Chapter 73

Chapter 73

No way Simon makes it this time. This is his third try. I argue even gesturing with my hands at Wakako.

He is scrappy, and he has a great desire. I think he will make it. Wakako offered taking a drag as we argued about the show she had been watching.

Apparently Wakako was really into this weird mix of Price is Right, and Takashis Castle, gameshow.

Night City Televison was fucking weird.

One segment will have these people trying to win prizes in strange games, and the next segment would be them getting their ass beat by A borg dressed up like a Kabuki actor with a massive only slightly padded Kanabo.

I was pretty sure a few people had died even with the fuzzy Kanabo blunting the strikes.

Fucking wild ass mix of boring American, and unhinged Japanese TV show.

But it was both kinda interesting, and boring as fuck in equal measures. I just didnt get future TV.

Ah. He is here. Wakako offered, glancing up and I noticed that she knew long before I could hear the sound of the parlor door opening.

Someone was keeping an eye on things for her. Sneaky Wakako.

I relaxed in my seat with a smirk as I waited for Jackie to enter.

I could hear him chatting with the receptionist Wakako hired, and then I realized the gonk was actually flirting with her.

Was Jackie flirting just his instinct when he was nervous? Im pretty sure it was, although I could see Wakako wasnt pleased.

But a few moments later he got shot down, and was told to enter the room, and I could barely suppress my grin, instead staying cool thanks to Cold Blood to keep myself with only a small smirk.

Jackie stepped in through the beaded curtain, obviously trying to hide how nervous he was, but Wakako and I could both tell as he rose to his full height. He opened his mouth to speak before stuttering to a stop as he noticed me sitting in the room as well.

Our eyes met, and I just kept smirking.

Jackie Welles. You completed the gig I assigned, got me the information I desired. Wakako said, suddenly cutting off our little moment. The gig was difficult, meant to see if you have what it takes to work under me. Ive decided to give you a chance. She offered and I could see the energy rush into Jackie at the words.

I I wont let you down Wakako, You can count on me. He said, tearing his eyes off me, to focus on Wakako.

Smart move.

Perhaps. She said and then she started going into a spiel about what she would be expecting from him working under her.

It was interesting because she hadnt done something like this for me. I guess my infiltration talents meant she didnt feel the need

Or I guess Wakako had just not expected much from me at the start, until I actually succeeded and made my skills evident.

I focused back on the conversation as she seemed to come to the end of her spiel.

You will also be given some gigs to complete in the coming days. I will be assigning one of my agents to assist you during the gigs, and ensure you are as capable as I expect. She may also bring you onto her own gigs if she feels your skills will be useful. Motoko?

Thanks Wakako! I said smiling, turning to Jackie and seeing the confusion on his face. Soaking in the look of utter incomprehension on his face, but also the desire not actually admit he had no idea what was going on.

Ah. That was the feeling of satisfaction of revenge from being underestimated alright.

Jackie, nice to see you again. Ill be expecting you to help me out from now on. I have high hopes for you. I say with a grin and simply delighted in how Jackies confusion only grew.

Ah I look forward to it, Hermana? He said, although his tone made it come out a question.

Wakako anything for him today? I asked, and she shook her head as I rose up out of the seat. Great. Then Ill get him out of your hair! I chirped standing up and waving for Jackie to follow me, but just as I was about to leave the door I stuck my head back through the beads.

Simon failed again. Told you. He hurt his ankle during the previous fall. No way he could make it.

Wakako bit back a curse, smashing her cigarette into her ashtray, as she turned back to her show, turning up the volume so it could be heard again.

--

Hermana? What-?

You hungry? Im hungry. Theres a noodle shop in the Cherry Blossom Market that I like, Cmon my treat. Ill fill you in. I told him with a smile as I happily sauntered down the dark streets of Jig-jig street knowing Jackie would follow.

Man messing with him had been so satisfying. Totally worth two grand

Wait. Fuck. I had literally spent two grand to fuck with someone.

Okay new rule. That was dumb dont do that anymore

Satisfying though.

We walked out of Jig-jig street and down into Cherry Blossom the atmosphere was brighter, and less dangerous. In the end we settled into the Ramen bar and had put in our orders before I started.

So I work for Wakako as one of her mercs, Im an infiltrator. When I offered to help on your gig for Wakako, I wasnt just messing around. Im not just a kid wanting a taste of being a merc. I was actually really offering to help you. I told him as he took a sip of the drink that was placed down in front of him. My own quickly joined it.

Damn. He muttered and I could see behind his eyes as he was repackaging both our previous interaction, and this one. So Wakako trusts you a lot.

Ah well I might have agreed to a pay cut on the next gig so I could be in the room when she met you. I explained and he blinked at that, before chuckling, slowly at first, but then letting it grow into a belly laugh.

I must have really pissed you off then!

No, no, I wasnt angry, more amused than anything. Maybe I wanted to rub it in your face a little. I offered holding up my fingers with just the tiniest gap between them.

Well you definitely got me Hermana. I wasnt expecting to see you in there. Thought I was losing it at first. He said taking another drink and I couldnt help but chuckle this time.

