Chapter Ten
July 14th, 2077
Night City, Northern California
Badlands, Rocky Ridge
The unlikely trio broke shelter five hours later, still sporting fresh bruises and cuts from the previous night's firefight. The grisly remains of the butchered Wraiths permeated the air above Rocky Ridge.
Rain and muddy ground only elevated the decaying smell of weathered corpses. V and Panam were inspecting the Aldecaldos Thorton just outside the City, the exterior was sporting a few new bullet holes, but the merch was undamaged.
So, all in all, Panam was not too troubled by the previous day's events; she got to kill Nash and get her merchandise back. There was just one teeny-tiny problem that propped up when the Headhunter enquired into the package's contents and its receiver.
"It's Baloperidol," Panam replied while rummaging through her trunk. "Drug for treating Cyberpsychosis. You know what that is?"
The Headhunter lied, shaking his head sharply. V, who was in the passenger seat, wrapping a wound on her wrist, answered for Panam. "Cyberpsychos are individuals with existing psychopathic tendencies, further enhanced by cybernetics. As a result, they have a tendency to butcher anyone they come across without hesitation."
V's lips turned into an amused smile. "You know some rumors are going around that you're a Cyberpsycho."
"Huh," Chamber's voice pipped in the Headhunter's head. "Can't imagine why."
Cyrus subtly smacked the back of his helmet, playing it off by holstering his Copperhead in the same motion when the noise drew the attention of the other two. The trio sat in a comfortable silence that was broken by another query from Cyrus.
"Who is the package for?" Panam's hands froze for a moment before continuing their previous action. V, who had finished wrapping her injured limb, looked back in curiosity, watching the Aldecaldo and Spartan closely.
After a moment of silence, Panam answered the inquiry. "The Sixth Street gang, one of their members, has been battling Cyberpsychosis. A lot of them are now that I think about it. A good number of them are veterans of the Metal Wars, not exactly the cleanest of conflicts, but which one is?"
"Is that a problem," V questioned.
"Not today." The Spartan returned his attention to the perimeter before anyone could follow up his cryptic answer.
"Play nice, Cyrus," Chamber chided. "We got all the time in the world to determine whether the Sixth Street gang deserved the same treatment the Maelstrom received. Unlike the Maelstrom and Tyger Claws, the Sixth Street gang may prove useful to us."
The Sixth Street gang was founded by veterans of the 4th Corporate War tired of the helplessness of the NCPD. Sixth Street started as a Citizens Militia, meant to serve and protect Vista del Rey and Heywood's community. However, their interpretation of the law and justice is questionable and self-serving at best.
They have since forgone their original purpose of serving public trust and are no different from any other gang who abuse their power and position in local communities. Their leader Will Gunner was the driving force behind the Sixth Street Gang's recent change in motivations. The details were still sketchy, but Chamber was able to surmise a violent shift in leadership. But that was a problem that could be shelved for later.
"When do we move on, Hellman?" The question drew the Mercenary's attention.
"His flight leaves tomorrow," V responded. "Panam and I drew up a plan while you were scouting the perimeter. Wanna hear it?" Cyrus nodded in affirmation.
"The Kang Tao convoy's route will take it right over the Satwave power station in Jackson plain."
"You want to utilize an EMP to ground the transport?" The Mercenary disembarked the Aldecaldo Thorton and approached the Headhunters side.
"Yup, but we have to disable the limiters and bring down all four AV's. We leave even one still flying, and Hellman will be in the wind."
"What happens if an AV is still airborne." The audible sound of Panam's trunk closing drew the duo's attention.
"Then we use this baby." The Aldecaldo shouldered a massive Four Tube missile launcher. "A Militech Scorpion 16 Surface-To-Air Missile, topped out with state of the art heat-seeking missile. Not even a Kang Tao AV will be able to handle this beauty."
"Anything else?" The Mercenary appraised.
"No," The Headhunter was satisfied with the plan of action, concluding his presence here was no longer demanded. "We'll speak more tomorrow."
Cyrus walked off into the dark, the flickering lights of Rocky ridge illuminating his hulking form, baffling V and Panam. "You sure you don't wanna ride back to town?"
