Mia rose from her bed, morning sickness from lack of sleep. Her gun in her night hand, held steady throughout the night. Leaving the bedroom with weapon in hand, she switched on the coffee machine before turning on the news; returning to the bedroom for a quick shower, she turned to the TV hanging on the wall. Looking away, she continued her routine. Taking a quick shower, she reviewed her wardrobe, choosing an outfit that would be most appropriate for the day. Leaving behind the pants and safety gear. She decided on a suit with a skirt cut in the company colors. More feminine than usual, she wore heels and discreet make-up. She picked up a black handbag and walked out the door.
All around her, the immaculate corridor and the floor polished by the floor service's scrubbing showed no signs of fault. Arriving at an elevator. She pressed the call button, which lit up to signal the arrival of the elevator. The two steel doors were also clean, and a man stood looking at her for a moment before she stepped inside, ignoring her gaze and turning his back. She pressed the down button and descended in silence to the sound of the elevator, soft music playing faintly. Ding. the doors opened and she stepped out, followed by the man into the entrance hall, a large room with a manicured reception area where two secretaries and a butler held the main table. The whole thing was flanked by two armed guards on either side of the room. Ignoring all this, she set off for the exit door with a determined step.
Immediately she was dazzled by the light. Passing through the buildings to reflect on the glass of the towers, the voices, the shouts, the cars, the people passing by and laughing busily with their lives as Mia contemplated the moment. She looked around briefly, noting another person wearing Keng Tao's colors. He got into a car and drove off into the traffic.
Mia ignored this. Continuing on her way to the Night City subway. Passing the road and going to the station to get in without any problems. Mia took the Wesbrook Express, first passing through Charter Hill before returning to the City Center, where she would only have to change trains to arrive at Corpo Plaza. As she pondered her route, she observed the wagon she was in. Old-fashioned was a close word. But under pressure, it was better from her point of view. Who knows what had happened in these wagons, rarely changed and often damaged. Many people were present, but not as many as she had imagined. Looking around, she didn't recognize a single face. Even if some of them didn't match anything close. Deformed eyes the size of tennis balls, a man with a respirator for his lower jaw, a gas cylinder on his back connected to a hose running over his shoulder. A girl on a man's lap, both of them genetically modified to look like... felines? An old lady carrying a shopping bag, her right eye and part of her skull replaced by a chrome plate. Two men looked at her, knives in their belts and point guns tucked under their armpits.
The TVs inside the carriage changed the subject, attracting her attention as a round red logo appeared in a commercial. She made a disparaging remark to herself as the carriage passed over Charter Hill. The carriage had taken them above the hustle and bustle of the street, giving a view of the city. But when they reached Charter Hill, they could see the hill of Night City's richest and most influential people, North Oak. Nestled in the only patch of green for miles around. Besides City Center Park. Alas, a brief pause in the comings and goings and the vision disappeared to make way once again for Night City. Alas for Mia, it was a beautiful day, ideal for getting a view of that thing called Night City that seemed to be rotting away.
Passing over the water, the car arrived in City Center. Mia looked at the new arrivals. Two NCPD officers in uniform. The couple and the old lady got off. Two huge men with jackets bearing the Animals gang logo laughing between themself. Arriving at the next stations, Mia hesitated to get off and finish on foot. But she decided to take the quickest route, too bad for the rest. But at least the metro offered some protection against kidnapping. Arriving at the stop she wanted, she changed carriages and headed for Corpo Plaza.
In this last carriage there were more corporate members than anything else. Militec, Biotechnica... All dull and dead-eyed. Going to their posts and staying there. Getting out of the metro did her no good: the great skyscrapers around the square just stood there, motionless giants. All around her, the ballet of cars and guards stared at each other, glaring at any irregular sign. Continuing on her way. She walked past the imposing building that had nothing to envy the others. The holographic letters on the facade Keng Tao with the company slogan “This is Kang Tao. This is intelligence”.
