The ship was now an hour away from Atlas and Hector was currently in a room eating lobster as a thank you from the chefs.
"Mmmm maybe Atlas isn't so bad." Hector said as he finished up.
"*cough *cough *COUGH!" Hector coughed loudly as he didn't keep track of time how much he went without his gas mask.
Ever since that accident with helping his father's lead chemist with the drug MDMA(Molly), his lungs have been weakened to the point that Hector must breath in clean air or death is a certain end. And a painful one at that.
He put on his gas mask and began to slowly breath and let his lungs settle. Even while breathing the clean air his gas mask filtered through, he was often in discomfort around his chest.
Whatever he had gotten wrong in the recipe it made the skin over his ribs look like he'd been starved for weeks with a few veins sticking out. However as he let out small coughs every now and then he thought about aura again.
He hasn't tried to get one but knew that if he couldn't get one, people will certainly start looking for him as literally everyone has one.
He looked at his sniper laying on the bed and looked in the mirror. He hasn't gotten new clothes or even armor, if he was going to operate in Atlas for a time he needed a upgrade.
He needed... "inspiration". He got his old phone and went to work.
His phone had somehow beyond his understanding of how it was even possible... stored the internet.
He needed some type of winter boots as his nike cortezez wouldn't help with the cold aswell as a coat and maybe even another jacket... perhaps white to help if he has to out into the cold and needs to blend in.
Thermal pants? Atlas would surely have that aswell but another thing was weapons. His was already great but... he wanted more.
He read before eating that Atlas unfortunately pays more when the bounty is turned in alive and not dead. They wouldn't mind a body of two that didn't move, afterall the dust mines spew out more corpses than bounties for sure.
Hector wanted something that would help him in case he needed to use his Toxicas in a instant and not take it from his lower back, double press the button and throwing it or use it as a close combat weapon.
He would want it on his left wrist, but small as he wanted it to be concealed. He would but a smaller canister on his wrist built into the hidden weapon for it not to be too bulky.
Hector's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a horn. He got up and could see Atlas in the flowting distance with Mantle underneath it.
"If that doesn't show the inequality of this place I don't know what will."
Hector said as I got his things and reminded himself about his other things he hid on the floorboards under his bed in the hotel.
He then called the receptionist wondering if he could straight up buy it.
"Hello, this is Vale's Luxury Stay Hotel how can I help you today?"
"Hey it's me again, your friendly neighborhood bounty hunter." Hector said cheerfully before the receptionist started fumbling her words.
"O-oh! I-uh... h-how can I-I help?"
"You know that room I'm using that's basically an apartment?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"How much for it?"
"You... want to buy it?"
"Yes!"
"Let me... talk to my supervisor."
After a minute or two a man picked up the phone while Hector was spinning in his chair.
"Hello, Bounty Hunter? Are you still there?"
"Yes sir!"
"For your question, usually we don't sell but it would be a crime to deny one of Vale's most successful bounty hunters a place to stay with all accommodations considered and non disclosure to the public and other... people in power. A sum total of one point three million Lien, with a deposit-"
"Can I send it right now?"
"Oh um... yes but I would need your signature."
"I'm out of the kingdom right now but can you hold that apartment while I'm gone?"
"Of course! Happy hunting."
'Good, a base in Vale and maybe one on Atlas.'
He then left towards the freezer where he loaded up the King of the Vytal Seas body onto a cart before heading topside.
There the woman was arguing with the captain but saw a man who was much older and had more metals in his uniform.
Safe to say he outranked them both.
"By having that maniac stay here she endangered me and everyone else on this ship!"
The captain yelled pointing at the woman who remained calm. The older gentleman looked at her, thus she responded,
"Yes, although having a child who committed several murders doesn't look good. You have understand that if it wasn't for him, we'd all be dead.
He took out their ship, helped the guards fend off the pirates from reaching the civilians in the lower decks. And aswell as killing the pirate responsible for thousands of lien damages and theft. If you ask me, the Vytal Seas are alot safer now that he's out of the picture."
'I gotta ask for her name.' Hector thought as she could be a good connection to have between Vale and Atlas.
The older man then hummed in response before saying,
"I see, captain your mother is the head of the security in Argus right?"
"Yes!"
"And here I thought she might've taught you a thing or two about logical thinking. Due to this incident you'll be demoted."
"What?! You can't do that?!" The demoted captain yelled but the man then turned to the woman and said,
"By my authority as the chief of security I promote you to captain of the S.S. North Wind, Congratulations." The man then left while the ex-captain followed him while yelling.
The woman smirked before Hector came out of hiding and said,
"You were hoping that was going to happen huh?"
She turned around and smiled and said,
"I've been working for a literal man child for over two years. It may not seem alot but if you were about to kill him just for interacting with him for two minutes imagine two years."
"I'm surprised you didn't shove him off during a storm." Hector said putting his right foot on a cart.
"Believe me... I thought about it. But I thank you for your arrival." She said giving a nod.
"What's your name anyway?"
"You can call me captain Lilly."
"Well captain, if you don't mind I gotta get paid."
"Very well but a word of caution before you head to Mantle and Atlas." Lilly said before continuing.
"After you turn in your bounty I recommend you head to the lower levels of Mantle.
No doubt that once the Atlas military learns that Vale's most feared bounty hunter is in the kingdom they'll try and recruit you."
Hector was skeptical of Lilly, why was she telling him this? What was her motivation?
"And you're telling me this why?"
