CYPHER: A Dystopian Novel

by Barbara Winkes

  “Inspector?” the officer asked with a hint of anxiousness.

  Hale was looking at her. She felt the earring in her pocket; it seemed to burn her skin. Liar, liar…

  “We’ll get it to Evidence. I don’t think we’ll have the time to go through every unit tonight. I’m sure you are all aware we’re working to solve four murders. That’s priority.”

  “You’re right,” Hale took her side unexpectedly. “Most of those are small-time offenses.” He paused, looking thoughtful, or maybe just pretending. “This, however…if she had internet access, maybe she is the one we’re looking for. That would be one way of contacting the rebels.”

  “That would mean they would have access too. How do you think they do it in the mountains, send smoke signals?”

  Hale was ambitious, and he wanted the same job Katlena was after. Fortunately, he wasn’t too smart, and she hoped Drago knew that. “Let’s move this downtown.”

  “Sure.”

  * * * *

  Anxiety had her stomach in knots during the drive. To add insult, literally, to injury, she had to go back with Hale who couldn’t wait to interrogate suspects.

  Sometimes, Katlena wondered if she had missed the world around her going crazy. Maybe it was too late for change. Whether it was cyphers, her colleagues at the IdA or the rebels plotting for a cause only they knew anymore, she was sick and tired of all of these groups. There had to be a life outside of the City. It wasn’t easy to get there, granted, and even in her position she’d have to fill out a lot of paperwork to even try to set foot outside its boundaries. Maybe it would be worth it, to be free.

  For a moment, she allowed herself to entertain the fantasy. What would it be like, to live and work in an environment without the growing danger from outside and within, without the paranoia of assuming a co-worker was out there to frame you? Sharing a home with a woman she loved without fearing repression. Katlena suppressed a sigh. It was a testimony to her state of mind—and body—that the image of Ami had appeared in her mind instantly. What a pitiful delusion. Chances were people outside of the City weren’t so different.

  Katlena had no way of knowing, because she’d never left after her parents moved here. She’d been eight. As for Ami—whatever would be appropriate to name these emotions, Ami’s or hers, it wouldn’t matter once Ami learned some facts. Katlena knowing about her daughter was the least of them. Ami had to have always been aware that Katlena had access to her files. She couldn’t afford to daydream, to slip for a moment. She had to do everything possible for damage control.

  It was going to be a long night.

  * * * *

  “What do you say we start this on some caffeine?”

  In Katlena’s opinion, this was the first good suggestion that Hale had made. She felt like she was going to keel over any moment. I’m sorry, Ami. You put yourself in an impossible position.

  What about that laptop? Katlena was fairly sure that it had to do with why Ami’s file had a sealed addendum. Maybe the secret of her parents lay within.

  Katlena had more, and bigger, problems than that. Trenton hadn’t given an inch. She hadn’t heard from Drago all day. She had to get through at least two interrogations, whatever the techs revealed from the files on Ami’s computer, notwithstanding.

  She went to the break room with Hale where they got two regular coffees from the vending machine.

  “I want to go with 16439 first.”

  The more time passed, the more Ami had to sober up a bit more.

  “I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Hale said. “I arranged for her to go to the hospital. Chances are she’s sleeping peacefully on some real good drugs.”

  “Damn it, Hale, couldn’t you ask me first?” Katlena snapped. “Why did you do that? We need her talking!”

  “I think it would be a good start when we have 51308 talking. You might have to get used to the idea that she set us up.”

  “Oh please. You saw the file? She wants her daughter back. That has been her single motivation for five years.”

  “Her daughter is somewhere hiding with the foster parents who have allegedly joined the rebels. It all fits, Katlena.”

  “Let me be the judge of that.” She frowned at the bitter taste of the coffee, wishing she had asked for her usual latte. “Oh, and Hale—we’re not on a first name basis.”

  He muttered something unintelligible she probably didn’t want to hear. Just as well.

