Authors notes: It's a strange mix of delight and dread whenever I get a notification of a review. At first I'm all "Yay!" but then I'm "But what if its bad?" Without my Beta practically forcing me to look at them like something out of Bird-box I doubt they would ever get read because I'm a chicken lol. But I do read and appreciate every one of them.
But anyways, time for the next chapter. We finally getting some exposition going on in here.
.
Upon entering Maverick headquarters Sunny ran ahead of Hal to greet a waiting Bladewolf. The AI sauntered up to her tail lazily waving through the air as he leaned into her affections. Hal cocked his head slightly as he spotted what seemed to be glitter sprinkled sporadically on the robot.
It was hard not to feel apprehensive at what felt like walking into a trap as he crossed the threshold. All he had as a defense was his own two eyes and a poker face developed from years of working with hard men and harder situations. However it soothed his worries immensely to have a friend such as Bladewolf close by.
"Hal Emmerich." A booming voice greeted him. "It is pleasure to finally have you at my company. Truly. Welcome to Maverick." Boris approached the group, nodding to the two men that had escorted Hal from the airport for their dismissal.
Hal was quite frankly glad to see them leave. He was no stranger to taciturn individuals but the stony expressions on artificial faces it made for a rather uncomfortable car ride for more reasons than one. Sunny had chatted on the entire way with worry and warnings about Raiden's status but all Hal could think of was if their escorts were actually under their own will or someone else's.
The gnawing anxiety of not if Maverick had already been infiltrated but how badly. And if they just so happened to be present right now...
"Boris." Hal greeted the man as if he had not been reflecting on the worry that he and Sunny not survive his attempts to guard them. He took the offered hand for a shake and was taken aback as he was pulled in for a brief yet warm hug. "It's been some time since we last spoke hasn't it?"
"Da, and then it was not under the best of circumstances." Some of the brightness on the Russian's face dimmed at the reminder of their coordination years ago during that initial intense search. The correspondence between the two had tapered as there had simply been no clues of Raiden to talk of.
"Much like now I'm afraid." Hal subtly brushed an arm against his jacket to reassure himself for the hundredth time that things were still properly tucked away. "I would have been by much much sooner but I was kinda delayed and I lost track of when it was. Sunny always tells me I have no sense of time."
"You don't." She arose from where she had been couched at Bladewolf's feet petting him. "Someone had to take up the torch of always keeping us waiting." She brushed the glitter off of her khakis.
"Well you are here now." Boris reassured giving Hal a solid pat on the shoulder that nearly swayed the leaner man. He let himself be led along as the group moved through the lobby of Maverick's headquarters.
Guards subtly talked amongst one another, trying to look professional while they gossiped away. The receptionist relayed information in polite tones over the phone, all business in the presence of the boss. Several employees milled about with coffees in hand and laughing, trying to milk the last minutes of lunchtime before work resumed.
All in all it looked like a pleasant peaceful company. And Hal sincerely hoped that years of paranoia was finally catching up to him, but he could not help but feel the weight of the unblinking stares of the security cameras on him.
"Do you have wish for food or rest? This is not exactly hotel but I would be remiss in not offering a guest hospitality. Hopefully you will not be as stubborn as Sunny here." The Russian shook him from thoughts of paranoia. Would it truly be considered paranoia if you knew someone was watching?
"Raiden needed someone to stay with him." Sunny protested without heat or remorse. "I left whenever John started staying."
Hal had lost a few years off of his life whenever Sunny had just up and disappeared several weeks ago without word and with a turned off cell. She had finally got in contact with him just before he was about to turn the whole country upside down to try and find her. During those heart stopping moments of radio silence all he could think of was 'not her too.'
It had taken him time to calm her down enough for Hal to understand what she was trying to tell him when she did reestablish contact. He had been stunned to hear that Raiden had been finally found. Upon hearing what state he had been found in Hal had immediately given her his blessing to stay with the man to support him. After that phone call was through he had immediately tried to call Rose.
Only there had been no answer. The only trace of her was an email that he had not noticed due to being absorbed in a project earlier that day which held a name and enough clues for him to begin to search.
"I appreciate the offer Boris, but I'd hate for this conversation to be put off any longer than it already has." Hal felt that he had failed Raiden for long enough as it was. The very least he could do is finally deliver the hard won intel on who had been the one to capture him and threaten his family.
"We may have to have lunch anyway depending on how he's doing right now." Sunny interjected. She looked to the machine loyally keeping pace beside of her. "Is he sleeping right now Bladewolf or…?"
"Raiden is currently awake and has been so for the past thirty minutes. He should be at ideal cognitive functionality at this time." Bladewolf stated factually.
