Mina Cortez: From Bouquets to Bullets

by Jeffrey Cook

  The bigger man stumbled forward, drawing a gun despite the pulse, probably having some actual combat training entirely outside of his chip. Still, his motions were uncoordinated. Miko caught his gun hand, disarming him even as she translated the momentum from his stumbling rush into an aikido throw, slamming his head into Miss Lasko's desk, cracking the thick wooden surface.

  The smaller man on the security detail was too far away for Miko to reach easily. He had his gun out, pointing it in Mina's direction, since she was the one who'd originally drawn their notice. The Director managed to crash into him despite her dead weight cybernetics, throwing his aim off enough that the bullet whistled past Mina's face. With both working without chips, and the Director hindered by the weight of her limb, the man was able to crack his pistol across her face, dropping her to the floor. Mina was able to cross the space in that time, grabbing for his gun arm. She caught it, managing to force another shot wide. Scott joined her in grappling with the man, finally catching up enough with what was going on to react. Even with both of them together, he managed to struggle free, knocking Scott down and shoving Mina back towards the front door.

  The struggles had bought Miko enough time to get close. He swung at her, Miko ducked under the punch, then came up with a punch to his throat. He gagged and staggered. When his hand came up to try and defend himself from another strike, she grabbed his hand, putting him in a wristlock before sweeping his feet. “I've got this one, don't let her escape!” Miko called, still continuing to track the movement of the world better than anyone else in the room.

  Mina glanced up, seeing Miss Lasko coming at her, trying to get to the door. Mina almost failed to react in time, still feeling like she was moving through molasses compared to the perceptions she'd grown used to. She managed to grab Miss Lasko's hair, dragging her back through the doorway and setting her staggering back. Miss Lasko swung wild, telegraphing her punch enough that even in her current state, Mina was able to duck her head back. She cocked her fist back and swung as hard as she could. Mina's fist connected, and Lasko dropped to the floor, not moving.

  Mina barely noticed, clutching at her hand. “Ow! Damnit.”

  “Wow, that might have been the worst punch I've ever seen,” Miko said, looking up from where she was keeping the bodyguard trapped in the wristlock. “Dude, quit struggling, you're going to—” there was a pop. “—Break your wrist. Now hold still.” The struggling stopped.

  The Director was slowly pulling herself to her feet. “Miss Cortez, I do hope you have an excellent explanation for what just happened, or we will have a lot of explaining to do.”

  “No,” Mina answered, gesturing to the bodyguard Miko had in the wristlock, then the man unconscious, draped over Lasko's broken desk. “We have our final two chips, which means Miss Lasko has a lot of explaining to do.”

  * * * *

  Miss Lasko came to not long after. By that point, Director Richter had managed to get more FBI agents on the scene. Their confusion made Mina very glad that the Director was the first one speaking to them. Had Miss Lasko gotten to the same agents first, everything might have gone very differently. The two bodyguards were taken down to be tested to verify the presence of the missing chips, though Mina had no doubt. As she saw Lasko stirring, she had just one question. “Why?” The how, when, who and the rest would come out in time. Mina just had to know what had been worth all the lives.

  Miss Lasko looked around, as if considering a few moments. She glanced to her computer, which Scott was already heading towards, with no one making any effort to stop him. With a sigh, amidst efforts to drag herself back to her feet, Lasko replied.

  “I'm sure you think I'm a terrible, callous person. Maybe you're right, but it was never for me. The AIA is important. You won't remember it, Miss Cortez, but the Director will. All of its agents do good, necessary work. The world is safer for their presence. Everything is changing, though. In your grandfather's time, Seattle alone had—”

  “Like a dozen Inquisitors, yeah, I know. I wasn't there, but I can read. But I don't get what that has to do—”

  “With more than a dozen on call. The regions shared resources. When I was first made liaison between the Inquisition and the bureaucracy, I had hundreds of people I could call for any emergency. Politicians, agencies, police commissioners, anything. Whatever it took to get the work done.”

  Mina looked to the Director, who nodded, with a frown. She gestured for Miss Lasko to continue.

  “The world is no less dangerous than before. The bad guys are still out there, from the black market to human trafficking. The agency with the best record for dealing with them has been being nickeled and dimed to death year after year. Do you know much hemming and hawing there was over whether we should bring in a new agent when we were down to three?”

  Deb—Deputy Mayor Lasko—was looking at her with passionate frustration, so Mina answered flatly. “Lots, I'm sure. Which is a perfectly reasonable explanation for killing people.”

  “You aren't getting it. We couldn't even bring in more civil servants to work around things. They wanted the whole thing forgotten. Politicians talk about movement towards a less authoritarian state, that we're moving back towards the world as it was in some mythical golden age, and then following that up by making sure the AIA can't do its job effectively.”

  “So you started kidnapping people? Let the black market get hold of the agent-killer chips?” Mina started, angrily. “The Inquisition wasn't as awesome as it used to be, so you sabotaged it?”

  “The chips were being managed. It was the black market being sabotaged. The cops and FBI agents had the only chips that weren't designed with catastrophic failure and rejection in mind. Very tragic for the crooks, I'm sure. I had it under control.”

