Text in italics is from the show. I'm sure you'll recognize it.
May 24th, 2011: Just over 3 years from present day:
"What's going on?" Cabe yelled as he ran into the secured computer room in Homeland's main LA office.
"He's at it again." One of the techs told him. The twenty man team struggled against the hacker who was into the country's largest nuclear missile site.
Cabe looked up and watched the numbers on the screen scrolling.
"Do we really know if it is him?" Cabe asked as his hand covered his mouth.
"As sure as we can be. Unless you know some other hacker who can defeat twenty of the best computer specialists solo." Security director Molina told him with disgust as she stood watching.
"How close has he come? Has he set a target?" Cabe said feeling sick.
"We're keeping him out so far." One of the agents said.
"No you aren't. He's playing with us." Molina told him. "He could have launched all of the missiles long before now if he wanted too. He's making it look like he's sending random numbers to the system, but he's sent the right numbers multiple times but staggered in a pattern with wrong numbers so he didn't actually launch them." Molina sighed. "As for targets, yes he set them and then unset them. So far they were directed at each location Director Merrick frequents, as well as everyone that was on the National Security Council when Baghdad was bombed."
"Walter." Cabe said as his hand came back up and covered his mouth.
Molina raised a hand up and put it on his shoulder.
"He's really struggling. The anger and hate is eating him alive. But he hasn't targeted you, so you still have a way in. You've got to find that way. You have got to get back in with him." Molina whispered.
"I've tried everything I can think of." Cabe whispered back. "It is killing me to know I bear the responsibility for what happened to him. I'd let him gut me alive if it would help. But he seems more intent to torture us." Cabe said softly.
"What about this new problem solving company, Centipede Partners? They might be able to help stop him. I want you to approach the leader, Mark Collins. I'm authorizing you to negotiate a contract with them to work as a subcontractor to Homeland." Molina told him.
Cabe nodded.
"Wait, Mark Collins? Isn't he the guy who figured out Walter hacked into NASA?" Cabe asked.
"The same." Molina nodded.
"I don't know anything about Centipede Partners but I'll see what I can do." Cabe promised.
Suddenly all the activity at the nuclear site stopped and a message flashed on the screen as a computer voice spoke.
"Greetings Professor Falken." The computer voice read out as the message flashed in extremely large letters across the computer screen. "It seems like I have you check mated again. Would you like me to press launch, or wait until another day to play again?"
"Walter, son, if this is you, please. Stop this, I'm begging you. I know Merrick and those guys hurt you by using you to murder all those people. And I share responsibility in that. But son, if this is ever proven to be you, your misery is only going to escalate. Please, stop." Cabe implored.
"I suppose that means you wish to play again at a future date, Professor. Very well, the system is all yours." The voice read out again.
The system went back to standby as the defcon changed and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Cabe sighed as he turned and left the secure room.
"Can I help you?" Happy asked as she looked up from her workbench at the older man who walked into the Garage.
"Agent Cabe Gallo, Homeland. I'm here to see Mark Collins." Cabe told her as he flashed his badge.
"Hey boss." Happy called out as she looked at Mark at his desk.
"Mark Collins?" Cabe asked as he moved away from the door and walked past Toby sitting on a faux leather couch.
"I'm Mark, what can CP do for you?" Mark said as he stood.
"Agent Cabe Gallo, Homeland." Cabe told him as he reached him and the two men shook hands.
"Homeland, that's a new one." Mark said as he gestured to a chair beside his desk and sat down.
Cabe sat down even as he saw a younger man in glasses staring at him. The look said fear but something in his eyes seemed to suggest he was calculating something.
"That's Sylvester." Mark told him as he glanced over to see what Cabe was looking at. "He's a master at probabilities and statistics. So what brings an agent of Homeland to Centipede Partners?"
"We want to contract with CP to help provide assistance in helping to track down and stop a master hacker." Cabe told him.
"Mark, please come up and help me with Anthony." A soft female voice called over an intercom.
"On my way honey." Mark said as he pushed a button on his phone. "Sorry, I'll be right back."
