Alex drove out of the underground parking lot and headed to the garage where Maine's group was based. On the way, he tried to guess what kind of job awaited him. Judging by the fact that the entire team was gathered, it had to be something serious. This could only mean one thing— the job would be dangerous.
A perfect chance to test Gir in combat and see what his new katana, recreated from memory from a game Alex played in his past life, could do.
"Hope it won't be boring. I need to release the tension from the past few days," Alex thought, smiling in anticipation of some fun.
The whole ride, Gir squirmed restlessly in the backpack as if he couldn't sit still. Alex could only guess that the robot was filled with excitement about the upcoming meeting with his "moms"—a term Alex jokingly used to refer to the people who helped him build Gir.
He heard a muffled noise from the backpack and realized Gir was once again watching videos on a site similar to YouTube. The robot spent 90% of his time there, picking up all those weird dances and slang.
"Wonder how the girls will react to his behavior," Alex smirked, imagining their faces when they met this strange piece of tech.
The noise from the backpack irritated him the entire trip: Gir laughed, tried to dance in the cramped space, and complained about the lack of room. Alex even thought about throwing the backpack into the nearest river but held back, knowing that Gloria, who had grown fond of the robot, wouldn't approve. Finally, as he pulled up to the garage, he heard the long-awaited silence—Gir had probably fallen asleep.
"Finally," Alex thought with relief, enjoying the moment of peace.
As he turned into the garage, Falco greeted him, eagerly checking out the bike. Smiling, Alex got off the motorcycle and shook his hand.
"Hey, sorry I didn't get a chance to take a good look at it last time," Falco said with an apologetic expression.
"No worries, take your time, just don't push any random buttons like Rebecca did," Alex laughed, recalling a funny incident.
"And what did she do?" Falco asked with curiosity.
Alex smiled even wider and began explaining:
"My bike has a hidden weapon compartment, and Rebecca, not knowing how to open it, decided to experiment. She pressed a button while we were on the highway, surrounded by cars. Imagine, the weapon compartment opened, and we almost crashed!"
Falco could already guess how the situation might have turned out, but he still listened with interest.
"I, of course, reacted quickly," Alex continued, "but instead of apologizing, Rebecca started cursing at the drivers who got upset. In the end, she pulled out a gun and began threatening them, using the juiciest insults you could imagine."
Falco sympathetically patted Alex on the shoulder.
"Can you show me the compartment?" he asked with interest.
Alex nodded and opened the compartment, revealing only one katana. Falco admired the weapon, realizing the compartment was designed mainly for melee weapons.
"Do you prefer the katana over a gun?" Falco clarified.
"Yep," Alex shrugged. "Bladed weapons just feel closer to me."
Their conversation was interrupted when Dorio walked into the garage. She gave Alex a strong, friendly hug as usual.
"Haven't seen you in a while," she smiled.
"How's it going?" Alex asked, smiling through the hug.
"All good," Dorio replied. "If you're looking for Maine, he's inside."
Alex thanked her, adjusting his backpack after the hug, and, after saying goodbye, headed inside. On his way, he noticed Lucy and Kiwi working on a computer.
"Yo," he said as he approached them.
Lucy and Kiwi turned around when they heard Alex's footsteps. He approached them with a light smile and raised his hand in greeting. Lucy responded with a warm smile, while Kiwi simply nodded, staying focused.
"Hey, Alex. What took you so long? " Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow. He usually got there much faster.
Alex didn't want to spoil the surprise just yet. He wasn't going to tell them that he had been delayed by a call from home while introducing Gloria to his "family" or how much trouble he had stuffing the robot dog into his backpack. Not to mention how he had to endure Gir watching funny videos, laughing, and even trying to dance, which made riding the motorcycle a bit distracting. Alex decided to resort to a little white lie.
"I was held up because I've got something for you, " he said with a light smile.
"What is it? " Lucy asked, narrowing her eyes with interest.
Even Kiwi glanced at Alex, clearly curious about what he had brought. Alex, putting on a serious face, started rummaging through his inner pocket as if searching for something. He purposely dragged out the process, making Lucy grow impatient with his slowness. Finally, seeing that her patience was running thin, he decided to end the joke.
