Chapter 2: Like a Boy

15 March 2076

Ernesto woke up in his apartment. He wasn't lying elegantly on his bed, but at least he had managed to get there. He had to thank genetic engineering for the hyper-enzimes that prevented him to ever get completely wasted on alcohol.

The clock signaled 9AM.

"Fuck." he groaned. That was way too late for someone like him.

He checked whether his mother had tried to call before going to her morning shift, but he found nothing.

Now that was getting worrying.

In exchange, he found a missed call from Pétran, so he called right back.

"Captain Martinez. I hope your rest was satisfactory." he said in a cordial tone that Ernest wasn't expecting after losing a call.

"I apologize, sir. Took a drink too much yesterday."

"It's important that you lay your mind off the mission, from time to time."

"Thanks. So, you needed me for something?"

"Just wanted to check whether you recovered the Sandévistàn."

"Not yet. My mother wasn't picking up last evening. She was probably pulling an extra shift."

"Having your supplier so hardly available seems quite the inconvenience. You sure you don't want us to send some extra funds on your mother's account, so she won't need to work all those hours?"

"Her bank is controlled by Arasaka. If we do that, they'll find out quite easily, it's not like paying the rent directly to the landlord."

"I see. Still, I urge you to recover the device as soon as possible. That said, there have been some critical development. Head to the safe-house on the Sierra Nevada to receive the intel, highest priority."

"Can't talk even on an encrypted channel?"

"We rather not risk using technology at all, in this case."

Ernesto pinched his nose and rubbed his eyes. "On my way, sir."

"Excellent. Once you're done there, proceed to recover the Sandévistàn. Central, out."

The Legionnaire took a deep breath and stood up from the bed, suited on, took a bite and then headed out. The drive was going to take three hours, meaning he was coming back to the city for the evening. He tried to raise his mother again, but nothing. Honestly, he was starting to get worried.

"One thing at a time." he murmured to himself, putting the pedal to the metal, darting through the desert.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally reached the cove. A hidden hut among the canyons of the Sierra. The sun was hitting like a hammer on his still-mostly-organic body, but there was a car next to the hut, meaning he wouldn't have to wait.

Indeed, when he opened the door, he found two men in suit waiting at the table in the center of the room. They quickly got back into more dignified postures and the one on Ernesto's right started talking.

"Captain Martinez. It's an honor to meet you. I'm Agent Kenson, this is Agent Dibbet.

Ernesto reached the chair in front of the two. "Nice to meet ya, gentlemen. So, what's the big update?"

From under his seat, Dibbet took out a reinforced suitcase and opened it, then turned it around so Ernesto could take a look inside. He found what seemed to be the blueprint for some sort of cyber exoskeleton.

"Allow us to present the exoskeleton MT-43. Or perhaps you already heard about it?" Kenson asked.

Ernesto hummed in thought. "Think I heard something in my last year of service. Rumors were that the Army wanted to provide that for the regular soldiers, to keep up with us Legionnaires."

"Simple but accurate. With the new challenges posed by space exploration, and the other alien species clearly one step ahead of us in terms of military technology, modernizing our Armed Forces has become a priority for His Majesty in particular."

"Let me guess: he commissioned every company to work on that. Including the Mega-corps."

"Precisely. He also made clear that whoever would develop the best piece, would get the exclusive contract of supplying the Army."

The Legionnaire started to see through it. "And since Arasaka and Militech have the greatest resources, one of them will surely triumph."

"Triumph so hard, in fact, that the other will be ruined." Dibbet commented with a grin.

Ernesto giggled, already savoring the moment that would come. "The loser will never go down without a fight. They'll be willing to go all-out war to prevent the other from succeeding."

"That's the result the Director is betting on." Kenson added in his calm tone. "The race for the tender has started almost a year ago and we know from our sources that Arasaka is leading. In fact, the band of edgerunners you've been cooperating with has some influence on the matter."

"Maine's crew? What do you mean?"

"Among many, they take some of their missions from a fixer who had tasked them to go against Arasaka multiple times."

"Ah, you mean Faraday?"

"Yes. This fixer is working on behalf of Militech, trying to extract intel on Arasaka's cyber-skeleton."

