Bubblegum Crisis: Stage Three

Part Fourteen

Poor Leon had to interview both Reika and Linna, and clearly didn't enjoy the experience. The police officer tried to get something useful from either woman, but the ladies dodged him easily and left him rather badly befuddled. He looked like he was gritting his teeth as he followed them and asked, "So in essence, none of you saw anything?"

Sylia's smile was nearly angelic as she said, "I'm sorry we can't be more help to you."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Leon noted dryly. The tall, muscular man nodded to Sylia, "I will investigate why it seems your case is not being investigated from the regular Tokyo PD end. Hopefully it will shed some light on the rest of this..."

"Hopefully," Sylia agreed as he left.

"Well, that's interesting," Reika noted as the attractive Asian woman continued, "whoever is targeting you has enough pull to influence the regular police."

"Or Leon's lying to you," Linna noted as they scanned the hall before letting Sylia leave the office. Both she and Reika looked good in the formal wear they donned for yet another charity event tonight. Her dress swished around her legs annoyingly, but Reika's tux made her look yummy.

"Let's not get too paranoid," Priss noted, her blue tuxedo clinging to her body, and clashing with her cycling boots.

"Indeed," Sylia agreed as they got into the elevator and headed downstairs.

Nene also looked good, though she was dressed in her ADP uniform. "You mind if I skip tonight's rubber chicken?" she asked.

"It's really very good food," Sylia noted with some amusement.

"Sorry," the smaller woman grinned as the redhead said, "but this is the kind of project I can really dig my teeth into."

"Be careful raiding Mason's systems," Priss cautioned, "considering how fast he reacted to our hitting Genom's computers, he's got to have scary home systems."

"I'll be careful mom," Nene teased as they reached the basement.

Priss rolled her eyes at that then she and Linna did a check of the two vehicles they planned to use tonight. "All right," she asked, "who rides with who?"

"Duh," Linna gave her a look, "me and Reika and you and Sylia."

"Pretty much what I figured," Priss conceded even as Nene checked over her little car and zoomed off. "Stay close, just in case," she suggested.

"We really should call you team mom," Sylia teased as she waved Priss to the driver's side of her modified sports car.

"Oh shuddup," Priss growled uncomfortably as she got in, adjusting the seat for her size then doing a fast scan with the on board electronics.

Sylia sat down, leaning back in her seat as she took a slim, visor like device out of her glove compartment. "Do you have the route to the charity dinner?" she asked as she put them on like some kind of designer shades.

"Got it," Priss nodded. As she watched her boss start doing something arcane with the high technology she asked, "Should I take the long way around?"

"Please," Sylia smiled as she went to work.

In addition to trying to ferret out what stank in Genom, Sylia was also trying to put in a reasonable effort in running the company. Which was harder than it looked, considering how many tentacles it had in multiple businesses. Just in the Genom tower itself was Boomers, Marketing, Music, a private police force, and a fully functioning hospital.

Outside the Tower, Genom owned or controlled even more companies and products. There was a car manufacturer who also produced the ADP's vehicles, a drug company that was developing Boomer based transplants, several military arms companies, a high end clothing company and many more. Honestly, there were several acquisitions she couldn't even guess why Genom had taken over. Like the sex shop chain!

'Though I suppose costuming sexaroids would make sense there,' Sylia conceded as she searched through virtual arrays of companies.

Sylia wasn't surprised to discover that Genom owned a controlling interest in a bank, too. With both national and international business they needed to transfer money around quickly, and owning a bank would also ensure loan rates were fair. And it provided leverage with other companies...

'Remind me to ask Nene to help me hack into the bank's records,' Sylia mused, 'it might tell us who in Genom has their claws into which other companies.' She could access the official files at her office, but that wouldn't tell her who was doing what under the table.

"Sylia," Priss called, jerking her from her thoughts, "we're here. I circled the block once to buy you some time..."

Sylia reached up and shut down the virtual view, removing the glasses with a wry smile on her face. "Sorry," she apologized, putting them back in their special sleeve. "Linna and Reika here yet?" she asked briskly.

"Waiting for us to pull in," Priss said as they pulled up to where cameras flashed as photographers caught the wealthy and famous going down the red carpet. "I park us, let Linna open the door and all three of us will surround you as you go in."

"Got it," Sylia agreed, once again mildly stunned at how professional the three women had become as bodyguards. 'And occasional urban warriors,' she added mentally.

Priss pulled up, Sylia smoothly getting out to stand beside Linna and Reika. Priss locked the car and engaged the auto-park, the car smoothly navigating it's way to the parkade nearby. Cameras flashed and people cried out Sylia's name, but she just smiled and nodded as they all headed into the building. Sylia herself wasn't famous, exactly, but she was the richest woman in Tokyo, which brought with it these social obligations.

"Do you ever really get used to this?" Linna asked softly as they warily watched for snipers and other threats.

"No, at least not in my experience," Sylia said as they finally reached the main building and headed inside.

