Gato was never the type to show emotions. He was a try-hard who always buttoned up no matter what the situation was. He had that deadpan, unamused look as he traveled with him.

They made stops all over Taiwan. Their first stop was with a logistics company who refused to sell to the Consortium. It was a Mister Han Shi, owner of the Han Enterprises that operates in South East Asia.

Mr. Han Shi was protected by bodyguards who wore T3 gear. Reginald felt the disruption of his bioenergy and complemented inwardly how prepared Mr. Han Shi was. Gato grunted at his bioenergy’s dispersal. Not that it would be much of a bother to Gato.

Decked out in T2 gear and an exoskeleton covertly hiding. Gato was never the type to completely rely on his bio electricity produced by the ichorium.

Gato took the lead while carrying his automatic rifle. It was a folding AR that he loaned to Gato. He wore a tactical vest with four mags strapped on the plate. He kept his MF-weapon strapped on his thigh while they entered the premises and went up the second floor.

The guards never said anything as Gato took the lead. Gato had that ‘I’d-kill-all-of-you’ face. It also helped that Gaston towered most of them. A six-footer geared up with an automatic rifle. They were led to the business room where Mr. Han Shi was waiting.

“Ah, Mister Reginald. It is an honor to meet you. And this gentleman is?”

“A friend of mine. He is here to guard me. He’s only here since I don’t usually have bodyguards. The disruptors are new. Must have taken a lot of money for that.”

Mr. Han Shi had that slimy appearance. That look that made you immediately think that this man had been running a business. Reginald wanted to make the man comfortable so he spoke in Taiwanese instead of English.

“I’ll be straight with you, Mr. Han Shi. Why did you refuse the transport request of the Consortium?”

Mr. Han Shi lost his business smile. It was replaced with a half-opened eyes narrowed to look him in the eyes. Two of his bodyguards on the back sized Gato. But the old age of the two made it clear how to tell. Gato can be unassuming and stolid-faced. But he had a glare that made it easy for others to back down.

Never was the type to result to violence. He was a good friend that was calm, polite, and toneless. Reginald felt a lot more confident when he was around to do the intimidating. Mr. Han Shi swallowed a mouthful of air as Gato never stopped staring.

“The offer was beyond the agreed payment. There is no drama here. I’m simply denying the Consortium transport for not paying their dues. The consortium itself has forgotten to do what they promised. How am I supposed to run business when there are still pirates robbing my goods and threatening my transport crew? Air transport causes more and even they are starting to shoot down my transports. Are my words unreasonable?”

“They are not. However, the agreement stands. What concerns us is that you stopped working with other branches. Your company in Hongkong for example had stopped transporting. Trade in Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Brunei have been heavily affected. Only Vietnam and Palawan are unaffected. Why is that?”

“I am not an unreasonable man, Mister Reginald. However, these pirates are a threat to my goods. I heard that there is a threat to my branches. They have sent me this file.”

Mr. Han Shi pushed the file on the table. Reginald opened the file. Inside were reports of ASEAN pirates sighted in docks, shoreline, and Riau Archipelago’s Siantan Island. The scale that these pirates were expanding made Reginald recall the information he had gotten about a fleet in the Indian Ocean.

“This is unfortunate,” Reginald snorted. “We have heard this problem, but this isn’t an excuse to close the routes. Mr. Han Shi, you know what happened during the incident in Japan. I heard Manilla has had a problem as well ever since that widespread storming event.”

“Oh, I do know. But what I want for the Consortium is simple. You take care of the problem, assign some guards, and the routes are opened once more. I cannot risk damage to my transports. The price of ichorium is high and fuel prices have risen after that incident in the Pacific. You are putting me in a position here. But I cannot maintain my business if these pirates steal the cargo. Do you understand my meaning, Mister Reginald?”

“I do. Open up the channels here in Taiwan and then Vietnam and maybe we'll see through the problem. However, you must immediately return to your operations.”

“I want a verbal and a written promise.”

“I say the same.”

Reginald glared at Mister Han Shi before proceeding with the deal. They both made a verbal and a written promise. Reginald processed the deal to his superiors and surprisingly they approved of the request.

Mr. Han Shi stood up and offered his hand. Reginald shook his hand and then left the business room alongside Gato. Gato, who was watching the deal, walked next to Reginald and spoke in Catalan.

“That was fast. You caved in to his demands immediately.”

“Mr. Han Shi is usually reasonable. He knows that he can’t go too far and probably wanted to make sure that the Consortium cares enough to have someone visit him here. He was looking for attention and he got it. Besides, this is a problem that needs to be solved. These pirates are getting cockier by the month.”

“Sí, so that’s the case. I hope that he doesn’t act irrational.”

“He wouldn’t dare. Mr. Han Shi is somewhat decent among the business men we deal with. The Consortium is large and the recent increase in belua and the demand of transport made them valuable enough for the Consortium to bother contacting them.”

Gato coughed. “So you’ve been doing this kind of work lately?”

Reginald shrugged. “I am. The case in Neo-Tokyo took my attention for a while, but this is what I usually do now. There are times where I am sent to some of our stubborn partners to correct their choices.

Gato stopped and then groaned. “Do any of these stops have one of the Consortium’s problematic partners?”

