Cyberpunk 2077: V

Chapter 8: A Ghost Ignored

The ringing of a phone startled V out of her thoughts. Jackie; obviously impatient to hear about the meeting with Dex. V's throat felt like there was a cold ball stuck in it, but she answered the call, immediately greeted by Jackie's grinning, excited face.

"Hey Jack-just got through talkin' to Dex," V said lightly. Jackie's smile broadened.

"Ha! Gordito's a big deal - literally and no, yeah?"

V bit her lip, not sure how to answer. She wanted to tell him about her sixth sense; about the cold punch and the way everything felt off about DeShawn. She'd never heard of this man before that morning, and even then all she knew was that he once was a top fixer in Night City. His two year disappearance and sudden return worried her. The gig too. It was a big one, perhaps his attempt at flash fame to put him back on top of the food chain early. And for some reason, despite having his pick of the top tier mercs in Night City, Dex was fingering them. Something wasn't right.

Anxiousness moved V's feet, and she started walking down the street.

"I dunno, Jack. Dex claimed he wanted to check our pro cred...But to me, it feels more like he wants to get us tangled up with Maelstrom and MiliTech. Means t'n'end. "

Jackie's brow furrowed, but V pressed on.

"I'll tell ya what I mean. There's this combat bot, military prototype? Maelstrom klepped it. Then Dex paid to take it off their hands, but right after eddies changed hands the gangoons had a switch-up in management."

There was a pause, then Jackie's eyes widened. He began to nod knowingly.

"Riiiiight, right, heard about that. Royce versus Brick - hostile takeover."

V nodded.

"'Bout sums it up. Dex wants us talkin' to Royce. Gave me the detes of some MiliTech agent too but...dunno how much help she stands to be. We're tryin' to slide that bot for ourselves, not hand it back to her on a silver platter." She paused, a thought turning in her brain suddenly. She filed it away for future consideration.

Jackie huffed and looked away muttering, "Huh, chingon..."

V cocked her head. "Don't sound thrilled, Jackster. Royce - whaddaya know about him? C'mon, spill."

"He's fuckin' whacked somethin' special," Jackie replied. "Junkies snort junk. Royce snorts chrome."

V's walk had taken her up to the end of the street and around the corner. It was dark out now, with the faint smell of impending rain in the air. She paused under a building overhang emblazoned with a billboard advertising Kyroshi optics. The fighter pilot one. Leaning on the metal railing next to the streetlight, she shook her head and clicked her tongue. 

"Well ain't that somethin' to look forward to," she muttered. "Anyway, then there's the other thing. Apparently the client who put the job on the table, Evelyn Parker, wants to meet."

She pointed back at herself.

"Meet with me, for some reason."

Jackie's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You? Well, what's Dex gonna do - ride around in his limo, chat chicks up on the holo?"

V shook her head. "Nah, apparently Parker wants to meet someone on the crew. Dex gave me the nod for some fuckin' reason."

She hoped for some sort of pushback; maybe some indignation or something she could use to shoehorn in her own dislike for this gig. But Jackie just sighed and shrugged his shoulders dismissively.

"Dex must know what he's doin'...." He looked at her, eyes shining with resolution. "So, how you wanna play this? Maelstrom, or Parker? What's first?"

V's heart dropped. Jackie just rolled right into the gig without any question or hesitation. V had a lot of questions; about Maelstrom, Evelyn Parker, MiliTech's involvement, and a whole plethora of other things eating away at the back of her mind. She shuffled her feet, kicking at the ground.