Badass II Chapter 3
Frost frowned as he stared at his computer screen. The Institute had so many firewalls it was going to be almost impossible to hack into their system and get Maura the help she needed. Behind his chair Jane paced worriedly.
"Come on, Frost, help her. It's been almost two hours now," Jane pleaded. Frost shook his head in frustration.
"Jane, I'm trying. If I knew what to do myself I could find other websites and apply their technology, but with Maura being a cyborg I'm at a complete loss."
Frankie stood and watched over Maura, who was lying inert on the sofa. She hadn't moved since Jane placed her there. Frankie was just as worried. If Frost couldn't help her he knew Maura was doomed to be returned to The Institute and Jane might lose Maura forever. He didn't want to see that happen. Jane was the happiest she'd been in years and it was all due to Maura. And Frankie loved Maura also. She was another sister to love and protect. Frankie reached down and took Maura's hand. As he did so her eyelids fluttered.
"Boop, beep, beep," she said then stopped.
"Jane, Frost! Maura spoke!" Frankie called into the other room. Jane and Frost came running into the living room.
"What did she say?" Jane asked excitedly.
"She made some sounds," Frankie said. "She beeped a couple of times."
"Oh," Frost said, his shoulders slumping. He turned to go back to his computer. Jane grabbed his arm.
"No wait, Frost that may be a good thing. Maura, repeat please," she commanded and Maura's eyes opened halfway.
"Boop, beep, beep," she said then stopped.
"Just like that, Frankie?" Frankie nodded his head.
"Yes, like that, Jane, in the same order and everything."
"Could that be Morse code, Frost?"
"I suppose, Jane, but why Morse code?"
"Maybe Maura is hardwired to default to Morse code in times like these?"
"I guess."
"When Maura and I were going underwater when we investigated the fracking case Maura was semi-conscious because of the infection from her leg. She started making beeping noises and it turned out she was sending Morse code signals for mayday."
"Three beeps are not enough, Jane."
"Maura, continue," Jane commanded. Maura's eyes fluttered open. Her voice sounded so weak Jane and Frost bent over her to hear better.
"Boop, beep, beep, beeeeeppppp-" came out of the medical examiner before she stopped.
"Let me run it and see what happens," Frost said. Jane sat down next to Maura and took her hand.
"I love you for trying to help us help you," she said softly to Maura. Frankie wandered off to give Jane some private time with Maura.
"Jane!" Frost shouted. Jane ran into the other room.
"She's trying to give us the code to get into The Institute's computer system. And here we are!" Frost shouted. Quickly he scanned the files until he found the one for Maura.
"I need to open her chest," he said to Jane.
"I'll open it," Jane said protectively. Frankie looked from one to the other.
"Guys, do I need to be here for this? Maura needs her privacy."
"She's wired in her chest, Frankie you're not going to see much," Frost said.
"Yeah, he will, Frost. She is anatomically correct you know."
"No, I didn't, Jane. I can't say I've thought about that."
` "Where did you think her cleavage came from?" Jane asked. Frost started to say something then shut his mouth.
"I never wondered. Knowing Maura is a cyborg I guess I thought she was like Barbie." Jane sighed.
"She isn't. So yeah, Frankie, you can leave if you like. What do you need to see, Frost?"
"Her wiring, specifically the blue, red and green ones. They may have gotten crossed when she melted down."
"Okay." Carefully Jane opened Maura's blouse and bra, tucking the sweater off to the side while she accessed the small control panel in the center of Maura's chest. Jane concentrated on keeping Maura covered while Frost looked into the panel and found the wires he wanted.
"Yeah, she melted down almost completely. I need a new set of wiring but I think Frankie had some in his tool chest." Frost came back a couple of minutes later with a set of wires dangling in his hand.
"Let's try this," he said and grabbed a small screwdriver. Without disturbing any other connections Frost took out the damaged wires and replaced them. Plugging Maura into his computer he started a file upload.
"Do you know when Maura was last backed up?" he asked.
"What? Oh you mean a computer type back up," Jane answered, trying to get the image of Maura being backed up against the wall the other evening when they returned from dinner and didn't make it into the bedroom.
"Never mind her file's dated correctly. She may not have lost much," Frost said. The file upload complete Maura rebooted. Slowly she sat up and looked at Jane.
"Are you my mother?" she asked. Jane shook her head while Frost stared.
"She does that when she reboots," Jane explained. Maura settled back against the sofa and looked from Jane to Frost. Suddenly she looked down at her sweater and noticed it was unbuttoned.
"Oh did we have sex?" she asked. Frost blushed.
"No, Maura, Frost fixed your chest."
"What was wrong with it?"
"No I mean he fixed your meltdown and rebooted you," Jane tried to explain. Frost put up his hands.
"Ladies I don't need to hear this. If you don't mind I'm going back into the computer."
"Yeah, thanks, Frost for all of your help. We'll get out of your way now."
"She should be good Jane. If Maura's battery backup seems low plug her into a socket when she goes to sleep."
"Yeah that's what I do with all my dates," Jane muttered. She took Maura by the hand and helped her off the sofa.
"I feel a little woozy," Maura said, leaning on Jane.
"I'm taking you home Maura and you can rest there. Your system is a little rundown."
"Dr. Laura can take care of me, Jane, if you need to drop me off at the Institute."
"No, Maura, she can't. She wants to dismantle you."
"Is that bad?" Maura asked.
"Yes, it is, Maura. It means you go away forever."
"Mustn't do that. Have important work to do." Maura sagged against Jane a little and Jane carried her to the car. Buckling her seatbelt she leaned in for a quick kiss.
"I can't lose you, Maura, you mean too much to me," Jane whispered. "I brought you to Frost because he's a computer expert."
"I understand," Maura said. She dipped her head down to her chest as if deep in thought. "I must stay away from Dr. Laura and the Institute."
"Yes, for the time being at least. We need to make sure you're protected." Jane slid into the driver's seat and looked at Maura before starting the engine.
"I hope Frost can keep taking care of you, Maura." Jane headed home, knowing her luck held that night. But could Frost keep Maura working properly in the future?
TBC
I am terribly sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter. I have been working on future chapters and the storyline, to keep it fresh and not accidentally duplicate from the original "Badass" story.