old high school student in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania named Rich Skrenta. This virus is considered to be one of the first viruses to leave the confines of where it was created and first ever personal computer (PC) viruses. It was transmitted through floppy disks and would copy itself to run in the memory of the computer it was installed in. It would also copy itself onto any floppy disk inserted into the PC. This viruses was initially intended to be a joke and was not programmed with any malicious intent, but was noted for how quickly it spread. The only notable thing it did was display a message when the system was booted for the 50th time:

The "Brain" Virus

In 1986, there were two brothers based in Pakistan named Basit and Amjad Farooq.

They ran a computer store at that time and were growing frustrated at customers using pirated copies of their computer program. They created this virus to get back at those users. This was considered a boot sector virus which would alter the boot sector of any floppy disk used to copy their software. It was referred to the brain virus due to the name of the brother's company and the logo printed on their personal floppy disks. It is regarded as the first IBM PC virus. When users would try to boot their system they were presented with a message that read "welcome to the dungeon" along with binary editing code.

The brothers insisted that this virus was simply created to bring awareness to the user that they were using a pirated version of their program, however it was reported that some users experienced data loss and other issues. This was most likely caused by variants of the virus being spread. This is the virus that would go on to inspire the creation of the anti-virus software Mcafee since it caused the creator of the software to lose their personal work files.

[transelliotalderson]

Thinking about starting a project where I make easy-to-use tutorials on installing and using Linux.

But also I want to use this project to mail out free Linux boot USBs for beginners to use. Live USBs you can just plug in and hit the button and boot up into. I'd need donations to purchase USBs/shipping/time involved but if this gets like... 1000 notes I'd start doing it.

The only thing I would worry about is figuring out how to prove I'm trustworthy. Obviously I would not send anyone viruses or malware, just genuine and tested live USBs. Anyone have any ideas on how I can guarantee that to users? For instance the distro might update while it's en route and the cryptographic hash might not match what's on the distro website when it's received.

I guess I could just send them out to people who can look at them and build a good reputation for the project first.

My other fear is people claiming I put something malicious on a drive I send out by putting something on it themselves or just plain lying and ruining my reputation. Because like... the Internet.

So there's a lot to balance. But I'm really interested in ideas because it's something I'm good at and and excited about.

I really want to help make using Linux more user-friendly and get more people started on it. This could be a real way to push back against the invasion of privacy and the hegemony of certain operating systems.

(anyone can reblog this to give this potential project more exposure)