A Perfect Crime (TWS)

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Name: Nick "Buzzard" Edict
Council-Authorized Codename: Tectonic Smiles
Age: 37 approved years, 31-a Post-Education
Council-Approved Gender: Male, Non-Reproductive, Pending Reauthorization
Species: Augmented Human - Subordinate
Authorization Number:
-Personal: 02-374-69511-v
-Occupational: LAW-220-H4-RED-17
-Legal: TIS-551-Z9-29Q-00
-Ethical: Y-31-L-146
Confirmed Genetic Abilities: Vocal Output - Above Average, Explosive Vocalisation, Lie-Sight
Genetic Abilities Pending Confirmation: Spontaneous Combustion, Emotional Supplement Resistance
Authorized Special Equipment: Laser Chainsaw, Gravity Cuffs, The Gun®
Citizen Privilege Class: Intermediate Gamma Human 6 (Intersectional)
Other: Screw this stupid form. Just let us in already, Pete.

Name: Gerelle Law
Council-Authorized Codename: Books
Age: 21 approved years, 4 years pending review, 2-c Post-Education
Council-Approved Gender: Special Dispensation: Mysterious and Indistinct [Undergoing Appeal]
Species: [REDACTED], to be treated as Cepalawpod until such time as Council chooses to declassify.
Authorization Number:
-Personal: 04-925-25662-j
-Occupational: LAW-220-H4-XXX-XX
-Remedial: 256-49-B17-0000
-Aspirational: N-00-D-13
Confirmed Genetic Abilities: Photographic memory, sedative tolerance
Genetic Abilities Pending Confirmation: Projective empathy, Affinity: Contractual Negotiation, Resistance to Social Anxiety Correction
Authorized Special Equipment: The Juridical Charter of the Council [Condensed Edition, 100kg], Restraining bandages, Bio-tuned ID
Citizen Privilege Class: Advanced Zeta Unperson (Systemic)
Other: 'Under *Section IV Subsection I2 Antesection U!3 §BB Vivisection [Human]* of Volume II, Third Tome, Chapter 32A of The Juridical Charter all Council-Appointed Residential Managers are obligated to Cooperate with duly empowered deputies to investigate any suspicion of Unauthorized Behavior within the premises they have been assigned to. Please Cooperate, and Have A Nice Day.'
Underneath is a drawing of a bunny rabbit. It is smiling.

After finally getting that stupid mess out of the way, I handed the forms to Pete. He didn't bother looking at them, of course; he just let us in, or more accurately he let me in and the kid got to tag along.

The victim's apartment looked like a mess, and that was before accounting for the dead body in the middle of it. There were unauthorized news clippings everywhere. I was just about to ask Pete how exactly this guy hadn't been caught doing his dirty work during regular inspections when the kid piped up.

"He must have had a cache to keep all this in. It's how I hid things from inspectors before I was gloriously re-educated. I should make a note of this!"

"What are you talking about? Didn't your authorization papers say you have a photographic memory?"

"Yes, but I can't transfer my memories directly to the main offices, which Ordinance 372-Dc48 clearly says must be done with all observations..."

Ugh. I could tell this was going to be a pain. Still, there was a case to solve, and it was my job to solve it.

"Well then, kid, take a note of this. I have a theory on the cause of this man's death. He's been identified as a dissident, which is clearly illegal. In his misguided frustration with the Council, he decided to take his own life, which would obviously be presented by his co-conspirators as an unjust act of retaliation by the Council. I see this kind of thing all the time."

"That is certainly a highly plausible theory, Detective Edict, but I have to append some qualifications to it, in order to comply with..."

"Yeah, yeah, look, it's a pretty simple case. We'll just take a quick look and I'm sure we'll find plenty of evidence for it."

"While I do not doubt your valuable experience, as Directive 348-Q requires of me, it is currently unclear to me how this highly plausible theory of yours can account for the fact that the victim has thirteen apparent bullet wounds and there is no indication of any firearm within reach."

Ugh. The kid had a point. While I was obviously correct and the Council would quickly agree with my conclusions when I presented the case, there were some details that I'd have to hammer out. Namely, what had happened to the more-than-likely unauthorized gun that this twisted rebel had clearly shot himself with thirteen times to be sure he got the job done.

So how was I going to go about finding it?