Entering the building, she passed a scan under a portal, validated her badge, then her luggage was x-rayed before she reached the reception area, located several meters from the entrance and shaped like an island in the middle of the main hall. The latter, surrounded by a cordon of armed and unarmed guards on either side, supervised every entrance. Ignoring the reception desk. She headed for the rows of elevators on one of the walls at the far end of the hall. There was a nearby, unoccupied one in the middle of art, with two armed guards. Made entirely of glass, it offered a bird's-eye view of the hall to anyone stepping off. It existed only for the leader of Keng Tao.
All around her was an interpretation of perfect order. From the walls to the ceiling, the showcases and sculptures present, the art both botanical and painted. Clean, professional staff, smiling and friendly to the slightest question. On the surface at least.
And it was the same throughout the building. As she stepped into the elevator, others followed, each pressing a button for their destination.
The ride was both slow and short. Rising in silence, many people exited on the first floors, a handful at a time, one or two individuals going up for a floor. Soon she was the only one left, not that she minded. The doors opened and she stepped out onto a sober corridor, lit from the ground up by evenly spaced lights, the main source of light being a window at the end of a long corridor. Navigating the floor and passing numerous doors, she finally arrived at her destination. The door read. Hiro Gong “accounting departments”.
Stepping inside, she came to a secretariat, a small room with a door to the right, a desk in front of a glass window facing outwards. A secretary behind the desk jumped up, the young blonde woman was not expecting visitors. Small, round-faced and wearing glasses, her eyes were wide open, unsure of what to do. Normally, you make an appointment in advance, call and confirm by message, before notifying her of your arrival on the agreed day. She could wait... from a few weeks to a few months? But she couldn't wait.
-Is he in?
The tone may have been a little rougher than she would have liked, but the effect was there. Nodding in astonishment, she couldn't hold Mia back as she re-entered unannounced.
The office was spacious and looked out onto the outside, with the secretariat window continuing into the office. The wall on the right was covered with an abstract painting, beneath which was a filing cabinet framed by two plants. Finally, opposite her was her father's desk. Glass and wood, a desktop and laptop computer lit up amidst neat papers. Behind him, she could see all his trophies and gifts proudly displayed on a shelf that spanned the entire back wall.
Mia waited patiently. Her father sat in front of his desk in full holo mode, insolence had its limits and interrupting his work would have consequences.
Blue eyes in full transmission Mia stood silently facing him as the secretary came in behind her. Her father was a mature man with greying black hair, his piercing eyes on her but illuminated by the blue light of a holo. In a company suit, he sported a sober but practical outfit in the firm's colors.
The secretary who had failed to stop Mia was now behind her. She too stood silently waiting for Mr.Gong's response.
Slowly, with a wave of his hand, he beckoned the young woman to step aside and, bowing, closed the door on her way out.
Mia remained standing for several more minutes, the other arm movement indicating that the secretary should withdraw not having moved a muscle. The holo ended and his eyes returned to a deep black. Fixed on his daughter. He nodded slightly.
Mia responded by bowing her hands in front of her as she'd learned in etiquette class.
-I wish you good morning, Father.
Keeping her head down, she waited for her father's reaction. After a moment, she heard him sigh.
-Daughter, raise your head. To what do I owe this visit, in... this outfit? I must confess, I wasn't expecting this. Is there something you want to ask me?
-I wanted to talk to you, Father.
Frowning, he swiveled in his seat before pressing a button on his table. The door behind Mia clicked and a soft buzzing went up in the room.
-Speak up. No one can hear us.
-Did you send men to threaten me?
-... No. But this is a serious accusation, my daughter...
-I've been threatened...
-Me too, more than once.
Hiro bluntly cut Mia off. His tone was dry and uncompromising, and Mia bit her tongue to keep from exploding and saying words she'd regret. He got up to look out the window at Corpo Plaza below. Thoughtfully, he looked down at the light reflections of a giant holographic fish passing in front of him.
-Keng Tao is one of the world's most powerful corporations. Almost 1 million members, not counting all the people and other associates, with our latest revenue reports coming in at 525 Billion Eurodollars with a B. The fact that you've received threats because you're part of the company is certainly unfortunate. But it's an eventuality common to anyone with a little power in the company, and an easy action for those who don't have enough to attack us.
