``So, I heard that you got adopted by Arasaka,'' the gentleman said, interlacing his fingers together as he propped his chin upon them. His smile was coy, catty, brimming with the mischievousness that Jose had learned to associate with corpos who had far too much freedom. ``I must say that I'm a little offended by this development.''
Jose shuddered, looking off to the side. ``It was a very one-sided adoption, thank you very much. Those gonks over at Arasaka have a few screws loose if they think a couple of jobs suddenly make us a crew.'' He shook his head. ``At least, Miltech is straight and to the point when it comes to our relationship. I prefer it that way.''
``You're a tool and a good one at that,'' the man said.
Jose looked back at his business partner and could see that all four of Faraday's eyes were now focused upon him. His cattiness had slipped and was replaced with the same constrained and level-headed smile that he always had at these meetings. He was cold and professional, just the way that Jose liked his employers.
``How is life treating you?'' Jose asked.
Faraday shrugged and scooped up the little menu chit on the table, scanning it. ``Keeping my head above water and slowly snaking my way up the corporate ladder.'' He chuckled and gestured towards Jose. ``Thank you for helping me with my latest promotion by the way.''
``No problem,'' Jose replied, glancing towards Anastasia and lifting his hand. She seemed to notice as she waved back. ``Though isn't it a little cold to ice someone on your own team?''
``No one is on my team,'' Faraday stated.
Jose chuckled. ``I'm on your team.''
``At least until someone pays you better,'' Faraday replied, scoffing. ``Thankfully we haven't encountered that specific issue quite yet.'' His smile couldn't help but warm as Anastasia came over. ``Ah, Miss Park, it's good to see you again.''
Anastasia smiled at him. It was a genuine smile. The kind of smile that she reserved for the regulars who came here. ``Faraday.''
``I'll have my usual,'' Faraday replied though promptly paused, working his jaw as he continued to look at the little chit in his hand. ``Actually... I think I'll have a beer instead of my usual cocktail.''
Both Jose and Anastasia looked at him, cocking a brow.
``Trying to embrace my rough and tumble heritage,'' Faraday said, smirking at them. ``A little change feels in order every once in awhile. Wouldn't you agree?''
Anastasia snorted. ``Fair enough.'' She then looked at Jose as she pointed at him with her pen. ``Are you also feeling a little more adventurous too?''
Jose looked at her and then glanced at Faraday, tilting his head from side-to-side as he thought about it. In the end, he nodded. ``Sure, grab me a beer. I can't let the corpo one up a local.''
Anastasia nodded and jotted down the details. Pad and paper felt pretty old-fashioned but Jose enjoyed the ambiance of it. ``Two beers, kimchi noodles, perogies, and an order of the pork bulgogi for our friend?''
``Sounds good to me,'' Faraday said.
Jose nodded in turn. ``Same.''
With that Anastasia turned to leave, heading back towards the kitchen.
``I can see why you like it here so much,'' Faraday commented, watching Anastasia for a moment before shifting his attention fully onto his business partner. ``The customer service is a nice touch.''
``Don't get any funny ideas,'' Jose ribbed, trying to play it off cool but knowing that a little heat had entered his voice.
Faraday chuckled. ``Please, I'm not about to unlife my social standing by slumming it in a place like this.'' He leaned back in his seat. ``Sometimes a man just appreciates a little kindness. That's something which is severely lacking out on the waterfront.'' He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a silver cigarette case. ``Nothing but forced smiles and poorly concealed disdain in those businesses.''
He flipped open the case and revealed a gem-encrusted zippo lighter that looked especially gaudy. It was flanked by a couple thin cigars.
Jose whistled. ``Looks preem.''
``Straight from Cuba,'' Faraday replied as he pulled one out, smelling it. ``I'd offer you one but it's either a cigar or a paycheque and I believe you'd prefer the former.''
Jose nodded and saw a message ping in the corner of his vision. He popped it open and quickly shot off a response, smiling as his second client made it known that he was nearly there.
This was just one of those things about being a fixer. Ninety percent of the job was simply helping to bring people together.
``Ever been to Cuba?'' Jose asked, looking at the cigar.