"No." The Headhunter's form melted into the shadows and the dark embraced him like a lost son. V tried to follow the Spartan as best she could, but even her optics lost track of him before long.
Panam shook her head in disbelief. "Where the fuck did you find this guy, V?"
"I don't think it was me who found him," V surmised. "I think it was him that found me."
With nothing else to say to one another, the duo embarked Panam's Thorton. Carefully navigating the graveyard of crushed vehicles and Wraith corpses. Boz was awaiting their arrival at the Sunset Motel; Panam still had a package to deliver. Neither women were aware that there Cyrus was tracking their movements, but his target wasn't his recent colleagues.
His interest was in the Sixth Street ganger.
July 14th, 2077
Night City, Northern California
Santo Domingo, Five Kilometers East of Outpost 25
It was half-past three o'clock in the morning by the time Panam showed up and delivered the goods. Bolipoderal in tow and a little less money in the pocket, but that was business in Night City. You wanted the best service, you had to spend eddies, and Panam was worth every bit of money. It was a shame she wouldn't give him the time of day, but hey, you can't win them all.
Either way, he was happy to get his eddies' worth, and he couldn't care less about what happened to Nash. The guy was dead, no question about it; Panam showing up proved that, and the girl had a mean streak the size of a skyscraper when you crossed her. Now he and his compatriots were on their way to Outpost 25. One of three locations the Sixth Street gang possessed on the outskirts of Rancho Coronado. The sites contained members of Sixth Street suffering from Cyberpsychosis.
"Hey, boss." Boz's driver stole his attention. "You hear about what happened to the Tyger Claws last night?"
"Yeah, I did," The 6th Street corporal intoned. "Sucks to be Jotaro. I'd hate to be a Tyger Claw today."
"I hear that."
It was no secret that the Tyger Claws were the next gang on the Headhunter's list. He made that fairly clear when he ripped Jotaro Shobo's guts all over Kabuki Favela. The eight Major syndicates in Night City were reduced to seven, and if the Headhunter had his say, that number would go down to six.
Gang's around Night City were in a frenzy. Recruitment was skyrocketing to levels the City hadn't seen in decades. The Sixth Street gang was no different, and they were recruiting anyone that knew how to shoot a gun at this point. Boz was entirely against the motion since he was a member of the Patriots before Gunner took over.
Will Gunner led a violent coup that killed the previous leadership and placed his Purists Faction in charge. The supporters of the Patriots were quickly given an ultimatum, join or die. Most, including Boz, took the former option, and those who didn't were butchered to a man.
Will believed the issues were over and done with, but that was far from the case. His new policies were nauseating to Boz and the other Patriots extortion, protection money, and hell, even dabbling in human trafficking at one point. Captain Decker, a former Patriot officer, convinced Gunner that the human trafficking stints would cause unwanted attention.
At first, he gave her the finger, but when the Maelstrom were massacred, he quickly changed his tune. The policy change saved Gunner and the Sixth Street Gang's continued existence, preventing a full-blown civil war from happening within the gang. Boz, however, knew it was only a matter of time until it kicked off.
Gunner let too many Patriot supporters keep their lives and rank inside Sixth Street to prevent anything less. Then again, he was left with little choice in the matter. The Patriots were far too numerous and engrained into the soul of 6th street to get rid of entirely. The only reason he even took command was by utilizing charisma and opportunity. Gunner took advantage of Colonel Graham's untimely demise during their conflict with the Tyger Claws.
Boz and many like him were convinced that Gunner was involved in the assassination, but there was no evidence to back it up and no one with enough rank to take leadership. Gunner solidified his claim to the mantle by obtaining the loyalty of many 6th street officers. So, the gang was at an impossible junction and an impasse that could only be solved through violence.
Boz was robbed from his thoughts by a jolt from their Van, followed by a rolling motion. "Motherfucker! We got a flat Boss."
"Pull over," the Corporal glanced behind him to his second compatriot. "Daniels, you're on security, don't want Raffen jumping us out here."
