City Nights
By isa0005
Richter gazed at the neon geometrics of the Melbourne CBD, rain cascading down his office window. It was another cold and quiet night in the Swanston Street’s Police Department. In the distance he spied the great iron ziggurat of the Flinders Street Skyrail-hub, shrouded in smog and city lights. He sat at his desk finishing up some overdue paperwork, for the moment however he mused over the reflection of old service medals that hung behind him. Eyeing the holographic grin of the Police Commissioner as he pinned a star of valour on the chest of his younger self, he sighed.
“Those were the good old days” he mumbled, taking a drag from his dying cigarette, the arthritis in his hands and back creeping over the mountain of pencil-pushing that lay before him. Filling his empty glass with the last of his Suntory-Hukushu single malt Japanese whiskey he looked at bottle “2030, now that was a good year”. He took a sip and sat back in his ergonomic, posture corrective chair, the report could wait a few minutes more. And as though on cue, the next thing Richter knew the Super was barking orders down the hall and the hopes of an easy night were yanked away in an instant.
“We’ve got a situation people, to the briefing room ASAP!”. Richter snapped out of his reverie, a squad of special weapons and tactics jogging by his office door.
“What’s going on?” Richter called after them.
“It’s Rideshare Radical ” one answered.
“Damn! Again?” The detective cursed grabbing coat, gun, badge and a half empty flask from his desk.
The windowless box that was the forty by forty briefing room was usually an open space. Now? It was more cramped than a pack of protein bars, the whole precinct cramming in one by one. He knew every face, Chief Inspectors Gibson and Cadigan were the first to break through the familiar crowd of street cops and SWATs. Detective Inspectors Rucker, Sterling and Maddox followed soon after, each as alarmed and disheveled as he was.
Richter had served with most of them for the better part of twenty-five years. He and Gibson went way back to his academy days. The only face Richter didn’t know was the lady up front. She stood next to the giant that was Superintendent McGuiness, wearing AFP blues and a beefy looking sidearm. Short and businesslike, her demeanour and evident talent for command filled the room. She was in charge and she knew it, she was badass and she knew it.
When all had settled in, the woman stepped forward as McGuinness cleared his throat
“Good evening ladies and gents, this here is, Commander Charlotte Krieger with the Australian Federal Police...”
“Thank you Superintendent” Krieger interrupted “at approximately eighteen hundred hours Constable Jonathan Hogue,” she gestured towards a beat cop up the back “answered a call concerning an explosion on the corner of Bourke and William Street. Upon arriving at the scene, he was met with the burning wreck of a Satsuma XII. According to forensics, the car belonged to a one Jonathan Jacoby, assistant director of the Melbourne based WeelCo, the well-known ridesharing service. Jacoby has yet to be located, however a body has been discovered within the burning vehicle”
“Well you’ve come to the right place lady! We’re the foremost authority on the Rideshare Radical ” Said Maddox, McGuinness stepped in.
“Keep it down people, our friends at the AFP have been so gracious as to lend us their support in our investigation”. The Superintendent was less than enthusiastic “the Rideshare Radical has been on our radar for the last few months. So far he’s only targeted drivers from WeelCo, but since this most recent incident, things have become a little more complicated. Hopefully with Krieger and her team of investigators we can get this psycho once and for all.”
“Damn straight!” Rucker smirked
“Indeed” Krieger looked unimpressed as she switched on the projector. The usual dull chatter and whispers in the room ended with a precise abruptness. Sterling looking like he’d taken a medicine ball to the gut.
“Jeez” Cadigan blurted, breaking the silence has he vaped in the corner “I’ve seen this ten times and it still makes me sick”
The blast radius of the explosion was clear, the buildings that surrounded the car blackened and burning, windows shattered. The calling card of the infamous ‘Rideshare Radical’ was emblazoned nearby on a clean wall. Black and white checkers were spray painted upon yellow brick. The word ‘TAXI?!’ in crimson smeared across the top, the paint falling like running blood.
“Ballistics has managed to isolate the device used in the destruction of the vehicle and are working on getting the maker of the bomb. Until then, it seems we’re going to have to rely on good ol’fashioned police work...” Krieger said, crossing her arms.
“Forgive me Officer Krieger, but we’ve been doing that for the last six months and we still haven’t managed to tagged this sicko” Gibson interrupted “We already know the perps MO, he or she has a thing against WeelCo, tell us something we don’t know”
“Very well, I’ll cut to the chase. We have reason to believe that the killer is associated with the ongoing Victorian Taxi Association class actions of the past eight months. According to our insider sources, there have been talks among the cabbies of taking direct action against WeelCo and we suspect that this may be the result”
Richter broke his silence: “So it’s a bunch of crazy taxi drivers? That’s a new one. So what’s the plan? Are we gonna contact that Public Prosecution, file an investigation?”
McGuinness drew a deep breath and replied “Not quite, with the federal court case on corruption within the VTA Board next week, we’ve decided to put any major moves on the back burner. For now, all our efforts are going into finding the bomber, and securing the city...” He outlined the various assignments with Richter heading the investigation of the local taxi services.
“Its getting late, so we’ll pick this up in the morning. Go home, get some sleep and we’ll see you all bright and early” McGuinness finished
“We’re going to catch this bastard” Said Krieger
“Oh and before I forget” McGuinness spoke over the rustle of chairs and chatter “for now we’re increasing our presence at all major public places, I’ve posted up the new rosters for patrols. I want everyone out there, and that includes special response teams. The Commissioner is concerned that with the Commonwealth Games just round the corner that we may see an increase in criminal activity, so everyone is scheduled for a good bit of overtime in the coming months. That will be all.”
