[ It's more eddies than he should be spending, chasing something that will ultimately prove pointless. Touma is the only family he's been able to find- his parents are dead, perhaps, or moved to some facility elsewhere, never to see the light of day again. Night City has her own set of rules, and the NUSA besides, but if he thinks about it too long, it infuriates him. The president had been found guilty of under the table deals with Militech, she had pointed the finger at Arasaka for self-interest, and still his family was consigned to imprisonment for some indeterminable amount of time. Forgotten, just as the children too young for even the NUSA to imprison had been forgotten on the streets.
So chasing down the biological child of his brother would do nothing, and Moonlight knows it- but still he sends the text anyway, the reward, more than Emerick can say no to, he's sure. And it works. A week, he promises. Moonlight finds himself looking at the clock often, like it's counting days and not seconds, minutes, hours.
Emerick receives an answer almost immediately: ]
This evening if you have time. 6. There's been some commotion on the 16 bridge into the Watson development, be careful if you go that way.
(OOC: this is a text message but iPhone won’t do html on mobile:) Sure, thanks for the heads up. I’ll see you then.
[ A few hours to kill, if his Agent were to be believed (and she was). He could figure out what to do for a while. Before he knew it he was in a cab and he was on his way to Moonlight, careful to avoid the 16 bridge like he’d advised. It was as uneventful as anything else - staring out the window as the city slipped by him, just as living and breathing as he was.
He didn’t spend much time reflecting on the idea of the city and it’s rich life compared to the sad life he carved out for himself; his arrival to what was starting to become familiar came too soon, though it was almost a comfort, really. He was maybe starting to look forward to these meetings; the way they lacked tension and fear really spoke volumes to him on each ride in a cab. He found comfort in small spaces, and Moonlight did not strike fear into Emerick like most did. It helped that the man was pretty, too, but his gentle touch was what Emerick remembered most.
The usual knock on the door, the typical wait for permission to enter, the routine way he sank into the chair before Light’s desk at the other’s gesture. There was confidence in his movements, a certain level of comfort that wasn’t present before Light had patched him up. He smiled pleasantly to Light as he spoke. ]
Thank you for the heads up on the bridge - it saved me some trouble.
[ He notices the difference immediately when Emerick enters; a distinct confidence, Moonlight thinks. A comfort, like he belongs here, or maybe like he owns the place. His stomach clenches, cold washing in his veins. Here it comes. Emerick will use his identity against him, now. Bargaining for a higher reward, maybe, or something else altogether. He hates the idea of being beholden to anyone else, trying to be coy was a mistake. Emerick could have made a thousand copies of that data, could have found out anything else he wanted.
Moonlight smooths his anxiety with a smile, sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs. ] Of course. How's your shoulder? [ I helped you when I didn't have to. ]
[ If Emerick was aware of Moonlight's anxiety (he wasn't) he sure didn't show it. He hadn't thought of digging into Moonlight personally or selling what info he did have since the first job, and it never particularly occurred to him that Moonlight might be fixating on it. If he knew he might do his best to reassure Moonlight that it wasn't his intent at all, but even then Moonlight likely wouldn't believe him.
When questioned about his shoulder, Emerick gently reached out to brush his fingers over where the wound had been in an automatic motion. His smile shifted from polite to genuine gratitude. ] It's doing well. It would have been much worse had you not helped. [ He was still very clearly grateful for it, though he couldn't keep thanking Moonlight for it.
His hand fell from his shoulder and his hands folded together. ] I hope that you've had a good week. I am sorry that it took me so long to find this information. My usual sources of info didn't have much on her.
[ He pulled out a case and set it on the desk, gently pushing it toward Moonlight. Inside was a shard with everything he'd found. He'd worked hard trying to find everything that was accessible on her, as well as buy deets off of disgruntled employees or those that didn't like what was going on. The way Emerick spoke about it sounded like he'd found next to nothing and had spent the past not quite week to no real avail. ] I hope that this is enough.
[ Moonlight's smile lingers, faint, an echo of Emerick's. ] I'm glad to hear it.
