Night City, two weeks later

It's been a while since this thing has existed. It was created for the sole purpose of drawing attention to itself. The black goo-ish form of a person leaped from building to building, not caring at all about damage to the environment every time it landed. All it wanted was to cause distractions, good enough to entertain itself as well as loud enough to keep BioTechnica and Militech around. And the creature was good at its job. All it needed to do was kill and leave witnesses, be them street kids, wannabes and suits that thought they were invincible just because they are corpos.

It was almost hilarious to think that a piece of clothing and some fancy cyberware could do against an abomination that this form was. Even going as far as to use some stupid kung-fu chips to try and strike it. Hell, if iron couldn't do shit against it, why did anyone think that throwing hands could?

The creature carried within the old Cyberware of its creator, the old identity of Vomi Reed. The creator was a new person, a new Vomi, so to speak, so of course it would assume some new persona, a new way to explore this now unknown world. And the creature would diligently work towards his only goal. She gave it life, allowed the biomass to have some sort of existence and fun in this chaotic city, even if its ultimate goal was to die and clean the house so the creator could come back later.

The monster loomed over some old tunnel, munching over a corpse of a Maelstrom, local gang, powerful and all, but nothing compared to the incredible intelligence and work of The Creator. One of them was watching, petrified that someone—no, a monster was eating a person. A sight that even the cyberpsychos within Maelstrom would think twice about facing head on.

Even so, that didn't stop a tendril from piercing the gonk’s skull.

It was fine, no need to rush things. When it perished, The Creator would know that the biomass fulfilled its job.

Even more know that Militech had an AV parking just outside of the tunnel.

“This looked like the target!”, One of the shouted, “Cyberware readings, affirm!”

The creature raised its head, black goo dripping from its maw as it felt the presence of the Militech AV hovering nearby. Its tendrils twitched, sensing the vibrations of the approaching footsteps. The sound of armored boots stomping through the tunnel echoed ominously, but the creature wasn't concerned. If anything, it welcomed the challenge. More corpos to toy with. More distractions for The Creator.

"Affirmative, the target is inside," a Militech soldier barked through his comms. "Engage on sight. Lethal force authorized."

The creature grinned, or at least it seemed like a grin, as much as its twisted, inky form could manage. Its black mass began to shift, morphing into something less humanoid and more monstrous, spikes of hardened biomass emerging along its limbs. It was preparing for the inevitable confrontation.

The first soldier entered the tunnel, visor scanning for targets. His HUD flickered as it locked onto the shifting mass in the darkness. “Visual on the target! It's... Jesus Christ, what is that?”

Before he could finish the thought, a tendril shot forward, wrapping around his leg and yanking him into the darkness. The soldier screamed, a wet crunching sound silencing him moments later.

"Hostile engaged! Requesting immediate backup!" the team leader shouted, his voice now laced with urgency.

The AV outside hummed louder, and the sound of boots running toward the tunnel became frantic. Floodlights beamed into the dark, illuminating the grotesque silhouette of the creature as it stood over the now-limp body of the first Militech soldier. Blood dripped from its tendrils, pooling on the ground beneath it.

"Fire! Fire now!" a voice from outside ordered.

Bullets ripped through the air, bouncing off the creature's goo-like surface with little effect. The creature let out a low, guttural growl, absorbing the impact with ease. As the Militech soldiers emptied their clips, it moved with unnatural speed, dodging their shots effortlessly before launching itself at the squad.

Two soldiers were dead before they even had time to reload.

The creature reveled in the chaos, slashing and tearing through Militech’s best with its elongated claws. It could feel the fear emanating from the remaining soldiers, and it fed off of it, growing stronger with each kill. This was what it had been created for—this carnage, this destruction.

From a distance, the AV pilot could see the massacre unfold through his cockpit’s thermal vision. He gritted his teeth, swerving the AV to adjust its trajectory, aligning its missiles directly with the creature’s position.

"Missiles locked. Firing."

The first missile roared as it left the AV, tearing through the air and slamming into the tunnel entrance, detonating with a thunderous boom. Concrete and debris exploded outward, and a thick plume of dust filled the sky. For a moment, everything was quiet.

