In the morning before Mia's rescue from her apartment. In front of a Japantown bar.

The old man that was Malik looked at the couple, and even though Cyclops was by far the more dangerous of the two. There was something missing in Tubio, framed by his black hair his eyes were clouded with a dark glow he knew all too well.

-If you're really serious, one of my sources has woken up and sent me some news. And since I don't feel like repeating myself, I invite you in to continue the conversation.

Tubio put the mask back on and the couple returned to their seats. The girls had not moved, Aria surrounded by Janissa and Clem awaiting Malik's new information.

-Maybe we screwed up. From what I was sent, Mia isn't exactly in the family's good graces, and many people opposed to the Gong are waiting for her to make a faux pas. From what I understand, she ran away from a marriage arranged by her father Hiro and, with the help of her aunt, joined Keng Tao on her own. Which her father didn't like at all.

-Wow, and did it work?

-Officially yes, unofficially no. But Sayako and Mia have a special relationship from what I understand. She's the one who took her in, while she does the steps to get into the corporation.

-That would explain why she clicked when she mentioned Yumi.

-Also, strange things are happening around her.

-Like what?

-Sayako hasn't been seen in a while, almost as long as Yumi.

-Are the two related?

-No confirmation, but the timing is suspicious. But that's not all, I was making the rounds of the people in Mia's entourage. And boom look at that.

Transferring data, the face of her supervisor Xiao Cai arrived in front of them. As well as other faces and people, all with links to the Gong family, whether allied or not.

-Mia's mother's step brother as her direct superior.

-What the fuck is this family? How many are there?

-Plenty. I keep digging and with almost every person a connection is formed. Friends, acquaintances, descendants, business partners, I've got dozens of people connected with Mia who might have a grudge against her or act for her benefit.

-With the viper's nest that corporations are, I'm only half surprised. But damn, how can we even hope that she won't rat us out at the first opportunity? Would she even notice?

-That's why I don't want Cyclops to follow Mia like the rest of you for that matter. I vote to abandon Mia and do Pat's job as quickly as possible before going our separate ways, if possible with Cyclops to guarantee our exit.

The group returned to their deliberations.

-I think Malik's right. Running into Mia in the first place was cuckold's luck. But expecting her to give us any information would be madness, if she had any we could have hoped to get it tonight, but now...

-I agree with Cyclops that we've lost the element of surprise. We've got to assume that Keng Tao will send a team to set up cameras and task forces to catch us in the act.

-But to have a chance of support would be an unexpected source of fresh and useful information... What am I saying?

-Shit. But useful shit. We can't expect anything from Mia, she's going to go see dad and tell him that some villain has threatened her, end of story.

-It hurts my heart but I agree. Tubio, Cyclops? What do you think?

-I agree, if it's really as complicated as what Malik just gave us, we can't expect Mia to help us. If a molecule in the beast she's going to move is infected, the chain reaction would be terrible... But I still want to try and talk to her tomorrow. See what she can give us. Nothing exceptional. Just to see if she gets straight to the point, but if she starts giving orders we'll leave her in the cold.

-Should we do it like today?

-That would be ideal... But someone's got to come down...

Everyone turned to Tubio, who stepped back in his seat, holding out his hands to protect himself.

-No, no, I want it to be a lottery.

-You've already done it...

-Yes, but no.

-You know where to look...

-That was easy. Through the glass.

-Your Cyclops-related equipment...

-I don't care, I'm not going.

-All right, enough of this bullshit.

Clem took out a pack of plastic toothpicks, breaking some and not others.

-The smallest.

Each of them picked up one of the tiny pieces of plastic before putting it in front of them. Tubio looked at the table.

-Fuck!

Everyone around the table breathed a sigh of relief as Ruby stroked Tubio's shoulder.

-Don't worry, since we're not going into the apartment, we'll all be up there to support you, and what's more, we already know how far down we'll have to go, so we'll bring back the best stuff.

-And then, as I've just said, as soon as she starts talking nonsense, we set sail.