[ He sits forward as Emerick shifts to business, eyes trained on the other with an unusual sharpness. It sounds as though the man got next to nothing, but he accepts the case and opens it to pull out the shard. ]
You asked for a week and delivered in less than that, I wouldn't call that 'long'. [ It felt long, as does each second of silence that ticks by between them, Moonlight waiting as though to be struck, feeling tension in every muscle. He is used to putting on a calm facade. Nights in bars and parlors with flashing neon lights, sitting in the lap of a man whose friend or brother or partner was getting beaten in the back room, maybe killed, and Moonlight would swear he could hear the screams over the music or the mechanical ringing of pachinko machines.
He's not sure why he thinks of it now (he is sure, it's always a nagging voice in the back of his head, that man's voice), gaze refocusing to read the screen in front of him.
The 'name' is a string of numbers and letters, and Moonlight thinks bitterly a barcode would have served the same purpose, its so impersonal. There are pictures of the baby in development, health reports, and the mention that the infant was created specifically for a client who wanted a certain set of traits and characteristics, like the way people used to breed dogs. The client info is blank.
Moonlight spends a while looking over the data, longer than he had the last time. Finally, his attention returns to Emerick. He extends a cred chip, watching Emerick like he assumes the man won't simply take it and be done with it. ] I'd be curious to see what your idea of a lot of information is.
[ Emerick was quiet while Moonlight reviewed the data. He watched Moonlight, at first: he'd expected it to be a quick glance over as the way he reviewed data in the past. As Light lingered over the data, Emerick's gaze eventually fell off of the man so that he wasn't paying attention to his expression, as if to give him whatever privacy he could in such small quarters. He eventually looked down at his hands, starting to pick at the skin around his nails. He looked back up at Light when he heard the man move more significantly than simply scrolling through data.
He reached over and took the cred chip, slipping it into his wallet without so much as a second glance. ]
I'm never a fan of having to bribe people for info - people sometimes say whatever they want to get a few extra eddies. It's hard to verify. [ And, sure enough, what he'd pulled from bribes had been marked as possibly inaccurate, as with anything else Emerick couldn't actually verify. It was apparent he held himself to an impossible to reach standard for Night City, even if he dressed it up as if it were a very minor annoyance. He cared deeply about digging into and finding the entire truth of things - it was the entire premise of his reporting as a media - and he personally felt that he hadn't done enough for Moonlight. ]
I'm not thrilled I couldn't find the original commissioner deets for your client, either, but there's only so much time I can spend hitting brick walls before even I have to give up. [ There was an odd little hesitation over the word 'your' - he had almost said you, and had to catch himself and correct; he was certain Moonlight had caught it, but Emerick hoped he missed it. ]
No? [ Moonlight sits back in his chair, slow, pale eyes alight on Emerick's expression. He studies him, even more intensely than he had studied the file a moment ago. No bribing, but is blackmail really more to his taste? Emerick seems more confident, in this meeting, but if his persona of being a little nervous, a little soft, is an act - then he's quite good at it. Maybe he just plans to do what anyone in Night City does: climb on whoever make a convenient stairstep.
He smiles, thinly, but any warmth he had managed is gone now from his eyes. Still, he holds himself casually, lacing his fingers together in his lap. The way Emerick had stuttered over 'your,' Moonlight imagines all the more strongly now that the man has something on his mind. ] 'You,' yes. Let's not dance around it. I was careless, you've connected the dots, and now you hold the cards.
[ Moonlight recrosses his legs, head tilting, gaze never wavering. ] So let's cut to the chase: what do you intend to do about it?
[ The way that Moonlight was keeping keen watch on Emerick wasn't entirely unusual, but something about it was rubbing him the wrong way today. He felt put under a microscope, a science experiment being watched for sudden changes. There was something wrong about this meeting but he couldn't quite place his finger on it. Surely, he assumed, if Light didn't trust him with this information, he wouldn't have hired Emerick for it? He kept referring to Light's 'client' out of a more politeness than anything, Emerick had figured that the two had a silent understanding that he knew what was going on.
When Moonlight finally decided to ask Emerick about his motivations point blank, then, it took him by surprise. His confidence - comfort, really: he'd grown comfortable enough around Moonlight - sloughed off as his eyebrows raised. His fingers laced together and he gripped his hands together so that he didn't betray the way they shook to Moonlight. The tension that spread through Emerick was otherwise obvious, and he couldn't hide the way he looked like a deer in headlights as he returned Light's stare. ]
What do I intend to do? [ He sounded genuinely confused, searching Moonlight's expression. It took him a second when he realized that perhaps their implicit understanding wasn't necessarily there, and that Moonlight perhaps didn't trust Emerick in the way he'd thought. ] Do... Do you think I intend to blackmail you, or hold all of this over your head?
