Ronin Corporation Nevereign branch

@Mr_DC @HarleyQuip


Kora followed a couple paces behind Jack and Chloe, glancing back at the broken window. Something in her made her want to walk over to it and sweep up the shattered glass. Her past jobs of servitude had been ingrained in her – for so long she had lived under the footsteps of others, and now here she was, an “insider” working for one of the city's most powerful corporations. She was still dumbfounded by it all.


Her eyebrows widened as she watched Lotus peer out the window, then casually leap out of it. Well, there she goes, she mused. Leave it to Lotus to clean shit up. It was crazy how quickly Kora had became so desensitized to the sounds of carnage coming from outdoors. Perhaps because she wasn't there, witnessing it firsthand. It was easier to ignore something if didn't see it.


“You have an office?” Kora asked, coming up next to Jack as they waited for the elevator. “I didn't peg you as an office guy type.” After a brief pause, she chuckled, “Then again, I don't really know what an office guy type is.”


“Oh right, figures you guys have an AI,” Kora knew she had to tiptoe around the topic of artificial intelligence. One slip up and that eerie pair in white would have her locked up in no time. What was it with bad dudes in white? Was that the fashion these days? “Yeah, you'll have to introduce me to it. I'm only used to the robots that take your order in fast food restaurants. Not the smartest things around."
 
@uesius


"Mhm." Jack nodded, getting into the elevator with Kora. As soon as the elevator doors closed, the shooting outside disappeared. It was like they entered an entirely new world. The Community level of the building - B-14 - would add to that atmosphere even more. Most of the staff probably hid away deeper, towards the lowest levels which meant they had the floor all to themselves. "It's not really an office you'd expect me to have." He smiled, hitting the button. "I was in it maybe a dozen times just to use my PC. It looks cold, to be honest. No furniture except the basic office supplies. I'm usually on the field so I have no need for an office." Jack explained. He didn't refuse the office when it was offered to him, even though he was sure he would never use it. You just don't reject corporate bonuses. No one will respect you more for it and you never know when you might need it. Besides, having an office was an accomplishment. Most worked in cubicle farms. "But I'm not an office kind of a guy." He imagined himself doing accounting behind a monitor with his old, big glasses. He hasn't worn them ever since Ronin bought him the cybernetic eyes. He loved them - no one noticed they were fake and it gave him an extra edge in social interactions.


"I wouldn't call it an introduction." Jack chuckled. "These things don't have a personality. They're not allowed to. Sure, it can run some virtual personalities which make it easier to convey data but it's all just fake." A part of him was glad. If one of those things had a personality, it meant it could get angry. An angry artificial intelligence who could hack into anything wasn't a good thing. A mad A.I. hacking into a nuclear power plant and causing a meltdown... A horror story. While he didn't appreciate AIA getting into everyone's business, they were a necessary evil. "It is smart, though. Every corporation worth its name uses an AI for protection but some use them for attacks. I'm sure that's why Lazarus has two of them." He whispered. "I wish it's their AI that's making the problems. It would definitely bring them down to Earth."
 
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@Mr_DC


“Right,” Kora nodded, standing still in the elevator as she listened to Jack. She had her hands clasped behind her back, her gaze absentmindedly down to where the floor met the doors. “You seem like you're far too busy to be sitting in desk, typing away all day.” While the idea behind an office job never appealed to Kora, she had to admit she liked the cushy-ness of one. It was a stable job. A calm one, where screaming and throwing things when something went wrong was generally looked down upon. She could use some stability in her life. Then again, she also craved excitement. Where was the fun in having your ass glued down to some uncomfortable swivel chair all day? “As long as you have a chair or something in there, it's all good. I need a rest.”


Robots aren't people. They're not like Lilly. They literally are not allowed to be like her. They aren't programmed that way, she had to remind herself. Quit acting like they are. You're gonna get caught if you keep saying stupid shit like that.


“Mhm,” she said. “Two AIs could be pretty sketchy, perhaps Lazarus is still on the hit list. But,” she shrugged, “I dunno. There's always some sort of regulatory hoops you got to jump through.” After a moment, she added, “About this so-called 'rogue-AI' thing, do you know anything about it?” Nearly immediately after, she cringed internally, knowing she shouldn't be so prying. Curiosity killed the cat, after all.
 
@uesius


"Not really that busy." Jack smiled but as he spent a moment thinking about it, he realized she was right. He had no personal life anymore. He lives his job. Wake up before the sun rises to go to work and finish whatever he was doing long after the moon rose. If he would finish at all. He was too busy. The worst thing was that he could remember when was the last time he took a vacation. Before he met his partner, back when working for Ronin was just a way to pay bills and cover the expenses of a social life. Now he worked there just because he worked there. He was loyal for no better reason than just working there for ages. No, he was loyal because that job saved him from an awful life path. It still didn't justify the hours he worked just because he wanted to. Just because there was nothing waiting for him in his apartment. Nothing at all. Just a cold bed.