-I wasn't threatened because I'm part of Keng Tao. I've been threatened because I'm a Gong.
For the first time since her arrival, she could see her father's face change expression - a raised eyebrow followed by a set jaw. So she kept talking.
-Late last night, someone took control of my television. Displaying the equivalent of a live discussion, talking to me through the speakers. Demanding information and threatening me and our whole family with the destruction of our reputations...
-What did they want?
-He said he only wanted information.
-Information about what?
-About who, you mean, Uncle Tubiki and Yumi.
-What did you say?
-That I didn't know anything, which I don't. Thanks to you.
-Some things are not good to know.
-Because I'm your daughter?
-Mia...
Mia hadn't even noticed that she'd raised her voice. Yet the power behind a single word made her realize that, once again, she would have no answer to her questions. She lowered her head in frustration at her father's refusal to keep her informed, again.
Returning to his desk, he pressed a key on the computer.
-Janet, call Mr.Wellov in my office. We'll wait for him to arrive so we can strategize.
-Father, this... this person who threatened me, he didn't threaten me physically. He claimed to have evidence about our family and Uncle Tubiki.
-Of what?
-That he was a pedophile... that if I didn't cooperate the information would be front-page news, ruining our reputation.
It took a second for her father to react, and Mia saw him turn red, either from shame or anger. It was a rare moment when she had seen him so angry. All her will to stand up to him had been chilled as she was now the center of his attention. As quickly as she'd arrived, this anger seemed to disappear and, in a neutral voice, she invited him to continue.
-Continue. Why did he need information?
-They didn't say. But... the fact is, they mentioned Yumi. Saying they think they know where she is.
Mia remained silent after that. Her father's gaze pierced the young woman. Gone was the courage she'd had to walk into the room. Her father was a rock, and she'd always seen him as he was now. Cold, calculating, inflexible. She'd never gotten so much as an earful from him as a child; it took her joining Keng Tao's security force for him to talk to her for more than an hour in one day, and that was to explain his disappointment that she'd joined the company instead of finding a good party to marry.
-Anything else?
-I don't know how, but they were given my address.
-...Mm that means we had a leak... no, if they'd ever known. They would have done more than talk... Did they lack the means to intervene?
Mia listened to her father in silence, not knowing if her point of view would even be taken into account. Her father sat down once more behind his desk. A knock came at the door and Hiro pressed the equivalent of an intercom. Janet's voice echoed through the room.
-Mr.Wellov sir.
-Show him in.
The door unlocked and a man entered the room. Tall, the company uniform was almost too small for his arms. Hugo Wellov had a square jaw, a tanned complexion despite his normally white skin, hair cut short on the sides and pulled back. A mixture of military and suave. Mia had met him many times before. Being in the same department as him and at many of the events her father had taken her to when she was younger.
******
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
To be what it was, Keng Tao needed security and security on security. Whether for scientific sites, important personnel, sensitive materials and information.
In order. Night City Keng Tao, has for chief of security one person at the head plus his second in command, for all security matters in the area. Then below. Different chiefs are assigned according to needs and demands.
The regional chief is in charge of security for the most important building. As a matter of principle. The head of security and his deputy are responsible for the Corpo Plaza building. They are solely responsible for security in the building, and if need be, they control all personnel present inside in the event of a problem.
But not all personnel belong to the building alone, and must be assigned to the various outside installations. That's why there's one person in charge of security in the Night City area, together with his own deputy.
In addition to the facilities, there are the staff and their families who hold critical positions in the company. These include heads of departments, research and development, marketing, finance, legal and many others.
Finally, there's another section assigned to important people whose protection can vary from a single individual to a complete team of bodyguards. Project managers, scientists, visiting VIPs.
