X
Terms and Conditions
Night City, 2077
“Ymir Skandatek will not be renewing contracts with any of your companies.”
It was done.
The contracts, the negotiations, the pretense of cooperation—all finished with one sentence.
“This is outrageous!” shouted Rafael Cortez. He and his partner, Nadia Ren—co-founders of Iron River Arms—had been the loudest voices in the room since the meeting began. Even now, his protest rang against the glass walls of the conference room, sharp and useless. Nadia’s hand came up in a silent plea for restraint, but he ignored it, leaning forward as if sheer volume might reverse Sofie’s decision. “You can’t just walk away from a partnership this size! We built your weapons systems from the ground up. You think you can replace that overnight?”
Sofie didn’t back down. “You misunderstand, Mr. Cortez. Ymir Skandatek is not anything. We have no interest in the manufacture or distribution of instruments of war any longer. That chapter of Ymir Skandatek’s history is closed.”
“Closed?” Rafael barked. “We invested everything into this contract. You cancel it now and Iron River folds within the quarter! You—!”
“Mr. Cortez,” Sofie said, interrupting the oncoming tirade. “The notice was sent out to each and every one of our clients and partners nearly two years ago. You have had ample time to prepare for this. If Iron River is going to sink, it might be time to diversify your portfolio.”
The silence that followed was thick. Cortez and Ren were stunned.
To their left sat Dr. Victor Aran, lead research director at , who had said little throughout the meeting. He sat with fingers steepled beneath his chin, watching the exchange with detached fascination. When Rafael’s voice rose again, Aran’s jaw tightened. He adjusted his glasses and looked away, as though the noise itself offended him.
Unlike the Iron River founders, there was no outrage in him—only a quiet, clinical acceptance. He had understood from the start that the decision was final. Ymir’s shift in direction had made sense to him and he had only come as a formality, explaining early in the meeting that while his superiors were outraged with Ymir’s decision, he himself couldn’t care less—he’d simply been coerced into attending.
To their right sat Alexis Holt, director of Zetatech’s Autonomous Security division. Like Dr. Aran, she’d been silent for most of the meeting, listening while Cortez and Ren raged against Sofie’s decisions. Her posture was relaxed—legs crossed, hands folded neatly in her lap—but her eyes had never once left Sofie.
Unlike Dr. Aran, Holt had offered no explanations, but it was clear to Sofie that she wasn’t here as a formality. Her calm was borne of confidence, rather than a lack of interest. Every time Sofie spoke, Holt’s head tilted slightly, as though she were cataloguing each and every word and gesture, even her inflection, for later use. Her eyes were full of a deep hunger that made Sofie profoundly uncomfortable.
Cortez slammed his hand against the table, his angry gusto returning. “You’re killing us, Arnesen! Idealism isn’t going to keep your people fed. The world is a dangerous, violent place. People will always need weapons to defend themselves from it.” he shouted, jabbing a finger in her direction. “When the next war breaks out you’re going to regret this!”
“I don’t disagree, Mr. Cortez,” Sofie sighed. “The world dangerous. However, I do not intend to further contribute to that danger. If the people want their weapons, you are welcome to manufacture them yourselves. And another war breaks out, I’m sure you will find yourself very suddenly and very fabulously wealthy.”
Cortez went bright red at that. “You—you bitch!” he spluttered. “Fabulously wealthy? You think this is a joke? The livelihoods of all of our people are on the line! Your predecessor would have cut loose a contract like this.”
Beside him, Ren had grown furiously red as well, but she was doing a better job of maintaining composure. She pulled Cortez back down into his seat as he continued fuming.
“No, Mr. Cortez, I do not. And I am Yrsa. I don’t delight in hardship. I truly regret any inconvenience, or distress this change may have caused to you or your employees, however I have a duty to my own employees that takes a much higher precedent.” Sofie said, smoothing down the front of her jacket. “Furthermore, I state again that you were notified nearly two years ago that this change was coming. You had ample time to prepare.”
That shut him up—or maybe it was the firm grip Nadia Ren still had on his arm. Sofie wasn’t sure.
It wasn’t long before Sofie concluded the meeting. Dr. Aran politely thanked her for her time, handing her a business card that he seemed completely disinterested in. It bore his name and office number on one side. The other was blank.
Cortez was still fuming, grumbling under his breath as Ren escorted him out. She shot Sofie a dirty look, but said nothing. They did not leave a business card.
Alexis Holt left without a word. She didn’t leave a card either.
Sofie let out a slow breath and began collecting her things. A message notification appeared in her vision. She opened it with a thought and a little cartoon Ares appeared, giving her a thumbs-up. He’d been watching through the security camera in the corner of the room and evidently approved of her performance. The accompanying text informed her that he’d be waiting outside her office.
