Revenants (Cyberpunk X Male Reader)

026

Slept well past morning into mid-day. Haven't been able to rest properly in a while but it makes sense that it would be on a shitty dirty couch with someone else. I'd argue that comfort wasn't dependent on the couch though.

"Elster," I greet her as she answers my call. "Seen the snapshots I sent?"

"I did. Also on the news that Lazarus has been under attack for the past two weeks and there has been action taken, if we are planning on kicking them while they are down we'd best rest because they aren't going to take it lying down."

I nod. "I know that."

"Well," she chuckles, "I've had a surprise for you for when you come back. But that can wait, we can't sell the weapons or scrap the APC or dump it because that would be useless in the long run."

"Figured that it would be hard enough to get rid of these," I state.

"We can sell to the general market the things we feel like we don't need to rack up on the Eddies we are desperately going to need further down the line. But the real question is if you stole all those from Lazarus? And how much you are splitting."

I breathe out, "If this Gig works out everything we took from Lazarus is mine. Seeing as the job kind of depends on how I move forward."

"Oh?" She chuckles. "Knew you were the one I needed to get out above all, I am glad actually."

"Just because you took a gamble?"

"Of course. But when the Gig is all done, send me the coordinates of the APC with everything you want to keep for us, and then I'll fetch them." She pauses before adding, "Ariane wishes you good luck on the gig."

"I will. What about Maine? Gloria? Don't they want these?"

She pauses before expressing, "This... what I am doing does not involve them, not yet. I'll tell you all about it when you get back in ONC and when you take some time off and rest up. Besides, need to lay low after the hits you pulled off."

"For the best," I exhale. "Catch you when I am back."

"Know you will."

I cut the call. In front of me is a rather empty vista. I've been so used to living my life through the nights I've been sent on call that Night City feels so distant all the way here... it feels emptier and quiet.

A derelict city.

And every soul in there is doing their best to dream.

And over here? I can breathe the air that tastes like dust but is still leagues fresher than that of Night City. Doesn't smell like perfume, food, oil, blood, grime... sewage. Fresh air, just a couple miles outside of Night City.

I spin around to see V and Jackie is busy sorting the weapons. Quin on the other hand stood in the distance on her own. Falco drove those two here and he is talking with Lucy.

I head to V and Jackie as I ask, "Figured out what you want to steal from the pile?"

Jackie holds a handgun, "Oh oh oh," he grins wildly as he gestures to it, "Iron like this is expensive."

V chuckles, "But if they make it out they'll probably flatline us on the spot. But you don't get quality like this anywhere," she takes a rifle and pulls back the lever before aiming down the sights, and then twisting it to the side.

Jackie pats me on the back, "Fucking A. You sure you don't want to sell these?"

I shake my head. "Some maybe, but no use keeping them around when you can use them to make the job marginally easier. Most of these probably won't sell in most markets but I'll figure out what to do with them. Maybe stash them in a safe house."

I glance at the rifles, shotguns, pistols, snipers, and PDW that Quin and Lucy yoinked. The armory segment in the APC was already stocked and they put in more in the storage compartment probably because I took so long to make my way down.

I don't have info on them but I'll count them out when we don't have a job to do.

"Psion, heh?" Jackie arches his brow at me.

"Leave it, Jack," V shakes her head at him.

"What? Just gotten be curious."

I grab one of the weapons to inspect, "Human still, I just, don't need as much chrome in my body to do some of the things you do."

"Wouldn't that make you even better?" V asks me.

I nod. "Probably, but it is believed that Psions shouldn't chip themselves too much because it could destroy the thing that makes us special. I don't know if it is humanity. Fuck knows what it is but I am hesitant for the moment."

V puts down the rifle, lifts her leg up to an elevated platform, and rests her arms on her knee.  "Shit sounds convoluted. Also reeks of corpo bullshit. Bug says that you have a history with them."

Jackie emphasized, "Don't worry, ese. We trust you."

V grins, "Just happy you are on our side. A lot of punks believe 'once a corp, always a corp'. We didn't even know about it but I guess it makes a little bit more sense."

I snort, "Makes it a bit easier."

"A lot of this is riding on you," V chuckles, "Unless you want someone else behind the gun."

I shake my head. "You all have a job already, leave the gun to me and I'll make sure the Borg won't ever be able to reach you."

I hope.

"Better not," V states.

I greet them before I head towards Quin, she glances at me over her shoulder and I see her shake her head. I watch her expression to see that she looks pretty pissed off, but then again, that could just be her resting face.

"I never thanked you properly," she starts, "this job means more to me than it would normally. I'd have walked away if I could but... it's different when this isn't for you anymore but the people you need to look out for."

I shake my head. "Can't say I know the feeling, I've only recently found people that I'd fight for."

She jokes, "Please tell me I am on the list."

"You'll have to figure that out in the moment," I shoot her a smile.

"Yeah? Go fuck yourself," she shakes her head as she laughs with me. "But... uhm," she purses her lips. "I need the Eddies to maybe save someone before their time expires. Talking about them like they are milk, Christ," she mutters to herself.

"Something bad?"

She nods. "We are after a scanning tool. I want my hands on it because maybe I can give them a new life in a new body. If the surgery doesn't work... then at least I can bring them back-"

I warn her. "Replicants are diffirent."

Her jaw tightens. "Different how? Not human?" She shoots me a subtle glare.

"You won't be bringing this person back, that's not the point of Replicants.  You'll be making someone else entirely, new memories, a new life. You aren't saving anyone, you are only saving the idea of them."

"That's enough for me," she stops me. "I don't want your input, I just wanted to show you my appreciation for the effort you've made even if it wasn't for my sake. Maybe we find save-your-soul...maybe there's an alternative."

"Don't have time either," she drops her hands and pats the sides of her legs. "Never enough time. Always chasing after time."

"Quin-"

"Thanks for checking up on me," the muscles in her jaw tighten.

I leave her to her own thoughts. Probably better that way, I won't pretend to understand the situation or that I know any better. What would I do to save someone I cared for? I don't know, been alone till now.

I guess I'll learn as I grow, I'll learn as I push forward.

Maybe my time will come when my desperation is grasping at empty avenues that all promise a bittersweet end.