He was a German man whose silver-gray hair fit him very much, but his face was a familiar one—it was the director of the Electrocrime Investigations Bureau, Rolfe Schlosser. He was fifty-four years old, but he looked much younger. The impressive navy-blue suit he wore certainly added to his dignified appearance. He’d gotten his start as an agent and had climbed the ranks to his current position, which he’d held ever since Echika joined the bureau.
In other words, this was their top-ranking boss.
Totoki hadn’t mentioned coming here alone, but Echika wasn’t expecting her to be here with the director. At the same time, though, it made sense for him to be involved if they were dealing with the NSA. Still, this clearly wasn’t an ordinary situation.
“Director,” Totoki said. “I believe Hieda and Fokine want to know why they were called here.”
“I think it’d be for the best if we let Department Head Miller explain the circumstances. Would you mind?”
Schlosser motioned for Echika and Fokine to sit, and they did. Miller turned on a holo-projector set up in a section of the booth. The monitor of the tablet in his hands came to life, along with a browser on the table that projected it. The first thing it showed were the results of the sample’s analysis, displayed in Russian format.
“These are the results of Banfield’s sample,” Miller began explaining. “The clinical inspection center in Saint Petersburg believes that he had a superinfection. The sample tested positive for multiple viruses, including the spore virus.”
The spore virus?
“Wasn’t it eradicated?” Echika had to ask. “The spread of thread devices is supposed to prevent it, so people rarely come down with it nowadays.”
“That’s true. But in developing countries, the disease still claims about ten thousand lives a year. News of that typically doesn’t reach areas populated by Your Forma users, though.” Surely the personalization of media was part of this, but this was the first Echika had heard of that many people dying from it. “Your Forma users are also barred from traveling to those nations for sanitary reasons. And the spore virus is why… Regardless, the clinical inspection center’s analysis is wrong. Banfield didn’t have a superinfection.”
“Cut to the chase,” Cook said, exhaling in annoyance. “I’d rather not waste my time.”
Miller frowned at her curt tone and operated the projector. The monitor changed, presenting a graphic of a virus’s structure. It looked almost artistic, like a geometric pattern taken straight out of a kaleidoscope, and since Echika knew nothing of viruses, none of it made a lick of sense to her. She did, however, get the overall gist of it.
“It looks very, er, complex for a singular virus…,” Echika whispered.
Everyone there turned to look at her. She instantly regretted speaking up, but in that time, Miller nodded gravely.
“Yes. This wasn’t a superinfection, but the virus itself was made by crossing the genomes of multiple viruses. We have a fitting name for that in the world of pathology: ‘a chimeric virus.’”
Silence settled over them. The way Miller put it implied…
“This is an artificially created virus, and one that rapidly kills those it infects. It’s highly likely it was created as a biological weapon.”
Biological weaponry. Echika felt something very cold settle in the pit of her stomach. The purpose of biological weapons was to intentionally cause infections in humans or animals. There was a case in the US where terrorists had unleashed anthrax spores in the Washington, DC, area, resulting in considerable casualties. Cases of terror organizations in other areas of the world resorting to biological weapons were not unheard of, either. There was a time when all the world’s militaries had developed them.
“But where did Banfield get infected?”
“There’s plenty of plausible situations where one can inhale a virus in our daily lives. But assuming Banfield was personally targeted, the most likely avenue is that it was physically mailed to him. It’s a primitive method, but effective.”
“We found nothing in Banfield’s personal belongings that would fit that description,” Totoki said calmly. “Isn’t the production of biological weapons outlawed by international treaties to begin with?”
“Let me answer that,” Cook said curtly. “Terrorists, for example, have no obligation to follow the Geneva Convention. How much does the Electrocrime Investigations Bureau know about the TFC?”
TFC—Thread Free Country. That was the name of a terrorist organization Echika vaguely recalled hearing about during her academy training. It was apparently the name of a self-styled independent nation and anti-government organization that had unilaterally declared independence from Saudi Arabia. Its members were mostly fundamentalists, and the organization had gotten its start among people who rejected thread technology on religious grounds. However, in recent years, their ideology had shifted to focus on cynics, and they began accepting foreign immigrants, which was clouding their founding values.
“What sets them apart from luddites is that they object to Your Forma as a business, but otherwise accept the technology on its own,” Cook said. “The TFC has sided with anti-American countries in an attempt to develop an alternative to the Your Forma. Rumor has it they’ve actually succeeded in doing that, but that hasn’t been confirmed. Regardless, these nations have been won over by the TFC and are being compelled to produce illegal weaponry.”
