This would be so much easier if he didn't like her. He could just do his job, in and out, without worrying about the consequences of what he might find and without concern for who might be hovering over his shoulder, metaphorically or otherwise. Without counting all the reasons he should have known something was wrong, and all the times he should have stepped in, either to stop it or to make sure she committed her treason correctly, dammit. Annie was smart, but she was new and much greener than she realized. At the rate she was going, she wouldn't have the chance to learn from her mistakes.
The computer was cleaner than it ought to be, but not clean enough to hold him for long. He toyed briefly with the idea of drawing the process out, stalling to give Annie time to work through whatever it was she was doing all by herself, and decided against it. The faster he knew what it was Annie was playing with, the better equipped he'd be to help her. Of course, if she'd just talked to him in the first place...
What? She wouldn't be sitting in a federal holding cell, about to be charged with four murders? Impossible to say without more information. Get back to work, Anderson.
Don't wonder if she crossed a line and will be hung out to dry for it. Don't think about who might be looking for her while she stays a sitting duck in a cell. Joan would have mentioned it if she were hurt or in danger. Don't...
Back to work.
Auggie knew the cost of the work they did, better than most. People got hurt, people died. So did friendships, families, and careers. This stunt could carry any of those consequences for Annie – how would she ever explain four murder convictions to her sister? And they would be convictions; someone had to take the fall for this. What was it that was worth this much to her? Why on earth, after all that they had been through together since she left the farm, did she feel the need to lie to him?
And what did Jai know that he wasn't sharing?
Too many questions – it was time for some answers. He could use Annie's misstep to do a little digging of his own, begining with one Ben Mercer. He had a good start with the classified documents right at his fingertips, in Annie's browsing history, and his clearance was higher than hers.
Because nothing goes with one felony like another.
Auggie normally wasn't the type to keep score, but she was gonna owe him for this one, whether he could help bail her out of it or not. Anything that worked up a camaraderie with Jai Wilcox qualified as above and beyond. Jai, though, seemed to be the one other person truly worried for Annie. Not open, but on her side, and Auggie had to give him points for that. Joan might be as well, but it was hard to tell: loyalty was important to her, but that might not work in Annie's favor this time, and since her promotion Joan kept to herself. Which left Auggie talking to Jai. Worrying together was marginally better than worrying alone.
Annie's head-first style was going to make them brothers before the year was out. Auggie sighed and resumed his efforts, trying not to think dismal thoughts as he waited for word or a breath of grapefruit perfume.