Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Looking at the ray of light that shined through a tree and into my window, I relaxed back into my pillow and enjoyed the sense of peace. Saturday morning was always my favorite time of the week. The hustle and bustle of the work days are left in the rearview mirror, and it's still early enough into the weekend that I don't feel pressured to be productive.

The nest of pillows and blankets enwrapped me in luxurious warmth. I tossed around for a few more minutes in a futile attempt to retain the built-up comfort only found in a bed after a great night's sleep. But it was hopelessly ineffective, and I lethargically peeled myself out under the covers and trotted over to my shower.

I climbed into my tub and pulled the water knob, setting it to the midpoint. A cold spray hit my face before heating up to the perfect temperature. I just stood there for a few minutes, letting the hot water wash over me, daydreaming and thinking over my life.

This weekend was special because I finally quit my job. I took a year off college to gain work experience, trying to take advantage of the understaffed workforce. Things happened, and I was quickly promoted from intern to full-timer and even got a promotion. I liked the company, so I figured I could simultaneously do my job and school. In hindsight, it was rather ridiculous of me to think that.

Now that going back to college is right around the corner, it has become clear I can't swing being a full-time student and working at the same time. I come from a good family that provides housing for me and pays for my college. Between school and work, I have the luxury of attending school. So I quit with a month of free time before school starts.

After my mind sufficiently warmed up, I scrubbed myself clean and did a basic shave. Getting out of the shower, I dried myself off and brushed my teeth. I got dressed in my favorite pair of towel pants and a new towel hoodie I bought for myself.

Feeling more energized after freshening up, I quickly walk into my kitchen to make a simple breakfast of sausage and eggs. After plating my meal, I brought the food to the table and sat down. Scrolling through the news feed on my phone while cramming food into my gullet, I gently sighed at the ever-expanding list of negative things happening worldwide.

Generally speaking, I didn't care for politics or the world around me, but even I feel like the last four to five years have just been a slow march into a massive shitshow. It could be one of the side effects of being an adult and unnecessarily viewing everything through a pessimistic lens. Maybe things weren't better when I was younger. Perhaps I was just too oblivious to see things crumbling around me. Regardless, I've been in severe need of stress relief for a while now.

While scrolling through my emails, my phone vibrated.

"Hey, Basil. Wanna run the gauntlet and shoot the shit?"

"Nah, got stuff to do today. Thanks anyhow."

Usually, when I needed a break I would play video games for a few hours, get greasy food, or hit up random stores and do some people-watching. But after finding my first full-time job, my free time was severely reduced, and I hung out with my buds less and less.

Most of my friends also left where we grew up to work or further their education, making it hard to hang out when I have the time. Sure I could play video games with them, but everyone's been on a battle royale fever lately, and I'm not too fond of that stuff. Due to this lack of venues for stress relief, I have recently found myself in a rut.

That's why I've been craving something more sustainable. Something that I can cater to myself and enjoy over several days, if not weeks. I wanted a game where the environment alone could tell an engaging story. This desire used to be filled with games like the Fallout series. But after so many years and playthroughs, finding enjoyment in my go-to's has been harder and harder. That's where Cyberpunk 2077 came in.

When the game first came out two years ago, it was met with bad reviews: disappointing graphics, lack of content, poor performance, buggy game mechanics, the whole gamut. But throughout its life, the game has consistently improved, and many people swear it is now outstanding. I had a company gift card sitting around, the game was on sale, and I figured I had nothing to lose. And I'm so glad I finally bought the game.

The lore, setting, and in-game ambiance were all so good. Sure, the game could have been better, but it did satisfy my craving for a new RPG that has yet to be fulfilled for years. My first playthrough took just over 40 hours, and I finished maybe only half of the available content.

My main gripes were that the level cap made it impossible to max all stats, you could only use one type of Operating System, and the main missions felt a bit short. The problem with the story I couldn't fix, but the other two issues could easily be modded to suit my tastes.

After breakfast, I returned to my room and sat at my computer. While spamming the space bar so my desktop would get out of sleep mode, I thought about how I wanted this new playthrough to go. For my first playthrough, I chose the Corpo life path and used any gun with the highest DPS. Since I didn't choose a weapon type to specialize in, my skills were all over the place, resulting in a poorly optimized build.

This time I think I will invest in a Sandevistan/katana build. I usually shy away from melee, but the few times I used a katana in this game was surprisingly fun.

After the screen turned from black to the lock screen, I entered my login and opened the mod manager launcher. I did a quick once-over to ensure the mods were loaded and hit the play button. The game went through its standard intro with in-game commentary, faded to a black screen, and... stayed as a black screen. Opening task manager, I check that the game is still responding. Everything seems fine, and just the other day, I did a test run. Everything worked perfectly then; I don't see why anything would be different now.

The smoke alarm suddenly blared into life, and my screen flickered and gave a distorted image. Startled, I looked around and noticed my PC case billowing smoke behind me.

"What the hell! Fuck, is that fire?"

I quickly rushed to the case, taking off the side panel to better understand what had happened. In hindsight, that was not the most intelligent thing to do.

The second the panel came off, a blinding white light rocketed out, and a scorching heat wave hit my body. My body was then assaulted by an explosive force and thrown back. The last thing I felt was my body crashing into the floor and then passing out.

Chapter Text

"Ughhh... Fuck"

Waking up, I felt a symphony of pain throughout my entire body. My arms ached, my neck felt strained, and my feet felt like I'd been walking barefoot for hours. I rolled over onto my back so that I could be in a more comfortable position. I need at least another hour or two before I can get out of bed.

Not only did my body hurt, but I also had an absolute killer of a headache. A dull discomfort at the base of my skull kept me from nodding back to sleep. Worst of all was this background ringing that was constantly in my head. Similar to what happens in a video game when you survive an explosion or get wasted.

Wait... Video games. Explosion. I'm missing something here.

"Holy shit, that's right. My computer exploding!"

Remembering what happened before my little "nap", I shot up to take in the situation around me. I first noticed that I wasn't in my bed. I wasn't even in my room. I was in some dark alley filled with full garbage bags and dumpsters. The hard concrete floor I seemed to be sleeping on was sticky with some kind of nasty grime. Off in the distance, I could vaguely hear the sound of cars and footsteps.

The sudden movement of getting up exacerbated my headache and caused a wave of nausea to wash over me. Feeling the familiar discomfort of puke making its way up, I started dry heaving. I managed to double over just in time to avoid vomiting all over myself. After a minute of voiding my stomach content, I got up to distance myself from the minor biological disaster I had caused.

Then I noticed the stench all around me. What I can only describe as a mixture of spoilt milk and rotten eggs assaulted my nose, and I reflexively pinched my nostrils shut with my right hand. Only to then be surprised by the unnatural temperature of my fingers.

The cold, metal-like sensation of my fingertips against my nose caused me to look down at my hand. What I saw was my fingers covered in dull silver paint. Upon closer inspection, my fingers weren't painted but actually made of some kind of metal. Flexing it open and shut allowed me to see the metal joints that replaced my knuckles.

The surface had minor scratches and looked well-worn, like silverware, after years of use and repeated cleaning. Considering I didn't wake up in a sterile lab or hospital room, this isn't one of those million-dollar-man situations. It's not like some shady government organization would give me advanced prosthetics and dump my body in the middle of nowhere. The dull condition of the metal also pointed at the metal fingers being something used and not new.

I quickly looked at my other arm and sighed at what seemed to be a regular hand, only to notice a strange graft from the wrist to the middle of my forearm. It was a black upside-down triangle with a small cylinder near the base of my palm. Grabbing onto the cylinder with my new metal fingers, I pulled on the small cylinder, and a wire followed. I kept pulling until there was no more wire to pull out.

This small wire was roughly two feet long and made of some kind of black composite material. At this point, my mind was racing a million miles an hour. I had a sneaking suspicion of what happened to me but was still holding out that this was some kind of cruel joke with incredible practical effects.

I looked everywhere around me, hoping I would find a camera crew hidden if I just looked long enough. That soon, some minor celebrity would pop up around the corner and say some dumb catchphrase like 'punked ya' or 'you've been pranked'—no such luck.

I could feel myself spiraling out of control. My hands were shaking, and I started feeling queasy again. Attempting to get my mind off of just how fucked I might be, I started checking my body to see if I could find anything useful. Something that maybe indicated where I was or how I could get back home.

I wore a cheap dark navy suit, a white collared shirt, and basic black dress shoes. Fumbling around in my pockets, I found a strange all-glass phone, a pack of cigarettes, a set of keys, and a simple lighter.

"No cash. Which would make sense if I was somehow transmigrated into a technologically advanced world where everything was integrated into your freaking mind!"

Ok. Less talking to myself, especially if it could be more reassuring. Freaking out won't help. Probably. Upon further inspection of my body, I noticed that I had lost some weight and seemed to have gotten taller as well.

"Silver fucking lining. Let's take stock. New body. Weird robotic body parts. A strange wire that in the middle of my wrist. This is starting to seem like a certain video game."

Fuck, dude! I thought we just agreed not to talk to ourselves!

Deciding that I needed to be sure of my situation before balling up into a fetal position and crying myself to sleep, I turned and started walking toward the sound of traffic. Along the way, I saw pizza boxes that said Buck-A-Slice, cans of soda with a girl showing her ass, and Nicola branding.

After a left turn, a busy road popped up in front of me. Strange vehicles zoomed by, and even stranger people walked the streets. Some looked like ordinary people, but most had varying levels of metal that replaced regular human body parts. Some even looked to be completely covered in gold or chrome. A select few also had glowing eyes or neon hair.

Walking to the middle of the sidewalk, I just stood there, absorbing all the new things around me. Large neon signs advertising companies I had never heard of. A small food stall was set up next to a pedestrian overpass, selling what seemed to be slices of pizza with grasshoppers on them.

While I was still gawking at the strange world around me, a large siren blared in the distance. Turning towards the sound, I saw a flying vehicle hover above all the other cars. Watching what I now recognize as an Aerodyne AV customized for Trauma Team International, I finally gave up and accepted reality. Somehow I was transmigrated to the dystopian future of Cyberpunk.

The aerial vehicle quickly flew past the gridlock and slowed down once it got near me. I put my arms up to block the wind generated by the engines and watched as the flying brick stopped 15 feet above me. The doors soon opened to reveal a small team of four medical professionals.

Once they did a quick sweep of the surroundings, the squad jumped out and landed around me. All of them wore green jumpsuits, white vests, and white helmets. Two members holding assault rifles pushed past me while two more team members carrying medical supplies and a monitor came up to my position.

https://imgur.com/nH3GLg5

"Mr. Rogers? Dakota Rogers?"

One of the members carrying medical supplies walked up to me and started to manhandle me, checking me for injuries. I just stood there in shock, not understanding what was happening. Who the hell is Dakota Rogers? I'm Basil.

"Subject is conscious but non-responsive. Conducting a connection to the subject neural interface."

The medical professional then pulled a wire out of their tablet and jammed it into the back of my neck. I immediately saw a progress bar at the bottom of my screen that told me a medical scan was in progress. Once the bar filled up, the TTI member swiped a few times on the screen and removed the cable from my neck.

"Everything seems fine. The subject lost consciousness from a drug overdose. Heart failure was temporary. The subject is in good health. We are cleared to leave!"

After hearing the synopsis, the other three team members turned around and boarded back into the now-parked flying ambulance. The person who diagnosed me then looked back up at me.

"You're heart temporarily flatlined between 7:01 and 7:03. Your trauma team Full Body Life Coverage automatically updated and sent our team to you. As you are no longer in physical danger, we will vacate the area. The drive took 12 minutes and 13 seconds, which will be rounded to 13 minutes. The total cost of the call is 1300 Eurodollars."

I just stood there, staring at the person in front of me, dressed in green and white. I barely understood anything that was said, other than that I seemed to owe a lot of money.

"What?"

The Trauma Team member seemed to have gotten impatient and grabbed my face, bringing it down to their level. Two blue lights on their helmet flashed, and the TTI member let go of my face. Muttering something about 'addicts wasting my time'. The guy turned around, jumped into the ambulance, and flew away.

Only after the vehicle flew out of view did I notice some numbers on the left of my sight. Three rows of numbers, the top being E$1400 followed by E$1300 and E$100.

"Welp... Now I'm poor."

Chapter Text

Hours later, I found myself sitting on a bench in the Redwood Market, munching down on a burger I got from Doohan's 4 Eurodollar Burger Shop. The bread was stale, the ketchup and mustard taste experienced, and the patty was definitely not made with meat. It tasted like an alien tried to make a burger after a human tried to explain what a veggie burger was. Like imitation imitation meat. Trying to stomach the poor excuse for a burger was a real challenge, but I soldiered on since I couldn't afford to waste E$ 4.

After Trauma Team left me damn near penniless, I shuffled my way around Japantown, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I walked around aimlessly for roughly an hour before finding myself next to an elevator leading up to the redwood market. At this point, I was running on empty, so I took the elevator and looked for the joint selling the cheapest food I could find.

Along the way, I learned quite a lot about myself and how to interact with the world around me. As cliche as it sounds, I have some kind of game-like interface system and inventory. When I think about wanting to pull up a menu, an interactive screen similar to the games shows up in my vision. From the menu, I can craft, open my inventory, open a map, modify my stats, and open a list of missions.

Currently, only inventory, map, and character had anything in them. Well, crafting isn't empty, but since I can only craft ammo and Bouncebacks, and I don't even have the components for that, it might as well be.

The Inventory system is way more helpful. While in physical contact with something, it will go into my inventory system if I think about storing it. Thinking of taking the item out of my inventory spawns it into my hands. Which surprised me the first time I tried it with my phone, causing me to drop it and crack the screen. In my defense, if you have a random object pop into existence in your hand, you would probably drop it as well.

My Character screen indicated that my level and street cred were at zero. My base stats are 3 in Body, 6 in Intelligence, 3 in Cool and Reflexes, and 7 in Technical Abilities. No levels and zero street cred also meant that I didn't have any skills.

The Map function gave me several filters I could put in. Things like NCPD reported criminal behavior, the locations of bus stops, bars, vendors, ripperdocs, and so on. I'm not planning on throwing myself into danger, so the map won't come in handy. For now.

While messing around with the system, I also noticed that having the menu up did not pause time. Something to be mindful of, I don't want to be caught off guard while focusing on my system. Or be considered a crazy person that spaces out all the time.

Time passed as I browsed through my system and phone. Eventually, I found myself at the entrance to a market. Feeling hungry, I went inside and got myself the cheapest food possible. And that's how I got here now.

As I ate, I started thinking of my current situation. Using text messages, emails, and a diary gave me a pretty good idea of the person whose body I stole. And I kind of wished I didn't. The guy really had an unlucky last few months.

Dakota Rogers was born in 2052 to a middle-class family. Dad was a general manager of a gym, and his mother worked as a nurse. They saved enough money to put Dakota through college at Night City University, where he got a bachelor's in cyberware logistics. He even met a nice girl here and got engaged after they graduated.

Dakota then worked for Raven Microcybernetics for a year and a half. He then used the money he had saved and a loan from his parents to start a business. He leased a small storefront in Watson and spent all his cash importing small cyberware components in bulk. After spot-inspecting batches, Dakota would turn around and sell them to small businesses around the city.

This business worked well for him, so good that Dakota was considering applying for a loan with Fujiwara Bank to open a second location. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

About a year into the business Dakota's parents died. While driving home from a nice night out on the north Heywood to celebrate their 15th anniversary, they were caught up in a drive-by shooting. From the police report, the 6th Street gang got hired by a loan shark to kill a man that wasn't making his payments.

The Gang followed the man's car once it left his house. This man's car just happened to park next to Dakota's parent's car at a red light. The Gang then pulled up and started shooting. Stray bullets flew through the target's car and landed inside Dakota's parents on the other side. Dakota's father died immediately with a shot to the head, while Dakota's mother bled out from a wound in her throat. And just like that, in a single moment of unrelated violence, Dakota lost both his parents.

Understandably, Dakota fell into a massive hole of depression. He locked himself in his home and let his business fall into ruin. Often times he woke up just to cry himself back to sleep. His fiancee tried to help and set him up with an online psychiatrist, who recommended he keep a diary to document his feelings and emotions to better work through them.

It seemed to help a bit, but apparently not enough. After months of being mentally unstable and letting his business fail, Dakota's fiancee called off their engagement and ran away to the Republic of Texas with somebody she met at work. This was the final straw, and Dakota turned to drugs and alcohol. He used up the majority of his remaining money on Glitter and Smash.

One night he took one inhalation and drink too much, causing an overdose and causing his heart to stop. And through whatever cosmic event, my mind was thrown into his body. I wonder if Dakota is living my life, finding himself in a foreign room with burn marks from a computer explosion. I'm pissed I'm here now, But I hope Dakota gets a second chance.

As I finished my last bite of the nasty burger-like thing, I got up and wiped my fingers on my clothes. Dakota's story is sad, but it isn't my story. I also have my own emotions I'll need to deal with, just not right now. Hell, while I was eating and staring off the bridge that Redwood Market is located on, I considered jumping. I have nothing in this city, and maybe killing myself here would take me back to my world.

But maybe it won't, and I'll be damned if my story ends with me splattered on the floor, no one in this world even knowing the real me. Wallowing in self-pity won't get me anywhere, and Night City has a way of chewing up and spitting out people who don't keep swimming. I need to get back on my feet and start acting on the plan I came up with.

The date is May 12th, and Saburo Arasaka, the former head of the Arasaka Corporation, has already been announced dead by his family. I don't know if this world has a V, but I can take advantage of my knowledge if it does. That's for further in the future, however.

My current plan is to liquidate all my belongings and sell what I can craft. First ammo, then weapons, and eventually cyberware modifications. I already own a store, so I won't have to sell ammo on the streets like some crazy person.

First, I needed to get to my car and store. Walking out of the market and taking the elevator down, I pulled out my phone to find the directions to the nearest bus stop. Once there, I figured out which route was correct for Little China and waited fifteen minutes for it to show up. I got on and chose a spot in the back, resting my head against the window.

The drive took another twenty minutes before it stopped at Bradbury and Buran Street. My shop was very close to Vic and Misty's location, and it's strange to think I could have walked past the exact location countless times while in the game. Making my way past the neon banners marking Gomorrah and Misty's Esoterica, I found myself standing in front of a small store.

Chapter Text

The storefront consisted of a metal door and garage entrance. There weren't any markings, which makes sense since most of the profit was business to business. There isn't a need to accommodate walk-in customers, so the business could be simple.

To the left of the door was a keypad that required fingerprints to open. I put my thumb where it indicated, and after a split second, I heard a clunk come from the door. Giving the door handle a test, I found it unlocked and pushed it open to get inside. The door swung close behind me, and the lights turned on automatically.

The business was really just a glorified warehouse. There was a half partition between the side with the garage door and the side with a regular door. The side with a standard door was roughly a hundred square feet with a desk, filing cabinets, a sofa, and a chair, turning it into a makeshift office. The other side is approximately 400 square feet and was filled with shelves and cardboard boxes.

Suddenly, three text lines popped to the left of my sight.

+NEW JOB

BACK ON YOUR FEET

TRACK YOUR JOBS IN THE JOURNAL

OK... That's new.

Apparently, my system also recognized quests for me to do. Going into my system and opening the Journal function showed my only job listed in Main Jobs.

BACK ON YOUR FEET

Sell the remainder of your old stock.
Update your business license to sell ammo legally. (Optional)
Sell ammo to 10 new customers.
If I focus on the job, an overview shows me the tasks I need to accomplish to complete the job. Currently, there are two that are non-optional and one that is. Since I want to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to myself, I will get the correct business license. I just need to figure out who I need to contact.

Once familiar with the Journal function, I exited the system and started taking stock of what was inside all the boxes. There were currently 13 boxes of various sizes and content. Some had small components like bolts, while others had microchips and PCB boards. All of which I don't know the uses for.

The next few hours were taken up by me spreading all the contents of the boxes out on the floor and taking pictures, and finding the purchase orders for the various items. I then made a spreadsheet of my costs and what I usually sell them for. Going over my business statements, my current stock would take 2-3 months to sell. I can't wait that long, so I'll have to resort to heavy discounts to empty my supply.

I then created a document that had pictures of my stock and new prices on the side. I named the document "Clearance at Dakota's" and sent it to all my business contacts, telling them the sale would start at my physical location at nine. It was now five in the morning, which gave me four hours to tidy up the store and figure out how to legally sell ammo.

I would look for business consultants during breaks between stocking the items on the shelves in the warehouse. Around the time I finished loading the last rack, I found a phone number for someone by the name of Laurent Lawless. A small-time lawyer with an ironic name that specialized in helping small businesses.

When my call got picked up, a rectangle popped up in the upper left corner of my view, showing the call was trying to connect. A man in his thirties then popped into the small box.

"Good morning, Sir! This is Laurent Lawless speaking. How can I help you?"

"Good morning Mr. Lawless. I'll keep it short and sweet. I want to get into selling ammunition. Can you help me out? If it makes any difference, I already have a company that imports and sells small parts for cyberware."

"Direct is always best. Already having a legal entity for which we can apply for the correct licenses will make the process much faster. I can have the paperwork ready to sign by Saturday. Sunday at the latest."

It was currently Wednesday, so Sunday is actually a really fast turnaround. It also gives me enough time to gather the supplies, craft ammo, and advertise for my new business.

"Of course, there is a matter of my fee. The standard rate for license application will be E$ 1,250. Payment in full will be required before I start this process for you. You must also send me your business license and proof of your physical address."

"Sounds good, Laurent. I can have the money and documents to you by the end of today. Thanks for your help. Talk to you later."

Once we said our goodbyes, I hung up the call and went to my office. I still had about an hour before opening my store, which hopefully meant I had enough time to figure out an advertisement strategy.

Night City had a lot of guns, which means people in Night City used a lot of bullets. The pro is that it means my potential customer base is enormous. The con is that most of the people using bullets are hardcore Criminals. Since I want to keep a low profile, I'll stick to selling to gun stores for now. Eventually, I want to introduce a bullet vending machine.

To get my business exposure, I decided to resort to the oldest advertisement tactic in the book and send massive waves of spam emails. I found a sketchy advertisement company willing to send a wave of spam emails and robocalls for a measly fee of E$ 1000.

Everything was coming together. All I had to do now was wait another half hour until I could open my clearance sale. I have already received several replies from my old customers showing interest in what I had to sell. Even with the discounts, I should make around 5000 Eurodollars if everything gets sold. More than enough to cover the fees for the license and advertisement agency.

A series of knocks came from my door at a quarter from nine, followed by a gruff voice.

"Hey, Dakota! It's Vic. Saw your email about the clearance sale. Figured you'd be willing to let a neighbor come in a bit early to get first picks. Can you let me in?"

Vic. The favorite ripperdoc of V and the probably dead Jackie. It could be an excellent chance for me to get some intel. Confirm if the events of the game actually happened in this world as well.

"Alright, Vic. Gimme a second."

Getting off my office chair, I walked over and opened the door. On the other side was a carbon copy of the Vic I met in the game.

Dressed in his signature blue with rolled-up sleeves and a stethoscope around his neck, I couldn't believe I was face-to-face with a fictional character. His 5 o'clock shadow, the tinted glasses, earrings, and tattoos. It was all so... Real. This moment, more than anything else that has happened so far was the most sobering reminder that I was in a different world now.

https://i.imgur.com/qzkb3Uu

I managed to break myself out of a trance before it got awkward and invited Vic in.

"Come in, Vic. I'll take you to the shelves. All the prices are still the same as what I sent you. Let me know if you have any questions."

I took Vic to the warehouse section and let him peruse through the stock I had. While I was considering how to approach asking him about the world, Vic spoke first. While inspecting an IEC battery, he turned to me and asked.

"So, Dakota. You disappear on us for a few weeks and come back with a fire sale? Word on the street was that your input broke your heart. How're you holding up?"

There it is. The signature soft heart is hidden behind a gruff exterior. Vic really was always one of my favorite characters in the game. Almost makes me feel bad I have to lie to him about who I am.

"Yeah. After my parents died, I got despondent and locked myself away. My girlfriend tried to help, but it became too much after a while. Don't blame her. I became a real piece of shit."

I leaned against a shelf and told Dakota's story. I didn't like pretending to be someone else and using their tragedy to garner sympathy. But I needed information, and I couldn't just say that my mind had invaded Dakota's body. Please also give me information on V.

"She ran away with someone she met at work to Texas, probably Houston. Things got worse for me afterward. Started drowning myself in drugs and booze. Culminated in cardiac failure yesterday. Trauma Team was able to resuscitate me. Now I'm back with a fresh set of eyes on my situation. Going to start over and turn things around. This is just step one."

Vic put down the battery and turned to look at me. I could see the concern in his eyes while he tried to gauge me and whether or not I was actually alright. After a few seconds, he must have concluded that I could handle myself because he turned around and started looking through my items again.

"Well. It's good that you're back on track. You've always done right by me, and I would hate to lose such a good vendor."

Right. Need to let Vic know I'm changing the business.

"Well, that's the thing, Vic. Changing the business to something completely different. What you're looking through will be the last batch of parts I sell."

Vic took that in and sighed.

"It is what it is. More the reason for me to pick this place clean while I still have the chance, right?"

We talked until other customers started showing up. I also got a good amount of information about this world. Once the other customers began browsing, Vic collected what he wanted and paid me. I insisted on giving him another discount, telling him it was neighbor prices. He tried to reject it, but I told him he should consider it an investment since I was considering getting more implants from him later.

More customers came throughout the day. I chatted them up and tried to connect as much as I could. You know, to seem friendly and all that. I was able to sell the last batch of parts I had by 6pm, and I closed the store. Now it was time to get to the real work.

Chapter Text

From my conversation with Vic, I learned that V is real in this world and that she just recovered from her coma. This information gives me an excellent idea of what the exact time is in the story. I still need to decide if I want to get involved with the main story. On the one hand, there's a lot of money to be made, but on the other hand, is the chaotic and dangerous life of V. I think the intelligent thing to do is to stay low for now but keep my options open. Make some plays if the timing is right.

The sale went well, and I managed to net E$ 4960, bringing my net worth up to E$ 5056. This is more than enough to get my plan started. I first paid Laurent so he could begin the licensing process as soon as possible. I then contacted the advertisement agency and directed them only to target gun stores and small security companies. After all was said and done, I still had 2806 Eurodollars.

Once the advertisement agency and I went over what would be expected, I locked up the shop and made my way to the bus stop. Along the way, I pretended to pick up trash to put in trash cans but stored them in my inventory. I did this to test what the system deems as junk and what I can disassemble. Everything I picked up, from empty soda cans to bloody bandages, I could disassemble and turn into Common Item Components.

10 Common Item Components could then be crafted into 24 rounds of pistol ammo, 48 rounds of rifle/SMG ammo, 12 rounds of shotgun shells, and eight rounds of sniper ammo. Unlike the game, where the crafted ammo is universal and works for any weapon in the category, my system has further divisions into specific types of each ammunition.

For pistols, I have the standard 9x19 and .45acp, among other calibers, for regular firearms. Then I have a standardized smart pistol and energy round for each major manufacturer. The other ammunition follows this same logic. The game developers would make ammunition universal, but it would be different in real life. And I now have to follow "real life rules".

My next step is to get to my apartment and car. I'll need to cancel my lease to start saving more money to buy the cyberware and equipment I plan to have. It will suck, but I'll have to live out of the shop for a while. The next step of my plan is to take my car and head toward the landfill. There I have access to unlimited free junk to make mountains of ammo.

Profit is the cost of material and labor subtracted from income. If both labor and material costs are zero, everything is profit. I've more or less become a one-person money-printing machine. But I'll have to be careful and not let my greed get the best of me.

Cyberpunk is infamous for corporate espionage, and if I make too big of a name for myself, the top dogs will start to dig into my business. If Arasaka or Militech gets wind of my abilities, their first orders will be to kidnap me and dissect me for my secrets. So I will only sell to small private businesses until I can get strong enough to fight against the giant corporations.

While waiting at the bus stop, I got a ping from a text to my phone. Quickly reading through it, I smiled and cheered internally at the already working spam campaign. The person who contacted me was one Robert Wilson or Wilson for short.

Wilson is the owner-operator of the 2nd Amendment franchise in Megabuilding H10. He saw my email immediately after it was sent and was interested in what I had to offer. Wilson was a certified gun nut with very stringent standards in the game.

Wilson was the same here, requesting me to bring a sample of 9mm, .45, .357, .223, and .308 before placing an order. I replied that I was available tomorrow, and we scheduled a meeting for 8 am. After I had planned my first sales meeting, the bus to my apartment arrived, and I got on.

Dakota's home is located at Megabuilding H8 in the Japantown sub-district of Westbrook. It's a cozy little joint with one bedroom, a bathroom, and even a simple kitchen. Dakota's ex figured herself to be a gourmet and liked to cook food when she had the chance.

As lovely as it is, it costs E$ 3200 a month, which Dakota paid for the whole year. Terminating the lease early will take away the deductible and a small fee, but I will still get back over E$ 13000. That money will significantly help me get my first set of implants.

The bus stopped three times, and the entire ride took roughly 25 minutes. By the time I got to the stop right outside, the sun had set, and the signature night city lights were in full power. Once inside the megabuilding, I got inside the elevator and first went to the parking lot.

Unlike the game, most cars couldn't drive themselves to your location. That feature was only present on expensive vehicles; even then, it was usually an additional feature. Once the elevator reached the parking lot floor, I got out and made my way to my van, a Beige Columbus V340-F Freight.

V340-F
https://i.imgur.com/OpdQqMb

After Dakota started his business, he sold his Hella EC-D 1360 sedan to buy a van. He did this so he could begin to move the goods he imported straight from the docks to his business, a decision I'm glad he made. The V340 wasn't fast or flashy, but it was reliable and practical. Something that I could heavily modify internally and still maintain a bland exterior.

Taking out my keys, I unlocked the car and opened the rear doors. The interior was clean and empty, with a few folded cardboard boxes on the floor. Deciding that I should start preparing for the meeting with Wilson, I went into my system and crafted the ammunition he requested for tomorrow.

Once done, I removed the ammunition from my inventory and placed them into the van. The crafted ammo came in their own small brown boxes. Picking up a box for 9mm, I opened the packaging to inspect the rounds. The bullets I created were standard full metal jackets with brass casings.

They didn't have any brandings on the headstamp or anything that indicated their origin, which might cause some concern when I try to sell these. Businesses will likely overlook such a thing if the price is right. And if they aren't, I'll lie. Fake it until you make it, right?

I closed up the box of 9mm I was holding and put it back with the rest of the ammo. Crafting all this ammunition also brought my crafting level halfway to level 2. I also got a bit of crafting experience from disassembling items. Hopefully, I can abuse this system and rake in experience points breaking apart junk at the landfill.

After securing the ammunition in the van, I headed to my apartment. My home was on the 32nd floor, which is on the middle-class floors. In the world of Cyberpunk, most people find themselves living in Megabuildings. These behemoths of concrete and steel were built to help the overpopulation problem. But even with the express purpose of saving space, there still was a distinction between the rich and poor.

Generally speaking, the higher you are in a megabuilding, the better off you are. This is also reflected in the size of the apartments. In H8, floors one through ten comprised mostly of businesses. 11 through 30 housed lower-income households. 31 through 50 had middle-class families. And luxury apartments and penthouses were located on levels 50 to 55.

Once the elevator stopped at floor 32, I got out and turned left. Each floor was massive, and the walk took three minutes before I reached my door. Once there, I unlocked the door and walked inside.

Unlike his car, Dakota's apartment was an absolute disaster. Empty drink cans, bags full of garbage, and dirty clothes were strewn across the place. Just one look, and you could tell whoever lived here was really at rock bottom.

I sighed and looked at my phone to get the time. It was currently 7:45 pm, still relatively early in the evening. Deciding that even if it was just a day, I couldn't live in this filth. Cleaning was something that I would have to do eventually. I can't just leave garbage everywhere for the inspection team to find when I move out. The bright side is that I have a superpower that makes cleaning easy. Getting rid of the trash also gives me experience points toward my crafting level.

After three and a half hours of cleaning, I finally managed to get the place nice and tidy. I increased my crafting level to three and gained a perk point and a 5% reduction in crafting cost. Dragging my body to the bedroom, I lazily took off my clothing and fell onto the comfy bed. I pulled the system up and invested my one perk point into Mechanic. Once done, I set the alarm for 7 am, pulled the cover over my body, and fell into a deep sleep.

Chapter Text

BEEEP. BEEEP. BEEEP.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuk... It's too early. Didn't I turn off all my alarms?"

I always hated waking up, especially now that I quit my job and had all the free time in the world. Keeping my eyes closed, I reached my left hand toward the noise source. When I had no luck finding my phone to shut off the alarm, I opened my eyes to find the damn thing. What I saw was a bed that wasn't mine.

"That's right. I'm not in my world anymore. Talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed."

I groaned and closed my eyes, hoping it might just be a bad dream. If I opened my eyes again, maybe I would wake up in my old room. No such luck. All that greeted me was the same foreign room. My phone was still beeping, reminding me I had a meeting to get to.

Picking up the strange slab of glass phone, I unlocked the screen and shut the alarm off. I got off the bed and went into the shower to clean up. Getting into the one-person shower, I pushed the button to activate the water nozzle. Immediately my balance showed up, and E$ 10 was transferred from my account. After the amount got subtracted, water started flowing out of the showerhead, and a projector showed a timer with 15 minutes on it.

"Holy shit. Do I have to fucking pay for a shower?"

I had to pay for water usage in my world too, but a device never had to be paid to be activated. This is more of a hotel room than it is my apartment.

I'm pissed about this situation, but I also don't want to waste any of my 15 minutes, so I started to scrub my body.

After my rushed shower and getting dressed, it was already 7:30, which only gave me 30 minutes before I needed to meet with Wilson. I hastily left my apartment and locked the door behind me. On the way to the garage, I saw several members of the Tyger Claws. These gang members with loud tattoos are the dominating criminal force in Watson and Westbrook.

I didn't pay attention yesterday since I was in a rush, and my mind was in chaos, but now I remember that Megabuilding H8 is Tyger Claws' territory. I don't necessarily have issues with the gang, but I must be careful around them. It also reminded me that it wasn't just mega corporations I had to watch out for, but gangs as well.

The Tyger Claws were just one of the many gangs in NC, and they all had a penchant for violence and cruelty. I can solve my money problem quickly, but security will be a more challenging issue. I could fall in line with one of the gangs, but that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

The Mox is the only gang that is strictly protective and doesn't dabble in activities that stray from my morals. But they only protect people who work for them, and I'm not too keen on breaking into the sex industries. Oh well, that's a problem for future Basil.

I kept my head down and avoided the Tygers as much as possible. Once inside my van, I pulled out my phone and got the navigation app to take me to Megabuilding H10.

The drive to Wilson's shop was uneventful. There's a strange calm you can only get in the city. Watching everybody hustle with purpose, utterly oblivious to one another, each contributing to the collective workforce that keeps the city running. It's like watching ants march around collecting food for the hive.

The drive was much faster than the bus since I didn't have to stop to pick people up. It only took 15 minutes to get into the building, and by the time I found a parking spot, I still had 10 minutes until the meeting time.

Getting out of my van, I opened the rear doors and ensured all the ammo was still there. I brought 200 rounds each of the pistol ammo and 100 rounds each of the rifle ammo. I stacked them on each other and carried them using my chest and abdomen as a backboard. I then shuffled awkwardly to the elevator and hit the screen to take me to floor 7. I probably should have used one of the folded cardboard boxes in my van. Oh well, hindsight is 20-20.

Once the elevator deposited me on the 7th floor, I turned right and started to look for the gun store. It didn't take long for me to recognize the familiar sign for the 2nd Amendment, and I started making my way to it. Once inside, I saw a young lady with half-shaved pink hair leaning on the counter, talking with Wilson.

V
https://i.imgur.com/ZC1qBPd.jpg

"You have my piece ready, Wilson?"

"Yeah, V. Got it right here. Tuned the trigger reset, polished the feed ramps, and gave it a full-service cleaning. Better than new."

Wilson then took out a custom M-10AF with a gold trigger, barrel, and front assembly. The woman picked up the pistol to inspect it and nodded in appreciation.

"Thanks. You're the best."

Apparently, I just met V. Small world. V then holstered what I can only assume to be the Dying Night iconic pistol and walked out of the store.

Once V left, Wilson noticed me and waved me over to his counter.

"Good morning, Sir. Never seen your face before. What d'ya got there?"

"Good Morning, Mr. Wilson. I'm Dakota Rogers. You can just call me Basil. I'm with the company you contacted for a test batch of ammo. Got 'em all right here, ready to go."

Never have I seen a fat man move so fast. He was out of that stall and guiding me into the gun range like his business depended on it. Hell, it probably was. In the game, his gun store struggled to profit, even resorting to weird promotions like a shooting competition. If My ammunition was as cheap and as good as my spam email said, he could offer some of the most affordable ammo without cutting corners.

Once inside the gun range, he pulled out an M-10AF, Nue, Overture, M221 Saratoga, and HJSH-18 Masamune. He also unloaded a collection of tools, ranging from calipers to electric scales. What followed was one of the most detailed assessments of anything I've ever seen.

Wilson took a handful of each ammo type to weigh them and take the measurements. Then he disassembled them to do the same with each individual component. He only fired a single bullet forty minutes into the testing.

The firing test was similarly anal, with him first taking measurements of the velocity and accuracy on target. This was followed by function checking by rapid firing the rounds to check for any manufacturing issues. To my glee, not a single problem arose during the firing test. All rounds went bang when they should have, and not a single one caused a jam.

Once all the ammunition was fired, Wilson tabulated all the results and turned to me. I could see that he was trying to maintain a poker face, but the excitement was starting to show. This must mean the results were excellent, a good position to be in to make a sale.

"Ammunition passes my inspection. I'm willing to buy in bulk if you offer discounts for large quantities."

Here it is, negotiation time. Time to become a shrewd salesman.

"Come on, Wilson. Your reputation precedes you. I know how strict your standards are. I also know my product is top-notch stuff. They don't have fancy bullets, but the consistency is out of this world. The price I'm offering is already a deal."

I let my statement stew for a bit. I did a little research before sending out the emails and robocalls. The prices I was offering should be under what any other manufacturer offered to smaller businesses. I was willing to offer lower prices since selling them for pennies would still be a profit, but nobody needed to know that. I also wanted something else out of this deal. I'm not running a charity, after all.

I could see the gears turning in Wilson's head, and just before he was about to say anything else, I offered a new deal to him.

"Tell you what, Wilson. I like you. You take pride in what you do. How about this? I'll offer you another five percent discount if you offer me a 10% discount on anything I purchase from you."

"Seven percent and you have a sale."

"I'll take it. But only if you advertise to other gun stores as well. I know you have connections. I'll sweeten the pot as well. Whenever someone new you refer buys more than 2000 Eddies worth of ammo from me, I'll give you 5000 rounds of 9mm for free."

Wilson liked the sound of that, and we immediately shook to the deal. Afterward, we hammered out the details, and I left his shop. The current agreement is that I will only provide him ammo when he needs it, and if sales go well, we will switch to a monthly plan. I'm technically selling this ammo without a license, but Wilson didn't ask, so I'm not telling. What's the harm anyway? It's not like I'm not planning on getting the proper work done.

He already paid me E$ 9500 worth of ammo to deliver tomorrow at noon, bringing up my balance to just over E$ 13000. Once I get the money from canceling my lease, I'll have just under 26000 Eddies. That'll be more than enough to buy the equipment to begin the next step of my plan.

Ecstatic about the sale I just made, I hummed the toon to Pharrell's Happy and made my way to the parking lot. Time to go dumpster diving.

Chapter Text

+NEW JOB

EYES AND EARS

Plant spying devices in the Afterlife
Plant spying devices in Lizzie's Bar
Plant spying devices in Wakako's pachinko Parlor

Once I started scheming how to keep my fingers on the pulse of the underworld, I got a notification giving me a new mission. My plan for keeping an eye on V and how the world is progressing is to plant small surveillance devices in critical locations. Since following V would take too much effort, my best bet is to keep an eye on the places where the plot advanced. But that's something for the near future. Now I have to focus on getting crafting components.

South-East of Night City proper is a massive landfill, a literal mountain of junk. Did you think living on the edges of Night City was terrible? Try living outside of Night City. The bright side, at least for me, is that now I have an easily accessible source of materials, and no one will miss anything I break down.

The drive took roughly twenty minutes. On the way over, I picked up a set of heavy-duty anti-puncture gloves, face masks, and some work boots. I don't know what kind of diseases will be hidden in the garbage, but I'm not planning on finding out after getting pierced by a dirty needle.

I got dressed in the back of the van, picking out a pair of thick jeans and a light windbreaker to protect the rest of my body. Once adequately outfitted, I got out and stared at the sea of trash in front of me. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. I didn't know it was possible for me to feel impressed and disgusted simultaneously.

https://i.imgur.com/ryRXb5T

Once I was done gawking, I walked to the mountain's base and started pulling items into my inventory. I did have a weight limit, but junk weighed nothing like in the game. Components and ammo also didn't have a weight associated with them.

There were also several rules on what was junk and what wasn't. First, the item can't be organic. So half-eaten tacos do not count as junk. Second, there is a size limit on what is junk and what isn't. For example, an old dryer is not junk, but an ashtray is. The rule of thumb seems to be if you can't carry it with one hand, it isn't junk.

After a bit, I got into a groove and figured out the fastest way to transfer items into my inventory. I would have my two hands out and skim them across the surface of the trash, putting anything that is junk into my inventory. Anything that gets left out would be thrown to the side.

I don't know what I was expecting, but there was some seriously nasty stuff here. The more I dug around, the more I wished I got a full hazmat suit instead of some basic protective gear.

This process continued until noon when I had to stop because my stomach and body were protesting the amount of work with no rest or food. Having worked up a sweat, I checked my inventory and grinned at the having just under 4000 pieces of junk in my inventory. I then got back into my van and broke everything down into components.

With the Mechanic skill, my 4000 pieces of junk turned into 4800 components. I then turned the components into the ammo necessary to fulfill Wilson's order. This process took another couple of hours, and by the time I was finished, I managed to progress my crafting skill to level 6.

Getting my crafting skill to level 6 gave me one more perk point, a ten percent reduction in crafting cost, and unlocked several uncommon crafting recipes for clothes and guns. If I ever decide to start selling weapons or create my own faction, I can now make the weapons for cheap.

After a quick debate with myself, I then put the perk point into the Scrapper perk, which automatically scraps any junk in my inventory. The other perk I considered was the first tier of the Workshop perk, which gives me a five percent chance of getting an extra component every time I disassemble something. At the end of the day, saving hours of dissembling is more beneficial than a few additional components.

Happy with my haul today, I started the van and made the short drive north toward the sunset motel. On the way, I remembered that I still had to cancel my lease, and I called property management to start the process. After waiting through the automatic answering machine and the elevator music, an older man picked up my call.

We went through the regular crap. You know, 'Oh. We're sorry to see you go' and 'Is there anything we can do to keep you?'. But once he realized I was dead set on leaving, he scheduled an inspection and told me about the terms. Since I have already moved out and emptied the place, the inspection will happen tonight, and they will let me know what they find tomorrow.

I arrived at the sunset Motel only a few minutes after the call ended. This dinky little place was where I unsuccessfully tried to romance Panam Palmer. I chuckled to myself as I thought about how awkward it seemed when I suggested only renting one room and kept dropping hints. Panam powered through them like a freight train, keeping me at arm's length.

Panam was easily my favorite character in the whole game. She was a creation of circumstance. She was tough because of the environment she grew up in and rebellious because she wanted to change for the better. But most importantly, she always kept her family at the center of her heart.

Heading upstairs and into the same bar where Panam and V celebrated their first successful mission. Sitting down on a stool, I waved over the bartender and asked for some food.

"Got any food lying around? I'm starving here."

"Well. I ain't got much, but I can't heat you a few slices of pizza if you'd like."

"I'll take four slices of pizza and a can of NiCola."

After paying the man, he opened a small fridge and took out four slices of frozen pizza. Three minutes later, I was wolfing down the makeshift meal. The bread tasted like cardboard, and the cheese had a strange plastic texture, but it was cheap, so I can't complain.

While I ate, Panam and her family still occupied my mind. You meet her first while trying to find Anders Hellman, the corpo responsible for directing the Arasaka Relic project. You help her by icing someone who double-crossed her, then she helps you and knocks Hellman's AV out of the air. Quid pro quo.

It just so happens that Panam's friends also saw the AV and went to the crash site to try to help the survivors and salvage parts. The survivors on-site confused Panam's friends for the attackers and killed all but one of them. I don't know if it was my fondness for Panam or my romanticism for the nomad lifestyle, but seeing her freak out and her dead friends bummed me out.

Fuck it. Sooner or later, I'll have to get involved with the plot. Why not now? Let's give her a little tip to steer her in the right direction.

"Hey barkeep! Thanks for the meal. Got a second?"

"Sure. What can I do you for?"

"I'm looking for a solo by the name of Panam Palmer. Got a job that is right up her alley. You happen to have her contact?"

After giving me the once over, the bartender's eyes glowed a soft blue, and Panam's number was registered in my phone. I thanked the man again for the food and information and walked out. Once I got back into my van, I called Panam while driving back to the shop.

"Who the hell are you, and how did you get my number?"

Yup. There's the Panam I know and love.

"A hello would have been nice. Name's Basil. I'm a friend. You still have the job moving goods for 6th street with Nash?"

"What's it to you?"

"Your buddy Nash ain't who he says he is. He's a Wraith, and he's planning on double crossin-"

Before I could finish my sentence, I got cut off by Panam.

"Listen here, 'Friend'. Do you think I was born yesterday? I'm not going to call off a job because some stranger told me to. You'll stay out of my way if you know what's good for you."

"Wai-"

Panam hung up on me before I could get anything else in. When I tried to call again, my phone showed the user had blocked me.

"Well. That could have gone better."

Chapter Text

It was now the week after, and I was getting some well-deserved rest. Lying on a bed I bought for the warehouse and browsing the net, I thought about my progress. Fulfilling orders and trying to sneak recorders into various locations took most of the week. I worked from sunrise to mid-afternoon scraping parts, and at night I would search for solos willing to plant cameras at the mission spots.

Word travels quickly, and orders began flowing in when Wilson recommended that his buddies buy ammo from me. Business was so good that I actually didn't have the production capability to keep up and started limiting the quantities that could be purchased. Usually, a company with production issues would scale upwards, but I can't find another person with physics-defying abilities so scaling back was my only option.

I can't complain too much. Better to have too much demand than the other way around. I also signed the paperwork giving me the legal ability to sell ammo. Of course, I was making sales before then, so I failed the optional objective of doing things by the book for 'Back on You Feet'. Money was and still is more important—no use crying over spilled milk. I now had E$ 60000 in the bank, and I was pretty happy with myself.

Unsurprisingly, most mercs weren't willing to mess with some of the most respected locations of their inner circle of criminals. And the ones who were dumb enough to do it weren't smart enough to do it quietly. Eventually, I just went the easy route and had a Janitor do the job in the Afterlife, a BD peddler in Lizzie's Bar, and a random gambler for Wakako's.

Sure I couldn't guarantee the quality of the work this way, but it's not like sticking a tiny camera on the wall is rocket science. Speaking of small cameras, there's a whole cottage industry of hard-to-detect spyware, and the websites are very creepy. I would not recommend visiting.

Finishing the 'Eyes and Ears' and 'Back on Your Feet' jobs increased my level to four. Like in the game, every level-up gives you one Attribute and Perk point, so leveling up three times gave me three Attributes and Perk points. I'd immediately maxed out my Workshop perk and increased my Reflexes to six.

The third level of the Workshop perk gave me a 15% chance to get a free component when dissembling, reducing the amount of time I have to spend at the Land of Garbage. Raising reflexes was chasing the same effect of increasing efficiency but differently. With higher reflexes, my body should have an easier time accepting Sandevistan cyberware.

Sandevistans allowed the user to slow down the perceived time around time while they stayed at the "usual" speed. Think Quicksilver in the X-Men franchise. To him, everyone slowed down, but to everyone else, he was traveling at superhuman speeds. If I have a Sandevistan system, I can do the same work in less time.

After I delivered ammo to the last customer and sneaked in the last camera into the Afterlife, I went to get some new chrome. Vic installed a basic Dynalar Sandevistan Mk. 1 and a Biodyne Mk.2 Cyberdeck. Vic was kind enough to give me a discount on the cyberware he had trouble selling, so I also picked up a Kiroshi Optic Mk.2 and Optical Camo implants.

Optical Camo is at it sounds. Using sensors and subdermal generators, light can be "bent" and give me temporary invisibility. The effect could be better, but if you aren't explicitly looking for it, it's easy to miss. Kiroshi Optics gives me a rudimentary cliche analysis ability. I can focus on people, and my vision will return basic information from public databases.

It also allows me to scan the surroundings in conjunction with my cyberdeck, highlighting hackable targets, but that's not the primary value of cyberdecks. Cyberdecks are actually in constant use by the civilian market.

Instead of having aggressive quick hacks, the everyday person can have programs that automatically do daily chores. Things like taxes, inventory, calculating profits, and other mundane tasks. Something that would be very helpful for a small business owner like me.

The operation to replace my old cyberware made my body ache, and Vic told me I couldn't work for at least three days. What hurt more was my wallet after it became 30000 Eddies lighter. The investment was still worth it, but that doesn't make losing that much money any easier to swallow.

I did try my new equipment... and immediately got myself hurt. What no one tells you about Sandevistan is that your body maintains the same momentum while Sandevistan is active once you exit the effect. So while I ran a few circles around the warehouse, I wasn't expecting the increased speed when time went back to normal and collided right into a wall. After that, I was much more careful with using my new chrome, and I'd like to think I got the hang of it now.

And that's where I find myself now, enjoying some off time and disconnected from the world. It was boring, but boring means not dying, and not dying is excellent. While going through this world's version of Scribble Hub and reading some web novels, I got a call from a certain Aldercado Nomad. Things must have gone to shit if she's calling me now.

After I picked up, there was silence. I knew Panam was on the other side, but I didn't want to be the first to give in, so I also stayed silent. This quiet standoff continued for a dozen or so seconds until Panam finally gave in and spoke up.

"I know you're there. Say something."

"I vaguely remember someone telling me to stay out of their way 'if I knew what was good for me'. I wouldn't want you to make good on your threats, now do I?"

"Urghh. Fine! I'm sorry, OK? You were right about Nash. I... I'm just having a hard time right now, and I don't know who you are. Trusting strangers is hard. But I need help, and you said you were a friend, so can you please give me a hand?"

"Fuck. I only gave you a tip so you could avoid the situation entirely. Now that things have gone sideways, you're trying to drag me into it?"

I could almost feel Panam's temper rising across the phone after I got my piece in. Thinking about it further, I realize the risk could be worth it. This is the perfect chance for me to combat-test my new chrome. It also allowed me to obtain the jet-black Rayfield Caliburn that I know is in one of the containers. Before she could blow her fuse and hang up on me again, I decided to voice my willingness to help.

"Fine, but you'll have to learn to trust me, Panam. I'll help you out, so let's get a plan started."

+NEW JOB

MAKING THINGS RIGHT

Help Panam recover her truck and cargo
Meet with the buyers
Take revenge on the Shivs (Optional)
We then hashed out the details for a rudimentary plan. Panam will pick me up tomorrow morning and do some basic reconnaissance. Afterward, we'll figure out the best way to lay a trap for the Raffen Shiv convoy with the cargo and Panam's car.

After the call, I got off my bed and got out of the warehouse. Up until this point, I didn't need a gun. But since I'm about to pick a fight with the Shivs, I should probably start packing. A quick call and drive later, I found myself in Wilson's gun shop.

On the counter were the two guns I had requested. A Malorian Arms Overture and Arasaka HJSH-18 assault rifle were laid side by side on the counter. I also picked up a plate carrier, armor, and a bunch of magazines and speed loaders for the guns. After I paid Wilson for the gear, I loaded up the van and drove to this Chinese stall I had recently found.

HJSH-18
https://i.imgur.com/4GMRUoC

Overture
https://i.imgur.com/K1NN1Yk

It really sucked being a foodie in Night City. Most of the things sold were repackaged kibble. If you were lucky, you'd find a stall that sold SCOP they fancied up to look edible. But this little stall I found has an absolute killer locust fried rice. They were among the few places willing to shell out the money for good Syn-Spice. Sure, eating insects was still strange, but I couldn't argue with the flavor.

After stuffing my face, I lazily got back in the van to drive home. Having a full stomach always made me tired, and I barely made it back to my shop. Once inside, I face-planted on my bed and thought about tomorrow. I rubbed my face into my pillow and dragged my cover over me, savoring this moment of peace and falling asleep.

Chapter Text

It was the following morning, and I was sitting on a concrete bench munching down a Burrito XXL, waiting for Panam to show up. Say what you want about dystopian futures, but vending machines with giant burritos are fantastic. Even better, the burritos are good. Though, I suspect that is because it's absolutely packed with artificial flavor. I confirmed my suspicion by looking at the long list of chemicals and synthetic compounds on the back of the packaging. Oh well, at least it tastes good. I ate the last bite and disassembled the packaging for the components.

While waiting for my ride to show up, I started messing around with my new cyberdeck. I took out my business modules and replaced them with more appropriate quick hacks. Ping, Sonic Shock, Reboot optics, and Cripple Movement now occupy the four available slots. All none lethal options since getting more hardcore stuff require contacts I do not have. Breach Protocol also came by default, but since I didn't specify any of my points into the intelligence perks, all it did was make subsequent quick hacks cost one less ram slot.

As I was finishing up tinkering around with my OS, a Thorton Colby with sun-damaged paint pulled up to me. The window rolled down, revealing the dusky beauty on the inside.

Colby
https://i.imgur.com/dqOR0ad

Panam
https://i.imgur.com/9ZXEzjt

"You Basil?"

"The one and only. Like the ride."

She rolled her eyes and leaned over to open the door.

"Shut up and get in."

I got off my bench and got into the old wagon. Panam put the pedal to the metal the second I closed my door, and the Thorton lept off the line.

"Whoa! I don't even have my seatbelt on. Also, you sure this junker can take this kind of punishment?"

That got me another glare.

"Sheesh! I won't bring up the car anymore. Talk about intimidating..."

And kinda hot, but I wisely kept that to myself. Panam must still not have trusted me since she immediately started interrogating me.

"So, how did you know about Nash being a Shiv."

I hoped she wouldn't ask, but she also just got backstabbed by a partner, so the suspicion is justified.

"How does anyone know anything? My info was better than yours, end of."

Fingers crossed, that was good enough, and she'll leave this topic alone. Instead, Panam slammed the brakes, and the car protested by screeching to a halt. She then parked on the side of the road and stared at me.

"Nope, not good enough. You tell me how you know now, or you get out and walk back to NC."

Damn. Bullshitting skills, don't fail me now.

"I've been keeping an eye on the Raffen Shivs for a job. Saw Nash and you talking one night at the Afterlife and recognized him immediately. Also noticed you with your Aldercado jacket on. No self-respecting Aldercado would deal with scavs like the Shivs. And a Shiv wouldn't work with an Aldercado unless they were planning on screwing them. I figured if I helped you out, you'd help me on my next job. You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

Only half of what I told her was a lie. Obviously, I didn't keep track of the Shivs and wasn't in the Afterlife. But the part about helping me with a job was all true. If I want the story to continue as it did, I need someone to help V take down that AV with Hellman in it. Panam is the perfect person for the job, but since I'm helping her now, she'll never meet V and help them get Hellman.

But now Panam owes me one, and I will use that favor to get her to help V when she needs it. This also gives me an in with the Aldercados, who are the best at modifying vehicles and doing various other odd jobs. It doesn't hurt that I have a massive crush on Panam, and this will probably get me in her good graces.

I don't know why I'm so obsessed with the world following the story's events. V's story ends with her life on a six-month timer at best. I also know that any ending sees Arasaka get off scot-free for trapping souls in machines. Am I ok with that? More importantly, what am I willing to risk to see it change? Can I change anything even if I wanted to?

While I was having this conversation with myself, Panam was scanning my face. Probably trying to spot any signs of me lying. After a minute, she must have concluded that she could trust me since she started the car and returned to the road. Happy that she accepted my story, I asked about our plan so far.

"Did you already reschedule the meeting with 6th street? They know not to show up where you were originally supposed to meet to exchange the cargo?"

"Yup. The new place is the Sunset Motel."

"Ok. So we go to the original meeting place, scout out the area, lay a trap for the Shivs, get your shit back, and delta to the new meeting. Anything I'm missing?"

"I'd like it if we could flatline that gonk, Nash. Fucking up my gig is one thing, but stealin' my ride? That snake got another thing coming if he thinks he can screw me like that."

"Roger. Add 'make Nash pay' to the list."

The focus was back on the road as Panam turned on the radio to 107.3 Morro Rock. The half-hour ride was accompanied by hip-hop, pop, and the occasional Samurai tune. We didn't go to the Nomad camp since Panam had already gone and picked up the kit she needed for the job. Maybe a tiny change was triggered by my getting involved with the story. By the time I saw the outline of a small ghost town, it was three in the afternoon, just a few hours away from the original meeting time. Once we got into the town proper, Panam pulled to the side and parked her car near the old gas station.

Ghost Town
https://i.imgur.com/pVhEpkY

We got out and started scanning our surroundings. It was strange being in an abandoned place. The small details, like a used ashtray or a closed sign on an old business, pointed out that life has been here but is now nowhere in sight. What was it like for the last person to leave this place? Did they one day walk out onto the streets and realize they were alone? That the life they have gotten used to was no longer here? At what point can one no longer trick themselves into thinking things will get better, and people aren't coming back. Were they in turmoil or at peace when they decided to finally leave?

And for what? A better life in the city? It's a long shot to call Night City the best place to live. Maybe one day, someone will bring life back into the rural areas, and we can start spreading out and building these communities back up. It may be wishful thinking, but I hope that people who are tired of being chewed up in the bowels of NC can start moving out to find a new life.

Panam and I went over the area and devised the same plan as in the game. Hook the power back up and wait for night and the Shivs to come. Once they are here, power up the lights to distract the group, get the truck and cargo, go to the meeting with the 6th, and profit. The only thing that changed was that I asked for only the power to be brought on in the old brain dance club. Hopefully, most of them will congregate in one place instead of scattering around.

I plan to attract as many people into the club as possible, blow the place to kingdom come, and finish off the stragglers. Panam liked the idea and started helping me get everything ready. The next hour was spent getting the power on, collecting explosives, and dragging said explosives into the BD club. Once we were happy with where we were, Panam grabbed her Overwatch sniper rifle and found a roof to provide covering fire from.

Overwatch
https://i.imgur.com/EVUgtK7

I then went to the switch for the power on a different building and settled in to wait for the Shiv convoy. Checking my phone, I confirmed that we were only an hour and a half from when the meeting was supposed to go down. The sun had set, and the Evening was quickly turning to night. The temperature was dropping, and I could feel myself shivering a little, but I didn't think it was because of the cold.

Was I ready to kill someone? Sure these people were the scum of the earth, the worst of the worst, but they were still people. They probably had families. Hell, maybe even a kid. Was I willing to end a life just so I could get closer to Panam and profit from the chaos? I got a small but very profitable business going. If I keep my head down and work, I can safely retire in a decade or two.

While second-guessing myself, a line of lights showed up east and started to get closer to our position. Panam's voice appeared on our connection and warned of our visitors.

"Heads up, Basil. The party is about to get started."

I guess it's too late to back out now.

Chapter Text

A three-car convoy was rolling up to the little town where we set the trap. For a second, I thought maybe this wasn't our guys. Perhaps this was just a random group going back into Night City, and they just happened to use this road. No such luck. Once they got closer, Panam immediately recognized her Truck.

"They're rolling in. In my Thorn! You see 'er?"

The leading car was a heavily modified Thorton Mackinaw. Following behind it were two Archer Sidewinders. I laughed a little, thinking it looked like two baby ducks following a mama duck. A mama duck that's leading them straight into the maws of a waiting alligator. Aaaaand now I'm in a bad mood again.

Mackinaw
https://i.imgur.com/nlsV3zE

Sidewinder
https://i.imgur.com/aJIBPMo

"I see em. They're pulling up. Let's hit the light once they are out of the vehicles."

"Sounds good. Just let me know when you are going to do it."

The Mackinaw pulled in first and parked at the gas station, while the two Sidewinders drove further and parked near the entrance to the BD club. All the doors opened, and slowly seven total Shivs got out. Once they got out, they started grouping near one of the Sidewinders. They looked jumpy, and one was wondering where their buyer was.

"Where the hell is that sonuvabitch? You"

Checking that my connection to Panam was still secure, I let her know that I was about to power up the building.

"I think that's all of em. I'm hitting the lights now."

I pulled down the lever on the breaker box, and a whirling noise came from the generators behind me. First, the lights outside the club turned on. Purple arrows pointed to the front doors, and red "BD SHACK" signs gave the surrounding an ominous red glow. The sparks started flying from the electrical wires, and for a moment, I was scared that they would prematurely ignite the explosives inside. Luckily that didn't happen, and our little trick successfully pulled the attention of all our tangoes.

Abandoned Bar
https://i.imgur.com/EzrGp9f

"I thought you said this place was deserted?"

"It was! No one's been here for months!"

"You call this place deserted? This look deserted to you? You, you, and you. Come with me. We're going inside and checking the place out!"

After that order, four Shivs went inside the BD club, and three remained outside. One of the three that remained outside was a sniper who got on top of the gas station's roof to provide overwatch for his buddies inside. The remaining two that didn't enter stayed on the road, probably to keep an eye on the cars and wait just in case a buyer appeared. They didn't all go in, but this was the best we would get.

I started scanning one of the two on the road using my new implants. After a moment, the name, known affiliation, threat level, and even bounty of the Shiv popped up in my vision. What also popped up was the quick hacks I had available. I chose the Ping option, highlighting all the Shivs in the group in red.

Using my remaining ram, I told my system to keep track of the four inside the building. Anything I specifically tag with the cyberdeck after a ping will permanently show in my vision, like real-life wall hacks. This way, I'll know how many inside the building are dead after the explosion.

"Ok, Panam. It looks like the stragglers are staying outside. On my mark, I'm going to blow up the club. When that happens, can you take care of the marksman they got on the top of the gas station?"

"You got it. What about the other two?"

"After the explosion, they'll be too distracted to notice me sneaking behind them. I'll take care of 'em."

I got into a prone next to the stairs, shouldered my HJSH-18, and double-checked the safety selector was on semi-automatic. Using the magazine as a monopod, I stabilized the rifle and put my index finger on the trigger. I lined up the rear sight with the front and then lined up the front sight with a propane tank I placed on a table next to a window. I took up the slack in the two-stage trigger and felt a stop, which is the gun's way of telling me, 'any further and a bullet will leave this gun'.

"On my count. One... Two... Three... Now!"

I inhaled air into my lungs and focused back on the front sight. Once the front sight was crystal clear, I pushed past the wall in the trigger and felt a single recoil impulse move the gun into my body. The bullet shattered the window and hit the propane tank dead center, causing a small fireball to bloom out. Soon the tiny burst of orange was followed by a large *BOOM* and the entire first floor turning orange with flames. The pressure blew out the windows, and not a moment later, the same happened to the second floor.

The explosion covered Panam's shot, and the two on the road were too busy staring at the explosion to notice that their sniper buddy didn't have a head anymore. After confirming that the sniper was dead and that all my marks inside the building were gone, I snuck down from the roof I was on and got next to the road. Once there, I activated my optical camo and Sandevistan at the same time. The world around me gained a shade of blue, and everything slowed down. It was strangely peaceful, almost zen-like.

I quickly used my time dilated eight seconds and snuck up behind the two remaining Shivs. Just a few seconds after my Sandevistan went away, my optical camo also used up all its juice. I appeared behind the survivors like a ghost that apparated to haunt its targets.

"Holy shit Jack, what the fuck just happened! This was supposed to be a fucking simple meetup!"

"Fuck this shit, Bob. I'm getting the fuck out of here."

Jack understandably got cold feet and turned around to leave the scene. The second he turned around, his eyes widened as he saw the barrel of my Overture revolver pointed right at his head. Bob soon followed, and they both froze at the sight of a stranger holding them hostage. I then cocked the hammer on my revolver to apply further intimidation.

"Hey, Chooms. Nice night we're having. A bit cold, though. I see that your friends over there are warming themselves up."

I'm not going to lie, I don't want to kill these guys if I don't have to, and I hope I can scare them into giving up. I know I just blew up four people, but I secretly hoped things didn't have to go any further. Panam, however, was not happy with me not ending their lives immediately.

"What the hell are you doing? Zero 'em now! If they live, they are going to come after you."

The Shivs must have noticed me being distracted by Panam and the slight tremble in my hands because Bob drew a pistol from his belt, and two bright flashes soon followed. The in my chest was immediate as I felt two thumps hit my body. My adrenaline spiked higher than I ever thought possible, and I pulled the trigger on my revolver, putting a sizeable half-inch hole right between Jacks's eyes.

My ears were ringing, and I was tunnel visioned on the last man standing. Before Bob could get any more shots in, I heard the sound of Panam's suppressed sniper and Bob's left knee disappearing and his calf disconnecting from his thighs. Bob then fell since he lost the support of one of his knees. He screamed in pain and let go of his pistol to grab his knee, trying to stop the bleeding.

I walked over to him and kicked him onto his back. The man looked up at me, opening his mouth and trying to say something. I couldn't hear him since blood had rushed to my ears, and I could still only hear that low ring. It didn't matter anyway since I got the message from his eyes. I finally understood the saying 'eyes are the window to the soul' because I could sense the fear emanating from those dark brown pupils.

I didn't care, however. I was so highly strung from being shot and so filled with anger that I pointed my Overture at the man's head and kept pulling the trigger, even after no more bullets were coming out. Once I finally realized that the man was dead, I lowered my pistol and stared at his swiss cheese head. I didn't break out of that trance until I felt a push from behind me. Turning around, I saw Panam, and all the details came rushing back into my head.

I was on a job with Panam. We killed everyone. I got shot. And I killed two guys. Once my brain appropriately booted up again, I could hear Panam's voice, slightly strained.

"Are you a fucking idiot? Why didn't you kill them immediately? Are you Ok? Let me check you for wounds."

Panam turned me around and started looking through my body. In a slightly grumpy mood, I batted away her arms and told her to back off.

"I'm fine! I'm... fine. Promise. I was wearing a vest, ok? Plates caught the bullets. Small caliber pistol didn't, so no damage done. Let's focus on the job. We need to find the shard for your car and get to the meeting."

I walked over to one of the smoldering corpses that fell out of the second window after an explosion. If memory serves, the chick with the shard to the Mackinaw was looking out of a window in the game. I flipped over the body and started looking through her jacket pockets.

The Shiv's once tall mohawk was now charred, her face an unrecognizable mess. The smell of burnt flesh assaulted my nostrils, but I powered through it and found what we were looking for. Turning around, I waved over to Panam and gave her the shard.

"We got what we came here for. Let's go."

When the shard hit her hand, she grinned like a kid on Christmas that just gotten the toy they'd been asking for the whole year. The smile didn't last long, and she looked back at me.

"Not quite. Nash wasn't here, and he still owes me blood. I know where he is, but I'll need your help."

That's right. Nash. Guess my day isn't over yet.

Chapter Text

We loaded Panam's truck with what we could loot from the area and made our way toward the Shiv's mine hideout. Panam was still riding the high of getting her truck back, but I was quietly stewing about what had just happened. Seven people died, most highly gruesomely, and I think I'm... angry? I'm starting to question why I'm here. Did I murder a bunch of people because a character I liked in a video game asked me to do it? And am I considering murdering more people because this crazy bitch wants revenge?

"Hey, Panam. Are you sure you want to do this? We got your truck back, and we have the package. Are you willing to lose everything because you want payback on some nobody?"

"Are you serious? Nash screwed me, and then he STOLE from me. I can't just leave this be. He needs to die."

"Look. All I'm saying is that Nash is some low-level Shiv, right? What do you think happens when the top brass hears about this job going sideways? I'll tell you what. Nash gets blamed, and they flatline him. Why are we wasting time doing this?"

"First, you don't know that Nash will die for sure. Second, he made it personal once he stole my truck, so I have to do this myself. Are you getting cold feet?"

"No. No cold feet. Just wanted to make sure you still think it's worth the risk."

This lady is on the warpath, and I do not know why I'm letting her drag me along. I guess I still need a way to get to that Rayfield Caliburn hidden, and I definitely wouldn't be able to do it alone. But that seems more like looking for an excuse than anything. I would also hate it if anything happened to Panam. Having two people assault a criminal base is slightly less suicidal than having one person assault a criminal base.

The base was only 15 minutes away, so I started rummaging through the gear we looted in the back seat. There were a few rifles and pistols, but what will come in most helpful were the grenades we stole. One X-22 flashbang and two F-GX fragmentation grenades. This will be more than enough to throw those Shivs into a panic.

X22
https://i.imgur.com/gLhoSXu

F-GX
https://i.imgur.com/qZyk2dR

"How quiet can your truck be?"

"What? Why?"

This gal can be really thick sometimes. And that's the normal thick, not thicc, with two cs. However, Panam is also very curvy.

"Because I want to play the flute, and I'm scared your truck will drown out my performance. Why do you think? Because we are about to attack a gang of hardened criminals, and the element of surprise gives us a tactical advantage."

Panam looked at me wide-eyed, probably because this was the first time my jab wasn't meant to be humorous. And the second the words left my mouth, I realized I might have gone too far. Trying to salvage the situation, I told her my plan to hit the hideout.

"How about you park somewhere out of earshot, and I'll sneak up on them. I'll take these grenades and try to cause as much havoc as possible. Once everything gets kicked off, I'll give you the signal, and you'll rush in and shoot them in the back while they focus on me. Sound good?"

"Sure. Just don't get yourself killed."

There wasn't any wood to knock on, so I just looked back at the road and tried to psyche myself up. We approached the cave five minutes later, and Panam slowly approached the entrance. Once outside, I checked all my gear and my connection with Panam. Everything was good to go, so I got out and snuck into the hideout.

The entrance and path inwards were empty, except for some construction lights scattered around to provide lighting. Eventually, I saw the cave open up and an expansion on the right where the mining company had put a basic outpost. The outpost was two stories tall, with the first level being nothing but scaffolding. It must have been some kind of safety post.

A Shiv was posted behind a concrete road barrier at the entrance, probably a lookout. I used him as a base for my ping hack, which showed seven Shivs in the outpost I found and six further in the tunnel. I used my remaining ram to mark the three Shivs on the ground floor, the sniper, and one of the two in the outpost office watching everything.

Thirteen baddies, no biggy. I just need to find a way to sneak past this lookout and start causing havoc. Scanning the scout again, I loaded the Reboot Optics quick hack. A few sparks flew out of his, and the scout quickly grabbed his head. Using this opportunity, I activated my Sandevistan and sped past him, hooking a right and hiding behind some barrels and the rock wall.

"Ah! Fuck, my eyes!"

"Hey! You alright, choom?"

I watched through the wall as one of the shivs I marked walked over from the outpost to check what was happening.

"Yeah, I'm good. That fuckin' doc in lil' China musta given me some broken optics. Next time I see 'em, I'll rip his fuckin' eyes out."

*Imaginary wipe the imaginary sweat on my imaginary forehead* Thank goodness they didn't suspect anything. After the lookout's buddy confirmed nothing was wrong, his red outline turned around and went back to what he was doing before. After confirming the guard was still staring at the tunnel, I got out of my hidey hole and went further. Leaning against a dumpster, I peeked out and saw the three guys on the ground level and the sniper on the scaffolding.

There didn't seem to be any blind spots, which meant it was time to go loud. I removed two frag grenades from my vest and pulled the pins out with my teeth, carefully keeping my hands on the levers so they didn't explode prematurely. I started my Sandevistan again, but I also turned on my optical camo this time. While in 50% time dilation, I ran past the three-men cell on the ground and threw one of the grenades at them.

Once I made it past the three on the ground, I ran up the stairs on the right and placed the other grenade at the feet of the sniper. At this point, the group on the ground noticed the grenade, and I laughed a little as one of them was reaching for the grenade. He was probably confused by this mysterious cylinder that popped in out of nowhere. Running past the sniper, I grabbed the flashbang and threw it into the office.

Immediately afterward, I hid behind a crate and watched the show begin. The Sanedvistan ran out, and the ground-level grenade exploded, instantly killing the guy holding it and blowing the other two away. The sniper drew their gun and went on high alert, not realizing that there was another grenade right at their feet. The second grenade went off seconds later, blowing the legs off of the sniper and flipping them off their perch and onto the ground floor.

Everyone knew what was up at this point, and the guard and the two in the office were screaming their lungs out for backup. Well, the two in the office didn't do that for long as the flashbang went off and blinded and deafened them simultaneously. Taking this chance, I got out of cover and ran for office, calling Panam.

"Show time, Panam. Going to need you to show up and start helping out."

"Already on my way. Explosions aren't exactly subtle."

I was now in the office, staring at two disorientated shivs trying to get back on their feet. I ran up, stored their weapons in my inventory, and pointed my rifle at them.

"Hey, boys! Sorry for ruining your day. I'm going to need to know where Nash is."

The two looked up at the same time, and to my surprise, one of them was Nash!

"Well, look at that! I should buy a lottery ticket. I'm not going to lie, Nash. This is not going to be your best day. Panam is on her way over and she is VERY unhappy with you."

The lookout I snuck pass must have seen me because the windows in the office suddenly shattered and bullets started flying in. I dodged out of the line of sight and took cover behind one of the desks. Nash must have seen that as a chance since he yelled and lunged for me. Before he could get to me, I raised my right leg and smashed my foot into his face, breaking his nose. That stopped him in his tracks, but I'm not risking him coming at me again. I aimed my rifle at his bleeding face and pulled the trigger, sending a burst into his skull. I swung my rifle to the side and gave his buddy the same treatment.

Hearing a lull in the gunfire, I popped out of cover and aimed my gun at the reloading guard. I let off a three-round burst, which all missed the target. Now aware of me, the guard dove and got to the nearest bit of cover. I kept my rifle aimed at his location and fired a burst every time he tried to peek out, keeping him pinned down. While I was suppressing the guard, I heard the roar of an engine get louder and louder. Soon I saw Panam pull up and get out of her Mackinaw. I pulled up my connection with Panam and told her where the last guy was.

"Took you long enough! I'm in the office on the high ground. There's going to be a guy hiding behind some gray boxes. You mind shooting him for me?"

"I see him. *BANG* He's dead. Anymore?"

"Yeah, there should be five further in the tunnel. Get some cover before they get here."

After I said that, two Sidewinders with the remaining five shivs came barreling toward us from deeper inside the mine. I reloaded to get a full mag, crouched next to a window, and braced my rifle against the wall. Instead of doing the intelligent thing of stopping further away and moving on foot, the Shivs decided to park right in my line of sight, front facing me. The second the doors opened, I started unloading into them. The two who got out on my side were immediately filled with lead and dropped dead. Panam did the same with the group closer to her, putting a hole in the poor SOB that stepped out of the wrong side of a car.

There were just three left; two were in the car closer to Panam, and one was in the Sidewinder closer to me. These guys had the luck of not stepping into the firing line and took cover behind their cars and shot back. I ducked just in time to see tracers zip past my head and hear the bullets thumping into the roof above me.

My Sandevistan and Optical Camo were back up and running, so I turned invisible and left the office. Being able to relocate in a firefight without being seen is such a broken ability. I went to where the dead sniper was and used the high ground to view the remaining Shivs. The two Shivs near Panam were pinning her down, and she hid behind a road barrier, blind firing into where she thought the enemies were.

I wedged my rifle on a railing and took a deep breath. After I had my sights lined up on one of the Shivs firing at Panam, I activated my Sandevistan and took the shot. Slowing down time gives me more time to aim while also making it so my remaining Optical Camo will last a bit longer.

My first burst landed right where I wanted it, and I watched the target scream in pain in slow motion. I then moved my sights to the next target shooting and did the same. I only found out the last guy had noticed my location when it was too late. My Sandevistan lasted just long enough to see him aim at me and a muzzle flash from his rifle.

Time then sped back up, and I got knocked on my ass as something hit me and threw me off balance. I crawled into cover behind a pallet of barrels and prayed they could stop bullets. I grabbed my shoulder because of the immense pain. It was like someone took a burning hot railroad spike and drove it right into my flesh.

"Fuck! I'm hit, Panam. The two pinning you down should be dead. Can you take care of the mother fucker that got me?"

"Shit! I'm on the move. Just hold tight."

The last Shiv was still shooting at me, and I could hear the bullets impact all around me and see the sparks flying from when the rounds would scrape metal. Good thing these barrels are tough, or I'd probably be swiss cheese right now. Looking at my left arm, I saw blood starting to soak into my shirt and cover my fingers.

I opened my system and took a Bounce Back I crafted out of my inventory. No one tells you this, but having your hand covered in blood makes it very slippery. If it wasn't for the finger grooves built into the injector, I wouldn't be able to hold onto it. I jabbed the thing into my arm and pushed the button to release the injection. It was just a little piercing pain at first, but then the skin around it heated up to the point I felt like it was boiling. I watched in awe as the bullet wound closed before my eyes.

Bounce Back
https://i.imgur.com/bUC59Vz

A few seconds later, but what felt like an eternity to me, I heard a slightly different crack of a bullet going supersonic. Then silence.

"He's dead, Basil! Where are you? Are you alright?"

It's finally over. Thank goodness it's finally fucking over.

Chapter Text

"He's dead, Basil! Where are you? Are you alright?"

Panam finally got the fucker who shot me, and I couldn't even begin to explain how relieved I am that everything is finally over. My body was aching, my shoulder felt like shit, and I was covered in my blood, but the relief that washed over me when Panam gave the all-clear was like nothing I had ever experienced. Like a metaphorical noose that was getting ever tighter was just taken off my neck.

"*Urghh* I'm fine. I used a Bounce Back, and the wound closed. Up here!"

I slung my rifle over my shoulder, got up, and started waving my good arm to get Panam's attention. The bullet wound on my left arm closed up, but I could feel it hadn't fully healed yet. Every time I try to move it, I feel a foreign object grinding against my muscles and bones. It's probably the bullet, since the wound healed right over it. I'll get Vic to dig in there once I get back into town.

Panam saw me waving and jogged up the stairs to where I was. Once she got there, she saw all the blood on my left arm and gave me a worried look.

"Fuck! You bled a lot. Are you sure you're Ok?"

"Yeah. The bullet is still in there, so I'll have a doc pull it out once I'm back in the city. Other than that, I'm in perfect working order. Come on. I'll take you to Nash."

We made the short walk to the office, and I pointed at Nash's corpse on the ground. His body was face down, so you could see the gruesome exit wounds on the back of his head from when I shot him multiple times in the face. A pool of dark blood with bits of skull and brain matter radiated out from his noggin, staining his clothes and pieces of paper in a dark crimson. I walked over to him and kicked his body to face upwards. I wouldn't exactly put him in an open-casket funeral, but you can still tell who it was.

"Sorry I couldn't keep him alive for you to do the honors, but the crazy gonk lept at me, and I wasn't going to wrestle in the middle of a gunfight."

"No, it's Ok. Better him than you. I guess I'll have to settle for this."

I was scared that Panam not getting to pull the trigger herself would have pissed her off since this entire ordeal was based on her vendetta against Nash. She surprised me by responding with unexpected maturity; maybe she learned something from this hell run. While I was thinking this, Panam stomped over and gave Nash's corpse a few good kicks right in the side of his abdomen.

...Maybe not.

After venting her anger on the corpse, Panam turned around and prepped me for the meeting with the customers.

"You already know this, but I'll say it anyways. The meeting with the 6th Street is at Sunset Motel in half an hour. I've done plenty of gigs for 'em but keep your piece on you. You'll be my backup in case anything goes wrong."

"Sounds good, but I got something else I need to show you first. You're going to love it."

I walked past Panam and out of the office. Going down the stairs, I beelined it to the right and started going further into the tunnel. In the game, once you raise your Street Cred level to 40, you can get a unique side quest called 'Murk Man Return Again Once More Forever". And in this sidequest, you discover an abandoned Rayfield Caliburn in the Shiv hideout, free for the taking.

This Hypercar was worth hundreds of thousands of Eddies, but I needed someone familiar with the smuggling and illegal vehicles underworld to move it. Someone like a certain exiled Aldercado. Turning around, I looked at Panam and started explaining the story behind this Caliburn.

"Remember when I told you I was keeping an eye on the Shivs?"

Panam raised her eyebrow inquisitively, not sure where this was going.

"Sure, but what's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, I was keeping an eye on them because they got their hands on something I wanted to move. But first, have you ever heard of the Murk Man?"

"The Murk who?"

"Exactly. Some poor kid lost his parents, and he got it into his head that to be the change he wanted to see in the world, he would become a vigilante. Murk Man, as it were."

Yup. A mentally unstable orphan becomes a vigilante instead of appropriately dealing with his issues. He also builds a secret bunker in a cave and has the costly high-tech gear. Suuuuuper original idea. In the game, it's just a fun little Easter egg, but in the real world, it's the tragic story of a poor man unable to deal with the sad loss of his parents.

"So this Murk Man decides to set up in this mine and use it as his vigilante base. He bought a bunch of crap and started to turn it into a proper lair."

I could see the gears turning in Panam's head, wondering why I was telling her this story. Then everything clicked into place, and I swear I could see her eyes light up from realization.

"But then the Shivs moved in..."

I nodded and continued my story.

"And then the Shivs moved in. The poor guy was forced to leave and abandon all his equipment here. The Shivs then got a hold of everything, but we cleared them out, so now it's ours."

As I finished my sentence, we came across two blue shipping containers. I pulled the bars, locked the containers up, and started to open the left side door with my hand. The hinges screeched as they broke free from the rust, and the hatch swung open to reveal one of the world's most coveted vehicles, an Rayfield Caliburn.

Spoiler
The look on Panam's face was priceless. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes sparkled cartoonishly like a little girl who had just gotten a pony for her birthday. Once she overcame the shock, she sprinted and started checking out the car.

"Holy crap, Basil! Do you know what this is? It's a Rayfield Caliburn! Quad turbo 8 liters V16 pushing out 1660 horsepower. 0-60 in 1.5 seconds and a top speed of 210 miles per hour. Oh, this is preem, this is reaaaaaaal preeeem. Brand new, this thing costs almost three-quarters of a mil!"

She continued to gawk at the car and probably would have made love to it if I'd left her alone with it for more than five minutes. Once she calmed down, she noticed how embarrassing she was behaving and straightened herself out. Remembering that this was technically my find, she cleared her throat.

"*Ahem* Sorry about that. I lost myself for a second there. Your intel led you to this, but I helped you, so I deserve a cut."

Panam knew she was being slightly unreasonable, but she also couldn't pass up on this chance. I stared her in her eyes as she started getting nervous about what I would say. She was fidgeting, and it was cute.

"Relax, Panam. We're chooms, right? You'll get a cut, I promise. How about this? You find a buyer for this, and I'll split the profits with you fifty-fifty."

Panam's eyes widened as she couldn't believe her luck. Fifty-fifty was way more than she probably ever thought she was going to get if anything at all. But then I saw a little twinge of guilt, and she sighed before continuing her thoughts.

"That's very generous, but I can't take that much. Twenty-five percent is fair. I already have a few contacts in mind who would be interested. Give me a few days, and I'll conta..."

I raised my hand to stop Panama.

"First, I appreciate you trying to take a smaller cut. Second, the amount of work you put in deserves a higher cut. Third, I want an in with the Aldercados. Fourth, you still owe me a favor for helping with Nash, so don't think of this as charity. Just be thankful and take the money."

"I'd love to, but about number three... This is a bit disgraceful, but the family has exiled me. Butt heads with leadership one too many times, so I can't help you there."

"Well, maybe giving them a job like moving a super rare car will get you back in their good graces? Hint, hint."

Panam thought about it and struggled for a few seconds before she finally sighed and accepted my offer.

"Fine. But we have to meet up with 6th Street first. We'll come back for this tomorrow and I'll talk to my clan. No promises however."

I nodded in agreement and closed the door. Before Panam and I could start making our way back up the tunnel, two loud thumps came from the other container. I took out my Overture and pointed it at the second container. Two more thumps came, this time a little louder. I looked at Panam and silently jerked my head toward the mysterious noise we had just heard. Panam silently nodded and also raised her pistol.

Panam walked over and used her hand without the gun to quietly remove the bar holding the doors shut. She gripped the handle and threw the gate open as fast as possible. The second the door opened, I leaned into the opening, revolver at the ready, and yelled for whoever was in there to down.

"Get down on the fucking ground! I'm not in the mood, so if I see anything but your face kissing the floor, I will drop you!"

I was expecting to see a hiding Shiv. Instead, I saw three young girls. One had her fist up, ready to start banging again, while the other two were huddled in the corner. They all stared wide-eyed at Panam and me, not moving a muscle like a deer in the headlights.

Chapter Text

"Please! Please don't shoot! We're not with the gangs! You have to believe us!"

Instead of more Shivs, what stood before me were three young ladies in horrible condition. Their clothes were torn, and they looked pale and malnourished. A few bruises indicate some physical violence, probably to keep them compliant. The girls were all young, from their late teens to early twenties.

The container was filled with empty water jugs and fast food wrappers. There was a single heavily stained mattress in the corner. There were blood-soaked rags and torn clothing strewn across the floor. I know the girls couldn't help it, but they also stank to high heaven. Nope, it wasn't the girls. There were two buckets in the corner, and I'm not going to think about this further.

I don't remember there being captives in this cave, so to say I was surprised would be an understatement. The two girls in the corner huddled closer while the one who was knocking looked apprehensive, unaware of our intentions. Since they didn't look like threats, I lowered my gun.

"Hey, don't be scared. We don't want to hurt you. Everything is ok now. The Scavs are gone, and you can go home. Why don't you come on so we can take you somewhere safer? Are any of you seriously hurt?"

The girls looked at me anxiously, but eventually, the one that was knocking came out first. Panam grabbed one of the girl's arms and pulled her into a quick hug, then checked her body to see if she was ok. After seeing we weren't there to hurt them, the other two helped each other up and walked out. I didn't want to spook them, so I just pat them both on the shoulder instead of hugging them.

Once I was sure everyone was Ok, I asked them if they had anyone they could contact to pick them up. They all gave me their families' numbers, and I tried calling them while we made our way toward Panam's truck. It took a few tries because the reception in the cave was horrible, but eventually, I managed to get them all on the line. It was a nice moment watching the girls talk to their families, but Panam and I still had a job to finish, so we started leading the girls out of the tunnel.

The girls' names were Rosa, Kassidy, and Julie. Rosa was the one banging on the door, and Kassidy and Julie were the ones huddled in the corner. All three of them are friends, and they are attending NCU together. Somehow they got marked as targets while celebrating Kassidy's birthday. Their drinks got spiked, they passed out, somebody dragged them out here, and now we found them.

Once we got to the car, we split up into two vehicles. A standard Thorton Mackinaw would be big enough for all of us, but Panam's Warhorse was heavily modified, and the rear seat was filled with equipment. I don't think these girls have the right mindset to drive, so I'll take Rosa and Kassidy in a Shiv car while Panam takes Julie. After I did a basic wipe down to ensure the girls weren't sitting in blood, Panam and I were speeding down the freeway towards the Sunset Motel.

Helping the girls took longer than expected, and the 6th Street group was already waiting in the parking lot by the time we arrived. Three guys were leaning against a van, heavily chromed and kitted with surplus gear. The 6th Street was founded by war vets who were pissed at the government's inability to keep the neighborhoods safe. They used their combat experience and implants to form a protector gang, but after time they turned into a criminal organization like any other.

6th Street
https://i.imgur.com/Bee4LEh

Ideally, the girls wouldn't be here for this. But the meeting was scheduled beforehand, and we can't push it back any further. I glanced at the girls in my car and noticed Kassidy was already asleep in the back. I then looked over to Rosa to ensure her everything was fine.

"Your parents are still on the way, but Panam and I have some business to deal with. Just stay in the car and don't make any large movements, ok?"

Rosa looked me in my eyes, likely trying to gauge whether or not I could be trusted. After a few seconds, she quietly nodded and turned her head to look out her window. Happy that everything seemed good to go, I crammed my overture behind my back and got out of my car.

Once Panam saw me get out, she exited her truck and walked to the back to get the package. While she was shuffling around the trunk, I walked up to the right side of the car and leaned on the passenger door. Leaning hid my left hand, which gripped my piece in case anything went wrong. The deal went smoothly in-game, but the girls we found proved that not everything stays the same. Better careful than dead.

Panam soon found what she was looking for and walked up to the clients with a small brown box.

"Hey, Boz."

"Paaanam. How's Nash? Doesn't seem to be answerin' his phone."

"Heh. You got balls, girl."

He then looked at me and asked what my deal was.

"What's this? A bonus of some sort?"

"Don't mind me. Just here to give Panam emotional support."

"Hah! He says emotional support!"

The leader gave a short laugh and slapped the chest of one of his men. Panam rolled her eyes at me and handed the box over.

"Shut up, Basil. There. First-class merch."

The 6th Street boys inspected the box and seemed happy with what they saw inside.

"So, everything's in order?"

"Check your account. Should be pretty plush in a couple of minutes."

"It's been a pleasure. But I believe Rogue's the one who is to pay me?"

"You're alright. Think you earned a tip. Let's roll!"

Panam and the leader shook hands while the other gang members loaded into their vehicle. Once their leader got in, the van pulled out of the parking lot and drove towards Night City.

"That went well! Just need to get these girls home, and our day is done."

"Happy it's over. I can't wait to hit the sack finally. Let me talk with the girls and see if they need anything."

The next half hour was spent waiting for the girls' family to show up. While waiting, I went upstairs and got them some pizza and fresh water. The Shivs weren't exactly feeding them well, and they scarfed down the food like starving wolves.

Kassidy's family was the first to show up. Her father was stone-faced, trying to hide his tears, while her mother had rivers coming out of her eyes and smudged mascara all over her face. Julie's family was next, and they were not any better. Tears, yelling, a lot of hugs, somebody's dog barking. It was an emotional affair.

Rosa's family was the last to show up, but they showed up in style. An Aerodyne AV with familiar black and red colors flew into the parking lot and landed feet away from us. Rosa's parents were big shots in Arasaka, and they decided to take the company AV since it was the fastest way to get here from the Arasaka Waterfront. They were apparently in a meeting and rushed out of the conference room to get here as soon as possible.

