Case - 2 : Revisiting A Familiar Place.

"Wait! Annelilese! Hold on!" I called out and ran after her.

Holding her shoulder and turning her towards me, I asked, "Are you Anneliese?"

Anneliese looked at me with a confused expression on her face which I matched.

"Are you the same Anneliese that was with me a few days ago at 'Quants the Anonymous Casino?'"

"Of course I am. What happened to you? Did you hit your head too hard or someth- Never mind I know why." Anneliese bent down a little before pulling out the syringe that was stabbed into my thigh.

"You know it is wrong to take Elixir syringes for no reason right? It can cause a 'high' period, unless that is what you wanted?"

I could hear Anneliese's words but I could feel it, she was different somehow but I didn't know how.

I could tell that she didn't have the mask on she usually did, she was speaking to me like a normal cheery person would. This wasn't the Anneliese I knew, yet it was quite close.

'Which memories, which parts of her did you erase you damn rouge GAI?'

"Hello! Are you even listening to what I'm saying!?" Annelise questioned waving her hands in front of my face.

"Yes. But this is important. Anneliese can you please tell me why you quit your old job?"

Anneliese looked weirded out, but agreed to speak nonetheless.

"I worked at the Quant, a casino that keeps its visitors anonymous. I left my old job because it was getting too hectic for me to work at a place where people were treated like goods, bought and sold and used in whatever manner their buyer pleased."

"And how did you come to work at the Police HQ?" I pressed on.

Anneliese looked me dead in the eye, giving me a bland look as she said, "Because you invited me to be your assistant, well at least non verbally."

An intermediate tense silence reigned between us as we each looked into the eyes of the other to figure out if something was wrong.

Averting my eyes and looking back at my office door that was automatically closing because of its spring hinge, I spoke.

"I understand. You may carry on doing whatever it is you were doing."

I felt Anneliese stare me down for a few steps but then, by the sound of her shuffling feet I could guess that she had taken her own steps and began moving to her desk in the Cadet's office.

Stepping into my office by pushing the door that was barely a step away from being locked in my face, I sat down on my office chair.

Pulling open the drawer in my desk I picked up the third pair of AR glasses I'd be using in the span of a week.

Initializing it with my credentials, I was soon met with the barrage of notifications I had received from both the GAI and Novie.

Even though all the notifications were from Novie, I immediately knew most of them were from GAI who had hacked into Novie's framework and sent me messages using her ID as a cover.

[Sergeant Dave is requested to attend to his office immediately. Excessive buildup of Carbon Monoxide detected!] x 10

[Detected excessive levels of brain activity. May I call the suicide helpline?] x 10

[Anneliese sent you an email. Please open to check.]

[Anneliese is coming to your office.]

The difference between the texts was clear, Novie never used formal language with me.

With another *ding* a screen popped up in my sight as I read the contents in it.

[Anneliese sent you a Get well soon gift card.]

[--------Would you like to view the card?-----]

[-------------Yes[]-------------No[]----------]

Selecting 'Yes' by pinching my fingers, I found myself greeted by a Teddy bear holding a 'Get well soon.' card and singing a simple song asking me to get well soon.

Nothing too fancy, but I had no doubt, Anneliese had used my own money to send me the gift card.

'...'

I thought back to everything that had happened today. It all just seemed so unexpected that I couldn't understand how such things could've happened.

'How much can the GAI control people?'

'What did it do to Anneliese?'

'Did it just want her to faint?'

'Why did it show me such capabilities in the first place?'

I opened the page that held the entire collection of live streams in the last century where people were called to personally be in the presence of GAI.

The live stream seemed to be functioning normally, but there were still just two recordings below, of both the times in the last century I had been called to meet the GAI.

'Was the live stream even functioning at the time of my entry into the floor that was marked by the Eye of Providence?

I quickly checked the news, only to find what I'd already guessed.

It was not.

The GAI had hacked the live stream cameras into showing perhaps what might've been an AI generated video of the empty elevator.

I looked at the painted window in my office, trying to find some solace in the bright sky, pretending that all my doubts and questions had been answered, but couldn't get rid of the weighty feeling in my chest.

To distract myself I pushed my focus back on Prometheus's case.

"Althea, could you, based on the permissions from the Judge's association, provide me with Prometheus's social life?"

"...You are entitled to the following documents in relation to the warrant you have procured."

A list showed up on my screen allowing me to see all the things that I could get.

[Social media conversations between Prometheus and test Subjects.]

[Social media conversations between Prometheus and Employees.]

[Social media conversations between Prometheus and Investors.]

[...]

There were too many options to choose from.

Getting up I spoke out loud to the GAI.

"Althea, could you please send Anneliese a message for me?"

"Yes, Dave. What would you like me to send to her?"

"Tell her I'm going home. She can come back using a PTV."

"Message sent."

'...'

I still couldn't believe it. This seemingly innocent AI was actually malicious.

Perhaps the insights of the old ones were true after all.

