"I SAID FIRE!" The head of security screamed frantically into the communication channel.
But contrary to his expectations, an unknown feminine voice smugly responded, "I heard you the first time."
Just as the head of security challenged the identity of the person, "Who the fu-" he was interrupted by a sequence of explosions.
The turrets stationed on the armoured vehicle transporting the Meka swivelled in place and oriented themselves to face the escorts instead. Without offering even a moment of respite for the passengers, the turrets started to fire off unperturbedly, lighting up all the 'friendlies' around it.
The armoured cargo transport was extremely efficient in its cleansing. The AI recognised the target and unleashed an unforgiving barrage of fire and fury with extreme precision. The vehicle itself was custom built by Halcyon Inc., and was meant to transport their most precious of cargos. Therefore, the weapons mounted on it were top-of-the-line and highly efficient in addressing their purpose.
The humvee holding the head of security was unfortunately the first to go. The AI controlling the turrets had smartly tagged him as a high-value target based on the fact that he was the one leading the detachment. Following the age-old mantra of cutting off the snake's head, it didn't hesitate to annihilate him first.
But even without a leading figure, the rest of the detachment was sufficiently trained to adapt to the situation. However, they never expected one of their own assets to turn on them. One could say that they were either too arrogant or too callous in their preparations, and immediately floundered when things started to go haywire.
So, like shooting fish in a barrel, the turrets on the armoured cargo transport struck off one vehicle after another.
Once the last escort vehicle was blasted to kingdom-come, the cargo transport slowly decelerated to a complete halt. As it stopped, the door at the driver's seat opened, and an unconscious body slumped out. Karina leapt off after dumping the body and waved into the distance to signal the car following the now extinct convoy.
The car, ridden by Byron, Horace and Nathan, approached the cargo transport by weaving through the debris from the convoy and slid to rest next.
"What took you so long?" Horace asked as he jumped out from the passenger's seat.
"There were biometric failsafes to access the transport's weapon platforms, and I couldn't contact Simon because the transport was also blocking unregistered signals. I could only wait for the head of the escorts to willingly dispatch them," Karina complained.
Nathan nodded and hummed, "I guessed as much. Optimally, you would have initiated the weapon platforms much earlier. Since you didn't, I figured that an impetus was required."
Byron walked up to the transport and caressed its surface. "What a magnificent stud!"
He then spoke loudly, "I'm gonna run some diagnostics on this one and slice off any tethers to Halcyon's networks. I doubt I'll be able to suppress all the trackers, but it will be enough for the time being. Someone needs to do the same with the Meka though."
"Ï"LL DO IT!" Nathan screamed and hurriedly ran over to the car and retrieved a backpack from the trunk.
Karina shook her head in defeat and spoke into her comms, "Simon! We've got the cargo. Will proceed to move to the rendezvous point and switch transports after running diagnostics and erasing our traces here."
[Affirmative.] Simon responded with a strained voice.
The more Raymond observed the performance of the group called Vagabond, the more surprised he became.
Their efficiency and efficacy was nothing short of the professional mercenary companies operating in Rank 1 or 2 star systems. It was uncanny.
Then again, as a scion who was literally hands-off in his work, he didn't have much experience observing such intricate operations that required precision timing and low error margins. The trickiest job he'd ever hired professional fixers for was to erase some embarrassing videos of him running around naked with powered nipple clamps attached to his penis.
At that time, Raymond was thankful to Jio for recommending the Gwishin Corp - the security division from Jio's matrilineal Shin Clan. They worked like ghosts! They went in and retrieved the data from Raymond's ex-girlfriend's cerebral implant without her even realising it.
To date, Raymond considered the Gwishin Corp as the gold standard. He dreamed that once he reached his sister's position, he would build his own force to match the Gwishin Corp in strength. But deep down he feared that none could ever measure up to them. That was until he observed the fixer group Vagabond.
These guys were like wolves in sheep clothing. They could pinpoint the target's weakness with laser precision and run circles around them. Simon cut through the facility's security system like a hot knife through cheese. He made it look so easy that Raymond was tempted to slot himself into a NetDive Board and try it out himself. That was until Raúl sat him down and explained the intricacies of the entire process. When Raymond finally understood it in its entirety, he was shaken to his core. This was Rank 2 level security! And it was manoeuvred by a bunch of yokels from a Rank 4 system!
Raymond could actually see everything happening live from the multiple screens in the workspace. His eyes were darting around the room, observing the perspectives of the guys in the field. Even though it was all in 2D, it was even more exciting and thrilling than 3D VR experiences, or super-realistic holographic scenarios.
He first followed the perspective of Karina. Obviously, it was because he found her strangely attractive and alluring. From the moment she expertly leapt from the car onto the cargo transport, Raymond was raptured by her litheness and agility. She moved through air and land like fish in water. There was unwavering confidence in her every move; there was no fear or hesitation. Raymond wasn't a smart individual. He couldn't break down each and every action and determine its purpose. But he had enough presence of mind to realise that this woman knew what she was doing as if she had years of experience. This was even after realising that this girl was probably only 18 years old. Was she doing this since her childhood?
