A/N: This is the first of my mystery fanfiction series, using the alphabet. This series is rated PG 13 for action, violence, and mild language.

“I walk a lonely road, The only one that I have ever known, Don’t know where it goes, But It’s only me and I walk alone,” Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Green Day, Boulevard of Broken Dreams-Single.

Operations Booth, Police Plaza, Haven.

Sirens were going off; things were a mess; techies were running around screaming and panicking. Red lights were flashing; and everyone nearby was disrupted by these unusual events.

Some of the saner techies were working with Foaly to try to stop the technological crisis that was happening. Someone had hacked Foaly’s system successfully; and it was a race against the hackers to try to salvage the system before it fell around their pointy little ears.

“Have we located the hackers yet?” Foaly asked his team, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he tried all he could to stop what was happening.

“Yes, we’re bringing up video.” A senior techie said, working at a nearby monitor.

“Put it on the central screen. If this has been accomplished by humans, then we’re in serious trouble.” Foaly said.

On the main screen, live video footage was playing on the screen. It showed an elf standing behind a boy at a computer bank. A very familiar human boy, and a very familiar female elf. The elf’s hand was resting lightly on the edge of the central monitor in this set-up.

“No, not that data path, the other one,” she said in a small, strained voice.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Artemis began typing in a new set of instructions.

Looking up from the monitor, Foaly said, “Paul, reinforce the firewall!”

Nodding, Paul typed in the command, and Foaly went back to watching the video.

On screen, she shuddered and screamed, a burn appearing on her arm.

“What’s wrong?” a young woman asked, coming out of a shadowed corner of the room. “What just happened Holly?”

“They put up a stronger firewall. Someone’s spying on us.”

At that, the screen went fuzzy and the transmission ended.

“I don’t believe it.” Foaly whispered.

“Nor do I, but its indisputable proof, and we were able to record to onto this holo-chip.” Paul said, handing him the chip.

“Let’s finish protecting the system; then we can start pointing fingers.” Foaly replied, down hearted.

After two hours of work by Foaly and a handful of techies, the system was up and running again.

“What did they do to my system to have effected it like that?” Foaly wondered. “I’m going to run a data check, to make sure that none of our files were lost or changed.”

Trotting into the Ops Booth, Cabillne went to Foaly. “It’s ten o’clock, time to go. You can always do that tomorrow.”

Some other stories by Lydia Tall:

• Updates!
• D Is For Dead
• 9/11/01
• C Is For Conviction
• B Is For Betrayal