Short
Story #2
Story #2
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| Powder Monkey January 2012 |
| A Common Line by E.R. Murphy |
“Hey, Ken, look what I found.” Herb leaned back in his seat and smiled as he stared at the
monitor. “This can’t be for real. If it is, now what.”
“What’s you got?” Standing behind his fellow hacker Ken studied what was displayed.
Several times he shook his head. “Is that for real? No way.”
“Got to be. Too early for Halloween. Doubt Andy could have created this. Got to be the real
thing. Sweet ain’t it?”
“How’d you find it? Don’t tell me. Just shot it over to my computer.” Ken was quickly back
in his seat waiting the arrival of the site. For several minutes the pair studied the site, reading
everything on it. At first both were amazed how quickly each entry received a response “You
think this is for real?”
“Got to be. But I don’t understand why it’s in English.”
“Bet they got lots of different dialects and this is the only common line for communicating.
Think we should tell someone?”
“Why? The Feds will only screw this up. Plus it alerts them to the fact we’re hacking.” Herb
hit a few keys testing whether he could get in. Although elated he could apparently do whatever he
wanted, common sense warned him to slow down. “You know. If we did tell them the CIA will
only hack in and only cause a few headaches before the jerks realize what’s happening and shut
down the email address.”
Sporting a huge grin, Herb looked at his fellow conspirator. “It would be mighty patriotic of
us if we hacked in and used our superior skills to cause havoc. Lets face it, we’re the best.
Remember what we did to Air Force?”
“Man, put it on ice. That was the Air Force. These are terrorists.” Ken studied the screen for
a moment. “Yeeks, these are weirdos, mad men. . . . Damn what a bunch of crazy ideas they’re
spouting . . . . Egoistical, bigoted, dumb. . . . You know my fellow supreme example of a
hacker, these pieces of shit deserve to be played with. Shall we have some fun?”
“I say, dear chap.” Herb nodded and gave a Cheshire Cat size smile. “It does appear time for
Hackers Extreme do make the world a safer place. To separate the trash from the common– ”
“Shut up. Bro, thought we agreed no smoking while we’re on.” A pencil went flying.
“My dear Watson, I believe it is now time to do a crime.” Herb caught the pencil and immediately
began spinning it in one hand.
“My dear Holmes, I must agree. Shall we begin?”
“Lets.”
#
For several days the pair did not type into the email site. They did not want to take any
chance of alerting the terrorists before they completed their cheat sheet. Finally the pair looked at
each other and nodded. Their list of names appearing on the site hadn’t changed for a while
leading them to believe they had everyone. Both smiled and nodded, it was understood it was time
for phrase two.
“Okay, what’s you going to type?” Ken stood behind Herb watching, the latter had won the
right to be the first to hack in. Both agreed it would be an unnecessary risk for both to enter at the
same time.
The answer came in the form of keys being tapped, Akbar, is there any truth to the rumor
you were in a bar last night?
“Oh, that good.” Ken took his seat and waited the response.
I wasn’t at a bar last night.
“My turn.” Ken’s fingers went to work. Sorry, Ishmel must have gotten you mixed up with
someone else.
“Thought we were going to save Ishmel for later?”
“Sorry, needed a new name and that was all I could think up. Woo look at that.”
Who is this Ishmel? I want to know why he’s trying to get me in trouble. I kill him.
Herb cracked his knuckles before typing. Ali’s cousin twice removed. Been running the
hashish for us into the Jewish state.
“Hashish? Israel?”
“Hey, it’s make believe. Plus watch the reply.”
Hashish? Into Israel? Why wasn’t I told?
We’ve been talking about it for months.
“This is going to get his goat.”
“Be careful, you know how they feel about their goats.” Ken almost fell out of his chair due to
laughing so hard.
“Booooo.” Herb continued. If you would read the site daily as instructed you would be aware
of the money we’re making.
What money? Who is getting the money?
We’re sharing it right now. Well, we got it in a safe spot somewhere. No one can agree on
how to the money, bombs, travel, goats, women or helping the poor.
Who has the money right now?
Ishmel
Where is this Ishmel? I want my share!
He’s making a run into the Jewish state. Hope he makes it back. Fool said he only needed
just enough gas to get there.
What? You let him go with only gas for a one way trip?
We never give him a full tank. Fool keeps talking about having dreams of being a suicide
bomber. Until I get my share of the money I want him alive.
Do you know where the house is he’s heading for?
The usual house in Tel Aviv. But don’t go there. Hear they will kill anyone coming close
they didn’t call for.
Sounds like that where the money is.
Are you going to go there?
“No response.” Ken and Herb looked at each other as if asking, Now what? As the seconds
grew into minutes both smiled.
“I say old chap. I wonder if we might have cause some hard feelings. It does not appear they
realized we were in.”
“Dr. Watson. Please. They may be dumb terrorists who deserve being sent to find their 72
virgins– ”
“I hear the virgins were all male members of the Israel Defense Force.”
