Chapter 3:

Lt. J.G. Tim O'neill adjusted his glasses as he watched Miguel Ortiz and Lucas Wolenzak lightly teased eachother about this secret mission. They had been waiting for over a half hour the always prompt Lt. noted to himself as he listened to his best friend and the teenager's banter.

"Maybe we get to be the security breach?"

"No way Luke, Bridger would never let you try to figure out how to break in to Seaquest."

"Why? Don't think I could do it?"

"No", Tim interrupted, "I'm sure you could do it but, I don't think it would give the captain any peace of mind to confirm it."

"Besides", Migs added," If you can break in, you can break out. I think If you prove you can do it the Cap will have ol' Crocker following you around like an old blood hound."

The three men laughed at this idea, knowing in all truth it was very plausible. After the young man's trip to the Sanger Institute for a secret party the Captain had tightened the reigns on his youngest charge.

Nathan entered the room at this moment wondering what could be so funny. He knew his senior crew was excited about the war games he just hoped these three men wouldn't be disappointed that they weren't going to be participating. After a long discussion with Admiral Noyce, it had been decided that these three were best suited to use to rout out the spy in their ranks.

"Gentlemen, Sorry to keep you waiting. I know you all must be excited about the war games but, I'm afraid I have something more serious to discuss with you."

Tim O'neill swallowed hard as he listened to what the Captain had to say about the spy. Tim's strong Catholic roots left him very a very trusting man. He had a hard time accepting that a member of a crew, maybe one of his friends could be a traitor. The Sensory Chief, Miguel Ortiz looked like he was going to be sick at any moment. He had been a part of an internal investigation before on the Lincon. He had lost his best friend in the may lay left by the NCIS officers. He understood why Nathan had no intentions of having to involve the agency in this. He only hoped they could find the spy out in time. Lucas looked amazed at the whole thing, which didn't surprise Nathan one bit. The boy had grown up in a generation that was left desensitized to such things by movies and video games. Nathan knew if they boy knew how damaging this could be to his home he would be upset however; the captain had no intentions of revealing that information.

Once the plan was all laid out the men decided the best place to set up a base of operations would be the Captain's quarters. They would use the cover of programing the war games in secrecy as an excuse to move the equipment they would need in to the space. Miguel would use a portable computer to control Junior and use the WISKR to hold a secure line feeding Admiral Noyce information. Tim would have to go through every incoming and outgoing transmission of every crewmember starting with the most recent going back 3 months looking for anything suspicious. Lucas' job would be the most involved by far. Not only did he have to continue guarding the files without tipping their hand, which meant he couldn't just write a new security program to protect it, he also had to try to trace the spy's location on the Seaquest fast enough for them to find him.

Nathan dismissed the 3 of them so they could get started moving the equipment they needed and setting up his quarters as a would be command central. Time was of the essences. Captain let the Sensory Chief and Lucas exit the room but as his communications officer began to exit he put a hand on his shoulder and spoke.

"A word Tim."

"Uh, Yes Sir."

"At ease Tim, this is a private matter."

"Uh, a private matter sir? "

"It's about Lucas, Tim."

The Officer nodded, he knew that the Captain felt very attached to the boy. He also know that Bridger wouldn't openly admit that to the computer genius either.

"You know how he is when he gets wrapped up in work Tim. Just make sure he eats and actually sleeps. Kristen will keelhaul me if anything happens to him."

Tim nodded as he left the room. He knew the captain was asking more for himself than the good doctor. Although both had taken parenting rolls when it came to Lucas, Bridger seemed to go about it far more indirectly thank Dr. Westphalen.

On the Bridge the crew members were excitedly discussing the war games as Miguel Ortiz and Tim O'neill entered the Bridge. Both men separated and headed to their stations to being acquiring the proper supplies to take with them.

"Taking over?" Ensign Jacobs asked Tim.

"Not right now, I just need to upload a few things and set up a temporary link then I'll be out of your hair. Hey, Eddie, do we have any other head sets in the supply room?

"Not sure man, you'd have to ask Krieg."