Faraday shook his head. ``I heard its mostly sugar and tobacco plantations dominated by cartels ever since the market reforms. It turns out that the post-post-soviet economic mindset that the Russians are employing is not as an easy model to replicate when you're not sitting on a metric fucktonne of oil and cropland.'' He shrugged. ``Not that I'll complain. They make good products and they are easy enough to afford on my salary.''
He didn't light the cigar, however, instead resting it within the table's ashtray, right next to his lighter. Jose decided to join him, placing a far cheaper cigarette in the tray as well, right next to a lighter made out of cheap blue plastic.
If he didn't know any better, he might've thought that Faraday was trying to show off. In a way, he was, just not to Jose of all people.
What better way to flaunt your money then by showing off the amount you waste on a frivolous addiction?
``Is your contact nearly here?'' Faraday asked, glancing towards the door.
Jose nodded.
Anastasia came back over, placing down two bottles of beer with a lime wedge stuck into the neck of each. ``Food will be out in a few.''
``Thanks, hun,'' Jose said, smiling at her.
Anastasia smiled right on back. ``Work treating you well?''
``Pretty good, even if the clients can be a bit of a pain in the ass at times,'' Jose said, winking at Faraday.
Faraday rolled the three eyes on the left side of his face before smiling at Anastasia. ``I'll be taking good care of your friend.''
``You better, he's responsible for half of the business that comes in here,'' Anastasia remarked, patting Jose on the shoulder. ``Even if it's starting to give us a bit of a reputation as being the restaurant where all the corpos go.''
``Well sorry to sully your fine establishment with my presence,'' Faraday teased.
Anastasia chuckled. ``No problem, choom. Not that anyone really cares as long as the old lady is still cooking, right?''
The old lady in question shot forth a loud burst of rapid-fire Ukrainian from the kitchen. Whatever she said made Anastasia sigh as she stepped away. ``You boys have fun. Don't go starting any fights now.''
``Wouldn't dream of it,'' Jose called, waving after her.
Once she was gone, he pressed the lime into his drink, quickly bringing it to his lips and taking a sip before it spilled over. It was a gesture copied by Faraday, who managed to intercept the flow of beer before any of it got onto his pricey attire.
Yet, as Faraday helped himself to a sip, he promptly winced and flinched away from the bottle. ``That is uniquely awful.''
``Now you see why I have the lemon sours,'' Jose teased, shaking his head. ``You can only trust cheap booze when it doesn't have a taste. That's my advice when it comes to drinking in this neighbourhood.''
``I'll have to keep that in mind,'' Faraday murmured as he read the bottle's label.
There was a jingle at the shop's door and both of the men looked towards it.
It seemed that Jose's second patron had finally shown up.
He was an imposing figure, impossibly large as he thudded into the venue upon heavy feet. He was the size of a moose with a bulky stature that felt more appropriate on similar megafauna. His attire was punkish and tough, made of black leather and metal with a pair of sunglasses perched upon his nose. He was borged out, bearing more chrome than most of the people that Jose knew.
It was only by some miracle that he hadn't become a cyberpsycho. Yet, Jose kept that opinion strictly to himself.
``Hey, Maine! How is my favourite gun for hire doing,'' Jose beamed, ushering him over.
Maine walked over and looked down at Jose. ``Still kicking.''
Jose nodded. He tried his best not to feel small but that was kind of impossible when you had a man like Maine lumbering over you.
Maine then glanced at Faraday, smirking at him. ``How ya doing, choom?''
``Enjoying the local culture,'' Faraday replied, giving off a constrained smile of his. He then offered his hand. ``Name's Faraday.''
Maine held out his hand as well though didn't accept Faraday's handshake outright. It was probably for the best as his bulky gorilla arms were far larger than the corpo's slender appendages, easily able to crush one of those well-manicured hands.
Faraday looked at Maine's robotic fingers and instead traded his handshake for a polite nod, contenting himself with setting both of his hands down upon the table instead.
Jose slid over and made room for Maine, patting the spot next to himself. It was an offer which Maine accepted, carefully sliding into the booth. He dwarfed the little spot but still managed to wedge himself inside without completely crushing Jose against the wall.
