V opened his eyes; the world was swirling around him. He could hear voices but couldn't make out anyone's face. He squeezed his eyes shut, focused, opened them, and his surroundings slowly swam into focus. Panam was standing over him with her hand on his shoulder. Mitch, Dakota, and Ortega were looking down at him as well.

Ortega spoke. "Welcome back V. You have been in the machine for days, alone. Did you see anything strange?"

"Is that a fuckin' joke?" V asked.

Ortega smiled "I was monitoring your progress on the terminal; your mind was close to breaking. How did you keep it together? Anyone else would have gone insane."

"I..." V started "I... Dunno... I saw fuckin' Johnny in there. Kept tellin' me never quit, he led me through the storm, led me to Panam, then to some kinda shelter. And I heard Jackie too. Then it was just me and Johnny, in NC." V look at Ortega. "I'm not sure what happened... Is Johnny... still in my head?"

Ortega laughed "No, there were only ever two minds in the machine, yours and Panam's. Perhaps your subconscious remembered Johnny's determination and used it to guide you. Truthfully though, I do not know what you experienced. I have never seen anything like it. You are something special V."

Panam spoke up. "Can you all give us a minute? I need to talk to V."

"'Course." Mitch nodded and left the room, everyone else followed him.

She looked down at the floor for a second, then up at him. "V, I do not even know where to begin. What you just did for me, how am I ever supposed to make it up to you? Ortega told me what you risked, going in there. And you finally had more time! What were you fucking thinking?"

He laughed. "Panam... I'd have been dead twice already at least if you not for you." He grabbed her organic hand and looked up at her. 'Sides, it's not really livin' without you is it?"

She punched him lightly with her metal fist. "Always the fuckin' sweet talker." She paused, for a second, then continued. "V, in that building, or whatever that was, what happened?"

"No fuckin idea. I just thought about you, about Jackie, Johnny. Everyone that told me never give up. Tell ya' the truth I went in there not knowing what the fuck I was gonna do when I got there. All I know is you needed me, so I was goin' in."

Her tone turned serious. "V... Thank you. I will make it up to you, somehow, I promise."

V shook his head; his voice was serious too. "You've done so much for me; you don't owe me shit. I meant it when I said you're the fucking best, I can't lose you. Shit, I wouldn't know what to do without you."

Panam look flustered, her face turned red. "V... I... Thanks."

He grabbed her metal hand, squeezed it. Then he looked at her leg, it was black, synthetic, similar to Mitch's arm. Her arm was silver from the shoulder down.

"How you doin? You gettin' used to that chrome?" he asked her.

She regained her composure, shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. Ortega's guys are good, they have been helping me out. It was tough the first couple days, but I am getting used to it. Ortega said I was so far gone he did not have time to grow me a new arm and leg. Considering what they are fucking made from, I think I prefer it this way."

He nodded at her. Then he spoke again, concern in his voice. "Panam..."

She looked puzzled. "Yeah V? Everything ok?"

He looked at her hand now. "You aren't..."

She sounded concerned now too. "V... spit it out. What is it? Is everything ok? You feel alright?"

He grabbed her silver hand. "You aren't gonna become a rockstar, raid Arasaka tower, get captured, and then end up inside my head, are you?"

"Fuck you V! You had me worried." she said, laughing.

He slid his fingers between hers. "Panam Silverhand... What do you think?"

"I think you had better never call me that again, or you will regret it."

V's vision swirled, he got dizzy.

Panam's hand on his shoulder again. "V, you ok?"

"Yeah... just. I'm fuckin' starving. I'm so hungry my head's spinnin. How long was I in there without you?'"

"About a week. Ortega hooked you up to a nutrient drip, but you have not had any real food in a while." Then she stopped, smiled at him. "We've got something for you." She walked to the door, said something to Ortega, V couldn't hear what it was.

