Chapter Text
"What do you mean he's been taken to hospital?" Kate shakes her head a little, "what the hell happened?" She begins to consider changing her clothing, considers racing to him, like a good mother should. However, she knows there's no way she possibly could right now.
"Your daughter and her partner found him unconscious, at home, with a head wound." Christofer continues, standing from the edge of the bed, "habibi-"
Kate shakes her head, holding a hand out to keep a space between them. She doesn't want anyone to touch her for the moment. "This is no coincidence." She begins to connect things in her head, "after the ordeal with the videos today and…" Kate swallows, not making eye contact with her partner as she speaks her next words, "over the past month, Miss Smith has managed to hack into my computer at work."
Christofer certainly wasn't expecting that. "what?"
"Only at work," Kate shakes her head, swallowing from embarrassment. "Our conversations have been…lighthearted and kind. Never threatening, only ever a mutual curiosity between us."
"They've been able to breech our security for a month and you never thought to say anything?" Christofer watches her, "my job is to keep U.N.I.T safe on all fronts, to keep you safe. Why didn't you tell me when it started?"
"They have been a thorn in our sides for weeks and I'm tired of a leak that is just…laughing at us while we are no closer to finding them than the first day they were brought to our attention." Kate snaps, hands at her sides, frustrated. She glares at him as she speaks with a raised voice, "I wanted to find out more about them. I nearly had them close enough to-"
"You put the entire tower at risk because you were curious?" Christofer gives her words back to her, hoping she can see how ridiculous she sounds. "What if they managed to take control of our turrets? Of the Galvanic Beam? The Vlinx?" He doesn't raise his voice, knowing she's hurting right now and using him as an outlet.
He's right. Kate knows he's right. She stops her movements, her eyes flooding though she does her best to push the emotions down. "I need regular reports on-" Kate pauses, her jaw tightening as her chin threatens to tremble. "Was he attacked or-"
Christofer closes the space between them, cautiously wrapping his large, muscular arms around her slim frame, slowly pulling her closely to his chest. "Petra's going to keep us updated." When he notices Kate's look of confusion at the mention of the unfamiliar name, Christofer corrects himself, "Osgood."
"Okay." Kate nods a little, adjusting her head against his chest. Her ear on his heart is all she truly needs to calm herself down, especially while his arms are wrapped around her. "I trust her."
"I know you do." Christofer presses a kiss against the top of her head, "and what's good for you, is good for me." He licks his lips, giving himself a moment to formulate his thoughts before speaking. "I'm sorry I-"
"No, you're right. I'm…I was playing with fire. This is my fault." Kate interrupts him, "I don't know why I…why I didn't think about the ramifications at the time." Her words are breathy and soft, as if she's allowing her recent mistakes to catch up to her. "It isn't like me."
"We'll get it figured out. I'll work with IT and…" Christofer shakes his head a little, "we'll find the ghost in the machine."
That's a good way to put it.
All the actions that were made, all the things that M155 5M17H has said to her. The innocence that Kate had felt through the screen.
All lies.
A part of her wants to cry. Wants to break down and just…go to him. Do what she would have done when he was a boy and she was so much younger. Her mind wanders to the videos that were up on the wide panoramic screen earlier while at the tower.
In particular, a video of Gordy, just over a year old, running through a field of flowers into Kate's arms that her mother had taken. His auburn hair that had gotten lighter with each passing year was nothing more than peach fuzz at the time. A video where she looked so genuinely happy, despite raising her son alone. The smile on Gordy's face…
Kate closes her eyes, focusing on her breath, working very hard to calm herself down even more. "I must apologize to you and everyone at the-"
"No, you aren't going to say anything to anyone except our group. Shirley, Mel, and Petra, that's all that needs to know right now about the hacking to your computer." Christofer corrects quietly, "and you aren't asking for forgiveness. You were doing what you thought was right at the time. That isn't anything to ask forgiveness for." He lets her go when he feels her pull gently, keep an eye on her as she takes a seat on the edge of the bed. Christofer crouches in front of her, staying in the eye line of her downcast gaze. "Miss Smith did you a favor by the larger hack." When Kate begins to shake her head negatively, ready to argue with him, he continues, "think about it. The staff already knows Miss Smith is able to hack us. Is that right?"
"Yes." Kate mutters, focusing on his face now.
A smile starts to form in the corner of Christofer's mouth, "do we really know how long Miss Smith has been able to access our systems?"
Kate blinks, having not thought about that, "do you think it's been longer than-" She trails, seeing him nod.
"Had to have been. How would they have known when you were in your office each time?" Christofer asks quietly, reaching up and gently taking her hands into his. He doesn't expect an answer, nor does he truly want one. "It really doesn't matter how long Miss Smith has been in our systems as long we we know that they're there now, and we have a place to search."
"It doesn't…" Kate begins to shake her head a little, "it doesn't make what I've-"
"Habibi," Christofer brings one of her hands that he is holding to his lips, kissing the knuckles softly, "let me take care of you." He nods a little, "you made a team for this exact reason…and you're too close to this now."
Kate knows he's right. M155 5M17H managed to manipulate her into a false sense of security, into a false sense of comradery.
M155 5M17H has made a complete fool of her in front of her peers.