[ Someone could understandably act angry at this, their hackles could raise and they could grow defensive and take a bite at Moonlight for even suggesting that their character might be less than savory. Emerick, on the other hand, did no such thing. He looked more like he was just trying to keep his fear response under control, and the way he spoke slowly implied that he was working hard to keep his voice steady. ] I never had the intent. The only thought was if you ever put me in a position to force my hand, but even then I wanted to avoid that if things went there.
[ His next question might have felt aggressive if anyone else asked, but with Emerick he just sounded confused. ] If you thought I would sell your information, why did you ask me to look into this?
[ It's difficult to get a read on Emerick. Moonlight prides himself on being able to make accurate quick judgments when dealing with people. It's how he has survived on the streets and thrived as a fixer without a knife in his back so far. But this man...
Emerick's nervousness is palpable, and Moonlight's voice stress analyzer says much the same. Where is the confidence of just a moment ago? He's dealt with people before nervous about playing their trump card, but excited by the thrill of it nonetheless, brandishing whatever advantage they think they have. This is— not that. If Moonlight didn't know better, he might say Emerick was genuinely confused. ]
That's precisely what I think. [ Given Emerick has all but admitted he still has at least one copy of his information, Moonlight is quite sure he isn't far off the mark. He gestures dismissively with one hand. He remains calm, even-toned, as though this might be business as usual. ] Unless you'd like to tell me you're the one person in Night City that won't claw his way over others to get ahead.
[ As for why he had asked... Moonlight's expression twists to something sardonic, but he doesn't answer. The truth is that right now, he doesn't have access to anyone else that would put in as much work as Emerick, other than Aka and— well, Aka can't know. He made a mistake not vetting someone before sending him after private information with Emerick, he won't do it again. ]
[ There's some component of Emerick's expression that was hurt by this sudden 180, that was true, but the majority of his expression had settled into a weary exhaustion as he studied Moonlight's sardonic expression. A very tired understanding was in his eyes: he recognized that there was something more to this. Someone that Moonlight regularly worked with that couldn't know, or perhaps no longer was around for some reason. Something had happened to Moonlight in the past, perhaps regarding that person. And it was all a fair response, really. To get anywhere in Night City you had to backstab and betray those you worked with. It was because of this that was precisely why Emerick was so poor he had to start edgerunning. He refused to play dirty, and his wallet suffered for it.
He broke the eye contact with Moonlight, looking down to the desk between them with a dull expression. ] I don't sit here collecting info on people just to fuck them over. I don't want the consequences of living like that. My goal's just to keep my head down, write my stories, and keep alive. Working like you're talking about's the quickest way to end up in the landfill.
[ A pause and his gaze lowered further, to his hands. ] I started edgerunning 'cause the stories I write aren't exciting because of it. I could barely afford rent and food, and I got tired of the insecurity.
[ He sighed and unclasped his hands, his right sliding into his pocket to pull out his agent, his hand shaking a little as he held it in his hand. Emerick knew he really didn't have much to prove, but Moonlight paid better than his other fixer, and he hadn't felt like he was walking on glass shards with Moonlight (well, until now). Emerick spoke to his Agent - the poor thing cracked to all hell, as if a testament to Emerick's standard of living. ] Celeste? Please delete all leftover records regarding Moonlight, the Miura brothers, and the girl. [ A gentle, soothing, feminine voice came from the agent, asking for confirmation: did Emerick really want to? ] Yes, please. All backups, too.
[ Celeste confirmed that all copies of the requested data had been deleted, as well as the backups of the files that she automatically took for him. He slid the agent back into his pocket after thanking her, then lifted his gaze to meet Moonlight's. There was no defiance or bristled challenge in the look; what was there was the expression of a tired, beaten man. He said nothing to Moonlight, waiting. ]
[ The first change in Moonlight becomes evident when Emerick puts his hand in his pocket. It's subtle, a tension becoming evident in his frame, though his expression remains almost impassive - strangely so, given the coil in his muscles. The second shift is not at the sight of the agent itself, but rather Emerick's command. Moonlight's brows raise.
