Page 101 of Anarchy Missing

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - LULU

I go through all the files they have. It’s a relief when I still have access to them. Maybe that’s an oversight by Randy, since he had to rush out of here this morning. Or maybe I’m just being paranoid and what I think is happening isn’t.

Is it?

They absolutely did get a warrant for Case’s company last night. And after reading the initial report about the evidence they tagged and bagged, it’s not looking good for him.

The SpyGlass in Randy’s office isn’t the only one they took, it seems. They found hundreds of them packaged up in a storeroom at ToyBox. Each one was pre-programmed with “terrorist messages”. There is no other descriptor. There are no details, so I have no idea what kind of terrorist message the form might be referring to.

Was that the educational software he was going to put in the schools?

Jesus Christ.

On top of that, they found evidence that the bank hack did, in fact, originate from a ToyBox computer. And if that wasn’t enough to make me sick, they also found evidence that the command to shut down the power company and mess with the water treatment facility also originated from ToyBox computers.

I fill out the electronic request form to see the evidence myself, and then pull on my coat and take a walk down to the police station just down the block.

There are a lot of people on the street and I wonder for just a second if I’ve missed something that’s happened today. Most people are standing in small crowds in front of the SpyGlass panels that are mounted on the bus stations as a computerized female voice barks out some kind of news update.

“What’s going on?” I ask a woman holding a small baby bundled up in a snowsuit to her chest. “Did something happen?”

“Where have you been, lady?” the woman says, but not in an unfriendly way. “The City Alert System has been activated. It’s telling everyone to find a SpyGlass and wait for further instructions.”

“Why would it be doing that?”

“How should I know? But the only SpyGlass I know of is here at the bus stop. So I came out to wait, like everyone else. My husband is getting the car. We thought the problems were over, but I don’t think so. We’re getting out of the city tonight. We’ve got relatives out in the Valley. Gonna stay out there until this all cools down.”

“Probably a good idea,” I mumble, and then push past a new crowd of people who have swarmed up behind us while we were talking.

With every step closer I get to the police station I lose hope that Case is innocent. This just looks bad. And I have a very sick, sick feeling inside me that whatever’s going on with the SpyGlass tech—it’s got nothing to do with a City Alert.

I push through the doors but find myself stuck in a crowd of people trying to get past the reception area. Security guards are stopping everyone and yelling, “Get back. Leave the building now or we will forcibly remove you. Get back. Leave the…”

Many people are yelling protests. Demanding to see someone in charge. A large man steps on my foot and I wince, then duck underneath his arm and push my way through to the reception desk, holding up my City ID card. “Louise Lightly!” I yell over the commotion. “Assistant DA here to see evidence!” Someone elbows me in the ribs and I gasp in pain.

But then a security guard cracks the offender in the chest with the butt of his ElectroDart gun and clears a small space for me to escape the beginnings of a riot.

This is bad.

“Sorry about that,” one of the guards says, taking my arm. “As quick as we clear them out, they fill the place right back up again.”

“Well,” I say, trying to catch my breath. “The City Alert System isn’t exactly forthcoming. They’re scared. What the hell is going on?”

“No clue, ma’am. I was just told to keep them out of the station and that’s what I’m doing.”

Right. Just following orders.

Once I get past the front, things quiet down considerably. That’s when I spy Randy in the fishbowl-like office of Chief Medina.

I look around and I find Molly as well. She shakes her head at me and I take the hint.

Do not approach her.

Fine. I’m not here to see her anyway. Or Randy for that matter. I’m here to look at evidence. I’m walking towards the far end of the detective area when I hear my name being shouted.

“Miss Lightly!” Randy barks. Jesus Christ. Why is he being such a dick today? All week it was Lulu this and Lulu that. Now it’s Miss Lightly.

“Yes,” I say loudly, spinning around.