by D. A. Stern
May 28, 2021
Matt-
Good to hear from you again. Clemente seems like a stand-up guy, and he may “be one of the few honest cops on the force, “but I'm glad you're “back in town. We can use all the friends we can get.
The person who just handed you this package is named Cain. He understands English, even if he can't speak it, and he's “been given explicit instructions to give this to Detective Matt Sung, Seattle Metro Police—no one else. You know what will happen to him if he's caught outside the fence—get him safely “back to the fence, if you would. Thanks.
You should “be alone when you look at the material you now possess. If it fell into the wrong hands, what's in it could cost some people their lives. I'm taking a “big risk just sending it to you like this.
But at this point, I may not have any choice. And you're one of the few people I can trust completely.
As I write this, army troops outside the fence are massing near the two main entrances. Don't know if they're just flexing their muscles again, or if they really intend to use the tanks this time, “but everyone here is preparing for a fight to the finish. I don't think the “boys in green will just start shooting—but I'm sure they'll “be able to find a pretext to “begin the attack, if that's what they decide they want to do.
People here are anxious as well—the water got cut off again, and most of our other supplies are running low as well.
This morning at “breakfast I got a look from Cat Lady that made me feel like Tweety Bird. Got the same kind of look from a few of the other transgenics as well, like I was far enough down the evolutionary ladder to “be part of the food chain.
No—that's not fair. Everybody's gone out of their way to help me fit in—make me feel like one of them, even if I'm not. Makes me feel good—like coming here was the right decision.
I've “been using a landline from my new digs to tie in to the Informant Net—”but yesterday afternoon, somebody out there must have cut it. Third time this week that happened. I'll get it fixed soon, I'm sure, “but for the moment I'm deaf, dumb, and “blind to the outside world—and to the Net. Everything I've “been working on is stopped dead in its tracks. And that can't happen. Lives are at stake.
I'm trusting you to make certain the work goes on—even if I don't. In the package are files on the four most critical investigations I've “been working on, as well as instructions on whom you should consider passing the material on to. I've laid things out so that whoever's looking at the files can see how the investigations played out—and decide which leads to follow up on. Some of these things you already know. Others you don't. You'll see.
Sorry to lay all this on you, my friend—but we “both knew this day might come. If you don't hear from me again, you know what to do.
Stay strong. Fight on.
Logan
To whoever's reading this.
It might be hard to believe—but once upon a time, there was an honest politician in Seattle. Her name was Margaret Curran. When you think about who our elected officials are now—Steckler, and Lans, and Councilor Chambers—you have to wonder what Seattle would be like if Curran hadn't been kidnapped that night, five years ago. If she'd been able to run against Beltran back in 2016. If she'd actually won.
But that wasn't the way it went.
After that night, Curran was never seen again. Beltran got his fourth term, and the police investigation ground to a halt early the following year.
Big surprise.
Her daughter and I never stopped looking, though. After the first few weeks went by, we resigned ourselves to the grim probability that the only thing we would find would be a corpse. After the first few years, we became certain of it.
And then, six weeks ago, I discovered something that showed we might be wrong.
The note came via the Informant Net—a woman who works in one of the big Harbor Island corrections facilities. She overheard a guard talking at lunch—dumped a tray full of food on him, then used the distraction to steal the note (and his wallet, which came with it).
At first I thought it was a joke. No joke, though—Asha recognized her mother's handwriting.
We did an analysis on it. It was a piece of toilet tissue, industrial-grade, single-ply, that had been folded up into a square the size of a postage stamp. Standard prison issue. The ink had been dry for less than three days.
The woman told us the guard's name: Ray Saunders. We started with him.
L: Which one?
Saunders: I don't remember.
L: When did he give it to you?
Saunders: I don't remember that, either.
L: Come on, Ray. You're a smart guy—I've seen your record. Think a little bit harder.
Saunders: That's the best I can do. Sorry, chief.
A: Maybe we can help jog your memory.
Saunders: What, you got a baseball bat back there, or something? That's not gonna help.
L: Not a bat, Ray.
Saunders: Hey!
L: Just a little something to help loosen your tongue.
Saunders: Oh, Christ. Oh hell. What did you do?
L: Relax, Ray. It's just a little dopamine. Now why don't you tell us everything you know about Margaret Curran.
Saunders: Oh goddamn it. Goddamn you.
A: Cut the crap, Ray. Tell us what you know about Margaret Curran. About Sector 55.
Saunders: (Unintelligible)
L: Hey, hold on. Something's wrong.
A: He's faking.
L: I don't think so. Ray! What is it?
Saunders: (Unintelligible)
A: I'll get Leonard.