Yeah it was great! So yeah let me break it down for you, cause Im sure your head is all over the place. I asked Wakako to let me work with you on a few gigs. Mine or yours. Not just because I want to help you, but because I want you to help me. Im not exactly a bruiser, and getting into a firefight is a pain in the ass. I would like to know I have backup in case it ever happens.

So you want to work together? Well, test it out to see if we work well together?

Exactly! It if doesnt work out, you don't need to worry. Wakako will still have gigs for you. But if it works out, I can always use an extra gun on my gigs, So could be double the work. Interested?

This time Jackie was quiet as he took another drink.

Wakako wouldnt use you if you dont have the skill, but Im picky about who I work with. He offered and I almost snorted, because I remember the nomad origin in the game. Jackie youll team up with anyone for the eddies you gonk.

But I didnt say that. Instead I shrugged.

Well Wakako wants us partnered for the first few gigs. We can see how well we mesh, if everything works out, great. We both have someone to watch our backs. If you dont like me, just say it, and Ill delta. There are plenty of gonks with a gun, and in need of eddies. I said and he nodded at that.

Still a bit awkward about the idea is all. Youre so young. He muttered and I nodded.

And youre so old! I gasped in faux shock. Before smoothing out my expression. Age has nothing to do with it. Youre a merc, you know that a kid can kill just as well as any merc. I said looking off to the side just taking in the movement of the bar.

I just dont like it. Kids should be boosting cars, or getting in trouble, not

Not risking their lives? Im not a fan of that either Jackie. Which is why I would love to have a shooter that I can trust to watch my back. He didn't seem to have a good reply to that, and a few moments later we were interrupted as the server came by.

The noodles arriving distracted us, making Jackie and I both happy as we dug in for a moment, but after his first bite Jackie seemed to come to a decision, he reached over and grabbed his beer.

To potential partnerships. He offered and I smiled as I grabbed my soda and tapped it to his own.

--

I picked up the tab like I said I would, and after sharing numbers Jackie and I split up. We would meet up soon when Wakako had her first gig ready, and Jackie needed some time to process.

On the other hand that meant I had to figure out what I wanted to work on.

I ended up walking around the market for a bit browsing some of the little stalls, but not finding much that really interested me.

It wasnt like there was a mercenary shop among the stalls.

I did stop over at the tech repair shop. The lady that I had bought my tool kit from was sitting out there like normal. We both had grown to an agreement, I would ignore her, and she would ignore me.

But that didn't mean her stock wasnt useful. I browsed through her items, old tech junk, nothing that really interested me, but I did find some parts, and materials I wanted. Buying some feeder items for my Printer, I paid the eddies and headed home.

A nice jog back to the apartment felt nice, a return to those early days, and then I was there, on the couch feeding the metals and plastics I had bought into the printer, processing it into easy to use cubes, and pieces.

Finally I was left standing in a hellscape. The scattered remnants of the Daemons data covered the floor around me, digital viscera and as I waited, but nothing else came.

It grew quiet, but I didnt rush it. Waiting as I let my Seacho cool down from the strain of what I had just gone through.

Eventually I was sure nothing else was coming, I relaxed, and then because I was already here I started exploring.

I mean, I wasnt feeling great, but my chair sent me back plenty of biodata so I knew I wasnt dying.

The data within the server was a mess, scattered over multiple hubs and lobbies, but I was here to explore, to try and get what I could.

So I started gathering. Loading everything that was even semi legible, and clearing paths to the different data connections.

Most of the time that meant me having to destroy data rubble that blocked my path, or even create a path when the section I was trying to traverse was literally just an infinite pit.

I was just lucky that the traps that would have slowed me, or even attacked me were mostly digital detritus. I passed over a spike trap, or at least that was how my I saw it, but it had been a rather nasty section of Black ICE that would try to murder anyone foolish enough to fall into it.

The program was still there, hence why I could see it, but the activation subroutine was gone, hence why it was just a revealed piece of terrain I was able to walk around.

Honestly, walking through tunnels to reach different sections of the tunnel reminded me of a dungeon crawl.

I was a rogue-like protagonist now.

I giggled at the thought as I reached another room that would have data, the fact the room was sideways the tunnel I was using to reach it, twisted horrifically at the end, nearly disconnecting from the section of the server, telling about how badly the data had been damaged in this area of the server.

But I did notice that inside it wasnt that badly damaged.

As I hopped into the lobby, gravity asserted itself and I landed on my feet actually looking at a rather normal room.

I blinked. Everything inside looked Fine. Sure the connections to the room were fucked, but the data inside looked perfectly normal!

It looked like a high end smoking room. Big wingback chairs surrounded a fireplace, everything was dark wood, or at least meant to look like it, and the walls were covered in books.

I instantly registered the library as just that, a repository for data done in a visual style.

Nice.

I walked up to the shelves, the data wa still intact.

Nice. I poked it basically doing a check for anything nasty, but there wasnt anything I could see, no traps. No ICE or anything.

So I pulled a book off the shelf, about to check the data when. The light in the room shifted.

I looked up just in time to see something hulking and massive, start to crawl out of the fireplace. Something I recognized. How could I not?

