Erica had been walking down the road when she heard the engine of a van behind her.
Next thing she knew, pairs of hands wrapped over her arms and mouth and she found herself sitting in the corner of a dirty storage room.
In nothing but her underwear, the first thing Erica did was panic. Scream, try to stand up, look around her surroundings.
3 girls and 4 boys, chromed up with the newest models just like her, were chained up in different corners. They were looking at her with tears in their eyes. One of them had even wet their underwear, puddle forming on the floor.
Judging by their state, she could at least take comfort that they were just dumped into this room.
Though that meant every minute was agonising. They were but pigs getting lined up to be slaughtered.
She heard Russian beyond the thick gate, tone in the voice sounded mad… or scared.
Maybe someone was coming to save them? She was a daughter of a high ranking corpo of Kiroshi Optics after all, her father would have sent someone to get her back. The other people here looked like they came from rich parents too.
… Or one of the Scavs botched up an operation, so the gang was mad about damaged goods and reduced pay. As much as she hoped for the former, the latter sounded like the likelier outcome.
She saw enough Scavs aftermath on N54.
Gunshot resonated through the metal gate and concrete wall that made her think twice.
A few of the young teens hiccuped every time guns were fired. Screams and shouts here promptly cut off every time they heard a bang. Heavy footsteps thumped across the floor.
The metal door, heavily welded with several plates, smashed in like all of that effort just made it as durable as cardboard.
Everyone was frightened when they saw a hulking amalgamation of plated armour and a space suit rip the crinkled up door off its hinges and casually toss the gate to the side.
Next to the giant was a another walking armour, more futuristic and still taller than anyone she had ever seen, speak.
"Commander, we've found the target."
Soon, 3 more gathered at the doorway, looking around the room.
The one that talked was hideous to look at, and horrifying to hear. Metallic skull with no eyes spoke in a distorted voice.
"Which one of you is Erica Johnston?"
Erica raised her chained hands.
"Your father paid us to rescue you. I guess rescuing the rest of you would be a bonus. Everyone, follow me. We'll get you out of here alive and safe."
That was all the eyeless skull needed to say for all the young teens to start bawling their eyes out.
Erica looked more closely at the mercs when they started tearing the chains off of her and the rest of the captives, getting clothes littered from the other room for them to wear.
The plating made them look robotic. She's seen Arasaka and Militech security who bought products from her father. Maxtac too. None of them had something this… imposing for their uniform.
She saw the undersuit, looked like synthetic skins and muscles the way they moved.
She believed wholeheartedly that her saviors were fullborgs. Slightly frightened her too, almost all fullborgs were cyberpsychos. The size of them indicated that they were modified for combat, which made her mind connotate these 5 mercs with Adam Smasher.
At least they were polite.
The mercs surrounded the captives as they escorted them out of the building. Dead Scavs were littered around the floor, in which one of the girls next to Erica angrily kicked and spat on. The merc with round helmet gently grabbed the girls shoulder and led her back into the rest of the rescued. Patting her on the shoulder.
Yeah, scratch that. Erica thought. Adam Smasher would never do something like that. A longer inspection certainly told her (and the rest of the teens) that the similarity between Adam Smasher and thest 5 mercs ended with the fact that they were all Full'borgs.
Adam smasher from camera recordings had hydraulic pipes, motors and wires exposed underneath the plates, didn't even bother hiding the fact that everything about him was machine.
These 5 had smooth skin covering everything below the plates. While their helmets were intimidating, it also resembled those that police officers or superheroes from cartoons would wear.
Authority that protected.
Their body languages too, subtle and defensive as they tried to safely take the teens out of the building.
Cars started pouring into the car park once they exited the Scav den.
5 bullets shot from what Erica first assumed to be the sky pierced through the car windows, the death of the drivers caused the wheels to steer out of control- collide with each other.
The rest of the mercs went to work.
The teens had to flinch when the black and white fullborg rushed forward, effortlessly grabbing the front of a car with one hand and whack another car with it like it was a small hammer.
They heard screams from the car, then a sparks ignited flames that bursted out from the inside. The rest of the mercs stepped in front of the scared teens, forming a makeshift wall using their bodies.
