The Other Choice
Summary: What if V convinced Jackie to not take the job from Dexter Deshawn? What would their lives look like? Would Jackie still be alive? How would they unfold? Would V still meet Panam, Judy and others and how would it happen? What about the heist? Would the head of Arasaka still be murdered by his own son? What would the world and the life of one Merc be if she convinced her friend Jackie not to do it?
Author's Note: Hello all! There are so many great stories on here, and I was working on my own rendition of a what if ending when this story idea hit me! I love playing with the world that already has parameters and shifting variables. The more I got to thinking about this as a possibility the more I had to write it. I hope you all like this story, and will go on this ride with me. I played the nomad storyline as well as the street kid. For the sake of this story I'm using the street kid background and female V.
I will be taking some liberties with in game convos here and there. Some of the exchange will be canon, but I will modify or skim over as I need to or see fit. Before I took on the main quest I basically crushed haywood side quests, and am writing this as if this V did the same. So money, chrome, etc is all based on already working a shit ton as a merc and will fit into story.
The chapter, or section is in third person POV unless otherwise stated! If you feel so inclined, please leave a review or give the story a follow! It helps knowing someone enjoys the story, feedback is also very welcome, I have a loose idea of where the story will go but hey, if you have a preem idea, lemme know and I'll see if I can work it in! I want this to be fun and enjoyable for everyone!
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
V stared incredulously at Jackie as he slurped down another bite of his noodles. V's hands slid down the front of her face, running over the scar on her forehead, the piercings in her eyebrows, the cybernetics trailing from under her eyes to the sides of her head, the small scar on the tip of her nose, past the septum ring, over her full lips and off the end of her chin. Still unable to fathom what Jackie had just proposed she slapped her hand to her forehead and ran her hand through her long black and red hair.
"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me, Jackie? Dexter Deshawn? He's been gone two years, just pops back up and offers you a job? A no name merc tryin to make a name. That don't sound suspect to you?" V raised her eyebrows and held her hands up at Jackie as if she were holding the anwer up for him to see.
Jackie wiped his mouth on his sleeve, shrugged and titled his head, his hands juggling invisible balls, "Well.. I mean when you put it like that I guess.. But come on choom! This is a once in a lifetime job here! Our chance to make it big!" Jackie held his arms up high to illustrate his point.
V stomped one of her feet off the stool and onto the ground leaning forward into Jackie's space, "Yeah, it's once in a lifetime because you end up dead tryin' to pull it off! There are other ways to the top Jackie! This one just doesn't feel right. Dex wasn't great while he was in town. He comes back loaded with a hot plan? I'll pass. I like living. I only take risks I know the odds on." V crossed her arms and leaned on the counter. Her white on black arasaka cat eyes locked onto Jackie, unyielding.
A couple people murmured at V's sudden outburst and gave the stand a wide berth as they passed but life quickly returned to normal. The vendor was scrubbing the opposite countertop for the fifth time trying to give as much space as possible in the tiny food stand that, fortunately or unfortunately had no other customers.
Jackie groaned and leaned forward, his posture and eyes pleading on full throttle, "Come on, V. Just go talk to Dex with me. Let's see what his plan is and then we can decide. Come on meet me halfway choom."
V never broke eye contact with Jackie or gave an inch, her head shaking, "My answer is already no, that ain't gonna change. But if goin', hearin' how fuckin gonk the plan is, will make you change your mind. Then fine. Let's go."
"Orale!" Jackie jumped up, grinning from ear to ear, seemingly assured of his victory on the matter. "You won't regret this V. Alright let's go. Already got a meetup set with Dex, I'll let 'im know we're on the way." Jackie turned, making the call and began walking to cross the street.
V shook her head and stood up, following Jackie. Her eyes scanned the immediate area as they walked. Being a merc means you made enemies, whether you wanted to or not. Being on constant high alert was just part of life in night city, it was even higher when you worked as a merc.
