Super

Chapter 19: Plot, Counterplot

“All right, ladies,” Riss said in her usual low calm tones. “We can talk freely for the first time. Lex, I have to thank you for ordering the sniffer and for getting me this computer; otherwise, we wouldn't be.”

“What do you mean, speak freely?” Casey asked, looking at Riss with a frown.

“We're monitored at all times, something I think everyone is aware of at the facilities, which have cameras and microphones everywhere. However, I don't think most of you know that we continue to be monitored through listening devices in our jumpsuits when we go out for a job, and by the mobile devices we're forced to carry when we're not in the building. It's likely that even some of our casual clothing has been bugged.”

Casey's face went white. “I'm sorry,” Riss said, more softly. “I know that's bad news, but I had no way of letting anyone know that before now, not without disappearing.”

“What do you mean?” Lex asked, swallowing carefully as a panicky surge ran through her.

Riss sighed. “Let me start with what I know, and then we can get to any questions. Just so you know, I've put together a program to broadcast cut versions of previous audio recorded of us to all our sponsors' snooping devices, and the sniffer, which I altered, sends that signal out as well as screens us from any other way they might have of trying to spy on us. Unfortunately, I have some bad news for you and then a proposition. But before we start, are you certain that Serena can be trusted?” Riss asked, looking at the other woman a little dubiously.

Lex put a hand on Serena's arm because the redhead looked like she was about to yell, and asked Riss, “What is this all about? I'm sure we could trust Serena if she knew what was so important.”

“Your life is in danger, Lex,” Riss said quietly. “I have a lot of proof here I want to show you so that you can see what's going on. My life is in danger, too, but it's probably not as close for me as it is for you.”

Lex's hand dropped nervelessly and she could see Serena turn towards her, concern marking her face. “If that's the case, you can trust me,” Serena said, her normal bantering tone gone. “What's going on?”

Riss gestured for all of them to move close, and then started bringing information up for them to look at on her laptop. “While Lex and I put the security plan together for our facility, our sponsors also saw fit to hook us up with the network at their main facility, Metamorphix Sciences, Inc., better known as MSI, uptown. Since one of my crappy jobs at the facility is to be one of the monitors, I used the new connection to find out some things they don't want us to know.

“I should back up a little, though,” Riss continued, a frown on her face. “From the time I arrived here, our sponsors have both wanted and not wanted me to work on their computers. Lex, at least, knows that I can communicate with computers just by thinking about it. What I haven't told anyone until now is that there's nothing stored on a computer anywhere that I can't find and access, and nothing I've found yet that I haven't been able to get a computer to do if I ask the right way. I've taken care that our sponsors don't know the extent of my talents, because if they did...well, I'll show you in a minute.”

She paused for a moment to let everything sink in, looking at each of them in turn, and then went on. “So, although they don't know it, I infiltrated everything available at the main facility almost immediately. Until the past couple of weeks, though, I didn't know I should be concerned about certain things. I was distracted by the fact that I'm a prisoner.”

“What?” Lex leaned forward in her chair, looking at Riss, incredulous. Riss sighed, still busy with her computer, but glanced at Lex and continued.

“No reason you would know, but I am imprisoned at the facility. That's why I had to figure out a way to get that message to you. I knew the only way I could ever get any time to talk privately would be to ask you to get me out of there for a while. I figured they might go for it since they try to keep the fact that I'm a prisoner under wraps. I've been talented with computers since I was a kid, and I did do some hacking, but I never did anything malicious. However, someone set me up for some clumsy hack and that's how MSI got their hands on me, since I'd refused when they'd asked nicely. When I investigated recently, I found out that someone on the payroll of the people who run this place set the hack up.”