Crime, Thrillers & Mystery / Cyber Pirates (Analysis)

Horror / Thriller / Young Adult
42,060 words
5025 North Central Ave
Time period: Present

Aliya Leigh
5025 North Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85012
520-405-2724
aliyaleigh@gmail.com
October 1, 2008

 

 

Cyber Pirates: Look Into The Mind
The game of deadly addiction....

Emma is a high school age girl, living in an upper class single parent home because her mother works long hours, Emma has more freedom than a child her age should. This gives her the opportunity to get into things and, due to her mother's wealth, the funds to get herself out. But, this time she can't get out so easily.

Emma has a no-care attitude and loves to use technology to her advantage. She is what is known as a hacker. Spending her time in the "underground world" she uses her skills to hack into other computers, including her school, and government agencies. When Emma discovers a new popular game in cyberspace that is "invitation-only", Emma becomes obsessed with being chosen. Being chosen, she discovers, may not be the thrill she sought. At first, the game is intriguing and addictive, but soon turns deadly when the game begins to control her and every one else around her. Emma, wanting to know why she can't stop playing the game, begins to search for the game master to find out why she was chosen. Will she find the game master before it is too late?

This 42,060-word horror/thriller finished novel is jam-packed with adventure and suspense to keep young adults on the edge of their seats.

My name is Aliya Leigh and I am your new client. I am full of creativity, have a positive attitude and a good business sense. I have an easy going personality. I love meeting people as I see it as an opportunity to market myself and my projects. I take criticism well, as I’m always looking to improve my work. I enjoy life so I’m always looking for something new and exciting in life. This is why I write, it gives me a chance to create and explore the exciting and interesting things of life. I am a social butterfly and enjoy talking about art, creative writing, learning, video games, computers, consumer electronics, math, science, films, sports and life. I’m open-minded about cultures, religion and politics. I am determined, hardworking, honest and dedicated individual. I am willing to help my agent in anyway; to help me and my agent to succeed.

I am a determine person, since I was born. I was born with Pyloric Stenosis. Pyloric Stenosis is a disorder; which interferes with food entering the intestines. This disorder required me to have surgery at the tender age of 3 weeks. The anesthesia could have caused me to have a hearing problem because I can’t hear certain sounds. As a result, I cannot fully hear a pronounced word, so my speech development was delayed. But now, as you can see, I can hear, read talk English and Japanese, and write. Because of this disorder, my first language was and still is American Sign Language.

Currently, I am a member of the National Writers Union board of directors (as Naeemah Small); which is a labor union for writers. I am on the disability committee to help writers who become disabled and help them to receive their benefits. I also help small production companies with projects in pre-production and during production of an indie film. I organize fundraisers for films projects and establish relationships with investors for future projects. On set, I work as a line producer and script supervision. In my free time, I do public speaking and plan events for the union, play music and dance. Also, I will be attending online college classes to pursue my BA in Marketing and Branding.

With promoting myself, I know how to market myself and I am willing to hire a publicist named Reed Johnson who lives in California for her services. I also have an editor to help me with press releases, marketing materials and all of my writings I have done. I have done readings and taught writing seminars in the past.  I have already sold 100 copies of Cyber Pirates through word of mouth and online. I printed, bonded (at Office Depot) and promoted the novel myself. I am willing to go the extra mile for anything I believe in and I am an over achiever in everything I do. I am well-round and know how to show myself in the media spotlight as a positive role model for young girls and others. I am willing to work hard in order for the agency to make money because I need money too. With this in mind, I am willing to do book tours, write scripts, do book readings, make appearances at any venue, travel anywhere at anytime, as well as make radio appearances. Please give me this opportunity and you won’t be sorry. I will work for the agency without any complaints and I am willing to take directions to better my career.

I have written two screenplays, Disturbia City is being currently considered.

• Disturbia City (TV, Screenplay):

Arthur Sterling uses successful creative people as puppets to put on a twisted and demented show for the media; he helped Philip Morey gain fame with an elaborated scandal, but almost destroy the lives and careers of Carey Roland, Peter Right and Gigi Mahan who need to face and hide their own demons - to remain in the spotlight.

