Free Reality Matrix Effect (9781310151330) by Laura Remson Mitchell Page A

TAKING CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS.
MOST RECENT BURGLARIES HAVE INVOLVED UNLOCKED HOMES OR OFFICES.
MOST OF THE VICTIMS ARE HAVING AS TOUGH A TIME DEALING WITH THE
FEAR AS THEY ARE DEALING WITH THEIR MATERIAL LOSSES.”
    CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IS UP 30 PER CENT OVER THE
SAME TIME LAST YEAR, HERNANDEZ POINTED OUT.
    “MY PARENTS USED TO TELL ME STORIES ABOUT
YEARS BACK WHEN PEOPLE WERE AFRAID TO WALK THE STREETS IN LOS
ANGELES—EVEN WITH A POLICE FORCE FIVE TIMES THE SIZE WE HAVE NOW.
WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN. OUR PEOPLE ARE GETTING
SPECIAL TRAINING, AND WE’RE BRINGING IN MORE AND BETTER WEAPONS. SO
FAR, MOST OF THE INCREASE IN CRIME HAS BEEN NONVIOLENT. BUT IF THAT
CHANGES, THIS DEPARTMENT WILL BE READY.”
    Rayna shook her head sadly from side to
side.
    “‘ The whole world progressively falling
to pieces,’” she said softly.
    “Huh?”
    “‘ The whole world progressively falling
to pieces.’  It’s something Al used to say. Whenever I asked
him what it was like living through some of the most exciting times
in history, that’s what he’d say. ‘Like the whole world was
progressively falling to pieces.’ He said that’s how it all seemed
to him working in the news business.”
    Keith grunted. “Well, if you want me to help
you unseal those adoption records, maybe we should get
started.”
    Rayna looked at him closely, trying to read
his expression.
    “Okay,” she said simply, rising from her
chair.
    “You’re sure you want to do this?” Keith
asked. “I mean, the Kingmans were pretty good parents, weren’t
they?  Why bother to dig up things that somebody went to a lot
of trouble to bury?”
    “The Kingmans were—are—wonderful parents. But
they hid the truth from me....  No, that’s not really the
point. The point is that I don’t know who I am anymore. I’ve always
felt a little unsure of myself—like a homing pigeon with a fuzzy
sense of direction. I never quite understood it or knew what to do
about it. Maybe finding out about my real parents will help.”
    Keith shrugged and seated himself before the
terminal. He typed in a series of codes requesting the latest
rulings governing the opening of adoption records.
    “I guess I can understand how you feel. It’s
tough enough to figure out where you’re going when you already know
where you’ve been.”  He watched the terminal screen carefully
as information began to appear. Periodically, he would tap
instructions to send certain rulings to a special file.
    “Now, my father gave me some very solid
guidelines to follow,” Keith said, his jaw set firmly. “Very solid
guidelines. Told me I should always do my best at everything I
tried. ‘If you can’t do your best,’ he used to say, ‘keep looking
till you find something where you can do your best.’” 
He paused and glanced at Rayna, then returned his attention to the
screen.
    “I got pretty good at a lot of things,” he
said, “but I’ve never quite managed to be ‘the best’ at anything.
Guess that’s why I keep changing careers. I already had three at an
age when most people are just starting to consider a second one.
Always had to give it my best. But my best was never quite good
enough.”
    Keith jabbed sharply at a final key, then
offered Rayna the chair.
    “Here. You take over and punch in the answers
to these questions. Then the computer can check out any special
legal problems that might apply in your specific case.”
    Rayna began keying in answers as Keith walked
away from the terminal, his hands drawn into fists as he paced the
room.
    “Okay, Keith,” Rayna said after a time. “Now
what?”
    “Hmmmmh?  Oh—let’s see,” Keith
responded, moving close behind Rayna and examining the screen
thoughtfully. Reaching around her, he punched in a series of
instructions and carefully studied the data that pranced across the
screen.
    “Uhhh,” he grumbled. “This may take awhile.
Your case involves several different jurisdictions—at least one
each in