Chapter 38

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After a lively discussion over dinner, the rest of the group agreed, and it was come to the conclusion that Kat, despite her lack of technological knowledge, would enter Courtney's office while she was working at her computer, tell her Jove needed her right away, and watch as Courtney hurried off, hopefully failing to turn off the desktop. Kat would wait, go into Courtney's computer, and disable the identification card of the core clearance employee who was scheduled for the 2:40 weekday shift, a process she'd more or less pieced together by reading over her handbook notes.

Kat would wait till the end of the day, then head for the workplace of the core clearance employee, a man named Thomas Deanter who had been stationed on the 21st floor in the tiny office 2122. A generally unpatrolled floor, she'd be able to enter easily and swipe the badge from the desk where it was sure to be stored in anticipation of its industrial shredding. After that, it was just a matter of setting a date.

An infiltrator had also been selected. Conner, the only one well practiced with crime who didn't also have a more serious criminal record, had volunteered, and after some argument between him and Jack, Brent had convinced Andy that Conner was the right choice.

"You remember Colviva?" he'd asked cryptically, referencing a place or event from before Kat had met them. "This is just like that, easier even. Conner pulled that off when he was 14."

Andy had nodded tersely, working her mouth from side to side as she considered.

"I can do it Andy," Conner promised, looking older than Kat had ever seen him, for once sage and serious. "Jack could do it too," he conceded with a nod towards him, the caution Emma had newly imbued in his words causing him to ensure Jack didn't feel slighted. "But I can do this. Easily. And I'm the better liar."

Jack chortled. "That's true."

"All right, all right, I'll think about it," Andy said in a way that the other members of FES were well aware was a confirmation. "I'll think about it, but first we get the badge. What if the guy looks exactly like Jack, we have to see." She ducked her head. "But I agree," she finished gruffly. "I think Conner can do it."

Emma had smiled at him and he leaned down and placed his chin on the top of her head, causing her to giggle and angle herself towards him so she was looking him in the face. Kat watched them, caught up in thought.

She didn't feel that way with Jack. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that he made her feel giggly and girly, that he helped her let her guard down, she knew it wasn't true. She knew she'd only ever felt that way about one man. You're never gonna see him again, she convinced herself. We carry out the plan, you quit and disappear. There is no you and Jove. 

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