Friday Night Firefight - A Cyberpunk 2077 Isekai

Friday Night Firefight - Chapter 72

Word had spread fast that Pacifica was on the rise, and the GIM was at its heart – a hotspot for deals, fights, and every kind of hustle that Night City had to offer. The shops were all filling up, the Valentinos had set up a combination chop shop and showroom in a nearby abandoned building, and the Animals were drawing record crowds with their fight nights. All in all, everything was going swimmingly.

But instead of wandering through the GIM, soaking in the fruits of The Pack's labor, I was holed up in my office, slowly flicking through a collection of old movies I could play on the projector, trying to find something that might be of interest for the next twenty or thirty minutes. One of the benefits of having an office in the projector room of an old theater was the easy access to a massive screen and a library of old movies.

Deng cleared his throat, calling my attention back to my desk where he and Zion were standing over a paper map of the district. I sheepishly shut down the projector and went to go and stand next to them.

"We need more than just cameras and muscle," Deng said, his finger tracing over the layout of the GIM. He tapped a few key spots near the entrances and along the main floor. "The GIM's a glowing target for anyone looking to make trouble. We've got the eddies, so we should dot the place with a few turrets. They'll be hidden. Only activated when we need."

I leaned in closer to get a better view of the map. Zion, standing beside Deng, let out a low whistle.

"Turrets? That's fancy," he said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Deng chuckled at Zion taking the piss. "We'll have Sandra handle the setup. Key the system so only select members of The Pack can activate them. Same goes for the mines."

"Mines?" I asked, somewhat skeptical.

"Small ones," Deng clarified. "Think deterrents, not demolition. Enough to give anyone stupid enough to breach the place a serious case of regret."

"Thoughtful," Zion quipped, the sarcasm in his voice balanced by the look in his eyes that said he was taking this a lot more serious than his tone suggested.

The two of them were a solid team when it came to security. Deng handled the GIM, the engine of our growing empire, while Zion took charge of The Batty, our...annex? Overflow? Kinda base of operations? I hadn't decided entirely what I wanted the Batty to be. It was slowly turning into something like The Pack's administrative hub – where people came to meet, make deals, and request favors.

Deng's hand shifted back to the map, his finger pointing at my office – the projector room. "If things go to shit, and I mean really bad, you're gonna need a way out."

He traced a line across the paper, following a maintenance tunnel that snaked its way outside the GIM to an alleyway.

"An escape route?" I asked, my tone flat but with a bit of disbelief.

He nodded. "Discreet. Safe. If the GIM's under siege, or things spiral out of control, you can't afford to get boxed in."

The idea didn't sit right with me. The thought of slipping away while everyone else fought to hold onto what we'd built left a sour taste in my mouth. I glanced over at Zion, hoping for some kind of reaction. He just gave me a small shrug, his expression unreadable.

"I get the logic," I said after a moment, forcing myself to focus on the practically. "But it feels...wrong. I don't like the idea of running while everyone else stays behind to fight."

Deng and Zion shared a look that might as well have been a telepathic conversation. It was probably something along the lines of kids these days, always second-guessing good advice.