MM - Chapter 191 - HIGH STAKES NEGOTIATION

Raine would have jerked out of bed if he could. His injuries demanded vigilance. His eyes snapped open to find that the home defense system had already converted one of the walls to display several of the exterior cameras. As Raine pulled himself to a sitting position and ripped off his headset, a sleek, armored hoversedan touched down in the front yard. Within the vehicle was a blazing heat signature like a living sun.

A recent message from Morty strobed on the wall next to the video feed. “Master. You are about to have company. I regret to inform you that thermal places the visitor in the grandmaster class.”

Since Raine’s contracts with Grandmasters Meriot and Ewan had expired, he doubted the visitor was either of them.

Not good. I have to get back inside before the shrine expires. 15 minutes, tops. 15 minutes to deal with an unknown, unexpected grandmaster? I’m so fucked.

Throbbing agony lanced through Raine’s bad arm and leg as he scooted into the nearby medical hoverchair. He used the pain to sharpen his thoughts, coming fully awake and diving into the mindset of a warrior. These could be the last minutes of his life, and a warrior's final moments defined the legacy he left behind. Raine’s spirit demanded he carry himself in a way that was worthy. He would not turn his back on this threat. He would not show fear.

I’m definitely within their demesne by now. Whoever they are, they aren’t here to kill me, at least, not until getting what they want.

The government-issue hovercar powered down as Raine toggled the safety override for his chair and raced down the hallway, through the living room, and into the kitchen. With swift motions, his good hand withdrew the black case from the freezer containing the last of the ReGen coded to his genetics.

Snapping open the case, he palmed the tiny vial of clear liquid. Using it would be a last resort more likely to result in death than save him. It didn’t matter if the chance was slimmer than the Planck length; he would never give up so long as there was a chance.

Best-case scenario, they leave me for dead while the ReGen keeps me alive. What a shit plan… I need more information. Who are they? Why are they here? What do they want?

Raine reached the front door, and still the dark sedan remained stationary, giving him precious moments to plan and gather intel. He started with the messages from Morty, which were only moment-by-moment updates on the mysterious visitor. Just below them were three messages from an unexpected source: Captain Hemlock. Each was marked urgent in bold, all-caps letters. He opened the most recent and skimmed the contents, cursing under his breath.

Grandmaster Vought from the Coalition of Masters?! Not good. If he’s here for revenge, I’m fucked.

The sedan’s rear door slid open, and a recognizable public figure emerged. Raine’s fists clenched, sending fresh agony racing up his arm. He was almost out of time. “Morty, is Failsafe GM active?” Despite the AI’s physical body still being at Belehorn Tower, he heard Raine loud and clear through the subsidiary hyperlink connection they’d installed days ago.

“Yes, Master. As stated previously, I do not see how cameras can deter a grandmaster. I hate to say I told you so in such a dire situation… so, I will refrain from doing any such thing.”

Raine wasn’t in the mindset to entertain the AI. “Either you’ll understand soon, or this is the last conversation we’ll ever have. Morty… it was great seeing you again.”

The usually snappy AI hesitated in his response. “Master, I would like to convey that it has been an honor to carry out your will over the last few weeks. You have truly changed for the better, and serving the new you has garnered great fulfillment. If you would please sign here, I will ensure your remaining assets are put to the most optimal use after your demise.”

Morty’s dry, insincere tone had Raine wishing the AI was next to him so he could roll the heap of scrap into a ball and dunk him in the nearest trash bin. “You can shove my will up your ass, tin can. I’m not dying today.”

“I sincerely desire that to be the case. Best of luck, Master.” The house went silent as Morty withdrew from the connection. The best way to ensure a VEMP (Viral Electromagnetic Pulse) didn’t trace back to, and wipe his circuits clean, was to not be in the area.

Raine watched through the smartwall as Grandmaster Vought examined the surroundings through narrowed, vigilant eyes. He appeared middle-aged and was balding with a haircut as short as the rest of him. While not a man of great stature, Vought’s gaze, the sublime care put into each micro-movement, and the intensity that clung to him all screamed of immeasurable solidity and martial prowess.

There was an imposing weight to Vought’s footfalls that echoed through the air. As with Jedidiah, he was beyond human, beyond comprehension. His every action oozed certainty that nothing could match him, and he was right. Every grandmaster was an immovable wall combined with an unstoppable force, a being capable of wiping out an army with one hand behind their back, and Vought was one of the strongest in the world. He was a living legend, a destroyer of nations: a grandmaster.

