Night City 2080: Darkest Skies

December 31, 2079 would go down in history as the darkest day in the history of man. Lucas Hartford, Rosalind Myers, and their entire families; immediate and extended, would be assassinated in the most brutal fashions. Dismemberment, disembowelment, immolation, drowning, the list goes on. That day Saburo Arasaka decided there would be no more games, he would show the world what it meant to oppose him. After the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Yaburo, his very son, then further more the negative reputation hit Arasaka took after their prized Mikoshi tech was compromised by a certain mercenary and a supporting band of nomads, Saburo would proudly embrace his identity as the demon that the world despised.

Any would-be successors of Militech's CEO were quick to accept Saburo's offer to acquire them out outright, which he deliberately low-balled with an offer of 15 Billion Euro Dollars, roughly one thousandths of the stock exchange market cap. However, they did not care about profits nor pleasing shareholders at this point, only their lives.

One "El Capitan" Muamar Reyes foresaw the troubled times ahead, and he was not alone. With V seemingly abandoning Night City to its fate at the hands of "The Emperor," a hero was needed now, more than ever.

Although it was an ambitious plan, El Capitan was lining up a crew to take the fight to Arasaka. Much to his surprise, he knew of three capable allies to assist him in his campaign.

One was his former friend, who in recent years was a bitter rival. However, in the face of adversity, they set asides their differences and reconciled. This friend as none other than rival fixer, Sebastian "Padre" Ibarra.

Another, was Padre's neice, Sabrina Pereda. She was now acting captain of the Valentinos as the Ortas were permanently out of the game.

Sabrina was feisty one, Mexican on her father's side and Cuban on her mother's, both former Valentinos themselves. At only twenty-three years of age, she had ascended to the ranks of Guerrero in the Valentinos, taking out several members of rival gangs. Tyger Claws, Maelstrom, 6th Street. It did not matter, she would tussle with them all.

Despite her being a brutal Guerrero within the Valetinos, Sabrina's stature was anything but threatening. Far from it, only being around five-foot-three in height and just under a buck twenty in weight. The lady possessed flawless brown skin, an exquisite bubble butt accentuated by skimpy demin booty shorts, or a skimpy shirt which revealed her midriff and the ample cleavage of her perfectly formed breasts. She wore an over-sized gold rosary, albeit not being religious herself. Her silky black hair was pulled back and she wore a patterned blue and white bandanna tied across her forehead. Her seductive brown eyes had a hint of smokiness to them, but any man caught looking into them would quickly find himself in a world of hurt.

South of Heywood, trouble was brewing. Although not on the global scale as the Arasaka crisis, there was an escalating gang war. Ever since the Voodoo Boy's leaders were taken out by an illustrious merc, the Animals have taken Pacifica by storm. However, before their eventual campaign to the northern boroughs of NC, a civil war erupted between them.

One side was headed by the notorious Varg "Deathgrinder" Mikkelsen. Although they were just rumors, rumor had it he once managed to slay a century of his rivals without any sort of assistance from his bretheren. Other rumors suggested he stood eight feet tall and possessed the strength to punch through high grade carbon steel. In any case, the recent civil war was quickly quelled as his faction swiftly crushed the opposition. Thus, their expansion northward seemed all but inevitable.

While this news did trouble Sabrina, she did not fear the urban legend surrounding their leader. Her concern was with her younger brother, Sergio, who would now be twenty one years of age. He had run away from home a few years back and defected to the Animals. She feared one day they would meet on the battlefield, and worse, she feared she would have to be the one to put him down for his betrayal of the Valentinos.

One fateful day, Sabrina was taking a stroll through the Glen, when she ran into the leader of 6th Street. Alone. Battered. Perhaps on the verge of death. While she did ponder gloating about his condition, she approached him with an unusual shred of empathy.

"Well, well, well, Boz. This is quite unusual. What happened to you?"

He cradled his chest, whispering in pain as he replied, "Pereda, I'm not here to fight. 6th Street is no more."

Her eyebrows arched as her eyes went wise. "Seriously, mano?"

"The Animals. Deathgrinder. They took us all out. So many of my brothers, dead."

"Did you see him?"

"Yeah, I saw him. I saw your brother too."

"Sergio?"

"Yeah, apparently he's Deathgrinder's right ha…"

Before he could finish speaking another man came out of nowhere and kicked in Boz's face, crushing it like a tomato.

"I'm sorry, hermana. I'm sure you've wanted to do that for years. Yet here I robbed you of your kill."

Goosebumps and chills overtook her body seeing the muscular man before her. "Sergio!"

"It's been a couple of years, Sabrina."

"What the fuck were you thinking, pendejo! You do know, as the acting leader of the Valentino's, I am obliged to have you killed for treason!"