FILE CONTINUES
DECRYPTION: SECURE 8 DECRYPTION STAMP: 5/8/21 ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPT: 4/1/21 L = Cale, Logan, A = Barlow, Asha
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/3/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
Please accept my sympathies on your brother Ray's death, Ms. Saunders. I know it must have come as quite a shock. However, there's something you should know about the circumstances of his death. The authorities lied to you. Ray didn't have a heart attack.
They poisoned him—put something in his system that made it impossible for him to tell anyone about what they were having him do—what his real work was. I regret to say I had a hand in what happened to him—an accidental one, but a hand nonetheless.
Check Ray's medical records—if they'll let you. You'll find that I'm telling the truth.
I will contact you again.
—A friend.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/3/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
“Friend”—
Whatever kind of trouble you're peddling I don't need. Leave me alone.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/3/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
My mistake—I thought you cared about Ray.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/3/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
Where the hell do you get off “Friend” you don't know the first thing about me.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/4/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
You're wrong, Ms. Saunders. I know everything about you.
Your Social Security # is 909-924-9932-21.
You live at 476 Collingwood, Number 12B.
You work downtown, for Colson Import/Export, in sales. Next week you're up for a promotion to district manager. You're not going to get it—you
r boss already sent a memo to the company president.
Your parents died in the first year of rioting, after the Pulse. Ray took care of you, used his connections to get you your apartment, to get rid of that guy who was harassing you at your old job, to make your life as easy, as good as he could. He looked out for you, Ms. Saunders. Look out for him now.
Help me find out why he died—what he was doing that was so important he had to walk around with poison in his veins.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/4/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
Oh God I know who you are now I should have guessed by that e-mail address. Ha ha mr last free voice.
You can afford to say anything you want. nobody knows who you are. I can't say a thing.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/4/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
Yes, you can.
All replies to this address go through a server that replaces I.P. headers and machine I.D.'s with random characters—renders you anonymous.
Tell me what Ray was doing.
TO: [email protected]
FROM: [email protected]
DATE: 4/4/21
RE: YOUR BROTHER
I can't believe I'm writing this.
I don't know anything about what Ray was doing these last few years. But I know who he was doing it for. Rollins Miller, Chief Miller.
I'm sure you remember him.
DOB: 10.24.1968
POB: New Haven CT
MARITAL STATUS: Widowed (wife Rachel deceased 9.1.2009)
KNOWN RELATIVES: Rollins Jr. (Son), Andrea (daughter), Karin (daughter)
CURRENT STATUS: Deputy commissioner, Seattle Metro Police NOTES: Beltran administration holdover.
Chief-death squad connection. (See Pacific Press files/Herman Colberg.)
Possible involvement Dylan, Richardson assassinations.
Residence Capitol Hill Gated Community.
No intel—private security firm, no hack videocams.
Daughter Karin—Seattle Art Trust. Met twice at conservancy benefits. Priss.
THE SEATTLE ART & CONSERVANCY TRUST
April 8, 2021
***VIA MESSENGER***
Logan Cale
4983 Germaine Towers Penthouse West
Seattle WA
Dear Mr. Cale:
Of course I remember you, and I am very happy to provide you with a schedule (enclosed) of the Trust's 2021 benefit events. May I infer from your inquiry that the recent problems with Cale Industries don't extend to your individual financial situation? I was terribly sorry to hear about your Uncle Jonas, and have been following events in the paper regarding Cale Industries with some concern.
On the possibility of establishing a scholarship in conjunction with the department, I have taken the liberty of mentioning your interest to my father. He suggested that you contact him directly, using his private line, which is 555-222-8759.
Thank you again for your interest in the Trust, and I look forward to seeing you at future events.
Yours sincerely,
Karin Miller
Chairwoman, Events Council
I've left something out here, I realize. Something that could be critically important.
Whoever you are, if you're from anywhere around Seattle—and you've got a computer—you know about the EYES ONLY Informant Net. On one level, at least. It's a chat room—a safe chat room—a place for people to talk, anonymously, about what's going on in the world. What politicians like Steckler and Beltran, businessmen like Sonrisa and Lemkin, companies like Synthedyne and Arkady Research are doing to our planet. To our city, and our children. You can say whatever you want, and no one can trace you. Secure servers, with constantly shifting I.P. addresses.
But there's a second layer to the Informant Net, a layer that only a few people know about.
That layer consists of a few dozen critically important individuals, people whom I've worked with over the years, who are responsible for getting EYES ONLY the information needed to see that justice is done. People like Mac, who sent me Miller's phone records. Lynn, in the city's corrections department. Gatekeeper, in Homeland Security. Those aren't their real names—just the aliases they go by. I know most of them personally, but their identities have never made it onto any piece of paper. And they never will.
You won't need it to contact them. All you'll need is the following list. I'm passing that on to you as well—with a word of warning.
The system is secure. But not perfect. Be careful with this information.
