Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 16:04:14 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Coup d'etat - Chapter 2 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Okay, another warning. There is a part in this that some may consider gross but it's very important to understand the story. I made it as clean as I could. Sorry if it offends anyone. ---------------------------- Chapter 2: Unauthorized Access He smiled as he sat before the computer terminal and slipped a CD into the computer's drive. He typed in a specific code that allowed his access to the main computer's modem. He had two things to dobefore he could go into the main plan. First, he needed certain codes - classified codes - to be able to break into the system. In order to obtain those important codes, he had to hack into several computer systems. First, he would start with two of the more easy systems - two privately owned systems with no security protection to really worry about. Breaking into the first was easier than he expected, especially since it was one of his primary targets. He tapped his special code, successfully breaking into the system. He smiled as the screen flashed up, allowing him access to the entire system. He checked each of the pertinent files, finding only one that suited his needs. He opened it with a smile. The smile faded quickly at what he saw. BABY CRIB ROCKER DRESSER WALL DECORATIONS DIAPER BAG JUMPERS BOOTIES This was obviously not for what he was looking. He snarled in anger at the system's owner. The snarl faded slightly. No, he would not be defeated by this man. He laughed at the thought of defeat. Quickly, he left the system and began hacking into his secondary target. This system was flooded with information. It was difficult to dig through to find any information that didn't have to do with academic subjects. He searched for nearly two hours before discovering that the information he wanted was not in this system either. The man smiled slightly. "You're very smart," he commented to hte two systems' owners. "But don't think this little set back will stop me." He exited the secondary target system quickly. "Looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way." His next target was his primary target. It was a computer system so well guarded that only a handful of people even knew it existed. Most importantly, he knew it existed, even though he wasn't supposed to know. "How to hack into this one?" he asked aloud as he prepared to enter the system. He knew exactly what he had to do. With a deep breath, he started hacking, knowing that if he were caught, it would mean a lifetime sentence in prison. But he was confident that his intelligence would cover up all tracks leading to him. This system he now hacked into was extremely difficult but he expected nothing less. After all, it wasn't as if he were after a recipe for chicken chow-mein. First, he would have to get as much information as he could using the using channels. He knew he wouldn't get much but any information was good. What he got, though, was no information. Each time he tried to hack in, he got the same answer: CLASSIFIED: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY The third time the man tried, he smiled cynically. He had wanted to keep his own involvement unknown but he knew he had no other way. He inputed his own clearance code. The computer's answer came on the screen. AUTHORIZED: LIMITED ACCESS ONLY "Limited access, indeed!" the man snarled, typing on the computer keyboard. "Let's just see how limited that is!" He proceeded to go through every area, receiving little information and storing it on his CD. As he came across the personnel files, he paused. He was beginning to have an idea - a very evil idea. He proceeded to copy as much information as the computer system would allow him to have on the personnel. He knew that he would find that information useful later. After all, it was important to know your enemy before you went to war with him. He quickly finished down-loading the information so that he could review it later. He then typed exited the system and reentered it using a code that was not his own. PALMPRINT IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED PLEASE PLACE PALM ON AUTHORIZATION PANEL The man smiled evilly as he took an object from a small bag he had beside him. The object was completely covered by a white handkerchief. As he uncovered the object, red splotches began to appear. The object now took form as it was revealed. It was a hand - a male human hand. The man placed the palm flat against the authorization plate. THANK YOU. PLEASE PREPARE FOR RETINA SCAN The man replaced the hand back into his bag and took out yet another object. He placed this object, an eye, against the retina scanner. AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED THANK YOU, ADMIRAL "Yes," the man said cynically. "Thank you very much, Admiral. You've done a great service for your country." With that, he began to down-load the information now available to him. The first part of the plan was not yet over, however. It would be soon - very soon. *********************** Al walked through the hallways of Project Quantum Leap's complex, dressed in a very comfortable pair of dark blue slacks and a white t-shirt with a silver jacket. Although his dress was casual, his attitude commanded respect from everyone, especially the men under his command. But it was more than rank that commanded respect. Everyone knew that Al Calavicci would go to great lengths to insure the safety of Project Quantum Leap and its staff. "Good morning, Gushie," Al said as he walked into the Control Room on that bright day in the middle of March. "I came as soon as you called. Hope this won't take long. I've got a very important ceremony to attend this afternoon." Gushie smiled with realization. "That's right. Dr. Calavicci becomes Madam Surgeon General this afternoon. Doesn't she?" Al smiled. He was obviously very proud of his wife. "So, who do we have in the Waiting Room?" "Apparently, Dr. Beckett has leaped into a bartender named Alan Heath. Ziggy hasn't projected a theory on what he's there to do, however." "Can't she give me anything that might help?" Al asked as he took a handlink from Ziggy's console. "I'm afraid not," Gushie answered. "Where's Dr. Beeks?" Al asked, referring to Dr. Verbina Beeks, the resident staff psychiatrist. "She's in the Waiting Room, waiting for you. The guest didn't react well to his current surroundings." Al sighed. "Great," he muttered sarcastically. "How freaked out was he?" "Enough to warrant caution," Gushie told him. "Or so Dr. Beeks thinks." Al looked at the Waiting Room door. "Well, I'd better get this over with." He walked up the ramp and