Room 234: *headbanging* [Parker, Broots, but open after that]

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Okay, Parker's not actually head-banging, but she is dancing. She's in a fantastically good mood. Mostly. She's really hoping Logan stays a bunny until *after* tonight's interview, but otherwise? Good mood.

Broots is on his way up to (a) give her the email addresses she needs, plus a copy of the research they did last week, and (b) sweep her room for bugs.

Hey, it's only smart. She got lucky last night. You never know who might be listening.

She is singing to "Chicago", doing all the Catherine Zeta-Jones parts.

Comments

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots walked down to Miss Parker's room and knocked on the door. He could swear that he actually heard her singing.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker opens the door and belts out "..Allll that jaaazzz!" before she stops herself.

"Oh good, you're here." She's actually almost... smiling. "Do you have the records?"

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

"Jazz records? Sorry, nope." Broots can't help but smile. He comes into her room. "But I do have the information you asked me for."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Excellent." Parker retrieves her own computer and hands it over to Broots. "All the email addresses, a copy of the main prize, and whatever new things you found. Also? Can you configure it so I can get onto the intradimensional internet, the way you did? I need to send those off, and I want answers as soon as possible."

She does a little twirl as the Chicago! soundtrack segues into the next song.

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots stares at Miss Parker as if she grew another head. He slowly takes the laptop, never quite believing what he's seeing. "Um...I'm going to need your Ethernet connection. It's actually quite easy. When you go online, just specify which student's home dimension you want to log in to. One is the one for people like me and you who are actually from here. The rest of them are coded and the list is on the file I'm going to give you. Um, I'm sure I forgot something, so let me just do this for now. I'm just going to transfer the files straight into your computer."

Broots fumbles in his pocket and digs out a flash drive. He plugs it into his own computer and begins to set up Miss Parker's.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Very, very good." Parker is no longer dancing, but she's still kind of ... bouncing. "And then, a standard bug sweep? I haven't had the place checked since the elections are over, I don't expect anything, but better safe than sorry..."

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots gives her an odd look. "Sure Miss Parker, no problem." He scowls at the computer. "Okay? See here? Just choose with conection you want. Like I said, we're number one, that's where our computers are set to go. Angelus et all are seven." He takes the flash drive from his laptop and plugs it into Miss Parker's. "Everything you need is on here." He flips his laptop closed and stands up.

"Bug search now? Anywhere specific?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"The whole suite. I found a bug a month ago, I figured Julian Sark was playing games-- he's that kind of person-- but he's been a cat for weeks now. I just want to be sure." She folds her arms, and as an afterthought adds, "Thank you for doing this on such short notice."

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots shrugged and turned on the bug sweeper. "No problem, it's not like I have anything else to be doing." He starts from her desk, because he just happends to be there and moves on towards her bed. The sweeper goes off when he reaches her bed. A few minutes later, he pulls off a small listening device from underneath it. "Here's one."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker looks up, thinking. "Anyone from one of the non-tech worlds. Alanna, Kennedy, probably Malfoy couldn't do this...." She licks her lips. "I'd like to eliminate the alien types, but they at least know it's possible, they could find someone to do it for them." Grimacing, she says, "Which actually means *anyone* again, if we go by ability. So, going by who would want to...."

"Not Michael. I can't see Rory or Zero doing anything this devious and underhanded, even if they thought they had a good reason." She blows out a breath. "And the crew in 239/240 don't need anything I know. Not Angela or Marty, no point. Not you."

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots tries to keep up with all the names she's listening and has honestly lost track. He grabs a lollipop for himself and sits down on her bed. "Who does that leave?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I don't know, 90% of the school who are crazy or motivated or who I haven't even met?" Parker rubs her eyes. "I don't need this, I so don't need this, I've got the goddamn interview with Echolls and Angelus, and I just...."

"Get off the damn bed, Broots."

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots obediently gets off the bed and sits down on a spare chair. "Interview?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"_{...snarrlll bastard..."}

"For my Ethics assignment. I have to tell the world the *positive* things I think about vampires." She looks like she wants to spit. "There's three other types before we get to Angelus, but oh joy, he'll be there, so... The whole thing is stupid. Master. Slave. Who the hell are they kidding? Like people can just *leave* or like these types follow the rules... Christ."

She's quiet for a second, then too many things that have bugging her come to the fore. "Broots? Why the hell do you work for me?"

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots munches on his lollipop. "I'm not going to ask about the vamps thing, becuase, too many easy jokes. And um," He shrugged. "I started working for you because that's where I was assigned. And the money was good. And then I guess it was because." He shrugs again. "I don't know. I got used to you? And it beats anything that might be on HBO."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"You're not getting paid here," Parker points out. "Except for bonuses." She shakes her head, incredulous. "You can't find anything better to do?"

[dorky-broots.livejournal.com]

Broots shrugged yet again. "Like I said, more amusing than anything on TV. Plus, I like it. Hacking is fun, but it's even more cool when you have a goal and when you get to see your work have an impact."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto knocks on Parker's door.

"Hey, Parker, you got a minute?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Maybe exactly a minute. Why?" Parker is looking for the stupid Slave badge.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Because I heard about what Echolls wants you to do, and figured you couldn't wait until I sent the email."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

She's found the badge, and she's weighing it in her hand. "Email to say... what?" Parker's hand closes over it in a fist. "Kiss up and act? I'm not that good at it, Callisto. And I'm not feeling that motivated." She sighs, then smiles very slightly. "Right now, I'm just hoping he stays a bunny through the whole damn interview."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"It's more of a guide to how to survive being reduced to chattel while retaining some small shreds of dignity." Callisto steeples her hands as she speaks. "As for motivation, Echolls is doing this for his Journalism class, no? How do you think that Professor Jerusalem would react if he were to find out, after this assignment is handed in, that Echolls forced someone to misrepresent themselves on it?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker turns the badge over and over. "Hmmm. Okay. I'm listening. You've given me a reason to at least try beyond the first minute I'm pissed off."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"You have a strong will Parker, use it. I'm not saying you can't be pissed off. Frak, in this kind of situation, rage can be the only thing that keeps you going. But you can't show it. Bury it so deep that you can barely touch it, store it against the day when you can act on it without repercussions. Echolls wants to push your buttons, to break you, are you going to let him?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker stares at Callisto. Then smiles nastily.

"And if he can't walk, how is that breaking *me*?" She's nearly snarling. "If I hurt him, how the hell am I losing? Detention? Expulsion?" She lets out a breath. "I almost really, really don't care, Callisto. I have more important things to worry about than this crap assignment. If I get to walk out screaming he's an asshole, I don't see how that makes me lose anything."