Ch.84Aftermath! (5)

#084

OSA Headquarters.

-Is everything okay?

>It’s fine.

Rascal was sending an even shorter reply to the brief text message he had received.

‘I guess they’re asking if things are proceeding as planned.’

The Livetron had been moved from the interrogation room where Himena was questioning it to an empty research lab.

And Rascal was standing in front of that Livetron.

“You really have some unique tastes, I’ll give you that.”

Rascal said, tapping the Livetron’s head with his finger.

“Tin can, is it tomorrow?”

[Affirmative, it is.]

“You don’t need to use that speech pattern with me.”

Rascal sneered at the still choppy voice output, but the Livetron’s response remained consistent.

[Rascal, sir. Please, refrain from, actions, that, interfere, with, the project.]

“I came here to ask you about implementing Phase 2 of the plan starting tomorrow. Can’t you see I’m taking a risk just being here because of you?”

[…Affirmative, it is.]

When the Livetron showed a delay in its response, as if it found Rascal’s words rather unpleasant, Rascal spoke with irritation.

“What am I supposed to do with this damn tin can?”

[…..]

“So I should send the Rapid Response Team first, right?”

[Affirmative, it is.]

Rascal clicked his tongue at the Livetron’s behavior.

“I could have just done this over the phone, why do I need to give orders to this tin can? I don’t get it.”

[It is, the Commander-in-Chief’s, will.]

“I know that.”

Rascal frowned, hands shoved in his pockets, and fired one last remark at the Livetron before leaving the lab.

“Don’t even mention the Commander-in-Chief. Find a way to talk around it.”

[Affirmative, it is.]

‘Now I have to take orders from a robot.’

As Rascal stepped outside the lab, he felt miserable about his situation, his expression thoroughly soured.

* * *

“It’s roughly correct, but completely wrong in the details.”

A senior agent from the Residency Management Division was speaking to a haggard-looking Himena while reading some documents.

“My report?”

“No, what that Livetron robot or whatever said. There were about three things that should have happened yesterday.”

“Oh, I was startled thinking I’d written the report wrong. About what the Livetron said… yes, I think there were three things.”

Himena counted on her fingers as she recalled the questions she had asked the Livetron yesterday.

Yesterday, Himena had pressed the Livetron to tell her about all events that would occur within a week from that day.

Of course, this wasn’t because Himena wanted to know, but rather a procedure to verify if the Livetron was truly a robot from the future.

“Take the NLB game results, for instance. It stated that the San Francisco Giants would face the Seattle Mariners and the Giants would win. The score was supposed to be 11 to 6.”

“I don’t remember the exact score, but… yes, that sounds right.”

“The Giants did win. The difference is that the score was 9 to 4.”

“That is a bit different. Are the other things like that too?”

“Cambridge University was also preparing to publish a paper today, but the professor in charge postponed it to next month, saying there were urgent revisions needed.”

The senior agent flipped through the documents, found the next item, and read it slowly.

“The claim about North Korea successfully conducting an underwater submarine launch test of the Taeeulseong-1 SLBM missile—the CIA says it’s not Taeeulseong but Pukguksong.”

As the senior agent said, the general facts were correct, but the details were wrong.

“It’s right, but… suspicious.”

The senior agent was pondering with a pen tucked between his nose and mouth.

“Could it be that things started diverging from the future the moment that robot crashed on Earth?”

“In just one day? I don’t know. Are we talking about the butterfly effect?”

The term referred to the phenomenon where small changes could bring about major consequences.

“I’m not sure about that either…”

“Well, I’m just thinking out loud. Anyway, you look tired today. Why don’t you go get a cup of coffee?”

“Yes, I’ll do that. Would you like one too?”

“Hmm? No, I’m good. Just get one for yourself.”

On her way to the break room with the coffee machine, Himena spotted Rascal coming out of the research lab where the Livetron was kept.

‘Why is he coming out of the Livetron’s research lab?’