``So, I hear you have a job for my crew,'' Maine said, nodding across the table.
Faraday took another sip of his beer. This time he managed to hide his disdain for it. ``A rival firm has a piece of data that I was hoping to have liberated and put in my care. I was told that your crew has access to a seasoned netrunner who might be able to get around some particularly problematic firewalls that they have.''
Maine was about to answer but there was a noise from the back as the door to the kitchen suddenly opened.
Jose looked over and saw Baba Park slip out, wiping her hands off upon her apron. The elderly woman surveyed their table and narrowed her gaze as she seemed like a grandmother on a mission.
She noticed Maine and immediately brightened, waving at him before making her way over at a speed that was shocking for a woman her age.
``How ya doing, Baba Park?'' Maine asked, offering a thin smile.
The woman talked in rapid Korean, far too fast for Jose's translation software to even hope to keep up. Faraday also looked equally puzzled. Maine, on the other hand, just continued to nod along and give little notes of affirmation, grunting in response to whatever she said.
``He was giving you problems?'' Maine asked in English.
Baba shot off onto another diatribe, gesturing wildly as she did so.
``Well, if he pokes his nose in here again, tell me about it. I'll make sure that your gonk gets the message that he isn't welcome anymore,'' Maine said, reaching out and carefully patting her on the shoulder. ``You got my word.''
Baba Park smiled and bowed her head, moving back towards the kitchen.
``You know Korean?'' Jose asked, cocking a brow.
Maine shrugged. ``Not really, I just picked up on the context clues is all.''
``The context clues for an entire language?'' Faraday asked, scoffing. ``How does someone possibly do that?''
``You learn a thing or two when you're raised on the streets,'' Maine replied, turning his attention back towards the corpo. ``Anyways, why don't you tell me a little bit more about this job of yours. I want to know what exactly I'm signing my crew up for.''
Faraday nodded and pulled out a little chip from his breast pocket, placing it down upon the table. Maine was about to grab it but the suit kept a single finger on it, glancing around the room with an especially paranoid glimmer in his various eyes. ``You need to promise me that a certain degree of security will be provided if you refuse this job.
Maine cocked a brow and looked down at the chip, glancing away from it and meeting Faraday's eyes once again. He flashed a crooked little smile. ``Whatever it is must have you pretty spooked, huh?''
``It pays to be a little apprehensive in this city,'' Faraday replied. He looked at Jose who merely nodded, non-verbally surrendering his faith in Maine. This seemed to be enough to put the corpo a little bit at ease as he released the chip, sliding it across the table. ``And I'm sure you'll appreciate my position fully when you start to go over the mission details.''
Maine picked up the little chip, making it seem even smaller in his large hand. He snorted as he looked it over before popping it into a slot on the back of his neck. For a moment, he went still, his eyes glazing over and growing so vacant. Whatever he saw made him let out a harsh bark of laughter. ``Arasaka, huh?''
Faraday tensed.
Jose looked at him and motioned around the room. ``Don't worry, there aren't any loose lips in this place. This is neutral ground, choom, no one going to rat you out. I can tell you that Arasaka corpos come in here and spill their guts about Miltech too.''
``Fair enough,'' Faraday murmured, still looking around as if an assassin was waiting in the wings. ``But yes, there is a certain project that Arasaka has been dabbling in that I want to get some more intel on. Unfortunately, it's buried so deep in their network that we don't really have much to work with.'' He sighed. ``We're talking deep... Blackwall deep.''
Maine chuckled. ``Well, can't say that I'm used to having a lot to work with.'' One of his eyes focused as he looked at Faraday. ``It's why I don't come cheap.''
``Money won't be an issue,'' Faraday commented.
Jose watched as Anastasia came back over, placing a big bowl of soba down in front of Maine with three pieces of fried chicken submerged inside the broth. It looked delicious, smelling savoury and rich. This was the kind of meal that had a way of making him reconsider his usual entree.
``Hey Maine,'' Anastasia said, smiling at him.
Maine looked at her and smiled right on back. ``Hey, Ana. How's life been treating you?''
