The guys at the office

“Our scientists are venturing inside the creature’s body, and they’re finally down to the central core. And look at this shot our cameraman is providing! Right now, from what I can tell by the morphology of the walls, we should be somewhere in the conduct deferens. Bear in mind that every single specimen we’ve been able to retrieve has shown unique anatomies except for this portion called the central core, which is almost the same in all of them. That’s why our scientists have been able to classify them all as the new species named zkwich, Oh! They’ve made it into the central cavity! Wow! This is the first time we’re exploring a specimen with such an undamaged cavity. This makes me feel like we're inside an empty walnut-shell. What is that? According to my notes…oh? Ok. Understood! And there it is! Attached to the top of the cavity is what we’ve been looking for the Picorium nucleus.”

The image changed to a discussion table.

“My friend works in the semiconductor industry and he cannot stop talking about how Picorium has transformed it. He was so kind to give an early test of what’s coming. What I have right here is the new "Fog screen" from Pi Corp.” A woman said showing a thin metal stick.

“Come on, you have to be kidding. How is that supposed to replace my TV,” A man replied as the woman turned on the screen. “Oh! Wow… Where did you say you got it?”

The scene changed to a great hall, where everyone wore smoking or long gowns.

“And the Prime Innovation Award Dionysus Norrington for his key guidance in the start of the Picorium innovation waterfall. Where he took the opportunity to announce the launch of their new communication device “GoMindfull”

Inspector Baldor frustratedly turned his fog screen off.

“I swear I’m going to fail this general knowledge exam!” Claimed the inspector, stretching and scratching his hairy belly. “Why do we even have to learn this, Hasegawa?”

“No idea boss,” Replied the young man from the other side of the room. “But you said the same last year and you passed.”

“You’re right Hasegawa,” Baldor said. “I shouldn’t distrust my unpairable intellect.”

Inspector Baldor checked his empty work tray. There were no new cases to work on.

"Awesome!" He said, standing up and grabbing his jacket. "Let's go have lunch!"

Inspector Baldor and subinspector Hasegawa went downstairs from the “Central Office of Special Crimes of the Grid” to the “Beetlecrunch” to eat roasted beetles next to the frozen zoo. The owner of the cute food cart always placed it next to a sign that read, “The Sanity Department of the Grid does not recommend the consumption of any kind of edible from outside our feeding installations.

“Oh man!” Exclaimed Baldor with his mouth full. “You outdid yourself today, chef!”

“Today’s beetles are especially crunchy!” Hasegawa enjoyed as the tiny legs of the beetle came out of his mouth.

“Ho ho! Watch your manners, Hasegawa!” Baldor said as beetle’s legs flew from his mouth.

“Inspector Baldor,” Said a voice behind them. “Enjoying your lunch break?”

Baldor hopped startled when he heard his boss's voice and started coughing as he choked on a piece of beetle.

“Inspector, are you alright?!” Hasegawa worriedly asked as he patted Baldor’s back and offered him a water bottle.

Once Baldor had calmed down he said, “Sargeant Trujillo. What brings you here this beautiful day?”

“You have a case,” the tall woman said handing Baldor a yellow folder. “It's from a big fish, so I trust you will solve it quickly.”

Baldor extended his hands to receive the folder and proceeded to smell it. He replied, “I’m already working on it.”

Sergeant Trujillo left as quickly as she arrived.

“Come on Hasegawa!” Baldor urged. “Finish your beetle! We have work to do!”

Hasegawa ran as he caught up with Baldor next to a two-seater hoverpatrol.

“What’s the case about?” Hasegawa excitedly asked, sitting in the passenger’s seat.

“Okay… three, six…nine…west..” Baldor mumbled as he typed the coordinates. After a minute he hit his seat and unwillingly said, “Hasegawa, take care of the coordinates!”

Baldor handed Hasegawa the paper. He quickly typed the victim’s address, clicked on “start route”, and the hoverpatrol started moving.

