Ghost in the City
Chapter 77

I walked into Wakako’s parlor to find Jackie not there and Wakako greeting me with a point towards a chair.

Her eyes were on her TV again.

Huh. Wakako really liked her shows huh?

I just shrugged and settled in to watch it with her, she would tell me what was up when Jackie got here.

And it wasn’t more than twenty minutes later that Wakako reached over and shut off the TV, just as Jackie Welles walked his bulk through the beaded door.

“Ah, Wakako, I hope I’m not late?” He asked, having noticed me already sitting there.

“No, Motoko, was simply close by when I sent out the call.” Wakako offered and Jackie gave me a nervous smile.

We hadn’t talked since our noodle outing, and I had honestly been surprised it had taken so long since to get a gig.

“Here are the details.” Wakako offered sending a message to both of us, and as we pulled open the files I was a little surprised.

“This seems a little incendiary.” I mentioned as I read who the target was.

“That is why it is going through me and mercenaries are handling it. If you think just because peace was declared, that it really matters, you are naive.” Wakako offered and I nodded.

The gig was to kidnap a 6th St. enforcer. A guy that had killed the family of a TC member during the little skirmishes during the war.

The Tyger Claw client wanted the man who killed his family dead, but couldn’t go after them directly anymore with the new peace. So Jackie and I were to kidnap Arnold Henderson for him.

Kidnap. Not kill.

“Motoko, make sure you are wearing something other than your normal gear.” Wakako offered and I understood why.

Can’t have this gig be done by Motoko Kusanagi, who could be ID’ed as a member of the TC.

Even though I wasn’t!

They just thought that! It wasn’t true!

But 6th St. might think it was true too. That’s fine. I’ll wear my Section 9 outfit instead.

“Jackie?” I asked him, the big man had been reading through the details in silence but he jerked a bit as I called out to him.

“Yeah Hermana?”

“Questions? Problems? Things you’ve noticed?” I asked him and he shook his head.

“Not a problem. Not the first time I’ve kidnapped some poor pendejo.” He said with a smile and I nodded.

But I didn’t just rush forward.

I had been burned a few times recently, due to my own planning falling short.

Hiromi having to bail me out once I realized I had no place to put the netrunning equipment sprung to mind.

So I thought.

How would the gig go, what would I need?

“Transport for the target?”

“I will have a car nearby for pickup.” Wakako offered as she took a lazy drag on her cigarette.

“Then I don’t think we’ll have any problems.” I offered, but Jackie didn’t seem to back me up afterwards.

Wakako didn’t care though, sending us both out of her office.

Standing out on the street in front of Wakako’s parlor, I looked to the bigger man and decided we needed to talk before this all went down.

“My apartment is nearby, I’ll need to grab some gear. You need anything from your place?”

“I’ve already got everything I need.” He offered, patting his jacket, where I noticed a bulge of a big pistol.

Big, but not Burya big.

“C’mon we should probably talk a bit too.” I told him as I guided him back to the apartment. “You’ve been weird since you came into Wakako’s office. What’s up Jackie?”

He was silent as we walked but finally he sighed. “I still don’t like it Hermanita.” he said, surprising me with the changed word.

My spanish unfortunately not good enough to translate.

“That you are teamed with me?”

“Not… You’re just a kid. I just don’t like the idea of me being responsible for keeping you safe.” He revealed and I was silent for a while this time as we walked into my complex. Jackie looked around a little interested as I led him to the elevator. Only when the doors closed did I speak.

“I said before, let's team up for a few gigs and get a feel for each other. And I get this is our first time working together. So I get the confusion, and the… hesitance. Not every day you see a teenager do our sort of work.”

“You trying to say I should shut up and see for myself?” He asked with a side smile.

“Heh.” I snorted at Jackie's instant rejoinder. “Yes, but no. I’m saying I get it. I’m still a kid. Listen, we have a gig, let's do the gig, and afterwards you’ll see I’m capable.”

Jackie sighed but nodded. “Alright Hermanita. Let’s go grab this gonk then.”

I nodded as the elevator opened and I motioned for Jackie to follow me into my place. The door opened and Jun was there.

