บท 75: Part 66
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***
- Regina...
I entered the flat and having taken off my armour quickly rinsed off, after which I came to the kitchen, where I began to prepare our meal. So naturally as I started cooking I put my most prized fixer on the call.
- David, if this is about the Faraday order, there's no customer yet...
- No, it's not about that.
- Hmm?
- I've been doing a bit of side work... well, I've come across some interesting information that might allow you to get a lot of new debtors and expand your area of responsibility... Oh, and clean up a few nasty loose ends.
- Where'd you moonlight?
- А...
My image waved my hand.
- ...I guess the news will get to you soon enough...we've got one less fixer in town.
- Faraday? What did he do? Well, I mean, since you decided to zero him out without an order.
- That's right, he decided to betray Kiwi, but I didn't like it so I decided not to wait for him to get his hands on her.
I didn't say anything about my doubts that he could have done it. After all, overconfidence doesn't make for a good reputation. And in this day and age, you can find a key to almost anything.
- So, what did you find?
- Catch the files, study them, and yes, I'll send the same to Bestia after we talk, so if you're thinking of doing something, you'd better co-operate with her.
- You're gonna send it to her, too?
- Well... surprisingly, Bestia is pleasant enough to work with, and after the first set-up I had no problems with her. So I don't have to choose which one of you I'm gonna help. You're both good girls and--
- Huh, girls? Well, I may be a girl, but Bestia's a grandma.
- A girl is as old as she looks and as old as she feels, Bestia is clearly not even a girl at heart, but a girl, you'll be a bit older in that respect.
- Bollocks!
The image of Regina shook her head.
- Okay, did you get the data?
- Yes... and thank you.
- Regina, you once helped a kid you knew nothing about. This kid was brazen enough to bypass the local fixers and call you and you gave him the job instead of sending him away. So I'm just returning the favour...
- Huh, it's just that I saw your eyes... and yes I did give you an assignment at the time that I would have lowered anyway... so I didn't lose anything....
- Maybe you did...
My image shrugged, and I myself in reality repeated the gesture.
- ...But that doesn't take away from the fact that you didn't send me, and it was you who noticed my skills, and it was you who made a name for me in the ranks of solos.
- You made a name for yourself...
- And I don't deny my merits, but you could have given me an assignment like... go over there and smash some faces... But you didn't do that, you gave me the orders that suited me. So you got a lot of credit for who I am now, too.
- Okay, I hear you.
The connection went dead, and I called Bestia's number without delay.
- What do you want from me? I told you that if I find a customer, I'll contact you myself, and it's still a long way to weekly work for me ...
- Bestia, I just thought I'd show a little loyalty to both of my fixers and pass on some information that might allow me to cut off unnecessary tails, take control of more territories, and get some extra debtors.
I forwarded the data to Bestia. She was silent after receiving my data and didn't speak until five minutes later.
- Very interesting... such data could be held by a very narrow circle of individuals.....
Bestia frowned. She clearly didn't like what exactly was contained in that data.
- I want to warn you...
- Is this the same data you gave Regina in its entirety?
- Exactly... hopefully my two favourite fixers will agree with each other.
- We'll work it out with her... Maybe we'll get Wakako involved and... But that's none of your business.
- That's right.
- I take it you want something from me?
- No.
My image shook its head.
- I just don't want you or Regina to end up dead one day. That's why I gave this information to you. You girls are smart...
Bestia snorted, but she didn't argue with the definition of her age.
- ...you'll figure out what to do with who and what to do.
- All right, thanks, I'll do it.
- All right, go ahead Bestia, good luck with your scams....
- Mm-hmm.
The connection went dead, and I was just finishing making a snack. The girls were sitting across from me, watching me cook. And as soon as I started putting the food on the plates, the plates with food began to literally teleport.
- What about the cakes?
- I'll make cakes, but I have to buy the ingredients for them first. I can't just feed you regular cakes for the occasion, can I?
- I see... you want to show off?
Becca looked at me with a frown.
- I'm not without it.
- Okay...
*** A couple of days later. ***
I woke up to an eerie noise outside...
Police avi--
Avi Max-Tac.
Avi Trauma.
It was all flying around the city just with a monstrous intensity and I felt like something had already happened and got out of bed...
- David?
- Panam, something's happened...
- А?
She always slept more soundly than me, however, when several avi's flew over our house in a row she opened her eyes and looked in my direction.
- I should switch on the telly and call Regina, see if she knows what's going on.
