Cyberpunk 2077: V

Chapter 6: Vik's Warning

The off-green lights buzzing in the small staircase leading to Vik's basement shop cast everything in an eerie glow. In just a few feet the light went from green to blue to golden yellow, and as V reached to bottom of the stairs she heard the sound of a TV echoing from around the corner. She smiled fondly to herself; Vik was watching the fights again. They were almost always playing whenever she and Jackie came to call. V knew that Vik had once been a fighter, and a damn good one at that. Though removed from the scene, he still had a decently fit body and he moved with an unassuming grace that went unnoticed unless you knew what to look for. 

Jackie had once mentioned V's dipping of toes into boxing and martial arts. Vik's eyes had lit up, and he offered to show her some tips and tricks.  It was an embarrassing thought, however; Vik had been one of the best. What a sight she would have been back in the day, a stumbling Nomad with fresh wounds trying to figure out how to swing a decent punch. On top of the embarrassment was pride. Vik had already done so much for her she couldn't bear to ask for anything else. 

Still, for a flickering moment as V approached the corner of the open shutter gate, she thought about telling Vik what Coach Fred had set up for her, but immediately decided against it. She didn't know how he would feel about her fighting in illegal rings, and whether from pride or embarrassment either way, she didn't want to reveal her fighting skills to Vik until she had some wins under her belt. Something to show. 

V finally rounded the corner and stepped into Vik's clinic proper. There he was, seated at his desk, fiddling with his ripper glove while watching the fights on his old yellow monitor. Sometimes V wondered if he actually ever slept; he was always in the same place no matter what time she showed up. She swallowed and plastered a cool smile on her face, forcing herself to try and act normal even as the sight of him caused her body to blush right up to the tips of her ears.

"Heey Viky, spry as ever you old ripper. Glad to see ya."

Her heart fluttered in her chest as a warm smile filled Vik's face.

"Hey good to see you too, V. It's been awhile. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

V almost squeaked, and she had to mentally bring out the fire extinguisher to cool off her brain. Who could blame her though; with Viktor's voice just being that...just like that.

She continued an attempted confident walk in, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Well, um...you see, the last gig we did, uh...I had to jack into a client's neurosocket." V  shuffled her feet. "Think I mighta gotten spiked."

Vik fiddled with a screwdriver on one of the metal tendons that connected to the long fingers of his ripper implant. He looked up at her, concern shining through his glasses.

"Experiencing migraines, nausea, hypersensitivity to light?"

V bit her lip and nodded. "Mhmm," she mumbled, her eyes trailing over the muscles in Vik's arms as he handled the delicate tool in his fingers.

Viktor suddenly pushed back from his desk, forearms coming to rest on his thighs. V jumped a little and immediately snapped her eyes up to meet his face, hoping he didn't notice her staring.

"All right, kid. We'll sort things out." He cocked his head, eyes searching her face. V hoped the blush wasn't visible; she'd die of embarrassment. "'Sides that, how are things?" Vik finished.

Well, other than you always callin' me a kid...V thought. She shook herself. Instead of getting straight to work, Vik was actually taking time to talk to her. Like, he wanted to sit and chat. V thought a moment, wondering what to say, then remembered what she and Jackie had been talking about earlier. If anyone knew about fixers and what went on in this city, it was Vik.