Sachi had shown up with Markus and Savita to the abandoned hotel lobby in Boulder. She wore black fatigues, hair cropped into a haphazard pixie cut. Despite her short stature, Sachi was able to exude a commanding presence. The look in her eyes once again reminded me of Mike in our previous lives, displaying a confidence that told everyone she was in charge, regardless of the situation.
Markus stood to her left, body rigid with military discipline. Light from the cobweb-strewn chandelier glared off the light black skin of his smooth head. Dark fatigues fit snugly around his bulging muscles, grown to massive size from myostatin inhibitor gene doping. His legs were clasped in exoskeleton leggings of high-quality Brazilian make, the camouflage-colored bullet resistant polymer plating unblemished.
Savita stood to Sachi’s right. Her dark black hair was cut short, now barely neck length, and combed back out of her face. Small asterisk looking markings hidden above her hairline dotted the top of her forehead. Both her eyes were replaced with bionics, the gray irises looking about the room with a sort of uncanny lifelessness that hid the truth of her greatly enhanced vision. The crudely performed procedure to replace her biological eyes left scars snaking away from the corners of her eyes that seemed to add an extra dimension of menace to her numb glare.
The three of them regarded me with a hint of skepticism as we stood in the dingy hotel lobby, the refuse of recent squatters scattered about every surface. It was going to be the first face-to-face meeting between Sachi and representatives of LoC Security. I chose the city of Boulder – part of the shared commune of The Syndicate, the leftist gang run by Hamid “Saw-Jaw” al-Bouldadi, and technically his property – as neutral territory. To my surprise, Saw-Jaw had practically insisted the meeting take place in his commune. I assumed he was looking to see which organization to curry favor with, since he quite publicly distrusted both.
Hamid “Saw-Jaw” himself had already been at our meeting place when we arrived, along with four of his lieutenants. All five were draped in martial-looking, large-collared black trench coats festooned on each shoulder with a red anarchy symbol. The five of them stood around the rotting front desk, 3D printed AK47s piled conspicuously on top. It became clear where his nickname Saw-Jaw came from – the metal teeth that lined his gums. Legend was that he had the teeth knocked out while imprisoned by the PRA, but the truth was an open secret. He had his natural teeth surgically replaced in order to look more like Soviet general Konstantin Rokossovsky. He made sure to bare his metallic grin to everyone as he greeted them.
Akira walked back into the room a minute later, Masaru limping behind her, leaning on his cane. He looked very unhappy to be here. Akira and I had to talk him into it after both Sachi and Colonel Riviera requested his presence.
“Why do they want me?” Masaru had asked when I visited their house.
“Colonel Riviera trusts you to be neutral,” I had said, “plus you’re somewhat of a celebrity. Even this Hamid guy seems to like you after you did that podcast with him.” I grunted. “And Sachi probably thinks this’ll make you want to rejoin, because she wants Akira back.”
Masaru looked to Akira, “we’ve made our decision.”
“We have,” Akira said, exchanging glances with me, “but if we can help ease tensions, don’t you think it’d be good for everyone?”
“There’s other neutral parties,” Masaru said, “what about Liberty Protection? Or one of the other gangs?”
“I’ve already made all these suggestions,” I said, “Hamid is going to be there, anyway. But so far the only thing everyone seems to agree on is that they want you there.”
Truth is, I’d feel better with both of them there, too.
Masaru sighed, “fine. If only to make clear to all of them that this is the last time Akira and I are doing something like this.”
Once arriving in the abandoned hotel in Boulder, Akira and Masaru went about scanning the rooms for bugs. After returning to the lobby, Akira removed her old jacket – the one she used to wear back in Japan – revealing her extensive tattoos. The jacket was now festooned with new flair, including a large Mukankaku image pinned to the back. It showed the brother and sister characters standing on each side of the anime’s logo, their backs to it, both looking grim. Air ruffled through the fabric pinned to the faded black jacket before Akira stepped under the air jets herself, air sweeping her hair around. She fixed it with her hands after stepping away and letting Masaru follow suit.
“All clear,” Akira said, putting her jacket back on.