• ID (TV or Mini-Series, Screenplay):

The world governments created a powerful secret weapon, which was found dead in an apartment. Detectives Johnson and Garza must solve the mystery behind the dead body, but they also need to save themselves from people who don’t want them to uncover government secrets.

Credits:

Projects:

Kimmie Hendricks - Celebrity Hair Stylist, Press Release 2007
“Cyber Pirates”, Script 2007
“ID”, Script 2006
“Christ is Lord”, Book Review 2006
“The Navajo”, Essay 2005
“Fractured”, Press Release 2005
“Who” , Script 2005
“Stress”, Poem 1997
“Confused”, Poem 1996
“Mind Reader”, Short Story 1995
“I Hate You”, Flash Story 1996
“The Mirror”, Short Story 1993

Novels:

“Media 2”, Novel 2007
“Media”, Novel 2006
“Shadow Creatures”, Novel 2006
“Cyber Pirates”, Novel 2004
“Mystery”, Novel 2004

 

Writing Pieces:

Freelance Web Writer / Origins and History, Karmakast.com 2007
Freelance Web Writer, NWU Newsletter 2007
Drama Critic and Events, 944 Online Zine 2007
Aliya Leigh Zine, Chief Editor and Writer 2005 – 2006

Film:

“The Return of Terry Tate”, (Pre-production) Producer, 2008
“2 Chair”, Consultant 2006
“Fractured”, Script Supervisor 2005

Appearances and Lectures:

Southwest Society of Association, Lecture about NWU 2005
Sands Point Awards, Presenter 2005

Organizations:

NWU (Head of the Disability Committee) (Naeemah Small), Trustee 2007 – 2009

Indie Producers, Member 2005 - 2008

Southwest Society of Association, Member 2005 – 2007

Pen Women, Member / Acting VP 2005 – 2006

Horror Writers Association, Member 2005

 

I have included the first chapter of “Cyber Pirates”.

You can contact at 520-405-2724 or aliyaleigh@gmail.com.

 

Thank you for your time.

Aliya Leigh

 

 

 

 

 

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Horror / Thriller / Young Adult
42,060 words
5025 North Central Ave
Time period: Present

Aliya Leigh
5025 North Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85012
520-405-2724
aliyaleigh@gmail.com
October 1, 2008

 

Cyber Pirates
By Aliya Leigh

 

Chapter 1

The day was hot as hell and the air was intense and torrid in North Phoenix, Arizona. You could see the hot steam rising from the sidewalks and streets, like vapor surging from a boiling pot of water. The air was so oppressive that people wandered into stores and public buildings attempting to beat the heat. The streets of the city appeared dry and deserted with no hint of activity.

There was a girl in a cab driving down the busy street. Inside the vehicle, the air felt dense and overwhelming. The girl did not want to be in the cab, but she had no choice. She felt nervous and the cab driver was not helping matters. From the moment he picked her up, he could sense that something was wrong. The driver felt uncomfortable in her presence because he could feel her intensity and anxiety. He was tempted to tell her that she needed to exit the cab, yet was worried there was something amiss and she needed help, although she tried to hide it.

The air, both in the cab and outside, was unbearable. When the driver initially picked her up from the narrow two-lane freeway in Casa Grande, she appeared frightened and fearful. She was unable to share her apprehension with him, although he inquired about her state of mind several times. The girl was unsettled, but intent on showing the cab driver just who was in control. She snapped at him during the ride from Chandler to North Phoenix. As the vehicle approached Chandler, the girl managed to calm down and relax, but in North Phoenix, she again became tense and nervous.

“Girl, are you okay?” the cab driver asked.

“Stop asking me questions. Just get me there,” the girl said.

“Okay,” the cab driver replied.

The cab driver drove as fast as he could toward her destination. The girl did not give him an address, but he seemed to be aware of the location.
The girl, still a nervous wreck, looked out the car windows to see if anyone was following them or looking at her. The cab driver stopped at a red light and she panicked.

