Chapter Seventeen
Flagged
October 23...
Saturday...
12:43 A.M...
The Chamber...
Analysts worked in three eight hour shifts, and a file came across an analyst's computer. He scanned the document and flagged the record.
The analyst pressed a button on the side of his earpiece and stated, "I have a problem."
A supervisor approached his workstation, and she questioned, "What's the problem?"
The analyst glanced up at her, then turned back to his computer, and pointed. "I've received a file that a Mr. Pinchbeck has taken over management duties for the Factory."
"All right. What seems to be the problem?" The supervisor looked over the document and adjacent files. "All the paperwork is in order."
"I remember sending out this document yesterday. The new manager wasn't Mr. Pinchbeck, but Mr. Monrow. I believe the documentation has been altered. We should bring it to the attention of the Council."
The supervisor tapped the touch screen of her H.H.C. and pulled up the files in question. "No, you must be mistaken. I have the original file right here. Mr. Pinchbeck is the new manager."
The analyst shook his head. "I could have sworn there was a different name there yesterday."
She insisted, "This is nothing we should concern the Council with. If there was a mix-up, we would have heard about it by now. There can't be two managers at the Factory."
The analyst motioned to his screen and said, "I found something else. Mr. Frank Bygone used his corporate card yesterday to rent a limo." The analyst pointed to a H.H.C. lying on his workstation. "I have the bill from the limo company right here."
"What's your point?" the supervisor a little irritated, questioned.
"Mr. Bygone worked at the Factory." The analyst turned to her again. "He's listed among the dead, so how could he have used his corporate card?"
"Where did the limo take him?"
"Let me see. The driver picked him up from the corner of Limit Street and West 1000 Avenue and took him to the Factory."
"Has the card been used since?"
The analyst looked over the file. "No."
"No worries then. The limo company put down the wrong date, that's all. They aren't as efficient as us. Back date our records to the day before the T-3s attacked the Factory." The supervisor nodded after the analyst complied. "Excellent. Now we can say good-bye to Mr. Bygone."
The analyst snickered. "That's kind of funny."
"Yeah, I know, but don't let the Council hear you laugh." The supervisor motioned to them with her head as they talked among themselves. "Back to work." The supervisor continued down the row of analysts. "There's much to do."
In the center of the Chamber...
Mr. Morta's view...
I review the data we received from Etna Toys Distribution Station Bravo and find it most interesting. Ginn's Cipher has appeared, and now we need to discover who has it, and why they were at one of our old labs. I have a feeling this incident has something to do with Pandora. I smirk, amused by the notion. It would be like Pandora; she would become involved in Ginn's Prophecy to spite our efforts. I place my computer in sleep mode, push my chair away from the table, and stand. If it's true, what part will Pandora play? I walk through the areas of the room that are shadowed from prying eyes.
End Mr. Morta's view...
Mr. Decuma stretched his hand forward and scanned the darkness, noting Mr. Morta was smiling. Mr. Decuma asked, "Do we have a team ready to go to Etna Toys Distribution Station Bravo?"
"No," Ms. Nona answered. "All of our S.C.Ms. are busy on other assignments except those stationed here. Should we pull a group from the field or send in our personal guard?"
"Neither," Mr. Morta replied as he returned to his chair. "There is nothing important anyone can find at Etna, so we should not pull any S.C.Ms. off of an assignment to investigate some vandal or junky."
"Do you really believe it was some vandal or junky?" Mr. Decuma inquired. "This vandal has Ginn's Cipher." Suspicious of the oldest member's actions, he questioned, "Why do you delay in sending the S.C.Ms.?"
"Delay?" Slightly offended, Mr. Morta stated, "If you believe this Cipher is more important than any of the assignments the S.C.Ms. are on, by all means, you can go ahead, pull out one of the teams, and send them in. Or better yet, you should send in our personal guards and hope the T-3s do not discover our new base of operations."
Mr. Decuma's view...
Why does he belittle my opinion or is there another reason for the delay? Is Mr. Morta hoping someone will escape before our men arrive at Etna?
End Mr. Decuma's view...
"Mr. Morta is correct in his thinking," Ms. Nona stated. "As great of a find Ginn's Cipher would be, what good is it to us? Ginn's Prophecy is not our department." She paused. "Unless you have a good reason why we should investigate immediately, I say we let our guard dogs take care of the intruder or intruders."
Mr. Decuma straightened his bright orange tie as if it was chafing his neck and said, "We will wait as you implied, most likely the intruder will not survive the K-99s. We can have their corpse examined. There is no rush."
Mr. Decuma's view...
I glance at Mr. Morta. First he delayed Cerberus from killing Pandora, and now he delays us from sending a team to Etna. I believe Mr. Morta is letting his emotions interfere with his judgment, and I may need to step in to rectify the situation.
#2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love Page 19
