"Whaddya think? Why'd he give it all up?"

Song looked around, dazed and confused. She was in some hotel room, and a man in a suit stood at the window, looking out. More importantly, she felt… weird- like her body, her thoughts, and her very being weren't her own. Still, she decided to play along. Although she still didn't know what the man was talking about.

"Huh? Who gave what up?" She blinked in surprise upon hearing V's voice come out of her mouth- no, not her mouth, V's mouth. She was in V's body, but why and how, she didn't know. None of this made sense to her.

The man in the suit turned around. Song didn't recognize him, but she still felt like she knew who he was- like he was the closest friend she ever known. "Yorinobu Arasaka. The good life, I mean," he clarified. "Old news, I know. Just got to thinkin's all. It's like, think… You've got everything, right? Eddies, education… Your pops can snap his fingers and turn half the fuckin' planet into a nuclear wasteland. But instead, you're like, "Nah, fuck it," and whaddya go do? Start a fuckin' gang- Steel Dragons or some shit. You ghost from your fam, chip some RealSkinn, and play gang leader for a few years. And for what?"

Song shrugged. In all of her time- V's time- working at Arasaka, she'd known plenty of corpos that wanted out of the system, but every last one of them wound up in a ditch for one simple reason; they missed it. "Said it yourself- you can kick the rat outta the corp…"

"But you'll never kick the corp outta the rat," he finished her sentence, nodding in agreement.

"Prolly just got bored," she guessed. "All one-percenters do sooner or later."

The man scoffed. "Fuckin' tourist."

Suddenly, a new woman came over the holo. Song felt that same familiar feeling, but not quite as strong a bond. "Tourist or not, he just walked into the lobby," the woman warned. "And we are back in biz. Penthouse security is neutralized."

The man grinned. "Perfecto, let's start the show."

Song sat up from the couch she was on and rose to her feet, smoothing out the wrinkles in her suit. It was finally gonna happen. After this, they'd be rich. She should be as eager as a chrome junkie at a ripperdoc's, so why did she feel so… terrified? Her heart was racing at a mile a minute, and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. A small part of her almost wanted to just abort the whole thing, but it was easy to ignore that thought. She and the man in the suit were almost at the finish line. They just had to cross it.

"Hey, Bug… were uh… were you on comms that whole time?" the man asked in a nervous voice.

"Three and a half hours," Bug replied in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Eehh… about that stick up the ass…"

"Mean the one up mine?" Bug asked.

He let out a nervous chuckle. "Ehh… slip of the tongue, y'know?"

"I know. Now's your chance to make up to me."

Song smirked at the two's banter as she followed him out of the hotel room. With each step they took, they got that much closer to the major leagues. They were about to live like merc royalty. And yet… she still couldn't shake the fear that she felt. All she could do was follow the man into the elevator as they rose up to meet their destiny.

V knew this feeling; she'd felt it before. She was living someone's memory- Song's presumably- like she did with Johnny. She looked around, taking in her surroundings. She didn't recognize the city she was in but based on what little Song had told her about her past, she deduced that it had to be Brooklyn. But that didn't matter right now. She needed to keep her eyes peeled. No doubt they would try to jump her any minute now. News travelled fast around here, and the goons went even faster. She just needed to get somewhere safe- somewhere she could lay low for a bit.

"Song!"

Too late.

She turned around to face the voice coming from behind her to see five gangers walking up to her. "You've got some fuckin' nerve, y'know that? Boss was crystal clear on what you were supposed to do, and he said nothin' about going past the Blackwall."

V shrugged. "Got the job done, didn't I?" she asked with Song's voice. "In fact, I basically got it done twice over, so really, your boss oughta be sending a bonus my way. It's the least he could do for only paying half my usual rate," she muttered the last part mostly under her breath.

"You think that settin' NetWatch on our asses- havin' them fuck with our biz because you poked at the wall- is gonna land you anything other than lead in your skull?" He pulled out a revolver and aimed it at her. The other gangers drew their weapons too. "Think again."

V hesitated before replying. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed two more gangers on a roof on either side of her aiming rifles at her. No doubt they had some behind her as well. They may have boxed her in, but she wasn't going down without a fight. Sparks shot out from the first man's head, and the two on either side of him erupted into flames. V braced her legs to dive for cover from the rest, but before she could move, a baseball bat crashed into her back, knocking all the wind out of her and sending her sprawling onto the ground.

"You really think we wouldn't come prepared to deal with you, bitch!?" the man the hit her asked.

V didn't say anything. She was too busy gasping for breath as she rolled onto her back. The man with the bat stood over her triumphantly, grinning as he poked her with it. She tried desperately to hit him with a daemon, but her cyberdeck was still out of RAM. 'This is it,' she thought to herself. 'I'm done for.'

