Chapter Twenty-Six:
"Aren't you the least bit interested? I can tell you are hesitant." Mottly defers to me about the information.
"Listen, once we cross that bridge there is no going back. You do understand that? For better for worse we've got to commit to it." I say with conviction.
"No matter what, we're gonna face it together."
"Alright, slipping the chip in now!" I reply inserting the data-shard.
Dr. Ashwell Complied Case Files:
Project A.I.M. or Mottly which I've named him after the brother I've lost due to a untreated sickness. It's meant to haunt me, to push me forward. It's the cross I choose to bare. Exceeding all parameters I've not thought possible, which I cataloged. Mottly has agreed to allow me test his abilities, to alter him. Our time together in our lab was the most fulfilling. Years spent in hard labor, Mottly became more of a sentient AI.
With years as of psychology under my belt, what could the two of us achieve? Then it struck me. His true propose. Psychological Cognitive Dissonance Dissociative Alleviation. In laymen's terms a way to prevent or reverse cyberpsychosis. This was the payoff of years of hard work. My penance of watching my younger brother lose himself. Now with Mottly self replication code, everyone could have access to preventative or treatment care.
Mottly would remain mine of course, but we could transfer his codes and replicate blank versions. With one foul swoop the two of us can eradicate cyberpsychosis once and for all. All I need now is funding to make this gift affordable. I have a meeting with a board of directors of Arasaka.
The file ends as I remove the data-shard.
"What, is that really possible? Why don't I remember any of this?" Mottly ask's confused.
"Father transfer you over to me for safeguarding. It's possible he wiped that from your system. To protect us." I offer little answer.
"Do you really think that's true. I can prevent and reverse cyberpsychosis?"
"Why else would they have father killed. You happen to be a threat to Arasaka, no any major corporation bottom line. Cyberpsychosis is a multi billion eurodollar business. Both with beta blockers and funding towards Maxtac."
"We need to be careful of who we share this information with." Mottly warns.
"There so much to wrap my head around. A supposed uncle on my dad side. Now I see why I haven't seen any signs of cyberpsychosis thanks to you."
"Well you're welcome." Mottly laugh's.
"There is someone we can trust." I delegate.
Outgoing Call-
Regina Jones: Hello.
Ryan: It's Ryan, Bug's associate, we meet the other day. Just wanted to keep my word about what we spoke about.
Regina Jones: You've found anything about cyberpsychosis?
Ryan: You can say that. I'm leaving a data-shard with a trusted friend, bartender name Claire at the Afterlife. I can't say much. But please keep the information hush, I'll discuss more details at a later date.
Regina Jones: Everything helps you have my word.
Ryan: We're all in this together.
Call Ended-
"Alright that was wise. But let's not get anyone hope's up or draw unwarranted attention."
"I know, I won't let anyone make a slave out of you. The technology exists to replicate your abilities on a mass scale. I'm betting, Regina might be able to help with that." I state.
"I'll look into anyway to isolate said facilities without compromising us and finding a way to replicate it." Mottly said both excited and astutely.
"The two of us can cure David. I just know it." I sound hopeful for once in a long while. I was going to save my best friend. I get to keep my word to Lucy.
"Sir we have arrived at the Afterlife. Please make sure to take all belongings with you and thank you for choosing Delamain services." I retrieve my weapon's from the containment compartment, before exiting.
Watson: Afterlife-
I walk down the flight of stairs leading to the bar my clothes torn to kingdom come, I nod at the bouncer who gives a wary look but let's me in. The place is packed.
"The conquering hero has returned!" Claire comment's.
"Yep, but I am not in the best of way's. Just look at my clothing."
"Regardless here you are." She smiles at me cleaning a mug.
"Claire I need a heavy solid choomba. I need you to keep this safe. A fixer by the name of Regina Jones will be here to retrieve it. Make sure no one else gets hold of it. Promise me please." I beg with her sliding the data-shard.
She picks it up and walks over to safety deposit box behind the counter, unlocking it with a code only she and Rouge is likely to know and places it away for safekeeping. "Done and done." She reports.
"You're a life saver. Remember her name, Regina Jones. Just to be on the safe side, she has a eye patch. Defining detail okay." I inform her. She nods and gives me a thumbs up as I walk over pass the crowd reaching Rouge personal lounge.
"You're back. I honestly thought I saw the last of you."
