Chương 253: Career Merc
*Splash!*
"So, this buddy of yours..." Ori trails off, tying off another knot connecting a rock and one of the many severed body parts, afterwards dropping it into the river. "Anything I should care about?"
"Whaddya mean?" David asks, tossing another scrap of bloody clothing into a flaming metal barrel.
"Well, I thought you'd be vetting him. Have you not?"
"What, like a background check? I grew up with the guy, and he spent the other half of his life locked up."
Ori tosses another limb, "I'm not saying I doubt the guy, I'm saying he needs to be vetted. You can trust him and still make sure he's not going to fuck us. So, do your job, maybe grab Lucy, and look into it."
David frowns, "I'm not gonna go behind his back like some rat, get someone else to do it."
Ori sighs, "Last chance, because if Kiwi or Sasha has to do it they won't leave shit out. I find something I don't like and he ain't gonna last. Understand?"
He shrugs, tosses the last of Tanaka's clothing into the fire and stands to leave. "I'll see you back at base."
...
*Ping!*
[It's time.] - ???
Ori blinks and looks over the river and into the distance at the Center of the City, quickly spotting the tower surrounded by AVs helicopters and other vehicles, like bugs buzzing around a hive.
--------------------
"Wakako." Ori greets and sits in a chair nearby, both already facing the large screen on the wall.
"Zombie.
"Any idea what's up? This is kinda sudden..."
She crooks a smirk, "Our benefactor got lucky. The Emperor believed himself safe, and willingly facilitated his demise."
"So it's true then what people are saying? Saburo's dead?"
She nods, "Poisoned in Yorinobu's apartment while the two were meeting. Supposedly by two mercenaries called V and Jackie..."
"Supposedly?" Ori questions, wondering what people were saying. The fact that he hadn't heard of these two mercs before meant they were either very good at what they do, or jokes to the game and unimportant.
She shrugs, "I've worked with them before, dreamers with no sense. Yorinobu wouldn't trust them to kill Saburo, even if he had, the Emperor's bodyguards would tear them to pieces. I'm honestly surprised they managed to escape at all."
*Bzztch!*
"Actually, that is part of what I wish to speak about." the screen flickers and reveals Yorinobu calmly sitting alone in what looked like a bathroom. "I do not have much time with you for obvious reasons, but there are many things we must speak of. First, it is true, my father is dead and I am now the CEO of Arasaka Industries, though, whether I keep my position will be up to how the board receives me... Which is what you will be helping me with, Zombie."
"Yeah? Finally time to knock some heads together?"
Yorinobu nods, "Indeed. I think it is time for Arasaka to work with Sekaiheiwa, preferably to aid the security of our respected board of directors..."
"Do you want to dissolve the company so soon?" Wakako asks. If Sekaiheiwa was put in charge of the director's protection just as they started disappearing their accreditation would be under heavy scrutiny.
"I think the company as it is won't care for its public relations once everything is over. Strength is what matters, and once Arasaka falls from that pedestal, things can begin to change... For now though, I need you to find the mercenaries who were there last night. They witnessed the murder of my father, and they stole something too dangerous to be left free."
Ori folds his arms and leans forwards in interest, "I'd need to know what it is before I can get it for you."
...
"A chip called the Relic, it's small and gold, that's all you need to know. Other than the fact that the amount of damage it could cause in the wrong hands would be... Substantial."
"What should I do with the mercs once we catch them?"
"Dispose of them, they already know too much, and it would protect our assets to have my father's murderers never see the light of a trial."
--------------------
The entire city was in an uproar, they'd only just received notice that Saburo Arasaka had arrived on his ship when news of his death started spreading. CEOs of many corporations were publically giving their condolences despite obviously partying in private.
Yorinobu himself was forced to give updates on the progress of finding Saburo's murderers, along with where Arasaka would go from there. He took advantage of this however to publicise the Corpo's partnership with Sekaiheiwa, at least until Arasaka's security was up to standard.
A few anti-corporation personalities pulled out of Sekaiheiwa at that, but the stocks still soared, upping the hundred-million-dollar company into a billion-dollar one. Every member of Ori's crew could retire now and be Scrooge McDuck-level wealthy for at least a dozen generations.
Of course, Yorinobu wasn't the only member of Arasaka, which meant the death of Saburo allowed other less well-meaning persons to start their own schemes, starting with completely wiping out any anti-Arasaka protests around the city, proclaiming the people involved as terrorists that aided the assassins similarly to those who 'assisted' the Night City Holocaust.
Hanako Arasaka also made appearances, grieving the loss of her father and doing her best to assure their shareholders and other colleagues that Arasaka would remain firm in its promises and ambitions.
Ori couldn't care less about any of this however, throwing the work at Wakako and Judy while concentrating on the tasks Yorinobu had assigned him. First and foremost, capturing V and Jackie Welles to secure the Relic.
Since Sekaiheiwa was publically working with Arasaka, he and his crew wouldn't have to slink around like rats, stealing equipment from their own company. Full-body uniforms and brick shit-house ICE assured everything would go according to plan.
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Niggross
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