In a normal career, after your training you're sorted and sent where you've been assessed. In order of value, you want the headquarters of your region. If you're there, you're one of the best recruits with a bright future ahead of you. Second best. An intervention or close protection team for a VIP, you've got the talent but you've got to prove yourself, with a bit of luck you'll be able to create a relationship with your VIP helping you to rise through the ranks quickly or saving his life. Finally, the rest. You're a guard in an external installation, a cog in the machine if you can prove your qualities to the head of outside operations, and if there's a shortage of manpower you could later be assigned to one of the other options.
In reality, no one is going to be directly recruited into the regional chief's security. Better job, better equipment, and the best umbrella in case of trouble. Unless you have very powerful connections, no one goes directly into this closed circle except someone's son or daughter.
The last option is what awaits the majority of applicants with no roots in the business. You'll be used on a minor site, and if by chance a position opens up and you've been perfect. You'll have a small chance of leaving your campaign to join the second category.
Mia falls into the second category. With her father and family long members of Keng Tao occupying influential positions. She had been recruited into one of the intervention teams at the end of her training.
Wellov, for his part, had been recruited at the same level as her a few years ago, even though he was the only son of an American family with no connections whatsoever. He is a self-made man, having risen from member, to deputy team leader, to team leader following the death of his predecessor while protecting Mia's father. Today Wellov was Hiro Gong's personal security chief.
A position few could boast. Not only because of his merit, but also because of Hiro's position in the company. The finance department was a turbulent affair at the moment, with everyone looking over each other's shoulders to check on each other's work. And rightly so, many people would dream of having control of the company's finances.
Especially now, when positions in the accounting department are more than a little unstable. Positions that Hiro had already planned to monopolize following his appointment as deputy after the department head's untimely death. His deputy should have taken over, but alas, the latter, suffering from an illness, could do less and less in the department. Placing Hiro Gong as default number 1 in the accounting department and number 3 in the finance department on the same level as a handful of other people. Above that, you're up to the highest level of management in the Night City branch.
Follow the money and you'll be able to peek into Keng Tao's most secret affairs. Hugo had quickly realized his interest in following Mia's father. He'd been a member of Hiro's team for years. Wellov had grown up with Hiro as his benefactor, advancing his career at the same pace as his own. He even protected Hiro from an attempted murder, less than a month after his appointment as representative for the accounting department. Following the unexpected death of his boss and the deputy's medical problems, Hiro had become a difficult person to avoid in the office.
*****
Wellov immediately recognized Mia and bowed his head slightly, which she returned. Hiro locked the door and the conversation resumed.
-What can I do for you, sir?
-We've had a leak. Someone made contact with my daughter last night in her private apartment. They asked for personal information about members of our family. I want them identified and apprehended. Alive if possible we have a possible kidnapping situation. The intruders would have information.
-Who is the missing person?
-My niece, daughter of my recently deceased brother. Yumi.
-Yes, sir. Would you like me to create a team or requisition more reliable personnel?
-A lambda team will be fine, don't tell them anything they don't need to know, I trust you. I'll give you carte blanche on how to proceed. Now let me get on with the business and I can't waste any more time. I'm sending a message to your superior under the title “family business”.
-Miss Mia, would you like to follow me to get more details and make a plan?
After nodding, both bowed to Hiro before silently exiting once the door was unlocked. Passing silently by the secretary, they set off down the corridor, but almost immediately came to a new door. Passing this door, Wellov went behind the desk into the room.
This room was his personal office, close to his office, and had almost nothing in it. A pile of paper documents, rare these days, and a stationary computer. Like his father, he pressed a button and the door locked with a soft buzzing sound.
Mia finally let out a long sigh. Safe from prying eyes and ears, she could breathe at last. Hugo walked around the desk facing her and crossed his arms.
-Do you want to talk about it?
Mia took two steps before grabbing his tie and backing him up against the desk. The two of them pressed against each other, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips...
******
After that intense moment. They were both panting, catching their breath as they lay on the chair. With her arms around his neck, Mia moved back to straighten up. Hugo wanted to take her face in his hands to kiss her on the lips, but she recoiled at the gesture.