After several minutes of discussing the details of the next evening, the group finally parted. Malik took Tubio and Cyclops back to the motorcycle Tubio had abandoned the day before, while the girls stayed in Japantown to return on their own.

*******

Cyclops and Tubio found themselves next to the motorcycle. Malik set off in the first light of day. Tubio finally took off his mask and the couple looked at each other. Ruby smirked as she climbed onto the back, urging Tubio to come closer. Grabbing his collar, she pulled him in for a kiss. In a whisper, she asked.

-At your place? Or...

-I'll surprise you.

Smiling, Tubio climbed in and off they went into Night City.

******

Malik drove home in his van, and at last the door opened. The dark room lit up with his presence. He looked at the empty room. His office, his workroom, his home... He took out a cigarette, only to put it away with a grunt when he saw the photos on a shelf. Reminiscent, he looked at his messages, invoices, eviction notices and other correspondence. Some of them concerned social events, others business matters where he was being solicited or could intervene or had already intervened, information on investigations and persons of interest.

While he was looking, he put out a call for information on Cyclops and Tubio. Even if Tubio's info seemed all too commonplace. Counted for dead, he had joined the Maelstrom, hence the link with Janissa and Cyclops. He couldn't scan Cyclops, no doubt because of a scrambler implanted in her eyes. Kiroshi? Zetatech? An implant like that must have been expensive. But it would fit in with her attitude, background and what Janissa told him.

The few bits of Tubio information he'd managed to gather in one night were nothing to brag about, he was a nobody. Except for a possible link with a semi-influential family in H2, Lianovak. His history with the Maelstrom will require more time, given that he wore a mask and was probably just one of the gang's many knives.

Cyclops should be more complicated, clearly there was more to it than just the girl. But it would be some time before we had any reliable information.

He didn't like this story, it was moving too fast with too little information.

Feeling tired, he hesitated to go to bed, got up and saw his prayer mat reverently tucked away on a dusty shelf. He contemplated it for a moment, before going to sleep.

******

-What a fucking shitty night.

-You tell me, we ended up in more shit we can take if you ask me.

-Thank god we were not at the end of the rope.

-Janissa we need more info on Cyclops, can you give me everything you've got?

-You know, there's not much more to say. Be extremely vigilant with anything hackable and with a camera he, well she, loves to watch or listen to what her enemies are doing. As you probably guessed, she's very theatrical, but don't let her looks fool you, she's by far one of the most dangerous people I've ever known.

-And Tubio?

-Uh, frankly. I don't know him.

-Janis...

-I mean, I don't know where he comes from ok? I was stoned all the time. I just remember he was a cute guy who took care of me once I passed out at a party one night. And I liked him for that.

-That all? He was cute and kind? No background nothing?

-Well he helped do the jobs no one wanted. Did a few dj gigs for the club which were really cool. So no one asked questions plus Gaton was shielding him so...

-Mm... So... What was your relationship with him?

-Nothing?

-And her?

Clem, Aria and Janissa were in the elevator going up to their base. On the wall behind them was a realistic painting of three women with snakes for hair. The green contrasted with the white of the women's faces, painted with skill and detail.

Inside, the three women tried to unwind as they reflected on the day. Aria, now in the private area, had hinted at a touch of jealousy, which Janissa had just noticed.

-I've already told you, though. Besides, if she likes guys, there's no reason to wonder why nothing ever happened between us. What are you, jealous?

-Me? Of what?

-Of the attention I give her?

-Do I look jealous?

Both clem and Janissa answered yes, making Aria blush. But Janissa smiled, coming closer to hug her.

-But you know you're the only one on my mind. Mm?

-...Prove it.

-Easy.

Janissa and Aria held each other giggling like little girls. Clem, feeling the two start to flirt again, sighed as she had to endure the mamours of both. Finally the door opened and with exasperation she declared.

-Thank god. Find a goddamn fucking room.

Stepping outside, Clem found herself surrounded by four automatic turrets aimed at the elevator. A camera in the elevator had warned them of their arrival, but security was not something to be taken lightly. A double door on the right, framed by two false marble columns, led to the L'Olympus club, with a passage on the left leading up to the floor above via a wide staircase. Both passages were framed not only by the turrets, but also by four women carrying weapons and ready to use them.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Seeing who had just arrived, the mood immediately lightened. A black woman with two pigtails in dreadloks came down the stairs to meet them.

