Chapter 25: The Big Happy Get Along Mission
A motorcycle flew down the highway at speeds entirely too fast for survival if they'd crashed. If they did crash it would just be V and Hildegarde flavored salsa all over the road and whatever they happened to slam into at maximum speed. Without a helmet or eye protection, V just held onto Hildegarde's waist with a death-grip. He kept his hands firmly planted on her hips as he really didn't need to be kicked off the bike for inadvertently copping a feel. Johnny just flew Superman-style next to the bike.
"I mean, You could... I doubt she'd even notice...", Johnny added, staring at V's hand placement.
"Shut. Up. Please!"
"V, you're no fun! Just lift a finger or two. I bet those are soft!"
"Johnny! Shut- Aaaaauuugh!", Hildegarde, apparently noticing Johnny's hologram next to them just accelerated even faster nearly throwing V off the back of the bike from the sheer force of its engine
V just screamed most of the way back towards Monarch Tower. As Hildegarde threw the bike sideways in a skid, he was thrown off and across the floor of the parking structure. His armor took most of the impact and he landed on his back with his head against the elevator doors, the ad screen on the elevator still playing its blurbs.
"Thank you your respect, O' Knight of Knights.", Hildegarde mocked staring at V's placement on the ground. V just whimpered.
Hildegarde just grabbed V by his collar and lifted him upright before shoving him into the elevator. She pressed a button and the elevator shot upwards towards the SubNet Control Station where Asher worked. V shook his head and gathered his nerves.
"So, did you ever give Asher her day of reckoning?", V asked.
"Yep. I tore both of her arms off. She cried. It was fun. I have them displayed in my Trophy Case categorized as 'People Who Have Annoyed Me'. Jericho put cybernetic arms on her though..."
"You're a terrible person."
"Perhaps. But how many have you killed V? How may of the poor gonks had a family? How many were just doing what they did to make ends meet? Did you care?"
"Well... I... Uh..."
"Exactly. We're on equal grounds, V."
V just sighed. She was right, though. He just killed ganger after ganger without a thought in the world He knew he was making the world a better place because they were bad guys right? That's what mattered, right? Or did he kill numerous people who had just been dealt the wrong set of cards?
"We're not so different, V. We do what we do because we must.", Hildegarde noted.
"I'm not so sure of that. You seem to like killing people a little too much. You've got a track record of using people to get your way and then disposing of them when they're not needed anymore."
"Comes from working for a Corporation, V. That's how that world works. Everyone's head is a stepping stone for you to trod onto as you make your way up."
"So you are still a Corpo, then."
"No, V. I'm just using their tactics in the real world. It just works. Killing those that you don't need anymore keeps them from trying to usurp you after you've already risen to the top. Loose ends, V. I hate loose ends."
"What about us then?"
"What about you? You're still useful in certain ways."
"What about Jericho?"
"V... Jericho is... quite a bit more than just a useful companion..."
"Ahh... Okay."
The elevator chimed as it finally reached the SubNet Control Station, the doors opening into the room V had seen earlier, the one with the rows upon rows of computers and holo-screens all over the room. Asher ran over to them happily.
"Hey guuuuyyyys! What's up?"
"Hey, Asher. Have you found where Takemura is hiding?", V asked.
"Um... Not really. I don't think he's one of the main dudes. I found their organization hiding in some of the old Tiger Claw hideouts though. They're down in the sewers near the Ebunike Docks."
"Well, it's better than nothing. Come along, V. It's time to go find your friend.", Hildegarde noted pulling V back into the elevator. Why Asher didn't just use the comms system to relay this information was beyond his understanding, but it probably had something to do with Janus.
"Hey, V! Don't forget about you Knighting Ceremony! It's this Friday!", Asher screamed as the elevator doors closed once again. V just shrugged. He hadn't forgotten about that, that was the most important thing to happen to him and he wouldn't miss it for the world. The elevator just shot downwards towards the parking garage. V sincerely hoped that they weren't going to ride a motorcycle into gang territory.
Elsewhere... In the lobby of Monarch Tower, three Aldecados stood in front of the receptionist who was seated behind an ivory and gold-trimmed desk. The lobby itself was highly decorated in a Victorian London style reminiscent of Buckingham Palace. Mitch, Cassidy and Carol all stood around looking awkwardly out of place.
"Hello, welcome to Monarch! Are you the ones taking on the Escort Job?", the receptionist asked.
"Yeah! V said we could get some extra chop if we did.", Mitch added.
