- 15 -
At 6 am, bright and early, Mary Ruth was sitting in the third floor conference room sipping tea.
It was a small meeting room, furnished for interviews or dismissals, and Mary Ruth liked the natural light that permeated the room in the mornings.
The door opened and Andrew showed the two police officers in.
"Right this way gentlemen." Andrew said.
"Ah hello Ms. Cramer. a pleasure to meet you again." Inspector Travers said.
Mary Ruth rose and reached across the table to shake the inspector’s hand. Officer Monroe stayed standing with his hands clasped behind his back so Mary Ruth gave him a nod then sat back down.
"Of course Inspector, I am happy to help in any way I can."
I wont be able to tell them just every detail yet, I still need to look into if my father is pulling any of these strings.
"Well then lets get down to the shipping docks and find our culprits."
"Unfortunately That will not be possible. I’ve spoken with our legal team and the safety team, they both advise that we do not go down there. We simply cannot go down there during operation hours."
"Thats preposterous." Inspector Travers said. “Are they serious?”
"That was my reaction as well. But I was convinced that staying up here would be safest for all parties."
Something about Mary Ruth's presence caught the detective's eye.
“You seem different today. Did the board meeting not go well?”
“It went about as well as to be expected.“ She said quickly and pulled out her pocket mirror to check her face.
“I meant nothing by it. My apologies.”
I’m wearing makeup to hide my bruises, and my poker face is unbeatable.
“No offense taken, but indulge me. What is different about me today?”
“Well yesterday you were righteous, and today…” he paused.
“I think I should tell you that my father was a man of the church, and much of this sense for people I get from him. But yesterday you felt righteous and today I get the sense you have something to confess.”
“It has been some time since I have gone to church.” She offered.
Although it may be time again since surviving that rat. I could use a little grace if I am going to sort all this mess out.
“You do not need to make platitudes with me Ms. Cramer. I’m only speaking the truth, from my perspective. It’s how I run all of my investigations.”
“Just a feeling then. I confess I’m not much of a believer. But I have been in a few rare moments.” Mary Ruth said.
“I think I understand you.” The Inspector nodded and gave her a discerning stare. “What are you able to share with us?”
The legal team gave me a crash course this morning. Caliber is not admitting any fault.
“Not much I am afraid. I’m sure you have an understanding of how corporate gears move.” She said.
“Surely you found something useful for the investigation. You have had over 16 hours. And countless secretaries at your disposal.” He replied.
“I did look into things personally.” She said haughtily.
I am not a useless corporate dog, perhaps I’ve put on too much of a cold front.
She reached into a folio and produced the shipping receipt and manifest.
“I have your first suspects. John Ryan and Murphy Davidson. Both are missing in action today.”
One of them is dead. And eaten.
She gestured with the documents to animate her story as she recounted the shipping lead’s account, and suspected relationship with their clerk.
“So he was a new man in your employment.”
“In a sense yes, he was hired on for a day billing. Part time, or a try out at the lead’s discretion.” She said.
He reached for the papers and Mary Ruth handed them over.
“You will see that our clerk has jotted down the last known mailing addresses of the two drivers.”
“Yes indeed.”
“And you will notice the manifest for the delivery. I have already prioritized a second shipment. Production will inform me when it would be available.”
“We will still want to speak with everyone involved.”
“I will have a secretary walk you over to the area manager immediately after this. He will be your host and facilitate any interviews you wish to conduct.”
“That’s acceptable, he should not interfere with our investigation.” Officer Monroe said.
“It is for our own records and internal investigation.” Mary Ruth said. “The two men we suspect have falsified their intentions and could potentially have perpetrated other crimes against Caliber.”
“That’s true. It will be fine officer.” The Inspector said. “I assume that if either of these men show up for work we will be notified immediately?”
“Certainly. And as a show of good faith I have authorized the sale of some of our military grade body armor. Speak with the department head for the details.”
“Thank you Ms. Cramer your generosity will save the lives of our officers.” Officer Monroe said.
