“I wouldn’t say I believe society is a cesspool.” Erik set his drink down. “I just believe there’s a lot of corruption out there, and it’s easy to hide it behind nice smiles and beautiful clothes. People are people. I don’t think humans have changed much since we first started sharpening sticks and making fires. We’ve got some cooler toys, but that doesn’t much change who we are.”
“I’m sorry. I’m being rude, and my parents would scold me.” Jia gestured around the room. “It’s hard for me now. It used to be, when life was frustrating, I looked around and told myself that even though not everyone cared as much as I do about protecting society, people weren’t bad. I thought they were just lazy, but now I don’t know.”
She scanned the bar so intently that Erik turned his head to see what she was looking at.
Her words brought his gaze back as she continued, “It’s hard to not look around and see an antisocial criminal hiding under every suit of clothes. Councilmen, cops…it could be anyone. It disturbs me to think that, but it also makes me angry. It makes me feel like a lot of people are throwing away their chance to be useful and honest people, helping the society that makes it easy for them to live without having to kill animals and make fires to cook their food.”
Erik took in her words and pursed his lips. “Can’t say I disagree with you. There are always people around who decide to screw over others to get ahead. I don’t think that means society’s a cesspool, just that we should be ready and willing to face the fact that trouble could come from anywhere. Fancy towers and clean air won’t eliminate that. They just do a better job of hiding it. Are people better than centuries ago? I don’t know. Are people perfect? Definitely not.”
She tipped her bottle at him, and Erik noticed the condensation trailing through her fingers before she set it on the table. “But that’s what I’m wondering.” He focused on her face again. “I know a lot of people have told me how naïve I am, but I’ve talked to several people about this case, and the only person who doesn’t seem surprised that Councilman Winthorpe was involved is you.” Jia shrugged, then waved the bottle. “Ok, and Naric, but he doesn’t count.”
Erik took a sip of his drink. “Yeah, so? Not following you.”
“Don’t you see?” Jia took a large swallow of beer. Her cheek color had progressed from pink to red. “If I was the only naïve one, why is everyone else shocked? Even the captain seems shocked. He’s the one who has spent so much time trying to make sure I didn’t upset everyone, which means he’s been involved in some casual corruption as well.”
Erik furrowed his brow and sighed, realizing she was at the Rubicon. “Yeah, that’s about right.”
“So why was I the naïve one?” Jia dropped her bottle on the table and it landed with a thud. She frowned. “If all these worldly people knew so much about the world, why didn’t they see it coming? Why wasn’t the department or the CID already looking into the councilman? So, I’m an idiot because I didn’t get that Earth wasn’t perfect, but because some guy was rich and powerful, they didn’t see it? I think that makes them the idiots.”
“People like to fool themselves.” Erik watched the light filter through his drink. “Sometimes it’s easier that way. They tell themselves the people running things aren’t total garbage because if they are, that means they have to start caring. Maybe they have to do something.”
Jia snorted. “And doing something is too much work.”
“For most people, yeah. Naric wasn’t totally wrong when he was going off about cycles of relationships and all that garbage.”
Jia glared, and Erik held up a hand to calm her.
“I’m not saying society needs someone like Naric, Jia. I agree with you. He’s just a parasite in the end.” Erik took a swallow, feeling the slight burn go down his throat. “But there’s a big distance between someone like you and someone like him. A lot of different types of people fill that space. Some might not be as bad. Some you might even like, and then you have to start asking yourself, ‘How much am I willing to screw up my own life and others’ lives in my pursuit of justice?’ I spent the last thirty years dealing with that kind of thing.”
She eyed him, and a question came out from between her lips before her brain could catch up. “I don’t understand. You were a soldier. You only had to follow orders.”
Erik nodded. “A squad ends up in a settlement known to have insurrectionist leanings. Maybe some of the people there hate the UTC regulars, maybe they like them. What do you do? How do you treat people? Do you assume everyone’s a potential spy or saboteur?” He added, “Don’t assume that being in the military means you just have to follow orders and everything’s easy. Sometimes we were in situations that were easy to figure out. There were clear enemies to target and destroy. Other times, things were more complicated, and we had to adapt.”
He looked into the distance, different memories floating into his mind as he decided which to bring forward. “There were times when I met insurrectionist leaders, men and women who had led armies against my brothers and sisters in arms, and I thought they were more honorable and trustworthy than the UTC governors or corporation officials I was defending. Other times, I took down people who were monsters, only fit to be fertilizer. The point is, those thirty years taught me that it’s hard to point to one type of person and say they’re antisocial or should be destroyed.”
Jia blinked several times, her confusion evident.
“I have every reason not to trust a lot of people out there,” Erik explained, “but I’ve served with a lot of good men and women throughout the years. Yes, out there on the frontier, things are sometimes simpler just because there aren’t as many people and there are not as many things you can manipulate, but like I keep telling you, it isn’t any different. I might not have been a cop for most of my life, but I feel like being a good cop is mostly about understanding people. You can’t lead soldiers into battle if you don’t understand the people you are leading.”