Jun who was looking mighty concerned about the fact a big Valentino guy just walked into the apartment.

“Ah Jun-Nii, this is Jackie, Jackie, this is my brother Jun.” I introduce the two of them as the tension seemingly ratcheted up.

Thankfully it seemed mostly on Jun’s end as he was glaring and starting to square up. Jackie was reacting, but mostly looking pretty uncomfortable.

Ignoring the byplay I walked up to Jun and slugged him in the stomach.

It was really annoying that I could barely make my brother flinch when I did that. I was going to need to upgrade to some gorilla arms or something, so I could properly gut punch him.

“Don’t mind Jun, Jackie. Why don’t you take a seat for a bit, we have drinks in the fridge if you’re thirsty, I just need to armor up.” I told him as I left the room. As much as I wanted to stay and keep any friction down. It would be best if I just hurry up and get ready to go. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

I could hear the quiet voices in the living room as I rushed through putting on my armored clothes.

Although I did leave the ninja mask behind.

Suited up I headed back into the living room.

Both Jun and Jackie were still standing around sort of sizing each other up.

“Okay! All set, let’s hit the road! We got gonks to deal with.” I called out and while Jackie looked to me, Jun was still glaring.

“Sure Hermanita, let’s… Go.” He muttered. Backing out the door, while Jun just glared at him. I took a moment before I walked out behind Jackie to turn to Jun and give him a “What the fuck” gesture.

He just continued to scowl, but eventually at my refusal to stop glaring back, he shrugged and just waved me on.

“Stupid Onii-chan.” I told him, earning a scoff and then I refocused on Jackie.

Time to get to work.

—---

Jackie Welles.

“You didn’t tell me your brother was the Damn Oni of Kamikaze.” Jackie finally spoke as they walked into the sunlight on the street.

“Huh? Yeah? Does it really matter?” The kid asked, turning back to him. Her face showing her honest confusion only made Jackie wonder what was wrong with this kid all the more.

“He’s a step away from… you know. They all are, and I’m hanging around his kid sister. Maybe a warning would have been a good idea?”

The purple haired girl cocked her head to the side as she seemed to process what he had said before she snorted.

Loudly.

“C’mon you’re way too old for me, and Jun knows that. He just doesn’t know you. I’ll tell him about our gig together after, and he will probably be a lot nicer next time he sees you.” She offered with a smile and a wave back and forth of her chrome hand.

“Next time she says.” He muttered, shaking his head. The look that kid was giving him? Yeah Jackie wouldn’t want to run into him in some dark alley.

What the fuck am I doing? Jackie shook his head. This wasn’t what he expected when he got in with Wakako. It didn’t feel right running with a teenager.

Is this…

Is this all he was? Equal to a teenager in the grand scheme of things? Jackie shook off the downer thoughts, No. He was a merc, good enough to work with Wakako!

It’s just this girl was just as good. Maybe?

“So want to ride with me?” She asked as they were both standing on the sidewalk. “My Quadra can fit us both.”

He blinked.

“You drive a Quadra?”

“Yeah a Type-66, I looted from a Wraith I flatlined on a gig. It’s preem.” And there she goes again, saying something that makes Jackie have to rethink everything.

“Sure. Hermanita. I only brought my bike anyway.”

“Cool!” She chirps and leads him across the street, leaving Jackie with his thoughts about what he was getting into.

Was she skipping?

Mierda. What the hell was his life?

Inside the parking structure, she led him over to a pitch black Quadra. A desert runner.

She was right, It was a preem ride.

“Jump in!” She called as she climbed into the driver seat, and Jackie followed sliding into the seat, although having to adjust the box that was on the passenger floor.

“Oh I forgot about those, just push the box under the seat. Or take a few if you want. Grenades can be fun!”

Jackie very carefully pulled open the case on the floor, showing an array of grenades resting inside.

There were indeed a handful of grenades in the bottom of the box.

“You keep grenades in your car?”

“I made them myself. Or at least some of them. Jun got mad about me keeping them in the apartment so they are stuck in the car now. I really need to make some time to make another batch.”

“Make?”