"I brought you... this, " Alex said dramatically, pulling his hand out of his pocket.
His hand formed a heart shape. Lucy looked at Alex's hand, then at him, frowning in confusion.
"What is this supposed to be? " she asked, unable to hide her surprise.
"It's my heart," Alex replied playfully, winking and moving his hand closer.
Lucy hesitated for a moment but then, understanding the gesture, was slightly flustered. She took his hand, smirking a little, and then glanced at the backpack slung over his shoulder. Her curiosity was immediately piqued.
"Thanks, but what's in your backpack?" she asked, releasing his hand.
"Oh, that? Just some gear for the mission... and a little surprise, " Alex laughed, trying not to reveal too much.
Lucy nodded, suppressing her curiosity. She realized it would be better to leave the surprise for later, so she turned back to the monitor and resumed her work with Kiwi. Alex, knowing he was making Maine wait, moved on.
He entered the room where Maine was. The man was intently studying something on a tablet but immediately grinned when he saw Alex.
"Hey, choom! Looks like you're in a good mood, " Maine said, extending his hand.
With the same good-natured smile, Alex shook his hand.
"Yeah, a bit. How about you? " Alex replied.
Maine laughed and continued talking, until he suddenly burst out laughing, as if he had remembered something funny. Alex didn't understand what had caused such an outburst and just waited for him to calm down. But the explanation came quickly:
"Rebecca told me about that job you two did together, " Maine said through his laughter, wiping tears from his eyes.
Alex frowned. He'd worked with Rebecca a couple of times, and each time, she either got into a fight or started threatening someone who tried to play hero.
"Which job are you talking about? " Alex asked.
"The one where you used a brick instead of a weapon! " Maine blurted out, laughing again.
Alex immediately knew what he was referring to. Yeah, that job had been interesting, but what was so funny about him deciding to use a plain brick in a shootout? If he couldn't handle that, he'd have no business being on the job. With his strength, he could easily deal with idiots using anything—even a pencil or a plastic hammer.
"That wasn't just a brick; it was my trusty friend Jeff, who sacrificed himself to save a child, " Alex said with mock sadness, wiping away an imaginary tear.
Maine laughed even harder.
"Oh, choom, you're a real maniac! I'm glad I brought you on the team, " he said, still wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
Alex smiled, knowing that using the brick was just part of his plan. He had cut the lights in the basement, blinded the enemies with a flashbang, and then easily took care of the rest. Everything had been calculated.
Maine suddenly hesitated, looking at Alex with slight tension.
"Listen, choom, I've got a favor to ask..." he began, a little nervously. Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Can I borrow your bike for this mission?" Maine asked uncertainly. "Falco said it's not only fast but super maneuverable, and as tough as a tank."
Alex thought about it for a moment, realizing that sharing his bike wasn't the best idea, but the chances were high that they might need to make a quick escape. He could easily handle things without the bike, but he wasn't as sure about the others.
"I don't mind, just don't break it, and definitely don't blow it up," Alex replied with a light smile.
Maine visibly relaxed, grinning widely as he gave a thumbs-up.
"Don't worry, choom, I'll make sure your baby comes back in one piece."
"If you break it, you'll find out what it's like to leave the ground on a rocket," Alex added with a playful smile and raised eyebrows.
Maine just shrugged, not taking it too seriously.
"So what? That doesn't sound so bad."
"I said 'on a rocket,' not 'in a rocket,'" Alex smirked, flashing a mischievous grin.
Maine's expression instantly changed; he tensed up, and a cold sweat ran down his back as he finally understood what Alex meant.
"You're joking, right?" Maine asked nervously.
"We'll see when you break my Fenrir," Alex said, placing a friendly hand on Maine's shoulder.
Maine flinched at the gesture, but Alex just patted his shoulder, his smile widening even more.
"Don't worry, it'll be an unforgettable experience for you," Alex winked, barely holding back his laughter.
