Victor stared at the navigation feed that had been airdropped from his mysterious caller, the digital display humming softly as it pinpointed a location deep within the affluent area of the West City, nestled in the heart of the capital. The route appeared promising, far removed from the oppressive security checkpoints and omnipresent surveillance cameras that plagued the higher tiers of society. He let out a sigh of relief as they passed through the inner gates into the suburban expanse, appreciative of the newfound sense of freedom.
As they drove along the tree-lined streets, Julia suddenly leaned against his side, stifling a yawn that resonated through the car's cabin. Her unexpected proximity filled him with a mix of worry and disgust. "Can't you sit up straight?" he mumbled, attempting to maintain his concentration on the road.
"How can I miss the smell of you so much?" she replied with a playful lilt, her eyes barely open.
"Just let me drive normally," he retorted, though his attention was primarily on the navigation device, which displayed the details of the location their client had instructed them to reach. Meeting this enigmatic figure was a priority, after all, one he couldn't afford to overlook.
The long, winding road eventually led them to a sprawling house that perched elegantly on a hilltop, its architecture a blend of contemporary elegance and old-world charm. As Victor brought the vehicle to a sudden halt, a sense of apprehension washed over him. What mysteries awaited him within these walls? With a resolute shake of his head to dispel his doubts, he stepped out of the car and approached the front door, which he had been told would be unlocked for him.
Upon entering, he was greeted by the sight of a short, dark-haired woman who approached him with an air of familiarity, wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace. "Honey?" she cooed, the affection in her voice palpable.
"I'm very sorry, but I'm not who you're looking for," Victor replied gently, holding up his investigator's badge with a reassuring yet professional smile. "I'm a private investigator, here to look for a man."
Instantly, her expression shifted to one of cold disappointment as she released him and retreated down the hallway, disappearing. A pang of guilt pierced Victor as he realized he had shattered the lovely woman's illusion of her husband's return. He hoped she would find solace in time, but the weight of his intrusion lingered in the air.
Stepping deeper into the mansion, he noted the peculiar furnishings that adorned the interior—a blend of extravagant and eclectic pieces that spoke of wealth and taste. The rich aroma of coffee wafted through the air, mingling with an air of unease that hung about the place.
At the far end of the room, slumped over a sophisticated couch, Victor spotted the man who had contacted him. He was holding a plush pillow decorated with a golden trident patch and clutching a silver chalice, which he seemed to be using as a comfort object.
"Mister Victor?" the man said slowly, raising his head. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Victor's, revealing a mix of relief and an underlying anxiety. "I'm glad you could make it."
He appeared disinterested, letting out a deep sigh as he placed the chalice down on a nearby table. "I suppose I didn't provide much detail over the phone, beyond mentioning that this job revolves around a shut-down facility. So let's cut right to the chase…" With a graceless thump, he slid off the couch and landed on the floor, quickly recovering with a fluttering hand and leaning across the wooden table that separated them. "Friedrich Von Alteisen," he introduced, extending a hand for a handshake.
Victor accepted the handshake, recognizing the name from his research. It was associated with Alteisen Arms, a highly reputable weapons manufacturer known to be valued at a staggering ten trillion credits. Their products were top-tier, coveted by those in power yet out of reach for the average soldier.
"Victor Charterstire. As you said, let's get straight to the point," he replied, his tone curt but focused.
"First off, have you ever heard of the Nova Genesis Project?" Friedrich inquired, his voice tinged with a hint of anxiety.
Victor paused, considering the name. "Doesn't ring a bell," he admitted, curiosity piqued.
"As expected," Friedrich replied, a smirk creeping onto his face. "However, related to this mysterious project…" He tossed a disk across the table to Victor. "Several top-tier weapons were designed specifically for androids equipped with particularly high resonance density."
The disk spun gracefully, glinting under the soft light, adorned with the same emblem as the pillow on the couch. "That is a list of the weapons and the androids they were assigned to. Our missing former Vice Minister is tied to this whole debacle, so I need you to question those manufacturers. I want to uncover what this project meant to Amalia. Alteisen Arms can take up where she left off, so any information pertaining to the project should be directed to me, and whatever you find regarding the missing woman can be relayed to the authorities."
"You are quite the suspicious man," Victor remarked, glancing at the list as he processed its contents.
Friedrich chuckled coyly, turning away as if indifferent. "Just a commoner's opinion, I'm sure."
Victor snorted at the remark. "So your impetus for this job is tied to Amalia?"
Friedrich nodded slowly. "Whatever strategy she had regarding android manufacturing seems lost along with her. If I can apply her techniques to our weapons, we wouldn't need androids to fight our wars in the first place. The resources would be better utilized in the hands of weapons manufacturers, wouldn't you agree?"
While Victor wasn't entirely convinced by that rationale, he chose to keep his thoughts to himself, contemplating the ethical implications of such a development.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," Friedrich said, raising a hand in a casual wave.
"Right." Victor took that as his cue to depart, bidding farewell to the enigmatic man. However, as he stepped out of the lavish house, a nagging feeling settled in his gut. He wondered if he possessed the skills and ingenuity to meet his client's daunting expectations. From what little he had grasped about the Nova Genesis Project, he suspected it was riddled with complexities and numerous missing pieces—none of which could be found with a mere man.
