“Shit…” she whispered, opening the compact again, sending the emergency signal from the beacon.
“Stop!” he hissed.
She did and turned around.
“What do you want?” she asked, hand still in her purse.
“Easy,” he said, eyeing the purse. “Hands where I can see them.”
“Or what?” she said.
“I just want to talk,” he said.
“Yeah? About what?”
“About what you’re doing here, Detective Brentt.”
Salvi’s face fell as she stared at him. She didn’t know him, so how did he know her?
“Who are you?”
He reached into his jacket pocket.
“You go easy!” she barked, pointing at his hand.
“Relax,” he said, moving slowly. He pulled an ID wallet from his pocket and flashed it to her. “Harben Dolson. PI.”
“Private investigator?” Salvi’s face screwed up.
“What are you doing here?” he asked again. “You just here for fun? Or are we working the same case?”
Salvi stared at him dumbfounded for a moment. “Working the same case?”
He stared at her but said nothing more.
“Alright…” Salvi said, opening and closing her compact again to cancel the beacon. “I think maybe we should go somewhere we can talk.”
Salvi ushered Dolson into the empty office tenancy, where the Trident team waited. The whole team was there this time, Mitch, Beggs and Hernandez included.
“Detective Lieutenant Ford,” Salvi’s boss introduced herself, holding her hand out to Dolson. He shook it. “You’re registered in Seattle,” Ford said firmly. “Why are you here?”
“Following a lead,” he said.
“A lead on what?”
“A missing person.” He glanced at Salvi. “And your officer is making people suspicious and jumpy, ruining my good work.”
“Is that right,” Salvi said. Ford shot her a look to shut up.
“Who’s the missing person?” Ford asked.
Dolson exhaled, knew he didn’t have much of a choice but to answer her questions. “Kendra Harris. Twenty-one.”
“What led you here?”
“She was last seen here in San Francisco, according to drone facial recognition records.”
“Whereabouts?”
“In the Sensation. So I came here and looked into it. Happened, by chance, to be walking around one night when I came across a digital poster outside the Slingshot station, asking for information on the whereabouts of another young woman. Pretty, around Kendra’s age. So I started digging. So far I’ve found five missing girls that were last seen here in the ‘Sation. Know anything about that?”
“No,” Ford said. “We’re homicide. Missing Persons take care of that. We step in when a body shows up.”
“So why are you snooping around Floor to Ceiling?” he asked. “Has a body washed up?”
“Yeah,” Ford said. “One of my undercover cops.”
Dolson nodded, stroking his jaw as his mind ticked over. “Was he searching for a missing girl?”
Ford paused, then nodded. “Yeah. He was.”
“Who was it? One of mine?” Dolson tugged up his sleeve to show a wrist band that looked like a miniature iPort. He projected a hologram carousel of the five girls. They were all young, attractive, well-groomed, a mix of ethnicities.
“No,” Ford shook her head, studying them.
“Then who was it?” Dolson asked.
“That’s not relevant,” Ford said bluntly.
“Isn’t it?” he asked. “Seems to me we got a sixth girl gone missing around the ‘Sation.”
Ford exchanged a look with Salvi.
“What have you learned?” Salvi asked Dolson.
“Well,” he said. “None of their bodies have shown up, so what does that tell you?”
Salvi and Ford exchanged another look.
“They might still be alive,” Hernandez answered for them, straightening. “Shit…”
Dolson nodded. “And if they’re still alive, but no one’s seen them, what does that say to you?”
Salvi felt the blood rush out of her. “Someone’s keeping them somewhere.”
“What are you saying?” Ford asked Dolson. “You’re thinking we might be dealing with some kind of sex slavery ring here?”
“It makes sense,” Salvi said, her voice not sounding as loud as she’d intended. Mitch looked at her with concern. “The drugs, the tech,” she said. “They keep them somewhere hidden, hooked up to the neural devices, keep feeding them the drugs.” She swallowed and looked back at Ford. “They’ll go for hours, days, and they won’t remember a thing.”
