Disclaimer: As always, no copyright intended. Primeval belongs to Impossible pictures
A/N: Not sure I've got the technical stuff correct, it's probably a bit simplistic ... but it's a story right? who cares? .... thank you to those sticking with this, and for the kind words. Stand by for a bit more angst :)
Connor woke suddenly in the middle of the night. He was struggling for breath and sweat was pouring from his entire body. It had been a while since he'd had a nightmare as bad as this one. It was how he'd imagined Stephen's final moments to be, only this time it was him stood in the middle of the predators. It had been extremely vivid, and he found himself shaking. Trying to calm himself, he made his way downstairs to get a drink. As he turned the tap on to fill his glass, he heard the door to Abby's room click. She was stood in the doorway, looking almost as bad as he felt
"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you" he whispered
"S'Ok Connor. I was already awake. Bad dream" she said. She came over and got herself a glass from the cupboard.
"Me too" Connor sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Haven't had this one for a while, but it was different this time. I was seeing Stephen's death, that room, the teeth, the snarling, the terror … but it wasn't him I saw this time, or me like I've had occasionally…. It was you" Abby was struggling to speak. It had seemed so real.
For a moment, Connor froze. Why had he and Abby both had the same dream at the same time? He decided it was pure coincidence – it wasn't like either of them had never had nightmares since they started this job. He hugged her, holding her close to him "I had pretty much the same one. But its OK, it was just a bad dream. I'm still here"
Neither felt like going back to bed. They silently curled up together on the sofa, Connor's arms wrapped protectively around Abby, her fingers entwined in his, as they fell into an uneasy sleep.
--
The team were all gathered around the huge table which was used for interviews and interrogations at the ARC. This was Abby's doing, Connor found it difficult to push himself forward. She had gone to Lester and briefly explained the situation and said Connor needed to speak to everyone. Lester has immediately called the meeting, calling it "an urgent matter of security and protocol" – so here they all were.
"Abby, Connor, perhaps the two of you would like to begin?" Lester said, once everyone was gathered. Abby nodded. She and Connor had decided Abby would start, Connor thought the others took Abby more seriously than him.
"You're all aware that a few days ago, Connor went through the anomaly at the building site and saw the future, our future" Danny, Sarah and Becker were all nodding. "What Connor saw was something so dreadful it has disturbed him more than anything else we've ever encountered. Things have taken a more sinister turn now, and it's no longer something Connor can deal with on his own"
"Indeed" Lester said "What Connor is about to tell you is in strict confidence. It does not leave these four walls, not even to other workers within the ARC. We have a major security issue that has serious consequences for all of us. Connor … "
Connor took a deep breath and began. He told them everything, from first stepping through the anomaly, to the raid on the flat. The only detail he left out was the personal stuff about him and Abby, they had both felt that that should remain private between the two of them. The others all listened, not saying a word but taking it all in. After he'd finished, they all sat silently, stunned. Even Lester was lost for words.
Becker was the first to speak "It's the divide and conquer technique isn't it?" They all turned to him "It's a tactic used in the military. It's easier to infiltrate and defeat a group if you split them up. That's what they do to us, send me off to another post, get rid of Lester, maybe even Quinn's death was planned"
"That makes sense I suppose" Danny said. "The police use it too when dealing with crowds"
"The question is, who is responsible for it?" Lester said. "Connor, you said that they're already hacking into our files, correct?" Connor nodded. "How easy is it to spot when we've been hacked into? And what sort of trail do they leave behind?"
"It depends how clever the hacker is" Connor said "We have very high level security on our computers, especially since that whole thing with Leek. Whoever it is that's doing it must be very experienced to get round it without being detected. We're dealing with professionals here"
"Our first priority is to find out who is looking at our files. Connor, that's your job, and Becker you are to instruct your team that he is to have unlimited access to all of the ARCs security systems whenever he needs it" both Connor and Becker nodded. "And the rest of you, you go about your work as normal. If we are being watched, then we don't want to alert them to the fact we might be on to them. We stay as a team, despite whatever attractive offers come your way." Lester got up to leave.
