Ch.225Work Record #032 – Ripples (4)

The principles don’t need to change. Noah just needs to hunt the mutant who killed his mother. And I need to make Belwether adopt a more lenient view toward mutants. I refocus my thoughts.

I’m not suggesting we favor mutants. I’m saying we should treat them with the same perspective. Don’t kill Nadia, but eliminate the one who murdered Noah’s mother. We can’t be swayed by human emotions.

For this argument to be persuasive, what I need to do seems… simple at first glance. And considering Nadia and Tina’s perspective, it’s also what I least want to do. I would have to become that human hunter myself.

As a freelancer certified by three corporations, I could likely be assigned directly to hunting high-risk mutants who have committed crimes, rather than hunting mutants in general. That’s what I needed to do.

Only after I’ve marked dozens of kills on my helmet would my words not be dismissed as idealistic dreaming. The question is whether this would upset Panacea Meditech.

If I carefully select my targets, it shouldn’t be a problem. If I only kill mutants who have committed crimes, Panacea Meditech won’t treat me as a mutant-hater like Belwether.

The challenge would be walking a tightrope. I’d need to appear as a reliable mutant hunter to Belwether, while being the only reasonable human hunter in Panacea Meditech’s eyes.

Of course, this should remain a last resort. Making all these decisions in my head and diving into collaboration with Grand Duke Belwether would be insane. I don’t want to end up like Walter or Marcus Cavendish.

But if this truly seems like the only way… I’ll do it willingly. I’ll treat it as just another job to handle, like killing those employees at Madeline’s Lot who each had their own lives.

Unpleasant tasks keep crossing the boundary into things I must do. They’re encroaching even more than when I made that deal with Mila. I’d have to endure it for the sake of enjoyment. That’s what I decided.

Too many issues to bury are piling up today. At least I could take comfort in knowing Noah wouldn’t charge headfirst into Fitts & Morrison’s security team and get himself killed, but that was about it.

To think I’d have to pretend during what should have been one of the most enjoyable moments. It didn’t ruin lunch, but I only mechanically remember what I ate and how.

After barely setting a date to meet Mr. James for compensation, I part ways with Kanun Company. I felt my heart growing unnecessarily heavy, but I already knew how to solve it.

I immediately send communication requests to Ilbelly, Ruiner, and Tinker. Staying still would only sink me deeper into that heaviness. To improve my mood, I needed to move and resolve things.

Am I becoming a workaholic? No. I’ve always been this way. Even after the Shepherd nearly killed me and I recovered in the hospital, I chose to get back to work without hesitation. That’s what made me comfortable.

I expected to connect with them in the evening or dawn at the earliest, but Ilbelly’s communication came back before I even got on my bike. I hear noisy chatter through the communication channel before the static clears.

“Hey, Boogeyman! If you’re calling to return the favor for our last job together, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. I’m actually out with my real family. What’s up?”

To him, I was the Boogeyman. I didn’t bother imagining what his real family might be like and asked what I needed. That wasn’t the information I needed.

“Well… to be direct, is it really that strange to be a company-affiliated freelancer? Even freelancers might want the stability of a regular paycheck, right?”

Ilbelly answered as if he didn’t even need time to consider it. His boisterous voice was so loud it almost made my head ring. Still, he was quite normal for a freelancer.

“That contradicts the very foundation of the word ‘freelancer’! If you were recruited by Belwether after working as a mercenary in LA, you’re from a partner company, right?”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct. I’m still technically a regular employee of the mercenary staffing company Nightwatch…”

“Then, man, isn’t it awkward to call yourself a freelancer? A freelancer is basically someone completely unaffiliated who provides services to any corporate entity, but you’re a Belwether partner company employee. Isn’t that strange?”

It was strange if you put it that way. Freelancers often talk about who certified them, but they don’t mention being affiliated with anyone. That’s because they aren’t affiliated with anyone.

If I’m both an employee of Belwether’s partner company and a freelancer, would most people see me as a freelancer or as a Belwether employee? That seemed possible. It would certainly narrow the range of jobs I could take.

“And it’s not fair to the accountant who has to manage your books, man. That guy might have to record your freelance job compensation, which only you know the source of, in the company ledgers. Don’t you assign him that?”

At least I hadn’t burdened Enzo with managing my accounting, despite working through the company. I sighed with relief that I hadn’t put too much pressure on him and said:

“It’s not that bad, so don’t worry. It’s just… my company president asked if I’d consider registering as a sole proprietor, but you know. I’ve only got three months of experience. So I’ve been thinking about it.”