They were in one of the three V?lsung System Solutions buildings placed at the corners of their triangular campus. As Ymir Skandatek’s subsidiary, VSS had functioned as a shell corporation and a front for a Ni Heimar hideout. Sofie had once been held captive in the basement. Liv had shot and killed their brother Erik out in the courtyard. Now she kept an office in the north building and made use of the campus whenever she had work to do and couldn’t take it home.
As Sofie stepped out of the conference room and started down the hall, she suddenly felt like she was being watched again.
“Ms. Holt,” she said, turning around. “Is there something else you wished to discuss?”
“Straight to the point,” Alexis smiled, “I like it.” She just outside the conference room door, leaning against the wall in the opposite direction to Sofie’s office. Her silver hair was dyed, or otherwise color-shifted, and cut into a perfect corporate bob. She wore a sleek black suit with a cropped bolero blazer that barely covered her chest, not helped by the fishnet top she wore under the jacket. She smiled, completely unabashed at the showing skin. “Yes, Mrs. Arnesen, there was one more thing I’d like to talk to you about. In private.”
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Sofie sighed. “Fine. Please, step into my office.”
She led Holt down the hall, and around the corner. Ares was waiting for her, as promised. Before they reached the office, Sofie flipped a message his way.
He responded with a short affirmative and she quickly opened an audio channel through her Agent. When Sofie and Holt reached the door, Sofie stopped to kiss Ares on the cheek and exchange a quick word. She was testing to make sure their connection was clear, but to anyone else they would look as though they were simply trading greetings. When Ares confirmed that he could hear clearly, Sofie turned and opened the door for Holt, following her into the office.
Alexis didn’t wait for an invitation to sit. She glided across the room to the small seating area by the window, and settled into one of the plush chairs like she owned the place.
“Nice view,” Holt said, crossing one leg over the other. Her jacket threatened to fall away from her chest as she leaned back. Again, Holt seemed unbothered.
Sofie closed the door behind them and crossed to her desk, taking her time to gather a tablet and stylus before sitting across from Holt. The pace was deliberate. She was emulating Liv as she prepared for surgery; taking her time, collecting her thoughts.
“What was it you wanted to discuss, Ms. Holt?” Sofie asked finally.
Holt smiled. “Please, call me Lex.”
Sofie didn’t return the smile. “You came her for business. Let’s keep it that way.”
“Of course,” Lex said, still smiling. “Business then. Specifically, business.”
“What about my business?”
Lex tilted her head, her eyes catching the light—one gold, one silver, both implants, both fixed on Sofie with growing hunger. “It’s absolutely fascinating. Under new management, Ymir Skandatek walks away from and manages to continue thriving. You’d think that’d be impossible, especially in this city.”
“Ms. Holt,” Sofie said, “I’m sure you didn’t request a private meeting just to compliment me.”
“No,” Lex said, her smile widening slightly as she leaned forward. “I requested a private audience because I didn’t want you to be embarrassed when you reconsider dropping my contract. It’d be nothing less than shameful, going back on your word like that in front of those to whom you wouldn’t extend the same courtesy.”
Sofie arched a brow, unimpressed. “You seem very sure of yourself, Ms. Holt.”
“Oh, I’m sure of a great many things,” Lex said easily, reclining in the chair again. Her jacket slid even wider this time. “Chief among them is that you’ll realize what a big mistake you’re making—before it’s too late to fix.”
Sofie tucked the stylus into her breast pocket and folder her hands in her lap. “And what exactly do you mean by that?”
Lex met her gaze evenly. “You’re not Yrsa, that much is obvious. But you’re still living in her world. Her systems, her research, her legacies.” A flicker of amusement passed over her face.
Sofie’s expression however, did not change, though she could feel her pulse rising. “Ymir Skandatek’s new direction is what matters now, Ms. Holt. Whatever came before, is in the past.”
Lex let out a small laugh, almost a purr. “That’s adorable. You actually believe that.” She leaned forward again, elbows on her knees, jacket hanging open and revealing. Her tone softened to something almost conspiratorial. “But the past doesn’t stay buried. You should know that better than anyone.”
Sofie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “If this is your idea of an intimidation attempt—”
“Please,” Lex waved a hand dismissively. “If I wanted to intimidate you I’d have brought something with me to prove I knew what skeletons you’ve hidden in your closet and threaten to tell the entire world about them.” Lex’s smile grew malicious as she withdrew a small device the size and shape of a hockey puck from her pocket. “Something like, oh I dunno… a dangerous AI you’ve been harboring in a facility in the Alps? But that would be ”
A holographic display appeared over the puck: a window featuring the hardware and software specifications of Prosopon and the quarantine order Sofie had placed on the AI and the Nástr?nd facility.
