Almost Stealing ]] Open

[adrian matthew ericson !]

In a place like this, computers control everything. So, as it stood, Adrian had decided that the best place for him to start his little investigation was at a place with a lot of them. The main branch of the New York bank was almost completely automated, with those fun little touch-screen computers substituting for real ATMs.

It wasn't as though he had an account here, but, he figured, that was the best way to see if he wasn't losing his mind. Go to a computer that he'd never messed with before. One where the settings were static, and unless a person had extensive knowledge of what was going on on the inside, they'd be pretty much helpless to do anything at all.

So, patiently waiting, a cleverly dressed Adrian found himself slowly moving up a line. It was unfortunate that he wasn't alone - that would be way too easy, though, and expecting too much of New York. In fact, he probably wasn't going to get but a few minutes alone doing whatever it was he was thinking he could do.

White sneakers - a terrible choice for a non-school-day - were now a bit more dusty than when the day had started. They were protected a little bit by a pair of black cargo slacks, that draped their way down just over the tongue of his shoe, so at least that part would be clean.

To top it all off, he had a dark green T-shirt, complete with a few random shapes and figures that all came together to create a rather nifty looking image. At the end of the day, he cleaned up nice, even if he had forgotten to gel up his hair today. Still, it looked alright laying flat - he never combed it in any specific direction.

Either way, as his turn approached, he dug his phone from his pocket. Again, it was completely blank - the MP3's had vanished off of it, leaving nothing but a nearly blank screen, flickering as if reminiscent of something he couldn't quite remember.

He stepped forward, and stared at the happily blinking terminal, with all of its moving images and brilliant colors. It was all very attractive, and it was meant to attract someone like him to want to invest his money here.

Fingers slipped outward, and he touched the screen, right over the welcome button.

He closed his eyes, and tried to think of that feeling. That his brain was learning something. Again, that muted flash - though, this time, he was looking for it. At it. Through it. It was everything that was inside the computer, all of the data that it had on it. Image rotation, PIN numbers in the history, accounts accessed, amount tendered. Graphics, documents, little cute noises that were supposed to be triggered every time the screen was touched.

He took those out.

"Holy s..." He murmured, hearing a soft cough from behind him. He hadn't placed a card in the slot or anything, and yet, he felt rushed. "Wow." He added.

He knew what he was looking for. His MP3's. Just one, though. The Surprise Symphony, which was an amusing little thing. He placed it precisely where he'd 'found' the other.

"Now, to see if I lost my mind..." He whispered, mostly for enthusiasm. Either he had an amazing imagination, or...

he touched the screen, and the small speakers suddenly started blaring the soft starting of the Piano. But it wasn't just his computer. It was all the terminals. They began to vibrate as the music hit the 'surprise' crescendo - everyone clutched their ears, except him. He knew what to expect.

So, he wasn't nuts. What then, was he?

Hand still on the terminal, his eyes flittered. A bunch of accounts, and the PIN numbers. All saved data. All he could review if he tried. "I could get a lot of money..." He said, around the music. He restored the old sound file, but couldn't get that thought out of his head. And how would they trace him?

Decisions, decisions.

Decisions that ended abruptly. He had to be psycho. No one could do what just happened. He had to be imagining it. With a hefty shrug, he forced his way outside - accidentally taking all of the computer's data with him. Accidentally in that he couldn't believe he'd done it. Stuff like that didn't happen. This wasn't a movie.

Behind him, the monitor was black, a single cursor blinking in the corner. The door quickly closed, and he was out on the street, breathing deeply the outside, New York air.

[adrian mathias dweemer !]

Adrian turned and looked at the nearest ATM, instantly on guard as he heard the thing putting out music. What the hell? He hadn't expected anything to happen today, this was the first time he'd ever been in the Bank of New York so nobody should have known what he was here for. Hell, nobody should even recognise him. He looked around and realised everyone, even the guards, was as bewildered as he was. He looked again, knowing that someone had to know what was happening. His gaze settled on a kid by the door, who was slowly backing out of the bank.

Adrian narrowed his eyes for a moment, thinking quickly. That kid knew what was happening, but how? Adrian made a decision and moved toward the door, watching them slide shut after the boy had gone through. They opened again and he looked squarely at the kid as he moved closer. When he was roughly four feet from him, Adrian spoke.

"Something tells me you're the reason for the machines going haywire in there."

He didn't say anything else, wanting to hear what the kid had to say for himself. Truthfully, Adrian was feeling just a little excited. This kid was either the world's greatest hacker, or he was something Adrian had been searching for for years. Of course, Adrian had been looking for someone who shared his ability, but it looked like he'd stumbled across something almost as good. Maybe now he'd get some answers. The bank's money could wait, it wasn't going anywhere.

[adrian matthew ericson !]

He looked confused, at the man. Of course, it was a fake confusion - part of being very good at public relations is knowing precisely when to shut your own mouth. Concern, of course, for his own safety - after all. He didn't know this guy, and for all he knew, the man could have seen him wig out the ATMs. Then again - who could figure out what he did? It was a major stretch of the imagination for him and he did it. Or didn't do it. Adrian just hadn't quite come up with a logical explanation just yet.

"Yeah, well, something tells me you're not a security guard." Lack of posture - pose. No badge helped, no visible guns. Still, it was a little difficult to concentrate on things like details. Stuff he used to know how a person might act or respond to this joke or that suggestion. He wasn't psychic. He was just losing his mind. He bit his lip a little, remaining poised to do something After all, running would be the easiest and most appropriate answer, but that would also imply some sort of guilt.

Just in case he was wrong, and maybe the guy was a security guard.

Tightening the strap of his bag on his shoulder, he tried to figure the man out. After all, how had he spotted him, out of the crowd of people? He was leaving the bank in a rush, certainly, but that shouldn't be a major issue, considering the computers had all started spazzing out.

Because you made them spaz out. He thought, and for a moment, he took comfort in that. It was something of a certainty, even if it was totally insane and impossible. A multitude of reasons that he hadn't done what he'd done all roamed through his head.

But he could feel it. Acutely, now, that he knew what he was feeling. In the back of his mind, that information - taken from the computers - was all there. Stored, compressed, just beyond his reach. But there, nonetheless.

"So if you're not a security guard, and I'm not in trouble for anything, we'll just go our separate ways. I didn't make anything go haywire. ATM machines like that all have to be encrypted or something, right? So there's no way I could do it. Not without some sort of supernatural power." He said it, in an attempt to dissuade the man from pursuing the argument. After all, no normal person would accuse a kid of being able to do things no normal person could.

Right?

Still, he couldn't help but nibble at the corner of his lip, trying to look somewhat defiant. He didn't really like being rude - in fact, it was quite the opposite. Adrian was a really nice kid, most of the time. At this particular instance, he was kind of freaked out, too. Who could blame him for acting defensively?

And everyone knows that acting defensively is just another term for acting suspiciously.

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Notes ]] I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you! I've been more or less hiatus'd, and I'm hoping that you're... not hiatus'd. xD
Words ]] 496 [ Sorry it's small, but I've been up way over 24 hours. xD ]