"That Danny bastard's just trying to screw us outsider squads over! No way we're letting him get away with it. I say we just play along and drag our feet. What do you all think?" Chuck said bluntly, not even trying to hide his disdain.
"I agree," Leon Black replied immediately. To him, slacking off was an art—an instinct he'd honed from years of sipping water and taking long bathroom breaks in his past life.
"I'm in too," Aiji Wilson said after a moment. He didn't want to go against the flow. "But just remember, they're dangling Immortal-grade equipment as a reward if we pull it off."
Yes. That was the bait.
"Immortal?" Chuck scoffed and took a swig of beer. "You gotta survive to enjoy it."
"Still, Immortal gear is transformative," Aiji added seriously. "It's not something you turn down lightly."
Immortal wasn't just a fancy in-game tag—it referred to unique, legendary-level items whose underlying tech was so advanced that even the manufacturers didn't fully understand how they worked. Unparalleled abilities, mysterious effects, and of course, insanely high requirements.
"Gentlemen," Leon chimed in with a grin, "Immortal gear's nice and all, but shouldn't our first priority be… staying alive?"
That made Chuck and Aiji pause, exchanging quiet glances.
"Anyone who's been in Arasaka long enough knows what I mean," Leon went on, casually crossing his legs. "You don't have to gnaw the bone—but you gotta show your teeth. We're Arasaka Corporation's dogs, after all."
The silence lingered, but Leon pressed forward.
"Come on, guys. What's there to think about? Right now, the goal is simple: survive."
"Only by living can we see how the tide turns. Only by living can we pursue ambition. And only by living," Leon added, his tone shifting, "can we learn who among us can't be trusted."
With those words, he turned his eyes toward the man standing behind Aiji.
"Don't you agree, Mr. Steve—the Militech lapdog?"
The hacker flinched, caught off guard by the sudden attention. Before he could respond, he felt several cold gazes fix on him.
"Captain Aiji," Leon continued calmly, "normally, tech personnel wouldn't betray their own team. But some situations... well, they're different. Your boy here? He's a plant. A spy."
Before Aiji could react, Steve mumbled, "What makes you think I'm a spy?"
It was the way he said it—flat, almost like he was confirming it instead of denying. Not a hint of panic or offense, just deadpan.
Leon blinked. "Huh. Maybe I'm reading too much into it."
But even Chuck and Aiji stared at Steve like he'd grown a second head. That tone… it was practically a confession.
Aiji's expression darkened. Without a word, he raised his hand and slapped Steve upside the head.
"Captain…" Steve looked stunned, completely unprepared for the hit.
"Steve," Aiji sighed, "your acting is… atrocious. I can't even pretend to believe you."
Spies.
Most people saw espionage as the work of shadowy, elite agents operating in the margins. But the truth? They were everywhere. In war or peace, big companies or small. Spies were an everyday reality in corporate life.
Leon had prepared for Steve to deny it. Maybe even fight back or cry foul. He'd braced himself for a dramatic showdown. But this?
Confession without resistance.
Honestly, he hadn't expected to catch a spy tonight. It was like throwing a net into the ocean and pulling up gold.
"Guess this is fate," Leon muttered.
---
The night before. 10 PM.
Inside the dim Arasaka corporate tower, a single office light glowed.
Knock knock knock.
"Enter." The voice was firm, unbothered.
Leon stepped in and shut the door quietly. "Excuse me, Miss Abernathy."
Miss Abernathy didn't even look up at first. But upon hearing his voice, her posture shifted. "Leon Black! It's been a while."
"I apologize for my absence," Leon said as he approached her desk. "With the matter surrounding Lord Arasaka Saburo, our department has been under immense pressure."
He placed a small box on her desk. "This is the Irish whiskey you asked for."
Miss Abernathy finally smiled, putting aside her cold executive exterior—at least momentarily.
"Ah, Leon, you always deliver. So, what brings you to me tonight? You don't need whiskey to pay a visit."
Leon wasted no time. "It's Danny. He's deliberately targeting the outsider faction. Today's operation briefing was clearly a setup."
Miss Abernathy's face darkened. "Perfect. I've been looking for an excuse to deal with him."
Saburo Arasaka's death had shaken the entire corporation. Internal politics were vicious, with many choosing to sit back and wait for the dust to settle. But as Yorinobu's appointed executive overseeing Night City operations, Abernathy couldn't afford to remain idle—especially not when local loyalists were stirring up trouble.
"Still," she continued, "it's not the right time to make a move on the local faction directly. What we do need is to uncover the spies embedded within the security department."
Leon saw the shift in her eyes—the way she straightened in her seat, tapping the desk thoughtfully.
"Leon Black," she said, suddenly cold, "do you understand the weight of what you're suggesting?"
When a superior uses your full name with that tone, you know something serious is coming.
If spies were truly embedded within Arasaka's elite security unit, then she—as the Special Operations Director—would be blamed for the breach. She'd be cornered politically and professionally.
Leon remained steady. "I understand, Miss Abernathy."
He knew what she was thinking. Executives saw themselves as gods, managing pawns like him from thrones of data and influence. Even though Leon had eliminated Arthur Jenkins—her former rival—he was still just a blade. A tool.
Now that this tool was suggesting it could think for itself? Naturally, she'd be suspicious.
"You realize if you're wrong, you'll be held responsible," she said coldly.
"But with your connections," Leon replied, "you'll be fine. Especially now, when everything's in flux. Someone has to act. And if someone's going to take the fall, better it be someone like Danny."
Danny. The spineless yes-man with no real power and too many enemies.
Abernathy narrowed her eyes. Then she smiled. A smile that sent chills down even Leon's spine.
"This may be just what I need. If there are spies, I can use the opportunity to clean house. Rebuild the intelligence division with my own people. With reliable information and loyal agents, I'll have an edge in every conflict."
Small risk. Massive payoff.
She tapped a drawer and handed Leon a folder.
"Here's a list—some confirmed, some suspected. Help me sort out the fakes from the real ones."
Leon opened the folder and scanned the first page.
Top of the list: Steve Hoes—Sixth Squad's hacker.
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