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- So, what's our problem?
- Well, so far so good, but you realise that's not going to last. Yes, now we have cars, Basilisks, free electricity and water that we don't have to go to town with tankers. Moreover, thanks to you the equipment has become unified and now we don't need to have a thousand and one parts in stock, but just a couple of sets of the same type of parts...
- OWLs, you do not sing dithyrambs to me, but tell me what problems you see as more experienced in the management of the clan....
I looked at my deputy who sighed sadly.
- Weapons...
I raised my eyebrow questioningly and opened my mouth to ask a clarifying question, because OWLs was silent and did not hurry to tell me what the problem was. But he shut it and frowned slightly.
- Are you saying that we have little chance of holding things together because of the shitty equipment?
- Exactly... with your efforts, the clan's chrome is good, the equipment is good too, the only thing left is the personal equipment. We haven't finished fully digesting our loot yet, but we're starting to attract attention. What happens when we're done digesting?
I sighed.
- So... let me think...
I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in and closed my eyes, thinking about the whole situation. And there was a lot to think about.
- How much time do you think we have?
- Six months... that's the maximum. But I'd expect trouble sooner.
- All right, we're shutting down all activities.
- Huh? What are we gonna live on?
- I'll find something to live on.
I sighed and opened my eyes to look at Saul.
- ...of course, it's not a good idea to break up the orders. Let's keep all the orders we have planned. But in one month, OWLs, you hear me, in one month, no Aldecaldo is to leave the clan without a good reason.
- You got something in mind?
- Well...
I scrunched my nose thoughtfully.
- ...Here's the thing... now the girls and I are going to finish one difficult task by cutting off the loose ends from one extremely curious and not-so-pesky fixer, and afterwards the girls will continue to break the ice on a couple of chips. And ALL, you hear me, ALL members of the clan will have to be trained. I reckon it'll take at least a couple of years.
- A couple of years?!
- Quiet, OWLs.
I gave him a stern look.
- It doesn't mean that we won't fulfil orders in a couple of years, not at all, but only the best will be sent to the orders. They will also be equipped with the best equipment, for the creation of which we will order a large, technical, mobile, complex.
- Huh?!
I didn't notice Saul choking.
- Preferably from Militech, the average repair kit I have is very good, but we'll never have the money for that, so we'll go with a complex from a not so famous corporation.
- David, stop.
I looked at OWLs and raised an eyebrow questioningly.
- You... why are we doing this at all?! You do realise that a big, technical, mobile complex is the Behemoth! It's a fucking Behemoth! And it's not like our six-wheelers! It's a fucking six-axle, twelve-wheeled behemoth!
- OWLs, I understand that, but it looks like you're not looking into the future now....
- Explain...
He frowned.
- What happens then? Well, we'll find say a big repair kit, even say from Militech....
- Well.
- Don't interrupt... here we've repaired all the equipment... and then what?
- А?
- Then what happens is we get cut off. The repair kit requires very specific components. Yes, some of the parts he can print himself, but some of them...
I shook my head.
- What do you mean, cut off the oxygen supply?
- Just our ill-wishers will put pressure on the right people and the price of components will go up for us. No, we'll find other suppliers, but even if they can't be pressured, they'll soon figure it out and start raising the price... and that will happen to everyone. Eventually we'll be crushed and forced down to the level we were at before unification.
OWLs frowned.
- You could use trophies...
- We can, but it's a change of standards, and if we want Aldecaldo to be the best....
- What are you suggesting?
- I already said... we need a large, technical, mobile facility. It has the ability to process scrap into materials and then print what we need from it. In this case, the spoils would just be dismantled and recycled, and we'd get exactly the parts we need.
- Do you realise how much that would cost?
- I realise that we don't have enough money for a Militech complex either now or in the future, but the same Mul-tek-Prom....
- It's cheap.
- OWLs, you and I aren't going to provide for a megacorporation. The complex from this corporation will be enough to meet the needs of the clan. It's expensive, of course, but you can find a used one at a price acceptable to the clan. In six months we will not only put the complex in order, but also equip a couple of groups with good equipment, not only weapons, but also armour, and then....
- Fuck...
Saul closed his eyes.
- Is there something you don't like?
- No...
OWLs shook his head, but didn't open his eyes.
- ...it's just how much simpler things were before you came into the life of the clan....
- Well, I can only sympathetically nod my head.
I accompanied my words with a mocking smirk.
- Go on... I'll start preparing the ground for the innovations. Few here will be happy about a total lockdown... even if it's fully justified.
