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Roy - Local lockup
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I had been in and out of the drunk tank over the past day. Not much happened. Office Friendly would drag me to the interrogation room, ask the same few questions, I'd ask for a public defender, back to the drunk tank. But I did learn something. They have another suspect. One that is 'just about to flip on me'. Aside from Nola I was there alone. And I imagine if they found Nola I wouldn't be in a jail cell anymore, I'd be under area 51. Whoever the guy is I hope he gets away with it too. It's not like either of us will be flipping on each other.
I hope Nola is doing ok. After we drove away I felt our connection get fainter and fainter. But as I sat there the first few hours I could feel her getting closer rapidly. Based on how close it feels I think she must have stopped at the road right in front of the station, probably remembering my last order...scratch that, request... to leave out parking lots and buildings. Either that or she burned through her material panic growing. That would be a problem, but a solvable one, for when I get out.
I tried to send re assurance through the bond, but I am not sure if it took. I didn't get anything back but the same anxiety I had been getting since the beginning. How long had it been? Had to be close to 2 days by now. I'm not quite sure on the rules, but they have to be getting close to the limit for holding me without seeing a lawyer, right?
Officer Friendly is back. Time for more of the same questions I guess.
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But he didn't stick around after dropping me off in the interrogation room this time. Instead I got to see some guy in a suit. This is either much better or much worse.
"Hello there. My name is Dave and I am your court appointed public defender. I am sorry to say that the police have chosen to file charges against you and the other two for grand theft auto, conspiracy to commit theft, breaking and entering, and a few other misdemeanors that pale in comparison to the first couple" He gave me a funny look after he looked up from his folder. He continued "That said it looks like their evidence is weak. So far they haven't got much in the way of evidence against you. Actually most of their suspicion seems to be the result of your association with a known persistent troublemaker. But he does not seem to be charged as part of this crime, so we can get that removed." He looked at me again "I'm sorry have we met before, you look very familiar?"
I am not sure I recognize him at all. Maybe he was one of the homeowners taking advantage of the free dumping over the last couple of days? "I run a garbage dump in town, maybe you..."
"Garbage! That's it! Were you on Firecracker trail this past weekend?" He said having a eureka moment. Giving me one in turn
"I was. Huh. Small world." I met Dave and his wife while I was towing buddy down the hill. That... actually gives me a good idea for an alibi.
I could tell him I was dumping the garbage I collected at the illegal dump. But that didn't make sense. I have a garbage dump, that just raises more questions. Why would I be illegally dumping when I have a legal dump? Maybe I was there scrapping? That would make some sense for someone in my position. I can run with that. Lets run with that.
"Look, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I wasn't there to steal. I was there trying to clean up the community. Again. As I was saying, I own a dump slash recycling center. I was collecting stuff to test the new processor. There wasn't much left when I got there."
"Well that's good for our case. Charity work and a legitimate business reason to be in the area. That coupled with the total lack of physical evidence should help us get you out. Will you be able to to prove what you took?"
No. Not for real. "Yes. There's a digital record of what has been processed. Weights, materials and time. I'd need to get back to my site to get it though." I can fake something, have Nola fill a sheet with a car load worth of random data and use that.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
"I will have to talk to someone on getting you out to get that. You don't present as a flight risk. Home and business locally, no priors. I think I can get you released into my custody. Do you have anything to put up to cover your bail?"
"My house, I don't own it outright, but there's equity" And I am not going back there anytime soon.
"I hope your bail isn't that large. I was more asking about cash." He said
Oh. Whoops. "Ok. I don't have a lot of cash in the bank. I am heavily invested in my start up. Maybe a few thousand in small bills from customers." I can print a few thousand more when I get back to the dungeon, but I have been doing that a lot. It might get flagged soon with how much I am throwing around. I am gonna have to start charging people when I get back. Start the money laundering process. 20 bucks a head is still a great deal.
"Then we may be stuck putting up the house. That gets really expensive for you if you do something stupid. Are you planning on doing something like that?" My lawyer asked. I think he believes me about the excuse. Thank God something is going right.
"Absolutely not. I have roots here. I kind of want to stay close." True. As long as Nola was at Melvin Sr's old dump I was tied to this area. Thats another problem to deal with. I need to get Melvin Jr out of my life.
"Do you practice business law at all?"
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Tyler- back at the plant
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I named the bug Burt. Seeing as how we were buddies now I figured I should stop calling him 'bug'. Plus I thought it was funny, naming him after the best character in the movie.
Burt had a couple of spots he could pop in and out of quickly, but everywhere else he had to waddle on top of the ground. I'd have to figure out what that was about when/if Roy gets back. Slows him down too much otherwise. He can't be an effective guard dog if he can't move.
Nola had been catatonic since Roy left. I threw some food in the pit to see if I could get her going again. 'Food' food and garbage. No bites. It's all still sitting in the pit. She wouldn't be helping.
I was also worried about our resident dog man. The shed was locked. And basically invincible. It may look dilapidated, but it pulled the bumper off my van before it so much as moved. luckily there were some small holes in it, for aesthetic reasons, so I sprayed water at him when I could. But I couldn't get him his medicine. Roy never explained what it was or why he needed it, but he'd missed a few doses already. I hope Roy gets back before things get bad. There was nothing else I could do until Nola woke up.
So Burt and I patrolled inside the fence. I only had 2 guns left on me after feeding the rest to Nola. Stupid mistake. Should have kept at least one long gun in my truck for if the shadow government or the lizard people try to steal the core. It would be hard enough to fight them off without the additional handicaps we had. Detection is our worst enemy right now.
We stay closed the next 3 days. We stay vigilant. We don't let any strange people inside our walls.
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Verdandi "Buddy" Lakedamon -inside the chemical shed
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I was badly dehydrated when I came to. The burn across my whole body was intense. I had never felt anything like it. My armor was gone. And my weapon.
But I was untied. Clean. Moderately damp. And in some sort of peasant structure. No, not a peasant structure. They wouldn't have this much metal. A ruin maybe. The light coming in through the holes made that seem plausible.
I tried to sit up. The fog in my brain and the pain in my muscles prevented that from happening. I leaned back on the mat I had woken up on. It was clean and new. Maybe this wasn't a ruin?
Where was that flat faced scrod-like creature I had seen when I came through?
....
The Core!
It was gone. No no no no no. I shot up, fighting the burning and the fog. I failed. What had happened? I came through... I was hurt. Not hurt like now but....
I looked down. My wounds were gone. Not even scars remained. How? Healing magic? If this world had magics that was a good sign, I could find allies. But first the core.
I had come through the portal, I had seen the scrod thing... and I gave the core to it. I thought I was dying.
Blast.
I need to get it back.
I crawled over to the door of the ruin, a small journey but a hard one. Locked.
So I am a prisoner after all.
"itedow domasi ipon rahemid ti?" What gibberish is this? I turned to look. The scrod thing was looking at me through the hole in the wall.
"Unlock the door, we need to talk" My voice sounded weak compared to what I was expecting. Dry and without any energy.
I received a spray of water in the face as a reply. I will make it pay for that. Just as soon as I can sit up without being dizzy.
The water was nice though. Cool and clean. I licked the remaining drops off my muzzle, trying to sate my thirst. The water helped, but I needed more. I didn't have anything left in me to pursue it.
I slumped against the floor again. Sleep was calling.