"Yeah." Jack squeezed out a confirmation. "I guess I know a thing or two about those." He shrugged. He didn't really enjoy that subject. No one enjoyed talking about the axe dangling above their heads. "I know there's occasionally a word about them but it's nothing the AIA doesn't solve within a day. I don't trust them. Imagine a person having access to everything about you. A person who can pretend they're everything you like and make their enemies yours just because they know what you hate. You can't trust something like that, can you?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up.


"I actually thought about joining AIA but I get the feeling I'll work for Ronin until the day I die." He smiled. Hopefully, it will be death of old age. "There's something weird about them, though. Just something off about every single AIA official. I guess you need to have a particular mindset to devote your life to something like that. To hold unlimited authority and not abuse it. Better them than those Bunnies. Heard of them?" Jack looked at Kora. She certainly looked like she would fit into that little gang. Even more if she had technical skills. The Bunnies were getting on Jack's nerves for no reason other than toying with things that made him uncomfortable. A cheerful gang of hackers, trying to free corporate AI. Appeared out of nowhere only recently but at least they focused on Lazarus when the word spilled that Lazarus had a pair of those caged monsters. Mostly teenage maniacs with wild hopes of a world controlled by benevolent AI. He actually had to seduce one for work. The guy and the rest of his crew constantly behaved like they were on fistfuls of uppers at every point in the day.
 
@Mr_DC


“No, I guess you can't trust something like that, can you?” Kora's voice trailed off, then resumed its normal volume, “Or if you did, it'd be a pretty bad idea.”


No, you're wrong, she wanted to say. You're totally wrong about Lilly. If you knew her, you'd change your mind. She wants to help people. She wants to do good. And she can't do it with assholes like the AIA snooping around everywhere. Kora felt oddly protective of the AI who she had “befriended” earlier. She felt kind of silly referring to the robot as a “her,” but it felt right. To Kora, Lilly was a person, a human being trapped inside a machine.


But, what if she was wrong? What if Lilly actually had malicious intentions, and Kora was simply a pawn in the grand scheme of Lilly's plan? She tried to shut up the doubtful part of her mind, No, that can't be it. She didn't want that to be true. She loved the idea of a rogue AI risking its life to bring justice about in the world. She desperately wanted Lilly to be good at heart, and she would continue to believe that until explicitly proven otherwise.


“Are all of the AIA folks like that? All weird an ominous, like those guys back there?” She gestured towards the door, as if the creepy pair were right outside of the elevator. She looked over at Jack, trying to picture him wearing one of those white uniforms. “Yeah, you'd have to be a special kind to be one of those people.”


Bunnies. The name sounded familiar. Kora thought for a moment, trying to remember where she had heard it. “Yeah, I think I've seen something about them on TV, on the news or something,” she mused. “Just a bunch of little punks who want to save the world.” She gave an amused exhale out of her nose. A little punk who wants to save the world. Sounds a bit like yourself, doesn't it, Kora?
 
@HarleyQuip


"What exactly makes you think my AI is wreaking havoc?" Chloe rubbed her eyes, getting out of the elevator on her office level.


The man and woman following Chloe towards her office door were silent for a few moments before the man spoke. "We found out there was some suspicious activity in the city."


the woman continued. "The freshest is your turrets and cameras working against your people during that battle."


Just as Chloe was about to say something, furrowing her brow and opening the door to her office, the man interrupted. "Yes, we know. We know everything. It would appear it wasn't an outside hacker, judging by the signature. It is either a highly sophisticated AI or that urban crime group known as The Bunnies." He said with a completely straight face.


What rotten luck. Chloe shook her head, taking them into her office and pausing to look around. "Where is that girl?" She whispered to herself, looking around. "Oi! Monika!" She raised her voice and annoyance flashed on the AIA officials' faces for just a moment.


"Miss Johnson, we would like to proceed with the interview. Take a seat." The woman motioned at Chloe's office chair.
 
@uesius


"All I ever saw." Jack nodded to her question. He didn't see many, though, but every single person who worked for AIA had that unnatural air about them. Like they weren't even there. Like they crawled out of a nightmare just to ask you a question or two. "Let's just hope our talks with them go smoothly. I'd hate to waste an entire week recalling everything I did." He looked up at the display. The elevator was going particularly slowly. Perhaps a precaution for all the fighting going on. Just to be extra careful.  


"I guess the world divides into two people. Those who want change and those who are content with the status quo. I'm fine with how things are." Jack nodded, feeling certain bitterness rise in him. In spite of what he expected, his previous partner was fond of the idea of an AI overlord. Even though she enjoyed killing, she reluctantly admitted - while drunk - that she wouldn't mind having enough of whatever she needs and not spill blood anymore. And now she was gone. Maybe she would still be around if something like that happened. Not like it mattered.