  Chapter Nine

  Ami didn’t know how long they had kept her waiting. She was miserable, her arms aching from the unnatural position. She needed to go to the bathroom. Adding to all of that, someone had turned up the heat too high—probably on purpose. She was sweating.

  In a way, Ami still couldn’t understand what had happened. It was bad though. If she turned in her report late once more, Trenton might get the idea that it was best to cut ties with her. That would mean the most important ace up her sleeve was gone. At least she had considered him important.

  Katlena…Ami didn’t know if her power was simply limited, or if she had stopped caring. Cara’s disappointment, her accusations that Ami had betrayed her…All of this weighed on her even more. She was at the end of her rope. She couldn’t take any more.

  “It’s a little late for tears, don’t you think?”

  Ami jolted upright, wincing as the cuffs bit into her wrists.

  “Inspector Cervantes believes in you,” Drago said, touching her shoulder as he walked past her. Ami shivered. “She thinks you’re innocent…well, except for the obvious. Inspector Hale however thinks we should lean on you a little harder, that you could actually be involved in the murder of my brother’s family. So I’m the one who decides if you get one more chance.” He paused for effect. “You are lucky, 51308.”

  “Inspector Cervantes told me not to talk to anyone.”

  Drago laughed. “Oh, but I’m her boss as you know. What happened this morning was a serious crime. A terrorist act. City law says that I can make you talk if the security of our citizens is at stake, and I can use all the means I see fit.”

  “Where is the one more chance in there?” Ami asked tiredly.

  “You filed a complaint with Organizational Affairs earlier this month. You weren’t happy with the way things are, were you?”

  “I filed a complaint. That’s not the same thing as building a bomb. No cause justifies killing people.”

  He leaned over her, his face very close. Ami was uncomfortably reminded of the day of her interview, and how he’d been staring at her.

  “You think the rebels actually have a cause? Forgive me. I always thought they were just a bunch of misguided idiots. Ami, why does your file have a sealed addendum?”

  As much as she hated being called by her number, it was somehow worse having him say her name. Until now, she hadn’t realized how the digits could produce a distance she would have appreciated in this situation.

  “You’re the boss of the IdA. If you don’t know, how would I? That’s silly.”

  Her shirt was damp, making her skin feel cold and clammy. Of course she knew. Ami had never met any other spy. Trenton, while not revealing his name, had explained all of them got an addendum to their file only accessible to the highest players in the IdA, which was obviously above Drago’s clearance level. He didn’t have as much power as he thought he did, even if for the moment, it was more than enough to make Ami’s life miserable.

  “Addendums are sealed for a reason, which means the person who has them usually has a secret. I wonder what’s yours. Maybe we find out after our techs have been over your laptop?”

  They wouldn’t be able to make anything of the information to be found on the computer, Ami knew that. She’d been taught to encrypt the files in a certain way. However, the techs might find there was indeed something hidden, even if they couldn’t crack it open. Like Drago had suggested, then they could make her “co-operate”. Ami took a deep breath, and then made herself slump a little in the chair. It wasn’t a
ll that hard. It almost wasn’t pretending. She was exhausted and scared out of her mind for real.

  “I swear I don’t know about any addendum,” she said quietly. “I know I probably shouldn’t say anything, but…the laptop belonged to my father. He gave it to me a long time before I signed. I know I shouldn’t have kept it, but it was the only thing I had left of him.”

  “Where is your father now?”

  “Killed in a rebel attack. Both of my parents, actually, twelve years ago. That’s what I was told, anyway.” The raw grief her words produced, startled Ami. She had been on her own for so long, forced to grow up quickly, that the memory hardly ever triggered anything more than a distant ache. Either way, she didn’t have time to grieve.

  Drago reached out to brush a damp strand of hair back from her face, making her shrink back.

  “You want to continue your internship with us, 51308?”