Arasaka AV
https://i.imgur.com/4UvgnWI

Rosa's parents were so grateful they transferred Panam and me 10k Eddies each on the spot. We watched as Rosa got into the AV with her family and waved at us. We waved back before the gullwing doors closed, and the AV flew away.

Once the AV was gone, Panam punched my shoulder and offered to buy me a drink.

"Talk about the cherry on top. I got my revenge, and we saved three girls from being trafficked. Come on, drinks on me."

I followed Panam onto the second floor and entered the bar where I got Panam's number.

"Hello, Noah."

"Hey. New biz or new friends back there?"

"Both."

Panam took a seat at the bar, and I sat beside her.

"Broseph for me and one for my friend as well."

"Sure, thing Panam. Whos you're new fri... Hey, aren't you the guy I gave Panam's number to? You must have just come off that job you talked about then."

The guy recognized me from when I asked him for Panam's contact information. He opened two bottles of Broseph Ale and put one of them in front of me.

"Yup. Kept it clean and fast. Panam and I make a good team."

I raised my bottle and made a simple toast.

"To our future!"

Panam raises her glass and bumps it against mine.

"Thanks for everything, partner."

I took a sip and put the bottle back on the bar. Like any other ale, Broseph tasted fruity and too sweet for my liking. I stay away from sweet alcohol since the ease of drinking it sometimes tricks you into taking in more than you should. However, Panam shared the opposite philosophy as she took a large gulp and finished the thing in one go.

"*Ahh* That hit the spot. Another one, Noah."

"Sure thing. Lemme know if you need anything else."

Noah opened another bottle for Panam and walked to the other end of the bar to start cleaning up the place. It was getting late, and the bar was beginning to empty out. Everything I experienced today was so out of the norm that I don't know how to process it. The most worrying was that I think I'm ok with everything I've done. I took another drink, this time a much larger swig.

"You wanna know something, Panam?"

"Hmmm?"

"Today was the first time I killed someone."

"Uuuuuuh, ok? Sorry. Kinda just dropped a bomb on me right there. Don't know how to respond"

"Look, I'm not looking for sympathy or anything. It's just that I thought I would feel... I don't know, more? After everything that happened, I just don't like how little guilt I feel."

I said my piece and took another drink from my bottle, almost finishing it. Panam watched me drink and placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked over at her and found her looking at me with intense sincerity in her eyes.

"You don't feel guilty because you were killing scum. And it's not just taking out the trash. You helped a lot of people today. Me, obviously, but the girls as well. What do you think was going to happen to them if we didn't free them before they were sold off? If they were lucky, they would be ransomed to their parents."

Panam took her hand off my shoulder and emptied her bottle of Broseph.

"But let's be honest. It's Night City. It's just as likely that they get sold to some Scavs and carved up like some animal. You don't feel guilty because you know you did the right thing."

Listening to Panam did make me feel better. I emptied my bottle as well and thanked her.

"Thanks, Panam. It means a lot. Come on, let's get some shut-eye. We'll figure out what to do with the Caliburn tomorrow. Noah! Two rooms for the night, please."

Noah gave us access to our rooms, and we walked out of the bar. Panam was on the second floor while I was on the first. We said our goodnights and went out our separate ways. My room had a single bed with old faded bedding and a bathroom with curtain doors.

I gave the bed a test push and frowned slightly at how hard it was. It also smelled sour somehow. Oh well, I'm too damned tired to complain. Falling back, I laid my head on a pillow and tried my best to get comfortable. Drowsiness quickly drowned out the rest of my thoughts, an darkness took over my consciousness.

Chapter Text

I woke up the next morning feeling absolutely horrible. I hadn't showered in 24 hours, and sleeping in the clothes I fought and bled in wasn't the best idea. Simply put, I smelled like shit. Snoozing in my plate carrier was also not the best idea in the world. The weight of the armor pressed against my body, and there was this new soreness throughout my body. At least my shoulder felt a little better. It still hurt, but not as much. So something to celebrate.

I rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed, massaging my shoulder to relieve some pain. Once I was sufficiently woken up, I stored my clothes and gear in my system and walked into the shower. It's been a full 24 hours since I last cleaned myself, and sleeping in my sweaty and bloody clothes did not help my personal hygiene. Simply put, I smell like shit.

I stepped past the hippie bead curtain door and entered the walk-in shower. The initial blast of cold water jolted away any remnants of drowsiness in my body. The water warmed up, and I let the comfort wash over me while I looked into my system. Killing the Shivs and finishing Panam's job gave me three more levels and three points each for attributes and perks.

The fight with the Shivs taught me that the best way to win is to hit them hard and fast, ideally without them seeing you. The Dynalar Mk.1 I had was easily the best investment I made, so upgrading it will be my top priority. With a better Sandeevistan in mind, I used all three attribute points to raise my Reflexes to nine.

Technically I didn't have to raise my reflexes since in this world all you had to do was just buy the cyberware and pay a ripper doc. Unlike the game, where there were certain attribute restrictions for some of the cyberware. For example, the better the Beserk, the higher your body attribute had to be.

I know the attribute requirements were for balancing reasons in my world, but its presence in the system only makes sense if it was there to prevent cyberpsychosis. A scrawny kid with mil-spec gorilla arms will probably have more difficulty dealing with the changes than a professional bodybuilder would. Since I don't want to tempt fate and go cyberpsycho, I'll raise my attributes according to what cyberware I want to get.

I decided not to use the perk points since I needed to figure out how to spend them. I won't invest in crafting for a while since I already have the basics. The only perks worth getting in the crafting tree require too high an investment in the Technical attribute to get. And I don't want to invest in combat-related perks before knowing which direction to specialize.

In my game playthrough, I spec'd myself into a Stealth/Sandevistan revolver/katana build. Sandevistan effectively increased stealth duration, so I would abuse that combo to try to finish any mission quietly first. If I get spotted, or it's not a stealth mission, I would slow time and hack away at superhuman speed. A revolver would serve as my backup when I wanted to gain some distance between my opponent and me.

My current cyberware is already going in the same direction. Still, I want to wait to spend any of the perk points until I can confirm some of their effects in a safer environment. Perks such as Shifting Stand recover stamina if I dodge, but what does that exactly mean? Will I just get less tired every time someone misses me? I also need to learn how to properly use a katana before spending points on blade-specific skills. Using edged weapons is a serious thing. I wouldn't want to hurt myself by accident.

Once I was done messing with my system, I started scrubbing myself clean. One of the few nice things I gained from coming to this world was this new body of mine. Dakota was a solid couple of inches taller and took care of his body by playing tennis and swimming regularly. Sure he packed on a few pounds throughout the months of his depression, but you could still see his abs. In fact, one of the hardest things I had to overcome was dealing with being in a new body. Having longer limbs meant accidentally hitting a lot of things.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Hey, Basil! It's Panam. You up?"

"Yup! Just give me a sec. I'll be right there!"

I turned off the shower, walked out, and grabbed a towel to quickly dry myself.

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Your second is up!"

This girl's got no chill in the morning. I haphazardly dried my hair and wrapped the towel around my waist. Walking out of the bathroom and opened the door. Panam was on the other side, leaning against the door frame, looking down at her phone.

"I'm here. What's the rush?"

Panam's eyes moved away from the phone and up to my body. Her eyes widened, and she stared at my abdomen longer than necessary.

"Hey, perv. My eyes are up here."

"Huh? Oh! No, I wasn't looking. Wait a sec, who are you calling a pervert!?"

Watching Panam fumble was cute, so I decided to tease her a bit more.

"What? Like what you see? Wanna take me for a test drive?"

"I wish"

She whispered that last part, but I heard her. Is Panam interested? Because I definitely am. Flirting put a healthy blush on Panam's cheeks, but she didn't like losing this much control over the conversation, so she brought up what she originally came here for.

"If you want the Aldercados to help you sell that Caliburn, I suggest we leave now so we can get the thing to camp as soon as possible."

+NEW JOB

MEETING THE FAMILY

Get the Aldercados to help you sell the Caliburn
I want to tease her more, but I also want to get the Caliburn sold. Back to business mode, I guess.

"Let me get dressed and geared up. I'll meet you at your truck afterward. Get in contact with whoever you need to now so we don't show up as a surprise."

I returned to my room and took a set of backup clothes out of my inventory. Once I got decent, I took out all my gear and ensured everything was in order. There were now two new holes in the front of my plate carrier from when the Shivs at the ghost town shot me. I switched the places of the rear and front plates so the armor in front would be fresh. I'm not expecting any more trouble today, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Donning my armor back on, I exited my room and found Panam checking some gear near her Mackinaw Warhorse. I walked briskly over to her to get the low down on the plans for today.

"So, have you made any calls to your family yet? Whatd'ya think the chances are that they will take the job?"

"Under any other circumstances, they'd jump at the chance to sell something like this. Low effort, high rewards. The kind of job we all dream of. The problem is I'm bringing it to them. I called my closest chooms to set up a meeting with Saul, our leader. Saul doesn't know the meeting is with me, but I'm hoping he'll overlook everything once he sees what I'm offering."

"Hmmm. They're your family, Panam. They want you back. Just approach this with diplomacy in mind."

"Easy for you to say. Come on, let's go to the mine."

Panam hopped into her truck, and I loaded into the passenger seat. We pulled out of the parking lot and traveled the dusty road toward the mine entrance. While on the way over, I thought about everything that happened and my plans for the future.

Getting to vent a little on Panam was really healthy for me, and I feel a lot better today because of it. It also helped me put things into perspective. I knew about a lot of awful things about this world, and small actions of mine have a disproportionate ability to change this place for the better. A lot of the time, I don't even need to put myself in danger. Just give the right information to the right people at the right time.

My whole entire plan before this was to lay low and make money every now and then by intruding on the main story. This plan was profitable, predictable, and most importantly, safe. But it's also massively selfish. What kind of asshole am I to not make an active effort to help the people of Night City. You know what? It's high time I stepped up.

Remembering about a specific story, I pulled out my phone and searched the NCPD website for a certain string of kidnappings. It didn't take long to find the case and tips hotline number I was looking for. I dialed the number, and a robotic voice answered me.

"Hello. You have reached the tips hotline for... KIDNAPPINGS... please hold while we connect you to the next available operator."

What followed was classic hold music. This was not a good look for the NCPD. Several people have been kidnapped, and there is hold music for the hotline? No wonder crime rates are so high. But I can wait since this took almost no effort and would save multiple lives. While waiting for someone to pick up, I thought about Anthony Harris and the things he did.

Anthony Harris, AKA 'Peter Pan', was a serial kidnapper and murderer. He targeted troubled kids and tricked them into coming to his family farm. He then strapped them to tables and forcefully injected steroids and other chemicals into them. Keeping them alive by attaching feeding tubes and force-feeding the victims. The man grew up in a horrible environment, but it didn't justify his heinous actions. Honestly, I'm a bit pissed I only remembered this now.

"NCPD. You have connected to the tips hotline for kidnappings. Please provide your statement, and we will investigate as soon as possible."

If there's one thing I know about the NCPD, it's that most of them are dirty or incompetent. The good news is I know a detective who always tries to do the right thing.

"Hello, please connect me with detective River Ward. He interviewed me about a kidnapping case a few weeks back, and I have some new information to give him."

"Please wait while I connect you to detective Ward."

More waiting music followed, but this time it only took a few dozen seconds for someone to pick up instead of minutes.

"Hello, this is River Ward. I'm told you have a tip for a kidnapping?"

"More than just one kidnapping Detective Ward. I'm about to give you the key to Neverland."

I then explained everything to the eager detective. Peter Pan's identity, the farm's location, the security, and how he chooses his victims. I also told him how to get to the secret webpage on the anti-drug website.

"That's... a lot to take in. You have to understand this is a very serious accusation."

"It is a lot to take in, and I know it is hard to trust me on this, but let me tell you what will be even more challenging for you. Your nephew has been in contact with the kidnapper, and if you don't act fast, he will be the next victim. I gave you this information because I know you aren't like the rest of the NCPD. I know you'll do something with this information. Later."

Once I said everything I knew, I hung up on River and put my eyes back on the road.

"Everything you just said. About the kidnappings. Is it all true?"

Panam heard the entire conversation. Which is fine. I didn't exactly try to hide anything.

"Yup."

"That call sounded awfully familiar like your first call to me. A stranger out of nowhere rings my number and tells me information that no one should know. How did you come to learn about any of this?"

I put my phone away and looked her dead in the eyes.

"If I told you I was an interdimensional being with the ability to see certain future events, would you believe me?"

Panam rolled her eyes, figuring I was just messing with her again.

"Fine, keep your secrets."

If only you knew.

Chapter Text

We got to the mine entrance roughly 15 minutes after the call with the NCPD. We slowly made our way through the tunnel, checking if any Shivs came here after our firefight went down. The path was clear, and we soon made it to the containers, where we found the Caliburn and the girls. Panam and I got out of the truck and confirmed the car was still there.

"The meeting with Saul is starting soon. You get in the Caliburn and follow me to the meeting place. Once we're there, let me do the talking. You got it?"

"Yup, sounds good."

I walked into the container and found the shard to the car, and watched the scissor door open for me. This is so freaking cool. I know this car won't be mine, but I always wanted a vehicle with Lambo doors, and my inner child is having a meltdown at how awesome this is. I slid into the leather bucket seats and gripped the steering wheel that wouldn't look out of place in a spaceship.

While I was gawking at the interior, Panam walked over and leaned into the opening.

"Basil, I need you to look at me."

Tearing my eyes off the interactive dash, I looked up at Panam.

"This is important to me, ok? I want my family back, but only if it's on my terms. So when I said let me do the talking? I mean it. The Aldecaldos don't like outsiders, so make sure you don't ruin the deal by joking around. Ok?"

"You got it, Panam. I promise I'll let you handle the situation, no matter how badly you are screwing it up."

Deciding that talking with me any further wouldn't be worth the effort, Panam closed the door on me so I couldn't smart mouth her. Once the door closed, I pushed the start lever down on the center console, and the car started right up. A classy tone played, and all the internal lights and panels powered on. The CrystalDome windows became transparent, and I watched as Panam stepped into her truck.

Once Panam started driving out, I gently hit the gas pedal and followed behind her truck. There were certain expectations for sports cars, and the Caliburn met absolutely none of them. The engine was quiet, the ride was very smooth, and the seats were incredibly comfortable. Then I remembered that Rayfield was a luxury company first and foremost, and it made more sense.

It was a strange feeling driving such a nice car down such a dusty road. The Caliburn had excellent ride quality, which provided a disconnected feeling from the rest of the world. Now that I was outside the city, I could enjoy the blue sky perfectly framed by the mountains and hills in the distance.

It was nice to see nature again, even though nature in this world means the desert with limited vegetation. My entire stay in this world has been occupied with city living, literal dumpster diving, or murdering people. This feeling I have right now must be what the Aldecaldos experience daily. Living the Nomad lifestyle was the essence of freedom.

But it also meant no amenities the modern person would have become acquainted with. No consistent signals meant no entertainment at your fingertips. It also meant that anything you couldn't make would take an hour-long drive. Outside of city limits means no city infrastructure. Most people can't live without a hot shower or 24/7 air conditioning. It's the classical trade-off, freedom or convenience?

While I was thinking about the idiosyncrasies of the different lifestyles in this world, Panam pulled into a dirt road that led towards some wind power generators. I was worried that going offroad would harm the paint, so I carefully drove and avoided any rocks I could see. We went through a few turns and slowly climbed uphill toward what I now recognize as the first Aldercaldo camp.

Saul was already waiting at the entrance to the camp, with Mitch and Scorpion by his side. He must have recognized Panam's truck the second he saw us since he yelled something and then turned towards mitch and stared him down. Props to Mitch; the dude didn't seem to care at all. He just raised his hands in mock surrender and pointed over to us.

Saul
https://i.imgur.com/cyTfQFP

I parked the Caliburn right next to where Panam stopped and got out of the car just in time to see Panam exit her truck and Saul stomp over.

"If it isn't Panam Palmer. Why are you here? Here to poison the well some more? Or are you here to finally see some sense and help the family instead of arguing all the time?"

Whoa. Strong start.

"Oh, go fuck yourself, Saul. Me poisoning the well? You're the one who's about to sell our clan's soul to BioTechnica!"

And an equally strong clap-back! If only I had popcorn.

"For crying out loud! Selling our souls? You're too old to be this dramatic. We need the money, and this is the best way for the family to get it. The decision was made with our best interest in mind. You're just too immature to see that."

"This is the best way, is it? Why have we fallen on such hard times, huh? Maybe if our leader hasn't turned into a coward, we could start taking on some serious jobs that make serious money."

"Not everyone is willing to risk their life for Eddies like you, Panam. And it is not your right to decide how everyone lives their life."

"But it's your right to decide everyone should live under the boots of corpos!? Taking some risks is a part of being a Nomad."

Panam then pointed at the Caliburn.

"This is what a little risk can get us. Brand new Caliburn abandoned by its owner. You move this, and we can fund the family for months! No corpo ass-kissing required."

Saul looked at the Caliburn and noticed me standing next to it. I didn't think it was possible, but he furrowed his brows further than his grimace was already doing and jabbed a finger at me.

"And who the hell is that?"

"He's a friend. And he's none of your business. Where's that 'for the good of the family' crap now? Here's a job with almost no risk and a preem payout. But if you want the family to get a cut, I handle the job, and you have to butt out."

Saul focused back on Panam and started pacing back and forth in front of her like an angry lion. I could see the mental arithmetic he was doing. The Aldercaldos did need the money, but was it worth having Panam back and undermining his decisions? Eventually, he came to a conclusion and threw his hands up into the air.

"Fine! but you better stay in line, or I'll beat you into it."

After that last pseudo-threat, Saul turned around and walked back into camp.

"You and I both know that's not happening."

Panam yelled at her back, getting Saul to raise his right arm and give Panam the bird. Seeing the bombs had gone off and the dust had settled, I strolled over to Panam to gauge how she was now feeling.

"So now that you two are done going at each other's throats, how did that go? I can't tell if this has gone well or not."

"Trust me, that was nothing. You should have seen my argument with Saul before I got thrown out. I swear the people in the Crystal Palace could have heard us. And it went well. His accepting letting me handle this job and giving the money to the clan is his way of saying I'm back in."

That was going well? This family is hugely dysfunctional.

"So you planning on keeping quiet this time to make your stay last longer?"

Panam looked at me and gave me those eyes that said, 'Come on'.

"Wouldn't count on it."

While Panam and I were talking, Mitch and Scorpion walked over. Mitch spoke up first.

Mitch
https://i.imgur.com/FQIhUuX

Scorpion
https://i.imgur.com/oEjFL2i

"Well, that went better than we expected. Welcome back, Panam!"

Huh. She wasn't lying about this being a good meeting. Mitch pulled Panam into a hug, and after they were done, Scorpion did the same.

"Thanks, guys. It means a lot. Anyway, this here is my new choom, Basil. He helped me with some personal problems. And he's also the reason why this Caliburn is here."

I shook hands with Mitch and Scorpion, feeling the rough and calloused hands only found on people living arduous lives for decades. Mitch and Scorpion served together in the Unification war as Panzerboys, operating large hover tanks controlled directly through a neural interface. That would sound super cool if they weren't also given chemical cocktails that destroyed their sense of self-preservation and now have PTSD.

"New Choom, eh? So is he a friend, or is he a 'friend'."

Scorpion asked about our relationship while waggling his eyebrows at that last 'friend'. Panam rolled her eyes, but I could see a grin tugging at her lips.

"He's just a friend, ok?"

"*Gasp* Just a friend? After all we've been through? I'll get that heart of yours one day. Mark my words!"

Panam gave me a dirty look and went back to Mitch and Scorpion.

"Don't mind him. He just likes to stir the pot. The Caliburn will stay here until we can get a buyer. I got a few contacts that would be interested, but let's put out some feelers to see what's the best price we can fetch for this thing."

The Nomad trio then hashed out the details while I waited by the side. This went on for a few minutes, then a dozen minutes, then two dozen minutes...

"Sorry for interrupting, but since I'm leaving Caliburn here, Panam is my only way back. Do you mind driving me to my place?"

"Trying to leave so soon?" Scorpion asked, "You should come into the camp and meet everyone."

"That would be nice, but I'll have to turn down that offer. I need someone to take a look at my shoulder. I picked up some shrapnel on the way over and need a doc to take it out."

"Oh! Then you should definitely come with us. Getting medical attention out here is hard, so we have some of the best medics. Gus'll get you sorted out in no time."

I looked at Panam to confirm she was ok with this, and she nodded and started walking toward the camp.

"Come on, Basil. I'll introduce you to everyone."

Fuck it. I got nothing to lose. Let's meet the Aldercaldos.

Chapter Text

The Aldecaldo camp was a collection of tents, mobile homes, trailer houses, and vehicles. Mitch and Scorpion walked me around and introduced me to the few people around the place. The various vendors, children, and a few Nomads fixing things. Everyone was much nicer than when V first appeared in the Nomad camp. Probably because I didn't get a bunch of them killed yet.

Panam explained that the base was a bit empty right now because most people were either working odd jobs or patrolling the area. Once the sun starts to set, the place becomes much livelier. Currently, it was just Saul and a skeleton crew to keep an eye on the camp.

Most of the Nomads lived in tent homes, with businesses being converted cargo trucks or containers. They pulled the power they needed by high jacking one of the windmills and connecting it to the appliances all around the place. They had a bar, a restaurant, a general goods store, and even a Ripperdoc.

Nomad Camp
https://i.imgur.com/W67Vwk5

Speaking of the ripperdoc, in the center of the camp was an 18-wheeler truck bed that the Nomads converted into a mobile building. Half of it served as the command center for all Aldecaldo activities, and the other half served as a makeshift clinic/operation room. Once Mitch and Scorpion gave me a simple tour, they waved goodbye and went back to whatever jobs they were doing prior.

Panam led me up the stairs of the ripperdoc section and introduced me to the Aldecaldo's medical team.

"Basil, Gus. Gus, Basil. Gus is our ripperdoc who also works as a physician, pediatrician, and pharmacist. He can get your shoulder in working order in no time. Ain't that right, Gus?"

And by 'medical team', I mean this one overworked guy who did it all.

"Hrmph. Nice to see you back with us, Panam. Now you. Basil, was it? What's wrong with your shoulder?"

"I took a round and didn't want to bleed out, so I healed the wound without pulling the bullet out. Now every time I try to move my arm, I feel something pushing against my muscles. I also can't ball my hand into a fist without hurting the entire arm."

"Simple enough. Probably just shrapnel pushing on your bones and nerves. I can give you some painkillers and cut you open to take out any lead in you. The whole operation shouldn't take more than an hour and a half."

"Sounds good, doc. Strap me in, and let's get started."

I climbed into Gus' surgical chair and tried to relax. He's probably a great doctor, but having a delicate medical procedure in the middle of the badlands isn't precisely the ideal situation. The Bounce Back didn't heal the wound perfectly, so you could still see a scar where I was shot. Gus disinfected the area with rubbing alcohol and pulled out a needle.

"I'll inject you with this local anesthetics, so you don't feel me poking around your shoulder too much."

I then felt a slight prick which went just as quickly as it came.

"I'm just going to give it a moment for the effects to kick in, and then we'll start cutting you open."

After waiting a bit, Gus made a small incision near my upper arm and asked if I felt anything. Since I didn't, Gus made a more significant cut and started to take pieces of copper and lead out of my shoulder. While the good doctor was doing that, Panam was nice enough to keep me company so I didn't have to look at my blood and bones.

Panam and I just shot the shit. We talked about her life and how she will adapt to going back to living with the Nomads. We then talked about how much we could expect to get for the Caliburn. That conversation led to talking about cars, which led to talking about her truck, which eventually led to talking about the modifications I wanted for my van.

Something I've wanted to do was to get the Aldecaldos to modify my van into a heavy-duty war machine. If I was going to start messing around with the plot, I needed a car to handle the job. We reviewed the modifications I wanted, and Panam said it wouldn't be a problem. The Nomads could customize a vehicle to do anything as long as the Eddies were right.

Gus finished up in less than an hour, stitched up my wound, and wrapped it in gauze. To help my body heal, he gave me a watered-down version of a MaxDoc. Instead of healing the injuries immediately, it just helps the body speed up the process. MaxDocs and Bounce Backs are great if you are in a firefight, but they don't do the best job of letting the body heal correctly.

"No heavy liftin' that'll strain the wound and take a hit of that inhaler twice a day. Don't worry about the stitches. The biodegradable string will break apart when your body has healed."

"Thanks, doc. What do I owe ya?"

"Nothin'. The cut from the Caliburn sale will help dig the clan out of the hole we're in right now. That's payment enough."

I thanked Gus and shook hands with the man. Panam helped me out of the seat and told me to follow her.

"Come on, let's grab some food and a drink."

We walked towards a large cargo truck turned restaurant and sat at the bar. Panam ordered a Broseph and a hot dog, while I ordered a can of NiCola and a burger. The burger the Aldecaldos made was a hell of a lot better than that piece of crap I got on my first day in this world. Apparently, the Aldecaldos use a soy patty but infuse it with some plasma to imitate that blood flavor from real meat.

As the afternoon started to shift to night, more Aldecaldos began returning from their jobs. The temperature dropped as the sun started to set, and a bonfire was created in the center of the camp. A small group started collecting around the warmth, and a few portable grills were brought out to feed the group.

Someone then picked up a guitar and started playing a folky tune. No one sang; it was just some calming music to soothe everyone. People settled into their cliques, and the country sound was only interrupted by gentle laughter and banter. Panam was leaning back onto the countertop, looking at the bonfire, and sipping at the last few drops of her Broseph. I could see a small smile begin to form.

"This is nice. I can see why you'd want back in so much. Even if you and Saul are at each other's throats."

"Yeah. City life has its benefits, but this is where my heart is. You can't beat good company and the open road."

"Hmmm. It is the dream."

I crushed my empty NiCola can and tossed it into the trash can. It was getting late, and I needed to get back into the city. Since I intend to use my knowledge more, I need to be somewhere where I can think and put my plans on paper. I'm going to tussle with Arasaka after all. I'll need a plan.

"You good to drive me back, Panam? It's getting late, and I need to wake up early tomorrow."

"One Broseph isn't enough to put me out of commission. Come on, let's get you back home."

We paid our tabs and made our way over to Panam's truck. Once inside, Panam turned onto the dirt path, which then merged into the freeway. We drove in silence towards the neon lights of Night City, leaving behind the Nomad camp. I enjoyed looking out of my window and up at the night sky. This might be the first time I've seen the stars while in this world, and I'm dazzled by their simple beauty.

Panam interrupted my peaceful admiring of the celestial bodies.

"I think you'd like living out here."

"Do you now? I don't want to be the wet blanket, but do you know me well enough to make such a statement?"

"I don't. But I know that look in your eyes. You've found serenity, and you like it. If I've learned anything while living in the city, it's that you can't find peace living in it."

"Hmmm. Maybe your right."

Maybe I'll carve out a piece of the Badlands and settle down once the dust settles and I'm happy with my impact on Night City. Or perhaps everything goes so horribly that my only option to stay alive is to go into hiding with the Nomads. Would I be happy living such a lonely life out in the middle of nowhere? Would I be willing to do it with the right person? With Panam?

While I was thinking this, we pulled onto the street next to my and Vic's shop. I need to stop being a wuss, I'm taking my shot.

"Hey, Panam. The last few days have been pretty crazy, but spending them with you has been fun. I know I joke around a lot , but I like you, and I'd like to take you on a night out when you're free."

Panam looked at me with wide eyes and mouth agape like horns were growing from my head. She didn't say anything, and I kept silent, waiting for her response. My hands started to get clammy with anticipation. In the game, she held off on having a relationship with V because she didn't want to ruin an already good friendship. Is she going to do the same with me? Did I come on too early or strong?

While I was having a tiny freakout, Panam unfroze from her shock and cleared her throat to try to break the silence.

"*Ahem* That was kinda out of nowhere. Yeah, that sounds nova. Wednesday work for you?"

She said yes? Hell yeah! She said yes!

"Uh, yeah. That works for me. I'll get something set up and pick you up on Wednesday."

I opened my door and stepped out onto the busy streets, turning around to wave at Panam and say goodnight to Panam. She waved back, and I closed the door. Panam's truck drove down the road and soon out of sight. Happy that I got a date, I pumped my arms like a teenager and walked back to my store with an extra bit of swagger.

Chapter Text

It was the following day, and I was sitting at my desk drinking a cup of coffee. Usually, I don't particularly appreciate drinking coffee, but I barely got any rest last night. I was so giddy after Panam agreed to go on a date with me that I barely caught a wink of sleep. And now I'm paying the price for acting like a high school girl.

I told myself yesterday that I would start getting more involved in improving this place, but I needed to figure out precisely what that meant. I want to help V, but helping her doesn't inherently improve anything in Night City. To improve this city, I need to do something bigger than just help V and Johnny.

I wracked my brain for ideas for a few minutes and got nothing, at least nothing feasible. Maybe taking a walk outside will help jog the old noggin. I needed to start looking for an apartment anyway. The store is nice, but I have to take showers by going to a local gym filled with Animals, and they aren't the best company. I still have plenty of Eddies left over from the ammo sales, and the Caliburn will net me a pretty penny. It's time to treat myself.

I stepped out of my store and pulled out my phone to search for apartments in the area. There were shockingly few apartments with reasonable rent, and weren't in an area known for mysterious disappearances. Eventually, I had to settle for the five with relatively low rent and only located in places with a lot of ordinary crime.

The first place I decided to check out was Megabuilding H10, the same Megabuilding V first moved in after the game started. It's also the building where Wilson has his shop, making ammo deliveries incredibly easy. The drive from my store is short, and parking was easy to find in the garage. The nice thing about Megabuilding H10 is that there's no significant gang presence, which means I can have some safety in my home.

I entered the elevator and used the touchpad to take me to floor 22, where the empty apartment was. The old rusty screen doors screeched shut, and the poorly maintained lift started going up with a jolt. During the ride, a cracked screen above the gate changed channels to the newest fluff piece from one of the media megacorps.

"It's that time of the year again, we present our list of the biggest and best corps to work for in Night City! Who offers paid vacation? Who pays for employees' Trauma Team insurance policies? Who provides discounts for daycare and child bodyguard services? Have a look at our rankings below!"

The newscaster then went on with their list of the best workplaces and the benefits each megacorp offered. It didn't take long for me to figure out that this world has some seriously messed up standards if these were the best work environments. 80-hour work weeks, six paid vacation days, and 20 to 50-year loyalty pledges were just some of the things touted as being 'benefits' in this world. It's not like my world was perfect, but this place is just a travesty.

The elevator soon came to a stop, and I exited onto the 22nd floor. The first thing that greeted me was the colorful graffiti sprayed everywhere on the walls. Looking down the hallways, I could see trash bags and garbage carelessly thrown outside the doors. This isn't the cleanest place in the world, but also considerably better than most places I've seen.

I turned left and after a few more turns, found myself walking towards a man in a dirty wife beater sitting on a chair and smoking a cigarette. The man was sitting in front of an apartment with the number I was looking for, so this guy must be the manager. Seeing how bored he was, the open house must have done a poor job drawing tenants.

When I approached the manager to see the apartment, he just grunted and opened the door. Taking this as his way of telling me to do what I wanted, I entered the flat and started looking around. The first thing I noticed was that the place was not clean, almost as if management never cleaned the area after the last tenant left. Checking the bathroom showed that the shower didn't work and the faucet only had cold water. There was also mold growing on the wall.

I decided I'd seen enough and left that place, not even bothering to talk to the manager at the door. If this is what they are showing me when they are trying to find a tenant, who the hell knows what kind of issues I'm going to run into further down the line? Off to the next place it is.

This process is repeated for the remaining options. One had giant rats chewing through the walls, another one had a bed bug infestation, one had neighbors making SynthCoke, the final one was a recent murder scene, and the carpets were still soaked in blood. I'm starting to think that the problem was me and that my old world's sensibilities were getting in the way of me finding a new place to live.

If I had known how successful my business would be, I might not have canceled my lease so early. The rent was high, but the place itself was pretty nice. Then again, it wasn't the safest place in the world since the Tyger Claws were all around it. Giving up on the house hunting, I got into my van and started driving back.

Maybe I'm approaching this all wrong. Instead of finding a new place, what if I just turned the store into a nicer place to live? All I had to do was replace the couch with a futon and install a shower. If I remember correctly, the store lease never said I couldn't live there. And even if it did, I'd say that the only employee had 20-hour workdays since that was normal in this messed up world.

I didn't come up with any ideas on improving night city yet, so the day was starting to seem like a waste. Maybe I'll start with some low-level government-sanctioned gigs. Crime was such a problem in Night City that the NCPD subcontracted solos to handle violent crimes they couldn't get to. Maybe I can open the scanner and take on some contracts for more minor crimes.

While I was considering a life in vigilantism, my phone rang from a call from Rosa's dad. Wonder why he would call me.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Basil. This is Grant Moreno, Rosa's father. I was wondering if we could talk."

"Sure. What's it about?"

"I want to offer you a job, but I don't think we should discuss this over the phone. Sending you the address to somewhere we can meet. Can you be there in an hour?"

The location he sent me was a small food stall on the docks right next to the Arasaka waterfront. I don't know what he wants me to do, but it wouldn't hurt to hear him out.

"Sure, Mr. Moreno. I'll see you there in an hour."

I knew that Rosa's parents were both executives from Arasaka with the bit of interaction I had with them. Her father was in the banking department, while her mother worked in the cyberware manufacturing division. Any job they have should be pretty high-class. However, I'm a bit trepidatious since they are still corpos at the end of the day.

I pulled up the directions and headed to the restaurant instead of back to my store. I managed to arrive five minutes early and took a seat at the Japanese stall where I was supposed to meet Grant. I had the chef make me an order of Takoyaki and munched on the deep-fried squid while waiting for my contact to come. Just as I finished eating the last piece, a man in a trench coat, sunglasses, and trilby took the seat next to me.

"Mr. Basil. I hope your evening has been going well."

"It's been so-so. What's with the look? Are you trying your best to cosplay a noir detective?"

"I didn't want anyone to recognize me, hence the ensemble."

"Look around you, Mr. Moreno. Notice anyone else dress like they are in a black and white movie? You want to blend in, so no one notices you? Dress like a local and maybe put on a fake beard or something. Anyway, I doubt you're here for espionage tips. What's the job?"

"I will take your suggestion to heart. But you are right; I am not here to play dress up. I think a rival of mine ordered my daughter's kidnapping. I need you to enact retribution on the ones responsible. Kill the scum that took the abduction contract and find the proof of who was truly behind it. You will be paid handsomely."

I mulled over whether or not I wanted to take this job. On the one hand, I'm killing kidnappers and helping an angry father get revenge on someone who hurt his family. On the other hand, I'm working with Arasaka. My entire day today was just a lesson on how shit things are because of the megacorps and ineffective government.

Working conditions are crap, crime is rampant, housing is scarce, and the environment is on its last legs. Do I want to engage with an Arasaka executive? Or maybe I shouldn't let the actions of a company that rots from the inside due to the leadership of a decrepit old man taint my view of an employee. If only Hanako or Michiko were in control of the company instead. They could do so much good with Arasakas resources.

They could do so much good...

Gears started turning in my head, and pieces of the puzzle I didn't even know I was working on started coming together. The seed of an idea quickly sprouted, and I added more details and included more people. My knowledge filled the gaps and soon became a robust plan.

"I'll do it. Send me the information you have on your rival and the bar your daughter was abducted in. I'll take it from there.

I stood up and nodded to Grant, bidding him good night. Getting into my van, I started it up and drove towards my store. I was shaking from anticipation, not from this job but from what I had planned for this world. The risks associated make the last few days with Panam look like a walk in the park, but I strangely found myself looking forward to it.

Chapter Text

+NEW JOB

A FATHER'S LOVE

Eliminate the kidnappers
Find intel confirming the ones responsible
Getting another job was exciting, but I was more enthusiastic about what I had cooking for Night City.

The Arasaka family is a fractured mess, with members that have overlapping ambitions constantly battling each other. Saburo's exposure to both World Wars forged him into the ruthlessly efficient man he was, but it also corrupted him. His hatred and biases are so profound that he can't look beyond the lens of his past when deciding on any future acts. His sole goal of world domination has allowed him to justify any action, no matter how twisted.

Yorinobu is the exact opposite. He lived a sheltered existence, only to find that the comfort he enjoyed was at the sacrifice of an unknown amount of people. Unwilling to accept the true goal of world domination and disgusted with the pain his family has wrought, Yorinobu left the amenities of the Arasaka compound and began a public resistance against his father.

Years of lashing out at the megacorp eventually taught Yorinobu that Arasaka was too powerful to destroy with outside forces. So Yorinobu sought forgiveness and received it with the help of his younger sister. Now that his father had died and Yorinobu became the defacto leader, he was in the perfect position to demolish Arasaka from within.

Saburo was too distracted with world domination to be left alive. Similarly, Yorinobu was too preoccupied with destroying Arasaka to notice that the company could benefit humanity under the right leadership. And that's where Hanako comes in.

Hanako was the symbolic middle ground of the family. She was raised to be the 'heart' of the family, to 'uphold life, ensure continuity, stability, never to oppose' as she puts it. She understood and despised the true nature of the Arasaka corporation but withheld her criticism because of her given function in life. My plan is to release Hanako from the cage that her family built and let the 'heart' take control of Arasaka.

But to get to that point, I must first meet with one of the board members. Helping Rosa's family should get me most of the way there, but to guarantee the fish will take the bait, I'll offer the return of one of their missing bioengineers, Hellman. By capturing Hellman, I can use his return as a chance to meet the last part of my plan, Michiko.

Michiko is the niece of Yorinobu and Hanako. When she was younger, she harbored the same tendencies as Yorinobu. With age comes wisdom, and now she is the leader of the liberal faction seeking change within Arasaka. If I can bring Michiko onto my side, I can gain access to Hanako. With access to Hanako, Michiko and I can convince her to take the company's reigns.

I further developed my plan while driving back to my store. By the time I got home, I'd already come up with a detailed plan for the first leg of my goal. Entering my store, I entered the office and opened my laptop to start outlining my needs.

I know Hellman will be on a Kang Tao AV after defecting from Arasaka. The problem is getting the specific AV and its flight details. For that, I need to contact Rogue and convince her to get me the information on Hellman. Persuading Rogue should be simple enough. All I have to do is offer her a second shot at Adam Smasher.

If I want to topple Yorinobu, I will have to get rid of Smasher sooner or later. Best to start collecting the right pieces to challenge him now than later. I could also use V's help, but the problem there is I need to figure out how Johnny Silverhand will interact with my intentions.

It's hard to believe that the rocker boy will acquiesce to teaming up with Arasaka, even if it's the 'good' parts of Arasaka. Hell, he's probably more likely to side with Yorinobu than with me. Let's hope he's just as dedicated to saving V's life in this world as he is in-game.

After a few more minutes sitting at my desk, I came up with a game plan I think can work. I just needed Rogue's contact info to get the ball rolling, which I got from Panam. Getting Rogue's number also gave me a new Job.

+NEW JOB

ASSET RECOVERY

Convince Rogue to help with your plans
Convince V to help recover Hellman (Optional)
Intercept the Kang Tao AV and capture Hellman
Not wasting any time, I immediately called Rogue from my office.

"Rogue speaking. Who do I have the pleasure of talking to?"

"Let's not waste time with my introductions. We both know you're already looking into me anyways. I'm here to offer you something you've been chasing for the last 50 years. For a small price, of course."

"Hmmm. And who are you, Mr. Rogers, to offer such a thing to me? I've never met you in my life, so I doubt you know me well enough to propose such a thing."

Mf. Rogers? Oh wait! That's right, this bodies name is Dakota Rogers.

"You can just call me Basil? What a fascinating question. What do I know, indeed? I know that Johnny took you on a raid to rescue his girlfriend, Alt Cunningham. I know that you all failed, and Alt died creating Soulkiller for Arasaka. I know you were a part of the team that caused the Night City Holocaust. I know Adam Smasher squashed your ex, Johnny, in that raid like a bug."

I let my knowledge sink in. I didn't particularly appreciate how she was about to discount me as some random gonk, so I spouted some things that only a few people would know. I wanted Rogue to realize I meant business.

"I also know you've been waiting for a chance to kill Smasher ever since. And that is what I am offering, a shot at Smasher. How about now, Rogue? Do you think I know you well enough?"

The tension from the silence was almost palpable. I got to give it to Rogue. She's not a Night City legend for nothing. I don't know how, but I could feel her glare through the phone and the temperature around me dropping.

"What do you want?"

At least she's paying attention to me now. Let's try a joke to ease the apprehensions.

"I want us to be friends! Maybe go out and see a movie or play laser tag. Things like that."

"Oh lord. Not another fucking clown. What do you want?"

"Fine. No one appreciates attempts at de-escalating anymore."

It seems rogue isn't one for some light-hearted jabs. Straight to the point it is.

"I want information on Anders Hellman. I know he defected from Arasaka to Kang Tao and is being transported out of Night City on an AV. I need the flight details of that AV."

"And what about the hit on Smasher?"

"You help me get Hellman, and I can start working on the meetup with Smasher."

"... Fine. I'll call you once I have the info ready."

Rogue hung up immediately after accepting my job. Considering her connections, she'll probably be back with me in a day or two. Before then, I need to start working on what to do for the next few days. The three main things on my to-do list are to get a shower and proper bed into the store, find Rosa's traffickers, and get ready for the date with Panam.

I also need to start making ammo to fulfill another order. This will be the first monthly order, which will get me a bunch of Eddies. What a weird set of things that couldn't be further apart from one another. One second I'm looking for a new place to live, and then I'm planning for a coup at a Megacorp, followed by preparing for a nice night out with a girl I like. That's the life of a merc, I guess.

I spent the next few hours reviewing my contract with the store and planning my date with Panam. It was midnight by the time I finally finished, and I was happy with what I had accomplished. Nothing in my lease agreement said I couldn't live in or modify the store, so I found a contractor who could stop by tomorrow to start work on the shower.

I also racked my brain for deciding what activities to take Panam on. She's a great gal who deserves a great day out, so I really put the effort in to schedule things I think she'll like. Not to pat myself on the back, but I think I've knocked it out of the park. Now that I think about it, this was the first date I've been on in years. I hope I don't massively embarrass myself.

I yawned and stretched simultaneously, feeling the entire day's fatigue finally catch up to me. I dragged my tired body onto the sofa and groaned at the slight discomfort of sleeping with my head on the armrest and my feet dangling off the side. With the promise of a better living situation right around the corner, my eyelids grew heavy, and I fell into a deep slumber.

Chapter Text

It was the next night, and I was sitting next to a window in a bar called 'S-Urge'. This was the place that Grant Moreno said his daughter last remembered being at before her abduction. The bar was close to Night City University, which would explain the clutters of college students trying to fry their brains with alcohol and music.

While I personally didn't like the noise and chaos in bars, it did provide for great people-watching. Through the loud techno music, lasers, and disco lights, I could see young guys trying their luck and approaching ladies with drinks in their hands. Some were lucky, and the gal of his choice would take the glass; she might even drag him to sit next to her or onto the dance floor. Most, however, struck out and had to awkwardly walk away and back into the sea of people in the dizzying neon lights.

I've scanned everyone here and haven't found anyone with Shiv affiliations or wanted for kidnapping yet, but I kept an eye out for any shady movements just in case. While scanning the patrons, a tan arm stretched from behind me, over my shoulder, and placed a glass of whiskey on my table.

Looking behind me, I saw Panam with a slight smile on her face. She walked around me and sat on the chair across from mine.

"You know, when you called, I thought you would cancel our date at first. Instead, you tell me you've got a job for me and take me to a college bar filled with shitty music. Starting to hope you just canceled on me."

Panam was apparently like me, and she hated going to loud city bars. Panam's here because I figured having her with me makes it look like we're just a couple partying instead of a creep sitting alone and looking at everyone. I also figured doing another job together before our date tomorrow would help make us more comfortable with each other.

"First, I'd never cancel on a girl like you. Second, notice anyone shady at the bar?"

"Nothin' drew my attention. Maybe nothin' is going down tonight. We just busted their hideout, after all. They're probably laying low for a while."

I'm starting to think Panam was right. We've been here for about two hours and haven't noticed any drunk girls leaving with men they didn't come in with yet.

"Hello, my name is Arif Iqbal, and this is WNS News."

While I was lamenting the bad luck with this stakeout, a screen playing some gameshow was interrupted by a breaking news segment.

"Police have recently assaulted a compound owned by a farmer, Anthony Harris. NCPD managed to free seven unconscious teenagers Anthony was torturing. The victims were rushed to a local hospital. Doctors say their conditions aren't ideal, but they have stabilized and will almost certainly see a full recovery. We got to our reporter at the Harris farm. Over to you, Shelly Pomton."

The scene then transitioned to the reporter who was at the farm. Behind her were cop cars with red and blue lights and several of Night Cities finest walking around securing the crime scene.

"Thank you, Arif. Police on site tell us that an anonymous tip triggered an investigation into Anthony Harris and his family's farm. Once the police arrived, they found the ground covered in landmines and automated turrets."

The reporter then details the raid and interviews an officer, but I lost interest before that. In my playthrough, I couldn't save all the lives of the boys there, so I'm happy it seems that ending everything early saved more lives.

"Is that about the call you made?"

Panam was also watching the news and remembered my conversation with River a few days back.

"Yup. I'm happy to see things work out. Hopefully, we'll do something similar today as well."

"Look who's Night City's knight in shining armor. Do you have a savior complex or somethin'?"

"Hmmm... Who knows?"

Do I? In my previous life, I would have never taken the kind of risks I have in this one. I've only been in this world for a little under two weeks, and I'm ambushing raiders, tracking down human traffickers, and planning a coup within Arasaka. Am I getting swept up in the current and not realizing how far it's taken me?

While pondering my behavioral changes, A group of three men stepped into the bar. At first glance, they looked like any of the other college men here, but I could tell something was off about them. They were clean-shaven and wearing clothes you would find on any douche in a frat, but their eyes had a sharpness that no naive college kid should have. The group looked over the mob of people like predators on the prowl.

Scanning them confirmed my suspicion. All three men were affiliated with the Wraiths, while the one had a background of suspected human trafficking. Looks like I found my guys.

"You're five o'clock. Group of three men just entered. Two brunettes and a blonde. Scan shows two of 'em are Shivs, and the other is suspected of trafficking."

Panam casually turns around and lifts one of her legs over the other. Leaning back, she raises her Margarita to her lips and uses it as a mask to hide her searching eyes. While she looks for the suspects, I enjoy inspecting her long legs.

I told Panam to wear something not uncommon at bars but still easy to move in. We might be doing some fighting after all. She came in a pair of skin-tight lace-up jeans with an opening on the side, showing a strip of delicious mocha skin that led to her waist. Her midriff was uncovered since her simple white top left it open, which is fine by me since I get to admire her toned stomach. Above the soft abs were her breasts, pushed together slightly by the top to form just a hint of cleavage.

DR-5
https://i.imgur.com/zUFzlC3

While admiring Panam, she found the group I was talking about and turned back to me, catching me admiring her red-handed. She grinned at my clear attraction to her.

"Whatcha lookin' at? You're not losing focus while on the clock, are you?"

"Just appreciating some artwork. Let's keep an eye on those guys. We know something is wrong if they mess with someone's drink or leave with extra people."

I tore my eyes off Panam and scanned the group again, this time remembering to ping them, so I'll know where they were at all times. The group settled into the bar and ordered a few drinks for themselves. Panam and I acted relaxed and sipped at our drinks, always ensuring one of us was keeping an eye on the group.

It wasn't long before they started making moves and trying to wedge their group with others. They would hit on girls, try to become pals with guys, or hit the dance floor and attempt to dance with people. Most of their attempts failed, but eventually, they managed to strike up a conversation with some girls.

As the night went on, the group downed more and more drinks. The girls seemed bright since they always had one of their own bring them their drinks. But eventually, they agreed to the men buying them a round. Quietly, I took out my phone and started taking pictures and recording the men. While recording the guy buying the drinks, I managed to get a video of the man taking something out of his pocket and putting it in the glasses.

Jackpot.

After the girls downed their drinks, I ended the recording and immediately pulled up the part where the guy spiked it to show Panam. While she was watching what I caught on video, I was thinking about our game plan. It's probably not wise to confront them in the bar. Too many bystanders mean things can get out of hand and really nasty real quick.

"Too many witnesses around can't risk taking action and having the crowd get in the way. Let's wait and mirror their actions. When they leave with the girls, we go to follow. Take them when they're loading the girls into the car."

Panam nodded to my plan, and we waited for the girls to get knocked out. It only took another dozen minutes before the girls were out cold, and the guys started pretending to help them out to their cars. Panam and I popped into action and started following the pack. Once we exited the bar, Panam unexpectedly hugged my right arm, wedging it into her bust. I looked at her and raised one of my eyebrows, wordlessly questioning her.

"You were looking like a merc about to ice some gonk," Panam quietly whispered, "but now they'll think we're a couple out for a walk at night. You need to chill, or they might get spooked."

Fair enough. I relaxed my stance a bit and let the tension in my shoulders release. Once I could get out of my tunnel vision of the criminals, I could pick up the Panam's calming Coconut shampoo scent. I also enjoyed the softness and body heat that was enwrapping my right arm.

We kept our distance from the group and followed them. After tracking them for five minutes, they finally rewarded us by turning into a parking garage. Panam and I quickly followed behind and separated from each other. Panam pulled out a DR-5 Nova while I pulled out my Overture. Carefully, I also pulled out a suppressor I bought from Wilson and threaded it onto my revolver.

Jeans
https://i.imgur.com/yqQfs0y

Top
https://i.imgur.com/qPes586

We did our best to stay quiet and always one corner behind the group as they went up the ramps to higher floors so they didn't notice us. The parking lot was almost empty of cars at this point, and we didn't see any people on our way up. Once we passed the third floor, their footsteps stopped, and I heard the distinct noise of a car's lock disengaging.

Hiding behind the corner, I lowered my voice as much as possible and muttered my plan to Panam.

"I'm going to activate my Sandi to kill the two Shivs and leave one alive. I need you to ensure no one jumps in on us. Think you can handle?"

"Piece of cake"

Panam confirmed she understood the plan, and I took a deep breath and activated my Sandevistan. As the familiar blue tint set in, I turned the corner and lifted my revolver. I saw one man setting down two girls against a car while the other two were trying to raise an unconscious body into the rear seats.

My sights entered my view, and I steadied my revolver with both hands and pointed them at the man watching the two girls on the ground. The single-action trigger was crisp, and soon a flash exited my barrel alongside a .42 caliber bullet. The silencer did its job as I heard a quiet hiss instead of the usual loud bang. I then quickly transitioned to my next target, the man holding the feet of the girl they were trying to cram into the vehicle, and did the same.

Both shots landed true, and I watched slowly as blood flowers blossomed behind my targets' heads. Taking advantage of the slowing time, I rushed at the remaining Shiv, whose eyes widened, shocked at what had just transpired. I tackled him at what would be double my average speed for him and slammed him into their getaway vehicle.

Time soon sped up again, and I wrestled the man onto the ground. Using my legs as weights, I sat on his arms and tightened my hand, not holding a gun around his neck. He was still in a daze but soon came to when I jammed the wrong end of my silencer into his mouth.

I watched as the emotions in his eyes changed from confusion to fear in a split second. The survivor started thrashing around, trying to get out from under me. Not happy with his defiance, I started choking him and pushing my silencer deeper into his mouth.

"You keep fuckin' strugglin', and I'm goin' to make you deep throat some bullets. You got that?"

Hearing my colorful threat, the man calmed down and gently nodded.

"That's a good boy. Now I'm gonna ask you some questions, and you'll answer 'em honestly if you want to live. Understand?"

The man nodded again. Happy with the frightened look on the man's face, I slowly pulled my gun out of his mouth and aimed at his forehead.

"You know a girl by the name of Rosa Moreno? You took her with two of her friends. Hispanic girl, pretty sure someone ordered you to take her."

"Yeah, yeah. That name rings a bell. Got a call from a suit one day. I don't remember the name clearly. Fuji- somethin'. Told me to meet him at some club. I think it's called Embers."

He took a moment to gulp down some saliva, then shakily continued.

"Guy gave me the information on the girl you talkin' about and paid me 20 thousand Eddies to drug her and keep her alive. She came in with friends, so we thought we might as well get some extra goods while we were at it. We jammed her GPS signals and took her to a hideout."

His story matches what Rosa's dad suspected. Now I just needed to get more concrete evidence of who it was.

"But that hideout was hit days ago, and we lost track of the girls! I don't know where the bird is. You have to trust me!"

I let go of the man's throat and gave him a quick jab right in his nose.

"Shut the fuck up. Your phone still got the messages the corpo sent you?"

"Yeah! It's all still there! Phone's in my left pocket. Check for yourself!"

I searched his phone and looked for the messages that he was talking about. Lo and behold, this rat was telling the truth, and there was a message from one Kaoru Fujioka asking to meet at a club called Embers. Happy with this information, I pocketed his phone and brought out mine.

"You're going to say everything you told me again, got it?"

I then recorded all the information this man gave me. Once he was done talking, I played the recording back and confirmed everything was good. I stored my phone and got off the man, happy with the results. The man sat up and released a deep sigh after seeing me satisfied. Just before he could thank me, I pointed my revolver at his head again.

"Didn't mean to give you false hope. I just didn't want blood all over me. We can't have loose ends now, can we?"

"Wha- Wait!"

Before he could say anything more, I pulled the trigger and watched as the man's head jerked back. Then his whole body flopped to the ground as if it was a puppet after its strings were cut. I then removed the suppressor that was now slightly warm from the bullets passing through and holstered my revolver.

I turned towards where I came from and saw Panam posted at the corner watching for any unwanted movement.

"Jobs done, Panam! Come over here and help me move the girls somewhere safer."

We then used the girls' phones to call anyone willing to pick them up. We didn't tell them what had happened since it was the middle of the city and I didn't want any attention. I just told their families that they were dead drunk and needed a lift. Afterward, we dragged them onto the first floor and waited for the party to come.

The next 20 minutes were followed as disappointed parents and pissed-off friends showed up to pick up the girls. I felt strange as these people dealt with this as if nothing was wrong when behind me in the parking lot were the corpses of three men. It was very different from when we rescued the girls in the mine hideout. Then again, those girls were missing, while these girls were just drunk and made terrible choices.

After the last girl left, Panam and I made our way toward our cars. The neon lights of the city showered us and the surrounding sidewalk. The sounds of chatter and honking vehicles filled the air, creating a symphony of city noise. Panam was done for the day, while I still had to meet Grant to close out this job.

"I can't lie. This went considerably better than I thought it would. Is this going to be a usual thing? Us saving damsels in distress?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But if I got similar jobs again, would you be willing to do them with me?"

Panam smiled and playfully punched my shoulder.

"Do you even need to ask? I'll always have your back."

We soon found ourselves at the parking lot where we parked. I walked Panam to her beloved Thorton steed, and we said our goodbyes. Right before she got into her truck, Panam pulled my shirt towards her. I instinctively leaned forward while Panam tiptoed up. Her mouth met mine, and I felt her wet lips give me a chaste kiss. She then let go of my shirt and backed away, laughing at me, standing there trying to process what had happened.

"It was nice hanging out with you, despite the violence. I'll see you tomorrow for our date."

Twirling around, she got into her car and started it up. While pulling out of her parking spot, her windows rolled down.

"Let me know how the meeting with Rosa's dad goes. Oh! And don't forget my cut!"

She then pressed the gas, and I watched as her suped-up truck sped down the road and out of sight. I finally broke myself out of my stupor and smiled at what had happened. Panam sure knows how to leave a guy wanting more.

Chapter Text

It was the following afternoon, and I was enjoying breaking in the new shower I had put in yesterday. The contractor came in the morning the day before, and I let him do his thing while I did my remaining tasks. I got my date ready with Panam, then went to the landfill and crafted as much ammo as possible. After fulfilling the order, it was night when the escapade at the bar happened. What followed after was the kiss with Panama and meeting with Rosa's dad to show him what we found.

Rosa's dad was delighted with what we found and happily paid me 30000 Eddies for a well-done job. I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off. I had my date with Panam today, so I made sure to clean myself until I was spotless. I stepped towards the mirror and was greeted with my new face staring back at me.

Striking grey eyes were framed by brows that spread like a hawk's wings mid-flight. Between the eyes was a perfect nose, making me wonder if this face had any work done on it before. A strong jawline sat on either side of plump red lips. Noticing the slight stubble I had growing, I grabbed a razor and tidied myself up. Once I was done shaving, I spritzed some hair gel and quickly styled my jet-black hair by doing a simple part to the left.

Basil
https://i.imgur.com/rCTjZ4R

This was what I had in mind while creating the MC. I couldn't get the Cyberpunk character creation to do what I wanted, so you will have to do with this as the closest alternative.

Art done by Junseo or @noonrema on twitter

Link

https://twitter.com/noonrema/status/925134944019496960

I remember when I first got here and how it always took me a second or two to recognize my new face in the mirror. I also remember trying to take my glasses off only to remember that the Kioshi optics give me perfect vision. It was starting to bother me that I was beginning to think this was my face. But even worse was that I was starting to have difficulty remembering the faces of those close to me in my original life.

I always had trouble remembering faces, and not having any pictures or memorabilia of my old life wasn't exactly helping the matter. Am I eventually going to forget everything about my past life? My family, my friends, and all the memories that turned me into who I am today will just fade away? I was beginning to feel anxious. I felt as if I tried to hold onto the metaphorical sand of my past, it would just squeeze out of my palm faster.

"No! No sad thoughts right now. It's a big day, and you can't be bringing it down with your weird mood. What if you forget a few things about your past. Just make up for it by making new memories now! Go to Panam and have yourself a day to remember."

I pinched myself to get out of this funky mood and went into my inventory to pick a set of clothes. A pair of jeans, a simple red shirt, and a black jacket later, I was almost ready to head out. A little spray of cologne behind the neck was the last thing I needed before I stepped out of the door and made my way to my van. I considered renting a nicer car, but the van will play an essential role later in the night.

Checking that I had everything ready in the back, I focused on the road and started driving towards the Nomad camp. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was now a pretty orange, giving everything a calming warm glow. I turned the radio on to a station playing classic rock music.

Once on the freeway to the Badlands, the traffic began to thin out until it was just me. Shortly after the road cleared, I saw the winding roads leading to the Nomad camp and turned onto the dirt path. A short drive later, I found myself at the entrance and parked near an old Mesquite tree. I got out of the van and texted Panam that I was here to pick her up. She replied that she was on her way, so I leaned against the van and waited for her to show up.

Just a few minutes later, I saw Panam turn the corner and wave at me. I didn't know what outfit she would throw together; frankly, I didn't care since Panam has a body that looks hot in everything. But whatever expectations I did have blew right out of the water once I got a look at what she was wearing.

She wore a pair of shiny black leather pants that hugged her so tight that it looked like someone had painted them onto her. The form-fitting pants did a fantastic job showing off her long legs. The pants rode pretty low and were cinched to her waist with a silver belt.

Right above her belt was her V-cut abs that drew my eyes toward her pelvic area. Forcing my eyes up, I saw her cute belly button and toned abs on full display. Further up was a black mini tube top that left almost nothing to the imagination. The small article of clothing did its damndest to try to hide as much as it could, but I could see her breasts struggling against it and creating a deep valley in the middle.

Doing a poor job of covering her body was a small leather jacket that perfectly complemented her pants. Rounding out the attire was a pair of boots with silvers cuffs at the top. The high heels changed her posture slightly and gave her walk a particular spice to it. Combined with a purposefully exaggerated hip sway, Panam looked like she walked right out of a fashion magazine, dripping with sex appeal.

Panam
https://i.imgur.com/s1GKIsX

Seeing how gobsmacked I was, Panam had a grin so large she would have put the Cheshire Cat to shame. Taking her sweet time, she sauntered over to me and struck a pose with one of her legs bent and a hand on her hip. She looked me in her eyes and raised one of her eyebrows inquisitively.

"Cat got your tongue?"

The words that rolled out of her mouth snapped me out of the spell I was under. My brain booted up, and I stepped to the side and opened the passenger door for her.

"More like the cat got my body, mind, and soul. You look stunning."

"Yes. I do. You clean up nicely as well."

Panam was rightfully cocky and gracefully stepped into the passenger seat. I closed her door and quickly walked to the driver's seat. Starting the van after getting in, the radio turned on and played a half-finished song. I reversed away from the Nomad camp, and we soon found ourselves back on the freeway and driving towards Night City. Only a sliver of the sun could still be seen above the earth, which soon wholly disappeared, allowing the darkness of the night to start rolling in.

"So, where are we going? Hope you have something special in mind because I don't impress easily."

"It's a secret. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise now, would I? Don't worry, I put some effort in, and I think you'll like what I have in store for our evening."

We then settled in and silently enjoyed the road and the music playing in the background. The drive to our destination took about half an hour, but the look in Panam's eyes when she realized where we were was more than worth it.

"Is that what I think it is!?"

"Yup."

"I love demolition derbies! How did you know?"

"I know how much you love offroading. Your Mackinaw's a dead giveaway. I just got a hunch that you enjoyed something similar like this."

In actuality, I may have cheated slightly and got Mitch to tell me what Panam liked to do while growing up. The older man was more than happy to set me up and play the wingman for me. He ranted about all the things he knew about Panam, some of which were highly embarrassing.

One of the things that caught my attention was that if you got lucky while on the road, you could sometimes hijack television or radio signals. A young Panam always used any chance she had to tune into rally races or demolition derby. Apparently, this love turned into an obsession, and she started racing and tuning cars the second she could.

I handed her a ticker and pulled out two passes on lanyards. I draped one of the passes over Panam and watched as her eyes sparkled at the shiny gold letters on the pass that said 'VIP'. Smiling at her reaction, I held out my elbow, and she happily looped hers through mine. We walked arm in arm and skipped the lines by flashing our badges.

After I saw how happy Panam was with the pass and the derby, my shoulders relaxed, and I released stress that I didn't know I was building up. I guess I was worrying about how the date would go more than I thought I would. I need to just relax and remember to enjoy the date as well.

After we bought some junk food and drinks from some stalls, Panam and I found our seats and sat down to enjoy the show. Demolition derby was surprisingly popular, with the night city circuit occasionally drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers worldwide. It was only ten minutes before the first heats started, so the stadium was packed, and we had to weave through the crowd to get to our seats.

Ten or so minutes after we found our spots, the race commentators came over the speakers and announced the start of the race. Tonight the track's middle sections were opened up, and the usual oval track was converted to a figure eight. The X formed in the middle would become a battleground where miss timing your entry could get you t-boned by someone on the other side.

Derby Track
https://i.imgur.com/W0jDOjU

There were two heats, the Amateur League and the Professional League. The top two finishers of the Amateur League get to advance to the Professional race. Each race consisted of twelve cars, having to complete thirty laps or be the last one standing. After the commentators finished explaining the night's events, I had Panam take over and explain everything she knew about demolition derby.

She went into detail about the cars, the strategies, and even the different tracks. I let her excitement run wild and interjected every now and then to show that I was still paying attention. It was fun watching someone talk about a subject they are passionate about, even if you didn't have any prior interest. I'd even hazard to say it was attractive watching Panam be so passionate about a subject.

While Panam was going on about the derby sport, the commentators announced the arrival of the Amateur League competitors. Cars started pouring out of a garage entrance and flowing onto the circuit like a football team would at the start of a game. The crowd cheered as the teams got lined up and ready to race.

The roar of the engines briefly drowned out the noise of the spectators, but that soon was reversed when the green flag dropped, and everybody went wild. Immediately there was chaos as the car in the second starting place crashed into the rear of the first as they tried to overtake. This caused them both to spin out and the vehicles behind to swerve wildly to get out of the way.

The race went on, and it got more exciting as we watched the pack of twelve get widdled down to just four cars by lap twenty-five. With the race drawing to its end, the cars not in the first two places started getting desperate and tried to knock out the two in front. This strategy seemed to spread as the relatively civil race soon turned into a full-on brawl.

Several pit maneuvers, slams, and near misses at the intersection later, three cars crossed the finish line. One of the last four had it's rear clipped at the crossing, flipped side over the side, and got knocked out of the race. The last three weren't in much better condition as they either had smoke billowing out the rear or clouds of steam coming off the front. It was honestly a miracle any of them made it.

Panam explained that the two leading teams would generally avoid as much contact as possible since they only have thirty minutes to repair their car before the next race. But since the ones lagging behind this time were so aggressive, they couldn't help but pick up more damage than they would have liked.

The next race started thirty minutes on the dot, with fourteen cars showing up at the starting line. The two top finishers of the Amateur league were in the back, no longer smoking but still looking pretty banged up. As the race started, the crowd roared to life again, and I felt the seats rumble from a collection of cars and the cheering crowd.

The energy was contagious, and even I was starting to get really invested in the night's last race. I had no clue who any of the teams were, but I instinctively cheered on the Amateur drivers since they were the underdogs. Sadly this was not one of those times the stubborn underdogs managed to cinch the race.

They simply didn't have the time to properly repair their cars, and they dropped out early. After the underdogs got knocked out, I lost interest and started watching Panam more than the race again. I watched as she hooped and hollered whenever someone tried to overtake a car. She would gasp when there was a close call at the intersection and boo whenever a team pulled a dirty maneuver.

Unsurprisingly, the professional league had much better drivers, and almost all of the cars managed to finish. We watched as the winners of tonight drove their car to the middle of figure eight and started doing donuts in celebration. This was followed by a short award ceremony for the top three finishers, which also had an honorable mention for the top two of the Amateur races.

Soon after, Panam and I filtered out of the stadium and got back into my van. She settled into the passenger seat and released a long sigh.

"That was real nova. Thank you, Basil. I hope that's not the end of our night, however. Yelling my lungs out burned some calories, and I'm starvin' for some food."

"Absolutely. Let's go to dinner."

I turned on the van and drove to the next spot I had planned. Part one of the date was meant to be fun and exciting, while part two was meant to be more private and romantic. I struggled with what to do after the derby, but eventually, I decided to take inspiration from the game and settle for a classic.

We drove on the highway for fifteen minutes before entering Westbrook, specifically the North Oaks sub-district. It was now well into the night, and the cold air was beginning to seep around us. After turning off the highway, I took a small hill road which eventually led to the drive-in theater Johnny took Rogue.

Drive through theater
https://i.imgur.com/VQygvn9

I had Panam stay in the van while I rushed to the ticket stand and entered 0000 into the keypad to unlock the gate. Then I ran upstairs and put a corny comedic heist movie into the projector. I got back into the van after getting everything ready and drove us into the middle of the lot.

"A drive-in theater all to ourselves? It's definitely nice and romantic, but what about the food?"

"Got a cooler in the back with some preem synthetic steak I picked up. We'll have a freshly cooked meal in no time."

"Hmmm. I like the sound of that."

I then got out of the van and got everything ready. A couple minutes later and there were blankets, comforters, and pillows on the roof. This is where the large size of the van came in handy. Any other car wouldn't have the square footage for me to build a small love nest on top of it. The cooler was then emptied, and I used it as a riser for the grill I had brought. Putting the grill on top of the cooler brought it to the perfect height where I could lay down on the van's roof and still cook.

"You really thought this through, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah. I wanted to make sure this was special. Come on."

I then grabbed Panam's hand and helped her get onto the hood of the car, then I gently deposited her into the makeshift bed. Panam shuffled around and got comfy with the covers as I started the grill and gave the projector the signal to begin the movie.

Soon the sound of the movie was joined by the sizzle of steaks and the distinct aroma of beef. I also tossed a few bacon-wrapped poppers, vegetable kabobs, potatoes, and asparagus. The smaller items finished first, and I hand-fed them to Panam while she was focused on the movie. She took the chance to tease me and licked my fingers more than what was probably necessary. The Entree followed soon after, and we were enjoying the closest thing I had to meat in a very long time.

I killed the grill after our main course, and Panam cuddled up to me to watch the remainder of the movie. We laughed at the on-screen antics and occasionally voiced our opinions on how unrealistic it was. I had an arm around Panam, and she had her head on my chest, gently caressing my stomach. She then looked at me and asked about my life before meeting her.

"You know, all this time we spent together, and we never talked about you. You said you never even killed someone before meeting me. What was your life like? What made you change?"

"I hate to disappoint, but it's nothing interesting. Mostly lived a privileged life. Our family was pretty well off, and my parents could afford to put me through school. Dated a girl while at NCU and got engaged right after college. Managed to land a white collar job and worked at a corp for two years before calling it quits."

I then took a deep breath as I remembered the string of tragedies that befell Dakota before I took over. Life really could be so crude.

"Used the money I saved to start my business bulk importing hardware and reselling it to shops all around NC. Things were going pretty good until my folks got zeroed by some 6th street gonks while out celebrating their anniversaries."

Panam's hand on my stomach stopped, and she tilted her head to look at me, paying more attention to the story of Dakota than the movie.

"Got real depressed afterward. I neglected my business and fiancee, and everything collapsed around me. My girl left me for someone she met at work, and they ran away out of state. I started doing drugs, and one night, I took on more than I could handle. I OD'd, and according to the Trauma Team, my heart stopped for a few minutes."

Every now and then, I questioned my reality. Maybe my previous life was just a drug-induced fantasy. Or perhaps this was a dream, and suddenly the veil will drop, and I'll find myself in my old room.

"When I returned, I felt like a completely different person. Like I had just woken up from a dream. Like the decisions I made before weren't even mine. I changed the business and my life, and here we are."

Panam mulled over what I said in silence, probably not expecting something so gloomy out of nowhere. Then again, this is Night City, and she is a Nomad. She's probably already uncomfortably used to loss and death. Hopefully, that will be something I can change.

"I'm sorry to hear about everything that's happened to you. But I want you to know I'm happy you're here with me now."

Panam then wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer to her, and kissed me. This time there, it was more than just a tease, and I happily reciprocated. She used her tongue to prod at my lips. Taking the hint, I let her tongue enter, and we soon found ourselves hungrily sucking at each other, only stopping so we could catch our breaths.

Panam pushed me down and clambered over me so she could sit on my lap. My right hand wandered across her lower body as if it had a mind of its own. Starting from her calves, then up to her thighs, and finally landing on the inner thigh beside her sex. My other hand searched further upwards, using my nails to leave tiny scratches on her bare stomach before gently cupping one of her breasts and softly squeezing them.

I ensured never to touch anything more intimate, using my gestures to circle around her most sensitive areas, only teasing her and keeping her pent up. I could hear her breathing quicken every time I let my hands sneak close to her nipple or pussy, only to grunt in displeasure when I purposely changed the directions.

After a few more minutes of this dance, Panam finally had enough, broke apart our embrace, and gave me a sultry yet demanding stare.

"I'm done playing around. You, me, fuck, NOW."

I grinned at her simple and almost primal commands and happily obliged. I picked her up alongside the bedding and jumped down the van. Panam gave a little 'whoop' when I opened the rear doors and tossed her into the trunk. She propped herself on one arm and seductively beckoned me with her finger. More than content to accept her invitation, I jumped in and pinned her to the floor with a kiss. We then pawed at each other's clothes and ripped every article we had on until we were both in our birthday suits.

The moonlight showed through the windows, and I took a step back to fully appreciate Panam's beauty. Here delicious dark caramel skin now had a light sheen of sweat covering it, some of which reflected the light, making her look like she was covered in tiny diamonds. Her chest heaved with every breath, gently rocking her sizeable breasts and causing small rippling motions.

Not a single strand of hair could be found anywhere, and my eyes focused on her mound, glistening with desire. She must have shaved, and that thought made my already stiff member become as hard as rock. Her smokey gaze told me she wanted me in her, and I would have killed another shiv hideout to plunge her depths, but I wanted this to last.

Panam raised an eyebrow questioningly when she saw me lower myself between her lower lips, only for her eyes to widen in shock when I used my arms to lift her waist and plunge my tongue into her pussy. My mouth covered her labia, and my tongue snaked its way in. The warmth of her vagina and musk hit me like a freight train, and something primal activated in my brain.

Her juices tasted sweet, with a bit of bitterness hidden within them. I let my tongue run wild, wriggling and pushing at her inner walls, trying to find the spot that drove her crazy. When I extended my tongue as deep as I could and brought it up to graze against her cavern, Panam grabbed my head to hold me in place and moaned like I was sucking out her spirit. Seeing her eyes roll back into her skull confirmed her sweet spot for me, and I attacked it relentlessly.

Her pants only being interrupted by calling out my name when I did something she particularly enjoyed. Deciding to kick it up a notch, I brought one of my hands close to her mound and began circling around her diamond-hard clit. I would brush my thumb against it every now and then, eliciting moans every time I did.

Eventually, Panam's groans and whimpers become more labored, signaling her coming close to her first orgasm. My hand changed tactics, and I gently began to pinch and rub her button between my thumb and index finger. Only a few seconds after doing this, Panam arched her back and opened her mouth to shriek with pleasure. Her thighs clamped down on me as her lower body convulsed while riding out the high.

"OOOOOooooOOHHHhhhhhh!"

Panam held my head in this awkward position between her thigs for what felt like minutes before finally collapsing flat on her back. I pushed myself off her and gently kissed her lower lips, then her pelvis, belly button, abs, and chest, finally stopping at her neck. Using my teeth, I gently bit her skin and sucked until I tasted the faintly metallic taste of her blood.

I let go of her neck and admired the hickey on the right side of her neck.

"That was amazing, Basil. It's been so long since someone last ate me out."

"It was good for me too. I love the taste of you."

I brought our lips together to share a brisque kiss, biting her lower lip as I pulled away. Using one of my hands, I grabbed the base of my cock and gently started rubbing it in between her folds. We were now in a missionary position, and I enjoyed the view of her body as I gently rubbed ourselves together. Her juices combined with my precum, and soon my member was nice and slippery. I continued this see-saw motion, enjoying Panam's moan's pitch increasing every time I glided across her slit.

The heat from her sex was intense, raising my own body's temperature and hunger. The pleasure went both ways, and I soon became impatient and aimed the tip of my cock at her entrance. I put my forehead against Panam's and searched her eyes for any signs of doubt. There was none to be found. She gave me a gentle nod, and I let the weight of my rear fall, enjoying the intense sensation of piercing to her lowest depth in one stroke.

"Oooooh shit. Yeeeeeessss!" Panam moaned.

Being inside Panam was like having a velvet cushion tightly wrapped to perfection around your member. She was just slightly too small for me, and bottoming out inside her caused her cervix to be gently smushed upward into her womb. We both moaned from the deep satisfaction of being connected and just held each other for a while.

After my brain recovered from the brain-frying stimulation, I gently pulled out, letting me feel Panam's soft folds get pushed aside and catch on the underside of my cockhead. Once only my glans were inside, I slammed back down again. Our bodies colliding created a slapping noise, which soon gained a rhythmic repetition as I humped away at her with wild abandon.

"God, I love the way you feel inside, Panam. I swear you're going to get me addicted."

"Hmmm... Good."

Panam then took my right hand and brought it up to her breast. I took the cue and groped her left titty, gently tugging and kneading it, enjoying the soft feeling within my palm. I then moved to the center and started to pinch and pull at her pointy nipples. Panam seemed to love that since every time I stretched her peaks, she would yowl like a cat in heat.

As her nails dug into my back, I continued to pound her into the ground, doing my damndest to remold her tunnel into the shape of my cock. Her silky insides pushed me close to my finish line, and I could feel her sheath tightening around me, hinting that she was coming close to her second climax.

I wanted to finish this with a bang, so I spread Panam's legs open and got underneath her. Then I lifted her calves and placed her ankle on my shoulders, putting Panam on my lap. I then activated my Sandevistan and thrust into her as fast as possible.

I was probably going twice my average speed, which with the fifty percent time dilation, made my ramming quadruple in rate for Panam. I watched as Panam made her orgasm face almost immediately after slowing down time. Even though her womanhood tightened around me like vice-jaw, I continued to hammer away.

Panam probably orgasmed five seconds into my Sandevistan, which meant she had to endure the pleasurable torture of being pounded while riding out her orgasm for twenty real-world seconds. Her legs wrapped around my torso as she clung to me for dear life. Her climaxing sex undulated as if trying to milk the very essence out of my soul.

This sensation pushed me across the breaking point, and right as time sped up again, I felt the dam break inside me. My cock jerked in tempo with Panam's pussy, and my balls contracted as I shot streams of cum deep inside her. My whole body felt like one big nerve as electricity radiated from my groin all over my body. Fireworks went off in my head as I almost blacked out from the sensation. I settled her on my lap and gasped for breath, feeling my lungs burn from exertion. I was too tired to thrust any longer, so we stayed in that position while Panam used her pelvis to grind small circles in my lap.

We instinctively seeked out each other's lips and connected for a long and deep kiss. I wish I could have stayed in this blissful position for the rest of eternity, but having Panam's weight on my kneeling lower half was beginning to get tiring. I gently laid us down on the bedding and hugged her.

"Sorry for coming inside you. You just feel so good, and I couldn't stop once I started."

Panam removed the leglock she had around me and our legs entwined together like a braid.

"Don't worry about it. I figured something like this might happen, so I took a pill a few days before."

"Oh? Were you planning for sex? What a naughty girl."

"I don't want to hear that from you. The second you saw me today, you were undressing me in your mind. Don't pretend like you weren't trying to get into my pants."

She was right. This was what I was secretly hoping for. But it was somehow even better than what I imagined. I enjoyed Panam's heat, but it was getting cold as the night air entered the van. I draped the cover over our bodies and maneuvered the pillows so we could be as comfortable as possible.

We stared at each other silently as the sandman began working his magic. Panam was the first to fall asleep, and I watched her breathing become soft as she slid into the dream world. I gently kissed her forehead and settled my head to keep looking at her. My eyelids soon became heavy, and the post-sex euphoria lulled me into a deep slumber.

Chapter Text

The heat was the first thing I noticed when I woke up, then the smell, and finally, someone else's arm over my chest and head in the nook of my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw Panam's face, eyes closed and gently snoring. The sun's beams shone through the windows, turning the van into a greenhouse and heating the inside. The smell of two bodies' fluids intertwining reminded me of what happened last night. My brain is telling me it's time to get up and be productive, but my body enjoys lying next to Panam more. While debating over what to do, someone else decided for me.

Panam's sleeping mind must have also disliked the heat since her left hand gripped the edge, and her body flipped to the right to get it off her, throwing her arm across and hitting me in the face. Taking advantage of the situation, I playfully bit her on her forearm. Her nose scrunched in annoyance, but she didn't wake up. I continued my assault, nibbling up her arm until I reached her neck and started kissing her collarbone. This seemed to do the trick, and she groaned before opening her eyes.

"Hrmmm... Is this how you're going to wake me up every morning? A girl could get used to this."

I sat up and brought my face up to give her a quick peck on the lips.

"Good morning, beautiful. I'll make sure to remember to do this every time. Now, come on. We need to get up."

She moaned a bit before also sitting up. Now that the arm covering her chest was above her head stretching, I got a full view of her wonderful assets. She caught me peeking and gave me a foxy grin. I shrugged and started putting on my clothes, can't fault a man for looking.

Panam wanted to clean up the mess I made on and in her the night before, so I gave her some water and paper towels and got out of the van. Primarily for her privacy but also partly because I'll probably get super horny if I watch her tidy up. While I was cleaning up the outside and packing all the gear, Panam got dressed and out of the van. I turned around and saw her leaning on the side of my car, giving me an unsure look.

"So, Basil. I have to know, how does this change things between us?"

"How about we say we're just seeing each other? No pressure, just let nature take its course."

Panam was scared to get into a relationship with V in the game because she didn't want to ruin the good thing they had going. I wanted her to know that the ball is in her court and that it's up to her when she wants to take the next step. Should probably also reassure her that I still want to work together.

"And I like working with you, so how about I check for jobs we can do in the badlands? Or if you ever need some help, don't be scared to give me a shout."

Panam smiled at that and sauntered to put her arms around my neck. I let my hands crawl from her sides and settle on her pert ass.

"And what if I want something more serious? Something that comes with a title?"

"Well, I'm ready whenever you are."

We stood there in silence for a bit, just enjoying each other's company, before being rudely interrupted by a ring from my phone. I considered blocking the call but decided against it when I noticed it was Rogue calling. I separated from Panam and answered the phone.

"Hello, Rogue. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Got a shard with your name on it. My contact at Kang Tao managed to pull Hellman's route details. Come meet me at the Afterlife tonight to pick up the info, and maybe you'll tell me what you're planning."

"Maybe I will. I'll see you tonight. Later."

Instead of finding a job for Panam and me, it seems the job has found us. I put away my phone and looked at Panam.

"Believe it or not, I already got a job lined up for you. Wanna come with me to meet up with Rogue?"

"When is it? I'm supposed to meet with a buyer we lined up for that Caliburn at four today."

"She just said at night, so it shouldn't clash with what you already got going on. I can drop you off at camp, then we can meet up wherever you're meeting the buyers, and we can go to the Afterlife together."

"You'll have to give me more details about your job."

"Fair enough. Hop into the van, and I'll tell you about it on the drive back to your place."

We both jumped into the van, and I made a loop in the parking lot to drive out. Once I was on the road again, I started explaining the basics of the gig.

"Target is a man named Hellman. He was the engineer leading the team working on the prototype Relic project. He defected to Kang Tao without properly terminating his contract at Arasaka."

"Hitting Kang Tao? You're going to come up with some serious resistance."

"Nothing we can't handle, but it would be a walk in the park if your clan helped. Hellman will be traveling in a Zetatech Surveyor. I'm sure you're aware of what that is. I bet your clan would love to get their hands on a giant flying bus for smuggling."

Panam went silent, and I could see from the look on her face that she was doing mental arithmetic to see if the job was possible or not. I always wondered why the Aldecaldos never took the AV from Kang Tao. If they could steal and maintain a tank, why not an AV? Then I realized it was probably because Panam wasn't with the clan then, and they simply didn't have the preparations for it.

Now with me in the equation and Panam already back with the Aldecaldos, I'm sure they wouldn't pass on such an opportunity. The Aldecaldos were a force to reckon with the Basilisk tank. Imagine what they could do if they had their own private air support. While I was thinking about the possibilities of Aldecaldos with wings, Panam spoke up again.

"It's possible, but I need more information. I'll also need time to convince my clan. The vets are almost certain to hop on board, but Saul will hate the idea."

"How about we hold on any more planning until we meet with Rogue tonight?"

"Sounds good to me."

After our conversation, I dropped off Panam and drove back to the store. By the time I got there, it was twelve, leaving me plenty of time to do some planning. I've occasionally been checking in on the various cameras I had around the city to see if I can recognize any events going down. When I checked my laptop today, the recording at Lizzie's Bar showed a woman entering Judy's BD editing room, trying to hide their identity by covering themselves.

It had to be Evelyn, which would be a huge find. If I could get her to agree to help me alongside V and Hellman, I should have more than enough ammunition to convince Michiko. Let's hope Michiko uses this information for good instead of falling on the same path as her uncle.

Evelyn should stay in hiding with Judy for at least a few days, which gives me more than enough time to get in contact with V and get her onboard. I might also be able to contact Takemura through V, who could become a very useful pawn in this game of corporate espionage. The only problem I'm running against right now is how to deal with Silverhand.

Johnny hates Arasaka with a burning passion, which is understandable but provides a hard barrier to overcome if he influences V. I can only know how much this V is willing to cooperate with Arasaka once I meet her and get a feel for how they operate. At the very least, my plan to kill both Saburo and Yorinobu should tempt the two into cooperating.

The other cameras didn't show anything interesting, which is surprising since it's been more than a week, and V doesn't exactly have time to play with. Oh well, less work for me. I closed my computer, took off my clothes, and walked into the shower. While cleaning myself, I remembered that I had leveled up from helping Rosa's family.

I put the attribute point into reflex, which raised the stat to ten. Thinking of Rosa's family also reminded me that I forgot to give Panam her cut of the money. I'll just give it to her when we meet to sell the Caliburn.

If everything goes alright today, the Aldecaldos won't have any money troubles for at least a month or so. But it won't last forever, so I'm thinking about crafting weapons and selling them to the clan. I can craft weapons for cheap, then have the Aldecaldos smuggle them as a proxy.

Saul might resist taking on dangerous jobs like stealing a Kang Tao AV or Militech tank, but smuggling is still the Aldecaldo's bread and butter. I could craft guns for dirt cheap, then have the Nomads sell it as a proxy. This could get the clan the Eddies they need to stabilize, but more importantly, warm people to Panam's way of thinking. Gotta look out for my gal, after all.

After wiping the grime and sweat I collected from last night's activity, I got out of my shower and dressed. I then left the store and made my way to Vic's clinic. I went inside the L-shaped hall and exited onto the internal alley that connected the rear exit of many shops.

A short stairwell later and I was inside Vic's clinic. The place was clean but also looked like a torture chamber at the same time. The strange juxtaposition of blue vs red, and the centerpiece being an operating chair didn't help the image.

Vics Clinic
https://i.imgur.com/fCSro6C

Vic was sitting at his desk, one hand holding a small screwdriver tuning the surgical exoglove he had on the other. The screen atop his working space was on and broadcasting some boxing match between two chromed-to-hell giants. Vic used to be somewhat of a local celebrity, boxing in the Watson in the heavyweight division. His crowning achievement was coming in second in the Watson Boxing Grand Prix.

Hearing the security gate open, Vic looked away from the match and saw me walk into his clinic. I walked up to the middle-aged man and nodded toward the screen.

"Reliving old memories? Or thinking about getting back into the ring?"

"Just enjoying the craft. I couldn't start up again even if I wanted to. Look at these kids. Every inch of their body is engineered for murder. This ol' bag of bones wouldn't stand a chance."

"Don't be so sure about that. Anyways, I wanted to see if you get some hardware for me."

I then went over a list of the new cyberware I wanted: better Optical Camo, a set of Gorilla Arms, Subdermal Armor, and some Lynx Paws. I wasn't happy with anything he had in stock, so we looked at what he could get in from other places. Instead of spending money to deliver the chrome here, Vic gave me a list of the cyberware I wanted and where I could find them. I needed to inspect the goods before dropping off the cash.

In the game, most cyberware only had a quality difference, but there were many more details in this world. Different manufacturers, models, materials, designs, and a slew of other specifications made each cyberware perform differently. They also seem to have game-like qualities only for me.

The Sandivestan I have, for example, is supposed to be used sparingly in a day. But I was able to use it dozens of times one day while crafting ammo. And my optical camo shouldn't recharge as fast as it does. I'm not sure of the physics behind it, but I kept it to myself and just stayed happy that I had an advantage. The problem is that those stats only show if I inspect in person, so I offered to bring Vic the chrome instead of having it shipped to him.

Guns were the same. The higher the quality, the better the damage and effects it has. Since a bullet to the head is still a bullet to the head, the increase in damage has been harder to gauge. Maybe the effects will be more noticeable if I fought better-equipped enemies than some Shivs in the Badlands.

By the time I got the list for chrome, it was already half past three. We were supposed to see the buyer of the Caliburn at four, and I needed twenty minutes to get there, so I said my goodbyes and left Vic's clinic. Once I got into my van, I pulled up the GPS, put in the address Panam sent me, and made my way toward the meeting spot.

Chapter Text

It was almost seven at night, and I was driving Panam to the Afterlife after the deal. The first potential buyers the Nomads contacted fell out, but they then introduced this buyer to us. Besides the buyer and his friends, Scorpion also showed up, and he would not stop teasing Panam and me.

Panam was giving me the cold shoulder when I first showed up, and I couldn't figure out why for the life of me. Then Scorpion started laughing and explained the situation. Everybody back at the Nomad camp saw all the hickies on Panam, and they did not stop poking fun at her. Apparently, she had a reputation for playing hard to get, and people were just surprised that anything happened between us.

It was cute watching Panam get all embarrassed after Scorpion spilled the beans. It was also a bit of a relief to find that she wasn't actually pissed with me. A simple hug and apology later, we kissed and made up, which was just in time before the buyer showed up.

The new buyer ended up being some kid that struck it rich in the stock market and decided to blow a large chunk of his cash on a nice ride. He was smart about it, however. He brought someone knowledgeable about Rayfields on the test drive and had the Caliburn checked out at a custom car shop.

Murk Man didn't want anyone to be able to track his identity through his Caliburn, so there was almost no documentation on it. Scorpion said that legally, it didn't have an owner until someone registered the car. This meant we could move it through more official means, netting us a higher profit. After the stock broker kid confirmed everything was good to go, we walked out 200K Eddies richer.

The money hit my account, and I immediately transferred 115K to Panam. 100k for half of the Caliburn sale and 15K for her half of the job for Rosa's family. Once the buyer left, Panam and I bid goodnight to Scorpion and left for Afterlife.

As I finished reminiscing about the last couple of hours, we pulled into the parking lot of the Afterlife and picked an open spot. I was surprised to see free parking since this was a night bar in Night City, but then I remembered that the only people allowed here were mercs with a reputation.

I followed Panam down the stairs and into the mortuary-turned-bar. The entrance was blocked by a bouncer. For a second, I was worried that he would stop me. But he stepped to the side to let us into the club when he saw Panam. That would have been awkward if I wasn't allowed in since quite a bit of my fake story with Panam was based on me being inside the Afterlife.

"Hey, Em. Need to see Rogue. She free right now?"

Emmerick Bronson, or Em for short, then put a finger to his ear and whispered something into his sleeve. A second later, he looked back up and confirmed that Rogue was waiting for us.

"She's in her usual corner."

"Thanks, Em."

Panam walked past the entrance, and I followed behind her after giving Em a quick nod. The inside was exactly as I remembered. Claire was behind the bar using the body coolers as fridges for drinks. Strange tubes of liquid with girls dancing inside them. Solos sat around dressing tables while discussing gigs. Strange techno music playing in the background. It was our version of the Mos Eisley Cantina.

Afterlife
https://i.imgur.com/syp8huC

As we walked past the masses, I noticed how mercs of all affiliations were in attendance. People who should hate each other's guts stayed respectful since the Afterlife demanded some sense of civility. It just goes to show how Rogue likes to run a tight ship and the unspoken power she holds in this city.

