-John F. Kennedy

Matt Wright tapped his finger on the table. Not in rhythm to the deafening cacophony of dance music playing in the nightclub, but to the passing seconds. He always did this when he was nervous.

Not yet, he told himself. But soon.

Matt had chosen the Dawn's Early Light for the confrontation about to slam into his life like a fifty foot wave. The beginning of such a confrontation always set the stage for its end. And Matt intended to ride this particular wave to his greatest advantage.

He had hoped to see Dawn herself this evening. Rumors about her said she'd once worked as a mercenary for Vulcan Intelligence. Matt found this highly unlikely, but then Dawn always struck him as a highly unlikely woman. Beautiful, but having that sense about her that she was not someone to be messed with. He'd always wondered why a nightclub, but he'd not gathered the courage to actually ask her.

But as Matt's finger tapped away, his hope became reality.

A tall brunette stood on the other side of his table, one hand on her ample hip, the other behind her back. He had the sense he didn't want to know what that hand was holding.

“Maybe you should leave,” Dawn said loud enough for only him to hear.

“Uh... why?”

She frowned. “Some men will be here in two minutes.”

He fought to suppress a smile.

Her frown deepened into a bottomless pit. “You're expecting them.”

He only nodded.

“These aren't the kind of people, and I use that word extremely loosely, that you ever want to meet.”

“Temporal Investigations?”

Her eyes widened. “You are either the smartest man I've ever met, or the biggest fool.”

Matt finished his soda water. “I guess we'll find out which I am if I come back later tonight.”

She chuckled. “Becoming entangled with these men is like flying too close to a black hole. I doubt we'll ever see each other again.”

“Maybe.”

Behind Dawn, Matt saw two men in dark suits make their way through the crowd. “They're here.”

Dawn didn't turn. “I hope you know what you're doing.”

“Me too,” Matt said, setting his glass on the table.

Dawn hurried away without looking like she was hurrying.

Ten seconds later, they were in front of him. The one who looked like a walking corpse, smiled and peered down at him. The other, a man of Chinese ancestry, stood back, but remained quiet. Matt was sure he was the superior of the two.

“Mr. Wright, my name is Pervalt. We'd like you to come with us.”

“And who might you be?”

Pervalt leaned toward him from across the table like a predator sizing up his prey. “You have taken information belonging to us, and now comes the time for you to pay the price for it.”

Matt frowned, looking at his glass, spinning it about in his hands. For just a moment, he'd considered lobbing it at Pervalt's head just for giggles, but then this little game would play out in a very nasty manner, one in which Dawn's prophesy would likely come to fruition.

He didn't want that.

“Me? I took information from you?”

Pervalt lowered his voice. “We're from Temporal Investigations. You will come with us now.”

“And if I choose not to?”

“You will anyway. That's the only warning you'll get.”

Matt nodded. “Then I guess I'm going with you.”

Pervalt smiled wide. “Smart boy.”

***

Matt sat in a small ten foot by twenty foot room, it's walls a dull white, but clean. The table was a nondescript government issue that he had expected along with the three chairs, one of which he occupied on the side of the table farthest from the door. He'd been left here twenty minutes ago, and had occupied himself doing a mental measurement of the walls, ceiling, door, table, and chairs, something he'd learned to do to pass the time back in elementary school.

He was sure there was a camera somewhere in the room, and that he was being observed by the two men who had come for him. They were likely watching his emotional state to see when the best time to begin his interrogation would be. He'd been told to expect this, that they'd want him a nervous wreck before talking to confuse him so that he might reveal more than he otherwise would.

He yawned, and stretched his arms.

That'll piss them off.

It wasn't even a minute later when Pervalt came into the room with a forced smile plastered to his walking dead face.

“Are you comfortable, Mr. Wright?” he asked.

“A little hungry,” Matt said. “Any chance I can get a menu?”

Pervalt frowned. “It might do you good to take this seriously young man. You are facing a number of charges.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“You somehow got into a restricted database which included several files from this organization.”

“And what organization is that again?”

Pervalt's already mean face turned even more stern. “Temporal Investigations.”

“Wow... that sounds real important,” Matt said, leaning forward. “Is it fun working here?”

Pervalt activated the PADD on the table in front of him. He slid it over to Matt. On the display was a man's face. He had dark hair.

“This is an associate of yours.”

“If you say so.”