Furthermore, the TFC had been in a state of cold war with the Saudi government for decades, since its declaration of independence. The conflict developed into an armed civil war at one point, but this developed into a long-running stalemate, with both sides maintaining a tenuous status quo.
“The NSA has been keeping a watchful eye on the TFC, designating it a terrorist group backed by anti-American nations.” Cook took out a tablet of her own and handed it to Miller. “They’re likely developing weapons around the clock, turning the schools and shopping malls in their territory into production factories.”
“Do you have proof of that?” Director Schlosser asked. “If you’ve got any information, share it with me.”
“It’s top secret, so I sadly can’t share all the documents even with you. I do have clearance to show you this, however—Department Head Miller?”
At Cook’s behest, Miller operated her tablet, and a few browser windows opened over the desk, displaying structural diagrams of viruses. Like the chimeric virus from earlier, the infectious agents were oddly geometric in shape, and they danced in the air with an almost malevolent beauty.
“Our operatives who infiltrated the TFC recovered this,” said Cook, parting her crimson lips. “I’ll just say that they have the means to produce the chimeric virus in large quantities.”
“But for nations, this is ideal technology.”
Talbot’s words came to mind. The Alliance intended to sell the thought manipulation program to national governments. It was questionable if a terrorist organization like the TFC could be considered a nation, but since they called themselves as such, it was possible the Alliance was involved with them. Or perhaps, the TFC actually was the Alliance.
Regardless, they had to seriously consider the possibility at this point that the Alliance had deliberately targeted and assassinated Banfield.
“In other words.” Director Schlosser furrowed his brows. “If we look into the TFC, we might discover leads pertaining to the Alliance.”
Totoki looked at Cook silently. “Does that mean we’re being asked to cooperate with the NSA?”
“Yes, though the cooperation ends here.” Cook raised her thin brows. “The Saudi government is very wary of US intervention, and the White House is also trepidatious about this case. This is the first and last time we have to handle intervention from your side.”
Saying this, Cook rose from her seat, as if to say this is where her place in the matter ended. She must have been busy. She thanked Director Schlosser and left the booth without glancing back at them. Miller hurried after her.
A resounding silence remained in their wake. Only the geometric pattern of the virus, still projected on the browser, shone lazily in the air.
At face value, this was a breakthrough in their investigation. Echika dug her fingers into her thighs under the table. Totoki’s and Fokine’s expressions made it clear they were thinking the same thing—even if the TFC and the Alliance were connected somehow, this was a terrorist organization, for all intents and purposes. It was too big for one investigation organization to face alone.
How would we even begin to get involved with this?
“Setting aside the question of whether the TFC and the Alliance are related and have successfully developed a substitute device for the Your Forma, on top of that,” Director Schlosser carried on, seemingly oblivious to their misgivings. “As well as the question of whether the thought manipulation program actually exists… The Alliance is truly monstrous.”
“I understand your disbelief regarding the thought manipulation program,” Totoki said. “But keep in mind that Investigator Fokine here suffered greatly because of it, and Hieda witnessed it, too.”
“So it seems. Which is why I asked for you two to handle this.”
This was why they called us to Philadelphia.
“We’ll try to resolve this case, of course,” Totoki carried on. “But we’ll need backup. Having support from the Saudi government or police would make it easier for us to act, for example.”
“I feel the same way and contacted them, but they tacitly refused. This does involve the faction they’re fighting a cold war against, after all.”
“What do we do, then?”
“According to Ms. Cook, the TFC is receiving aid from NGOs, for the purpose of supporting the civilians living in areas controlled by them. This is partially to present themselves as humane in the eyes of the international community.”
Echika wasn’t the only one to frown at his roundabout phrasing.
“So what you’re saying…,” Fokine said, sounding very vexed. “Is we’re supposed to ask an NGO to assist our investigation?”
“Yes, they’ve already given their consent. You’ll infiltrate the place while passing as NGO staff.”
This all felt too reckless.
Echika and Fokine froze, of course, but even Totoki looked stunned. But Schlosser’s eyes were unyielding, burning with firm resolve. Echika did understand that if they couldn’t rely on outside organizations for help, their options were limited. What’s more, the TFC’s background was too complicated for the bureau to openly get involved with.
“Investigator Hieda, this is your chance to restore your honor. Go by the book.” The director firmly reminded her and looked at Totoki. “Investigator Totoki, handle this like your own reputation is on the line. I expect results.”
“…Understood, sir.”
Even Totoki couldn’t do anything but sigh and comply in this situation. For better or for worse, no one in this room could bring themselves to object to Schlosser’s decision.