He got in line to board the train and, before it came to a stop, he had already cast a figment of himself into Akihabara. The only listing for the PhisherKing was an address, but there was no rule saying visitors had to come in the flesh. Appearing before the rectangular pit, Amon found the elevator already waiting for him. The doors of the train and elevator opened at the same moment, as though the digital and naked worlds were beckoning him as one. He took a step forward, his body and its graphical copy in synch. Immediately, he heard a voice behind his back and turned around.
“Hello, Kenzaki-san,” said Monju. He stood in front of the already closed doors. His bleach blond hair and dark trenchcoat rippled in an unfelt wind, his eyes gleaming strangely in the dim. “You took longer to contact me than I expected. Any fresh catch?”
“Here are some samples.” Amon put the stills of his meetings at Sushi Migration and Shuffle Boom inside a glass orb and threw it to Monju, who caught it in a fish net that expanded from his palm like a magician’s handkerchief. “These segs prove collusion between GATA officials and the Birla heirs. Interested?”
“Of course. How much are you asking?”
“I want to do another trade.”
“For what?”
“I need information to blackmail this man.” From Mayuko’s LifeStream, Amon took frontal and profile stills of the emoticon man and flicked it like a card to Monju, who allowed it to slot between his knuckles. “Do you know who he is?”
Monju’s eyes flickered rapidly in alternation from half-closed to closed for a second before he answered. “Yes.”
Amon wanted to ask who, but he knew the info would cost him and had more important deals to make. “Do you have anything that might sway him?”
“I know of some information that will be very persuasive, yes, but the licensing agreement doesn’t allow me to use it. I may be able to acquire the rights, although my connections are tight-lipped so the bait will be very expensive. Are you confident your segs will cover the labor?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Then I may need a supplementary payment.”
“To be honest, Monju, I’ve got no cash. But I really need your help.”
“You’re suggesting I take up a new hobby? Well let me think it over a few years. I doubt I’ll start phishing for charity until my retirement.”
“Listen to me. My best friend is being held at gunpoint with a piranha duster and that Birla freak is hacking her. They’re committing all kinds of credicrimes against her but their lawyers are appealing every one. Once the court cases are settled she’ll have plenty of cash and we can pay you whatever you need.”
“How can you be sure she’ll win?”
“The evidence is stacked in her favor. The lawyers are just stalling.”
“Too risky. I need more reassurance.”
“Look! I don’t have time to explain, but once they get the info inside her BodyBank, they’re going to kill her, okay! I need your help. I can do it on a loan. I’ll pay double your usual rate. I’ll owe you ten-thousand favors. I’ll do anything. I don’t want her to die! Not for me, please!” Amon was shouting, his whole body shaking, and through the film of overlay, he could see heads on the train turning towards him.
The PhisherKing stared at him for a few moments, his gold irises glinting between the scarlet and silver circles. “Alright, Amon. I’ll do my best to get this man off your friend.”
“Thank you!”
“But it may take a few minutes to acquire what I need, so try not to let her go bankrupt in the meantime. I wouldn’t want to lose my pay.”
“Of course!”
“And I’ll need the segs in advance.”
Amon tossed another orb to Monju containing his LifeStream since their last meeting, as well as his meeting at Sushi Migration.
“One last thing: remember our deal. That train is taking you to the right place. You’ll have many opportunities to ask questions there. Don’t betray me by giving up.”
“I won’t, I promise. Please take care of her.”
“Yes. And I’ll pray that the great Treasure Matrix takes care of you. Good luck.” Monju smiled with his glass teeth and vanished.
Splitting his perspective between the train and the dim space behind Mayuko’s closed eyes once again, Amon said, “Erase me.”
WHAT?
“Before they hack into your account, search through your bodydrive for all the files related to me and delete every one.”
YOU WANT ME TO TAMPER WITH MY LIFESTREAM?
“Not just your LifeStream. Your readout too.”
BUT THE FINES WILL BANKRUPT ME.
“They won’t, trust me.”
WHY? HOW?
“Please just do as I say. Once they get inside your inner profile, they’ll find out what you know and the exact route I took out of your place. But if you erase every trace of me, they’ll be confused. They’ll start to think that maybe you’re not lying and your resemblance to Mayuko Takamatsu is just a coincidence.”
BUT THERE’LL BE ALL KINDS OF GAPS IN MY RECORDS. WON’T THAT ALERT THEM THAT SOMETHING IS OFF?
“Maybe. But it’ll take some time for them to notice the omissions. Then they’ll probably think their hacking failed to access certain parts or something. This will just confuse them more. And that’s all we want for now. We just want to buy time until the PhisherKing contacts you.”
ARE YOU SURE HE’LL FIND SOMETHING?
“I don’t know, but look, these Birlas are filthy rich and free. There’s got to be all kinds of scandals in their past. If anyone can dig them up, it’s Monju. So just do what I ask. I need you to find every trace of me, even from when we were kids. Quickly! Erase me!”
She didn’t respond but he could see her doing a search for “Amon.”
“Stop whatever you’re doing,” shouted the man, “I can see your eyes moving beneath those lids. Stop it now!” Mayuko screamed as the tengu pressed their boots down harder and her eyes opened wide. The hacker tengu continued to wave his hands over her face, guiding the flow of light into her orifices.
“Are you okay?” said Amon.
IT STINGS, she texted, the room disappearing behind her eyelids again. THERE ARE TINY SHARDS OF GLASS IN MY BACK.
“I’m so sorry.” Amon shuddered with empathy. And when Mayuko had selected all the files about him, he said, “Before you erase them, there’s something else you’ve got to do. Send me enough cash for about fifteen minutes and cut off my leash.”
WHAT!? WHY?
“You remember I said not to worry about the fines for editing your records. The only way you’ll be able to afford them is if you don’t have to cover the interest on my loans. And if they open your readout, they’ll see all the actions you’re paying for. My identity will be encrypted, but they’ll know you’re leashing someone and it won’t be hard to guess who.”
BUT WITHOUT ME YOU’LL GO BANKR—
“There’s no time. They could hack in any second.”
BUT—
“No more arguments, please. I’m almost at my stop now.”
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
When he explained his plan, her incisive eyes lost their point of focus and whirled about in bewilderment. It was the first time Amon had seen them stumped. In the end, she cringed miserably, seeming to accept that he was right. Immediately, the credit appeared in his account and the leash was cut.
“What are you crying about?” shouted the man. She shrieked even louder this time when the tengu put their weight on her.