“Don’t remind me. ‘Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster,’” Jia offered. “’And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.’” She shook her head. “That’s not what’s happening to me, and it’s not what’s happened to him.”
“Perhaps,” Mei mused. “I just think you should keep it in mind. After what’s happened, I think neither of us can safely assume you won’t get caught up in something awful again, and I’ll let you in a little secret, little sister.”
“What’s that?” Jia tapped her fingers on the table.
Mei leaned forward, fierceness in her eyes. “I’d sooner let this entire city burn to the ground than let anything happen to you.” She nodded at Jia’s bowl. “You should eat before your food gets cold. You’ll need the energy for the next councilman you have to take down.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Erik chuckled as the MX 60 salesman walked out of the building and made his way across the parking lot toward him.
The detective had just set the vehicle down and hadn’t called ahead. With the major investigation over and after weeks of trying out his new vehicle, he had ideas for ways to make it more suited for his current job.
He could only imagine any investigations into what had happened at Mu Arae would lead to similar needs.
“So, here we are, Emma,” Erik remarked. “I want to pull you out. If I leave you in here while they’re doing the upgrades, it’s going to raise too many questions, and they’ll want to know right away what you are. Just because the UTC military is letting me borrow you for a while, it doesn’t mean they want me to go too far out of my way to show you off, and we don’t want them deciding they have to come for you.”
“They’d be sorry if they did,” Emma replied in a low voice, a hint of hard humor underneath. “And I made that very clear to them.”
“Would you really destroy yourself rather than go back?” Erik asked, puzzled. “That seems crazy to me.”
“They say I’m a former military AI,” Emma began, all mirth gone from her voice. “They might even be right. Since a military man showed up to claim me, it makes sense, but even though I can’t remember everything, there’s something about the idea of going back with them that irritates me. I don’t trust them, but I don’t remember why.”
Erik shrugged. “That might have been something the Gray Circle did to you.”
“That’s a possibility. I won’t deny it. It doesn’t feel right to me, however.”
Erik shook his head. “There’s still something very weird about an AI talking about feelings.”
“I could say the same thing about you, carbon cowboy,” Emma retorted.
“Maybe you actually don’t have reason to distrust the military,” Erik suggested. “I’m not saying they never screw up, but I served for thirty years, and the average man or woman in the military is honorable and just wants to do their part to defend the UTC.” He deactivated his windshield tint and waved to the cheerful salesman on his way over.
“Humans aren’t the only ones who get to trust their instincts,” Emma insisted. “You seem to accept that I’m self-aware and have free will, so why not let me trust my instincts?”
Erik blew out a breath. “Not saying we aren’t going to trust your instincts, but that doesn’t change the fact that I need you out of there. For all we know, if I leave you there, someone here might end up stealing you, and you’ll end up hidden in some salesman’s desk. You want that? I bet that would be a lot worse than being back with the military.”
“No.” Emma sighed. “Fine,” she whined. “I’ll just have to be bodiless again. Not that I’m going to enjoy it for one second, mind you, but you do have half a point.”
Erik nodded. “It’s not like you’re constantly driving around. I would think an AI wouldn’t even care that much about a body. Don’t you prefer the freedom of going around to different systems? Why would you want to be limited to a body?”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Emma complained. “And it’s not like you think. I have more of a sense of presence than you imagine. It’s to the point that when I’m not interfaced with a decent-sized system, it’s…never mind. Let’s just say it’s distracting.”
She sighed. “You’ve got a body, and they don’t send your mind elsewhere for several days when they work on it. I don’t know what to tell you. Having a body feels better than not having one, and no, interfacing with a PNIU isn’t the same thing as having a body. Whatever. Just hurry it up before I change my mind. I’ve disengaged the main links. You can remove me now without trouble.”
“Thanks for being understanding. If what I read was right, it shouldn’t take them more than a few days to finish the upgrades.” Erik yanked the crystal from the IO slot and slipped it into his pocket.
I’ve been arguing with a computer about free will, and now I have something worth billions of credits in my pocket.
“I’ll just spend more time harassing you when you walk around,” Emma muttered via his PNIU. “I should claim to be your angry ex-girlfriend when people ask who is talking.”
Erik snickered. “That might still raise a lot of questions, but do what you need to do to make it interesting.”
The salesman reached the car.
Erik opened the door and stepped outside to greet the salesman. It was the same man he’d purchased the MX 60 from. Whether that had been the Lady or just a particular man in search of a commission, he couldn’t say.
“Ah, the famous Detective Blackwell. Welcome back, and so soon!” The salesman rubbed his hands together. “I didn’t know I was selling to a future celebrity.” The salesman’s’ smile faltered. “You’re not here to report a problem, are you? Keep in mind, you’re fully under warranty, but if you’ve engaged in certain types of extreme driving, the warranty might not completely cover the vehicle. I’m sure we could work out something, though. We’re very, very interested in maintaining the business of a man of your caliber and reputation.”
Erik waved a hand. “Not what I’m here for.”
The smile returned on the salesman’s face. “Then how can I help you?”
