Chapter 15: Threats
Settling matters between Panam and Gloria was not an easy process, to say the least of it.
Though a quick explanation regarding the no dick in crazy rule, and a more in-depth explanation regarding the whole cock-sniffing thing meant that whilst the two weren't actively plotting my demise, relations were icy to say the least. Matters were made more complicated by the fact that I wasn't in an actual relationship with either of them. The most I had done so far was the occasional bit of handholding, some light teasing and perhaps a hug now and then, but hardly a cause for the kind of murderous jealousy on display. I suspect that was the only reason I didn't get beaten to a pulp, given that they were both just as aware of this fact as I was.
Gloria warmed up quickly even if everything didn't go back to normal, but Panam, she knew how to hold onto a grudge. Still driven by her jealousy induced rage, she chewed me out for traipsing into enemy territory, and then for being cavalier with the lives of the people charged with my protection. She may have had a point, given the atrociously high mortality rate of my bodyguards in recent weeks, but it was not an accusation that settled well with me, and it started an argument that ended with us both on the brink of tears. What followed was a few tense days of the silent treatment followed by a second confrontation.
To cut a long story short, apologies were offered, kisses were shared, promises were made, and I think I now have a girlfriend.
I have to say, her lips are surprisingly soft for such a foul-mouthed woman. I can't stop thinking about them.
It's really distracting.
Ahem. Anyway, on the gang-war side of things, my little gamble paid off. With the Tyger Claws now officially in a state of civil war, the Mox were quick to take my deal, eager to bash some Tyger heads consequence-free. In addition, the resulting cessation of hostilities had been enough to free up a large enough force to break the stalemate between me and Maelstrom and the Animals. I was a tad leery about actually ordering any strikes, however, knowing the universe's tendency to screw me over on such things. Election day was so close, and wouldn't it just be better to wipe out the remaining gangs with a new-and-improved NCPD? Political capital, positive press coverage and actual criminal convictions instead of rampant murdering, all in one nice, tempting package.
There was more good news. Whilst this new attack on my person and more deaths had done little for morale, performance was unchanged. All expansion plans were on-track, and as I kept my head down in the ensuing weeks, it looked as though things were finally returning to some semblance of normality. Pay-raises and bonuses had not helped my bank-account much, but my people had more than earned it. It was good to be a CEO again, and not a warlord.
But whilst my personal situation was improving, my political situation was about to take a nosedive.
Arasaka had finally looked out from the corporate quagmire that Yorinobu's little coup had caused, and the first thing they saw was me, threatening their access to the American continent, and the inroads they had made thus far. They might have been distracted, and even weakened, but they were still not to be fucked with. And so, here I found myself, lighting a cigar, clutching the end between my lips as I watched the smoke curl up from the end. I took a puff, and then another, and I continued to stare down the man sat opposite me, "You do understand my position, don't you? What I'm trying to accomplish here?"
Kaoru was dressed in a variation of his in-game outfit, with the golden waistcoat over a blue shirt and grey slacks. He had no glasses on his face, having taken them off when he entered the building, and he seemed to sport minimal cyberware. Hearing my objections, he nodded, speaking English with a faint yet somehow still noticeable Japanese accent, "I do."
"And yet, you want with me the same arrangement you had with both Rhyne and Holt? Both men whom I have publicly decried for such dealings?" I made little effort to hide my disbelief at his suggestion, "Have you even read my manifesto?"
"I have. In spite of the dull presentation, I have to say that a lot of your proposed policies are... inspired."
"No, they aren't. They're common sense ideas that should have been implemented decades ago."
"Hmm." He swigged the last dregs of the drink I had offered him when he first arrived, "Time is being wasted, and given that both our time is valuable, what do you say we get to the point?"
I nodded, making sure my tone was firm, "I refuse. The offer of corporate sponsorship to help fund my proposals is much appreciated, don't be mistaken about that, but I'm afraid the price is too high."
He quirked a solitary eyebrow, "Is it?"
I kept my expression neutral in spite of my rising irritation, "You're asking for a blank check, Mr Fujioka. Not for a specific issue or policy change, but instead for me to follow your whims, whatever they happen to be. With power like that, you could force me to betray the very things I stand for, and that is not something I can do. I can always find the money elsewhere. It is something of a talent of mine, after all."
Kaoru smiled a slick, predatory smile, "Hmm, yes, I can see. A most impressive thing you have accomplished in so little time, and with such simple ideas. Explosive growth across an entire continent in a time when the economy is struggling to stay afloat." He feigned curiosity, "Tell me, how much money did you make last year?"
I could already tell where this was going, "Somewhere in the neighbourhood of two-hundred-and-fifty-million."
"Arasaka made more than sixty-billion Eurodollars, not in revenue, but in profit." He tilted his head to the side and kept his posture relaxed, "The exact number eludes me, but something like that."
