Digimon Story: Rainbow Traverse -- Chp 20

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No, he wasn’t surprised. Truthfully, he wasn’t even impressed. After finding Spinny.. he suspected that they had been watching his friends and him for awhile. Al would look at those images, and he would gently give Renee’s hand a squeeze. “Your kids are pretty diligent aren’t they?” He asked as he then looked at Kei apologetically before he continued speaking. “If you want information..you’re gonna have to give us something first. You said that you might know where Kukuimon could be… I’d like to know where you’ve seen him.”

He then smiled “But who’s to say that we’re even doing anything particularly special? Maybe CODE has just some really crappy and outdated Antivirus software, probably why these problems are popping up.”

[Roll Persuade or Manipulate]

[Rolling: 5,3,5 +7= 20]

Theridia's smile remained unchanged as she chuckled, her eyes glancing between Keilani and Alemana. "It's understandable that you would think that," she said. "One of their agents did recently end up in the ER, mugged in broad daylight! Can you imagine?"

Al suddenly felt a tightness in his chest through his link with Renee; the shapeshifter giving away nothing in her body language.

"Hmm... a freebie, was it?" asked Theridia. "Tell me, has your Eyesmon noticed anything unusual about the data streaming through Hilo?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Keilani.

"A lot can be gleaned from what kind of information is trending within a geographic area. Corporations and political groups utilize it all the time in their marketing campaigns. Recently, however, odd spikes concerning random subject matters have been on the rise. Normally, I'd assume that's related to the distortions, however..." A new image appeared on the broker's laptop. A number of lists of site data showed sections that were missing, as if fragmented or damaged. "Certain sites, research papers, and analytics have gone missing," said Theridia. "Too precise to be random, and all related to elements you may be familiar with. Music, medicine, agriculture."

"The Network!" said Malie. "Kukui's in the Network!"

"But how?" asked Renee. "We searched for signs of distortion activity, we didn't find any."

Al could feel that pressure in his chest, and he would silently comfort his partner (“Don’t let it get to you..”)

“I can only assume he ran into something that didn’t want him looking into its business. We’ve been attacked a few times ourselves the past few days.” He said, before his eyes flicked down at Malie’s shadow where Eyesmon lay hidden, then back to Theridia.

“And how do you know that if we haven’t been able to figure that out?” He asked, one hand on Malie’s knee.

"Information is my business, Mr. Sonson. I've been at this line of work for just over a quarter century, and have a number of aces up my sleeve." She then stretched out a naked arm, her eyes on her polished manicure. "Figuratively speaking, mind you." The information broker's attention was pulled away, however, when Gammamon began shuffling about in his bag.

"Keilani," he said. "My legs are cramped! I wanna walk around!"

"Not right now Gammy. You can move when the limo stops."

"It's quite alright," said Theridia. "My chauffeur is extra careful when we have guests."

Gammamon cheered, breaking free of the duffle bag as he took to the air. "Look, guys! They've got a minifridge!"

"Gammy, please!"

"Help yourselves," chuckled Theridia. "Though most of it is small fare."

“If that’s the case. Where is this supposed distortion that has Kukuimon in it supposed to be?” He asked, ignoring Gammamon. All his focus was directed at Arukenimon for the moment.

Theridia's eyes narrowed, made lurid by the softness by which she smiled. "I'd be more than happy to tell you," she said. "But, sadly, I've already given you enough clues. The rest you'll have to bargain for."

“And what would you want? I can promise you that you aren’t going to get anywhere asking about the distortions and how we closed them until we know that this information is accurate.” Al said as he then gently squeezed Renee’s hand. “You’re not the only one who understands the value of certain information. So what else would you want?”

For the first time, Al noticed the smile on Theridia's face slacken. "I'm a wealthy mother of hundreds, young man. I have connections all across this beautiful blue marble you call a world, as well as the Kumulipo Server. Money means nothing. I dine with the rich and powerful. Grunt work? I've more than enough people under my employ. Yet here I am, sharing my personal limo with you, face-to-face. Why?" The white-haired woman took off her glasses, revealing glowing, yellow eyes. "Because information is life. It is, in a sense, what Digimon are built from. Even mortal beings are comprised of it, through DNA, energy, and solid matter."

"Get to the point," said Malie.

"I want anything pertaining to the Guardian 'Akua, the access nodes, and the Nightmarchers. Give me that, and I'll tell you anything you want to know."

His eyes narrowed. “And what do you plan to do with that information?” He felt the familiar warmth in his chest, and the dull throbbing in his palms as his connection to Kumon roused slightly- as if the Akua’s attention was drawn ever so slightly by being mentioned.

“If you want to collaborate that’s fine, but I’m going to need some sort of assurance that you aren’t going to be my problem.. because you don’t want to have us as your problem.”

Theridia stared back at the teen, holding his gaze.

"...Very well," she said, shrugging. "If it's a contract you want, then it's a contract you will get." Brushing her hair to one side, the broker pulled out a single strand. Yet instead of falling limp, the single thread stood straight as a needle. "This is a spirit thread. Amongst its many uses, it can form binding oaths between people, holding them to their word. Once sealed, the terms of the agreement cannot be changed, requiring both parties to agree to its termination before a new contract can be made."

"You want us to sign a contract on the spot?" said Keilani. "How do we know that what you're saying is even the truth?"

"You don't," said Theridia. "But this is the only way I can see us getting past your scruples. Either you accept my offer, or our business is concluded."

Al would look at the silvery hair, abs he would glance at his sister with a small smile “Hey don’t worry, it’ll be fine.” He reassured her, before he returned his attention back to Theridia.

“So do we just come up with terms of what this contract is supposed to cover?”

"Indeed," said the broker. "Though there is one last thing to consider."

"I knew it," said Kei.

"The contract must be sealed between me and a representative of your group. That person, in turn, will be bound by the contract, and thus suffer the consequences if you break your end of the bargain." As Keilani motioned to speak, Theridia raised her hand. "The price of breaking the deal is determined by both parties before signing, though having lenient punishment defies the point of making such a contract. Extreme agony is the most common choice, though death and neurological disorders are also possible. For my part, I promise to keep our dealings strictly confidential, including information about you, your families, your digimon partners, and any information you provide me with. Neither I nor my subordinates will knowingly interfere with whatever operations you have in mind going forward, nor knowingly utilize proxies to bypass our arrangement."

He mulled that over, and thought to Renamon (“I have no idea what to add.”)