Authors Note: I do not own Cyberpunk 2077, just an avid game fan.
Rated M for MATURE.
Hope you enjoy! ;)
I've been finding a lot of music lately for my fanfic.
(Dr0nched in Sw0t- Kamarra/ Grim Salvo) Copy and paste into youtube.
The next morning, true to her word, Judy called.
"Judy." I widened my eyes in surprise. "So, got a plan?"
"Damned right, I do." She oozed confidently, adding, "Come over to mine tonight. We're laying the groundwork with Tom and Roxie; they're with us." After a thoughtful hesitation, she warned, "Maiko will be here too."
I raised my eyebrows, both impressed and suspicious. "How'd you manage that?" I glanced around the street.
"Got somethin' really big." She nonchalantly brushed her shoulder before winking into the com, "Tell you the detes tonight, last thing— what do you like on your pizza?" She quirkily mused the word 'peeza'.
"Deadpool— hands down, pineapple and olives." I beamed into her spirited demeanor.
"Uh, heh." With a chuckle and a tentative smile, she added, "One of those things I can get behind…"
"Sweet N' salty." I mischievously squinted trying to intrigue her.
"Hmn... might have'ta snag me a bite." She bit the edge of her lip playfully before nodding with her chin, "So I'll see you come evening?"
"'Course I'll be there."
The com blinked off as I stepped within the familiar bar of Coyote Cajo's, a tide of nostalgia flooding me of my old stomping grounds. Within this bar, I've reset broken noses, mended bloody fingers, and realigned dislocated shoulders.
"Ey, you. Sittin' at the wrong table." A Valentino stated, arms crossed, addressing the already wasted suit laying his head down on the table he occupied.
"Uh... this isn't a bar?" He looked up at him.
"It is. But it's our bar." The Valentino growled, "Get up." His other gang member circled the opposite side of the table.
Pepe the bartender commanded, "V! Go teach those assholes how to behave in my bar!"
I stepped towards the table as the Valentino exclaimed, "Ey, back off. Ain't your biz here!"
"You heard what Pepe said, take a fuckin' walk." I ordered vehemently.
The Valentino turned to me with crossed arms as he threatened, "Choom— fuck off. Or I implant my blade into your ribs."
I raised my eyebrows, "Really? Wonder what Mama Welles would say— what'd she do when she sees you two gonks fuckin' up her joint." I waved towards him adding, "My bet she'd whip out her shotgun, blast your heads off."
"Aight come on Pedro, not worth it." The other gang member scoffed as Pedro exclaimed to me, "Yo fuck you! Carajho! Fuckin punk." they both were disgruntled and left for another corner.
The suit looked at me confused, "But what…what just happened?"
I shrugged nonchalantly, "Landed in a little trouble, cleaned up now."
"Goddamn sorry, I…I think I've had a little too much. Fuck, what a night! Why?" He slurred, "Why'd you help me?"
I appraised his fancy corpo suit with my eyes, "Cause I know you got the scratch."
"This fuckin' town, these people…just mindin my own biz… still if it weren't for you I—here for your trouble" he swiftly pointed towards me in a transfer before laying his head down, "The rest ugh, the bartender has the rest."
Speaking of the bartender I joined my choom, Pepe who commented, "Circling him like sharks with the scent of fresh corpo blood, if it weren't for you V, things coulda been worse."
"Yeah well, not all hero's wear capes." I groaned sarcastically.
"How about we drink to you then, on the house." He suggested.
I sat comfortably within the stool, "Won't say no to a free drink."
He slid me a full glass, "To good fortune then!"
I sipped on it, remarking the earlier trouble, "Long day?"
"Nahhh, just don't wanna go home." Pepe admitted before leaning on the bar with his elbows, "Ten years married, y'know? Ten years 'n suddenly I'm not good enough, has to get a piece of side action. Anyhow… you wouldn'ta be lookin for a gig, V? Pays solid."
I actually am…depending.
I finished the drink, "Run me through it."
"It's about my wife, right? Names Cynthia. She's cheating— damn sure of it. Question is, who with?" He leaned his head, "Could let it eat me away, or get someone like you. Ain't no more than an evening's work." He promised.