Cabe nodded and watched him walk up the stairs. Cabe looked over and saw Toby sitting on Sylvester's desk staring at him. It irked him as it seemed like he was mocking him with how he was positioned.
"What is your problem?" Cabe demanded.
"I was mirroring you so your subconscious can relate to me. I thought it would help you relax." Toby told him.
"Do you think it's working?" Cabe demanded.
Toby swallowed as he adjusted his posture seeing how Cabe's blood pressure shot up.
"What did you need Megan?" Mark asked as he walked into their bedroom.
"I'm sorry Mark, but I don't trust taking Anthony up and down on my scooter yet. Maybe when he is older." Megan told him.
Mark smiled and he bent over and kissed his wife.
"That is no problem. Come here buddy." Mark said as he scooped his two year old son up in his arms. He turned and walked slowly beside his wife as she rode her scooter out of their bedroom.
"Did I hear someone come in?" Megan asked.
"Yeah, an agent from Homeland. I guess Homeland wants us to help stop some hacker threat." Mark told her.
"Well we can always use another source of income." Megan smiled.
"Yes, my experiments to find a cure haven't been going well." Mark sighed.
"Mark, I love you for that but you've got to plan for the likelihood I won't survive. Anthony is going to need you." Megan told him as they began down the ramp.
"He'll always have me. But I am not giving up. I will find a way to stop this, at least turn it into something you can live with." Mark swore.
Megan smiled as they came around the curve and then saw Cabe standing there talking to Sylvester and Toby.
"Cabe?" Megan said almost in disbelief.
Cabe frowned as he turned and saw Megan riding down the ramp.
"Megan? Oh man, I didn't know. I hadn't heard you were…How have you been?" Cabe said as he moved over to the ramp.
"You know Agent Gallo?" Mark seemed surprised.
"I'm doing well Cabe, thank you. Yes, he had been tricked which resulted in Walter designing that software that was used to bomb Baghdad." Megan said as she stopped and they hugged.
"Oh, well in that case, I think it would be best if you were to leave." Mark said a bit confused by her hugging him.
"Nonsense. Cabe didn't do anything wrong. They lied to him. And because they made him believe they wanted Walter writing that program to help aid deliveries, Walter didn't know it was a trick. How are you Cabe?" Megan asked.
"I've been better, kid. Who's this little guy?" Cabe asked her.
"This is our son Anthony Patrick Collins." Megan smiled.
"Hello Anthony." Cabe said as he reached out and shook the lad's hand.
"Let me put him in his playpen and we can talk about what brought you here." Mark told him before walking over between his desk and another. Mark put him in the playpen as Megan transferred to her desk chair on the other side.
"Mark said Homeland wants help with a hacker. Is it Walter?" Megan sighed.
"Not that we can prove but, given what he does, it has to be. This morning he got into the Wyoming nuclear site. He had all the codes, he could have launched everything. All the targets he set were places where Merrick and the other Security council members who were active when the Baghdad bombing happen frequent." Cabe sighed.
"What about you?" Megan asked as she reached a hand out and gripped his hand.
"No, he didn't target any place I might have been specifically but, I'd have been in at least one of the blast radiuses. This might have been a bad idea. I didn't know you were involved with Mark or that anyone here would have a relationship with Walter." Cabe told her as he sat.
"Don't worry about that. I give you my word we will do everything we can to help stop Walter. If it turns out to be Walter." Megan told him as Mark nodded.
"But understand, Walter is so far beyond everyone when it comes to internet security. Sylvester and I are the closest competition and he leads us around like lost hikers. And of course when he comes around he's all sweet and innocent." Mark sighed.
"Well damn. You guys were our best bet." Cabe sighed.
"But we'll still try." Megan said, looking at Mark.
"Umm, my vote is for us staying as far away from Walter as possible." Toby piped up.
"That's because you nearly piss your pants every time someone so much as mentions his name." Happy told him as she walked over wiping her hands. "I don't think we can ever catch him, but I'll help as much as I can." Happy told them.
Megan gave her a weak smile.
"Are you sure?" Megan asked.
