Pacifica/19:03/ 04/09/78

The coordinates lead the truck to a beach. My body sank into the sand, while Axle glided across it, towards the shutter. I had to lift my boots out the craters. The target was behind there somewhere, I pressed my optic to the metal, scans were ineffective, Axle held the shotgun close, finger on the trigger, the others to the slugs on his bandolier. There was no sign of an attack, psycho's usually left corpses, or what was left. I didn't hear any screams either, only the gentle lap of micro and megaplastic infused waves hitting the sand, interrupted by a revving engine. The beach was tranquil compared to the rest of Pacifica, illuminated by trash fires flung around the sand. Axle checked the location on the way here and triple checked it, this was the right place. I rolled my arms and reached under the shutter; Axle was ready to blast anything behind it. I heaved the panel up, and nodded my head, Axle shook his.
"Not going in there with some nut job."
"Just don't aim for the head." I bared my teeth and manged to rest the shutter on my shoulder with one great push, forcing it open. Axle unloaded the two bullets into a body, the arms moved fast enough to make the loading quick enough.
"Alive." I groaned and checked the body.
"If it's me or them, I choose me."
"Then we don't get paid."
"Can you put a price on me living?"
"Fifteen eurodollars an hour." I found one Regina's burners in another bodies pocket. Axle hadn't killed it. The hole where a heart should be dry.
"I'm way more than minimum wage. I can tell you no blade did that, no exit hole, had to be gorilla arms. Seventeen eddies. Axle mentioned how the hole had shattered through a good chunk of bone obliterating the rib cage, making it nothing but shards. That raised his worth to twenty an hour. It wasn't normal gorilla arms; the hole was three times the size of a human fist. Scans revealed that it was a Victor E Morden. Ripper doc, licence revoked years ago. The chair was there, and judging by the blood stains, it had been operated on. The room was illuminated by the flickering light attached to the ceiling by one chain swinging around. It dragged the metal links meant to keep it attached to the ceiling across the dirty concrete floor. sand invading from outside, in the shape of boot marks. I grabbed the lamp and twisted it to reveal the rest of the room. A dripping sink with dirty cyberware in the basin. The red stained what would have been flawless chrome. The New sheen, it stood out from the sand filled cupboards, this technology was new. I took a picture of the code and sent it to Arasaka.
"Too late?" Axle turned the corners weapons first. It was a small workshop, the computer remained intact. It was temporary, a laptop as I un-plugged it from the wall, Axle could work on it. I found him lighting a cigarette outside.
"Don't leave any evidence."
"I need to relax, just raided a psycho den."
"They left."
"A potential psycho den, as for the pigs, they ain't showing up, this is classified it as it's own district before he died, cops don't come here." They crouched down and checked the sand. "By the time they get here sand'll have blown over. They were packing something to cause that damage, they'd sink down."
"They got a head start."
"Doubt they went far."
"What makes you say that?"
"If they'd have moved on, there'd be news. Psychos don't go far." The torch on Axle's phone lifted up, following the trail, straight to a concrete cage. A car park for the mall. Axle's torch shone on the specs of blood. "Told you…so you gonna go down?"
"Do we have an alternative?"
"Lie?"
"How?" My optics adapted to the dark.
"I'll watch the van, see if I can tinker with this phone." Axle cried out behind me, I was already down the ramp, revolver at the ready I paused hearing a scream, why did I need them alive? It only complicated things, the evidence was lining up with Axle's logic, pillars of concrete were missing the edges, and parts of the wall missing and there she was, smashing goliath fists into a car wreck. N.C.P.D records, Sarah Smith, woman were meant to be less likely to get cyberpsychosis, must have been how Sam lasted. I hid my weapon behind my back.
"You're the one that wrecked the ripperdoc?"
"I didn't want to hurt anyone."
"It was only a backstreet ripper, city has more."
"But he's dead, wouldn't be dead if he just fixed me!" She screamed and grabbed onto the car wreck; sparks popped out from the metal grating along the floor with the pained cry of scratching metal on concrete. The thing that was broken was her brain, emotions spiked as she raised her voice. "I wanted new hands, but he didn't. He gave me these."
"You're stronger now."
"And then what? I hug someone and break their spine?"
