A Year Later
No matter how big or how small an event happens, the city continues on. Crimes continue, back stabbings occur, Corpos do as they please.
To put it quite simply... The City doesn't care about you. Not unless you force it to look at you. That's what being a legend is. When you're in a city that doesn't care about you, you do something so bat shit insane, the city treats you with respect.
That is the hope of those who grow up on the streets, the 'street kids' as they are called, people who grew up on the streets of Night City. These are the ones whose dreams want to be a part of the legends such as James ''Rockerboy'' Manson, Morgan Blackhand, and finally the biggest legend of Night City, Johnny Silverhand.
Of course for those who don't wish to deal with any of the Corpos, the politics, wars, even just the madness that comes with the walled off cities. There are those who chose to be Nomads, tribes of people who depend on each other as family, just like the native American tribes before the collapse. These tribes roam the wastelands of the old world to cut out a slice for themselves, among them is the largest clan of the Nomads. The Aldecaldos of the Seven Nations Nomads with their strong leader and her wife who leads their clan like a large family of blackballed, unemployed, disenfranchised, runaways, and those who have no other path in life but that of a Nomad.
The said leader was watching the sunset on the desert land. She had a large and muscled frame with pale skin and raven black hair that reached the middle of her back. She took a deep breath before a shout reached her elf like ears.
Next to her, a woman with long blonde hair, almost like a mane, lavender eyes, and a muscular build was working on her motorcycle. She had a yellow robotic arm on her right side that made tightening screws easier. "Hey boss?" She called out.
"Yes, Yang?" Striga asked, looking at the young Aldecaldo.
"When do you think we'll move camp again? Being this close to that cesspool of a city has me on edge." Yang asked, wiping some oil off of her arms.
Striga looked back to the horizon while answering her. "When I deem it necessary, Yang. Until then, unless we are in danger, this is our home for now."
Before Yang could say anymore, one of the Aldecaldos called out.
"Striga! We've got a Corpo here looking for you!" A guy with a beard and long black hair said, holding a cybernetic double barrel shotgun, while the Corpo walked behind him.
Striga growled slightly as unlike her wife, she hated Corpos because of how they treated people like cogs in a machine, reaching to her holster she pulled out her revolver, a custom Malorian Overture Revolver, and was ready to display that she wasnt a woman to be fucked with or her clan.
Looking at the masked figure, the person was small, wore what looked to be a breathing mask and blacked out goggles, and a hood. "Alright, who are you and why shouldn't I shoot you for having the balls to walk into my clan's territory?" She demanded in a stern voice while leveling the hand cannon at the person's head which resulted in other Nomads around her leveling their weapons as well.
The masked figure slowly pulled down the hood to reveal red hair that seemed very familiar to the two. She pulled the goggles and breathing apparatus off to reveal it to be Lenore. "Are you really willing to kill your sister, Striga?"
Morana gasped at the sight with her eyes widening. "Lenore…"
Striga's eyes slowly widened as she removed the revolver from Lenore's head before she chuckled then broke out into a laugh. "PUT AWAY THE GUNS AND BREAK OUT THE GOOD STUFF! Tonight we celebrate the return of a long lost sister!" That got the response you'd expect from a family as they cheer, moving around to prepare a feast. "You're a corpo trash, honestly not surprised." Striga comments in good jest towards Lenore.
Morana slaps her wifes arm as she pulls Lenore into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you alive, we both honestly thought you died in the war." she said in a hushed tone.
Lenore laughed at Striga's jest before hugging Morana. "I knew you two were still alive, but I wasn't sure where."
Morana just smiled as she guided Lenore to hers and Striga's hut, which was more of a mobile bunker. Both had embraced the Nomad lifestyle as Striga had a pair of tactical cargo pants, a simple t-shirt which didn't hide much, and a flak vest which was wide open and her big iron which was on her hip.
As for Morana, she was a simple woman who wore pants, boots, even a button up shirt with rolled up sleeves and cowboy hat that you would see in Texas. Of course she had a shoulder holster with a machine pistol. Of course the biggest change Lenore could see in Striga was her once messy hair now done in a large braided ponytail.
Morana began making a kettle of tea for their guests. "What happened, Lenore? All those years ago?"
Lenore answered, "I... Fell in love with one of Dracula's Forgemasters. Hector. I wanted the war to end so I betrayed Carmilla."
Striga whistled as she leaned back in her large chair. "Well you change him? Cause a man that good you had to keep him."
Lenore chuckled a little as she rubbed her ring. "No… in the end he didn't want to turn, he wanted me to live and be happy even when he laid on his deathbed."
Morana looked down in sympathy before pouring out tea into three cups for them.
"How did you find us? I made sure we were disconnected from every corporation trying to find us." Morana asked as she handed out a cup to Lenore.
Lenore smiled as she replied, "Well to answer that, I must give you the news... He's returned."
Striga just raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Who? Silverhand? I thought he died in big mushroom cloud." She laughed at her own joke as Morana moved her feet off the table. "Feet off the table."
Striga just huffed as Morana looked at her friend. "Apologies if we seem out of the vampire loop, but when I mean off the grid I meant it. We don't know what's going on in European vampire circles, only North America."
Lenore shook her head. "The King himself has returned."
It was silent as Morana's eyes widened even more. "Dracula... Has returned?"
Striga sat up a bit straighter as she looked at Lenore. "You are sure, you're not trying to pull our legs here?" She asked as it's clear she was having a hard time believing the return of the Vampire King.
Lenore nodded. "He awoke sixty years ago. Along with his son and wife."
Striga sighed as she leaned back in her chair in thought, of course that was interrupted as the door opened and a young woman's voice was heard. "Moms! I'm home!" Striga's thoughts were dashed to a smile on her face as she stood up to see the figure coming into their home.
The woman was tall with tanned skin and her hair was brown with dreads put into a bun. She wore the Aldecaldos jacket with a harness. She wore tight jeans with black knee high boots.
"Oh Panam! Welcome home." Morana walked to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her before saying, "Oh meet your aunt, Lenore."
Panam looked confused as she said, "Oooookaaay… uh this is a first cause I never knew I had an aunt."
Striga chuckled. "Da, da we should have told you, but we thought she was long dead. So no worries." She got up and brought her daughter into a powerful bear hug, after letting her daughter breath, which was the result of RAPID hand pats on her mother's back, She sat down at the table and looked at Lenore. "Um… Hi?" She said a little awkwardly.
