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August 27, 2066
"Congratulations, you're officially cleared for discharge," I said with a smile, watching Galina, who was lying on the bed with a contemplative look, her focus fixed on the tablet her daughter had brought her.
"Happy to finally be rid of me?" she quipped, a sly grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"We're not exactly close enough for me to put up with you any longer than necessary," I shot back, matching her playful tone. It was refreshing to talk to someone who seemed to share a similar sense of humor and values.
"You make it sound like you wouldn't entirely mind," she teased, setting the tablet aside.
"Not a chance. Two women are already more than enough for me. I can't imagine what chaos a third would bring," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. The response earned a soft laugh from her. "I'm not about to turn my relationships into some kind of Pokémon collection."
"Life's unpredictable, Alex. You never know what tomorrow might bring," she countered, her smirk sharp and amused as she clearly enjoyed my exaggerated reaction.
"Let's change the subject. I'm not emotionally equipped for this conversation right now," I replied, exhaling deeply and flashing a neutral smile. "On a more serious note, we've stabilized your condition, but your recovery isn't over yet. You'll need about four to five weeks for full rehabilitation. I've already contacted your department and arranged for some medical leave."
"It's kind of embarrassing to have a stranger looking after me this well," she said, her tone mock-bashful, though her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Maybe I should take my chances after all?"
That word leave seemed to inject a noticeable boost of enthusiasm into her mood. There's nothing like mandated time off to brighten someone's day.
"Your leave will only be partially paid, though. That's the best I could arrange."
"The fact that I don't have to deal with it myself is already incredible news," she said, her smile softening as her gaze flicked back to the tablet. "But I'm still worried about Sashka's safety. Alex, can you promise me she'll be okay?"
"You have my word," I said, keeping my tone steady and ensuring my expression reflected absolute sincerity.
"Thank you," she said, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. "I never imagined meeting someone in this city who'd help a stranger just for the sake of it."
"It's just how I was raised," I replied with a shrug, catching the knowing smirk she shot me.
"Still sticking to that line, huh?" she said with a small chuckle.
"Once you're fully recovered, we'll move forward with the collaboration," I continued, letting my tone shift to something more businesslike. "And as for my end of the deal, you can expect a slight discount on services and access to a broader selection of upgrades than I usually offer."
"How much bigger?" the brunette asked, her interest clearly piqued.
"Within reasonable limits," I replied, forwarding her an extended file to her email, detailing the full range of my services.
"This," Galina drawled with anticipation as she skimmed through the text, "is a very tempting offer." Her eyes flicked over the list. "Armor, weapons, devices tailored to specific requests, demon trackers, hunters, and a wide range of medical services," she read aloud. "I feel like I'm sitting on Santa Claus's lap."
"Well," I smirked, enjoying how animated her expressions became as she processed the possibilities, "I'm a bit more practical than Santa, and I don't give away 'gifts' for free. Let me warn you: the augmentations will need to be installed two months from now. While your body might recover by then, it'll still need extra time to build resilience. Otherwise, a weakened system could suffer serious damage." I kept the explanation concise, offering just enough for her to grasp the bigger picture.
"As you can probably tell, I'm not exactly thrilled about cramming random pieces of tech into my body. Even getting optical enhancements was something I did purely out of necessity for work." Galina's tone turned candid as she leaned in to study the specs of my slightly modified, city-grade armor. "I'm more interested in your exoskeletons, particularly the custom modifications. Even with the right connections, getting something like that in the police force is next to impossible."
"What can I say?" I let out a heavy sigh, almost reflexively. "Everyone's obsessed with implants these days, completely forgetting there are safer alternatives for personal use. Personally, I'm not a fan of augmentations, and as you can see, I'm doing just fine without them. Sure, implants are versatile, but they can be disabled at any moment. Imagine your vision going black in a critical situation — sounds unpleasant, doesn't it?"
"That explains those strange glasses you're always wearing, doesn't it?" Galina raised an eyebrow, curiosity lighting up her face.
"In part…" I let the words trail off, letting the moment linger in comfortable silence. A minute later, a knock on the door broke the quiet.
"Mom, I brought the clothes, and… oh!" Sasha froze as soon as she noticed me, her ears turning an amusing shade of red. "Alex, am I interrupting?"
"Not at all," I said with a shrug, glancing at Galina, who was clearly fighting back a laugh. "Actually, you're just in time. I'll step out for five minutes." Pushing off from the wall, I headed toward the door.
I waited outside until I heard Galina call me back in. After knocking lightly, I re-entered the room, my gaze automatically noting the way her fresh outfit suited her. For all her usual reservations, Galina was strikingly attractive, easily passing for much younger than her thirty-something years. Her slender frame muted the overall effect just a little, but not enough to diminish her appeal. The serum I'd injected earlier — crafted using my own DNA — was already starting to work its magic.
If I were to compare it to what I injected into Lucy and Roxy a year ago, this serum is like lightly tinted water compared to the concoction currently running through my veins. In essence, this unnamed serum only handles regenerative functions. It's not some miracle drug — it won't regrow limbs or perform any other dramatic feats. The slight rejuvenation effect? Just a pleasant side benefit, nothing more. Was I hesitant to use it? Not at all. Plenty of similar tech exists out there, though at a significantly higher cost than what I'm working with.
"Well? What do you think?" Galina asked, striking a playful pose and dramatically tossing her now significantly longer hair over her shoulder. It had grown quite a bit during her time in a coma.
"Your slight frailty takes away a bit from the overall effect, but it definitely suits you," I replied, deftly sidestepping the obvious bait. Still, I caught a glimpse of Sasha pressing her lips together, clearly holding back a comment. I made a point of acting oblivious — sometimes, taking initiative just gets you into trouble.