V reached up as they walked, pulling her hair into a ponytail, revealing the intricate design shaved into the bottom of the back of her head. Underneath the design was a tattoo on the back and sides of her head that continued up and disappeared underneath her mane of black and red hair. A couple wisps of hair fell to the sides of V's face, uneven bangs that hadn't grown out yet. She tucked the wisps behind her ears that were decorated with multiple piercings, her right ear adorned with a solid metal rod from end to end on the top crest.
Tattoos, piercings, and an overall edgy look and lifestyle were just who V was and she wore the look naturally. Her hand didn't settle on the DR-12 Quasar holstered on her right hip, but even when walking, her arm never swayed far from it. The M251's Ajax and the Nekomata Sniper Rifle on her back both drew looks and caused some to give her a wide berth. V and Jackie had been very busy merc's the past 6 months, and were making a name for themselves as solo's and duo's, doing gig after gig for Regina. Working their home turf and becoming the biggest badasses on their block had been phase one their game plan to make it big.
V's POV
V followed after Jackie for a few blocks, before they ended up near Viktor's place. She was going over all the possible ways the conversation could go, which was difficult since she didn't know Dex personally. But she liked to be prepared so she often mentally prepped ahead of work things like this. Jackie walked up to a car parked beneath an overpass. A large built body guard stood by an open back door to the vehicle.
"This is it, your ride V." Jackie smiled and gestured towards the car. V exhaled heavily as she examined the car and the guard.
"What about you comin with so you can see what a gonk plan this is?" V crossed her arms, her head tilted and her brow knitting together in annoyance. She should have known Jackie would try and sherk it all on her, he really wanted this gonk job. She loved Jackie, but right now, she wanted to hit him.
Jackie held up his hands defensively, speaking hushed and stepping closer so only V could hear him, "Look V, I told him you wanted to meet together, but Dex wasn't havin it. I'm not good at makin Fixer's listen, you know that's all you choom. Just go and lemme know what the job is. Ok?"
V sighed and dropped her arms, he wasn't wrong. They both had their strong suits and played well off of each other. It's how they were making a name for themselves so quickly. "Fine. But you owe me, Jack." She pointed a finger up at his chest since Jackie was taller and walked up to the guard.
When the guard only looked at V she looked at him like he was gonk and jerked her chin at the car, "I'm V, Dex's waiting for me." The guard didn't say anything and V's patience was already thin so she let her mouth slip, "..So.. ya gonna move or do you function solely as a meat shield?" V was annoyed at this point with the whole thing, and honestly, if the guard swung on her, she'd relish in it. Her mantis blades twitched under her skin with anticipation.
The mans' large hand balled into a fist and his mouth formed a subtle snarl but he stepped aside after a deep voice from in the car told him to let her in. V could hear his teeth grinding together.
"Thanks." V spat sarcastically at the guard as she sat down in the vehicle. The door closed quickly, narrowly missing V's foot as she pulled it in. She smirked as she turned to look at Dex.
"Ms. V, a pleasure."
"Dexter Deshawn in the flesh, ample indeed." V smiled, turning on her charm and shrugging off the annoyance she felt. Shifting into work mode, or a specific role, was something she got very good at being a merc. It was a necessity of the job and at this point was second nature, for better or worse was yet to be seen.
Dex laughed in what could have been masked annoyance, V was sure, nor did she care. The bodyguard got into the front seat and after an instruction from Dex to drive, pulled off smoothly. V was subconsciously keeping tabs on where they were going as they drove. She'd be damned if she'd let this asshat off her once she turned his job down.
V internally sighed as Dex asked her if she'd rather live in peace or go out in a blaze of glory. Her agenda was none of his damn business. She kept her answer to be what she considered neutral and true, without indicating what she wanted from life.
"You're either somebody, or you fizzle out into nothin. Night city don't let you choose."
Dex took a drag of his cigar, "Oh, but it does. You see in my line of work I choose to be Mr. Chill. But folk who try to take advantage, well, they see the beast inside.."
V understood, she was much the same, but she didn't plan on letting him think she was taking advantage. She was gonna be flat out saying no. That was that.
