Red Operation

XXVII: Red Alert

Twenty-seven: Red Alert

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After taking that uncomfortable glimpse into the files room, Daniel decided to go straight to his room. He stopped in front of his door and found it weird how it opened with only one turn of the key, he always locked it with two. He entered and turned on the lights, walking to his desk. He sat and opened the drawer where he kept the files, again with only one turn, which was too suspicious.

He immediately got up from his seat and walked around the room, looking for anything that could have been out of place. He checked the shelves, the floor, the drawers, but there was nothing wrong there, no outsider influence, it was all exactly the way he had left it. He was about to give up and accept the fact that he, for the first time, had merely locked everything differently from the usual when he found something on the floor by his desk. He squatted and picked it up. It was a bobby pin.

He looked to his desk and reached for the key under it, but did not find it. He then remembered the drawer he unlocked with just one turn of the key was the one he kept his most important files and suddenly everything made sense. The attack on the security room was directly linked to this event, as well. Whoever broke into the security room had access to the cameras and saw where he kept the documents.

He opened the drawer and pulled out all of the documents, trying to see which one was missing, but they were all there; all but one: Red Operation, which he had taken with him to New York City. It was clear to him that Red Operation was the target of the invader and his room was not the safest place to store the files now that he was back.

Fortunately, he did know of someone trustworthy enough to keep the files with. After all, If not even the security room was secure enough, it was best to give them to a person. He left his room and walked over to Stephen's, but he was not there. Daniel knew exactly where he was and he hated the thought of having to go there.

As he went to the files room, where he had last seen Stephen with Mikhail, he had more than enough time to rethink the decision of giving those files to Stephen and none of those thoughts came because of what happened between them the night before, but rather because he was not sure he could trust Mikhail and if they were really together it was most likely that one would spend time on the other's house - and the very thought of that was enough to turn Daniel's stomach -, which could, in turn, compromise the files.

On the other hand, he thought of nobody more perfect for the task than Stephen for various reasons: he was not important, so the chances of him being watched were null; he was Daniel's direct employee, so this would not be a favor, but rather a work task; and he himself was someone Daniel could trust.

He decided, in the end, that the pros outweigh the cons and knocked on the door he had previously seen Stephen and Mikhail through. He opened the door and Stephen widened his eyes.

"Stephen, can I talk to you for a moment?" Daniel asked, motioning with his hand for him to follow

"Of course," Stephen said, following him. "You know, what you saw there... Oliver and I were just talking."

"Somebody broke into my room," he said, cutting the excuses. If he were to say what he really thought about Mikhail and Stephen talking together, he would be extremely rude.

"What? How?"

"I don't know yet. Don't know how, who, when... Well, I know when: yesterday. I am just on my way to the security room to check the cameras and see what they've got recorded. Apparently, the camera in my room was working, but I don't even know anymore."

"Do you think this has anything to do with the attack on the security room last week?"

"I don't think whoever broke into the security room did it to distract me and break into my room, but I do think the two attacks are connected. That's for sure."