Chapter 194

I ‘borrowed’ a cheap looking car as I traveled over. I knew my Quadra would stand out, since I had chased after Yuto in it last time.

 

Since I knew where he was, and I knew how hard it would be to get close without being seen, I had come up with a brilliant plan!

 

“Alright. Everything looks good… Alright Tachikoma-Chan. We are synced up. Time to see what you can do.” I whispered to it as I opened my car door and plopped it out on the dirt.

 

This section of the city was dirty little suburbs of sorts. Run down houses and apartment blocks packed around the canal, and that was what caused the problem. Yuto was in a house down in the canal, and I couldn’t get anywhere near it without someone being able to see me.

 

I scanned around with the Tachikoma as my actual body leaned back in the back seat. I had some practice using the Tachikoma, but this was going to be the first time I had given it a real test drive. I started moving, the Tachikoma’s legs mostly noiseless on the grass besides a few difficulties keeping all four legs in mind.

 

But I quickly got the hang of it, and crawled past the two run down houses and looked down. The Canal area was more than a twenty foot ramp down into another suburb. And that was where Yuto was. The house he was hiding out in was right there, but I had to get Tachikoma down there without breaking.

 

Nothing for it. I climbed over to the incline and hunched down, and just let Gravity take control.

 

My Tachikoma didn’t have any wheels installed yet, and so I winced a bit at the noise, but it wasn’t overly loud for the area. Cars and people, and music played from radios filled the air, so as my little drone slipped down it only made a modicum of noise before hitting the end and rolling a bit.

 

Using its arms I flipped it back onto its legs and looked around. Success. I scurried over to a pile of garbage to hide out in for a bit in case the noise had alerted anyone, but after a few minutes I slipped out and started towards the house.

 

Tachikoma stealth!

 

I actually started feeling pretty happy about this. The movement was working pretty well and I was getting to use a piece of my arsenal that I hadn’t gotten a chance to use yet!

 

Crawling up to the back door I connected into the back door hacking through and accessing the controls. Unfortunately it was a closed system, and wasn’t connected to anything else, so I ran into the first problem.

 

The Tachikoma was a prototype. And because of that, she had a bit of an issue.

 

She couldn’t hear anything. I hadn’t actually installed any sort of microphone receiver in the prototype.

 

Something I decided I would have to fix asap, but until then I would have to rely on my other senses, and whatever I could hack into.

 

To be careful, I retreated and then had the door open. Waiting for a while to see if anyone came to see why the door opened.

 

A few minutes later it looked clear and I had the Tachikoma slide inside. Looking over the kitchen I entered, I took in the situation and grinned. With a quick motion I had the Tachikoma open a cupboard and slip inside, as I started hacking into all the electronics in the house.

 

Most things had some sort of microphone and so without much difficulty I hacked into the radio that was on the kitchen counter, and suddenly with a bit of digital work I was able to hear.

 

The sound of a TV blaring in another room made me smirk. I did a quick sweep to check for any cameras or something, but this was just a residence, not a gang base.

 

It wasn’t going to be that easy.

 

Now that I could hear I slipped back out of the cupboard, gently crawling across the kitchen doing my best to stay in the shadows, funnily enough, while it wasn’t perfect ninjutsu was transferring well enough I was able to be ninja Tachikoma.

 

Considering how useful this was, I might have to start running the AI through some stealth programs teaching it how to sneak around.

 

I peered out of the kitchen into a hallway and realized the sound was coming from my right. A living room space set up with a large entertainment space, and the man I was after sprawled across the couch.

 

Along with two goons as well.

 

Target confirmed.

 

I considered a few things. Could I hack Yuto right now to kill him? I didn’t have anything installed that was lethal though.

 

I grumbled, if I had a more lethal hack this entire issue could be resolved right now.

 

Shaking it off I noticed something interesting. The two 6th Street goons that were also in the room. They weren’t there hanging out with Yuto.

 

They were there guarding him.

 

And I don’t think it was for his protection. Yuto had the look of someone being held.

 

I don’t think whoever was running this little trouble between 6th Street and the TC, really cared for Yuto.

 

In fact considering he had failed twice, he might be on the gonks shitlist.

 

I moved the Tachikoma under a coffee table in the corner and settled in as I started hacking.

 

I knew Yuto’s contact was Roger, but I wanted to know what the fuck was really going on.

 

So I quietly slipped into the goons’ agents.

 

It was going to take a while, but I wanted all their calls and records.

 

Knowledge was power, and I would like to find out who was trying to cause so much trouble between the gangs.

 

—–

 

“Motoko!” Hiromi called as I finally arrived at the restaurant that was in City Center, just across the bridge from Arroyo.