The three riflemen dismounted the Van simultaneously, moving with practiced ease to their assigned positions for this scenario. Daniels was sporting an M251 Ajax and covering their rear, while Boz was posted near the driver door covering the front. Flak, Bozz's driver, retreated to the vehicle's trunk and opened up the rear doors. Flak retrieved a spare tire and necessary tools to work on their flat in a hurried but coordinated motion.
Boz readjusted the grip on his Copperhead, eyes scanning the darkened environment. The only source of illumination along the highway was the Van's headlights and an isolated highway light flickering ominously.
"Daniels!" Boz called out. "Seen anything?"
"Nothing, Corporal. Sectors clear."
"Rog! Hopefully, it stays that way." The ganger muttered to himself.
Minutes ticked by at a snail's pace, the only audible sounds Boz could pick out were the soft curses of Flak's voice and the howling wind. The Sixth Street corporal felt his nerves tingling, body turning cold from the Night City winter. His optics were unable to pick out any defining features, only finding cactus and wildlife.
A loud crash echoed down the highway as the Van's carjack rolled in on itself. Boz kept his composure, and his eyes maintained scanning his designated sectors along the perimeter.
"Flak you ok?!" The silence was all that followed.
"Daniels, you up?!" Silence.
"Oh shit." Boz shouldered his Copperhead, scanning his front before turning towards the rear of the Van. The Corporal trailed the exterior of the Van spotting a pair of feet outfitted with steel-toed combat boots. Boz followed the pair of boots to their source, finding Daniels unconscious with a nasty cut on his forehead.
The ganger peeked around the Van spotting Flak's passed out form leaning against the Spare Tire. Turning to his right, Boz came face to face with the newest Night City legend, the Headhunter.
The Corporal's rifle was batted away in one fell swoop, forcing him to draw his Unity. A palm slammed against his sternum, forcing the Corporal against the vehicle's exterior. Boz had the wind knocked out of him, the Corporal choking on his breath even as a hand snatched his larynx.
"Name, rank, serial number, faction?" The Headhunter's voice was nothing less than a frozen forest.
Boz felt the grip tighten, ever slightly loosening the gangers crumbling morale. "Allen Bosworth, Corporal, serial number 569-021, Sixth Street Gang."
The Headhunter's grip tightened. "Faction not Affiliation."
"Patriots." The Corporal's choked out. "I'm with the Patriots!"
"Good." The grip loosened up, allowing precious oxygen to flow through Boz's lungs. "I have questions, and you will answer them."
July 14th, 2077
Night City, Northern California
Charter Hill, Hideout
Cyrus made it back to his hideout after ambushing Boz and his men. For the first time in a long while, he left behind unconscious bodies instead of corpses but not without reason. The Sixth Street gang was a faction of interest to the Headhunter.
The Sixth Street gang was unlike the Tyger Claws or Maelstrom when it came to battle doctrines and organization. It was better to compare the gang to a private military organization than a simple crime syndicate. Their organization had close to 2,300 members, making them the fourth largest gang in the City, well behind the Animals, Tyger Claws, and Valentinos.
Their men were by far the most disciplined and organized of all the Night City gangs. Squads patrolled streets, platoons garrisoned neighborhoods, and companies were assigned whole districts. The 6th street gang had complete control of Santo Domingo and owned parts of Heywood. The Valentinos and Tyger Claws made a point of pressuring the 6th Street gang constantly, but they were never able to gain ground.
However, despite being one of the most potent gangs in Night City, they also were the most unstable. Their recent war with the Tyger Claws decimated their upper leadership, allowing new blood to take over without issue. That new blood changed the 6th Street Gang priorities, focusing away from community services and more in line with the rest of Night City's syndicates. Extortion, cybercrimes and a host of other criminal activities were bleeding Santo Domingo dry.
At first, Cyrus was going to add the entire gang's leadership to the ever-growing list of individuals that needed to be….removed. Then Chamber chimed in to give a different solution to the 6th street problem.
Instead of merely killing off the gang in a frenzy of blood, Chamber instead had him gather all the intel they could find on the 6th street gang. That meant he had to initiate old and new ways of gathering intelligence.
So, while Chamber searched every piece of intel she could on 'The Net,' Cyrus went back to the archaic ways of intelligence gathering. Interrogations, reconnaissance, data sabotage, you name it, he did it. Whatever Chamber couldn't find on 'The Net' he unraveled into solutions.
