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Elias looked out his window. A black SUV was idling at the curb. The glitch hadn't been an accident; it was an audition. And apparently, he’d gotten the job.
This time, the screen didn't flash red. Instead, a series of rapid-fire prompts flickered across the display, faster than human eyes could read. The total on the screen plummeted from $2,499.00 to $0.00. A crisp receipt began to curl out of the printer.
Once in his car, Elias pulled out his phone and checked the gift card balance on the Best Buy website. The balance was listed as . best buy gift card glitch
"Let me try one more time," Elias said, his voice barely a whisper. He swiped the card again.
Leo-type cashiers were gone, replaced by two men in sharp, dark suits standing by the exit. They weren't store security; they looked like they worked for a three-letter agency. Elias looked out his window
He swiped the card. The screen turned a deep, bruised purple. A single line of text appeared:
The cashier, a teenager named Leo who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else, blinked at the paper. "Uh, looks like you’re good to go, man. Have a nice one." And apparently, he’d gotten the job
The air in the electronics department was thick with the scent of ozone and new plastic. Elias stared at the "Insufficient Funds" message on the card reader, his heart hammering against his ribs. He had just tried to buy a high-end gaming laptop with a twenty-dollar gift card he'd found in his junk drawer.