-AN-

I finally broke down and started playing Honkai:Star Rail. Hopefully this'll tide me over until the Cyberpunk dlc hits.

-Story Start-

David's morning routine as of late had become more mentally calming that he had every hoped it could be. He'd be up to pray with his mom's ashes and hope she thought well of him from where she was. Then he was off with Lucy for an early morning run leaving Rebecca asleep, safe and comfy under tons of blankets and dimmed windows. From there they'd hit the local diner for coffee and either actual breakfast food, or donuts, whichever sounded best that day. Then they'd be back home to wake Rebecca for either food or a different kind of workout. And usually by noon they were up and trawling the city. And today was no different. After a peaceful morning David was driving his girls to Axle's for from what the old man said, a decent paying job. Behind him Lucy and Rebecca had decided to ride in the back while claiming he should be a good chauffeur and not complain. He wouldn't, though he would be sure to put in a little extra work later on for them both. Tease him would they?

Rebecca was leaning back comfortably while trying to wrap her head around what Lucy was telling her, "So the moon. Think it'd be better up there than down there? Arasaka and Militech both are still there."

Lucy shrugged, "It was a dream of a child. I wanted to be off this shitty rock, and I felt like I couldn't get much further than the moon and actually live. I could disappear and make a new version of myself there."

Rebecca nodded, "I get it I guess. It just seems, I don't know, boring."

Giggling the taller girl nodded, "Probably. But after being in Night City for so long, would that be so bad?"

"Can you have kids up there?"

"Of course, it's not like people aren't still having sex up there. Plus on the subject of Arasaka and Militech, you could go to Copernicus instead. Less people and less corp bullshit. There's only one mass driver there instead of the two with Tycho."

"Maybe a place to go when we're finally ready to hang it up for good?" Rebecca wasn't sure if she'd ever want kids for herself. But she was loving this life that she had with these two right now. And that meant she had been thinking about it. Would she want a kid with David one day? Possibly, and that meant she would think about going with these two if they left the city.

Lucy leaned against her door as they pulled into the alley to access Axle's garage, "Granted things have changed a bit, the moon isn't the only place where I could make my dream come true after all." The crux of what she truly wanted was to be free of Arasaka and it's web. She didn't want to be looking over her shoulders all the time, of feeling like one day they'd be coming for her to bring her back into their machinations. But maybe there were other ways to get that freedom, or make sure Arasaka wouldn't be her problem anymore. After all, Saburo kicked the bucket, who's to say none of the other family leaders went down one day?

David however was focused on parking the car and unlocking all the doors, "Com'on you two, let's see that the old man has to say." Stepping out and opening the rear driver door while he closed the front one, Rebecca and Lucy shimmied out the same side. While Rebecca bounced away to yell through the open bay door, Lucy trailed a hand along his thigh before standing, "Really?"

Lucy just smiled and walked with a sway in her step, "Complaining?"

Shaking his head as he followed the girls inside, the smell of motor oil and gasoline smacking him in the face, David looked around for their potential client, "Hey old man! You alive?"

"Well don't that sound familiar, hold on to your ass!" From his office walked out Axle, Mohawk fuzzy and hands wiping themselves clean on a rag, "Why does everyone assume I'm gonna die soon?" He was grumbling, but accepted a hug from Rebecca all the same.

"Maybe it's your bedside manner?" Rebecca bounced away from a lazy backhand, chuckling as she made it back to Lucy and David, taking up her spot at David's left.

Axle however was pulling out a shard and handing it to David, "Well I'll make this quick. It's nothing to special but I've got two jobs. One is a must, the other is a plus." Watching David slot the shard he began explaining, "I've got a trailer that needs deliverin' out into the badlands to some nomads, the Aldecaldos. They're a good bunch, your contact is Saul. It's an easy make the drop and come home job. But while you're out there, there's a stash of shit I left out near the minefield just east of them. It's all in a trailer that should be okay to be pulled back here. You won't find the trailer by just looking though, so give that scanner data to your runner and they should be able to ping it's beacon and find it." Watching for an extra minute while David scrolled through the data and route, the younger man finally nodded,

"Got it, deliver a trailer, pick up a trailer, come back safe and with the same amount of holes as we left with."

Axle grinned and shook David's hand, "Let me know when you're ready to go and I'll have the trailer waiting for you outside."

