Adam Smasher looked surprised to see Rocky. He had not expected the kid who founded Ascension Technology to earn so much weight with Yorinobu Arasaka.
Ascension Technology had become well known in Night City. Even so, most people still saw a gap between it and Arasaka, Smasher included. Arasaka's reach spanned the world. Night City was only one city.
Yorinobu told Smasher to go first. Smasher started to leave. Rocky stopped him.
"If you have news, say it here."
Rocky signaled for Smasher to give his report in front of them both.
Since Saburo Arasaka's death, Adam Smasher had thrown in with Yorinobu and been elevated into Arasaka security leadership. Rocky was curious what business brought him in tonight.
Smasher glanced at Yorinobu. Yorinobu nodded. Smasher spoke.
"The memorial parade security is ready. Everything is running as planned. Also, the assassins chasing Goro Takemura failed. He escaped."
Yorinobu accepted the first part with a brief nod. The second part made his face harden. In his eyes, Takemura had been Saburo's most loyal hound and now served as the perfect scapegoat. As long as Takemura lived, Yorinobu would not sleep easily.
"Failed? What a useless crew," Yorinobu said.
"There was outside help," Smasher said. "Probably from rival factions. And Takemura is not easy to handle."
If someone wanted the truth to reach daylight, they needed Takemura alive as a witness. The Pheasant faction had motive and reach, and they were Yorinobu's primary opposition.
"Forget it. Push the memorial float parade as soon as possible," Yorinobu said. "Send the best to eliminate Takemura. Do not disappoint me again, Smasher."
"Understood."
Smasher turned to go. Before leaving, he looked at Rocky for a long second and then walked out.
"Adam Smasher has to die," Rocky said after the door closed.
"Why?" Yorinobu asked.
"No reason that matters here. When the time comes, I will take his life myself."
Their current interests aligned, but that did not erase Smasher's ledger. Rocky did not intend to spare him. Years of work as Arasaka's executioner and the killing of Johnny Silverhand were enough to send him to hell.
Yorinobu showed no anger at Rocky naming one of his top enforcers. He did not like Smasher either. For now, he had promoted the full-borg to shore up control. That did not make him sentimental.
"You can handle that on your own. I trust you," Yorinobu said. "Right now, the priority is the memorial and keeping the board under control. I want them gathered and taken down in one sweep."
The memorial parade for Saburo was Yorinobu's design. It was not about respect. It was an excuse to pull Arasaka's key board members into Night City.
"I understand," Rocky said. "With Ascension Technology in the mix, the plan will not misfire. Follow your timetable. I will step in at the critical moment."
Arasaka was a mess, and Yorinobu was clawing for total control. Rocky did not care to wade through every internal problem. He only needed to secure the decisive moments.
The memorial went smoothly. Without outside intervention, Takemura did not disrupt the parade. Soon after, Yorinobu placed Hanako Arasaka under house arrest in a luxury villa in North Oak and moved to begin the armed seizure of power.
North Oak.
Arasaka's villa.
Hanako stood before the floor-to-ceiling window in the master bedroom and made a call.
"I need you to get me out of here. Take me to Arasaka Tower and help me stop my brother."
Today was the day Yorinobu convened the board. Officially, the meeting would decide the company's future direction. Hanako knew better. She could smell the conspiracy in the air. Yorinobu would act at that meeting. She refused to wait for the blow to land.