Rinzler: A Noir Sci-Fi Thriller

by Raya Jones

  Rinzler packed away toiletries into various pockets. Noticing Angerford staring at his shabby attire, he said lightly, ‘Busy night. Didn’t get home. This is my “rough work” gear.’

  Angerford responded dryly, ‘I understand. It’s the nature of your work. Sorry to have kept you waiting. I had to join the gym before they let me in. Why are we meeting here?’

  ‘You had to join?’ Rinzler chuckled. ‘It was meant to look as if we bumped into each other by chance. I assumed you’re already a member here. All the April team are.’

  That’s why I’m not, Angerford replied silently.

  As if hearing him, Rinzler said, ‘Let’s get breakfast. I know a lowdown place where none of your team would be seen dead in.’

  They materialised in a winding street at a rundown part of the Arcades. Luminous signs above closed doors advertised dubious pleasures, and other places hid behind shards of EnViro façades. Directly in front of them was a holographic curtain half-covering an open door. It bore the legend THE BREAKFAST BAR: 24 HOURS.

  ‘Is this the Greys?’ asked Angerford, following Rinzler in.

  Rinzler laughed. ‘Technically no. This place is legal, would you believe it. It’s daylight robbery, what they charge here for… Hi Juke!’ He greeted the manager, who peered out from the backroom.

  They sat down and punched their order into a grimy console on the table.

  Waiting for their food, Rinzler told Angerford that he had a result about Mitzi’s identity. Angerford frowned, ‘I’m not interested in her.’ He saw the outmoded second-generation android waiter, and his frown deepened.

  ‘You will be interested when I tell you who it is.’ Rinzler glanced around, covering his mouth so that his lips couldn’t be read on the surveillance video, and lowered his voice to a whisper.

  Then he sat back in his seat, chuckling in anticipation to see Angerford’s face.

  Angerford mulled over the revelation in his head, saying nothing, keeping his expression blank.

  The android came and slammed their food down on the table.

  ‘Can you fix its attitude problem?’ Rinzler asked conversationally, picking up his burrito. ‘Sorry, I don’t mean to offend. You’re an expert in fifth generation, you probably don’t touch, what is it, a third-generation android?’

  ‘Gen-2. I can fix it,’ Angerford replied sincerely, almost enthusiastically. ‘Pre-andronet models like this one have dedicated modular brains. People try to make them do things they’re not designed to do.’

  ‘That explains the attitude problem.’

  Angerford was about to say that androids don’t have ‘attitudes’. It occurred to him that Rinzler was teasing him, so he said instead, ‘What about the other matter you’re investigating for me?’

  ‘Yeah, there’s that too,’ Rinzler spoke with his mouth full. ‘But aren’t you impressed with this result? I’ll send you a report of how I’ve tracked him down. It wasn’t easy.’

  ‘I bet it wasn’t. I really don’t want to know how you did it. Thanks for taking the trouble to find out. I’ll pay you as agreed.’

  ‘Thanks. If you want to see the man behind the woman… no? I can understand you don’t want anything to do with him. Oh well, I hope the sex was worth it,’ Rinzler smirked.

  Wincing, Angerford wondered whether Rinzler was deliberately annoying. ‘What about the other matter, Rinzler?’

  Rinzler sighed dramatically, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and then self-consciously picked up a napkin and wiped the back of his hand. ‘Complicated. It’s not so simple. How about I charge you only on results and in return you could do me one tiny little favour?’

  Angerford waited, arms folded. He didn’t touch the sandwich he had ordered.

  ‘It’s a big favour. I need to know whether certain conversations took place via April. I know there’s client confidentiality, but I’m not asking you to disclose their identity. Just confirm that my client did have those conversations with a third party. It could clear him of murder.’

  ‘Did you try asking April?’

  Rinzler grinned. ‘Yes, and I can assure you that your andronet behaved impeccably. Her pretty lips were sealed. Which was weird, since she’s been so eager to help me with my investigation into this murder. She volunteered information about the victim and even took me to the crime scene on her own initiative. Aren’t you going to eat your sandwich?’

  Angerford pushed the plate away from him. ‘No, you can have it.’

  ‘Thanks, mister, chief… what do your people call you?’

