Hook Office

* Overview
* Credits

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.

## Story

### 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
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.

Taein’s Page

Naoki’s Page

A Hook Office Fixer, Page 1
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.

A Hook Office Fixer, Page 2

## Battle Symbols

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

## 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.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 McCullin's Page
2. ↑ *Library Of Ruina Art Book* Vol. I pg. 210: Hook Office
3. ↑ An Axe Gang Member, Page 1