Nineteen
Dawn broke, turning the darkness outside to a dull gray as the rain continued. Inside the warehouse, it was marked only by a break for coffee, from the multitude of thermos bottles that littered the worktable.
"All right, Sinjin." Jade leaned against the wall, crossing her ankles and taking the weight off her knee. "Can you see them?"
Clicking. "No.. no.. wait." More clicking. "Ah.. yep... there they are…"
Jade closed her eyes in utter relief. "All of them?"
"Wait.. I'm getting Unicenter booted." The MIS chief muttered. "Hang on.. hang on… okay.. yeah." He confirmed. "I'm seeing all the gateways and both backbones." A beat. "Wow… tremendous work, boss… that kicks ass."
Jade let her head rest against the wall. "I had a lot of help." She muttered. "Okay… now... I'm going to boot the fiber hub." She reached over and flipped a switch.
Across the room, bodies were slumped on the carpet, or leaning against the far walls, and the door kept opening fitfully, letting in cold, damp air.
"I don't see it." Sinjin's voice cut through her exhaustion.
"Shit." Jade shoved her body off the wall and examined the piece of equipment. "I don't... it's connected… let me.. "
"Did you set the IP?" Sinjin asked, gently.
Jade thought about it. "I don't remember." She glanced up as Tori came over. "Sinjin sees the backbones and the routers.. but not this box.. did we program it?"
Tori brought the laptop over, and connected it, then ran through a few screens. "Nope." She typed in a few commands, and then reset the unit. 'Try now."
Sinjin clicked a bit, then grunted. "Got it." He entered several commands rapidly. "Needs the secondary table though... hang on... I'm in there… I can download it from here.. wait.. okay." He sighed. "Got it.. got it… you're going to have to IPL the mainframes, though."
Jade and Tori exchanged glances. "What?" Jade asked. "I thought they were up?"
"They are," Sinjin said. "But the ports shut down when you don't have activity after a certain point… it's a bug or something.. you need to reset them."
Jade let out an explosive breath. "Son of a fucking bitch.. Sinjin, we can't get in there." She told him. "Can't you remote IPL?"
"Has to be a hardware reset." The MIS chief responded. "God, Jade… I'm sorry... I knew that, in the back of my head, I should have told you before... I didn't realize… "
No. Jade let her head smack against the wall, and she cursed softly under her breath.
Tori chewed her lip in thought, watching her lover anxiously. "What if we cut the building generator off and on?" She asked suddenly. "It's outside."
Jade stared at her, then dropped the phone onto the fiber rack and took hold of the brunette woman, kissing her soundly in full view of the room. "I love you." She patted Tori's cheek, as she headed past her towards the door.
Tori stood rooted in place, stunned beyond speech. She had her back to everyone and could almost feel the eyes beating against the back of her head. Finally, she picked up the cell phone and cleared her throat. "Um.. hi."
Sinjin also cleared his throat. "Hi." He responded. "Guess she liked that idea, huh?"
"Uh.. yeah." Tori winced, as she slowly turned, relieved to see most of the techs still passed out and paying no attention to her. There were a handful of bemused faces, though, and she mustered a weak smile for them. "I just hope it works."
"Hey… that sure beats Q bucks." One tech laughed. "I think I'll move down to San Francisco... they got a better bonus plan." A round of tired laughter followed.
Tori scrubbed a hand across her reddening face and sighed. "I'm gonna kill her for that." She muttered, then glanced up as Jade reentered the building.
"All right folks.. we've got fifteen minutes, and we'll know if this all has been worth it." The dark-haired woman announced. "And if it is, or isn't… I'd like to say thanks to all of you who hung in there…I know we asked a lot."
A weary silence fell over them, and everyone settled in to watch the routers, whose traffic LED's were dark. Jade walked over to where Tori was standing and slid down the wall, clasping her hands lightly in front of her.
Waiting.
Tori sat down next to her and fiddled with the phone, sitting cross-legged and resting her elbows on her knees.
Fifteen minutes passed, and there was no change in the lights. Jade closed her eyes and let her head drop in defeat, hardly feeling Tori's hand on her arm. Of all the times to fail, she had to pick this one. She refused the hear the disappointed murmur that echoed around the ill-lit room, as the tired waves finally crashed over her.
"It was a damn good try." Tori rested her head against Jade's shoulder.
"Not good enough." Came the whispered reply.
The brunette woman moved closer, accidentally jerking the power plug of the fiber hub from the wall. 'Oh.. crap" She shoved it back in with an annoyed grimace. "For all the good that'll do." She muttered, turning her attention to her lover. "Hey.. c'mon.. no one could have done any more, Jade."
"Hey!" A tinny voice distracted her, and she lifted the phone.
"What is it, Sinjin? It didn't work." Tori admitted.
