Chapter Sixteen:
A Few Months Later-
Heywood: The Glen - Mega-Building H1 Apt 1209.
Life for a time seem to gotten better, work was constant, that I was finally able to move out the Motel to an apartment. My skills evolved with time and training, I had access to food more so now which aided me in working out. I was no longer tall and lanky. I grew to a healthy weight and even added some muscle mass to my physique.
I was just a bit older now, not sure if I was any wiser, but there is some slack in only being nineteen. In the last couple of weeks well, I've been on the mend. With the money I had, I saw to a few upgrades. A Reflex Tuner, Nano Relays, all working together with my Synaptic Accelerator which now last longer and I have better control of myself in the altered state of time and mind. Sure it barely lights a flame to the Sandy, but it suits me just fine. I figure it's best to work with what you have before jumping to the next big upgrade.
The most priciest upgrade was the, Tyger Paws, they added strength and speed to my legs. They we're well worth it, I wanted to opt out for something more tactical like Mantis Blades, but I felt the urge not to overwhelm my body with implants. Having mobility is tact for staying alive. I've also gotten used to working without Mottly, only for my benefit, I don't always want to rely on him, but I know he's there always to lend a hand if needed. With mother's gun Purge by my side, I trained with accuracy and dealing with kickback from power variant guns. It's not like the Smart gun that have auto targeting.
I've taken the time to get used to semi automatic weapons as well melee. Know I always carry a ton of pocket knives for close quarters combat or distance as I've trained to toss a knife at a target head taking them down. But with the more work we got the better I got at becoming a blood teller. Who'd figure I had an affinity for explosives. I'm a walking killing machine these days, that's what I bring to the table. Confrontation is my forte and that's why I and Rebecca work well in tandem.
There so much more responsibility as a second in command, I guess it was revenge for nominating him into the position of leadership. Which I must admit he's grown well into a leader, impressed at his growth. Somehow I knew David was right for the job.
Speaking of David that once lost starry eye kid with much to learn was gone. That once perky sycophant that barely had a grip on things, had surpassed Maine's shadow. He grew into his own, undergone more implants to improve himself. He's just as bulking as Maine was once. He was someone I would never wanted to go up against. Not now at least. He stood taller than me now, which was a bit terrifying. I was akin to being around the dominant air Maine gave off.
David is eighteen now and commands both fear and respect. Everyone wants to be apart of the crew. David's crew. Lucy had soften up to me lately, Kiwi was always stoic as usual. Rebecca was my go to Choom when it came to tearing it up around Night City and Falco is my solid drinking buddy. David being the closest thing to me as a best friend. I would follow him to hell and back, no matter what way the odds are stacked. Our combat symmetry is complementary to another that we can get things done rather effectively that Fixers we're lining up to hire us.
It wasn't the easy life, but it sure was good. And for awhile I forgot my conviction to smash Saka. Only because we were a hot commodity to the streets that people needed our help on the daily. But I made sure to keep chasing whatever Faraday needed, him promising Arasaka on a sliver platter.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Incoming Call-
David: You feeling any better?
Ryan: I got meds to kick the pain, what's up?"
David: We've got a job, gonna need all hands on deck. Falco is downstairs, were waiting on you.
Ryan: On my way down then. By the by who's the job from?"
David: The Lady of Westbrook Estate.
Ryan: Wakako Okada, I'm certain this will be interesting. Be right down.
Call Ended-
Grabbing my gear I proceed downstairs and load into the back of Falco van. Kiwi had shot gun leaving, David, Rebecca and myself crammed into the back. Lucy well she's been absent of late, not wanting to be involved in job's or being around anyone but David. After Maine's death and the Tanaka incident, she's become rather reserved. I miss her company to be honest, and the last I seen of her was at the get-together for David's birthday.
Before long our landscape changed and Falco pulled over and a scrappy kid hoped in the back. Perhaps a new prospect for our group. It wasn't long before we drove off again.
The red head was breathing very heavily as we drove along the highway, kid was more nerves than man. God his hyperventilating was annoying, it even granished a response from Rebecca who's shoulder I was leaning my head on. Our dynamic sorta changed after my birthday, but she was still stuck on David.
"Sure there aren't no ants in your pants, Julio?" She snickers rasing her arms up over her head.
"NO WAY!" He shouts defensively.
"Wakako's bitch right? Newbie boob she stuck us with, heard you're David's fan?" Becca teases.
"Yeah yeah." He cheers."What chu mean stuck with us."
"Just don't slow us down, can't risk botcing this gig." I warn playfully aiming my gun at his chin.
"Wow, you hear that you actually have fans now. Probably because you got all swole." Rebecca taunts.