I turned to Sachi, “Colonel Riviera shouldn’t be too long.”
“Its fine. We’re early,” Sachi said.
“I can’t help but feel like we’ve walked into an ambush,” Savita said, looking at Saw-Jaw, “I’m not sure why we’re even trusting him.”
“Ambush you?” Saw-Jaw laughed, “I oughtta pin a fucking medal on you for making all these goddamn capitalists quake in their fucking boots.”
“You’re not the only one I’m worried about,” Savita turned to look at me. Saw-Jaw laughed again.
“Even if I wanted to ambush you,” I said, “you haven’t broken any laws here, so I’d have no grounds to hire LoC Security to detain you.”
“LoC Security will have more to worry about than you if they think they’re pulling that shit around here,” Saw-Jaw said.
“Then on what grounds do they bar us from all the places they protect?” Savita asked, eyes still locked on me, “I don’t imagine they decided to just do that on their own.”
“Savita,” Sachi said, “its fine. We’re here to get all that straightened out. Let’s be patient.”
“They abandoned us,” Savita said, “after killing Eddie. And we’re the bad guys? In the cartel I would’ve already executed all three of you,” she signaled to Akira, Masaru, and myself. Saw-Jaw started laughing again.
I wonder if Savita is still as warm as the first time I met her when she isn’t on business?
“This isn’t the cartel,” Sachi said, “they had their reasons for leaving, and in the end, things turned out better.” She glanced at me before looking to Savita again, “nobody is asking anyone to forgive or forget, but we all want the same thing. If we tear each other apart now, then we all fucking lose. Let’s keep things civil.”
Savita looked like she wanted to say something else but held back when Markus strode over to Sachi, his exoskeleton leggings silently carrying him. He mumbled something in her ear. She nodded, turning to look at Akira, Masaru and me again.
“I think all of us learned valuable lessons with this experience,” she said, “hell, at the very least we certainly learned what an asset the three of you were to us. And we got to see what you were capable of without us.” She paused a moment before saying, “I’m sure you must have learned what our tactical expertise brings to the table with your last mission.”
“It was your tactics that made us want to leave,” Akira said.
“Markus didn’t want me to bring this up,” Sachi said, briefly looking to him. His face remained stoic, but I could tell she was right about his reluctance. “You have more leverage here than you might realize. Savita thinks all of you will simply become obsolete if we continue on our parallel paths. That might be true, and that’s our leverage. We’re a lot bigger than you and can get a lot more shit done. But Markus and I are fully aware how integral you all were to our operations.” She looked to Akira, “Especially you. We’re still using the old ass version of the chromosome treatment we had when you left. We had the recipe and protocol, but not the knowhow to upgrade it. We also need your hacking ninjutsu.” She looked back to me. “Savita thinks it’s a bad idea, but Markus and I want you guys to join us again. We can merge our tactics with your strategies and everyone’ll become stronger for it.”
I looked back to Akira, who wore a mildly surprised expression at Sachi’s admission about their weakened position in the negotiations. A part of me wanted to point out that this was most likely a ploy to trick her into coming ba
ck into the fold, using flattery and the promise of being able to soften Sachi’s heavy hand. Akira likely already realized this, so pointing it out would only make Sachi defensive.
And if Wichita taught me anything, it’s that I have pushed up against the limits of my abilities to lead. Sachi and I both won’t be able to go on without Akira, or someone of equal talent. Sachi doesn’t really need me, but she knows she wouldn’t get Akira back without Masaru and me. And it took Wichita to make me realize that I need Sachi’s people more than they need me.
“I don’t do this anymore,” Akira said, making a quick glance at Masaru.
Sachi smiled, “you might think that now, but it’s going to be all hands on deck when the CSA invades.”
“If they invade,” Masaru said.
“You’ve traveled all over and talked to a lot of people,” Sachi said, only a subtle hint of exasperation in her tone, “you of all people know it’s only a matter of time. And what do you think they’ll do to you when they catch you? They know who you are. Both of you.”
