ＳＩＮＧＵＬＡＲＩＴＹ ２１０１: Ⱥ NɆØ-ĦᵾNŦɆɌ ȻĦɌØNƗȻŁɆ

Chapter 2: Ground Zero

Exiting the precinct's double doors, I immediately delve into my coat pocket in search of my cigarettes. The rain has ceased, leaving a foggy mist in its wake. I pack my cigarettes, placing one between my lips and igniting it with my trusty lighter. As I take a deep drag, I summon L.I.S.A via my data pad, waiting in the landing zone for her arrival. I review the case notes on the data pad, cycling through photos, witness statements, the assault weapon, and other pieces of evidence.

As I peruse the evidence, I can't help but wonder about the odds of Mindy ending up on the wrong side of a knife. How could this have slipped under the radar? Could the Iron Dawn have set her up? How does a stabbing occur at a crowded event in broad daylight? I scratch my head, cigarette in hand, squinting as I strain to read the names of the witnesses. "Nancy Warren, Niles Jackson, and Beverly Knox," I mutter, pondering the information they might provide.

As L.I.S.A approaches, she alerts me via my data pad. "Incoming Landing Officer Whyet. Please, step back from the curb during the landing sequence." I retreat a few steps from the street's edge. Once L.I.S.A lands the glider, I flick my cigarette into the street. Yes, I'm aware, I'm a litterbug. As I round the corner of my glider, a familiar voice reaches my ears from a short distance. Turning, I recognize Erica Knowles, Mindy's close friend. I step back onto the curb to converse with her.

"How are you holding up, Erica? I assume you've heard about Mindy." She stares blankly at the ground for a moment. "Are you okay, Erica? Erica!" I raise my voice slightly to get her attention. She finally responds, "Oh... I'm sorry about that, Whyet. I'm just a bit on edge right now." I tilt my head at her statement and ask, "Why on edge?" I reach into my coat pocket, pulling out my pack of vintage Lucky Strikes and offer her one. She considers the offer seriously, finally accepting and saying, "Yeah, let me have one of those. I never thought I'd be smoking again. This job, I swear. It always pulls you back into bad habits."

I pull out my cigar lighter and offer her a light, which she accepts. She inhales deeply and exhales, her face seeming to relax as she closes her eyes momentarily, presumably to clear her head. She looks at me while taking another drag and says, "I knew Mindy should have stayed away from those fucks, the Iron Dawn. I had a bad feeling it wouldn't end well. The moment she started investigating them and the way she spoke about them, I knew it was a bad idea. I felt like we were drifting apart once she got involved with the cause." She makes air quotes with her fingers. I squint at her, "Did she mention anything to you? Any hint of danger, any type of fear she may have been feeling, anything?"

She shakes her head, "No. Like I said, we grew apart. She knew my stance on the NeoGens and our last conversation... " She lowers her head in what appears to be shame. "She called me a racist! I couldn't believe she would say that about me. I was so upset I hung up on her." She lowers her head, a tear trickling down her left cheek. She quickly wipes it away, regaining her composure and inhaling another drag of her cig. I rummage in my pockets for a napkin, which I usually carry, and hand her a few to wipe her face. She accepts the tissues and wipes her eyes. She says to me, "If I had just tried to understand her perspective instead of judging her new friends, maybe she would have been more open with me about whatever situation she was in."

I rest my hand on her shoulder, offering reassurance. "Don't be too hard on yourself. This isn't your fault. You're not the one who stabbed her. That's on the fuck that did it, not you. I will find whoever did this." I pat her shoulder, my face a mask of comfort, as I step towards the Glider. Just as I'm about to climb in, she calls out to me. "Hey, can I have another cigarette, Whyet?" I extend one towards her. "Got a light?" I ask. "Yeah, I have a lighter somewhere in my car," she replies. "Take care of yourself, Ms. Knowles."

I sink into my leather chair and instruct LISA, "LISA, load all elements of the case and give me a rundown of the case." I glance at my data pad for the address. "LISA, we're heading to East Pasadena, off of 5th and Allen Way." The event took place at an outdoor venue. "LISA, how large was the event?" Scanning Details... "The event occurred during the Call to Arms week, which has been a rising trend in the Pasadena area for the last couple of years. Over 10,000 people of various backgrounds were in attendance. The equal rights movement for NeoGens has become more peaceful over the years, adopting a Martin Luther King approach as opposed to the Malcolm X approach that was preferred several years ago. The internal politics of their group has transitioned from a dictatorship to a more constitutional monarchy, maintaining a leader, but rules and regulations for the group are made by a committee who are put in power by a vote from the people. The committee can be challenged every two years according to my records. The leader can also veto any rule unfit for the good of all NeoGens and mankind in dire situations and times of pre-anarchy."