Ch: 15 [Frank]

According to the old woman, those goons' hangs around the docks. And Gwen sent me a message, informing me about the place Julia used to work. It's time to pay them a visit. My first destination is the shopping mall.

I made my way to the shopping mall where Julia used to work, my mind focused on gathering any information that could lead me to those responsible for her abuse. The mall was bustling with activity, filled with shoppers and employees going about their daily routines.

I decided to take a look outside the mall, checking the area to see any signs of abnormality.

While looking around, my eyes went toward the underground parking lot. There I saw a sign of 'Under Construction'. The place was empty and bags of cement and bricks were lying around.

Inside a small booth near the parking, a guard wearing his uniform, sleeping on a chair in the lot. This seemed like an opportunity to gather some information discreetly without causing a scene.

Approaching the guard quietly, I studied his face and the name tag on his uniform. It read "Frank."

I gently tapped his shoulder, trying not to startle him. Frank stirred and blinked his eyes open, looking a bit disoriented. As he focused on me, his expression shifted from confusion to annoyance.

"What's the problem?" he grumbled, his voice groggy from sleep.

I took out a 100$ bill and held it in front of his eyes with a smile on my face.

"Hey there, Frank. Sorry to disturb your nap. I just had a quick question, and I figured you might be able to help me out," I said, keeping my voice low and friendly.

Frank's eyes widened as he saw the money in front of him. He quickly straightened up in his chair, trying to appear more alert. "Uh, yeah, what do you need?"

"I'm looking for some information about a girl named Julia. She used to work here at the mall. I heard she had some trouble and wanted to see if you knew anything about it," I explained, keeping my tone casual.

Frank's eyes darted around nervously, and he hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I... I don't know anything about any trouble. I'm just a guard here. But... there are some guys who hang around the northern docks. They're not the best crowd, if you catch my drift."

"Tell me everything you saw. I need details, Frank," I added another 100$ bill.

Frank's eyes lingered on the money, clearly tempted by the offer. After a brief pause, he reached out and grabbed the additional bill, his demeanor shifting slightly.

"Well, I did overhear some conversations among the higher-ups here. They mentioned something about Julia not 'pulling her weight' and being 'useless' or something like that," Frank began, his voice low and guarded. "They said she was skimming from the cash registers, but I never saw her do anything like that. It didn't seem right to me."

I nodded, keeping my focus on Frank. "And these higher-ups, do you know who they are? Names, descriptions, anything?"

"You know I can't tell anything more than I already said. I will get kicked out of my job," Frank warned, his expression suddenly growing concerned.

"Really?" I took out another 100$ bill and placed it on the table. "Are you sure you don't want to help me?"

He quickly snatched the bill from the table, "You... We never met, ok?"

I smiled, "Of course, Frank. Whatever you say."

"Well, those higher-ups are a bunch of bastards, preying on homeless girls by luring them with job offers. Julia was still a one of those homeless girl. She used to sweep the parking lot, but you see one of those lecherous bastards tried to force himself on her a couple of days ago just around that pillar. She was just trying to meet her daily ends, you see. It just didn't sit right with me, so I sounded the fire alarm and gave her a quick cutout. I figured the customers will rush out of the mall and those with cars will definitely come in here. You see, I just did my civic duty to help that poor girl."

I nodded along, trying to show an expression of encouragement.

"I thought the bastards would give up, but the next morning when I came to work, I overheard them talking about making Julia disappear overseas after enjoying her for a week." Frank continued, his voice cracking.

I took a deep breath, struggling to contain my anger and keeping myself calm. I knew what he was telling me was the truth and his heart was clearly in the right place.

I nodded. "What happened next, Frank?"

"Well, those bastards were gonna pick her up at noon. I figured it was better to inform the police. But you know, those bastards even bought the police. They said to let it go and focus on my job and that no one would care if one or two homeless go missing. I swear, I was so mad, I just wanted to make them pay. And you see, I am a nobody. I am just a guard who has a family to feed. But, I didn't give up. I warned Julia to run away and so she did. But I guess those bastards caught her on the road." Frank took a deep breath.

After a pause, he took out all the bills I have him and slammed them on the table.

"Fuck! Take it back. I don't need it. I never needed it!" He said as tears streamed down his face. "I... I wanted to help her. But I couldn't. I just couldn't."

I nodded, staring at him with sympathy. "I know, Frank. You did the right thing. You have a family to take care of, so, don't blame yourself. Now, pull up that CCTV footage and bring me a copy of it. You can do that, right? And keep the money. Think of it as a token of gratitude from one concerned person to another."

Frank wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded.

"I... I can do that," he stammered, retrieving his phone from his pocket, "I took their photos and videos. Here..." He pulled out a memory card and handed it to me.

"Thank you, Frank," I said, feeling relieved. "You are a good man. Take care."

As I turned back. He stopped me.

"Wait. What about Julia? Is she... is she ok?"

"She will be once I make those people disappear who hurt her. Take care, Frank," With those words, I left the booth and made my way out of the mall, clutching the memory card in my hand. The information on it was crucial in uncovering the truth and bringing justice for Julia.

And, I will be the one to deliver that justice.

With the memory card inserted into my phone, I quickly accessed the files to view the footage captured by Frank. As I scrolled through the recordings, my eyes focused on the faces of the individuals who had caused harm to Julia and Sam.

I will find them and make them disappear forever.

However, I can not risk getting the tag of a murderer on my head and spending the rest of my days behind bars. Even if I move in secret, the heroes will eventually find me with their techs. So, I have to improvise.

Accidents! Yes, with the power of my gravity manipulation, I will kill them through accidents. No, killing them would be too easy. I want them to live and feel the pain as long as they live.

I will break them and put them in hospital for the rest of their lives where they will beg everyone to put them out of their misery.

Haaa... I looked up in the sky. It looks gloomy today.

What a shitty world? No matter which reality it is, things are always the same. I began to walk toward the docks.

---

[7:30 pm]

It's been 3 hours since I arrived at the docks.

During the three hours at the docks, I observed the activities and interactions of the individuals who were responsible for Julia's abuse. I kept my distance, blending into the surroundings as much as possible while studying their patterns and gathering information.

I noticed a group of men congregating near a warehouse, engaging in suspicious conversations and exchanging what appeared to be illegal goods. They were the same men I saw in the photos and videos, the ones who had been targeting vulnerable individuals like Julia.

One of the men, whom I identified as the ringleader, was a burly individual with a scar running across his face. He seemed to be giving orders and exerting control over the others. It was clear that he held a position of authority among the group.

I continued to observe their behavior, looking for any weaknesses or opportunities that I could exploit. As I watched, I noticed that they often had late-night meetings near the waterfront, away from the prying eyes of the general public. It seemed to be a routine gathering to discuss their illicit activities.

"Argg! Wait a minute, Boss. Need to take a piss," One of them grabbed his crotch and ran toward the edge.

"Hahahah! Bastard, can't even hold his liquor," Another one sneered with laughter.

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