The Third Path
"But why'd you come in person?"
"I've got questions for you lot, so the old man came himself. What, you worried seeing some geezer out in the field?"
"Nah."
Soo shook her head as she hustled to keep up with Enoch and Salvador, both towering over her.
"Just curious."
"Hey, kid."
"I'm Soo."
"Right, Soo."
"Yeah."
"How long you gonna keep up that cheeky informal talk?"
Soo looked up at Salvador through her lazy eyes. His tone was pretty snappy, but his face was the same as always. He was just the type whose default mode was grumpy and irritable. Add in all that power and fame, and he turned into one scary, picky bastard.
Enoch, who didn't know Salvador's personality, was freaking out, but Soo stayed chill.
"Don't like it?"
"Asking that means you're already doomed."
"But this feels friendlier."
"Hah, Enoch."
"...Yes, sir."
Enoch had gone informal with Irina at first, but he couldn't bring himself to do it with Salvador. The guy was too big a deal to treat casually...
"This fool doesn't know how to show respect?"
"...I've never seen her use formal speech with anyone, at least."
Enoch had figured she'd at least polite-talk with someone like Salvador, but nope—straight to informal from the jump. Not that they'd cross paths much anyway. And even if they did, it wouldn't end well. Connectors rubbed elbows with mercs, so they could overlook a little rudeness. But corp execs? Zero tolerance.
...Gotta make sure she never crosses paths with a corp exec, no matter what.
Soo seemed knowledgeable yet oddly out of touch with Eden, sometimes like a wise adult, other times like a wild beast. To Enoch, she was a teammate—and a guardian responsibility. Not like protecting a kid, but handling a ticking bomb or a feral animal.
"Soo. You talk informal to your parents too?"
"Don't have any."
"Heh, what a firecracker we got here."
Salvador didn't even blink at Soo's orphan bombshell and just kept chatting. Guy was something else.
"This is my low point."
Soo puffed out her chest as she said it.
"Tomorrow's me is stronger than today's me."
"Hah, what kinda job do I even give a straight-arrow like you..."
"Saw me kill that chimera."
"If every job was just kill-or-be-killed, life'd be a helluva lot easier."
By then, the trio had reached their destination.
"Enoch. You any good with a gun?"
"Decent shot."
"Good. Smash some cameras then."
No sooner had Salvador spoken than muzzle flash erupted from Moonlight. No need to hunt for cameras—Enoch had clocked them all on the way in, just like Salvador.
Bang—Bang-bang—
Enoch's bullets hit every camera dead-on, no misses. He didn't even use his Hod implant. Wasn't necessary, and he wasn't showing off. The chimera fight proved his skills plenty.
"Thorough and cautious type, eh?"
"Yeah. Super."
Soo answered for Enoch. Stuff like this carried more weight from someone else anyway.
"Surprisingly well-balanced duo. Stealth's a weak spot, but you two'll do for now."
"I can do stealth."
"...Not getting caught ain't always stealth. And right now, it means hacking."
"Ah."
Hacking was definitely their weak point. Nano-hacking tools hooked into the central nervous system, overlapping with Enoch's Hod. Slap more on? Most folks chrome psycho out. Enoch might hold up, but no guarantees. Couldn't just knock him out and bolt either.
Still, stealth's doable.
Soo waited for Salvador's next words. A guy like him didn't waste breath—every word weighed heavy with intent. Sounding like he'd sized them up meant a new job incoming.
"This old man's too ancient for shards or messages."
Salvador pulled an envelope from his coat. He never sent jobs via shard, message, mail, or call. Always face-to-face.
"Southpeak outer job."
Soo's eyes sparkled. Enoch's lit up too.
"Client wants it flashy and loud. Escape's the issue for most, but not you two."
"Yeah."
"Shouldn't be a problem."
"Take a look."
Enoch got the honor of receiving the request straight from a top connector. Breathing shaky, he reached out carefully. Thick, sturdy paper envelope, buttons top and bottom tied tight—no papers slipping out.
...Pull the loose string?
First time Enoch had seen one like it. Rare as hell.
Shrrk—
Luckily, it untied smooth. Inside: one crisp white A4 sheet. Simple, but heavy with meaning.
Enoch pulled it out and read immediately. No hesitation—he'd choked enough on that with Irina.
Though he still couldn't help gawking at the unfamiliar.
"Kuh."
Enoch swallowed a grunt. Stifled idiot gasp. His eyes locked on the reward figure.
...A year's cleaning gigs barely touch this? For one job?
What the hell have I been doing with my life?
F-focus on the details first.
His quaking eyes slid upward slow.
Honestly, at this pay, who cared what it was? Eyes closed, worth it. Fresh fish like Enoch could think that now. Top connectors paid fat, sure—but not enough to stun name-brand mercs.
"Here."
While Enoch scanned, Soo handed over what she'd promised Salvador: the videotape from the camcorder.
"Camcorder, huh? You whimsical or what?"
"Nano-computers hack too easy."
Salvador's lip twitched.
"So camcorder it was?"
"Yeah."
"You keep surprising this old man."
Right size for Soo, a tad small for Salvador. He turned the tape over, grinned satisfied, then ruffled her hair wild.
"Won't pass it on, so relax."
"You could."
"Can't hand over your secrets."
"Huh?"
Soo's eyes went wide.
"Grandpa knows magic too?"
"Magic... krahaha! Still got that weird ring to it. Yeah, I know. Know it well."
Soo figured even Salvador wouldn't buy "magic" without proof. Normal till you saw it—especially at his level.
But his reaction? He believed.
"Knew I used magic?"
"Didn't till I saw it myself."
"Then why no freakout?"
Soo tossed the question, but answered it herself before he could.
"You've seen it before."
Salvador had witnessed magic. That's why no shock.
"Yeah. Not half-assed lab-rat crap— the real deal."
"My magic's real too."
"Mystical enough. But compared to what I've seen... a bit lacking."
Soo's eyes narrowed.
"What you've seen?"
"Greedy one. Want info from this old man? Pay up proper."
"Another job?"
"Info swap works, or a job like you said. Not now, though. Got work ahead."
Salvador chuckled deep, glancing behind Soo. She turned, pouty-faced, locking eyes with stone-faced Enoch.
"Tough job?"
"Not tough so much as... better read it yourself."
Soo pattered to Enoch, skimmed the paper he held out.
"Mm, kinda annoying."
Even after toppling Zailek and Lü Chen buildings without a sweat, "annoying" slipped from her lips. Enoch let out a dry laugh. Looked impossible to him.
"Can you pull it off?"
Soo tilted her head at Salvador.
"Straight kill job?"
"Yep. Simple hit."
Salvador nodded with a sly smile.
"Escape clean, and we're done? No cleanup after?"
"Exactly. Job's hit it big and ghost the scene. Aftermath's not your problem."
No way a guy like Salvador lied to kill them.
"Proof of completion?"
"Don't need it. Check the news tomorrow."
Enoch and Soo exchanged looks. No need for more talk.
"See you in two days, sir."
"Tell me when you're done in two days."
Salvador lit a fat cigar, waved them off.
"Burn that paper or eat it."
Enoch double-checked the details one last, then set it ablaze.
Viktor Kral