Incoming Video Call – Pilar Kartman
Call Accepted – Establishing Connection
"So, you're Rebecca's brother, huh?"
I study the bearded guy on my screen with curiosity. Mid-twenties, maybe pushing thirty. Scruffy, unkempt — like personal grooming ranks pretty low on his list of priorities. But judging by the scowl he's throwing my way, appearances aren't exactly top of mind for him right now.
While he takes a moment to gather his thoughts, I do what I do best — dig. A quick database sweep pulls up a decent file on him. Let's keep it simple: twenty-four years old. Parents died a few years back. Official guardian of Rebecca — which, by the way, makes him almost a year older than Roxy. No formal job, but flagged in multiple databases as a merc with a solid track record. Certified Level 5 Technician. Pretty damn impressive for a street kid his age. The rest? Mostly noise. Nothing immediately useful. I let the data slide from my accelerated processing and refocus on the conversation.
"Alright, let's cut to the chase. How much to fix the brat?"
Pilar peers at me from under furrowed brows, and for a split second, I almost feel guilty. Almost.
"Before we get to that, I need you to listen carefully."
I rub my temples, stalling while I map out my next move. Nothing useful comes to mind. Screw it — time to do what I do best. Improvise.
"Here's how I see it. You've got a little sister, and you take care of her as best you can. Nod if I'm right — it'll make this easier."
A hesitant nod. Good.
"Naturally, you have no damn clue how to do that properly, which leads us to this mess. Your sister has a habit of being reckless. Am I wrong?"
"Mostly right," Kartman mutters, annoyed.
"Long story short, here's my proposal. Rebecca doesn't take things seriously — things that are obviously important. She needs to learn to think before she acts. Would you agree?"
"Alright, kid, explain something to me — why the hell do you care?" Pilar crosses his arms, eyes narrowing.
I shrug.
"Believe it or not, I just felt like helping." The way his expression goes blank for a second? Priceless. I could frame that moment and hang it on my wall. "Consider it a whim. Nothing more."
"Alright... so what's your idea?" His face relaxes slightly, back to something closer to neutral.
"Bio-implants are tricky — sometimes even downright dangerous. The pigment in her skin could mess with her system in ways she won't like. If we skip the medical jargon, there's a high chance it could trigger an allergic reaction or even stunt her growth. No idea why the ripper didn't warn her before the procedure, but that's the reality. And if nothing gets done in the next week, Rebecca's looking at some serious consequences."
I pause briefly, forwarding Pilar the compiled data.
"So here's the deal — I fix this little oversight and write you a bogus check with a hefty sum on it. Obviously, I'll charge you a little for the procedure, but the brat doesn't need to know that. What do you say?"
"Sounds too good to be true. What's stopping you from just scamming me?" The merc raises a valid point.
"My word. That's it. If you're skeptical, go ahead and get a second opinion from any reputable ripper. Just a heads-up — their prices will be a hell of a lot higher than mine."
Pilar lifts an eyebrow. "You sure your name isn't Santa?"
I smirk involuntarily, thinking back to all the 'gifts' I've handed out over the past six months. "Lately, I've been considering it."
"Let's not drag this out. Here's the real check and the fake one. Pay the first after the treatment. Show Rebecca the second as proof. She seems to grasp the value of money, so that part shouldn't be an issue. In the end, it's a win-win. She learns a valuable lesson, and you get a healthy sister who gives you fewer reasons to worry."
"You ever think about working in advertising with a pitch like that?"Pilar chuckles. "Alright, I'm in. Still don't get why you're doing this, but if you help Becca, I'll be grateful."
"Deal. I sent you my clinic's address. Bring her in tomorrow for the procedure."
Pilar squints slightly."Alright, but if you can fix this so easily, why the hell did you need the previous ripper's data?"
"Because not just anyone in this city can pull off a fix like this. You need a real specialist and the kind of high-end tech street rippers can't get their hands on. Your options? Pay out the nose for Trauma Team's corporate docs — assuming you've got a platinum-tier membership — or wait a week in line for a downtown specialist, if you even get an appointment."
"And you just happen to have all that lying around?"His eyes narrow in suspicion.
"Exactly. This isn't my main source of income. Let's just say... fixing people and solving their problems is kind of a hobby of mine."
"First time I've heard of anyone in Night City pulling something like this."
"There's a first time for everything."I shrug reflexively, deflecting his jab with a joke. "I'm gonna run some tests on your sister now, but do me a favor — don't blow your cover in front of the brat. Keep that serious face on for a few days, let the lesson sink in. Then you'll see the payoff firsthand."
"To be honest, things between me and Becca are... tense. Maybe your help is exactly what I need."Pilar surprises me with the confession.
"See? Nothing but upsides. No downside in sight. But whatever, we're on the same page — no need to drag this conversation out. Pick up Rebecca in about an hour; I should be done by then."
"I owe you one, choom." He smirks before ending the call.
Connection terminated – Call ended
"Alright, kid, listen up. Your brother came through with the eddies, so I'm gonna do my best to help you out."
The girl, silent until now, finally snaps to attention at my words.
"First things first, you're getting some tests done. After that, we'll see what's next."
"Wait… he actually did it?"Her voice is laced with disbelief.
"That's right. So maybe from now on, think twice before jamming another implant into your body. The human system's fragile — one wrong move, and it all goes to shit. You get me?"
Becca nods so fast she looks like a damn bobblehead. I sigh, sizing her up again.
"Alright, let's get those tests done."
Without another word, I head toward the reception area — only to nearly crash into Kiwi, who's carrying a tray of food. No doubt on her way to my workshop. I catch her by the arm and carefully take the tray before she loses her balance.
"Uh?"She blinks at me, confused.
"Need to grab some equipment from your office. Won't take long."I hand the tray back, keeping it short.
"Need help?"
"No need. I got it." I shake my head and keep moving.
I don't linger in my girlfriend's office. A few quick samples, and I'm out of there with peace of mind. Now, all that's left is waiting for the analyzer to spit out the results. Then I'll figure out the next steps.
Becca stays unusually quiet the whole time, which honestly throws me off. She's not the type to keep her mouth shut. Looks like this whole thing hit harder than I expected. Good. Maybe she'll actually take something from it. Could be the lesson that stops her from doing something even dumber down the road.
"And that's it. Now we wait."
"Mm-hm."The kid mutters, still caught in the haze of everything that just happened.
"This isn't a quick process. Results won't be ready until tomorrow. Your brother said he'd pick you up in an hour — you can hang out with the girls if you want."
"Hey, uh…"Rebecca tugs lightly at my sleeve, voice hesitant.
I raise a brow, turning to face my pint-sized patient. "Hmm?"
"...Thanks, I guess." Her eyes drop to the floor as she speaks, voice barely above a whisper.
"You know what? I'll give you some personal advice."I crouch slightly, lowering myself to her eye level. "Today, luck was on your side. Next time? Might not be. Think before you act — before another bright idea or impulse lands in that cute little head of yours."
She gives me a slow, uncertain nod. I sigh.
"Yeah, you got it. No need for a lecture. Come on, the girls are probably waiting for you."
I flick her lightly on the nose, snapping her out of her daze.
Hopefully, she actually learns something from this. Would be a damn shame if all this effort went to waste and she just went and did it all over again...
______________________________________________________
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to Patreøn.
[https://www.patreøn.com/amattsu]
The link is also in the synopsis.