The two women were waiting in one of the busy streets of the Industrial District, Siyeon insisted to take her car to get where they needed to be. While the traffic light was taking its time to turn to green, the bounty-hunter was growing impatient and somewhat uncomfortable. Every time she looked in the corporate’s direction, the other looked back at her with her piercing eyes and all-knowing attitude that made her look both irritating and very attractive.

“Is there something you want to ask?” Siyeon said in a playful tone, already knowing the answer.

“There are tons of things I want to ask”, the bounty hunter replied in a reproaching manner which got a small chuckle out of her employer.

“Fine, since you so gratefully accepted to help me I will grant you three questions that I will answer honestly.”

“Who is that girl we’re trying to save?”

“She’s a girl from the poorest districts who was raised by her parents without any cyberware or implants and then sold for the highest price without a single remorse. I met her when I was paying a visit to the Wang villa, I liked her so I bought her, and then they took her back. I can’t let that happen.”

The solo obviously wanted to know more than that, but she didn’t feel like it was a good idea to take too much advantage of the chance she was given, so instead she moved on to another topic.

“Why did the Wangs decide to end you?”

“I can’t say for sure… But they probably caught me while I was digging for sensitive intel and took that as a betrayal, which, to be fair, it was.”

“Where are we going now?”

“We are meeting with Han Dong in one of the Han’s factories. She is the one who can get us that army we need.”

SuA’s eyes widened. The Hans were another well-known mafia who were fighting for the control of the Chinese district. Until recently they were considered small fry, but everything changed when the head of the family mysteriously died leaving his younger sister, Han Dong, in charge. Since then the family had only grown until they became the Wang’s most powerful rivals. Asking for their help definitely sounded like a good idea, but the Han leader had the reputation to be ruthless and rarely made compromises despite her young age of 20 years old and relative inexperience. SuA could already picture so many scenarios in which it could go wrong, but Siyeon didn’t give her the time to think about that.

“My turn now.”

“What? You didn’t say anything about you getting to ask questions.”

“I’m a business woman darling, I don’t give without taking.” The solo opened to say something, but Siyeon cut her and asked her question without giving a damn. “Why do you hate corporates so much?”

SuA wanted to stay quiet and not give her what she wanted but the question already triggered her. Since she wanted to know, she was going to know.

“Because you guys are a bunch of cowards who set the rules from your tall glass-buildings and make decisions that can ruin so many people’s lives without giving a . I know that in this City it’s ‘kill or be killed’ but you don’t even do that, you ask others to do the dirty work and have the audacity to think you’re superior for that.”

“That sounds like what gang leaders do as well.”

“Gang leaders are the product of your actions, they learnt to adapt but they also know how to take matters into their own hands instead of waiting in their offices.”

“Why did you keep your promise then? You could have easily betrayed me yesterday.”

 “I gave my word.”

“Words mean nothing in this world.”

“Maybe in yours they don’t, but I always keep my promises, for better or worse.”

“A gun for hire with a moral code and a sense of justice. You are a very interesting person SuA.”

“Whatever, what’s your last question?”

“I’ll keep it for later.”

“Wait, you can do that? I would have done that too if I had known!”

Siyeon laughed lightly at SuA’s disappointed face. “All right, I’ll let you renegotiate later, since this is so unfair to you.”

The car stopped, they were near the meeting place with Han Dong. SuA stepped out first and waited for Siyeon on the sidewalk. The corporate got out of the car and asked the auto pilot to find a way to park that wasn’t too far away. She saw SuA waiting for her and, instinctively, her eyes went up and down to check the bounty hunter out.

Outside of the fact that she was very good looking, Siyeon noticed that her looks really reflected her bold personality. The bounty hunter wasn’t even trying to hide who she was. Unlike other solos, she didn’t hide what type of cyberware and weapon she had.  Her sleeveless top made her two cyber arms visible. Although she did cover them with fake skin, the joints where the different parts separated were still clearly visible. The shining cracks on her temple and across her face right above the nose also indicated that her skull was protected by cybertech. Her only visible weapons where two heavy guns that she was wearing in two shoulder holsters covering her flanks.

SuA felt Siyeon’s stare on her and intervened before the other could see how shy it made her feel.

“What are you looking at?”

Siyeon’s eyes went up to look into the auburn woman’s deep brown eyes.

“If I didn’t know the extent of your skills, I’d say you look like an easy prey.”

“Those were the last thoughts of many dumb people who tried to kill me. Now come on, we need to get going.”