Happy nodded.
"We got three votes for, but if you want to vote against it you can Sylvester." Mark told him.
"I'm willing to do what I can." Sylvester nodded.
"Well then all we need to do is negotiate the contract." Mark told him.
They all looked up as they heard the front door of the Garage open. Walter stepped inside and grinned at his sister and then he saw Cabe and his eyes went cold.
Happy had froze instantly seeing Walter.
Toby moved around Mark's desk slowly trying to put as much distance between them as possible.
Walter wasn't deterred by seeing Cabe nor the nearly silent Garage as he walked confidently across the floor towards them.
"Well well, I came by to see my sister and nephew and I found a rat in the Garage. You really should see about an exterminator brother." Walter said, looking at Mark.
"Walter." Megan said sharply. "There was no call for that. You know Cabe was tricked and lied to."
"So he says." Walter said as he stopped next to Happy. "How are you, Happy?" Walter grinned at her.
"Walter." Megan said.
Walter ignored her as he stared into Happy's eyes.
"I'm fine." Happy finally said as Walter's hand rose up and gently brushed a lock of her hair back.
"It's been a while, we should go out again." Walter smiled at her before he looked back at his sister.
"So, does my family have time for me or do I need to come back later?" Walter asked even as he stepped around to the playpen and grinned at Anthony. "Hey buddy." Walter said as he picked the grinning boy up.
"Unkel Wahltur." Anthony said as best he could.
"That's my favorite nephew." Walter grinned.
Toby rolled his eyes.
"One thing to always remember Anthony, Uncle Walter sees a lot of things people don't think he sees. So as you grow up, never make a mistake of imitating someone as stupid as Toby." Walter told him in a happy voice.
"Walter." Mark said.
"Hey, Toby is the one that rolled his eyes." Walter told him.
"We're in the middle of something Walter. It would be better if we can get together later. Maybe dinner this evening?" Megan asked.
"Sounds good." Walter said as he kissed Anthony's cheek and sat him back in the playpen. Walter walked back around and stopped to kiss Megan's cheek and as he started to pass Happy, he paused as he looked at her. "May I have a kiss before I leave?"
Happy nodded as she looked into his eyes. Her heart had begun beating faster the moment she knew he was there. And now it felt like it was beating so hard it could leap from her chest.
Walter's lips pressed tenderly into hers for a moment. Then they both kind of opened their lips and kissed each other deeper. Their passion was undeniable.
Megan sighed even as Toby grimaced. He'd tried many times but couldn't seem to get anywhere with Happy. But everytime Walter showed up, she all but threw herself at him. Something else he hated about Walter.
Happy's hands rose up and touched Walter's chest. As her hands started sliding up towards his shoulders Walter broke their kiss and stepped back.
"Maybe we can go out after dinner tonight? That is if I am welcome to invite a guest to dinner." Walter smiled from Happy to Megan.
"If that is what Happy wants, she is always welcomed here." Megan told him.
"Does that sound like something you would like?" Walter asked her tenderly. To everyone there but Megan and Happy, it sounded like Happy had a choice.
Happy swallowed and nodded.
"If you would like me to, I would welcome that." Happy told him.
Walter grinned as he winked at Happy and left.
"Okay, that is a complication. Is Happy's relationship with Walter going to be a conflict of interest?" Cabe asked.
Happy was breathing a bit heavily for a moment.
"No." Happy said finally. "My and Walter's relationship has nothing to do with this. I will help to the full extent of my abilities and I will never disclose anything we speak about to him. You have my word on that." Happy told him.
They all heard the powerful motor of Walter's latest car start.
"I hope he wraps himself and that car around a telephone pole sometime soon." Toby said bitterly.
"That's my little brother." Megan shot back at him. She looked to Happy. "Hey, when you get a little time, do you mind checking out the mustang? I thought I heard a knocking yesterday."
Toby walked away grumbling.
"Sure, I'll take it out at lunch and check it out." Happy told her before she walked back over to her work area.
Cabe sat back down with Megan and Mark as he pulled out the contract that Molina had him take with him.