MS. GALNICK: Good morning. Janna Galnick and Steven Blood on behalf of the Military Protectorate of Seattle.
MR. ZACCARO: Good morning, Your Honor. Carl Zaccaro representing Rollins A. Miller.
THE COURT: Good morning, Counselors.
THE CLERK: Rollins A. Miller, in case number 98-012, it is alleged that while employed by the Military Protectorate of Seattle as police chief you were involved as an accessory in the murder of eighteen persons. Do you admit or deny said allegations?
THE DEFENDANT: I admit.
MR. ZACCARO: Your Honor, if I may.
THE COURT: Mr. Zaccaro?
MR. ZACCARO: My client wishes to enter a plea of guilty to the charges, and to waive his right to a trial.
THE COURT: Waive his rights?
MR. ZACCARO: He wishes to throw himself on the mercy of the court. He plans to provide information to assist the protectorate in other prosecutions related to this case.
THE COURT: Madame District Attorney, is this acceptable to you?
MS. GALNICK: The defendant's attorney and I have conferenced on this issue, Your Honor, and the protectorate plans to take into consideration any information that is offered by Mr. Miller.
THE COURT: I'd like to know a little bit about what's being offered here. Chief Miller?
THE DEFENDANT: I am prepared to name names—those individuals who committed the actual murders back in ‘09.
MS. GALNICK: Judge, the protectorate wants to make sure this information is given under oath.
THE COURT: Are you prepared to testify at this point in time, Chief?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir—I am.
THE COURT: Swear the witness.
(Defendant Rollins Miller duly sworn)
THE COURT: All right. Ms. Galnick?
MS. GALNICK: Mr. Blood will begin cross-examination for the protectorate, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Very well. You may proceed.
MR. BLOOD: Thank you, Your Honor. Would you state your full name for the court?
THE DEFENDANT: Rollins Albert Miller.
MR. BLOOD: And from the years 2008 through 2020, you were employed—fi rst by the City of Seattle, and then the protectorate— as Seattle chief of police?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir. That's correct.
MR. BLOOD: Very well. Mr. Miller, I'd like to talk in general first, about July and August 2009—the period immediately following the Pulse.
THE DEFENDANT: It was a terrible time.
MR. BLOOD: Yes, sir. Could you elaborate on that statement?
THE DEFENDANT: There was rioting everywhere—people were just going crazy. We lost—every day, I remember, we lost somebody. John Harriman—my deputy—he was kidnapped and butchered by gang members.
Two cops on patrol—they were just kids, they'd joined up right after the Pulse, wanted to help out—their squad car was firebombed, they roasted in there. God.
MR. BLOOD: So it would be fair to say that there was a great deal of tension between police and the public?
THE DEFENDANT: Some of the public. Most people were happy we were out there defending them. Defending their property.
MR. BLOOD: Very well. I now direct your attention to the events of August 18, 2009. The riots in Gasworks Park.
THE DEFENDANT: I remember.
MR. BLOOD: What do you remember?
T
HE DEFENDANT: There was a big demonstration down there. I'm sorry—it would be more accurate to say the demonstration started in the financial district that afternoon, and ended up in the park shortly after dark.
MR. BLOOD: Please go on.
THE DEFENDANT: I wasn't actually on duty, so I can only offer you a broad outline of what happened that evening. There were apparently a group of hard-core demonstrators—two or three dozen— who refused to disperse, according to reports from officers on the scene. They actually incited people in the park to attack the officers on crowd control.
MR. BLOOD: And what happened then?
THE DEFENDANT: As I understand it, the officers defended themselves.
MR. BLOOD: They used tear gas. And tasers.
MR. ZACCARO: Objection, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Sustained. Mr. Blood, you're not the one giving testimony.
MR. BLOOD: Chief Miller, how did the officers defend themselves?
THE DEFENDANT: With tear gas. And tasers.
MR. BLOOD: And what happened next?
THE DEFENDANT: Some demonstrators continued to ignore orders to disperse. They continued to assault the officers, physically and verbally.
MR. BLOOD: And then …
THE DEFENDANT: Shots were fired. After that, the demonstration broke up.
MR. BLOOD: What happened as a result of those shots?
THE DEFENDANT: Eighteen people died.
MR. BLOOD: Eighteen unarmed protesters.
MR. ZACCARO: Your Honor—
MR. BLOOD: I withdraw that statement. Now, Mr. Miller, can you tell us how you first became aware of the shooting?
THE DEFENDANT: An officer on the scene called me at home. I rushed there at once.
MR. BLOOD: Go on.
THE DEFENDANT: I saw the bodies, and … we decided on a cover-up.
MR. BLOOD: We?
THE DEFENDANT: I did—after consulting with the officers on the scene. We decided to move the bodies, and bury them elsewhere.
