JUST ONCE(5)
Author: Blake Pierce

 

That would not be as easy as it sounded, because Connor had made up his mind. He was usually difficult to dissuade from a decision without logical argument, and right now, Cami was not in the mindset for logical argument.

 

But she was in the mindset for illogical stubbornness, and she had some ideas to get her into a position where she could apply it.

 

Being star student in her final year at MIT did give her some advantages in that regard, Cami knew. She had access to the dark web, and she was friends with an entire network of some of the best hackers in the world. She had been taught many skills by people who believed the world was a better place if the bad guys were defeated. By 'the bad guys,' different definitions could apply, according to who was talking at the time.

 

A minute later, she was down at the basement level, approaching Connor's car.

 

It was locked. And it wasn't a smart car. Connor was somewhat of a technophobe when it came to IT. He was most definitely a people person, and action person, and hands-on person in their partnership. She was the tech geek. He unlocked his car with a normal remote control that would be difficult to hack into.

 

But there was a gate that opened out of the FBI garage and onto the street. That had more potential, because it was operated from a broader wireless network that she thought she could get into.

 

Quickly, Cami tested that idea. She knew she wasn't in the best mind frame for concentration right now. But at least she had the best software. Since she'd started working for the FBI, she'd begun seeking out programs that could swiftly crack barriers and defenses. She'd learned how important it was to work fast under pressure, when things needed opening. Or, of course, to stay closed. And now was one of those times.

 

Okay, it wasn't going to work immediately. After all, this was the FBI and even on basic devices like exit gates, they had a high level of security. But Cami had a higher level of hacking skill. She was exceptionally skilled, in an environment that was hungry for that know-how. That was the only reason she’d gotten a plea deal with the FBI, and hadn’t been sent to jail.

 

So, technology wise, she was ahead of the game, but right now, in these circumstances, time was still a big factor. Fraser had said ten minutes, but in Connor’s book, that probably meant five.

 

Connor was busy, and he hated sitting at his desk. Fraser was even busier and stretched to the limits in his demanding, responsible job. This briefing was going to be ultra short, she felt sure.

 

She frowned at her phone. Come on, she encouraged it. Do what you need to. Give me this gate’s controls.

 

At that moment, she saw a figure hurrying down the stairs. She grimaced in frustration, because time was up. It looked like Connor. It was his stance, his build.

 

Damn it, she thought. She was going to be too slow. Connor - now she could see him clearly - was hurrying over to his car, clearly in a rush. He was heading out, going to the crime scene without her. He was going to make it there in time to partner with someone who wasn't her.

 

Cami clenched her fists and felt a sense of dismay, as if this would mean she'd lost out on her contract with life, as if she'd tried to make a reckless bargain with fate, and had failed.

 

But then, her phone buzzed.

 

She glanced down quickly. At last, the program had worked. The access to the gates the FBI used to control vehicle entry was coming up on her phone. And here was the one she needed.

 

As Connor's car sped toward it, the gate began rattling open.

 

Hiding behind the nearest parked car, Cami pressed Close on her console, imagining Connor’s moment of surprise as the gate reversed direction, and started doing the opposite of what it should.

 

He was going to try and open it again, and she couldn’t let him. Working as fast as she could, Cami activated the gate's locking mechanism as soon as it was fully closed. And then, she got out of the way, ducking behind the nearest parked car to see how this played out.

 

She could see Connor in the car, impatiently pressing and pressing the button.

 

"Come on!" he said aloud. But the gate remained locked.

 

He tried again. And again. She could see he was feeling frustrated and angry. It was obvious in his body language, the way he was stabbing down on that remote, the tightness of his hand on the wheel.

 

Cami decided it was time to make her move.

 

She stepped out from behind the car and saw Connor's head immediately turn in her direction.

 

There was a two-second pause, during which time Cami knew that Connor had figured out exactly what was happening. He buzzed the window down.

 

"Unlock the gate, Cami," he said, in tones that told her he was all the way at the edge of his temper.

 

"No," she said. "We still have something to discuss."

 

"This isn't a time for interfering like this! Stop delaying things," he pressured her.

 

"Then bring me along," she insisted.

 

"You're in no state to handle a case now!" Connor argued.

 

"I think I am."

 

"And I don't think you are."

 

“I just hacked your exit gate. You got a problem with my skills right now?”

 

“I’ve got a problem with your focus. You’re in pieces.”

 

"Well, who are you going to get to work with you? I don't see anyone in the passenger seat, in pieces or not. Maybe I'm missing somebody. Oh, wait. Maybe there isn't anyone!" She glared at him, feeling as mad as he did now.

 

"There's an agent in another state who's going to be available at the end of day today. He’s being flown in tomorrow," Connor said.

 

It was a clear picture of the current skills gap the FBI was struggling with in tech, and Cami made sure she used it to her advantage.

 

"Tomorrow?" Cami replied. "You always tell me how important time is on a case. Now you're saying you're going to spend a whole day on your own, without a partner who has good IT skills? That's an unacceptable delay. I can at least help you for now," she pleaded.

 

Connor sighed. She could see she'd gotten through to him. And also, she thought, he was starting to understand that right now, she needed a job to do and wanted to help.

 

With a sigh, he relented.

 

"I'll take you along today. On a trial basis," he warned. "Any problems, any signs that Ethan's situation is taking away from your focus on the case, and it's over. You go home."

 

Cami felt a sense of deep relief that she could go ahead with her side of the deal.