“I told Mr. Smith not to go after to go after Mr. Anderson, but did he listen? No…”

  “What happened?”

  “Smith didn’t know than he had become a Samurai. Now, no one can find any record of Smith.”

  “But like he was always around in the mesh.”

  “Operative word, ‘was’.”

  – A pair of accountants working for Smith & Wesson Military Supply

  It had been slow the last two weeks. I spent time learning to cook other things, and starting to teach Sherry. I had just entered her into day care. But she was clearly precocious. Probably the Olympic genes I ensured she would have. I also decided to upgrade my and my PMC’s gear by purchasing a more expensive teleport system. It only cost a hundred twenty six thousand points to get the business class version. It could handle up to a six foot cube, and up to six hundred miles.

  I put a transmitter in the Falcon’s hanger, next to the Arc. This could then print fast and teleport at need. I placed receivers in my ships, the HT, and my cars. I also added them in in my PMC’s vehicles that they got from me. While I was having the repair bay handle the installs, I also installed the latest sensors and ECM. When I told them that within six hundred miles, they could get quick refills of guns, ammo, meds, and such, they didn’t believe me. Then I told them to try it on their next patrol. I showed them the order menu I added to the vehicles.

  Just as I was feeling satisfied with this upgrade for the PMC, I got a message from Sid.

  “Hello, Jane. Something’s come up, and I think it needs your touch. Can you stop by?”

  As I wasn’t doing anything, I headed on over. Sid welcomed me, and ushered me into his office in the new Grizzly Enterprises building. I was surprised he engaged the secure mode.

  “What’s up, Sid?”

  “We got into the weapon supply business with your blueprints. All was going fine, until we started noticing a spike in lossage. Normally, the amount would barely register for most companies, but we have kept our controls very tight. When we tried to reconcile things, we noticed another discrepancy. It’s like someone’s cooking the books to not only take product, but also credits.”

  “Sounds like normal corporation nastiness.”

  “I would agree, but our systems are backed by Samurai software security. Remember when you made this building, you threw in some Protector security? Well, something’s getting past it. That means Samurai. We’re out of our league.”

  “What about the lossage?”

  “You were out of town, so I contacted Soundbite. I figured he could install some sonic sensors to catch whatever was getting past your sensors. While we didn’t catch anything, we did verify that something was entering our warehouse.”

  “That smacks of Samurai tech. I take it you want me to figure out what’s going on?”

  “Not quite. Even if we knew what was going on, we couldn’t do anything about it. We’re outclassed. So I sent for a Samurai to catch a Samurai. I don’t care what you do with them, as long as you fix our problem and keep them from bothering us ever again.”

  “Is it okay if I go through your systems to look for traces? It will bare your corporate soul to me.”

  “The board is nervous about this. Knowing a Samurai is going against us for no apparent reason. Yeah, we pull some shit, but not anything anyone but another corporation would care about… Well, at least I think that’s as far as we go. Tell you what. You find anything egregious, let me know, and I’ll try to resolve it to your satisfaction.”

  “Won’t the higher ups have a problem with that?”

  “Sure they will, but far less than knowing a Samurai is after us. If we keep you happy, you’ll help us. That’s worth a lot. Letting go some shady stuff is not going to hurt us, especially if done on our own timeline.”

  “You sure?”

  He thought about it a few moments, then said, “Yeah. Not knowing is more troubling.”

  “Okay. Ysys, whatever it is, it’s getting past what I put in place. Let’s take it up a notch, and open class two of the same. But lets do it in a way that won’t let them know what’s happening.”

  Opened Class II Advanced Cyber Warfare Utilities – 1000 points, 1 token

  Mark IV Cyber Warfare Augmentation – 500 points

  New Total – 853,762 points, 10 tokens

  “Let’s go slow, Ysys, and examine the systems.”

  Sid asked, “Do you need me to unseal the room?”

  No.

  “Apparently not. Ysys is going through your stuff now.”

  Odd. I’m spotting traces, but very few. Whatever it was, it is better than class one. I don’t think it is full class two, but perhaps a knockoff? Or repurposed code? Whatever, there’s not enough to tell. Following the trails out, they are quickly lost.

  “Do you think class three could trace it?”

  Likely. With class three, I can leverage your Cyber infrastructure to massively search out traces.

  “Okay. On to class three.”

  Opened Class III Expert Cyber Warfare Utilities – 10000 points, 3 tokens

  Mark X Cyber Warfare Augmentation – 5000 points

  New Total – 838,762 points, 7 tokens

  “Can you trace it now?”

