"Hey Hidiko!" Enidri said to her screen. The young man picked up the call, his eyes fervently looking from side to side once the connection between him and Enidri established. Behind him were a few heftier individuals roaming around the dining area. Even though she couldn't see their faces, Enidri could tell that they were looking for trouble by seeing their body language. "Everything all right on your end?"

"I'm just fine, Miss Saelex." His tone said otherwise. "But do you think you'll be here soon?"

"Yeah. On my way there now. I just wanted to tell you to be careful. Lots of wild things go down here in the Disposal Sector."

"That's... what I figured when I paid the man at the toll booth."

"You did what?" Enidri said with disgust. 

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't do something wrong. Well..." Enidri sighed. "All right. You did do something kind of wrong."

"What was that?" Hidiko's face turned from scared to worried in an instant. "You'll still help me get my sister, won't you?"

"Kid. Calm down. All you did was show everyone that you're new around here. That's the best way to paint a target around your back, understand?"

"Oh," Hidiko replied with solace.

"Entering and leaving this part of town is free. But the gate operators know that there are a lot of suckers that will cough up money to someone in a uniform if they tell them to."

"Are... you saying I'm a sucker?"

"Did you pay the operator?"

Hidiko lowered his head. "It seems that my sister is lost then."

The Exterminator rolled her eye. "Stop being so dramatic. I'm around the corner. Be there in a couple of minutes. Think you can try not to get scammed in that time?"

"Yes, Miss Saelex."

"Good." The call ended, leaving Enidri with a clear view of the path before her. The trail leading to the meeting point was crowded with countless people eager to get to wherever they intended to go and unwilling to compromise their spot on the path without a bit of aggression. 

Enidri knew how to play their game. She picked up her pace, making sure one arm was in front of her body as she pushed through the crowd. The goal was to make sure they knew not to mess with her. She angled her hip to the other side, making sure that the Ion Blade attached to her hip was clear and visible to give any displeased pedestrians second thoughts.

After only a few minutes of wading through the crowded streets, the southern gates of the Disposal Center were within Enidri's view. She stood on her toes to get a better view over the crowd as she scanned the area for Hidiko. He stood out from the others by the way he backed himself against the gate's wall while feverishly looking for Enidri. 

Better get to him before he gets himself killed, the Exterminator thought. After some more aggressive walking, she caught up with her client. Hidiko took a deep breath, fear fleeing from his face once he saw Enidri emerge from the flow of foot traffic. 

"Thank you so much, Miss Saelex," he said as he bowed his head. "I had almost given up all hope."

"You can thank me later, kid," Enidri said as she put a hand on his shoulder. She gestured towards the other side of the sector with the jerk of her thumb. "We've still got a lot to discuss before we get to the part about... you know what."

"Of course."

Enidri looked at Hidiko's stomach. "Looks like you could use something to eat, kid."

"Don't worry, I ate yesterday."

From the look on his face, Enidri could tell that he was completely serious. "Come on, now. You can't focus when you've got to worry about your gut grumbling. And I know you're broke, so I don't mind paying for your meal this time. How does that sound?"

Hidiko's arms shook as he placed his hand over his stomach. "Well, it seems wrong to indulge myself when my sister is in danger..."

"Let's get going before I change my mind." Enidri grabbed Hidiko by the wrist and pulled him forward. "Just think about your sis. Would she want you to try rescuing her on an empty stomach?"

"No."

"Of course not. Now don't think too much about my offer and enjoy the food. Granted, enjoying it might be the hard part."

Hidiko stayed close behind Enidri. The Exterminator's confidence combined with her familiarity of the area allowed her to effortlessly maneuver against the flow of traffic. Within no time, Enidri brought Hidiko to the closest diner; a dilapidated corner shack called Hi-Dine.

"Here we are," Enidri said as she wrapped her fingers around the door’s handle. "This is the best food you're going to find in this part of Labrisson. It’s not saying much, but you’ll hopefully leave without leaving you meal behind in the toilet."

"I appreciate the imagery."

"Yeah, yeah. Not like you're hiring me to be your tour guide, right?" She pulled the door wide open and pointed to the inside. A gust of cool air escaped the establishment, chilling her still-wet skin. "Take a seat by the corner. Their menu is on the system, you'll have to look it up there."

"Understood." Hidiko darted through the door and into the dimly lit establishment. Gaudy neon signs with the diner's name flickered on the walls. Crumbs coated the floor along with a sticky substance that caught the bottom of his boots with each step. The room was empty save for the lone robot behind the glass counter. It turned its head and watched Hidiko make his way to the corner table. 

Enidri followed him, ignoring the cracked tiles on the checkerboard floor. She sniffed twice, relieved that someone at least took the time to take the trash out. Enidri took the seat opposite Hidiko and kicked back against the torn cushion. 

"Take your time with ordering, kid. I'm in no rush to eat," Enidri said as she wedged one arm between the back of her head and the seat cushion. 

"Is it all right if I order whatever I want?" Hidiko asked, tilting his head just far enough past his projection to get a good look at Enidri. 

"Get whatever. Not like I can't afford it."

"I see." Hidiko made his screen disappear so that he looked at Enidri directly in her face. "I appreciate your generosity, Miss Saelex."

"Uh-huh." She squinted at her client. That scared, worried look he had before shifted to one of concern. 

"But... your offer has got me thinking."

"All right." She rolled her hand in the air. "If you got something to say, just get to the point."

"I may still be learning a lot about this city, but that doesn't mean I'm naïve," he said firmly. 

"You paid a fee to enter a glorified dumpster, kid."

Hidiko turned his head away, his face flushed red with embarrassment. "Fine. I'm only somewhat naive. The point I was trying to make is that I know that nothing in life is truly free. And that must be true when it comes to you and requesting your talent."

"You gave me an offer."

"I know. But when it comes to you, the money I was offering might as well have been free." Hidiko leaned forward over the table and looked directly into Enidri's eye. "There must be something in all this for you."

"A few extra Tokens. Plain and simple," Enidri said as she angled her head ever so slightly away while keeping eye contact. "What? You think I got some sinister motive or something?"

"I... I've given this whole deal some more thought. I wish I didn't reveal so much information to you." Hidiko huffed in exasperation. "You said you know..." he then looked around the room, making sure that there were no other people inside. "That person we discussed. How do I know that this isn't some ruse to turn me in."

"If you feel that way, the door is right there." Enidri pointed to the diner's entrance. She took her Ion Blade off her belt and placed it in his hand. "You can even walk out with it. I'm not much of a fighter without it."

Hidiko looked at the silver hilt in awe. He lifted it up and down, feeling its weight before bringing it closer to his face to admire the intricate metal work that went into the handle's design. "You trust me that much?"

"Listen. If you really think that I'm here to betray you, go ahead and walk out with my favorite weapon. But if you do, never talk to me again. You'll have to rely on the Justice Department if you want any hope of getting your sister back. Is that something you want to do?"

Hidiko handed the weapon back. "No."

"That's what I thought." Enidri snapped her weapon's hook back on her belt and leaned back in her seat again. "There. Now that's been settled, let me tell you why I'm so willing to help a fellow Labrisonner out."