Author note:
Alright, my sweet viewers one more chapter on Friday and then we're calling it for the week. Seeing as my demands have not been met, no release schedule will be published. We'll be uploading it when I feel like it.
-
Vincent "V" Aldecaldo
Date: 02/03/2076
Location: Night City
The first thing that hit me was the light. Blinding, pure, and all-encompassing, it was unlike anything I had ever seen.
I blinked, trying to adjust, my mind sluggish and confused.
As the light gradually softened, I found myself lying on a bed, the softest I had ever felt, surrounded by an ethereal glow. Everything around me shimmered with a surreal, almost dreamlike quality.
"Where am I?" I murmured my voice barely a whisper.
I sat up slowly, the motion feeling effortless as if gravity had no hold here.
The air was fresh and fragrant, filled with the scent of blooming flowers and something else—something indefinable but soothing.
Looking around, I saw a landscape of rolling hills, lush gardens, and crystal-clear streams, all bathed in the gentle light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"This must be heaven," I thought, a mixture of awe and confusion washing over me. "But how...?"
As I tried to piece together my last memories, I heard footsteps approaching. Turning, I saw a figure walking towards me, radiating a familiar warmth.
My heart skipped a beat as recognition dawned.
"No way..." I whispered. "I must be in hell then."
"Like they would take you either way," the man voiced, his helmet slowly taken off.
"Heh, you still look the same. So what's an asshole like you still doing alive? I thought you died that day... You know she never moved on," I continued.
While he looked more rugged his feature becoming more defined with age, there was only one bastard that I knew that walked with a smug expression like that.
It was Victor Von Doom.
"I know," he voiced somberly, his expression while stoic revealed more emotion than he ever did when we were younger.
"So you didn't move on either." I voiced his expression hardening.
"Not a day goes past where I think back then. But I know I made the right decision." He expressed.
"Damn right, you fucking selfish prick," I spat, remembering the scene of numerous others crying at his supposed death.
Panam never seemed to recover from his death, the fire in her eyes slightly dimming. There were times when we thought she wanted to leave the Aldecaldos and find herself. But she didn't. She remained loyal to the clan and stayed.
At times, we felt that her staying hurt her more than just leaving. Any guy's attempt at supporting her often led to arguments, Saul having to return to calm the fiery Panam. Remembering those moments felt like a movie during my time in the clan.
It was a shame what happened, but good times never lasted, and yet here I was dealing with an asshole who thought I died.
"I did what was right. Had I remained in the Aldecaldos, we would've both held back one another," he explained, his response sharp like glass to my ears.
"Heh, I'm sure it's because you're so great that you just had to leave. You're just so much better than everyone, aren't you? I can't believe this... Eleven years just to find out you're camped back at home. Holed up in some hideout, playing dead."
"Do you think it was easy for me?" Victor retorted, his voice rising. "I had to leave everything behind. The corporations were after me because of my heritage. They would have destroyed everyone close to me to get to me."
"Then why not tell us? We could've helped!" I shot back, my anger boiling over. "We were your family, your clan."
Victor sighed, the weight of his decisions evident in his expression. "You don't understand the magnitude of the threat. It wasn't just about me. My father, the CEO of a powerful company, was taken down by these corporations. They were ruthless. I had to protect everyone, including you."
"Protect us by abandoning us?" I scoffed. "That's rich. You think you did us a favour by disappearing?"
"Yes," he replied, his tone firm. "It was for the greater good. If I had stayed, they would have found us and hunted us down one by one. I had to disappear to save you all."
I stared at him, the man who was once my friend, now a stranger. "So, what now? You just reveal yourself after all this time and expect everything to be okay?"
Victor shook his head. "No. I don't expect that. But you need to understand the bigger picture. There are things in this world better left unknown."
I took a deep breath, the surreal beauty of the place feeling more tangible now. "Who brought me here?"
"David Martinez," Victor replied. "My apprentice. He saw something in you and thought you were worth saving."
"Does he know who you really are?" I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice.
Victor's eyes darkened slightly. "No. He does not. And it must remain that way. His loyalty is to our cause, not to my past."
I hesitated, feeling a pang of guilt. "The kid's good, Victor. He deserves to know the truth about who his supposed boss is."
Victor's expression hardened. "That's foolish. If he knew, then Night City might as well fall. The knowledge of my true identity would put a target on his back. He would be hunted just as I was."
"But he trusts you," I argued. "How can you keep lying to him?"