``So-so, can't complain,'' Anastasia said. She placed down the rest of the food between the other two men. ``Apparently Jose is going to get me out of this city.''
Maine chuckled though his gaze had grown glassy once again, focusing on whatever data Faraday had provided. ``Well, if anyone can do it, it's going to be him. Not gonk enough to do something stupid, not brave enough to be a legend.'' He paused and seemed to focus on Jose through the fog in his eyes. Though it was hard to really tell. ``No offense, choom, just know how you fixers can be.''
``I'll take that as a compliment,'' Jose chided, taking another sip of his beer. ``You've always appreciated my brains.''
Faraday looked at Anastasia and worked his jaw. The corpo must've been really jumpy if even having her around was making him this nervous.
What exactly was this guy working on?
``Maybe we can catch up later?'' Jose asked, nodding towards Anastasia. ``Don't want to rush you off but we got work to do.''
Anastasia smiled, being more than capable of picking up on the hint. ``Sounds like a plan. I get off at eight if you're still around.''
``Oh, is Baba Park letting you off early?'' Maine asked, shaking his head. ``Didn't think that she ever closed this place down.''
``Something about a doctor's appointment,'' Anastasia said, offering a polite nod as she finally slipped away. ``But hey, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.''
With her gone, Maine's gaze became clear once again as he focused his attention exclusively on Faraday, pointing at him with a beefy finger. ``This sounds like a suicide mission.''
This was the part where Jose just sat back and let the work do itself, giving him some much needed time to focus on his food.
``And it'll come with a suicide mission's pay,'' Faraday replied, winking at him. ``I assume that you saw the number of zeros that I'd be providing for you and your crew.''
``A very impressive number of zeros but I'm going to need a little bit of capital upfront,'' Maine said, reaching for a pair of chopsticks. He delicately broke them apart before using them to pick up one of the pieces of chicken and pop it into his mouth, talking as he chewed. ``Give me ten percent upfront to get bullets, guns, and equipment.''
``Ten percent upfront is far more than the cost of some munitions,'' Faraday stated.
Maine smirked. ``Sure, but it'll also help me afford another piece of tech that I've been meaning to get.'' He swallowed his mouthful and then slurped down some noodles, pointing his chopsticks at Faraday. ``I have a contact who works for the city; a paramedic. She's telling me that she might have a Sandi for sale.''
``A Sandi?'' Jose asked, whistling. He picked up one of his perogies and blew upon it. ``That ain't cheap.''
``No, it very much ain't,'' Maine replied, nodding towards Faraday. He worked his jaw and was especially difficult to read. ``But I bet a Sandi would help out with your job. Things would be a whole lot easier if they don't even know that I'm there in the first place. Way less loose ends to tie up and what not.''
``Hard to believe that anyone wouldn't notice you there,'' Faraday murmured, shaking his head as he poked at his pork with his chopsticks. ``Surprised you can even handle more enhancements in your current state.''
``What can I say? I'm the next Adam Smasher,'' Maine chided. He was unable to hide his proud smile. ``There'll be nothing organic left of me by the time that I finally retire. Though I heard it isn't half bad going full borg if you can handle it.''
``If you can handle it,'' Faraday repeated.
``Well, he's most of the way there already,'' Jose added, chuckling.
Maine nodded and looked down at his gorilla arms. ``I've got a whole lot of war wounds that need covering up.'' He smirked as tilted his chin towards Faraday. ``Each of them is ample proof that I can get this job done if you pick me. This isn't my first tussle with Arasaka and I know damn well that it isn't going to be my last.''
``A regular Johnny Silverhand over here,'' Jose teased.
Faraday looked perplexed, troubled, working his jaw as he gave it some thought. It wasn't the type of expression that Jose liked to see from a prospective client. That was the type of expression that cost him contracts and withered his reputation.
So, Jose cleared his throat. ``Forward Maine my finder's fee.'' He looked at Maine and smirked at him. ``I trust this choom more than any other crew in the city. If someone can get your job done it's going to be him. If he fucks up then I'm out money that you would've spent anyways. If it works then Maine can pay me what I'm owed.''
