"Not bad." That was Arasaka Sesen's verdict after tasting the meal Karl had cooked. "As long as you're satisfied." Watching Jack and Oliver
"Not bad."
That was Arasaka Sesen's verdict after tasting the meal Karl had cooked.
"As long as you're satisfied."
Watching Jack and Oliver doing the dishes in the distance, Karl glanced up at the ceiling, slightly stained by the cooking fumes. He couldn't help but reflect on the moment.
Guess I'm practically a top-tier chef now. Or at least the only one to cook in a suite like this.
"I didn't expect you sent your team out just to grab kitchenware."
Sesen savored the simple, homestyle meal—not exactly gourmet, but warm and satisfying. "The infamous Karl, cooking his own meals… not something many would believe."
"No matter how badass someone is, they still need to eat."
Karl shrugged. "Seems I'll be in charge of food for the next few days. At least you won't have to worry about food safety, Mr. Sesen."
"Got enough ingredients?"
"More than enough."
Jack and Oliver had brought plenty back from home. And with T-Bug watching their backs, there was no chance of anyone tampering with it.
Karl glanced at his phone, watching the minutes tick by, thoughts drifting.
If he had to give a mid-mission impression of guarding Arasaka Sesen, it was this: the guy was surprisingly easy to work with.
There was no typical corpo arrogance or superiority complex. Talking to him felt like chatting with a buddy who just happened to be the client—no need for formality, no fear of absurd orders.
All in all, a decent client. Karl wouldn't mind taking jobs from him again.
Still… there was that one thing.
Sesen reminded Karl of a flame.
He couldn't quite explain it. That was just the feeling he got, even now, after spending time with him.
Karl remembered a saying: "A man who carries thunder in his chest and still waters on his face is fit to be a general."
That was Sesen to a T. All the calmness and ease were just habit—a shell. Deep inside, something burned fiercely and never stopped.
After lunch, Sesen rested briefly. Soon after, they were informed that the guest he had scheduled to meet had arrived.
As the team watched, the elevator display ticked up and stopped. The doors opened to reveal a dark-skinned, overweight man in a red tie and formal suit, wearing glasses.
Karl narrowed his eyes.
Lucius Rhyne.
The name "Lucius" wasn't common, and paired with "Rhyne," it could only mean one person in Night City.
The current mayor. The official leader of the Night City city-state.
During the Unification War, he had gained fame as the "hero" who used diplomacy to spare the city from NUSA's military wrath.
In the public eye, Lucius Rhyne was a skilled, charismatic politician. He had invited Arasaka back into the city to counter Militech, and his unwavering support had allowed the corporation to rebuild Arasaka Tower and reclaim its position in Night City.
Now, this mayor—seen by many as Arasaka's mouthpiece—was here to meet with Arasaka Sesen.
No surprise there.
The dog Arasaka raised had to meet his master sooner or later.
As Rhyne stepped out of the elevator, V moved to intercept him, raising a hand.
"I'll need to scan you first."
His cyberoptics flared as he examined Rhyne, who stood still, clearly familiar with the protocol. His eyes swept the room casually.
When he spotted Sesen, Rhyne gave him a subtle nod—a distant but polite acknowledgment. Then his gaze shifted to Karl.
Karl. KK.
One of the most notorious mercs in Night City.
There were countless stories about him—so many, no one could tell which were true anymore.
According to Rhyne's intel, Karl would take any job, even hits on corpo execs or high-ranking officials. He was known for a 100% completion rate and stellar reviews. Some even suspected him in the mysterious recent death of the NCPD chief.
Though they'd never met, Rhyne couldn't help recalling a dark joke circulating through City Hall:
"May you run into KK in a dark alley."
No one knew where it started, but it always sent chills down people's spines.
And now, here he was—not at midnight, not in an alley, but face-to-face.
So the rumors were true—Karl's crew had taken the job to protect Sesen. Rhyne had assumed Sesen would have his own loyal forces in the city, but instead, he'd outsourced his security to street mercs.
That thought made Rhyne sneer inside.
Maybe I don't need to act so urgently after all. Militech's offer might be worth reconsidering. Working with someone like this… not exactly promising.
"You're clear."
V finished the scan—no weapons, no threats.
With that, Rhyne's face lit up with his signature warm smile.
"It's been a while, Mr. Sesen. How's your health these days?"
Looking only at his expression, no one would guess what the mayor was really thinking.
"It has been a while, Rhyne."
Sesen's demeanor didn't change in the slightest. He was as calm as ever.
These two had interacted before—more than once. Sesen wasn't naive enough to believe any of Rhyne's friendly behavior meant goodwill.
"We should talk about the controlled weapons bill we discussed earlier."
With a slight gesture, Sesen invited the mayor to take a seat across from him.
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