บท 154: Black Truths
[Receiving Call: Unidentified...]
"Really..." he mutters to himself, wondering how many phones she'd klepped to keep calling his number. Maybe he should find some software that could ban her contact whenever she tried to call?
*Beep!*
"Will you stop calling my phone like some psycho stalker girlfriend!? I don't wanna fuckin' work for you, I don't wanna speak to you, I don't wanna even acknowledge your existence. Get it!?"
"Seriously Ori! I need your help! You're the only person I can trust here!" she pleads, desperation clear on her face.
"Fuck no-"
"Fifty thousand! I'll pay fifty K!" she blurts out, causing Ori's protestation to trail off.
...
"Fifty K? What kinda gig are you peddlin'? You want me to zero your boss or something!?"
"Ah..." she pauses, "Not quite...?"
"Well you gotta be pretty fucking convincing if you want me anywhere near you. What is it?"
Christy wets her lips and tentatively looks around the outside of her car, "My bandmates, I need you to get rid of them..."
Ori snorts, "Yeah, I should've expected that. One a rat always a rat, ain't that right?"
"No! It's me or them! They've been trying to get rid of me for a while now but I've finally had enough! A group of men got into my apartment and smashed it to pieces, they killed my cleaner too!"
"And you know for certain it was them, huh?" he asks, still dubious.
She nods determinately, "I do. I know it's them, I might not have proof but I don't need it, once they're gone the attacks will stop."
Ori leans back into his couch, "Why me? And don't think I believe that shit about 'trust', that ship got a Viking funeral."
"No, I mean it. You're the only one I can trust with this. Everyone else I can talk to might be on their payroll... You're the only one I know isn't with them."
"You 'know'?" he sarcastically asks.
She firmly nods, "I know. I watched you grow up, I understand how you work, even if I don't get why you think I'm such a 'murderous bitch'."
"People change. You of all people should know that." Ori replies with a slight scowl.
"No, they don't." Christy says with a sigh.
...
"Your 'contacts' found anything about my sis?" he can't help but ask, spite bubbling up from his chest.
She shakes her head, "No, sorry... I looked into it but apparently she was being held by the Tyger Claws, that's old news though..." she quietly admits.
Huh, so she did 'try'?... Or maybe it's still an act? Then again, there was that thing with Rogue, info that may reveal the truth of things. If he accepted then he could choose to zero Christy if she turned out to be what he thought. Plus, fifty K wasn't something to scoff at.
"I'll think about it. I'll contact you if I end up accepting." he decides.
"Be quick about it, I don't know how much time I have left..." she says as he ends the call.
*Beep!*
He rubs the bridge of his nose while mentally shooting Rogue a text.
[That info you have on Casinha, I'll buy it.] - Ori
...
[Was starting to think you didn't want it. Hit me up with ten K Eds and I'll send you a shard.] - Rogue
[Ten K!? It was six last time!] - Ori
[Yeah, well, you know how it is. Supply and demand.] - Rogue
[Fine, have your fucking eddies. Bitch.] - Ori
[-10000§]
[Love you too, Zombie. A bot's in transit with your package, just leave a window open or something.] - Rogue
...
[You know where I live...?] - Ori
[I know where your friend's cat shits. That a surprise?] - Rogue
[Youknow, when I called you a bitch, I meant that in a 'big-sister' kinda way...] - Ori
[Funny, now fuck off and let me work.] - Rogue
*Beep*
"I get how she knows the apartment, but the fact that Sasha had a cat? Does she keep an eye on all of our transactions or something? Does she call Sasha if she forgets to buy cat food or some shit!?
*Thud*
Ori's hand automatically draws his revolver and aims it at the window, where a robot was continually pushing itself against the glass, trying to find entry. "That... Was quick."
He opens a panel and allows the flying robot inside, watching as it drops a small parcel on the sofa before then crashing into the window again. "Is the AI designated 'House Fly' or something?" he mutters to himself, opening yet another panel to let it leave.
"Alright, let's see what Rogue had..." he opens the parcel and inserts the chip after performing a preliminary virus check. His eyes flash with data for a couple minutes, eventually leaving him with a prominent scowl. "What... What the fuck...?"
"This..." he runs a hand through his hair, "No... All-, all for nothing then? Just a huge bunch of coincidences!?"
The information held in the shard was as convoluted as it was simple. Among the gangs there, only a single group had actually been there for Casinha. The Animals, Tyger Claws, and Maelstrom, only the Tygers had actually been there for the Shanty Town.
The reason? To help Arasaka install a FUCKING SUBWAY SYSTEM! One to ship cargo to and from the Shipyard and other places. They'd planned to destroy the whole place just for that reason, because they couldn't be fucked to dig out another tunnel...
The worst part about all of it? Maelstrom, Casinha's everpresent enemies, had been the ones to turn up in defence of the place. They were defending their turf, their property, what they saw as their people.
As for the Animals? Well, he hadn't been completely wrong in his judgment. They were there for Christy, hired to abduct her apparently.
Didn't that sound familiar...
That crazy old man had nothing to do with any of it, it wasn't retaliation for what Ori had done... The Animals moved in to try and extract Christy, who'd not turned up that day. The Tygers had taken the opportunity to raze the settlement, and Maelstrom had attempted to defend it.
