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Caleb Rivers

@sardonichacker.bsky.social

34 followers 31 following 130 posts

“𝖪𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝗌𝗐𝖾𝗋𝗌.”

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Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Nov 30

“𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑘𝑒 𝑢𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟.”

C͟a͟l͟e͟b͟ R͟i͟v͟e͟r͟s͟
⇢ unrepentant hacker
⇢ sarcasm purveyor
⇢ technophile

possible dark themes; MDNI

12 8

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

device type. No luck with location datar either.“ A flimsy start to begin with, but any information was better than none. “Maybe we should all meet.” Caleb looked away from the computer to capture Hanna’s gaze. “Put together all of the A.D. communication and see where that leads us?”

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

kind of thing.” With Hanna’s phone connected to his computer, pulling up the meta data on A.D. messages proved easy enough. A frown pulled at his lips and Caleb released a frustrated sigh. “No luck. A.D. is knowledgeable enough to mask not only their number but information like —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

computer world.” The term was vague enough to encompass so many things, and there was something distinctly Hanna about relegating entire professions to the realm of computer stuff. “I’m a programmer, but a lot of projects ask for multiple skills like web design, a background in security. That —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

it just his imagination or was she refusing to make eye contact with him? Caleb set up his laptop, connecting to the wifi, and using a cord to attach Hanna’s phone. Glancing up from the screen, a smile played on his lips at Hanna’s wording about his profession. “Yes, Hanna, I still work in the —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

It didn’t surprise Caleb that Hanna chose not to speak with Jordan in front of him. No doubt she felt the awkwardness that seemed to grow by the moment, and that kind of personal conversation might compound the situation. “Thanks.” Caleb mumbled the word while he accepted the WiFi password. Was —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

screen. “Is -A switching professions, becoming an engineer?”

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

“Ready to see inside the mind of
-A?” The files had generic names that offered little details about their purpose. A quick scroll of the list revealed multiple photographs simply titled numerically. Caleb opened a random image file and a topographic map appeared on the —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

newly decrypted files. “Before we do anything, I’m going to make a backup. Just in case -A has gone all Mission Impossible with self-destructing in the mix.” Caleb setup a virtual machine which he would use to open the files, hopefully shielding his computer from any malicious intentions. —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

heavy fatigue. He was just about to broach the subject again when the computer made a series of beeps and pulled his attention back to the monitor. The program completed its mission seemingly decrypting the files on the thumb drive. “We’ve got something.” He clicked over to the folder filled with —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 22

Lack of sleep could wear down anyone leaving frayed nerves; Caleb knew this firsthand having experienced the cost of multiple sleepless nights in a row. He wanted to suggest Spencer take a nap while she was here, but from the sound of it, sleep wouldn’t easily find her even with what was probably —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

future messages.” Caleb set Hanna’s phone down beside the laptop, and it immediately began to ring with Jordan’s number emblazoned across the screen, which he clearly saw even as he slid the device in Hanna’s direction. “Oh, I think your fiancé is trying to reach you.”

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

dancing around some unspoken issue, but they weren’t together anymore and the tense atmosphere meant it was safer not to comment. He settled his laptop bag on a nearby counter and went about preparing it to check Hanna’s phone. “I can install something on there, see if we can backtrace any —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

fatigue or stress translating into moodiness. Before he could respond, Hanna mentioned the WiFi and appeared to accept help after all. This kind of temperament change would have resulted in comment from Caleb had they still been together. He would have asked what was really going on instead of —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

was cool between the friends. All Caleb could hear in Hanna’s remark was resentment, and he couldn’t figure out why. She was engaged to another man. Maybe this was a hint about Spencer silently suffering and his failure to see she was troubled by -A once more? Or maybe it was the late hour and —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

Instead of accepting his help, which Caleb thought was the point of this visit, Hanna brought up Spencer in what felt like a passive aggressive defensive posture. Confusion clouded his thoughts. Spencer said she talked to Hanna about what was happening between them, insinuating that everything —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

Normally, Caleb wouldn’t turn down the offer of caffeine. Though not quite as avid a fan as Spencer, he enjoyed his daily fix(es) too. “I think I need to pass on the coffee or I’ll be up all night.” More than that, the energizing boost would only fuel his internal jitters after his meeting. —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

continued running in an effort to decrypt what might be an elaborate trap. -A would never be careless enough to leave precious information around. “When was the last time you had real sleep, Spence?”

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

the thumb drive, and a cascade of questions came to mind. How exactly did Emily and Aria get these files? Did they simply stumble across the thumb drive? Had -A sent it in the form of a taunt? Were they breaking into -A’s latest lair in search of evidence? The computer hummed away as the program —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

his attention to elicit too many emotions she wasn’t ready to face, his hand moved away as he sat back in the desk chair. Empathy remained etched in his features as he watched her, allowing space for Spencer to either open up or collect herself in whatever way she needed. His thoughts returned to —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 19

The self-assured, quip-ready Spencer vanished before Caleb’s eyes, and some of her inner turmoil was laid bare. A warm hand shifted forward to rest comfortingly atop hers. “Hey.” He waited until their eyes met to continue. “We can avoid anything that’s too heavy right now, k?” Because it wasn’t —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 18

bag slung over his shoulder. “Let me do some checking to see if any -A Easter eggs will lead us to something helpful, okay?”

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 18

professionalism took precedent over Caleb. He didn’t harbor any resentment. What happened was in the past, but a dull ache of nostalgia or proximity to old wounds reared up. Caleb indicated Hanna’s phone clasped in his left hand. “I have my laptop here.” He patted the messenger —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 18

the truth.” He had no intention of leaving. Not without answers. Briefly, he recalled the last tense conversation they’d had before he boarded a plane for Europe. When Hanna chose her job over their relationship, Caleb was gutted, but their relationship eroded little by little even before that as —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 18

Spencer—are they receiving them, too?” Familiar concerns crept up as Caleb assessed the situation. Could Spencer be concealing an issue like this? They’d all harbored secrets in the past, usually out of a misguided attempt to protect the people they cared about. “I’m going to help you, but I need —

Caleb Rivers @sardonichacker.bsky.social · Dec 18

The threat caused his brows to knit together, and Caleb went through the familiar steps to see if any easy clues remained in the message’s meta data. It came as no surprise that this new -A wasn’t sloppy. “Hanna, how long have you been getting messages like this? How about the others—Aria, Emily, —