Project YM

Chapter 5

I immediately lay down on my bed after I enter my room. My whole body hurts like hell after studying.

I didn't know that Meir is a strict teacher and he push me to my limit until the last hour of our lesson.

Ah! Maybe he is taking this personally since I brag too much in front of him.

I shook my head and cover my face with a pillow. "He's not like that. He may be kind of cold but he is still nice."

"And who are you talking about?"

I didn't bother to remove the pillow in my face since I know whose voice it that.

"Hey." I felt her sitting beside me and she was the one who removes my pillow. "I am asking you. Who's cold but still nice?"

"Meir." I sigh. "His teaching style is far different than Sir Frazer. He is so strict and I am getting pressured. He is discussing our lesson while I was trying to hack his phone using the program he creates as one of my tasks for the whole year."

"And you can't use his system properly?" she asked.

I nod. "It is too advanced for me. I can't even control it the way I want it." I messed my hair and sighed. "You know I hate being inferior when it comes to the computer system."

"Yeah, I know," she said while nodding. "But you also know that you are not the only computer genius in the world. And unfortunately, you met one and become your teacher." She patted my head. "Don't think too much about that and calm down. I'm sure if you just focus on what you are doing, you'll be able to control that program as if it was yours."

Yeah, she's right. I am not being able to focus on my task because I keep thinking about things that don't concern what I am doing. And it is not good for me.

I took a deep breath three times and immediately get up.

"Oh? Where are you planning to go?"

"I have to take a walk," I said. "Don't worry; I won't go outside the building." And I can't even leave because the dog guards will be placed 24/7 at the exit of this building. "I'll be back in an hour."

First, I have to calm myself.

As I said earlier, Meir's teaching style is different from what I used to hear so I need to adjust first to make sure that I will not feel pressured.

I also need to learn how to multi-tasking because there are times when Meir suddenly asked some questions while I was in the middle of hacking his phone.

I took a deep breath when I reach the rooftop of our building and hold on to the railings.

Now that I decided to take everything seriously, I should give my very best. The half-bake effort is out of the options. It should be my whole and undivided effort.

They choose me and even force me to stay here so they thought that I am special. And this kind of opportunity will never land on my hand again if I let it pass.

"Then let the game on! I won't let anyone beat me in this kind of thing, especially, Meir." I will let him taste the same thing he keeps doing to me.

__________

After what I decided last night, I made sure that everything will go as I plan.

While I am waiting for Meir in our classroom, I started to research his system right from the basic part of it. And it makes me realize that this system is the reason why all of the technologies here in the compound are not able to connect outside.

That's why it was so hard to use and hack. It is the main security of this compound.

I continue to study about this but things like this are not easy to control. Well, I can finally use it better than yesterday but hacking it is too far from my imagination.

It has multiple firewalls that I can't enter because of complicated encryption.

"Seriously? Why does he keep using random emotional questions that have been impossible to answer to encrypt this system?"

"Because..." I look at the door where Meir is now standing. "Genius like us has a low EQ level. We always think about facts and figures based on science," he said. "So, questions like that about people's emotions will never be able to answer whoever tries to hack my system."

"I have a high-level emotional quotient, for your information." I hissed at him.

"Oh?" He walked closer to me and brought his face close to mine. "Look straight into my eyes, Yeshira. And let's see if you have high-level EQ."

I did what he said. And as I looked into his eyes, I realize that he was a good-looking guy.

Having those thick black eyebrows, eyes that give me a chill to my spine whenever it looks at me, pointed nose, and those reddish lips that make me— Oh s**t!

I immediately put both of my hands in his face and I put my hands on his face and pushed him slightly.

Why does my heart suddenly beat so fast?

He removed my hands from his face and looked at me with a smile. "You have high-level EQ."

I glared at him but he didn't say a word and just sit in his chair.

"Stop thinking of hacking my system because you won't be able to do that," he said. "Just continue what I told you, okay?"

"Fine." I face the computer and start working with the command to hack his phone. And just like what I was thinking earlier, I can use it better than yesterday. But still not that fast. I still need more time to adjust.

I silently cursed when Meir started to contradict my command. He keeps interrupting me and I don't like it when he is doing this.

"Oh, damn!" Now, he is distracting me by throwing random things around the room and I don't even know where he gets all of that.

"Focus, Yeshira. Focus," he said. "Keep your eyes and mind on what's in front of you because now, I only give you one week to complete your task or else, I will give you a punishment you wouldn't like."

My eyes got widen when I heard that but I still make sure that my hands are still working with the command since memorizing every single key of this keyboard. "What punishment?"

