Chapter 5
Jane couldn't believe she was about to return Maura to the Institute yet deep down she knew Maura needed help she couldn't provide. She reached over to hold Maura's hand, fully knowledgeable that this may be the last time she ever did. Maura's hand was too hot to hold. Tears flooded Jane's eyes. Pulling over to the side of the road she threw her head back and tried to pretend something was in her eye, that she wasn't crying.
"Sad, love?" Maura asked.
"No," Jane answered roughly. Maura could see through her emotions though and she refrained from trying to deny her feelings. Leaning forward she risked placing a kiss on Maura's lips. Maura drew back.
"No, too hot. You'll only make me hotter."
"At another time that statement would be true in a different setting."
"Or we'd be laughing."
Jane put the car in gear as her cellphone rang.
"Yeah, Frost?"
"Jane where are you?"
"I'm returning Maura to the Institute."
"Hold on, hold on, Jane don't do that!" Frost was screaming into his phone.
"She's hot to the touch, Frost, I don't want her catching fire."
"No, Jane. I think I may have a solution to help Maura without turning her over to Dr. Ross."
"You have my full attention, Frost, spill it." Jane listened intently to his plan then grinned. She looked at Maura.
"We're going to Frost's house, Maura."
"Are you absolutely certain about this, Frost?" Jane asked for what she presumed to be the thousandth time.
"Not entirely, no. But it's a good alternative don't you think?"
Jane gestured to Maura who was stretched out in Frost's dry bathtub, a thermal blanket holding in cold air piped from the air conditioning.
"How long can she last like this?"
"Awhile I think. I'm not entirely certain but I think long enough for us to try our plan. If we're successful I'll have what we need and Maura can live a long life."
"I hope so, Frost. Returning her to the Institute is the last thing I want to do but I have to think of Maura's safety."
"Now to our plan. I sent Frankie to the hardware store for a few extra essentials. He'll be here by nine p.m."
"You told Frankie about this?"
"No. I asked him to stop at the hardware store for a few extra nails, a clawfoot hammer, a pipe wrench and other assorted items we'll need. I'm going to ask him to stay with Maura while we're gone so she isn't left alone."
"Thanks, Frost. Now, how are we going to get into the Institute after hours? Why can't you hack into their system?"
"The program Maura was launched under is proprietary software and has so many firewalls surrounding it we'll be caught and prosecuted before I can get in. The last time I got in through a simple program because the wiring basics weren't as heavily protected. Her design is, of course. I expected nothing less."
"So you have to hack into their system from their system?"
"Very good, Jane, yes, that's it," Frost beamed at Jane as if she were his prize pupil.
"Let's get started," Jane said when Frankie knocked on Frost's door.
The Institute was heavily guarded by security of all kinds, Frost knew: not only security guards physically present on the premises but the electronic surveillance kind designed to be able to trace an ant chasing a crumb in the lunchroom. But he always had a hunch that some of the most sophisticated surveillance systems could be brought down in a very simple manner. Just like his favorite movie, "Independence Day" Frost planned on giving the system a cold. When Jane emerged from his bathroom dressed in black from head to toe, including shoe black on her face, he launched the virus attempt and verified it went through to the same basic program he obtained Maura's wiring instructions from the last time.
"Let's go," he said and they left without a word. Driving as quickly as she could without a siren Jane drove up toward the back entrance of the Institute. She turned off her lights and glided to a stop behind a large tree. Luckily for them the Institute had a large field behind the main building.
Frost popped open his laptop and logged in. "I didn't have time to check the guard's routine in the evening so I asked Frankie to call in a fake security call. I'll answer it and let you in when the guard turns his back."
"I'm following whatever you tell me, Frost."
"It's okay, Jane, I know what I'm doing," Frost grinned as he shut the laptop down and exited the car. Tugging on his jacket with his shield pinned prominently to the front he caught Frankie's text saying he'd called the Institute. Frost walked up to the front door and was buzzed in by the guard.
Jane watched his progress then slipped quietly into place outside the back entrance. "I hope this works," Jane whispered as a prayer.
Two minutes and twenty seconds later the back door opened quietly and Jane slipped inside. She strode quietly down the back hallway, Frost on her heels. She stopped outside Dr. Ross' lab.
Frost took a computer card out of his wallet. "This is from the security guard so I can check out the main building," he whispered in Jane's ear. While Frost went straight to Dr. Ross' computer station Jane kept lookout by the door.
