Zoe Carter is Zora Crete, Section 5 Head of Cybernetics
Zoe smiled underneath her face-mask. Ever since the incident with the storynest, Fargo's messing with it and the sonic cleaning of Global Dynamics, She has had full run of the GD building.
It was interesting, too. Allie – Alison Blake, had assumed that Tess brought her down in the elevator and immediately returned to the office to stop the sonic cleaning. Tess had forgotten – and not remembered – that she had in fact cleared Zoe for full access to Section 5.
A week later, and she had learned enough to change the information on her file, to disassociate it from their file on the town's occupant named Zoe Carter.
She had taken a new name, Zora Crete. Combined with finding some old prototypes that worked long enough for her to obtain the actual fully-working tech, and she could walk into GD as Zora anytime she wanted.
She achieved that by having a second skin, almost literally. Living tissue bonded to her skin to change her face a little, her hair temporarily dyed another color – easily removable, and no one, even Tess and Alison, didn't recognise her.
She had to, of course, add Zora Crete to certain lists, but she hoped that the way she did so wouldn't have Tess, while in charge of GD during Ali's maternity leave, need her for something.
Why she used her clearance, and what for... well.
She wanted to be a doctor, and the best medicine is usually found in military application-focused projects first and foremost.
That, and she was smart. Way, smart.
She entered her code into the pad, and was allowed into the lab beyond.
Thanks to a voice modulator implanted in an unused space in her jaw, she could talk like someone else.
"Dr Fontana." She greeted with a nod, moving to 'Her' station.
Tess looked up at the last Section 5 employee to come in before Ali left as head of GD. "Zora."
Tess tilted her head to the side a little. Even as temporary head of GD, and her more permanent position of Head of Section 5, she didn't exactly know what everyone was working on. Yet everytime she tried to find out, she got side-tracked when trying to find out Zora's.
Zora put one of the devices she had taken from the archive down on the side of the desk, and started tapping away on the computer.
Internally, Zoe was wondering when it'd be asked again. It had been 3 weeks since Ali left, 2 since she had started "working" at GD. Already she was out of diversions.
She wasn't even sure if it'd be revoked if she told Tess the truth.
"How do you like Eureka?" Tess asked.
"It's amazing." Zora replied. Okay so far.
"So, I realised that I don't know many of the scientists here in section 5, not as well as I should anyway, and thought, some of us could get together for a little party, or day out." Tess spoke, turning back to her own work. Her one hour out of everyday for her to do her own work.
Zora raised eyebrows at the file that she finally opened. She had been looking for it ever since an encrypted email from General Mannsfield had arrived telling her GD already had those files...
Files on the robotic prototype that had temporarily replaced her father as the town's sheriff.
Tess spoke again, and she realised she hadn't been paying attention. "Sorry?"
Tess walked over, and repeated, "Some of us could get together for a party? What's so fascinating?" Zora thought, it couldn't hurt... so she moved slightly to let Tess see. "Robotics? I thought that you were working with the biological staff in..." she paused, and smiled.
"Combining the durability of that prototype I heard about... with the regenerative properties of biological components." Zora told her.
"What, you want to build a Terminator?" Tess asked.
"No." Zoe was frowning on the inside at the insinuation, but Tess didn't know much of her plans. "Or at least, not like the movies. No, If we can come up with a way to build an exo-skeleton, with a human-appearance, created so that muscle works with hydraulics, and all that, it'd be expensive, but would have a huge range of senses, and... for military purposes? Yeah, a recon drone. But it could also have medicinal applications. Human doctors performing, keyhole surgery, or more, they could work through a drone, with the dexterity of the human body but with the accuracy of a robotic arm, since that is what is under that flesh... well, you know?"
Tess smiled, and nodded. "That's... brilliant. How far along are you?"
Zora winced, "Actually, I've only just located the files on this, Andy. He wasn't exactly designed for multiple applications. He was advanced, yes, but according to these..." Zora looked over then, and nodded, "He didn't have nearly as much dexterity as a surgeon would need."