“Two of them actually. We don’t necessarily operate with legal companies, as you know. These Triads are somewhat greedier than the mainlanders. I believe that the Tiandihui has been active lately.”

“What about the Tongs?”

“Who knows? I don’t like stepping on Park’s toes. ASEA is his zone and I’ll let him take care of the problems here.”

Gato entered the car. Reginald rode shotgun and sent a message to headquarters while Gato forwarded the car out of Mr. Han Shi’s headquarters.

“We try not to step on his toes but we talk to them? Is he that busy?”

“Course he is busy. Many of the organized crimes these days have started ‘Sects’ believing the new world has come. Korea has a problem with Murim Clans and creating their own set of rules. Hell, everyone’s been readying to make ichor their mana that it's been a long time coming. The worst part? Drugs made from ichor.”

“Ambrosia? Heard that’s a European problem.”

“Not anymore. Even to the regular civilians. These ambrosias are addictive. They are heavenly drugs that they’d pay thousands of dollars to acquire. Many have started becoming debt-slaves and runners. Now here’s the kicker, because of the trade of Ambrosia coming from the Balkan States. The Colombians are killing Ambrosia traders because they think that it is interfering with their coca business.”

“And you wonder why I don’t get into this kind of trade. Sounds confusing,” Gato admitted. “Still, you think Park would be concerned that we are moving?”

“Had to talk to him, obviously. You know how meticulous he is. Always about procedures and how to handle these fucks all the time. Organized Crime culture has changed lately and with the emergence of breakers. Things have gotten complicated. Far complicated and the world isn’t exactly hiding the formula to become a breaker.”

Gato groaned. “Because they know that breakers can be controlled. That they have a switch off button that could eliminate their powers. Even the stronger ones turned into just humans just a step above peak human.”

The breaker formula had limits. Cybernetics, augmentations, and the likes that enhance the body. Thing was that to make sure that you’d need to have the body and mind to augment yourself. Breakers are much easier to create. Just drink the concoction and then you’ll mutate into the stronger you with the basic ability to manipulate the ichor that has been hidden from the world.

People have said that it was a gift from God.

A miracle that God provided when God ended the world after seeing how corrupted it had become.

But it only took a few years for humanity to recover. The world is broken in some places and there are many lands that are unable to recover after the ring of fire broke. But humanity has always been strong enough to get back from that destruction.

Gato drove Reginald to the other businesses who had wanted something from the Consortium. Most of them were welcoming of the Consortium and UEDF affairs. The first and third one was mostly the same with Mr. Han Shi. They are businessmen that wanted assurance that their cooperation is strong and that the Consortium would help them.

After speaking with the less troublesome contacts. Gato took Reginald to the main building where the Triads are located. The compound was corralled with security measures. Reginald spotted two snipers eyeing them all the time. The rest of the men were holding to their piece while maintaining an eye on them.

The compound was disrupting ichorium. Reginald felt his control of his bioenergy unstable. Gato held on to his assault rifle as they climbed upstairs.

Three floors up there was the room used by the head of the Triad. Guarded by triad enforcers whose fingers are itchy. Reginald took a step. He was stopped. The guard wanted to search him when Gato held the wrist of the guard and applied pressure. Everyone heard a crack.

The disruption became ten times heavier. Reginald groaned while Gato held the guard’s wrist tightly. Unbothered by the threat of disruption.

“Calma, friend. Stand down all of you. Before you anger my good friend here and we’ll have problems. Big problems.”

Hearing the commotion outside. The triad members went out and saw Gato clenching the wrist of the guard. They felt the suppression was still active and yet Gato remained calm and strong.

“What is this? I thought we had an agreement.”

“Jiang, you make sure that your kids know who we are.”

“Back off. All of you. Keep the suppression down. Chameleon, and I assume that this is Diable?”

“He is. Mind if you keep your kids calm?”

“Alright, mhm, looks like the Consortium is hiding tech from us?”

“No. Diable here still has control of his strength. He’s like furniture that can still run despite having no connection to the socket.”

“So he’s one of those types. Get that fool out here. I apologize for that. I hope we didn’t offend the Consortium. I believe that this is for the Ambrosia being spread?”

Reginald stares down every man in the room. Gato held his automatic rifle and buttoned up. He fished out the file from his bag and handed it to Jiang.

“Here’s the file. Park will come in contact with you later on. He’ll discuss the cooperation. You’ll get what you want and in exchange you help us with our problems.”

Jiang grinned. “I always like you better than Park, Chameleon. Always straight to the point. I will have a talk with Park later on. Again, I apologize for the fool who did not recognize.”

“The UEDF and the Consortium are your friends, Jiang. You better make sure that you remember that.”

“Go in peace, Chameleon.”

Reginald saw that understanding grin. He cursed himself inwardly and went out with Gato back to the car. Gato placed his rifle behind the steering wheel.

“Guess it’s always the order we are looking for. You think he’s pissed at being under the Consortium?”

“Jiang likes to remind himself that he’s in control. He is in control of the Triads. But he’s smart enough to understand that having connections to ruling bodies is much better. We can regulate them, while others aren’t so easy.”

“A controlled criminal is better than one that isn’t. I get it.”

Reginald shrugged. “I don’t pity where you are going, Gato. If you think these fucks are problematic. Then you haven’t seen how things are there lately.”

Gato grimaced. He always hated being thrown to a bodyguard work.