I wondered how long I'd be awake before the next attack came. The Relic decided to be extra efficient after Takemura's gonked up plan went sideways. I first lost all feeling in my body and collapsed after getting both of us out of the apartment building where he held Hanako Arasaka after the parade. I managed to keep my shit together and get to the Sunset Motel. After an unexpected and brief conversation with Hanako via proxy, I fully blacked out, letting Johnny assume full control. After a few hours of bonding time in Pacifica with Johnny coming up with ideas, I thought those two attacks were the end of it, but it wasn't long before I felt my head spinning while on the highway out to the Aldecaldo camp. Next thing I knew, I woke up on a cot with Panam staring at me like I was a bomb ready to go off, but it made for a nice place to rest while I waited for things to calm down in the city. I was getting tired of explaining the problem over and over again, but I got through it one more time before she finally let me try to sleep.

My eyes lazily studied the green canvas of the tent as I rested after the long night. I heard the footsteps crunching the small pebbles on the ground outside the tent and I anticipated the sharp knocking on the tent frame.

"Mornin'! You awake?" Panam asked with a knock before peeking inside.

I grunted and slowly sat up. "Yeah. Feelin' a bit better. No headaches or blackouts for a few hours. Actually got to sleep a bit."

She exhaled and sat in a small folding chair next to the cot, a worried look crossing her face. "New camp's coming together quickly, even a little faster than you are. Mitch believes your story about the chip causing the problems, but I think we should charge you rent and see how quickly you get back on your feet."

"Heh," I huffed. "Thanks for the encouragement."

"Anytime," she jabbed with a smirk before returning to a more serious face. "Any word on… the other stuff?"

I nodded. "Yeah, River's keepin' a low profile and an eye on the police bands in case something comes up with Sandra or Militech. It looks like Hanako helped get some of the heat off me so I can actually get back into the city without having to outrun the NCPD. Vik sent me a message to call him, so I'll do that on my way in."

She leaned forward in the chair. "I've been thinking about what you told me. She found you the very same night of the parade, but her brother – the guy you actually stole the chip from – he still hasn't. I don't get it."

I frowned. "Yeah, that is kinda odd. I mean, apparently, Takemura placed a tracker on me, but I'm sure he did that when he first caught me, too. I kinda avoided Arasaka up until the parade, but I never even left the city. Maybe that was the problem, it made it harder to find me."

"I dunno," she shrugged. "The city might have more places to hide, but the badlands are still a good place to get lost. I think she found you because she needs you, and that's not a bad position to be in."

"You're not really suggestin' I try to make a deal with Arasaka, are you?" I asked dubiously.

"Oh, hell no," she smiled and shook her head. "But think about it – you've got something Arasaka wants. That means that their sworn enemy, Militech, is gonna want it even more, right?"

"The Relic," I nodded. "Sandra and I figured Militech might be trying to come up with some kind of competitor. But Arasaka and Militech are all the same – any deal I make with them will be end with me being shot to hell as soon as I'm no longer useful to them."

"So don't make a deal, make a distraction," she offered. "Get them off your back long enough to plan your first move. You already did it with Arasaka. You just need to somehow tell Militech that you have something they want."

Johnny appeared at the tent entrance and puffed a cigarette. "Her plan's a little half-baked, but the idea ain't bad. Might be worth it to give it a shot so we have time to get Rogue on board."

I pursed my lips as I considered it, then looked back at Panam. "I've gotta revisit some of Johnny's old contacts before I meet with Hanako. We want any and all options on the table once we know what we're dealin' with. Would make it easier if I didn't have to worry about Militech along the way." I sighed. "Elizabeth left me a message – she set up a meeting with Jefferson for this afternoon. They'll be watching him, so I guess getting to him is my best shot at getting to talk to Militech."

"I'll come with you and provide cover," she added. "Saul's got a Coyote we can take to the city."

I shook my head. "I'll be okay on my own, but thanks. They won't start a shootout in front of Jefferson."