When V didn't speak, Dex jumped to business, "A'ight, listen close. Scannin' a serious job, now. Plain gargantuan compared to smashin' up a scav haunt. There's this..prototype tech - a biochip, to be precise. Job's to grab it. Simple."
V scoffed a bit at the simple part. Sure, it would be 'simple', her ass. "Yeah..? Huh, guessin' it belongs to a corp."
Dex exhaled after a drag from his cigar, the smoke filling the rear cabin, "Mhm - Arasaka."
There it was. The hanger. V knew as soon as she connected 'Prototype Chip' and 'Arasaka' that this meant death. Arasaka was the leading corp in the world. Prototype tech? That is not something that would be lightly guarded or that Arasaka would just let go. Even if by some miracle they pulled it off, they would be hunted, and Arasaka's reach was long.
"Surely that's no problem." Dex's tone was leading, he was trying to goad V by her sense of pride, her ego. That actually insulted V. She wasn't stupid and she wasn't blinded by her own ego. Merc's didn't last long when that was the case.
"Corp's don't deserve special treatment. But that's also a death sentence. I'm not fuckin gonk. I'm honored by the offer, but I'll have to give a hard pass on this one. Way too high a risk, and no reward would pay off being hunted by Arasaka for the rest of my, would-be-limited, days."
Dex stared at V for a moment. She couldn't read his eyes behind his glasses but she doubted he was pleased. "Hm. Didn't take you for a coward based off of what I've heard about you. Thought you were hungry, ready to take the necessary risks to make it in this city."
"Oh I am hungry, and I take risks, but calculated ones. Sane ones. Call me what you want, wont change my answer. You can let me out here."
"Well, now you know the job. How can I be sure you won't be a loose end?"
V's hand twitched near her sidearm. She saw the driver looking at her in the rearview.
"There's one rule in night city, you don't fuck those with more power than you, and I just said I'm not gonk enough to take stupid risks. I got nothin' to gain by tellin anyone about your gonk plan. Far as I'm concerned, I know nothin, and it'll stay that way." V made sure she held is eye contact the entire time. She wasn't lying and she would rather not have to get into a firefight in such close quarters. The mess of having to explain killing a fixer would be a big hassle she didn't want to deal with.
Dex was quite as he took another drag from his cigar. "Alright, I have another proposition for you, if you're lookin to make some fat eddies."
V's brow knitted in contemplation, "I'm listening."
Dex smiled with a small laugh, "Still a merc, I love it. You can still help towards the main job, without actually doing the main job. Two jobs, actually. First a conundrum with the Maelstrom boys. I bought a machine for the job from their leader. Problem is Maelstrom's are unpredictable and they have a new leader. He probably ain't fixin to honor the previous deal. That's were you come in. Get the Flathead for me, V."
V was calculating. Taking on Maelstrom in their own HQ. Would be a nasty firefight, but she hated Maelstrom so to her it would be like taking out much needed garbage. "And the second job?"
"Second is a rendezvous. Simple. Client who brought us the job's anxious. She wants to parlay with one of the team. You aren't on that team, but I can use that to my advantage to vet her."
V understood Dex's angle but she was curious too, "The client. What's her angle? Why's she wanna meet?"
"Woman's name is Evelyn Parker. Vettin' her wasn't easy. Put the word out I was lookin' for any kinda intel… some brothers from Pacifica got back to me. Told me to stop lookin', end of convo. Hehe."
Dex looked out the window and paused before looking back at V. V picked up on the nervous tone in his voice when he mentioned Pacifica. Understandable. No one messed with the Voodoo Boys in Pacifica. They ran on the net and went toe to toe with NetWatch. No slouches there.
"Anyway, our lil' client insisted on meetin' someone with skin in the game, you know, who'll be there for it all. Like I said before, somethin' about the client don't sit right, and I want you to suss it out for me. That's it. I'll handle tellin her you wont be working out for the main gig after you meet her. That's all."
