Chapter 12: Lights

Jig-Jig street was a decidedly strange place.

The entire place was flooded with a riotous array of neon lights. Various shades of green, blue, pink and red were prominent. The establishments comprised a mix of ripper-docs, sex shops, betting parlours, an arcade and what seemed to be a brothel. Joy-toys roamed the streets, filling the air with sultry moans in their effort to entice or please their customers, and some were even brazen enough to service their clients out in the open, in the various alleys that ran off or just straight up in the street, up against some wall or another. In other words, it was exactly what I had expected it would be.

One thing that I hadn't expected was the smell. Most of the city stank of industrial effluent, of pollution and waste with just a trace of gunpowder hanging in the air. Here, that stench was mixed in with the unmistakeably pungent odour of sex and vomit, making for a truly... unique, experience. In truth, the place smelled like a mixture of a motorway service station, a crack-house, and a low-end brothel. Even worse, the architecture of the street kept the smell mostly trapped, and the deeper one ventured, the worse it got.

Even still, I dived in, holding my nose and making a beeline for the Pachinko Parlour owned by Wakako Okada. I could feel eyes burning a hole into the back of my head as I walked, in spite of my attempts to remain inconspicuous. The simple truth, however, was that there was no real way to disguise a four-man security escort. They may have been unconventionally dressed, but their behavior gave me away in a heartbeat. Covering angles, keeping their eyes peeled, maintaining a tight formation around me, it was obvious.

Of course, I knew people were watching me, people were always watching me, wherever I went. That didn't really matter, however, as I didn't really expect any trouble. Wakako's parlour was on the nicer side of the street, far away from the gangoons and addicts that may have been prone to violence, and on the off chance that something did kick off, I had a van filled with a small platoon's worth of people, parked nearby, all armed to the teeth and ready to open fire on my word. I had learned my lesson, and nothing less would suffice from now on.

So it was with some confidence that I opened the door to the Pachinko Parlour. Closing it behind me shut most of the smell out, but the assault on my eyes only intensified, the harsh glare of neon present inside the parlour. I squinted, and made my way for the beaded doorway, behind which was Wakako's office. Here, the lights were far less intense, and the air was flooded with a more pleasant smell, a scented candle merrily burning away in the corner of the room. The decor was far classier, with extravagant elegance on display, a harsh contrast to the street just a few metres away.

Wakako herself was in the middle of some paperwork, and looked up and eyed me as I came in. She watched me make myself comfortable on her couch, and my guards scan the room, their eyes glowing red, before they left, flanking either side of the doorway. She spent a moment appraising me, and then she broke the silence, "Arthur, so nice to finally meet you."

I nodded, "Likewise."

She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, "I have to say, when I heard the news about you working with Rogue, I was surprised. Of all the people, I never expected that."

I allowed myself a smile in return, "I'll take it as a compliment."

"It is a compliment. It speaks very highly of you, that you managed to get her on your side so quickly, and so completely as well. From what I hear, if you demanded her to bend over and spread her legs for you, she would." She tittered at her joke, "Then you visited the Padre, and managed to turn him just as suddenly as you turned Rogue, and even more completely, too. Fixers aside, there's Gunner, and Saul, and not to mention the Peralez's. You seem to have brought half the city under your spell." She leaned back in her chair, "Shame, only, that you're being hunted by the other half. And you come to my door. Gimme one reason why I shouldn't pick up my phone and call them right away."

"Because, Wakako, if that is what you wanted, you would have already called them." I leaned forwards, "The truth is, you're too interested to place that call. You want to know how I pulled it off, and you want to know why I'm here."

She nodded along to my words, "I will admit to professional curiosity." She clasped her hands on the table, settling into a more businesslike posture, "So talk, and mark well that I still have my phone in arm's reach."

"As you doubtless already know, I have had some... issues, with the Claws as of late. I want to put them behind me, and I want you to help me do that."

She quirked an eyebrow, "What makes you think I can? I am no longer the wife of a Tyger Claw."

"I know that, but you still retain a sizeable amount of influence with them. You have a reputation for making the impossible possible, and it's not as if I'm asking you to start issuing orders. I just want to set up a meet with the current head of the gang and myself, that is all."

She tilted her head and furrowed her brow, "I could do that, but I doubt you'll get what you want from them. The Claws have little love for you. And even if you could, what's in it for me? Why should I help?"

"Naturally, there will be payment for services rendered."

"But if I wanted more?"

"Name it. If it's reasonable, I'll see what I can do."

She leaned back in her chair, tilting her head whilst she did so and reappraising me. After a moment, she finally spoke, "Is this how you convinced them?"

"Who?"

"All of them. Your followers, or goons, or whatever you want to call them."

I smirked, "Trade secret, I'm afraid."

