Vol 3 Chapter 12 (1/2)
[Novel] NO 6 - Vol 3 Ch 1 (b)
This is a continuation of PART A
”I want information”
”I figured as much,” Inukashi+ said sih to coroceries So? Information about what?”
”The Correctional Facility”
Inukashi+ almost fell over
”Correctional Facility!” he exclaimed ”You mean the one the Security Bureau presides over?”
”Is there some other Correctional Facility that no one knows about?” Nezumi said sarcastically
Inukashi+ ignored him
”So you want information what kind of information?”
”Any kind, no matter how unimportant” Nezumi fished a white mouse out of his pocket It was about the size of an adult thumb Inukashi+'s eyes narrowed
”Is that a robot? It's save me last time”
Pulling off his gloves, Nezuently pressed the mouse's head Its back split open, and a yellow shi+e floated up into it
”What's this?”
”A holograht to reproduce objects”
”I knohat a hologram is,” Inukashi+ said irritably ”It's h,” he said as an afterthought ”But I' about what's displayed there What is this? A blueprint?”
”It's a floor plan of the Correctional Facility's inner structure, but it's pretty outdated The structure itself ed, but their administrative system has probably been improved”
Inukashi+ scowled at hi me'
”No can do I don't care what kind of inforet it for you”
”Why?”
”Why? Don't ask me stupid questions Do you knohat kind of place that is? Of course you wouldn't,” he said flatly, ”I don't know either No one knows, because there hasn't been a single person who came out of that place alive ―Not even dead bodies can h the Special Gates, they disappear They vanish off the face of the earth That's the kind of place it is, right? That's what the rumours say”
Inukashi+ gulped, and shuddered Nezumi echoed his words back to him expressionlessly
”Rumours?”
”Rue incinerator in the baseet burned like garbage And the ashes that come out of there are scattered on the far to waste disposal They say it's good for the soil ―Here, in this place”
Inukashi+ pointed at the bottoraain It was a blank white space, and there was nothing written in it This curiously e
”There's no incinerator there,” Nezumi muttered
”What ly ”Have you seen it? How can you say that without even―”
Inukashi+ clipped his words halfway through and found hi at Nezumi
”You know―?”
There was no answer
”You knohat it's like inside the Correctional Facility? When―” Inukashi+'s hand thrust into the light, and clenched into a fist The ie jittered and warped
”When did you record this?” he demanded ”This is internal data”
”Inukashi+, I'old to answer your questions I hatever you can e ― find any latest information about the interior of the Correctional Facility, and add it to this data Specifically, if I were to be picky, I'd want accurate information about the operations and security systems”
”You stupid or sohest classes have access to that, it's top secret Tough luck if I can even get my hands on it”
”That's why I'e Any information that has to do with the Correctional Facility, and I want it ASAP I'll leave you with this”
Nezumi turned off the switch, and tossed the small projector mouse to Inukashi+ Inukashi+ wrinkled his nose at it as if it were a rotting corpse
”Should I use the ot from you last time?” he asked
”No, that won't work The Correctional Facility is full of security sensors Any robot, no ht scurrying around without proper recognition”
”Then use real et in anism isn't a problem for the sensor, is it?”
”Not so fast Forget mice, even flies or cockroaches would be exterminated auto of thele fly intrude into that place And that's how it is”
”Then what am I supposed to do?” Inukashi+ said in frustration ”How aather infored?”
”You don't have to sneak in You're right ― pretty ed to the tee But there are still lots of areas that involve people, too And inforh thecoue”
Inukashi+ hunched his shoulders exaggeratedly He was beginning to et at He didn't want to see any more clearly if he could help it
”Of course,” he agreed pro the couards would have to be hu in and out of there And we can't forget the prisoners, they're huht? But apart froo from the Correctional Facility are people inside No 6 You need an IC card to get through the Special Gates It's impossible to create a fake No 6 IC card Whichunless they're prisoners Not that anyone would wanna get near it, anyway So ―” He was talking rather fast ”Well ― if we jump to the conclusion, pretty much it's impossible for us to interact with people inside the Correctional Facility because they're residents of No 6, and that ht? You should know better than anyone Those guys live in a completely different world from us It's just different”
”Inukashi+”
”What?”