I raised my eyebrows, "Gonna have me keep tabs on your wife? Follow her around?" I looked back towards the doors, "Where'd she be now?"
"She works nearby, I'll give you the address. Knowin' her she'll be on smoke break. Smokes like a tire fire." He scoffed.
I reminded him, "Like half this city."
Pepe described her outfit today and I remarked, "Colorful."
"Always liked dressin up. Get a woman somethin' nice for her birthday, anniversary— and what do you get in return?… Sides that, we got a kid together right? Doesn't even look like me, different hair, different eyes, all of it!" Pepe mumbled on and on.
I groaned, announcing as I stood, "Okay, I'm in."
"Your my hero V. Means a lot to me." He smiled warmly.
As I left the bar Johnny digitized outside commenting "Seedy bars, betrayal, a beguiling woman…sounds like something out of a pulpy noir thriller."
I halted humoring him as he leaned against the wall.
"Pepe was used to listening to his customers complaints, now it was he who needed to get something off his chest." He waved his hand for dramatics, "It was the same ol' story— an unfaithful wife, in a city where everything was uncertain…"
I rolled my eyes at his narration, "You about done? I'm tryin' to focus."
I strolled down the block where his address was provided as I saw the wife he described smoking outside on her break.
"I arrived on the scene. Looking for the woman with the pink jacket— woman with a sordid past."
"Stop right there." I held up my hand to Johnny in annoyance as I scanned the woman with my kuroshi optics confirming her identity.
"It was her, the lady in pink, breaker of hearts, framed by a halo of cigarette smoke…I followed her." Johnny continued his narration as Cynthia walked off from her work.
"Dreamin' of the day the narrator put a fuckin' plug in it." I hissed as I followed.
"Got too close…almost scared the dame off, better be careful…" Johnny continued with a warning.
"I know—I know." I groaned, reluctantly retreating to a distance.
I scanned the surroundings with sheer boredom as we trailed along, my focus once more slipping away
"Got too close again, something just drew me to her like a magnet to another…"
"Ugh— stop." I scoffed in disgust at the prospect.
Johnny digitized leaning against the concrete in front of me, "The woman looked around, something weighing on her, maybe it was my gaze..." he droned.
"Keep this up, I'm gonna fuckin' puke. Narrate that." I rolled my eyes, not amused.
I followed in silence as we crossed under the interstate overpass.
Johnny digitized crouched next to a homeless man that Cynthia skirted around, "The woman passes a bum, giving him a wide berth. Doesn't want her clothes dirty. Her consciousness is already dirty enough…" He mused dramatically.
"Ugh, seriously! Wha- what'd I ever do to you?" I exclaimed with exhaustion as I followed Cynthia rounding the corner and crossing the street before entering a sketchy building.
"The dame disappeared into the guts of a building ready to collapse, the air hung heavy with the smog of betrayal."
I tilted my head back in exasperation, "Ugh—maybe it's a good thing I'm dyin'."
I entered after her climbing the steps as I could hear her yell, "Ey—careful! You'll tear my shirt!"
I tilted my head to the side before the door, "Well, well, well…" I stepped inside finding Cynthia clothed on a table with a man sitting nearby with ripper gear.
"Hey you! What're you doin' here?" She sat up on the chair quickly as the man stood, "Fuck Cynthia, told ya to make sure nobody followed you!"
I looked between the two of them announcing, "Husband sent me, suspected something. Seems he was right."
"What? Wait— No, it's… its not like that, I can explain." She climbed off the table holding her hands up to plead.
I raised my eyebrows in disbelief, "Go on then, let's hear it."
"Ok, for—for one thing… he's not my input—he's my ripper, a specialist in plastic surgery."
I shook my head at what I was hearing, "A specialist? In this dump?"
The ripper looked to the floor with crossed arms, "Look I know, I…I had an accident a few years ago, the victim, uh well…the patient's family still can't let it go. That's why I'm forced to work here."
I held up my hand to Cynthia as things still didn't make sense, "Hold on a sec—what about your kid?"
