7. Neurocrawler #2
She continued with her usual enthusiasm, bringing smiles to our faces.
“Look, du, I get that things happened, you know, but I’ve got a different offer.
” She nodded. “Uh huh. Uh huh. I know. Look, I’m not asking for anything more than a quick job.
” She paused. “Oh, so now you want some? No. Lumens, plain and simple. That’s it, no questions asked.
Also, it’ll be virus encrypted on my end so your whole system’ll be zegged up if you even try to take any of this data elsewhere.
“ She glared. “Ew, no… well… hit me up later and we can chat.“ She giggled. “Look, I know I should be better, but I’ve got a bug in my system. No, I don’t think you could fix it. That’s nothing on you, just the truth. I can’t find any source signal.
Focus, Parkie. I’ve got this whole job ready for you.
No searching or digging on your part, just a simple bypass.
Like I said, I know what I’m doing, my wall-buster is just having its issues right now.
Check this invoice. Think you can do that for a simple pass?
Other favors, you know I’m down, babe, but I’m busy right now. You plug? Love you, Parkie.”
She breathed out in exasperation.
“You got it?” I asked.
She nodded. “We should be able to crack ‘Sanna’s’ shell in a minute or so.”
“You really are a freak, aren’t you?” Boyband said.
“What, all of that?” Ralia laughed. “First, you wish. Second, Parkie is a sucker for Luminate League.”
“That stupid neurospace card game?” Boyband scoffed.
“Hey! It’s not stupid. I promised him a few trades and a battle or so when I have the time.”
“Zeggin’ nerd.”
“You’re just jealous, babe. Luminate League is how deals and relationships are made in the neurocore.”
“The dark side of the net?”
“The deep side. Good and bad. It’s where people who know what they’re doing get things done. Shacs in the flesh might discuss deals over a game of poker, but Luminate League is where it’s at.”
She looked at me. “You ever played?”
I shook my head.
“I have,” Naoma said.
“Really?” Ralia’s jaw hung open.
Naoma nodded. “I was an elite, remember?”
“Still are.”
She shrugged. “It’s how deals are made.”
“You know ball, babe.”
“I have played.” Kuni said.
Ralia laughed. “Adults play a little differently, Kun.”
“Can you show me?”
“We’ll earn some more lumens to your name, then maybe you’ll have a shot.”
“Can I–”
She held a hand up to cut Boyband off. She started speaking to the ether again. “You got it? Oh, Parkie babe, I owe you. I’ll send you my collection but know I’m a hard trader. Chat later. Love yah babe.” She scoffed as the call ended. “Stuck up shac.”
“But I–”
She cut off Boyband again. It was hard to keep my laughter in.
“Let mommy cook.”
Boyband glared at me.
I smirked. “You know her well enough by now. Why do you act surprised when she tells you off?”
He rolled his eyes.
“Kalacia Vice,” Ralia said. “Still no recognition, BB?”
“Never heard of her.”
“Alright, let’s see what else we can find.
She’s wiped herself from plenty of public records, but she didn’t pay a professional.
I can still see her traces around. Used to work for Libricore as an intelligence coordinator.
Lots of neuronet work but was let go after a series of odd behavior which she defends with a ‘voluntary resignation to pursue personal academic interests.’ No record of family contacts or acquaintances.
Definitely fits the bill for a loner neurocrawler. ”
“Can you access her search history and net activity?” Naoma asked.
Ralia shook her head. “She at least knew how to cover that up, though it’s pretty basic stuff. But that doesn’t mean it’s untraceable. She expressed a particular interest in one Devóne Eclaine.”
“Makes sense why she called you Boyband,” I said.
“No,” said Naoma. “That was Veren.”
I nodded. “You’re right. Males sense seeing… you know, what they became.”
“Can I talk?” Ralia said.
“Zeg, what’s your problem?” Boyband grumbled.
“I wasn’t hungry a minute ago, but the need to feed is starting to hit me.”
“Eat her teeth when you’re done then.”