David nodded, "We've got nothing else to do, might as well get it ready while I call up Falco." Seeing Axle nod and walk away, David scrolled his phone before dialing Falco and after two rings the man picked up.

"Yo David, we got some work?"

"Yeah yeah, nothin' major, just a drop off and pickup, but need the truck. Gonna be out in badland territory. Playin' nice with the Aldecaldos today."

"The Aldos? Got it got it, I'm in. Gonna need Kiwi you think?"

"Nah, me and the girls should be enough. We're at Axle's and ready."

"Cool, see ya in 15." Like that the call was dropped and David was looking around.

Lucy was leaning against a very expensive looking sports car, all sleek and chrome and red, "So Falco comin'?"

David nodded, "Yeah, just him, no Kiwi since we have you. Unless you wanna invite her along."

Rebecca started laughing, "You wanna give her another chance to blow up some badland drifters?" The feisty girl still couldn't let Kiwi live that one down. Plus Axle had loved the story too when she told him during their last visit.

David sighed, "Yeah probably not a good idea to give her a reason to strangle you again. It's going to be a lot of time in the truck today." Rebecca leaned into him with a leer, "And no, no back seat quickie."

"There'll be at least one chance for Falco to be out of the car and us with nothing to do, com'on. Not even road head, or a handy?"

Lucy finally walked up and pinched the smaller woman earning a yelp, "You're insatiable."

Submitting and shrugging, the girl could do nothing but smile, "Blame David, he's like a drug."

"Maybe you need rehab."

"Only if you go too pixie girl."

"You both remember that I'm still here right?" Getting ignored for his trouble, David turned to see Axle walking back inside while towing an odd two wheeled contraption behind him. He hadn't seen the garage owner leave, so he must have left a back way. Looking around for once today and spotting a large all back vehicle towards the back, David raised an eyebrow, "You work on AVs?"

Axle nodded while putting away his axle dolly, "From time to time. Special client, pays me a lot." Axle would never talk about who he worked with out of professional interest, but he was still proud of his work. "Why you interested in one? A lot of the high end ones are mostly automated, but it's a different vibe for sure than being stuck on the ground."

Shaking his head as he heard a truck coming close David turned to see Falco's truck driving up, "Nah I like the ground. Only way I'm getting in something that flies is if it has wings." Lost cause that one in this city, but him even having a car was more than enough. Behind them a grinning Falco was walking up with a wave and David turned to get this show on the road.

-b-

Once again in the front seat with Falco, David sighed as the dusty road stretched on ahead of them. There were headed up a hill now, the navigation data showing them that they were less than a minute away from the camp. David had never heard of this guy, Saul Bright, but that didn't mean much since he was a city boy. Saul was a nomad, this local group's leader at that, worlds apart as it were. And as their truck rattled as they left the main road, David got his first glimpse of the camp, "There's a good amount of people here."

Falco nodded, "Usually we would have met up with someone like Mitch further away like last time, but apparently he put in a good enough word for us that Saul was fine with use knowing where they were." Finally coming up to the camp and slowing to a stop as a tanned middle aged man in a brown coat walked towards them. Rolling down his window Falco hung out a bit, "Got a load here for ya from Axle, where do ya want it?"

Driss, or better known as Scorpion, nodded and pointed off a bit behind a trailer and truck combo, "Just next to that is fine. Nothing to unload for now. Also, which one of you is David, Saul wants a word."

Everyone looking at the their bruiser, David frowned, "I didn't do anything!"

Lucy sighed and opened the side door, hopping out and dusting herself off, "Likely story." Rebecca was behind her and closing the door, bright multicolor shotgun strapped to her back.

David hung his head but got out as well, closing the door and watching as Falco drove off to unhook the trailer and wait for them. Getting waved along by Scorpion, David and the girls walked along behind him, taking in the feel of the camp as they walked through it. "Seems homey."

Scorpion chuckled, "It's shit, but it's home. As long as we have the family that's all that matters. Nomads like us are made to be able to pick up and leave quick. We aren't used to putting down roots anywhere." There was something in his tone of voice that made it seem like something was changing. But David wasn't going to poke at it just now. He wanted to get a better feel of the people and the camp after all. Coming under the awning of a large tent, they stepped out of the sun and into a cluttered mess of an office. Standing and looking over a tablet, the messy haired and bearded leader of the Aldecaldos was a stern looking man. And as they walked up with Scorpion sending them a salute as he left, Saul gave them all a once over before raising his chin a bit.