He must have a separate copy at home, Moonlight reasons, a shard tucked away for later. Why else go through that show? Though, part of him, prompted particularly by the voice stress analyzer registering no deception, wonders if Emerick really does feel that way, that he may be one of the few honest people Night City hasn't yet chewed up and spat out. It's a strange sensation, and it makes him uncomfortable.
Moonlight sits back once more, outwardly seeming to settle as though satisfied that one, Emerick hadn't gone for a weapon, and two, that he had deleted the data. ]
You're one of few who thinks that. [ There's a dry, resigned sort of humor in his tone. Like Emerick, though for different reason, he sounds tired suddenly. He smiles, still though, a little softer. ] You'll excuse my suspicion, I hope. You're a rare sort.
[ Emerick hadn't realized how tense he had been as he stared at Moonlight, but once the other man decides (resigns?) to believe him, much of the tension leaves Emerick's body and he almost deflates back into the chair he's in.
Moonlight was the fixer Emerick liked working for most, in truth. The man overpayed for things that Emerick found incredibly easy, and even the more dangerous job he had to complete went tits up only because of bad luck. He'd say he even liked the work, and he wasn't going to sit here and try to negotiate Moonlight down from the amounts he was ultimately paid. Sure, he'd thought of trying to negotiate hire at one point, but he'd stopped himself: what was the point? It was greedy, and he'd spent so much time teaching his sister to do things the right way instead of giving into the cruelty of this city and their lives that he could hardly afford to be a hypocrite at this point.
Emerick forced a smile. His goal was to be friendly and understanding, for the dull exhaustion he had moments ago to fade away. It... Mostly worked. Outwardly he certainly attained it, but his expression and the cheeriness in his voice were contrived, his eyes still held their tired melancholy. Easy to miss in someone without the proper cyberware. Emerick was a liar, that was true, but not about what most thought he would lie about. ]
It's understandable: we live in Night City, after all. I just try to stick to what I'm good at, and lying isn't one of those things. [ Which Emerick personally believed, anyway, never mind this attempt to brush off what had just happened. ] I can't blame you for being suspicious, especially given the personal nature of this. I'd feel the same were I in your position.
[ Emerick knew that if Moonlight were to ever utter his sister's name then he would be as much of an anxious mess as Moonlight apparently had been, though Emerick didn't have the temperament to act calm and smile through it. ]
[ Moonlight listens, crossing one leg over the other once more. He leans on one hand, pale eyes lingering on Emerick.
Something about it bothers him, still. He's quiet, when Emerick has finished speaking, though smiles to indicate he has at least listened. It's a combination of things, though he doesn't think of it in the moment: doubt in his own abilities to judge someone accurately, and the disparity between how Emerick is presenting himself versus what Moonlight thinks. Less on his mind still is the acknowledgment his judgment has saved him because so many in Night City do walk on others without second thought. ]
Reassuring to know you understand. [ His voice is softer, gaze a little distant. The smile is almost frozen now, like he can't quite comfortably be without it, even when he'd rather not. ] I appreciate your honesty. I'm sure I'll be in touch with another job soon.
[ The silence between them made Emerick's stomach start to tilt, even with the smile that existed on his face. He was too frazzled to fully read what was going on in Moonlight's expression and to really have any idea what the man was thinking. The longer the silence drew out the more he felt his anxiety claw up his throat and threaten to make him sick.
Moonlight finally spoke and Emerick felt himself calm somewhat. The dismissal still made him uncomfortable: he felt like he'd fucked up somehow. Surely Moonlight didn't do anything, he didn't do anything wrong, it's just Emerick that was the issue. Emerick was the one that did something wrong. Moonlight said he would likely be in touch with another job, but Emerick suspected that Moonlight was just saying it to get him to leave quietly. He'd gotten rid of everything he had on Moonlight and, well, even if he hadn't deleted it he wouldn't do anything with it anyway. Just cut his losses and move on. ]
Of course. I look forward to it.
[ Emerick stood and retreated from the office. He moved casually as if nothing was wrong but once he was outside and the door closed behind him his shoulders slumped as he pulled his agent out to call for a cab. He slowly walked away from the office as he was on the phone, walking out of view of the camera as he was on the call. ]
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Date: 2023-08-05 02:24 am (UTC)So chasing down the biological child of his brother would do nothing, and Moonlight knows it- but still he sends the text anyway, the reward, more than Emerick can say no to, he's sure. And it works. A week, he promises. Moonlight finds himself looking at the clock often, like it's counting days and not seconds, minutes, hours.
