The silent holo-call ended with Jood's face completely ashen. It appeared he had just received similar news or maybe even new orders.

“Father? You look ill... what is bothering you?” asked Jepp.

“I have to go to the Office of Reason to fix something,” said Jood, as he straightened his slick medium-length black hair with a comb.

“What about me?”

“These two... gentlemen, will make sure to keep you safe while I take care of a few things,” said Jood. He turned and walked off to a waiting black flying car that had the official seal of the Party of Mother and Father on its side.

“Father...?” asked Jepp, while he watched the car fly off, leaving him on the sidewalk next to the APC he had only left a short time ago.

“Tooth, what exactly are we supposed to do?” asked Arron.

“Is this a temporary thing as in a few hours or are we stuck with him for more than a day?” asked Kix.

Lexa's face appeared over the dashboard instead of Tooth, “Due to the touchy political situation of the Troubled suspect, this could last for several days or even a week. We have already taken everything into consideration. The two of you are to take the Troubled target to the private Mother and Father prep school MaFaGov in sector 11. A large private room has been cleaned up in one of the dorms for the three of you to stay in while things are settled.”

“That's it?” asked Kix.

“Yes. Until we get further orders from the Office of Reason you are to escort him to classes and keep the nosy reporters away from him.”

“Kid, get in,” said Arron as he opened the door to the APC.

Jepp hesitated for a moment, but after letting out a long sigh, he got into the APC this time without cuffs on his wrists.

“Now that you know who my father is I expect you to not act like barbarians,” said Jepp.

“Quiet kid. We aren't your father's lackeys that you can order around as you please. If you try to do anything illegal I'll be sure to add it to the long list of crimes you are already facing,” said Kix, verbally slapping Jepp down, not allowing him to assert his power over them.

“We are only staying with you to keep an eye on you until the Office of Reason decides what to do,” said Arron.

VROOOM! CHA-CHUNK!

The sound of a loud poorly maintained engine roared and coughed behind them as an older generic hovercar came to a halt behind the APC.

Kix looked at the rear camera on the dashboard and saw a 40-year-old man in a gray factory work suit covered by oil and grease.

The man had a large frown on his face as he stomped forward towards the left side of the APC where Kix sat.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

“What now!?” asked Kix, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. He rolled down the window slightly so he could communicate with the approaching man.

“Are you M1?” asked the frowning man.

“Yes,” said Kix not bothering to tell him off for asking a stupid question when the APC clearly had M1 plastered all over it.

“Do you know who captured a murder that happened a short time ago?” asked the frowning man as he stared intently at both Kix and Arron for a second before looking to Jepp who sat behind them in the cramped space.

Jepp did dare look at the older man and instead looked out the right side window intently studying the dirt on the sidewalk.

“Sir we can't tell you anything about any ongoing case. If you have any complaints or have information on a murder please head over there and give a report to the officers inside,” said Kix with a sigh as he pointed to the HQ building.

The frowning man's face turned beet red as his hand shot out and was shoved into the crack of the window trying to reach for Jepp to strangle him.

“You bastard! You're the one that killed my daughter aren't you!”

“Sir! Remove your arm!” shouted Kix as he raised the window to stop the man's arm from reaching toward Jepp.

The angry man ignored Kix and continued to try and reach for Jepp even though his arm was now pinned against the top of the door.

“Sir, calm down! What you are trying to do will not help you or your daughter's case!” said Kix.

“Shut up! You don't know what it's like to lose your precious daughter!”

“I may not have lost a daughter but I have lost many family members...,” said Kix, his voice turning into a more stern tone.

“If you continue on like this we'll have to put you in a cell until you calm down,” said Arron.

The angered father stopped his struggle and only glared at Jepp.

“I'm going to release your arm... You need to either make a report with the investigation officers or get back in your hover car and leave,” said Kix.

Kix slowly loosened the windows hold on the man's arm. When it was again free from the pressure he pulled his arm out a few inches and then lunged forward again.

Kix had enough and grabbed the man's arm with the new prototype T.E. Gloves. Visible yellow electricity snaked it's way up the angry father's arm and into his body immediately causing him to go limp and fall to the ground where he frothed at the mouth.

“Help me take care of this guy,” said Kix as he let go of the man's arm and opened his door, pushing the stunned man out of the way with the door.

Arron got out of the APC and walked over to the father who was still dazed.

“Grab his feet,” said Kix as he grabbed the man under his armpits.

The two of them carried him to his hover car and shoved him inside slamming the door shut.

“We're just going to leave him here?” asked Arron.

“Tooth you saw everything right? Be sure to let the Office of Reason know that the father of the murdered girl has a temper,” said Kix.

“Yep, I saw it all. I'll clip it up nicely and send it to the Office of Reason so they can decide what to do,” said Tooth, as he began typing up a new report.

The two hopped back into the APC and looked at Jepp who looked fairly shaken from the experience. Arron thought it was odd that Jepp was more affected by this small event than the murder and other minor crimes he had committed.

“Looks like you need us more than you thought huh?” said Kix as he started the APC and began to drive to the coordinates that Lexa had sent him.

Jepp did not answer them and continued to look at the floor.

Kix looked at his half-eaten lunch that was laying on top of the dashboard and sighed.

Before it was barely edible, but now... it was just a cold greasy mush.

“Jepp, are you hungry?” asked Kix.

Jepp perked up, “Yes! Are we going to a restaurant? Which one?”

Kix grabbed the half-eaten synth-dog and passed it to Jepp.

“Here you go, enjoy the finest synth-dog in this sector.”