Lenore was a little awkward as well as she waved at her niece. "Hello, Panam. It's a lovely name."
Panam nodded, of course Striga nodded as well, "Is good name. But I wanted to name her Brawnhilda." Striga huffed.
"And I've told you why that is a terrible name." Morana said with a shake of her head.
Panam just laughed a little before Morana asked her daughter. "So what's the take today?"
Panam groaned, showing it wasn't a good day. "I would have had some nice scrap but we got caught up in a firefight between these two gonks and some bangers. Shot up the truck that was carrying good salvage that would have gotten the clan some serious Eddies! But no, this scovich!"
Morana chides her daughter. "Langue!"
Panam didn't pay attention as she continued. "With a whip! A whip! Comes in with this big guy and starts raising hell! Ruined the haul and now Eddies for the salvage is cut in half!" She huffed while running a hand through her hair.
Lenore made note of a person with a whip. 'Could it have been...?' She thought and saved that information for later.
Striga sighed and shook her head and hugged her daughter gentler than last time, "You did your best, Panam."
Panam nodded as Lenore's curiosity finally got the better of her. "Sooo not to be rude but, how did you two have her?"
Striga's face slowly started to turn into an evil smile as Morana just facepalms. "Well my dear sister. Let me take you on a tale of wonder, adventure, and most of all-'' Striga began and was about to go into too much information territory.
"Okay, nope! I'm gone!" Panam immediately walked away from the sisters.
Lenore couldn't blush, but she would've been a tomato if she could from the descriptions.
Panam shouts as she leaves to her hut, "I'm not about to her about my moms having sex!"
Striga stopped as she laughed at her daughter, thankfully Morana jumped in to save what she could. "Long story short, she got a bio aug that allowed her to knock me up so that nine months later we had our daughter."
Striga chuckled. "I believe you left out something, like how we did not leave our bedroom for days after I got that aug."
She bounces her eyebrows as Morana huffed, "And I'm happy I had you go back to normal because if I didn't, we would never get any work done for the clan if all the blood went somewhere other than your brain."
Of course, this started to devolve into a small shouting match between the two, Lenore did the smart thing and stepped out, once outside the home of her two sisters, she saw Panam looking out at Night City's distant glow.
Lenore walked towards Panam and asked, "Thought of going into the city?"
Panam shook her head slightly, "Honestly, I don't know what I want. I know Mom wants me to try and be like her and be diplomatic, smart, go to a good place of work so I'm not always going on salvage runs."
Morana wanted what was best for her child, always thinking of the best options. "While Ma just wants me to be strong, independent, and-" Doing her best Striga impression she says, "Never seem weak in front of the enemy or possible mate for you come from strong blood." After she finishes panam breaks down into a fit of giggles.
Lenore giggled with her. "Nice to know Striga had not changed. She's always been one for battle, not politics like Morana and I."
Panam nodded, "Yeah, they always did talk about the past… but honestly I thought it was just stories until I finally saw their true selves and then it clicked, all the stories, the looks, even me sometimes, my family are fucking vampires." She gave a slight chuckle before reaching into a cooler to pull out a beer. "Even all these years later I'm still wrapping my head around it." She pulls out a second bottle and offers it to Lenore. "Beer?"
Lenore shrugged and took the bottle before flicking the cap off and taking a sip. She grimaced at the taste. "Tastes cheap."
She looked at the city before asking her niece, "Did your parents ever tell you about the King of Vampires?"
She gave a so-so gesture with her hand. "It only ever came up when we use to watch those old vampire flicks." She leaned back a bit. "They would always point out how wrong they got Dracula or that's not how Dracula is, or this and that. But they never once talked about the actual king." She says taking a drink of her beer.
Lenore hummed as she took another sip. "I never met him before the Civil War, but I can tell you this. Dracula is a man of many things. A scientist, philosopher, a scholar, a man of brutality who would not hesitate to murder the bastard who disrespects him or his family. Things were... Well I was going to say simpler back then, but politics never really changed."
Lenore sighed and took another sip. "Your parents perhaps don't bring her up, but we had a fourth sister. She was our leader. Carmilla, her name was."
Panam looks at her before saying, "The way ya said her name makes her seem like she was dear and also a total gonk."
"She brought us all together, but... She lost her mind. She wanted to take over the world, steal it away from evil old men, as she put it. I learned that your parents decided that trying to maintain control over the world was... Too much. And they would've been away from each other, so they abandoned her. Me? I fell in love with the enemy and left her." Lenore said, taking another sip before placing the bottle down.
Panam just stared at Lenore before she said with a soft voice. "Must have been one helluva guy to make you switch sides during a war."
"He was many things. A Forgemaster. He could reanimate the dead and pull the souls from hell and place them into the dead body to create a Night Creature. He was a passive person, and cared for others. He gave me many children. But in the end... He didn't want to be turned. That's what I envy about him. When so many humans are afraid of facing their own mortality, he wasn't scared. He knew his time had passed and accepted that fact."
Panam took Lenore's hand and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Sounds like he would have been a great Uncle." She said with a sad smile.
She held her niece's hand and smiled with her. "He would've. But I know you'll find someone worthy of your parent's approval. Striga was always a big softy underneath her tough exterior. Morana... Well she's always been what she was. A lover of books and logic."
Panam chuckles, "Yeah that's moms alright." Looking back out to the landscape, she watches the glow in the distance. Of course while new familiar bonds come together and grow stronger. The bonds thought lost are finally being found, or at least a hint.
Alucard
In Adrian's office, the Prince was given a lead of which he has been looking for after a report of what happened to one of his employees comes across his desk.
Lena was reading the report to Adrian, "However what is more important is that according to the reports from the NCPD and Medical, the bodies of the perpetrators who kidnapped and planned to harvest our employee were killed with a mix of not only standard munition's but also as indicated by the wounds… a whip like weapon which seems to burn the body on contact." She stopped her report as she looked at Adrian who had an eyebrow raised. "Our agents also found a BD floating around which is supposedly from the event two days ago." Lena finished.
"Show me." Adrian said simply
Lena nods as she sets down the BD shard and a pair of BD goggles.
Adrian grabbed the BD shard and put it into the goggles before sliding them on. The light hit his eyes and he was taken into the scenery.
The BD began as the POV was of a taller person with two handguns, however the one he's looking at is the person of interest, both seem to be stacking up on the door to the apartment in which the woman was being held.
"Watch the hallway." The other person was male with short blue hair and a mustache. He had a beard that was braided. His eyes were different as they were more... Demon like. His Iris were white with slit pupils and black sclera.