And then there was that other lanky dude, Nathan. Raymond didn't have much of an opinion on him at first, but that was until the guy blew up an armoured escort vehicle by shooting through the barrel of an infantry energy blaster that was situated on a moving vehicle, from another moving vehicle, using a simple ballistic rifle. Raymond was knowledgeable enough from his vast experience following broadcast dramas to know that such a feat was nigh impossible unless the weapon had some form of assistive functionality, or the shooter had high-end cyber implants.
Even with all those crutches, it would be a test of the shooter's skill to achieve such a miraculous feat. And the man, Nathan, barely displayed any apprehension or uncertainty. For an 18-year-old, this was breaching into dodgy territories. Was he also practising since childhood? Who in their right mind would hand a high-calibre rifle to a little kid? While the UPA discouraged the exploitation of minors, it didn't police it as stringently as its other directives. Regardless, the amount of structured training required to achieve such a level of skill would be beyond the capacity of a Rank 4 system.
'Was there some veteran or expert hiding out in this planet, recruiting kids and turning them into lethal machines?' Raymond seriously considered that theory. He had seen way too many shows in which the protagonists gained some fortuitous encounters by stumbling upon some hidden expert.
He was tempted to take these guys aside and interrogate them regarding their master. He was contemplating the thought of hiring this master and using their expertise to train his force.
In fact, currently, Raymond was flip-flopping between two choices. The first was to hire the Vagabond group and take them under him. The second was to dispose of them as he had initially planned. He didn't quite understand the necessity of the second option. Why did he have to bother eliminating these irrelevant insects anyways? It's not like they could do anything to him. He was the son of one of the board members of Nova Corp. for crying out loud!
He could very well absorb the group and finance them so that they would become wholly loyal to him alone. He had already observed their skill and capabilities. Maybe he could ask Jio to connect him with the people from Gwishin Corp to help train these guys. With the help of the Corp's wide knowledge base, this small and out-of-the-way fixer group would be guaranteed to advance by leaps and bounds.
They would then be beholden to Raymond, the man who offered them a rope while they were stuck in this pitiful garbage dump of a system.
It was a tempting prospect, but Raymond quickly scrubbed the thought from his mind. Jio had taught him before that when hiring people not completely loyal to you, you must use them for one thing only. Increasing the number of responsibilities and tasks to a third-party crew will only cause them to take things for granted and push for benefits. Furthermore, he also drilled that regardless of the case, all loose ends must be tied up.
According to Jio, there were three possible ways to accomplish this. The first, and most obvious, is to tie up the loose end using a boatload of money. This worked best if the situation is too trivial to afford excessive preparation, and won't affect you that much if the issue is publicised. Monetary incentives have multiple uses, they can lubricate the wheels of bureaucracy, or act as adhesives to unpleasant breaches in the integrity of established infrastructures. But one must always be critical of the situation and evaluate whether monetary compensation can effectively calm the waters on a long-term basis.
The second is to set up the field such that treachery results in mutually assured destruction. This tactic is best employed when both parties are of equal strength and the impact on both of them is equal should their weakness be broadcasted. If one party has more to lose than the other, then it only pushes the threatened into a corner. And nothing is more dangerous than a cornered animal.
The third, and final, is to completely cut off the loose end. This was only applicable if the disparity between the two parties is so wide that mutually assured destruction is biased in favour of the inferior party, and the situation is not trivial enough to be glossed over with money.
Raymond recognised that this group of fixers would become a loose end. Of course, he could shut them up by throwing money at them. But Raymond was currently strained for cash. He was unsure if he could even compensate them for their service as well as the spoils from the mission. It would be more profitable for these guys to sell the research data and the Meka to the highest bidder on the QNet.
Raymond couldn't let that happen!
Just as he saw the armoured cargo transport fire its final shot, he nonchalantly stood up from his seat and walked towards Colin, who was slouched over a workstation.
Raymond heard Karina's voice through the speakers, [Simon! We've got the cargo. Will proceed to move to the rendezvous point and switch transports after running diagnostics and erasing our traces here.]
Once Simon responded, "Affirmative," Raymond signalled Raúl to cut off the power to the devices in the room.
"Hey! The system turned off!" Colin exclaimed. He tapped the machine next to his feet to see if it just went to sleep. This was a knee jerk reaction of his from having worked with suboptimal machinery.
Right as he scratched his head in confusion, he felt a cold metallic object poke against the back of his head.
Rhona, who was seated opposite Colin, turned her chair towards Simon and saw him glaring in Colin's direction. As she followed his gaze, she was shocked by what she saw.
Colin heard Rhona gasp from behind him, "A gun!"
As an instinct, Colin carefully raised his arms in the air. Simon tried to diffuse the situation and calmly prodded Raymond by asking, "Mr. Obiekwe. What are you doing?"