The Militech commander's voice crackled over the comms. "Is it neutralized?"

Silence.

Then, a low, rumbling growl echoed from within the smoke. Slowly, the creature emerged, unscathed, its form having absorbed the brunt of the explosion. It stood there, its inky mass pulsating, tendrils writhing as if in response to the violence it had endured.

It was laughing.

The AV hovered in place, the pilot frozen with disbelief. "Impossible..."

The creature lunged again, this time straight for the AV. It leapt into the air with terrifying speed, tendrils latching onto the sides of the vehicle, shaking it violently. The pilot swerved, trying to shake it off, but the creature clung tighter, smashing its fist through the cockpit glass.

A single tendril shot through the pilot's throat, ending him in an instant.

The AV spiraled out of control, crashing into the ground with a deafening explosion that rocked the tunnel. The creature leaped off just in time, landing gracefully as flames and wreckage erupted behind it.

Satisfied, the creature began to move on. It had caused enough destruction for tonight. But this was far from over. It knew Militech wouldn’t stop—they never did. And that was fine.

Then something caught the creature’s interest.

MaxTac. Of course.

The creature turned, sensing the shift in the air. Its form flickered, tendrils twitching as it detected the unmistakable presence of a MaxTac unit approaching. This wasn’t just another group of expendable soldiers from Militech or some untrained mercenaries. These were the elite. MaxTac, the absolute final word when dealing with cyberpsychos, abominations, and anything else that could threaten Night City’s fragile order.

This time, it knew the game was up.

But that didn’t mean it would go quietly.

The creature’s black mass shifted, hardening into dense armor-like plates as it braced itself. Its senses went into overdrive, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of movement. The heavy thud of boots on concrete echoed through the tunnel before they even came into sight. MaxTac was moving in formation, precise, methodical. There was no hesitation in their approach.

"Target is confirmed. Engage with extreme prejudice," came the voice of the MaxTac captain over the comms. They moved with a lethal efficiency, their exo-suits gleaming under the dim streetlights as they spread out, forming a perimeter around the creature.

In an instant, the tunnel was lit up by the sharp, focused beams of their advanced optics, scanning the creature’s form for weak points. It snarled, hunching low, ready to strike.

“On my mark,” the captain's voice came again, steady and calm. “Three... two... one... engage!”

Before the creature could even make its move, the first shot hit—a high-velocity anti-material round, piercing its hardened biomass like butter. The force of the impact sent it stumbling backward, black goo splattering against the walls. It roared in pain, its form twisting and reshaping to compensate, but MaxTac didn’t give it a moment to recover.

The second wave came fast—a barrage of precision explosives and EMP grenades, designed to overload the creature’s bioelectric systems. The tunnel erupted in fire and smoke, but through the chaos, the creature’s shriek could be heard, louder than the explosions themselves. It thrashed wildly, lashing out with its tendrils, but they were already on it.

The MaxTac team moved like clockwork, their tactics flawless. One soldier launched a line of electrified netting, entangling the creature and grounding its attempts to shift form. Another member of the unit fired a series of nanite disruptors that began tearing through its biomass, destabilizing it at the molecular level.

The creature was being dismantled piece by piece.

It roared, desperately trying to free itself, but it was losing its shape, its mass shrinking as the nanites did their work. Every move it made was met with precision strikes, every tendril it tried to extend was severed before it could reach its target. The MaxTac unit was relentless.

The captain stepped forward, drawing a high-caliber revolver from her side. Her exo-suit gleamed as she approached the writhing mass of black goo, now barely clinging to its humanoid form. She leveled the revolver at its head.

“Target neutralized,” she said calmly, and with a single pull of the trigger, the creature’s head exploded in a shower of black biomass.

The remains of the creature twitched for a moment before dissolving into a dark, formless puddle. The MaxTac captain holstered her weapon, nodding to her team. “Good work. Clean it up.”

The other soldiers moved in, collecting samples of the biomass and securing the area. There was no celebration, no acknowledgment of victory. This was just another job for MaxTac. Another night in Night City.

As the team packed up and prepared to leave, the captain glanced down at the puddle of black goo. For a moment, something flickered in its depths—a faint red glow, almost imperceptible.

