Chapter 88: The Fiery Muse
"Attention, everyone."
The detective began speaking into the megaphone, drawing the gaze of hundreds of people.
"I am the lead detective on this case. I need your cooperation and answer this question..."
Detective pointed at him.
"Do you know this man?"
"..." The only response was silence.
"I ask those who know this man to come forward."
People started sizing him up.
Surely, staring intently at his face, they read an expression of fatigue on it... But that wasn’t quite the case.
Mr. Nobody’s face was set in bitter resignation.
"Well? Anyone recognize him?"
’...They will find everyone, even me,’ he sometimes reminded himself.
He had always known this day would come.
"Come on. Does anyone know him?"
People began to whisper, but not too loudly. None of the hundreds of people came forward.
Soon, dozens of police officers turned their attention to him as well. They began to move closer.
"What, no one? Really?"
’What... will happen next?’ he thought, resigned to the inevitable.
He had expected something like this to happen, but in reality, he had never understood what it would mean.
Would they kill him? Turn him into just another shadow on the walls? Jam a Neodeck into his head and reprogram his consciousness?
Or would something far worse happen?
"Looks like no one after all..." The detective turned toward him, and the chain on his shoulders began to move. "Nobody knows you."
"..." He gave a dry smile, not lifting his head.
"Then... who the hell are you?" he said, lowering the megaphone.
"...You want to know who I am, Detective?" He smiled. "I don’t think you have the authority for that. Try again when you’ve earned your third red star... Maybe they’ll stamp it on your forehead?"
"I... am asking... for the last time. Who are you?"
"He’s my muse, you fucking bloodhound!!!" A girl’s voice cut through the detective’s cold tone.
At that moment, it sounded to Mr. Nobody like the most wonderful voice in the world.
"...Muse?" the detective asked, puzzled.
"Yes, a muse." A hand rested on Mr. Nobody’s back, and with it, a black bracelet was discreetly passed to him. "Do you have a problem with this, dog? Go on. Send your ID. I’ll file a complaint for abuse of authority and mistreatment of one of mine."
"Hah..." The detective chuckled in astonishment.
"What the hell are you laughing at, sniffer? There are five hundred witnesses right here. Wait for your summons to court and sell your damn house to pay for emotional distress."
With every unbearable remark, Mr. Nobody felt his heart grow lighter.
"Miss... Liliana. I, like everyone else here, of course, know you. But you must understand that a mass murder has taken place, and I have to..."
"Have to what? Yell some bullshit about my partner in front of everyone? Ruin my fucking reputation, which is worth millions? Is that how you think a witness interrogation is supposed to look? What grounds do you have to act this way?"
The girl spoke so sharply and clearly, as if she’d finally found her voice after a long time.
"I have to know everyone’s identity, but yours..."
"Identity? And that’s it?!" She looked at Mr. Nobody. "Fuck it, send it to him. Thanks to that bloodhound, everyone already knows how I act when I’m angry... and that I have the muse."
"But m-madam, are you sure?" he replied timidly.
*Thud...* her heel pressed down on his foot, and Liliana’s face drew closer.
"Madam...? Are you fucking serious?" she whispered.
"Muse...? Are you fucking serious?" he whispered back.
"Ahem... Ahem..." the detective cleared his throat ostentatiously.
Mr. Nobody tapped his bracelet, which he had put back on his wrist, almost imperceptibly.
"Detective, I hope you understand my caution about revealing my identity and don’t take offense." He smiled. "Check. It should be there by now."
The man began to frown. His gaze moved as if reading something, as if he were studying something closely.
After a moment, he spoke.
"...Thank you for your cooperation. If we need anything else to help with the investigation, we’ll let you know." He looked him in the eyes one last time. "You’re free to go... John."
"Thank you, too. Nice talking to you... Detective."
With that, the Assassination Contract was finally complete.
...
"Once again, I found myself on the verge of a very bad end because you weren’t there, Paymax."
"...I should point out that, relying on your ability, it was you who decided to use me like that." The familiar mechanical voice spoke.
In those moments, it sounded especially comforting.
"Well, I needed the element of surprise, after all. Besides, you did an excellent job of keeping the other two guards off me." He ran a hand through his silver-tinged hair, "By the way, the client’s probably watching the news, right? What about the rest of the payment?"
"The money has already been transferred to your account. Including the bonus for the difficulty, you received 105,000 Concord credits for this contract. You currently have 154,720 Concord credits in your account."
"Holy shit... Looks like I’m about to go on a shopping spree," he said with an anticipatory smile. "Cat is definitely getting..."
"Mr. Nobody. Your broker reports that the client wishes to contact you... Are you interested?"
"Me? Why would he want to?"
"If you’re asking my opinion... If it were made public that you did this, I think not only this client would want to contact you. A lot of people connected to... the victims would want to."
"...Is that so? Then I think I understand the reason. Tell him I’ll stop by when I’m free."
"Done."
He sighed wearily, remembering the sight of Super Marty burning.
"In the end, I never managed to get anything out of him. Just like with that waitress from the bar..." Glancing at his fingers, he didn’t find his usual cigarette. "Why did you come here, Ghost?"
"Hey... John, right?" A familiar voice interrupted his whisper.
"Do I look like John to you?"
"No. You look like... I don’t even know." Liliana shrugged as she approached.
"I’m used to hearing a lowlife hustler," Mr. Nobody smirked. "Anyway... thanks. You really saved me today and prevented something truly terrible."
"Uh... yeah." The girl nodded awkwardly and sat down next to him. "By the way... You took that pill to heal your fractures, right?"
"Well, yeah. Why do you ask?" he asked, puzzled.
"Oh, I... I was just wondering. You know it only works properly if you sleep, right?"
"..." He nodded slowly.
"Just so you know, the area’s still going to be locked down for the rest of the night... And the only way out of here is by air."
"..." He nodded again.
"So I thought, since I’ve already helped you, why not help a little more? You know... so you can heal up."
"..."
"So..." She looked at him, and her blue pigtails moved in time with the timid movement of her head. "Tonight... Do you want to stay at my house?"
"Look, Liliana. I don’t want to scare you, but... You do realize there’s a purple flame on your shoulder, right?"
"...Huh?"