"You really need to learn how to compliment women," Galina chided, shaking her head with a smile she didn't even try to hide.
"Ahem… Do you have anyone who can pick you up?" I finally remembered that somewhat inconvenient detail. I was far too used to my clients being locals from the tower or nearby neighborhoods.
"There are a couple of friends at work, though honestly, I'm not sure if they're free right now." Her sly smile and the pointed glance in my direction made her intentions clear. Now this is what you'd call a Woman — capital W and all. How did someone like her end up in law enforcement?
"I can see you're very serious about this," I muttered, rolling my eyes at the obvious amusement she got from my reaction. "Fine, I'll moonlight as a taxi driver. Works out anyway — I need to make a stop along the way. Sasha," I said, turning to the younger Yakovleva, who was quietly lingering nearby, "your mom's been immobile for quite a while, so it'd be better if she gets a breezy ride to the car." I gestured toward the wheelchair sitting in the corner.
"I don't mind," Sasha said with a nod, stepping toward the chair with care.
"In that case, we can head out now."
"Inga, I'm taking a patient home. Can you watch the workshop while I'm out?" I messaged my girlfriend as I led the way out. "By the way, I might stop by Wakako's place — I want to pick up a little side gig."
"Sure, be careful! ^_^" came her quick reply.
***
Reaching Kabuki this time was surprisingly smooth — no traffic jams, no gang skirmishes, just an uninterrupted drive straight to the Yakovlevs' place. They lived in one of the towers near the bustling market. From the outside, the building seemed respectable enough, but in this city, appearances were often deceiving.
"Isn't it nice to actually find a spot to park?" I said with a satisfied smile as I stepped out of the car.
"It really is. Parking's such a nightmare in this city," Galina replied, shaking her head as she climbed out carefully.
"Welcome aboard." I gestured toward the unfolded wheelchair waiting nearby.
"So this is what it's like to have a personal chauffeur," she remarked with a smile, settling into the chair with practiced ease.
"You make it sound like your husband never spoiled you like this before," I said, rolling my eyes as her melodic laughter echoed back.
"Who knows?" she teased, clearly enjoying herself.
"Mom, that's enough," Sasha grumbled, stepping forward to push the wheelchair toward the ramp.
"Oh, my, I didn't realize my daughter had grown up so much…" Galina said with mock innocence.
"What a professional troll," I thought, shaking my head with a resigned sigh. It sometimes felt like Galina's sole mission was to get a reaction out of her daughter. But why? Was it just a playful game, or was there something deeper behind her antics?
"Which floor?" I asked as we approached the elevator.
"Ninth," Sasha muttered, not bothering to look up as she pressed the button herself.
When we reached their floor, the narrow corridor reminded me how cramped these mid-tier towers could feel compared to the mega-towers' spacious halls. It was a stark reminder of the social strata within the city.
"Care to join us for a cup of tea?" Galina asked, this time with an unusual lack of sarcasm.
"Unfortunately, I'm a bit busy right now. Maybe another time," I declined politely, keeping my tone light. Spending more time in her company wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities.
Galina clearly savored the moment, but it felt overplayed. I had a vague idea of her motives, but the purpose eluded me. By now, she must have realized I wasn't interested in anything "extra." Casual flirtations or "special friendships" weren't my thing. My girlfriends were already more than enough, and indulging in anything like that? My conscience wouldn't allow it.
"In that case, I hope I haven't been too much of a bother," Galina said with a gentle smile as she rose carefully to her feet.
"Life among nomads teaches you to blur the lines of personal space and greatly expands your patience," I replied, extending my hand toward her. "You've been a very engaging conversationalist, and I look forward to our collaboration in the future."
"Are you from the Aldecaldo clan?" Galina asked, hesitating briefly before extending her hand.
"The Bakkers, actually. But overall, our views align on a lot of things."
"That explains a lot," she said with a thoughtful nod. "I'm truly glad my daughter crossed paths with someone like you." Finally, she shook my hand — her grip was soft, yet there was a firmness to it. "And forgive my little performance earlier. Sasha just pouts so adorably, I couldn't resist." She threw in a playful wink, glancing at her daughter, who responded with an exaggerated eye roll.
"You always do this…" Sasha muttered, annoyance evident in her tone as she averted her gaze.
"Almost forgot — Sasha," I said, drawing her attention back, "if you're looking for work in your field, I might have something for you. You could write software under my name. Of course, you'd need some additional training, but you're already showing a lot of promise for your age."
"You're a coder too?" Galina asked, giving me a fresh once-over, her curiosity plain.
"I used to make a living from it," I replied with a shrug. "But my current work doesn't compare to what I earned back when it was just a hobby." I sent both Galina and Sasha my portfolio.
"Stark…" Sasha murmured, scrolling through the files, her expression growing more intense. "Wait — are you the runner who created Defender and Hunter?"
"I didn't think you knew that much about me," I said, scratching the back of my neck, suddenly feeling a little awkward under the spark of enthusiasm in her eyes. "Maybe we can talk about this some other time?"
"For the first time, I'm completely lost in your conversation," Galina said with mock indignation, her arms crossed.
"I'll explain later," Sasha chirped, her mind clearly racing as she mentally cataloged everything she wanted to tell her mother.
"All right, we've kept you long enough, Alex," Galina said, her tone shifting to something more casual.
"Thanks for understanding. Until next time." Without waiting for any drawn-out goodbyes, I made my way back to the elevator.
How has a woman like that not found a partner yet? I wondered, letting out a short sigh as I stole one last glance at the brunette in question.