Crypto Shadows (2023)

[bunniefuu]

[thrilling music plays]



[computer chimes]

Only 3%? What the hell?

[phone chimes]

[sighs]

[bird chirping]



[quiet panting]

[eerie whooshing]

[high-pitched ringing]

[ringing intensifies]

[ringing fades]

[sighs]

[door creaks open]

[door shuts]

[line ringing]

- WALTER: [on phone] Hello?

- Hey, Dad.

WALTER: Cara! There you are.

Hun, Cara finally called us back!

-Sorry, I've been busy.

-WALTER: You... [chuckles]

You're supposed to be taking it easy.

I am taking it easy.

Uh, the connection's bad.

You're not in that bunker of yours are you?

It's not a bunker.

It's just

intentional country living.

MOM: [on phone] Hi, Care Bear.[Sighs]

Mom, please, stop calling me that.

MOM: Oh. [Scoffs]

Hey, we heard there was another

power outage on the hill.

- Are you okay?

- Yep.

One of the perks of having my mining rigs

and connections off-grid.

WALTER: How's the, uh,

hydrogen fuel cell system

- working out?

- Like a dream.

MOM: I wish you hadn't helped her

with that generator, Walt.

You know, I read that

those are very dangerous.

For the thousandth time,

Mom, you need to stop believing

everything you read online.

WALTER: Any progress on your game project?

[sighs] Some.

WALTER: You know, we worry about you

being out there by yourself.

Grandpa lived out here

on his own for years.

WALTER: That was very different.

I'm fine.

MOM: You know, you're never

gonna meet anyone cooped up there.

I have plenty of friends.

WALTER: Going to the

grocery store 20 miles away, it's

[chuckles] not a social life, sweetheart.

Well, you haven't met

the local cashiers, so...

MOM: And online doesn't count either.

Is there something you guys

actually wanna talk to me about

other than questioning all my life choices?

WALTER: Just checking in.

It's been busy, I have

lots of potentially lucrative

irons in the fire.

MOM: I saw a computer class

at the community college.

I'm good, Mom.

Thank you.

MOM: Look, we miss you, Care Bear.

[sighs] We'll take a fun trip together

once all my projects are over.

WALTER: Hey, why

don't you come stay with us

for a few days?

I really can't right now.

MOM: It's better to face your problems

than run from them.

- I'm not running from...

- MOM: Yes, you are.

[sighs] I just needed a break.

MOM: By moving 300 miles

away to the middle of nowhere.

You don't get it. Okay? Burnout is real.

MOM: All right. Look,

please don't be mad at us.

Do what you need to do.

We love you and we just wanna

make sure you're recovering.

Oh, my God! Yes. I'm fine, Mom.

WALTER: How about we bring

you another casserole next weekend?

[exhales] That would be nice.

Thank you.

I really have to get to work.

MOM: We're glad you're

doing well, Care Bear.

- We'll see you soon.

- Love you guys.

- MOM: Love you.

- WALTER: We love you, too.

[dramatic music plays]

[exhales sharply]

- [phone chimes]



[keys clacking]

[keys clacking]



[wood thumping]

[Cara grunts in frustration]

[sighs]

Ah, this always looks so

much more fun in the movies.

[sighs]

Okay.

Cara, you got this. We can do this.

Okay.

Just... just do it.



Okay.



[low growling]

[eerie music plays]

Hello?

[raccoon chittering]

[raccoon chitters] -

[growls in frustration]

[sighs]

[sighs] Damn raccoons.

[sighs]

[pensive music plays]

LLAMAZ: Don't let it bother

you. I bet you made more

than your dad ever has as a professor.

[scoffs] Harsh,

but probably true.

Yeah, they still haven't

wrapped their heads around

this whole freelance thing.

LLAMAZ: I hear ya. Every

day I work from home,

my parents think I'm taking the day off.

- Because you are.

- Shh. Don't tell Clint that.

[sighs]

I can't believe that as*h*le

hasn't been fired yet.

You'll win the lawsuit. Give it time.

Yeah. [Scoffs] Waiting on others to act

isn't exactly my strong suit.

I plan to move on as

soon as this project wraps.

I don't want any more

to do with those b*stards

after how they treated you.

On to bigger and better

things, I suppose. [Chuckles]

Not that I'm getting anywhere. [Sighs]

My latest iteration of my

algo was only 3% gain.

I expected more.

Damn. I'm coming up short too.

The real money's in hacking.

Playing with fire, dude.

Nah, everything I dabble

in is borderline legit.