  ‘Angerford.’

  ‘Thanks, Angerford.’ Rinzler picked up the sandwich and tucked into it heartily.

  Before leaving the solar system, Angerford was given a list of people in Proxima who might try to compromise his loyalty to Cyboratics. Jeremiah Cordova was top of the list. Angerford felt grateful to Rinzler for exposing Mitzi. ‘If I do what you ask, will it really help to clear your client?’

  ‘It could verify his story. That will be a start.’

  Angerford thought, Jeremiah wouldn’t be careless about Mitzi. Rinzler must either be very skilful or have help. Surely a down-on-his-luck freelancer wouldn’t refuse a job from Jeremiah Cordova. This could be a trap. ‘Very well,’ Angerford said, coming to a decision. ‘But I need to do it from my place. You may come with me.’

  They arrived at the courtyard outside Angerford’s door. As soon as they entered, Angerford discretely activated a one-way live connection to Roke Steiner, his local contact.

  Rinzler keenly surveyed the shimmering filaments that were covered the walls like lace curtains of rainbows in constant motion. ‘This is awesome. What is it?’

  ‘April’s mind.’

  It’s impossible to decipher those displays without a special brain implant. Nevertheless, Angerford blanked out the more sensitive streams. He pulled down the bed for Rinzler to sit on, apologising for the lack of proper furniture.

  Rinzler sat down. ‘Do you live here, Angerford? This is what they’ve given you? Even my home was bigger.’

  ‘It’s temporary. I’m told there’s a shortage of accommodation since the collapse of…’ Angerford couldn’t remember the location, ‘some sector a few months ago. You speak of your home in the past tense. Was it damaged in the disaster?’

  ‘No, it was a misunderstanding with the landlord.’ Rinzler was mesmerised by April’s mind. ‘This is amazing. April’s mind, wow! Do you access it with that ring of yours? Do you see everything that April does?’

  ‘There are too many layers to see everything, but in theory I could find out anything,’ Angerford replied, uncomfortable. He stroked his ring so as to select a bundle of client files, and pinched out a record matching the specifications that Rinzler had given him. A small ghostly Kendall took shape in mid-air facing them as seen through April’s eyes, speaking mutely. ‘Is this your client?’ asked Angerford.

  ‘Yes, that’s his ugly self. Is he being recruited by someone saying they’re representing Yojimbo TS?’

  Angerford nodded slightly. ‘I can’t disclose the nature of the transaction.’

  ‘Of course not, but is he speaking with someone locally? I’m not fishing for their identity, just checking that andronets can’t take on remote jobs. Am I correct?’

  ‘It’s more correct to say that a Gen-5 is not permitted to do that.’

  ‘So, April could if she felt like doing it?’

  ‘April is an andronet. It doesn’t feel.’ Angerford switched off Kendall’s image, and remained standing at the middle of the room.

  He had to move out of the way when Rinzler rose to leave.

  For a brief moment, they stared at each other almost nose to nose.

  Rinzler broke the awkward silence. ‘Right, thanks, Angerford, I’d better be going now.’ He dawdled, pert in hand, unable to take his eyes off the ever-shifting display.

  Angerford remained silent, his gaze drawn to the corner of his virtual workspace where the anime samurai used to be. I should
ask Rinzler for a copy of the copy I sent him, he mused, knowing that he wouldn’t make the request. It was too risky. Angerford was quite sure that the cartoon was deliberately wiped out.

  Rinzler put away the pert and left through the door instead.

  Chapter 21

  Left alone, Angerford sat on the bed, deep in thought, until Roke Steiner’s pale face appeared in a communication space. ‘What was that all about?’

  ‘Rinzler Investigations. I’ve hired them to check someone’s identity.’ He told Roke about Mitzi and Rinzler’s request of a favour, explaining that he had brought him here to make sure that there was a record of everything.

  ‘Glad to hear that. Rinzler is probably harmless, but keep on watching your back with him.’

  Roke Steiner signed off.

  When did Fernandez stop watching her back? Angerford wondered, thinking about the anime samurai reciting bushido like a reminder of corporate loyalties. Its creator’s ever-so-quiet voice sounded loudly in Angerford’s mind: if the trouble becomes unshootable… Fernandez was trouble. She was shot.