"Rouge I'm offended. I don't die so easily. And yes I did the deed."
"I saw, Konpeki Plaza been on lockdown. Congrats."
"Don't worry, you'll get the money by week's end."
"Kid forget about it, I should had bet on you from the start. Listen I left your clothes in the back. Go and change. I am running a reputable business here you know." She side eyes me and I realize my underwear is peeking out my torn pants.
I run towards the back embarrassed, I find my clothes neatly folded. Quickly undressing, I slip back my more casual attire and requip my gear and weapons. All I wanna do is drive home and rest. I am just drained... Tomorrow is another day.
Leaving the Afterlife I wave Rouge and Claire goodbye as I head for my bike. I start the engine up and peel out of the parking lot and on to the main road. I can see the moon raising slowly over the horizon, it's frightfully ominous in it's half crescent shape.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Incoming Call-
Kiwi: Ry...
Ryan: Kiwi, what's wrong? Answer me...
Kiwi: Ryan... I... Screwed up big time.
Ryan: How?
Kiwi: Shit, I did something horrible and everyone gonna pay cause of it. Out of everyone, I wanted to let you know. You're not half bad. Get out while you can, like I am.
Call Ended-
"Shit no something wrong, Mottly track her Holo. I need to find her."
"I've got a ping on her, she only half a mile out from here.
"Fuck what are we waiting for then!"
Santo Domingo: Arroyo- Buck-A-Slice.
"Last GPS ping is at Buck-A-Slice." Mottly states as my eyes spot the shop just a few meters away.
Zooming over head is an AV. Wasn't sure to make of it. Once close enough I hop off making a mad dash as something feels off. In the distance I can see Kiwi making a break for the back of the pizza joint. She appears frantic that's when I notice two men pursuing after her. That's force's me to activate my Synaptic Accelerator.
With my increase speed and slowed perception of time, I get in-between Kiwi and the men. All three of them are faintly aware of my presence.I quickly capitalize on the situation, as I whip out Purge gunning the pair down, defending Kiwi. I quickly notice blood spilling out of her coat. I deactivate the accelerator, turning to face her. I watch as she slumps to the ground.
"Shit, hang on!"
"Ryan why are you here?' She ask faintly, with a surprised look.
"Because we're friends, and something sounded off over the phone. So I tracked your GPS. Luckily for you I did." I say unzipping her jacket propping her back up. I can see the bullet wound.
"I sold out Lucy to Faraday, betrayed the group and forced David into equipping some major hardware knowing full well he's teethering on the edge of cyberpsychosis. All the while Faraday played me like, like a sap." She said firmly trying to push me away. "I got what was coming to me!"
"Stop moving, I think I can reach the bullet." I snap at her. "Mottly you have better precision I'm leaving this up to you." I inform him and he get's to work, using the sharp end of a knife to fish out the bullet from the wound.
"Didn't you hear what I said!" She cries out.
"Hush!"
"Jesus, this hurts." She cries. Mottly still trying to extract the bullet and bloody my hands in the process. Kiwi screams as my hands have nearly gotten the bullet out, it was so close to her heart. Any false movements and I can kill her. After a few moments later Mottly used his strength to lift the bullet to guide it out. Blood shot out of the wound.
"Got it..." I breathe a sigh of relief, tossing the blood soaked bullet to the ground. All that matters was keeping her alive.
"Oh my god, that felt like I'd been hit in the chest with a semi-truck, it hurt so bad." She utters out. Refusing to even look up at me.
"Here..." I say tearing my shirt apart to make a covering for her wound . "Apply pressure, I'll get an ambulance. You don't get to die. Your gonna answer for what you did." I said firmly calling the emergency services.
"Let me die. I deserve it. "
"No... Now tell me where Faraday gone to?'
"He's on his way to Arasaka tower to deliver Lucy. David out of his mind but if I know him, the gang on their way to save her." She says weakly.
"Then that's where I'm headed."
"No it's a trap. To-to many things at play. Militech and Arasaka are on high alert. Gunning for each other and most of all David."
"Even more so a reason to go. Now wait here and get your self patched up. And don't you dare try running off out of Night City. You know I'll find you..." I said threatening or so that's how it came out. "You're going to answer for what you did, and hope they show you mercy like I have." I told her slipping my hoodie over in place of my shirt. I quickly ran for my bike leaving Kiwi to get medical attention. Hopefully I wasn't too late to help, Corpo Plaza here I come.