Ernesto pondered for a second. The gig they had planned in two days was on behalf of Faraday, and since he knew the details, adding this new intel made a lot more sense. All the more reason to make sure things went smoothly.

For another few tens of minutes, the two operatives gave Ernesto some additional intel on the current status of Arasaka and Militech. Surely, the latter was increasing the production of its high-quality vehicles, probably seeing the necessity of a forceful confrontation with the rival, but for now, there wasn't much else that the Captain saw a use for.

As he finished, he was surprised to see that the two agents brought some food for all of them, since it was lunch time and it would take another three hours to reach Night City. Truly, with MI6 taking care of their people's basic necessities, it was no wonder they were the most efficient intelligence agency.

Then it was time to start driving back home, and maybe heading toward Gloria and David's apartment to see why the mother wasn't picking up.


It was almost 5PM when Ernesto reached Santo Domingo and parked in front of the building he was interested in. He approached the bell and rang on the Martinez name. No matter if he found David inside, he needed the Sandevistan, quick.

However, no answer came.

This was too much. He was starting to get really shaky. He still had the old access code to enter the main door, so he did and rushed his way toward the apartment. He rang again.

"Mama?...David?"

No answer. He knocked on the door, a bit more loudly than necessary. "Anybody in there?"

Nothing. Now he was starting to sweat. Did anything happen to them?

"Screw this." he hissed as he pushed buttons on his wrist-pad, violating the console that granted the access and the door finally unlocked.

He barged in. "Mom? David? Where…"

He froze in place when he saw what was standing on the small table behind the sofa: a kind of metal jar that he had seen too many times in his life. With a long step he reached there.

"No, no, no…"

A twist of the wrist and the name on the label became visible.

GLORIA MARTINEZ

All of a sudden, his blood started pumping at an abnormal rate. The breathing became harder and every sound around him seemed to shrink compared to his anxious panting.

His knees started shaking and he felt the need to crouch, put some weight on them to make them stop.

Not good. Panic was setting in, he couldn't allow that. No, he made some deep breaths and slowly took back control of his mind. He didn't know what could have happened in a day, but he knew that there was still one thing to do.

He immediately called backup.

"Hey Nesto. Wassup?" the voice of Rebecca came through.

"Guys, I need your help."

"Another gig?" Maine asked.

"No, it's not." Ernesto said, his throat tightening at being forced to say what followed. "Gloria...my mother is dead."

Some of the guys gasped softly, others didn't reply but the tension could be felt.

"Shit. Condolences, man. You know what happened?"

"All I know is that her cinders are here at her house. But I need your help because David disappeared, and the Sandevistan as well."

"Yeah, a kid and a mil-grade chrome. What could go wrong?" Pilar commented ironically.

"Maybe the kid sold it for a few creds?" Dorio suggested.

"Right now I only want to find him. Kiwi, Lucy, could you please...hey, where is Lucy?"

"Seems unavailable." Kiwi said. "But why do you need us? Don't you have his contact?"

"I...no." he admitted embarrassed. "Mom got him his neural implant last year. Since I didn't want to have contacts with him, I never took it."

"Uhm, that might complicate things. Any idea where he might have gone?"

"He's still a student at Arasaka Academy. Get inside the city surveillance system and see if you can find him this morning at the NCAR station of Domingo."

"All right. Just because you asked it nicely." the netrunner replied.

"Say the word, man, and we'll search the entire city." Maine reassured him.

"For now, there are a couple places where I think he might be. Sending the Navpoints."

"Got 'em. Okay, we'll split and check. Call you if we see your bro."

"I appreciate it, Maine. Thanks."

The call was closed and Ernest was left alone with the discomfort. He sat under the window, staring at the barrel with his mother's remains just standing in front of him, as if to mock him.

Everything he had done in the past few years, he was convinced that he did that for his mother and brother, to protect them and allow them to live as normally as possible in this horrible city. And yet, he was never even informed that his mother was dead and that had David disappeared.

But at the very least he had to be still alive: who else would have bothered to take Gloria's remains back home?

Hours passed. He searched for the Sandevistan at home just in case, but couldn't find it. And still no sign of David. For the first time in a while, Ernesto was starting to feel very anxious.