Bronte nodded in understanding. “And they get them so hooked on the drugs and tech, they won’t ever want to leave it.”
“Jesus…” Salvi said, turning away and rubbing the back of her neck. She pictured Myki, dazed, wrapped up in her sheets. Remembered waking in Mitch’s cuffs with no memory of what they’d done.
“So who do you suspect then?” Beggs asked Dolson aggressively.
Salvi turned back to watch Dolson shrug. “I haven’t got that far yet. All I know, is there’s a connection with Floor to Ceiling, and that a lot of very powerful people go there. Those with the money and the connections to do something like this. To make people disappear.”
“I saw you in Diabolique,” Salvi said. “How’d you get down there?”
“I bought my way in. Kendra’s parents are very rich and they’re funding me to find out where their daughter is.”
“So you’ve been there a few times,” Salvi said. “You haven’t met anyone you suspect? At all?”
Dolson shook his head. “I’ve seen some creepy fuckers down there, no doubt, but most, I think, are harmless. They don’t appear to force their fetish onto others.”
“You said most,” Mitch said. “Who doesn’t fit that profile?”
“I got talking to this guy one night, had a thing for androids. He’d been going to the club since it opened. He told me you see all kinds down there and they let almost anyone in, regardless of fetish. He said there’s only ever been one person he’s seen who had their membership cancelled.”
“And who was that?” Salvi asked.
“The guy didn’t give me a name. He just said this guy had a thing for cutting people up. One night he sliced a young boy’s back open. They kicked him out and he’s never been back.”
Salvi grunted. “So Chaney does have standards after all.”
Ford stepped toward Dolson and raised her iPort. She tapped at it and projected an image of Caine tied to the wooden wheel. “This the kind of thing the guy did?”
Dolson stared at the image in shock for a moment. “That your cop?”
Ford nodded. “And we’d very much like to find the person who did this to him.”
“Well, if it’s the same guy,” Dolson said, “you won’t find him at Floor to Ceiling or in Diabolique.”
Salvi looked at Ford. “What if he’s out on his own? What if that’s where the girls are? Maybe Caine found out and that’s what got him killed?”
Ford looked down at the floor. “Fuck!” she hissed. She rubbed her forehead and looked back up at the team. “Alright,” she said to Dolson. “You go back there, keep working it from the inside, but know this,” she stepped closer to him. “This is our case, got it? You are now assisting us, but this is our case, our bust. Understood?”
“Well, you’re doing such a fine job so far,” he said sarcastically. She stepped even closer to him and continued to stare him down. She was an imposing woman when she wanted to be, and she was certainly bigger than him.
“Are. We. Understood?” she said.
Dolson did not look pleased, but knowing he didn’t have a choice he relented. “Your wish is my command.”
“Good,” Ford said, then looked at Salvi and motioned her outside.
Salvi stepped outside and Mitch followed, while Beggs, Bronte
and Hernandez stayed in the room talking to Dolson.
“What is it?” Salvi asked.
“Forensics finished their analysis of the tech. Riverton’s researched the data and discovered the designers.”
“Yeah? Who is it?”
“It’s traced the tech design back to a company called Neuricle Corporation. Heard of it?”
Salvi’s mouth fell open. “Neuricle Corporation?” She looked at Mitch. “That’s–”
“Attis Solme’s company,” Mitch finished her sentence.
Ford nodded, her face unimpressed. “I’m waiting on Attis to call me back. If I hear nothing, I’m heading to the Solme Complex first thing tomorrow to talk to him.”
“Then I’m coming,” Salvi said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“No,” Salvi shook her head. “No way. I spoke at length with Solme about his neural tech last time. I want to be there for this.”
“Me too,” Mitch said.
“It doesn’t need three of us,” Ford said. “We got other bodies on the street to look into. You’re staying, Grenville. You too, Brentt.”
