"Meeting at Arasaka Tower. Don't I feel special," Robbie joked as he rode the freight elevator up with Vinny.
"We are discussing sensitive information. There's no risk of anyone listening in at a construction site," Vinny explained, his eyes focused forwards.
The two men stepped off the elevator about three quarters of the way up. Unlike most of the lower floors that already had wiring and windows installed, this floor was only a concrete floor and a ceiling. They could hear workers above them despite it being Christmas evening.
"When's this place gonna be done?" Robbie asked.
"Grand Opening is scheduled for August of 2073, but departments on the lower levels are scheduled to move sometime next year," Vinny said.
They made their way across the construction zone to where Arthur Jenkins was waiting with two Arasaka soldiers.
"Gentlemen," Jenkins greeted them.
"Robbie, this is Arthur Jenkins, Head of Arasaka's Night City Intelligence Division," Vinny introduced.
"It's nice to meet you," Robbie smiled, offering his hand to Jenkins, but the Corpo made no move to shake.
"I was told you had important information on Lord Dominator," Jenkins stated flatly. His cold, contempt-filled eyes made Robbie want to punch him, but the edgerunner forced the urge down.
"Right," Robbie said. "It's probably no surprise to you, but Valerie hates working for Arasaka. I just learned yesterday that she is prepping what she calls 'insurance policies' to use against Arasaka should she feel the need to."
"This is new information, but I would hardly call it surprising or even important," Jenkins frowned.
"That's because I haven't told you the best part," Robbie grinned. "One of these insurances is a hand build AI."
"Excuse me?" Jenkins' glare hardened. "Are you trying to make some kind of joke?"
"I'm completely serious. According to Valerie, she used to build AI units all the time."
"V, do you believe this?" Jenkins asked his underling.
"It lines up with what we know about her past," Vinny said. "Several extraterrestrials say Lord Dominator used an army of autonomous drones. There's no reason to doubt Valerie would attempt something similar as a form of protection. It would also explain why she has been hiring Jackie Welles to steal high end computer parts."
"I see," Jenkins nodded. "How did you come across this information?" he asked Robbie.
"Valerie is broke. I convinced her to tell me in exchange for waiting on payment for the last job we did," Robbie said.
Jenkins nodded, letting out a breath. "We should have plenty of time to get in front of this. It's about time that Dominator was put in her place. Should she still not comply, we can bring in bigger guns."
"Uh, you sure that's a good idea?" Robbie asked. "I don't think she's going to respond well to a hostile workplace."
"How Arasaka goes about its business is none of your concern, punk," Jenkins scolded.
"I'm not trying to tell you how to do your job," Robbie put up his hands to be nonthreatening. "I get that Arasaka has some weird obsession with company culture. But Valerie didn't grow up in that world. She's an outsider. Hell, she's barely an adult. You would probably get better results if you worked with her on her level."
"You just can't keep your mouth shut, can you Robert?" Jenkins' scowled as he stepped closer to the edgerunner. "A washed-up failure of a musician that had a total collapse after his input ate a bullet."
Robbie's eyes widen slightly before turning to scorn as his hand when to his side arm.
"We do our research at Arasaka," Jenkins said. "As far as I can tell, you are a mistake that has served its purpose. A mistake that will be corrected. Isn't that right, V?"
Robbie took a step back and looked over to Vinny, who seemed just as surprised as him.
"Of course, sir," Vinny resigned. His optics lit up as he hacked into Robbie's systems.
WARNING: BREACH IMMINENT
"Whoa, whoa, Vinny!" Robbie tried to get the Corpo to stop, but it was in vain. An intense shock traveled through his body as he collapsed to the ground.
"Sorry, choom," Vinny stood over Robbie's half-conscious body, a sad smile gracing his features. He pulled his pistol from his suit jacket and pointed it between Robbie's eyes.
"Not here," Jenkins stopped him. "I'd hate for you to dirty your company car. Blood stains are a bitch to get out."
"Yes, sir," Vinny nodded, reholstering his gun. "You two," he pointed to the guards, "help me get him into my car."
Robbie watched the city lights fly by outside the car window. His wrists were zip tied together, his cyberware was jammed, and his weapons were confiscated. There was little he could do except contemplate where and how his life went so wrong. He couldn't stop the few tears that ran down his cheek as the skyscrapers gave way to the decrepit rooftops of Santo Domingo.
"Never should have come to this fucking city," he whispered to himself.
"Save me the waterworks," Vinny said, not taking his eyes off the highway. "You did this to yourself."
"Yea, working with a pathetic Corpo always ends the same," Robbie spat, turning to the driver. "Shame on me for thinking you would honor your deal."
"Higher ups think you're a liability. And liabilities must be disposed of," Vinny said in a monotone voice, not daring to look at Robbie.
"So how long till you dispose of Jackie and Valerie?"
"Excuse me?" Vinny blinked, finally meeting Robbie's gaze. "They are not liabilities. Valerie is a valuable ally to the Arasaka Corporation, and the Welles family are my friends."
"And now that she's landed herself in the hospital and pissed of the Zbornaks? According to Jenkins, Valerie is a dog that slipped her leash. He's going to use Jackie and Lupé to control her."
"Don't talk like you're innocent in this," Vinny frowned, turning his eyes back to the road. "Jackie is the only man to give you a chance, and you've been spying on him for me. Just sold out his sister to save your own ass."
"I was only doing that to keep you away from Masami, but point taken," Robbie stated, also turning his eyes forward.
The two remained silent as they continued down the highway. Vinny took the ramp onto Interstate 9 out of Night City. Robbie finally collected himself enough to talk when they crossed the border.
"So, what's the plan?" he asked, voice cracking as he came to terms with his approaching death. "Going to drive out past the Sunset Motel and let me rot in the desert?"
"Too risky. Never know when Nomads are lurking around. Better to leave you in the city dump," Vinny said as he turned right towards the junkyard.
"Bit of a sad way to go," Robbie mumbled. They continued down the crack-riddled road to the far end of the junkyard, where no one would see them. "Can you promise me one thing?"
"What's that?" Vinny asked as he parked the car and turned off the engine.
"Make sure Jackie and Valerie stay safe. I don't really get along with Valerie, but she's trying. And Jackie is one of the best people in this city. He'd do anything to protect his friends, and I expect you to do the same for him."