Petra was right. Fuck it, she had always been right: staying away from his family meant that he couldn't protect them in any way. Why he didn't have the police keep an eye on them? Why did it have to come to this? Was there even a reason for him to keep up his work.

As the night enveloped the city, his horrible thoughts were interrupted when he received a call from none other than Lucy.

"Yeah?"

"Hey. I found your brother."

Those words revitalized the Legionnaire like a dose of stimulants.

"Where? Where is he?" he asked urgently.

"Chill out. I had to bring him to his ripperdoc, but he's fine."

"Ripperdoc? What use would he have for...no! Don't tell me…"

"He has the Sandevistan chipped in."

After a moment to digest that information, Ernesto yelled with his voice inside the room.

"Fuck! What happened?"

"He planted it yesterday. I met him this afternoon on the NCAR, we picksocketed a little, but I realized only now that he is your brother. I'm waiting for him to walk out of the clinic."

"Damn it. Ping me your position, I'll be there in a minute."

"We're on the other side of the city. I'll take him to my place, head there."

"Got it. Thanks, Lucy."

After sending a notice to the crew that David had been found, Ernesto also specified that he wanted to talk with him alone, so Maine and the others could return back home. This whole thing had already gone way south. Now his brother had a military-grade cyberware chipped into his spine and Lucy said that he had already used it.

But how could he have survived? David was in no way in the right physical shape. The Sandevistan was a prototype for regular humans based on the implants that the Legionnaires received after an infancy of constant training and genetic engineering to make them on a complete other level of human biology.

There was no need to break his head over this, though: soon enough, he would be able to ask David himself. Ernesto sprinted back to the car, started the engine and pushed the pedal. Going as fast as he could without drawing the attention of the police, he took 45 minutes or so to reach Lucy's apartment.

He ran up the stairs and rang the bell, a moment later, the door opened.

He saw them: Lucy and David on the bed doing...a brain-dance?

At least David was still inside the simulation. Lucy was sitting up, lighting up a cigarette.

Still not believing his eyes, Ernesto still crossed the room to get in front of the bed and talked to Lucy.

"What the hell is happening?"

"Just keeping him busy." the woman simply replied in a cold tone.

The Legionnaire looked down to his brother: he was wearing Gloria's yellow coat and a sportive outfit in general. His crest had grown more prominent, and even the face was different, but he recognized him nonetheless.

In order not to disconnect him too abruptly, Ernesto strengthened his resolve and infiltrated the simulation, talking into the microphone.

"Time to wake up. Brother."

Two seconds later, the brain-dance concluded and David sat up gasping in panic. He looked around, only to notice he still had the visor blocking his eyesight so he removed.

And he stared with his jaw hitting the floor.

"N...Nesto?...but...I thought you were dead."

The Legionnaire was simply standing there, still processing his emotions. But when the time came to act he lifted his hand.

And slapped David with energy. The boy grunted in pain.

"What the fuck were you thinking, chipping that thing into your back?!" Ernesto yelled furiously.

Still massaging his cheek, David seemed confused. "What? How do you know I…?"

But Ernesto didn't let him finish, cause as soon as his rage subsided, he felt the urge to fall on his knees and hug David with all his strength. Yet again, the boy was unable to understand what was happening.

"But hell if I'm glad to see you again." Ernesto said. His eyes were frowning, but watering as well and he couldn't hold back a couple of sniffs.

When the initial shock passed for David as well, he too returned the hug, grabbing Ernesto's jacket with both hands and pulling it to himself.

After sharing that moment of reunion they broke the hug and looked at each other faces again.

"Ernesto? But...what's happening? Where have you been?"

The Legionnaire's gaze fell downward. Now he felt quite ashamed of everything.

"Not where I should've been." he said dejectedly. "I'm sorry."

David at first didn't reply, seemingly unsettled by the sudden reappearance of his brother. Then he turned his head and was reminded that Lucy was still in there. Didn't need long before putting two and two together.

"Hold on, you two know each other?"

"Lucy is one of my contacts. We've known each other for a year."

"Contacts? For what?"

"First, let's get to the couch, ok? I need to sit down."