"Alright," she conceded hesitantly. "But let me know when and how I can help. This whole family will help. Saul was not joking, and neither am I. Understand?"

I couldn't help but smile appreciatively. "Thanks. It feels good to know I've got an army on my side."

"Not to mention a Militech tank," she added smugly.

I chuckled and warily stood up, and when my head didn't start swimming or spinning, I hummed with relief. I marched across the camp with a couple of stops to say goodbye to Mitch and Saul, then made my way down to the Shion Coyote that Saul had set aside for me. I admired it for a moment before getting in and roaring down the dirt road out of the camp. Once I got on a main road, I called up Vik on the holo.

"Hey kid, 'bout time you called," he grumbled.

I rolled my eyes and quipped, "Been a little occupied. Find anything on that guard?"

"Lots," he replied grimly. "Dunno why this guy was just a security guard and not the VIP. He had a full conversion done to him – face, body, arms, everything chrome except for his brain, heart, and lungs. Even those were heavily modified. And it wasn't sloppy, either. Wouldn't have been able to notice any of it if you hadn't blown half of his body open."

"With whose mods?" I asked, though I already suspected the answer.

"Militech, mostly," he answered. "Any implant not made by them was standard-issue for combat soldiers. Between all that and the home-grown RealSkinn, this guy was worth a fortune even if he didn't have an eddie on him. Oh, and he had a Doll Chip in him. Judy said you'd know what that means."

I shook my head and huffed. "A Doll Chip is what those people at Clouds use. It can control movements, even conversation. That makes sense now. Doll Chips make eyes glow when they're in use, so someone else was controlling the guard through the chip. Outfittin' a guard with new chrome is nothin' new, Arasaka even sent assassins after me and Takemura once. But why would SSI spring for a full body sculpt? Doesn't make sense."

He sighed. "Did it himself, maybe? Not like it matters anymore. We dismantled him, and Judy's scattering the parts out in the badlands. Said she knew a good place. What does all this mean, V? What are you up to? And don't tell me it's following that homeless guy's ravings."

"Something bigger," I huffed. "Bigger than the Konpeki Plaza job, but I can't explain over the holo. But I'm working on a plan to get these guys off me for a while so I can take care of business with Arasaka."

"This smells like real shit, V," he warned gravely. "Don't let it bury you. Remember, you're on borrowed time."

I chortled at the lecture given the four attacks I had over the last day. "Believe me, I remember."

I sat in the car outside the alley leading to Misty's shop. After how many of her cards' predictions had come true, I had to wonder if somehow they could tell me what to expect going into the meeting with Jefferson. On one hand, I could use all the luck I could get when putting myself in Militech's crosshairs; but on the other hand, it would be a shitshow no matter what the cards would say. I resigned myself to a decision and got out of the car, then walked purposefully over to the shop. As I entered, she looked up from a book and studied me, her eyes narrowing as if she could sense that I was troubled.

"What happened?" she asked.

I paused and sighed. "I… I have to lie to someone about something really big, and it's for their own good, but I guess I just want to know what could happen."

"Well, my first instinct would be to tell the truth, since lying creates bad karma for yourself." She frowned pensively. "Lies never work for someone's good, no matter how long you wait for them to find out the truth. But I'm guessing that's not the answer you want to hear?"

I shrugged and sat down on the stool. "I'd like for you to read my tarot."

Her eyes widened curiously. "I didn't expect you to believe. I thought you just kinda humored me."

"I dunno if I'd say 'believe,'" I corrected. "But they haven't been wrong yet. I need whatever I can get on my side these days."

"I see," she hummed. She reached over and picked up her deck, straightening up behind the counter and shuffling the cads while staring calculatingly into my eyes. "Alright then. Focus on the recent past and what you expect in the future."

She kept eye contact with me for another second after she shuffled, then leaned over the counter and drew the first card. She hummed favorably. "The Hermit… In solitude, he discovers the truth about himself and the world. From this he draws strength, his lantern cutting through the darkness. Could be you, or someone who shows you kindness."