"Alright. Jackie and me will do these two side jobs for ya, but after that we're out. T-Bug does her own thing, if she wants to do it that's on her. Deal?"
Dex nodded his head, "Deal. I'll send you the deets. A pleasure, Ms. V."
The car stopped and she got out, sure to keep an eye on it until it turned a corner. Once it did she got pinged with the info of one 'Evelyn Parker' and the device that Dex wanted her to get from Maelstrom one way or another. V called Jackie on the holo.
"V! How'd it go?"
"Hey. We aren't taking the main gig, too risky, but we got some lead up jobs I'm good with takin'. Send me your location. I'll come get you and we can go over the details."
"Damn. Sounds serious. Alright. See ya soon, choom."
Later that Evening - V's POV
V and Jackie walked, bloodied, bruised and more than a little shot up, out of the back of the Maelstrom HQ, with the case containing the Flathead. Militech had ended up storming the place, guess the Maelstrom fucks weren't as thorough in removing the trace as they thought.
"Shit, V. If this is the easy part of the job maybe you were right to turn down the main gig. What was it again?" Jackie and V were crouched, sneaking around since Militech had the main exit out of the back partitioned off.
V rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. Jackie couldn't help himself, he just had to know. "I told ya already. It's better if ya don't know choom, just trust me, alright? Kinda info that gets ya dead if you speak about it or even know about it."
Jackie pouted but talked in a hushed whisper, "V, I'm hurt. I thought we had more trust than this." They found a small break in the fence and quickly hopped out. V called for her vehicle and they hopped inside.
"We do, Jack. I'm keepin you alive. You're my best choom, and if something happens to you..well, I'm way more scared of Mama Wells than I am of you, Jack."
Jackie's head flew back with laughter, his left arm cradling his right, "Oh man, on that, we can agree my choomba." Jackie chuckled some more. "This other job, V, what is it?"
V winced from a gunshot wound to the right side of her stomach as she shifted in her seat. Most of the bullet wounds didn't pierce the subdermal armor she had implanted, this one was from the mech though, she wasn't quite fast enough with her electrified mantis blades. Her ears were bleeding too. That was the first mech she'd ever taken down and didn't know it would explode. At this point her adrenaline was wearing off fast, her body was starting to shake and experiencing shock.
"Well first, we're headin' to Vik. We need patchin' up. The second job is just me vettin' the client for Dex. Somethin' about her ain't sittin' right with him. Simple. Mostly talkin'."
"Yeah that's all you. But Vik's-" Jackie winced as he held his right arm tighter, it was dislocated, "-Sounds preem right about now. Misty'll be worried sick once she see's me. Hey. Might get lucky cuz of it. Hehe."
V smiled and shook her head, "At least one of us is."
"Ya know you can get a joytoy right? Let off some steem." Jack held no judgement in his voice. She loved that man like the brother she never had.
"At this point I'm considering it.. It's been a while, and with all these gigs we've been pulling I haven't had time to go out." V admitted nonchalantly, gripping the steering wheel.
Jackie loved Misty to death and back, V could tell. She was happy for him. She wondered what that was like. V had hook ups, but she never found a woman that she wanted to be with like.. As an output. She wasn't sure if she could handle that kind of commitment, or if that was even something she wanted. That kind of happiness is something V gave up on for herself a long time ago. No woman she'd ever met struck her that way, and as a merc, who would want to be with her, knowing she could just up and die at any moment? Live fast, die young lifestyle wasn't conducive to happy ending kind of lives.
Later that Night, Lizzie's Bar - V's POV
V had just gotten the rundown from the Mox guarding the entrance with the baseball bat. Honestly, she liked this place already. It's not a place she'd been to before now but that's something she planned on changing just off the interaction she had with the bouncer. They take care of their own, and as far as sex work goes, BD's instead of doin the real thing all the time is a hell of a lot better option. Shit, she might even look into using one after this convo to 'blow off some steam' like Jackie suggested.