"Alright. Half payment now, the other half when you return. You are escorting one of our convoys from this tower to the northern border of Night City. You will ensure that the cargo is loaded successfully and without issue. If attacked, you are to defend.", the receptionist explained.
"Sounds easy enough. How much are we talkin'?", Cassidy asked.
"150 thousand Eurodollars."
"Wait... What!?", Carol exclaimed.
Cassidy didn't say anything. He just hyperventilated for several seconds before foaming at the mouth slightly and falling over unconscious. V wasn't kidding about Monarch paying well. They'd never gotten any money like that before. That could buy a lot of scop.
"It's a deal!", Mitch exclaimed. He simply hoisted Cassidy over his shoulders in a fireman's carry and began to make his way out of Monarch Tower. Carol just face-palmed at the sight of them. Working for Corpos wasn't so bad after all!
V and Hildegarde entered the lower level of the garage inside Monarch Tower. Instead of luxury vehicles, this level was full of Corpo Security trucks. Hildegarde motioned to one of the heavily modified Ragnar SUV's before getting into the driver's seat. V took the passenger seat next to her, nearly banging his head on a periscope-like viewfinder.
"That's for the gunner. This thing is a rolling fortress, V."
"Aha... Nice."
Hildegarde didn't say anything else, she just threw the truck into gear and sped off out of the garage. Asher had already programmed the coordinates into their mapping system, so they knew where they were going. Ebunike Docks and a small sewer entrance that led into an underground facility. This was where Kokuryuu was apparently hiding. Suddenly without warning, Hildegarde slammed on the brakes and slammed V's head into the periscope. A Monarch Convoy was also heading in the same direction that they were. The massive cargo truck was being followed by a few similarly outfitted Ragnar SUV's and three Aldecado motorcycles. V recognized Mitch, Cassidy and Carol. It appeared that his nomad buddies had decided to take on some side work.
"Wonder what they're doing...", V sighed.
"Well, they're either escorting our convoy or they're attempting to rob it...", Hildegarde noted.
Hildegarde just positioned their Ragnar behind the convoy and followed them for a while before they turned down a different highway exit and kept going. The unhappy couple of Mercs just continued towards the docks.
"You're really a sucker aren't you, V?", Johnny mocked as he appeared in the rear passenger seats.
"How?"
"Workin' for Jericho again. Workin' for the corpos! You went and sold out, hard."
"Shut up, Johnny!"
"Still talking to you imaginary friends, V? I think you need therapy.", Hildegarde mocked.
"And now you've gotten roped into working with this one-eyed psycho-bitch! What's next? Gonna start wearing a pink thong and dancing on street corners for spare eddies?", Johnny mockingly complained.
"I've already told you that I have both eyes, the eyepatch is just for cosmetic reasons... I think you'd look good in pink, V. And Johnny, have you forgotten that I can see and hear you?"
"For fucks sake, V! Why didn't you remind me?", Johnny sighed.
"Johnny! You're the AI, you're supposed to remember shit like that! Just. Shut. Up!"
Hildegarde just cackled at the two of them bicker like an old married couple. She idly wondered why Jericho had thought stuffing an Engram into V's Chipset was a better idea than just Janus alone. A question for another time, perhaps. Maybe Jericho had a sense of humor after all. Ebunike Docks approached quickly. She just yanked the parking brake and slid the SUV around so that its rear end smashed through the gates into the loading area. She just hopped out of the vehicle and left V alone with Johnny for a moment. She scanned the area, just dock workers, no gangers. A shame.
V just got out of the Ragnar, slamming the door into Johnny's holographic body, the Rockerboy was unphased and simply floated out and began to walk around next to V. He pulled out his own version of the Malorian 3516 and pointed it at Hildegarde.
"Should've just taken your shot when you had the chance. Hell, you could still do it. Go back to being a nomad, ride free. But, no... You're going to sell out and work for the corpos.", Johnny complained. He fired a few holographic bullets at Hildegarde, the illusory projectiles making hits on her head and chest. The outlaw just stared at him and face-palmed.
"I swear, Johnny. It's not that bad. The world actually is a better place because of Monarch. They're not taking advantage of anyone! They're even providing free housing!", V reassured.
"Well, you got what you wanted out of it didn't you? A mansion, a reputation, a knighthood? You didn't even have to struggle to get where you are, it was just handed to you."
"What the hell are you talking about? I spent the last two fucking years scavenging for food and supplies in Death Valley! If I'd have killed Hildegarde back in Arasaka Tower, I'd be dead or the most wanted man in the world. What then?"