The streets leading to City Center are swarming with NCPD all trying to cordon off all roads leading to and exiting. In the distance which leads to Rancho Coronado sounds and looks like a war scene as black smoke plumes into the sky.
"We're going in blind, without a plan. We've done risky but raiding Arasaka HQ is beyond us. Without planning."Mottly expresses.
"I know!"
"Then you know it's unlikely where going to survive."
"I know."
"And yet!'
"And yet..."
"We ride into the gates of hell together!" He declares.
We are quickly approaching the roadblock. Police both in and out of squad cars, attempt to stop us as we reach the cordon. I keep my eyes out as guns are aim at us. "Hang on, I'm trying something." I say as I turn on the Accelerator. Everything slows down around us but I still have control of the motorcycle as I go to weave a path through the crowd. I see one police man drop his gun, an action I attribute to the accelerator and speed up again. The bike shakes violently as we weave around and through the barricades. I start getting to swerve uncontrollably, that Mottly then has to take control, driving the bike past the cop car barricading the entrance into City Center. The place has become a war zone too it seems.
City Center: Corpo Plaza -
I just gotta make it. The Accelerator shutting off just as turn off the main road. Cops, MaxTac a district on fire. They're more concerned with something that I can make my way to the opposite side of the outdoor Atrium. That huge corridor which split's off leading to different headquarter's. Militech and Arasaka are out enmasse. Trucks flipped over or on fire. Soldiers trying to pull themselves from wreckage. What was going on? Did this have to do with David? I just hope I'm not too late. I should of just went with the crew from the start, maybe just maybe I could have had stopped all this.
God don't let me live to regret my actions. I silently pray after years of forgoing him. Just this once hear my prayers and let me save them. God I can't imagine the worse case scenario, the lost of my friend's lives. I feel so helpless. God I'll sacrifice myself if you demand it of me. If that's the only way to save them, I'll gladly do if that's what's required. Just let me not be too late and I swear I devote rest of my life to you..
Wet hot tears drop from eye's. My emotions getting the better of me, more tears are forming, a battle is raging. I've fought my own battles and won, I've been no saint but I didn't want to die without trying. Without reuniting with my precious friends. I tell my self gunning down anyone who tries to intercept me.
No sign of the crew as I race up the stairs. On the opposite side I hear gun fire and look up to see the top floor Arasaka Tower on fire. A huge shit show taking place in the air. I look back down and see Falco van as police, Arasaka goons and Militech all having potshots at it. And I'm just out of reach. I look back up and spot something. Is that David in that large contraption? Suddenly I push harder, run faster as my nose begins to bleed from straining myself this hard. I see them just in reach. I'm just a few meters away.
My heart's pounding. From a large perch leaps down David carrying Lucy as they land on the van. Rebecca assists Lucy in the van as David opens fire. I'm nearly there just sparsely out of reach yet in vocal range. They haven't noticed me but that's fine.
Then Rebecca aims upwards as gun fire rains down at her, she returns fire screaming as loud as possible. "We're having a moment here- Fuck yo-" Suddenly something slams into her like a freight train and the entire complex shatters open. Weightless follows as I'm sucked into the aftermath. Falling an indeterminable amount of time with the others straight down into the bottom partitions of the atrium. I'm slammed into ground but don't lose consciousness.
But the wind is knocked straight out of my lungs that I gasping for air. A large chunk of glass barrels straight down, severing my right hand in the process. I would scream if there wasn't hunk of steel that has pierced my hip. I look down to spot my left leg l twisted in awful way. I can taste blood pooling in the back of my mouth, but I can't lie down and quit.
Rebecca has been split in half as a tall mechanical man strolls over to David leaving devastation in his wake. It can't be. Adam fucking Smasher in the chrome, the boogie man of NC. He flicks a wounded Falco to the side. I need to move, no matter what I have to reach them. So I crawl like my life depends on it. "Leave my friends alone!" I scream firing my gun at Smasher firing but all my bullets do is bounce off his chrome.
"Ryan!" They all collectively call my name.
"You die next!" Smasher says turning his sights on me.
David pulls himself free and in flash is taking on Smasher. "David no! Don't..." I cry out crawling over to Falco and Lucy. He disappears from my sight. He activated his Sandy. It's too much, he going to kill himself like that. Yet despite my pain I finally reach Falco and Lucy.
