"How did they get in here?"
"Huh? Mr. Uehara!? They're—"
"Shut up geek!"
After few minutes upon Akagi's arrival, when the Scavenger's Tech Analyst, Yin Sokoyo saw the angry man climb up from the testing ground, she tried to stop him, failed nonetheless, as the man the named Uehara Hanzo rudely insult Yin, before barged into Overseer gallery to confront Vivian himself.
"What is the meaning of this Mister Vivian? No Brainwipers aren't allowed in this place."
"Easy Hanzo. They are here for the night. An important guests of mine—"
"I don't care what they are! So, I assumed you are fucking Mister Big here."
Without taking any explanation, even to Vivian, Hanzo rashly confronted Akagi, gave a menacing death-glare.
Hanzo Uehara's height was notably shorter than Akagi's but his callous glowering was far greater, slightly imposing young man with short, spiky hair dyed rust red and amber eyes. He wears a plaster on the bridge of his nose.
Outfit consists of a long-sleeved and rather baggy white V-neck shirt with the border being black and the left sleeve rolled up so it isn't visible.
This shirt is partially covered by Brittonia military green crop jacket that has beige fur around the collar. Underneath, he wears a gun strap for his dual guns. He also wears dark blue pants, brown boots, and a black band on his left wrist, appeared like a no-nonsense tough guy, began to interrogate Akagi.
However, Akagi didn't get intimidated for a moment, unfazed, staring at Uehara wryly.
"Who's this punky character? A lackey of yours?"
"Fuck! La... Lackey!?"
"I can manage in here Hanzo. Get back to your post, now!"
Before the action began, Vivian stepped in and interjected, harshly ordered Uehara.
"I am sorry for his rudeness."
After his gone. Vivian apologize to Akagi.
"He's renowned warrior and raider among the Scavenger and one of the key leaders behind me. Uehara respected me as the leader of the Scavenger. Thing is, don't trust who isn't a Scavenger and suspected anyone within Brittonia Empire, doesn't intend to give offense."
"None taken. He's less 'gentle' than the girl with glasses before."
Akagi gazed upon Vivian, gave a wry smile.
With a chuckle of clarity Vivian proposed,
"Well then, let's go upstairs have dinner."
"Love some. But first I got to talk to Tomotaki first."
As the rest went towards the dining room, Akagi cornered Tomotaki in rather disgruntle mood.
"What did Vivian want in return?"
"Not much, since he has to set up a demand he asked after we done our business in Caledonia, we would give 2.5 million Doro in cash and 1 million worth of arms addition, preferably Imperium-grade automatic assault rifles."
"Which they used to massacre the Brittonia's War Zone-based Strongholds, killed soldiers and carry on pillaging and raping kidnapped women. While the cash will be use for Vivian's hedonism, luxury and lustful desires at the expense of others."
"Problem? Vivian was a CEO of a multi-million company, but overpowered out by his business rivals, became bankrupt, lose his home, business and family, everything, unable to pay tax, the Imperium threw him here. Henceforth, he vowed to take revenge on Brittonia, and you got a problem with that?"
"Not at all. But you made that decision without consulting anyone. Without my consent you made that deal."
"Is this bothering you? Like your Helecter's pals joined you group as if they care about doing the right thing. They just want to kick the Imperium's ass because they have no place to go, nothing to do, moreover Supreme One Ichiro began to cracking down Mutant Radicals, especially Helecters remaining. Because of me you get to crown as the leader of the mutants, don't forget that."
"Mm-hmm..."