“His name is Jafar Lang,” Pervalt said. “He was apprehended a week ago by a special team on Icor IX. He gave up your name to his interrogators.”

“My name as what?”

“His contact on Earth.”

“Contact for what?”

“You know full well.”

“You've lost me, grandpa.”

Pervalt took a long breath. “The communication of classified material.”

“Well, that is my job at Starfleet Headquarters.”

Pervalt's head tilted slightly to the left. “We'll get to that soon enough. The classified material Doctor Lang was communicating was material that neither he nor you had clearance to see let alone transfer from one person to another.”

“You sure about that?”

Pervalt pulled his PADD back, and scrolled through it quickly. “You are cleared for Top Secret and below. This material was rated beyond Ultra.”

“There's something beyond Ultra?”

“There are a great many things you are unaware of, young man.”

Matt crossed his arms across his chest. “I think maybe this is a good time for me to ask for my lawyer to be present.”

Pervalt smiled wide. “Request away. I am not obligated to indulge your request.”

“Oh, I think you are.”

Pervalt shook his head with a chuckle. “Temporal Investigations enjoys a wide latitude when it comes to due process. What you might think of as your rights must be weighed against the perils which this organization investigates.”

“Time travel?”

“For one, yes.”

“If a right isn't a right in certain circumstances, then it isn't a right in any.”

“I'm sure that impresses the young college girls you spend your time with, but it means little to me,” Pervalt said.

“Then this organization is built upon the principle of the ends justifies the means?”

“I suspect what you call your morality is built upon that as well,” Pervalt said, smiling now. “It's just a question of where the line is.”

“I doubt that.”

“You are the one who has misappropriated classified material. Did you consider the implications of doing so? Or the moral questions resulting from you having those documents?”

“Those who keep secrets always throw the moral burden onto those who might reveal what they do in the dark.” Matt leaned back in his seat. “Why not let everything into the light so we can all examine it?”

“You first,” Pervalt said.

“Come again?”

“Let everything into the light, starting with how you've been releasing classified information as a civilian employee of Starfleet Command.”

Matt shook his head and smiled. “There you go putting the burden on me again when you're the one who has a hell of a lot more secrets you're keeping.”

“But I'm not the one insisting they be released to the public, and our enemies,” Pervalt said.

“I suspect our enemies know most of those secrets already,” Matt said.

“I doubt you would have taken that attitude during the Dominion War,” Pervalt said. “Though, are you even old enough to have been in the war?”

“My father was.”

“Yes,” Pervalt said. “Lieutenant Commander Andrew Wright, Starfleet. I believe he is stationed aboard the USS Branson, three commendations for bravery as a result of the battles he participated in. It is my understanding he will soon be up for his own command.”

“That's what I hear.”

“It would be a shame to have his opportunities tarnished by the actions of a foolhardy son.”

Matt smiled. “Is this the part where you try to use my dad to persuade me to tell you what you want to hear?”

“I suppose not,” Pervalt said. “But his career will be impacted nonetheless.”

“You won't do that because then it would bring attention to you, and this organization does everything it can to not bring attention to itself.”

Pervalt smiled. “So you do know something about us after all.”

“I hear things.”

“I imagine you do.” Pervalt looked through his PADD again. “So when do you plan to release the secret about your activities?”

“What?”

“You asked why not release it all into the light so everyone can examine it,” Pervalt said with a toothy smile. “Go ahead. Release it all, including what you've been doing.”

“I doubt you'd want me to do that.”

“Since we retrieved what Lang had acquired, Temporal Investigations isn't really concerned about what other information you have.”

“I think you might be concerned about some of it.”

Pervalt turned off his PADD. “It's not going to matter. Within the hour, you will be locked away where no one will ever find you.”

Matt leaned back in his chair and smiled.

“You think that's funny, young man?”

“It's not going to happen.”

“Really?” Pervalt became excited at a challenge to his authority. “And exactly how is that the case? You have a band of heroes ready to break you out of here? Guns blazing I suppose.”

“No, just my lawyer.”

Pervalt laughed. “Your lawyer won't even be allowed in the building.”

There was a knock at the door, and the other man who had come to the club, entered and sat down next to Pervalt.

“I am John Thomas Belvedere,” the new arrival said. “It seems your lawyer has arrived and is waiting to see you.”

Matt smiled wide. “Imagine that.”

Pervalt turned to Belvedere, his eyes wide. “How?”

