Crowd: A Dystopian Social Network Thriller (Final Draft)

Damage Control

A mistake.

What a strong word.

"As in?" Rain asked.

"Maybe I should have visited a regular college and dropped the whole ranking thing."

"You don't mean that."

"What if I do?"

"Quinn, you have a safe job. You can pay for your rent in the city. You can afford healthy food every single day. Do you know how many millions of people want to be in your position?"

"But it's not about what they want. This is my life."

Rain's jaw tightened, and it wasn't because of the faux chocolate cake piece. She needed to be careful to not treat Quinn like a client.

She decided to stop asking him about the job. Maybe he needed just more time to get used to the position.

Quinn used the awkward silence to turn around the interrogation. "What about you, Special Advisor Cruzada? Have you become section chief yet?"

Rain decided to up the mood with them much-needed humor. "Actually, I'm about to take the position of Crowd's chief commissioner."

Quinn's eyebrows arched, his mouth shaped into an O.

Rain giggled. "Don't tell me you actually believed that for a second?"

"With you, one never knows. I wouldn't even doubt that you'll be mayor in the next election, perfect the way you are."

"Perfect...me? I just botched a case."

"You?"

Quinn almost shouted. Folks looked up from their tables and groaned.

Rain leaned forward and whispered. "I screwed up big time. My partner listed all the mistakes I've made during a conversation. The result wasn't pretty."

"Your ranking's still high though."

"For now."

"Talking about ranking, how's the job? Shot any wrong-doers yet?"

"We don't shoot anyone, Quinn, we're not the police. We are basically consultants helping Crowdies be more valuable to their community."

"Sounds boring. There's no trouble at all?"

Quinn seemed genuinely curious, but Rain had to watch her word choice. Her AR channel recorded every word. And as a special advisor, she didn't want to badmouth her clients or colleagues. "Some people do wrong things without intending to. We come to help them."

"Like what?"

Rain thought about mentioning her last case, or even Taylor. She feared to break the non-disclosure agreement. "Let's just say the job demands my full attention."

"Mmmm," Quinn said as she leaned back.

He almost seemed peeved.

Rain went damage control. "Please don't hold it against me. It's policy."

"I know, I know."

Quinn finished slurping his soy latte and focused on some nearby upper-ranking woman talking to their family. Quinn shutting up happened as often as meteors crashing into San Diego. It was like talking to a perfect stranger. In the earlier days, they'd gossip for hours, often late into the night until they fell asleep with paleo cookies in their hands. But the new Quinn had sealed a deal with silence. And all Rain could do was lick her mug and pretend to enjoy the awkward pause.

Then, out of nowhere, with her eyes lost in the distance, Quinn said, "I really wonder if this is the right direction we're going. All this ranking and algorithm stuff."

Rain swallowed down her last sip and pretended to overhear the attitude in his voice. A fun evening between friends turned into yet another rant about Crowd. First Benjamin, now her best friend. If only Rain could help them see the truth.

"How's Benjamin doing?" Quinn asked.

"Great. We just had a cozy dinner night and talked until midnight. He's working a lot and has some trouble with his apartment."

"Doesn't he get any tenant discounts?"

"He's not on Crowd's ranking."

"Oh."

Quinn leaned back, exposing a smile on his lips. A bit of Schadenfreude?

"Esteemed Special Advisor Cruzada can't make her own boyfriend sign up."

"It's not mandatory."

"Yet."

"Never."

"You really believe that?"

"I believe Camryn believes in giving people choice."

"Ohhh, you call him by his first name. Rainy, Rainy."

Rain's face warmed. An uncontrolled rush she failed to suppress.

Quinn's intense eye contact scratched, as if her eyes tried to carve through Rain's surface layer, trying to dig up something underneath, something which she couldn't voice.

"Well, it was a pleasure," Quinn finally said and stood up. "I must get up in the early morning and do my share for the greater good. Some of us don't have the privilege of arriving late."

Rain stood up and aimed for a hug. Instead of evading, Quinn accepted the gesture and squeezed tight. Rain closed her eyes and embraced the close body contact. Customers from the neighboring tables stared, but she didn't care.

This moment belonged to them.

"If you ever need anything, you know where you can find me. I mean it."

"Thank you. For everything."

The two parted in front of the entrance with one last hug. Rain watched Quinn walking around the corner before she summoned a Fleet car. Despite the frosted undertone of the conversation, Rain believed they had ended on a high note. People like Quinn needed hope, without it, they perished. And if he worked harder on himself and the folks around him, Crowd would open doors to endless opportunities and improve his life on every single level.