The two took position on the two couches on opposing sides. Lucy didn't seem too bothered, in fact she went to lean against the armrest on David's side while silently burning the cigarette. And for the next few minutes, Ernesto decided to lay out his real identity as a Legionnaire and MI6 operative. He just didn't want to lie to his brother after the monumental scare he just went through.

David, understandably, was took aback by his brother's project.

"So the Sandevistan was supposed to go to you?" he asked.

"Bet your ass." Ernesto concluded with a sigh. "Even gave ma a generous price. Who do you think was paying for your rent and half of your tuition?"

David didn't reply immediately. "You know...you could've stopped by. Tell me you were still alive."

"David, I know it seems bad, but I had no choice."

"Like hell you didn't!" David snapped. "I spent the last two years thinking you died alongside Luna. Do you...do you have any idea what it felt like?!"

Ernesto didn't have the strength to answer. He didn't feel like he had the right to.

"I had to go to a stiff-ass school where everybody made my life a living hell no matter what I did. Mum was always out at work. When you came back that day and told me that you were going to stay forever, I couldn't be happier...and that same evening I was told you died."

"You're right." Ernesto murmured before lifting his head again. "You didn't deserve this. I let my concerns for your safety get in the way of being a real big brother. I don't blame you for resenting me. But I wish to make it up to you. Will you let me?"

David grunted, partially still angry, partially conflicted. "What choice do I have, now that I chipped in your Sandy?"

"The Sandevistan just happens to be stuck with you. Lucy said you used it quite a lot today, picksocketing corpos, but it's still very dangerous for you to just run around into that."

"So you just want me back for the Sandy, uh?" David replied.

"Damn it, Dave. When I found mom's remains my first thought were you, not that fucking cyberware."

"You should listen to him, kid." Lucy suddenly intervened with her ice tone.

David turned his head toward her. "Your brother mobilized all of my friends. They looked all the city around for you until I had the chance to call them."

"You could've said something." David retorted weakly.

"As if you'd have believed me just like that."

David grunted in defeat. He couldn't argue with that point.

"Hey." said Ernesto cautiously. "What happened to mom?"

David lowered his gaze in a painful discomfort. "Car accident. We got caught up into some gangoon drive-by. Got caught in the crossfire. She didn't make it."

Ernesto clicked his tongue. "All those precautions for a car accident to ruin everything."

"I'm sorry for your mother, guys." Lucy added timidly.

"Thanks, Lucy. Now, though, David. I need to ask you: what do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"That Sandevistan was supposed to go to me, and you understand that it's military-grade gear. Not to mention, I gave mom years of pocket money back for that."

"Then let me come with you on your missions. I won't fuck it up."

Ernesto mumbled, pondering, but there really wasn't much else to do: the alternative was to have the cyberware ripped away from David, but there were many variables in doing this that he didn't like to have around. Besides, David had a couple of eyes that indicated a determination he had rarely seen in anybody.

"All right. I'll introduce you to the crew tomorrow. I prefer having you with me and them than leaving you alone."

"You won't regret it." David declared.

"We'll see. But before we leave, Lucy, you better listen to this as well."

Lucy hummed surprised, but listened eagerly. Ernesto explained the meeting he had that day and the new info about the cyber-skeleton.

"Never heard of anything like that." Lucy said at the end. "Should we try to search Arasaka's Net?"

"No need. Let the eggheads at MI6 deal with that, we only need to lay low and act based on the intel we're given."

"Copy that."

"All right, that's all for today." the Captain concluded as he stood up. "Come on David. Let's go home."

"Uh, sure." the brother replied, standing up as well.

"Thanks for everything, Lucy. Really." said Ernesto.

"No big. See ya, boys."


16 March 2076

Events last day had been so intense that the Martinez brothers went straight to bed when they returned to the apartment and slept like babies. The following morning, things between the two of them were still a bit awkward, but Ernesto also felt great at finally having David back in his life, and it wasn't difficult to see that the kid was of the same advice: he smiled much more than the day before and had a newfound energy.

Despite the loss of their mother and two years of distance, the bond between them had survived, and they were going to work in order to reinforce it even more.

"I set a meeting with Maine and his crew this afternoon. First I want to see how you handle the Sandevistan." Ernesto explained.

"At least I got the immuno-blockers this time."