Vinny didn't respond. He got out of the car after a pause, then opened the passenger side door and grabbed Robbie.
"March," Vinny commanded, pointing down a narrow path through the trash and debris. Robbie followed the path for a few hundred yards, Vinny right behind him for the tense few minutes. "Stop."
Robbie let out a sad sigh and bowed his head. This was it. The end of the road. Yet another gonk chewed up by Night City, only to end up dead and forgotten. The cold steel of the pistol against the back of his neck made him jump slightly, but the feeling was instantly replaced by anticipation. Vinny was going to pull the trigger and end him. Any second now…
…
…Any second now…
…
"Well?" Robbie choked out. "What are you waiting for?"
"I'm debating," Vinny said.
"Debating?"
"On whether or not you're worth keeping around."
"Uh…" Robbie was speechless, not sure what to think now that there was a slim chance he wouldn't die.
"You want me to keep Valerie and Jackie safe," Vinny said, stepping back and lowering his pistol. "I would happily do that. But I'm not sure I can do it alone."
"So… what are you saying?" Robbie slowly turned to Vinny.
"I'm willing to keep you alive, but there's a few caveats."
"It's probably better than dying here. What do you want from me?"
"You keep working for me on the down low. But if I give you a job, you can't turn it down. If I need you to steal bread from the homeless or flatline a child, I need to count on you to do the job."
"I hope you wouldn't need me to go that extreme," Robbie frowned.
"You'd be surprised.," Vinny said. "I've had to do some fucked up things in the line of duty. So, can I count on you?"
Robbie didn't answer right away. He couldn't help but think about how Carmen died. Killed by a bunch of thugs under corporate contract. It made him sick, but his only other option was getting flatlined in the city dump.
"Fine," Robbie relented. "What else?"
"I need you to go back to being Latch," Vinny said.
"Oh, no. I'm not… I left that behind. I can't go back to being THAT!"
"Robbie calm down," Vinny cautiously stepped forward. "If Jenkins gets word that you're still alive, then we're both screwed for my insubordination."
"Can't I just change my name?"
"I need a name that's known on the streets. Someone who can build a network without making my boss suspicious. I'm not asking you to change your face again, but from this point forward, Robert Hall is dead."
"And if I don't agree?!" Robbie violently asked.
"Then you can't stay in Night City. And unless you are friends with some Nomads, you will starve in the desert if I don't kill you now."
"Fine," Robbie sighed. "But I have a condition of my own. We tell the others everything. Jackie, Valerie, and Kiwi get to know I was spying and why I have to use my Maelstrom name."
"I can agree to that," Vinny nodded. "I'll even tell them myself. Do we have a deal?"
"Yea, we have a deal."
"Good." Vinny cut off the zip tie and gave Robbie his gun and knife back. He also handed him a large bundle of paper Eurodollars. "Here's your payment for the info on Valerie. There's also some extra in there for you to get yourself some new clothes and a few NCART tickets. Your first job is to start making more connections. Anyone who you think would be willing to help. If they ask, just tell them I'm building a network to take out key corporate executives."
"Are we doing that? It's an easy sell, but one that will piss off mercs if we don't follow through."
"Don't worry," Vinny smirked. "You'll have plenty of jobs against the corporations once I get the ball rolling on my end."
"Ok, but… why are you doing this? What do you have to gain?" Robbie asked.
"My friends get to live," Vinny shrugged. "And should this work out, I'll have a promotion at the end of it."
"Figures," Robbie scoffed.
"You better start walking if you want to make it back to town at a decent time. And don't remove that jammer chip until you're within city limits."
"I'm not walking when we have a car, jackass."
"Company car. It's GPS tracked," Vinny said matter-of-factly. "If I stop anywhere other than my next destination, Jenkins will ask questions. Good luck."
Robbie watched Vinny walk away then looked up to the early evening sky. He needed some food and a night's rest after all the whiplash he had just experienced. Nearly getting capped by a Corpo, then being spared by that same Corpo's sudden empathy. Oh, and having to change his name back to Latch. That last one was gonna sting for a while. But he could see the reasoning in it. It also gave him an idea of who to talk to about building Vinny's network.
The first thing Valerie noticed as the darkness receded was the killer migraine piecing her brain. Her ears seemed to be ringing despite the unusual silence of wherever she was laying. Opening her eyes proved to be more difficult than she expected, that was until she felt her face and realized her left eye was swollen shut.
"Fuck," she whispered as she tried to sit up.
"Easy, V" a soft voice said as she was gently pushed back down. Valerie forced her cybernetic eye open to see who it was.
"Misty?" Valerie studied the spiritualist and her smile, unable to focus on anything else.
"Morning, sleepyhead. You gave us quiet the scare." Misty lifted a water bottle to the green woman's lips, supporting Valerie's head as she drank. "This will help with the dehydration and headaches. I have a second bottle if you need it."
"Thanks," Valerie gasped after chugging a third of the first bottle. "Where are we?"
"This is my apartment. Vik's is one floor down. I hope you found my couch comfortable."
"Couldn't tell you. Everything hurts. I feel so stiff." Valerie groaned out the last few words as she tried to sit up again.
"Easy," Misty frowned, placing a hand on Valerie's shoulder. "You've been unconscious for over a day. You need to take it slow."
"Misty, please. I won't stand up yet, but at least let me stretch my arms."
"Alright," Misty said, and lifted her friend into a sitting position. "Need more water? Maybe some food?"
"Water. All the water." Valerie didn't wait for Misty to lift the bottle, instead ripping it from her hands and chugging another third without help.
Neither woman spoke for several seconds. Valerie was too busy taking in the spiritualist's home. It was small, but larger than Viktor's. The living area had several candles scattered about, all unlit, and the decor had a calm, earthy vibe with natural colors in all the furniture and decorations. The kitchenette was connected to the living area, and there was an open door that seemed to connect to the bedroom.
"Nice place you got," Valerie commented. "Feels cozy, and very much you inspired."
"Thanks," Misty smiled. "It's important to maintain a friendly aura around one's home. It helps provide sanctuary and life stability for the one's living there."
"Is that why I'm here and not at the hospital?"
