Given David's current network, Pilar was the best person Lucy could find.
After several days of surveillance, David and his team had more or less mapped out the target's schedule. Now, they were focused on planning both the assassination and the escape strategy, with the network jammer being the top priority.
"Is there any way to get it faster?" David asked, his patience wearing thin. Every delay increased the risk of exposure.
"Then go to Pacifica and find the Voodoo Boys," Pilar suggested after a pause. He rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a flashy card. "Those guys can help you."
"The Voodoo Boys? Weren't they wiped out?" David took the card, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Exactly. That's why they're moving fast—clearing out their gear, consolidating power, and preparing to flee. Otherwise, every gang in Night City would be out for their blood."
"I see. Thanks." David nodded, handed over the deposit for the rest of the equipment, and turned to leave.
Bang!
Just as he opened the door, David collided with someone. Instinct kicked in. In a flash, both he and the other figure had drawn their weapons, aiming directly at each other.
"Wait a minute!" Pilar shouted from behind.
Both froze at the sound and cautiously lowered their weapons, finally getting a proper look at each other.
"A girl?" David muttered in surprise. He had Sandevistan installed—his reflexes were top-tier. And yet, this person reacted just as fast?
"A boy?" Rebecca was equally shocked. She'd been handling firearms since she was a child, achieving near-perfect synchronicity with her weapon. Her draw-and-fire speed was under half a second. Yet this guy, who didn't look much older than her, had matched her move-for-move?
"Misunderstanding! This is my sister, Rebecca," Pilar said as he stepped between them. "And this is my client."
Rebecca reacted first, lowering her gun and smiling broadly. "You're fast!"
David's lips curled into a smile. He appreciated people who were direct and full of energy. "You're not bad yourself."
"Let's work together sometime," Rebecca offered.
"If you don't mind, how about this time?" David extended a hand. "It's a big job."
"Sounds good!" she replied without hesitation, gripping his hand firmly.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't just decide that on your own!" Pilar said, exasperated. "You're way too friendly with strangers—it's a good way to get killed!"
"Brother, come with us! It'll be fun!"
"No way."
"Come on!"
"No!"
"I brought back a new Kang Tao Type-4 automatic pistol...~"
"Ahem... Well… I suppose joining isn't out of the question…"
---
Meanwhile…
"Doctor Viktor! You're finally back!"
Misty burst into the clinic the moment Viktor returned, her face flushed with excitement.
"Go see Jack—he's fully awake! He even got out of bed to eat!"
"Really?!" Viktor didn't even pause to rest. He followed Misty straight to Jack's home.
There, Jack was seated at the dining table, eating heartily. Mrs. Welles stood nearby, her expression soft with relief. Seeing him, Viktor's eyes widened. "God! You're finally alive!"
Jack set down his utensils and got up to give him a big hug. "Man! You worked hard! You saved me!"
"No, it was everyone's effort," Viktor replied, patting Jack's back. "But I didn't expect you to be walking around so soon."
"Maybe God doesn't take chrome, haha!" Jack laughed it off. "Wanna eat together?"
"Sure." Still a bit emotional, Viktor joined him at the table. After greeting Mrs. Welles, he slowly sat down. "Have you told V? About your recovery?"
"Not yet. I heard she's on a mission, so I didn't want to disturb her," Jack said as he bit into a pine nut cake. "And honestly, my body's still weak. I can only walk a few steps."
Viktor nodded. Even with nutrient fluids and treatment, a month in bed required proper rehab.
"She'll be thrilled when she finds out."
"Haha, I'm looking forward to seeing her too."
They spent the entire afternoon catching up. Viktor filled him in on everything that had happened while Jack was unconscious, and Jack occasionally interjected with his thoughts.
"I can't believe so much happened," Jack said, shaking his head.
"Yeah. And it's only going to get messier. Eventually, it'll all explode—and maybe then, a new order will rise."
Viktor, a lifelong Night City resident, had always dreamed of seeing the city change. But he also feared the chaos and violence such change would bring.
Still, could real change happen without pain?
"You just got better. Rest. I'll leave you to it," Viktor said, noticing the fatigue creeping into Jack's eyes.
"Come by again, Viktor," Jack replied, not trying to keep him longer. He really was tired.
---
Elsewhere…
While everyone was busy with their own battles, Leon Black—recently approached by V—wasn't idle either. In addition to quietly ordering a search for Lena Fox, he had also joined forces with several of Arasaka Hanako's closest confidants for a secret meeting. This was right after a private conversation with Hanako herself.
All of them had come to the same chilling conclusion: Yorinobu Arasaka was attempting to hide the truth behind Saburo Arasaka's death and claim power through illegitimate means.
The sudden purging of executives was damning evidence. Once Saburo's loyalists were eliminated, they'd be next.
They didn't intend to sit around and wait for execution. Yorinobu was known for his ruthlessness; it was likely he wouldn't even let them leave the company alive. Without their support, Hanako would also be in grave danger.
The crisis was severe, and this wasn't just the speculation of one or two people—it was the shared judgment of a tightly-knit group operating behind the scenes.
Hanako, already hesitant, now felt even more torn.
Raised under tight protection in the family estate in Tokyo, Hanako had been shielded from the intricacies of corporate warfare. She came across more like a gentle woman prepared to be a wife and mother than a corporate titan.
But that didn't make her naive. Her years under de facto house arrest had made her into a formidable hacker. Through cyberspace, she had come to understand the world—and it wasn't pretty.
The digital world was colder, sharper, and more unforgiving than reality.
During those long, solitary years, she'd studied every detail of Arasaka's condition in Night City. And what she discovered wasn't good.
Saburo's death had thrown the megacorporation into chaos. High-ranking officials were either hiding, protecting themselves, or fighting over escape plans. Trust was shattered, and paranoia reigned.
Enemies saw this weakness and moved in. Mega-corps like Militech began probing, both openly and secretly.
In just a few days, Special Ops Director Susan Abernathy had uncovered numerous spies.
Some were deep-cover agents planted years ago, activated now to cripple Arasaka from within. Even the intelligence division had traitors.
It was proof enough—countless secrets had been bleeding out of Arasaka for years.
The question now was whether Hanako would rise and resist—or let Night City burn.
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