  She was killed by automated security inside the facility housing the andronet hardware when she teleported there for routine maintenance. The rumour was that Cyboratics’ secret military rigged her termination to make it appear like an accident. But Wye Stan Pan personally told Angerford, ‘Report your findings to Roke Steiner as if you too believe that story. Anything else report directly to me.’

  Nobody in Proxima was above suspicion.

  Angerford had to find out why April apparently didn’t recognise its own Chief Analyst. So far the only anomaly was the massive unidentified file that had vanished. Angerford had it copied as soon as he discovered it, stashed the copy in cyberspace wastelands, and continued secretly to work on it whenever he could, still trying to decipher its nature.

  He contacted Roke Steiner on an open internal channel. Roke’s head reappeared with a banner identifying him as an officer of Cy Proxima Human Resources. Angerford complained, ‘Even Rinzler has a bigger apartment than this. When are you going to re-house me?’

  The grievance was genuine and Roke was the appropriate person to deal with it. Angerford suspected that Roke created this housing problem to have an excuse for them to communicate frequently, although he could imagine Roke allocating an inadequate apartment out of sheer spite. They’d known each other since school. Nobody who knew both of them would expect them to have a casual contact.

  Under the cover of the present communication, Angerford passed details of his transaction with Rinzler Investigations concerning Mitzi. He hoped that Roke would be satisfied with that, and wouldn’t investigate Rinzler Investigations. He didn’t tell Roke about the man on the shuttle. But Roke could have discovered it somehow. Perhaps Roke had removed the anime samurai by way of signalling to Angerford that he knew. But I haven’t done anything wrong, Angerford reminded himself.

  Angerford called Spart. ‘Do you know a man called Rinzler?’ he asked as soon as the head of a green-haired young woman appeared.

  She sounded worried. ‘What has he done now? What did he tell you? We only had a few one-night stands. He used to hang around with us for a while but hasn’t been around lately. What is he up to?’

  ‘I was hoping you’d tell me.’

  ‘He didn’t even come to my promotion party last week.’

  Shortly afterwards, Angerford opened his door to a food delivery, and caught himself glancing past the delivery android as if half-expecting Rinzler to still be there. There were only children playing a ball game in the courtyard. The clean and brightly lit courtyard was entirely enclosed with residential units owned mostly by Cyboratics. Angerford’s gaze was drawn past the children to a door that used to be Fernandez’s place.

  Then he ate, sitting on his bed and watching April’s logs scroll.

  He stopped eating, abruptly, and double-checked.

  There was no mistake.

  There was no record of April teleporting to Indigo’s place when Rinzler said that the andronet had taken him there.

  Chapter 22

  About to enter a cybercafé in the Arcades, Rinzler spotted April with a client further down the lane. I know what your mind looks like, he smugly thought at the distant android — and was startled when April spoke directly behind him. ‘Hello, Rinzler. It’s so nice to see you here! May I be of service?’

  Rinzler turned to the android. ‘You could tell me about Yojimbo TS.’

  ‘They wanted to recruit Indigo. Have they approached you too?’

  ‘Yes,’ lied Rinzler, ‘but I’ve lost their contact details. Could you put me through to their rep?’

  ‘Of course,’ obliged the andronet.

  It was too good to be true.

  It wasn’t.

  They wouldn’t speak with him, April reported next. They already had their recruit.

  Kendall was waiting online when Rinzler logged into his office. The man’s credit had checked out. ‘Okay, Free Spirit,’ Rinzler reluctantly told him, ‘I have a partial result for you. I don’t know who Yojimbo TS are but I know they don’t want to speak with you. They already have their recruit.’

  ‘I know. Rinzler, there’s something I must tell you face to face somewhere nobody can see or hear us.’

  Rinzler suggested the 7E platform.

  When he got there and located Kendall lurking in shadows, the nervous man immediately started to complain, ‘You said this place was empty. People came off a train a moment ago!’

  ‘They’re gone now. What is it, Free?’

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘What do you want to tell me?’

