Northrica: The City That Commands Even Salvador's Attention

Northrica. A city that even Salvador Ortega pays close attention to. Of course, it was probably a bit exaggerated. A name like Salvador Ortega was never one to take lightly, no matter where—even in Northrica. Still, the three of them stayed on high alert. From every word they spoke to handling the slightest glances, they controlled it all with meticulous care. Standing out in Northrica meant catching a megacorp's eye—and not in a good way. In the worst case, your brain could be ripped out while you were still alive and turned into a data mining device. Hell, you might even end up as part of the urban legend known only as Arcana. Anyway, Northrica was livable enough, but it was a city that demanded caution. Especially ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for visitors.

"Ha."

"What the hell is that?"

"Guess he likes 'em old."

"Kuhaha! That loser's gonna be scrounging for grannies on the cheap wherever he goes. Bet on it."

As Enoch's car pulled up to the tollgate, mocking snickers echoed from all around. How many of those guys were actual Northrica residents? Probably none. You know those types—like department store luxury brand clerks who think they're the luxury item themselves. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ECPD cops sneering right now were exactly that breed. Guarding a Northrica tollgate and suddenly they think they're upper crust. Of course, no one said it out loud. They didn't have time to dwell on the idiots anyway. Everyone in the car was too busy checking on Soo.

"I haven't done anything yet."

Soo murmured in her usual drowsy tone. Only then did Enoch relax and look away.

"Scan's done?"

"Damn... did your friend here learn to talk down to the almighty ECPD?"

"No need for pointless chatter, seems like."

"Buddy, does that pride of yours put food on the table?"

A chill silence settled over the car.

"Not backing down, huh?"

For a moment, the tollgate officer's ocular implant flashed. In that split second, he'd pulled Enoch's info. Normally pretty rude, but he was the tollgate officer. He had the authority—and duty—to run light scans like that.

"Hey, check this out. Lost your folks young, huh? Yeah? Figures you'd turn out rude without proper raising."

A cute little grind of teeth echoed. Frey's doing. Her eyes were red-rimmed, barely holding back the rage.

Angela's smile faded too. Not because of the dazzling Northrica lights sparkling ahead. Her lips curved up, but her eyes were flat and dry, staring straight at the officer.

"...What do you want?"

"Polite speech. Lowly merc scum like you should bow your head and crawl. Got it? Why can't you manage that?"

Tears started welling in Frey's eyes, dripping down. She'd bitten her lip so hard, blood seeped out.

"Ha."

Just speak politely once, like he said. But Enoch... didn't want to. It wasn't hard at all. Before meeting Soo, he'd done it plenty. He wouldn't grovel, but he'd bend his pride. But now?

I'm with my crew. If I bend and break mine, it's like doing the same to theirs. I can take it, but my comrades? They don't deserve that shit.

Enoch clamped his mouth shut with that thought. So the officer's face twisting up was only natural.

"Merc assholes are all the same. Pride straight to the sky, so they die like idiots and folks call it 'legendary' bullshit."

Snickering laughter spread. Windows open, it rang loud and clear.

"Filthy bugs. Die and that's it—no legends for you—"

"―――."

A low voice hummed from the back seat. The owner muttered something unintelligible. Sentence? Word? Just noise? No one could tell. Hard to even hear right. It wasn't human speech. A sound that couldn't exist in this world. Like singing, yet whispering gently. Sometimes soothing, caressing. Who was she talking to? Only she knew.

"Close your eyes. Cover your ears."

The uncanny power woven into those words completed itself.

A blue sky. Climate controlled by tech and AI. Higher than the mechanized ceiling of the perfect city, in a realm no human hand could touch, a bolt of ashen lightning crashed down.

*****

Sirens wailed across the entire city. The officer and his two nameless sidekicks pissed themselves running off. The acrid stench they left behind suggested one had lost more than just his bladder. Angela captured it all on camera. Soon to upload to a streaming site via an untraceable anonymous ID.

Left behind: tollgates 4 and 5, blazing fiercely. And Enoch's car. Compared to the chaos, his ride was suspiciously pristine. Even after that massive lightning strike, not a scratch. Or maybe there was one. But even Enoch, the owner, couldn't tell. The thing was already covered in dents. Finding a new one was pointless.

"...Your doing?"

"A man's word is his bond."

Soo, hair frizzed from static, said it with the world's most shameless face. True enough. She really didn't say it twice. She just acted.

Enoch stared at her a moment, then chuckled dryly and shook his head.

"Thanks."

"Who you thanking?"

"Beats me."

He'd told her not to cause trouble just a minute ago. Yet he didn't scold her. How could he? She'd done it for him. Gratitude swelled instead. Sure, fallout later—who knew? But right now, it felt damn good.

What if she'd killed them? Might feel even better now... but trouble down the line. Not ECPD pursuit. The habit. Kill an insulter once, and killing gets easier next time. Even if not killing, pull a weapon first when things snag?

...Huh? Isn't that what I do now too?

A stray thought crossed Enoch's mind, but he shoved it aside to savor the thrill.

"Hngh! Mmph!"

Frey too. Couldn't speak aloud, so mouth shut tight, she silently cheered Soo on. Soo's awesome! Soo rules! Love Soo! That kind of voiceless praise. After tearing up at Enoch's humiliation, her joy was extra fierce.

Angela whispered thanks too, gently stroking Soo's electrified hair.

"So what now?"

"Wait for site cleanup, I guess."

All cars heading through the tollgate halted. Lightning hit only 4 and 5, but the ripple crashed every nearby server. No pushing through.

"Northrica's response is quick, alright."

"Where the big shots live."

"Westtown? Probably just mercs..."

"Mercs showing up would be lucky."

By Enoch's timer—1 minute 12 seconds later—ECPD HQ teams and brass swarmed in. Not enough; politicians and corp execs rushed out barefoot. But no brass from the Big Three. Asses too heavy? Not a single face amid the pols. No one batted an eye. That's how they roll. Silent consensus hung in the air.

"Seeing this really drives home how high up Serena is."

"That's... 'cause Soo's special. Normally? Yeah, this vibe's standard."

"W-What? You know megacorp execs too...?"

Enoch glanced around, voice low.

"Lü Chen board member, but not close. More like... business partner. That kinda thing."

"Whoa..."

Frey clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. Not at Lü Chen or "business partner." Just... Enoch and "business ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠partner" clashed so hard. Angela saying it? Total pro. Enoch? N-No, can't think that. Even her own thought felt too mean. Sorry and rude to Enoch, even unspoken...

"A-Amazing..."

"Soo deserves that more. I didn't build those ties."

"Soo handles that stuff too?"

"Dunno if accident or plan. But yeah, deals with people sometimes."

"Gotcha..."

"Connectors like Irina and Elder Salvador? All thanks to Soo."

"Soo's incredible..."

"Yeah. I'm awesome."

Soo pondered their chat. What if she called Serena now? Beg to bail her out? She'd probably say yes. And showing this scene? Serena might love it more than expected. Lü Chen director or not, she hated rich assholes.

"Call her?"

"Don't."

"Soo, bad idea."

Enoch and Angela spoke as one. No "who?" Just flat no. Unfair to Soo.

"Yeah."

Oh ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠well. Soo ended the call she'd already started and snapped pics for texts. Shared with others too. Too good a scene to hog.