His eyes glowed yellow as he hacked the door open.
The BD continued as the two men moved silently into the apartment, much like the reports stated it was a chop shop operation for augments, bodies, bloody medical instruments, it was a real horror show. Of course their stealthily approach turned into a full blown fire fight as one of the thugs saw them, but this was where Adrian saw the man use a whip which seemed to catch fire and burn the parts of the body it made contact with.
The stranger held the whip and looked at it before attaching it onto his belt and snuck around with his friend, "Jackie, finish off whoever else is here while I look for our target."
The POV now known as Jackie started moving to clear up any stragglers. The POV showed the other person carrying Sandra Dorsett towards the patio. That was when the Trauma Team arrived which is where the BD ends but it ended with the POV looking right at this mysterious person.
Adrian pulled the goggles off and ordered, "Get a facial scan on them."
Lena nodded as the screen lit up and the image that freezes is the one of the stranger with the flaming whip. It could be fate, could be chance, could be a fluke, but for Adrian Tepes who is the Director of Tepes Industries Counter Intelligence Services, he believed in no such thing and only believed in cold hard facts. Which so far the clues and facts along with some backstreet BD shard has given him the lead of a lifetime.
Later
V was looking at his metallic whip with wonder when he heard that familiar ringing noise. He answered it only for the picture to reveal Jackie.
Jackie spoke with excitement, "Heeeeyyyy V! You're not gonna believe the job I got lined up for us, it's huge! I'm talking Night City Legend making huge!"
"Careful Jackie, you almost sound excited there." V joked as he equipped his whip to his belt.
Jackie chuckled as he continued to speak, "Cause I am choom! Hell, you will be too once you know who's paying us and running this job."
"Well you can tell me face to face. Where are you?" V asked as he put on a jacket and walked out of his apartment. A run down Mega Tower with cockroaches, trash, and rents past due. His favorite kind of place.
Jackie answered, "Outside enjoying some noodles, I'll take ya to meet up with our employer at the Afterlife." He ended the call as around V, the life of Night City continues as it always has.
After having a quick talk with a boxer opting to give V some illegal fights, V walked into the elevator and saw several sex commercials which bored him.
Of course, that was when the news came on, and it was much different with the sight of Adrian Tepes and Yorinobu Arasaka as the Newscaster spoke. "Tensions are raised today as another failed raid was conducted on an Alucard industries convoy, what the raiders didn't know was that the convoy was also being protected by Militech whose ties with Alucard, and Tepes Industries span as far back as the 4th Corpo War. Of course the Raiders were none other than an Arasaka strike team, however Yorinobu has denied any involvement and claims it was done by a rogue element of the company. Of course CEO Adrian Tepes was quick to fire back." The feed cut to a press conference with Adrian standing next to a Militech representative who was female with blonde hair in a mullet-like style.
"Arasaka have always been cowards. They believe they own Night City and when things do not go their way, they deny any involvement. Yorinobu shames his family." Adrian said with an aggressive tone. V could've sworn he saw the woman bite her bottom lip at Adrian's aggression.
The newscaster came back on screen, "After this statement, it was reported that the ties between Alucard and Tepes industries and Militech were only strengthened by this attack. Militech even declared that if Arasaka wants a war then they will give them a fourth bloody nose just like they did twice in 1945, and once during the 4th corpo war and again now if they even think they would ever abandon their European friends and allies."
The talk show came on as the biggest news was on Adrian and the Militech rep which was all about one sneaky photo of her getting a handful of Adrian's ass. The elevator doors opened to show the Mega Tower's ground floor where V walked out and down the steps.
Of course, it was interrupted as the sight of V's friend and brother in all but blood, Jackie Welles, was seen setting down his box of noodles. "HEY CHOOM! Was wondering when you would show up. I was about to head up and bust down your door." He says with a large smile and laugh.
"Yeah, and get another whip scar?" V asked as he sat down at a chair next to Jackie.
Jackie laughed as he patted V on the back. "I said I was sorry, hermano, besides with the eddies from this job, it will set us up for life! And will cement us as Night City legends!" He says with an excited but controlled tone.
"So who's our employer? Who's our Super Jesus for us to kneel down and suck his dick?" V asked, wanting Jackie to get to the point.
Jackie smacked V lightly on the shoulder, "Hey, hey! No talking bad about Jesus, and as to our new boss. Well it's none other than Dexter Deshawn." He said with a big grin on his face.
V's mouth opened slightly. "Wait a minute. THE Dexter Deshawn? I heard he was dead."
Jackie shook his head, "Nope, he's alive and kicking. Got me, you, even T-Bug working this job. Of course it's all hush-hush and won't say what it is."
"Well shit. This could be it, Jackie. But before we get to that, I've got some Malware I need to take care of." V held his head as he was getting a migraine while a message was displaying a warning of Malware in his vision.
Jackie nudged his head, "Come on I'll drive ya to Vik's so he can get ya cleaned up." Jackie stands walking towards V's car.
V got up and walked towards the passenger's side of his car. "Appreciate it, Jackie."
Jackie just smiled as he lightly punched V on the shoulder, "We're family in all but blood, choom. You'd do the same for me." He said with honesty in his voice, driving off towards their local ripperdoc.
Meanwhile, at Alucard
Adrian was going over some paperwork, a glass of fireball whiskey at his side to help his headache from the recent convoy attack as well as the possible lead on this mysterious whip user.
Of course this was interrupted as the door to his office exploded open and close behind as the sound of a familiar woman was heard. "THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS!" The sound of an angry American woman was heard coming towards Adrian, "I FUCKING TOLD THEM WE HAD A MOLE! I GOD DAMN TOLD THEM! Look what happens when they don't listen, GODDAMN IT!"
Followed was the sound of a fist meeting Adrian's desk with a wooden CRUNCH indicating that a fist imprint is now on his fine wood desk.
Adrian, being used to angry women, put down the pen and stood up from his desk, "Meredith, your anger will not get you the desired results. You need to keep a hold on yourself and think rationally." He walked towards her and held her by her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.
Meredith breathed heavily before pulling out a cigarette and began smoking, then looked down at the desk and winced a bit. "Sorry about the desk, I'll pay for the repairs." She turned around and looked at Adrian before leaning on the edge of his desk.
Adrian shook his head, "It's alright. Now take deep breaths and tell me what happened and what you possibly found out."
