Chapter 5

Few Hours Later

David was back at his apartment. The only thing he had bought was ammo for the guns he'd be making. Maybe sometime in the future he'd make his own ammo but right now it was easier just to buy it. Sitting at his desk David was designing his future guns on his computer. Piece by piece he designed the parts that he'd have his 3D printer produce. The raw materials for this sort of stuff were easy to get; you just had to wade through a whole bunch of trash. People threw out all sorts of stuff that could be scavenged. The printer was already hard at work producing the pieces of a ballistic vest. He wasn't gonna make any significant design improvements to a bulletproof vest so some schematics were pulled from online for the modular self-extinguishing ballistic vest in his size. It would do the heavy lifting of protecting his organs till the nanobots weaved a subdermal armor for him. That would take time though and a surprising amount of metal in his diet for the bots to have something to work with.

He was also gonna want some blades and remembering the best swords were used by Arasaka. He used his ID to get into their network, their cyber security needs to get an update. He pulled up everything he could on Saka ninjas. Weapons and equipment they used, general tactics and training they employed. There was a surprising amount about them. As Saka's most elite hit squad you'd think they'd keep all this under wraps. At least he was able to find some decent schematics on katanas, knives, and the helmets they use. Looks like David might finally get some use out of those Kendo classes Arasaka had him take.

David was working well into the night, however around midnight he heard pounding on his front door. Not so much a loud knock but like someone was using a battering ram on it. Leaving his room, David ran out to see what was happening. Dents were being formed in his door. Shit, this wasn't a friendly neighbor sort of visit. Running to the kitchen he grabbed the only things that could be considered weapons. Two large kitchen knives and a heavy cast iron pan. If these don't work hopefully his new arms could give the intruders a good wallop. If he survived this he was definitely moving.

With a resounding crash the door hit the floor of David's apartment. This was it do or die time. A large man crossed the threshold of the apartment, well more borg than man honestly. Yeah this was definitely not a friendly visit. With the opportunity to make the first move David emerged from his concealed hiding spot. Arm cocked back holding the frying pan. With a speed and power that surprised even him he threw the pan as hard as he could at the borg. His aim was true: the pan collided with the guy's head causing his head to snap back and making the man stumble back through the threshold of his apartment.

With the big guy off balance David sprinted at him. Jumping up and grabbing the top of his door frame David brought both his legs up and used all the force he could muster to kick the man in the chest. It was enough force to send David back flipping back into his apartment. Hitting the ground in a roll he came to his feet. The sight that greeted him was the borg guy falling over the balcony outside his apartment. The fall wouldn't kill someone like that, with the amount of chrome he had. Chances are he'd land in a pile of garbage too.

Pulling out the kitchen knives one in each hand he readied himself for whatever happened next. Chances are this guy wasn't alone. What he didn't expect was to hear full bellied laughter from multiple people. The next person to come into view was a tall lanky fellow, he was slapping his knee and howling in laughter.

"HAHAHA! That's what the boss man gets for going all Gung ho." Another person came into view, a large woman who looked almost like an Animal. She wore a jacket with nothing underneath and a pair of shorts.

"HAHAHA! Watch out Pilar, you might be next."

"Hehehe, I think I can handle myself against the runt Dorio."

"I'm sure that's what Maine thought too." Came the voice of the third individual. This one was familiar, the pick-socket from the Metro.

"Really, showing up at my house and breaking down my door just cause I didn't let you steal my data shard. That seems petty."

"This ain't about a data shard boyo, you've got something that doesn't belong to you."

"Oh yeah what's that?"

"You've got my chrome you punk!" The big ass borg he knocked over the balcony hefted himself back over. Shit, bastard must have caught onto something.

"Fuck you talking about gonk, I don't even know who the hell you are."

"You may not know who I am, but that still doesn't change the fact you klepped my chrome."

"Seeing how I've got no idea what you're talking about let's say you got the wrong address, and you fuck off."

"Really, you have no idea about the military-grade sandevistan you have installed?"

"How the hell would you know I have a sandy?"