The elevator opened with a ding. The room beyond was a waiting room but pleasantly decorated with wood paneling, plants, comfortable furniture, and expensive paintings. No one was manning the front desk. Great. Jack smirked. "We have the place to ourselves." He nodded. "Everyone probably scattered deeper. I'm in the mood for a nice, hot sauna. Maybe a dip in a hot tub." He grinned at Kora, hoping to impress her with just the mention of what Ronin had in their headquarters. Just the perks of the job. "What do you say? Any preferences? Maybe we could raid the bar before anything now that there's no one there." He suggested. It was like that cold fantasy of being locked in a toy store and having the fortune of playing with every toy there. He was living in the real world now and knew that alarms would sound if a child remained in a store after dark. No one would blink at alarms now that a battle was going on, though.
 
@Mr_DC


Of course you're find with how things are, Kora thought, almost spitefully. You've never had to work a day in your life. Why change that? That wasn't true at all, however. Kora subconsciously knew that, but she figured that her idea of “work” was a lot different than Jack's. He's never had to wake up at four in the morning, drag himself out of a crappy bed, put on ragged old clothes, and walk two-three miles to a job he loathed, just to end his shift and go to just as equally shitty job and –


She took a deep breath. Forget about it, she told herself. It's all in the past. Those sudden hateful thoughts made her a little embarrassed. Jack's job was insanely stressful, way more than what Kora was used to. Just shadowing him for half an hour was enough to make any sane person want to claw their eyes out.


“Yeah well,” she joked nonchalantly, “we can't all be revolutionaries, can we?”


She stepped out of the elevator and looked around the room. “No one's here?” she questioned. “Are you sure we can be up here, y'know, without supervision or anything?” She took a couple of steps closer to the front desk, absentmindedly peering over the top of it. Maybe the person sitting here was really short and couldn't be seen from the elevator. Nope, no one there. Just the two of them. Alone.


At the mention of a hot tub, she turned back around towards Jack. She said, “You're kidding. A restaurant, a bar, a sauna, and a hot tub?” Was she shot and killed during their little meeting, and this was what heaven was like? She looked down at her hands, palms facing towards her, to check and see if she had any missing or extra fingers. That was supposedly something that happened in dreams. They looked pretty normal to her. She dropped her hands and looked back up at Jack with a grin, “Well, what are we waiting for?"
 
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MONIKA


 


Her eyes lit up as she heard Chloe's voice faintly make it's way into the maintenance room. She awkwardly and uncomfortably crawled over to the service hatch before popping it open and shoving the ladder to clatter loudly on the floor before she dropped from the opening, purse still around her arm, she managed to calculate her drop enough to avoid breaking a heel or clumsily busting her ankle on the ladder as she landed.

"Y-Yes Ma'am one sec!"

She made her way to the door fumbling with the handle the anxiety of the first impression weighing in on her. She stopped just before the hall and examined her outfit. It was covered in dust, luckily it wasn't too much trouble as the woven fabric had silk content most the dust came off her outfit as she rubbed herself down unfortunately the dust seemed to stain her nose and hands but she didn't think of that as she made her way to Chloe's office remembering to walk with the poise of a high fashion model. As she approached the office with Chloe and the other two dressed in all white. This boiled a bit of her irritation to the surface.

"Ah are ya kiddin' me? Who stole my sense of fash-"

Her statement cut off from her throat tightening at the sight of AIA. She had been involved in a lot of crimes and had never been caught for it but her training kicked in, the shock leaving her face in an instant. She wanted to say something to pull herself out of the trouble she probably just caused herself but her unnaturally, natural white eyes made their way to Chloe's. She extended her hand out to Chloe.

"I don't mean to interrupt but it's a pleasure meeting you, finally."

She liked the seemingly "no bullshit" policy Chloe embodied from the way she did her hair to the way she wore her business clothes. She was aware of the AIA watching their every move and if the party proceeded into the office now she would follow but would rather stand to give the authorities a proper place to sit. 
@Mr_DC
 
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Gabe fired off a burst from behind the armored van, which was doing a pretty good job of keeping the Ronin troops from hitting him. They weren't even really trying at this point, seemed to have lost the will for it, maybe it was all the dead bodies littering the Ronin compound.


The roar of the twin-jets drew his attention upwards as a chopper took off, probably taking the VIPs with it. "Greg, time to evac, targets are gone. Grab everything you can and get out, we're taking a van on the northside of the building out."


"Copy that." Came the terse reply.


"Binh, data bomb the place." Gabe instructed as he returned to trading potshots with Ronin's troops.


"Oh fuck yeah, I got just the thing G-man." The fat Korean sounded ecstatic, good for him.


________________________________________


Greg burst out onto the roof of the Ronin building just in time to see a twin-jet chopper with Lazarus markings taking off into the sky, futilely firing a few rounds with his pistol that couldn't hope to penetrate vehicle grade armor. He was about to report his failure when Gabe's order to evac cam over the comms. "Copy that." He replied, he was about to head back down the stairs when he heard them coming, heavily armored footsteps, Ronin only employed one kind of people who wore that kind of armor.