But then it faded, and all that remained was silence.

----------------------------------------

Across the country, Vomi was typing in her terminal. The full work to do breach patches for M-Tech continued ever since she accidentally broke Blaze’s guitar. She still felt horrible about that. At least now the corporation allowed her to bring Vanguard along, no need to merge the symbiotic cat within her, which was preem. As she typed the lines of code she couldn't help but sigh, missing already the meetings with The Refused. Good band name. Vomi was proud that she managed to name the band.

Then she felt it.

The sudden, sharp pang of emptiness. The creature was gone. She stared out at the city lights, her expression unreadable.

“Goodbye,” she whispered softly to herself, knowing that her creation had served its purpose. MaxTac had been as efficient as ever, but they had only destroyed the distraction.

“It lasted longer than we thought.”, Vang nodded, his fur being a canvas of black and red. Sparkling red, “They are going to take the biomass for samples.”

“And are we supposed to be worried?”, Vomi asked as she resumed her typing on the terminal, a passing thought about coffee coming to mind.

“Not really. I did say we were using useless biomass. They will only find dead matter, old DNA and corrupted flesh. They won't be able to do anything with that.”

“Nice. Good thinking Vang.”

“I aim to please.”

Vomi worked until she clocked out, her shoulder being occupied by her symbiote cat companion. The elevator had investors, office workers and other fodder employees, nothing she would or could remember even if she tried. Before leaving though, she went to the inside cafeteria and paid for a mug of coffee, because coffee is never enough.

“If humanity did anything right, it was coffee.”, She said after letting a bit of smoke leave her mouth.

“I agree.”, Another employee said as he sat at the same table as the scientist, “Can't have enough of this.”

Vomi glanced up from her coffee, sizing up the guy who had just sat down across from her. He was your typical office drone—corporate suit, tired eyes, probably been staring at numbers all day. She gave him a nod and sipped her coffee.

“Long day?” she asked, mostly out of courtesy.

“Yeah, aren’t they all?” he replied, rubbing his temples. “Feels like I’ve been running on caffeine and code for weeks.”

Vomi smirked, “Welcome to the club. It’s all work until something blows up.”

The guy laughed, clearly thinking she was joking. If only he knew what she was really up to. Vanguard purred softly on her shoulder, clearly amused by the mundane conversation.

“So, what do you do here?” he asked, taking another sip of his coffee.

Vomi paused, thinking about how to answer without giving too much away. “Just your typical R&D work. Nothing too exciting.”

“Must be nice, working on the cutting edge of tech.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“If by ‘cutting edge,’ you mean a constant stream of patchwork, yeah,” she said with a grin. “But hey, it keeps things interesting.”

The guy nodded, leaning back in his chair. “I hear ya. You work with that new cybercat tech? I’ve seen a few around. They’re pretty sick.”

Vomi raised an eyebrow. “Something like that.”

Vang, lounging on her shoulder, yawned lazily. His red-glowing fur caught the guy's eye.

“Whoa, is that… one of those?”

“Yup,” Vomi said, not bothering to explain the symbiotic nature. “Anyway, what department are you in?”

Before he could answer, Vang's voice echoed in her mind, "Let's not get too friendly now."

Vomi barely held back a smirk. "Right, gotta keep it low-key," she thought back to him.

After a few more minutes of small talk, she finished her coffee, tossing the empty cup in the trash. “Well, I better get going. Lots to do.”

The guy nodded, giving her a wave as she left the cafeteria.

“Nice meeting you,” he said, oblivious to the fact that he just had coffee with someone who could topple corps if she wanted to.

“Likewise,” she called back, already thinking about what was next.

And that was her weapon list.

As she entered her Colby, Vomi reminded herself about her current arsenal. Nue, the pistol. Sure she modified it to have better power and fire rate, but there's so much a pistol can do. And while yes, the Tactician Shotgun was modified, she didn't use it a single time, nor the other bunch of guns in her apartment. And since Sasha didn't reply to her texts, better to keep her mind occupied with this at least.

So when she parked the car, entered her apartment, shower, new set of clothes and all, she worked on the other guns on the table.

