Chapter 18
1735 ZULU
Lt. Comm. Wright's office
Roosevelt Naval Base
15 miles south of London
Mac and I are looking at the computer, trying to figure out what the hell in wrong with it.
"DAMN THIS MACHINE!" Mac shouts slamming her fist down on it. The computer shakes with the force of her blow, but surprisingly enough.. starts working!
"Look at all these files it's turning up Mac." I say.
"Do you suppose that's what Wright was trying to do when it crashed?"
"No-Mac, it looks like he was trying to delete these files."
"Why would he want to delete half the files on his machine?"
"I don't know."
"Open one."
"Mac, that's invading the guy's privacy."
"Ahemm. I think you're forgetting something Harm."
"What might that be Miss-Know-it-all?"
"These computers are government property, and subject to inspection by superior officers at their choosing."
DAMN! She's good.. "Alright then. which file?" I ask.
"That one." She points to one of the files on the screen.
I double-click on it, but it still takes a few seconds to properly open up. What we see is bewildering, but obviously some type of message.
To: KATGIRL
Plan is ready. All you need to do is ask her to the location for dinner around 1940 hrs. Do not dally. Or things will not go as planned with Kamil.
POP
"Harm-I don't like this."
"Yeah-it doesn't sound good."
"What are we going to do about it?"
"We've got to make a back-up."
"How can we do that without him becoming suspicious?"
"We could put it on the computer's shared documents system."
"Yeah-and have everyone on the base find out about it, then our suspect gets scared and hides-or he knows we did it and kills both of us. You're just brilliant Harm."
"Have you got a better idea?"
"We've got to keep Wright away from this machine until we can make some sort of copy."
"And just how do you propose to do that?"
She thought for awhile, but the more I thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed, this officer was probably involved with the murders, but he was deleting the evidence that we would later need to convict him. Suddenly she brightened, "I have an idea! Remember the base frequently holds social occasions to keep morale up? There's a ball tomorrow night, if we can keep him away from the computer until then, we can make hard-copies during the ball."
"How do we keep him away?"
"Tell him that if he touches the computer before we have the proper tools to fix it he's risking destroying the whole computer for good-and seriously damaging the base system."
"Great councilor- now, just add a few scientific terms in there, and I believe you'll convince the jury."
"Harm-this is no time or place to joke about something like that."
"Sorry-just had to put in some humor."
"Fine the-you get to tell him about not touching the computer." She says with a smirk.
"Thanks." I say sarcastically.
(Mac's POV)
1832 ZULU
The Mess Hall
Roosevelt Naval Base
15 miles south of London
Harm and I were just sitting down to our meal, when Major Davidson walked over.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked
Harm and I glanced at each other, neither of us wanted her here, but we couldn't be impolite.
"Sure. Why not?" Harm responds.
"Thanks." She smiled. "So, how have you two found this base so far?"
"Well, Major-we scarcely been here a few days-you cannot expect us to come to a conclusion so quickly." I say with a smile.
"Then I believe that the upcoming ball will quickly change your apathy. I was wondering Commander, [she turned to me], if you and I could go dress- shopping tomorrow, that is if you have free time."
Harm immediately started to bristle, because of this I felt uneasy.
"Thank you for your invitation Major, but my husband and I already picked out my dress. Perhaps next time." I answer.
"Yes-perhaps next time." She had a far-off look in her eye. Suddenly she stood up, and grabbed a nearby Marine officer by the arm. "Allow me to introduce my boyfriend Major Daniel Beane."
Her boyfriend looked slightly startled. "Daniel-these are the two commanders I was speaking of earlier. Commander Harmon Burnett and his wife Commander Sarah Burnett." We all shook hands, but Harm seemed to be getting more on end by the moment..
A/N: Three reviews!!!!!! ONLY THREE!!!! Not even my own sister reviewed! That must have been one bad chapter...
1735 ZULU
Lt. Comm. Wright's office
Roosevelt Naval Base
15 miles south of London
Mac and I are looking at the computer, trying to figure out what the hell in wrong with it.
"DAMN THIS MACHINE!" Mac shouts slamming her fist down on it. The computer shakes with the force of her blow, but surprisingly enough.. starts working!
"Look at all these files it's turning up Mac." I say.
"Do you suppose that's what Wright was trying to do when it crashed?"
"No-Mac, it looks like he was trying to delete these files."
"Why would he want to delete half the files on his machine?"
"I don't know."
"Open one."
"Mac, that's invading the guy's privacy."
"Ahemm. I think you're forgetting something Harm."
"What might that be Miss-Know-it-all?"
"These computers are government property, and subject to inspection by superior officers at their choosing."
DAMN! She's good.. "Alright then. which file?" I ask.
"That one." She points to one of the files on the screen.
I double-click on it, but it still takes a few seconds to properly open up. What we see is bewildering, but obviously some type of message.
To: KATGIRL
Plan is ready. All you need to do is ask her to the location for dinner around 1940 hrs. Do not dally. Or things will not go as planned with Kamil.
POP
"Harm-I don't like this."
"Yeah-it doesn't sound good."
"What are we going to do about it?"
"We've got to make a back-up."
"How can we do that without him becoming suspicious?"
"We could put it on the computer's shared documents system."
"Yeah-and have everyone on the base find out about it, then our suspect gets scared and hides-or he knows we did it and kills both of us. You're just brilliant Harm."
"Have you got a better idea?"
"We've got to keep Wright away from this machine until we can make some sort of copy."
"And just how do you propose to do that?"
She thought for awhile, but the more I thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed, this officer was probably involved with the murders, but he was deleting the evidence that we would later need to convict him. Suddenly she brightened, "I have an idea! Remember the base frequently holds social occasions to keep morale up? There's a ball tomorrow night, if we can keep him away from the computer until then, we can make hard-copies during the ball."
"How do we keep him away?"
"Tell him that if he touches the computer before we have the proper tools to fix it he's risking destroying the whole computer for good-and seriously damaging the base system."
"Great councilor- now, just add a few scientific terms in there, and I believe you'll convince the jury."
"Harm-this is no time or place to joke about something like that."
"Sorry-just had to put in some humor."
"Fine the-you get to tell him about not touching the computer." She says with a smirk.
"Thanks." I say sarcastically.
(Mac's POV)
1832 ZULU
The Mess Hall
Roosevelt Naval Base
15 miles south of London
Harm and I were just sitting down to our meal, when Major Davidson walked over.
"Mind if I join you?" she asked
Harm and I glanced at each other, neither of us wanted her here, but we couldn't be impolite.
"Sure. Why not?" Harm responds.
"Thanks." She smiled. "So, how have you two found this base so far?"
"Well, Major-we scarcely been here a few days-you cannot expect us to come to a conclusion so quickly." I say with a smile.
"Then I believe that the upcoming ball will quickly change your apathy. I was wondering Commander, [she turned to me], if you and I could go dress- shopping tomorrow, that is if you have free time."
Harm immediately started to bristle, because of this I felt uneasy.
"Thank you for your invitation Major, but my husband and I already picked out my dress. Perhaps next time." I answer.
"Yes-perhaps next time." She had a far-off look in her eye. Suddenly she stood up, and grabbed a nearby Marine officer by the arm. "Allow me to introduce my boyfriend Major Daniel Beane."
Her boyfriend looked slightly startled. "Daniel-these are the two commanders I was speaking of earlier. Commander Harmon Burnett and his wife Commander Sarah Burnett." We all shook hands, but Harm seemed to be getting more on end by the moment..
A/N: Three reviews!!!!!! ONLY THREE!!!! Not even my own sister reviewed! That must have been one bad chapter...