Free Daemon by Daniel Suarez Page B

and the deputies soon found themselvesbeing hustled out of their own training room. The door closed behind them, and the five men stood in the hallway.
    Sebeck gestured to his rejected report. ‘Hell of a morning.’
    Eichhorn pointed. ‘I want to see that revised report before you hand it to Decker.’ He turned to the others. ‘Burkow, Larson, come with me. We’ve got to scare up some manpower.’ They moved off toward the division offices.
    Mantz slapped Sebeck on the back. ‘Don’t let him get to you, Pete. I’ll hook up with you after the permit office.’ Mantz headed down the hall.
    Sebeck watched him go. Just then, two FBI agents emerged from a nearby interrogation room. They had one of the suspects from Alcyone Insurance in tow – an exhausted-looking Jon Ross. Ross’s laptop bag was slung over his shoulder, and he was folding up his flip phone. One of the agents turned to shake his hand. ‘Mr Ross, thanks for your cooperation. We know this has been disruptive to your business.’
    Ross slipped the phone into his pocket. ‘
Disruptive?
I just got a voice mail from Alcyone’s lawyers. They’re threatening a lawsuit, and they canceled my contract. I have messages from two other clients who are putting my projects on hold, no doubt because of you guys.’
    ‘Be sure to let us know where to get in touch with you if you leave town.’ The agent handed Ross a business card. ‘And don’t leave the country.’
    Ross stared at the card. ‘Don’t leave the
country
? I have a project in Toronto next month.’ He studied the unsympathetic expressions on the agents’ faces, then pocketed the card. ‘Any chance of getting a ride back to Woodland Hills?’
    ‘Check with the sheriff’s. But it might be quicker to call a cab. Thanks again.’ Both agents made a beeline for the training room door. They knocked twice and ducked inside, leaving Ross staring after them in the busy corridor.
    Sebeck called across the hallway, ‘I see the Feds haven’t lost their light touch.’
    Ross regarded Sebeck warily.
    Sebeck approached and extended his hand. ‘Detective Sebeck.’
    ‘I know who you are, Sergeant. You were at Alcyone last night.’
    ‘You need a ride someplace?’
    ‘I can call a cab.’
    ‘C’mon, it’s the least I can do. It looks like you’ve gotten the short end of the stick in this whole thing. I’m heading out, anyway.’
    Ross hesitated, then nodded. ‘Thanks.’
    Sebeck and Ross drove in silence for a few minutes. Ross was absorbed by a smart phone in his hand. He brushed his finger through several screens, reading intently. Eventually he looked up. ‘Interesting.’
    Sebeck glanced at him. ‘What’s that?’
    ‘I finally got a chance to read the news. It’s nice to know what I was almost accused of.’
    Sebeck said nothing.
    ‘Your murder case is all over the headlines. Look, there’s you.’ Ross held up the phone to show a news Web site with a photo of Sebeck at the press conference.
    Sebeck barely looked. ‘Well, it’s not my case anymore.’ They drove on for a few moments in silence. ‘So, you’re some kind of computer consultant, is that it?’
    ‘Yes. I design relational database management systems.’
    ‘How does a young guy like you get such big clients?’
    ‘Word of mouth. I’m good at what I do. You look young to be a sergeant of detectives.’
    Sebeck grimaced. ‘I got an early start.’ They came up on the entrance ramp to the 101 freeway, but Sebeck headed across the bridge to the far side of town.
    ‘Sergeant, you just missed the freeway ramp.’
    ‘I need to stop off somewhere first. Listen, can I ask you some computer questions?’
    Ross looked uncertain. ‘What about?’
    ‘That virus at Alcyone. Everybody there was looking to you for help. So, you know a lot about viruses?’
    ‘I already told all this to the FBI. I’ve been cleared, remember?’
    Sebeck waved his hand in acknowledgment. ‘I know, I know. But our in-house guy doesn’t have the