Julia shot up from the car seat once she saw Victor return with the disk in hand, excited by the thought of a discovery.
"So, who's that creepo and what'd he have you do for him?"
"Just another corporate big wig. The usual. He needs me to play detective and look into a few of his rival corporations dealing with the Nova Genesis Project and missing persons." Victor sat in the driver's seat and then passed her the disk. "Run this and see which companies are actually worth investigating."
Julia closed the door and placed the disk to one side.
Victor took off toward the metropolitan business district of the capital. They quickly weaved through the bustling mid-afternoon traffic with the help of Julia, identifying which path was fastest.
"There a small problem, Honey. A third of the androids on this list were made by any of the five manufacturers." Julia announced with a sigh, stretching out her long legs to make herself more comfortable in the passenger seat of the sleek sports car.
Victor contemplated for a moment as they drove to a park, to figure out their next move with the limited info they had.
"The clue for those is probably who ever made the weapons for them, that's who we go visit. Get the owner's names." He instructed as she agreed, turning on the laptop in order to continue her search.
While they searched, he remained silent and listened to the radio news. Listening as he passed the time with a cigarette, waiting for his partner to come back with some leads.
"And in other news, Chancellor Sandoval, a representative of the Szenveir Kingdom announced the withdrawal from the union of the empire and her allies, citing the recent decree from the council of 8 in relation to limiting production of mechanical and android parts, specifically emphasizing the suppression of such a large scale trade of materials and the inability to operate as a level playing field for their respective parties."
"In addition to that, the chancellor has announced their military forces will withdraw from the northern region and will resume support of the borders in areas beyond Empire influence. This comes as yet another challenge for the empire to defend their nations territories in the imperial government's 175 year war against the Meteorn!" The male reporter finished.
"Ah of course, good times..." Victor commented.
"Who knew our ally nations were so dependent on androids..." Julia chuckled, cutting in on Victor's sarcastic ramble, "Oh the reports you wanted." She reached over to display the data on the central screen between them.
"Well, they don't use them for war. Medical fields, home care, and entertainment are the primary usage of those androids in other countries, though there is a minor percentage that handles manual labor and security..." He glanced at the list of the seven that made them, "Now they don't have access to the mass manufacturing capacity we have here. It's a sudden adjustment that unfortunately affects their economy. So of course they'll protest against us first."
"Protest is an understatement. Leaving the union is a much bigger deal than you make it out to be. You'll see how big of effect that is one the Republic resumes their attacks against us. Then they'll suffer from the economic recession." Julia responded back in a cold tone.
Victor sighed, his eye twitching briefly in response to his fellow companion's sharp remark. "In the end it's what it's always been; politics and war. Anyway, looks like our first lead is Tomech Heavy Industry, over in the third district. I think we've both been there before so that should make things easier." He was getting tired of Julia's consistent attitude.
Without answering him, the woman opened the glove compartment and pulled out a laced ribbon choker and slid it on, hiding the implant at her neck.
There wasn't any animosity; however, it wasn't easy to notice her resentment against Victor's wife, despite the other woman never really doing anything to Julia personally.
Despite her behavior around him, Julia's abilities in her work as an investigator were an irreplaceable asset that Victor greatly appreciated in contrast.
Pulling into the industrial district's underground parking lot, Victor promptly moved to exit the vehicle before Julia had any of her moments again.
It only took a short jaunt through the back lot to find the main entrance. Outside the industrial doors was an army security checkpoint.
He pulled out his badge and immediately showed it to the security guard, "Private Investigator. Victor Charterstire."
The guards showed little reaction to his arrival as they scanned the badge number and reviewed his law enforcement identification documents.
Satisfied with what he saw, he waved him through.
Victor found it strange but ignored it and continued past them, briefly sparing a glance at one of the guards holding an 18th-generation heavy-duty anti-riot gun.
"Wow, they were really serious about that decree. Setting up check points at manufacturing companies over android parts and assemblies." Julia commented as they approached the entrance.
"Question is; who are they trying to stop? These companies don't sell anything to civilians first place and the clients of the products made here are either the military or other highly security-conscious firms." Victor nodded in agreement as he opened the large automatic doors, prompting Julia to follow him in.
Once inside, a uniformed officer standing guard took note of their presence and quickly approached the duo. "Do you have official business here?" He raised a hand, notifying them not to go any further.
Victor gave an annoyed glance towards the badge on the soldier's chest, a Z1R-01 unit-type emblem, a highly prized unit amongst the imperial military.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a need to be." Victor snidely remarked with a faux smile and took out his charter and badge, quickly flashing it to the soldier. "I was given a reason to Investigate so now I'm here."
"Victor Charterstire, Schreadel Capital Police, Private Detective, Third division." He spoke as if he were reading off a piece of paper in front of him.
Taking notice of how professional he seemed to be, the soldier crossed his arms and responded. "Alright, Fine. We have the same bosses it appears. Go ahead."
Victor and Julia nodded with polite thanks and went inside the building proper.