Checkmate

[Night City; Syzygy]

"Did you hear? The Seven Whales are up to something again." The older man, decked out in a suit that probably cost more than most people's lives, swirled his wine glass, eyeing his companion like it was a fancy dish.

"Again?" The second man barely looked up from his phone, voice dripping with boredom.

"They're not just any bunch, you know. I heard they're richer than us—by a lot. Like, if you pooled the wealth of the richest people from all three continents, they'd still be swimming in cash, while we're over here nibbling at crumbs." Another man interrupted.

"Sounds like we're just a speck of dust in their world," the second man muttered. "No wonder they don't mess with other territories. A wrong move and their shiny image would crack."

"If only there was a way to get in on Skirmish without involving those Apostles," the first man grumbled. "I swear, just staying on the sidelines would make me a fortune."

Suddenly, bam! A woman collided with the old man.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" he barked, voice way too loud for such a minor mishap.

"My deepest apologies, sir!" The woman's voice was hesitant. She had long hair tied into a low ponytail and a waiter's uniform that looked a little too pristine for someone working in a place like this. She quickly tried to dab the wine stains off his suit with a handkerchief—no luck. "This is... a very expensive suit! Damn it!"

She didn't look up, a little smile on her face which she tried to hide from him. "The Night Ball covers damages like this. If you'd like, I can escort you to take care of the costs?"

The old man blinked, his eyebrows furrowing. "Never heard of that before."

"Maybe it's a new thing," another man chimed in, clearly intrigued.

"Well, lead the way, then," the older man grunted, clearly not in the mood to argue.

"Right this way." The woman gestured, turning on her heel and striding down the hallway.

The two of them walked through an eerily quiet corridor. Just before the door to a room swung open, the old man frowned. "Wait a minute... Is this my room?"

Before anyone could answer, the door creaked, and Yona, dressed in a maid's outfit, appeared with an angry scowl. "Oh, here already?" she muttered, arms crossed.

The old man froze, confused. "What the—" As soon as he turned around to look at the waiter.

In that split second, a belt whipped around his neck from behind. The man gasped, his eyes bulging in surprise as he was yanked backward into the room. "Agh!"

"Sorry about this, sir, my ass!" Kaia grinned, untying her ponytail as she watched the man struggle. She casually shoved her hands in her pockets, stepping inside like she was strolling through a park. The door shut with a soft click behind her.

***

The old man made muffled sounds, jerking violently in his restraints. His arms were bound tightly behind him, and a cloth gagged him into silence. He glared, kicking his legs in futile anger.

"Now what?" Yona asked, raising an eyebrow as she exchanged glances with Kaia.

"Now we get fired, probably," Kaia shrugged, grinning as she leaned against the door frame.

"No time for jokes," Yona snapped. "We only got him because of my plan."

"I'll admit it," Kaia said with a wicked smile. "You did well this time."

A few moments earlier....

"Let me go! I swear, if I get untied, your families won't even be able to find your corpses, bitches!" The granny yelled, wriggling like a fish caught in a net, as if she were about to cause some major trouble.

Kaia, panting heavily like she'd just sprinted a marathon, wiped her brow. "Catching her was harder than running a race against time."

Yona, just as out of breath, shot Kaia a tired glance. "Agreed."

"So... what do we do now?" Kaia asked, still in disbelief. "We can't possibly hide from her forever."

Yona's patience snapped. She smacked Kaia's head. "This is your fault! Apologize already!"

Kaia let out a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Granny," she said flatly, not showing an ounce of guilt.

Smack!

"Apologize properly!" Yona barked, her face turning bright red. "Kneel and beg for forgiveness like you mean it! Show that you are the lowliest person in the world with no drop of pride in you!"

With a groan, Kaia knelt down in a ridiculously formal bow, doing the most over-the-top Japanese apology you've ever seen. "I beg for forgiveness, dear old hag!" she shouted dramatically.

Smack!

"Why do you have to call her a hag?! Asshole!" Yona snapped, shaking her head in disbelief.

Kaia and Yona exchanged nervous glances at the granny, hoping she wouldn't get angry again.

"Oh ho! Kids these days..." Granny's fierce expression melted into a warm, friendly smile. "You two are quite lively!"

"Huh?" Kaia and Yona both blinked, their faces utterly confused as Granny's expression switched from stern, merciless, ruthless to sweet in a split second.

Kids? Wasn't she calling us bitches, some moments ago? Kaia scratched her head. "Wait... did my apology actually work?"

Yona stared at the granny, not quite believing what was happening. "Well, that was unexpected..."

"Is it safe to untie her?" Kaia asked cautiously, eyeing Granny like she was a ticking time bomb.

Yona shrugged. "Let's leave it to fate."

Kaia untied the ropes slowly, ready for anything—but instead of danger, Granny patted her on the head with a kind smile.

Kaia blinked. "Uh... well, I really am sorry about, you know... borrowing your grandson's bike."

Granny smiled even wider. "You'll be forgiven, but on one condition." She looked at them both, eyes sparkling. "You'll work as a waitress and maid at the hotel where I oversee the staff. What do you say?"

We don't really have time for all that... Yona thought, but her face stayed calm and polite.

"At the Nexus Night Ball." The moment Granny mentioned "Nexus," Yona leapt into action. She quickly shoved Kaia aside and grabbed Granny's hand, as if holding onto a golden opportunity.

"Granny, we'll do anything! We'll work off our mistake," Yona said, voice filled with fake sincerity. "Right, Kaia?"

Kaia blinked, still processing. "Uh... sure," she said, completely confused but agreeing anyway. "We'll start working right away."

Granny chuckled. "You two are certainly energetic. Alright, follow me."

Granny started walking, and Kaia and Yona followed quickly behind her.

As they walked, Kaia and Yona exchanged excited grins. "Checkmate!" they whispered together, fist-bumping like they just won a game.