Page 38 of Static/Cling

Leif’s reflection in the monitor pursed its lips.

Bjorn put a hand on his shoulder.

Kassian refocused on the information flitting across his screen and not on its reflection. As if he needed a reminder how together those two guys were, no matter what either of them said about friendship.

“Should have followed it,” he muttered.

“But you know where it is now,” Leif said.

“Yes, and we’re fucked.”

“Just get it back,” Bjorn offered.

“Not that simple.”

“Can you corrupt it?” Sal asked.

“Tried. It’s like it’s iron-clad against that.”

“Impossible.”

“Apparently not.”

“So you can’t retrieve it, and can’t corrupt it.”

“No.”

“So burn it out,” Bjorn said.

Kassian turned to look at him. “Excuse me?”

“Fry the whole system.”

“You want me to take down the military’s computer system? And maybe the MNR?”

Sal blanched and he wished he hadn’t said that. They knew, like Kassian did, what damage the military could do to the people named in that file. And how much worse it could get if the MNR had it.

“Well, okay, that could be dangerous,” Bjorn conceded. “Maybe not all the military. Don’t want to accidentally set off any nuclear rockets or anything. But maybe just that one?”

“One what? Computer? Sever? Building?”

Bjorn shrugged, apparently at the end of his suggestions.

“Leave me alone.” Kassian turned back to his computer. Somehow, he had to neutralize that file before anyone else found it and looked at it.

Everyone but Leif wandered off.

“My ball broke,” Roger murmured.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” Sal told him. “There are more in my desk.”

A minute later, Roger’s bouncing ball gave Kassian’s brain a steady cadence to follow in the background as he typed. He hadto at least find a location. If he knew that, Bjorn’s suggestion might have some merit.

Less than an hour later, while Bjorn pretended to read the contents of the file in front of him, Kassian ravenously wolfed down a cold wrap Bjorn had gone to get him. Fetching food had seemed like the best use of his time. What else was he going to do while computer shit was happening? It had been so long since he’d even touched one, he wasn’t sure he’d remember what to do anyway.

The rest of them sat around Sal’s desk watching and waiting while Sal double-checked Kassian’s results.

Bjorn, sandwiched between Leif and an acid-orange office divider someone had moved next to Sal’s and Roger’s desks to cut down on the draft from the opening and closing main door, glanced over his office mates’ faces.

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