Chapter 13: Hacker

“The following weeks with Alice were nothing short of a dream. Never did I think that we would ever get as close as we are now. We only got closer after that scene at the hospital. So I guess, in some ways, I can thank that man. I mean, I’d much rather rub it in his face, but I’m lucky enough as it is. You have no idea how euphoric I feel every morning when I wake up to her lying next to me.

She thinks that I don’t know this but, I know that every morning, she wakes up, and studies me for a while before getting up. It may seem like a stupid thing to feel happy over, but hey, like I said, it was like a dream to me. I played it cool for as long as I could, not touching her at all, but sometimes you get out of control.

The day that I saw her last, I decided to finally reach out to her. Break the barriers that we both had unknowingly built up, and reach the other side. It was a pleasant surprise. She didn’t pull away, or slap me, she only had a faint smile on her lips. If she didn’t push me away and say that she had to go to work, I probably would’ve kissed her right then and there without thinking. That is how madly in love I’ve fallen for her.”

These are the words I wrote on a police statement at exactly 5:21 P.M. on Monday, July 13th. My statement to why Alice was missing. The police came pounding at my door at 4:30 today. I was sitting on my couch, watching TV, completely calm, everything that I did today went perfectly to plan, so I was happy. It was when I was starting to drift off, away from the TV’s boring ads that the rapid knocks happened, followed by: “POLICE.”

I jumped up immediately, knocking the freshly brewed coffee straight off my side table and all over me. It took all the self restraint to not scream. I covered my mouth and sank to the floor, shaking. Why were the police here? They couldn’t have possibly…...My thoughts were interrupted by a series of knocks again, but this time, it was followed by a countdown.

I ran to the door while frantically trying to wipe it off with my sleeves yelling: “Coming!” and opened the door. Standing before me were three police officers. An older male in the front, and two younger officers flanking him. “Good evening, how can I help you?”

He showed me his police badge. “I’m Officer Sinclair.” He put it away. “We received some reports today that Alice hasn’t shown up for work. They say that she always shows up and never misses a day so this is serious. I was told that she lived here. Do you mind cooperating with us and coming to the station?”

I felt all the blood drain from my face. He said it in such an authoritative tone that I knew I didn’t have a choice. I nodded my head meekly and went inside to retrieve my phone, wallet, and keys. I looked behind me while getting my phone and realized that Officer Sinclair had followed me in. I flashed my brightest and non-threatening smile. “Do you have a permit?” The officer looked shocked and shook his head, leaving my house.

I ran my hands down my face. “Pigs.” I mumbled to myself. Thinking that they can just enter my house whenever they want. They wouldn’t like it if it was done to them. So why do they do it to others? I went outside and was about to climb into my car when the same officer grabbed my arm. “You have to ride with us son.”

I rolled my eyes but complied nonetheless. I rode in the backseat of an unmarked police car with Officer Sinclair and some other nameless officer. The other officer was driving the official police car with their lights on and the blaring alarms. The whole set. Boy, were they acting like they had something on me. I didn’t say anything the whole ride, the cop kept asking questions but I wasn’t in the mood.

Once we got to the station, the officer tried to escort me in but I broke away from him and strutted into the building first. Sinclair looked at me resentfully. He then passed me and led me to a dimly lit questioning room. I sat down in the single orange plastic chair. Sinclair handed me a piece of paper that asked me to write a statement. So that’s what I wrote. I know they think I did it, but they have no evidence of that at all.

When I was finished, I slid the paper back to him across the table. “Can I go now? I’ve done what I could for you guys.”

He put his hands down on the table, trying to look menacing. I stared right back. “Alice lives with you. So when did you see her last?”

“I saw her right before she left the house to go to work in the morning.”

Sinclair laughed. “Oh yeah? Then what’s this?” He pulled out two pieces of paper and slid them towards me. The first one was of our phone call and the second was a picture from a CCTV camera footage, showing me and Alice. I panicked for a second.

“Oh right, I forgot I saw her then too. She said she wanted to talk to me about something so we planned to meet up.”

He pointed at the second piece of paper. “But you’re standing here with your back to her, during that time, she was getting beat up and was taken away. So she didn’t end up meeting with you at all then.” He pointed to the person standing with their back to Alice. “That is you right?”

I felt a surge of relief. “Yes, it is me. You’re right as well, I didn’t get to meet her that day.”

He looked at me quizzically. “You didn’t find that suspicious at all? That she would just not show up when she agreed to talk to you? And the fact that she didn’t even come home last night or today?”

“Alice does her own thing, sir. I cannot control what she does and does not do. Sometimes she’s gone for days at a time. This isn’t as abnormal as the people around her think it is.”

Sinclair leaned back and went to lean against the wall. “Is that so…”

“Yes it is.” I told him, hoping that I’d be able to go home now.

He looked at me. “Alright. Thank you for your input. If we find out anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

I nodded my head. “Thank you officer.” I got up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me..”

I left the police station with high hopes. They weren’t getting me into trouble after all and the officer actually listened to what I had to say. It was something that happened quite rarely, but I was grateful for it. As soon as I got a block away from the station, I called someone I knew. They agreed to meet me a mile away from the police station in half an hour, seeing as it would take me that long to walk there.

About fifteen minutes into my walk, I began to notice someone mirroring my steps, trying to get closer to me. I didn’t change my pace or even acknowledge that I knew this fact. I had to really listen in to determine how far back they were. I had to out-think them.

I was about to spin around and face them after five straight minutes of them tailing me, but decided not to. I could run to the meeting place and have that person help back me up. I was just going to hope that this person couldn’t run faster than me. And if they could, that them being slightly behind me helped me out.

1….2...3…! I began running as fast as my legs could take me and to no one’s surprise, the other person began running after me too. I was almost to the meeting spot, a block away. I could do it! I thought to myself. This particular block was completely darkened. If he caught up to me now, I was screwed.

Luck was definitely not on my side today because as soon as I hit that dark block, I was tackled to the ground. My face hit the concrete and there was a sickening crunch. The pain was overwhelming. Since I was already down on the ground, and probably cracked my head open, there wasn’t much for me to do anymore.

My vision was blurring, cutting in and out. I didn’t know what to do. The person kept beating me senseless. I was so confused, what did I do to deserve this? I barely managed to get out: “W-who are you? Why are y-you doing this?”

The person froze for a second, and if I were able to, that would’ve been my chance to book it, but I couldn’t. I had to just lay there, head cracked open, blood spilling onto the concrete, my face aching from this person’s aggressive punches.

“You should’ve never fallen in love with Alice. Then Jayce wouldn’t have sent me.” They said before delivering one final punch, sending me into a pit of darkness. Most people tend to think about their life, people they love, or their regrets when they get into situations like this. But all I could think was: Everything is going just right. Not the way I’d have liked this to happen, but it’s all going to plan.”