50CHAPTER 2
Sorry I've taken a bit longer than usual to update….Holiday time here in the US and real life calls! Onward to the next chapter!
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Jess Parker wished she'd paid better attention in the self defense class she took several years ago. It was Day 2 of Special Training. This class focused on self defense and addressing physical incursions into the building.
She stared quietly up at the ceiling of the gym… My, my they really needed to get some ladders up there and dust those fans in the cooling vents…..She really needed to add that to her next building email. Her instructor stood over her patiently as she sat up from the mat and attempted to get back on her feet for more torturous "instruction" from a woman twice her size that was most certainly named Helga or Olga. She glanced at Connor across the room and rolled her eyes upward in a sign of commiseration as his instructor, a tall blonde who looked like she had just stepped out of an Olympic training facility, neatly flipped him over onto his back. Abby, working with another instructor, had already executed several well planned moves to toss her teacher quickly to the floor, much to his approval. Abby agreed to move among the students and help others who needed more work to master the technique. Jess was sure no amount of "technique" would help her sweep the lovely Helga off her feet. She felt extremely relieved when the entire class was informed that they were moving into the classroom for more lecture on the subject. Sitting in a classroom instead of laying on her back in a mat with a room full of workers staring at her inability to take down her opponent only bruised her already damaged ego. Connor slid into the chair next to her as each student was issued a tablet. Jess immediately began working to hack into the server to find out what other torture awaited them throughout the rest of the day. If she leaned back in her chair she could just see into the next room where Becker was leading a class on physical incursions with the soldiers at the ARC. He moved confidently and smoothly around the front of the room as he pointed to several illustrations on the Smartboard on the wall. Jess wondered what it would be like to have had Becker as one of her professors in her college classes…Becker lecturing in class every day, leaning over her desk to help her with her assignment, perhaps her hand accidentally grazing his black hair…scheduling a few private consultations during his university office hours….
"Ms. Parker!"
She was quickly drawn out of her reverie as the rather irritated Helga or Olga or whoever she was began calling her name to come to the front of the room for another demonstration of ineptitude….Connor shot her a look of sympathy as she stood up slowly and trudged to the front of the room for what was surely another tutorial in abject humiliation.
"Sorry, Jess…..you seem to be her favorite target today," whispered Connor.
Jess sighed as her upper lip curled slightly when she whispered "Well her credit rating is going to be my favorite target today if she keeps this up…"
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Hilary Becker walked around the room trying to look over his students' shoulders and pointing out inconsistencies and errors on their reports. Looking through the open door he could see the other classroom and a few of the desks in the back of the room. Connor and Jess were sitting together . Jess was wearing workout clothes with a bright blue jacket and trainers. The blue of the jacket accentuated her impossibly blue eyes against her pale face. As Jess leaned over to Connor to ask him a question he heard the instructor call her name at the front of the room. He could see her whole demeanor change as she slumped in her chair and began to walk to the front of the room. Though this training was required for all staff, Becker knew Jess' technology skills wouldn't help her complete these training exercises. He knew her incredibly quick mind was an immense asset at the ARC. Her ability to assess situations and find solutions in the shortest possible time saved many lives at the ARC. One of his soldiers leaned forward to watch Jess get out of her chair and walk to the front of the room. He leaned over to the soldier at the next desk.
"Hey, Sean, is that Jess, the Field Coordinator? I've never met her in person. She really saved our ass last month at that anomaly in Brighton. Wow….I had no idea she looked like that!"
He leaned farther forward to watch her walk to the front of the room. The soldier startled suddenly as a rather large volume of text was dropped onto his desk several inches from his face. He looked up surprised as his Captain leaned down to point to the paperwork on his desk.
"Listen, Wilson, instead of leering at personnel in the other class, you'd better focus your attention on your work or you'll find yourself on clean up duty for the next month….."
Jimmy Wilson quickly sat up in his seat and shuffled his papers to project some semblance of being engrossed in his work. Sam Miller leaned over as the captain walked away.
"Man, you picked the wrong woman to ogle with the captain standing right there, Jimmy!"
Wilson looked over at his friend.
"Jess Parker? And Captain Becker?" He seemed puzzled.
"Well yes and no." Sam grinned. "Captain Becker's more than a little protective of her. Last week, Jack Thompson asked her if she needed help carrying stuff out to her car and then asked her for her phone number. Becker moved him out of the building to do guard duty for a week. He may not know it yet but most of his men know exactly where the Captain's interest lies…..He just hasn't figured it out himself yet."
Jimmy Wilson grimaced. "Well I hope he figures it out soon because I don't want to make THAT mistake again." He turned to his manual and began reviewing the information on the page.
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Connor sat at the back of the room watching Jess walk back to her seat. As she slid into her chair he gave her a smile of encouragement.
"Well that wasn't so bad! At least you didn't end up on the floor this time!" he whispered.
Jess grimaced and leaned back in her chair.
"This day just keeps getting better and better."
She rummaged through her purse in hopes of finding the leftover half of a chocolate bar she'd wrapped up and stashed there for emergencies. Her cell phone suddenly began to vibrate loudly as she quickly grabbed it out of her purse and casually glanced at the number displayed.
Her eyes widened as she stared at a number not unfamiliar to her but one she had not seen in a few years. This was a call she knew she had to take. She slipped quietly out of her seat and walked into the hall. Five minutes later, with a quick nod to Connor, she grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair and walked rapidly out of the classroom. Connor stared after her wondering what emergency at the hub had occurred to send her running off so quickly…and hoping that she would need his help in the next few minutes…..anywhere else in the building where large women wouldn't be throwing him onto gym mats.
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Becker walked across the hall at the end of his class. The civilian class was just ending and he was hoping to get a chance to talk to Jess…just to give her some encouragement and maybe lift her spirits with the chocolate bar he'd stashed in his pocket that morning. He was doing his job….boosting the morale of his team….that was all…..
He glanced around the room, not seeing her, and walked over to Connor who was walking back from the mats in front of the room.
"Hey, Connor….How's the class going?"
Connor made his best effort not to appear as irritated as he felt. After all, it wasn't Becker's fault he'd been thrown into this annoying training.
"It's going….." He joined Becker walking out of the room toward the break room.
"Jess went on up to the break room?" Becker tried to keep his voice casual.
Connor smirked but answered honestly. "I don't know. She got some emergency phone call and left pretty quickly…. Must be some tech thing with the ADD."
Becker stopped walking. Usually he was informed of any major security glitches at the Hub. He decided to take the lift up there and find out what was happening. He needed to stay on top of any computer issues that might interfere with training exercises. When he reached the Hub he was surprised to find Sylvia at the ADD performing a routine diagnostic.
"Did Jess solve that problem you were having already?" Becker queried.
Sylvia looked up. "What problem?" When she noticed it was Becker she subconsciously smoothed back the stray hair that had fallen forward and smiled up at him.
"The one they called Jess up to fix…" He frowned.
"No problems I'm aware of. We're just running a diagnostic program. Anything else I can help you with, Captain Becker?" her smile grew a little wider.
"No thanks."
He turned quickly and walked away from the ADD to his station. After a few seconds his computer quickly booted up and he began to search personnel location. A few seconds later his frown deepened. According to the security program, Jess Parker was no longer at the ARC. What emergency would have called her away without a word to anyone. He made the decision to go right to the top and strode into Lester's office. He convinced himself that, as head of security, it was important to keep track of his people….yes, that was it…all part of the job.