\+/ Tales From Night City \+/ Chapter 29 - Stir-Psycho
You hear the sound of a slow ticking clock as you see Zaunya and Brian pacing back and forth right past each other in the small motel room, both occasionally glancing out the windows and checking the roads. You see the black smoke rising in the sunbaked badlands above the distant embankment where the burned Colby Butte lay to rest. It is clear that the pair have had several conversations before this point and are on edge.
The accumulating series of events that have driven these two to where they are now feels less like an end and more of a beginning. Regardless of the actions they take.. the people they kill.. the enemies they create... they remain at each other's side for better or for worse. They're intelligent.. therefore they question everything...even the nature of consistency. Night City is the city of dreams after all... not trust; However, as time goes on its clear that its become harder and harder for these two to adhere to that. They haven't been honest with each other from the start, however circumstances have forced the pair to do so... for the sake of survival.
"How much longer are we going to sit on our asses..? We're running out of smokes.."Zaunya says complacent.
"I just got some more from a choom downstairs." Brian says as he hands her a pack. "And not yet...if they did a postmortem, which they DID.. then they'll have been scanning the entire city nonstop... When nothin' comes up, they'll-"
"Start looking on the outskirts.. probing nomads, shaking down shacks, turning over old rocks."
Zaunya says finishing Brian's sentence while opening her pack of smokes.
"And when that happens-" Brian responds, he can't help himself but ask leading... the exact same way he used to lead Marilyn through thought processes. A quick flash of her smiling face staring deep into his eyes hits him like a truck.
"We'll be trading places." Zaunya responds nodding her head and finishing his sentence. The synergy of the moment gives Zaunya some happy levity but causes Brian to retreat into much less relatable interaction. He abruptly shifts subject to something a bit more confrontational.
"Your Sandy."
"Huh?" She asks confused
"Back at the warehouse... the after effects you suffered after using it weren't common. Often associated with neurological instability. Did the-"
"Klepping a sandy from a Petrochem exec via decapitation isn't going to yield the most ideal results. When Audrey chipped it, she told me it wasn't a good idea at all... that I would probably have to do something about it."
"But..?" Brian asks leading.
"Body acclimation. Started to get better over time to the point where she saw no reason to do anything. Just told me not to use it too many times a day; pretty easy compromise if you ask me."
"Speaking of your ripper friend.. I know for a fact shes not doing work like this for free." Brian says gesturing at himself. "What does she want for it."
Zaunya raises her eyebrows and looks away from him. Almost having completely forgotten the debt.
"This corpo gonk she used to run with has something of hers...we need to klep it."
Brian turns away laughing in disbelief. "From terrorism to extortion. You're fuckin' psycho girl."
"I KNOW who he is and where we can find him. Rat's on the outs with his corp. They can lose influence and power just as quickly as they gain it...saw it happen an endless amount of times."
"Item of interest. What is it."
"A kiroshi Oracle."
" 'A' Kiroshi Oracle...? So you mean just one..?" Zaunya looks at Brian without responding. He then takes a deep breath and raises his eyebrows before shaking his head and turning his back to her.
Later that night the two are seen leaving their motel room together as Brian takes lead. You hear the sounds of their boots thump down the stairs with weight one after the other before making it down to the dirt and cracked pavement. The lack of ambient lighting gives the environment around them a damp, dusk landscape illuminated by only the moonlight as you hear their boots step on and kick gravel.
Brian B-Lines it up to a Galena G240 parked on the side of the motel and smashes the driver's side window open with his elbow creating a loud bang causing Zaunya to jump slightly. He reaches into the car and unlocks it from the inside before stepping to the side and holding the door open for Zaunya. Without words, he gestures her to get into the driver's seat which she does with startled hesitation. You next see the car speeding off into the night toward the bright, glowing neon cityscape towering above them off in the distance...awaiting their return.