AfterNet 01 - Good Cop Dead Cop

ass.”
    “It just seemed to me that your skills are being wasted, Alex. Frankly, I think the department just thinks of you as a piece of equipment.”
    “Ouch, that hit home,” she thought to herself. “You’re not kidding,” Munroe replied, and she realized that she’d let her thoughts leak into the field.
    “Are you trying to steal my officers, Bill?” asked the police chief, who appeared from behind and clapped his arms around her shoulders. “I wondered how long it would be before you started chumming the waters. Great party by the way.” The chief was putting his body between her and Rybold, Munroe noted.
    “Thank you, Harry. And yes, I’m always on the lookout for people. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other guests I should meet.” He nodded to her. “Officers,” he said, with a nod.
    After Rybold left, the chief asked, “What’s he been asking you?”
    “Uh, sorry sir, he was, well mostly he was interested in how Munroe and I talk. You know, how I use the field.”
    “That’s it?”
    “Well, other than that last remark, which I guess you heard.”
    “OK, well, stay away from him.”
    “Did he pay for this reception?”
    “What? Well, yes. Anyway, he gave the money to the CSO and that money went directly into this party. Look, I got more people to meet and greet. You two enjoy yourselves.” The chief nodded brusquely and left.
    “So, what the hell was all that about?” asked Munroe.
    “Wheels within wheels, Alex. It is not for us the little people to question,” she said quietly. “Hey, I want to get more food.”
    “You go ahead, I’m going to find a terminal hotspot. I’m kind of curious.”
    “OK, I’m going to sit after I get the food. These heels are getting painful.”
    She left and Munroe moved around the crowd and found three hotspots. He found a locally hosted chat room and discovered that there were about 50 disembodied people attending the party. Actually, there were probably many more, but only about 50 invited guests were able to login.
    He found a conversation in progress.
brian.sullivan: got lousy advice from my broker
poodletoy: you still think this is a bubble
jollycopper has entered the room
paulieg: well, isnit?
sweetMary: I think someone new has joined us
jollycopper: Hello, didn’t know there was a chat going on here.
brian.sullivan: what else we going to do for fun?
poodletoy: Youre the cop, right?
jollycopper: Yes, Alex Munroe. How did you know?
poodletoy: Rybold’s been talking about you.
jollycopper: Really, when?
ribaldhumor: Just now, actually. Nice to speak to you directly, Alex.
jollycopper: Mr. Rybold? Oh, yes, there you are in the list.
ribaldhumor: Please, if I can call you Alex, call me Bill. I’m sorry if I got you in trouble with the chief.
jollycopper: Hey, I think my stock went up with the chief.
sweetMary: Bill dear trying to cause trouble? Headhunting again?
ribaldhumor: That’s how I got to know some of you. By the way, I feel I’ve been neglecting you.
    Munroe had located Rybold’s avatar in the crowd, who seemed to be holding a spirited conversation with the conductor. He wondered if the avatar was cruising on autopilot or if Rybold was holding two conversations at once.
paulieg: thats right neglecting ur dead friends. how rude ;)
ribaldhumor: And I’m afraid I’ll be neglecting you again. Even for me it’s hard to hold five conversations at once. Alex, if you don’t mind, once tonight is over, I’ll send you an email. There are some things I’d like to discuss.
jollycopper: OK, I’ll look for it.
ribaldhumor has left the room
sweetMary: so, lets get to know you better alex.
    Yamaguchi ate with all the enthusiasm a healthy, hungry woman with the metabolism of a hummingbird can muster. She knew she’d never have to pay the price of overeating. Her mother remained thin all her life, and her father was still rail thin. She figured she had years to go before she had to worry about her weight. And for once she was eating without Munroe around who loved to remind her of the dangers of cholesterol, fat and colon cancer.
    As she licked her fingers of the tiramisu fragments she became aware that someone else was sitting down at her table.
    “I’ve never seen anyone eat like that, except me,” said a rich, low voice. She saw a handsome, solidly built black man looking at her as she was removing her thumb from her mouth.
    “Hmm?”
    “I said I’ve never seen anyone else eat like that,” he said again.
    “Sorry,” she