First one, Assault Rifle.

There was a good list of ARs she could choose, but the main thing was to use something with decent power, nice ergonomics and easy maneuverability. That usually meant that Vomi needed to modify the gun so it was easier to reload, reduce its weight, and of course, work on the chip so Weapon Glitch wouldn't work on it.

The thing is, which one to modify?

Copperhead, by Nokota Manufacturing.

AKA, the evolution of the standard AK-47. Decent power, decent fire rate, desirable range and ergonomics, despite being the upgraded AK-47. The only attachment she could put in without modifying the gun completely was the muzzle and the scope, which wasn't anything bad, but not good too, so the Copperhead is a pass.

HJSH-18 Masamune, by Arasaka.

The rifle is almost like a semi-automatic thanks to its terrible fire rate, but the gun packs a real kicker with its power. Ergonomics could be tweaked a bit to reload it faster. The caliber is high, meaning that reloading it is awkward, but it is fine as long as the magazines can pack all the bullets. Despite the good power, the lack of speed doesn't entice Vomi to even modify this iron, as it would certainly be way more difficult than it needed to be. She could just buy another gun without the problems and call it a day.

M251S Ajax, by Militech.

The speed of this gun is even worse than Arasaka’s Masamune, but at least the Ergonomics are better to maneuver, reload and modify it. Impressively enough, the Ajax packs even more power, but it sacrifices the overall build of the gun as it wasn't made for long fights, it seems. The gun might jam itself if used incorrectly, but that could be solved if Vomi has the patience to deal with it.

Vomi sighed, staring at the array of guns spread out on the table. Each rifle had its pros and cons, but none of them felt quite right. She ran her fingers along the edge of the M251S Ajax, contemplating whether she wanted to deal with its potential jamming issue. Sure, she could modify it, maybe even turn it into something more reliable. But did she really want to sink that much time into it?

Vang, ever observant, hopped onto the table, his glowing red eyes scanning the weapons. "Honestly, I don’t get why you don’t just design your own at this point. You’ve got the brains and the tech."

Vomi raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. "Yeah, but designing a whole new weapon from scratch takes time. And patience. Neither of which I have a lot of right now."

"Yet you’re sitting here debating between subpar rifles," Vang teased, curling his tail around himself. "You want something fast, powerful, and reliable. Why not just combine what you like from each one? Hybrid the damn thing."

She mulled that over. It wasn’t the worst idea, but the logistics were tricky. “You know, that's not a bad suggestion. If I’m gonna put the time in, might as well make something that doesn’t compromise.”

She stood up and grabbed her tools, ready to start breaking down the parts of each rifle. “Copperhead’s got the range and fire rate I want. Masamune’s power is killer. But if I can tweak the Ajax for stability and balance, I might have something worth using.”

As she worked, the apartment was filled with the rhythmic clicking of metal components and the low hum of Vanguard's occasional commentary. The modifications started to come together, slowly forming something new, something that could hold up in any situation.

She adjusted the scope, reworked the weight distribution, and modified the chip so that the weapon would be impervious to any hacking attempts. By the time she finished, the rifle was a sleek, deadly fusion of all three weapons.

“Well,” Vang said, hopping off the table and padding around to inspect the final product. “That’s one hell of a Frankenstein.”

Vomi grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment as she wiped her hands on a nearby rag. “Yeah, but it’s my Frankenstein. This thing’s gonna be a beast in the field.”

She tested the rifle's balance, aiming down the sight and flicking the safety on and off. It felt... right. Not too heavy, but powerful enough to pack a punch when needed. It was just the kind of edge she needed for whatever came next.

“You’re gonna need to name it, you know,” Vang said, hopping back onto her shoulder, his claws digging into her jacket for balance.

Vomi glanced at the gun, considering for a moment. “How about... Chimera?”

Vang flicked his tail, approving. “Fitting. Multiple parts, one monster of a weapon.”

With that, she put the Chimera on the table, “Now, the Tactician is a reliable, good shotgun, but now that you gave me the idea…”

Even the red symbiote flickered inside her clothes eager to work on a new carnage weapon of mass destruction.

