The elevator doors opened with a soft hiss as they reached level forty-two. The hallway stretched before them—hushed and immaculate, lined with dark lacquered panels and subtle gold inlays that caught the light just enough to glow. V walked in step with Jackie, both casting casual glances at the corridor's occupants. A sharply dressed couple passed by, silent and stiff, while just ahead, the muted clink of glasses and a low murmur of voices spilled from a recessed lounge.
A group of Russians, all draped in tailored suits, lounged around a glass table inside, their voices low but animated as they spoke in clipped tones about contracts and acquisitions. Jackie raised an eyebrow at V, but she didn't look back—just kept walking, pulse steady beneath her skin.
Finally, they reached the door to their suite. Jackie placed his palm on the scanner and the doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing a room that practically oozed corporate luxury.
The suite was a sleek, minimalist design, where every detail was curated to perfection. Soft, ambient lighting shimmered across sleek black marble floors, and an unobstructed, panoramic view of Night City stretched out beyond the floor-to-ceiling window. The city lights glittered like neon stars, pulsing with life far below.
"Damn," Jackie muttered, letting out a low whistle. "Now this place is somethin' else. Chingón." His voice was thick with admiration as his eyes fell on the massive terrarium built into the wall that stretched along one side of the room.
Jackie leaned in closer, eyes wide, watching the plants shift, casting an eerie glow across the floor.
V wandered to the window, arms crossed, her gaze lingering on the glittering city below. "All this chrome and clean air... Bet half the people in this city've never seen anything like it."
Jackie tore his gaze away from the terrarium and made his way to the center of the room. He dropped the Flathead case onto the sleek surface of the glass table with deliberate care, the soft thud echoing through the space.
His eyes lingered for a moment on the bed, a grin creeping onto his face as he nodded toward it. "You see the size of that bed? Shit, you could fit five Joytoys in here and still have room to stretch."
V rolled her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching in an almost imperceptible smirk. "Yeah, 'cause that's exactly what we need right now," she quipped.
T-Bug's voice crackled over their comms, brisk and professional. "Alright guys, sit tight. Runnin' one last review of the security layout—wanna make damn sure we didn't miss anything. You'll get the green light to deploy the Flathead once I'm done."
With a sigh, V sank into one of the plush couches, her fingers running over the armrest as she stared at the floor for a moment. The silence hung between them, thick and uncomfortable, before she finally spoke, her tone softer than usual, laced with hesitation.
"About earlier... in the car," she started, her voice quiet, almost uncertain. She glanced up at Jackie, a flicker of apology in her eyes, though she kept her face carefully neutral. "I didn't mean to shut you down like that."
Jackie raised a brow but said nothing, just waited.
V let out a deep, frustrated sigh, her gaze fixed on the sprawling city outside the window. "I meant what I said," she muttered, her voice heavy. "But... maybe I came off a little too harsh." She didn't turn to face him.
Jackie snorted. "A little?"
She gave him a sideways glance. "Alright, fine. A lot. I just—this job's big. Too big. And if it goes sideways..."
He leaned his side against the couch in front of her, arms crossed. "Yeah. I get it. You've got your reasons. Still—you could've just said you were nervous instead of bitin' my head off, hermana."
V didn't respond right away. She waited a beat, then checked the comms to make sure T-Bug wasn't patched in. Satisfied, she leaned forward, lowering her voice.
"You ever think about what happens after we get the chip?" she asked. "I mean really think about it."
Jackie gave her a wary look. "You're not gonna start spiralin' again, are you?"
"I'm serious. We grab the chip, hand it over to Dex, and what? He pays us, pats us on the back, and sends us off with fat bank accounts? What's stoppin' him from icin' us the second he gets what he wants?"
Jackie's expression tightened. "C'mon, V. You know Dex. He plays the long game. He's got a rep to maintain."
"Yeah? Sometimes reps don't mean shit in this city. People disappear all the time. Mercs like us? Even faster." She paused. "All I'm sayin' is, we've done the legwork. We're the ones risking everythin'. Doesn't take a genius to figure out who the disposable pieces are in this job."
Jackie stepped closer, his voice firm, a glint of resolve in his eyes. "But we've come too damn far to turn back now. Whatever happens, we face it together. Just like we always do. ¿Sí, chica?"
V met his gaze from where she sat, the weight of the moment settling in her chest. She nodded slowly, her voice barely a whisper. "Yeah... together."
