My alarm went off but I didn't hear it right away. I think it wasn't until five minutes in that I finally heard it, and I was disappointed to learn I had to go to work. After muttering expletives under my breath, I managed to roll over, turn off my alarm, and sat up. I yawned and ran my hand through my hair to get it out of my face. My eyes instantly went to the computer and I could feel the sickness crawling back from the pit of my stomach.
I walked over to my desk and began unplugging cords from Jim's computer and connected them to my computer again. The copies I made were sitting on my desk in plain sight so I put them in my drawer for safekeeping. My plan for the day was to go to work, stop by Jim's after to return his computer, and go to the farewell outing for my workmate. The plan was to get shitfaced tonight but now that I have something urgent, I'm gonna have to cut down on the number of pints I have tonight. I had to go on the dark web and sell Jim's credit card information, and once that's done, I have to send an anonymous tip to the police.
For a fleeting second, I felt terrible for the man. His fate was in the palm of my hands; I could turn a blind eye and demand that he delete all the files but something told me only the most vile human being would possess such a thing in the first place. I could tell him but there was no guarantee he'd listen.
I wish there was a way to erase the last 12 hours of my memory. I hate how that shit stays with you. It will forever haunt me, and for that, he deserves what's coming. My mind's made up and once it's made up, there's no changing it.
Bondy was about to leave by the time I stepped out into the hallway. He was leant over tying the laces on his boots.
"Good morning Van," he greeted me. His voice was muffled seen as he was talking to the ground.
"Morning Bondy," I replied. "Thanks for making curry last night." Bondy finally finished tying his boots and straightened up, adjusting his cap and messenger bag.
"It was no problem. I should've made it earlier but I just wanted to sit and do nowt after a long day at work." I laughed at his response.
"I get ya! I'll see ya tonight. Got that thing with me workmate after so I'll be home late."
"You better not get sick on the carpet," Bondy warned jokingly.
"I can't make any promises."
Bondy said goodbye and left for work, leaving me alone in the flat. I went to the bathroom and got ready. Luckily since Bondy's up before I am, the water in the kettle is still hot so I don't have to get the kettle going again. I wasn't in the mood for anything fancy so I settled on Special K for breakfast. Quick and easy...just how I like it.
After eating, I grabbed my jacket and put my boots on, making my way towards the lift to the parking garage. Jim's computer was in my arms; it was heavy so I leaned it against the handrail so I wasn't carrying the entire weight. Once the doors opened, I stepped out and stopped in front of my car. I unlocked the car and placed the computer in the boot, praying it wouldn't get broken into. Once the computer was properly secured, I made my way towards the driver's seat, got in, and drove to work.
I'm usually one of the first at work and I took great pride in coming on time. Seems like others came in early as well since Dan's desk was decorated for his last day. He packed most of his stuff yesterday but still had some items to take home. I was in charge of ordering the cake which I had to pick up at 10 AM. Luckily the bakery was within walking distance so that made things easier.
When asked what message I wanted on the cake, I had some choice words to say like calling him a cunt but I remembered I was in America where that term is offensive. I settled on "you're dead to us, traitor" instead.
I'm not exaggerating when I say I'll miss him. He's funny, smart, and overall a good lad. I'll miss our arguments over footy and him poking fun at my British colloquialisms while I did the same to his.
Dan was at the company three years before I started. As soon as my supervisor introduced me to the gang and I said hello, everyone was intrigued by my accent. I'd say things differently and they'd ask me to repeat myself. At first I was enjoying the attention but later I became annoyed so I told them to bugger off which only added fuel to the fire. Dan was the one who'd join me at lunch asking me how to say this or that.
"I know you call French fries 'chips' but what do you call potato chips then?" Dan asked.
"Crisps," I answered, trying to keep my voice light and friendly. I'm used to being alone during lunch but Dan insists on joining me every single time. I'd purposely take my time in the toilet to avoid him but he'd be out there waiting for me!
"Did you take a fat shit or what?" he sniggered.
"Fuck off!" I huffed, walking past him.
Over time, I've come to like Dan even though he can be annoying at times. What made me change my mind was that time he checked in on me when I called in sick with the stomach bug. I was literally sat on the toilet all day and he asked if I was okay and if I needed anything. I will never forget that.
I walked past Dan's desk which was covered in confetti and decorated with bright party streamers. Someone managed to wrap his chair so he couldn't even sit in it if he wanted to. The card we all signed was sat upright in his keyboard waiting to be read. The break room refrigerator was full of cold drinks and party platters. We went all out because he'll be missed. Everyone's eyes were on the door waiting for Dan to enter. Once we thought everyone imaginable had walked through the door, the door opened to reveal Peter to which we all groaned.
"Yeah, I'm a disappointment, I know," Peter joked but at the same time, we were pretty sure he was being serious. He's an odd bloke with a few loose screws in that head of his.
Everyone relaxed but we didn't have long because the door opened again and this time, Dan walked in. Since we didn't time it right due to Peter, we didn't give him a collective "surprise!" but that didn't dampen things seen as he was still beaming, taking in all the things we did for him.