They arrived in one of the warehouses owned by the Han family. The entry was well guarded and they were immediately asked to give their weapons, those who could be separated from the body that was, cyber-weapons and enhancements couldn’t be dealt with until they were already drawn out and placed against your throat, but still this reduced their fire power by a lot. Once they were in, they were welcomed by a tall woman with purple hair and silver shining irises. She looked at Siyeon first and bowed her head politely, then glanced at SuA and seemed to recognise her, but stayed professional.

“Miss Lee, you are expected in the supervisor’s room, please follow me.”

They were led through rows of containers which were being verified and classified. No one was paying extra attention to them, everyone was focused on their tasks. SuA was used to this kind of settings, but part of her mind always wondered what was in these huge metal boxes. Of course it was nothing that couldn’t be found with logic. Most of the time there were illegal weapons and cyberwares, drugs, biowears, organs, people… In the case of the Han family, it was weapons. Their guide knocked on a door and waited for a feminine voice to answer.

“Let them in.”

She opened the door and invited Siyeon and SuA to come in. She entered last and closed the door behind her. Inside, they were met by a very sophisticated woman. She had bright red hair and clear blue eyes which seemed to look down on everyone she met. One of her hands was supporting her chin while the other rested nonchalantly on her desk. She recognised Siyeon and her face lit up with an enigmatic smile.

“Miss Lee, I’m glad to see you made it alive, and with such good company. Nice to meet you, hunter SuA. I believe you are already acquainted with my bodyguard.”

SuA bowed her head. “It is an honour to meet the head of the Han family in person. I have indeed worked with JiU on several occasions, I see you surround yourself with the best.”

“Skilled and polite. Something you have in common with your employer.” She averted her gaze back to Siyeon. “What can I do for you?”

“I have come with a proposition.”

“On what ground? Your company has been taken over, you’re being hunted by half the hunters of the black market, your only ally isn’t in a better position. If I listened to my reason right now, the best choice would be to collect the bounty on your heads and be done with it.”

It was the first time SuA was meeting Han Dong but those 10 seconds were enough to know she was even fiercer than the rumours had made her to be. And to think that the woman sitting in front of them was only twenty, her confidence and quick-thinking were already terrifying. The solo clutched her fist, ready to let out the blade hidden in her right arm. JiU who was standing next to Han Dong reacted immediately placing her hand on the handle of her heavy pistol. Only Siyeon was staying calm, her eyes piercing straight into Han Dong’s.

“But that would be playing right into the Wangs’ game. I don’t think that’s what you want.” The other didn’t answer, letting her finish her argument. “The loss of Insomnia was a tough blow, but I never depended exclusively on it. Most of my assets are still accessible, hidden in exclusive servers that only I have access to, including what I promised.”

The Han leader brought her two hands in front of her and rested her chin on them, staring with more interest than before. “Go on.”

“Wang ZhangWei thinks I’m done, he probably believes that no one can oppose him now, but we both know that’s not true. I can give you the intel you need to bring him down.”

“And in exchange?”

“I want her.” Siyeon showed the picture of the girl being auctioned. Han Dong laughed.

“All those risks taken just to get your hands back on this poor girl, is she that much fun to play with?”

“I suggest you stop your insinuations now.”

“Or what? I still have the advantage. It would be a shame to fall to your own death now just for the sake of one luxury good.”

“She is a human being, not a product.”

Siyeon’s eyes were flashing red, something SuA had never seen them do despite the fact that she had seen her in situations of extreme danger quite often. In fact, it was probably the first time she saw the former CEO lose her cool like that, and it was a pretty scary situation to be in.

Han Dong didn’t seem as impressed as the others in the room. She waited for Siyeon to calm down and once her eyes went back to their usual dark colour, she directed her gaze toward the former CEO’s left arm. If it were not for the shining cracks on the skin, it would be almost impossible for someone to notice it was a cyber-arm. The Chinese woman had heard many rumours about the Wolf that she knew were false, but among them there was one that was starting to look plausible, especially given the corporate’s reaction.

“So it’s true then, that a wolf stuck in a jaw-trap will gnaw at its own leg to escape.”

SuA and JiU had no idea what the Han leader was talking about, but Siyeon seemed to understand.

“Wild animals do what they need to survive.”

Han Dong closed her eyes to evaluate the situation. Despite the whole staging, she had never planned to betray Siyeon because she knew the other woman was very resourceful, and therefore was better left alive and on her side. However, she still had to act according to her rank and this implied to mark her position in the most threatening way possible.