This was actually the second Afterlife bar. The first one was set up in the earlier years of Night City, which is why the one in Johnny's memories looks so different. After the city started receiving more investments and the city center began getting residents that didn't like a bar full of armed solos, Rogue found another morgue in Watson and moved the bar here. The move didn't seem to hurt business since Afterlife was still the premier solo hangout, and Rogue was still the most prominent fixer in town.

After navigating through the melting pot of mercs and gang members, we found ourselves standing in front of a private booth. The only occupant was a relaxed Rogue with her left leg crossed over her right and a drink in her hand. Her eyes shined a faint blue, hinting she was in the net looking for something. Panam also noticed the eyes and loudly coughed to get Rogue's attention.

Rogue
https://i.imgur.com/Fo5xwsE

Rogue's eyes returned to her usual greenish blue after hearing the obvious attempt at getting her notice, and she turned her attention to us. Seeing that it was Panam, Rogue that a sip out of her drink and set it down on the table.

"Why if it isn't Panam? I heard you managed to take care of that little Nash problem by yourself. Here to yell some more at me?"

"Nope. Getting screwed ended up being a blessing in disguise" Panam then not so covertly squeezed my ass, "I'm just here to hear about the details on a gig this one has coming up."

Panam let go of my butt, then sat on the sofa and relaxed. Rogue lifted one of her eyebrows inquisitively after seeing that interaction and focused on me. Recognizing me for the research she must have done after our call, she leaned forward and let her head rest on her right hand.

"Basil, of course. Why don't you sit so we can talk the details about Hellman?"

I then took my seat next to Panam, reached behind her neck, and wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"Let's start with the information on Hellman. What do you have on the route he will be taking."

Rogue took a shard out of her pocket and slid it across to me. I picked up the shard and slid it into the slot in the back of my neck. My vision was momentarily disrupted by static, quickly replaced by multiple windows of information on Hellman.

"I'm not sure how you got the information, but it was good intel that Hellman is defecting to Kang Tao. Cut my workload substantially. We found a report on him on a QianT database, a Chinese subsidiary of Kang Tao. We also got news about a possible transfer happening three days from now."

The windows on Hellman then disappeared, and a screen of Kang Tao AV flight plans popped up. Then the screen zoomed in on a specific AV, and Rogue continued.

"We managed to track a Kang Tao AV with no manifest and a passenger list. A full complement of Kang Tao security and one VIP transfer from QianT."

The image zoomed out of the AV, and then two large circles popped on the map.

"Problem is that the AV will stay in Night City and Kang Tao airspace for almost its entire flight before leaving into South California. If you try anything while the AV still has eyes on it, both NCPD and Kang Tao forces will be baring down on you armed to the teeth."

There was a slight pause, followed by glass dragging across a tabletop. A few seconds later, a slight *clink* could be heard as Rogue placed her drink back on the desk. The image scrolled further south until the Souther Badlands mostly filled it.

"You're best bet will be hitting it here. Jackson Plains is the only stretch of land where you won't see an immediate response. That doesn't mean they won't respond, however. Kang Tao will be able to reach Jackson Plains with a tactical team within thirty minutes. If you want the job done clean, you'll need a native. Hmmm... I see why Panam is here now. You've thought ahead."

I took the shard out of my neck and passed it to Panam, who loaded it up and reviewed the information for herself. Once she was done perusing, she removed the shard and gave it back to me.

"Can it be done?"

"Easy job. I already have the plan to get the AV out of the air. If we do this right, we walk away with your guy AND everything else."

I pulled her towards me and gave her an appreciative kiss on the head.

"That's what I like to hear."

"As much as I appreciate stupid young love, what about my payment?"

I stood up from my seat with Panam in tow and looked back at Rogue.

"In due time. But as a sign of goodwill, I can give you something else. The name Jeremiah Grayson rings any bells?"

"Smasher's right-hand man? Yeah, I might have some unfinished business with him."

"Smasher put the gonk in control of his personal container ship. On that ship and within Jeremiah's possession is Johnny's Malorian and his Turbo 930."

Rogue's eyes lit up at the mention of Johnny's iconic pistol and car, which she quickly hid again behind her poker face.

"It's nice, but it's also not what you promised. I want a shot at Smasher, and some old Samurai Paraphenelia isn't going to cut it."

"Baby steps, Rogue, baby steps. And I never said this wouldn't help with taking that psycho down. Smasher also has a private stash on the ship, and it's very well secured. A lot of valuables are inside, but more importantly, is a set of cybernetics he's hiding just in case. If you can break into it and take everything inside, it'll make life much easier later."

"Wait, let me see if I got this right. Not only are you not letting me in on how to get to Smasher, but you're also giving me a job to klep something? You're asking me, the best fixer in the city, to do something a fresh off-the-street solo would do."

"Yes. Oh, wait! I also forgot to ask if you can give me a merc called V's number."

Hearing what I said, Rogue gave me an incredulous look. I stared back at her, trying to act as confident as possible. I didn't want to antagonize Rogue, but if anyone could break into Smasher's stash, it was her. Having a copy of Smasher's cyberware could help me prepare for when I do have to fight the cybernetic hulk of a man. Figure out the specs or any glitches and weaknesses that could be taken advantage of.

The seconds rolled by as Rogue and I continued our silent stare-off. I have to say, I see why everyone respects her so much. There's gentle intimidation behind that glare that communicates, 'you're fucking with the wrong person'. I could try to break into it myself, but having Rogue do it would be much faster. It would also free up time for me to do other things, like save Evelyn or meet with Michiko.

I thought I had a pretty good feel for Rogue's personality, so I was confident she wouldn't take my request too harshly at the start. She does get to kill Jeremiah, piss off Smasher, and retrieve Johnny's old stuff. But that feeling of her willingness was quickly going away. Right before I caved into the pressure, Rogue sighed and picked up her drink to finish it.

"You're lucky that it's me your doing this with and not some other fixer. Fine, give me the information, and I'll see what I can do."

I then flicked the info on the Ebunike and the Northside Docks to Rogue and left after she gave me V's number. Panam and I left the cold underground hand in hand and surface in the parking lot. The moon was now high in the sky, and checking my phone told me that it was almost nine.

"Have you eaten yet, Panam?"

"No. Why?"

"You know, it's getting pretty late. How about I take you out for dinner, and you crash with me after?"

Panam looked at me and waggled her eyebrows.

"And what will we do once you get me back at your place?"

I laughed at her antics and answered her after pulling her into a hug.

"Maybe we can open up a bottle of nice whiskey I bought, put on a movie, and see where the night takes us."

"I like the sound of that."

We shared a quick kiss and then got into the car. I pulled away from the Afterlife and drove to my favorite Chinese place while under the neon lights of Night City.

Chapter Text

The following day I woke up with Panam's sweaty body wrapped around mine. Looking around the shop bedroom and seeing empty bottles, snacks, and clothes haphazardly strewn across the room brought back the memories of last night. After Panam and I left Afterlife, we ate dinner at my favorite Chinese stall and headed to my place.

I made a stop on the way back to pick up some extra alcohol and snacks, which was a smart thing to do. We blew through the bottle of whiskey I had bought in record time and worked on the beers I purchased at an alarming rate. We spent the next few hours lying in bed and watching movies while getting hammered.

From there, things got a bit steamy. I'm not sure if Panam triggered it or me, but we started with some light kisses and groping, then escalated from there. My memories are spotty since I was drunk and horny out of my mind. We fucked like teenagers in heat for the next few hours, just repeated fornicating that resembled more animalistic mating than lovemaking. This continued until we both ran out of breath and collapsed into slumber.

Being awake just made me wish I was still asleep. I don't know how it's possible, but my body feels simultaneously sore and refreshed. I gently untangled my body from Panam's and got out of bed to take a shower. That seemed to have upset Panam's sleeping mind as she groaned and tossed around in the bed. She cracked one of her eyes slightly open to see what the movement was and noticed me.

"Where are you going?"

"Just going to take a shower to clean up."

I left the still-half-asleep Panam in bed and walked into the warehouse section where the shower was. I stepped into the concrete and tile square and turned on the water, making minute adjustments to the hot and cold nob until the temperature was just right. I let the water cascade over me and enjoyed the cleansing feeling.

As I appreciated the hot shower and the fogginess in my mind slowly receding, I felt a body push up against my back, and a pair of arms wrap around my waist. Turning my head, I saw Panam had walked into the shower and was now resting her body on mine.

"Last night was great. I could barely walk over here to the shower."

"Do you want me to stop using the Sandevistan?"

"No. Just let me lean on you for a bit."

Her hands roamed over my body, eventually making their way south and gently grazing against my manhood. I decided to humor her and stayed still. Seeing no reaction from me, Panam got bolder and started gently massaging my family jewels.

"You sure are frisky for someone that still can't use their legs properly."

The shower sprayed water on my back as Panam turned me around to face her.

"I guess you're right," she said with a smirk, "maybe this will be more comfortable for me."

She then lowered her body slowly until she was kneeling at eye level with my hardening member. She locked eyes with mine and licked her lips like she was staring at the most delicious meal in the world. That got my dick from mostly hard to painfully erect in record time. She giggled slightly, clearly happy with the effect she had on me.

I watched as her hands reached out, one resuming fondling my boys while the other grabbed the base of my staff and lowered it towards her. She let her tongue hang out and gave the underside a lick from the bottom to the tip. The feeling of that wetness slowly crawling up started a shiver from my hips that raced throughout my body. She continued this teasing all around my cock until the entire thing was slick with her saliva.

Happy with her progress, she opened her mouth and let it envelop the glans. Panam's signature body heat made me feel like my bottom head was inside a small furnace. Before I could get used to the feeling, Panam started to attack my manhood by using her tongue to circle it. I let my hands fall near her head and pushed the hair out of her face. Seeing her upturned eyes at me sent my libido into overdrive, and soon my vision was tunnel focused on her.

Her ministrations created sparks in my mind, especially when she grazed the connection between my head and length, causing me to moan and jerk slightly. Panam must have also noticed my reactions because she started focusing on the spot. I wanted to experience her incredible blowjob for longer, so I flexed my glutes and tried to force my mind to wander elsewhere so I didn't blow my load early.

Panam detected my attempts at holding off and seemed to take it as a challenge to finish me as soon as possible. Her head excruciatingly slowly traveled down my length until she bottomed out, and I felt her nose against my pelvis. Her teeth grazed my skin slightly, which gave me just the right mixture of pain and bliss. I almost popped right then as I felt her throat constrict around me and her tongue lapped at the underside of my flesh.

Panam slid up until just the head was held inside her mouth and slammed back down like she was trying to break me. The sensation of her lips forming the perfect seal around my girth felt like someone was giving me a 360-degree penis message. Only a few more strokes of her head later, and I couldn't hold it anymore.

"Fuck, Panam! I cumming!"

Instead of pulling off, Panam shocked me by deepthroating my spear and then holding herself at the bottom. Her arms wrapped around my waist, forming a prison of limbs, and I couldn't do anything but unload down her throat. As I shot jets of my cum, Panam groaned, causing small vibrations to encompass my already sensitive member.

Several jerks later, and after she was sure I had nothing left to give, Panam pulled herself off my length and stood back up. She pulled me into a hug and whispered into my ear.

"That's thanks for eating me out on our date."

Panam sure knows how to give out incentives. Hell, if it weren't for the fact that we both had our preparations to do before getting Hellman, I probably would have dropped to my knees right now. We helped each other get cleaned and presentable, then got out of the shower and into the van.

While in the van, we discussed the plans we devised while drinking. First, I had to drop Panam back at the Nomad camp so she could convince her family and get the needed gear. Her plan for taking the AV down was the same strategy as in the game. By overloading a nearby power station's core, a pseudo-EMP bomb can be generated, which should bring down the AV.

I knew in advance that all the EMP bomb did was slow the flying bus down and turn off its countermeasure system, so I informed Panam that we needed extra power ahead of time. Since our plan this time was to capture, she'll bring a rocket with an EMP warhead and a standard one. Once the AV was forced to land, my team would grab Hellman while the Aldecaldos worked on the AV.

Capturing Hellman was going to be left to me, Panam, a few Aldecaldos, and hopefully, V. I plan to let the Kang Tao rescue team take Hellman and ambush them before they can regroup and fortify at the CHOOH2 station. After the forced landing, one vehicle will give chase to the rescue team and force them to divert their forces to stop the pursuit. A small Kang Tao team should break off at the abandoned regional airport, where the chaser will quickly engage and break contact immediately.

While the Kang Tao escorts with Hellman think they aren't being followed anymore, the rest of the team will hit them on the road. Hitting them mid-transit provides the element of surprise and should offer the least resistance. Once we got our man, we get the hell out of dodge and move to somewhere safe.

After discussing the basics of what's going down two days from now, we rode in silence while heading to the camp. I could tell that something was bothering Panam; there was an awkward silence as she stared out the window. However, I didn't want to push her, so we stewed in this uneasy quietness. By the time we reached the entrance to the camp and parked, Panam seemed to have made up her mind and brought up what was bugging her.

"You know, Rogue kept on mentioning flatlining Adam Smasher. What's that all about?"

I looked at Panam and saw that she was still looking out her window. As I watched her, I thought about how much of my plans I should divulge. I've been hesitant to let anyone know my ultimate goal of overthrowing Saburo and Yorinobu. At first, I convinced myself that it was for security reasons. Arasaka has eyes and ears everywhere, and I would hate to have them kicking down my door before I even got off the ground. But I know Panam would never sell me out, so why was I so hesitant?

Hearing no response from me, she turned away from the views of the badlands and focused her gaze on me.

"I get it if it's something personal, but I'm sure you know Smasher is dangerous, and I don't want you to think that you can't lean on me for help."

She patted my knee a couple of times and opened her door to get out. It took watching Panam step out of my car and move away from me to realize why I was so reluctant to let her in on my plans. I was scared that she would leave my life once she found out how crazy my end goal was.

It was difficult to admit, but I was starving for attention, and Panam was the first person I genuinely made a connection with. I needed to trust that she won't push me away, especially if this relationship was going to be built on a healthy foundation. She didn't know how deep the rabbit hole went, but maybe she had a right to. Before Panam could close the door, I called her back.

"Wait! Come back inside. I'll try to explain as much as I can."

Once Panam was back inside, I took a deep breath and told her everything except my prior life in a different world. I informed her about the actual cause of the Night City Holocaust, about Soulkiller, Relic, V stealing the relic prototype, Johnny Silverhand's engram, Saburo's death, Yorinobu's plan to start the fourth corporate war, and my plan to install Hanako as the head of Arasaka eventually.

Panam eyes gradually widened as She listened to me, initially from the shock by some of the information I provided, then at the plain audacity of what I wanted to accomplish. From an outside perspective, I must have looked like a raving madman. I couldn't blame them if they did; I just hoped Panam wouldn't.

"I can't tell you how I know any of this just yet, but it's the same way I knew about the kidnappings. As crazy as it all sounds, it's not just some crazy conspiracy theories I heard on the streets. I promise I am not lying to you."

Panam just stared at me, trying to figure out how to respond to the bombs I had just dropped. After an uncomfortable amount of time, she finally sighed and facepalmed while shaking her head.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I trust you. I need to convince the clan about this job, but my offer to help still stands. Just... Let me know if you're going to do anything, ok? You're not alone."

Panam got out, and I watched as she returned to the camp. I let out the breath I was unconsciously holding onto and relaxed into my seat. I was so focused on Panam and scared of what she would say that I didn't realize my heart was beating like it was trying to break out of my chest. Once I calmed down, I started the van and headed back to the city.

It took a few minutes on the road before I remembered that I had my work to do and pulled out my phone. I scrolled through the text Rogue sent me and called the number she sent for V. My call rang so long that I thought no one would answer. But right before I hung up, a grizzled female picked up the other end.

"V speaking. Who's this?"

"A friend, V, and I come bearing gifts. Let's talk about Hellman."

Chapter Text

It was evening later that day, and I was sitting at the counter in the infamous Lizzie's Bar. Mateo, the bartender, walked over and handed me the shot of vodka I had ordered. I picked up the chilled glass and felt the condensation that had turned to ice melt from the heat of my fingertips. I downed the shot and continued to survey my surroundings.

Lizzie's Bar's namesake was Elizabeth Borden, a former prostitute notorious for breaking clients' bones when they got too rough with her employees. Working girls and boys flocked to her because of that mentality, but it also created her downfall. One night, a group of Tyger Claws raped and killed one of her girls. In a fit of murderous rage, Lizzie tracked the perpetrators down and hacked them to bits with an axe.

Not stopping there, Lizzie then hung the corpses in front of her bar as a message to anyone that wanted to try their luck. The Tygers couldn't let this stand, so they flatlined Lizzie in retaliation. All the prostitutes in the city were outraged at the death of their protector, and they banded together to cause riots all over the city. The riots birthed The Mox, a gang that took up the mantle as the protectors of any joy toys seeking security.

The Mox gave it their best try at protecting as many people as they could, but it stretched them thin and made them vulnerable to more prominent gangs. Fighting everybody on behalf of the workers meant that The Mox made enemies faster than they were friends. Eventually, they had to make the hard decision to consolidate at Lizzie's bar and limit protection to those working for them.

Another fairy tale dream crushed by the brutal reality is Night City. But despite its perceived shortcomings, they still garnered a certain level of respect and trust for sticking to their original purpose. The best showcase would be how I didn't feel in danger despite technically being in a bar with armed gang members. Well, any more in danger than the NC yuzh, anyways.

Lizzies Main Bar
https://i.imgur.com/i5T3qcS

While thinking about how funny it was that I felt safer next to prostitutes with spiked baseball bats than most police, a woman with pink hair walked into the bar. It was V, the focus of my attention for tonight. After telling her I had information on Hellman, I told V to meet me at Lizzie's tonight. While she was making her way to the bar, I hailed Mateo and asked him to give me another shot of vodka and make a special drink. As Mateo left to get me my order, V took the empty seat next to me.

If I had to use one word to describe V, it would be 'grizzled'. Like someone tired from a long day of manual labor or bashing in skulls. From what I could gather, this V had the 'streetkid' background and mainly did odd jobs for the smaller fixers and the Valentinos. That all stopped when she met Jackie Welles, and the game's main story started.

"Hello, V. Nice to see you still alive and well."

V gave me a once over, from head to toe, and grunted a greeting.

"Mmphm. I take it you're Basil. Let's cut to business. What do you want for Hellman?"

Mateo then walked over and dropped the two drinks I ordered. Being the excellent bartender he is, he sensed some serious business going on and left the scene right after doing his job. I slid the special drink I ordered for V over to the merc.

"Relax a bit. Here, have a drink on me."

V noticed the lime and the distinctive smell of ginger beer and immediately recognized the favorite drink of her former amigo. Her eyes filled with sadness and rage for a split second before squinting and focusing back on me, picking up the meaning behind the drink.

"As I said, relax and enjoy your drink."

I downed my shot of vodka and slammed the glass on the counter. V decided to trust me and raised her glass in a silent toast before swallowing it. Seeing her finish the drink, I stood up and beckoned her to follow me. We walked out of the main lounge and into a hallway with private booths. I opened the door to a room I rented ahead of time and motioned for V to get inside. I followed after her and closed the door behind me.

Once we took our seats, I grabbed the shard with Hellman's info and lightly tossed it to V. She caught it mid-air and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"The basic information on Hellman is there. Review it at your own pace, and then we'll talk details."

She hesitated a bit before inserting the shard into the back of her neck. Her eyes glazed over with the familiar blue as she perused the information on the convoy. Once done, she removed the shard and placed it on the table in the middle of the room.

"How can I know this information is legit?"

"Because I got it from Rogue. Check with her if you decide to waste more time while Johnny eats away at your brain."

The shock on the hardened merc's face after I dropped one of her most well-kept secrets was hilarious. Maybe a handful of people in this world know about Johnny's engram, and I sure as shit shouldn't be one of them. V's shock didn't last, and I watched as she collected herself and stayed silent, probably talking to the rocker-boy terrorist. Knowing Silverhand, he's probably telling V that this was all a trap and to zero me right now.

"Is he here right now? Did mentioning his effect on you get his attention?"

V hesitated for a moment before confirming my suspicions.

"Yeah. Know a way to get him to shut up?"

A small joke to lighten the mood. At least we're on the right track. It seems this V also doesn't like Johnny too much. I didn't trust Johnny at first. I mean, he did nuke Arasaka tower and kill god knows how many people. And the first thing Silverhand tried to do in my body was attempt suicide. First impressions are crucial, and Johnny's was the equivalent of walking into my room and shitting on my desk.

Over time, I formed a certain level of empathy for the guy. An unchecked anti-establishment sentiment fueled by drugs and loss almost made the end of his life predictable. If I was a deranged, depressed, and egotistical lunatic like him who had the same means and capabilities, I might have done the same things. It doesn't justify what he did; it just makes it understandable.

That's all besides the point. I need to focus back on track.

"There's only one way I know that will safely remove Johnny's engram from you, and it requires access to Arasaka's most well-guarded facility."

Before I could go any further, V interrupted me by holding her hand.

"Hold on a sec. Before we go any further, what's in it for you?"

I raised my hand to my face and rubbed a nonexistent beard. V is an integral part of my plan, but I wonder if I could trust her. Instinctually I want to because I associate V with myself, but this isn't the game, and she's effectively a stranger.

"I want the world to not burn to a crisp. To do that, I will need your help. Manners dictate I help you in return."

V bit her lips while she pondered whether to trust me or not. My lead on Hellman was probably the closest she's gotten to progress in a long time, but being a good merc means being suspicious of strangers.

"I'm going to need more."

Could I trust her? If I divulge what I know and my plans, she might turn around and try to cut a deal with Arasaka. Working with the megacorp is an option, after all. But then I remembered her eyes when she saw Jackie's drink. She missed her friend and wants a shot back at Yorinobu, Saburo, and Smasher. That pain was real. Fuck it. If I can't trust that, what can I trust?

"Fair enough. How about some bad news? Hellman can't help you."

V was stunned for a second before looking at me like I had just played the worst practical joke on her.

"What do you mean Hellman can't help me?! He's the lead engineer for the relic project. And if he can't help me, why the hell are we going after him?"

"He can't, but he'll be the ticket to the piece of tech that can. Arasaka stores and processes all its engrams with a supercomputer called Mikoshi. Once we nab Hellman, I'll use a favor to contact a board member who will help us eliminate Yorinobu. We'll then colle-"

"Wait! What's this about Yorinobu? Are you planning to overthrow the head of Arasaka?"

I could almost hear the dry laugh of Silverhand, who was either doing an 'I told you so' about me being crazy or saying he's starting to like me.

"Yorinobu has a death wish, and he's set on kicking off another Corpo War. Since I like being alive, Yorinobu's gotta go. Also, as long as he's in power, don't even think about getting close to Mikoshi."

"Shit. What the fuck did I get myself into."

"Honestly? Something that's probably way over your head. If I were you, I would have walked out right now if it weren't your only option."

V then gave me the stink eye and made a hand-waving motion, telling me to continue explaining my plan.

"As I was saying, once we get the board member on our side, we start collecting evidence that Yorinobu will light the place on fire and also find dirt on Saburo. We then give that information to Hanako, who will get rid of Yorinobu and become the new leader of Arasaka. Questions?"

"Why are we collecting dirt on Saburo? He's a dead man."

That's right; she doesn't know.

"Forgot to mention that. My bad. Saburo's not dead and is being kept in Mikoshi as an engram. We can't have that senile nutcase hellbent on world domination back in power. Next question."

"You can't be serious..."

I looked V in the eyes and mustered every ounce of truth into my words.

"Dead serious. I can't tell you how I know and why I would need proof if these were facts, but they are. And if we're to work together, you'll have to get used to trusting me on a bunch of the wild shit I'm going to say."

"Jesucristo. How confident are you that we can find information that will force Yorinobu's sister to get rid of him?"

In the game, the reasoning behind the emergency board meetings was so that Yorinobu could kill everyone not a part of his faction. It was never expressly mentioned, but it was evident that he was willing to kill family members in this process.

"I have intel that Yorinobu is planning a military coup against the other factions in Arasaka, killing anyone that disagrees with him. We get evidence of his plans, and even Hanako wouldn't save him."

"And Saburo?"

Ah, yes, the thorn in my side. This wily ol' fox didn't live so long without knowing how to cover his tracks. I didn't have anything on the guy other than that he wanted to destroy the NUSA and rule the world. The current hope was that Hanako didn't know about the true goal of Arasaka, and finding proof of Saburo's world domination plans was enough to convince her to abandon her father.

"Saburo's been building Arasaka into the global power that it is so he can take revenge on the NUSA for Japan's loss in World War Two. The old fart wants to wipe the states off the planet and take over the world. I don't believe Hanako is aware of this, and if we show her proof, it should be enough to sour her relationship with Pop. But just in case she knows, we'll need to find as much shady shit as possible to hedge our bets."

There's a slim chance that Hanako would be in the position she is in without knowing, so we'll need to cross our fingers on finding something worse.

Hearing my crazy plan and all the info bombs I just dropped on her, V rested her chin on her hands and started restlessly bouncing her legs. I could see her thinking about her chances of success without me and whether a small team could pull off what I had just outlined. A million thoughts were probably bouncing in her mind. I understood the gravity of what I was proposing, so I stayed silent and let the woman process the information for herself.

After a minute, she finally took a deep breath and sighed deeply.

"Fine. I'm in."

I smiled from ear to ear, happy to have V on board.

"Excellent. To celebrate, how about we go find a missing doll?"

Chapter Text

+NEW JOB

DOLL IN HIDING

Convince Evelyn and Judy to accept your plans
Seeing the new job pop up made me wonder how the mission system worked. Are these preset missions given to me once I meet some criteria? Or are they generated on the spot when the system deems I have begun something substantive? It also makes me wonder if there are any penalties for failing to complete a mission. The only thing I screwed up so far was an optional objective, which didn't seem to adversely affect me. As I was wondering about the mechanics of my system I saw V make a turn and walk past some Moxs. I cleared the thoughts from my head and focused back on the task at hand.

I followed V as she walked past the dressing room and into Judy's BD editing bay. The Moxs on guard only lightly questioned V but let her pass since they'd seen her here before. The room was a mess of netrunning chairs, monitors, and electronics. The low whine of servers was only accompanied by the punk rock on the radio. That was until someone from behind the desk screamed in frustration.

Judy's Work Area
https://i.imgur.com/AM14akv

"These funkin' gonks keep bringin' me worthless shit! Susie needa stop buying from any loser on the street."

A woman then stood up from behind some screens and reached her arms above her head while leaning back. Once she finished stretching, she relaxed and saw me and V in her room. Aqua hair with pink tips, tattoos all over her body, and the weird pairing of black leather overalls and a crop top; yup, it's Judy. Seeing V stunned her for a second, but she recovered and sat back down, trying to seem casual.

Judy Alvarez
https://i.imgur.com/SaCls4n

"Look what the cat dragged in. You never quit, do you? I told you on the phone already. I don't know where Ev is."

My spy footage says otherwise. I patted V's shoulder and walked past her. Dragging a chair from a different desk to the one Judy was at and sat down across from her. I looked at Judy through a gap between her monitors and introduced myself.

"Hello, Judy. Name's Basil. Can you just make this easy for everyone and just bring Evelyn here? I promise we have her best interest in mind."

Judy rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and crossed her arms.

"What are you, deaf? Like I told your friend over there, I don't know where she is."

"*Tsk tsk tsk* You shouldn't lie, Judy. You're friends in danger, and instead of welcoming help, you're pushing us away?"

My tone was incredibly condescending, like how a parent would chastise their children when they caught them lying.

"The only person in danger is you if you don't leave now."

As much as I like Judy and want Evelyn to avoid her undeserved fate, I also don't want to waste time. She needs to be made aware of just how fucked her friend is.

"Evelyn fucked with Yorinobu and is linked with Saburo's death. That's bad enough, but do you know who hired her to do the job? She was hired by the Voodoo Boys, and they are not happy right now."

I let my words sink in. I can see the tension grow in Judy's body. Her shoulders stiffened, her jaws clenching together, and her hands gripped her crossed arms. I feel she's teetering on the edge of calling in security to kick us out. Still, her curiosity is currently getting the better of her.

"That BD chip? That was supposed to be for the Voodoo Boys, and now they know Evelyn tried to screw them. She's also the only one connecting them to the job at Arasaka."

I scootched my chair closer and bent slightly forward, leaning my arms on my thigh.

"Yorinobu knows that the only person who could have gotten the information out about his penthouse is Evelyn. The Voodoo Boys think she's a loose end that knows too much. Your girl doesn't stand a chance without us."

Judy still thinks things will blow over, or Evelyn can just leave Night City to resolve this problem. That couldn't be further from the truth. She wasn't even aware of the cause and the lengths the forces involved were willing to go to cover their tracks. And I could see the hesitation in her eyes as she finally noticed the metaphorical noose tightening around her friend's neck.

"No... We're safe. The Mox will protect us."

"You, maybe. Evelyn? No, not a snowball's chance in hell. She's a doll, not a Mox. And she's too much baggage. Q would never take such a risk when she's already stretched so thin."

Judy was now stressed, or maybe the stress was always there, and she was only now showing it. Her legs bounced as her mind raced for options to keep her friends safe. That was Judy's problem. She thinks everyone is out for her, so she tries to solve her problems independently. But she's also clever and realizes that her choices are dwindling.

"I want to repeat this, we are here to help. You don't have the resources and even fewer friends, but we're here to offer an out."

I stood and looked down at Judy to give her my offer for Evelyn.

"What I am asking for is simple. I can get the Voodoo boys off her back if she promises to stay low and help me with Arasaka when I ask. Once everything is safe, I can give her a new face and identity, so she can finally chase that dream of hers to become an actor."

I could hear the rhythmic stomping caused by her bouncing feet as her shoes hit the ground. She was looking down and biting her lips, considering what I had just said. After a bit of deliberation, she looked back up at me.

"It's not my decision to make. I have to ask Evie first."

I shrugged. That's true. This isn't a unilateral decision Judy could make for her friend.

"I'm not going to follow you. I'm not going to try to track Evelyn down. You have my promise that V and I will not attempt to harm Evelyn. But make it clear to her that the second she steps out of hiding, the Voodoo boys and Arasaka will be after her. The clocks ticking, so I'll need a response within forty-eight hours."

I turned around once I said my piece and made my offer, walking out of Judy's room with V in tow. Despite telling V to let me handle all the talking, I was still surprised by how quiet V was throughout the conversation. Then again, I told him the information on the Voodoo Boys prior, which is all she wanted from Evelyn anyway. While on our way out of Lizzies, I gave V the meeting point for the Hellman job two days from now.

The doors to the entrance opened and showed that it was currently raining. V stopped before stepping out, pulling a cigarette out of her jacket and lighting it where it won't be snuffed out. The faint orange glow grew into an intense ember when she took a long drag. I didn't have anything to block the downpour, so walking to my car was going to be annoying and wet. I took off my jacket and looked over at V.

"One last thing, wait to tell Takemura about Hellman or our plans until I say so."

V removed the cigarette from her mouth and blew a large plume of grey smoke. She looked at me, gave a slight nod, and then raised her cigarette again. Takemura wants Yorinobu dead, but I don't know how he will react to information about Saburo still being 'alive'. Before I can let him in, I need to see where his loyalty lies. In the best-case scenario, he only cares about the truly alive heirs and helps Hanako ascend to the throne. In the worst-case scenario, he actively works to restore Saburo to the physical world.

I unlocked my van and raised my jacket over my head, using it as a makeshift umbrella. Sprinting out of the bar, I heard water splashing every time one of my feet landed on the ground. I rushed inside the van and quickly closed the door behind me to gain separation from the elements. I listened to the pitter-patter of raindrops as they hit the windshield and the tiny thumps as the water hit the metal bodywork.

I stopped by a gun shop to pick up a Militech Crusher, a bunch of mags, new armor, a ballistic helmet, and some new armor. Out of curiosity, I asked if they had any weapon schematics, and surprisingly they did. Sometimes weapon manufacturers will designate stores as a certified repair shops. This store I was at held several Tsunami Defense System blueprints for repairing the Nue pistol. I asked if I could buy it from the clerk, but she wanted a ridiculous 21000 Eddies. I guess it was expensive because it was technically corpo IP, and she wasn't supposed to sell it. I kindly declined her offer since there was no reason for me to buy such a thing, and left the store.

Militech Crusher
https://i.imgur.com/Vhl54ZZ

Once I was back home, I opened my crafting system and made an unholy amount of frag grenades and bounce backs. I wanted to craft better guns but needed better components and schematics first. Since I didn't have Eddies burning a hole through my wallet, I'll have to hope to find the specs and parts out in the wild. The other option was to raise my crafting level high enough to unlock some basic specs. At crafting levels nine, thirteen, and fourteen, rare, epic, and iconic specs are opened, respectively. After all the ammo, explosives, and medical supply I crafted, I was only at level six, so it would take some severe grinding.

After sorting my gear and getting everything ready, I hopped into bed and thought about what I had to do for the next few days. I still needed to inspect and pick up the upgraded cyberware I wanted, so the majority of tomorrow will be spent hitting up the shops on the list I made with Vic and purchasing chrome. The day after that will be spent dry running our plans for getting Hellman. Panam called me earlier today and said Saul wasn't willing to participate, but she rounded up a team ready to take the risk. She didn't tell me who they were, but I bet it was the same group that raided the Basilisk convoy.

Remembering the veterans brought back fresh memories of how many of them died. Scorpion, Bob, Teddy, and even Saul. I was sad at their sacrifices in the game but I quickly overcame it. It's just a video game, after all. But now they were real people, some of which considered my friends. My hands balled into a fist, and I promised myself that things would be different this time. This time things will be better.

Chapter Text

I was currently in Panam's Warhorse, sitting on the side of the road waiting for Hellman's AV to fly over us. The usual music was nowhere present, and the cab was unusually silent. It was very early in the morning, and the night sky was just beginning to be pushed away by the faint sunlight creeping over the eastern hills. The underlying tension juxtaposed with my peaceful surroundings, and I couldn't help but worry about our plans.

After shopping for cyberware and a few more gadgets yesterday, I drove into the Badlands. Since Saul wanted no part in attacking Kang Tao, I had to meet with V and Panam's team outside the Aldecaldo Camp. The Nomads that showed up were the usual suspects. Mitch, Scorpion, Carol, Cassidy, Teddy, and Bob, collectively known as 'The Vets'. These six were the group that Panam looked to for support the most.

Bob
https://i.imgur.com/I2l1oVJ

Teddy
https://i.imgur.com/9YtRcdB

Carol and Cassidy
https://i.imgur.com/VRsLQzG

We discussed our roles and drove to the various locations we would set up. Bob and Teddy will detonate and overload the power station. They'll shoot an additional EMP missile at Hellman's AV if it doesn't go down. After they bring down the Zetatech Surveyor, Bob will activate his drone and track the KangTao convoy.

Power Station
https://i.imgur.com/5mBJqMp

Once Bob informs us that Hellman has left the crash site and which car he was in, Carol and Cassidy will give chase. KangTao should try to intercept the chasing team at the airport by splitting their main force. The chase team will enter a brief firefight and then disengage to give the main KangTao convoy a false sense of security. The chase team will then go to the crash site to clear out the guards.

Scorpion, V, Panam, and I will be waiting for the remaining KangTao employees at the CHOOH2 station, hidden and ready to pounce the second they show their faces. Once we get our hands on the VIP and neutralize the corpo muscle, V and I will take Scorpion's truck and bring Hellman to the Sunset Motel. Meanwhile, Panam and Scorpion will cover our tracks by going in a different direction.

As the smash-and-grab is happening, Bob no longer needs to keep an eye on the drone, so he and Teddy will get into a big rig and book it to the crash site. Carol and Cassidy should have cleared the area as Bob and Teddy arrived. The four will then move the AV onto the big rig to haul it back to camp. I wanted Panam to hide it somewhere safe for a day in case KangTao tracked it, but the vets guaranteed that the megacorp won't be able to find the Surveyor.

The Nomads will return to camp with the Surveyor while V and I watch over Hellman. Once the dust settles and KangTao isn't breaking down the door to get their new hire back, V will bring Hellman to a safe house. Then I will contact Grant Moreno, the dad of one of the girls we found in the tunnel. And also someone that owes me a favor after we rooted out the corpo rat that ordered the kidnapping of his daughter. I'll ask him to get a meeting with Michiko, using Hellman as bait. After that? Fingers crossed, and hope that the big fish bites.

Things have gone pretty well so far. Teddy and Bob successfully planted the explosives and overloaded the power station. And they did it with a lot less fanfare than Panam, sneaking inside instead of ramming into the place. All of the vehicles we use are customized by the Aldecaldos to be EMP-resistant. Still, just in case, we are all waiting outside the blast radius.

"I got visual on Hellman's AV. Everyone get ready. Shit's about to hit the fan."

Teddy broke me out of my reminiscing, and I focused on the skyline. Sure enough, a few miles away in Night City's direction was the heavy-duty flying transport painted in the KangTao standard orange and black. Panam straightened up and gripped her steering wheels.

"Overloading the power station now."

Right after that message from Teddy, flames and smoke erupted from the spike at the center of the power station. I could see the surroundings distort as the compressed air from the explosive blast radiated outwards. Electric lights in the surrounding buildings and cars sputtered as the overloaded and damaged core became an improvised EMP bomb. The KangTao AV reduced altitude, and the thruster blue flames noticeably dimmed, but the thing was still airborne.

"The damn thing is still flying. Bob! Shoot the fucker down."

"Calm your tits, sister. Trying to get a lock, and... Got it! Missiles launched!"

Panam gave the order to Bob over the radio, who was already ready and launched the MANPAD with an EMP warhead. Just as Bob said he took the shot, I saw something zip across the sky, leaving a distinct smoke trail behind it. The missile stayed true and followed the AV until slamming into its rear and exploding in blue light. Under normal circumstances, the Surveyor's automated defense system would have shot the missile down. But the EMP shut down most of its system, and it had no choice but to eat the hit.

The AV was now on a crash course, and we watched as the pilot struggled to keep the craft upright and control the landing. With the transport no longer in flight, it was time for everyone to get to work. Panam stepped on the gas pedal, and the tires spun out until gaining traction and launched us down the freeway. As we sped down the road, another car pulled in behind us. Checking the rearview mirror confirmed that it was Scorpion driving with V in the passenger seat.

Radio chatter was frequent as everyone communicated what they were doing and any information they had. Bob's drone was on its way toward the crash. Cassidy and Carol were driving together in the general direction of the AV. At the same time, the rest of us made our way to the abandoned CHOOH2 station.

A few minutes later, Bob informed us that his drone had arrived on site and started feeding us information, the first of which was excellent news. Since we used an EMP missile to minimize the damage to the AV, a happy little coincidence was that the rocket also knocked out a significant amount of the drones and combat robots. There should be about half a dozen of each. Instead, only three KangTao combat robots wandered around. This meant that when the Nomads try to steal the Surveyor, they'll meet much less resistance.

KangTao Robots (Imagine with KangTao Insignia)
https://i.imgur.com/wBHKCqo

Hearing that released some of my tension, but I was still pretty high-strung. Bob told us that a local KangTao QRF team had already extracted the surviving crew and Hellman in two vans. Besides the vans, the reinforcements also brought three Militech Griffins for escort. Our drone did an outstanding job of keeping track of the KangTao convoy and where Hellman was located. Carol and Cassidy jumped into action once they got the go-ahead from Bob that our mark was on the move.

Militech Griffin
https://i.imgur.com/B4pmHvP

"The lead car just rammed through the gates of the regional airport. The other vehicle pulled off and stayed behind. I'm going to keep following Hellman's car. Damn, you were right, Basil. They split off to try to stop Cassidy and Carol. How the heck did you know?"

Bob confirmed that some of KangTao had detached from the group and set up defensive positions in the abandoned regional airport.

"A hunch, let's call it. Cassidy and Carol, remember that you're just there to give them a false sense of security. Give them a good show, but don't engage in any risks."

The distinctive gruff voice of Cassidy Righter came over the coms to ease any worries I had.

"Don't worry, kid. Carol and I've been doing this longer than you've been alive. We'll get the job done. Just focus on your part."

I didn't appreciate him brushing off my concern, but the old fart had a point; they were all professionals. In terms of relevant experience, I had the least of the group. Sure, I shot and participated in shooting competitions in my past life, but that was all recreational. Maybe I was so nervous because I was having doubts about whether or not I was the right person for the situation.

"We're rolling into the airport now." Agony Aunt Carol announced, "Once we break contact, we'll contact you again."

Hearing the chase team initiate only caused my emotions to spike. Panam must have noticed my agitation and self-doubt since she put her hand on my leg, which I hadn't even realized was bouncing up and down like crazy. She gripped my thigh and forced my leg to come to a stop.

"Calm down. You'll do fine. Just let your mind focus on what you must do and trust that everyone will do their job." Panam reaffirmed me as if she could read my mind. "You came up with a great plan, and everything has gone how we wanted. If anything, things have gone better than we anticipated."

I looked at her and smiled, wedging my hand below hers and giving it a squeeze.

"You know you're saying that right before we start a shootout with an armed convoy, right?"

Panam smiled back and pulled her hands free of mine before slapping the dash of her beloved truck.

"Mac can take it. Anything short of a freight train can't even hope to put a dent in my baby."

I rolled my eyes at her confidence in her ride.

"I was more worried about the passengers than the car. Sometimes I wonder if you would save me or your truck if it came down."

Panam pretended to consider the question, exaggeratedly tilting her head as if thinking about the pros and cons of who to save. Before she could give a witty response, Carol came back on the radio.

"We pulled off from the airfield and are heading towards the crash site. Everything still on track?"

Bob quickly responded with Hellman's location.

"I'm still tracking them. Basil seems to have been right about KangTao heading to that CHOOH2 station. They're beelining there at top speed. I'd say five minutes before they get there."

As Bob informed us of Hellman's convoy's whereabouts, we arrived at the refueling station. Panam and Scorpion pulled off to the side to let me and V outside. I ensured all four of us were on the same channel and sent out my orders.

CHOOH2 Station
https://i.imgur.com/VpKmrNi

"Panam and Scorpion, hide your trucks under that rock formation on the other side of the road. Scorpion, you ram the KangTao van the second it starts slowing down. Wreck the thing so it can't just run away. Panam, your job is to take out the Griffin drones, but only shoot once Scorpion makes his move."

I paused for a couple of seconds to see if there were any questions. When I was sure there was none, I continued.

"V, you're with me. We'll hide inside the station. Once the drones are taken out, the attention will be on Scorpion and Panam. You and I will use that against them and hit them from behind. We have to make this quick before they bolster their forces. This is when they will be weakest, but other QRF teams and the ones at the airport will be coming here. If you have any concerns, voice them now."

A chorus of 'nopes' and 'nuh-uhs' sounded, followed by all of us scattering to our designated spots. V and I opened the garage doors and hid behind the center pillar. I poked my head out just in time to see Scorpion and Panam get under the small cliff and orient their trucks to face us. Once everyone was in position, I asked Bob how far out Hellman was.

"Any updates on Hellman?"

"He's close. I can see the station in the distance. Get ready."

I looked down at the Crusher in my hands and inspected it one more time. I made sure the sling was attached and pointed it at the ground. I put my eyes behind the Militech Kanone holographic sights, confirming that the optic was turned on. After that, my hands reached for the ejection port and pulled the bolt back just enough to see the twelve-gauge buckshot shell still in the chamber. Releasing the bolt caused it to move forward under spring pressure. I gave the back of the charging handle a jab to ensure the gun was back in battery.

As I finished checking my weapon, I leaned out to take a look at our surroundings and saw our target. A black van a few hundred meters out was speeding across the desert, heading directly towards us, kicking up a dust storm behind it. This must be our man. I gripped my radio and pushed the transmit button to talk to Bob.

"We got visual on the van, Bob. Recover your drone and take Teddy to the crash site. Stay in contact with Carol and Cassidy. We'll see you later."

"Roger. Good luck."

Switching to the private local connection with my ambush team.

"Alright folks, look alive. Hellman's in visual range."

I was wound up tight, like a coiled snake ready to strike. The only sound was the KangTao van's engine, getting louder and louder. It felt like I was in one of those old western movies right before a shootout, where everyone is just waiting for the sound of the first gunshot before all hell breaks loose.

Once the van was close enough, I hit it with my Ping quick hack and marked all the tangos inside. Six men total, two in the front and four in the back. The van was being escorted by three Militech Griffin drones, one on each side and one trailing behind. Since Hellman isn't a fighter, that makes eight total combatants. Since I marked them, I could see them through barriers, so I hid behind the wall and waited for Scorpion to act.

I watched as the red outline got closer and closer until it crossed the road and pulled into the CHOOH2 station. I could hear the van hit the brakes and see its profile stop incredibly close to the garage doors V and I were hiding behind. Before the van could come to a complete stop, Scorpion came over the comms.

"I'm going now!"

Immediately afterward, the low rumble of the KangTao transport's idling engine was overpowered by the roar of a tuned Aldecaldo truck. A couple of seconds later, I heard the sounds of a massive crash, and all the pinged silhouettes except the drones jolt forward. Before any of the KangTao forces could react, Panam started shooting with the turret on top of her Mackinaw. HMG rounds slammed into the drones, and I watched as her gun made quick work of two of the drones. However, before she could take care of the last Griffin, there was an abrupt stop to the firing.

"Shit. Turrets jammed! There's still one more drone!"

Of-fucking-course it did. Panam really needs to get that fucking thing fixed. Not wasting any time, I swung out from behind my cover and raised my Crusher. The last surviving drone was hovering a dozen feet away from me. It was smart enough to recognize the situation as combat and started firing on Panam. I saw sparks flying and walnut-sized dents being created on the hood of her truck as bullets impacted her car.

I flipped the safety off and pushed the Crusher outwards until my one-point sling stopped it from going further. Since this weapon didn't have a stock to shoulder, using the sling this way turned my back into another point of contact to stabilize the gun.

I focused on the drone and pointed the Crusher's muzzle toward it. I pulled the trigger when the red dot in the center of my holographic sight drifted onto the target. A fireball exited my barrel, and I watched as the pellets shredded one of its gun pods. This must have thrown the drone off tilt as it started spinning around.

I quickly popped off another two shots, which destroyed the drone's main body, causing it to tumble. There was a large gaping hole where its sensor arrays were, and tiny sparks of electricity arced out from it. Happy with my handiwork, I turned my attention to the van. The passenger door opened, and an armed and armored KangTao operative stumbled out. Before they could understand what the hell was going on, I put a quick shot center mass. The individual flew back from the force and banged into the side of the van, groaning in pain.

KangTao Security
https://i.imgur.com/sbcSjuw

Surprisingly, it didn't kill them. I guess KangTao corpo armor does an excellent job at stopping double ought buck. Before they could respond, I put another shot in the same spot. This shot seemed to break through, and they slumped lifelessly against the side of the car. Noted, two shots are required. While I was taking care of my guy, V ran up to the open door and started shooting into the driver's side.

As V and I dispatched the first two enemies, the sliding door on my side and the rear doors started to open. I quickly activated my Sandi to have the tactical advantage and charged to the sliding door. Grabbing onto the handle, I ripped the thing open to see the comical sight of a surprised man getting put off balance as he was dragged to the side by the door I threw ajar. Before he could retaliate, I muzzle stuffed his head and caved his head in.

Leaning into the back of the van showed three remaining people. A blonde executive type with a wound in the leg, a medic treating his injury, and one more heavily armored soldier trying to exit through the rear. The medic noticed me and tried to draw his pistol. I was faster, so I took my first shot before their gun could leave the holster. The muzzle flash temporarily brightened the space before dimming down again. My aim was accurate, and the medic's neck was torn open.

The windpipe and spine were shredded, and blood sprayed all over Hellman's face. The former Arasaka engineer's eyes widened for a split second before his glasses were covered in human juice. As time returned to normal, I heard the crack of a gunshot and turned my head toward where it came from. Scorpion had gotten out of his truck and just put a bullet into the right side of the head of the last man standing. The exit wound on the opposite side of the helmet confirmed their fate.

Hellman's brain finally caught up to what was happening and was screaming his lungs out.

"Wait! WAIT! Are you with Arasaka? I'll go back. I'll sign a lifetime contract! Please, just don't kill me!"

Happy that all the enemies were taken care of, I stepped into the van and reached into one of the pouches on my plate carrier. I pulled out a small rectangular case and pulled the top cover off, revealing the skinny syringe inside. While shopping in a market with ill reputes yesterday, I picked up some tranquilizers to make Hellman more compliant. Removing the cap protecting the needle, I jabbed into Hellman's arm and pressed down on the plunger. The man soon fell to his side, like a puppet with its strings cut.

I removed the needle and wrapped his arm around my neck and onto my right shoulder. Then I grabbed one of his legs and lifted it around my other side. With Hellman's torso supported by my back and shoulders, I fireman carried him out into the open. I shuffled my way to Scorpion's truck, and V opened the door to the back seats. I dumped the unconscious man into the rear cab and closed the vehicle behind him. I turned around to see Scorpion walking towards Panam's truck, whose owner was on top of it, trying to clear the jam in the turret.

I looked around and saw all the guns and gear the KangTao security had on them. I was tempted to start looting, but I held myself back. One of the annoying things about having people around is that I couldn't run around and put everything into my inventory without raising a bunch of questions. Oh well, we don't really have the time to properly salvage anyway.

"Hellman' secured. Panam, are you done fucking around with that hunk of scarp you call a turret? You need to take Scorpion out of here."

She responded by flipping me the bird without even looking at me. A few seconds later, she grunted and removed something from the gun. Going by the yelp of joy, it seemed she solved whatever issue the turret had. Looking up, she waved Scorpion over and confirmed everything was good to go.

"Everything's ready! Come on, Scorpion, before KangTao can bare down on us."

Seeing Scorpion get into the Panam's Mackinaw, I climbed into my truck. V was already in the driver's seat. She reversed out of the gas station and drove down the freeway the second I closed my door. Looking behind me showed Scorpion and Panam leaving and cutting through the desert. I settled back into my seat and kept an eye on the road, warry of any trouble coming our way.

It was now early morning, and the road that was empty just a few hours before was starting to see its first commuters. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for the next few minutes, and just before I was going to relax a few Chevillon Emperors in a familiar orange and black paint scheme showed up on the horizon.

"Shit. I think that's a KangTao convoy" V looked at me, wondering what our plan was, "How do you want to handle this?"

Should have known better than to think we were in the clear.

"Just keep driving like nothing is happening. We're just innocent workers heading into the city. Only engage if bullets start flying or they turn to follow us."

My heart beat faster and faster as the KangTao reinforcements got nearer and nearer. Happily, they sped right past us, not even sparing a glance our way. Just in case, I kept my eyes in the rearview mirror and only stopped when I could no longer see them.

From there, it was smooth sailing. We reached the parking lot of the Sunset Motel ten minutes later and dragged Hellman into a room I rented ahead of time. V then drove Scorpion's truck into the small shop that the motel operated to hide the vehicle from sight. While she was doing that, I stayed in the room to ensure nothing happened to our ticket to Michiko. I dragged one of the chairs near the bathroom, as far away from the door as possible, and sat in it. V rejoined me a few minutes later, tossing her backpack onto the ground and crashing into the bed.

She rubbed her eyes for a while before sitting up and taking a bottle of water out of her pack. After emptying it in one go and tossing it into a trash can, she looked at me.

"So, what's next?"

I grinned at her and picked up my Crusher that I set down on the side of my chair. I put a fresh mag in and rested it on my thigh, muzzle pointed at the door.

"Next, we wait and see if KangTao retaliates."

Chapter Text

It was the following morning, and the rays of sunshine were beginning to show through the slits in the window blinds. We've been occupying this room for approaching twenty-four hours, with V and I taking shifts maintaining security. Hellman woke up late last night and was currently tied to a chair with duct tape covering his mouth. V interrogated the man as soon as he woke up and got the same responses as in the game. Hellman couldn't help with what was happening and recommended finding somewhere to make the terminal stages comfortable.

Hellman
https://i.imgur.com/kQ0uT4v

V wasn't happy with what she heard and promptly stormed out of the room. I debated whether or not to follow her to try to reassure her that my plan was still in play despite what Hellman said, but I decided against it. Learning that her condition is almost hopeless is difficult, but V's a big girl and needs to come to terms with it on her own. After a few shouts and some venting, V walked back in and stared me down.

She asked how certain I was that I could fix her, and I guaranteed that if my plan worked, I could remove Johnny without killing her. Of course, I also mentioned the caveat that the longer we waited, the shorter her lifespan post-operation. She wanted more details, but I was uncomfortable giving them with Hellman in the same room. Eventually, I agreed to explain precisely how it worked after Hellman moved to a safe house.

The makeshift gag was something V did after she got pissed when Hellman wouldn't stop talking and trying to negotiate his freedom. And honestly, I was starting to get annoyed as well. After hearing that I could solve V's problem, he wouldn't stop bothering me and trying to figure out what I knew. So I'm not complaining about shutting him up. It still doesn't stop me from imagining the pain the Arasaka traitor would feel when removing the tape pulls out beard hairs. I almost feel bad for the guy.

It was currently just Hellman and me inside the room. I was lying on one of the beds watching N54 news, shotgun on the sheets right next to me. V left to pick up some drinks and food to munch on. Whenever it was mealtime, one of us would go to the bar and grab whatever Noah, the barkeep, had available. It was mostly frozen food that a microwave could prepare, like pizza and hotdogs. We wasted the hours away watching TV and browsing the net, occasionally staring at the door when we heard footsteps or cars drive by. So far, no one has even spared us an extra glance, and I'm pretty sure that KangTao has no idea where Hellman is.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door four times, followed by a gap, then two more times. This was the code V and I came up with to know when one of us was trying to get back in. I got up from my resting spot and went to the door. Looking through the peephole confirmed that it was V coming back with food. I slid the chain lock off and unlocked the door knob. Once the door was open, V quickly entered and dropped a pile of food and drinks onto a table. I closed the door behind her and walked over to see what she had brought.

A few bars of chocolate and two of each of Pierre's Croissants, Slaughterhouse Prime, and Dairing Dairy 'Milkshake'. The parenthesis around 'Milkshake' is concerning, but dairy is scarce in this world, and most 'milk' products are just milk flavored slur. I tore into my share and quickly devoured the croissant and strangely compressed Slaughterhouse burger. I washed it all down with the bag of milkshake and used the chocolate bars as dessert. Ignoring that the croissant and burger were criminally dry, the meal was alright.

A large grumble sounded behind me when I finished eating. I turned to the source of the sound and laughed a little when I realized that it came from Hellman's empty stomach. I guess we've waited long enough. I turned around to see V wipe her mouth after finishing the last bite of her burger.

"If anything were going to happen, it would have already. We should get out of here so you can move Hellman to the Safehouse."

A long slurp followed as V tore open her milkshake and started sucking out the contents. After the bag deflated to about half its original size, she stopped drinking and agreed to move out of the motel.

"Yeah, I'll stash him at my spot. Sending you the cords now. What are you going to do?"

My display showed that V sent me some information, and I opened it to see the address of where she was taking Hellman. The location was El Coyote Cojo, which I immediately recognized as the bar Mama Welles ran. I raised one of my eyebrows questioningly at V.

"Mama Welles know who she's hiding in her bar?"

V finished her milkshake and tossed the empty bag into the garbage can.

"I told her it was related to settling the score for Jackie, and that's all she needed to hear."

Hmm. Makes sense. If I were her, I would also want a bite out of whoever was responsible for my kid's death. Hell hath no fury like a scorned mother. I gathered all my packaging from the food and threw it into the trash can. I then cleaned my mouth with some napkins before telling V my plans.

"I'm going to meet up with the Aldecaldos to see what's going on with the Surveyor we nabbed. I'll return the truck we came in while I'm at it. I need to drive there anyway since that's where I left my car. After that, I'll contact my man in Arasaka and try to set up a meeting with the board member. Anything after that, we'll play by the ear."

V reached into her pocket and tossed me s small piece of metal. I caught it midair and looked down to see that it was the shard to Scoprion's truck.

"Fair enough. But I expect you to keep me updated. And we need to meet so you can fill in the blank on some things I don't know. Is the parking spot right outside our room still free?"

I made an opening in the blinds and saw that the closes space was still empty.

"Yup,"

"Good. I'll drive my car over and reverse in. We'll shove Hellman into the trunk. I'll let you know when I get him to Mame Welle's."

V then stood up and left the room. While she was out getting her car, I stood up and walked over to Hellman. I took out a pocket knife from my pants and unfolded it to its full length.

"I'm going to cut you loose, Ok? But I need you to behave. Try to run for it, and I'll stab you in your leg. Capiche?"

After seeing Hellman nod nervously, I knelt next to him and cut the binding holding him in the chair. All he did was rub his wrist, being careful to follow my directions and staying seated. I grabbed him up by his left arm and turned him around, tying his hands together behind his back. I pushed him onto a bed and did the same to his feet. When I finished turning Hellman into a human worm, I waited for V to drive her car over.

A minute or two later, I heard a car park next to our room and the soft clunks of a car door opening and closing. The familiar coded knocking soon followed, and when I swung the door agape, I saw the rear of V's lightly modded Hella EC-D. I picked up Hellman in a princess carry and waited for V to tell me that there weren't any bystanders before walking out and dropping him into the trunk. Once I ensured none of his limbs were in the way, I slammed the trunk lid shut. I dusted my hand and looked over at V.

"Welp. I'll see you later. If anything happens, remember to keep me in the loop. Likewise, I'll contact you when I progress on my side. You good to go?"

V thought about it for a second but quickly came up with nothing.

"I'm all sorted. You need anything done in the city while you're out here?"

"Nah, but thanks for asking," I patted V's shoulder. "I'll see you later."

V gave me a slight nod and got into her car. I watched her pull away from me and out of the parking lot. Once V disappeared over the horizon, I walked upstairs to the bar to let the staff know that I was leaving and to stop charging me. Since I wasn't sure how long I was staying at the Sunset Motel, I told them to keep charging me until I left. Once I was done checking out, I headed to the onsite mechanic, pulling out my phone to call Panam while on the way.

I hadn't heard from her since our raid on KangTao, and I was worried. I didn't know if they could transport the Surveyor, how Saul reacted, or if they ran into KangTao. I'm sure Panam and the Vets' are more than skilled enough to pull it off or take care of themselves, but I'd still like confirmation. The call rang almost a dozen times before Panam finally picked up the call.

"Uuuuugh... Give me a second."

It seems like I caught her while she was sleeping. A quick look at the time on my phone showed that it was a quarter past seven in the morning. It's still early, but not early enough for me to feel like an ass calling her.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty. How did things go with the AV? and more importantly, how did Saul react?"

I heard her laugh slightly at my question.

"We brought it back just fine. No one's been sniffing around, so we're in the clear. Saul was not happy, however. Stomping out when we came back while huffing and puffing, you should have seen it. He's stewing but can't do anything because he knows how much of a difference having an AV can make for us. I'll definitely be getting plenty of shit from him for the next couple of weeks."

Saul's displeasure isn't too surprising. Having a stolen AV isn't exactly the best look when you're trying to court other Megacorps for peaceful work. I don't envy him, balancing making deals and keeping an eye on Panam. It's hard to be the one responsible for the livelihood of so many people. Sure, I might favor Panam's way of doing things, but I also can't fault a man for trying to feed his family.

"Remember that he doesn't hate you. Just because he wants to do things differently doesn't mean he doesn't understand where you're coming from."

"Yes, mother."

I could almost hear the eye roll over the phone, but I decided not to pursue it further. Maybe this is a good time to propose selling them crafted weapons in bulk so they can start smuggling again. If smuggling becomes a significant operation for them again, it'll be easier to justify the Surveyor being around. It will also provide the Nomads and me with a new source of revenue. That'll simultaneously reduce the need for the Aldecaldos to rely on working for megacorps, and help me stabilize my financials.

"I'm about twenty-five minutes away from your place. Can I come over right now to drop off Scorpion's truck? I also have a business idea that I think you'll like."

"Sure. Give me a call when you're close. See you soon."

The call ended, and I finished my journey to the garage. I opened the door to see Scorpion's truck untouched inside. Pressing a large red button on the wall started a motor on the roof, and the sheet metal door started to unfurl. I opened one of the passenger doors and brought up my crafting systems. Using a small portion of my remaining components stock, I crafted a few guns with the common schematics unlocked when I hit a certain crafting level.

After I dumped a couple of SMG, assault rifles, pistols, and shotguns into the back seats, I started the car and drove towards the Aldecaldo camp. Let's see how Saul reacts to my offer.

Chapter Text

V's POV

I made a right under the Hanford Overpass and pulled into a basketball court. I drove past the hoops and parked in the ally behind an old bar. El Coyote Cojo was a local staple in The Glen, and I have a lot of fond memories of the place. Drinking with pals, taking shady jobs, and hooking up with drunk chicks. The usual bar stuff. This was where I started as a merc after my life with the Valentinos.

El Coyote Cojo Entrance
https://i.imgur.com/B7XJsXo

The Valentinos took me in at a young age. Like many other young orphans in Haywood, it was my only option. Well, other than starve or start selling myself to pedos on the street. Sure, I was interested in all the cash and jewelry they were always flashing around, but I think I just wanted to be a part of a group. I wanted to taste what having a family is like.

The Valentinos started me out by having me be a drug mule for them. The cops tended to frisk children less than adults, especially adorable little school girls like me. Then I started selling drugs and being the muscle for protection rackets. Of course, once I was older, I saw that the gang wasn't trying to be my family.

Sure, I made friends, but I always had to keep an eye on my back. Some rival gang could see me walking down the street, and they'd flatline me just for existing. Or worse, some gonk in my gang decided they wanted to move up the ranks, and I was in the way. Everybody only had their best interest in mind, and the top dogs kept the infighting at the bottom so we couldn't rise and topple them. It wasn't really any different than being a corpo rat.

I parked near the rear entrance and got out of my car. There were several loud thumps from the rear of my car, and I turned to see the vehicle slightly rise up and down following the beat of the thumps. It seems like my passenger is starting to get restless. I walked to the alley entrance to the bar and knocked on it a few times. A while later, the door slid open, and a middle-aged woman greeted me.

"Good morning, V."

"Good morning, Mama Welles. The guy is in the trunk."

Mama Welles was the mother of Jackie. She always looked out for me. When I was with the Valentinos, when I started doing solo work, when I returned to Night City, and even now. She looked at my car, nodded, then turned around and yelled while leaning past the doorway.

Mama Welles
https://i.imgur.com/hRSAX5L

"Pepe! Get your lazy ass over here!"

A deep grunt sounded from further in the bar. Moments later, a big bearded man with a gold arm wearing a faux crocodile skin vest walked out. The burly guy was Pepe Najarro, the best bartender on this side of the city. We got along pretty well, and I got some of my first gigs from him. The kind of clientele the bar pulled meant Pepe always had something going on. Whether it was because patrons wanted to use his connections to get a job done or wasted gangers were shit at keeping their mouths, Pepe always had the inside scoop.

Pepe Najarro
https://i.imgur.com/DQeeLCM

We walked over to the rear of my car, and I popped the trunk open. Hellman was thrashing around in there. At first, he thought he was finally saved after seeing a new face, but the hope quickly faded when I stepped back around. Pepe grabbed Hellman's feet while I lifted him under his arms, then we started walking into the bar. When Hellman started twisting and shaking too much, I punched him in his nose and gave him a death stare to cut the crap. He got the message and calmed down.

No one was inside the bar since Mama Welles closed the place. I doubt any of her customers would snitch on her, but better to be safe than sorry. We walked past the pool table and slot machines and entered the main lounge on the first floor. My heart dropped when I got a quick glimpse at the memorial for Jackie and remembered the day we raided Konpeki Tower. Mama Welles must have noticed and patted me on the shoulder before guiding us further into the bar.

El Coyote Cojo Main Floor/Bar
https://i.imgur.com/M9cpLo5

Jackie's Memorial
https://i.imgur.com/LvTcQ3Y

I recovered and followed Mama Welles to a supply closet behind the bar. We dumped Hellman on a chair inside, and I checked his bindings while Pepe covered the small glass window on the door with some newspaper. Once we were all outside, Mama Welles closed and locked the door, tucking the keys into her jeans.

She grabbed me by my arm and took me to a small booth in the corner. Mama Welles pushed me down into the bench while she sat opposite me. She then yelled her order to Pepe, who was already behind the counter.

"Two glasses of whiskey, Pepe!"

"You got it!"

Mama Welles focused back on me.

"Mi dulce niña, you gotta stop beating yourself up about Jackie. It wasn't your fault."

Talking about Jackie was not what I expected, and my mind blanked. I thought she would ask about Hellman or what I had planned, not this. It took me a few seconds to boot my brain back up, but I still didn't know exactly how to respond. After a bit more uncomfortable silence, I finally sighed deeply and crossed my arms on the table.

"You keep saying that, Mama, but I just... I can't stop thinking about it. You know? I knew the job was too good to be true. There were too many factors and too many players involved. And we were tryin' to klep something from Yorinobu, for cryin' out loud! I should have dropped that gig cold."

I was looking down at my legs. I didn't dare peek up, mostly because I couldn't bring myself to look at the mother of my dead best friend. But I guess Mama Welles wasn't going to leave it at that. She reached out and unfurled my crossed arms before taking hold of my hands into hers, firmly gripping them.

"Mija, look at me."

I didn't want to, but Mama Welles said it as a mother would gently order her children. I raised my hand and saw a face with a gentle smile, her eyes showing sadness and understanding.

"I can't say that this burden you feel will disappear because it never did for me. Jackie was the last Welles man, and he's gone now. Every day I wake up, my heart cries, knowing my hijo won't be home."

She took a deep breath and shook a little, the corners of her eyes red from being on the verge of tears.

"I know you did your best trying to keep him alive. I also knew that Jackie would take that job no matter what" She smirked, "His 'golden ticket', he called it..."

She sighed and gently shook her head, remembering how her son would brag about how their life would change soon. Her hands loosened up, and she started rubbing small circles in my palm.

"No one blames you for what happened, so you can't let it hold you back. Ok? Honor Jackie by focusing on what you have going on now instead of the mistakes in the past, Ok?"

Mama Welles was right. I'd gain nothing by constantly thinking about what could have been. I should focus on getting Arasaka back for the shit they've done to Jackie and me. I smiled at Mama Welles and acquiesced.

"Sure thing. Thanks, Mama."

Pepe must have been waiting for our heart-to-heart to finish, as after that, he brought over two glasses of whiskey. Mama Welles and I both picked up our glasses and drank to Jackie. Mama Welles then changed the topic after placing her empty drink down.

"Speaking of what you have going on now, any new special person in your life?"

My mind immediately brought up Judy, the BD editor at Lizzie's Bar. She was my type, but the loyalty and fire in her eyes were what attracted me. The problem was that if I wanted to live I had to put her friend Evelyn in danger, and I didn't want her to hate me for it. That's why I let Basil do all the talking when we met with her the other day. It was a bit of a cop out, but I think I somewhat saved my reputation by being a silent bystander. I shook my head and got her out of my mind as fast as she intruded on it. But it wasn't fast enough since Mama Welles must have noticed something.

"I know that look. Who is it? Come on, you can tell me."

I flushed in embarrassment. Mama Welles was the closest thing I had to a real mom, so I felt uncomfortable talking to her about my love life. Also, I'm a bit too old to gossip about crushes.

"Oh my god, Mama Welles. It's nothing, Ok? Just leave it alone."

She did not leave it alone.

Panam's POV

I stretched my arms above my head after exiting my tent, trying to chase away the post-sleep lethargy in my body. Once I was done, I walked through the camp and toward the edge of our home. Situated on the outskirts of our base was an oversized temporary garage, and inside was the Zetatech Surveyor we stole yesterday from KangTao.

Only the Vets and I knew about the plan to take the thing, so everyone in the camp was shocked when we returned with the flying behemoth, especially Saul. Once he heard what we did, he stormed out of the command trailer and confronted us. Yapping on and on about how we're bringing on too much risk and that this would jeopardize the deal with Biotechnica.

I don't know why Saul insists so much on working with that damn Megacorp. He says it's because we can't make a living with the usual business, but that's just because he's unwilling to try harder! I mean, me and the guys come back with a freaking cargo AV, and instead of making plans to use the damn thing, he still wants to negotiate with Biotechnica?

And not just Saul, even Basil tried to convince me this morning that I should try to see things his way. I can give him a pass since he's not a Nomad, but Saul was the best damn Aldecaldo since Santiago. Saul was the guy that always finished the job no matter how many shivs or corpos were on the other side. Ever since he took the reins of command for the clan, he's been becoming more and more of a pussy. Going so far as to beg for scraps from those soulless businesses.

While quietly fuming about Saul, I got to the temporary garage and walked past the curtain entrance. I could see sparks flying, and the sound of machinery as a small team labored away at getting the AV airworthy again. Mitch was standing in one of the corners with a small screen in his left hand, pointing something out to a nomad wearing welding goggles and a facemask.

Usually, I would be one of the people working on any big vehicle we needed to fix, but AVs were too far out of my comfort zone. So Mitch was leading the project since he had the most experience on large thruster craft. I don't know how much damage hitting the Surveyor with two EMPs did, but Mitch said it would be an easy fix after he did a diagnostic scan yesterday. I made my way to Mitch and leaned against a case, waiting for him to finish talking with the worker. I picked up a small empty oil bottle on a nearby shelf and fidgeted with it while biding my time.

While Saul didn't like us bringing the AV back, the remaining clan seemed excited at the potential prospects. Being able to fly means we could get verticality to our smuggling routes. We could fly over any part of the wall instead of having to go under at specific points. Or maybe even fly over the ocean, where border control has a much smaller presence. The options were endless, and I wanted to ensure we took advantage of this opportunity correctly.

A couple of minutes later, Mitch finished giving instructions, and the other nomad left to get back on the job. When I saw that Mitch was alone, I decided to be mischievous and threw the bottle at him. The old man showed that there was still an edge in him by batting the bottle out of the air without even taking his eyes from the tablet.

"Are you just here to distract me, or is there something more important?"

"Maybe I think distracting you is important? In all seriousness, how long will it take to get this baby back up and running? What's the plan?"

Mitch then turned around and motioned me to follow him inside the Surveyor through the side entrance. He then pointed at spots where the body panels had been removed, and some exposed wiring could be seen.

"Procuring that AA missile with the EMP warhead was a pain in the ass, but it was the right call. The Surveyor didn't suffer any significant mechanical issues, and most of the damage was limited to the batteries and power delivery systems. Nothing major. We can probably have all those issues fixed within two weeks."

Walking outside again, Mitch led me to one of the powerful engines and slapped the side of the thing.

"Each of these suckers produces roughly twenty thousand pounds of thrust. They can technically spit out twenty-five thousand pounds, but that's only under emergency conditions. I'm looking to revamp these babies so they can output twenty-five thousand under normal circumstances and up to thirty thousand when things get hairy. That'll turn this thing into a proper rocketship."

"Sounds like you already have a plan laid out. Anything I can help with?"

"Actually, as a matter of fact, there is."

Mitch said while showing me pictures of weird circular blades on his tablet.

"If I want that added performance, I need to overhaul the compressor section with new blades and shafts. The good news is that I know where we can find the parts from a salvaged Militech Manticore."

The good news? Oh boy, that never bodes well.

"And the bad news?"

"The bad news is that the Maelstrom salvaged it after shooting it down."

"Fuck."

"Yup."

Out of all the gangs in Night City, it just had to be the Maelstrom who had what I needed. I almost prefer working with the shivs than the fucking Maelstrom.

"*Sigh* I'll see what I can do. Send me the deets on the parts you need."

While Mitch was forwarding me the component specs, I got a text from someone else. Checking my phone showed that it was Basil, saying he was just a few minutes from the camp. Thinking about my new mainline had me grinning. He was one of the few positive things that happened to me while I was away from the clan, and responsible for so much of the good after I rejoined.

"Who's that?"

I looked up and saw that Mitch noticed me smiling.

"Basil's here to drop off Scorpion's truck and talk about some new business he has in mind. I'll see you later, Mitch."

"Before you leave, let me say one last thing. Basil's a city kid, and you're a Nomad through and through. I know you want to get serious with him, but sit down and take some time to try to figure out what the future is."

I opened my mouth to tell Mitch off and have him mind his own business, but I stopped myself and thought about what he said. I don't want to admit it, but Mitch has a point. The problem is I don't want to bring this up now only to find that Basil and I don't have a middle ground, then proceed to burn it all down. Maybe I'll do it later. For now, one step at a time.

Chapter Text

+NEW JOB

BACK IN BUSINESS

Convince Saul to expand Aldecaldo's trafficking business
The newest job in my system was simple enough. Saul might be against partaking in the more dangerous trades, but that was only because he didn't believe the profits were worth the struggle. With my ability to make guns with literal garbage, this should be a home run of a business proposal.

After convincing Saul, I'll contact Grant Moreno to meet with Michiko and continue my schemes. Judy called me while V and I were stuck in the Sunset Motel and informed me that Evelyn was willing to stay put, so once the meeting is planned, I'll have to get in touch and convince her to join V and me while negotiating with Michiko.

I will use the gap between arranging and meeting Michiko to insert new chrome and do combat training. I gained another two levels after the Hellman gig raising my level to eleven and giving me two more perks and attributes points. I stored the perk points and used both attribute points to increase my Reflexes to twelve. Having Reflexes at twelve should allow me to upgrade my Sandi safely. Once I have a better Sandivistan installed, I'll start spending my perk points to fine-tune my combat style.

Even though there seemed to be a lot on my plate, I wasn't stressed since everything else had been going so well. I gathered all the ingredients for succeeding with my plan, my business is flourishing, and I even have a new sweetheart. Everything was turning up Basil.

I drove up the winding dirt path to the Nomad camp, parking offroad once I reached the mobile lookout built on top of a truck. I got out of the vehicle the Aldecaldos lent me and opened the rear door nearest to me. What greeted me was a small pile of guns that I hoped could lure Saul into engaging in smuggling again. I would have never considered aiding contraband runners in my old life, but this world was different. The world of Cyberpunk was even more prone to violence than in my old life, and having weapons was as standard as having cyberware. It was more of an investment in personal security than anything else.

I brought two of each Militech Ajaxes, Militech M10-AF Lexingtons, Constitutional Arms M2308 Tacticians, and Militech M221 Saratogas. A spread of assault rifles, pistols, shotguns, and SMGs should give Saul and the Aldecaldos a good idea of what I could provide. While inspecting the weapons and stacking them on top of each other, I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. Turning around, I saw Panam looking as good as ever.

Ajax
https://i.imgur.com/nHayO2Y

Tactician
https://i.imgur.com/6Hp9bzm

Saratoga
https://i.imgur.com/pt4v1Ly

Lexington
https://i.imgur.com/dpBTgSR

I waited for her by leaning against my van and enjoying her catwalk. Once she was a few steps away, I pushed myself off and wrapped her in a bear hug while giving her a quick kiss.

"Hey baby, how's it going?"

"Better that you're here now."

We reciprocated the affection and locked together, enjoying each other's warmth. I could have stayed like this for longer, but I separated from Panam since we did have business to attend to.

"Smoothtalker," I pointed to the truck behind me, "do you want me to drive this anywhere specific?"

"No, there's fine. I'll let Scorpion know where it is," Panam then noticed the open door and the stack of guns, "what's that?"

I turned around and brought her closer to the truck's rear cab so she could get a better look.

"That is what I the 'business' I wanted to bring up with you and Saul. Take a look."

Panam moved around me and dug into the pile, inspecting whatever gun interested her.

"If you were to smuggle these in quantity, how much would you get per piece?"

"Well, it depends on the manufacturer and what kind of gun it is. Arasaka weapons will have a higher premium for the NUSA states since they still can't operate there. And anything made by Militech will have a hefty price tag in Texas since Texas and the NUSA are at each other's throats again."

She then pulled the shotguns out of the bundle and removed them from the rest. Pointing at the Tacticians, she continued about the economics of smuggling.

"Both sides can buy guns from the other major manufacturers like Constitutional Arms, so we don't bother with those" She explained why the shotguns I brought were no good, then steered the conversation back to the Arasaka and Militech weapons, "For basic power weapons, I would say about five thousand for assault rifles, three for SMGs and shotguns, and two for pistols. Now the real money printers are tech and smart guns. For those, the premium is at least double the power weapons."

Holy shit, I was in the wrong business.

"Ok, I think I have an offer that will make you and Saul very happy. Take these," I tossed the two Ajaxes to Panam while I grabbed the Saratogas and Lexingtons, "take me to Saul. Let's see if I can get you two to agree for once."

I followed Panam through the camp, greeting Aldecaldos, who were going about with their morning activities. Some Nomads would see Panam coming around and greet her with waves or small cheers. Apparently, Panam gained plenty of goodwill when she and her posse came rolling in with a giant AV strapped to the back of a truck. The locals were even friendlier with me, not that they weren't before. Before the Hellman job, their treatment was generally lukewarm. Now, they seemed sociable and acknowledged me alongside Panam.

We walked towards the center of the camp and approached the familiar large truckbed that was converted into a mobile command center. Saul was looming over a table, trying to make sense of a pile of documents and maps. He was unaware of Panam and I's presence until we went up the steps and scattered a bunch of guns over his table. His face scrunched up in annoyance, and Saul looked up from his work. When Saul saw that it was Panam, his brows only furled further.

"What the hell is this, and why is it on my desk?"

"Something Basil wanted to talk to you about," Panam said while stepping to the side so I could go forward, "and because I just wanted to annoy you."

Saul looked past Panam and made eye contact with me, barely lessening any of his annoyance that stemmed from Panam. Let's hope Saul isn't prone to anger transference.

"I'm here to offer a business opportunity, Saul. The AV will help with moving goods across the border, but there's no point if you don't have any goods to move in the first place. I can sell you Ajaxes for fifteen hundred and Saratogas for a grand a piece. In bulk, of course."

Saul tried to maintain his calm, but I could see his eyes widen slightly before quickly returning to normal.

"And why would you do that? What do you get out of this?"

"Well, money and Panam, duh. Jokes aside, having the Aldecaldos back in the game means getting another party to provide stability for the Badlands. And we all know the Badlands could really use a bit of stability. I'm also going to be making some moves in this city, and I'd like to have your clan back me up if I ever need it. Strengthening you now makes you a better ally later."

Saul didn't say anything, only giving me a stone-cold stare while his fingers drummed away on the tabletop. I knew he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity, but something was holding him back. It's not because Saul doesn't want to seem weak and accept charity from Panam's plug. He's stubborn, not petty. It has to be something that poses a more severe threat. I didn't have to guess for much longer as the Nomad leader finally broke the silence.

"It's a reasonable price, I'll give you that, but it's not the cost that makes me turn away from smuggling. The Wraiths have been seriously cutting into the business we're traditionally known for. It wasn't a problem until recently since their infighting and reputation kept the good contracts away. But somehow, they settled their differences and started getting their shit together, undercutting us on gigs."

Fuck, that's not good. I knew the Wraiths and the Aldecaldos had animosity with each other, but this is more serious.

"You think they're trying to push you out?"

Saul paused, probably trying to figure out how much to let me in on. What's curious is that he looked at Panam as well. Taking a peek at her slight loss expression showed that even she might not be privy to what was going on.

"I think they're trying to get rid of the competition permanently. They've been scouting us and ambushing our routes and camps. It's why we moved two times in the last six months. The Shivs have more bodies than us, so I need outside help to even the score."

I see now. It never made sense to me why Saul wanted to work with Biotechnica.

"You don't think you can trust a corps or gang to provide help without signing your soul away. But if you work for them..."

I trailed off once the pieces clicked. Saul picked up where I left off, looking at Panam and me with shocking sincerity.

"But if we work for them, they'll protect us for the term of our contract. The clan can use that time to build our strength and hit back at the wraiths in full force. Of all the gangs and corps, Biotechnica was the lesser evil."

I can't help but think after hearing Saul's reasoning that if he was just open with why he wants to work with Biotechnica that Panam would be more understanding. She's headstrong but not wholly unwilling to compromise. I looked at Panam and saw that she was angry but not mad at Saul. She seemed more frustrated about being kept out of the loop and unable to help the situation.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me why you wanted to work with those corpo rats. Does the rest of the clan know about this? Why didn't you let me know?!"

Saul sighed, taking Panam's irritation surprisingly well.

"I didn't want you suggesting a suicide raid on the Wraiths that would put even more pressure on the rest of the clan. I can see now that I might have been short-sighted, but you can't deny that immediate violence is what you would have chosen. Even if we won, we'd be broken. We need time, and you are not known for patience."

Panam was absolutely fuming now, teetering on the edge of starting a full-on yelling contest with Saul. At least the cat's out of the bag. Better late than never, I guess. Now that the problem is out in the open, I can use the information I know to try to solve it. I put my hand on Panam's shoulder and gently massaged it, calming her down. I then looked at Saul and smirked, coming up with a plan.

"What if I said I have a way of getting rid of your Wraith problem?"

Chapter Text

"And how do you propose to get rid of the Wraiths?"

Saul asked with a look of incredulity.

"I know where their base is, and I also have a way to get in from the outside that is not monitored. Catching on yet?"

Say what you want about Saul. He was overly cautious, headstrong, and a poor communicator, but he was not stupid.

"Strike 'em and fast. We'll need to do scouting beforehand to ensure we will kill as many of the Wraiths as possible when we decide to attack. Also, I need intel on the leadership structure. There's no way in hell they sorted out their differences by themselves. Someone has to be ruling with an iron fist. Chop the head off, and the body dies with it. You seem to have a lot of knowledge on the Wraiths, Basil. Happen to know who their leader is?"

Saul makes a good point, but sadly I don't remember anything about the top dog for the Wraiths. I only knew about the hidden entrance and the location of the Wraith base because of the rescue mission to save Saul.

"Sorry, no intel on that front. Just going to have to do things the old fashion way and send some folks on RECCE."

Saul nodded, accepting that sometimes there is uncertainty in life. He then said something that caught both Panam and me entirely off guard.

"Panam, you're taking the lead on this. Toss together a scouting team and figure out as much as you can. I want the layout of the Shiv base, patrol routes, headcount, and who the leaders are. I'll give you a week to do that. Then I want you to assemble a team to do the hit, twenty men minimum. Layout an assault plan and run it by me when you're done. Think you can handle it?"

From what Panam told me, I thought Saul was still angry with her, so giving her this responsibility surprised me. From the wide eyes on Panam's face, I could tell she wasn't expecting it as well. She recovered well, only slightly stammering out her response.

"Uh- Wha- I mean yes. Yes, I can handle that. Basil, brief us on what you know about the Wraiths base and your secret entrance into it."

I spent the next hour or so laying out everything I knew about the Wraith base. The Shivs had holed up in an old cement factory that used to be owned by Corp-Bud in Sierra Sonara. In the game, the Wraiths captured Saul while on patrol and brought him to this camp to be tortured and interrogated. The player has to sneak into the compound and release Saul, then try to make a stealthy getaway. You can either sneak in by going over certain parts of the walls, pass through the entrances, or use an unguarded drainage tunnel connected to the basement.

After I spilled what I knew, Saul dismissed us, and I followed Panam out of the command center. I looked up while shading my eyes slightly with my head, noticing the sun was now roughly midway through its daily journey. I should probably get on with the next step of my plan and arrange a meeting with Michiko. I took out my phone to call Grant, but Panam grabbed my arm and dragged me toward one of the restaurant-bar hybrids in a trailer before I could do so.

She sat me down at the bar counter and called over the young girl who was bartending.

"Ellie! Could you bring me a Broseph? Oh, and a cheeseburger."

The short brunette drying a beer glass nodded and grabbed a brown bottle from a cooler to bring over to Panam. After she dropped off the drink, she put two patties on a grill to make Panam's burger. Since it was already noon, I asked Ellie also to make me a burger. While we were waiting, Panam finally couldn't stand whatever was bothering her anymore and let loose what she had holed up.

"Why do you think Saul asked me to do the recon AND plan the assault on the Shivs? Do you think he wants me to fail, so I get disgraced? Uhhhhhhh! Why did he do this?!"

There's no way Saul is purposely trying to embarrass or oust Panam. She's too valuable a resource to waste when the clan is in trouble. She's also been gaining popularity ever since her return.

"You have to stop thinking everyone is out to get you. Maybe Saul sees potential in you. Someone who can serve as the foundation for the next generation of Nomads to prosper but still needs to gain the proper temperament. He knows this could make or break the clan, so possibly he's trying to use this situation as a pressure cooker to see how you mature."

Ellie walked over with Panam's burger and plopped the plate in front of her. Panam stared at her food but didn't touch it.

"Why do you always take his side?"

I definitely wasn't expecting that question. I paused for a moment and thought about the best way to respond. I didn't want to play the devil's advocate for Saul constantly, but I know that he values Panam and her input. He eventually makes her co-leader and even agrees to storm Arasaka Tower with the rest of the clan. You only take that risk with someone if you are confident in that person. It's just that these two hardheads are both the kind that thinks compromise shows weakness, so communication can often be tricky.

"Saying I always take his side is unfair, and I think you know it."

I then put my hands on her shoulder and caressed her. Once she looked at me instead of her dish, I continued.

"I know the type of person Saul is, and it takes just a bit of perspective to follow his logic. Say you were in his shoes. An existential threat wants to get rid of you and your family. You're low on money, running out of resources, and don't have any favors left. When you send people out to work, half of them come back in body bags. Hell, you're losing so many men that you don't make a profit even if the job is successful. What do you do?"

Panam gave me a heated look, quick to snap back with her standard response.

"I wouldn't work for a megacorp, even if it was to buy tim-"

I raised my hand to stop her mid-sentence. She paused but didn't like me interrupting her.

"You get an offer to build some things from a corp. The pay is good, and they offer protection for the length of the contract. Sure, they might fuck you over, but getting fucked isn't any worse than getting shot in the head. So you decide to at least negotiate with the corp, see how sincere they are, and get a feel for how things'll work out. But the second you decide to do so, someone you trusted, someone you see as a successor, comes out and tells everyone you're going to sell their soul to the devil."

Hearing that, Panam lowered her head and started chewing on her bottom lip, wondering what it would be like to be in place of Saul.

"All you want to do is make sure the kids don't starve and everyone is safe. And in return, one of your own makes it her mission to make you the villain."

Ellie then walked over and gave me my burger. I could smell the familiar grease of fatty foods and the pleasant warmth radiating from it. My stomach growled, protesting the denial of meaty goodness. I removed my hand from Panam's shoulder to lift the burger and took a bite out of it. The meat was synth-meat, so it still tasted off, but the seasoning was good. A touch of pepper flavoring mixed well with the ketchup, giving a savory/spicy/sweet blend.

Confused about why I stopped, Panam looked at me only to find that I was preoccupied with eating my lunch.

"Really? We were talking about something serious, and you got distracted by a burger?"

She's got a point, and I should focus. I regretfully put the burger down and tried to collect my thoughts. When I remembered where I had left off, I continued.

"He's hard-headed, like you, and is used to being the best or getting things his way. If somebody kept tactlessly challenging your authority, even if you were wrong, would you be happy with them?"

Panam thought about it and let out a deep sigh.

"*Sigh* I guess not."

"Exactly. So don't be so quick to judge Saul for something you would have done as well. As for this job with the Wraiths, I think he wants you to learn what it feels like to take accountability for so many lives and feel the pressure of having the financial well-being of the entire family on your shoulders. Just do your best."

I then picked up my burger again and took another bite. Panam also lifted her meal and dug in after seeing me starting to eat again. We continued in comfortable silence, with only the calm chatter of other nomads and the sizzle of the grill to accompany us. Once I finished my last bite, I wiped my mouth clean of grease and swiveled my chair to face Panam. She was still working on her burger, so I waited until she was finished.

"Do you need any help with scouting?"

"Are you any good at scouting?"

"Never tried it, so I doubt I'm any better than one of your clansmen specializing in it."

"Then no."

I shrugged and accepted the situation for what it was. Knowing one's limit is essential, after all.

"When do you plan on starting with the Wraiths?"

"Immediately. The sooner they're out of the picture, the better."

I pushed myself off my stool and walked over to hug and kiss Panam on her cheek.

"I need to start working on my plan with Arasaka. I might not do the scouting, but I expect to be involved when you hit the bastards."

"Wouldn't even think about leaving you out."

"Good. You know how to find me if you ever need anything. I'll see you later."

That seemed to remind Panam of something since she stopped me when I turned to leave.

"Wait! There's this thing I need to upgrade the Surveyor in the city. Think you can get it for me?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"It's specialized components for the new engines we want for the AV. And, uh, we think the Maelstrom has them."

Welp, that complicates things.

Chapter Text

The day after I proposed supplying the Aldecaldos with weapons for smuggling, I was lying on the bed in my shop with my phone in hand. After I left Panam to work on her plans, I called Grant Moreno, the dad of one of the girls Panam and I saved from the Shiv hideout, to ask him to schedule a meeting with Michiko Arasaka. At first, he was unwilling to do so, but he changed his tune after I hinted that I wanted to return a high-value 'Arasaka asset'.

He'll have to call in a few favors and work with Michiko's schedule, so the meeting would have to be at least a week or two from when I called him. That worked for me since I had plenty on my plate that I wanted to do before then. One of which was finally getting some long overdue upgrades to my cyberware. Once I entered the city, I bee-lined it to Vic's clinic and had him cut me open to install the new chrome.

Several hours later, I walked out of the clinic with a slew of new hardware. A Biotech Σ Mk.3 increased my ram and buffer size, lynx paws and a upgraded Dynalar optical camo made me almost undetectable to human senses, Arasaka subdermal armor provided extra protection, Militech gorilla arms gave me enhanced strength, a Dynalar Sandevistan Mk.3 increased the bullet time while reducing the cool-down period, and an IEC smart link allowed me to use smart weapons.

The chrome made me an absolute menace on the battlefield, but it also temporarily put me out of commission until my body adapted to the new changes. I had hobbled under the moonlight from Vic's clinic to my shop, crashed onto the bed, and slept the remainder of the day away. That leaves me where I am now, spread eagle on my bed with my phone on speaker, holding for V to pick up the call.

I hadn't talked to her since she left to stash Hellman somewhere safe, so I wanted to see if things had worked out on her end. Besides getting an update from V and telling her that the meeting with Michiko is in the planning phase, I also wanted to ask if she had any dealings with Maelstrom. Panam wanted some hard-to-come-by parts that she thinks the gang has.

