A few minutes before eleven, in an undisclosed location... a young man sat quietly in the cover of darkness. Hiding away in some sort of bedroom, with the sun having set long ago. His hair disheveled and messy, matching the room around him.

  The main, sole source of light is the holographic screen hovering over a desk, idly having the image of some human knight sitting in a throne. The knight had long, blonde hair, his eyes a pristine emerald green. A jaw chiseled like marble, with a scar over his nose. Donning his body, solid gold armor with a red cape sewn from the finest of material.

  And surrounding him? A harem of elven women. All of different hair colors and eye colors, dressed in very- skimpy- clothing. Wearing the finest of jewelry to complement their very... enticing... figures.

  The guy behind the knight types away with a joyous smirk, slumping back into his custom-designed swivel gaming chair- thick, comfy, something to lean back and unwind against, and a great support for back posture. A variation of the typical office chair, albeit with some caveats and differing purposes.

  This chair, in particular, is custom-made for this someone, with wires and panels installed into the left armrest. Something for his metallic arm to rest against and use accordingly, its artificial fingers idly tapping away at the rest with keyboard clicking sounding out.

  The chair isn't the only bit of technology, however. Holographic screens light up over his personal desk, these thin floating pictures emitted from several external displays. Various tasks hovering about, with one of them being...

  ... a folder.

  "This... this is interesting. I was skeptical about the Underworld, but... your group has delivered quite a bit for three day's worth of information."

  Hmm.

  The guy's experience with the Underworld is recent. A lot of information has been gained from just one mercenary, which is... curious, to say the least.

  He personally had to meet some sort of courier for the Underworld. An "Hermes", as they're so aptly called... all sorts of them spread throughout the country, and meeting with him personally. A whole conversation with the formally suited man, also dressed in his own formal suit... it was actually relatively casual, compared to other criminal services. The courier was quite professional and civil about all of it.

  The one thing that's caught his attention, however...

  "The alias is one single name, one that you should not use lightly. If you require this mercenary's services again, remember to request the Stalker of the Underworld... also known as..."

  "... Kuroiwa?"

  "Yeah, really. Heard her scream it and everything, Dot. Kind of nuts."

  In the middle of his... fantasy activities... this young man - "Dot", as he is called - is in contact with the Executioner's hacker. Using a moniker of his own, Dot is the name he uses when speaking with mercenaries, clients, and work colleagues.

  A drastic difference from "Arthur Montagne", the Knight of Goldheart.

  Dot has been multi-tasking between talking with the Repairman and typing to his elf harem. So far, the Repairman and Dot have spoken for about approximate twenty minutes, calling and chatting on an encrypted network. The pair having complete and total freedom to talk at lengths about mercenary work in the Underworld, having this very conversation shortly after the hacker's truck's arrived at Indianapolis.

  It's always around halfway past ten that the two take this call, really. A sort of routine. It's that perfect time zone for both of them, regardless of where the Repairman ends up in the country, where they just chat and chill and keep each other awake. The wonderful nature of online friendships.

  "Of all names... another mercenary just taking that moniker? Is he really that popular?" Dot asks.

  The Repairman- nods, sighing. "It's true, she just- started shouting, like- aggressively shouting that she was... we all know it's bullshit, but can't deny she's one of Charon's..."

  "Right... right. Charon."

  Dot is quite familiar with Charon. One of the higher-end informants, with the talent and skill to collect federal secrets without so much as a single fingerprint- physical or digital. Something he, himself, is learning wonderfully from as an informant himself. As much as Charon is a massive scumbag, he does know great tactics in obtaining info- from great hiring practices to excellent money managing skills in this financially fucked country...

  Plus, he's a long term informant that has somehow maintained relevancy in a massive sea of nonsense. To put it into perspective, the average person wouldn't trust an old fart that just knows the 24/7 schedule of a B-list celebrity. No, for an OG such as Charon to remain relevant in this market, he needed to know a LOT more- have the methods to learn everything clients could ever want to know.

