Savage Mouse

Thain Masavage-known online as Savage Mouse-is a gifted programmer living a quiet life in rural Oregon with his wife in a comfortable home. But when he loses his job as a game developer during an economic downturn, he pivots into a darker line of work: crafting malware and extorting unsuspecting victims.

Using carefully designed malicious code, Thain infiltrates computers, capturing keystrokes and uncovering sensitive, often incriminating information from both local files and online activity. He doesn't just exploit his targets-he "teaches" them. As he coerces payment, he also offers lessons in cybersecurity, urging stronger passwords, encryption, and safer digital habits.

With the help of his AI assistant, George, Thain runs his operation behind the façade of a legitimate computer repair shop. He rationalizes his actions by charging victims only what they can afford-framing his crimes as a twisted form of education.

Everything changes when Thain stumbles upon evidence of a genuine and far more dangerous criminal-someone who appears to be a serial killer. Determined to expose the truth without incriminating himself, he attempts to report the findings anonymously. But when the killer becomes aware of him, Thain is thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse-where one wrong move could cost him everything.

Set against the moody backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, this gripping thriller follows a man walking the fine line between predator and protector.