The White House: 04
In bed after dinner, my brain was wide awake while my body felt like it had been run over by a tank. Spending the day with Louise had brought up feelings I had long buried. The picture of them together in their house was stuck on my mind. They were a happy family, and Louise still loved Yumi just as much as when they first met, her loss was probably the worst thing the farmer had ever experienced. That bit I understood well.
Part of me was more motivated after knowing about Yumi. I wanted to make Louise feel better and thank her for trusting me with their story. Investigating the deaths of her friends was how I decided to repay her. If there was any occult motif at all, I would find and get to justice whoever was behind it.
Restless under the fluffy covers, I opened my screen. The small object could be attached to other devices, usually a bracelet where the mainscreen could be connected to on the inside of the wrist. That way it allowed the user to type with both hands and have a bigger display area. Sometimes I didn't want to stay on my chair so I used the bracelet to work in the comfort of my bed.
At first I wasn't sure what I was looking for, all I wanted was something to distract me so I could feel sleepy. On my homepage there were texts from a number of people, reports on the Sargent's activity at his work screen, general news, so much stuff I haven't attended because I was busy with the real world. With a hand swipe I sent it all away, none of it was urgent, even if it were I wasn't willing to deal with it.
The screen's brightness got the whole room lit up as I was taken to the data I got from officer Sun's armour. Among the information I copied there were communication records I wanted to check. My objective was to get her personal IP, maybe it was time for me to go to her.
That night I slept like a baby. Even though I stayed up a while longer after I got officer Sun's address, thinking about how I should approach her. Louise woke me up to have breakfast around nine, she said I should get downstairs while the bread was still warm. I couldn't argue with that.
-What do we have here? - over the small table on the corner there was a full breakfast experience. Coffee, milk, pancakes, butter and the bread in the basket perfumed the whole room, making my stomach turn into a blackhole. My chef was at the stove preparing some eggs in a fresh button up shirt and trousers.
-Morning. How was the bed?
-Best one I've ever laid on. - I stood in between the table and the kitchen, watching Louise cook, not sure what to do. - Do you need some help?
-Just sit. It's all under control. - she winked at me and I moved to the table to wait for her. From that corner I had an unobstructed view of the entire back of the house. Everything was illuminated by natural sunlight, making the white kitchen look so much bigger than last night.
Sitting and watching someone cook for me was something I wasn't used to. Instinctively I wanted to get up and do something to help, that was the second meal she prepared for me in a roll. I started to feel like I was imposing too much.
-This definitely doesn't look like my usual breakfast.
-I can imagine what type of diet you have in that city. I prepared some things for you to take home. - in her hand she had the frying pan with the eggs, before taking her place on the opposite chair, she put some on my plate.
-That's really not necessary, Louise…
-Kid, I have more than enough food for me here. If you don't take it, I'll still have to give it away otherwise everything is going to waste. You'll be doing me a favor, so relax, and eat your food before it gets cold. - funny how from one sentence to another she changed from understanding to demanding while telling me to eat.
-Hm! - I took a bite of the bread and it was so soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. With my mouth half full I kept talking. - Where's the laptop? I was thinking about it last night and I might know someone that can help… - when I glanced at her she was shaking her head behind a tall mug. - What?
-Eat first then work.
And that's what I did. Louise made me try everything on the table, despite my protests claiming I was too full to take even the smallest bite. Since I had my mouth full, she carried the conversation walking me through the process of preparing the dishes, telling me how she harvested the ingredients and cooked them with very specific methods. I forgot every word as soon as they reached my eardrums, all my brain cells were focused on not exploding.
-So, who's this person you mentioned that can help? - our mugs were empty after two coffee rounds each.
-Oh, no one. Just someone I met. - officer Sun was a subject I didn't know how to address. The contact we had was unstable and totally unresolved, making it hard to stablish a label.
-And how is this no one slash someone supposed to help? - keen as always, Louise didn't let anything get past her.
-She is connected to the Force. - I refused to say she was a cop.
-Admire me that you have friends in the Force. - casually, she crossed her arms over the table to look at me closely. - Is this woman worthy of your trust?
For as much as I'd like to think she was I still didn't. Her intentions might have been noble but I didn't know her. All she needed was someone to hack into the Force to gain access to files and reports and then follow the lead through the web. I was a high-tech accessory. I had no idea how much I could tell her about me or Louise without compromising ourselves with the police. Still, she turned herself into an important asset.
-I don't know yet.
-Well, you better find out.