Meredith took a drag of the cigarette before blowing out some smoke, "The Arasaka team that attacked the convoy was able to make off with one assault bot, however that team was also taken out and the bot is now on the blackmarket somewhere. As for how the convoy's location and time tables were leaked, I have a lead. The guy who is the possible mole."
She looked at Adrian, admiring him in all his glory, even with clothes on she can see the muscles of a fighter, even so slightly rubbing her leg on his calf, her mind wanders a bit.
He hummed, "I can have a small team look for you." He looked at her and couldn't help but admire her as well. The way her clothes fit her body neatly, her nicely toned legs.
Of course Meredith moved a bit closer as she presented herself a bit more to Adrian. "I'll happily take you up on that offer, after all we are allies." She said as she ran her hand up his chest towards his collar.
While her leg began rubbing his inner thigh, she got a surprise. 'Holy shit, is he really that big!?' was her thoughts as she kept her face controlled as possible, but she was positively getting moist.
Deciding to see what's going through his mind. "So tell me, as a European, what do you think of me?"
"Well, I think you'll be quite surprised by what you'll find, Miss Stout." Adrian said as he placed his hands on her curvy waist.
She just smirked before grabbing his shirt and with a flip she had Adrian on his back on the desk with her on top, straddling his wait she said with a commanding tone. "Well European, let me inform you of something about us American women. You see, in America talk is cheap." She says as she ripped open her shirt giving Adrian a clear view of her body, including her lace bra and abs as she started roughly kissing him.
Adrian kissed her back just as roughly while his hands roamed her body. He pulled his lips back and asked, "And the pleasure~?"
She just grinned at him, "Well, I know I'm a strong woman who likes a good rough fuckin. You think you can handle it?"
"Mă descurc cu orice, draga mea." Adrian said in Romanian before they began their sexual exploits in the office.
As the American Lioness and Prince of the Dragon began their relationship, off with V and Jackie, they were walking towards the Afterlife. "Ok so let me see if I got this right." He said to V as he started counting off on his hands. "Dex wants you to meet up with a Militech rep, then go from said rep to get a deal with some Maelstrom psychos who happen to have a Militech bot, and all at the same time make sure that neither of us goes flatline."
Jackie looked at V. "Am I missing anything so far?"
"Dex also wants me to meet up with Evelyn Parker, the one who hired us for the job so we can take a look at our target's location and know the ins and out." V explained.
Jackie laughed, "Sure! Sure! and while we're at it, we'll try and take the CEOs of Alucard, Arasaka, and Militech hostage!" He soon looked at V. "Seriously though this is starting to get crazy, I thought this was gonna be like a bank heist or something." He said to V, clearly showing signs of worry or at least second thoughts on this.
"Hey Jack, after this heist, we'll be fucking set. As in living legends set. We've got this. We've got a good crew, plenty of Intel and resources. Now, I'm gonna go see that Militech rep and see if I can cut a deal with them about the bot." V said.
Jackie put both of his hands on V's shoulders and said in a serious but concerned voice. "You be careful, I don't need to hear about you getting killed. You hear me, Hermano. Mama would kill me and bring you back just to kill you all over again."
V put his hands on Jackie's shoulders as well. "Hey, with you by my side. Nothing's gonna stop us."
Jackie breathed deeply and nodded. "The moment shit goes south, you call me and I'll come in guns blazing to get you out of the fire." He said while heading to his bike.
"No problem Jack. Why don't you scope out the Maelstrom hideout, while I take care of Militech?" V suggested, heading to his car.
Jackie seemed hesitant but nodded before riding off to the borg's hideout.
The Militech rep, Meredith Stout, was currently in a Alucard Industries Torture/Interrogation room as she shouted to the poor bastard who's currently getting punched by some of Adrian's 'Specialist' from his counter intelligence department. "All of this can stop if you just tell me WHO'S. THE. MOLE!?"
She demands as the man coughed up some blood and said in an almost pleading voice. "I told you! I don't fucking know about no mole, you crazy bitch!" Her eye twitched a bit as she looked at the pale pair of sunglass-wearing interrogators. "Hit him harder."
One of the interrogators began punching the man repeatedly, "WHO. IS. THE. MOLE!?"
Another interrogator walked towards Meredith and said, "Ma'am, there's a man wanting to meet you about the convoy. Here's the number he called from." He sent her the phone number.
With a scowl she ordered, "Work him over. I want names and I don't care how you do it." Before walking out of the room and called V. "Who the fuck is this and how did you get this number!?" She said in a voice clearly showing she was in a very bad mood.
"How, is not important. What I do know is that you've got a problem, and I need a bot. So let's make a deal. What do you say? Meet up somewhere and hash it out." V said.
Meredith looked at one of the guards and whispered. "Get me one of your famous QRF teams, we might have the mole."
To which he nodded as she said, "Alright. I'll send you the details, come alone and unarmed." She instructed clearly and to the point.
The call stopped there and he received the coordinates so he began driving through Night City.
Meredith growled out an order to those around her. "GET ME A QRF TEAM! And bring that little shit with us. I want that fucking mole!" She stormed off towards the garage, her heels clicking against the floor in an echo.
As Meredith left and set up for what she believed to be her Mole, V was arriving and all he could see from where was Meredith standing by a Militech armored SUV smoking with a bodyguard standing nearby.
V parked his car to the side before getting out and walked towards her.
"You must be the one." Meredith said before V held his hand out.
"Nice to mee-" Before V could say anymore, his head was bashed against the hood of the SUV and pinned against it with the guard putting the wire in his wrist into V's head.
From where V could see, more armed men came rushing out, but they weren't Militech, they were A.i. and heavily armed to boot. "You thought you could blackmail me, fucker! FUCK WITH ME! Now we got your ass, you fucking mole and your partner!" One of the A.i. soldiers grabbed the man from the back and forced him to his knees.
"I ain't no fucking mole!" V grunted out.
Meredith asked the soldier that inserted the wire in V's head. "That fucking thing ready!?"
"All set." The soldier responded.
She nodded before motioning to bring the prisoner forward which an A.I. soldier does as she asked V with a gun to his head. "You know this asshole!? This your fucking contact!? Were you the one to leak the intel for the convoy!?"
"Nope. Never seen him before in my life." V said, calmly while his hands were up.
The soldier was silent before answering. "Checks out."
Meredith growled out, "Fuck!"
To which her prisoner laughed "See?! Fucking told you! I told you!" Only to be silenced with a butt of a rifle and shoved back into the SUV.