They sat in silence for a while, the tension settling into the room like a second presence. Hours passed, the glow of Night City shifting from deep violet to the faintest blue as the sun slowly sets.
Finally, T-Bug's voice cut through the comms. "Sweep's done. You're clear. Jackie, prep the Flathead. V, I'll guide you through the setup."
V stood, stretching her limbs with a crack. "Showtime."
Jackie popped open the case and handed V the control shard with a nod. "Ándale, chica. Let's make this little cabrón dance," he said with a smirk.
Without a word, V slotted it into the neural port. A quick jolt flickered behind her eyes—sharp, electric—as the shard synced with her interface.
On the floor, the Flathead stirred to life. Its spider-like legs extended with mechanical precision, optics flaring a soft blue as it calibrated to her neural link.
"Flathead's online," she muttered, her voice low.
T-Bug's voice buzzed through the comms. "Good. I've got a visual. I'll guide you through. Only one netrunner in the hub, so keep it clean and we can slip in smooth. You get the Flathead in place, I'll slip past his ICE, breach their security spine."
V frowned, her tone skeptical. "Only one? I figured we'd be dealin' with more."
T-Bug gave a low hum in response. "Guess even 'Saka cuts corners sometimes. That makes it easy for us."
After activating its invisibility cloak, the Flathead skittered forward across the suite floor, its movements silent and precise. V guided it to the wall panel where the vent cover had already been loosened. One final mental push and the little bot vanished into the ductwork.
"First vent's clear," T-Bug said, tracking the feed through the Flathead's optics. "Head east—take the left split. That should lead you into the main corridor access. Watch the thermals."
V's vision blurred as she slipped deeper into control, her view syncing with the drone's first-person feed. Metal walls, tight corners, soft thrum of machinery—it felt like crawling through the arteries of a sleeping beast. Occasionally, she'd catch the faint glimmer of motion sensors or hear the distant hum of automated cameras.
"Right turn," T-Bug prompted. "There's a maintenance junction just ahead."
The Flathead climbed nimbly over a cluster of cables and passed through another grated opening. Beyond it, a wide duct opened to overlook the security hub. Below, a lone Arasaka netrunner sat in silence, his back to the vent. He was fully jacked in, unaware of the silent predator perched just above him.
"There's our guy," T-Bug murmured. "Slot the Flathead into that access port on the ceiling. It'll override his connection and give me a bridge. Nice and steady—we don't want him catching on, or he'll put the entire hotel on lockdown."
V maneuvered the drone down the wall and across a beam, timing its movement with the slow rotation of a security cam. It crept toward the ceiling port above the netrunner's terminal.
"Easy..." V whispered, sweat beading at her brow.
"Almost there," T-Bug said, tension tight in her voice. "Just a few more seconds... now slot it in."
The Flathead extended a tiny data-spike and slipped it into the port with a soft click. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the netrunner flinched—just slightly—before going limp, his connection overridden by the Flathead's backdoor.
"I'm in," T-Bug's voice crackling through the comms "Security's blind, for now. I've got full access to the penthouse surveillance and door systems. With security offline, the AI in the penthouse shouldn't be a problem. Nice work."
V exhaled slowly, pulling herself out of the control trance. The Flathead remained in place, quietly siphoning data and holding the bridge open for T-Bug.
Jackie leaned against the suite's wall, arms crossed. "Damn, chica. You make that look easy."
"Wasn't," V muttered, rubbing the back of her neck. "But we're in."
T-Bug's voice came back, a hint of pride in it now. "Hold tight while I finish lockin' down the connection. While I do that, you two get prepped. No irons, so it's all stealth and reflexes from here on out. Make every second count. I'll ping you when it's go-time."
After T-Bug signed off, the comms went dead for now, leaving only the low ambient hum of the suite and the distant thrum of Night City through the glass.
Jackie leaned back against the wall, arms folded, his gaze flicking toward the glittering skyline. "Shit's getting real now."
V didn't respond right away. She walked over to the window, staring down at the city like she was trying to map out every street, every exit.
"I got something set up," she finally said, her voice quiet. "In case things go south."
Jackie raised a brow. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Money stashed, fake IDs, routes out of the city—whole ghost protocol. Didn't come this far without a parachute."
Jackie let out a low whistle, half impressed, half uneasy. "You really think it's gonna come to that? Porque si es así... estamos jodidos, V."
"I don't know," V admitted, her fingers tapping against the window. "If it does... we won't go out like chumps. We disappear. Wait for things to die down."
There was a pause between them, the weight of what they were about to do pressing down. It was all so close now—glory or ruin. No in-between.