“I’m guessing you think it’ll be you protecting us?” Saw-Jaw sneered, “if anything, Kansas was a prelude of what’s to come – the people of the CSA rising up and overthrowing the bourgeois clerics who run their-”
“Can the fucking lecture, Vladimir,” Savita snarled, “why are you even here, you-”
“Enough,” Sachi said. Saw-Jaw only laughed derisively.
“You’re right,” Masaru said, keeping his eyes on Sachi, “the LoC is vulnerable,” he looked to me, “that’s why we’re not staying there.”
I said nothing.
“I see,” Sachi said, looking to Akira, “I wasn’t aware. That’s…unfortunate.”
“I believe they’ve arrived,” Akira said, staring into her ARs.
All of us waited as Colonel Riviera, her new Major, Coleman Ross, and lieutenant, Beatrix Brie, came through the debugging air jets into the lobby.
Riviera wore her LoC Security casuals – a dark blue polo and slacks, the Colorado flag with the padlock symbol beneath the pistol hostler straps over each shoulder. Colonel Riviera was embroidered on the right side of her shirt. A LoC Security baseball cap covered her buzzed scalp. Her hands seemed to hover close to the pistols holstered on each side as she strode out of the air jets.
Major Ross, standing taller than everyone at six-foot-six, stood to her right, back one pace. The straps of his doo rag hung down to the barrel of the 3D printed AR15 strapped around his back, his large hands resting on the pistols holstered at each hip. He spent most of his time sizing up Markus. Major Ross seemed to recognize the military conduct and genetic upgrades in Markus, making him wary. If he knew better, he’d be warier of Savita.
Agent Brie stood to Colonel Riviera’s left, her thin, dark arms resting on her hips. Her t-shirt with the LoC Security logo on front was tucked into black slacks, head covered with a red bandanna. The M249 strapped to her back was fitted with a grenade launcher and large scope, the apparatus appearing extremely cumbersome, even on the nearly six-foot-tall agent. Her dark brown eyes flitted about the room, mouth closed tight. She was trying to look as serious as the situation warranted, but the freshness of her promotion left her unfamiliar of how serious she ought to be at meetings like this.
Riviera eyed Sachi, a look of both trepidation and admiration in her gaze. Both women regarded each other with a similar demeanor, strong and determined, their bared arms strung with veins crawling over sinewy muscle.
“I’m glad you could make it,” Sachi said after everyone was in the lobby, “I hope we’re able to put you at ease.”
“You mean after taking our prisoner from the hospital?” Colonel Riviera asked.
Colonel Riviera scanned across both of Sachi’s people. Markus stood up straight, his large, muscular arms crossed in front of his chest, the pockets of his fatigues bulging with equipment. Riviera’s eyes paused a moment on the rifle slung over his shoulder. She looked to Savita, who stood leaning on the water-stained wall, glancing between all of us impatiently with her blank eyes. Riviera’s gaze caught the two pistols holstered on each of Savita’s hips.
Akira and Masaru had not come armed, and I had only a small 3D printed pistol and the hope that things remained peaceful, whether an agreement was reached or not.
“Relax,” Sachi said, taking a step forward, “we traded him for the prisoner you really wanted, didn’t we?”
“Who for all I know is dead by now.”
“We’re here in good faith,” Sachi said, looking to me. Colonel Riviera followed her gaze.
“Sachi would gain nothing from killing Landon,” I said.
“Now that’s a vote of confidence,” Saw-Jaw muttered.
“Sachi’s a lot of things,” Masaru chimed in, “but I never knew her to be cruel or to act in bad faith.”
“Sounds like a real pillar of the community,” one of Saw-Jaw’s lieutenants said.
“Ayo, would you shut the fuck up?” Major Ross turned, glowering at Saw-Jaw, “yer fawnin’ fuckin’ flunkies can suck yo ‘people’s cock’ all they want when we ain’t around, but why the fuck d’we gotta listen to this shit every time we up here?”
“Why don’t you stop coming ‘up here’ if you don’t wanna listen to it?” Saw-Jaw asked.
“I think shutting them the fuck up is something we can all agree on,” Savita said, eyes on Major Ross, a look of interest her gaze.
