Chapter 50: The Hidden Method
As Mason reached the door, Donnie casually added,
"I hope you can come see me soon so I can arrange for you to join the gang and undergo augmentation!"
Mason nodded and left.
He fiddled with a new wristwatch, a new piece of equipment Donnie had given him to monitor the movements of his runners.
The moment he stepped outside, the sharp-eyed George spotted his new device. "Congratulations, Mason! You can now manage a whole district on your own!" George's face was filled with envy, and a barely perceptible hint of jealousy.
"I'll buy you drinks later!" Mason smiled, seemingly unconcerned.
Outside, the warm sun shone down, dispelling the chill that had gripped him. In just a few minutes, his emotions had been turbulent, and he'd nearly given himself away, his greatest secret about his body almost discovered.
Now, his immediate priority was to address this vulnerability.
Mason had considered temporarily removing the bio-battery once his internal energy was fully charged. But even then, the large indentation and socket in his chest still posed a risk of being discovered.
When that time really came, Mason, in his energy-depleted state, would truly be helpless.
He thought about it and abandoned that approach, deciding to look for solutions elsewhere.
"Mason, this way—I'll introduce you to your runners." George led the way out.
"Let me ask you something,"
Mason patted George on the shoulder. "Our Gear Gang members all have cybernetic augments. Are there any cases where the modifications are hidden so well that outsiders can't usually detect them?"
"What do you mean?" George was a little confused.
Mason's mind raced. "I haven't been augmented yet. For my first augmentation, I want to choose a relatively hidden location, so that in case of conflict, it can have a surprise effect."
Hearing this, George understood Mason's meaning. "What a sneaky bastard!" he laughed and cursed.
"But you're not the only one thinking like that—it just doesn't make much practical sense." The two walked past Donnie's office, talking as they went.
"What do you mean?"
"There are only two ways to achieve what you're talking about. One is to apply synthetic skin over the cybernetic implant. As long as you're careful with your disguise, most people won't be able to detect your augmentation."
"Of course, this modification can't block specialized scans. If you have money and want it to look good, you can try it." George was clearly disdainful of this approach.
"What about the other way?"
"The other way is more complicated. It requires applying a special coating to the surface of the cybernetic implant. This coating won't change the mechanical properties, but it can avoid most civilian-grade scanning devices."
"So the best way is to combine the two, but that'll cost a fortune."
"I'd advise you to give up on that idea. If you're spending that much money just on concealment, you might as well invest it in a more powerful augmentation. After all, nothing stays hidden forever. Sooner or later, everyone will know about your cybernetics."
Mason didn't say anything, but he kept George's words in mind.
"Don't worry, I'll think it over carefully. Also, do you know anyone who can do this kind of augmentation? Preferably someone reliable." Mason asked.
"I knew you wouldn't give up."
George sent over an electronic business card. "Although Doc Dodd is the most skilled augmentation specialist in our area, there are always some guys who like to tinker with specialty work."
"Go to this address and just say I referred you." As Donnie's personal assistant, George, though lacking in ability, had connections that others couldn't match.
Mason glanced at the address and memorized it. Coincidentally, the place was on Chiba Street, right within his jurisdiction.
"Here we are."
George led Mason to a corner of the warehouse, where three or four people were gathered. Faint arguments could be heard in the distance.
"Hank, I heard Boss Donnie sent some new guy to manage us. He's just an ordinary runner like us. Even if we're choosing a leader from among the runners, it should be you." A runner with a pale complexion and a scar on his cheek shouted.
The man he called Hank was a middle-aged man with a full beard, who looked to be around thirty-five or thirty-six. He kept his head down, smoking, and remained silent.
"Hank, say something! If you agree, we'll all go find Boss Donnie and push to get you promoted!" the man continued.
"I heard that guy named Mason is no joke. He took down Johnny all by himself yesterday. That's Mad Dog Johnny. We'd better not mess with that kind of psycho." A thin runner muttered under his breath.
"I don't believe he took down Johnny. Did you see it happen?" The pale-faced runner pointed at several people, and everyone shook their heads.
"If you ask me, these are all rumors. Someone must have deliberately spread this news to hype this guy up so he can take over."
"How's it such a coincidence? Just after the news broke that he took down Johnny, Johnny gets transferred out of this area. There's definitely something shady going on here!"
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances and nodded thoughtfully. Even Hank, who was constantly smoking, looked hesitant.
He was a veteran here—honest, hardworking, and knew the area like the back of his hand. He'd escaped several close calls when cornered, thanks to his knowledge of the terrain.
If a supervisor had to be chosen from the lower-level runners, he would indeed be the most qualified candidate. However, he was naturally taciturn and not good at talking, so he might not be as effective at management.
The pale-faced runner, his eyes darting around, kept urging the others on, seemingly more eager for a promotion than Hank himself.
"You're in trouble."
The group didn't watch their volume when they spoke, and Mason and George overheard them clearly from a distance.
"We need to make a move quickly. I only overheard this news by chance. By the time Boss Donnie really makes his decision official, it'll be too late," the pale-faced runner continued to urge.
"Hey Jeremy, what are you all yelling about? Get over here and meet your new boss!" To save Mason from embarrassment, George shouted from a distance.
The group paused slightly, then saw Mason standing next to George.
A new boss always makes changes, and the argument that had just occurred had been heard by many in the warehouse. Now, seeing Mason's arrival, the runners who'd finished receiving their packages quietly moved closer, ready to see how he would handle the situation.
Would he launch into a confrontation? Or would he follow George's lead and pretend not to have heard?
Besides the many runners watching, two obviously low-level supervisors huddled together, grinning as they watched the drama unfold.
"Let's bet, Chris—do you think Mason will make a move?"
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