Mercenaries armed to the teeth now lie dead on the soft soil of the spruce forest surrounding the mansion. My Dancers struck them fast and hard. Not even let our enemies fire a single round.

 

I crouched to the ground and grabbed a handful of dirt soaked in blood. "Not my cleanest work, but good work." I threw away the dirt. "Father, what do you think about the situation? No witnesses, except the ones inside the mansion, are alive."

 

"Seen professionals do worse and call it a productive day. I saw a job well done." He moved towards one of the dead mercenaries and grabbed his weapon. "Standart issue carbine, a little old, chambered with anti-personal ammunition, classic style. So, they weren't waiting for heavy ones to be involved."

 

"Our targets father may have a connection or two. I haven't looked it up, but if he trusts his good-for-nothing mercenaries this much, then that means someone is backing his ass." I turned to Minotaur. "Open your scanners."

 

Minotaur's head opened into two parts, and four cameras, looking in different directions, got out.

 

"Look for any heat signs while moving." With my command robot began walking towards the mansion. "Let's get going. I don't want to miss the party."

 

"What party?"

 

"The blood party, dear father. There are two mercenaries inside that we must act carefully. Both are on, not that wanted list of the UDC." I reached into my pocket, pulled out a phone, and opened an application. "Here, look to the database. Smasher and Slasher. Twins, one is agile, the other is strong."

 

"So, I take Slasher, and this robot takes on Smasher while you raid the main house. There was a reason for the armor, wasn't it?" Perfect! I am glad I work with a professional that can read my mind.

 

"Jury gives ten points to your assumption. Yes, but I don't give armor because I think Slasher can harm you. Take it more as an experiment. Your power gloves have limited power output to stop self-harm, right? Try increasing power output during the fight's duration. My equipment will endure the impact for you."

 

"Would much prefer if you told me that beforehand." He smiled. I suppose he is also excited. Retirement, my ass, this old dog loves fighting.

 

"Well, well, look who is smiling? But in all seriousness, shall we go forward? Remember, I have lessons and such. I must do good in my future exams since I am the top scorer."

 

"I got it. I praise your scores, my son, who has a supercomputer inside his head that allows him to cheat through any problem thrown to him." He flinched my forehead. "Let's move. I have work tomorrow." Huh, hit by my weapon.

                                                *****

The mansion our VIP stays in is only a short walk away from the port. So we arrived at the mansion's front garden entrance in an eye's blink. Things get easier after this point.

 

There are high walls with electric fences to stop unwanted visitors and huge metal sliding doors for vehicle entrances. "Minotaur." But I have something that can rip these off.

 

The giant robot moved to the iron door and grabbed it with both hands. After a short chord of hydraulics working, Minotaur ripped the door from its place.

 

Father began looking around in confusion. "I can't say this is the 'stealthiest' way of entering, but there seem to be no alerts." Then looked at me with a somewhat proud face. "But I suppose I should  have expected that."

 

I raised my shoulders and began walking inside with a bodyguard circle made of Dancers.

 

 Two-man greeted us at the mansion entrance. Slash and Smash.

 

Slash is a shorter twin, around my height. He is bald and wears sunglass middle of the night for some reason. He uses an edged curved blade as his weapon of choice. His ability is a somewhat stretchy body that can do gymnastic maneuvers no regular human could.

 

Smash is the lengthier twin. He is around Steinar's height, a little higher. He has grayish skin that is quite durable, and he possesses superhuman strength. But I doubt he is a match for my Minotaur.

 

"You kept us waiting long enough. May I learn the reason why you guys killed almost all of our men outside?" Slash asked.

 

"I have a meeting with a filthy drug addict that loves to spend cash coming from her daddy. I would advise both of you to stay out of our way."

 

"That daddy of hers pays the good amount for her protection too. To us specifically." Smash answered.

 

"I can see that from expensive sunglasses your stupid twin wears middle of the night for some reason, but seriously. It is friendly to advise, find a weapon, shoot your limbs and beg your boss or something. You may survive if that happens."

 

Slash pulled out his blade. "My, my, aren't we the bold one? Don't mix us with those cheap-ass bastards you can hire even from the web. We are professionals, you know?"

 

Smash cracked his fists. "Yeah. Professionals bitch!"

 

"Your loss." I snapped my finger, and Minotaur began charging toward Smash while my father locked his eyes on Slash. This one will be a fight worth watching. Too bad I have my target to take down.

 

"Fun begins!" Smash shouted and took a position to take the incoming attack from my robot.

