Chapter 253 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 04:27:55 07/22/12 Sun
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-58-161-100-226.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 58.161.100.226
Subject: Chapter 253
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "Back on board at last !!!!! ... The Rising Dragons continuted" on 04:08:59 07/22/12 Sun

Chapter 253

Section was deserted except for Comm. It was peaceful and quiet and Birkoff had the perfect time alone to do his searching task without being disturbed by anyone. It was just how he liked it when he was faced with the problem of doing something without anyone looking over his shoulder. However, just as he was about to pull up Belinda�s profile, Walter and she appeared in Comm., so he shut down the link before Walter came any closer. They had been by earlier in the day after their announcement but now they were dressed for the outside, obviously heading out on a date to celebrate their engagement and pending marriage.
They were making their way over to Birkoff when Belinda stopped and spoke to Walter.

�Oh � I�ve forgotten my jacket � I�ll be right back.�

�Okay honey � I�ll just wait over with Birkoff.� She gave him a smile then left to go back to her quarters.

Walter walked over to where Birkoff was sitting. Noticing that he was working on something at his computers as usual he stood next to him and asked in an eager voice. �Did you get my stuff yet?�

�What stuff?�

�The stuff I sent.�

Birkoff didn�t have a clue what Walter was taking about. �No?�

At the moment it was as if the whole world revolved around him and Belinda and he couldn�t understand why Birkoff knew nothing about the message he�d just sent a little while ago. �You must know � Belinda! ... Belinda!� He strongly clarified; shocked that Birkoff hadn�t read this important memo from him.

Seymour looked at his friend. �I've been a little busy, Walter. I haven�t even told you what happened in the White Room.�

�No need ... you survived � that�s all I need to know.� Walter brushed off his comment too wrapped up in his own feelings to ask any further questions and before Birkoff could reply he continued, �Hey, it�s her birthday tomorrow. I need to get her something that she really likes.�

�Why don't you ask her?�

Walter came to stand in front of the computer and looked at Birkoff with an incredulous look on his face. �You ..., ah ..., don't know women very well, do you?�

Birkoff looked up at his friend and met his gaze, before breaking into a grin then a laugh at the twinkle in Walter�s eyes. �Right now?�

�Yeah ..., right now.� He grinned in reply. �Before she gets back.�

Birkoff was very pleased for his friend and had never seen Walter looking happier. Taking pity on his lovesick friend Birkoff pulled up Belinda's profile knowing that he would have to do it at some stage to see if she was linked to the passing of Intel to George from Med Lab. He was a little hesitant that something might pop up that Walter shouldn�t see, but once her data appeared on screen he only read out the pertinent information to him.

�Let's see what we've got. She plays the piano ..."

�Nice.�

�... is fluent in Czech and Russian.�

�Mmmm.�

�... broke her leg when she was twelve ..., got thrown from a horse.�

�Really ..., huh ..., it�s great stuff. What else?�

Then something appeared in her file as Birkoff was reading it that gave him pause. Unfortunately Walter noticed the change in expression on his face and asked a little anxiously. �What is it?�

Walter leaned closer trying to view Belinda's profile, but Birkoff quickly darkened the screen before he noticed anything. �Nothing. That was it.�

�Well ..., th ... that's enough. Horses, right? Horses!� He repeated as an idea suddenly formed in his mind for a present.

�Yes � that�s right.�

Walter gave him a happy nod as Belinda approached knowing that their collusion had paid dividends. �You ready to go? I guess you know I've missed you ��

Belinda merely just smiled before turning her attention to Birkoff. �Would you like to come along too Seymour?� She asked in a gentle tone wanting to include Walter�s best friend in their happiness. �� To help us celebrate?�

Under the circumstances Birkoff knew that they would want to be alone. �You didn�t need me there to celebrate. Thanks � but no.� Three was a crowd and he would only be the third wheel, nevertheless he was touched that he�d been invited.�Have a great night.�

�We will.�

The couple didn�t take much persuading and Walter quickly hustled Belinda off impatient to be out of Section where they could have some privacy. �Okay � Let's get out of here ... quick before Seymour changes his mind.�

They�d both smiled and happily left him alone at his station.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

However as soon as they were out of sight, Birkoff pulled up Belinda�s file once more, and reread her profile. He was gobsmacked at what he�d read � but it was the flashing last line that held his attention.

