Estranged [Completed]

Shit

"Shit!" Kalei pushed past Lecia and pulled the drive out of the computer. Still holding it in her left hand, she reached for the mouse and woke up the computer, intent on stopping whatever program might have been activated.

Walker rushed over. "What happened?"

Kalei handed the thumb drive to him. "She plugged this in. Could it be the worm?"

"Shit! Jenna, did anything happen on your end?" Walker went to the back of Erit's computer and started unplugging network cables.

"Nope. Nada."

Meanwhile, Kalei looked over the windows on the screen. Nothing new seemed to be open, and she didn't even know where to start looking for a worm. But before she could do anything, Walker came back and shooed Kalei away from the computer, sitting down in her place and opening programs she had never seen before.

"Is that the worm program?"

"No. Now stop asking stupid questions and let me do my job."

Erit joined them and asked, "What's the damage, Walker?"

Walker was quiet for a moment as he typed like mad, windows opening and closing on the screen. And then he said, "Nothing. I can't find anything."

"Maybe I pulled it out in time?" Kalei suggested.

"Maybe, but I won't know for sure until I run a full diagnostic on the system."

"Okay." Erit turned to Jenna. "Call back all the Wardens in the field. Tell them to establish a full perimeter within the fence and double the guards on solitary."

"Which? We only have enough people to do one or the other," Jenna pointed out in dull pessimism.

Erit cursed eloquently beneath his breath. "Focus on the gate and the fence. We'll provide back-up to solitary as needed."

"It still won't be a full perimeter. We'll only get about half the fence."

"Just do it. Kalei, grab Lecia. We need to go find Terin."

Lecia was still blissfully ignorant of the panic going on around her, and she readily followed along at Kalei's suggestion. They found Terin on the third floor, checking in on some new recruits as they learned to spar.

Erit interrupted and pulled Terin into the hall, explaining the situation. When Erit mentioned Lecia's role in inserting the thumb drive, Terin walked over to her and put one hand on her left temple, closing his eyes as he did so. Kalei started to say something, but her phone went off.

Annoyed at the timing, Kalei stepped away to answer it. She didn't even bother checking the caller ID; only one person knew her number. "Marley, this had better be important, because—"

"It is. Xamic was just spotted in Tech Town. Reports say he's standing on the fountain outside the entrance to Stanley Park, yelling at pedestrians about a party. Frank says he looks like a freaking frat boy trying to get everyone pumped for homecoming. We have people heading there now, but we don't want to make a move until SWORDE gets here."

"Got it." Kalei moved to hang up, but Marley said, "Hey, how's Lecia doing?"

"It's–complicated... I'll see you in T-Town." She hung up the phone. "Terin, Xamic's been spotted outside Stanley Park."

Terin opened his eyes and slowly pulled his hand away from Lecia, showing no indication that he had heard her. He said, "Lecia should be fine now. Have someone take her to a recovery room." He turned and started walking to the stairs, Erit following after him.

Kalei shouted, "Hey! Where are you going?"

"T-Town."

Kalei caught a passing Warden and instructed him to take Lecia to a Recovery Room. Lecia still seemed confused, but her eyes were clear and beginning to focus. Kalei chased after Erit and Terin. "What was wrong with her?"

"Xamic."

"Yes, I know we are going to see Xamic, but what was wrong with her?"

"I told you. Xamic is what was wrong with her."

"You mean he—"

"She's fine now. Get suited up before I leave without you."

Kalei took off to do as she was told. Time had finally run out; they were about to get their answers.