The Viral Chase

Chapter 16: DI6

Chapter 16

DI6.

We are off to the streets of this small town Harry made his halt at. I really have no idea where we are since I can't find any sign boards with it's name or something. He stops nearby a small shop pulling out a credit card from his pocket. It is evident from his face that he is tired and nervous. "You go and find yourself some... uh clothes to wear and I will make the payments." That explains his nervousness. As we enter the store, I bustle off to the ladies section. I randomly pick out a few t-shirts and two pair of jeans. I walk through the carelessly arranged shelf and scramble around to find a few others. When I am done, I find him standing alone with some food packets near the billing counter, shuffling them so as to separate ones from the other. I take the few required clothes and place them at the counter for billing. He makes the payments and turns to me with an amusing smile making its way on his face. "I am surprised that you pulled out just a few simple clothes instead of the whole store. I mean, you girls shop like its 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity." I raise my eyebrows but do not reply, knowing how those typical girls splurge their money. "I will change into one of these in the trial room." And I hurry to the other side of the store, snatching a bag from his hands on the way. Finally, I am relieved to get back in my own comfortable choice and size of clothes. I rush back to the exit where he is waiting for me, staring everywhere with a piercing gaze. He does look creepy sometimes with the way he stares at  every single person like he is supposed to be an x-ray machine, scanning them for threatening weapons. But he is not the one to be blamed for he is in a job that requires sharp observation. Yet that can be done in a concealed manner.

"Is it always like this for you? On the run being chased by dangerous people and saving good people?" I ask him out of the blue. "Sometimes. Depends on the case, actually." He mutters playing with the cellphone in his hand. I glance at him once before looking ahead. "Should I take a left or go straight?" I ask him unsure of the destination. "Drive straight." Do we even have a destination? "Don't you get tired of running around, changing places more frequently than you change clothes." "It does but then eventually I got used to it." He replies almost uninterested in the conversation, and gets back to his cellphone. "Pull over near that cafe." I obey his words pulling over near the cafe that is shining with brightly lit lights, residing just near the highway as the sun is setting leaving back shades of orange and pink scattered on the canvas of sky. We get inside for a round of evening tea or in my case coffee, never been a fan of tea. He orders himself a Yorkshire tea and a Cappuccino for me with a serving of bagels. There is this silence again with us looking around the place in deep thoughts but not acknowledging each other's presence. The small lamps cast a warm yellow light on each table, illuminating the small vase with a single pink rose in the centre of the table. "Your orders here." A cheerful voice of the waitress suddenly breaks the silence in the air, placing the cups and a plate on table and smiling sweetly before turning away. He gets himself a bagel and starts nibbling it and I sip my coffee, blowing over the steamy liquid. "We need to make a stop but I am sure they will find us again. Rather lets get in for the night." I nod at his words with an expressionless face. Everything seems awkward like always when this quiet air surrounds us.

He slumps in the chair and asks me if I can work on the virus thing again. I mutter a quick yes getting on it at once. My heart can't rest since the moment we entered this room. The heavy curtains hanging loosely covering every window, the peeling wallpaper of the walls and the musty air filling the room is giving me a queasy feeling, considering the small space it provides with the thin mattress on a double-bed on one side and a small coffee table with two chairs on the other side. A small wooden cupboard stands adjacent to the wall with the door, concealing itself behind the main door. Thankfully, the bathroom is in a better shape. Everytime I look at those curtains, it gives me an impression that someone is hiding behind them waiting for his chance to kill me. I get the laptop and start working on the Mark virus, as Harry calls it. I busy my mind so that the horrible thoughts of hiding killers is thrown away, at least for that moment of time. Harry (who I have no idea of when he left) arrives, bringing in the aroma of a delicious meal with him. I rack my brains before getting to the dinner, continuously thinking of every lecture I attended and every book I read where I might have heard the file format '.I6' or a reference to it. The virus itself is named as DI6 and I am damn sure that it is related to getting these type of files. And for sure these files hold something confidential. Oh! obviously it would Alina. My inner voice seems to be scolding me. There has to be something that will lead me to these .I6 types of files and what type of data they actually contain.