Since I didn't want to deal with a group notorious for being primarily borderline cyberpsychos and partially clinical cyberpsychos, I was hoping that V could pull some strings for a business deal. In the game, the player had to buy a robot Maelstrom stole from Militech. The gang had just undergone a change in leadership, forcing V to renegotiate with the new head honcho. If the deal goes wrong and you shoot your way out, you could save the original leader, who then owes you a favor. Just thinking about Maelstrom gave me the heebie-jeebies. Their stitched-together skin, openings in the face, and that creepy red glow from their optics just gave off bad vibes.

Maelstrom
https://i.imgur.com/ebeutk1

"Hey, Basil. What's up?"

V finally picked up the phone, and I focused back on the call.

"Morning, V. You managed to get our friend home safely?"

"Yup. He's nice and secure now."

"Good to know. The meeting with the board member is in the planning phase right now. My contact needs a bit of time to work something out. I'll let you know as soon as I get a definite date."

"Sounds good. Anything else?"

Moment of truth, fingers crossed."

"Actually, yeah. Do you happen to have any ins with Maelstrom?"

There was a pause on the other end, then V spoke up with uncertainty in her voice.

"Well... I did save their old leader, but I also killed half of their gang when a deal fell through, so it's hard to say. Why?"

"They have something that I would like to get my hands on. I'd rather try my hand at peaceful negotiations before resorting to violence. If I had a connection that could skip the line for me so I could talk to the top dog, that would be my best bet. When dealing with the Maelstrom, we both know that the less you interact with them, the better."

"Yeah, you can definitely say that again. Let me see what I can do. I'll call you when I figure something out."

We both said our goodbyes and ended the call. I dropped my phone to my side and tried to relax my body to ease the general ache and pain from all the new chrome. Vic said that I should be able to move without the crutch by tomorrow and that I could start exerting force after another two days. Until then, I'll make my best couch potato impression and rest. That was until my stomach growled from hunger, and I remembered that I hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch.

I picked up my phone and started searching for restaurants nearby that delivered. Eventually, I settled for just getting a large chilispurt scopperoni pizza and a drink from Buck-A-Slice. Twenty minutes later, I heard my bell ring, and I got out of bed to shuffle over to the door. After I paid and tipped the Buck-A-Slice employee, I dropped the flat box and drank on a table. Scarfing down pizza and drinking straight from the two-liter bottle reminded me of when I was in college, buying five bucks hot-and-ready pizzas and drinking lethal doses of soda alarmingly frequently.

After eating the weirdly crunchy pizza, I grabbed and opened two small bottles Misty and Vic gave me. The blue pills were painkillers from Vic, while the yellow ones were some sort of natural sleep inducers Misty had on hand. I popped one of each into my mouth and washed it down with some water, before limping back to my bed and setting myself down.

(Not quite a time skip. Fast forwarding?)

The following two days flew past at a rapid pace. I spent my free time doing light exercises to get my body back up to one hundred percent. I started with some basic stretches and eventually ramped it up to mundane tasks while having my cyberware activated. During those two days, I also took my first step toward taking combat seriously.

The promise of beer and food got Vic to agree to teach me the basics of boxing, while a meeting with Wakako with some excellent import sake in hand got her to introduce me to a Kenjutsu instructor. I took advantage of my open schedule for the next two weeks and had alternating classes for a few hours every other day. After I could comfortably move again, I spent the following week learning how to fight. Having that day in between each class gave me time to recover, and it ended up being one of the smartest things I've done.

The Kenjutsu instructor was an older man that ran a dojo in Kabuki. When I first met him, he gave me the impression of someone who could barely walk alone. However, once he started teaching, he turned into someone completely different. It was almost like the wrinkles on his face were a lie, and he showed the various cuts with surprising speed and force. The man also rarely spoke, mostly resorting to thwacking other students and me with a stick whenever we were out of form.

Vic took somewhat of a similar approach, teaching me the basics and pounding the shit out of me until I improved. The primary difference was that Vic talked much more and liked to verbally razz me while beating my ass whenever I fucked up. My life turned into a cycle of recovering and being physically humbled, but I couldn't argue with the results.

By the end of the first week, I had barely scratched the surface of the two arts but saw significant improvements in my combat abilities. I could swing a katana more, brawl for longer, and generally keep my cool better in a fight. My economy of motion saw vast improvements, and I gained a few new skills I could pull out in an emergency. Skills that I hoped I didn't have to use any time soon. But life has a funny way of ignoring one's desires.

(Fast forwarding end.)

It was the next week, and since I hadn't heard anything from Panam, Grant, or V, I decided to schedule more boxing and sword lessons. I had just finished getting my round of whipping from my Kenjutsu instructor and was walking home. The sun had set while I was inside the dojo, and a cool night breeze replaced the star's warmth. I stretched my back and arms, wincing slightly when I accidentally touched one of the areas the Kenjutsu instructor hit multiple times.

While cursing inwardly, my line of thought was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot to my right. Violence was worryingly pervasive in Night City, and I've heard my fair share of random gunshots and drive-bys. But this shot was much closer than just some unexpected event a few streets over. Turning my head to the right, I saw an alley that led to a small area with small food stalls.

Two heavily tattooed men with ponytails were standing next to two people on the ground. One wore a red coat and pants, while the other wore a tank top and jeans. The one in all red had his gun pointed at someone in a restaurant uniform lying on the ground. A pool of expanding scarlet liquid surrounded the head of the man on the floor. Next to the corpse was another man wearing the same uniform, kneeling with his hand in the air. Around the murder were five other hoodlums, trashing the food stalls while yelling and beating the workers.

Tyger Claws
https://i.imgur.com/ltcKOwc

It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened here. Going by the tattoos and red, black, and neon color schemes, the gang members were a part of the Tyger Claws. They could have killed the man for not paying his loan, not giving his protection money, or just because they liked scaring people. The point was it was violent, and it was a crime. This was confirmed by a text that popped into my vision, notifying me of being near a violent crime scene. The text reminded me that a while back, I had signed up to be a contractor for the NCPD and was tapped into their scanners.

The Tyger Claw in red shifted his pistol to the worker kneeling on the ground, pushing the muzzle into his head hard enough to force his face to tilt up to see his assailant. The Tyger then said something I couldn't hear, but it must have been awful because the poor worker started yelling incoherently and crying.

I didn't wait to see what the Tyger Claws would do and activated my Sandivistan. My right arm swept my jacket backward, revealing the revolver at my hip. I dropped my hand until I felt the web between my index finger and thumb hit the plastic grip of my overture. A smooth draw later, the revolver was raised in front of my face. I instinctively lined up my front and rear sights, and I pulled the trigger when there was nothing but the head of the red Tyger Claw in them.

I enjoyed the sight of the bullet leaving the barrel and the muzzle flash for a second before shifting my aim to the next target. I stuck with the revolver because guns didn't speed up in function when time slowed down. If I used a semi-automatic pistol, I would have to wait for the slide to travel rearward to eject the spent casing, travel back forward to strip a round from the magazine, and fully seat to chamber the round before I could shoot again. The revolver was completely manual and operated by the trigger. The only thing holding me back was the travel time of the hammer dropping and hitting the primer in the round.

I fired another shot at the closest Tyger Claw and activated my optical camo. I ran closer to my remaining targets while the first two crumpled to the ground, only slowing slightly when taking another shot. Four bullets later, I had an empty revolver, and my Sandivistan ran out. While I went on my rampage, the Tyger Claws had noticed that someone was attacking them, but because of my optical camo making me almost invisible and lynx paws reducing the sound of my footsteps, they couldn't pinpoint my location. Watching them freak out was funny, in a morbid but satisfying way.

Only one last member stood, a woman in a striped suit and short skirt. She was trembling, constantly swiveling and pointing her gun at anything that made a sound, utterly unaware that I was behind her. I didn't have the time to reload my revolver before my optical camo ended, but I still had my katana on my left side from my Kenjutsu lesson. My right arm holstered my gun while my left arm held the scabbard's throat and drew the sheath back. Once my pistol was safely stored, I quickly walked up to her to close the distance. Once I got within striking distance she finally heard my muffled footsteps and turned towards me, but it was too late.

My right hand gripped the handle wrapped in cord and pulled my katana out. Once my left hand felt the blade had entirely left the sheath, I turned my waist slightly to the left and dipped my katana so it could have more room to swing. Once the sword was at its optimum position, a Gorilla Arm-powered slice swung upwards from my hip and cleanly cut through the jugular of the female gang member. Her eyes widened in shock and horror as she dropped the SMG in her hands and reached up to try in vain to stop the bleeding. Red liquid gushed out from around and between her fingers, soaking into her white suit.

My optical camo ran out, and I phased back into existence in front of her. She looked at me clearly for the first and last time, shuffling towards me. Maybe she wanted to kill me with her dying breath or wanted to beg for her life; I didn't care. I raised my foot and kicked her away from me. Her body dropped to the ground, and her arms fell limp to her sides. I walked to one of the stalls and grabbed a kitchen towel to wipe the blood off my katana. Once my blade was clean, I sheathed the sword and turned around.

The area was a mess, but as far as I could tell, the Tyger Claws only killed one person, so it could have been a lot worse. I walked over to the kneeling man who was presumably moments away from being shot. He had turtled up since the start of the fight and covered his head and ears with his arm.

"Hey, it's OK now. You can get up."

He shivered when I touched him on his shoulder but gingerly looked up when he heard what I said. He took in the sights around him and confirmed that the Tyger Claws weren't harassing him and the small group of food vendors anymore. He then turned to see me, and I tried my best to give him a reassuring smile.

It seemed to have worked, as he thanked me profusely, or at least tried to anyways. The man was still crying, so his words were fighting against hiccups while tears streamed down his face and snot ran out of his nose. I didn't want to seem insensitive, but it was all a bit too much for me. I stood up, backed away from the man, and said some platitudes. While backing away, I remembered that I could make money by sending evidence to the NCPD, finishing a "scanner hustle".

I turned around and got pictures of all the bodies before getting a video recording of what had happened from the man who was almost executed. He spilled his guts about how the collection of stalls hadn't been paying their protection money and that the Tyger Claw wanted to kill some of the workers. I sent everything I had to the NCPD and started looting the corpses. There were a good amount of eddies on them, but the most important things were the weapons. Several of the guns were uncommon, with two of them being rare.

This was the first occurrence where I had the time to loot everything correctly, and it was my first score of something that wasn't of common rarity. By the time I was done scrounging all the gear, I got another text from the NCPD saying they had received my evidence and that the contract was closed. Soon after, a transfer from NCPD hit my balance, and I got paid two grand.

Two grand was very good for the time I put in, but the danger involved balances it out. But I still considered doing this more because the real profit was in the XP I got. Killing the seven Tyger Claws and finishing the NCPD contract almost leveled me once. Combining the experience, money, and gear I could loot, this might be one of the most profitable ways to spend my time.

I heard the sirens in the background while considering becoming a professional police contractor. The sound of Night City's finest reminded me that I was at a crime scene, so I quickly sorted myself and made my way out of the area. You didn't have to stay at the crime scene once the contract was finished, but I'd prefer not having to deal with the NCPD if I could help it. I didn't want them to question me on where all the guns were or other things that could bring unwanted attention.

The walk back home was thankfully quick and uneventful. My mind was strangely at peace after the confrontation. I was gradually getting used to killing people, but this was the first time I felt good after committing the deed. Maybe it was because I was helping the law, or I knew I was saving lives. Whatever it was, I decided that the best strategy was to appreciate the good I'd done and not think about it too much.

I spent a few hours watching TV while maintaining my katana. After my blade was oiled and nice and sharp, I took a shower to wash away the filth from exerting my body. Afterward, my skin was free of grime, and my mind was refreshed. Being so relaxed naturally caused drowsiness, and after watching a few videos on my phone, I turned off the lights and went to sleep.

Chapter Text

(Warning! Description of Rape)

It was a usual night in NC. A rainbow assortment of neon lights deluged the concrete jungle, and a cacophony of car honks, corpo ads, and people yelling assaulted Tabata Yumi's senses. But despite Night City's best attempts at distracting her, she maintained a laser focus on her target. She was in her hunting mode, and her prey was a group of boisterous Tyger Claws about thirty paces ahead of her.

Yumi Tabata aka 'The Yandere' is based on the Tyger V preset by gunshyghosts.
https://i.imgur.com/9YLKalJ

Link to the character preset:
https://www.nexusmods.com/cyberpunk2077/mods/3468

At a glance, one could be forgiven for thinking that Yumi was also a member of the Tyger Claws. She was of Japanese descent, carried a katana, and had the trademark dragon and koi tattoos prominently displayed on her skin. Just never let Yumi hear you compare her to the Tyger Claws, or she'll stab you in the guts and rip your face off your skull.

Yumi was indeed once a proud Tyger Claw member, but now her visual similarities were a source of great shame and anger to her. Yumi got her first introduction to the gang lifestyle in her freshman year of high school. She fell in puppy love with a loud senior who always drove a red motorcycle and skipped.

At first, she didn't know he was a part of the Tyger Claws, just that he seemed to be the person with the most freedom in the world. Everywhere he went, he got preferential treatment. The people on the sidewalk gave a wide berth when they saw him coming, food vendors gave him free meals, and jewelry stores even gave him small gold and silver gifts. Yumi knew none of it was normal, and she had doubts about her boyfriend's legitimacy, but she was so intoxicated by the experience that she didn't care.

Yumi's suspicions that her boyfriend had ties to the underworld came to light when a young food stall worker refused to comp their meal one day. Her boyfriend beat the poor man within an inch of his life, constantly threatening the worker and his family with the Tyger Claw's retaliation. She learned that day that her boyfriend was a Kyodai or a leader of a small gang that operated around her school.

Most people would be scared or disgusted with that revelation, but Yumi was the exact opposite. Being young and dumb, she wanted all the benefits of being a part of the Tyger Claws and ignored everything else. Sure, she might have to punch some teeth out, but what's a little violence compared to a life of decadence?

When Yumi voiced her desire to become a criminal, her boyfriend readily agreed and let her into his world. Yumi took to the crime life like fish to water. She even gained some perverse pleasure whenever she got violent with someone. Occasionally individuals would stand up to her, only to be beaten down by her and her posse. The cycle of violence and dominance created a constant feedback loop, and Yumi fell deeper and deeper into the hole. But all good things come to an end.

Yumi and her boyfriend continued their relationship after he graduated, and by the time she was in her senior year, her boyfriend was up for a promotion. The regional leader of Watson, or Shateigashira, liked her boyfriend's work ethic and wanted him to work directly for the Shateigashira. Yumi's boyfriend happily accepted and took her to his confirmation ceremony.

The gathering was more akin to a party than anything ceremonial. Drinks flowed freely, and the guests had expensive food constantly brought to them. Everything was going well, and Yumi was enjoying herself until the unannounced main event occurred. One might wonder, how can the main event be unannounced? Well, it was only unannounced to Yumi.

The Shateigashira of Watson was an old man that's been a part of the Tyger Claws since the early days of the gang. The few times Yumi met him gave her nasty vibes. Apparently, those feelings weren't unfounded, as he's known for being a massive sadist and pervert. By abusing the authority he had in the organization, he was able to get away with a variety of gut-wrenching crimes. Unluckily for Yumi, he had set his eyes on her.

One of the requirements for being promoted was sacrificing his girlfriend. The old man said some bullshit about forgoing all his connections and dedicating his life to the Tyger Claws. Yumi being told that she would take her boyfriend's role as the local gang leader was all a lie to keep her close before the ceremony.

The promotion then turned into a living nightmare for her. The Tyger Claws in the building didn't even have the decency to drug her, instead choosing to break all her limbs so she couldn't run away. She remembered yelling until her throat was sore, trying to get her boyfriend, attendants, or anyone to help her. But it was all in vain, and she was repeatedly forced upon for almost an entire day. Whenever she thought she was close to losing consciousness, someone would kick her in the ribs or stomp on her head, keeping her awake through pain.

Once they finished with her, they just grabbed her body and tossed it off a bridge and into the water. Through uncanny luck, Yumi managed to stay afloat and washed onto the shore alongside piles of garbage. It was the first time in her life that she felt the force of the world bearing down on her. The treatment brought upon her was not dissimilar to how she used to crush others in her way. The irony of having thought she was better than everyone else but ending up having her body broken and dumped around literal trash was not wasted on her.

The path to recovery was long and arduous, and often Yumi considered just giving it up and everything with a quick bullet to the head. But every time those intrusive thoughts invaded, she managed to find the rage and thirst for revenge that kept pushing her forward. Changing one's appearance was easy in Night City, but Yumi kept her tattoos as a reminder of what she once was, what happened to her, and how she would make it all right again.

The first thing she did after finishing healing was track down her ex. She found him one night at a local strip club in the VIP room, being entertained by several girls. The look on his face when he saw her walking into his private room was something she had savored for days to come. She gutted the man like a fish and separated his head and limbs from his body. The satisfaction she felt from ending the one who betrayed her was so good that it was borderline orgasmic. What had happened to her apparently didn't stop her sadistic streak from raring its ugly head. By the time she was done, the room had looked like something out of a horror gore film.

Yumi wasn't done there. She wanted to kill the Shateigashira that orchestrated her downfall, the other regional leaders, the small bosses, the big bosses, and everybody in between. Yumi wasn't going to quit until she tore apart the organization brick by brick. By the time she was finished, she wanted the Tyger Claws to be nothing but a smoldering pile of ashes.

After she killed her ex, she started hunting the other underlings of the Shateigashira. And that was what she was currently doing. The group she was following wasn't high up on the ladder, but one of them reported to an associate who handled the money for the Shateigashira. Yumi hoped that following them would hint at where she could find the accountant. She's been stalking the group in vain for the last few days and was beginning to think it would be better to torture them for information.

While Yumi was debating whether or not just to kill everyone and kidnap the man with what she wanted to know, the Tyger Clwas turned off the main road and into an alley. Yumi followed them but stayed far enough to avoid being made out. The Tyger Claws walked through the path and into a small pedestrian square. The area was filled with food stalls and vendors who sold trinkets and toys.

All but two of the Tyger Claws spread out, choosing to harass a different shopkeeper. The two that stuck together made their way to a stall that sold sushi and takoyaki. The small booth had two workers, one younger and one older man. They were both immediately culled by the gang's presence and kept their heads down while talking to the Tyger Claws. Whatever the conversation was, the Tyger Claws didn't like what they heard since they soon got violent and grabbed the two workers.

The two workers were pulled away from their stall and made to kneel at the center of the square. This was a sight that was all too common and one that Yumi was intimately familiar with. It wasn't long ago when she often found herself being the one getting violent with small businesses.

Things escalated quickly from there. One of the Tyger Claws said something to the younger man before shooting them in the head. The supersonic crack of the bullet drew the attention of the surroundings, and several screams could be heard. Yumi was jaded by violence and the plight of the commoner. She only cared about revenge, so the passing of some random guy was unimportant to her.

The older man was next in line, and as the gun was pushed into his forehead, another gunshot rang. But this time, it wasn't the Tyger Claws doing the shooting. The head of the Tyger Claw that performed the execution snapped to the side, and a red flower bloomed from the part of the skull where a bullet exited. That was followed by another shot, killing the other Tyger Claw closest to the older man.

Watching the second Tyger Claw member actually angered Yumi since he was the one who probably had information on the accountant. More shots were fired while the Tyger Claws dwindled. With each passing second, Yumi became increasingly frustrated because she couldn't find who fucked up her plan. That was until she caught a slight shimmer in the air, followed by the unmistakable sight of a muzzle flash.

The shimmer would rapidly change location whenever another bullet flew through the air. Whoever was doing this had an optical camo implant and was fast. Fast enough for Yumi to think that it was the work of Sandevistan. Six shots from different locations in four seconds, and all of them landed on the head. No one could do that without enhancements.

Her frustration somewhat died down while the massacre occurred. Watching the survivors yelling and freaking out tickled her sadistic tendencies, making her appreciate the brutal efficiency in killing that was being carried out. Yumi finally got a look at the culprit when there was only one Tyger Claw left. It was a bit of color where it wasn't meant to be, which then expanded until a large man with a katana and coat stood behind the remaining gang member.

The man calmly holstered his revolver and walked towards his target. The female Tyger heard the footsteps and turned around to see who it was. The second she made eye contact, I watched the man pull his katana out and perform a simple Hidari Joho Giri. The move lacked refinement but was backed by brutal force, allowing the blade to easily cut through the woman's throat.

Yumi could feel her heart rate pick up, which went into overdrive when she saw the cold glare the man gave the dying Tyger Claw. The female Tyger stumbled toward the man, but he just kicked her back and cruelly watched as she bled out on the floor. Seeing how good the man was at killing Tyger Claws and how rough he treated his last target triggered something new in Yumi.

Yumi fixated on the man, watching him use his phone to take pictures of the corpses and record the older man saying something. He was probably getting proof to fulfill an NCPD contract, which Yumi often did as well. If you're going to kill Tyger Claws, you might as well get paid by the state for it.

Something else strange happened after the man took the pictures and recording. The stall operators were too busy running away or being thankful they weren't dead to notice the man walking around and picking up the Tyger Claws' weapons. Once he picked them up, he made them disappear as if by magic. Yumi thought her optics were bugging out or she was going crazy, but the man repeated the act several times.

Before she could figure out what was going on, sirens blared from a distance. That startled both the man and Yumi, and she left before she got entangled with the cops or got found out by the mysterious swordsmen. Yumi sprinted away and towards her home, making sure to weave through back alleys and side streets, which was a habit she picked up to shake any tail that might be on her.

Once Yumi got to her apartment, she quickly opened the door and slammed it shut. She turned from the living room and rushed into her bedroom. One look at the state of the room, and one would immediately conclude that something was wrong with its owner. Food wrappers, empty bottles, and clothes covered the floor. The walls were in a similar state, but instead of trash, it was plastered with pictures of people. Some had red strings connecting each other, while others had a big red circle and cross striking through the heads of the subject.

Ignoring the chaotic décor of the room, Yumi threw herself onto her bed. She was panting loudly, which could have been from running, but Yumi knew it was something else. She wedged her finger under her pants and slowly slithered her hand toward her sex. Yumi's flower was dripping wet, which was both exciting and alarming to her.

Yumi hasn't gotten sexually excited since what happened to her at the ceremony. She had just assumed that her experiences had made her completely asexual. That she was now damaged goods, and that losing the ability to get horny was like how a rebuilt shattered cup was always missing a few pieces. But now that she felt the heat between her legs again, she couldn't help but stick her fingers into her honeypot and feel exhilarated at her returning sexuality.

While Yumi's thighs rubbed together and the fingers on her left worked their magic, her right hand reached up and groped her breasts. Things picked up quickly from there. She alternated between mauling her tits and stretching her nipples while her other hand moved in and out of her lower lips so fast she was beginning to chafe. She imagined the mysterious man pushing her up against a wall and thrusting into her like wild animal.

Slamming her body so hard it was like he was on a mission to break her into pieces. Until finally he bottomed out and flooded her eggs with his baby batter, impregnating her like the sow she was. It didn't take long for Yumi to blow right past her limits and for her body to start convulsing from the pleasure of having her first orgasm in almost a year.

Yumi's body arched as it rode the high of cuming, eyes rolling up so far it threatened to stare into her mind. The pleasure was overwhelming, and her tongue lolled out while drool spilled from her mouth onto her face. Her brain became mush from the sensory overload and was eventually forced to shut down. Her body collapsed onto the bed like a puppet with its string cut, and she lost consciousness. Yumi's face looked like someone that was fucked silly while high on drugs, utterly unbefitting of self-respecting women. But it was also the biggest and most genuine smile she's had in a long time.

Chapter Text

My eyes jerked open when my ears were assaulted by the annoying sound of the alarm I set on my phone. It was Monday morning, and another week had passed since my clash with the Tyger Claws. I hit the snooze button on my alarm and tried to nap for a few more minutes, but further sleep evaded me. With an annoyed groan, I got off my bed and into my shower. Once I took a quick shower, I dressed and ate a simple breakfast of cereal and milk.

After finishing my morning ritual, I got dressed and made my way out of the shop, grabbing my trusty katana that was leaning on the wall by the door before leaving. Once I left my shop, I got into my car and drove towards the Badlands. Since it was a workday, the traffic was horrendous. Night City had eight hundred and fifty cars per thousand people, one of North America's highest number of vehicles per capita. While stuck in stop-start traffic, I thought about the new skills I had learned.

I had made good use of the gap between big jobs practicing boxing and Kenjutsu every, but I also started freelancing for the NCPD with the time in between. Other than a few close calls where my new subdermal armor saved my ass, fighting crime had been relatively uneventful. The only thing that stood out was that sometimes I got this feeling that someone was watching me. Even when all the civilians had left, the bad guys were dead, and there were no cameras, I still felt I was being monitored. But since nothing ever came of it, I just threw the feeling away as being overly paranoid. I was constantly intruding on gang business, after all.

Over the course of a few days, I earned almost forty thousand Eddies and leveled up ten times from level eleven to level twenty-one. That gave me ten attribute points and increased my perk points to twenty. I invested the attributes into raising my Body attribute to seven, Reflex to fifteen, and Technical Ability to twelve. With the significant bump in attributes, I also finally spent my bank of perk points.

I spent twenty perk points throughout the week and picked up ten new skills. The four skills I picked for Crafting were True Craftsman, Innovation, Grease Monkey, and Ex Nihilo. True Craftsman and Grease Monkey allowed me to craft rare and epic items, respectively. Innovation made medical consumables fifty percent more effective. Ex Nihilo gave me a twenty percent chance of crafting an item for free.

These perks expand my crafting options and reduce the cost of making multiple items. I also want to pick up some schematics and test whether they will allow me to learn recipes. If I can learn from schematics, it would be interesting to see if I am limited to only weapons and gear. If I could make vehicles or robots, that would make my crafting ability something genuinely broken.

The Body related perks I picked up were all Athletic perks. Regeneration allowed me to heal while in combat, level three Invincible increased my health by thirty percent, level three True Grit increased my stamina by thirty percent, and max level Epimorphosis allowed me to regenerate all of my health outside of combat. These perks were necessary since they made killing me harder and allowed me to fight for longer.

I spent fifteen points in the Athletics and Crafting category, which left me with five remaining points. I spent the last of my perk points getting to level three in Sting Like a Bee and level two in Float Like a Butterfly. Flight of the Sparrow at level two halved the stamina cost of swinging a katana, while level three Sting Like a Bee allowed me to slash thirty percent faster.

With all these perks, I saw a marked increase in my fighting prowess. It was so noticeable that both Vic and Hideo, my kenjutsu instructor, thought I was some kind of prodigy with how fast I was improving. It was nice to receive their recognition, but I soon regretted advancing quickly since they both made my training harsher than it already was.

Vic was no longer sparing and just having full-blown matches with me, while Hideo used me as a dummy for some of his top pupils. I'd get beat by a former heavyweight champ, only to turn around and have a kenjutsu master strike and slash my body with a wooden sword. The process was painful, but it allowed me to refine my movements. I was a bit faster, smoother, and firmer, which made all the difference when I fought during my NCPD contracts.

I finished reminiscing about the events of last week when I finally managed to leave the city limits. Once on the freeway, the traffic eased up, and I could enjoy looking at something other than a pile of cars. Seeing the Badlands also reminded me of the Aldecaldos and the Wraiths.

Panam had called me two days back and informed me of the next part of her plans. The scouting team had not only found out the leader that managed to consolidate the Wraiths but also when all the movers and shakers met.

The new boss was Caesar, who was the right-hand man of Dogkiller, the leader of all the Wraiths. Apparently, the smaller groups of Wraiths paid tributaries to the central Wraith party, and the Wraiths in Night City weren't sending enough money. Dogkiller wasn't happy with the poor performance of the Wraiths, so he sent somebody he could trust to sort the place out.

From the intel the Aldecaldos could gather, Caesar stormed into Night City, and heads immediately started flying. Once the old administration was out, and the masses sufficiently culled, Caesar worked on installing new goons and setting some ground rules. The radical changes worked, and the Wraiths were soon more cohesive and effective than ever. Of course, this was all to the detriment of the Aldecaldos.

One of the new things Caesar introduced was having bi-weekly meetings. Having meetings now and then between all the lieutenants allowed him to keep his finger on the pulse of the ins and outs of the gang. It was also the perfect opportunity for someone to decapitate the leadership.

The last meeting occurred this week, so Panam had the next week to get ready and plan for the assault. And as usual for Panam, her plan was bold and ambitious, potentially too much so. As our luck would have it, Militech had just made a sale and was going to sell a surplus Basilisk tank to some third party. Panam wanted that tank.

Militech will transport the tank through the Badland, giving the Aldecaldos a perfect chance to hit the convoy and snatch the tank away. The setup was the same as in the game; the only difference this time was that Saul wasn't against trying to hit the convoy. Originally, he didn't like the idea because it was too risky and might make the Nomads look like bloodthirsty anti-capitalists, jeopardizing the deal with Biotechnica. But since Saul shifted focus from working with the Megacorp to attacking the Shivs in this world, he was more than happy to have a tank on his side when bullets started flying. As the saying goes, never bring guns to a tank fight.

The drive to the Nomad camp only took about twenty minutes when I was no longer restricted by gridlock. I called Panam and let her know I was close ahead of time, and she was at the gates to greet me when I pulled up. I had my head buried in the grind for the last two weeks, and Panam was busy with the Wraiths, so we haven't interacted much other than some late-night phone calls and text messages. But what lacked in quantity was made up for by quality.

I hugged and kissed Panam once she got close and enjoyed her warmth before letting my hands wander and get a bit naughty. Panam was a lot more liberal with what she shared over texts, and watching that signature strut that showed all her curves brought all the steamy pictures she sent back to the forefront of my mind. When she first sent them, it got me all hot and bothered, and thinking about them now gave me a semi. Time for a bit of payback.

My hands fell below her waistline and grabbed her pert ass before pulling her closer to me. My erection was at half mast, pushing against her crotch, letting her feel my desire. My two hands began to knead her cheeks while I moved my lips away from hers, gently kissing down her jawline until I was at her neck.

Since we didn't shy away from sex, I quickly learned a lot of small things about her body. One of the things I learned was that Panam was very sensitive in the area around the base of her neck and the top of her shoulder. I trailed kisses and licked slowly down her neck, building her tension and enjoying her breathing getting rougher. Once at Panam's secret spot, I opened my mouth and bit down on it. While I attacked upstairs, my left hand let go of her butt and gently slapped it. My actions elicited a soft moan from Panam, and she started grinding herself against my pelvis.

I let this go on for a few seconds, then pulled away from biting her. I enjoyed the sight of the hickey before raising my lips to her ears.

"Enjoying yourself?"

After saying that, I blew on her ears and started gently nibbling them. Panam responded by letting out an animalistic grow.

"Well, that's all you're gonna get."

Deciding that I had my fun, I stopped groping her and pushed her away.

"That's for teasing me with all those pictures you took."

Panam was frustrated by the sudden lack of stimulation and looked at me with annoyance and need in her eyes.

"You got me all riled up, and now you're goin' to leave me out to dry?"

I just gave her a simple shrug, acting as if her being horny wasn't my problem, despite my being the cause of it.

"Isn't there a critical job going down tomorrow you need to plan for? Maybe we can celebrate after we get our hands on that Basilisk."

Panam rolled her eyes in disbelief, then gave me a feral grin after something crossed her mind. She was probably planning some form of revenge, and I would be lying if I said I didn't think I might have pushed her a bit too far.

"I'm holding you to that. Come on, let's meet the team and get you caught up to speed."

I followed behind her and walked through the Nomad camp. The people were friendly, and quite a few nodded and waved at me when I made eye contact. More Nomads acknowledged me than last time, probably because they connected the dots that I was helping with the Wraith problem after seeing me together with Panam.

We weaved through the tents and people before landing at the main restaurant that fed the camp. Panam guided me to a table with people already around it and took her seat. It didn't surprise me that it was Mitch, Carol, Scorpion, Bob, Teddy, and Cassidy, the same group that helped Panam and me with the Hellman job.

I sat in the spot next to Panam and made myself comfortable. Mitch was next to me, and he cracked open a beer and pushed it toward me while slapping my back.

"Nice to see you again, Basil! How're things?"

I happily accepted the bottle and took a swig before responding.

"Likewise, Mitch. Not too bad. It'll definitely be better once we finally get rid of those damn Shivs."

"I'll drink to that!"

Mitch said as he took a long drink from his beer, tipping it above his head and emptying it. Panam took that as the queue for her to get started.

"Raid's going to start tomorrow around ten in the morning. Let's go over the details one more time."

I took another drink and then focused on Panam. It's time for business.

Chapter Text

+NEW JOB

GUNS, TRAINS, AND TANKS

Help the Aldecaldos steal the Basilisk tank from Militech
"The Militech convoy is moving the Basilisk in two trucks. They're not expecting any trouble, so the escort is light. We'll halt the convoy at the railroad crossing that intersects the one-oh-one with an old train engine located at a depot down South. When the Militech vehicles stop is when we'll hit them from behind. Any questions?"

Cassidy, the local gun-toting silver fox, took one last drag on his cigarette before flicking it towards his feet and stomping the butt out.

"I got everythin' I need."

Seeing me and everyone else echoing the same sentiment, Panam slapped the table with both hands and pushed herself off her chair.

"Alright then, let's get a move on. Basil, you riding with me?"

"You know it."

The Vets then got up and started making their way toward their respective rides. Since it would be a shame to waste a nice cold brew, I finished my drink before walking up to Panam and following her to her truck. Once everyone was loaded up, we set off and started heading South. It wasn't long into our drive when Panam asked me a question with a slight tremble to her voice, which was uncharacteristic of her.

"SoOoo... *Ahem* Are you still planning on masterminding a coup against Yorinobu?"

"Yup. Don't really have much of a choice in the matter, you know, because of the whole 'Yorinobuu wants to start the Fourth Corp War' thing. Things have been going pretty well, and I'm just waiting to see when the meeting with the Arasaka board member is getting scheduled."

"Well, have you considered what you will do afterward or if your plan fails?"

I opened my mouth to answer but then paused. Panam's question made me realize that I never thought about life after my goal to have Hanako take control of Arasaka.

"I, uh... I never thought about what might happen afterward. If I succeed, I might lie low and live my life just running my business. Of course, that's if things work out. If my plans fall through, I'll probably be dead at Arasaka's hands."

Panam winced after hearing the uncomfortable truth. If Arasaka were to learn what I was trying to do, especially after a failed coup, they would hunt me down like an animal.

"If by some miracle I fail and manage to get out unharmed, I would probably go somewhere that Arasaka doesn't have any influence, probably the N.U.S.A."

A pregnant silence followed after my slightly grim predictions of what would happen to me or what I would do if things failed. Thankfully, Panam interrupted the lull in the conversation before the awkwardness could really set in.

"You know, you could always consider becoming a Nomad. Some people might reject you despite what you've already done, but if we get our hands on the Basilisk and things go well with the Shivs, I'm positive everyone will welcome you with open arms."

I've considered living the Nomad life before but was put off by the uncertainty and lack of accommodations I'm used to while living in a city. Constantly on the move, with inconsistent access to showers, water, food, and clean clothes seemed like a lot to put up with.

"That's a nice offer, but I might not be cut out for that kind of life."

I didn't miss Panam seeming a bit sad after my response, and I inwardly cursed at myself for not having a bit more tack. I put my hand on her thigh and tried to salvage the situation.

"But I think if I lived with the right person, it would be worth it. How about this? After the Wraiths aren't a problem anymore, I'll stay out here with the Aldecaldos and help out where you guys need it. Help you guys transition back into smuggling and see if the Nomad lifestyle is my thing."

That seemed to have done the trick, and a small smile spread across Panam's face. And who knows? Maybe I'll learn to love living life outside of the city. It is pretty tiring living in the constantly bustling Night City.

Our convoy pulled onto a railroad track a while later, and we followed it south toward the station. The first thing to come into view was the main building with the control tower hanging off to the side. Then I saw stacks of shipping containers, and finally, I saw a large yellow train engine connected to white train cars.

Station
https://i.imgur.com/bOlP7QH

The thing was absolutely massive, roughly the size of a double decker bus. The yellow exterior was weathered and covered in dust, with the words 'URAL KAMBINAT' painted on the side. At the front was a pointed nose, and on top of the nose was a large opening for air intake. If I remember correctly, this thing was nuclear powered like a modern submarine. Hopefully the reactor is in good shape and not dumping radiation into the surroundings.

Train
https://i.imgur.com/j9BbsWD

We pulled into the empty lot right in front of the brick building that should be the entrance to the tower. Once we all got out of our cars and grouped up, Panam started throwing out orders.

"Carol, you're on getting access and control to the engine. What do you need to make that happen?"

Carol walked towards the train while fiddling with a tablet.

"I can jump-start the train and hack into its systems, but I'll need the tower to send an authorization code to the train before moving it."

"Ok, work on starting the train for now. Cassidy and Teddy, go help Carol."

Cassidy gave a small salute and pulled Teddy along while following Carol toward the train. Panam then turned to the control tower and took it in.

"The place doesn't seem to have power. Scorpion, Mitch, and Bob, your three go and figure out how to bring the site back online. Meanwhile, Basil and I will figure out how to get inside. Once the building has electricity running through it again, we'll figure out how to send the authorization codes."

"You got it, boss."

Mitch, Scorpion, and Bob turned away and started searching outside the building for clues on how to get the lights back on. I followed Panam as she walked to the entrance and started fiddling with an access panel with a large 'X' spray painted over it. While she messed around with the board, I crouched and examined the lock on the door.

A neat trick I had learned over the last two weeks of fighting crime and exploring the city. Some locked doors could be forced open in the game if you have a high enough spec in Technical or Body attributes. I completely forgot about this feature since I never had the need to break into a building or unlock a door that wasn't mine.

A familiar blue wrench symbol popped up in my vision with the number three next to it when I focused on the locks. The wrench symbol meant that this door could be unlocked with a Technical attribute check, and the number three was what level the attribute had to be at to force the door open. Since my Technical rank is twelve, I had more than enough for this door. Putting my hand on the lock and willing it to open made the symbol fade away while a large clunk could be heard from the bolts.

I grabbed the door by the handle and pulled it open. Once the entrance was wide open, I turned around to a shocked Panam.

"How the hell did you open that door?"

I gave her a smug grin and shrugged as if it wasn't anything impressive.

"Magic. Why don't you go upstairs while I check on Mitch's group to see if the power is back on."

She rolled her eyes at me, much like when I told her that I wasn't from this world, and walked up the stairs away from me. I can't hide my abilities forever. Sooner or later, I'll have to sit her down and tell her the truth about what I am. Hearing, 'Your world is a video game, and I have mystical powers,' from your boyfriend might be a bit of a shock. Hopefully, all these jokes soften the blow, and Panam takes it well.

I found Mitch, Scorpion, and Bob outside the building huddled together near some electrical system. Mitch was standing to the side, rubbing the back of his head and pointing at something. Bob was working on whatever Mitch was pointing at, and Scorpion was trying to pull something loose.

"We got access to the building. How's it going with getting power flowing again?"

"Everything is just Fantastic. We got it all hooked up, and nothing works."

Bob replied with some dry wit, trying to downplay his frustration. But Scorpion seemed to have found the solution as he yanked a small plug out of a socket and whistled.

"Take a look at how burnt that capacitor is. I bet that's the problem we keep butting our heads against."

Scorpion then pulled a new plug out of his toolbox and jammed it into the socket where the faulty plug was. He then pulled a lever from the top position, causing a sparking noise before a low whirling sound replaced it. Some colorful lights came on around the electronics and stayed on. Scorpion then stood up while dusting his hands and looked at me.

"We got power. Go figure out if we can send the authorization code now."

I threw him a thumbs up and walked towards the entrance to the tower. I quickly climbed the stairs, eventually finding myself in the office/viewing room. Panam was leaning half her body out of the window with her eyes closed, just catching some rays and enjoying the gentle breeze. I sneaked behind her before leaning against her and wrapping my arms around her stomach.

She tensed for a second when I touched her, but she relaxed after realizing it was me.

"I take it we have power?"

"Yup."

"Hmmm... Good."

Panam enjoyed the view while I enjoyed looking at her. We really haven't been able to see each other much lately due to how hectic our lives have been. Hell, I was scared I might have let our relationship cool down too much. But the sense of serenity we could generate right now pushed those concerns away. Still, putting a bit more effort in never hurt.

"Hey, I said I'll stick around for a bit once we dealt with the Wraiths and Caesar, but why don't we also go on another date after as well?"

"Sure, but this time I'll make the schedule. I'll properly court you the Nomad way."

I smiled and kissed her cheeks.

"Can't wait."

We stayed like this for a while before I felt our alone time had gone on a bit too long, and it was time to get to work again. I unraveled from Panam and looked for Carol. Once I found her sitting on the track, I screamed out for her and asked what to do next.

"Carol! Towers running again. What are we looking for?"

"Punch cards!"

That's right. This was that weird moment where you had to look for nineteenth-century tech in a world where you could make a digital copy of someone's consciousness. And it wasn't any surprise that Panam had no idea what Carol was talking about.

"Punch cards? What are those?"

"They're rectangular cards with holes in them. You'd slot them into a machine that reads the holes and converts them into a command. Why don't you look on that side, and I'll see what I can find over here."

We then got to work flipping through documents, opening filing cabinets, and searching through tables. It took a while, but eventually, I came across a drawer on the floor with a black and red card about half the side of a piece of A4 paper. Bingo.

I grabbed the punch card and walked to the window again to tell Carol I had found it.

"I got the card! What next?"

"Slot the card into a reader. It should look like a machine with a small screen and a lever. Once the card is in the reader, make sure the lever is pushed forward."

It took another two minutes before I found the machine Carol was talking about. I pushed the card into the device's only slot and grabbed the lever's handle. After applying some force, the lever broke loose and slammed forward with a *Kerchunk*. Not long after, a slight tremor shook the surroundings, and screeching could be heard as the train moved forward very slowly.

Panam barged into my room beaming and pointed to the rolling vehicle.

"Look at that! It worked!"

I returned her enthusiasm and grinned.

"That it did. What now?"

Panam pulled out her phone and checked the time before slipping it back into her pants and beckoning me to follow her.

"Now we wait."

Chapter Text

"Everybody get in your cars! We spotted the convoy. Time to go!"

A flurry of movement followed after Panam's announcements, and everyone grabbed their gear and hurried to their vehicles. I grabbed my katana and quickly jumped into Panam's truck. Soon after, the train started moving, and the sight of a dull yellow train engine and four Aldecaldos cars kicking up a dust storm could be seen in the Badlands.

Everything seemed to be going well, and the train was chugging along as it should. After we got the train moving, the rest of yesterday was quickly spent getting it and our gear ready. Giving the engine a thorough check took Carol, Mitch, and Bob until sunset to finish. While they were working on that, I had Scorpion and Teddy help me figure out how to release one of the two train cars to dump some weight. Meanwhile, Panam and Cassidy worked on getting the turret on top of the Warhorse to stop jamming all the time.

Once the sun started setting, we created a small fire and enjoyed looking at the stars while eating a simple dinner of trail rations. After our meal, the group enjoyed some chit-chat while Cassidy played a tune on an old guitar of his. By the time the moon hung high over our heads, everyone had split into groups, and we rotated watch shifts while getting some shut-eye.

"I see 'em. Just West of that junction station."

Panam's order brought my focus back to the present. I looked at the area she mentioned and saw the small two-story building and water tower a couple of miles away at the junction. To the left and further down the freeway were a small convoy of black SUVs and two large transport trucks. One truck had the center hull of the basilisk, while the other carried the thrusters and engines.

What I also saw a small pack of drones flying in and around the convoy. Panam seemed to have spotted them as well since she then told me to get ready to shoot them down.

"Basil, get on the turret and get ready to take out those drones."

"You got it."

I pulled the wired interface out of my wrist and plugged it into the access port that controlled the truck's weaponry. Being connected to the vehicle allowed the camera attached to the turret to replace my vision. Using the enhanced zoom, I could pick out more details about the convoy. Other than the two transport trucks, six additional SUVs were escorting the cargo, making for seven vehicles total. Three Militech Griffin drones rounded out the posse, providing some extra firepower.

Once we got within one mile, the drones were the first to pick up our presence and pulled off from the convoy to investigate our group.

"Heads up. The drones are coming over to us."

Once the Grffins got within a hundred feet, I sent the first shot and started raining lead on the closest drone. The gun shook as the bullets left the barrel and impacted the drone, causing it to blow up into a strange blue electric cloud. The drones immediately started retreating to the Militech convoy while shooting at our group.

Some rounds landed on our car, and I watched sparks fly as they impacted and ricocheted off the armor plating on the nomad vehicles. I held down the metaphorical trigger and took down the other two drones. And just in time, as the barrel was glowing a soft orange from the long string of fire. While the machine gun cooled down, I watched as Carol finessed with the train's controls and slowed it down.

The Militech convoy was now only a few hundred feet away from us. A loud screech sounded from the train as Carol hit the brakes. The truck I was in blew past the train, and Panam swerved to get around the terrain and building at the intersection. I watched as one of the SUVs tried to cross the tracks before getting cut off and got T-Boned by the nuclear-powered two-hundred-ton hunk of steel. I cringed a little as the armored vehicle crumpled like it was a can of soda. Guess there is only five SUVs worth of security to worry about now.

The train stopped right where it was supposed to and parked itself over the freeway leading further East. The Aldecaldos spread out and parked before getting out and taking shots at the vehicles, careful to keep their sights away from the goods we were trying to steal. The two heavy-duty haulers came to a stop as their path was no longer available, while the SUV pulled off the road and tried to orient into a defensive formation protecting the trucks.

The barrel of my machine gun had cooled down, so I pointed it at an SUV and started sending rounds on target. The projectiles the heavy MG launched pierced through the vehicle's windshield, chewing up anything within it. I traversed the sights, covering as much of the cabin with bullets as possible. Once I was pretty sure that nothing survived, I moved on to the next car.

While I focused on the first car, the other Militech security personnel filtered out of their vehicles and started returning fire. At a glance, I would guess there were a dozen or so guards, but that number was quickly dropping. Despite being outnumbered, the Aldecaldos showed their experience and skill by immediately causing casualties on the other side. Three Militech employees caught out of cover were instantly turned into a pincushion as Bob and Teddy laid into them.

I tried to fire rounds at a guard hiding behind a door, but the steel skin of the vehicle proved a more significant challenge than its glass and stopped my bullets. Changing my tactics, I aimed the turret lower and at my target's lower body. One of the rounds impacted the shin, blowing the leg into two pieces and causing the soldier to fall over. He then tried to crawl to cover, but I turned his head into mush before he could do so.

I watched as Carol fired her Rostovic Kolac with precision, drilling a new hole in the forehead of a new guard's face. She then pulled a grenade out of her pouch before pulling the pun and throwing it at a group of Militech security. I watched as the grenade soared through the air before hitting the ground and rolling right under one of the Militech SUVs. There was a burst of flames that expanded out from under the vehicle, and then the grenade must have caused the fuel tank to explode as the entire car blew apart, killing all the guards around it.

Once the explosion settled, I realized there were far fewer gunshots, and only a few Militech personnel remained. There were three remaining, and they were all grouped further away behind the transport trucks. I watched as Panam, Scorpion, and Mitch carefully advanced on the survivors while everyone else suppressed the enemies. When one of the remaining Militech guards would try to poke their heads out, bullets flew near their faces like they were playing the world's most dangerous game of whack-a-mole.

It didn't take long for Mitch, Scorpion, and Panam to reach the truck the last three guards were hiding behind. My heart was in my throat when I watched Panam climb onto the truck bed and realized that she would try to flank the enemy soldiers by surprising them from atop them. I watched as she scrambled onto the truck, maneuvering around the Basilisk parts to get a view of the remaining guards. Once she had a line of sight, she shouldered her D5 Copperhead and let out several short bursts of fire.

D5 Copperhead
https://i.imgur.com/NeuY9UT

When she finished firing, she checked her surroundings before turning around and waving people over. Since the fight seemed to be over, I disconnected from the turret. Having my vision suddenly transferred back to my body and gaining control over my limbs again was disorientating. While I recovered my sense, Carol came over the radio.

"I'm moving the train out of the way. Bobby and Teddy, get your ass into those trucks, and let's delta the fuck outta here."

The train moved forward, clearing the path while carrying the poor SUV that was unlucky enough to be hit by it. Bob and Teddy got into the driving compartment of the trucks, and the vehicles lurched into motion and slowly rolled away from us. Panam ran back to the Warhorse and jumped into the driver's seat before slamming the door shut and starting the engine. Moments later, all the Aldecaldo vehicles were on the move, escorting the transport trucks away from the crime scene.

"Hell yeah, Chooms!" Panam screamed across her radio, "That's how you fucking do it!"

I couldn't help but smile as a series of 'whoops' responded to Panam across the channel before being reigned in by the elders.

"Calm down, kiddos. We still got a drive before we get back to camp."

Cassidy's voice sounded before being followed up by Carol.

"Keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. We'll celebrate when we get back to camp."

Happily, no one followed us or even gave us a second glance. Once we were back at camp, we drove around the outer edges of the base until we came up to two large tents on relatively flat land. One was empty, while the other had the Zetatech Surveyor we had stolen on the Hellman job. Everyone but Teddy and Bob parked by the available tent and got out to help offload the Basilisk parts.

Panam and I helped Bob and Teddy maneuver to position, so the rear of the transports was closest to the tent while everyone else hopped into forklifts. After fifteen minutes, the trucks were empty, and everything was stored inside the tent, out of sight from satellites. Once the trucks were open, Bob and Teddy booked out of the camp to dump the vehicles.

A small group of Aldecaldos had seen us return and had made their way over to us to see what all the commotion was about. Once they realized it was a tank, they ran back to camp and gathered everyone they could. Soon, a cheering mob formed, and the crew was bombarded with questions and goodwill. The situation naturally escalated, and an impromptu party began.

While we were being paraded back, Panam managed to find me, and we stuck together.

"Bob and Teddy are going to be really pissed when they find out we started celebrating before they got back."

I grinned at Panam's statement, imagining the pair returning and finding that while driving heavy machinery, everyone else was getting drunk and making merry. My mind didn't dwell on it for too long as I was too busy talking to happy Aldecaldos, congratulating me on a well-done job. The mood was infectious, and I couldn't help but think I might like the Nomad after all.

Chapter Text

I groaned as a bright light assaulted my eyes, stirring my consciousness from the deep slumber it was in. At first I tried to go back to sleep by covering my eyes with my palm, but the increasing heat made it hard to do so. Eventually, I gave up on getting more rest and opened my eyes.

I didn't recognize where I was at first but realized after a few seconds that I was inside a Panam's tent. The olive drab canvas hid away a tiny space filled with a simple bed, a hanger for clothes, some storage containers, and a few chairs. Flipping around showed Panam on the bed, only wearing her one-piece sweater and some undies. Seeing her snoozing away brought back memories of yesterday's festivities.

The impromptu party morphed into a big grill-out bash, which spanned from early noon to mid-evening. As more people returned, the attendees would bring their own contributions. Everything was present, and nothing was in short supply, whether it was food, drinks, music, or entertainment. People danced, sang, played games, and generally had a great time.

Everyone was in a great mood, and smiles and laughter abounded, but an almost imperceptible tension was underneath. For the last two weeks, the clan has known that they were preparing to duel it out with the Wraiths and bringing back a tank just provided further evidence of the upcoming engagement. Things could go incredibly well and usher in the new age, or they could fail spectacularly and be forced to disband or be absorbed by a different clan. But before everything went down, they would party like there was no tomorrow.

I vaguely remember being overfed, drunk, and horny from making out with Panam. Speaking of making out, I always wondered what the private life for Nomads was like. The private abodes were almost wholly comprised of tents, which lacked any sort of privacy. Living out in the open meant having your business out in the open, making things awkward for most people, but not the Aldecaldos.

Later into the evening, two distinct groups formed. I didn't really notice it until Panam dragged me from one to the other. One side had the normal partygoers, while the other side was a collection of people getting handsy with each other.

It was shocking to see how many people were comfortable with public displays of affection. The amount of 'throuples' and 'quads' was even more surprising than couples kissing each other out in the open. Nomads were just more open sexually than city slickers. I don't know if this applies to all the Nomads or just this clan, but the Aldecaldos were more sexually open-minded than city slickers.

The openness would typically weird me out, but I got caught in the mood and started a heavy petting session with Panam. We got carried away and eventually found ourselves in her tent, pawing away at each other. We got into her bed, and I started to take my pants off, only to look up after taking them off and discover that Panam had passed out. I remember being frustrated for a second but then finding the situation funny and curling beside her.

I sat up from the bed and swung my legs onto the dirt and sand floor. Standing up, I walked around the tent, grabbing my clothes and putting them on before opening the door flap and walking out. I stood in the open air and enjoyed the fresh air while stretching. I relished the sensation of my joints cracking and releasing the tension in my joints. Once I finished, I went to the restaurant to buy some breakfast.

I sat at the counter and ordered a breakfast sandwich and orange juice. While waiting for my food, I looked over my levels and attributes. After leveling up twice from completing the Basilisk heist, I had two Attributes and Perk points. I could raise my Body attribute and pick up level two Steel and Chrome to increase my katana damage by twenty percent, or I could raise my Technical level and unlock Cost Optimization to reduce crafting costs.

Eventually, I settled on increasing my Body stat since making my katana attacks more deadly would benefit me most immediately. The next meeting is three days from now, and I plan to use that time to go on a vigilante spree again. Having Steel and Chrome will increase the likelihood I secure a kill within one or two slashes with my Katana. Enhancing the Body stat also boosted my base health, stamina, and melee damage, improving my general survivability.

Once I was done messing with my skills and eating my breakfast, I ordered something similar to go and brought it back to Panam's tent. I placed the bag of food next to her face and watched as her nose cutely sniffed at the food. Her brain picked up that it was food, and her face scrunched before one of her eyes opened to see where the delicious smell was coming from.

When Panam saw it was food, she slowly got out of bed and yawned while rubbing her eyes. She reached into the bag, grabbed the sandwich, and ate it while her eyes were still slightly lidded from being tired.

"Thanks, Basil. You're the best."

"Don't worry about it. Finish your breakfast first, and we'll discuss what will happen with the Wraiths."

Once Panam finished the sandwich, I handed her the cup of OJ I was holding onto because I didn't want to put it on the bed. When the cup became empty, she tossed everything into the bag and threw it into her trashcan.

"What do you want to know about the raid?"

"When and how is it going down? How long will the tank take to get repaired? How many people are participating? Any detes you think I should know."

She then spent the next twenty minutes going over what she had planned. The meetings occur in the afternoon, so I had to be at the meeting point before then. There will be two teams with thirty people in total. The first team has twenty personnel, the assault team, which will move on the ground with the tank. The tank will ram through the gates, allowing the Nomads to enter through that gap.

While the assault team draws attention, the infiltration team will take advantage of the chaos going through the secret tunnel entrance. Once inside, the ten-man squad will surprise the defenders from within. The infiltration team will also aim to find and eliminate the leaders immediately.

The Vets will all participate, most of them in the infiltration team. The only two with the ground team will be Mitch and Scorpion since they have experience operating the Basilisk during the unification war. Saul, Panam, and I will also be a part of the infiltration team, with the remaining spots being filled by volunteers.

Panam doesn't know how long it will take to get the tank back up and running, but she said that Teddy, Bob, Scorpion, and Mitch were confident that they could get it up and running by the time the raid goes down. I was skeptical that a tank could be assembled and operational quickly, but if anybody could do it, it would be the Aldecaldo Vets that served in Basilisks. And I hope they do for their sake since it would significantly boost our likelihood of victory.

"Sounds like you have everything under control."

I was sitting on one of the chairs in the room while Panam was getting dressed and ready to start her day.

"As much control as I can, I guess. But there's still a lot to do."

When she was getting ready to leave, I got up from my spot and walked over to Panam, giving her a quick kiss and exiting the tent with her.

"Well, I have my preparations to do, so I'll have to go back to the city. If you need anything, feel free to ask."

"Will do. See you soon."

We bid farewell and went our separate ways. As I was about to get into my van, I remembered I had forgotten something. I wanted to see if my crafting ability was limited to weapons and gear or if I could make anything as long as I had the technical documents. Instead of heading home, I returned to the camp and found my way to the area with the tents housing the stolen vehicles.

I poked my head into the tent where the Basilisk was and was greeted by the sound of power tools working away. A small team of Aldecaldos was working hard, drilling, cutting, and welding the Basilisk back together. Bob was alone at a table, soldering iron in hand and working on some small electronic piece.

I walked over to Bob and called him when the soldering iron was off the workpiece.

"Hey, Bob. Think you'll be able to get the ol' girl up and running in time?"

Bob put rested his soldering iron down before looking at me.

"We'll cut it close, but things have been going well. Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah. Did there happen to be any schematics or diagrams for this thing?"

"There is," Bob motioned for me to follow him, and I obliged, "The buyer wanted to be able to service the Basilisk by themselves as much as possible."

We walked past wires and people working, eventually stopping at a different desk with a desktop on it. Bob tapped the keys a few times, logged into the system, and then pulled up a file.

"They also wanted to be able to order spare parts from Militech, so Militech included a pretty comprehensive technical data package. It's got measurements and specifications for everything."

Bob stepped to the side and let me look at what they had. At first, the file he pulled up just looked like a diagram, but when I clicked on a part of the Basilisk, it expanded and gave the exploded view. This was nicer than having many separate files or physical blueprints to look over.

You could go to the component level and pull the details for every part. And when Bob said everything, he meant everything. I could go as far as seeing the detailed dimensions for individual screws and rivets. This should work for testing what I want.

I then had bob make a copy on a spare chip and slotted the information into my neural interface. Once the datalink was established, I copied all the info onto my internal drive and ensured none of the data was corrupted. I then went into my system and, to my shock, found that I could craft the Basilisk.

Well, not exactly. I could craft portions of the Basilisk that still have to be assembled. Five new crafting specs were available in my menu related to the tank, the hull, the engine, thrusters, lifters, and the cannon. They were all exorbitantly expensive, costing between one to two and a half thousand rare and epic components. It'll probably take me months to get enough materials to make all the parts, and afterward, I'll still have to get someone to put them together.

But the cost wasn't what was important. What's important is that my powers had far fewer limitations than I thought. I was surprised to be able to craft the tank since the game never let you make vehicles and only weapons, pieces of gear, or ammunition. Maybe I could create the Basilisk because it technically was a weapon. It was in the weapons category, after all.

Regardless, this raised my ability into the realms of being broken. I could make it as long as I can get my hands on the TDP. Of course, there's the limitation that I don't know how to assemble or service the more complex objects, but I just so happened to have a good relationship with a faction known for its technical prowess.

I giggled slightly, imagining the Corpo elites and government officials scrambling to react to a mysterious tank force that popped up in the desert. I probably wouldn't do something as drastic as that... Probably. It's time to invest more heavily in my technical and crafting abilities.

Chapter Text

Rogue's POV

It was late at night, and I was on the roof of a building smoking while overlooking the Northside docks. The sound of the waves lapping against the harbors mixed with the sound of cars driving by. The safety lights on the heavy machinery and boars blinked in and out, not unlike the flickering street lamps that are well past their service date.

I was not too fond of the docks and Northside in general. Cranes lifted shipping containers while workers and forklifts ran on and off the ships carrying smaller pieces of cargo. It reminded me too much of the backbreaking grind I did when I was younger. It also reminded me that I was one of the lucky ones. Most people in Night City will work themselves to the bone for the city, only to be chewed up and spit back out when they're not useful anymore.

Time is money, so all the workers worked at full pace, trying to get the ships in and out of port as fast as possible. Since Night City's location is between the Californias, it serves as one of the major trading centers between the free and NUSA states. Between six to eight thousand trucks worth of cargo enter the city via sea daily, and ships constantly move in and out like a plus-sized drive-through. All but one that is.

In the corner of the port was a dock that was sectioned off and could be rented for private use. A mysterious party booked the terminal for the month, and they had the security team changed. Instead of the usual port authority personnel, the dock was now filled with Maelstrom members. One would think hiring a gang to protect something would increase the risk, but the Maelstrom are good mercs when the scratch is right. Their reputation keeps even the boldest burglars clear from the area, and nobody has tried forcing their way in yet.

Basil's intel was good, and the Ebunike was indeed owned by Smasher and docking in this private port. What he forgot to mention, however, was that the ship was still out at sea and wouldn't enter the pier for a few weeks. I'm usually pretty patient, but I have a lot of personal ties with this job, so I didn't appreciate having to wait so long before doing anything.

Ebunike
https://i.imgur.com/uLc02NC

The ship typically traveled with Smasher wherever he stayed. The ship was in Tokyo before, but Smasher moved the boat here for repair and maintenance. The Ebunike didn't sail here at first because the stay in the states was supposed to be temporary. That changed after the Saburo fiasco, so Smasher had Grayson bring the vessel over. The cargo boat docked a few days ago, and I've had people keep an eye on the place, noting the details on body count, patrol routes, infil/exfil points, and blind zones.

They also found that sonuvabitch Grayson sauntering around on that boat. Just seeing his face pisses me off. A living reminder of when Arasaka tracked me down after the tower job, and I had to sell out to keep myself amongst the land of the living. I'm still vexed Basil roped me into doing this, but at least I do get to stomp on that fuckers face.

I was in a really dark place after Johnny died, and Grayson didn't make it any easier. The cost of working in post-holocaust NC was that I had to join the Arasaka wetworks department. From simple corporate espionage to kidnapping and assassination, I did it all. Since Grayson's boss was Smasher, and Smasher's boss was my boss, me and Grayson paths often crossed.

He was constantly giving me shit whenever we happened to work together on the same job. Acting all high and mighty, as if selling his soul to Smasher was any better than being forced into indentured servitude. At least my handlers had the decency not to put Smasher and me on the same team. But now things are different. Now I don't owe Arasaka, which means I get to beat Jeremiah's smug face to a pulp.

While I was fantasizing about brutalizing Grayson, Em came over the comms.

"You done Brooding?"

"Watch it, Bronson. I like you, but I am still you're boss."

"*Hmph* We're all ready. Just waiting on the go-ahead from you."

I pushed myself off the railing I was leaning on and raised my smoke to my mouth. I took one last long drag and watched as the butt turned a blazing orange before tossing the cigarette on the ground and stomping it out.

"Set 'em loose. Just don't let Jeremiah slip away."

"You got it, boss."

I turned away from the edge of the building and made my way down the stairs. I walked past the apartments, hearing the varying activities of the tenants of this establishment. Most were silent or had a TV on, while some had thumping music playing for some party. There was even one floor where I could hear some suggestive repeating knocking, only to stop when a neighbor loudly banged their shared wall and told them to be quiet.

Once out of the building, I walked through the alleys and towards the docks. The people working for me on this job were all professionals known for doing jobs in a discreet manner. Usually, getting such a group together would have cost an arm and a leg, but one of the benefits of being a fixer is that people owe you favors. All it took was a few phone calls, and I had a team of six boogeymen ready to go.

Of course, normally, I would have stormed into the place and made my presence known. Really put the squeeze on Grayson before I bash his skull in. But Basil wanted what was in the vault on board, and it's hard to steal something from someone who knows it's being stolen. So doing it the quiet way it is.

The glass at the security post outside the gates to the dock was shattered, and the corpse of a Maelstrom gang member hung halfway outside the window frame, blood and chrome coolant dripping down the side of the walls and pooling together. The gates were wide open, inviting me further in. The same image of dead Maelstrom could be seen everywhere. Some had lopped off heads, a stab through the heart, or a bullet wound.

The silence juxtaposed with the carnage that had gone down and a stark reminder of how brutally efficient some had become at killing in the City of Dreams. In ten minutes between walking down to the building to getting here, a small team of seven, including Bronson, had infiltrated the dock and killed at least a dozen Maelstrom gang members.

I walked past the cargo yard and through the warehouse, finding myself at the bottom of the ramp leading onto the Ebunike. On both sides of the ramps were two people standing over dead lookouts. Bronson was on one side, while an Afterlife merc was on the other. Bronson was my right hand man, and normally worked as the bouncer for the Afterlife. Despite his size, he was pretty good at sneaking around. The best proof was the corpse with a surprised face on a head twisted at an awkward angle.

Three more mercs showed up a few minutes later and rushed up the ramp with the one already there. Em stayed with me as I took my time getting onto the boat.

Emmerick Bronson
https://i.imgur.com/QBjNVO1

"The other two will do some cleanup and ensure no one notices what we're doing. After we get Jeremiah and total control of the ship and docks, we'll start working on the vault."

"They know not to kill Grayson?"

"They're professionals. Let them work."

We made our way across the deck, weaving through the shipping containers until we got to the ship's bow, seeing a similar scene of bodies as on the docks. Em and I got to the end of the boat just in time to see a solo in a netrunner suit attack one of the few remaining guards. He forced the unsuspecting man to kneel by kicking the back of his knees, then he pulled a monowire from his wrists and draped it over the man's neck. Before the guard could get anything more than an *oof* out, the merc in a netrunner suit kicked the back of the guard's head, sending the monowire clean through the neck.

The man's body flopped onto the ground while the head rolled for a bit before facing skyward. The eyes on the decapitated head were wide in shock, and the mouth opened and closed rapidly like a goldfish. Maybe the man was trying to say something or scream, but no sound came out because the mouth couldn't access the diaphragm or lungs. The head struggled to stay conscious, but the eyes soon rolled back, and the face lost all motion.

I stepped over the body and walked up the stairs onto the forward deck. Grayson was looking at a laptop while three Maelstrom members played cards at a table. One player was huddling over his cards, another was taking a drink, and the last one had his feets kicked up on the table and leaning back on his chair. Hearing the footsteps as my boots hit the metal floor, Grayson asked what I wanted as if I was one of his lackeys without looking up.

"What is it now? It better be about those contractors coming to fix the hole because I'm not in the mood to deal with anything else."

"You know, talking without making eye contact is rude."

Grayson looked up from his laptop after hearing somebody that clearly wasn't one of his. He got one good look at me and then tried to pull a gun on me. It was only for a split second, but I saw the iconic silver frame and red grips of Johnny's Malorian. Before he could do any harm, Em showed his incredible agility and rushed past me, bodying Grayson.

Jeremiah Grayson
https://i.imgur.com/7vABVyW

While my bouncer tackled Grayson to the ground, I pulled out my Constitutional Arms Liberty I named Pride. I pointed my pistol at the still-in-shock card players, firing three shots. Two card players flopped onto the table while the one leaning on the chair fell backward and thumped onto the ground. Three shots, three kills. Still got it.

I watched as Em dragged over a Grayson who was kicking up a storm. Tired of manhandling someone struggling to escape, Em gut-punched Grayson, knocking the wind out of him. Grayson calmed down, and Em threw him against some metal boxes.

I holstered my pistol and walked over to pick up the Malorian Arms 3516 Grayson dropped on the ground while EM was roughing him up. The gun was hefty but not detrimentally so. It was the kind of weight that denoted something of excellent craftsmanship and quality. Once I had Johnny's iron, I crouched next to Grayson.

Pride
https://i.imgur.com/XBXd4k1

Malorian Arms 3516
https://i.imgur.com/SChMrIq

I put the barrel of the Malorian under his chin and raised his head so he could look at me.

"Give me Silverhands's Porsche."

Grayson looked at me and gave me a shit-eating smug grin.

"No love for an old friend?"

He was always good at getting under my skin. I raised Johnny's pistol and slammed the pistol grip into his nose. I could feel the crunch as I broke his nasal bone. That knocked the grin off his face.

"Give. Me. Silverhand's. Porsche"

This time he didn't try to be smart. He reached into his pant pocket and lifted a key out.

"It's in the gray container on the crane lift."

I snatched the key from him and stood up. Em then came behind and tapped me on the shoulder. I leaned slightly towards him, and he whispered in my ear.

"We found the vault on board, and one of the mercs on the ground is grabbing the equipment to cut inside it."

I gave the key to Em and told him to set the shipping container down. He took the key and left me with Grayson. Blood was now pouring out of his broken nose. As he wiped at his face, the crimson fluid smeared all over Grayson's face, hands, and clothes.

I shoved one of the dead card players out of their chair and brought it over to him. I sat down in the chair and threw one leg over the other, just enjoying the sight of his defeat. When I sufficiently burned the image into my mind, I stood up again and pointed the pistol at his head.

"We all knew this was how it was going to end. Any last words?"

There was a pause. Then Grayson managed a smirk.

"Fuck you, Bitch."

I sneered back at him. At least he's not going out like a pussy. A loud bang followed as I pulled the trigger on Johnny's pistol. The pistol that fires a rifle caliber round recoiled violently and spat out a small ball of flame. Jeremiah's head jerked back, banging into the crate he was resting his body on. The spent casing ejected from the chamber and bounced on the ground a few times, giving a tiny *clink* every time it hit the floor.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to relax. I thought killing Grayson would bring me some peace, but the catharsis I expected never came. Maybe this wasn't enough. Perhaps it was useless to seek revenge for something that happened so long ago. But I can't stop now.

I lit another cigarette and smoked while watching a few mercs bring heavy equipment onto the Ebunike. I took a long drag on my cig and exhaled a large smoke plume—time to see if Basil was right about that vault.

Chapter Text

It was the evening the day after I left the Nomad camp, and I was sitting on a concrete bench in Kabuki. I've spent the whole morning and afternoon chasing down Tygers, Scavs, and the occasional Animals. There weren't any reported NCPD hustles close to me right now, so I ate some food while waiting for the next gig. While I chomped down on a hotdog made of Tofu, I thought about the last the day before.

After I left the Nomad camp, I got a phone call from Grant, telling me he had managed to secure a meeting with Michiko. The date was set a week and a half from now, and the location was at Konpeki plaza. The meeting place introduced its difficulties, but I'll figure out how to work around them.

I called V and told her that we could proceed with my plan. I also told her we were meeting at Konpeki, which obviously brought back some bad memories and doubts that she could get in. I told her to let me worry about getting her in and focus on keeping Hellman safe and willing to spill his guts about Yorinobu.

V reassured me that she's got everything under control and also gave me some good news of her own. She got in contact with Brick, the leader of Maelstrom, and set up a meeting two weeks from now. This brought me closer to acquiring those engine parts the Aldecaldos needed for the Surveyor.

When I finished eating, I tossed the trash into a garbage can nearby and looked at the spoils of my vigilante effort. I have looted dozens of weapons and deconstructed all of them to convert them into over one hundred rare and fifty epic components. Of course, this was far from what I needed to make another Basilisk tank, but it was still a significant boost to what I had before.

Rummaging through pockets and wallets also netted me a cool profit of nineteen thousand Eddies. Combining this with the last batch of ammo I sold raised my balance to just under eighty thousand bucks. This should be enough for purchasing the next set of cyberware I wanted after the Wratih job. Besides money, I also gained a fair chunk of experience.

Hunting criminals raised my level to twenty-nine, giving me six more Attributes and Perk points. Leveling was becoming more challenging, but I couldn't complain about the efficacy. I had used two Attribute points to increase my body to eleven, unlocking the Divided Attention and Multitasker perks. Divided Attention and Multitasker allowed me to reload and shoot while sprinting, sliding, and vaulting.

I could technically do these things before, but once I picked up these perks, I could do it more proficiently. Without the perks, my shooting would be wildly inaccurate, and reloads would take much longer. But with the perks, it was almost like my arms had built-in stabilizers weapons handling took no negative impact while I was moving.

I used four points for the first Mass Vulnerability and Big Sleep levels. Mass Vulnerability made it so that Breach Protocol reduced resistance by thirty percent to any enemies in the network while Big Sleep turned off all cameras. These two perks turned Breach Protocol into a super helpful tool. By using it before a fight, I make enemies easier to kill and make it harder to track me as the assailant.

Another two points were used to raise my Technical ability to fourteen, allowing me to pick up the two levels in Cost Optimization. Cost Optimization reduced the component cost of crafting by thirty percent, increasing my profit margins for ammo. It also, arguably more importantly, dramatically reduced the cost of making something like another Basilisk tank. It was still expensive, but much less so now.

And finally, I raised my Cool stat to five. Eventually, I want to start investing in the Cold Blooded tree, so I started growing the stat now. Since my combat style is getting as many kills as quickly as possible, the higher-level perks would be beneficial. The lower-rank skills aren't as valuable, so I didn't spend any points on them.

Each level of Cool also raised the damage I deal while in stealth by ten percent. Since I am in stealth while fighting most of the time, this was basically a straight boost to my damage output. The increase in the Body stat, stealth damage, melee damage, and reduced enemy resistances combined so well that I could easily separate limbs from bodies with my katana.

I left so many bodies either headless or with bullets in their noggins that I got a super cringy nickname. The culture vultures picked up on the alarming number of corpses in Watson without heads or slugs in their skulls. Trying to flame the fire and get their views up, they speculated that I was a cyberpsycho with a grudge against gangs and called me the "Watson Headhunter". However, that rumor was quickly put to rest by the NCPD, stating that I was an NCPD subcontractor.

At first, I wished that the NCPD hadn't done that. If the gangs thought I was a cyberpsycho, it'd be harder to pinpoint who I was. I still had a public life of being a small business owner. Nobody would expect a functioning member of society with a comfortable lifestyle to be a homicidal mental patient.

But then I remembered MaxTac and shivered at the thought of some nosey bystander calling them in on me. Night City's idea of a SWAT team was to arm to the teeth rehabilitated and heavily chromed cyberpshycos. Maybe making me being a Subcon known was for the best. I just have to cross my fingers and hope some corrupt pig doesn't leak my info.

My phone suddenly vibrated, and I looked at the message on it. An assault in progress was reported just north of my position, and I was offered the contract to sort it out. Since it was close by and the threat level was just 'medium' I decided to accept the job. The NCPD has its problems, but at least they make their payments to me.

I sprinted and pulled up a map to see where to go. The reported location was next to the Kabuki Market, just a few blocks away. Since it was getting late, this would probably be my last gig of the night.

After running for a few minutes, the market's central building appeared in my view. A circular overpass encircled the main structure and fed into the surrounding buildings. A large three hundred and sixty degree screen was hoisted into the air from the roof and played ads for various companies' products. Vending machines, neon signs, and shops are scattered around, giving the place a colorful backdrop.

Kabuki Roundabout
https://i.imgur.com/fmjGj6S

Arriving at the roundabout, I heard the faint noise of an alarm system going off. I quickly crossed the street and started following the sound until I found the store responsible for the noise. The sound was coming from some kind of general goods store.

Staying close to the inner wall, I walked past the graffiti and vending machines until I got to a dumpster near the storefront with shattered glass. Without poking my head out, I could already hear a lot of angry yelling and the sound of things being smashed around. I saw a camera in the corner of the shop and hacked into it to better understand what was happening.

The shop was a small bookstore selling office and school supplies. There were four hoodlums, two females and two males. The tattoos and clothing quickly revealed that it was the Tyger Claws again, which makes sense since Kabuki is their turf.

Two of the Tygers were ransacking the place for anything valuable, which wasn't much since it was an office supply shop. Of the remaining two, one was serving as a lookout while another was further in the shop harassing the clerk. He yelled at her in Japanese and dragged her from behind the counter.

I've seen enough at this point and used the camera to scan and upload a Mass Vulnerability daemon into the group. Once the hack worked, I exited the camera and drew my revolver. I stood up from my hiding spot and got ready to start the fight by taking out the Tyger on guard, but I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of something completely unexpected.

Since ordinary people didn't want to get involved with gang activity, the area had cleared out of bystanders a while ago. This worked in my favor since having fewer people around meant I didn't have to be careful about my surroundings. I expected the market to be empty until I took care of the situation, so I was surprised when I saw someone with a zipped-up hoodie and hands in their pockets walk down the stairs and into the market.

I thought maybe the person had music or a video playing and wasn't paying attention. I had my fingers crossed and hoped the Tyger Claw lookout would just let the person go, but no such luck. The guy watching out stepped in front of the person and tried to intimidate them.

The next thing I knew, the hoodie swung open to show a hidden baseball bat and short women underneath. She had stuffed the sleeves of the hoodie into the pockets to hide the fact that her arms were gripping a weapon. Before the Tyger Claw could react, she swung the bat at the guy's head.

There was a solid *THWACK* sound as the metal connected with the skull, and the guy immediately went lights out. Was she also a subcon for the NCPD? Regardless of whether or not she was, this forced me to change my plans. I wanted to do things quietly and surprise the enemies, but the loud yelling and the girl dropping their lookout definitely would have alerted the rest of the criminals.

I stepped out from behind the dumpster and started walking towards the shop with my pistol drawn. The girl's eyes immediately looked onto me, and without the hoodie covering her, I got a better look. The girl had very pretty and was of Asian descent. Her hair was tied into two buns, and she had chrome around her eyes that looked like a cheetah's eyestripes.

But what caught my eye more than her beautiful face was the tattoos that covered her body. The black and red markings showed dragons, geishas, koi, and waves. All things that a Tyger Claw would typically get. But if she was a member of the Tyger Claw, why did she attack this group? Intragang rivalry? But those generally are carried out in groups rather than solo.

She was obviously in a combative state, and when she saw me with my gun out, I was scared that she would get the wrong message. But instead of being aggressive, her facial expression was that of shock, which then changed to... Joy?

This response was completely unexpected, and I wondered how I should react. If she was a member of the Tyger Claws, then working with her was out of the question. Before I could ask her who she was, one of the Tygers in the store rushed outside and shoulder charged into her.

That caught the girl off guard and knocked her onto the ground. Before she could recover and get up, the Tyger rushed up to her and returned the favor by clubbing the side of her head with a bat of his own. Seeing her go down snapped me out of my trance, and I jumped into action by activating my Sandi and Optical Camo.

The man that hit the girl had raised his bat over his head, looking to finish the job. I missed my first shot aimed at his head and decided to target his body instead. Missing now might mean the girl gets her skull caved in. My following two bullets were hits and dug into the side of Tyger's torso, probably rupturing his lungs.

While he was still falling over, I rushed into the store and did the same with the two female tygers. Two shots into the Tyger closest to the shopkeeper and one into the other, all center mass hits. Time then sped back up, and the one harassing the clerk fell over while the other Tyger managed to survive and tried to get up from a kneeling position.

She was still pretty fucked up by getting hit in the chest, but I didn't want to take any chances and let her recover. I circled to the kneeling Tygers side and raised my sword. My blade cut into the woman's neck and cleanly sliced through its path, lopping her head off.

Surprisingly, the surroundings only got louder as the store clerk began screaming like she saw the devil. I turned around to her to try to get her to calm down, then remembered that I was still invisible. To her, it looked like a phantom had just killed her attackers and even pulled the head off of one of them.

I waited for my Optical Camo to wear off before approaching the woman. Even though she could see me, she was still freaking out and didn't calm down until I showed her my phone and NCPD Subcon Badge. Once she was no longer hysterical, I had her turn off the alarm.

When everything had calmed down, I went over to the mysterious Asian girl who was knocked cold on the floor. I leaned down, jacked into her interface, and ran a first-aid diagnosis. She had a concussion and a minor fracture in her skull but no internal bleeding or immediate life-endangering damages.

Scanning her with my optics showed that the girl was Tabata Yumi. She had connections to the Tyger Claws and was wanted for the usual racketeering and assault. But all of her offenses were from more than a year ago, meaning there is a chance that Yumi could have gone clean.
I heard the sirens in the distance, indicating that the NCPD had enough manpower to send someone my way. I can't just leave her here if she is trying to go clean. Once the NCPD shows up, they'll see a wanted gang member and lock her up even if she isn't a criminal anymore.

But there is still a chance that she is still a Tyger Claw, and this was some kind of feud within the gang. Do I want to deal with this kind of crazy? The cops were getting closer, and I had to decide soon. I tried thinking about leaving her here and just couldn't do it. Fuck it. I can at least bring her to Vic to get a check-up.

Chapter Text

I exited the cab carrying Yumi into a Little China kept alight by colorful street signs and neon lights. I quickly walked across the sidewalk and found a small secluded entrance into a passage. I opened the worn-down metal gate, careful not to hit Yumi, and entered the hidden alley on Urmland Street.

Yumi stayed unconscious the entire way, which worried me slightly. I considered going to a closer ripperdoc but decided Vic was the most reliable and trustworthy option. Which is why after I got away from the Kabuki Roundabout and was sure the cops didn't know where I was, I called a cab and had them take me as close to Vic's clinic as possible.

The back alley was segregated from the main street, so the noise of the cars and people had a more challenging time penetrating in. Weird silences like this in a loud place like Night City always gave me the creeps. I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and hurriedly carried Yumi through the connecting tunnel and down the stairs leading to Vic's clinic.

Once I entered the clinic, I saw Vic at his operating table, cleaning his surgical tools while listening to music. Since I had my hands full and couldn't open the gate, I banged on the metal scissor doors to get his attention.

"Vic! Help me out over here!"

Vic swiveled over to me, and I could see he was about to give me a sharp retort before getting serious when he saw that I was carrying around someone unconscious. He hurried over and opened the door for me. I walked past him and settled Yumi onto the chair at the center of the room. Vic grabbed his chair and swung it around near Yumi, immediately working on fixing her up.

"What happened?"

I found a spot near the workbench and leaned against it for a well-deserved break.

"Blunt force trauma to the head. A Tyger clocked her on the side of her noggin with a bat. I ran a quick diagnosis on her, and she's got a concussion, a fracture, and some internal bleeding. I don't think it's anything significant, but better to have you check on her to be sure."

Vic stopped for a second and gave me a pointed look.

"Yeah, I can see that she's hurt. I am a doctor, after all. I'm talking about who she is and why you brought her here."

Right. I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment and tried my best to explain the situation.

"I was doing some gigs the NCPD threw my way. A group of Tygers was harassing this poor lady down by Kabuki, and right as I was getting ready to stop them, this girl came out of nowhere and attacked one of the perps."

Vic's headlamp flicked on, and I watched as he used the fine edge of his surgical exoglove to slive into and remove a body panel on Yumi's head. Vic pulled a cord from a fancy-looking machine and plugged it into the interface behind Yumi's neck. While Vic was digging around in her head and running a thorough diagnostics, I continued telling him what had happened.

"I was stepping out right as she knocked the donk on guard. I was scared she would also go apeshit on me when she saw me, but she just froze instead. One of the Tygers inside took advantage of that and knocked her unconscious. I carried her out, and now here we are."

Vic grunted at my story before pointing at all the tattoos covering Yumi.

"And what about those?"

"She's got ties to the Tyger Claws, but the last thing she was wanted for was intimidation, and that was a long time ago. I think the girl's trying to go clean. If she is, I can't leave her at a crime scene for the cops to scoop up, now can I?"

"As long as you're careful and know what you're getting into."

I watched Vic maneuver a screen attached to some mechanical arms next to Yumi's head. The arms were similar to those that a dentist would have connected to their light, and the screen was a super compact X-Ray machine.

"She's not hurt that bad. I'll drain some fluid, so the Hematoma has room to expand without causing pressure on her grey matter. She'll be mostly fine within a few weeks and should fully recover in a month or two."

Vic then picked up a small drill and poked a hole into Yumi's cranium. He placed a small tube with a suction cup on the spot, and a red-pinkish color started draining out.

"So, did you contact her family? Friends? Who's going to look after her?"

"Uhhhhhh..."

Vic looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You haven't thought that far?"

"I haven't thought that far. But to be fair to me, she doesn't have any emergency contacts, and her phone is locked. It's not like I can go to the police and treat her like a lost child."

A sigh escaped from Vic as if he was a father tired from his child's shenanigans. He focused back on Yumi and took the tube out before quickly plugging the hole and applying some plaster-like substance to prevent further liquid from escaping.

"I guess. She needs someone to monitor her and bring her in at least once daily to check if liquid is pooling in her skull."

The Aldecaldos will attack the Shivs two days from now, and I was planning to grind out some levels and prepare until then. Looking after Yumi would really cut into that time, so ideally, I wouldn't have to look after her. Maybe Vic could look after her in his clinic.

"Since she has to be back here daily, can you just look after her for a few days? I'll pick her up two days from now and drop her off somewhere safe. I have some things to do in between."

Vic stopped what he was doing and looked at me as if I had just proposed something massively dumb.

"..."

"I mean, of course, I would pay for it."

"..."

More silence followed, and I started getting a bit of cold sweat from the way he continued to stare me down.

"Uh, I think I'll hide her in my store and find someone to look over her when I'm out."

That seemed to satisfy Vic, and he returned to working on Yumi.

"*Grunt* You do that."

Vic picked up the body panel for the head and wedged it back into place, making sure that it was secured correctly and wouldn't fall out by accident. Once he finished fixing Yumi up, he unplugged all the monitoring hardware and got up from his chair. Vic walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a small bottle of pills.

"You're a good kid, Basil, and I like you, but I'm not a daycare. If you really won't be able to take care of her, ask Misty. She lives for that shit."

+NEW JOB

NURSE THE STRAY

Help Yumi recover from her injuries
Ask Misty to help keep an eye on her when you can't (Optional)
Right, Misty. I could probably get her to babysit Yumi while I was grinding. The problem was that I didn't want Yumi to wake up and start freaking out. Misty's a tough gal, but she's not exactly what I would call a fighter. Maybe some restraints would be for the best.

After Vic got what he was looking for in the cabinets, he grabbed his chair from the operating area and dragged it over to me. He placed the bottle next to me and explained what it was.

"This is an anti-inflammatory medication for brain edema. Once she regains consciousness, have her take it once a day with food. There should be enough pills inside to last two weeks."

Vic then pulled out a small paper pad and started writing on it. Once he was finished scribbling, he ripped the paper loose and slid it to me. Picking it up, I realized it was a prescription for if I needed to refill the bottle. I picked up the bottle of pills and shoved the paper and medicine into my pocket.

"Thanks, Vic. What do I owe you?"

Vic removed his surgical exoglove and waved his hand at me dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. Just keep returning to be my punching, and when you need your chrome updated."

"You got it."

I walked over to Yumi and gently lifted her in a princess carry.

"You're a lifesaver, Vic. I'll see you later."

I bid farewell to Vic and walked out of his clinic and through the alley into my store. It was late at night, and Urmland street's nightlife was in full bloom. I got some weird looks from bystanders on the way, but no one called me out or tried to stop me. Once I was back in my store, I dropped Yumi on the couch I used to sleep on.

I wrapped her in an old blanket of mine and wedged her in with some pillows so she won't toss around and accidentally hurt herself. Once satisfied with her situation, I exited my shop and returned to Urmland Street. Loud music, bright lights, and working girls were in their element and occupied most of the area.

Urmland Street
https://i.imgur.com/gVCIEPV
https://i.imgur.com/M9sq8TQ

I walked past several strip clubs, brothels, and bars to find myself outside Misty's shop. Misty's Esoterica and Chakra Harmonization was the premier spot in Night City to get a wide variety of spiritual goods and superstitious services. I personally didn't put too much faith into that kind of stuff, but even I would have to admit that some of the oriental medicine Misty provided were very good at their jobs.

The doorbell jingled as I pushed open the door and stepped into the store. The first thing I noticed was the calming smell of incense. It was a very woody scent and had a slight cinnamon fragrance as well. The inside of the store was lit mainly by candles, which gave a warm glow and made the surrounding very comforting visually.

Misty's Esoterica
https://i.imgur.com/Ca97ISL
https://i.imgur.com/ZBNWwU7

I found Misty beyond the spiritual statues and trinkets, picking up some heavy boxes from a pile next to a shrine and moving them into a closet. I walked to her while she struggled to lift two heavy boxes simultaneously. Hearing the doorbell, she confused me for a customer and told me she was closing soon.

"I'm closing in twenty minutes, so you'll have to make it quick. If you need a tarot reading, it'll have to be a three or four-card reading. Let me sort out these boxes, and I'll help you with what you want."

I grabbed the top box she was trying to move and helped lighten the load. Misty could lift the weight once it was cut in half and more manageable. It also removed what was blocking her sight so she could see that it was me.

"Oh! Hey, Basil! Which wind blew you in?"

I smiled at the small girl with frazzled hair and an eccentric fashion sense.

Misty
https://i.imgur.com/M1LZt8g

"Had a favor to ask. But let's first help you get these boxes sorted away."

"Thanks!"

With both of us working on moving the collection of boxes, it only took five minutes before everything was inside the closet and sorted correctly in their place. Misty then had me sit while she made some tea for both of us. She returned with two small china cups and a pot of what she explained to me as chrysanthemum tea. I enjoyed a few sips of the clear yellowish liquid before talking to her about why I was there.

"Thanks for the tea. I wanted to ask if it was ok to have you look over someone during the day for the next two days. Her name's Yuki, and she got knocked out. I can't find any contact information for her friends and family, and since her getting hurt was partially my fault, I wanted to make sure she recovered."

I then told Misty about how Yumi must be brought into Vic's clinic once daily for a checkup and the pills she must take.

"And I should say this upfront, I'm pretty sure she used to be a Tyger Claw, but as far as I can tell, she's trying to turn her life around. I'm telling you this now so you aren't in the dark and so that you know if Yumi wakes up in your care, she might get violent. I'll probably put some restraints on her whenever I drop her off. Of course, I'll pay for your time, so you're not just being a free nanny."

Misty finished her cup of tea and placed her empty china on the table before filling it up again.

"You don't have to do that. I've taken care of plenty of people that blacked out from various things and woke up hallucinating a storm. Trust me; I know how to take care of myself and calm them down."

She took a quick sip from her cup before continuing.

"And as for the payment, I need you to get something for me. I know you've been moonlighting for the NCPD, and that muscle will probably come in handy."

Favor for a favor. That's only fair.

"Sure, what's the deets."

"A shipment of mine never made it out of Watson, and the NCPD is too busy to give a damn. It would have supplied me for the next month or two, so I need to get my hands back on it. Think you can track it down for me?"

"Sounds easy enough. I'll see what I can do."

+NEW JOB

LOST GOODS

Help Misty find her lost cargo

Misty smiled a little, probably just happy that her problem finally got some attention. It's situations like this that keep solos in business. If you can't get the NCPD to help and you're too poor to afford corpo security, your only option is to find a solo willing to take the job.

"Thanks, Basil. How about a card reading before you leave? On me."

"Why not?"

We both got up, and Misty went to her desk while I stood on the other side. She reached into her drawer and pulled a deck of cards out. The design on the back was six orange, gray, or black triangles pointing towards a white hourglass. She shuffled the cards a few times before spreading them out in front of me.

"I wasn't expecting to do a reading for you today, so I will use a general-purpose deck and let you pick your own cards. Pull whichever four cards you want out of the line and keep them facing down. Take your time, and let the cards speak to you."