You're wasting your talents on mining.

Figuring out how to capture

all the wasted computer power

-is gonna change the world.

-Oh, so virtuous.

-I'm serious.

-Well, you know where

to find me if you ever want

come over to the dark side.

No, I'm gonna... I'm gonna crack this.

-I'm close.

-If anyone can, it's you.

Okay, food break. Catch you later.

[microwave whirring, beeps]

Winning. Yeah.

[ducks quacking]

[phone chimes]

Hm.

[groans, exhales sharply]

Going for a gold star

mental health report today.

Yeah.

Get it. Okay.

[pensive music plays]



DR. EVAREN: [on phone]

Have the positive affirmations

been helping?

CARA: Sure.

Well, remember to practice the phrases

whenever you feel stressed.

Close your eyes, breathe,

visualize your peaceful

place and repeat the words.

- CARA: Yeah. I have been.

- DR. EVAREN: Good.

Feeling better about the upcoming trial?

CARA: Coping okay.

DR. EVAREN: Any feelings

about seeing Clint again?

CARA: Um, yeah.

But I'm handling it.

DR. EVAREN: That's great.

And how about your parents?

Have you opened up yet?

CARA: No.

I've been sticking with the burnout story.

How could I tell them that my creeper boss

sexually harassed me, and I was too scared

of losing my job to report it?

DR. EVAREN: I can help you with strategies.

It may be helpful to

have their support at trial.

- CARA: I... I'll think about it.

- DR. EVAREN: Okay.

Recovering from trauma is a process,

but you don't have to

go through it alone, Cara.

We're overtime for today,

but talk to you next week.

CARA: You bet.

[birds chirping]



[sighs]

[phone ringing]

- Hey.

- LLAMAZ: How was dinner?

My favorite noodles, so, pure perfection.

You need some variety in your diet, girl.

I've got better things to do than cook.

Quick and easy is the way.

Have you ever considered

a less stressful line of work?

Sorry, I've already got a therapist,

and I can't afford another one.

This is how I relax.

Yep, that's you. Miss Chill.

[chuckles]

On that note, since you

get such deep fulfillment

from these headache-inducing endeavors,

can you look over a thing?

Oh, now you appreciate me?

Sure. Send it. [Computer chimes]

Llamaz! My man, we've been over this!

I know. I know. I think it's close.

[sighs]

This hashing protocol isn't scalable.

Focus on optimizing the consensus method

to speed up the confirmation.

Is that how you're doing your algo?

I've got my own thing going.

- No hints?

- Not to my big payday, baby.

Tease. [Chuckles]

I can't help my brilliance.

[computer chimes]

- All right!

7% gain.

Now I'm getting somewhere.

Speaking of which,

I should probably get back to that.

[phone chimes]

[quiet suspenseful music plays]



Any bright ideas?

Real helpful. Thanks.

[sighs] Maybe I'm thinking

about this all wrong.

If something isn't

working, try something new.



[computer chimes]

That can't be right.

[birds chirping]

[machines whir]

[suspenseful music plays]



[computer chimes]

Holy sh*t.

Okay, let's... let's do a cycle.

Check her hash rate.

[groans softly]

Damn it!

Okay, so the algo efficiency is working,

but it's corrupting all the data.

Processing too fast?

No, it can't be that.

This all looks solid.

Nothing should be corrupting the data.

Maybe we'll just

troubleshoot with one for now.

Save ourselves the headache.

[sighs]

[insects chirping]



[creaking]

[creaking]

You're okay.

[fire crackling]

[tense music plays]



LLAMAZ: This show's so cool.

I mean, yeah. I'm digging it.

I had a slip today.

Oh? It's been a while.

Yeah. It passed quickly though.

I might take the day off

tomorrow still, you know,

just clear my head.

Not a bad idea.

[computer chimes]

- Hey, do you know Cyfr?

-No. Which group?

I just got a DM. Shared

group with CryptoKids.

[scoffs] Incoming "help me" spam.

Mash that block button.

Uh, Cyfr just offered

me $2 million for my algo.

What the...

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Gotta be a scam, right?

You're amazing, darling,

but legit business people

don't offer millions over a DM.

If only, right? [Laughs]

Yeah. Definitely too good to be true.

You're right. I should

have just blocked him.

Bye, fantasy millions.

[suspenseful music plays]



[sighs]

[grunts]

[sighs]

[sighs] Morning, bud.

Is this guy a ghost?

Why am I trying to track down a scammer?

Okay, Cara, time to unplug.

[birds chirping]

[pensive music plays]





Miss you, Grandpa.