She winked at him. “If you insist. Alright, alright, back to work. Parkie was able to uncover a plethora of her encrypted searches, but they lack clarity, as do her messages with outside parties. What I can tell is that Sanna and her have contradictory histories, so I’m sure Shanna was an actual person, not a construct for the sake of her machinations.
She met with Shanna a few times as an applicant for teaching history and was offered a job at Water Hills, which she then declined. ”
“Why?” Boyband asked.
“The application was under another name. Looks like she had the qualifications–fabricated or not–but had no intentions of staying. She must’ve used that to read Sanna’s personality for this whole show. Give me a sec.”
She looked up on a call. “Parkie babe, one more thing. I’ll buy you a double premium pack.
You plug? Pulse. Separate this false identity from the real Sanna and see if you can find anything on her elsewhere…
really, that fast? Were you expecting me to call?
Of course you were, you sick shac. Hiding anything else? No? You sure? Pulse. Chat later.”
“What was that about?” Boyband asked.
“Sanna is being held in a private therapeutic center.”
“Private my ass,“ Boyband scoffed.
“Exactly. We bypassed the screen Kalacia set up and the real Sanna is set for release in two days with a diagnosis of fix-induced amnesia. Zeggin’ neurocrawler set up everything for a perfect escape to make it look like she was never there.”
“Should we tell the school?” Naoma asked.
“Zeg ’em,” Boyband said. He looked at me. “David after this?”
I nodded. “Denji, where is he, by the way?”
Denji furrowed his brow and glanced at Ralia. “Your friend made me lock him away.”
Ralia laughed. “You can’t expect me to let that freak waddle around bothering me to kill it all day. Now can we focus again, please?”
“Fine,” Boyband said. “But does it at least say what she wanted with me?”
“I don’t know. Could be you, Petya, even Naoma. Probably Naoma if one of those assassins went for her. Signing up for an official visit puts you all on the map. Who is to say she wouldn’t have struck you somewhere else?”
“Did she bring Veren along?”
Ralia scowled. “Not sure. I can’t find anything about her.”
I laughed at Boyband. “You think she just lucked out finding that freak in there?”
Boyband flipped me off. “Then what do you think, shac?”
“I think she’s in with San-Kalacia somehow.“ I looked at Ralia. “Anything else you can find?”
“Not on Veren. Not even a hint.”
“Hmm, can you at least check Water Hill’s data for PTA members? I get that they probably have too much info on the students and such, but people working with kids should at least have their names out in the public, right? I mean–”
“Found her,” Ralia said.
“Pulse. Anything… off?”
“Looks like she’s a legit member. Has a record that proves Sanna didn’t just bring her in for this job, unless she used a lightguise as well.””I doubt it. Her face retained her features enough when it split and expanded into that… thing. What else?”
A list of accolades that don’t really mean anything. ‘Student recognition active coordinator.’ Guk like thaaaaaat… huh.”
“What?”
“BB, when did your parents–never mind. I’ll look it up. One second… there. Zeg. Looks like Sanna took over your parent’s PTA role a day after the tide did them in. A good amount of time has passed since that and your recent encounter with ‘Sanna.’”
I was relieved to see that Boyband looked more interested than distraught or even teary-eyed.
“Do we know who in the Gongtide did it? I know we thought it might have been Deleon or Cut, but what if it’s another member or Beacon?
What if someone else offed my parents after finding out what they were doing? ”
“So you think this goes back to the Correction?” Naoma asked.
He shrugged. “Could be, but Pet and I have some questions to ask David first.”
“Zeg that thing,” Ralia said. “At least for now. We need to find out where Sanna and Veren connected.”
“Then I say we ask her,” I said. “We have our interrogation tactics and know enough now to get past her initial denial.”
“Hold up,” said Ralia. “There is another thing I can see.”
“Well…” said Boyband. “Are you going to tell us or focus on theatrics rather than–”
“Shut up, BB. I’m trying to understand it. It’s really encrypted, even the parts I can see are like a blurry picture. I might have to send this to Parkie, but for what I can see, it’s a bounty.”
“I mean, didn’t we all know there was one? It doesn’t take a genius to find it.”