“It seems our new roommate likes the idea.”, Vanguard teased as he laid down on the table.

“He is always like that when it involves killing things.”, Vomi puffed at the eager red appendages on her back. “And why are you like that on the table?”

“I want scratches on my tummy.”, He said in a flat tone.

“Eh, sure.”, She gave the scratches as the red tendrils picked up the plethora of shotguns to modify, “First thing, automatic shotgun.”

“And why is that?”, Vanguard managed to say between his purrs.

“Pump shotguns are cool, but harder to reload.”, She explained, dismantling the Tactician, “Besides, a magazine in a shotgun is more efficient.”

Vomi worked her fingers through Vanguard’s fur while her mind raced with ideas. The red tendrils on her back were already at work, dismantling the Tactician with an almost eager enthusiasm, picking apart its components with precision.

“Automatic shotguns are always more fun anyway,” she muttered, half to herself, half to Vang. “You get the power of a pump with way faster fire rates.”

Vang stretched lazily on the table, purring contentedly. “I can see the appeal. No one’s gonna survive a close-range encounter with that thing.”

She nodded, already plotting out the modifications in her head. “We need to up the ammo capacity, obviously. A bigger mag, maybe drum-fed. That way, we don’t waste time reloading in the middle of a firefight. And I could tweak the recoil—reduce the kick so it doesn’t throw off my aim too much.”

“Right. But what about the aesthetics?” Vang said, flicking his tail lazily. “I mean, if we’re going full carnage, might as well make it look badass.”

Vomi grinned. “Thinking of adding some flair, huh? Maybe reinforce the barrel with some chrome finish, and I’ll engrave something along the side. Something that screams, ‘don’t mess with me.’”

“The victims wouldn’t have time to read it anyway,” Vang teased.

“True,” she said, picking up the shell of the Tactician. “But it’ll feel good knowing it’s there.”

As the hours passed, Vomi lost herself in the work. The red tendrils operated like an extension of her thoughts, grabbing parts, adjusting components, and testing fitments. She reinforced the shotgun’s frame, increased the mag size, and ensured the trigger mechanism would withstand the stress of rapid-fire shots.

Finally, after what felt like no time at all, the new weapon came together. It was sleek, brutal, and efficient. The chrome gleamed under the apartment’s dim lighting, and the drum magazine sat firmly underneath, promising devastation in every pull of the trigger.

“Well,” Vang said, hopping up to examine the shotgun. “Looks like you outdid yourself. So, what’s this one called?”

Vomi gave it a once-over, admiring the result. “How about... Cerberus?”

“Chimera and Cerberus,” Vang mused. “Your arsenal’s starting to sound like a mythological beast collection.”

“Exactly,” she said, with a wicked grin. “Now, let’s see what they can do. Need to make a call.”

After a quick dial of her Agent, a person picked up, “Who this?”

“Vomi. Got some new iron I wanted to test.”, She said, weighing both guns on her arms.

Raven sighed, “Well, unless this is a gig, I am not really interested.”

“What? Why?”

“Got some trouble of my own.”, She sighed through her agent, tiredly, “Stuff happened.”

“I can help if you need it.”

There was a second of silence before Raven spoke again, “Fine. Meet me at the warehouse district. It's near our rehearsal place..”

“Sure thing.”, And with that, the call ended.

Vomi directed herself to her wardrobe, changing clothes again, this time a plain tank-top shirt, sweatpants and a pair of shoes that just looked like a pair of Vans. It's been forever since she saw these kinds of shoes. Then she noticed something different…

“When did I ever have a red shirt?”

Vanguard, who was still in the same position, just twisted his neck towards Vomi, “I guess that's because of our new roommate.”

The red symbiote and its tendrils slowly faded in her back, coloring the shirt that was a darker red to a bright vivid one.

“Preem.”

The symbiote pulsed a “thank you” in response.

“Are you going somewhere?”, The cat asked as he now got up, “We don't dress unless we leave the apartment.”

“Well, I was going to test Chimera and Cerberus, but Raven said she has some kind of problem. So I'm gonna see her.”

“You called her?”

“Yeah.”, She nodded, “Thought that I could beat her marksmanship on the shooting range.”