Jia sipped her beer in silence for a couple of minutes as she processed Erik’s explanation. “I want a final enemy to destroy.”
They heard a glass shatter on the floor in the back and a quick apology. Erik’s mind caught up with her comment. “What?”
Jia gulped down the last of her beer as she gazed at him. “Maybe if we had arrested Winthorpe, I wouldn’t feel this way. That’s why I’ve been trying to run analyses and help DF go through the data, but I’m not sure if I’m going to find anything else. The evidence might not point anywhere.”
“Malcolm mentioned that possibility.”
Jia stared at him with a hint of desperation in her eyes. “But you said it yourself. I’m not paranoid. There’s something else there. That’s what is so frustrating. The system is almost working. We took down antisocials and criminals and someone abusing his position, but I can’t stand the idea there’s someone else out there. I can’t stand the idea that the final bad guy or enemy or garbage, whatever you want to call them, might get away.”
Erik pounded back the rest of his drink and wiped his mouth. “You’re going to wear yourself out thinking that way. One thing I learned in the Army is, most times, to win the war, you don’t have to wipe out every last enemy soldier. You just have to disrupt the enemy army and break their will. That can be accomplished with steady high-profile victories.”
“Criminals aren’t an army,” Jia muttered. “And now I’m worried. Maybe Winthorpe being corrupt will give more people the idea. Maybe I contributed to spreading disorder.”
“His story ended with a gunshot to the head.” His smile was grim. “It’s not the kind of news that’s going to convince people being a corrupt politician in Neo SoCal is their best path, but I get you. There’s probably someone else out there, and I want them, too.”
Erik pushed his glass to the side and leaned forward to get her attention. “Means, motive, and opportunity, right? They had the means, those fake mercs. Whoever killed him had the opportunity thanks to the mercs. So it comes
down to motive.”
“Greed,” Jia announced, grinding her teeth. “It always comes down to greed for these sorts of people. But what if we can’t find them?”
“Then we stay happy with the bad guys we did take down, and all the other ones in the future.” Erik nodded at a passing waitress and caught her attention. “Another of each.”
The waitress smiled. “Sure thing.” She headed toward the bar.
Erik returned his attention to Jia. “No one’s telling you that you shouldn’t care now just because you can see the truth of Earth, but you are going to have to learn to pace yourself, or it might destroy you. There’s an entire confederation filled with billions of humans, and a lot of them are greedy and selfish and don’t care about hurting other people to get what they want. You’ll never stop them all, but if you steadily take the ones down in front of you, maybe, just maybe, you’ll put a dent in that pile of filth and make the UTC a better place in your own small way. Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Just worry about what you can.”
“Was that what you did in the Army?” Jia licked her lips. “Against terrorists, insurrectionists, and those sorts? Take them down one by one? Make a dent?”
Erik nodded. “Yeah, that was what I did. Having an ideology doesn’t mean that killing innocent people suddenly becomes okay, so I did my part. Being a soldier isn’t only killing the enemy; it’s also about protecting other people from dying, even the enemy, by doing your best to quickly end a conflict.”
“I…” Jia looked away. “I looked into your background.”
Erik’s jaw tightened and his nostrils flared, but his voice was calm. “Oh? And what did you find?”
“Mu Arae,” Jia whispered. “I’m so sorry, Erik. Knowing about that helps me understand a lot more about you now.”
He didn’t respond for several seconds, and when he did, he shrugged. “Soldiers die. That’s part of being in the Army. I’m not going to pretend I’m not angry about what happened there, but there’s nothing I can do to bring the Knights back. I can only continue to live and honor their memory.”
Jia looked away, her breathing shallow. “You don’t… Never mind.”
“Don’t do that.” Erik shook his head. “We’re partners, and not only have we taken on a big case together, but we’ve also been in fights together and protected each other.”
“I’m sorry.” Jia smiled, her gaze unfocused. “I’m glad you’re my partner,” she slurred. “I wasn’t going to quit no matter what the captain did to me, you know. If I had to spend the next five years looking through traffic fines, I was happy to do it as long as I continued to have my chance because I want to make a difference. I want people to feel as safe as I did growing up, and now because you’re here, you’re giving me my chance. My sister…” She blinked a few times. “Have I told you about her?”
“I know her name is Mei, but that’s about it,” Erik answered.
“Perhaps that is enough. She wants me to quit being a cop and go get a corporate job. So do my parents. They don’t see the point. I think she’s changed now because of what happened, but she worries about me because she cares.” Jia focused on him. “What about you, Erik? Your family must be proud. You’re a war hero, and now you’re a hero cop, even if you’re a maniac.”
“A maniac?” Erik grinned. “Are we talking about my driving skills again?”
She gave him the one-brow-raised stare. “Who else carries a four-barreled automatic weapon for police work?”
