Hacking?! It's not the movies.

Jason wakes up to Kyle gently nudging him. It's thursday. Today will be the day he can start moving to his goal. 

"Dude it's time for school?" Kyle pushes him gently. Jason groans awake and slowly gets up. He looks Kyle in his eyes still taken back from yesterday night. All the memories still coursing through his mind. Seeing his brother just five years old holding him. His parents screaming and running out of a strange house with both of them in tow. 

"Hey Earth to Jason, do you need me to take you to school?" Kyle asks shows a little concern. 

"No. No i'm fine." Jason sits with his thoughts for a moment and before Kyle leaves his room for work he asks. "Do you remember before we moved here where we lived before? When I was a baby?" 

Kyle sits with it for a moment as if thinking of the perfect answer. "Yeah, with our grandfather. Dad. They didn't get a long so we left. It's pretty fuzzy I just remember a lot of fighting so it was probably a good idea. Why do you ask?" 

"Just curious. I never really heard much and we never saw anyone when they died. I just thought we wouldn't be so alone." Jason can see the hurt in Kyle's eyes when he says it. 

Kyle pats his shoulder and smiles. "It's for the best. They never gave us anything and we don't need family like that. Not when we've got eachother right?" A hint of anger hides in his voice.

"Yeah you're right." Jason mulls over the thought some more. Kyle was hiding something but he didn't know what. Jason would have to learn about it eventually. When he goes after his parents killers but first he had to take care of his problem at school. 

"I love you kid. Now get ready quickly before you are late like I am." Jason says I love you back and Kyle rushes out and leaves Jason there to think. 

Jason isn't sure what to think about his past but he knows that if his family didn't abandon his parents they wouldn't be where they were. Ana would have gotten the treatement she needed and would still be running around. Kyle would have been able to continue going to school and wouldn't be stuck as a grunt engineer for a company he hates, forced to pay back student loans and try to keep them a float. 

Jason sees so many enemies. His family that abandoned him, the people at school and the rich that took advantage of their small family to break their home. The malice that comes from shitty kids and worse adults. 

"System replace first slot with hacking." 

[Error. Prerequisite skills not achieved. Maybe do more research on hacking.]

"What do you mean do more research? Did I not do enough?"

[Hacking isn't simple, don't just trust one book.] 

"Yeah yeah. I look into it. I can already guess the problem." 

Jason quickly brushes his teeth and heads to the library again. This time he might need the computer for once. 

Jason enters again and the front lady greets him. He waves and nods his head in a quiet greeting and heads to the computers. Only to find Vivian sitting at one. 

"Vivian? You are here early." Jason makes his presence known before sitting down. 

"Just by a little. My parents weren't too happy about me coming late, so I escaped any stares this morning." Vivian looks at him with a big chesire cat smile, her eyes squinting and her white teeth baring to the world. She didn't seem to care as much as she did yesterday about her parents ire. 

"Sorry about that and thank you. It meant a lot you staying with me." Jason blushes lightly thinking about laying in her lap. 

Vivian's face flushes from Jason's clear embarrassement and quickly turns away. "Don't mention it. Really. It was nothing. So 007 what are you doing today?" 

"Cyber security. Just doing some research for a project at home." Jason can't bring himself to say hacking. His black hoody and black jeans just screamed edge lord already. If he lets himself embarrass himself in front of Vivian again he doesn't know what he will do. A humble lie will do. 

"So I.T and stuff Huh? So not the hacking book I saw?" Vivian teases him. 

'Shit. I forgot she saw those books.Just play it cool.'

"Yeah that was just more research. I had to take a break but I'm getting back into it and that includes lots of computer research. What are you working on today?" 

"Most Cool math games to be honest." Vivian points at the screen. 

"I did not notice. Actually jealous I've been too busy to play anything." Jason sighs imagining the massive amount of hours he has been reading. 

Vivian sighs. "This is all I got dude, no games at home." 

Jason shoots up and looks at her. "No. Way. That is a problem. This weekend do you want to play some video games?" 

Vivian is shocked by Jason's forwardness and even Jason is shocked. "Uh. Yeah that would be nice. I'd have to ask my parents but I'll tell you tomorrow for sure." 

Jason sits down and smiles. "Good. Good. Well it's time for research. I recommend fire boy and water girl. That was always my favorite." 

"I'll do that. Thanks Jason." Vivian responds. Her heart beating just a little faster. 

The internet is always a treasure of information. Jason needs to know one thing first what it takes to be a hacker. A quick google search gave him an article on how to be an ethical hacker. He needs a few skills outside of certifications he isn't going to bother getting. 

Programming languages: Proficiency in languages like Python, Java, C++, and Ruby

Operating systems: In-depth knowledge of Windows, Linux, and macOS

Networking: Understanding of protocols, architectures, and common vulnerabilities

Knowledge in Web technologies: Familiarity with web applications, databases, and associated security issues

Security tools: Experience with popular penetration testing and security analysis tools

'Shit. Although the Article breaks it up this way. It's clear that it's split between programming, information security and finally tools to employ hacking. Hmm I will start with programming and information security. Getting those to level 1 should allow me to work on the hacking skill. Although I haven't run into a prerequisite skill yet. This could go any way.' 

'System, Put programming into slot 1 and information security in slot 2.' 

[General Programming allocated to slot 1; Information Security allocated to slot 2]

Although this is a minor set back with the second level of the system he can work on two skills at the same time. With the knowledge from these skills he will learn how to hack and then he can start his war against the school and the students that give him hell every day. He is only half a week down. Just imagine where he will get when this week is over. 

"It's coming together." Jason speaks to himself. 

"Did you say something?" Vivian asks beside him, half way through the first Fire boy and water girl game. 

"N-Nothing, just talking to myself. Time to go grab some book." 

"Alright weirdo." Vivian chuckles and goes back to playing. 

'This is just the start' Jason imagines the unknowable future and all the possibilities it will bring.