Unchained Tomorrow

The day the financial aid grants were disbursed to our bank accounts, I was just about to wire the money to my hospitalized grandpa.

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed right inside my head.

[The Transfer System said as long as someone consumes something I give them, I can quietly siphon away their money.]

[Noah just got his financial aid drop today. Let's test it out on him. If the transfer actually works, I can finally use that cash to cop the designer suit I've been eyeing.]

That voice... it unmistakably belonged to my roommate, Blake.

Frowning, I was just about to turn my head to look at him when a chilled bottle of water was suddenly set down on my desk.

Blake was smiling, his eyes curving with exaggerated warmth.

"Hey Noah, thanks for grabbing my packages from the mailroom yesterday. Have some water on me."

A second later, his giddy inner voice rang in my ears again.

[Drink it. Come on, drink it! The second that water hits your stomach, your cash belongs to me!]

Looking at the poorly concealed greed and eager anticipation burning in his eyes, a sharp spike of fury ignited in my chest.

That grant money was my grandpa's literal lifeline. Blake knew exactly what that money was meant for.

With a completely blank expression, I reached out and took the bottle.

You want to drain my bank account? Fine. I will let you drain more than you could ever possibly stomach.

Seeing me take the water, Blake's smile grew even wider. I could practically feel the burning intensity of his gaze locked onto my hands.

His inner voice was practically buzzing with impatience.

[Hurry up and twist the cap! You're killing me here. Just one sip and that five thousand dollars is mine. I can finally secure those rare sneakers I've been obsessing over!]

I casually lifted my eyes to look at Blake. He wore a perfectly crafted mask of friendly innocence, but the desperate greed in his pupils betrayed him completely.

I let out a cold laugh in my head, keeping my face perfectly composed as I offered him a faint, polite smile.

"Thanks, man. How much was it? I'll Venmo you."

My tone was flat, completely devoid of any real emotion.

Blake waved his hands frantically, his smile turning sickeningly sweet.

"Oh, come on! We're roommates, we live together! It's literally just a bottle of water, don't insult me by bringing up money. Drink up, man. I just took it out of the mini-fridge, it'll cool you right down."

[Venmo me? Are you an idiot? As long as you drink it, your entire five-thousand-dollar grant is mine! Trading a two-dollar bottle of water for five grand is the easiest scam of my life!]

I swept my gaze over him, taking in his entire outfit.

He was wearing a brand-new pair of limited-edition sneakers today. I had seen them online before. Retail was a couple of grand, but resale prices had skyrocketed to nearly six thousand dollars.

Strapped to his wrist was the latest Apple Watch Ultra. My other roommate had looked it up before, and it cost close to a thousand bucks.

His family's wealth eclipsed mine by miles, yet he was intentionally targeting the exact money meant to keep my dying grandfather breathing.

I set the water bottle near the edge of my desk, my voice entirely indifferent. "I'm actually not thirsty right now. I'll save it for later."

The smile on Blake's face froze for a fraction of a second, but he quickly masked it, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sure thing! Just leave it there. Drink it whenever."

Right on cue, his mental voice pierced my ears again, revealing the exact, twisted mechanics of his system.

[This guy is so difficult! Why couldn't the stupid rule just be that he has to 'accept' the item to trigger the transfer?]

[Plus, it takes a full two hours after consumption for the funds to actually hit my account. So slow.]

[But at least the system automatically wipes all the bank logs and leaves zero digital trace. That part is pretty sweet.]

I looked down at the plastic bottle resting on my desk, a glacial chill flashing through my eyes.

You want to swallow my grandfather's medical funds? Then I will make sure you get a profound taste of what unchecked greed really costs.

Right in front of Blake, I unzipped my backpack and shoved the bottle into the side pocket.

"I have to head to my campus job. See you." I swung my backpack over my shoulder, keeping my tone casual.

Blake nodded along, playing the caring friend. "Don't work too hard, dude. Make sure you get some rest!"

[Perfect! He took the water with him. As long as he takes a sip on his shift, that five grand is secured.]

[The second the money clears, I am ordering those sneakers. I am so sick of watching other guys flex them on campus!]

I didn't bother looking back, tossing a vague hum of acknowledgment over my shoulder as I pushed the dorm door open and walked out.

When I arrived at the university's main dining hall kitchen, the head chef, Maria, was already chatting away.