  He brushed his fingertips over her cheek, the implications of his actions making her feel sick. If only Katlena would return. She might be angry with Ami, but she would put a stop to this.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You must understand that we need to take precautions to secure your loyalty. Today’s attack shows that there must have been a serious security breach. That can’t happen again.”

  “What do you want me to do?” Even before the words were out of her mouth, Ami knew she would regret them.

  “You’re going to continue typing reports for Inspector Cervantes and…You and I could work more closely together too.”

  “How so?”

  “You’ll be watched closely. I want you to do the same with her.”

  “What?” Ami couldn’t help the exclamation. This was beginning to get ridiculous. The people in question were overestimating her spy skills.

  “You heard me,” Drago said, unimpressed by her reaction. “I’m sure it will be just a formality. You’ll get away with a slap on the wrist for getting drunk with your neighbor. You have a knack though for surrounding yourself with suspicious people. If you don’t want this to get any more serious, you better start working with us. Well, me.”

  When she didn’t answer to that, he leaned close again. Ami could smell his after shave. While the scent wasn’t exactly unpleasant, paired with the unwanted attention it made her stomach churn.

  “You’re very pretty, 51308.”

  Ami yanked at the cuffs so violently that she nearly toppled the chair over. Her wrists burned with the pain.

  “Go to hell! I have a name!”

  He gave her an amused smile. “Ms. Formerly Known as Ami Moore, think about my offer. I don’t have to stress this conversation must stay between us, otherwise there could be severe repercussions, for you and her. You don’t want that, right? I think you’re rather fond of Inspector Cervantes.”

  Drago got up to leave, opening the door to his inspectors who seemed rather surprised to see him here. No one commented on his presence though.

  Katlena put a paper cup filled to the rim with hot coffee in front of her before she opened the cuffs with her key. There was a trace of worry clouding Ami’s relief at seeing her. She looked pale, her rigid stance revealing pain. She was probably hoping just as much that they could end this soon.

  “Inspectors, you’ll conduct the interview according to the previous charges,” Drago told them. “As for the origin of the laptop, we’ve got that covered.”

  Katlena looked unhappy with that, but she gave her boss a curt nod.

  “Thanks.”

  “After that, you go home and get some sleep. All of you,” he said meaningfully, winking at Ami. She shuddered.

  “So…in order to do protocol justice,” Katlena began, an unveiled jibe against what Hale had said earlier. “We still need to ask you about your little party with 16439.”

  “What happened to Cara?” Ami asked.

  “Please. If you answer my questions, we’ll be out of here in no time. Which I’m sure all of us will appreciate.”

  Ami translated that into “I can’t tell you, and anyway, I’m sure you won’t like it.” She hoped Cara had calmed down and cooperated. It was never a good idea to openly defy the IdA. Yes, if only she could have followed her own advice, she might not be in this predicament.

  “Okay, whatever. We said hello when we met in the hallway, we had a coffee together every now and then. Not that I had a lot of time for that in the first place.”

  “It wasn’t coffee that got your friend in trouble, though I understand that you’re not allowed unlimited quantities either.”

  “The IdA tries to keep cyphers healthy,” Ami scoffed. “I didn’t know she was hiding the wine. When she offered to share it, I assumed it was from her delivery, that she saved up for a bit. I was impressed. Mine is always gone within a few days after I get it, and sure as hell I wouldn’t share. Life is painful enough.”

  “How long have you been living in the building? Five years and you never noticed anything?” Hale interjected, his disdain obvious.

  “I worked sixteen, sometimes more hours at Shelton’s. Cara, 16439, was unemployed because of some condition she wouldn’t talk about.” She was walking on thin ice here. Because of Trenton’s scheme, Ami knew all the details about Cara’s diagnosis. She hated to betray her for real, but how much help could Ami be to her if she was thrown into jail? She needed that internship, for both of them, and for Lily.

  “Why don’t you look at the people who make the food deliveries? It would be easiest for them to smuggle goods into the building.”