Hal felt somewhat apprehensive at finally seeing the man after all of this time. Problem of relaying information notwithstanding, seeing him after everyone had painted such a pitiable picture of the cyborg. It was hard to reconcile that image with the indomitable man that could not be held back, lack of a few limbs irrelevant.
"That's good he's up and ok." Sunny said turning towards a hall offshoot of the lobby. The small group followed her lead until they reached the silvery elevator doors.
"Why don't you ride up with Bladewolf Solnyshko?" Boris indicated the left hand elevator, both sets of which opened at their arrival. "I do not think that the four of us will comfortably fit in one I am afraid."
"I can always ascend by the stairwell if my presence is a hindrance." Bladewolf's voice held no change in tone but Hal was very familiar with that droop of his tail that indicated hesitation and insecurity.
"You are the furthest thing in the world from a hindrance." Sunny leaned down and planted a quick kiss to the middle of that metal head. The wagging tail nearly smacked Hal in the leg. "C'mon Wolf." Sunny beckoned the AI to follow her into the elevator. "That means they want to talk to each other alone for a moment."
The two men spared a smile at the pair before Boris nodded towards the other set of open doors and Hal followed in after him. As Boris pushed the appropriate button, Hal took the moment to triple check that his phone was switched off. With a slight whir the doors slid shut and the two men began their ascent and Hal put his plan in motion.
"If you would, could you please give this to your Doktor Voigt for me?" Hal pulled out a small device from his pocket, no larger than a pack of cigarettes, and handed it to Boris.
"I shall." The man said as he took it, turning it over in his hands trying to puzzle out what it was. Hal was pleased that the sly old bear could not immediately identify it. That meant that anyone watching from that camera in the corner would be unlikely to spot the sensor for what it was. "And this is?" Boris held it up briefly before pocketing it.
"A small sample of my tech." Hal put his hands on his hips, trying hard to look casual. "I know how Sunny gets when she is stressed out, believe me. I'm sure she gave the man some grey hairs with all her questions and fretting. Just a little something, from one man of science to another. I just hope it doesn't start beeping again for no reason. Took me forever to work out those bugs. Oh!" Hal feigned sudden recall and pulled out a card from the same pocket. "Also a thank you card for taking such good care of Raiden. Do you think it's appropriate?"
Boris accepted the card and thumbed it open.
-Do not react. Trust none of the cameras. Security is more compromised than you think. Use this to sweep for bugs before I deliver my intel to Raiden.-
"Da. I do believe this conveys the sentiment nicely." Boris said smoothly and without missing a beat. The older man refolded the card and placed it neatly beside the sensor. "It may take me some time to delver this. Doktor has been rather busy with standard security upgrades for employees with cybernetics. But I will pass on your regards."
"Thank you." Hal said sincerely. From Boris' slight nod the double meaning had been received loud and clear.
"Although…" The Russian began, eyeing the numbers display as they quickly approached the twenty ninth floor. "I take it to mean that since you ask me to deliver, that you plan on leaving with Sunny this day?"
Hal could hear what Boris wasn't saying loud and clear. Get her out of here. He agreed wholeheartedly.
"Unfortunately yes. After I talk with Raiden I plan on taking her home. Her 'vacation' from Solis has gone on long enough. They would never dream of letting her go but they've been getting testy and phoning me every day asking about her. I know she cares about him but she needs to watch out for herself too."
"Indeed she does. Raiden would also be the first to agree with this."
"We might need him to help out if she gets stubborn. Heaven knows she doesn't listen to me." Hal laughed fondly at the headstrong brilliant little girl that fell into his life and changed it for the better. "She probably get that determination from her mother..."
The rest of their ascent was spent in silence, each man lost in their own thoughts. At their arrival at the twenty ninth floor the doors opened to reveal Sunny and Wolf stepping out of their own elevator. Even though he returned Sunny's smile with one of his own, Hal couldn't dispel the worry gnawing at him. As he stepped out and began to follow Wolf's lead, Sunny took his sleeve and prevented him from going forward.
"I know I told you all of this on the way over here but lets go over it again. Ok?" She glanced up at him, her normally bright expression serious. "Try not to be too loud around him. I know that you don't talk particularly loudly but you have to be careful about things like sneezing or setting down a cup too hard." Sunny ticked off on one finger.
"I remember." And Hal did indeed. He might not have been there in body but his thoughts have been there every step of the way. Sunny had been keeping him updated on every hard turn and bump in the road on Raiden's recovery. Hal remembered these tearful phone calls acutely.
"Same thing with moving around too much, but everyone else knows so it shouldn't be too bad if just you forget and start talking with your hands again. It's only when everyone gets going at the same time does it start to bother him." She held up another finger.
"He never will admit to being troubled, that is why we must pay attention." Boris noted, walking on past the two. Up ahead Bladewolf paused by a door with a guard standing by it.
