Prologue
A trainee- not even a qualified staff member yet- was supposed to handle documents and paperwork; certainly not bomb threats. Paul fumbled with the printout as the silent machine spat it out.

"Classification?" Rebecca asked. Her tone hinted at boredom as she fiddled with a twenty five –paneled Rubix cube.

"B20," Paul said.

Rebecca perked up at that as she tossed the cube onto the 'IN' tray at the corner of her desk. "I'll take it. Let me guess- a bomb scare at the elementary school?"

Jay snorted from his cubicle as Paul handed her the sheet.

"Right in one, again," Rebecca said, shutting down her connection to the networks. "Everything looks fine- the police said that some kid  had something suspicious in his lunch box again, but that they didn't recognize one of the pieces. They wanted someone to check up on it, just to be safe.  I'll check in with Greeth and I'll be back within an hour, you'll see, Jay."

As she left, grabbing a small metal box on the way, Jay chuckled fondly at Paul's shocked expression. "Relax; she's done it many times before."

When Rebecca entered Greeth's office, she found that he had been waiting for her. "I take it you've accepted?" he asked dryly.

"Yes, sir."

"Good, I knew you would. Beth's in the library, getting  ready for Samuel's return later today. I want you fully prepared. I know it's just an elementary school, but Brian's men have been rather active. Also, there's a good chance you and Samuel will rendezvous, so we need to be ready for anything. Full hook up, got it?"

Rebecca grimaced, then nodded before hurrying off to the room they fondly referred to as the library for its vast collection of tools and devices.

"Ah! Rebecca, good to see you. It's been awhile since you've been down here, hasn't it?" Beth greeted her cheerfully.

The younger woman smiled. "It has indeed. I'm rather close to solving that Rubix cube you gave me last month... it's about time I had something more- shall we say- productive to do."

Beth laughed, all the while hurrying about the room, gathering things from an assortment of shelves. "Brian said the complete works, right?" she asked from her work table.

"Yes, he did." Rebecca replied wryly. "I suppose you have something new you want to test?
"Right in one," Beth said, coming back to where Rebecca stood, a loaded tray in hand. "It's a small implant that sits right under your skin, and monitors the levels of several hormones in your blood system. Completely untraceable, and it won't trigger any metal detectors as it's made of that new silicon look alike that Greeth bought."

"Joy," Rebecca muttered under her breath, "Beth, you do know that I'm not particularly fond of needles, don't you?" she asked.

Beth raised an eyebrow. "No, actually, I didn't. Don't worry, it's tiny and no needles involved- just a scalpel. It'll look like you have a paper-cut from the outside."

"And the inside?"

"A tiny piece of electronics, barely noticeable as it'll be on the underside of your arm."

"Just hurry up with it, please." Rebecca said, attaching two tiny patches to the insides of her knee that would monitor the levels of oxygen in her blood, as well as her pulse rate.

"If you'd hold still, for just a moment, I would," Beth said, grasping Rebecca's upper arm with a gloved hand. With a quick jerk, she created a small slice in the underside of her arm and then inserted the tiny device before applying an adhesive bandage. "Good as gold," she said. "That'll hold for up to six months, provided you don't happen to smash it; which reminds me," she continued, "You're due for another series of the anti- serum booster."

"When I return, I promise," Rebecca said with a groan. "We're still under three minutes since the police department's initial call, but time's growing short," she murmured with the simple looking, high tech watch that now graced her wrist. "Thanks, Beth. I'll keep in touch."

"Too right you will," Beth replied with a grin. "I'll be watching your every  move."

Rebecca laughed and headed out the door, her weathered tool kit in hand.