"And what is your condition?"
I look intently at the pretty girl, who returned my gaze just as intently from under her hood.
"Wait, though..."
Raising my hand, I stop Kasumi from answering my question, and her eyebrows rise slightly in bewilderment.
"Are you trying to say my condition doesn't interest you? But then I won't work with you either. You are a Spectre, of course, and you could arrest me or even kill me, and nothing would happen to you for it. Especially since I'm in your office right now... But you'll lose a pro of my level."
She tried to sound slightly caustic, but I could clearly hear the fear in her voice. She said all of that through it. And that commanded respect. Of course, I would never get an answer to the question: "Would she be able to talk like that if she were in an interrogation room for 'enhanced' questioning, or in a cell with convicts who were promised leniency if she felt just how popular she could be in prison..." However, the fact that she uttered this while looking at me was quite commendable.
"I wonder, what if five Krogan walked in right now, who were given..."
"EDI..."
I show with my voice that I didn't want her to finish the sentence.
"...there's no need to scare her. I won't lie, I also have... right here..."
I tapped my temple with my index finger.
"...many questions, but we invited her for cooperation, and voicing them would be rather insulting. And we don't want to insult her. So don't."
"Sorry, Kasumi, I was just truly curious."
"It's nothing, and if what you're talking about happened, I could always bite my tongue off."
The girl's voice was slightly tense.
"By 'tongue,' do you mean the capsule embedded in your tooth?"
"How did you—?!"
"Alright, enough."
Tapping my knuckles on the tabletop, I interrupted this farce.
"EDI, it pleases me that with every passing day you are becoming more and more human."
"Actually, no."
"Actually, yes. Because such stupid questions wouldn't occur to a perfect AI."
In Kasumi's gaze, I saw bewilderment and distrust.
"Now, as for you. No, my words weren't caused at all by a desire to refuse cooperation, but by the fact that I wanted to say myself exactly what you're going to ask of us."
"Oh, really?"
There was so much doubt in that one short question that I couldn't help but huff.
"Well, go on, surprise me."
"Less venom in the voice, please..."
I playfully wagged a finger at the girl.
"...and as for the surprise. I know for a fact that until recently you worked with a certain hacker. His name was Keiji Okuda, and lately there's been no news of him, while you've become very hard to reach."
"Hard to reach?"
"Well, yes... I am a very wealthy man, after all, and so I kept my finger on the pulse, keeping an eye on individuals who might be useful to me. Without that, I simply wouldn't have been able to contact you so quickly. So, I can assume you're interested in revenge."
"Almost."
Kasumi gave a strained smile.
"Oh, is he still alive?"
"No..."
"Then... I suppose it's about some memento he had with him. Perhaps some kind of amulet that was part of a pair?"
"Wrong again."
"Ah... wait..."
I examine the girl closely.
"Something happened recently, Hock was blabbering about something... found some thing that would allow him to grab many people by the balls. He even threatened me..."
I shake my head.
"...and the acquisition of this thing coincided with your friend's disappearance."
"Yes."
Kasumi instantly became gloomier than a storm cloud.
"It's a neural implant, but while for Hock its value lies in the data Keiji managed to collect, for me, the copy of his personality holds special value."
Hearing this, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, then exhale very slowly.
"Are you saying that's not Keiji in there anymore?"
"I..."
I wanted to say a lot, but I stopped myself.
"...you're a big girl, so you're capable of making your own choices on how to live. So, what you do with that neural implant is none of my business."
"Excellent, that means I'll have time for preparation... Hock has a party coming up soon, so..."
"Stop, stop, stop."
Raising my hand, I stop Kasumi.
"Does the method of obtaining the neural implant concern you much?"
"No."
"Then don't interfere for now. EDI, what do we have on Hock?"
"Donovan Hock is a crime lord and art collector living in a luxurious mansion on the planet Bekenstein. He enjoys collecting art and various unusual items. His collection in the mansion includes, among others, the head of the Statue of Liberty, sculptures depicting Rachni and demons, Quarian stone tablets, the statue of David, and much more. And that's only according to official data."
Kasumi blinked, a bit stunned.
"He is currently retired, but his entire security force consists of those who have been suspected of crimes in one way or another. He has purchased quite a lot of weapons and even an M-92 Mantis."
Sighing, I close my eyes, listening to EDI's words.
"Is there anything at all that would allow us to fly to him and start a search?"
"No... But if I have a week, there will be a reason. A rock-solid one at that."
"And what will you do in a week?"
Pain mixed with curiosity could be heard in Kasumi's voice.
"It would be easier to arrive at his party and just—"
"Are you serious right now?"
I look at her with disbelief.
"For starters, no one is going to send me an invitation, and if they did or if I just showed up there, all eyes would be on me. We simply wouldn't have a chance to do anything. And it's not just that I'll be under close surveillance, but that the entire security system will be raised to such a level that even you won't stand a chance."