Victor stepped closer, his gaze intense. "This is not a matter of trust. It is a matter of survival. If you care about this city, about the people in it, you will keep this secret."
I looked away, the weight of his words sinking in. "Fine. I'll keep your secret. But I don't like it."
"You don't have to like it," Victor replied. "You just have to do it."
I nodded slowly, the gravity of the situation pressing down on me. "Alright. My lips are sealed."
We were attacked by Arasaka troops and the infamous Adam smashed when we were leaving... It only made sense now looking back at it but it still didn't make my mood any better.
"Good," Victor commented.
Leaving, he clasped his helmet back on, my thoughts drifting back to the emergence of that figure. While we all had our suspicions, it just didn't seem to match.
The mercilessness and ruthlessness of that character didn't equate to the autistic boy we once housed in the Aldecaldos. Yet my suspicions were beginning to turn into confirmations.
The greater good?
His equipment and mask?
Was Victor perhaps the Allfather?
I wasn't sure, but it would explain how long he had been gone, the ire of the Allfather overlapping with the visage of Victor - It seemed that we weren't all paying attention or perhaps part of us just didn't expect the sudden change.
It seems Santiago knew more than he let on when he saw the man emerge. He took more than a dozen secrets when he died. Although it just didn't make sense, we had seen with our own eyes his dead body.
We had seen his body wounded, his corpse bleeding at the scene. Did we bury a dummy?
Just how far and meticulous was this guy's planning to fake his death and then suddenly overtake an entire state in eleven to five years? I just couldn't understand his thought process. He always talked about how he was better than everyone, but I just hated how right he was.
Besides the awkward tendencies, he was a better aim, better fighter, better mechanic—better at everything.
It was just his asshole behaviour that made everyone either like or hate him. But to Panam, it made him special. I stopped seeing her that way after I was twelve; our relationship slowly turned into a brother-sister one.
Look I'll admit I liked her at one point, but who didn't? She was the smokin' hot babe around the block and had a fiery attitude that could warm the hearts of everyone around her. You'd be a fool if you didn't like that.
But I started to wander my gaze elsewhere, her attitude a tad too bossy for my taste. She seemed to get more and more bossy as the years passed and everyone got the heat when she was around.
Driss, Mitch, and Saul were the only ones who could comfort her, and while I was always around, she didn't seem to pay attention to me until months later. We ended up hanging out during those times, but I knew no matter how much I tried to get close, those doors were long closed.
So I respected her choice. I wasn't bitter at her reaction, I was bitter that the only man I could honestly call a brother died prematurely. As much as he was an asshole, he really did help out the clan when he was around. Hell, he saved my life more than once.
It's why when he died everyone felt the loss, even me. It was a waste you know? To see someone so smart and strong just die so pitifully. Had he not died, the clan would've naturally been given to him, even over Saul who thought he was top shit.
Victor regardless of how you thought of him was a good guy, who hid under the facade of an ass-hat. It's what Santiago told me all those years ago and I was right. But I hated that he was right, because who else could I get angry at?
I know it sounds stupid but I hated how the clan went after his death. Suddenly we were running from state to state doing odd jobs. The eddies just enough to get us by and when Santaigao died, Saul stepped up acting all high and mighty.
Yet at the end of the day, he was pussy. He couldn't handle the heat and blamed me for his mistake. Just thinking about him pissed me off.
As Victor walked away, he put on the helmet once again concealing his identity, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread mixed with awe. The Allfather, if he was indeed Victor, had orchestrated everything from behind the scenes, building his power base while the rest of us thought him dead.
My thoughts drifted back to the moments before his supposed death. The chaos, the explosions, the calculated moves that only someone like Victor could pull off. He had always been meticulous, always thinking ten steps ahead. It made sense now, his disappearance, his transformation into a figure of both fear and hope.
The Allfather wasn't a simple character to be quite honest. He was a warlord, a man who had signal handling changed the tide in the free states. I would dare say he was more influential than Mr. Night, the man who built Night City up.
That was also factoring his private military and personal. His so-called Judges were anything but simple, I had seen the men in action around the borders.
They were ruthless, and such a character didn't fit the Victor I knew, who we knew. Victor wasn't so cold as to cull an entire group of people, but the Allfather would.
Vulcan, his right-hand man, had single-handedly decimated an entire battalion of NUSA forces.
He stood like a colossus, towering over the battlefield. His muscular frame strained against the armour that should have hindered him, yet it seemed to enhance his movements. Each step he took was a testament to inhuman strength and efficiency, creating a scene of both awe and horror.
