Crane.

“No, not a technopath.” He answered, not surprised that she’d made that jump to conclusions. “I can make digital things real, and real things digital. for example, this cup. I could put this in my laptop, then take it out again once I’m at my office. I’ve tried before, but the coffee always always comes out cold.” He sighed, and shook his head, wondering if there were some way for him to keep the drink heated whilst in digital transportation. Perhaps he could do some experimenting. “Anyway, I must be off, systems don’t secure themselves.” Ben announced, picking up his laptop, nodding a goodbye to the young lady and just hoping that she didn’t follow him when he left the room. 

Nodding, Katherine waved at the man. He could leave, that was fine. For now, she was going to poke around some more on the level, at least until security or whomever this badge belonged to, found her out.

“If I had maybe 5 more seconds, I’d be able to get in, maybe.” Micah said after giving himself one minute to calm and clear his head. “By the time someone like me could crack it, we’d already be picked up, or give up.” He said, rubbing his hand over his head.

[CLOSED]

In awe, Micah observed the changing landscape. He wasn’t sure where he would need to go, but it was worth a shot. “You would need multiple abilities to crack this- specifically enhanced speed and technopathy… I’m willing to try it out!” He said, placing his hand on the monitor.

“Good to know,” Katherine said, glancing at the laptop, then around the room again. “Technopath… cool word. Are you one of those?” She was quickly growing bored of this interrogation, and she figured she wouldn’t be able to go toe to toe with someone experienced in technology, so belaboring her search in the technological aspect would prove fruitless.

“No, not a technopath.” He answered, not surprised that she’d made that jump to conclusions. “I can make digital things real, and real things digital. for example, this cup. I could put this in my laptop, then take it out again once I’m at my office. I’ve tried before, but the coffee always always comes out cold.” He sighed, and shook his head, wondering if there were some way for him to keep the drink heated whilst in digital transportation. Perhaps he could do some experimenting. “Anyway, I must be off, systems don’t secure themselves.” Ben announced, picking up his laptop, nodding a goodbye to the young lady and just hoping that she didn’t follow him when he left the room. 

He raised a brow, looking at the man suspiciously, “I trust you enough, but this isn’t going to harm me, is it?” Micah asked for clarification. A fellow much like him- Hana Gitelman- had been caught off by a virus which ultimately led to her demise. Often he wasn’t worried of it, but to chance it without asking would be unwise. “We can become ill from viruses as well. But I’m willing to test it out, otherwise.”

Pulling up a file on his computer, he turned the monitor around to show the design to Micah. At first glance the image looked like a fuzzy box, but further inspection revealed that it was actually a huge, deeply intricate maze. “This is the new design. The path changes every 13 seconds, and whilst you’re trying to figure it out, our systems will be finding out your location and sending a squad to meet you and pick you up. Do you think you’d be able to break it?”

At his explanation, Charlie nodded once in acknowledgment. “Of course. I completely understand.” His lips curled up into a small smile after a moment. “But you change your mind or can think of anyone that you’d be able to get into contact with, I’m sure you’ll find me somewhere around the city.” Another pause. “Though, I’m sure you’re right about finding some friendly ones.”

“I can assure you I wont change my mind.” He said, with not even a hint of apology in his voice. “And unfortunately I wouldn’t really be able to put you in contact with anyone without know whether they’d want to be put in contact with you, I’m sure you understand.” Deciding that he’d been quite rude enough to someone who seemingly did not deserve it, Ben sighed and looked at the burned out building again. “It really is a shame about this place. A terrible shame.” Ben muttered sadly, turning away, nodding a goodbye to Charlie before walking away to grieve a friend on his own.

Adorable Michael at New York Comic Con 2012.

“Of course,” Micah said, nodding as he did so. It was becoming a common thing for him to sit behind desks, but he supposed a delinquent such as himself should be more accustomed to positions like these. “What is it you wanted to talk about?” He asked, though he supposed it had something to do with either their abilities or the technologies affected by them.

“Well Micah, I was hoping for a favour. You see, I can spend forever creating defenses that could keep out the most hardened of hacking veterans. The real challenge is protecting our systems from people like you.” Ben vaguely gestured towards Micah, assuming that he understood the point he was making. “I need you to test out the new safety protocols I’ve put in place, to see if you can get through them.”

She still didn’t trust him though. “Don’t you have a kid for that?” She asked looking at “Michael, Mitchell, something like that?” She knew there was a technopath that handled things like that, but not much beyond that. “If it’s just a laptop, why is it hidden down here under…” Katherine paused to glance at the badge, “Level 6 security. You don’t hide a laptop behind a level 6 door. Or do you?”

“I assure you my actual work is kept behind something far safer than a door.” Benjamin tapped a few things on his keyboard before closing it - though there was nothing special about his laptop, he’d rather not leave it open for all to see. “And the boy you’re referring to, Micah, may be a technopath, but that doesn’t mean he knows everything.” 

HAROLD FINCH & JOHN REESE. CONVERGENCE

Twisting her face into a remorseful expression, Charlie turned to Benjamin again. “Oh? Well, maybe, since I’m pretty new in town, we could meet for dinner one night? The group you’re speaking of, I mean. We could talk about this place, get a proper greeting in. And I could use a few friends in town.” It was almost too easy, manipulating this man in giving her what he wanted.

“We don’t meet any more, I’m afraid. I wouldn’t even be able to contact the others I don’t think.” I don’t want to contact the others was more accurate, but that wasn’t a conversation to have with a stranger. “I’m sure you’ll find people though, there are enough people in the city, some of them have to be friendly.”

Facial expressions appreciation post.

“Fine. Your unit’s fixed by the way, there was just a little bit of debris messing with it. Should keep y=your room nice and chilly.” Nick stepped away from the wall and turned to Benjamin, wondering if he’d still get a thank you, of if he’d burned that bridge. “You’re welcome.”

[CLOSED]

It definitely would have made excellent hunting grounds, but some deaths out weight fun. “I’ve heard great things about this place. Makes me a little disappointed I didn’t get to come by sooner.” Charlie glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye. “Did you know the owner well?”

“Not particularly.” He answered, admittedly a little weakly. “A small group of us would meet semi-regularly. The owners were always very courteous. A shame-” Ben shook his head. “It’s a damn shame.”

She figured no one would be about this morning. Honestly, pervasive curiosity aside, she wondered why the hell she, herself was out this early. But none the less, there stood a man, who no doubt totally heard her clacking away on the linoleum tiles. Katherine raised a brow, crossed her arms, and approached the man and his computer slowly. “I’m already here, already seen it. What’s it do?” She asked, in no way leaving the conversation topic up for discussion.

Whilst the coffee machine whirred away, Benjamin glanced at the lady and then looked back at his computer. “It stores information and accesses networks.” His tone was unintentionally deadpan, a side effect of it being so early. “It’s a laptop, nothing fancy.” Ben further explained. He was head of digital security, he knew better that to openly display confidential bits of tech. “Though your assumption that it must be something secretive sheds a light on your experience with this company.” Was his attempt at a joke; he didn’t attempt them very often. 

“And if I had built them, would we be on even footing, and would you stop being a prissy baby?” Could he be fired for that? Would Crane want to get him fired? He could just apologise and hope for the best? “I’m only trying to do my job, after all.” 

Instead of replying, Ben just turned back to his computer and decided that, if Nick could be immature, so could he. The silent treatment wasn’t foolproof, but it was something at least.