"Got iron!" David says speaking up finally as he looks over to Julio. Who gives a quick blank expression."Carrying right?"
"Yeah got a Lexington!" He replies and I scoff before David interjects.
"Doesn't cut it. A pea-shooter like that won't even dent Maelstrom metal. Try this one out." David say's re-equipping the newbie with a better weapon.
"Seriously Choom, a Satara. Fuck me, Nova. Tech shooties man, preem as hell." Julio geeks out pipping up his mood which he began to ramble on. I quietly bang my head against the frame of the van, annoyed as shit from his non stop chatter. Even Rebecca seems to become annoyed and starts kicking him across his chest and face from her seat. I can't but help chuckle.
"Watch my face. My face, ouch!" Julio squeals.
I turn to face David with a large sigh on my face. He faces me, and I roll my eyes with displeasure.
"Can't believe you agreed to taking on this punk."
"Who, ouch, are, ouch, you, ouch, calling , ouch , a , ouch, punk!" Julio shouts as he still getting beat on by Rebecca.
"You!" I shout at him.
David heave out a short sigh. "Just member to stay behind me, be smart don't rush."
"You mean you want me to take rear?"
"Essentially stay out the way and cover us, newbie." I turn my head and scoff at him.
"I ain't no newbie man." He replies.
"Attention ladies, we're about a minute out now." Falco calls out to us.
Watson: Totentanz-
We arrived at the hideout which is over runned by everyone favorite Chrome freaks the Maelstrom. It was an old hotel which was reinvented into a club for the Borg sicko's.
David, Rebecca, Julio and myself step out the van and made our way around the place, establishing a linked call between us on the field and Kiwi in the van.
Kiwi: Got a small army on our hands... Heaps of iron... and turret's, multiples. Can't ping 'em all for quickhacks, not enough time. Front door's a dead zone, that's crystal. So plan B- find the backdoor, definitely.
David: Easy-peasy plan C's my pick.
Ryan: Sounds like fun!
Rebecca: Ah-greed.
Julio: No backdoor swoop-in? Why?
Rebecca: Knock yourself out- get to it.
Ryan: If only he would knock himself out.
Julio: Hey! Wait! Don't leave me!
Ryan: Then hurry the hell up!
Making our way to the back a whole squadron of maelstrom awaits us inside. Fuck this was becoming to look like a bad situation. If only I really cared tho. It was time for action, just waiting for the right moment. Had to be about thirty or so just in this area alone, slowly but surely I got a grip on Purge.
"Hey who ordered lunch meat?" A red hair female with a chrome face plate and automatic rifle in her hand cackles out to her gang.
"You little babies lost." Teased another Maelstrom. As the four us lined the door frame. I made sure Julio was right behind me, kid was green and taking on a bunch of Borg's of this magnitude wasn't par for the course.
Rebecca had a eerie grimace to her face, like she was ready for the carnage, David stood tall undaunted. I was counting how many I could kill on my own, a small smile on my face. Four of my finger held tightly on the pin mechanism of my frag grenades.
"Think there here to start something? You blood bags wanna get popped!?" The red hair chick said stepping right into David's face aiming her gun point blank,"Better start talking now scumbag before I drill you a fresh eye hole."
David counter's pointing his gun to her face,"You better stop before I do the same!" He warns and then suddenly everyone pulled out their guns.
"Yeehaw." Rebecca squeals playfully.
"Let's rock!" I shout.
All of the sudden the Maelstrom began twitching as electric currents ran throughout their body's. Kiwi did it again, it was show time.
David blew a hole into the chicks head and Rebecca began firing. I smirk as my Synaptic Accelerator activates and my perception of time slows down but I remain fast, I hurled the four frags out into crowd, before it turns off. I can control my Cybernetics now giving me full autonomy over it. I watch a bloody paste and body parts smear the walls. I begin opening fire with Purge with it's ability to shoot two rounds at once I got a few square in the head. Target practice was paying off.
Rebecca and David was wiping the floor with the others I missed as she cackles and laughs like a manic gunning down anything in her way. David new toys came into play. He fired his massive arm cannon. Julio was quivering like a baby.
"Damnit I don't wanna die..." Cries Julio.
Kiwi: Damn missed a few.
I was shooting rapidly at the surrounding Maelstrom dodging bullets normally as I try keeping the new kid safe. I wasn't wasting my energy for these chrome freak's. They weren't worth my full effort. I was gunning them down like a hot knife through butter. That's when I hear Rebecca shout joyfully,"And now here come the big guns." She smiles pulling out two large shot guns.
"A goddamn turret." Julio whines.
"Duck kid!" I shot to him.
David: Kiwi?
The turret began firing on the Maelstrom ripping the remainder in shreds. I am now trying to keep Julio alive as he likely shitting his pants.