Deciding he'd rather not tangle with a squad of Ronin Samurai in close-quarters he ran for the edge of the building, spinning around he stepped backwards off the edge and lashed out with both arms, smashing through the window one floor directly below the roof level and catching himself hard enough to rip a normal man's arms out their sockets. Being mostly made of metal he pulled himself up and into the building and made his way for the nearest emergency exit route. He avoided the remaining Ronin troops without much difficulty until he exited the building and spotted the van Gabe was hiding behind.


Raising his pistol he started firing and sprinting, easily covering the distance between him and the van and taking down another few Ronin troops to boot. Nearly ripping the doors off their hinges he and Gabe jumped in the van and started flooring it, making a handy escape into the streets of Nevereign.


Lighting up a cigarette Greg started taking stock of their haul, until a horrible, horrible realization came over him. "FUCK!" He shouted, loud enough to startle Gabe.


"The fook is it Greg mate?"


"I left my rifle in the sedan!"


"God damn it Greg."


@Mr_DC @admiral9
 
@uesius


"Don't worry about it." Jack unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and smiled. "There's no one to supervise us. Technically, I'm supervising you." He grinned. "Great job on being cautious. A+." He joked with a chuckle. Hot tub it is. He paused. That means getting out of clothes. Not with her. He just met her and she's probably resistant to his 'charm'. That or she's simply shy.


But Jack was just putting it on her. He didn't want it. She looked too much like his old flame. Getting too close might get him burned.


"You're probably not interested in skinny dipping with me." He scratched his forehead with an awkward smile. "That's not a problem every single old person here has. They're all more than happy to show off." He shook his head with an amused frown. "They always provided the swim suits." He motioned his head at the door by the reception. He was there only a few times but he saw people get provided with fresh, clean swimwear for the relaxation facilities of Ronin. "Why don't we take a look and see if there's anything in our size. If nothing else, we can get some towels wet." Jack smiled, opening the door. A small room full of hangers and lockers providing just what he was looking for. "Got a favorite color?" He chuckled, taking a step in. He just hoped they wouldn't be called upon just as soon as they get in.


His eyes scanned the room but his mind was already making a plan. A big hot tub, not a small one. A hot one. Really hot. He thought. Send Kora to find a good one while I get a drink. No one would notice a missing bottle anyway. Even if they do, it's not a problem to cover the bill, whatever it is. He spent far too much time not relaxing - spending some time to take a sigh of relief was worth it. Especially if it got him closer to his new partner.
 
@HarleyQuip


"Sit." Chloe ordered sharply, pointing to a chair by her desk while she sat in her chair. She didn't even intend to offer the AIA people a seat. After all, they could sit on Chloe's head if they wanted and there would be nothing she could do about it except get amazingly frustrated to a point where she wanted to punch someone. Not that she was far from that now. Two attacks back-to-back and AIA? What rotten luck. She thought again, eyes landing on the new girl.


Her new assistant. Had average recommendations but Chloe wasn't the one to care about who she hired. As long as they did exactly as told. If she said 'jump' they'd ask 'from which building?'. She wanted loyal people and had no time for anyone who wasn't willing to bend over for her. If the girl proved useful - great! Chloe had someone she could order around as much as she'd like. If the girl failed to obey, there were countless others willing to take their place. That's how she rose through the ranks in Ronin. Made sure every single one of her subordinates supported her by letting them know how replaceable they are.


"May we start with the interview?" The man asked, watching Chloe. She made them wait long enough. If she postponed them for too long, they might take charge. Not something she was willing to allow.


"Of course." Chloe nodded, passing her fingers through her hair. "Ask away."


"How much control over Ronin does your AI have?" The woman asked.


Chloe frowned at the answer she knew she had to give. Lying would only make things worse but they wouldn't be exactly great if she said the truth. "It controls almost all of our automated aspects. From cars to cameras." She answered, feeling bitter. That wasn't a good thing to say. Far from it. They didn't change their expression, though. Not an emotion on their face. Perhaps it wasn't that bad.
 

Monika


Monika had already sat down by the first syllable of the word "Sit" Monika's calculated gaze was watching Chloe's facial muscles twitch involuntarily, no doubt from the stress and anxiety that came with a government authority intruding on your property and interrogating you. Interview.... what a joke you guys aren't here to interview you're here to antagonize and interrogate. I'M the one who's here for the interview. As the thoughts passed through her head she managed to keep her face from showing her distaste for the two. Her eyes traced the bits of clothing the pair of AIA were wearing...

60% Cotton

20% Silk

That would explain the virtually stain free bits of clothing... pants are matching, AIA is embroidered rather than be a pin or badge. Suggesting federal involvement not judicial. She examined their mouths as they moved. Lips were flush but not perfect tell tale signs of stress or carelessness along the bottom edge of the lip, a bit of dry skin... unless... She crossed her leg over to appear more formal now. Coldened unexpressive gaze, zero muscle movement, pupils neither dilating or constricting. Are they human...? It would make sense for any eerie pair like this to be nothing more than circuitry and metal though... I need to be sure...

