Westbrook

April 2nd

2069

Having gathered the information about Suko Rei from Rita, Sophie rode her bike back to Westbrook. She had preparations to make for her next hunts, considering she was intending to take significantly more risks, at least until she figured out whether or not it would grow her skills quicker.

Even if her actions would draw more attention, she felt it was unavoidable. As long as Suko Rei didn’t show up, she’d probably be fine.

Not long after entering Westbrook, Sophie stepped into Ricky's 2nd Amendment store. The air inside was heavy with the familiar scent of gun oil and smoke. She let the door close behind her without a glance, as she walked up to the proprietor. Ricky had looked over when he saw her and almost began the same cheery greeting as he’d used when they first met. However, something in her eyes must have deterred him and he settled for something more relaxed.

“Morning,” he said, eyeing her curiously.

Sophie didn’t bother with pleasantries. “I need weapons,” she said bluntly, stepping toward the counter. “Submachine guns, rifles, shotguns. Attachments and ammo for all of them. Suppressors, too.”

Ricky studied her for a moment, his eyebrows twitching slightly at her directness. “You’re not messing around, huh?”

Sophie’s eyes remained locked on his. “Can you give me what I want or not?”

He let out a low exhale and gestured for her to follow him to the back of the store.

Ricky pulled down a selection of firearms, placing them carefully on the counter one by one.

“This here’s a Saratoga,” he began, holding up a compact submachine gun. The weapon was bulky and painted in a dull matte black. “Good for close quarters, high rate of fire. Nothing quiet about it but it gets the job done well. If you want to be a bit sneakier, you can slap on a suppressor.”

Sophie picked up the weapon, testing the weight and feel. It didn’t feel as comfortable as a pistol, but she was fully aware she needed to improve her overall gun skills. She gave a small nod, placing it back down without a word.

Next, Ricky grabbed an Ajax assault rifle. “Versatile piece. Can handle mid-range and up-close just fine. It’s a bit slower than other assault rifles but it’s reliable.”

Sophie’s gaze flicked to the weapon, her fingers brushing over the stock as she considered it. She did have a Copperhead back at her hideout, but having a different option probably wouldn’t hurt. As long as it wasn’t too expensive. “Next,” she said, her tone short.

Unfazed by his customer’s cold demeanor, Ricky turned to the shotguns. “This is the Carnage.” He hefted the massive weapon with a grunt, setting it on the counter. Its design was chunky and intimidating. “When subtlety’s out the window, this thing’ll knock your target, and their friends, right on their asses.”

“Absolutely not. Look at me. Do you think I can shoot this thing? It’ll knock me on my ass before anyone else.” He stopped and blinked for a moment.

“Ah. That’s my bad,” he said, scratching his head sheepishly. Sophie narrowed her eyes at him. It seemed so…off. Fake. There was a good reason she wasn’t keen on trusting him too much.

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“You have anything else? A Satara or something?” She hoped that there would be no need to carry a shotgun, but after the recent ambush, she wanted to be prepared. Her Nue would barely tickle a hostile ‘borg after all.

Ricky disappeared for a moment, then returned cradling a Satara. “Here you go. Think you’ll be able to use it?” Sophie picked it up, mimicking how she would wield it. She knew it would still come with a large recoil, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as bad as the Carnage.

“Should be fine. What’s next?”

The man reached for a final weapon. “Lastly, the Yinglong SMG. Smart gun, high-tech, lightweight, and spits bullets faster than anything else I’ve got. Great for when you need to move quickly and hit hard. It’s expensive though.”

Sophie stared at him blankly. He stared back. She slowly turned her palms upwards, showing off her distinct lack of a smart-link. He looked at them.

“Oh.” He took the weapon and put it away. “Sorry.”

Sophie spoke again, a layer of skepticism clear in her voice. “Suppressors and scopes for all of them. Ammo, too. You able to get that right, at least?”

Ricky began laying out the requested attachments and ammunition boxes as he grumbled. “I can do that much.” Once he had everything ready, he continued. “Can you handle all this?” he asked, gesturing to the large pile.

“Hmm, what would you say is better, an Ajax or a Copperhead?” He thought about it for a moment.

“Personally, I prefer the Ajax. Copperheads aren’t bad, but I don’t find them particularly comfortable. Still usable though.”

“Get rid of the Ajax then. I’ve already got a Copperhead and I need to save my eddies where I can.”

“You got it. I’ll give you a duffle, too. Doesn’t seem like you can carry all this.”

Sophie nodded. “Total.”

He tapped a few keys on the terminal and gave her the number. She transferred the eddies without hesitation. It was nearly half her funds, but it was necessary. The Tygers typically only carried a pistol and the relevant ammo. Not once had she found someone wandering around with a rifle or shotgun.

Once the transaction was complete, she began packing the weapons and accessories into the duffle bag. However, a thought came to her. “Body armor,” she said suddenly.

Ricky raised an eyebrow. “You, ah, going to war against someone?” She didn’t reply and he huffed. “Fine, fine. The store doesn’t normally sell armour but I do. Follow me.”

Sophie nodded curtly. “Thanks.”

She followed him into the back and down a flight of stairs. As they descended, Sophie placed her hand on the grip of her Nue, just in case it was an ambush. They reached the bottom and were faced with a thick metal door. Ricky punched in a code and it swung open, revealing a large, clearly out of place armoury.

Weapons were placed in designated slots along the walls and there were a number of computers in one corner, on a desk. At the far end of the room was a trio of mannequins, bearing different sets of clothes. He guided her over to the mannequins and gestured to them.

“What kind of gear would you like?”

Sophie stepped closer and examined her options. One of them was clearly a typical soldier’s outfit. Olive green fatigues and a similarly coloured plate carrier, complete with ammo pouches. She ruled that one out immediately.

The next one looked exactly like a netrunner suit. She shot the man a questioning look.

“What? It’s a near-bulletproof netrunner suit.”

Sophie liked the look of it. The last one appeared to be a set of typical streetwear, though she assumed it was all bulletproof as well. “Do you have a black version of the plate carrier?” She asked.

“Yeah, I can get you one. By the way, I will uh, need to measure you. Y’know, to make sure I get the right sizes.”

She gave him a wary look. “Fine. But no complaints about this, okay?” She drew her gun and held it loosely. She refused to trust him around her body. She barely trusted Vik, and he was one of the most trustworthy people in Night City, if he was the same as the game portrayed him. He put his hands up, the very picture of innocence.

“Nope, that’s fine!” He grabbed a measuring device and began scanning her body. Every time he got a bit close, her body tensed up and the grip on her pistol tightened. Still, she accepted it because she needed the extra gear. “Alright! All done! Could you, uh, put the gun away now?”

Sophie slowly eased the weapon back into its holster as he continued talking. “So, what bits do you want?”

“The netrunner suit and the plate carrier.”

“Sure, sure. I’ll be right back.” He disappeared quickly. A few minutes later, he returned with a box. He set it down and opened it up, allowing Sophie to reach in and retrieve the netrunner suit and carrier. She liked it.

“How much?”

“5k each.” Sophie frowned and quickly checked how much she had. She had just enough but she’d be completely broke afterwards.

She grit her teeth and replied, “Fine.” She stuffed her new clothes into the duffel bag, which had become quite heavy and transferred the eddies. Her heart ached at the line of zeros in her account. The pair returned to the main shop and Sophie began making her way out.

As she left, Ricky called after her. “You sure you don’t want to keep things quieter? This much heat will put a target on your back.”

Sophie paused at the door, her hand on the frame. “I’ve already got one.”

With that, she disappeared into the city, mind racing as she considered how to go about challenging herself when she went hunting.