“And what's her problem?”

Vomi shrugged, “Don't know. She didn't say it on my agent. Might be important.”

“Then let's not keep her waiting.”, Vanguard jumped and perched on her shoulder, but since it's a tank-top now, it is way harder to be comfortable.

“You better settle for the head.”

“A solid piece of advice.”

With Vanguard now perched on her head, Vomi grabbed Cerberus and Chimera, feeling the weight of her freshly crafted weapons in her hands. They were sleek, deadly, and ready for action. She holstered them both with ease and made her way to the garage, where her Colby sat idling, waiting to tear through the streets of San Francisco once again.

"Ready to see what Raven's got cooking?" Vanguard asked, curling his tail around her neck for balance.

"Yeah, but something tells me it’s not going to be a simple range test," Vomi replied, slipping into the driver's seat and starting the engine. The car hummed to life, and she sped off into the neon-lit night.

San Francisco was as beautiful as ever—flashing billboards, gangs roaming the streets, and the ever-present hum of danger in the air.

It felt like home.

Her mind wandered back to the conversation with Raven. There was something off in her tone, a heaviness that wasn't usually there. Raven wasn’t the type to call for help unless things were seriously messed up.

“Any idea what Raven’s trouble might be?” Vomi asked, glancing at Vanguard in the rearview mirror.

“No clue,” Vanguard purred, his voice casual. “But we’re armed to the teeth, so whatever it is, I’m sure we can handle it.”

They reached the warehouse district quickly, the dark, looming buildings casting long shadows across the street. Vomi parked in front of a large, nondescript building, its rusty metal doors creaking open as Raven stepped out to meet her.

She looked tired, her usual sharp, composed demeanor fraying at the edges. Vomi noticed right away—something big was bothering her.

“Glad you came,” Raven said, her voice low. “We’ve got a serious situation.”

“What’s going on?” Vomi asked, stepping out of the car and walking up to her, Cerberus casually slung over her shoulder.

Raven sighed and motioned for Vomi to follow her inside. The warehouse was dimly lit, filled with crates and makeshift living spaces. It wasn’t the kind of place Vomi expected Raven to hang out in.

“I’ve been dealing with some… personal stuff,” Raven began as they made their way to the back of the warehouse. “And it’s gotten out of hand. I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong.”

She led Vomi to a room at the back, where a couple of people sat huddled together, clearly distressed. Their eyes were darting around nervously, and one of them had a nasty wound on their arm, hastily bandaged.

“They got hit by a new gang—one that’s moving in fast and doesn’t play by the usual rules,” Raven explained, her voice tense. “They’ve got tech I’ve never seen before, and they don’t care about collateral damage. They’re hunting these people down, and they won’t stop until they’re all dead.”

Vomi frowned, glancing at the wounded people. “And you got caught in the middle?”

Raven nodded. “I was trying to help them get out, but these guys are relentless. I can’t protect them on my own.”

Vomi crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “You’re asking for backup?”

Raven met her gaze, her usual tough exterior cracking just a little. “Yeah. I need your help.”

Vomi took a deep breath and looked (or tried looking) at Vanguard, who was watching the scene unfold from his perch.

“Well, looks like we’re testing Cerberus and Chimera sooner than expected,” Vomi said with a smirk.

“Test what?”

Vomi just showed the modified rifle and shotgun, “These bad girls here.”

Raven's eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight of the heavily modified Chimera and Cerberus. "You don’t mess around, do you?" she said, a small, appreciative smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Never do," Vomi replied, casually slinging Cerberus back over her shoulder. "So, where’s this gang you’re dealing with?"

“They are called The Black Dagger.”

“Ugh. Such an edgy name.”

“My thoughts exactly.”, Raven shook her head amusingly, “But they are good. Every single one of them has a Cyberdeck filled with quick hacks ready to use. Even if the RAM cost is big.”

“All of them have Cyberdecks?”, Vomi said in disbelief, “That's…”

“Insane? Yeah, I know.”, She sighed, “Apparently they aren't in shortage of wannabe Netrunners.”

“I am a runner and I don't even use a Cyberdeck. I can get my chrome zapped.”

