The Edgerunner who defied Night City

Girl on Fire

May 30 2076.

"Hey, we nabbed Tanaka." David said on the comm.

"Good. Everyone ok?"

"Aside from JK, I think yes."

"Why that?"

"Tanaka fired some iron pricks to all of us. We all got through, but the gonk got caught right in the throat."

"Must have sucked to be him."

A brief silence followed, which made Ernesto suspicious. But before he could ask anything, David resumed speaking with a hesitant tone.

"Say...Nesto..."

"Yeah?" Ernesto replied in a comprehensive tone.

"Do you...think I will become a cyberpsycho?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I...saw some things...in a BD JK put me through before he died..."

"Woah, hold on, what happened?!" the Captain interrupted with urgency.

"Uh...the plan didn't exactly went smoothly." David confessed. "When me and Maine approached him he used some EMP blast and fried us out. When I woke up, JK was putting me through the BD, living as a psycho..."

Understanding where this was going, even if he was frustrated to learn that David had been in such a danger without him knowing, Ernesto replied firmly. "David, listen to me carefully."

"Uh?"

"Everyone handling cyberware is at risk of getting all psycho. Sure, some gear will send you over the edge faster, but it's all about knowing your limits and understand when it's time to slow down. And god fucking hell, bro, I won't let you go crazy. You get me?"

David waited, then huffed reassured. "Got it. Thanks, bro."

"You're welcome. Where have you put Tanaka?"

"That abandoned hotel on the Arroyo. They should've already jacked Kiwi in."

"Good. Now go get some sleep and don't worry about today, Dave. You'll see, everything will come out ok."

"Yeah...yeah I'll do it." David replied, clearly tired from the day. "I'll phone ya tomorrow."

The call was closed and Ernesto slumped on his sofa. The plan was in motion and he felt a pang of tension spiking inside his chest, especially after the conversation he just had with David. Sure, perhaps now David could stay out of the rest of the op.

Then he remembered he forgot to ask one important detail: had Tanaka seen David before passing out?

But the orders of the Director came back to his mind: he couldn't interfere. Getting a report from David was not considered as such, but he couldn't go and take a look at how things were going at the current hideout.

To free his mind from these thoughts came a few moments later a call from Petra.

"Hey, Trauma Team just signaled that tuner's death. I'm heading out with a patrol."

"Good. The crew should have covered all tracks, but I count on you to make sure. And tomorrow, when someone will denounce Tanaka's missing, make sure they check Arroyo last." he replied.

"You got it. Wanna join us?"

"Nah. I usually work alone for the police. Someone might get suspicious if I start rolling around with a patrol, but if anything happens, be sure that I'll be on the scene before you."