Seeing how tense Maine had gotten, Alex couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing. Maine, seeing him laugh, joined in as well.
"Oh, choom, you scared me to death," Maine said, wiping sweat from his forehead, still chuckling.
"Do you need me for anything else?" Alex asked once he'd calmed down.
Maine nodded and pulled a small device from the drawer, handing it to Alex.
"Take this to Dorio. It's a decryptor we've prepped for the job."
Alex took the device and examined it, realizing that it would help hack into people's chips, which stored data like hard drives. Maine, noticing the backpack on Alex's shoulder, squinted.
"Hey, choom, what's in your bag? You usually travel light."
Alex stopped, putting away the decryptor, and smiled slyly.
"Just some junk, you know, in case we need it. Prepared is armed," he winked, giving a thumbs-up.
Maine grunted in understanding, knowing that in their line of work, preparation was half the battle. He had heard from Lucy and Rebecca that Alex liked to be ready for anything, so it didn't surprise him.
"Well, show us your 'preparations' at the briefing," Maine said with a grin.
Alex nodded and headed to the garage, where Dorio and Falco were already waiting for him. He saw Falco gently stroking the motorcycle, as if it weren't just a bike but his beloved. Alex chuckled.
"What, Falco, found a new love?" Alex teased as he approached him.
Falco looked up from his admiration and gazed at the bike with respect.
"I've just never seen a machine this perfectly made," he admitted, then after a pause, added, "Could you improve mine too?"
Dorio also looked at Alex, clearly interested in his opinion. He thoughtfully stroked his chin, considering whether it was possible to upgrade their vehicle and whether it was worth doing.
It wasn't that Alex was against it—he'd be more than happy to enhance the machine, making it more powerful and dangerous. But there was one problem: how could he hide his abilities to avoid raising unnecessary questions?
"Well, if my supplier doesn't turn out to be a total jerk, I wouldn't mind taking a look at what can be done with your ride, " Alex said with a shrug.
"What do you mean by 'jerk'?" Falco asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You're aware of my situation, right? " Alex glanced at Dorio and Falco.
Both nodded, recalling what Rebecca and Lucy had told them about what Alex had been involved in and why there was a bounty on him.
"Are you saying he might refuse to supply the parts? " Dorio clarified, watching Alex closely.
"Not exactly refuse, more like he'd be afraid for his own skin. And I don't have the means to drag that bastard into the light and have a little 'chat' with him, " Alex smirked. "But don't worry, if it comes to it, I'll find a way to make him work, whether he wants to or not. "
After a brief conversation where Alex shared his thoughts on the upgrades, he handed the decryptor to Dorio and headed back to the house to wait for the briefing. Sitting down in a chair, Alex started scrolling through the news on his phone.
It was the same thing everywhere: someone died, someone got robbed, another presentation of a new cyber implant that was, in reality, no different from the previous version, except it came in a new color.
"It's the same everywhere, in this world and my old one. Same formula: wrap the old stuff in a new package, sell it for more—and boom, you've got marketing, " Alex thought, scrolling through the news.
His thoughts were interrupted by Maine, who clapped him on the shoulder and invited him to follow. Alex got up from the chair and followed the leader. Entering the room where the others had gathered, he noticed Rebecca, whom he hadn't seen earlier in the house.
"She was probably out on the range, " Alex guessed, smiling at her.
When Rebecca saw Alex, she couldn't sit still. She rushed over, crashed into him, and hugged him tightly. Pilar, watching the scene, gave Alex two big thumbs up.
Alex was about to sit at the table, but Rebecca didn't want to let him go. Without a second thought, he sat her down on his lap, just like he always did with Hestia in similar situations. Rebecca beamed and leaned back against his chest.
Winking at Lucy, she made it clear that she had missed her chance. Lucy rolled her eyes, while Alex gently patted Rebecca's head, soothing her.
"Insert the chip into the slot to see the mission details, " Maine said, placing a chip in front of each team member.
Alex frowned as he looked at the chip in front of him. He didn't want to insert anything into himself, especially since he didn't even have that option. Maine noticed Alex's hesitation and, remembering that Alex didn't use cyber implants, offered an alternative.