The man snickered. "This is what you get for fuckin' with us!" He raised the bat over his head, preparing to send it thundering down on her skull like an executioner's axe.

V closed her eyes, bracing herself for a gruesome end when suddenly, seven shots rang out through the alleyway. V opened her eyes to see all of the gangers dead on the ground, blood pooling beneath her. She moved slowly, picking herself up and seeing a man walking toward her, smoking gun in hand. V felt like she knew him- she swore as much- but the memory she was living kept her from recalling his name or why she knew him.

"You alright?" he asked, holstering his pistol as he helped V to her feet.

V nodded. "I've dealt with worse- thanks, though."

"Think nothin' of it." He smiled, offering a hand to her. "Name's Solomon."

She reached out and shook his hand. "Song," she replied.

"Say… whaddya say we get some grub- my treat?" Solomon offered.

V raised a curious eyebrow at him. It was the first time in her life that someone she didn't know offered something like this- especially someone she just left. At the same time, though, what kind of fool would she be to turn down free food? "Sure, why now," she finally decided with a shrug.

"What the fuck just happened in there?" T-Bug asked.

Song looked down at the Emperor's corpse in disbelief. "Yorinobu… just offed Saburo," she whispered, fearing that someone was still in the penthouse to hear them. Saying the words aloud felt wrong, somehow.

"What?!"

Jackie let out a heavy breath that he'd been holding in since they squeezed into the fat pillar. "His own fuckin' pops…" he murmured as he and Song crawled out from their hiding place.

"Know what this means? Security's gonna swarm the place any second!" T-Bug said, panic creeping into her voice. "Oh my god we're so fucked!"

She was right. As much as Song didn't want to admit it, T-Bug was right. They were a hundred floors off the ground and only a few feet away from the dead body of one of the most powerful men in the world. There was no way they were getting out of this. She knew she should've listened to her gut.

"Bug… need you to get us out of here, now," Song demanded as she and Jackie looked around the penthouse.

"Ok, got somethin'! Window- now!" the netrunner ordered.

Song and Jackie were there before she could finish speaking. She tried pushing open the door, but it didn't budge. Fortunately, T-Bug was already on the case. Every second they spent in here, was a second that they needed to spend getting as far away as possible. Song's heart was pounding against her chest. Never in her life did she feel as terrified as she did right now.

"Should see a ladder… Ladder… oh fuck…" The tone in T-Bug's voice was beyond fear now. This was terror. "No, no, no, no- not now! I've been made-" was all she had time to say before she cried out in agony until the line went dead.

"Bug!" Song cried out, as if hoping that she would return at her call.

"Pinche Dios Santo bendito!" Jackie cursed as he and V stepped out onto the balcony. "Just lost T!"

"Fuck!" Song growled as she led the way, moving up to the ledge separating them from the latter T-Bug mentioned. "Fuckin' major leagues! Happy now, Jackie?" she snapped.

The ledge to the ladder got thinner and thinner. Soon enough, the two mercs had their backs pressed up against the window as they shimmied over. They just needed to get a little bit farther and they'd have some time to formulate a plan.

Jackie let out a nervous breath. "You can do it, Jackie… just don't look down," he assured himself, holding onto the biochip case for dear life. But when this much was at stake, he could help but look and see what awaited them if they fell. "Yep, that's fuckin high!" Suddenly, there was a low rumbling in the distance, and a shape appeared in through the rain clouds. "Shit! That Trauma?"

Song looked up and groaned. Of course, they had to be here. Why couldn't things go right for them just once? "If they're here for Saburo, they're a little late!" she shouted.

"Just hope they didn't see us," Jackie replied.

They kept moving, and against all odds, the Trauma Team AV flew right past them and onto the roof. Maybe they could get out of this mess. For a brief moment, Song thought that they had a chance, but she quickly realized that she should've known better than to have hope. An Arasaka drone swooped around the corner of the building, hovering directly in front of them with its weapons primed and ready.

"Chingada Madre!" Jackie cursed as the drone practically blinded them with its searchlight. "Time to bail!"

Song kept moving, inch by inch. They were so close to the ladder. She could practically reach out and grab it, but despite how much she wished it to be true, she knew they couldn't make it. Their only option now was to jump forward, taking the leap of faith that doomed them both.

"Tellin' me you've seriously never been here before" Solomon asked as he led V toward a small diner.

V felt disgusted just looking at it- like the building itself was dipped in grease. "I tend to avoid places like this."

Solomon shrugged as he sat down at a booth. "Your loss. This place has some of the best burgers in the NUSA."

V sat down across from him, studying the man curiously. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get a read on him. What kind of gonk saves some rando on the street and then buys them lunch? It didn't make sense. "So… what were you doing in that alley?" she asked, hoping to get some kind of info from him.