“It seems she has connections to the Federation President,” Belvedere said. “And is here with a special clearance from his office.”

“Impossible!” Pervalt said.

Belvedere turned to Matt. “You are playing a most dangerous game, Mr. Wright.”

“And you aren't?”

“As you said earlier, we prefer to remain in the shadows, doing our work quietly.”

“But that's what makes you dangerous,” Matt said. “You cause people to doubt their government. And since we are the government, you cause us to doubt ourselves. A free society can't exist for long in that state.”

“Perhaps we know better,” Belvedere said.

“Men who thought they knew better had their chance. Their kind of society led to the Eugenics Wars, the Mind-Control Riots, and eventually culminated in the Third World War and the death of six hundred million.” Matt leaned forward. “Judging from the results, they obviously didn't know better, did they?”

“You have no idea who you are dealing with,” Belvedere said. “You made a mistake by engaging us in the way you did.”

Matt nodded. “I thought it was rather clever myself.”

“Insane might be a more appropriate term.”

“But it worked, didn't it?” Matt said. “Here I am sitting with the two of you... just as I wanted.”

Pervalt shook his head. “You're suggesting you planned this?”

“You are the most secret of the secret,” Matt said. “Having Lang send information about temporal mechanics, hinting at a possible time control device on the planet 10-0-11-00-02, was something I knew you could not resist. The Guardian is one of your most treasured secrets.”

“How do you...” Pervalt began before Belvedere cut him off.

Belvedere stared at Matt Wright with an intensity Matt had rarely seen in a human.

“And why should we not just bury you somewhere and let your lawyer scream about you as much as she wants? What possible down side could there be for us?” Belvedere asked.

Matt slid a small chip across the table. “Have your PADD scan that.”

Pervalt picked it up as Belvedere looked at it.

“What is it?” Pervalt asked.

“A recording of the commanding officer of Deep Space Nine during the War,” Matt said. “I think you'll find it most enlightening.”

Belvedere nodded, and Pervault held it up to his PADD. An audio recording started.

“Captain's personal log,” a deep male voice began. “Stardate 51721.3... At oh-eight-hundred hours, station time… the Romulan Empire formally declared war against the Dominion. They've already struck fifteen bases along the Cardassian border. So, this is a huge victory for the good guys! This may even be the turning point of the entire war! There's even a 'Welcome to the Fight' party tonight in the wardroom!… So… I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to cover up the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But most damning of all… I think I can live with it… And if I had to do it all over again… I would. Garak was right about one thing – a guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. So I will learn to live with it…Because I can live with it…I can live with it. Computer – erase that entire personal log.”

Matt looked at Belvedere as the recording shut off. “I'm sure you recognize that voice.”

“Benjamin Sisko,” Belvedere said with a growl.

“And contrary to his last order to the computer, his log was not erased,” Matt said. “Given Deep Space Nine's strategic location, Starfleet Intelligence had the computer make copies of all logs as they were being recorded and had them immediately sent to a nearby listening station.”

“I assume this isn't the only copy,” Pervalt said, his earlier bravado now abesent.

“I'm not a fool,” Matt said. “The Romulans aren't likely to react well to discovering that their revered Senator Vreenak, viewed as the first Romulan casualty of the Dominion War, was in fact murdered by a Cardassian with the aid of a Starfleet Captain just to pull them into a war they wanted no part of.”

“They might view it as a plan well played, given their taste for intrigue,” Pervalt said.

“The old Romulan government might,” Matt said. “But the chairman of the new People's Council, J'Ral Purand, is an idealist, and his hold on power is tenuous at best. If he were to learn his people had been deceived, and their honored war hero murdered, and that Starlfeet Intelligence has known this all along, he might be swept into yet another war he does not want.”

“You would bring a war with the Romulans down on the Federation?!” Pervalt asked, a madness filling his eyes.

“You were the one who suggested I release it all.”

“What do you want?” Belvedere asked.

“If I am not released to my lawyer within the next ten minutes, that recording along with all the other material I have acquired will be dumped into the laps of every news service within the Federation.” He paused a moment. “As well as detailed notes regarding everything I have done in releasing other information.” He turned to Pervalt. “You see, I am willing to release everything, including what I have done.”

“Again, what do you want?” Belvedere asked.

“Eventually, the end of your secrecy. But for now, to walk out of here with my lawyer, and to have Lang and my other associates released.”

“And the other information you possess from Temporal Investigations?”

