The Consulting Hacker

Talks

"You mean your neighbour, I don't live here anymore."

"No matter." Sherlock got up and strode to the door and down to Cate's apartment.

--

"You broke into my apartment when I was gone didn't you? And you went through my laptop cupboard, Sherlock." Cate looked mildly amused as she opened the door to cupboard herself.

"Yes, I did, Cate. Not that I found anything of importance, as you already know."

"Obviously, I'm not going to put a basic password on any of my laptops just in case anyone does try to get into them. Then what's the use of calling me a 'consulting hacker' in the first place?"

"So you were gone because of a hacking job?"

"Babysitting doesn't pay that much you know. I survive through hacking, don't look at me like that John."

"Look at you like what?"

"I know you disapprove of me hacking, but it's the only way I can be useful and still earn money."

"What do you hack?"

"Mainly rich people's significant other's accounts, such as email accounts, phone bills, and stuff."

"But nothing big?"

"Big as in, corporation big?"

"Yes."

"Admittedly, I have, but I don't do it for money, just as a pass time. I always refuse those kind of jobs."

"If you're quite done John. We have some train stations to go to."

"Bye. See you later." Cate began to open her suitcase and putting her equipment back into the cupboard. John looked back at the small girl before following Sherlock back up the stairs. Once they had shut the door behind him John paused and said to Sherlock,

"What she's doing is illegal isn't it?"

"Without a doubt John."

"So she's in trouble once you tell Lestrade?"

"Yes."

"When are you telling Lestrade?"

"Haven't decided. Come on, we have some video footage to see."

--

Cate looked up as she heard someone clapping. That person was Zach.

"Zachary Thomas Hart. Stop embarrassing yourself and help me."

"Nope. Do it yourself. That is your punishment for basically telling everyone my real identity." Cate rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Whatever you say, Zach-Nav, what do you want to do today?"

"Teach me more of the guitar."

"Do you have your payment?"

"Two jam doughnuts and a vanilla milkshake."

"Perfect. I'll be ready in another minute or so. To the church again?"

"Yup, could you teach me the song you were just playing? It sounded deep."

"It's actually a Korean song." Cate stood up and swung her backpack over her shoulder, picked up her guitar and smiled to the thirty-something-year-old woman walking past her as she walked with Zach towards the exit of the tube station.

"But it was completely in English."

"I translated it. I didn't think that people on the tube would appreciate me singing in Korean, plus my Korean pronunciation of things is very mediocre so I may offend some native speakers, better not risk it."

"But you would get so much more money if you sung in another language."

"I'm half oriental, they would just think I'm singing in my 'native language' and think it's nothing special. I would probably get even less money then as they wouldn't understand it. People tend to like things that they understand more."

"Maybe. You never know. Why don't you try singing in another language one day?"

"Nope. Singing in another language is reserved for the privacy of my room where my atrocious pronunciation of things does not matter as I am the only one hearing it." They were now on the main road and were walking towards the church on the other side of the road. They reached the church quickly and looked around the front of the church before settling on the usual bench that they sat at that overlooked the small garden that was at the front of the church. Cate began taking out her guitar and strummed it a few times before giving it over to Zach.

"Okay, let me hear what you remember from the last time I taught you." Zach began to hesitantly pluck at the strings and Cate listened to him intently. Well, she tried to. She felt as though someone was watching her and she turned around. There was nothing. Zach stopped playing and began talking,

"Oh, I forgot to say, I started to watch that anime that you recommended to me. I think it was Kuroshitsuji. The first episode was a bit scary. Are you sure it's not a horror anime?"

"Perfectly sure, I wouldn't recommend horror animes to you, I know how you are with scary stuff."

Cate could still feel something watching her, she turned around expecting no one to be behind her. But this time, there was. That person was standing next to a pillar with an angel on it, and when he noticed that Cate had noticed him, he quickly walked behind the angel and began walking towards the exit of the church.

"Hey Zach, I just saw Sherlock."

"Sherlock as in Sherlock Holmes?"

"Yes. I need to talk to him."

"Why?"

"Just a small matter, could you please pack my guitar for me and meet me at my place later?"

"Where is your place? You've never told me before."

"That's right. It's 221 Baker Street."

"That's not too far from here. Hang on, you live with Sherlock Holmes?" But Cate was already sprinting after Sherlock before he got an answer. Zach watched as she ran away.

Cate ran out of the garden and onto the main road, she saw that Sherlock was leaning against the fence that surrounded the church, his hands in his pockets. She glared at him and walked towards him, Sherlock looked at her and proceeded to walk away from her. Cate followed him. They reached a street opening and he turned in, he carried on walking a bit further before he stopped. He didn't turn around, but Cate walked towards him nonetheless and faced him.

"Sherlock, what the hell? Wasn't sending your homeless network enough? Why did you need to follow me instead?"

"Who said I was Sherlock Holmes?" The voice was different, higher pitched than Sherlock's normal voice. Cate's blood ran cold. But before she could run she felt his hands on her neck and something sharp pressing into it.

--

HEY GUYS, I'VE BEEN ABSENT FOR A WHILE, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN EXCUSE THIS TIME, APART FROM THE FACT THAT I KEEP GETTING DISTRACTED BY KOREAN GUYS. WELL, KOREAN STUFF IN GENERAL TO SOUND LESS CREEPY. I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD CHRISTMAS TO THOSE WHO CELEBRATE THAT, AND HOPE YOU ALL HAD AN ENJOY NEW YEAR'S DAY AND I HOPE EVERYONE WHO HAS SEEN THE SPECIAL SHERLOCK EPISODE ENJOYED IT. I DID.

LATERZ!

anonymouse8