When I Look Up At The Stars

11 | fornax

"He's right," Gale murmurs, as he adjusts his glasses over his nose, and leans forward to look at the red blinking dot on the screen. "The signal that's interfering with our computers isn't coming from the inside."

Axel's eyebrows furrow, as he glances at the screen. Outside the unit? The fuck?

Corban frowns. "So that means someone's working with an outside agent?"

"Possibly," Elijah says.

Corban's stoic expression turns more steely. "And you can't track it?"

"I- we can," Elijah says quickly, glancing at Gale for help, "we just- we need access to certain databases that are well, top clearance."

The temperature drops just a hint, as brief but taut silence rings in the room.

"You do know," this time it's Bea who speaks up with a tight expression, "that there are only two people in this unit who have top clearance, right?"

Only the boss and his right-hand man did.

Both those people were in the room.

Axel looks at Corban, to find him already looking back at him.

"We're aware," Gale says, his arms crossed across his chest, as he leans back into his chair, rubbing his chin, "We're all aware."

"So, you do know what you're asking for then?" she says, her dark eyes narrowing in challenge.

Elijah looks a little jittery as Bea stares him down. "Well, y-yes." 

Her glare hardens, and she opens her mouth to retort, but another quiet voice has her pausing.

"I think you should give them clearance."

Stella had been quiet ever since she stepped into the room, but she finds five pairs of eyes looking at her in a way that suggested that they had almost forgotten she was there, as the words slip past her lips.

"I think you should give them clearance," she repeats, "Just temporarily, until they trace the signal, and then you can revoke it."

"Are you serious?" Bea says, her eyes wide and incredulous, "Give them clearance to sensitive files, especially in times like these?"

Stella's expression is carefully blank as she turns to Bea.

"This is the only lead you have," she answers, "the best thing to do to get on with the investigation, would be to pursue it."

Bea scoffs. "Only lead? C'mon, there has to be something that we can do without having to open top-secret intel."

Her dark eyes flit to Axel. "Axe? Seriously- didn't you just scope out the crime scene? Wasn't there anything there that's worth looking into?"

Axel's jaw clenches, and underneath the table, he can feel his hands curling into fists.

He can feel a pair of green eyes boring into his skull, however, warning him not to say a word on their current suspicion, so he can only press his lips together and shake his head, not trusting his own voice.

"What happened to your face then?" Gale pipes up curiously from the side of the room.

"Marli scratched me," Axel lies smoothly, running a hand through his hair, "Silly puppy."

"Hmm." Bea leans back in her chair, evidently unsatisfied with the whole ordeal, but says nothing more.

"Alright," Corban says, when no one else speaks up, "You'll have access in a few hours. But in the mean time,"