Part 73

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***

- А?

Judy looked at me in surprise.

- I mean, I just wanted to talk and warn you.

- Yeah...

I nodded my head.

- ...but knowing you, she's either been your ex or she's had her chance at one time or another. And now we have to show her that you're happy.

- Ahem. Not all the girls I hang out with have been my lovers.

- So this miko wasn't?

- Well, she was, but not for long.

- That's what I had to prove.

I nodded.

- ...and you didn't break up very well, did you?

- Well.

Judy looked away.

- And you know, knowing you, it's probably both of your fault.

- What?!

- It's simple.

I shrugged.

- ...you...despite living in this town, you're still a proper girl, raised by your grandparents. Yeah, you've got a bit of a Knight City vibe, so you're comfortable going on missions, accepting the deaths of gangsters, a lot of things, but at your core, you're still the right girl. And Parker was a narcissistic, head-raising bitch. You don't accept that... Knowing this town, Maiko must be an even more hardcore Knight City girl, and you wouldn't get along with her if she didn't make concessions....

- But I get along with you, with you, I get along.

- So we're not city dwellers...

I shrugged.

- I was thinking of leaving before I met you... Panam is nomadic. Lucy... we all know her history and that she doesn't give a shit about this town. Kiwi's got her own story, but the result is the same as Lucy's. Becca is probably the only one of us who can really call herself a Knight City resident.

- Hey! I'm in!

- ...with us, with us, you won't get away from us as we're a good influence on you.

I smiled at our weapons master.

- So we all have roughly the same way of thinking. And I don't just mean that we're sick of Knight City, or even that we don't strive to get to the top on the heads of others....

I shrugged.

- ...These are just the top layers that anyone who talks to us for a couple of days can see. And how many of these similarities are deeper?

- Well...I guess....

Judy nodded uncertainly.

- So how do you want to destroy your significant other?

- And... can I make sushi?

I blinked.

- Hmm... I've never made them... but all in all, I could try... I think I should be pretty good, especially if I follow the recipe strictly.

- Then don't... best not to experiment... oh, let's have this whatchamacallit, borscht.....

- Borscht?

- Yeah. You made it once and we all liked it, and for the second course, I'd like steak and chips.

- Mashed potatoes or fries?

- Fries, of course!

- Great.

I nodded my head.

- ...now let's check if we have all the food and if we have everything, we'll start cooking, and if not everything, we'll have to adjust the menu....

Collecting the empty plates I put them in the hoist, then went down to the kitchen and started to revise the food....

- Judy, we've got a little problem....

- Yeah?

- There's no food for the borscht, and the delivery of fresh, organic food....

- Yes, I understand. Then what can you suggest?

- Well... for starters I can make a light salad... then like you asked for steak and fries, and for the first thing...

I looked thoughtfully at the fridge and a few open cupboards.

- ...I might suggest a light vermicelli soup.

- Hmm.

- Then I'd better not...

Lucy shook her head.

- ...such a light soup might blur the impression of a truly delicious meal.

- I agree.

Judy nodded her head.

- Well, you're the main customers here.

I shrugged and handed the knife to Lucy.

- Can you help me?

- I told you I would.

- Is there a job for me?

I glanced at Judy and nodded, then pulled out another knife and held it out with the hilt facing forward.

- Now, Lucy, watch this.

I showed the white-haired girl what was required of her, and then I showed the same to Judy, and only then I could do the cooking....

*** A few hours later. ***

The doorbell rang.

- I'll get it.

- Go ahead.

I nodded Judy, Lucy and I, although it was more me, as all that was left to do was put the food on plates and serve it and it didn't have to be two people working together to do that.

- Come in...

Judy slammed the door shut, but I saw the guest enter the kitchen with an extremely confident stride.

- Hmm... I see you're up... you can afford to keep a boy chef.

- You've lost your judgement.

Judy, who came in a little later than her friend, was relatively calm, and only glanced at me with a touch of excitement. But I didn't care about statements from a complete stranger, so I just ignored her.

- This is my boyfriend, David.

- Hrm?

- No, I didn't hear that, my tastes have changed somewhat, I still like girls though. So David and I have two girls in common.

- Hmmm...

The girl's hum was a little shocked this time, and her assessing gaze travelled first to me and then to Lucy, who didn't think to leave me in the kitchen. Watching my actions carefully.