Raine’s instincts screamed danger with each step the man took, yet he did not falter under the threat of death. His senses were tuned to the max, not missing a single detail. The skin-colored patches on each of Vought’s temples stuck out to his intense scrutiny. Psychic patches were used to scramble the mental emanations of non-psychics, effectively masking their thoughts. They were monstrously effective and came with the minor side effect of permanently damaging the brain, at least, regular people’s brains. A master could get away with wearing them a few times a year without worry; a grandmaster had nothing to fear.

Why would he be worried about psychics in a no-name city like Carter?

Raine didn’t recall ever seeing Vought wearing patches in public vodcasts. Yet, he couldn’t blame the man for being cautious while outside his normal zone of influence. Psychics, and especially rogue psychics, were a real threat, able to suck the knowledge and memories right out of even a grandmaster’s head. Raine’s best defense against psychics was to think about them as little as possible and do his best to hide in plain sight. Even acknowledging their existence could turn someone into a beacon, at least, that’s what he’d been told.

Vought paused before reaching the bunker door. His gaze flicked ever so briefly to the many drones hovering nearby; blinking lights on their fronts indicated vods recording. Raine almost missed Vought’s tell, and he was beyond grateful that he hadn’t. If the grandmaster was concerned about the cameras, then whatever he was here for needed to be kept from the public eye.

Raine hid the vicious snarl building in his core. He was no stranger to high-stakes negotiations. He'd spent a lifetime maneuvering around people more powerful than himself. Often, his life had been on the line. This was no different. With a deep, centering breath, Raine reminded himself of the two golden rules.

Discover what he wants, and make him pay for it. 

Vought is here in broad daylight. He’s representing the coalition as a whole, not himself. Could they want me to fight in a territorial dispute? Does it have to do with why Jedidiah was trying so hard to recruit me? It shouldn’t be any kind of retribution.

After defeating Jedidiah in open combat, Raine had proven justice was on his side. Tarnishing that lawful high ground by killing him personally would cost Grandmaster Vought billions. Though it would only be a loss of credits, time, and potential disciples. He would recover in a year or two at most.

Vought’s hands were clasped at his lower back, and despite not moving an inch, it suddenly became crystal clear that he was growing impatient. He stared at Raine through the thick metal door as though he could see right through it. They both knew he could easily tear through walls thicker and stronger. A tap from Raine caused the flimsy barrier to slide open, and the only thing between them was open air. The hoverchair slid outside. Their eyes met, and the battle of wits began.

Raine had rarely spoken to a grandmaster in person. He wasn’t important enough to interact with them often. Usually, he was a bug on the wall, hiding in obscurity. Still, Raine’s voice betrayed not an ounce of fear, for there was none. If these were his last words, then so be it. “Grandmaster Vought. I can’t say it's a pleasure.”

When Raine gave nothing away with his controlled tone and straight-backed posture, Vought frowned. Even his closest aides, people who had known him for years and should understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that he meant them no harm, carried hints of fear in their hearts when addressing him.

Vought’s tone was imperious, yet drained of emotion in a way that equally gave nothing away. “You know who I am, yet remain impertinent and disrespectful? Are you seeking death, child?”

If Vought truly wished for Raine's death, it would have already come. There was no point backing down now that he'd come this far. “I didn't come to your home unannounced. I sought no compensation from the coalition, despite having the right to do so. Nor have I provoked you personally in any form, yet I am accused of seeking death? Don’t tell me a grandmaster came all the way to our little city to bully someone so beneath him?”

Vought didn’t look at the cameras so hard that he may as well have been staring at them. “Denying the truth with a silver tongue will not save you.”

“The truth? By all means, present to us this truth.”

The last thing Vought expected was to have his bluff called with zero hesitation and from such a straight face. KongRu provided no hint of confusion for him to manipulate, no anxiety to feed. The boy appeared even younger in person, yet wasn’t making a single mistake he could exploit. He hadn’t even called Vought a liar, which would have given justification to respond more aggressively. By casting doubt and immediately withdrawing, KongRu countered his momentum like a seasoned politician.

Having little other choice, Vought charged straight ahead, re-taking control of the conversation with conviction. He approached, each step carrying the weight of a mountain, his voice hard as steelephene. “We will speak in private. These matters are not for all ears.”

“No.” Raine’s refusal was so unexpected that Vought paused halfway through his step. That was not a word he had heard in many, many years. Before the spark of fury in his chest could explode, Raine continued. “I was in the middle of resolving a dire situation. I do not have time to entertain. I can make myself available tonight, or tomorrow morning, at your convenience.”

Allowing the boy to stall and cause him further trouble was unacceptable. Vought sneered, voice gravel rumbling down a sheer cliff. “I was not making a request.” Had anyone who knew him seen the expression and heard his tone, they would have shit themselves.

The young KongRu didn’t so much as blink, holding his ground without a glimpse of the terror that should have already paralyzed him. “Yet you arrived without notice, offering not the least show of respect for my time.”

