The Viral Chase

Chapter 25: Secret Conversation

Chapter 25

Secret Conversation.

"I scraped the previous plan. It had flaws." "You didn't even explain the plan. Maybe, we could have removed the flaws." Kevin says, as Harry is continuously writing something. He shrugs on Kevin's words and carrys on. "I will have a new plan ready, soon." He adds.

"The lunch is waiting." I call out to both the hungry lads. "Coming." They yell back in unison. The clatter and the chatter is normal on this dining table since yesterday. "You gotta tell me how you escaped, mate." "It was easy." Harry mumbles with a spoonful of rice in his mouth. When the plates are empty and our stomachs are full, Harry starts again. "Daniel, as the idiot he is, took me to Samuel." Kevin snickers and mumbles, "He really is one hell of a troublemaker. But this was seriously, a laughable issue." I join them with my own laughter. "Samuel asked them to leave us alone and then I did all the talking that was necessary." "Easy-breezy, mate!" Harry smiles at Kevin's remark and continues, "They kept me detained for few hours, David interrogated me and then they confirmed that I was actually trying to catch a rogue." "Finally, now they believe about the traitor being one of us." Kevin huffs and looks at Harry to carry on. "I feel, Daniel is behind all this. He tracked us down to stop us from reaching the truth." "Me too. I know he is the one playing games." Kevin agrees. "Who is David?" I ask them curiously.

"David Turner, senior agent and one of the best in MI6, is Daniel's chief." Kevin explains me, "For every group of agents, there is one chief or head." I take in the given information and give a nod. "So how did you reach here?" "I took a car that they provided me to chase you and set out on a long drive." Harry points to Kevin and adds further more. "I knew you would get down here. So I ditched that useless car, probably bugged by the agency. I left it in a wasteland." Kevin laughs loudly but I can't see the joke here. "Am I missing something here?" Harry smiles and shakes his head. "Typical Edward. I mean Harry." Kevin roars again. Okay. "Harry always ditches a car if he doesn't like it and last time they found it crashed in the parking lot of the HQ itself." Kevin utters excitedly. That didn't sound funny to me. "What! That car was not even fit for fast driving and I was on a chasing mission then." Harry explains when I glare at him for his senseless behaviour while Kevin continues to snigger. "You could have just asked them to change it." I suggest Harry, sternly. "Are we going to debate on this now?" He speaks in an aggravated tone. I sigh and gesture him to continue with his tale.

"Samuel drove the R8 and handed it back to me. He called a back-up saying his car got him stuck." "Are you kidding me? The R8's here!" And he just simply nods to Kevin's excitement. "Blimey, Harry." "Don't worry, I am going to drive it." Harry utters with a smug grin. Their conversation goes on for an hour, most of them being Kevin's attempt at humor and Harry's tales of his stunts of how he escaped a certain someone or a criminal. The happy Harry with his dimpled smile and animated Kevin are my favourite.

"It seems like we have to attack the agency before the bad guys." Harry mumbles to himself and notes it down. "What does he keep talking about?" I whisper in Kevin's ear and he just shrugs. We both are seated on the couch, watching some television. Yeah, they even have a television, a sleek and stylish one. He is munching on some chips and I am lost in my wondering session. How long does it have to go on, like this? Running away, staying with them (although, they are close to me now), saving our lives and living on edge. This thought disturbs me everytime.

The television screen goes blank and Kevin looks at me, "What are you thinking about, Al?" And this name itself reminds me of him. His sweet smile and the way he used to make me laugh. His helpful nature and what not. During our days at the internship, he turned to a bit boring person but it was still okay. "Jack." He nods with a small smile. "Your best friend. But truth to be told, he had not even tried to contact you even once. We have your mobile phone traced and not a single call has been made by him, till date." I look at him blankly and suddenly, concern fills my mind. "Is he fine? Did my parents call? Can anyone else have my details?" "Calm down. Its me. Only, I have it, if I am right and yes. Your parents did call. We informed them that you are alright." "And didn't they ask you the reason of my phone-" I ask quizzically, only to be interrupted by him. "Why will they when their own daughter is talking on the call?" "What!" "I recorded your few common statements and played them as required. Quite simple." I look at him with my mouth forming an 'O' shape. "What all are you guys handling for me?" "Nothing much, I guess." He replies.