"Great." Tim mumbled blushing a little.

"Still mad at him for the walk of shame eh Tim?" , Jacobs asked with a smirk.

"Wouldn't you be Eddie? It wasn't exactly a short walk."

"True, and I head Lt. Com. Hitchcock got an eye full too." Eddie laughed but stifled it as soon as he realized it was still too soon to joke about the incident with Tim just yet. Eddie liked Tim and knew how shy the guy could be. For someone who had a reputation so good it preceded him and was spoken of as legendary in the communications world, Tim was about as straight-laced and shy as a person could possibly be. Which made it all the more funny to hear about the prank played on him by Krieg it's proverbial icing on the cake. Apparently, according to the scuttlebutt around the boat in Tim's hast to get back to his own room he accidently entered the quarters of one Lt. Commander Katherine Hitchcock who was none too happy to see the naked communications officer standing his her quarters at 2300. Of course everyone on the Seaquest knew Tim and knew that this must have been an honest mistake but, it did take some convincing by Captain Bridger to keep Katie from killing Tim that night.

"Mind your business Eddie." Tim responded shortly as he picked up the disk he had uploaded and grabbed his own headset from under the seat.

Across the bridge Lt. Com. Katie Hitchcock was picking the brain of one Cuban Sensory Chief.

"Come on Migs, what's the big secret?" Katie asked, trying to hide exactly how badly the secret was eating at her.

"No can do Katie. The Captain will keelhaul me if I tell you what we're doing. Don't worry though; it has nothing to do with the games. It's more of a science project." Migs offered a slight vague explanation. Ortiz knew Katie wouldn't be the least bit interested in a science project and hoped the insinuation would be enough to keep her from asking anymore questions.

"Give it up Katie," Seamen Channing chimed in, "He's totally tight lipped. I've been after him for the last 15 minutes."

Katie nodded and rolled her eyes. She realized she was getting know where and decided she would interrogate Channing later.

"Alright, alright, I give."

The Cuban sighed with relief as his superior officer walked away.

"Thanks Joey."

"No prob man. So you need any help moving this stuff?" Channing asked.

"Negative, thanks though. I'll catch up with you later in the mess, Hey you still going to the poker game tonight?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss a chance to see Krieg trapped in a room with Katie and Tim for anything in the world."

"True," Migs laughed, "I'll see you later then. Hey, good luck in the war games."

"Thanks, but I'm not in them. I didn't get picked for a team so, I'll be stuck in my quarters doing updates to the WISKRS acoustic systems."

"Oh, okay well, I'll lighten your work load; leave Junior out of your updates. I'm going to be using him for our project."

"Thanks man, maybe I'll actually get off of this tin can for that last week of shore leave after all."

"See ya around, Joey" Ortiz called out heading out of the Clam doors carrying a box of wires and disks he needed.

Lucas Wolenzak was throwing seemingly random computer equipment in to a large duffle left open in his bunk. He was so wrapped up in his attempt to get everything in one trip he didn't hear the knock on his cabin door nor did he hear a moment later when his door opened quietly as a figure peered in.

'Damn it. I thought the kid would be helping the science labs prepare for the war games. I'll have to come back later.' He quickly glanced around the room trying to locate his target without being noticed. He realized the teenager who had his back to him had earbuds in his ears apparently listening to music as he shuffled around the mess that was his room. 'There it is.' He thought as his eyes found a cup on the young man's desk. The young computer wiz had had taken to always drinking coffee out of the same travel mug when he was working. It was neon orange and hard to miss. There were several jokes on the bridge about the color being as it was so no one would miss the cup and knock it over on to the equipment. The traitor had a plan, and it all revolved around that cup. He had no intentions of hurting the boy but, he was running out of time. The sooner he could get the blonde teen out of commission at least for a few hours the sooner he could get the codes and this night mare would be over. He just needed to get him sick enough to be taken to med bay and this cup was the key to the whole thing. His thoughts were interrupted as a crash behind him started him and caught the attention of the teenager he had been eyeing.

