Tonight's agenda was the final part of their deal with Kang Tao-handing over James Norris's cyberware.
In the car, Cheson asked curiously, "Buddy, what's that bump on your head? Get hurt?"
Lier remained perfectly composed. "Nothing. Bumped it myself-tell me about the situation with Kang Tao."
"I don't know exactly who's handling the meeting on their end, but he's pretty high up. You know how it is. Eastern corporations don't really like showing their faces in this kind of thing."
"High up? How high would you say?"
"Supposedly... equivalent to the deputy head of Arasaka's Night City operations department. Anyway, he's a big deal."
Cheson took a pack of cigarettes out of his bag after that, but none of the three smoked.
"Good for you... healthier that way." Cheson put the pack away and continued, "Here's the thing. Kang Tao says they don't want to get involved in this stuff, but the wind's suddenly shifted lately.
"They've let slip that they want to back a fixer in Night City-but he needs real muscle. He needs heavy hitters like you guys working for him."
That was flattering to hear. Jackie and V looked pleased.
Lier merely glanced at the two idiots, then said, "You want to be that fixer?"
"Uh... having a backer like that would be great, of course, but that depends on what you guys think, doesn't it?"
"Not interested." Lier shook his head.
Cheson's expression froze, but he quickly recovered. "All right..."
Lier added, "You've given me too little information. Are you saying you're going to give up the arms business to become a fixer? Do I look like an idiot?"
Cheson smiled awkwardly and immediately came clean. "Uh... okay, that's on me. I'm not actually asking for myself. I'm just helping sound you out.
"It's a buddy