Lupin III: Fan - Series I:
Episode I: The Hacker: Yuma Avara's First Entrance
Lupin sat at his computer, sifting through government files. Inside one of those files in that particular part of the net
was the most ultimate program ever created by the hands of a criminal. It had started out as a basement software, and when
it got out of control, the government seized it so that it couldn't be used by anyone else *but* government. With a few modifications, the software was the ultimate weapon for techno wars.
This item was at the top of every list in the black market not only in Japan, but also in undergrounds around the world.
And what of it's uses anyway? If it was such a powerful program, what could it do? What was so great about this program
that everyone wanted? The answer was this: it could break down any defense; crack into any file,; and had a built in super
virus that could even destroy whole systems on command, even the government's main frame, with enough time and effort.
If someone really wanted to, they could threaten the government by force to give up certain files, based on the
promise that, if they didn't, that person would crack into and destroy a very crucial government file or system. This was
why the great Lupin III wanted it.
'If I could erase my files, there would be less police on my back,' he thought, 'and I could also hack into bank
accounts and get money that way. This could *really* help my profits. I'll find it soon.'
Lupin was always very patient in his dealings, and he knew that , always, in time, there would be an answer to whatever
problem or inquire he faced. He wouldn't have to wait much longer. Soon, it would be just the right time to pounce.
'Yes,' he thought, 'Soon, the time will be just right. Until then, I'll just have to sit back and relax.'
He continued to type away steadilly at the keyboard, defense after defense slowly breaking down.
About half an hour afterward, he was inside the file containing the software. There was now only one problem: someone
had gotten there first.
"Shit!" he all but yelled.
"What's wrong, Lupin?" asked Jigen, who was relaxing while having a smoke in his easy chair.
"Someone else got here first!" Lupin glared at the screen. Suddenly, a picture started forming. "What?" Lupin muttered.
"Hmmm?" asked Jigen.
"Something's appearing here, someone's calling card, I hope," said Lupin, "Come here and look. Maybe this can help
us identify our competition."
Jigen did as was requested and they both watch the picture take shape. It was a picture of a naked woman with red demon
wings; ivory skin; sharp, long black claws; medium, golden brown hair; and finally, a great body. Under it was the heading, simply stating,
'she-devil.'
"I know who this is," said Lupin.
"Who?" asked Jigen, "Some famous hacker?"
"She's a living legend," began Lupin, "Some aren't even sure if she exists. They call her 'Devil Lady Yuma,' and she's
supposed to be the greatest hacker in all the world. She has a lot of enemies, and lays low most of the time, only coming
out for the big jobs. She's always successful."
"So, what are you going to do about her?" asked Jigen, "We can't just let her get away with the program. That
software's worth money."
"I have some good contacts in the hacking world who owe me a lot of money," said Lupin matter-of-fact-ly, "and I'm sure
that they would be only too happy to help."
"Well, let's get to work, then," suggested Jigen, "It's going to take a lot to track down this hacker."
"Yeah, tell me about it. I have to talk to my allies first and set up a meeting."
***
Yuma was calmly sitting at her PC, a small smile creeping up onto her face. She now had it, the infamous software that
had everyone on the black market talking.
'With this software,' she thought, 'I can hold any system on the *network* hostage! That means big bucks for me! I'll
finally get a break from hacking and go into cracking! I'll have every network and bank at my mercy, and finally, instead
of just viewing the info, I'll be taking it! I'll consider this my first big job.'
***
'Ice' sat relaxing on his couch, eating a TV dinner, when the phone rang.
"Who is it?" he picked up the reciever.
"Hey, Ice," said a familiar voice, "It's me, Lupin. You think you can do a favor for me?"
***
Yuma sat in a booth at the cafe.
'He's twenty minutes late,' she thought, 'He'd better get here quick. I don't have that much time to spend.'
As if on que, the door of the cafe opened, and in walked the master thief, himself, Lupin III.
"Hey," he said good-naturedly, "You look just as good as you do in the picture!"
"Save your sweet talk, *loverboy*," she said in a surly tone of voice, "You came here for a meeting. Now what'll it
be? I haven't got time to waste."
"I can see that," Lupin grinned impishly, "You look like a *very* busy woman. I just came here on a bit of business,
myself, and I was wondering if you could help me with it-"
"You're not getting that software," she cut him off, "Look, the great Lupin III wanted a meeting with me. So what? Whoop
-dee-freakin'-do! I don't care. I'm busy and I don't have time for this. If you want me to do a job for you, all you have
to do is pay the price, and I'll do it, but I ain't givin' you the program!"
"Perhaps we could work together, then," suggested Lupin.
"Not a snowball's chance in Hell," she sniped, "I've gotta go. Nice *meeting* you, *Lupin*!"
"Wait!" he got up and spun her towards him, "We should say farewell!" He tried to kiss her and failed, but before
she slipped out of his grasp, unbeknownst to her, he put a tracker on the back of her coat, a small black one that blended
in.
"Gotta go," she smirked, "Got *work* to do!"
"I guess I have some work to do myself," he grinned.
***
"So," said Jigen, lighting up a cigarette, "you intend on stealing the file from her tonight."
"Yep," said Lupin, pouring himself a drink.