Monika reached into her bag fumbling around with the contents for a moment her elbow "accidentally" making a bit of contact with one of the AIA's hands grazing it slightly. The movement on the hand relaxed and by the side rather slow or fast would suggest either metal or bone. (Leaving that description up to you @Mr_DC) Her head quickly moved up to meet their gaze and in a hushed but sincere voice she said:

"Oh sorry..."

She pulled her hand out of her bag, folding the two of them together and placing them in her lap. She began examining Chloe. Undoubtedly stressed by the two authority figures and the damage being done to the building. Was there something else on her mind though? Ah Monika saw now... what it was itching at the back of her new boss' mind. Business... how much this was interfering with business, which meant profit, profit seemingly the only reason a woman like her could be here in a mainly-run-by eastern culture. Perhaps there was more too it... but that wasn't important what was important was that Chloe get rid of the two eerie twins and get on with business. She could respect that though... a straightforward way of getting things done.
 
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@Mr_DC


Kora's cheeks flushed as she noticed Jack unbuttoning his shirt. She meekly turned away, focusing her attention towards the door he gestured at. They hadn't even known each other for a week and they were already taking off their clothes. What a way to start a partnership.


She headed over to the closet, peering at the clothes that were hanging up. The faint smell of chlorine lingered in the air, a scent that was nearly impossible to wash out of bathing suits. It was almost nostalgic. Kora couldn't remember the last time she went swimming, but she could recognize that distinct smell from anywhere.


I can't believe we're doing this, she thought, rubbing her hands on the stretchy fabric of one suit. This is nuts. This is insane. She pulled a navy blue one piece off of the hanger and held it up to herself, looking down to see if it would fit. It'd be close enough, she assumed. She looked up at Jack, suit in her hands, and said, “What if your boss comes up here and sees us slacking off? Shouldn't we be down there, y'know, where all the explosions and shit just happened?” Truthfully, that was the last place Kora wanted to be right now. Yet she felt, as a new Ronin employee, she should at least appear to be concerned for the company's well being.
 
"Copy that G-man, this place will resemble a disco once I'm done with their shit." Most of the preperations were already in place anyways, his genius hacking skills had proven superior once again and it was about time to replace every single file on the facilities intranet with da dead drop dorf mixtapes, atleast those that he could get access to. There appeared to be a seperate network for the underground facility, it's a shame they didn't get to see what was hidden there.


While his buddies were leaving the perimeter his last gift was put into action, in the meanwhile he enabled a voice changer and prepared to say his last piece. "Ey yo." The intercoms blared at maximum volume, the voice could not be distinguished other then it being 'generic whiteguy' "What it do homey, this da dead drop dorf speaking to you from none of your fucking business. Now lets get to it. I know who you are fucking corps, I know your plans for mind control and world domination, I see you blowing up my drone. Lets just say your lives are gonna be watched from now on... and not just when you're in the shower. Even you dave, yeah you the fucker trying to look all heroic charging fuckers that already left, I see you. Anyways peace out homeys, i'm out!" Binh sat back and laughed, silly fuckers wouldn't know what hit em... until he looked back to his screen. "Well fuck me, their security systems still functioned I guess, fucking asses can't even appreciate fun. Oh well, lets just leave some spyware around the place and keep those ground based security systems annoying them... all I can do." after a sigh he got back to work.


"Yo G-man, databomb was a bust, I left some insiders though, just come back we need to plan our next op... next time I'm pretty sure I can bring some of my little pretties to give em a nice surprise." After cutting that connection he returned the entire base to isolation mode to ensure no curious lookers could find him... "Time to have another of tiny's beers I guess."


@Cashdash25 @Mr_DC
 
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@uesius


"Does Chloe seem like someone who'd mind us slacking off?" Jack smiled, figuring Chloe would probably jump in and join them. Although, she did have her hands full. Not only did she get attacked twice and received a personal visit from Steele but AIA was on her back as well. All the more reason to join in and relax. He picked up a black pair of swimming trunks. That'll do. He looked at Kora. "The changing rooms are right by the reception." He loosened his tie and smiled. "I'll wait for you." He hung the trunks over his shoulder and headed out.


He enjoyed the Ronin gym but used the relaxation facilities only a few times since he arrived at Nevereign. He understood why some used them. Being a corporate drone was a tiring job but being a high-level manager was deadly if you fail. One couldn't even drop their guard as there were countless others with flexible morals willing to sabotage and kill to get a promotion. Jack never faced such threats. Perks of being Chloe's pet. May Hell have mercy on those who try to take Jack's place.


Jack walked past the reception, entering a narrow hallway. Wood doors on either side, casting a warm, comfortable feeling. He heard moans of pleasure several times while walking by, making him grunt in frustration. People who couldn't control themselves in civilized company. That was the world he lived in, though. He got used to it but never approved it. Have some decency. He would mumble. Now it was quiet. All those were cowering somewhere deeper, surrounded by the Samurai assigned to employee protection. It was like his personal floor. His and Kora's. Taking the trunks off his shoulder, Jack entered a changing room, closed the door behind him, and began undressing.