"I will enter first and notify Raiden of your arrival." Bladewolf announced before producing a key card and after a nod from Boris to the guard, slipped inside.
"And lastly try not to throw too much at him at once. I know when you get going you really get going but he can't handle a flood of information right now. Give him time to process things or else he will get overwhelmed. He's doing so much better than he was before though. I'm really glad." Her words spoke of happiness but the melancholic expression on her face said otherwise.
The middle aged man standing guard nodded to Boris and the approaching group and respectfully stepped aside. There was not long to wait before the door opened once more. Instead of Raiden standing in the doorway it was a teenage boy.
Hal was thrown back in time to his first meeting with Raiden at Big Shell those long years ago. While he had been beside himself in his grief over Emma the pale man with sharp eyes had left quite the impression. Now many years later a lanky boy in grey clothes looked up at him with the same face. John was very nearly the spitting image of his father except for those eyes. They held a softness and innocence that Raiden never had a chance to posses.
"Hey Sunny and Mr. Boris sir. And umm..." The kid pulled his gaze away from Hal to turn to Sunny. She pressed into Hal's side and force of habit had him automatically wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"I would like to introduce you to my uncle, Hal Emmerich." She patted him on the chest, full of pride.
"Hi." The kid extended a hand in greeting. "I'm John."
"I can tell." Hal laughed, still taking in all the similarities between the boy and his father. John gave him a puzzled look. "Sorry. I'm sure you hear this all the time but you look just like your dad."
"Yeah. So how'd he save you?" John asked, leaning against the doorway. Now it was Hal's turn to be puzzled. The boy continued, seeing that his question was not clear enough. "Everybody else in this place has told me that they know Dad because he saved them somehow. Is it the same for you too?"
"Ah, no. I stay behind a computer and out of trouble." Hal laughed. "I leave the daring-do for the crazy people. He has helped out my partner plenty of times before though."
"Partner?" John looked down the hall for any other visitors. "They coming by too?"
"He's no longer with us I'm afraid." The familiar pain stung no less bitterly for its long presence. Seeing that he had put his foot in his mouth John looked cowed and awkwardly shuffled a foot.
"Oh...umm. I'm sorry about your loss." Seeing a contrite expression on a face so closely resembling Raiden's was quite the sight. Hal had pity on the uncomfortable blond.
"Hey, don't worry about it John. It was some time ago. No harm no foul."
"Are you all going to just stay out in the hall or are you waiting for me to pass on too?" A familiar voice sarcastically called out from inside the rooms. A laugh was pulled from Hal. For years he had despaired in his failures and now here the lost man was, sitting just a few paces away being a smart ass.
"Just making sure I'm invited stranger. Its been a while." Hal called.
"Well lets not make it any longer." Raiden answered, sounding as prickly as Hal remembered him to be. "I'm behind enough on time as it is."
John beckoned them on in and the small group followed the on inside the VIP apartment.
All Hal felt upon seeing Raiden for the first time in years was relief. All of Sunny's descriptions, worries, and tears had lead him to form a much different mental image than what his eyes were telling him now.
On a couch in the sitting room of the small Maverick apartment sat Raiden. Sharp blue eyes just as Hal remembered took in their approach and his ash blond hair was slightly mussed from sleep. He was dressed in scrubs that were slightly wrinkled. The man's civilian cybernetics were expertly crafted and made him almost look like a normal person. Almost.
From all that Sunny had told him, Hal had not expected him to be sitting upright and apparently of clear mind. Sure, she had spoke of great progress these past few days but those encouraging words paled in comparison to the grim descriptions of before. Looking at Raiden now, Hal still could not help but compare him to the mental image that Sunny had planted in his mind of a trembling confused man that could hardly speak and needed assistance to even breathe.
John returned to his seat by his fathers side, leaning in close to the man. Side by side, John looked like an adorably scaled down version of his father. Bladewolf sat vigilantly by the couch should his assistance be needed. Two tupperware containers full of steaming lasagna sat on the coffee table before the two blonds. Apparently Hal had picked a rather inconvenient time to come up for a chat and had interrupted their meal.
"Sorry for the poor timing on my part." Hal motioned towards the food. "Please don't stop on my account." Hal mentally kicked himself immediately as he recalled being told how the man had difficulties feeding himself and might not want to be watched. He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Or I could always go and come back. Sorry."
"Its fine. Go ahead and have a seat." Raiden waved the issue off. "I can always eat it later. Wasn't really wanting it anyway." He scooted the plastic container away from himself and sat back on the couch.
Hal took the offered chair perpendicular to the couch and Sunny took the free space beside John. Boris walked around and looked at the food that Raiden had rejected.
"Hmm. Perhaps something from the cafeteria would be more tempting for your father, John. Why don't you take Sunny and go retrieve something fresher?"