 

                                             

                                              *****

 

I left the big fight in the garden to ones made for the duty. My objective is to talk with the person of interest. So, my target is the mansion itself. While it certainly has a size, it isn't that big. Also, the disco lights from a hall-like place on its third floor give away the location.

 

With the Dancers' help, I opened the main gate and entered a large lobby with several corridors taking you to different parts of the house and one large staircase to the upper floor. "Clear the house, and use non-lethal force."

 

My assassin robots scattered themselves through the corridors to search for enemies. Meanwhile, I have one target I must find. How nice of them to shine their location like a beacon.

 

I began climbing the stairs and admiring the mansion's interior on my way. Clearly, those who designed this place had a taste for the victorian era. Most of the decoration is made from wood in darkish colors, fitting for the spruce trees covering the forest. They used red carpets to cover the ground, but there are some clashes between old and new, like the modern security systems made from metal shining and taking the spotlights, since they do not fit the wood.

 

After reaching the second floor, I moved towards an elevator, once again, not fitting the victorian interior as it's very modern, perhaps shining out too much with neon lights and pure white doors. I entered in. "Four buttons, four different floors. Take me to third."

 

Doors closed, and the elevator quickly ascended to the second floor, where two gentlemen (of course, not mistake them with someone like butlers, just another two mercenaries.) greeted me with rifles aimed at my head. "Well, is this the third floor?"

 

"Hands on air, knees to ground. Now!" One on the left shouted.

 

"Perhaps I made a mistake when stating my question. Sorry for me if that, but am I on the third floor of the mansion?"

 

"Are you fucking deaf? Ground! Now!"

 

"This isn't very gentlemen-like, to not answer my question, but I have time." I took a step forward, and two guards began raining bullets. Of course, none of them managed to pass through the energy barrier my suit was generating.

 

I dashed forward, punched the guard on the left from the guts, then landed two jabs to his face. He got stunned, and I used the time to kick him from his knees and make him fall to the ground.

 

While the other guard tried to attack me using the stock of his weapon, but my energy shield deflected the attack. "I will come to you a second later. Please wait for now."

 

I punched the guard on the floor in the face and grabbed a magazine from his vest, then his weapon. "Now we will speak, okay?" I quickly loaded the gun and then shot the mercenary's left leg.

 

The man screamed in pain and fell. He is holding his leg with both hands, trying to stop the bleeding. "Bastard!"

 

"Language! Now, speak. Where is that, I don't know, party girl? I should have brought a picture of her with me." I already have it on my phone, though. Shit, I already started the conversation. 

 

"I cannot! He will fucking kill me."

 

I fired a round into the air. "And I will, fucking, not? Why do you guys almost lack intelligence? Look, I am already here. All guards outside are dead, and an entire army of assassin robots are currently killing the rest stationed in the mansion. You can only give that girl. Like what, five minutes by not giving her location, and do you think that's worth your life?"

 

"No." The man looked at his leg. "Inside the party room, I am sure you saw it from outside, but she isn't on the dance floor. Try finding a large painting. There is a secret room behind, where she does her drugs with her favorites from the night."

 

"Good." I shot the knocked-out guard, then turned my weapon towards the other.

 

"Wait! You said you would spare my life."

 

"I didn't. I only asked if your life was worth giving her five more minutes." I shot the guard in the face and threw the rifle away. "Such an ancient technology."

 

Now let's get back to our business.

 

***** At outside. From the father's perspective.

 

Leo is inside, looking for that girl. But I am stuck with these two idiots and a big machine. But is he even taking the fight seriously?

 

Minotaur showed a feat of strength at the gate, sure I am amazed by that, but he keeps taking Smash's hits and doesn't attack back despite charging first, which I don't understand? I'll ask Leo that after the battle. I have my hands filled with this guy. Slash is quite fast, and only a fool underestimates what he can do, but he still has a long way before he could land a hit on me.

 

Another strike comes from the left. Slash will first attack with the blade and follow it with a spin kick. I blocked the sword using my arm, I don't know how my son designed this armor, but it can stop an attack that would cleave my hand clean off without a scratch. "What technology can make" I kicked him in the chest to push him away before he could make his follow-up attack.

 

"You are boring, man! Come one, attack me? Or you can't." He began laughing. "Kikiki, don't tell me you are nothing but blocks."

 

A static echoed through my ears. Its Leo. "Father, Minotaur is still fighting in the defensive mod, but I collected enough data from this fight. So I will flip his switches, so be fast and finish your fight if you haven't already."

 

So that was the case. Oh, another attack comes, one from the left and the other from the right. From right, a strike from Slash's sword and a sucker punch aimed at my gut from left below.

