UNDERCOVER - Dark Fire Data (Book 3)

Part 19 - Triple Oh

'Dat was Murga,' I told him as Triple Oh sat up rubbing his shoulder.  'Are you okay?' I asked. 'What just happened?

 'Methinks he was trying to kidnap thee but he did not know we were close.  If Chance favours us, he is now in custody but I suspect Toktakunov redirected the nexus. He is probably in some other time phase, as we speak.'

'Licia, if you still have 911 on the line,' Miguel said, 'tell the operator it was a false alarm.'

'The police will come anyway,' she said. 'My mother accidentally called 911 last year. She told the operator it was a mistake and then went out for a walk. The police arrived and they had to find her to make sure it was a mistake.'

'Okay,' Miguel said, 'do we wait for the police? Or not?'

'Dr Zhang won't be happy if they come into the school,' I pointed out. 'Let's wait outside.'

Licia, Miguel and I followed Triple Oh outside where we were met with a shocking blast of frigid air. Winter in Ottawa had not let up and the deep snow drifts hadn't disappeared. But Dr Zhang had heard the noise and came rushing through the door behind us, just as Theo arrived on his Harley Davidson.

Triple Oh was trying to tell me something about having to leave immediately so I grabbed Dr Zhang's arm to get his attention and introduced them. 'This is Time Agency Agent Onderdonk also known as Triple Oh.'

'Well met,' Triple Oh said sticking out his large hand. 'But I must perforce beg your forgiveness and leave in haste. Murga demonstrates considerable ingenuity and persistence.  And Toktakunov's finger prints are all over this. I fear we must track Murga before he moves again. Fare thee well.' 

 Dr Zhang looked dazed as he shook hands. 'I've heard so much about you.   Ah-um, nice to meet you at last.'

We watched in silence as Theo's Harley slalomed away down the snow covered street with Triple Oh grimly clinging to the back seat.

Dr Zhang said, 'You had better come to my office and explain what just happened.'

As soon as we had all squashed into Dr Zhang's office we told him about Murga trying to kidnap me and Triple Oh's arrival via the electric bookcase. 

Dr Zhang turned to Denny. 'I recall you saying Oppy was shut down.'

'She was. Someone was able to use the electric bookcase even when Oppy had it switched off. It looks like the same thing happened to us when we got sent to the Titanic? '

The computer monitor behind us immediately lit up with Oppy's remarks.

 I resent that. I did not send you anywhere. All I did was to reduced the time open setting as soon as I noted the aberration. And it will take another 40 100 800 milliseconds to finish calculating corrections for the time link. Now, can I get back to work?

 'Ah-um,' Dr Zhang said. 'I don't understand because if Oppy was turned off and neither of us was working with Oppy, someone must have hacked into Oppy '

'Triple Oh must have taken control of the electric bookcase to catch Murga,' I told him.

'Now you have to believe us,' Licia said. 'We are not making this up.'

'Ah-um,' Dr Zhang yawned. 'I am exhausted over the negotiation about WongTime. But, ah-um, before you leave, may I remind you that you agreed not to talk about my work until I have applied for patents. We can have further discussion later.'

 Licia, Miguel and I took the short cut to Licia's house and climbed over the snow banks along Sumac street.

'Beryl's Bunglers are back,' Miguel laughed as he pointed to a van, with a ladder on top, parked near the school. 

'Triple Oh says they work for Dark Fire Data,' I reminded them.

'Are you sure it's the same van?' Licia asked.

Miguel said, 'Yup. I memorized the licence number when they chased us.

 'You're sure you're not being paranoid, eh?' I asked. 'They could be just installing fibre optic cable.'

 'Do you want to ask them?' Miguel grinned.

'No. But, let's keep an eye on them.' I said. We entered through the side door at Licia home and kicked off our shoes. 

 'Jeez.' Licia wrinkled her nose. 'You guys need clean socks.'

She shepherded us into the family room where her parents were watching television. Miguel and I said, 'Hi,' as Licia introduced us and we went back to the kitchen where she heated three mugs of soy milk and a few mince pies in the microwave. She stirred chocolate powder into the milk and we carried a tray of warm pies and the mugs down to the basement rec room. The hot chocolate and sweet, spicy, minced fruit pies were delicious.

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