"This bisque right here... this is the main event. A massive tech billionaire who's attending the Alumni Gala today specifically requested it. Said he missed it from his college days. We used the most expensive, premium ingredients for this batch. I'll save you a bowl later so you can taste it."

Maria smiled warmly at me while continuously stirring the massive, steaming industrial pot.

I smiled back. "Thanks, Maria. That sounds amazing."

Staring into that giant vat of rich, aromatic soup, the corners of my mouth slowly curled upward.

When no one was looking, I pulled the water bottle from my bag, unscrewed the cap, and poured every last drop directly into the boiling bisque.

With the water safely disposed of, I immediately threw myself into my kitchen duties.

The dining hall was an absolute madhouse during the lunch rush. A relentless tide of students and faculty poured through the doors, keeping me on my feet until the early afternoon.

The moment I pushed my dorm room door open later that day, the first thing I saw was Blake sitting perfectly upright at his desk.

His eyes locked onto me instantly. They were burning with an intense, jittery urgency, like a predator that had been waiting hours for its prey to return.

Before I could even take my backpack off, Blake jumped up and practically sprinted over to me. He was holding an artisan pastry from a high-end bakery, his smile looking completely strained but desperate.

"Noah! You must be dead on your feet after working all morning. You have to be starving, right? I just bought this pastry, grab a bite to hold you over."

The very next second, his inner voice flooded my mind.

[I have no idea if he actually drank the water or not. If he didn't, I need to force him to eat something else. I can't risk it!]

[Plus, if this works, I might not just get his financial aid grant... I might be able to siphon whatever wages he earned from his shift today too! Might as well drain every penny I can!]

Listening to his parasitic, bottomless calculations, a violent wave of disgust rose in my throat.

It wasn't enough that he was targeting my scholarship money. He was actually trying to steal the minimum-wage blood money I had just spent hours standing on my feet to earn.

I clamped down on my anger, letting a noticeable layer of frost enter my voice. I rejected him flat out.

"No thanks. I ate a staff meal in the kitchen before I left. I'm completely full."

Blake's outstretched hand froze in midair. His overly eager smile collapsed instantly, and he awkwardly pulled the pastry back.

He walked back to his desk in sullen silence. The atmosphere in the room immediately thickened with awkward tension.

Tyler, our third roommate, was sitting on his bed. He had always thought of me as an antisocial loser.

Always looking for a reason to pick a fight, Tyler immediately seized the opportunity to play the hero for Blake. His voice dripped with aggressive judgment.

"Noah, what is your actual problem?"

"Blake is trying to be a decent guy. He gave you water this morning, and now he's offering you expensive food because he knows you work hard. Why do you have to be such an ungrateful prick?"

I lifted my gaze to meet Tyler's, my voice perfectly level but carrying an unyielding weight.

"I am not being ungrateful. I already thanked him for the gesture."

"I told him I already ate and I'm not hungry. Refusing food I don't want... is that a crime now?"

Sitting nearby, Blake's mental complaints were loud and grating, full of irritable frustration.

[Noah is so damn annoying! He's like a brick wall. He refuses to eat or drink anything I give him.]

[If I knew it was going to be this much of a hassle, I would have picked someone else for the experiment. This is a massive waste of my time!]

Tyler wasn't ready to let it go. He crossed his arms and sneered, his tone growing even more mocking.

"You're just acting like you're above us! You never hang out with us, and you think just because you get top grades, you can look down on everyone else."

"Now you think you're too good to accept a simple favor?"

He paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "I bet you took that water he gave you this morning and threw it straight in the trash."

I kept my eyes crystal clear, staring directly into his. My voice was calm and deliberate.

"Stop projecting your own toxic assumptions onto me. And for the record, I already drank the water."

The moment those words left my mouth, Blake's dejected posture vanished. His pupils dilated with sheer electricity.

The corners of his mouth twitched, threatening to break into a massive, manic grin that he could barely suppress.

He immediately forced his expression into a mask of friendly neutrality, stepping in to play the generous peacemaker.

"Alright, alright, guys! Tyler, back off a bit. Noah didn't mean anything by it, he's probably just genuinely full. We all live in the same room, there's no reason to start a fight over a piece of bread."

[Yes! Yes! It actually worked! He drank the water, which means that five grand is basically sitting in my pocket!]

[Once that money clears, I am ordering the sneakers instantly. Then, I'll buy a bunch of premium snacks and drinks for Tyler and the other guys in the hall. I'll drain all their monthly allowances too!]

