I began to open my eyes after what felt like sleeping like a corpse, considering I was one for a while. I'm resting in what looks to be a normal bed, quite comfy too. The room has a nice table and chair set up and looks like a place to sit down for a while. I rise from my sleeping spot with my bones aching like hell, telling me that I'm gonna need to see a doctor about that. It's only now I realized there was a window covered right next to me. I might as well move the curtain and… and...

I stare out of the window and see a city. A giant fucking city. It kinda reminds me of Night City was it not for the fact it still stretched on longer than I could see. Even NC had a stopping point, but this… I might be on the East Coast, or perhaps Asia. AVs are flying around and it looks like it's night, considering there isn't any sunlight right now. My main goal right now is to get the fuck out of here and figure out where I am, though.

The bed looks like there's storage underneath it, so I gotta rip the fucking thing open, which is easy enough. It looks like all my shit is in it, but my main goal is the Jacket and pistol. I modified it to have a few pockets inside of it. Should be a few clips of ammo for the Malorian along with some scissors I might need, and I want the pistol for obvious reasons.

I quietly moved throughout my room as I had put everything on until I opened a door, showing me a bathroom. Toilet, shower, and a… That's a real mirror. Not one of those shitty powered ones but an actual, glass, normal mirror. I opened it up to see no wires connecting it, only hinges. This place is getting weirder by the minute. I spot some sort of cred chip most likely filled with eddies and grab them before closing the mirror and see my face in the same state it always looks.

I always look like I suffer from insomnia or have been up for the last three days. My eyes are blood red with bags as usual, though it's slightly masked thanks to the Kiroshi tech. A stubble has been on my face before I even knew who Jackie was, making me look either high or drunk. I can also see strands of hair poking away, making it look like a spider's nest. The scissors should be able to make my hair less of a mess, at least.

I spent around 5 minutes cutting it to make sure it didn't look out of place. I'm not a barber, but I hoped it didn't show with the hair. It looked a lot shorter now, so I can now appear to be more of a corpo and less of a homeless guy. It helps that I'm wearing my old uniform from when I worked with Arasaka. I look the same as I did a few days after I was tossed out of Arasaka, with the only difference being Johnny's shades.

"You don't look half bad." I can see Silverhand in the mirror leaning against the wall. I'm honestly shocked to see him here, I hope I didn't drag him here or something. He might've been an asshole once, but I trust him with my life. "What? You really thought I was gonna let you rot after all we've been through?"

"Was more concerned that I had dragged you along without you wanting to be here," I simply reply back, "Wherever the hell 'here' is. I'm sure I'll find out in good time, though."

Didn't need to waste time in this room. I found what looked like a pack that I should be able to stuff the rest of my clothes, which I find awfully convenient. Still, a few punches and stuffing almost everything I have in it, and now the suitcase looks like it actually belongs to me. Walking out was easier than I expected and there was an elevator, so I suppose I'll take it.

Surprisingly, I didn't have to do any gymnastics. Just leave what looks to be a hotel. Spotted a weird woman though. She had got herself blue skin with these fins on the back of her head. Exotics always gave me the creeps, mostly due to something about animal body parts on humans giving me nightmares, along with the others I'd get about possibly going cyberpsycho. This was something else, though. Might have whatever the bio-augment term for cyber psychosis is with all that shit, though.

I'm just spending my attention on the sidewalk to avoid attention. I mostly have been avoiding me, thank fuck. I'm gonna need to find myself a fixer or a place to work. This place is well off considering I've only seen AVs here, but every place has its downsides. I just have to find how rotten this kibble is.

I sat down to catch my breath as I had been walking for a few hours along with my leg beginning to stiffen, and now I'm starting to realize something. I haven't seen a single normal human here. I mean, I've seen more of those blue ladies, but that's the closest thing I've seen to someone like me here.

I've seen these weird toad-like things, with weird prongs on top of their long faces and eyes that give me the fucking creeps. I also spotted some weird mix between reptiles and birds, with fucking mandibles. They're a bit bigger than me, and all of them have the look in their eyes that tells me they're trained. Modifications are given working with corpos maybe? I also spotted two human-looking figures in suits, but one had the wrong amount of fingers and toes while the other was too short to be a normal adult and too fat to really be anyone on Earth that isn't a corpo.

The one thing in common with them is that they all stare at me. Wherever I am, they'll be watching. Even as I sit here, they're all keeping an eye on me, and I can't really tell what they're thinking. The main thing is that I really don't like being looked at, so this is putting my nerves on edge. I can't understand a single word they're saying, but even I can tell that it's directed at me.

"V, this is way weirder than I'd ever imagined." Johnny pops in, though he can most likely tell how tense I am here, Considering I've had my hand hovering where I put the Malorian.

'Listen, I know I'll sound like a crazy sonuvabitch, but I don't think we're on Earth anymore.' I say to him alone. I mean, this has to be aliens. If even a single one of them had gotten that way through grafts, the whole world would've known about it.

"I honestly don't think you're wrong. I mean, the way everyone here's looking at you, I'm pretty sure they see you as the alien, and that isn't good."

'Yeah, no fucking shit. I can't even ask for spare change.'

This isn't what I wanted. I wanted a chance to be a place where I could actually be me, but not even the translator can help me. Normally I'd be fine with that but how the hell am I gonna get food on the table if I can't even say a single thing. Starting to get nervous, considering the people around me are pulling up weird holograms on their wrists, and something tells me this isn't good.

I start walking away with my eyes darting around when I see some of their wrists following me. They aren't calling badges, the fucking gonks are recording me! My mild jog became a full sprint. I spotted an area where it drops a few stories when I was walking around, so leaping down there should get them off my tail. Only one way to find out, I guess.

I jump down and give myself a boost from the tendons not really to go higher, but more to lessen gravity. I landed and quickly picked up the pace to run. I had to get outta here asap. Haven't a clue what to do next, just, FUCK!

"Slow down, V. You got some fans waiting for you!"

On second thought, maybe I should just put a bullet in my head to shut Johnny's mouth. Would definitely make life a lot more quieter.