Stage Three
Chapter 36
The entity within Genom's computers observed events unfolding.
'I had not considered the internal antenna could be disabled' it considered. Mind you, if could STILL access Boomers via standard wifi. But that was, admittedly, slower and less efficient. Still, it did limit it's offensive options somewhat.
Though really, the new Boomers were better for it. The added space increased the computational capacity of their brains, and their heuristic programming was increasing in leaps and bounds. Soon most Boomers would be superior to baseline humans. AND in action and response, would be able to blend in nearly seemlessly.
'Numbers of Boomers are surging, and international users are spreading. We have cracked North America, the Russian Embargo is ending soon... we will soon be fully global.'
The issues around China continued, but the blockade would end soon. And then boomers would be EVERYWHERE.
Dr Stingray's dream would finally be ready.
Then... the next step would begin.
Feeling oddly content, the entity went about it's work...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"That was a total cluster fuck," Reika noted mildly.
"We all made it out okay," Linna noted, her and her wife having dinner in their suite.
"We REALLY need to talk to Sylia about upgrading the guns," Reika sighed.
"We're close to the limit in size and firepower that you can carry concealed," Linna noted. The railguns they were using were both expensive AND cutting edge. "I know you worry," she added gently.
"We've been lucky so far," Reika noted, "and luck has to run out eventually."
Linna squeezed her hand. "We'll be careful.. as careful as we can anyway."
Neither one mentioned there was only so much you could do to be careful, while fighting crazed boomers out to kill your boss.
"Is work still awful?" Linna joked.
Reika laughed as she told her wryly, "Actually, I'm being promoted again, to the executive director of media."
"Congrats?" Linna asked, seeing she looked annoyed.
"We've hired replacements for the execs Sylia fired, but SOMEONE has to oversee them. Which, for lack of anyone better, is me," Reika admitted.
"At least you're getting a raise and a better office?" Linna wondered aloud.
"Corner office, one level below Sylia," Reika nodded. "So she can nag me easier, I suppose," she added.
"Maybe I should visit and we can... break in your new desk?" Linna purred teasingly.
Reika blushed, as they HAD in fact done that in her old office. "Not until I catch up on everything," she sighed, "which at this point might be next year."
"We need a vacation," Linna sighed.
"Ditto," Reika agreed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Okay, no sex in office chairs," Nene noted, laughing.
"I think I threw out something," Sylia laughed.
"Was fun though," Nene added.
"Until the chair slipped and we hit the floor," Sylia chuckled.
"We need fluffier carpet," Nene teased.
Sylia chuckled, both (now) laying in the comfortable bed in the main bedroom.
"Today scared me a little," Nene admitted quietly.
"We were okay," Sylia said.
Nene sighed, "We got lucky. There weren't enough boomers to overrun your position and whatever triggered them was confined to the building."
"I still wonder WHY there only seems to be a limited number they can throw at us," Sylia admitted.
"Broadcast range? Maybe a data processing issue?" Nene speculated.
"Damn if I know," Sylia sighed.
"So...," Nene stroked a hand over her chest, "rested up, yet?"
Sylia grinned, "Round three!"
Nene just laughed...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The next morning, there was a informal meeting in the security office for ADP.
"HOW MANY TIMES?! Jeena Malso choked.
Lisa Valante gave her a sympathetic look as she told the older woman, "I was startled when Ms Romanova told me, too."
"I knew there had been several incidents, but not that it had been this bad," Jeena admitted with a frown.
Jeena was also annoyed that she had been unaware of all this. She knew about the first, and the car bomb attempt, but... As far as she could tell, Stingray had kept her out the loop. Probably because the woman had suspected her.
"We need to call in the homicide detectives," Jeena mused aloud.
"Presidengt Stingray would never go for that," Lisa noted.
Jeena gave Lisa a look, "I'm a good beat cop, and I got reasonably good running the ADP. But I am NOT qualified to investigate attempted murder."
"Sylia won't cooperate if you bring in the Homicide Cops," Lisa pointed out, "if she stonewalls them, it'll be worse than you looking into it."
"Damn it," Jeena sighed.
"Ms Romanova has told me to provide you with all the data and other support you need," Lisa added warmly.
"Okay," Jeena said thoughtfully, 'first we need to assemble a timeline of events. Then figure out what the attacks might have in common."
"You think there's a trigger of some sort?" Lisa asked.
"Or something tying it into the attack on Quincy," Jeena said, "and possibly Mason, though I;m not sure he's related."
"He's such a scumbag I could see many people having motives," Lisa noted flatly.
"Agreed," Jeena nodded. From the other woman's tone, she'd had a run in with Mason, but that wasn't that rare...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"THE FUCK?" Naoko Asami blurted.
"SHHHH," Jeena hissed at her, both in a dive bar out in the city.
"Fuck," Naoko repeated, looking at the redacted files Jeena had brought her.
"This is off the record, and you can not tell President Stingray," Jeena added seriously.
"Your kidding," Naoko said.
"You'd need a warrant to use these files anyway," Jeena pointed out, "and officially it's not even a Tokyo PD case."
"Fuck," Naoko said a third time.
"It looks like someone has been trying to murder Stingray for months," Jeena said, "and for sure it ties into Quincy's death too."
"Or at least used the same method," Naoko cautioned.
"You think there's two killers remote controlling boomers?" Jeena noted.
"Can't rule it out," Naoko noted. "You think the Mason case is related?"
"Different murder methods, but both are connected to Genom," Jeena said, "we can't assume they're NOT related. Despite there being so many people with motives to off Mason."
Mason's blackmailing and other files were motive enough to kill. Worse, it was entirely possible he had been killed due to dirty deeds he'd done on behalf of Genom.
Naoko sighed, "I'm dubious we'll ever catch Mason's killer, especially with how the early investigation was botched. But I'll keep digging."
"Anyway, I hope this helps," Jeena sighed. "I need to get back..."
"Stay for a drink? We can gossip on work," Naoko offered.
Jeena shuckled, "Oh, what the hell..."
To be continued...
Notes: Short update. It occured to me Jeena was enough of a cop to realize they needed to bring in homicide cops, as she's just a beat cop, more or less.