“Don’t mistake her intentions. She is a business woman first. The body armor is likely in storage and taking up valuable space, and I would wager it is more expensive. Caliber is coming out ahead offloading them on the police.” The inspector said.
“Well, you have accidentally helped save some lives then.” Mary Ruth said as she stood to leave.
“God’s Grace shows up in strange ways.” The inspector said.
-
“Good morning gentleman.” Mary Ruth said.
She stepped through the double doors of the analysts office. It resembled a filing room. Which it essentially was. Any query to the thinking machine had to be meticulously punched out on long panels of card stock. These were linked end to end and fed into the machine in order to present the query.
It took a certain kind of person to do this job day in and day out. And Schmidt and Wagner were perfect for the role. They were nearly identical, wearing the form fitting canvas jumpsuits and silk hats all Analysts wore. One of the hazards of the job was the potential for fire and these costumes were treated to prevent static electricity building up.
For those that worshiped the thinking machine this filing room served as an antechamber, and the dress code was less restricted here. This room housed past queries, and any queries the two were preparing. Uninitiated people like Mary Ruth were allowed in here with their street clothing.
The back wall was flat with a single shuttered window the size of a vanity mirror. When the shutters were opened one could see the thinking machine working.
That’s as close as anyone gets to the machine. Unless you are willing to go through weeks of training, swear an oath, and wear one of those rabbit suits.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“The weather is fine, there is not a strong breeze. My breakfast was a hearty grain cereal and sliced ham with eggs. Yes, today was agreeable.” Schmidt said with a smile.
“You have interpreted her greeting literally and answered factually. But not in the spirit of her colloquial meaning.” Percival chided. “You are a quintessential affable genius.”
“That is the nicest thing you have said to me in a week. Thank you Percival.” Vincent said.
“Well what have you put together for me?” Mary Ruth asked. “I’d like to run some more numbers for the residential project I’m presenting.”
“We have plotted the data cards for the food consumption rates, construction costs, water electricity, oxygen circulation, sewage, and agricultural needs for the 500 and 1000 person models. We have made some progress but we are not ready.” Vincent said.
“The costs are still astronomical, and the build time is lagging. The machine has provided some anomalous preliminary results.” Percival added.
“Were you able to give it some baseline quantitative data for the quality of life improvements? There is potential there for citizens to spend more money on other things when all their basic needs are met.”
“The multi-variable functions are proving difficult to justify.” Percival said. “We need better population data, but the archives are falling short.”
They don’t have enough data to provide the machine for it to calculate the benefits.
“Can’t you ask the machine to calculate that?” Mary Ruth asked.
Vincent scoffed. “More non-standard lines of questioning. The machine is not calibrated to think like this.”
“You cannot create data out of nothing.” Percival said. “That’s bad data.”
“So. Open it up and recalibrate it then.” Mary Ruth suggested. “You are the technicians.”
The men looked like she had just offended their mothers.
“We can’t open it. It doesn’t open. I wouldn’t know the first thing about what to do with it open.” Vincent wailed.
“She did not mean it literally Vincent. Calm yourself.” Percival said with a glare at Mary Ruth.
What good is this machine? If it can’t answer the questions that are too big for me to answer myself then why are we bending over backwards for it?
“I was told these once came apart to their base components.” Mary Ruth said. “If it is beyond you then I’ll just have to speak with the manufacturer.”
“The Baron!” Vincent flinched. “You would seek his ire and bring him here.”
“That would not be wise.” Percival said. “You might have more success asking him for the data we need to query the machine. His family has been collecting all kinds of data for generations.”
“He would never let her in the archives.” Vincent said. “She should collect the data herself.”
“So you are saying I could to go out door to door and collect the data?” She asked. “It would take a year.”
“Ideally yes, over the course of several years.” Vincent said. “Ten would be safer.”
“Thats impossible.” Mary Ruth cried.
The double doors opened and in walked Clifford Harrison.