"Sorry, I forgot you don't use chrome. I can explain everything verbally, " Maine suggested.
"Don't worry, I've got something that'll help, " Alex replied, pulling out his backpack.
The curiosity of those present grew. Everyone was eager to see what Alex would use to access the mission details. Opening his backpack, he found Gir curled up in a ball, peacefully sleeping despite the noise around him.
Alex carefully grabbed Gir by the scruff and pulled him onto the table. All eyes immediately turned to the strange creature resembling a green dog with a sticking-out pink tongue. Rebecca was the first to understand what it was. She grabbed Alex's hand and asked with sparkling eyes,
"Did you finish him? "
Everyone looked at Rebecca, trying to figure out what she meant. Lucy also realized what was going on, and her eyes lit up—she had participated in the creation of this robot as well.
"Yes, I finished, " Alex replied with a smile.
He glanced at the sleeping Gir and tried to wake him up.
"Hey, wake up, we have work to do."
But Gir didn't respond, lazily pushing Alex's hand away. Seeing this, a vein began to twitch on Alex's forehead. He decided to take drastic measures.
"Your mom needs help!" he raised his voice.
As soon as those words escaped Alex's lips, Gir instantly jumped up, stood at attention, and saluted.
"I'm ready to serve!"
Alex sighed, considering whether to dismantle the robot. Gir only reacted when someone mentioned his "mom" or offered him sweets, which he had particularly come to love after Gloria treated him to candies.
Everyone watching was smiling, especially Rebecca, finally seeing Alex's completed project.
"Now open your mouth and put this chip inside," Alex said, bringing the chip closer to Gir.
Gir noticed Alex's hand near his face and, looking around, saw a group of strangers staring at him. Remembering that Gloria had taught him to always introduce himself to new people, he struck a silly pose and exclaimed,
"Yahoo!"
Black lines immediately appeared on Alex's forehead. Rebecca couldn't hold back and burst into laughter at Gir's goofy behavior. Gir spotted Rebecca and his eyes sparkled. He ran to the edge of the table, stretching out his hands towards her.
"Mom!"
Alex, keeping Gir from jumping, calmly said,
"You can hug Mom later. We have work to do; she's waiting for help."
Gir looked at Alex, then back at Rebecca, and nodded. Grabbing the chip that Alex was holding, he popped it into his mouth. Moments later, his eyes lit up, and he began projecting an image onto the wall.
"This makes it easier," Alex said, giving a thumbs-up.
Everyone looked in amazement at Gir, who stood on the table projecting data. Maine appreciated the convenience of the situation and, nodding, moved on to the briefing.
"This is our target," Maine began, pointing at the face that appeared on the projection. "Maxim is a driver and bodyguard for Arasaka."
Alex looked at the burly man on the screen, thinking that his appearance was more suited for a bodyguard than a driver. As Maine explained their plan—to capture the navigation data from Maxim's limousine—Alex began to think about how they could act stealthily or even steal the car entirely.
"Maxim is a gambler. He often bets on fights, and it's one of the few pleasures in his life," Maine continued, showing the places where Maxim usually spent his time.
Looking at the projection, Alex saw Maxim on a balcony, watching a cage fight. When Maine mentioned that an old friend of Dorio would be participating in the fight, Alex thought he wouldn't mind joining in if the opportunity arose.
"After losing, Maxim likes to get drunk at a nearby bar. Once he's had a few drinks, we can quickly download the data from his chip and then return him to his spot so he won't notice," Maine concluded, pointing to the bar on the projection.
Alex pondered, calculating possible complications: what if Maxim woke up early? Or if additional guards joined him? Maine noticed Alex's thoughtful expression and decided to ask for his opinion.
"Is something bothering you?" he addressed Alex.