Jackie let out a low breath, then glanced over at her, something like admiration flickering behind his usual smirk. "You already got a Plan B... Damn, chica. That 'Saka paranoia runs deep, huh?"
She didn't answer, but Jackie didn't need her to.
"Figures," he added more softly. "With everything Arasaka's done to you... can't blame you for always havin' a way out."
V kept her eyes on the glass, jaw tight. She wouldn't say it, but yeah — she knew better than to walk into anything blind. Especially when it had Arasaka's name on it.
Jackie gave a short laugh, more nervous than amused. "Dios... You ever feel like we're standing on the edge of something huge?"
V nodded slowly. "Yeah. And I'm not sure if we're about to fly or fall."
They stood in silence a while longer, the only sound the hum of the city below—a sea of neon and smoke, glittering like a promise it had no intention of keeping.
Night City—the so-called City of Dreams—sprawled endlessly beneath them, alive and indifferent.
"City of Dreams," V murmured, almost to herself. "Funny how it never says what kind."
Jackie shifted, running a hand over his scalp. "Hey," he said suddenly, his gaze fixed on some distant point, like he was staring through the suite walls to wherever his thoughts had wandered. "You ever had your fortune read?"
V looked at him, sensing a shift in his tone. "Not unless you count corpo performance reviews."
Jackie chuckled softly, though there was little humor in it. "Misty pulled a card for me before we left. Didn't tell her what we were up to, but she knew it was big—said it felt important."
V tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "Yeah? What was it?"
Jackie smiled faintly, but there was a tension in it. "Somethin' about the Devil, some big bad omen. Didn't really make much sense, but... hell, she's always been a little cryptic." He shrugged, the smile fading. "I guess we'll see if she was right."
V didn't speak, letting him think. Jackie's eyes wandered, distant.
He let out a sigh, eyes on the ceiling as if it might hold the answers to whatever was bouncing around in his head. "Y'know, I was thinkin'... once this is all over, I'm takin' Misty out. Gonna get her a fancy dinner, maybe hit up a nice spot in Japantown. Hell, maybe I'll even let her pick the wine this time." He let out a low chuckle.
V raised an eyebrow, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. "Pretty sure your real plan is just to show off, huh?"
Jackie flashed a grin and leaned in, throwing a playful wave through the air. "Nah, nah—she deserves it, puttin' up with me this long. But hey—ever think about what comes after all this? What's your plan? Got someone lined up for a date night?"
V didn't bite immediately, just shrugged and gave him a look. "Don't exactly have a line of people waitin' for me to knock on their door, Jackie."
"Tsk, qué lástima," Jackie said, shaking his head dramatically. "V, you mean to tell me no lucky soul in Night City's tryin' to lock you down? With all that charm, ese actitud peligrosa? You're a damn catch."
V rolled her eyes, though the corner of her lips betrayed a hint of a smile. "Real funny, Jack. Maybe I'm just picky."
Jackie winked, his grin still there, playful but a little sincere. "Or maybe you're just scarin' 'em off," he teased. "Should let me play wingman sometime. I could set you up nice. Maybe find someone who won't just use you for your cyberdeck."
She shot him a mock glare. "Wow. Thanks for the glowing endorsement. You're the worst."
"Nah, soy el mejor. You're just lucky I'm on your side." He laughed again, then paused. "But seriously, whatever happens... when we walk outta here, I want you to know you're part of the plan, V. Always. And no matter what, you're not doin' this alone."
Jackie grinned, the tension in the air between them easing just a little. V didn't need to say more—he could see it in her eyes. They were in this for the long haul. And that thought, in a way, made everything feel possible.
A brief beat passed, then T-Bug's voice crackled through the comms again, dry and unmistakably amused.
"Jackie as a wingman? V, you tryna stay single forever or what?"
V chuckled. "Bug, don't encourage him."
"Encourage? Girl, I'm tryin' to save you. Next thing you know, he's hookin' you up with some gonk who collects antique tea sets."
Jackie made a mock-offended noise.
V shook her head, amused. "Can we please rob the corpo now?"
"Gladly," T-Bug replied, her voice crackling through the comms with a spark of anticipation. Then, like a switch flipping, her tone went all business."You're clear to move out. Remember, we're on a tight schedule, so we do it fast and smooth. Yorinobu's not due back till later, but don't push it."
V turned to Jackie, catching his eye. He was already halfway through cracking his knuckles, the grin on his face slipping into something more focused. No more waiting around.