However, going anywhere near her children?
Game on, indeed.
Violet sits in one of the two chairs in the secluded hospital room, trying very hard not to stare at her girlfriend. It was as if the staff heard the Lethbridge-Stewart surname and Gordon was awarded his own room. Violet exhales slowly, watching as Frankie stares absently towards a nondescript tile on the floor, "you should sit."
It takes Frankie a moment to realize her girlfriend said something, "I'm sorry, what?" When Violet tilts her head towards the empty chair next to her, Frankie understands the message, taking a few steps closer before cautiously lowering herself into the chair. "I haven't said it yet, but thanks for um…for staying with me during this." Her tone is soft, almost lost. Her thought process moving a million miles a second. "Hospitals aren't exactly my idea of a good date night."
Reaching over, Violet takes Frankie's hand in hers, "there's no where else I could imagine being instead of with you." She swallows, shaking her head, taking a moment for the quiet to settle between them. "Can I ask you something though?" When Frankie nods, Violet continues, "when they came up to take your brother for imaging on his head, you said something that-"
Frankie begins to shake her head a little, "don't um…don't worry about-"
"I have to though." Violet continues, interrupting her girlfriend, "you said something about a-a microchip or something."
"A sensor." Frankie corrects quietly, "I had one too once."
"From where?" Violet shakes her head, ever curious. "I don't understand how you can be so calm about something like that."
"I'm used to it." Frankie continues quietly, inhaling and exhaling slowly to give herself a moment to decide if she wants to say something . However, if there was anyone she could tell, it was the woman next to her. "When Gordy and I were told that my mother was dead, there was a…a brief moment that neither of us remember. Gordy still doesn't remember, but…about a week or two after, may have been more, I um…I felt a lump in the back of my neck."
Violet watches her girlfriend with interest, "You had a sensor?"
Frankie nods, "I um…I thought it was a…" She shrugs, "some simple skin issue. I used an assortment of mirrors and a razor blade to…break the skin." Frankie exhales a soft sound of amusement, "I was a kid, I didn't know. I-I attached it to a…string friendship bracelet that I had. Never once forgot that it was there. It would wear away, I'd make another and another. When I grew older, I realized it was something I could run tests on…and came to a conclusion that it was a sort of…beacon or sensor."
"That's terrifying." Violet mutters softly.
"Lethbridge-Stewarts are important to U.N.I.T. They want to keep an eye on us." Frankie explains, "so, I ended up creating a, well, this…" She holds her hand out, showing the silicone bracelet that she wears on her wrist. Frankie flips it over to show the sensor embedded in the silicone, then turning it back over to conceal the device. "If I don't want them to know where I am, I put it on Bonehilda's wrist, where I installed a metal um…thing, and she's able to replicate a human body temperature and pulse."
"You're incredible," Violet smiles to herself, completely impressed as she mumbles the words without thought. "I take it that your brother doesn't know that it's there."
"My body rejected mine, his didn't. How do you bring something like that up?" Frankie shrugs a little, "I don't know if his is in the same place or…how deep it is in the muscle. It may not be something able to be retrieved." She glances to her girlfriend, "I didn't know what it really was at first and he was always in love with U.N.I.T and the idea of the place and its message, it was easier not to say anything. Let him take over the family business when it was time for him to."
"What if you are the one meant to take over the family business as you call it?" Violet offers, "what if the next person meant to be in charge of a questionable, paramilitary outfit is you?"
"I'm not fit for it." Frankie shakes her head, "I'm not…I don't see how someone could put the job ahead of those they love." She reaches her hands up to her hair, pulling it up to the crown of her head in a messy bun before pulling a hair-tie over it a couple of times to secure it from its usual spot on her opposite wrist. "I'm a nerd who loves putting together websites and the school newsletter. I like to build and modify little robots in my lounge. I'm not meant to be head of something like that…or of anything, really."
"I think you're selling yourself short." Violet moves her hand to the space between Frankie's shoulder blades, stroking gently with the tips of her fingers, "you're brilliant, inquisitive, and you care for your loved ones more than you do yourself. You would make an incredible leader."
Frankie doesn't need to agree with the words, she doesn't need to say anything and really, she isn't too sure she actually can. "Look at what that place has done to us." She looks ahead of herself, "I can promise you that this isn't what my Grandad had in mind when he built it." Frankie folds her arms over her chest, "and even Mum, she deserved a life away from U.N.I.T. She deserved something better."
Violet's hand between Frankie's shoulder blades moves to wrap around the middle of her back, leaning a head against the side of her shoulder, "you deserved something better too, you know." She speaks quietly, "like a mother who was able to be present for you without the shadow of leadership looming over her."
Swallowing, Frankie's eyes grow glassy with emotion, "yeah."
"From what you've told me about her though, you seem a lot like her." Violet offers, "and I know she'd be proud of you…I know I am."
Frankie does her best not to roll her eyes as a half-smile creeps into the corner of her mouth. She slowly looks over at her lover, "sweet talking me?"
"I mean, I wasn't, but…is it working?" Violet raises a hopeful eyebrow.
Her smile growing a bit more, Frankie nods slightly, leaning her head to the side to rest on top of Violet's.
They will get through this. Lethbridge-Stewarts are resilient. Some more than others.