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Authors: Francis Franklin
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on security stuff and wanted to see this place.’
‘This place is amazing,’ I enthuse. ‘It looks like daytime. Are you using night-vision cameras or something?’
‘All our cameras are dual mode with daytime and nighttime settings,’ Bill answers.
Looking through the images on the wall, I eventually identify Alex Graham’s garden, the little security hut by the main gate brightly lit within, but the rest of the garden and the wall clearly visible. If I was there now, standing on the wall like I was this morning, I would certainly be spotted if anyone looked at the display. Of course, it’s a much clearer brighter night tonight, moon and stars, no mist.
‘What happens if you spot someone trying to break in?’
‘We send a helicopter. We have three helicopters on-site here. If there’s an actual break-in we call the police. For some clients we will send an immediate response unit to the scene.’
‘Do you go in armed with tasers and stuff?’
‘No, we leave armed response to the police.’
I’ve seen and learned enough, so I thank Bill and Tony, give them another cheerful smile, and leave them to their surveillance. ‘Thanks, Dad,’ I say in the corridor, ‘that was just what I needed, but, you know, I’d love to have a word with the computer guy.’ He frowns unhappily. I know he’s not supposed to be taking me all over the place. ‘Please,’ I add in a sweet girl-begging-daddy way.
He sighs. ‘Come on, then.’
We open the door to the only office with a light on. Inside is a young man who is startled by our intrusion. I get the sense that he was doing something that he didn’t want anyone else to see. He is mid-twenties, short blonde hair and glasses, quite fit and handsome, uniformed but not as tough as all the other guards I’ve seen working for Dodgeson.
‘Hi!’ I say cheerfully, giving him a sweet smile. ‘I’m Sandra,’ I tell him, walking over to his desk and sticking my hand out.
‘Er, hi. Chris.’ He shakes my hand, looking down to scan my visitor pass, then looking over at Dom who is still hovering in the doorway.
‘Come in, Daddy,’ I order him gently, my eyes dazzling him, and I close the door as he obeys. ‘Why don’t you sit down for a while, over there, close your eyes, while I talk to Chris?’ He’s very confused, but his resistance to me is very weak now. He nods agreement and goes to sit in the chair I indicated. The office has several desks, with lots of computers and electronics. Also pizza boxes and mugs of half-drunk coffee.
‘I’d love a coffee, Chris.’
He hesitates, still wanting to tell me that I shouldn’t be here talking to him, but then there’s a hint of humour in his eyes as he gets up and walks over to the kettle in the corner. ‘We don’t have any milk.’ The kettle roars in a way that suggests it was boiled recently.
‘No milk is perfect. Four sugars, please.’ While he measures the coffee, I undo a couple of buttons of my white school shirt, not enough to expose my breasts, but enough to make him stare at the opening when he turns round to look at me. I pretend not to notice, studying the pictures on the walls, most of which are print-outs of humorous drawings with captions that I don’t really understand. One drawing is a girl sleeping in a double bed, next to her in bed is a laptop computer. I check on Dom. He’s fast asleep. It’s been a long day for him, what with guard duty, an evening in the pub, and me messing with his head for the past couple of hours.
‘Thanks,’ I say as Chris hands me a mug of scaldingly hot sweet black coffee. I breathe in the aroma. ‘Mmm.’ I give him a speculative look. He blushes a little. ‘Well, Chris, I’m doing a school project on security systems and techniques for making software systems more resilient.’
‘That sounds awfully advanced for school.’
‘I guess, but my dad works here, and I like computers. I’d be really grateful if you could help me understand a little about
‘This place is amazing,’ I enthuse. ‘It looks like daytime. Are you using night-vision cameras or something?’
‘All our cameras are dual mode with daytime and nighttime settings,’ Bill answers.
Looking through the images on the wall, I eventually identify Alex Graham’s garden, the little security hut by the main gate brightly lit within, but the rest of the garden and the wall clearly visible. If I was there now, standing on the wall like I was this morning, I would certainly be spotted if anyone looked at the display. Of course, it’s a much clearer brighter night tonight, moon and stars, no mist.
‘What happens if you spot someone trying to break in?’
‘We send a helicopter. We have three helicopters on-site here. If there’s an actual break-in we call the police. For some clients we will send an immediate response unit to the scene.’
‘Do you go in armed with tasers and stuff?’
‘No, we leave armed response to the police.’
I’ve seen and learned enough, so I thank Bill and Tony, give them another cheerful smile, and leave them to their surveillance. ‘Thanks, Dad,’ I say in the corridor, ‘that was just what I needed, but, you know, I’d love to have a word with the computer guy.’ He frowns unhappily. I know he’s not supposed to be taking me all over the place. ‘Please,’ I add in a sweet girl-begging-daddy way.
He sighs. ‘Come on, then.’
We open the door to the only office with a light on. Inside is a young man who is startled by our intrusion. I get the sense that he was doing something that he didn’t want anyone else to see. He is mid-twenties, short blonde hair and glasses, quite fit and handsome, uniformed but not as tough as all the other guards I’ve seen working for Dodgeson.
‘Hi!’ I say cheerfully, giving him a sweet smile. ‘I’m Sandra,’ I tell him, walking over to his desk and sticking my hand out.
‘Er, hi. Chris.’ He shakes my hand, looking down to scan my visitor pass, then looking over at Dom who is still hovering in the doorway.
‘Come in, Daddy,’ I order him gently, my eyes dazzling him, and I close the door as he obeys. ‘Why don’t you sit down for a while, over there, close your eyes, while I talk to Chris?’ He’s very confused, but his resistance to me is very weak now. He nods agreement and goes to sit in the chair I indicated. The office has several desks, with lots of computers and electronics. Also pizza boxes and mugs of half-drunk coffee.
‘I’d love a coffee, Chris.’
He hesitates, still wanting to tell me that I shouldn’t be here talking to him, but then there’s a hint of humour in his eyes as he gets up and walks over to the kettle in the corner. ‘We don’t have any milk.’ The kettle roars in a way that suggests it was boiled recently.
‘No milk is perfect. Four sugars, please.’ While he measures the coffee, I undo a couple of buttons of my white school shirt, not enough to expose my breasts, but enough to make him stare at the opening when he turns round to look at me. I pretend not to notice, studying the pictures on the walls, most of which are print-outs of humorous drawings with captions that I don’t really understand. One drawing is a girl sleeping in a double bed, next to her in bed is a laptop computer. I check on Dom. He’s fast asleep. It’s been a long day for him, what with guard duty, an evening in the pub, and me messing with his head for the past couple of hours.
‘Thanks,’ I say as Chris hands me a mug of scaldingly hot sweet black coffee. I breathe in the aroma. ‘Mmm.’ I give him a speculative look. He blushes a little. ‘Well, Chris, I’m doing a school project on security systems and techniques for making software systems more resilient.’
‘That sounds awfully advanced for school.’
‘I guess, but my dad works here, and I like computers. I’d be really grateful if you could help me understand a little about
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