"Thanks for coming, Mitch told me you all helped him out of a tight spot. I wanted to thank you." Reaching forward, Saul shook David's hand. David idly noted he had a firm grip.

"No worries, I wasn't there that day but my team told me what happened. You got a Raffen problem out here?"

Saul nodded, "Raffen are always a problem, but we've been managing. At least until recently." Leaning against a stack of crates, Saul kept eye contact with David, "But that's not what I wanted to talk about today. I wanted to ask since you're in the city, what do you know about Biotechnica?"

David looked down at Lucy, their resident knowledge repository, who rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms, "World leader in bioengineering and synthetic fuels. Considered the third largest corp on the planet. But that's by value, not people as they don't have the employees or the facilities to keep up with Arasaka or Militech. But they've been a neutral party both during and since the last war, and regularly deal with everyone that'll pay." Lucy shrugged, "Everyone considers them good to work for though I've never done any work with them personally."

Saul nodded, "That's all that I've heard. Between you and me, I have some ideas on how to protect this family, but I just need information. If I'm willing to pay, will you look into things from time to time for me?"

David shrugged and nodded, "If we can that's no problem. We're always willing to take on different work for a change of pace. And we'll let you know if we won't take a job upfront." Sure David had to make sure they all got paid but they wouldn't compromise their morals. They weren't skavs, or raffen out here in the desert.

Saul smiled and motioned for the tent flap, "Thanks. You best get going, I'll keep in touch when I have something that needs some digging." Exchanging information with the younger man, Saul bid them a good day and was back to his work. David and the girls were already back outside and walking towards where they could see Falco's truck in the distance.

"Well that was boring."

Lucy sighed, "You could have stayed home. We offered to drop you back off."

Rebecca threw her hands in her pockets, "But there's always the chance of fun, and that's enough sometimes." Because they still had to find the other trailer and make it back to the city. Besides, no one said they couldn't go for a longer drive once they were done for the day. The idea of car fun hadn't left her head yet.

David looked up to the heavens and prayed for his safety. He just knew Rebecca was plotting. "If things go well here we can head out tonight. There's always a party at that one enchilada spot."

Rebecca cheered, "Alright! I need a party after a slow day!" They had made it through the camp and began to pile into the truck with Falco who was waving to a departing Mitch.

David closed his door, "Any issues?"

Falco shook his head as the girls closed the rear door and he started to take off. "Nah, this was the easy part after all. Now to find that trailer."

Lucy leaned over the front seat, eyes shining, "Guess that's my cue. Let's hit the road and head east. When we start to get a signal I'll direct us." Linking into the antenna built into the truck, Lucy was half there and half scanning their surroundings.

David leaned back while from over his shoulder Rebecca was pushing forward a rather large rifle. "Huh, this is new, when'd we get this?" Taking the sleek but heavy assault rifle he turned his head to look at the woman.

"Honestly don't remember, but it was in our storage room and we are headed out further into the badlands. Just wanted to be prepared." While she herself was checking her own weapon and ammo, she still didn't think they'd run into anything out here. Lotta desert and lotta sand. It was however always good to be prepared.

Having to point the rifle down and rest it on the floorboards in order to have it up front with him, he had a slight grin on his face. He wasn't normally one to use a big gun like this, but something primal in him wanted to unload the full thing first chance he got. "Well hopefully we don't need heavy firepower like this. So let's find this trailer and head back.

They started first down the dirt road that would take them down the hill. Once they hit pavement they picked up speed while Lucy attempted to direct them on as short a route as possible. They passed the occasional burnt out wreck and NCPD patrols, one of which had a group of what looked like immigrants held up against a van. So far however no trailer. David tried hard not to doze off, and it was Rebecca patching directly into him that had him jerking slightly.

'Hey Davi boy. You sure you don't wanna climb back here? I can make it worth your time.' While her voice attempted to be flirty over their net, David got the impression and knew for sure she was grinning at him.

'You just don't care that Falco is here, do ya?'

'I can be quiet.'

'You haven't been yet.'

'Hey!'

'If you two are done, I think I just pinged the trailer.'

