Distress Call (2)

Three hours later, Takagi stood alone in front of a closed window inside a cheap four-floor apartment unit. Room 203 on the second floor–as agreed.

He stood there with a lit cigarette between his fingers, putting it to his lips and puffing its smoke as his pondering eyes peered outside.

The sky was two kilometres above, supported by several towering gigantic columns. It was as dark as ever, devoid of the stars, moon, and sun. No clouds, rain, or snow either–never. It was all the same for eighty-six years. Nothing but black welded metals, shrouded by the cold mist.

Beneath them–and below him–was the Ceres District, with its low-rise buildings, huddled side by side: the bars, the hostels, the minimarkets, the restaurants. The neon signs and placards brightened the surroundings with red-blue spectra. Countless streams of cars passed its congested roads. Their klaxons blasted at times. The sidewalks were crammed with wandering crowds–an assortment of young mavericks with jeans-heavy attire and bizarre hairstyle, casuals with jackets and sweaters, and the gun-equipped henchmen.

The entourage was still nowhere to be found, and it was already forty-five minutes past 09:00. Uncharacteristic.

Takagi turned his body away from the window, and the living room came into view. He walked under the soft lights and sat down on the sofa, sighing.

His mind wandered to the multistory building several hours ago.

Usually, he would not care about this at all. It was not his business, and he was never intimately related in any way. He was just a person-for-hire. A freelancer, independent from others–and he had done his job.

Yet, he would also be affected by the many complications after. He knew those were bound to happen–or might have already happened by the time he thought of it. He was convinced.

He thought about what he should do about this. He flicked the cigarette ashes into the ashtray on the table before him and took another smoke. After some minutes, he rose from the sofa, strolled to the window again, and looked below. His eyes then narrowed.

The black Forzini was there. The limousine had just stopped below him.

Henchmen suddenly shouted and gave orders to people nearby. The traffic was halted. People were prevented from getting close to the Forzini. Several gunmen quickly moved and circled it from a distance, creating a perimeter around it.

One by one, four men-in-suits came out from the Forzini–all tall men with enormous presence. One of them walked to the passenger seat and opened it.

Then, Redmond emerged.

Although the cloche hid the face from Takagi's view, he was sure it was the woman. The fashion style gave it all–capelet coat, muffler, gloves, dress boots. Nobody had the taste of the classic, century-old fashion as much as she did.

Two henchmen approached slowly and bowed to Redmond as soon as she was out of the Forzini. She replied by raising her hand in salute. She waited as the three other men-in-suits who had been away finally joined her. Then, they walked inside.

Takagi moved away from the window to the kitchen. His pace was slow; his cigarette was still on his fingers. With one hand, he took a glass from the wall cabinet and brought it to the sink. He filled it with water until it was full and gulped it down without hurry.

He retook another glass of water and drank it much or less the same way. After finishing, he left the glass by the sink, feeling refreshed. He stood there for a moment and took the last puff from the cigarette before walking back and pressing it onto the ashtray. Then, he slowly walked towards the keypad near the front door and pressed 1, 0, 9, 2, 2, and 4.

The door was unlocked, and simultaneously, he heard several people's footsteps outside–just as he had expected.

Takagi wasted no time opening the door without waiting for Redmond to knock. Sure, she stood there, together with his men.

Redmond's widened green eyes met his sights. She had porcelain and leathery skin, but some natural beauty still lingered on her face, along with her short and curly brown hair.

"You're late, Madam. Is everything okay?" Takagi asked.

Redmond's brows were furrowed for a moment until she closed her eyes and let out a wry smile, shaking her head. "I'm going in, Lucas."

"Yes, Milady." One of the men-in-suits replied with a bow.

Redmond stepped alone into the room, leaving her entourage behind. Takagi closed the door as the men-in-suits, not before they exchanged glances first.

"Sorry for being late," she said without looking.

"It's okay. I don't mind."

She walked towards the sofas in the living room, and Takagi followed from behind.

"Nothing serious has happened, just so you know. I just had to visit another place first. You know the bullshit we are dealing with right now."

"I see."

She could have just informed him, he thought. However, he just kept those words inside his mind.

He watched Redmond sit on the sofa. He followed and sat across hers.

“What’s the situation?” Takagi asked.

"Things have gone worse since then."

"How worse?"

"Dogshit worse," Redmond said. "We have too many questions than answers."

"There's chaos all over the place."