Ever since the end of the Headhunter's campaign against the Maelstrom, the Tyger Claws and the 6th Street gang were in his sights. The Tyger Claws would be wiped to a man. The Spartans would not tolerate their very existence.
As for the 6th Street gang, they would be repurposed to a higher calling. Chamber believed the gang could return to its former purpose. They needed to remove certain obstacles that would bring the whole rotten structure tumbling to the ground.
Despite the Headhunter's capabilities, he could not be everywhere at once. His time in Reaper Team taught him the value of capable and motivated allies. The 6th Street gangs' military acumen and organization could expand on the Spartan's campaign against the decadent forces that hid in Night City's shadow.
Cyrus had his work cut out for him, but his interrogation of Boz was a worthwhile venture. They needed to sow the seeds of doubt, and Captain Alex Decker would be that seed.
Decker was a soldier's favorite Officer, honest, capable, disciplined, and loyal to a fault. She maintained a company in central Arroyo, containing well over three hundred 6th Street soldiers. Decker was the current head of the Patriot faction inside the gang, but she was also the only thing keeping it from imploding on itself. While the Officer detested the 6th street gang's current priorities, she also knew an open rebellion would do nothing but bloody Santo Domingo and its citizens.
The Captain was well aware of Gunner's treachery, but he held the loyalties of far too many officers inside the gang to risk an open rebellion. Even then, a civil war within the gang would only lead to the other syndicates around Night City taking an interest in Santo Domingo, something Decker was unwilling to risk.
Cyrus had Boz deliver a message to the Patriot Leader, and a meeting was to take place a week from now. The Headhunter would see the 6th Street gang return to its former glory, not the cancerous tumor bleeding Santo Domingo dry.
That was an issue for a different time.
Today his focus was on Anders Hellman and the security detail that would be protecting him. Hellman fled Arasaka after Saburo's death, shacking up with Kang Tao in an attempt to escape Yorinobu Arasaka's reach. The weapon manufacturer maintained a well-disciplined mercenary force, close to 50,000 men and women in total, while also utilizing Battle Mechs to supplement their ground forces.
The Security detail was eight mercenary squads separated into four AV-16 Combat Transport Aerodyne's. A small flight of Security Drones was also attached to the convoy for combat air support. The AV-16's contained a supplement of Battle Mechs installed outside their hull, allowing a total ground force number closer to a hundred men and mechs.
The AV-16's were outfitted with an M-91 Sentry Gun that deployed as a static emplacement on the top of the AV-16. The EMP may be able to disable the Sentry gun, but that was not likely to happen. The entire plan hinged on surprise and the violence of action and Cyrus doubted V or Panam would have pulled this off by themselves. He supposed that's where he came in.
The Kang Tao transport was set to leave in six hours, and he was supposed to meet V and Panam at a rendezvous point overlooking the power station. Until that time arrived, Cyrus was taking shelter in his hideout, preparing for the coming mission.
Chamber managed to snag the deed to an isolated fallout bunker in Charter Hill. Five kilometers east of the Westbrook district. It used to be a tourist attraction for citizens interested in a prewar fallout shelter, but it quickly lost its luster after the Fourth Corporate war.
A spark crossed the Spartan's vision. His attempts at maintaining his Copperhead often led to long, arduous moments of frustration. The Headhunter was sat on at a makeshift workstation in his hideout.
If this was a UNSC weapon, he could dismantle it in seconds and put it back together half-blind. This mirror Earth's armaments were similar in design and capabilities of 21st-century rifles of his own time. However, the Copperhead had a penchant for wearing down its extractor ring. The gun would not be available for deployment for at least two more days by Cyrus's estimations.
This allowed him the opportunity to use his Midnight Arms SOR-22, a gift from Chamber, while she was going through a Militech manifest. The Headhunter had not found a need to use the high powered rifle due to his fighting style favoring engagements less than a hundred meters in length. Tonight's mission would be different, and the Headhunter would need to thin out a horde of Kang Tao mercenaries to acquire Anders Hellman.