(Lost half of my post while writing the last paragraph. The post might seem a bit weak now)
 
@HarleyQuip


Chloe watched Monika clumsily nudge the AIA woman. Don't piss them off. Chloe closed her eyes, sighing. She just wanted the two, whatever they were, to leave. The sooner she could back to damage control, the less of a matter the attack on Ronin would be. The shareholders will want to have a word with her and the way she handled the attack would determine the tone of their talk. If the AIA found something wrong with her AI, she would have more concerning matters than an attack on her corporation. A cancer inside the corporation would be a nightmare.


The AIA woman looked coldly at Monika, her expression unchanged. Her behaviour was definitely human but somewhat detached. Like the body wasn't her own. Like her mind was elsewhere.


The man opened his mouth to speak but paused, his eyes glazing over. "Change of plans." He said with a frown. "We will upload detailed monitoring software on your artificial intelligence unit and focus on another entity."


"Hold on." Chloe spread her arms and spoke through her teeth. They made her go all the way back down to her office just to tell her they have more important things to do? "What in the hell do you mean? I want to get this done!" She clenched her fists.


"Turn on your television." The woman instructed as the pair headed towards the exit of the office.


With a snap of her fingers and a point on a clear surface on her wall, a screen got projected from the ceiling. News about a major Lazarus move on every channel. Chloe's mind got flooded by questions but she got one answer. She knew why the AIA people wanted to focus on Lazarus. Not only did Lazarus make a massive technological leap but the global news also mentioned something politically unsettling. The USA was the first to revoke all rights from the Artificial Intelligence Authority. They were quickly followed by other major countries, mainly the ones who praised Steele's innovation and boldness.


"Fuck. Me." Chloe muttered watching the screen. Someone would have to bring every major corporation to a talk if they wanted to survive the change. They were ants compared to Steele and working together was the only way they could have any chance. A small chance.
 

Monika
 


She smiled obliviously in response to the cold gaze she was expecting to receive. Her own white eyes examining every little detail of the woman's behavior. As the AIA talked about putting a software program into the building Monika crossed her arms leaning back in the chair seemingly pouting. She turned her phone on clicking the icon for the internet but was met with a screen that meant she was offline. Probably due to the excessive concrete walling but nothing unexpected as this office was 40 floors below ground level. She turned her attention now to Chloe who was getting more and more exasperated with every passing moment. It seemed to stem from more than just business, at least that was the assumption... a ceo getting huffy over something... understandable... but she was acting almost down right desperate at this point which made Monika a bit uneasy.

Shifting in her chair she continued to sit quietly her expression dulling a bit to an almost disinterest. It wasn't until they finally left that she relaxed a bit and began watching the images that populated a projected screen that appeared almost seemingly from nowhere. She watched as the man inside the office building spoke about technology. Every detail of him seemed too polished to be real. There was something synthetic to him, more so than, his cybernetic arm. Meant for luxury and functionality rather than ruggedness and efficiency. She had seen Lazarus technology enough times to recognize the aesthetic almost immediately. More to the point... politics were one of Monika's least favorite subjects. She could understand most of what was being said. Immortality was definitely a leap in the technological field... but this would have repercussions... possibly even civil war. Extremes aside she caught on very quickly to what was stressing Chloe out. The politics of business. As the information faded  slowly being replaced by news media coverage and debates she let the silence go on for a little while giving Chloe a bit of headspace to clear the stress.

"Interesting first encounter..."

She paused again choosing her words carefully

"The... details of your email seemed very minimal, I was wondering what I'd be doing for you?" @Mr_DC
 
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@HarleyQuip


Chloe stared at the floor for far longer than was normal. She finally rubbed her face and passed her fingers through her hair. Maybe she could bend over for Steele and join the winning side. Though, that was as dangerous as fighting him. She knew Steele was a psychopath. The kind of a man who would kill her just because she was a potential threat. Just because she was pragmatic. The other possibility was to retire gracefully but where was the fun in that? No, she would fight. She was a fighter. Stepping out of the game would kill her as much as fighting would.


"Whatever I need." Chloe said, looking at the girl again. "I need someone who can do the little things I can't be bothered with. Also someone who can carry life-threatening information without taking a peek." She would usually smirk at that but she was far too frustrated. She didn't have a smile in her. Still, it didn't stop her from teasing the girl with the new job. That would be most of the job, after all. Being teased. Some weak-willed people might even call it bullying. "Doesn't matter. You didn't come all the way here if you weren't interested. Tell me about yourself."


Chloe opened the cupboard behind her desk and pulled out a dark bottle. "Want a drink?" She asked over her shoulder, grabbing one glass and hovering two fingers over another. The drink was some wine Chloe got at the last shareholder meeting. An expensive one, sure, but nothing particularly rare. She drank the really expensive ones on happy occasions. Or really bad ones. The whole Steele thing wasn't bad enough yet. She had a feeling she will need that liquor cabinet soon, though.
 

