Call to Quarters (A Gaeldorcraeft Forces Novel Book 1)

by Honor Raconteur

  Since she really wanted to know what happened, Noriko hoped for the results back this week.

  “This is getting more and more complicated,” Lars said to no one in particular, tone almost rhetorical. “What are we looking at, here? Saboteurs, idiots that are accidental saboteurs, what? Do we have a group that is actively trying to re-arrange the Mojave landscape? Do we have two individual saboteurs that aren’t aware of the other person’s movements, and so they’re crossing paths without realizing it? Or do we have one saboteur that was messing with ley lines and happened to take out the test cell with it?”

  It was an excellent question and no one at the table had an answer for it. It could be any mix of those possibilities, really. Noriko was inclined toward the second option, of two different saboteurs that were accidentally stepping into each other’s plans and making a mess of things. Her eyes happened to catch a strange look on Mike’s face. Something about it suggested to her that he had an answer, or at least part of the answer, but for whatever reason he chose not to say it aloud.

  She must have been the only one to notice as Goudie said, “Captain, I’ve been informed that we’re reaching our time limit in collecting evidence.” Goudie gestured to the team as a whole with the sweep of his hand. “Even though we don’t have an answer yet, I need to go through the area one more time. If you don’t mind, I’d like to start in on the cleanup of the area tomorrow. If we stumble across anything as we go, I can bag and tag it.”

  “Understood, we’ll do so. I assume you want us out there bright and early?”

  “If possible, yes.”

  Banderas turned to his team. “In that case, short shift today, people. Go home at nine and sleep. Be here at 8 a.m.”

  Everyone gave him an analyst’s salute and said more or less in unison: “Yes, sir!”

  22nd Merlin

  For some reason, she and Cameron were left with strict instructions to stay by Goudie’s side and help him sort evidence as everyone else finished cleaning up the test site. They were also warned (threatened, really) that they were not to go within ten feet of the cliff side.

  She couldn’t imagine why.

  There wasn’t much left for them to do. After all, half of the team had been out here with other base GF personnel for the past two weeks helping to clean up, and with that many people working it was bound to clean up quickly. They were barely there two hours when the last of the large debris was settled into a dumpster.

  “Well,” Goudie stated with a satisfied nod, “I found nothing else to indicate an incendiary device was used.”

  Noriko knew that he intended to sit down with Mike next, going over every facet of the engine design, and visiting SHRR again to make up another model. He’d stated that intention on the way here, at least. She was just glad that they were going to retreat back to the station sooner rather than later. Two hours was the magical window for sunscreen protection after all. If she escaped into shade now, she wouldn’t need to reapply it.

  For a moment, she took the time to really look at the area. It wasn’t the clean place with towering structures she had seen the first time, nor the disastrous rubbish heap she’d seen the second, but had turned into a clean desert space that didn’t have a building standing. Even the block building that housed the control center had been completely removed so that it could be re-built from the ground up. From what Noriko had heard, this decision from the higher ups was met with much rejoicing, as some of the equipment in the control center had been at least thirty years old. This was a beautiful chance for an upgrade, and no one was passing it by.

  They loaded back into their red van and returned to Tehachapi. As they rode along, she tuned out most of the conversations going on around her, thoughts spinning. The reason why all of this had happened still puzzled her. Why were the other two ley lines also tampered with? Was it an attempt to make the lab look like an accident? Look, this one happened over here, this one happened over there, so what happened at the test cell must be a natural disaster too—that sort of thing? It might have worked, if the person doing it had coincided them with some sort of natural phenomenon. Or even with the explosions that the Boron mine nearby did. But with literally nothing to tie them to, of course the default reason for them would be human involvement. Power surges didn’t just happen.

  That assumed that all three incidents were tied together which, granted, she had no real proof of, but it made no sense that they were isolated. Unless the first one did have a cause, just something they couldn’t detect, and a person had used that instance to blow up the test cell? Then, afraid that it wouldn’t look random enough, did it again at the weigh station?