 

“Hey Hiromi. Sorry I’m late… I thought they’d send someone else.” I mentioned looking at Jun and Akari sitting in the booth behind my chooms.

 

“I was ordered to come.” Jun offered weakly. Far too weak for the man that I knew.

 

“It’s fine Jun-nii. You won’t have to do anything. I scoped out where Yuto is currently staying, and honestly… Neither you or Akari can really help.”

 

I pulled up a picture I had taken and sent it to everyone.

 

Instantly Ichi noticed the issue, Malcolm right behind him. Jun was frowning heavily.

 

“That’s…”

“Right in the middle of 6th Street territory. Practically impenetrable. Especially for a couple of very obvious Tyger Claws.” I agreed and everyone was angry to hear it.

 

Rancho Coronado’s strange little section that was technically the dams wash zone, but it had been completely converted into a little suburb. And every inch of it belonged to 6th. Street. The place was packed. Massively populated, and nearly impossible to get into without everyone and anyone knowing about it.

 

It was also ironically where Maine had set up his little hideout.

 

There was no easy way to do this without going up close. So that was what I was going to do. “So that’s the plan.” I finished and got nods from my crew, but looks of concern from Jun and Akari.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

 

“That’s dumb.” Jun finally said. “How are you going to get out? You can’t do this!”

 

“I’ll have a car parked close by. Malcolm will be my wheels in, Ichi and Hiromi will be parked here.” I highlighted the location and sent the update to everyone’s agent. “If everything goes well, I’ll be out before they can do much. If something goes wrong, and I get chased, Malcolm will be racing to meet up with Ichi, and then Ichi and Hiromi will have the heavy weapons ready.”

“This is crazy. Do it.” Akari said, reminding me that she was crazy, because this plan was crazy and only a crazy person would do it.

 

Our eyes met, and I nodded.

 

Oh yeah. I was not happy with this situation. Yuto needed to die. Plain and simple.

 

“Going in alone is dumb. I’ll come with you.” Jun started, but I cut him off.

“Denied.” I refused, crossing my arms in an X. “You are too slow, and too obvious. This is absolutely doable. This time, speed will be my advantage. They can’t formulate a good escape if I hit them faster than they could hope to respond. I won’t fuck up this time. I know exactly where Yuto is, I have a direct camera looking at him.” I could acknowledge last time I had been too hotheaded. Rushing in myself instead of doing some searching around before we hit Yuto.

 

But this was different. I had properly scouted the place this time.

 

I looked around at everyone. “Any questions?” I asked, and only Malcolm raised his hand. “Yeah, I think we should call in more backup. Rebecca’s a good shooter.”

“Let’s do that right now.” I agreed with a smile, having once again forgotten that I had more than my small group of chooms ready for war.

 

Time to fuck shit up.

 

—–

 

Malcolm’s Caliburn got a lot of attention, and that was intentional. I could have used the ‘borrowed’ car I had picked up before, but I wanted eyes on the ride instead of on me.

 

With the Tachikoma in place, I already had all the control over the situation I could ever need.

 

As we drove up, I reconnected to the signal, and saw that while a few things had moved the three of them were still downstairs watching TV.

 

It was time.

 

I was in full kit, although I had considered going either way, but this was 6th Street we were dealing with. I didn’t want to end up shot and not having something to protect me.

 

Besides, as much as I wanted to do this as a full stealth run… That wasn’t likely just because of all the eyes on Rancho Coronado to start with.

 

And there was a part of me that just wanted to send a message.

 

You can’t protect some gonk from me.

 

That was what a part of my mind wanted to tell 6th Street.

 

I had pushed it away and ignored it, because getting this done and getting out was more important…

 

But it would always be there.

 

I shook it off as Malcolm hit the point and I nodded. To him.

 

*Go time. Everyone get ready.* Then I opened the door of his Caliburn that had slowed to a crawl and leapt.

 

I was up on the upper level above the canal, on a street that had a few run down houses overlooking the lower suburbs. As I jumped I raced between two of the run down homes, and in the backyard was a drop leading straight into the backyard of the house Yuto was in.

 

I hit the canal edge and slid down in an easy motion, riding my momentum until I nearly hit the bottom as I leapt again.

 

*100 Athletics XP Gained.*

 

While in the air, the Tachikoma camera gave me access and I pushed through the hacks.

 

The two gonks with Yuto both went blind and shocked in a few seconds and started crying out as they dropped to the ground.

 

I saw through Tachikoma’s feed the moment Yuto seemed to realize what had happened, and how much danger he must be in. He rose up and made it two steps towards the exit of the living room as he tried to escape.