City of Glass - Operation Lifted Record
I should mention now that these chapters are not in chronological order. They're connected by the universe and certain events may appear/be mentioned in another chapter as the past or present time, some may even be the future of another chapter, etc. I'm really just writing these as they come to mind and wanted to make sure there isn't any complete and utter confusion in the future. A little confusion is fine though, even healthy ^.^
Two pairs of feet echoed off the white walls of the hall as they made their way past closed office doors.
It left the building feeling eerily quiet. Well, except for the man to her left, droning on about the company as he walked. The only person she had seen for awhile since leaving the waiting room and the ladies running the front desk.
"I can't tell you how glad I am that a young person such as yourself is interested in the inner workings of the law. It's been awhile since we had a student visit that didn't just want a stamp on their papers to say they came and 'talked' just to get outside credit for their course. Most young people don't seem to respect the law now a days. Either they're busy running or not paying attention to the news. I swear most of our recruits come through one of our resources rather than through the front door themselves. But I'm sure with your interest that you already knew that."
"Yes," she confirmed quickly. "That's why I wanted to do my paper on the industry, but besides the individual departments there's not many companies around. Especially those independent of the police force - actually, strike that. There are no lawyers outside of the force, is there?" With a little laugh to push him toward the action at the bad joke the man's own laughter filled the hall soon after.
"Very true. Those independent of the police force don't make it very far until they collapse. I'm sure it has something to do with those runners. It makes you wonder what exactly they carry in those packages of their's that could do something like that. If they didn't run at so much as a shadow of a cop we might know already. They're like vermin really. Do you remember when one of our own and a runner caused a blackout in the city? They completely messed up security as well since it was all stationed in the Shard. Well, most of it. Still, it caused quite the stir on the news and around here. We had to up our security just to make sure another in the force wasn't somehow connected with the runners. We don't need another incident to occur like before."
"That would be unfortunate," she replied before becoming silent for a second. Just long enough to make him think she was reflecting on the events that had happened years ago in the city. "I remember the blackout myself, it was completely unprecedented that the force could be unhinged like that, and the security as well. At the time you were working with another company to help the force in it's quest to take out the groups of runners in the city, correct?"
"Oh, yes." He tugged at the collar of his shirt. "It should be known that we are no longer connected with them considering the failure they presented us with. We do still have the training facility they created, but that's all. I hear that security company itself is doing better now, under new management I believe. Good for them, I say. They need a new beginning after the scandal at the Shard."
"That's good to hear," she said, wondering if perhaps they were having trouble hiring because they were actually still connected with that company. Even if it did have a new name and logo with it's change it management it certainly hadn't given up on it's mission, and neither had the police department.
"That's all past now anyway," the man just waved off their previous discussion, going straight back to the department and it's new views and how it was handling them. "Our main concern now is-"
There was a crackling in her right ear, a soft voice coming through the speaker, "There should be an access point into their file storage near you. All you need to do is get the code, the files, and then get out. Just don't run and the operation should continue to go smoothly." The buzzing stopped and she almost sighed, catching herself before the sound could escape her.
It was only the second time he had spoken to her throughout this operation, and just to remind her what to do. Sure, he also told her the door she needed to get through would be coming up soon as well, but that was hardly news.
She had spotted it and the number pad ahead already. Was it too much to ask that he checked up on her every once and awhile just to see that she was alright? Not that she could answer that is. Besides, if she were to mention it to him - as if she ever could - Itachi was likely to give a perfectly rational explanation as to why not.
Hinata could hear him now, 'During an operation you need to be completely aware of your surroundings. If someone asks you a question you need to be paying attention to answer it. Not being able to just arouses suspicion in this day and age, it doesn't look good.'
It was annoying really. 'Cause it was the truth. Just once she would like to see him completely speechless, another near impossibility.
Regardless, she would continue to hope.
She pulled her clipboard towards herself as they passed the door, glancing down to the reflection of the intern standing beside it, stabbing in the keys swiftly. With a look to the man walking with her and seeing he was still talking to himself about everything the police force had accomplished in a few years she tapped her pen once against the board. When he didn't turn to her immediately she began to tap out the numbers on the keyboard with her pen.
The man just kept on talking though and she doubted the cameras were picking up her little taps with their microphones. The one tucked on the inside of her shirt was a different matter entirely.
"Got it."
She gave a few more taps, lengthening the silence between them before stopping completely.
When they turned the corner down the hall she proceeded to walk a few steps before stopping completely. "Excuse me, I need to use the lady's room."
"Oh, there's one right back down that hall-"
"Thank you. I'll be right back." Hinata turned swiftly, going back down the now vacant hallway. She didn't chance a glance back down either way as she walked until she heard his voice again.
"You're good to go."
She didn't say a word in reply. Microphones and all. Hinata just punched in the key numbers on the pad, knowing the camera light had turned red. Which meant security was getting pre-made feed of her in the hallway, going into the door she had actually said she was going to.
With the last number entered she opened the door, slipping into the room and pulling the door shut silently behind her. She went straight to the row of cabinets marked F-H, pulling the appropriate cabinet open to run her finger over the files within before gripping one between her thumb and forefinger. Hinata pulled it out from the drawer, sliding it beneath the pile of papers already on her clipboard. With the cabinet shut again she only waited for Itachi to tell her the path was clear before exiting the room and heading back down the far hall to find the man and continue the rest of the tour.
When it was finally done she nearly sighed in relief while walking out from the building with her clipboard. Not only did her throat feel sore from all the talking she had to do, but she felt spent of energy even though she had only been walking, not running. It was exhausting though; keeping her voice from cracking over the simplest of words, to hold back that nervous stutter, to stop herself from going completely silent.
At the moment she didn't want to ever take up a job like this again, but if Itachi required her to do another one she knew she wouldn't be able to refuse him.