  One of the things he knew, apparently, is another such "Kuroiwa". Going so far as to have one of his own, even- probably a handy help to gaining info. Maybe he jumped on the craze of having a Kuroiwa mercenary to appeal to the mercenary market and all...

  "... curious. Did you get a name out of her?" Dot asks.

  "Ehh, the boss said something about this being the Ashford brat or something. Had some kind of job with her years ago, but- not much else. Didn't really explain much to the rest of us."

  "Hm..." A deep sigh echoes out, with the clicks and clacks of keyboard keys sounding out. Ashford, huh? Curious that name sounds... familiar. "The pay better be good for whatever it is he's making you do. Keeping a girl conscious and untied in that truck? Considering she works with Charon, well..."

  "Mm... that's the thing, I think he's making it up," the Repairmen responds. "Sure, she slapped a cop across the face, knew how to fire a warning shot, and like- kicked the shit out of Bruce's nose, but like... no way is anything she did worth THAT much, you know?"

  "Well. You never know, she did work for Charon. People who work for him tend to be great at their job."

  "... dude," the Repairman responds, a flattered chuckle sounding out.

  "Hey, I mean it, you're...~" Dot begins to respond, catching his tone of voice- a little too late. That voice may have slipped out while he was typing something to his elven beauties. The two activities- may have mixed together, he's realizing, and he visibly cringes at having used a flirty voice while talking to the mercenary.

  A throat clear, a big ahem later, Dot just- speaks normally.

  "... so you're scanning her phone, right? If you'd like, I can take a look at it too," he offers, curious himself. Wanting some access to whatever this girl has on her phone.

  "Nah, nah... I got this covered, dude," the Repairman responds. "Kinda straightforward, not a lot going on. She has, like, a ton of calls to this one guy, that- ... ugh, hold on."

  "Hm?" Dot asks, blinking. "What's up?"

  "Just a knock at the door, hold on..." A button press sounds out. "... what?! What is it?!"

  Pfft.

  Dot chuckles. The guy wanted to mute or something, to turn the microphone off as he chatted with whoever it was- but he could still hear every word.

  Ah, that's funny. Happens to the best, really. He gets to hear each word of the whole conversation, just hearing what business they're having the Repairman do. Apparently there's some kind of android and its memory needed to be scanned...

  Dot just sits back and lets out a deep sigh. This definitely isn't something he needs to listen to, so he turns his attention back to his elves, and-

  "... oh sh-!"

  "...?" Dot raises an eyebrow, bringing his attention back to the call. "Huh? Reps, what's-?"

  Suddenly, a loud thud echoes out, ringing out with utter anguish sounding out. A loud thud that echoes out incredibly, a hard BASHING and CRASHING sound echoing out. Almost like- a skull, hitting against a table?

  ... the calm look on the figure's face turning to confusion, to shock and confusion. Panic.

  "W..." Quickly tapping as fast as he could, tensely gritting his teeth. "What's going on there?! Repairman-?!"

  Knock knock knock. Aggressive pounding.

  "H-Hey! Hacker, you good in there? I thought I heard you fall in there...!"

  "U-Uhm- the hacker h-has his- headphones on, he doesn't want t-to be disturbed-!"

  The... the android.

  Dot blinks for a moment as he hears the android's voice- quickly bringing his focus to the call.

  "S-Shut up! I KNOW I heard a thud in there- I want to hear it from him! I know he can hear us through those things, open up!"

  Dot- Dot squints his eyes, listening to this closely. "...?!" Multiple holographic screens popping up on instinct as he types away. Something was happening- or- something DID happen, and he's- listening to all of it. Quickly scrambling to- do something, as the voices transmit through his cybernetics.

  Every voice sample he could get of the android and- subsequent responses, needing to get all of it as best as he could. A long, long pause giving him ample time to adjust and calibrate all of his settings.

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  "God damn it- I'm kicking this door down! Repairman!"

  A loud kick- a loud kick of the door... blatantly loud and sudden.

