While You Slept

24

Allen was feeling rather satisfied with himself. He had called Astrid earlier on to enquire about the proton fuser William was talking about. She confirmed what William had said. The proton fuser was very powerful and the only one they had was locked in an energy safe back at Metro labs. He told her to keep a close eye on it and she should be careful. Whoever it was that stole the cell replicator could come back any moment and could hurt her. She took his advice and told him not to worry about her anymore. He also asked if any information on Diablo's location turn up.
"The last place he was seen was on a remote farmland in Kansas but that was earlier this year. Where ever he is now he is doing a very good job of covering his tracks. We cannot pin point a location yet." She had said.
"Keep looking and what about Richard? Find anything weird?"
"If by weird you mean he returns to his home late at night most of the times and sometimes he just disappears from our grid. Then yes we did."
"I knew it. He must be up to something. Fax me the details will you?"
"Sure thing.  I still do not know what this is all about though."
He did not answer the question because she would not understand. He waited for her to send him the details and he was still looking at it when Sloane paid him a visit. Good she dropped by. When he went over to the office the other day to pick up the envelope he didn't find any manila envelope. Her table was so tidy and arranged that he didn't have to look twice to know that there wasn't an envelope on her desk he left with the thought that she might have moved it and had forgotten about it.
"What are you looking at?" she asked him as she took a seat.
He lowered his voice to a whisper in case anybody was listening in on them "Look at this. I am having Richard followed and everything here looks suspicious. You know the night you got that note?"
"Yes my perfect night that was ruined. What about it?"
"Well according to this within that time frame you got it he was not at home. It does not show that he was out drinking or doing anything else."
Sloane looked at what he was talking about. "It also does not show where he went to either. It is probably just a coincidence maybe he was out bowling or something."
"Ha, I doubt that. Richard is a bore. Okay what about this one, when the cell replicator was stolen he was not at home either or anywhere else."
"That's because he and I were out on a dinner date. Besides we already know Diablo Mondragon stole the cell replicator."
"But Diablo is not working for Silver again. Don't you get it? Richard could be the person we are looking for."
Sloane got up because all of what Allen was saying got her bemused.
"I'm sorry Agent Grey. I am not buying all of this. I do not see why Richard would be the one that sent me that note or sent Diablo to steal the cell replicator. What would be his motive?"
"Maybe to make an army of his evil side that will take over the world? I don't know that part yet. But I am sure he is the guy we are looking for. We just need to prove it."
Sloane picked her bag and began to leave.
"Sorry Allen but you're on your own on this one. I just do not believe it."
"Okay then. Suit yourself but before you leave did you move the envelope?"
Sloane turned to him and said, "That is why I came here before you started this Richard talk."
She took her seat again and continued, "It wasn't on my desk when I got there this morning so I assumed you had taken it already."
Allen shook his head, "It wasn't there when I got there the day before either. I assumed you locked it in your cabinet or something and had forgotten to tell me."
Sloane tapped her fingers on his desk; it didn't add up. She was sure that was where she left it after she got it from Astrid. Nobody could get into her office apart from her, unless you had the master key.
She couldn't think of anybody else that knew about the codes, even if they did, what did they intend to do with it. She looked up at Allen and from the look he had he was clearly thinking the same thing.
"We need to check the cameras to see if we can -"
"There are no cameras in the office rooms" Sloane cut him off.
"I know that. I was suggesting the corridor cameras"
"Oh. Yes you're right. Sorry." She apologized.
"It's okay. I'll take care of it. Go back to what you were doing."
She gave him a nod and stood. When she opened the door he added,
"And Sloane, please be careful with that guy." She didn't reply. Rather she walked out and closed the door behind her.
When Sloane closed the door behind her, Allen pushed at the papers in front of him. There it was, the answer to all that had been going on. Why can't Sloane see it? Maybe because she is too busy falling for the idiot that she cannot see he is the bad guy. He knew deep down in his gut that Richard was probably the same person that stole the envelope from her office. What are you hiding Austen? Allen asked himself. He was just going to have to solve it on his own.