  The simulations and experiments in SHRR had proved that unbalancing a ley line didn’t necessarily take an explosive insertion of power. In fact, give it just 40 or so kilomerlins of power more than the line was able to handle, and it would unbalance itself. It was almost like a domino effect that way. One slight push, and everything would topple, making the situation more complex and destructive with every power ricochet. The more energy that was poured into a line, the faster this happened, but it was that slow start that worried all of them. A small dose of power wouldn’t be as noticeable until far too late. Which was likely why a certain pair at the Lab had been able to go in, mess with the line, and walk out again without suspicion. With this technique, it would indeed take thirty minutes or more before the pressure would rise enough to cause problems.

  This whole situation made her head hurt.

  Smoothly, the van pulled into the precinct parking lot. “Everyone out,” Banderas ordered calmly, moving as they did. “Someone needs to start the legal paperwork to get a warrant.”

  As Noriko had been intending to get over to the legal department and meet the infamous Katie, she responded, “I’ll go, sir.”

  “It’s true you need to learn the process. Lizzie, go with her.”

  Lizzie paused outside the van doorway and explained, “We have to give her the files and flag them for reference first. She’s not going to want to sit there and untangle the web to figure out what the warrant should be for.”

  Made sense. Noriko thought of the report she had prepared for Goudie and asked, “Something like the timeline we gave Goudie?”

  “Much like that, yes. Did you link all of the written reports to it?”

  “Yes, but not the oral ones. I’m not as familiar with them, Cameron’s handled that side,” she explained.

  “In that case, Cameron, link those up for us. We need to copy all of these files into a central folder for Katie so she has access to any and all of it whenever needed. It’s not just for the warrant; it’s also to hand over to the prosecuting attorneys when it’s time.”

  So they built that foundation from the very beginning? Granted, it would be easier to do it that way than to frantically try to pull all of the information together in a cohesive pile the day before. Noriko’s understanding of due process was very basic, but she did understand the core of it, at least.

  Because she had laid some groundwork already, it didn’t take long to pull the rest together, and bundle it all neatly into the legal department’s intranet folder. With it there, Lizzie nodded satisfaction and then waved Noriko to come along. She trailed obediently in the woman’s wake.

  Legal was basically the central office in the station. The building spidered out several different directions, each hallway being its own division, but the core four rooms were claimed by the legal department. Lizzie gave a cursory rap against an open door before waltzing inside as if that was the most natural thing in the world to do.

  Sitting just inside, desk buried in a stack of files that threatened to interfere with the holographic ability of the computer, was a petite woman with pale skin and dark auburn hair. She was swathed in an oversized grey sweater, hair pulled up in a messy bun, and it looked as if she were doing two things at once as her hands flew even as she spoke, “—no, no that is not probable cause. That isn’t even close to being probable c
ause. Have you forgotten the definition of probable cause since leaving the academy? I keep saying probable cause in hopes you’ll remember what probable cause is and come up with some. Larry. Larry, please. I cannot write ‘cop’s instincts’ as the reason for an arrest. Otherwise tomorrow's headlines will read: ‘Cop Instincts Used In Arrest, Taste In Donuts Not A Factor.’ And then I'll have to start sneaking in Bear Claws and jelly filled for you and I'm far too lazy for that level of espionage. But I would do it, Larry. I would do it until you’re so buried in powdered sugar, they’d ban you from working coke busts out of fear of cross-contamination. Then go find evidence, watch the guy, but I can’t give you any warrants until you give me some evidence to back it up with.” She rolled her eyes and tapped the Bluetooth to end the call. “Every time. Every freakin’ time he calls, he tries to sweet talk me into a warrant with no ground to stand on.”

  “Maybe it’s his way of flirting with you,” Lizzie suggested as she dropped into a plastic chair nearby.