Oh, man.

I didn't see that one coming.

- LLAMAZ: Time for another one?

- Heck yeah. I mean,

we can't end on that cliffhanger.

[computer chimes]

sh*t! I gotta go.

-LLAMAZ: What?

-Rigs are down.

[computer chiming]

No, you don't.

[sighs]

[phone rings]

[phone rings]

[sighs]

[phone rings]

[phone chimes]

[sighs]

[computer beeps]

[sighs]

[pensive music plays]



[dramatic music plays]





[pills rattling]

Okay, let's see what happened here.

Hello there.

What the hell is this?

[sighs] sh*t!

Is the genesis block corrupted?

Thank you, Poncho.

Where did this all go wrong?

Yes! Yes.

See? Nothing to it.

Okay. Let's do another one.

Oh, boy.

[suspenseful music plays]



[sighs]

What the...

If it's not corrupted then...

Let's see what the file header gives us.

Transmission.

Someone has quite the sense of humor.

Just for kicks...

No way.

Two is only a coincidence.

So, no wonder no one noticed.

[exhales sharply] What's going on here?

[sighs]

[softly groans]

Wow. Okay.

[eerie music plays]





[insects chirping]

What else do you have in common?

What did you use to look like?

Down the rabbit hole we go.

[computer chimes]

sh*t's getting weird.

We need to go back to the beginning.

Time to bring out the beast.

There you are, bud.

I've missed you.

Let's go. [Computer beeps, whirrs]

[thrilling music plays]



What the hell's going on here?

Is this is from aliens?

This is crazy.

You're losing your mind, Cara.

And now you're talking in third person.

[sighs] Okay, even if this was from aliens,

there's, A, no way that

our signal would reach

1,200 light years away in, what, 60 years?

And B, even if this were possible,

that we'd get a response.

It's just too far away.

Right?

Science saves the day.

[birds chirping]

- [wood knocking]

[grunts]

[g*nf*re]

- What the hell?

[dance music plays in distance]

[sighs]

Stupid freaking party neighbors.

Pull yourself together, Cara.

Ah, you've got work to do.

Let's get back online.

Secure the network.

And you're still talking to yourself,

so that's cool.

[sighs]

Please let these patches do the trick.

[sighs] Yes!

All right. We're back in business.

[phone ringing]

LLAMAZ: And she's back.

What a freaking nightmare.

I had to rebuild my

entire security protocol.

You know I'm happy to help any time.

Nah, I got it. Thanks though.

Any idea what caused the breach?

Uh, the general idiocy

of the internet, I suppose.

You've gotta be kidding

me. Another attack. Gotta go.

[phone chimes]

Screw this.

[sighs]

How can I research

this without being online?

[dramatic music plays]



[bell chimes]

Hello?

[sighs]

Doesn't anybody read anymore?

Sounds legit.

[keyboard clacking]

I can't be the first person to find this.

"Hey, I'm new here.

"Lots of great stuff on this site.

"I've been doing some research into crypto

"and wondering if anyone has come across"

"coded messages embedded

in the block chain data."

Here goes nothing.

[scoffs] Yeah, because reptilian overlords

in the government are legit.

Okay.

"Sorry!

"Didn't mean to step on any toes.

"I do have data.

"I found some weird stuff

in the genesis block data

"and wanted to see if

anyone else had found it too."

"Compare notes?"

[eerie music plays]

What the hell?

Assholes.

"The target of the

message, star cluster M13,

"was thought to be a prime candidate

"for extraterrestrial life.

"Unknown technology potential"

"even faster than light

travel or communications."

They could have intercepted

the message on the way there.

Wouldn't necessarily take 1,200 light years

to make communication.

[bell chimes]

MAN: Check the back.

[tense music plays]



[engine starts]









[sighs]

I have plenty of variety.

[insects chirping]

[sighs] Is there really something here

or am I just losing my mind?

Let's pretend for one minute

that this is actually one big message.

[sighs] If each crypto

contains instructions

to decode one part,

then the message is here in its entirety.

[sighs]

But the file isn't big enough.

Of course.

That's why all the mining

has to be done online,

because it pulls from the master data

and disguises itself as peer validation.

If I can find the instructions

controlling which section

of code to access

catalog all the segments,

then we have ourselves a map.

[computer chimes]

What the...

Are those

chapter headings?

So if each range is one currency,

then let's make a new one.

[sighs] Damn it. Great.

This is just a header outline.

I have to get online to

access the source file.

[sighs]

That ought to do it.

