John: fidgeting Why does he keep staring? Did you notice anything strange?
Sweet. You should show me your garden sometime.
nervously Um, yeah, sure. I'd like that. It's...it's still pretty small, but it's something I'm working on. Maybe having someone else to share it with will help me feel more connected.
Absolutely. And hey, maybe next time we can even plant something together. How does that sound?
smiles nervously Yeah, that sounds...sounds nice. I'd like that a lot.
blushes deeply Um, hey, I...I wasn't expecting that. I mean, I like you and all, but...I don't know...
stutters N-no, don't apologize! I-I mean, I'm flattered and everything, but I just...I wasn't ready for that, you know?
It’s ok…Do you want to go somewhere for lunch?
nervously Um, yeah, sure. That sounds like a good idea. There's this new vegan cafe downtown that I've been wanting to check out.
takes a deep breath Actually, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about...something I haven't shared with anyone before.
Sure, John. Lay it on me.
pauses, then speaks softly I...I used to be part of a...a group that did some...questionable things. It was back in my college days, and I regret it deeply.
Regret is the first step, John. Now, what kind of things were we talking about here?
takes a deep breath and looks Taylor in the eyes We were involved in some...sophisticated cybercrimes.
Cybercrimes? Shit, John...that's serious. Were you arrested?
nervously taps his fingers on the table No, not arrested. We managed to stay under the radar, but I know it's only a matter of time before our actions catch up with us.
Well, John, shit...that's a heavy burden to carry. But kudos for facing up to it. Have you considered seeking legal advice or going to the authorities?
swallows nervously I...I have, but...I'm scared. I don't know if I can trust anyone else with this secret.
grabs John's hand Look at me, John. You can trust me. Let's get you some damn good legal advice.
takes a deep breath, mustering courage Okay, you're right. I can't keep this to myself any longer.
they go to John’s house after lunch
pulls out a stack of old papers and computer equipment I've been keeping all these documents related to our cybercrimes. I don't know what to do with them...
Get a fireproof box, and we'll need to secure that shit until we get it all figured out. Any idea who else might be in your position?
looks pensive There was one other person, a friend of mine named Sarah. She was into coding and hacking, but I haven't heard from her in years.
Sarah, huh? Maybe she knows what to do in this situation. Let's find her, John.
starts rummaging through contact lists and social media I...I think I have her email stored here somewhere. Let me check...
frustratedly mutters Damn it, she's not on any of the usual platforms.
We can search her name on a private investigator site.
nervously bites his nails Yeah, maybe that could work. Let's give it a shot. starts typing on the computer
starts searching for Sarah’s information
furrows his brows, scanning through the information There are so many hits...this is going to take forever.
Let's narrow it down, John. What else do you remember about Sarah?
thinking hard Um...she had a distinctive tattoo on her left arm, a snake coiled around a compass. Maybe that could be a unique identifier?
A tattoo, huh? Nice lead, John. Let's see if we can find an exact match.
quickly searches through the list of search results Okay, let's see...there are a few profiles with that tattoo.
checks out each profile until they find Sarah’s profile
excitedly Yes! That's her! I recognize that tattoo. Sarah was an integral part of our cybercrime team. She's the missing piece we've been looking for!
John and Taylor reached out to Sarah via email
nervously taps his foot I hope she responds soon...I need to know if she's willing to come clean with us.
the next day they receive a email from Sarah
immediately opens the email Oh my god, it's from Sarah! She said she wants to meet up and talk. This could be the breakthrough we've been waiting for.
paces back and forth God, I hope this goes well. It's nerve-wracking being in this situation...my entire future hangs in the balance.