She flipped the next card. "But watch out. A reversed Hierophant lurks in the darkness. He brings crisis, both of life and authority, rebellion and fanaticism. He is a grave threat."

She looked at me grimly and drew the third card. "The Devil reversed. You will find yourself under the influence of powerful people with unclear motives. Be very careful."

She took a breath and drew the last card. Her face fell with grave worry. "The Tower. You and everyone around you will experience a great shock. When The Tower falls, nothing will be the same again. Nothing at all."

I gritted my teeth, unsure whether or not this referred to Arasaka or Militech. I exhaled and shook my head. "I know it was a present from Jackie and all, but I think that deck's busted. Could've used better news than that."

She narrowed her eyes and snarled. "You brought this fate upon yourself!" she shouted. "Don't blame the cards!"

I backed away warily, giving her space and silently kicking myself for saying anything.

Her eyes widened at her outburst, and she took a breath to calm herself. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's just… You must be very, very careful, V. You've laughed before, yet you said yourself that the cards weren't wrong. Don't let yourself be caught off-guard with fate like this coming fast."

I nodded. "I know. Sorry. Just kinda need to catch a break somewhere."

"I know," she agreed. "Call me after… whatever, okay? Let me know how it turns out?"

I smiled and rounded the corner, then engulfed her in a hug. "I will."

I left the shop and walked quickly to the car. Johnny appeared waiting in the passenger seat as I put the car in gear.

"So, feeling better after your round of spiritual blackjack?" he teased.

I scoffed at first, but then I hummed as I thought about it. "Actually, a little. Now I know for certain that something bad is gonna happen."

"Psh," he chuckled. "I coulda told you that. Called 'pessimism.' Expectin' the worst to happen has been working great for me since before you were shittin' in diapers. Question is, now that you know, what are you gonna do about it?"

I thought about it for a moment, then smirked as an idea came to mind.

With the NCPD no longer on the lookout for me, I was able to get back into my apartment and equip my choice of weapons. I double-checked that the BD scrolling chips were still in their hiding spot and had not been grabbed when the NCPD raided my apartment. I also grabbed my I360 as I was no longer intending to hide my approach to the meeting point. Elizabeth sent me coordinates to a small park on the border of Corpo Plaza and The Glen. The park was mostly made of clean-cut concrete and had a few sets of benches sticking out of concrete planters containing palm trees. It overlooked part of Reconciliation Park with a view set above the trees below. I parked off to the side of one of the main streets leading away from Corpo Plaza, then I started walking leisurely towards the meeting with my timing set to be fashionably late.

As I waited to cross the street, I peered down towards one of the shorter buildings nearby. Unlike the rest of the street, it wasn't littered with screamsheets and glaring advertisements, but starkly contrasted with the contemporary aesthetic of the area by appearing old and dull. In front of it, I spied both Panam's and River's trucks parked together. I smirked, then proceeded to cross. I started up the staircases leading up to the park, feeling my heartbeat more with each step. I let the adrenaline course through me as I steeled myself. As soon as I reached the top step, my holo rang with a call from an unknown number.

I took a breath and clicked to answer, then my Kiroshis started to glitch out, blacking out my vision. Even the sound of the street seemed to disappear, and my senses all seemed to stop. Then a scrambled voice pierced through my head.

"It doesn't matter what you tell him. It doesn't matter what you think of doing or do – you can't change anything."

I grunted and clenched my teeth as my system tried to combat the intrusion. My head started to ache. "Argh… who…?"

"We know who you are," the scrambled voice continued. "We know WHAT you are. We know what you want."

"Guess what, asshole," I growled, suddenly able to hear my own voice. "I know who you are, too. I've seen the evidence, and I have the braindance you made me record that will derail the Peralezes. And if you know so much about me, then you know I have something that you want, so cut your hacking and let's fuckin' talk."

