The office was exactly what you'd expect for a rich guy. Lots of stationery. Maddie hadn't seen so much actual paper and actual books in her life. There was a stone fireplace. A fire was crackling inside.
"May I help you?"
The man behind the mahogany desk furrowed his eyebrows with the question.
Maddie took her eyes from the bookshelves full of print books and looked at the man. Grey hair. Receding hairline. Feet--loafers and all--kicked up on the desk. He was holding a kCube in his lap and had a stylus on his ear.
"Hi, I'm supposed to give you this," Maddie said, traversing the office and handing him the note.
"And you are?" asked the man.
"My name's Maddie. And that's my brother Joseph."
Joseph was scanning the books.
"But we're just delivery people," Maddie explained. "I don't know what's in the letter."
"Oh, I see. Is that all?"
Maddie looked around the office one last time. Taking it in. She could smell the paper. She sometimes wondered how it would be to live in the old world where every office smelled like this.
"Yes, that's all."
Maddie pulled on Joseph's arm, and they left the office. Joseph ran to the elevator and pressed the button. Then they waited and waited.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened. It was empty, and they entered.
"Lobby," Maddie instructed.
"I know, I know," said Joseph, finding the button on the panel.
The doors closed.
They descended.
Doors opened.
They stepped into the lobby.
As they were passing the clerk, Maddie waved and said, "Farewell."
The lady started to wave back when an alarm blared to life.
Maddie saw a forcefield drop in front of the doors. All around people jumped to their feet, rubbernecking. Maddie grabbed Joseph's hand. She had no idea what was happening.
Security personnel came up behind them from out of nowhere. They were looking at Maddie and Joseph while yapping into their communicators. Then they closed in on Maddie and Joseph and arrested them.
Maddie started screaming, "We're innocent! This is a mistake!"
Joseph started crying.
The security apparently didn't have any patience because they sedated Maddie and Joseph. Maddie woke up in a dark room. She was sitting in a chair. She immediately looked around for Joseph. When she didn't see him, she started screaming.
Five minutes later a man entered the room and turned on the overhead lights. Maddie tugged at her restraints. "What do you want from us? Where's Joseph!"
"Just calm down," the man said. "I'm your lawyer. I'm a public defender, and I'm here to help."
"I don't need a lawyer, you idiot! I didn't do anything."
"Um, not according to surveillance," the man said, smoothing his plush suit. Then he looked down at his wristwatch. One of the old-fashioned ones that no one uses anymore.
"What are you talking about?" asked Maddie.
The man continued looking at his watch. Then looked at Maddie. "Let's start over, shall we? My name is Roger Clarkson. You are?"
Maddie sighed. This whole thing was ridiculous. She just wanted answers. "My name is Madelyne Lucille and this is ridiculous! Why am I here? Where is Joseph? I'm talking to you--"
"You, Miss Madelyne," said Roger, interrupting and raising his voice, "are being charged with murder. And so is your brother Joseph."
He paused and let it sink in. Maddie was stunned. "What--how is that even possible?"
"Surveillance cameras show you entering a bank owner's office, then leaving. The owner was murdered while you were inside. He was stabbed repeatedly with two sets of scissors. One with your fingerprints on it, and another with your brother's."
"What are you even talking about? That guy in room 303?"
"Yes."
"I don't even know him. We most certainly didn't hurt him."
"Evidence suggests otherwise. Listen, I'm going to try my best to get you off with the least strongest sentence possible. You are your brother will be going to prison..."
Roger continued speaking, but Maddie heard nothing of it. Her and Joseph were going to prison. That's all she needed to hear. Someone was making a huge mistake, and once again the system was going to separate her from her brother. The following day they were admitted into Brown's Prison.