It was a Tolkien Balrog.

A fucking Balrog.

Nope. I muttered as I used up every drop of RAM in my Cyberdeck to ICE up the Daemon and then ran, attempting to get the fuck out of this server.

The library didnt have a programmed trap, it just had a fucking Balrog sitting hidden in the digital flame waiting for someone unregistered to access the data.

Fuck. That was sneaky!

I leapt slipping onto the sideways twisted hallway that was the exit out of the room incredibly grateful that my breaching skill let me slipp into the twisted damaged connection port.

YOKO! I need an exit! I sent a message out as I leapt into the twisted hallway, but I could hear my ICE breaking as the Daemon gave zero fucks about my defenses, as it released a digital roar.

Fucker! I know that sound! That was Godzilla!

I ignored the Balrog using a fucking Godzilla scream.wav file as it chased after me. Its body too big for the twisting hallway, but that didnt seem to matter as it literally bashed its way through the distorted space ripping the server apart with its power. Probably permanently breaking the ability to access the smoking room.

Fuck that.

I was desperately trying to find a clear path to disconnect from the server.

The Daemons I had fought up until now were low level programs. That Balrog was exactly what it looked like, just a single glance told me the thing was a truly massive digital entity. Probably the closest thing to an AI without actually being one. A true fucking monster, and I was the dwarves in this instance. I had dug too deep.

Thankfully, while it was powerful, and more than capable of smashing the programs I threw over my shoulder at it, it wasnt able to move as fast as I could.

The server architecture slowed it down, as despite being a digital entity, it didnt know how to travel through this distorted hellscape.

Plus I was literally just backtracking, using paths and steps I had left behind me.

Slowly I gained more and more distance, its godzilla scream left far behind me as I reached the initial lobby.

Yoko! Stop fucking around! I yelled out, the two netrunners had obviously been watching me dive, and I was right. A few moments later a portal opened and I confirmed it was Yoko and Walk3r.

I jumped in, my sight blurred for a moment before spitting me out in Yokos Shrine.

Fuck. I cursed as I sort of caught my breath and didnt at the same time. I could feel my heart pounding, but not.

Huh, Cold Blood was still effective while netrunning, but my disconnect from my body meant there was still some weird kick back.

My relief at not dying was basically ignored though.

Well thats a bust. Walk3r said with a sigh, I looked up seeing the screen he was watching that displayed the Balrog going berserk in the digital space I had just left. Smashing and crushing everything.

It was always a risk. You gained some data did you not? Yoko offered simply.

Yeah but not enough. Not Not as much as I could have, that repository could have been He sighed, shaking his head.

What? I asked as I let my avatar flop onto the ground. It didn't feel like I was sitting, exactly, but I really wanted to just be close to the ground for a moment.

The Balron you just found, destroyed the data as it passed through the server. You tripped a very powerful trap. You are lucky you escaped with your life.

Yeah, tell me about it. Balron? Stupid name I grumbled, taking note of the name she used apparently they werent just calling it a Balrog? Was it a copyright issue? The idea seemed funny to me Hackers creating Daemons worried about the Tolkien estate. So everything was deleted?

Yes, at least the room you were in, is no longer accessible, so its about the same.

Yeah he was smashing the already broken tunnel to the room. There could be another access point. I pointed out, but only received a shaken head from W3lker.

Unlikely. That was a secure storage space. No, that was the only path.

Cant we build a new one to connect to it?

Walk3r snorted. Not a chance. The data was likely corrupted the moment, the pathway to it was fully broken. Even if I could get access again, it would be just as bad as the rest of the server now.

Sorry. I offered, actually feeling heartfelt. It wasnt my fault, exactly, no way for me to know about the massive Balrog hiding in the digital fireplace, but I was still the one there.

Its fine kid. The server was a mess and I doubted I would get anything out of it safely, which is why I agreed to this, Yoko gave me some good stuff to use the server as a training ground. The data would have just been a perk. He offered and I nodded looking to Yoko who was still resting back on her throne.

I learned a lot, but I feel like that wasnt the norm when diving into a data server.

Oh no. The corruption of the data within made it a very unique experience But it does resemble in a far safer version what diving into the deep net would be like. Considering I agreed to offer you as much mentorship as I could as a netrunner, I figured gaining such an experience would be worth it. Dont you agree?

It was certainly Unique. But I think I need to log. Im pretty sure my brain was half fried when I took that Overheat.

Honestly Im surprised you are still conscious. When the hack struck through your barriers, I expected to have to pull you out. V3Ls rig must be better at protecting its user than I expected. Or I should say your rig. Yoko offered and I shrugged. I was pretty tough after all, so I wasnt all that surprised, but I didnt want to get into that with Yoko.

I waved her goodbye as I pulled myself out of the server back across the net to my lobby and I blinked with my real eyes.

Then I blinked again because my face was a mess.

Blood ran down my nose, and I think from my eyes as well. The fact my Kiroshi werent biological the only reason they were still working.

I was fucked up.

I thought about getting up and cleaning up, but I was in rough shape, so instead I decided to kick it down eight hours.

I went to sleep.