"But this is fresh." John insisted, looking at his plate then to his father's with its significantly smaller portion.
"Doktor has been having trouble getting your father used to food again. Something different may help with an appetite, da?" Boris prompted once more. John looked at the two containers for a moment.
"But Dad's the one that picked this."
Sunny laughed as she got to her feet, dragging the bewildered boy up with her.
"That's code for 'get out of here and let the adults talk.'" She continued to pull the boy in the direction of the door. Hal was not happy in the slightest about the children leaving unsupervised but had no way of countering this decision without arousing suspicion.
"Take Trent with you." The Russian man ordered to the retreating teenagers.
"Yes sir." They chimed out in unison. From out in the hall John's 'Oh...oooh. I get it now.' could be heard.
Raiden slowly shook his head at his departed progeny.
"How can that boy be so smart yet so dense at the same time?" He shook his head again still looking towards the closed door.
"I certainly have no idea who gets it from." Boris raised an eyebrow at Raiden. Hal covered a laugh with a cough. "I am sure that the two of you have much to say to one another without another set of ears in the way. I will step aside but will not go far."
Hal nodded to Boris approvingly, knowing that the man's hand in his pocket was around the sensor and was taking Hal's warning to heart. Hal turned back to Raiden who was gathering his and John's abandoned dishes.
"Sooo…" Hal struggled for a way to break the ice. He felt the weight of those cold blue eyes on him immensely but there were only so many topics that could be delved into until the apartment had been swept for bugs. "You're having trouble with eating?"
"It feels...wrong. For years I only had a sense of touch. I was completely immobile. I still forget sometimes that I exist from here down." The man held a hand up to his mouth and brushed it away as he slowly struggled to get to his feet. Hal frowned at laborious struggle from the typically lithe man. "I guess I'm outta practice eating. Just like everything else."
"Sunny says you've improved quite a bit over the past few days. I'm sure it won't be an issue for long." Hal grew increasingly disturbed as he watched Raiden waver and nearly lose his balance as he reached for the abandoned dishes.
"Yeah... That's what everyone keeps telling me." Hal halfway jumped to his feet as the younger man swayed.
"Let me help, please." Hal reached out to take the dishes from Raiden and encourage the man to sit back down, but was shut down by a sharp shake of his head.
"No. No, I have to start doing it on my own."
Hal's initial relief that Raiden was not as bad off as he had feared was completely broken as he watched the man pitifully struggle to try and put the extra food away. The unsteady way he had stood had been bad enough, but it physically pained Hal to watch the man attempt to walk.
Raiden only made it a few wavering paces before Bladewolf stood at the ready to take action on the chance that his unsteady steps would falter. With the AI hovering nearby in what looked to be a well practiced action, Hal watched as the pair slowly make their way into the kitchenette and out of sight.
Boris took the moment to enter and casually sweep the sitting room while the pair were in the kitchenette.
Hal shot a look over to him, heart aching, as if to ask 'it's truly this bad?' The Russian man could only sadly nod in affirmation and continued his slow circuit around the apartment. The tech expert let his gaze drop to his hands resting loosely in his lap. He idly scratched at one of the many callouses on his hands as his thoughts were ripped from the present and placed in the past.
It was like watching Snake all over again. Watching the most capable man Hal has ever known slowly deteriorate was the hardest thing hes ever had to do. It was not long after the Patriots that he had begun to rapidly go downhill. All too soon Snake struggled to walk nearly exactly like Raiden done had just now. It broke his and Sunny's heart that during that painful span of time when they had to hover and support so the man could retain the illusion of independence for a little while longer.
In the small Maverick apartment Hal dabbed at his eyes with his sleeve to catch the welling tears. He looked up and blinked rapidly to clear out the rest. He let out a slow shuddering sigh as he tried to get his mind back to the here and now.
"Pathetic, huh?"
Hal looked back down to see Raiden making his way back towards the couch. He met Hal's watery eyes and averted his gaze, self loathing poorly hidden in his expression. Bladewolf's tail securely wrapped around the man's torso was the only thing keeping him upright at this point. The cyborg leaned heavily against the machine's head as Wolf aided him along on the short but difficult journey across the room. Raiden halfway dropped, halfway was lowered back down to the couch.
He ran his hands over his face then lowered them to meet Hal's eyes dead on. This was where the similarities between Snake and Raiden ended. Those last few days when the aged man was still mobile, his exhaustion had shown through with resigned acceptance. He had been ready to let go, but not Raiden. The younger man's hands may have been shaking but there was still the fire of life lit behind those blue eyes.
"I've seen you in rough shape before. At least this time you have all your limbs." Hal tried a joke to break the mood but Raiden's expression stayed as frosty as ever. Hal dropped the humor in exchange for frank honesty. "It's not pity. Yes I'm upset for you but that's not it. Watching you just brought back some uncomfortable memories. You reminded me of him during those last few weeks."