More schematics, but why encrypt these?

Let's say you did have

a lot of data to process.

I mean the best way to do

it would be to crowdsource.

But you couldn't very well tell people

that the message is from aliens.

No, no, you'd have to have a cover

like crypto mining.

Then you could keep

whatever's decrypted a secret.

Like advanced technology designs, right?

Maybe I'm just reading too much into this.

Could just be someone's fun Easter eggs.

[suspenseful music]



[measured breathing]

[dramatic music plays]



[softly] Holy...

[breathing heavily]

[sighs] Damn it!

I don't think so.

[phone ringing]

Who are you?

CLERK: Uh, good morning, Ms. Hammond.

This is Chris with Ace

Bank. How are you today?

Um, fine. How are you?

Great, thank you for asking.

I'm with the fraud detection department

and was calling to check

on some suspicious activity

- we flagged on your account.

- Okay.

Would you mind verifying your date of birth

for me, please?

May 10th, 1994.

Great, thank you for that.

Now, are you currently in Europe?

What? No.

Hmm, that's interesting.

Tell me which of these transaction amounts

sound familiar.

[sighs] All right, I'll try.

- 1,650.

- What?

I'm sorry. Is that transaction familiar?

No!

On October 10th

for the amount of $892.

No.

October 5th, 10,600...

I don't even have that much in my account.

Yes, I see here some overdrafts.

But not to worry, we automatically deduct

any overdraft amounts from your savings.

I don't even have that

much in my savings account

or all of my accounts.

Once we verify the fraudulent transactions,

the funds will be replaced

in five to ten business days.

Okay, great, well, what am I supposed to do

for money until then?

I can connect you to our

new credit card applica

[line clicks] [sighs]

Running dark.

[computer whirring]

[sighs]

Everything goes wrong

at the same damn time.

That should do it.

[suspenseful music plays]



This is private property!

What do you want?

Who are you?

Who are you?!

[sighs]

All right, let's figure this out.

[phone chimes]

LLAMAZ: Hello, mysterious stranger.

- Hey.

- Age, sex, location?

Gross.

Clever name. Took me a minute.

Shut up a sec, okay? This is serious.

- I think I'm in trouble.

- Trouble like before?

No, like I pissed off the wrong people.

What's going on?

[sighs] I think I've been doxxed.

-sh*t.

-Is it possible

for Accord to be hacked?

You wanna stalk someone?

Other way around.

I... let me set up some things.

I will send you a secure

link in a few minutes.

Get away from other electronics.

Okay.

[phone chimes]

[phone chimes, line

clicks] - LLAMAZ: Hey, there.

This program will block

out everything on your phone

except this encrypted call.

How'd you learn how to do all this stuff?

A master never reveals his secrets.

So what's up with this doxxing?

- You remember that Cyfr guy?

- Yeah.

Banhammered his a*s.

Yeah, I think he's the one behind all this.

Ever since I got that DM,

things have been just really weird.

Lame. Has there been other stuff

aside from your network attack?

What hasn't happened?

I mean, multiple firewall penetrations.

- My identity got stolen.

- What?

Why didn't you say anything sooner?

It's been a crazy few days.

I thought it was all in my head, but

someone showed up here last night.

Holy sh*t.

Yeah, but they never got out of their car.

I, uh, I stared 'em down with

my grandpa's old shotgun.

- It was pretty epic, actually.

- Hold up.

Don't you live, like, way off-grid?

Well, it's not that far from town,

but, yeah, it's rural.

The new incognito user

is making more sense now.

Well, my other account got banned.

- From what?

- From everything.

What in the world did you stumble into?

I have to see your code. This is too weird.

Yeah, I don't know if it's safe.

Insatiable curiosity

gets the better of reason.

I need to be able to research this thing

without making more suspicion.

For sure. Go all James Bond.

Yeah. I remember you saying something

about this black box thing

that you made for a guy

running an underground

podcast or something?

You think you could set me

up with something like that?

I'd have to come out to

your place to configure it.

It's a beast.

Oh, you're what, like six hours from me?

A little more.

Okay, I'll DM you a shopping list.

Get everything

overnighted and I'll head out

late tomorrow and drive overnight.

Have to wrap up a few

things before I can go.

Thanks, Jay. I owe you.

Any time.

I'm looking forward to

seeing you face-to-face again.

Me too.

Have coffee ready, and food.

I hope you like MREs.

[laughs]

- [phone chimes]

Okay. Wow.

That is quite the list.

Okay, um, Dad.

[line ringing]

- WALTER: Hey, Cara.

