012: The Background of Safe Harbor Corporation
[Mission: Rebellion (Completed)]
[Reward: Bounty (Variable)]
John received his payment while driving back to Barrel Street.
Aiden was a wealthy man.
The sum he received surpassed all his earnings combined over the past period.
The Harbor Haven Company’s storefront was modest, but the combat skills and prosthetic firearms of its entire staff were costly.
John was also considering taking on jobs through Harbor Haven—though not just yet.
Aiden needed to settle matters concerning his sister, so this was a good opportunity for John to improve his own strength.
[Shop – Black Engine Restaurant]
The Silver Knight parked in the lot behind the restaurant.
There were surveillance cameras, and familiar faces from the restaurant filled the surroundings.
The doorbell jingled.
Gnaeus was personally clearing tables.
A few scattered customers were having breakfast.
Black Engine offered crispy biscuits and spaghetti with meat sauce; the coffee was machine-ground, lacking any distinct flavor or quality.
John sighed with relief as he sat down.
He hadn’t slept a wink in over a day.
“Just bring me anything; I’m starving. All I want now is to fill my stomach and sleep for a full day and night.”
“Hey, you’re not missing any limbs,” Gnaeus joked, nodding towards the LCD screen above the bar, which was showing the morning news.
The hovering car footage showed fierce gunfire erupting in front of Harbor Haven Company.
The constantly switching scenes even caught glimpses of the Silver Knight drifting on an overpass.
Gnaeus raised his chin at him.
“How did you end up mixed up with Aiden Weitz?”
“Damn it, are you all online every day? I just barely escaped death’s door and it feels like the whole world knows about it.”
“Who told you to make the news two days in a row? It’s thrilling—Markdos Gang’s hottest rock star was kidnapped. Half of Eden City’s middlemen were offering a bounty for a Silver Knight 577 last night, and you parked his car right outside my place.”
“Is Mato really that famous?”
“Yeah, rock star with deep gang ties. He even changed his original surname. The Markdos Gang wants to go legit and is using a star to boost their status. Interesting, right?”
“Secretly taking out rivals?”
“Who knows? But you tied up their cash cow. That’s some serious nerve.”
John set down his fork, losing his appetite.
He suddenly realized and said,
“Should I leave now? Drive away so the street thugs don’t cause you trouble. I’ve got money now; I can find a place to stay.”
“Ha ha ha!” Gnaeus laughed, shaking his head. “Barrel Street can handle you, and besides, you’re safe now.”
“Will Markdos let me off?”
“It’s Aiden Weitz. He publicly took responsibility for everything at Nocturne Bar last night. You’re just a nameless hired hand.”
“Aren’t they afraid of the gang?”
“The gangs should be afraid of him.”
Gnaeus crossed his arms.
“Didn’t you check out his background before taking the job?”
John shook his head.
Gnaeus was speechless for a moment before explaining Aiden’s background.
He was one of the first retired officers after the Eden City independence campaign, had worked as a mercenary in the north in his earlier years. The rest of his info was sealed, and even intermediaries who could access it wouldn’t dare spread it around.
Gnaeus then talked about Eden City’s current state.
Law and order were maintained by the police. Anyone caught committing crimes on camera or exposed afterward would be wanted and recorded, with follow-up arrests arranged.
But they lacked funds, equipment, and personnel.
Every officer risked their life daily, doing thankless and dangerous work.
Corruption and violent law enforcement were common.
Such agencies could handle fights and street racing, but had to turn a blind eye to the flood of crimes.
When facing cyberpsycho cases with overloaded prosthetics, advanced weaponry, and fried chips, the best they could do was retreat and evacuate civilians.
That’s when the Special Operations Unit came in.
They were Eden City’s fiercest combat force, tasked with one mission—eliminate cyberpsychos!
Only madmen could fight madmen.
The Special Ops Unit carried weapons brimming with destructive power, had the finest prosthetics, and even experimental high-tech gear.
If street violence escalated beyond the police’s capacity…
The Special Ops Unit would descend from transport ships, using raw force to suppress all targets.
“These guys are the true bottom line maintaining order in Eden City.”
“I’ve only seen them in cordons and on the news—heavy armor, big guns, uniformed. But Eden City’s police stations have been taken over by corporations. Who manages the Special Ops Unit?”
“Manage? No, buddy, they’re independent.”
“No way. Where does all that good gear come from? Companies and capital control everything; there must be financial backing.”
“The Special Ops Unit is an autonomous division. Every company and enterprise in Eden City pays protection fees—like taxes. And the greedy capitalists are happy to use these soldiers to get first-hand product data.”
“A two-way cooperation, I see. But all companies comply?”
“Heh, you’re too young. Decades ago, Eden City declared independence amid war; everything was chaos with cyberpsychos looting the streets.”
Gnaeus poured a glass of wine.
“The entire city was taken over by the Special Ops Unit. The initial order was built on blood. Even now, they’re the baseline for order. Any company that resists is rejected by Eden City!”
“What does Aiden Weitz have to do with this?”
“Harbor Haven Company collects debts for the Special Ops Unit. Some reckless companies try to dodge responsibility. Aiden deals with them—visits, eliminates unrepentant deadbeats, then seizes products and real estate to cover the bills.”
“I see…”
John frowned as he sat at the bar.
No wonder Aiden’s team had military-grade equipment—there was a massive backing behind them.
“They even invited me to work for them.”
“Not bad. Harbor Haven rarely hires, especially since you don’t seem to have any military background.”
“My mind’s a mess, huh…”
John rubbed his head, trying to think positively—at least he got a free ride and wouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath of the kidnapping.
He showered at the restaurant and lay in the staff lounge, lost in thought.
Aiden’s mysterious backing was something John had stumbled into, all starting from a job the Black Spider found in the junkyard.
But John was certain that following the leads would bring excellent rewards.
He needed to survive and support himself.
Things were looking up now. Many avenues for work had opened—he could go to Barrel Street’s middlemen, the Damascus Camp, or apply at Harbor Haven once Aiden finished his affairs.
John lay in bed, his mind wandering.
His cyberpsycho condition was becoming more mysterious.
Could it be some kind of special virus?
What about the blueprints and technological modifications?
Where was the limit of the blacklight’s lethality?
…
It all began with Ironbound Logistics.
He even had a main mission in his mind.
[Main Mission: Truth Behind the Accident]
[Description: Uncover the inside story of the last job, understand what happened.]
[Reward: Prosthetic Limb (Model T17)]
Everything required time to explore.
John resolved that once he was stable, he would start investigating the truth behind the last accident.