Chapter Seventeen   - Mall Cops“The last federal police force collapsed some weeks before the government proper did.

In its place various states, new state-nation-alliances, and city-states hired private companies to take care of law enforcement.

These came at a variety of rates, levels of professionalism, and levels of corruption.“Some argue that they’re still a better alternative.

Others disagree and wish a return to government-controlled law enforcement.

But with so much of the budgets of most new North American nations going into reconstruction and rearming efforts, that is unlikely to ever happen.”--The Rise of the Mall Cop, published late 2037***I didn’t know what to do with myself, which was, unfortunately, something of a common occurrence.What wasn’t so common was having so many things to do and also not knowing which one to focus on.

I had to find out what all these people were planning on doing, then I had to check on the kids upstairs and escort them down, then...

then we’d see.There had to be two, maybe three hundred people in the parking garage.

Most of them clumped up in little groups next to pillars and parked cars.

Office drones, mostly, with some kids mixed in, and a few androids that seemed at a loss for what to do.

I even saw Bitchbot spinning in circles off near the far end.

It was a wonder that anyone had bothered to keep that bot active for so long.One group off to the side looked important, a guy in a security officer’s uniform, knee pads and vest and all, was talking to a few others who looked like office drones and teachers.

He was barking orders, the growl of his voice audible all the way over where I was.I started walking over but was intercepted by what looked like two of the three stooges.

Sue me, the orphanage only played movies and shows that were copyright free.“Hey miss,” the fat one of the pair said.

“That’s a fine gun, but I’m afraid you’ll need to hand it over.”I eyed him up and down, from his self-assured little shit-eating grin to the frumpled jumpsuit with a logo over his shoulders.

M’all Cops, Only The Nicest.

He had a gun strapped to his hip, a fancy thing with a light, what looked like a laser pointer and a tiny scope atop it, all done up in matte black.

It matched his little tacticool bulletproof vest.His partner, taller and skinner, had the same getup, but his vest failed to cover a good chunk of his abdomen.“I don’t think so,” I said.“It’s for your, and everyone else’s, safety,” he said.

His grin turned ugly.

“Wouldn’t want us to confiscate it.”“Look, dipshit,” I whispered.

I made sure not to reach for my gun, I wasn’t bulletproof...

yet.

“I need to talk to your boss over there, coordinate shit, then I’m off.”“You can be off after you’ve given us that gun, and after we’ve frisked you.

Don’t make our lives harder than they are.”I licked my lips and cursed the little guy in the back of my head.

“Myalis, is there a way to announce who I am?” I asked.“My name’s not Maya, kid,” the man said.Of course.

Do you wish for me to ping the local servers and announce your presence? This cannot be undone I’m afraid, but it might help.

Most human interest groups understand the value of assisting a Vanguard in a time of need.“Go ahead,” I said.The man ahead of me tilted his head and looked towards my ears.

“You talking to some el--”Everyone in the room paused, discussions cut out for a moment.

I saw old school phones vibrating and eyes going glassy as people looked at screens I couldn’t see.Then every eye in the room turned my way.The stooges in front of me took a couple of steps back, both of them going rather pale.“Myalis, what did you send them?” I hissed.Your current profile and disposition.“Can I see it?” I asked.

The looks were unnerving.

SYSTEM-WIDE WARNING

Vanguard Cat is here to save the day!