"Here's the thing…I…ugh, didn't used to always look like this. I had a total bodysculpt—hair, skin, eyes, everything…except well, can't fool your genes." She nervously stammered while squeezing the bridge of her nose before throwing out her hands, "that's why our son looks different than Pepe imagined, it's not that he's not the father, it's just that I….I don't look anything like the old me."
I blinked stunned in a moment of silence before stating awkwardly, "Well uh… plots thicker than I imagined, for sure"
"I'm glad that you listened— that you saw it from my point of view." She looked upwards in shame holding her arm, "I know, I should've told Pepe about all this but there was never a good time! And…and now I'm expecting again…it wasn't planned. Please tell him…tell him—"
Oof—Expecting too?
"…Yes?" I reluctantly coaxed her.
"I don't know, I don't know what to tell myself… tell him that I'm sorry and that life's an absurdist drama OK? Just…just go."
"Hit the nail on the head with that last point." Johnny remarked finally losing humor at playing narrator.
As I stepped out of the building, my mind was a whirlwind of astonishment, each twist of events leaving me mentally staggered.
I gotta tell Pepe somethin'…
"Jobs done, followed your wife, went to some run down pad. Man was waiting for her inside." I informed Pepe quickly through the halo.
"I knew it—" he started vehemently.
"Knew it, huh? Didn't know a thing. Didn't cheat on you, least not in the way you think." I interrupted firmly.
"Huh? What way then?"
I shook my head still in shock myself, "She was at a rippers, gettin' a scan. Her hair, skin, eyes, it's all implanted. Every single last part of her."
After a moment of silence Pepe started slowly, "So…my son. That's why he—"
"Exactly." I nodded.
Pepe exclaimed with a deep breath holding his head at the news, "Jesus fuckin' Christo!…how could she keep this from me? Her own husband, ten fuckin' years!"
He threw down his hands to wave them, "It's not about the skin or whatever…" with a shaky breath he added, "That she lied. How the hell am I supposed to trust her now?!"
He's got a right to feel cheated…sorta.
Before I knew it the words were spilling out of my mouth, "Okay, yes. Cynthia was hiding something from you. Yes she lied but…the woman loves you, ya gonk." I squinted my eyes at him while waving outwards, "Know how much that means in this fuckin' town?"
10 years of a happy family to be broken by… this?
I shrugged, "If I were you, I'd just live an' let live, y'know?"
"Yeah…yeah I guess your right. Anyways, thanks. This is for you, for your troubles." He relaxed finally.
"Good man Pepe, take care." I smiled warmly into him before blinking off the com as my transfer came through.
"Silence fell like a wet blanket over the city, muffling its cries. Time to rest, I thought. Time to drink." Johnny narrated once more.
"See that's more like it, finally makin' some sense… and time for a certain surprise."
At her doorstep, I activated the com, revealing Tom, the familiar figure who talked a bit too much at clouds. Leaning against the door frame he was now sunken and certainly small for words, "V, come in. Pizzas gettin' cold."
Stepping within the apartment, ambient purple and blue neon lights danced, casting dynamic shadows as synth music pulsed through the air. Amidst the gathering in the kitchen, Judy's gaze met mine next to the bar. A genuine smile graced her glossy lips as she noticed my presence, making the room feel momentarily still in the midst of company. "You made it, good. Grab a seat," she said, casually inviting me to the stool across from her.
Judy unstacked the four different pizza boxes on the counter to our designated seats, I circled across the bar from her next to a dark skinned woman with short blonde hair delicately curled, Judy waved to her introducing, "This is Roxanne, she's worked at Clouds longer than any of us."
"Hello." Roxanne did a tentative wave towards me.
Opening my box to find a missing slice, I grabbed a piece and perched on the barstool beside Roxanne. I greeted her with a casual, "Hey, nice to meet you." Meanwhile, Judy leaned against the fridge, enjoying said missing slice while throwing a playful wink my way before raising an eyebrow with a mysterious, "Mhn."