Moreover, seeing him emerge with a deeply furrowed brow, Himena cautiously entered the lab after Rascal headed elsewhere.

She was worried that the Livetron might have been harmed in some way.

“Everything okay?”

[Agent Himena Libero. Affirmative, it is.]

Himena approached the Livetron and examined its body all over. Finding no particular scratches or problems, she nodded.

“Agent Rascal didn’t do anything to harm you?”

[…Negative, nothing, like that, happened.]

Himena thought the Livetron hesitated briefly before answering, but she dismissed it as her imagination and responded with a bright smile.

“Okay, I understand. If anything happens, tell me anytime, alright?”

[Affirmative, it is.]

As Himena headed back outside the lab, the Livetron remained alone in the brightly lit research room.

[…..]

Meanwhile, Dexter, having found some free time during his shift, was talking with Eliya on his mobile phone at a field where his voice wouldn’t echo.

Thanks to OSA’s help, his phone had been upgraded to enable communication with people outside Earth.

-Well, I think it would be faster to collect debt from those Midas fellows than to hear from my friend.

“Are you comparing me to those cosmic-level loan sharks? I’ve been busy lately and couldn’t contact you.”

Indeed, he had been so caught up in recent events that he’d forgotten to even send a thank-you message to Eliya.

-Huh, you’ve been busier than me? Earth must be quite the extraordinary realm.

“No, man! I just have some things on my mind lately.”

After hearing Dexter’s excuse, Eliya was silent for a moment before snorting with understanding.

-Ha! I think I get it now. It must be woman troubles.

Responding with a voice full of certainty, as if it couldn’t be anything else, Eliya’s words made Dexter reply with obvious embarrassment.

“What? That’s… well, there’s no point denying it since you already know. How did you figure it out?”

Eliya explained as if he had anticipated the question.

-If it were a work issue, you’d handle it casually. If it required force, you wouldn’t worry about it—you’d just smash everything. So if it’s something you can’t solve with force and can’t handle casually, what else could it be but woman troubles?

The two had known each other for so long that they could read each other perfectly.

Thanks to that, Dexter was at a loss for words in front of Eliya.

“You’re uncanny as always…”

-So, how many are there?

“How many?”

-You’re not the type to agonize over just one woman. Shall I list your past lovers? First, that friend from planet Ionia, what was her name again? Ah, right! Lil…

As Eliya was about to start naming names, Dexter hastily cut him off.

“Enough, man! Why are you bringing that up? It’s at least four women, okay? I’ve answered, so stop asking. Anyway, why did you call?”

A snickering sound came through the speaker, briefly changing Dexter’s expression to one of exasperation.

After waiting for the snickering to stop, Eliya spoke while trying to suppress his laughter.

-Do you need weapons?

“Weapons? What kind?”

-The security detail is dumping some weapons at a cheap price, and I wondered if you might need any for your activities on Earth.

“I don’t really need such high-grade weapons for my Earth activities…”

The weapons used by Eliya’s security detail were quite premium.

Naturally, since premium items were being offered, Dexter, who never refused free things, casually asked.

“Are they free?”

-There’s a saying about not doing business with friends, but of course, since you’re my friend, I can offer them at a discount…

“Cut the crap. How many times have I saved your life? If you’re not giving them for free, I’m hanging up.”

At Dexter’s cold words, Eliya let out a hearty laugh.

-Alright, alright. I’m just joking. They should arrive tomorrow.

Even the fastest spaceship from Eliya’s planet to Earth would take at least a week, even using the warp gate.

“You bastard, if they’re arriving tomorrow, that means you sent them at least a week ago, right?”

-I figured you’d accept them without hesitation, so I sent them in advance.

“You never give an inch. Anyway, thanks.”

-No need for thanks between friends. Is there anything else you need?

Dexter was about to mention something about the Commander-in-Chief but decided against it.

