Play the Game - Sherlock fanfic (Sequel to Painting Murders)

Problematic Emails

 Oh my gosh! Sorry it's has been a while - I've been busy revising . . . so much joy. . .

Anyways - this is a bit short but I'll get around to updating again soon . . . hopefully xD

Mycroft’s official office reminded me more of a World War One bunker that had just been decked out to seem more friendly and office like. The walls were mostly plain apart from the one situated behind his desk. On this wall hung a massive painting that I imagined falling one day and killing someone - it was so big. His desk was dark wood with paper and files neatly piled up on the left side. On the right side was his computer which he hardly ever used due to also having his laptop in the same office.

I shrugged off my coat and hung it on the back of the door which was heavy and metal – like a vault door. In fact whenever the door closed and I was alone in the room (which was very rarely) I freaked out thinking it would maybe lock and I would suffocate to death.

These thoughts always presented themselves at stupid moments. Why would my mind want to freak me out more than I was already doing at the time?

Mycroft sat in his high backed leather chair and booted up the computer as I finished getting untangled from my scarf.

“What’s the problem?” I asked thinking that a system that was meant to be one of the securest in the country seemed to have a lot of faults. That was the problem with technology though – it crashed from time to time. It probably would have been more secure to just have all the information on paper in a massive file that stayed locked in a filing cabinet. It would take longer for someone to steal a metal cabinet that weighed a couple of tonnes then it would be to hack a computer. Maybe I’d just solved the national security crisis.

Mycroft turned the screen to me as he began loading up his email, “I thought you blocked spam.”

I peered closer to where he was pointing. In his inbox were three messages from the same address that had obviously no right to be there. To be honest I'd thought I was here to stop a crisis.

“I thought it did.” I muttered to myself. I dragged the curser and checked the inbox to see if  the spam filters were on. Which they were.

I pursed my lips together. I had definitely designed and put in place a security wall that deleted spam the moment it was sent. One odd message was okay – to some extent . . . but three? Three was impossible.

Then I had a thought.

“You didn’t happen to open an email at any point in time which seemed a bit out of place – maybe you read it and deleted it because you thought it had been sent to the wrong address or something?” I didn’t look at Mycroft as I continued to search the server but I could sense that he was thinking hard about what I’d asked.

“No.” He finally said, “Not that I can think of.”

"Well try.” I said under my breath.

“You know, Everly,” Mycroft said sitting further back in his seat, “It could be a problem with your program – which isn’t my fault, since you seem to be politely accusing me.”

I hummed and put my head on the side, “Balanced probability – it’s more likely your fault.”

“This is a risk to national security, Everly! I do not care whose fault it is at the moment – I just want it fixed!”

“Chill! It’s only spam.” I said realising full well that it was actually a big deal. Spam could lead to virus’s and such – I should know, I’d hidden plenty of virus’s in spam emails that people just absent-mindedly opened now and again, accidently downloading the virus.

I sniffed before kneeling down to look under Mycroft’s desk. In the shadows, hidden away, stood a black box – just big enough to hold maybe twenty DVD cases. I pulled the lid off and flicked through the plastic cases until I found the one with the security program I’d made uploaded on it.

I popped the disc drive of the computer open and put the disc in, shutting the drive again with a little click.

The computer whirred to life as it read the disc before the screen darkened and a pop up appeared asking if I wanted to download and install the software or search the registered system that was already uploaded. I chose the latter and watched as the program opened into the stats of the system.

“Well everything is functioning normally.” I said, tapping my index finger against my lips as I thought.

“So how is that possible?” Mycroft asked in reference to the spam emails.

“Not sure.” I mused as my phone sounded in my pocket. I checked the screen:

Baker Street. Now. - SH

Short and to the point . . . although lacking politeness of any sorts.

“I’ll find out for you.” I said ejecting the disc, “But those emails shouldn’t have been received. They should have been diverted off the system before they even got though.” I moved to the other end of the office.

“So there’s a loophole in your program?” Mycroft asked setting his elbows on the desk and resting his chin on his clasped hands knowingly.

“Or you’ve created a loophole in my program!” I said looking over at him, “It would be helpful if you told me if you’d received any dodgy emails though.”

“Like what exactly? Why would I open spam? And I’m not even supposed to be receiving it!” He snapped back.

I shrugged, “It didn’t have to start off as spam, you could have opened an email from a friend that contained a virus that triggered something that then enabled you to be able to receive spam. Might just have been an unintentional glitch that happened when you opened any email. I’ll get it sorted – just don’t open any more, especially none of the spam.”

“So how do you propose that I read my emails? Important ones. From the Prime Minister and such?” Mycroft asked.

“You have a phone – just access them on that. But do it through 3G or 4G because then you’re not triggering anything in the wifi. But I’m sure it’s nothing too serious.” I turned after fastening my coat, “Anyways I have been summoned by your brother and I’d hate to keep him waiting.” I said.

Mycroft rolled his eyes and dismissed me from the office – obviously peeved I hadn’t solved his problem.

There you go :) another update :) just give me a tiny bit of time and I'll upload another chapter sometime haha XD votes and comments please :)