Goro Takemura x Reader

Five

Chewing on the inside of your cheek, your eyebrows drawn together, you looked outside the window where the skyscrapers of the city flew by once more.

How much more would it demand from you before you could break free from its dirty, drug infested claws?

First it had demanded for you to leave your home and father behind. And now it wanted your brothers life.

No, that wasn't quite it. Since you were the one to develop the bio chip you had made sure to leave a small loophole in its purpose. Saburo's engram would be able to take over his sons body but a small bit of Yorinobu would he left in it.

If he'd only be willing enough he would be able to withstand his fathers influence. Almost like a split personality that fought over the same vessel.

It was both cruel and genius. You hated that you created it that way but giving up on your brother entirely would have made your heart bleed.

Yet again, if you would have refused you would never see Japan again. There wasn't a price too high for you to leave this rotten city for the place you called home.

Not a single price.

What an awful person I've become.", the chuckle that escaped your lips was both embarrassed and shocked by that realisation. Is it the city? Or did my mind just go corpo?

You did not dare to answer that. Perhaps there wasn't even an answer to this question.

Whatever it was, it wouldn't change the demands that you needed to fulfil. To create an engram that would last till eternity ended.

Fuck...", with your teeth clenched you turned away to not be tortured any longer by the sight of this cursed city.

If only you would have known sooner. Back then you had been confused why Saburo had asked you to transfer to the Night City headquarters. Now you knew.

Despite the day and age, Japan still followed certain values and beliefs. It wasn't possible to experiment with programs that would make a person immortal, one way or another.

The law forbade it and officials still demanded that humans remain humans, mortal, with a limit set to their time on earth. The UN followed the same rules.

However, Night City wasn't on any kind of official territory. It was a lawless place set in a grey area of human right and morals.

Anything was allowed as long as the tax bracket was high enough.

Saburo had tricked you to come to this place to get away from law and order. He truly was more cruel than he had presented himself.

To get your mind to think of something else you reached out to grab a glass of champagne. Alcohol wasn't your cup of tea, but it was better than any other drug that roamed the streets.

Worst case was you'd wake up with a headache the next day.

Two gulps and the glass was empty. The liquid ran down your throat like thin honey, mixed with sparkles that made your nose curl as they jumped into it.

You were about to grab a second one as a cold chill made your entire body freeze for a second. Cautious, your eyes jumped out the window once more.

Same sky as always. Same old buildings that tried to battle the sun.

But something was off.

Eyebrows drawn together, you leaned closer to the window again to get a better look.

Was it your imagination or was the vehicle suddenly flying more ponderously?

As if the weight had increased. Your eyes jumped to the interface of the AI.

"Status report.", you commanded.

A sound filled the silence. Then the light turned blue and the speakers announced themselves.

"Good afternoon.", the AI's voice made you flinch in surprise. "The engines are all working. No incidents. 90% power. We will reach our destination shortly."

Confused, you froze for a moment.

Usually 60% power was enough for slow flights. Only in case of overweight or fast speed more was needed. The speed had not increased. And you had no luggage with you.

All Hanako had given you was a small wooden box with Japanese sweets. She knew that Yorinobu had a weak spot for such things.

But that didn't matter at that moment. What mattered was that something was wrong.

Hastily you reached into your pocket. Your fingers closed around the little button that was supposed to save your life in an emergency. But you hesitated.

What if it was just your imagination?

Smasher would appear and laugh at you. He had no respect for anyone. Especially not for those who acted high and noble. Like you did before you left.

"What a ridiculous thought.", you muttered to yourself and pressed the button.

What was a wounded pride against a severed head?

You didn't intend to die in this neighbourhood. Your life would end in the soft light of the sun, caressed by the sweet smell of cherry blossoms and real grass, while the sun's rays played on the surface of the sea. You wanted to die in Japan, your ashes scattered in the temple among the yokai.

Again you pressed your emergency alarm.

Why did it feel like nothing was happening?

It was a silent alarm and yet. It felt like there was something preventing it from working.

Something suddenly seemed to move above you. Your head shot up. There was something on the roof. No, not something, someone. The footsteps were just very quiet, soft and unobtrusive. Whoever it was knew how to avoid detection. But it was there.

Your instinct could sense danger.

Slowly you slipped out of your seat and called up the control centre with the board computer. The screen was unchanged, as it should be. But when you tried to call Yorinobu's number, the machine refused.

"I beg your pardon.", the AI replied in a suddenly menacingly calm voice. "Admin access has been changed. Please identify yourself."

A window opened. You were about to enter your universal code and eye scan when your fingers stopped. They wanted to steal your data.