I knew exactly what was going on, though, and as soon as I turned on the TV, I was sure I was right.
- Fucking...
- А?
Panam came out of the room after me and looked at the TV where the breaking news was on. They were talking about the daring attack on Komeki Plaza and the murder of Saburo Arasaka.
- Shit, V, what the fuck?
- Um... do you think it's her?
I looked at Panam.
- Who the fuck is his mother? Who's his mother?
- Well...
Panam shrugged her shoulders and at that moment other girls started appearing from their rooms. All of them wanted to know what exactly was going on.
It was at that moment that I realised that my actions could affect... the lives of my girls. No, I always remember that everything depends on me, still if I fail, they can get to them, but now...
I closed my eyes.
- I'm sorry, V.
- Huh? What are you talking about?
- Girls...
I ignored Becky's question.
- Everyone, disconnect your communication devices. All communications.
- А?
- I don't want to get involved in this shit....
I shook my head.
- But... I can't say no if we're called for help. On the other hand, if we can't be reached...
- That's kind of cowardly...
I glared at Becca for saying that.
- Cowardly.
I nodded to confirm her words.
- And believe me, if I had to risk my life, I'd probably be sitting here with my gun drawn and ready to go when I got the call, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the call. But I have YOUR lives on my shoulders. Aldecaldo's.
I looked closely into Becky's eyes.
- So I'd rather be a coward and save all those lives than be the brave idiot who put everyone in Arasaki's crosshairs. Or do you think I have the right to risk all of you?
I looked at Kiwi and Judy.
- Girls, please ensure that the signals are completely blocked. So that no one can get through to us and we can't get through to anyone... because I have a feeling that Becca, purely on principle, won't switch anything off.
- She's your friend! If you're right.
- A friend, and while I had the chance, I warned her. I told her not to mess with DeShawn, I told her how it worked, I told her to get a new chrome, I did EVERYTHING I could.
- But...
- Becca...
Kiwi cut her friend off with one word. Or rather, not even so much a word as the tone with which she said her name.
- ...I support David. No, I'd take part in the venture if he decided to help Vee, if she's the one who made the mess....
- I trust our captain's judgement on this one.
Judy cut into the conversation and Kiwi gave her a slightly annoyed look, but still nodded appreciatively after a couple of seconds, taking her opinion to heart.
- ...So, I, as well as anyone here, would take part in the adventure. But I don't know about the rest of you, but I would have been mildly disappointed if he'd decided to take part in it. But who am I lying to? I'd be very disappointed.
- Becca.
Lucy intervened.
- I don't understand your outrage.
- Lucy?!
- We all know Vee, we might even be friends, but you're the least of her personal friends.
- But you can't do that.
- Can't?
- ..what if it was about one of us? Me? You? Kiwi or Judy or Panam?!
I sighed.
- If this was about any of you...I'd probably slip you a dose of potent sleeping pills before starting such an order from a lefty fixer.
- А?!
- Б! Becca. You think I'd let you work for a left-wing fixer without my input on a questionable assignment? I'd put you on sleeping pills for a couple of days and then just listen to a stupid tantrum like the one you're trying to throw right now.
- I'm not--
Becca looked really confused.
- You're trying to... only we can't figure out why...
Panam nodded her head.
- ...I think I can speak for everyone. We're not very pleased that David chose to ignore the danger to our friend by simply cutting off communication. And what's to say, knowing David, he's probably feeling pretty lousy himself right now.....
I nodded my head in agreement.
- ...Except we all know how many times he talked to Vee, how many times he tried to influence her and Jackie through Misty and Vic. Fucking hell, he didn't even ask for the payments that Vee was behind on this month! And all because he realised she'd need a new chrome for her upcoming assignment...
- Yeah, but... I'm not hysterical....
Becca looked from Panam to me, then Judy, Lucy and finally Kiwi.
- Hysterical...
- Fuck...
Becca collapsed onto the sofa and dropped her face into her palms.
- Did I really look like a hysteric?
- Well...
I looked at Becca and with some sixth sense I realised that there was no need to spare her right now.
- ...yeah.
- Fuck.
- Becky, we know you...you have an explosive temper and that's why we often ignore your antics like this, so.....
- Fuck, this isn't the first time I've had a fucking tantrum in your book, is it?!
- Well...actually, yes....
Kiwi nodded her head.
- ...You were still, back when Mayne and I were working...behaving quite controversially....
- As you diplomatically called me hysterical...
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