”You're talkative today”
Inukashi+ dropped his gaze He knew that lowering his eyes signalled defeat, but he had no energy to glare back at the pair of grey ones that stared at him He knew already ould win and ould lose
Nezu at the floor He whispered in a voice raspy and low, but sensual ― a woman's voice
”That's how you always are When you've got so to hide, you suddenly become more eloquent And then I realize the truth that lies in your heart ― that underneath that tongue of yours, flapping like a leaf in the wind, a furtive secret is curled up”
His fingertips stroked Inukashi+'s chin, slid up his jawline, and lightly pinched his earlobe Inukashi+ shi+vered The brief moment of ecstasy was followed quickly by a small, sharp pain His earlobe had been yanked
”Ow!” he said indignantly ”The hell was that for?”
”Don't underestimate me, Inukashi+”
”What're you talking about? I wasn't―”
”Stop playing dus for That's why I came here”
Inukashi+ tsked loudly, and roughly shoved Nezumi's hand away Nezumi chuckled amusedly
”You use your dogs to s leftover food and garbage from the Correctional Facility into the West Block For years now”
”I aoods is also part ofme what to do”
”The Correctional Facility has full waste disposal functions,” Nezu inside that building You just said that not even corpses can ht They even dispose of dead bodies inside that place Whichfrom there, much less leftover food Froet periodical loads of leftover food, and sell it to the food stalls in the West Block Makes goodbusiness?”
”Is it not to your liking that I'ly ”Youme Since when did you become a Bureau lackey, huh, Nezumi?”
”Machines don't trade with black-rammed with a set of rules, they'll never break the to break the rules, it's the humans There's someone in the interior of the Correctional Facility that's selling you leftover food, isn't there? No, not just food He's probably passing prisoner rations and other belongings your way too Anyway, the fact is, you have a contact inside the Correctional Facility Sniff out a lead from him Lure the information out of him”
Inukashi+ shook his head The young et hier than he had expected Inukashi+ broke out into a cold sweat
”It's iuys I deal with are the lowest of the low They pretty side the robots There's no way they would have any sort of useful information”
”That's exactly why you wanna ask theuys on the top tier are strictly overseen by the authorities They can't risk the danger of letting any secrets slip But ement is lax with people in lower positions And if their job is to clean the place, they've probably been everywhere inside the Facility Who knows, they ht have more information than you think Your job is to sniff it out Your nose is as good as a dog's, isn't it?”
Inukashi+ heaved a sigh, and vainly attempted at a last act of retaliation
”I need et any inforold coins isn't gonna cut it”
Nezumi nodded, and passed a small leather pouch to Inukashi+ In it, there were a considerable nuold coins
”I only have this ht now” Nezumi suddenly squatted down and peered into Inukashi+'s eyes
”Inukashi+, ithyou”
Begging? Nezu me?
”If you take the job, I promise I'll always rush to your side if you're overcome with unbearable pain one day Noto your soul I promise”
”Who's gonna count on a pro and a rat?”
No one could guarantee it But yet ― Nezu apprehended Inukashi+'s soul
No matter where or how I died, if it was acco, he would always appear and put my soul to rest He could be hard to understand as hell, but he would never break a promise
Inukashi+ believed strongly in his own instincts He extended his hand, and closed it around the leather pouch
”I'll take the job”
”I owe you one” Nezumi breathed out shortly, and wound the superfibre cape around his shoulders Then, he put a finger to his lips
”I shouldn't need to tell you, but none of this―”
”I knoon't let anyone get wind of the job It's the cardinal rule for ather the information as quickly as I can, and contact you before anyone else can find out”
”I' on you”
”Nezu”
”What?”
”What are you doing this for?”
Silence It was ile expression from Nezumi's face Inukashi+ licked his bottom lip, and continued
”With this ood while I knew you were a star actor andquite a bit ofthisme―”
”I' you I only came to you with a job”
”H as far as to request a job from me ― what makes you want to poke your nose into the Correctional Facility so badly? What's your reason?”
Nezuht half-se