Ortega voice came from the hallway. "I've got another feast for you. This one should be more palatable. V you haven't eaten in days, please, come into the mess hall."

V looked at Panam "You know about this? What's he talking about?"

She pulled him out of the chair, and towards the door. "Come on, it's a surprise, you'll see. Do you think you can walk?"

V nodded, got out of the chair. He almost fell over, but she caught him.

She smiled. "I got you V. Come on."

He leaned on her the entire way to the dining hall. Each chair had a plate with a metal cover over it. Everyone else was already seated, Panam helped him into one of the chairs.

"Please, sit, I hope you will enjoy dinner."

V sat down next to Panam and took the cover off his plate. Chicken dinner. Mashed potatoes. Fuckin Mac N' Cheezus.

He looked at Ortega. "Is this..."

Ortega shook his head. "It's not what you think. Once it became apparent, we'd be able to save you, I had it delivered using my connections with the Voodoo Boys. I did not synthesize this here."

"The Voodoo Boys... fuckin' deliver?" V asked, astonished.

Ortega smiled now "I traded probably two million eurodollars worth of tech for it. Eat your fill, I have plenty, this is not all of it. V though, we did have a deal. Now that you are saved, I hope you would still do me the honor of finally transferring Isabelle and myself. We are happy for you both, but we are anxious to be together." Ortega broke out another bottle and shot glasses, circled the room. "Let's have one last toast. To perseverance!"

Everyone spent the next few hours eating, drinking, smoking, telling stories. V was thinking this was probably the best meal he'd ever had. The whole time he was eating, Panam was stealing looks at him, smiling to herself.

Finally, he asked her "Everything ok?"

A bigger smile now, she was grinning from ear to ear. "Yes..., just happy. Happy we have each other. I love you V."

The room went silent after that. Panam looked around, blushed.

Mitch shook his head and broke the silence. "I can't say I feel exactly like she does, but thanks, V. You're a fuckin' brother, a real Aldecaldo . We got out of Night City raiding 'saka tower, and now you saved Panam. Saul, Scorpion, the others, they'd be proud of what you did. You ever need anything, anything at all, you fucking let me know. I said we'd go through hell and back for ya,' and that's fuckin' truer now than ever."

Dakota and the other nomads nodded in agreement; their faces were solemn.

"I... uhh..." He didn't know what to say to that. "Thanks Mitch."

Mitch nodded, and continued. "And V..."

"Yeah Mitch?"

"Would you give that girl a kiss? We all see her smiling at ya.' Don't be a gonk."

"Mitch!" Panam yelled, but she was looking at V.

V leaned over, pulled Panam close for a kiss. As he did, V could hear bottles and glasses clinking together, and the whole room erupted in hoots and hollers, Ortega even joined in.

As the noise. died down, Mitch spoke again. "When you were in the machine, I called camp, told em' what you did. Me n' the other veterans, we decided that if you got out of there, we'd want you to be part of our leadership. Panam here still will get the last word, but you'd be able to vote on stuff concernin' the family. But the family, they will depend on you. What do you think V? You interested?"

V looked around; all eyes were on him. "Mitch..." He looked down at the table, then around the room. "'Course. Be an' honor. I won't let you down, not after everything you all did for me."

The room erupted in more hoots and hollers. Panam clapped him on the back with her metal hand. Everyone spent a few more hours eating, relaxing, telling stories.

Eventually, Ortega stood, walked over to V, and placed his hand on V's back. He looked at V. "V, are you ready?"

V nodded. "Are you?"

"I am. Let us proceed." He addressed the Maelstrom men and their wives "Thank you for your work. I hope this facility serves you well. Take care of yourselves." There were tears in the eyes of the wives, and he heard one of the Maelstrom guys stifle a sob.

"You too Sebastian. Thank you." the other one answered, in a metallic voice.

Ortega nodded at his men and said "Remember, this is not goodbye.." He left the room; V was right behind him.