"I'm sorry." The younger man uncomfortably looked down and away. "I would have been there too, you know. I wanted to. But he didn't want me around. Never has really." The last part was laced with self depreciation.
"No." Hal said in a tone that booked no room for argument. Raiden looked up at him once more, puzzled by the sharp shift. "It's not that he didn't want you around, it's that he didn't want you to be around any more death. Snake said that you've had enough of that in your life. You had just got your family back. He wanted you to be with them instead of being stuck in the past with someone else that would have to leave you behind. He wanted you to keep moving forward."
"He told you all of that?" Hal nodded and Raiden looked down at his slightly trembling hands. "Well...I'm not doing much moving nowadays."
"But you will." Hal encouraged but the other man refused to be comforted. He continued to stare at his hands until Bladewolf nosed up underneath one of Raiden's arms to lay his great head across the man's lap. Raiden took the offer and idly began to pet the smooth metal. Shifting of fabric and a sigh had Hal turning.
Boris, who had quietly entered during their reunion was looking at Raiden with the same concerned look that Hal knew was mirrored on his own face. The older man sighed once more and looked to Hal.
"Nothing was activated. We are clear to speak freely." Boris told him offering the small sensor back. Hal motioned for him to keep it and with a nod then turned to Raiden who was watching the both of them with curious eyes.
"First of all I want to apologize." Hal announced getting to his feet and moving around the small table to where he could see both men properly and pulled out a thick bundle of handwritten papers from inside of his jacket.
"For what?" Raiden asked, still idly petting Wolf, who seemed to be enjoying the attention.
"I'm sorry for not being able to do anything when Rose came to me for help three years ago. I feel like I'm partially responsible for you being like this. If only I had been better. If I hadn't become less vigilant during these years of peace after the Patriots fell then you wouldn't be like this."
"Hal, stop. This is my fault and mine alone. I went looking for trouble and I found it. Enough of that blaming yourself crap."
"Yeah but I promised Snake I would keep an eye on you. Your family is paying the price for my failure all because I couldn't get intel fast enough. Again, I blame myself."
"I'm not even going to answer such a dumbass statement." Raiden wouldn't even look at him as he spat that out. Rather than offended Hal was absolutely delighted to see some spice in him still. "You gonna tell me what all that's about then?" Raiden turned a sharp eye to the papers Hal held.
"I may not have dug up intel fast enough, but I did find it. Rose managed to point me in the right direction before she disappeared. That's what took me so long to get here to visit you." Hal said as he sifted through his notes.
"First of all, how serious do you believe our security breach to be?" Boris asked, lacing his fingers and placing his hands upon his lap. How the man managed to look so serene asking such a question Hal had no idea.
"Bad." Hal said bluntly. "In fact, I'm really nervous about Sunny and John being out of sight honestly." He shot an anxious glance over towards the front door.
"What?" Raiden asked, a note of alarm coloring his voice.
"Trent is with them. He is one of my oldest and most trusted." Boris stated confidently.
"Yes but I noticed that he doesn't have much work done on him, if any." Hal pointed out. "Could your man manage to go toe to toe against one of your cyborg employees should they be brain-jacked? Could any of your employees stand up against a fully armored cyborg?"
"I assure you we have state of the art cyber security for all our employees. And yes, some of my men can." Boris answered somewhat defensively.
"I believe you." Hal leaned against the sturdy entertainment center, tapping the folded papers against his arm. "But once you know what I know you'll be worried as well."
"Wolf? Could you…" Raiden turned to the AI who still had their head on his lap. Bladewolf immediately got to his feet.
"I will guard over the children. You are the more likely target and I admit apprehension upon leaving your side but I know you would prefer your offspring protected over yourself as is the way of humans."
"Right. Thank you." Raiden said gratefully as the AI made towards the exit.
"Act casual!" Hal called out. "We don't want them to know we know!" Wolf flicked his tail in affirmation then disappeared out the front door. The door closing and the lock re-engaging seemed to echo loudly in the silence.
"You gonna tell me who this 'them'' is yet Hal?" Raiden drummed his fingers against his thigh, somewhat out of rhythm.
"I don't have a name, not outright." Hal settled into the well familiar mode of delivering intel. "He goes by the code name 'Hunter'."
"Hunter…" Boris echoed, as if shifting through memory. Hal nodded. Raiden just watched him, singularly focused.
"The Hunter is a bounty hunter and occasional mercenary. His real name is unknown. If it even is a he, that is. It was initially thought that, while successful in every job taken, he was just a small time name in the field. Apparently he is notoriously difficult to get in contact with which makes for the small amount of jobs he has taken. Most of the time if you have a job, he finds you. Odd thing is one has ever seen this individual in person."