[If I pull this off a few more times, I can finally upgrade to that top-tier graphics card! This is literally perfect!]

I watched his hypocritical, smiling face in silence. Listening to the sickening depth of his greed, my heart felt nothing but absolute, freezing indifference.

My brief lunch break ended quickly. I grabbed my uniform and headed straight back to the dining hall for the second half of my shift.

By now, the morning sessions of the University Alumni Gala had concluded. All the invited guests, the university board members, corporate titans, and wealthy donors, were being ushered into the dining hall for the catered luncheon.

The hall was packed to the brim, humming with energetic conversation.

Not only were there VIP guests whose net worths defied imagination, but hundreds of student volunteers and faculty members were also present. The massive dining space didn't have a single empty seat. Everyone was carrying trays, lining up to be served the legendary gourmet bisque.

Taking advantage of a brief lull in the kitchen, I discreetly pulled out my phone and opened my banking app.

My balance read: $0.00.

The system's theft had successfully activated.

I swallowed every ounce of panic and anger, slipping my phone away, and went right back to serving soup to the billionaires, professors, and students with methodical precision.

By 2:00 PM, the lunch rush finally died down. The crowd began migrating over to the Main Auditorium for the keynote speeches from the distinguished alumni.

I changed out of my uniform and followed the crowd, taking a seat near the back of the auditorium. Blake and Tyler happened to be sitting just a few rows away from me.

Halfway through the event, an incredibly successful tech CEO was speaking passionately on stage. The audience was silent, hanging onto his every word.

Suddenly, a few frantic whispers broke the quiet atmosphere.

"Wait, why is my Apple Pay declining? I'm trying to pay for my Amazon cart, but it says insufficient funds."

A girl sitting in the row ahead of me was staring at her phone in total confusion, her voice a harsh whisper.

Her friend immediately leaned in, her tone laced with rising panic.

"Me too! My parents wired me two thousand dollars for rent just yesterday! I tried to order a coffee on the app and my entire bank account is completely empty! What is going on?!"

More and more panicked murmurs began rippling through the rows of seating.

Right at that moment, down in the front-row VIP section, a corporate tycoon in a bespoke tailored suit shot up from his seat. He was clutching his phone, his face completely drained of blood.

His voice trembled violently. Because he was sitting so close to the stage microphones, his panicked words echoed clearly across the entire auditorium, plunging the room into dead silence.

"This is impossible... My entire portfolio... millions of dollars just vanished from my accounts!"

Those words hit the room like a bomb. The crowd erupted in absolute shock and uproar.

After a second of stunned silence, the auditorium descended into total chaos.

Screams of disbelief and frantic questioning echoed off the walls.

"I just checked! My tuition savings are gone! I worked three part-time jobs for a year for that money!"

"My rent money is completely gone!"

It wasn't just the students. Dozens of professors and faculty members were frantically jabbing at their phone screens, their faces turning ashen.

"My entire paycheck from yesterday... wiped clean!" a professor yelled, his voice cracking with disbelief.

Several university board members were huddled together, staring at a tablet in sheer horror.

"What is happening?! The university's operational fund... millions of dollars allocated for this event... it's all gone!"

A wave of pure terror swept through the massive hall. The carefully organized keynote event completely disintegrated into a chaotic nightmare.

I sat perfectly still amidst the screaming crowd, slowly turning my head to look at Blake.

Just a few minutes ago, when my specific grant money had hit his account, he couldn't stop smiling. His eyes had been glowing with the thrill of stolen wealth.

But right now... as he watched the digital numbers on his banking app skyrocket into the stratosphere, millions upon millions of dollars flooding his account from every direction...

The smug smile melted off his face. His skin turned a sickly, translucent white.

[What the hell is happening?! Why is there so much money?!]

[Are all their missing funds... are they all transferring directly to me?!]

Blake slowly turned his head, his eyes wide with absolute, unadulterated terror, and locked eyes with me.

I looked right back at his panic-stricken face.

And I smiled.

Just as the pandemonium in the auditorium reached a boiling point, the piercing wail of police sirens echoed from the campus courtyard.

A squad of heavily armed police officers and federal agents stormed through the auditorium doors.

"Which one of you is Blake? We received an emergency alert from the Federal Reserve regarding massive, fraudulent anomalies traced directly to your accounts."