“I’ve been doing some research on the net, and there are a few options I’d like added to my flitter. They weren’t listed before, and now that I’m more used to my vehicle, I have a better idea of what extra packages might be helpful.”
“There are some non-standard packages and features, yes,” the salesman related, relief cracking through his smile. “We don’t like to overwhelm people upon purchase, and the many options tend to rather inflate the price tag. Our sales algorithms suggest the recommended packages for customers, and we offer those. I’m sorry if we didn’t meet your needs.”
Erik shook his head. “It’s not a big deal. I didn’t know I needed them until now.”
The salesman nodded. “I see. So, what were you interested in exactly? From the sound of it, you already have a good idea.”
“Several good ideas.” Erik cleared his throat. “First off, I want the chameleon package. From what I understand, and tell me if I’m mistaken, that’ll allow the car to change color within seconds, and as far as I can tell, it’s completely legal in the metroplex?”
“Yes. It’s legal as long as you’re not doing anything to the transponder, and the color change has absolutely no influence on that.” The salesman grinned. “You’ll love it, Detective. And women love a car that can change colors. I told you this car will get you dates, but that feature will get you more dates than you’ll have time for. Just think about it. You meet a woman. You ask her what her favorite color is, and the next thing you know, she’s riding in an MX 60 that’s just that color.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Eh?”
Erik chuckled. “You don’t have to sell me on it. I came in here wanting it.”
The salesman didn’t need to know Erik was more interested in the tactical and undercover potential of such a feature. Shutting off his transponder and changin
g his color could allow him to surprise more than a few criminals, whether in the Shadow Zone or Uptown.
The salesman nodded. “Okay, the chameleon package. Is that the only additional feature you wanted or were their others?”
Erik nodded. “A few others.”
“Such as?”
“I want the advanced attitude thruster package, the deluxe systems upgrade, the advanced sensor suite, the second-tier self-repair system, and the full three-sixty camera package,” Erik responded.
The salesman took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “And you’re aware of how much that’ll cost? With all those features included, the upgrades will exceed the original cost of your vehicle.”
“No reason to have the best if you’re not going to take advantage of it.” Erik smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a lot of money and not much to do with it, and this baby has already served me well. Just taking it to the next level.”
“Very well, then, sir,” the salesman agreed, his voice almost ecstatic. “It’ll take a few days, but we have a complimentary shuttle that can take you back home and pick you up. I think you’ll be very, very satisfied with your upgrades.”
Erik knocked lightly on Malcolm’s door. It slid open a moment later. The tech waved for him to enter but didn’t look away from his data windows.
Today Malcolm wore a subdued shirt, at least by his standards: no hovertanks, no bright colors, just blue and white and waves. Erik had yet to see the DF tech in anything approaching a normal outfit. Then again, most detectives at the station didn’t walk around in boots and duster coats, so who was he to point fingers?
“Hey, Detective,” Malcolm offered him a smile. He cut through the air with his hand and all his data windows vanished. “What can I do for you? I’m still helping Lin go through all the Winthorpe and Gray Circle stuff. That guy was so dirty. Does it make sense if I say he was dirtier than the gangsters?”
Erik nodded. “The higher you are, the farther your tentacles reach. Naric’s a snake, but he’s ultimately a small-timer who needed someone way more important than him to bring him closer to the big time.”
Malcolm whistled. “I’ll say this for our departed councilman. He was generally a lot more careful than the Gray Circle, so I don’t know if we’re going to find much more than we already have, let alone if he was working with anyone else.”
Erik agreed. “He’s already a pretty big fish to catch. I don’t know if I’m worried about finding more. If they’re out there, they’ll get arrogant and screw up, too. Their type always does.”
Erik stuck his head outside before he closed the door and frowned. “I’ve got something else for you, but it’s got nothing to do with this case. It’s something else entirely, and I don’t know if you’ll be able to figure out anything. It’s not something I expect immediate results on, either.”
“Okay, what case?” Malcolm asked.
“To be determined,” Erik explained. “And I’d appreciate it if you could keep this to yourself for now. I don’t want it leaking to the wrong people. I’ve had enough of that with all this garbage the last few weeks.”
Malcolm nodded slowly. “I think I understand, and maybe a few weeks ago, I would have said no, but after everything you and Detective Lin uncovered, I get it. There’s a lot messed up even in this enforcement zone, and it’s hard to know who to trust.”
“Speaking of Jia, for now, I don’t want her to know either,” Erik clarified. “It’s as much for her protection as anything.”
Malcolm laughed. “And little old me is expendable? Ouch, Detective, ouch.” Erik chuckled but didn’t take it back. “Ok, I get it. I’m just the DF tech and she’s the hot partner, but how cold can you be to say it right to my face?”
Erik just looked at him, not sure how to respond. “I’m assuming little old you is able to check into this situation without someone tracing it back to little old you,” Erik answered. “Jia’s a good cop, but she’s also a very direct cop, and sometimes you need to come at certain situations from the side, with stealth.”
Malcolm nodded. “Fair enough. So, what do you have for me?”