"Let him up and search him!" She ordered as the guard did so while an A.I. soldier began patting V down.
"Look, I can point you to where the convoy's assortments were taken. But I need something from it. Let me have it, I'll point the finger. Deal?" V asked.
Meredith looked at the soldier who said. "He's clean, no weapons, only a chain on his hip." Meredith nodded as she started thinking about her options before making a call to Adrian, unknown to V that the A.I. soldiers have cameras that record everything or broadcast an operation thanks to the cameras on their helmets.
In this case Adrian was seeing everything. "What do you think?" Meredith asked Adrian on the other end of her call.
Adrian was watching the whole thing and his employees were running background checks on him. He answered his partner, "Agree to the deal. Give him a spiked chip. He looks like an intelligent man." He eyed that whip coming up with all sorts of possible theories. 'Did he steal it? Is it actually his?'
Meredith nodded before hanging up and handing V the chip and explained what's to happen and how it's to happen. After the deal, the feed was cut and they were gone as Lena looked at Adrian. "You think it's him, sir?"
"I... Don't know. He could've stolen it. Or perhaps it is him. But keep your eyes on him. We may have a lead on him." Adrian said.
It cut back Meredith and V as she warned him while getting in the SUV. "Try to fuck me in any way, and we'll be seeing each other again real soon."
Along with her squad, the SUV drove off, leaving him where he was. He stood up and shook his head and grumbled, "Fucking bitch..."
He noticed his whip on the floor so he grabbed it and hooked it onto his belt before walking back to his car.
Jackie called as soon as V got back in his car, once answering, he asked. "So, it all good? Need me to come in and play the dashing hero to your damsel?" He says with a slight joking tone.
V scoffed as he made a turn, "Nah we're good. I'll meet at Maelstrom's hideout."
Jackie nodded as he stared at the hideout, "No problemo. But I'll be honest, I'm getting bad juju from this, Hermano. Like the kind you get from a setup."
"Yeah, I feel it too, but you know what... Fuck it. Let's spring the trap. We've got this." V said as he hung up and parked near Jackie's bike and got out before asking, "Anything?"
Jackie shook his head slightly. "Aside from a borg every so often coming and going. No, the place is quiet. Too quiet, and that's what got me on edge." He said with his leg bouncing rapidly.
"Well let's go talk to the boss and see if we can get it without making a fuss." V patted Jackie's shoulder before they started walking towards the hideout.
Jackie, of course, kept his hands close to his twin pistols, and as the two entered, Jackie looked around and began talking to V, via whispers. "Shit, to think this place used to be a food planet before Maelstrom rolled in. Now it looks like something out of a bad slasher film."
"Food and machines turned people evil. How poetic." V remarked as he walked up to a wall with a door camera and pressed on it.
A voice said, "Hmm, you're not familiar. The fuck you want?"
V responded, "We're with Dexter Deshawn about a bot he purchased from Brick."
It was silent until the doors opened and the voice said, "Elevator. We'll be waiting."
Jackie and V began walking as Jackie started looking around and saw how heavily armed they were. "These borgs are packing some heat, if we do get into a fight, it'll be hell fighting our way out." He said to V.
"Maybe, or these guys will be reasonable." V said as several heavy machine gun turrets were shut down as well as several mines disarmed. "These must be the materials of the convoy that were taken."
Jackie nodded as they finally arrived at the area for the meeting, a few borgs in the room along with one who was clearly their netrunner. Jackie,of course, was tense as it clearly stunk of a set up, ambush, even a smash and harvest of their chrome.
Among them was a guy with multiple cybernetic optics and wires for hair. "So why are you here?"
"We're here for a bot. Model MTOD12- called a Flathead." V replied.
"And? The hell do you care?"
"The guy we represent already paid for it, so we're here for pickup." V responded.
Jackie acted as muscle to back up V but kept his arms folded over his chest, which had his hands close to his two pistols in their armpit holsters, ready to be pulled out in case the bullets started flying.
The guy hummed as he pointed his pistol at the couch. "Couch; plant it."
V looked at Jackie before walking towards the couch and sat down.
Jackie put himself between the borgs and V as he didn't sit down, the borg known as 'Dum Dum' looked at Jackie and said in a clearly agitated voice. "ahh, well, shit. That goes for you too."
Jackie just stared down Dum Dum as he replied "I'll stand."
Of course this caused the borg to growl as he pointed a gun at Jackie which caused him to step up, getting into Dum Dum's face. "This so fuckin hard!? Fuckin ass! on the fuckin couch!" He ordered with his gun aimed at Jackie who didn't look scared.
However, the borgs around them were starting to get tense as some slowly reached for their guns or moved their trigger fingers to the triggers of their guns.
"Why don't you make me?" Jackie said with a growl.
Dum Dum smirked as he pointed the barrel at Jackie's temple. "Thought you'd never ask."
"Hey hey, Jackie. Just do what they say. We'll be out of here soon." V said softly, standing up to pat his shoulder.
Jackie still stared down Dum Dum before he sat down, relaxing a bit the borg grinned and put away his gun and pulled out an inhaler. He offered it to Jackie who declined before Dum Dum took a hit and offered it to V. "Come on, gotta lighten up. Take a hit." He offered with a smile, or at least a smile from one who augments to the point they were full cyborg or close to it.
V, being the street kid he was, recognized the inhaler. "That's Black Lace, isn't it?"
The borg nodded before taking another hit, as Jackie looked at V asking. "The hell is that?"
"During the Corpo Wars, they handed this shit out to their soldiers. It increased their adrenaline and endorphin levels to the point they couldn't feel pain. The trip can be so intense it verges on cyberpsychosis." V said before looking at Dum Dum and shook his head. "I'm alright, thanks."
Dum Dum shrugged as he took yet another hit, "Whatever you say, straight-edged princess."
The face on Jackie said it all. 'I don't like this one bit.'
V looked at him and agreed before another borg walked in with a huge crate. "Here it is. The Flathead. Model MTOD12." Dum Dum introduced it.
V asked, "Militech's not gonna come looking for this?"
Dum Dum scoffed, "Fuck 'em. They can hop around and try. We removed the serial number and lifted access logs with our soft. Once it's yours, it's yours."
V nodded before saying, "Let's see it."
Dumdum just looked around before he said, "Suit yourself." He opened the crate and inside was the bot that V and Jackie came for. It looked like a black cube with eight legs.
