章節 39: Friends...?

The next day rolls around and Ori slowly realized something was up... Max hadn't gotten back to him about the job, and wouldn't even pick up his phone when he called. Not to mention...

[Receiving Call: Six...]

[...Receiving Call: Six...]

*Beep-Beep*

"Six, is something wrong? Where's Max? He should've called by now." he asks as soon as he answers.

"They got him. The scavs." he neutrally rasps through the call.

"T-they what!? How? He was only supposed to be checking the place out! He's a pro isn't he?!" Ori reactively shoots back, shocked by the news. To him Max had always been a concrete figure, stern and unmovable in his work. For Max to get captured on a job he'd sent him on made him feel like a worthless piece of trash... It must've been his fault, right? Why else would it have happened?

Six ignores his panicked exertions as he glares at him through the holocall, "I'm collecting the favour you owe. We're saving his dumb ass, and we'll finish your job in the process."

"Favour? You mean for the vid?" Ori shakes his head, "I don't need anything to go save a friend, especially when I'm the reason he needs rescuing!"

Six scowls, "We don't need your charity. Grab all of your things and anyone with four limbs willing to fight, meet me in Pinewood." he orders before ending the call, leaving Ori in silence..

*Beep-Beep*

...

He lets out a held breath and stands, gathering everything he could into a rucksack before making his way down to his beat-up car. He wouldn't bring Bats even if he was present, the Ripperdoc was currently workin' in that sketchy repair shop, and he didn't want to risk Bats' life on his own mistakes anyway.

Still, he and Six were gonna be vastly outnumbered... He didn't really know anyone willing to help either. Sasha didn't strike him as the 'fighting' type. Most of his acquaintances are dead or missing, and even then they'd probably refuse him outright.

He could try to ask the Mox again, but that was a long shot. Northside wasn't their turf, nor was this something that really concerned them or the gangs 'tenets'... Hiring foreign mercs didn't work either since the scavs could probably pay far more than he could, not to mention the potential backstab-shittery that could happen... Who knew how extensive Marv's contacts went, especially since he was allied with that underground auction.

Still, there was one person left, his reluctance could be forgotten in this instance...

[Calling Rebecca...]

[...Calling Rebecca]

*Beep-Beep*

The pale-skinned, pink-tattooed girl appears on the holo-call in only her thin black bra and panties... She was laying down in a large beanbag chair, or maybe it was regular-sized since she was so small in the first place?

She grins toothily at him, eyes gleaming with mirth as his face flashes with heat at her outfit, or lack thereof.

"He-ey, it's Ori the wimpy merc! How's biz? Or is this a social call? You really miss me that much after one meet huuuh?" she smugly asks, looking pretty satisfied with herself for some reason...

He shakes his head and clears his throat, the severity of the situation allowing him to move past her... Rebecca-ness... "I'm up shit-creek and paddling my hands right now, I need some extra hands to help rescue a friend, couldn't think of anyone else better for the job." he says, trying to butter her up.

"Hnnnnmmm?" she hums with an odd look on her face before pointing to herself, "You want me, to help rescue a hostage? Ha! Either you're REALLY desperate, or you've got a shitty memory!"

"I wouldn't argue against either..." he sighs, "Look, I really need the help... I'll pay you obviously, and I'll owe you in the future..."

...

She leans back in her chair and folds her arms, eyes still focused entirely on Ori's face, "Hmph! Who told you I was weak against wimpy puppy-dog eyes? It was Judy wasn't it! That greasy lab rat!"

"Can you help me or not. I'm kinda in a rush here..."

...

"Mmmoouu... Fine! But I get first dibs on any cool guns left lying around!... And I want five-no, eight thousand Eddies!" she says, still accidentally holding up five fingers, which Ori doesn't draw attention to.

Fuck... This was really gonna set him back on finding Cat... He was tempted to just say fuck it to the whole thing and concentrate on his sister, but Max had gotten captured because of him... He couldn't just leave him there...

He remembered the vet saying something about scav workshops being worth a good amount, so hopefully he wouldn't lose too much... There was also Marv... Who knew what that cock-sucker was doing to Max...

Ori unconsciously grinds his teeth as he refocuses on the waiting Rebecca, "Five thousand plus the favour-"

"DEAL!" she exclaims ecstatically leaning forwards as if she'd been aiming for that the entire time... Was that her attempt at negotiating a price...? Considering most regular gigs paid 1k to 3k, he was paying her a little extra for the short notice. Whatever.

"Meet me in Pinewood, bring your best guns, we're gonna be outnumbered here."

"No kidding! Those are the best jobs! See you there!"

*Beep-Beep*

...

Sigh.

"I gotta bad feeling about this." he mutters, lighting up a cig before quickly driving away, headed to the meeting spot Six had designated.

-----------------

"Hey! Over here!" the plucky loli shouts from the corner of the street, her hand waving erratically as Ori pulls up. Honestly, it looked like she was barely able to walk with the heavy pack on her back and the numerous colourfully painted guns slung around her neck... It looked like a dad carrying in the entire month's shopping all in one go...

He stops in front of her, idly wondering if he looked like he was picking up a joytoy while rolling down the window, his brows almost reaching his hairline, "Er, I said 'bring your best guns', not all your guns..."

"Pfft, you think this is it? These are only my favourites! Besides, you never said how many dudes we'd be fighting!"

Ori palms his face, "Whatever, get in the back." he says, remotely unlocking the back doors.