Emerick receives an answer almost immediately: ]
This evening if you have time. 6. There's been some commotion on the 16 bridge into the Watson development, be careful if you go that way.
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Date: 2023-08-05 04:27 am (UTC)[ A few hours to kill, if his Agent were to be believed (and she was). He could figure out what to do for a while. Before he knew it he was in a cab and he was on his way to Moonlight, careful to avoid the 16 bridge like he’d advised. It was as uneventful as anything else - staring out the window as the city slipped by him, just as living and breathing as he was.
He didn’t spend much time reflecting on the idea of the city and it’s rich life compared to the sad life he carved out for himself; his arrival to what was starting to become familiar came too soon, though it was almost a comfort, really. He was maybe starting to look forward to these meetings; the way they lacked tension and fear really spoke volumes to him on each ride in a cab. He found comfort in small spaces, and Moonlight did not strike fear into Emerick like most did. It helped that the man was pretty, too, but his gentle touch was what Emerick remembered most.
The usual knock on the door, the typical wait for permission to enter, the routine way he sank into the chair before Light’s desk at the other’s gesture. There was confidence in his movements, a certain level of comfort that wasn’t present before Light had patched him up. He smiled pleasantly to Light as he spoke. ]
Thank you for the heads up on the bridge - it saved me some trouble.
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Date: 2023-08-06 01:50 am (UTC)Moonlight smooths his anxiety with a smile, sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs. ] Of course. How's your shoulder? [ I helped you when I didn't have to. ]
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Date: 2023-08-06 08:57 pm (UTC)When questioned about his shoulder, Emerick gently reached out to brush his fingers over where the wound had been in an automatic motion. His smile shifted from polite to genuine gratitude. ] It's doing well. It would have been much worse had you not helped. [ He was still very clearly grateful for it, though he couldn't keep thanking Moonlight for it.
His hand fell from his shoulder and his hands folded together. ] I hope that you've had a good week. I am sorry that it took me so long to find this information. My usual sources of info didn't have much on her.
[ He pulled out a case and set it on the desk, gently pushing it toward Moonlight. Inside was a shard with everything he'd found. He'd worked hard trying to find everything that was accessible on her, as well as buy deets off of disgruntled employees or those that didn't like what was going on. The way Emerick spoke about it sounded like he'd found next to nothing and had spent the past not quite week to no real avail. ] I hope that this is enough.
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Date: 2023-08-07 05:53 am (UTC)[ He sits forward as Emerick shifts to business, eyes trained on the other with an unusual sharpness. It sounds as though the man got next to nothing, but he accepts the case and opens it to pull out the shard. ]
You asked for a week and delivered in less than that, I wouldn't call that 'long'. [ It felt long, as does each second of silence that ticks by between them, Moonlight waiting as though to be struck, feeling tension in every muscle. He is used to putting on a calm facade. Nights in bars and parlors with flashing neon lights, sitting in the lap of a man whose friend or brother or partner was getting beaten in the back room, maybe killed, and Moonlight would swear he could hear the screams over the music or the mechanical ringing of pachinko machines.
He's not sure why he thinks of it now (he is sure, it's always a nagging voice in the back of his head, that man's voice), gaze refocusing to read the screen in front of him.
The 'name' is a string of numbers and letters, and Moonlight thinks bitterly a barcode would have served the same purpose, its so impersonal. There are pictures of the baby in development, health reports, and the mention that the infant was created specifically for a client who wanted a certain set of traits and characteristics, like the way people used to breed dogs. The client info is blank.
Moonlight spends a while looking over the data, longer than he had the last time. Finally, his attention returns to Emerick. He extends a cred chip, watching Emerick like he assumes the man won't simply take it and be done with it. ] I'd be curious to see what your idea of a lot of information is.
