QR Code Murders: Weigh Heavily

“But he doesn’t have the tattoo,” Kim observed.

“He was a rapper but he was fresh. Fifteen. Couldn’t even use a fake ID as our guy Tall K has a sensor that processes actual identification,” responded Sergeant Anise Hilbrook.

“How many shell casings?” Kim asked.

“We counted fifteen. Whoever is doing this is not poor. These rounds are from a premium firearm.”

“Or firearms,” Kim said quickly. “How about this graffiti? Have we properly assessed it already?”

“It’s nil. The bottom must have been struck by the hail of bullets and it doesn’t register on any device.”

“Good job, Sergeant,” Kim replied.

Hilbrook just nodded and continued about her work.

Yawquisha focused her camera on the QR code on the wall. It looked like little pock marks and pieces peeled away. She kept peeling away at the wall to reveal another code underneath it. Yawquisha motioned to Kim. The detective looked up. Sergeant Hilbrook started to walk towards the wall as well.

Kim pulled out her phone and snapped the code. It revealed the initiation sequence for the deceased. He had just been installed in the gang two weeks ago according to the video. It was brutal. He was beaten, punched, kicked, and pommeled. At the end of the video, a bloody mouthed Maury “Mo Stacks On Deck” Corruthers smiled as his team completed his final phase into the collective.

“Okay, go get some shots of the code underneath. Run them to the station,” Kim commanded.

“Yes, ma’am,” Hilbrook responded. She met up with Yawquisha again.

“You’re making us look bad out here. How’d you notice the code below?”

“My camera also has a feature that can identify QR codes. It’s nothing.”

“It is very much something. You helped in this investigation yet again. Something one of my uniforms overlooked. This is what my captain needs to see.” They got back in the car.

“You two were discussing me,” Yawquisha stated.

“Yes.”

“If you don’t want me here….” Yawquisha replied.

“No, no. He just questioned how long this ride-along arrangement will last. Don’t worry. He’s in support of you but he’s got brass over his head, too. So, we just have to keep on moving like we’re going to do work. I’ll be sure to say you put in a bit of police work yourself today,” Kim reassured.

Yawquisha looked over the footage. She found few flaws in the overall content. She marveled at the amount of material available to her. Once she would be able to edit all of the different pieces and stitch them together, she would know by analytics just how many subscribers and views she would garner. At least she thought.

At her home, she strung together digital files with ease and precision. The smooth sequencing of the various scenes allowed her to peer deeper into this world. While it hit rather close to home with the murder of her cousin, she just stuck to the images and sounds. She didn’t make herself into a robot but kept the level of professionalism to the highest caliber.

She kept searching for the footage of the code hiding behind the other code. She looked at the screen. She breathed relief when she found that the footage had not been disturbed. She smiled.

Kim drank a beer and continued to read We the Living. She flew through to the tenth chapter and caught her breath. She completely immersed herself in the world of totalitarianism and the ugliness of collectivism. She put down the beer and kept reading.

“Goddamn,” she said to herself. The tale of men and women seeking to survive in a place of impossible burdens weighed heavily on her conscience.