"Oh, hey guys," teenager looked up at with a smile, "what was with that noise?"

"Sorry Kid, Crocker just scared the life out of the galley hand. Poor guy just dropped all the new coffee mugs all over the floor." said one Ben Krieg standing in the door way to Luacs' room. As Ben entered he was followed in by Ensigns Joey Channing and Eddie Jacobs. The three men stood in the computer wiz's room looking around like the cats that had eaten the canary.

"Alright, so any special reason for a visit from you three. Or did you just miss my pretty face?"

"I always miss your adorable little face" Ben mocked, pinching the boy's cheek, "Actually Luke.. ah.. Lucas, uh, we were wondering if you could tell us about your little project with Tim and Migs."

"No way Ben."

"Oh come on kid, the scuttlebutt on the boat is crazy that you guys are going to be adding twists and turns to the war games so neither side can win. We're dying to know."

"Sorry Ben, I can't say and besides you're not playing in the games anyway remember.", Lucas said zipping close his duffle and slinging it on his shoulder.

"Want some help with that." Channing offered.

"Nice try, Joey. No thanks." Lucas said walking towards his door.

"Can't blame a guy for trying." The young man laughed.

Lucas leaped up the stairs leading down in to his room calling back to Ben something about closing his door and staying away from his vid-disks. The three men laughed at the comment and all left the room together.

'That was close. Too close. 'The man thought has he ducked in to a supply room. He wondered briefly what to do now. He was almost caught by the boy and his fellow crewmen. He couldn't be that careless again. He left the room after calming himself and walked briskly but inconspicuously back to his quarters.

Captain Bridger exited the quarters of Lt. Ben Krieg.

"Just remember not to damage anything too badly Ben."

"Yes sir, you know you can count on me!"

"I know Ben, and some days that scares me."

"Uh, Thank you sir. I think."

Bridger walked away from the Dark haired man thinking about how well things were going. Everything in Medbay was set up for the war games and even Kristen was getting in to it. He had spent over an hour listening to her tell him all about the strain of the Bubonic Plague she planned to unleash on Joshua. He smiled to himself. Maybe this would all work out. His 3 spies were well on their way setting up the command center and everyone on the boat assumed they would just be running the program for the war games. This was perfect. Jonathon and Katie had been so wrapped up in planning their attacks they hadn't once bothered him about what was going on in his cabin. Admiral Noyce was happy with the progress as well. Nathan was so lost in thought about the whole thing he didn't notice the young man not looking where he was going until it was too late.

"oomph" Nathan groaned as Lucas collide in to him and fell back on to the floor.

"Are you alright ?" He asked the young boy who was already turning a bright shade of red.

"Yeah, uh yes sir. I .. I forgot something in my room I was just going back to get it."

"Okay, but be careful Kiddo. You get knocked around too much, Dr. Westphalen will strap you down to a bed in medbay."

Lucas rushed off in the direction of his quarters and the Captain smiled.

"Always in a hurry." He said to himself. He was rather fond of the boy and his enthusiasm about everything around him it reminded him of Robert. Nathan walked towards Lucas' cabin. He couldn't wait for this mess to be over. He was still nervous about if it could be pulled off. He knew Lucas, Tim and Miguel would have a long night ahead of them if they wanted everything ready for tomorrow especially with a certain poker game the captain wasn't supposed to know about. Bridger decided in that moment he should probably make sure the youngest of the trio actually ate his dinner before he started work. Nathan found the boy searching his cabin for something.

"Lose something?"

"Yeah, it's nothing important really. I just can't find my mug."

"Oh," Bridger smirked, "well you can use one of mines then. I'm sure it will turn up. Come on Kiddo. I could use some company in the mess."

The blonde teenager nodded and followed the Captain to the mess. Neither man noticed the figure lurking in the shadows sneak in to the boy's quarters moments later and place a bright orange mug sideways under the desk laying it down to appear it had simply fallen to the floor.

'There, now all I have to do now is wait. He should find it first thing in the morning.' The lanky man thought as he slipped out of the room and headed towards the supply room to play a round of poker with 'friends'