"You are here because Trauma Team didn't want to risk racking up your bill more than necessary," Misty said. "That and we could carry you down to Vik's clinic if there were… complications."
"Complications? With what? What happened?" Valerie demanded, but Misty wasn't fazed.
"You tell me, V. All I know is that your Trauma Card was snapped, and Viktor was called in to assess your condition."
"That's all you can tell me?"
"Well, that and the fact that half the city is royally pissed off with you, to put it bluntly," Misty said pointedly as she stood from the floor and sat next to Valerie. "But I want to hear your side of the story first."
"It was… Christmas Eve. Wander and Isabel took me out to Red Peaks to talk to the Zbornaks," Valerie said slowly. "I was talking to Sylvia and her family. Things were going smoothly. But… a fight broke out. Another Zbornak family showed up and I fought one of them. I… I killed him… it's kind of blurry after that."
"Try to remember," Misty encouraged. "What happened after the fight?"
"I remember… someone called my name," Valerie was rubbing her temple, trying to drag the memory from the depths of her still recovering mind. "Someone called my name, I turned around, and there was a flash of… blue?" Valerie thought harder till her eye shot open in realization. "It was Sylvia. She hit me in the face after the fight. Hard enough to knock me out. After that, I can't remember a thing."
"That explains why the left side of your face is horribly swollen," Misty sighed.
"Is it that bad?" Valerie cringed slightly.
"I mean, you do look like you just got taken out in the boxing ring," Misty said bashfully. "It will heal in a few weeks. Maybe faster, given your physiology."
"Fuck," Valerie sighed. "How are the others? Is Mandy alright?"
"Who's Mandy?"
"Little Heywood girl that seems to have a fascination with Extras. She wanted to meet Sylvia, so we brought her with us. Like a bunch of gonks."
"As far as I've heard, you were the only one injured. Jackie is just as angry with Wander and Isabel as he is with you, so I'm hoping they are alright."
"I wouldn't be surprised if Izzy was the one that snapped my card," Valerie smirked. "I'll have to ask her about it."
"You can call her later," Misty smiled. "Right now, you are going to eat something light, then you are going downstairs so Vik can check your systems."
"And probably give me the lecture of my life," Valerie sighed.
"Yea, probably," Misty giggled.
Rogue poured two cups of coffee and placed one in front of Robbie.
"Thanks," Robbie said, but he didn't look up from the old photo of him and his fiancé.
"You really miss her, don't you?" Rogue asked before taking a sip of her coffee.
"She was my world back then. Nothing has worked out since she died," Robbie sighed. He placed the photo back inside his jacket pocket and took a sip of his own drink.
"Have you decided what you are going to do?"
"Kinda. I know what my next move should be, but I'm not sure I have the nerve to make it."
"Then I suggest you find your nerve quick if you don't want to end up in an even worse situation," Rogue said pointedly.
The night before, Robbie showed up at the Afterlife and preceded to order multiple drinks off the menu. It was weird enough seeing him there after disappearing for two months. Witnessing Robbie get hammered in her bar for the first time was enough for Rogue to start asking questions.
After downing a two Silverhands, a Boa Boa, and a double shot of vodka, Robbie agreed to tell her everything in private if she was so curious. Like most people, Rogue didn't have any plans for Christmas. But she decided spending the night with him was better than wasting another holiday at the Afterlife. Rogue drove him back to her condo, where Robbie told her his full story as they shared a bottle of tequila.
He didn't give all the details, but she got the gist of his issues. Carmen was killed after just a couple months in Night City, Robbie was left abandoned by his employers and the University wasn't going to help someone who had yet to prove themselves on campus. He fell into a deep hole and found himself picked up by Maelstrom. The gang gave Robbie a sense of power and purpose, even of it was mostly an illusion.
Rogue knew most of this part of the story. Robbie ran with Maelstrom as a low-level techie and a mediator for making deals with Fixers. That's how they met. Rogue was working out a buy with Maelstrom and Robbie was the go between. Not long after that, Maelstrom collapsed. A war with the Valentinos and a certain extraterrestrial left them crippled and divided. After that war, Robbie went to Rogue for help, and she got him the connections he needed for a fresh start.
The catch with those connections was that Robbie ended up owing a lot of people money. But he deemed it worth the cost if it meant replacing most of his Maelstrom chrome. He took up work as an edgerunner to pay them all back, but he could only do small, solo jobs due to his history and the fact that he was showing signs of cyberpsychosis. No one wanted to work with him. Until he met Jackie Welles.
Some small time Solo from Heywood had agreed to work with Robbie after connecting him with Masami and helping him with a few jobs. They even recruited two Netrunners, forming a small crew. They were all good to each other, but Robbie screwed it up.
It was at this point in the conversation that Robbie told Rogue about Jackie's adopted sister Valerie, formally known as Lord Dominator. Dominator helped the Valentinos crippled Maelstrom. Dominator was the reason he met Jackie in the first place. And Robbie was spying on both of them to keep Arasaka away from Masami. And now Arasaka saw him as a liability and his only shot as surviving was to help some 'Saka suit form an underground network.
It was a hell of a story. One that Rogue wouldn't have believed if it wasn't for her head bartender mentioning the deal between Robbie and Dominator. That and the fact that Robbie was drunk and crying by this point in the story. The kid needed some advice. And who better than the Queen of the Afterlife?
"Sounds to me like you have two options," Rogue told him. "You can do a few jobs over the next week, earnings as many eddies as you can before hopping on the first bus to Southern California. Or you can fulfill your side of the deal with this Corpo, and hope it doesn't bite you in the ass more than it already has."
"Not much of a choice," Robbie mumbled. "I don't like the idea of abandoning my friends. I've only kept my head straight because of them. I would have been taken out by MaxTac by now if it wasn't for Jackie helping me."
"Then it sounds like you've already made up your mind," Rogue smiled. "Just make sure they know what you're up to. You own them that much."
"Don't worry. If Vincent hasn't told them when I see them next, I'll spill all the detes myself."
"Good. Trust is important in a crew."
"You wouldn't happen to know anyone willing to join in on this network?" Robbie cautiously asked.
"There is no amount of tequila that will make me give you any names for this mission of yours," Rogue shook her head. "I am offering moral support and nothing more."
"Yea, I had a feeling you were going to say that," Robbie sighed.
