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Authors Note: Chapter 4 has arrived. All feedback is welcome and will be considered.
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Chapter 4: A Risky Bid

The roar of the Militech AV engines thundered overhead, a deafening sound that drowned out the chaos of gunfire and explosions below. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat reverberating through my skull as I sprinted toward the edge of the industrial district. Night City's skyline loomed in the distance, its towering spires of glass and steel glistening in the smog-covered air, but right now, those shimmering lights felt like another world entirely. Around me, the landscape was a war zone—scorched earth and shattered metal strewn across crumbling asphalt. The weight of the crate slung over my shoulder dragged me down with every step, a brutal reminder of the stakes at hand. This was more than just another job.

Sweat poured down my face as I ducked between the remnants of an old assembly line, the rusted skeleton of a factory that had long since been abandoned to the city's ever-growing industrial sprawl. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning fuel and cordite, and every breath felt like it was cutting my lungs with shards of glass. My muscles screamed in protest, the crate far heavier than I'd anticipated. Every fiber of my being begged me to stop, to rest, but I couldn't afford to slow down—not with Militech closing in, their deadly squad of mercenaries breathing down my neck.

"Move, damn it," I muttered to myself through gritted teeth, pushing my cybernetic legs to their limit. The servos whined in response, straining under the exertion. I could feel the heat rising off the synthetic muscles as they pushed me beyond normal human capability. But even augmented as I was, I wasn't invincible. The thought gnawed at the back of my mind, a quiet voice reminding me that one wrong move, one hesitation, could spell my end.

Ahead of me, Jackie was a blur of motion. Even amidst the chaos, I could see him cutting through the remaining mercenaries with ruthless precision, his movements a deadly ballet of violence and efficiency. He was a force of nature, a whirlwind of steel and fury, but even he was beginning to slow down. The relentless assault from all sides was taking its toll, and despite his bravado, I knew Jackie had his limits. We all did.

"Jackie, we need to split!" I shouted into the comm, my voice barely audible over the cacophony of battle. I dove behind a stack of rusted metal crates as another volley of gunfire tore through the air, sending sparks flying as bullets ricocheted off the corroded steel. My breath came in ragged gasps as I leaned against the crates, the cold metal biting into my skin.

On the other end of the comm, there was a brief pause, just long enough for me to hear Jackie's labored breathing. His frustration crackled through the static, and I could picture the grim expression on his face. He didn't like splitting up—didn't like leaving anyone behind, especially not when the odds were stacked against us. But Jackie was no fool. He knew this was the only way.

"Copy that, mano," Jackie finally responded, his voice low and strained. "Watch your back."

"Same to you," I replied before cutting the connection and taking off toward the west side of the district. The crumbling warehouses loomed around me, their skeletal remains casting long shadows in the flickering light of burning wreckage. These buildings were relics of Night City's forgotten industrial past, remnants of a time when the city was more than just a playground for the megacorps. Now, they were little more than tombstones, markers of dreams long dead.

But right now, those decaying structures were my salvation. They offered fleeting moments of cover as I darted through the narrow streets, my cybernetic legs burning with every step. The Militech AV roared overhead, its searchlights cutting through the smoke and debris like the gaze of some vengeful deity. I could hear the whine of its heavy machine guns powering up, ready to shred anything unfortunate enough to be caught in its sights.

I pushed harder, every muscle screaming in protest as I forced my body to move faster. I had to disappear—had to vanish into the shadows before they zeroed in on me. The Militech squad was relentless, their pursuit a brutal testament to the importance of the crate slung over my shoulder. Whatever was inside it, it was worth killing for. And right now, that meant my life was on the line.

Ahead, I spotted a narrow alleyway between two dilapidated buildings, barely wide enough to squeeze through. It was my best shot at losing the AV, and I couldn't afford to hesitate. Without a second thought, I ducked into the alley, pressing myself against the cold, damp wall as the searchlights passed overhead. The beam of light washed over the alley's entrance, illuminating the graffiti-covered walls and piles of garbage that littered the ground. I held my breath, my heart hammering in my chest as I waited for the AV to move on.

