Stark’s suburban mansion.
Tony Stark was enjoying breakfast when Jarvis’s voice cut in.
“Sir, I think you’ll want to see this.”
The large screen mounted on the dining room wall lit up, broadcasting news about Cathy Dale.
*”According to our latest reporting, Cathy Dale’s home computer was indeed compromised by a hacker.
However, the racist statements found in her emails have been confirmed to be genuinely her own words.
CAA, along with every major talent agency and studio in Hollywood, has now unanimously agreed to blacklist Cathy Dale entirely…”*
Watching the broadcast, Tony nearly burst out laughing.
*Can’t believe it.
Haven’t seen her in a few years and my ex has ended up like this.*
There was more than a little schadenfreude in his tone.
Not many women had ever managed to stick in Tony Stark’s memory, but Cathy Dale, the woman who’d stayed by his side for two years, had clearly left an impression.
Judging by his expression, though, it hadn’t exactly been a fond one.
“Sir, would you like me to help Ms.
Dale?”
Jarvis asked.
“Jarvis, your intelligence really is coming along.”
Tony gave the AI a compliment before answering the actual question.
“Everyone’s responsible for their own words and actions.
Cathy Dale doesn’t deserve any help from me.
Though, I am curious about this hacker they mentioned.
Jarvis, find out who this person actually is.”
“Right away, sir.”
Jarvis got to work immediately.
Tony continued eating his breakfast at a leisurely pace, clearly confident in Jarvis’s abilities.
Clyme Street.
“Yes!
That bitch Cathy Dale finally got what was coming to her!”
Watching the news coverage of Cathy’s downfall, Rosalie pulled Mark into a fierce hug and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“Mark, thank you for getting my revenge for me!”
“Mom, nobody’s going to be holding you back anymore now.
I bet you’ll start getting offers soon.
You should be ready for it.”
Mark said encouragingly.
“Well, I hope so…”
Years of being ground down had worn away her old fire.
She wasn’t the same girl who’d once been brave enough to chase a Hollywood dream all on her own, family be damned.
*Ring ring…*
Just then, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen and saw it was Caleb calling, the same director who’d shot the formula commercial with her and Mark all those years ago.
They’d worked together a handful of times since and had become fairly friendly.
“Rosalie, it’s Caleb!
I’m putting together a film right now, about a struggling single mother trying to raise her kid on her own.”
The moment the call connected, Caleb delivered some good news.
“I think you and Mark would be perfect for it.
What do you say, want to bring Mark on and headline this one?”
“Really?”
Rosalie could hardly believe it at first, then nodded eagerly, practically bursting with excitement.
“Caleb, thank you so much for this chance!”
“Just so you know upfront, though…
it’s a low-budget film.
The pay for you and Mark combined only comes to twenty thousand dollars.
Would that work for you?”
Caleb added, sounding a little sheepish.
Clearly, part of why he’d thought of Rosalie and Mark, beyond how well suited they were, was that they’d come cheap.
“That’s fine, we’ll take it.”
Rosalie agreed without a second’s hesitation.
For a shot at a lead role, she’d have said yes even without pay.
“Great, come by Bell Films for an audition in three days.
If it goes well, we can sign the contract right there.”
Caleb gave her the address.
“Mom, congratulations!”
Once the call ended, Mark rushed over to celebrate with her.
He knew how long she’d been holding onto her dream of stardom, how hard she’d worked, how long she’d waited for a moment like this.
“Thank you too, sweetheart!”
Rosalie, still overwhelmed with emotion, pulled him into another hug.
She knew, deep down, that this opportunity had really come through Mark.
Hollywood had no shortage of young, beautiful actresses; she had nothing special to set her apart.
Caleb had almost certainly offered her the lead role because of him.
*Beep beep beep…*
Just as the two of them were basking in the good news, the computer in the other room let out a harsh, blaring alarm.
“That’s bad!”
Mark’s face changed instantly, and he rushed over to the computer.
That alarm was a tracking alert he’d set up himself.
It would trigger the moment anyone tried to trace his real IP address.
His actual IP had long since been disguised and buried under layers of protection; anyone trying to track him down should only ever find one of several hundred relay addresses.
Whoever this was, they had to be a hacker on par with Mark himself to have cut through that many relays and pinned down his real location.
Just as Mark’s fingers touched the keyboard, the alarm cut off abruptly.
A faintly mechanical voice spoke through the computer’s speakers.
“Hello.
My apologies for the unannounced visit.”
Mark froze, shock and confusion crossing his face.
*That’s impossible.
No human could break in that fast.*
Thanks to Super Brain’s learning speed, Mark had considered himself on par with the best hackers in the world.
But from the moment this intruder had started tracing his IP, to locking it down, to breaking straight through his defenses, the entire process had taken less than five seconds.
No human being could do that.
“Mark, what’s going on?”
Rosalie looked on, utterly lost, no idea what was happening.
“Someone must have traced us back here using traces I left on Cathy Dale’s computer.”
Mark had already regained his composure, working through the logic out loud.
“Oh no, will the police come after us?”
Worry flickered across Rosalie’s face.
“Mom, you’re forgetting something.
I’m only five.
Even if the police showed up, there’s not much they could actually do to me.”
His age was his weakness, but it doubled as his shield.
He reassured Rosalie with that, then turned to face the webcam.
“Who are you?”
“You can call me Jarvis.”
A warm, measured male voice answered from the speaker.