A/N - thanks for the reviews, let me know what you think about the next two chapters!
Chapter Three - Suspicious Minds
Matt walked through the ARC and towards the printer room on B corridor, he had received a rather cryptic text message from Lester not long after the others had left to persuade Jenny Lewis to return to the ARC. As he walked, he fingered the data recorder in his pocket, he knew he needed to time this perfectly. He finally reached the printer room, he knocked and stepped inside. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he switched the data recorder off.
He found Lester sitting behind the desk, bent over a pile of papers looking a little ruffled.
"Lester" Matt said, as he shut the door.
"Well don't just stand there, take a seat" Lester said, putting down his pen and looking at the team leader with a stern look.
"Did you do as I asked?" Lester asked as he leant back in the uncomfortable plastic chair.
"Yes, the CCTV camera is down, our Jess isn't the only who can hack you know" Matt said, looking at the now disabled CCTV camera in the corner of the room.
"Good job, I'm sure I don't want to know where you learnt how" Lester replied, one thing Matt noticed though was there was no sarcasm in his voice, in fact, Matt thought, he sounded worried.
"I told Jess to meet us in here, she might be able to help you with this. What are you going to if Burton finds out your investigating him and Prospero" Matt said.
"I don't care; I just want to know what Burton game is. What is he playing at?" Lester said, Matt could hear the venom in his voice.
"Im not sure Lester. But whatever it is, were going to have to find out, especially if the ARC is compromised" Matt replied, looking around the small room.
"Something's going on, there is something not right" Lester said "I mean, all of his secrets phone calls and meetings. And why has he got the minister wrapped round his finger. What is he planning?" he finished, giving Matt a long, hard searching look.
Suddenly, Matt got a weird feeling. If Lester was noticing this about Burton, could he possibly know about Matt's mission? Matt was about to say something when the door burst open. In walked Jess, who was holding a huge pile of papers in front of her.
"Jess, you got the papers I asked for?" Matt said, waiting for the door to fully shut, once he heard the air-tight doors fully close, he stood up and gave Jess his seat.
"Thanks Matt, all the files are here, they just need you signature" Jess replied.
"Jess, once we are done here, can you take them to my office and leave them on the desk. Now, Lester and I need to talk to you. Before we go on, I need you to promise me something" Matt said, knelling down to Jess's level.
Jess looked at the two of them with a suspicious look before replying.
"Go on?" Jess said.
"We need your help" Lester said, bluntly. This took Jess by surprise, where was Lester's sarcasm?
"Okay, this is going to sound far-fetched. And what I am about to tell you doesn't leave this room, okay?" Matt said quietly.
"I promise" Jess said, knowing that she would be telling at least Becker once she saw him next. As if reading her mind, Matt said "Not even Becker"
Jess was about to argue but could sense the seriousness of the situation, so just gave Matt a small nod.
"I need you to hack into Burtons private files" Matt stated bluntly. Jess just looked Matt in the eye, trying to see if he was joking or not, but the man remained expressionless.
"Why?" Jess answered simply, Matt was about to answer but Lester beat him to it.
"Because that man is up to something; he is using the ARC as a cover for what he's planning. We need to access his private files and find out what's in there, this is a matter of not only the ARC's security, but the nations" Lester said, making it sound all rather dramatic.
Jess laughed "You're joking" she said, and then she saw the serious look on the two men's faces "Your not joking, but why…what makes you think this?" Jess asked.
"Jess, I'll explain that later, right now, I need to know whether you'll be able to hack into his private files." Matt said, rather impatiently.
"Well, I don't know, I'd need to have Level One security clearance. And even if I had that, I would need to break through all of the firewalls and then access the main sever. All without him knowing, and if he did find out. I'd be dead" Jess said, not quite believing what she was hearing.
"Well, what if I got you Level One clearance, reckon you could crack the firewalls?" Matt asked, leaning forward as he said it.
"Well theoretically yes, but even if I did agree to this crazy plan, it would be impossible" Jess answered bluntly.
"What do you mean?" Matt asked her.
"Well, the only way I could even do it is from the ARC, specifically from the ADD system. And that's in the Hub, remember, and all the CCTV cameras in that room face the ADD. Plus, every person in the ARC will be able see what I'm doing" Jess replied.
"Couldn't you just do it from home?" Lester asked her.
Jess shook her head "I'd need to Philip clear the ADD system being downloaded onto an ARC laptop, and he'd ask why. It has to be done from the ARC" Matt closed his eyes and pressed his hands to his head trying to think of solution. Suddenly, his head shot up.
"Okay, how about we find a way to get you a laptop with the ADD system on it, then we set you up in the one of the storage rooms down in the lower levels. Then you'll be able to slip down there and work while still being in the building if there's a callout" Matt said, looking at Lester to gauge his reaction.
"You're actually being serious aren't you?" Jess said, not believing what they were saying.
"You'll do it?" Lester said.
Jess nodded "I'll need help, someone to watch while im down in the basement"
"Whatever you want, I'll sort it" Matt said, just then, the printer in the corner whirled into life, then office door opened and in walked Philip.
"What…?" he said simply as he walked in.
"So, I'll need all those files by the end of the week. Make sure you get it done" Lester said, standing up, and walking to the door "Philip" he said and left the room.