“If you can prove me that you have the intel, I will let you have the girl.”

Siyeon handed over a chip which only contained part of the data. The mafia boss analysed it and gave the chip to JiU.

“The rest of it will be given to you once we have decided on a plan of action. I want to be sure you act as quickly and efficiently as you said you would”, Siyeon explained.

“JiU, can you accompany our guest’s bodyguard outside and wait with her? We have some things to discuss in private.”

The bodyguard moved towards the door, SuA exchanged a glance with Siyeon who nodded indicating that she was fine on her own, as always. She followed JiU and waited outside.

“The Corporates Bane teaming up with the Wolf of finance, and here I thought I had seen everything.”

“Nice to see you too Minji.”

“Nice to see you alive Bora.” Her former partner gave her a wide genuine smile. “So what was that all about?”

“I have no idea. She told me she was going solo, then she went back to ask my help and I guess I got curious.”

“It is strange to see the most self-centred corporate of the City risking everything for one girl she bought on a whim.” She looked at Bora with a mischievous spark in her eyes. “Kinda makes you want to dig a little deeper.”

There it was, the smirk that led them into so many troubles when they were starting out as bounty-hunters. Any attempt to look at Siyeon’s past while working for her could be, and most probably would be, interpreted as treachery, she knew that. But damn Minji’s smile was so convincing. The hunter touched her temple.

“Yoohyeon?”

“SuA, is that you? Why are you calling me on private?”

“I have a side mission for you, the Wolf can’t know about it.”

“I don’t know girl, that sounds super risky.”

“Do I need to remind you the time when you went MIA on a mission with me because you were winning in one of your stupid games? Because that was risky too.”

“Ok fine, but this was three years ago you really need to move on.”

SuA explained what she wanted to know and went back to Minji who was looking at her with a cocky smile.

“You’re such a good girl, you always listen so well to what I say.”

“Oh shut up.” She hit the other in the arm as her cheeks went red. She hated when Minji reminded her of their shared past like that.

It was the moment Siyeon chose to exit the room, she stared at SuA and for a few seconds the solo wondered if she had heard that last exchange. The truth was, she had and she was weirdly irritated by the fact that the two could be in a relationship. The corporate broke the silence before it could become even more awkward.

“We’re done here, let’s go.”

The drive back was even more quiet and uncomfortable than the first time. SuA could sense that something was wrong with the corporate, but she wasn’t sure what caused this.

“Where are we going now?”

“To Dami’s place to get your bike.”

“And after that?”

“Han Dong planned her attack on the Wangs one day before the auction, until then you’re free to do whatever you want.”

“You hired me to protect you, I would do a pretty bad job if I did what you just said.”

Siyeon smirked. “Look who’s taking her mission seriously. I thought you would be happy to not have to care about me for two weeks.”

The car had stopped at a red light again. Instinctively, SuA looked at the windows on the left and right, just to check. That’s when she saw a man with a dragon tattoo on his neck reaching for something inside his jacket.

“Take cover!”

She forced Siyeon to bow down and crossed her arms in front of her which activated her magnetic field to stop the bullets. Luckily, they were pretty cheap standard ones so they didn’t go through the field. When the first round was over, the hunter switched places with the corporate and kicked the car door which crashed against the attacker. Yes, she had enhanced legs too. She walked toward the poor man lying on the floor, took a gun from one of her holsters and shot him before he could do anything. She turned to look back at the car where Siyeon was still sitting.

The corporate stepped out. Her eyes met SuA’s, just in time to see another attacker behind her. She pushed the hunter to the side and placed herself in front of the bullet with her cyber-arm first. Without her enhanced eyes, she would have never been able to guess the trajectory of the bullet, but she did and it went right into the cybernetics of her left arm. SuA immediately shot back at the shooter who ran away when he realised he had missed his shot and had no way of winning against the bounty-hunter. 

“Are you ok?”

The hunter looked at Siyeon who was holding her arm, all her features were tensed, her jaw was clenched and you could tell she was focusing not to show too much pain.

“It was an anti-borg bullet. My entire arm is short-circuited.”

SuA looked around, she knew where they were, luckily they had almost reached Yubin’s hideout which meant they were in her territory. The shooters had nerves to attack them here, she was a pretty well established hunter in those parts, a lot of people counted on her and therefore were ready to protect and help her.

“We need to move and fix this arm. Follow me.”

She grabbed Siyeon’s safe arm and rushed into the busy streets.