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Date: 2023-08-07 02:23 pm (UTC)He reached over and took the cred chip, slipping it into his wallet without so much as a second glance. ]
I'm never a fan of having to bribe people for info - people sometimes say whatever they want to get a few extra eddies. It's hard to verify. [ And, sure enough, what he'd pulled from bribes had been marked as possibly inaccurate, as with anything else Emerick couldn't actually verify. It was apparent he held himself to an impossible to reach standard for Night City, even if he dressed it up as if it were a very minor annoyance. He cared deeply about digging into and finding the entire truth of things - it was the entire premise of his reporting as a media - and he personally felt that he hadn't done enough for Moonlight. ]
I'm not thrilled I couldn't find the original commissioner deets for your client, either, but there's only so much time I can spend hitting brick walls before even I have to give up. [ There was an odd little hesitation over the word 'your' - he had almost said you, and had to catch himself and correct; he was certain Moonlight had caught it, but Emerick hoped he missed it. ]
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Date: 2023-08-07 06:07 pm (UTC)He smiles, thinly, but any warmth he had managed is gone now from his eyes. Still, he holds himself casually, lacing his fingers together in his lap. The way Emerick had stuttered over 'your,' Moonlight imagines all the more strongly now that the man has something on his mind. ] 'You,' yes. Let's not dance around it. I was careless, you've connected the dots, and now you hold the cards.
[ Moonlight recrosses his legs, head tilting, gaze never wavering. ] So let's cut to the chase: what do you intend to do about it?
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Date: 2023-08-07 08:04 pm (UTC)When Moonlight finally decided to ask Emerick about his motivations point blank, then, it took him by surprise. His confidence - comfort, really: he'd grown comfortable enough around Moonlight - sloughed off as his eyebrows raised. His fingers laced together and he gripped his hands together so that he didn't betray the way they shook to Moonlight. The tension that spread through Emerick was otherwise obvious, and he couldn't hide the way he looked like a deer in headlights as he returned Light's stare. ]
What do I intend to do? [ He sounded genuinely confused, searching Moonlight's expression. It took him a second when he realized that perhaps their implicit understanding wasn't necessarily there, and that Moonlight perhaps didn't trust Emerick in the way he'd thought. ] Do... Do you think I intend to blackmail you, or hold all of this over your head?
[ Someone could understandably act angry at this, their hackles could raise and they could grow defensive and take a bite at Moonlight for even suggesting that their character might be less than savory. Emerick, on the other hand, did no such thing. He looked more like he was just trying to keep his fear response under control, and the way he spoke slowly implied that he was working hard to keep his voice steady. ] I never had the intent. The only thought was if you ever put me in a position to force my hand, but even then I wanted to avoid that if things went there.
[ His next question might have felt aggressive if anyone else asked, but with Emerick he just sounded confused. ] If you thought I would sell your information, why did you ask me to look into this?
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Date: 2023-08-08 05:13 pm (UTC)Emerick's nervousness is palpable, and Moonlight's voice stress analyzer says much the same. Where is the confidence of just a moment ago? He's dealt with people before nervous about playing their trump card, but excited by the thrill of it nonetheless, brandishing whatever advantage they think they have. This is— not that. If Moonlight didn't know better, he might say Emerick was genuinely confused. ]
That's precisely what I think. [ Given Emerick has all but admitted he still has at least one copy of his information, Moonlight is quite sure he isn't far off the mark. He gestures dismissively with one hand. He remains calm, even-toned, as though this might be business as usual. ] Unless you'd like to tell me you're the one person in Night City that won't claw his way over others to get ahead.
[ As for why he had asked... Moonlight's expression twists to something sardonic, but he doesn't answer. The truth is that right now, he doesn't have access to anyone else that would put in as much work as Emerick, other than Aka and— well, Aka can't know. He made a mistake not vetting someone before sending him after private information with Emerick, he won't do it again. ]
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Date: 2023-08-08 08:23 pm (UTC)He broke the eye contact with Moonlight, looking down to the desk between them with a dull expression. ] I don't sit here collecting info on people just to fuck them over. I don't want the consequences of living like that. My goal's just to keep my head down, write my stories, and keep alive. Working like you're talking about's the quickest way to end up in the landfill.
[ A pause and his gaze lowered further, to his hands. ] I started edgerunning 'cause the stories I write aren't exciting because of it. I could barely afford rent and food, and I got tired of the insecurity.
[ He sighed and unclasped his hands, his right sliding into his pocket to pull out his agent, his hand shaking a little as he held it in his hand. Emerick knew he really didn't have much to prove, but Moonlight paid better than his other fixer, and he hadn't felt like he was walking on glass shards with Moonlight (well, until now). Emerick spoke to his Agent - the poor thing cracked to all hell, as if a testament to Emerick's standard of living. ] Celeste? Please delete all leftover records regarding Moonlight, the Miura brothers, and the girl. [ A gentle, soothing, feminine voice came from the agent, asking for confirmation: did Emerick really want to? ] Yes, please. All backups, too.