“Yeah? It’s easy. You just throw some stuff together, make sure you keep the triggers secure and boom. Grenade… Well not boom right then. You only want them to boom afterwards you know?” She said and then chuckled a bit making Jackie realize she was telling a joke.

He couldn’t help but chuckle a bit in return, although it might have been nervous laughter.

Homemade grenades between his legs.

Mierda.

Motoko finally reached the street as she had taken forever in his eyes to pull out into a gap in traffic, and then to his surprise, she drove…

Well she drives like an old granny. He blinked as she used her turn signal, stopped at the lights instead of blowing through them.

He had never seen a teenager actually follow traffic laws.

Hell he still only sometimes followed them himself.

What a weird kid.

“So plan on how we handle this guy?” She asked, never taking her eyes off the road.

Jackie had to think about it. He wasn’t usually the planning sort of guy, but he was with a kid. Couldn’t go in guns blazing.

“Well Wakako gave us his current location, but that could change. We wait and see, if it’s an easy smash and grab that would be good, if not we follow him home. Pick him up in his sleep.”

“Okay I’ll be able to get some intel hopefully, doubt a place like this has a runner watching the system.” She mentioned, and he relaxed a little. At least the kid was smart enough not to want to rush in guns blazing.

That was Jackie’s normal method, and not one he would want a fourteen year old copying.

As they pulled into the neighborhood, Jackie got the first look at the place. It was an old garage, now used as a drug lab from Wakako’s records.

And their target was the owner. A mid level boss in 6th St.

“That’s plenty of cars.” Jackie muttered and Motoko nodded, frowning as she drove past the place. The parking lot had a good handful of cars all resting in it.

“I’ll park somewhere, close and sneak up to check their security.” Motoko said and despite Jackie’s desire to stop her, he just nodded.

Wakako had said she was an infiltrator. She would have to be good. So he watched as she parked down the street, stepped out and meandered her way towards the garage, slipping around the fence that cut off the places lot from the business next door.

And Jackie waited.

He did end up pulling out his Nue. He wanted to be ready in case a gun fight broke out, so he checked his gun, making sure she was loaded, and he had the extra magazines on his hip.

Then a call came from the kid, he accepted it.

*Jackie. I’m in their security. They really need someone who knows what they are doing. I’m gonna bounce the cameras to you so you can see what I’m looking at.* And a moment later a video request came through his agent.

And then a window popped up in his eyes, and although it was blurry and a bit laggy he was looking at the interior of the garage.

*Found our guy, he is hanging out on the ground floor, looking over the drug production.* She said but Jackie had to squint a bit, not that it helped at the picture before he was pretty sure that blur was the guy.

*I think I see him.*

*Think?*

*Connection is low res and laggy.* He muttered as he checked over the video, at least he could make out how many guards there were.

*What? That doesn’t… You’re optics, they any good?*

*No.* He replied, laughing over the line. His optics were old, Vik kept bugging him about them, but he didn’t have the eddies for a good upgrade, besides they looked good, and that was half the reason he kept them. Made his eyes look all soulful.

Always got the ladies to cut him some slack.

*Gonk. Okay. I’ll stop sharing then. I’m pretty sure that room upstairs is his office and bedroom. Wakako did say he lived here. So we could wait kidnap him right out of his room. I’ve already taken over the security system. The camera’s won’t send him any alerts.*

*Damn. You can do that?* Jackie asked surprised, he hadn’t worked with a netrunner that could do that before.

*Yeah, it’s hard to do most of the time, but the security this guy set up is shit. Old NUSA protocols, stuff that would have been solid a decade ago, but it’s already been solved. I’ve already taken their entire system.*

*Well we are getting somewhere. How many guards do you see Hermanita?*

*Other than our target, there are four onsite guards, and three workers. We will still have to treat the workers as threats though.*

*Yeah people won’t want to lose a gig that pays in eddies like gang work.* He agreed he had been attacked by plenty of staff at places to know that.