She adjusted her glasses, "I have to say, Arthur, I'm disappointed. I was expecting you'd try to get me to fall under your spell as well. I was looking forward to seeing how you did it."

I scoffed at her words, "You're too reasonable for that. Peace between me and the Claws is just as much in your interest as it is in mine, and you know it. If I win this little war, which it is looking increasingly likely that I will, your powerbase disappears overnight. If I lose, the Tyger Claws grow in power, but so too does the power of those within the Claws who'd oppose you. Some may even grow enough in power to be able to truly threaten you. I don't need to sell you on this, like I had to with the others."

She nodded, reached across her desk and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting it, she turned back to face me, smoke filling the air, "Okay, then. Let's discuss my fee."

I smiled. After just a few minutes, a deal had been hammered out, a date and time set, and a transaction organised. Overall, I left the parlour feeling both satisfied and hopeful. Now that I had a reputation, I hadn't needed to threaten her like I had to do with Rogue. Money was a language all it's own, and I was now officially too powerful to cross. Wakako had a reputation to maintain, and she only stood to benefit from working from me.

It felt so good to finally have the upper hand.

Walking back to my car, the neon lights didn't seem so threatening this time around. A real chance for peace was lingering around the corner, and the air seemed choked with the smell of hope. Just as before, the whores and addicts watched me leave, and I offered them a smile and a wave as I left, much to their surprise. When we arrived at the curb, a car pulled up, and one of my men opened the door and ushered me inside. Inside, was sat Panam. Silence lingered till the doors closed, the engine roared to life, and we departed from Jig-Jig street, the backup van trailing behind. I turned to Panam, "You've got it?"

She nodded, reaching into her pocket, pulling out a data-shard, and handing it to me, "Should all be on there."

I looked at the shard, and then inserted it into the slot in my phone, scrolling through the files, "It is." I looked away from the phone and nodded, "Good work."

Panam had a curious look on her face, "Can I ask why you wanted it? V was really surprised when I asked her to get a copy of this for me."

"Did she have it on her?"

Panam nodded, now looking confused, "Yeah. How did you know?"

I chuckled, "Just a wild guess." I sobered quickly from the moment of levity, "Did she set up the call?"

Panam checked the time, "Yeah. Just a minute now."

We waited as the car drove on, till the tell-tale ringing noise, indicative of an incoming call, could be heard. I accepted the call, and the voice of on Judy Alvarez spilled from the speakers, her image displayed on the screen in front of me, "Who is this?"

"Judy Alvarez?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

"My name is Arthur. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Why did you have me call you?"

"Does the name Evelyn Parker ring a bell, Miss Alvarez?"

There was a moment of silence, and it lingered for so long that I thought that I had made a misstep. When she finally spoke, her voice was hot and angry, her tone laced with a barely-suppressed mixture of rage and concern, "What is this? Where did you learn that name?"

"And the name Woodman rings another bell, yes?"

Judy's tone was laced with suspicion, "What are you getting at?"

"I want to make you a deal, Miss Alvarez. No matter what happens during the course of this phone call, I will give you Miss Parker's current whereabouts. In re-"

Judy exploded at my words, positively screaming down the line, gesticulating violently with her hands, "Do you have her, you son of a bitch!? I swear to fucking god, I'll kill you! I'll fucki-"

"No!" I cut her off before she could build up any more steam for a rant, though I could tell she was still seething, "No, Miss Alvarez, I don't have your friend, but I do know where she is, and if you'd care to listen, I will tell you."

Her tone belied impatience, though the rage seemed to have somewhat subsided, "Where?"

"If I tell you, will you hear me out, Miss Alvarez?"

Her words were bitten out between clenched teeth, "Yes, I will hear you out, if you tell me where she is."

I nodded, "Good. To the best of my knowledge, she is in the old Electric Corporation power plant, being held by some Scavs looking to use her to scroll XBD's. Nasty business, and not the kind I approve of, so I have a team headed over there as we speak to clear the facility of the Scavs so that you can come and collect your friend."

Panam looked at me with a frown on her face, likely wondering when I had the time to set this all up, or perhaps wondering as to what the objective of all this was supposed to be. Over the line, the video feed cut out, and rustling could be heard, followed by the distinctive roar of an engine starting up, Judy headed over to the power plant to verify my claim at that very moment. After a few seconds, her voice could be heard once more, "I promised to hear you out. I'm listening."

"Well, Miss Alvarez, I have a proposition for you. You see, I've been building something of a power-bloc as of late, and I want the Mox to be a part of it."

Judy seemed a tad surprised, "What?"

"You heard me. Our similarities outweigh our differences, and as I have just demonstrated to you, you all have much to gain from working with me. Under my umbrella, you'll be far more protected than you ever could have been on your own."

Judy seemed distracted, "I'll pass the offer on to Susie, and she'll let you know. Is that all?"

I nodded, even though she couldn't see it, "That is all. I won't keep you from your friend any longer, Miss Alvarez."