Clifford was one of the engineers working on the Tangent Sights with her and he was holding open of their engineering project folios.
He was tall and broad shouldered. His blond hair bounced as he walked, the short wrinkles begging to be fingered.
“Mary Ruth! What a surprise.” He cheered.
His voice was a low and warm without being a baritone, and his wide smile and strong chin made him instantly approachable. He had a familiar streak in his informal speech and got along well with everyone.
Today just keeps getting better. Clifford is on the right track, I should loop him in once this residential engineering project takes off.
“Clifford, good morning.” Mary Ruth said.
He walked right up to her and gave her a one arm hug that made her flush.
“Are you commandeering our analysts for the day? I could use them for an hour or so. There are some calculations for the Tangent Sights I’d like to run.”
Mary stepped out of his hug, his cologne was too enticing and she needed to clear her head.
“No, unfortunately I’m still trying to get the machine to think too abstractly.” Mary Ruth said and Clifford raised an eyebrow.
“Nonstandard lines of questioning?” He asked.
“Yes!” Percival said. “We need more data for the machine.”
“Well if you are done with them?” Clifford asked.
“Go ahead,” Mary Ruth said. “Did you find another way to improve the process?”
“See for yourself.” Clifford said He opened up the folio and laid it on the table.
Mary Ruth leaned over the table and looked at the report. Clifford read over her shoulder then reached around her side to point out an algorithm.
“See here, this is the part…”
For an awkward moment, Mary Ruth’s saber brushed up the inside of Clifford’s thigh.
He placed a hand on her shoulder gently and leaned on her.
“Careful with that saber Ms. Cramer.” Clifford said smiling. “Bandying swords about like this first thing in the morning. I didn’t know you were so forward Mary Ruth.”
She stepped back blushing and apologized.
“I have to go. Lots of data to collect. Gentlemen, good day.”
-
That handsome idiot!
Mary Ruth shifted gears and sped around the limousine in front of her.
He was practically all over me. And I let myself get carried away.
Mary had jumped behind the wheel of her convertible and hit the New Amsterdam streets. It was nearly 9 am, still early for the city’s upper echelons to be waking up so traffic was light.
Is that all I can handle? One oversize rat nearly guts me, and a handsome broad shouldered puppy dog of a man makes me weak in the knees?
She glared at her saber where it rested on the seat beside her.
I don’t need to wear that everywhere.
She passed Washington Square Park and decided on a destination. She turned east at the next intersection and flew down the expressway to find her bastard cousin.
Carlton was not at the refinery. The production manager informed her that today was his day off.
He had better have answers, making me drive all across town.
One of the workers told her that Carlton usually frequented a place called Bertie’s. It was just ten minutes down the road.
Bertie’s was a leather bound plush diner. Warm tones and low ceilings. Half of the room was booths with optional curtains. The other half was the bar, every kind of bottle you could imagine, including a few that looked like something someone whipped up in the sink in the back rooms.
“What an unexpected surprise. Welcome cousin.” Carlton called out as Mary Ruth walked in the door.
He was sitting alone at a booth facing the door and eating a plate of fish and chips.
“What are you doing here?” Mary Ruth asked.
“This is my aunt’s place, what can I say? I like the food.”
Mary stormed across the room to lean across the table and get in his face.
“Somebody stole a caliber shipment from the police. From their precinct!” Mary Ruth said hotly. “Know anything about that?”
“Word on the street is they don’t know who did it.” Carlton said smiling.
He knows I don’t have any evidence. He’s just going to play me out.
The man behind the bar put down the glass he was cleaning and reached under the bar.
Mary noticed the three other men in the room then. One by the door that she had passed by without looking, the bartender behind the bar, and a man coming back from the bathroom wiping his hands with a paper towel.
He is surrounded by cousins. I cannot afford to look weak now.
“Stole more than our guns, stole an artifact too.” She growled. “Makes me wonder what are you rats sneaking around for.”