Roxanne rested her chin on her hand at the counter, alternating glances between Judy and me, a smile broadening her lips. She exclaimed, "When I heard what you pulled at clouds, I so regretted I was off that day!"
Judy rummaged through a nearby cabinet as I hesitated with the distraction, finally asking Roxanne, "So, you were connected to Evelyn too?"
"Yeah, blew up in her face when she showed up back at Clouds. She was supposed to be long gone, the one that got away..." She glanced down into the counter before grabbing a slice of her own, "But deep in my heart I was glad to see her back…feel like such a gonk now." She took a thoughtful bite.
Judy added a sprinkle of seasoning to the remainder of the slice as I observed Tom, who appeared somber as he leaned against the counter. Concerned, I nodded to him finally questioning his silence, "How are you feeling?"
He clenched his fists as he choked, "Ok I guess, y'know sad as hell." He shrugged, staring into his pizza untouched.
(Dr0nched in Sw0t- Kamarra/ Grim Salvo) Copy and paste into youtube.
I abruptly stood with a chin nod regarding Tom, casually striding to change the music to fit the grave undertone of this gathering from the synth instrumentals they listened on a daily work basis. Judy tilted her head with confusion evident.
Picking up Judy's seasoning with a hint of curiosity, I sprinkled the chili flakes on a slice before taking a thoughtful bite. I nodded slightly, responding with a contemplative "Mhn."
As the music picked up I noticed Tom nodding his head to the beat with feeling the music with unmasked anguish in his eyes as I successfully took my seat once more.
Judy tried to hide an impressed smirk as she remarked, "Interesting."
Roxanne's lips pursed at the gritty vocals as she nodded her head side to side feeling the words.
At this time Maiko strolled into the complex without warning before halting to the end of the bar to be in full attention as she announced, "You'll never get rid of the stench of the corpse."
Subtle as always.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Judy's entire demeanor transformed, arms stiffly crossed, Tom grit his teeth, Roxanne awkwardly held her hand before her eyes, as if attempting to shield herself from the cringe-worthy moment. Yet, Maiko continued looking directly at me, cooly adding "You drop a lot of them, don't you? What's your secret?"
I ignored her, intervening to address our leader Judy, "So, what's this plan?"
Maiko narrowed her eyes into Judy now, "I'd like to hear the answer to that too."
Judy walked towards Maiko's position with her eyes steadily on me as she explained with open hands, "I modified the behavioral chip, it can equip any doll with a motor reflex system... in other words make any doll move and fight like a preem tier solo." She finished proudly with hands on her hips and chest outwards.
Maiko lit a cigarette while taking a puff, quipping to me, "Fascinating isn't it? What one can learn tuning fake orgasms for the Moxes." She frowned, narrowing her eyes at me.
Judy's irritation etched across her face as she finally turned to Maiko with her hands gripping her hips aggressively now. "Mind stepping outside? Can't smoke in here."
Maiko flicked ash on the floor stating, "You'll air it out later."
I clenched my hands into fists but Judy didn't waver an inch as she grit her teeth staring Maiko down. Maiko rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'll sit by the window." She retreated not by the window but in the center corner of the couch.
Undeterred, Judy continued her explanation, "Regardless, the body'll react as if executing a well-trained series of movements." She smiled, playfully scruffing Tom's head, "Already tested it out on Tom."
I smiled warmly as Tom straightened his shoulders, crossing his arms and lifting his chin while Judy continued her explanation. "Chips impulses supplement any natural reflexes, so it'll make users feel like they're experiencing cyberpsychosis," she warned, leaning onto the counter with her elbows, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
In Judy's defense, Tom chimed in, "But it's basically the same as when we activate ourselves for a client."
Judy leaned back, straightening her arms on the counter as she attempted to read me. A breath later, she hunched again awaiting my response with a raised eyebrow.
Preem teir fighters…? That takes years we don't have.
I bit my cheek thoughtfully.
This is smart, if it works.
"All right…gotta see it to believe it." I announced placing my hands on my knees interested in the concept.
Maiko exclaimed, "Finally, someone said it!"
Judy cinched her hands into fists while waving towards him, "Tom?"