Akagi temporarily agreed to Tomotaki's terms because he isn't a fool, knew full well while Scavengers do unimaginable atrocities over their lands, life inside the Brittonia regime wasn't any better. The life of the average Imperian citizen, especially in outside of Green and Yellow Zone, does not do the average humanistic justice. They're lawless, corrupt, dirty places similar to the Chinese Confederacy's Kowloon Walled City taken to the extreme has a high rates of prostitution, gambling, and drug abuse and violence, with no rules, no law to speak of, polluted to the gills and damn near uninhabitable once you get deep enough due to endless pollution, and you're constantly at risk of Mutant radical invasion, murder at the hand of a horrible underworld gangs, or the Brittonia itself. Either you'll get caught in an Imperial culling where they kill Imperian to keep the population at manageable levels or get imprisoned by the police force and send up to Raizen where they executed them swiftly quietly because someone has complained, either die slowly in the cities of the Totalitarian regime or join the Imperial army or any Anti-Mutant Unit, Their aforementioned horror notwithstanding. and then die... Aside from that Green Zone itself is filled with abusive high-ranking soldiers and even corrupt politicians. Greedy corporations and criminal syndicates. The Imperium of Brittonia Empire itself is a bureaucratic, despotic, totalitarian, fascist genocidal hellhole, basically another evil empire among six others, so that it can never undergo another bloody civil war between Mutants and humans, even if it means internal strife and struggle on a massive scale.
While the Imperium of Brittonia is an authoritarian regime that comprises about a 32% world landmass and has exists for only 20 years. Although the Imperium has highly advanced technology, they are in a defensive position against the Mutants radical activist factions and the constant threat of foreign invasion. The poor Imperians are taught to obey authority without question, to hate and fear Mutants, and to be incurious about anything that does not concern their duties.
Akagi's crew had a lavish dinner. Obviously, Scavenger have an abundant number of rations stored inside the refrigeration unit: rice, fried egg, steak rare, vegetables and vodka what they eat in the banquet, regardless along with the all Scavengers members on the large table, while some resent about mutant's presence, they had decent dining. During the feast, Misaki noticed something was up with Akagi, without saying a word, he left with an unfinished plate, went outside, distant himself from the chatting crowd, stand near the balcony, staring at the night sky. While Initially she thought he's weird habit of brooding and being introspective dealing with social gathering because he's contrary to his mainstream society. However, she couldn't the fight the urge and at night went out check on him.
"You haven't sleep yet?"
At midnight, there he was, awake and shirtless, sitting on the bed side-line, staring glossy full moon at his room's window. Went back to the reality when Misaki intervene, appeared at the back.
"What are you doing up late? Know we have to get up early."
"Can't sleep,"
Akagi only response.
"How about you. What are you doing in here?"
"Me too. Couldn't sleep."
"Then how about Mitsumasa, Tomotaki, your brother and Juzou, they aren't sleeping like you?"
"No..."
Misaki vaguely answered to Akagi's twisted question, didn't knew it before Akagi stood up from the bed and replied guilefully.
"Then you have no reason to be here right now, unless you wanted to see how I am doing."
"Maybe...."
Misaki said softly, eyes swayed else where.
"So, what you think of that Scavenger gang?"
"I think they kinda reminds me of your Athenaeum."
"What?!"
Misaki gasped, apparently whatever Akagi said; baffled her.
"Don't ever compared my Group with Scavengers. What I saw they are nothing more than a bunch of outlaw Gangbangers, regardless fill the same role as "The Mafia" of War Zones, both did not fit into a same archetype. Gangbangers, like Scavenger are poor-minded, vulgar criminals, disorganized mobs who patrol ghettos, selling crack and getting into fights with rival gangs just for the hell of it, whereas my Athenaeum are intelligent, very wealthy, diplomatic, have connections to "legitimate" authorities, and have every potential to plan assassinations and ambushes, rather than just go around getting into fights. See the Level of organization and professionalism. You will know."
"Seem like you have a high opinion of your crime syndicate?"
"Of course, I have. Beside. I know what TYZ's city gangs are, how they operate, while some gangs often run the gamut from reasonably well-run organizations who at least make a show of protecting the neighbourhood and doing what they don't trust the Brittonian military police and city to do and often are pretty serious about it, but most of them are all the way to stupid evil ragtag bands of idiots who care way more about killing people, acting on and cultivating allegation, selling hard drugs and firearms to anyone who wants them with no regard for the consequences, and committing low-yield, high-visibility crimes just because it's what thugs do. Ask anyone about the Antheia or The Athenaeum, my group already surpassed from petty "bread-and-butter" crimes: loansharking, bookmaking, armed robbery, illegal gambling, extortion, prostitution, fencing, drug trafficking and all sorts of racketeering, and cybercrimes. I was the Queen in my cities."