He figured Eliya wouldn’t know anything since there was no evidence and the person seemed to operate only within Earth.

“Hmm… no. There is something suspicious, but I’ll ask after I look into it more.”

-Understood. We’ll talk again later.

“Yeah, take care. Let me know if you need help too.”

-Ha! As if I’d need help from a friend who fled to Earth.

“Your attitude, I swear. It’s just a courtesy.”

After exchanging a few more words with Eliya and ending the call, Dexter became curious about the person from the future that Himena had asked about.

‘Time travel should be impossible, so who could this person be that OSA is keeping?’

As Dexter was walking around the field deep in thought, he began to overhear a conversation between other inmates.

“Are you crazy? You’re telling me this shit now?”

“It’s not just anyone, it’s ‘that bitch from Block 4.’ We’re totally screwed, aren’t we?”

“That crazy bitch. How did you even end up meeting her?”

“I don’t know. This is so fucked…”

Dexter naturally tuned in as he saw the inmates complaining and venting to each other.

“Should I just ignore her and cut ties?”

“Are you insane? I heard she knows every mafia and gang in Nevada. You’re getting out soon—do you want to be dumped in the Hoover Dam right after your release?”

‘Why would someone be dumped in the Hoover Dam?’

He wasn’t sure who they were talking about, but it sounded quite brutal.

“I guess I have to do what she asks, what else can I do?”

“But how am I supposed to get two cartons of cigarettes when I don’t know anyone? Even Masi wouldn’t get me two cartons.”

‘True, two cartons is a lot.’

“Should I pay someone off?”

“Who, a C.O.? Why would a C.O. do anything with you? Even if I were a man, I wouldn’t touch you.”

“You crazy bitch, you’re not helping at all.”

“Look in the mirror before you talk like that.”

After that, the conversation devolved into crude sexual banter, so Dexter decided to ignore it, but there was still something that bothered him.

‘Who exactly is “that bitch from Block 4”?’

The only place that could be called Block 4 was the medium-security facility’s Block 4, but he wondered who in Block 4 would be referred to as “that bitch” by inmates from Block 2.

‘An inmate from Block 4 who intimidates other inmates. Presumably known to every mafia and gang in Nevada… sounds like some kind of godfather from the way they talk.’

Since it’s a women’s prison, it would be a “godmother,” but regardless, such a figure would be famous among the correctional officers too.

‘I should look into this… maybe I’ll ask Jesse.’

When Dexter entered Jesse’s cell, she was organizing her belongings with Emily.

“You can use this, and this… can be thrown away. Ah, I bought good Crocs thinking I’d use them for a long time. We don’t have the same shoe size, do we?”

“I think Jesse’s are smaller.”

“Right. I’ll have to give these to someone else…”

As Dexter approached the two who were busy organizing without noticing his arrival, Jesse looked up because of the dark shadow suddenly appearing over their belongings and screamed.

“Oh my god!”

“Why are you so startled?”

Dexter chuckled.

“Damn, make some noise when you walk. How do you not make any sound in those work boots?”

“There’s a technique to it. Why are you suddenly organizing your things?”

“The review is coming up soon, and parole decisions are made just days after the review, right? So I’ll be busy saying goodbyes afterward, and it seemed right to organize now.”

“Oh, very thorough.”

Dexter patted Jesse’s back lightly and told her about the conversation he had overheard between the inmates, asking who “that bitch from Block 4” was.

As soon as the words “that bitch from Block 4” left Dexter’s mouth, Jesse frowned.

“She’s extorting cigarettes from Block 2 inmates?”

“Yeah. Planning to get two cartons, they said.”

“That crazy bitch. I swear, I can’t deal with these large-scale operators.”

“So who is she?”

Jesse sighed deeply, then looked straight at Dexter and said:

“Camila Carranza. You know New Lomas Cartel, the biggest cartel in Mexico? She’s the ex-wife of El Firme, the boss, and the leader of La Valentina, a faction of the cartel.”