Cyberpunk 2077: V

Chapter 25: Checkpoint

"Get everything you need?" Judy called out.

V swam of out the white light, her vision refocusing back into the real world. Judy sat at her desk, head leaning on one hand, staring at V. Evelyn stood just behind her, body taut as a high-tension clutch wire, eyes on Judy. V blinked a few times, then sat up and adjusted herself in the chair. T-Bug floated silently in the top left corner of V's vision, waiting.

"Yeah, think we did Judy," V sighed. She flipped her attention to T-Bug.

"You're the best Bug, thanks for your help. Later."

T-Bug nodded curtly. "Nice work today. See ya soon."

There was a soft clinking beep as T-Bug disconnected. Before V could say anything, Judy spoke up.

"I'll wipe the cache and your data. You were never here."

Something about the tone of Judy's voice told V that she wished V HAD never been there.

Judy clicked a couple of things on her computer, then stood and waltzed on over to the runner chair. She stopped at V's side, staring down at her for a moment, her expression hard to read, then she gently reached out and took the braindance wreathe from V's head. She held it in her hands briefly before holding it out to her.

"Here, keep it. I'll put it on Ev's tab."

V's eyes widened. She hesitantly reached out and took the device from Judy's fingers. The wreath was light, lighter than her revolver.

"Really?"

Judy nodded. "Portable device for handling BD's. I already uploaded your calibration settings. Not as sophisticated as what we got here, but should do the trick if you ever find yourself needin' to scroll."

V looked at the wreathe, knowing it could be a useful tool but scared at the intimacy and vulnerability it represented. Then something clicked. She looked back up at Judy with knowing smirk.

"Yeah, should come in handy someday...and it keeps you outta harm's way to gift it to me. Clever."

Judy smirked back, her eyes searching V's face. Then she took a step back, hands coming to rest on her hips as she pinned V with a gaze.

"Speakin'a harm's way. Know what I see lookin' at you?" Judy's gaze turned to Evelyn then before falling back to V.

"Walking, talking corpses."

Cold shivers danced over V's nerves at her words. Judy began to pace back and forth.

"That BD will be the death of us," she continued. "If Arasaka finds out you have it, you're dead. I'M dead."

"Judy...relax. Nobody will ever know." Evelyn's breathy voice suddenly interjected. She moved to stand closer to Judy and V, but paused near the door. Judy's head quickly snapped over to look at her.

"Evelyn, please...no shortcuts," she said firmly. Judy pointed at her. "You go that route, city'll always win. So be careful."

V could pick up on the frustrated anger in Judy's words, as well as the tremor of worry and fear as well.

Evelyn leaned on one hip, gilded hand coming to rest on the curve of her waist. "Of course I will be," she confidently. Then her face softened. "Besides, we'll talk in a bit."

She then turned and waved a hand at the door. The e-lock turned green and it slid open. Evelyn leaned against the doorframe, looking expectantly at V. Judy sighed heavily before moving to sit at the small side desk Evelyn had been sitting on earlier. V sat there a moment, trying to wrap her head around the fact that her first BD dive had been to watch someone grope the heir apparent of Arasaka, then smoothly slipped out of the runner chair. The chills had become dull aches, like bruises deep in her vertebrae.