The music was loud, and the environment was heady, full of smoke, body sweat and boos. V loved it already, and confirmed she would definitely be back for play instead of business. As V approached the bar her eye was drawn immediately to a girl with pink and green hair leaning with her back against the bar on her elbows. Next to the cute girl was a chick with blue hair and a feathered coat. She seemed to be with her, based off of posture and body language. The pair didn't fit in V's mind, or maybe she didn't want it to fit. She immediately absorbed all there was to absorb about the pink and green haired girl as she walked to the seat.
Shaved side of the head, pink and green dyed brown hair, hazel eyes, full perfect lips, tattoos that told a story V surprisingly wanted to know more about. 13 was supposed to be unlucky but V was willing to take those odds. Double strap black overalls with a crop top but only one strap attached; adorable and badass at the same time. She was trying hard to act like she was disinterested and hadn't looked V up and down quickly, but V noticed and couldn't stop the smile from pulling at her lips. Shit, what did V think to herself earlier about a woman never catching her eye? Shit.
If she wasn't working she probably would have tried talking to her. Instead V focused on chatting with the bartender. Back to business, she had a job to do.
The bartender was friendly enough but when she mentioned Evelyn Parker he seemed disinterested and like he had no idea. Told V she would have to look around for Evelyn herself. Before V could respond the blue haired woman with the feathered coat approached her. The cute girl with the multi colored hair was gone. Damn. She minutely shook her head, clearing the thought away. Focus on work you gonk.
"You must be V. I'm Evelyn Parker."
After brief introductions Evelyn asked the bartender for a bottle and she somehow knew V's favorite tequila. V was grateful and after a toast and a shot Evelyn took V back to a small room to speak with her.
She was vetting V's relationship to Dex, but V was unsure why. None of this was usual practice, and V was waiting for Evelyn to reveal her hand. She liked the tact of the woman, she had to admit. V could sense the no bullshit attitude yet she still had a silver tongue. It was obvious the woman was used to talking people into what she wanted. That was her game and she knew she was good at it, V respected that.
V was playing it cool, but confident. Then Evelyn asked V if she wanted to cut out the middle man. So, she wanted to screw over Dex, that was it. She wanted as few strings attached to this as possible. V had to think about how best to continue. She knew Evelyn's game, and V'd let her think she was working her into it until a better opportunity to delta presented itself. V told Evelyn she would think about it, plain and simple. Evelyn seemed to accept that answer.
"Alright, come with me."
"Where are we goin' now?"
"To view a BD."
"Business and pleasure?" V followed and raised a curious eyebrow. Not that she was against BD's, hell she had planned to use one after this meeting anyway. Her interests, however, were piqued and subconsciously circling a specific overall wearing woman. She hadn't decided if she would be creepy and try to find her in the bar after this to try and talk to her or not. Eh, maybe she should just blow off steam elsewhere, come back later, hopefully less desparate. V told herself to focus, her thoughts were wondering too much. Maybe it was the painkillers?
"Hm. Not quite." There was no amusement in Evelyn's voice and it helped make V focus. "I have a BD of the apartment that you're gonna be infiltrating to steal the biochip."
"Who's apartment? Where?"
Evelyn looked over her shoulder seeming confused, "Hm. Dex didn't tell you? Interesting. The apartment of Yorinobu Arasaka inside Konpeki Plaza. It's where the chip you'll be stealing is located."
This was the potential out that V needed. She'd rather not know any more about this job than she would have to, plausible deniability and all that. She also couldn't tell Evelyn that she had already turned down the job and was vetting her for Dex. So she had to play this just right.
They entered a stairwell leading to the basement of Lizzie's. V followed Evelyn, wanting to be out of earshot of others before she continued this conversation.
"Hey, Wait a minute." Evelyn kept walking, and V followed as the exited the stairwell. "I wasn't told this was a fuckin' heist on Arasaka, not to mention of the fucking son of the CEO. This is too hot for me. I'm gonna have to talk to Dex because this is way more than I signed on for."
