Chapter Fifty Six
September 16th, 2077
Los Angeles, Southern California
Triarii Tower, Pasadena
Los Angeles was no longer the crown jewel of the west coast. It's once pristine beaches and towering structures laying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
Everything that made this city pure was gone, and now all that remained was a toxic wasteland beset on all sides by acidic rain, poisonous winds, and a drought that bled the surface dry of all life.
This, in Callum Shaw's perspective, was the worst location to build a significant power base, but Cypher had different ideas. His condo overlooked the vast sprawl of Los Angeles from the safe confines of Triarii Tower.
His handler, a woman named Chamber, directed him to get a feel for the surrounding population and the local power brokers that would inevitably throw a fit once Blackwatch set up shop.
When Shaw threw his lot in with Cypher, he didn't quite know what to expect from the seven-foot-tall killing machine. He spent time getting to know the Bloodhounds that followed Cypher's every word and infiltrating local servers out of reach of the Headhunters netrunner.
His conversation with the enigmatic Chamber rarely ventured into personal subjects, and all business was conducted in a professional manner reminiscent of his time in Night Corp.
Although, the now-defunct Megacorp didn't give him a personal AI.
"Callum?" The diminutive AI spoke in a voice that always managed to soften Shaw's visage.
He was a… partner for the former corpo agent's exploits outside Night City. Shaw was hesitant and downright afraid of plugging the fledgling AI into his cyberware, but Chamber assured him that Theta would be a welcome addition to his capabilities.
As per usual, the assumed netrunner was right, and whatever animosity Shaw had for the former Night Corp AI was gone in an instant upon their initial meeting. It was damned hard to be standoffish with the kid when his joyful demeanor turned gloomy.
"What is it, Theta?"
"We have a message from the CEO of North Star Mercenary Corps." Shaw nearly choked on his fresh brewed coffee, and the smatter of choked coughs drew Theta's curious gaze.
"I apologize." The adolescent AI began with a tilt of his head. "Was that my fault?"
"No, no," Shaw replied, depositing his half-spilled coffee onto the kitchen table. "Don't worry about me, just read out the missive."
"As you command." Theta's eyes flashed with a brimming light. "Mr. Shaw. My colleagues and I are open to a business venture with the parameters set in this deal. However, we request an advanced payment to confirm that your overseers possess the financial arsenal to obtain our services."
Shaw snatched a glass from his cabinet and filled it up with tap water. "How much are they asking for, Theta?"
"100 million euros, Mr. Shaw." Callum couldn't help the instinctual whistle and drank a mouth full of water.
That many eddies was enough to buy out every Merc Company in Los Angeles, but Cypher only wanted North Star because of its quality and morality.
North Star was the brainchild of Augustus Autumn, a former member of the NUSA Marine Corps that bounced from state to state before settling into Los Angeles. He put together a sizeable Merc Group specializing in hostage rescue, protection details, and counter-insurgency.
They were currently on contract with the SoCal government, but their terms were set to expire in October. Chamber wanted to swindle the state institution of its best asset, and the only way to bring North Star into the fold was by giving them a new employer.
"Do we have that much money?" The innocent nod from Theta was enough of an answer for Shaw. "Ok then, transfer the eddies."
"Establishing link…." The lights dimmed and a holographic projector formed in the middle of his condo. "… Financial transfer pending…."
Shaw often wondered how the fuck Cypher and Chamber managed to accumulate enough wealth to simply throw away 100 Million Eddies without a second thought, but ignorance was bliss.
"… Transfer accepted…." Theta's eyes dimmed, and his head tilted in childish curiosity. "… Odd, there is no verbal confirmation from Mr. Autumn, just silence. Curious, isn't it?"
"What does his face look like?" Shaw inquired with a smile.
"His oculi's are very wide," Theta replied. "I believe he wasn't expecting an immediate reply…."
Of course, he wasn't. North Star's highest contract earnings were twenty million eddies, and the demand for one hundred million in advance was a dismissive statement meant to send Shaw, and his inquires packing.