  “Uh-huh,” Mina said. “Sure. So you weren't trying to destroy the AIA?”

  “I was trying to save the AIA! Once the emergency order was signed off on, things would have gone back to the way they're supposed to be. The chips would have been tracked down, the black market around Seattle—and plenty of other criminal enterprises—would be shut down cold, and there would be no question that four active agents hadn't been enough. A couple of extra chips being missing would have increased paranoia in other regions, seen their funding and recruiting pick back up.”

  Mina shook her head. “So you were playing the criminals and all those other agents?”

  Miss Lasko shook her head. “The other agents were true believers. People I'd worked with, or people whose families, profiles, and history I knew well enough to be convinced that they'd see the necessity of a state of emergency to wake people up.”

  Mina shook her head. “How could they be that crazy? Their profiles—”

  “Were of great benefit. It led me to just the right people.”

  “People like me?” she couldn't help but ask.

  “Yes and no. You were a legend's granddaughter, who'd follow the leads put in front of her. Not the one we were looking for, but I hoped you'd do. We needed someone, particularly someone with your connection to the victims.”

  “Not the one you were looking for?”

  “This wasn't supposed to happen yet, we weren't ready. You were supposed to be in Russia right now.”

  Mina caught on. She glanced at Miko a moment. “You were waiting for ...”

  “For Miss Kimura, yes. High aptitude tests, rapid learning curve, physically fit, and absolutely no initiative. Same connection to the victims, and very little chance of defying orders. The same way she follows you around like a puppy now. Once you left, she'd be lost.”

  “Hey!” Miko started, pausing just as quickly. “Okay, so maybe.”

  Miss Lasko smirked. “No maybe about it. Plenty of vetting just to be sure. For one thing, I must have signed up for every committee even remotely related to your father.” She looked back to the rest. “We just had to wait until Miss Kimura was of age to handle chipping. No one would blink at her getting an early chipping date. We'd have our agent
, and everything was in place to ensure Mina was long since off to Russia.”

  Mina was taken aback, but as the words processed, had to admit some of it sounded right. Especially with Agent Park involved. She was pretty sure, between Miss Lasko and Agent Park stepping in as a mentor, Miko probably would have made more of the agent they were looking for. “So I was ...”

  “An accident. We couldn't wait for Miss Kimura, and you fit the profile. Not perfectly, but we hoped to make it work. I'd already done my best to vet you in case worse came to worst, and having Tommy Escalante's granddaughter as a worst-case back-up didn't seem like a hardship at the time. I really did admire him.”

  “So, what happened to change the plan?”

  “Your friend's boss got greedy. Not for money—that type of greed in a profile doesn't get his kind of job. When we were compromising University security anyway, he got greedy for information. He tried to use Raymond Harper's disruptions to build back doors into the school's systems. After all, if they were the ones doing the real chip programming, what else might be going on there? I'd worried he might get sloppy like that, but when this whole thing began, I was still trying to conserve assets. Get sloppy he did, though. So the emergency back-up it was. And as if that wasn't enough, then Agent Park had to be too smart for his own good.”

  Mina bristled.

  Lasko continued, that sad look in her eyes all the more enraging in Mina's opinion. “We had to get Agent Hall more involved than we'd have liked. His partner noticed something was off and started poking around at the edges of our operation. I promise you, Miss Cortez, I regret having to have them killed. They were good men and good agents.”

  “Agent Park was, anyway,” Mina agreed.

  “You'll have an opportunity to ask any remaining questions later,” The Director told her, getting some help from a young FBI agent to get around until she could get her arm rebooted. “For now, I'm going to join a full security team in taking her to secure holding. You should get some rest—you've earned it.”

  * * * *

  Mina made sure she got to work a little early the next morning, even if she'd started out from a spare room at the FBI headquarters, while her apartment window was being repaired. She'd have to do the rest of the tidying herself. Of course, once she arrived, her parents were already there and working: her mother putting out arrangements in the refrigeration units, and her father double checking orders.

  “Good morning, sweetie. Are you sure you're all right to be back so soon?” her mother asked, looking up as Mina came in.

  “The doctors said so,” Mina said, adding, “No riding my bike, no heavy lifting, regular breaks—I need to take it easy for a couple weeks, but I'm actually kind of looking forward to getting back to a bit of a routine.”

  “Good. We're behind,” her father added.

  “Really, honey, Mina has been through a lot. I mean, your daughter got shot. Are you positive you're ready, Mina?”

  “I promise, Mom. Scott is back, the FBI caught the kidnappers, no one is after me. I'm just ready for everything to get back to normal for a little while.” She meant it, too. She was pretty sure with the AIA, there would never be a proper normal, but she'd had enough excitement for a while.

  “We can talk about it over breakfast,” Mina's father responded, with a sigh. “We really are glad to have you back, but ... “

  “I understand, I've been out for a while and everything is behind.” Mina said, cutting off any further objection from her mother by fetching an apron and going to the back to start bringing some flowers forward to start putting together bouquets for display, and filling some of the arrangements. “Like I said, I've missed this place, especially when I wasn't sure I was going to see it again any time soon.” Once again, it didn't take much for Mina to project absolute sincerity. She might be not telling them a lot, but she did miss the routine, after everything that had happened.

