Part-128

  James nodded in agreement. "I know, but it's not as simple as it seems. We 't just track them down on our own."

  He paused, sidering his options. "My dad is a high-ranking police officer. He might be able to help us track this guy down."

  Ryan's eyes lit up with hope. "Really? That would be great!"

  Sourov, however, was more skeptical. "But will he share the information with us? Cops don't like civilians poking their noses into their business."

  James shook his head. "I don't think so. They'll probably ha on their own. But at least we get them involved."

  A wave of frustration washed over him. He wao take matters into his own hands, but he k was dangerous. He had to trust the legal system, even if it meant giving up trol.

  James stood up, stretg his muscles. 'We'll tihis after school,' he said to Ryan and Sourov. 'For now, let's focus on css.'

  As the trio dispersed, James headed towards his , his mind still occupied with the online scam. He pulled out his phoo check the time when it rang. An unfamiliar number fshed on the s. It phone number, different from the ohe seller had used.

  A wave of curiosity washed over him. Could it be the same person using a different number? He hesitated for a moment before answering the call.

  'Hello?' he answered cautiously.

  A familiar voice greeted him, 'James, it's Emdad.'

  James was taken aback. 'Emdad? You're back?'

  Emdad replied, 'No.' James was even more surprised. 'Then who is this?' he asked, fused. The voi the other end chuckled. 'It's me, Emdad, James. I'm still in abroad.'

  "Emdad, where the hell are you?" James demanded, fusion and a hint of annoyan his voice. "You're supposed to be in school."

  Emdad chuckled nervously. "Rex, man. I'm in Thaind. I'll be back before midterms, I promise."

  James couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You better be back before then, or you'll be disqualified from ninth grade," he warned, his voice stern.

  A pause, then Emdad replied, "Yeah, yeah, I know."

  Intrigued, James asked, "What kind of number is this, anyway? A Thai number?"

  "Nope," Emdad replied. "It's an SV number. You know, a Smart Virtual number app?"

  James was baffled. He had never heard of such a thing. "A virtual number? How does that even work?"

  "So, what's this SV Number app?" James asked, curiosity piqued.

  "It's like magic," Emdad replied, his voice filled with excitement. "You get a number without needing a SIM card. Just register with your NID, and voi, you have a number."

  James was impressed. "That's actually pretty cool. I might hat app someday."

  "Yeah, it's handy," Emdad agreed. "I receive calls and messages anywhere in the world as long as I have an i e. It's perfect for travelers like me. I don't have to worry about roaming charges or buying a new SIM card in every try I visit. I just use my SV number and stay ected with everyone bae."