Chapter 152: The Cuban Group! Aguilar!
Night City, Dogtown, Azure Gem Hotel Building
In Dogtown, the Azure Gem Hotel, a towering 99-story skyscraper, stands as the crown jewel—a beacon of grandeur in the decrepit landscape of the Pacifica district. It is the sole high-integrity structure in the area, a half-military fortress, half-top-tier luxury club and casino, thanks to the renovation efforts of Kurt Hansen, the so-called "King of Dogtown."
At the top of this fortress-like building, Hansen waited patiently alongside his two henchmen, Bennett and Gago, for a certain someone to arrive.
"It seems like Mr. Aguilar won't be showing up tonight, boss. Do we really need to keep waiting?"
The effeminate-looking Gago glanced at his Richard Mille watch. Two hours had already passed since their agreed meeting time with Aguilar, yet their guest was nowhere to be seen. If there was no accident, it was likely that Aguilar had simply changed his mind.
"Maybe you should head back and rest for now. I'll inform you immediately if we hear from Mr. Aguilar," Gago suggested obsequiously.
"Gago, don't you know that Mr. Aguilar is notoriously elusive? No one can confidently predict his movements," Bennett, the chief of Hansen's security team, interjected. As Dogtown's second-in-command in military affairs, Bennett controlled the majority of the district's armed forces.
Among the soldiers of Hansen's Hellhound Brigade, Bennett's authority was second only to Hansen himself.
"Besides, Aguilar is on a mission. If the boss isn't here when he arrives and he decides to leave in anger, who'll take responsibility for that?" Bennett's rebuke left Gago speechless.
The two men had a history of petty disputes, with Bennett often looking down on Gago, whom he viewed as nothing more than an accountant without real value.
"Ha! How else would Aguilar get in here? Grow wings and fly? If your men can't even spot someone like him, they should all be fired," Gago retorted with a cold sneer.
"You son of a—"
Before Bennett could hurl an insult back, Hansen's cold, piercing gaze silenced him. Bennett quickly bowed his head in submission, signaling his respect for Hansen's authority.
"Instead of arguing, why don't you two figure out how to explain to Mr. Aguilar why business has been slow lately?"
Hansen's words seemed like a reprimand for their infighting, but in truth, he relished the tension. As the undisputed ruler of Dogtown, Hansen ensured his subordinates remained loyal to him yet at odds with one another. This delicate balance maximized his control.
Just as Hansen was about to instruct someone to call the Cuban Group for an update on Aguilar, a low, gravelly voice suddenly echoed through the room:
"Every time someone lights a cigar in Havana, Aguilar kills someone somewhere in the world."
As the words hung in the air, Aguilar emerged from the emergency stairwell—a tall, imposing Black man wearing a peaked cap, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. In his hand, he carried a massive iron case that appeared to weigh at least two or three hundred pounds.
"Mr. Hansen, I took the liberty of sneaking in from your building's ground floor. I was curious if your Hellhounds would detect me. Turns out, they're nothing but clumsy fools."
Aguilar removed his cap, revealing a sleek, white pompadour hairstyle. With a chilling grin, he addressed Hansen:
"If this is the level of security at the Azure Gem, I'm deeply concerned for your safety. You might not live to see our next meeting."
Hansen's expression hardened at Aguilar's remark. He shot a sinister glare at Bennett before motioning for Aguilar to sit.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Aguilar, but that's not why we're here tonight."
At Hansen's signal, Gago activated a holographic sandbox. A 3D projection of the latest North American battlefield situation illuminated the room, showing New America's forces advancing rapidly westward.
"General Myers ' troops are close to breaking through the Eastern War Zone. Once that happens, it'll only be a matter of days before they reach Night City. The Pacifica Alliance won't stand a chance against her steel tide," Hansen said, his voice tinged with anxiety.
No one understood better than Hansen what awaited him if he fell into General Myers Rosalind's hands. Myers had no mercy for traitors, not even former ones. Death would be a mercy compared to the potential horrors—like being subjected to human experimentation by New America's Intelligence Bureau.
"You seem awfully afraid of that old hag Myers Rosalind. No wonder you publicly declared support for New America's 'Metal Wars,' even pretending to want to join them," Aguilar sneered, deliberately provoking Hansen.
"Even our boss is beginning to wonder if you're truly loyal to us or if you're thinking of double-crossing the Cuban Group."
Of course, Aguilar knew Hansen had no intention of defecting, but his words were meant as a warning: betrayal would not be tolerated.
"No, I would never betray you. My statements were merely a ruse to lower that woman's guard. If given the chance, I'd take her out myself!" Hansen swore his loyalty without hesitation.
Hansen's reign over Dogtown owed everything to the Cuban Group. Without their support, he would never have risen to power, let alone maintained control in Night City's volatile underworld.
Seeing Hansen's immediate and convincing display of loyalty, Aguilar smiled faintly, signaling his temporary satisfaction.
"Let's get to the point. I'm here to deliver something that will serve as your proof of allegiance to Myers . She won't trust a defector's words alone. You'll need something truly valuable to win her over."
Aguilar placed the heavy iron case on the table. Thanks to his advanced cybernetic arms, he managed to lift the weight effortlessly.
Curious, Hansen, Gago, and Bennett fixated on the mysterious case.
"What's inside? Gold? Jewels?" Gago guessed greedily.
"Are you stupid? It's obviously a lightweight nuke!" Bennett scoffed. "Step back, or you might set it off and blow us all to hell."
Annoyed but cautious, Gago took two steps back.
"Is this some sort of prototype?" Hansen mused. "Something Myers desperately needs?"
Aguilar's remark humiliated both Gago and Bennett, leaving them glaring at him in silent frustration. Yet neither dared to act against him.
"Tell me," Hansen pressed eagerly, his eyes fixed on the case, "what kind of high-tech marvel is this that would make Myers trust me?"
Seeing Hansen's undivided attention on the box, Aguilar decided to reveal its secret without further delay.
"This is an AI Neural Matrix Prototype. Inside it resides a tamed rogue AI, the final research product of the North Star military tech project."
"What!"
Hansen was stunned. He could hardly believe that something even military tech companies had yet to perfect had been acquired by the Cuban Group.
"How could you possibly have a prototype like this? Did your bosses… steal it from a corporate lab?"
Hansen shook his head, doubting his own speculation. Only a handful of companies in the world could develop such a device: Lazarus, Arasaka, Orbital Air, IEC (International Electric Corporation)...
Yet no matter which of these corporations it was, Hansen found it impossible to believe that the Cuban Group had the power to steal something of this caliber.
After all, not even the Cuban Group, as the world's largest criminal organization, could afford to provoke a LA Corporation .
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