It was my turn to raise an eyebrow, "Your point?"
He leaned forwards, retaining his banal tone, albeit with an edge of malice and the threat of violence behind it, "My point is that I am not offering you a choice. You have invested a lot of time and effort into your little company, and unless you want a hostile takeover on your hands, you will give us what we want. The Arasaka corporation has very deep pockets, and we aren't afraid to use them."
That... was, a surprisingly tame threat? I decided to probe him further, to see what he was up to, "I don't know if you noticed, but I'm the majority stakeholder. More than eighty percent of the shares are held in my name. Sure, some had to be sold to raise capital, but nowhere near enough for you to wrest control from my grasp. Buy out all the other shareholders and you have nothing more than a seat at the table, but no actual decision-making power. No amount of money can change that."
He dismissed my rebuttal with a careless wave of his arm, "Which is why we'll just enter into competition with you and push you out of your own markets. Your current position is balanced on a razor's edge, and because you neglected to try and protect any of your intellectual property, there's nothing you can do to stop us. After all, if you lose your cashflow, you lose your business. Then, when your term is up, we throw the full weight of the Arasaka corporation behind your opponent. You may be too far ahead to lose this time, but a lot can change over the course of a mayoral term. The public are notoriously changeable, after all." He shrugged, anticipating my next move, "Of course, you could always run into Militech's arms, but they'd demand the same things we are."
He observed my stony silence, and shrugged his shoulders, all intensity or notion of tension draining away from him, all whilst the threat of violence went from an unpleasant undercurrent to the main thrust of his point, "On the other hand, we could save ourselves all of that effort and just kill you." In spite of the bluntness of his words, the consummately professional demeanour remained unchanged, "You have assembled an army, if only a rag-tag one, and from what I hear your bodyguards are very... devoted." He smiled, "I wonder how much ordnance I'll have to throw their way before that devotion wavers?"
I grit my teeth in frustration at his threat, "You have to be reasonable. I've made campaign promises, big ones. I can't be seen to be breaking them."
He nodded sagely, "And most of them are assuredly agreeable. Revamped public education, crime reduction, streamlining permit approval for residential constructions, revamping failing infrastructure, minor tax restructuring to alter corporate incentive structures, and so on. Most of your agenda is surprisingly business-friendly, given the tone of your rhetoric, and none of those are things that the Arasaka corporation takes issue with, I assure you. And those are the big ticket items on your agenda, are they not? They are the promises that people actually care about, that we are offering to help you with. Not to mention, these favours that we will ask from you, they will be... small. A permit here, a blind eye turned there. Nothing overly compromising."
I thought my position through. I had little in the way of personal leverage over Kaoru, and picking a fight with Arasaka was a suicidally insane idea to entertain for any length of time. My best bet was to put my head down and deal with it, at least for the moment. There was some merit to the idea of working with Militech, and if the two could successfully be pitted against each other, it would effectively nullify the control that either one had over me. However, if I started a cold war over influence over the west coast, or rather, if I inflamed the cold war over influence over the west coast, then who was to say that such a cold war wouldn't become a hot one?
Yeah... no. Nuclear fire was too high a price to pay for legislative freedom.
I had precious few other options. If the game was anything to go by, then perhaps V could be used? She did successfully storm Arasaka tower in the game, after all. However, there was no guarantee that she'd be able to replicate that feat in the real world. Not to mention, there was no guarantee that such an attack would be enough to keep Arasaka at bay, at least on it's own. Maybe if I could find a way to upend the corporate ladder at the same time? Swap Yorinobu with Hanako and make it so that she owes me? It was a daring bet, if a tad too risky for my tastes. A good last resort, but nothing more.
Ultimately, I had too much to lose by not playing ball, and they knew it. There was still plenty of good to be done, even if some of the more structural issues would remain unaddressed. At the right moment, I'd find a way to slip out from under their thumb, but that would take time. In the meantime, I would be content to keep my proverbial head down and wait this one out.
I allowed myself to sigh in resignation, "I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"No, you don't."
Kaoru seemed content at another successful negotiation, and offered me his hand to shake, which I reluctantly accepted, and saw himself out of my office. I doubted that that was the last of him that I'd see, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't relieved to see him go. In any case, whilst I was compelled to keep my head down, I would be damned if I didn't at least put some contingencies in place.
I walked over to my desk, picked up my phone, and punched the one speed dial option I hadn't yet used, "V?"
"Yeah?"
"Name's Arthur, Panam's friend. We need to talk."
So, we are finally here! Here comes Johnny!
I was going to write the fight between Panam and Arthur in more detail, but I couldn't find a way to keep it interesting.
Feel free to comment and let me know what you think.
Hope you guys are enjoying the story thus far!