“I’ve never visited these coordinates before, boss!” Hasegawa said. “Have you been there before?”

“Look kid,” Baldor said. “Do you know who Vernon Kim is?”

Hasegawa shook his head. Baldor sighed and continued, “He’s a big fish and his wife Rita is the one who filed this claim. So I need you to behave. Understood?”

“Yes, sir!” Hasegawa replied.

The hoverpatrol soon left behind the Columbus Station and displaced over the water’s surface with nothing more ahead but the sea. They passed by the Ellipsis stadium and after forty minutes they glimpsed a thirty-foot-tall doughnut-shaped building floating on the calm ocean.

They parked at the designated place where a service robot indicated.

“Welcome the Actionist Kim’s Manor, inspectors. Madame Kim will receive you shortly,” Said the service robot as the inspectors got down the hoverpatrol. “Please follow me.”

As they followed the robot, Hasegawa couldn’t stop looking at every detail of the mansion. From the elegant moldings on the high ceilings to the shiny marble floor, every piece of furniture was harmoniously and tastefully arranged.

The robot took them to the center of the doughnut where a leafy tree shaded the patio.

“You can wait here, Madame Kim is on her way,” The robot said and left the room.

“Do you think it’s real, boss?” Hasegawa asked looking at the tree in awe.

“Please, Hasegawa! How could it be real?” Baldor skeptically complained as his subordinate approached the tree’s trunk. “No! Hasegawa, don’t do it!”

“It’s fine. You can touch it as much as you want,” A female voice said from behind, making them jump. “And believe it or not inspector, it’s a real tree.”

Before them stood a slender woman with flawless glowing skin dressed in a luxurious silk dress and wearing a beautiful ruby ​​necklace.

“Madame Kim, how can we assist you today?” Baldor ceremoniously asked as Hasegawa hugged the tree overwhelmed.

“Well, inspector, it happens that my most beloved belonging have been stolen,” Rita lamented, touching her chest.

Baldor took out from his jacket pocket a pen and notebook and asked, “Could you describe this belonging?”

“It’s a pearl necklace…” She continued to describe it. “It was my mother’s favorite I cannot live without it!”

“When was the last time that…Hasegawa stop hugging the tree!” Baldor called out as Hasegawa joined him with a sad face, making Rita giggle. “Right! When was the last time you saw the necklace?”

“Like a week ago…” Rita said, biting her thumbnail.

“And why did you wait to report it until today?” Baldor questioned raising an eyebrow.

“Why are you talking like that to my wife!” A man shouted as he darted toward the inspectors. He stood between them and his wife arms crossed. “Why are you asking her all those questions?”

“Mr. Kim. I’m Inspector Baldor from the Central Office of Special Crimes of the Grid,” Baldor politely replied. “I’m just trying to do my job.”

“Well if you value your job you better find that necklace A.S.A.P.” Vernon Kim arrogantly said.

“Of course, Sir,” Hasegawa interrupted as he noticed Baldor tense. “We’ll just need access to your recordings. Is that alright?”

An alert appeared in Hasegawa’s GoMindfull, it read, “Access granted: Kim Manor’s recordings.”

“Now, leave,” Vernon ordered pointing to the exit.

“Of course, Sir,” Hasegawa bowed, and they lazily left the room.

Once on their way back to the station, Baldor spoke again, “This case stinks, doesn’t it, Hasegawa?”

“You saw how Rita’s behavior changed as her husband entered the room?” Hasegawa added. “You think it might be a case of domestic violence?”

“Oh! Hasegawa! Of course, he molests her,” Baldor added. “But this case won’t go in that direction unless Rita decides it. What intrigues me is how can someone steal something from that fortress?”

“Well, it seems that there was an unknown access last Saturday,” Hasegawa added.

“What?!” Baldor exclaimed. “Show me the footage.”

Hasegawa passed Baldor the video of a young man entering the manor.

“Impressive,” Baldor said intellectually placing his chin over his thumb. “Great job, Nao-kun. You just found our first lead.”