"Thought it'd be a shortcut back to my place," Solomon answered before smirking slightly. "Guess in the end it wound up bein' the opposite." He paused to look up at the waiter as they approached. "Gin and tonic for me. And a synthburger with all the fixin's." He looked over to V expectantly.

V shrugged dismissively. "NiCola and… anything that isn't bathed in grease."

As the waiter disappeared behind the kitchen, Solomon turned his attention back toward the younger woman. "What about you, then? What'd you do to piss off those lowlifes?"

"Let's just say… they weren't exactly satisfied customers," V replied, trying to give as vague an answer as she could.

Solomon gave her a curious glance. "You worked for 'em?"

V nodded. "Freelance work- netrunning gig," explained. "I did the job, but I guess they didn't approve of my methods." She let out a slight chuckle. "You'd think gangoons like that would know to be less picky."

Solomon opened his mouth to reply but stopped when he saw the waiter return with their food. Gin and tonic and a burger for him, and NiCola and a synthsalad for V. Once they were out of earshot, he returned his attention to the young girl in front of him. "You're an edgerunner then? You look a bit young for the job."

"Gotta start young to get ahead," she said with a shrug, taking a drink and poking at her salad.

Solomon paused as he finished chewing. "Wouldn't you rather have a more… stable profession? I mean, when you're talented enough to be a netrunner, I'm sure that wouldn't be too hard to arrange."

V scoffed. "And what? Sell my soul out to a corp? Leave everything I know and love behind? No thanks."

Solomon looked over at the waiter as they passed by and nodded to them. The waiter nodded back, only adding to V's confusion. This whole situation was raising alarm bells from the get-go, but now her instincts were screaming at her to leave, and she was inclined to listen. Just as she stood up, though, she felt something blunt strike the back of her head, and while she was dazed, a sack slipped over her head, and she found herself getting led away, eventually getting shoved in a van that promptly drove away.

If V were smart, she would've kept track of all the turns that they were making, but by the time she thought of the idea, it wouldn't have done any good. Fortunately, her captors decided to remove the sack on her head after a minute or so. She looked around to see several soldiers with guns trained on her, and sitting directly in front of her was Solomon.

"Tried doin' this the nice way," he said. "Guess I shoulda known that someone who makes a habit of pokin' the Blackwall wouldn't be too keen on an offer like this."

So that's what this was about. "Fuck…" she murmured. "So just who are you, exactly?"

"Solomon Reed, FIA," he introduced himself. "Your little stunt with MiliTech's data fortress turned a lot of heads- including President Myers."

V scoffed. "Right, suuure," she replied sarcastically.

Reed ignored her comment. "Fortunately for you, she thinks your skills could be put to better use- authorized me to offer you a job at the FIA." He paused, looking away with a shrug. "But, seeing as how you don't seem too keen on that idea, I'll make you a better offer: you work for us, and we'll keep you and everyone else you care about safe from NetWatch. Otherwise… I'm sure they wouldn't mind a little help in their search for you." He reached into his jacket and pulled out an NUSA coin. "So… we got a deal?"

V's gaze flicked between Reed and the coin he offered her. She didn't exactly have a whole lot of say in the matter, but the only option she had wasn't exactly enticing. That's when she realized that, regardless of her choice, she was dead. The life she knew and loved- it died the moment Reed appeared. All she could do now, she decided as she reached for the coin, was move forward.

Song let out a sigh of relief as the elevator doors shut. They'd finally made it to the parking garage. This was the final stretch. And yet, Jackie wasn't getting any better. They were so close, though, they just had to get out of Konpeki, and they were home free.

"Argh… I'm leakin' a little," Jackie murmured, clutching his wound as best he could with a pistol in both hands.

The elevator doors slid open, and Song led the way out into the garage. Of course, it didn't take long to hear the shouting and shooting coming from the Arasaka agents waiting for them, because of course things had to be that little bit more complicated. Fortunately, Delamain pulled up just in time, allowing both of them to dive into the backseat and slam the doors behind them.

"Delamain, gun it!" she ordered.

"Welcome back. With Delamain, you leave your problems at the door," he greeted them as if the car wasn't being riddled with bullets.

"We'll have problems if you don't fuckin' drive!" she snapped.

The cab lurched forward, smashing through the garage door and swinging out into the driveway. Song could barely process everything that happened in such a short amount of time, and before she knew it, she was leaning out the window, pistol drawn, and shooting at the trio of Arasaka drones chasing after them. They tried their best to chase down the cab, but Song had come too far to be stopped now. The drones didn't stand a chance.

"We did it, Jackie! We fuckin' made it!"

Jackie managed a weak attempt at a laugh. "Heh… guess we did."

"My medical diagnostics indicate that Mr. Welles's condition is critical," Delamain informed her.