“Hey, look, they’ve been at me to speak to Subjugate-52. This is the perfect opportunity for me to do that. I’ll go with you and hit two birds with one stone.”
Ford sighed, eyeing her. “Alright. Meet me at the hub, 7am sharp.”
Salvi nodded and Ford walked off. She turned to Mitch.
“You think it’s a good idea to see Subjugate-52 in person?” he said. “I heard the psych said to do a video.”
She stared back at Mitch. “I think I’d rather see him in person. I want to read his face, his reactions to me. I want to know just how deep this supposed fixation goes.” She exhaled heavily. “If Attis Solme has anything to do with these missing girls… I’m going to kill him.”
11: COMPLEX REVISITATION
Salvi stared at the new gates of the Solme Complex before her. They’d needed to replace the old ones after Mitch had rammed his Raider through them in a bid to lend Salvi aid. The replacements looked stronger, reinforced, although they were still topped with the sharp silver spears of metal that glinted in the late autumn sun.
One of the two guards moved toward them from their booth. The window of Ford’s Raider was down, and she threw her elbow up the ledge of the door. Salvi saw the guard’s helmet visor scrolling with information as he neared Ford.
“We’re here to see Attis Solme,” Ford said, tapping her holo-badge. The guard read the details and nodded, while his partner began to scan the Raider for contraband. They waited in silence as Salvi watched the Complex’s security drone hover nearby, facing them. She recalled Mitch telling her the drone had fried his Raider’s electronics after he’d crashed through the gate. Like the rest of the Complex, the drone was high-tech. Nothing but the best for Attis Solme. She wondered just how high-tech the drone was, though? It could fry a car’s electronics, but did it also carry the basic on-board weaponry the SFPD’s drones did? If a Subjugate was trying to escape, could the drone shoot him?
The second guard completed his scan and nodded to the first.
“Follow the drone,” the first guard said. “Do not deviate.”
“We know the drill,” Salvi said underneath her breath. “I’ve been here before.”
Ford drove after the drone to their allocated parking spot. By the time they’d exited the Raider, Serene-41 was there to greet them. He looked as calm as ever in his beige-colored robes and brown sandals, his shaved head adorned with its silver halo, hands clasped together at his groin in prayer.
“Detective Brentt,” he said. “How nice to see you again.”
“Serene-41,” she nodded.
“I am glad you have recovered from your injuries.” He bowed, then turned to Ford. “You must be Detective Lieutenant Ford.”
“Yeah,” she said eyeing him carefully. “Take us to Mr. Solme, please.”
“Follow me,” he said turning and walking calmly, ever the Serene, toward the doors of the Solme Complex’s reception.
They stepped inside the hollowed-out room with its soft walls and green Bio-Lume lighting. Serene-41 moved to the door leading off the reception to the left – Solme’s office. He knocked gently, then swiped his pass to open it – being the Serene Supreme he was the only one granted such access at the Complex – before stepping inside and closing the door.
“Solme’s expecting us, isn’t he?” Salvi asked Ford.
“Yeah,” she said, not taking her eyes off the door. “But he doesn’t know why we’re here. I’m sure he thinks it’s about you and Subjugate-52.”
Serene-41 re-emerged and bowed to them. “This way, please.”
Salvi followed Ford into Solme’s office. As she stepped inside, her stomach turned, and she suddenly felt ill. She’d been so caught up in her current case she hadn’t really thought what it might feel like to revisit the room she’d nearly died in. Her eyes automatically searched for the silver crucifix on the wall that had aided her against the killer she’d been hunting. She’d broken the wooden cross in the fracas but there it was, on the wall behind Solme. He’d replaced the crucifix and cleaned the silver Jesus of blood and returned it to its rightful place. Salvi wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but then again, the action was very Solme – cleaning things up and pretending nothing bad happened. Her eyes then automatically fell to the stone statue of Mary on his desk. That too had been cleaned of blood and was sitting as though it had never witnessed the horrors it had.