-You three. Romana wants to talk to you.

-Shit...

A few minutes later, in a room with a large round table. The three mercs were seated in front of Romana Bell. She was beautiful, not artificial but simply beautiful with a minimum of mascara on her eyes. She had smooth, supple black skin, a pleasant, flawless face, long snow-white hair, smoothly pulled back, framing a face that in other circumstances would have been charming, with a smile on her lips to captivate her partner. At least that's what Clem would have said for her if she were a man.

-Let me summarize. You took part in an attempted extortion of a corpos instead of bolting after realizing it might have been a suicide mission?

-Attempt?

-We DID blackmail her.

-That's not the point I want to make. You fear for your lives okay, give up the job.

-What about our reputation?

-What good is it to us if you're dead?

-Our reputation is the only thing keeping us from decent jobs.

Clem, more than a little tired by now, almost got up from his chair. Pointing at Romana.

-I'm not going back to the curb, because that's what's waiting for me if we get out of this job. The only fucking reason I was in this job was because of Janissa. Me or Aria for that matter. Of all the people in our fucking group how many can pull a trigger. You've got the majority in front of you. Romana, you want the girls to have choices other than becoming employees at Olympus. That's great. But in the evening, I had to, in order, kidnap a guy off the street to interrogate him in a van, participate in the murder of several people with explosives, then hold a guy I've known for less than 24 hours in the void above Japantown so we could blackmail a corpos via a TV. You tell me when you think the other girls could do a quarter of what I've just mentioned without losing all their shit.

-Ok, ok... Your job, your way of doing things. But as you said, if I don't have you, I don't have anyone to find us another income or defend us if we're in trouble. We're lucky enough to be in the green, but that's because we haven't been noticed yet. It's very important to have assets in Night City, but you know the most important thing is...

-Money. We took the job for the money. We know it and we'll get it. Now all we have to do is find the girl we're looking for and return her to her corrupt family. If tonight Pat doesn't send us to the building where the girl is, we'll go back to the corpos and the moment she talks shit we'll set off.

-Do you know where she is? The girl?

-The netrunner and the team leader are preparing the assault, tonight or tomorrow morning at best. It's better not to rush headlong into it.

-Look, Romana, we just wanted to make sure our backs were safe. The fact that the team leader was cleaning up after him a bit too well made us uncomfortable. But the job will be over tomorrow or tonight. Now it's not that we don't like you, but could we go to bed? It's not that we've been up all night, but I'm sleepy.

-Okay... but be careful.

*****

Getting out of the room a child missile struck Clem in the legs, ensnaring her in a hug at waist level. The little creature had two little brown pigtails of hair and two brown eyes looking up at Clem's face.

-Hey! Are you okay? What's going on?

-You weren't there this morning.

The sleepy little voice was almost accusatory. Bending down to the little girl in front of her. Clem spoke to her with patience and affection.

-Oh, Janis and Aria were off getting into mischief and I had to watch them alllllll night. But it's true, I should have warned you. But I knew that the big girl in you wouldn't be afraid in my absence.

The little girl threw her arms around Clem's neck, melting her heart as she lifted her in her arms.

-Didi, you're getting too big for me to carry you, you know?

Clem lifted her anyway, and Didi snuggled up to Clem, her head in the hollow of his neck, clearly tired. Turning to Janissa and Aria, the two waved goodbye and Clem left to look after Didi in her house two floors above.

Arriving at her door, a young woman ran in breathless. Clearly relieved to see Didi in Clem's arms.

-Erica? I suppose you're the one who had to look after Didi?

Erica, blushing, caught her breath.

-Pearl had to leave and when I arrived she'd snuck into Rhea's workshop so she said she'd look after her, but...

-Okay, I get it. Thanks for your time. I'll buy you a drink later.

-She was scared and couldn't sleep without you...

