Chapter 354
2-in-1-chapter
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She had risen early and worked late, scrimped and saved.
And all of it had been for what?
Only so David would not have to live the same life as her, condemned to the lowest kinds of work. That was why she had carried the weight of their lives on her shoulders, endured the stares and judgment, and forced her son's way into Arasaka Academy.
She had known David's life inside the academy wasn't easy, and she had known even if he graduated and entered Arasaka Tower, he would still begin at the bottom of Arasaka Corporation, slowly climbing upward.
But at least he would have been inside Arasaka—already leagues above so many others. At least there would have been the possibility of upward movement.
Meanwhile, she herself had always done the most work, the hardest shifts, sometimes so exhausted when she returned home that she collapsed on the floor without even taking off her clothes. Despite all that labor, she only ever brought home the smallest paycheck. She was never respected, and there was never any hope of promotion or a raise.
When her son once said he didn't want to study anymore, Gloria had barely managed to persuade him otherwise. And now, because of reasons beyond his control, he had still been expelled. It was not David's fault, yet all the sacrifices she had made over the years had turned to nothing.
"Mom? Mom!"
Seeing her like this made David's heart ache. He wanted to comfort her, but no words came. He knew her dreams and expectations, but being expelled from Arasaka Academy was not something he could change. If it were possible, he too would have stayed, even if only for her. But the reality was beyond his control.
At this moment, Leo spoke in a gentle tone. "Ms. Gloria, perhaps you don't know my identity yet. Let me introduce myself again—you can call me Leo. I am the director of Aurora Private Military Company."
Gloria snapped back to awareness. "Company? You just said company?"
Leo nodded. "David is now employed by Aurora PMC. I pay him a salary of three hundred eurodollars per day."
Mitch and Scorpion could earn a thousand a day, as they were battle-hardened veterans. Vik took in a hundred thousand a month, both because of his years as a ripperdoc and because he graduated from the University of Tokyo Medical Faculty's affiliated hospital, and this was a senior position in the company.
David, by contrast, was still just a kid, with neither skill nor experience. Though he had been training with Mitch and Scorpion, a rookie was still a rookie. For now, Leo could only set his pay at three hundred a day.
Even so, that meant David was already earning nine thousand eurodollars a month.
"More than double mine?"
Gloria was stunned. At the medical center, working herself to the bone for more than ten hours a day, she barely brought home just over four thousand eurodollars a month. Yet Leo was willing to pay her son nine thousand.
But then, as if something struck her, she grew nervous and asked, "David, you're not doing anything… illegal, are you?"
"Mom, what are you thinking? Of course not." David glanced nervously at Leo, but when he saw Leo show no displeasure, he finally let out a small sigh of relief. "I'm working under the boss now, learning combat skills. He's preparing me to become a soldier."
Leo added, "David hasn't graduated yet, so for now I can only pay him a daily wage of three hundred. Once he grows into a qualified soldier, I'll raise it to one thousand eurodollars a day. And if his abilities prove greater than that, one thousand won't be the ceiling—I'll match his pay to what he's truly worth."
David quickly followed up, "Mom, the boss isn't lying. Our company may not be big, but everyone is willing to give their lives for him. In Night City—no, in all of North America—there's no better boss."
They say poor children grow up fast, and Gloria knew well how early David had matured. He rarely showed closeness to anyone other than herself—unless that person gave him a true sense of safety.
After some thought, Gloria said, "Mr. Leo, I have a request."
Leo nodded. "Go on."
"Could you let me join Aurora PMC as well? I used to work in a medical center. I can handle corpses, and I can care for the living. Or I could clean floors, cook meals—whatever is needed."
Gloria's desire to join Aurora was partly so she could stay close to her son, and partly because even if the work was as exhausting as her old job at the medical center, the pay would be better.
Leo didn't hesitate long before agreeing. "You can."
He could roughly guess her reasons, but that was fine. He really did need more people.
Vik's medical team currently consisted of only Vik himself. Gloria's past experience in a medical center meant she could assist him. She was just over forty, still in her prime, both physically and mentally, and with enough experience to be reliable. At forty, the brain had not yet declined significantly—she might not learn as quickly as the young, but if she was willing, she could certainly become Vik's capable right hand.