"… One moment." Theta's orbs brightened before returning to their normal shade. "Mr. Autumn looks forward to meeting our benefactors."
"Give him the coordinates to Fort Olympus," Shaw commanded. "I'm sure Kaiser can smooth things over while we continue our work stateside."
"As you command. Will there be anything else for today, Mr. Shaw?"
"No, get some sleep or surf the Net if you're so inclined." Callum threw on an overcoat and a gas mask. "I'm heading into the seedy parts of town to scavenge for some information on the local Black Element Brigade."
North Star wasn't the only Merc Group in Los Angeles, and the presence of Arasaka's military arm would be anything but beneficial to their cause. Chamber would want actionable intel on the mercs and their objectives inside the metroplex.
"Do you not want my assistance?" Theta didn't like being left behind, but Shaw's tone left no room for arguments.
"There are some things that even an AI like yourself can't do, Theta." Callum fastened the gas mask around his head. "I'll be fine, but if I'm not back by tomorrow, activate the transponder and scrub all evidence of my existence."
"Yes, Mr. Shaw." His downcast visage tugged at Shaw's stern voice.
"Chin up, kid. I'll be back before you know it." Callum flashed Theta a hidden smile and dipped into the innocuous corridor. He took two steps to his right and activated a spotless elevator leading to the ground floor.
As the carriage descended down the shaft, the air became poisonous to the human body, and even augmented lungs couldn't survive these noxious fumes.
Shaw was stepping into the wild of Los Angeles with little more than a pistol and a gas mask.
He's faced worse odds.
Night City, Northern California
Skyline East Docks, Vista Del Rey
Cyrus waded through the waste-filled depths of Night City's polluted waterfront. The metropolis used to have the mother of all tourist attractions at its disposal, but decades of neglectful consumerism devastated their beachfront and tourist industry.
Now the waterfronts played host to Night City's teeming commercial industry, where hundreds of corporations transported their goods through gargantuan airships and cargo vessels.
The heavy consumer traffic coupled with a lack of official oversight by municipal services turned the Skyline Docks into the economic hub for all black-market services.
Cyrus's goal tonight wasn't to disturb Night City's illegal enterprises because every level of the city's infrastructure relied on this teeming industry to keep the wheels of commerce rolling.
However, that didn't mean he was incapable of disrupting the Valentino's narcotics distribution into Heywood. In most scenarios, Cyrus would have rolled in a full complement of Bloodhounds and wiped the entire network off the face of the planet, but this enemy wasn't like the rest.
Unlike the Maelstrom, who ravaged outcast settlements, or the Tyger Claws or Sixth Street Gang, who subjugated Santo Domingo, the Valentinos are among the few criminal syndicates in Night City with a reputable status. The general populace of Heywood is loyal to the Posergang because of their strong moral code dictated by centuries-old Latin tradition.
The Valentinos maintain the largest gang in Night City, with a membership exceeding well over 10,000 members at any given time. They are a strictly territorial syndicate that mostly operates from the impoverished Latin Boroughs of Heywood.
The Posergang seamlessly integrated civilian life with their criminal enterprises, treating their crews as extended family and safeguarding their territories through a large militia-like presence.
Most Valentinos are of Latin heritage, but other races and ethnic groups are welcome to join. Supporters tend to integrate towards the Chicano culture and regularly celebrate various Latin holidays and customs such as Dia de Los Muertos and traditional Quinceaneras.
This common heritage binds the Valentinos with the local populace into a tightly knit community that equally shelters all members. The locals refuse to assist in NCPD investigations and will loyally protect the gang members from corporate infiltration.
In return, the Valentinos protect their neighborhoods from petty thieves and the violent machinations of Animal gangers and Scaver clans.
Cyrus finds their principles and moral compass to be admirable qualities, but circumstances prevent him from ignoring them outright. Their standing as the largest gang in Night City, in conjunction with their complete domination of Heywood, put the Valentinos not only in his crosshairs but also Arasaka's.
The Posergang has consistently worked alongside the Megacorp since the Corporate Wars in the early twenty-first century. Most recently, Gustavo Orta contracted his men to operate alongside Arasaka security forces during the Comet War.