 

I blocked the incoming attacks and landed a jab on Slash's face. Meanwhile, Minotaur roared and began emitting red light. "I would like to see this." I kicked him from the chest and turned towards Minotaur.

 

The machine was now looking ready to attack.

 

"Hah! What a pitty little show." Smash leaped forward, ready to land a strike.

 

 Minotaur blocked the incoming attack and grabbed Smash, then threw him to the mansion. The man's body passed through the wooden wall. Oh, I feel pain in my neck.

 

I turned to my back and blocked an incoming strike from Slash. He was a little confused. "How!" He screamed in anger. "How! How! How! I hate you. I fucking hate this job. This fight isn't any fun!"

 

"Really? Sad to learn that." I landed three consecutive punches to Slash's chest and followed a hook to his face. "Time to add some spice." I clenched my fists and charged the gloves.

 

One strong punch to his gut, now he cannot breathe. Next hit to his arm. The sound of his bones cracking echoed, but he didn't even manage to scream in pain. Now he cannot use it.

 

Finally, I land two hooks right into the face, the first strike to knock him out and the second to kill him for good.

 

I looked back to Minotaur to see what he was doing, but too late to see the rest of the fight. He got his job done. I can see that from Smash's body, ripped into two pieces lying on the ground. "Perhaps I should warn the son of mine about not using too much violence." Still, this job wasn't easy for the robot, despite his strength. I can see that most of its mechanisms are either destroyed or critically damaged.

 

Now, what is my son doing inside?

 

***** Back to the mansion.

 

I closed the communications and opened the door to the party room. All party animals were either hiding in a corner or under a table. I suppose even the loud music wasn't able to suppress the gunshots.

 

"All of you, stay where the fuck you are." I began walking through the room. Countless empty or half-empty alcohol bottles on the floor, clothes everywhere, and this smell of sweat. Ugh. I changed my direction. First, I closed the music and opened the windows. "Took a deep breath of this fresh air!"

 

I turned back to my course and moved to the large painting, lifted it, pushed the switch, and a hidden door opened. "Bingo."

 

Now I have a room illuminated with purple light, filled with nude people lying on the floor. Many kinds of drugs and weapons are on a coffee table in the middle.

 

A blonde girl, at least five years older than me looking at me with a pistol in her hand. Like all the others, all naked, but several people, passed out, probably from drugs, hugging her. "Your business."

 

I began walking through her, and she began firing his pistol. Of course, all shots got blocked by the energy shield, and I grabbed the gun from her hand. There should be two bullets left. "Call your daddy. I state some business with him."

 

She is a little terrified but still goes strong. I wonder why. "And why should I-

 

I pressed the pistol to her mouth. "I can answer that, but first, call your father or what you call him."

 

With trembling fingers, she reached for a phone, then dialed a number, and when the father opened the call, she offered the phone to me. I grabbed it with my empty hand.

 

"My little sweetheart, what you want from daddy? Say anything you want."

 

"Really? Addresses of the cultists you met. Remember, the ones you sold the scrapped weapon parts."

 

"Fuck! Who are you." He suddenly understood the situation, how good."

 

"A friend from UDC. I took a visit to your daughter's little party."

 

"If you dare to touch-

 

I pulled the pistol out and fired a round into the air. "This was a warning shot. Second goes to your girl's leg, and third to her head."

 

"You wouldn't dare."

 

"Wanna find out?"

 

"I will kill you and everyone you know off! You hear me. You are a dead man. And if you ever do anything to my little princess, I will make you suffer. I will make you watch-

 

"Enough nagging now details about the deal. Come one. I hold a gun to your daughter's head here, not you holding a gun to one I care." This talk shouldn't be this hard to understand.

 

"You!-

 

I fired the last bullet into the girl's leg. She screamed in pain and began calling his father's name.

 

"Still want to find out where the next bullet will land?"

 

"You damn it. My clients are somewhere around Norway, in the upper parts, the frozen part. At least I made the deal there. Their plan, I don't know. But they wanted to buy lots of electronic warfare equipment. Those weirdos paid a hefty price for it too."

 

Disable alert systems, open a portal, and let a horde run out. FE* (Find and Exterminate, a chain of satellites designed to locate and destroy rifts from orbit using advanced weaponry.) will take it before it grows too large, but there is no need to risk it. I will hand this to UDC, and my team will go after the dealer for his treason against humanity.

 

"Good." I dropped the pistol and spared his daughter's life. "Now, you have one month. Remember that." I got out of the hidden room and threw the phone out of a window. Today was a productive day.