Eventually we clear out the remainder of the bastard's on the ground floor before ascending a flight of stairs, I'm obviously pissed off with Julio, but more or so David for taking him along. He's been nothing but a hindrance. I knew nothing good was going to come from him being here.
But as we reach the top of the stairs in the middle a huge bulky muscular Maelstrom gonk stood in our way, he had a terrifying presence to him. Then he spoke.
"Tiny bird's, aren't you scared!?" His voice so deep and robotic, dude was a monster. With metal spikes sticking out of his flesh his face covered in a chrome shielding.
"Yo the fuck is that human?" Julio questions raising his gun up.
"My thoughts exactly, but move aside I'll deal with him." I say before David pats my shoulder and moves Julio gun down brushing forward to confront him.
David took off his signature yellow jacket and tightened his fist, Julio couldn't help by have a fanboy moment. The two started moving towards another.
"Did you never learn to fly."
I know what's coming next, the activation of David's Sandevistan. I quickly active my Accelerator and glimpse into the slowed time around us as David zip forward going for a huge uppercut. With my upgrades which still is nothing to compare to David, I'm lucky I'm able to perceive his movement's instead one giant blip of space and time which it appears to the naked eye.
But unfortunately the big bastard was able to evade the hit moving slightly out of the line of the punch. Fuck this is bad, if he has something akin to David or I, he might target Rebecca or Julio. Think, think, think... The three of us are in an altered state, I need to give David the opening he needs.
"Time for me to teach you!" The guy gets ready to slam a heavy sledgehammer weapon over David head.
"You talk to much!" I shout firing a round at the Maelstrom chest, his attention is momentarily diverted. David leaps at the moment and flips over the Borg, opening and aiming his arm cannon.
"No thanks Choom, I know how to fly just well." Boom! His head explodes clean off his shoulder and I deactivate my Accelerator. I got to see the whole showdown but to others it most of seen like a split second before the realization of the guy collapsing to the floor.
"Pew pew pew, Nova." Julio fanboy's once more.
"Those your new leg implants? Looking damn good." Rebecca cheers.
"Shit I help too you know." I shout out.
"Give it up, maybe one day you'll have fans Ryan." Rebecca say's teasing me.
Kiwi: no more, all clear- last one room behind you- target's there. her- others too, all friendllies.
David: roger roger.
Ryan: Thanks Kiwi.
"Yo backroom on it." Julio rushes off.
"Wait Julio, watch out for..."
"So Bang, so bang,"
Boom! A mine went off and Julio exploded into a sea of guts and blood across the floor and walls. Holy shit! Rebecca let's out a large tired sigh.
"Welp saw that coming a mile away." I say rather smugly. Although I didn't hate the kid, he was just to fresh to run on a serious Gig.
Proceeding to the backroom, David uses his strength to pry open the metal door and suddenly light fills the room, so many people looking worse for ware, all hostages of the Maelstrom. It was horrible.
"Isabella Morgan, you in here? I'm here cause your dad put out and SOS. You're safe now." David states.
A blonde hair girl begins to break down crying, hopefully tears of relief.
"My friend will escort you out of here Isabella, the rest of you are free, but stick on me, I'll be escorting you guys out."
After leading everyone outside I let out a sigh of relief that the job was done. I stood under a light post watching as the victim's flee into the night, a car soon arrived for the girl.
"Get Wakako on the Holo, just don't know how you're going to explain Julio Choom." I tell him stretching my arms out.
Sitting in the back of the van I kicked my legs up as Rebecca yawn, David was still in mid call, there was large duffle bag of Rebecca guns all bundled up.
"I could go for a stiff drink, how's about y'all?" I ask the crew.
"I'm game." Rebecca instantly responds.
Westbrook: Turbo Club-
There was a large gathering, Rebecca was showing off her gun skills, Kiwi was being a basic wall flower even after I handed her a drink, she was just thinking, contemplating her next move. David was with Falco talking, suddenly I get the notice. $33.000 Eurodollars we're sent to me via David. I sip on my ale and shouted. "That's too much David, I don't need all that." I still had some money left over from my job with Faraday awhile back. After the new pad, the implants and the weaponry. I was just sticking together with the crew, cause well there family. I don't have no grand design to be a legend of NC, that's something David has the makings for.
"Just take the damn Eddie's." He laughed as he resumed his conversation with Falco I stroll over to Rebecca.
"What's the chance of us getting pissed face and reliving the night of my birthday party?" I say seductively to her. Wrapping my arms her waist and lifting her up.
"None, so put me down Ryan." She shouts elbowing me in the jaw and I release her.
"Fine, guess I'll flirt with the girls over there." I scream stammering off.