"Take us to a ripperdoc now!" Song yelled. She and Jackie didn't come this far for him to die now. She wouldn't allow it.

"Apologies, but that will not be possible. Our itinerary has been pre-arranged and paid for in advance. I am not at liberty to alter it," Delamain explained, only further enraging Song.

"Fuck your liberty- do what I say!" she snapped, leaning in next to Jackie and holding onto him tightly.

"It's okay, V… I'll hold out," he weakly promised her- a promise that both of them knew he wasn't going to make good on.

"I suggest you try to keep Mr. Welles conscious," Delamain told her.

Song's grip on him tightened. It just wasn't fair. How could he leave her like this? He was all that she had. Without him, she had nothing. She couldn't let him die. "It's gonna be alright," she promised him. "You'll see Misty, your mom, everyone you love." Song could see in his face that it wasn't working. "Jackie, don't close your eyes!" she begged, tears streaming down her cheek.

"Misty…" Jackie murmured. "She knew… she always knew…" He reached up to his head, ejecting the biochip from his head and leaning into Song's arms. "The biochip… Hold onto it. For me." Without another word, he put it into her neural port. Then, the life in his eyes faded, and his hand went limp in hers.

"Mr. Welles has passed. Where shall I take his remains?"

"W- what?" Song asked, finally regaining her senses. The cab had stopped in a parking lot by the No-Tell Motel, and Jackie remained in the same position, still lifeless.

"The Excelsior package provides for the disposal of passenger remains free of charge. I merely require a destination."

Song looked at Jackie's body. There was only one answer. "He'd wanna be with his family."

"Mr. Welles's closest blood relative is Guadalupe Alejandra Welles, proprietress of the El Coyote Cojo Bar. I will make sure to deliver him safely. In the meantime, Mr. Deshawn awaits you in room number 204."

Song pressed a hand on Jackie's shoulder and felt the tears start flowing once more. "See you in the major leagues, Jack," she whimpered before stepping out of the car.

She practically punched the door once she got to it. No response. She knocked again. "Lemme in."

The door opened and Dex's bodyguard stepped out, hand outstretched as he looked down the hall. Once he was sure she wasn't followed, he turned his attention back to Song. "He waiting."

She brushed past him to see Dexter Deshawn leaning in front of the TV as a news broadcast played. "WNS, N54, even the pirate networks... You blowin' up everywhere!" He paused, looking around. "And the Jackster? He out in the car?"

Song felt the anger bubbling up inside her. "Yeah, he's there. Dead," she grumbled.

"Hmph… Condolences, friend," he replied. "And the Relic?"

Song pointed to her head. "Got it right here."

The fixer shook his head. "I was afraid of that."

"What!?" Song demanded. After everything she went through- after everything Jackie sacrificed to get it here- and now he didn't want it all of a sudden?

"Saburo Arasaka, dead…" he said as he started pacing around the motel room. "You got any notion of the shit you pulled me into?! You offed the fuckin' Emperor. HIS MAJESTY!" he yelled. "Anyone with so much as a pinky-toe dipped in this mess is as good as dead."

He dared to say that this was her fault? That, Song decided, was a line he shouldn't've crossed, so she stopped holding back. "You're the one who got us into this mess!" she snapped. "Let's start with your prep work. You had no idea Saburo Arasaka'd be at the hotel?!"

"I don't have access to the old man's personal fuckin' schedule. And besides, nobody asked you to kill the old man!" Dex replied, still pacing.

"That wasn't us!"

"No shit?! Tell that to the 'Saka ninjas they send after you." He paused, taking a deep breath and finally deciding to sit on the couth. "A'ight, settle down. Gotta be tactical about this. New place, new identity. But first…" he gestured at Song's head. "Your face- got blood all over it. Bathroom's there," he said, pointing to the door behind her. "Go get yourself cleaned up."

Song stormed off into the bathroom, looking into the mirror at her- V's- face. True to Dex's word, it was absolutely covered in blood. She ran her hands under the sink, getting the blood off her hands before doing the same to her face. And yet… she didn't feel any better. She started into her reflection, and she hated it. It just wasn't fair. None of it was fair. In a surge of anger and emotions, her hands clenched into a fist and smashed the mirror. As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom though, all she felt was the bodyguard's fist, colliding with her skull, sending her sprawling to the ground. She tried to get up, but he stood over her, ready to kick her head and keep her down for the count. All she could do was watch as he walked over to Dex and handed him a pistol.

"I'll fucking kill you!" she spat in defiance as he walked up to her.

"Can't risk it, V," he said in a very matter-of-fact tone. "Remember our first convo? Seems I've chosen the quiet life after all." He pointed the pistol at her head. "No blaze of glory for me." A moment later, he pulled the trigger, and Song felt her life end.