Escort Mission 19

## 19. Escort Mission

After confirming the payment of 300,000 Eurodollars, Karl, Jack, and Oliver looked over the mission details. Because it concerned their lives, they all read it very carefully. However, the intelligence on this mission was not as rich as the reward; it could even be said to be quite simple.

"Is that all there is?"

Oliver looked at Karl, a little suspicious that Karl might have missed forwarding a section when sharing the content.

"That's all there is."

Karl looked at the few paragraphs of content, thought for a moment, and then looked at Jack.

"What do you think, Jack?"

"It's not easy."

"That's what I think too."

The content of the mission wasn't exactly difficult, but it wasn't easy either. Simply put, they were to go to a place and cooperate with a group of mercenaries sent by other Fixers, along with the employer's bodyguards, to protect a person. The time was nine o'clock the day after tomorrow, and the location was the Arasaka Waterfront Transport Port in Watson District. The requirement was to escort the target to the Azure Tower on California Avenue in Little China, Watson District, within two hours of receiving them.

The location, the reward, and what they had to do were all clear. The only thing missing was information about the target. Although mercenaries only needed to know the location, the reward, and what they had to do, this overly simple request, coupled with the indication that they would cooperate with other mercenaries and bodyguards, gave the feeling that they were being sent to their deaths.

Protect the target? If the target had bodyguards, why did they need them to protect them? The only possible reason was that they were short on manpower. And a request that treated mercenaries as manpower and offered such a generous reward...

"It's probably going to be something that will happen, so we can be cannon fodder."

"Not probably, definitely."

Oliver and Jack, who knew the nature of the Corps very well, said one sentence each, and both of them looked at Karl.

Whether to accept the request or not was the old rule: Karl would decide.

Karl thought for a moment and nodded to Oliver and Jack, deciding to accept the request.

There were several reasons.

First, this was the first formal request sent by the Fixer. He finally had the opportunity to do a mission that could make a name for himself, and it would be a pity not to do it.

Second, the reward was indeed enough money, making it worth the risk for Karl and the others.

Third...

Karl had been a bodyguard once before. He felt that he was already experienced and that it wouldn't hurt to do this mission again.

"I've accepted it. Faraday will come too. He said he would personally pick us up."

"So we risk our lives to die, and he just acts as a driver and takes the money?"

Oliver shook his head. He really couldn't muster much goodwill towards the Fixer community.

"Actually, he's not just a driver. He at least managed to get us into this mission. He's qualified to split the money if he has the ability to help us get this mission."

Karl calculated the relevant matters clearly. After all, they didn't have much of a reputation. It was a remarkable thing that Faraday, as a Fixer, could help them find a 'suicide' mission with enough money.

"But if I find out later that he concealed anything about this mission, I'll take his life."

One thing is one thing. If you have the connections and I have the strength, then we can talk about splitting the money. But if you conceal something in the cooperation, then it's not something that can be cleared up with a split.

The topic of Fixers ended there. The most important thing in accepting a mission was the mission itself.

Oliver was a little puzzled by the location of the mission: "Speaking of which, why is the mission location the Arasaka Waterfront Transport Port? Isn't that place off-limits to outsiders except for Arasaka personnel? Could it be that the target we're escorting is an Arasaka person?"

"Maybe they are." Jack thought it was okay: "We'll protect a Corpo Dog if we have to. As long as they pay enough, we can do it while holding our noses."

"No, that's not what I'm wondering about."

Oliver explained: "I told you before, I'm quite familiar with this Fixer, Faraday. Many people in the Sixth Street Gang have taken his missions. And there's always been a rumor in the Sixth Street Gang that Faraday works for Militech. But this time, our mission is to go to Arasaka's territory and escort a person who might be an Arasaka employee. Don't you find that strange?"

Who in the entire America, or even the entire world, didn't know that Arasaka and Militech didn't get along? The two companies had even fought a Fourth Corporate War in the past that affected the world and was equivalent to a world war. Now, a Fixer with a vague Militech background was helping Arasaka. It was strange no matter how you looked at it.

"It's definitely strange."

Karl said, "But we don't know much more. We'll just do the mission as it is. Those big companies' affairs don't have much to do with us, right?"

"That's true."

Oliver agreed with Karl's words: "Thinking so much is also annoying. Anyway, the affairs of big companies shouldn't involve us ordinary mercenaries. Let's just follow the mission. Speaking of which, which mercenaries from other Fixers do you think we'll meet? Will we be able to get in touch with the lines of the Fixers behind them based on them?"

"What are you planning, Oliver? Are you planning to find a few more Fixers to take on more missions?"

Jack asked, and Oliver did think so.

"The more, the better."

"More missions, more Eurodollars."

Karl said, but stood up from the sofa in the Afterlife bar and said goodbye to Mrs. Welles at the bar.

He, Jack, Oliver, and the others were going to buy some things and then go to Oliver's apartment to talk in detail.

"I know you're going to do something big. Be careful and pay attention to safety, Karl, Oliver, and you, Jack. Remember to protect them."

"I know, Mom."

Because he was older, Jack, who was being nagged by his own mother, patted his chest and said with considerable confidence, "As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to them."

"Remember to protect yourself too."

"I will, Mom. You too, take care of yourself."

After saying goodbye to Mrs. Welles, the three of them got into the Rayfield Hera parked not far from the Afterlife bar. Oliver, who habitually sat in the driver's seat, suddenly realized something after two seconds.

"Wait a minute, isn't this Karl's car? Why did I drive it here, and now I'm driving it back?"

"I don't feel like driving."

Karl tossed him the vehicle authorization device, his reason being perfectly adequate, so much so that Oliver's lips twitched before he took it.

After all, the Rayfield Hera was a great car, and Oliver was quite fond of it.

As the car engine started, Karl fell into deep thought.

A line was gradually forming in his mind.