"Die like a legend, V."
"Yeah, sure. Weren't you the one that was pushing for the Revolution? Well, it happened and here we are!"
"I was. I expected a world completely free from Corporations, but you know what, Jericho lied. He went and wrecked all the others only for one big fucking corporation to take over the whole goddamn world. V, if you can't see that there's something else at play, then you really are the dumbest fucking merc in Night City... No wait, the whole goddamn world!", Johnny ranted.
"Are you quite done arguing with yourself, V? We've got things to do, people to kill...", Hildegarde sighed. She was getting tired of V. Even more tired of V.
"Yeah. I'm done. Let's go.", V noted.
"Really?", Johnny added.
"Yes! Really!"
"Oh come on, now. Johnny? Why don't you take control of V's body for a second. I know you want to fight me, why not now? I promise I'll only hurt him a little.", Hildegarde prodded.
"Oh no. No no no no...", V sighed.
"Fuck this, V. I'll be in your head playing my old songs.", Johnny resigned as he disappeared. Old Samurai tunes began to play in V's head, some of the lyrics were changed into hideous insults regarding V, his mother and his upbringing. V just sighed and began to follow Hildegarde farther into the Ebunike Docks.
The Ebunike Docks had changed since the last time V had been here. It was busy, Monarch had several large container ships docked here with absurd numbers of Corpo Security standing by. If Takemura and the rest of the Arasaka flunkies were hiding here, then there were literally sitting under their noses. This couldn't be right. This was damn near suicidal if they were. V walked around the shipping office, nothing. He even checked inside the shipping office and found some Monarch employees that simply saluted him before returning to their work. He just left and went to find Hildegarde.
"Hey, there's nothing here! Just Monarch lackeys and dock workers.", V noted.
"V, do you have eyes?", Hildegarde asked mockingly.
"I have one more than you!"
"V... How many times do I have to tell you, I have a hidden eye under my eyepatch. I can see what cannot be seen. Also, you're standing on top a manhole cover. That cover leads into the sewers."
"Oh. Well, if this is where we need to go, then why didn't you open it?"
"I was going to, but then you walked onto it. Had I opened it earlier, you would've fallen down it. As funny as that would've been."
V just stepped back and used his Strength Core to open the manhole cover, the circular disc pulling free easily. He set the cover off to the side and revealed a long ladder that descended into the sewers underneath the docks themselves. After staring down into the darkness for a while, he just hopped down the ladder into the depths below. Hildegarde sighed and followed him, this was probably for the best since V was the one who was going to get shot first.
Meanwhile, back at the Monarch Tower... Mitch, Cassidy and Carol had returned from their overly easy escort mission. All three of them stood proudly in front of the receptionist who promptly greeted them.
"Looks like the job was a success. Monarch will keep you in contact in case any more jobs open up. Here is your payment."
The receptionist just wired the three nomads their payment. Mitch, Cassidy and Carol all received 150 thousand Eurodollars each. The just stared at each-other for a moment.
"Uhh... Did we just get paid 150 grand each?", Cassidy asked.
"Yup.", Mitch added.
"I did.", Carol noted.
"This is... is... stupid... really stupid... holy shit...", Cassidy sighed in confusion.
"Hey, let's just go find a nice restaurant. My treat!", Mitch added.
"Sounds good to me.", Carol noted.
The three nomads just turned around and left Monarch Tower richer than they'd ever been in their entire lives. Mitch stopped in the middle of the sidewalk next to his motorcycle.
"Ya know, I think I'm going to go get one of those new cyber-arms. You know, the ones that look like regular human arms?"
"That'd be a change for you.", Carol noted.
"I thought you wore that old prosthetic because it reminded you of the war."
"Hell no! I couldn't afford that fancy stuff! I don't even have the feeling of touch in this old scrap!"
"Well if you're getting yourself an arm, I'm getting a better gun. Maybe one of those Smart Guns!", Cassidy noted.
"Fuck that. I'm getting a goddamn grenade launcher!", Carol excalimed.
The three nomads abandoned their plans of a nice lunch and instead headed to the nearest Ripperdoc, Arms vendor, and Heavy Arms vendor. They had money now, why not splurge a bit? If they ever ran out of dough, they could always help Monarch again. Escorting trucks was easy. This was an absolute cake-walk compared to the things they'd did as nomads.
