Hook Office

Overview	Episode 1

Hook Office
Type	Fixer Office
Leaders	Unnamed Operator
Members	Taein McCullin Naoki
Related	Hook Office Remnants Urban Myth-class Syndicate
Appearances	Library Of Ruina

“	Even rascals like those can join Offices these days, huh.	”
–Roland, Hook Office Episode I Pre-Battle

The Hook Office is a murder-for-hire Office composed of former Syndicate members, known for its brutal conduct and capacity for messy jobs like contract killings and gruesome executions. They are the second Fixer group contacted by the Invitation and are the fourth group of Guests to enter the Library, making up Canard Chapter 4.

Composition

Character	Description
Taein	Taein is the "young and talented" star Fixer of Hook Office, whose presence in the Hook Fixers' former Syndicate allowed it to achieve notoriety. He is somewhat arrogant and cold, but casual with his teammates. In combat, Taein uses bionic weaponry from Union Co. in the form of two scythes attached to his back, controlled without needing to use his hands.
McCullin	McCullin was one of the leaders of the Hook Fixers' former killer Syndicate and is now a Fixer for Hook Office. He wears a white smirking mask which hides his face and has a calm and baleful demeanor. In combat, McCullin uses a large machete that he wields in one hand.
Naoki	Naoki was one of the leaders of the Hook Fixers' former killer Syndicate and is now a Fixer for Hook Office. She knows how to pick the proper equipment available for themselves. Thoughtful and sometimes calm, she seems to show equal amounts of hostility and ambition to kill and get money. Naoki fights using a pair of machetes that are wired to her backpack.
Hook Fixer	A Fixer of Hook Office, wearing a black hoodie with orange sleeves and a backpack. Wields a morning star.

Story

Taein, McCullin, and Naoki resting in the Backstreets

Episode 1

Pre-Battle

Taein, McCullin, and Naoki are seen in a part of the Backstreets. They discuss their most recent job, which went awry due to a combination of Taein wanting to test his new bionic weapon and Naoki entering an excessive state of bloodlust; as a result, they caused a much bigger mess and killed more people than they should have, and since it was their mistake, they wouldn't get paid for it. They are currently lying low due to the chaos they caused during their mission.

Afterward, they reflect on their origins as Syndicate members and how they are now Fixers for Hook Office. They also comment on the Office's practices and how its work is no different from the gruesome work their Syndicate used to carry out. They also agree the Office is obscure and disorganized, "more like a pack of Rats than a proper Office" as noted by Naoki. Just then, McCullin gets a message from the Office's Operator, telling them to head back to the Office to receive new work.

In the Library, Roland disparagingly comments on the low standards of the Fixer industry, where even ruthless criminals can become Fixers. Angela points out the apparent hypocrisy of Roland trashtalking his own profession, but Roland protests that he was a former hotshot before events caused him to hit rock bottom. He also boasts that he performed any work he could carry out, but Angela instead concludes that he wasn't able to perform any "proper" work.

The Hook Fixers teleport to the entrance of the Library and are surprised by the speed of the process. Taein attempts to strike Angela when she greets them but cannot harm her because of her machine body. Soon, Naoki notices that Angela is actually an artificial intelligence, to the Hook Fixers' surprise, which excites her because of the potential profits to come from their task. Angela leaves, and the Fixers enter the Library.

Post-Battle

After the Hook Fixers' defeat, Angela thanks Roland for his success. Roland tells Angela not to let the guests' remarks on her origins get to her. Angela asks whether Roland is attempting to console her, which he ambiguously answers. Roland tells Angela he doesn't really mind whether she is machine or human, and Angela accepts the rare words of comfort, noting that almost no one else has ever given her such kindness.

Roland explains to Angela that the City is in the "age of humanity", having driven all intelligent and sapient non-humans into the Outskirts in the past. In addition, the Artificial Intelligence Ethics Amendment was enacted to stop the creation of androids and other intelligent robots to enforce this "age of humanity".