"You can worry about it in the morning. For now, I suggest your rest. You can sleep on my couch tonight."
Robbie happily accepted her offer. He was going to make breakfast as a thank you, but the alcohol hit him hard. He ended up sleeping in until Rogue shook him awake.
"May I… ask you a question?" Robbie hesitantly asked.
"That depends on the question," Rogue gave him a sideways glance.
"Why are you helping me?"
"Consider yourself my good deed for the year," she answered nonchalantly.
"I don't believe that for a second. I get that your kindness has strict limits, but the fact that you were willing to put any effort into me in the first place speaks volumes. It can't just be because you thought I had potential."
"Fine, I'll tell you," Rogue sighed, "but this stays between us. Tell anyone; I'll deny it and have you buried alive."
"Agreed."
"It's because you care about people. Even when you were with Maelstrom, you were so much different from the others. Back in my heyday, being an edgerunner was about more than just money and reputation. There was a comradery amongst mercs at the Atlantis. You went on a job, you knew everyone on your crew had your back." Rogue let out another sigh as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Now days, most punks are all too willing to sell each other out to get ahead or save their own skin. That's why I'm careful who I call on when building a crew. It's important that they can trust one another."
"Wow," Robbie said, momentarily lost in thought. "I had no idea."
"And now you do. I also hate being proven wrong. So, you will make things right with your crew, no matter the cost. Understood?"
"I understand. And thank you."
"You're welcome," Rogue nodded, finishing offer coffee.
"I'll have to get you a Christmas present later today. I feel like I owe you at least that much," Robbie thought out loud.
"Robert, there is very little you could get me that wouldn't be inappropriate for our relationship."
"Nothing big," Robbie said. "Just a little thank you gift. Like a coffee mug that says 'World's Best Grandma'."
Rogue's eyes went wide for a split second. She turned to Robbie. Gone was the friend that had let him sleep on the couch, as Rogue shifted into the deadly Fixer that could stare down the best Solos in history.
"I will personally beat you senseless and drown you in cement if you ever so much as think of me as grandma again."
"Alright. Just a joke," Robbie threw up his hands in surrender, unable to lose the smile on his face. "I should probably get going. Have plenty of calls to make if I'm going to get this network thing rolling."
"Found your nerve?" Rogue quirked her eyebrow.
"I did. Guess that's another thing I owe you for," Robbie smirked.
Valerie strolled down the steps once Vik called for her. Stepping into the clinic usually brought her a sense of familiarity and comfort. Vik had always been a friendly doctor, willing to help however he could. But Valerie wasn't so sure this time around. No ones' kindness was limitless, and she had a sinking feeling she was approaching the edge with Vik.
"V, how are you feeling?" Vik asked, not looking up from his tools. Instead of sitting at his desk or watching television like he usually was, he was standing over the operating table, already prepping for whatever was needed.
"I'm fine," Valerie said softly. "Killer headache, but Misty said it was probably dehydration."
"It would certainly be part of the cause. Have a seat." Vik gestured to the operating chair before plopping down onto his rolling stool. Valerie did as she was told, taking a seat and jacking into the computer when instructed to.
"So, what's the plan?" Valerie tentatively asked.
"First, I need to give your chrome a tune up, make sure everything is still in working order," Vik explained. "Then I'll give you any meds you need, and then we are going to have a chat about not being a gonk."
"Y-yea… sounds like… yea."
The process was strangely quiet as Vik typed away. Usually, there would be some sort of small talk involved. Vik was known for giving play-by-plays as he worked and had even been jokingly called a dentist by a few of his regulars. But not this time. He worked diligently, yet silently as he looked over Valerie's cybernetics and bodily reading.
"Everything is back in working order," Vik eventually spoke. "You're lucky you didn't fry any neurons with how many times you fired up your sandevistan."
"I've always been lucky," Valerie smiled, but a thought occurred to her. "Wait, how do you know-"
"Your sandevistan keeps track of when it's activated," Vik answered her question before she could finish. "It's standard on most high intensity cyberware. Basic data and readings are stored for 24 hours. It's so medical professionals can get an idea of what went wrong when diagnosing issues." He turned his screen to Valerie, showing her the file from her system. "Trauma pulled this when they picked you up. Six activations and a malfunction in under 12 hours. Care to explain?"
"The… last three are from my fight with a Zbornak," Valerie said hesitantly.
"Am I safe to assume you won?"
"Yea. He wouldn't back off, so I killed him."
"Did you try to run away, or just take him head on?"
"Running wasn't an option. He could have chased us down," Valerie said.
"Alright. I wasn't there. I'll concede that it was a necessary use of your sandevistan," Vik nodded. "What about the these two? They were about an hour earlier."
"I… used the sandy to give Arasaka the slip," Valerie blushed, eyes dropping to her fidgeting hands.
"So you could pick a fight with a rhino man three times your size?" Vik accused.
"I didn't go there to fight! I just wanted to talk!" Valerie snapped, but quickly dropped her head in shame. "Sorry."
"What about this first one? What caused the malfunction?"
"I had a… disagreement with Jackie's crew," she relented. "I used the sandevistan to screw with them, and Kiwi retaliated by force resetting my chrome. Fell flat on my fucking face."
"Christ, V," the doctor sighed. "What are we going to do with you?"
"So, what's the prognosis, Doc? Am I as hopeless as everyone seems to think I am?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Vik reassured her. "I'm not going to try to break down everything you're going through with work and suddenly having your mobility back. Not that kind of doctor," he smiled. "But it's clear you have a lot of pent of energy and more than a few unresolved issues. I suggest you start working out again. Just start off slow. Build your strength back over time. You should also try to see a psychiatrist, assuming it's included in you insurance. Failing that, maybe try picking up a new hobby."
"Um, yea. Yea, that sounds good," Valerie nodded. "Thanks, Vik."
"I'm not done," he said pointedly. "No more picking fights. With anyone. You push yourself like that again? I can't guarantee you'll be able to sleep it off next time. You run into trouble, use your sandy to get out of there and let your bodyguards do their job."
"And what if they aren't around?" Valerie countered.
"Then I'm assuming you ditched them again and you have a death wish," Vik frowned. "This is more uncharted territory, V. We don't know how your body will react to long term cybernetic use. I'm making Jackie do regular diagnostics, and that's going to go double for you. Understand?"