They entered through the airlock again. Ortega hooked up one cable to the vat and the other to his personal link. V looked at the letters on the cables 'ARASAKA.'

Ortega handed him two switches.

"V, all you must do is hit these switches at precisely the same moment. I've automated everything else. Once the process is complete, please connect the cable next to the computer to your personal link. Isabelle and I have something we would like to show you."

Ortega walked over to the vat and sat down next to it. He nodded at V, looked him right in the eyes. "Do it." Ortega said, and his gaze went to the ceiling. A huge smile formed on his face.

V nodded back. He hit the switches, and the light in Ortega's eyes went out. His body went limp, but he was still smiling. The vat flashed orange, then red, then green.

Shit, did it work? He looked around the room for any kind of sign. After a while, he noticed flashing green text on the box the Arasaka cables were connected to. He read the text. 'SUCCESS.'

He looked around the room for a few minutes, everything seemed to be in order. V walked over to the computer, found the cable Ortega mentioned, and connected it to his link.

As soon as he connected the cable, an image appeared in his mind. It was a stocky looking man and a beautiful woman. Behind them was the deep blue desert sky, and both were grinning from ear to ear. He heard two voices in his mind, one was the same feminine voice from before. The other was Ortega but different, more human. "Thank you, V, from both of us. Take care of yourself." He waited for bit, disconnected the cable, walked out of the room through the airlock, and back into the mess hall.

"V, how'd it go? Everything go ok?" Mitch asked.

V nodded "Yeah, everything's fine. Just a lot of shit to process"

Mitch nodded "Yeah I bet."

V had an idea. "Mitch, I'll be right back" He went and got another bottle of liquor, circled the table with it.

Once the glasses were all filled, V spoke. "Ortega seemed like he loved his toasts, so let's give him one. To Sebastian! Thanks for everything buddy!." Everyone downed their shots, and sat there awhile in silence, thinking about everything that had happened.

Eventually, Mitch spoke up. "We should get back to camp, we been gone awhile."

Panam chimed in "Yes, let us get back."

The Maelstrom guys nodded, got up, led them back through the complex, to the warehouse. As they were leaving, V noticed the protein re-processer room was packed full of bodies.

Once they were outside, one of the maelstrom guys spoke up. "We've upgraded your tank. Outfitted it with cloaking tech, improved the weapons, reinforced the armor. It will be formidable in combat."

The other spoke now. "We would also like to give you a gift, for what you did for Sebastian. He had a custom basilisk, a newer model than yours. We'd like you to take it. We've also given you some Storm Tech equipment."

"Uhh - thanks." V said. He didn't know what else to say.

They all went together to inspect the custom Basilisk, as well as their modified one.

"Shit, this thing's nuts." Mitch said, looking at Ortega's machine. "Hard to tell in the dark, but it looks like twin railguns, twin autocannons, plus the main cannon and artillery."

Dakota nodded. "Holy shit yeah! We are gonna be untouchable with this thing."

The Maelstrom man nodded. "It served him well. We hope it does the same for you."

Panam spoke "Mitch, you are our best tank pilot. You and Dakota take Ortega's tank. V and I will use the other one. We can tow the quadros. She looked at the other two nomads "You two take my truck, but be careful, you do not want to know what will happen to you if you wreck it."

Everyone said their goodbyes to Ortega's men and their wives and left the complex. The started back to camp, once again in a little caravan.

Panam and V rode in silence for a while, digesting everything. V was looking at the strange effect Mitch's cloaking field was having on the starlight, the light seemed to be bending around the tank. Panam was looking straight ahead.

Finally, Panam spoke "V?"

"Yeah, what's up."

"This is going to sound crazy. Don't laugh." She was hesitant.

"You kiddin'? After all this crazy fuckin shit? What is it?"

She turned to look at him. "In that cabin, or that machine, whatever the fuck it was, I think I was feeling your emotions. I was so scared, I felt so alone. I wanted you... Shit V, I just... just needed you with me. I do not know how to describe it. Could you... feel mine?"

