Part 25

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***

- In this building is one of the archives of the fire station that the fire engine belonged to before it ended up in a rubbish dump?

- Yeah...

I looked around the unremarkable building... after which I studied its plan once more and snorted contentedly. It wasn't a difficult job, but we were serious about it, so Judy was now slowly connecting to the access point that would give her control of the building's cameras. And they were there.

- Okay, I'm connected...

Judy's image nodded at me and I grinned, quickly pulling out a harpoon, it seemed to be my favourite means of entry... the harpoon fired and embedded its hook in the roof rim, and then I began to climb slowly up the wall.

- You need the third floor...

- Roger that...

When I reached the third floor I used the demon on the window and the lock immediately opened, then, continuing to hold on to the harpoon with one hand I used the suction cup to open the window, which opened upwards. Slipping my foot in, I made sure that the window would not collapse when closed, then I unhooked the suction cup and finally opened the window using its latch to leave it in this position.

- Getting in...

Already on the floor I pressed the button on the gun and as usual the harpoon stayed up, and the cable disconnected from it and rolled into the device, and a couple of seconds later there was a quiet pop, it was in the modified harpoon triggered a charge that simply broke the hook into many pieces.

- What's the situation?

I didn't close the window.

- All quiet, the only guard asleep at his post. No one's usually interested in this place, so no one would hire a full-fledged security company to protect it.

I nodded my head.

- Second door on the right...

I obediently open the door and see a rather large room with a huge number of racks for storing information. Servers...

Yeah...

- Which one do we need?

- Search by year...

Judy told me the year and I quickly walked along the racks, which to my surprise were signed. And the right year did turn up... although the rack was one of the last.

- And we're just in time...

However, Judy was connected to me and could see everything I could see, so she realised that the information was almost out of date. Which meant if she'd stayed a couple more years, she'd have no chance of proving her innocence.

- Yeah. Connect.

I obediently connected to the server and now I couldn't feel anything. Not in the sense that the body sensations were gone, but that with a more powerful deck, those streams of information that used to be felt due to its heat and other external factors, now simply did not exist. So I was quite glad that I decided to replace it.

- Found... evidence that one of the fire station brass had forged the paperwork on the car. A previously written-off car had been re-registered, retroactively... which is good, I don't have to go to any other places. Downloading the data.

- Yeah.

I was still packed, but nothing happened until I just jumped out of the building and landed softly on the ground, hearing a quiet click from behind me as the window closed. I reached the Tortic, where Panam and Judy were already waiting for me, and then we went to the Aldecaldo car park.

- So?

Tortic was already on the road when I turned to Judy.

- Did you get all the data you needed?

- Yes...

She smiled.

- It's just a little bit of tweaking and deleting, and then you can send it to the lawyer and he'll take care of the lawsuit.

I gave a satisfied nod.

- That's good...

- Mm-hmm.

- And tomorrow we have our first job from Regina.

I glanced at Panam.

- 'Warn Mitch and Scorpius that their help may be required.

- А?

- We've got two scavenger bases in mind, both of which Regina says probably have chrome warehouses. So taking it out for people who could use it more than the thugs who are ripping off regular people for it seems like the right idea to me.

- We pay for the chrome through Regina, as usual?

I shrugged.

- You know the rules... if we'd found those points, we'd have everything, and since Regina found them, she gets a percentage of the chrome sales. However, I can agree to a discount for Aldecaldo, which we'll calculate purely on my share. But the percentage for Regina has to be whatever she decides.

- Right, I'll warn Mitch and Scorpius and OWLs, and Saul, he's the one who'll be paying out of the general treasury... Huh, and last time we installed new chrome for almost everyone, so most of it will go outside of Knight City and its territories to those parts of our clan that are in other parts of the country.

I shrugged.

- It's not that important...

- You just don't understand.

Panam grinned.

- It's another nail in the coffin of the idea of going biotech.

- Hmm?

Judy looked at Panam with interest, and I was interested in what she was saying. I don't know anything about Clan cuisine yet.

- What's the point of lying under someone if we can provide for ourselves? And with the new chrome, it'll be a lot easier to get things done. That means more profits... and yes, I wouldn't recommend giving a discount....

- А?

I looked at Panam in surprise.

- It's better to give instalments. Let them pay, but in instalments, it will not forget thanks to whom the clan has a new chrome. It'll sharpen OWLs reputation a little more. Knowing him, I can say that he will try to say that it was his efforts that gave the clan the instalments on very favourable terms, but everyone in the clan already knows that you and I are a couple, so this attempt will look pathetic.

- And if he doesn't try to take credit for it?