Dum Dum was grinning like a chromed up idiot as he went between the two. "Fuckin tricked out this thing. Dynamic, thermal optics. Full cognitive immersion, with a Raven controller." He said before putting a shard into his head which turned his red optics blue as the bot came to life. Showing this is the controls for the bot.
V watched as the Spider bot suddenly turned camouflage and began crawling up the ceiling and walls.
Behind Dum Dum, a door opened as the sight of a bigger borg was seen stepping out and watching their deal go down. Jackie, of course, had his arm close towards one of his guns as Dum Dum asked, "What ya think? We got a deal here?"
V watched the spider go back into the case and nodded, "We'll take it."
Dum Dum nodded with a dumb smile on his face. "Preem. Super preem. You got creds?"
"It's already paid for. Brick got it."
A slam is heard as the large borg, named Royce, came out with his pistol aimed at Jackie before aiming it at V. "BRICK GOT IT HUH?!" Soon the entire room jumped to life as now all the borgs had their guns trained on the two.
V stood up and held his hands out in surrender. "Woah woah, easy now."
Royce just kept his gun trained on V as he said, "Shut it! You see a Brick around here!? Cause I sure as hell don't!" Jackie was looking at V with a face that almost said with his sassy Mexican tone. 'I told you so, Gringo.' but for now the single red optic was looking at V as the borg leader had his finger on the trigger.
"C'mon Choom. You can't expect us to pay twice." V said while keeping his hands trained up in surrender.
Royce growled as he said, "And who the fuck are you to say what can and can't be? HUH!?" He shoved the barrel of his pistol to the side of V's temple. "You'll pay twice because I say you'll pay twice." He said low and threatening as he got into V's face.
V grunted from the barrel being pushed into his head. He pulled out the Militech card and pressed it against his chest. "Fine. Here, it's all on there."
Royce took the chip before walking away slowly, the pistol still trained on V before turning around which caused everyone to calm down as Dum Dum says. "Hey, the flathead will do whatever ya need, whatever the trick might be." he said clearly happy that there wasn't a shootout about to happen.
V looked at Jackie and sat back down on the couch.
Suddenly sparks flew everywhere as Royce shouted, "The chip's fucking bugged! Kill them!"
V grabbed his whip and activated its electric function and wrapped it around Dum Dum, frying his circuitries. Dum Dum screamed before V pulled his whip, slicing him into pieces.
Jackie was on his feet and began sending bullets to who ever was dumb enough to be in his sights. Duel wielding his pistols, Jackie was like a John Woo movie star.
However, all of this was being watched outside by not only Meredith, but also Adrian via the connection created by the virus, allowing him to see the camera views. "You want us to move in or wait for them to clear out a good majority of them?" Meredith asked over a secure line. Adrian and Lena watched as this 'V' was using the whip like it was second nature.
Adrian watched as V slashed many Maelstrom gang members with his whip. He responded, "Negative. Let them clear it out."
Back with V, they cleared out the room except for the main Borg who disappeared. "I'll grab the bot. You find a way out for us." V said before closing the case with the bot inside and grabbing the handle.
Jackie nodded before walking around the room and found a door covered by some boxes. "Over here!" He yelled as he cleared the boxes to the door.
V walked towards Jackie and entered into the back door, seeing it empty before finding an exit on the ceiling. "Up here."
Jackie nodded as he moved over to the ladder, climbing up first he looked around before calling down, "All clear V." He said before moving forward a bit to make sure there was no trouble ahead of them.
V climbed up with him and hooked his whip to his belt before pulling out a pistol. "Alright, let's go."
Back with Adrian, who was continuing to watch V, he was interested. Very interested in him.
Soon an agent came up and handed Lena a data pad, nodding as she took it and began reading. "Your grace, we have information on V. Even if as sparse as it is." She said, walking up to Adrian to hand him the data pad.
He grabbed the data pad and asked, "What is it?"
Lena spoke, "What our sources could tell us, V is an orphan, turn up around the same time as the attack on the Belmont clan, he was found with the whip and outside of a minor criminal record from when he was growing up in the NCPD data base, his history before he was put into the system is blank." She said in as neutral of a voice as possible as she did have some doubts this could be the one they have been looking for and didn't want to get her Prince's hopes up.
Adrian watched as V and Jackie released the old Maelstrom leader, Brick, before continuing to kill the rest of the gang.
"This could be it. This could be our Belmont."
Lena stayed silent as she finally asked, "Your Grace, are you sure?" Doubt was clearly in her voice.
"We need to find out more about him, yes, but this is not a coincidence. No man ever wields a whip as expertly as a Belmont." Adrian said, watching V take out the current leader, Royce in a mech with his whip. Decapitating his head with his chain whip on fire.
Inside the warehouse, Jackie came out of cover and asked, "You good, Hermano!? V?!"
V panted heavily as he rested his hands on his knees. "Yeah... Whew… he was a tough son of a bitch."
Jackie walked up and softly patted V's back, "No shit, but hey! At least we're not flatline and we got the bot so that's-"
Only to be interrupted by a familiar voice outside. "This is Militech! Surrender or be shot!"
Jackie groaned as he exclaimed. "COME ON!"
V sighed and held his hands out as they walked out of the base to see SUVs and flying drones with Meredith Stout in front of it all.
Meredith grinned as she clapped her hands. "Well looks like you dumb shits aren't completely usless after all! Good work with using the chip, we have access to their data. You can keep the bot as a reward."
V glared at her before saying, "You know, next time you want to hire someone, be up front about it."
She just smirked as she said, "Sorry, but that info was need-to-know. Now get the fuck out of here before I have you both shot." She said walking to an SUV as Militech and A.I. soldiers move into the factory.
V growled slightly before looking at Jackie and nudged him towards their vehicles. "Let's go."
Jackie followed as he got on his bike, waving at V. "Meet ya at the Afterlife for drinks!" He said before driving off.
V sighed as he got into his car, seeing as how it was night time, it was time for him to go to the next destination. Lizzie's Bar, home to the Mox, a gang of former sex workers and punks that rebelled against their pimps and became their own gang. V could respect that.
As V drove off he didn't know he was being tailed, as his unseen tail was an agent for Adrain, "Target is on the move will update." He reported back to Adrian when Lenore walked in.
"I hope everything is going smoothly for you, Your Grace." She said before sitting down and looks honestly worn out for once in her life and even covered in dirt. Lena smiled at her grandmother and yawned slightly, but tried to hide it.
Adrian looked at Lena with a bit of guilt for making her go on all day. "Go home Lena. I'll take it from here."
