Chinese Telephone

[Adam Castle]

While he had let the kid go with the plans and half credit, there was certainly no way he'd let him off completely. He knew what the product entailed. And he happened to know one of the test subjects for said product. That person, he recalled from a blog post (yes, this is a reliable source), was seeing someone, and he doubted that other person would be too happy with what could be considered cheating in some circles.

Through channels, i.e phone surfing, he found a number.

Ring ring.

Hello, this is an anonymous caller. I have some news you might be interested in.

Devyn Solway

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn was never really good at answering her phone, be it text messages, phone calls, voice messages, or well anything. It was not that she didn't care that someone was calling her, it was just something that slipped her mind. She was a very psychical person, being that she was all about the touch and face to face. So that was why she was a bit slow when it came to responding to anything on her phone, especially when it was from an unknown number. Devyn looked at it for a moment, debating if she wanted to even bother respond to it.

I don't take calls from anonymous people.

I'm not interested in whatever you are selling or deals you are offering.

Likely you have the wrong number.

[Adam Castle]

He laughed to himself, content that she had at least answered. He could move forward now.

Would it help if I said I was a friend?

I'm not selling, at least not yet anyway. A deal, maybe.

Is this Devyn Solway, girfriend of Vera Marcello? If yes, the number has hardly been mistaken.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn was at least now looking at her phone now, expecting them to say sorry or not get anything back and that would be the end of it. Yet, she got messages back and now she could not help but to let out a low growl. It being a bit of a mix of anger and apprehension at who this was and what they knew about her girlfriend.

If you were a friend I would have your number.

A deal? What kind?

...it is. What do you want? But more importantly, who are you?

[Adam Castle]

He had to act quickly, lest he lose her interest. But as he took up the phone and skimmed through her messages, he acknowledged that he had snagged her, at least for the time being.

Touche. Let's just say I'm someone with your best interests in mind.

You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Let's just say I want the crap beaten out of someone, but I'm in no position to do it myself.

Good. Who I am is not important, for, as I said, I just have your best interests in mind.

I've come by the knowledge that your girlfriend is participating in a beta testing segment, and I presume there's honesty between you two for you to know about the product she is testing.

[Devyn Solway]

Not seeming like it so far. I don't deal with shady people.

...I'm not in the business of beating people up without a reason. I'm more of the person who looks after those who are being bullied.

If you want me to waste any more of my time before I block this number, I suggest you give me you name and the point of all of this.

...yeah, I'm aware of it. We already talked about it and she knows how I feel about it but she is free to do as she likes.

While Devyn was texting that back, she could not help but to grip at her cell phone a little harder then she normally did. Yes, she didn't want Vera to do it. She had already talked to her about not doing it but Vera was going to do whatever the hell she wanted to do. Dev was just having to deal with it without going down to the place she was given the address of and cause a problem.

Why do you know of it? You the kid that made it?

[Adam Castle]

He let out a deep breath and relaxed, refusing to panic, and pondered how much he should reveal.

I promise I'm legitimate.

Hmm. Not quite what I was hoping for. But I guess it will have to do.

You can call me Mr. C.

I was an involved party, but no, I'm not that damned kid. In fact, he's the reason I'm here.

One of the features of this device is the ability to communicate with another person who also has the device. I assume you get my drift. If you don't, well, it simply means your girlfriend is cheating on you.

What's yours is currently another's, supervised by a hormonal teenage boy.

It felt slightly weird to put it in such childish terms, but it was the blatant truth, the way he saw it.

[Devyn Solway]

Already got one strike against me believing you.

You should probably be aware of the kind of person you are dealing with before you start to get your hopes up.

Still need a bit more then that. I need a name, not a Mr and a letter.

If you are involved then you are also at fault as well. Are you not? Did you help make it?

Devyn didn't respond to the next few text. How could she? Her mind was processing this little added feature int he toy that allowed you to talk whoever had the toy as well. Who came up with this stuff? The fact that Vera could have been cheating on her didn't sit well with Devyn, at all. It was one thing if they were in an open relationship but Dev had made it clear form the start that it was going to be a closed one, just her and Vera.

Would Vera actually do something that would be considered cheating? Then as for the stupid kid watching or being a part of it all, Dev already told Vera that it was a bit too creepy. Now her mood had dropped and she could not help but to growl just thinking about it all. Vera had given her the address, but the question was did she really want to go there and break some bones among other things?

If that is all true. Then I suggest you being a part of it all, that you stop it. If things go down as you are saying they are you and the kid are both going to pay.

[Adam Castle]

You do know you can't make acquaintances without meeting strangers, right?

Levelheaded, not naive, and willing to do what needs to be done, I'd like to think.