  Dot squints his eyes at this... so the door was locked... where does that leave the android? Counting the seconds after the door kick: one- two- three... four...

  "W... What in the hell?! Repairman-!"

  Suddenly, a loud- cracking static echoes out. Ear-piercing, ringing, completely sounding out and overwhelming Dot's ears. Transmitting an agonizingly loud and painful crackling.

  Almost as if the call itself was interrupted and the laptop itself was-

  "G-Gah! WHAT THE F-?! T-THE ANDROID'S GOING NUTS-! E-EVERYONE-!"

  Then- a thud, and two gunshots.

  "W... What- what's going on-?!" Dot shouts loudly, completely clueless. "Repairman- can you hear me?! Answer me, what- what the hell's going on there?! Repairman?! Dude, come on- Repairman-!"

  ...

  The call immediately dropped.

  Dot stares at the screen with the call on it, staring to see that the Repairman has hung up. Either voluntarily, or- or his computer itself crashed, for whatever reason.

  He slumps back into his chair... continuing to sit in the dark, somewhat lit room in... utter shock. His breath frantic and heavy- hand gripping the arm rest tightly, entire body trembling and shaking in his chair.

  "... oh, god..." the figure- slowly, ever so slowly speaks out, the sound ringing in his ears as he stares forward. As he tensely- tensely leans forward, registering what he's just heard.

  What was that?!

  What exactly happened there?!

  Dot stares for the... longest... while, his attention fully and completely on- all of that. He can only guess the worst of what had happened, but...

  "Ghhk... TCH!" the figure loudly noises, letting out a cough through closed teeth as he spins immediately away from the desk. A screen hovering right over his face- multiple of them, even, with several holographic projectors starting to emit more screens before him. A large image right in front of him, with several popup boxes and loading screens scattered about.

  Frantically, there were several things on Dot's mind, and he NEEDED to organize his thoughts on what could have happened. What did the Repairman say just a few moments ago?!

  Okay. First off... Ashford. Claimed she was Kuroiwa.

  Girl knows enough about the name, Kuroiwa, a-and she works for Charon... there's credibility to her name. One of the popups on his holographic display was scavenging the archived news articles about Ashford, and he's running that in the background while- juggling everything else he could know.

  Second- android. There's an android. The android in question that the Repairman is examining.

  That means there has to be something, either- the news, the newly discovered Underworld, maybe any sort of network... anything about some- defective android? The smallest bit of information about it is enough to piece two and two together?

  Swiftly, ever so swiftly, the figure spins around once again, facing one screen in particular. A screen currently projecting a loading bar, with several files sprawling about.

  Keeping all that in mind, Dot- also kept in mind the feasibility of area and location. The Repairman is in Illinois, there has to be some bit of information about it or the neighboring states, anything that'll give him a lead on all the-

  "HE WAS NOT A SUICIDE, YOU ABSOLUTE BUFFOON!"

  ...

  Dot...

  Dot hears this and slowly turns his head to that popup, his eyes widening.

  Radio logs... transmission logs... something flagged with the keyword, "Ashford".

  A broadcast from Target News Ohio, a TV station that also broadcasts to old-fashioned radios- two states away from Illinois. The broadcast happened- a few hours away, which would make sense if...

  It's... it's a phone in call. Someone dialed the number to- ... to the news anchorman?

  "THAT'S RIGHT. ANDERSON. YOU'RE GOING TO BE ANOTHER STATISTIC TO ADD TO THE PILE. ALONG WITH GARDNER."

  Gardner?

  ... Gardner?!

  "... w... what the fuck...?" Dot repeats to himself, putting- two and two together. "H... Hold on a moment... G-Gardner?!"

  He quickly, most importantly turns back to his desk again- reaching for the file atop it, holding it in his hands and examining it closely...

  ... Terrence Gardner.

  "..."

  Dot's eyes widen as he stares at these files, as the world around him just... fades for a moment.

