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Chapter 2: A Father's Shadowy Dealings
The insistent chirping of his daughter’s toy, a shrill mechanical bird that seemed to have an endless supply of obnoxious melodies, grated on Kuroda's nerves. Granted, it was one of his company's own products. He tried to ignore it, to focus on the holographic schematics shimmering before him, but the insistent sound wormed its way into his concentration, twisting his thoughts like a virus.
“Papa!” Yumi's voice, sweet as saccharine, yet with a demanding edge he was all too familiar with, cut through his frustration. “Papa, pay attention to me!”
He sighed, pushing the schematics aside and turning to face his daughter. She stood in the doorway of his home office, her small frame almost swallowed by the oversized plush bunny she clutched in her arms. Her eyes, wide and innocent, held a glint of something darker, a calculating intelligence that belied her youthful appearance. He recognized that look. It was a reflection of himself, a mirror to his own ambition and ruthlessness.
“What is it, Yumi?” he asked, his voice weary. The negotiations for the acquisition of NovaTech, a rival entertainment firm with proprietary technology he desperately needed, were proving more difficult than anticipated. The CEO, a stubborn old man with antiquated notions of loyalty and ethics, was resistant to his overtures.
Yumi, oblivious to his internal turmoil, pouted. “I’m bored, Papa. I want a playmate.”
“You have your dolls, Yumi,” he replied, his patience wearing thin. “Surely they provide ample companionship.”
“Dolls are boring,” she declared, her voice rising in that familiar, petulant whine. “I want a real playmate. A big brother!”
He stared at her, his mind racing. A big brother… The idea was absurd, yet… intriguing. Yumi, for all her charm, could be a demanding, even manipulative child. A companion, someone to occupy her time, to distract her… it could be beneficial. And perhaps, a carefully chosen companion could serve other purposes as well.
“A big brother…” he mused, the gears of his mind turning. “Yes, perhaps that could be arranged.”
Yumi’s face lit up, her smile as bright and artificial as the neon signs that illuminated the cityscape outside his window. “Really, Papa? You promise?”
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“We’ll see,” he hedged, already formulating a plan. “It’s not easy to acquire… suitable companions these days.”
He knew exactly where to find one. The orphanages of Neo-Tokyo were overflowing with children, castoffs of a society obsessed with progress and perfection. He could easily find a boy, close to Yumi’s age, strong and healthy. Someone… malleable. Someone who could be shaped to fit his needs. Someone who could, perhaps, be trained to handle… delicate tasks.
He turned back to his work, dismissing Yumi with a wave of his hand. “Now, run along and play. Papa has important business to attend to.”
As Yumi skipped out of the room, her mechanical bird chirping happily in her wake, Kuroda’s thoughts returned to the problem of NovaTech. The CEO needed to be… persuaded. And the most effective persuasion, in his experience, involved a touch of fear, a subtle nudge toward a more… agreeable position.
He activated his comm unit, the holographic image of a sleek, silver skull flickering to life above his desk. “Connect me to Kaito,” he instructed, his voice cold and sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel.
Kaito, a fixer with a reputation for discretion and efficiency, was the perfect tool for this particular job. Accidents, after all, were Kaito’s specialty. A staged malfunction, a carefully timed power surge, a seemingly random malfunction in a self-driving vehicle… the possibilities were endless. In a world where death was a mere inconvenience, a temporary setback, there were far more effective ways to eliminate obstacles.
“Kuroda-sama,” Kaito’s voice, smooth and oily, slithered through the comm unit, “a pleasure as always. What can I do for you today?”
“I have a… project, that requires your unique talents,” Kuroda replied, his voice devoid of emotion. He outlined the situation, the stubborn CEO, the technology he needed, the desired outcome. He was careful to avoid any mention of violence, of direct harm. Kaito understood the nuances, the unspoken language of the underworld.
“I believe I can be of assistance,” Kaito said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Consider it done.”
Kuroda ended the call, a sense of satisfaction settling over him. The acquisition of NovaTech was all but assured. And the bonus of acquiring a new… playmate for Yumi was an added benefit. He would mold this boy, shape him into a tool to further his own ambitions. He would be a protector, a confidant, perhaps even an heir, should nature fail to provide him with a son.
A soft chime announced the arrival of his wife, a delicate, birdlike woman who flitted around the edges of his life like a nervous hummingbird. She entered the office, her steps hesitant, her eyes downcast. She held a datapad in her hand, its screen glowing with the familiar logo of the city orphanage.
“Darling,” she said, her voice a soft whisper, “I’ve completed the preliminary paperwork for the adoption. There’s a boy, Kael, who seems… suitable. He’s quiet, well-behaved, and…”
“Excellent,” Kuroda interrupted, taking the datapad from her hand. He glanced at the boy’s profile, his image flickering on the screen. He saw intelligence in the boy’s eyes, a hidden depth that intrigued him. “See to the final arrangements, my dear. I want him here by the end of the week.”
His wife nodded, relieved to have fulfilled her duty. She retreated from the office, leaving him alone with his plans, and his ambition.