Division Zero by Matthew S. Cox

Author:Matthew S. Cox [Cox, Matthew S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Police Procedurals, Supernatural, Psychics, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Cyberpunk, Dystopian
ISBN: 9781620074787
Amazon: B00ITWTRZ0
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Published: 2014-03-05T06:00:00+00:00

irsten nudged the patrol craft into the parking deck below the police building, cringing as it bottomed out where the incline leveled off. No matter how many times she came in, it always scraped. Samir called it harmless, but it sounded bad. The young man grinned from the booth, amused by the face she made every time the car scratched into the garage. The voices of a pair of Division 2 techs by the entry drifted over the sound of her closing door.

“It’s a pain in the ass to have to walk all the way down here.”

The other one shrugged. “It’s for security. They can’t let the delivery bots just fly in. What if we get a bomb disguised as pizza?”

“You’d probably eat it.”

The heavier man swatted the hat off the first.

Kirsten’s growling stomach reminded her of the horrible mess that impersonated food at the mall, and she walked up the exit ramp typing on her NetMini. Her presence sucked the volume from their conversation and they edged away. She glanced over the screen at them, sensing their stares.

“What?”

They looked at each other. “Nothing.”

The one on the left took a step back and looked out to the street.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” She gave them a wounded glance. “You think I’m going to eat your soul or something because I’m from Zero?”

The thin one flashed a nervous smile. “Naah. You’ll do it coz you’re a woman.”

“Whatever.” Isolation became indignation, and she moved to the opposite side of the three-lane doorway.

A delivery bot brought their food a moment later after which they left as fast as they could without too obvious a hint they fled in fear.

“You can’t blame them.” Dorian had walked up behind her while she pouted at the traffic. “Throughout mankind’s history, the first reaction to things beyond understanding was fear. At least they’re not testing to see if you float.”

Kirsten studied her boots. “Sometimes I think dunking would be less painful.”

“Oh, come on with the melodrama. You’re not like that.”

“Yeah, I know, but…” She paused, rubbing her arms.

Dorian nodded. “Your mother again? Is everyone who shies away from you just a lesser shade of her?”

Her head snapped around to look at him. “That’s not fair.”

“She couldn’t understand your special gift, and the only frame of reference she had was her belief system.”

Kirsten fell into a lean upon the wall. “Yeah. Too bad for me the church burns everything it can’t explain.”

Dorian sighed. “Someday you may be forced to admit your mother was just crazy and there is nothing wrong with you.”

“I feel like we’ve had this conversation before.”

A boxy droid the size of a shoebox flew up to them, sniffing like a dog at her belt by her NetMini. Satisfied, it opened a hatch on the front revealing her turkey wrap.

Dorian walked alongside her to the elevator with a concerned look. “We have it at least once a month.”

Samir held the door for her and grinned as she shared the elevator. He improved her grey mood and she managed a smile back at him.

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