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Niggross
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บท 155: Stardom
It takes a while for Ori to process the news, going over the shard another couple of times to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Still, reality remained the same, he was somewhat relieved to know the truth, along with the fact he hadn't been the cause... But in the end, it left him feeling, hollow.
The death of his family hadn't been some grand scheme, some retaliation, but because multiple groups wanted something they had. Christy hadn't even known she was being hunted at that point, apparently, so it wasn't her fault either...
He habitually chews his nails, wondering if Rogue knew the names of the Animals he needed to kill. The suit in Arasaka who'd paid the Tyger Claws too... The gang itself would also get his attention, Wakako's offer was probably still on the table.
...
Fine, he'd accept the gig. But while Christy wouldn't die, he'd get some payback for her role in it all. See how she likes suffering in silence for once?
[Group Chat Created: Ori, Rebecca, Sasha]
[Guys, we've got a gig, meet up at my place.] - Ori
[Aw, really? I thought this was our day off?] - Rebecca
[Dw about her, she just mad her nails won't get done. OWO] - Sasha
[You said you wouldn't tell him! And did you just fucking owo? What are you, five?] - Rebecca
[What? I think it's cute. And I also say 'I wouldn't say anything to him', this is text.] - Sasha
[Aren't your nails usually painted Rebecca? And if you're in the same place why are you arguing over group chat?] - Ori
[I'm standing outside the store. And she didn't want me to say anything about her black nails.] - Sasha
[YOU DIDN'T JUST SAY THAT!!!] - Rebecca
[Black? Funny, aren't you the one who keeps calling me 'Emo'?] - Ori
[Fuck you! And you traitor cat!] - Rebecca
[We'll be down there in ten] - Sasha
[Rebecca has left the Group]
--------------------
"Why don't we just get her to pay upfront and," Rebecca puts a finger gun to her head, "Boosh." she mouthes in the passenger seat of the truck.
"Because, while she's a bitch she didn't wasn't completely responsible for Casinha. Don't worry, I've got my own plans for her." Ori assures, turning into the parking lot where they'd been requested to meet at.
"Come on, back me up here cat?" Rebbeca asks, glancing over her seat.
"I'm with Ori, no point in risking our rep like that. Besides, isn't it his choice what to do with her? You'd want to choose how to deal with your grudge, wouldn't you?"
Rebecca waves her off, "I'm just saying, is all."
Ori pulls up in the empty lot and turns the truck off, he could only see a single empty sports car in the far corner so it looked safe enough. "You seem to be forgetting something. Her gig lines up with my intentions anyway, her bandmates hired the Animals which killed my dad. With this we're killing three birds with one stone.
"You mean two, right?" Sasha queries.
He shakes his head, "Three."
...
"So, when's the client coming?" she asks.
"Zat her?" Rebecca points out at the colourfully dressed woman walking towards them from across the street. Tanned skin, pink hair and eyes.
"Yep, that's her." he nods as he locks eyes with the woman. She quickens her pace and all but barges into the back of the truck, closing the door and patting the shoulder of his seat.
"Let's get out of here," she gestures at the sports in the lot, "I don't wanna risk driving that right now..." she admits.
Ori crooks a brow, "What, you think they planted a bomb? That isn't Animal style."
"They're exploring now that they've screwed up three times." she states, "But if you want proof." she pulls out a key and unlocks the sports car from a distance. The lights flicker, indicating the change, but nothing else happens.
...
"Looks like you're just being paranoid. That porn star lifestyle of drugs and sex finally hitting you?" Rebecca wonders aloud.
"I'm hardly a porn star..."
"Yeah right, I've seen the private sites posting prices. Almost every BD star was on there."
"Wait what? 'Becca, there something you not telling me?" Ori can't help but voice.
"What? No, that's when I lived with my bro... Pilar went through a phase." she admits, uncaring about spilling her brother's secrets.
Christy just folds her arms, "Well I never did any of that. They tried, but I have standards, if you wanna talk about whores talk to my bandmates. There probably isn't a suit in the city that hasn't had a go at them." she shakes her head mirthfully, "I overheard them talking about one guy who wanted to shi-"
*BOOOM!*
Christy's car abruptly goes up in flames, leaving a huge billowing cloud of smoke from the fireball.
"Huh. Must've been a timer then." Rebecca casually remarks.
"Who cares! Just drive before those goons get here!" Christy exclaims, pale at the fourth attempt on her life.
Not needing to hear it again, Ori spins the truck around and drives away. Sticking around for the Animals would force a confrontation, but that would probably alert Christy's bandmates. Not to mention the NCPD which'd investigate the explosion anyway.
"Talk while I drive, I wanna know about our targets." he states.
Christy takes a moment to calm down, before beginning to detail her bandmates. "Sheila Curves and Fae Yono," she snorts to herself, "Both stage names, they're actually called Julie Miriam and Sophie Francis, and they're both dumb whores." she can't help but add.
"Very descriptive." Ori drawls, "Anything actually worth saying? Home address, common locations, a party coincidentally happening tomorrow... The usual?"
"I don't know, I missed our last recording session because of their goons... I've never been to their places and I have no idea what their hobbies are..."
"So you want us to do it blind...?" Rebecca asks with a dull glare.
"I mean, I'm paying you to do the research aren't I? I may not know much about punks, but I know fifty thousand is a big payday for you." Christy states.
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Niggross
Niggross
Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
Also, thanks to my patrons for their support :
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Faruk Ereng
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