Great Detective Soo: Should've Just Let It Go
Maybe I should've just left it alone. In Eden, the most important thing is your own life, after all. Especially for a mercenary, whose body is their most precious asset.
His body moved on its own. Even if he ended up known as the bastard who confessed to a girl like me and got rejected, she's still someone's little sister. Enoch still couldn't forget his sister's death. That stubborn past whipped his body into action.
He desperately lunged, pulling Miki into his arms. They rolled across the floor. He swallowed his curses, curling up tight.
And then.
A bad sound rang out. Blood sprayed. Screams followed.
Normally, those wouldn't hit all at once. Until moments ago, he'd been moving in time stretched by his Hod. Sounds should have trickled in with delays. But now they crashed together.
The reason was simple.
'Shit.'
The Hod had stopped. Time snapped back.
No need to wonder why it cut out without warning. The creeping pain spreading from Enoch's gut explained it all.
He didn't want to look down. Enoch truly thought that. Wounds like this only hurt like hell once you see and touch them for real. So he really didn't want to, but he had to. He needed to check the one he'd tried to protect.
Grinding his teeth, Enoch lowered his gaze.
Blood, of course—that was first. It had already soaked his chest. Or maybe the hole was just too damn big.
Enoch forced his heavy body to move, prying Miki away. Sticky blood trailed as she came free. Hard to see clearly through it, but her clothes looked intact. Thank god she wasn't hurt.
"Y-... urk... ptui. You... okay?"
"Wh-what... what do we...?"
"Looks like you're fine."
This time, he didn't die. Lately everyone he visited ended up dead, leaving a weird taste. But not this time. He'd saved her.
Enoch let out a sigh of relief, shoving Miki aside and relaxing his body. Not accepting death, though. He knew tensing up would just make more blood flow. Besides, Angela was right there with scissors, needle, thread... and a stapler.
She was gearing up for emergency measures. No point straining now.
"Please."
"The wound isn't too bad. Dangerous if left alone, but you've got me—relax."
"That so."
"Yeah. Pretty capable, right?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
Angela smiled like always. No point looking shocked before first aid—it'd just scare the patient more.
"Enoch, Angela."
And I, watching it all, spoke in my usual lazy drawl.
"Be right back."
"Yeah, Soo. Go on."
Angela had already sent me the path to the sniper. She'd even hacked and powered down every camera along it. No video record.
A hovering car up top might catch it, but even she couldn't do much there. Hacking was easy—could crash it no problem. But she didn't want innocents dying.
Like Enoch and me, Angela had her lines.
"Thanks."
That was enough. That's why I liked her.
"Don't cry if it hurts too much, Enoch."
"...Quit talking nonsense and go."
"Yeah."
"Don't smash anything unnecessary."
I grinned wide and tore through what was less a steel plate and more a steel wall, soft as paper. Stepped outside.
Instantly, a mystery link from Angela pinged in.
Sharing your view while I dig into the sniper's ID. (ง •̀_•́)ง
"Yeah, cool."
"Enoch?"
I tossed the question lightly, clenching my fist. Walked brisk, raised my arm.
"Yeah."
Crisp reply, and I dialed Salvador. Thrust my fist forward.
Magic triggered. Thunderclap exploded, filling the alley.
Heavy, brutal wind roared. Debris from the crumbled building flew at the sniper.
Kwa-gaga-gak—
Not the sound of rocks smashing a normal human. Eerie for sure. Maybe ordinary in cyberpunk world. Eight in ten mercs had dermal implants.
But duller—heavier. Like slamming iron plating.
Not down yet. Convinced of that, I stepped forward. Light step, but I was already in his face.
Cyborg overdone even for implants. No emotion. Not even fear—just blank stare at me.
Who're you. Where from. Who sent you. No fancy questions.
Emotionless cyborg. Maybe just death-row brains slotted in.
My hand ripped off his limbs. Grabbed the trunk's neck, leaped sky-high. To the clouds in a blink.
Straight-line gust hit. My small frame rode it.
733m. 481m. 313m. 196m.
Angela's updates flew fast. I slowly shifted pose. Easy in my own storm.
Straightened waist. Stepped leg into air. Left hand forward.
Legs the stock, left hand the sight. Raised arm holding cyborg. Waist arched supple. Eyes locked on fleeing sniper far off.
Sight half on him. When he shrank to a nailhead.
69m.
Short breath in, right arm whipped. Cyborg launched.
Too-kwaang—!
No flight path, really. Least to Angela.
Sniper's legs exploded. I landed light on the writhing wreck, picked up the earring beside.
Call connected.
"Busy as hell right now. This urgent?"
"Caught the real perp."
Identical to the earring on Miki's computer. The one handed to Martin, for sure.
*****
"M-me... meeting Salvador Ortega... h-heuk..."
Loaded the two downed cyborgs, their weapons, and post-first-aid Enoch into the car. Raced straight to the clinic, dropped him off.
The one where Enoch nearly died betrayed by Karchas, got treated. Angela's old daily haunt—no need for guards.
Three of us took Enoch's car to Salvador's office.
Su's usual super-short explanation and sloppy pic, but nailing a meet with Salvador? Easy. Hell, he owed us one.
Moment that could expose forces beyond the Big Three.
"Let's go."
"W-wait. This... this is really Salvador's office up ahead, right?"
Miki switched to polite speech. No choice. Folks hunting her were Salvador-approved mercs? True heavyweights who could meet him anytime...!
Her getting deferential was natural.
"Yeah."
Enoch would've puffed up proud. I thought that, opened the door evoking modern Earth.
Kkiiik—
The creak was bonus.
"Always bringing storms in your wake."
Door opened, voice hit immediate.
"Like you said, this old man's bottom-fishing biotech. Hope it's not."
Salvador's mood seemed good. Even pushing big deals, waiting ages, on maybe-perp news—voice light, booming.
"So, old man's right?"
But he wasn't alone. Woman across from him.
"Yes. Seems the old man is correct."
Faint antiseptic whiff drifted. My eyes lingered on blood-red hair.
Shifted quiet to meet Salvador's gaze. Intent synced.
"See you again, Soo."
Serena Moretti. But call her Lena Marietti now. She rose, greeted.
I lazy-smiled, waved.
"Hi, Lena."
Cyborg in my grip dangled pathetic. Her eyes gleamed.
"Care for details?"
"Yeah, Soo. Lena's helping this old man—explain."
No need to reveal new-force secrets myself, even megacorps missed. Dump the work, cherry-pick intel. Quick, easy, no hands.
Hate being swung, love swinging. Perfect nose-blow sans touch.
In Salvador's hearty laugh, I nodded innocent.
"Yeah, help's good for us."