before Vin could leave his chair, Director Hay’s hand shot up from across the desk.
“Thank you , son,” he said, shaking his hand firmly.
Feeling his head swell to epic proportions, Vin smiled.
“Of course sir, glad I could be of use.”
Vin followed a seething Chief Smiley out of the office. As soon as the door closed, he got a good look at those thin wire frames, as Chief Smiley whirled around to face him.
“How dare you speak to me that way,” he snapped. “The only reason you are involved is because you I put you on the case.”
Chief Smiley continued ranting as he stormed down the corridor and into his office.
“And to think I have to brief an analyst, of all people!” he cried, throwing his reading pane on his desk. “This is just why I . . . ” He stopped himself, fixing his glasses and adjusting his composure.
Vin took a seat, watching the red drain from Chief Smiley’s face. Appearing somewhat composed, he drew his reading pane towards him.
“I’m sending you some files as background. You will continue the good work of Inspector Quill, who was previously assigned the Julius Arnold case.”
“Where is Quill now?” Vin asked as his reading pane glowed to life.
“ Compliance training.”
“ What for?” Vin asked.
Chief Smiley shot him an unfriendly look.
“Inspectors aren’t above the law, the Directorate has internal controls just like every other government entity. Quill was due for training. He reported to campus to complete it per protocol. Then the government shut down, so there he remains.”
“Where did Julius initially travel?” Vin said, browsing through the files.
“It is all there!” Chief Smiley snapped, before stopping himself, trying to control his anger.
Vin wondered whether he regretted the “loophole” he used to send him into the field. It seemed like every logical question Vin asked, Smiley found offensive. Perhaps the pseudo-inspector he created threatened him in some way.
“Quill spotted Julius in his area of responsibility—the Colonies,” he finally answered. “I believe the first overstay was in Salem. From there, he jumped to the Middle Ages—and then to Inspector Hay’s area of responsibility.”
Vin was going to ask whether or not it was okay to record their conversation for his future reference, but decided not to risk angering him. Silently, he tapped the record button, fully intending to transcribe the notes later. He placed his reading pane on the chair next to him and folded his hands as Chief Smiley continued.
“After your over tly dramatic rescue of Kanon Hay, Julius Arnold must have jumped to another location.”
“ Is there any way to track exactly where he is?” Vin asked.
“ We should be able to trace it using Central Computer. Every web has a unique code—it’s all very straightforward. Julius must be using an untraceable code of some kind, which must be why we can’t locate him,” Chief Smiley said, dripping with condescension.
“Yes, I understand ,” Vin responded succinctly, moving for his reading pane.
Perusing the files, he paused on a picture of Julius Arnold. It was a dated photo, taken from the time Julius was still a respected corporate mogul. Even then, his thin, pockmarked face and sharp blue eyes hinted at a man with callous ethics.
“No, y ou don’t understand—that’s why I’m telling you this,” Chief Smiley barked back. “Julius Arnold is a murderer, a philanderer, and public enemy number one. Now, this mission is slightly different from your previous one.”
“ How so?” Vin asked, casually glancing up from his reading pane.
“ Let me explain to you Inspector Damato,” Smiley shot back, incensed by Vin’s attitude.
Vin was no longer the subservient analyst of a few hours before. He knew the change in himself, and so did Director Hay. It appeared that Chief Smiley would need a little bit longer to adjust.
Chief Smiley fussed with his glasses, staring down at Vin as best he
“Thank you , son,” he said, shaking his hand firmly.
Feeling his head swell to epic proportions, Vin smiled.
“Of course sir, glad I could be of use.”
Vin followed a seething Chief Smiley out of the office. As soon as the door closed, he got a good look at those thin wire frames, as Chief Smiley whirled around to face him.
“How dare you speak to me that way,” he snapped. “The only reason you are involved is because you I put you on the case.”
Chief Smiley continued ranting as he stormed down the corridor and into his office.
“And to think I have to brief an analyst, of all people!” he cried, throwing his reading pane on his desk. “This is just why I . . . ” He stopped himself, fixing his glasses and adjusting his composure.
Vin took a seat, watching the red drain from Chief Smiley’s face. Appearing somewhat composed, he drew his reading pane towards him.
“I’m sending you some files as background. You will continue the good work of Inspector Quill, who was previously assigned the Julius Arnold case.”
“Where is Quill now?” Vin asked as his reading pane glowed to life.
“ Compliance training.”
“ What for?” Vin asked.
Chief Smiley shot him an unfriendly look.
“Inspectors aren’t above the law, the Directorate has internal controls just like every other government entity. Quill was due for training. He reported to campus to complete it per protocol. Then the government shut down, so there he remains.”
“Where did Julius initially travel?” Vin said, browsing through the files.
“It is all there!” Chief Smiley snapped, before stopping himself, trying to control his anger.
Vin wondered whether he regretted the “loophole” he used to send him into the field. It seemed like every logical question Vin asked, Smiley found offensive. Perhaps the pseudo-inspector he created threatened him in some way.
“Quill spotted Julius in his area of responsibility—the Colonies,” he finally answered. “I believe the first overstay was in Salem. From there, he jumped to the Middle Ages—and then to Inspector Hay’s area of responsibility.”
Vin was going to ask whether or not it was okay to record their conversation for his future reference, but decided not to risk angering him. Silently, he tapped the record button, fully intending to transcribe the notes later. He placed his reading pane on the chair next to him and folded his hands as Chief Smiley continued.
“After your over tly dramatic rescue of Kanon Hay, Julius Arnold must have jumped to another location.”
“ Is there any way to track exactly where he is?” Vin asked.
“ We should be able to trace it using Central Computer. Every web has a unique code—it’s all very straightforward. Julius must be using an untraceable code of some kind, which must be why we can’t locate him,” Chief Smiley said, dripping with condescension.
“Yes, I understand ,” Vin responded succinctly, moving for his reading pane.
Perusing the files, he paused on a picture of Julius Arnold. It was a dated photo, taken from the time Julius was still a respected corporate mogul. Even then, his thin, pockmarked face and sharp blue eyes hinted at a man with callous ethics.
“No, y ou don’t understand—that’s why I’m telling you this,” Chief Smiley barked back. “Julius Arnold is a murderer, a philanderer, and public enemy number one. Now, this mission is slightly different from your previous one.”
“ How so?” Vin asked, casually glancing up from his reading pane.
“ Let me explain to you Inspector Damato,” Smiley shot back, incensed by Vin’s attitude.
Vin was no longer the subservient analyst of a few hours before. He knew the change in himself, and so did Director Hay. It appeared that Chief Smiley would need a little bit longer to adjust.
Chief Smiley fussed with his glasses, staring down at Vin as best he
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