For a moment, everything was quiet. The gunfire in the distance had faded to a dull roar, and all I could hear was the distant hum of the AV's engines as it searched elsewhere for its prey. My optic display flickered with warning signals, the constant influx of data making my neural implants buzz. I ignored the alerts, focusing instead on the silence that had settled over the alley like a shroud.

I allowed myself a brief moment of relief. I'd made it out—at least for now. But the danger was far from over. Militech was still out there, still hunting me, and I couldn't afford to let my guard down. Not yet.

I tapped into my commlink, checking for Jackie's signal. It was faint, but still there, pulsing on the edge of my HUD like a distant beacon. That was a good sign. We had agreed on a rendezvous point at the edge of the district, near an old abandoned warehouse that had long since fallen off the radar of corpo security forces. If Jackie could make it there, we had a shot at regrouping, at figuring out our next move.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. Focus. I couldn't afford to lose it now, not with Militech still on our tail.

Slipping out of the alley, I scanned the darkened streets before continuing my trek through the industrial wasteland. The crate on my shoulder was a constant reminder of the stakes—whatever was inside it, it was important. Important enough for Militech to send an entire squad to protect it. But that wasn't my concern right now. First, I needed to survive. Everything else could wait.

The night was oppressive, the sky a thick blanket of smog that choked out the stars. The only light came from the sporadic flickers of neon signs in the distance, casting an eerie glow over the broken landscape. I could hear the distant rumble of gunfire, the occasional explosion that sent tremors through the ground. Night City was always alive with conflict, a never-ending battle between the corpos, the gangs, and everyone else just trying to survive in the cracks between the giants. But tonight, it felt more dangerous than ever.

The rendezvous point wasn't far. Just a few more blocks, and I'd be in the clear.

But as I rounded the corner of a crumbling building, I stopped dead in my tracks. Standing in the middle of the street, blocking my path, was a squad of Militech soldiers. Their armor gleamed under the dim light, and their weapons were trained on me, unwavering and deadly.

"Drop the crate and put your hands up," one of the soldiers barked, his voice distorted through his helmet's comm system. "You're surrounded."

My mind raced, adrenaline spiking as I assessed the situation. These weren't street-level thugs—they were trained, heavily armed Militech operatives. Each one of them was a walking tank, bristling with cyberware and advanced tech that made them more machine than man. Fighting them head-on would be suicide, especially with the crate weighing me down. But surrendering wasn't an option either. Not with what was at stake.

I glanced around, scanning the street for any possible escape routes. The buildings on either side were too high to scale, and there was no cover in sight. The only option was to fight—or create a distraction. My fingers hovered over my cyberdeck, already working through the possibilities. I could overload their optics, create a flashbang effect that would blind them long enough for me to make a break for it. But I had to be quick—Militech soldiers weren't known for their patience.

Taking a deep breath, I activated the program. A surge of energy shot through my neural implants, and I sent the signal out into the air. The soldiers recoiled, their optics flickering with static as the overload hit them. It wouldn't last long, but it was enough.

I bolted toward the nearest side street, my heart pounding in my chest as I ducked into the shadows. The crate on my shoulder was dragging me down, but I pushed through the pain, focusing on putting as much distance between myself and the Militech squad as possible. The adrenaline coursing through my veins kept me moving, kept the pain at bay, but I knew it wouldn't last. I had to get out of sight, had to find cover before they recovered.

Their shouts echoed behind me, but they were growing fainter. I'd bought myself some time, but not much. They'd be back on my trail soon enough, and when they caught up, I wouldn't have the luxury of surprise.

After what felt like an eternity of running, I finally reached the rendezvous point. The abandoned warehouse loomed in front of me, its broken windows and rusted doors a silent testament to the decay of Night City. This place had been forgotten by the world, left to rot in the shadow of the megacorps that now ruled the city with an iron fist. But for now, it was sanctuary.

I slipped inside, letting the darkness envelop me. The air was thick with dust and the smell of old oil, the remnants of machinery long since decommissioned and left to rust. It was quiet here, the chaos of the outside world muffled by the thick walls of the warehouse. For a moment, I allowed myself to breathe, to let the tension in my body ease just enough to stop the trembling in my hands.

