Eventually the effects of deregulation will be felt. Short story. 1085 words.

Eventually“We found three shells casings,” the technician reported. “First one was a driller used to penetrate the bullet proof aluminum of the window. The second was a boomer, a tiny high energy microwave emitter that disabled all the electronics in the house, and killed the two children who were using the VR headsets. The third was the death shot for the male victim in the study. All three were seeker enabled.”“Thanks, Billy,” Detective Rogers said. He made an entry on his device before returning to the safe room where the widow and her parents had taken refuge. He had no hope of getting a coherent answer from the widow. She was a wreck, so he addressed the parents.“Is there somewhere else you can stay while we complete our investigation? CSI will crawl all over the house, the yard, and the neighborhood for at least a week.”“Of course we do, the old woman answered. We will go to one of our other properties, but this was supposed to be the safest place we could be. There’s a shield around the whole property, and the best security money can buy at the gate. How did they get in?”“No one got in. The shots were fired when the shield gate opened. It only takes a moment. Your Son-in-Law was the target. The children are collateral damage, although I can tell you, based on the sophistication of the weapon used, that the rest of you are in extreme danger. Someone is targeting your family.”“Why? We’re in the clothing business. Is it because of our wealth?”“Partially, but I expect we’ll discover it’s related to your family. That is what we’re finding with these cases--anyone in your family ever in politics, or involved with the emperor’s business friends?”“My father was a senator,” the elderly woman answered, “when the first Emperor Trump was elected as president, but that happened ages ago. We are not involved aside from donating to the party. Why target us?” Detective Rogers tapped several times on his arm and a display appeared in the air between them.“Is your father’s name on this list?”He used the screen displayed on his forearm to make the air-display scroll until the woman made a strangled sound. Her face lost the little colour it had retained.“What is this list?” the old man asked angrily. “How is our family involved?”Detective Rogers removed the oxygen mask from his face before answering. The hole in the window and opening and closing of the front door was allowing the air from outside to seep into the house. Everyone was wearing their masks when they weren’t talking because the electronics were still knocked out and the air wasn’t being purified.“It is a list of the people responsible for the state of the country. The people who dismantled all the protections in place before 2017 and the business people who took advantage of it.”“We had nothing to do with that.” “But your father did.”“So we are being targeted for what my father did?” the old woman said.“Yes. The list tracks the people responsible for the state the country is in and their families. The killings started a few years ago when things got terrible. That is when we learned about the list. I understand it has been around since 2017. The perpetrators are out for revenge. They are intent on wiping out every extended family member, or at least that is what the ones who are caught admit.”“Who is funding them? The munitions needed to bypass our shields must be expensive and hopefully restricted.”“Hardly,” Rogers snorted. “The ammunition used here is readily available to everyone. Every attempt to restrict sales has been shot down. We love our right to carry arms and our assault rifles.”“Why kill the whole family? I don’t understand that.”“Most of the people responsible for this mess died years ago. It took a few decades for the adverse effects of their regulation busting to be apparent in the environment and financially. One perpetrator had watched his parents, his wife, and his children die because healthcare was unaffordable to them. Many people can’t even afford these masks. He felt it was only just to wipe out the whole family.”“I’m finding this hard to believe, Detective,” the man said. “How can this be happening and not be reported in the media?”“It is reported. ABC ran a special on it last night, and CNN had one two weeks ago.”“They’re false news sites. I only watch Fox, and they have reported nothing about it.”“Maybe you should call Fox and tell them about what happened here, but don’t hold your breath waiting to see it on their news. Others tried.”“Is no place safe?”“There are fewer incidents in states that have the death penalty. You could move to Texas.”“Texas! No one in their right mind would live in Texas. The wall is crumbling and Mexicans are everywhere.”“There are other states, but most have the same problems except for those not close to the wall. Water contaminated by methane gas, land contaminated by pesticides, that type of thing. Fox covers those stories doesn’t it?” “Why aren’t the authorities doing something about this?” The old woman must have had all she could take because she started to wail. “Our daughter needs to be protected.” The old man looked at her, but his expression remained stony.“How long before you capture the people who have done this?”“There is never any evidence to identify them. Some give themselves up, but not until everyone in their target family is dead. Personally, I believe prison gives them a better chance at life than being on the outside does. At least they get their two meals a day. Our department doesn’t have the manpower to hunt them down. Most police departments don’t—budget cuts you know, so I don’t expect to make any arrests right away unless the perp comes forward and surrenders.”“Which won’t happen until we are all dead, right?”“Correct.”“This is ridiculous,” the old woman said, as she stood up. “I’m calling the Governor.” She pulled the door to the safe room open and stepped out. Detective Rogers heard the buzz of the bullet as it passed. The widow’s crying stopped as she fell to the side.“Do you have any brothers or sisters we can warn,” he asked, but the old man wasn’t listening anymore.
End