"Mm-hmm. Thing is all that power is gone now, stripped away by the RMS. Placed an annoying bounty on your head. Especially for a beautiful, almost gratuitously curvaceous woman whose have an entire Imperium law enforcement looking for her, must be a real pain in the ass, right?"
"Yeah...."
Misaki's enthusiasm about her organisation dried down, although very delighted Akagi has complimented her beauty, upon remembering the future consequences, and the condition where she left her current life and joined Akagi's journey.
"Do you know there is a Mutant Prison is under construction, especially for female detainee, on the Imperium Island-city no. 7, near the Russian border, far northeast coast?"
"I think so...why?"
"No matter what's your status, the world's richest Crime Lord or the Emperor of mutant's race, you still get a 6x8 cell 23 hours a day, just like everybody else. Apparently due to the rapid increase of female-mutant's convicts in Imperium States, Brittonian government inclined to build a maximum-security prison, especially for the ladies, "worst of the worst" criminals: The Helldon Supermax."
"Really... That's why you established that bounty system for killing cops and over 400 were slaughtered? All these to avoid this fate?"
Questioned Akagi, turning his neck back, curiously towards Misaki, crossed her arms, leaning near the door.
"It's because if bounty lives on, my lifespan is numbered. If I get lucky that prison where I exactly end up, must careful. I must figure it out later, after I help you out, beside I commended about my group exceedingly, at the end. The group I worked so hard is crumbling in front of me and nothing I can do. Only option is to restart my business outside Brittonia's reach, leave Imperium States."
"Go where?"
With curling lips playfully, Misaki's eyes went up, guessing,
"I don't know.... Hong Kong or Guangzhou? Anyway, I must settle in under Chinese Confederacy's jurisdiction. Chinese have a huge black-market, import and export business is booming, vast economy, and they're less likely to share intel with the Brittonians as the military, police as corrupt as they are."
"It no use!"
"Huh?"
Akagi claimed confidently but lacking any interest about the current subject.
"Royal Mutants Society has roots throughout the world. Vast hidden networks spread all continents, if the Mutant's high lords demand your head. There is nowhere you can go, no matter how hard you try, they'll going to found you, and hunt you, unless you make them change their decision."
"I will manage somehow.... Even I have to slept with an ugly old wrinkled troll-like hag."
"Heheh..."
Akagi slightly chuckled for the sarcastic contemptuous remark from Misaki, in a stressful situation.
"I'm sure you will do somehow, definitely not the second way, but I believe in you and I appreciate your concern, checking on me in midnight. And... Don't worry, get some sleep. I won't let anything happen to you... I promise..."
"Uh... Aaaa...!?"
His charming compliment flustered Misaki heavily, every Athenaeum member never seen their callous, ruthless leader — Misaki Mayumi flushing like that.
"Is there something else Lady Antheia?"
"....."
Akagi, still shirtless walked near Misaki towards the door, spread his hands across the door frame. Gently smiled as he looks at her eyes with his own.
Despite Akagi's lack of masculine attribute: scarred scrawny body, wrapping with blackish spiral tendrils, nine-fingered, mismatched eye colour. His charismatic nature, sense of elegance, effeminate and comely appearance with overgrown dark, silky-smooth hair overshadowed his physical deformities. Due to his chilly disposition of sex-appeal and most of all, his rich inner sweetness forced Misaki to think "the obscene stuff" lost in thoughts even she shouldn't at the time and place like this.
"Is there anything else Misaki Mayumi?"
"Oh. No. Goo... Goodnight then. See you tomorrow."
After snapping out she quickly stuttered, went back to her chamber as quickly as she could. Even Misaki thinks the whole thing checking on him failed, Akagi genuinely appreciates what he'd said, therefore he knew what will do next once he successful to his mission.