Neon Requiem (2023)

A New Man

Two blade runners come into the room, both of which I have seen before. "V you will be taken to realignment come with us."

They stand me up and walk me out of the room, at this point things have gone from bad to worse in an instant. The last thing I can allow is to be taken down to realignment, if I'm taken there I'll never escape.

Which is why I need to escape now, i figure I can kill both of them and make a break for the exit, but do I really want to kill two of my kind?

I knew hesitating for an instant would be the difference between life and death and unfortunately for them i value my life more and in Night City you have to be ruthless to survive.

I turn as fast as I can springing open my blades and cut down the one on the right, what I didn't expect is to cut through him so effortlessly. The new blades were on a totally different level, I literally slashed his body in half.

The other blade runner was top stunned to move after seeing me cut his partner in half, his hesitation allowed me to swing down on him. He tried to block it with his pistol but my blades cut through it like a hot knife through butter.

He fell down dead on the spot, I know stood over both their dead bodies trying to think of my next move. Walking out the back door would be impossible since security is tight, my only option was to pull the fire alarm and sneak out with the crowd.

I rush to the alarm pull it and wait for a large enough group to head out as I sneak out among them. Immediately Jenkins calls. "V where the hell are you, thr alarm just went off. Everyone is evacuating."

"Just finished the baseline test but I was forced out by security."

"Dammit, me and rest of the representatives are in a safe room with borgs and Samurais guarding us. I'm going to be here until the alarm stops, just go and wait outside, hopefully this was just accident."

Now it's a race against time, I need to reach Vik before the alarm stops, or at least before anyone figures out what happened. I get in my car and drive like hell to reach Viks office.

The 20 minutes of driving felt like an eternity, each minute that passed I feared that MaxTac would land on me to Zero my ass but luckily it never happened. However just as I arrived Jenkins called me again "V this thing is getting worse, apparently they found 2 dead blade runners in the tower and the confusing part is that they said you killed them, what is happening. Tell me.V?"

"I don't know what the hell they are talking about I was just barely leaving the assessment floor."

"They are telling me you failed the test and escape, did you kill them?"

"No I didn't."

"You better not be lying to me V, I've risked so much to keep you alive."

"Listen whatever they are saying isn't true, I'm sure it's all gonna be cleared up once the facts come out."

"Fine but keep close to the tower, you are going to be questioned, for your sake I hope you are telling the truth."

I hang up and head down to Viks office where he has everything set up. The erasing won't take more than a couple minutes and after that I just need to lay low for a good while.

Vik hooks me up and begins wiping my HWID and after a couple minutes I'm officially a ghost. "Congrats kid, you are finally a free man, how do you feel?"

"The same I guess."

"Well you officially don't exist and don't own anything. You are starting a brand new life."

"Thanks Vik I owe you."

"Nonsense I'm glad I could help you Kid, just lay low for now you know Arasaka is gonna be looking real hard for you."

"Yeah thanks I will, I'll see you soon."

I head back upstairs where Misty is by the entrance "and the dead rise again." She joked "how you feeling?"

"Pretty much the same."

"Yeah I know everyone says the same thing when they get their HWID erased. Anyway heard you gonna lay low with Jackie."

"Yeah at least for a couple weeks if not months until Arasaka cools off my back and I can get on my feet again."

"Good, well don't forget to visit us, and tell Jackie he should call me."

"I'll let him know, I'll see you later Misty."

I walk out a brand new man, at least supposedly. In order to completely dissappear I need to pretend I'm actually gone, so I give my car to a random choom who says he is going down to Mexico.

I know they will be tracking my car so hopefully this will throw them off my trail for a bit. Jackie then picks me up and drives me to his home.

"Gotta say holms, you really went off the deep end. I mean I'm happy you finally broke free from Arasaka but you snapped Hella fast."

"I can't explain it either Jackie, it just sorta happened."

"Has your boss found out?"

"Not yet but I'm expecting his call any minute now."

Just before reaching Jackie's place Jenkins calls me just as I had expected "what the Fuck is going on V." Jenkins blood boiled.

"Not sure what you are talk-"

"-just come back do the realignment process and I promise all will be forgiven. Don't do this V."

"Sorry I had to end this way especially since you gave me such a nice gift, which I appreciate by the way."

"If you do this I will make sure they Zero your ass."

"Good luck."

I hang up and sit back with a huge smile on my face.

"You sure seem to be pretty calm for ticking off Arasaka. You got balls of steel ese'."

"When you got nothing to lose you, there's not much that can scare you."

"But they are going to send other Runners for you no?"

"They won't find me."

We arrive at Jackie's place, a large apartment complex in the middle low income are. It doesn't compare to my high end apartment but it definitely will do considering my circumstance.

As I walk in Mama Well, Jackie's mother, greets me with a big kiss on cheek and a warm hug. "Mi hijo, I'm so glad you are finally free. You have no idea how long me and Jackie have been praying for this day."

"Glad to be free Ms. Wells."

"You are welcome to stay here for as long as you need, okay?"

"I really appreciate it, truly thank you."

"Oh of course anything for mi hijo." She kisses my cheek once more before letting me go upstairs. Jackie shows me to my room

"You'll be sleeping here, it used to be my ma's old working place but I cleared it up for you with your stuff that you brought."

"Thanks Jackie this is perfect."

He leaves me to settle in, I sit down and lay back on the bed. I feel old yet young at the same time. Old to be starting from scratch but young from the adrenaline I feel. A new life ahead of me, and I have no idea how I'll end up. Maybe dead, maybe alive, just have to wait and see how Night City chooses.