As V finished her statement they walked into a brightly lit room full of computer processors. This was a lot of fuckin tech power. Whoever ran their shit must be good to need all this processing power. The cold blue light gave Evelyn a striking appearance as she turned and seemed to assess V. V held her ground and stared back, she was not budging.
"You're really gonna back out now? From what I'd heard about you, you're fearless and get jobs done clean. I didn't think you were the coward type." Evelyn's hand planted on her hip, annoyance clear in her tone. She was adding this up to a waste of time, and she didn't like that. V sympathized, but she had to play the game in her favor too.
V crossed her arms and popped a hip to the side, her annoyance clear on her face and she didn't try to hide it. She had it up to here with people calling her a coward today. "I'm not a coward. I'm just not a gonk. Look, I don't know what you gotta lose by havin' to go through with this heist ok? And I don't wanna know. I stay alive by bein s'mart as a merc, not runnin' into a gonk plan just because I see Eddie's, ok? Stealin' from Arasaka is about as gonk as it comes, especially stealing something prototype. I'd bet its probably pretty fuckin important to 'em. Meanin even if I pull it off, my days are numbered. So, thanks, but no thanks. Don't worry, I'll tell Dex myself." V held her hands up in an 'i'm done' manner and stepped back a few steps, fully intending to leave.
"Finally, someone with some sense." a naturally sultry voice spoke up behind Evelyn. Evelyn sighed and looked at V before closing the distance between them.
Evelyn spoke hushed, "The girl you're about to meet is Judy. Keep your tongue in line, she means a lot to me and..we go back years. Got it."
V quirked an annoyed eyebrow. She hated being told how to be. She was always herself, unapologetically. V bit back her contempt though, "Course, I'll be perfectly cordial."
Evelyn seemed to accept the answer and turned, walking into the dimly lit room. V followed and once her eyes adjusted to the light change they locked onto the same figure she saw upstairs at the bar. She felt her heart flutter a bit. Fuck. This was bad. Suddenly her promise to stay cordial was of her own volition and not because she promised.
V couldn't lie though. Evelyn said they went back years and there was no way she would try to drive that apart. Just wasn't who she was.
Judy was leaning back in a chair, several monitors hung above the desk one of her legs was propped up on. A BD scroller sat on her face and she had an attachment on her left hand, similar to a ripper but made for tuning BD's. She didn't get up, perfectly at ease in her own space, V loved the confidence, and her voice was entrancing. "Name's Judy. You must be V. I've been tryin' to tell her to drop this gig for weeks. Psh. She won't listen to me though. Stubborn burro." An easy smile formed on Judy's lips.
V's thumbs naturally hooked in her pockets as she relaxed her posture, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Judy." V must've let something slip in her tone unintentionally, because the way Judy smiled and the absolute daggers that Evelyn shot her, were unable to be missed.
V immediately picked up on how she sounded and winced, "Eh, sorry. Didn't mean to step on toes. Didn't realize you were together, together." V held up her hands palms out and tilted her head to the side. "Eh, Look, its been great, really. Love the bar, I'll probably come back as a customer, but as far as this job goes, it's still a no for me. I suggest you drop it too Evelyn. I'll let myself out."
V turned to leave and got all the way to the stairwell, then she hesitated. She didn't know what came over her. Probably the fact that this Judy chick was wound up with Evelyn. Maybe her inner good person that she tried to keep pushed away reared its angelic head. She really didn't think Evelyn was a bad person, and she was definitely into Judy even though she'd only shared two sentences with the girl, maybe. She hated Dex though, rubbed her the wrong way. There were a million tiny influences and she didn't feel like psycho analyzing it right then. Before V knew it she was back at the entrance to Judy's office.
"Hey. Look I'm gonna come straight with you, Evelyn."
Evelyn, who had turned and was talking in hushed tones with Judy, stopped and turned halfway, her arms crossed. Evelyn and Judy both focused on V. "Come clean about what?" Evelyn's tone was cutting and both women had suspicion in their eyes.