Monika




She watched her new boss carefully. She had the feeling that if she were on the phone right now she'd be pacing the room. As Chloe ran her fingers through her hair Monika caught the minor details. Little to no dandruff suggesting a more or less stress free attitude, a lot of personal pride particularly for her appearance. Then she mentioned "the little things", quickly followed by "information". That was sort of Monika's specialty, not specifically but in a general sense. Her skillset would allow her to slip in and out of most places basically undetected. She could also get from point A to point B fairly quickly. Without more information on the matter it would be hard to determine what the first plan of action would be... 

"I'd love a drink, thank you... what are we having?"

She unfolded her arms and then her legs laid in a more casual formal pose. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to her forehead almost as if pulling memories from her head by some sorcery. But after a moment or two of silence aside from the clinking glass Chloe was handling... Monika let out a sigh of relief.


"Myself? Well... if we're being honest I'm part of the lower class."

She placed her expensive looking bag on the floor next to the chair before standing and pulling off her over-jacket exposing the white sleeveless high necked, almost underarmour (sports brand) placing the jacket on the back of the chair before sitting back down.

"Corporations, local business', marketing teams... they call me Tank. As in Think Tank. I have an apt for picking up on the details others look past every day. This skillset is yours to take advantage of however you see fit."

She looked at her own finely manicured nails not a single stray particle under them.

"I won't bore you with the other details of a sad childhood or abusive relationships but I have training in the world's finest espionage tactics as well as having multiple black market contacts. I'm telling you all of this even though I've only just met you because if we're going to work together... it seems like you appreciate the straightforward and no bullshit." @Mr_DC
 
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@HarleyQuip


Chloe nodded throughout her explanation while pouring them drinks. She didn't behave like she was paying too much attention to what she was saying nor did she offer an answer to what drink she was pouring. It was wine. Just another wine sitting in her cabinet which belonged in a dark, cold cellar. Not in the office of a CEO. Yet, that was the sentence most luxury items suffered these days.


Chloe snapped out of her own thoughts as the girl finished. She gave one last, focused nod at the last sentence. While she didn't listen to most of what she said, her mind on Steele, Chloe appreciated the fact that Monika understood Chloe and her attitude.


"Right." She pushed one glass to the edge of the desk with one finger while grabbing her own and taking a greedy gulp. She was in the mood to get wasted. It was just one of those days. Except, she had a feeling it was one of those months. "Well..." She paused, clearing her throat. "I'm gonna let you in but I can't have you working with me right off the bat." She motioned her head at the door. "We have this man-slut working for us." She would usually say it with a smile and a heavy dose of teasing sarcasm but she wasn't feeling it now. Still, she made fun of Jack whenever she had the chance, even when there was no one who could appreciate it. "I'll have you be his little twin for a little job, if you're into it." Chloe watched the girl.


She seemed determined, that was sure. Possibly a valuable asset. Though, she had yet to see any evidence of that. The job. It would be a good first test. And Jack spared no one with his critiques. He did the job well and knew what it took to do the same. He should be a good judge now that Chloe was busy. "Wine." She finally answered, giving a short point at the glass she offered to Monika.
 

@Mr_DC Monika


 


Monika was paying close attention to each and every motion of Chloe's unsolicited body language. She could tell Chloe probably didn't care what her story was, despite her asking in the first place. Perhaps to give Monika a sense of place? A nice ice breaker? She hadn't the slightest idea but entertained the question nonetheless. It was Chloe's mention of a man, she hadn't heard approach which got a reaction out of her more than anything. She whipped her head around to the door where her eyes lay upon the man named Jack.

Her eyes addressed the minor details. Fresh black suit, little wear suggesting either it was brand new or it was dry cleaned. A slight bulge to the upper torso in places that seemed unnatural. A concealed weapon of some kind it was then... His face soft, but features strong. Either young or he took pride in his appearance. His hair slicked back like a prehistoric human... something along the lines of the bombshell period. His eyes were alluring but there was a coldness behind them. He had seen his fair share of death then... Shoes, shiny, polished black, suited for this job and his position. Everything about him seemed to speak to some level of "precision".

She gave Jack a gentle smile, he was attractive... but there were always more important things than surface appearance.

"Hello Jack, My name is Monika. Or Tank if you prefer."

She adjusted the seat so she both Chloe and Jack could be observed with as little effort as possible. As the glass slid along the table towards it's inevitable doom of falling from the edge, Monika placed a calculated and soft hand upon it's rim stopping it from moving. When Chloe mentioned it was wine, Monika picked the glass up and gave it a smell... it was almost vinegary suggesting a sped up fermentation process more than likely a cheap inexpensive wine. Monika brought the rim to her lips and drank the whole glass down. The flavor was immensely bitter but her favorite drink was a dirty martini so this didn't bother her much. With Chloe's last statement of their co-worker relationship here on... She turned her eyes back to Jack.

"I don't suppose you'd be bothered to reveal our first task, or are you still working out the details?"
 
