First Steps
"Soo."
On the way to Irina's office, Enoch asked.
"What the hell are you, exactly?"
It was a question out of nowhere. Hadn't she told him a dozen times already? She'd even shown him. And he was still asking? Still, Soo didn't mind. Honestly, she thought her introduction was pretty cool. She could answer a hundred times if he asked a hundred times.
Soo puffed out her chest and declared,
"Dragon."
"...That power you used."
"Magic."
"Then..."
Enoch scratched his cheek awkwardly, choosing his words. He'd been about to bring up her parents, but how could he ask gently? He was even worse at talking to people than Soo.
"Your... parents, are they dragons too?"
"Don't have parents."
"They... passed away?"
"Nah, just never had 'em."
"...So how were you born?"
"Hatched from an egg."
Enoch dragged a hand down his face. He'd hoped for a normal answer this time, but fat chance... She just spouted even wilder nonsense.
"Impressive."
"Yeah, I am impressive."
"That was sarcasm."
"I am impressive."
"Hah."
Enoch let out a hollow laugh. Soo grinned back brightly.
"Anyway."
"Yeah?"
"When Tibolt died, you were okay with that?"
"Yeah."
"You stared at him pretty long for someone who was 'okay' with it."
"Was debating whether to take his exoskeleton skeleton."
Enoch stared at her in horror at her casual reply. That expression was rare for him, so Soo snapped a mental picture and giggled. Meanwhile, Enoch found her sudden laughter even creepier.
"Do you... even have a human heart?"
"I'm a dragon."
"I'm gonna lose my mind."
After that, Enoch muttered to himself with a disturbed look.
"Honestly, it kinda bothered me."
"Gotcha."
The truth was, Soo hadn't been totally fine with it either. It pissed her off. Tibolt was tough to recruit as an ally even in the game. Sure, he'd flip to the enemy side easily if he joined, but he was useful in all sorts of ways. She'd had a chance to team up with him and blew it.
Sad about his death? Not entirely, but not nothing. The real reason it bugged her was the third party who'd planted spyware on Tibolt and watched the whole thing.
That creep had observed her actions. Tried to figure out her personality. Predict where she'd go next.
Shady pervert.
Of course, it was all speculation, but Soo was dead certain.
Tibolt, Zailek's undercover. Angela, hired by Zailek. Angela was a field netwatcher; Tibolt a walking chrome psycho bomb. Their roles were obvious.
The moment Angela hacked and infiltrated the lab, the third party planned to burst the drug capsule in Tibolt, turning him into a rampaging psycho. The lab would've gone to hell, researchers and guards dropping like flies.
Taking down Tibolt—half exoskeleton—would've needed ECPD's elite, like Talos. Unleashed, he'd mow down crowds, drawing eyes while Angela slipped in quietly for the data. Easy mission.
But it didn't happen. Angela only hacked, didn't enter. Soo and Enoch went instead. Tibolt never met her. No drug burst. His lifespan extended a bit, spilling more info unwittingly.
So who was the third party? If a Zailek exec, Soo and Enoch wouldn't be this chill—they'd be hunted. But they needed exec-level pull to plant an undercover in Luthien.
Didn't exist? Think harder. One fit perfectly.
Incompetent exec's secretary.
A secretary handling 90% of an exec's work could wield their power. Zailek not chasing? Secretary controlled the info.
Why control? What scheme? Works for Zailek but hates them. Goal: Use info imbalance to trip up the exec. Shake Zailek bit by bit until it crumbles.
Crunch crunch.
Soo popped a candy from her pocket and chewed. End of thought.
That person wanted all-out war between Luthien and Zailek now. Escalate petty rivalry to serious fight.
So.
"Enoch."
"What."
"Better to change the flow or ride it?"
"...What the hell outta nowhere?"
"Quick quick."
Enoch couldn't half-ass it. No telling how Soo'd bounce off a sloppy answer. Had to be careful.
"No, I'll hear the whole thing first, then answer."
"Fine, I'll decide alone."
Wait, didn't see that coming. Cold sweat trickled down Enoch's spine.
Damn it... What's the difference between this maniac and a bomb?
At Irina's office bell, Enoch said cautiously, eyes on Soo. Gotta switch words if she acted up.
"Me... personally, I prefer changing the flow."
"'Cause it's more romantic?"
"...Guess so."
"I'll ride the flow."
"Why even ask...?"
"Just curious."
Soo beamed and hit the bell.
"Wanna know what you think."
Couldn't ask that in the game.
"Whoa..."
Irina stared blankly at Enoch and Soo, lips twitching. Worse in person than on cam... wrecked.
Transmitted data confirmed: mission done. Praise, pay, wrap up clean.
But impossible now. They looked battle-beaten. Battle meant noise. Luthien lab? News soon.
Lucky it ended quietly. Identities leaked? Brains scooped before arrival.
So for now...
"Good work."
"Yeah."
Soo's cute finger made a V-sign.
"Mission complete."
No wink or cutesy face. Just lazy smugness with the V.
"What happened?"