“What? Your boss sounds like a good person. Register as a sole proprietor and establish a partnership with your original company. Then there shouldn’t be any major issues if you go work for them when needed.”

It was nice to have someone confirm that President Yoon’s words and actions were for my benefit. Ilbelly continued in his booming, resonant voice:

“Go all the way, Boogeyman. In all my experience, you’re the only one who got certified by three mega-corporations in just three months. Once your good boss lets you go, you should sprint forward. You know what I mean?”

“I was originally a Belwether employee, you know. I shouldn’t draw the final mark on the speedometer. Getting certified by more mega-corporations, working for more of them…”

“Are you just building up your resume? I’m saying you should go until they call you a legend in the industry. That would make your boss proud too. He could say he raised that freelancer. Don’t you think?”

I realized again how fortunate it was to connect with Ilbelly first. While I wasn’t one to be particularly bound by human sentiments, Nightwatch was somewhat special.

It was the first place I settled after my dishonorable discharge from Belwether, where I met Eve… Nightwatch was where I received all the driving force that got me this far.

But not anymore. I had become a freelancer that mega-corporations competed to hire, and Nightwatch was moving in its own direction toward higher positions in the public service rankings.

Nightwatch had nothing more to give me, and now it was time for me to show how I could advance faster with what I’d received from them. This wasn’t about losing a home or hometown.

Far from losing a home or hometown, it was simply about becoming independent. Proving oneself is always enjoyable. It’s not frustrating. I decided to throw off the momentary feeling of frustration I’d felt.

“Ah, damn. I don’t know why I was thinking so stupidly. I guess… I just had a strong attachment to my first company. Showing results as big as that attachment would be enjoyable, but I wasn’t seeing that.”

Someone must have jumped into Ilbelly’s arms, as a child’s voice that even the noise cancellation couldn’t completely filter out came through. It was a child asking how long he would be on the call. The voice soon faded.

“Damn, the kids are already asking where daddy went. Anyway, sounds like your head’s finally clear! Can I hope you’ll include this call in your autobiography, Boogeyman?”

“I’m not sure I’ll ever write an autobiography, Ilbelly. Have a good weekend with the kids. Bye.”

I never heard back from Tinker, but on my way back to the Nightwatch office, I received a communication request from Ruiner. I connect. The sound of burning fire could be heard.

“Ah, Boogeyman. I’m working right now, but between freelancers who’ve worked together…”

Gunfire erupts over the communication channel. It was the sound of a machine gun powered by an electric motor rather than a manually triggered one. Ruiner laughed as if she was about to run out of breath, then continued:

“If you don’t have this much camaraderie and interest in each other! This wild girl would have been kicked out of this industry long ago! Oh, a bulletproof shield, is it?”

I probably should have avoided contacting Ruiner. Judging by the heavy weapons fire she was unleashing, she seemed to be working in the Wasteland area, and soon an explosion that the noise cancellation couldn’t filter out rang through.

“No, it’s nothing major… I’ve been a company-affiliated freelancer until now. My company president asked if I should register as a sole proprietor, so I was wondering if being a company-affiliated freelancer is really that strange.”

Soon, the sound of jumping followed by a high-frequency blade vibrating came through the communication channel. Screams that weren’t Ruiner’s followed. Ruiner was truly a living weapon style.

“Let’s see… You talked to Ilbelly first, right? That old man always spends his entire weekends taking his kids everywhere! I bet that old fart already gave you all the good advice!”

“Thanks to him…”

The sharp sound of a high-frequency blade cutting through flesh rang through the communication channel.

“I was able to get a clear direction on what to do. But in this industry, if someone doesn’t answer all communications when a problem is already solved…”

Once again, heavy footsteps pounded, followed by the sound of something like a chunk of meat being slammed against a wall. The fierce sandstorm sound characteristic of the Wasteland blew through.

“That’s not acceptable. Well, I thought Ruiner might have something else to say, so I connected. You seem pretty immersed in your work, but if anything comes to mind.”

Perhaps Ruiner was a person who truly enjoyed things. She was enjoying everything from projecting firepower to close combat to recklessly showing off her closed reinforcement suit’s capabilities. There might be something to learn from her.

“Something to say! Ah, there’s a lot of fun in freelance work. You know what I mean, right? Boogeyman? Honestly! Really honestly, the dangerous jobs are more fun, right? Don’t you like testing the limits of your abilities?”

