Level One

Part 6

      It was Friday at 6pm as Tracy knocked on the door of Room Five in the residential wing of the complex. A moment later Sarah opened the door. She beamed at Tracy and invited her in.

Tracy sat on the lounge. "Are you ready for the big journey on Monday, up there?" she asked, pointing upwards.

"Yes, but I'm nervous as all hell about going into space."

"Don't worry, most people are on their first trip."

"I haven't seen you all week. What happened with those agents that you caught."

Tracy paused for a moment. I'm not supposed to tell you this, but I know I can trust you to keep it to yourself."

Sarah nodded.

Tracy continued, "Those agents are now safely locked away in a federal prison. They were North Korean. They had planned to sell the information you got for them to the Chinese for ten million dollars. Brad and his team are still investigating how they knew about your job here. We suspect there are informants working here in the complex. We'll get them. Also the security guard Cameron Jones who allowed you to get hold of a weapon was given a choice. Either take severance pay, or go on probation for six months at a lower level of pay. He chose to stay, but he'll be watched closely. One little misdemeanour and he's gone."

"What about Professor O'Brien?"

"Dad said he turned blue in the face and almost had a stroke when he told him that instead of jail, you were being reassigned, but he calmed down eventually. We've already found a new assistant for him."

"Will anyone at Mainbase know why I'm there, what I've done?"

"No. This whole affair has been kept hushed up. Your new work colleagues will all think we recruited you for the job in the normal way. You'll like them. They're a nice bunch of people."

"Tracy, thank you again for everything. But I'm still so nervous about the spaceflight. Are you going?"
"Yes, I'll be going, and don't worry about the spaceflight. You can sit next to me."

Sarah looked relieved and gave Tracy's hand a squeeze.

Things get wrapped next in the epilogue.