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.Escort Mission..
After confirming the reward of 300,000 euros, Karl, Jack, and Oliver carefully reviewed the mission details. Given the stakes, they all took it seriously. However, the information provided was shockingly sparse for such a generous reward—almost suspiciously so.
"That's it?" Oliver asked, looking at Karl skeptically, as if he had accidentally skipped a section.
"That's all there is," Karl replied, shrugging.
Oliver frowned and turned to Jack. "What do you think, Jack?"
"It's not going to be easy," Jack said after a moment's thought.
"I agree."
The mission seemed straightforward on the surface: head to a specified location, meet up with other mercenaries hired by different fixers, and cooperate with the employer's bodyguards to protect a high-value target. The rendezvous point was the transportation port in Watson's Arasaka Seaside District, with the escort destination being the Blue Bi Building on California Street in Little Chinatown. The job had to be completed within two hours, starting at 9:00 AM the day after tomorrow.
The problem wasn't the task itself, but the glaring lack of details about the target. Why did the employer need mercenaries in addition to bodyguards? It raised red flags, suggesting a high likelihood of unforeseen complications.
"Eighty percent chance this is a death trap," Oliver muttered grimly.
"More like ninety percent," Jack countered.
Both turned to Karl, waiting for his decision. It was an unspoken rule among them—Karl always made the final call.
After a brief pause, Karl nodded. "We'll take it."
Several reasons factored into his choice:
1. It was their first major commission from a fixer, a golden opportunity to build their reputation.
2. The reward was too good to pass up, even if the risks were high.
3. Karl had prior experience as a bodyguard and felt confident in his ability to handle the job.
"Faraday said he'd personally pick us up for this one," Karl added.
"Great," Oliver said sarcastically. "We put our necks on the line while he plays chauffeur and collects his cut."
Karl shrugged. "Faraday earned his share by getting us this job. For a fixer, securing a lucrative mission for a no-name crew like ours is no small feat."
Oliver scoffed. "Fair enough. But if I find out later that he's keeping something important from us, I'm going to kill him."
Karl smirked. "Deal. But for now, let's focus on the mission."
---
Oliver leaned back, crossing his arms. "The mission location's strange, though. The Arasaka Seaside Transport Port is off-limits to outsiders. Only Arasaka personnel are allowed there. Does that mean our target is with Arasaka?"
"Could be," Jack replied. "Doesn't matter to me. If they pay enough, I'll protect any corporate dog, even if it means holding my nose the whole time."
"No, that's not what I mean," Oliver clarified. "Faraday—our fixer—has ties to Militech. Everyone in the Sixth Street Gang knows that. So why would he send us to Arasaka's territory to escort someone who might be tied to Arasaka? Don't you think that's strange?"
Jack and Karl exchanged glances.
Everyone knew that Arasaka and Militech were bitter rivals. Their feud had escalated into a corporate war that shook the world—a conflict some equated to a fourth world war. The idea of a fixer with Militech affiliations brokering a mission for Arasaka didn't sit right.
"It's definitely strange," Karl admitted. "But we don't know enough to make sense of it. Big company politics don't concern small-time mercs like us. We've got a job to do—let's just focus on that."
"Good point," Oliver conceded. "Thinking too much about it gives me a headache. Anyway, I'm curious about the other mercenaries. What kind of people do you think we'll meet? Maybe we'll even connect with their fixers."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "You trying to expand your fixer Rolodex?"
"Obviously," Oliver replied without hesitation.
Jack laughed. "The more fixers, the more euros."
"Exactly," Karl agreed, rising from the couch at the Wild Coyote Bar. "Let's grab some gear and head to Oliver's place to go over the details."
As they approached the bar counter to say goodbye, Mrs. Wells gave them a concerned look.
"I know you're off to do a big job. Be careful, all of you. Stay safe, Karl, Oliver, and you too, Jack."
"Don't worry, Mom," Jack said confidently. "As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to them."
Mrs. Wells smiled faintly. "Just make sure you take care of yourself too."
"I will," Jack assured her. "You take care as well."
After saying their goodbyes, the trio headed to Karl's car, a sleek Sky Hera parked nearby.
As usual, Oliver slid into the driver's seat. Two seconds later, he froze and turned to Karl.
"Wait. This is your car. Why am I driving again?"
"Because I'm too lazy to drive," Karl said nonchalantly, tossing the vehicle's verification device to Oliver.
Oliver sighed but didn't argue. He liked the Sky Hera too much to complain.
As the engine purred to life, Karl leaned back in his seat, lost in thought.
In his mind, pieces of the puzzle were slowly beginning to connect.
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