As Riddick and Nikolai sat in the largely light brown interior of Nikolai's private jet, the focus was set on the device Nikolai had placed on the table. He now promptly reached for the set device and clicked on a single button located on it’s side. This immediately caused the device to shake slightly before it projected a screen upward, showing a unique circular logo with the letters LVN at the center and two snakes coiled around. Once this appeared, Riddick immediately asked, “What’s this?”
To which Nikolai grinned and leaned back into his seat before answering, "The Leviathan Network."
"The Leviathan Network?" Riddick repeated, with a look of confusion written on his face.
Nikolai's expression now turned serious as he crossed his arms, giving a brief explanation. "The Leviathan Network, or LVN, is similar to the Allied Federation Public Network or the local black market networks you're used to using. The only difference is those local networks are usually based on only a small area. The Leviathan Network expands all over the world. Just know, if it's illegal and involves a lot of money, it passes through the Leviathan Network, and it's what you're going to be using starting today."
"Hand me your ID chip," as Nikolai said this, Riddick casually reached toward his watch and retrieved the chip inside. These days, people were not identified using identity cards but rather chips that contained all their vital information in one safe place. It made for easier use and was far more practical. However, it also demanded extreme digital security, and given just how un-trusting people were, that led to the rise of domain operating networks, mostly used by large governments and powerful organizations, with the international black-market falling under one such category, and the Leviathan Network being the biggest.
As soon as Riddick handed over his chip to Nikolai, he placed it into a chip insert slot on the other side of the device. Upon doing so, a voice emanated from the projected screen, stating, "Chip detected. Please provide proof of identity before login." As it said this, a small slot appeared on the base of the device, roughly the size to fit a finger through.
Riddick was familiar with such as they were normally carried out when one wanted to change the details of his or her chip but needed to provide a blood sample to prove that it was indeed him. The device would then quickly scan and confirm if the DNA matched with that registered on the chip. This process was almost instantaneous.
The LVN logo soon cracked and revealed a different type of screen. This one showed all of Riddick's vital information, however, in a format that he had never seen before, as if they were going to be changed.
"Ready for editing." the digital voice soon stated.
“Editing?” Riddick asked with a brow raised and Nikolai nodded. "Of course. Given your background, do you think you're going to be able to perform high-level contracts on an ID that's under the Allied Federation Public Network? Please, you'd get caught before you even try. There is a reason billionaires use this; heck, even government officials and the government themselves likely have an account under the Leviathan Network."
Riddick could see the reasoning for this but couldn’t help but wonder, "A slot for something that useful can't be cheap."
Nikolai scoffed at the remark, "Not only is it not cheap, it's very exclusive. Not only do you need money, you need the right connections to even be able to get offered a slot on the Leviathan. And as well-connected as I am, I couldn’t even manage to get one for you. Rather, you're taking over my existing account. Slot’s can be passed on because, looking at it from a legal standpoint, it's viewed as an asset. A very expensive one at that.”
“Then aren’t you going to lose out from giving away your slot?" Riddick questioned.
Nikolai casually shrugged his shoulders at the question. "I'm not kidding when I say I am retiring little comrade, so there is no use for me to hold onto it anymore. With this, you can order everything from weapons, chemicals, materials, or anything else your mind can conjure up. If it exists, you can order it on the Leviathan Network for the right price. That's why the network's motto is 'Everything has a price,' and you would do well to remember that if you don't want to end up dead without understanding how."
"Anyway, because the Leviathan Network slot is viewed as an asset, you're going to have to identify as my son to get it and all my other assets. It not only makes the legal part of things easier but also gives you a better cover for your identity. Because trust me, it's not really going to make much sense once you start meeting the big names in the business, how you, a young contract killer with no record, suddenly came onto the scene with so much at your disposal. That may lead some to get curious about you and start digging for information. So, as confident as I am that the chances of someone finding out who you really are are slim, the risk still exists. For some of these people, it's not a matter of if they can do it; it's a matter of do they want to. So, don't forget that."
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Riddick nodded and understood the point Nikolai was putting across, and he agreed 100%. So, he turned his attention back to the screen before him and asked, "So, what should I change?"
Nikolai smiled at this question before answering, "Everything. We're giving you an entirely new background, and as we head toward our destination, make sure you study everything about your new background. It will be put to use as soon as we touch down, and if you're seen through, well, let's just say your life as a contract killer will be anything but easy."
Riddick took Nikolai’s warning very seriously and immediately got to work editing the information being displayed on the screen in front of him. With Nikolai’s assistance and an hours time, he had managed to change his whole identity.
After he was done inputting data, he began to gloss over it, ensuring there wasn’t a single error. Only after confirming that did he begin to memorize the contents.