I vividly recalled the aftermath that ensued. The footage showed Vulcan, a single man of unmatched prowess, tearing Militech Basilisks from the sky and effortlessly downing their armoured aerodynes. It was a display of power that reverberated through the streets and ignited a storm of controversy and fear across the city.
His armour gleamed with a combination of red, black, and gold, a menacing sight that marked him as a figure of both power and intimidation.
Adorned with an array of weaponry, he resembled a colossus of destruction incarnate. Wherever he turned, devastation followed in his wake.
The crimson hue of his armour spoke of battles won and enemies vanquished, while the black accents hinted at the shadows from which he emerged, and the gold embellishments glinted with the promise of dominance and authority. Each piece of his armour seemed to hum with latent energy, ready to unleash havoc at his command.
As he strode forward, the ground trembled beneath his heavy steps, and the air crackled with the anticipation of violence. His presence alone turned the battlefield into a theatre of chaos, where his enemies quivered in fear and dared not challenge his might.
Amid the chaos he wrought, he stood as a symbol of relentless power and unstoppable force, leaving a trail of ruin and wreckage in his path.
That was just one of his men...
I wondered how David Martinez fit into all of this. The kid had brought me here, believing in my worth. Did he have any idea who his mentor truly was? And what would happen if he found out? Victor's warning echoed in my mind: if David knew the truth, it could put everything at risk. Night City might as well fall.
But the kid deserved the truth, didn't he? He was good—innocent in ways the rest of us had long since lost. Keeping such a secret felt like another betrayal, but revealing it could mean the end of everything we had worked for.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. There was no easy answer, no clear path forward. The world was more complicated than ever, and the stakes had never been higher. I would have to trust Victor's judgment, for now.
As I sat at the edge of the bed, I couldn't help but think of Panam and the rest of the Aldecaldos. How would they react if they knew Victor was alive if they knew he was the Allfather?
The betrayal, the anger, and perhaps the understanding that he did what he thought was right. It was a tangled web of emotions and decisions, each with its own consequences.
"You look like you just saw a ghost, choom." David voiced entering.
The kid while hardened by Night City's depravity didn't seem to be older than eighteen. An adult in this world but a child nonetheless in my eyes.
When I was eighteen I was still trying to figure out what I wanted in life, yet here was a kid who struggling with the dilemma of life and death.
A kid like that didn't deserve it, he should be studying at school. Not trying to kill people over a few scratches of money - I hated how this city pushed people around.
How they shaped the young and turned them into a hardened killer who knew no better than to follow their predecessors - it was a shame.
I looked up, trying to shake off the heavy thoughts. "Yeah, you could say that, kid."
David, a young man with an easy grin and bright eyes, pulled up a chair. "You sure you're all right? You were in pretty bad shape when I found you."
I nodded slowly. "I'll be fine. Thanks to you."
David shrugged, trying to play it off. "No biggie. Just doing what I can to help out. You were in rough shape, though. What happened?"
"They got the jump on me," I said, trying to smile. "Blood bastard was hiding inside a cabinet."
"Must've been some serious trouble," David replied, his tone a mix of curiosity and concern. "The Doc said you'd pull through, though. He's good like that."
"Yeah, he is," I muttered, my mind still grappling with the revelations.
David leaned forward, his expression more serious now. "What's really going on, V? You look like you got hit with shit."
I hesitated, knowing I couldn't tell him the whole truth. "Just a lot on my mind, kid. A lot of things I can't talk about."
David nodded, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "I get it. Secrets and all. Just remember, I'm here if you need anything."
I felt a pang of guilt. David was a good kid, one of the best. He deserved to know the truth about who his supposed boss was. But Victor's warning echoed in my mind: if David knew, then Night City might as well fall.
"David," I began cautiously, "do you ever wonder about Vic? About who he really is?"
David looked puzzled. "What do you mean? He's the Doc, the guy who patched you up. He's a legend in his own right."
"Yeah, but don't you think there's more to him?" I pressed. "Like he's hiding something?"
David chuckled. "We all got our secrets, V. But The Doc's always been solid with me. Taught me a lot. He's tough, sure, but he's fair."
I sighed. "Yeah, he is. But sometimes, the secrets we keep can be dangerous."
David leaned back, crossing his arms. "You're talking in riddles, choom. What are you getting at?"