Tom tensely held his head sideways before he abruptly standing and striding towards the knife block. He tossed a large knife butcher knife from palm to palm as Judy nervously explained, "Pulled that sequence from a kung fu virtue."
Tom faced away as he grabbed another knife duel wielding, standing before the fridge with his shoulder forward creating an air of relaxed intensity. In a swift, fluid motion, he flicked a knife past my head, expertly hitting a bubble in the mural on the wall. As I stared the second one hit beside it yet again a bullseye.
Johnny digitized in a lean next to it staring at the knives.
I stood from my stool, my hands on my hips with a grin, "Gotta admit. Not bad."
"Yeah for a market square in Kabuki. Nah, before we start talkin' serious biz, gonna need to see serious action."
"You just saw him—" Judy stammered in disbelief.
"I saw a bar trick. I wanna see a fight." Maiko interrupted shifting her gaze on me slyly wearing a smirk, "Got an expert in causing bodily harm among us, I want to see how Tommy handles her."
"V?" Judy voice questioned with my back to her as I fixated on Tom making his way to the center of the living room with fists raised for a fight as he shadowboxed.
As I stepped towards the challenge as Judy exclaimed, "Just don't mess up my digs, OK? I like it here." I looked over my shoulder at her as she leaned on the counter with one arm intrigued.
I raised my fists, mirroring the intensity in Tom's eyes as he shouted, "It's on now!"
Despite not wanting to harm him and respecting Judy's place, the mission's success was paramount. With the release of a deep breath, I activated my sandevistan, connecting halfhearted punches in slow motion within his body. Tom seized my dominant arm unnoticed within his raised fists, The slow-motion illusion shattered as he swiftly twisted it backward causing me to either lean or break my arm.
"What the—" I exclaimed as Tom utilized his free hand to shove my offset weight harshly landing with a thud, "a-ahh" I groaned staring into my shaky palms within the couch.
Glitching scattered my vision, and the world momentarily shifted. When the visual subsided, Judy was kneeling between my splayed legs, concern etched on her face as her warm touch held onto my thighs. "V, you there? Can you hear me?" Her voice with thick with apprehension.
Tom stood behind her with hands on his hips beaming, "Hahaha! Look at me go! You see that!?"
Blushing of embarrassment and the proximity of her I smiled warmly, "Nice work Judy, you outdid yourself." She shifted back into a crouch as I brushed my legs and my pride away, "If you were to sell that…be the richest Judy in the N.U.S.A…"
Amusement sparked within her face, "Please, plenty of killin' machines in the world. Don't wanna turn more people into them." She adjusted her hair before adding, "After this, chips are getting micronuked."
I laid my head back within the couch before addressing Maiko who appeared entertained. I challenged her, "heh…happy now?"
"I'm rarely happy… but that was proof enough." She took a drag of a cigarette before announcing, "Let's get to it then. You've got an elite force of three muscle heads and a techie. What now?" Her gaze directed Judy who rose with hands on her hips.
"Guards and Tyger claws in and around we'll overpower, take down, disarm, escort them out—Clouds'll be ours." She shifted to sit on the coffee table before us, "Bosses we'll give an ultimatum. A cut of the proceeds in exchange of never showing their faces in the club again and in having no say on how the clubs managed."
Maiko shifted uncomfortably and leaned forwards, "That's what I thought, a half baked insane plan. You can't see more than an inch in front of you."
"Unfortunately…I'm with Maiko on this one." I reluctantly stated out loud as I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.
"My, my. There's a flickering in that skull sponge of yours, after all…Taking out the security there won't solve anything, Claws'll just send more. Huromi Sato's the one you need to get to."
"Where do we find this…Huromi?" I questioned.
"In his appartment, H8 megatower. Topmost floor, it's a penthouse. He almost never steps outside his glass walls." Maiko rolled her wrist, "But I'll figure out a way to get us inside."
"Tom and Roxanne gonna come with?" I scrunched my eyebrows as mechanical chittering wavered in my ears.
"No. Whole points to strike both places at the same time. They'll take care of business at Clouds." Maiko explained.