- Then he'll have to admit that someone who isn't the clan leader was able to achieve more results than him. And in such a short period of time. That would also be a blow to his position...

- There's something you're not telling me...

I looked at Panam carefully.

- 'Yes... I want you to take over as the clan head, but...'

She bit her lower lip for a few seconds.

- I spoke to Mitch, and he says it's just not possible. And he suggested that I take over the clan myself. He said you're still my man, and that you'd be there for me if I needed your advice and help.

- Well.

I nodded my head.

- ...He's right. I'm not ready to go after Aldecaldo if they decide to move to another part of the country tomorrow, but I think that's where it's going....

I nodded again.

- I... look, can I come with you if you're going somewhere?

- Hmm?

I cast a glance at Judy and Panam also looked at her through the rear view mirror.

- Well... I just tried to leave Knight City once before, but I was alone then and it didn't work out, the city sucked me back in, but I guess if there's good company around...''

Judy licked her embarrassed lips.

- ...then the city can't suck me back into its depths....

- I don't mind.

I shrugged and glanced at Panam.

- If I do decide to join Panam and her clan, I don't mind having you with us, do you?

I glanced at Panam, and she nodded her head.

- Where would I be without you, mate?

- I... thank you...

In the meantime, we reached the Aldecaldo territory, and when I was about to get out of the car there was a call from an unknown number.

- Speaking...

I raised my hand, stopping the girls and asking for a few minutes of silence.

- Quiet? It's Bestia...

- I'm listening.

- I have a task for you...

I made a titanic effort to keep my face from grimacing. This lady may not be famous for leaking her solos left and right, but her turnips aren't the cleanest either. However, you can't find fixers with clean reputations, even Regina has dark spots....

- When?

- Eleven o'clock tonight... Postmortem... You'll be escorted out.

I sighed. The connection broke and I looked at Panam and Judy confusedly.

- You won't believe this...

- Hmm?

- I've just been contacted by Bestia....

- I thought you didn't want to work with her....

I nodded my head.

- Yes, it's an unnecessary risk, but also sending her...

I sighed and dialled Regina.

- She called you already, didn't she?

Regina's voice was slightly sad.

- Exactly... I take it you're the one who gave her my contact?

- I was asked very nicely...

Regina's image wrinkled slightly.

- I see...

- So, working for Bestia is honourable, but my fixer is more valuable to me....

- Phew...

Regina choked a little, but a smile appeared on her face and the slight irritation from her eyes disappeared.

- ...So let's see, is there any way you can text me dates in advance for sample assignments that you've probably already planned for me?

- Hmm?

- Just leave one day as a window so that Bestia doesn't suspect anything... and yes, I still have the weekend to myself, not even Bestia can move me.

- I see your point... it's not a bad idea. But it could start to put a strain on prestige.

- When have I ever cared enough about prestige to put my head in the tiger's mouth?

- Well, you're right, you're almost unique.

Regina forwarded me the emails with a rough timeline, and I took a quick look at it.

- So I take it I'll let you know how busy I am after I talk to Bestia.

- Good... and thanks for not leaving me... employees like you are... very valuable.....

- Thank you for such high praise.

I smirked and cut the connection.

- И?

- Regina was pressured... Considering that there aren't many intelligent people capable of doing that in Knight City...''

I shook my head.

- I was right not to send Bestia. I'll have to take orders for her occasionally, but I'll make sure that those orders take her a long time to pick up... and they don't come cheap.

- Hmm?

- Well, I have a very busy schedule....

I chuckled.

- Orders are literally scheduled by the day and hour, which means that for her sake I'll have to cancel some orders, which will lead to the need to pay penalties. I guess Regina wouldn't mind rescheduling some orders for other solos or just another time if she got decent money for it. And she'll leave room for Bestia in my schedule. So it is not possible for Bestia to say with certainty that we are doing this on purpose....

Panam raised her hand, and now I was worried. However, she ended the conversation quite quickly.

- Who?

- Bestia too... as she said, she has gauged my potential.....

Panam snorted.

- ...and is offering me a much better paying job than with you. I'll be in charge, though I'll have a certain Nash travelling with me....

She cringed.

- What's that?

- I've heard of Nash, the Stelettes arsehole. And if it wasn't for working with you, I probably wouldn't have known about it... Can you believe she wanted me to work with Stilettos!

- You turned her down?

- Yeah.

- I hope you weren't rude.

- I held myself back, so I didn't say a word to her, but I gave her a characteristic of Stelettes in general and Nash, who I didn't even know.

I nodded, and Panam and I looked at Judy. Not that she'd be such a good runner that Bestia would be interested in her, but what if she was?

But no, she didn't get a call two minutes later, or by the time we were about to leave for Postmortem....