[ Celeste confirmed that all copies of the requested data had been deleted, as well as the backups of the files that she automatically took for him. He slid the agent back into his pocket after thanking her, then lifted his gaze to meet Moonlight's. There was no defiance or bristled challenge in the look; what was there was the expression of a tired, beaten man. He said nothing to Moonlight, waiting. ]
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Date: 2023-08-09 04:38 am (UTC)He must have a separate copy at home, Moonlight reasons, a shard tucked away for later. Why else go through that show? Though, part of him, prompted particularly by the voice stress analyzer registering no deception, wonders if Emerick really does feel that way, that he may be one of the few honest people Night City hasn't yet chewed up and spat out. It's a strange sensation, and it makes him uncomfortable.
Moonlight sits back once more, outwardly seeming to settle as though satisfied that one, Emerick hadn't gone for a weapon, and two, that he had deleted the data. ]
You're one of few who thinks that. [ There's a dry, resigned sort of humor in his tone. Like Emerick, though for different reason, he sounds tired suddenly. He smiles, still though, a little softer. ] You'll excuse my suspicion, I hope. You're a rare sort.
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Date: 2023-08-09 12:32 pm (UTC)Moonlight was the fixer Emerick liked working for most, in truth. The man overpayed for things that Emerick found incredibly easy, and even the more dangerous job he had to complete went tits up only because of bad luck. He'd say he even liked the work, and he wasn't going to sit here and try to negotiate Moonlight down from the amounts he was ultimately paid. Sure, he'd thought of trying to negotiate hire at one point, but he'd stopped himself: what was the point? It was greedy, and he'd spent so much time teaching his sister to do things the right way instead of giving into the cruelty of this city and their lives that he could hardly afford to be a hypocrite at this point.
Emerick forced a smile. His goal was to be friendly and understanding, for the dull exhaustion he had moments ago to fade away. It... Mostly worked. Outwardly he certainly attained it, but his expression and the cheeriness in his voice were contrived, his eyes still held their tired melancholy. Easy to miss in someone without the proper cyberware. Emerick was a liar, that was true, but not about what most thought he would lie about. ]
It's understandable: we live in Night City, after all. I just try to stick to what I'm good at, and lying isn't one of those things. [ Which Emerick personally believed, anyway, never mind this attempt to brush off what had just happened. ] I can't blame you for being suspicious, especially given the personal nature of this. I'd feel the same were I in your position.
[ Emerick knew that if Moonlight were to ever utter his sister's name then he would be as much of an anxious mess as Moonlight apparently had been, though Emerick didn't have the temperament to act calm and smile through it. ]
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Date: 2023-08-12 02:14 am (UTC)Something about it bothers him, still. He's quiet, when Emerick has finished speaking, though smiles to indicate he has at least listened. It's a combination of things, though he doesn't think of it in the moment: doubt in his own abilities to judge someone accurately, and the disparity between how Emerick is presenting himself versus what Moonlight thinks. Less on his mind still is the acknowledgment his judgment has saved him because so many in Night City do walk on others without second thought. ]
Reassuring to know you understand. [ His voice is softer, gaze a little distant. The smile is almost frozen now, like he can't quite comfortably be without it, even when he'd rather not. ] I appreciate your honesty. I'm sure I'll be in touch with another job soon.
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Date: 2023-08-13 08:39 pm (UTC)Moonlight finally spoke and Emerick felt himself calm somewhat. The dismissal still made him uncomfortable: he felt like he'd fucked up somehow. Surely Moonlight didn't do anything, he didn't do anything wrong, it's just Emerick that was the issue. Emerick was the one that did something wrong. Moonlight said he would likely be in touch with another job, but Emerick suspected that Moonlight was just saying it to get him to leave quietly. He'd gotten rid of everything he had on Moonlight and, well, even if he hadn't deleted it he wouldn't do anything with it anyway. Just cut his losses and move on. ]
Of course. I look forward to it.
[ Emerick stood and retreated from the office. He moved casually as if nothing was wrong but once he was outside and the door closed behind him his shoulders slumped as he pulled his agent out to call for a cab. He slowly walked away from the office as he was on the phone, walking out of view of the camera as he was on the call. ]