11. stairs
Seven years ago, after the New People’s War of Independence, soldiers who had nowhere to go entered the fixer industry.
Military implants, skilled killing techniques, understated violence and obsession with credits have become a sweet rain for companies that have been troubled by gangsters and scavengers. While actively supporting solver activities such as issuing citizenship, permitting tactical weapons, and permitting private sanctions, they put in direct requests to control the streets and handle dirty work. Joel Cooper, the broker Leonard is looking for now, was also one of the ‘rattles’ subcontracted by the company.
“Who is this! You’re Leonard Walker, the self-proclaimed best in Sodom!”
Leonard frowned and looked around the rattle office. I didn’t like the expensive white town, and the office in the recently renovated penthouse. How many fixers had to suck blood to keep this office.
“It’s been a while. Is this the first time you’ve caught a lunatic tenor bond?”
“It’s been a while since you said that.”
“It’s been a long time since a person who eats bullets stops! ha ha ha! I heard you had a fight with the Wildkid gang yesterday?”
“Rumors are spreading too fast…”
“This floor is like that. Because it’s me, it’s a bit faster.”
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Joel Cooper. He was a fixer broker like Jake, but his part was slightly different. We did not deal with poor scavenger requests, only those with large credits. This is only a guess, but it must be this person who sent someone to kidnap Max. Leonard sighed.
“Are you still treating corporate executives for drinks?”
“That’s what sales are. Because if you want to play in big water, you have to be friendly with big hands.”
“The eldest son is Niimi…”
It’s a common evil among evils, but it was a necessary evil for a solver like Leonard.
“So what is the self-proclaimed best solver?”
“Because of this gang fight.”
“The crazy kid and the crazy twins? yes. things got bigger It started with drug dealers on 21st Street, but after a few of them, it seems like it became a battle of pride and we fought over the entire street.”
The rattle somehow spewed out information. I doubt it, but I couldn’t miss the opportunity.
“Who is the original owner of 21st Street?”
“It was Stonehead until last year. I still have some stores, but they almost went to the Twins.”
“What about Wildkid?”
“They’re the kids who rode motorcycles and rob trucks in the suburbs. There is no base in Junk Town, and they only sell things.”
The Stonehead gang died, and the Twins gang took over the liquor dealer, drug dealer, and illegal implant business, while the Wildkid stepped in with contraband and loot and expanded their influence. I knew the rough, so I asked for specific information.
“How big is it?”
“What scale? trade size? The size of the fight?”
“Either way.”
By this point, even the AI for teaching Alphabet could understand Leonard’s purpose. The rattle laughed meaningfully.
“Enough to raid gunsmiths and gun down business roads.”
“That means in business…”
“There is always a lot of interest.”
No entrepreneur likes gangs, but I didn’t particularly like the Wild Kid gang. More like a bandit than a gang, he committed vicious crimes of kidnapping corporate employees and stealing goods by robbing trucks.
“Ryan Bourne and Noah Lucas went to work anyway, so you think you’re interested too?”
Leonard’s eyebrows twitched. It was because of them that Leonard sometimes attaches ‘one of’ when he is humbled. A-044 In terms of popularity in the city, he was more than Leonard, the former Hexagon.
“If the conditions are right.”
“Hiya, it’s a big deal that Leonard Walker came to work first. It’s a big deal.”
Talk and act quickly. The rattle’s eyes blinked red. It seems to be going through the quest list, but it took quite a while. There was a lot of work to be done as it almost monopolized corporate requests.
“Oh, there’s one just right.”
I fumbled in the air and fired a file. Leonard downloaded the data uploaded to the brain chip with a disgusted expression.
“In 33 hours an armed convoy from Big Ground will enter Head Town. You just have to go ahead and wait and get a cargo.”
The destination was well specified in the file.
“21st Avenue?”
Leonard wasn’t a cheap fixer who emptied his brain, got shot, and earned credits. Rather, they belonged to the elite. With the information I’ve heard so far, I’ve organized the contents behind the request.
“Has the Big Ground teamed up with the Twins?”
“No way? Why would that high air drinker hold the hand of an insignificant thug? Are you afraid of spreading germs?”
“So you’re a fixer.”
From a business point of view, it was simple. Wildkid backs the ‘relatively’ decent Twins out of sight, but since an image-important corporation can’t openly get involved in a gang fight, they hire a fixer to deliver the goods.