Tess was looking at her funny.
"Anyway, my project only started when I got here. I'm still not sure on everything I'd need."
And so, Zoe accidentally got herself a legit project. Well, as far as Ali would, and Tess were concerned.
--
Jack Carter knew that while he didn't know science... well not compared to Henry, and everyone else in Eureka, he did know that he wasn't dumb.
He knew, something was going on with Zoe. There were days when she'd come home late and she'd look a little different, like her face and hair different. And not in the way that would let him know that illicit smoochies were being had for the so-far okay boyfriend of hers.
The first time he brought it up, she told him it was a project for school, and that the teachers were testing their ability to keep project details a secret from anyone not directly involved in their projects. So he left it at that.
Well, that's what he let Zoe think.
In the last week, though, he had gotten worried even more than he thought he rationally – or even irrationally, should be.
But he wasn't so paranoid as to follow her. Yet.
He was in his morning musing, his shirt and pants on but belt not on yet, when Tess called.
"Hey Tess." He greeted, and was barely about to say something else, when Tess interrupted.
"Could you come down to GD at lunchtime? There's... a project I want some input on from you and Henry, if you wouldn't mind."
"From Me?" He asked a touch incredulously.
"Hey, you're the one who's deductive reasoning IQ is off the chart."
"My, what?" he asked, eyebrows up.
SARAH put in, "It was that test you did yesterday as part of your gun rack test recertification. It tests your IQ level in various factors-"
"Thank you SARAH." Jack replied, and said to Tess, "I'll be by about 2, with Henry if you want me to pick him up?"
"Yeah, you do that. And Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"Try not to make yourself sound too dumb, okay? I saw your collective IQ score."
Jack sighed. He had thought his official IQ of 111 was going to be challenged yesterday. Seemed like he was smarter than he was when he was 15. He said his goodbyes, and got dressed.
Entering the kitchen, he saw his daughter working away on some file on her touchpad computer. "Morning."
"Mor-Ooor-ning." She said, word interrupted by a yawn.
"Up late again, last night?"
She nodded, and said, "Only half-day at Tesla, thank god. Oh, um, Pilar asked if you still say yes to that sleepover tonight?"
Jack nodded. "Aslong as her answer to this question is the same as last time I asked: Is there going to be boys there."
"Dad, She still says there's adult supervision." Zoe countered with a smile. It was almost ritualistic now.
"Her House' AI doesn't count." He replied, smile on his face as he picked up his morning coffee.
A roll of the eyes, and the conversation changed. He looked up a little, and asked, "Sarah, could you remind me at 1 that I've got to get myself and Henry over to GD by 2? It's just, some more recertification stuff Jo and Alison forgot to tell me about... I might forget or something."
"Of course, would you like me to notify Henry for you as well?"
"Um, yeah. Go ahead."
"Of course. I am e-mailing him now."
"Thanks, Sarah." He smiled, looked at Zoe and said, "Gotta go, duty calls. See you later at Cafe Diem."
"Cya, dad." Zoe watched, smile on her face as Jack left.
Jack pulled his jacket on all the way, and tightened his belt to the proper notch as he left, a quick repeated call of, "Sarah, Door." All he said as he left.
As the door closed, he heard Sarah ask, "So about your pro-"
--
Jo smiled as Jack answered his phone. She heard the distinctive female-Fargo from the earpiece, Sarah Reminding him about something.
"Thank's Sarah. Did Henry say where he'd be?.. Uh-huh.... Oh that's my favourite, thanks! Yes, I hope she's going to be-... Hey, no gossiping with the other town AI's, Sarah. Hmm. Nice try, no. Do you really want me to order in tonight? Good."
"Dinner with Tess tonight?" Jo asked as Jack put the phone away. On her desk were all the papers she had to grade, check his knowledge of the guns hadn't gotten mixed up over the years.