"How do you think that's going to go? This ain't no ordinary girl we're dealing with. If she's *that* combative,
she's gotta know how to fight, too."
"Which is why I'm going to do it while she's asleep."
"Good idea."
Lupin heard a beeping sound.
"Well," he said, "looks like we got a location. The comp's already storing it. By the end of tonight, the software should
be mine."
***
Yuma took off her coat and left it on the floor of her shabby home. It was made from an old building that was for
sale that nobody wanted, a particularly *ugly* old building. She walked over to her main computer, which was about all she
had, and booted it up. She got down on the floor and lifted up one of the wooden boards. Underneith was a vast array of
floppies and CD ROMs, all carrying viruses or programs. She picked up a gold mini-disk and put it in the minidisk drive
of her main computer, turning on the built in computer speakers as well. An icon appeared on screen and she double-clicked
on it.
"Program activated," said a computerized voice, "Choose your option."
Yuma looked at the list and said, "Well, let's see what this baby can do. Okay, I'll go for ... hacking! Let's see
you hack into a government system. There's a fair few that I've been wanting to see." She clicked on the option. Within
minutes, the firewall was broken down. "Good," she said, "That means that if I need to get into something that I need help
with, *this* program can help me. Well, looks like you're pretty powerful. I've got to find a *special* place for you!" She
shut down the program and popped out the disk. Doing so, she got up and put the disk in the most unlikely place that anyone
would ever look for it: the bathroom.
The bathroom was a smelly place, even when clean. She put it behind the mirror in the medicine cabinet.
"No one will look for it there," she said, "No one would even *think* of looking for it." She yawned, "I'm sleepy.
Better get some rest. Got a long day ahead of me tomorrow." Walking into the main room again, she lied down on the futan
and went to sleep.
'Man,' thought Lupin as he stood in one of the abandoned rooms of the place, 'that sleeping liquid sure sucks into the
skin fast! Luckilly, I had the antidote. Now time to get the program.'
Creeping into the bathroom, he opened the medicine cabinet and took the software. Then he crept out of the house and into
the street, where Jigen was waiting with the car.
***
Yuma soon awoken from the tranquilizer. She got up, stretched, yawned, and brushed her long, curly, brown hair out
of her face. Walking over to the medicine cabinet, she opened it up. There, she saw one of the most aggravating, horrifying
things she'd ever seen: the software, the one she'd worked so hard to get, for months on end, was gone. Instead, the was
a note left by Lupin III.
"Dear Yuma,
-----"You did a really good job of hiding the program from me. However, you forgot to check your coat. Maybe we could
work things out. You'd make a nice member of my gang. Meet me at the cafe today at 9 AM.
Signed,
-----Lupin III
"Fucking A!" she yelled, "How did he get here? How did *anybody* know I was here! Jesus Christ, I'm gonna kill him!"
Meanwhile, at Lupin's place, he could hear everything she was saying on the built-in sound device. He gave a little
giggle.
"What's so funny?" asked Jigen.
"Looks like our girl's a little frusterated right about now," he laughed.
"Yeah," said Jigen, "Who wouldn't be? But why do you want her to be part of our gang?"
"Because she's got a housing shortage and we could use someone like her."
"What I don't understand is how she could live in a decrepit place like that," said Jigen, "That place ain't fit for dogs."
"Yeah," Lupin looked just slightly worried, "I know."
***
Come 9:00, Yuma was there. Right at one of the tables sat Lupin. He beckoned her to come over there, and she answered.
As she sat down next to him, he asked, "So, Yuma. I have an proposition for you that I was wondering if you'd be willing
to help me with. Care to listen?"
"I work alone," she said menacingly, "Where's the program?"
"Now, now, now," he said, "Not so fast. Listen to what I have to say first."
"You'd better make this quick!"
"Okay. Yuma, you look like you're in trouble."
"How do you know that?"
"Look at your living space."
"So?" she said sarcastically, "How am I going to fix that?"
"You'd be making a lot more money if you'd partner up with me and Jigen. You'd make a great addition to our gang."
"Since when do you care about me?"
"Since I saw your ability to work."
"So you're saying that you want me to work for you," she said, "Is that it?"
"No," he corrected her, "I want you to work *with* me. There's a difference. You won't be an employee in this business,
Yuma. You'll be a partner, capable of making your own decisions. You'll also be making a whole lot more money than you are now."
Yuma was quiet for a moment. She stared down at the table top. Then she looked him straight in the eyes.
"I'll think about it," she said.
"Here," he wrote down his number on a slip of paper, "Call me when you've come to your decision."
She blushed, "I ... I don't have a phone."
"Then here's my address," he said, "Don't give this to anyone else. I'm trusting you here."
"Okay," she took the paper and walked out.
Jigen walked in. He came up to Lupin, "So how'd it go?"
"She said she'd think about it," said Lupin, looking like he was deep in thought.
"Hey, what's up with you?"
"I'm just worried about her," he said, "That's all."
***
Yuma walked out of the cafe.
'Work,' she thought, 'And for good money, too.' Perhaps I should take this job.' Yeah, that would be a good idea.
Being partners with Lupin, I should be able to make more money. Maybe I can learn how to be a thief as well.'
End of Episode #1