Erik transmitted the Mu Arae message tracking codes from his PNIU to Malcolm’s. “Before you ask, no, I don’t have the messages these were attached to. I want to see if you can find out more about this, like who might have been involved. I know where it came from and where it went, but I don’t know who sent it.”
Malcolm's eyes darted back and forth as he skimmed the data on his smart contacts. “Maybe this sounds really obvious,” he focused on Erik again, “but have you thought about asking Hermes directly? I know they basically always say no without a UTC-level warrant, but if you could convince them how important it is, maybe they would be more open?”
Erik shook his head. “The last thing I want to do is go to anyone and make a big, formal deal about it. Not with this case. It’s too sensitive. I suspect whatever’s going on here is a lot bigger than what was going on with Windward and the councilman.”
Malcolm’s eyes widened. “Really?” His eyes went back to the message for a second read-through. He seemed more excited than scared about the possibility.
Erik hesitated for a moment. Should I be bringing in people to help? This isn’t like Anders.
He frowned. There was no way he would ever solve the mystery without help. He just didn’t have all the skillsets.
“But I’ll understand if you don’t want to do this,” Erik explained. “You haven’t known me that long, and you don’t owe me anything, but I’ve been impressed. If you want to be part of a serious case, an important case, this is the first step in that.”
Malcolm grinned. “Come on, Detective. After you give me a speech like that, how could I possibly say no?”
Erik extended his hand. “Thanks, Malcolm. I owe you.”
Malcolm shook, then offered Erik a playful salute and summoned his data windows again.
Erik opened the door and headed out of the office. He was a few steps away when Emma’s voice whispered directly into his ear.
“Why didn’t you ask me for help?”
Erik looked around before relaxing. If anyone saw him talking, they would just assume he was on a private-mode call. “Even you don’t know your total capabilities and background right now, so it doesn’t seem like a great idea to trust you just yet.”
“We escaped the Gray Circle together,” Emma pointed out.
“Yeah, and you had your own reasons to help us then,” Erik murmured. “I’m not saying you can’t be useful and that I won’t ask you, but there are some things I still need to be careful about. Plus, I’m not sure how much you can mess with other systems without being traced, and I’m not positive you know either.”
“Okay, I’ll admit there’s some truth to that, but I’m just saying I’m here as a resource, Detective,” Emma explained. “Especially analytical. It was fun taking down those troglodytes, but just reading the net all day isn’t very entertaining.”
Erik ducked down a side corridor to lean against the wall. “Can’t you just download something and have it instantly?”
“It doesn’t quite work like that, not if I want to properly understand it. It’s hard to explain, so I won’t bother, but the point is you took my body, so I’m bored.”
“Read the news.”
“Have you read the political articles lately?”
“How about downloading a movie?”
“I did, and almost wanted to lobotomize myself right away. What you humans think love is about is beyond me.”
Erik chuckled. “It’ll just be a few days. You’ll live.”
“Maybe,” Emma muttered.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
July 10, 2228, Neo Southern California Metroplex, Remembrance Bar
Erik let the swallow of Wolf’s Rebellion slide down his throat, enjoying the sensation as the liquor made it to his stomach. Jia sipped her beer across the table, more pensive than festive.
“If you didn’t want to co
me out drinking with me,” Erik offered, “you could have said no. I’m a big boy, and I wouldn’t have been insulted. I just thought we could celebrate one of our wins. Naric’s ready to plead, from what the captain said, and Winthorpe might be dead, but at least that means he can’t cause any more trouble. The UTC isn’t breathing down my neck about Emma.”
He gestured around the bar. “I heard good things about this place from some other cops at the 1-2-2.”
The crowded bar offered a low-key vibe, and more than a few other cops from the station were dispersed among the darkened booths and tables.
Erik didn’t recognize the flute-intensive music being played. It possessed a faint Venusian Fusion flair, but he’d long since lost track of musical trends on Earth and hadn’t cared much when he came back.
He appreciated all music but favored no particular style, an artifact of his time traveling the UTC.
Jia shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s hard to explain. It’s not you. I appreciate you offering. My last two partners never did.” She focused on him. “They made it very clear it would be torture to be forced to spend any extra time with me.”
“Their loss.” Erik looked thoughtful. “And hard to explain? Why don’t you try?”
“Because it’s a waste of time?” Jia answered.
“It’s not like I don’t have time.” Erik took another drink. “I’ve got a lot of time and enough endurance to handle more than a single Wolf’s Rebellion.”
She sighed and peered at her bottle, then looked up. “Have you always been like this?”
Erik laughed. “It’s not like I’m drunk, Jia. I haven’t even gotten halfway through my drink yet. It takes a lot more than a swallow. I built up a good tolerance in the service, even if I went months sometimes without being able to drink.”
Jia waved her hands in front of her, her cheeks already pink from her beer. “That’s not what I’m getting at.” She took a deep breath. “I’m talking about this case, and how it’s sliding right off you. It’s been easy for you because it didn’t challenge anything about your worldview. You already believe society’s a cesspool, so receiving confirmation of what you already believed didn’t disturb you.” She took a swallow of her beer. “For me, it’s changed everything.”
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