Bloodlust boiled beneath the surface of his skin, combating the instinctive need to flee emanating from the grandmaster. Raine concentrated his mental ability, molding it into a dagger of intent. He held it against his own heart, promising himself death if he so much as flinched. He leaned forward, allowing emotion to color his tone as he swore with all the conviction he could muster. “Whatever it is you want from me, if you continue on this course, I will not yield. I will take my secrets to the grave. You will get nothing from me except regret and failure.”

The words were barely out of his mouth when Vought’s form blurred. Raine barely perceived several punches thrown toward the air. In between each punch, Vought returned to his standing-at-ease pose. The nearby drones shattered, falling toward the ground in a shower of glistening metallic scrap. Raine considered it a victory that he’d seen the grandmaster move at all, when the man clearly wanted to appear as though he didn’t.

Vought finished his step toward Raine, foot landing and causing a tremor to sweep through the ground. Bits and pieces of metal cascaded around him. “We shall see how little I can pull from your screaming body.”

Gotcha!

Raine wanted to shout in victory, but held it in. His clever wording and Vought’s response revealed what the man was here for. However, that didn’t mean he was safe, not by a long shot. Raine held up the half-empty vial of ReGen, a cocky grin stretching his lips. “You have less than two minutes. Good luck.”

Vought instantly came to the conclusion Raine desired. His steps paused again, inner fury lightly coloring his expression. “Poison?”

Raine lifted his chin, baring his neck and looking down at Vought. “Master Jedidiah underestimated my conviction, and it cost him everything. How much will it cost you? By coming in person, you left me no choice but to take extreme measures.”

“You are a fool. Your death changes nothing. I will have my answers, whether you desire to give them or not.”

Raine shrugged, perfectly portraying how little he cared. “I don’t have a LinQ, and my primus will delete every remaining log of my existence before my body grows cold.” The cogs turning behind Vought’s eyes were proof that Raine’s bluff was working. There was no way an agency like the Coalition of Masters didn’t know about his deleted past. Raine had gambled and been correct that Vought didn’t know which organization was responsible. He tucked the information away to examine later.

There was little chance the grandmaster would give up and leave before letting two minutes pass. It was time to throw out a lifeline, or Vought would have no choice but to act. Raine swept an arm to the side while making sure to adopt a sly smile that hinted at exploitable greed. “Bargaining is the cornerstone of every human interaction. As it stands, unless you give me an incentive, I have no reason to cooperate.”

“You are in no position to negotiate with me, child.” Vought’s voice was stern, but the fact he hadn’t used an ounce of killing intent yet was telling.

Raine heard the grandmaster’s real message loud and clear: ‘Tell me what you want, and it better not be something idiotic, or I’ll let that poison kill you while I watch.’

“One thousand kilos of premium vital nutrients, and I’ll answer 5 questions to the best of my ability.”

Vought’s rage exploded outward in a wave of invisible energy that pushed Raine’s chair back a pace. He roared, each word sending spittle flying. “There aren't a thousand kilos of premium VNs in the entire world! You're talking about trillions upon trillions of credits, you greedy little shit! You should have learned to keep your mouth shut!”

Vought moved without moving. In less than a blink, he was there, standing above Raine with his hand raised to strike. Raine didn’t flinch. He didn’t move a millimeter other than to stretch his head to the side, bearing his neck, daring Vought to deliver the promised blow. 

When a heartbeat passed without his head flying free from his neck, Raine struck. “You're dying to know. That's why you're willing to go so far. You see the coming catastrophe, but you don't understand anything. How could you? But I do. I know exactly what’s coming, when it's coming, and what you have to do to prepare for it. All the answers are up here.” Raine tapped his temple, allowing his smile to grow. “What you think you know is less than the tip of the iceberg. I swear on every god living and dead, on my warrior’s soul, and on my mother’s life, that the knowledge I possess cannot be found anywhere else on this planet. Cut my neck, and you cut off the only future that contains a glimmer of hope.”

Vought had seen enough. Whatever training KongRu had been through was not to be underestimated. It was no fluke that he killed Jedidiah. If they fought a hundred times, Vought doubted his old friend would ever manage to overcome the cocky little monster smiling up at him. KongRu was ready to die. He was a warrior through and through, and for now, he held all the cards.

Before Raine could even realize Vought was moving, there was a hand clamped around his throat. He was lifted out of his hoverchair as the grandmaster growled in his face. “Five hundred grams! If I hear another word out of your mouth that isn’t yes, Sir, I’ll snap your bloody neck!”

Raine barely managed to squeeze out air around the vice-like grip, his voice a gurgling gasp. “Two hundred kilos.”