Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 10

I was just getting ready to leave the Apple Store when someone tapped my shoulder.

"Luna Valencia."

The man's voice was deep and guttural. He said my name with as much authority as my father used to, whenever I got in trouble as a young girl.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Alex Sonne. I'm with the police. We need to talk."

His hair was white and short. He was tall and demanding, and his eyes pierced me with a look that wanted the truth.

"How the hell did you find me here?"

"I've been doing this a long time. Look, we need to talk. It's important. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"

I logged out of the Woods, and he led me to a café across the street.

"Tall bold," said Alex.

"We don't brew bold after eleven," explained the barista. "But we can make you one in a pour over. It will only take a few minutes."

"That's okay, just a house coffee. And whatever she wants."

I ordered a chai latte. We sat down, and Alex told me that Taye was demanding to talk to me.

"So why are you here instead of the police?"

"Just got here first, I suppose. Look, I think the kid has issues, but he's not dangerous. Just desperate."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Only in people with a weak conscience."

"So he's got a strong conscience?"

"He says people are dying, and he's apparently trying to stop it. I mean put yourself in his shoes. Who's going to take some black kid's conspiracy theory seriously these days? You have to give him credit. It took balls to do what he did to get your attention."

I sipped my latte. The kid's story was pretty vague, but it made sense. If it was true.

"You believe him?"

"I don't know what to think just yet. But I don't believe we'll get to the bottom of this until you hear him out."

"What else do you know about him?"

"Not much. The police probably have a full dossier on him by now, but I'm not the police. I'm just Alex."

"I thought you said you were the police?"

"I said I was with them, not one of them."

"And if you bring me in, you'll get brownie points?"

Alex shrugged and said, "I've got my reasons. Let's leave it at that."

I decided not to push it—yet. He was clearly hiding something, but he didn't seem dangerous. He didn't ask me about the Woods or Gaia, so I assumed Taye hadn't told him. I wasn't going to tell him yet, either. No matter what he demanded from me. As far as I was concerned, at this point, nobody needed to know about Gaia but me. Not until all the consequences could be thought through.

"So will you come with me?"

Every muscle in my body wanted to run right then and there to the police station, where they were keeping Taye. I needed to know more about Gaia. About what Gaia was capable of.

"Sure."

When we arrived, the police station was in chaos. Cops were interviewing witnesses and taking statements—and there were a lot of witnesses.

Alex seemed to know where he was going. He pulled me into a crowded area where I rubbed against many of the same suits I'd been standing above earlier.

It was the first time I'd been in a real police station. I was expecting to see something like the set of Law & Order, dark and dirty and brooding. But it looked more like The Office. Bright fluorescent lights made the space far less dramatic.

We arrived at a small desk in the back corner near a water jug. A bald guy was filling out paperwork.

"Captain, this is Luna Valencia."

The guy turned around and looked me up and down.

"Pleased to meet you." But before I could say anything he said to Alex, "Why'd you bring her here?"

"What do you mean why'd I bring her here? She's the only person the kid wants to talk to. She's here to talk to him."

"Too late for that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're too late. The kid's been stitched up and shipped off. He wouldn't talk anymore after you left, so we decided a night in the pen would loosen his lips."

"Jesus Christ, Captain, you guys really have a way, you know. Where'd you send him? Tryon?"

"Yep," he laughed.

"He'll be lucky to last the night."

"He'll be fine. It'll be late by the time he gets there. He'll be sent straight to his cell."

"Yeah, and what about in the morning? This kid isn't made for that. He's soft."

"He'll be fine."

"For all our sakes, he'd better be."