“Move, you jackass. Hell, I know you run red lights all the time,” the girl said.

The cab driver could not take her abuse any longer. The girl snapped at him for the last time. He could not understand why she was rude and had enough of her verbal abuse.

“Listen, I am not going to get a ticket because of you. Sit down and shut the hell up!”

The girl was shocked that the cab driver talked to her in that manner. She knew she was being rude, but she couldn’t control herself. She needed to get to her destination, and fast, before she had another weird headache, which wouldn’t be good.

“Just drive the car, now!” the girl said.

“This is my car; remember that. When I take you to your destination, then we can part ways. I won’t charge,” the cab driver said.

“Just shut up. Shut up, now!” the girl replied.

The light turned green and the girl once more peered out the car windows.

“Go! Go now and drive faster!” the girl said desperately.

The cab driver mumbled words under his breath, loud enough for her to hear, and the girl became even more agitated.

“I don’t need this,” the girl said angrily.

Suddenly, the girl could not breathe. She felt something inside her body trying to make its way out. Putting her fingers on her temples, she rubbed her head. What she was experiencing was worse than a headache, but she couldn’t find the words to explain it. She was dizzy and wanted to scream, but knew she needed to relax and calm down, so she would appear normal rather than crazy. The thoughts inside her brain were intense enough to compel her to smack the side of her head with extreme force. This gave her a headache, but she did not care, as she needed to banish the thoughts from her brain before they drove her insane.

Soon, the girl could not stand the air in the cab or the cab driver asking her questions. She unlocked the car door and kicked it open while the car was in motion. She fell out and rolled out onto the sidewalk. People in the stores ran to the sidewalk to help the girl, but she refused.

“Leave me alone!” she shouted.

The pounding in her head became increasingly worse until she could not open her eyes. She wanted to be left alone because she did not know who these people were. She could not explain the logic in her head. She trusted the cab driver to pick her up from the freeway and drive her here to North Phoenix, and now people on the street were offering to help, but she could not trust them.

The girl continued to scream, frightened of the bystanders attempting to come to her aid. She felt like she was in a tightly closed little room, in which she could only stand straight. The doors were made out of strong plastic sheets. People on the outside were trying to tear their way into the box to reach her, but it was difficult to break through the plastic. She saw imprints and felt people on the other side of the doors trying to grab her. Not knowing what they wanted or what they were thinking, she felt she was in danger and needed to be saved.

A man coming from the fast food restaurant down the street noticed the commotion on the sidewalk ahead of him. He heard the screams and recognized the voice. Dropping his food, he ran over to the girl.
When he reached her, he tried to take control of the crowd of people gathered around her.

“Leave her alone!” the man shouted to the crowd.

The girl looked up and saw an image of a man in front of her. Due to her headache and the sun in her eyes, she could not see him clearly, but she recognized his voice and said, “I know who did it. I will tell you everything, I promise, but you need to promise me one thing.”

“What?” the man asked.

“I will tell you in your office,” she replied.

“The truth?” the man asked.

“Yes, the truth.”

The man helped the girl stand up, but she collapsed. He then grabbed her and carried her to the police station. The girl had cuts on her face, her arm felt broken, and her leg hurt, but she was beyond caring. Dehydrated and in need of water, the girl did not care if her face and body were scarred for life.

“Are you okay?” the man asked.

The girl looked at him and spoke softly and incoherently. “I do not care about myself, just help me. I promise, this time, I will tell you the truth.”
“Nathan, I need you. Meet me in the interviewing room and bring four bottles of water,” the man said.

The girl and the man walked into the interviewing room. The girl had been there before with the same two detectives. Before today, she was unwilling to tell them anything about herself or the game.

The man put the girl down gently. He helped her stand on her feet and walk to the chair where she sat down.

Nathan walked into the interviewing room and sat down next to the man. Nathan put his pad and pen on the table and looked at the girl. He unscrewed the top of the bottle of water and gave it to her. She drank hurriedly, finishing the entire bottle and placing it on the table.
“Are you okay, Emma?” Nathan asked.

