Sorry about the wait for the update; it was simply from lack of traffic and apparent notice. I had updated twice after without getting a single review; and the lack of apparent stats made the update even more discouraging.

However, it also gave me plenty of time to figure out further how to execute my plan. I know I left you on a cliff-hanger last time; and so that leaves a very specific way that I'd have to pick up.

However, enjoy, and please, for the sake of the story; review…

Chapter 4: You're a…

Desmond

"What's going on?" Desmond asked "Why is there a program scrambling account info for Citibank?"

Tom froze at this, almost as if he was thinking for a moment.
Desmond wasn't dumb, he knew that Tom wasn't a Citibank employee, and even then; that scrambling info was something only hackers did.

He was simply waiting for Tom to explain himself.

"I," Tom admitted, stuttering "am, a, hacker"

"Wow," Desmond sighed "I never knew that about you."

"It all started in college when I accidentally got into a professor's account" Tom explained "I had been trying to get into mine, and my professor's last name was also Anderson, yet his first name was Ted. Our college intranet e-mail accounts were based on last and first names. As it turned out, we used the same password. I had gotten a bad grade on a project I was really proud of, and decided to change it to a 'b'."

Tom paused "After I had finished, I logged out, and experienced the greatest high I'd ever felt. I ended up doing more cyber-pranks in college than the fraternities did live ones in their entire existence."

A pause once again

"Later, after graduation, I got a computer with Internet, a new thing at the time. I ended up being addicted to hacking, and started doing real stuff. After my first hack, I took on the alias Neo"

"Wow," Desmond repeated, taking a seat in the chair that was out "you're a hacker"

"Is there any way you can not tell anyone?" Tom asked "I've done some pretty big stuff that would land me some serious jailtime."

Desmond simply took a moment to let it all sink in. Knowing hacker's wasn't anything new; he started out life in the same place at the same time with one.

If anything, the fact that he knew another hacker simply had no effect. Desdemona had been a hacker since college, and went by the alias of "Angel".

However, Desdemona stole money from companies, and transferred the stolen funds to charities. She used her skills to help people.

Tom, or "Neo" used his skills for fun and personal amusement.
The fact made sense why he worked from home in Chicago, and not in Silicon Valley with the rest of the company.

"I'll keep your secret safe" Desmond replied "I guess that's why you asked for a roommate to be able to keep secrets"

"So you're not mad?" Tom asked.

"Not at all, Neo" Desmond joked "Is there any way I can call you that?"

"In private and face-to-face" Tom/Neo replied "I don't want people to really know that I'm the hacker Neo."

"Well," Des sighed "is there any way we can get lunch"

"I made some microwave raman about ten minutes ago" Tom replied "You're welcome to it. It's still in the microwave."

"Thanks man," Desmond replied, going into the microwave, seeing the bowl still in, steaming hot and everything.

He took the package out of the microwave, got a fork out of the silverware drawer, (Plastic and reused; Tom owned no true silverware) and began to eat.

"So how has your day been so far?" Tom asked, "Sell anything?"

"Baker Street High School's Music Appreciation Class came in today" Des began "The class amounted to a bigger sale in cassette tapes and CDs for us than Labor Day did." He took a spoonful of raman and put it in his mouth, before chewing and swallowing "Teenagers really love their music"

"Don't I remember" Tom replied, still at the computer, logging out of Citibank.

"So how is it that you're an employee for Adobe?" Desmond asked "I heard they're super tight on everything; people are rarely hired by them."

"The dean was the founder's cousin" Tom replied "He hooked me up with a job, as repayment for a favor."

"And what was that?" Desmond inquired.

"He had me clear out some rather embarrassing personal records" Tom explained "Three hours clearing a hard drive and disassembling it, ten hours shredding incriminating hard copies." Tom paused "One hour setting up one of the best job interviews I've ever had."

"So that's how you got hired." Desmond replied "I had an idea that you did some favors."

"How did you get hired by Diamond Street?" Tom asked.

"The owner's are my second cousins." Desmond explained "They initially started the business when I was in high school. I've always worked for them. They paid for all of my instruments, and said that if I ever want to try at being a musician, and don't like it, that they'll always have a job for me."

"That's always good." Tom admitted "I'm currently breezing by with my job; if I don't manage my task every day, I'll end up losing my job. I'm just barely making the deadline with Adobe Premiere 2.0"

"Well hang in there" Desmond sighed, mouth full of raman "If you delay gratification with hacking, you'll really be able to get things done."

"I know," Tom sighed also "Yet if I don't hack for a while, I start getting these weird feelings that something isn't right; that everything isn't what it seems. I start seeing green tinges in corners, and dream about complex computer codes. Hacking is so grounding that it makes all of that go away."

"Damn" Desmond admitted "I usually start seeing the same things if I don't hear some of my favorite songs, and play my guitar every once in a while. I never realized we were seeing the same things. I simply thought I was having a nervous breakdown. It was no surprise that I lost the bet between all of the staff when it came to going without our favorite music for a month; I started to go crazy."

"I hear that" Tom replied "However, I think you should head back to work. If you left at twelve, and arrived at twelve fifteen, you should probably leave right now to get back, it's twelve 45."

"Holy crap!" Desmond exclaimed "I lost track of time."

Still not finished with his lunch, he simply took the package and fork out the door with him, shutting it behind him.

All in all, one of the most eventful lunch breaks he'd ever had. He would only have to remember to pick up the champagne when he left. They were hosting guests.