"Let's make it count," she muttered.
Jackie nodded once, his tone unusually serious. "A huevo. Time to ghost."
"Elevator's down the hall," T-Bug muttered, her voice low. "It'll take you to the penthouse. Top floor."
Jackie took a deep breath, his mind running through the plan. No guns. No gear. Just their wits. He had to stay calm—his head was buzzing, but he wasn't about to let it get the best of him.
They stepped out of the suite, the corridors quieter now. The glow of ambient lighting flickered off sleek surfaces, casting sharp reflections on the polished floors. The hallways now felt emptier, almost too quiet. A couple of well-dressed guests passed by, talking in low voices, their eyes flicking briefly toward V and Jackie, but quickly turning away.
Finally, they reached the elevator, the doors sliding open with a soft chime. They stepped inside, and the weight of the moment hit him full force. The silence between them was almost suffocating, the tension pressing in heavier with each floor they ascended. Jackie leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, trying to steady his nerves. He could feel V's presence beside him, but her expression was unreadable.
"Ahh, there's the awkward silence..." he said, glancing sideways with a grin tugging at the edge of his mouth. "You, uh, wanna hear a joke?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Now? Seriously?"
He chuckled under his breath. "OK, so why'd the rockerboy's output kick him out of the apartment?"
V shot him a look, eyebrow still raised. "Why?"
"Cause he wasn't chippin' in. Hahaa!" Jackie laughed loudly, his grin wide as he looked at V, clearly pleased with himself.
There was a beat of silence over the comms before T-Bug's voice crackled through, dry as sandpaper. "Jesus Christ..."
V rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched. "You're such a gonk."
Jackie only grinned wider, pleased with himself, shoulders loose as he rocked back on his heels, his usual swagger in full swing.
The elevator hummed around them, a low mechanical drone building in the silence. Then, with a soft chime, it came to a halt, signaling their arrival.
"Listen up. You've got one shot to grab that chip. Make it quick." T-Bug's voice cut through the comms.
V didn't reply, her mind already on the job. She gave Jackie a look that said it all: this was it. They didn't need to say anything more.
The elevator door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the luxurious expanse of the penthouse.
V stepped out first, heels echoing against the polished black marble. Jackie followed close behind, his gaze sweeping the room, shoulders tense.
The space was bathed in darkness, save for the faint glow of ambient lights embedded into the architecture—clean, cool lines of illumination cutting across polished black marble floors. The suite stretched out before them like a showroom of power and precision: sleek, sterile, and humming with quiet menace.
Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated the far wall, casting faint reflections of the city below in the glass. Night City pulsed in the distance—alive, chaotic, vibrant-but in here, it was like another world entirely. Cold. Silent. Controlled.
A grand staircase curved upward toward the rooftop. Subtle Japanese motifs adorned the walls—artwork rendered in silver and gold.
Every surface gleamed. Every object had a place. It was a statement.
Can't expect anything less from the son of Saburo Arasaka.
"Huh... not bad, bein' heir to the Arasaka empire," Jackie muttered, eyes scanning the opulent space around them. "Sure as shit better than bein' the son of Raul Welles."
V moved toward a softly glowing terrarium set into the wall. She leaned in slightly, arms loosely crossed as she studied the motionless iguana inside. Its eyes, half-lidded and unblinking, reflected the soft biolight in an unsettling way.
"What else you expect from the Emperor's golden boy?" she muttered, her voice dry as she stepped back and gave the room another sweep.
"Alright, knock it off—eyes on the prize," T-Bug cut in sharply. "Find the safe."
Jackie glanced around more, half-grinning. "What's the rush? You said he ain't back 'til later."
There was a beat of silence. Too long.
V's stomach tightened. "Bug? You still with us?"
"Sig on Yorinobu's gone dark..." she said, voice lower now, like she didn't want to admit it.
Jackie's forced laugh didn't quite land. "What is he, a fuckin' sorcerer?"
"Some kinda dead zone's my guess-but don't wait around for confirmation. Just get the damn chip." T-Bug snapped.
No time to waste.
They moved fast. V strode straight to the back left corner of the main room, the image from Evelyn Parker's braindance etched sharp in her memory. Her eyes scanned the polished floor, catching the faint, telltale seam just to the left of the towering TV pillar.
She dropped to a crouch, running her gloved fingers along the surface until they met the subtle dip of a concealed pressure switch. A soft click echoed in the quiet as the hidden panel slid open with a chilled hiss. Cold air spilled out from the temperature-controlled safe, washing over her fingers.