"Yes," V let out a sigh. "I understand. Don't push myself too hard and stay out of trouble."
"Good. Now for your medication," Vik grabbed an inhaler and an airhypo off his desk. "The immuno-suppressant and anti-inflammatory mix seems to be working well for you. I'll keep you on the same dose for now. Two puffs every eight hours." He handed the inhaler to Valerie, and she immediately took two puffs. "And this is a basic stimulant. It will help accelerate any minor healing, like that blackeye of yours."
"Thanks, Vik," she said, letting Vik inject the stimulants into her upper arm.
"Don't mention it. Just doing my job."
"How much do I owe you?" Valerie asked as she carefully stood from the operating chair.
"This one's on the house. You already owe Trauma Team for the air lift to the hospital. Just promise me I won't see you like this for at least a month, and we'll call it even."
"You're too kind to me," Valerie smiled.
Valerie pouted as she stood before the mirror, letting the tailor take measurements. Vinny had been keeping an eye on her condition, and he was waiting for her in Misty's Esoterica after leaving the Vik's clinic. She was grateful for the ride home, except Vinny insisted on taking a detour to the Jinguji store.
"Is this punishment for the whole Trauma Team thing?" Valerie asked.
"That's part of it," Vinny said, looking over the selection of men's loafers. "The other part is making sure that you look nice when you go back into the office on Monday."
"I already have nice clothes," Valerie whined.
"Not nice enough. Especially with you being the keystone for the FTL program. Don't be surprised if you start getting sent on business trips in a few months."
"What? Is R&D gonna ship me off to Tokyo for a week? Sounds like a waste of time."
"Not if we need you to make sure everything is being built properly," Vinny pointed out. "We have a busy year ahead of us. It would be best for you to look the part. No more cane, and you start wearing full business suits."
"Fine, whatever. Just so long as you are paying," Valerie said. "I'm scrapped for eddies at the moment."
"You can pay me back later," Vinny waved off her comment. "After you pay for your Trauma Service."
"Gawd, don't remind me."
"I have all you measurements registered into the system, Miss Welles," they tailor woman said. "Do you have any ideas about what kind of suit you are looking for?"
"Uhhh…" Valerie glanced over to Vinny, but he was still paying more attention to the shoes than her. "Something in black or red, I guess? It's only for the office."
"Of course. And what about footwear? You would look fabulous in a pair of black wedges. Perhaps a two inch heal?"
"I am two meters tall, and you want to put me in heals?" Valerie looked down at the woman as if she had just said Kang Tao was a charitable organization.
"She will pass on shoes for today," Vinny spoke up. "And no jewelry outside of cufflinks."
"Of course, Mr. Sharp. Will there be anything else?" the tailor asked.
"Do you have these in a size nine?" he asked, holing up a dark grey loafer with a black, metal buckle.
Valerie ended up choosing a black suit and a maroon suit. As agreed, Vinny paid for it and even offered to take her back the next day once the outfits had been properly tailored. Despite thanking her friend, Valerie hated everything about the Jinguji store and what it represented. She felt like a fake and even more hollow than before.
Stepping out of the store, the two friends waited as Vinny called for his car to pick them up. As they spotted the Mizutani rounding the corner, the sound of gunfire rung out. Down the street, a gang fight had broken out. From what Valerie could see, it looked like a dispute between the Valentinos and the Tyger Claws.
She stood there watching the fight. It almost felt like she was waiting, like for an excuse or something. But she wasn't sure.
"Hey, Valerie," Vinny nudged her
"Huh?" the green woman shook off her trance, suddenly aware that her hand was resting on her holster.
"Get in," Vinny gestured to the open door of his car. "Let's delta before the cops show up and block traffic."
Kiwi glanced around Jackie's garage, her eyes landing on his tools and motorcycle. She recognized it as an Brennan Apollo 650-S. It was a sports bike, somewhat old as the Apollo line was discontinued in 2066. Despite that, the motorcycle appeared to be in pristine condition.
"Nice ride. How much of this is custom?" she asked.
"The engine, the wheels, and the two-up seat," Jackie said. "When I was running jobs with Valerie, this was how we got around. Nowadays, I mostly just use it for running errands. Sometimes I take it to a job if it's just me and Robbie."
"Makes sense. Though, I never took you for an Apollo man."
"It's what I could afford," Jackie shrugged. "She's old, but she's reliable. You ride?"
"Used to have Bimota JR-7. Loved that bike, but I had to sell it off to pay for my facial surgery."
"Oof," Jackie winced. "Apologies, amiga. That's a tough break."
"Hey, shit happens," Kiwi said. "I've been eyeing the new Yaiba bikes. The Kusanagi line is supposed to be crazy fast on the highway."
"If you are going to save up that much cash, might as well go the extra mile and get an Arch," Jackie said.
"Isn't that the weird Hollywood brand?" Kiwi cringed.
"Sí, Arch is owned by Keanu Reeves," Jackie chuckled, "but those rides are preem. Had to steal one for a job a while back. Don't recall the details, but I remember delivering that motorcycle with an empty tank, because I couldn't resist doing a lap around the city."
"Was it, like, a smooth ride, or was it just fun to drive something expensive?"
"Oh, it was smooth. We're talking heavenly smooth."
"Christ, you two are insufferable," Lucy interrupted him.
"What?" Jackie looked at her offended. "Can't coworkers talk about their hobbies?"
"We didn't come here so you geezers could talk. You said we were meeting to discuss a job opportunity," Lucy spat.
"Firstly, señorita, I'm 25 and Kiwi is 29. Don't call us geezers," Jackie said pointedly.
"And second," Kiwi jumped in, "you were excited to visit earlier. Why are you pissed off at the world all of a sudden?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because we walked past seven Arasaka guards on the way here?" Lucy said, glaring at the older edgerunners.
"Oh, that," Jackie breathed. "You can blame Valerie's Christmas Eve stunt on that one. It has the Corpos a little jumpier than usual. I wouldn't worry about them."
"Don't worry about the corporate security hanging out around your house?" Lucy asked skeptically.
"They aren't here for you. They are here to make sure the Zbornaks and the other corporations stay away from Valerie. Play nice and they will ignore you, ok? You aren't the only one upset about the whole thing, but if the Valentinos can suck it up, then so can you."
