Chapter 10  Words and meanings

I hummed along a Eurodyne tune as I slowed down my Quadra before parking it in front of Judy’s apartment. Stepping out of vehicle and making my way up to her apartment. I felt it each time but despite the run down nature of Judy’s place, there was a certain charm to it. The gum-stained stairs and the smell of urine somewhere on the walls, the off-blue and gray paint peeling off and revealing the cheap plastic and concrete underneath but it was something…it was familiar in a way that was hard to tell. Maybe it was the feeling I got just because I knew I would be seeing Judy soon, but nonetheless it was an atmosphere that felt welcome.

I stopped in front of the doorway ready to knock before entering (I had access to her flat) but the screaming, or two people screaming, stopped me.

“-and talk like adults! Not like some fucking child-”

“GET OUT! JUST FUCKING GET OUT!”

[Step 1: Go Inside]

I looked further.

…ah, Maiko. What an unpleasant surprise. Managing to hide from my sight because she’s too weak to actually do anything of damage. Except just hurting Judy’s feelings.

The door opened as I witnessed my input and the unofficial manager of Clouds turn themselves to face me. Judy holding a bag full of clothes (that I knew belonged to Maiko) and Maiko sitting by the kitchen table as if she owned the place. 

[Path to calming down Judy]

[Path to getting Maiko out of here]

[Standard Limit II: Do not kill or physically harm]

[Path to making sure Maiko will cut ties with Judy]

[Standard Limit II: Do not kill or physically harm]

“Tess…” Judy started but I walked up to her, wrapping my arms around her waist.  “Just give me a moment to talk to her. I don’t want to ruin our date for this.” She said.

“No. She shouldn’t be here. How’d she get in here anyway?” I asked. 

“I revoked her right but apparently she made a copy of the access shard.” Judy growled. “Just a few minutes, alright? Could you wait in the car?”

“I don’t think that’s going to work Jude. Let me talk to her.” She was about to say no, but I was a step ahead. “I promise. Just words, nothing else.” I looked up to see her eyes, but she had them closed.

“…fuck…fine.” She dropped the sack before heading out and closing the door. Leaving me in her house with the uninvited ex. Still sitting on the kitchen table but now with a smoke between her lips…what a bitch.

“You know, it’s not nice to butt into other’s relationships.” Smoke curled out from her mouth as she spoke the words slowly. An intimidation tactic? No, this was just her trying to get a response. To see how I responded. “Want a cig?” She dug into her back pocket as she produced another stick. 

I ignored her as made my way to the kitchen before purchasing a canned coffee from the vending machine. Stooping down to grab the drink and placing it in front of Maiko as I sat across from her. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t smoke. But here’s a welcome drink.”

“If you actually think Judy likes you-”

“Nice shirt.” I cut her off. “Leopard skin, parrot feathers, not to mention bear fur. It’s the front page of what you’d expect from a NeoKitsch. You’ve got it all! The rarity, the eddies, the confidence?” I listed off my fingers. “Wearing things like that, people would assume you run Clouds.”

“What’re you trying to do? Butter me up so you can get a place? Though with your look you might already be a doll.” 

[Step 3: Avoid talking about Judy. Talk about Maiko]

“Not at all. I was just listing the first thing that was fake about you.” I pointed at her clothes “So busy covering up yourself with that…hmm…plastic. Almost looks real, doesn’t it? Though it does explain why it only costed three thousand eddies. Perhaps you got it with the Eddies you had after you cancelled your Trauma Team silver package? No?”

“So long as nobody actually looks into it, it looks real. That’s all it ever is with you.” I continued, not giving her a chance to speak. “Your doll chip? Dr. Fingers, was it? Tell me Maiko. What did you have to do for him since you couldn’t afford an actual ripper. What did you have to do when you had your you know what parts replaced? Wait, sorry, I misspoke. I didn’t mean ‘have to do’ I meant ‘offered’”

I tilted my head slightly, matching the orientation with hers to look her in the eye.

“Yet you sit at the desk instead of in the rooms. Hell, you even act like an actual rat.” My optics caught the slight shaking in her hands. “Power through fear and security. That’s your slogan, isn’t it? What a pathetic ripoff. Clouds isn’t a corporation. You’re not running a company Maiko, you’re a convenient strawman for the Claws.”

“You talk like you know what those words mean! You haven’t done half the things I’ve done in order to get to where I am.” Maiko responded, hands gripped tightly around the canned coffee.