Bullets that would've hit the kids bounced off the mercs instead. Energy particles glowing yellow, interlinked together in hexagonal patterns appeared on top of their armour as bullets harmlessly bounced off, changing trajectory. The energy particle soon hid its presence once the tall 'borgs started to return fire.
One of the teen stumbled back, falling on their butt as they saw between the Spartan's legs - the guy that rushed forward kicked a car, sending it sliding and rolling at such a fast velocity that once it collided with another it tumbled and spinned in the air. The side of the car that got the merc's foot was cratered in, doors were falling apart from the force.
They saw the flame lighting up the night. NCPD's blue and red siren was blaring at the distance.
Erica's car arrived first. The driver, her personal chauffeur, stared at the aftermath dumbfounded on the side of the road.
"Lady Erica, seems like you'll have to go first." One of the mercs, the one with blades holstered in various platings of the armour, gently announced with a chuckle. She saw as one of the other armoured solo stretched out a hand for the teen that fell to the ground to take.
She felt the giant arm wrap around her shoulder as the merc escorted her to her limousine.
"Luckily, you weren't hurt. When you're father goes to give you a hug, telling you how sorry he is that he couldn't keep you safe and find you any sooner… take a bath and a good long sleep. Maybe get a glass of your favourite drink. Think of it… as a passing nightmare you had tonight. Everything will be alright."
No need to remember any of this. Not good for your health. She heard him say. He opened the limousine door and ushered her in.
Her driver looked in shock as he stared at her escort, who only gave a curt nod. The driver nodded back. And she quickly rolled down the window when the merc carefully closed the door.
"How much?" Erica urgently asked.
"Hmm? No need. We've already been paid by our fixer."
"No, how much to hire your team as our personal bodyguard?"
The merc wearing knives like a fashion statement was silent.
"My father, he's got a promotion yesterday - he'll be working as an executive for the Night City's branch of Kiroshi Optics. He was talking about how he'd be hiring better security for us. I'd… I'd like to hire you and your team. We'll pay you more than what the fixers would pay you for gigs."
The merc laughed, as he took a knee so that his head was level with her.
"Sorry, missy. We're Freelancers. Besides, my boss won't like me taking these kinds of deals without him knowing, and… we're not exactly being mercs for money."
"But maybe you can-"
"Talk to him about it? Could do. I doubt he'd take it up, however. Well, if you want… when you have a problem, maybe ask a fixer in Watson about us. I'm sure we'll take up the gig."
"… What's your name?"
"Ask Reilly for Fire Team Baba Yaga. That's our name."
Erica saw the merc lightly tapped on the hood of the car. Signal for the driver to start the engine again and take Erica back to her father. As the merc started to walk away, rejoining with the rest of his team, Erica pushed her head out of the window.
"I won't forget you, you know!"
Erica saw the merc simply turning his head to look over his shoulder, giving her a thumbs up in return.
As the limousine left for home, Erica quietly sat back into her seat.
Mother always told her fairy tales, about princesses kidnapped and locked away in towers. Rescued by a knight in shining armour.
She used to love those stories until she hit 15. Then for the past 2 years she was embarrassed that she used to like them as she hung out with other kids from Corpo families- buying clothes from Jinguji and trying out Smash before partying.
Then here she was tonight, kidnapped and locked away at a top of the building, people that looked like they were clad in metal plates coming to save her.
She never expected for her life to be a fairy tale for one night.
'When you have a problem, maybe ask fixers about us.'
She didn't care if they were full'borgs barely looking human. In her eyes right now, they looked better than any other guys her age.
Fire Team Baba Yaga.
Her knight in shining armour.
Reilly looked at the bouncer of Afterlife move aside for her to enter.
Holy shit, she was in the big leagues now.
She had put on her best clothes, grabbing a drink from the counter.
Everyone inside saw the grin plastered on her face. They snickered as they saw the new blood being giddy about the high place they had reached.
She heard the result of the rescue from several sources. Callan Johnston had doubled the payment of the original agreement. He further asked about Fire Team Baba Yaga, how his daughter would talk nothing but them for the entire night.
Hell, she even transferred the visual records from her Kiroshi Optics.
He wanted them to go loud and clear. Their definition of loud and clear was strategic release of hell - Jim going full on cyberpsychotic on the cars, killing the Scavs with them inside it - crushed and scattered across the road.