Lena nodded as she left her grandmother and the Prince alone. Which caused Lenore to look with concern before slowly looking back to Adrian and asked. "Ok, what's going on? You normally don't send people out, including my own blood unless it's important."
Adrian looked down slightly, "I noticed how tired she was. So I wanted her to go home and clean herself up." He looked back at the POV of the agent tailing the possible Belmont.
Lenore got up from her chair and walked over to see what Adrian was looking at. "You're not telling me everything." She stated rather than questioned.
He sighed, "I don't want to tell Father and Mother yet, but... I think we may have found the last remaining Belmont."
Lenore stayed silent as she asked. "Are you sure?" She watched as V pulled up to the club and if one knew Lenore, they would know she has plans already forming in her head.
"He's using a whip like it's second nature. There are not that many people who can be that good with a whip." Adrian replied to her question.
Lenore nodded as she said. "Well then, I'll get some of his DNA and we can be sure that way." She looked at V with a smirk, "My, he is rather handsome"
Adrian stared at her with a raised eyebrow and she said. "Oh get your head out of the gutter, I'm not going to get THAT DNA, I'll have someone collect from either his glass or play off that they scratched his hand on accident. Seriously." She said before walking towards the door to make a call.
Adrian sighed and shook his head in amusement. He watched as the agent saw V go inside the club.
Back with V, he looked around at the inside before walking towards the bar. He sat down and spoke to the bartender. "Hey there."
The Bartender walks over to V as he asks, "Hey. What ya havin'?"
"Stoli on the rocks. Say, do you know if Evelyn Parker is here? I'm supposed to meet her today." V said.
The barkeep looked at him before making his drink and set it on the bar. "I'll see if she's here." He walked off leaving V to his drink.
V took a sip before watching a woman with green and pink hair that was shaved on one side leave. "It's alright. I've been waiting for this one." V noticed another woman in a silver dress and blue hair walk towards him.
Watching the interaction was the agent tailing them as he reported. "Target is meeting with a woman, augment, looks to be in her early 30's. Blue hair. Name appears to be Evelyn Parker." After his report he just sat back and watched the two disappear into the back.
Adrian spoke to an agent in the room with him, "Background on Parker?"
The agent pulled up the file they had on her. "She's a Doll who used to work at Clouds, her Aliases are Evie, Ev, and Evey. However, she has been a returning guest and lover of the Arasaka prince. Outside of that, she has been flagged as not important. Should we bump her up to the important category, Your Grace?"
He hummed, "I am uncertain at this time. Dig deeper."
The agent nodded and resumed his work as the other agent reported. "Red Riding Hood has arrived on scene."
The agent, while not saying it out loud, was thinking. 'Why is her callsign Red Riding Hood? that doesn't make sense.'
Adrian watched on the screen as a woman in a red hoodie walked into the bar and towards the back room.
The agent watched for a bit until his target was seen leaving the back room. Agent Red walked over and 'accidentally' bumped into V, spilling her drink on him. "Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!"
V groaned while wiping some of the alcohol off, "Ah it's fine. Damn it."
Removing her hood, Agent Red was seen to be a beautiful pale girl in her prime, about early 20's, silver eyes, black hair with red streaks, and dressed in a gothic style outfit with a combat skirt. "Please let me help you clean up." She said in a sweet voice as her allure brought V into an almost calm feeling as she guided him to a booth.
V's mind began to calm down, almost in a sleepy state as he sat down in the booth, looking at the young girl with heavy lidded eyes.
She smiled as she started wiping down the drink she spilled onto him. "Again I'm so sorry, I really wasn't looking and you were just there." She said as one clean napkin came to his neck and collected his sweat, "I do hope you can forgive me since it's my first time in a place like this."
She then took a bit of blood from one of V's wounds which was a cut he got from the fight with the Maelstrom gang, but made it look like she was cleaning up her spilled drink.
V shook his head slightly, "Again it's... Fine. It's... Nothing." He was beginning to feel like he was falling asleep from the effects of her sweet talk.
She smiled before turning down her allure as she went for the final bit of DNA. "Well my name's Ruby, I'm from Europe. First time in America actually." She said, offering her hand to V.
"N-nice to meet you... Ruby. I'm... V." He said before weakly placing his hand on hers and shook it slightly.
She smiled before coming up and softly kissed his lips before standing up. "Again, sorry for the drink." She laid down some eddies on the table. "I hope this covers the cost to replace it, I'd stay longer but my friends are here so I'll see you later."
She flashed a smile before walking off which pulled V out of her allure, grabbing the money he shot up and went after her only to stop outside when he saw that she wasn't there anymore. "What the… Was that… how?" He just stood there confused with a handful of eddies and just shook his head.
Not knowing that in a car pulling away, Agent Red, or Ruby, was reporting back to her boss. "I have the samples. Returning to base."
On the other end Lenore smiled as she hung up, looking at Adrian with a pleased smile. "Now we will know for sure if this is indeed the Belmont for which you are looking for." She says in an older British voice, almost as if she was making a reference.
Adrian looked at Lenore with a raised eyebrow from the British voice before shrugging it off to look at the screen. "Any equipment or cameras in that bar we can hack discreetly?"
The tech nodded as he began his work, getting direct access into the bar's systems. "We're in." He said, pulling up the feed to multiple screens.
Adrian watched until he saw a screen with Evelyn Parker and the same lady with green and pink hair.
"Evelyn, this job is not gonna end well! And if Arasaka finds out that you were a part of this, you will disappear, and I am not going to let that happen. Drop this job!" The woman spoke with a Mexican accent.
The agent zoomed in on the women and began a facial scan. While Lenore cupped her chin with intrigue. "Interesting."
"Judy, this job is important. I need them to get that chip. Because it's my life on the line." Evelyn said, holding Judy's hands.
That got everyone's attention as Lenore looked at Adrian. "Has your 'Princess' ever mentioned a chip being at Arasaka Tower, or anything for that matter? Or were you to busy plowing her rice field that you forget what we do." She said in an annoyed voice. Before Adrian took over for both his father's and his company's intelligence, that had been Lenore's former position before she stepped down to allow the Prince to take over after the fifth month the Tepes Family were awakened.
Adrian looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "And yet we know it because of her meeting with this V and him meeting Ms. Parker. If you believe you can do a much better job than I am doing, then please. By all means, tell me." He said towards her, which made her back up a bit and look down before Adrian told a tech agent, "Record everything from that conversation, and get me more information on the employer."