"Sir, there's something you haven't covered" Abby said. "The suicide device"
"It exists, yes" Lester said "And no doubt Connor will find the control for it hidden away in the ARCs programming, just like he does in the future"
"Is it an option?" Danny asked "Destroying everything?"
"Absolutely not" Lester said. "So no getting any ideas of heroics" he aimed his comment directly at Connor. "Right, off you go. I'm not paying you to sit around doing nothing" Lester left.
The others remained seated, all looking at each other. "Connor…" Sarah began, but she didn't know what to say. They could all see what a huge weight the young man had been carrying around.
"Thanks guys" Connor said
"What for?" Danny said
"For taking this seriously, I know you sometimes think I'm a bit of a joke…."
"Stop it Connor" Abby said.
"She's right" Becker said. "Maybe this is the wake up call we all needed to bring us together as a tighter unit. They try to weaken us by splitting us up, and it works. Staying together as a team will strengthen us, makes it harder for them to take the ARC to use for their own agendas" They all nod in agreement
"All for one and one for all?" Connor said, sheepishly.
"Now you're pushing it, Connor!" Danny said, but he couldn't help smiling. They all left the room to go back to their respective posts with a smile, but knowing they had very difficult times ahead.
--
Since Connor's death, Abby had shut herself away. At first, she couldn't see how she would be able to go on without him. He had been her world, her first thought in the morning and her last thought at night, the one constant in her life she could rely on. She was pulled out of her grief by the crying of her daughter, Connor's daughter, and realised that she had to go on. She had to keep on living, being strong, letting Connor live on through those he had left behind, and the unborn child he didn't even know about. Abby had only found out herself that she was pregnant a couple of weeks after he'd died. She would make sure both children knew who their father was, what he was, and the sacrifice he made to try and make their futures better. She was sorting through old photographs to make an album, and found one taken late in 2010. She smiled at the memory of that night, this was their first photo as a proper couple. It would take pride of place at the front of the album. As she filed it into the box, she looked at them … her and Connor in 2010 … and hoped they were trying to find a way to change their future for the better. She thought of Connor's final words to her – the future is not written for some yet. At least they still had a chance.
--
"I think I've got something!" Connor declared, staring at his computer screen. At last, after over a month of searching, he had found the flaw in the ARCs computer system that was allowing someone to access their research files. It was linked to another program, one Connor believed to be the control for the suicide device. Becker was the only other person in the room and he listened as Connor tried to explain it.
"So, the people hacking into our computer are using the suicide program to access it?"
"Looks that way. My guess is, its no accident"
"The suicide program was installed as a cover to allow someone to go in undetected?"
Connor nodded. "Clever stuff. We need to go to Lester with this and find out who installed the suicide devices. Somehow, they are connected to the hacking, and probably the ones who start off the whole takeover of the ARC"
Lester had no idea who was actually responsible for the installation. It had been recommended to him by others in similar positions and it was all done within a matter of a few weeks. "So, you're telling me that something was installed into our computer three years ago as an elaborate cloaking device so that someone could take all our files"
"I would say that's a pretty definite possibility" Becker said "According to Connor, the program is very well hidden, it took him a month to find it, and he knows the system back to front. It's not something a casual hacker would just stumble on. They would have to know it was there."
Lester was furious, with himself and with those that had led him to believe the system was essential. "I can make some enquiries, try and get a name" he said, and he immediately began flicking through the phone directory on his desk for his various contacts.
By now, word had filtered to the rest of the team that Connor had made a breakthrough. When Becker went back, Danny, Sarah and Abby were also at Connor's desk. "Lester doesn't know who installed the program and the device, but he's trying to find out"
"If there is a device. Makes you wonder if it's all a huge cover up. Surely our security sweeps would have found explosives? We go through this place with a fine tooth comb" Danny said.
"I was wondering that too" Connor said. "I'm almost tempted to activate it, just to see"
"Too risky" Abby said straight away.
"Oh don't worry. I'm too much of a wimp to try" he said.
"Thank god you are!" Sarah said "I mean, in a nice way of course" she smiled.