"Chamber, how are the diagnostics coming?" The Headhunter inquired.
"Almost done," The AI replied. "Yank me."
Cyrus retrieved the AI's data chip in a seamless motion and placed it to the right of his workstation. A comfortable peace hung in the air; neither AI nor Spartan felt the need to fill it with pointless banter. Each focused on their separate tasks at hand.
"And done. That should expand our Cyberwarfare potential to be more than just an impenetrable shield, about time that shield grew teeth."
Chamber had been modifying MJOLNIR's neural network to allow the AI to initiate more offensive capabilities. While she was able to jack into security systems and commence a hostile takeover of any connected nodes, she could not directly affect enemy personnel. The only way to initiate an offensive assault before was through a connection she already maintained. A rare occurrence during a firefight, as most adversaries they came across severed all their network connections.
Chamber could now apply her limited assaults on enemy personnel, either through overheating or optic reboots. Not the deadliest of attacks, but it was a welcome addition to the Spartan's arsenal.
"Cyrus." The AI drew his attention. "Time for the talk."
The Headhunter's hands froze; every two months, Chamber would demand a moment of levity between them. No helmet, no hud, no visor to separate the two from one another. All barriers were eliminated, allowing the AI to look her Spartan in the eye. She treated him like her own son, and she would be damned before she let him tear himself apart.
He still disliked them all the same, maybe a little more since she made him remove his helmet.
"Helmet," Chamber emphasized. "Off."
The Spartan's head dipped as his hands cupped the sides of his helmet, and with little effort, removed his head protection. Cyrus placed the MJOLNIR Pilot helmet off to his left an arm's length away.
Chamber observed her Spartan's features, taking in the plasma scar that ran down the outer part of his left eyebrow. A set of crimson eyes stared back at Chamber, weighed down by the burden all Spartans carried. His hair was a deep black, grown a little longer than the crew cut required of all UNSC personnel.
However, Chamber knew it was his age that would draw the attention of any who looked upon him. Cyrus was eight when he was volunteered for Project Chrysanthemum, making him the oldest in the Spartan III program. Despite that, he was still only twenty years of age, on the cusp of adulthood, yet not quite there.
Much like back home, he wasn't considered a legal adult in Night City until he reached twenty-one years of age, a sentiment Chamber disagreed with. How can someone be old enough to die for their people and yet not be regarded as an adult?
She would never understand human idiocy.
"You still look exhausted." The AI pointed out. "Nightmares again?"
"Yes," Cyrus replied.
"What are they about?" Chamber's eyes softened.
"Casey," The Headhunter spoke softly. "Eliza more often. I lose them in the field. Sometimes to plasma, sometimes in the dark. Find them all torn up in a nearly bottomless pit."
"You miss them." Cyrus's eye's bored into her own.
"Is that even a question?"
"An observation." The AI supplied. "Do you think you'll see them again?"
"I do see them Chamber, in my dreams," Cyrus admitted, "And my nightmares. I doubt I'll see home again too."
Chamber silently agreed with his answer before choosing to move on to a different topic. She didn't have to do this, but Chamber cherished any moment of peace she could find with Cyrus. A Headhunter's life is written in blood, and they were never expected to survive for long.
Few Spartans ever did.
"How would you describe V?" Cyrus's eyes glazed over, a voice toned like an answering machine.
"Driven. Ambitious. Charismatic." Cyrus's eyes glowed. "Dangerous."
"And Panam?"
"Loyal. Confident. Efficient." Cyrus paused in thought. "Emotional."
Chamber did not disagree with the Headhunter's observations. Cyrus was a good judge of character, capable of assessing a person's characteristics and moral compass mere moments after meeting them. That judgment was one of the reasons he got along with Casey so well. He knew what made her tick.
"Friends?" Cyrus did not immediately answer the question, taking a moment to evaluate V and Panam's viability as more than just temporary partners. They had the potential to become people he could rely on in the field, but that remained to be seen.
"Potential."
The rest of the night was filled with small talk, and despite himself, the Headhunter could feel his body uncoiling. All the tension he had felt for weeks unraveled like a coiled snake. Chamber always found a way to make him feel at ease, and he would be forever grateful to ONI for bringing them together.