Enoch glanced at Soo. He hadn't seen much; she'd fought—explain yourself.
"Fight."
"Figured."
"Yeah. Not Luthien guards or researchers."
"Luthien agents?"
"Test subjects. Uh... chimeras?"
Irina's jaw dropped. No time to freeze—finish before news hits.
"Heads?"
"Popped."
"Cameras?"
"Hacked shutdown."
"No hacking tools."
"Secret."
Irina speechless. Mercs guarding their trade—what could a connector say?
"Pay via Enoch... Now, off-mission: wanna buy info."
"No ally info."
No ally info. Other info okay. Irina licked her lips.
"Chimera info."
"Luthien intel, still buying?"
"Hacked their server with shards—scared of that? Price... this?"
Soo eyed the credits Irina showed, then Enoch. Huge sum. Life-changing luxury.
"Not selling."
Enoch shut it down firm. Selling meant passing eye-implant footage. Exposes Soo's power.
No. Enoch saw her as comrade. Short time, but two brushes with death together. No betrayal, only help. If no help, at least no hindrance.
Soo's power... magic... like a hidden dagger, sharper concealed. Not for pocket change.
That was his call.
"Even if higher—"
"This enough?"
Whoa, too much. Enoch's pupils shook. Resolve cracked... maybe shattered.
"Irina."
Lazy voice echoed.
"Got better info."
"Don't need other. I want Luthien—"
"No regrets?"
Soo dangled the shard, smiling lazily. Confident, whispering you won't pass this up.
"...What's that?"
"Info Irina needs."
"Said it: chimera..."
Buying proof of chimeras. Shake Luthien.
But not only chimeras. Anything to rattle them. Extract something.
Whatever.
"Trustworthy?"
"If it's for shaking Luthien, yeah. Solid."
"You figured that far?"
"Obvious."
"Obvious? Connector with Luthien lines, buying to bury?"
Soo's smile deepened. Slit pupils gleamed.
"Wanna announce your affiliation here?"
Irina met her gaze, chuckled dryly, shook head.
"You win."
Offered tablet. Screen: Enoch's eyes widened at the price.
"This good?"
"Good deal."
Soo grinned, handed shard.
"...Oversold?"
"Fair."
"Just a parts list?"
"Nothing to us, gold to her."
Info's value depends on use. But in Irina's hands... who knew.
Affiliated somewhere, right? Enoch pondered briefly, asked. No pride between comrades. If refused... bruised ego, but better now than later embarrassment.
"Irina's group... why value that?"
Soo answered innocently.
"No idea?"
"...What?"
Beating around? Nah. Soo says no direct. Real ignorance?
"All bluff?"
"Bluff's about momentum."
Soo grinned triumphantly. Con artist's success smile.
Enoch huffed in disbelief.
"If she actually asked, what then?"
"Eh... Magic it somehow?"
"...Magic covers that?"
"Magic means no impossibles."
"Right..."
Beyond Enoch. Bad spot to pry anyway.
"So, house you scoped?"
Mission pay plus Irina credits: move first. Soo boasted I know a spot, so Enoch followed. But arrival... off. Way off.
"Houses here?"
"Yeah."
Soo's eyes sparkled, scanning. Red-blue neons flickered on wet asphalt. Dream-and-vice street: Velvet Mile. Southpeak's all entertainment crammed here.
Cheap bars next to golden lounges. Strippers for pennies beside high-class escorts pouring drinks. Worn motels shoulder-to-shoulder with luxury hotels. Suited corp rats and ragged drifters splashing same puddle, same alley.
Classes that never mix, brushing past. Ultimate imbalance. Pure cyberpunk.
In Velvet Mile square's heart, Soo pointed excitedly.
"There."
Soo drew eyes. Perfect surgery era, but she stood out. Her steps pulled gazes; her voice, ears.
Now too. Crowd eyed her point.
Not cheap, not luxe. Decent motel.
Gazes shifted: motel to Soo, lingered on Enoch.
Whatever. Soo tugged his sleeve, pointing.
"C'mon."
"Hold up."
Enoch planted feet. Lips tight. Where to start criticizing... no clue.
Soo pouted.
"No bridges."
"Talk."
His "tent-home" under bridge. Now... subjectless, pointing motel, no bridges pout... sounded wrong.
"Need a bed at least."
"No."
Soo barely 150cm. Enoch over 190 easy. Age gap obvious. Handsome, sure, but looked 20 years.
"Lie there, catch something."
"What."
Gazes swung back to Soo, stabbed Enoch. First time he felt stares' weight. Burned.
"Someone might see. Hear."
"Enough."
Murmurs rose. Content... obvious.
Soo oblivious. Ignores chatter. Wouldn't change mind anyway.
Velvet Kiss: game's player legend start—and end. Must. Go.
"Go, I'll make it fun."
"Please."
Enoch paled. At least no name-calling mercy?
"Soundproof too."
"What the."
Who is she? Comrade? This psycho? No. Comrades don't assassinate like this.
"Haha."
Today, Enoch died socially. Maybe yesterday...