"None, of your business."
"So why do you need Henry?"
"I've got to jump over to GD, needs input from me and Henry..."
"From you?" Jo asked, incredulously.
"That's what I said." He told her. "Now, I'll be back later. You know the drill. You're in charge until I get back."
"Carter, I'm the only one who works for you. Of course I'm in charge."
"And don't you forget it, that first part."
--
Henry greeted him with a wave as Jack entered his garage.
"You're early. Sarah said 2 O'clock."
"Yeah, well I wanted early warning... remember last time I came to pick you up on the way in to GD, when nothing mad was happening?"
Henry looked up from his computer with a grin. "It's okay, I'm not working on a project just now."
That got Jack's incredulous look directed his way. "Okay, why's everyone actings strange. First Tess wants my input on a project, with yourself of course. Now you're not busy with a project?" With a grin, Jack asked, "Who are you and what have you done with Mayor Deacon?"
He was disappointed, Henry's only reaction was a miniscule tightening of his temples. It had irritated and embarrassed him that people respected him so much for the position. Even more considering who ran the write-in campaign for it. He still wasn't sure if Lexi's actions were a blessing or a curse.
"Anyway, come on, Tess didn't actually say when she wanted us there, just that she did around lunchtime. Which is over, around now."
Henry nodded, and got some stuff, and piled it into the back of Jack's jeep.
--
Zora looked up from her promising research when Tess walked in. She frowned. Right now Tess, her dad and Henry... oh. She froze for a second, and thoughts flew through her head very fast.
Pilar was covering. Sarah, even, although that one was because Sarah had access to GD, and had known from the beginning that Zoe's clearance hadn't been revoked.
Her dad being here then was a big no-no.
"Sheriff Jack Carter, meet Zora Crete, the new head of cybernetic research here in Section 5."
"Sheriff. I've heard so much about you." She said, shaking his hand limply, whispering in her head, 'Dont look in his eyes...'
She turned with Tess, who then introduced her to, "And Henry Deacon, Town Mayor, and one of our top cross-field experienced scientists."
Tess turned back to the pair, and said, "Now, Jack I know you don't like this section..."
"That's a big understatement."
Tess smiled, and shared a look with Henry, and said, "which is why you're in on this from the beginning. No surprises, you know?"
Zora felt his eyes on her, as she went back to working on the computer, looking for all intents and purposes, like she's multitasking being in their conversation and working.
She looked up during the lull, and he said, "Yeah, no surprises."
Only Zora felt the undercurrent. 'uh-oh.'
"So what you working on? And why am I being included, other than if something goes wrong, of course?"
Tess smirked. "Not to worry, Jack. You're being included since I know how good you work things out. No, we're not asking you to be a scientist. But if you see any problems that might crop up, that we don't... as usually happens."
Henry snorted, and got a look from Jack for it. "Yeah, I say something. So what is the project?"
Zora caught Tess' look, and realised what it meant. She hesitantly spoke up, "It's based around t-the robot th-that took over your duties several months ago." She swallowed, and said, "Basically, Andy was entirely robotic, his outer human appearance was faked using advanced materials and methods generally used to make one person look like another." She wasn't looking at anyone when she said that last bit, trying to appear like she's in thought. "Not only that, but how he moved, I suspect you could hear the... the gears and hydraulics, right?" Jack nodded. "Well, what I've proposed is that the inner workings are robotic, but for outer movement, and appearance, living tissue created specifically for this new, cyborg, be created."
Jack nodded, and looked at Henry, "Okay, so Terminator?"
"Ahm, It's my hope that this, technology can be adapted to many forms, but yes, I do realise that it will have first and foremost, military applications." She looked at Henry when she said that. Seeing him going to comment, she added, "It also has applications in medicine, hospitals, and the like. How combining the accuracy of a robotic arm with the dexterity of an organic one. Sometimes it's better for a human, but sometimes it's harder. With this, a doctor wouldn't need to worry about getting the shakes during brain surgery, or not knowing what he's touching during open-heart surgery. What about field medics on a battlefield? In high-radiation areas where traditional robotic recon can't reach, but radiation being too high to send in a person? A Cyborg can be adapted to many uses."
