She Bleeds for Us: The Galactic Consortium 3

Chapter 48

Daniel Koroma ran after the boy, but he was too quick. His partner and immediate superior, Sergeant Adama Musu was pounding down the street towards him. Daniel knelt, his hands on his thighs and panted.

"Get hi—" Sergeant Musu couldn't even get the words out, his own breathing was too hard. And yet he expected Daniel to be race after the boy?

It was too late, the kid had rounded the corner and was gone.

"Get after him," Sergeant Musu ordered as soon as he had recovered his breath.

"Aww, Sergeant," Daniel whined. "He's just a kid. Let him be." The truth was that Daniel didn't like the thought of turning a kid over to the military.

"A kid who is smuggling consortium tech," Sergeant Musu shot back. "We need him."

Daniel started to protest again but caught the look on Sergeant's face and dropped it. "Yes, sir."

"I'm going to take that pack back to the station and start a file on this. You search. Keep me posted by radio." Sergeant Musu stomped off towards the cruiser.

Start a file meant he'd go back to the station and sit at his desk the rest of the day, Daniel thought sourly, while I do the real work. On foot.

He straightened up and started walking in the direction the kid had left.

"I'll send help when I can," Sergeant Musu called to his retreating back.

Daniel waved in acknowledgement. Help. That was a laugh. Even with the military helping and manning most of the checkpoints and barricades, the city police were still spread thin. The odds that Sergeant Musu could find a free patrol car to come help Daniel was unlikely.

Daniel liked being a police officer. Or he had liked it, before the protests broke out. His father had been a policeman and Daniel had grown up knowing a lot of the men on the force. He liked the idea that his job was to "serve and protect" as the American cop shows all put it. He liked being able to keep the peace and put away the bad guys.

But who were the bad guys? Some poor people wanting a better life? A kid? And who were the good guys now? A corrupt politician who was willing to use the military to keep out these newcomers?

He hated being stuck in the middle of it all.

But he had a kid to find.

What would I do if I were trying to hide? Blend into the crowd.

He looked down an empty street. Not much crowd here. But a few blocks further on, near to the city center there were huge protests going. Daniel headed that direction.