“Commissioner Hexan,” She corrected, tone stern.

“Commissioner Hexan,” I followed up with, voice mellow.

“Then tell me what happened.”

“He made a disrespectful comment about my mother,” I said, lying through my teeth.

“Your mother? OK. So let me understand this clearly. You, a medically discharged AFA N8 Corporal punched your Case Officer in the face, snapping his Cybernetic wrist I might add because he made a disrespectful remark, about your mother? And before you say anything, Kaiden Cypher. I want you to choose your words very wisely.”

N8? Does she also know about my background as an Infiltration Specialist? She’s connected. I didn’t expect this. Maybe slight honesty would work, but not the truth. I need to keep this job…the tax benefits are TOO sweet to lose

“In all fairness, Commissioner Hexan. I’m not saying he was deserving of the punch, but he damn well deserved it. Maybe, I shouldn’t have snapped his wrist, I will agree on that for sure, but I paid for a replacement.”

“To avoid being sued.”

“You’re right…you’re right.”

Commissioner Hexan leaned back in her chair, making herself more comfortable. She thumbed the pen in her hand and began tapping it against her visor. If that wasn’t a sign that she was contemplating what to do with me, then I didn’t know anything.

“I’ll be honest with you, Cypher. I need more EXiCON’s like you, the rabble we attract doesn’t bode well. But I’m not stupid, I know you’re here for the tax rate alone.”

“A man always needs help from the government, ma’am. I certainly wouldn’t trust these corporations with my future.”

“Is that why signed up for AFA?”

“You’ve read my file, Commissioner, you know I didn’t have much choice in the life I had.”

“Orphaned at three, forced into government housing, kicked out at sixteen only to end up living on the streets?”

“Right…”

“You could’ve joined an Enterprise.”

“I have no love for the Silver Dragons and Yardies, Commissioner Hexan, if I could, I’d kill them all.”

“I can see that,” The commissioner said, tapping the batch of files sitting in front of her.

I stimulated my biochip, making it shift to X-Ray mode, hoping to verify if she did have my military file in front of her. Nothing…it’s blank, what?!

“If you’re using the X-Ray in that eye of yours, it won’t work,” The commissioner said. “You see, anyone with cybernetic enhances is always dosed in yellow light before entering my office. That light you saw with your natural eye? Well…that triggers a code delay into your biochip, halting certain features I deem harmful to me.”

“Apologies, Commissioner, I was just curious”

“On whether your military record was here?”

“Yea…I guess.”

“It isn’t.” The commissioner said, opening the file. She slid it across the desk and a file with my photo id was displayed for my viewing. “It’s your public record file.”

“Oh…”

“Interesting, right?”

“Not really, I lived a boring life.”

“On the contrary, Mr Cypher, I believe differently. Basic Training at 18 years old. At 23 years, selected for AFA Spec-Ops Division. In your second year, critically injured during an assault on United Carrier 7. Medically Discharged.”

“Yep…boring.”

“Do you think I’m stupid…” she answered, annoyed.

“Of course not, Commissioner.”

“Listen carefully, Cypher. I know a deep cover operator when I see one. You’re not the only one that got their hands dirty for the Federation.”

“Deep cover operative? That’s some imagination you have there, Commissioner Hexan. In actuality, I’d love to have that for this case…well cases I’m currently working on. That imagination might go a long way in solving this crime.”

“So you’re going to segue your way out this?”

“Not a segue, ma’am, but I need some help with this case. I mean it”

“Fine. I’ll get to the point,” the commissioner said, clasping her hands and resting them on the table. I couldn’t see behind her blue visors but I could tell how shrewd her eyes were, hell, they probably matched her thin lips and the wrinkled smile she now flashed.

“Cypher, I won’t bullshit this. I know you’re aware Lieutenant Eclain is handling your Adrianna Smith Case and the other one; the Jon Doe.”

“John Doe?”

“Official name we use for unconfirmed male corpses.”

“Right…yeah, I heard through the grapevine that he’s been assigned.”

“Through the grapevine, you say. I’m just letting you know that he’s already investigated the husband and the Lyiez Systems employees.”

