Cognitive Deviance

31. Ultimatum

May 22, 2045 - 8:30 AM

Margo and Royce silently strolled down the hall toward Commissioner Mason's office. The two of them could hardly look at each other, but not out of some secret hatred. Royce's dismissal of her plea for help the other night eradicated nearly every bit of trust she had in him, but she still felt like there wasn't any reason to wish harm upon him. And Royce was too occupied with his own thoughts. His melancholy expressions seemed to express guilt or regret. Maybe he really did feel remorse for that evening.

That was it, Margo decided. He was genuinely hurt from doing that.

The two of them approached the door to Mason's office and waited as the SanityScan above it scanned them to permit access into the room. Margo noticed once again that Royce looked afraid, and a part of her hoped the Scan would say something to cheer him up. She'd send something herself but only citizens were allowed to receive those kinds of messages from officers.

"Identities confirmed," the door declared. "Welcome, Officer Sandoval and Officer Royce."

The opaque screens parted ways, and the two officers entered the room. Commissioner Mason sat at her desk, facing away from her colleagues as she stared out through a massive window, the Philadelphia skyline rising above them beyond the glass. Carl sat silently on a couch on the left side of the room, glancing up from the floor to flash a friendly smile at Margo.

Before the doors to the office closed, a portable holo-projector flew into the room, a whirring noise accompanying it. It hovered around the room for a moment before pausing near the corner of the room. A blue light blinked at the tip of the device as a holographic projection of Jack Holloway materialized before their very eyes. Margo and Royce backed away from the ghostly image of their colleague, both of them resting their fingers on the grips of their guns, even as they remained holstered.

Mason rotated in her seat to face her fellow officers. She glanced over at Jack's holo-projection as his body twitched and shimmered in the lights. He wasn't hiding his thoughts behind a generic smirk like he usually did. Empathy Test, Mason thought to herself. Glad it seems to be working.

Margo and Jack glanced at each other, both of them exchanging a cold, piercing look, unsure of why the other wasn't breaking. Or rather what had already broken them. She was distracted by the distant, almost hopeless look in his eyes, something she didn't think was possible in such a callous man. And he was secretly amused by her sudden lack of enthusiasm. He'd seen through her before. Her doubts were like the sun on a cloudy day: hidden but not invisible.

The two of them eventually stopped trying to read each other once Mason got their attention. "All right, listen closely, ladies and gentlemen," Mason declared. "I'm sure you aware of the chaos going on at our building's entrance. And if not, see for yourself."

With a snap of her fingers, three holographic screens flashed above her desk. Inspector Andrade and several other Psychwatch officers were holding off a large crowd of protesters approaching the building's entrance. The crowds were a sea of posters, signs, and crudely-made masks, some familiar to Margo and others less so. A line of riot shields barricaded the front steps into the building like a string of bright blue banners, the only thing separating the doctor-cops from their patients at the moment. PATIENTS, NOT PRISONERS, they chanted over and over again.

"Well, we've definitely gotten more popular," Royce quipped with a nervous chuckle.

"Glad you noticed," Mason muttered unenthusiastically. She cleared her throat and continued. "You're all aware of the upcoming Mental Health Awareness rally this Friday, correct?"

All of the officers nodded their heads.

"Well, apparently, we're not invited. At least not according to the parasite groups protesting at our doorstep." Mason rose from her seat, the three screens vanishing. "MindLock, Omniluv, the Nice Guys, the Bod-Modders, you all know. They may not have power, but they definitely have the money to pay for everything, along with the support of a few politicians and celebrities."