Sofie froze for a heartbeat, but was quickly drained of all the tension that had built up inside her over the last few moments. She barely contained a chuckle.
“Where did you obtain this information, Ms. Holt?”
“Oh, that?” Lex said airily, waving at the holographic display as if it were a trivial curiosity. “Let’s just say I have my ways, and a prefect opportunity. Night City’s full of them. Someone at Ymir must’ve been sloppy—left a port open where they shouldn’t have.”
Sofie smiled faintly. “You hacked Ymir Skandatek.”
“Well, it’s not like it was hard,” Lex taunted. “What matters is that I know what’s hiding in your closet, and that NetWatch would pay a fortune for the tip before coming down like a hammer to crush along with the AI.”
“Would they?” Sofie asked. “That’s quite a gamble there, . You’d be waging your entire career on their interest in something they already know about.”
“Of course they—” Lex stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked. “Already know about?”
“Mhm,” Sofie confirmed, voice smooth and even. “NetWatch has been fully briefed. I gave the information to them myself. They never responded to my original request for aid, so I filed a new request and was approved to take matters into my own hands. I have the authorization on file, if you’d like to see it.”
The color drained from Lex’s face. The hologram flickered slightly as her grip on the puck wavered. “You’re bluffing.”
Sofie smiled again—putting every bit of effort she had into making the expression cold as ice. “Am I?”
The room held its breath.
Lex’s composure began to crack. Her posture stiffened; her confidence evaporated. “If that’s true, then—then they’d be monitoring it. There’s no way they’d just—” Lex stared at Sofie, the edges of her arrogance crumbling. “I-I didn’t mean—look, I just wanted a way back in. My division’s bleeding out. I needed—”
“Mercy?” Sofie asked, tilting her head.
Lex nodded, the word catching in her throat. “Please.”
Sofie regarded her for a long moment, then dropped her performance. She reached out and deactivated the holographic display with a quiet tap of her finger on the puck. “You’ll get it, Ms. Holt,” she said softly. “I’m not Yrsa. I don’t destroy people just because they’ve made a bad bet.”
Lex exhaled shakily, eyes wide. “You’re… letting me go?”
“Without charges,” Sofie confirmed. “You won’t be harmed, detained, or blacklisted. But you will tell me where you got that data.”
Lex hesitated, metallic eyes watering. “A mercenary,” she said at last. “A freelancer. He called himself I didn’t get a name—just the alias. Paid him to steal whatever he could from you. I was hoping for the usual kind of dirt, but the AI was the only thing even remotely useful. Or so I thought.”
“I see,” Sofie said. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out when and how Monterro could have stolen the data. “Thank you, Ms. Holt. Leave quietly and keep this discussion between us.”
Lex nodded, scrambling out of her chair and backing carefully toward the door.
Sofie watched her go, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. She sat behind her desk putting her head in her hands. A moment later, Ares entered, dropping the audio channel as he did.
“You okay?”
“Uh huh,” she murmured. “I’m fine.”
“Good.” Ares closed the door and sat in the chair across from her. “I’ve already contacted the Cyber Security team. If she has any other copies they’ll be erased. They’ll figure out where the files were transferred from too. We’ll know exactly how Monterro got it in the next 24 hours.”
“When we ran into him at the Afterlife, that wasn’t coincidence as it.”
“No. Probably not.” Ares said, running a hand through his hair. “He might have been checking us out, learning about his mark. Or maybe it was some way of gloating about it, prancing around in front of us while we didn’t know a damn thing.” He sighed hard.
Sofie leaned back in her chair, stared up at the ceiling and groaned. They stayed there for a long time. Sofie mulled over the stolen info, wondering how she could have possibly not noticed something so important. She felt like screaming out her frustration.
That was it! The answer hit her like a Kaukaz truck.
That was how she’d missed it. Monterro hadn’t been there to scope them out, or to gloat. That was when he’d done it.
“Son of a bitch!” Sofie spat, bolting up out of her seat. “The Afterlife. That’s when he stole that data. And he didn’t take it from me, he hacked you!” She grabbed Ares by the hand and dragged him down the hall to the stairs.
“Shit. Shit. Shit!” He muttered as they ran. “He must have known you’d be out of it in the bar and took advantage of the opening.”
“That’s what Holt meant when she said she had ‘a perfect opportunity!’ Dammit I knew that fucking bar was bad news!”
Sofie barreled down the stairs, narrowly avoiding a man in a deep green suit. “Sorry!” She gasped as he frantically stepped out of the way. She ran through the lobby, summoning the campus security team to the courtyard as she went. She already knew she would be too late. Alexis Holt was long gone.