Shaking his head as it was totally something Becca would do, to forget to take Lucy off the private line. Not that he cared since they were so close regardless.

"Wakey wakey David, looks like we got a hit, coming up on a trailer park with hopefully our trailer stashed nearby." Falco was once again back on a dirt road, a small group of four trailers circled around each other. There were a few cactus and a fairly large boulder at the rear, but so far no people.

"Just screams problems." David for once was the cautious one.

Lucy steadied herself with a hand on David's shoulder, "I've got nothing. No activity and no net use. It's empty out here." Scanning deeper she grinned finally. "Trailer on the left, that's ours."

Falco sighed, "It just looks like a normal camper trailer, you sure this is it?" He was already moving to get in place and lock it in. He'd have to get out to make connections.

Lucy nodded, "It's the one, Axle did say we wouldn't find it without the scanner data. Not only does it look like the rest, but I can't peak inside at all. Some serious jamming software on this thing." The outside looked just as dusty and beaten as the other trailers parked here. Though as she paid attention, while this one was shut tight and the windows were darkened, the others were all in some state of holed or open to the elements. Hiding in plain sight indeed.

Having finished backing up the truck, Falco hopped out, "Wanna give me a hand David? Might need your muscles."

Putting his gun aside he nodded, "Sure sure, let's get this done and get going." For once a job was boring, he could probably get used to this. Opening his door and stepping out into the afternoon sun, the taller edgerunner walked towards the rear of the truck while Lucy and Rebecca scanned the road from inside.

Falco was already hooking cables from the trailer to the truck, "Can ya just pick up the trailer hitch for a second?" David did as he was asked, reaching down and taking a wider stance so he could lift the end of the trailer. Body modifications protesting a bit, he watched as Falco retracted the storage gear. "Okay, set it on the ball."

David did as he was asked before stepping away and taking a few deep breaths. While it wasn't often he felt the results of cutting back on his chrome, this was one of those rare moments. "Need anything else?"

Falco slipped the safety chains in place and shook his head, "Nope, your help made this go fast already. Let's get back on the road and home. I can hear the cold beer calling my name." Both men bumped fists and retreated to the truck and it's air conditioning. Falco took a minute to run the onboard computer to make sure the connections were good before pulling away. Off the dirt path and back on the highway, Falco was almost ready to call it a job well done.

Next to him David was feeling the same way, a small smile on his face as he leaned back in his seat. Lucy had sat back herself but was watching him, "Uh oh."

Rebecca was already up, "What's uh oh, that's never good."

Lucy motioned up to the satisfied looking men, "They're gonna jinx us."

Falco took a hand off the steering wheel to wave the girls off, "We didn't say anything."

Lucy pointed at David from where he was looking at her in the mirror, "You're thinking it and that's enough. Celebrate when we're home."

David shrugged, "I'm with Falco, we didn't say anything." He watched idly as two bright pink and gold cars flew by them. Wonder what the tigers were doing out here.

Falco sighed however as both cars flipped back around a few hundred meters behind him. Turning and accelerating to catch up with them. "Well shit."

"Do I get to say I told you so?" Smug Lucy was smug.

David frowned and opened his door in order to climb out and onto the roof, "Later, after I waste these guys." Grabbing the large rifle he was out of the vehicle and on the roof within seconds. Behind him he heard scrambling and turned back to see Rebecca coming after him. "Really?"

"You're not gonna have all the fun to yourself." She jumped ahead of him, landing on the roof of the trailer and walking towards the end. David only grinned as they both dropped to a knee for better balance. "I got the one up front."

David nodded and settled in on her right, "Sure sure. Maybe you can take both out." Both frowned as a gunshot zipped by them with a crack of air. Paying attention completely they noticed the front car had something hanging out of the passenger window. His aim was terrible, but it'd only take one to ruin their day.

"Asshole!" Rebecca brought her rifle to her shoulder and let loose a stream of full auto fire. David looked ahead to avoid being blinded by the muzzle flash, his wetware dimming the audio from the gunfire so as to not have him go deaf. He watched as the hood and then the windscreen of the lead car were filled with holes, smoke spewing from under the hood. There was no great explosion though the car did eventually veer off of the road to crash in the desert sand. Driver and passenger being ejected from the rolling vehicle. Pumping a fist Rebecca was all smiles, "Nice!"