"Bullshit.. yes it did!" The MIS chief yelled. "I'm getting packets!"
Jade's head jerked up on hearing that, and they both stared at the router racks, where LED's were coming alive in an electronic dance. "Son of a bitch."
Yells were now coming from the techs, who were pointing at the routers.
"Wow!" Tori let out a surprised, and delighted laugh. "I guess it just took a few minutes longer…"
"No... " Jade looked up at the hub over her head. "You did it.. you reset the optics hub." She grabbed Tori and hugged her. "You did it!"
Dumbfounded, Tori stared at her. "I did it?" She jerked around and looked at the plug. "It was an accident!"
"Waaahoo!" Sinjin yodeled through the phone. "Infriggingcredible, Jade! Kiss that woman for me."
Blue eyes were now alive with mischief fastened on Tori's face. "Oh... I think I can do that." She stood up and pulled Tori up with her, as a round of tired cheers went up around the room.
"Uh.. Jade?" Tori whispered frantically. "Um.. you know, I love when you kiss me... I really, really do, but um… could we just kinda… " She jerked her head in the direction of the watching technicians. "I feel like a video game."
Jade chuckled. "All right.." She relented, draping an arm over Tori's shoulder instead, and walking towards the now excitedly talking group. She took the phone from Tori. "So.. everything coming online?"
"OH.. yes… " Sinjin chuckled. "Oh wait.. there's the hotline.. figures, the sun just started coming up." He rustled around. "MIS Ops, VanCleef." A pause. "Hmm? Oh.. yeah, we're up.. no problem." Another pause. "Yep.. that too... the whole network's online." A longer pause. "Yeah, I've got her on the other line.. wh…ok…I'll relay that.. thanks." He hung up. "Hey, Jade?"
"Yeah?" Jade replied, accepting the cries of congratulations from the crowd.
"Alastair said to tell you he slept like a baby." The MIS chief related. "He said you'd understand."
She let a brief, humorless smile cross her face. "Yeah... I understand." She replied. "All right.. let me get off this thing… I'm going to make sure this is stable, then go get some sleep." The thought of a warm bed, and snuggling with Tori was suddenly overwhelmingly attractive. "Later." She hung up and tucked the phone into her pocket.
Fresh staff was entering the building, cautiously peering around the doorframe until they spotted familiar faces. A supervisor was busy making a schedule, and two other new faces were pulling out monitoring consoles from boxes and setting them up. "We did it," Jade stated, in a wondering tone. "I don't believe it."
Tori exhaled. "We sure did." She confirmed.
They both looked up as someone called Jade's name out. A man trotted towards them, pulling up as he reached their sides.
"Ms. West?" He asked. "There are some people outside… I think it's the environmental people.. they want to see you."
Jade went very still. "Same people as last night?" She asked cautiously.
He nodded. "Yeah.. that same doctor.. but she said her boss is here.. wants to talk to you." He made a face. "They were kinda rude about it." He added, then turned as someone called him, and moved off.
Tori looked up at Jade's face, seeing the confusion and reluctance there. "You want me to take care of this?" She asked bluntly.
Pale blue eyes flicked to hers. "Thanks.. but.. um.. I'd better go." Jade told her heavily. "You wait here.. it shouldn't take long.. since I don't really care when they clear the other building now.. as long as we keep the generators going."
Tori didn't back off. "Sure you don't want company?" She had no idea what was spooking Jade so badly, but she was damned if she wasn't going to find out. "Two of them.. only fair if there are two of us."
Jade hesitated. "Her boss and I have a history." She finally admitted.
"I gathered." The brunette woman answered quietly. "That was the old history, right?"
A nod. "Yes."
"Jade, it's been a really long night.. you're tired… let me go take care of them for you." Tori pleaded gently, seeing the stark indecision in Jade's eyes. "Or at least let me come, too."
She gave in. "All right." Jade ran a hand through her hair. "Let's get it over with… I want to get out of here." She picked up Tori's duffel and slung it over her shoulder. "We can just go after that."
They walked out, side by side, into a gray drizzle.
It was almost like her stomach was twisting into knots. Tori paced alongside her boss, watching the jaw muscles bunch and relax on the side of her face as they moved around to where the networking office was. Two figures were standing under the overhang out of the rain, and Tori almost felt Jade bristle as she spotted them.
This was potentially very ugly, she realized, studying the two people. One was Dr. Simmonds, she knew. The other, a taller, stocker woman with sun-streaked chestnut hair was standing quietly, watching Jade like a hawk as they approached. Tori had an immediate, very visceral desire to kick her in the shins, and had to wonder about her newly found physical nature.
"Hey, Jade!" A voice interrupted them, and they stopped, turning to let a jogging figure catch up. It was the Bellsouth regional manager, who held a hand out to Jade as he came up to them. "Hear it worked.. congratulations!"
