Echo had been just about to lay claim to a theft in progress when she’d received the message. 
She didn't know what made her mouth curl downwards more – the fact that she was required to go to Sector 301, or the fact that it was Dredd himself that had sent them there. 
The man was a legend, and regardless of their stance on him, nobody could deny that.

She ran through the names he’d listed alongside hers. Sage and Stone…the names didn't ring any bells, although she didn't take any extra precautions when it came to memorizing the names of other judges so it wasn't a real surprise.
Tybor… Echo’s frown ran deeper. Could be a different Tybor – or it could be a mistake.
No. She took back that thought immediately as though there were actually some chance that he may have heard her thoughts. Dredd didn't make mistakes. 

Swallowing hard, Echo headed off in the direction of the Asbury block of Section 301, dodging several cars as she pulled onto a road.
It’d been 14 months since she’d heard anything about her old partner – since they’d also been partners, consequently. He been transferred – that was all that she knew, or was supposed to know. Anything other than that wasn't any of her concern, apparently. 
Not for a lack of trying, oddly enough. Due to her lack of interest in trying to make more contact with others than necessary, Echo lacked any form on network when it came to other judges. Nobody could tell her anything that wasn't either related to her work or outside her access. 
So, she’d just accepted it and ignored the various feelings of detachment and resentment.

For a reason she was finding particularly difficult to place, there was a slight feeling of…hostility. Thinking about her ex-partner was leaving a bitter taste in her mouth and the desire to pretend her communicator was broken and head off to her solo bust anyway. 
Well, she may have done that, if it weren't Dredd that had sent out the call. 
It would be easy enough for her to ignore it, however, although locating the source of the feeling took a bit more than that.
For whatever reason, Echo had thought of herself and Eran Tybor as …well, friends. He’d been assigned to her when she was just a cadet, and been her partner after that as well. They’d worked well together – she figured you don’t spend all that time with a person and not feel some kind of attachment. 
Mentor. Friend. Partner. And then one day he was gone.
Maybe she felt like she was owed and explanation – maybe not, but it still didn't bode well with her to discover that their relationship only existed on a professional level. 

None the less, she made her way to Sector 301, barely fazed as she avoided a truck that had swerved dangerously. Normally she would have stopped them, handed out a traffic violation along with some potential time in the Block, and then been on her way. 
She barely took notice of the world zooming around her – Echo had been on the job that long that even the more exciting parts had been ingrained to the point that she didn't need to think about it anymore. Swerving at high speeds through traffic. Counting out the perps and then shooting them all systematically. Even the interrogations, if they’d needed to be done. Punch, question, throw, threaten, and repeat until they spilled. 

It wasn't until Echo was already in the 300 sector that she noticed the change of scenery. 
There’d only been a few times that Judge Johnson had been called out here. And it’d been the sole reason why she’d usually avoided it.
There was no denying that Megacity-One and its occupants were poverty-stricken. Although, Echo had to wonder at what point does the most common standard of living still equate to poverty?
None the less, unemployment, violence and crime ran rampant in most parts of the city. Aside from the extremely rich and essentially non-existent middle class, everyone seemed to be fighting to survive. 
But this – Echo noted – the 300 sector…it was so much worse than that.
She’d forgotten how much farther it could go south. 

Judge Johnson pulled up outside of Asbury Block, standing beside her bike with a hardened frown as she waited for the other three judges to arrive.