  The room around him turning pitch black, every screen having some sort of figurative pin on them. Red wires tracing all around him, going from one screen to another, his eyes witnessing all of this as... as...

  ... as the dots connect together.

  Dot starts to turn his chair all around, eyes focusing on a few popups at a time.

  Firstly, to the android search. Quickly, Dot forces the job search narrow, bringing its results down to a smaller pool under the following criteria: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, jobs posted and accepted within one week from today.

  Many jobs are listed, none of them list android, but... a delivery job catches his attention.

  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... to Omaha, Nebraska.

  Client unknown... product unknown... seller unknown. The trail makes sense, though- Illinois and Ohio are on the way between these two states and cities.

  Then, turning to the Ashford search, the one that picked up the radio broadcast- Charles Ashford... photographs of him with his sole heir, a... a little girl, a black haired girl with red eyes.

  But- curiously... Dot brings his attention more to Charles Ashford, and his death. Date of death being...

  ... over... over nine years ago.

  "Ehh, the boss said something about this being the Ashford brat or something. Had some kind of job with her years ago, but- not much else."

  ...

  "... they're... one and the same..." Dot mutters to himself.

  The Repairman and all of those mercenaries are in the same building as Kuroiwa, the Stalker... the one that's followed Gardner, the one that's picked up a job to deliver an unknown package - an android - to Nebraska... the one that got pulled over and captured by them, and the one that... that...

  ... that has a matching voice sample with the android he heard and recorded. The vocal patterns line up with a high accuracy, albeit considerably aged...

  Every detail lines up... and... and...

  "They have been with us for some time. More recently than our most esteemed of names, but... an impressive name nonetheless. You are quite lucky to have had this mercenary at your disposal."

  "It's simply because this mercenary has no documentation on taking any assassination jobs. Completely non-lethal work... but, for some of the jobs they do take? They might as well have."

  "This goes without saying, but... I believe the binder you have in your hand is enough of a testament to their skills, their capabilities as a master of stealth and infiltration."

  "The Underworld may keep confidential its mercenaries and their faces, but... this one is one of the only few that not even us messengers know about."

  "Their personal phone. This mercenary in particular possess a flip phone that has access to an encrypted channel. Untraceable for their safety, used to take pictures and videos as necessary- as well as other features, actually."

  "Sir... I swear to you... everything I have told you so far about this mercenary... is the full, honest to God truth."

  ...

  A calm... sigh... echoes out as the figure turns slowly back to his desk, scooting his chair forward. His entire body tense from this information, as this all dawns on him and he- and he recovers...

  ... typing quickly to the elves that he had to go... and... logging out of his fantasy game, as he... as he quickly gets to work.

  Metal hand continuing to tap away at his arm rest, with his other hand swiping along screens. Tracing his fingers in several patterns, with screens floating right in front of his hand and floating away once done. An overwhelming surge echoing out in this moment as he stares forward, as the light- the color in his eyes turn to black.

  "Client: Unknown.

  Target: Chouko Ashford

  Last Known Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.

  Deadline: N/A.

  This is a message to all of the Underworld, its mercenaries and informants. At the time of writing this, a group of your fellow men are in danger. I possess recordings that indicate Ashford is alive and well, and may very well be killing an office of mercenaries for personal gain.

  The office coordinates are included. Confirmation of two people's deaths are present in recordings. All sources have cut off before I could ascertain the fates of these men.

  This is a bounty to take her in alive or dead. Kill her if you have to. Reward will be given to the first mercenary to arrange contact with a messenger to relay the following items:

  - A DNA sample of the body. Hair, blood, saliva- any of this.

  - A photograph of the body, with location and time of death included.

  - A moniker to arrange payment, so that you can be financially compensated.

  Time is of the essence. She must be stopped before anyone else is to die.

  Pay: 50 million dollars.

  "..."

  Not enough... it's not enough to promise 50 million, Dot thought...