“I know exactly what you did. I just don’t care how you felt. Trying to separate yourself from where you came from. Elevate yourself to a position above the same people who cared for you, groomed you, made you who you are.” 

“I’m no rat.” She spat.

“No, you’re a cheap doll.” My voice low and cold. “Add some glitter to that dress and you’d fit right in with Jig Jig. What’d you say, a hundred eddies for a fuck? Maybe add another fifty so you’d eat me out too?” 

*slap* It didn’t even hurt as I leaned slightly backwards at the right time.

“Hmm, I don’t know what’s so hard about that. You did it for less for Fingers.”

*slap!* The other cheek this time, I moved slightly so that it made contact with the palm rather than the fingers. More sound, little impact.

“You have to admit it, you were nothing before Judy tweaked that chip for you. Take that away? And what are you?”

*slap!*

“Hmm…I won’t answer it for you. But just the parts of my face you touched? Biotechnica made, hormone treated too. Probably cost more than how much your boss makes a year.” 

As she raised her hand for another slap (this time with the back of her hand) I stopped it by grabbing her wrist.  “You’re so focused on keeping everything below you, you forget your role in this whole mess.”

She tried to pull her hand back but I didn’t let her. Her hand turning pale from the cut off blood.

“You’re don’t run Clouds, Maiko. The Claws do.” I let go of her hand as she hurriedly nursed it close to her chest. “The Claws never picked you as manager, they chose Hiromi Sato. And just to make it clear, Sato never chose you either, you just put yourself in that role to no one’s approval.”

“You don’t have any respect from your colleagues you look down on. You barely have enough Eddies to pay your rent in your single room flat. You have as much security as that second hand iron in your purse. To top it all off your entire lifestyle depends on a braindance addicted gonk of a boss who can’t be bothered to learn your name.” I leaned over the table and next to your ear. “You know what that means in this city, don’t you choomba?”

“You’re ffuuccckkkedd” I whispered into her ear. I sat back down in my chair, arms crossed looking a bit smug.

I stood up from the seat leaving the shell shocked doll. I grabbed the bag that Judy dropped off on her way out and brought it over to Maiko before stuffing it between her non-moving arms. “Know what lines to cross and not Maiko, and maybe your next promotion won’t be a gravestone at the Columbarium.” I took my drink from between her hands, thankfully it was still chilled. 

Stopping by the open door, I said just one more line for Judy’s ex before leaving the flat. “Per aspera ad astra? Your epitaph lacks originality. Another pathetic ripoff.” I said coldly.

… 

I opened the door on my Quadra to see that Judy had already taken the driver’s seat. Motioning with her eyes towards the shotgun seat. I walked around the car and sat in the seat before slumping over the glovebox. My optics blurring slightly as I tried to blink it away. The fog didn’t last long as the Kiroshis re-focused themselves.

“Wanna share?” Judy asked.

“…Maiko’s not going to bother you again.” I mumbled, something inside me completely numb. I turned my head towards her. “But I’m not sure if I should have said the things I did.”

My input wrapped an arm around me before patting my back a couple of times. “We can take this baby for a drive outside of the city. Maybe some good desert air might help.”

“Yeah…” Not really. 

As Judy turned fired the ignition and started up the car, I bit the bottom of my lips.

The limitations held true like I knew they would. I didn’t kill Maiko nor did I even touch her much less hurt her. All I said were words. Words I didn’t even know their significance of to a person I met for the very first time.

As the wind of the Badlands hit my face, I tried to ignore the path informing me of my failure.

[Path Incomplete]

I had gotten what I wanted. Maiko would never bother Judy or myself again. But I had been so close to making a mistake.

I scrolled down to the bottom of the path…and more. Further still even after leaving Maiko.

[Step Incomplete: Say the following ‘ ‘]

Just another 47 words. Just another 24 seconds. Just one final step and I would have been standing with Judy at the Columbarium crying over Maiko’s decision to end her own life.

[Path Incomplete] it insisted. I closed my eyes as I ended the path. 

… …

Konpeki Plaza

I felt the tranquilizer darts brush across my hair as I leapt across the hallway. Landing again, I ducked under the fire as I spun around for more energy and…I followed the movements as commanded by the path as I landed a perfect butterfly kick on the unknown agent.

