| "Chasing Dust" | |||
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Thursday 22nd May 2008, 04.20hrs Despite the lack of rest over the past few days, she hadn't slept much at all since her return. Still too wound up to sleep, she had given up trying in the early hours and pulled up a chair in front of the computer. She hadn't planned on using the information she had brought back from her brief visit to Section, but it was insidious, like the dust motes in the air. It needed to be looked at, checked out and if necessary wipe it and start over again. She put the disk into the connector, and heard the processor whirring away, filtering the information, finding the segments and preparing the read heads. She ran the program, decompressing the files and entering the password to unscramble the information it opened like a flower before the rays of the sun. It was all there, the information about the virus, the mutated version; Paige's version. It was mesmerising, calling to be used, a killer whose application reduced your life to only 3 hours and without warning it would leave you choking, unable to get the precious oxygen into your blood because of the amount of liquid forming in your lungs; you would drown before rescue could be attempted. "It is what you deserve Madeline, though it would be too merciful for you. I want something to make you suffer, the way you made us suffer," she murmured, watching the computer simulation of the virus rotating slowly on her desktop, "but I promised Michael, to leave it to him. That doesn't mean that you and I are finished, merely postponed. You will face your destiny soon enough." She made a second copy of the data, and putting it into a brown padded envelope she put it to one side. Later this morning, she would start on finding a home for it. Not a bank, but somewhere that could hold it securely, safely and out of the reaches of both Section and the SIA; somewhere no-one but her knew about, though she would tell Paige because of the diamonds, after all they were half hers as well. There was one last file on the disk that she didn't quite remember when she had created. She opened it to read it, and found it was encoded, it was a nice challenge to start the day, and without any delays she set about breaking the code running it first through one programme and then another. Finally the dust starting clearing, the words starting to make sense, whoever or whatever had generated this information had used multiple encoding techniques, and it was hard work trying to get at the truth. A couple of hours later and she had enough to give her the gist of what was contained in the file. After she had read it on the screen, she went downstairs to make a cup of herbal tea and found that the time had passed her by, it was nearly 10am. She had spent nearly 6 hours straight on the task, it was no wonder her neck felt stiff and uncomfortable. She sat on the couch, sipping the tea, and relaxing in the silence and the tranquillity of the morning sun. She had no firm plans on what to do, where to go today. Since the removal of the tracker she had thought that she would feel different, not just sore. The idea of going for a run, didn't appeal nor did any form of athletic exercise, she would use the weights at home to loosen up; but it still wasn't making the day more appealing. There was always the boat, she could take that out, but then the idea fishing wasn't exciting enough. She needed something to do, something to take her mind off waiting. She reached for the telephone, and dialled Paige's number. "Do you fancy coming to Dinner tonight? You, me and Jordan if she's free." A sluggish Paige answered slowly, "You cooking?" She laughed, "Yes, I'll cook. Do you want anything in particular?" "How about Lobster ravioli with alfredo sauce, you make it so well" was the instant response and Saf groaned, Paige couldn't have picked something simple, could she? "Well�" she mumbled, trying to find the words that would give her a break. "Please Saf, I really love it, when you make it," Paige pleaded She gave in without arguing the point, when Paige wanted something so badly, she would find a way of getting it from somewhere. "Fine. Be here for 8 tonight then." She muttered someone ungracefully. The next phone call, to Jordan, wasn't much easier. "Is it convenient to talk?" she asked. "Yes, just let me put this pile of books down for a moment." She waited for a minute or so, hearing the sounds of books collapsing onto the floor followed by a muffled curse and then she was back. "Sorry `bout that Saf." She winced, it was obvious that Jordan was having a few problems, "I was wondering if you want to come to dinner tonight, if you don't have any plans that is." "Just us?" she asked "I thought just you, me and Paige. The Alpha Unit." She smiled, the three musketeers more like. Still thinking about Dumas's characters she missed what Jordan said next. "Sorry Jordan missed that." "I said what about Baz?" her voice was tense. She trod carefully, "I� wasn't certain." She started to say, but Jordan interrupted, "Why?" "I just don't feel comfortable," she stated simply. "Saf, you are going to be relying on him to watch your back during a mission. You need to be comfortable, and you won't unless you get to know him." Jordan was plain, it was up to her. "I know you are right," she started, "I just� no, bring him. It's my problem, I'll deal with it." "attagirl Saf," Jordan said laughingly, "I'll make sure he toes the line, ok?" "ok," she replied, "and Jordan" "Yes?" "Thanks. You have the knack of saying the right thing at the right time." She was serious. While Paige and she were very close, it had been Jordan who had intervened more than once with common sense and pointed out clearly the rights and wrongs. "That's ok," she said, "You would do the same for me." "I don't know about that," she laughed, "ok, yes I probably would. Anyway, about 8pm tonight, if that's ok. Paige has persuaded me to make some lobster ravioli with an alfredo sauce, so it should take me most of the day to get that done." "Sure, we will see you then." And she was gone. Saf was left holding her phone in her hand and a smile on her face. It was a good feeling to have friends like them. Return |
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