Ruiner was definitely someone who enjoyed things. If Ilbelly had taught me how to take proper responsibility, Ruiner was confirming that there would be plenty of enjoyable things even after leaving Nightwatch.

Their advice was very characteristic of them. I let out a small laugh, but decided to take a solid brick from each of their words. I answered, feeling somewhat refreshed from my initial concern:

“Right. Why would I extract prototypes from all sorts of mega-corporations under the pretext of compensation if I wasn’t going to use them? It’s meaningless if you don’t use them. Your words were as helpful as Ilbelly’s.”

“Ah, such kind words! I’ll tell that old fart Ilbelly too, so you take the complaints! I’m going to tease him and hang up right away!”

I end the communication. Thinking about what I’d heard from these real freelancers… there was no need to cling to Nightwatch, which I would have to leave anyway.

Leaving doesn’t mean cutting ties completely. With that thought, I arrive at the Nightwatch office on a holiday after quite some time. When I lived in the on-call room, I was always here even on holidays.

I go up to the main entrance and enter the office. Tina, who had come out of her on-call room, gives me a slow wave. It was time to deal with my second concern. I nod toward the room behind her.

I enter her on-call room with her and we head toward the fire emergency exit. We go to where Nadia is, open the wall where she’s hiding, and the three of us face each other again. Tina speaks in a not-so-slow voice:

“Why are you barging in like this, Boogeyman? Did the Grand Duke’s department say they’re conducting a concentrated search or something?”

That’s something a mutant’s protector should fear. But it would sound less terrible than what I was about to say. I decided to start on a good note.

I confront the frustration that had been suddenly filling my mind. I won’t let what I must do, what I want to do, and what I don’t want to do get mixed up.

“If it were something like that, I would have deflected by saying I’d look into it myself. I needed to talk with Tina, who knows the most about isomorphs as far as I know. And with Ms. Nadia too.”

“Why about mutant issues? Well, you’re not planning to pull something like last time, are you, Arthur?”

There was wariness in Tina’s eyes. She knew very well that if I did something crazy, she and Nadia would be the first to be endangered.

“I am going to do something quite insane. You know I’ve worked with someone I wasn’t appointed to. And I now have a chance to have dinner with that person.”

“What, you don’t think saying ‘don’t discriminate against mutants’ at a dinner will make it happen, do you?”

“I need to make it happen through compensation and trust. I’ve thought of one method, but it’s really extreme… so I came to ask if it’s acceptable.”

I didn’t deny it. There was no need for false modesty. I enjoy creating miracles. Making such a conversation work at a dinner table was one of the miracles I wanted to create.

“That… no. Boogeyman, you’re… a strange and remarkable guy, so I’ll at least hear what method you have in mind. What are you planning to do that you need to ask us?”

“Leaving Nightwatch to become a sole proprietor is already almost decided… and after that, I’ll work with Belwether’s Grand Duke Department. Not hunting innocent mutants like Ms. Nadia, but criminal mutants.”

The Grand Duke Department is neither something to fear nor anything else. It’s simply a route I must pass through to reach my destination. I continued speaking before Tina could say anything:

“After gaining that experience, from Belwether’s perspective, if I say something about mutants, they’ll believe me and say ‘I see.’ Once I’ve built up enough reputation for that, speaking to the person I wasn’t appointed to will be more persuasive.”

Tina met my eyes and then scratched her arm with her prosthetic hand that barely had a frame attached, as if feeling uneasy. She spoke in a voice that hadn’t completely let go of her wariness:

“So, what do you want to ask us? It’s not like we can connect you to work with the Grand Duke Department. Don’t say something stupid like reporting Nadia to join the Grand Duke Department.”

“Of course not. What I’m curious about is… can you distinguish between innocent mutants and those who aren’t? If most commit some crimes for survival, I shouldn’t do this.”

People are defined by their actions. Struggling for survival as an innocent person and committing crimes are different actions. The responsibility for the former would obviously lie with Belwether rather than those people. Tina bit her lip before speaking:

“In cases like Nadia who has a protector… no. Nadia is just being hunted because she’s a mutant. But if they don’t have a protector… most, yes. They often start doing bad things to survive.”

“Start doing?”

“Once they accomplish something with their mutated part… some get intoxicated by their abilities. Not all mutants are good and innocent victims just because they’re the underdogs, Arthur. It’s better to decide based on their crimes.”