I had to give it to him for having good guts, choosing this merc out of anyone to face me. Standing in front of me was an incredibly tall and physically imposing woman. Short brown hair, strong facial features, and sporting a black jacket with tight black shorts underneath. She had almost no cyberware to speak of except for the outdated blue Kiroshi model in her eyes. 

What stood out the most was her immense size and…well…the muscles worthy of an Animals Gang member. 

Well played Wade, well played.

The merc tried to fire the one more time but my left hand grabbed the dart out of midair before throwing it up in the air, sticking the needle into the soft ceiling.

I closed the distance as I ducked under a right hook, I let a left-right combo on her stomach as metal met incredibly dense muscle. Landing an uppercut on her chin before backing off as the Amazon tried a takedown. I waited as she overextended herself as I brought my knee straight up to her chin again as she tumbled down before rolling herself back up in a boxer’s stance. 

[Dorio, Ex-Animal, Mercenary in Maine’s Crew] 

I took off my white blazer before throwing it towards her face before following up with a flying knee kick. As the kick connected with the her temple, I grabbed my jacket before tying it back around my waist as I slid under the disoriented solo and grabbed her leg, flipped myself over, and locking it. Apparently Dorio had never thought of getting a Pain Editor as she immediately dropped the Dart Gun to the ground in pain as she tried to reach for her sidearm, which I kicked out of the way. I rolled to her other leg and applied a lock to break her shins before letting go. Jumping back as the ex-animal reached out for me with one hand and she fell to one knee. 

I maneuvered myself around her, limb from limb, as I wrestled my way onto her back before flipping her over so her face was staring directly at the ceiling.

“Hands, you hurt my feelings. I know you can hear this.” I whispered directly into the earpiece as the Solo’s optics noticed the precarious tranquilizer dart on the ceiling. Quivering slightly as the sharp point began to lose its grip little by little before…

I held the solo tight as she tried to twist out of the way but the needle fell, turned needle point down, and stabbed Doria right in the exposed, soft, fleshy stomach. The concoction took only moments as I relaxed the grip I had around his neck as the she went unconscious. I removed the dart from her stomach before carefully putting it into my back pocket. I just might need it again later, in less lethal doses too.

Having already hacked into the Konpeki Plaza system, I hacked open an empty guest room before kicking Dorio in and closing it off. I picked up the Unity pistol before heading up another floor until I was standing in front of one of the premier suite rooms in the hotel.

MOOKAITE SUITE (46F)

I could have simply opened the door with a simple hack. I also knew that just knocking would do just as well, but the path suggested another option. One in which would make my stance clear.

I held the Unity against the door lock before blasting three rounds into it. As the shots echoed throughout the floor, the door slid open as the final third bullet hit the manual door release mechanism inside. 

It was a beautiful room (definitely not a Suite) with a Japanese or Asiatique inspired design. Wooden ceilings, decorative paper sliding doors, and an accent on red and gold; all organized in a minimalistic manner. On the other end of the room was a large full window giving a full view towards the Arasaka Waterfront and an indoor terrarium. 

While I would have loved to take a moment and enjoy the scenery, I instead strolled in with a gun in one hand, and sat down on the sofa. Across from me was an aging gentleman with sleek long white hair gelled back with a well groomed beard. A visible cybernetic on his nose (to control his sense of smell) and a very catchy painter’s mustache. Despite his well-groomed look and matching red suit, the lines on his face showed that this was anything but. 

I could see his Zetatech cyberhands slightly shaking as he folded them on his lap. 

I put down the Unity on the small table between us as I leaned into the cushions. 

“A very simple piece of software, this.” I started. “A simple mix between hacking into your Optics and a tracking software, along with the easily accessible data from our very own NCPD.” I put the back of both hands under my face like a flower. “Who do I look like now? Your old boss? ”

“I’m sure we can solve this diplomatically.” The premier fixer of Pacifica raised his hands to his shoulders as he straighten up slightly. “I admit that this was my mistake, but surely we would not be talking if you wanted me dead for this.”

“I granted you guest rights in my domain, I expected you to do the same for your invitation.” I fiddled with one the darts I had managed to klep from the solo. Without giving him a chance to do anything I reached and grabbed his left hand before grabbing the cord and sticking it into the side of my neck. As he tried to reach for his gun, I stabbed the dart into his shoulder as his cyberarm fell flat.

“Very unprofessional of you, Hands. Not to mention, inhospitable. You wouldn’t have greeted your baby girl this way, would you?”