In total, it took him 3 hours to finish everything, all while Nikolai quietly observed him, occasionally providing tips and edits where necessary. Once done, Riddick let out a sigh and leaned back into his seat, prompting Nikolai to grin and do the opposite by leaning forward and retrieving the device on the table.
“Get used to memorizing from now on, you’ll be doing it plenty more little comrade.” Nikolai revealed whilst removing the chip from the device, causing a message to appear on the holographic screen ‘chip ejected’.
“Here.” He then handed over the chip to Riddick, who received it casually before motioning to place it back in his watch. However, Nikolai stopped him from doing this, “Don’t.”
Riddick immediately paused his action and raised his head to look at Nikolai and ask, “is there a problem?”
“Another rule about being a top contract killer, never fully trust tech that you didn’t personally see being made. Most corporations monitor the data in their devices like vultures to a piece of meat. So what do you think their systems will show when the user of the watch suddenly has all the information on them changed?”
Nikolai’s words were once again completely right. It now felt so obvious that Riddick felt stupid for not seeing it sooner. But that was simply the gap in experience between the two, and Riddick understood this, though it didn’t make him feel any less sloppy in his thinking.
Nikolai could see that Riddick wasn’t happy about nearly making a mistake so he further added, “Don’t worry, its something we all go through. I purposefully didn’t tell you about this early on so that you could have two sets of digital footprints. One as Riddick Moskov and the other as Riddick Rasputin. And in the event you are ever caught, you simply destroy the chip and if people look into you on corporate systems, they’ll only find the useless data you accumulated in lowtown. Its a good precaution to have when you can barely trust anyone. Unless you trust who made that watch of yours?”
Riddick moved his gaze from Nikolai to the watch Specs had gifted him, before promptly answering, “no, I don’t.”
That was how Riddick genuinely felt. Even if he had appreciated the gesture from her, he simply wasn’t the type to trust others. The furthest his trust went was that which he showed Nikolai.
Why? For the simple fact that Nikolai knew everything about him. Even removing this factor, Riddick had nothing that Nikolai would strongly seek, because without Nikolai, Riddick strongly doubted he’d be alive. These factors however didn’t stop Riddick from being cautious around him and analyzing what he did and said.
“So then am I supposed to find a contact who can make a device to hold the chip for me? Or did you have something else in mind?” Truthfully, Riddick had inwardly began to grow fairly irritated by the sheer amount of steps and processes one had to take as a top contract killer.
He now wondered if he had to think that way 24/7 for as long as he did this. It was a tall order by any standards, but luckily for him, that wasn’t the case.
“That’s where we’re going now. In fact, it should be in view by now so look through the window.” Nikolai urged with a small smile on the corner of his mouth.
Riddick did as suggested and raised the shutter for the window nearest to him. What met his gaze was a sight like no other, an island city, in what looked like the middle of the ocean.
It had numerous tall skyscrapers through out with various green zones present as well in varying sizes. Riddick could also spot some unique looking recreational buildings, although all very formal.
“What is that place?” Riddick asked in a low tone, as he fully took in the image of something he had never seen before.
“The Leviathan, western hemisphere office.” Nikolai revealed as he also looked at the grand island city with a rather nostalgic expression.
“That entire thing is a branch office?” Riddick asked in a tone of doubt but Nikolai immediately nodded, “yes. Remember when I said you can’t trust anyone in this business?”
“Yea?”
“Well a lot of other contract killers share my sentiment. If we were always worrying over the small things, our efficiency would be abysmal. There was a need for a neutral organization and territory that all CK’s could trust to uphold agreed upon rules of operation. And thus The Leviathan came to be.”
“It acts as a place where CK’s can not only walk freely and safely, but also as the most trusted supplier of equipment and information, acting as a broker between sellers and buyers and making sure no compromised products are sold or used. Here, once you have membership, you either abide by the rules, or get swiftly delt with by the collective power through which all the world’s best contract killers operate. Do you understand what I’m getting at?”
Nikolai spoke in a very serious tone as he explained this to Riddick, who listened keenly and nodded along, “I understand. Still, I never could’ve imagined such a thing existed. That said, I take it governments are in on this as well?”
Nikolai chuckled and nodded, “They have no choice but to be, the Leviathan network is more than just digital Riddick. But, thats not something I can properly explain in words, you’ll better understand once we land and see for yourself. Before that though, you need to make a pivotal decision, here and now.”
Riddick moved his gaze away from the window and turned to face Nikolai, who despite the gravity of his words, still looked fairly relaxed.
“A decision on what?” Riddick questioned, causing Nikolai to smile before replying, “on the kind of Overwatch you’ll be.”