“Exactly,” Raven agreed, pacing a bit. “These gonks are cocky, and they rely too much on their tech. But they’re fast, and they’re hitting targets all over the city. They’ve already taken out a few of my contacts.”

Vomi frowned. “That’s a serious problem. You sure they’re not backed by a corp? Cyberdecks for everyone doesn’t come cheap.”

Raven shook her head. “No solid proof yet, but my gut tells me they’ve got some serious funding. They’ve been moving like they know the city’s layout better than the rest of us.”

Vomi glanced over at the huddled group of people in the corner. “They got people on the run too?”

“Yeah, these poor saps have info the Black Dagger wants. Data I’m not even sure they realize they have.” Raven sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’ve been keeping them hidden, but it won’t be long before Black Dagger tracks them here. We’ve got to move them, and fast.”

Vomi leaned back, thinking. “Alright, so here’s what we do. I’ll take point, run interference with Cerberus and Chimera. You get them out while I keep the Black Dagger off your back.”

“You sure you can handle it solo?”

Vomi’s smirk returned. “You forget who you’re talking to. I’ve been itching for a test run.”

Raven gave a resigned chuckle. “Yeah, alright. Let’s get this done then.”

Vomi nodded, tapping her fingers lightly on Cerberus’ drum mag. "Let’s see if these wannabe runners can keep up.”

----------------------------------------

The plan was simple: Raven and her group would take the back route out of the warehouse while Vomi set up a defensive position near the entrance. She found herself a decent vantage point on top of some stacked crates, giving her a clear view of the surrounding area. Vanguard, still on her shoulder, flicked his tail in anticipation.

“Think they’ll come in heavy?” Vanguard asked, his tone curious.

“They always do,” Vomi replied, shifting Chimera in her hands. “Wannabe runners with too much chrome always think they can muscle their way through.”

She adjusted the sights on the rifle, the sleek modifications fitting perfectly in her grip. If these Black Dagger goons were as dependent on tech as Raven claimed, Chimera’s anti-hack features would eat them alive.

It wasn’t long before Vomi spotted movement outside. Dark figures, moving quickly through the shadows, their silhouettes lit by the occasional flicker of a neon sign.

“Here they come,” Vanguard whispered, his fur bristling with excitement.

Vomi watched as a group of six or seven Black Dagger members approached, their movements efficient but careless. They thought they had the upper hand.

Amateurs.

The lead runner, sporting more chrome than flesh, flicked his wrist, activating a quick hack. Vomi’s eyes narrowed. Weapon Glitch. She could see it in the subtle way his fingers twitched. He was trying to disable her guns before they even started firing.

“Good luck with that,” she muttered, feeling Chimera’s chip block the hack effortlessly. The runner’s smirk faltered for a split second.

That was her cue.

Vomi opened fire with Chimera, the gun roaring to life with deadly precision. The first three shots caught the lead runner in the chest, blowing him backward into the concrete. The others scrambled for cover, shouting commands as they realized their quick hacks were useless.

“What the hell?!”

“Shut up and shoot!” one of them barked, firing blindly in Vomi’s direction.

Cerberus was next. Vomi switched to her shotgun, leaping down from the crates as the Black Dagger scrambled. She unleashed a spray of automatic shotgun fire, the drum mag cycling perfectly as Cerberus tore through the gang members like tissue paper.

Vomi moved with deadly precision, closing the distance before they could even react. One runner tried to rush her with a blade arm, but she sidestepped easily, firing point-blank with Cerberus. The impact sent him flying.

By the time the dust settled, the rest of the gang was either dead or running for their lives.

“Well, that was underwhelming,” Vomi said, wiping some sweat from her brow.

Vanguard flicked his tail in amusement. “They really thought they had a chance.”

As the last of the Black Dagger retreated, Vomi radioed Raven. “Area’s clear. You guys good?”

“We’re good,” Raven’s voice crackled over the comms. “Thanks for the cover. We’re in the clear.”

Vomi smiled, shouldering Cerberus again. “Told you I had it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Drinks are on me tonight,” Raven replied. “Let’s meet up and debrief. There’s more we need to talk about.”

Vomi chuckled. “Looking forward to it.”