Chapter 2 - SIA (Satchmo Intelligence Agency)
Warning: Strong language!!
3 Month’s earlier :
“What do you mean the evidence isn’t concrete!?! There are dead bodies piling up everywhere!!”
“Mr Bright, please don’t raise your voice at me.” Cameron was speaking to the Chief Inspector at the SIA.
“I’m sorry Chief Barnes but I don’t understand how you can’t see the links. I know the causes of death aren’t the same and there is no physical evidence that ties them to any individual..” Chief Barnes interrupted “Stop right there Mr Bright! I don’t like the direction this conversation is heading towards. Do you know how many dead bodies our Law Enforcement Agencies have to deal with on a daily basis?”
“But..” Chief Barnes intervened again “No but’s Mr Bright. We quite simply don’t have the manpower or the support from other authorities to deal with so called claims of serial killings. This city has 1.8 million residents. That equates to a density of over 40 thousand people per square kilometre of whom 50% are unemployed, 30% are living just above the breadline, 15% are drug addicts, 4% are made up of people like you and I and the 1%, well, those are the elites, the untouchables" Chief Barnes put his hand up to stop Cameron from intervening. "The current murder rate is at 120 to every 100 000 people per month and your claims aren’t changing that figure. That is not even talking about all the other crimes we need to deal with!!” The Chief was now becoming impatient.
“I don’t understand?” Cameron stated. “Mr Bright, you have only been in this city for 6 months. There is a lot you don’t understand yet. This place is the gateway to hell and there is no one that wants to help. No one is allowed to leave either… I’m sure you have seen the cues at The Bridge Border going out. This city is doomed and there is nothing anyone can do about it, including you.”
Cameron realised he wasn’t going to get anywhere with the Chief. After a few more brief exchanges Cameron left the building with more questions than ever before “What does he mean no one leaves? Who are the untouchables? Why doesn’t anyone want to help?” he felt helpless “How did his hometown go from a thriving community to this shithole he sees before him” he thought. Cameron came back here to help but now he felt his instinct had betrayed him. He just wanted to get out and go back to dealing with the “Jones’s”. “Fuck this shithole” he said while walking down the steps. His mind was angry and his heart aching. Cameron was confused. “This is not my hometown anymore” he thought but he knew he was lying to himself.
