Jake was waiting in the same spot he and Jessy met at before, having just received the confirmation that she's coming to him, then maybe they can leave and get the police to deal with Matthew.

After about 15 minutes passed, Jake texted Jessy again just to make sure she's all good.

Jessy, are you nearby? I am starting to feel worried.

He saw her typing.

Yes, I'm almost there

...

Back home, Jessy woke up with a dizzy head and a blurry vision. "Ughhhhh, what happened to me?" Trying to remember the last thing that happened. "I was home with...Matt, then I uh...I texted Jake and when I went to leave..."

It didn't take long to click. Something wrong happened.

"Matt?! Are you still here?!" No response.

"Matthew, please answer me!"

He's not here, her phone is missing. She has to go to the woods.

"Hold on, Jake. I'm coming."

And then Jessy ran and ran.

...

Jake suddenly heard footsteps nearby. He felt relieved. He can get Jessy away for a while now. "Hey Jessica, I was starting to worry. Glad you could make it."

But the hacker didn't get a response until he spoke again.

"Jessy?"

"Surprise, hacker boy."

The shadow approaching stepped into the light.

"Matthew?"

The name holder chuckled at Jake's surprise. "Awfully perceptive as always, Jake."

Jake took a step back. He'll need to run. He can feel it. "Where's Jessy?"

"Oh, my dear girlfriend is sleeping peacefully at our soon to be home together. She couldn't make it to your meeting so I thought I'd step in for her."

"How did you plan all of this?"

Matthew hummed in thought, simultaneously pulling out a gun and pointing it at Jake. "Well, since I am going to kill you anyway and nobody's coming, I suppose you earned an explanation."

"To put it simply, all I had to do was keep an eye on your conversations with Jessy, thanks to the spying features you gave me all these months ago." Jake mentally cursed himself for not considering such a crucial detail.

Matthew continued. "Then I lied to Jessy so I can go speak with Alan frame you for the whole ordeal.

----

Matthew walked into Alan's office. "Mr. Bloomgate."

"Mr. Anderson. I hope you're not here for another favor."

"Getting Phil out wasn't a favor, sir. It was your duty."

"Very well. What can I do for you?"

Matthew sat down. "I actually have very serious news. I might've discovered a lead on that hacker we encountered a few months ago."

"And what might that lead be?"

"I think he's trying to manipulate my girlfriend Jessy into doing something. Here, I have snippets of their conversation. You can see he has the same username."

"How did you acquire these photos, Mr. Anderson?"

"Let's just say I have some skills, but I'm not wanted by the government like this guy over here."

----

"After I told him that, I was able to persuade him to send his men when I call on the basis that I'll track you down AND not to tell Jessy anything in case she comes to him as well."

"You are a monster, Matthew. Tricking everyone to avoid the consequences of your actions, killing innocents to further your plans."

"In all fairness to me, she was without children, no harm done." Matthew giggled again.

"You will not succeed. The consequences of your actions always catch up with you."

"Maybe in your case, not mine. But alas Jake, your time is up now. I've had fun being your intellectual superior but I have other people waiting in line."

Then, a bullet lodged in Jake's shoulder.