I don't think it is nothing. I never had a slightest hint of all this that is happening. It was totally out of my mind that they can call me, with all this nonsense going around.

"Why didn't you tell me before? This is nothing but breaking into someone's private space." I glare at Kevin but he smiles and shrugs. "You never asked about it before." How was I suppose to know about it to ask him? These guys are impossible.

"Here's the plan." Harry says, placing a paper with a lot of scribbling on it but a neat diagram on the other side, on the table. "Since their eyes are on the software, we are going to steal it before them. Kevin, you will install the firewall while I take the software. And it needs to be quick." "What about me?" I ask him, disappointed to be given no task. "You will wait here." "No no no no. That's so not gonna happen." "C'mon! Don't start with it again." Harry speaks in total frustration. "Harry, you need to bring her with us." And he rushes to complete his sentence before Harry can protest again. "Because, you are going to need her."

After a lot of convincing from Kevin, growls and groans from Harry and protests from me, Harry has finally agreed. "Thanks Kevin. Thanks Harry." "Trust me, if it wouldn't have been for the task, I wouldn't have let you step out of this cave." "I agree with Harry." Kevin utters, nodding as he walks by. What! I thought Kevin was on my side. He can't betray me, like this. "Our priority is your safety and we can't compromise with that." Harry says before walking away, following Kevin.

So they are teaming up against me. Great. I sink lower in the couch and play with the silver ring on my finger, when a thought strikes me. What if I prove myself strong enough so they won't have to worry much. I march back to the lab where they must be having a laugh on me. I hear a conversation going on between the two in low whispers. I stop in my way and put my ear against the wall. "Its risky." Kevin says and Harry shushes him. Eavesdropping is not a good habit but the curiosity pushes me ahead to put my ear to their hushed voices again. It surely is something they want to hide from me.

"The first time I saw her picture, it reminded me of-" "I know. Either you tell her or keep totally mum. But if you decide to let the cat out, be ready to handle the situation because it may probably scare her or shock her." Kevin whispers back and pauses before adding more warnings for Harry. "You never know how will she react..." "You know why I agreed to this assignment." Harry whispers cautiously. "I know very well now. You never told me about that part before which has unfolded in front of me." And then the silence follows for long. I decided that its time I step away before they catch me.

I settle down in the same corner, in the empty kitchen. Whom could they possibly be talking about? Me? Obviously. I am the only girl here. But what will scare whom? or scare me? I should probably leave it to them, its their own concern. It is their secret conversation. Even after assuring myself, I can't rest at peace. Its pulling me towards itself, the need to know. There is this itchy feeling inside of me, I am craving for the truth. I just want to confirm that its not about me, nothing to do with me. However, I am quite sure, its the opposite but there is this minute hope in me that assumes, its not me.

"Look at this, Harry." Kevin calls out. "This is the blueprint of the agency and I am pretty sure, the software must be in ones of these three rooms, in the lower level." Harry nods and looks at it carefully. "How do you know that?" I ask him, folding my hands on my chest. "I was a member in the team, remember?" Kevin reminds me. "I recall, they were renovating the lower level and cabling work was being done, including an exhaust fan and some similar mechanism. That makes sense, since we were almost done and installation was due next week." He continues, explaining his theory.

"I have rarely been in the lower level." Harry informs us and Kevin opens up an enlarged blueprint, only of the lower level. "See this." He points at it, making Harry and me nod. "Its the entry point security, I can break that. But what we have here could turn alarms on in a second." He swivels around in his chair, looking back at us.

"The rooms have tight security. Pressure sensitivity on the floor, sound sensitivity around the room and temperature sensitivity in the atmosphere of the room." Kevin explains, raising his glasses higher on his nose. Harry slumps down with a defeated look. "We can't touch the floor, can't breathe properly and can't be more than one." "Pretty much, yes." Kevin agrees. "This is going to take much working out than I thought." Harry mutters and leans back in his chair. "One wrong move and everything's fails."

*****

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Regards,

A.R.