Angela reveals her artificial creation to Roland, explaining how she was designed after a human using an electronic copy of her brain, confirming a prior suspicion of Roland. Roland warns her to be careful if she wishes to enter the City, as the Head would almost certainly target her and the Library for violating the AI Ethics Amendment. Angela reaffirms that she was made to feel emotions, but was trapped on a metaphorical stage performing an eternally-repeating play. Roland wonders who could have made her and even dared to break the rules of the Head. Angela confirms that her creators eventually all died, but refuses to believe the Library can ever be breached. She explains her dream to one day leave the Library, take revenge on her creators, and achieve freedom, but Roland replies that he doesn't care. He finishes with his characteristic saying, "That's that, and this is this."

Background

Naoki and McCullin were previously amongst the leaders of a Syndicate in District 23 infamous for its brutality; it would kill targets and then hang them on hooks out on the open streets, given work by poor people who couldn't afford the prices of Offices and Associations. They were acquainted with the Axe Gang, another Syndicate in their area, and used to cause trouble together. After recruiting Taein, the Syndicate rose to a new level of influence with several raids on various Offices. Eventually, the Operator of one Office they'd raided visited them and offered them a new place in the Office, looking to use this unique approach as a marketing strategy.

The members of the Syndicate accepted, officially becoming Fixers of the Hook Office, and the novelty selling point of having Syndicate killers cause chaos has been successful in attracting work for the Office without resorting to the dishonest schemes of other Offices. The one caveat of the Office is that its members are not known for cleanliness or subtlety in their work.

The Office itself is also disorderly and disorganized due to recruiting from Syndicates and taking on the same gruesome jobs that the Syndicates had. The Fixers themselves still find their current circumstances strange. Still, even with them joining an Office, their former friends in the Axe Gang hold no grudge against them for doing so and occasionally continue to help them out.

After the main members of the Hook Office failed on their mission to the Library, the Office itself appears to collapse as other Fixers from the Office also storm the Library, making up the Hook Office Remnants General Invitation. Another set of its Fixers even partners with members of the Backstreets Butchers, creating a new Urban Myth-class Syndicate which also appears as a General Invitation.

Key Page stories

Note: A Hook Office Fixer, Page 2 is unobtainable in-game, but is included here for the sake of comprehensiveness.

McCullin’s Page

It’s not entirely impossible for a Syndicate member to engage in Fixer work or vice versa. It’s a pretty common occurrence, actually. If you have the skills to back yourself up, multiple organizations will make sweet offers to recruit you. What matters the most here is the relationships you’ve built. Your fate depends on the things you’ve done, or karma in other words. We didn’t start out as Fixers at the beginning. No, we were in fact part of a homicidal Syndicate. Just see how intimidating we look. We used to be murder for hire in District 23. It was a small Syndicate ran by Naoki, I, and a few others, but our influence started to expand bit by bit since the young and talented Taein joined us. Our current boss… was originally the representative of an Office we raided. They visited us once they heard that we shredded their Fixers brutally and hung their ragged corpses on the streets like scarecrows. Said they’ll need people like us. I thought they were just freaky with weird tastes, but looking back, now I get why they chose us. It’s a strategy. Each Office does all kinds of sensational stunts to attract the attention of potential clients in this oversaturated market. They hold radical events such as “Pay for one request, get one for free”, or group weapons into different grades and offer a free exchange for one of their most expensive ones. And the gullible clients fall for it. They don’t know how much more that “one plus one” deal actually costs, or how it has limitations on the grades of requests you can make… They don’t bother looking up to check if the top-grade weapons are in fact used ones. Seems our boss didn’t want to add lies to this industry that’s already full of filthy schemes, but they still had to catch people’s eyes somehow. And this is the result: hire guys like us and proudly advertise it. ‘Fixers from a former killer Syndicate will tear things up for you! You can count on us!’ Hang up a slogan like this, people get hooked up. If that suits their taste, that is.