[Release Virus]

His ICE was shredded in moments like wet tissue paper as my programs laced itself with every bit of cyberware he had. Infecting every piece of software he ran, his history, and overriding the administrative features and safety protocols.

Cutting the connection and letting the cord crop, I eyed the former Petrochem Corpo as he was sagging into his seat as the dart began to do its work.

“Ironically there are 2077 crucial steps to fixing this world.” I stood up and walked around the sofa. “And you are not one of them, Hands. You know what that means, don’t you?” I made finger legs on his chrome hands as I made them jump from hand to hand.

Gripping the Constitutional Arms Unity off the table and putting it gently into Hands’s hands “I’m sorry if that hurts your Biotechnica-crafted heart, made in China actually, but here’s what I came to say; I’ll be the bigger man and forget we ever had this…argument. Offer’s still open Wade. I suggest you take it.”

Patting the back of him hand gently, I looked into his fluttering eyes as he tried in vain to stay awake. “Good talk.”

… …

VALERIE

“The operation failed successfully.” I looked over at Jenkins who was poured out a drink for the both of us. “We failed in our objective but we got what we needed; more importantly its clear as day that this was us and not Special Operations.” I concluded the report as I put down the data tablet. Picking up the glass of whiskey, I swirled its contents as I examined Jenkin’s reaction.

“SoulKiller is still out there.” Jenkins leaned back in his chair as he crossed his legs, both hands working on unwrapping a cigar. “And all we have to show for it are traces, crumbs, and a suspect we both know isn’t her.”

Brigitte. Or Mama as the gangbangers called her. It wasn’t even hard to connect the dots to her. Whatever happened inside the Data Fortress, she had SoulKiller aftereffects all over herself. Even during the cleanup in real space, my team found traces of the stolen program inside their base of operations. 

Current theory landed on the big SoulKiller signal was an attempt to destroy SoulKiller (which they succeeded) in order to turn our prying eyes off of them (which they failed massively).

“The VooDoo Boys are gone Jenkins. We had a suspect, and dead men tell no tales.” In Arasaka-terms, the case was closed. Counter Intel would get the bravo, most likely get a fat paycheck or two, and things would go back to normal while the other departments went over the crumbs of what remains of the missing program.

Last I had heard, the runners managed to scrape together enough of the program from a dozen different servers to put together a rudimentary version of the program. The new prototype was scheduled to be shipped across bit by bit to the Tokyo server in the coming week. The transfer would most likely be happening in realspace for security concerns, but that was none of my business.

“Not everyone involved is dead. Not yet” Jenkins fished out a shard from his pocket as he slid it across the table. “I was recently approached by a man who calls himself ‘Mr.Hands’. He had some interesting things to say. See for yourself.”

I gave it a quick scan with my optics for any surface level viruses before slotting it into my neck before downloading its contents. SoulKiller, The gang wars in Pacifica, net runners…“Ooh fuck.”

“We have a new suspect then?” I questioned as I ejected the shard. “Seems like they’re already on the run. Consult the think tank, perhaps? On where they’ll head.”

“It’s not that simple V.” Jenkins took a swig. “If we go after them, then we might as well admit that our investigation and declaration was for jack shit.”

“Not if we get them first.” I grit my teeth. That attack on the VooDoo Boys had been my call. My orders. If things went shit-faced up, it was my own head on the line. Jenkins may have enough power to drag me out of the mess but it wouldn’t be the same power dynamic as I enjoyed now. 

It wouldn’t be a give and take type of deal anymore. 

Information on the shard may be classified now but turf based fixers tended to be volatile at the best of times. I gave it two weeks before the bastard sold this information to some gonk from another corp’s intelligence agency, someone purchasing for the FIBs, or god forbid, the Special Operations Department. 

I had to cover my ass now.

Who first?

“We have the list of connections Dexter DeShawn had access to prior to the assault on the VooDoo Boys.” Jenkins offered. “Seeing as he hasn’t shown his face in Pacifica after all his investments went up in quick hacks, I suggest you-”

“Orbital Air. I know.” I filtered through his contacts until I had a few remaining. Perhaps a persuasive talk could get them to spill. “Just gotta know if he went Patriot or hauled his ass out of the continent.” 

It wasn’t like he could run once we had our eyes on him. Arasaka was everywhere, even where Arasaka was unwelcome. 