I met his gaze, trying to gauge how much to reveal. "Just... be careful, all right? There are things about Vic that you don't know. Things that could change everything."
David's eyes narrowed. "You know something, don't you? Something big."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah, I do. But it's not safe for you to know. Not yet."
"You're really gonna load that on me and expect to walk away." David voiced.
"Look it's the only caution I can give, kid. Life's full of shit but you deserve a little snippet. I don't know how you met him but he's more than just a ripper." I stated.
"I kinda got that already, he's got tech on him that'd make any Militech engineer water. While I haven't seen him in battle yet, apparently he was a Texas ranger. He's probably met the Allfather at some point."
"Yeah, you can say that..." I mused, at the ironic situation.
If only the kid knew.
"Alright, let me get up. I need to let my fixer know I got her part." I explained.
"Ah, so that's why that blueberry came around"
"Blueberry?"
"The Smurfs."
"I don't get what you're saying, kid."
"Seriously you don't know who the New World Order is?"
They called the third most powerful gang in Night City Smurfs? What kind of sick joke was that? While I hadn't directly interacted with them I heard stories of their exploits from other solos and gangers.
"Wait, you call 'em Smurfs?"
"Yeah... We call em' that cause of their blue armour." David answered, confused at my question. He appeared to raise a brow with his words awaiting my answer.
"So who came by?"
I decided it was best to move on, I guess I had a lot to learn about Night City than just it's people.
"Just some random chick with platinum hair. She told us to send her a ping when you got better, she should be here by now."
Getting up, the holographic displays around me collapsed removing the facade of the ethereal experience before. I had now returned to reality, how fantastic. Walking around the room it seemed like a more refined ripperdoc workshop.
A set of tools beside my bedside my hands feeling a lot better than usual. It seems it got adjusted. Unlike many of the Aldecaldos, I decided it was better to chip in. My Chrome is a testament to that statement.
With the help of Victor, he helped install numerous processors alongside my hand. This gave me easy access to ports and such allowing me to act as a netrunner for the Aldecaldos. It worked for some time and then came the error process. It meant I was bricked from some of the features he gave me due to the lack of maintenance.
Looks like they were back up and running again, my optical processor and neurological processors at full capacity. While I didn't have the chrome that gave people an easy beating I now could fry people's brains with a glare. It looks like this was his way of shutting me up. It appears he wasn't as soulless as I thought.
"Oh my goodness, are you Okay, V?" Lucy called out, looking over me. She appeared to my right, her wariness a tad bit forced. Although I liked to think I still got it.
"Little bit groggy but still livin'." I mused.
"I tried calling but you wouldn't pick up. I ended up tracking you down here." She explained.
"Thanks, for looking out for me." I smiled.
"Listen you need to be more careful this isn't like those transport missions you nomads usually do." She complained, her eyes scanning my body for something. It was most likely the piece of technology she was looking for.
"Did you find it?" She inquired.
"I did but it's not on me right now." I voiced.
Seems like her mind was still on the job. I didn't blame her, she seemed like the typical bad bitch with a sleek agenda. Similar to Panam but with the dagger instead of the flamethrower that she went on about.
"I've got it," David revealed the device appearing in his hand.
"Thanks-." Lucy thanked, attempting to grab the item only to be lightly pushed back.
"listen here missy, did you forget we're in Night City? Someone has got to pay for the man's treatment. We're not a charity you know." David explained twirling the item in his hand.
"You little-." Lucy hissed, only to be silenced as David threatened to break the item, his hands positioned to break it.
"Oh, no need to be so rude, smurf. You've got chrome worth a dozen chips, choom. Send me a few chips and we're Nova." He continued.
"Tch, fine. Can't always get your way..." She sighed, passing the kid a chip.
"Nice tracker but I ain't some random gonk from the street. Pass me the real deal before I break your tech." He voiced flicking it back.
"What's a netrunner like you doing in a place like this, fine here take this." She spat handing the man another chip.
David grabbing it seemed to take his time scanning the item, his glasses illuminating showcasing a mirage of screens that I couldn't detail, Its private frequency allowing him to see its contents.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Turning to face Lucy she appeared to not notice the mirage of screens projected. Maybe he was using Von Doom's tech, it would explain why I could and she couldn't.
"Hmm, acceptable... Alright, we're nova. Take your input and delta." David voiced passing Lucy the device.
Glaring daggers at the boy's back I got up and walked alongside her.
"Real nice Chooms, you got but at least they didn't scalp you. Let's leave, we'll need to check if they did anything to you." She voiced still concerned.
