Neon Requiem (2023)

Time For An Upgrade

A couple days later Jenkins called me into the office, we were just a couple days away from the Emperor visiting and everything was on max security.

The past couple days I had time to meditate on what had happened the past 4 weeks and how I will go forward from here. I now know that my only option is to go rouge and disappear, easier said than done.

I walk into his office, for the first time in a while I see him not hungover but instead well dressed. "Emperor is gonna be here on Saturday which means everyone needs on their A-game."

"I'm always ready you know that."

"I know but still... I feel the need to reward you."

"Reward me? For what?"

"For being a rock. You have been the most reliable and consistent Blade Runner this company has ever seen. I knew from the moment I picked you 20 years ago from the field you were gonna be something special. And to this day you have proven me more than right. It's only right I give you a reward every now and then."

A reward, if only he knew I was fucking the brains out of his wife every night and had become deviant.

"I appreciate it. Thankful for giving me a chance to prove myself."

"That's my Blade Runner, now go downstairs to get your gift and make sure to take your baseline test, they want everyone to take one before Saturday."

I head down to the lab for my upgrade, when I walk in I see Kian and Alyssa along with 2 other Runners. "What are you guys doing here." I ask them.

"Just getting a small tune. They want us performing at max efficiency, you?" Kian replied.

"Getting an upgrade."

"Nice. Hey we should meet up on Saturday after the Emperor leaves. There is somethings I want to talk about."

"Alright sounds good then."

Leaving them I head to the chair where I await the reward my boss got me. One of the scientists brings out tricked-out Mantis blades that look utterly insane "what the hell are those?" I ask.

"State of art Mantis blades, Borophene blades with nanotechnology coated in onyx. The nanotech allows the blades to switch the angle of the blade to whatever type of swing is performed. Sharp enough to penetrate 6 inches of titanium and strong enough to windstand MaxTacs grave digger shotguns, we call them the Widowmakers."

"Shit, I didn't know I was getting this good of a gift."

"Seriously your boss just dropped 50,000,000 dollars worth of equipment on you. You must of done something real special to get something like this."

"Lucky me I guess."

"No kidding, anyways that's all, you can go and do your baseline test now. And please don't play with them, they are a prototype we want to see your blades after a few weeks to see the results."

Holy shit I didn't Jenkins would go all out for me. Either way i couldn't turn it down. I leave Arasaka without taking my baseline test, I can't risk it now, not yet at least..

With only 2 days left before the Emperor arrives I prepare for what's gonna happen afterwards. I knew as soon as the Emperor arrived that would be my chance to vanish, erasing my HWID, take as much money as I can lay low for a while.

I made plans to stay with Jackie as well as I cash out all my savings into hard eddies, Vik had also prepared to vanish me when it was time.

On the last night before I disappear I went to visit Sharon one last time to explain to her that I would probably never see her again. Surprisingly she took it quiet well, she understood what I had to do to stay alive and even helped by giving me even more eddies. "I'll miss you V."