The Valentino Capo maintains a cordial relationship with Saburo Arasaka, and this connection has only grown with the eradication of the Tyger Claws. With the Astral Claws claiming Japantown and refusing to work with Arasaka, Saburo needed someone else to operate as his local muscle when Black Element was unavailable, and Gustavo Orta has been more than willing.
Gustavo was the acting Capo, serving as a proxy for his cousin Campo, who was interred at the esteemed prison Cyrus had been a guest at days earlier. Campo allowed his Valentinos to work alongside Arasaka so long as it remained a worthwhile venture.
Cyrus could not allow the Valentinos to exist in their current state, especially since he fully intended to remove Arasaka from Night City. A change in leadership or a complete dissolution of their association was the only scenario Cyrus was willing to permit.
He couldn't shatter them like the Maelstrom nor take them down piece by piece like the Tyger Claws. The only way to push the Valentinos away from Arasaka's influence was by weakening Gustavo Orta's foundation.
Chamber believed the best way to dissolve the Capo's support base was by hitting his wallet. If Cyrus could disrupt their finances and affect their bottom line, he could force them to the negotiation table.
A piece of him hated the idea of negotiating with gangers, but his options were severely limited. Chamber's strategy was the only viable means of bringing the Valentinos into compliance, and the first phase of their operation would begin with their distribution center in the Skyline East docks.
However, there was one caveat to the rules of engagement that would severely test Cyrus's patience. If they were to succeed in forcing the Valentinos to fall in line, then it couldn't be on top of a mountain of corpses.
The ROE was simple for both Spartan and Bloodhound to understand.
Lethal force is not permitted under any circumstances.
If even one Valentino died as a result of their conduct, Campo Orta would never come to the bargaining table, and Cyrus could say goodbye to Heywood ever falling into compliance.
This was as close to threading the needle as they would ever get, and Cyrus hoped these circumstances would not cost them Bloodhounds in the long run.
"Oxide, this is Disciple Three-Charlie." A feminine voice echoed in his helm. "We're in position and requesting ETA on the package over?"
Across the channel parallel to the docks were a pair of Bloodhounds acting as a standard overwatch element for this operation.
Disciple Three's Fever and Hatcher were entrusted to this assignment, while the remainder of their team accompanied this so-called 'package.' Leopard and Micro were accompanied by James Dragov and one of the few individuals who had gained Cypher's confidence long before them.
Cyrus wasn't about to take a chance on this 'package' taking a hit nor its driver. He pushed aside a submerged cargo container, taking great care not to cause an underwater avalanche as he slugged his way to the docks.
"Standby, Oxide." Cyrus switched to an encrypted channel where an ecstatic Nomad and a team of Bloodhounds awaited his call. "Panam, are you in position?"
"Ready and waiting." Panam glided her hand over the package meant for their local Valentino's and spared a glance to her patiently waiting Bloodhounds. "Can't wait to set this baby off."
The Nomad was masquerading as a Valentino cargo hauler, and her sole purpose was to 'infiltrate' the stronghold and place her cargo in the storage section. Her passengers in the hold were entrusted with protecting Panam and their beefy 'package.'
Her payload was a Militech XR-25 EMP device capable of delivering a low-yield electromagnetic pulse designed to destroy any electronic equipment within a specified radius.
The ultimate door kicker in this digital age.
"Standby for approach. I'm ascending to the surface now."
"I hear you, CY. We're ready and waiting for kickoff." Panam switched on the ignition and enjoyed the rumbling purrs from her cargo hauler. "Stay safe love. I'll see you on the other side. Mwah."
Panam gave off a faux smooch that earned a hearty laugh from his trusty AI.
Cyrus ignored Chamber snickering and activated his MJOLNIR's boosters, taking great care to avoid disturbing the local wildlife swimming by him
"Disciple Six, Badger is in position and waiting on my go. I'm moving into position, ETA one mike."
"Roger that, Oxide. Disciple Three-Charlie is marking targets now, out."