- Okay...
I got up out of my chair and left Saul.
- How the fuck did I do that?
As soon as I stepped away from my deputy's dwelling, Becca showed up across from me.
- Hmm?
- Why her and not me?!
- Becca.
- What's wrong with me?!
- Becca...
I frowned a little, but the girl who'd gone wild didn't want to realise that this wasn't the right place to get into a fight. I mean, not in the middle of the camp!
- What's wrong with her?! How is she better?!
I frowned even more.
- Because she can't even be suspected of having tantrums in the middle of camp....
Becca flinched like a slap in the face. And my good mood, which, even though I'd had a serious conversation with Saul, was still high. had plummeted to the skirting board.
- Я...
- Becca.
- I don't stand a chance?
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Only then did I open my eyes and look into the little brat's eyes.
- Becca...
I speak completely calmly and put my hand on her head, ruffling her unruly hair. She lowers her head a little, but not her gaze, and it turns out that she's looking at me furtively.
- You're a smart and beautiful girl. You have a fun and kind personality. Of course you're a little explosive...
I took my hand off her head and gave her a weak flick on the nose, then my hand returned to her head.
- Hey!
That was the end of her exclamation, though.
- ...But let's be a little more serious. I'm really glad to have a friend like you, and like Lucy, who's probably out there right now eavesdropping and drawing conclusions. Am I right?
Silence was my answer and only Becky's lowered head made me realise that I wasn't wrong after all and the girls were in cahoots. Lucy was just promising Becca her support if she needed it, and Becca was supposed to ask questions.
- Kiwi, she's already made up her mind. What's more, she's realised that while she likes me, I'm not going to make the first move. So she made the move and talked to Judy and Panam.
- Submissive...
I smiled a little sadly at that characterisation.
- I think a lot of people would agree with you... but not me. It's just that I realise that getting involved in a girl's business is more expensive.....
I take my hand out of her hair and lift her chin so that our gazes meet.
- ...if you can make a deal, I'll be glad. If not... well, it's not fate, but if I get involved in your female relationships, I may end up with a broken trough. And I don't like that prospect.
- И?
- And that's where it gets interesting for you and Lucy. If you get Panam, Judy and Kiwi on board, you can definitely join our family. But first you'll have to decide if you want to.....
I look her in the eye.
- Do YOU need such a crazy family, life in which will definitely not become calmer over time, although I dream of such a thing.
- What if I do?
- Then you know what to do...
Becca bit her lower lip.
- In the meantime, don't overreact.
- Still, I'm not like that am I?
I sighed.
- Becca, any of you, if my life had turned out differently, could have been my girlfriend and run everything else, including determining whether or not David's harem would be formed. But it's just the way it is, and I really do care about all of you.
- And you.
- Honestly? What kind of a fool would refuse to have not three impossibly, outrageously, unrealistically beautiful girls, but five?
- So you want that.
- I do.
I nodded, giving my words further confirmation.
- I do, but I won't go against the girls I already have. So you'll have to deal with them....
Becca nodded and walked away from me.
- Though something tells me that they won't mind....
I said the last sentence very quietly. In fact, I didn't even say it, I just mouthed it with my lips, not making a sound out loud.
- What?
As soon as Becca was gone, Kiwi appeared beside me and, in a reversal of her usual behaviour, snuggled up against me, trying to squeeze into me as hard as she could.
- Has Becca made a scene yet?
- Well...
I scratched my cheek in embarrassment.
- ...I wouldn't call it... What the hell, though?
I shook my Kiwi-free shoulder and shook my head slightly.
- Yes, she'd made a scene... or rather, she'd tried to make one.
- Did the heat die down quickly, as usual?
- Yeah.
- Hmm... perhaps later I should talk to her and tell her that at least I'm on her side and won't interfere if she decides to build her happiness with you.
- I've been very lucky, though.
- That's true...
Kiwi and I walked back to the Hippo where Judy and Panam were lying on the sun loungers in front of it.
- Have you decided?
- Well... just starting to decide. Let's just say we've formed a rough itinerary...
I sighed and sat down next to them. Kiwi didn't move away from me, but sat on my lap.
- How's the Faraday search going?
- It's fine.
- Hmm?
- He's got a lot of self-importance and he thinks he's untouchable.
- Are you telling me you've already figured him out?
- Yeah. It was easier than we thought, except...
- Yeah?
- He's working out of one of those underground clubs that corporations like to go to to watch the lowlifes fight to the death.
- Yeah, well, let's get him there.