Database Is Missing
Anthea found herself that morning on her usual spot, left and slightly behind her boss: Mycroft Holmes. The rest of the PA's were perfectly aligned on her right and left sides, all of them busy taking notes and passing important files to their respective bosses...of course, Anthea didn't have to do any of the latter, since her boss had everything he needed where it was safer...imprinted in that magnificent brain of his. She was there to receive notes and to inform of any emergency or any important development in matters with an upper level of priority. As she saw discreetly how her peers rumbled through documents and scribbled furiously on their pads, she smiled to herself. She knew her colleagues, the ones outside Mr. Holme's office, despised her, a few ones thought she had relations of a more unprofessional measure with her boss and some other had tried insistently to sabotage her and her work. But, like Mycroft Holmes himself had once said: lions don't concern themselves over the opinion of sheep…
She tapped uninterruptedly on her smartphone, moving meetings, confirming reservations and receiving reports on every assignment her office had as the meeting flowed smoothly. Like she thought earlier, she was on her usual spot of the day and then her phone vibrated insistently in her hand. A phone call. She never got phone calls that weren't from her boss, not ever. She tapped her boss on the shoulder and made signals to him, he nodded and she got up quickly on her feet to answer the call.
-Yes? Argus?-
-Anthea? We're in deep, deep shit. You have to get here. Now.
She glanced towards her boss, who sat with his usual poker face pretending to listen to everyone's opinion…
-The meeting will be over in ten, text me the details and i'll see what i can do from here…
-No Anthea, we've been trying to manage things for the last 20 minutes and it's bad, bad, bad. You have to get here!
-Ok, i'll tell Antarctica...
-No!- she heard everyone in the office scream the same word- Anthea...just...you have to come right now…
-What the fuck is happening, Argus?-
She heard everyone talk, and then some tapping, and then more words…
-Anthea? This is Alyx
-What is going on, Alyx?
- Database is missing.
Fuck.
She didn't even register how her feet started moving towards her division's office. She basically sprinted to get there. She opened the door and saw the pandemonium: a full team scanning all the cctv available in London, Alyx on the phone speaking french, another team of telecommunications on the radio, Argus pacing around the office, tablet in hand.
-What the fuck?!
Argus approached her, Antigone not far behind him. They both looked wrecked. This had to be so much worse than she thought...
-The Database was supposed to arrive at Heathrow at eleven, i received confirmation of route at 10:30 and at 10:48 Base Control in Heathrow started to clear landing paths for that specific jet. What on the Queen's name happened? Are we sure that The Database was even on that plane?!
-Yes, the pilot and the crew confirmed!- said Antigone, pinching her nose.
-Listen, Anthea, the jet left right on schedule from Helsinki-Vantaa with The Database secured on it, the pilot followed the traced route with sharp precision, there were no reports of any disturbance from the crew or the pilot himself, the jet landed on Heathrow at eleven am as was scheduled, and we have testimony from three members of the crew: The Database was there when it landed.
-Then where the fuck is she ?
-That is what we are trying to find out. We've already sent a team to Heathrow, they're examining the jet as we speak, but so far, we have nothing. Nothing on cctv, nothing on the airport, no one saw her getting out of the plane…
-Who reported first?
-Damien, from her team- said Alyx- he is still at Heathrow, and the rest of the Database's team has joined the search, they're contacting Helsinki…
-Have we tried her phone? Anything out of place on her house? Do we have her luggage?
-Yes- Anthea raised her eyebrow- Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary on her house, her luggage is being examined by both teams right now and her phone is out of service since they left Helsinki, last email was sent before the jet started taxiing.
-Do we know the content of that email?
-It's in code.
-Please don't tell me she sent it to Antarctica.
Neither of the other agents spoke a word. Fuck.
-So, we have Heathrow, Helsinki, her house, the plane…- Anthea paced around…
-We have also notified our peers in every country in the European Nation, Asia, North America and the Middle East, they will keep an eye on their cctv. Ajax is currently on the phone with Australia and Agatha is covering both Africa and South America…
Anthea sat down on one of the office chairs and covered her face with her hands.
-We're going to be fired, and then he is going to get us killed- she felt her heartbeat going faster at every passing moment-
-You have to tell him now, Anthea, we're losing precious time-
-Oh no! No, no, no! I'm not telling him, we are all telling him together, i'm not going to suffer his wrath on my own…
Anthea listened a gasp and set her view straight towards the glass door and to the hallway, where she found the tall figure of Mycroft Holmes approaching the office…
-Ok, lets all calm down- she said to her panicking coworkers- We are all going to give the briefing to Antarctica and everything is going to be fine, composure, everyone…- she stood up as soon as she could recognize her boss' features, straightening her clothes and taking deep breaths to calm herself…
Holmes opened the door and took a glance around the office, he frowned and kept on walking as Anthea and the rest of the agents followed behind her.
-What is the big emergency, Anthea?
-Sir, i think we better discuss it at your desk
But he kept on walking, without turning to see her once, giving no sign that he had listened.
-It's unacceptable that you leave meetings without any explanation, Anthea, i have to say i'm disappointed by your performance today…
-Sir- okay, here we go- Database is missing
For the first time while working with Mycroft Holmes she saw him freeze completely on the spot. His body stiffened and she saw his knuckles go white as he gripped the handle on his umbrella.
-How long?- his voice was low, almost faltering
-Database was last seen at eleven am, when her jet landed on Heathrow airport.
Mycroft took his pocket watch, and kept on walking until they reached his personal office.
-So, forty nine minutes without contact…
-Yes sir- she answered.
-And? What are we doing to solve this problem?
-Here is the briefing, sir- Argus extended his arm and gave him the tablet.
They all waited in complete silence as he sat on his desk, reading every piece of information they gave him.
-I want every member of Heathrow's staff detained as soon as possible, with obvious priority on the jet's personnel.
-We already have, sir
-No you haven't.
-But we already…
-No you have not!- he slammed the tablet on the desk as he raised his voice and every person within sight flinched- You have graciously omitted the crew from the landing track, the people who manage the luggage….or is there any information you are keeping from me?!
No one dared to speak a word and he sat down again.
- Now, which one of you is going to tell the Prime Minister that her main Data Researcher is missing?- he looked at them, with fury in his eyes, if not in his words. Again, he got no answer- Then get the hell out of my sight and find her!
Everyone walked promptly back to the operations room, but she remained in the office, knowing without reassurance that he wanted her to stay… She saw him sigh and lean back on his chair as he closed his eyes and felt immediately guilty; for the rest of the team, a very important Data Researcher had gone missing, but Anthea knew better…
-Sir, Database sent you an email before we lost contact-
He opened his eyes and nodded.
-Thank you, Anthea, join the others please- he opened his laptop and tapped as she walked to the door
Anthea turned to see his boss as she closed the door and saw his usually cold demeanor turn into deep and pure concern. He covered his face with his palms and she could not bear to look at him anymore.
Anthea knew better than the rest...the Crown and the Prime Minister had lost a valuable member of the government. But Mycroft Holmes, Antarctica, THE British Government had just found out his girlfriend was missing.
Fuck.