Back at the Ebunike Docks, V continued to climb down the ladder that led into the sewers. He saw some dim lights down at the bottom, so it wasn't going to be sheer darkness, but he kept his eyes on the ladder rungs, slipping and falling all the way down was still going to hurt. He shuddered slightly as Hildegarde just jumped down the open manhole above him, missing the ladder completely. She just swung her arms halfway down and engaged a similar Icarus Landing that Jericho had performed. She had some new cyberware, as it seemed. More than before and then some. An even better reason not to mess with her as V hadn't gotten anything new over the past 2 years. V just climbed down faster.
"New chrome?", V asked as he descended the final ladder rungs.
"Oh, so you noticed?"
"I have eyes."
"Could've fooled me."
Hildegarde just brushed him off and looked around the small and damp corridor that they occupied. A small corrugated metal catwalk kept their shoes dry. This was definitely a sewer as the whole area smelled like rotten scop and moldy tacos. She raised her eyepatch for a moment, a violet glow emanating from her cyber-eye before she let the eyepatch back down.
"Movement up ahead. Looks like three or four hostiles. One is an older male, the others are young. The sewers open up into a water treatment facility a few hundred meters down from here. High ceilings. Keep your eyes open, V.", Hildegarde added.
"Only four? Where are the rest of them?", V asked.
"No idea. Probably in some satellite base waiting for instructions. They've got computer equipment down here. Probably trying to crack into the shipping logs... Completely pointless since Janus protects everything."
"Have a plan?"
"Stealth for now. Go loud when I do."
"Got it."
V and Hildegarde just slowly crept down the corridor. They could hear voices talking in the distance in Japanese. V's cyberware automatically translating the dialog for him. He didn't hear Goro's distinct gravelly voice though, so he wasn't sure this was his old friend. He just pulled out his Monarch 3516 and held it up at the ready. Hildegarde sidestepped her way around V with her own rail-gun out and aimed towards the voices in the distance. They seemed confused.
"And? What of the shipments?", a stoic male voice asked.
"Nothing. Can't even get in. Taki got fried by that demon.", another voice noted.
"Damn. What about those Maelstrom we hired?", the first voice asked
"All dead. They used the chips themselves and Monarch got the rest of them.", another voice noted, this one female.
"Fucking idiots.", the first voice cursed.
"It wasn't just Monarch either. They sent The Genocider.", a final voice added, slightly in fear.
"Not good. That woman is dangerous. She could put an end to all of our-", the first voice was cut off as Hildegarde's rail-gun fired a charged shot into the head of the second voice. The younger man's head exploding and covering the others in gore.
"Plans?", Hildegarde asked as she flew into the room gun blazing. She promptly shot the female voice before turning her weapon on the younger man in the room and blowing his entire body in half. "Oops, all dead!"
"Stop! What do you want?", the older male voice asked.
"Oda?", V noted as he laid eyes on the older man. Oda was one of Takemura's contacts and the man he'd fought during the Memorial Parade.
"V? What... What are you doing here?", Oda asked.
"I'm asking the questions!", Hildegarde shouted. "Where's Takemura!?"
"You... You killed all of them... Asuka, Yuki, Hiro... Who is paying you? I can pay you more... More than Monarch!", Oda added.
"I don't want your money. I just want Takemura!", Hildegarde shouted again, this time with her gun to Oda's head.
"Takemura...", Oda sighed.
"Oda? Come on, we're friends. Where's Goro? Just want to talk to him.", V reassured.
"He... He's dead. He took his own life two years ago when he couldn't protect the family.", Oda sighed.
"He's dead!? Then answer this, why the fuck are you going around stealing chipsets? What could you possibly do with them?", Hildegarde prodded forcefully.
"Why do you care? You're a mercenary. You answer to whoever pays the most and I can pay you more than Monarch if you help us instead.", Oda noted.
"With what!?"
"We need the chipsets, Arasaka employees have been black-listed from purchasing them! The designs are stolen, based on our own Relic and modified into something else. Once we have them and have access to our Networks again, Arasaka will rise again. Daichi Arasaka knows this."
"Who the fuck is Daichi Arasaka?"
"Michiko's son, a bastard. Kept hidden from the rest of the family. If you help us get these chips, I can guarantee you a spot on Arasaka's security force. You will be just as Adam Smasher was to Yorinobu. You will be paid a reasonable sum and given anything you desire."
"Hmm... Let me think. V? What about you? Should be join this schmuck and toss Monarch into the wind?"
"Oda... Look. I'm sorry it had to come down to this. I'm sorry for what happened to Takemura... I just... I had a better deal...", V sighed.
"A better... deal? With Monarch?", Oda accused. The man was getting angry.
"No! With... With the nomads..."
