1919 Words, this chapter

Author's note: This chapter is explanation, so I'm not entirely happy with all the talk. I had to resolve some questions though. I considered adding more action, but for me, the story is complete. I hope you enjoyed it.

Chapter Four, Conclusion, Call of the Wild

Becker sat in Chef Bernie Rice's office. "Do you remember Anton Blake?" he asked the chef.

Bernie sighed. "Yes, I had a bad feeling about him from the start," said Bernie. "I try to give everyone a chance, but he didn't want to work. He was arrogant, disrespectful, and lazy."

"Did you know about his parents?"

"That they were high-level members of government? No, not until I fired him. Lester said he hadn't wanted to take him into the ARC at all, but the minister insisted. He was pressured by the parents, and in turn he pressured Lester."

"And Lester pressured you."

"No. He didn't. I felt for Lester. He was in a bad position. Blake had quickly worked his way through every department in the ARC. He started out in scientific research, but had been caught stealing a scientist's work. Lester said he was outraged at being demoted and moved, and the more he was transferred, the more resentful he got."

"That explains how he knew so much about everyone," said Becker. "He spent time in all the departments."

Bernie nodded. "He loved listening to gossip, Captain. That's probably how he knew so much about the main team and senior staff. He felt that was where he should have been, at the top of the ARC hierarchy."

"But he couldn't keep any job here," said Becker.

Bernie sighed. "I tried to keep him. I thought if I gave him enough time, maybe he'd sort himself out. He didn't. In fact, his arrogance, sloth, and downright meanness got worse."

Becker chuckled. "Even your patience has a limit."

Bernie smiled sadly. "Yes, sir. I finally had to complain to Lester. It just wasn't fair to the rest of my staff. That's when Lester fired him completely."

"I take it that Blake wasn't happy about that."

"He was disgraced and felt wronged, but I can't see him reacting violently. I told you, Captain, he was lazy. His CV wasn't impressive. Any positions, degrees, or titles he had were bought my his parents' money. I hate saying that, but I know it's true. He just didn't have any skills. I doubt he had the skills to plan a coup."

"We think someone else helped him. Anyone greedy enough can plan a theft. Blake knew there were top secret files, new technology, and priceless creatures here."

"I see," Bernie said. He broke off a piece of cookie, then offered the plate to Becker. He smiled and took one. Bernie swallowed then said, "That would have put Blake in a powerful position, he could have bargained with the minister or tried to sell them to countries and private collectors."

"Can you help explain why we didn't recognize him, once we had him in custody and unmasked him?"

Bernie smiled. "He kept changing his look, short hair, long hair, red or brown hair, mustache, beard. His style of clothes changed too. I don't know why. When he was first transferred here, I didn't realize he was the same person I had met weeks earlier working for Miss Maitland. He looked that different."

"Odd. Maybe it has to do with his ego. He tried to look different so people wouldn't recognize him and whisper about his constant reassignment. Or maybe, even then, he was working on this theft plan." He paused to take a bite.

"I doubt it sir," said Bernie. "That would be an awful lot of forward thinking, and frankly, it would be too much work for him."

Becker smiled. When the ARC was invaded, Leader didn't do that much, he remembered, just barked orders and checked on other members of the plot.

He finished his cookie. "Thanks, Bernie. You've helped me get an idea of who this guy is."

"I hope we are finally rid of him," said Bernie. "He was bad news."

"I agree, and don't worry, he's already been charged with several felonies. He'll be locked up for a long time, especially given the minister's involvement."

Bernie looked relieved. "Then perhaps we can settle into our normal chaos."

Becker laughed. "Yeah, it will be welcome after the last few days." He stood. "Speaking of normal, there's a pretty but impatient young lady waiting on me."

Bernie smiled. "Give Miss Parker my regards."

Becker nodded and walked to Ops.

"OK, Jess, just let me give a quick update to Matt or Lester about what I learned and we'll get out of here for a while."

"No we won't," said Jess, eating a huge bar of chocolate.

"You don't have good news, do you?"

She sighed. "Lester wants to see you, everyone actually, in his office. I don't think we'll be getting home for a while."

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault, which is why I charged this chocolate bar to our illustrious director."

"You can do that?" asked Becker.

"Of course. Don't worry, I never abuse that power."

"Um, this isn't abuse?"

"No, it is not," she said with a glare. "He owes me this chocolate." She then ferociously bit off a large chunk.

"OK, Jess," said Becker. "I'm backing away. You're scaring me a little."

"Good."

Becker laughed and walked into Lester's office. Everyone but Jess was inside.

"Is the Chocolate Queen planning on joining us?" asked Lester.

"I'm here," she said, appearing behind Becker. "I'm not happy, though."

Lester shook his head. "I'm so sorry to hear that." He cleared his throat. "Now then, Becker, what did Chef Rice have to say?"

Becker told them about his interview with Bernie.

"So, Leader thought he could get rich and powerful and rectify the shame of failing at the ARC by stealing our secrets," said Lester.

"Looks like that was his motive," said Becker.