*Alright… Hey Jackie. I’ve got an idea. Under the seat, a few of those grenades are flash grenades. We go in hard, stun everyone and secure the area. I can reboot the optics of anyone that causes any trouble as well, since I’m already in their system and then we’re gone.*

Jackie considered it. He wasn’t normally a sneaky type, and knowing where everything was made it a lot easier.

He took a moment to actually consider it. He didn’t want to risk the kid after all.

Then he nodded. If they hit them hard it would work.

*You sure these grenades will work?*

*Oh yeah, they are preem! I’m ready when you are.*

He nodded quickly, checking the box carefully and pulling two of the flashbang grenades out of the box before realizing he had nodded. “Alright. On my way.” He said, taking a deep breath and stepping out of the car.

Nue in one hand, and grenades in the other. Time to work Jackie. He hurried down the street, jogging but moving confidently as he came up on the garage.

*Window right next to the door leads to them. Break it and toss the stunners.* Motoko informed him and he nodded, quickly holstering his Nue, and popping the pins on both grenades.

*Sending them now.* and then he slammed them through the window.

A moment later two very loud bangs went off.

Jackie was already kicking in the door, his Nue in his hand as he rushed in. Ready to knock some gonks around.

Which he did instantly, a worker was stumbling around and Jackie gave them a quick left to knock them out of the fight. His feet moved as he rushed his target who was trying to escape as the man stumbled around trying to find the exit.

Jackie slammed into him smashing him against the concrete with his bulk, sending the poor bastard into unconsciousness.

“Bastard!” A voice called out, one of the guards. Jackie raised his Nue but he hadn’t needed to rush, a moment later the man's eyes crackled with electricity and he cried out as he suddenly went blind.

Kid was fast.

“F-fuck!” A scream called out behind him causing him to look up, right outside the office one of the guards stood, weapon in hand desperately looking around blindly as his eyes had stopped working too.

Then a moment later a loud bark of gunfire and the guy slammed into the stairs and blood started dripping down the metal.

Damn that was a big boom.

*Two more still Jackie.* The voice reminded him and he rose up marching across the garage floor to the other two guards that were trying to hide while recovering from the flashbang. Jackie simply slammed into them punching and slamming them into the ground.

They didn’t get up after a few moments of his attention.

*The workers are cowering. Grab the target. I’ll cover you.* Motoko whispered in his ear and he did just that. The girl was good overwatch, Jackie had to admit. He rushed the unconscious gonk and grabbed him, throwing him over his shoulder as he ran for the main door.

*Jackie! Stop!* Motoko’s voice in his ear, sounding loudly, sent his feet skidding on the concrete. *Another car just pulled up, more 6th. St. Turn around! Out through the back! I’ll keep them distracted!* She demanded and while Jackie wanted to hesitate and argue, he hadn’t seen the girl once since the fight started despite her making her presence known.

So he turned and rushed the back door.

It gave way to his shoulder as he rushed out into a back lot that was nothing but an overgrown lot. He closed the door behind him just in time to hear the loud yells of someone realizing something was up.

*Get over the fence. I’ll make it so they won’t be able to see you until it’s too late. Go!* He went rushing across the yard towards the fence that was looming over him. Getting over a fence wasn’t hard. Doing it while carrying someone was.

But before he even reached the fence Motoko was running beside him, her eyes glowing gold as she was still on a call with him.

*I’ll go over first and lift the gonk.* She tells him and he nods. Watching as she races ahead and scrambles up the fence like it was nothing, then one leg over it she reaches down and he practically throws the gonk at her.

To his surprise she didn’t struggle much with holding him up, he expected her to have a bit more trouble with it, but it let him climb up beside her, and between the two of them, they heaved the guy over.

Ignoring the groan he gave off when they dropped him down the other side.

He hunkered down looking through the fence expecting to see a horde of angry 6th. St. but there was nothing.

“Did they not see us?”

“Kind of hard to see anything when your whole group's optics turn off one after another. C’mon let’s get out of here before they can see again.” She told him and Jackie nodded, grabbing the guy and running.

In the end they ran a few blocks down and waited for Wakako’s car to pick up the poor bastard, once he was safely in the trunk. Motoko’s Quadra came rolling down the street and they both slipped in.

That went…

Pretty well actually.

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