The Dharma Revelation

Chapter 5

"Slow down, Dan," Jessica said. "What do you mean hacking your computer?"

"Jessie, I don't know what he did, all I know is he was alone with my computer," Daniel explained. "Long enough to cause trouble."

"Okay, well, there is only so much he could have done. Do you have any sensitive documents on your hard drive?"

"I don't know," Daniel thought for a moment. "Some personal things yeah, but nothing that I care if he saw or not."

"Well, if you don't care, you have nothing to worry about," she said.

"Jessie you don't understand," he said. "This guy who was in here, I don't trust him at all. I think he was lying to me. I think there is something going on—I don't know what, but I really need to know what he did with my computer."

She took a deep breath, "Okay Dan. Let me think for a sec."

"I have my computer on, ready to go. Just tell me what to do."

"How did you say he acted?"

"He was frustrated. Either something was missing, or else he was trying to get into my e-mail and couldn't."

"Do you know if he succeeded?" she asked.

"You're the expert, you tell me Ms. Computer Whiz. That's why I called you."

She gave a soft chuckle at that. "Well, Dan, honestly, I don't think e-mail is your problem."

"Why not?"

"Well first of all, your mail is webmail; it's not on a client."

"English please."

"It's password protected."

"Well isn't there a way he can get around that?" he asked

"Actually yes," she said, getting an idea. "Most likely he installed a tracer on your machine. It's like sophisticated spyware, and it's a lot easier than trying to hack your e-mail. Plus if he's looking for files on your hard drive, the tracer will give him that as well."

"Okay, how do we find out?"

"First off, pull the plug on your internet connection. For all we know he has a tracer installed and running as we speak."

"That's the cord with a plug like a phone plug?" He asked, looking around the back of the computer.

"Yes," she responded. "That's your LAN connection."

"Found it," he said, unplugging it.

"Okay, now bring up the control panel and see what's been installed lately," she stepped him through the process of listing the installed programs.

He did as he was told. Looking at the list, he couldn't see anything installed today.

"Nothing in the list," he said. "I guess my computer is clean."

"Hmmm," she tapped the phone with her fingernail as she thought. "Maybe his application removed itself from that list. Try one more thing. Do you know how to do a search on your hard drive?"

"Yes, I do that all of the time Jessie," he said sarcastically.

"You know, for a priest you sure are cynical," she said coolly. "No wonder they're trying to sabotage your computer."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Let me walk you through the search," she said, switching phone ears. "We are going to look through your hard drive for any files installed with today's date. If he installed something from a CD, those files will most likely keep the dates from the CD, but any folders created should be dated today."