How much to hire them as personal mercs? Callan asked her.
And he wasn't the only one - other Corpos, high ranking, starting asking for Fire Team Baba Yaga. Turns out Erica wasn't the only child of MegaCorp executives that they rescued from the building.
They were all thinking like Callan. They saw the footage that their kids pulled out of their optic records to show them. They saw the design of the mercs, their skills as a solo and how they treated their clients. It made them froth and drool at the mouth.
'They'll have to make the final decision on that. Until then, they're not for sale.' Reilly had told all of them. She doubt they'd take the offer anyway.
"So, you're the new fixer. Reilly Kudokawa, right?"
Voice of an old woman echoed from one of the private rooms, Reilly looked to her left and blinked.
Oh my god, it was Rogue.
"Oh I… h-hello, maam. I was just here because someone… called…"
"Yeah, yeah. That was me."
Rogue shooed one of the mercs to the side, giving space for Reilly to sit in.
Reilly took Rogue's offer without hesitation, scurrying in.
"So, how's the fixer life going for you?"
"Well, one thing for sure, I nearly died…"
Rogue let out a snicker.
"Yeah, that sometimes Corpos and gangs don't like it when a fixer gets nosy on their business. They won't be targeting you now, on the bright side."
"Yeah, barely anyone's threatening me now."
"And I guess you have those Baba Yagas to thank for, huh?"
The Bartender put two glasses on the table and poured the drinks in. Reilly could feel a little sweat trickle down the side of her face.
Rogue was the queen of fixers. And she didn't get that spot by being a bleeding heart.
No, if she wanted something, she'd get it.
Through any means possible.
Reilly knew why Rogue invited her here. If she can agree to Rogue's terms with no problem, she can stay drinking here. If she can't… well, guess she'd have to savor the experience while she can.
"Are you paying your top mercs properly?"
Reilly blinked for a moment, before taking the glass and downing the shot.
"Y-yeah. 40% of the gig."
Rogue laughed.
"Only 40%? For results like that? How are they still sticking with you?"
Reilly shifted in her seat.
"They said that they don't need too much money. Just jobs."
It was Rogue's turn to drink a glass.
"New blood, let me tell you something now that you're in the big league. Mercs ain't shit without fixers. The few exceptions exist, where it's the other way around." Rogue pointed at Reilly. "Your little Baba Yagas are one of them. One way or the other, those mercs are what pulls shitty fixers out of the dump, and pulls better fixers into high places. Like you."
Rogue pulled a few pictures from the laptop on the glass table - Reilly knew who they were.
Morgan Blackhand, Andrew Weyland, Adam Smasher.
"Those are the ones that defies the rule of Night City - and makes everyone remember them while they are alive."
Reilly felt her throat slowly dry out, and decided to grab another drink.
"You really think those guys are… you know…"
"Legends? You… have seen what they do, right? Reilly, there's 4 different types of Mercs. 3rd rate, 2nd rate, 1st rate, and living legends. At least 2nd rate Mercs are what you want to deal with - 3rd rates barely get through their first gig before getting a bullet in the back of their skull. Now, busting into a place and going gung-ho? That's a 2nd rate merc. That's what they could only do. 1st rate may still do that, but at least they can follow the client's request. But living legends… those are the mercs that can walk in and out without anyone knowing. Very few mercs got that skill, and it's a skillset that's high on demand in our work force. I've read what they are capable of, these Baba Yagas. I've heard about them. And god damn, they are every single eddie worthy of that name. Baba Yaga, the Slavic Boogeyman. Witch that can help a hero out, and eat them at the flick of a hat. It's been around a week or two since they arrived in Night City, and they already have the other mercs spooked."
"… Even here?"
"Yeah, they've all heard what they could do. What they already did. Hell, if I shout at the top of my lungs 'the Baba Yagas are coming!' right now? I'll bet you this entire club that everyone outside this room will freeze up, wondering 'shit, are they here for me?'"
Reilly laughed. I mean, they're good. She'll give them that with no resistance. They're really good.
But 'scare even Afterlife Merc's' good? She didn't really-
"You don't believe me, do you?" Rogue stood up, strutting in her synth-leather jeans to the entrance of the private VIP section.