"Whatever. Tell Robbie to hurry up so we can get on with it."
"He's not coming. Won't answer my calls. Messaged me he had other plans," Jackie said.
"Choom falls off the radar for 24 hours and suddenly refuses to return your calls," Kiwi said. "Think it has anything to do with his condition, or no?"
"I'm not sure," Jackie sighed. "He's been getting better, so thinking he just had other plans. Or, that's what I'm hoping."
"Here's hoping you're right. Mind if I smoke?" Kiwi asked.
"Just keep it away from my stuff. And keep an eye out for Vinny, por favor. You'll know him when you see him."
Kiwi nodded, stepping away from the garage and lighting up a cigarette across the alley. She had to place the cigarette into one of the breathing holes on her face mask to get her hit of nicotine. The nicotine was the only reason she was still smoking. She couldn't taste or smell it, making the act almost seem pointless. The first thing on her list to buy was an upgraded mask that had built in sensors. They were pricy, but it would be worth it to taste the smoke and actually enjoy drinking again.
Kiwi was almost done with her cigarette when she saw Valerie walking towards them alongside a man in a suit.
"Hey, Jackie. This your guy?" she asked.
Jackie stepped out into the sun and immediately saw the two approaching figures.
"Hey, Vinny!" he cheerfully called to them.
"Jackie, my man," Vinny greeted back, shaking the Solo's hand, and pulling him into a bro hug. "It's been too long. How you been holding up?"
"Been living life to the fullest," Jackie smiled. "This is Kiwi and Lucy. They are the Netrunners that have been helping with gigs. Ladies, this fancy gonk is Vinny. He helped Valerie save my ass not long ago, and we've been shooting the shit since."
"How do you do?" Kiwi greeted, but Lucy wasn't so impressed.
"Your friends with an Arasaka? I thought you hated the corps," the teen girl accused.
"There is a difference between hating an organization and hating an individual," Jackie pointed out. "Besides, Vinny's the one with the job offer."
"Welp, you all have fun," Valerie waved as she began to walk off. "I'm gonna see if I can talk Mama into giving me a free beer."
"Hold up, Valerie," Vinny stopped her. "This involves you, too."
"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I get to help with your scheming?"
"Not quite."
Valerie shrugged and sauntered over the garage wall, leaning against it with Lucy. She smiled down at the teen before giving Vinny an expectant look.
"Right," Vinny sighed. "Jackie, I want you and your crew to help me build a mercenary network. I need people I can trust to gather info I need, and maybe pull a trigger on occasion."
"You want us to be your corporate hitmen?" Jackie asked skeptically.
"Not quiet," Vinny said slowly. "Mind you, I'm sure hits will come up eventually. But for right now, I just need people on my side. People at ground level that I can trust to the jobs I need done. At the moment, I can count the number of people I trust on one hand, so I need your help finding more mercs for this network."
"Not interested," Lucy spat out. "We're not helping some Arasaka lacky play Fixer."
"Cuid- (Watch it) -ngua," Jackie scolded her. "Try to be polite when doing business."
"Not to insult your crew, choom, but why is there a kid here?" Vinny asked.
"She's my protégé," Kiwi spoke up, "and she does have a point. If you want a mercenary network, then you need to go hire to a Fixer. They already have all the connections."
"That's not a suitable, long-term strategy." Vinny responded. "Most Fixers aren't willing to throw in with a single corporation. The one's I've talked to have some weird philosophy about maintaining balance. Any Fixers who would be willing to help are usually looking for more than eddies in return. There's also the fact that my superiors would eventually learn of my dealings if they went on long enough. That's not ideal if I ever need to protect myself from corporate rivals. The best path forward is to start from scratch."
"It's a decent plan," Jackie scratched his chin in thought. "I would feel a whole lot better about it if you were to quit Arasaka before trying to pull this off."
"Yea, but then I wouldn't have any work for you. This way I can pay you with the corporation's money, and I don't have to worry about anyone looking too close so long as we can keep providing decent results."
"I hope you don't expect this to be an exclusive contract," Kiwi said. "Or else we look as bad as the corporate Fixers."
"Of course not," Vinny shook his head. "I doubt I would have enough jobs for you to warrant that unless I hired you on as full-time corporate agents. No, it would be better for your crew to continue to take jobs from other fixers. Hell, you can even blow up the occasional Arasaka convoy for all I care. So long as it doesn't become my problem or interfere with the work you do for me."
"I still think this is a gonk-ass idea," Lucy scoffed.
"That's fine. I'm not exactly keen on the idea of having a kid work for me. Feel free to sit out on my jobs," Vinny scoffed, drawing a bitter laugh from the teen. "What about the grownups? Any questions?"
"I got one," Valerie raised her hand. "How exactly do I play into this?"
"You are here due to my deal with Robbie," Vinny said, his expression turning cold.
"The hell does he have to do with this?" Valerie frowned.
"He's already agreed to helping me build this network. He's probably making connections right now. But one of his conditions was that I tell you all the truth."
"Which is…?"
"In exchange for keeping Arasaka away from your deal with Masami, I had him spy on you for me."
"What?!" Lucy exclaimed, expressing the shock on Kiwi's and Valerie's faces.
"Oh, that's a good one," Jackie laughed as he stepped forward and placed a hand on Vinny's shoulder. "You want to run that by me again? Maybe include a reason as to why I shouldn't knock your lights out this time?" His smile did little to hide the rage building inside as he started to squeeze Vinny's should just a little too hard.
"I wanted to make sure you didn't get yourself killed, given your unique condition," Vinny stated, not backing down.
"And your first thought was to coerce Robbie into keeping tabs on me? Were you wanting to use me to control Valerie?"
"Of course not. This was never about control. I'm trying to keep my friends from getting themselves killed, or worse."
"Can it, Vinny," Valerie stepped forward, ready to wallop the man's face. "The hell kind of bullshit are you trying to pull? Planting a spy like that and then asking Jackie to help you? You've already broken our trust."
"Did you two ever trust me, Valerie? Because from what I was told, you two keep doing things in the dumbest way possible despite my constant objections."
"The fuck are you talking about?"