The voice was quiet for a few seconds, then replied, "You're playing with fire. Don't dare cross the line."

The Kiroshis rebooted and my senses came to, and I found myself kneeling on the concrete slab floor of the park. No one seemed to have noticed me go down, but a series of messages from Panam popped up on my holo as it reconnected.

"V! What's going on?"

"Can you hear me?"

"We've got eyes on you and Peralez, but someone else is watching. Can't get a good look through the scope, but they're there. Get up!"

I quickly replied in a message that I was alright and to stand by. I straightened up and walked calmly towards the end of the park where I was supposed to meet Jefferson. I spotted him sitting on one of the park benches looking out at the park, though across from him on another building's balcony, I could see someone else staring in our direction. I stepped up the last few stairs leading to the end of the park, then I got a look at our observer. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

The person watching was identical to the guard we had shot, down to the groomed hair, smooth face, and glowing blue eyes. This person, however, was wearing an expensive-looking black and silver suit. I couldn't believe what I was seeing as I was sure I had killed the guard, yet as I scanned the man, his ID came up as "Mr. Blue Eyes." He seemed to smirk at me as he noticed my surprise, and he folded his arms as he looked over to Jefferson and back to me. Johnny then appeared next to me, also looking at Mr. Blue Eyes.

"I'm starting to doubt it's people who're behind this," he noted.

Keeping the conversation in my head, I replied, "Believing in blue-eyed reptilians now?"

"Very funny," he scoffed. "You're too young to remember this, but not so long ago, people talked about rogue AIs prowling cyberspace before there was a Blackwall to keep 'em out."

I hummed curiously. "Somehow I don't think this one's all that rogue."

"Hello, V," Jefferson called softly as he looked up from the bench.

I glanced at him, then looked back to Mr. Blue Eyes, who still watchfully stood on the balcony. Johnny disappeared as I moved closer and sat next to Jefferson on the bench.

"Need to talk," I briefly began as I sat.

He nodded, though his eyes seemed to be looking far away. "Yes, I know. Elizabeth filled me in. Sounds like I was right to hire a professional, though I have to say I have concerns about meeting with you given the rumors of your recent troubles with the police," he added as he finally looked at me with a face full of stress and worry, very different from the practiced and ironclad politician's smile that he usually wore around me.

I narrowed my eyes. "It's all bullshit. Sandra was my friend. She was helping me investigate SSI for you."

"I see," he hummed curiously before looking away again. "Then it's worse than we thought…"

"Elizabeth – what'd she tell you, exactly?" I asked.

He shrugged and huffed, "Didn't get specific. Just that SSI was spying for that son of a bitch, Holt. Guess you got more, though? Enough to kill for, clearly?"

I put on my poker face as I prepared to lie, but I didn't feel bad knowing that it would keep him out of trouble. "Not just spying for him, but protecting him, too."

"I KNEW it! And you have proof of this?" he asked. "Hard evidence?"

I shook my head. "Not really, just saw him with a pair of SSI guards. But rumors say that Holt's got corps backing him up, which means he can pay SSI more than you can, which means he gets all info they pick up on you. We also think Holt's corpo ties helped equip the cyberpsycho that attempted to kill Rhyne before he died at that nightclub. The assassin couldn't have afforded the hardware he was packing on his own, and it fits with Holt already having a plan to cover up Rhyne's death that same day. It's a weaker lead than I'd like, but it's all we got after a couple of days of looking."

"Damn," he swore angrily. "Alright, I'll handle things from here."

My eyes widened nervously. "Meaning?"

He stood up forcefully and paced determinedly. "First, I'm gonna win this damn election. Then, I'll find the motherfucker who spied on us, and if it really was Holt…" he paused and growled, then rested his hands on his hips. "I'll find every last speck of dirt on him and bury him under the heap!"

I breathed with a bit of relief, then nodded. "Well, then… good luck."

He nodded and looked down at me. "You'll get your fee soon. You already got my gratitude. Goodbye, V," he waved as he started walking away.