  Yes. They’ve been clever and bounced it all around the region, and passed it through multiple VPNs and encryptions. But the trail leads to Smith & Wesson Military Supply. One of the companies that came here from Rock Springs.

  I smiled. “Let’s set a trap. Upgrade security, but set it to record and back trace everything, and infiltrate their system. I want to own it completely without their knowing it.”

  Uploading… and done. You’ll get a message next time they try.

  Turning to Sid, I say, “Found them. You hear of Smith & Wesson Military Supply?”

  “Yes. They’ve been going after the supply contracts for the local PMCs. I don’t know about the others, but the ones we supply have not bailed. Our PMCs know our quality, and reliability. We’ve also stopped any number of dirty tricks. Mostly because we routinely use them, and are better at it.”

  “Ysys, did you see anything egregious?”

  Possibly. But since your own records indicate you did some of it back before you became a Vanguard, it may not rise to what you would object to.

  “Ysys found some shady things, but we’ll discuss that later after checking how shady it is. Looks like my path went through it, so maybe not too shady. I’ll let you know. Now about that warehouse. Is it just the one?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can you pull it up on a map?”

  He fiddled with his terminal a bit, then turned it towards me.

  “Ysys, can you surreptitiously infiltrate some spider crew in, to keep watch for invisible things? I want to catch them in the act. Be sure the area around the warehouse is also covered. I don’t want anyone to escape.”

  They’ll be on site, watching, within half an hour. Again, you’ll be notified when they trip.

  “Is my old email account for Grizzly still around?”

  “We have backups for everything. I’m sure we can get it activated today.”

  “Good. I’ll want to use it for when I want to confront them.”

  “Anything else?”

  “If so, I’ll let you know.”

  I went home, and spent a few minutes going over what Ysys found at Grizzly Enterprises. Some, I already knew about, and most everything I felt was standard corporation nastiness. Only a few things stood out to me, and looking further into it, I realized I didn’t like it, but felt those targeted would be expecting such. I sent Sid an email detailing that I didn’t like a few things, but felt they weren’t egregious, given what business they were actually in. He replied that he would alert the higher ups, and thanked me for not coming down on them.

  At this point, it was a game of waiting. From what Ysys found, it should be no more than a few days, since they had made sufficient moves to see a pattern. I also used my new Cyber warfare to place a monitoring shell around their offices and the people likely to be pulling this stuff. This should allow me to tell exactly who was doing what.

  In the meantime, I had my PMCs check out the new delivery system while on patrol. In addition to the new teleport sender, I added a few racks of the equipment most commonly used by the PMCs. This way they could summon more bullets and guns almost instantly, and many other things with a minor delay for printing. When sending anything in a box, I used my logo to the box. My logo was similar to the one Ysys used for me, but was a simpler design.

  The alert for the warehouse triggered first. As I had access, I went to a different door to where the intruder was. Wearing my stealth overcoat, I went in quietly, and closed the door behind me. I then used the skypath to ascend out of casual sight, and proceeded to where the spider crew said the intruder was. Focusing on Azure, I asked for something to capture and interrogate the potentially class two figure with. I was surprised with what I got.

  Reinforced Rocket Propelled Net – 30 points

  New Total – 838,752 points, 7 tokens

  I carefully got out my scattershot and loaded it. I used my cuckoo sense to be sure I wasn’t spotted, as I wanted to fire from above when the figure was least expecting it. When he dropped his guard after pilfering a weapon, I fired. Boom-Whoosh-Bang. That sounded loud. I looked to see the result. The first bit of the explosion was the shot being fired, the second softer bit was the rockets causing the net to unfurl, and the last was the net anchoring to the floor. Beneath me, I saw the net had captured someone, so I asked Ysys to turn on the lights.

  I had Azure ask for suitable medication to physically and psychically weaken him. Continuing to use my cuckoo senses, I went behind him, and said, “Explain yourself.”

  Next I sought a suitable place to inject him, and as soon as I found it, I injected him. I moved far too fast for him to try and block it. Searching until I found the pilfered weapon, I took it away from him. Fortunately, it fit through the openings in the net. I also searched for other weapons, and took them. I finished that a few seconds later.

  “What did you do to me?”

  “Just something to relax your muscles. Don’t want you getting any ideas of escaping. Explain!” The voice was too low for a woman.

  “I’m not saying anything.”