Jackie was already there, leaning against a stolen Militech truck. A thought later, I could see the tracker inside was disabled. Good. Jackie looked up as I entered, a mixture of relief and exhaustion on his face. His clothes glistened with blood in the faint light filtering through the broken windows.

"About time you showed up," he said, his voice tired but tinged with a hint of humor. "Thought I was gonna have to come find you."

"Yeah, well, had to deal with a tail," I replied, setting the crate down with a grunt. My muscles screamed in protest, and I could feel the adrenaline starting to wear off. But we weren't safe yet. Not by a long shot. "You peeked at what's in the truck? Wakako's putting some serious heat on us for this."

Jackie nodded, gesturing to the rear door. "Got it right here. But… there's something you need to see."

I frowned, glancing at the crate. "What do you mean?"

Jackie's expression darkened. "In that truck, there wasn't just tech in there, mano. This cargo… looks like we're carrying a live one now."

My heart skipped a beat. "What? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Jackie replied, his tone grim. "Come take a look for yourself."

I approached the back of the truck, a sick feeling churning in my gut. This wasn't what we had signed up for. We'd been told the convoy was carrying valuable tech—top-secret Militech hardware that they didn't want falling into the wrong hands. But a person? That changed everything.

With a deep breath, I pried open the door, my hands trembling slightly. Inside, lying unconscious amidst an impressive amount of tech and boxes, was a woman. Maybe half Asian, her skin was pale, almost ghostly in the dim light, and her hair was tangled and matted. She looked fragile, like a doll that had been tossed aside and forgotten.

"Who is she?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jackie shook his head. "No idea. Didn't exactly have time for a meet 'n greet. But… there's something else. When I was taking off with the truck, she kept asking me something."

"What did she say?" I pressed, feeling the tension coil tighter in my chest.

Jackie met my eyes, his expression deadly serious. "She wanted to know if I was hired by Arasaka."

The name hit me like a punch to the gut. Arasaka—the megacorp that had its claws in everything, from weapons manufacturing to high-tech espionage. If this woman had information on Arasaka, then we were in way deeper than we had ever imagined.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to make sense of it all. "Shit. This is bad, Jackie. If Arasaka's involved… we're in serious trouble. We need to figure out who she is and what she knows before they find her."

Jackie nodded, his jaw clenched. "Agreed. But we can't stay here for long. Militech's still on our tail, and if Arasaka gets wind of this…"

"We're dead," I finished, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. "We need to move."

But before we could make a plan, the woman stirred. She let out a soft groan, her body shifting slightly as she tried to sit up. Jackie and I exchanged a glance, and he knelt down beside her, his hand hovering just above her shoulder. I was never very good at the comforting job.

"Hey," he said gently, trying not to startle her. "Take it easy. You're safe now."

Her eyes fluttered open, blinking against the dim light. For a moment, she looked disoriented, confused. But then, as if a switch flipped in her mind, her expression hardened. She jerked back from his hand, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination, like an animal cornered but not yet ready to give up the fight.

"Who... who are you?" Her voice was raspy, as if she hadn't spoken in days.

"Easy," I said, raising my hands in a placating gesture. "We're not here to hurt you. We pulled you out of that Militech convoy. You're safe now."

She blinked again, her gaze darting between me and Jackie, as if trying to decide whether to trust us. I could see the gears turning in her mind, the fight-or-flight response kicking in. But after a moment, she seemed to relax—just a little.

"Where... where are we?" she asked, her voice still shaky but gaining strength. She looked around, taking in the dilapidated warehouse, the dark corners filled with rusted machinery and forgotten debris. "What happened?"

"We're in the industrial district of Night City," I said, stepping forward but keeping my distance. "You were being transported in a Militech convoy. We hit it, expecting high-grade tech. Didn't realize we'd find you."

Her eyes narrowed at that, suspicion creeping back into her expression. "Why did you hit the convoy? Who sent you?"

"That's not important right now," I cut in before Jackie could answer. "What matters is that you're here, and you said something… something that made this a lot more complicated than just a routine job. You mentioned Arasaka."