"You will know that if you fail." I saw him smirk. "And I honestly can't wait for you to taste that kind of punishment."

"No way." I immediately face the screen and type every command much faster than I did earlier. I don't like his smirk and what's in his mind is not good for me.

__________

"You are so evil, Meir!" I shout at the top of my lungs right after he intercept my command last minute before I finally got the whole access to his system.

"You still have six days, Yeshira." He patted my head and messes my hair. "Good luck with that."

I look at him. "But why did you suddenly put a deadline on this task?"

"Well, first because this is not the only thing you need to learn."

"What do you mean?"

"I have so many things to teach you," he said. "And everything in this kind of organization is not just about system and program."

"So? What are the other things I need to know?"

"I will tell you if you pass your first task." He messed my hair again and turn his back on me. "See you tomorrow, Yeshira." And he left.

I sigh. He's ahead of me and I don't know what to do to outsmart someone like him.

"Yeshira." Jelah opened and walked inside my room. "Are you done?"

I nod and turned off all the computers. "Yeah." I stand up and hug her. "Let's go grab some snacks. My energy got drained because of what Meir did."

"Oh." She pats my head. "You are working so hard. Let's go, I will treat you to some nice food."

I let go of her and look at her. "You don't have money."

"Well." She shows me her wallet and she has some money in it. "Scylla gave it to me for passing my first task."

"Oh. Congratulation, dear sister." Her being a hard-working student, I'm sure, Scylla is very pleased to have my sister as her student.

"So, let's go." She pulls me out of our classroom and goes straight to the cafeteria. And there, she orders many foods and immediately put them on our table.

"They told us to mind our food starting today, right?"

"Did you forget that they also gave us cheat day twice a month where we can eat everything we want?" she said. "I am using that for now because I'm starting to get tired of what Sir Frazer always cooks for us."

I just shrugged my shoulder and start eating.

"So, tell me about your day."

"Well, same as yesterday." I sigh. "But Meir said that if I didn't manage to complete my task in one week, he will give me a punishment that I wouldn't like."

"Oh. I heard that you were his first student."

"Eh?"

I nod. "He's been here for almost 5 years and Scylla said that just like us, they had to kidnap him because his parents are planning to use his talent in some evil ways."

My eyes widen when I heard that. "Seriously?"

She nods again. "Yes. His mentor is Scylla's father who is the real deal when it comes to creating programs and systems. And I think he is doing what his mentor did to assure everyone in this organization that he can enhance your talent."

"I know that he is more talented than I am because I already see his system but I never imagine that he learned under some tech monster." Well, Scylla's father is the founder of PYM and all the system that is currently used in this compound are his creation.

Especially the system that is being used to hide this compound in any digital map.

"And it may be the reason why he is being so strict on you," she added.

"But he's putting pressure on me," I exclaimed. "And it is not fair for him to pass to me the same treatment he has with his mentor."

"If it helps you learn everything you need, I don't think that it is bad." She puts her hand on my head and messes with my hair. "Just do your best, sis. I know you will be able to do the task that he places on you. You just have to learn how to do the job under such pressure."

I sigh. "As if I had a choice." I don't want to get any punishment for the first task he gave to me.

"Hey, girls." Maki greeted us and sit beside me. While Kris and Ives sat beside Jelah. "Looks like you decided to use one of your cheat days."

"I had some money and Shira is having a hard time so I think this is the right time to use one of that," Jelah said and offer some for them.

"I wouldn't refuse some delicious foods like this," Kris said and starts eating. "I'm tired of Frazer's food."

"Ditto."

Frazer's food is healthy and I can't say anything about that. But I prefer to eat everything I want, especially meat and some junk food which is not allowed because of our diet plan.

I look at Ives. "Who's your instructor?"

"Ayane," he said and eats the burger he was holding. "I heard you were assigned to the terror instructor that this organization has."

I sigh and nod. "Yeah. I don't even know if I am lucky or not. He may be terror but his skills are high level."

"I heard that most of the normal recruits here are dying to be his student," Maki said. "Aside from being handsome and his talent as tech analyst of this organization, he is also one of the trusted people of the higher-ups."

"I know because the program that has been stopping us from contacting anyone outside this place is his creation," I said lazily and laid my head on the table. "And it looks like you guys are curious about him because you keep hearing things about him."

"Well, we just wanted to know if you were in good hands," Jelah said. "You know, they did everything they can to make sure that you will stay here. We just wanted to know if you will be okay."

I look at them and smile. "Don't worry, guy. I will be okay." I guess we are really worried about each other and we can't help.