Herb stopped and stared at his friend. “You are one sick puppy.”
monitor. “This can’t be for real. If it is, now what.”
“What’s you got?” Standing behind his fellow hacker Ken studied what was displayed.
Several times he shook his head. “Is that for real? No way.”
“Got to be. Too early for Halloween. Doubt Andy could have created this. Got to be the real
thing. Sweet ain’t it?”
“How’d you find it? Don’t tell me. Just shot it over to my computer.” Ken was quickly back
in his seat waiting the arrival of the site. For several minutes the pair studied the site, reading
everything on it. At first both were amazed how quickly each entry received a response “You
think this is for real?”
“Got to be. But I don’t understand why it’s in English.”
“Bet they got lots of different dialects and this is the only common line for communicating.
Think we should tell someone?”
“Why? The Feds will only screw this up. Plus it alerts them to the fact we’re hacking.” Herb
hit a few keys testing whether he could get in. Although elated he could apparently do whatever he
wanted, common sense warned him to slow down. “You know. If we did tell them the CIA will
only hack in and only cause a few headaches before the jerks realize what’s happening and shut
down the email address.”
Sporting a huge grin, Herb looked at his fellow conspirator. “It would be mighty patriotic of
us if we hacked in and used our superior skills to cause havoc. Lets face it, we’re the best.
Remember what we did to Air Force?”
“Man, put it on ice. That was the Air Force. These are terrorists.” Ken studied the screen for
a moment. “Yeeks, these are weirdos, mad men. . . . Damn what a bunch of crazy ideas they’re
spouting . . . . Egoistical, bigoted, dumb. . . . You know my fellow supreme example of a
hacker, these pieces of shit deserve to be played with. Shall we have some fun?”
“I say, dear chap.” Herb nodded and gave a Cheshire Cat size smile. “It does appear time for
Hackers Extreme do make the world a safer place. To separate the trash from the common– ”
“Shut up. Bro, thought we agreed no smoking while we’re on.” A pencil went flying.
“My dear Watson, I believe it is now time to do a crime.” Herb caught the pencil and immediately
began spinning it in one hand.
“My dear Holmes, I must agree. Shall we begin?”
“Lets.”
#
For several days the pair did not type into the email site. They did not want to take any
chance of alerting the terrorists before they completed their cheat sheet. Finally the pair looked at
each other and nodded. Their list of names appearing on the site hadn’t changed for a while
leading them to believe they had everyone. Both smiled and nodded, it was understood it was time
for phrase two.
“Okay, what’s you going to type?” Ken stood behind Herb watching, the latter had won the
right to be the first to hack in. Both agreed it would be an unnecessary risk for both to enter at the
same time.
The answer came in the form of keys being tapped, Akbar, is there any truth to the rumor
you were in a bar last night?
“Oh, that good.” Ken took his seat and waited the response.
I wasn’t at a bar last night.
“My turn.” Ken’s fingers went to work. Sorry, Ishmel must have gotten you mixed up with
someone else.
“Thought we were going to save Ishmel for later?”
“Sorry, needed a new name and that was all I could think up. Woo look at that.”
Who is this Ishmel? I want to know why he’s trying to get me in trouble. I kill him.
Herb cracked his knuckles before typing. Ali’s cousin twice removed. Been running the
hashish for us into the Jewish state.
“Hashish? Israel?”
“Hey, it’s make believe. Plus watch the reply.”
Hashish? Into Israel? Why wasn’t I told?
We’ve been talking about it for months.
“This is going to get his goat.”
“Be careful, you know how they feel about their goats.” Ken almost fell out of his chair due to
laughing so hard.
“Booooo.” Herb continued. If you would read the site daily as instructed you would be aware
of the money we’re making.
What money? Who is getting the money?
We’re sharing it right now. Well, we got it in a safe spot somewhere. No one can agree on
how to the money, bombs, travel, goats, women or helping the poor.
Who has the money right now?
Ishmel
Where is this Ishmel? I want my share!
He’s making a run into the Jewish state. Hope he makes it back. Fool said he only needed
just enough gas to get there.
What? You let him go with only gas for a one way trip?
We never give him a full tank. Fool keeps talking about having dreams of being a suicide
bomber. Until I get my share of the money I want him alive.
Do you know where the house is he’s heading for?
The usual house in Tel Aviv. But don’t go there. Hear they will kill anyone coming close
they didn’t call for.
Sounds like that where the money is.
Are you going to go there?
“No response.” Ken and Herb looked at each other as if asking, Now what? As the seconds
grew into minutes both smiled.
“I say old chap. I wonder if we might have cause some hard feelings. It does not appear they
realized we were in.”
“Dr. Watson. Please. They may be dumb terrorists who deserve being sent to find their 72
virgins– ”
“I hear the virgins were all male members of the Israel Defense Force.”
Herb stopped and stared at his friend. “You are one sick puppy.”