"Yes, I'm in," Frost said quietly. Working from a small penlight he banked on Dr. Ross leaving her workstation up and running at night and he was not disappointed. Dr. Ross liked to be able to log on from home should she need to and this was the only workstation available to him.
Typing quickly Frost recovered the program needed and went to work. He forwarded the necessary specs and files to his laptop then shut down.
"Time to go," he said and Jane nodded. Just as she was about to open the lab door however the door opened from outside. The guard stepped inside and nodded to Frost. Jane stood still, frozen in place and afraid to breathe.
"Everything looks to be in place," Frost said to the guard. He handed back the security card. Without looking in Jane's direction Frost followed the guard out the door.
Quietly Jane caught the door and held it a moment. Knowing it was a timed entrance and exit she waited, caught her breath, then stepped into the hall. The door shut behind her. She strode back down the hallway to the back entrance, intending to slip out and join Frost at the car. What she didn't anticipate was the guard re-arming the building so fast and an alarm sounded. Jane broke into a run, a mere fifty yards from the exit.
"Halt!" she heard behind her. Jane ran faster, hit the door and flew outside. With footsteps behind her she ran as quickly as she could.
"Start the car!" she screamed. Frost got in, started the engine and Jane braced for an impact from behind. Instead she stumbled on a small concrete step and fell forward. Recovering she got up and looked only at the car door. Jumping inside Frost floored the vehicle as Jane shut the door.
"That was close."
"Too close. I need to exchange places with you Jane so I can check my laptop. They may have a way to destroy the files before I can download them to Maura."
"Pull into that strip mall parking lot Frost and we can exchange seats."
"Think they called in a break-in?"
"Probably not. I think the Institute prides itself on having the best security measures in place and doesn't want to advertise a break-in."
"Particularly not one involving two of Boston's Finest."
"Detectives at that, Jane. Okay, here we go."
They exchanged seats rapidly and Frost grabbed his laptop. He checked that the files transferred correctly and were not in danger of melting off his computer. Jane glanced at him.
"So far so good. Just get me home, Jane."
"What the hell did I stumble over, anyway? It seemed like a small concrete slab in the ground."
"You won't like my answer, Jane. I had a chance to see it when the guard let me out. It's a small graveyard for earlier versions of Maura's cyborg."
"A cemetery for cyborgs? Frost, that's creepy."
"I agree. It's probably a memorial stone, I doubt you'd find parts buried in a field when they can be used again."
"I hope this works, Frost, but if it doesn't you might find me digging up Maura's predecessor some night."
"Don't worry, Jane, I think I have everything I need."
They parked in Frost's driveway and Jane followed her partner up the stairs. Frankie greeted them, saying Maura was okay. Frost checked on her thermal cover and noted the temperature setting was helping Maura stay as cool as possible.
"Now, to upload the files and see what we have."
Jane sat in front of the television set, flipping through channels while Frost worked in silence. She couldn't concentrate, even when the sports news came on and she noted the Patriots had another come from behind win that week.
"You must really be in love with Maura, Jane," Frankie said from the other end of the sofa.
"What makes you say that Frankie?"
"Usually when one of your teams wins in dramatic fashion, Jane, you're up and yelling your approval."
"I can't lose her, Frankie. I know she's a cyborg, I know Ma might not approve of our relationship but I can't imagine living my life without her."
"You may have to, Jane."
"I know, Frankie."
"Hey, Frankie, Jane, give me hand will you?" Frost called from the bathroom.
"Help me get her settled on the floor. Jane I need you to open her wire box." Jane did as requested. Maura settled on the floor with her eyes on Jane's face.
"Hang in there, sweetie, Frost is trying to help," Jane murmured.
"Okay, now for the hard part. I have to stop her circuits while she reboots. Jane you may want to go into the living room for this."
"No, Frost, I'll stay." Jane took Maura's hand lightly in hers. It was still too hot to actually hold.
Frost punched in a few commands then Maura's eyelids fluttered shut. Her chest evened out and she quit breathing.
"Almost looks like she's dead," Frankie said.
"If she were human she would be. Thankfully she's not."
"I'm glad you're able to help her, Frost. If you're successful we might have to name our firstborn after you."
"Who's carrying the baby?" Frankie blurted out.
"Ever see a pregnant cyborg, Frankie?" Frost asked. He grinned at Jane. "Who knows, if this is successful we might try that."
TBC Btw, for you technogeeks and hardware lovers I am neither so I ask your forgiveness in any mistakes I might have made. While I can hammer a nail I frequently use my shoe to prop up the hood of my Jeep while I check the fluids so please keep that in mind when reading this chapter.