"Happy?" Sylvester said softly after walking over to her work area.
"What?" Happy said a little bit harsher than she meant.
"I-I, I was just wanting to know if you are okay." Sylvester said finally.
Happy sighed.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Happy told him.
"If, if you ever need a friend to listen to what is going on." Sylvester said awkwardly.
"Thanks Sly, but I don't want to traumatize you." Happy gave him a half smile.
"I'm already traumatized, so you can tell me." Toby said as he walked out from the kitchen area.
"Right. You just want something to perve on." Happy told him.
"Happy, that is the farest thing from the truth. I just want to be your friend. Let me be your friend." Toby told her.
"Right, maybe if you didn't have a chubby right now I could believe you." Happy said without looking at him.
Toby kind of jerked as he pushed his hips backwards a bit.
"See." Happy said as she saw Mark and Cabe finalizing the contract. She sat her tools down and walked back over.
"Hey guys." Happy said as she looked to see Toby and Sylvester were still by her workbench. "I don't want this to go any further. Megan and Mark already know, but Cabe you need to know as well. As you may have guessed Walter and I are lovers. I have unrestricted access to Walter but make no mistake, I won't use that in any way to catch him. But as I said, I will do anything within my abilities to help catch him if he is doing something wrong. If that isn't acceptable then I will stay away from any case with Walter as a potential target."
"I appreciate you saying that Happy. But I get the feeling you are a straight shooter and I value that. We'd be fools not to accept what you can do." Cabe said with a smile.
Greetings! I hope this finds you well! Well now you know, yes, it is Mark Collins! lol
Railman - I can see how you could think that. Since chapter 1 really didn't define anything between Walter and the team. Thank you, glad you liked it, hope you enjoyed Molina in this chapter! She'll be back around chapter 15 I think it is. That is a very good question...Does he live off the spoils he takes from people? Does he had some kind of "honest" work? Or perhaps it is from payments made by other unscrupulous people? Only time will tell...*mwahahahaha*
Marti - Indeed this Walter was much like all his counter parts until that event happened and even then he was still like the others...But something different did happen that changed him. And right you are...unleashing his full potential towards harm rather than good, scary. Taking over a huge nuclear missile site...the hall was rented and the stage was set, his finger clearly on the trigger. Thank you, I'm glad you are enjoying the story!
LouBe - LOL I'm so glad you are enjoying it! Paige as a bad girl you say? Be careful what you wish for...lol What has he done to Happy? Not good...Sat and Mon's chapters will reveal a bit more on that front. Lord Walter would definitely be appalled at his counter part, no doubt. lol Yes, it can be disheartening to some writers if that is all readers ever say. Sure it can be seen as flattering that someone is so anxious to find out what is going on that's foremost in their thoughts, but still, writers do love a few words, even if they aren't strictly positive as long as constructive and not just mean. I'd love to give it to you to read in one sitting, but then what would you do? lol Plus I'm still working on it so it isn't quite finished.
Pearliegirl - hehe Feeling like Tommy Roe and his song "Dizzy"? hehe That's a song youngsters most likely have never heard, but I will suggest to anyone that has never heard it to take a listen...it's a cute little bopper. lol Aww...don't hate Walter. hehe Well, okay, maybe he deserves some hate in this story. Sweet Walter is still out there in the multiverse...lol Challenge accepted! lol
SkunkeeFunk - Indeed he is big, bad and different! hehe No, writing this wasn't difficult at all to be honest. The hard part was finally deciding to share it to be honest. There are actually 3 versions of this story. And this is the mild or most tame version. The original was too dark and I stopped writing it pretty quickly. So I lightened it up but still it was more than I wanted and decided to reedit it again and this was born from it. If I was still writing like I use to, I would release one a day but I need the time to ensure I get this finished and hopefully I get the next leg of Callan and Lady Aine finished.
JerBr23 - hehe Toby's root fear in Walter will be revealed Thursday. Glad you enjoyed it! We'll find out how Paige and Ralph handle it...Ralph's introduction will be chapter 12 I think...
To the Adventure! -Tim