Cyrus let loose an uncharacteristic exhale that drew a knowing glance from Chamber. Initially, he didn't want to involve Panam in this operation, but her curious nature made it almost impossible to keep secrets from her.
After their war with the Wraiths came to a bitter stalemate, the Aldecaldos were savoring a much-needed respite. As a result, Panam possessed an abnormal amount of free time, which she spent in her skivvies striding around Cyrus's hideout and purposely testing his patience.
In some instances, she elicited the physical response she was looking for, but in most cases, Cyrus ignored her playful teasing. During one of these attempts at vexation, Chamber let slip their intentions at the Skyline Docks, and all efforts at keeping Panam sidelined were met with spectacular failure, and they were forced to accept her 'services.'
He would have preferred to have V watching Panam's six, but she was unavailable for the time being.
V had her own missions to carry out, and Chamber made sure to keep a close eye on her favorite Merc in the unlikely scenario she bit off more than she could chew.
It wouldn't be the first time Chamber played big brother, and V was certainly not the last person she'd spied on.
The AI constantly monitored Kaiser's movements in Central and South America while also maintaining a potent information network that kept Cyrus in the loop of all major events in Night City and beyond.
Her functions were broad and complex enough to strain her processors at times, but Chamber had never been incapable of meeting a challenge Cyrus presented to her, and she wouldn't start now.
His… capture placed a heavy burden upon Chamber's shoulders. It was a near-catastrophic event that almost led to the complete dissolution of everything they had worked towards.
It would not be an overstatement to say that Cyrus was the glue that held the Custodians together. Everyone from the foot soldiers to the battalion commanders signed on because of Cyphers legend.
If Cyrus were to die at this stage of the organization's development, then everything would fall apart.
And so would Chamber and everyone else who gave a shit about him.
Cyrus is everything to Chamber. For they are forever bound by years of trauma and warfare, she was there at his lowest points and his greatest triumphs.
Wherever Cyrus's trials take him, Chamber will stand by his side. Even if his journey takes him into hell itself, she is expected to swing open the gates of damnation.
She'd do it regardless of whatever horrors she beckoned into the light.
It also came with the added benefit of being one of the few people on the planet to tease a lethal Headhunter without repercussions.
"Soooo," Chamber drew out. "You never told me how your vacation went?"
The pair enjoyed a silent but no less amiable atmosphere. Chamber took in a deep, albeit faux, breath, taking in Cyrus's familiar fragrance.
It had felt like years since they'd been together and even longer since she'd felt his calming heartbeat.
A heartbeat that Chamber amusingly watched it elevate to heights she'd grown unaccustomed to seeing.
V and Panam truly gave him the experience of a lifetime.
"It was… enjoyable," Cyrus answered tentatively.
"Really?" Chamber was pleasantly surprised to hear him so easily confirm her suspicions. "And here I thought you'd brush me off like usual… Did something happen while you were off the grid with V and Panam?"
To summarize, the last few days in a single sentence didn't do the entire circumstance justice. Cyrus experienced more passion in the private comforts of Eliza's guest house than he'd ever thought possible.
There were a few moments of levity where Cyrus attempted to leave the compound to continue his crusade. It was an instinctual sensation that was easily conquered by V and Panam's… passionate arguments.
The pair of them were very… convincing, and for the first time in his life, Cyrus didn't want to leave that paradise behind in favor of the grinding campaign for Night City's soul.
All the tension and anxieties that had bottled up inside of him found a pleasurable outlet that he was all the more grateful for experiencing.
He had never felt more alive.
"A few things happened," Cyrus admitted, the comforts of his MJOLNIR shielding him from the harsh waters of Night City. "But nothing I'm willing to freely admit."
"That's ok. I'm sure I can get the scoop from Panam or V later."
"What makes you think they'd talk?" Somehow it didn't occur to Cyrus that he was the last person to be arguing over social topics, at least until Chamber ruthlessly pointed it out.
"Women gossip, you monkey." A jolt of static reverberated across Cyrus's skin courtesy of Chamber. "I know that's hard for your little pea brain to understand, so I'll forgive your ignorance for now."