"You may have interrupted my scan from earlier, but you weren't quick enough. Besides I knew you had some sort of speed ware with reflexes like that." Damn net-runners.

"Sandevistans aren't all that common either, brat. My supplier was supposed to hook me up with the same model you have over a month ago and all of a sudden, she ghosts me. I don't believe in coincidence, that's my Sandy you got there."

"Listen here you borged out chrome dome, I didn't klep shit from nobody. The sandy was my mom's. She worked as an EMT likely scavenged it off some cyber-psycho. Still had the spinal fluid on it when I found it. So, like I said, you're barking up the wrong tree here."

It looked like I may have been getting through to him, because that made him hesitate.

"Alright punk I'm gonna ask you one question. If I don't like your answer, I'm done talking and I'm just gonna tear that sandy out of your spine with my hands. What's your mom's name?"

"… Gloria Martinez, why what's it to you?"

The big dude let out a long sigh. The lanky dude took that moment to pipe up.

"Shit Gloria has a whole ass kid; I never would have guessed with a body that banging."

"One more word about my dead mother you fucking cretin and I'm cutting your dick off and shoving it up your ass."

Maybe he was better at this threatening thing than he thought. That seemed to take the wind out of the lanky dude's sails. In fact a kind of somber feeling took over the whole room.

"Gloria's dead, how?" Asked the really big woman.

"Drive by on the highway. We got caught between some Animals trying to rob an armored limo. Happened a little over a month ago. How the hell do you people even know my mom to begin with?"

The answer came from the borg.

"She was our supplier kid, she got us chrome from her job. I've known her for years now. She never failed to deliver. Well at least till last month. I thought you might have zeroed her and taken the chrome for yourself."

There was an awkward silence after that. Not really sure how to take the fact his mom was a confirmed scav. Or what he was going to do about the 4 cyberpunks in his apartment.

"Sooo… where's that leave us now?"

"A tough spot that's where. I paid up front for that sandy kid."

"That's what you get for paying up front."

"Gonk move."

At least the buff chick and creeper get it. Who the hell pays up front?

"Shut it, I also need that sandy for an upcoming gig."

Is this guy serious?

"Hahahah"

"What's so funny brat?"

"You, are you serious right now? You're one shitty implant away from having a psychotic break let alone implanting this monster of a Sandevistan. You'd be toast within an hour."

Owww he's upset now.

"If a little punk like you could handle it I'm sure I'd be fine."

"Whatever you say, big guy. Either way I think I've got a solution to our problems. Where we both end up happy."

"Oh yeah, well it better be an easier solution than me just flatlining you and taking back my sandevistan."

"I think so, it'd be pretty tough to flatline someone when you've got kitchen knives shoved through your eye sockets." David knew he was playing a dangerous game here, but he didn't know these people. They broke into his home with the intention of killing him. If he showed weakness now they might just go with there first option

"My solution is I do the job with you, pro bono of course out of the goodness of my heart. Your job gets done and you even get an extra hand for free. We all go our separate ways after and do our damndest to never cross paths again. Sound fair?" It sure as shit sounded fair to him considering he didn't owe these people shit. At least the dumb-borg was considering the offer.

"That Sandy cost me some real eddies kid, it's gonna take more than one job for me to recoup my losses on that one." This guy really wants to haggle the number of jobs David would do pro-bono for him, the audacity.

"Fine, how about 2 jobs."

"I was thinking more like 6."

"3"

"5"

"4, anymore and I'll have to report you for child slavery." Big guy chuckled at that.

"4 it is then. The first is in a couple days. Gimme your contact so I can send you the deets. Make sure you're ready."

"Aye Aye boss man." With his contact shared, the group of cyberpunks began leaving.

"Also, how the hell did you find out where I lived?"

Maine pointed at the pick-socket. "Lucy followed you."

"Wow, a stalker too. I was always told to stay away from women like you." She gave him a condescending smile.

"Whoever told you that probably knew you wouldn't be able to handle a woman like me." Touché, you win this round Lucy.

With the cyberpunks finally gone he now had to figure out a way to put his door back in its frame… Shit.