She saw she had won Henry over, for the most part.
"So, let me get this straight... Doctor-Terminator?"
Zora chuckled, and nodded. "Okay, yes, somewhat like Terminator but with more useful skills."
"How would it be controlled? Remote? AI?" Jack asked.
Zora smiled, and said, "It would depend on the situation. Perhaps a cross, a human in control if we need to, but an AI to control all other functions, or to interpret a command of 'walk forward' into, how and when and by how much to control individual muscles, as well as the hydraulics and so forth."
And so the meeting continued for an hour, outlining and planning and so on. Zoe really saw how clever her dad was, when it came to putting pieces together. She guessed he already knew who she was. She really didn't look forward to the next day.
By the time he left, she felt worn out. Henry stayed behind to get to work with her, which made her, very nervous. She didn't know nearly enough to fake being a Doctor. This was supposed to be a long-term side project around school. Now she pretty much had to go in every day and work with people.
It was an hour after being alone in the lab with Henry, that he spoke up.
"Nervous?"
"Like you wouldn't believe." She mumbled.
"It'll be alright. Carter can be, annoying, irritating, and stupid."
She smiled at him, and said, "But he can also be charming, gracious and smart at others."
Henry smiled. "He certainly can. He's pulled us out of more disasters in these last 2 and half years than Eureka ever saw in the previous 50."
"He's your bad luck charm?" She asked lightly.
"No, he's our good-luck charm. Things started happening just before he got here. And I've known him for so long, and know enough about events, that things would have been on this track anyway, if he weren't here. And if he weren't, we'd all be dead, because he has a way of connecting things that others don't see. Things that turn out to be the solutions to those problems. That is his gift."
Zora nodded, and looked at the door. "So, Him and Dr Fontana, huh?"
Henry chuckled. "Don't go there, Zo." He muttered low, and then louder asked a question.
It bugged her all night, that she had missed something. Something he had said to her that she heard but didn't catch.
-
Jack waited patiently, sat on a couch drinking a beer. He had already told Jo that she could have the morning shift, he had something to do.
When Zoe got in, she was smiling brightly. A fake smile.
"Hey, Zoe." He said, slowly, fake enthusiasm. "Learn anything new, this week?"
Zoe sighed, she was busted. "Dad, You obviously think I've done something wrong, so what is it, whatever it is, I didn't do it. Okay?"
"Oh, you're no fun. And I do know what you did. What I want to know, is how."
"I'm innocent. Totally."
"Yeah, Okay, how the hell did you get a job at Global Dynamics, in section 5, without Tess knowing who you are?"
Zoe cringed. "Dad... I can explain."
"Well, talk fast."
-
Henry looked over the preliminary data that he and Zoe had come up with. He had known her for so long, that he recognised her eyes right off. Combined with the sheer carter way she hid her name, it was easy for him to confirm it. That and the way she didn't respond to the sometimes-used pet name of "Zo," confirmed it. Now all he wondered about was how she got access to Section 5, how she hid her true potential from everyone, and should he tell Jack and Tess.
On the other hand, he thought Jack would work it out soon, if he hadn't already. That, and He really wanted to run through this project with Zoe. She was working mainly on the organic-side of things, while he as the mechanical expert was going to come up with an exo-skeleton that could interface with her part of the project. It was indeed, only preliminary reports on viability, but the fact that there were more than five viability reports so far proved that she had what it took to be a Scientist at GD.
There was no way she was getting outside help, having played off of each other various ideas. He knew, it was all Zoe.
Decided, he put the touchpads away and settled down for the night, his favourite TV show about to start.
Idly, he thought if Tess or Alison would let her continue, if they saw her reports AND knew who Zora really was.