City of Human Remains – Chapter 57

Cameras on 39 – 2 Corridor, North (2CN)

Running.  Past the corner wall.  Running.  The boy’s removed his coat, slung it over his back, and exposed his red-spotted shirt and torn trousers.  For a moment, he is not visible to any of the 10 cameras tracking him, except as a blurry dot.  Far off in other systems of the Doll Building, the boy’s weight, height, body temperature, skin color, hair color, eye color, density, speed, structural composition, dental history, and any evident abnormalities are being calculated, called-up, and analyzed.

He’s fast.

He’s covered most of the 39th floor in barely 30 seconds.

His heart rate is rising, but to an acceptable level.  He’s not panicked.  He’s focused.  But he clearly doesn’t know his destination.

He avoided the elevators.  He passed two sets of stairs.  He found a bank of windows and looked out.  But he makes no sound, does not shout for help.  Aside from his steps on the corridor’s carpet, he makes very little sound.  The sensors placed at upper and lower grids barely read 2.6 on a scale of 10.

Another sound, though, makes the needles jump.

ID Print: Sidney Mizuro.

His body is a match, quickly run through the automated system of the building’s security profiles.  The address system in his office has been re-activated.

COME BACK!

The voice of Sidney Mizuro peaks the meter.

YOU CAN’T GO ANYWHERE, KIDDO.

The cameras have lost the boy.  Last location near the west stairs, but sensors show the door as locked.

The dumbwaiter lights.

One green blip.