"Initially thought…" Boris mused. "And now?"
"Instead of the dozen or so jobs the hunter is thought to have taken on, it turns out that the number may very well be a hundred or more at this point." Hal reflected on the chill that had run down his spine as he looked through the encrypted information. It was not so much the number but the means that disquieted him so badly. Once more Hal sent a silent 'thank you' to Snake for grumbling and griping so much about cybernetics that Hal had decided to never have any work done himself.
"How can this be?" Boris asked, brows furrowing as deeply as his frown."I have not heard of this individual before. As the head of a PMC such mercenary and bounty hunters are kept close eye on. Bad for business to be ignorant of such men. Are you sure your information is correct?"
Hal nodded, thumbing through his papers to the next section. He spared a glance at Raiden who was leaned forward with his chin resting on laced fingers. The recovering man's eyes were cast downward, looking more off into thought rather than the carpet. Hal felt a prickle of concern that he was throwing too much at him at once. He trusted Boris to know when enough was enough and shoved the concern aside and continued on.
"I thought it was odd too that there was so much secrecy and lack of info about a mere mercenary. I called in a lot of favors and I have some contacts in pretty high places to get what intel I did manage. I get the feeling that there is more to this than what I've been told and we are missing a large part of the picture. Hush hush aside, it does not surprise me that you haven't heard of him Boris. According to my intel, he only became active after SOP fell. For the longest time no one had any idea that it was Hunter taking on all of these jobs due to his usual modus operandi."
"His M.O?" Raiden finally looked up from the floor to meet Hal's eyes.
"Yeah, while there have been a few recorded cases of Hunter acting directly, and I'll get to that later, his usual tactics are to make others do the dirty work for him. But not exactly by the normal means."
"How then?"
"More than a mercenary or a bounty hunter, this man is a hacker. If he cannot brain-jack the target directly and have them delver themselves to the customer, he will hack those around the target to do the dirty work for him."
"Such dishonorable methods!." Boris spat out. Raiden looked coldly livid. Hal rubbed the back of his neck, once more thankful that there were no ports placed there.
"Are you telling me that this bastard hacks others and uses them as his little puppets so he doesn't have to get his own hands dirty?" Raiden looked equal parts disgusted and incensed. "If you are too dainty to do your own work then you have no place in such a business. Leave the killing to those unafraid to get their hands wet."
"I think its more of a tactical thing rather than a matter of squeamishness." Hal pointed out, seeing the logic in such methods, morality aside.
"I see now why you emphasized security so much." Boris said quietly, the deep concern for his people plain to see. "You are afraid that he may try to brain-jack one of my men."
"Oh I'm positive that one, if not more have already been hacked." Hal said bluntly. The two other men exchanged looks with one another.
"If you are so sure then why hasn't he made his move yet?" The anger had bled out of Raiden's voice to be replaced by weariness. He rubbed at his eyes absently. "Lets face it, I'm helpless like this. I don't think I could fight off a normal human much less someone who has had cyber work done on them. Why not pick me off already?"
"They have not had chance." Boris stood, clasping his hands behind his back. He began idly pacing as he mulled over the issue. "You have been under constant supervision since you have arrived. Those first few days when you were at your most fragile, no one was allowed near you aside from myself, the Doktor, Sunny, and Bladewolf. Other than this day, and your move was unplanned, you have spent the entirety of your stay here at Maverick down there in labs. Not many have unrestricted access to that area. Those that do have a higher degree of security."
A thought suddenly struck Hal.
"Not to interrupt, but how's your security Raiden?" Hal turned to the younger man. Boris continued his slow pacing, already knowing the answer.
"Dok says it's the top of the line. Patriot software so I'm not exactly easy to hack in the first place. Small mercies." The sardonic laugh was flat and utterly humorless. "I also have an additional layer of protection from Bladewolf always watching. We're linked up so he can monitor my vitals and step in when my brain craps out with my breathing."
"Really?" Hal was sincerely taken aback. Not the breathing part, he already knew that from Sunny, but he had no idea about the link-up. Hal was surprised that Raiden had enough trust left in him to do something like that, much less with an AI. He was not concerned about compromise from Bladewolf's end of things. The years spent with the AI gave Hal the utmost confidence in his security. "No worries about you being hacked now then. But...I hate to pry and bring up bad memories, but was hacking how you were captured in the first place?"
"No." Raiden rested his forehead against his palm, arm propped up on the couch arm. He watched Hal from the corner of his eye. "When I was captured it wasn't by hacking, it was by my dumbass falling into a pit and getting hit by an EM. Kinda got me wondering if this is honestly the same guy."
"I suppose that's a perfect segue for more of the intel I gathered." Hal waved the folded papers before picking out the sheet with the appropriate notes. "Remember how I said Hunter sometimes acts directly?"