Redmond nodded. "The news has spread like wildfire. The outer districts have become a battlefield. Right now, some of Pavlov's territory is being attacked even as we speak. The rest will probably follow within a few hours."

"What will you do, Madam?"

"I'll just watch them burn. While Vlado and I have a long history of business together, a ticket for a battle royale is the least I want," she said. "Being viewed as one of his allies is not on my cards. Still, I will lend a hand if it’s safe and clean."

She referred to Vladimir Pavlov. The head of the Pavlov mafia family, one of the strongest syndicates in Podzemgrad, if not the strongest. At least, it was until several hours ago when Takagi saw his lifeless body.

She continued, "With the main family and most of the upper echelon gone, those sly gangs and rival syndicates can't let such an opportunity go by. Just like the hyenas and vultures–but you already predicted this, don't you?"

"More or less, except things went faster than expected. It's almost as if all is pre-planned."

"Exactly," she said as she pulled a cigarette box from her coat's pocket. "That's where the problem lies."

She pulled one roll and offered another to Takagi, which he took. Both of them pulled their lighters and lit their cigarettes almost simultaneously. Redmond then took a puff as Takagi took his.

"So, the massacre is indeed related to these attacks? To destroy the Pavlov Syndicate and take over what they have?" He said.

“Before that, I want to ask you," She said. "What's the chance of all this being just a coincidence?"

"...The massacre has put everything on a platter. Too perfect for mere spontaneity.”

"That's what I mean, Takagi. The problem."

Takagi stared at her. His face did not hide his confusion, then the disbelief. "Are you suggesting otherwise?"

"Yes," she said. "The attacks on Pavlov's territories–they're just collaterals."

"That doesn't make sense. How?"

“It’s the truth.”

“...Do you know something more, Madam?”

“More or less.” She nodded and puffed her cigarette. “The girl has given us a lot of information.”

“How is she?”

“The girl’s still shaken. Still, she is stronger than she looks, even when her entire family got massacred. She’ll be okay in a few days–and probably can talk more later.”

“I see,” Takagi said. “So, what did she say?”

“This is where the shittiest part is,” she sighed. “The assault was done by a group of androids.”

Takagi was surprised. “...Androids?”

“At least, from what the girl heard from his escorts when the assault happened. Somebody from the lower level had radioed them, but she couldn’t say the number.”

“What do they look like?”

“She doesn't know anything,” she said. “His escorts quickly put her into that secret room in panic. It’s as you’ve said, there was a mass confusion. Not long after that, she heard the explosion, gunshot, scream–everything.”

Takagi bent his head below, looking at the table before clicking his tongue. He then took another smoke. “There were more than ten people in that room alone.”

“I’ve told you,” she said. “Not even counting the whole building.”

”The shittiest part indeed,” he said. “I don’t even see a damn tin-can lying on the ground.”

“They’re like the juggernauts, destroying everything in their path with ease,” she said as she stared deep into Takagi’s eyes. “They’re probably even scarier than people like you, Takagi.”

“...Any idea on what they seek?”

“Unfortunately, no. The girl also doesn't have any idea why. She thought it was from Pavlov’s rivals, but we both know that it’s impossible. We have the map, and they don’t have the cards to storm the building.”

“Yeah.”

“If the goal was to eliminate the entire Pavlov family, the robots wouldn’t leave until the girl was found. The girl was just lucky.” Redmond took off the glove on her left hand and revealed her cybernetic prosthetic fingers and palms. “Just like me in the past.”

Takagi was silent for a moment. “So, what do I have to do now?”

“Your job is done for this one,” she said. “However, I have another one for you.”

“If it’s about helping the remnants of Pavlov Syndicate or trying to investigate those juggernauts, forget it,” he said. “While I appreciate you sharing those infos at my request, it doesn’t mean I have the intention to help.”

“Not so fast,” she said. “Unfortunately, this was not something… we can ignore.”

“What does that mean?”

“This one is straight from above.”

Takagi held his breath and let his mouth slightly open for a moment. His eyes gave a suspicious look. “...The technocrats?”

She nodded. “I was late because I met somebody one hour ago. He claimed to be an envoy from one of the Krasinskis and asked for my audience.”

“Dammit,” he said. “Do you trust him?”

“My guts says I have to.”

“...What do they want?” Takagi asked.

“Something that we’ve missed about those Juggernauts. Something important,” she said. “And also your next assignment, Phantom.”