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Sorry this chapter isn't very exciting. This is the ARC without anomalies. Becker's worst nightmare - Nothing to shoot!
"How's it going?" Abby asked in the early hours of the morning, sitting next to Connor at the ADD.
Connor glanced up. "Well... less to do than when we started"
Abby yawned.
"What you still doing here?" Connor asked spinning his chair to face her. "Why didn't you go home?"
"Just finished my shift in the Menagerie. With all the automatic systems down, we have to monitor everything by hand."
"I'll make a separate back up system for the new menagerie before you move. Two back ups even. So there will always be an automatic monitor and you won't have to stay." He pulled her towards him and
wrapped his arms round her.
"Thanks Conn." She snuggled closer. "Where's Jess?"
"Gone for more black coffee"
Abby yawned again.
Connor looked worried "You should go home, Abs, 'cept you'd probably fall asleep on the way."
"I'd rather stay" She said sleepily.
Connor smiled and turned her head to face him. "Sofa in my lab is quite comfy"
"Sounds good" She stood up and kissed him as Jess returned. "Hey Jess you OK?"
Jess handed Connor his coffee "Nothing that an operational ADD and a weeks sleep won't cure"
"Take a break" Connor said with concern. "If we're too tired, we'll miss stuff or make mistakes."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt. You going to take your own advice?" She smirked.
"Yeah, think I will, while the coffee kicks in." He stood up and took Abby's hand.
"Abby, Kev said that the menagerie system is nearly checked and ready to run." Jess smiled wearily.
"So that means power, security, menagerie are all done." Connor listed. "Couple of hours and I should have the ADD back up and running. Virus programmes and firewalls are running again."
"I've nearly done on the communications" Jess added.
Connor gave half a smile "With us and the techs on it we should have the main bits operational by the time the day shift arrive."
"Your brilliant." Abby grinned at him.
"No we're brilliant." Connor smiled giving Jess a high-five. "Take a break Jess"
Several hours later, they stood in Lester's office with Matt and Becker.
"Well?" Lester asked.
"Pretty much everything's working again" Connor answered.
"Techies are ironing out the last few things" Matt added.
"Any news on who caused this?" Lester queried.
Connor glanced around nervously. "I think...Not a hundred percent sure..."
Lester looked at him seriously, "But you think you know?"
Connor gave a slight nod, "All traces appear to lead to Vancouver"
"Evan Cross" Lester breathed knowingly.
"How sure are you?" Matt asked.
Connor shrugged "Pretty sure"
"We traced the signal" Jess interrupted. "It isn't the same system as Cross Photonics and we think its being sent from the edge of the city."
"We need to see this for ourselves" Becker spoke up.
They looked at him in surprise.
"I'm with Connor on this. We need to know who they are and what they're up to. If they just want help that's fine but what if they have a more sinister motive."
Jess shivered at the thought. Becker gently rubbed her shoulder.
"If we don't want to get any nasty surprises we need to speak to Evan Cross and his team." He finished.
Connor nodded his grateful thanks to Becker. "I really need to talk to Evan. I have spoken to him before and I'm pretty sure he wants what we want."
"No offense, mate, but you're judgement isn't always the best." Matt said cautiously.
Abby looked at him angrily, shocked he would still throw that in now. "That was a long time ago."
"Yes, yes..." Lester stopped them, his voice laced with exhaustion and concern. "We don't need to bring up the past."
"What if this is all about the past" Abby said quietly, hanging onto Connor's arm.
"Then whatever it is we have to fix it" Matt replied.
Lester looked from one to the other "Connor do you have a way to contact Evan Cross?"
"Yes." He answered.
"Then set up a meeting online. I'll get whatever permissions we need to speak to him. Let me know as soon as you have contact. Becker, I want an increase in security, just in case."
Becker straightened up "Yes Sir."
"Jess," Lester continued "I want the ARC computers checked for tampering daily."
She smirked "Already set."
"Matt, can you handle any anomalies with just Emily, Abby and Becker."
"Depends on what they are, but should be able to." Matt looked puzzled and slightly put out at Lester's overriding authority.
"Take Amanda if needed. I want Connor, Kieran, Mark and Jess working on this other problem."
What if there's an anomaly?" Jess asked.
"Yes, you can man the ADD for anomalies" Lester huffed.
"What about the animal transfer due to start at the end of the week?" Abby asked.
"Delay it until this is sorted. We need everyone in one place at the moment."
She sighed and nodded. She was eager to get the creatures into better surroundings but she knew ARC security was priority.
An alarm started to ring on the ADD. Not the usual ones for alerts or incursions.
"Here we go again" Connor muttered to Jess as they hurried out followed by the others. They were met in the hub by Kieran, Mark, Amanda and Emily.
"What is that?" Amanda asked.
"Intruder alert on the system" Connor explained as he and Jess began work at the ADD. "Set up to let us know they're trying to get in."
"OK. I've got the trace" Jess said eyes fixed on the screens.
"Locked and sending" Connor responded.
"Sending what?" Matt asked.
"We've tapped into the signal so that we return it and instead of them hacking us, we are now hacking them."
"Won't they notice?" Becker queried.
"Hopefully not, because our trace is hidden in their signal" Connor finished with a dramatic press of the enter key.
"What now?" Lester asked.
"We wait" Jess breathed.
"More waiting" Becker huffed. "Can't we do something?"
"Not everything's about running and shooting Mate" Connor grinned.
Becker pulled a face.
Jess smirked at him. "We need to see if this works and what it feeds back" she explained.
"At the risk of appearing impatient, how long is this likely to take?" Lester spoke up.
Jess and Connor exchanged a look.
"Don't know" Connor said quietly.
Lester sighed. "Might I suggest then that you all go and find something more productive to do. I don't pay you to stand around watching a flashing computer screen." He turned and walked away.
"I thought that was exactly what you paid me for" Jess called after him cheekily.
Lester kept walking. "I can soon change that Miss Parker"
.
Connor slumped wearily onto the sofa as he and Abby entered the flat.
"Tea?" She asked as he opened his laptop.
"That'd be nice" He murmured laying his head back and closing his eyes. "I'll come and help with dinner in a minute."
Abby smiled and went into the kitchen, calling for Rex.
Connor smiled to himself as he listened to her chatting away to the prehistoric lizard. This was one of his favourite things to do, relaxing with Abby in their home. As his brain drifted slowly out of consciousness,
he was vaguely aware of Abby talking to someone else.
Connor was suddenly shocked awake by an alarm and Abby shaking his shoulder.
"Connor wake up!"
He sat up and rubbed his hands over his face.
"Yes!" He exclaimed as he watched information feed onto his computer. His mobile rang and he answered it.
"Connor! Have you seen! It's working!" Jess squealed in his ear.
"Yep Jess. I've got it downloading now"
Abby sighed and shook her head. So much for a quiet night. "Tell Jess to come over, I'm cooking pasta"
"Come over. We can go through it." Connor put his phone down.