opened the Waiting Room door. Stepping in, he saw Verbina Beeks turn her head towards the door. She walked up to him with an expression of relief. "Good thing you dressed casual," she told him in a low voice. "Apparently, Mr. Heath has an extreme distrust of authorities. He hasn't told us much, only enough to get a general idea of when Sam is. But we still don't have enough to get a lock on him. Maybe you can get a little more out of Mr. Heath." Al nodded his head, walking towards Alan Heath as Verbina left the Waiting Room to watch Al's interview in the Observation Room just slightly above the Waiting Room. "And who are you?" Alan asked with some sarcasm. Al smiled at Alan but the smile returned Alan's sarcasm. "My name's Al. I'm here to help you." Alan laughed. "Help me. That's a good one! Listen, pal! If you were here to help me, you wouldn't have snatched me from my bar and put me in this damned room! Where is this, anyway?" "We call this the Waiting Room," Al told him, trying not to give him too much information. Alan glared at him. "I already know that bit of information and it doesn't help me a bit! What exactly is 'the Waiting Room' and why am I here?" Al sighed. "I'm sure Dr. Beeks has already told you as much as we can on that." "Oh, yes! She told me that amusing little story about travelling into the future!" "Well, it's true," Al told him. "And in order to get you back to your own time, we need some information from you." "What kind of information?" Alan asked. "A good place to start would be what date it is." "Listen," Al said, a glare in his eyes. "I don't know who you are or what is going on but I want answers and I want them now! What gives you the right to kidnap people like this?! HUH?!" Al opened his mouth, ready to give an explanation when Gushie's voice came over the intercom. "Admiral, I have the Imaging Chamber ready for you. We have a lock on Dr. Beckett." Al closed his eyes, readying himself for the reaction from Alan. "Admiral, huh?" Alan said with a leer in his voice. "You thought you could fool me with those civilian clothes?" Al glared at the nearest intercom speaker. "Thanks, Gushie," he muttered sarcastically. "What is this?" Alan complained. "Some top secret military operation? What do you want with me? I'm just a bartender!" "Listen, kid," Al started in a patient voice. "We only want to get you back to your own time." "If that's true, why did you snatch me in the first place?" Al sighed. This definitely wasn't going to be easy. "We really don't mean you any harm." Al laughed. "That's a good one!" Al was beginning to wonder if he could handle this guy's attitude when Verbina returned with a glass of water in her hand. "I though maybe Mr. Heath would like something to drink." Alan glared at the glass. "I'm not drinking that! I'd rather die of thirst!" "What?" Al leered. "You think the water might be drugged?" Verbina gave him a rebuking glare. "Ah, ha!" Alan exclaimed. "You see? Your boss admits it!" "He's not my boss," Verbina told him gently. "And the water isn't drugged. I give you my solemn word." Alan looked at her with a knowing smile. "I knew it! You're a shrink, aren't you? I hate shrinks!" Nevertheless, he took the glass and drank the water, sipping at it first to test whether it was really drugged or not. Finally satisfied that Alan Heath trusted Verbina at least in action if not in so many words, Al left the Waiting Room. He glared at Gushie as he passed him. "Thanks so much, Gushie. You've just set all of our work on this guest back by at least a week." "Admiral," Ziggy spoke out, a strain of urgency in her voice. "Yes, Ziggy," Al replied with a sigh. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to a compute that was more stubborn than the present guest. "I need to speak with you in private," Ziggy told him. Al lowered his eyelids slightly. Ziggy had not been behaving normally for the past two weeks, although she still performed excellently. Ever since she told Al about her fears of a break in her system, her voice indicated reluctance to do anything. "What is this about, Ziggy?" "In private," Admiral," Ziggy's voice almost demanded. Al sighed. "Gushie, would you mind leaving us for a few minutes?" Gushie looked up from his datapad, curious about Al's request. "Certainly, Admiral," he replied, complying out of politeness. "Okay, Ziggy," Al said once he and the computer were alone. "I thought it necessary to inform you that the Pentagon has just finished their bi-annual systems check." Al hesitated. He shook his head and frowned. "You demanded to see me alone over the bi-annual systems check? Ziggy, that doesn't make sense. You know the checks aren't top secret around here. It's not like they're for my knowledge only." "It find it discouraging still," Ziggy told him, her main console dimming to reflect her mood. "Since the check has happened at this time and has been confirmed, the previous entry into my main frame now remains unexplained." "You mean the entry you were worried about two weeks ago?" "Twelve days, two hours, Admiral," Ziggy corrected. Al took a breath. "Well, there's got to be an explanation. Who made the entry?" "The authorization belonged to Admiral William Fairbanks." Al smiled when Ziggy mentioned the name. William Fairbanks was the Director of the Star Bright Program when Al was Chief. He was willing to give Al the second chance he needed after some bad days of drunkenness, thanks to Sam's influence. Al's smile faded slightly. He remembered that Bill, now a very close friend of his, had been missing for the past two weeks. Al shrugged the feeling off, knowing it wouldn't help him very much to dwell on the problem. "Bill probably needed some information for the President. After all, he is the head of the United States Navy," he told Ziggy, an uncomfortable knot in his stomach. "I find it an uncomfortable coincidence that the unusual entry and the Admiral's disappearance occurred only three days within each other." Al sighed. "Have you been worried about that stupid entry for the past two weeks?" "Twelve days, two hours...." "I get the point, Ziggy," Al interrupted. "I can do thousands of different operations at the same time, Admiral." As she spoke, Al looked at his watch. "Well, stop worrying about it, will you? That was twelve days ago. It's old news," Al said with some annoyance. "And until we get more information it will stay old news. Now, if you don't mind, I have a lot to do in only two hours." He started walking towards the Imaging Chamber door, handlink in hand, ready to give Sam the information he needed to complete his mission. "Very well, Admiral," Ziggy said, her voice very disappointed with Al's response. ----------------------------- More to come. Stay tuned. Kat and Rob Freymuth