The Fast Travel system of T-Bone Junction glowed, reconstructing a two-person group and something enormous.
Maxwell, Moxxi, and BT walked through the streets of T-Bone Junction toward Marcus' shop. The city was as bustling as ever, but something peculiar was happening as they advanced. Every time BT took a step, pedestrians glanced at him with apprehension and quickly ducked into stores or stepped off the sidewalk to avoid being crushed. The Titan, unfazed, followed alongside his pilot, ignoring the frightened stares.
However, while people fled from the giant robot, a curious crowd began to form behind the group, with occasional camera flashes going off. Murmurs and whispers spread among the townsfolk until, suddenly, someone broke the silence with an enraged scream.
"MAMA!!!"
Maxwell and BT stopped instantly. Moxxi, who had been walking cheerfully beside them, blinked in surprise before turning toward the source of the voice. From the middle of the crowd emerged a young woman with a furious expression, clenched fists, and nostrils practically flaring with smoke. It was Ellie. But not the Ellie everyone was used to seeing.
Moxxi's daughter advanced with heavy steps, pointing an accusatory finger at her mother. Her body was unrecognizable. Nanites that had been injected into her some time ago had burned away much of her body fat, transforming her once-voluminous figure into something much more slender. Her arms and legs were more defined, her face less rounded, and even her posture seemed different.
"What in tarnation was that shot, huh?! Look what kinda mess ya got me in!" Ellie shouted, clearly indignant.
Moxxi, on the other hand, took a moment to recognize the girl. A metaphorical light bulb lit up above her head as her eyes widened in surprise before she broke into a radiant smile.
"Ellie! Look at you, you're GORGEOUS!"
The young woman's expression twisted into pure despair.
"This here's a damn nightmare!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "Now I got a whole mess o' fellas showin' up at my shop, an' they ain't even got a damn car!"
Maxwell crossed his arms, trying to suppress a laugh. He had expected this kind of reaction, given her troubled past of being a girl so beautiful that even her father desired her, it made sense she had been careless in her teenage years.
"So your problem is… too much attention?"
"Yer damn right it is!" Ellie huffed. "I ain't never asked fer this! I liked my body just fine before! Now I look like some fancy-ass model or somethin'!"
"Well, I think some people would pay a lot to have that problem." Maxwell murmured, only to receive a sharp glare from Ellie.
"AND THAT AIN'T EVEN THE WORST PART!" Ellie continued, pointing at herself. "Ain't none o' my clothes fit no more! I'm wearin' one o' Scooter's old jumpsuits, an' it's floppin' 'round on me like a sack o' taters!"
Moxxi clapped her hands together.
"No clothes? We'll fix that right now!"
Before Ellie could react, her mother grabbed her by the arm.
"Wait now, Mama! I don't wanna—"
"Shh, no complaints. We're going shopping, sweetheart!"
Moxxi then turned to Maxwell, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before flashing him a smile.
"Darling, can you handle the negotiation without me?"
Maxwell blinked, a bit surprised.
"I'm not great at negotiating, but trust me." BT raised a finger when he heard Maxwell say his line, but lowered it.
"I trust you!" Moxxi winked before dragging Ellie along. The poor girl could only cry bitterly over such a "nerf." Once an immovable object, now even her mother could drag her around like a little girl.
"Nooooooooooo!"
Ellie looked back, still trying to resist, but Maxwell just shrugged and waved at the two. BT observed the entire interaction and, after a few attempts, tried to mimic the gesture with his own hand.
"Happy shopping."
As soon as mother and daughter disappeared into the crowd, BT tilted his sensor slightly to the side.
"Pilot, the absence of Miss Moxxi may negatively impact the outcome of the negotiation."
"I know. But we'll figure it out." Maxwell replied, heading toward Marcus' shop.
The moment they stepped inside, Maxwell was hit by the familiar scent of gunpowder. The place was packed with stacked weapons, scattered ammunition, and some suspicious equipment that had clearly passed through the hands of a shady merchant. Marcus was a true money-worshiper, with enough guts to buy and sell to everyone, even if his customers were rivals.
Marcus Kincaid was behind the counter, counting money with a satisfied smile, but as soon as he saw Maxwell and BT enter, he quickly stuffed the bills inside his Echo Deck.
"Ah, customers! Welcome to my humble shop!" Marcus spread his arms wide, forcing an exaggerated smile. It wasn't every day he saw a damn ten-meter-tall robot enter his store. "How can I help you today? Need more explosives? A rocket launcher, perhaps?"
Maxwell put his hands in his pockets and glanced around, thoughtful. Then, he pulled out several stacks of cash and placed them on the counter.
Marcus was confused at first, but his eyes quickly calculated everything. His left eye twitched when he realized the very specific amount.