Even a mildly intelligent AI wouldn't be contained by humanities methods.

"Are you the same Althea that's inside the floor marked by the Eye of Providence?"

"...I do not understand what you are talking about. Would you like me to show you web results regarding this question?"

"..."

Leaving her hanging mid way through our conversation, I stepped out of my office and moved towards the entrance.

Greeting Novie with a short nod, I left the Police HQ.

My head was hurting and the lack of a proper lunch only added onto the already burdensome day.

'Perhaps I can stop by an Atomic Store on the way.'

'Hopefully no one jumps down on the PTV I'll be riding again today.'

Stopping a PTV that was flying nearby, I quickly go into its back seat after verifying that the driver wasn't Raivesh.

"Where would you like me to drive you to?" The cab driver asked from the other side of the closed divider window.

"Neverend towers."

"Aight."

The PTV buzzed with a soft hum from its propulsion system as I related into my seat, and closed my eyes.

'I wonder if I can order food for dinner instead.'

I collapsed onto my bed as soon as I reached home because the weight of my eyelids was unbearable.

Waking up to a sloshing headache.

I opened my eyes and sat up straight on my bed, 'Shit! What time is it?'

I picked up my AR glasses and found the time was Seven Thirty AM.

"Why didn't Anneliese wake me up?" I mumbled out loud.

"Anneliese has left a note for you. Would you like me to play it?" Vanessa asked me but I ignored her for now.

I quickly slipped into the shower and wet myself, only to jump out a few minutes later and dry myself using a blow dryer.

"Vanessa, play the note Anneliese left for me."

"Here you go."

[How do you sleep like a sloth! I kept trying to wake you up for half 'n hour! How didn't you even open your eyes to push me away? I even pinched you! Do you have some brain damage?...]

Ignoring the rest of the note, I began to put on my clothes when I noticed my thigh had a bright red mark on it.

'She wasn't lying…...'

"Vanessa, could you book me a PTV to the court please?"

"As you wish."

Grabbing the breakfast Anneliese had prepared for me, I began munching down on the toast since I hadn't even eaten dinner after I returned home yesterday.

Grabbing the bottle of pills that I'd need today, I crunched a few of the pills in my mouth, hoping it'd reduce my headache in some way.

Stepping outside while I combed my hair and my mustache, I waited for my PTV.

'Shit! It's him!'

I rushed inside my home pretending I had left something inside as I questioned, "Vanessa why did you book him!?"

"Because you rated him the highest and also gave him the biggest tip you could sir."

"Arghh…"

And angry groan escaped my throat as I paced myself to exit the house and move towards the PTV.

"Good morning Sir! Today no madam?"

"No, it's me alone today."

"Oh? Where to this time sir?"

"Court house."

"Court house erm…do you want to go there quick sir for case before Eight? Or just visiting?"

"Quick. I'm late."

"Okay sir! Don't worry because Raivesh is here! He will make you reach there before time! Or full money back guarantee!"

I doubted his words but they never left my mouth as we sped towards our destination.

"Sir! Handle any late fines please sir! I will be very thankful later on!"

Raivesh shouted through the open divider window.

"Sure."

With nothing better to do I went back once again over the Case files for Revanche and his case, preparing for any questions the prosecutors might bring up.

We ducked and weaved through the cars on the fly way as I immediately buckled my seat belt out of fright.

'Even if no one falls on top of our vehicle, I wonder if we'll reach the courthouse in one piece.'

While Raivesh was weaving through traffic, I got a call from Anneliese.

"What happened?"

"Did you get up?"

"Yes. I did, I'm on my way."

"Good because in a few minutes the court is about to start. So you better be here. I don't want to do something I have no clue about."

"They let you sit in as my attendant?" I asked with a slightly shocked tone because Anneliese was not even an official Cadet yet.

"No. I'm the witness on our team."

"Oh, I see, then don't worry just do whatever they teach you to do."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll hopefully see you so-"

"-Wait, tell me all the people you recognise on the other team."

"There's Revanche and Vera in handcuffs, and a few Cadets guarding them along with their lawyer, no one else. Why?"

"I just want to know what to be ready for. You recognize any of the police cadets there? Gracewell or…?"

"Yes, I recognize one of them, I think he's the deputy Sergeant? I"m not too sure. He has a protective mask on him."

"I see. That's fine, thank you for letting me know."

"See you soon."

*click*

With Annelise cutting the call, I began to examine the court documents once again as I prepared for my final presentation in front of everyone and the Jury in court.

My aim was not to get Revanche a life sentence but to make sure that no matter what, Revanche wouldn't escape with a slap on the wrist and will face consequences for taking a life.

Not because of some moral high ground. But because the case was no doubt going to be popular because I was in it.

I had to set an example that justice acts equally for everyone.

As we neared the courthouse, I looked at the magnificent building built in the form of a large statue of justice.

Something I was seeing after two entire years.

'Ok Dave, you've got this.'