"Still, Doc said two, three times at a day, so let's make sure you won't have to get past that. For starters, we'll have to set up a training regimen for you."

"That would be enough?"

"If you want cyberware into your body, it's better you build it up. Aside from that, the genetic enhancements of the Legions have become partially available for grown-ass people too. Speaking of which…"

Ernesto pressed the button of the wrist-pad that made him project the call he was about to make, then motioned David to come sit next to him. It didn't take long before Director Pétran appeared on the holo.

"Captain Martinez, I'm confident you recovered…?"

He noticed David and made a confused frown.

Ernesto pointed a thumb toward his brother. "Here is the Sandevistan. Sir."

"Quoi?"

Once again, Ernesto had to explain what just happened in the last day. Gloria's death and David's rash decision to get the Sandevistan chipped into him just to take revenge on a school bully.

Hearing this, Pétran could only sigh in resignation. "Captain, you're in charge of this operation. Do you really think your brother can prove to be an asset?"

"I saw Agent Kushinada's recordings. David really fired up the Sandevistan eight times before collapsing. He has an unusually high tolerance for cyberware."

Pétran hummed in thought for a few moments. "That is indeed quite incredible. But still, he has no formal training."

"For the next part of the plan, he won't need much knowledge to do his part. Besides, I'll start training him myself from today on. I only ask you to send us immuno-blockers regularly."

"All right, we can provide that." Pétran seemed to have accepted the situation already. Evidently, using a teenager was not that high on his list of morally ambiguous things to do. "So, David. Your brother explained you what we're trying to do?"

"He did."

"And you're still convinced that you want to join us?"

"I want to help my brother, mister. Besides, kicking Saka in the quads sounds pretty nova." David said with a degree of excitement.

"Uh...Nova?"

"Local slang for 'cool'. Used to express a positive state of mind. Sir." Ernesto explained.

"I see. Very well, but if you want in, David, you have to obey Ernesto. Not as your older brother but as your Captain. Do that, and we're...nova. Create problem, and we'll take you out of the city, remove the Sandevistan from you and you will sit this entire story out." the Director said in a glacial tone.

"Y-Yes sir." David said.

"Good. Then you have the permission to bring David Martinez as your personal contact, Captain. Best of luck for your next assignment."

"Thank you, Director. Martinez, out."

The hologram disappeared, and David had a question in his mind.

"Who is Kushinada?"

"Ah, that's Lucy's family name. At least, that's what she told me."

"Oh." David said surprised.

"Come on, now. Time for your training to begin in earnest." the Captain concluded. "Be aware that I won't be going easy. If you want to come on the field, you'll have to be able to defend yourself without me always stepping in."

"I'm ready." David said with a fire burning in his eyes.


After a morning of hard exercises and studying basic federal equipment, it was time for David to know the main accomplices that usually assisted Ernesto. They drove at the edge of the Northern District, reaching a dusty workshop right next the entrance to the mega-way, the huge road that led out of the city and toward federal territory.

"Welcome to Aldo's. Here's where me and my associates meet." Ernesto announced.

David didn't seem worried or surprised. Clearly, he considered a place like that the perfect hiding spot for a band of cyberpunks. Indeed, Ernesto led the way toward one of the shutters, which was half-open. He knocked three times in a rhythmic tone and Maine peeked from a door at the end of the room, which in reality brought to a more segregated room.

With their presence announced, the brothers reached said room, finding Maine, Dorio, Pilar and Kiwi sitting around on a couch.

"Morning, shinies." Maine greeted.

"I knew he is just a kid, but seeing it…" Kiwi commented about David. "Can he keep up."

"Guess we'll see it."

"Now, now," Pilar said maliciously. "I know he's a sweet little thang, but keep those grubby mitts to yourself."

Kiwi made a silent yuck to the long-limbed tech. "Why do we even put up with you?"

"David, allow me to present my associates. That one is Maine, the boss. There you have Pilar, Dorio and Kiwi. Them and us are going to take part in your first gig."

"Hi." David said calmly.

"All right, kid. Make yourself comfortable." Maine said, indicating a small ottoman on the opposite front of the small table.

David went and sat on it, while Ernesto stood next to him.

"Show him." the Captain authorized.

Maine took out a data shard and slid it on the table. "Slot the shard."