  “You are trespassing. I caught you red handed. The longer you wait, the more trouble it will be for you.”

  “Who are you?”

  “Samurai. Explain Now!”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “No. You won’t get me to talk.”

  I had Azure send me a medical scanner to see what it could. Unfortunately, it couldn’t get past his stealth. Next, I had her get me something to counter the stealth. This time, when I scanned him, I got through.

  The scanner showed no trace of the drugs I used on him, so I had Azure have Ysys send a more effective dose, based on the sensor data. When it came, I injected him again. I waited a bit for it to take effect.

  “Talk, or I’ll get creative.”

  “Okay, okay, I’ll talk! I was hired by someone by text. I’ve been working for them on and off for a few years. I have no idea who they are.”

  “What were you paid.”

  “I wasn’t paid.”

  “Explain.”

  “They have my family.”

  “Are you a Samurai?” I paid extra attention to my cuckoo senses.

  “No.” I was right. I could sense the lie.

  “What’s your Samurai name.”

  “I’m not a Samurai.”

  “I can tell you’re lying. Name.”

  He paused a bit before answering. “Silent Strike.”

  I looked him up in my social profiler, and learned his name was “Sam ‘twinkle-toes’ Rickover”. He had a rap sheet for breaking and entering, and for kidnapping.

  “So, ‘twinkle-toes’, what have you learned about your employer?”

  I felt his surprise at the name. “They said they erased that information.”

  “Right.”

  Again, through Azure, I asked Ysys to search all public communication to this guy since his family was last seen, looking for leads.

  The net remembers everything. While some information was erased from primary sources, copies remain. As to communication, I found the initial threats and replies about his family. While it was from a burn account, I was able to determine who was at the terminals used for sending the threats by using other location specific data to narrow down the list of suspects. The woman is Rita Lichtenstein, from Smith and Wesson Military Supply. Tracing her activities, I have located a number of people being kept prisoner in an apartment block. It appears to be SOP for that company.

  I sent Azure to the PMCs, to go and free the prisoners. Before leaving, I bought blueprints and printed sufficient stealth overcoats for her and the PMC. My orders were, “Extreme prejudice.”

  “I found your employer. It is Rita Lichtenstein, from Smith and Wesson Military Supply.”

  “How’d you find her?”

  “The net remembers. And neither you nor she are protected from my systems. Your family is likely with a bunch of other victims, and I sent a crew to free them. Let’s just wait here a bit. Don’t move. I can see you despite your stealth.”

  “I gathered.”

  Eighteen minutes later, they were free. I had the PMC collect them and bring them all to their compound. I also identified everyone. His family was rescued. I had blueprints for all sorts of things, including a holographic conference setup. Using my augs, I instructed a pair of transceivers printed, and one sent to myself and one to Azure. I then placed mine where Sam could see, but only transmitted sound, not sight. Azure put one in front of his family and turned it on.

  I said, “Sam, talk to your wife.”

  By the time I finished talking, the picture was showing his family in a large room full of other people.

  “Mary! You’re alive. I’ve been so worried. Are you free?”

  “Sam? Is that you? I don’t know what’s happening, but these military guys just took out our captors, then brought us here. Everyone’s getting a checkup, food, and medicine. They asked us to wait a bit while things settle down. Perhaps a few hours. The lady in charge must be a Samurai like you. Boxes appeared after she asked for something.”

  Sam slumped, and replied, “I got caught by a Samurai while doing work for your captors. I’m ruined.”

  “I don’t care. I’ll ask them where they are sending you so the kids and I can visit.”

  Speaking through Azure, I said, “For now, he will be sequestered. But when we bring them to justice, we’ll talk about his freedom.”

  “He might not go to jail?”

  “Generally blackmail victims have their crimes pushed to the blackmailer. But he will still need to be judged.”

  “Honey, do whatever you can to help them.”

  “I will dear.” Turning to me, he said, “I am done. Do what you will.” Then he turned off his stealth and appeared.

  I scanned him again and found that the drugs I put in him were already gone, but I also learned what kinds of body mods he had. He was built for stealth and agility. He didn’t have any strength enhancers, but did have an internal drug dispensing system.

  Quietly, I subvocalized, “Ysys, any sign of class two drug use? Also, I need a pair of tracking handcuffs that can handle whatever drugs he might take for strength. Make that cuffs and fetters.”

