Chris Kale [Kale - Bitcoin Bandits: A Cryptocurrency Thriller

This novel was published by Crimson Cro Publishing

Copyright 2019 Hierarchy LLC

All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Chris Kale.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious.

Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Please dont pirate this book.

Sign up to join the Readers Group and be first to know about new releases, and get free stuff.

Click Here to Sign Up

Thanks to Aaron Webber, crypto expert, for helping figure out the technicals and plot with me.

And thanks to George Rosenschein, the everyman, for helping me work through plot holes.

Seoul, South Korea

On a warm summer night in the bustling city center, the well-known programmer Joon Chang-Min, better known in the cryptocurrency world as Bob June dug his fingernails into the Persian rug toward his balcony. He left a crimson trail of blood behind him.

High up in a penthouse surrounded on two sides by the clean glass of a high-reaching tower, the light of the pale moon peaked through rolling, dark clouds. Within the penthouse, tidily cleaned and decorated with fine, mid-century modern leather couches, the lights were dim, reflecting off glass tables and marble countertops in the kitchen in the corner of the room.

As he crawled hand over hand away from his attacker, slowly taking strides after him, Bob June took big, gasping breaths as he bled from his side. Joon Chang-Min was youngperhaps old for a programmer of that calibertwenty-two. Born in Seoul, he spoke fluent English since he was a child. His black hair was pulled back in a ponytail with both sides of his head shaved. He wore thick, black glasses and was known to wear XXL T-shirts on his thin frame.

The only light came from three wide computer monitors on a glass work-table in the center of the penthouse. The glow from them cast blues, greens, and oranges into the room. In front of the monitors lay two keyboards, one a black PC keyboard, and the other a faded, white Mac one. Next to them lie an empty gas-station Code Red Mountain Dew with its top removed, and its straw lying on the floor. Along with it were a pair of Burger King wrappers, both empty and crumpled.

The large man creeping behind Joon, rasped, What did you do with it? Where is it?

Joon still inched his way toward the balcony door, with the moon seeping through the clouds.... What needed to be done.

The attacker, a man who Bob June had known for months now, was bald and broad-shouldered. He almost had a bodybuilder physique, but more agileand with tattoos running down his neck and arm. Bob knew he was a military man turned mercenary before hed moved to their company. His dark eyes glared at Joon as he lumbered toward him with a barbaric knife in his hand; a military knife that looked more like a prop from a Rambo movie than anything a soldier would usebut Bob June knew better than that as the knife was now dripping in his own blood.

Im not fucking around here, Joon, the mercenary said, through teeth nearly clenched. You cheated him. You didnt follow the plan. Now tell me where the crypto is.

Joon coughed; blood spattering onto the gray tile. He reached up with his bloody hand shaking and managed to unlatch the door. He didnt respond to the bald man wielding the bloody knife. He gritted his teeth as he slid the glass door open with a smooth rolling sound. The winds from that high up whooshed into the room.

Whatre you gonna do? Jump? the bald man asked, now with his black, thick-soled boots on both sides of Joons legs. It's simple. You tell me what you did with the Bitcoin, and I let you live. Easy as that.

I know better than to trust a man like you. Joon inched his way onto the cement balcony. Even if I gave it to you, I know youd still kill me. But please, let me go. I dont want to die. But... He coughed again into his fist.... I cant give it to you. It doesnt belong to you, or him, or me. It belongs to them.

You can spout that ideological shit all you want. The mercenary grabbed Joon by the back of the shirt, pulling him back into the penthouse. Joon fought with all his strength, yelling for help, but the bald man tossed him back into the room. Joon landed next to his computer desk. He sat up, clutching his side, wheezing with panicked eyes.

He glared up at his attacker. Id rather die than betray that principle. Crypto isnt just about money. It's about freedom.

The bald man laughed then; a hearty laugh that came from deep in his chest as he clapped his hands. Bravo. Very righteous of you. His laughter then stopped, his brow furrowed, and his tone went sour. Where is the crypto? Give me the seed.

Joon felt an explosion of pain in his side as the steel-toed tip of the bald mans boot slammed into where the knife wound still bled, breaking his ribs. He let out a loud cry of pain, that finished with an angry snarl.

The bald man bent, grabbed Joons hair and looked straight into his eyes. The mercenarys eyes were dark like a black mambas. They looked like the eyes of death to Joon. Youd rather die than tell me what you did with it? the bald man hissed. You die for money?

Joon coughed up more blood, and his face crinkled at the top of his nose as he felt the surging pain in the side of his chest. I told you, this is about more than money, and you lied. You all lied. It was never supposed to be like this. Im doing what I have to do, but you can still let me go. You dont have to do this. If you kill me, youll never find it. It may be lost forever.

I dont believe you. The attacker gripped Joons hair tighter. I bet I could find any hacker whod be able to crack your code. They could find where you hid it. I just need your wallets.

A burst of dull laughter came from Joons lips then, filling the room, alight in a green and blue glow in the darkness. You know nothing about the way it was designed, do you? The odds of you cracking a seed are so minuscule, its almost zero. You are a foolall muscle, and no mind.

Ill take my chances with another hacker, the bald man said. Give it to me, and this will all be over. Youll wake up in the hospital, and all this will have been like a bad dream... a nightmare. He held his hand out with his palm upturned. The wallet, and the seed...

Joon closed his eyes, took a deep breath, as if weighing the choice laid out before him. As he opened his mouth as if to speak, he opened his eyes, and spat a string of mucousy-blood onto the mans hand. Ill never give it to you, he said. It's not for you. Theres too much power in it, for a son of a bitch like you to take.

The bald man shook his hand, flinging the blood onto Joon, and wiped his palm on his shirt. Then he stood, with his silver belt buckle nearly next to Joons face. He flashed the knife in front of his face, its sharp tip and serrated back inching past his nose. A Glock 19 was still holstered in his belt on his right hip.