I tried my best to be receptive to Misty's suggestion and let my hands hover over the cards while waiting for a response or feeling. It never came to me, so I picked four random cards from the spread. Once I made my choice, Misty swept away the remaining cards and pulled the four together.

She flipped the top card over, showing a man with a long white beard sitting on a throne. In one hand, he held a golden sphere, and in the other, a strange scepter that reminded me of Egyptian symbols.

"The Emperor. The first card serves to show who you are. You feel confident that your desired success and achievement are just around the corner. It could also mean that a leader of great importance will soon lend you a hand and offer steady support."

That's... Surprisingly accurate. Every day I grow stronger by fighting crime, and I feel that I've become more and more prepared for the future. Everything has gone so well with meeting with Michiko and the plan to stabilize the Aldecaldos that I feel closer to my goal of evading the Fifth Corpo War day by day. Could the leader be Saul? Or maybe Michiko. Regardless, if true, both would be a great help for the future.

Misty then turned over the second card, showing someone in black armor riding a white horse. Upon closer inspection, the person inside the armor was a skeleton, and it was holding a flag with a five-pedaled rose. Under the horse was a corpse with a crown lying to the side of its head. Kneeling in front of the horse were three people, a child, a young woman, and someone that looked like a priest. Off in the distance was a boat flowing down the river.

"Death."

I instinctively flinched at the name of the card. Misty must have seen that as she quickly continued and gave a reading.

"Not necessarily a bad thing. This card represents what you want in life. Death indicates transition and transformation. It represents your desire for radical change, to start anew. Embracing what comes ahead will help you grow in wisdom and experience."

Misty's explanation was definitely more reassuring than what that card looked like on the surface. And it was applicable too. The obvious connection would be overthrowing Yorinobu and having Hanako run Arasaka instead. It could also be about my promise to Panam to try the nomad lifestyle after removing the Shivs.

The next card was upside down, so I couldn't get a good image of what it was. From what I could see, it was a woman with a crown sitting on a throne with two lions. In one hand was a sunflower, and in the other was a staff with sprouts growing out of it.

"The Reverse Queen of Wands. The third card describes people around you. The reversed Queen of Wands could represent a jealous lover. Someone might believe that they aren't receiving the entitled attention they deserve. They might trust their intuition to fix their envy, which could damage a relationship if not handled appropriately."

This is the first card that I felt missed the mark. Other than not meeting each other as much as we'd like, Panam and I are in a good place, and I dare say our relationship is healthy. She's probably the person I'm closest to, and there's no reason for her to feel jealous. I guess I'll just generally be mindful of my actions.

Finally, Misty revealed the last card. The final card was a tower being struck by lightning. The force of the lightning bolt was so great that it blew the top of the building off and set it ablaze. Two people could be seen falling out of the window, presumably plummeting to their death.

"Hmmm... The Tower. The Tower represents upheaval, sudden change, and an awakening. It suggests that in your future your sense of safety will soon be upturned, and you might experience significant loss. But the loss can be good. It could represent clearing your path of what no longer serves you and overcoming obstacles that will mold you into a better, more capable person."

I don't know how I feel about the loss part, but improving myself is always appreciated. Then again, this assumes that any of this holds any impact beyond the cards on the table.

"Thanks for the reading, Misty. I'll try to keep an open mind and think about these things. I'll drop Yumi off tomorrow morning and start working on your shipment."

Misty picked up my four cards and shuffled them back into the deck before putting them away.

"Don't mention it. Let me know when you're coming over, and be careful out there, ok?"

"You got it," I gave Misty a thumbs up, "Later."

I walked out of the calming environment of the store and back into the chaos that is Urmland street at night. I shuffled my way past the groups of thrill-seekers and worn-out workers and into my store. Yumi remained motionless on the bed, so I left her alone and returned to my room. It was almost midnight, and I was beginning to get tired. I quickly undressed and slithered into my bed to catch some Z's. I needed to rest; I have missing goods to track down tomorrow, after all.

Chapter Text

Under cover of night, I was kneeling outside a fence on the Northside docks, plying away at the metal mesh with a pair of wire cutters.

*HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK*

As I was sneaking into the harbor, the deafening booming sound of the horn of a passing ship threatened to damage my eardrums and caused my surroundings to slightly vibrate. I continued my work, unphased by the unannounced loud noise. The closer I got to the docks, the honking of ships became more and more frequent and audible, and I'd gotten used to them at this point.

I shimmied past the barrier once I cut a hole large enough for my body to crouch through. The fence made a rattling, crinkling noise as a few of the jagged edges momentarily grabbed onto the edges of my jacket. Once on the other side, I hid behind a shipping container, carefully looking around for any security that would notice me. When satisfied that I was alone, I moved from my hideout toward my destination.

While walking, I rotated my backpack to my front and opened the zippers. Inside was a hard hat, a high-vis safety vest, and a fake badge that looked legit enough. I worked in a few warehouses as a teen, and if I learned anything, it was that no one would question you if you looked the part and walked with confidence. I quickly donned my costume to blend into the environment as 'just another dock worker' and returned my backpack to my back.

This place was just a short distance from where the Ebunike was located. Rogue recently hit the site and got her payback on Grayson. I was helping the Aldecaldos while the Ebunike docked in NC, so I couldn't help Rogue clear the place out. Not like someone like Rogue needed me to help anyways.

She got Johnny's Porsche and Malorian back. She was trying to hide it, but I could hear she was happy she had them instead of some corp rat. I wonder if she'll give them to V once she learns that Johnny's taking a backseat in her conscience. Guess we'll wait and see.

More importantly, Rogue was also able to crack into Smasher's secret vault and empty the place. Imagining Smasher raging after finding out his stash got stolen brought a grin to my face. Since he's such a colossal asshole, he can go fuck himself. Rogue also has a ripperdoc and netrunner she trusts to inspect all the kit and see if there's anything we can exploit once the fight with the psycho goes down.

Once I have the time, I'll look at everything we lifted once I have the spare time and see if I would like to keep anything for myself. But that was for the future. Right now, I should focus back on the job at hand. Misty was able to give me the vessel name and dock number her goods were stored before they went missing. From there, all it took for me to figure out which warehouse her things were stored at was a few hundred misplaced bucks on a logistics worker's table. Sometimes corruption can work to your benefit. The trick is knowing how to exploit it.

The docks at night were peaceful, with the only noise being the crashing of waves against concrete, the sound of reversing forklifts, and the occasional echoing *Clank* as empty containers were moved around the place. It was weird how peaceful I felt while illegally snooping around on private property. Moments of relative silence were hard to come by in Night City, especially if you live on a busy street like Urmland.

I stopped once I arrived at a road roughly four car lengths wide separating me from a warehouse on the other side. The warehouse was a pretty basic structure, with very little on the outside of its concrete walls other than a large number '22' painted near the roof, a double door, and a camera on each corner. A parking lot wrapped around it, with smaller spots in front for regular vehicles and larger lanes on the side for trucks.

I pulled up my map and checked that my custom marker was still placed on the warehouse where the worker said the goods were before going missing. If the intel I had was good, the warehouse right across the road was my final destination. I just needed to get in without anyone knowing that I was there.

I first scanned the camera and loaded a Big Sleep daemon with my breach protocol. The breach showed that there wasn't another person on the system and that the control computer was in an office on the second floor. I wasn't the best with the Breach Protocol number minigame and could rarely get all the daemons loaded. What I would do if I could get my hands on those breach protocol cheat apps.

Once the cameras were off, I had three minutes to work with them before they turned back on. I looked at both sides of the street and crossed the road to the warehouse as casually as possible. Once at the warehouse, I checked the door and saw a body check of nine that I could pass to unlock the thing.

I wedged my fingers into the crack, one hand on the door and the other on the frame. I flexed my synthetic muscles, and the panels on my arms slightly opened up to allow my arm cybernetics to bulge. I grunted and put some force, and pulled the door open.

Weirdly, forcing doors open like this never triggered alarm systems for me. Hacking doors with a technology check and not raising alarms made sense, but security programs should notice someone prying them apart. I guess it's just another quality-of-life perk that came with my weird powers.

Once a small gap formed, I put both hands on the door and dragged it open the rest of the way. There was some crumpling and grinding noise, but nothing that would sound too out of the ordinary on a busy dock. Once the door opened halfway and I ensured it wouldn't close itself, I wedged myself into the warehouse and out of the street.

Rows and rows of shelves and pallet racks greeted me inside, spaced just far enough for a forklift to fit in between. Above the empty space were catwalks where people could walk and look at the stock on the top shelves without needing a lift. The wall on my opposite side had two large garage doors, presumably, so oversized cargo could be lifted into the warehouse and broken down.

The lights were turned off since there wasn't supposed to be anyone here right now, but the moon showed through the windows, providing me just enough illumination to navigate with. I looked around until I found a stair leading to a mezzanine. The pseudo-second floor had a bunch of smaller shelves with small bins and an office, presumably with a computer inside.

I walked up the stairs and into the simple office. On top of a simple desk were two screens and a desktop. I unplugged my access cable and inserted it into a port on the computer. A quick minigame later, I was given full access to the system.

The first thing I did was turn off all the cameras permanently since I didn't want them spotting me after my Big Sleep Daemon wore off. After that, I started digging around for what I came for. It took me only a short time to find the location where all the security footage was backed up. Once there, I filtered for the days after the cargo was put into the warehouse and when there was a security alert.

The filter only returned a few results. Quickly scrubbing through a few videos showed that they were all false alarms, either picking up on loud noise or light soon traveling across the room from vehicles driving by. I was starting to give up when I finally hit the jackpot.

One of the videos started after the security system picked up the sound of a car screeching outside the warehouse. At first, I thought this was another false positive, only to hear loud thumping and the entrance door kicked down. A group of four in coats with hoods covering their face streamed into the warehouse.

They ransacked the place, cracking open crates and throwing things around. They continued this until one of them yelled out that they had found what they were looking for. They then quickly lifted the supplies out of the warehouse. A tire burned later, and the warehouse was calm and abandoned. I exited the video and skimmed through the report on the event.

At 23:14, an unidentified group driving an unmarked vehicle ...blah blah... several crates were opened ...blah blah... damages in excess of ...blah blah... Oh! Here's the good stuff. The consignee of the targeted shipment on the BOL is Misty Olszewski, and the freight forwarder is Hatashi. Both parties have been contacted.

Bingo. This was Misty's package, and these people were responsible for making it go missing. Rewatching the video gave me a few more clues to work off of. The coats did an excellent job of hiding their faces, but they didn't suppress their voices which were clearly altered by technology. One of the coats also had a design I recognized on the back. It was a red crosshair superimposed on a white skull with several red sockets.

It was the goddamn Maelstrom again. What the fuck is it with them finding a way into my life. First, I have to deal with them to get those engine parts for the Surveyor, and now this? I hope I can end this peacefully, so I don't ruin my chances of getting those things for Panam. Then again, the Maelstrom is so crazy and unorganized that there is a good chance they won't even know about their guys dying if getting Misty's tuff back goes sideways.

I unplugged myself from the system and left the warehouse. Once I was outside again, I started looking for clues. Specifically, I was looking for the tire burn marks that should have been left behind. V could scan things like that in-game and draw a simulated path for them. Of course, it only showed that kind of tracking when the event had just occurred, so there's a chance that it won't work for me. There's also a chance that the tire marks have been cleaned or covered up by something else.

Fortunately for me, the tire marks were still in the parking lot. Scanning them highlighted the patterns in orange and reconstructed a Mackinaw Larimore. Getting closer to the hologram-like visual gave life to the reconstruction, and it started driving out of the parking lot. I followed it until I saw that it was about to make a left turn and through an exit.

Mackinaw Larimore
https://i.imgur.com/OL9wQ4l

Since the exit was manned, I decided it would be suspicious to keep following on foot while inside the docks. I went near the warehouse and navigated through the containers back to the hole I cut in the fence. I removed my disguise once outside and returned to my van. I started the car up and tossed my pack onto the passenger seat. Once I pulled out of my spot, I drove to the entrance that the Maelstrom went through.

There waiting for me was the hologram of the simulated vehicle. I followed the truck down the road south, keeping the docks to the left of me. The car approached a Y-junction and made a left. I stuck behind it, driving under the sky rails for another few hundred feet until I saw the vehicle pull into an alley on the left.

This must be where they stopped to stash the goods. There's a good chance everything has moved since then. It's too close to where they stole it from, and they probably moved it here first to see if anyone cared enough to track it down. But it doesn't hurt to take a look. Maybe I can get more clues and determine where Maelstrom decided to move it next.

I parked my car next to the sidewalk and locked it before walking towards the alley. Since this was the industrial district, there were fewer street lamps than you would find in a part of the city with more entertainment or a larger civilian population. The lack of light sources and being under the concrete sky rail structure made the surroundings eerily dark. All except for the alley, which had a faint red glow coming out for some unexplained reason.

The closer I got to the alley, the more the situation simultaneously felt both familiar and creepy. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up, and I could feel goosebumps forming on my skin. I tried to calm myself down by telling myself that it was only the cold wind blowing on me, but something deeper inside me was setting off alarms. I trusted that gut instinct and slowly drew my revolver from my holster. I kept my back to the wall once I was at the entrance to the alley and slowly peeked my head out to see what was going on.

As far as I could see, the place was vacant, with the only sound being a weird rhythmic *thunk*. A sound that made me think of a machine banging on the side of an empty metal container. Probably something is broken and stuck in a loop.

A liberal application of graffiti could be seen on the walls and structures. The 'art', if you could call it that, was mostly done with red and black paint. Since the subject matter was primarily skulls with red eyes and other gang symbols, it was clear that the Maelstrom had been here before.

The area was split into two sections by a few barriers and the wreckage of a van in the middle. A liberal application of graffiti was everywhere. The red glow came from a series of light bars spread across the ground and a lamp mounted on the side of some metal scaffolding. The lamp threw an ominous cone of red light into the second section.

Alley
https://i.imgur.com/zbAkJM5

The lighting, combined with the run-down visual and Maelstrom graffiti everywhere, gave it a futuristic haunted house kind of vibe to it. Typically, I would have taken all signs as a clue from the world to stay the fuck away from the place. However, there was a van on the other side of the alley, and it would be the perfect place to hide some stolen merch.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and approached the van. Once the barriers and van were no longer blocking my view, I could see several corpses around a box in the middle and a man crawling in a pool of blood next to it. The box was white and surrounded by five lights placed in a pentagram pattern. Paint and blood coated the ground, creating strange patterns and Maelstrom iconography. The bodies were in varying states of dismemberment. Some only had stab wounds, while others were missing limbs or were decapitated.

Ritual Site
https://i.imgur.com/DT2M1C0

I rushed past the barriers and up to the guy. I flipped him onto his back and tried to help him sit up, only to get a blood-soaked hand grab onto the collar of my jacket and pull me close to the guy's face. Only now did I realize that this person was a part of Maelstrom.

I froze for a second, unable to process what was happening. Luckily for me, instead of the usual violence the Maelstrom resorted to, this guy just put his face close to my ears and whispered something to me.

"Lilith has concealed the tenth circle from the ancestors' eyes."

Once he said his piece, his grip loosened, and he flopped to the side lifelessly. I had no idea what the fuck the dead gonk talking about, but I finally remembered what this shitshow was. A fixer, Regina Jones, could send V to an event at night to investigate a Maelstrom gathering. What the player found at the location was a botched pseudo-satanic AI summoning and a Cyberpsycho.

At this point, the lizard part of my brain that was going, 'this ain't right,' is now screaming at the top of its lungs, 'HOLY SHIT, GET THE FUCK OUT RIGHT NOW, YOU DUMBASS MOTHER FUCKER'. Right as I stood up from my spot, the *thunk* noise suddenly stopped coming from my left behind me.

Never in my life has the sound of silence been more distracting. I turned my head toward where the sound used to be coming from, and I swear I could feel my neck creaking as I did. Even though I knew what I would most likely be seeing, I still couldn't help but be stunned by what I saw.

Near a crate that I couldn't see without coming inside the second area and looking back was a trunk with Militech markings. Next to the box was a dead body propped up by a woman's silhouette. She held the body in place with one arm while her other was raised above her head as if it was about to strike the corpse.

Zaria Hughes Silhouette
https://i.imgur.com/FroNgi4

In the game, after investigating the surroundings, the Cyberpsycho will rise from the ice tub at the center of the ritual and engage V in combat. In this world, I must have arrived before all that happened, and she hasn't returned to the freezer yet. Mantis blades protruded from her appendages, covering the tips in blood and gore. And the situation only got worse.

Even more alarming than finding the cause behind all the gruesome deaths was having the cause of the gruesome deaths stare at you with her four red eyes. Without good lighting, she looked like a malevolent specter readying to pounce on her next victim. Before I could tuck my tail between my legs and run for my dear life, the lunatic pointed the finger at me and opened her mouth.

"BLASPHEMER! KILL 'IM!"

She screeched those words before extending her mantis blades and throwing them back like she was preparing to lunge at me. As if the situation couldn't get worse, the weapons then suddenly caught on fire as if the devil himself had possessed this bitch and given her powers. Suddenly the name Zaria Hughes and a red bar underneath it popped up at the top of my vision.

"A health bar? Really? My system recognizes boss fights? What the fuck is this shit!"

Before I could get ready, Zaria closed the distance between us by zigzagging so fast I swore it left an afterimage. She pushed off her strange pointed stubs in place of her feet, lept toward me, and tried to pierce through my head with her blades. I dodged to the right in the nick of time and felt the slight breeze and heat as the flame-covered edge barely missed my face. After my successful dodge, I activated my Sandi and quickly rushed away from the woman, putting as much distance between her and me as possible.

I ran next to the barriers before turning around. Zaria had sailed right past me and was turning around. Now that she was under the light, I could get a better look at her. Starting from the bottom, everything below her knees were replaced with metal and instead of feet to pointed protrusions were there. Other than skimpy red underwear, Zaria didn't have any other articles of traditional clothing. Over the undergarments was a strange metal harness with canvas straps that wrapped over her thighs and shoulders, like some kind of heavy duty bondage gear.

Zaria Under Better Lighting
https://i.imgur.com/fXDP8ve

While she was recovering from her missed attack, I took the chance to aim my revolver and empty the cylinder. I wasn't even taking time to place my shots accurately. Instead, I just slapped that trigger until no more bullets came out. A few of my rounds landed on their target, taking away five percent of her health and causing Zaria to stumble back a little before she regained her balance and focused back on me.

Rather than reloading my Overture, I stored it in my inventory, pulled out my HJSH-18, and equipped my plate carrier. This fight feels a bit out of the scope of what a pistol can accomplish. And I'm not even going to consider taking the katana and entertain a knife fight with a lunatic. My heart was beating so fast it felt like it could jump right out of my chest any second. Not every day you get forced into fighting a strange demonic lady with literal knife arms.

I shouldered my rifle and squeezed the trigger, sending three shots down range. Three tracers zipped out of my barrel, the first two shots impacting Zaria's chest and the last flying just over her right shoulder. Being shot multiple times by a revolver and twice with a rifle usually would have been enough to take someone down, but not this time. All those bullets and Zaria health bar were only down to 87%.

Zaria screeched again and bent over slightly in a sprinting position before kicking off and rushing toward me. I kept my sights trained on her and pulled the trigger again, only to have all three bullets miss when Zaria dodged by using what must have been a Kerenzinkov. My Sandivistan has run out, so I no longer had the speed advantage over her. I slowly stepped away from her while firing my rifle, only to watch as she escaped being hit by every burst.

When Zaria got within fifteen feet of me, she bent her knees and vaulted into a lunge attack again. I dived to the right out of the way and rolled so I could land on my feet. But Zaria was prepared for this because she extended her left foot after landing. The leg gently dragged on the ground, occasionally sending tiny sparks as metal ground against concrete. At the same time, her body rotated around her right foot like an ice skater.

Once Zaria was facing me again, she bent her body forward and got into a sprinting position. Pushing off with her enhanced legs caused her to fly through the air again. Zaria's body rotated before she sliced through the air with her pointed feet stubs toward me like a human heat-seeking missile. Before I could react, Zaria's feet made contact with my chest. Right before she hit me, she extended both her legs, causing them to shoot out and increasing the force of the kick.

The bitch just fucking DROP-KICKED me. The unexpected wrestling move caught me off guard, and the kick hit me dead center. The armor in my plate carrier spread out the impact. However, it still hurt like a mother fucker for someone to literally torpedo me. The force was enough to throw me off my feet, and an *Oof* escaped me as my back smashed onto the ground.

I managed to sit up just in time to see Zaria roll over from her drop kick landing and crawl towards me on her hands and feet like something out of the exorcist. I shouldered my rifle and started firing again. Rounds rained down on and around Zaria as she shambled toward me. One of the shots impacted her head, causing it to snap back and her entire body to stop.

I could hear myself panting heavily as I kept my rifle trained on Zaria's body, waiting for the next move. There was silence, and for a second, I thought I might have stopped her. But then I looked at her health bar and noticed it was only down to 77%. Zaria's head moved with rough and coarse movement before snapping back forward, fixing those four menacing red eyes back on me. I didn't even wait for her to start moving again before sending more bursts in her direction.

The rounds would catch her shoulder or leg, causing them to buckle temporarily but not much more than that. She lept again when close enough. Being on the ground made dodging harder, and I watched as Zaria's mantis blades swung down, almost certain to hit me.

At the very last moment, I pushed my rifle out in front of me and used it as a shield. My biceps flexed as the blades swung into my gun, barely able to stop that momentum from driving those knives into me. Zaria hissed in annoyance at being prevented from her kill and raised her right arm to swing at me again.

I couldn't block with my rifle since it was still blocking her other arm, so I could only shift my head to the left out of the path of certain death. The mantis blades missed my skull but impaled into my right shoulder instead. Getting stabbed obviously hurt, but what caused more pain was the feeling of a hot flame piercing through your flesh.

*Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!*

I yelled out as I felt the edge puncture through my subdermal armor and wedge into my muscles. Zaria's face formed into a twisted smile, and she FUCKING LAUGHED as if hurting me brought some kind of great sadistic pleasure to her. Even worse, the flames on her blades quickly spread onto my jacket, causing it to light up like a bonfire.

Despite being roasted alive and stabbed by a cyberpsycho, the first emotion I felt wasn't fear, dread, or even panic; it was anger. Pure, unadulterated anger. Watching someone hurt me and LAUGH about it caused something to snap within me, and I felt a rage take over me like nothing before. I'm NOT going to die to some fucking rando slum cult gonk, and I'm sure as hell not going to get shanked to death by someone giggling the whole time like some punk.

While Zaria was laughing, I brought my knees up toward my chest. Then I placed the soles of my boots against her abdomen. Before Zaria knew what was up, I kicked out and used my legs as a spring catapult, launching her off me.

I quickly rolled over and pushed myself off the ground and back into a standing position. I quickly took my jacket off and threw it aside. Zaria wasn't expecting to get thrown off and was lying on her back, trying to get back up. My Sandivistan's cooldown had reset, and I activated it to give me an edge in speed again.

Before Zaria could get back on her feet, I ran over and kicked her head like I was doing a kickoff in football. My foot slammed into the side of her head, causing her to lose her balance and crash face-first onto the ground. That attack elicited a groan from Zaria.

It must have also done severe damage since Zaria stumbled and struggled to recover. Not wasting time, I draped the sling on my rifle over her neck and pushed down on the back of her head with my foot. Shooting Zaria hasn't worked out too well for me so far, so I'm going to choke her out instead.

Zaria immediately started fighting against me by thrashing out with her arms. This wouldn't be a problem with anyone else, but Zaria has blades on her arms, so any wild movements were a legitimate threat to me. And since I didn't want to catch on fire again, I needed to get those limbs under control.

I took my foot off Zaria's neck, allowing her to breathe again, but not for long. While she was gasping for air, I knelt down and used my shins and weight to pin her arms in place. I then grabbed each end of the sling with my hand and crossed them before pulling in opposite directions, once again depriving Zaria of oxygen.

She was now down to only 65% health, and the number was dropping faster and faster as I blocked her airpath. Zaria didn't make it easy for me, though. She bucked wildly and gave it her best shot to throw me off of her. I had to do a balancing act of keeping her arms pinned, choking her with my sling, and kicking her legs out so she couldn't escape.

This complicated maneuvering continued, and I struggled to control the situation. My right shoulder strained and a burning pain radiated out from the stab wound. Occasionally, I had to keep Zaria from getting too rowdy by elbow-smashing the side of her head.

I watched as the health bar dropped.

58%

45%

38%

23%

14%

When her health pool finally dropped under 10%, her movements became sluggish. She made some lame attempts at grabbing me, but her arms had no strength behind them and simply flopped back down every time she lifted them up. I no longer had to use so much energy just to keep her down on the ground, but I wouldn't stop choking this bitch out until that number hit zero.

8%

6%

3%

1%

0%

When that number eventually hit zero, Zoria became lifeless, and her body slumped without putting up any more resistance. Seeing she was finally out for the count, I let my sling go and sat on Zaria's back. I placed a finger next to her windpipe and felt her carotid artery pulse against it. The response was weak but constant and not fading away. Guess she'll live to die another day.

Pulling a pair of handcuffs from my inventory. I strapped Zaria's hands together so if she woke up she couldn't just start slashing again. These plastic cuffs come in pretty useful when someone gives up on one of my NCPD gigs. Working around her mantis blades was a bit awkward, but I got them to fit eventually.

When I heard the click of the cuffs locking my body was finally able to let the stress go. I took several deep breaths, just happy that the fight was over.

Chapter Text

I sat on Zaria for a minute before the adrenaline dump into my system finally caught up to me. I experienced a crash so hard I thought I would pass out. My head became dizzy, and I lost balance before falling sideways onto the ground.

The lightheadedness settled in and was paired with a chill that invaded my body. Cold sweat dripped down my forehead and pooled near my tear ducts as I shook. Or maybe I was just crying. Or maybe both. I honestly don't know at this point.

It took a few minutes before my brain could think clearly again, and I could get enough control over my body to get up and take stock of the situation. Besides getting stabbed in the shoulder, my other wounds were all pretty light. I had some light burns across my arm, neck, and shoulder and a few scrapes here and there. Thanks to the Epimorphosis perk, the wounds were already scabbing, and new skin was growing back at a visible pace.

The gash in my shoulder needed more time to close up properly, but it wasn't bleeding anymore, which was nice. It was also weird watching flesh grow back onto me, shoving dust and a few pebbles that got in there during the scuffle-out, like a bizarre and gross timelapse video. Since it kept all the nasty stuff out, unlike MaxDocs or BounceBacks that just healed over the foreign objects, I'll let my body do its job and have Vic look later.

My jacket had burned to a crisp, leaving only small scraps with smoldering edges. Shame I liked that jacket. My shirt wasn't in as bad of a condition, but there was still a big hole over my right shoulder, so this shirt would have to be trashed as well.

I checked my rifle for any damage since it took the brunt of the force when I used it as a barrier between Zaria and me. The HJSH-18 was made primarily of metal and heavy-duty polymer, so it faired better than my clothing. Besides some scorch marks on the top rail and melted plastic on the cheek riser, the gun was perfectly functional. A quick session with Wilson will have it back in tip-top shape.

I can't just leave Zaria here. The only people remotely interested in dealing with a cyberpsycho are Regina and the NCPD. The NCPD doesn't take in psychos as much as they just take them 'out' instead. I guess I'll contact Regina and have her take care of this.

I opened my contact list and called V. A couple of rings later, she picked up my call.

"How's it going, Basil?"

"Not goin' to lie, it was pretty bad, but things are getting better now."

"Need more muscle?"

"Preesh, but I got it under control. I'm calling to ask if you have a fixer called Regina Jones number."

"Uhhh... Yeah. Why? You need her for something?"

"Nah. I got my hands on something I think she'll be interested in. Mind shooting that number over to me?"

"Sure."

A few seconds later, I got a text message from V with a phone number.

"Got it. Thanks choom. I owe you one."

"Don't mention it. Holler if you need anything."

"Will do. Later."

It was nice having the main character as a contact. It means I can use V to access all the other prominent NPCs. Though I don't think it's accurate to call them NPCs anymore.

I hung up the phone and immediately called the number sent to me. While the phone rang, I put the HJSH-18 back into my storage, and I took out my revolver and reloaded the thing before holstering it. While doing admin with my weapons, I remembered why I was here in the first place. I walked over to the wrecked van at the end of the alley and pried open the doors to the trunk.

Sitting in the middle was a crate with the top open. I rummaged inside, finding dried herbs, incense sticks, strange talismans, tiny statues, and even some mummified body parts. This must have been Misty's shipment. The box was missing some contents, and many of the bags were torn open or completely empty.

Looking back at the ritual site, I saw a few piles of burnt ashes spread around the five red lights. I guess the Maelstrom cultists stole it because they needed supernatural supplies to complete their ritual. Who knows, it might have even worked. Zaria was anything but natural.

While I was rummaging through the van and trying to get all the bags and containers back in the crate, Regina picked up my call.

"Regina Jones here."

The familiar voice of the former media came over the line. I turned around and used the ledge of the trunk as a seat.

"Hey, Regina. Names Basil. Heard you were involved with getting cyberpsychos some help."

"And why do you want to know? You interested? No offense, but you sound too coherent to be a psycho."

"No, nothing like that. I managed to knock one out, and I figured I give you a chance to scoop her up before MaxTac gets here and euthanizes her."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, probably from Regina, considering whether or not I was legit. Hell, If I were her, I'd be a bit suspicious if some random dude called me and told me they knocked out a cyberpsycho too. Cyberpsycho pacification is reserved for MaxTac for a reason. Ordinary people don't stand a chance, and if it wasn't for my system and chrome, I wouldn't have either.

"Send me your cords, and I'll have someone come over."

Guess she decided to trust me.

"Sounds good. Later."

I hung up the call and sent my location information over to Regina. Afterward, I made sure Zaria was still out cold before driving my van closer to the alley. This way, I wouldn't have to walk far to move Misty's stuff into my van. I moved Misty's shipment out of the area and into the back of my van.

Right as I closed the rear doors, I heard the low rumble of an engine in the distance. A black and silver Chevillon Thrax 388 made a turn on my street and pulled into view. The large sedan cruised down the road and came to a slow stop behind my van. The headlights then shut off, and the driver shut down the engine. I leaned against my car's back, crossed my arms, and waited for someone to get out.

Chevillon Thrax 388
https://i.imgur.com/5fZ50pL

The driver's door opened, and a black male in a syn-leather trench coat and sunglasses stepped out. He walked up to me with the casual but purposeful gait of a professional gunslinger.

"Where's the package you spoke about?"

The knock off Morbius asked with a deep voice. I pointed with my chin further into the alley.

"Her name's Zaria, and she's lying on the ground with her arms cuffed behind her back. Can't miss her."

Regina's associate gave me a slight nod before marching away. The front passenger door opened as we finished our short interaction, and an Asian woman came out. The woman lit a cigarette and took a long puff before approaching me.

"Hey, names Regina. But I think you already know that. Smoke?"

Regina pushed an open box of smokes toward me, and I rejected her offer by raising my hand and waving. She shrugged as if saying 'your loss' and tucked the pack back into her pants.

Regina was only an inch or two shorter than me and looked exactly as I remembered. She wore simple jeans, a white button-up polo, and a gold cross necklace. Her hair was done in a ponytail, with an eyepatch covering her right eye.

Regina Jones
https://i.imgur.com/Dxe8X1Y

I never learned what happened to her eye, but you could see the tail end of a scar poking out below the patch, hinting at some kind of slash wound. It was strange in this world for people with the type of connections and power Regina had to not fix the damage, but who am I to judge? Maybe it's something deeply personal, and she wants a constant reminder of what happened.

"I'm Basil."

After introducing myself, the driver returned with Zaria slumping over his left shoulder. He gave Regina a nod and waited for her to give him his orders.

"Put 'er in the back of the car and get the car started. I'll have a few more words with our friend here."

The man immediately moved to the rear passenger door and opened it. He then gently let Zaria down before placing her in the seats. He then walked to the front of the car and returned to the driver's seat. The car started back up, but he was kind enough to not turn on the lights so they didn't blind me.

Regina took another drag of her cigarette. Her eye flashed blue for a second, and I was notified that twelve thousand Eddies had been transferred to my account.

"Thanks for bringing her to me. I appreciate you giving her a chance instead of leaving her with the NCPD. You looking for more of this type of work? Pay will be very similar to what I just gave you."

It was good money, excellent even, but considering what I just went through, it'd be too soon if I never had to fight another cyberpsycho.

"Appreciate the offer, but brawling with a cyberpsycho isn't exactly something I want to make a habit out of. And I get that you're trying to do a good thing, but if you're going to hire mercs to keep doing this, you gotta at least send them out in teams of two."

Cyberpsycho fights were never a big deal for me in-game, but I think that was mostly because I started doing them towards the late game, and I was stacked at that point. Not much a cyberpsycho can do to someone with the best cybernetics, weapons, and over a hundred MaxDocs stored for emergencies. But now, having dealt with them firsthand, I don't see how anything but the most experienced solo can handle them.

It wasn't just that they were heavily chromed, but that something broke mentally within them. No self-preservation means their strength and strategies are tough to deal with. Not to mention how unnerving it is to fight someone who has completely lost rational reasoning.

Regina sucked another breath from her smoke. I watched as the ember grew bright orange before it dimmed down again when she removed her lips from the but. She turned her head to the side before blowing out a sizeable plume of smoke. Regina then flicked the thing onto the ground before stepping on it with her heel and grinding it out.

"I'll take your advice into consideration. If you ever change your mind, you know how to contact me."

She turned her back on me before getting into her car. The lights turned back on, and the car hooked a U-turn before speeding away from me. Deciding it was about time I left as well, I got into my van and drove toward Little China.

Fifteen minutes later, I was back on Bradbury and Buran, carrying the shipment into Misty's Esoterica. I couldn't use my hands since they were full, so I pushed the door open with my back instead. The doorbell rang when I entered the shop, and I gently put the boxes down somewhere off the side.

"Misty! You here!"

A familiar voice came from deep within the store.

"Basil? Yeah! Give me a second, and I'll be there."

A few moments later, a familiar ball of frazzled hair emerged behind the counter. But instead of walking over to me, she took one step to the side before looking back from where she came and motioned with her hands like one would while trying to get a dog to come to you. The next thing I knew, another girl walked out after Misty. She waved shyly at me and kept her head down, occasionally taking a quick peek at me.

Apparently, Yumi woke up.

Chapter Text

Everyone stood there in awkward silence. I stood there looking at Yumi while she just stared back motionlessly. Misty stood off to the side and slightly behind Yumi. She was grinning smugly like she knew something no one else did.

Yumi was no longer wearing the hoody that she had on when I met her. Instead, she now wore a pure black sweater and a red plaid skirt, probably something spare Misty gave her. That made sense since she had fought, bled, and sweat in her old get-up. Nice of Misty to have lent her some clothes.

Before the silence went from slightly uncomfortable to outright unpleasant, Yumi suddenly bowed and placed her hands on her knees.

"My name is Tabata Yumi. Thank you for helping me. I am in your debt."

Yumi suddenly bending over caught me off guard, and the formality and how serious she said those words weirded me out.

"Uhhh. Don't sweat it."

While we had our uneasy standoff, Misty had walked over and was rummaging through the crate. A frown was on her face, which was understandable since most of the merchandise was missing. When she was done giving it a once over, she stood up and turned around.

"What happened to my stock? Almost hal- Oh my god! What happened to you!? Are you ok?"

Before Misty could finish asking me where the missing parts of her shipment were, she noticed the wounds all over my body. They've mostly healed by now, but the closing gash on my shoulder, blood-stained clothes, and the red skin where I was burned made me look in a worse condition than I was. After hearing Misty, Yumi squinted before looking surprised, then concern showed on her face.

Before anyone could get the wrong idea, I explained the situation.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Promise. Would I be here casually talking to you guys if I wasn't? How about we all sit down, and I'll tell you what happened. Trust me, you'll want to be sitting down anyway after you hear what I have to say."

Misty still seemed unsure of the situation but decided to trust me enough to believe me when I said I was ok. She sat Yumi and me down before running into the back to grab the tea she and Yumi enjoyed before I barged into the shop. After taking a few sips of the calming tea, I started recounting what had happened.

"So there I was. One man against an army of evil cultists..."

While Yumi leaned in, grasping onto my every word like I was reciting the gospel, Misty quickly caught onto my bullshit and smirked while rolling her eyes.

"Ha Ha," Misty faked, "Very funny. Now stop wasting our time and get on with it."

I spent the next twenty minutes going over today's events. I went over how I bribed the port authorities to winning a fight against a cyberpsycho. By the end of the tale, Yumi looked at me as if I was a superhero. In contrast, Misty looked slightly guilty, probably from unintentionally sending me on such a dangerous quest.

"And don't feel bad for me, Misty. After I beat Zaria, I got in contact with people doing research to help people with cyberpsychosis, and they paid me for incapacitating Zaria. I'm alive, helped someone, and even got paid. And it's not like I did all this for free since you promised to care for Yumi."

I won't lie. I initially did feel a bit pissed about the job being turned into me fighting for my life. But Misty had no idea it would turn out like this, and getting mad at her would just be me projecting my anger onto someone undeserving. If there was anyone I should be angry at, it was a society that allowed something like this to happen.

Misty still seemed hesitant to accept not bearing any responsibility, so I decided to change the topic to lighten the mood.

"So, how're you, Yumi? Well, you're better, obviously," I gave Yumi's shoulder a pat and smiled at her, "Did you give Misty here any trouble?"

Yumi quickly shook her head.

"No, I was very good."

Misty perked up again when her focus shifted from what happened to me to Yumi and her recovery.

"Yeah! Yumi over here woke up around noon and was a real doll to care for. I took her to Vic's in the afternoon and had her checked up. Vic only had to let a little bit of liquid out. I was too squeamish to look, but apparently, she's recovering well, and Vic thinks she'll be back up to speed by the end of the week!"

"That's great! So, Yumi. What's your plan from here on out? I'll be out of the City for the next week or so. Do you want Misty to care for you for a few extra days? I'm sure we can work something out if you need it."

After hearing that I would be away for a while, Yumi looked up at me like a dog when it realized its owner was leaving for work.

"Can't I just go with you?"

Seeing someone with a rap sheet looking at me with puppy eyes was weird. It was cute but also really weird.

"Sorry, but I'll be out on some pretty serious business. And even though you're recovering faster than Vic thought, you're still not in good enough condition to be out and about doing crazy things."

Yumi crossed her arm and pouted, puffing her cheeks out. The juxtaposition between the violence I've seen her commit and her acting like a cute child confused me, but I couldn't help but laugh a bit. Misty also smirked before placing her hand on Yumi's cheek and gently caressing it.

"It's ok. I'll take care of you while Basil's out. You can sleep in the shop if you need to, and you can help me out while you wait for him to come back. How does that sound?"

Yumi thought about it for a second before silently nodding to the arrangement. Seeing her recover and settle in, at least until I returned from dealing with the Shivs, was a load off my shoulders, but I still needed to clear a few things up with her. Ordinary people don't walk around at night swinging bats into the side of Tygers, and there was also her criminal record to be concerned about.

My gut tells me that Yumi has a few screws loose, but she won't cause any trouble to my friends or me. But it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Thanks, Misty. Do you mind leaving us alone for a bit? I need to clear some things up with Yumi."

Misty looked at the two of us before nodding and getting up.

"Uh, sure. Take your time. I have to drop some pills with Vic anyways. Just give me a call when you're done."

Misty walked across her store, the silence only broken by the stomping of her boots. The bells ringing told Yumi and me when Misty had exited the building. When it was just the two of us again, we sank back into an uneasy stillness.

I wasn't sure how to broach why Yumi was where she was and why she was doing what she was. Before this, I worked a regular internship and a corporate job before returning to school. Interrogation tactics were not in the training pipeline. Suppose Yumi was a former criminal trying to do good in the world. In that case, I don't think she would appreciate someone else questioning her about her past.

Eventually, I decided to just be direct and throw my questions out.

"The NCPD database says you have affiliations with the Tyger Claws..."

Yumi froze. She didn't speak or move and just stayed perfectly still.

"So my question is this, why were you attacking those Tygers?"

"I... They did something to me. Something that ruined my life. Those people had information on someone I've been tracking down. I would prefer not to go into further detail, but I promise that life is behind me."

Revenge. She was probably telling the truth. Being burned and seeking payback is a common enough tale, after all. And it's also something I can use as well. I needed someone to watch my back in the city. Yumi could be the perfect candidate if she proved herself capable and trustworthy.

What Yumi said made something click in my head. Once the Shivs are taken care of in the Badlands, the Aldecaldos will have free reign and defacto control. I needed something similar in the city proper. The problem is that many factions exist in the concrete jungle, making maintaining peace more complex.

But someone with the correct background and the right mentality in control of a large chunk of the criminal world could be the perfect start to introducing some order. I'm already trying to overthrow the leader of the world's most prominent megacorp. Why stop there. I already know how to trigger an event to make the Tyger Claw bigwigs meet in one place.

"I believe you, and I won't dig any deeper until you decide you want to tell me more."

Yumi raised her hands to her chest and visibly let out a sigh of relief.

"In return, how about we make a deal?"

Chapter Text

I was at an abandoned train station in the middle of the Sierra Sonora, about a half dozen miles north of the Warith camp. Surrounding me was about thirty heavily armed Aldecaldos. The low rumble of engines at idle and the click-clacking of weapons being readied accompanied the quiet chatter of this small army.

The sun had set about an hour ago, and the only illumination came from the moon and the lights on the Nomad vehicles. I could see some familiar faces. Cassidy was smoking a cigarette, looking off into the desert, probably waxing poetic about life or some shit like that. Or maybe he was coming up with a new tune.

Mitch was kneeling on top of the Basilisk, hands inside one of the engine bays tweaking with something. Scorpion was beside him, shining a flashlight on the internals so his buddy could see what he was doing. Whenever I see the behemoth that is the tank we stole from Militech, I am reminded of the fearsome firepower that the Aldecaldos now had and was reassured slightly about our chances of success.

By now, the Nomads had already modified the base Basilisk to what I remember from inside the game. Other than the autocannon on the left side, there were now also two small banks of rocket launchers on each side right behind the cockpit. Some might say that a tank was already a significant advantage, but I'll never turn down more firepower. Overkill is underrated, after all.

Besides the increase in guns, the Vets had gutted the tank and removed anything unnecessary. The engine was modified to have an afterburner, which could be turned on for a short burst before overheating. The engine alterations and lightning of the load meant that the tank's top speed was fast enough to keep up with most vehicles off-road.

Bob, Teddy, and Carol were on the tracks next to a train that was shockingly similar to the one we rammed into the Militech convoy. That was because the train was an identical model to the one we used. That's right, we were at the same station as the one we launched our attack, and we're about to use the same tactics again.

Both the station and the factory used to be owned by CORP-BUD. In order to make their business more streamlined, there were rails directly connecting the two facilities. This meant that we could use the train as another tool to break into the Wraith compound. I had forgotten that the station directly connected to the cement factory, but thankfully, a sharp Nomad scout had noticed the connections and brought it up.

Initially, I was worried that Militech would shut down all the stations after we had stolen the Basilisk and launch an investigation. If they did, we could not use the station as a launching site and the train as a weapon. But, surprisingly, we only found traces of a quick inquiry into the area. After investigating the train and the station, Militech didn't find anything useful and decided to track down the culprits was more trouble than its worth.

Knowing how the Corpos operate, the whole thing was probably written off, and some poor sod at the bottom of the totem pole got blamed for the job going sideways. Either that or a rival to whoever was in charge of the sale of the Basilisk took the opportunity and threw them under the bus. Something similar could have happened in the game to Meredith Stout, the manager in charge of the stolen Militech shipment with the Flathead drone. If you didn't help her smoke out the Maelstrom, you find her corpse at the bottom of a river, having been framed for being the leak.

Carol, Bob, and Teddy got together and turned the spare engine into a supersized explosive battering ram in a few days. They first welded on hardened steel in the front to form a metal wedge, converting the industrial-looking machine into something straight out of Mad Max. Then Carol and her team attached a car and loaded it with a small mountain of plastic explosives, turning the train into the world's largest VBIED.

The plan was for me, Panam, and the Vets to sneak in through the secret tunnel entrance, followed by the train, and finally, the Basilisk and the main force. Once the infiltration team enters and secures the basement, a drone will be sent in and confirm the location of the meeting and that all the leaders of the Shivs are there. Once we've established our target is on-site, the train will blow a hole in the Wraith's defenses. Whoever's controlling the train and detonating the explosives will have to be careful to do it before it gets into the main building. Otherwise, it might bury the infiltration team alive. Following that, the tank will blow another hole in the main entrance, and the nomads will flood through the two entry points.

Hopefully, the main force attacking will be enough of a distraction, and no one will come and help their leadership when the infiltration team decides to strike. From there, we play everything by ear. Cut the head off the snake, set its thrashing body on fire, and throw it into the dumpster. If everything goes as planned, this will permanently disable most Wraith operations in and around Night City, if not completely end it. And the Aldecaldos around me knew that.

The Nomads assembled here weren't as much as the final raid on Arasaka in the "The Star" ending. Still, it was an impressive number of people, almost all of whom were either veterans or seasoned Nomads. Beneath the light chatter was an undercurrent of tension and anxiety. The people tried to ignore it through small talk or getting ready, but they knew how much this could mean for them and their families.

I, on the other hand, was surprisingly calm. Everyone here was well prepared, and I was well prepared. Oh, and did I forget to mention we had a tank? If a similar force could take on an unaware Arasaka, I see no reason why we wouldn't just steamroll the wraiths.

Don't get me wrong, I was under no disillusion that our side would come out unscathed, but the risk was worth it. For the Aldecaldos, success meant they didn't have to work for megacorps and could be the sole player in the Badlands. For me, it meant giving me a faction I could trust and a LOT of room to operate outside the watchful eye of the government and corporations.

And honestly? I was just ready to finally settle business with the Wraiths. I didn't notice until yesterday that I was potentially biting more than I could chew. I was trying to help the Aldecaldos set up a smuggling business, upgrade the Surveyor, root out the Wraiths, and overthrow Yorinobu. I just tacked on toppling the head of the Tyger Claws as well.

After ensuring Yumi was somewhat stable, we hashed out a basic agreement. I'll help her take down the members of the Tygers that she's holding a grudge against, and she helps me keep whatever is left under a tight leash. Yumi had provided a list of her targets, ranging from small-time leaders to the top dog of all Tyger Claws in Night City. On that list were three strangely familiar names: Jun Azegami, Marcus Ichida, and Hiromi Sato.

Digging deeper, I found out why those names rang a bell. Hirmoi Sato was the Tyger responsible for running Clouds, the dollhouse that Evelyn and Judy used to work at. He was subordinate to Jun Azegami and Marcus Ichida. In the game, after the tragic death of Evelyn, Judy hatched a plan to kick the gang controlling the establishment out and hand control over to the dolls. To do this, she convinced another Clouds worker, Maiko, to set up a meeting with the higher-ups that decide who manages Clouds.

Long story short, either Maiko screws Judy and Clouds stays effectively in the Tygers' control. Or Maiko, Jun, and Marcus all die, and the Dolls take control for a bit. If you kill everyone in the meeting, the dolls run Clouds briefly before the Tygers take their revenge and smash the place up, killing many of the workers. It's another one of those Cyberpunk stories where the little guy wants more, succeeds, and then gets brutally put down. No one wins in the end, and the status quo remains effectively the same.

That specific side quest always made me sad, but maybe things could be different this time. If the person controlling the Tyger Claws was in cahoots with the ones trying to improve the worker's conditions, everything would work out much better. And it just so happens I know someone who hates the current leadership of the Tygers and is familiar with gang operations.

I haven't nailed down the exact details yet, but the basic plan is to lure Jun and Marcus out to a meeting, use them to get information on the head honcho, kill the top dog, take over the Tyger Claws, profit. It's a crazy plan, but I think we can get it done with minimal risk with the right timing and prep. While my mind was scheming how to take control of a criminal enterprise, someone sneaked behind me and wrapped their arms around my chest.

"Hey there, what are you brooding about now?"

I turned around and saw that it was Panam.

"I don't brood."

Panam rolled her eyes exaggeratedly at me before scrunching her eyebrows and imitating me with an intense voice.

"I'm Basil. I think in silence while frowning all the time. I don't tell anyone what I think, so everyone thinks I'm angry."

Feeling indignant at what I thought was an unfair portrayal of me, I wrapped my arms around Panam before lowering them and pinching her well-padded buttocks. She yelped before looking back up at me and letting a grin spread.

"Don't start anything you can't finish."

Her smile was infectious, and I couldn't help but give her a quick kiss and smile.

"So, will you tell me what you were thinking?"

"I'm thinking about taking over the Tyger Claws."

"Really? Arasaka wasn't enough? What's going on with the Tygers? Will they start a gang war and kill everyone in the city? Why them?"

"No, nothing that serious. I guess because it'll make my life easier. Having control of a portion of the city will expand my options. That and, hopefully, it'll allow changes for the good."

"Hmmm. My knight in shining armor. But don't forget your promise about living the Nomad life after this. I'm looking forward to finally spending quality time with my beau."

Right then, a loud *honk* sounded from a large truck. We both looked at where the noise came from and saw Saul standing atop his vehicle. Panam untangled herself from me and turned to make her way toward the commotion.

"I guess it's time things are about to kick off. Come on, Basil."

I checked my gear one last time before slapping my face a few times to wake my body up and stay alert. Time to get serious.

Chapter Text

I followed after Panam, walking in the direction of a gathering crowd. I weaved my way through the collection of Aldecaldos, returning some nods and 'good lucks' to Nomads that recognized me. Once I broke through the small army, I saw Saul standing in the back of a truck, using the trunk as a makeshift podium. To his left, my right was Bob, Ted, Carol, and Cassidy. On the other side were Scorpion, Mitch, and Panam. When Panam saw me, she quietly waved for me to come up front. I quietly made my way to Panam and stood next to her.

Saul noticed me slotting myself and addressed the group after confirming everyone was in attendance.

"Alright, everybody. QUITE DOWN!"

Saul yelling an order saw an immediate effect as the rabble calmed down and silence settled in. Say what you want about Saul, but his people listened to him.

"All of you should know what's going down, so let's keep this short and sweet. A small group will be sneaking in ahead of the main assault. Those of you in the assault team, DO NOT start anything before those in charge give you the go-ahead. A lot of this attack is hinging on our ability to sneak in. I don't want this all going to shit because someone got trigger-happy."

I could see some guys and gals, probably younger than me, who was so energetic I swear they were shaking with excitement. It was perhaps good that Saul made sure to temper their eagerness early. Wouldn't want the gig being exposed because someone got uppity. This nervous energy was in stark contrast to the older members, especially the Vets. The Vets stood with stony faces and quiet confidence, seeming rigid like stone sentries yet relaxed simultaneously.

"I shouldn't have to explain the importance of what we are about to do, but I still want to mention one thing. We're fighting for our future, but what's the point of winning if you aren't alive to enjoy it? Be careful, stay alive, and keep an eye out for each other."

Saul paused for a second, letting his words settle in. This wasn't some hit-and-smash ambush or side gig they picked up while in the city. The outcome of tonight would likely decide the fate of their clan. There was also another message: lose focus, and you die. When Saul felt he had given sufficient time for everyone to understand, he wrapped the meeting up.

"You all know your groups. Gather up and get a head count. You are all adults, so I'm not going to baby you. If you're missing anyone or need anything, get it sorted out. We're wheels up for our first positions in fifteen minutes."

Short and sweet, just like he said. Honestly, I was kinda glad he didn't give some kind of super long, cringy speech. Having said his words, Saul jumped from the truck and walked over for a quick conversation with Bob, Teddy, Carol, and Cassidy. Mitch and Scorpion bid a quick goodbye to Panam and me before strolling to the Basilisk. Once Saul was done talking, he turned around and made eye contact with me and Panam. He gave us a quick nod before leaving to join Mitch and Bob.

Using this lull, I looked at my skills. Taking care of Zaria has bumped me up another two levels. I put the attribute points I got into Body, bumping the level to 15. This gives me a bit more health and stamina, which should come in handy with combat, and also closer to some perks that increase my damage output and reduces incoming damage. The two perk points I had were used to pick up level two in Momentum, which gives me a 15% movement bonus every time I get a kill.

Right around the same time I finished faffing with my skills, Bob, Teddy, Carol, and Cassidy walked over to us. Cassidy, Bob, and Teddy chatted up Panam while the old silver fox stood beside me, giving me a pat on the back.

"How're you feelin', kid?"

"As good as a sane person can before raiding a group of violent nomads, so not bad, I guess."

Cassidy chuckled at that before leaning on the car we were next to. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his worn-out jeans and opened the top. Cassidy pointy the cigarettes at me, offering to spot me a smoke.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Not a smoker."

Cassidy shrugged his shoulder as if saying, 'your loss' before pulling a single stick out, lighting it, and putting it in his mouth. He took one long drag and puffed out a cloud of smoke.

"I like you, kid. You have a good head on your shoulders, and your heart seems to be in the right place. If we both make it out alive, remind me to take you out for a drink."

Having finished her conversation and overheard Cassidy and me, Carol spoke up.

"You know, that's the kind of talking that tempts fate to do something mean. You oughtta know better than that, Cassidy."

Cassidy smirked before making a fist and rapping his knuckles across the wood grips on his revolver.

"Knock on wood."

The old timer then stopped leaning on the car and stretched.

"I figure it's about time we get into our rides. Panam, we're following your Beast before going on foot to the sewer entrance, right?"

"Yup. We'll park a few hundred yards out before hoofing it to the compound. Everybody ready?"

Some nods, yeahs, and a yes went out while I confirmed I was good to go with a thumbs up.

"Alright. Everyone radio in once the convoy starts moving," Panam then turned to me and motioned for me to follow her, "Come on, Basil, let's go."

Everyone then spread out, each going to their vehicles, while I followed Panam and shuffled into the Beast with her. As the heavy bulletproof doors thudded shut, the outside world was cut off. The sound of people talking and cars starting was blocked out, and it was like we traveled into our own personal universe. This was interrupted by a warbled static over the radio, followed by Saul coming over the comms.

"Everyone ready to leave?"

A chorus of affirmatives responded.

"Good. Switch to your group's channel and move out."

The darkness of night was suddenly pushed away as dozens of headlights came to life and shone across the desert. The abandoned landscape was then quickly filled with the sight of packs of vehicles kicking up a dust storm and the sound of rumbling engines. Panam took her truck out of neutral and drove slightly off to the right of the larger group.

The second we started moving, Bob, Teddy, Carol, and Cassidy came over the radio, letting us know they were following us. Looking behind me showed four pairs of headlights, confirming what was just verbally communicated.

Turning my head back around, I focused on Panam, scrutinizing every inch of her. She might seem calm and collected at a glance, but I noticed her white-knuckling the steering wheel and her tensed jaws upon further inspection.

I could understand why she felt so stressed. I would probably be the same if I was involved in what could make or break the livelihood of several hundred people. I sighed before putting my hands on her thigh and tried to give it a reassuring squeeze it.

"I'm not going to tell you to calm down, or there's nothing to worry about because I know you care too much to calm down, and I would be lying if I said this wasn't risky as hell."

"Not helping, Basil. There better be a 'but' coming."

"Buuuut, we've prepared as best we could. You double, triple, and quadruple-checked the plans. Everyone, including Saul, said it was as good as it would get. Don't lose focus, and knock it out of the park like we all know you can and will do."

Panam spared me a glance before a small smile came across her face.

"Thanks."

She let a hand fall on top of mine and caressed it before putting it back on the wheel and refocusing on the road.

Our little pack crept further and further away from the larger group until they were just specs of headlights far away. The drive wasn't much longer after that. A few minutes later, we could see the vague shape of a concrete compound and dim indoor lights framing windows and showing that the place was occupied.

Panam turned off her headlights before slowing down, pulling behind a large rock formation, and turning off the ignition. Everyone else followed and parked under the cover before cutting their headlights and engines. When I got out, I felt the dry desert air against me again and took a deep breath to enjoy the cool night temperature before focusing back on the matter at hand.

There are two entrances, one for the train to come in and out, which is currently plugged by a container, and another for pedestrians and vehicles. The compound was separated into two main buildings. The larger one in the center was the depot, where the train would come in and load up on the cement and materials mined and mixed from the quarry. The second, smaller building was situated right next to the regular entrance and was a garage. The remaining free space was occupied by cargo crates, cement hardware, and a small power station.

Wraith Camp
https://i.imgur.com/k4ag6z3

Peeking out from the boulders, I used my Ping quickhack. The scan showed roughly two dozen scavs wandering outside the main buildings, on top of the roofs, and either patrolling or stationed at a sentry point. Sadly, Ping didn't show anything inside, presumably because the network inside and outside are separate.

While I was sussing the area out, everyone else got out of their car and gathered behind me. Bob was the first one to ask for a sitrep.

"So, Basil. How's it lookin'?"

I turned around and took in the sight of five heavily armed Aldecaldos. Everyone had their weapon of choice ready and looked ready to raise hell.

"Roughly twenty or so Shivs roaming outside. They seem to have split the networks inside and out, so I can't get a good read of what's happening within the buildings. I doubt it's more than the dozen or so we've been expecting, so we should be good to go still. We'll know what's happening in the rest of the place once we get into the basement, and I get my hands on a device we can hack into."

"Then what're we waitin' for? Let's get goin'."

Teddy asked to get things started before racking his shotgun rather cinematically. I suspect that is why he did it, and apparently, Carol did as well. Living up to her name, "Agony Aunt Carol," she slapped Teddy on the back of the head, admonishing him for trying to show off.

"What did you do that for?"

Carol then pointed at the ground where a shotgun shell was.

"You already had something in the chamber, so racking that was just a waste of ammo, wasn't it? Stop peacocking and get your head in the game."

Teddy sheepishly picked up the buckshot on the ground and decided, smartly, to keep his mouth shut this time. Cassidy chuckled at the younger man before patting his back in a comforting manner. Carol sighed before looking at me and asking me to lead the way.

"Come on then, and let's get started. Basil, show the way."

Since I didn't want the same treatment, I got to work immediately and led the group toward the base. With the help of Ping, I was able to pretty easily avoid the roaming patrols and stationary guards. Sneaking up to the eastern side of the compound near the substation, we were soon greeted by the sight of a tunnel closed off by bars.

Secret Entrance
https://i.imgur.com/fxGX8yU

Grasping onto the slightly rusted metal, I gave the gate a good pull to get it unseized. I stepped inside, pausing for a second to ensure no one was down here with me. After I was sure it was just me, I turned around and waved for the Vets just outside to follow me in. Once inside the tunnel, we closed the gate behind us and moved further in.

The tunnel had some pooled water on the ground, giving the surrounding air a slight dampness that contrasted greatly with the desert weather. The light from the lamp at the entrance and the moon from outside quickly faded away, and by the time we made our first turn, it was pitch black. I grabbed my flashlight and turned it on to illuminate the way forward. After walking for another bit, we could see a corner and light coming from around it.

Once we made it past that corner, we were greeted by a short passage with wired fencing on one side. At the end of the path was a vent cover. I could hear the sound of muffled techno music in the background, which could be good or bad. Good, because any sound helps mask our break-in, bad because if I could hear music, then that meant most likely there were people close.

I looked back to ensure the Vets were behind me and put a finger to my mouth to make a 'shushing' motion. After everyone understood my message and nodded, I got a hold of the corrugated vent cover before creasing it slightly and pushing it out of the way.

This led us to the basement, where you would find and rescue Saul in the game. The cellar was presumably also the boiler room since in the center of it were three large water tanks, and connected to them was piping that led everywhere. To the right of the wall where we were located was a metal staircase that went up to a small room that overlooked that area.

Basement
https://i.imgur.com/682rrbV

Popping my head out to get a quick look, I saw one Shiv sitting at the table, not paying attention and looking at the computer. Ducking in, I turned to the Vets and then made the hand motion for 'one there', 'I'll go', 'you wait'. They all nodded again, understanding what I was trying to say.

First, I used the opportunity to Ping the guard, showing that other than her, there were three more people further in the underground storage area. Two seemed to be trying to find something on the shelves while one was hunched over a bench working on something. The Ping showed further up on the ground floor that there was another eleven Shivs. Six were on guard at various points in the building, while the other five sat in a rectangle as if in a meeting.

The latter five were most likely Caesar, the new Wraith leader, and the lieutenants under him. Our primary goal here is to find and cut the head off the snake, so we need to identify if Caesar was in that group as soon as possible. I activated my Optical Camo first, quickly making my way up the stairs and to the door separating me from the lone watchmen.

Before I swung the entrance open, I activated my Sandivistan so the guard would have less time to react. While the door slid open slowly, I raised my HJSH-18, glad I bought a suppressor before this, waiting for the target to present itself. The first thing I saw was the bright green mohawk sported by the woman sitting at the table. Her feet were crossed and kicked up on the table while looking at the screen with a cigarette in her mouth.

I could see the music coming from the computer. It was no longer muffled without the door in the way, but time had slowed down, and instead, it was now warped into a warbled mess. In terms of the natural world, the woman would have noticed me pretty much immediately. But in my slowed-down world, she was ages too late. I put her head, with her quirked-up eyebrow and upturned eyes, in the center of my sight and pulled the trigger.

Following the muted bang of my rifle, her head snapped back violently, her feet coming up off the table and pushing her chair off balance. Before she could fall over, I ran up and put a hand on the back of the chair to stop it from dropping. When my Sandivistan ran out, I stood quietly, ready, waiting for something to go wrong and for someone to notice what had just happened. When that didn't happen, I returned outside and gestured for the Vets to come up.

They quickly filed into the room and settled around me. Once I was sure both doors were closed, I gave them an explanation of what I could gather.

"The Ping shows there's another thirteen behind those doors. Three are in our immediate vicinity, in the underground storage area. Upstairs there's another ten, six on guard, five sitting around in a meeting."

Since this was Panam's op, she went into leadership mode and took over the reins.

"Ok, step one is to take care of the three closest to us. Basil, what's their exact location. I'm assuming we can't sneak past them?"

"Nope." I shook my head, "The only way up is to go through the storage area."

I looked through the walls at the highlighted enemies, who were still more or less in the same spots.

"Two are to the left. They're either looking for something or taking stock. The other is on the right sight and seems to be working on something."

Panam nodded before continuing.

"Go it. Teddy and Bob, you two care for the ones on the left. Cassidy, you got the one on the left. Do it quietly. Once we've gotten rid of them, we'll confirm that Caesar and the other leaders are here. If they are, we get into a good position, call in the attack, and ambush the meeting. Sound good?"

We were all happy with the plan and said so. Before we left this room, Panam radioed Saul to let him know that we'd successfully made it in, how many enemies were inside, and that we are confirming if Caesar was on site. The message was received, and we quietly made our way outside.

Once we were in the second room, I pointed to the left, where we could see two shivs. Bob and Teddy nodded, understanding that those two were their responsibility. I then looked at Cassidy and motioned towards a small alcove covered with an opaque plastic separator.

I watched as Bob and Teddy each got out a large knife and slowly crept up on their target. At the same time, Cassidy slowly unwound a garrot wire and wrapped it around his hands before slipping into the alcove. Teddy and Bob timed their attack, simultaneously grabbing their targets' heads so they wouldn't have time to react to each other's situation. Bob and Teddy covered the Wraiths' mouths before stabbing the neck multiple times.

The two Wraiths tried to scream, but their slit windpipes only allowed a horse gasp-like sound to come out. Their struggle got weaker and weaker until their body slumped lifelessly. Bob and Teddy gently laid their bodies down and quickly returned to the group.

Meanwhile, a slight kerfuffle could be heard as Cassidy worked on his 'problem'. The Shiv must have put up a fight as we listened to the sound of something metal being pushed off, then the clanking as it hit the concrete floor. Everyone froze on the spot, tensed that the sound might have alerted the Wraiths upstairs. We held our breaths, ready for shit to go down, with only the sound of the struggling Shiv in the background.

I waited, one eye looking out for enemies, the other watching the vague outline of Cassidy and the Shiv struggling like some kind of ripoff Hitchcock film. Thankfully, no one came down to check on their buddies, and we all relaxed when the Wraith finally stopped trying to fight back.

Cassidy dropped the body and tucked away the wire he used to choke the Shiv to death. Instead of immediately coming out, he stood still. After a few more moments, he turned around, parting the plastic cover, and asked Carol to come over with a whisper and a solemn look on his face.

"Carol, come take a look at this."

For that split second, when Cassidy made way for Carol to walk in, I could sneak a peak at what was inside, and my stomach sunk. Inside the dimly lit alcove was a large metal workbench, but instead of some mechanical thing being worked, there was a corpse cut open in various places in a blatant attempt to extract the poor thing's cybernetics. Her head was missing the eyes, and there was a large hole in the side of the head. All limbs had been cut off, and only the torso with an open cavity where the abdomen and stomach would remain.

The other Vets and Panam also got a good look, and apparently, Panam was able to recognize who it was.

"Oh god, I think that's Cyndi."

Teddy winced while Bob covered his eyes with his hands before slowly dragging them down to his mouth, revealing a look of terrified realization and sadness.

"Who's Cyndi."

Not knowing what was happening, I asked Panam to fill in the gaps.

"Cyndi is- was Carol's niece. She ran away a while back, and we've been looking for her since. I can't imagine what Carol is feeling right now."

When Carol and Cassidy finally came out, Panam rushed over and hugged Carol, asking questions in a hushed voice. Given our situation, it was a short affair. However, whatever Panam said must have worked since Carol ended the conversation with a small smile. It was admittedly pained and slightly sorrowful, but a smile nonetheless.

Despite not having any personal connections with Cyndi, it was still a stark reminder of what this raid meant for the Aldecaldos. This, for them, is an existential issue. The Wraiths stole paying gigs from the Aldecaldos and were notorious for targeting the Nomads in other violent ways. Panam's truck was when I was first exposed to that, and now the results were again out in the open for me to witness.

I wasn't so naive as to think that the Aldecaldos were a completely innocent party. I mean, Aldecaldos mainly make their money from human trafficking and smuggling, after all. But at least when they smuggle, it's only weapons and supplies, not drugs and harvested cyberware. And their human trafficking operation is completely limited to helping cross the border, not so they can sell those people into inhumane working conditions. Maybe one day, the Aldecaldos won't have to resort to any illegal work, and hopefully, killing Caesar and pushing the wraiths out of NC will be the first step toward that future.

We carefully sneaked up the stairs and edged toward the main floor. The building comprised two levels, a large ground floor with a track running through the center and a walkway along the walls leading to an office higher up. Crates and machinery could be found scattered throughout, alongside a few empty train cars and one large shipping container.

Left
https://i.imgur.com/z1gtnaA
Right
https://i.imgur.com/Ad3q2TU

Using Ping, I could mark a camera, which again spotted all the enemies around us. The guards have slightly shifted in their position. Other than having moved, they were all accounted for, and everything has stayed the same for security. The five in the meeting were still in the center, right next to the track, where they set up a fold-out table next to where the train would have parked if the complex was still operational.

In the background, I could hear the gruff voice of several people talking.

"So that's the issue about Jae-Hyun settled. Moving on to what we need on the medical front, Skips, give us a rundown."

Another man then took over and started listing off the demands.

"Ok. The big 'uns that we need are limbs and exoskels. We got enough parts to repair 'em if they're a bit shit, so not picky 'bout the condition. We also need 'sum chip sockets and processors to start chopping the cred chips we got from that hit on those corpos. The last thing is bio adapter and optics. These we need ta be in workin' condition."

After 'Skips' finished giving his report, the first gruff voice took over and gave orders.

"See if our ripperdoc contacts help with the optics and bio adapters. Hit up the ones that owe us favors first. The rest we should be able to pick it up from Scavs."

While they were talking, I scanned the individuals, looking to confirm that one of them was Caesar. I checked the obvious target first, the big guy that looked like the leader, sitting at the end of the table with everyone around on the sides. Happily, this was our man.

Caesar was massive. At least six and a half feet tall with muscles so big one has to wonder how he moves at all. Cybernetics and tattoos peaked out from under his old battered leather trenchcoat. Honestly, Caesar looked more like a part of the Animals than he did a Shiv. I looked at Panam right next to me and whispered to her that we had got our guy.

"Caesar is here. He's the big bald guy in the meeting."

Panam nodded, then pulled up Saul on the comms.

"Saul, we got a positive ID on Caesar. Start the attack now. We will use your strike as the signal to start the ambush on our end."

She stayed on for a few more seconds, nodded while saying yes, then started telling us what to do next.

"Alright. Saul says we'll know when to start when the Basilisk starts shooting. Basil, give me an idea of where the guards are."

"All the guards are on the walkways above us. Two on our side, one in the office to our right, one near the fans on the left, and two more on the opposite side. I can see the two on our side with my hacks, so I can eliminate them."

"Sounds good. Everyone slowly makes your way out of this stairway and get some spacing between us. Be careful to stay behind cover so no one spots you. Each of you gets out a grenade and prep it. The second the attack starts on the outside, throw the grenade at the leaders. If we're lucky, we get them all in one fell swoop right at the start."

Everyone knew what to do and started to tiptoe to different points. Cassidy stayed low and hid behind a crate with Carol. Teddy crawled further left and crouched next to a pallet of barrels while Bob went next to a concrete pillar and stood up. Panam decided to stay by me, right next to the stairs, under the walkways, so when shit hit the fan, I could shoot up through the thin metal floor and into the two Wraiths on our side.

Everyone had taken a grenade out and awaited the first sign to chuck them over. The tension was thick, and my heart rate was gradually picking up. I stayed crouched, one hand grasping onto a grenade, the other holding my Arasaka HJSH-18.

*THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP*

I could feel my heart beating harder and harder against my chest. The blood circulates faster and rushes to my ears, causing me to be able to hear the rhythmic bumping. It was loud enough that I was scared that it would give away our position. Time ticked away as I sat there, waiting for anything to happen, and then it did.

It started as soft bangs, which then transformed into the unmistakable sound of rounds whirling toward us before hitting something and causing an earth-shaking explosion. The metal walls shook and amplified the incoming noise to such a level as if a thunderbolt had just struck the roof right next to us. The night sky outside the window on the other side was momentarily pushed away as a giant fireball spilled a blinding orange glow into the structure. The Basilisk canon must have struck one of the natural gas or oil tankers outside, causing the detonation and flames. Or more likely, the train engine had done its job and blew a big hole in the defenses.

The glass vibrated until it couldn't take the abuse anymore and shattered into a million pieces. While the Shivs were distracted by the fireworks outside, the strike team and I pulled the pins from our grenades and threw them at Caesar and his underlings. The little balls of death sailed through the air, one landing on the table while the others scattered around the foot of the Shiv leaders.

Caesar was the first to notice the grenades. Using his sharp wits, Caesar grabbed the one closest to him, which happened to be the one on the table, and flung it across the building away from him.

"It's a fucking ambush! Don't just stand there, you gonks! Get the fuck to cover!"

While Caesat scrambled for cover, I turned to the right, dropped onto my back, shouldering the HJSH-18, and fired through the floor of the walkways into the underside of one of the Shivs above us. The HJSH's bolt reciprocated like a sewing machine, chambering and splattering the Shiv with projectiles. I watched the bullets fly through the Shiv's foot, traveling upwards and striking the shin, knees, and body. The Shiv collapsed, no longer having functioning legs to hold the body up. Being cautious, I aimed at Shiv's head, sending a burst into his neck and skull.

His buddy next to him must have realized that I was shooting from below them and broke into a full sprint away from me to the left, ducking and weaving between cover. Cursing under my breath, I ran after him, firing on the move thanks to having invested in the Multitasker perk. Eventually, one of my rounds caught the Shiv in the back, causing him to lose balance and face plant.

He stopped moving briefly before crawling forward by dragging his body with his arms. I aimed at the struggling Shiv's head and put him out of his misery as I did to his buddy. Just as I finished the second guard, a round whizzed past my face, barely in front of my nose. I crouched down and hid behind a large machine resembling a supersized stapler. Rounds rained down on the other side of me, thankfully being stopped by whatever I was taking cover behind.

Looking around me, I saw the Vets firing away, brass shells ejecting out of the chambers and falling to the floor, creating little puddles of spent casings. Peeking around the corner confirmed that the grenades had managed to kill two of the leaders. One was missing both legs and covered in scorched black marks. The other Shiv was flung a dozen feet away, facing down lifelessly with similar burns. Sadly, Caesar wasn't one of them.

While our firefight was developing inside, the battle outside turned into a full-blown war. Sounds of screams, gunshots, and cannons were paired with the occasional bright flashes as something blew up. The sound and light traveled into our building, echoing and mixing with the sounds and visuals of our own skirmish.

I caught a glimpse of Caesar returning fire from behind one of the vacant train cars. Taking quick aim, I pulled the trigger and fired a few shots until I heard the familiar *click* of the magazine running empty. One of the bullets caught Caesar in his right shoulder, jerking the man backward but not doing much more than annoying him.

Looking up, he caught the metaphorical and literal smoking gun in my hand and screamed in irritation. He brought up his own gun, a Constitutional Arms M2067 Defender, and returned fire at my position. I got back in cover just in time to see the bullets ricocheting off where I was, creating sparks and slamming into the wall opposite me.

Constitutional Arms M2067 Defender
https://i.imgur.com/SOqAkDa

"Stop fucking HIDING!!!"

Caesar's ruff voice made his vexed yelling share more commonality with an animal roar than a human's. I took out another frag grenade and pulled the pin, waiting for a gap in the suppressing fire to throw it. Before hurling it over, I quickly pushed my other hand out of cover to flip him the bird. Then I lobbed the F-GX roughly in his general location.

Another loud *boom* soon followed, accompanied by a pained scream. Hoping I got Caesar with that, I peeked around to sadly find the corpse of 'Skips' instead, the Shiv that had the list of chrome they needed. The good news was that counting 'Skips', we had killed six of the eleven Shivs. It seems our strategy to strike outside at the same time as inside has worked out, and reinforcements were too busy dealing with the main assault force to come help.

One of the Wraith guards on the walkway popped out from cover and tried to do something. Cassidy took this chance, leveling his revolver, pulling the trigger, and drilling a hole into the Shiv's head. The Shiv then fell forward, the body falling over the railing and dropping right in front of where Caesar was hiding.

Seeing his dwindling followers drop dead all around (and on top) of him must have convinced Caesar that this was a losing battle. Chucking away his LMG since it was too hard to run away with, Caesar started scanning for a way out. Having found his ticket, in the blink of an eye, Caesar zipped around at super speed, running straight for the large exit in the side of the building. The movement was continuously faster, like a Sandivistan, so it must have been a Kerenzikov.

"Basil! Caesar's making a break for it!"

Panam also saw Caesar running and yelled for me to get after him, presumably because I was the only one with superhuman speed as well.

"Yep. Already on it!"

Using my Sandivistan and Optical, I chased after Caesar. Optical Camo made me a hard target to spot, so I quickly left the warehouse without any issues. Once outside, I paused momentarily and looked for where Caesar had run off. To the left was the front of the compound, where most of the fighting was still occurring. I could hear the *plunking* sound as the Basilisk fired off grenades, followed by equally spaced sounds of things blowing up.

Things seemed to be going great for us. I could already see the Aldecaldos having gotten a foothold in the compound and the Shivs hiding behind cover while being pinned down by constant fire. Corpses and burnt-out husks of demolished vehicles could be seen strewn across the battlefield. I hoped that none of them were Aldecaldos, but I knew better than to be that optimistic.

Moving on, directly in front of me was a small excavator next to a pile of rocks, and on the right was a large crane and a road leading to the quarry. I caught a glimpse of Caesar shambling past the crane and down the hill to the water-filled quarry before turning left and disappearing behind the terrain.

Crane and Excavator
https://i.imgur.com/N2kUCHk
Quarry
https://i.imgur.com/bTGTlt2
Cliff
https://i.imgur.com/lVnZM7e

As I was about to race after him, I heard a rumbling engine to my left. Looking back, I saw a Wraith Quartz drifting through the dirt, kicking up a dust storm. The bright headlights show in my direction, getting larger and larger as the vehicle barreled towards me. I ducked just in time to avoid becoming a human paste and watched as the Quarts ran headlong into the crane.

The car went from speeding to a dead stop instantly, lifting the rear axle several feet into the air before gravity dragged it back down. The front of the car crumpled like a can of soda, and the glass shattered all around. The horn and the alarm turned on simultaneously, and the sound combined into the world's most chaotic music performance.

The passenger side swung open, and a Wraith stumbled out, trying and failing to stand up and falling off to the side. Deciding that I couldn't waste too much time on them, I ran up, put a few shots into the Wraith that escaped and dumped the rest of the mag into the car.

Jogging down the slight incline, I could spot small blotches of blood leading to the left where a natural dirt ramp connected to a cliff. Guessing that Caesar must have hopped onto the ridge to hide, I hurried over and started trying to scale it. With both hands grasping the ledge, I pulled myself up and looked on top. Seeing no one was there, I hoisted myself up with all my strength, struggling but eventually succeeding, carrying myself and all my kit over.

Once I made it, I stayed on my hands and knees for a second, taking a few long inhales to stabilize my breathing and heart rate before continuing. As I was recuperating and about to get up, I heard the sound of footsteps and looked up, only to see the top of a boot flying at me. The next thing I felt was a hard impact on the side of my head, rocking my world and making me black out for a split second.

When I gathered myself, I felt a stinging sensation on my cheek and a deeper throbbing pain in my head and nose. The wet sense above my lips and on the side of my face confirmed that I was bleeding from the kick. While I was trying to recover, a familiar gruff voice came from the direction of the kicker.

"You're the gonk that shot me in the shoulder, aren't you?"

I could see my rifle a few feet in front of me and lunged for it. As I was about to get my hands on it, another blow hit me, sending me off course and rolling onto my back. I could feel the steel-toed boots dug into my side and the sickening *crack* sound as my ribs broke. That knocked the wind right out of me, and I wheezed, trying to get some air back into my lungs.

While I was wracked in pain, Caesar walked over to my weapon before kicking it off the cliff and into the pit.

"That's dangerous, you know? You could seriously hurt someone with that."

Caesar then approached me, kneeling and flipping me over before clasping one of his large hands over my throat and squeezing. This was the first time I got a really good look at him. His face was covered with spider tattoos. An extensive web centered on the back of his head stretched out and covered all the way to his eyebrows. His eyes were a creepy pitch black, lacking any noticeable sclera, making it hard to know where he was looking.

"You thought you accomplished something here, didn't you?"

His hands further tightened, so much so I could now feel the calluses grating against my skin. My left hand grasped onto the arm, choking me, trying to claw and pry it off of me while the other reached for his face. Sadly, he had too much reach on me, and I couldn't quite touch his head from where I was.

"You might have killed some goons, but I'll be back. And when I return, it won't be with weak, pathetic fools that would die in a silly battle with a rag-tag team of Aldecaldos."

I was in a weird situation. Having someone starve my brain of oxygen was precarious. It caused me to slightly panic, but I was finally recovering from my brain being jostled from that first kick. Quickly devising a plan, I stopped trying to reach Caesar's ugly mug with my right hand and instead wrapped my fingers as if holding a gun.

Caesar paused for a second, a look of confusion replacing his smug grin when he saw me smile. That confused look was soon replaced by shock and fear as my empty right hand suddenly had a revolver. I had pulled my Overture out of my inventory and into my hand, which was in the perfect position. The next thing he knew, there was a flash and a bang.

I watched in satisfaction as the round dug dead center into Caesar's forehead. His head was violently thrown back, and I got a wink of reprieve when I could breathe again. Bad, apparently, I was happy too soon.

My moment of achievement was short-lived and replaced with horror as the grip tightened around my neck again. At the same time, another hand grabbed onto the barrel of my revolver and pointed it away. Caesar's head slowly turned back to me, and the smug grin was now replaced by a feral smile, baring his teeth at me.

My revolver was yanked out of my hand. Caesar studied it briefly before looking back at me, staring at me as if I was a mouse and he was the house cat pinning me down.

"That was a neat trick..."

Caesar said while raising the revolver over his head by the barrel like a hammer. He then swung it down, clobbering my skull with the pistol grip.

"But..." *SMACK* "It..." *SMACK* "Won't..." *SMACK* "Work..." *SMACK* *SMACK* "Again..."

The repeated hitting with my own pistol had done a real number on me. One of my eyes was completely swollen shut, blood was flowing all over my face, and there was no doubt in my mind that I had at least a concussion. Being so brutally beaten and unable to breathe finally got to me, and my arms fell since I didn't have the strength to struggle anymore.

Seeing that I wasn't putting up a fight anymore, Caesar got off me and stood up. He rubbed his forehead where he got shot, pulling bits of lead and copper out of his skin.

"You think you're the first to have tried to kill me by shooting me in the head? You don't get to where I am without at least that level of insurance. But credit where credit is due; you definitely got one over me. But now, let me show you my own magic trick."

He then reached into his long trench coat, gripping something and slowly pulling it from behind his clothes. A ray of moonlight shined down upon us, showing that Caesar had taken out a one-handed axe. Even in my current state, I could tell I wouldn't like what he had in mind.

All I could manage was to weakly raise my right arm, palm open, trying, begging him to stop. Caesar simply kicked my arm to the side and stepped on the wrist, pinning it down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, watch as I cut through this man's arm."

He then raised the axe overhead and swung it down, cleaving right through my shoulder, severing my right arm from my body.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHH"

I screamed in pain as the edge sliced through my muscles and bones. I could feel in excruciating detail as the axe made its way through my body, disconnecting more and more of my limb until I could no longer feel anything but an acute pain overpowering my body and senses.

"Won't be able to flip me off with that hand anymore, will you?"

Caesar chuckled darkly before raising his axe again. When it came down this time, it was on my right knee. I couldn't see it, but from the sensation of the tendons splitting apart and the cartilage being crushed, it seemed that he had just cut off one of my legs as well.

I was in unbelievable pain at this point. My mind was faint and lightheaded, my forehead was covered in a cold sweat, and the world was swirling around me as if I was being flushed in the toilet.

"Next time, we won't go easy on the Aldecaldos. We'll kill all your men, use your women as playthings, and when we finally break their minds, we'll carve them up for parts alive. You should have just sta..."

Caesar's words faded into the background, and everything around me darkened. In my last moment, I imagined the world he was drawing. All the friends I made were savagely slaughtered in their homes. The women, including my beloved Panam, were herded like cattle and brutalized. Raped until she lost the light in her eyes, the same light I've fallen so deeply in love with, and then having all her organs and chrome ripped out and collected as spare parts. Her body would then be dumped into an unmarked mass grave, never to be found and given the respect it deserves.

That thought of her potential fate angered me. That anger kept growing until it boiled over into wrath. I could feel my heart pumping again, and the fading pain was brought back into sharp focus. My one good eye flung open, and I saw Caesar standing over me, seemingly enjoying his moment of victory.

But it's not over yet... It's...

"NOT OVER YET!!!"

Screaming at the top of my lungs, I summoned my trusty katana into my left hand and swung the blade across his face with all the strength I had to spare. The tip of the blade connected with his face, cutting into it and cutting right through the mouth and cleanly through the other side.

My swing created a large gash that spanned almost from ear to ear through the mouth. Caesar's mouth gaped open like a crocodile, and I could see all the way through to the start of his through. The man fell back on his ass, unable to believe what had just occurred. While he was still stunned, I pushed myself up with my one arm, barely being able to keep my balance and not tip over.

I pushed off with my one good leg and pounced at him again. This time, I summoned my Militech Crusher shotgun into my hand. My body torpedoed into his, pushing him over and allowing me to jam the Crushed right into the newly enlargened face hole.

For a split second, despite his eyes being pitch black, I could see into his soul and feel what he was experiencing. The only emotion that was left was pure unadulterated fear. A primal fear, probably identical to what I was experiencing a few short moments ago. A feeling only reserved for when you know your life was forfeit. But unlike him, I didn't savor it.

Instead, I pulled the trigger. There was no sound, no smell, nothing. I don't think I had enough blood in my system for those senses to work correctly. Only the vague feeling of recoil every time I pulled the trigger. A hole was blown through the top of Caesar's head, and pellets flew through his skull, carrying bits of gore and brain matter out. Only when there was no more ammo did I finally stop.

Confirming that Ceasar had finally died, I slumped onto my back and stared into the night sky. The clouds had cleared, and I could see the bright moon and surrounding stars shining down upon me. As everything went out of focus and my consciousness dwindled, someone approached me. The person crouched down next to me, getting close enough for me to see who it was.

It was Panam. Tears were streaking down her face, causing her mascara to create long black lines. Seeing a bit of snot from one of her nostrils, I chuckled, thinking how she was such an ugly crier and that this was probably the most unattractive, she's been while with me.

More people gathered around us, and I was faintly aware that I was receiving medical attention. However, I doubt its effectiveness at this stage. And in those last moments with her by my side, I was strangely content and happy. Panam was here, and she seemed safe. A smile crept across my face, and then everything went dark.

Chapter Text

When I came to, I was gently falling into what I can only describe as a sea of darkness. There was no smell, light, sound, or any sensation for me to feel. All there was this vague sensation of slowly drowning in this vast ocean of sensory deprivation, diving deeper and deeper, never finding the bottom.

I couldn't keep track of time in this state since there was nothing to reference the flow of the seconds, minutes, hours, and maybe even days or weeks. I was falling, falling, falling, my personal limbo just continuing indefinitely. I guess it was... strangely calming?

That's not quite the right word. I wasn't calm, I was just... nothing. There was nothing for me to get emotional about in this state. No external stimuli for me to react to. Why was I even here?

What was I doing before this? Oh, that's right, I was helping the Aldecaldos with a raid. As I had that thought, the world around me started to stir. What had started as a small ripple became larger and larger until the waves started pushing me around this way and that. Eventually, the forces dragged me downwards and through a barrier, almost like surfacing, but in reverse and at the bottom of the pool instead of at the top. Once I breached the border, I fell a few feet before plopping onto something soft.

Regaining my senses, the first thing I did was open my eyes and look around me. Boy, was I wrong when I thought my new environment would be less strange than the old one. I seemed to have landed on my bed and traveled into an imitation of my store near Urmland Street. I say an imitation because everything was visually comprised of small microscopic lines of blue code. Everything meshed together to faintly resemble recognizable shapes and details.

Somehow I traveled into a digital construction of the world, incredibly similar to what the player saw when netrunning in the game. Looking down, I noticed that my body was also formed from data strips. I poked at myself, fascinated with how, despite being an amalgamation of digital information, I could still feel everything and see my body respond to touch.

After a few minutes of messing around with my body and random items in the room, I decided I'd experimented enough and opened my door to the outside world. What greeted me outside was the same as inside the room, but something was amiss. It didn't take me long to realize I had this disconcerting feeling because there was no one else in this world.

Vic's clinic, Misty's shop, strip clubs, restaurants, markets, so on and so forth were all completely empty. It was like the ghost towns you could find in the badlands. Running out of the usually busy street, I looked at the roads and saw that there were also no cars or pedestrians as far as the eye could see.

I roamed around the city for an eternity, trying and failing to find another soul or any clue on how to get out. Despite the seemingly hopeless low chance of leaving, I didn't get stressed out or freak out. Instead, I calmly walked around Night City, enjoying the experience of visiting recognizable and new places. I didn't feel tired, hungry, or thirsty, and seemed to no longer have any bodily needs, so what other way to spend my time?

I walked through Reconciliation Park in Heywood and admired some of NC's last bits of nature. I got to the top of Arasaka Tower and enjoyed witnessing the city from its tallest point. I trespassed into the large mega mansions in North Oak to see how the uber-rich lived. I just took my time and slowly meandered through all the attractions of night city until I found myself at Silver Pixel Cloud, the drive-in theater where I had my first date with Panam.

Walking past the gates, I was surprised to see the sight of the first vehicle. There, in the center of the parking lot, was my trusty old van. Sadly, there wasn't anyone or anything inside or around it, but it was still good to see something out of the norm. I wandered around randomly, trying to find anything interesting, until I found myself on the roof of the projector room. Discovering that I was fond of the view, I sat down on the ledge, marveling at the collection of skyscrapers and man-made architectural marvels.

After a while, I finally felt fatigued for the first time in this cyber world. Coinciding with my drowsiness was the sight of buildings in the distance dissolving into nothingness. The buildings fell apart as if having been demolished. They were then immediately replaced by the familiar pitch-black from before I came here.

The curtain of darkness slowly crept in my direction, swallowing more and more of the landscape until everything before me had disappeared. When the only thing left in front of me was void, I started to lose my senses again. My body went numb, and pins and needles began poking at my skin while the sound of static dominated my hearing. I was just so... tired.

I stared into the abyss, and something in the back of my mind told me that I knew what I had to do. This was the end of the line, and it was time to get off the train. I didn't know what awaited me in the darkness. Maybe I will be doomed to eternally float through the destitution of nothingness. Perhaps I break through another layer and find myself in another strange world, like how I did now or when I first found myself wandering Night City's streets.

As I was about to push myself off the ledge, I heard a muffled voice break through the static.

"-n't g-. -se, co- -k."

The voice was weak, constantly being interrupted by the white noise. But it got louder and louder. Until finally, I could tell what it was trying to say and that it was coming from behind me.

"Don't go. Please, come back."

Turning around, I saw a female body lacking any details made out of red bars of code. Despite not having a face or anything to identify her with, I could recognize that voice from anywhere and realized it was Panam's. The building I was on was now a lone island in the vacuum of existence, leaving just me and this representation of Panam as its sole inhabitants.

The red figure walked closer to me before stopping a couple of feet from where I sat. She then reached her hand out to me and waited. I stared at her empty palm, and somewhere deep down, I had a feeling that this was my only and last way out. I knew that if I didn't take her hand, I would be left in the void for the rest of my existence.

"It's time to come back."

That last sentence was spoken and traveled directly into my mind, drowning out the static and clearing my head of distractions. What did I have to lose? Not wasting any more time, I reached out and grabbed onto the outstretched hand.

The second I grasped on, the figure pulled me up, and once again, I felt the sensation of breaking through the water. There was a layer of resistance, but the force tugging me didn't stop, and I soon broke through and surfaced into yet another world.

"GHAHHHHHH!"

I gasped in a huge breath of air before sitting up and opening my eyes, to only be greeted by a blinding light.

"*Cough* *Cough*"

I then started immediately coughing, feeling as if my lungs were set aflame from the sudden unexpected exertion. It took me a few moments, but eventually, I could breathe again without much difficulty. My eyes got used to the light, and I could take in the sight around me.