Sergio laughed. "What? Are you going to kill me? I fucking dare you!"

Sabrina hesitated to reach for the Tsunami Nues holstered underneath her armpits. "I will, but rather than shoot you, let's make this a brawl. A duel, even."

He sneered. "Bitch, I'm three times your size, you're not going to beat me."

The woman was confident not just in her aim, but in her ability to wield a blade. "That's a nice katana you have there, hermano. Do you know how to use it?"

"Probably not as well as you do." He unhooked the sheath from his belt and threw it to her. "Go on, Sabrina. Strike me down."

She hesitated.

"Come on, hermana. If you don't kill me, I'm going to crush your skull like I did with Boz!"

Sabrina growled before she took the katana and unsheathed it. Without uttering any more words, she charged her brother and attempted to strike him.

However, Sergio managed to stop the momentum of her strike using just his thumb and his index finger to grab her blade. "So weak!" He slapped her across her face, sending her flying several meters to his left.

The woman at this point knew she was outmatched.

"If that's the best you can do against me, you have no chance against Deathgrinder!"

"Why, Sergio?"

"Nothing fucking matters any more, now fucking die!"

He was prepared to cave her face in, much like with Boz, however another stopped him, firmly grabbing his shoulder, which impeded his movement.

"Deathgrinder!"

"That's enough. I would have words with your sister."

"Why? She's useless!"

"Perhaps so, but I would like to interrogate her just as well."

He spat. "It's your lucky day, hermana. Deathgrinder doesn't usually show mercy!"

As this man approached her, Sabrina's confidence was at an all time low. He was even more terrifying in person that the rumors suggested. He was indeed eight feet tall and likely 500 or so pounds of pure muscle, and perhaps a few bucks more with the metallic gorilla arms grafted into his forearms and fists. If that wasn't bad enough, he had the latest Sandevistan model implanted into his spine.

"I have nothing to say to you, just kill me!"

Deathgrinder chuckled. "Despite what you may have heard about me and my brutality, I certainly do not kill women or children."

Sabrina's sarcastically replied, "Lucky me."

The barbaric man was amused by her attitude. "You are quite the charmer, Miss Pereda. I have to say, even though I have just met your acquaintance, I find myself becoming quite fond of you. Most exemplary indeed."

The lady was quite flabbergasted. While this man certainly did have a build worthy of being the Animals' leader, it was clear he wasn't just some testosterone fueled psychopath. "What in the actual fuck are you?"

"Ah, pardon me, Miss Pereda. My name is Varg Mikkelsen, leader of the Animals. However, you may address me as simply Varg"

Sabrina scoffed. "You know damn well that's not what I mean!"

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you are referring to."

"What I mean is, while you look like a gym bruh, you don't act like a gym bruh."

"I see. Must all body builders fulfill some stereotypical meathead trope?"

"No, it's just you are not at all what expected you to be."

"I see. Anyhow, could we please get down to business?"

Sabrina replied to him. "I… guess?"

"Very good. As you might be aware, Saburo Arasaka is planning to turn this planet into Hell itself. Now that he has no one to keep him in check, there is absolutely no one who can oppose him and his horrific vision of the future."

Sabrina nodded. "Of course, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Ah. I have come on the invitation of my business associate, El Capitan. He wished for me to join Padre Ibarra and himself in discussing the means to eliminate the Emperor."

"What a coincidence, Padre Ibarra is my uncle and he wished for me to lead the Valentinos against Arasaka…"

"Is is not coincidence, my dear. This is fate."

Sabrina still had a burning question. "Why did you massacre all of 6th Street?"

"Ah, that. That was my way of extending my hand in friendship to the Valentinos, of course."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me," the younger Pereda sibling scowled. "The Valentinos are weak, ese. They can't help us!"

"I know you harbor a deep resentment for your sister, Mister Pereda. However you must not let that cloud your judgement. The Valentinos are the only gang in Night City capable of honor and valor."

Sergio stormed off. "Whatever man. Fucking bullshit."

After Sergio was out of ear's reach, Sabrina inquired, "Did he ever mention why he hated me so much?"

"He did."

The woman turned a bit pale. "So he trusted you enough to tell you. Yet, given what he's told you, why in Santa Muerte's name would you trust me?"

Varg chuckled before he answered her. "Just because of my reputation for indiscriminate violence, which I will admit is mostly true, does not mean I am without empathy or compassion. I do hope our allegiance will be a productive one, Miss Pereda. And perhaps in time, I dare say, we could be friends…"

Sabrina blushed as she gazed into his deep cerulean eyes. "I would like that, and please, call me Sabrina."

The smile he showed her melted her heart.