….............
.....
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A few days later, the call Leo had been waiting for finally came.
He had been trying to acquire a set of advanced VR training equipment. Rogue hadn't been able to get it herself, but she knew someone who could, and told him to wait for news. From the time she told him to wait until she finally called back, more than two weeks had passed.
"I got in touch with the man. He really does have a set of advanced VR training equipment."
"Which manufacturer?"
"Tsunami Defense Systems. Have you heard of them?"
Leo nodded.
Tsunami Defense Systems, based in Japan, was another major Japanese weapons manufacturer. Their products included the kinetic pistol Nue and the tech sniper rifle Nekomata—both considered top-class.
Most people, when they thought of Asian corporations, thought of Kang Tao and Arasaka. When they thought of Japanese companies, they thought only of Arasaka. But Tsunami was powerful too. It was smaller, specialized in high-end weaponry, and unlike Arasaka, did not flood the world with advertising. Its reputation was therefore less widespread, but its products were no less exceptional.
"If he can even get that, who is this man?"
"The top arms dealer in Bolivia. He's influential across Latin America. If you need anything else, you can ask him."
After chatting a bit more, Leo ended the call and used the number Rogue had given him to make contact.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"I'm Leo. Rogue should have mentioned me."
"Oh, you're the buyer she spoke of. You want that advanced VR training unit, right?"
"Yes."
"I've got one. Nearly new. However, amigo, I don't haggle. Fixed price—eighty million. Take it or leave it."
Leo bared his teeth.
Eighty million? That was steep.
But the equipment was essentially the combined form of every training facility imaginable in 2077. To train a professional army, it was indispensable. He could afford it, though it would hurt. Money could always be earned again.
"Fine. No bargaining. But I'll pay a deposit first. Once I confirm the system works and after we've used it for a while, I'll pay the balance."
The man's tone was firm. "No. Full payment, upfront, or the deal's off."
Leo's voice turned cold.
"Friend, is that how you do business? You think eighty million is what, rubles? Even eighty million rubles isn't pocket change. The only reason I'm even offering to pay a deposit is because Rogue recommended you. Otherwise, I'd be afraid you'd take the money and disappear. And even with Rogue's recommendation, I won't pay in full before I've seen the product. There's no such practice, and if you were the buyer, would you hand over all the money without seeing the goods?"
Silence filled the line.
Leo waited. Then he pressed. "Well? You still there?"
At last the man ground his teeth, then sighed and finally replied, "Fine fine. Since Rogue vouched for you, I'll trust you. Pay the deposit now, and settle the balance once you've confirmed the unit."
Leo nodded.
That was more like it.
Had the man refused to compromise, Leo wouldn't have bought at all. Demanding full payment upfront for eighty million was absurd. Even the best goods could not be traded in this way.
The voice on the other end continued.
"But I have one condition."
"What condition?"
"I do not accept electronic bank transfers. I do not trust electronic banks, nor any corporations. I only accept cash and credit chips."
"You don't accept electronic transfers? If you don't trust me, I can send both the deposit and the balance through Rogue. You surely don't doubt Rogue, do you?"
"It is not that I distrust Rogue. Or even you in this case. What I distrust are the corporations that control the electronic banks. Every transfer can be traced, and money stored in those accounts can vanish without warning.
"In our line of work, we are thorns in the side of corporations. One slip, and they can strip us of everything—our families ruined, our wealth erased. I cannot afford carelessness."
What the Bolivian arms dealer said was not without reason.
For an ordinary person, depositing money in an electronic bank was fine. The meager sums they earned weren't worth a corporation's notice. A few thousand here or there was no more than scraps of meat to ants.
But if someone worked in a lucrative business, and did so beyond corporate control, then things were different. You could never put your entire fortune into an electronic account. One day, if you crossed the corporations, they could freeze it all with a command.
It would not even be abuse of power—it was simply the system. The judges, the regulators, the arbitrators—they all belonged to the corporations. On what ground could you fight them?
Leo understood the Bolivian's concern perfectly.
Only…