Fine. Mr. Tower.

Yes, the product was my brain child. The testing of the product was an entirely different matter.

The teacher could see no other reason for doing what he was doing, other than an immense need to get back at the boy who swindled him out of the rights to his invention. Yes, it was unfortunate that he had to get someone's personal life involved in his vendetta, but Vera would never know he was the cause.

Every single word is true, for I created it, didn't I? And I would, if I could. Unfortunately, I'm not able to touch the brat, due to certain... restrictions.

We are separate entities, he and I, with opposing ideas for a product. I intend to provide lovers in long distance relationships a means by which to contact each other for hippie dippie time.

And if by 'pay', you mean have all the merchandise destroyed, by all means, go right on ahead. Serves the little git right.

[Devyn Solway]

Duh, but if you want to be my acquaintances we have to actual meet in person. I don't trust this not knowing what someone looks like thing.

Clearly you don't think much then.

Mr. Tower? Somehow I don't' believe you but I'll accept it for now.

But you still made it and as a result you are at fault as well. Somehow I feel like the reason you are not doing anything is because you are an adult. Probably one that works at my school and know that you cant do anything because it involves a child that you made such a toy with. I'm pretty sure thats something you can go to jail over, no?

Devyn was just mad about all of this. She also hated the fact that she was having to text because she didn't do the whole text talk thing. So that meant it took her a bit longer to type out her message on top of being upset while doing it. At any rate, she had decided what she was going to do as she read the next few text that came in.

By confirming that you also helped create it, I got all I need to go from here.

Now I'm going to give you two options. One, you figure out a way to handle 'the brat' yourself and destroy your stupid product. Not a shred of it left. Or, you can leave it to me.

If you leave it to me, know that I will destroy this creation of yours. Go after 'the brat' find out who you are and come after you next. And if that alone doe snot have you scared, just think about your current position and what would happen if this matter was found out about you?

Better decide quick and I want proof it has been done or else I'm stepping in.

[Adam Castle]

I'll get back to you on that.
Clearly.

Excellent choice.

Give the girl a prize. You're smarter than most your age. And having my science project hijacked by a kid certainly does not add up to jail time, Ms. Solway. I checked.
He chuckled. He more or less had her in his favor, in a twisted way. But there was certainly no doubt things were headed the way he wanted, by the looks of the next text messages.


Two options just for me? Aww, you shouldn't have.

Tell you what, sunshine. Go right on ahead. I hate destroying my work. And I'll take my chances with the school. In fact, I'll take it one step further.
Here's the address of my apartment. When you're done with the brat, pay me a visit. I'd love to sit and chat.
Adam grinned as he sent the message, inviting the fly to step into the spider's parlor. The address he sent was a Castle Industries warehouse full of tech that doubled as a living quarters if need be. And by the looks of it, it was needed.

[Devyn Solway]

Devyn still didn't like any of this, but now she was generally in a bad mood and knew that no matter what she did she was going to end up pissing someone off. That was nothing new but she really did need to work on being a 'good girl'. She was already telling herself this was the last time she was going to get involved with any drama, but she knew that was impossible. How could she avoid drama when it was others that were bringing it to her and in such a way that she had to do something about it?

Watch it with those underhand comments.

Whatever you say, 'Mr. Tower'. Whatever you say.

Devyn responded back after receiving a few text messages. She was still pretty sure he could get in trouble because he had been apart of creating something along with a minor. Then again, she had never been one to know all the laws and all that information so she honestly didn't know just how much or how little Mr. Tower and the Karsen kid would get into trouble. She honestly didn't care at the point and wanted them to handle it. As expected, Mr. Tower was leaving it to her to handle his problem which now made it her problem. She would also give the kid a choice but she had a feeling that if the brat was willing to work with this guy he was likely to act just like him. Maybe they were related.

So irresponsible, but whatever. I make no promises.

Yeah right, as if I would go meet someone who makes that kind of toy with a kid and then is two much of a coward to take care of it on his own. You are no friend of mine.

I'll just send you a text when I've had my chat with him.

honestly she didn't even know if she would remember to text the guy. It involved texting and thus her phone and she had a habit of forgetting such things. Still, while she was not afraid of the guy she didn't want to go meet him on his turf after he offered. That was not how Dev did things. She did things her way that allowed her to have at least some control over a situation.

[Adam Castle]

I prefer the phrase choosing my battles wisely.

Really? I thought we were getting along quite well. A bit above acquaintances, I'd say.

If that's your modus operandi, no problem. A bit surprised you'd give up on a chance to meet me.


He shut his phone off, chuckling to himself. The likelihood that she would catch him off guard in the school parking lot in the night was pretty slim. Thank goodness for summer break.