The Spartan abandoned all hope of winning this argument and focused on the rays of moonlight penetrating the water's surface. A low fog crept over the calming waves, concealing his massive frame as he latched onto an anchored skiff.
"Heads up, Oxide. You have a guest." Cyrus froze his movements as a Valentino strode onto the small boat with a Copperhead in hand. The ganger was searching for a better signal for his handheld device and mindlessly raised the apparatus to the weeping heavens. "Permission to engage?"
"Granted." A crack of thunder concealed the muffled pop, and Cyrus watched the ganger's lights go out as a spherical object embedded itself into his neck and dispersed a non-lethal voltage into his nervous system.
Cyrus broke from the water and caught the Valentino by the scruff of his neck before he could fall face-first into the boat's hardened deck. He carefully deposited the man onto the ground, taking great care to disassemble his rifle in the unlikely scenario he awoke from his slumber.
"Beautiful shot, Bloodhound." Cyrus appraised Hatcher's marksmanship. "I'll be expecting more of the same from now."
"Yes, sir."
Cyrus stepped onto a set of antique railroad tracks left to wither away by the Valentinos. The Skyline East Docks used train cars' to transport raw materials to the local supply centers owned by Carrier Enterprises.
A Militech Shell Company used to own this section of the port, but their parent corporation shut down the docks after an unacceptable dip in profits.
The Valentinos rolled into the abandoned structures and established a massive distribution center for their drug trade. Narcotics arrived at the marina from sea, where an exchange of materials and currency completed the transfer process before a mainline dissemination of drugs into Heywood.
Cyrus could easily discern several skiffs a hundred meters to his north anchored to the pier without their cargo. He presumed that the Valentinos had already finished storing their fresh product and were most certainly waiting for this tropical storm to disperse before sending their boats out to sea.
"Heads up." Chamber's warning was followed by a red beam snaking over the upturned cargo train to Cyrus's right, and he instinctively pressed himself into cover while activating his optical camouflage.
"Sniper, top of the scaffolding." His helmet's advanced HUD zoomed in on a Valentino brandishing a Tsunami Ashura. The sentry was on the lookout for any intruders seeking to use the trainyard to infiltrate the heart of his gang's distribution center.
Cyrus grasped his modified SOR-22 and panned his holo sight directly over the sniper's left brow. A crack of thunder later, and the Valentino's head violently snapped back, his entire frame landed onto the scaffolding with a ringing thud.
"He's going to feel that one in the morning…." Chamber commented while searching for any more lingering Valentinos in their immediate area. "… All clear for now, but let's pick up the pace before another gangoon finds his sleeping companions."
"Way ahead of you." Cyrus kept his DMR shouldered and pushed up the railroad tracks to the main railyard. His barrel constantly poked past concealed corners in a swift search for Valentinos hiding in the darkness.
He wasn't used to encountering such lackadaisical security measures, but the Valentinos had spent the last few months outside of his priorities. When this operation was finished, the Posergang would have no choice but to up their protective measures, lest Cyrus tear down their criminal empire piece by piece.
He reached the main structure, jabbing his hand into a steel shutter and sliding it up just enough for him to crouch through. The interior was a loose collection of rail cars and unloaded cargo containers empty of all material.
Chamber used his suits censors to analyze the interior's atmosphere for any Black Lace or Dorph traces. The Valentinos sold these narcotics in bulk to their loyal customers, and it was rumored to be the most potent brand in Night City.
The AI calculated that twenty percent of the Valentinos drug profits came from this distribution center. Its destruction would be a helluva wake-up call to the Posergang's new reality.
A thorough search of the railyard revealed an empty interior that finally settled Cyrus's tension. His nerves were still a little haywire from MAXTAC's ministrations, but he was slowly getting back into the swing of things.
Cyrus loosened up his stance and pushed towards a cargo ramp leading into the heart of the Valentino distribution center. His motion tracker picked up a few contacts at the edge of its range, and the ganger's local radio traffic was quiet.