"Shit get in get in" Comments Falco as he helps me up and gets me into the van.
"Sorry I'm late to the party."
"No time to dwell on that, we've gotta delta now!" Falco commands.
"No I can't leave David." I reply. "I got to help him fight." Suddenly David reappears gushing blood from his mouth.
"Out of suppressants? Right on Schedule."
"Eat shit cocksucker." I curse using my good hand fire at him. He's unfazed all the while making his move on David.
"On no you don't!" Lucy declares trying to quick hack Smasher. But he straight up breaks her hack. "How did you?" She says as she's sent flying back as Falco step on the gas, I somehow manage to pull her into the van. As we go sprawling back.
Falco barrels out of there putting his foot to the pedal.
"What- what are you doing?" I cry out.
"Falco.. David's still back there... Please. Turn around." Her voice cry's out in pain.
"We have to help him, now!" I argue back.
"Have you taken a look at yourselves? We're no good to him, besides how do you expect the four of us to takeout Adam Smasher." Falco lets out. As he drive towards a service tunnel, an explosion goes off from where we left.
"Falco! Turn back.." Lucy cries.
"Please you gotta turn back." I bawl.
"No can do. It was David final request. If we turn back now, he dies for nothing. Besides we have the reward money. David wants us to split it you and me, he even left a little something for Ryan. Also he wanted me to tell you something. Sorry. Wished we could of gone to the moon together."
"Hmm, the moon?" I ask, coughing up blood."
"Not on the seats." Falco snipped.
"Yeah. That's been my goal for the longest. A dream I guess. David promise we'd go together one day.
"Shit gotta get you patched up. Fuck..." Falco cursed.
"Doctor Viktor Vektor in Watson, he'll look out for us. But yeah the moon, damn that's deep."
"Romantic... I had my heart set on it. And now... Ryan...? Ryan?"
"Shit he's flat lining. Hang on."
My ears buzzed as they turn numb, as if someone turn the volume down on the world. Spots dances across my eyes as I feel entropy encroaching upon me. Suddenly a sea of darkness than nothing.
From within the darkness, something is tugging at me. I want to turn and head into the hazy abyss. But his... David's bright smile light's the way forward, I feel him pulling me back. But when I open my eyes, will he be there?
"I gotta say kid, you sure as hell got one powerful guardian angel." I hear Vik's voice call out.
"Huhhhh." I say dryly opening my eyes for what seem the first time in forever.
"You've cleared the hump, you're gonna live. Even got a new arm to show for. It's prosthetic, fully customizable. You won't even notice it's artificial." He says but I still don't understand.
"Ugh that's right my hand was chopped off." The painful memory comes flooding back. "So how long have be decommissioned?"
"Forty eight hours buts that's because you had a steel beam lodge underneath your ribcage."
"Shit... Lucy, I gotta go." I say getting up off the chair but goes colliding into the hard floor.
"Shit should of mentioned sooner, you mangled your leg pretty bad. It's gonna be a while till your walking around again, I'm afraid." Vik brings to my attention a little to late, as he helps me up and into a wheelchair just out of reach.
"That bad huh?" I say defeated.
"Yeah. Hey listen, wait here, I'll have Misty bring you home. What was awaiting for me at home? Besides the slience and the harsh truth? Fuck the truth I reject it. I refuse to face it. I just won't. Because if I do... Well then... It's becomes, it becomes empirical. The truth then becomes fact... I don't think I ever can accept that. I can't and I won't. Let me live in disillusionment or let me wake up from this nightmare. I reject this reality, a reality of wrong choices, a reality I had a hand in creating. For that I'll never forgive myself. How could I?
A/N: God writing this killed me inside. I fought with myself to make it work. As much as I wanted to it was impossible to save Rebecca. Saving Kiwi, it seems right. Otherwise Ryan would of never found them. Also the whole Mottly being able to cure or prevent cyberpsychosis isn't too much of a stretch, now that it aligns with the game..And even though V is tasked with getting the Cyberpsychos help..What the treatment is, has never been mentioned or alluded to..So I took creative liberty's. Once again with Rebecca death it seem like it doomed to happen.. Her death will play an integral point in the next few chapters. Chapter Twenty-Seven is the end of the story if you wanna say. Cause chapters following is basically epilogue, preluding to the true ending. You're gonna wanna stay tuned for the true ending.