July 15th, 2077
Night City, Northern California
Badlands, Jackson Plains
V and Panam were silently observing the Satwave power station while copped up in the Aldecaldo's Thorton. The duo scouted out the power station moments earlier, spotting a small flight of security drones protecting the station—no human or other native presence in sight, leaving them with little more to do but wait.
Eventually, Panam's curiosity broke the silent barrier.
"How'd you meet him?" V snapped to attention.
"Who?" Panam gave her a skeptical look.
"Cyrus, V."
"Didn't meet him face to face until yesterday," V revealed. "We spoke over the phone before that, but it wasn't exactly a great conversation."
"Not that I don't trust him or anything, but Cyrus terrifies me, V." Panam eyed the Mercenary, cautiously searching for a reaction. "That entire time we were in the arcade, I could feel this shadow take hold of me. Then as soon as he walked through those doors, it was gone. Almost like a switch, it's hard to explain."
V understood Panam completely, her first encounter with Cyrus wasn't exactly the same, but it was similar. When the Merc and Judy breached the Red Son's hideout, an indescribable weight fell on them, a weight that only disappeared when she spotted Cyrus in the hallway. She doubted he did it on purpose, but V was also certain that when the Headhunter was in kill mode, you felt it gnawing at your bones.
"I know what you mean, Panam," The Mercenary said. "But I can assure you. As long as you don't give him a reason, you won't have a problem with him."
"How do you know that V?"
"I just do; call it a gut feeling," V said. "Now, the last thing I want is for him to walk up while we're talking about him." Neither woman had noticed the black mass standing next to Panam's driver side window.
"Too late for that." The Spartan's voice jolted the hearts and bodies of both V and Panam.
Panam had been looking through a pair of binoculars, Inadvertently slamming the binocs against her nose. V had drawn her sidearm on pure reflex before her eyes and mind were able to register she wasn't about to be jumped.
"Motherfucker!" Panam's left hand cupped her bruised nose. "Do you fucking mind!"
The Mercenary was of a similar sentiment, shooting a nasty glare at the Headhunter before turning her attention back to the Satwave station. "We need to put a bell on you, Cyrus, that or a tracking beacon."
"Unlikely." The Headhunter rested his weight on the front end of the Thorton, SOR-22 held in a relaxed stance.
"Asshole." Panam rubbed at her nose before drawing the binoculars. "So did you bring doughnuts? I haven't eaten anything in hours."
"No." The Headhunter replied while his eyes skimmed the Jackson plain environment.
"Yeah, well, next meeting, bring some." Panam gave the Headhunter a side-eyed look. "Especially if you're going to scare the shit out of me every moment we see each other."
"I'll consider it," The Spartan promised. "Hellman's AV is in flight; arrival time eight minutes."
"Good time to roll," Panam restarted the Thorton's engine. "Wish us luck."
"You won't need it." Cyrus retrieved his SOR-22 from the Thorton's hood, watching as the two women sped off towards the power station. Chamber's avatar materialized on his HUD, a pensive look on her face.
"What is it?"
"The security detail's manifest got an update this morning." The AI drew the Headhunter's attention.
"What do you mean?" Cyrus inquired. Instead of answering, Cyrus had Chamber send the duo an updated manifest for Hellman's Kang Tao security.
His AI companion accessed the Kang Tao network early in the morning, monitoring the security manifest for any changes. At first, the AI was going to adjust it herself. However, there was a possibility any last-minute adjustments may compromise their mission. As such, the duo chose reconnaissance of the security team over sabotage. At the very least, that reconnaissance gave them a heads up on the detail's recent addition.
"Well, this sucks." Cyrus agreed with his AI's comments.
Four squads of Mercenaries were reassigned to a different billet inside Night City. Usually, this wouldn't be an issue; however, the four squads were being replaced by a section of Kang Tao Nightstalkers, and these weren't your average Elites' either.
Kang Tao Nightstalkers were trained from birth, most taken off Chinese Mega-Cities unforgiving streets and turned into ruthless killers. They worked in pairs much like ONI Headhunters, and an entire section consisted of four Nightstalkers. While the security detail now numbered sixty-four total personnel and mechs, it still did not make the task any easier. Cyrus would have to engage the Nightstalkers himself and leave the rest to V and Panam.