"The nomads... They gave you a better deal than what Takemura promised you!? Why have you come back, then? And why alongside this mercenary? And why are you dressed in Monarch's colors!?"
"I... well... shit."
"You work for them. You stole our designs! You caused this didn't you!?"
"No... No I didn't. I tried to stop it, actually. Things just turned out this way..."
"You are a liar! Daichi Arasaka sends his regards!", Oda exclaimed as he unsheathed his mantis-blades. His stance changed as he readied up to charge V. "Hildegarde! Our offer still stands! Help me kill this fool!"
"No. I'm afraid you've got my relationship with Monarch all wrong... You see, my name is Hildegarde Von Bretton... I am the heiress to the very empire that destroyed yours..."
"Then you will die too!"
Oda launched himself at V, blades outstretched and aiming for his throat in a killing blow. Hildegarde just fired on the Arasaka slave, the gunshot hitting the man in his chest and the force from the blow knocking him sideways away from V. V shot back with his new Monarch 3516, the new gun firing a much larger bullet than its predecessor and hitting Oda in the groin. The Samurai stumbled for a second, his armor taking the two blows. He looked around at his two enemies and spun, throwing his blades outwards in a spinning attack. V dodged with his Reflex Core, sliding underneath the spinning blades. Hildegarde just caught the man's arm and twisted it, breaking the limb and tearing it from his body. Now with just one arm, Oda turned and stabbed towards Hildegarde, the outlaw dodging this attack with ease as it glanced down the front of her armor ineffectively. By this time, V had recovered and returned fire, aiming non-lethally at Oda's other arm. The forceful blasts from his new gun hitting Oda in the shoulder and severing his remaining arm halfway. Hildegarde took the initiative and simply kicked Oda's knees sideways, breaking both of them and sending the ninja down. Oda just stared at the two of them.
"Daichi Arasaka will have his revenge! Arasaka will rise again!"
"No. They won't. They died a long time ago, now it's time for you.", Hildegarde noted. She just grabbed his throat and squeezed. Her enhanced strength crushing his windpipe like it was made of cardboard. Oda gasped and spasmed as his air supply was cut off.
"Are we still taking him alive?", Hildegarde asked.
"Oda? No... He already tried to kill me once. Shouldn't have even bothered letting him go that time...", V noted.
Hildegarde just smiled and crushed Oda's neck, she felt his vertebrae crack and shatter. His eyes went dull and lifeless. His body fell limp in her grasp. She just tossed his broken body across the room, breaking more bones on impact with the far wall before she turned back towards V.
"Too easy... Too bad Takemura is dead. I'm sure he would've been fun to play with..."
"Yeah... Maybe... Are the former Arasaka employees really black-listed?"
"No. In fact, some of them even work for us. We're providing them with a better life than Arasaka did. No more corporate trickery...", Hildegarde noted. V could tell she was telling the truth. If this was the truth, then why did the lost son of Arasaka want the corporation to rise again?
"I guess we should try to find this Daichi Arasaka, then."
"Oh yes. We should. See, V. This is why we don't leave loose ends. Oda tried to kill you before, why let him live? Was it mercy? Empathy? He gave you none and tried to kill you again. Now he won't."
"Yeah. I guess you're right. No loose ends.", V resigned.
"Now you're getting it... Keep doing what I'm doing and maybe you'll see your 36th birthday."
"You're 36?"
"Maybe... Come along, V. This was a learning experience. With a little more of my skills, you'll be my equal in due time."
"Yeah. Once I get one of those power-cores."
"And an actual brain."
V just sighed again and followed Hildegarde out of the corridor. The Arasaka Insurgency was nothing but a few flunkies trying to resurrect their old corporation from nothing. Whoever Daichi Arasaka was, he had no idea what had happened over the last two years. The poor man was stuck in the Old Ways and wanted that life back, no doubt due to being related to one of the more unstable of the Arasaka children. Michiko had apparently had a fling with Adam Smasher of all people during her youth and that spoke words about her character. If Daichi was as unhinged as his mother, then this would turn out to be the most ridiculous of insurgencies of all time. For the time being, they'd return to the Monarch Tower and speak with Asher. She'd probably have some kind of guidance regarding this and if she didn't, then she could be coerced with copious amounts of icecream. Or Hildegarde could rip her arms off again. Either would work.
Chapter End.
A/N: Arasaka, always the villain even to the villains. Who is right or wrong? Good or evil? Or is it all just a matter of perspective? Are we the Bad Guys? Yes. We are the Bad Guys...