“He has? But the case file hasn’t been updated.”

“Because of me. I’m fully aware of your volatile relationship, so I ensured that this was kept from you.”

“Why? I can’t investigate further if I don’t see what’s happening on his end.”

“Agreed, But let’s be honest here. Despite knowing he was the case officer, you didn’t reach out to him to make some ground on the case.”

“That’s not fair” I growled. “I followed protocol, unless a case has been assigned to a designated case officer, I must continue investigating until there is one assigned. Isn’t that the protocol?”

“It is…th—“

“Then nothing!” I snapped. “I don’t like to be played with, Commissioner. You may have authority over police matters, but when it comes to rules and regulations, I follow them to the last dot.”

The Commissioner didn’t say anything, she simply dressed back and lapped her leg, showing the hem of the stocking as her skirt drew back a few centimetres up her leg.

“So it would seem,” She said, vibrating the back of her voice, trying her best to hide her anger. “You have the confidence to talk to me like this. That confidence doesn’t come from anywhere, who are you, Kaiden Cypher?”

“I’m nothing but a grumpy mercenary looking to make ends meet.”

“To make ends meet?” The commissioner chuckled. “Alright, then let’s talk about these cases you’ve been handed…there’s a problem with them.”

“Someone’s being killed is always a problem, I’d believe.”

“It is, but it’s the way they’ve been killed. It’s too novel.

“Novel?”

“Yes. The three holes within their chest, what’s the point of it?”

“I’m not sure, hence why I’ve been waiting for Eclain to interview the employees and husband.”

“They’re fine, he already checked out the alibi. I’ll update your Case File once we’re finished here.”

“You’ve been following this, haven’t you?”

“Not fully, but when the Jon Doe’s MO was similar to Adrianna's I had to take interest.”

“Why?”

“The media.”

“…serial killer?” I asked wistfully.

“Potentially, we can’t say officially…but it’s looking that way thus far, in all fairness. We just have to figure out what the motivation is behind these killings, I’m stumped at what’s going on.”

“I see.”

The commissioner sat in her chair for a few moments staring at me without saying a word. If this was her attempt at trying to intimidate me, she was surely wrong. I sat there, hands clasped and waited for her to finally say something.

“Alright. Fine. I’ll give you special privileges as an EXiCON for this case. You can investigate without worry. I’ll be pulling Lieutenant Eclain from the case. I’ll be your case officer, so you’ll report directly to me, understood?”

“W-w-w-whattt?” I hissed, then asked myself What in the IMBIBE just happened?

“You heard correctly." The Commissioner said firmly.

“Why?” I asked, flustered.

“…because this is what I need from you Cypher.”

“I’m no good at homicide work.”

“You’re no good with the misdemeanours either. Using informants isn’t called great detective work.”

“But it gets the job done.”

“Well, use that fancy A.I. of yours to help. Heard she’s top-notch.”

“Nova is a Correlation A.I.”

“Symbiotic relationship with your cybernetics?”

“It’s a give and takes relation. She lessens the feedback from my SMB on my brain.”

“Interesting.”

“Not really.”

“Touchy man, aren’t you.”

“Far from, Commissioner.”

“Alright then, Cypher, you’re dismissed. I’ll update your case file. And I’ve placed the Adrianna Smith and the Jon Doe ahead of the ME queue.”

“There’s a queue for that?”

“There are many murders in Bridge City, Mr Cypher…don’t let lavishness from your penthouse suite fool you.”

I drew my lips into a line and bit my bottom lip. I pushed myself up from my chair and nodded at the fact, that the commissioner knew enough about me…she was just acting along.

“Are we finished?” I asked

“Certainly.”

“Good.”

I made my way to the door but stopped before leaving the room. I turned and faced the commissioner who had a solemn expression painted across her face.

“N9,” I said firmly.

“N9?” she asked, confused by the statement

“My designated rank was N9, not N8”

“I see.” The commissioner said, smiling from ear to ear. “I’ll remember that. Oh, and before you go, just some advice. Don’t trust Sergeant Gonzada.