"Yes, we recall." Boris stopped his restless motion to turn to Hal once more.
"Well that's somewhat misleading I'm afraid. When there is no way to hack his target and it is time to 'get his hands wet' as you say, Hunter remotely pilots an artificial body to do the work for him."
"Coward." Raiden grumbled before turning his face into his hand. Hal was beginning to get seriously concerned about the recovering man. Sunny would kill him if Hal pushed Raiden too far after all of her warnings.
"Could he not be traced?" Boris asked, calling Hal's attention away from the man on the couch. "To be able to command this body remotely he has to be nearby to transmit. That or have some very deep pockets to afford satellite transmission."
"That or they could have a temporary AI program based on the individual that can act in their stead." Hal shrugged. "I know if I set my mind to it I could do it. That and there is more."
"Of course there is." Came the sarcastic comment from over on the couch.
"Nobody can get any definite specs on the guy because this remote body is constantly being altered. He takes parts from his marks and incorporates it into his own design. I have no doubt that some of your old body has already been assimilated into his newest model." Raiden looked disgusted at the suggestion but Boris had a spark of excitement at the information.
"This is good news. If this Hunter has truly incorporated parts of your old body or even your sword…"
"It's a dead end." Hal cut him off. He hated to dash hopes but better than letting them fruitlessly build. "I've already looked into it. All traceable information is wiped. He keeps the hardware, dumps the software, and heavily modifies what he does hold on to. Sorry Boris."
"Don't you all think we're getting a little distracted here." Raiden said tiredly from the couch, head still resting in his hand. "This Hunter is just that, a hunter. Who's the master? Who hired this guy to come after me? And why keep me? Why not finish me off?"
"Honestly Raiden I don't think there is a third party here." Hal shifted uncomfortably. He dog-eared the papers one after another just to have something to do with his hands. "All evidence points to this being very very personal. I don't think anyone hired Hunter. I think he did it of his own accord, and the only reason you were kept alive was to make you suffer."
Raiden sat up at Hal's uncomfortable confession. His mouth tugged to one side with his displeasure at the implications. After a few heartbeats the younger man looked to Hal somewhat suspiciously.
"I feel like there is something you're not telling me. What is this evidence?"
"Perhaps we can continue this discussion at another time, yes?" Boris asked coming back around to sit beside Raiden once more. "You are not feeling well yet still, and this is much to take in." The soothing hand placed upon his shoulder had little effect on the younger man, who's suspicion was only growing.
"Boris I need to know. What don't I know here?"
Hal looked to Boris for guidance even as Raiden stared at him hard. The older man eventually sighed and yielded.
"I confess that I am worried for you. This is much for you to take in. I can see you are struggling." Boris looked towards Raiden's hands which Hal just noticed now had a significant tremor to them. Raiden crossed his arms petulantly and looked away. "Hal will continue to deliver intel, abbreviated if at all possible. But if I see that you are getting too unwell then this conversation is over for the day. Yes?"
"Fine." The syllable was sighed out more than spoken. Raiden turned his attention back to Hal.
"Ok, so...earlier this year a man contacted Rose claiming to be able to find you. Goes by Rabbit. I've already dug up everything I could on the guy…" Hal dug through his notes until he found the pages on the literary themed hacker. "On paper he seems legit but something feels off to me."
"Any chance that this is the same individual?" Boris extended a hand out, wordlessly requesting the papers. Hal crossed the few steps and handed it over, considering the question.
"No, I don't think that this is the same guy or that they are working together. From all that I've learned this Rabbit is self serving and out for mischief. Yeah, he does pull off some impressive hacking but I'd classify his actions with finding you not born out of altruism, but just to see if he could."
Raiden apparently had little care for Rabbit's character. "So this guy contacts Rose, says he could find me, and then what?" He pressured impatiently.
"Well he found you apparently." Hal shrugged. "I don't see how he did it when neither I nor Sunny could but he did. And that smells all kinds of fishy to me. Apparently Hunter could tell Rabbit was sniffing around too close for comfort. Whenever I last spoke to her, Rose said he called to threaten her to back off."
"He what?"
"Yeah. So...um. Right, why I think this is all personal. The warnings to Rose. Giving her the option to back away. No way he would go through that kind of trouble for just any mark. Not to mention the sheer amount of cruelty he displayed towards you as opposed to the all the others he has killed since your disappearance. That and the meticulous care and planning to keep you alive this long."
"Others?" Raiden asked raising his head, brows furrowing. "Who were the others?" Raiden turned to Boris who looked slightly lost as well.
"More intel that you have not yet managed to cover yet?" Boris asked, looking intrigued as well. Hal looked down at his papers, quickly finding the pages filled full of names. Hal was worried that bringing up any more potentially triggering memories might be too detrimental to Raiden in his current state right now. The man looked pressed far enough as it was.