  “If so, his sweet talk is coming from a galaxy far, far away, but that’s a whole new level of horrifying, thanks for that. It already feels like he’s the date that just would not end no matter what you did to sabotage it. The word ‘Larry’ is this close to becoming a swear word around here.” Spinning sideways in her chair, she zoomed in on Noriko. “Hello, new face.”

  The name plate hanging on the wall above her head was in Japanese, so Noriko was absolutely sure this was the same Katie that Elizabeth had mentioned. To her, she said in Japanese with a smile, “Hello, I’m Arashi Noriko. I look forward to your guidance.”

  Katie’s face lit up in a brilliant smile. “And I as well. How lovely, someone else to talk to! Sit, Arashi-san. You’re on Lizzie’s team?”

  “I am,” Noriko confirmed while sitting down in the adjoining plastic chair. “Elizabeth informed me you were here and I was to absolutely introduce myself to you.”

  “Good girl. She did mention we had a fun person in house, but I didn’t have time to strangle details out of her cryptic little neck.”

  Lizzie cleared her throat meaningfully. “Let’s get business out of the way, and then I can leave while you two get to know each other.”

  Katie made a face at her. “Fine. Be that way. What do you need?”

  “A warrant for the arrest of James Wesson and Henry Landers.”

  Katie swung back around and started typing things out at blazing speed. Interestingly enough, there was a very mechanical sound accompanying her typing, as if she were using an old fashioned keyboard. Noriko had only heard the like in old movies and television shows, as with holographic keyboards there wasn’t any sound at all. Was this a preference of Katie’s?

  “Crime?” Katie prompted.

  “Right now we only have enough evidence to prove criminal negligence that led to the destruction of the 2A test cell on the Research Lab.”

  Katie’s mad typing abruptly stilled. “Wesson and Landers are pulling up on my screen as being GF. You’re telling me a Mægen and Dwol were responsible for that mess?”

  “At least partially,” Lizzie clarified. “We’re still trying to untangle the rest. We also suspect them of having purposefully unbalanced the other two ley lines in the area.”

  The paralegal stared at her for a long moment, a disturbed expression on her face. “I don’t normally ask this, usually it’s pretty obvious, but what was their motive?”

  “Motive’s unclear. The only reason why we suspect them of messing with the other ley lines is because it had to have been done by humans. Natural disasters certainly had nothing to do with it, and believe me, we looked for a cause.”

  Hoping to clarify a little, Noriko added, “We’re not sure about the first one, but the third ley line that went out of control? They were no longer working at the base at that point, and we believe they might have attempted to camouflage what they did at the Lab by making one more go haywire.”

  “A red herring,” Katie stated softly. “But there’s no evidence to suggest they were involved in the first?”

  “No, just the second,” Lizzie confirmed. “We have a timeline, complete with links to the original reports, and a summary of our conclusions in your folder. It’s labeled Base Explosion Investigation.”

  Katie abruptly swiveled and pulled it up. Her eyes flicked from top to bottom as she read through several files. “Half of your evidence is circumstantial, but you’ve got evidence of means and opportunity. You should get the warrant just fine.”

  Fascinated by this statement, Noriko edged a little closer in her chair. “We don’t need motive?”

  “Only in fiction is motive important,” Katie dismissed. “We like having it, but not to the point we’re fixated on it. Normally motive’s pretty clear anyway. All the law needs is Mens Rea and Actus Rea—the criminal act and the intention to do a criminal act. If we have one, or both of those, then we’re satisfied.”

  Well they might be, but Noriko certainly wasn’t. She really truly wanted an answer as to why these men had done what they had. It might not matter in the long run. Whether by sabotage or carelessness, the damage was done regardless. But her curiosity didn’t want to let it be. It wanted an answer.

  Katie scanned through the rest of the files and nodded, satisfied. “Clearly stated. I don’t think I’ll have questions, but I’ll shoot you an email if I do. Judge will be in court tomorrow, I think I can get this issued in the morning, is that soon enough?”