"Sorry about that, I just needed the tech." She apologised.
"Nah, it's okay. I get how you city dwellers do your things. You ain't gotta pretend sweetheart. I know you have your secret agendas and stuff. I'll just get my pay and leave you alone." I explained, perhaps it was for the best.
The meeting with Victor told me a lot more than I was supposed to know. I felt like with this whole thing it was better to lay low for a while.
Sigh
"Look, I still need you and not just cause I'm sorry. I think you just got unlucky. Swing by my place, I got another gig. I'll pay you another bracket for today's incident."
"Thanks, Lucy but-."
"Listen, don't be stupid. I know you have potential, don't leave me hanging." She voiced handing me another chip. My scans revealed it to be clear.
Looking at her departing figure I weighed my options, to go or to stay?
Fuck it, we ball.
-
Omniscient
Date: 02/03/2076
Location: Night City
Morning broke and Victor sat at his desk, a storm of emotions swirling inside him as he struggled to contain the impact of V's arrival.
Fingers tapping nervously, he stood up and retreated into his inner world - a maze of metal and machinery, each room filled with experiments and weaponry. This was his personal arsenal, each move carefully calculated and planned. But even here, in this fortress of strength, he couldn't escape her memory.
Glancing at the pendant on his desk, he felt a surge of anxiety wash over him. He knew what it represented - her smile, her love - and it only fuelled his anger towards himself.
He wanted her to move on, to forget about him so that he could justify moving on himself. But she never did. Her love for him only seemed to grow stronger even after his loss.
"You're weak," a voice echoed in his head, the image of his father appearing before him. "Pathetic. What good is love in this world?"
The man circled Victor, spitting words of scorn and criticism at every turn. "It ties you down," he sneered. "You are more than just a pawn on the board. You have the power to move kings and queens." His father's words stung like venom, igniting a fiery rage within Victor.
"I am not weak!" Victor roared, smashing his hand through the wall in a burst of anger. "I am more than you ever were! A mere shadow of a man!"
Leaving behind his inner turmoil, Victor once again focused on the present - another mission had come in. This time, it was to exterminate a notorious Scav leader known for siphoning from the most powerful gangs in the city.
With renewed determination and fury burning in his veins, Victor looked over the files and accepted the commission without hesitation. He would show them all - he was not weak, he was not a mistake. He was Victor, and he would make his mark on this world.
With a jolt of electricity, he was brought back to the harsh reality of his life as a mercenary. Scanning the crumpled file on his table, Victor's eyes flicked over the details of the commission - a dirty job from Sixth Street that needed to be completed discreetly and without any noise. He weighed the price and danger level in his mind, knowing full well that one wrong move could mean death.
But he accepted it anyways, passing the file to his crew - Maine, Sasha, Dorio, David and Rebecca - all of them itching for their next mission.
They were holed up in their usual spot at a local bar, surrounded by the intoxicating smell of alcohol and food. The patrons around them came and went but they remained huddled in a corner, constantly scanning their surroundings for any potential threats.
"So how was your holiday?" Maine asked Sasha, who had been absent for some time. Her absence had left a void in the crew, especially as she was their skilled net runner.
"Cold..." She replied with a distant look in her eyes, memories of snow and biting winds flooding back.
"No kidding. So how did it go? Meeting your pops?" Dorio chimed in, taking a long drag from her cigar.
"It was nice. I finally got to catch up with him and learned some things... like how he never knew my mother was pregnant with me. When he came looking for her, he hit dead ends because of her ties to Militech. But when he saw me, he was overjoyed and even gave me some eddies along with this teddy bear." Sasha gestured to the Russian bear sitting on the table before her.
She gazed at the intricately crafted bear sitting on her mantle, its fur a reminder of her father's homeland. "He made this for a child he never had," she said with a sad smile, thinking of the life he could have had if not for leaving the Soviets. But as memories of her mother's untimely death from Biotenicha drugs flooded her mind, her expression turned into a grimace. She knew she needed to reveal the truth and seek revenge against those responsible for her family's suffering.
"There has to be some truth behind my mother's death and these damn painkillers," she swore under her breath.
"Damn, so your dad was a Soviet soldier? That's pretty badass," Maine commented with admiration.
"Yeah, sounds like a story," Rebecca chimed in between bites of her burger.
Sasha shook her head. "No, he wasn't exactly a Soviet soldier... more like a contractor working alongside them."
