PROLOGUE

“Criminals aren’t born, Agent Boyle…” Doctor Royce informed, with her eyes glistened at the Federal agent. “They are made” she notified, “Society creates them, we create them…they are the victims and not the culprit” the woman revealed, catching the Federal agent’s interest all the more.                                                                                                                                 

“Really…?” the man questioned laying back. That was by far the silliest thing he ever heard. “So, uh, what do we do? Send society to jail?” he asked again, albeit with sarcastic intent meant to mock the woman.

“No…!” Doctor Royce chided. “We bring society to book” she fired, playing by the Agent’s game.          

Caught in the joke, the Federal Agent slowly pulled a smirk on his face only to in the next second burst into laughter.

“Yea, right…” he said, sobering up immediately and looking at the woman, and the papers in front of her. “So how do you hope to do that with uh…the files?” he asked, picking up the papers from the woman. Looking at it, he saw the texts ‘Cause and Effect: A window into the Psyche and Mind of the Criminal’ printed atop. “Hope that we sign it and have these rogues back on the streets to fight us?” the Agent said, returning to the woman whose eyes were now filled with scorn. “Listen…Doctor uh…”

“Matilda Royce” the woman completed for him.

“…Matilda Royce” the Agent repeated. “Everyone has a choice. To do the right thing or to do the other thing” he notified as the woman paid close attention to his devious eyes and sparkling suit. The suit costs too much for an FBI agent, the woman thought. “Some see what’s right but choose to do the other thing. They are called criminals” the Agent explained. “And when people choose the other thing over the right thing, the wrong people tend to suffer,”

“Special Agent Boyle…” Doctor Royce cut short. “Let me ask you a question?” she requested, though her tone the one of command.

Rolling his eyes, the Federal Agent let out a deep breath. What could it be? He wondered. “By all means…” he finally gave in.

Eyes all over the man and his demeanor, Doctor Royce wondered whether to lay it on him. It was a question that challenged both his morality and personality, one that related to his past; unknown to all but her. A second look into his eyes, she thought against it. A lot of questions would rise if she laid it on him.  

“You know what? Forget it…” she eventually let out.                     

“No no no…try me” the Agent insisted.

You have a lot on your plate, Agent Boyle, and a family, asking you this, would ruin you; the Doctor thought.

“Our environment is responsible for who we are and what we become. They shape our motives” the woman said changing the topic as she looked at him. Stretching her arm forward, she collected the papers the Agent had taken from her. “Every action is as a result of a reaction. Now, sometimes we cannot know what or why this is, but evidently with the rising wave of crime especially amongst the immigrant population…doesn’t it trouble you to want to know why this is?” she explained, ending with a question as the Federal Agent rolled his eyes. We’ve heard this before haven’t we? The voice in my head made me do it, the other guy forced my hand? The Agent wondered.

“Special Agent Boyle, I agree with you crime is a pest on society, people; innocent people have suffered because of it…but the truth? Crime is only but the victim of society, created by society…the people, the law, the times…do they favor all?” Doctor Royce continued, ending with a question afterwards as the Agent watched keenly. “If we can answer these questions, then we can end crime by a wide margin in the society” the woman revealed.