User Guide

I let him tell me his story. HeÕd been running big hack jobs for
a good three to four years for all kinds of colorful characters
in the underworld. Tech Warfare sure pays well if you donÕt
get back-stabbed in the process. Such was the case here.
J.C. was hired by the Vitello family to break into HardCorps to
gain classified information and hand it over to his bosses.
Apparently, he didnÕt want to do it since heÕd been burned by those guys
for $50,000 on a job last year, but he had no choice. Something about
eating his own tongue must have persuaded him. Plus, he was told
HardCorps was a dirty organization that was in bed with the government,
and responsible for half the problems on the streets to begin with.
So, J.C. rented space at a neighboring office building and set
up his operation for a close tap and began to systematically watch
our HC server. He soon learned our external protocols, then
tapped in and gained access to lower level system files, only
to learn we were the real deal. ÒGood guys with a purpose worth
fighting for,Ó he said, or something like that. What a bullshitter!
He seems like a smartass all right, but after a few long hours
and a pack and a half of smokes later, he graciously accepted
my generous offer to work for us here at HC, and IÕm
sure it had nothing to do with going to jail if he refused. I think IÕm
going to like this guy, and for some reason, I feel like I can trust him.
Hope Frank Vitello doesn't start snooping around or we'll have to see
if he's allergic to leadÉ HA HAÉ maybe arrange to have him plugged,
too.
4.09.36 3:30 pm
Yesterday was pretty interesting, to say the least.
J.C. cracked me up today by reminding me how we met.
I can't believe it's already been four and a half years.
I remember that day like it was yesterday.
After three months of hell, I finally caught the hacker who
had been tapping into the HardCorps server, and it turned out to
be some bored 20 to 21 year-old whiz kid who loves challenges.
I would've kicked his ass and made sure he served a good 10 to 15,
but I realized something during those few months
while I was trying to hunt him down. IÕd rather have this
kid ÒJ.C.Ó on my side than anywhere else, thatÕs for sure.
Sin Manual 8/30/99 1:19 PM Page 10