Clem nodded as the person in question dozed in her arms. Thanking Erica once more, she entered the apartment where several people were living but had already left for work. Going into a small room similar to a storeroom, a bed had been set up taking up most of the space, and Clem laid Didi in the bed, despite the young girl's unwillingness to let her go. After a quick clean-up, Clem went back to bed with her before falling asleep beside her.

*****

Janissa and Aria climbed one floor to their apartment, where they could finally relax. Janissa fell into bed half-dressed. Aria walked behind her, touching her foot to keep her awake.

-Eh, don't sleep, shower first.

-Mm...

-Stop sulking.

-Damn it...

-What's wrong?

-I was hoping we'd have a chance with Tubio.

-I would have said no, Janis. I would never sleep with a guy, with "because I like him" as a reason from you. Even with all the sweet talk in the world.

-Come on, tell me he didn't impress you last night.

-I respect what he did. Frankly, but that's no reason, I can tease a guy, but I won't go further with a random.

-So you were interested...

-Janis please, clearly Cyclops and Tubio are happy together and then I'm tired enough, we could sleep and resume with your imagination later...?

-Shower?

-Shower.

Janis and Aria took their time to enjoy a long rest they needed.

*****

On their side at the No Tell Motel in a private room.

Tubio and Ruby lay in each other's arms on the bed.

-... So here's what happened before Malik took me hostage on the way to get the food.

-Mm, we'll have to be careful, we're getting old in Night City, either by selling our souls or by being a cut above the rest.

-Or by being paranoid. I think that's what it comes down to in his case.

-Paranoia and preparation are basically part of the same source.

-Hence the objects you put in the bag. By the way, where did you get the handcuffs?

-You never know... You did use the rope, didn't you?

She giggles as Tubio frowns. The two of them were lying down, Tubio exhausted by the intense night he'd spent running around Night City. He could think of nothing better than crashing into bed as soon as he got inside talking about that whole night opération.

-Your team is weird. Normally we take guys who have things in common, to make the work easier. But yours seems to be a complete mishmash, with no cohesion except for some for specific work. I'm okay with Donovan as a doctor, but why all the people? That Clash guy looks like a Borg, plus that experienced Pat and that Wang who look strong, they should have enough muscle with that. No?

-I dunno. Maybe we have something we don't know we have in common?

-You mean besides being expendable? Because the more you tell me, the more I say it'd be better if I locked you in that room.

-That's why we wanted to dig into Tubiki's life, to find out more and possibly avoid a flatline.

-It’s not like we need to rush to have more money Tubio, we don’t have to risk it all, we could take our time…

Ruby remembered Rosie's words and it was true, Tubio looked starved for money, money that they could quietly collect, bit by bit.

*******

Somewhere in Watson in a dubious clinic.

Clash stood in front of his reaperdoc. He easily towered over the man with his size and chrome, but of the two, it was the smaller man who seemed the more fearless. The latter pointed to the operating chair.

-Put your ass in there, but this is the last time. If you don't have the money next time, I won't take you anymore.

-Thanks.

Clash settled into the chair, leaving himself at the mercy of the doc, as Clash's distinctive gravelly voice echoed in the room.

-Don't thank me, idiot, you're almost dead anyway, I don't know what more I could do for a next time. If you don't find the money I won't be able to order the implant...

-I'll have the money... soon...

-I'm praying for it, my friend.

******

Somewhere in Kabuki

-Samir, you son of a bitch!

In front of an apartment, two men were pounding on a door.

-One week to go, asshole! Otherwise, the Scavs will be happy to cut you up.

In the stairwell just above, Samir was doing his best not to make any noise, holding his hand over his mouth and trying to not make a sound until they left.

******

A restaurant in little china.

-Wang, where were you last night? I needed you for the restaurant.

-A job.

-You have a job here.

-Father...

Wang and his father looked at each other. What the son had in muscle, the father had in thick. They'd had this discussion dozens of times. The restaurant was empty for the moment, but for a good reason. Wang's father was about to continue when Wang, almost imploring, interrupted.

-It's not for a gang. I work for myself, on a solo contract. The pay is good, very good. Good enough to get us out of...