The line went dead, and Panam looked at me with a strange look on her eyes, "What's the play here?"

"To add a new member to our little coalition, Panam, nothing more." I turned to look at her, "Of all the gangs in Night City, the Mox are the weakest, but that doesn't make them useless to me. Having the Mox on-side gives me access valuable intel and connections. After all, prostitutes meet all kinds of interesting people, many of whom tend to have some very interesting things to say." I shrugged my shoulders, "It also helps that they're the least objectionable of the lot. They don't do kidnapping, or extortion, or drug-running. They just do protection and prostitution, which is better than most."

Panam frowned, disconcerted by the thought of me making use of whores in such a manner, "Do you think they'll accept?"

I raised my palm flat and tilted it back and forth, "Fifty-fifty. Accepting my offer is the pragmatic choice, but they have an independent streak a mile long, so you never know."

"And the Tyger Claws?"

"Work in progress. Wakako is setting up a meet as we speak. I don't expect much to come of it, but that doesn't mean I can't hold out hope." I turned to her and offered her a smile, "You never know, I might just be able to put this whole war nonsense to bed before the week is out."

She smiled back at me, and the rest of the ride back home passed in a comfortable silence, giving me ample time to think. With the Peralez's on-side, the election was practically already won. The latest polling placed me with an almost eighty-percent approval rating following their announcement and endorsement, which would make it the largest election victory in Night City history. True to my words, Holt had effectively been crushed under me, electorally speaking. So confident was I that I had already begun to draft my policy agenda, and with such a massive voter mandate behind me, I didn't anticipate facing much in the way of legitimate resistance from the City Council when I came to office, and so I would effectively have the run of the place, provided I didn't stray too far in the wrong direction and pick a fight I couldn't win.

When it came to street-level operations, things were less surefire. In the districts I controlled, law and order reigned supreme. Along the line of dispute, violence was the order of the day, with numerous low-level skirmishes occurring daily. The hope here was to significantly shorten the line of conflict, and take the extra resources and manpower that would be saved from peace in those areas to launch one final offensive and grind Maelstrom and Animals into the dust. Of course, I was under no illusions about being able to destroy them completely, but I remained confident that I could break up their control of the city and force them underground. And, frankly, that was enough.

It was on the corporate front that the most difficult problems presented themselves. Though business was booming, I was eminently aware of the fact that I was soon to lose control of my company the moment I took office. The security wing was in good hands, under the joint leadership of Gunner and Ibarra, as was transportation with under Saul, but I was concerned about the rest. Corporate politics could get toxic incredibly quickly, and without me to act as a moderating influence, I was afraid that it may spiral out of control, especially with rivals looking to buy their way in and corrupt the whole structure in their efforts to be rid of a competitor.

Naturally, I would retain a degree of unofficial control over the management of the company, with the members of the board established to handle corporate governance in my absence all hand-selected by me, and under my control to varying degrees. Even still, I felt a serious amount of apprehension at the thought of letting go of the reigns for the duration of my term. To that effect, I was in the process of drafting long-term plans for my company, which it was the legal duty of the board to see executed, at least according to their employment contracts.

For the production side of my business, I had drafted plans detailing the method and areas of expansion of my business for both agriculture and commodities, with a particular emphasis in inducing a price-drop in the NUSA and expanding operations there. I had also drafted plans for a planned entry into the energy sector with the construction of solar farms throughout the New Mexico and California deserts. By the standards of this world it was a competitive market, but for the available technology, prices were far too high, and it was long past time that somenew competition shook things up.

For education, I set forward a proposal for the establishment of a Net-based platform as a wing of the academy I was building, with much lower fees and an education model similar in nature to that of the Open University or platforms like Up Learn. In such a manner, we could turn a profit whilst also providing a comprehensive and standardised education to millions, complete with online examinations and a certification process, all personalised with the use of an algorithm of my own design that tracked the progress of each individual student and adjusted the difficulty of the material accordingly. Once I had laid the concept out and written a specification, I set my team to work, and from the looks of things, a finished product would be ready for release about a week or so before election day. The hope was to nip the issue of illiteracy and undereducation in the bud, and begin the war on poverty in earnest.

Most importantly, I had also implemented a company-wide impeachment policy, for the removal of any staffer accused of espionage or sabotage, including those at the very top of the corporate ladder. It was as watertight a system as I could envision for keeping the company on-track in my absence, which, whilst being far from perfect, was good enough to bring me some peace of mind.

With all of that set in place, I had little else to do. I had a meeting to get to in a few days time, and plenty of work to do, but nothing truly urgent to see to. It had taken an almost insane amount of work to get to this point, but for the first time in years, for today at least, I was free.

I clasped Panam's hand in my own, and watched the lights go by.

A lull in the action as plans are made. What comes next?
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