STATUS:

EVALUATION UNSATISFACTORY

TRANSFER TO ABEYANCE

TERMINATION RANKING: 2

This Intel shocked him to the core, especially knowing that Walter had found some happiness in this hellhole, even though it looked like it may be fleeting. But now he was faced with a dilemma. Should he tell Walter about Belinda's new status? Why not let him enjoy the time they had together? This news would be devastating for his friend. There must be some mistake that Belinda�s evaluation was unsatisfactory. How could that be and why had she been scheduled for cancellation? Birkoff was flummoxed as to how she had come to get such a rating. Her skills in medical seemed to be above board and she appeared very dedicated to her patients in her care.
Everyone in Med Lab was under suspicion, but he couldn�t see how they would have the means to set up hidden surveillance or the motive to do so. He�d always been worried that he would have to do this check on Belinda and those in Medical including Dr Johnson but he never thought he would find anything.

On the other hand this was not a surprising outcome as everyone in Section was expendable. No one was immune to the life that was Section One. Things could change in the blink on an eye. Nobody ever knew how long they were for this world especially in the line of work people did, and it wouldn�t take much to put an operative into abeyance if it was decreed by the powers that be that they were unsatisfactory as like what had happened to Belinda. But this just didn�t make sense. Operations and Madeline already knew that Belinda had failed her evaluation. Why did they want him to do a cross check on her? Were they just trying to join the dots and link her to George too to warrant the cancellation? This was getting more complicated by the minute. Birkoff hoped to god that he could find something that may change their minds. It became more urgent now, knowing that he didn�t want to see Walters�s happiness shattered before it had begun. His buddy deserved to be happy and he would do everything in his power to find some anomaly in this decision � for Walter�s sake.

Birkoff decided that he would do a thorough check of all Med Lab staff first before concentrating on who he thought was a prime suspect � Greg Hillenger. Hopefully he would find something that would incriminate him and perhaps at the same time find some Intel that would get rid of the unsatisfactory tag and cancellation notice on Belinda. Birkoff knew that he was now racing against the clock to find something ... anything to exonerate her and he had less than the time he�d been set.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was late. Madeline had given him twenty four hours to come up with something and so far there was nothing of interest that they didn�t already know. Dr Johnson and Belinda appeared to have taken no part in transferring Intel to George, so that left him with his gut feeling that Greg Hillenger was somehow involved. He just needed a bit of luck to find a connection.

Tiredly Birkoff removed his glasses and sat staring at his monitor hoping that the parameters he�d just typed in would reveal something. It didn�t take long until a wall of numbers began scrolling up the screen in a never-ending progression. He studied the numerals and mentally tried a number of ways to go about deciphering them but couldn�t put his finger on what would be the best way to go about it. The monitor mounted above him showed the same image but he numbly stared at the screen unable to get a handle on the code. Frustrated, Birkoff got up, to stretch his legs but he was restless and rubbed his hand over his head. He�d attempted several tried and true methods but nothing had worked. He was getting nowhere fast for everything he�d tried came up a dead end. Birkoff started to pace back and forth as one idea after another popped into his head that he could try to solve the puzzle. This code was obviously hiding something or someone and must have been deeply encrypted, but he would find the way in if it took all night. At least it was a glimmer of hope and something he could take to Operations and Madeline in the morning.

Birkoff took a deep breath. It didn�t make sense. This code was layered and multifaceted. There was only one name that came to mind capable of inventing such a thing � his arch-rival and prime suspect � Greg Hillenger. If anyone was able to produce such an encrypted code it was Hillenger. He was the only one that Birkoff could think of that had the means to design something buried so deep that it would be too difficult for a layman technician to find. His suspicions were heightened once he found that code. He was having difficulty decoding it and only Hillenger had the expertise to invent such a thing. His suspicions grew all the more that he was indeed a mole for George. But he needed to solve this code first or else all his theories were just guesses about Greg.

Operations and Madeline would need proof and concrete evidence. So far all he had was supposition about an operative and one he didn�t like that much.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from � Fuzzy Logic, Open Heart

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