  Kendall glanced furtively around, craning his neck to see past Rinzler. ‘Okay, Rinzler,’ he said, satisfied that they were alone. He pulled himself together, somehow seeming taller, resolute, his voice deepening, ‘I’m the one they’ve recruited. They got back in touch and told me I’m the one. I appreciate that you started working on my case, so I’ve paid you. I insist on paying,’ he insisted. ‘Money is no problem. I’m going to be earning big-time now.’

  ‘Thanks. I’m so envious of you,’ Rinzler said sceptically. He wondered whether it occurred to Kendall that he, Rinzler, would be recording their conversion. ‘So you’re off to Sol?’

  ‘Correct. I wanted to tell you this face to face so you’ll know why I had to kill Indigo.’ Kendall paused for a reaction.

  Rinzler gave him none.

  Kendall continued, ‘You see, Rinzler, I had to. This is my dream. She’d have gotten the job and they wanted only one person.’

  ‘Why are you telling me this?’

  ‘So you’ll know. You are working on her case. I thought I’d do you a favour before I leave,’ Kendall said, importantly, and vanished into thin air before Rinzler could say Thanks.

  Rinzler lingered in the shadows.

  The ceaseless noise of machinery and repetitive thuds of the belt depositing its load made the deserted place feel even more forlorn. An incoming train shunted along and slowly left. Nobody got off.

  When he was quite sure that Kendall wasn’t coming back, Rinzler sent the man’s confession to CrimSol.

  There was nothing else for him to do until they’ve made a decision about it. Rinzler strolled down the dimly lit platform. The lights ran out at the far end. Switching on his biosuit light, he spotted a crude arrow painted on the floor. Then his light expired.

  When you knew what to look for, you could spot the faintly luminous arrow without light. Curious, Rinzler followed it into a narrow passage that wound upwards.

  He was up a full level when CrimSol confirmed that the Indigo case was satisfactorily closed. Their legal obligation to the dead policyholder has been fulfilled. The crime wasn’t solved. But it’s not my job, Rinzler reminded himself. OK or Teletek can arrest Kendall at the port or chase him to Sol. They’ll bring him to trial, verify or tear apart his story. Not my business.

  Rinzler’s thoughts kept returning to the different Kendall that was revealed today: sinist
er, smarter, someone who could eliminate a rival in cold blood.

  The unlit passageway became barely passable, little more than a gap between walls. Rinzler groped his way upwards. Eventually he emerged at a busy yard where robots sorted cargo. It was part of the spaceport. He briskly crossed it, dodging robots.

  As soon as Rinzler entered the terminal’s main area, a popup rep of Kappa Eco Wear latched on to him. ‘Sir, I couldn’t help noticing that your Kappa Eco biosuit is in need of urgent upgrade.’ Rinzler punched it and the hologram dissipated in fractal swirls.

  He logged into his office from a communication booth.

  Kendall had fully paid him, and so did Angerford. CrimSol confirmed that his debt has been cleared. ‘I can have my home back, right?’ he demanded as soon as the CrimSol liaison officer appeared in the communication space.

  She assured him, ‘Of course. It won’t be the same address but we’ll provide you with a place.’

  Rinzler left the booth smiling broadly, and attentively listened to the next rep wanting to sell him a biosuit. ‘If I may be candid, sir, Kappa Eco Wear was a mistake. You must have realised by now that buying cheap is not cost-effective. A word of advice, sir, if I may be frank. Your suit, shall we call it that, in its current condition could cost you your life. We at Mu Tashi Nanotronics…’

  ‘Just show me the catalogue,’ Rinzler interrupted.

  The cheapest Mu Tashi was as much as what both Angerford and Kendall had paid him put together. ‘Do you have it in black?’ Rinzler inquired, his mind picturing Schmidt in his black biosuit, a non-designer affair that looked cheap but was customised with so many nifty hi-tech gadgets that it was probably ten times more expensive than a top-of-the-range Mu Tashi. Indigo too wore black. ‘Forget black. Does it come in khaki fatigues?’

  ‘Mu Tashi Nanotronics can manufacture any colour you wish. Most of our customers prefer the pure white Classic. No? Very well. Khaki fatigues,’ the rep said tactfully, ‘that’s a wise choice for you, sir. If you order now we have a limited special offer on a built-in emergency pert.’