“weapon? Or is it an implant?”
“Maybe a weapon? Big Ground’s main product is an automatic rifle.”
It would be rude to say that it was just a rifle. In a wasteland covered with pollutants, a reliable rifle was more valuable than expected.
“All good, but there is one problem.”
Leonard gloomily closed the file. The rattle also looked straight ahead and asked.
“why? It’s not killing people, it’s cargo transportation? Do you like things like this?”
“The car has entered the garage.”
A fixer without a car was a public security agent without a gun. It means being ignored from time to time.
“Ah, I heard you filmed a movie-like chase… So you died in the end?”
“It’s not dead yet, and it will take about a week to finish repairing.”
When Leonard made an excuse, the rattle grinned.
“I’m not like Bald Jake. I can rent you a slut for your partner.”
“How much is the rent?”
“It will be deducted from the commission.”
“…Damn it.”
The solver who was sorry for the credit had no choice.
@
33 hours was a long time. Even after collecting information, conducting field trips, inspecting equipment, and running simulations several times, there were still 20 hours left.
“Can I take a deep breath?”
Leonard parked the rental car in parking lot 11-1 and took the key. If I chew an energy bar and sleep for 4 hours, I feel refreshed, so I didn’t need much sleep. These were the advantages and disadvantages of the implant body. At that time, a familiar dog ran from the other side of the parking lot.
“Ah! He said he had no spare money! You got a new car!”
Max was easy to misunderstand because he was suffocating and soft-spoken. Leonard put the car keys in his pocket and explained.
“It’s not my car. borrowed. No, more than that, why am I getting bruised when I spend my own money?”
“It’s not a bruise… it’s just a shame…”
“Then why are you offended? I’m sorry. This snot-sized thing doesn’t know grace, doesn’t it?”
Leonard punched his brother in the crown of the paper. It was good to hit because he was short.
“What about Sigma?”
“I am packing my things. It’s time for Mr. Leonard to come, so he told me to go out, so I came out.”
“I guess they got kicked out for being in the way. Can you afford to pay for a meal like this?”
There wasn’t much a 15-year-old without implants could do. He seems to be smart, but he can’t work as a white collar worker with no education, so he’ll spend his life as a waiter at a restaurant or an errand boy at a gambling house.
“Well, that’s not too bad…”
“Yes? What’s not bad?”
“…This work. A good job came in.”
Leonard didn’t care and turned around and headed for the stairs. The elevator was jammed, so I had to walk hard. But Max didn’t follow. Leonard took five or six paces and looked back.
“Please take me too.”
The ‘real’ human beings, not mixed with machines, had vivid expressions. It was different from the cyborg that only copied emotions. I came up to the ground and felt a sense of liveliness that I had forgotten.
“I’m not going to play.”
“I don’t even want to play. Do you want to work to pay it off? I’ll help Mr. Leonard.”
Is it the stroke of a child? Probably not. There was no way that the kid who saw a lot of unseen things in the back alley didn’t know that gangsters were scary.
“I work alone. That’s comfortable.”
“What about Sigma? Sigma helps Leonard, right?”
“Sigma is not a person. Like this or that.”
Leonard pointed to his shoulder holster and rental car. It was a natural idea for an implant cyborg who could tell the difference between real and fake. However, humans who are only ‘real’ could not distinguish between the real and the fake. It was fun.
“Why isn’t Sigma a human? If you can think and speak, you are a human being. And I know how to think. I won’t disturb you. I’ll learn to shoot and drive. Then you can help Mr. Leonard, right?”
Leonard laughed incredulously. I didn’t object to the average lifespan of a fixer, social awareness, or uncertain future.
“When will I teach you to use it?”
“I learn quickly. I can already load the gun Mr. Leonard gave me.”
“What? Such crazy…! When did I give you a gun!”
“Didn’t you leave the gun in the living room for me to use?
“How can that be!”
Leonard shook his head and climbed the stairs. This damn villa is mad about when they plan to fix the elevator. But Max was more persistent than the villa manager.
“Then I’ll just watch! Take it now! Max is better than I thought? Max vouches for it!”
“Aren’t you ashamed to say your name with your own mouth?”
“Could you do something even more embarrassing? Shall we ask while dancing hula? In Indian style?”
“My eyes are expensive eyes. Please don’t terrorize me.”
The way up to the ninth floor was exceptionally long. To the extent that I think differently when I step on the first step and when I step on the last step.