There was a resounding sigh of irritation.
Seems this week is going off with a bang Richter though
***
The air was icy, the sounds of traffic carried on the breeze as Richter began the long walk home. Looking up he saw as neon bleeding into evening sky, the iron and concrete of high rise buildings and the great Skyrail network, blending with Melbourne’s Victorian era facades. Lighting a cigarette, he looked down at his tablet as the day’s news flitting by as he scrolled.
“The Rideshare Radical struck again this evening, targeting the personal vehicle of WeelCo’s own Jackson Jacoby” said the News 24 presenter “The corporation is yet to release any public statements, however the Premier’s office has stated that the Victorian Police in conjunction with a special federal task force have launched a joint operation. The Victorian representative of the VTA, Moonlight Singh, is yet to comment on the matter. She has previously stated that the organisation has no ties to the explosive assaults. She continues to maintain that any allegations of corruption within the association are not true and are part of corporate smear campaign headed by WeelCo.”
“Hey mate, you wanna ride?” Came a voice from the street “My shift’s almost up, but I’ll give you half fair if you like?” Richter caught the yellow paint of a Melbourne taxi in his peripheral vision as rain began to pelt the old Swanston street tram tracks “I’ll even let you smoke that inside if you want, guys gotta make a buck some how, y’know?”
“Sure” was Richter’s answer.
“Where you heading?”
“210, the Avenue, Parkville”
“That’s off Royal Parade yeah? Near the corner of Sydney and Brunswick road?”
“Yeah” Richter stepped into the taxi.
An empty bottle of Suntory-Hukushu lay on the dashboard, Richter took a seat on the old worn leather. Next to it sat one of those little bobble heads and a stick-on Eureka flag.
“So, how’s your day been?” Asked the driver, engaging the accelerator
“Slow” Was Richter’s answer “You drink Suntory-Hukushu?”
“Yeah, best stuff around I say, not that I’ve ever had the money for anything European or American mind you, but the Japs really do know how to make true-blue smooth liqueur.” He was the stereotypical Aussie bloke. Grubby, probably drunk and no doubt a bit of a racist to boot.
“Couldn’t agree more”
“So what is you said you did?”
“I didn’t, but if you must know. I’m a public servant”
“What kind of public service do you perform?”
“Public safety and security” Telling a stranger you’re a cop when you’re off duty was never a good idea.
“Cool, I can respect that. Me? I’m just your average cabbie, not that there are too many of us around these days though, we’re a dying breed.”
“Kudo’s to you pal”
“Thanks. I tell you what though, those bloody Rideshare drivers…”
“Not a fan I take it?” Richter interrupted
“Well how would you feel if some unqualified idiot took your job. I mean it’s bad enough that those bloody foreigners are taking our jobs! So I have to do a second job to pay for my kids education. Y’know? God, what I would give to be living in the 20s, ol’Prime Minister Abbott and Turnbull really had something going”
They drove up Elizabeth street, turning up Burke all the while, exchanging awkward small talk and dead silences. Richter smoked cigarette after cigarette, looking down at his tablet, blankly. As they past the beginnings of Princes Park, Richter broke the silence out of boredom.
“So, what kinda work do you do outside cabbing?”
“A little of this, a little of that. But mostly contract demolitions and wrecking, it pays well.”
“So, blowing up buildings?”
“Nah, smaller scale than that.” The cabby smirked “So, that Rideshare Radical hey?”
“What about him?”
“Well, it’s not everyday you get a terrorist attack in the suburban Melbourne, what do you reckon their deal is?”
“He’s a sicko with a thing for WeelCo, nothing else to it”
“Oh c’mon there has to be more to it then that. Sounds to me like he’s doing us a service. Those damn corporations, any bets they’re run by bloody foreigners”
“Well, everything else is these days”
“Yeah, damn right” The cabby hissed, his face darkening, expression severe, eyes alight with something dangerous, something not quite right. “If you ask me he’s doing this city a favour. What do the foreign corporations know about us, huh? We work our asses off so they can sit up there in bloody penthouses, looking down on us like we’re ants. And what do we get out of it? Retirement at seventy, a lifetime of debt, a national economy that’s spiraling out of control! That Rideshare Radical, he’s a real Robin Hood kind of fella, don’t you think?”
“Um-m-m-m” Richter wasn’t sure what to say, the guy was clearly unhinged.
“Anyway, this is your place right? I’ll do you a favour, you seem like a nice guy so we’ll make it $15 okay?” The metre read $30, even with the half-fare
“Sure” Richter handed over the cash and left the cab
“Have a good night Detective Richter” The cabbie called, his unhinged laughter echoing up the street as he sped off like a demon fresh from the gates of hell. Richter drew his gun but it was too late.
How did he know my name? How did he know what I do?! Richter was reeling That was him! His phone began to rang
“Gibson, I need you to run some plates, foxtrot, uniform, november…”
“Richter, slow down!”
“We don’t have time, he’s getting away…”
“Look, it can wait! There’s been another bombing, Fed-square, twenty people… they’re all gone. The Super wants all hands on deck, looks like tonight aint going to be so quiet after all...”
“Shite!” and the wind howled