The girl's head dropped. She didn't argue with that. And that's good, because this life isn't a game. In a game, a famous first human Spectre could take part in a party under a fake name and go completely unrecognized. In reality, that's impossible.
"EDI?"
"Yes, thank you for your attention. So, I will forge data showing that he was caught with drugs several times, and you will be able to arrive for a search. Claiming there's a suspicion that law enforcement was bribed to hush up the case. So you, as a Spectre, arrived to check everything."
"Is that even allowed?"
Kasumi asked in a shocked voice.
"Of course not."
EDI replied with a light mockery in her voice.
"I take it you're against it? That means this option doesn't suit us and—"
"I'm not against it!"
Kasumi hurried to stop EDI and looked at me hopefully.
"Will you really help me?"
"Of course, why not, especially since we can combine something pleasant for you with something useful for me. I'll eliminate a competitor, as I'm sure there will be something at his house we can nail him for. And with EDI gaining access to the house's systems, she'll be able to find all sorts of unofficial accounts that we'll gain access to."
"Um..."
Kasumi was in slight shock.
"...is it normal that you're discussing this so freely in front of me?"
"It's normal."
I look intently at the girl.
"You'll need a sanctuary too if our struggle against the Reapers fails. And if not, then just a quiet place and an employer who will allow you to use your skills for a good cause."
"The employer—is that you?"
"Yep."
"Wow... recruiting, and so brazenly... and by whom?!"
"A Spectre is doing the recruiting. Or do you think other Spectres don't have their own trusted and not-so-sensible people, and they're all paragons of the law through and through?"
"Well... no, of course not, but to see how things happen in the major leagues of lawmen with my own eyes like this."
"Oh, come on..."
Waving my hand, I showed that I didn't believe Kasumi's act of never having encountered this side of life.
"Though I must admit, personally, I do observe some boundaries, and if EDI and I didn't have any doubts about Hock's reliability, I would have sent you away. Besides, this neural implant wouldn't have ended up with a law-abiding citizen anyway."
"Well, yeah..."
"Alright, EDI, do whatever you deem necessary. You have a month to set everything up so that no one realizes it's all a forgery."
"Better not more than two weeks. In a month, theoretically, Hock could crack the neural implant, and the information Keiji stored there... he'll destroy his competitors."
"Understood, I'll manage in a week, and in two, we'll already be searching him."
"Thank you. Can I go?"
"Yeah... EDI, transfer the data on where she can stay to her."
"Huh?"
"Did you think I'd tell you to find a place to crash on your own? No, as your employer, I provide for you completely. So if you need any gear, make a list and everything will be bought."
"Absolutely everything?"
"Well, I won't buy you a personal cruiser, but I'll buy any gear."
"Man... corporatists are living large these days..."
"Very large, I have nowhere to put my money. Look, I'm building a private fleet and helping repair the Quarian fleet. Building sanctuaries... sponsoring various medical programs. In short, you understand, the gear you might request will be such an insignificant expense for me..."
An idea came to my mind, and I stopped mid-sentence.
"Why did you stop?"
"Well, I'm thinking... maybe I should use you differently?"
The girl tensed up slightly at my words.
"Don't even hope for it."
Jane addressed the girl with mockery, and the girl only tilted her head in surprise.
"John has favorite girls, and you don't stand a chance here. But the thoughts that came to your head make one wonder who you are. After all, everyone thinks to the extent of their own depravity."
"Pff!"
"Snort all you want... I'll make you love your homeland."
"By the way, Kasumi, this is Jane Shepard, your future commander, but in the future, you might stand on the same level as her. If you prove your usefulness, I'll let you recruit your own personal squad of infiltration specialists. Interested?"
"I don't know yet."
She shrugged carelessly.
"Well, you'll decide later, but for now, you're free. Rest while EDI does her part of the work."
"Alright."
She turned and headed for the exit, and this time there were no obstacles to leaving my office.
"Are you sure we should have spoken so openly in front of her?"
Jane asked this question after Kasumi had left the office.
"John is right; such people aren't very used to trusting, and so John gave her some dirt that might allow her to feel at least remotely safe. Of course, this same information makes her a target if she runs away, but... right now she's counting on us helping her get revenge and take the neural implant, and as a result, she isn't thinking of running."
"Tsk... It's not all that simple..."
"Of course it's not simple, but that's the foundation, and everything else we'll determine as we go. The main thing is we got the initial impulse for cooperation."
"I see, I won't get involved in these matters, but John..."
I look questioningly at Jane, who is looking intently at me.
"...she must show up for training, as the squad needs to understand her capabilities. At least approximately. So please, ensure her presence."
"Will do, don't worry."
A predatory smirk appeared on my lips.
"Oh, boy..."
Tali took a step back.
"...why did I suddenly feel sorry for this Kasumi..."
She fell silent for a couple of seconds.
"...ah, no, it's a feeling of hunger; I need to eat something."
"Well then, what's the problem? Let's go eat."
***
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