Cyberpunk - Badland Madman [Cyberpunk 2077]

Cypher stayed seated and watched as the door opened and Kenichi Zaburo walked inside. The man was old both in age and looks, walking with a metal cane. Japanese in looks, he had long white hair tied in a single ponytail and a full, trimmed beard. There was no hunching, however.

"Didn't know I was such a hot commodity," Cypher said from his seat. "Kenichi Zaburo himself showed up to see me." Omnissiah be praised!

The old Japanese man smiled courteously and, to some surprise, gave a respectful bow before settling into the opposite seat. "Hot commodity would be an understatement, Mr. Blackwell. Megacorps seldom become this eager to recruit anyone. Me ni tomaru, as we say in Japan. It means to catch one's eye. You have caught many."

"At least he ain't an asshole, Atlas. I kinda like him."

[I do not notice a lie either. His heart rate and vitals are normal.]

Cypher nodded and stood up, walking over to his private bar cabinet. He opened it, pulled the folding table, and made two drinks. Two small cups, and in them was sake. He reckoned the man was so old, and from the way he spoke, likely traditional as well.

"Don't scare me like that, Mr. Zaburo." He dropped back into his seat and set the cups on the table. "Getting noticed by a megacorp in this city is basically a curse wearing a blessing's skin."

"Hah, spoken like a wise man," Zaburo chortled softly, accepting the cup. "Arigatou. Few offer a drink to an old man like me these days."

Cypher found it hard to imagine this old man as one of the most dangerous solos in the world. Right now, Kenichi seemed like nothing but a happy neighborhood grandpa. The man even sounded warm with that deep, old voice.

"Probably figured you'd drop dead any second and they'd catch hell for it," Cypher joked, a subtly threatening one, hinting the sake could have had poison.

"Ah, yes. To die from drinking sake after all these years would be a great shame," Zaburo replied, chuckling softly to himself before draining the cup. "Saa, let us turn to business."

"I didn't know we had any business."

"Come now, Mr. Blackwell. I know you are an inventor, but I doubt your business acumen is lacking. In this city, every word exchanged leads to either trade or an obituary. But for you, I promise only good things."

Cypher ignored the man's habit of jamming Japanese words every now and then. He listened to Atlas in his head, who was watching Zaburo on a level no AI in the world's existence could.

"What kinda good things? Ain't really feeling like I'm missing much of anything."

"Hah!" Zaburo laughed harder. "We know that. It is we who lack what you possess, is it not? The world believes that the things you have shown aren't really the top-shelf items. Considering you alone have advanced the projects of megacorps and nations by years, I cannot blame them. Militech wants you. Biotechnica as well. Kang Tao, Night Corp, the EEC, Petrochem, SovOil, NetWatch. The rumors say even the Highriders know of you."

"And Arasaka?" Cypher asked.

"I do not speak for Arasaka. I serve Michiko-sama, and it is her will that I represent."

"On behalf of NUSA?"

"On her behalf. She sought you at the Continental, yet you had already departed by the time she arrived. Even now, she waits for you in the Embers. She brings a proposal you will find most intriguing."

Cypher smirked. "You're asking me to meet a very dangerous gal, you know."

Zaburo chortled.

[Cypher, I have concluded my investigation. It appears Michiko is set to join the Arasaka board. This is perhaps related to that.]

"Probably wants to use me to prop herself and her faction up. Still, it'd be stupid not to look into it. Hanako's a dumb daddy's girl. Yorinobu wants to burn Arasaka down. Michiko at least wants to rein it in. Let's walk the line and go with the path of least resistance. Swallowing Arasaka's in our best interest."

[Indeed. We could seize the company through brute force, but its personnel and assets would remain a persistent liability. The transition must appear seamless to the world.]

"But not so easily."

Cypher leaned back in his seat. "Alright, I'll meet her. Just not tonight. Tell her to swing by the Continental tomorrow around five. But I ain't agreeing to shit unless there's something in it for me."

"What do you desire? Michiko-sama will—"

"No. What I want is something only you can get me," Cypher interrupted. "Blackhand showed up at my club's opening outta nowhere recently. New face, no chrome left on him. I wanna know for whom he's wagging his tail this time. Militech, NUSA, Arasaka, or some other bastard."

Zaburo was frowning for a moment, and then a murderous glint flashed in her optics. This was the true Kenichi Zaburo. "Are you certain it was him?"

"No question. Rogue saw him and almost ate shit. I've got the camera feed. I'd have gone after him myself, but he's damn good at disappearing. No chrome, no net traces to track. But you've probably got solid contacts," Cypher said, standing up and walking to a computer terminal. He picked up a data shard that Atlas had already worked on. "That's all I've got."

"Do you not fear him?" Zaburo asked.

"I don't give a damn about Blackhand. I just wanna know who's got him on a leash."

Zaburo promptly took the data shard. "Very well, I will look into it. I do have a score to settle with him, so this isn't really a favor."

"Good."

At that, Zaburo rose to his feet. "I will see what I can uncover by tomorrow, before you and Michiko-sama meet."

"Good luck." Cypher also got up, ready to leave for his Biotechnica raid.

"By the way…" Zaburo was on his way when, right before the door, he turned and looked back. "If you would indulge an old man. What is your dream? They tell me you are far more dangerous than you appear. Entering this place felt like entering a lion's den."

Cypher just shrugged, strolled over, and pulled the door open himself. The music outside blasted in. "My dream? Ain't really got one. Just wanna get strong and loaded enough that your lady's grandpa can't fuck me in the ass."

"Haha! Then I assure you, you will enjoy Michiko-sama's company. Farewell now, thank you for your time."

Cypher watched the old man walk out and turn towards the main floor of the club. He quickly closed the door after that and turned back.

"Atlas, keep an eye on him at all times. Whoever reads that datashard, you know what to do."

[I have prepared for everything. I shall attempt to enter Danger Gal at the earliest.]

"Great. Let's finish the Biotechnica shit now. Don't want that poor girl to die this time."

####

The moment Zaburo entered the elevator to go down, his grandfatherly smile vanished. He stopped seeming like a weak old man while his grip on the cane relaxed. He looked up at the elevator's camera and flashed a smile again.

Ding!

As the door opened, he walked into the lobby. But instead of crossing through the club's exit, he took a turn and entered the Continental Hotel's main lobby. It was grand, spacious, and luxurious in a fashion he felt was nostalgic.

His eyes landed on the security. There were men and women in suits and large coats, hiding rifles and whatnot. He knew they were Aldecaldos, but what made him curious was their look of fierceness. A show of seriousness he'd only seen in guards of the Arasaka compound back in Tokyo. He had no doubt these Aldecaldos would die protecting this building.

"To earn their trust. Very interesting, my mysterious friend."

He walked out through the hotel's exit, into the driveway. His armored car was waiting for him, a Japanese man standing beside it, opening the door. He got inside right away and threw the cane aside, taking out the datashard.

"Blackhand, huh?"

He hadn't heard much about Blackhand for the past few years. He had almost started to believe that the man was probably dead somewhere. But that didn't seem to be the case.

"This was unexpected," he muttered and looked at the driver. "Hiroshi, reserve a call for me with the FIA's director."

"Hai, Zaburo-san."

####

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