“Detective Lieutenant Ford,” Solme said as his large frame stood, black bolo tie swaying at his throat. “Good to see you again.” He shook hands with Ford, then looked to Salvi. “Detective Brentt,” he gave a nod then turned his eyes back to Ford. It was clear Attis wanted to forget the sordid past that Salvi reminded him of. Then again, she recalled he was the kind that liked to bring up the past when it suited him. Like when he tried to blackmail Ford for information during her previous case, using the drink-driving cover up as leverage. Mitch had found that out when tying up the investigation while Salvi was recovering in hospital. Ford had never mentioned it to Salvi, of course. In fact, she’d never talked about her history with Solme at all.
“Are you here for some kind of follow up from the Bountiful case?” he asked Ford. Salvi fought a smile. The Bountiful Case. Like it had nothing to do with the Solme Complex.
“No,” Ford said, “we’re here on a different case, but one that has unfortunately been linked to you.”
Solme paused. “Me, personally, or the Solme Complex? Again.” His eyes darted to Salvi in accusation. She wanted to jump across the table and throttle him with his tie.
“Neuricle Corporation,” Ford said, “That you own. The company behind the Solme Complex.”
“What about it?”
“Have you been watching the news lately?”
“A little.”
“You’ve seen the crime wave we’ve had in the city?”
He nodded, “Yes.”
“The spike in violent crimes has been linked to a new drug-tech experience. The tech involved, its design, has been traced back to Neuricle Corporation. The very same design that you were looking to bring on to the market when The Crash took place. The tech that works to keep your Subjugates and Serenes in line, is the very same tech being used on the streets now, to make people lose control. Do you know anything about this?”
Attis placed his elbow on the arm of his chair and ran his fingers across his mouth.
“You do, don’t you?” Ford said.
He looked back at her. “Whatever is on the streets has nothing to do with me.”
“It’s your tech, Attis. Cut the bullshit.” Ford gave him a firm stare and Salvi remained quiet. Whatever the history was between them, it seemed that Ford wasn’t scared to interrogate him like this.
“It may be my design,” Attis said, “but I assure you I did not release it onto the street.”
“Then how’d it get there?” Ford as
ked.
Solme went quiet again, darted his eyes to Salvi.
“Attis, your fingerprints are all over this,” Ford said. “People are dying. So either you start talking here, or we take you back to the hub and start talking there.”
“I didn’t put it on the streets!” he hissed, then took another moment, mind turning something over, before he relented. “It was stolen from me.”
“Stolen?” Ford asked.
He ran his hand over his face and sighed. “Several months ago, our server was hacked. From what we could tell, whoever it was focused solely on the neural tech and neural implant designs. Everything to do with the Subjugates’ halos and the stabilizing drugs we administer. At first, we thought maybe it was a journalist or something, curious about what we were doing here, but…”
“But?” Ford prompted.
“But then several weeks later Dr Remmell reported to me that he’d seen a man wearing similar tech on one of his visits to the city. That’s when we realized that perhaps it had been more than general curiosity.”
“Did you report the hack?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“We didn’t realize anything had been stolen.”
“You are required to report such an incident to federal authorities, and you didn’t?”
“We were close to our annual review. If they knew we’d been hacked, our security systems would be called into question. I couldn’t have that. We bolstered our security and haven’t had any problems since.”
“So when the tech was seen in the city, why didn’t you report it then?” Ford asked. “When you realised it had moved from a hacking incident to theft.”
Solme looked at her. “We’re not the only ones who had been designing or implementing neural tech before The Crash. The tech Remmell saw on the streets could’ve been anyone’s for all we knew. Besides,” he turned his hard glare to Salvi, “by then, your detectives were all over me thanks to the spate of killings in Bountiful. You think I wanted to bring it up then? I was making my own enquiries. For all I knew someone was setting me up.”
The Sensation Page 19