Raymond turned to face Simon and smirked, "What do you think?"
Simon slowly shuffled in the NetDive Board and continued with anxiety flushed across his face, "You don't have to do this. I know what you're thinking, but we are professionals. We won't run off with the Meka and the research. As part of our contract, we will hand it over to you for fair payment."
Raymond shook his head, "You expect me to believe that? You should know by now what kind of hot potato you have in your hands. Do you think I'm a fool to let you prance away with it? Please!"
Simon's anxious expression dispelled immediately and he returned to his usual neutral countenance, "Now you're just reaching for an excuse. Just be honest. From the beginning, you were going to dispose of us after we did the job for you."
The turnabout threw Raymond for a loop. Usually, at this point, people would beg for their lives and negotiate with the aggressor.
'Why's this guy so unperturbed?' Raymond thought to himself. 'Wait! He must be trying to use reverse psychology on me!'
He then quickly doubled down on his aggressive stance. Raymond shoved the barrel of his gun into Colin's head and push down.
"Enough! I know what you're trying to do. But it won't work on me. If I were you, I would start deciding my last words!"
Simon narrowed his eyes and stared pointedly into Raymond's eyes.
Raymond was immediately assaulted by an intense pressure. He felt as if Simon was looking right into his soul and stripping him bare. Simon's gaze was mechanical and ruthless. There was no emotion, just an intense urge to consume.
Raymond gulped audibly as a single bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He was brought out of his trance by a chuckle filled with derision, "You can't do it."
Raymond's face contorted as he nearly choked on his saliva. He quickly steeled himself and gritted out a threat, "I swear I'll blow his brains up!"
"Really?" Simon interrupted. "Then do it."
Raymond ground his teeth and retorted, "Believe me, I will!"
"Do it," Simon goaded with a more authoritative voice.
"I... I will!" Raymond replied as his neck shrunk into his collar.
It was then that Raymond realised something. This whole scenario and dynamic reminded him of someone.
As he looked into Simon's face in its entirety, he saw it morph. The light skin started to darken at a visible pace. The lips started to become thicker; the jaws became sharper and wider. The lush mane of hair started to thin out, revealing a lustrous dark scalp.
It was his father!
A deeply ingrained fear emanated from inside Raymond, causing a layer of sweat to ooze out from his back. His confident stance started to crack, as his knees threatened to give way.
Raymond was thrown into a memory he had suppressed in his subconscious.
"Do it," a cold and authoritative voice commanded.
Raymond looked down and saw a grovelling figure of his first pet, bones broken, washed in a thick layer of blood.
"I... I can't!" Raymond heard a childish voice reply in hesitation. The tone was saturated with a heartwrenching sadness that was on the cusp of spilling over.
"You either put it out of its misery or let it suffer till its last breath," the voice said offhandedly.
Raymond looked down and saw a familiar gun in his hands. It was pointing at his pet's head.
"I... I can't do it!" the childish voice cried out as the kid broke down into his knees, bawling his eyes out.
The man snorted and walked away as he threw out a parting comment, "Weak! You will watch it die," He then spoke to someone nearby, "If he closes his eyes I want you to open it forcefully. I've given him his choices, there is no middling."
Raymond then felt a calloused hand reach from behind him and forcefully open his eyelids. It then pushed him closer to the struggling body of his bloodied pet.
He started to feel claustrophobic.
The sudden disorientation caused him to return to the present.
Raymond observed Simon's aura which reminded him of his father.
His entire life, Raymond had subconsciously maintained a distance from his so-called father. He feared the man for his cold and calculative mentality. Raymond had thought that his father hated him and revelled in torturing him. But it was only after meeting Jio that Raymond realised the hidden implications in his father's grotesque lessons.
He realised that his father never hated him. But he didn't like him either. What his father needed was someone to carry forward the Obiekwe dynasty. He didn't need affection or filialness. What he needed was a vessel that could contain his gargantuan ambition.
It was at that point, that Raymond recognised his place in his father's "heart." He meant nothing. As long as Raymond's sister adhered to his father's ideals, Raymond was inconsequential. He was free to gamble, debauch, and perish, as long as he didn't interfere with his sister.
In actuality, Raymond never intended to personally dispose of these fixers. He was going to use the cruiser's AI to take them out. He was just trying to intimidate them like he had seen in various movies and dramas, to fulfil his childlike obsessions. But Simon had triggered an unpleasant memory that Raymond had locked away in the deepest confines of his psyche.
'Are you content with your life? Are you satisfied with your mediocrity and weakness?'
'NO!'
The flicker in Raymond's composure vanished instantly. Tightening his grip, Raymond faced Simon and spat out, "I told you that I'd do it!"
He cocked the gun and pressed it against the back of Colin's head.
BANG!
Blood and gore splattered all over the walls and the faces of Raúl and the three girls next to him.
"AAAA!" three feminine shrieks resonated in a horrified harmony.
