Adultery Cheating and Rivals by xleglover-COMPLETED

[Ramesh_Rocky]

"What?" Mike said, his head and heart trying to come to grips with their new reality.

****************

"So how'd he do it?" JJ asked Abraham, Brent and Maria. Big was there too. So was Allen, the chief scientist of CATF. They were in a secure conference room deep inside CATF.

"We found a virus - a control program - in Hal," Brent said.

"Mike infected Hal with a virus?" JJ said incredulously.

Brent nodded. "That's how he controlled the doors. It's gone now. We removed it."

"Is it easy to hack into our systems?" JJ asked. "The ones that control the doors?"

"No, it's not easy," Abraham said. "They're our most secure systems. It's not easy at all. But this is Mike."

"But you removed it," JJ said. "So it's over?"

Brent looked at Maria and Abraham. They hesitantly nodded. "Yes sir, we think so," he said.

"You don't sound convinced," JJ said frowning.

"Well sir, it doesn't make sense," Maria said. "The virus was right there, in plain sight, easy to find. This is Mike. He invented the cloaking device. Why didn't he hide it? And, the metadata seems to indicate the virus is old. Like he uploaded it weeks ago."

Allen shook his head worriedly. "Something about Mike," he said, remembering what happened with Liberty-gate. "You can't underestimate him because he's quiet. You have to assume he's smarter than all of us."

"Well we know that," Maria said with a humorless laugh. Abraham and Brent chuckled too.

"But not just math smart or computer smart," Allen said. "In his own way Mike is very manipulative. Cunning."

"I think I know what he did," Big said, speaking for the first time. He looked grim. "It's not good."

"What?" JJ said.

"I found this on the security tape," Big said. He pressed a few buttons and a video played on the big wall screen. It was Mike in the Bunker, at his computer station. They watched as he placed his iPhone next to the computer. Then they heard him whisper, "Siri - upload and execute."

"So, what are we seeing?" JJ asked. "What did he do? Upload another virus?"

But Brent, Abraham and Maria immediately saw the implications. They looked alarmed. "When did he do this?!" Abraham asked urgently.

"Look at the timestamp," Big said, motioning to the screen. They all looked.

"Oh fuck," Brent said worriedly.

"Mike, god, no ...," Maria lamented.

"What?!" JJ yelled. "What did he do?!"

"Yes, he uploaded a virus, probably another control program," Big said. "But he uploaded it when the computers were linked and the firewalls down."

JJ's eyes went wide. "Are you saying he infected every computer of the US government?" he said in a low voice. "He can control all our computers?"

Big nodded. "And I can't find the virus. I've looked. This time he's wrapped it in his cloaking device."

JJ stared at Big. Then at Abraham, Maria and Brent, processing this information. Finally he picked up the telephone. He said "I need to speak with the President."

*****************

Mike went up to Frank, tears in his eyes. "You know doctors! The best doctors! You know them!" he said frantically to the older man.

"Yes ...," Frank said.

Mike grabbed Frank's arms. "Please call them! Get them to help Anna! Please! I'll do anything!"

"Mike. I've already called them. The best are in there, right now, with your daughter."

"She might die! She might lose her leg!" Mike said desperately.

"I know," Frank said. "I'm sorry."

*****************

Mike and Jen waited for hours as they operated on Anna. They huddled in a corner, arms around each other, hands locked together.

"I should've been there," Mike said, tears flowing down his cheeks. "I could've protected her."

"Hugh and Frank were with her," Jen said.

"I'm her father!" Mike cried. "It was my job to protect her! If I'd been there she'd be here now! I would've protected her!"

"Mike it's not your fault, there's nothing you could have done!" Jen said. She was crying too.

They hugged and cried and held hands some more. Eventually Jen whispered "Ricky was there. At the rally. I didn't plan it. He just showed up."

"Okay," Mike said in a barely audible voice. With dread in his heart, he said "You had sex." It was half question, half statement.