Maine smirked. ``Thanks choom.''
``I suppose that would be a fair deal,'' Faraday commented, taking a sip of his beer. He gave it one last minute of consideration before sighing and gesturing across the table at the duo. ``Fine, I'll accept these terms.''
Jose grinned and continued with his meal, popping a generous bite into his mouth.
With that settled, Faraday turned his attention back to Maine. ``So, you really think you can do it?''
``It's a data breach job,'' Maine explained, leaning forwards. ``Just need to kidnap an executive with high enough clearance and then breach their servers without tripping any alarms. From the sound of it, these files shouldn't require anyone higher than a junior executive. So, probably a moderate security detail with potential for a heavy footprint depending on what type of firmware they've hooked the gonk up to.''
``If it's moderate security then why do you need a Sandevistan?'' Faraday asked, looking him over. ``Surely, you can already handle moderate security with what you have?''
``I like my toys.'' Maine shrugged. ``And hey, you never know when it's going to come in handy. Maybe I'll need to knab someone actually worth something one of these days and I know for a fact that it'll be useful then.''
Faraday nodded and worked his jaw, giving it some thought. In the end, he sighed. It was a sigh of acceptance, the kind that Jose had heard it a hundred times before.
``I'll be in touch if my boys find anything that might be of use to you.'' Faraday held out his hand, offering it to Maine. ``I have a secure line that I'll be using going forwards. So, please don't try and reach out to me on standard comms.''
Maine looked at his hand for a good long second before reaching out and taking it, giving it a gingerly little shake that felt odd for someone with his impressive frame. Both of their eyes momentarily flashed blue, swapping whatever intimate information they wished to share.
It took only a couple of seconds before both of their eyes focused back onto reality.
``Maybe after this I might be thinking about swapping corporate families,'' Jose teased.
Faraday chuckled and gestured towards him. ``Well, Militech is always looking for the right sort of people. If this goes off without a hitch, I might be looking for more of your recommendations in the future.'' He smirked. ``It's hard to find reliable help in this city.''
``The job will go fine,'' Maine said, winking at him. ``Easy snatch and grab, right?''
``Right,'' Faraday replied. Yet, he still sounded a little unsure of himself.
``Was there anything else that you wanted to talk about?'' Jose quickly asked before buyer's remorse could kick in.
Faraday shook his head and pushed away from his seat, plucking his napkin out of his lap and placing it down upon the table instead. ``I think that's everything that I wished to discuss.'' He then looked at Maine, nodding towards him. ``I'll be in contact if I learn anything else.''
``Sounds good,'' Maine replied.
And with that Faraday stepped towards the entrance, leaving the restaurant behind.
Once he was gone, Maine looked at Jose, scoffing as he gave his head a tired shake. ``I don't trust him.''
``I mean neither do I,'' Jose quipped, shaking his head as well. Still, there was nothing he could do aside from shrug. ``But what can you do about that? This is a corpo world and you aren't going anywhere without corpo money.''
``Jobs rotten,'' Maine chided.
Jose frowned. ``Maine, do I ever give you rotten jobs?''
Maine looked at him, studying him for a good long moment. It almost seemed like he was about to disagree. But in the end, he sighed and looked down at his food instead, poking away at it. ``Not anymore rotten than the other fixers in this city.''
``Do you want my advice?'' Jose asked.
He circled his finger around the rim of his beer, playing a soft note.
``Sure,'' Maine quipped.
Jose looked around, making sure that no one was listening. This was a safe space but even safe spaces had a tendency to be leaky when the good augments were on the table.
``See if he actually coughs up the cash for the Sandi without making any excuses or wasting your time,'' Jose said, shrugging. ``If he can pull that off then he's serious about this job and not some flake looking for a fall guy.''
Maine nodded but said nothing to that.
``And hey, at least Militech is an American company,'' Jose added, shrugging. ``And unlike those freaks out east, they don't care about any of that corporate family bull-''
Jose's visor beeped and email flashed in the corner of his eye.
Welcome to the Militech Family!
Jose sighed.
Maine grinned, gesturing towards him. It seemed that he had just received the exact same email. ``You were saying, choom?''