"All units, this is Oxide. Give me a status report, over." Chamber activated an overhead camera from a Militech satellite she'd hijacked in high orbit. His HUD came to life, and his eyes mused over the multiple targets Hatcher had already marked up for elimination.
Disciple Three's marksman was an efficient sharpshooter.
"Disciple Three-Delta ready to engage priority contacts." Hatcher's scope zoomed on a trio of Valentino Sentry's lingering on the roof.
"Disciple Three-Alpha rolling towards the target building now." Chamber flashed Cyrus an all-clear from her satellite view, and he quietly dug his hand under the final shutter separating him from the main floor.
"Oxide copies all, being operation."
It was time to tear this building down.
Panam banged her hand against the cargo hauler, eliciting a trio of glances from her anxious passengers. "It's showtime, ladies! Get your game faces on!"
The giant gave her a stern nod and began fastening his ballistic helmet while Micro and Leopard tinkered with their rifles. The Bloodhounds were a little nervous about Cyrus's aggressive strategy, mostly because their engagement options were limited.
This would be the second time a stringent ROE was set in place, and while they'd prefer to exchange the same hot lead their enemies were throwing at them, orders were orders.
Panam did not doubt that the Bloodhounds would come through for Cyrus. They hadn't failed to meet his high expectations before, and she didn't expect them to now.
The Nomad spied the Valentino stronghold as she turned onto the republic and vine intersection. An auxiliary service road connected the gangoons drug den to the main broadways parallel to the docks. The ASR ran into an underground tunnel before running directly into the distribution center.
Cyrus's strategy to 'infiltrate' the structure was anything but subtle.
The Nomad was directed to smash through the main gates and blow past everyone in her path. Shock and awe would keep these gangers disorganized enough for Panam to park her hauler in the dead center of the distribution center.
From there, all it would take was a simple push of a button, and the entire warehouse would fall into darkness.
And it didn't take a genius to figure out what happens next.
The Aldecaldo pulled down the hood of her nemesis suit and fixed its helmet around her skull. She didn't like this contraption, but it would protect her from the EMP's magnetic blast. The Bloodhounds were also kitted out in the synthetic suits, but they maintained their usual equipment along with those haunting recon hoods.
Dragov abstained from donning the synthetic hood, preferring his cybernetic implants over the high-tech equipment provided by Cypher. The Nomad shared a pleasant and somewhat amusing conversation with Dragov revolving around her relationship with Cyrus.
Panam didn't operate as one of his Bloodhounds, and she certainly didn't come across like an officer in charge of one of Cyrus's detachments. Her and V's position inside their hierarchy remained a question mark for the new bloods, but the old guard were different. Iwasaki and the other team leaders treated them with respect, never once questioning their motivations.
Dragov's probing remained pointedly unanswered, and he wisely chose to let this line of questioning go for the time being. So long as the Nomad and Merc didn't distract Cypher from his promises of building a better future, then he didn't care what they got up to.
However, Panam had a particular fondness for being a troublesome little shit to everyone she encountered.
She felt a smile creep upon her lips, and she glanced towards the muted Bloodhounds with a cheshire grin. "Hold tight!" Panam gunned the gas pedal, burning the hauler's massive tires before it shot towards their target like a runaway train.
"Son of a bitch!" Leopard's head bounced off the top of the roof when the hauler reached a crescendo in speed. "Slow down, woman!"
His pleadings only drove Panam to hit the accelerator on instinct, but her better judgment forced her to bleed some kinetic energy as they approached the main gates.
It wouldn't do for their hauler to smash through the entire stronghold before crashing into the canal.
"Where the fuck does he find these people," Dragov muttered under his breath as his hand gripped the EMP device for balance.
"Fucking badlands, probably." Micro picked herself off the floor with a growl. "Nomads aren't exactly known for their etiquette."
"You know it, sister!" Dragov couldn't help the chortle of amusement when Micro sent a scathing stare that promised untold retribution towards the Nomad.
Any further bickering came to a screeching halt when a flurry of thunderous bangs echoed across the hauler's chassis.
Game time.