  High Durability Hand and Feet Restraints – 30 points

  New Total – 838,222 points, 7 tokens

  I showed him them, and then had him put on the fetters then the cuffs. Pocketing the projector, I cut the net off of him, and led him to the HT I used to get here. I pulled him in, headed to the PMC building, and I took him to meet his wife. When they saw each other, he stood, and she ran to him, and hugged him. Their kids came rushing after her, and hugged him also.

  I could feel the relief in him, so I interrupted, and unlocked the cuffs, and took them away. They looked at me in wonder.

  “As I sensed you lying, I sense your relief. You no longer have reason to run or work for them. But there is still a lot of work to do. Stay here.”

  He nodded, so Azure and I left. I spoke with the PMC leader, and told them to keep our guests happy, but quiet. I needed to work before anyone knew we freed them.

  “Ysys, Please trace every bit of information they have on these people, and make them think they are still being held. But change all contact information so they can no longer contact or find the people being blackmailed. Then send messages to the blackmailed to contact this PMC to speak with their loved ones.”

  After saying this, the leader said, “We’ll handle it.”

  “Ysys, are there any of the blackmailed that will need special treatment?”

  No.

  “Now to go up the chain so they don’t realize we’ve fooled them. We still have to wait for the other shoe to drop.”

  I’ll take care of that. Some PMCs will need to intercept the relief watch.

  We left and headed back to go to bed. I quickly checked on Sherry, but she was sound asleep.

  It was early morning when the other shoe dropped. Ysys backtracked and took ownership of their systems.

  She alerted me, so I said, “Please find out everyone who made decisions for the blackmail operation. I want to know everyone responsible. When you know, project an org chart.”

  Almost instantly, it was projected. I went close and learned an owner of the company was involved.

  “Ysys, please add people who knew and could have stopped this, but didn’t.”

  More people showed up, in a different color, including the other owner.

  “Here’s what we are going to do. In the morning, send an email from my old email account requesting a meeting with the owners about merger options. Indicate the possibility of a favorable fit. Request a meeting this afternoon.”

  “When the meeting happens, at some point I will say, ‘Watch me.’ That will be my signal to you to execute my plans. They are as follows. Everyone on that chart will get locked out of all their company accounts. All their ownership in the company will be transferred to me. All official record of the decision makers will be erased. Do you know who came up with the blackmail system? And who suggested going after Sam?”

  The one owner came up with the original idea, and it was Rita that recommended Sam.

  “Transfer all their wealth to their victims. Oh, if there were others providing blackmail victims, add their credit to the transfer as well.”

  I thought a bit more, and asked, “Can you think of anything else to do?”

  A suggestion. Record the meeting, edit out the unneeded parts, and then publish the example.

  “That’s a good idea. Um… let’s make it one better. I’ll get Liberace to produce and edit. I’ll call her.”

  She answered rather groggily, “Calamity, it’s too early. Why’d you call?”

  “It’s the middle of the morning. I called because I need your expertise. Seems a Rock Springs company was blackmailing an unknown Samurai. I got the goods, and am about to bring down the wrath of god. However, Ysys suggested making a holo and publishing the details as a refresher to idiot companies.”

  “Shit! Really? There’s so much to do. Will it be free-form, or is there a script? Where will it happen? Tell me everything?”

  “Probably a conference room in their building. I have a set of trigger words to put everything into effect. The rest, I’m open to suggestion. Ysys, send her the plan as it currently stands.”

  “… Got it. Old Testament time it is. I’m heading over. Wait. I can’t get there fast enough.”

  “I’ll pick you up. It will only take a few minutes. When do you want me?”

  “Give me half an hour. I have equipment also.”

  “Have everything ready. See you soon.”

  I grabbed a bite, then headed out in my car.

  When I arrived, and Liberace saw it, she said, “You went and did it. Got the game car, Samurai edition.”

  “Yep. Like it?”

  “Yeah. Let’s load up everything.”

  We did, then we returned.

  “Whoa, this is fast, really fast.”

  We headed inside, and then spent the next hour going over how it would go down. In the middle of it, my email got a reply, with a time and place. Liberace used my holo screen to show what the room would look like when we met. She then determined where everyone would likely be, and where she wanted her cameras.

  “The only problem will be to get the equipment into the room without them knowing anything.”

  “I’ve already taken over their security. I have a storage ring. They’ll never see it.”

  “I can watch and direct you from outside. Once you're in the room, take them from storage beneath the table, and I’ll handle it from there.”

  “Tell me, is bankrupting them and erasing all record of them sufficient punishment?”