Saw-Jaw laughed, “you want us out? Fine. I’m getting fuckin’ bored of this self-important dick-swinging, anyway.” He picked his AK47 up off the front desk, his lieutenants following suit, and marched past us out the front door, baring his metallic grin, “ladies.”
Colonel Riviera sighed, “We’re here. Can we get on with this?”
Sachi smiled, “I’m not sure where you got the idea that me and my people are dangerous. We plan to show the people of the LoC the respect they deserve.”
“And yet you come with an army,” Riviera said.
“A militia,” Sachi said, “we are exercising our right to bear arms and our freedom of association. I’m the owner of the land we’re housed on and all the shit therein. Your non-aggression principle’s not been breached. And yet you refuse to give us access to numerous businesses, hospitals, the Denver airport, roads, mesh networks and on and on and on.”
“These business owners have a right to refuse service to anyone they want,” Riviera said.
“And you’ve advised all of them to refuse service to us,” she said, “On what fucking grounds?”
Colonel Riviera glanced at me, which caused a subtle smile to cross Sachi’s lips.
“You got to appreciate how this looks to the people in the LoC,” Riviera said, “especially when we’re surrounded on all sides by states that wanna impose their governments on us.”
“I’m not without sympathy for your situation,” Sachi said, “in fact, I’m hoping that we can do something to help keep what you got going on here. Maybe even spread it beyond the borders imposed on the LoC. We’re not your enemy.”
“I wanna believe what you’re saying,” Riviera said, “and I’d welcome your help. But I really don’t know you. People’re aware of Mexico and-”
“We took down the cartel,” Savita cut in.
Riviera cleared her throat, “regardless of what you did or didn’t accomplish, or even how you accomplished it, what matters here is people’s perception. We have a responsibility – both fiduciary and, in my case at least, ethical – to protect the interests of the people who hired LoC Security. That responsibility led me to advise ‘em to refuse services to you. So far you’ve given me nothin’ but rhetoric, but I was told you were ready to prove you’re here peacefully?”
“That’s right,” Sachi said, “In addition to giving you Landon, I’m prepared to allow LoC Security to make periodic inspections of our facilities. You can even keep some of your people there if you want. Shit, I’d be glad to hire some of your people now and then if we need them. All you need to do is lift
the bans.”
Riviera looked to Ross who pursed his lips, but gave no indication of how he felt either way. Then she looked to me. I gave her a shrug and looked back to Sachi.
“Unrestricted access to all your people and all your files?” Colonel Riviera asked.
“Yeah, sure,” Sachi said, “as long as we can go through all the contractual bullshit or whatever so that you won’t go telling the CSA or PRA or whoever the fuck else what’s going on. But what I’m looking for is having your people stop being so goddamn paranoid thinking we’re out to get you.”
Colonel Riviera stood quiet for a moment thinking on this. Finally, she said, “I’m willing to do this, but I’d have to have my superiors go into the details of the contract with you.”
“Can you grant us access to these businesses?” Sachi asked.
“I can advise our clients,” Riviera said, “it’s ultimately up to them.
“They trust our judgment,” Brie chimed in.
Sachi smiled at Brie, “good to hear,” her eyes quickly glancing to me before going back to Colonel Riviera, “you won’t regret it.”
“Then we’re in agreement,” Riviera said, “I’ll see about gettin’ the ban lifted as soon as I leave.”
“Excellent,” Sachi said, clapping her hands together, “That’s good fucking news. Now we can actually move forward.”
Riviera lifted an eyebrow, “move forward?”
“Let’s call it a business proposal for LoC Security,” Sachi said, “and now that we’re all buddies here, I want to talk about what we’re going to do next.”
“Do you need us anymore?” Masaru asked, signaling to Akira.
“If you wanna go, I think that’d be fine,” Colonel Riviera said.
Akira looked like she was going to protest, but I gave her a slight nod. She exhaled slowly, “good. I’m glad you were able to work things out.”
I turned to Sachi, her eyes on me.
“Good luck with your mission,” Masaru said, “I really do hope the best for you, Eshe. I hope you and Sachi make this a better world for everyone. Just remember that I’ll continue supporting you in whatever way I can.”
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