Emma scanned the room, searching for a feel of activity, which she could not explain, not even to herself. She was scared, although she knew she was safe from the unexplained, pounding headache and overwhelming feelings she was having inside her body and soul. This feeling escalated to a point where she wanted to scream, jump on the table, and run out of the small interviewing room. She felt trapped and needed air to put her mind at ease. More importantly, she wanted to tell the detectives everything about what had happened to the students, but she knew that the detectives would not believe her. She, herself, found it hard to believe the incident with the students, but she was well aware of what had transpired and its reality. Knowing the danger of relating the events, she was frightened of what would happen to her, but knew she had to tell the detectives the whole truth.

“Yes. Now, I am in danger,” Emma said.

“How much danger?” the man asked.

“I could die,” Emma said.

“You didn’t care about the students who were killed, but now that your life is in danger, you want to help us?”

“Yes. I know it sounds bad, but I was scared. I didn’t know how I could tell you about the game, or that you would even believe me. I’m willing to tell you everything now, but you need to help me,” Emma said.

“With what?” the man asked.

“I need to get out of here. Out of the state or out of the country, choose whatever; I do not care. I need four bodyguards, two women and two men – the best. I need a full-time doctor onsite – the best. They will look after me until the person dies. I mean it. This is not a joke. I am serious about this. If you can do this, I will tell you everything, down to the name of the person,” Emma said.

“Andrew, she’s serious. Can we do this?” Nathan inquired.

Andrew thought about everything the girl had said. He had to think about this request because she lied to him in the past when the first body was found.
He took a deep, hard look at Emma. Her face had cuts on it and her nose bled as she wiped it with her hand. When she lifted her left arm, it hurt so terribly, she wanted to cry, especially when she used it to wipe her nose. She was pale as a ghost and nervous being in the room. She shook as though she was withdrawing from drugs. This was a different Emma than before. The first time she was in the interviewing room, she acted like a rich, spoiled brat, and did not have a care in the world about anyone. She had insulted the detectives and the police department.

“Okay, we will do it, but you need to tell us everything,” Andrew said.

“I will tell you everything, I promise,” Emma said.

“So who killed those students?” Andrew asked.

“Well, this may sound crazy, but it was the game master of MUDD. In theory, it was the players of MUDD,” Emma said.

Andrew and Nathan stared at each other and then looked at Emma. Their faces showed the questions they had on their minds and what she needed to explain to them.

“MUDD. What is that?” Andrew asked.

“It’s a game that is played on the Internet. You download the game software and install the software on your computer; then you connect to the Internet through the software and play the game with people on the Internet,” Emma said.

“So, were you one of the players?” Andrew asked.

“Yes, I was.”

“So, you’re saying you killed the students,” Andrew said.

“Yes and no,” Emma said.

She turned pale; her blood ran cold and her heart was beating hard and fast.
“What do you mean?” Andrew asked.

“The game master killed the people, but there is another side to it,” Emma said.

“Tell me,” Andrew prodded.

“I am part of a group of pirates,” Emma said.

Nathan chuckled and could not look at Emma. Emma stared ahead and continued.

“As I said before, I am part of a group of pirates. We download movies, games, software and music off the Internet,” Emma said.
She began to sit up straight in her chair and her skin was changing back to her normal skin color.

“You know what I’m talking about. The commercial with the actor that was part of that Lord of the Rings movie; he’s asking people not to download illegal movies because movies help pay the salary of millions of people that worked on the movie. Well, I feel this way; I believe that the top actors and actresses should split their pay with the people who work underneath them. The movie industry should make better movies, so people would not illegally download them. Why should I pay ten dollars to see a bad movie when I can see it for free? Think about this; society pays actors by watching their movies. If I was working and I did an inadequate job at my place of employment, should my employer pay me a salary? When actors improve their performances, then I will pay for the movies. The music industry should make better music. Why should I pay twenty dollars for a CD when I only like one song? Concerning software, I do not like Bill Gates. I use a Linux system at home. I download Microsoft software, so I can make the nerds beg for it. Nerds are willing to do anything for the crappy software. If you saw my hard drive, your penis would salute me.”