- Hey. You got a minute?

Yeah, sure, hun. [Twig cracks]

What's... what's up?

Cara, you there?

What... um, yeah.

Um, hey, I got this identity theft thing,

but I need to buy some stuff.

Can I use your account to buy some things?

Of course. You have

the, uh, info saved, right?

Yeah, you know, you... you should really

change those logins, like, monthly, right?

Well, then, how would

you borrow it all the time?

[scoffs] Thanks, Dad.

I'll call you later. Okay?

Is everything okay?

Yeah, yeah, fine. I gotta go, thanks.

[line beeping]

You better use all this stuff.

[computer chimes]

AUTOMATED VOICE:

Your order has been placed.

[dramatic music plays]

[sighs]



[sighs]

It doesn't make much sense

to point it right at my hiding spot, Cara.

That could give it away. Perfect.

I feel much better about that.

[sighs]

[exhales sharply]

Back to it.

[sighs] Okay.

We need the connection

to pull the master data.

But we override the peer verification

by sweeping the private network.

I mean, that should speed

things up exponentially.

Let's see what you

look like in your entirety.

[fire crackling]

[sighs]

[phone chimes]

[phone chimes]

Hey, what's up?

Sorry, I was busy.

LLAMAZ: Are you okay?

I am really not licensed

to answer that right now.

Seriously, Cara, I'm worried about you.

I'm working on some stuff.

Well, you're freaking me out,

sending me data that's

gibberish and talking nonsense.

How are you not seeing what I'm seeing?

It's just noise from a faulty algo.

No, it's not noise.

It can't be noise that makes sense,

not across all those files.

But it doesn't make sense.

Have you heard of the Arecibo message?

The message we sent

out to space in the '70s?

Yeah. [Exhales]

I think this is a response to that.

Cara.

I mean, you can think

I'm crazy all you want,

but it's the exact same data

across every genesis block.

That can't be right.

[sighs]

I can't be the first person to find this.

I mean, someone must have

figured this out before me.

But

why don't we know about it?

Good point. Why don't we?

I mean

unless it's the aliens

themselves coming after me.

[laughs] Okay, I'm on the way out there.

Will you just look at the file again?

Okay? It's... it's all right there.

And if you don't believe

me, then just stay away.

Probably safer that way anyway.

I really think someone's after me.

The aliens?

Doubt it.

I mean, with what's happening

it's gotta be government or big tech.

Is there really a distinction?

Hey, we're gonna figure this out, okay?

Yeah.

We got this.

[sighs]

[phone chimes]

[computer droning]

I mean, it looks like some kind of

communications array.

I'll just see what Llamaz

thinks when he gets here.

Okay.

[tense music plays]

[motion alert beeps]



[knocking on door]

- Who is it?

- COURIER: Pizza delivery.

Just leave it on the porch.

Here?

I tipped in the app.

Okay, thanks.

[car starts]

[breathing heavily]

[birds chirping]

[motion alert beeping]

[banging on door]

[banging on door]

[Cara breathing heavily]

COURIER: Package delivery!

Hello?

We'll leave it outside.

Have a great day.

[water running]

[phone chimes]

[helicopter whirring]

[action music plays]



[breathing heavily]

[exhales sharply]

[birds chirping]

[phone chimes]

Are you freaking kidding me?

[tense music plays]



[distant g*nshots]

[breathing heavily]

Oh, God.

Okay. Okay.

[sobbing]

[bird caws]

[tense music plays]



[line ringing]

[line ringing]

ROBOTIC VOICE: Your call

cannot be completed as dialed.

Please check the number and dial again.

[line ringing]

CLERK: Thank you for calling UCT.

How may I direct your call?

Hi, um, can you put me through

to Professor Walter Hammond, please?

Sure. Just a moment.

Oh, it appears he's not in today.

Would you like me to

forward you to his voicemail?

He's not there?

No, there's a note

here that his TA filled in

on this morning's lecture

and his class this evening

has been canceled. Are

you one of his students?

No. Never mind. Thank you.

[line beeps]

[sobbing]

[breathing heavily]

sh*t!

[tense music plays]



[music intensifies]

[indistinct shouting]

SOLDIER: Over here!

[g*nsh*t booms]



SOLDIER: Over here. I

think I found something.

Bring the cutting torch.

[torch sputtering]

[dramatic music plays]



[loud blast]

[fire crackling]

[somber music plays]





[computer chiming]

[keyboard clacking]

[computer beeping]

[keyboard clacking]

[pensive music plays]



[music fades]