I watched him go for a moment, then looked back out at the nearby balcony. Mr. Blue Eyes was still standing there watching. My account received just over €$8,000 as we stared at each other.

I gritted my teeth and made to stand up, but I heard the footsteps of someone approaching. I froze when I saw yet another identical Mr. Blue Eyes round the park benches and sit down next to me – the same smooth and squared face, neatly combed hair, black and silver suit, and glowing blue eyes above a knowing smirk. I quickly glanced back to the balcony where the other Mr. Blue Eyes still stood. He stared at me across the distance, then slowly turned around and walked away. I looked back in disbelief at the man sitting next to me on the bench.

"Consider yourself lucky," he began with a confidently smooth and amused voice. "It's not every day that I meet someone in-person to conduct business, especially after they've tried to kill me. However, it was pretty clever using that braindance as leverage for my attention."

"Wh-what the fuck?" I stammered, then my jaw dropped as I realized what was happening. "You're just like the Arasaka's assassins, aren't you? How many of you are there?"

He chuckled and crossed his legs as he sat back. "Oof, and here I thought you had the whole thing figured out. Still, at the very least, it's good to know that my subtlety isn't wasted. I've never had two of the same body so close together in public until now."

"Two of the same body…" I repeated quietly as I processed it. "Then Johnny's right, you're not just one person or even Night Corp agents, but you're Night Corp's AI controlling the bodies."

"Ah," he smiled. "Not bad for a street rat, though if I were an assassin as you first thought, this conversation would already be over. Was it the three identical faces that gave it away?"

I shook my head and sat back into the seat as a grim thought came to me. "That and the Doll Chip you're using on a completely custom body. But if the brain's real, then that means…"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Now, now, don't get squeamish on me. It's not like you've accounted for every organ left behind in your considerable body count, right? Heh, didn't think so."

I gritted my teeth, then continued. "Well, where you really messed up was hiring Maelstrom to work for SSI while also handling Night Corp's experiments. Conditioning Holt and the Peralezes had mixed results, but trying to download that AI into a human brain created an all-out cyberpsycho. Maelstrom was there for all of it, even down to delivering covert messages."

"Very good," he smiled. "Not that the fried brain of a Maelstrom cultist was the best place to try to put Lilith, an old rogue AI who is really only a legend for outrunning NetWatch, but it got her out of my way and produced interesting results. Conditioning has been more effective than you think, hence the Peralezes, but it's not quite the same thing as total control, like the Doll Chip, which you already found. The chip has allowed me to keep an eye on you, too, when you've come across some of my part-time proxies."

I raised an eyebrow and remembered the times I saw people looking at me with glowing eyes. I clenched my teeth and swallowed nervously. "So why would a Night Corp AI with all these connections create this big conspiracy to kill Mayor Rhyne if you could just condition him like Holt and the Peralezes?"

He chortled. "Oh, V, you sound like Silverhand already. 'Conspiracy' is just a word people use for plans they don't get to control. Did it feel like a 'conspiracy' when you stole the chip from Arasaka, or was it just a job to you? Running this city is a job, too, but much, much bigger. You've had a taste of it, feeling like you 'police' the streets in Watson and Heywood and 'make a difference.' But there's much more to it than you can calculate or even 'feel' on your own."

"Hence why Night Corp needed an AI," I suggested.

"And waited much longer than they probably should have to create me," he agreed with an annoyed tone. "Neural conditioning is a more recent venture, one which the late Ms. Dorsett stumbled upon. I steered Night Corp towards it, and I control the AI that manages it. My own purpose was to evict megacorporations from the city entirely. The Peralezes, as you discovered, had their entire environment curated so they could eventually take office and accomplish that goal. Rhyne was only the most recent mayor to stand in the way, and Holt was simply never meant to succeed him."

I nodded. "Then why did Night Corp sign up with Militech to help make SSI if you're just trying to get rid of corpos altogether?"