"Robbie told me about the AI you're trying to build, and how this one," Vinny shoved away Jackie's arm and looked the Solo in the eyes, "didn't care enough to stop you. That or he was so busy trying to play Blackhand that he didn't notice."
"Wha- He- I gonna kill that bastard!" Valerie screamed.
"No, you are going to thank him," Vinny turned back to her. "Because of him, I can stop you from making a terrible mistake. If you went through with you little plan and NetWatch caught wind of it, it would be an unprecedented disaster."
"Fuck off, Vincent," Valerie spat, turning away. "I know what I'm doing."
"No, you don't!" Vincent shouted, desperate to get through to the green woman. "You have been fighting me every step of the way. I have had to pull so many strings to keep the executives off your ass. And now you've gone and killed a Zbornak, getting the Mayor's office involved! I can't keep doing this. I need you all to listen to me before someone decides to bring the hammer down on our heads."
"Lay off her, Vinny," Jackie tried to grab his shoulder again, but the Corpo quickly shook him off.
"No. She needs to hear this."
"The hell you people want from me?" Valerie asked. "I'm giving Arasaka their stupid spaceship. Do they want me to act like the perfect, little slave, too?"
"V, all I need is for you to stop fighting me," Vinny told her. "Stop acting like Lord Dominator and start following orders."
"What?! Why would you… I'm not… Dominator is dead!"
"Esto es malo," Jackie sighed. "V, I need you to calm down."
"Why should I?" Valerie yelled, her fury growing. "I'm not the one throwing out accusations! I didn't pick that fight with Nikki! I didn't want to hurt anyone! Why are you acting like I'm the bad guy?"
"I'm not calling you a bad guy. I'm calling you a child that refuses to grow up and accept the role she chose," Vinny retorted, poking her in the chest to emphasize his point.
Valerie's eyes flared, her fire locking with Vinny's cold gaze. Pushed to her boiling point, she drew her arm back ready to beat the man into a pulp. But Jackie was on her. Her brother rushed forward and grabbed onto her arm before she could swing.
"Easy, V," Jackie cooed. His grip held true as Valerie desperately tried to swing at Vinny's unflinching expression. "Look at me, Hermana," he said, drawing her attention to him. "Deep breaths, just like Misty taught you." Valerie closed her eyes and focused on his voice. With great effort, she was able to calm herself with shaky breaths. "Bueno. Now, I want you to head inside and sit down for a while. If you need a drink, put it on my tab."
"Fine," Valerie said, ripping her arm from his grasp.
"Lucy, go with her. Order yourself a soda or something. If Mama Welles gives you shit, you can send her my way."
"You got it," Lucy said. She shot Vinny one last, dirty glare before walking away with Valerie.
Once they were out of sight, Jackie let out a heavy breath as he rubbed his eyes.
"Mierda Cristo, I feel so stupid right now," the Latino man mumbled to himself.
"Yea, you see the issues I'm having to deal with now?" Vinny asked him, the sarcasm heavy on his tongue.
"Shut up," Jackie told him. "You didn't need to push so hard. You're lucky I stopped her."
"Hey, uh," Kiwi spoke up. "I'm not usually one to pry into anyone's personal life, but what exactly did I just witness?"
"Valerie, she… had a bit of an identity crisis after landing on Earth," Jackie tried to explain. "It's a long story, but I agreed to help her through it. And I thought she was over the whole Dominator thing, but I guess I was wrong."
"Doesn't sound like the kind of thing you just get over, assuming the stories about her are true," Kiwi said.
"Oh, the truth is way worse than what the online stories let on," Vinny said.
"And her episode just now?"
"I think Valerie was forced to admit something to herself," Jackie huffed. "She didn't pick that fight with the Zbornak, but she sure enjoyed killing him. She wants to move on and be a better person, but her violent nature keeps rounding its head."
"In more ways than one," Vinny continued for him. "At the office, she has a habit of bad mouthing her superiors. And her constant need to shirk authority is causing problems. Hell, Counter-Intel has tried to label her an Info Liability due to how many times she's bailed on her bodyguards."
"Sounds like quiet the firecracker," Kiwi chuckled.
"You have no idea," Jackie sighed. He stepped into his garage and leaned against his motorcycle. "Vinny, I'll need some time to think over your whole network idea. You should just head home for now."
"Sure thing," Vinny nodded and turned away but stopped himself. "Jackie. I'm serious about Robbie. Hate me all you want, but that man would take a bullet for you. He's already come close a few times." He started walking away before Jackie could respond.
"So…" Kiwi stepped into the garage and leaned against the wall facing Jackie. "Now what?"
"What was it you said? Can't trust anyone in Night City?" Jackie huffed.
"Yep," Kiwi nodded. "Though I'll admit, this feels different somehow. No one is backstabbing for eddies. At least not yet."
"Hm," Jackie thought for a hard second. He tried to reach out across the bond to Valerie, but she cut herself off after walking away. Yet another thing he had to kick himself over.
"Kiwi, I get it if you don't want to be part of this anymore. Shit is about to get weird. I'm used to weird, having worked with Extras. But you have Lucy to look out for, so I get it if you want to walk away."
"Lucy will be fine," Kiwi reassured him. "She's strong. Survived on her own for who knows how long. Just don't expect her to help with anything involving Arasaka."
"No kidding. And what about you? You still want to be a part of this?"
"I have no intention of leaving the crew, not when we are just starting to make a name for ourselves. As for your Corpo friend, that's up to you. Sounds like good money, assuming we can actually trust him enough for that."
"I'll have to sleep on it. For now, I need to message a few people. Then I am going for a ride to clear my head."
"Need some company?" Kiwi offered.
"Sure." He took the keys from his pocket and tossed them to her. "I have a spare helmet in the side room," he said pointing to the door in the back of the garage.
"I don't need a helmet," Kiwi objected.
"That's what they all say, right before they become smears on the pavement," Jackie smirked.
"Fine, I'll put on the helmet."
"Vincent said you were doing work for him," the text popped up on Robbie's optics.
"Fuck," he mumbled to himself. He knew Vinny was supposed to talk to them. It was part of their deal. But that didn't make Robbie feel any more prepared for the inevitable fallout.
"Yep," Robbie messaged back. "Did he tell you about the deal we made?"
"Oh, you mean the spying on his behalf? Yes, he told us."
