End of Winter (Rewrite & Expansions into Book Four)

Toshi Station

"The computers are hooked into the hardline, yes?" The Blackbriar Bitch asked. I could see she was already sweating.

"Grouse ran a test on them today. She said they're working just fine," Red said. "I helped her carry them to the different offices and hook them up."

"Take me to them," The petite raven haired woman said.

We all looked at one another then at her. Off in the distance I heard rifle-fire. Red looked around and I knew he'd heard it too.

"You need to go back to bed," Stokes said.

"Fine," I said.

"Wait, really?" Red asked.

"Fine. I'll check on Parker. Which office are you going to use?" Stokes asked.

"QASI?" William suggested.

"Kill Shop?" Stokes offered.

"Henley's," I suggested.

She nodded at that.

"There is a computer with a dedicated hardline in that office?" The Blackbriar Bitch asked as Stokes kept walking down to the room I was sharing with Parker, keeping pace with us.

"Yeah," I told her, heading down the hallway. "We'll take the Middle Stairwell."

"I'll come too," Red said.

"I'll be right with you guys," Stokes said, stopping at the room I was sharing with Parker.

"Don't take too long," I told her.

We were silent as we headed to the mid-way point of the hallway, the only sound the Blackbriar Bitch's ragged pained breathing. We had to pause twice on the steps for her to catch her breath, and again near the bottom for me to catch my breath. Frost glittered on the walls, growing thicker as we went deeper into the building.

"It's locked," Red said, trying the door to Henley's office.

"No problem," I said. I pulled my keys free, stepping up and using my room key to open the door. I'd mistakenly been given a master key and hadn't told anyone.

From the stairwell came the screaming of a woman in agony. The Blackbriar Bitch shuddered at the sound while Red swallowed thickly.

Monkey and I ignored it.

When we hit the lights his office looked almost the same as always. Only the soot marks from destroying all the classified data showed, although there was a light smear where the steel cabinets had melted and then rehardened. Someone must have removed the puddled slag. Aside from that there was thick frost on the walls and the faint smell of scorched metal.

"Sit me down," The Blackbriar Bitch ordered, pointing at the chair behind the desk.

William gave me a helpless look, but followed her orders.

"Leave," She said, turning on the computer.

"We leave and you'll vanish," I said. She looked up at me and I nodded. "We'll close that door, we'll hear you scream and fire off a shot or two, but by the time we get the door open all that will be left of you is some blood spray."

I saw her run the decision trees for a second before she nodded.

"Fine."

She turned her attention to the computer. She was sweating profusely as she watched it chatter and whine to itself. Finally it went quiet and she stared at it.

"It's password locked. I need a different one," She said.

I moved over to the keyboard, nudging her slightly.