"I'm sure I can fix you. I work with Regina Jones." I had to step to the side, feeling the air on my face from the chunk of rock thrown at me, it shattered against the wall.
"I was taken here by those people, said they could fix me. I don't look fixed" She had the cyberware, a frame to support her fists made of metal. They were twice the size, the fingers were that of a digger, it was equipment for heavy lifting, dense bone marrow and grafted flexi-muscle, but that was in her arms. I assumed the question was rhetorical. I shrugged my shoulders.
"You the reason there are two corpses outside?" I never claimed to be good at talking.
"Said, was gonna take me too away. I didn't wanna go, he didn't lemme alone"
"And know where you were going to be taken?"
"No."
"I assume you won't be coming with me there?"
I wanna be left alone, if you ain't a ripper here to give me people's hand, I ain't doing it." I revealed my pistol, Sarah's ears heard the fizz of connecting magnets, with the crack of electricity, eyes stared at the barrel.
"Bastard."
"I need you alive, be glad." Sarah bared her teeth, and she smacked her fists together, a threat of prey backed into a corner. It acted confident to try and deter me. I shook my head.
"Don't." Her arms were entirely cyberware. She started to run. She had no training or chipware. After Four, Sarah was disappointing, the thrill was there for a split second when I stepped to the side. It ended when I released the bolt, watching it tear through her hands. After that, it was only a punch to her face to send her to the floor, getting up would be an issue, especially after I grabbed her leg and started to drag her away. She kicked my torso and broke her toe from the sound of the crack. I threw her onto the sand. There had to be restraints somewhere. Axle was in the ripperdocs her arms were nothing but frayed wires, not much for handcuffs. I had the job of holding her while Axle searched for restraints, and I had to ask for a gag. Her voice started to grate on me.
"I just want normal!"
"Traded those parts in."
"I was desperate, needed a job. They paid for the chrome. Contract was complete, you'd have just died in my shoes?"
"You accept a contract you stick with it."
"Well I wanted out."
"Not your choice." Axle came back and bound her up, duct tape over her mouth included. We threw her in the back of the van. It was I that took the weight. Axle's hands were just there for support. Axle. sent the picture of the living psycho, then a selfie. He was given a location the dam in Laguna bend. He had the second phone in his hand, at least what was left of it, salvaged to be nothing more than a chipboard and wires. He'd managed to download an app somehow. Lucy able to break into the phone and use the tracking software, a benefit to the having a netrunner and mechanic in tandem. The plan was running smoothly. The muffled cries in the back I doubted were in protests to Axle's music taste. I was forced to listen to Like a supreme. Johhny boy's voice was irritating. A band that peaked years ago. Enjoyed by old men and punk's because of how the lead singer went down. Deciding to rebel against Arasaka.

I leaned over the dam, away from the city and stared off into the water. Do I get a choice? The voice was foreign to me, it was gravelly and tired. It was mine though, the deep voice that had smoked, touching the sticks gave me no benefit. I'd tried, Axle offered me one, seeing me staring off at the ocean?
"What you thinking about chief?"
"Said she had no choice, that or starve." I inhaled, or at least made the sound of it. The tip of the nicotine stick didn't glow and when I exhaled smoke hadn't come out. My mouth was dry, not even tasting the smoke, I passed it back to Axle. He had no concerns about sharing a nicotine stick, I was sterile. I my mouth lacked saliva, It didn't bother Axle about the synth skin that tried to take a puff first.
"We all got a choice. Coulda' robbed a bank, stole. We all are free to choose, just not the consequences."
"And your choice?"
"I botched a job last year, consequence. I missed an Ofrenda. Then I was stuck in food delivery, for corps on the side. I could stop, but then I'd be back with the tino's, ain't doing that again." Axle recoiled, hearing a bang inside the van. "She's safe back there, right?" I opened the door, seeing her wiggle and roll around, a worm without her mechanical parts. The arms bound together like a mummy, mouth gagged, I slammed the door to make sure she was hidden. out of sight in the back, The Dam was illuminated with the few lamps, Axle's headlights and the cats' eyes on the road, it was enough to see our hostage. This wasn't my first kidnapping. I knew to keep her hidden even after reaching the dam. Polluted water on one side, a lethal fall into trash on the other. The dark van, followed by two other cars without number plates illuminated the road. Axle made sure his shotgun was fully loaded, hiding it behind the door. Greeted by wind this high up, Night City was quiet far away and below us. I could only here the sound of the highway. The van had been here before, with the lights blinding me. I heard one voice but there could be more.
