MVUTO

chapter 104 - briefing briefs

Dumping an evidence box on the floor next to his desk, the Auditor sighed.

"This precinct is remarkably quiet like it's 100 miles from the city centre, not a mere 10!" the Auditor begrudgingly ceded, "that's all well and good. However, in the video files, I noticed that the dashcams in your PV's lose visual only on weekends. Perhaps... they are faulty? I checked the specs for those devices and read that visual cannot be altered in-situ. When I enlarge the footage, the black screen lightens, and movement becomes slightly detectable. I would normally recommend replacing them, but I suspect the same problem will repeat itself the following weekend. I will have to consult our tech crew to see if there is the possibility there may be outside forces at work interfering with our equipment. Which is what I would have done if not for your boys discussing how dark their vehicle's interior was during times of blackout in visual recording! Even in my own car, the dashlights are automatically on even just for cloudy days, like in the new PV's! If dashlights are on and streetlights are on, how is it possible the interior of their vehicle is pitch black?! Captain... please explain!"

"ah... hahah... ! Well, I did requisition a replacement dashcam, and just as you said the following weekend, the problem repeated itself..."

During the pregnant pause that ensued, both men wondered if the other was actually joking.

"hmm... I have also noticed when your night crew step out of their vehicle and turn on their bodycam, they are wearing PPE. What's that all about?"

"Uhm... there were a few incidents of a nasty bug going around, so we're all carrying PPE just in case..."

"worse than the flu?"

"ohhh yes... much worse!"

"Why haven't I heard of it? There was no public notification!"

"it seems to be contained efficiently by the local hospital and medical personnel, and none here at this station were infected even though we were in close proximity of the victims, probably because of the PPE..."

"so you must have been warned...?"

"ah yeah... a caller warned dispatch..."

"was that person infected?"

"no".

"you sound certain..."

"the hospital staff would have pointed the person out in ICU, and there were no others quarantined, besides those brought in by ambulance from the site of the incident."

"hmm ... well, apart from what I just mentioned, this precinct really is very quiet."

Chief sighed, 'finally, someone from HQ believes me...'

the Auditor carried on regardless. Referencing recent events, "officer Singh today encountered the couple from the recent incident at the electronics store. Signing witness statements here in this very precinct, even though the altercation occurred in the city. Do they live in this part of town?"

"yes, apparently".

"well, I would like officer Singh to follow the processing of that report."

"Okay, fine, but they're not a couple ... the lad is her paid bodyguard."

"bodyguard? But you need extensive training before officially working as a bodyguard!"

"he doesn't carry. He's just supposed to be protecting her from sexual harassment posing as her boyfriend... they're both in their teens."

"... but not her actual boyfriend?" just to be clear.

Chief shook his head.

"you seem as if you know them?" the Auditor raised an eyebrow.