To my oldest friend,

We've been hackers for hire for decades. Funny, we don't even know each other's real names, nor what we look like. The picture above, that's me. Was it what you were expecting? The notorious hacker, lionhearts? Yeah. Well. This isn't the time for joking. I got involved in a contract that was too good to turn down. I usually stick to the ask. But this time. This time I couldn't. I discovered things. Things that would blow your mind if you only knew.

So, if you are reading this, the failsafe worked. By now, the news has likely reported a "criminal hacker is to blame" or perhaps something more creative. Don't believe a word of it. ZenithCorp is not the company we thought it was. The Smart City project, the "Eden Grid", isn't about traffic flow or energy efficiency. It’s a net, and they’re about to pull the drawstring.

I’ve gone off the grid. It’s the only way to stay ahead of their digital security teams. They think they’re following my trail, but they never understood the way I think. They see data; you see patterns. That’s why I’m leaving this to you. You were always the one who could find the needle in the haystack while the rest of us were still looking for the barn.

They’re smart, but they’re corporate. They follow protocols. You don't. I’ve left breadcrumbs where only someone who knows my history and my habits would think to look. Trust your gut. If something looks like a coincidence, it isn’t. If a link seems broken, look at why it broke.

Don't try to contact me directly (yet). Follow the path I've laid out. I’ll leave a note at every milestone to let you know you're still on the right track. I’m counting on you to find me before they do.

I am going to leave a trail of breadcrumbs which will reveal my true identity so that you can pre-pay a flight for me in my govt. name so I can get the hell outta here. I'm trusting you'll keep this secret the same way you've trusted me in the past.

Stay sharp. Watch your digital shadow.

P.S I've provided a .zip file for you to help you locate me. I trust you. Oh, and you'll be needing this. If at any point you get stuck: Hints