Speaking of the duo.
Cyrus sighted his SOR-22 on the Satwave station. Watching a pair of sentry drones trailing after the Aldecaldo Thorton, an HMG was firing back at the drones, but the high speeds made stable accuracy difficult on the Mercenary.
"Think you can help out our companions?" Chamber asked.
The Headhunter pushed to a prone position overlooking the entire Satwave station. Optics and rifle were following the security drone's probable route. His rifle trailed the two mechs analyzing patterns in movement and altitude. When V fired a burst of rounds at each drone, they had a penchant for evading right. The Mercenary had not picked up on the mechanical tell just yet, but Cyrus had.
V fired off a staccato of shells at the closest security drone. Predictably the mech feinted right. Cyrus fired off a single round from his SOR-22, penetrating the frontal armor and destroying the drone's central processor. Immediately the Spartan fired a second shot, ravaging the second drone's right propulsor.
Cyrus watched the second drone hang to the left, flipping upside down and crashing into a ball of fire. The Headhunter's comms channel awoke with activity, V's avatar popping up shortly after the drone's fiery death.
"Thanks, Cyrus." The Mercenary acknowledged.
"You have five minutes." V scoffed at his no-nonsense answer. "Don't waste any time."
"Yeah, yeah, Christ, take the compliment." The Headhunter ignored the Mercenary's grumbling, watching the Thorton disappear into the base of the Satwave's central tower.
"You really know how to talk to a woman, Cyrus," Chamber chided. "I ever tell you that."
"Yes."
"And yet you continue to ignore my sound advice." The Headhunter wisely chose to let this recent battle of words go; it was safer for his hearing.
The Headhunter waited patiently for his colleagues' return, carefully observing the plant for any noticeable activity. Luckily, the Satwave station didn't have any other security units available. Giving Panam and V the necessary time to sabotage the electrical station. A minute later, the Aldecaldo truck emerged from the Main Tower's shadow, making a beeline toward his position.
Cyrus rose to his knees as the vehicle pulled up to him, both women smiling from ear to ear. "So, did you miss us?
"No." The Headhunter leaned against the Thorton's driver door, noticing Panam toss V a detonator.
"Always wanted to push the big red button." V's smile was splitting her face. "Can't wait to see these fireworks."
"We have a problem." The women perked at Cyrus's words.
"What is it?" The Headhunter sent the duo the updated security manifest. V scanned the documents carefully, picking out data she already knew about until she found the addendum. A section of Kang Tao Nightstalkers was assigned to the detail, replacing four squads of mercenaries.
"Fuck." The Aldecaldo swore under her breath. "How the hell are we going to deal with four Nightstalkers on top of all the other shit."
"You won't. I'll handle the Nightstalkers." The Aldecaldo gave Cyrus a skeptical look.
"Bullshit. Raffen are one thing. A section of Nightstalkers is an entirely different ball game."
"I will handle them." The Spartan's words left no room for argument, leaving Panam shaking her head in disbelief.
"Panam, he can take care of himself." The Mercenary assured her wayward companion. Despite herself, V's words dissuaded Panam from arguing the point further if he wanted to get himself killed, more power to him.
"Fine if fuckface over here," Panam ignored the sharp look from Cyrus. "Wants to take the Nightstalkers himself, then the plan is simple. Cyrus will screen the Nightstalkers and isolate them from the rest of the group while we face down sixty bloodthirsty Mercs and killer robots. I love this idea."
Neither V nor Cyrus chose to comment on Panam's analysis. Choosing to instead let the Aldecaldo's displeasure dissipate with time.
Seconds ticked by slowly for the trio. The silence was an odd environment for the Mercenary. Her time in Night City had readjusted her to every intense audible noise and noxious city stench.
"I almost forgot about the quiet," Valerie spoke underneath her breath, catching Panam's attention.
"What?"
"The Silence. The hum of the city life, people's voices echoing off the buildings, the smell of a foul sewer line. None of it exists out there, reminds me of home." A faraway look graced V's eyes. Memories of her time with the Bakker's echoed through her head.