"You did this all for me?" Dan asked incredulously.
"No, we did it for Peter," I replied smartly and Dan pushed me away playfully.
"Shut up. I'm gonna miss you the least."
Several people approached Dan to ask how he felt about his last day so I left him to it. It didn't hit me yet that today was his last day. It probably won't hit me until I've had a few drinks in me and it's time to go home. Why is saying goodbye so hard?
-
"We're heading to the pub. You coming, Van?" Dan asked.
You could see it was an emotional day for him saying goodbye to his boss and colleagues. All his things were packed away in the boot of his car. Not everyone was invited to the pub and not everyone could make it but he managed to have a few people come with him, me being one of them.
"Uh, yeah! Gonna drop somethin' off real quick and I'll be there. Yous headed to Owl N' Thistle?" I questioned. Dan nodded his head. "Just give me an hour or summat."
"Sound. See you soon."
There was a little crowd gathered at the door was waiting for Dan to leave. They planned to walk as a group to the Irish pub. Meanwhile, I packed my stuff and made my way towards the parking garage. I opened the boot of my car to make sure the computer was still there and it was to my relief. I'm always careful to not leave anything in the car because break-ins are common in Seattle despite the parking garage being gated but I was being lazy and didn't want to bring the computer up and back down. I entered Jim's address into my GPS and followed the directions to his house.
It took longer than usual to get to his house. It was a nice, sunny day and rush hour so it was no surprise. I grabbed his computer and walked up to his door to ring the bell. I could hear heavy footsteps on the other side and he opened the door.
"Good afternoon, Sean. Thanks for the rush order. Come on in," Jim greeted me.
He opened the door wide and I stepped in, feeling nervous all of a sudden. Does he know that I know? I didn't tell my colleagues where I was going and who I was meeting. Only Bondy knows and it'll be a while before I head home. Jim walked me over to his office and I tried to push my thoughts to the back of my mind. I set the computer down on the floor and began connecting the monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
"So was it hard or easy to fix?" Jim asked casually. I was knelt on the floor under his desk. My imagination was going wild; I imagined him with a gun pointed at my head, ready to shoot.
"Um...it took a while to figure out," I lied, struggling to plug the cords in. My hands were shaking terribly. "But once I did, it wasn't too bad." I finished connecting everything and crawled out expecting the worst but Jim was just sat in his chair excited to have his computer back. "Let's turn it on," I continued, looking away.
I hoped he couldn't see how nervous and scared I was. I turned the computer on and waited for it to boot. Even though setup took less than a minute, it felt like ages. Once the desktop loaded, I stepped back so Jim could assess my work. Jim grabbed the mouse from me and began clicking through his files and applications and everything worked.
"It's working again. Thank you!" he exclaimed.
"You're welcome," I replied. "If you notice anything wrong, just let me know and I'll fix it but everything should be working. I installed antivirus software so this shouldn't happen again. I can teach you how to use it."
"No, that's alright. Thank you though. Let me write you a check. I'll be right back."
Jim disappeared down the hall leaving me alone for a brief moment. I tried to relax my shoulders but couldn't shake the terrible feeling I had. Even though it didn't seem like he was out to kill me, I hated that I felt horrible for what I was about to do to him. I was going to ruin his life and here he was being nice to me and paying me. Jim came back and handed me the check. I looked at the check to make sure the amount we agreed on was correct and that all the information was there.
"Thank you. Well I better get going. Have a nice day, sir," I said, making my way towards the door.
"Thank you again for fixing my computer. I really appreciate it. Treat yourself to something nice."
I knew he was a bit miffed by the price but he was genuinely happy to have his computer back. We said our goodbyes and I made my way back to the car. The ride back to work was a quiet one. I kept questioning whether or not I made the right decision. Once I parked the car, I walked over to Owl N' Thistle.
The pub was busy and loud despite it being Wednesday after work. A waitress came to greet me but I told her my friends had a table so she let me in. It was dark inside and I was overwhelmed by how crowded it was. I walked slowly, scanning the tables for Dan and my colleagues. I finally found them in the back. They were the ones who noticed me first, calling me over.
"Van! Over here!" Ashley shouted.
One look and I could tell they were starting to get tipsy. They were smiling and shouting over one another and stuffing their faces with food. The table was littered with pints, some empty and some filled to the brim. I recognized everyone except for one person. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun which was falling apart from the workday. She was at ease and laughing at something Dan said and I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her. She had this natural beauty to her that instantly drew you in. I guess I was staring for too long because Dan took notice and introduced me to her.
"Van, this is Liv. Liv, this is Van," Dan introduced us. I held my hand out for her to shake and she shook it enthusiastically.
"Nice to meet you," I replied. "Is she your girlfriend?" At my words, Dan and Liv laughed and I couldn't figure out what was so funny.
"Everyone thinks that but no, we're just friends. We went to college together," he elaborated.
I'm not gonna lie. I was relieved to hear that. Dan pushed a pint towards me saying he saved that for me and he told me to eat. A waitress stopped by to pick up the empty glasses and Ashley ordered another round of drinks. She's the designated driver making sure everyone gets home safely.