"Hmm, must have been tough work. What was he doing in Night City anyways?" Dorio asked curiously.
"He was stationed here during the Corporate War and kind of just stayed. He eventually stumbled upon a military operation and that's how I came to be... the product of that event."
Sasha's voice wavered as painful memories surfaced, prompting her to snap at Rebecca who had a devilish grin on her face. "And no Becca, I don't want to talk about it!"
(〃￣ω￣〃)ゞ
"Awww, come on. Don't be a such a whiny wiener," Bec teased, poking at Sasha's arms as she sulked with her arms folded.
"Shut it, Bec." Sasha grumbled, but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips.
"Anyway, what's happened since I left? Seeing as how you are all alive means that he hasn't killed you yet." Sasha inquired, taking in the sight of her crewmates.
"Just the usual run-of-the-mill gigs here and there. The pay has been good and our tech has been upgraded. Who knew that guy was a ripper doc? He seemed to know his way around my exo-suit." Maine explained, gesturing to his refitted armour that now fit his grown body perfectly. "And he did it at an affordable price too. Didn't have to fork over an arm and leg for it like some places."
"Huh, that's interesting. Did he refit your gauntlets as well? Your gorilla arms needed some work last time I heard." Sasha asked curiously.
"Yeah, he did them real good. He even fixed up my Doiro leg spikes, making it safer when ejecting. And he upgraded my optical processors too. Feels like I've got 2020 vision on hold now." Maine commented, sounding impressed.
"So...are you two like... fucking now?" Dorio pointed towards the awkward duo of David and Becca.
"Huh?" David questioned, flustered by the question.Becca blushed slightly but didn't deny anything.
"Don't ask something so weird like that!" David snapped back.
"I told you they wouldn't do anything just yet." Sasha smiled, holding out her hand for a bet.
"Fine, you win this one," Maine grumbled, handing over a stack of bills.
"You guys bet on us?!" Becca exclaimed, feeling a little betrayed.
"Of course! We also bet on when you two would finally hold hands in public, but since that hasn't happened yet, I'm winning," Sasha revealed with a mischievous smile.
Not wanting to let the women get a win over her, Bec quickly grabbed David's hand and declared her victory.
"Ha! Bet you weren't expecting that." She gloated.
"We didn't bet on that though..." Maine revealed, causing the group to burst into laughter.
"So...what's the job?" Sasha asked, changing the subject. "I just got a message from the Doc saying we have a gig. How did he know I was back before even telling him?"
"You know how he rolls, he has eyes everywhere," Maine explained with a shrug. "The job is a quiet one - a hit on Scav leader Jojo Siwa. The Doc wants us to take her out without anyone knowing."
"Do you think we can do it?" Sasha asked confidently.
"Easily," Maine answered, "But that doesn't mean I'm confident we can do it quietly. Our little Becca over here isn't exactly known for being discreet..."
"I think we'll manage," Sasha said firmly, locking eyes with Becca. "You know you can let go now, right?"
"Oh!" Bec exclaimed, realizing she still had David's hand in hers.
"Right..."
"We'll split the delta around twenty-two thousand and then meet up at my place to prep for the job." Maine commanded before leaving.
The crew dispersed to restock and prepare for their next mission.
Becca's voice faltered as she spoke, her hand still tightly gripping David's. He could feel the tension in her grip, a reflection of his own nervousness.
"No, it's fine," David replied with a forced smile, trying to ease the awkwardness that had suddenly descended upon them. "It's not like it's some random girl. It's you." Slowly, he felt his hands begin to loosen their hold on hers.
"Thanks," Becca said quietly before quickly pulling away and leaving the tense atmosphere behind.
As David walked towards his apartment, he couldn't help but think about how cute Becca looked when she was flustered.
But his thoughts were soon interrupted by the sight of several weapons stacked against his wall, a reminder of his dangerous occupation.
As he prepared for another night of killing, the seasoned edge runner muttered under his breath a list of weapons.
His chest harness held an array of shotguns and rifles, customized with attachments for their stealthy approach. As he adjusted the optics and barrels, the weapons transformed into deadly tools suited for their mission.
He contacted his partner, Sasha, asking for details on their latest target as he loaded bullets into his magazines.
With a quick glance at the profile of JoJo "The Harvester" Siwa, he confirmed the high level of danger she presented.
Wanted by the NCPD for a hefty sum, her numerous unknown cyberware made her even more lethal. The instruction was clear - capture if possible, but kill on sight if necessary. Proof of claim would be required for maximum reward.