"Mhmm, though maybe not the smell entirely. I mean, the coyotes and their dinner are kinda hard to miss." Panam replied sarcastically.
"Thought that was the Thorton's air freshener." A ghost of a smile graced Panam's lips.
"Screw you." The Mercenary leaned forward, eyes landing on the Spartan's visor.
"What about you, Cyrus." The Headhunter's attention snapped to her. "Where you from?"
Cyrus hesitated, unsure of a correct course of action. Coming out and saying classified is a safe option but it left interested parties yearning for more. So, he chose to tell a modicum of truth to both of them.
"City called Ferax," Cyrus admitted. "Grew up on the streets, got picked up for something else along the way."
"Ferax never heard of it," Panam added. "Is it a big city?"
"It was." The women's faces fell at the admission.
"Sorry to hear that." Valerie apologized earnestly.
"So am I." The Headhunter's tone ended the conversation as it began, leaving an uncomfortable lull in the Thorton. The trio decided silently to let the discussion end there for the time being. Preferably for a moment that wasn't filled with tension.
"Eyes up," Cyrus called out. "Convoy's here."
Panam and V scanned the horizon, locating the Kang Tao AV convoy emerging from Night City's skylines. Four heavily armed AV-16 Combat Aerodyne's, transporting their target and a whole load of infantry.
"They're coming from Pacifica," Panam called out. "V, get ready."
The convoy shifted into a spearhead; three AV's formed a v cone around the final AV. It was a standard Kang Tao aerial formation designed to protect an asset during transportation in a hot zone. The lead AV was often the transport that contained the HVT or Asset. Chamber tagged that particular AV for Cyrus.
"Ready and….Now!" V pressed the detonator slamming it down with all the glee she could muster. Except, there was no detonation. The Headhunter shook his head in exasperation, falling back to the Thorton's trunk and retrieving the Militech Scorpion while the others were distracted.
"Misfire!" The Mercenary tried again, nothing. "Misfire."
The detonator finally activated on the fourth attempt, sending a wave of electromagnetic pulses into the atmosphere. Three of the AV-16's had their propulsion systems cut out entirely, while the fourth AV struggled to maintain altitude.
"Shit!" Panam thundered. "One's still u-" the detonation of her Scorpion cut off the Aldecaldo; turning to her left, she witnessed the Spartan shouldering the spent rocket launcher. The missile trailed across the sky, tracking the AV's tail. The Kang Tao transport popped flares to evade the missile lock, but they were far too late. The Scorpion missile smacked into the rear of the AV, forcing it into an uncontrolled descent before slamming into the desert below.
With little fanfare, the Spartan tossed the launcher back into the Aldecaldo's trunk. Taking off toward the Kang Tao crash sites, mind focused on the objective at hand. The Headhunter pushed his MJOLNIR to the limit reaching speeds of close to Seventy KPH in seconds. Panam and V were left in his dust, momentarily stunned by his inhuman speed.
V was the first to snap out of her astonishment, shoving Panam in the side. "Come on, Panam, we gotta delta NOW!"
"R-right." Panam shifted the Thorton's gear and shot off into the desert.
V racked her Unity's in both hands, heartbeat steadying as they drew closer to the crash sites. The Mercenary was close, so close to unraveling the secret behind the relic. Hellman would have the answers to the question she was looking for. Her life depended on it.
With this chapter, we are the first Cyberpunk fic to cross 50k words. Still working our way to 200 followers, but we get closer every day. Not a ton of action in this chapter; more dialogue focused. I'm not the best at dialogue so criticism on how to improve that is absolutely welcomed.
Quick update. Netrunner are just hackers; in lore, their capabilities and potential are expanded by a ton in this fic. So I went ahead to change the designation. Corpo Elites will be called Nigthstalkers and Gang Elites are will be Bloodhounds. This is for Lore's sake so people aren't confused too much.
Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone, and stay safe out there.
Reviews:
deathcorn5: I will definitely be looking into active Camo when I have the time.
SilverExcel115: All in due time, I assure you, spines will be removed.
Nantono: Maybe, maybe not, we shall see.