Jen didn't answer for long moments. Finally she whispered "... yes."

They lapsed into silence. Finally Mike said "I think we should separate."

"Mike, no ...," Jen said.

"I think you need to figure things out," Mike said. "I need to figure things out."

"No, we don't need to figure anything out!" Jen said desperately, her hands clutching Mike's shirt.

"I think ... I think we do," Mike said. They were both crying. They held each other as they cried. Tears for their child. Tears for their marriage.

Cheating and Rivals Part 80

"Anna will be okay," the doctor told Jen and Mike.

Jen and Mike cried and hugged. Then they hugged the doctor.

After a few moments, Mike asked anxiously, "Her leg?"

"We were able to save her leg," the doctor said. He looked weary. They'd been operating for hours. "After she heals she'll need extensive physical therapy. It'll be a long process. But in time she should be able to recover almost fully."

"Almost?" Mike asked.

"She'll probably have a limp," the doctor said.

"But ... she's a ballerina," Mike said. "A great dancer. And gymnast."

The doctor frown at Mike. "Anna's a different person now. Will she be able to dance like before? I'm sorry but no. She's not the same as before. And she's old enough to realize the differences. You have to help her through this. If you're sad, she'll be sad. The important thing is, she's alive."

"Mike the doctor's right," Jen said, joyful tears falling down her cheeks. "Our baby's alive. She's going to be okay. That's all that matters." She hugged Mike, and Mike hugged her back. But the doctor's words ran through his head: "Anna's not the same as before."

**************************

"How did you know how to help Anna?" Jen asked Jasmine. They were in the hospital cafeteria drinking coffee.

"You probably think I used to model," Jasmine said with a grin.

"No, I mean ...," Jen sputtered.

"It's alright," Jasmine said still smiling. "I actually did model for a while. Back in high school. But I volunteered at a hospital too. The emergency room."

"Oh okay," Jen said, understanding now. "I'm really sorry about Deidre."

"Thanks," Jasmine said looking down. "I'd ... rather not talk about it," she said, chocking up and barely holding back tears.

"I get it," Jen said. After a moment she said "Anyways ... I wanted to thank you. Working on your campaign ... I think you're an amazing person. And the way you helped Anna. I'll never forget that."

Jasmine was embarrassed by Jen's unabashed praise. "Well, I guess then I can count on your vote," she said with an embarrassed laugh.

"Jasmine I will always vote for you," Jen said looking into Jasmine's eyes. "I swear to god, for the rest of my life, I will always vote for you."

"Well ... thanks," Jasmine said, shyly looking down at her feet. Then with a lopsided grin she said "So I guess we're friends now."

"Yeah, we're friends," Jen said. She reached out and took her hands. She said, "And Jas ... I'm really sorry about Deidre."

Jasmine looked away, clearly trying to hold back tears. "Back in college, we went to Venice, it was our first trip together," she said, smiling at the memory. "They make lace there, you know? We found the prettiest hat, it was made of black lace. Deidre said I could wear it to a state funeral someday. She was always planning like that. She was more into my career than me."

"She loved you," Jen said, squeezing Jasmine's hands in hers. "She was supporting you. That's what you do when you love someone."

Jasmine nodded, a tear finally falling down her cheeks. "But now all I can think about is if I should wear that hat to Dee's funeral. I want to, but I'm afraid Dee would want me to save it."

Jen pressed Jasmine's hands in hers again. "You know what? I think Dee would want you to do whatever makes you happy."

Jasmine nodded again. "Then, I think maybe I'll wear the hat," she said, tears falling down her cheeks. "Because then, during her funeral, I can think about Venice."

"I think you should do that," Jen said encouragingly.

Suddenly Jasmine collapsed into Jen's arms, crying uncontrollably. "I really miss her!" she wailed.

"I know honey, I know," Jen said holding Jasmine tight.

*******************