I was in a small room made of mostly tile and concrete. Around me where a collection of medical equipment. A periodic beeping noise concurrent with my heartbeat was in the background. That was when I noticed someone holding onto my left arm.

Turning my head, I traced my eyes up along the arm until I was staring at the lovely face of Panam. She was an absolute mess. Her hair was completely frazzled, her eyes red from constant crying, and trails of tears created little tracks across her cheeks. She was also frozen solid, her mouth wide open as if shocked by the world's greatest surprise.

"Hey, babe. I'm back."

A split second later, I was tackled into the hospital bed I was resting in. I decided to just lay back and enjoy the pleasant sound of Panam laughing with joy and her warmth against my body.

Chapter Text

Gus, the Aldecaldo's ripper doc, came inside after hearing the commotion, immediately pried Panam off of me, and started doing tests. The next few hours were a flurry of movement and activities, and I was only somewhat aware of the goings-on since my body was exhausted and blinking in and out of consciousness. Thankfully, it seemed other than losing an arm and a leg, my body was in good condition and on the way to recovery.

From what I could gather, I was unconscious for four days, and it was really touch and go for a while. When Panam found me, I was halfway through death's doorway already, and it was a minor miracle that I didn't bleed out right then and there. Gus said that the only reason I was alive was how quickly the people who found me started giving me medical treatment and the supernatural rate at which my wounds stopped bleeding and closed up. I guess those investments in health and survival skills did pay off.

While perks like Regeneration and Epimorphosis had saved my life, it seemed even my game-like abilities had limits since I didn't regenerate my lost limbs. They also didn't help in keeping me out of a coma. A combination of my body being put under extreme stress and the repeated blows to my head caused everything upstairs to shut off in an attempt to save itself.

And my noggin really was the big issue. My brain activity was almost nonexistent when they brought me back into camp and hooked me up to a monitor. There was then a sudden increase and consistent signs of thought, and it seemed like I would wake up anytime. But then the graph showed the spikes get more infrequent and weaker over time.

It was shocking to find out how similar what was happening in the real world coincided with what I was experiencing while unconscious. The initial flatline must have been when I was wading through the void. The following spike would then be when I first fell into that strange digital world. And finally, the decreasing activity should represent when the darkness started taking over again.

It got so bad at one point that Gus had to break the bad news to Panam that it was improbable that I would make a comeback. She cried for a while before doing the Panam thing and coming to my bedside to demand that I return immediately. As funny as the idea of my authoritative girlfriend yelling and getting annoyed at my unconscious body was, I do think it helped me.

I was convinced Panam talking to me was the final push my subconscious needed to decide to return instead of giving up. Obviously, I told Panam about what had occurred in my mental prison and that, in my last moments, it was her that broke me out. She huffed and puffed, acting as if it was ridiculous that anyone would doubt her incredible powers, but I could see that she was thrilled that it was something she did that saved me.

By the time Gus and a small team of medics gave me a thorough check-up, the moon had risen, and night had come. My trachea and larynx were still damaged, so talking would be difficult for the next few days. I also had to rub a special cream on my wounds and have my dressings changed daily to prevent an infection. Besides that, I just had to be careful and not overexert myself while recovering.

I was then discharged, and Panam wheeled me out and into her tent. My waking up had kicked up a big fuss, and waves of people came over to say hello. People I both knew and didn't know paid their respects to me. Cassidy was even considerate enough to keep his promise of a drink and brought over a nice cold beer, which was immediately confiscated by Panam because 'people recovering from a concussion shouldn't have any alcohol'. Bummer, I could have used a Broseph.

Even Saul made sure to show his face. Sure, he was awkward, but that's what Saul was like. And I imagine he had a lot on his plate right now, so I gave him a pass. And to be fair, he acknowledged and thanked me for all that I've done for the clan over the last few months and that I've been recognized as an official member of the Aldecaldos, even though I might not subscribe to the lifestyle.

Honestly, I was glad that my indoctrination into the family was a quiet and private matter. Something big like the announcement V got in the 'Star' ending was just to cringe for me. Saul discussed his big-picture plans for the Aldecaldos and said he would appreciate my continued support. Of course, I promised him I would still help whenever possible, and he left after thanking me one last time.

By the time Saul left, it was very late into the night, and no more nomads came to see me. Panam helped me into her bed and got in after turning off all the lights except the one next to our heads. While lying on my side, looking at Panam reading a book, I decided that now was better than never and asked how the raid went.

"So, how did everything go with the raid."

Panam looked at me before sighing and pooting her book down.

"Honestly? Better than we could have ever hoped. Only six people got seriously hurt, you being the worst case. But we did still have three people die during the attack."

My heart sank. It probably wasn't anyone I knew, and we went into this knowing it was a probable outcome, but it still hurt to see that it happened.

"I'm so sorry, Panam. Were you close to them?"

"Not really, but it still hurts. It was two of the younger guys and an older woman that was a part of our scout teams. It sucks, especially since we could have used the help to take over the badlands. But three is way less than we expected, so that's good. Saul also promised to care for the families, but it's not like he would have done anything else."

We sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence before Panam changed the topic to something more positive.

"Anyways, the raid was very successful. After you left, the Vets and I managed to flatline all the Wraith top dogs. It didn't take Saul and his team long to break the rest of the Shiv gonks. The ones that didn't die or tuck tail and run quit fighting and surrendered. Despite some people calling for execution or worse, we decided to be lenient and took all their belongings before kicking them out into the badlands."

Well, I guess it was good that the Aldecaldos decided not to stoop to the levels of the Shivs and showed mercy. Of course, the pessimistic side of me worried about potential retaliation. I guess we'll deal with it if it becomes a problem.

"With all the weapons, kit, chrome, vehicles, and cash we found, Saul thinks we made at least one million eddies, maybe even two. That's the most creds the clan's ever seen at once. Even if we don't do anything, it'll feed us for at least a year or two."

"Any big changes yet?"

"Not really. Most of the things we want to do are still being planned, and I'm sure you'll learn about them soon. The only thing new is that we decided to build a dedicated medical area. Gus and the medics didn't have the right tools or capacity to care for all the people who were hurt when they returned, so we spent some good money buying life-saving equipment and building a small clinic. That room you woke up in was actually brand new."

The room I woke up in wasn't the most impressive hospital room, but it was very impressive for being in the badlands and having been built in a few days. It just goes to show how good the Aldecaldos were at construction when they put their mind to it.

She then looked back down at me.

"I know everyone has said it already, but you really did change our lives. I know it sucks right now, but your family now and the Aldecaldos will make things right. That you can bet on."

The intensity of her gaze and the confidence in her voice gave me warm fuzzy feelings, and I smiled, feeling relaxed. The pain I felt while fighting Caesar was literally mind-breaking, and losing my right arm and leg was easily the worst thing that's ever happened to me, but I was sure things would be OK.

Honestly, in the world of Cyberpunk, where artificial body parts were not only possible but the norm, this wasn't too much of a setback. Hell, I might even be able to get a slight upgrade.

"Thanks, Panam. *Yawn*"

A yawn came over me, and I stretched while opening my mouth. Feeling that I was pulling on the very last bits of both my physical and mental reserves, I snuggled into the bed before opening the cover.

"I'm beat. Come here and let me snuggle you."

Panam, happy to oblige, grinned and slid right into me. I draped my one good arm over her and pulled her into me. I enjoyed the feeling of Panam's body against mine and soon let her warmth lull me into a deep slumber.

Chapter Text

I was roused from my snooze by the scent of something salty and savory. I stretched, enjoying that comfort only achievable by a fluffy bed in the morning right after you wake up, and then tried to go back to sleep. But my attempt at going back to bed was quickly squashed when another sensation assaulted my mind, this time further down my body.

It started as gentle brushes against the skin in my inner thigh, quickly traveling inward and transforming into a soft grip on my hard morning wood. A few short stroked later, I felt a soft breath against my crown before a lick trailed from my frenulum to the tip of my length. The velvety and wet sensation sent a shiver from my navel through my spine, converting into a burst of rapture that jolted my eyes open.

I looked down and found the source of the pleasure. With her delicious ass up in the air and her head next to my crotch was Panam. Feeling my movement, she looked at me with upturned eyes but refused to let go of my member. She smiled before slowly lolling her tongue out and licking my rock-hard pole again.

Seeing Panam in that position, the sinful delight of her tongue on my dick and the teasing smile coaxed a low moan out of me. Seeing my face, Panam's grin widened like the Chesire Cat.

"Hmmm... Mornin, tiger. Enjoying your morning?"

Something triggered in my mind and sent a bunch of happy chemicals to my brain when Panam called me tiger.

"God, yes. This is literally the best morning I've ever had."

"Good. Enjoy it. You deserve this."

Panam then looked back at my manhood and got back to work. Her tongue continued to slurp around my rod, coating it in a healthy layer of saliva. A dribble of precum leaked out of my urethra, which was quickly lapped up by Panam.

She then decided that enough preparation was done before quickly kissing and swallowing the head. Her tongue danced around until it hit one of my sensitive spots. Seeing my hips buck slightly and another groan escaping me, she attacked the area between my foreskin and glans.

"Ohhhh fuck, Panam. That's so good."

I let my left hand wander down to her face, caressing her cheek before putting it on her hair behind her head. Panam seemed to have taken that as a queue to go farther and lowered her mouth before I felt her nose grind into my pelvis. The contradicting feeling of her tight throat constricting the top half of my cock and the bottom half being played with her silky tongue nearly pushed me over the edge.

Wanting to hold onto this experience for longer, I tensed my abs and was just able to get myself under control. Panam apparently took some offense to that and attacked me with renewed fervor. She pulled her head back before only the tip of my penis was left between her lips, then slammed back down to the base. She started pistoning, deep-throating herself on my rod, sending repeated shockwaves deep into my psyche. Her face nestled in my crouch for a split moment before pulling up with hollowed cheeks and blowjob lips, then sinking back down.

Panam would change her angle slightly every time, monitoring me and refining her movements to bring me the most pleasure. Occasionally, she would barely scrape me with her teeth, sending just the right mixture of pain and pleasure. She always kept her eyes on me, giving me the most erotic blow job eyes while her hands would twist any section of my cock not in her mouth. Eventually, I couldn't hold on anymore, jerking my hip up while holding her head down with my arm.

Panam kept herself pressed against me while lowering her hands and massaging my jewels, trying to coax more of my essence out. Fireworks exploded in my mind, and my eyes rolled back while seeing stars. My balls contracted before sending thick globs of baby batter directly into Panam's throat.

Panam responded by purring and sucking even harder. The vibrations sent from her throat to my penis, combined with the vacuum literally sucking the cum out, drove me another level further, and my mind blanked out from the sheer ecstasy while my entire body tensed and lifted me up slightly. She finally let up after the last spurt of ejaculation, and my body was allowed to relax back into the bed.

Panam let her lips off my cock with a *pop* sound and gave me after-service in the form of a cleanup blowjob. I don't know if it's because of the incredibly sexy woman under me, I hadn't had sex in a while, or a combination of both, but my penis started hardening again under her tender ministrations. Just a few minutes later and the sword was at full mast.

Seeing me get another erection, Panam smirked.

"It seems like someone isn't satisfied yet."

I looked her in the eyes and told her the truth with as much sincerity and seriousness as I could muster in the situation.

"I can never have enough when it comes to you."

Apparently, that was the correct answer, as Panam giggled before crawling up and kissing me deeply. Our tongues entangled together and fought for dominance, our lips only separating when one of us needed to breathe. While we enjoyed each other taste upstairs, Panam maneuvered until her slit was brushing against my member.

I took in a cold breath when I felt her gushing quim slide atop my cock, teasing me with what I really wanted. Panam wiggled on me, drawing small circles with her hips until I couldn't take it anymore. Sliding my hand on her ass, I stopped it from grinding on me and raised it just enough for my glans to be aimed at her entrance.

I then grasped her soft behind, enjoying how my fingertips sank into her flesh. With a good grip on her thiccc (with three cs) ass, I began to push down. Panam seemed to have gotten the message and slowly let my member split her open.

Once I pushed past her labia, my head again plunged into that satin-like pussy. The progress was slow and excruciating, but it allowed me to feel every detail of Panam's sex. Her core was hot, and her walls were just tight enough to drive me absolutely crazy. After what felt like an eternity, I finally bottomed out and felt Panam's lap against mine.

We just sat there momentarily, enjoying the sensation of being connected again. I let my hand crawl from Panam's butt, to her plump thighs, up her toned abs, and finally settling on cupping one of her beautiful breasts. I felt the vague thumps of her heartbeat through her chest, fast and perfectly in harmony with mine. And while we looked into each other's eyes, we were entirely in sync, and despite losing an arm and a leg, I felt complete.

Panam was the first to break our silence by undulating back and forth, side to side, creating an exciting twisting sensation. She lifted her ass up, causing my glans to scratch against her inner folds.

"Yeeeeeeeees! I miss this dick soooo muuuuuuuch."

Panam then slammed those buns back down, and I watched in admiration as they rippled. She repeatedly impaled herself on me, and I enjoyed the sensation of her vagina gripping onto me, undulating and bringing a heavenly feel to my dick. I just let Panam do her thing, entirely focused on the caramel goddess riding me. Taking the reins, Panam slowly picked up speed, faster and faster, until her hips became a blur.

Her moans were like music, and her tits bounced up and down in an apparent attempt to hypnotize me into additional debauchery. I sank my hand into Panam's melons, creating little dimples around my fingertips. She moaned in response, clearly enjoying my attention to her other body parts.

I continued playing with her breasts, grabbing them, smushing them, even slapping them, and watching them swing back and forth like a Newton's Cradle. When they settled down, I let my fingers trace her areola, causing Panam to shiver and goose bumps to rise all over her skin. I then pinched the nipples and gave them a little tug.

"Ohhhhhhh! Yes, tiger. Harderrrrrrrr~"

I obliged and yanked downwards, stretching the tit I was attacking and deforming it. Being a bit rough with Panam seemed to have been the straw that broke the camel's back, and she came, hard.

"YeEEEEeeeeEeesSsSs!!!!!!"

Panam shrieked while her dam broke. I felt an increase in wetness as her pussy squirted an ungodly amount of juice. Her walls tightened like a boa constrictor, wrapping around my member and squeezing as if trying to break it in half. Her eyes rolled up until there were only the whites showing, and her body began violently shaking from cumming so hard. When she finally dropped from her peak, she needed to put her hands on my chest to stop herself from plopping down.

While her expert riding felt great, excellent even, there was one massive problem. I didn't come. I don't know if it's being backed up from sucking me off that made Panam come faster or if I'm lasting longer because I already shot my load once, but I'm unsatisfied. Usually, this wouldn't be a problem, and I would just wait for her to recover and help me cross the finish line. But something about seeing Panam currently out of breath, disheveled, and me being edged so close without actually going all the way brought out an overwhelming sense of need and frustration.

While Panam was still trying to gather herself, I wedged my hand under her leg and pushed up, flipping her onto her back. Having only one arm and one leg made positions hard, so I made do and lifted the leg I was holding onto until it was next to Panam's head. Shocked by my sudden aggression, Panam looked at me, confused.

"What's," Panam started but paused while catching her breath, "*GASP* What's going on?

I didn't answer her. Instead, I grabbed the base of my cock and aimed it at Panam's pussy lips. That got her attention, and she looked down. A second later, a look of realization dawned on her.

"Oh, you're still hard. Will wait for a seco- HRrrrnNnnGhhh!"

I didn't let Panam finish her sentence and just pushed right in. Instead of going in slow like the first time, I just let my weight help me slam all the way in right off the bat. Feeling me have my way with her caused her to freeze before eliciting a long groan. I immediately picked up my pace and quickly started hammering myself away into her, completely lost in the lust.

Having her legs raised at such an angle and being able to drill into her from above let me get even deeper. Every time I bottomed out, I felt my tip push against her cervix, deforming her womb.

"Ohhhhh SHiiiiiiiiiit! I'm still CuUUumMiNG!"

Being so close to her baby oven and hearing her pant and scream every time I hit her G-spot drove me further into sex-drunk madness, and I picked up even more speed.

"Hold your leg up."

An animalistic growl escaped me, commanding Panam to hold her leg up. She quickly complied, and I used my free hand to start mauling her chest.

"You like this, don't you? You like being pushed down and having your body played around with."

While I said that, I slapped Panam's tits, this time hard enough to leave the vague outline of a red handprint. The pain caused Panam to gasp and then mewl in submissive pleasure. Not getting an answer, I slapped her fun bags again, creating small mesmerizing waves.

"Say it. Say you like being dominated."

YeeEeeeS! I like being Dominated!"

I smiled darkly, feeling a strange satisfaction with my power over Panam. I let her tits go and gently slapped her cheek, then put my thumb in her mouth and played with her tongue. Immediately, her lips puckered, and she began sucking on my thumb, her tongue swirling around it as if it were my cock.

Her pussy was the tightest I've ever felt her, the only reason why I could move in and out being that she completely soaked herself. Panam's luxurious walls jerked me off from the quivers she had because of her forcibly drawn-out orgasm. The furnace of that is her vagina got hotter and hotter, rising in temperature with her ever-increasing ecstasy. I let Panam's leg down and immediately rubbed her clit between my fingers.

And that was it. The sensations were too much, and Panam rolled past the barriers to her second orgasm. I felt her cave clamp down on me again, but I was ready to explode this time. Something snapped in me, and my entire world turned white. The sensitivity in my penis skyrocketed, and a huge load shot out of my balls and right into the baby maker, where my member was bottomed out and lodged into.

"I'm coming! Take it! TAKE IT ALL!!!"

"YES! Give it to MEEEEE!!"

Feeling my seed get unloaded into her, Panam wrapped her arms around my neck to drag me into a kiss. Her eyes rolled up and crossed, and if it wasn't for me occupying her mouth, she would have definitely made an ahegao face. My hot cum painting her insides only drove Panam's orgasm to elevate even further. She was shaking again, so much that if I didn't know better, I'd thought an earthquake was hitting us.

We held that position for a minute or two. Me, laying on top of Panam, admiring her fucked-silly look and enjoying the afterglow of the best orgasm I've had. Panam, underneath me, utterly screwed stupid and tried to get her brain to catch back up to reality.

Eventually, Panam got herself in control, and I rolled off her and lay on my back.

"That was *GASP* literally *GASP* the most nova sex *GASP* I've ever had."

I chuckled at that and sat up.

"Good to know. I don't know what took over me, but honestly, I was surprised how ok you were with me getting rough."

"I'm surprised as well. For a second, I didn't know what to think. Then I kinda just rolled with it. Seeing you be such a dom is a real turn-on for me."

Panam turned to look at me, propping her head up with her hand, giving me the perfect view of her cleavage. Despite having come twice, the horney monkey in me immediately snapped my eyes to her wonderful chest pillows. The light chocolate color, the slightly darker areolas, and the rock-hard nipples make me want to drool.

Panam followed my gaze and smirked after seeing what I was staring at. She put one hand under each of her breasts and playfully jiggled them.

"Like what you see, tiger?"

Panam caught it when my cock jerked again when she called me tiger. A smug smile spread across her face, and she reached for my cock again.

"Oh? You like it when I call you tiger?"

I was embarrassed but nodded. As we were about to start another round of hank panky, my stomach decided that enough was enough, and I protested by rumbling loud enough to stop any thought I had. I looked around until I found a brown paper bag with grease stains on the nightstand beside the bed. I quickly reached over Panam and grabbed the bag. Reaching in, I took out a breakfast sandwich and started wolfing it down.

Seeing me change my priorities so fast caused Panam to break out into laughter.

"Did you really just choose food over sex?"

I shrugged, not one bit ashamed of what I did.

"What? This is my first real meal in days, and you just gave me the workout of my lifetime. What can I say? I'm hungry."

She laughed again and watched me eat, pleased to just see me carrying on with my life. And like that, my morning ended with a sizzle instead of a bang.

Chapter Text

The large elevator I was in shook as it traveled from the streets and stopped in the basement of Vic's clinic. The doors slid open, and Panam pushed my wheelchair and me out into a storage area. Vic was standing next to a locker and was unraveling the boxing tape around his hands after putting up his gloves.

Vics Clinic Garage Entrance
https://i.imgur.com/mcyr1vj

Vic stopped doing what he was doing and took a look at me. He froze momentarily before furrowing his brow, taking a deep breath, and sighing.

"They really did a number on you, didn't they?"

"You should see the other guy."

I responded with a grin, only to be slapped on the back of the head immediately by Panam. She didn't strike me hard, but I was still surprised by the sudden impact. I turned around, disgruntled, only to be met by Panam's stern glare, daring me to give her lip.

"Take this seriously. You almost died."

There was anger in her gaze, but I could also see the undercurrents of sadness. Deciding that the intelligent thing to do was to just take my medicine, I kept my mouth shut. Turning back, I saw Vic close his locker, the metal frame and door rattling against each other. He took the towel around his neck and wiped his forehead. Vic then slung the towel over his shoulder and looked at Panam and me while leaning against the wall.

"She's right, you know? I get it. I've been there. You're young, so you think you're invincible, but you're not. You fucked up big time, and if this happens again, Night City will take its due."

Vic's point was made even more poignant through the tone he delivered it. Vic's gruff voice to the uninitiated might make him out to be a no-nonsense guy, but he's always delivered his jabs with a bit of brevity and casual jest. This time there was no lightheartedness. He was dead serious. I guess I was due for a reality check.

Despite being in a world I once knew as fiction and having video game like abilities, the dangers and consequences were very real. I knew I got lucky. Without my healing factor, I would have bled out long before the Aldecaldos could have stabilized my situation. I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly before acknowledging their point.

"Yeah, sorry. I was too careless with fighting Caesar," I used my good arm to point toward my missing limbs, "Trust me, I learned my lesson".

Seeing me repentant, Panam shifted her hands next to my neck and gently massaged my shoulder. I held back my moan and relaxed into her fantastic technique. Panam then bent down and gave the side of my head a quick kiss before whispering into my ear.

"I love you for what you did, and I can't thank you enough, but if you ever get hurt like this again, I'll kill you myself."

The threat sounded playful, but I knew better. I swear Panam is the only person that can be simultaneously so thankful and angry at the fact that I survived. She constantly spoiled and showered me with love for the last few days, indulging me with sex and caring actions. But she also would repeatedly throw jabs at me, letting me know how sad and infuriated she was with my carelessness.

And she was right. I could have used my Optical Camo before climbing that cliff, activated my Optical Camo, or both. I guess I was expecting the fight to go heavily in my favor as all the others did, and that overconfidence almost cost me my life. I won't stop taking risks because the alternative is a potential world war, but I'll definitely be more cautious from now on.

Vic, seemingly happy with my reaction, grunted.

"Come on back. Panam, help Basil into the chair. We'll get started once I get cleaned up."

Vic walked into the main area of his clinic and disappeared behind a door. Panam wheeled me next to the operating chair and helped me hobble into it. One of the first things I did while recovering at the Nomad Camp was to contact Vic and wire him some Eddies to find some replacement limbs for me. He called yesterday night saying everything came in, so we were here to get them installed.

The Aldecaldos offered to have their Ripperdoc fix me with what they had, but their chrome stock wasn't precisely top-of-the-line, so I declined. Which is understandable since they live out in the Badlands. Not a lot of opportunities to get your hands on advanced cyberware out in the desert.

While we waited for Vic to return, Panam kept me company by discussing this and that. She mostly talked about the goings on in the clan and how they were doing with expanding into the market left empty by the removal of the Shivs. I listened and responded half-heartedly while reviewing my stats and figuring out how to invest the points I got from leveling up.

Despite the setbacks from the assault on the Shivs, one of the silver linings was that I confirmed several things about my body and system. First, despite having regeneration perks from the game, My body still received damage as if it were normal. My severed limbs did not grow back when my health bar was back to full. This revelation will change my direction with choosing stats and perks.

Investing heavily into increasing my health pool and stamina regeneration with perks like True Grit 3, Invincible 3, Regeneration, and Epimorphosis is nice, but they only shine when I take damage in the first place. My focus is on taking perks that are too reactive. Instead of thinking about how to recover, I should be thinking about how never to get hit in the first place.

There's a concept called the survivability onion that applies to survival in a fight. The notion goes that there are four primary "layers" of defenses in battle that increase the chances of survival. In order of most to least effective, these layers are 'don't be seen, don't be hit, don't be pierced, and don't be killed'.

So far, my perk investment to survival has been towards the least effective category of 'don't get killed'. Sure, having Optical Camo, Sandivistan, and body armor helped the other three. But other than those things, I have no passive abilities that go toward making me more survivable outside of not bleeding out after getting shot.

I leveled up six times and was now at level 37. This was the most significant jump in levels I've had in one go. I suspect it's partly because of finishing a big mission and partially because all the Shivs killed or incapacitated by the Aldecaldos counted toward my experience. If having allies can increase the rate I level up, I'll have to put some serious effort into taking over one of the gangs.

Using gang wars to clean the streets and strengthen myself tickled my inner gamer that desired maximum grind efficiency. Even better, I already have the perfect in with Yumi. I made a note to myself to help her get the Tygers under control. But that was for the future. Right now, I should focus on my stats and make myself unkillable.

Sandevistan and Optical Camo were far beyond anything else in the survivability category. Optical Camo effectively fulfilled the survivability onion's 'Don't be seen' layer, while Sandevistan worked toward the 'Don't be hit' aspect. They each do their job well, but combined, they could become world beaters with the correct modifications.

Sandivestans have the fantastic ability to extend the operating time of other chrome. Using Optical Camo as an example again, the counter is slowed down while Sandi is in use. Spending 12 seconds in Sandi, which slows time to 25 percent, only reduces the Optical Camo by 3 seconds instead of 12.

The developers knew how overpowered an unchecked Sandi build could be, so they counterbalanced it by having a relatively long cool down so that the cooldown won't start until the effects had finished. Sadly, or maybe happily, depending on how you view things, they left in many ways to work around the cooldown. CD Projekt Red rushed the game's release and didn't have time to balance everything, which I will take advantage of.

QianT, the same company that tried to poach Hellman from Arasaka, makes a Sandevistan that slows down time to 25% for 12 seconds with only a 15-second cooldown and 3 modification slots. Each mod slot could be filled with legendary heatsinks that reduce the cooldown by 4 seconds. With heat sinks alone, I could use Sandevistan every 3 seconds.

A legendary Bioconductor and Nano Relay are also critical parts of this equation. The Bioconductor at the legendary variety reduces all cooldowns by 30%, reducing the Sandi wait time to two seconds. The Bioconductor also allows me to use Optical Camo more frequently as well. Nano Relay extended the Sandi from 12 seconds to 14 seconds.

With all these mods and cyberware, I could theoretically be in almost constant bullet time. And if I time it right, Optical Camo could extend from 15 seconds to more than 40 seconds. If I could recreate my in-game build, I could become an invisible phantom four times faster than an average person. Someone that couldn't be seen and couldn't be hit. The only problem was getting everything I needed.

The QianT Mk.4 was sold by Fingers, the ripperdoc that would have sold Evelyn into slavery if she returned to work for Clouds. He's a real piece of shit, so I have no problem breaking his nose and stealing it from him. If it wasn't for the fact that he was one of the few ripperdocs willing to work with the nightlife of Night City, I might have planned to zero him outright.

Luckily, the Aldecaldos had a Legendary Bioconductor. Apparently, in the real world, they serve to hasten the body's healing process at the cost of supercharging the person's metabolism. The top brass was more than happy to offer it to me when I mentioned I wanted it.

That left finding the top-of-the-line Nano Relay and Optical Camo. Hopefully, whoever has these will be reasonable and let me buy them or offer them for a job. If they're horrible people like Fingers, I wouldn't be opposed to breaking a few bones to get what I want.

All in all, they shouldn't be hard to get my hands on. The real problem is crafting the heatsinks I need to reduce the Sandi cooldowns and get my stats where they must be for the Bioconductor and Nano Relay to work.

The perk that allows me to craft legendary items is Edgerunner Artisan, which is unlocked at level 18. Further, Crafting has to be at the same level as well. If I remember correctly, Bioconductor needed the Body stat at 18, which I was not at as well. The only stat I don't have to worry about is Reflexes, which needs to be 15 to use the QianT Mk.4, if memory serves.

I was 3 points away in the Body stat and 6 in Technical Ability. My Crafting skill was 12 thanks to constantly crafting grenades, medical supplies, and ammo to sell in my business. At first, I thought that was low, only to learn any skill was level capped at the relevant attributes level. In this case, I was stuck at 12 because my Techincal ability was 12. I wept at the wasted experience.

Since I already had the Bioconductor and could get it put in today, I decided to use 3 of my points to increase Body to 18 and dumped the other three into raising Technical Ability to 15. I still had five days before I had to meet Michiko, which should be enough to raise my Techincal and Crafting levels to 18. With my stats figured out and a plan for what chrome to upgrade formulated, I focused on using my 6 perk points.

Following the same plan of increasing my stealth, I invested 1 point each into Crouching Tiger and Silent and Deadly in the Ninjutsu tree. Crouching Tiger gives a passive boost to my movement while in stealth, making the chances of being caught while creeping around less likely. Silent and Deadly increases damage of silenced weapons by 25% while in stealth. These two perks worked towards the 'Aggressively Stealthy' build.

Going unnoticed is incredibly useful, but the power of stealth comes from wiping out whole groups of enemies before they understand what is happening. I'm already doing something similar with my current build. The only problem is that my Sandi and Optical Camo often run out before I kill everyone. Hence, I try to stay to deal with small groups of thugs or small NCPD contracts. Crouching Tiger should make moving from one enemy to the next faster and give me more wiggle room, while Silent and Deadly make it easier to kill enemies I can't reach with my katana.

I put 3 points into raising Cold Blood to level 3 to increase movement speed further while in combat. Cold Blood gives me a 'stack' every time I take down an enemy. Each 'stack' gives me an additional 2% movement speed, and I can have 3 'stacks' with level 3 in Cold Blood for a 6% increase. I put my last point into the first level of Blood Brawl, which increases damage while Cold Blood is active by 5%.

The first 'stack' of Cold Blood takes 7 seconds to expire, with each subsequent 'stack' lasting one second shorter. All 'stacks' disappear at the same time. So if I had two 'stacks' active, both would disappear at 6 seconds; if I had all three, after 5 seconds, all three would disappear. Later perks increase the duration and make it so "stacks" go away one at a time instead of all at once, but for now, this is enough.

A 6% increase in movement speed and a 5% increase in damage might not sound impressive, but that's often all there is between life and death. Furthermore, I can unlock later perks in the Cold Blood tree that increases resistance, health, armor, attack speed, damage, etc. It might not be impressive now but will become invaluable later, so the investment is worth it.

When I finished spending my points, this was my stats.

Stats
https://i.imgur.com/pLRnwP7

I spent the next few minutes conversing with Panam until Vic stepped out of his room with a crate in his arms. He placed the package on a table close by and opened the lid. Inside was an artificial upper arm and leg alongside a collection of random parts and cyberware. Among these included my old Gorilla Arm that Caesar chopped off. The Aldecaldos managed to salvage it, and it was still functioning. Waste not want not.

The sleek reflective metal panels on the arm and leg were a deep dark navy that bordered on black. The screws and joints had a mirror finish and were made of a different metal, giving the limbs golden bronze accents. I paid almost 60,000 Eddies for replacement limbs, and it seems like Vic came through with the goods.

"That looks like some fancy pieces of kit."

Vic grunted while he searched through some drawers and cabinets.

"Fancy? The outside is mainly made of nitrided Inconel alloy with PVD-coated aluminum joints. Bulletproof, can't rust, self-lubricating, and shielded from electronic interference. Unless you're Yorinobu, you're not getting anything better."

I had no clue what any of that meant, but it sounded impressive.

"*Whistle* Where'd you get stuff like that?"

Vic finally found what he was looking for and turned around.

"Don't worry about it."

Vic dragged a gas tank over, presumably to sedate me, and sat in his seat next to the operating chair. He laid his tools beside him before cracking knuckles and stretching his back and neck. Vic then picked up a gas mask connected to the tank and looked at me.

"You ready?"

I think ordinary people would be at least a bit nervous, but Vic was the best in the biz. I was in good hands. Besides, I was finally about to be able to walk on my own two legs again, so I was more excited than anything else.

"Yup."

He put the mask over me and turned the knob on the tank. A quiet hissing could be heard when the tank started pumping the anesthetic. A faintly sweet odor drifted into my nose, and I started feeling sluggish. Panam walked over and grabbed my hand.

First, I lost the strength to hold my arm up, and I let my hand fall to my side with Panam's inside it. Then I felt my consciousness fading and could barely keep my eyelids up. Noticing my waning awareness, Panam smiled at me.

"I'll be right here when you come back."

She said in a comically slow motion and a deep voice, or more accurately, my brain made it seem like she did. I barely managed to smile at her before everything went dark.

Chapter Text

*SPLASH*

"Whoops."

"THAT'S IT! What's your fucking deal?"

I was currently sitting in a reclining chair deep in Misty's shop. Surrounding me were various incense giving off a calming array of scents. The lighting was a dim orange, with the only illumination sources coming from candles and salt lamps. Misty picked out and professionally oriented everything to maximize their soothing effects. But despite her efforts, the tension in the air was taut like a tightrope, threatening to snap at any moment.

Panam was in the middle of the store with both hands on a table, staring daggers into Yumi. Panam was only slightly shorter than me, so she loomed over the much more petite Japanese girl standing next to Panam's chair. Despite the height and build difference, Yumi seemed unperturbed, calmly returning Panam's gaze as if nothing of note happened.

In Yumi's hand was a teacup tilted forward, clearly empty. Some of the liquid was on the table, but by the large stain on Panam's shirt, most of the tea somehow got on her. With those context clues, I deduce that Panam believes Yumi purposely spilled the tea on her and is now confronting Yumi about it.

"An honest mistake. I'm sure you understand, neh?"

"An honest mistake my ass! You've been picking a fight ever since me and Basil came back. I barely even know you, so what's the deal?!"

I thought about the last day and a half and couldn't help but agree with Panam's observations. After the surgery, I've been floating between Vic's clinic, Misty's shop, and my place so I can do physical therapy, relaxation, and sleep, respectively. While at Misty's, Yumi, who is still working in the shop for a place to stay out of trouble, has been incredibly attentive, catering to my every need and making sure I wanted for nothing. Panam, on the other hand, did not receive the same treatment.

Yumi would keep bumping into her, acting as if she didn't hear her, rolling her eyes, yawning, and generally acting passive-aggressively toward Panam. I figured she was so lovely to me since I saved her life, or maybe because I offered to help her sort out her issues with the Tyger Claws. Even then, that didn't explain her actions against Panam.

The day after Vic installed my new chrome was the first time they properly met. I've mentioned Yumi and her circumstances to Panam, and Yumi knows from passing comments that I have a mainline. Yumi didn't seem to mind. I mean, why would she? And neither did Panam, whose only concern was Yumi's muddy background.

I considered getting involved at first, but the incidents were small enough that it could have been an accident. Or an industrial bout of clumsiness. Besides, I didn't want to be one of those boyfriends that had to be involved with everything in his other's life and took offense at any slight. Besides, Panam has yet to raise it as an issue, so who am I to say it's a problem? If Yumi had a problem, it was only with Panam, so I'll let them handle their business and only weigh in if things get out of hand.

Yumi raised a finger to her chin and expressed fake contemplation.

"A problem? How could I possibly have a problem with the person who let the one I owe my giri ~*debt*~ lose a literal arm and a leg? No, you're just imagining things in that empty bimbo head of yours."

It took me a second to register that insult, and my eyes widened as the situation went from 0-60 in the blink of an eye. I looked at Yumi, shocked that the ordinarily subdued woman would come out swinging out of nowhere. Judging by Panam's expression, it wasn't exactly what she was expecting either.

Panam's mouth was wide open, stuck in the middle of a retort that died halfway up her throat. She was first surprised, then sad/guilty before the confidence and defiance Panam is known for returned.

"That's rich coming from the bitch whose medical treatment was covered by my input having to risk his life fighting a hexed-out, cybered-up dorphhead. Also, at least he knew the risks going in with me, and the clan will take good care of him. Unlike you, whose background is shady and just a leach siphoning off Basil and his friends' goodwill. Go fuck yourself."

Ok, maybe I should step in after all. Before the verbal spar could escalate further, I coughed to try to get the duo's attention.

"*AHEM*"

Both girls stopped staring each other down and snapped over to me.

"What!?" "What!?"

Cool, stereo.

"Jinx, you both can't speak until I say so."

A trickle of soft giggles sounded from behind me, and I turned around to spy Misty covering her mouth, laughing at my absurd jump in tone. Panam and Yumi, on the other hand, did not take my attempt at de-escalating the situation as well. Before they could start lecturing me, I sat up and raised my hands for them to wait for me to finish.

"Nope, no speaking yet. I'm not done."

I pointed my finger at Yumi.

"First, Panam's right. I knew the risks associated with helping the Aldecaldos sort out their problem with the Wraiths, so if anyone's to blame for what happened, it's me for not being careful."

The risk I took was calculated, but damn, am I bad at math. Given the circumstances, I came out of the whole ordeal pretty well off. A relatively cheap price to pay for a lesson well learned.

"Second, Please do not insult my girlfriend's intelligence and call her anything unnecessary. Panam's a total bombshell, but calling her a 'dumb bimbo' is too much. She means a lot to me, so I'd appreciate you showing her a modicum of respect."

Yumi kept her mouth shut and slowly nodded, but I could see on her face that the message didn't entirely go through her. Baby steps. On the other hand, Panam had a smug grin and arms folded under her chest, pushing her sweater puppies up. I pivoted my index finger at her before I could get too distracted by those magnificent orbs.

"And you, don't make that face. Yumi is a valuable ally. I plan to help her get the Tygers under control, which you know perfectly well how valuable that can be. And Yumi's past might be shady, but she's trying, right? Yumi's cleaning her act up, and her record has been spotless for a while. It's not exactly like we're the most upstanding citizens as well. Give her a chance, for me? And you two can talk again."

Panam stewed on how to respond, looking back and forth between me and Yumi before finally sighing.

"Fine, for you, I'll let this all go."

Panam then turned to Yumi and put her hand out.

"Truce?"

Yumi looked at it briefly before reaching out and grasping it in a tight handshake.

"Truce."

Happy that the situation seemed to have settled down, I clapped my hands and got off the reclining seat.

"Alright. It's getting late, and we should be getting back to get in a good night's sleep. Thanks for the tea and medicine, Misty."

The small goth girl emerged behind her counter and handed me a small bag. Looking inside, I found a few pieces of incense and a bottle of pills.

"My pleasure. There are some calming scents for when you go to bed, and the pills are some Eastern herbal anti-inflammatories medicine."

"Thanks, Misty. You're a real sweetheart."

I waved Yumi and Misty goodnight before walking out with Panam and back into my shop. Once we got back inside, I put a few of the incense sticks in a pot and lit them. When I was sure the embers wouldn't get snuffed out, I left them alone to do their job and release their calming aroma.

Panam had taken off her clothes and made a beeline for the bed. Once she was cozy with where she was, she turned on the TV I had in the corner and started flipping through the channels. After taking my pills and setting the AC, I followed suit and took off my clothes to get in bed with her.

Panam snuggled up to me, laying her head across my chest. I gently brushed her hair while she was half-watching some documentary about the history of agriculture and half-listening to my heartbeat. Right as I was beginning to get lulled into sleep from the lavender-like scent the incense generated, Panam asked me a question and pulled me away from the dreamworld's gates.

"Can I ask you something?"

I couldn't be bothered to respond fully since I was still hovering between the zones of sleep and consciousness, so I hummed, acknowledging Panam and asking her to go on.

"What do you have on Yumi's life? And don't BS me and say you haven't looked into her. If you know about the highest level of information in Arasaka and all kinds of other crap, you know about this."

I wanted to tell her that just because I know things about Arasaka doesn't mean I have intel on some random ex-criminal. My knowledge is based on what happened in a game, and as far as I know, Yumi wasn't a character. Still, I can't exactly say that to Panam, at least not yet. And I guess that would go against the image I've been building of someone who got connections and are 'in the know,' so to speak.

But she was also correct; I did look into Yumi. Yumi wasn't comfortable telling me why she turned on her former gang, and she didn't feel dangerous, but I still wanted to be sure. It didn't take much effort. A phone call to Rivers, who I helped to solve the Peter Pan kidnapping cases, and I knew everything the NCPD had on one Tabata Yumi.

"I'll keep it short since I feel bad for the girl, and the information I have allows me to draw only conclusions. Yumi had a relationship with a Tyger in her teens. They climbed the ladder together until one night, they were invited to a party for her boyfriend's promotion. My source doesn't know what happened, but they have records of a badly beaten Yumi being dragged out of the place a day later."

Panam was smart enough to not need me to spell what I thought happened to Yumi.

"Is that why you keep her around?"

"I'm not going to lie, feeling bad for her is part of the reason. The other reason is that revenge is a strong motivator. Taking over the Tyger Claws will be hard work. I think I can do it, but I need someone who won't quit on me halfway. It's kinda similar to helping you with the Shivs. Things could and probably did get dirty, but I could trust you and your family to see things through. Y'all were too invested to quit."

I could feel Panam taking in the new information and contemplating something while drawing small circles with her finger on my chest. Eventually, she asked me another question.

"What is Yumi to you?"

Hmm. That's a good question. A friend? We haven't interacted enough for me to say that. If I could elevate her to the top of the Tygers, it would make Watson and Westbrook more peaceful, so at least an ally, like I said before. It feels too harsh to say that's all I see in her, but harsh or not, it's the truth.

"Someone whose goal aligns with mine and can make my and a whole bunch of others' life much easier in the future. Why do you ask?"

"Ughh! I fucking hate feeling like this, but I'm just going to say it. Don't you dare laugh at me. I think Yumi has the hots for you."

My sleepiness was temporarily blasted away, and I stared at Panam wide-eyed, not believing what she just said.

"Don't look at me like that. And before you ask, I don't know how I know. Just call it a woman's intuition."

Panam then covered her face in embarrassment.

"Listen to me. Acting insecure like a hormonal teenager. Forget it."

I wonder why Panam would come to such a conclusion. It's not like Yumi has been sending any signals. She was friendly but never flirted or made any moves on me. And Panam's only been interacting with Yumi firsthand for a few days, which I don't think is long enough to get a good feel like that.

Regardless, I guess the right thing to do here is to reassure Panam that there's nothing to worry about and not belittle her feelings. Gently, I pulled Panam's face closer to mine by lifting her chin. When she peeked out from behind her hands, I sneaked in a quickly gave her a little peck on the lips.

"I promise nothing is going on between us, and I only have eyes for you. I struggle to even see Yumi as a friend, much less anything else. I help her get revenge, and she helps me by being an agreeable leader for the Tygers. That's it. This guy's the one-gal type of dude."

"Thanks, Basil. And it's not even the monogamy thing. You know how us Aldecaldos are, we could make it work if it's the right people. She just doesn't feel like the right fit since we got off on the wrong foot."

"That's fair, I gue- Wait. Rewind. What do you mean 'you know how us Aldecaldos are'? What are you talking about?"

It was Panam's time to look at me like I was talking nonsense. When she realized that I was being serious, she laughed and affectionately slapped me a few times.

"I can't believe you were dating me without knowing that Nomads are generally ok with being poly. I think it started because many of us died before we could have kids, especially the men. Multiple partners increase the chances of pregnancy, and the baby would have many people to look after them, which is useful for roaming the dangerous roads between cities. Eventually, that developed into us just don't have that cultural stigma. Not like you city slickers are known for sexual decency."

My mind drifted back to the party right after we got the Basilisk, remembering the secluded section where people ran off for canoodling.

"Wait, so that big party we had before raiding the Wraiths, those groups of people making out, was poly relationships and not just young people being raunchy?"

"I wasn't really paying attention, so I can't say for sure, but it was probably a healthy share of both."

"Huh."

Before I could think about the situation any further, Panam grabbed ahold of my left ear and yanked it lightly to force me to face her.

"Hey, don't you go thinkin' that's a license to go out there and collect hoozies. You said you're only interested in me, and I'm holding you to that."

A combination of the strange topics of conversation and having my ears pulled dispelled any remaining sleepiness I had. All the better since I have the perfect distraction in front of me. I quickly grabbed Panam's right shoulder in place and playfully bit the finger tugging my ear. I then pushed her off my chest and onto her back before letting her finger go.

"You are the only woman for me, and I know just the way to show you."

Panam lightly mewled and stared back at me in response to my gruff voice.

"Oh yeah, Tiger? Prove it."

I did just that by keeping her moaning for the next few hours.

Chapter Text

My shiny new arm glistened as the myriad lights from the busy Night City nightlife shone through the windshield of my van. It was three days until the meeting with Michiko, and I was back in action. The R&R for a few days has done me good, and my body was more or less at full capacity. Seeing the sign for Zocolo Street, I turned left into a busy intersection and megabuilding H10 in the background.

As per usual with NC, the street was packed with cars. It took a minute and cut off some cars, but eventually, I turned into the garage of the megabuilding after weaving through some heavy traffic. Driving into the parking lot, I meandered through the levels until I found an empty spot near one of the elevator entrances. After putting the van in park, I pulled up my messaging app and contacted V.

"I just got here. I'm parked on the third floor of the garage. Turn left after you get out of the elevator, and you'll see my van."

Not a moment later, a reply came.

"Nova. Getting my iron sorted. I'll be down in a sec."

Seeing V's response, I put away my phone and turned up the radio to enjoy the new sound system in my van. And it wasn't just the sound system. Damn near the entire vehicle has been either modified or renewed. While recuperating from my injuries, I finally had the time to get the Aldecaldos to sup up my van, and they did not disappoint.

The old drive train was pulled out, and a new engine and transmission from a Thorton Mackinaw truck were installed. The engine's stock components were replaced with forged parts and sequential turbos to boost power on both the top and bottom end. Combined with new headers, a more aggressive camshaft, and high-flow exhaust, the van was now faster than anything except racers with a dedicated tune.

To increase the protection, the van also got a new stainless tube chassis running throughout its frame to stop the vehicle from crushing in on itself in a crash. The panels were then lined with bulletproof aramid sheets that could stop anything less than a full-blown cannon round. The windows and windshields were replaced with a bulletproof glass of the same rating and tinted so no one could look inside.

The suspension was switched out for a coilover air bag hybrid system to deal with the extra weight added by the roll cage and armor. The Wheel arches were then enlarged so fatter tires could be fit underneath. Breaks were also swapped out for the largest ones that could fit under the wheels for better stopping performance.

Since I wanted the van to be able to slip under the radar, the exterior was left pretty stock. To sell the 'everyday car' look, I even added decals that made it look like the windshield had small cracks. The only things I had the Aldecaldos add outside were brighter headlights and a low-profile light bar on the roof. I had considered adding a weapon station like Panam had on her truck, but there wasn't any way to hide such an addition, so I decided against it.

The interior was spruced up as well. New comfier leather seats were fitted, and the AC was thoroughly serviced and cleaned. There was even a battery and fridge in the back. Functional upgrades included screens that replaced all the buttons and dials, which could also control a powerful sensor suit that took up some cargo space. Now I could decrypt codded radio messages and listen in from the comfort of my vehicle.

While the Aldecaldos were modifying my van, I took the time to sort through all the intel I got from the various listening devices. I used to go through everything every few days, but I've neglected that aspect of my life for the last week for obvious reasons. Most of the recordings were useless clutter, but there was a good amount of information that I could use to my advantage later.

The most interesting is related to Wakako, the main fixer in Westbrook. The veteran fixer was having problems with a man called Taki Kazo, one of the newer, higher-up Tyger Claw bosses. Apparently, Taki thought Wakako was redundant and that he could run Japan town without her influence.

His faction has recently been making aggressive plays on Wakako's turf, and tension has been growing between the two. Considering the type of influences Wakako has, helping her might help me weaken the Tygers, making helping Yumi with her revenge and takeover easier. The problem is how to clue Wakako in on that I wanted to help. It'll seem suspicious if I just came barreling in telling her I knew her worries.

While enjoying a cola I grabbed from my fridge and thinking about how to approach Wakako, I heard knocking to my right. Looking over, I saw that it was V and unlocked the car for her. I guess I'll figure out the whole Tyger thing later. Hearing the door unlock, V got in before closing it behind her.

"Hey, V. Good to go?"

V settled into her seat before throwing a finger gun pointed forward, showing she was ready.

"Yup. Hit it, Choom."

I quickly pulled the car out of the spot and drove out of the garage. Once out of the megabuilding, I turned onto the street before turning north toward Watson. My destination was Totentanz, which is the bar where the Maelstrom liked to hang out when they weren't making demonic sacrifices or whatever crimes tickled their fancy. Frankly, I didn't want to deal with them, especially after the run-in with Zaria, but I needed those parts to fix the Surveyor.

The meeting was set for Konpeki Tower, which would have been fine if it wasn't for the fact that V was technically banned from Konpeki and our two other star witnesses were on a list of high-priority targets. The good news is that we can work around that if we can get the Surveyor back up and running. Arasaka exclusively uses most of the top floors, and the Surveyor can take us straight to the private landing pads. Don't have to worry about security and people in the lobby recognizing three of Arasaka's most wanted people if you don't have to go through the lobby at all.

"V, you got a better feel on Brick than I do. What's your take on how things'll go with 'em?"

"I only met Brick once, so I wouldn't say I got a good handle on the guy. Also, I might have saved his life, but me and Jackie wiped out everybody else, so I can't exactly say I'm on his good side. Honestly? 50/50 this ends in a gunfight."

"Well, considering it's the Maelstrom, that ain't too bad."

We shot the shit for the rest of the ride, catching each other up on anything we had going on in our lives. V had spent most of her time doing random jobs, getting her name out there, and building street cred. Occasionally, she'll check in on Hellman and Evelyn to ensure everything is ready for the upcoming meeting with Michiko.

Suppose the upcoming meeting with Michiko goes well. In that case, we'll finally be able to offload Hellman, and Evelyn won't have to watch her back constantly. And hopefully, we'll be able to solve V's problem sooner so the chip doesn't mesh with her brain too much.

Fifteen minutes later, we found ourselves in a parking lot in Old City Center. Getting out of the van, I looked up to see a decrepit building worn down from an evident lack of maintenance. Windows were either broken or boarded up, and the sign saying 'HOTEL' had broken lights with the letter L almost falling off the bracket.

Totentanz Exterior
https://i.imgur.com/CfZoS7z

I nodded at V to show her I was ready, and we both walked into the seemingly abandoned building. We were immediately greeted by what used to be the reception area with bits of concrete in front of it. Looking up confirmed that it was from the collapsed ceiling above. The area was dimly lit, with the only lighting coming from light bars and the glowing red eyes of maelstrom symbols.

Two Maelstrom members were up front, one sitting on the reception desk smoking a cigarette and the other on an office chair with his feet kicked up on the tabletop. The one at the desk noticed us first and asked who we were with her distorted voice.

"Who da hellz are yous?"

Before I could say anything, V took over.

"Name's V. We're here for biz' with the bossman."

The woman stared at us with the six red slits in place of her eyes, taking a drag on her cigarette. She flicked it after burning up the last bit of smoke and blew a huge cloud into the air. Deciding that we were legit, the Maelstrom member pointed at a set of stairs to the right and gave us instructions.

"Go up theres and follow the railing. First thing on the right iz the elevata. Third floor will take yous to the club. Take a right after yous get out and follow the hallway."

We followed her instruction and soon found ourselves in a rickety elevator that shook every two seconds. Just as I thought the damn thing would give out and drop us to our doom, the elevator shook before locking into place. A 'ding' later, the doors opened to the muffled sound of heavy bass and techno.

We followed the bouncer's instructions, taking a right and following the ever-growing sound of music. Once we walked past some transparent plastic sheets, we found ourselves on top of a overwalk with the perfect view of the dance floor. There I saw even more of the human equivalent of creepy crawlies raving to the music and grinding on each other.

"Hey, that's the bitch that iced Royce!"

One of the fanatics guarding another door noticed us and recognized V as the person who killed one of their bosses.

"Yeah, that's me. Miss 'em? Cause I can arrange a meeting."

The group tensed, and right as I thought things were about to break into a fight, the door opened, and a red-headed Maelstrom member walked out.

"All of you, get the fuck out, now!"

One of the Maelstrom guards spoke up, trying to point out that they had unsettled business with V.

"That's the gonk that hit All Foods..."

"I fuckin' know who it is. Out. Now!"

The guards made an annoying gurgling, growling noise before all turning around and walking into the club. The redhead then focused back on us.

"Follow me."

She turned around and walked through the door, not waiting to see if we were behind her. V and I shared a look before I shrugged, and we both chased after her.

Patricia
https://i.imgur.com/Q69ius6

We followed her down a set of stairs and into the mosh pit that was the main floor. I didn't know what a group of sweaty dancing Maelstrom would smell like, but now I knew it was not dissimilar to a mix of week-old sweat-soaked clothes and used engine oil. We carved our path through, shoving people off us until we got to the other side and went up another set of stairs.

If you are reading this, it means that you are reading a novel stolen from the original author. If you want to support me, the original author, and read ahead for free, you can find me on scribblehub under SPS4.

We were now on a private balcony clearly meant for VIPs. Sat in the center of a large leather sofa was a large man that was more chrome than person. Most of his face has been peeled off in place of eyes and a nose where several red lights and cables run out of the cheek. His skin was wrinkly, a common side effect of having so much chrome and wires running underneath. The only thing that was normal about the guy was his crew-cut hair.

Brick
https://i.imgur.com/8tR0Gyo

"Thanks, Pat. I got it from here. Go down and enjoy yourself."

The redhead sneered at Brick's blatant attempt at getting her to leave.

"What? Don't trust me to listen in on your deals with fucking normies?"

Brick's attitude changed from faux kindness to tyrannical leader in the blink of an eye.

"Bitch! If I tell you to fuckin' leave, Patricia, then you fuckin' leave. Get the fuck out of here before I rip your ribcage apart."

The two stared at each other briefly before Patricia curled her lips and turned around. Once it was just us, Brick motioned for us to sit down, and I and V took our seats on the old couch.

"Sorry, you had to see that. Gotta keep 'em in line every now and then, though. You know how it is."

No, Brick, I do not, in fact, 'know how it is'. I didn't run a gang comprising mainly cyberpsychos or people bordering on cyberpsychosis, so I'm not sure I can relate. Smartly, I decided to keep that thought to myself.

"You're Basil, right? V told me about the part you're looking for. Turbine shaft from a military-grade AV, hard to find. We still got it, but it's going to cost you."

"How much you lookin' for?"

"50,000 Eddies. No bargaining."

After hearing how much Brick wanted, I almost choked on my spit. Mitch said the thing was worth 15,000, max. Brick was asking almost three times as much. I mean, that had to be a bullshit price, right?

"You want 50,000 for somethin' that's worth at most 20k. Come on, Brick, stop fuckin' with me."

Brick leaned back into the sofa and spread his arms across the top.

"Fifty. Thousand. Eddies. Take it or leave it."

There's no way the Aldecaldos would be willing to pay that much. I bit my lips, considering my options. I could cover the difference, but I really didn't want to spend almost all my remaining savings on this. But if I walked, would we be able to find a suitable replacement in time?

Brick must have read my face because he then grinned and leaned back forward.

"Of course. I would be willin' to give it for free. But I would need somethin' done for me, of course."

Fuck, that's what he really wanted, isn't it. He never intended on selling the fucking thing. He wanted to leverage it and get us to do some dirty work. Either that or this is a trap. But I didn't really have any alternatives, did I? We only had three days left, and that was just barely enough to install it. Shit.

"Fine, let's hear it. What are you looking for?"

Chapter Text

"FUCK!"

I slammed my fists against the steering wheel the second me and V got into the van, and I was sure both doors were closed. A short honk is released from the horn when I accidentally hit the button that activates it. The sound momentarily jerked me out of my anger, and I looked around to see if I attracted any unwanted attention. When I saw that everything was good, the irritation returned.

"I should have known better than to trust the fuckin' Maelstrom to make this easy. Can't believe the kind of shit I keep walkin' into."

V sighed deeply before giving me a playful jab on the shoulder.

"That's just how those gonks operate. Rule through fear. And if fear doesn't work, take the piece off the board. Nothin' outta the norm. Question is, how do you want to play this?"

I looked at V and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

V shrugs.

"The way I see it, we have no reason to do what Brick wants us to do. I saved the fucker's life, and he doesn't want to repay the favor. Open season as far as I'm concerned."

I grunted, acknowledging her point and thinking back about our conversation with Brick. At first, I thought the Maelstrom head honcho would want something basic. Maybe steal something from some megacorp, or ice a rival gang member. But it quickly became apparent he wanted something else. After he told everyone else to leave and it was just us, he told us he wanted us to help kill his lieutenant, Patricia.

Apparently, Patricia's been challenging Brick's authority and trying to gather members to her cause of taking over the gang. Now this wouldn't be so bad since the internal politics of the Maelstrom are notoriously... treasonous. The problem was how blatant Patricia was about it and that it seemed like she was gaining steam. After Brick's reputation hit after Royce's short-lived rule, Patricia further fanned the flames by claiming that Brick has gone soft, garnering more support for herself.

Now that she was a legitimate threat to his rule, Brick kept her in check by zeroing her and purging her most avid supporters. To do that, he wanted me and V to lead Patricia and her team on a 'gig'. Of course, the gig was made up, and the location we're going to is just somewhere Brick had set up an ambush for his soon-to-be former lieutenant. I didn't want to get involved in Maelstrom's power struggles, but time was of the essence, so we agreed.

Of course, we could also stab Brick in the back and help Patricia come out on top, which V's suggesting now.

"You think Patricia would be easier to work with than Brick?"

"No clue. I'm just throwing it out there that we could try swapping out the dealer to see if they'll give us a better hand. Brick has already proved that saving his life meant basically nothing to him. Maybe Patricia will be more grateful."

Would she, though? I started thinking about the alternative of informing Patricia about Brick's plot and helping her get out alive. After some consideration, I decided to put the idea to rest. As much as I dislike Brick and want to get rid of him, he is the devil we know. It's also not guaranteed that Patricia will be more cooperative than Brick in the future.

That's not to mention that her campaign motto is apparently 'Brick is too soft'. If Brick was a moderate, what the hell is the Maelstrom under Patricia going to look like? Tack on the extra risk of deposing Brick and our three-day deadline for the meeting with Himiko made this seem like a non-starter. I guess we'll just have to make do.

"I hate it, but we'll have to play along. Even if we help Patricia right now, there's no guarantee she'll let us have the parts. We just don't have the time right now for Hail Marys."

I tried to sound confident and nonchalant in my choice, but deep down, I felt dirty, and it took me a bit to understand why that was. It wasn't that we were using underhanded tactics, breaking the law, or even working with the Maelstrom. I've been happy to do similar things until now, so the actions didn't bother me too much. No, I was troubled because I was being taken advantage of.

While thinking about my emotions, I saw Patricia walk out of the hotel with a small group of Maelstrom behind her. Patricia looked around until she saw my van and marched over to us. I sighed and tried to throw my distaste for how Brick handled my request into the back of my mind to better focus on the task at hand. I also secretly promised myself that if I ever got the chance, I would break up the Maelstrom as I did with the Shivs.

I rolled down the window when Patricia got close to see what she wanted. As usual with the Maelstrom, Patricia barked out her orders with her warbled mechanic voice.

"Brick wants you two with us to help smash up a clinic and kleping some chrome. Just follow our rides. If everything goes well, you'll get your turbine parts. DON'T FUCK THIS UP."

V took offense to being treated like baggage and snapped back at Patricia.

"Why don't you worry about yourself? Brick wouldn't have to bring us solos in if you gonks were so good."

Patricia snarled, seemingly gearing up for a fight, before spitting on the ground and telling us their radio code.

"Just get your fucking radio tuned to our channel and try not to get lost."

After Patricia got her last line in, she stomped off toward her car. After yelling out a few more orders, Patricia hopped into her ride and left the parking lot. Happy that we didn't have to skip straight to the main course and start a gunfight right here and now, I started up the van and followed behind the pack.

We drove through Watson, heading south into Little China, past the Med Center, before making our way into Kabuki. We wound through the tightly packed streets, inching closer and closer to the waterfront. Our destination was a ripperdoc clinic called Instant Implants, or, at least, that's what Patricia thinks.

The real goal was to get Patricia to the bridge connecting Kabuki to Japan Town. Under the bridge is where Brick has his goons set a trap for Patricia and her posse. It's the perfect location. One way in, one way out, undercover, and in the slums where NCPD doesn't like to respond to calls. Brick did his homework.

Once we got just a few turns from our intended site, V pulled out the Constitutional Arms M2038 shotgun she had resting against the door and checked the chamber to ensure the gun was locked and loaded. I also had a weapon prepped before driving, but it was locked in a crate in the back. Wanting something to compliment my new beefed-up ride, I picked up a shiny new toy from Wilson that should be perfect for the situation.

Constitutional Arms M2038 Tactician
https://i.imgur.com/WDxy7uS

We made the last left turn off Creek Loop, and the bridge pulled into view. The concrete structure got closer until we finally started going underneath the overpass. While Patricia's pack continued, completely unaware, I started gradually slowing down and getting ready to jump out of the van and leap into action.

But something felt off. Well, more off than an ambush already was. It was too quiet and way too dark. Sure, there was less natural light under the bridge, but that was supposed to be compensated by artificial sources like street lamps and flood lights. But for whatever reason, the deeper we got, the more broken lights there were.

The situation gave me all kinds of heebie-jeebies, with the unnerving feeling peaking when I suddenly heard the screeching of car tires breaking hard. Red lights cut through the darkness as all the cars in front of us came to a grinding halt. Moments later, Patricia came over the radio, announcing she was being ambushed. It just wasn't by who we thought.

"It's the Inquisitors! Spread out, don't let those grenades get you!"

A split second later, small explosions rang out, and blue lightning arced from car to car. Static blared over the radio, and the vehicles' taillights flickered out. Thankfully, whatever caused the Maelstrom cars to lose power was too far away from me and V, and the Van lights stayed on.

When the blue lightning faded, it was replaced by gunfire and muzzle flash spraying from all directions, signaling the party officially starting. Once the ambush began, V and I were supposed to get out and fire on Patricia's group from behind, catching her off guard and keeping her and her faction from escaping. But what Patricia said over the radio right before getting cut off gave me pause.

I looked over at V and noticed she had the same look of hesitation.

"She said Inquisitors, right?"

"...Yeah."

Fuck.

The Inquisitors was a notorious cult-like gang with a deep-rooted hatred for any type of chrome, instead choosing to rely on bioware to enhance their abilities. They considered anyone with cyberware to be committing sins and are known for 'soul saving' exercises where they would wander the streets and rip cyberware from anyone they found. As one would imagine, the Maelstrom and Inquisitors do not have good standing with each other.

Did Brick leak Patricia's route to the Inquisitors? Or maybe this was some Maelstrom posing as the Inquisitors, so the hit couldn't be traced back to Brick. No, both of those things can't be right. Those lightning arcs must have been EMP grenades, and the Maelstrom wouldn't be caught dead with one of those since they are so heavily chromed. And Brick wouldn't want to cover it up anyway. The whole point was to show how ruthless he could be and make an example out of Patricia.

"Fuck, I think it's actually the Inquisitors, V. I say we get out of here. I don't feel like going up against the Inquisitors AND the Maelstrom at the same time."

"Yeah. Fuck Brick and whatever he has going on right now. Let's delta the fuck out of here."

As I was about to Hook a U-turn and high-tail it out of there, I heard a series of loud *thunks* from the back of the van. Then there was another explosion, and familiar bolts of blue light washed over the car and both of us. By the time I realized it was an EMP and we were getting cornered in by Inquisitors in the back, it was too late.

Glitched visuals filled my vision, forcing me to close my eyes and try to focus on something other than the sudden headache that hit me. I lost control of my cyberware, and my body started to seize up. A shockwave of pain ran through my body, and my artificial arm lashed around involuntarily. This barrage of sensations only lasted a few seconds before my system recalibrated, and everything returned to normal.

Having regained my senses, I checked my surroundings to see what was happening. There were more *thunks*, and it didn't take me long to figure out that it was coming from rounds impacting the rear of my van. I silently promised myself I would buy every Aldecaldo that worked on my car a round of beers. I would have been Swiss cheese if it weren't for the armored panels.

On the other side of the windshield was the developing firefight between the surviving Maelstrom members from the initial ambush and the Inquisitors. Looking to my side, I saw V holding her head with both hands and grimacing from what I imagined to be a killer of a headache.

"You doin' alright, V?"

V slapped herself a few times to get herself back into the moment and tried to focus on the matter at hand.

"YEAH! Yeah, I'm good. What's the game plan?"

*THUNK THUNK THUNK*

More impacts from behind us, and even a few stray bullets landed on my windshield from the front. If it wasn't for the high-octane situation, I'd probably marvel at how pretty the spider web of cracked glass was. The van was dead, and trying to turn the key didn't bring it back to life.

"Van's gone, so just driving away is off the list. We gotta get rid of the fuckers behind us before seeing what the rest of our options are. I'm going to unlock the rear doors, grab my gun from the back, and set up. When they open the rear doors, I'll open up. That's your cue to get out of the car and focus on whoever stopped us from leaving. Sound good?"

"Yup. Good luck."

I gave her a quick nod before unlocking the back doors and exiting my seat. Once in the cargo area, I located a sizeable heavy-duty gun case with my trusty crusher shotgun. Picking the shotgun up, I put it to the side since it wasn't what I was looking for. Taking the locks off the case, I flipped it open and was greeted with the sight of the Tsunami Arms Type-18 grenade launcher.

Tsunami Arms Type-18 automatic grenade launcher from Cyberpunk 2020
https://i.imgur.com/sz18OQV
The Mk19 grenade launcher, which I think the Type-18 is based off of
https://i.imgur.com/bYRWeL8

The thing was massive, weighing at least 40 pounds, right on the border of something that could still be fired from the shoulder. I quickly took it out and pulled the bipod with the gun out. Hooking the bipod into the front of the launcher, I opened the feeding tray to ensure the first round of the belt was placed where it needed to be before slamming the tray back down and racking the charging hand.

While I was doing this, the sound of gunfire continued, and I swear it was creeping closer and closer to the van. When I finished the function check, I went into a prone and placed the spring-compensated stock into my shoulder. Aiming down the sights, I patiently waited for the doors to swing open, hoping that the armor would hold.

A few more seconds passed, and no more rounds impacted the van, at least not from the back. I held my breath, finger on the trigger, waiting for the door to open. Finally, I heard someone pull on the handle, and the thing swung open to show one of the culprits responsible for my current predicament.

An average build, with a rifle slung in front, bald head, brown eyes. If it was just those things, the man would have looked like anyone else. But what stood out was the giant cross tattoo across the middle of his face and the plate chest piece that looked like it came from a medieval TV show. He looked freaky, but it was also clear that this man was not a member of Maelstrom.

The man's eyes searched for a split second before landing on me, and his eyes widened in horror as he stared down the barrel of my grenade launcher. I couldn't help but grin at his shocked expression, the unexpectedness from my ambusher greatly pleasing me. Pulling the trigger, I felt the heavy push from a 25mm high explosive dual-purpose projectile launched at well over 700 feet per second from the barrel.

The round landed square in the man's chest, exploding upon impact, creating a giant fireball and considerable shrapnel. The shockwave shook the car, causing it to rock violently. I could feel the temperature spike for a few moments from the flames and bits of metal peppering the inside of my can and hitting my face. I'd probably be pretty messed up if it wasn't for the subdermal armor I had installed, but thankfully, I was fine.

The same couldn't be said for the Inquisitor. The knight-like armor probably would have saved the Inquisitor from most types of projective, but not a literal grenade. The point-blank concussive force launched the Inquisitor into the air, only stopping when his back crashed against a parked car. His armor was now caved in, with most of his upper body covered in dark smoldering soot.

With him out of the way, I could see the other four Inquisitors, a part of the containment team, frozen in shock. Not wanting to give them a chance to process what happened, I swung my grenade launcher around and started targeting them. The automatic fire of the grenade launcher gave a satisfying thumping sound every time a round was fired, which would be quickly followed by an explosion.

Metal shredded through my targets, my eyes even catching what looked like a limb getting blasted into the distance. The overwhelming firepower made quick work of the three closest Inquisitors before the other two snapped out of their trance. They both turned around and leaped over a car before raising their guns and firing wildly in my general direction. A few of them got close, with one flying over my head.

Keeping my head down, I returned fire, slamming rounds into the side of the truck behind which the Inquisitors hid. If this was a video game and not real life, the car would have exploded or at least set on fire. But instead, my grenades were just blowing holes into the thin metal, tearing up the interior but not quite traveling far enough to punch through the other side.

The 30 rounds in the drum magazine quickly ran out, and I heard the telltale sign of running out of ammo when the bolt slammed home without another round coming out. Before I could even get worried about the Inquisitors taking advantage of the situation, I watched V sprinting into the fray before launching herself into the air with her enhanced legs.

While shooting over their head made the Inquisitors a hard target to hit, it also had the weakness of them not seeing what was happening. V landed right on top of the hood of the car the Inquisitors were hiding behind with her shotgun at the ready. Four quick shots later and the people that prevented us from leaving were no longer an issue.

However, the fight wasn't over, as I could still hear the ongoing conflict between Patricia's group and the remaining Inquisitors. Knowing that the van was non-functional, I grabbed the crusher and jumped out of the back. Peeking around, I saw about a dozen people left, split roughly even between Maelstrom and Inquisitors. Despite being ambushed, it seems the unhinged aggression of the Maelstrom has kept them on an even footing with their enemies.

"So, think we can take 'em all? Got any more belts for that grenade launcher of yours?"

V rushed over after neutralizing her targets and asked if we should try finishing what we started.

"Nope. That was all I had for the Type-18. Still, we have a good chance of getting them all if we're smart about it."

Showing V what I meant, I pulled four frag grenades out of my vest and held them out. Explosives have become my favorite for any job that doesn't require discretion. Honestly, people need to start using them more. The efficacy is stellar.

"Let's spread these out, try to kill as many as possible before picking off any stragglers. Sound good?"

V didn't say anything, only giving me an evil smirk before taking two from me and nodding.

"You try to hit the Maelstrom, and I'll see if I can knock out the Inquisitors."

We then pulled the pins from our grenades and studied the battlefield briefly. Both sides clearly have their own side of the conflict, with the Inquisitors hiding behind concrete barriers and other structures. At the same time, the Malestrom sought cover behind their wrecked cars. Once we both had a good idea of what we would do, we threw our grenades, and I watched as the four explosives soured through the air.

Four flowers of fire and death bloomed, followed by pained screams and death rattles. V and I took advantage of the situation and rushed out from where we were hidden. I activated both my Sandi and Camo, putting away my shotgun and drawing my Overture from my holster since it wouldn't be affected by the time dilation.

I uploaded a ping quickhack and was momentarily confused by why I only saw three Maelstrom fighters before remembering that The Inquisitors wouldn't have any chrome to ping off. Rushing past the wrecks of cars and corpses, I found my first target in an Inquisitor hiding behind a concrete pillar.

A combination of being rattled from the sudden explosions and my camo meant that he didn't even register the danger he was in before I put a bullet into the side of his head. Not wasting time confirming his demise, I ran to the next Inquisitor, hiding behind a concrete barrier between the roads. This guy was crawling, presumably thrown off his feet from the concussion from one of the explosions. Next to him was the corpse of a woman in similar attire, missing both legs.

With the same level of ruthless efficiency, I put a slug through his noggin. My Sandi time ran out, and I was put back into standard time. I still had my optical camo, however, so I took advantage of my invisibility by hopping onto the top of a car and searching with more altitude. From my advantage point, I spotted only two more Inquisitors hiding behind a vehicle, one male, the other female.

It seemed like they knew the gig was up as a resigned expression came over their face. But instead of running away, I saw them do something completely unexpected. With a battle cry, they lept across their cover and sprinted to the other side. Before they could do whatever they would do, Patricia popped out from somewhere and put a bullet between the eyes of one of them.

Instead of flopping to the ground lifelessly, the Inquisitor exploded into a gory mess, flinging body parts and blood everywhere. This seemingly triggered the same mechanism in his fellow Inquisitor, and she also blew up. A suicide attack instead of running away. I guess they're fanatics for a reason.

Right then, my camo ran its course and was once again visible. Patricia snapped her gun to the sudden addition in her view before putting it down when she saw it was me. She looked pissed, and I mean beyond just being ambushed pissed. I guess the fight didn't go well for her or her goons.

I didn't see V anywhere or know if any more Maelstrom were hanging around, so I didn't immediately start trying to kill Patricia. It could be just the two of us, but there could also be three Maelstrom gonks hiding just out of sight. Jumping down from m spot, I walked over to the Maelstrom lieutenant, trying to seem as casual as possible.

Once I got within earshot, Patricia immediately started laying into me.

"Where the fuck were you and your little friend! Do you know how many guys I lost because you two were sitting on your ass!?"

It seemed like Patricia didn't suspect me and V working against her yet, which was good. Raising one hand up, I tried to smooth things over for now.

"We were caught up with our own little group of Inquisitors. The second me and V took care of our problems, we came over, didn't we?"

One second, Patricia was a few feet away from me, and the next, she grabbed me by my jacket collar and tackled me to the ground.

"I FUCKING KNOW YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS. NOW FUCKING TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW BEFORE I BEAT IT OUT OF YOU."

Spit sprayed across my face from Patricia's rage-filled screeching. I couldn't tell if she knew the conspiracy against her or if this was just an episode of paranoid cyberpsychosis. Either way, I was not in a good situation right now. Before I could start fighting my way out, something hit the side of Patricia's head hard, and she let go of me before rolling away from me.

Patricia shook her head a few times before looking up, raw wrath spewing from her eyes, only to be met with the sight of the wrong end of a shotgun. It was V who struck Patricia with the stock of her shotgun and was now pointing her barrel at the gang member.

"Brick send his regards."

Buckshot rocketed out of V's M2038 and blew a hole into Patricia's face. The glass on her red eyes cracked, and brain matter spewed from the back of her head. Patricia's body fell to its knees before flopping forward and crashing into the ground.

V then walked over to me after executing Patricia and reached her hand out to me. Grabbing onto her arm, V gave a good yank and helped me get back onto my feet.

"Thanks."

"No problem. What's next?"

Looking around, I was greeted by smoke, fire, and death. With the strange bodies of Inquisitors and Maelstrom lying around, it legitimately looked like a scene from hell.

"Well, there's nothing left here. Let's get back to Brick before the lawman shows up."

Chapter Text

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO ONE'S LEFT?!?!"

I jerked my head back from a Brick screaming in my face, not because I was intimidated but because he was just so damn loud. After flatlining Patricia, we drove back to Totentanz and made a beeline for Brick to tell him what happened. Obviously, he was not happy.

"Inquisitors were waiting for us at the ambush point. Don't know how they found out, don't care. The fact is that they killed all your guys and started a fight with Patricia when we got there. The silver lining is that we eliminated the Inquisitors and Patricia. So, job done."

Brick raised his hand and aggressively jabbed his index finger into my chest, pushing me back a step.

"Job done? JOB DONE?!?! I lost my guys and Patricia's pack of backstabbing maggots. The Maelstrom is fucking GUTTED! I sent you so that this wouldn't happen. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS UP!!!"

Rage coursed through my body, and it took everything in me not to grab onto Brick's finger and snap it off. It was a miracle that I had any semblance of calm left in me after what had happened. First, Brick insults V by completely ignoring his debt to her, then he takes advantage of us and sends us out on a dirty hit. Not to mention getting jumped by Inquisitors, and now he has the galls to tell me that this is my fault. Honestly, I'm fresh out of fucks to give, and I was jonesing to take a bite out of the Maelstrom.

Slapping Brick's hand away, I stared into the center of Brick's cluster of red eyes because I didn't know exactly where to focus. I then jabbed my finger into his chest before snapping back.

"I ain't doing shit for you. You wanted Patricia dead, V and I killed her, and now we get the parts. That's the deal. Either you give us the parts, or we take it from you. You're choice."

Brick's posture stiffened before squaring his shoulder and puffing out his chest. In the corner of my eyes, I could see V's hand move to her holster, ready to draw and start blasting away at a moment's notice. I also held Sandi's activation, fully expecting this to turn violent. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your view, Brick realized that he couldn't afford another fight.

Brick's lips curled, and he bared his teeth like a rabid animal before snarling out where we could find what we came here for.

"Garage second floor. It's covered up with a black sheet in the northwest corner. Now get out of my sight, and never let me see you again."

"Likewise, Brick, likewise."

Turning around, I started walking out of Brick's private lounge, not forgetting to flip him the bird before leaving. Not wanting to spend a moment longer than necessary, we hurried into the garage and located the Surveyor parts. After sending some pictures to Panam and confirming that everything was good to go, I drove the van over, and we loaded it into the back.

"One. Two. THREE! Urghh. Oof."

The thing was made entirely of metal, so it was extremely heavy. If it wasn't for the enhancements available in this world, I don't think two people would have been able to lift it. Thank goodness the van was good to go after jumping the battery. The parts the nomads used while upgrading my car and the emergency jumper seemed to have been, at the very least, EMP-resistant. It makes you wonder how often this type of stuff occurs if mundane things like a jumper battery have EMP shielding.

After everything was tied down and secured, we packed back into the van and got the hell out of dodge. Once we were out of Watson and sure we weren't being tailed, V sighed and slouched into her chair while stretching her legs.

"Fuck. That could have gone better."

I grunted in agreement before rolling down the windows to hang my arm out of the window and turning on the radio. I kept changing the stations, flipping through Electropunk, Lazrpop, and Chrome Rock, until I settled on a Classic Rock station. Well, it wasn't classic rock as I know it, since I think this music was from the 20s, but it was similar to what I used to listen to back in my world.

"What do you think was going on back there with the Inquisitors. Think Brick was trying to set us up?"

That was one of the first questions I asked myself after the situation calmed down, but I couldn't find an angle that made sense.

"Don't think so. Brick doesn't get anything out of zeroing us, especially in such a roundabout way. Plus, the Maelstrom and Inquisitors are natural enemies, so this being a freak accident of timing makes more sense than him wanting to set us up for something."

"I guess. If Brick wanted us dead, he'd probably just done it while we were in the club. Still, doesn't make the situation any better. Those Inquisitors fuckin' creep me out, choom. Especially those last two. They'd rather blow themselves up than run away and fight another day. Just don't get it."

"Who knows, maybe these people were in a legitimately worse place than being in a literal cult. An organization provides structure, safety, and a sense of belonging. It's the same reason so many young kids get tangled up with gangs."

"I feel bad for those people. Doesn't change the fact that I want to never see them again though."

"Fair."

Letting the conversation naturally peter out, I focused back on the road, we quickly exited the city limits and drove toward the Aldecaldo camp. Not long after making it into the badlands, we pulled onto a small offroad path, and the nomads' camp hoved into view.

Panam already knew we were on the way, so she was standing at the entrance with Mitch, Scorpion, and Teddy sitting on a forklift. Once I parked the van and unlocked the rear doors, Mitch and Scorpion loaded the turbine parts onto the forklift. When I got out, Panam came over and threw her arms around my neck before pulling me into a kiss. I wrapped my arms around her back and let myself enjoy the moment. Being so close to Panam did help relieve some of the frustration, and I think she could feel something was off.

"Everything alright? You seem tense."

"Yeah. Considering it was the Maelstrom, it probably could have gone much worse. Let's go inside so V and I can get some food. I'll fill you in while we're eating."

Fighting is like any other physical exercise, so you don't go into it on a full stomach. We weren't necessarily guaranteed to get involved in a skirmish, but it was the Maelstrom, so V and I were expecting it to be the case. And since we hadn't eaten dinner yet, the two of us were absolutely starving at this point.

When we got our food at the dinner on wheels, me and V tore into our meal like a ravenous animal. I regaled our recent encounter with the Inquisitors to Panam between bites of synth meat burgers and handfuls of fries. We finished eating around the same time I told Panam everything that happened.

"Fuck Brick and the Inquisitors. Glad that you came out of it alright, though."

"Yeah. Things got dicey, but it could have been way worse. Good thing I got those mods done to the van when I did. V and I would have been turned into Swiss cheese without those bulletproof panels. Speaking of, the vans going to need a once over."

"Sure, why don't you and V get some shut-eye while I get some of the guys to look it over?"

Looking at my phone, I saw it was already 2 in the morning. My mind was tired, my body was sore, and I just had a hearty meal, so I was ready to crash into a bed at any moment. I took Panam up on her offer and got off my chair before giving her a kiss on the cheeks. She slapped me playfully in faux annoyance.

"Keep your greasy lips to yourself. Now go get yourself to bed. I'll join you later. Come on, V. I'll get someone to set up a tent for you."

We left the bar/grill built on the trailer and headed our separate ways, me to Panam's bed and the girls off to get V situated. Once I got inside Panam's private tent, I set an alarm for a few hours later and hit the sack. The second my head hit the pillow, I was knocked out cold and sleeping like a baby.

The next thing I knew, I was getting woken up by the jarring sound of my alarm. I must have been exhausted because it felt like I had just shut my eyes and was woken up not a moment later. Panam had found her way into bed sometime after I fell asleep and was nestled into me. Her warmth, the gentle hazelnut smell, her fantastic ass pushing against me. She was just so perf-

Before I could finish the thought, Panam's hand came swinging back and hitting me in the face.

"Urghhhh... Basil, turn off the damn alarm..."

Chuckling internally at Panam's annoyance at waking up, I grabbed my phone and turned off the alarm. When the device was no longer yelling at us to get up, Panam groaned again before flipping around and latching onto me like a spider monkey and resting her head on the crook of my shoulder. More than happy to cuddle, I wrapped my arms around her and slipped one of my legs between hers.

When we first got together, the two of us weren't quite sure what the relationship would develop into. Casual wasn't the right word. Maybe cautious? Over time, we got closer to each other the more time we spent together. I honestly can't imagine what life would be like without her. Which is why it sucks that it's been rare for us to share a moment for the last few days.

After Vic cleared me, I started working myself back into the rhythm of things while Panam had to return to the Aldecaldos. With their main competition eliminated, it wasn't like she could just stay with me in Night City. This was a prime opportunity for them to capitalize on, and Panam had to ensure that her family was situated to gain as much as possible.

"I love you, Panam."

I kissed the top of Panam's forehead after confessing before going back to staring at her face. A smile spread across her face, and her eyelids fluttered open so I could admire her gentle brown irises. She craned her head up until she could smooch the tip of my nose.

"Love you too."

Even though I've heard her say it countless times at this point, every time we reaffirm our feelings for each other, my heart skips a beat. But as much as I want to spend the rest of my life wordlessly wrapped up in our little love nest, there are things to do. And I also wanted to know how things were going for her and the Aldecaldos.

"How's the clan doing recently? Coping well with the Shivs gone?"

"Yeah. For the first time in a while, pretty much anyone who wants a gig can get one. Still, it's not the best way to make eddies, but it's consistent and gives us the cushion to relax a bit. Of course, once we get the Surveyor up and running, we'll have a chance to really turn things up a notch."

It's nice to know things are going well.

"As much as I'd love to lie here forever, V and I got things to do."

Panam lazily waved me off and turned around so she could continue sleeping. Giving her ass one last good slap, I got out of bed and dressed. Once outside, the sunlight that was sneaking past the slits in the tent hit me in full force, and I took in the dry desert air and my surroundings. It was 9 in the morning, and Aldecaldos were moving about, either getting ready for their day or already working on whatever they had planned.

Seeing that the restaurant was open, I marched over and asked the cook to make two sandwiches. There were only two days left before the meeting with Michiko, and the only things left on the agenda were for the Nomads to fix the Surveyor and for V and I to gather all our witnesses. V answered the call as I thought about what order to pick everyone up in.

"V here. What's up?"

She sounded groggy. I probably woke her up.

"Hate to be the person who says, 'get out of bed', but, get out of bed. We need to pick up Evelyn and Hellman, and you need to contact Takemura."

"Yup, yup. I'm up. I'll call Takemura right now and see where he's at. Just tell me when you're here."

"Alright. Meet me at the dinner trailer. I'll have breakfast ready."

"Thanks, Basil. Later."

"Hey, Basil. What can I fix you for breakfast?"

The Aldecaldo waitress walked over after I sat down, asking me for my order.

"Morning, Chrissy. I'll just have a breakfast burger and two sides of sausage."

"For the drink?"

"OJs fine. And can I get a breakfast burrito with a side of fries to go as well?"

"Sure thing. Coming up in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Chrissy."

As I finished my order, my phone rang and the overlay showed that it was Rogue calling me. A call I was waiting for. I had kept Rogue in the loop about our dealings, and paid her some Eddies to dig into Michiko further. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I felt like I was forgetting something incredibly important about her.

"Hey, Rogue. Guessing your calling about Michiko?"

"Well it definitely isn't a social call, we're not close like that."

"In that case, it would have been nice if it wasn't the day before our meeting. What took so long?"

"Better late than never, Basil. And the information I dug up required some vetting, it'll definitely change how you approach Michiko. Flicking you the detes now."

I approved the secured transfer and a whole bunch of text files and pictures of headshots quickly loaded in.

"Looks like you were busy. Talk me through what you found."

"I'm always busy. What do you know about Michiko Arasaka after 2023?"

"Not much more than what you could find on the net. Just that she met with the president and that she was able to stay a N.U.S. citizen afterwards. She the graduated college before opening up Danger Gal detective."

"Pretty good summary, but that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what she's been up to. Why do you think Kress let Michiko stay in the states after the NC holocaust?"

"Well, I figured it was because she was a kid and it was a good PR move. Makes the N.U.S. seem magnanimous and not just a pack of wolves with a hard on for revenge."

"Publicly, that'd be right, but what most don't know is that Michiko also cut a deal with Kress during her little visit. I hope your sitting down for this."

That doesn't sound worrying at all.

"Danger Gals is huge. Hundreds of detectives, almost two thousand support staff, and a client list only packed with the social elites. Hell, they even had their own TV show for a while. And the most impressive part? It took them less than a decade to become the premier detective and security firm. An effort mostly accomplished by splashing astronomical amounts of cash that allowed them to get the best gear, chrome, and personnel eddies can buy. It's not a stretch to say that the money from her initial backers is the reason why Danger Gals is so successful today, but who would be willing to fund tens of millions of eddies for a fledgling neocorp?"

Oh shit. That's right.

"The gov is bankrolling Danger Gals."

"Ding ding ding. Got it in one."

"Fuck. How sure are you about this."

I couldn't see Rogue on the other side of the call, but I could practically see her role her eyes at that question.

"It's me we're talking about, I'm sure. I was tipped off by one of my mercs used to be a detective, and obviously, I looked into it myself. Danger Gal has done their fair share of corporate espionage, but never against Militech or the gov, originally. And the money doesn't lie, quite of few of those black ops are paid for with government slush funds, especially the ones carried out against Arasaka."

I can't fucking believe I forgot about this piece of lore. That's why looking into Michiko's history felt so off, especially around the parts where she returned and started working for Arasaka more.

"Shit. How strong's the relationship?"

"Here's some good news and the only reason why I didn't start this call by calling the meeting off."

I felt a flash of irritation at the gall that Rogue has to think she can call MY plans off, but quickly suppressed it. That was weird, was I always this easily incensed? And even if she was out of bounds, she does have useful information that I need.

"There's a reason why I said that they originally never targeted the gov or Militech. It seems the relationship has soured slightly, because there have now been ops against N.U.S. officials and Militech execs. It's always covered up as a private contract, and mostly been cases of corruption or degeneracy, which garner public support whenever exposed."

As I was on the call, Chrissy walked back over with my breakfast. I motioned to her that I was on the phone and she understood, putting everything down in front of me before smiling and walking away. After taking a bite from my breakfast burger and sipping some OJ, I asked Rogue if she thought Michiko was trying to distance herself from Militech and the government.

"You think Michiko's trying to hurt the gov and Militech's public image in a way that makes it hard for them to lash out?"

"Seems like it. If you ask me, there's a good chance she's trying to break free from her handlers."

"Think she's legit trying to break away? Or is it just all a facade?"

"Can't say for sure. She says all the right things in public, but that ditsy socialite look is just a persona. Gut instinct tells me she's trying to get away from it all."

If true, it definitely changed the calculus quite a bit because now the questions becomes if she is still the best option considering what I learned. As I was thinking about this, I spied V walking toward the restaurant from the corner of my eye.

"Thanks for the info, Rogue. I gotta go, I'll stay in touch."

"Sure. Keep me updated."

After I hung up I dug into my meal while thinking about the revelation about Michiko and if/how it would impact my plans. Realistically, she's still my best option. Hanako was simply too willing to let Saburo take back control for her to be worth working with. Yorinobu might want to start war immediately, but there's no doubt in my mind that Saburo's view of the world makes him no better. I needed someone that wanted Yorinobu out, and also have a personal stake in keeping The Emperor dead. Michiko, being a reformist, still fits that bill. Yeah. Seems like Michiko is still the way. Just have to be more careful now and make sure that we suss her out properly.

By the time V got here, I was finishing the last bite of my breakfast. Getting up, I grabbed the to-go bag from the counter and tossed it at V, who caught it before opening it up to see what's inside.

"Got you some grub you can eat while we're driving into NC. Gonna need to fill you in on some detes Rogue sent me as well. Good to go?"

"Yeah, and thanks. So, who's car are we taking?"

What?

"What do you mean, who's car are we taking? It's not like you parked here, so the van, of cour-"

Oh, that's right, the van's getting repaired right now. V, seeing me freeze, shot me an incredulous look.

"You forgot that your van was getting fixed, right?"

I facepalmed myself after realizing that I had forgotten something so obvious.

"I forgot that my van was getting fixed."

V laughed at my expense.

"Hah! Dumbass. It's probably fine. I'm sure the Aldecaldos have a spare car lying around somewhere."

I didn't like being called a dumbass, but it was in good nature and just some ribbing pals do, so I let it go. And she was right, there probably was something that no one was using that we could nab for a few hours. Not wanting to disturb Panam, who could still be sleeping, I called Mitch to see if he could hook us up.

Chapter Text

And so, twenty minutes later, I was barreling down the dusty highways outside of Night City in a borderline monster truck with a sticker in the rearview window that says 'Pussy Patrol'. The embarrassment I felt was palpable.

"*munch* So, what your sayin' is that you think there might *munch* be a chance that Michiko is working with the gov *munch* but there's a bigger chance dat she is tryin' to use Arasaka as a way to get some freedom?" The merc asked with her mouth full of burrito, taking a bite every few words.