He nodded. "I could... It's what kept me together. I was close to losin' it in there. Then ... I think I could feel you wantin' me. And I kept goin.' For you."

"Did you... did you feel anything in the cabin?" She was looking down now, she looked a little embarrassed.

He reached for her hand, took it in his. She lifted her head to look at him. "Sure did Panam. When we were lookin' in each other's eyes, I felt it. It was like nothin' else."

She looked up at him, smiled. "I felt it too. First when you were carrying me toward that cabin, then again once we were inside." She looked down again. "V... Did that... did that scare you?"

"'Course not. Why would it?" The he frowned. "Why, did it scare you?"

She shook her head. "No, it is not that."

V noticed she had a hint of tears in her eyes. "Panam... everything ok?"

She nodded. "Yes, fine..., it is just..." She looked away for a few seconds, then back to him. "I just need to be next to you right now."

Panam clicked the tank on autopilot, slid over the center console, and into the seat next to him. She laid on her side, draped her arm over his chest and put her head on his shoulder. They rode for a while like that, not saying anything. V felt that familiar warm sensation in his chest.

Finally, she looked up at him "V, I do not know what to say. I cannot believe what you did for me. You finally had more time and you fucking risked it for me. I'm just so lucky to have you. I love you so much!" She pulled him close, gave him a kiss.

"Panam... I" He stammered, didn't know what to fuckin' say. "I feel the same way. Shit, I... "He was still struggling to find the right words when his radio beeped.

Mitch's voice. "Your radio is on." Laughter came through over the radio.

Dakota spoke. "That was fuckin 'sweet though." More laughter.

"Fuck 'em." V said and reached down to pull Panam in for a kiss. "Love you too Panam."

The rest of the journey was uneventful, everyone was telling stories over the radio. Mitch talked about more shit him and Scorpion did, and V talked about the trouble he got into with Jackie. Panam spent the whole trip sharing the basilisk seat with V, her head on his shoulder. He had that warm sensation in his chest the whole way back.

Before they knew it, they were back at camp. They stopped, popped open the top of the basilisk, and hopped out. All eyes were on V and Panam.

She spoke. "What are you gonks fucking looking at? Let us pack this up."

For the next three years, the Aldecaldos ruled the southwest. They had so many members V didn't know em' all. He and Panam grew somehow even closer. She was a compassionate, competent leader, and now that he was feeling better, his netrunning skills were unmatched. Soon the Aldecaldos were getting requested even over Snake Nation for big jobs. They kept trying to find a more permanent solution to his issue, but nothing materialized.

And there was that constant thought, in the back of his mind. Still runnin' outta time.

Then it happened. They were just getting back from moving stolen tech through Nevada, V was getting out of the basilisk. His vision blacked out, and he fell over. He felt his nose. Blood.

Panam ran over to him. "V! Are you ok? You are bleeding."

He wiped the blood from his face. "Yeah, fine."

Panam put her arm around him. "V, we will find something. We'll look harder."

V shook his head. "Panam... You've already done so much for me... It's ok."

She grabbed his hand and looked at him, her expression serious. "We will find something. We have just gotten some new leads. We will never quit V."

Just then his holo beeped.

"V. How are you doing? It is a pleasure to finally speak with you."

A shadowy figure appeared on his holo. A message was coming through.

"V, I've been monitoring everything. I was watching you and Ms. Palmer inside of our machine, saw everything that happened. We have been monitoring your condition for years, via your implants. V, I'd like to make you a deal. We think we can save you. Can you get to Idaho in a week?"

"Who is this?" V said into the holo. "What do you mean you were fuckin' watchin' me? Monitoring me? Just who the fuck do you think you are.?"

The voice again "V, I'm a little disappointed you didn't guess. I represent StormTech. I'm sending you my number. Contact me if you can figure out how to get here."