So I did just that flirted with serval attractive lady's who were digging me, feeling me up, even scored a few numbers as I sip more or my ale. All the affection it was just a coy, it didn't matter, cause the woman I'm in love with isn't the one reciprocating my feelings.
"You two just don't get it, it's ironic both in love with a person who doesn't love you back, surprise surprise the more you have in common the farther you two drift away." Kiwi comments.
"And here comes miss wall flower to gracious gift me with her ever persevering knowledge. Tell me how's you love life going." I berate her. "That wasn't called for I apologize Kiwi. You were only stating the obvious."
"No, I get it. Your tipsy, the truth often slips out. But honestly I don't do the whole love deal. No worth the trouble nor the hassle." She says clearly.
"I- I didn't know. Sorry." I say apologizing profusely before walking away.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Incoming Call-
Faraday: Ryan, you've been a busy bee, and I have the perfect job for you, time to strike Arasaka while the iron's hot.
Ryan: Yeah, no more cut side job's, I'm in David's crew, Christ I'm practically second on command, but all jobs and gigs go through him. So if you want my assistance, gotta give boss man his due.
Faraday: Such unnecessary hurdles, aren't my Eddie's worth a damn. Fine have it your way, for now. Eventually you come looking for the breadcrumb trail's, to get what you desire.
Call Ended-
Fucking Faraday, always something underhanded with him, glad to be free or dealing direct with him. Work work work, but nothing has delivered has been instrument to finding out what I need from Saka.
I waved off Falco as he left the scene as I rejoin David and Kiwi how that my anger of Faraday has boiled away any buzz I had.
"What a day." I say stretching sitting down beside David.
"Honestly I doubted you had it in you, to take the reins."
"Couldn't not without the city's preemest runner."
"We all know you don't mean me. Where is she? You've been asking her?"
"Not anymore, kinda gave up trying."
"Never pegged her for one to get all shook up."
I sorta began tuning out the conversation, it was hard not having Lucy around. She won't respond to anyone messages or even answer her phone. I tried being a ear for her like she was when it came to finding out about my mother. Now she more recluse and only stays around David.
"Yo yo yo, David why the long face. This old hag keeping you off the dance floor?" Rebecca say's inching closer on her finger from her new arm implants. She hopes in-between David and I. I scoff and slide over. Guess we're still not talking.
"Although some, Edge-Runners die more shame then they started with." Kiwi states.
"Yo it ain't right to badmouth the dead. Not my bros fault he got zeroed by some bare dicked psycho. But have to ever seen David dance it's a riot."
"Sound preem, but think I'm gonna bounce, gotta stop by Doc's." David states walking away.
"Seriously again? Then tell that bastard you desperately need a dance chip."
"Will do, seeyah."
"Want I come with?" I ask.
"Nah, I'll manage."
"Hey I ain't good playing just friends!" She calls back to him.
"Consider shaking up your approach." Kiwi comments.
"Yeah, how you figured. Instead of hot and loud, I try cold, distant and nerdy?" Rebecca question.
"Eh, what you need is someone who wants you for you?" I interject.
"Is that right." Rebecca snaps punching me in the shoulder.
"Ouch damnit that hurts, I was only saying. Fine be an ice queen, you make a great substitute for Lucy!" I yell pissed off.
"Ryan wait!" Rebecca calls out for me.
"Consider my vibe officially killed, gonna Delta, catch you on the flip Kiwi."
Heywood: The Glen - Mega-Building H1 Apt 1209.
Fuck is wrong with me, snapping at Kiwi and Rebecca, dissing Lucy what's wrong with me. I got let this unrequited love go, it's toxic and it's making me feel like crap for flipping out on my friends. So what, she loves David, I love her. Things aren't just meant to be.
"You should make an effort to apologize to both of them!" Mottly says something for first time today.
"Fuck you've been. You just disappear for days now. If you're gonna leave just give me a heads up. Good thing I took your advise for getting used to a shooting range."
"If you ever need me, I'll be there always but you seemed fine. Also I've been doing some digging making connections with Rouge AI building up my knowledge and repertoire."
"That's good I assume."
"All roads lead to Arasaka, soon we can truly find out my prime directive, what I was created for, and why you're father was murdered.
"Enough chatter, I wanna lament in peace." I tell him, grabbing some soda and left over Buck-A-Slice pizza from the fridge, as I recline in my couch and watch trashy TV.
A/N: It's been a while I apologize for the delay hadn't the urge to write after overcome a short bout of COVID symptoms. But alas I am back so thanks for waiting. Also I hinted at something at Ryan and Rebecca, that happens in the time skip but writing it would of delayed the plot further. So let me know if you'd like a one shot of Ryan's birthday party. Wink Wink .