This evening's charity dinner was being held at the Stingray Memorial Cultural Center, one sponsored by Genom. Sylia found the name oddly amusing, considering her father was tone deaf and had little interest in arts or culture. Privately, she suspected the donation that earned the name was just a tax writeoff.

Still, the theater slash concert hall was a beautiful building, with soaring ceilings and walls decorated with fine art. The main hall was packed with the famous and near-famous, as well as the wealthy patrons they were constantly trying to woo.

Sylia mingled with the others, though unlike many of the guests she had a obvious security detail. Several rich guests and some of the staff looked a bit put out by that, but considering the amount she donated she didn't care.

One of the directors of the Center angled to reach their group, the older man pausing to let Reika use a small hand scanner to check him out. "How troublesome," he sighed, his silvery hair slicked back from his face.

"It is, somewhat," Sylia said mildly. It took a moment to place him, then she smiled as she added, "Thank you for inviting me, Mr Yoshimizu."

"Please, call me Kiyo," he smiled. Kiyo looked about before quietly asking her, "Is all this security really necessary?"

Sylia was pleasantly surprised someone would have the guts to ask. "I'm sorry to say it is," she admitted, "there have been several attempts on my life."

Kiyo's eyes widened slightly, then he looked around him nervously. "Is it safe to be around you?" he asked quietly.

"Reasonably," Sylia shrugged, "so far the attempts have been away from social occassions. That doesn't mean my attacker won't try here, but it's unlikely."

"I see," Kiyo nodded slightly. Surprisingly he moved past her as he said, "I had best finish what I came here to do. Miss Asagiri?"

Priss jerked in surprise to see him talk to her, frowning at him thoughtfully. "Yeah?" she asked him flatly.

"Lisa Valente was my step-neice," he said grimly as he threw a sudden punch, slamming her in the cheek before she could respond.

"Oof!" Priss yelped as she staggered sideways, tasting blood from a cut in her mouth.

"Priss, do you...," Linna started, moving to grab him.

Priss waved her back, even as she made sure that Sylia was covered by Reika. "And did you know Valente well?" she asked.

"She was family," the old man said grimly, swinging at her again.

Priss avoided the punch this time, stepping close and punching him hard in the breadbasket, doubling him over. As he crumpled she stepped back as she said, "She was a criminal, a gangster and a drug runner." Over the sound of his moans she added, "And she murdered friends of mine. She got better than she deserved."

"Well, that was exciting," Reika noted dryly as staff rushed to get the old man away. There were a lot of hostile glances flying Priss' way, but she seemed to mostly ignore them.

"Oh my lord, how could you attack a old man like that!" one woman on the staff rushed up to ask, her eyes wide in alarm even as he was hauled away presumably for medical help.

She seemed stunned when Sylia strode up and got right in her face, her eyes flashing angrilly. "Director Yoshimizu attacked my bodyguard first," she said to her coldly, "she acted only in self defense." She looked up pointedly at the cameras that monitored the room, "As your own security should verify, Miss...?"

"Busujima," the black haired woman replied, frowning as she added, "Saeko." She touched a concealed earpiece as she asked, "Security, sector one. Can you tell me what just happened in the main ballroom?" She listened, her expression changing then looked at Sylia, "I'm SO sorry, Miss Stingray. This should never have happened."

Sylia was amused by the thoughts clearly racing through several nearby staffers, that she might yank her funding over this event. Not that she planned to, of course. "You should be apologizing to Priss," she noted, nodding towards Priss.

Saeko turned towards Priss, actually bowing slightly. "I am terribly sorry," she said simply, "I misunderstood the situation."

"It's fine," Priss said, her words a bit distorted by her swelling cheek. Quietly she added, "It was old family stuff, on his side anyway."

Taking in her injured bodyguard and deciding she'd had enough fun for tonight Sylia told Saeko, "I think we'll be going." Quietly she added, "Don't worry, I have no intention of cutting funds to the Center."

"Thank you," Saeko smiled faintly, "I'm sure several people wanted to ask, but were afraid of seeming tacky."

Sylia snorted with amusement, "Indeed."

Saeko looked faintly disappointed as she added, "I'm sorry you're leaving so soon. I had hoped to speak with you..."

"Maybe next time," Sylia offered briskly as the four women moved out.

Reika, Linna and Priss kept close to Sylia as they left the hall and signaled for the car. "I think you made a impression on the lady," Reika noted.

"You think?" Sylia asked as their car drove up on remote. They checked it over carefully then Priss and Sylia boarded. "Once you shadow us back to my apartment, you're done for the night," she told Linna and Reika.

"Thanks," Reika grinned, "I just wish we had a chance to eat."

"Pick up some dinner and put it on your expense account," Sylia said as they split up. Priss took the wheel, and Sylia sat back with a tired sigh.

"I'm not fired over all this?" Priss asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

Sylia shook her head, "You couldn't have expected this to happen." She smiled slightly, "Besides, this just makes hanging around with you more exciting."

"Gee, great," Priss snorted, then chuckled softly.

To be continued...

Note: Saeko Busujima is from Highschool of the Dead, however I'm just grabbing the name and look. Other than that she's a original character.