"Two pronged assault…lovin' it." Judy announced.
I agreed with a nod, "This might just work."
Judy looked around the room from the coffee table, "So how bout it V? Tom? Roxie? Made up your minds?"
"Don't tell me your seriously considering this, sticking our precious necks out for a bunch of whores?" Johnny scoffed.
Roxanne nervously stated, "I…I need to think about it. Never wasted anyone before y'know?"
Tom replied confidently, "I'm with it all the way."
I nodded towards her gaze, "Count me in Judy. Already said I'd help, didn't I?"
"Thanks, V." Relief spread across her face as if she was holding her breath.
My vision wobbled as Maiko stood, "Save the gratitude for later, please. I'll set up the meet with Huromi." She strided towards the door announcing, "Have fun, tootle-loo!"
"Maiko hold up, give us a lift?"
"Only if you don't talk to me." Maiko sneered into Tom an Roxanne.
Mechanical chittering deafened my ears as I held my head with intense stabbing pain, "Shit, not good." I hissed under my breath.
Judy stood watching them leave before she turned towards me with hands on her hips as I masked my pain before she could notice, "Hooo, shit…I'm scared V." She admitted.
She sat beside me within a distance in the couch as she looked towards the floor pulling her fingers nervously, "Speakin' of gratitude…the stuff I'm askin' you to do, well—usually comes with a price tag I know." Her worried eyes met mine as she she leaned her elbows on her knees continuing, "You wanna help— I get that. But I'm more'n happy to pay your fee in full." She shrugged, "Feels like it's only right."
Pay me?!
"Judyyy! For real?" I shook my sloggy head within my wavering vision, "No. I don't wanna hear it."
Judy rocked nervously, attempting to argue, "But!—"
I raised a shaking hand to interrupt, "Bup-bup-bup! Nah, not a word." Glitching sprawled with red fuzzing my sight as the pain intensified.
I have to get out of here!
I stood quickly as my arms abruptly seized, clenched muscles towards my chest, and my jaw stiffened. In excruciating pain, I tilted my head to the side, screaming, "Ah! Aughh!" A hand gripped behind my neck, providing support. Lulling my head downwards towards her, Judy's face softened with concern. "Um, V! Everything OK?"
I tore my gaze away, focusing on the tilting floor as I sank back into the couch. Clutching my scarred bullet wound, I rested my arms on my knees, heaving. "V? You don't look so hot," Judy remarked, her concern deepening as she sat close to me, running a hand up my thigh.
I gripped her hand tightly, "Hehhh... wooh, OK— ok, I'm fine." I lied, breaking into a sweat and feeling nauseous.
She gripped my chin firmly, forcing me to look at her as anger flared within her eyes. "What the hell, V? Like, you already worse?!"
She doesn't need this right now!
I jerked my chin out of her grasp. "It's passed, forget about it." I shrugged flippantly, observing the hurt displayed on her face.
She stiffly looked away, then down at my hand still holding hers. Tightening her lips, she raised her chin with defiance, clasping my hand with her other one. "It's late. You're tired. You can crash on my couch if you want." Her eyes locked with mine, filled with firm worry, yet etched with frustration as she dared me to refuse.
My head throbbed, swimming with lingering pain as I nodded slowly. "Sounds great, thanks..." I wearily slurred, slowly releasing her hand and leaning towards her. I laid across the familiar couch, positioning my head near her lap.
"Don't worry 'bout it. Make yourself at home," she breathed softly before biting her lip nervously. Her hand hovered near my hairline, hesitating, and I flinched, gripping her wrist tightly. She hissed in pain but continued, her fingers gently stroking through my short, thick locks. As I let my hand slip away to my chest, a realization dawned – never had someone care for me like this. The simple act felt strangely foreign yet incredibly reassuring in the dim stillness of the room.
The gentle, repetitive motion created a comfort I had never experienced before, softening the edges of consciousness with heavy eyelids. With each stroke, the pain melted away, replaced by a serene calmness. The world blurred, and I surrendered to the tender touch, slipping away into the embrace of sleep.