"Hey, boys!" She shouted. The queen of Fixers made every merc turn to her.
"The Baba Yagas coming to the Afterlife!"
Reilly saw every single one of them freeze up, some clenching the glass they were holding.
Some that still had optics looking like organic eyes had the pupils shrink up in silent panic.
No one talked, making the club feel silent and empty even if there was music blasting from the ceiling.
Some were starting to focus on the door.
"Ar-are… are they here because of a gig?" One of the mercs had the balls to ask Rogue. Rogue knew him and his crew. Maine, with his input Dorio on the left, their gun nut and Techie siblings Rebecca and Pillar on the right, and their netrunner Sasha in the middle. She briefly turned and looked at Reilly with a smirk, before looking back.
"Yeah, just got words that they're coming for a merc. Client hired them to have them disappear. And I guess you kids know what that means, right?"
Mercs looked at each other, wondering whether they should bolt out of the door and leave now, or hole up here and try to negotiate.
They didn't like the thinking of running out from the club without knowing what was waiting for them outside.
"I'm just joking! Now need to shit your pants." Rogue finally told the truth to the mercs, everyone started erupting in various emotions against Rogue.
But all of them displayed relief soon after.
"Guess I'll be keeping my club." Rogue responded.
Holy shit. They really were that good.
"Reilly, now you've seen how good your mercs are. The next thing you need to know, is that you want them consistently on your side. If I were you, I'd be paying them 70% of the gig, no matter what they said to you. Because what they say and how they can respond, are two very different things. And with the skills they have, they're making a name for themselves. Faster than Adam Smasher before he became Arasaka's Dog. Pretty soon, they'll be making better connections. Better gigs, better pay. Hell, I've already got clients asking me to specifically put Baba Yagas as the merc on the job. Willing to pay for the 'celebrity taxes.' It pains me to turn them down because I don't have contact with them. Pretty soon, however, those boogey-men-for-hire will be walking into clubs run by fixers. And other fixers will be more than happy to send them gigs with 80% of the cut. They'll leave you in the dust before you can get a good grip on them. And when they'll be the next Morgan Blackhand or Adam Smasher, you'll be… you. In your shitty little make-shift office, telling clients and other mercs on your payroll that you once did some gigs with them like you still do."
"I'll… keep that in mind, ma'am."
"Good. On that note, I need the Baba Yagas."
And there it was.
Rogue finally stopped wacking around the bush to tell Reilly what she really wanted.
Reilly expected as much.
"… Could I ask why?"
"No. You can get 20,000 eddies to leave them here so I can have talk with them about a gig. Does that sound good?"
Reilly weighed her options. She didn't have many… fuck it, she didn't have any. But she at least wanted to feel like she did.
"… I'll call them to see if they can come here now."
"Thank you." Rogue's eyes flashed blue, and Reilly saw herself getting 20,000 eddies richer.
Reilly gave Locust a call. While the tone was ringing as the avatar of Fire Team Baba Yaga's leader was still the holophone's default, Reilly quietly hoped that he wouldn't pick up.
[Reilly.] She heard the distorted voice speak on the other line.
God damn it.
[You have a job for us?]
"Not… quite. Not me. But another fixer. One that basically tells you that you're in the big leagues."
[I need more explanation.]
Reilly sighed.
"It's… it's Rogue. Queen of Fixers. She wants to talk to you guys about a gig. In person. Are you free?"
There was a brief silence on the other line. It was agonising, but Locust did this a lot. It was obvious to Reilly that Locust was talking with the rest of his crew.
[Send me the location. We'll be there.]
"Well, I won't be. Have fun talking, and uh… don't mess this up, you hear?"
The best thing she could do was send the new up and rising merc team with a pat on the back.
They'll still do gigs for her… right?
Reilly stood up from her seat and looked at Rogue, who now came back to take a seat, legs crossing.
"They'll come soon. I gave them the address. I'll… be on my way."
"Don't have to leave so quickly. Take your time in the bar, have a drink! I'm sure if you chat with the mercs, you'll get new chooms that'll take your gigs. You're welcome here anytime."
Reilly smiled nervously as she left the VIP section. Maybe she should take Rogue's advice. Hopefully her skills really are good enough to get good results with mercs other than the Baba Yagas.