  Despite her father's urgency and her mother's concern, they had breakfast together as a family, with very little discussion of flowers or landscaping. Instead, they wanted to know all of the details. Mina told them what she could, using the official cover story provided by the Director to fill in for some details. By and large, she was able to stick fairly close to the truth. A burglar had broken in, tied in with people who thought she might know something associated with Scott's kidnapping. She left out everything having to do with car chases, detective work, or the University. Her mother continued to express concern for some time thereafter, wanting to make sure that Mina was certain she felt all right, and was safe, and to make sure she knew she could come stay at the house again if she wanted to.

  “That's okay, Mom, seriously. I kind of want to really focus on things getting back to normal for a while. That means finishing moving in and getting on with my new life.”

  “Miko will be by after her lessons, and will bring some more of your things from the house. Dr. Kimura even let her drop French for a little bit so she could have more time to help you out.”

  “As long as she doesn't drop aikido.” Mina replied, with a small grin. Seeing her parents' blank expressions, she quickly added, “Miko really, really likes her aikido lessons. I know they're very important to her.”

  “Oh, well, all right then.”

  With questions answered, and Mina trying to express just how much she didn't want to relive the past few days more than necessary, which her mother seemed to eventually understand -- what was left was mostly work. Despite her previous impressions of impending doom due to an overload of flowers, Mina found herself getting back into the routine. She spent her breaks reviewing some of the current park proposals, despite her mother reminding her she didn't have to.

  “I didn't think you cared much for the parks & rec projects?” her Father inquired, quizzically.

  “Oh. Well, I kind of got to know one of the city liaisons on these a little bit. I'm kind of curious exactly what we're doing. Besides, eventually Scott is going to be doing more with his family's charity efforts and all, and I'd like to do my part.”

  “Well, there's a few projects I could use some help on, if you want to start taking on some supervisory work outside the shop too? Any preferences from the files?”

  “Oh, um, while I was in protective custody, apparently something came up at the University. I guess there was a lot of damage. After all they did for me, I'd kind of like to help with the restoration as soon as it's budgeted.”

  “The University project? Sure, I'll pull up everything for that. Dr. Kimura will be helping a lot with any work there.”

  “I know, which is part of it, too, I admit,” Mina replied. “Miko will be helping out, too.”

  “Amiko? I didn't think she had a lot of interest in landscape restorations.”

  “She doesn't, but it's something the Kimuras can do together. I got a chance to talk to them a little when he came to the FBI HQ last night. I guess she's going to do that, and he's going to start up cello lessons and pick aikido back up, so they have some things they can do together again.”

  “Well, then, I'm glad to hear it. Kind of like us all getting to work together here,” he replied in good cheer.

  Mina paused, a few different comments passing through her brain, before finally answering, “Yeah, kind of like that.”

  Miko showed up with Vlad, still dented and badly scratched up, but seemingly running fine. She came into the shop, helping out with the last few clean up details Mina needed to see to before the girls headed out. Mina took some extra time saying goodbyes for the day and waiting until both parents had their hands free to give each a hug before they left.

  “Tired of flowers and ready to get back to car chases and spycraft yet?” Miko asked as soon as they were underway.

  “Flowers are kind of appealing right now, actually. Maybe once I can walk without limping around. Besides, you know very well I can't tell you anything about any more cases, whether one is on or not.”

  “Pft, like you can hide anything from me. Besides,
the Floral Avenger needs her trusty sidekick.”

  “My boss would be about ready to shoot me if she knew I was even humoring this conversation. I really, really don't like getting shot.”

  “Deny it all you will, that was kind of fun. Besides, she was already talking to me about clearances and maybe getting put in for consideration to join, or at least become a liaison in whatever I do.”

  “No. Getting shot was not fun,” Mina answered with a smirk. “And second, joining anything won't be 'til at least next year when you get chipped. Until then, you're not supposed to be involved with anything for the AIA.”

  “Not the getting shot, duh. Seriously, at least admit the car chases were awesome.”

  “Depends. Can we drop this whole line of conversation?”

  “Not a chance.”

  “All right, all right. Can we at least put it off' til later? Right now, I just want to get unpacked, put my kitchen back together, get some real food, and just be normal for a little—” He comm buzzed for her attention. Mina cringed, but checked it. “So, never mind. Can you drop me off somewhere I can get a lift to the University? I need to do some follow up at the labs real quick.”

  “Forget that. I have time, I'll take you myself.”

  Mina sighed. “I can't talk you out of this, can I?”

  “I know the University better than you do, you'll get there much faster, and—”

  “Okay, fine. Can we just get going then? They aren't expecting any big drama. It's just some following up, then we can go to the apartment and get to unpacking.”

  Miko wasn't listening, but adjusting her fedora and tipping her bobblehead's nose while they were stopped at a red light. “It's 106 miles to Chicago. We've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.” she said, looking to Mina expectantly.