Why does this job suddenly feel like one of those with more trouble than money?
Father spoke slowly, unhurriedly. After nodding in greeting to both, he said to Jack, "Let's talk in the back."
"No problem, there's a table reserved on the second floor." Jack replied.
Father nodded and then looked at V: "And your companion here... Valerie? If I recall correctly."
V, rarely acting like a good girl, respectfully nodded to Father: "Father, just call me V."
"A and... hmm, V, you two working together now?" Father thought the combination of these two letters seemed a bit off, hence the pause.
"Yes, I'm with him." V nodded earnestly, but then couldn't help saying: "Our official name now is Spark Team, rest assured, whatever the job, leave it to us!
Don't underestimate A's height; his skills are definitely top-notch!"
V gave a thumbs up: "Absolutely the most badass hacker I've ever seen."
"Hmm... Jack told me the same, seems he truly is impressive." Father smiled, gesturing for them to head upstairs.
Once Mercer and V sat with him in a quiet booth on the second floor, Father's face set seriously, getting straight to the point: "Since you've talked with Jack, you probably know why I'm reaching out to you today."
"Taking on those Sixth Street Gang? I've definitely got no problem!" V assuredly nodded, then sheepishly grinned at A: "But specifics are up to him."
"I need you to wreak havoc on Sixth Street Gang's turf, any way you see fit, make them feel the pain."
Father succinctly said: "I'm not fond of Sixth Street Gang teaming up with NCPD; gangs should stick to the code. If they break it, the Haywood People won't either.
Burn their bases, kill those aspiring to invade Haywood District, and let God judge their sins."
Mercer casually inquired: "What's the extent required? How's the pay calculated?"
"Base pay is 100,000 Euros, and for every base you destroy, I'll add 100,000 Euros. I'll also give you a target list, with three people, each one eliminated nets you an additional 50,000 Euros."
Father calmly stated: "In theory, the highest price is 550,000 Euros."
He originally thought such a number would cause at least some shock from the mercenaries opposite him, but surprisingly, even V merely nodded calmly.
This immediately led Father to reassess the alleged 'Spark Team's' capabilities.
Mercer turned to V: "This job seems to entail quite a bit, considering we have other tasks piled up, we might have to split up and act swiftly, interested?"
"Definitely, I'm a Haywood person, these Sixth Street Gang morons are causing trouble at my home, I have to teach them a lesson." V said eagerly.
Mercer nodded, then looked at Father: "We'll take it. No need to find others, Sixth Street Gang's level just right to train my crew, test the equipment.
Send me the list, preferably with danger ratings, so I can arrange the battle plan."
Father looked at Mercer with depth: "You sound confident, but, A, Sixth Street Gang people are not as simple as you think."
"How many have augmentations comparable to Sianwistan levels?" Mercer merely asked.
"On your list, among those three targets, two are opponents of that level." Father stated plainly.
Mercer muttered internally—truly a job with lots of trouble and little money.
But then again, high-grade augmentations are money too, aren't they?
Prepare some boxes at Old Wei's; later let Pira handle the removal. His arms are all from deceased, surely not averse to doing this kind of job.
Repair and refurbish, reselling second-hand, even second-hand goods yanked off dead bodies like Sianwistan-level augmentations, can sell for tens of thousands of Euros.
Mercer didn't see anything inappropriate—he despised Cleaner Fish for their kidnappings, luring live people to harvest their augmentations for cash, treating human beings purely as mobile parts for profit.
But from enemies he killed, looting gear, Mercer found no issue.
He'd even confiscated a batch of augmentations from Cleaner Fish, who knows where those idiots dug them up, but that didn't prevent Mercer from having V deal with them and then taking those augmentations back to study and sell.
Of course, there's no need to constantly engage in corpse scavenging, it's somewhat unethical. If worthless, when unnecessary, better to leave a whole body.
"Alright, got it." Mercer accepted: "I need extremely detailed info, including base's details, intel on high-risk targets, the more detailed the better."
"No problem, A, is this job with you then? I initially planned to commission several teams for it." Father probed.
But Mercer decisively nodded: "You hire others, I won't take this job then, not worth busying for tens of thousands of Euros, might upset Sixth Street Gang, pointless."
"Alright." Father saw his confidence, refraining from further comment, only one way to find out if it'll work—try once?
Mercer stood, extending his hand. Father hesitated slightly, then rose to shake it too.