David shrugged off the challenge, confident in his abilities. He emerged from his hiding spot, disguised in a large coat and carrying a box of roses.
Underneath the layers of clothes, his military gear was carefully concealed. To an outsider, it may have looked like a wardrobe malfunction, but those trained in the art of assassination could see that he was heavily armed and dangerous.
Maine's voice was low and dangerous as he emerged from under the garage. "Nice jacket kid," he sneered at David, who responded with a cautious nod.
"Just preparing for the worst," David replied, his hand hovering near a hidden gun. "If shit hits the fan, you know."
"True, that's why I've got more guns and EMPs stashed in the back," Maine explained, gesturing towards his car.
"Might need to shut down the power before we head inside. It'll leave us blind, but it also means they'll be blind too. Can't have anything spilling, or we're done our pays floored."
As Sasha and Rebecca arrived, fully armed and ready for battle, Maine asked if they were all prepared.
"Ready," they chimed in unison before quickly getting into Maine's car.
"Took you lot long enough, I was about to fall asleep," Dorio complained from her seat in the back. A heavy sniper rifle lay beside her, its firepower strong enough to explode a person's head on impact.
"You seriously bringing that?" David asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm not the one wearing Corpo gear, kid," Dorio retorted with a smirk.
"Touche."
As they arrived at their destination under the cover of nightfall, a silent wind hummed through the abandoned city streets.
The numerous buildings were infested with Scavs - ruthless scavengers who would do anything to survive, including kidnapping and selling body parts on the black market.
"This place looks like shit," Becca commented as she surveyed the area.
"Yeah, wonder if they'll ever fix it," David mumbled.
"They won't," Dorio interjected. "The Corpos don't want to waste money on this place and the Scavs have too tight of a grip on it now. Place has been a lost cause for decades."
"That's what happens when you let gangs run rampant," Maine added. "But we can worry about that later. Right now, our priority is taking down that bitch down."
Arriving at the desolate ruins of the apartment complex, Dorio took up a strategic position on top of a nearby building while Sasha stayed close behind her.
With determined looks on their faces, David, Maine, and Rebecca split up to systematically shut down the power grid and force the inhabitants into eternal darkness.
Dorio's thermal vision scanned the interior of the crumbling building, alerting the group to any potential threats.
Sasha, perched on top of the building with her senses on high alert, searched desperately for their target but came up empty-handed.
"She's in there somewhere," Dorio reported grimly. "I have a feeling she's either on the top level or in the basement. We should check both, just to be safe." The tension in the air was palpable as they prepared to confront their elusive target and remove the filth within the forsaken complex.
The entrance loomed ahead, and David's heart raced as he activated his glasses, their heat signature detection providing a crucial advantage. He quickly relayed the locations of the scavenger sentries to Rebecca and Maine, who were already brimming with anticipation for the impending clash.
With the cameras disabled, they slipped inside the complex, their movements calculated and precise on the cold concrete floor.
The interior was a decaying maze of debris-filled corridors, their senses assaulted by the overwhelming stench of neglect. Sasha's guidance from above helped them navigate through the labyrinth, undetected by any scavengers.
But suddenly, a squad emerged from the shadows, their cybernetic enhancements glistening under the dim lights. The leader, a towering figure encased in reinforced exo-armour, barked orders to his team as chaos erupted in a flurry of bullets and energy blasts.
David's enhanced reflexes kicked into overdrive as he effortlessly dodged incoming fire, his training allowing him to slow down time itself.
In return, he unleashed a barrage of bullets from his custom-built automatic rifle designed specifically to penetrate cybernetic armour.
Beside him, Rebecca wielded her formidable Militech shotgun, its devastating blasts tearing through enemies with ease. Maine charged into the fray with his blitz shotgun, obliterating anyone who dared come close.
As the battle raged on, the door to the inner sanctum burst open and Jojo "The Harvester" Siwa appeared. Her cybernetic enhancements were outmatched only by her sheer brutality: reinforced limbs, retractable blades, and sensory implants that gave her an almost supernatural awareness of her surroundings.
Jojo's mechanical limbs whirred with inhuman speed as she moved towards them, her glowing red eyes fixated on her targets with deadly intent.
As she leapt into the fray with grace and ferocity, even David and Rebecca struggled to keep up with her advanced cybernetics.
