Chapter 50 First Consultation is Free

Chapter 50 First Consultation is Free
The city lights looked like tiny sparks from the top of the tower. On my screen, the numbers were green.

\[City Restoration: 98% Complete.\]

\[Public Trust: 94%.\]

\[Fenwick Group Valuation: Infinite.\]

"The numbers are too high, Cedric," Oswin said. He was leaning against the heavy door.

He wore a suit now, but he still looked like he wanted to punch someone. "People don't trust things that look this good."

"They trust us because we pay them on time," Cedric replied. He sat behind a glass desk, tapping on a tablet. "And because you break the legs of anyone who tries to scam the locals."

"I don't break legs," Oswin grumbled. "I perform security audits."

"Call it what you want," Cedric said. "The bank is full. The streets are safe. We did it."

"He did it," Oswin corrected. He looked toward the empty chair behind the main desk. It looked empty to anyone else. "Right, kid?" I didn't answer. I just watched the rain hit the glass.

"He's not talking today," Cedric sighed. "He's busy looking at the Grey Layer. Trash is building up in the code again."

"Well, tell him to take a break," Oswin said. "The Red Kings on 4th Street? I took care of them. They won't be a problem."

"Did you kill them?" Cedric asked.

"No," Oswin said. "I showed them the ledger. Once they saw how much they owed the city in back-taxes, they fainted. They're working in the mines now."

"Good," Cedric said. "We need the ore."

"Is it ever enough?" Oswin asked. "What's next?"

\[System Notification: New Client Detected.\]

"What was that?" Cedric asked. "The alarm," Oswin said, his hand going to his gun. "Nobody is supposed to be on this floor."

"It's not the elevator," I said. My voice was a hum in the air. "Oh, great," Oswin muttered. "The boss speaks. Who is it?"

"A visitor," I said. A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a girl. She was maybe ten. She wore a dirty yellow dress. She flickered like a bad video file.

"A ghost?" Cedric asked. "How did she get past the firewall?"

"She's part of the debt," I said. "I... I was told to come here," the girl whispered. "They said the man in the tower helps people who have nothing left."

"Who told you that?" Oswin asked. "The boys under the bridge," she said. "The ones without faces."

"The Soul-Eaters," Cedric whispered. "They're still out there?"

"They're everywhere," the girl said. "But the men with the blue badges are worse. They took my father. They said he owed them a soul."

"The Blue Badges?" Oswin’s face turned hard. "That's the City Guard. They’re supposed to be on our payroll."

"Maybe they are," Cedric said. "Which means they're stealing from us."

"Nobody steals from the boss," Oswin said. "What's your name, kid?"

"Mina," she said. "Mina," Oswin repeated. "Who took your dad? Give me a name."

"Captain Langley," she said. "He said he’d put us in the tanks. I ran. I hid in the wires. But I think I died."

"You did," I said. The girl looked toward my chair. She saw the blue light from my desk reflecting in the glass.

"Are you the man?" She asked. "I'm the Auditor," I said. "Can you fix it?" She asked. "Can you make him pay?"

"Everything has a price," I said. "I don't have anything," she said. Tears fell, then vanished. "I just have me."

"That's enough," I said. "Cyprian, wait," Cedric said. "Langley has half the Guard behind him. If we move on him, the whole city might go up."

"Then let it burn," Oswin said. "I'm bored anyway. I want to see Langley's face when he realizes his badge doesn't mean anything to a ghost."

"It's about the books," I said. "Langley is a bad debt."

"So we liquidate him?" Oswin asked. "We audit him," I said.

I leaned forward. My form bled through the Grey Layer. To the girl, I looked like a shadow made of blue lightning.

"Cedric, find every account Langley has," I said. "Every cent."

"Already on it," Cedric said. "Found a hidden vault. It’s full of Soul-Anchors."

"Oswin, take a squad," I said. "Use the shadows. I'll open the locks."

"With pleasure," Oswin said. He headed for the door with a mean smile. "Hey, kid. You want to watch?"

The girl looked at me. I nodded. "She stays here," I said. "She’s the client."

"Right," Oswin said. "See you in an hour, boss." He slammed the door shut.

Cedric stayed at his desk. He looked tired. "This never ends, does it? We fix one thing, something else breaks."

"That's how the system works," I said. "It's built on friction. If there was no conflict, the data would stop moving. The city would die."

"I hate that you're right," Cedric said. "I'll go manage the fallout. The press will want to know why the Captain just turned into ash."

"Tell them he didn't pay his taxes," I said. Cedric laughed and walked out. The room went quiet. The girl stood by the window, watching the rain.

"Why do you do it?" she asked. "I like the numbers," I said. "They don't lie. But the math is always true."

"Will my father come back?" She asked. "No," I said. "But Langley will follow him soon. That’s the balance."

"Is that enough?" she asked. "It's all there is," I said. I looked down at my desk. A new window was blinking in red. It wasn't about the city. It was coming from the edge of the world.

\[System Notification: Expansion to the next city initiated.\]

\[New Assets Detected: Neo-Seoul.\]

I looked at the girl. She was fading, finally finding some peace. I looked at the city below. It was mine. Every street. Every soul. Every debt.

I looked up at the empty air. I could feel the system stretching out, hungry for more. It wanted to audit everything.

"The first consultation is free," I said. I looked into the shadows of the office, where the next ghost was already waiting. "But the debt... that’s forever."

\[System Update: Expansion to the next city initiated.\]