"Do you have the package?"
"Where's she going?"
"To be looked at. In private."
"We can't visit?"
"No." I knocked on the back door and Axle brought Sarah out.
"We getting paid for this?" The suit pressed the case on the floor and kicked it over. Axle forgot about Sarah and let her go, I had to grab her while he checked the case, physical tender, untraceable.
"Cold hard eddies. Now that's what I want."
"The package." The voice said Sarah's eyes were wide as she struggled, her gag moved as it stopped her from talking, I could see tears in her eyes as I pushed her forwards, following. I paused halfway when a pistol was pointed at me. I managed to get a look, tamayura. It was an Arasaka model, an old one forgotten about. Half a century old, out of circulation. Arasaka would have difficulty trying to track them down as the weapons were probably out the system, serial numbers that became invalid quarter of a century ago.
"Quite the reaction." I thought of Jade when seeing Sarah's wet eyes, she was in tears that night. No, Sarah wasn't Jade, she was just unlucky. My consequences were hand her over or waste tonight. I wasn't going to throw away my bonus if I found Tanaka. I heard the click of a hammer.
"Not a step closer." I threw Sarah and she slammed into the car, covering the lights, I managed to catch sight of one's face, taking a picture with my optics. Sarah was placed into the black S.U.V and they were gone, lights off so no one would know where they went, splitting off in different directions. The one with Sarah probably heading straight there, the others to distract.
"We're heading to Arasaka tower." I messaged Lucy when we'd reached the base of the tower, Jade was still stable, but sleeping. Axle scowled at the tower. There was a second amendment. I watched the Eurodollars come in from Regina's task, a few thousand, taking a psycho down was lethal for most. The credits were in an Arasaka account, however. I transferred a few thousand to Axle as fast as I could.
"What's this for?"
"Victor. I owe him. So do you." Arasaka owned my account, I had a minute to decide send what I could. I watched them take my quadruple figure down to double digits. "Make sure you pay him, If not I'm taking your cash." I spoke, grabbing the phone, heading to the automatic doors, marching through the door; the money went back to paying my body off. I could buy a cheap B.D or game with what was left, but not a wreathe, my options were bullets or books, and bullets kept me alive this far. Tanaka's location was top priority. If he could get Sam back on track as well, that was a bonus. It was his prototype that ruined her, Last, I'd seen Sam, she was resting and hooked up to various machines, I was surprised when she was up and about, in the same body. The lug took up the whole corridor. Sam tilted their head. I ran up and slammed my hand into their stomach, only for them to tilt their head.
"What was that for?" I braced myself ready to go flying but there was nothing, they nudged me when she walked past but that was about it. I tapped their shoulder.
"Sam, you're outta rehab?" They didn't turn around as I walked closer, speaking louder. "Four, what happened on the farm?"
"What farm?"
"The one? Daisy, Cindy?"
"New members of staff? Tell you what, show me them, see if we can get a double date." Four waved in the elevator. "Gotta meeting with the life coach. See you tonight?" The Elevator shut and that was not Sam, not the Sam in tears. She asked to have it ended, they were smiling though. The memories of Cindy and the farm gone. It was living. I'd find him when I found the van, back to the spider, in the chair, hanging from the cables. Their head didn't turn but the cameras in the room looked at me. I waved my hand infront of the borg. Three's body restrained infront of a plethora of screens, their back an amalgamation of wires from their back that could have suspended him from the wall. I snapped my fingers with a metallic ping, the eyes remained un-focused. The screens lit up with Three's avatar, an actual face, but it did not carry over the imperfections of meat. The wrinkles of gravity removed, there was no sun to damage the skin, leaving it albino skin. I hated talking to Delamain, the obscurely shiny lips against the background The Avatar's eyes tracked me, it was Janky, like an unfinished animation, the eyes snapped to me without the ball moving. Three was distracted. It was hard not to be when all the wires connected him to the deep note and a second delay would fry the life support. The avatar was unfinished with no hair and lacking ears. It only spoke when I sent the information over, when it did the sound came half a second after the virtual lips opened.