He began walking away from the viewing room towards his office.
The tech nodded as he and Lenore continued to watch. However, in his office his terminal was blinking showing he had an unread message. Now if this was the work email, It would be no issue, however, this was his personal one that has an unread message.
Upon opening it, the send was from "Princess" who wrote that she would be coming to Night City with her father for the celebration held in little Asia. Even asking if he would have time for them to meet and catch up since his last visit to China was so short. Even adding, "I'll even bring that kimono you liked so much last time." Ending in the senders initials. "H.A"
Adrian smiled and answered back,
"I look forward to seeing you again, Princess."
Of course his thoughts and possible alone time to think about his Princess was interrupted by a message from Lenore which simply read. "DNA has arrived, running test now."
"Notify me when you have results." He messaged back before rubbing his eyes and going into his cabinet to pull out a glass bottle of blood.
The bottles were wine bottles and had different years on them, as thanks to technology and, of course, the vampires who made them. The Blood wine was considered the best wine money can buy. For humans, while for vampires it was done in a way to have the flavor of the best wine technology could replicate. So even if a human drinks it, it would taste like regular wine to them. However for the prince he had a selection from 1957 - 2020. In his office's wine fridge.
He poured into a glass until it was half full. He took a sip and sighed in relief at having some blood finally. It had been a while for him since he's had some.
Adrian, feeling like he can finally relax, sat down at his desk and began to do something he actually enjoys once he has some alone time. Looking around and even making sure he really does have time alone. He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a hand-held device.
Turning it on, he started to honestly enjoy the best invention humanity has made. Video games, among them was one game series he was enjoying which was about a plumber trying to save a princess from a dragon. It honestly made the Prince of all Vampires chuckle at the concept but the gameplay was somewhat addictive In terms of challenge.
Getting into the water world, Adrian was having a good time until the door to his office busted open as a guard shouted. "YOUR HIGHNESS!"
Quickly closing the game and hiding it quickly Adrian yelled. "WHAT!?"
"YOU'RE NEEDED IN THE VIEWING ROOM!!" The guard shouted.
Adrian nodded before shouted. "KNOCK ON MY DOOR NEXT TIME! KNOCK!!" The guard nodded as Adrian asked. "Did you see anything!?" He demanded the guard.
"NO SIRE! I DIDN'T SEE YOU PLAYING YOUR VIDEO GAMES!!" He shouted back before getting out and closing the door.
Adrian just stared at the door, before downing his glass of blood wine. Quickly locking his gameboy up so NO ONE can find it, he made his way to the viewing room.
The doors opened for Adrian as he walked towards Lenore and asked, "Found anything yet?"
Lenore nodded. "Yes, however I was waiting until the call to your mother and father connected."
As if by magic, the two appeared on screen, however both were in their morning clothes having breakfast. "This better be important to have us waken at…" Dracula looked at his watch as he said. "...five in the morning."
Lenore smiled. "Oh yes, for I believe that for which you all have been looking for has been found." She said cryptically.
Adrian rolled his eyes at Lenore's cryptic talk and Lisa spoke in a tired but agitated tone. "Lenore, I think I speak for all of us when I say, we are not in the mood to be told the mutterings of an old wise woman. Just tell us plainly what you found."
Lenore sighed, "You're no fun." She said before bringing up two strands of DNA, human of course, but different from each other. Of course, Adrian looked at it before asking. "What the hell am I looking at?"
"You're looking at our mysterious V's DNA, and we compared it to several of the Belmont Family's DNA." Lenore said.
Lisa was leaning forward as Dracula's back straightened more as Lenore continued, "Now look what happens when I overlay them." She said and doing so, they almost match up perfectly. Even showing that the DNA match was a 96.9 percent match. "They are a match with only a four percent chance they don't. However, I believe I can say that-"
Lisa beat her to it as she said with a hint of emotion and tears threatening to leave her eyes. "The Belmonts are not gone."
Dracula looked at the chart with hope in his eyes. "Who is this V?"
"A mercenary who is attempting to make a name for himself in Night City. From what we've gathered, he is working for a woman named Evelyn Parker with the help of his friend Jackie Welles. Strangely, Evelyn mentioned something about a chip. This must be what V and Mr. Welles were hired to do. Steal a chip." Adrian answered.
Lisa however ignored it as she looked at the images an agent sent her, and her heart broke which was visible in her face. "The poor boy… had to grow up with no family, not even knowing the feeling of a safe home. If I had known he was alive and in Night City I would have brought him home and showered him with all the love a mother could ever give him."
The one thing that never changed about Lisa since being turned, was her love for children, even for as some would jokingly call "strays.'' As she would do everything she could for orphaned children, this earned her the nickname 'Mother Lisa.' from the children at the orphanages she runs and operates, even the children's hospitals.
Dracula placed a hand on Lisa's shoulder, "Lisa, we'll find this boy and help him. But we must do this strategically. If I am correct in my knowledge of Night City, he won't trust us. He won't ever trust us simply because we are... 'Corpos' as we are called. We must approach this carefully."
Lenore nodded, "From what my agents have gathered, they are planning to stage a heist at Konpeki Plaza."
Adrian cut in, "I will be meeting with my inside source soon to learn more of what's going on as the Head of Arasaka is coming to Night City."
Lenore said sarcastically, "Oh yes. Your 'Princess'. Is Miss Meredith not enough for you?" She said this right in front of his mother who was now looking at her son with a raised eyebrow. "Who is this Meredith?"
This made Adrian visibly sweat until his father cut in. "Enough." Dracula said, "Our son's love life does not matter at the moment."
Adrian internally thanked his father for busting them away from that particular discussion.
However, things got worse as an agent came up and handed Adrian information which caused him to scowl. "It seems Arasaka is making a show of power."
"How so?" His father asked with a raised eyebrow.
Adrian brought up the image of Arasaka's Carrier the 'Kujira' which was heading towards Night City. "They seem to be sending a message that they think they're still so powerful. Even after the last Corpo War and the nuking." He said with a hint of disgust.
Lenore looked at the images with wide eyes, "Are these oriental idiots ASKING FOR WAR!? That alone is enough to justify provocation from Militech which in turn would cause us to attack as well due to the Alliance!" She was trying to understand the logic behind this, putting her hands up to her temples in an attempt to nurse a headache.
Dracula took a deep breath before standing up and took a big sip of his coffee before looking at the screen. "Adrian, Lenore. Prepare for our arrival."