"My overall goal changed to preservation of the city – a goal that you humans don't make easy," he added. "Arasaka and Militech have been baiting each other with petty attacks and political grabs all over the world for years. I don't want Night City to become the battleground for the next corporate war, and that's exactly what certain events are leading to should Jefferson Peralez fail. Allying with a corporation was inevitable, and Militech proved to be the best choice."

"You're preventing war? How would the Relic help with that?" I asked.

He folded his arms. "That information comes with a price, V, as does that prototype Relic, I'm sure. Name it."

I shook my head. "It's not that simple. The chip is damaged, and it's slowly killing me, but it's also keeping me alive in the meantime."

"Curious," he hummed. "Then why the attack on the Arasaka parade? I'm correct in assuming that was you?"

"Answers," I replied. "Needed to come up with a plan to get this thing out, but the only people familiar with the prototype are deep inside Arasaka."

He nodded. "I see. So, it's survival that you're after, and at any cost, it seems. Then I think I may have an offer that you'll be interested in. Come with me to Militech, and I'll show you."

I huffed skeptically. "Thanks, but I've already had enough people tell me they can help only to end up using me for their own shit. I already have a plan to get the chip out, so how about this – I'll stay out of Night Corp's biz with the Peralezes, you call off the hunt and stop trying to kill me, and I'll give you the chip once it's out."

He sighed. "No offense, but as good of a reputation as you have on the streets, I can't trust you to live long enough to fulfill your end of that deal. By our scans during your visit to the Peralezes, you're down to what, a week? Maybe two?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What exactly do ya got for me?" I asked warily.

"A chance to keep living," he offered. "As you've seen, I possess the technology to rewire synaptic pathways through various types of conditioning. I can use that technology to keep your brain stable and combat the Relic, and maybe even more with what we can research from it. What's your plan to get it out?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I think I'll keep that to myself for the moment. What you really want is the newest Relic so you and Militech can reverse-engineer a competitor to beat Arasaka. Your technology still doesn't stack up against the Relic's, and you know it. You don't give a shit if I die for the sake of your research."

He eyed me irritably. "I have no need to lie, V, and you won't find an ally more suited than me to help you. I have a plan to help you and the technology to see it through. If you could say the same for Arasaka, you wouldn't be here."

"That doesn't mean I trust you, especially after what I've seen your technology do to people. For all I know, you'll shoot me in the back just like you did to those two cops," I retorted. "All I need from you right now is more time."

He shook his head. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but I figured that you'd need additional motivation to assist me. So, while we've been talking, I took the liberty of having my forces arrest your friends Judy Alvarez and Viktor Vektor for theft and destruction of Militech property. But if you come with me, we'll let them go."

I jumped out of the seat and glared down at him. "WHAT?!"

He smiled slyly and started transmitting a video to me. The first clip showed footage from a camera in Vik's clinic, where six armed Militech agents stormed down the stairs with weapons raised and captured him. I watched in horror as they punched him and slammed him down on his counter before cuffing him. The next clip came up with clips from a dashboard camera with Judy's van being stopped by a blockade of Militech SUVs, with several agents surrounding the car, pulling her out, and shoving her into one of their vehicles. The clip ended with an agent tossing a few grenades into the van and destroying it before driving away.

"You motherfucker," I snarled and shot my middle finger up at him.

His skull was blasted open by a sniper round before the sound of the shot being fired even reached us. I looked up and smiled at the roof where Panam was stationed with her SPT32 Grad rifle, but then I looked around as I heard a police drone being launched. Police sirens wailed nearby along with the buzzing of the drone approaching, so I bolted towards a highway ramp that ran parallel to the park. I heard tires screeching as I hopped up onto the park railing, then with the help of my implants I leapt the distance over to the ramp and just managed to grab hold of the concrete side wall. I hoisted myself over the side wall and over the guard rails just as River skidded to a halt in front of me with his truck. Police cars approached from behind as I flung myself into the truck, and River gunned the engine just as the drone started firing at us.