Shock

David laughed. "Let me stay here for a week, and I'll try to bust in with stuff like the LophtCrack utility. Other than that, I'd suggest you find someone who works out there at the Wingate Clinic, who has access, and who would be sympathetic to your cause."

"Those are the only two choices?"

"No, there's something else. Get yourself or me into the server room." David laughed again. "Actually, that's the most efficient, foolproof way. Hell, it would probably only take less than ten minutes to create your own pathway. Then it would be a piece of cake, either from a workstation inside the network or even from offsite if you did it right."

Joa

David glanced down at his watch, then back up at Joa

"You've done enough," Joa

David noticed the faraway look in her green, unblinking eyes. He waited for several beats, then stuck his hand up in her line of sight and waved it back and forth. "Are you with me, girl?"

Joa

"It all depends," David said. "Obviously if they care about security, it's not like you can just walk in anytime you want."

"But it is physically a room," Joa

"It's a real room all right," David said. "And it's got real hardware inside, which includes a keyboard and a monitor to access the central processor."

"How would you envision the room to be secured?"

"A locked door," David said. "All the ones I've seen have had a card swipe access. You know: like a credit card."

"Interesting," Joa

"That's the easy part," David said. "You have some paper handy?"

Joa

"And that's it," David said. He ripped off the page and handed it up to Joa

"Thank you ever so much for coming over," Joa

"Hey, my pleasure,' David said. He scraped back the chair and stood up. "Any time for a former classmate."

"By the way how's your Ph.D. thesis coming along?" Joa

"Now you're starting to sound like my mother," David said with a laugh. He gathered his floppy discs into a neat pile. "Unfortunately I'm ru

"Very well," Joa

"Done!" David squeaked before blowing out a lungful of air through pursed lips. He visibly sagged. "What a way to cut a friend off at the knees."

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault."

"Maybe you should think about changing your environment," Joa

"Maybe it's because I'm not so fired up about Stochastic Processes in the Commodity Markets of Third World Countries any longer. But then again, who would be? Anyway, if I'm not being too personal, how are you and your fiancé getting along?"

"I'm no longer engaged," Joa

David's posture improved. "Really? How long has that been?"

"A year and a half."

"Are you okay with that?"

"It was my idea."

"Cool. How about you and me having di

"I'd like that," Joa

"I'll be in touch," David said. He pulled on his jacket and pocketed his floppy discs. On his way to the door he glanced over at Deborah's supine form. "Say good-bye to your roommate."

"I'm not asleep," Deborah said. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and blinked repeatedly in the light.

After another round of small talk David said his final goodbyes and departed. Deborah, who was still sitting on the couch, watched Joa

"No luck getting into the Wingate's files?" Deborah questioned. She yawned widely.

"Not yet," Joa

"Is David still going to try?"

"No, I am." Joa

"I'm confused," Deborah called out. "The reason you called David was because you couldn't do it. Did he give you some suggestions or advice that makes you think you can do it now?"

"We're moving to plan B," Joa

Deborah stood up from the couch. She waited for a moment to allow a wave of queasiness to pass. Giddy with fatigue she made her way over to the open bathroom door and leaned against the jamb. Joa

"I'm afraid to ask, but what in heaven's name is plan B?"

"I'm going to get a short-term job at the Wingate Clinic," Joa

"You have to be joking," Deborah said.

Joa

"This is crazy," Deborah said. The sleepiness in her voice disappeared. "First of all, David doesn't seem to be the source of infallible information. When he got here he was sure he could hack into the Wingate computer, but he couldn't."

"He'd be able to do it, it just might take a long time. He knows what he's talking about. He gave me very specific suggestions once I get into the Wingate server room." Joa

Deborah made a gesture of exasperation with her hands then put them on her hips. She watched her roommate for several minutes before responding. "Won't this server room be locked?"

"Probably," Joa

"Do you realize how insane this sounds?" Deborah said.

"I don't think it sounds insane in the slightest,' Joa

"Of course I want to know, but that's not the point."

"I think it is the point."

"Let's be practical about this,' Deborah said, trying to control her voice. "How are you going to get a job at the Wingate Clinic?"

"It should be easy," Joa

"But they'll recognize you," Deborah said with a vehemence that bordered on anger.

"Calm down]" Joa

"Don't you understand: They'll recognize you," Deborah repeated. "Probably most of the people we dealt with out there are still there, from the receptionist to the doctors."