A woman backed into the room with a tray of cookies. She turned and was not surprised to see Mary Ruth standing in her establishment.
“A rat!” She sang cheerfully. Then she cackled.
“Shes no rat auntie. Just a distant cousin.” Carlton said.
“A distant cousin. Come here dearie. Let Bertie get a good look at you.”
Sciamana.
“Thank you for welcoming me into your establishment Honored Aunt.” Mary Ruth said.
Bertie waved her off and gestured to a booth at the back with curtains.
“Sit. Sit. Let me know you.” She cackled again.
Mary followed her to the booth and sat. Bertie offered her a cookie form the tray.
“Take one, an old family ricetta. They are not quite your mother’s favorites, but they are close.” She said.
Mary Ruth took a cookie she held it in her open hand. Bertie handed the tray to Carlton to share with the rest of the guys.
Bertie returned and sat opposite Mary Ruth and stared at the girls face.
I wonder what she sees. If the Inspector could glean something from my face this witch could read me like a book.
“Ah yes, there it is. You have your mother’s backbone. Some of your father in you too of course.” She said off handedly.
“What do you mean about my mother, did you know her?” Mary Ruth asked.
“We have met. She was my Niece once.” Bertie said. “Before she met your father.”
“What can you tell me about her?” Mary asked, leaning in.
“Give me your hand dearie.” Bertie asked. “Believe in me for a moment.”
A fortune teller? Will she read my future? Or my past?
Mary Ruth held out her hand palm up and Aunt Bertie touched it gingerly, staring deeply into the lines. She made considerate noises to herself Mmm’ing and Hmm’ing for a few seconds until she closed her grip on the girl’s hand and held it firmly to the table.
Carlton laughed as he scarfed down another cookie from the plate.
“Did you think she would read your fortune?”
“Maybe another day dear. Today we need to talk about rats.” Bertie said her jovial tone gone completely.
“You know some things. Things you should not know.” Bertie said.
“So what happens now? Are you going to kill me?” Mary Ruth asked.
“Oh ho! Not at all dearie.” Bertie chuckled. “But you have a chance to be useful to us. A mutually beneficial agreement could be arranged.”
“Caliber is a legitimate company, I will not see it sullied-“
“I don’t need your company girl. I need you!” Bertie shouted and the white light of god’s grace glowed from her hands for a second. It spread its way up Mary Ruth’s wrist for a few inches then receded.
Did she just give me some grace? How is that possible? Are we in a church?
“Oh ho! Shocked to see that your old Auntie can touch the gratia divina? I have a few tricks of my own, and you just might see them.”
“What did you do to me?” Mary Ruth asked tugging her hand back. Aunt Berti released her and opened up her hands in a placating gesture.
“You defeated a giant rat in the underground. Not an easy feat to accomplish.” She said. “The world is grateful that rats are not permitted to walk amongst us in the sunlight.
”How do you know that?”
Did she truly read my palm?
“Silly girl. I had to go clean up your mess.” Aunt Bertie said.
“So you do know what happened, the stolen shipment. The artifact.” Mary Ruth said.
Aunt Bertie only smiled.
“You have to return them, the police are investigating. They will find you.”
“Only if a rat leads them to us.” Carlton said drawing a pistol and placing it on the bar beside him.
“If you would help us instead of hindering us there is much we could do together.” Aunt Bertie said. “Cousin Carlton tells me that you are planning to conquer the underground.”
Conquer it how? For the residential project? What have I gotten myself into?
“The underground will not stay quiet as you carve into it’s depths. You will need my help, you will need other Aunties help as well.”
“What do you want?”
“We would like to acquire one of the neighborhoods you will build. We will pay of course. But we want to have exclusive access for our family. No outsiders.”
“That can be arranged.” Mary Ruth said.
Aunt Bertie smiled then, a sincere smile. She patted Mary Ruth’s hand warmly.
“Thank you cousin.” Aunt Bertie said. “Now you won’t so distant from us yes?”