  Dot glares violently at this job posting as he sends it away, the light in his eyes returning, glowing a bright emerald green as he stares- glares at the picture of Chouko Ashford. He can't rely on the mercenaries to just- go after Ashford on their own, for just 50 million. If Dot assumes the worst that she can kill a building of mercenaries through some- means, then it's not enough to just have some mercenaries going after her.

  No, Dot... needed to broadcast all of his findings... make this a... a country wide effort, something that will turn everyone- EVERYONE against Chouko Ashford, in order to make sure the job is done.

  ... and... with a hollow gaze, a look of blank determination plastered over his face...

  ... it begins.

  "Following a local radio broadcast of Target News Ohio, anchorman Thomas Anderson has been reported to have received over two hundred voice calls from an unidentified woman. Someone who has a special interest in his offhanded comment about the late Charles Ashford, to which--"

  "--authorities are in the midst of investigation, following the timely death of Officer Brandon Reeves. Several bizarre logs recorded by Chavez androids have been leaked, showing clips in two second intervals. The Chief of Police has declined comment, but the subsequent law suit regarding Chavez drivers having their visual data recorded is--"

  "--an unfortunate loss, today. America has lost a young Reese Anderson today. Age 21, found shot in Indianapolis alongside dozens of unidentified men. Many of which authorities have noted are in various criminal databases across the entire country, one of which has been on the FBI's Most Wanted list for years now. Young Reese had run away from home many years ago, and--"

  "--and I was like, woooooooooooo-oah~! ... wooooooooooooo-oah~!

  I'm gonna SHOVE myself, right into your car, and then I'll eat your chocolate bar~!

  ... it's all that I want, it's all that I need, ready yourself, I'm doing the deed,

  and when it's all done, when it's all done, I'm gonna go! And then--"

  "--a witness has identified a black, armored Mercedes-Benz leaving the office's garage around the time of the incident. The building's 2nd floor windows shattered beyond belief, with an unusual trace of burn marks and such. The witness claims that a man leaped through the air with cybernetic legs, crashing through- only for gunshots to echo out alongside screaming voices. A bizarre sight to say the list, to which this news reporter thinks is--"

  "--preposterous, I say!" "Really? Why do you say so?" "I should NOT be sued over my literal OFFICE BUILDING somehow having its (BLEEP)ing 2nd floor collapsed! Whatever happened there is-" "It's your office, and several dozen men have been found dead and murdered there, don't you hold any accountability for-" "NO! Whatever those men were doing in there is--!"

  "--brought to you, by Jelly. A free service designed for YOUR android shopping needs. Buying an android doesn't need to be a luxury. With Jelly, you're guaranteed to contact the best sellers for affordable prices, whether you need protection from serial killers and--"

  "--all news sources received massive tips and such, flooding America with a bizarre piece from Indianapolis. The origins are unknown, and not even the country's top technicians can pinpoint how a remote signal could have scrambled all news to cover this one topic. Many suspect that the U.S. Federal Government may have had a part in this, but it is purely speculation until further notice. For now, though, this is Channel 5 News, and--"

  "--work it, baby, work it! Work it, yeah! Your glutes are looking FANTASTIC, ladies, keep it up! One, two, one, two, one--"

  "--one young child all those years ago... possibly coming out of hiding after a little under a decade has passed. Former British heir to the now defunct Ashford Corporation and its subsidiaries, a young Chouko Ashford is now rumored to have been spotted in Indianapolis. That poor, poor girl, suffering the loss of her father at such a young age- and if the rumors are true, she's turned to a life of--"

  "--crime? Murder...? I... I don't even know what- could have... started all this. When I saw her that day, she- she seemed fine, but--"

  "--authorities across the nation are encouraging the arrest of--"

  "--a--fo---"

  "--aaaaaaaa--"

  "---dd--af--fq-vbrbb--"

  "-f-fj--jtn--mf-ij-asjf-anwn-f-a-ff---"

  "-------------fsafbbfffzzzzz--------shhh---fs----"

  "-------koto... please, wake up now... it's time to wake up, sweetheart..."

  .............