She smiled at the detectives. She was proud to be a pirate and one of the best pirates on the Internet. She always thought that if you were going to be a pirate, be a good one and show that you were one of the best. With that in mind, she felt this was the reason way she was never caught and arrested for a computer crime. She was proud of her network system at home, even though it wasn’t a lack of funds prompting her actions. She did not brag about her network system to feel better about herself, but to find a challenger whom she could beat. By talking to the detectives about her network system and piracy, she felt at ease. She grabbed another bottle of water off the table, unscrewed the cap, and drank until it was empty. She placed the empty bottle on the table and looked at the detectives.

Emma had a smile on her face, which confused the detectives. When she had entered the small, cramped interviewing room, she was white as a ghost and shaking, but now, she seemed comfortable and calm, as though she was having a friendly conversation about the weather.
The detectives looked at each other and continued to write notes on their pads.

Andrew glanced at Emma. He did not know what he expected to hear from her. He did not know if he should treat her like a spoiled brat who knew it all or a girl who was scared, trying to gain control of herself, so she could tell the story. He could tell she was involved in the students’ deaths, but at the same time, he thought differently. He could not explain it, but the feeling was present and strong.

Andrew felt a connection to Emma, which was like father and daughter. He knew he was old enough to be Emma’s father because he had a son that old who attended a high school in Peoria, west of North Phoenix.
Andrew was afraid of what Emma would reveal about the students’ deaths because he knew she was involved; just how deeply he did not know. He was reluctant to arrest her for murder because he wondered if she would murder her best friends and her other classmates whom she felt close to. He was happy that Emma felt comfortable talking to them again, minus the insults.

“So you pirate software, music, movies, and games to teach the industries a lesson, correct?” Andrew asked.

“Yes and no,” Emma said.

“So, what then?” Andrew asked.

“It’s my high. See, when I want something, I’m going to get it. I search for it and consider it fair play. When I find what I am looking for, I download it, and that part gets me excited because I do not know what to expect. When the download finishes, I lay back in my chair to see if the item transferred properly. When I open the item, it gives me a rush,” Emma told them.

She leaned back into her chair, closed her eyes, and smiled. The detectives knew what she was thinking.

“So, anyone can download this game, right?” Andrew asked.
Emma opened her eyes and sat up straight.

“No, only hardcore pirates can download the game. Think about it - most of the students that died were honor students. The game master picks you and gives you a subject. You have to find the title and then the game within your subject. Each person is given a different subject. What gives you the high is the attempt to find the game. After you download the game and install it, you can play it. The game is addictive. At first, you are having the time of your life, but then you realize the game is not only a game…”

Emma stopped suddenly and her skin turned pale again. The thought of what she had just said to the detectives scared her. She could feel herself getting cold again. She scanned the room once more and looked at the detectives. This time, she was scanning the room for technology. She was afraid of it, which surprised her; a person lived on the edge of technology every minute on the hour.

“Remember, if I tell you everything, you will protect me, right?” Emma said.
“Who is the game master?” Andrew asked.

“She is a woman. An evil woman with power,” Emma said.

Emma shook her head up and down rapidly, which she herself could not explain. It was as if someone took control over her body.

“What do you mean?” Andrew asked.

“She can get to you through any electronic means, even through a cell phone. She can hear and see you anywhere,” Emma said.

Andrew and Nathan sat there dumbfounded. They began to shake their heads. They knew they were in for a story, which they needed to believe in.
Emma needed to tell the story so the detectives could believe it. She was afraid to tell the story because she knew in the back of her mind that the detectives would not believe her and she would be arrested, even if she brought the evil woman to the police station. Even if the evil woman told the detectives that she herself killed the students, the detectives would still arrest Emma because they would not believe the woman.

“Emma, start from the beginning. When did you find out about this program?” Andrew inquired.

“Ten months ago,” Emma said.

“Begin the story,” Andrew said.

 

 

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