Chapter 168

Hiromi didn’t say anything, but her constant pacing was evidence of her irritation.

 

“It’s not that big a deal.” I whispered to her quietly, avoiding the glare of the door guard.

“I know. It’s just frustrating to be treated like a child! We have more rep than half of the people in that club I’d bet.”

“It’s the problem with still being a teenager. We’ll grow. Besides, it also means people underestimate us.” I added, with a smile. I really wish I had my Cyberdeck right now. I’d have been able to blind the guard, or distract him or something. Giving us a path inside.

 

I suppose I could go check around for a rear entrance as well, but I wasn’t here to kill someone, so I didn’t want to treat it like that.

 

The door to the club opened and a man stepped out, suit and dark glasses, he looked like every guard I had ever seen. He was even carrying a pistol in the small of his back. I watched him carefully as the music flowed out behind him as he looked around. A few moments later he frowned which I caught out of the corner of my eye, before I suddenly got a text.

 

*Elis: I’m at the entrance where are you?*

 

I blinked looking at the man, before shrugging and pulling Hiromi out of her pacing.

 

“Right here.” I called out looking at the man.

 

The obvious guard looked at us, and I could see the confusion in his eyes.

 

“I’m assuming it’s your boss that has the item? Shall we?” I asked, and he stared for a while longer before nodding slowly.

 

Hiromi shot me a smile and a nod, obviously proud at how I had handled it.

 

This time the Barghest guard didn’t say anything as we were led inside. And I tugged Hiromi fast before she could do more than glare at him.

 

The club was large, a dance floor, a bar, and lots of seating. This was definitely the largest of all the clubs I had gone into, not even touching on the higher floors.

 

This place was massive.

 

We followed the guard as he led us to a door on the left side of the building, and then up a set of stairs.

 

We were led into a private room just off the stairs. It opened and he stepped inside, holding the door open behind him.

 

“Well I think we found our contact.” I told Hiromi as I stepped inside.

 

The man inside wasn’t someone I recognized. It was just a rich kid.

 

Well, he was in his twenties, but he wore enough high end chrome, and clothes that it felt like he was trying to shove his wealth into my face.

 

“The fuck?” He asked, and I instantly felt myself die inside. This wasn’t going to be fun. “Who are the kids?”

“The ones that responded to the message boss.” The Guard offered simply and he kept staring at us.

 

I was pretty sure I could take him if I had to.

 

“Yoko put us in contact. You have something we are interested in purchasing, and we have the eddies you want.” Hiromi cut in, smoothly stepping forward towards the little club couches the kid was sitting on. I decided to put myself into position as well. Across the door from the guard I took position, casually standing there, with everyone in the room in my sights.

 

Hiromi settled down casually throwing her jacket over the back of the couch she settled on as she crossed her legs and settled herself comfortably. She looked every inch the corporate woman she was.

 

While Hiromi settled in, I did the same, and caught the way the guard in glasses was side eyeing me. The man was suddenly much more tense with the awareness of what I was doing.

 

I wasn’t just some kid, but Hiromi’s guard. I didn’t bother to hide that my hands were close to my weapons.

The guard shifted similarly, and we both continued to side eye each other.

 

“Fucking hell. Yoko said she had a buyer for this shit… You got any eddies kid?”

“Yoko wouldn’t have put us in touch if there was an issue with that. Now, do you have the item?” Hiromi said instead. I could practically see the way her mind was working, following a script in her head about how to handle business deals. She was acting overly casual, despite the tenseness of her shoulder I could see. As she struggled to make her movements sleek and confident.

 

“Pfft. Course I do. One Arasaka Mk.4 Cyberdeck. The Arasaka Shadow! Heh, can’t even tell you how I got the thing, you understand.” He offered smugly, as he reached into his jacket, and pulled out a Cyberdeck canister.

 

At least he was carrying it safely.

 

“I’ll need to check it.”

“I’ll need to make sure you have eddies.” The man cut off. Seemingly going stubborn.

“Let’s talk potential price then.” Hiromi agreed, and I watched as the two started haggling out a price, depending on quality, and if the Cyberdeck had any damage.

 

It was fascinating to watch.

 

I tensed, as I heard it, the door opening to my side. My hand was instantly on my Burya, and the other guard had shifted as well, whether because he noticed it, or because he had noticed me.

 

The door opened.

 

“The bottle that was requested.” A chipper voice called out as a woman in a uniform stepped in and then stopped as she noticed me and the guard.

 

I scanned her, checking everything over, but before I could finish the kid called out.

 

“Finally! Gimme that, been waiting ten minutes!” He grumbled and the guard and I both stared at each other.

 

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I let go of my gun first and relaxed back, and a moment later the guard did the same.

 

We watched on as the bottle of champagne was dropped off, and then the deal continued while the man got his glass filled up.

 

“Alright, alright, fine. Scan the damn thing.” He grumbled, as Hiromi finally locked him into a price as long as the quality of the cyberware was good.

 

I watched as she popped open the container pulling out the black and red Cyberdeck giving it a thorough look over before closing it back down.

 

“It looks good. A little wear and tear, but nothing that can’t be cleaned up. I’ll accept the price.” Hiromi said and the man looked her over before scoffing out and shaking his head.

 

“Brats with too many eddies to their name. Alright, pass it over and the deck is yours. How’d some corpo brat get in with Yoko anyways?” He asked, suddenly and Hiromi took a moment to consider before speaking.

“My choom is a very skilled netrunner.” Hiromi added simply glancing at me, and I just nodded in turn.

 

“Huh. So the deck is for you then? Guess that fits. Can’t say I’m not happy to see that thing go. Can’t tell you how I got it, but it’s good that it’s out of my hands. Seriously Yoko, sending a couple brats at me like this? Whatever, You’re eddies are good, and that means I can go party. Get out of here.” He demanded waving us off, and Hiromi nodded, carrying the Cyberdeck and walking out.

 

I let her out first and then made sure to keep an eye on the guard, but nothing happened, and we were out.

 

“Let’s get out of here.” I said and Hiromi nodded, as we walked back out to the car, and then out of Dogtown.

 

—–

 

“Whew, kid. This is a good find.” Vik offered an hour later as I drove straight to his clinic. Hiromi had been super proud the whole way. Nose up in the air and constantly remarking about how good the deal was.

 

I just nodded, paid the number she had told me to, and got my deck. Eddies were just eddies, and I could make a bunch of eddies just by taking a job to flatline someone, so it wasn’t really a big deal.

 

But a new Cyberdeck? That was a big deal.

 

So of course I knew what Hiromi wanted.

 

“Hiromi did a great job on haggling for it. Got it for a steal.” I told Vik who looked up from the Cyberdeck to me, before smiling.

 

“Did she? Well excellent job kid.” Vik offered, looking to Hiromi who sat up straight at the attention.

“It was nothing!” She assured us but the way she was practically preening told us both a different story. I smirked at Vik and he winked back.