*BAM*
"FIFTY-ONE THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS AND TWENTY-NINE CENTS!" Marcus bellowed, slamming his hand on the counter. "YOU LITTLE FUCKING SHIT! IT WAS YOU WHO STOLE MY MACHINES ON PROMETHEA A YEAR AGO!"
"'Stole' is such an ugly word, Marcus. I prefer to call it… an involuntary loan." Maxwell smirked slightly. He didn't care about having a good relationship with Marcus; having someone so greedy around was too risky. The Crimson Raiders were a small group, so they couldn't do much against Marcus selling weapons to their enemies.
Marcus immediately reached for his waist, ready to pull his revolver and blow Maxwell's head off. However, before he could even touch the grip of his gun, a massive shadow loomed over him. He looked up and saw BT's XO-16 aimed directly at him.
"My pilot came with good intentions to settle old debts. I strongly advise you to calm down, or I will use a level of aggression your insurance cannot cover."
*Gulp*
"Alright, alright! No need for violence!" He raised his hands, trying to regain his composure. "But tell me… why the hell are you returning this money now?"
"Because I'm rich now, and I figured settling a debt was the best way to start." Maxwell tossed a few more stacks of cash onto the table. "Consider it as interest for all those months, to show good faith."
Marcus eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before picking up one of the bills and holding it up to the light to check its authenticity. After a brief sigh, he took the rest of the money and began counting, still frowning.
"Now..." Maxwell gestured for BT to lower his weapon, his smile fading. "I have business to discuss with you."
Marcus cleared his throat, irritated. A man like him never felt comfortable when his clients controlled the conversation. But if it was about business, he'd be making sure he got the biggest slice of the pie to soothe his wounded pride.
"Actually, I'm here to discuss a contract for refined Eridium supply." Maxwell tossed the Eridium vial onto the table.
Marcus raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He tucked away the cash before picking up the glowing container.
"Eridium, huh? That's some valuable stuff…" Marcus had a habit of researching the most sought-after products across the galaxy. Eridium was in high demand among corporations.
"Yes, 97% pure Eridium. We can supply a steady amount, but we want a fair deal."
Marcus rubbed his chin, pretending to ponder.
"Hmmm… a fair deal, you say?" He smirked slyly. "You know how it is. Business is risky, I'd have to make some… investments."
Maxwell rolled his eyes.
"Let's cut to the chase. How much are you trying to skim off the top?"
"Me? Nothing! But, of course, there are transportation fees, security risks, import tariffs—"
"Marcus, there's no government on Pandora. Who exactly are you paying tariffs to?"
"But what about bandits? I need insurance to protect my investment!"
"You want me to sell you the Eridium dirt cheap and pay for your security too? I'll handle your security myself." Maxwell crossed his arms. "The split will be 96% for me, 4% for you."
"Now you're asking me to pay you to do the damn job!" Marcus looked ready to rip his own hair out.
Maxwell sighed, already bracing for a long negotiation. Marcus was a shark when it came to money, but Maxwell wasn't leaving without a fair deal.
"We're talking about tons of Eridium here, you goblin. My wife's gonna beat my ass if she finds out I gave you this much profit." Maxwell gave a bitter smile. If Moxxi were here, she'd have Marcus working for free with just a few words, she was the reason his business had grown so much in the first place.
"Then I just gotta bump it up a bit more so she does kill you!" Marcus taunted.
"That's not going to happen, goblin. I have an army to feed."
Meanwhile, BT silently observed the exchange, ready to step in if Marcus tried to pull a fast one. After all, a little intimidation always helped in negotiations...
...
After a few hours of arguing, they finally signed a contract. Although in Maxwell's eyes, that piece of paper meant nothing. If he didn't live up to his end of the bargain, what would Marcus do? Take the case to the courts of Pandora and fine him? What a joke!
Marcus managed to increase his profits by 0.50% in the end, something Maxwell didn't consider a loss, since there was one condition. If Marcus leaked any information about the Ouroboros and where the Eridium was being collected, not getting his profit would be the least of his worries.
To ensure Marcus stayed in line, Maxwell sent a message to Knoxx to deploy a squad of Lance Assassins to "protect" Marcus. But everyone knew, including Marcus, that their true purpose was to keep an eye on him. The merchant could only curse his greed for leading him into this deal, consoling himself with the millions he would earn in the future.
As he left the shop, he whistled a tune from his first life.
"Angel, can you hear me?" Maxwell asked mentally.
"Loud and clear!" Angel's voice responded after a few moments.
"Did you manage to set up an account on a brokerage?"
"Yes, I've been analyzing Atlas' stocks and already sent the info to Moxxi."
"Good girl. I'm almost done with my business on Pandora. Have you thought about where you want to go when you're free?"
"Eat ice cream while watching the sunset on some beach. But… I'd like to go to a zoo first."
"As you wish, ma'am."