"First of all, don't speak with your mouth full." V rolled her eyes at me, and continued to much on her meal, "Second, yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it. I still think she's our best bet, but if her connections run deeper, than that could prove a problem further down the line."

Shoving the last bit of food in her mouth, V drained the remaining of the coffee before wiping her mouth and tossing everything into the brown paper bag and crumbling into a small ball.

"I don't see what you're worried about. Our goal is to get Yorinobu out, right? As long as we avoid a war and I get this engram problem of mine solved, I don't see why we have to stress about Michiko's secret relationships. We just have to stay careful and make sure that she doesn't fuck us. Not like it matters anyways, she's just a means to get us to Hanako."

"I don't know. I just don't like Militech having potentially so much influence over Arasaka. We need them both to keep each other in check. Who knows what kinda shit the government can get up to if they have a plant on the board of directors."

"I'm tellin' you, it's nothin' to worry about. This is just standard corpo shit."

"Hmph. Maybe."

A little while later, we pulled into Judy's apartment complex where it took me a minute or two before I finally parked with incredible difficulty. The lot was packed and also tiny, hardly the ideal environment for a lifted truck built to roam the badlands. There was maybe a foot and a half of space between the two cars on both sides. It was an exercise of finesse to get out, having to suck my stomach in and tip-toe along, careful not to scratch the other car next to me.

Eventually, we wiggled free of the car prison and found ourselves in front of Judy's apartment. Judy opened the door soon after we rang the doorbell/camera and ushered us into her living room. While V and Judy hugged, I got to look around Judy's apartment. The walls were covered with various posters and neon lights. The one directly on the other side of us had paintings of some jellyfish and what I know to be scuba divers.

The place was well furnished, with several chairs, a table with a robot on it, a corner sectional, and even a large fish tank. Directly across the entrance was the bathroom, and I could see a small mountain of clothes Judy probably didn't mean for us to see lying next to the washing machine.

Entrance
https://i.imgur.com/lqsfrb8
Living Room
https://i.imgur.com/4QavLI1
Kitchen and Robot
https://i.imgur.com/oso2CIL

"Hey, Basil. Mind if I catch up with Judy for a few minutes?"

I vaguely knew about Judy and V getting together from our conversations, so I was happy to let the two spend time with each other. V and Judy were probably like Panam and me. They didn't have as much time to grow their budding relationship as ordinary people. Individuals in our line of work just don't have that luxury.

"Sure. I can get Evelyn. Where's she at, Judy?"

"Thanks, Basil. Eve's in the room over there," Judy pointed at the door to the left of the fish tank, "Come on, V, I got something I want to show you".

Judy thanked me before taking one of V's hands and pulling her through the beaded curtain doorway on the other side of the tank. Music then soon began drifting out of the room. While the two did whatever they wanted, I knocked on the door where Judy said Evelyn was. A few moments later, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching the entrance before the door opened a sliver.

A pair of dark green eyes stared back at me before the door opened wider to show Evelyn behind it. The well-manicured eyebrows, freckles dotting her cheeks, and pouty lips were all the same, but Evelyn's hair was now a luscious black instead of her signature blue. Apparently, some dolls could change their hair color to match their patron's taste, and black was Evelyn's natural hair color. Evelyn was undoubtedly pretty despite her normal hair color and wearing a plain white buttoned-up shirt and simple black skirt that wasn't as revealing as her dress from in-game.

Evelyn Parker
https://i.imgur.com/oFwuUjR

"Hey, Basil. Here to pick me up?"

"Yup."

"Alright. Let me grab my bag."

Moments later, Evelyn was outside and plopping a large duffel bag next to the door. She then walked to the fridge and grabbed something from the freezer before tossing it into the microwave. A few beeps later, the appliance was humming, heating up what I assumed was her breakfast. While Evelyn waited in the kitchen, I pulled one of the stools out from under the kitchen island and sat in it.

I only met face-to-face with Evelyn once so far, when I dropped by some time ago to check that Evelyn hadn't bolted and to fill them in on the plan. I did most of the talking then, with Evelyn only speaking when she wanted clarification. Seeing a muted Evelyn, who's not as 'loud' in her physical presence as her working girl persona but still driven and fighting for something, was weird. In the game, she either seemed bigger than life or at literal rock bottom.

*Ding*

The microwave finished heating up whatever Evelyn had put inside, so she grabbed it and brought it to the island. Taking a peek showed that it was some kind of curry thing. Redish brown sauce with bits of vegetables and meats with rice. Evelyn opened a drawer and grabbed a fork before sitting opposite me and digging into her meal.

Well, digging might be too strong a word since what Evelyn actually did was sit with one leg over the other while slowly and gracefully picking at her food. Seeing someone look so good eating a microwave meal was unnerving, and it accentuates why Evelyn was always such an offputting character for me. When you first meet her, it seems she was a well-off type from a corpo family. Then you find out Evelyn is a callgirl struggling like everybody else. She came off as confident and capable, only to end up as a tragically broken toy who took their own life.

While I was thinking about the dichotomy that is Evelyn Parker, she finished her meal. She quickly threw away the tray and brought the fork over to the sink. Trying to break the ice, I attempted to strike up a conversation with Evelyn.

"You doing alright, Evelyn?"

There was a moment of silence, and I could see Evelyn freeze for a split second before deciding how best to respond.

"Hmmm... Well, you're about to take me to meet a high-level executive of the mega-corp run by a man I stabbed in the back and is hiding from, so everything is peachy."

Evelyn placed the cleaned fork on a drying rack and retook a seat. Trying to assuage her worries, I promised that things would be fine.

"I can understand your concerns, but we are not meeting with Yorinobu or anyone close to him. Michiko is a reformist, and she'll see the value in keeping you safe to oust Yorinobu."

Evelyn rested her right elbow on the table before resting her head in her hand. Her eyes bore into me as her left hand's fingers drummed rhythmically on the tabletop while she thought about what I said. When her digits stopped, Evelyn spoke again.

"You know, after you told me and Judy you wanted me to meet with Arasaka, I started planning how to get out of Night City and run away from it all. I would probably cross the border into South California, where Arasaka has less influence because of the NUSA, and begin anew. But every time I tried hashing out the details, I got... tired."

Evelyn sighed, and her eyes no longer looked at me. They were still pointed in my direction, but I could tell that her focus had changed, almost as if she was looking past me at something bigger and more intangible.

"I always wanted to be an actress. The fans, the lifestyle, seeing myself on the silver screen. It all just seemed so perfect. But what could a poor girl from the wrong side of Watson do to get there? Nothing. So I ground myself into dust and reshaped my face, my body, my mind, everything. And yet my dream just kept getting further and further away."

The thousand-yard stare Evelyn had then faded away, and her eyes regained focus.

"Then it came to me that I was tired because none of it was worth it. Everything I had done was for a life I probably wouldn't enjoy. When I realized that, it became clear that I had nothing."

That sounded harsh, and it was a dangerous line of thought to have. When I opened my mouth to argue against her, Evelyn raised her hand, stopping me.

"Did you know V visited Judy a few times? They even went out on two dates. Even from someone like me, I could tell there was something there. That the two liked and cared for each other. Someone or something else to fight for, which I never had. Always trying to climb the ladder to get somewhere that didn't matter."

When Evelyn heard the music coming from the room that Judy and V where in stop, she raised her head before interlacing her fingers and stretching her arms behind her back.

"But that changes now. I'm done running. I don't know what I want from this life, but I know I want to do this. I want to help V. I want Judy to be happy. She's been a good friend, and I want to be better."

I wanted to say something to reassure Evelyn that she would make it eventually or that she was an excellent friend to Judy, but I knew deep down that it would be nothing but platitudes. The fact was that Evelyn was a lousy friend. She was selfish, short-sighted, and so obsessed with wanting to be an actress that it ultimately caused her downfall. But she also wanted to change, and I could see the drive in her eyes to do that. She seems to be on the right track, best to just leave her alone and let her work things out for herself.

Hearing footsteps behind me, I decided to keep it short and sweet.

"I'm rooting for you."

Evelyn replied with a simple smile that looked genuine instead of just calculated. That was when V pushed aside the bead drapes, and Judy walked across them before addressing us.

"What were you two talking about?"

I turned around, and we saw the two walking out of Judy's office. I wasn't sure what to say, but Evelyn cleverly dodged the question by turning it back on Judy.

"Better question is, what did you two love birds sneak off to do?"

Judy crossed her arms before tilting her nose up.

"None of your business."

Seeing a chance to poke at her friend, Evelyn raised one of her brows.

"Oh? Getting defensive, are we?"

Evelyn then gently patted me on my shoulder before placing a hand in front of her mouth and pretend whispering in a conspiratory tone.

"Must have been something naughty."

Judy took the bait, her nostrils flaring and crossed arms moving to her hips instead.

"It wasn't like that."

Evelyn seemed to enjoy playing the part of the teasing sister, and as much as I liked watching it, we had other things to do. Swiveling to the side, I stood up from the stool and stopped the conversation.

"As much as I want to hear about the smutty BD you were showing V, we do have to pick up another person before heading back to the camp."

Evelyn laughed at me playing along while V blushed slightly.

"I wasn't showing V por-! You know what? Nevermind. Git. Go do what you guys have to do."

Judy made a shooing motion with her hands and quickly ushered me, Evelyn, and V to the door. I picked up Evelyn's bag on the way and started escorting her down the stairs. In the corner of my eye, I could see V and Judy sharing a quick kiss before V chased after us. It didn't take long for us to get to the parking lot.

"You can't be serious."

Evelyn said while scrutinizing the 'Pussy Patrol' mobile with crossed arms.

"Look. My car's getting fixed, and this is the best we could do at the last minute. We won't have to drive long, so just get in."

"Fine. But I'm staying in the car so no one sees my getting out of this embarrassment on four wheels."

Despite Evelyn baring her heart out in the apartment, it was good to see some haughtiness return.

After Evelyn got in, I also hopped in along with V, and we made our way to El Coyote Cojo in Heywood. As much as I hate looking at this damn truck, I must admit it has perks. Being high meant I could see the traffic ahead of me. It also meant that I couldn't see smaller cars in front of me, but whoever owned this fixed that with a camera. And once I was on the ring road, multiple people got out of my way the second they saw me behind them.

Twenty minutes later, we were pulling into the back entrance of the bar that Jackie's mother, Guadalupe Welles family owned and operated. While V and I got out, Evelyn remained inside the truck, staying true to her word. Once we were at the door, V banged on it three times and waited for someone to open it.

We didn't have to wait for long as Mama Welles soon opened the door for us. When the older woman saw V, she pulled her into a hug.

"Buenos días, nena."

Returning the favor, V wrapped her arms around Guadalupe and hugged her as well.

"Good morning, Mama."

Mame Welles saw me behind V and let her go before greeting me, though not as affectionately.

"And a good morning to you as well, Basil."

"Good morning, Mrs. Welles."

We walked into the bar after greeting each other. The inside was quiet, with the only people present being the bartender, Pepe, and a worker moping the floor. Another reason why we chose to come over in the morning because the bar would be closed, and there wouldn't be any drinkers here to see us move Hellman this early in the day.

"Sorry for asking again, Basil, but do you mind if I get some alone time to pay my respects to Jackie?"

"Sure thing, choom. Take all the time you need."

V then walked over to the left side of the bar where Jackie's Ofrenda was. Reaching into her pack, V brought out a bottle of vodka, probably because it's the main ingredient in Jakie's favorite drink, and left it next to his picture. While V knelt down and quietly conversed with her late friend, Mama Welles walked over next to me.

"I tried to tell her that it wasn't her fault, that Welles men just seemed cursed to bite off more than they could chew, but I can see that V still holds herself responsible."

The game never specifies how long V and Jackie were friends, but other than the Corpo lifepath, it wasn't for too long. Since it seemed this V was the streetkid, they should have known each other for a few months to a year max. While playing the game, I thought it was awfully short for how close they were.

But then I got thrown into this crazy world, and it made sense to me. They must have gone on dozens of missions at that point. High-stress situations and gunfights are a great way to get people to bond. Just look at me and Panam. I wasn't expecting to get so attached to her quickly, but the pressure cooker of life just made it so. And I guess my being predisposed toward her helped. Still, me liking her as a character pales in comparison to the impact of me risking my life for her and her and the Aldecaldos bringing me back from the brink.

"From what I heard, Jackie and V were tight. They trusted each other with their lives. I'm sure V can't help but feel responsible no matter what she does. But maybe getting revenge will help."

"Maybe. It's just... It's just that she's the few I have left resembling family. They're all gone, Basil. I hated that V and Jackie kept taking gigs, but it was better than my hijo getting drawn back into the Valentinos."

V seemed to finish what she wanted to talk to Jackie and stood back up. Wanting to end our conversation before V got here, Mama Welles turned to me to make a request.

"I know it's selfish of me to say this, but V's one of my last reminders of Jackie, and I don't want to lose her too. I know you two are dead set on going the distance with Arasaka, but if things get too hairy, can you please call it off?"

There was pain in her eyes. Pain from losing so many family members. From her husband betraying and leaving her. Pain from the possibility that V will also never make it back. But as much as I empathize with her plight, the stakes were too high for everyone.

"I'm sorry for everything that's happened, but you know I can't do that, Mrs. Welles. It's already risky, always going to be risky, and we can't stop now."

Mama Welles sighed and turned back to the front, surprising me when her expression was not one of disappointment.

"That's what they all say."

She just looked so... exhausted. Maybe I can't promise her precisely what she wants, but I can meet her halfway.

"What's coming up is a meeting with someone who should see things our way, so we should be safe. I won't ever call anything off, but I promise that if V wants out, I won't get in her way."

"Thank you, Basil. You're a good kid."

That seemed to be everything Mama Welles wanted to say, and our conversation came to an end right as V walked within earshot.

"Thanks, Basil, for giving me a moment. What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing important. Come on, you two, I'll show you where we moved that Saka corpo of yours."

Mama Welles brushed V's question off before walking past her toward the stairs to the second floor. V looked at me, tilting her head and asking soundlessly if what Mama Welles said was true. I just simply shrugged a noncommittal response before following after the bar owner.

Mama Welles led us to the second floor, where we entered one of the employee offices. Inside was Hellman, who was currently sitting in an office chair reading a physical book. Hearing his door open, the man peeked from behind his book for a second before returning to reading. Looking around the room quickly showed that it had been lived in.

"We couldn't keep him in our storage room, so we converted one of our offices into a bedroom. Obviously, we made sure that he couldn't use any electronics. But we didn't want him to get bored, so we've been getting him books that he wants."

That was when I noticed a small stack of books in one of the room's corners. Apparently, Hellman was a bit of a bookworm, or he was bored out of his mind. If I was stuck in a room for an extended period and physical books were my only entertainment, I would also be reading a lot.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on him, Mrs.Welles."

After thanking her, I walked over to Hellman, who was still reading and pushed the book down to look at his face.

"Let's go, Hellman."

The Swedish man's eyes looked up at me past his glasses before he put down his book.

"I must insist that we do not proceed with whatever you are about to do. Whatever money you think you can get for me will pale in comparison to the losses you will incur from forcibly breaking my contracts. I can assure you that you are already on KangTao and Arasaka's radar. The best way forward is for you to release me into KangTao's hand. I promise I will keep your identities private."

The man is surprisingly calm for being a hostage for unknown reasons. Say what you want about Anders Hellman, but bad under pressure doesn't seem to be one of them. Doesn't change what we need to do, but I admire the trait regardless.

Grabbing the man by his collar, I yanked him up to his feet before spinning him around by twisting his left arm. Grabbing his other wrist and bringing the two limbs together, I wrapped a heavy-duty zip tie around his hands and cinched it down.

"There's no negotiations to be made, Hellman. What's going to happen is going to happen. You've been reasonable; don't make a fool of yourself."

V then walked over with a roll of duct tape and covered Hellman's mouth so he couldn't make a ruckus. I winced, imagining what it would feel like when it got torn off and some of his beard came with it. V then tossed a black cloth sack over his head, and we started marching prisoner toward the alley.

When we got to the exit, Mama Welles grabbed V into one last hug and brought her head down so she could give her a kiss on the forehead.

"Are you sure about this, V? It seems way too risky. There's no better way to fix whatever is going on with you?"

"Yes, Mama, I have to do this. But it's not just for me. It's for Jackie, too. He deserved better, and we'll get that piece of shit Yorinobu back for what he did."

"I've seen it before, V. With my own family in children. You think you have to do this, but what if it's not worth it?"

"It's worth it. It has to be."

"Ok. Ok, Mija. Just promise me you'll be careful."

"Of course, Mama. See you soon."

We both bid farewell to the Welles Matriarch, and I exited the barren alley next to the bar. When I saw no one was around, I opened the door to the rear seats where Evelyn was patiently waiting. She looked up from her phone that she was browsing and immediately went back to whatever was on the screen after seeing it was me. Confirming everything was clear, I motioned for V to bring Hellman out.

After V shoved Hellman into the back seats with Evelyn, we both got into the front and quickly drove east out of Heywood and toward the Aldecaldos. There was a low tension in the car the entire time we were in the city. If Arasaka or KangTao were going to strike, it would be now. Thankfully, nothing happened, and we entered the Badlands, where corpo reach was greatly diminished.

One more night Kenpeki Plaza.

Chapter Text

The surroundings shake for a second before I feel the familiar sensation of my heart dropping from the loss of altitude when the Surveyor hits some turbulence. Hellman, who's sitting next to me, flinches and tenses up. His body relaxes slightly when the flight smooths out again, but his left leg resumes anxious shaking soon after.

Across from me in the spacious cabin that was once for transporting passengers but has been converted for mostly cargo since then were three more people. V was sitting in the middle, with Evelyn to her left. The former doll wore a surprisingly muted black dress that reached just below her knees. Her attire and unmodified natural black hair gave her a surprisingly professional look.

Takemura was sitting on the other side of V. The Japanese former Arasaka bodyguard/operative was quietly stewing, clearly mulling over something in his mind. The game made him out to be a surprisingly naive character, always trusting that if he was allowed to explain himself, everyone would turn on Yorinobu. But even he seemed unsure of what we were about to do.

Goro Takemura
https://i.imgur.com/cnowCZQ

"Are you sure we can trust Michiko? The information you have brought to our attention makes her allegiances seem... questionable. I still think we should go directly to Hanako Sama."

At this point, I've slept on the whole Michiko situation and I've come to the conclusion that it was the best way forward. Of course, I understood where Takemura was coming from, but I couldn't let him do that. Going straight to Hanako without first figuring out a way to get rid of Saburo once and for all wasn't going to work in my favor. Hanako is too filial to not go against her father, and Takemura is too loyal to betray his employer, hence why I haven't told anyone that Saburo is still alive yet. That information leaking can make people do rash things. Takemura might jump ship once I try to remove the emperor, and Yorinobu might resort to even more extreme actions.

"She's still an Arasaka at the end of the day. And don't see this as falling into a potential trap, but an great chance to weaken the N.U.S.A. and Militech. And don't forget, we know her secret now as well. That's a hell of a bargaining chip if we ever need it."

I tried to play into Takemura's sensibilities as a loyal Saka operative by bringing in the fact that Michiko is still an Arasaka. The mention of weakening Militech at the same time seemed to be the final push that the Japanese man needed to get on board.

"Ok. But we do our own investigations to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes."

Sensible enough. I was probably going to do that anyways. As we finished our conversation, I felt the Surveyor slow down, and a voice came over the intercom.

"NS479, this is Konpeki Air Traffic Control. You are entering our air space; please confirm your intent."

Cassidy, the only Vet with experience flying in the Unification War, responded with his familiar southern draw.

"Konpeki ATC, this is NS479. We have a scheduled meeting with Michiko Arasaka on floor 72, conference hall 208. Sending identification now."

Cassidy then hit a few buttons and flipped a switch on the instrument panel. After a dozen or so seconds, the Konpeki ATC came back over the radio.

"NS479, we've confirmed your information and have informed Mrs. Arasaka of your arrival. Please maintain airspeed of below 40 knots. Landing pad 1-03, located on the North Eastern side, has been made available for your landing. Route has been sent to your AV."

"Route received, Konpeki ATC. Airspeed below 40 knots and approaching Landing pad 1-03."

The Surveyor gradually lost altitude before making a bank to the right before another to the left. The AV then slowed down even more before eventually coming to a crawl and landing. Cassidy then walked out of the cockpit and into the cargo bay.

"Remember your masks and scramblers. I'll be here when you're done. Good luck and Godspeed."

I nodded silently at him before unbuckling and standing up from my seat. I then pulled a black mask out of a pocket and put it on before grabbing the sunglasses that hung from the crevice in my dress shirt and donning it. I then clicked a small button on the side and heard a quiet beep. Looking around, I saw everyone else also wearing their sunglasses and masks. Evelyn was the only one who stood out, with her gold mask and heart-shaped and red-tinted shades. This was unlike mine, V's, and Takemura's, which were square and tinted black.

Since our group of five had four people on Arasaka's most-wanted list, we had to think of a way to get in without our identities leaking. The first part of that was not going through the main entrance. Too many eyes, too many cameras, too many things that can go wrong. Thankfully, taking the Surveyor to one of the landing pads was the perfect solution. Of course, that still left the problem of being identified by employees and security, which is where the glasses and masks came in.

The masks were simply there to cover half our faces, while the sunglasses were dual-purpose. Obviously, they hid the eyes, hiding most of the face's identifying features with the mask. What isn't obvious are the small electronics hidden inside that emitted a jamming signal that scrambled our faces on cameras.

But the fact that we were wearing so much visually obscuring clothing alone was also suspicious, so our meeting was arranged with the fabricated story that me, V, and Takemura were the bodyguards for a celebrity, Evelyn, who secretively wanted a meeting with Arasaka to break free from her management company. We didn't trust Hellman to play the part, so he's supposed to be Evelyn's manager. Celebrities meeting with corpos and hashing out secret deals were not unheard of in Night City, so the meeting, with the help of a favor from the dad of the girl I saved from the Shivs, was pushed through.

As we lined up near the sizeable swinging door, with me in the front and V and Takemura standing in front of Hellman and Evelyn, I hoped everything would go well since my entire plan hinged on getting Michiko's support. The side opened, showing a group of five on the landing pad waiting for us, two of whom wore suits, while the other three were armed with rifles and wearing vests.

When we disembarked from the Surveyor, one of the men in suits walked up to greet us. When he got closer, I was able to realize that the symbol on his uniform was that of the Konpeki's and not Arasaka's

"Hello, Mr...?"

"Rogers is fine."

I decided to give them my real last name, well, at least the one this body had before I took over. It seems best to have at least one of us be honest, especially since I should be the least well-known of our bunch and come up as clean if they ever decided to dig any further.

"I would like to thank you and your employer for visiting Konpeki Plaza, Mr. Rogers. We understand that your client wants to stay anonymous, but due to recent events, we must insist on confirming everyone's identity and conducting a search."

That... was not something I wanted to hear. Despite being unable to see behind me, I could already feel everybody tensing and Hellman nearly shitting his pants.

"No. Exposing her identity is absolutely off the table."

In the game, it seemed like the only people after my four compadres were Arasaka, so if this was anywhere else, I might have considered it. The problem was that Arasaka basically owned Konpeki and that the 'recent events', aka V causing a shit storm, happened here, and therefore the staff had a much higher chance of knowing who she was. There was no way I would let them take a look behind our cover, so I was hoping that coming out the gate firm would either make them back down or get them to settle with only seeing me.

The man who asked if they could confirm our identities frowned slightly before turning his head and looking back at the three armed guards. They said nothing, and only one responded by simply shaking their head. The man who greeted us then turned back around with a smile. It's one of those fake smiles where the person tries to seem friendly, but everyone knows it's just for show.

"I'm sorry, but we won't be able to accommodate your client's request. We must insist on confirming everyone's identity before letting you in."

Just as I was about to offer them to confirm my identity as a compromise, all three guards raised a finger to an earpiece hidden inside their ears. It didn't take a genius to figure something was off as their body language tightened, and they began stealing looks at V. After whatever message they received finished, the one who shook his head started walking towards us. At the same time, I could see the other two shift their hands to grip their rifles in a loose ready stance.

Fuck.

Did they realize who V was? Looking around, I noticed a few cameras. Did the security team inside monitoring the landing pad recognize the merc somehow? We changed her hairstyle and had her grow out the shaved side of her head. Maybe the cameras' technology countered the scrambling and the face recognition gave a ping?

As my brain was racing, trying to piece together what was happening, the security guard pushed past the two regular employees, cut off our conversation, and pointed at V.

"You. Please take off your mask right now."

Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!

Trying to recover from the situation, I stood before the guard's finger and tried to look indignified while glaring at the guard.

"We will do no such thing."

I then looked past the guard at the employee I was talking to.

"Is this how Konpeki Plaza treats its guests? This is unacceptably rude behavior."

The employee raised his hands, trying to de-escalate.

"I'm incredibly sorry if we come off as rude, but we promise that everything we do is to meet the highest standard of safety expected of us. It is just a routine check, and I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

Routine check my ass. The guard literally singled out V and demanded she identify herself. Seeing the state of affairs quickly souring, I decided it was time to go.

"Demanding a specific member of our client's bodyguard to expose her identity is not standard practice. We are incredibly disappointed with the lack of professionalism shown and will be leaving."

Our group, who heard the entire conversation, turned around to make our way back into the Surveyor. But before I could even get a few steps away, I was stopped by a hand grabbing my shoulder.

"Your group can not leave before we check that person. Do not attempt to move any further."

The tone clearly marked this as a demand, not a request. I could feel the tension quickly building and was now teetering upon the edge of panic. I could even see Takemura and V, the experienced solos, begin to get visibly uncomfortable.

Whipping around in mock fury, I pushed the hand off my shoulder before jabbing my finger into the guard's chest.

"You have no power to do give any such orders. We WILL leave immediately, and you will be reported to the relevant authorities for attempted false imprisonment."

As I watched the other two guards blatantly shift their bodies and guns into low ready, anticipating a fight break out, my mind was going a mile a minute. As every awkward moment of silence went by, violence seemed more and more likely like the only option. Right as I felt we were reaching the tipping point, the door behind all the Konpeki employees slid open, and an old Asian man walked out.

"When I was asked to find out why the honored guests Michiko Sama was expecting to see were taking so long, I wasn't expecting to see them on the verge of a gunfight. Can someone please explain to me why Konpeki is antagonizing our guests?"

A mane of grey hair matched the bushy white beard, which framed a face betraying its age through the collection of wrinkles. The man was unassuming, of average build and height, wearing an old green jacket over a blue suit and white shirt. A stern frown adorned his face, clearly unhappy at what he witnessed so far. Hearing what the older man said, one of the business suit Konpeki workers rushed over and tried to appease him.

Kenichi Zaburo
https://i.imgur.com/LljbCtE

"Zaburo San! I assure you that everything is under control, and the slight delay is due to a routine security check."

I didn't know who this Zaburo person was, but he was affiliated with Michiko somehow and considered very important by the Konpeki workers. Deciding that this was the opportunity I sought, I played the victim.

"Routine security check? You demanded my client reveal her identity despite our expressed desire to keep it a secret. You then ordered one of our guards to remove her mask and glasses, and when we rejected such rudeness, you denied our right to leave the premises. Are routines at Konpeki always so unreasonable? Or is it just for Michiko Arasaka's guests?"

I hoped that reasserting that we were here on behalf of Michiko Arasaka would put extra pressure on the Konepki employees, which seemed to have worked. After hearing my recounting what happened, Zaburo looked back at the worker and raised an eyebrow.

"That sure doesn't sound routine to me. Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

The poor employee's mouth opened and shut before he stuttered out a response.

"W-while what Mr. Rogers said might have happened, the seriousness is exaggerated, and I'm sure everything is just a misunderstanding and miscommu-!"

"Enough!"

Zaburo apparently has heard enough at this point and raised his hand to stop the employee mid-sentence.

"We will not tolerate any further delays. Their details have been cleared ahead of time. They will come with me, and their identities will be kept a secret. Am I understood?"

"But, Zaburo San, I'm sure one such as yourself understands that security is a top concern, especially after the rece-!"

"Am I Understood?"

"I... Of course, Zaburo San, I understand. We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience we have caused."

"Good. Now, please come with me. Michiko Sama is this way."

Zaburo turned around before opening and holding the door, clearly expecting us to follow him. Looking behind me, I saw the uncertain expression on everybody's face, which I was sure I also shared. Surprisingly, the usually stoic Takemura was the one who looked the most uncertain right now. Deciding that if this were a trap, they would have already sprung it, I decided to proceed.

Hopefully, I wasn't jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Chapter Text

Our little entourage then walked through the entrance Zaburo was holding for us, with V taking the place of Zaburo so he could catch up and lead the way. The man's gait revealed that there was more to him than just being a simple elder. His back was straight, his steps measured and consistent, nearly silent. It was obvious that this was a professional we were dealing with.

We followed him through the hotel's hallways before entering an elevator that took us to the 72nd floor. When the door slid open, we were greeted by the opulent dark marble walls that looked chiseled out of one mountain-sized rock. Placed throughout were artworks and statues, each with a dedicated light shining on it, making the place look more like a museum than a meeting area. The theming was generally black and red, making me think this entire floor was dedicated to Arasaka.

"Please, this way."

Zaburo exited the elevator first before gesturing with his arm for us to follow him to the left. Since we were long past the point of no return, we all exited the lift and went with him. As we followed him down the hallway, Takemura, who was at the back, slowly walked through our group until he was next to me.

Ever since Zaburo's entrance, Takemura seemed on edge. He confirmed the older man was the cause moments later by whispering conspiratorily to me. It was risky for Takemura to try communicating with me this way, but we didn't trust having digital communication, so this was his best bet.

"I advise caution. Kenichi Zaburo has been Michiko's hidden guard for decades. If he is making an appearance for us, I suspect our host knows more than they are letting on."

I frowned, unsure how to respond to such knowledge. A bodyguard's nature is to be low profile, so researching Michiko hasn't revealed anything relevant about her security. I didn't know any lore about Zaburo as well, but considering that my first foray into the world of Cyberpunk was with 2077, that isn't too surprising. Even though I don't have any intel on Zaburo, Takemura's caution alone warrants a more serious attitude.

Right as I was about to respond, however, our guide stopped, turned around, and responded directly to Takemura's apparently not-so-sneaky whispering.

"It is good to see you still have a healthy dose of skepticism, Takemura San, but there is no need to worry. I assure you Michiko Sama has no desire to bring harm to you or your acquaintances. She has agreed to this meeting because our desires are mutually beneficial. And do not worry, this entire floor has been cleared, and we have ensured that nothing will leak of what happened here today."

Damn. This day really wasn't going to go as planned, was it? Why can't things just work exactly the way I want? I guess Takemura's worry wasn't unwarranted. If Zaburo knows one of our identities, it's safe to say he also knows everybody else's. My moment of panic didn't last long and was quickly replaced by trying to read further into the situation.

If Michiko was looking to lead us into a trap, there's no reason for it not to have ended on the landing pad. That meant that despite knowing who we were and likely also knowing why we were here, Michiko was still willing to hold a meeting. Of course, that introduced a new question.

Undoubtedly, having Yorinobu gone benefited Michiko, but was having proof of his crime and potentially toppling him worth all the risk? Or did she have something else in mind as well? While it bodes well that Michiko was willing to gamble on an encounter with us, I am also intrigued by what her big picture looks like.

Since Zaburo was willing to be so forthcoming in this exchange, I figured it would only be right to return the favor. Taking off my glasses and mask, I pocketed them before smiling and introducing myself.

"Well met, Mr. Zaburo. My name is Dakota Rogers. You can call me Basil, though I reckon you already know that. I look forward to our conversation with Mrs. Arasaka."

Zaburo focused on me, and I felt his steely dark eyes scrutinize every little detail about me.

"Hmm, yes, Basil, the 'anomoly'. Your involvement is most peculiar." Not elaborating any further, he turned back around. "We have been sidetracked for long enough. Come, Michiko Sama is just ahead."

I followed after Zaburo after looking back and giving everyone a simple nod. V looked uncertain for a second before she trusted my judgment and also took off her disguise. Everyone followed our examples, and afterward, we quickly caught up to Zaburo. I didn't notice it until now, but the entire floor was empty, and the only sound was the clacking of our shoes against the marble floor.

We eventually stopped before a pair of unassuming doors and the end of the hall, the only identification being the number '208' on the wall above it. Zaburo pushed the doors open, showing a large room sharing the same black and red aesthetics. Far from what I would call a business-appropriate conference hall, the room had an enormous square light on the roof, shining light on a TV that almost spanned wall to wall, several comfortable-looking sofas, A few glass tables, and even a private bar. Opposite of the TV was a wall to wall window that gave an amazing view into the Arasaka Waterfront.

The only person in the room was behind the bar, pouring red liquid from a bottle into a martini glass. The woman had navy blue hair shaved on both sides with the center styled over the top and flowing down her neck. Her eyes were silver, indicating cybernetic implants, and her lips were colored golden. To complement the bold colors, she wore a golden backless dress with fur sleeves that revealed considerable cleavage and significant parts of her underboob. The chic and trendy aesthetics made it evident that this was no bartender, but the one and only Michiko Arasaka.

Michiko Arasaka
https://i.imgur.com/0BfHFrB

Michiko leisurely finished making her drink after glancing up to see the source of the intrusion. She walked out from behind the bar before lounging on one of the couches with her legs crossed. She took a small sip from her glass, placed it on the table in front of her, and motioned toward the other seats across and adjacent to her.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. If you'd like a drink, the bar is fully stocked. Sadly, privacy dictates no workers, so you'll have to serve yourself."

"Don't mind if I do."

Hellman made a beeline for the bar, where he grabbed a European import beer from the fridge before popping the cap off and downing half of it. The man sighed in satisfaction before looking back and seeing me stare at him with one eyebrow raised.

"I believe it is fair to say that the day has already been derailed. It is unlikely that I will be of any impact in the ensuing negotiations, so I'll busy myself with some alcohol instead."

I guess Hellman either finally learned to accept his lot in life and relax or threw caution to the wind after all the pressure finally cracked him. I'm betting on the latter. He's probably right, and since it doesn't hurt anything, I'll let him be. Everyone else soon found their own place to sit. I was across from Michiko, with V next to me, while Evelyn plopped on the couch adjacent to our host. Meanwhile, Zaburo walked to a corner, and his silent form faded into the background.

"First, thank you for sending Zaburo to bail us out on the landing pad. Things could have gotten real hairy if he didn't intervene."

Michiko dismissively waved her hand that was draped over the top of her couch.

"Don't mention it. Meetings must happen for anything good to come of it, after all. It's important to help my interests along."

"And sorry if I come off as skeptical, but will the employees we interacted with be a problem?"

Michiko simply smiled, though I noticed it didn't reach her eyes.

"They won't if they know what's good for them."

A shiver was sent up my spine, and I was reminded again from all my digging that the woman across from me was incredibly dangerous and a very good schemer. Taking her word for keeping everything below ground, I mulled over the best approach. My prior plans were hinging on Michiko not knowing what we were up to. I probably should have known better, especially considering she owned a PI firm.

Initially, I would have Hellman explain how Yorinobu got his hands on the Relic prototype, and then Evelyn would explain her role in stealing it. Afterward, V would regale how she witnessed Yorinobu kill his father, and Takemura would collaborate on the story. Instead of doing that, let's see how much of the event Michiko knows.

"Let's get the basics out of the way. I'm sure you're already aware of everyone here?"

"Hard not to. The story goes that Takemura helped Valerie and her chum break into and hide in Yorinobu's penthouse. And when Saburo sent all the security out, Valerie and her partner came out and killed him."

V and Takemura bristle from the false accusations.

"Michiko Sama, you must know how preposterous those claims are. My loyalty to Arasaka and Saburo Sama has never wavered. The stor-!"

"Calm down, Takemura. Let me finish."

Takemura's honor doesn't allow him to bear the false accusations any longer, and he speaks out. However, his impassioned speech is stopped midway by Michiko.

"Of course, if you dig deeper, the story falls apart. Suppose you were, say, a high-level executive in Arasaka. In that case, you might be able to come across an internal memo moments after the incident that says my grandfather was poisoned, not assaulted, and Takemura wasn't mentioned as the perp anywhere. The source being Yorinobu himself. Strange how my uncle might have made that mistake, considering that there were clear signs of strangulation on my grandfather's corpse."

I stayed silent, keen on letting Michiko monologue to see how much she knew.

"Security kills an intruder, and Arasaka ICE flatlines another netrunner, but one gets away. Then, for whatever reason, instead of putting out a public notice for Valerie, Yorinobu tasks Takemura with finding her. After this, the details are blurry, but when Takemura was looking for Valerie, an Arasaka elite hit squad got dispatched, targets only known to Yorinobu. Almost as if my uncle wanted to cover something up."

Michiko reaches out for her drink on the table, which now has water sticking to the outside from condensation. She continues after taking another sip.

"If you were to believe the conspiracies, it was Yorinobu who killed Saburo so he could finally take over the company. The mercs were just there to do mercenary things, probably to klep something valuable. Yorinobu only suspected his paid lover was involved initially, which was all but confirmed when she went underground and couldn't be found anymore. Of course, that still leaves you."

Me?

"Why does a random citizen, whose fiancé just ditched him, start getting involved with the seedy underworld of Night City. Being abandoned by someone you thought loved you and your business collapsed is tough, but it doesn't explain the behavior change. You went from a barely functional blue-collar dorphhead to helping the Aldecaldos push out the Wraiths and leading a rag tag group of Arasaka's most wanted. Not to mention insisting everyone call you 'Basil'. And now you're trying to get wrapped up with the Arasaka business. V and Takemura want to clear their names and presumably get revenge on the way there. But you're completely uninvolved, so why get involved?"

I guess it would be weird looking in from the outside. Admittedly, I didn't do too great of a job explaining my apparent sudden change in behavior. Though, to be fair, it's not like 'Dakota Rogers' had many friends left, and any of the new people in 'his' life were asking questions. It's clear that something smells off to Michiko, but it's not like I also have a reasonable explanation.

"I have my reasons for doing what I'm doing."

"And what reasons, pray tell, does a person like you have to warrant contracting the Queen of Fixers to look investigate me and Danger Gals?"

Damnit. she knew.

I was mentally bashing my head against the wall. Of course she knew! She's he CEO of an investigation and security firm for crying out loud. There's no way Michiko isn't at the very least adept at counter espionage. Who was the leak? Takemura? No possible way. I didn't tell him until this morning and he wasn't the type. Rogue? Impossible. She wants Smasher dead more than anything else, she wouldn't jeopardize the meeting this way. It is possible she wasn't as careful as she thought she was while getting this information however and someone along the chain tipped Michiko off. If it wasn't for the fact that I had lore knowledge, I'd be doubting the voracity of the intel by now as well.

Michiko smirked, seemingly able to see into my mind and analyze my thought process. I can't help but hate that she's playing me like a fiddle.

"It was the 'Afterlife merc' that 'used to be' a detective at my firm. Best way of controlling what information people find on you is having the leak work for you to begin with."

That makes sense. In fact, I'm not sure why Rogue wasn't more careful about her sources, the merc must have been working for Rogue for a long time if the fixer didn't smell something fishy. I don't know what to do in this situation, where the other side has caught me red handed. Apologize, I guess?

"I'm.. Sorry for trying to snoop."

"No you're not."

Got me in one. Her public persona of a carefree socialite is nowhere to be seen. It's definitely all bullshit.

"You're right. No, I'm not. I'm sorry I got caught. But even you have to admit that it's just standard practices."

Michiko raises her glass and swirls it a bit before taking another sip.

"I guess."

I swear. At least this is proof somewhat that Michiko is willing to work with us. She wouldn't risk letting anyone know about, probably, her greatest secret. Though I suspect if me or Rogue ever tried to leak this information, we would find that all our sources disappeared or became no longer trustworthy. That still doesn't answer the why though. Why would she willingly let us know?

"Why?"

"Ah! Now isn't that the million dollar question?"

Michiko put her drink back on the table before getting up and walking over to the large window, the only sound were those of her heels clacking as all of us had our attention drawn to her.

"Do you know what it's like to be a teenager that has the hate of a nation focused on you?"

"No, can't say I do."

She raises her left hand and inspects her fingers. Not sure for what reason, as they are implants and I highly doubt they are in anything but pristine condition.

"It's... a lot. Having you're entire life upended and threatened. People calling for your expulsion from the only home you've known, and facing the possibility of living with family that you've never met who might even hate you for your heritage. Even if I was pure Japanese, my mother's American heritage would have caused nothing but issues with Grandfather back in Japan. A kid in that situation can make some very, VERY, dumb decisions."

This was the first time I think I've seen Michiko anything but confident. It would be a stretch to say she's not in control right now, but definitely more... vulnerable.

"Kress made me a simple offer. Me and my mother gets to stay in the states and finish my education, but in return for the governments sponsorship, I would have to work against my very own family. My mother was racked with guilt and sorrow after my father died, and I chose what I thought would make her the happiest and keep us safe. Was I ever wrong about that."

"My mother died a year after I graduated. Even though half the reason why I took the deal was no longer with me, I still had to fulfill my side of the bargain. The N.U.S. sponsored the creation of Danger Gals, and you already know everything else."

That's some much needed context, but it still doesn't explain the why.

"As much as I feel for your plight, you still haven't told us why you leaked that information to us. What do you get out of this?"

Hearing that, Michiko turned around and all that vulnerability was gone. Back was the competent and calculating power player that ran one of the most successful and popular detective agencies, alongside being an Arasaka board member.

"Because I want out, Basil. I have enough of having my strings pulled, and I want my life back. I have to constantly live in fear of what might happen if Arasaka finds out my backstabbing, or if the government decides I've outlived my usefulness and tie up loose ends. I don't even feel safe enough to have children, for crying out loud."

And then it clicked. Why she started working against Militech and the government. Why she accepted being the head of the Hato faction. Why she went back to her maiden name and took a position on the board.

"You want Arasaka to be your safety umbrella."

Michiko grinned again. This time less predatory and more as if she found a playmate.

"Precisely. The Gals have always been loyal to me, which is why they've been willing to do some dirty work against Militech and the N.U.S. That being said, I would be an idiot if I thought there weren't plants in my organization."

"So you need someone capable and unaffiliated to start taking over the load. And hey, if this unaffiliated party happens to want something from you, even better. And it's not like you lose anything on helping us out. You already know that we want Yorinobu gone, which is also ideal or you, since it avoids a war with Militech and keeps the environment stable and safe."

"That and I just like my Aunt more than my uncle. Yorinobu is such a bore. If you help me run counter itelligence and hits against Militech and the gov, I'll help you convince Hanako and replace Yorinobu. Deal?"

That... honestly wasn't such a bad offer. And as much as I wanted to shake on it immediately, there was also another reason why I was here.

"We'll help on one condition."

Michiko raises an eyebrow, clearly not expecting me to not agree immediately.

"And what might that be?"

"Have you heard of Soulkiller?"

There was a momentary pause, and I swear I saw a flash of anger followed by confusion. It was replaced so quickly by Michiko's usually composed demeanor that I was second guessing myself if it actually happened or not.

"I may have heard of such a thing. Why are you bringing it up?"

"V?"

I gave the merc a look, who took it as her que to start talking.

"What we were trying to klep from Yorinobu was a Relic chip for an unkown party Evelyn lined up for us."

V nodded in the direction of Evelyn. When Michiko looked over, Evelyn simply responded with a short wave.

"When we got found, the AV shot up the container and the only way to maintain the integrity was to slot the chip inside of Jackie, my... accomplice. He then put the chip in me right before he bled out."

The pained look on V's face as she remembered the death of her best friend was tragic. I could tell she was hurting, but she toughed it out and continued.

"Long story short, the chip saved my life after I got shot in the head, but in return, the engram on it is overwritin' my consciousness. The damn thing is basically killin' me, and no one knows how to stop it."

V finished her story. I couldn't quite get a read on Michiko at this point, as her poker face is impeccable, though something told me she was more familiar with Soulkiller than she was letting on. Regardless, she clearly wasn't going to expose what she knew right now, so I just decided to giver her my counteroffer.

"Here's the deal. We'll help you with your N.U.S. problem, and in return you help us fix whatever is going on inside V's head and get rid of Yorinobu. Militech and the gov get's weakened, V stays alive, and Arasaka with Hanako at the helm becomes the shield you need to start living your life again. Deal?"

"Deal."

I let out a breathless sigh through my nose when I heard her agree. Getting Michiko on board was a huge milestone for us and should make the rest of the process much easier. Michiko reached out with one of her hands and I got up to shake it. Her metal skin was smooth and cool to the touch, and it almost felt like I was shaking hands with a porcelain statue. We separated after a few seconds and each headed to our own seats.

"Now that we have a deal between us. I do have a pressing matter with Militech that needs immediate attention."

Of course she does.

"Hit me with the detes."

Michiko's eyes glowed blue for a second before my phone buzzed, and I was notified that I had received a text. Of course she has my number. A picture popped into my field of view from my connection with my phone. It was that of a woman with purple hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes. But it wasn't those things that caught my eye. The most interesting feature was the fuzzy cat ears on top of her head.

Violet Riggs
https://i.imgur.com/vyEPFzt

"That's Violet Riggs, one of my best detectives in Danger Gals and part of the Puma Squad. We lost contact with her while she was looking into something for me. Her last known location is a warehouse in Pacifica. The place is operated by Militech and the N.U.S.A. as a safehouse for their covert operatives in the area. I can't use Arasaka's or Danger Gal assets to get her back or I risk exposing myself. She was tasked with finding clandestine plans in the area, so getting her back intact is of utmost importance."

Seems easy enough. Except the part where it was a Militech and government safehouse, which was surely heavily guarded and monitored. But I'm sure our ragtag team of mercs and misfits will figure something out. Probably.

"Consider it done. And what about our Yorinobu problem? As much as I like saving damsels, I can't walk out of here empty-handed."

"Yorinobu still doesn't trust Arasaka, so he plays his cards close to his chest. He's been hiring contractors as muscles, including his old gang, the Steel Dragons. I'll get a base of operations set up in Tokyo so you can get to work on seeing what kind of data you can pull from the organization. I'll start working on getting everything ready while you get me my detective back.

"Sounds good. Is that all?"

"Hmmm... The only thing left is what to do about the N.U.S. and Militech. My current agreement is to keep an eye out for any movement in Arasaka, which I have been trying to give away as little as possible already. Obviously, we don't want to give away anything that might hurt us, especially since that'll put me and Hanako in a difficult position if this plan is to work. But I also can't just stop giving information or provide bad intel, since they'll be able to tell something is wrong sooner or later."

"Simple. Relay solid intel on Yorinobu's faction. If they act on it it only helps us. Not like we'll be keeping the old administration anyways."

Michiko smirked and I swear I saw a little twinkle in her eyes. No doubt the dangerous woman's imagination is running wild with ideas on how to screw over her uncle and Militech at the same time.

"Devious. I like it."

Thinking that our relationship is now on relatively good terms, I allowed myself an eye roll at her acting.

"Don't act like you wouldn't have done something similar if I didn't bring it up. Anyways, are we good to call the meeting done for today? We help you get your detective and you get us set up in Tokyo"

"Yes, for now. More details on my missing detective will be sent to you shortly. In the meantime, I'll dig into Soulkiller and see what I can find on reversing the process V is experiencing."

"I know it's obvious, but time is of the essence in that regard."

"Of course, you have my word that I will personally look into it. If that is all, Zaburo will escort you off the premises." Michiko said while motioning for her bodyguard. "I hope this is the start of a beautiful, mutually beneficial relationship, Basil."

Seeing the meeting coming to an end, everyone got up and started putting on their disguises again.

"I'm sure it will be, Michiko. I'll let you know when we have any updates. It was a pleasure meeting you."

I then got a quick jab in the side and saw that it was V who did so. After getting my attention, the merc then pointed at Hellman.

"Oh, and before I forget. What would you like to do with him?"

I pointed at Hellman, who's been basically useless so far and getting absolutely shitfaced on the free alcohol. Hearing the conversation turn to a weird topic, Hellman turned and focused on us.

"Hmm. I'll hold onto him. Zaburo will put him in a secure room and show you out to make sure you can leave unmolested. Good luck, and until next time."

Clearly unhappy with the arrangements, Hellman opened his mouth to protest.

"You cannot be serious! If I stay with Arasaka, someone will eventually find me. You can't just lea-!"

Before he could finish, Zaburo jammed a small black object into Hellman's back. There was the sound of taser and Hellman jerked a bit before turning stiff and collapsing to the ground. Groaning from the pain and alcohol impairment, Hellman stayed on the ground unmoving.

"And what about me, Michiko Sama?"

Takemura being the loyal Saka hound that he is immediately deferred to the highest ranking Arasaka member in the room instead of the group he came in with.

"Keep working with Basil and V. They'll need a guide in Nippon as well. I'll probably send you there first to get everything ready."

Takemura simply bowed at those orders.

Showing physical prowess not matching that of his appearance, Zaburo picked the man up and slung him on his shoulder in a fireman carry before walking toward the door. Once the old bodyguard got there, he opened it and motioned for us to follow.

"Please, this way."

Minutes later, our group was flying away from the Konpeki towers in the Surveyor.

"That went pretty well."

V, who was sitting next to me, said.

"Yup. More twists and turns than I would have liked, but we're in a pretty good place right now."

"So, what's next?"

"Next, we go looking for a missing cat called Violet."

Chapter Text

V's POV

I woke up first, and for a moment, I forgot about all the shit I had going on in my life. I was happy, well rested, and Judy was on the other side of the bed. Seeing her snoring gently almost made me believe I was a normal person. But then it all came back to me. We'll... HE came back to me, to be specific.

"Enjoy it while you can, V. 'Cause you're workin' for Saka now. And when they squeeze every last drop they can outta ya, they're going to dump your body on the side of the road like street trash."

It took me a while to get used to talking to Johnny in my head. It's embarrassing to admit, but for the first few days, I would talk to myself out in public, and people thought I was crazy.

"Jesus, Johnny. Can't you just let me have one fuckin' nice moment?"

"Well, you'll never have a nice moment again if you don't ditch Basil and his crazy plan soon."

I decided that if Johnny was going to make my morning annoying, I might as well be productive and make breakfast for me and Judy. I didn't want to wake Judy up since she was enjoying a lovely night of sleep, so I carefully lifted the blanket off me and laid it between us. It was rare for her to go to bed early since she usually liked to stay up until the early morning, hopped up on a dangerous amount of energy drinks so she could edit BDs.

Flipping around, I saw Johnny, who was sitting on a crate next to the drawers. The rockerboy gave me a look before shaking his head and glitching out and disappearing. Quietly getting up from the bed, I slowly walked out of the room, mindful to open and close the door slowly enough so it didn't make a sound.

Once I was in Judes' living room/dining area, I walked over to her kitchen and started looking around, seeing what she had lying around I could use to cook us up a meal. Judes wasn't exactly the type of gal to do meal prep (admittedly, neither was I), so all I could dig up were some frozen meals, EEZYBEEF, syntheggs, and a bag of rice. It's not exactly the pantry a professional chef at Bleu would have, but it's more than enough to make an egg-fried rice.

I first took the microwaveable rice from its packaging and started heating it in the microwave. I took a few bowls out before cracking a few eggs in one of them before putting a pan on the electric stove. I mixed the eggs before dropping them in the pan on medium heat and stirring them to make scrambled eggs. A couple of minutes and some salt later, I brought the eggs out of the pan when they were around medium rare and put them back into the bowl I beat them in.

This was the first time I stayed over at Judes' place. Normally, she'd be sharing the room with Evelyn, so there hasn't been any space for me to sleep. But since Michiko said she'd keep a pulse on the search for Evelyn and some tips on where to stay to keep out of sight, her friend finally moved out. Apparently, it was some safehouse the Danger Gals used, and it was entirely off-grid to Arsaka.

And it was a nice night, the first night we really got to enjoy each other. Sure, we've been on a few dates, but those have been out and about. The closest thing we got to some private time was whenever I would spend a few hours with her in her editing den at Lizzy's.

After the eggs, I sprayed the pan with some oil before opening the tin of Allfoods EEZYBEEF and plopping the synth meat in. I chopped the meat with the spatula into smaller chunks to get browned, enjoying the meat aroma that wafted from the pan. Apparently, before synthmeat became widespread, meat was made from blended kibble held together with food glue and oils. I still remember when I had to resort to buying kibble as a kid on the streets. Thankfully, after protein farming became cheaper, the thing basically became history.

*Beep Beep Beep*

The microwave alarm went off as the rice finished cooking. Lowering the heat on the stove to medium-low so the meat doesn't get overdone, I walked over to the microwave and took the rice out. When I closed the door and turned around, I suddenly felt dizzy. I almost dropped the bowl of rice but was able to drop it on the counter after leaning on a table to get my balance back. My lungs itched and contracted before forcing out a cough. I covered my mouth so I didn't send spit everywhere, looking down into my hands a few seconds later after the fit passed and seeing a few speckles of bloody phlegm.

"Look at you, bug in your head, eatin' away at your brain matter, and you're out here wasting time playing house."

Looking at the source of the noise, I saw that Johnny was back, sitting on one of the stools near the kitchen island, legs kicked up on the table. Flipping him the bird, I got back up and scooped the cooked rice out of the bowl and into the pan before mixing it with the beef. This has been happening more and more often. Sometimes, it'd be a nosebleed. Sometimes I'd get a headache. The only consistent thing has been that it's been getting worse.

"Nice of the 'bug' eating away at my head to pitch in. Also, we must not have been to the same meeting yesterday. Because I seem to remember getting an Arasaka board member on our side and promising to solve our little problem."

Johnny threw one of his hands in the air.

"Promises are worth as much to Saka corpos as the lives they crush under their foot daily. To her, you're just some dumb gonk that she could trick to do the dirty work for her."

After some stirring, I put some of the rice and synthmeat on the spatula and tasted it. The excess juices and oils had mixed into the rice, giving it some good flavor, but it lacked saltiness. Digging around, I found some soy sauce packets left over from Chinese food, opened them, and mixed them in.

"You heard her situation, what she's been through after the war with Militech and the NUSA. I thought you were all for helping people that got fucked over by war, the government, and megacorps? A bit hypocritical of you to turn your head the second it's someone from a family you hold a grudge against, don't you think?"

Johnny glitched away again before reappearing, leaning next to me, tipping his sunglasses down so he could get a 'look' at what I was cooking. He then glitched away again, this time leaning against the eating area to my left.

"I'm for helping people that can't help themselves. People who've had their ability to support themselves taken away without their say. Taken away by people like Michiko and her family. Michiko's far from a helpless damsel in distress. Not to mention that she has no reason to help you after getting whatever she wants from you and Basil."

After the soy sauce was mixed in and distributed, I tasted it again and figured it was in a good spot. Just enough saltiness without going overboard. I then added the eggs I had set aside, lowering the heat even more so the eggs didn't overcook.

"You know, not every person is out to get you. Plus, Michiko's our best bet by a longshot."

"Oh please, she's your best shot because listening to Basil and scrambling to play the corpo games is the only thing you've tried so far."

Honestly, I've been doing a pretty good job at keeping calm so far. Still, Johnny's constant fucking backseat quarterbacking was beginning to get to me. The damn phantom's the direct cause of my slow death, and now he's trying to give me instructions on how to fix the situation. Turning the heat off and pulling the pan off the hot electric stove, I turned towards Johnny and folded my arms.

"At least Basil is moving us forward, more than can be said for the freeloader yapping away in my head. Let's hear you're big fucking idea then if you're so smart and got everything figured out."

Johnny glitched again, now sitting on top of the countertop with his legs hanging off the side and both hands planted on either side of him.

"We go to Rogue and get a crew together. It might have been fifty years, but Rogue's still Rogue and she's putty in my hands. We then dig into whoever contracted Evelyn for the gig and keep cracking heads until we find someone to save your life. Worst case scenario, we go guns blazing into Saka tower and rip whatever we need from them ourselves."

"'She's putty in my hands'. Who's the manipulator now? And you're such fucking one-trick pony. Took you no time at all to earmark bustin down Arasaka's doors as our last resort. How'd that work out for you when you tried it, huh? Not everyone wants to be a terrorist, Johnny."

Throwing both my hands in the air in exasperation at Johnny's 'genius plan,' I turned back around to grab the empty, unused bowls to fill them up.

"And what's that accomplish in the first place anyways, Johnny? You're dead, Arasaka's still here, and people's lives are still shit. Hundreds of thousands died after the NC holocaust. If anything, you're the fuckin' who's the problem."

Once I was done filling up the bowls, I put the pan in the sink and turned around. Johnny wasn't here anymore, whether he left because he realized he couldn't convince me or for being called out, I couldn't care less. I was just glad he'd leave me alone for a bit.

The door opened, and Judy left the bedroom looking groggy with bedhead. She must have heard me ranting and woken up from the noise.

"What's going on out here. Who were you talking to?"

"No one. Just talking to myself. Sorry if I woke you up."

"S'alright. I wake up around this time anyways."

She then yawned and stretched before using her hands to wipe away the tears that rolled out.

God, she was so cute. Hard on the outside but just a big Ol' softy once you get to know her. Sneaking close to her while she was distracted, I wrapped my arms around her and picked her up with a big hug.

"Oof. What was that for?"

"What? Can't give my girl a hug first thing in the morning."

"Haha. Stop it, you're being totally embarassing."

Judy laughed a little before pushing and leaning away from me, even though she was still in the air. Putting her down, I walked back to the kitchen and grabbed the bowls of rice before placing one down next to her with a pair of chopsticks.

"Made you some fried rice for breakfast. Hope you don't mind me going through your kitchen."

"No, of course not! I was wonderin' what that smell was. You're the best, V."

Judes then sat down before raising the bowl and shoveling some rice into her mouth.

"Ohmygod, it's sooo good."

That brought a smile to my face, and I sat down as well to start working on my portion.

We spent the next twenty minutes sitting together eating breakfast. Every now and then, we would talk about what we had going on in our lives and our plans. A little bit of gossip, some ranting, and just generally wasting some time.

It was... nice. Different, definitely. I've had my fair share of one-night stands and short-term relationships at this point. Solo work being the way it is, it just naturally leads to a lot of fucking around. Both figuratively and literally. But whatever I had with Judes was new to me. It felt more... solid?

If I fix whatever is going on with me, I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life like this, and that was new for me. Always hustling, trying to get ahead. But this isn't so bad as well.

Chapter Text

After finally making some headway with Arasaka, a lovely night of sleep was exactly what the doctor ordered. As I roused from my slumber, the feeling created by the pocket of warm air separated from the cool morning air made my bed feel like my own personal heaven. It was peak comfort. Well... Almost.

My nose twitched, and part of that sleep magic was dispelled when what felt like twine tickled my face. I groggily opened my eyes and looked to see what dared disturb my tranquility, only to be greeted by locks of Panam's hair. I would have been annoyed, but I could never stay too miffed at Panam. Not to mention that a significant part of my current comfort was from her perfect rear end snuggling up against me.

It might even be too comfortable. I already had a semi, but the way her cheeks hot dogged my member made my morning wood rapidly approach a full-blown hard-on. Feeling her buns get stuffed must have stirred Panam as she released a quiet moan before she pushed herself further into me. Like a cat getting comfortable sitting on their favorite person, she wiggled around until she found the perfect spot, making sure to settle into me as much as possible.

Responding in kind, I wrapped my arms around her waist and let my head rest in the crook of her neck. I gave her little kisses as my hands slowly climbed up, gliding over her stomach, to her underboobs, before cupping both of her heavy melons. Panam's soft sighs turned into light pants as I gently caressed her beautiful orbs.

Panam's body reciprocates, her thighs rubbing together, causing her ass to gyrate and gently massage my erect cock. The collective heat kept rising as our bodies mingled, serving to increase our arousal further. We continued for several minutes until I was finally forced to stop myself. If I had to endure her body inadvertently stroking me off any longer, I might have blown my load right then and there.

Panam softly mewled in disappointment as I pulled away, but her dissatisfaction didn't stay for long. Instead of continuing to fondle each other, I ducked under the sheets and flipped Panam onto her back. I started from her chest, kissing between her breasts and working my way down her toned stomach. Her body twisted, the sensations building as I worked my way lower, past her belly button, over her waist, until I found myself at the top of her panties.

Getting a grip on my teeth, I slowly dragged them down until I was met face-to-face with Panam's lower lips. Her mounds were beginning to glisten, her arousal lightly lubricating the surface for what her body knew was coming next. I teased her, kissing the spots around her inner thigh, circling her garden but never quite intruding on it. When her panting became sufficiently lustful, I finally got to work on the main event.

Panam yelped as I raised her hip and forced her legs apart to make eating her out more accessible for me. I loved how her back arching pulled the skin on her belly tight, showing off her abs. My tongue started by gently trailing her folds, drawing light circles around her womanly cave, and occasionally sucking on her clit.

She moaned as her hand settled on my head, pushing me further into her depths. Happily obliging, I grabbed ahold of her legs and began to push my tongue past her labia. Her insides squirmed as the intruder started to swirl around, caressing her inner folds. I ground my face further into Panam's mound so I could get deeper, nose rubbing against her clit just like how I know she likes it, driving her up the wall.

A moan escaped her as I pushed my tongue upwards, brushing against a sensitive spot of hers. Her musky scent muddled my mind, moving aside any other thoughts other than making this woman cum. I doubled my efforts, going from gentle prodding against her weak points to outright attacking them. My tongue flickered between her folds at a lightning pace, only stopping to jab and poke where she was weak when I felt she was getting too comfortable with the pace.

I felt the beating of her pulse quicken and her vagina puff up from the constant attention. Her moans got louder, and I felt her peak quickly arriving. As Panam rapidly approached her crescendo, I angled my face away so my nose could make way for my hand to begin pinching and twisting her clit.

"Ohhhhhhhhh!~ Fuck, Yes! Basil!"

Having her O button played with was what sealed the deal. Her hand, combing through my hair, grabbed it and locked me in place. I watched from under the sheets as Paname froze up, her form only occasionally interrupted by jerks that sent shockwaves coursing through her. Her orgasm was accompanied by her vagina getting wetter, liquid gushing out of her depth and onto my tongue and face. I let her ride out her high, and once her mind finally caught back up to her body again, I slowly rested her lower body back down onto the bed.

It was beginning to feel like a sauna under the sheets, so I pulled the covers off to get some fresh air. It was already bright out, and some of the light was able to pierce through the sheets and give me a look at Panam while I was eating her out, but it didn't do her incredible body justice. I couldn't help but get hornier as I looked upon Panam's glistening form.

Panam's smooth, long legs were followed by incredible, thick, thunder thighs that could probably crush a watermelon. Those thighs formed deep V trenches flowing into her wide hips. Her midriff was separated by soft lines, showing just enough muscle. Then, her breasts, those wonderful, flawless, almost gravity-defying orbs. Brown caramel tits topped with two dark chocolate Hershey-like nipples. All of that perfection wrapped up with her perfectly sculpted face. She was still panting, a light blush on her cheeks from getting worked over. Her fuck me eyes boring into me, clearly expecting more to come.

I grinned at her, loving that look on her face.

"Morning."

She snorted, amused at the mundane line after what we'd just done.

"Morning to you too, Basil. It's been a while since you've done that. I almost forgot how good it feels."

"Remind me to do it more often."

I let my hand roam her body, exploring her every nook and cranny.

"God, I love this perfect body. You're just too fucking sexy."

Panam moaned as I caressed her breast, raising a finger to her mouth and playing with her lips erotically while her other hand trailed down and wrapped around my member.

"Mhmmph... And I love how I can turn you on like this."

Her hand traveled back and forth, pumping me and keeping me hard as a diamond. I grunted from the simple movement, causing Panam to smirk. Happy with her ability to make me aroused, she slowly pulled on my member, literally leading me by my cock. It didn't take long for her to get me to her destination, and she stopped when I felt my glans push against her soaked entrance.

Her tugging me forward made me fall forward. My arms spread on either side of Panam's head, our faces inches away as we looked into each other's eyes. She bit her lower lip sensually, egging me on.

"Well? What are you waiting for, Tiger? Take me."

A shiver went through me as she called me by the nickname she only used during sex. The temptation was too great, and I gave into my carnal desires and thrusted myself into Panam, bottoming out and burying my entire length within her warm confines.

"Ohhhhhhhhh fuuuuuuuuuck! That's the spot!"

Her inner folds gripped onto every inch of my cock, undulating in such a rhythm that it felt as if it was trying to milk me for all my wort. The feeling was pure bliss, and my body moved on its own, pulling out until only the very tip of my penis was still inside before slamming back inside. My hips continued, sawing back and forth as if possessed, trying to pound Panam through the bedframe and onto the ground.

I leaned down and kissed Panam on her lips, her hand roaming my chest before cupping both sides of my face. Our tongues entwined, dancing around each other, wrestling, and trying to get as much contact as possible. We moaned into each other's mouths when I felt my tip brush up against the entrance to Panam's baby oven. Something about being so deep, feeling all Panam has to offer me, kicked my mind into another gear.

*Clap Clap Clap*

Everytime I bottom out, my balls slap into Panam's thighs creating a slapping sound. My hands wandered to her magnificent tits, mauling and deforming them. Her nipples were like glass cutters, sending tiny jolts of electricity up her spine every time I pinched and tugged at them. Suddenly, her cunt clamped down tight, liquid spraying onto my sigh as a soundless moan was released from Panam's mouth and into mine.

"Wai-! Ohhhhhh, shiiiiiiiiiiiit I'm cummmiiiiiiiing!!!!!"

Her heightened sensitivity from getting eaten out made her come earlier than usual. I might have stopped to let her catch her breath if I was in the right mind, but having her butt-tease me after waking up and not getting any gratification while eating her out has put me in a certain mood. Deciding to take advantage of the moment, I did one of my favorite tricks and activated my Sandi.

Time crawled to a snail's pace, and I pulled away to see Panam's eyes rolled up into the back of her skull as her mouth opened into a wide 'O'. I sat back up and lifted her left leg onto my chest to get a better angle at her and started thrusting like my life depended on it. Going twice as fast as usual while Panam was experiencing time at half speed drove her nuts. Add onto that that she was still mid-orgasm, and I watched as Panam wholly locked up, and her body began to convulse quickly, even by the standards of Sandi time.

Recognizing that we might become a public nuisance to our neighbors if Panam got too loud, I muffled her inevitable scream with a hand over her mouth. Her pussy's death grip on my cock was quickly bringing me to the finish line. I rutted inside Panam like an animal in heat. Her velvety insides, oven-like heat, moistened walls, and constricting hold fried my processing centers, making me see white.

A few dozen pumps later, and right as time sped up again, the dam finally broke, and a mind-numbing orgasm ran its course from the tip of my toes to the very top of my scalp. A literal torrent of baby batter was shot inside Panam's depth, painting her inside white and marking it as mine. A muffled scream almost broke through the gaps in my fingers, but thankfully was covered up. My back tensed, and I held my position, not moving a single inch as the sensations overwhelmed me. Panam's mind seemingly broke as she orgasmed again while still riding out the prior one. Her body spasmed as if she had lost control of her limbs. Her eyes crossed in a fucked-drunk way, and there was no doubt in my mind that of my hand wasn't blocking her mouth, she would have gone full ahegao.

What felt like minutes later, my cock gave a final jerk before finally running dry. I collapsed onto Panam with my erection still inside her. We embraced each other, panting, trying to catch a breath and let our minds recuperate. Eventually, we got a hold of ourselves, and I rolled off Panam onto my side of the bed, my half-flaccid cock popping out of her.

"That was fucking amazing. I wish we could just do that for the rest of our lives."

I felt Panam's hand tap around searching for mine. Meeting her halfway, I raised my hand to hers, and our fingers intertwined.

"Are you trying to kill me? I thought I was getting my soul sucked out of me."

Panam did that cute snort and flipped over to glue herself to my side. We enjoyed the afterglow of sex for another few minutes, knowing that we both had busy days ahead of us and this might be the only peace we get for a long time. Once Panam had her fill of relaxation, she let go of my hand before sitting up.

"Alright, time to tackle the day. I know you have to figure out that whole situation with Michiko and her little problem. Come on, we'll need to clean ourselves up."

Panam got off the bed before walking to the crate where she kept her underwear. I watched as she bent over while digging through the contents, showing me the perfect view of her ass. Her shaved pussy was framed by those flawless checks, and I watched as my cum began flowing out of her garden, staining her thighs and leaving streaks of baby batter.

Panam turned around after getting her change of clothes, only to be greeted by the sight of my cock back to full mast. One of her eyebrows quirked up, and she popped a hip and placed one of her hands on her hips.

"Really? Already?"

I looked back at her, feigning offense.

"What, you expect to show me that rear end of yours and for me to not get a massive rager? Where's the justice?"

Panam rolled her eyes at my antics, a smile tugging at her lips. However, that didn't stop her from stealing glances at my towering pole, and I could see that I was affecting her, too. I could see her think for a moment before she turned around and bent over, resting her upper body on a table and presenting herself to me.

She turned her head and stared at me with those sultry eyes, biting her lower lip in arousal.

"Well, I guess I'll have to take responsibility and let you have another round."

I almost leaped out of bed when Panam said those words. I'd have to be the biggest gonk of all time not to take her offer.

After another round and a shower

"What the hell?"

"Hmm? What's up?"

"Uh, nothing. Thought my Kiroshis were glitching out for a second. Just something in my eyes, that's all."

Hearing that there wasn't anything wrong with me, Panam focused back on the laptop in front of her.

It was the day after the meeting with Michiko, and we were currently in the mobile command center that the Aldecaldos use as their HQ. After the meeting, our group was flown back, and I decided to stay in the camp. V took Evelyn and Judy with her, dropping Evelyn off at an apartment owned by Danger Gal while she stayed over at Judy's place. Finally, Takemura ran off to wherever he was hiding in NC, presumably to prepare for the upcoming trip to Tokyo.

Getting a deal done with Michiko took some stress off my shoulders, so I slept like a baby, but it didn't mean we were done. If anything, there's more work lined up now, as we have a new gig in the form of extracting Michiko's detective from a covert Militech safehouse. That's why, after our shower, Panam and I had to go to work.

Well, it's as close to going to 'work' as a nomad and merc can get. We were both on our laptops, Panam checking how the Aldecaldos were doing and me reviewing Michiko's intel about her detective, Violet Riggs. The game never really went into details like this, but Merc life had a lot of busy work. Meeting clients, going over specs, maintaining gear, etc. It was while looking over Michiko's brief on Violet Riggs that I had a strange text box spring into my view.

Cyberpunk 2.0 Update Installing

Progress... 0%

Right under the progress percentage was a physical bar, filling out at the same rate as the percentage progress. At first, I thought it was a popup for my laptop telling me it was being updated, but when I tried and failed to click out of it, I realized that the text box was directly in my vision and not on the computer screen. That made me think it was a firmware update for some piece of my cyberware, but those have to be accepted first, and pulling up my biometrics showed that there are no pending updates.

Taking a closer look, the wording worried me. 'Cyberpunk' makes sense, but only in a meta context. The people of Cyberpunk don't refer to themselves as from the 'Cyberpunk' world; it's just 'the world' to them. I might be overthinking it, but for some reason, I think this might be an update to the game-like system I was given when I transmigrated here. There were rumors of a game overhaul when the new DLC would be released, but I left my world long before that happened, so I wonder if this is in correlation with that rumor.

Cyberpunk 2.0 Update Installing

Progress... 12%

Considering that many of my crucial abilities are related, I was worried about what might happen once the update finishes if it is tied to my system. Would parts of my chrome glitch out? Regardless, it's best to play it safe and let the update play out in a private environment. It probably wouldn't, but I would hate for this to be why people find out about my powers.

Getting up, I walked over to Panam and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey. How're things with the clan?"

"Pretty good. We've already found a buyer for that first batch of guns you gave us. A clan that's part of the Thelas Nation is interested and will be sailing near the Channel Islands."

"Thelas, as in the marine nomads?"

"Yup, we usually don't deal with the Thelas too much since we don't have the boats to do so, but the Surveyor could be our way in with them. We won't make the most profit if we take this deal, but it's a good start and test for the AV."

After clearing out the Wraiths, I dropped off a few crates worth of Arasaka Rifles with the Aldecaldos as part of my deal to help them get their smuggling operations back up and running. It's good to see that they already got a bite on a potential buyer.

"Sounds like a good way for the Surveyor to test the waters. Pun unintended. Anyways, I gotta make a call, be back in a minute."

"K. I'll text you if I leave the command center."

The installation was now at 18%, progressing at a pretty healthy rate. Judging by the speed, it'll probably be done in two or three minutes, so I shouldn't dilly-dally for too long. I made a beeline for Panam's tent, trying to see if I had the option to stop the update or postpone it to a later time—no such luck. By the time I got to the tent, the progress bar was just under 62%.

"I should probably have a plan just in case something goes wrong."

Pulling out my phone, I wrote a message to Panam and V to check in on me at Panam's tent and set it to send 10 minutes from now. If the update ends up paralyzing me for whatever reason, that'll at least give someone a chance to find me earlier rather than later.

Putting down my phone, I rechecked the update's progress and saw it was now 83%. Getting onto the bed, I lay down on my back and crossed my fingers.

Cyberpunk 2.0 Update Installing

Progress... 91% ... 94% ... 97%

Whatever this was going to do, it was going to happen now, and I'll just have to improvise. Once the percentage reached 100%, the bar filled up and flashed a few times before my vision went dark. There was a moment when my anxiety spiked. Losing your vision unprompted will do that. But before I could freak out, another box popped up in my view.

Cyberpunk 2.0 update has been installed. Skills, levels, cyberware, and operating systems have all been overhauled. You will also no longer receive quests to accomplish. In return, all actions that provide experience points have received a slight boost, and defeating difficult enemies will provide scaling exp. The world has been paused, and you have been given one free reset where all character attributes and skill points are refunded. The user can end the reset when the new attributes and skills are compatible with the current cyberware.

Despite it being somewhat anti-climatic, I was still relieved that the update seemed to be just that and not something that would cripple me instantly. It was also nice that time has been stopped, though that does raise the question of how time could be stopped, presumably for the entire world. I'm not too bummed by no longer receiving quests. If this were a book, how infrequently those things popped up would indicate the author forgot about them. I should probably be more worried about the implications of what's happening, but my very existence is so complicated that I think spending any brain power trying to figure this all out would be a wasted effort.

New Quality of Life functions have also been added for the user. These can be viewed in the Cyberpunk 2.0 System introduction. Would you like to start the introduction?

Yes/No

Mentally confirming yes, a new screen showed a first-person view of some generic NC street that clearly wasn't the tent I should currently be in. It took me a moment to realize that this wasn't my view of the street but a rendered screenshot meant to be a tutorial to show me something. A few arrows pointed at various objects in the picture, with accompanying text explaining their functions.

The update gave me a few UI interfaces similar to the game's. It wasn't like I had a health/stamina bar, but I got a box each for my phone, medical items, grenades, and my Sandivistan/operating systems. A weapon icon with numbers to the left was on the other side. Obviously, the numbers represented how much ammo was left in the gun. Before, I had to use specific tech weapons and matching cyberware to get that information. Another new addition was Street Cred. This was in the game as an representation of V's notoriety in the merc world. Higher Street Cred normally meant lower prices and access to locked purchases. It would be interesting to see what impact Street Cred has in this world.

But even more interesting was that the text box also told me that my magazine pouches would always have a fresh magazine for their respective weapon types available. The magazines would be pulled from my pool of ammo that I still had to keep on me. There was a similar effect on consumables as well. I could "activate" consumables, and instead of stockpiling MaxDocs, Bounce Backs, and explosives, I traded in all my hoarded items for an infinite amount. Of course, that would be too broken, so the trade-off is that they are on timers, as indicated by progress bars gradually decreasing on the item icons.

This was kind of a nerf, as explosives were one of my get-out-of-jail-free cards, and throwing as many as I had in my inventory was a very nice capability to fall back on. The same could be said about healing items. I've never had to use them in quick succession, but after my fight with Caesar, there was peace of mind knowing that I could just keep stabbing myself with Max-Docs. Not to mention all the crafting components I lost from crafting a small mountain of MaxDocs and frag grenades.

There was also now a direct connection to my phone, and I could take/make calls and view/send texts without touching my device. This technically was a feature that I could have already gotten, but it did require a new phone, chrome, and, like everything else in this world, a subscription service. And since I didn't particularly appreciate paying for those services in my cars in my past life, I sure as hell wouldn't do it in my new one. At least the update gave me a free version that applies to all electronics, so I can't moan too much.

After reviewing everything in the new UI, I was offered the chance to continue the tutorial.

Would you like to continue with the new crafting system?

Yes/No

Next was the crafting and modification system, which was still organized similarly, with a section for crafting and another for upgrading.

Items can still be crafted as long as the user has the crafting spec, but upgrades are now only applicable to iconic weapons. Upgrading and crafting items require components; different tier upgrades/crafts require corresponding tier components. Component tiers and crafting are no longer locked behind perks. Similarly, components can also now be crafted without the related perks.

While iconic weapons are the only ones that can be upgraded, they can no longer receive performance modifications. Similarly, operating systems, clothing, and cyberware can no longer accept modifications but can be upgraded directly by the user in the cyberware menu.

So, it seems the barrier to entry has generally been lowered. I would no longer have to get to 18 in the tech attribute and perks like Edgerunner Artisan to craft legendary items. In return, there were more limitations, like chrome and clothes no longer having mod slots. I'm not sure whether this was good or bad. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes.

Would you like to continue the guide and view the new skill system?

Yes/No

Since there wasn't anything more to see in the UI, I chose the yes option and moved on to the skills and attributes.

Attributes are divided into five categories (Body, reflexes, technical ability, intelligence, and cool). A new tier of perks is unlocked at 4, 9, 15, and 20 points in each attribute. Perks are further divided into subcategories, each specializing in a specific aspect of that attribute. Sub-skills can branch off from primary perks, and some perks can bridge the gap between subcategories. These perks require prerequisites to unlock.

Perk Tiers
https://i.imgur.com/HUUJZzL

The original skills, body, reflexes, cool, technical ability, and intelligence have been replaced with headhunter, netrunner, shinobi, solo, and engineer. The exp you've put into the old system has been calculated and redistributed to the new system.

Going by the intro, the perk system was slightly altered but maintained the overall structure. Perks were now locked behind tiers, and it seemed there were clearer focuses and specific builds that required investment in a line of perks. The tiers were Rookie, Pro, Phenom, and Legend and were unlocked at attribute levels 4, 9, 15, and 20, respectively. The skills were also slightly altered and seemingly separated by play style instead of attributes.

You have finished the tutorial. All your attributes and perk points have been refunded, and you will be allowed to respec your build once for free. After you exit the tutorial, you can refund skill points without limit but are only allowed one more attribute respec.

You will now be taken to redo your attributes and perks. Some perks have been heavily modified or may no longer exist. There is also now a cyberwar capacity tied to your levels and specific perks. If your cyberware exceeds your capacity after your new build, you will incur a health penalty of 2 points per cyberwar capacity exceeded and be unable to add new cyberware.

The cyberware capacity thing is slightly concerning. So far, I've only been limited by my attribute points, but there's now an additional limiter in the form of cyberware capacity. Hopefully, this doesn't impact my current setup too much. If it does, fingers crossed it can be remedied with a few perk points.

Now that the tutorial ended, I was in an incredibly similar UI to what I had before, except now all my attributes were three across the board like when I first started. I did the mental equivalent of cracking my fingers and rolling my neck.

"Alright. Time to see what this whole Cyberpunk 2.0 thing is about."

*Sometime later*

My eyes opened, and I was greeted by the familiar sight of Panam's tent. I grunted and sat up, swinging my legs off the bed and stretching my body. My body wasn't tired since time had stopped, and I was lying down, but I felt like I had just spent hours staring at a screen optimizing my build. Remembering my failsafe, I deleted all the timed messages so people don't freak out.

The system wasn't lying when it said many things have changed. My skills were either revamped, replaced, or completely removed. Not to mention how most of my chrome was nerfed considerably. Optical Camo now takes less time with higher detectability and recharge time, and Operating Systems can no longer be modded, destroying my plan to make the two-second cool-down Sandivistan build. Not to mention breach protocol being completely removed.

All of this meant I had to redo my build completely. At least following the survivability onion concept gave the process some logic. I focused mainly on the most effective outermost two layers, 'don't be seen' and 'don't be hit'. Then, 'don't be damaged' and 'don't be killed' received secondary focus. After that process, my new build following the 2.0 update looked like this.

New Character Sheet
https://i.imgur.com/QudH3v5

I still had a good chunk of Attribute and Perk points left, and that was because I was unsure about most of the new perks and how this new build was going to work out. After I put myself through the paces, I'll spend the remaining points where needed.

My process started with choosing what I wanted for my cool perks. If my perks were what made up my survivability onion, cool would be the outermost 'don't be seen' layer. In conjunction with the central stealth perk line, the perks also enhanced throwing knives, silenced weapons, pistols, precision rifles, and sniper rifles—the common tools of a stealth build.

While looking through these perks, I realized a new mechanic was attached to stealth Detection by enemies, which can be tied to a new factor called mitigation. Essentially, whenever I take damage, there is a chance to reduce incoming damage by the mitigation strength. By default, mitigation is set to 50%, and you can get other perks that increase this number.

Now, why is this important to stealth, you ask? Well, that's because of a perk called blindspot, which increases detection time the higher the mitigation strength is. With this in mind, I put another nine attribute points into this attribute and spent 8 perk points picking Feline Footwork, Blind Spot, Killer Instinct, Quick Getaway, Gag Order, Scorpion Sting 1 and 2, and Neurotoxin.

Feline Footwork increased movement speed while crouched and Mitigation Strength by 15%. The increased movement speed paired with blindspot increasing detection time will make it more challenging to see me while I was being sneaky. I considered getting Small Target or Unexposed, which increased mitigation while crouched but not moving and when aiming from cover, but if I was aiming a weapon or not moving while crouched, I probably wasn't too worried about being detected.

Then there was Killer Instinct, Quick Getaway, and Gag Order. These were all skills that increased my abilities to dispatch foes undetected quickly. Killer instinct increased damage with knives, axes, and silenced guns outside of combat by 25%. It also gave a nifty indicator that told me how much damage the enemy would take, which would be interesting to see since my world seemed more realistic and people didn't have a 'health pool', so to speak.

Quick Getaway gave a 10% increased movement speed after neutralizing an undetected enemy, making jumping from one enemy to another easier while stealthed. Gag Order made it so that landing an attack on an enemy right after they detected me would also delay any nearby enemies from catching me. These two skills combined should make it easier to take down small clustered groups of targets undetected.

Moving on to the Pro tier skills in Cool, Scorpion Sting 1 and 2, and Neurotoxin made thrown weapons more lethal. Scorpion Sting 1 reduced throwing weapons recovery time by 15%, and level 2 applied a poison status to enemies hit by a headshot or critical for 5 seconds. I wanted the poison effect because it paired with Neurotoxin, which made poisoned enemies blind and unable to sprint. Some enemies, like the Animals, were challenging to kill with melee weapons, who typically have head armor because of their fighting background. These two perks should make them less of a threat if they aren't immediately dispatched.

Why was throwing weapons a part of the 'don't be seen' layer of the protection onion? That was because, if I remember correctly, throwing knives was the stealth-ranged attack that did the most damage. And instantly, dead enemies can't detect you. Before the update, throwing weapons was a perk that required investing perk points, so I never got around to messing with it. With the 2.0 changes, it seems that it's no longer valid and just a skill I have now, so I might as well make the most of it. Having skills I never knew loaded into my brain through perks made me feel like Neo from The Matrix.

Cool Perks
https://i.imgur.com/HCnngba

After Cool was Intelligence, this is where all the netrunning and smart weapon perks were located. This is where things like Breach Protocol used to be. I was never much of a neturunner and only used the cyberdecks to use Breach Protocol and turn off cameras. Now that Breach was gone, all I did was invest one point to unlock the Rookie rank and spend two perk points getting Eye in The Sky and Optimization.

Eye in The Sky automatically highlighted all access points and cameras. Considering that while I was playing the game, enemies noticed me most of the time when unmarked cameras detected me, this skill was a must-have for not being seen. Optimization simply increased the RAM recovery rate by 35%. While I didn't upload quickhacks often, when I did do so, I often found that I was limited by the amount of RAM I had. This perk should go a good way in alleviating that issue.

Intelligence Perks
https://i.imgur.com/TSpQ8SO

Moving on to the 'don't be hit' part of the onion, next was Reflexes. Here, I also invested 9 points to unlock the Pro tier of perks. I spent almost a third of my remaining perk points in getting Slippery, Muscle Memory, Dash levels 1 and 2, Lead and Steel 1 and 2, Seeing Double, Mad Dash, Flash and Thunderclap, and Bullet Deflect. These perks affect my weapons handling, with most enhancing my abilities to wield a sword.

Slippery gave me an additional chance at avoiding enemy fire the faster I moved, with an extra boost while dodging, dashing, sliding, and vaulting. While I tried to finish all my engagements before anyone noticed me through stealth, speed, and violence, sometimes, it couldn't be helped, and someone would see me. While the description is vague, this perk should give me some buffer space to work with and hopefully force some errors out of the enemies.

Muscle Memory was a simple perk that let me reload while sprinting, sliding, and vaulting. In the heat of battle, I'm not always able to time when I run out of ammo. Being able to dive for cover while reloading will make catching me off guard harder and keep me in the fight for longer.

Next were Dash levels 1 and 2, Mad Dash, and Flash and Thunderclap. Dash level 1 reduced the stamina cost of dashing and dodging by 20%, while level 2 unlocks the Dash ability, which, going by the text, looks pretty similar to what those annoying Tyger Claw katana users were able to do in the game. Mad Dash gave a +100% dash range whenever I dashed toward an enemy. Flash and Thunderclap allowed me to leap at enemies with a heavy attack like the iconic blade Byakko's ability. The perks allowed me to flash step toward my enemies, making hitting me harder and closing the gap while using my katana much easier.

Then there was Seeing Double. Seeing Double increased damage and stun chance when I countered an enemy melee attack. I didn't do this often, as dodging is usually more manageable, but I needed this perk to unlock Flash and Thunderclap, so I got it. I guess it doesn't hurt to have it.

The last two perks I got in Reflex was Lead and Steel 2 and Bullet Deflect. Level 1 was relatively unexciting. A -15% stamina cost for all attacks with blades made it so I could wield my katana longer and attack more times. The effect was a welcome boost, but compared to level 2 and Bullet Deflect, it didn't seem very interesting.

Level 2 of Lead and Steel granted me the ability to block projectiles with my blade. That's right, I'm a straight-up cyber samurai from an anime now. I always thought that the game should have had something like this, and when I saw the video explaining the perk, I instantly dumped two points to get it to level two. Bullet Deflect was even cooler, giving me the ability to deflect the rounds back if my stamina was high enough. Honestly, the idea made me giddy with excitement. First, this just gave me another layer of protection. Second, it was just cool as fuck.

Reflex Perks
https://i.imgur.com/crdBRNg

After 'don't be hit' was 'don't be damaged' and 'don't be killed'. Starting with the Body attribute, like intelligence, I only invested one point to unlock the Rookie tier. With the Rookie tier unlocked, I spent three perk points getting Painkiller, Comeback Kid, and Dorph-Head.

Painkiller unlocked health regen in combat and made it so there was no delay after no longer taking damage. This was nice just because if I ran out of healing items, I knew that at least I could start working on getting some of that health back by running away and hiding. Comeback Kid was a similar last-resort perk. I got a percentage increase in health regen for every percentage of missing health. Hopefully, I never got into a situation like that, but if I did, Comeback Kid would make it harder to kill me if I turned tail and ran.

Finally, there was Dorph-Head. Dorph-Head increased the chance of mitigation by 100% for 2 seconds after using a health item or blood pump. If I were hurt enough to need a health item, getting lucky and activating mitigation would completely neutralize one attack from whatever threat got me to that point. It might also be helpful if I needed extra stealth to sneak past something or someone.

Body Perks
https://i.imgur.com/LwgUbrf

Finally, I invested 9 points into the Technical attribute. This would also be part of the 'don't be killed' layer. Technical was the attribute that was linked to health items/grenade recharges, cyberware, and tech weapons. While the tech weapons perks were more or less useless to me, the cyberware and recharge lines were vital as they decided how much chrome I could take and how often I could heal myself/use explosives. This attribute also used to be where all the crafting-related perks were, but as I hinted at with no longer being able to automatically scrap stuff, all of that was gone.

After unlocking the Rookie and Pro tiers, I invested 8 points to get Glutton for War, First Aid, Transfusion, Health Freak 1 and 2, Demolition Surplus, Coming in Hot, and All Things Cyber. Glutton for War gives a 5% instant item recharge whenever I neutralize an enemy and is the required perk to open the perk line. First Aid and Transfusion both focus on healing items, with First Aid giving +15% health item recharge when only one charge is used, and Transfusion giving an additional +30% health when the last charge of a health item is used. Without an essentially bottomless supply of health items, these two perks helped to keep a charge ready in a pinch.

In the Pro tier, Health Freak's first level gave +8% recharge for healing items, while level 2 gave an additional health item charge and +150% health item recharge outside of combat. Similarly, Coming in Hot increased grenade recharge, this time +50%, but only when there were no more left, while Demolition surplus gave an extra grenade charge and +250% recharge rate outside of combat. Finally, All Things Cyber gave all of my chrome a 10% boost across the board.

Technical Perks
https://i.imgur.com/5JjayYQ

After going over my perks again, just this time in the real world, I got up from the bed. I stood still for a moment, just to be sure there wasn't anything wrong with me. Once a minute passed, and I didn't suddenly get dizzy or have a heavy nosebleed, I decided everything was fine and got out of the tent.

Making my way toward the control center, there were a few moments of Deja Vu and incongruity. People I last saw an hour ago still stayed in the exact general locations as if time had barely passed, which was technically accurate for them. The more I thought about it, the more I gave myself a headache, so I decided not to worry. Besides, there were other things to focus on.

Like the fact that I only used 75 of my 137 cyberware capacity. I wasn't going to go full borg or anything, but it would be a waste not to maximize my potential. Not to mention that there were perks that required me to get a certain amount of chrome to get its benefits.

I also had to worry about my side businesses with how crafting changed. No longer having automatic scraping made the margins on ammo not worth it, so I had to cut that off. Weapons still seemed to be alright, considering that the profits were higher and the demand for quantity was lower.