"Dex told me the job before I even knew about you and I turned it down immediately, for the exact reason I just gave you. Dex doesn't trust you though. Sent me to feel you out, see what was up. You offering to cut him out was going to be what I told him. But, I dunno. Feelin' generous today maybe, and you're an alright person. You seem like you're just tryin' to make it." V huffed and leaned against the door jam, her hands relaxed and in her pant pockets. "I sympathize with that. Also, I just don't really like Dex. I won't tell him what you offered me. I'll tell him I heard you out, it all checked clean and I backed out. Just don't blow my cover and we're square. Bein' black listed as a merc ain't a top priority for me. But be careful, you seem to be in shark infested waters. From what I smell of the situation? You're bleedin'."
Evelyn tensed up, "The fuck do you know? Generous my ass. What's your angle? What do you know? Tell me, now." Evelyn reached what was most likely a gun in her coat. V's eyes hardened and she felt her inner beast kick in. She held it back, just under the surface, primed to strike. Instead of letting her hand snap to her sidearm she held her hands up in the air, but let her hardened stare drill right into Evelyn's eyes.
V spoke evenly, no rush or unease in her voice, "All I know is when Dex put out for intel on you, Pacifica got back to him and told him to stop lookin'. That's it. You're about to break a cardinal rule by cuttin' out a fixer too. You do that, and you won't just have Arasaka on your tail. You'll have night city fixers on you too. I dunno why Pacifica is after you, or coverin' for you, but I know they're dangerous. That's it."
V let her hands settle down at her sides after Evelyn let her hand drop from her coat. She was contemplating something and wasn't speaking just yet.
Judy was still looking at V, her eyes unsure, but they softened after a moment, "Thank you, for the truth. Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't tell Dex anything either. We'll handle it. You should go."
V waited to see if Evelyn would speak up. When she didn't say anything, V just nodded and turned to leave.
"Oh, wait." V paused and looked over her shoulder at Judy. "Send me your contact info. I dunno. You're a merc, and I dunno how this'll all shake out but..if we need help, you seem like a good lifeline."
V nodded and her white on black cat arasaka's glowed blue as she sent Judy her info. "If you need a merc for hire, you can reach me direct. Not something I usually do but.. For you two I'll make an exception." V didn't let the flirty tone she wanted to use come out, she would respect their relationship.
Judy nodded appreciatively, "Thanks, V. If you come back to the club, let one of us know, we'll get you a drink."
"I do love free boo's. Alright, see ya around." V turned, held a single handed wave up by her shoulder and walked up the stairs before she could let herself word vomit any other stupid shit she should keep to herself.
Once V got outside and into her car she processed all of the shit she just ended up telling Evelyn. What was she thinking?! If Evelyn spilled and Dex found out, she'd be labelled as a double crosser and black listed with fixers. Not to mention Dex would send other mercs after her. Fuck. She would just have to hope that Judy would keep her word about making sure they didn't rat her out. Evelyn not speaking was suddenly bothering her.
V brushed aside her unease. She would just trust Judy. Something about her just seemed trustworthy, and damn was she cute... V shook her head and looked at herself like she was a gonk in the rear view mirror.
"Jesus, how old am I?!" V shouted at herself in her car as she slammed her hands on the steering wheel a few times. V took a deep breath and sighed, covering her eyes with her hands. What a fucking day. Maybe Jackie was right and she just needed to get laid.
V sighed again and decided to head home and turn in, she'd done enough for one day. Her body hurt to hell, the painkillers were wearing off, and the last thing she needed was infatuation with some random girl, who was spoken for, to mess her up. First thing tomorrow night, after her gigs were done, was to get laid so she could forget about Judy. Shit. V just realized not only did she remember her name, she was using it casually and needing to do things to forget about her. Not good.
Well there's chapter 1! Lemme know what you think, please & thank you! I had a lot of fun writing this and trying to stay true to the characters, and my own rendition of V on my playthrough. Hope you all like her! Lemme know if you wanna see a continuation of the story! Cheers.
-Fateful