He knew he'd screwed up when she turned her head away and withdrew from him, pushing herself away from his chest. Putting her bra back in place and buttoning up her blouse. He let himself go against the backrest and let out a deep sigh.
They'd laughed more than once about how his father probably knew. He had to have his doubts but let it go, at least as long as it didn't get serious.
Mia had several rules about the men she slept with. A lot of them had to do with her father and the company. Others were simpler, like the fact that he had to be handsome, muscular, talented. Others were implied at the first time, such as no talking during sex, or only happening when she wanted to. But the most important were never to sleep with anyone below her or subordinate to her father. Wellov had been the exception, the only exception.
The only thing she didn't allow herself with him in particular was for him to kiss her on the lips. Something he noticed and was very frustrated about. But Mia had these rules in place for a reason. Not getting attached was one. One day, He could disappear for some unknown reason, for months, maybe years if Keng Tao forced him to. Who knows what Wellov might do if his father were to have an accident. He'd lose his best support for his advancement. Maybe he'd abandon them. Was she a bonus, an asset for him against her father? What if Mia was just another girl?
Mia tried not to think about such things as she finished to clean up herself by folding her skirt and fixing her hair. Once satisfied, she found herself in the same state as when she'd first come inside with him. Even if the supplies had moved, Hugo's outfit was still disheveled and her cheeks were still flushed from the action that had taken place.
Slower and more nonchalant than her, Wellov had finally put his clothes right, leaving his jacket on his chair, the only thing proving something had happened were the marks on each other's body.
He fetched some water, filling two glasses for them. One for her, one for him. She sat down in front of the desk to drink.
-So?
-The son of a bitch contacted me through the television in my bedroom.
-Oh?
-Just as I was getting out of the shower.
-Ah... Naked?
-You really want that kind of detail? Knowing he could have executed me in the shower isn't enough for you to know we're dealing with a perverted asshole?
-A talented perverted asshole if he managed to get into your apartment to play question and answer.
-Here's the thing. I didn't find anything, the cameras didn't pick anything up, the doors to my apartment didn't register opening and even the presence detectors in the corridor didn't switch on the light, why? Because they didn't record anyone in the corridor leading to my apartment.
-Calm down. Did you check the hallway cameras?
-I don't have access, it has to be a crime...
-Or a connection. I'll see what I can do to get the recordings, by going through the images, maybe I'll be able to see who we're dealing with.
-I'd be surprised. It looked like they hadn't even been inside the apartment.
-Has anyone been in your apartment lately?
-No! What are you insinuating?
-Okay, okay, calm down.
-Stop telling me to calm down. The TV itself isn't connected to anything that could be accessed by a netrunner unless he's in the room with me. And no, he wasn't hiding under my bed.
-Okay. Let's assume that he's been planning this for a long time and that's why the recent logs have nothing. If he's covered all his tracks. How can we catch him?
-Must contact me again tonight.
-Tonight?
-I didn't really have time to improvise. I did as usual, not changing my habits in case I was followed, but nothing. No obvious signs. The same people in my fucking subway and the same guy in the elevator with his disgusting perfume...
-I'm going to have to catch him in the act.
-I didn't want you to say that.
-On the bright side, I'm finally going to get a chance to come home to your apartment.
-Huff, have mercy please.
Mia didn't know what pissed her off more, that someone had intruded on her personal space or that the man she'd just fucked saw her being vulnerable.
-If we're going to get this over with, I'll have to report to my team.
The two of them drew up a strategy: a team would go to the building to check it hadn't been compromised, then prepare a hideout to intervene once the link with her blackmailer had been identified and his whereabouts tracked down.
*****
Finally free of the whole affair, Mia felt lighter as she left Hugo's office. She wasn't alone in all this, and that reassured her enormously. Now all she had to do was let him get on with his work and she could pretend nothing had happened.
30 minutes later
-Well, Mia. Haven't we had enough sleep? Get up.
In one of the many training rooms in the basement, Mia had just been beaten up by her instructor in her team's gym, and had swapped her civilian clothes for a sports outfit.