Jojo's face was twisted into a sadistic grin as she spoke, revealing a row of razor-sharp teeth. Her red cybernetic eyes glowed with an intense, almost manic, joy as she advanced towards her targets.
"I'm gonna enjoy ripping you into pieces." She smiled, a grin forced on her face.
Surrounded by Jojo's men, David, Rebecca, and Maine fought for their lives against their crudely-equipped adversaries. The scavengers' augmented bodies and crude yet efficient cybernetic weapons are a formidable challenge.
But amidst the chaos, Dorio remained calm, her expert marksmanship picking off enemies with deadly precision while Sasha wreaked havoc on their cybernetic systems through hacking.
Maine saw an opportunity and charged at Jojo head-on, his massive frame enhanced by cybernetic muscles and exoskeleton. They engaged in a brutal one-on-one battle, each strike and counterstrike a flurry of violence.
Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal when Jojo's retractable blades met Maine's gorilla arms. Her agility and precision were matched only by his raw power and resilience.
Meanwhile, David and Rebecca fought to clear a path towards Maine. With her Militech shotgun roaring, Rebecca blasted through the ranks of scavengers while David took out anyone who posed a significant threat with his sharpshooting skills.
Sasha's nano drones added to their efforts, slicing through enemy cybernetics with their tiny but deadly blades.
But Maine grunted in pain as one of Jojo's blades pierced his side, causing him to momentarily falter.
In that split second, she retaliated with a powerful slash that sent him staggering back. But before she could launch another attack, Dorio's voice crackled over the comms.
"Now! I have a clear shot!" Dorio's thermal vision had finally locked onto Jojo, her sniper rifle aimed with deadly accuracy.
Seizing the opportunity, Sasha unleashed an electromagnetic pulse that disrupted Jojo's cybernetics, throwing her off balance.
And in that moment of weakness, Dorio fired off a single precise shot that struck Jojo's head with unrelenting force, shattering her neural core and ending the battle once and for all.
Jojo's body convulsed, the once fiery glow in her eyes now fading as the scent of copper filled the air, a metallic tang that lingered with each breath as Jojo's blood mixed with the earth.
Her reign of terror had finally come to an end, leaving behind a trail of chaos and destruction.
The men's faces twisted in fear and disbelief as they watched their leader fall, their eyes wide and mouths agape.
The men's faces were twisted in horror and shock as they watched their leader fall, their eyes wide and mouths agape.
The men scattered in all directions, fear and panic etched on their faces as they realized the battle was lost. The once fierce and loyal soldiers were now broken and defeated.
The remaining scavengers who had been fighting against David, Rebecca, and Maine scattered like frightened animals, their weapons abandoned in their haste to escape. The air was thick with the stench of smoke and blood, the aftermath of a brutal battle.
In the midst of the fallen buildings and debris, David, Rebecca, and Maine stood victorious but exhausted. Their bodies were marked with bruises and cuts, their clothes torn from the harrowing fight.
As they caught their breaths, they couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that the mission was successful, yet another two figures emerged. Two cyborgs stood still, their cobalt blue eyes emerging from the dust.
"Pathetic flesh bags, ripe for the taking. I will relish wearing your skin as my own." One of them snarled, its voice a low, guttural growl as it fixed its burning gaze upon them.
"Leave the bigger one to me, I yearn for the satisfaction of crushing his skull beneath my foot... The sound of his bones shattering is a symphony to my ears."
"Who gave the robot a dictionary?" David voiced confused.
With a scoff, Rebecca called out, "Yeah, he sounds like a useless piece of junk."
Nemesis's lips curved into a sharp grin as his neon eyes glinted with excitement. "I can't wait to get my hands on that one," he purred.
David's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the damage on Maine's injured side.
The battle had taken its toll; Sasha had lost half of her nanites and Rebecca's weapons were jammed, leaving her defenseless except for a small pistol. They were vastly outnumbered and facing two powerful cyborgs alone, their chances of survival dwindling by the second. David knew they had to keep fighting, but fear and doubt gnawed at him.
"I'm going to need some backup, Dorio," he said desperately.
"I'm sorry, I can't help you. I'm surrounded too," Dorio's panicked voice came through the comms, another robot looming behind her.
"You thought you could hide from me?" the cyborg taunted as it advanced towards them, its head twitching unnaturally.
"Fucking hell," they all muttered under their breath.
"How are we going to get out of this one?" David huffed, panic creeping in as he realized he was running low on ammunition. He had to come up with a plan quickly before they were overwhelmed.