“If I and my associates are left alone, there will be no further release of anything having to do with your organization,” Matt said. “Also, all mention of Lang being handed over to the Klingons will be erased, and a suitable explanation given to the Klingon government concerning his release.”

“How could you have known...”

“About your toy soldiers? A weapon once strapped to one's belt is rarely left sheathed.”

“Do you really think we're going to just let you walk out of here?” Pervalt asked with a laugh.

“You see, it's actually to my benefit to release everything I know. Once I do, you have no reason to come after me.”

“Revenge might be a reason.”

“Oh, I think you'll have much larger motivations on the day I release everything. Try survival once enough people in the Federation find out what you've been up to, and as soon as enough politicians realize their own survival is at stake, they will be coming after you with a vengeance.”

Pervalt turned to Belvedere. “I'll shoot him now myself!”

“He has played us,” Belvedere said. “And rather expertly for a civilian employee of Starfleet.” He leaned forward. “This does seem far above your skill set, Mr. Wright. You're little more than a twenty-seven year old file clerk, isn't that right?”

Matt didn't like where this was headed, but he knew the clock was on his side. He only had to delay before a master interrogator like Belvedere got something out of him. “Einstein was little more than a file clerk when he published Special Relativity. Be careful with us clerks.”

Belvedere chuckled. “I do like you, Wright. If you weren't such an ideologue about secrecy, or rather the lack of it, I'd ask you to join Temporal Investigations.”

“I don't think I'd like the people,” Matt said staring at Pervalt.

“You may go,” Belvedere said.

***

Matt strolled back into the nightclub, catching Dawn's gaze as he entered. Her eyes went wide for just a moment, then a smile and a nod. Matt returned her smile, hoping they'd get a chance to talk later. But instead of stopping now, he continued on his way to the restrooms along the back wall. Once inside, he made his way to the last stall, closed the door, and faced the outer wall of the narrow space.

He tapped the sixth tile of the top row, the first of the second, and the sixth of the third. They all retreated several inches into the wall, then slid away. He stepped into the darkness beyond.

Matt quickly walked down the narrow corridor, the light fading as the tile door behind him sealed itself again. After twenty feet, he found himself standing in a twenty by twenty room with nothing but walls. The one in front of him opened, and in stepped Admiral Alexander Grant.

“That was reckless,” Grant said, standing just inches inside the room, his back as stiff as a board of neutronium, his voice as gruff as an angry wolf.

“You said I needed to establish that I was just a reckless kid out for the adrenaline rush,” Matt said. “How better than to get Temporal Investigations pissed off?”

Grant shook his head, a grin tried to force its way past his wrathful look. But he remained silent.

“They'd never imagine anyone would have ordered me to do something like that.”

“I didn't,” Grant replied.

“See?”

“You're good kid. That's why I recruited you for this,” Grant said, relaxing but a little. “All governments want to hide their dirty laundry, even the Federation. But the ideals I pledged an oath to say we're better than that. I intend to honor that oath for the people I serve.”

“Me, I just enjoy the work,” Wright said with a grin.

“Another reason for recruiting you.”

“I understand this was risky,” Wright said, his grin fading. “But I felt it was acceptable, and necessary.”

Grant's mouth twisted a bit as if he were about to say something, but he held his tongue.

“Now they've found me, and so they'll see me as troublesome, but not dangerous.”

“I don't trust Belvedere,” Grant said. “Something about the man... bothers me.”

“He wasn't at all what I expected.”

Grant nodded. “Slow down your releases for a couple of weeks. They'll be expecting you to be cautious for a while.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And get a girlfriend,” Grant said, turning to leave. “That's the one part of the profile you haven't matched yet.”

“I'll work on it.”

“Do more than work on it. And make sure she's got some connections somewhere. It might be necessary to send someone down a false trail at some point.”

Wright shuffled back into the nightclub from the restroom. He made sure he caught Dawn's glance, and waved her toward him as he approached the bar.

“You're still alive,” she said. “I'm impressed.”

“All a big misunderstanding.”

“Not what I hear,” she said, her eyes narrowing as if taking in every detail of his face.

“Some people talk too much,” Matt said, his eyes going to the holo-menu a few inches on front of him.

“I've never had that problem,” she said, leaning toward him. “I can be quite discreet.”

His eyes slowly angled up to hers. “Oh?”

“In a variety of different situations.”

Matt smiled. “I bet you can.”