"OK, he's the link to the intelligence on all of us, and the basic lay of the ARC," said Connor. "but who created the fake anomaly alert if this Blake guy didn't have the skill?"

Lester smiled. "I happen to have that little nugget of information. My digging led me to a very prominent and respected physicist. A physicist who was assigned to, anyone? No one wants to guess?"

"Out with it Lester," said Matt.

"You, Anderson, are a party-pooper. This particular egghead was part of Christine Johnson's research team."

"You're kidding," said Connor.

"Where do you think Christine got her knowledge of the anomalies, eh? Anyway, guess what he was developing?"

"An anomaly detector," said Connor.

"You get a gold star."

"So they used this physicist to copy the anomaly readings and the alert?" asked Matt

"Yes, and if you recall, the readings weren't stable."

"That's right," said Jess. "It was very weird. The anomaly seemed to phase in and out."

"That's because the physicist couldn't recreate the precise readings of an anomaly."

"What's this physicist's name?" asked Connor.

"Out of respect for the minister, I am not at liberty to divulge."

"You don't know," said Jess.

"I do so," retorted Lester. "I'm simply not telling you."

Everyone chuckled.

"This physicist was part of the group?" asked Connor.

"No. He was used by rogue government officials, the minister's phrase by the way. I take it he isn't very happy with them. The physicist showed them his research."

"Probably hoping for funding," said Connor.

"Yes, another gold star for you. When he realized the officials weren't going to fund him, he broke contact. However, they had copied key parts of his research. When confronted, the government officials claimed no knowledge."

"Of course, they did," said Abby.

"So the anomaly fake-out was caused by the government officials, who used stolen information from the physicist, but how does Leader fit in?" asked Jess.

"Through his parents," said Becker. "He had contact with the government officials through them."

"A gold star for the Captain," said Lester. "It was sheer luck that both Leader and the officials had their sites set on us at the same time."

"So they decided to help each other," said Matt.

"That means no one hacked into our systems," said Jess. "The ADD was always secure. Their information on the anomaly, the animals, the EMDs, even us, all came from other means."

She smiled with relief.

"Yes, Jess. You still have a hack-proof record," said Lester.

"I do! But how did the officials find the physicist?"

"Oh, you're all so clever today," said Lester. "The officials had worked with him. They had served in a research group led by, anyone?"

The team laughed and said in unison, "Christine Johnson."

"Who is this person?" asked Emily.

"I'll bring you up to date, later," said Jess.

"How? You weren't part of the ARC then," said Connor.

Becker smiled. "She read the files."

Jess laughed. "I did."

"So after Johnson's...disappearance, the officials were privy to secrets she hadn't bothered to tell them, like the true powers lying in the ARC. They apparently decided to go after that power," said Lester.

"How did the minister know all this?" asked Abby.

Lester hesitated.

Becker answered her, "They had his approval."

Lester sighed. "At first, yes," he admitted. "It was a check and balance, if you will, against us."

"What? That's awful," said Jess.

"Not really," said Becker. "What if Lester went insane and decided to cut ties to the minister, steal the ARC's research and declare himself Emperor?"

The others, except Lester, laughed.

"Thank you, Captain for that ludicrous analogy, but it does have a point. The minister needed a backup plan if the ARC was lost. I told him he should stop trusting in backup plans since their directors all seem to go power-mad. He should trust that the ARC as well as James Lester, is always at his service."

"What did he say to that?" asked Abby, with a smile.

Lester frowned. "That I should stop kissing up to him, but that I had a point—we have never given him a reason to distrust us. I choose to focus on the last half of his statement."

Everyone laughed. Abby shook her head and chuckled, saying, "Lester, you are one of a kind."

"I am. Thank you Miss Maitland," he said proudly.

"Where are these government blokes now?" asked Matt.

"Answering charges of treason and espionage," said Lester.

Connor whistled. "Wow. The minister doesn't play lightly, does he? So, they'll be out of our hair?"

"Indeed."

"I am confused, however, on why members of parliament would hire a miscreant like Three," said Emily.

"They were planning this little enterprise without the knowledge of the minister or anyone else," said Lester. "They couldn't exactly hire the best and brightest. Plus, they wanted people they could intimidate or dispose of if necessary."

"Like a bunch of college students, out-of-work blokes, and thugs," said Becker.

"And Leader they could control through his parents, either by blackmail or threats," said Lester.

"So, everyone is in jail?" asked Jess.

"That is correct, Miss Parker."

"Good," she turned to Becker. "Can we go home, now?"

He chuckled and took her hand. "I think we can."

"Indeed, let's all go home," said Lester.

"See that, Jess? Ordered by the boss," said Becker.

"Thank you, Lester. Oh, thanks for the chocolate too."

"You are welcome. Have a good night everyone," Lester said. "Rest well, eventually, I see that lustful look Becker and Jess, ew. Come in bright and early, ready to work."

Becker and Jess left, giggling and blushing, the others teasing them as they followed.

Lester shut off his lights and closed the door to his office, then paused. "What chocolate?"

The End