"Well done anyway Connor, we're getting closer. Won't be long before we know who is responsible and we can make sure they don't get our ARC" Danny said. The team all went back to their work, except Abby. She had perched herself on the edge of the desk and was looking at him with concern
"You look tired Conn. You need to take a break." She said
"I just need to…."
"No, Connor! In half an hour, you're coming home with me. I'm going to make you a proper dinner, you will sit and eat it with me, then you will sit on the sofa and watch whatever movie is on with me and you will then go to bed and have a decent night's sleep" she spoke with authority. Connor didn't dare argue back.
"OK, half an hour. I just wish I knew who was doing this" he sighed, turning back to his screen. Abby looked at it. It was all gibberish to her, she wished she understood it so she could be more help. She did spot something though…
"What are those numbers? They keep appearing"
"Where?" Connor squinted at the screen
"These" She said, pointing to a sequence of numbers. "They're there as well, and here … and down there too"
Connor looked, and then his face changed as a sudden realisation hit him "Abby, you are a genius!!" he leapt up and hugged her
"What have I done?" she said, bewildered
"It's an IP address! Why didn't I spot it?" he was shaking his head and grinning from ear to ear.
"Fresh eyes I suppose …. But I don't understand, what's an IP address?"
"How can I put this simply? Every computer that connects to the internet has it's own address, identified by a sequence of digits. My guess is, that IP address will help us identify who is hacking into our files"
"Great, so we go into the internet address book and it'll tell us who it is?" Abby said
"Not quite that easy. Not something I can do, but I know a man who can" Connor said. He was writing the numbers down. "Let's go home now, Abby. I have a phonecall to make"
--
As Abby began preparing dinner, she could hear Connor on the phone. He sounded more cheerful and animated than he had done in a while. He was talking to his old friend, Duncan. Apparently, Duncan was now working for some huge internet company.
"I need a massive favour from you mate …… yes, it's government work ….. if I give you an IP address, can you tell me who it belongs to? ….. anything you can get would be a help…." Connor gave Duncan the numbers, and told Duncan to call him as soon as he could in the morning.
"Now, can we relax?" Abby said when he'd finally put the phone down.
"Yes, sorry. Dinner smells good" he smiled. He was so close to a solution … he could feel it.
Abby's plan to get him to relax worked. They'd settled on the sofa to watch TV with a bottle of beer each. Within a few minutes, Abby felt the weight of Connor's head on her shoulder. He was breathing deeply, almost snoring. He'd fallen asleep. She didn't have the heart to disturb him, she knew it had been a while since he'd slept properly. She watched the rest of the movie and found herself feeling sleepy. The next thing she knew, she was waking up the next morning, Connor still asleep leaning on her.
--
They'd only been at the ARC for a few minutes when Connor's mobile rang. It was Duncan. "I have a name for you Connor"
"You're a legend! Thank you so much for this" Connor said
"You owe me one. I'm not really supposed to do this, but as it's government work …. The IP address belongs to a company called 'Noble and Barnes' and its based in Reading. That's all I know, I hope it helps"
"I'm sure it does, thanks again mate" Connor said. As he put the phone down, Abby was already looking up the company on the internet. They seemed a pretty ordinary financial operation and had been running for a number of years. "Not the sort of company I would have expected to be interested in installing secret software to government buildings" Connor said
"No, it's weird….. look …" Abby began reading out the company's biography … founded in 1985 by David Barnes and his University friend Sean Noble…. It was initially a family run company, with Sean's wife Sarah and David's sister Helen handling the administration"
"Helen Barnes?" Connor said "I know that name, but I don't know why"
Abby did a few more searches for Helen Barnes … "Here we go, sister of David Barnes and founder of financial company Noble and Barnes … she left in 1987 to pursue a career in Palaeontology … that'll be why you know the name Connor"
"No, it's not just that…" Connor was certain there was more. "Carry on reading, Abby" But Abby had already carried on reading, and her mouth was open in horror. "Abby, what's wrong?" She could only point at the screen. "In 1990, she married fellow Palaeontologist Professor Nicholas Cutter …"
"Helen Cutter and her brother are responsible for what happens" Abby said. It was starting to make perfect sense.
