Beneath The Mask

111. I'll Be Deaf, Dumb, And An Illegal Immigrant From Mexico!

Daniel's POV:

"What do you mean by you can't do anything about it Bill? I trusted that you would help me!" I gritted my teeth, trying to control the frustration that threatened to sweep out of me as I leaned against the wooden counter of his small electronic shop at the corner of the street.

"Yes Danny, I really do want to help you." He sighed, adjusting the thick rims of his black specs on the bridge of his nose. "But there is nothing I can do about the 'private number' you keep getting messages from."

I sighed, and ran a hand through my hair, ruffling the mess into something messier. "Aren't you the tech geek? You're supposed to tell me something that would help me out of this mess, not give me a dead end to work with. You're the expert. Please, help me!"

"Look, you're my friend, and that's the only reason I even agreed to getting the phone corrected without even registering it. This phone was hacked, and I removed the virus that caused it. Whoever did this wouldn't be able to have access to the camera, or gallery hereafter as long as you don't open any other messages, or threads linked with the virus."

"I can't assure you that the phone can't be hacked again. As long as the person knows the number, or any network code about this phone, they can try to hack it back if they really are as good as I think they are at it. The only way out of this mess would be to catch the person behind it, and the only way to do so is by complaining it to cyber crime."

"I can't." I sighed, and shook my head. "That's the reason I need your help!"

He looked around like he was seeing if someone was around, before he leaned closer towards me. "This person that you're looking for doesn't want to be found. I tried looking into the network of where the messages might be coming from, even beyond the legal capabilities I have without permission, but all I got was signals from different countries with every other second. It's obviously not from a normal phone source. I doubt if you could ever find this person without legal help."

I pursed my lips into a thin line, letting all the information to sink in, so that I could think of my next move, but I had no idea about it. I sighed when I realised that there was no use standing there any longer. "Well thanks for the help."

I placed some money on the counter, and picked up the black cell phone packed inside an air filled plastic bag. Maybe I should just throw it off from the Tower bridge, and feel the weight lift off of me, but what if he found out other means of hurting Cath?

Hoping that he hadn't planned something terrible for her yet, I pocketed it into my shirt pocket, and backed away from the store when I heard my name being called.

"Wait!" Bill shouted.

I stopped on my step, and watched as he stepped around the counter, and walked towards me. He looked around again before he grabbed my arm, and pulled me aside, a little away from the street, and to the side of the store.

He peeked over my shoulder before he looked at me sternly. "Are you sure this person you're dealing with is not some kind of underground mafia you have an illegal dealing with?"

I almost chuckled at his question, but the seriousness on his face stopped me from doing so. "Wait, are you asking me for real? Do I look like the type to do something like that?"

He shrugged, and pushed the glass up his nose again. "You never know these day, and you didn't really want to go to the police about this."