  “Well, thank you for the tip,” Katlena said. “We’ll definitely look into that.”

  “Wait, weren’t you the one who was accused of stealing food and beverages from your colleagues? Maybe it wasn’t just for you, and you found a profitable way to deal with the overstock.”

  “Hale, that one was cleared up. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll do my report and this is over. Let’s not waste resources. We still have murders to solve.”

  Hale looked doubtful, but he wouldn’t go against Drago’s orders. “What about her?”

  “We have our answers, no grounds on which we could hold her any longer.”

  “You really want her to continue here?” he asked, incredulous.

  “It’s quite a bit unprofessional to discuss this in front of a witness, right? I’ll take care of the rest, thank you, Hale.”

  She waited until the other inspector had left the room then pulled herself a chair across from Ami. She sank into it, pressing her hand against her forehead.

  “You’re not gonna pass out on me, are you?” Ami asked anxiously. No doubt somebody would want to lay the blame for that on her, too. While she was trying hard to suppress the impulse, she was concerned about Katlena. The feeling was genuine. It also helped distract her from what had happened before the interrogation.

  “I appreciate your sense of humor,” Katlena said. Her exhaustion was obvious. “Don’t do anything like that, ever again. The next time I won’t be able to save your ass.”

  “Save me, really? You didn’t do a damn thing to stop Drago from feeling me up while—”

  Ami stopped, wanting to slap herself. When would she learn to think first and talk later instead of doing it the other way around?

  “You better be careful with accusations like that,” Katlena said, looking alarmed.

  “It’s true! I didn’t make this up!”

  “It’s almost 3:00 a.m. I assume it’s nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. Let’s get out of here.”

  Disheartened beyond all measure, Ami rose to her feet and followed Katlena out of the room and along the hallway. She waited as Katlena signed a few papers at the front desk then walked with her down the front stairs and around the building to the parking lot.

  While she was still struggling with a way to give voice to her anger and disappointment, Katlena said, “I swear, you’re trying to come up with ways to make my life harder.”

  “What the—I wasn’t lying to you!”

>   “No, you’re listening to me now. I don’t doubt for a second what you said about Drago, and I’m sorry about that. I’ll do better. I want to help you, but you can’t talk like that in there, where there are cameras all around. There was a real chance earlier that we could have been in and out of Rivera’s apartment, no consequences for anyone else in the building. No—you had to have a drunken get-together with your neighbor. The one who has rebel ties, of all people. I thought you wanted the internship, but if you would rather go to prison, I won’t stop you. Frankly, I’m tired.”

  “Move over,” Ami said, because it seemed the most urgent thing to say, and she couldn’t come up with a clever retort anyway. The worst about this was that there was at least a little truth to Katlena’s words. She had contributed in no small part to making her life complicated lately.

  “What?”

  Ami opened the door on her side. “Move over. You’re bleeding.”

  Katlena stared at her sleeve for a moment as if she couldn’t quite make sense of what she saw. “Damn.”

  “Do we need to go to the hospital?”

  “No. I’ll just make a new bandage at home…” After a rather long and tense pause, Katlena said, “You can come if you want.”

  After having her apartment invaded by the IdA for the second time this week, Ami didn’t have anywhere else to go. No laptop either, but she preferred not to think about that at the moment.

  Ami waited until Katlena had fastened the seatbelt again, then she said,

  “I want to know where my daughter is, and you’re going to tell me.”

  “Or what?”

  “If you tell me, I promise, I’ll do whatever you say.”

  “Let’s go home first.”

  It had been on the tip of her tongue to reveal Drago’s offer to Katlena, but Ami kept her secret to herself for the moment. One revelation in exchange for another.

  * * * *

  When Katlena opened the door to her condo on the third floor of the apartment building, Ami was overcome with the same flash of jealousy she’d felt when they were grocery shopping together. Once upon a time, she might have had the chance to live in a place like this, the rooms a comfortable size, colors, furniture and decoration her individual choice.