In a circle around her, the rest of the group of ten or so watched in silence. Her instructor, a bald man with cybernetic arms, walked around the small wrestling arena. His name is Yi, Yi Ling. Deputy team leader of the White Tiger group. One of Keng Tao intervention group. Mia wasn't about to forget that name. Yi was in a black rage. Turning towards his victim, he squatted to look at Mia.
-Do you know why you're in this position?
-Yes, sir.
-Ah! You're alive? So get up!
Mia got to her feet before being ruthlessly slammed to the floor. Yi didn't even have to strain. Quickly getting to her feet. Mia was blowing hard. Pushed by the effort, she could already feel bruises forming under her skin.
-You said you knew why you were in this position. Tell us, Miss Gong?
He spread his arms to show the rest of the group, venom in his mouth as he uttered her surname. Everyone looked on in silence, some with apathy, others with disdain, one or two with a smirk.
-I didn't report...
-Fantastic! Tell me, when do they teach you this stuff?
-In training.
-Oh! Did you hear that!? In training! Well, maybe you should go back! We're a strike team! Not a student job!
Speaking to her as well as to the rest of the group, he shouted his indignation. his face red with anger as he spoke.
-This is the fourth time! That one of you is late this month! You think it's the vacations! That you decided when the intervention takes place? If there's ever an attack, do we ask the terrorist to wait for you to arrive!? What do we do when we have a problem! Zhu!
Zhu Long a man with flower tattoos along his ears disappearing into his neck shouted back.
-Reporting to your superior!
-Yes! Why? Tian!
Tian Wei, a small man with two owl-like eyes and an ear implant with antennae, answered in the same way as Zhu.
-So that the team knows he's absent!
-PER-FECT! If you have a car accident, you don't call the trauma team first, you call! Your supervisor! Why do you do that? Because then your team will know that you can't do your job! Then they can find a replacement by notifying the on-call team.
Yi caught his breath and looked around, some of them clearly targeted by his comments.
-It's not that complicated! Hello? Mr.Yi? I'll be late because I broke my leg when I fell into my fucking stairs! There! 30 seconds watch in hand! Why is it important for the team to be complete? Julian!
Julian Bormen, a tall, lean black man, replied energetically.
-To guarantee the team's efficiency, for a rapid response in case of intervention!
-Good! At least some of you seem to remember things once they've been hammered into your skulls.
Mia, who had caught her breath, threw herself at Yi who was giving his speech. The latter turned, grabbing Mia's arm, turned and with experience carried Mia over his shoulder in a judo grip. Throwing her unceremoniously to the ground. Mia received the full impact, contorting herself in pain and grunting as she tried to get back on all fours. Yi, not the least bit unfocused, continued his speech.
-Mia. Why aren't your teammates helping you?
Mia answered breathlessly.
-Because they don't know I'm here.
-And yes, they don't know, in the same way that if you're ambushed, help won't come, and the rest of the team will be in danger! Because you'll be dead.
Seeming to regain his calm at last, he took a deep breath.
-Training in pairs. Go!
The circle broke and the teams formed. Yi went over to Mia, who was just getting to her feet, her hair a mess and her legs aching, Yi waited calmly for her to stand up. With a stern face, Yi stared into her eyes as she finally stood to attention.
-This is the last I'll hear of your late arrival from the team leader. The team leader, he doesn't have to deal with your bullshit. Do you get it? IF you're late, if you have a problem, even if it's your period, it's me you contact. Is that clear?
-Yes sir.
-I don't care if you're Mr.Gong's daughter and Sayako's Niece. I'll make your life hell if you put this team in jeopardy.
-Yes sir.
-I've got more than a dozen candidates ready to pounce on your spot. Don't give them a reason to convince me.
-Yes sir.
Yi pointed to the window overlooking the gymnasium.
-You're going to see the boss after the morning training session. He has a few words for you.
-Yes sir.
Yi then took a quick look at Mia's condition before stepping back into his trainer's shoes.
-Light training for you this morning, don't forget your stretches, drink water even if you're not thirsty, ointment and ice for your joints. Get out of here.
-Thank you sir.