"Think of this as a thank you for getting rid of that child. But I have a proposition for you."
Hector leaned in and tilted his head which Lilly replied,
"For a small fee I can get you a way to and from Vale and Atlas with little to no trouble. And to due this ship being a small-median transport for both passengers and cargo we won't have to worry about inspections as much."
Hector then extended his hand out and shook her hand but then said,
"But you do know if you sell me out I'll kill you right?"
"Yes I have taken that into account. Here is my number, whenever you need to get out if here just tranfer the lien and you'll be in Vale in day or two."
"Very professional, about time I met someone with atleast more than two brain cells." Hector replied which Lilly snickered and said,
"And about time I get a child passenger that doesn't annoy the living crap out of me."
"Then it's settled, now I gotta go. Can't let the ol' body waste away to the point that can't identify him right?" Hector said pushing the cart down the ramp.
"Happy hunting." Lilly said with a nod and smile before heading towards her new office as she didn't have to deal with the man child anymore.
Luckily Hector could turn in his bounty nearby where the inside, a skinny man was asleep. So from a distance he got a running start before crashing into the front of the post.
The man immediately jumped back and fell on his back while Hector said,
"I got a bounty here!"
He then rubbed his eyes and yelped before falling back down.
'Damn am I already famous? Or is it the gas mask? Or maybe both?'
Hector thought as he said shaking a bit.
"I-I um hello sir!" He then got on chair and asked.
"W-Who are you turning in?"
Hector then replied while picking up the body.
"The King-
He then pulls the somewhat frosted face of the pirate Lord right up to the window.
"Of the Vytal Seas!"
LINEBREAK
"Well that was easy, just gotta get on a ship to Mantle... and out if this damn cold." Hector whispered to himself right after he had gotten 175 thousand Lien, which was originally 200 thousand Lien but since he was dead it ended up being less.
He got into a shuttle ship and headed towards the most secluded part as he wante to stay away from cameras. He knew that this was the part he needed to get a head start and wanted to make himself hard to find.
He knew it was now only a matter of time before the Atlas military sent recruiters swarming after him.
After the ship landed he quickly left towards the crater. Where the poorest of the poor reside. He's seen places like this back on Earth before and heard that even some people live in the tunnels that ran under the city.
'Just like Earth!'
Hector thought to himself as he looked for anything that resembled an inn, which he did.
Citrine's Inn.
It looked old and humble looking, being made out of mostly wood with a sheets of metal covering holes.
He then walked in through the door and noticed everyone looking at him worriedly... as one expects when one is heavily armed.
He then looked at the Inn keeper who was a woman who was a faunus with fox ears who wore old ragged orange clothes that their original color faded and had orange eyes aswell.
Hector sighed and said,
"I ain't here to rob you, there's always Atlas. I'm just here to rent a room."
She then nervously nodded and asked,
"J-Just a-a b-bed?"
"Yes, and do you know of a place where I can get these?"
Hector asked before showing her a list on his scroll of the things he needed.
White coat, white thermal pants, white gloves, binoculars and white temporary paint. He wanted white paint to make his weapons blend into his surroundings. He wasn't taking any chances getting spotted in the distance by some Atlas patrol.
"Y-Yes, you C-can find these i-in the northern district of Mantle." She said still intimidated by the armed man.
She then led him to the small room which honestly wasn't the best and she was more than certain he would walk out but instead launched himself and landed on the bed on his back.
"Aaahhhh, bed." He said staring at the ceiling before getting back up and pulling out 500 lien from his jackets inner pocket.
"How much can this cover?" He said handing the lien over to the wide eyed faunus.
"Yes."
"How insightful."
"Sorry! I-I mean this i-is alot."
Hector then chuckled laid back on his bed and asked,
"But can you do something for me?"
"Y-yes?"
"Can you get me those things? I'll give you the money but I'll pay you extra since you're getting them for me. I'll pay you... seven hundred?"
After a solid minute of silence she accepted. She said she would get them as soon as possible and quickly left.
A part of Hector also was mad that most of the faunus population were living in the shits as he would put it.
So why not earn the loyalty of the faunus here by financially helping them?
They get more Lien from him while they stay quiet about his current little base here. A win-win situation.
As he went downstairs to get a drink he saw a human in his thirties cleaning the tables before him and the other patrons looked at him.
From the patrons perspective this individual commanded fear and respect. He looked like he wasn't afraid to fight anyone and that smile painted on his visor didn't help.
They thought he was a Huntsmen due to how armed he was. So the bartender asked,
"Are you a Huntsmen?"
"No, just a bounty hunter with a penitent for violence." He responded before asking,
"You got whiskey?"
The bartender raised an eyebrow before he said,
"A bounty hunter, you're just a kid. And no, you're not getting whiskey."
"I tried." Hector shrugged before saying,
"Yeah, looong story. Anyway your the owner?"
"No, my daughter is. I'm guessing you're the one who sent her to get your things." He said unamused.
"I asked, and she accepted. Plus she's getting paid for it too, so I don't see the problem here."
"Your parents ever teach you to respect adults?" He said crossing his arms. Hector's overall emotions went from calm and relaxed to irritated and mad.
"Yeah sure, argue with the guy who specializes in murder... real smart on your part huh?" Hector responded as he moved his head a bit towards him to intimidate him.
"What even made you become a bounty hunter? I mean, couldn't you just have gotten into one of the combat schools?" The man asked.
"Why not? Afterall, I wouldn't underestimate me. I might just surprise you."