  “For kidnapping a Samurai’s family? No way. Especially as it has become a way of life for the corporation.”

  “Should I go lethal?”

  “Probably… but can you? It’s hard to kill people. Not everyone can.”

  “… Yes. Everyone knows I was a high priced escort. What they don’t know, was that it was a cover for my real job: information retrieval. I even dabbled in assassination. However, I insisted on seeing the evidence for the latter’s need, and only twice took a job. I’m no white knight, but neither am I blackguard. The two jobs I took were for very bad people, who my company felt were in the way and evil. I turned down a fair number of other request, even if I could easily have done the work.”

  “That is a dark past.”

  “One I’ve been careful to hide. Being discovered as a spy wouldn’t be good for me, so I quit that job. Being discovered as an assassin would be far worse.”

  “Why tell me?”

  “I think broadcasting judgment is likely better than having reports of it surface later. It will be known by who and why, no questions. As a Samurai, I probably won’t take more than censure.”

  “I don’t think you will take any, especially as you were protecting another weaker Samurai. And the fact you might have killed him when you caught him? All the more reason. Don’t worry. Let me be the spin doctor on this, I’m the pro here.”

  “I defer to your expertise. Tell me what to do and when.”

  Once we were finished planning, she showed me some of her recent streams. She also asked for an interview with Sam and the others. Eventually Azure and I left, and I entered the building for the meeting. Azure entered invisibly.

  When I got there, I recognized them from their IDs, but apparently they weren’t expecting me, exactly.

  Mr Smith open with, “Hello, miss? We were expecting a Mr. J Anderson.”

  “I am Jane Anderson. There is no Mr. I am here from Grizzly Enterprises, here to talk with you about our two company’s future.”

  “I see, some kind of communication glitch. No matter. You mentioned compatibility?”

  “Yes. Both companies like to sell weapons to PMCs. I think things would be better if we dealt with the market a little differently, so we can both profit.”

  “I see. Please sit down. Tell us more about your ideas.”

  As soon as we sat, I released Liberace’s equipment.

  “You see, it’s like this. We both like getting every edge we can, but we do have certain limits.”

  “Oh? What kind?”

  “We do not blackmail Samurai. It is not at all profitable. They tend to react strongly to being abused.”

  Mr. Wesson said, “Why do you say that? We don’t either.”

  “Actually, you do. You see, in tracing your illegal activities in our company, we found a certain Samurai being blackmailed. Just as your head of special projects suggested.”

  “Rita? Not possible.”

  “Last night, I captured that Samurai, and then rescued the numerous other people you kidnapped. Observe.”

  That was our cue to enact my vengeance, and to have Liberace bring her equipment out, projecting the empty holding facility surrounded by numerous bodies. At this point, Azure arrived, with Rita in tow, and she threw her at their feet. She then went and blocked the door.

  “Rita, there is your holding facility. Recognize the dead guards?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  “Who were they guarding?”

  “Family of our volunteers.”

  “See, Mr. Smith. Your idea took root and netted a Samurai. Isn’t that right, Rita.”

  She paused, then slowly nodded.

  “As for you, Mr. Wesson. You knew, and allowed this. I, too, am a Samurai. See my judgment.”

  I had my arms behind my back so I could equip my Strykers. I brought them out and shot Rita and Mr. Smith.

  “Don’t kill me!”

  “You will wish I did. Goodbye.”

  I waited for Liberace. As I waited, I swapped my outfit for my Samurai outfit. She finally said, “Fade to black… and cut. All done.”

  Azure turned and went out the door, then I followed. Azure and I then went invisible with our cloaks, and went after everyone on our list. She took five, I took four. We were done in twenty minutes, mostly climbing on stairways.

  By the time we got back to my place, Liberace had already placed the edited stream online. We went to the PMC, and showed it there, after getting the children occupied with food in another room.

  Once it ended, I said, “Attention everyone. The issue has been dealt with. The company can no longer touch you, and some credits have been transferred to your accounts. These nice PMC folks will take you home.”

  As the crowd sorted itself out, Sam and his family came to me.

  “Thank you, ma’am. We can never repay you.”

  “Actually, you can. You live here, in the city. Right? Then join us as one of the known city Samurai.”

  His wife looked him in the eye, and said, “He will.” it was clear who was the boss of that family.

  “Take some time off to reconnect. Don’t worry about dealing with antithesis unless you need points. When you’re ready, call me. Here is my contact info.”

  “Yes, Calamity. I’ll be sure and do that. Thank you again.”