"Can he be saved?" he asked PAYTON. "If he must be, time is of the essence" advised PAYTON. As with Kirkland, Benjamin wondered about the risk of saving the man before him without knowing if the weapon had been effective in aborting the system. "Him? He's already dead" lied Benjamin. "No! You're wrong." Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "What makes you so sure?" he started, kicking the body around. "You asshole. Stop!" Benjamin stomped on the man's wrist before eyeing Linda. "You don't seem to understand, Ms Linda. You're not in any position to make demands" relayed Benjamin. "His life is in danger. Any second fro m now--" she murmured. "Before we take this any further" started Benjamin. "The card. Explain." "I will. After ---" "There is no after. There is only a yes, or a no." Linda took a heavy breath. "And what happens of you don't fulfill your end of the deal?" "I suppose that would be your luck, for being on the losing position. Now, are we doing this or not?" hurried Be
"And there is the second method. [Mimic]" said PAYTON."That allows me to copy any skill?" asked Benjamin."Precisely. In this case, the host, you, might search for a genuine tutorial on how to perform a perfect rescuttation and adapt immediately." Benjamin chuckled at the notion. "Master?" asked PAYTON. "It's nothing. Do it. Activate [Mimic]" [Notification: Mimic Activated] Benjamin pulled out his phone. "What are you doing?!" snapped Linda. Bradley looked over Benjamin too. "Who are you calling? We don't need any more witnesses!" he barked. "Why don't you both take a bite size chill pill?" Benjamin muttered as he scrolled over to Poutube. A search on emergency CPR brought thousands of results, and he clicked on the one with over 40 million views. Unfortunately, he had to wait for a minute long ad first. "We had a deal! He's dying" cried Linda again. "It'll just be a minute" said Benjamin without looking up. In a minute, Benjamin could see the instructor performing the bas
"I think we've wasted enough time. So, the rest of the answers, if you please." Linda bit her lips and made to help the pilot off the sands. She threw her arm under one of his as support. "The card was connected to his System" she started. "We knew that already" replied Benjamin impatiently. "The question is how?" "There's a skill called [Here's My Card]. It grants System Abilities to any designated Star Alliance card" explained Linda. That sounds awfully close to something PAYTON had said earlier, thought Benjamin. An Avatar skill for the Vice President of the Ivy Leagues, Michael. "PAYTON?" asked Benjamin. "[Here's My Card] is indeed one of the System's skills" answered PAYTON. "Not classified this time, I see" replied Benjamin. "The skill name has already been stated by another party. Therefore, I can confirm it to you, Master Benjamin. Otherwise, it would have remained classified." "A skill that I should have found out the name on my own, eh?" asked Benjamin, fascinated.
Benjamin tried to stay calm while looking for the supposed billion-dollar weapon.He activated [Practical Intelligence ] to calculate the possible trajectories and locations of where the ballpoint pen might be. They used Bradley's flashlight to check the water at the shallow shore; Benjamin combing through quietly and meticulously."There's nothing here" repeated Bradley over and over. They had combed and combed and gone so far off radius, that it was ridiculous for anything other than starfish to be present. It wasn't there.Does that pilot still have it in his person? thought Benjamin. No. Thomas wouldn't handle a body search so lightly, especially when it came to the System killer. It was still out there somehow."Now, can we go?" pleaded Bradley. \Benjamin pulled out his phone. "PAYTON. Activate [Mimic]"[Mimic Active. Copy Skill: ]Benjamin navigated to a fitness YouTube page and clicked under the Swimming category. There were two basics he had begun watching.Bradley, curious,
"You too Bradley" Benjamin pointed to Captain Bradley, who walked over to find himself on the third seat. Benjamin poured himself a drink from the empty wine bottle.He took a sip, smacked his lips, and spoke after setting the glass down: "I suppose you want an explanation, for all this" he said to none of them in particular.None of them replied for a few seconds, and he added: "Or maybe it's just as well to let you Bradley. Dismiss your men, you all return to the precinct, and by tomorrow, this will all be the remnants of some nightmare hangover you haven't had in years."Bradley was the first to speak."It's already too late for that" he replied anxiously.""I don't think so. What makes you say that?""You can't just leave me hanging!" he cried. "I followed you, willingly, I might add, throughout a car chase, a shootout, and the rest of that mumbo jumbo that was going on.""So you deserve a reward, is what you're saying?" Benjamin studied him."Fuck yeah, I do. I risked my life.""
"Hey. I tried my best!""The point is, as long as you're walking about this city, we're bound to get more 'accidents' like this one from the persons that want you in jail, or worse.And that means my men are going to have to continuously deal with that. Putting them in this kind of danger!" Bradley pointed to his men; all facing forward without so much as a bit of light in their eyes."What then, do you propose?" asked Benjamin."I don't know" Bradley started. "But you're going to have to do a whole lot better than 'calling it a night.'"Or, how about this? Mr. Making Demands. I leave here. You won't stop me. You can't stop me. And you never hear back from me again." warned Benjamin.A bead of sweat rolled over Bradley's face. "Don't you want to get them before they get you? The threat is serious" he tried, looking for another angle."And you're going to help with that?" scoffed Benjamin. "How? Calling the Coast Guard? Or your merry band of officers? You saw Linda. How do you intend t
Amber turned to Benjamin. "Just a few night calls here and there. In my office, of course. You can set a schedule with your people. Nothing too difficult." answered Benjamin. Bradley sat back in his chair, an uncomfortable expression on his face when looking at the grinning Benjamin and the reserved Amber. "Mr. Bradley?" Amber pulled him back to reality. "Well? We don't have all night." "I'll have to go over some finer details. Honestly, it still feels like I'm getting raw-fucked here. And I don't like the look of his face" he started, pointing to Benjamin. "But?" "It seems like an arrangement can be made here." Answred Bradley formally. "Of course. Money is the great lubricant, as they say, you know. It shows appreciation" snickered Benjamin. Amber reached into her handbag. "That sounds great, Mr. Bradley. Let's draw up a contract as soon possible." "Wait. What?! You mean today?!" protested Bradley. Amber produced a white sheet from her black handbag, and spread it over th
"So, where do we go from here?" Benjamin asked Amber.After Bradley had filed out, the both of them were the only ones left in the ransacked restaurant."What do you mean? The contract. I'll have the new one drafted tomorrow. It's already getting late" she remarked, checking her watch, and not really looking at him."I wasn't talking about the contract" clarified Benjamin."Then what?"Benjamin gestured to the entire table. Their little date."All this," he said."Oh. Well, I don't just think I'm in the mood for a date anymore, Boss"He flinched. "You were calling me Benjamin up until a few hours ago. Everyone's still gone and you're calling me Boss?""Which would you prefer then" asked Amber in a sparky tone. "Black? Or something else?""Forget it, It's not about the name" retracted Benjamin.Amber rolled her eyes and began to arrange her bag."Whoa whoa. You're leaving already?""I already said it was late. Is there something else you'd like to discuss?"Benjamin extended and waved