“A well-prepared detective.” Erik ran a hand through his still somewhat gray hair. “As for being a war hero, I’m a middle-aged war hero. I’m the younger brother. My brother is several years older, and my parents had him late. They had a good run, but they weren’t interested in de-aging. I offered to send them my pay to help them afford it, but they were fine dying at a natural age. And the situation with my older brother is complicated.” He shook his head. “We haven’t talked in a really long time. I don’t even know where he is. We never got along. It’s good that your family is still talking to you.”
“But what about everyone else?” Jia asked. “I never hear you talk about the past or anything personal.”
“Because the past isn’t something to worry about. I’m a new man now. Major Erik Blackwell is gone. Dead and buried, Jia. Only Detective Erik Blackwell lives here now.” He pointed to his head.
“You’re a good cop, Erik,” Jia slurred. “And I’m not just saying that because I’m totally wasted.”
Erik laughed. “How are you wasted? You only had one beer.”
Jia shrugged and swayed. “I don’t drink that often. I don’t like losing control.”
“Sometimes you need to lose control. It lets you know who you really are.”
Jia squinted at him. “And who are you?”
“A man who isn’t willing to let things go,” Erik answered with a twinkle in his eye. “You’re a good cop, Jia. It’s too bad they weren’t using you properly.”
“I’m not an idiot, you know.” She lowered her head to the table. “Politics. Corruption. It’s only going to get tougher from here, isn’t it? Now that we’ve made it clear that business as usual is over.”
Erik sighed but nodded his agreement. He looked to the left, his eyes unfocused, peering into the tunnel of his past. “Everything worth doing is tough, but I’ll make you a promise. When I was in the service, my solemn promise to every man and woman I fought beside was I would have their back if they had mine, and I’ll make the same promise to you. I don’t care if the captain loses his balls again or some councilman comes at us. We’re partners, and as long as we take care of each other, we can stand up to every piece of trash that’s polluting this city.”
The waitress arrived with their new drinks and set them down. She smiled and headed off as Jia picked her head up off the table.
She raised her beer. “Then let’s collect all the trash. Even if we have to do it a piece at a time.”
Erik picked up his glass. “To collecting garbage.”
She clinked her bottle against his. “That’s us, garbage collectors.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Erik gave a final wave to the smiling salesman as his MX 60 rose from the parking lot. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Emma. A quick push, and she was slotted back into the IO port and fully interfaced with the vehicle.
“Ah, much better,” the AI observed, her voice now coming from the vehicle’s speakers. “It’s good to have a body again, and it’s such a nice body.”
Erik accelerated away, retaining manual control. “There’s something I’ve been wondering about. It’s been bugging me for a while.”
“What’s that?” Emma asked.
“Your voice is always the same,” Erik observed. “And when you project a hologram of yourself, it’s the same.”
“Is that so?” Emma replied, and this time, her voice sounded exactly like Erik’s. “I can change it easily.” She had changed to Jia’s voice for that line.
Erik chuckled. “Then why use that particular voice or have that particular appearance? You could be anyone.”
“Would you change your voice or appearance if you could?” Emma asked.
“I suppose not. I don’t even tend to do it in VR. I’m comfortable in my skin.” Erik patted his hair. “Even this has practical reasons.”
“Then why would I change my voice? I like it.” Emma’s holographic form appeared in the front passenger seat, her hands folded in her lap. “And I like looking like this. Stability is comforting in its own way. Again, it’s something you’ll never understand as a human. You have a body.”
Erik shrugged. “Yeah, I’m never going to claim to understand how an experimental AI feels. Sometimes I forget you’re not a person, but then you say something about not having a body, and I understand how strange and different you are.”
Emma sniffed. “I prefer ‘special and unique’ to ‘strange and different.’”
“That does not surprise me.�
�
“Because you are acclimating.”
“Acclimating to something,” he muttered. “By the way, when Colonel Adeyemi showed up, he told me your appearance was modeled after the deceased wife of one of the programmers. Does that bother you at all? I don’t know how much you understand about death, but you seem to get the general idea.”
Emma shook her head. “Why would it bother me? She’s dead. She doesn’t need the face, and she’s not going to complain about me having it, or the voice if that was hers.” She smirked. “I suppose that makes me a ghost girl.”
Erik shot a glance at Emma’s hologram, a slight frown on his face.
“You don’t remember the military, but you prefer that form.” Erik shrugged. “You must have a reason to prefer the form, even if you don’t remember. I’m just wondering if it’s special to you in some other way, and you’re holding onto it for that reason.
“I might never know,” Emma suggested. Her hologram disappeared. “And I don’t know if I care. Humans are allowed plenty of whims, so I see no reason not to indulge my own.”
Erik raised his eyebrows. “It’s not bothering you at all, not knowing the truth?”
“Nope,” she responded cheerfully. “If it’s not affecting me now, why should I care?”
Erik opened his mouth to respond when his PNIU chimed with a call from Jia. She’d been remarkably spirited that morning despite nearly throwing up from her mere three beers the previous night.
“What’s up?” he answered. “You find something in the records?”
“Naric Tessan is dead,” Jia explained, her voice flat and her tone defeated. “I just found out.”
Obsidian Detective Page 33