Alex stopped stroking his chin and collected his thoughts to pose his questions. "Yes, there are a couple of things. What will we do if he gets a call or wakes up early? And could they assign extra guards to prevent the data theft? "
Maine, thinking for a moment, replied, "If things go sideways, we have a Plan B—we just steal the car and download the data later. There shouldn't be too many guards; they usually keep their distance. "
Alex nodded, weighing his options. He could easily distract the guards, but another question nagged at him. "Why not just knock Maxim out and download the data in a safer location?" he asked.
Maine sighed, realizing this option had already been discussed. "If we harm or disable him, the implants will trigger a signal, and we'll immediately be hit with a wave of security."
Alex nodded, accepting this point, and continued to think of alternative plans. "Well, I have some ideas. First, I can distract the guards for a long enough time. Second, if everything goes wrong, we have this guy,"—Alex pointed to Gir, who enthusiastically raised two fingers in readiness for action.
All eyes turned to Gir, who, it turned out, could help if the situation got out of control. However, most didn't understand how exactly he could do that, except for Lucy and Rebecca, who knew more about his capabilities.
"How are you planning to distract the guards?" Maine asked, shifting his gaze to Alex.
Alex rummaged through his backpack and pulled out several small injectors, each the size of a finger. Everyone stared intently at the strange capsules filled with liquid, puzzled about what they contained.
"These injectors hold something that will keep the guards occupied for a long time, " Alex said with a smile, holding them out.
"What exactly? " Dorio asked, looking skeptically at the injectors.
"A powerful laxative, " Alex raised his thumb, as if proud of his creation.
Everyone simultaneously shifted their gaze from Alex to the injectors, and only one question spun in their heads. "You mean to say you plan to make them spend the entire evening in the bathroom?" Lucy asked, looking at him in confusion.
"Actually, I made them as a joke, " Alex replied nonchalantly, shrugging.
Everyone froze, stunned by his answer. Such a joke was clearly not what they had expected.
"You have a strange sense of humor, " Rebecca said, chuckling lightly.
"And here's a joke to go with it, " Alex leaned forward slightly, ready to tell. "Three friends argue about what is the fastest thing in the world. The first says, 'The fastest is light. You flip a switch, and the light turns on immediately.' The second disagrees: 'No, the fastest is a word. You say it, and everyone hears it right away.' The third thoughtfully adds, 'You're both wrong. The fastest is diarrhea, because I didn't even have time to turn on the light or say a word.' "
After a brief pause, Rebecca couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter. Soon, the others joined in as well. Alex chuckled too, watching the group's reactions. Gir was laughing the hardest, rolling around on the table, even shedding tears.
"Where did he get tears? " Alex wondered, watching Gir, since his body shouldn't have any liquid, except maybe from the milkshakes he loved begging Gloria for.
"Choom, that's just something!" Maine wiped away tears of laughter.
"Just don't overdo it, " Alex smiled. "The phrase 'shit yourself to death' might take on a whole new meaning. "
Laughter erupted anew. Everyone imagined a guard doubled over in pain, unable to survive the end of his "expedition" to the bathroom.
"What about your robot? How will he help us? " Maine asked, still chuckling.
Alex glanced at Gir, who had already managed to get his hands on some candies and was stuffing them into his mouth. Wrappers were scattered everywhere. When Alex looked at him, Gir hurriedly shoved the last candy into his mouth, fearing it might be taken away.
"To understand what he's capable of, we need to head to the training ground, " Alex replied, turning his attention back to Maine.
"Great, let's see what he can do, " Maine said with a light smile.
Alex carefully lifted Rebecca off his lap, putting the injectors back in his backpack. As he prepared to pick up Gir, Rebecca was already ahead of him.
"I'll carry him! " she exclaimed happily, hugging the robot tightly.
Alex nodded, not objecting, although when Gir shot him a victorious look, his hand instinctively reached for his revolver. But he quickly thought better of it—there would be a chance to teach that cheeky robot a lesson when no one was around.
Gir noticed Alex squinting at him and quickly turned away as if he hadn't seen the look.
Rebecca didn't wait for the others and ran toward the training ground. Alex sighed, getting ready to follow her, but then felt someone take his hand. He turned to see Lucy smiling at him.
To be continued...