At the mention of the megacorp, her face drained of what little color it had left. She looked like she might pass out again, but then she steeled herself, taking a deep breath. "Arasaka," she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "They're… they're after me. I have information, something they'll kill for. Something they've already killed for."

Jackie and I exchanged a glance. This wasn't just some corpo internal power play—this was serious. If Arasaka wanted her dead, it meant she had something valuable. Something dangerous.

"What kind of information?" I asked, keeping my tone calm. "What's so important that Militech was willing to send a hit squad just to protect you?"

She hesitated, biting her lip as if weighing whether or not to trust us. Then, finally, she spoke. "My name is Catherine. I used to work for Arasaka—bioengineering division. I was part of a classified project, something they've kept off the books. But… I saw too much. Learned too much. When I realized what they were really doing, I ran."

"What were they doing?" Jackie asked, his voice low and serious.

Catherine looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and determination. "They're developing something—a new type of biochip, more advanced than anything on the market. It's not just for memory storage or neural enhancement. It's… it's something darker. It rewrites people, changes them at a fundamental level. It can make someone into a completely different person. Wipe out their identity, their memories, their will. Turn them into… into puppets."

A cold chill ran down my spine. It's happening now? This soon? No, no it can't be. It's not the right time, or the right place. There's still time to plan, to figure things out. I just need more information. And maybe I've stumbled upon something new.

"Why would they do that?" I asked, my mind racing. "What's their endgame?"

Catherine shook her head. "I don't know. I wasn't high enough in the chain to see the whole picture. But what I do know is that this tech… it's dangerous. If Arasaka gets it out there, they'll have the power to reshape the world. Governments, corporations, even people like you… no one will be safe."

I glanced at Jackie, who looked just as shaken as I felt. This was bigger than we'd thought—much bigger. And now we were caught in the middle of it.

"Okay," I said, trying to stay calm. "We need to get you somewhere safe. Arasaka's not going to stop hunting you, and if they find out you're with us… well, we're screwed."

"She's right," Jackie added, crossing his arms over his chest. "We need to lay low, figure out our next move. But first, we've got to decide what to do about Wakako. She's expecting us to deliver the goods, and if we tell her the job went south…"

"She'll want to know why," I finished, rubbing my temples. Wakako was sharp, and she didn't tolerate failure. If we came back empty-handed, she'd demand answers. And if she found out what we were hiding… well, she had her own connections, like whoever hired us. An Arasaka exec? We'd be signing Catherine's death warrant if we handed her over.

Catherine looked at me, her eyes wide with fear. "Please," she whispered. "You can't let them find me. If they do, everything I've told you… there will be no forgiveness."

I took a deep breath, weighing our options. This wasn't just about us anymore. We were in deep, and the stakes were too high to walk away. But protecting Catherine meant going up against one of the most powerful megacorps in the world. It meant lying to Wakako, burning bridges with powerful people. It meant risking everything.

But I knew what we had to do.

"We can tell Wakako we had faulty intel," I said finally, my voice steady. "We say Militech ambushed us, we took the tech from the trucks, and we had to bail. We play dumb about everything else. We keep Catherine off the radar, get her somewhere safe. And then… we figure out our next move."

Jackie nodded, his expression grim. "It's risky, mano. But I'm with you. This wasn't what we signed up for"

Catherine let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her face. "Thank you," she whispered. "I don't know what I would've done if…"

"Don't thank us yet," I interrupted, cutting her off. "We've still got a long way to go. And if Arasaka gets wind of this…"

She nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I know. But… thank you. Both of you."

"We need to move," I said, standing up and grabbing the crate. "Militech's still out there, and it's only a matter of time before they start sweeping the area."

Jackie grunted in agreement, already moving to pack up what little gear we had. Catherine struggled to her feet, still shaky but determined. She looked at me with a mixture of gratitude and fear, and I couldn't help but feel the weight of paranoia settle on my shoulders.

This wasn't just another job anymore. This was a fight for survival, for all of us.

As we slipped out of the warehouse and into the shadows of Night City, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were walking on a razor's edge. One wrong step, one mistake, and it could all come crashing down.

But we had no choice. We were in this now, and there was no turning back.

Whatever happened next, things were different now.

The story is changing.