As he was speaking. A well-dressed man entered the restaurant. With two henchmen flanking the door, the man sat down on a stool. Smiling at the father-and-son duo waiting patiently for them to finish. Wang looked at his father, who turned to him.

-Do what you think you must. Leave...

******

At Pat and S4nd0t's base of operations.

-Why the bloody hell am I here?

-Because I paid you in advance, now stop whining, we need information about this building, it's the kind that has basements and emergency exits hidden away.

-I still don't understand what's in it for you, old man.

-... It's personal.

-...Sure. As long as it doesn't put us all in mortal danger, I'll just say thanks for the eddies.

-Less thanks and more work. I want to have a profile of all this trash's acquaintances within a day and be able to prepare an assault plan as quickly as possible.

******

At the motel

Ruby, for some reason, had brought the bag into the room. Rummaging beside the bed, she pulled out the shotgun he'd received as a gift.

-Where do you get these guns from anyway?

-The submachine gun was when someone tried to rob me when the clown came to town and the shotgun was a gift from an ex-corpos who was leaving Night City.

-Wow, you know what you should do? Name it.

-Ruby...

-Go ahead, make my day. It'll be fun.

Ruby passed the gun to Tubio, who looked at it. Well-kept and practical. He thought back to the old man, tired but alive and ready to carry on. He looked at Ruby and what he wanted to do with her.

-Departure.

-Mm, as a tribute to the old man or his function?

-I was also thinking of us. When we leave Night City, we'll take it with us to remember...

Caressing her face, they both enjoyed being alone at last. Ruby kissed him and his hands began to wander. Tubio turned to put the gun down and Ruby reached into the bag to pull out the handcuffs, swinging them under his nose.

-So... you want to use them?

*******

Much later

A message arrived for Tubio waking him up.

"To all participants of the clash planned at Rosa Pulse, we inform you that the event will be postponed due to the appearance of Bozos on the floor causing disturbances, not wanting to risk an incident the event will be postponed until a later date."

Wimp. The group message was for all possible participants, too bad he didn't have access to it because he could see which idiot he'd be ridiculing and it would be even easier. Thinking back to the songs, he tried to guess in his mind who would be able to participate. He prayed that Pat would send them before going to see Mia. It would save them the trouble and put an end to the whole thing. Tubio pondered, aware that he probably shouldn't have taken the job in the first place. But making deliveries for Ferak was all right for a while.

He hadn't heard from Talia. The effect of the drug should have worn off by now. Oh shit. Did he forget to unlock her? No? Ok...

Why, why does he care. A remnant of lost hope? He looked at Ruby, at peace. He thought back to the things he'd seen and done in the Maelstrom. Of the clash to come, his future with Ruby and what she was going through with him. He felt happy and loved. Take our time uh... He began humming sounds, and songs he'd imagined putting notes and a face to lyrics that had once lost their meaning for him.

-“...It might not be the right time,

I might not be the right one,

But there's something about us I want to say,

'Cause there's something between us anyway,

I might not be the right one,

It might not be the right time,

But there's something about us I've got to do,

Some kind of secret I will share with you,

I need you more than anything in my life,

I want you more than anything in my life,

I'll miss you more than anyone in my life,

I love you more than anyone in my life…”

Caressing Ruby, Tubio's hands came to rest on her face. Ruby had opened her eyes and probably woken up during his song, looking at him in silence, he smiled when he saw her. But she wasn't smiling, her red eyes looking at him pensively. She stood up on top of him, raising his hands. She grabbed them with controlled force, pressing them against the bed on either side of his head. Ruby's face was inches above his. Tubio could feel Ruby's breath on him. He knew what was happening, he'd sensed it, even seen it. But he knew he had nothing to fear.

-I'm not afraid of you and you have nothing to fear.

Before smiling and stealing a kiss on Ruby's lips, she backed away in surprise and confusion. The red eyes disappeared, giving way to a clear but lost blue. With Tubio's hands free, he tipped Ruby onto her side and stood over her in the bed. Confused at first, Ruby quickly gave in once she realized that she was the center of attention and in perfect safety.