Cyberpunk 2077: You Shall Never Have To Forgive Me Again

Ch. 4 Good Luck, Babe

'You are so fucked.'

Shut. Up.

'No. Really. You're fucked. Like a corpo just bent you over his high-rise office desk, gave you the worst five minutes of your life, then took away your pension plan and made your whole family homeless kind of fucked.'

... What's a pension plan?

'Jesus Christ, V. You're a fucking box.'

V glowered at the engram of Johnny Silverhand who was shaking his head disappointedly, sitting atop a tool box in the garage where Panam was busy working on the underside of her truck.

She had approached Panam shortly after seeing her text saying she would be in the garage, had asked if she needed a hand - not that she knew jack shit about cars -, but Panam was pretty adamant that she had it under control. Apparently the Raffens really had done a number on her Thorton.

So now she was waiting for the other merc to finish up when Johnny decided that was a good time to share his opinion. Or opinions...

'No, but really. You are actually fucked if you don't get your head on straight.'

V sighed inwardly, thankful that Panam couldn't see her from this angle.

Don't know what you're talkin' 'bout, Johnny.

Johnny chuckled at this, clearly not falling for V's performance. His image glitched out for a second before he appeared in front of Panam's truck, walking around a bit.

'Didya already forget I'm in your head? Can hear all your thoughts like you're speaking them to me. Can be annoying, if I'm being honest, but at least I'm never bored.'

Johnny materialized a digital cigarette, taking a puff of it while looking down at Panam. All they could see of her was her legs sticking out from under the hood, could hear her tinkering away, cursing here and there in frustration.

'You can't get sidetracked, V.'

I know. And I'm not. We're grabbing Hellman in just a few hours.

'You know that's not what I mean.'

V didn't respond, crossing her arms tightly.

'What's your plan here? And don't lie to me. There's no point.' Johnny pointed at his head, referencing V's mental passenger. 'Don't get caught up in rollin' around in the dirt, V.'

Nothing is happening. Panam is doing her part and once I have Hellman we'll be out of here. What's your problem?

'I didn't take you for stupid. Then explain to me what all the hubbub was about that shower. You were pretty desperate to take one.'

Johnny was smirking at V now, clearly thinking he'd won this one.

You're in my head, like ya said. You tell me.

'Well since you're so graciously asking.' V scoffed. 'I know you got the hots for that nomad chick. Couldn't get enough of her scent, how it stuck to every crevice of her truck. Got lost in that big smile she had when she got it back. Made your heart skip a couple beats and you didn't know what to do about it so you ran. Can't be givin' up your all things anti-alpha image, right?'

That would include you, wouldn't it? V drolled out.

'Heh. That's the plan, isn't it?'

Jesus, Johnny had a response for everything.

'But seriously, V-'

Oh, we're being serious now?