David brought his comically large rifle to his shoulder, "This better not break my shoulder." Lining up the next car that was trying to weave back and forth to avoid being hit. He wondered if they even considered they could just stop and let this one go. Pulling the trigger and feeling like Maine just punched him, the held tight as the rifle bucked and sent high caliber rounds down at the approaching vehicle. This time as the first few rounds punched clean through the hood and engine of the car, there was a magnificent explosion that sent it tumbling along the road. David eased up, admiring his work while the the cherry red barrel pinged as it cooled. "I think I love this gun."

Rebeccan turned towards him, hair flying everywhere, "Wanna have sex on it?"

"I really did break something in you didn't I?"

"Guns and explosions, what better combo is that."

"You're thinking of the wrong explosions."

"Or the right ones." She giggled and David rolled his eyes. At least they got to cause some chaos today. Making their way back to the truck, Lucy tapped in,

'No major chatter, looks like they were working alone.' She was calm so David assumed they were in the clean.

'Good, let's get this trailer dropped off and head home.'

'You said it.'

Everyone was ready to get out of this sun. The nomads could have the place.

-b-

Watching Axle wave them off, David, Rebecca, and Lucy relaxed in their car as David drove off. Falco had been gratefully paid and was off to go cause trouble elsewhere, leaving the three to figure out where they would end up.

Lucy however had an idea, "Hey, have you been to the lookout lately?" Seeing the other two shake their heads, she smiled, "Let's grab some food and drink and head there."

David was already navigating to one of their favorite diners, "Sounds good to me."

Rebecca was laid out on the rear bench seat, "I got to blow something up today, so I'm pretty content. Somewhere to relax wouldn't be bad." Saying her peace she lightly dozed which actually turned into a partial nap that had her miss when they stopped to let Lucy out to get food. She also missed the lazy drive through the city while Lucy cuddled into David's side. But as they eventually left the city center by the main highway and climbed the cliff side towards the damn, she was jarred complete awake as they came to a stop and parked along a seating area over looking the city. The sun was setting and bathing everything in orange and purples, which even Rebecca could admit was pretty.

Lucy opened her door, with no one else around them she could relax more fully, "We would have to drive even further away to really see the stars. This isn't so bad though."

David was out and walking around the front of the car, leaning against the passenger side fender while Lucy handed him a beer from their grocery bag, "Even getting away from the city this much is great. Still smells like shit though." It was a specific smell one could probably never escape living in this particular city.

Rebecca finally leaned up to open the rear door facing the curb, accepting a take out box from Lucy. Dancing in place as she noticed they picked out tacos for her she grabbed one, "Still, all the lights and people really remind you this place is alive in it's own way."

Lucy frowned only a bit, "Still feels like a prison."

"Well sure, but it can be more than that. Opportunity is everywhere after all, and even idiots can flourish in a prison ward."

David raised his glass, "We are a rather successful band of idiots."

Lucy smirked, "Speak for yourself, I'd like to think I'm a little smarter than you two."

Rebecca down her first taco and started working on her second, "Says the pixie. Remind me what your grand plan was to keep David safe again?"

Blushing the woman flipped Rebecca the bird, "I wasn't thinking straight so sue me. It worked out in the end."

David sighed as the girls bickered, "You know." Seeing both women pause had David resting his hands in his lap, "It could have been a lot worse. We've had a lot of close calls."

Lucy nodded, "Yeah, but we're here in the end."

Rebecca polished off another taco, "As long as we keep watching after each other, we'll be okay."

David wouldn't voice any of his fears, for he didn't want to temp fate, "That we will. Also, maybe we should check up on V sometime soon. He's been radio silent for a while."

Lucy leaned back in the front bench seat, content, "I'll see if I can get a hold of him in the morning. He can't have gotten into to much trouble."

Rebecca snagged a beer, "In this city? He's already been framed for one major murder, who's to say he doesn't get involved in some new bullshit." All three of them felt a shiver and looked at each other, "I didn't just jinx him did I?"

David reached down and kissed his cross, "I'ma pray for the man."

Lucy closed her eyes, "Better make it a long one with Becca's luck."

"Hey!"

-AN-

Not gonna lie, this chapter took me way longer than I thought it would to write it out. I just couldn't get the inspiration for it. I ended up just booting up the game and driving around the east badlands in various vehicles until something came to me. Shouldn't be so long between updates from now on.