Taein’s Page

How’s my new weapon, isn’t it sick? Union Co. is the go-to workshop brand for ready-made bionic weapons and equipment. Their prices are pretty reasonable compared to most procedures and workshop weapons, too. On top of superb performance, you can replace or attach them easily without having to worry about allergies, so it’s pretty damn handy, you see? Oh, bionic equipment is pretty simple; it’s like a weapon you attach to your body. It’s not at all scary or dangerous, though it could feel a bit awkward when you use it for the first time. In my case, I accidentally ripped Naoki’s clothes while walking by, and cut my own cheek when I flailed it outta frustration… But, now that I’ve gotten used to it, I feel as if I have three hands. If you have trouble finding the perfect procedure or weapon for you, try bionic equipment. I guarantee it’s good.

Naoki’s Page

There’s a huge variety of workshops. As diverse as Syndicates and Fixers are, weapons need individuality to stand out in this day and age. Old-fashioned swords or guns won’t stand a chance against modern weapons loaded with new technology, I bet. From cheap and common gear to bionic equipment like the one Taein’s using, to equipment with ridiculous abilities that’s almost indistinguishable from magic. Don’t get too hyped, though. More options means you need to be more cautious about choosing the right one for you. If you had the time and money, you could buy ‘em all and test them out at your leisure, but… We have neither, do we? Don’t just buy the things others recommend without doing your own research, though. That’s one of the stupidest things you could do. Might fit them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a good time with it. Still confident that you can wield ‘em well? Get real, buddy. Workshop equipment is not your average weaponry. So, before you choose your weapon, observe others carefully. See if any workshop products might suit you. Having keen eyes is all part of our skills. Guess why people choose us and our Office out of all the tough Fixers out there.

A Hook Office Fixer, Page 1

Back when we were still part of the killer Syndicate, we got a client asking us to hunt some crazed Syndicate. They were shaking like a drenched rat as they came in. I suppose they were scared of places like this. They asked us to catch the wicked criminals kidnapping people in the parts of the streets they live in. We had one question, though; it’s nice that they’re giving us a job, but why ask a Syndicate like ours instead of going to the Zwei or other Offices that are better suited for handling public safety issues? And they said, they did try to request an Office at first with the money raised by their neighbors. But then the Office asked for a ridiculous sum of money, claiming that there’s much preparation they need to take before they can uproot a whole Syndicate. Poor fellow begged for help, but the Office personnel didn’t even flinch. Well, money is the only thing that gets Fixers moving, so that’s understandable. And I think their friend recommended us to them while they were looking for another way, if I remember it right? Introduced us as a trustworthy Syndicate. So they came all the way to our hideout. Trustworthy Syndicate… It’s a shame, really. I can still remember the client’s head staring daggers at me, hanging from the top of a power pole. The Syndicate paid us more cash. What could I do about it? We don’t write official contracts or anything, so the highest bidder gets our favor. No use glaring at me like that, pal. We were told by our new client to hang their head and guts out in the streets, to make an example of ‘em. Those sickfucks even used some kinda Singularity to keep ‘em alive. Poor bastard. Shoulda requested an Office in the first place somehow.

A Hook Office Fixer, Page 2

Backstreets are spread all over the City, and the Nests are no exception. But all this means is that “there are Backstreets in the Nests”, since the Nests are completely segregated from the Backstreets in terms of access. Each Wing employs their own methods like electric fences or plasma walls, and some just fence the boundary with a couple of loose chains. Needless to say, the Backstreet residents don’t even think about crossing the border, regardless of how insecure it looks. If I had to point out one thing the Backstreets and the Nest have in common… It’d be that residents of the Nests can get a good view of the Backstreets, and vice versa. Hey, did you hear that? Watching the Backstreet’s apparently a trend among Nest dwellers these days. After a day’s work, they sit by the windows and look out on the streets, cracking open a can of beer… Chat with their friends about what they witnessed last evening. Hell, there’s even a club dedicated to that, apparently. Isn’t that absurd? People in the Backstreets live from day to day with their lives on the line, and their struggle is nothing more than entertainment to those who live inside the Nest.

Battle Symbols

There is one Battle Symbol related to this guest group; see their reception page for more info.

Gallery

• 

  Taein

• 

  McCullin

• 

  Naoki

Trivia

• Taein's bionic weapon has the icon of Union Co. imprinted on its blade. The icon also used to appear on an empty slot of the Invitation upon losing.