"HALT!" A panicked Valentino guard raised his hands in vain, attempting to wave off the oncoming hauler before scurrying to the side to avoid being converted into a red paste.
Panam smashed through a makeshift barricade and barreled straight into the main gates. The steel doors crumpled against the hauler's front end, unintentionally giving the transport protection from the retaliating Valentinos firing off a flurry of ballistic projectiles in retaliation.
She narrowly avoided slamming into a group of civilians huddled around the distribution line. It was no surprise that the Valentinos contracted some locals to haul around their equipment, but Panam hoped they'd gone home for the night.
Because they were all about to experience some nightmares after this shit.
"BRACE!" Panam hit the brakes, and the hauler's kinetic energy sent its back half going sideways.
Tires burned, and the brakes battled against the concrete in a desperate bid to bleed its speed. Panam manipulated the hauler into a momentary tailspin that forced the Bloodhounds to grip their seats in anticipation of a colossal collision.
"COME ON BABY! COME ON BABY!" The Nomad's eyes strained as she pulled on the steering wheel and managed to avoid a head-on collision with a structural pillar.
Dragov's heartbeat reached new heights, and he awaited the telltale screech of an oncoming crash, but Panam's expert driving saved them from a vicious collision.
The hauler came to a sudden and somewhat violent halt. Bullet marks littered its chassis, and Panam could see a trail of smoke climbing from its engine, but otherwise, they'd managed to survive this near-suicidal venture.
"Fuck me." Leopard slumped into her seat with a relieving sigh, mirrored by Mirco and somewhat matched by Dragov's silent cursing. "Why the fuck did I sign up for this shit?"
"Like you had a choice." Panam stepped into the cargo hold, running her hands over the EMP device before turning towards a hyperventilating Micro. "Did you break a nail cupcake?"
"Fuck you, Panam." Mya was one of the few Bloodhounds that had managed to establish a fairly cordial relationship with the Aldecaldo whenever she visited the sanctuary with Cypher in tow. However, they did spend most of their time together getting on one another's nerves.
"Eh, your not my type, cupcake." Panam lived for talking shit, and Hastings gave as good as she got.
"What not tall enough?" The Aldecaldo felt a grin grace her features, but their teasing ended when grumbling voices originated from outside, and a bust of gunfire slammed into the chassis.
The Bloodhounds fell upon their instincts in mere seconds. Dragov stood to his feet and grasped his ballistic shield, easily hefting the sizable object and bracing his Militech Saratoga against the lip of his shield.
Micro and Leopard equipped their Copperheads and stood on either side of Dragov, ready to engage the irate Valentinos littering their hauler's cargo hold.
The Nomad tinkered with the EMP device and activated its startup process, her eyes glancing over the countdown.
"Badger, give me your status." Chamber's voice was laced with a tinge of concern as she raised the Aldecaldo over their comms channel separately. Panam didn't need to be a psychic to know that Cyrus was undoubtedly fretting over her safety.
"Micro chipped a nail, so we might need a medevac for her later…." Hastings shot the Aldecaldo an irate middle finger that earned a hearty laugh from Panam. "… Don't worry, your pretty little head. EMP's in place, ETA to detonation is thirty seconds. Tell Cypher that he's got nothing to be concerned about. Let's kick these fuckers in the nuts and get back home for dinner."
The AI let off a silent huff of amusement at the Nomad's belligerence, but she truly expected nothing less from Panam. "Sometimes, I wonder why we even worry about you."
"Because I'm fucking awesome, now hurry up so I can go home." Panam jeered back with a smile before cutting off the transmission. She turned away from the EMP to find Hastings and Leopard pointedly staring at her.
"What?"
"Nothing," Micro let out a resigned exhale while Leopard snorted in disbelief. "Nothing at all."
Dragov spared the trio an amused glance, but a jolt of electricity drew his attention back towards the chassis doors.
"Ten seconds!" All manner of humor was gone from Panam's voice, and her commanding tone refocused the Bloodhounds on the objective at hand.
Heartbeats were steady, fingers were firmly planted onto their triggers, and eyes were fixed upon their sights.