"Hal, what others?" Raiden demanded. The man looked tempted to rise to his feet, either to take the papers or pull the answers out of Hal directly.
"Ever since your disappearance three years ago many members of your former unit, the Small Boys Unit, have been murdered or have gone missing."
"My former unit…" Raiden looked down and away, lost in memory. Boris shot Hal a look that said this conversation was nearly over but did not further try to dissuade him from speaking.
"Campbell was the one who first told me. While not to the same degree you were, they have all been under watch ever since the civil war was over. At first I wondered if it could have been one of them, some old bad blood or something. But not one of the former members of the Small Boys Unit have gone into any of the STEM fields. I highly doubt it could have been one of them as this level of hacking is far beyond an amateur."
"Unless there is an individual that managed to avoid surveillance." Boris mused, seemingly more to himself than to the others."The men of this unit is being targeted specifically. Could one of your former comrades be behind this? One of the adults that were your handlers perhaps? Can you think of any from that time in your life that may have a grudge against you?"
Hal and Boris shared a disquieted look at the bitter almost cruel laugh that Raiden let out. He sounded a lot harsher and unhinged than the man Hal had come to know and his stomach twisted uncomfortably at the sound. Boris looked a second away from calling a stop to this conversation altogether when the question was answered.
"I would be more surprised if any of them didn't hold a grudge against me." The confession was delivered with a malicious sort of mirth. The tired man finally quit fighting to stay upright and allowed gravity pull him down into laying on the couch.
"I believe we are done." Boris said in a tone that booked no room for argument. Raiden elicited to throw an arm over his eyes and deigned to respond.
"Here." Hal offered the rest of the folded notes to Boris who accepted them with a nod. "Everything I've talked about is covered in much more detail there. Should fill you in and give you somewhere to start on your end."
"We can establish a secure communication later." Boris assured, turning his attention back to the man on the couch he spoke. "I do apologize for calling a stop to this but…"
"I know, I know." Raiden interrupted tiredly, not bothering to move his arm and look at them. "Just promise to fill me in properly later. Even if I do have to be spoon fed little chunks."
"I shall." And then to Hal Boris turned, "I will be by door if you wish for parting words in peace." Without waiting for a reply he left leaving Hal trying to think of something to say.
Hal walked around and sat on the edge of the table by Raiden's side. At Hal's approach he finally moved his arm off of his face and looked up. Even after all he had seen, Hal decided to stick with his initial opinion that Raiden was not as bad off as he had feared. He would never be the same man that Hal met at Big Shell all those years ago, but he had a feeling that Raiden would find his footing in no time all. He might even improve for the better after this was all said and done.
"I'm glad your back with us. Had a lot of people worried for a very long time." Hal received a small quirk of a smile in response.
"Even though it's a pain in the ass right now I'm glad to be back. Better than the alternative."
"Yeah. One last thing…" Hal had to break his gaze to look down at his laced fingers. "You've probably already inferred this, but with the security risk I'll be taking Sunny back home with me."
"I figured." Raiden let out a resigned sigh, then a huff of a laugh. "If I knew for sure that he wouldn't raise absolute hell at being parted from me and try and find his way back I would send John with you."
"Raising hell to get his way, now who does that remind me of?" Hal lightly joked.
"The next few years are going to be interesting. I had been hoping that he would turn out like his mother."
"I'm starting to think Sunny is going to turn out like her mother."
"Oh then you're fucked." Raiden said so bluntly and unexpectedly that Hal couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from him. The reclining man covered his eyes once more chuckling silently to himself.
The conversation was clearly at an end but it just seemed wrong to get up and walk away without some display or act of support. A handshake was too formal, a pat on the shoulder too paternal, and while Raiden might have tolerated a hug from him that seemed a far too familiar of an action. As if sensing his hesitation, the blond man peered open a tired eye once more.
"Thanks again Hal. For looking for me, finding all of this out, everything. Now stop fretting over me and get out of here and keep Sunny safe. I'll be fine, trust me. It's gonna take a lot more than this to do me in." With his other arm Raiden reached up, hand in the air waiting.
Hal took the offered hand and returned the grip in a moment of solidarity. Hal was heartened by the strength of the grip he felt in the cool artificial fingers. With one last squeeze to convey what words failed to say, Hal released him and stood. Approaching the door to follow Boris quietly out of the room Hal shot one last look over his shoulder.
'He would have been proud of you. I know I am.'
.
Additional notes: It's nearly been one year since I've started this story. It honestly doesn't feel like its been that long. Hopefully the world will not conspire against me and cause the next chapter to be as delayed as this one. I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it and that it was worth the wait.
Until next time, thank you for reading.