Chapter 4
" Yes, Mama Wells found me on the streets and decided to give me a job and roof until I can walk alone," I said while keeping my cool only thanks to Gamer's Mind.
" Well, I have heard things about you Akira." He said slowly drinking the glass I had just poured him.
" I hope good things," I said while smiling.
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New Skill: Acting Lv.1=>2 ( boosts body control and creativity while acting)
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'Not now.'
" I have heard you are quite the handyman, going from a cook to warehouse worker, to a bartender now, all saying the same thing-" He said while his eyes glowed briefly, my desire for an ICE is growing even more, the idea of someone possibly stealing my money or some data from me makes me sick.
"- you work without many questions, do what you are asked to do, and always end your job before going away."
My 12 intelligence started making my brain work overtime, and scenarios of what he meant started forming in my mind, but I showed nothing on my face and continued serving other customers.
" You want a job?" He asked after finally finishing his drink.
" Depends on the pay," I said while looking him in the eyes for the first time since we had started talking.
" Down your horse choom, you are still just a kid and I don't know how good you are, have ever even held a gun? I just need someone to protect a Netrunner while she is off the MeatSpace, you won't be alone, you in?"
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New Quest
Defend the naked
Conditions: Don't let the Netrunner die while she is unconscious
Bonus:???
Reward:500 XP, 1000 Eddies
Bonus:???
Failure: Lose of Rep with several Persons, Possible Death
Accept? Yes/No
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I felt slower while my mind thought about the pros and cons of doing this job, the possible con would be becoming a Merc without even a single implant, an absolute pro would be the high rewards for every gig they give me, that reward is more XP and Eddies I gained from working my ass off every day.
'You know what? Fuck it.'
" I am in, just message me the time."
He smiled and got up from the chair, while a message appeared in front of me, not coming from him but from someone, I didn't know, most likely a net runner who was in here for the safety of Padre.
After they left my hand shook for a second, but then returned to normal and I acted as if nothing had happened.
" What did Padre want Akira?"
" Nothing much, he asked me if I was up to do a gig for him, nothing serious I just have to keep an eye on someone for him."
" You know what I think about Merc's job." She said while her eyes became gloomier for a second.
" What's Jackie up to? He still owns a boxing training session."
" That Pendjo forgets to call his mother, he must be with the girl Misty."
" Mama, you know he loves her."
"... I know." She said not to continue the conversation any further.
After I had received the time and location where the Netrunner would be, I cancelled the job I had reserved for tomorrow and asked Mama if I could borrow one of the knives from her kitchen, just for safety, not that it would be very useful after I used Observe on it.
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Kitchen Knife
Quality: Normal
Damage: (Dex) x 1.2
Effects: Every attacks causes Bleeding ( 1HP/10s), bleeding can be caused more then once
Durability: 73/100
Story: A kitchen knife that belongs to Mama Wells, used for a long time has lost some of its edge, maybe you can try to sharpen it.
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'Better than nothing.' I thought while putting the knife on a bag I had found on the side of the street during one of my morning jogs.
Inside the bag, I also placed some bandages inside it apart from my normal things, just in case.
After finishing my shift, I decided to train in Knife Mastery and Boxing to make them reach at least level 10, thanks to Rookie and Focus it only took 5 hours, before my body started requesting for rest.
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Knife Mastery Lv.9
Boxing Lv.10
+1 Dex
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Putting the knife on the ground I sat on my bed, letting my SP regen while I thought of possible ways tomorrow could go to the shitter.
'Ok, the area is on the southern border of the edge of Watson, so Maesltorms are unlikely to appear, the real problem would be Tyger Claws, but they usually attack only if angered or if they are attacked, so let's just hope this net runner isn't messing them or is good enough to cover their tracks.'
Not having much else I could do I laid on my bed to get some shut-eye, not having Gamer's Body means I get tired and that I need sleep, bummer.
.
.
.
While trying not to gag at the smell coming from the end of the hallway I knocked on the door of the room where I was told the net runner would be, one problem though, as soon as the door opened a gun was pointed right at my face.
" YO CHOOM CALM THE FUCK DOWN, I AM HERE FOR THE GIG," I said while putting my hands in the air and taking a step backwards to at least see who was the one holding the gun.
" Damn choom, sorry about that, you can never be too sure in these shitty motels, and you look like one of the gonk living here." a masculine voice said, I had never seen him in the game so he must have been a casual merc working for Padre
From a quick look, I saw he had cromes on his arms, and his eyes, I wasn't sure if he had anything else, but he didn't have implants he covered in size alone.
" Yeah, yeah, not the worst thing I was said," I said while going inside after the man had moved away from the door.
The room was pretty small, apart from the man there also was another one, the opposite of the first one, slim and most likely fast, maybe he had implants to move faster than normal and mantis blades.
He took a look at me and then moved his eyes to the last one present in the room.
A woman with a long coat, no apparent cyberware apart from the one that made her able to connect, smoking a cigarette using her blade-like metal fingers.
The woman looked at me for a second and then ignored my existence.
" It will take around 3 hours, try to not screw up." She said while heading for the bathroom.
Not feeling like remaining up I sat down on one of the couches and let the silence remain in the room, everyone minding their own business.
'These are going to be 3 long hours.'
I had no idea how true that statement was.