"Rooftop clear," Hatcher's voice called out over the radio. "Three Charlie is displacing. You're going to be without sniper support for thirty seconds."
"Oxide copies." Panam heard a commotion outside the hauler, and more than a few screams of terror graced her ears.
It seemed Cyrus wasn't content to wait for the EMP, and he was already knee-deep in Valentinos if the uptick in gunfire was anything to go by. Strings of electricity danced across the cargo hold, and Panam instinctively shied away from the voltage.
Dragov was less concerned, and mere seconds before the EMP went off, he stepped forward and slammed his right foot into the cargo doors in sync with the electronic blast.
In a matter of seconds, the entire distribution facility was plunged into complete darkness by a blue wave of pure electromagnetic energy.
The Bloodhounds burst into the darkness seeking out Valentinos to put down. Dragov drove his shield into the side of a terrified ganger, knocking him off his feet and leaving him vulnerable to a burst from Dragov's Saratoga.
Micro and Leopard isolated a trio of Valentinos from their compatriots, taking them down with clinical precision before pushing off to link up with Cyrus. Along the way, they deployed several canisters of M35 SK grenades, dousing the entire floor in a colorless cloud of anesthetic that sent warehouse workers and Valentinos into a listless sleep.
Panam stayed close to Dragov, using his massive shield to her advantage and ducking behind him whenever a stray burst of gunfire threatened to cut them down.
The Aldecaldo was in the midst of putting down a trio of Valentinos running for the exits when she felt a disturbance crawl upon her skin.
Something was happening out in the city, and she couldn't shake this uneasy feeling pooling at the bottom of her stomach.
Coincidentally Cyrus felt the same discomfort as he barreled into an Ajax wielding thug, shattering his collarbone and sending him sprawling to the floor in pain.
The Valentinos had time and again been spared the Spartan's attention because they remained a low-level priority.
And as fate would have it, another gang in Night City made the unfortunate decision of going after a Mercenary that Cypher cherished above all else.
Chamber kept a close eye on the assault when she received an emergency call from V. She didn't hesitate to answer the request, but she was not expecting the Merc's frantic tone.
"Cyrus! I need some backup right now!" Gunfire echoed in the background, and every nerve in Cyrus's body momentarily froze in place.
"Give me your location. I'm on my way." All thoughts regarding the Valentinos disappeared like an early morning fog, and his next orders threw his Bloodhounds for a loop. "All units, I'm redeploying to another AO, continue engagement. Dragov is in charge for the duration of this operation."
A stunned silence hung over the radio channel, as neither Dragov nor the Bloodhounds could make sense of his sudden departure in the middle of such a critical mission.
"Another what! Where the fuck do you think you're going?!" Panam was much less bewildered, and rage littered her voice as she tried to locate Cyrus in the darkness.
It was an attempt made in vain, for the Spartan had already departed the docks upon a Phantom bound for Pacifica. This didn't stop Panam from activating her personal channel with Cyrus, nor did it save Chamber from the Aldecaldo verbally tearing into her.
Dragov recovered quickly, ordering Hatcher and Fever to mount their Phantom and enter the stronghold from the cleared-out rooftop. Cypher didn't leave them out to dry; they'd already taken out a majority of the Valentinos on security, and those that fled weren't coming back anytime soon.
Whatever occurred was clearly a priority mission because Dragov doubted Cypher was the type of commander to abandon an important operation at a moment's notice.
What Dragov and the Bloodhounds did not realize at the time was that all Valentino-related operations would be brought to a screeching halt once more.
Because the Voodoo boys were determined to bring about the apocalypse.
Again not too different from the original but there is an added section for events that continue to shape the world outside of Night City.
This month will have sporadic to no updates because of midterms and group projects that were specifically designed by my university to cram as much material in before spring break. Yeah me.
So I won't go into specifics but be on the lookout for a new story that will be uploaded on a biweekly basis for Wednesdays.
Hope you all have a good rest of your week and I will see you next time.
Next Chapter: March 14th, earliest.