The Glitch In Our Stars

Chapter 5: The Neon Jungle

The Tech Summit was a sprawling labyrinth of glass, LED screens, and people wearing headsets that cost more than Aria’s car. It was held at the "Apex Center," a building so modern it looked like it was designed by an AI with a grudge.

"Okay," Julian said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "The 'Kill Switch' competition is in Hall C. The drive—the one with your digital life on it—is currently being guarded by a team of ethical hackers from MIT. They’re using it as a 'Capture the Flag' prize. We have exactly forty-five minutes before the winner is announced and the data is archived."

Aria looked at her reflection in a glass door. She was still wearing the neon trucker hat and gas-station sunglasses. "How do we get in? We don't have badges."

"We don't need badges," Julian said, pulling two sleek, silver lanyards from his bag. "I 'borrowed' the digital signatures of two keynote speakers from the server while we were on the bus. Welcome to the Summit, Dr. Aris and Professor Vance."

They stepped into Hall C. It was a high-tech colosseum. In the center, on a raised glass platform, sat the drive: a small, pulsing blue cube surrounded by a laser grid.

"There it is," Aria whispered.

But as they moved toward the platform, a voice boomed over the speakers. "And now, our final challengers! The mysterious duo who bypassed our security firewall ten minutes ago! Give it up for... The Glitch Hunters!"

The spotlight swung wildly and landed directly on Aria and Julian. The giant screens surrounding the room flickered, and suddenly, Aria’s face—the 'Cheddar Goth' version—was plastered everywhere.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Aria groaned, shielding her eyes.

"Change of plans," Julian grabbed her hand, his face set in a grin. "We aren't sneaking in. We’re winning this thing. Aria, can you code?"

"No," Aria snapped, "but I can talk a brick wall into moving out of the way."

"Perfect," Julian said, pulling his tablet out. "I’ll handle the back-end. You distract the judges. Tell them it’s a 'performance art piece' about the fragility of privacy."

As the MIT team approached them, looking confused and competitive, Julian leaned into Aria. "On three, we crash the system. Ready, Cheese Girl?"

"Ready, Hacker Boy."

This is how the summit went; Aria used her public speaking skills to convince the judges that their "hack" is actually a scheduled security test, buying Julian time. Meanwhile, Julian uses a literal magnet and a piece of fishing line to bypass the laser grid while the judges are distracted by Aria’s speech.Just as the security guards realize the badges are fake, the duo has to sprint through the "Experience Zone"—a VR obstacle course—to reach the exit.