Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction ❯ Stage Three ❯ Chapter 8

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
Bubblegum Crisis Stage Three
Part Eight

Some days, Jeena Malso wanted to just stay in bed. Sitting at her desk in security she looked with frustration at several reports, including the file on the recent attack on her boss, Sylia Stingray. Irritably she dialed up the head of cybernetics, waiting for a response.

Dr. Yuri looked annoyed as he answered the communicator, his bald head gleaming. “Yes?” he asked her irritably.

“Have you preformed the autopsy I ordered on the boomer that attacked Ms. Stingray?” Jeena demanded of the resident cybernetic researcher.

“No need,” Yuri shook his head as he told her, “the diagnostic interface confirmed it was a faulty processor core.”

Jeena's face went oddly blank as she fought to keep her emotions under control. “You just did a computer diagnostic?” she asked carefully.

Yuri looked surprised at the question, “Of course. Our diagnostic systems are the best in the world, after all....”

'You idiot!' Jeena had to fight the urge to yell that aloud as she grit her teeth. “Doctor,” she said flatly, “that faulty core caused a boomer to covertly make it's way to the President's office and attack her as well as two witnesses. That's a bit premeditated for a simple bug.”

Yuri visibly paled as he realized exactly how irritated this woman was. “I didn't realize...,” he said to her weakly.

'Not to mention someone jamming communications at the time of the attack, too,' Jeena added mentally. “Where is the boomer now?” she asked him, wondering if they could somehow salvage the situation, but knowing it was unlikely.

“Recycling,” Yuri said reluctantly, “it was a automatic order from the central computer, came in to our office yesterday.”

“Damn it!” Jeena blurted out, her cheeks flushed. By now the Boomer had been rendered down to it's component elements, all ready to be reprocessed at a manufacturing plant into the latest generation of boomer.

Very meekly Yuri offered, “I can send you the files of the computer scan if you want.”

Jeena didn't quite see how that would help the case, but it was better than having nothing at all. “Do it,” she nodded then added harshly, “and if I send you a boomer to be examined again, take it apart! No computer diagnostics.”

“Understood, ma'am,” Yuri nodded, gulping.

Jeena cut the connection, sitting back with a sigh. The ADP had taken over the investigation of the attack, as the primary boomer police force, but their investigation had been superficial at best. They seemed eager to accept the simple explaination of rogue boomer, not even taking into account the communications jamming that had happened.

“Ma'am,” her attractive male boomer secretary interrupted her thoughts, “you need to file the security logs for last night....”

“Thank you, Alfred,” Jeena sighed as she went back to the day's paperwork. Of course most of it was no longer paper based, all computer files and data moving....

About half an hour later the command security ear-piece that Jeena had to wear gave it's level one emergency chirp, notifying her about a possible security breech. “Report?” Jeena activated the security channel, noting it was coming from the front desk.

“Ms. Stingray has arrived,” the officer on the desk arrived, “but... she's brought in armed, private security.”

“WHAT!?” Jeena blurted, then got up out of her desk to see what the hell was going on.

Sulia Stingray was as striking as ever as the slim, black haired woman stood in the enterance way to the administrative zone of Genom's Tower, dressed in a stylish if comfortable business suit. Flanking her on each side were two other women, also dressed in business suits, their eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses, wearing high grade communications gear and from the fit of their suits carrying concealed weapons.

“Chief Malso,” Sylia Stingray said flatly as the building security staff hovered nervously around, “I do not appreciate being delayed like this.”

“Back to your posts,” Jeena ordered her staff even as the taller woman met Sylia's eyes. “We don't allow private security that's separate from Genom's,” she told her superior mildly.

“Then make a exception,” Sylia said boldly as the two other women kept an eye on Jeena and their surroundings like good security should.

Jeena kept her voice reasonable even as her thoughts raced as she started, “This isn't necessary, Ms. Stingray....”

“Oh really?” Sylia raised a delicate eyebrow. “Maybe you didn't notice the murder attempt in this very Tower, the one your security forces failed to prevent? The same murder attempt that the ADP and your internal teams have done a very poor job investigating?”

Jeena flushed, as much from anger as embarassment. It was even worse knowing that Stingray was right, they had flubbed the investigation, possibly beyond repair...

“Security chief Malso,” Sylia was a bit more gentle, but not by much, “I will be bringing my private security in with me. Either that or I will return home, make some calls and you will likely not be employed here tomorrow. It's your choice.”

Jeena was tempted to bar them anyway, her anger burning in her gut. Only the knowledge that she was more angry that her own teams' failures had caused this situation held her back. “Of course, ma'am,” she made herself answer evenly, “bring them in. Be aware we will be monitoring them for possible breeches in security.”

“Of course,” Sylia smiled as she and her two companions advanced through the lobby. One called for the elevator while the other woman watched the lobby, then the first woman checked out the elevator before letting Sylia board it.

'They act like pros, whoever they are.' Jeena thought grimly as they left. “Identifications?” she asked the guard on duty.

“Priss Asagiri and Leena Yamazaki,” the boomer on duty said flatly, “both have been detached from their usual Genom contracts to work with her.”

Tapping into her desk computer Jeena ordered it to produce a full download on them as she asked the boomer, “Are they licensed to carry small arms?”

“Licenses have been registered in both their names several days ago,” the boomer reported after connecting to the police database.

'What are you up to, Stingray?' Jeena wondered as she walked to the elevator, her thoughts racing. She was about to climb in when a shrill alarm nearly blasted her ear drum.

“SHOTS FIRED!” the ear piece blared, “SHOTS FIRED! Security teams, mobilize on the executive level!”

Jeena jumped into the elevator, set it to the executive level them hit the safety override, rocketing up at two gravities. In moments the door pinged open and Jeena staggered out, shaking off the acceleration effects as she hurried down the hall towards Stingray's office.

Coming around a corner she saw a secretarial boomer on the ground, it's arms and legs sheered off by precision fire. One of her security boomers was recording the situation, while Sylia Stingray stood off to the side, both of her bodyguards with guns drawn and looking tense.

“What happened?” Jeena demanded.

“Another malfunction,” the security boomer said placidly. “Secretarial type SC-23 charged Sylia Stingray and was disabled by her bodyguards. Their account has been confirmed via accessing their gun cameras.”

“Malfunction?” Priss Assagiri noted, her brown hair falling around her face. “How's the old saying go?” she wondered, “Once is accident, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action?”

Sylia smiled coldly as she wondered, “Does that mean I need to wait till attack number three to assume I'm a target?”

“I'm convinced already,” Jeena admitted as she looked at the wreckage of the boomer. Looking up at Sylia she asked, “I'd like to delay calling in the ADP, start a internal investigation. May I?”

Sylia nodded as she told her, “Do it. But I want to see any results first.”

“Understood,” Jeena agreed as she called a crew to haul the still struggling boomer away.

To be continued....