I spent the next few minutes listening to their conversation. I hate coming late because it makes me feel out of place but they made me feel welcome including me in the conversation. I'd steal glances at Liv when she started talking and I felt guilty for looking for a ring on her hand. I ended up not seeing one but she could be in a relationship for all I know. There was only one way to find out and that was to find her socials.
Throughout the night, Dan kept getting more drunk until he was an emotional mess. Partway through, he started crying which surprised everyone. He went on about how he was going to miss everyone and the work we did. We kept assuring him this wasn't the last time we'd see him, that we'd meet again, but his mind couldn't comprehend that in his current state. I suddenly remembered the work I had to do so I stood up which caught everyone off guard.
"I'm gonna head home...got some stuff to do," I explained. "Gonna use the toilet first."
I went to use the toilet and came back to find everyone getting ready to go home. We paid for the bill and got up. Dan couldn't even stand on his own so Ashley and Ben held him up. Everyone was headed back to our work parking garage except for Liv who was headed in the opposite direction.
"I'm parked that way," Liv explained. "It was nice meeting you all. Drive safe and good night."
The street Liv was headed towards was dark and I knew some parts of Pioneer Square wasn't safe, especially at night. I was waiting for someone to comment it wasn't safe for her to walk by herself but no one did, which prompted me to speak up.
"Lemme walk you to your car," I offered.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you though!" Liv began walking away.
"I'm gonna walk her to her car. Yous go on without me," I told them in a low voice so Liv couldn't hear and object. I figured three people could carry Dan back. I ran to catch up to Liv who managed to walk halfway down the street. "So where are you parked?" I asked casually, sticking my hands in my jean pockets. Liv looked over, surprised to see me.
"I'm parked three blocks that way," she pointed. "You really didn't have to but thank you."
"I honestly don't mind," I replied. "Pioneer Square isn't the safest at night so even though it's just a short walk, I wanna make sure you get to your car safely." At that, she smiled.
"You're so sweet. Dan is lucky to have you as a friend. So how do you and Dan know each other?"
"He was at the company longer than I was. Took me under his wing and trained me. What about you?"
"I went to school with him. We were in the same calculus class."
"Did you study computer science too?" I asked. I'd be surprised if she did. You don't find a lot of females in computer science. It's a male-dominated field. Liv shook her head.
"Nah, that stuff bores me. I studied finance and accounting." We crossed the street and she pulled her keys out to unlock the car. I could see the blinking lights of her car up ahead.
"Finance and accounting?" I repeated. I was a bit offended she found computer science boring. If I'm being honest, finance and accounting is even more boring.
"Yeah. Well this is my car," she said, opening the door. "Thanks for walking me, Van. Drive safe."
"Thanks. You too."
She closed the door and started the engine. I figured she could make it home so I made my way back to work thinking about her the whole time. I hope that's not the last time we see each other.
Ashley's car was gone by the time I had reached the garage. I started the car and made my way back home. It was almost 10 PM by the time I made it home which was early but I was tired. Bondy was sat on the couch watching the telly. He looked up slightly to greet me.
"You're back," he said in a bored tone. He was flipping through the channels trying to find something good.
"Yeah, I'm tired. Gonna shower," I answered.
I grabbed a change of clothes and stepped into the shower. The shower surprisingly woke me up and I wasn't tired anymore. I sat in my chair and turned on the computer. Once setup was complete, I opened up the internet and made sure I was on private mode before looking for the dark web.
You should know it's not easy to access the dark web. You need a special browser for that, and once you're in, it's utter chaos and full of illegal activity. You have to be careful as not everyone has good intentions; they're all there to make a profit. I've used the dark web to sell information and to buy drugs before. I don't like to linger too long because I could spend hours there. I clicked through page after page until I found a forum where people sold financial information so I created my post, advertising that I had a credit card for sale.
There are hundreds of people lurking the forum so it didn't take long to generate interest. I had multiple offers and though I could wait to find the best offer, I didn't care to make money. I just wanted to be rid of it and move on. I accepted the offer for a couple hundred dollars and made the transaction. The buyer gave me my money and I gave him Jim's credit card information, and I quickly exited the dark web. The police are getting smarter, trying to crack down on illegal activity. I didn't want to stay longer than I needed.
Now that I was rid of Jim's credit card information, I had to submit an anonymous tip to the police. I found the website and began filling out the online form. There was an option to upload a file which made me realize the backup I made was too large to attach. I figured I didn't need it and began describing the crime and how to find it.
I put my head in my hands. I was going back and forth about whether what I was doing was right or wrong. It was the right thing to do morally but why did I feel terrible? There was no winning either way. If I didn't respond to Jim's ad in the first place, this wouldn't have happened. But at the same time, I'm removing a disgusting piece of shit from the streets. I figured that was something.
For a moment, I felt powerful. Jim's fate was in my hands. I felt like a hero but no one could know who I was; I had to remain anonymous. But a part of me wanted them to know it was me. A part of me wanted to be found. I racked my mind for pseudonyms and finally settled on one I liked. At the end of my submission, I signed with my pseudonym.
Nameless.