"There you are," she muttered. She glanced up at Jackie and gave a quick nod.
"T-Bug, we found the safe. What now?" V said through the comms.
"Jack in your personal and make us rich!"
V pulled out her personal link and jacked into the safe. Her HUD lit up a moment later—T-Bug was in. Breach in progress, it read, pulsing in sync with the digital hum as T-Bug worked her magic.
Jackie hovered on the other side of the safe, body taut with tension, eyes flicking toward the elevator. Each second felt heavier than the last. Too long. This was taking too long—and they both knew it. His fingers twitched at his sides, itching for a weapon he didn't have.
"C'mon, chica... open sesame." Jackie's fingers tapped the edge of the safe, jaw tight. "Can't say I like this..."
He looked over at V, concern flaring in his eyes. She met his gaze, her hands still on the safe—then both of them froze as a low rumble vibrated through the floor beneath their feet.
A loud roar of engines shattered the stillness, followed by a blinding glare that cut through the dark.
Three Arasaka AVs flew past the penthouse windows, their engines howling, spotlights sweeping across the glass like surgical blades. The beams sliced the room in stark white streaks, illuminating their faces in frozen shock.
V's breath caught in her throat.
Jackie instinctively turned, staring out the massive glass window. "We got winged visitors... Bug?" he muttered, his voice tight.
V curled her fist, trying to steady herself, pulse thudding in her ears. She and Jackie stood frozen, watching in tense silence—hoping like hell whoever was in those AVs hadn't seen them.
T-Bug's voice crackled, laced with concern. "No idea who, but the staff's buzzing—two hundred heads all on their feet. Everyone's on edge."
V turned to look at the elevator, her eyes fixed on it in worry. "I got a bad feeling about this... Bug, how much longer?!"
"Almost got it—" T-Bug started, then her voice faltered.
A pause. A curse. Silence.
Then came the panic. "FUCK! Yorinobu's bound to the penthouse!"
"What?!" V snapped, whipping her head toward the sound like it might change what she'd heard.
"¡La madre que lo parió!" Jackie spat, eyes wide, jaw clenched. He looked at V like the floor had just dropped out from under them.
V's heart pounded against her ribs. She struck the safe with a clenched fist, panic bleeding into her voice. "Bug, I swear—just open the damn thing!"
A beat later—
"Done!"
The safe hissed open with a soft, metallic groan. Jackie's breath hitched as his fingers closed around the biochip's sleek cryocase. For a moment, the weight of it in his hand felt unreal, like the entire world had condensed into that single, fragile object. The tremor in his fingers betrayed him for just a second as he inspected the display.
"Integrity's still at a hundred percent," he muttered, his voice low, almost reverent. "We're golden."
The relief that washed over them was short-lived, replaced by the weight of what they were holding—everything they'd worked for was wrapped up in this small, almost delicate thing. But one wrong move, one slip, and it could all come crashing down.
It wasn't just a chip. It was everything.
"Then we delta—now!" V snapped.
They sprinted for the elevator, Jackie gripping the cryocase tight, the surface cold and heavy in his hand. Every step felt like the ground beneath them was shaking, as if the walls of Arasaka's empire were closing in. But before they could reach it—
"FUCK—too late!" T-Bug barked. "He's at the elevator, headed straight there. Find cover, now!"
"Shit! Where?!" Jackie spun, frantic.
V's eyes scanned the room like a whip-then locked onto the massive column behind the TV. A maintenance hatch, just wide enough.
"There!" V hissed, grabbing Jackie's arm and yanking him toward the hidden space. He stumbled but followed, still clutching the case. Their hearts raced as they slipped into the narrow, shadowed gap, standing side by side behind the panel of the TV.
Inside the walls of Arasaka's empire, their breaths barely louder than a whisper, they waited.
V's eyes never left the elevator, her gaze fixed on the faint outline of the doors, praying they wouldn't open. They stared through the panel, both of them barely daring to breathe, not wanting to make a sound that might give them away. Every muscle in her body was tense, ready to spring into action—except there was nothing to do but wait.
It felt all too familiar. The sense of death crawling closer, like the last time Arasaka had turned its back on her. But now, Jackie was with her. His life was tied to hers, and for all she knew, she might be dragging him into her grave, just as she had been dragged to hers.
She wasn't just fighting for her survival anymore—she was fighting to keep them both alive. And with every second that passed, it felt like Arasaka was closing in from every side, waiting to finish the job.