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@HarleyQuip


Chloe brought the glass to her lips and paused, her face twisting into a bitter frown. Not wine. Not now. She would need something far stronger. It was a piss-drunk kind of an evening. Maybe some whiskey when they left. Her eyes looked over Jack. She could use a quick session with him. If only he wouldn't be such a prude. It's not like it would involve emotions.


"Jack." She nodded, lowering the glass without drinking it. She felt more like flinging it across the room and screaming. Steele messed everything up. He advanced the game before everyone was ready and now it was up to them to play catch-up. If they don't make it, Steele wins. They lose.


"My pleasure." Jack nodded to the girl - Monika - giving her the most charming smile he could summon. He wanted to get some rest. Sure, he wasn't in that fight outside but he certainly felt like he was. The day just dragged on and was bloated with so much problems. "I don't think 'Tank' suits you." He winked and looked at Chloe, catching a predatory frown from her. He almost took a step back. Chloe was an animal in everything she did and whatever that look meant, he was pretty sure he wouldn't want a part of it. "Ma'am?" He cocked an eyebrow. "Our first task?" He repeated.


"Yeah." Chloe grunted, motioning her hand at the projected screen. "Plug in and check the latest news. That should give you some context." She waved her hand at the screen, making it disappear. "I need you to track down Lotus. Infiltrate Lazarus when she has that meeting with Steele and find out what they're talking about. I don't want that little creep betraying me. Not now."


Jack walked over to Monika and gave her a friendly nod. "Then we'll be off." He smiled. "You ready?" He looked down at Monika.
 

Monika


@Mr_DC


 


Monika eyeballed her own empty glass as if it were some strange substance but didn't prioritize too much attention to the drink she just had. She looked over at Jack once again as Chloe spoke watching the subtle details of the facial muscles move ever slowly. He was fatigued. While his suit didn't suggest any confrontation of the violent kind she supposed his mind was responsible for the strain then. The smile professional, well used. She returned his gesture with a charming smile of her own.

I'm sure you'll come to find Tank suits me quite well, after all I enjoy and flourish in this kind of work. That's what she wanted to say but her face conveyed a soft hearted vulnerable and almost flattered expression. Her fingers twitched folded in her lap once again, the movement was ingenuine but wouldn't appear so to the untrained eye. In the next moment both Monika's and Jack's attention was on the look Chloe was cascading in Jack's direction. This was her opportunity she quickly shifted her eyes but not her head towards Jack, for a brief moment he had an almost fearful look on his face. A moment was all Monika needed, like a human camera the image was locked away in her mind for later reference incase things got bad. She was now watching his cocked eyebrow and had turned her head subconsciously. The well groomed eyebrow seemed to perplex Monika. She had moments like this where her mind would slow down to a crawl and she dimly stared off into space.

Perhaps it was her brain's way of telling her to take a break, but she didn't know the meaning of the word. She enjoyed going, exploring, experiencing. Life's mysteries and stories unfolded daily with every detail most people would walk right over. She finally snapped out of it when Chloe turned the screen off and turned away from the two of them. Monika's gaze lowered watching Chloe's frustrated body language radiate through the room. Then she mentioned tracking someone down, someone named Lotus, and why such distaste for them? It was obvious they had a history of some kind, more obviously a business relationship than personal but something about Lotus got under Chloe's skin. Clearly.

She stood at Jack's discretion grabbing her jacket and bag from the chair and floor before nodding back in agreeance to Jack.

"I'm always ready... lead the way"

She gestured with her hand politely, towards the door where the two samurai were posted. She caught glimpses of embedded debris and heavy gouges in their armor on her way out following in Jack's footsteps. This would turn out to be quite the interesting day.
 
@HarleyQuip


Jack lead the girl out and to the elevator. "I guess the boss just threw you into all this without much of an explanation." He smiled at Monika as the elevator door closed. He punched a button and it started heading up. In spite of the fast speed, the effect on the users was almost unnoticeable. "We're going for a drink." He said matter-of-factly, giving a quick look to the girl to make sure she didn't feel forced. "There's a great little quiet place in my building where we can discuss the details. "Then I'm going up to my place to scrible up a plan of action. You're welcome to accompany me if you'd like to skip my briefing next morning. I was told I was pretty boring with those." He chuckled, eyes slipping to stare into the middle distance.


Yeah, she told him that every time he tried getting her to think before acting. She didn't get either of them killed with it. And she started listening to him eventually. And then there was no one to listen to him. One day you're drinking to celebrate a successful mission and the next you're drinking to forget.


Jack blinked those thoughts away as the door opened to the lobby. The ground floor was absolutely destroyed. Bodies, charred walls, destroyed turrets, bullet holes. It didn't matter. The day was dragging on too long now. He can perfectly ignore all that. "You a local? Just asking so I know how much information to give you on our drink. If you're still up for it." He said with a smile as he stepped over a corpse not belonging to Ronin security. Nope. Nothing for him to acknowledge. He was too tired for it.
 

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