"So." The voice switched between male, female, light dark with every sentence. "You think this phone can find Tanaka?"
"Spying on me? How's the dark net looking?"
"It's my business to examine all C.C.T.V and technology that enters the tower. As for the net, no leads on them or Cunningham."
"One?"
"Checking to see if Tanaka's fled to other corporations, the van was your idea." The avatar died, wrong phrase, ceased existing. The screens lit up with a plethora of different image's other times and locations, the map of night city illuminated itself. The red lines joined at the X and Y axis to make a cross, tracking the movements, starting at the Laguna bend, revealing C.C.T.V of the triangulation stopped in Pacifica. The footage showed combat mech guarded the gates with multiple turrets on elevated positions. I folded my arms and shook my head; I'd just been to Pacifica, and Arasaka coverage didn't extend much further there, Dogtown was another level
"Able to find out more?"
"No."
"Expect me to search an entire combat zone?"
"Few cars though, at least few as pristine, should make it easier."
"I've got my own, thanks." I turned to step out, only for the door to lock. I knocked on the door. "I see you want to talk?"
"Doing this without Arasaka?"
"I already owe them. Not paying to use their netrunner."
"Keep them informed."
"They got my senses to inform them." I closed the door, and I knew that Axle wasn't going to like the answer, or Lucy. It wasn't all bad, A message came through on a private channel, Jade was awake.

I nearly kicked the door down to my own apartment as it couldn't open fast enough. Jade was sat next to Lucy on the couch. A playback was sent to Arasaka of me plugging myself in and powering down, we had the room to ourselves. My scanners focussed on the scar.
"We got paid." Axle passed her the phone. I watched her reach for the aspirin. "How's the head?" She stared past me, I turned over my shoulder and nothing was there.
"Just, Seeing double." She spooke the sentence in French.
"French?" My translator activated.
"I don't remember learning it."
"Maybe just a glitch." Axle sat down and put his feet up on my table, I kicked them off. I hoped Lucy could give me an answer.
"It's not the best. The positive is no more changes can be inflicted. The better news is we've found Tanaka, the bad news is we suspect he's in Dogtown. Hoping Lucy can help us?" Lucy nodded and didn't wait to plug herself into my desktop.
"Tanaka better help." Jade stared at her feet. "Minds weird thoughts pop in, depending on what that sick piece of." She put her head in her hands and wiped her eyes. Lucy turned away and got up, walking towards me, her tone serious.
"Your implant was in there as well. If you're thinking of going after the man in Dogtown, give her time."
"Rested enough." Jade stood up. "I'm finding The Doc, he knows what's in my head, he can get rid of the French, and you."
"Me?" I raised a brow."
"You, not look not you. Can't explain without sounding crazy, Let's just go." I shrugged and followed the two out the door. They'd need me in Dogtown a combat zone, and I'd need them to make sure that conversation didn't turn violent.

Author's note (Pointless waffling and letting you know my state)

At times I worry I go too quick, I remember reading Cormac Mccarthy's the road and it being so un-descriptive, I was confused, or A clock work Orange being written in mostly slang, Luckily Six Doesn't talk in slang. Six's narration style suits this I think, they're a thing that works on action, on what they think is useful of interesting so we can jump around quite quickly, why i changed from chapter names to locations.

My thoughts on fanfiction are weird, I love the idea. I didn't think I'd be making it at 23, but I think it's good practice. Plus being an "adult" now it gives me something to do on my days off, and it sounds silly but getting one reader is a dopamine rush. I enjoy entertaining, and knowing this idea makes others look into the next chapter. I'm oddly positive for someone who types up a story about a cyberpsycho borg. If I was a proper author I don't think I'd write this, I'd write what I knew. I still find this fun though. I want to explore the story, these characters. I only worry that that with my plan, I won't spoil might get too close to the original game. We'll have to see. Thanks for listening reader. These little notes are more to clear my head, and have some kind of community. It's important to connect with others, even if it's online.