But I really couldn't even afford to focus on that too much. With Michiko's support on the line, we had to figure out how to get Violet out of the hole she found herself in. That meant recon, sketching up a plan, getting gear, assembling a crew, and whatever else was needed.

As I got within viewing distance of the Aldecaldo HQ, I saw that Panam was still there. She also caught sight of me and gave a short wave and a smile. I stopped and smiled back at her before she turned away and started talking to a nearby Aldecaldo, probably about whatever contract or clan business she had oversight on.

God, I loved this woman. She was funny, intelligent, confident, and the prettiest person I've ever laid my eyes on. It was hard to get our schedules lined up, but we'd sneak away whenever possible and try to make the most of it. Sometimes, we'd just stare at each other for what felt like hours, just enjoying each other's company. That's why it kills me that I'm keeping secrets from her.

I hate that I haven't told her about Saburo's engram, my strange powers, or that I'm from an entirely different reality. I kept telling myself that the time wasn't right, that I had to get everything under control before I could drop such a bombshell on her. But that was all a lie. Deep down, I knew I hadn't done it yet because I was scared she would leave me.

That it would all be too much. And Panam would kick me out of her life. I knew it was irrational, but I didn't want to lose her. I also didn't know what I would do if my closest connection in this world was no longer there for me. While berating myself for being an untrusting partner, I didn't realize I was just standing in the middle of the camp looking dazed. I wasn't aware, but Panam was.

"Basil! Snap out of it! Stop standing there like a dorphed out gonk and come over here. I want you to take a look at something."

I guess someone standing doing nothing and staring at someone would be weird. I smiled at her and started walking over. I'll tell her one day. Just... just not now.

Chapter Text

I sat in my van in an empty parking lot in the middle of Westwind Estate. On the other side of the road was an old abandoned warehouse, the type of place that was a dime a dozen in Pacifica. Well, they were mostly deserted. A few Scav-looking people were hanging around the area, which isn't unusual since Scavs sometimes make abandoned buildings their temporary base. Except these Scavs were different.

Most people wouldn't get close enough to tell the difference, you know, on the whole account of Scavs being known for ripping chrome and organs out of people, but if one were to stake the area out, they would notice some unusual behavior. Things as mundane as the music they listen to, the brands of cigarettes they smoke that they don't drink alcohol. But more obvious details as well, like how none of them speak Russian or any other Slavic language.

They do occasionally bring people into the warehouse, like an undercover Danger Gal detective, for example. But they never leave or have anyone come to them to sell their ill-gotten gains. Sometimes, cars would stop in, but never to pick anything up and only to drop off crates, presumably with supplies. All of this was documented in the dossier Michiko gave me on the warehouse. It was impressive data gathering, making me wish I could afford to have an organization like Danger Gals on my payroll.

Checking the time, we still had a bit until our scheduled time to start the operation. My gear was all good to go. My revolver was in it's holster, my katana in its scabbard, and a new toy in a sheath on the small of my back. Looking behind me, I saw Panam screwing a suppressor onto her sniper rifle. On the passenger seat up front was Yumi, who had a pair of binoculars out and was scanning the warehouse. The engine and all the lights in the car were off. The only thing turned on was the radio tuned to 107.3 Morro Rock.

It was two days after receiving the update. I had just finished doing a gig earlier this morning to get used to some of the new perks I picked up when I got a call from Michiko. There were orders to clean house from the top of Militech. Something was happening, and Militech wanted their covert ops out of Pacifica and all the loose ends tied up. We have yet to determine why, but that's not important. What was important was that Violet was now running out of time.

I had a plan already, but I was hoping for another day or two to get an extra pair of trustworthy hands on board. V and Takemura would have been perfect for the job, but the two left early for Japan to get things started on the Steel Dragons front. Panam and Saul offered to lend out some talent from the Clan, but I was uncomfortable tying the Aldecaldos to anything we were about to do. Hell, I would have preferred it if Panam stayed put, but she demanded to be a part of this once she heard that Michiko was pushing the date up.

Panam and I were a dynamite duo if there ever was one, but from Michiko's intel, we definitely need at least one more person. And here lies one of the main issues with mercs and solos. When the incentives were right, soldiers of fortune had a tendency to sell people out. This might not be a problem for usual gigs, but Militech was one of those few parties that could always make an offer too good to refuse.

And that's why Yumi was here. Long story short, I needed one more person I knew I could trust, and who better than the chick whose life I saved and with whom I have a loose agreement to help get revenge? Admittedly, I was partially to blame for her getting thwacked in the head, but hey, if she's not going to hold on to that, I won't, too. I already knew she could handle herself in a fight. I mean, those bat swings when I first met her were brutal. When I asked her, she jumped at the opportunity before I could explain the entire situation. Honestly? It was kinda concerning.

Other than disturbing me slightly, Yumi's inclusion also meant a peeved Panam. She still believed that Yumi was secretly in love with me, and while I might disagree with her, there was definitely something off with how ready she was to go on a dangerous mission when I asked for her help. Maybe I'm looking too deep into it. She could just be unhinged, which isn't that rare in NC.

"Lend me your ears, Night City. This is Maximum Mike, and I'm telling you the big story."

As Summer of 2069 by Blood and Ice faded into the background, the Morro Rock Radio host, Maximum Mike, took over the broadcast.

"Kurt Hansen, the self-appointed dictator of Dog Town, has declared Pacifica's combat zone to be on indefinite lockdown."

Dog Town? What the hell is Dog Town?

"I'm guessing not many of you know much about Dog Town. Heh, and no wonder, the only people who want to be in Dog Town are the type that can't afford to be anywhere else. Most of you know the area as the Pacifica Combat Zone. During The Unification War, Militech sent a small covert army into Pacifica to create a staging ground for invading Night City. But when the war became too expensive to keep up, Militech signed the Arvin Accord and ordered their assets in Pacifica to vacate. Colonel Hansen didn't like that, so he and his small army defected from Militech and created their own private paradise right in NC."

You're damn right I don't know much about Dog Town. I didn't even know it existed until now.

"Anyway... If you believe what Barghest is spouting, they're stopping entry and exit because of 'an influx of illegal immigration'. Hmph, I know. I didn't believe it for a second as well. But fret not; my contacts in NC's forgotten lands have educated me on the real reason Colonel Kurt is jumpy."

And here it is, another hot take conspiracy from good 'ol Maximum Mike. The man's known for his 'high connections' in 'high places'. And oftentimes, he claims those connections are giving him the inside scoop of whatever recent event. There's plenty of shady shit going around in The City of Dreams, but I'm not the type of person interested in conspiracy, so I usually change to a different channel when Mike comes up. But this Dog Town thing piqued my interest, and I decided to stay on the same station.

"What the little birdie chirped in my ear is that Kurt Hansen recently got in some heavy equipment. What might the colonel need that he doesn't have from his Militech warehouses, you ask? Why, Soviet-made high-altitude surface-to-air missile systems courtesy of the Cuban Cartel, of course."

"The SAMs are being set up in covert locations to defend against an unknown threat. But what need is there for aerial defense in Dog Town? It's not like the NCPD will launch an air assault anytime soon. The only people who threaten Kurt and his reign through the skies are Arasaka and Militech, and apparently, the colonel thinks they are posturing enough to invest in some top-of-the-line toys. Chew on that, Night City."

As Mike ended his section, a song called Five Night Fire Fight came on. For once, Maximum Mike just dropped some absolute bombs on me, and I wished he had gone into more detail. Wanting to learn more, I decided to ask Panam to clear a few things up.

"Hey Panam, what do you know about Dog Town? What's going up in there?"

I watched from the rearview mirror as she finished prepping Overwatch, her iconic SPT32 Grad. After ensuring the suppressor was on tight, she folded the bipod and retracted the rear monopod. Checking that the chamber was empty, she pushed the bolt forward and downward before inserting a full magazine. Placing the rifle in a relatively discreet case (it is big enough to hide an anti-material rifle, after all), she closed all the clasps and looked up to meet my eyes in the mirror.

Overwatch
https://i.imgur.com/RNQlimd

"Almost nothing. The Clan hasn't been in NC long, so we haven't had many run-ins with Barghest. We've done a few deals for them, but not too much business pops up. It's mostly Voodoo Boys and Scavs turf. We've been approached a few more times since the Wraiths are gone, but no insight into the lockdown if that's what you're interested in."

Makes sense. I wanted to know more than just about the lockdown, but I also didn't want to expose that I hadn't known about Dog Town's existence until now. I guess I'll just have to do some digging on my own. Or pay Rogue. I could always just pay Rogue.

Right as I was going to let the subject drop, Yumi surprised me by speaking up.

"The Tygers had some dealings with them too. A healthy amount of the Glitter we made was sold to Dog Town dealers. I've been in once, a while back with my... associate."

Right, Yumi used to be a Tyger. I wonder why she paused before saying associate, though. It probably had something to do with her revenge against the Tygers. Regardless, it's not my place to push. It's not like I've given her much reason to open up to me like that. Other than helping her that once, we haven't interacted much afterward. She'll let me know when she's ready.

"Oh yeah? What's it like in there?"

Yumi put down her bino as she crossed her arms and raised a finger to her tilted head to think for a second. She was wearing a tank top, so her folded arms showed off her beautiful tattoos and pushed her cleavage together. A former gang member capable of incredible violence doing something so cute and sexy at the same time was the pinnacle of gap moe. I wouldn't mind seeing more of tha-

"Oww"

A painful pinch on my shoulder broke up my thought process. Turning around, I didn't see anything near me, but I did see Panam, who was giving me the stare-down. Cold sweat trickled down my back as my hair stood on end. Did... Did she know? How could she have known? I was just looking! I swear!

I mentally slapped myself and cleared my head of any naughty thoughts before focusing back on Yumi. And this time, I made sure to keep my eyes above the neckline and only on what she was saying.

"NCPD isn't allowed in, so Barghest is the de facto law enforcement, but it would be a stretch to call what they do policing. They're somehow more corrupt and prone to power-tripping than the actual pigs. It's everyone for themselves, like NC, except no one gives a rat's ass if other people see them for the pieces of shit they are."

"Alright. Enough chit-chat. Time to go."

Panam stopped us before I could ask more questions and told us it was time. Checking the clock, I saw that it was 8:30 at night. The poor maintenance of the area meant that most streetlights weren't working, leaving the area almost entirely engulfed in darkness.

I shut down the van and turned off the radio before opening my door and getting out. Yumi, mirroring my actions, also got out of the car. She had a baseball bat slung over her back and a crusher shotgun in front. Panam popped out of the rear with her weapon case in hand before giving us a nod and slithering further into the pitch-black parking lot. Her job was simple: climb up to the roof of one of the nearby apartment buildings to provide overwatch and deal with any lookouts/patrols that might catch Yumi and me while we were sneaking in.

I used a ping quickhack on one of the goons out front, noting how many enemies popped up and marking the ones outside to keep track of their whereabouts. I counted 14 total, six outside and eight inside. Three of the six outside were near the front entrance, one on the roof, acting as a lookout, and the last two slowly walking around the premises. Interestingly, when I scan any 'Scavs' with my Kiroshi's, they don't return as Scavs. There were no cameras outside because this was supposed to be an abandoned warehouse, but quite a few were inside.

Yumi and I stayed out of the line of sight of the 'goons', making sure to creep around only where the light wouldn't make us out. We sneaked to a part of the wall that we knew had a large chunk missing from long-time disrepair. Ensuring the two on patrol were on the other side of the building, Yumi and I crossed over the wall and approached the fire exit for the second floor and roof.

We needed to get on the fire exit, but the ladder wasn't down. Looking around, I noticed a dumpster about a dozen feet back that could get me to the right height. Walking over, I closed the lid and lept on top. Standing on top of the dumpster brought me to eye level with the bottom-most rungs of the ladder.

I was still more than 12 feet away, which would be a problem if it wasn't for some fun new abilities I got after the update. Taking a few steps back, I got a short running start toward the ladder. Like flexing a muscle, I imagine exerting some force through the air the moment I leaped, and suddenly I felt something propelling me forward.

As I mentioned, I've taken some gigs in the city the last two days to test the new system and see what I wanted to change with my leftover attributes and perk points. After hitting level 40 from 37 after the small gigs I took, I had plenty of points to spare. One of the unique abilities I picked up was Air Dash, which, as the name suggests, allowed me to dash through the air. It wasn't cheap, costing 6 attribute points to get to 15/Phenom level in Reflexes and another three perk points to unlock level 3 of Air Dash to allow me to accomplish feats like flying through the air. If I time it right like I just did, using the ability would look like a chrome-assisted jump instead of something supernatural.

*CLANK*

I managed to catch onto the bottom step of the ladder. I cringed as the metal banged against each other, hoping it wouldn't attract any attention. Looking at my pinged targets, I noticed that the two on patrol had stopped moving. Holding my breath, I waited to see what they would do. I internally cursed when I saw them change course and start heading our way.

Not wasting any time, I lowered the ladder for Yumi, and she climbed up. Once she was with me, I pulled the ladder back up again and ensured nothing seemed out of place. My markers showed that the two making the rounds were getting close, so I signaled to Yumi to follow me and get up as fast as possible.

Once we were at the door to the second floor, I tried to open it just to find it was locked. Letting out a swear under my breath, I pulled Yumi close and ducked into the slight concavity in the wall where the door was as the two on patrol turned the corner.

"Panam, you see the gonks walking toward us from the outside."

"Hold on, give me a sec... Yeah, got 'em."

"They might be on to us. If they spot us, I need you to take out the one of the right. I'll handle the other one."

"Got it."

I slowly drew my silenced revolver from its holster and pointed it at the one closest to the building. The two guards have their guns drawn, scanning the area for anything peculiar. I felt Yumi stick to my side, pressing into me as she tried to make herself as small as possible.

I waited for the guards to look up and spot us, but before that could happen, a gust of wind blew by and pushed over a garbage can. The two snapped their attention to the noise, only to see an empty garbage can roll around. When they saw no threats around, both of the guards relaxed.

"Fuck, I told you it was nothing. Just the wind blowing shit over."

"Yeah, well, better to be safe than sorry. I'll be damned if I'm the one telling Chuck that someone broke in unnoticed because we didn't investigate some sound. Come on, let's go back to check the North area."

As the two left the area, I let out a sigh of relief and lowered my pistol. Poking my head out and checking that we were in the clear, Yumi and I made our way past the second floor and near the roof. The lookout was still pinged, but I knew the timer would run out soon.

The guy was leaning against the roof access, smoking a cigarette, and doing a piss poor job at being a lookout.

"Panam. See the guy on the roof? Need him gone. Do you have a shot?"

"Yup. Just let me know when."

"Whenever. Just make it count."

Not a moment after I gave Panam the go-ahead, I saw the glint of her scope for a split second before a bullet whizzed through the air and smacked the guard right between the eyes. Bits of brain matter and skull chunks splattered against the wall as the guy's body crumpled to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. One of the benefits of having someone like Michiko back you up was that we could get access to fancy equipment, like specialty subsonic bullets for the Grad. At this range, the bullets sounded no louder than a wasp, and no one was the wiser of what just happened.

Yumi and I made our way onto the roof, making a beeline for the access door to the warehouse's interior. Gently testing the handle on the door to see if it was unlocked, I was happy to find that this one wasn't secured like the fire escape exit for the second floor.

"We're heading inside now, Panam. Keep an eye out on the outside and let us know if anything is happening."

"Roge. Stay safe, Basil, and don't do anything stupid."

There was a slight creaking as I pushed the door open. Keeping it slow and steady kept the noise relatively quiet. Peaking through the slit, I noticed that there wasn't anyone on the other side. When the gap was large enough to pass through, I let Yumi in first before following after her. Once on the other side, I gently closed the door before taking in my situation.

The building blueprints Michiko provided us were very in-depth, so I had a good idea of what it would be like inside before getting here. That being said, looking at a two-dimensional picture and being in the real thing was very different. It took me a second to recognize the various features and get my orientation.

After descending the stairs, we found ourselves on a mezzanine-type deal. We were on a catwalk with covered railings that wrapped around the interior and overlooked the inside of the warehouse. In the middle of the catwalk was an office building. The actual warehouse space was more or less empty, mainly comprised of shipping crates and smaller boxes and cases.

Our plan was simple. Step one was to sneak inside. Check. Step two was to find the camera operators and neutralize them. Step three was using the cameras to identify where Violet was being kept before shutting the security system off. The last step was getting to her and delta the fuck out.

Spotting a camera on the other wall, I gave it a quick ping to see what we were dealing with. Only 13 enemies popped up this time, and I marked the eight inside. Two were in the office building next to me, which I assume is the security room. Four were on the ground storage floor, doing various activities. And the final two were in the basement. There were only three cameras. One overlooks the main floor, another pointed at the vehicle bay, and the last is in the basement. First things first, the camera people.

Using my hands, I signaled to Yumi the office and raised two fingers. She seemed to understand what I was trying to convey, and the two of us crept toward the room, careful to stay tucked behind the railing cover so no one could see us. Once at the door, I looked through the window in the door to confirm that there wasn't anyone inside that didn't get pinged.

The room had a bunch of filing cabinets and two desks, one with a computer screen while the other had just a laptop and a bunch of paperwork. There was one guard at each desk. The one at the desk with monitors was leaning back, one hand behind his head while the other was browsing his phone. For a bunch of supposed Militech covert operatives, they are complacent. I wonder if this is a byproduct of stomping on the little guy and not getting a legitimate challenge for so long.

The door was locked behind a digital lock. Scanning it showed that I couldn't hack into it. Since I don't know what the password is or have the biometrics to get past it, it's time to try one of the oldest tricks in the book.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

So I knocked.

A few seconds passed, and nothing happened. Then I heard the sound of a chair being pushed back and footsteps getting louder and louder. I reached behind me into a sheath and pulled out a hand axe. It was a simple tool, a little over a foot in length, one continuous piece from the head to the end of the tang. One side of the head was the standard axe head, while the other was a narrow tapered ice pick-like protrusion.

Fighting Caesar taught me that my close-up fighting style needed a weapon capable of cutting through armor. The broad head of an axe was perfect for chopping in closer confrontations where I can't use my katana or get a good draw with my pistol, while the ice pick end gives me the ability to puncture through even the toughest of subdermal plates.

I heard a few beeps before the *kerchunk* sound as a lock disengaged itself. The door then began sliding open.

"The fuck do you want? How many times do I have to tell you that if you want to talk to the camera room, you have to go throu-"

The guy stopped mid-sentence when he saw Yumi, and I crouched outside. Before he could sound a warning, however, I dashed forward and swung my axe at his neck, gouging out his vocal cords and spraying blood all over the doorway. The man's eyes widened in fear, and his hands reached up in a doomed attempt to keep the blood in.

*GRHHHHK*

Quickly flipping my axe around, I brought it into an overhead grip and slammed the ice pick through the top of his cranium. His eyes instantly rolled into the back of his head, and his corpse froze.

"What the hell is goin-"

The other guard finally noticed something fishy was up and turned around. Credit where credit is due, this guy seemed more diligent and instantly went for his gun lying on the side of his desk. I used my leverage on the first guard to pull him out of the doorway. As soon as the guy was out of the way, I saw a blitz of movement as Yumi ran into the room like a bolt of lightning with a bat in hand.

She was so fast that it almost seemed like after-images were being created. Yumi's build was similar to mine, minus the stealth. From what I knew, she had a Kerenzikov to make herself faster and muscle fiber augmentations to make herself supernaturally strong.

This was part of why I wanted another person with me. Before the update, I could just activate Sandi/Optical camo and quickly remove both guards. But after the update, my Sandevistan's recharge rate was well over a minute, and my optical camo lasted for only four seconds and had a minute cool down as well. Having another person just made taking down multiple targets stealthily much easier.

Yumi pirouettes before taking a small leap, turning mid-air with her bat rotating alongside. The slugger connected right with the guard's head, sending him stumbling forward away from his gun. The man lay on the ground, briefly discombobulated, before trying to get back up. However, it wasn't fast enough as Yumi wasted no time raising her bat and swinging downward like a sedge hammer.

*CRUNCH*

A nasty crunching noise signaled the cracking of the man's skull. The back of the head was slightly caved in with blood leaking out, while the same red liquid could be seen dripping from Yumi's bat. Did I feel somewhat bad for the guards? Yeah, but you don't get to working covert ops for Militech, where you abduct people by being good eggs, so I didn't dwell on it for long.

I looked out the main window to see if anyone had noticed what had occurred. Seeing nothing change from the ordinary, I quickly approached the monitors. The monitors were for the cameras, as suspected, and hunched over to get a better look.

The first one was for the main floor, and I couldn't find anything interesting other than an already-marked enemy seemingly doing inventory on shipping containers. Flipping to the second one, I saw a large entrance for vehicles that was currently closed. There was a small box truck in the bay, and one guy was in the car loading the back while two more were handing them boxes. Not finding anything worthwhile, I flipped to the last camera.

"Bingo."

A small dark cell was on the screen for the camera in the basement. Inside the cell were two people. One was a more petite figure sitting on the floor against a wall, while the other was a large man in a military tank top. The man was standing over the female, saying something.

When the prisoner didn't respond, the man slapped the woman, sending her crashing to the ground. The man then yanked her up by her hair before hitting her again. That had to be Violet, and by the looks of it, she was being interrogated.

Getting the intel we came here for, I shut down the security system before getting off the computer. Looking over at Yumi, I filled her in on the detes.

"Violet's locked up in the basement right now. I counted four guys up top, counting the two we took care of in here, that means there should only be two guards in the basement. The stair down is next to the crates opposite the loading bay. We should be able to sneak past without taking anyone out."

Yumi simply nodded.

"Ok. I'll just follow you and do whatever you tell me."

Nodding at her, we made our way out of the office and back onto the catwalk. Without worrying about the cameras, we could go down the stairs and onto the ground floor much faster. Once there, Yumi and I weaved through all the crates and boxes. When I passed the shipping container with the guy doing inventory, I debated whether I should take him out right now.

Eventually, I decided against it. Sure, he was isolated and an easy target, but I figured it wasn't worth taking the extra risk when we could easily sneak past him. While I didn't kill the guy, I did use another ping on him to refresh my marks that were about to disappear. Ignoring the guard, Yumi and I took only a short time to get to the basement stairs.

Once there, we made the short trek down until we found ourselves at the basement level. The basement was split into two sections, one where there were a bunch of shelves that stored smaller items that didn't need dedicated space upstairs and another further down that served as the jail cells.

While I could still hear one goon interrogating Violet, the Ping marks informed me that the other guarded the entrance from the storage area to the second room. He was positioned so that he would see anyone who walked down the stairs, making it difficult for someone to try to sneak by. Time to use another cool new trick I learned.

Letting Yumi know to stay here, I crouched before sprinting down the stairs and into the hallway. I dashed right into the guard's sight line and the shelves. Instead of being spotted, all the guard saw was a slight blur in the background before everything went back to normal.

The reason why the guard couldn't spot me was because of a little perk called vanishing act. The perk automatically activated my optical camo when I am crouch sprinting. It still used optical camo charge, but it could be deactivated by simply no longer crouch sprinting. That little maneuver I did only used up around a quarter of my full optical camo charge, which meant I only needed to wait 15 seconds to recharge instead of the full minute. I could also activate the optical camo by sprinting while crouched instead of waiting for it to refill.

It was a handy perk for sneaking around, but it cost most of my remaining perk and attribute points. First, I had to spend six attribute points to get to Phenom in Cool, then three perk points to unlock Ninjutsu level 3 to be able to sprint while crouched, followed by another two to get Creeping Feath and Vanishing Act. I also spent another point picking up Serpentine, which gave me another +30% mitigation while crouch sprinting, making it harder to spot me. Still, it was worth it.

Snaking around the shelves out of sight of the guard, I stopped when I was right around the corner from the man.

If the camera were still working, all the operator would have seen was the guard's head snap back, and an axe appears out of nowhere in the guy's forehead. He would then fall forward before getting dragged into the shelves by an invisible force. His feet poking out into the hallway would jerk a few times before his body lost strength and went limp. It would have been a clear indication of foul play, but we've already taken care of that aspect.

"You can come over, Yumi."

Using our secured comms, I called out to Yumi. Stepping over the corpse and into the open, my partner in crime soon joined me, and we ventured further into the underground level.

Pushing past the plastic dividers, we were in a pretty bare environment. One side was a standard dreary concrete room. The other side, separated by more semi-transparent plastic dividers, was filled with tiles that once were white but were now beginning to decompose and yellow.

I could see the silhouette of the people inside. The Militech muscle was still beating Violet. Not wasting any time, I pushed past the dividers and walked into the detention area. Hearing the footsteps, the goon started turning around, berating who he thought was one of his underlings.

"I thought I made it clear that I was NOT to be disturbed."

"Sorry, but change of plans."

My revolver was already pointed at the man's head, leaving him only enough time to open his mouth before I blasted a new hole in his face. I've been reluctant to use my revolver so far because even the quietest gunshot was still louder than the cold steel of an axe. But since we were in the basement and separated by several layers of plastic, I went with the quickest approach.

Pushing the body to one side, I crouched beside our target and checked her condition. There were cuts and bruises all over Violet's body. One of her eyes was almost swollen shut, while one of the cat ears had a good chunk of the tip cut off.

"Violet. You in there. We're here to get you out. Can you walk by yourself?"

"I- I've already tol- told you. I don't know what you're talking about. I just thought I might be able to klep something I can sell on th- on the market."

"Damn. They must have done a number on her. Yumi, can you hand me that irritant?"

I reached out with my hands, and Yumi plopped a small cylinder into it. Michiko was worried that this might happen, so she gave us something that, and I quote, 'will make a dead horse when the Grand National'.

Twisting the cap off the cylinder, I pushed the small package under Violet's nose and watched as she jolted and sat up ramrod straight. The pupil in her good eye dilated almost twice its size, and her ears started turning back and forth like an animal trying to track something by sound. Her eyes darted around, taking in her environment. She looked over herself, then at the dead body on the ground, and finally at me and Yumi.

"You're not with Militech."

"No. Michiko sent us to dig you out of this shit hole. Told us to show you this."

I reached into my pocket before fishing out a small ornate lapel pin. It was the picture of the Danger Gal logo.

Danger Gal Logo
https://i.imgur.com/pqaCSb9

When Violet touched it, the color changed from shades of purple and pink to red and orange. The word 'Danger' also was replaced by the form of a stalking puma.

"Fuck. Getting saved by hired help. This is embarrassing."

The pin seemed enough to confirm our identities, and Violet tried to get up. When I saw that she was having trouble, I offered her my hand, which she took. Pulling her up to her feet, Violet stumbled around a bit when I let her go. When I approached to ensure she didn't fall, she waved me off and stabilized herself by leaning against the wall, a hand on her head as she nursed what was probably a killer headache.

"What's the sitrep."

"Five tangos outside and four inside. We were overlooked coming in, and if we're quick, we should be able to stay unnoticed going out. You good to move on your own two legs?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I can manage. Not in any shape to fight, though, so if shit hits the fan, you two are doing all the heavy lifting."

"No problem. Let's go."

The three of us left the cell, Me taking point while Yumi helped Violet behind me. I was optimistically allowing myself to feel good about the situation. We were 90% of the way there. No one noticed us coming in, all the cameras were shut down, and all that was separating us from a job well was walking out of the damn place. But of course, the second I began thinking I was in the clear was when that flag was raised from potential fuck up to immediate fuck up.

"Sir. We finished packing the truck and I'm done inventorying everything we're not moving immediately. Everything is good to go including the Cent-"

Literally, right as we turned the corner from the detention area to the storage area we came face to face with a Militech goon. We stared at each other for a split second before the goon picked up his radio, and Yumi surged forward with her bat drawn.

"Intruders in the basement! I REPEAT. INTRUDERS IN TH- Oooof."

Yumi's bat connected square in the side of the gonk head, instantly knocking the fucker out. Sadly, while Yumi's reaction was fast, it wasn't fast enough. Chatter immediately came from the fallen guard's radio.

"Area has been breached! Everyone enter protocol epsilon. Send an alert to the QRF."

God. Fucking. Damnit.

Chapter Text

"Basil! What the hell is going on? The guys outside are freaking out right now!"

Panam came over our voice comms, confirming that the enemies were on alert. Cursing under my breath, I pulled a small black box with several antennas out of my jacket pockets and turned on the device.

"We got made, Panam. I'm turning on the jammer so that comms will be cut for a few minutes. Can you take care of the ones outside and bring the van to the front entrance?"

"Fuck. Ok, yeah. Working on it right now."

Flipping a switch on the side to the uppermost position, a green light labeled 'Jamming' flashed a few times before turning solid. I stuck the jammer back into my pocket before turning to the two beside me.

"That should buy us some time. Panam should be able to take care of the ones outside. That leaves only three inside. Violet, stay hidden. Yumi, we gotta handle the situation as fast as possible."

"Of course, Basil."

"Don't have to tell me to stay out of the way twice."

Revolver in hand, we made our way up the stairs and onto the main floor. The second we were out of the stairway, a storm of bullets struck near our location. One of the two goons sent to secure the basement noticed us. When he saw our trio, he didn't hesitate and immediately opened fire with the M2067 LMG he was lugging around. I watched as the tracers got closer and closer as the Militech soldier started using the bullet impacts to walk the fire into us.

Yumi dove out of the way while I grabbed Violet and threw her into the cover of some shipping containers before jumping after her. Just in time as well as I watched bullets create sparks and holes in the corner of the container we were hiding behind. It's going to be a problem when the machine gunner pushes closer, but our cover will hold for now.

Turning around, I pulled Violet up into a seating position. I probably shouldn't toss around someone in Violet's condition. Still, it's not like I had a lot of choices given the situation.

"Why'd the fuck you throw me!?"

Violet yelled while grimacing from pain or anger. Probably both, actually.

"Because the alternative was getting turned into Swiss cheese. You wanna take your chance with that?"

I asked while pointing behind me with my thumb. Violet acquiesced.

"Point taken. Any game plan for how you're gonna deal with the guy?"

Other than shooting our way out? No. But before I could say anything, the other goon of the two sent to find us charged down between the crates and the shipping container. Thankfully, Yumi, ever diligent, already had her DB-2 Testera raised. She fired both barrels, sending red-hot lead into the guy's gut from point-blank range.

DB-2 Testera
https://i.imgur.com/yMhC3Xs

The guy literally flew back like in a comic book. His back slammed into one of the crates before bouncing back and falling face-first into the concrete floor, where his body stayed motionless, dead. Yumi flipped open her double-barrel shotgun, and the two shells ejected out with a smoke trail following behind.

*RATATATATATATATATATA*

"HAHAHAHAHAAA!!! Hiding like a fucking pussy!? I'm going to destroy you!"

You know what? Fuck you. It's time someone put you in your place.

"Stay here. I'll take care of this guy."

Putting my revolver away, I drew my katana before waiting for a lull in gunfire to dash out of cover into the path the machine gunner was in. The guy was big, well over six feet tall, and built more like an animal than the average Militech soldier. The man broke into a maniacal grin when he saw me standing before him with my blade drawn.

"I don't know who the hell you're working for, but they definitely didn't pay you enough."

I just kept my katana up, not responding to his taunt. Seeing me unmoving, the man sneered before pointing his LMG at me and opening fire.

I can't explain what happened next, but my body moved instinctively, and my arms shifted into the correct position to intercept the speeding bullet. The perk Lead and Steel 2 didn't slow down time. What it did do was allow me to process all the information instantly, and my body could immediately interpret it and put itself into action.

I could see the machine gunner's eyes open in shock as I blocked the first few bullets, but that look was quickly replaced by determination, and he continued his suppressive fire. Blocking bullets was tiring; eventually, I would have run out of stamina. This would be a problem if I didn't pick the Bullet Deflect perk.

Now I'm pretty sure reflecting bullets like power weapons is physically impossible, so I'm only able to do this because of my bullshit abilities. But hey, I'll abuse whatever I want. One of the reflected rounds bounced off the ground like you could with power weapons in the game and ricocheted into the machine gunner's arm.

The guy almost tumbled over, not expecting someone only wielding a katana to have somehow hit him with a bullet. When he stopped firing his gun, I took the chance and raised my katana, handle near my head, and the tip pointed at the enemy. I crossed the distance in a split second with the activation of Flash and Thunderclap. Thrusting forward with all my might, my blade pierced the man's just and skewered him.

The man looked down at his chest only to see blood gushing out from around my katana. He tried to reach up with his hands, but his body was losing strength at an astronomical rate. His eyes rolled back into his skull soon after, and I felt the weight on my blade increase as the body no longer supported itself. Raising my leg, I kicked the guy off my katana and let his body fall to the ground.

Having dealt with our primary threat, I stowed my blade away and turned around to rush to where Yumi was still guarding Violet.

"Come on. We gotta get out of here."

Putting Violet's arm around my neck, I lifted her up, and we began moving toward the main entrance near the vehicle bay.

"Shouldn't *cough* there be one more guy inside?"

Violet was right. My Ping was no longer active, but the guy hasn't attacked us or even shown up. If he's just letting us leave, who am I to stare a gift horse in the mouth?

"Fuck him. Our focus is on getting you the hell out of here. Let's delta before the jammer runs out."

We quickly walked past the storage section of the floor and approached the entrance. Our exit was on the wall closest to the street with the vehicle entrance. When we approached the box truck parked in the vehicle bay, I heard a strange whirling noise. Before I could figure out what was causing it, the truck's driving compartment exploded, the force tossing all three of us off our feet.

"Oof!"

I was flung several feet, and my back collided against one of the steel bars holding the catwalk up top. My ears rang, and my mind was muddy from the unexpected detonation. It took me several seconds to grasp myself and push my body off the ground.

Looking around, I saw the truck's front end turned into a smoldering mess of tangled and melt metal. Yumi was thrown to the other side of the room and was in a similar state, struggling to get back on her feet. Violet was next to me, lying on her side, not moving. Crawling over to her, I flipped her onto her back and checked to see if she was hurt from the blast.

I sighed in relief when I found she was still breathing and nothing serious had happened. Other than the marks she already had from being interrogated, there were just a few more scratches. As I finished inspecting Violet, I heard what could only be described as giant footsteps.

*STOMP* *STOMP* *STOMP*

From the burning wreck of the box truck, a man walked out of the hole that was now there, connecting the cargo area to what was once the driver's cabin. Now if it was just some asshole that was just a little too trigger-happy with high explosives, I wouldn't have been too worried. Don't get me wrong, grenades and bombs are dangerous, but it's still a guy at the end of the day, and I can kill those fast. But instead of Junkrat from Overwatch, what walked out from the burning debris was more like the power loader from Aliens... With a giant fucking gun.

Militech Centaur
https://i.imgur.com/TXKL1Yg
https://i.imgur.com/nzHgVWV

The last Militech soldier was slotted into a Militech Centaur exosuit and was now easily over seven feet tall. The contraption had two massive digitigrade legs ending in reinforced steel hooves that looked like they could squash a man's head like a watermelon. On the other hand, the torso was relatively lightly armored, with most of the focus being on massive servos and supports that propped up an enormous gun and ballistic shield.

The gun had several copper wires as thick as a wrist running from the back and into it. The barrel was oddly shaped, rectangular instead of circular, and either side was flanked with what looked like heat sinks. Suddenly, the whirling noise started again, and the front of the barrel began shining orange. First, it was a dim glow, growing brighter and brighter until it became a blinding red.

I followed where the gun was pointed and saw that the Centaur was targeting Yumi, who was still trying to get up.

"Yumi! Get away!"

She looked at me and then at the Centaur. Noticing its charging gun just in time, Yumi dove out of the way just as a charged heat wave shot from the barrel. The rectangle of concentrated energy hit where Yumi once was, the bolt of light causing a small explosion.

Yumi turned her dive into a combat role, the adrenaline no doubt pumping full force after barely dodging death. Crouching for her roll, Yumi swung her shotgun around and immediately blasted both barrels off at the Centaur. As fast as Yumi was, the technologically enhanced Centaur was faster and brought up its shield to block the shots.

"Go get Violet somewhere safe! I'll take this guy on!"

This was the kind of emergency that I saved my Sandi for. I activated it and unsheathed my katana before the Centaur could get off another shot. Dashing forward, I tried to make the most of the nerfed Sanevistan's 8-second time dilation by cutting at any exposed wires I could see.

Unfortunately, it was difficult to avoid the mass of metal protecting the weak spots, especially with a moving, albeit slowly, target. When the Sandi ran out, I had only sliced apart one of the thick gauge wires connecting the gun and some wires powering the servos in the shield appendage. I also caught a face full of metal when time was no longer slowed down for me.

I was too close, and the man in the Centaur was too slow to shoot me, so he decided to spin his gun around and smack me with its broadside. My logic of staying close to distract the Centaur worked, but it also made me an easy target. It was actually pretty smart of the Centaur to recognize it needed a broad attack to catch me.

I was sent flying from the melee bash, finally coming to a stop when my back slammed into a wooden crate, and the air got knocked out of my lungs. This is the second time I got thrown through the air, and I'm not going to lie, I'm not a huge fan.

*vvvvvrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRR*

The whirling noise started again as I was getting myself back up. Looking at the Centaur, I saw he was charging up another shot, except this time, I could see a heat mirage radiating off the heat sinks on the gun and from the entire suit. The weapon was also distinctly not aimed at me.

When the Militech Centaur fired his heat rifle, this time, a solid red beam shot out like Cyclops' energy beam. The beam sliced toward me, melting apart steel and setting wood on fire. I jumped up just in time for the beam to pass under me, the concentrated energy so close to me I felt the hair on my skin singe slightly.

Whatever I cut on the Centaur was important because sparks started flying off the exoskeleton. It apparently wasn't enough to stop it from shooting, however, as it pointed at me and, this time, shot a three-round burst of the standard heat projectiles. I activated my dash ability and dodged the attacks, only to watch the heat waves hit some red barrels, causing them to explode and for me to go soaring for the THIRD FUCKING TIME.

As I lay there on the cold concrete floor, wondering how I got here and what cruel god decided this was a good idea, I heard the ominous sound of the Centaur on the move.

*STOMP* *STOMP* *STOMP*

"Awwwww shit. *Cough*"

I flipped myself over to see the Centaur stalking toward me. Blood was thumping in my ears, my bones ached, and my body was sore from the fighting. At least I had the solace of knowing the Centaur was seriously messed up, too. I might not have done a lot of damage, but whatever damage I did, it really screwed up the system because the Centaur was now clearly overheating. Heat mirage has now progressed to steam. Whatever hydraulics fluid inside evaporating and flowing out of any small leaks and gaps.

As the Centaur continued walking at me, I forced myself to sit up before taking out my revolver, aiming it, and shooting. Five silenced shots rang out, all blocked by the Centaur's ballistic shield.

*Click* *Click* *Click*

I looked at my revolver, eyebrows quirked. Empty already? That was only five... Ohhhhh, that's right. I fired my first shot to kill that guy tormenting Violet.

The Militech goon noticed my predicament and let his shield down, showing me his face with a grin. It pissed me off to no end seeing someone look down on me, both physically and metaphorically. It hurt my pride, and my ego wouldn't let me take it sitting down.

Maybe I could use my Sandevistan again? Nope, only recharged halfway. I guess I could toss all the charges of my grenades and get into a better position with Optical Camo. It wasn't ideal, especially given my condition, but it was the best I could come up with for now.

Seeing me take out a MaxDoc and stab myself with it, the Centaur raised its gun once again to try to finish me off before I could fully recoup.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

However, before I could enact my plan, a baseball bat flew out of nowhere and hit the Militech soldier in the side of his head. I watched in shock as Yumi charged at the Centaur before leaping into the air and grabbing onto the machine's back. The petite Asian woman grasped onto the operator's hair and began punching and clawing at the head. The Centaur caught off guard, started panicking, turning in place and trashing around, trying to fling its assailant off.

"Yumi! Pull the heat dissipation channel on the back!"

Looking at who was talking to Yumi, I saw a barely standing Violet leaning against a forklift. Yumi, like me, had no idea what Violet was talking about and looked at her confused.

I swear I could see Violet hold back an eye roll. She probably only managed it because the situation was so severe.

"The black tube up top connecting the battery to the cylinder thing! PULL IT OUT!"

Yumi focused back on the Centaur and was able to quickly find what Violet was trying to point out. With her right hand on the operator's head, she used her left one to yank on something. It didn't take long for her to be successful, and I watched as she held a black piece of tubing up in the air before the Centaur could finally throw Yumi off.

*PSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

The steam that was just leaking from certain spots now wholly engulfed the exoskeleton. The man shrieked as scalding water covered his face. Soon, that screaming was overcome by the sound of an explosion as something that the removed hose was connected to overheated and imploded.

When the fireball died down, I watched as the man and machine hybrid crumpled. Chunks of hardware were missing, with the rear and left side covered in black ash, some parts still having a faint orange glow from hot embers.

The MaxDoc had gotten me back in good enough shape to get back up, albeit slowly and painfully. I found and picked up my katana before walking over to Yumi and offering her my hand. She grabbed onto it, and I yanked her up. While standing, we approached Violet, who was still leaning against the forklift.

If it wasn't for her, we might not have been able to identify where precisely the weak point of the Centaur was.

"All your extractions go FUBAR like this?"

Hmph. Spunky. Despite being clearly just as tired and beat up as the rest of us, there was still a spark in her eyes that I respected.

"You always get captured when gathering intel?"

She smirked at my jab.

"Touche."

"Come on. Let's get outta thi-"

"AAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHH!!!"

We all looked behind us to see the unbelievable scene of the Centaur charging its weapon and struggling to turn toward us.

"Fucking Christ. Why won't this gonk just die already."

Violet said what was on everyone's mind as we all tensed up for the fight to continue. However, before we could get back into it, a silenced shot rang out, the initially quiet sound getting louder as it reverberated within the warehouse walls.

The Centaur operator's head snaps to one side, and the gun drops. The charged shot then discharged directly into the ground, causing an explosion at the feet of the exoskeleton. The barrel of the gun and the left feet of the Centaur blow up, and the monster finally dies and keels over.

Looking over at the source of the gunshot, I saw Panam crouching in the entrance, sniper rifle in hand, smoke coming out of the barrel. She lowered her gun and stood up, propping the door open and making an ushering motion.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Let's go!"

Violet pushed past me and Yumi, shambling toward the exit.

"Don't have to tell me twice."

Chapter Text

For the sake of clarity, everything spoken in Japanese but translated to English by Basil's translator will be italicized.

"I'll keep it short and sweet, Robert. I won't be able to supply you at a competitive price anymore."

I was on the call with Wilson, telling him I couldn't deliver more ammo. To make some easy cash when I first came to this world, I sold him and several other gun store owners bulk ammo I crafted from literal garbage. This has been my primary source of income after coming to this world, but the recent update removed the auto scrap skill and nerfed the Sandevistan, making the venture no longer profitable.

"Aww fuck, you're really putting me in a tough spot, Basil."

I had already told every other dealer, and Wilson was the last vendor I had to call to shut everything down. He was the first person I started selling to because I knew his business was in the dumps. Of course, the situation is different now, in no small part due to the dirt-cheap ammunition I've provided.

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter, Wilson. If you wanted me to feel bad, you shouldn't told me you parleyed the profits from selling my ammo into better deals with Budget and Rostovic. I know you're going to be just fine without me."

"Damn, out of everything, it's small talk that's biting me in the ass. Well, you can't blame a man for trying. So I guess you're out of the biz?"

"Yup. Focusing on other things that'll take up all my time."

"Fair enough. If you're ever back in the game, let me know. And drop by the shop if you ever have the time. Range time and gun cleaning on the house."

"Thanks, Wilson. And will do."

I hung up the call and focused my attention back on the road.

Orbital Air welcomes you to Night City Internation and Translunar. Thank you for using our services. We wish you a pleasant journey.

As I hung up the call, I passed the bridge gate leading to NCX and got a text message from Orbital Air welcoming me to the area. As we drove further down the road, the concrete walls disappeared, and I was left with a fantastic view of the ocean on both sides and a clear sky above.

NCX Bridge Entrance Gate
https://i.imgur.com/54Xn8Ue

Rapidly approaching ahead was the spaceport itself, tall walls forming a hexagon that held the terminals for flights. Two large digital banners advertising space travel flanked on either side of the entrance, while a massive rocket could be seen in the background. Yet another thing that I don't remember experiencing in my playthroughs.

Counting Dogtown, this would be the second time I was introduced to a new part of Night City. I vaguely recall Orbital Air and a functioning spaceport being mentioned, but I never actually noticed said spaceport. It was almost like it popped up overnight.

Then again, it's not like V's focus in the game was traveling the world. Everything and everyone he might have needed to fix his problem was already in Night City, so there simply was no reason for them to look into long-distance travel. Logically speaking, a city as big as Night City had to have its dedicated traveling hub. I guess the point is that there's far more to see about Night City than a playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 could ever show.

It was two days after our successful rescue of Violet Riggs from a secret Militech outpost disguised as an abandoned warehouse in Pacifica. Things got a bit messy toward the end, but we left before Militech could wise up to the situation, and the op was an overall success. After delivering the detective to a safe house, Michiko informed us that while she preferred less fanfare, it was still a job well done and that she would uphold her part of the deal.

Panam was the one who drove me to the terminal. She and the Aldecaldos finalized the deal with the Thelas Nation she mentioned a while back. If this deal went well, it could be huge for their clan. Knowing that, Saul decided Panam should go with them to keep an eye on things while he held the fort.

The Surveyor will fly the guns I've been supplying South to the uninhabited area near Santa Barbara before refueling and crossing the water to the Channel Islands. They'll meet with the most prominent clan in the Thelas Nation, the SeaSnakes, at the islands and hand over the goods. If all goes well, this should start a very lucrative business for Panam and her family.

Of course, all this means that Panam won't be able to accompany me on this trip. I'm a little bit bummed out, but I also understood that she had her own life and that the Bright clan was at a pivotal point. It'd be unreasonable of me to expect her to throw aside her responsibilities as co-leader so she could run off with her paramour for a vacation in a foreign land.

With that in mind, I was fully prepared to go on this upcoming flight myself. The last thing I expected was for Panam herself to recommend someone to go in her place. And even more surprising was that the person she wanted with me on this trip was Yumi.

I still remember when Panam had brought it up as an option. Bringing Yumi wasn't even something remotely close to consideration. Simply put, she had no dog in the race, so I couldn't be sure she would have the same buy-in as everyone else. I also couldn't believe that Panam, with her poorly hidden distaste for Yumi, was the one to offer it in the first place.

After rescuing Violet, Yumi, Panam, and I took some well-needed rest at my place. But right before Panam had to leave to go back to the Aldecaldos, she pulled Yumi aside and had a 'girl talk' that I wasn't allowed to participate in. Whatever talk occurred seemed to mend the relationship between the two a great deal, and Panam left much less hostile to Yumi.

She started her argument by calling me an idiot and saying that I'd get myself killed if someone wasn't watching my back, which I felt was a tiny bit unfair. Sure, I've had a few close calls, but it's just a part of the job at this point. I was under no disillusion at the dangers involved with what I wanted to do. Implementing a coup was no easy feat, and some risks were expected. However, I couldn't disagree that having more people I could trust watch my back was always a plus.

And that led to Panam's other point. Japan was a completely new environment for V and me. While Takemura would be fine, Panam's nomad blood told her that the corpo couldn't be trusted. While Yumi has never been to Japan, she has grown up around the culture and speaks the language. Whatever happened when Panam and Yumi had their private conversation was enough to convince Panam that Yumi could be trusted to represent my best interest in Japan.

While I wasn't as suspicious of our Araska allies, I did see Panam's point and the value in having another person who could help navigate Japanese society. But even if I agreed, it wouldn't matter if Yumi didn't want to go with me. And here, the Japanese woman surprised me again.

When I made the offer, Yumi threw herself at the opportunity, not unlike when I asked her for help with rescuing Violet. Again, the willingness was a bit alarming, but there was a level of trust there now that she and I had fought side by side.

We quickly approached the second gate leading to the spaceport's interior and terminal entrances. We drove past a gap in the wall with two large digital banners on either side, advertising Orbital Air and space travel. Once inside the spaceport proper, we found ourselves on a circular road with an artificial garden in the center.

Bridge View
https://i.imgur.com/QA2y8NV

Spaceport Center
https://i.imgur.com/JHaTAP8

Panam turned right and took us into the underground parking lot, following the arrows for the Terminal C section. She expertly wedged her beast in an open spot before the three of us got out. Terminal C was for luxury and VIP flights, so Panam's borderline monster truck stuck out like a sore thumb in the mass of deluxe sedans, sports cars, and limos.

Walking around to the back of the truck, I opened the gate before pulling my and Yumi's suitcases out. Guns and gear would never make it past security, so the cases were packed with just clothes and daily essentials. It was weird acting like a civilian for once after a lifestyle of vigilantism and mercenary work. Yumi and I were even dressed in nice suits courtesy of Michiko to fit in with our surroundings.

"Come on, I'll take you two to security."

Panam walks over to me before wrapping her arm around mine and leading me toward the entrance to the terminal proper. As we walked through the sliding doors, my curiosity finally got better. When Yumi was a few steps behind Panam and me, and I was sure she couldn't hear us, I leaned down to ask Panam about Yumi.

"What's up with you and Yumi?"

Panam smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I mean, yeah? That's why I asked after all."

Panam looked at me, not saying a word, clearly thinking how much she wanted to divulge. When she did decide, I was a bit disappointed with the vagueness of it all.

"Long story short, we cleared up some things and are seeing eye to eye now. From what I heard, she put herself at risk to protect you, and I figured she deserved some leniency for that. And no more questions from you about this. We girls have to have our secrets."

I instinctively wanted to push her for more information but let it go. I could feel there was more to the situation, but Panam didn't want to tell me the specifics. There was no point in getting on Panam's bad side just because I wished to dig deeper into a situation that didn't seem to be a problem. If anything, the two finally getting along was good news.

Most of my NCPD contracts were in Little China, Kabuki, and Japantown since those districts were closest to where I lived. Because of that, when I showed up, it was almost always the Tygers causing a ruckus. Extortion, assault, robbery, rape, murder, drugs, you name it, they did it. I know that all the other gangs did similar things, but primarily seeing the Tygers do it has led to some negative associations for me.

That's why my conviction to help Yumi with whatever beef she had with the Tygers grew stronger over time. Sure, Yumi used to be one of them, but she's turned a new leaf and is trying her hand at being legit. Most of her free time is spent working for Misty, covering for the esoteric vendor's lack of physical strength.

I say most of it because Yumi does disappear every now and then. Misty doesn't know what she's up to, but a hunch tells me she's doing vigilante work. Presumably completely off the books, unlike my contract work, but it's still a good deed. Hell, doing it for free is probably more admirable.

The point is that I feel a strange responsibility for her and think that she deserves assistance. The problem was that Panam didn't like Yumi, and I didn't want to knowingly do something she was uncomfortable with. If push came to shove, I would just do what I felt was right. I know Panam might have been a bit miffed, but she would have understood.

Thankfully, it never came to that since Yumi always said that 'it wasn't the right time' whenever I asked her if she needed any help with the Tygers. Of course, now I don't have to worry about it since the two seem on good terms.

As Panam and I continued our small talk, trying to enjoy our little time together before the flight, we eventually found ourselves at the security gates. The area was unlike any terminal I'd seen before, completely covered in white marble with fancy artwork on display. The lines were short, and the crowds expected from a busy airport were missing. Quiet, clean, almost clinical.

And that would make sense since Terminal C was dedicated to luxury and privately chartered flights. Apparently, when Takemura and V left for Tokyo, it was through the public terminal where there were mountains of people. That's the difference between someone like Michiko only cautiously supporting you and putting her full weight behind backing someone.

Panam and I's conversation naturally tapered off before stopping as we walked to the security gates. Setting my luggage next to me, Panam and I shared a quick hug.

"Let me know when you get there, ok?"

"Of course. And you keep me updated on how things go with the Thelas."

"Will do. Make sure you don't crap your own pants on your first space flight. We'd have to stop seeing each other if you embarrass yourself like that."

I smirked at her joke. We shared a quick kiss before separating and waving our goodbyes. As Yumi and I walked through the scanners, we got checked into the spaceport. As much as it was a joke, I was slightly antsy about my first time going into space. Traveling to low earth orbit was only something billionaires and astronauts did in my former life.

Eventually, I was able to calm myself down. Space travel is more or less a daily occurrence at this point, right. There's no way it could be this world's air travel if the experience was too rough. Right?

Wrong.

Thirty minutes or so later, I found myself with my head firmly forced against the headrest of my seat from the raw g-force of a rocket launch. My fingers gripped the armrests, knuckles turning white as I clenched my teeth and tried to power through the initial phase of the flight. As much as it was a joke, I was beginning to hope I used the toilet ahead of time.

My surroundings were constantly shaking from the vibrations of the spaceship rocketing through the atmosphere. Eventually, the surroundings stabilized, and the insane g-force locking me back became a gentle push backward. The walls around us suddenly changed colors, revealing themselves as a CrystalDome-like material that allowed sight outside.

Once the rocket was in orbit, it righted itself before two wing-like protrusions extended, turning it into a proper spaceship.

Rocket
https://i.imgur.com/0qIAeLt

Wings Unfolded
https://i.imgur.com/gAqxAaJ

I looked outside in wonder, admiring the pitch-black space contrasted by the twinkling stars and the big blue marble below. It made me feel... small. Despite feeling so insignificant, it was also strangely peaceful.

As the ship cruised through the vacuum of space, I let myself relax and just enjoy the process. There was no doubt in my mind that the reentry process would be just as rough, but that didn't mean I couldn't live in the moment.

Timeskip a week.

"Don't you know who I work for? If you hurt me, the Steel Dragons will come for you!"

A yakuza type with a bloodied face scooched back while holding a hand up, trying to get me to stop. My automatic translation feature does its job, turning his hurried sputterings into English.

"Yeah, that's kinda the point, dumbass."

I stepped over one of the man's associates, who was knocked out cold and lying face-first on the ground. There were two others like them, both battered and unconscious. It's been a week since we got to Japan, and there's yet to be progress on getting intel on the higher echelons of the Steel Dragons, the gang Yorinobu formed in his Bosozuko days.

Michiko's Danger Gals have previously taken some contracts for wealthy clients in Japan. Still, her presence in Tokyo is noticeably less than in the States and Europe. To make up for that, Me, Yumi, and V have been pounding the pavement, picking fights with the gang. Meanwhile, Takemura tried the more peaceful approach and was doing old-fashioned snooping.

Takemura would find rackets that were happening, and the rest of us would step in. We'd stop robberies, break up gang meetings, take on gigs against the Steel Dragons from local fixers, anything to ruffle their feathers. Our logic was that the leaders might get spooked if we made enough of a ruckus and made some kind of mistake we could capitalize on. We were banking on someone hiding and doubling the security in their compound, ironically making them a more obvious target for us. Or better yet, a meeting being called where we can bag all the big fish in one go.

We've worked our way up to some mid-level members with this strategy, but nothing more. Because of that, the four of us continued our miniature rampage through the gang-controlled streets of Tokyo. This group was harassing a poor street vendor when Yumi and I came across them randomly while out getting lunch. It didn't take long for the two of us to beat down the thugs, so while Yumi tended to the old man running the cart, I decided to see if I could get anything useful from the last man standing.

When I got within range of the Steel Dragon gang member, I swatted his hand away before lifting him up by his collar. Before he could spew any more crap I didn't care about, I gave a quick jab into the man's kidney. Of course, a quick jab with Gorilla Arms is more akin to a professional boxer's hook. The man reeled from the hit, a hand immediately hovering over his abdomen as if that would help the pain.

"Alright, here's how this is gonna go down. You're going to tell me your name, who your boss is, and where I can find him. Then I'm going to break a few ribs and leave you alone. If you don't, I'll break more than some ribs, get the idea?"

The guy looked hesitant momentarily, clearly debating whether or not it was worth spilling his guts to me. Surprisingly, he decided that keeping his mouth shut was the intelligent thing to do.

"Fuzakeru Na"

I could see the resolve in his eyes as he spit on my shoes before saying that line. Didn't need the translation software to understand the message he wanted to get across.

Honestly? I respected it. Whether it was out of loyalty or fear, knowing that a worse fate awaited him if he snitched, there was honor in keeping quiet. But my slight appreciation was overshadowed by the irritation I felt from the apparent disrespect.

"Your funeral."

I simply shrugged before winding my arm back and punching the man's ribs. I put more force in this time, and I felt the bones give a little before snapping under the force. That knocked the wind out of the guy, and he started coughing up a storm. Not wanting his spittle to get on me, I dropped the guy and let him keel over.

When he was done coughing and gathering his breath, I returned and picked him up again. He groaned as I slammed his back into the wall, his body clearly not enjoying the rough treatment.

"There's a lot of bones in the human body, and I got nothing but free time. I'll ask again: what's your name, who's your boss, and where can I find him?"

This time, there was less conviction in the thug's eyes, now replaced by fear. But he stayed quiet.

"Basil! I got something!"

Yumi called me from behind as I got ready to break another few ribs. I stopped my punch halfway and turned toward her. When our eyes met, her eyes turned blue, and I got a notification that she wanted to send me some documents.

After accepting the transfer, I was shown a picture of a man with a collection of emails. From a glance, I got that the man was an executive, which was pretty high up in the organization. What was more interesting was that Yorinobu's name was highlighted in some emails.

"One of the girls from that club we bust-"

"Hold on."

We've been pretty brazen, but this could be a breakthrough, and I didn't want anyone else to hear about it. I turned back to the man I had pinned against the wall and punched the other side of his abdomen. I broke another set of ribs before giving the thug a right hook in the temple. That shut the lights off, and the man crumpled over onto the ground.

"Sorry, keep going."

"Right. One of the hostesses from that club we banged up just sent me that. She says he's getting antsy from all the noise on the streets and will hole up in the bar she works at for the next few weeks."

Bingo. That's just what we needed.

"Ok. Let's get back and get a plan going."

As I left the alley and got to where Yumi was, she said some words to the man running the food cart. Yumi's eyes glowed blue momentarily before she got up to leave with me. She was probably giving him some money to cover for the damage the Steel Dragons caused. What a good egg.

The decision to bring Yumi along ended up being incredibly helpful. While my translation program did a great job allowing me to understand what was being said, most people didn't have similar software, which meant I couldn't communicate back because I didn't speak Japanese.

The man called out to us before the two of us could disappear into the crowd.

"Chottomattekudasai!"

Turning around, I watched as the guy stuffed some things into a box before grabbing a bottle from his cart and putting it in a bag. Once he finished filling it to the brim, he hurried over and offered the bag to me. It was filled with takoyaki, some skewers, a pastry shaped like a fish, and a bottle of some kind of drink.

The food was probably worth less than what Yumi donated, but the gesture was from the heart, and I felt like that made it worth it. And the fact that the food looked amazing and I still haven't had my lunch yet totally didn't skew my perception. I accepted the bag, and we thanked him for the meal before leaving the area.

I shared a box of takoyaki with Yumi, and we munched on our meal while navigating the busy Tokyo streets.

"It feels good helping people," Yumi said between bites of takoyaki, "especially protecting them from people like the Steel Dragons."

I couldn't help but agree.

"It sure does. Does that mean you'll finally let me help you go after the Tygers once we get back to NC?"

Yumi's eyes unfocused for a bit when I asked her that question. Something heavy was clearly on her mind.

"Hmmm. Maybe."

Worried that I might have just ruined her mood, I tried to keep the topic light while we ate and returned to the hotel we made into our temporary base.

Chapter Text

We drove down the Tokyo streets at night toward a club called New Serena. We used a day to stake the place out and confirm that our target was there. Once we could get eyes on him and get a good idea of the kind of resistance we would face, our group tossed together a quick plan and got right to work.

"Alright, one last time. We're supposed to be a hit squad from the Sumiyoshi-kai. Takemura, Yumi, and V, you three will bash the place up and make a big show of it. Make sure that the camera catches you two," I pointed at Takemura and Yumi, our two Japanese speakers, "talking about how the Yakuza is taking place over and expects it's due. Meanwhile, I'll make a beeline for the hideout."

The place only had two entrances, and both were well-guarded, so we didn't think sneaking in was possible. While going in loud and bashing skulls wasn't something we couldn't do, we didn't want there to be any evidence that could tip off Yorinobu that we were gunning after him. So, we decided to mask the kidnapping as routine gang violence.

The four of us were pretending to be from the Yakuza. Everyone wore cheap suits, had tacky jewelry, and wore sunglasses in the dark. We even rented a Lexus ZS-5000 (obviously through proxies), the type of car that was only used by Japanese businessmen, politicians, and criminals. The vehicle was vaguely reminiscent of Lexuses from my old world, but it had a touch of futurism from the lack of grills due to the electric engines, suicide doors, and multifunction displays inside.

"I still do not think it was necessary for me to get this haircut. And these tattoos, they make me look like an undisciplined hooligan."

Takemura was sitting behind me, lamenting about his new get-up. The man got a new haircut, his man bun was removed, and his hair was slicked back to look like a video game character from the Yakuza games. The cherry on top was all the temporary tattoos we applied around his face and neck to sell the Yakuza persona.

"We've been over this already, Takemura. Looking like an undisciplined hooligan is the point since you're supposed to look like a Yakuza thug. Also, without a cover, you might get made out by Yorinobu since he's still looking for you."

The Yakuza used to run most of the underworld in Tokyo and other major Japanese cities. A considerable part of that was because they had the tacit approval of Arasaka during Saburo's reign. They would do much of the dirty work for the megacorp and, in return, were given connections and support that let them outclass other gangs. That all started to change when Yorinobu took over.

Combine Yorinobu's connections to the Steel Dragons, a gang he started, and a propensity to tear down anything his father was involved in, and you get the Yakuza falling out of favor and slowly replaced with the Steel Dragons. While the Yakuza still had that institutional and generational wealth and power, they were beginning to lose their hold on areas. Tokyo being one of the most contested regions, our little group figured we could use that fact to our benefit.

With any luck, we might even be able to kick up a gang war and get the two factions to weaken each other. The Steel Dragons being tied up only helps us weaken Yorinobu. And it's not like I will lose any sleep if a criminal organization like the Yakuza gets taken down a few pegs.

Following the GPS, I turned the wheel and drove into a smaller street. The entrance to New Serena pulled into view. It was a simple place; the exterior was plain and mostly empty except for some signage with the bar's names on it. I'd probably have mistaken it for any other hole-in-the-wall shop if it wasn't for the armed hoodlums standing outside smoking cigarettes and glaring at any pedestrian walking by.

New Selena Entrance
https://i.imgur.com/CKTNrG5

I cruised toward the entrance before coming to a gentle stop right outside the front door.

"Alright, kids. Let's go nab us a dragon."

Yumi and V were the two on the side of the entrance and got out first. The two took to the situation like fish to water. V used to be a Valentino, and Yumi used to be a Tyger. She also looked the part with her tatts and definitely could walk the walk. Takemura and I quickly followed, exiting the car and walking around it.

The thugs outside didn't know how to react, clearly not expecting anyone to have the balls to park outside the bar and block the entrance. It speaks volumes about the mentalities of these criminals when, instead of treating the two gals like threats, the first thing they tried to do was make a pass on them. I couldn't tell if it was stupidity, overconfidence, or a healthy dose of both.

One of the guards walked toward Yumi with his arms open and hands opening and closing in the universal 'comere' motion.

"Hey, pretty lady! How about you and I get to know each other in this bar, huh? I'll be sure to show you a great time."

The way the man leered at Yumi was almost comical. His eyes traveled up and down her body, spending virtually no time on her face and nearly wholly focused on her body. The way he wet his lips was also super gross like he took a course on how to come across as creepy as possible. And Yumi clearly did not like the disrespect shown toward her.

*Chck*

When the guy got within arm's length and reached for Yumi, she pulled out a cylinder from her pocket and swung it downward. The cylinder unfolded, showing that it was a collapsible baton. Before the guy could react, the baton was already sailing through the air.

*TWHACK*

The guy's head flew to one side, his body spinning and teetering between on and off balance before toppling over and falling to the ground. Yumi was immediately on the poor guy, and a flurry of baton strikes hit the guy's noggin and body. As clueless as these guys were, they caught on to the situation when they saw one of theirs get attacked out in the open.

One of the other three Steel Dragons raised a bat and yelled as he charged at Yumi. V intercepted him by clotheslining the man and knocking him to the ground. Seeing the party getting started, Takemura and I also lept into action, each taking one of the remaining two guards.

One of the things that I first noticed about the Japanese criminal scene was that guns were a lot less common. Firearms were much harder to come by, and fights tended to stay physical. That's not to say there were no guns, just that using them was seen as an extreme escalation compared to how it was the baseline in Night City.

I couldn't help but think it made fights easier as I connected a powered right hook with the thug's head, the metal limb causing a nasty *crack* sound and laying the guy out. Easier might be the wrong word. Straightforward would be more accurate. At least for V and me, who were used to hot lead flying our direction the second the situation went south.

"What the hell? Hey, come here quick! There's some punks picking a fight out front!"

The guards in the back must have heard the ruckus we were making, and one of them came over to figure out what was going on. He was greeted with the sight of three badly beaten up and one completely brutalized Steel Dragon. Yumi went a little bit overboard and almost caved in the head of the guy who tried to hit on her. Missing teeth, both eyes swollen, crooked nose, bruised and bloodied. There was no doubt in my mind that if she hadn't stopped when more Steel Dragons came and I grabbed her to get her attention, she would have outright killed the guy.

Five more Steel Dragons rushed out of the alley, connecting the rear entrance and wielding various blunt instruments. Bats, pipes, batons, the whole mengagerie. A man wearing brass knuckles and wearing a tacky pink suit charged at me and swung at my face. I quickly dodged the telegraphed attack by side-stepping the punch.

Grabbing onto his outstretched arm, I yanked him forward and planted my knee in the guy's guts. He doubled over before falling down on all fours, one hand on his stomach. Taking the opening, I took a short running start before kicking him in the side of his head. After finishing up with the guy fighting me, I saw the situation.

Unsurprisingly, the random street trash was no match for our group of hardened fighters. Yumi was kicking some poor guy in the side while he was down on the ground; V had just headbutted a guy and knocked him on his ass. The only person having any semblance of a struggle was Takemura, who was fighting two people instead of just one.

I rushed over to Takemura and took one of the people he was fighting off guard by tackling him and throwing him into a wall. He tried to throw a punch at me, but I grabbed onto his arm and elbowed his joint, cracking the limb and making his forearm bend in the wrong direction. The man collapsed on the ground, screaming in pain.

Seeing the man writhing on the ground, crying with snot running down his nose, I decided he wasn't a threat anymore and turned away to check on the others. No more additional Steel Dragons came over to confront us, so Yumi and V were lounging around more or less, ensuring the area was secure. Without contesting against two adversaries, Takemura had a much easier time handling his attacker and had the guy reeling on the ground.

"Thank you very much."

The seasoned Arasaka thanked me when we made eye contact.

"No problem. Let's get this over with before reinforcements or the cops come."

The four of us walked over the pile of unconscious/neutralized Steel Dragons before opening the front door and entering the bar. Once inside, we were greeted by an interior much closer to a lounge than a bar one would expect gang members to frequent. There wasn't any loud music, scantily clad hostesses, or drunk and rowdy patrons.

Multiple chandeliers were around, complemented by rugs, wood furniture, plush couches, and lounge chairs. The lighting was soft, and very little noise from the outside came in. The music was a slow melody, and the calm atmosphere was contrary to what I expected.

New Selena Interior
https://i.imgur.com/SXdwEvx

There weren't many people inside, counting the hostess carrying around drinks and the bartender, there were just seven people inside. Again, all men. Strange how I've seen almost no female gang members. I wonder if that is a cultural or a Steel Dragons thing.

The doorbell ringing attracted the attention of one or two people, but most individuals continued drinking and ignored us. Takemura, playing the part of a Yakuza veteran, walked up to the hostess who was about to put some drinks down at a table, snagged a glass of what looked like whiskey, and sipped on it. Lowering the glass after a drink, Takemura raised his voice and yelled over the music so everyone could hear him.

"Alright, you losers. Get the fuck out now, or you're not going to get the chance later."

Those who weren't aware of our entrance definitely were now after Takemura's brazen display of disrespect. There was a moment of silence before one of the men sitting at the closest table to Takemura stood up and stalked over.

"What the hell did you just say, old man? Have you gone senile and need us to take you to your retirement home? You better leave before I break every ancient bone in your body."

A few snickers came from the various patrons as the man confronted Takemura. He loomed over Takemura with his greater height. I wasn't worried about the former Arasaka bodyguard because I knew better than judging a fight based on physical presence. That being said, I knew a fight was about to break out, so I started to slowly fan out to get myself into a better position.

Takemura, utterly unperturbed by the larger guy trying to intimidate him, Takemura raised his glass again to finish his drink.

"Are you deaf as well? Leave right now, or we're go-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Takemura emptied his drink, wound his arm back, and smashed the empty whisky glass into the man's head.

The hostess screams and runs away as glass shatters and blood sprays across the air. Takemura then grabbed the man's head and slammed it down onto the closest table. The drinks already on the table get knocked off balance from the impact while the thug's nose breaks under the pressure.

Not wanting to give up the initiative, I grabbed a nearby chair and swung it from an overhead position at the first person who got up near me. I shatter the piece of furniture over the guy's head, chunks of wood and splinters spray breaking off. While the guy I attacked with a chair was discombobulated, I used the legs of the chair that broke off as impromptu batons and started smacking the guy. Left. Right. Left. Right. The guy's face would snap in a different direction whenever I swung the chair legs until he finally collapsed.

I felt a hand grab my shoulder. Turning around, I was fully expecting it to be another Steel Dragon picking a fight, only to see it was V.

"Go get Kanda, we'll take care of this."

I nodded to V, walking past her and basically tagging her in so she could stop the guy who was charging at us, probably to avenge his fallen comrade.

I walked past the bar and pushed open the door next to the drink cabinets. Stepping inside, I found myself in a large room. It's not quite as big as the main drinking area, but it's definitely oversized for a storage space for a small bar. Already walking toward the door, probably to check on what the commotion was outside, was our target.

Calling Tsuyoshi Kanda a big guy was like calling a tank a large vehicle; it was a bit of an understatement. The guy was easily over six and a half feet tall, bald, and wore gold chains, no shirt, and a tacky yellow suit. The edges of some tattoos could be seen on the guy's chest, though most of it was covered up by the suit jacket.

Tsuyoshi Kanda
https://i.imgur.com/4BVS9q4

"Who are you? What's going on outside?"

I walked toward Kanda while he asked me who I was. At this point, I'd picked a few fights with animals, so taking down people bigger than me wasn't an unfamiliar situation. They're naturally at a reach and height advantage, so the trick is to get within their space and bring them low as soon as possible.

The guy wasn't expecting someone to barge into his fort and attack him immediately, so it caught him off guard when I kicked one of his legs. Having one support knocked out brought the big guy down, his head now eye level with my waist and in perfect striking distance for a knee to the head. Grabbing onto his bald head, I pulled it down toward my legs as I rammed my knee upward.

I'll admit that I might have gotten a bit cocky, what with the negligible resistance I've met so far, so it caught me entirely off guard when the fat man fought back. With speed betraying someone his size, Kanda stopped my knee midway while still on the ground. Before I could even register what had happened, the big guy was already back on his feet, and I was thrown off mine.

Bottles of alcohol flew off the shelves and shattered as my back slammed against the metal frames. Kanda then strode over and picked me up by my shirt collar.

"Wrong move, runt."

"Whooooooooa!"

The next thing I knew, I was flying back out the doorway I came in. Sliding over the bar island, I knocked a chair over before tumbling onto my back on the floor. In the short span while I was away, the crew had already cleaned house, and all the small fry was taken care of.

"The Sumiyoshi have let you scum run rampant for too long. From now o- Are you alright, Basil?"

Takemura was the one to notice and approach me first. I grabbed onto the hand he offered and let him help pull me back up.

"Yeah. Kanda was just bigger than I thought."

Speak of the devil. Kanda stepped through the doorway and looked around his bar the second I said that.

"You are right; he is big. We will fight him together. His size will not be able to overcome our strength in numbers."

"No, I got this."

Takemura's plan was logical, but my pride wouldn't let it happen. I wasn't just going to let someone manhandle me and not make them my bitch. Kanda zeroed in on me when I started walking toward him. The big fella rolled his shoulders and bashed his fist into his palm, still eager to fight despite seeing all his cronies on the floor. We both squared up and when Kanda decided to throw a punch, I activated my Sandevistan.

The guy was way faster than someone his size had any business being, but he was still too slow when I used my Sandi. I watched as his fist sailed right past me in slow motion as I zipped around him and kicked the back of his left knee. His leg crumbled, and he found himself in a half-kneeling position again.

This time, I didn't try to knee the guy. No, I wanted to make a point. Circling back in front, I ensured I had enough space before taking a running start and punting the guy right in the nuts.

Even in slow motion, I watched Kanda realize what I was going to do right before my foot connected with his family jewels. His eyes bulged like a cartoon, and his mouth opened so he could let out a slow-motion mix of a wail and wheezing. With the last few seconds of my Sandi, I walked around the bar and grabbed the largest bottle of alcohol I could find.

The Sandi ran out just in time for me to see Kanda groaning and gasping for air. Raising the bottle by its neck over my head, I slammed it down like a hammer onto the back of Kanda's head. The glass shattered, and the fizzy drink mixed with some blood splattered everywhere. Utterly unprepared for another attack, Kanda fell face first into the floor, groaning but not moving.

Kneeling on his back, I fished a pair of handcuffs from my pants and quickly wrestled his hands together and cuffed him. Finished with our primary objective, I got off Kanda and looked at the other three.

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here. I'm going to need help moving this guy."

A few minutes and some struggling later, we stuffed Kanda barely into the trunk and sped off back to our base.

Chapter Text

A reminder that anything Italicized are lines spoken in Japanese.

*Yumi POV*

*CRACK*

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!

The guttural scream of a wounded animal reverberated throughout the warehouse. The wall echoed and amplified the noise, making it sound like something straight out of a horror movie. But Yumi wasn't scared. No, she was elated.

*Huff. Huff. Cough. Huff.*

Yumi let go of the finger she had just broken. Standing over Tsuyoshi Kanda imperiously, she roughly grabbed his face so she could turn his head to face her. Sweat covered his pudgy features. His left eye was swollen and bruised, while his nose was crooked, and blood trickled from his nostrils.

"Y-You crazy bitch. *COUGH*"

A bit of spittle hits Yumi's face, and she recoils back, her face scowling in absolute disgust. She quickly wiped the spit off her face before grabbing onto Kanda's broken finger and pulling on it. The man screamed again, the chair he was sitting in shaking violently as his body thrashed against the ropes that bound him.

Yumi let go of the fat bastard's finger to let Kanda catch a breath. She had to make this quick. She was only going to have access to Kanda alone for so long.

After capturing Kanda, the group immediately contacted Michiko. The man had kept his mouth shut during the initial rounds of interrogation, and Michiko suggested that they wait until she sends specialists. Yumi hated that idea because it kept them away from Night City for longer.

Yumi had to keep Basil safe, and NC had Panam and other allies to do just that. Here in Tokyo, they relied on Michiko to support them. Yumi didn't like the idea of relying on the corpo princess, so she had to get them out of Japan as soon as possible. That meant taking things into her own hands.

Turning around, Yumi picked up a scalpel from a tray.

*Screeeeeeeeeeeeech*

She dragged the razor-sharp tip across the tray and stalked over to Kanda.

Walking behind him, Yumi tapped the surgical instrument on the chair, slowly moving up until she placed the scalpel right under his chin. Kanda's breathing quickened as Yumi applied enough pressure to not break the skin.

"What is Yorinobu up to?"

"H-How am I supposed to know? He hasn't been back in Japan for ye-"

Kanda instinctually shut his mouth when Yumi applied more pressure with her scalpel. The tip broke through his fat exterior, and a trickle of blood flowed down the stainless steel edge.

"Apparently, simply breaking a finger wasn't enough."

Yumi pulled the scalpel away from Kanda's neck before moving it down and placing the edge against the knuckle of the broken finger.

"One. Two. "

Once Yumi started applying increasing downward pressure on the scalpel and counting, it didn't take a genius to figure out what would happen. Even worse, there was no mention of at what count she would chop the digit off. Was it going to be at the three count? Maybe ten? Who knows? And that got to Kanda.

"Wait! WAIT! Yorinobu wanted us to attack the Arasaka HQ in Tokyo! I have emails. Everything you people need. JUST STOP!"

"When Yumi paused, and it was clear that she wasn't going to slice his finger off, Kanda sighed with relief, but the moment was cut short when Yumi started applying pressure again.

"Transfer those emails. Now."

Kanda immediately complied with the order and transferred dozens of emails to Yumi. After a quick scan, she opened the files and quickly browsed through them. Yumi couldn't help but smirk. From just the very little that she saw, this would be perfect.

"See? I told you it's everything you would need."

"Indeed it was."

A look of relief washed over Kanda, but it was short-lived. Before he could even process the attack. Yumi swung her arm, holding the scalpel, slicing through Kanda's neck.

The fatty looked at her in confusion and shock.

*GHCK!*

Blood quickly flowed out of the gash in the man's throat. He gurgled and coughed, only managing raspy sounds as his broken larynx didn't allow any actual words to escape.

"Tabata-San! What have you done!?"

Yumi turned around to see a shocked Takemura, followed by V and Basil. It seems they got back just in time to see her execute the fatty.

"Get away from him right now!"

Takemura drew his pistol from his holster, but Basil stepped in and grabbed onto it before the Arasaka hound could point it at her. He pushed Takemura's arm away before grabbing him with his other hand and pushed the Japanese man up against the wall.

V didn't make a move either way. She simply walked inside before closing the door behind her to make sure the area was secure.

"Calm down, Takemura, I'm sure Yumi did this for a reason. Right, Yumi?"

*Yumi Flashback POV*

"I know you got a thing for Basil."

Yumi immediately crossed her arms.

"Excuse me?"

Yumi wasn't sure what to expect when Panam pulled her to one side away to have a private conversation, but it wasn't this. They were in Misty's shop shortly after they saved Violet from the Militech compound. The two of them have been butting heads for a while now. Yumi didn't like admitting it, but she was always angry at Panam for being Basil's main squeeze. Yumi would treat Basil so much better than this skank. They'd fuck all day, then go out and cave in Tyger skulls. The perfect life.

She was a bit embarrassed to admit it, but occasionally, Yumi would have dark thoughts about how she could get rid of Panam and replace her. But the opportunity never presented itself. Not to mention that Basil would be heartbroken or, worse, might figure out she was behind it all.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a creep?"

Seeing the start of a weird smirk break out on Yumi's face, Panam rolled her eyes and let out a quip. Panam's observation jerked Yumi from her prior thoughts of potential homicide, and she focused back on the Nomad. How did she want to play this? Yumi had two options. The first is playing dumb, and the second is owning up to it.

Sure, Yumi had had fantasies about Basil, but it's not like she had managed or attempted to bring any of those fantasies into reality. She was sure Panam was basing her accusation purely on instincts and had no concrete evidence. If she wanted to continue to stay close to Basil, her safest bet was to act as if she had no idea what Panam was talking about. There was always the risk that Panam would tell Basil to stop interacting with Yumi, but Yumi was pretty sure Basil wasn't the type.

But playing innocent was what scared bitches that were ashamed do. Yumi wasn't ashamed of her feelings for Basil, and she definitely wasn't going to get called out by some hussy who just got lucky by meeting Basil first. It was too bad; it looked like their relationship was heading in a good direction for once.

Yumi crossed her arms and raised her chin to look more domineering. It ultimately failed since Panam was considerably taller than her.

"Yeah, I got feelings for Basil. What do you care? You'll just leave him when your clan gets tired of living so close to the city anyway."

That seemed to have hit a sore spot of Panam's, and the woman's nostrils flared while her hands balled into fists. Yumi tensed up, expecting a fight to break out, but surprisingly, the brawl never came. Instead, Panam closed her eyes and took a deep breath before stretching her fingers and letting the tension go from her arms.

"Yumi, I'm sorry for calling you a crazy bitch, but what you said was a low blow. We got off on the wrong start. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to make an offer."

The rapid change in tone caused Yumi a bit of whiplash. Within a minute or so, Panam went from confrontation to mocking, anger, and now to compromise. Something was off and making Panam borderline schizo.

"Ok... I guess I'm sorry, too. What did you want to talk about?"

Panam hesitated for a few seconds, seemingly unsure of what she was about to say, which was weird. From Yumi's interactions with her, Panam rarely wavered or appeared insecure about herself.

"Look, you know why he's doing all of this, so you also understand why he's going to keep getting himself into trouble. I've come to realize that Basil needs someone to keep an eye on him. "

Yumi raised a brow at that.

"You think Basil isn't capable of taking care of himself?"

Panam rolled her eyes again, but this time, Yumi got the distinct feeling that it wasn't meant for her.

"No, he's more than capable, and that's part of the problem. He's too casual about things, and I need someone to look out for his best interest."

Wait a second...

"And you want me to be that person? Why?"

"Because I need someone I can trust to be with Basil while he's in Japan. He doesn't look out for number one enough, so I need someone to do it for him. And who better to keep my man safe than you? Since, you know, you're trying to get with him and all that. He's too trusting, naive even."

Yumi, unhappy Basil was getting badmouthed, squinted at Panam.

"Explain."

"It's almost like he doesn't understand how the world works. It's not necessarily bad, but it will get him into serious trouble sooner or later. Did you know he split the profits on selling a Caluburn that I didn't know about? We had only known each other for a few hours, and I was even a real bitch to him, yet he still let the Aldecaldos have 50%."

"That's... Not the smartest thing in the world."

"Yeah, you're telling me. The point is, he can't be trusted to put himself first. He got lucky with me since I would keep the clan in check if they ever tried to screw him."

Panam pulled a chair out and sat at a table near one of the statues and trinkets.

"My main problem is the people going with Basil to Japan. I trust Takemura and Michiko as much as I trust a Scav. You don't get to where she is without a few closets full of skeletons. Push comes to shove, Michiko will do what corpos do best and stab everyone in the back, and Takemura will help her do it."

"What about V? She and Basil seem to get along."

"I'm still not sure what her whole deal is, but she seems to be in some kind of deep shit and can't dig herself out of it. What do you think she would do if she had to choose between Arasaka and Basil, and the deciding factor is who is more capable of helping her?"

Yumi chewed on her lower lip. She could see where Panam was coming from. Honestly? Yumi wanted to help, but she also didn't want Panam to think she'd aid her for free.

A lesson she learned while being part of the Tygers was never to help a rival gang without getting something out of it. Panam is, if anything, an enemy in love, and it would be foolish of Yumi to help her without getting as much as she can from the interaction.

"Alright, I understand so far why you want me to do it, but I still fail to see why I should help you here."

This was an excellent opportunity for Yumi to make a move. Panam wasn't the type of woman to let Yumi jump her input's bones just for something like this, but she could get concessions. Something like being included in the team with any business Basil conducts from now on. Or maybe even a few dates, if she could swing it.

Yumi watched as Panam couldn't help but roll her eyes again. Yumi could practically hear the 'really, bitch?' Panam was barely holding back.

"Fucking- *Sigh* Calm, Panam, calm."

Yumi quirked an eyebrow, still surprised at how seemingly contained Panam was trying to be."

"Look, Yumi. If we're going to make this work, we have to stop playing these stupid games with each other. You want access to Basil? Fine, I'll do better than that. I'm willing to share."

There was a moment of silence as Yumi processed the bombshell that had just dropped on her. It didn't feel real. Out of all the ways this conversation could have gone, this was definitely not what Yumi expected.

"BUT! You have to prove that you can work in this relationship. Look after Basil in Japan, keep him safe, and make sure things go in his best interest. Do that, and we'll talk about this further. Deal?"

Panam offered her hand to Yumi. Yumi stared at the Panam's palm, and then her body instinctually shot out and grabbed the other woman's hands.

"Yes! Deal! I'll do it! Whatever you want!

Seeing how eager Yumi was, Panam smirked. Then she remembered something.

"Oh! And I'm the top bitch and always will be. Got it?"

Yumi barely caught that last bit. It didn't matter anyway. It was like all of Yumi's prior animosity toward Panam was washed away. She would do anything for this to work.

"Huh? Sure, whatever. How is this going to work? How long after I get him back from Japan before we can... you know... do stuff?"

Panam laughed at her, in a good-natured kind of way, which Yumi thinks is a first between them.

"You're really down bad, aren't you?"

*V POV*

"Directing the Steel Dragons to attack the Tokyo HQ, high-value targets, supply weapons, and gear, all explicit instructions. We lucked out. Seems like Kanda was holding onto the info as leverage if he ever needed it, which means we got the whole nine yards."

V was talking to Michiko through a large monitor at the warehouse base where they've been operating. The whole team was there like any other report. Basil and Yumi were off to the side next to each other, and Takemura stood stoically by himself. The only difference was that Takemura was clearly brooding.

And V couldn't really blame the older Japanese man. It was unexpected, to say the least, when V, Basil, and Takemura returned from picking up some supplies to find Yumi having murdered their best lead on Yorinobu.

While Takemura and Basil immediately got tangled up, one trying to apprehend Yumi and the other protecting her, V decided to hold off and see what was up. And she was glad she did.

It seems that while they were out, Yumi got bored and decided to interrogate Tsuyoshi Kanda into her own hands. V was unsure what Yumi did precisely, but from all the blood, she wasn't sure she wanted to know anyway. Regardless, Yumi seemed talented at information extraction because Kanda sang like a bird and handed over everything he had on Yorinobu. And what a haul it was.

"Well done, though I would have preferred if you all had waited and followed my plans."

While Michiko didn't specifically mention her, it was clear that statement was directed at Yumi since Michiko was looking directly at her when she said it.

Completely unfazed, Yumi simply shrugged.

"I don't work for you, so I did what I thought was best."

Michiko then looked at Basil and raised an eyebrow, clearly interpreting him as Yumi's 'boss'.

"We can debate her methods all we want, but Yumi got us what we wanted faster. I think the results speak for themselves."

"Hmmmm."

Michiko simply hummed while she focused back on the emails.

"It's good. Like you said, we got him nailed..."

V could sense a but coming.

"...but"

There it is.

"We don't have anything on his inside people. Just getting Yorinobu isn't enough. We must kill the weeds down to the roots and salt the earth."

"And how do you suggest we do that, huh?"

Yumi decided to pipe up then.

"You, won't be doing anything. The plan stays the same. Wait in Tokyo for my specialists to come in, but instead of interrogation, they'll do espionage."

"What's the point of waiting here if we're not going to be doing anything? Just send us back to NC."

It was becoming clear that Yumi just really wanted back in NC. Interrogating Kanda and tying up loose ends after getting what she wanted was definitely moving towards leaving The Land of the Rising Sun.

"Their specialists, Yumi, which means they're good at a certain set of things. I need generalists," Michiko indicated to the four across from her, "to back them up if the situation demands it."

V, and presumably everyone else here, then received a data transfer request from Michiko.

"Besides, I got something to keep you all busy anyway."

*Basil POV*

"So you're staying over there for longer?"

It was later that night, and I was on the warehouse mezzanine, gazing out the windows onto the rainy streets of the Keihin Industrial Zone. Panam and I were sharing a video call.

"Yup. Yorinobu's real pissed at this one research station in Tokyo, and Michiko wants us to look into it while we wait for her team to get here."

I had texted her that we might return early after Kanda spilled the beans, even though Takemura disliked 'engaging with unrelated personnel'. But you know what? Michiko said the fancy schmancy phones she gave us couldn't be hacked, so I'm gonna use it.

"What's so special about this place anyways?"

"All we know is that Yorinobu couldn't shut it down through his corporate authority and that no one knows what's happening inside."

"How does that work? Isn't he the CEO now?"

I moved away from the window and leaned against the wall to focus back on Panam. It was nice to see her face like this. We've been pretty consistent in texting each other, but this is the first time we got to talk face-to-face since the flight to Japan.

"It's a combination of things. First, Arasaka was always teetering on the edge of an internal war. The only thing holding all the factions back was that the old man had forced everyone to behave. And now that he's dead..."

Panam picked up where I left off.

"The people that don't like Yorinobu are giving him the middle finger."

"Bingo. Of course, if Yorinobu pressured hard enough, eventually, the branch would have to shut down. The only problem is that some kind of perpetual directive allows the research facility to ignore anything anyone says."

As expected, that last bit of information surprised Panam.

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, I know, right? That sounds really stupid. Who do they take orders from then? Or what happens if they finish researching whatever they are working on? Regardless, the point is that Yorinobu either knows what is going on there and it's a legitimate threat to him, or his pride is so damaged by being unable to shut a facility down that he is willing to take on unnecessary risks and have the Steel Dragons attack the facility."

"And what do you think it is?"

I simply shrugged at that question.

"Honestly? 50/50. Either way, Michiko figured it's best to know what's happening there. Enough about me. You should have been done with that first shipment to those maritime nomads. How'd it go?"

"Funny story, actually. It started out rough, with them moving the rendevous point twice. It's not totally unheard of in the biz, but it doesn't make it any less annoying."

"I could imagine."

"Then they made us wait almost an hour before showing up. Again, we've had worse, but we were pretty peeved at this point. That went away pretty fast when a bunch of high-tech speeders came splashing toward us. At first, we thought it was a sting, but then we saw the MetaCorp symbol."

Now it was my turn to be surprised."

"MetaCorp, as in one of The Seven?"

"Apparently, suddenly showing up with so many hard-to-get weapons made quite the blip on their radar, so they set up a meeting posing as some small maritime clan to vet us. All the messing around and waiting was them testing us and seeing if it was really just us."

"And I'm guessing you guys passed?"

"Damn right we did. Victoria herself wants another meeting. This could be huge for us, Basil, and we couldn't have done it without you."

"Don't mention it, babe."

I then tried to stifle a yawn, but not well enough to not be noticed by Panam.

"It's getting late over there, huh? I appreciate you staying up to talk to me."

"I'm fine. It's no problem to me. I like finally getting some alone time with you."

Panam just rolled her eyes.

"Uh-huh. I'm hanging up now, so go to sleep, mister."

As much as I wanted to continue our conversation, I knew Panam had made up her mind, and once she did, I was never going to talk her out of it. And even though I hate to admit it, I was getting drowsy.

"Yes, mother. Love you."

"Love you too, Basil. Good night."

Our call ended, and I stood up from my spot, stretching my body and letting out a long yawn. I descended the stairs and headed to my bed to get some shuteye. There was a long day ahead of us after all.