  “Captain didn’t give me a timeline,” Lizzie explained, “so I’m not sure. I think he just wants these two men off the streets before they can do something else stupid.”

  “I’m all for that. Lizzie, I release you,” Katie intoned in a grand, rolling manner as if a queen was dismissing her subject.

  “Ha-ha,” Lizzie returned with an exaggerated bow. “Thank you, Katie-sama.”

  Noriko snorted at this by-play. Lizzie had told her point blank she spoke very little Japanese at all, but she apparently had picked up some to be able to do this back and forth.

  Pointing a commanding finger at Noriko, Katie declared, “You I have not released.”

  Grinning at her, Noriko leaned back in her chair with complete ease. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving now. We have things to talk about, I’m sure.”

  “Absolutely. Let’s start with boy bands, shall we?”

  23rd Merlin

  Katie had given Noriko to understand that the law could move very slowly. “Slower than an asthmatic snail” was her actual description. The news came in the next afternoon, just as she started her shift, that the arrest of James Wesson and Henry Landers had already been made. It surprised her, although she was grateful that it had not been the slow process that Katie had warned her about. Perhaps because this case had gotten so much media attention, and it dealt with the destruction of government property, it had been made a higher priority?

  If that was the case, then was Goudie done too?

  Noriko had grown to like the man. He had been a sort of mentor to her in investigative procedures, and she’d hate to think that he would be shortly leaving. Choosing to do her check in with the captain virtually instead of physically, as was her preference, she did an automatic radio check-in as she made her way to the back conference room.

  Somewhat to her surprise, Mike and Cameron were already there. Mike was taking down the multitude of charts, graphs, and diagrams taped all along the walls. Goudie and Cameron were carefully stowing the evidence bags into blue plastic bins and labeling everything as they went. At her entrance, they glanced up and offered casual greetings.

  They’d been at this a while as half of the room was already packed. Noriko couldn’t help but ask, “Leaving already?”

  Goudie paused in his packing to give her a shrug and smile. “I’ve basically done what I can. I found the reason why the test cell exploded, was able to dissect the actual explosion well enough for trial, and now all that’s left is the final report. Wrap-up, strangely enough, always takes as long or longer tha
n the actual investigation.”

  That seemed weird to her, as she had been under the impression that they still didn’t have all of the answers as to what happened that night. “So Wesson and Landers are completely to blame for this?”

  Goudie and Mike shared a speaking look but it was Mike that answered, voice a little tired, “We’re not sure. I, for one, do not believe they are totally responsible. I know that a ley line surging would supply an unbelievable amount of pressure and electrical charge, but the fail safes on the run line were specifically designed to withstand all of that. I can’t help but feel that in order for this to have happened, someone must have disabled at least three fail safes.”

  “Which means a tech must have been involved,” Goudie picked up the explanation, also sounding a little frustrated and down hearted, “as I know from eye witness accounts that Wesson and Landers didn’t go near the engine or the run line itself. And it would certainly take more than an hour for them to get in there and do it, which would have been remarked upon. But the problem is, I have no proof that a technician was involved in any way. Or an engineer, for that matter. The only thing that I can prove is that the test cell would not have blown without the aid of that surging ley line.”

  “I see.” It all made sense, and certainly she didn’t want to start a witch hunt because of the men’s suspicions, but it seemed beyond dangerous to her to go back to work and assume everything was fine. There was still possibly a man on the loose.

  Perhaps Mike read her mind as he assured her, “We have reported our suspicions to my bosses already and they’re tightening security measures. We’ll be very careful moving forward as we build the test cell. None of us wants a repeat of this, after all.”

  “No, of course not. I hope all of that extra security does the trick.” That would have to be good enough. Reality, it seemed, didn’t always let you catch all of the bad guys in one fell swoop. Perhaps they would be able to catch whoever else was responsible later on. “It’s strange to say this, but this has been a fun learning experience, and I’ll be sorry to see you both go.”