- 'No, she's not our girlfriend yet...'

- Not yet?

- Yep...she and another one are claiming to be part of our relationship.

- Yeah...you've changed more than I thought.....

- We all change.

Judy shrugged nonchalantly, I was already filling the lift with food.

- Shall we go up to the dining room?

- Judy...doesn't your boy know the rules of decorum?

- Her boy doesn't care about YOUR rules. And common decency says that when you're a guest, you should show at least a modicum of respect for those who invited you. But I guess you don't know that... what else would you expect from someone like you....

I shrugged my shoulders and closed the lift door and pressed the button, then turned around and walked towards the stairs. Maiko was gulping for air at the same time.

- Maiko, if you don't stop provoking everyone, you'd better leave.

- You're the one who called me!

- I asked you to come because I have important information for you. I emphasise that it's important for you, especially given your desire to get to the top and your unwillingness to leave your current position.

- Good...

Maiko flicked her cigarette.

- We don't smoke.

- Hey!

- Like I said, there's no smoking.

- But you yourself.

- Not anymore. Now, go upstairs, luckily for you we are good and hospitable hosts and dinner was prepared with you in mind.

When Maiko got up and sat down at the table all the plates were already set out and she looked at the abundance of delicious and natural food with surprise.

- This is... natural?

- Yeah...

Judy answered her with apparent indifference.

- And you decided to go to such expense for me?

There was surprise in Maiko's voice.

- For you? No... we ALWAYS eat only organic food. Since I joined David's team, I haven't even eaten a burrito from a vending machine.

- Ahem...ah...ahem...you're in luck.

There was silence in the dining room for a while, during which time we began to eat. And that's when Judy started talking.

- As a matter of fact, that I called you out... you're going to be moved from your seat.

Maiko continued chewing and only raised an eyebrow upwards in question.

- And no, it's not some idealists. It's the Parker you know.

- Pfft...

With that sound Maiko expressed her attitude towards such a candidate for her position.

- And she wanted to use us to do it.

- You?

- She meant me, or more specifically, my work role... Quiet.

- Huh.

Maiko choked and coughed for a couple of minutes from the crumbs in her throat. But none of us even thought of getting up, we just watched the girl. Eventually she managed to cough it up.

- Are you Tihonja?!

- Yeah.

- Fuck...

She looked round in a huff.

- Don't worry, if we wanted to do you in... we'd do it in your office. But here you are, sitting at the same table with us, and it's all thanks to David...

- А?

- The thing is, when I pulled Ava out of Dubman's room where he raped her after Cloud hacking burned out her dolly chip, I had similar thoughts. And David was even willing to help me, but asked me to think about...what would it change?

- And what would it change?

- Nothing...

Judy shrugged.

- It'll put someone else in Dubman's place who's probably even worse than he is. And you, well, we'll take you out, you don't really make a difference.

- Я?

Maiko jumped.

- You... you're the shadow queen, but only as long as Dubman's at the helm. The next caretaker will just relegate you to a mere puppet. That's if you're lucky.

- Ahem.

Maiko was obviously very uncomfortable hearing that.

- I guess the current cloud chief doesn't even know you exist...''

- Я...

- In short, there's no point in staging a coup, it won't change anything unless I'm at the helm, and I don't want to rule the Clouds, it's not my thing....

- You don't change.

- Mm-hmm.

Judy nodded.

- In short, I'm sure Parker won't leave this topic, so don't die on me....

- That's--thank you. Who can she hire do you know?

I shrugged.

- Who knows... no, I certainly have one option... but if she agrees to it, it would be a big no-brainer.

- You mean Vee?

- Yeah.

I nodded.

- She's got enough problems with her life as it is, and if she agrees to this adventure.....

I shrugged.

- I see... so you don't know who she can rely on?

- In the current situation in the city? Even us, kinda good solos, have been asked by our fixers to sit tight and keep a low profile.

- Wouldn't you like to work guarding the clouds?

I sighed.

- Do you want that kind of trouble?

- А?

- Well, just think about it, Claws won't keep his hands to himself... and then I won't hold back and just stab the bastard who starts groping my girls....

I'm looking closely into Maiko's eyes.

- Yeah... and that'll get them to start acting up already...

- Exactly... We warned you, now you're on your own....

- I see....