Jade mustered a smile and took his hand. "You made it happen." She amiably told him. "You guys really came through for us... don't think I'll forget that."
They were close enough for the two women to overhear, Tori realized, and she saw their faces fall. A grin worked its way onto her face. "Yes.. it really was great working with you." She added, shaking his hand as well. "Your techs were wonderful… they got us back up with no problem." She made sure her voice was a little louder than necessary.
"Well, thanks... " He grinned. "Can I treat you ladies to an old-fashioned country breakfast?"
Jade regretfully declined. "We've got things to take care of.. but thanks for the offer." She nodded towards the waiting women. "I think the scientists have something to tell us."
"Right.. well, you take care." He waved, then trotted off, hailing one of the techs nearby.
"You know, Jade... " Tori fell into step beside her as they resumed their stroll. "If I didn't know better. I'd say those people were disappointed to hear things worked out." Her eyes flicked to their targets.
"Mm," Jade murmured. "You could be right." She swallowed, to get the cotton out of her mouth, and tried to ignore the pounding of her heartbeat, very aware of Shari's eyes on her. She summoned her coldest, fiercest outer persona, and wrestled it into place.
"Jade?" Tori's voice dropped to a low murmur.
"Hmm?" She ducked her head a little, nervously clenching and unclenching her fists.
"I love you."
Jade blinked, then looked up as they came even with the two women. Shari who? "You needed to speak with me?" She asked amiably, feeling the dread fall away, nudged aside by the living, breathing acknowledgment that Shari had been wrong, all those years ago. Her eyes met her old lover's, and she gave her a small nod of acknowledgment. "Hello, Shari."
"Jade." The woman answered, in a low, musical voice. Her eyes flicked to Tori's face, then an eyebrow rose.
"Sorry... " Jade felt a smile edging her lips. "This is my associate, Victoria Vega... Tori, this is Shari Englewood. "
"Pleased to meet you," Tori responded politely, extending a hand, and returning the firm grip with one of her own.
An awkward silence fell. "Would you two please excuse us." Shari finally said. "I'd like to speak with Ms. West in private."
Dr. Simmonds ducked away immediately, seemingly glad to get out of the situation, but Tori paused for a long moment, gazing at the chestnut-haired woman steadily before she took the duffle from Jade and gave her boss a quick grin. "See you at the car."
Jade half turned her face and winked at her. "Won't be long." She watched Tori stride off towards the vehicle, ducking her head against the still-falling rain. Then she turned back and folded her arms over her chest.
And waited. The cool gray eyes studied her, and she returned the look without flinching, keeping her expression noncommittal. Shari hadn't changed much, save that she'd gotten a bit heavier, and her face had taken on a colder, more predatory expression. She was, Jade acknowledged, still very attractive, and the look of those familiar eyes brought up old, and painful memories she tried to shove back down.
"You haven't changed much." Shari finally said. "You still running around doing their dirty work?"
Jade refused to take offense. "Sure." She drawled. "Only now they pay me more to do it., and I've got an office in the penthouse." It gave her quite a bit of satisfaction to say that, and a tiny smirk caught the edge of her lip as the jibe registered. "And incidentally, if the chemical team finds no trace of your dangerous substance, you'll find the bill for this sitting on your desk."
"Oh, they'll find it." She responded. "I wouldn't have bothered making that up... I was just so happy to hear it was going to screw you up, that I had to come to see for myself." Her eyes wandered over Jade's body. "But you pulled out the fucking rabbit out of your ass again, didn't you?" She snorted. "That sucks, Jade... I should have come over last night when Anne told me you were tearing your hair out."
"Sorry to disappoint you," Jade replied. "Now, unless you actually have something to say, I have a Jacuzzi and a nice warm bed waiting." She let a frank grin shape her lips, watching the minute reaction in Shari's pale eyes.
A tiny shake of her head followed. "I'd forgotten how different you look when you smile." The other woman mused. "You going to be in town long, Jade?"
Uh oh. "Just until tonight… then I'm heading up into the mountains for a few days." She replied, cautiously. "Why?"
A shrug. "Thought maybe we could just sit down and talk for a few minutes." She paused. "You seeing anyone?"
Jade could hardly believe what she was hearing, and she felt a cool anger start to brew. "Yes." She answered quietly. "Despite your prediction."
A soft snort. "I'd love to meet… her?" She wrinkled her nose in question.
Jade caught her balance. "You just did." She answered mildly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to be going." She gave Shari a nod, then turned and started back towards the car.
"I hope she knows what she's getting into," Shari yelled after her.
Jade stopped and turned. "You were right about something." She gazed at her through the icy drizzle. "I had no idea what love was." She watched in savage satisfaction as the comment was understood, and then she turned her back and walked off.