"I am so sorry," Robbie messaged. He was about to send more, but Jackie beat him to it.
"I know. We'll talk about it later," quickly followed by, "Until then."
"Right. Until then," Robbie sighed. He was going to end up with a black eye, bare minimum. He just knew it. But there wasn't time to dwell on tomorrow's problems. He had a meeting to go to.
Walking through the streets of the industrial district dredged up a lot of old memories. Memories he would much rather forget. His year long run with Maelstrom was the low point of his life, and now he needed to reengage with them for whatever it was that Vinny had planned.
Eventually, he reached the designated meeting spot. It was an outdoor relaxation area with plenty of picnic tables and about 15 scizms for food and drink. At the moment, the area was abandoned except for three Maelstrom members.
"Right on time, as usual," the one female member smiled. Her arms had both been replaced with cybernetics and the metal extends down her scantily covered torso and across her abdomen. Seeing her visor eyes again made Robbie feel sick to his stomach.
"Did you expect anything less?" Robbie asked, standing before the three lounging borgs. "Ruby. Butch. Jax."
"The hell did you do to your face?" Jax asked, the sniper optic on his forehead zooming in has his solid orange eyes squinted to examine Robbie closer.
"I had most of my Maelstrom chrome removed and replaced with… well, this," Robbie gestured at his face.
"All that progress down the drain," Butch shook his head. "And you had so much promise, too." Robbie met his gaze, staring into the arachnid style eyes. Butch was the one that had trained him in basic tech, so it was a face he knew well. The metal mohawk was new though.
"It's alright, Latch," Ruby said. "I still think you look cute. But you could have at least kept your optics."
"I wanted my old face back. Is that so hard to understand?" Robbie said.
"Wanted to remember how you looked when we met?" Ruby teased.
"Look, can we- Can we talk business, already?" Robbie frowned, his face scrunching in frustration. "I didn't come all the way up here to reminisce with you jackasses."
"And here we thought you were looking to get your dick wet," Jax joked, causing the other two to laugh.
"Christ, you're worse than Valerie," Robbie mumbled. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "I have an opportunity for you three. I've been running merc jobs since I left. I've made some pretty good connections in that time. Met an Arasaka suit that's looking to put together a team. He needs people to call on for jobs."
"What kind of jobs?" Butch questioned.
"The usual kind: theft, info gathering, the occasional assassination."
"What's the catch?" Ruby asked.
"Uh, this might not work?" Robbie shrugged. "My guy is still working out details on his end, while I was sent out to find recruits. My guy is efficient. And maybe a little desperate. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a job lined up in a few days."
"Who else is involved?"
"Just me and you three as far as I know. My main crew will also be involved should my guy convince them to join in."
"Your main crew?"
"Uh…," Robbie's eyes widen slightly as he processed the question. "You guys know anything about Jackie Welles?"
"Yea," Jax scoffed. "Wasn't he the fuckhead that led the Valentinos against us back in April."
"Well, he's my edgerunning partner."
"I knew it!" Butch blew up, jumping to his feet. "I fucking knew this sounded too weird for you."
"Sit down, choom. I'm not done," Robbie told him.
"Like hell you're not," Butch marched towards Robbie ready to kill. "You just want to sell us out for your corporate master!"
Butch's right arm popped open, a razor-sharp mantis blade protruding forward. He swung at Robbie, but the edgerunner saw his attack coming and easily dodged with his Kerenzikov. Robbie took the opportunity to trip up the gangster, shoving Butch to the grown. Before Butch could get back up, Robbie stomped on the joint of his mantis blade, preventing it from retracting.
"I said I wasn't done," Robbie sneered. Crouching down, he placed the barrel of his pistol right against Butch's chin in case the gangster tried to us his other mantis blade. "Now, are you going to sit down and listen, or do I have to kneecap you first?" Despite trying his hardest to keep his cool, Robbie stared to shake ever so slightly as he contemplated pulling the trigger.
"All right, choom," Butch chuckled, having noticed the shaking. "I'll listen to what you have to say."
Robbie stepped back but kept his gun out, as Butch stood up and walked back over to the bench with the other two.
"If the Valentinos are your concern, then you can stop worrying. Jackie left the gang after that gunfight, same way I left Maelstrom. Our crew is independent, and that's the way my contact would prefer it," Robbie said.
"I'm still not buying it," Jax said.
"For the love of- Look…," Robbie huffed, trying to steady himself. "You turn down my offer, and I leave empty handed. Where does that leave you three? Flailing wildly for the next six months till the infighting is over?"
"We're not gonks, Latch," Ruby frowned. "We were considering joining up with Beast. The guy has 20 men backing him and counting. Told us he wants us to join him to take over Totentanz."
"Who controls it now?"
"Warlock and his netrunner groupies. Figured Beast has a pretty good shot at-"
"You want to pick a fight with Warlock?" Robbie facepalmed. "That guy is capable of shit that scares the pants off corporate netrunners. Fighting him head on is a sure-fire way to get your brain roasted."
"We don't need your input, Latch," Ruby stood up. "The way I see it, you left. And unless you want back in, you don't get to tell us what to do."
"Yes, I left," Robbie sighed, meeting her visor gaze. "And honestly, I'm shocked any of us are still alive. But we are, and I'm giving you a chance to follow me out. Maelstrom is a dead end. It always was. I decided to call you three, because out of the all the borgs in this fucked up gang, you guys were the only ones who ever tried to know the real me. I don't know what your reasoning was, but I survived because of you. Let me return the favor."
The three Maelstromers didn't respond for several seconds, each contemplating his words. Finally, Ruby spoke up.
"Fine. I'll give you one chance. ONE!" she said. "And I expect to be compensated for it."
"We'll… figure something out," Robbie cleared his throat. "Jax? Butch?"
"Ah, what the hell?" Jax laughed. "I'd rather hang with you than Beast any day. Asshole is an Animals poser."
"Butch?"
"You been keeping up on your tech skills?" Butch asked.
"Mostly just lock picking. Why?" Robbie asked.
"Still hopeless," Butch shook his head. "I'll join your little crew on the condition that you get high with us on occasion. And you tell any Valentinos that join us that I'll be watching them, so no funny business."
"Understood," Robbie nodded. "I'll let my guy know."