“Hmm, and what of the Net-Runner?” An icon of a beetle with a large capital T appeared with a quick search on the Arasaka database. Her file was already on record for a low-end runner with a record of multiple attempts to breach the Arasaka data fort. 

“She knows too much apparently. She’s been inside the Voodoo’s servers, knows that they’re clean of this mess.” I skimmed through the portfolio the Netrunning department made on the target. “Better to keep it simple. I’m going to need some funds.” I looked up to see my psychopath of a boss already handing me a thick stack of cash.

“Like always V, keep it under wraps.” He said smoothly. “I despise cleaning after others.”

“You’re in this boat just as much as I am Jenkins.” I took the eddies and put it in the inside pocket of my blazer. “You want to be the explaining to the board?” I raised my eyebrows. “Good. I’ll be searching for my Runners and you hold down the fort here then.”

Just as we clinked glasses, the lights dimmed before turning a bloody shade of red. 

“The hell?” Jenkins hurriedly put down his glass before taking long strides to his work desk. Pressed down on the emergency button as he grabbed his iron from under the desk. “The hell’s going on?” 

*CLANG!* *CLANG!*

The emergency shutters fell as the doors and windows shut themselves in a layer of steel. 

*bzzt* *bzzt*

“nder *bzzt* Attack! Alarms aren’t raising! Aaaarrghhhh!!!!!” A voice sounded over the comms before it was cut off. The silence was cut with the blaring sirens as the a dozen different AIs began speaking at once all over the tower. 

“Ms. Valerie. Please evacuate to the nearest Safehouse or exit. An emergency Aerodyne has been stationed on the 77th floor for the Counter Intelligence executives.” The Arasaka evacuation program VI whispered over the Holo.

“-Located on the 83th floor. Mech is immune to hacking attempts!”

“-Cannot be located. …79th Floor.” “First response unit have been eliminated. Calling all available forces in the city.”

“-This is Trauma Team. Requesting Entry.”

I ran to the other end of Jenkin’s office to where he kept his firearms. I slammed my hand onto the scanner as the locker revealed a decent armory. Grabbing the Arasaka HJSH-18 Masamune off the shelf and stuffing as much mags into my pants, I threw the Sony-Arasaka Medusa 18 Model at Jenkins who grabbed it with both hands.

“I don’t like this but we’ve got to get the fuck out of here.” I hurriedly said, but Jenkins didn’t seem to agree.

“V, this is Arasaka tower. Nobody’s piercing through the security here. Not when Saburo-sama himself is currently here.” Jenkins replied.

Excuse me? Johnny Silverhand? Morgan Blackhand? Spider Murphy? God fucking damn it Jenkins The fact that it was done before just proved that it wasn’t impossible. Even as I tried to deny it as my brain ran through the number of personnel currently situated on just the tower…I wouldn’t take that risk.

There was no guarantee that whoever was gonk-brained enough to try a raid on this tower would decide to pull another August 20th, 2023 and blow the whole place to bits. I certainly was not going to risk staying for Time of the Red Part 2.

“Fine, but I’m still leaving the office. See you in a bit Jenkins. I’ll scout ahead.” I lied as I made my way to the door. I had halfway to inputting the lock-deactivation code when…

*CRRASSHHH!!!*

I dodged death by an inch as I saw a glowing red blade cut through the steel like butter. As the blade withdrew, I rolled back just in time to see thick black iron hands grip each side of the cut.

*creak…* *creakk….*

Metal gripped and struggled against metal as what remained of the door was torn apart, revealing the borg behind. In my dazed state, I looked up at the towering metal figure holding a halberd of all things in his hand.

“Adam Smasher…?” I whispered. Had the fossil finally gone psycho?

As the dust cleared from my optics, it became clear that whatever this thing was wasn’t Adam Smasher. The Boogeyman of Night City’s infamous Samson Frame was missing, and so was the arm-cannon. The bald plated head was missing as well. Instead, what I saw was a fully blue and silver plated helmet with a dozen different scanners and cameras and an exo-frame more exposed than anything Smasher would wear.

The figure didn’t answer my questions, but instead a red light from his hands covered myself and Jenkins as the unnamed borg scanned us from head to bottom. Then without another word the borg nodded to nobody in particular. There was a humm of some mechanism activating before the borg became a blur and disappeared from sight. 

“Jenkins…?” I whispered.

“V, let’s get the hell out of here.” I hastily agreed as we made for the Aerodynes.