The accident had wrecked plenty of vehicles, but on closer look, the Tyger Claws on their bikes had it the worst.
Even so, the traffic jam it caused was just barely passable.
Jackie carefully guided the stolen car through the scattered wreckage.
"Once we're off the bridge, find a place to drop them."
Arthur said, glancing over his shoulder.
"I thought you two were friends."
Jackie checked the rearview mirror and saw only Lucy's blank expression.
Traffic crawled at a snail's pace—aftershocks of the shootout.
"Those clowns with neon strapped to their skulls? Just brain-dead punks."
The jam was grinding Jackie's nerves raw. He smacked the steering wheel, shooting sidelong glances at Arthur.
"You got something to say? Spit it out."
Arthur's calm reply finally got Jackie to grin.
"Hermanos, bro, how the hell did you pull that off just now?"
Arthur shrugged, repeating the excuse he'd used on David.
"Hard work. And a bit of talent."
"Fine. But when this job's done, you're teaching me."
As they rolled off the overpass, the traffic eased.
In the backseat, David was slumped like baggage, his head leaning against the window.Every bump knocked it against the glass with a dull thunk… thunk… thunk.
Arthur caught Lucy staring out the opposite window, then motioned for Jackie to pull over.
"Alright. You two get out here."
Lucy clearly knew he meant her but didn't budge.
"Westbrook. Tyger Claws turf. We just stirred up a hornet's nest.
Getting out now is suicide."
Arthur sighed inwardly at her stubbornness.
"We've got real business to handle. Can't drag you along."
He turned his eyes to David.
"And you. Cut the crap. Think your skull's bulletproof?"
At that, David dropped the act, sitting up with an awkward grin as he scratched his buzz cut.
"We can help."
He lifted Lucy's hand, showing a small black box she held.
"Lucy's a hacker. This little gadget is what's blocking the car's tracking signal."
Arthur looked at Jackie, laying it out straight.
"I've only met these two once. We barely exchanged ten words."
It was Jackie's call—Arthur's job, but Jackie's judgment.
"The car's signal is definitely a problem. And if we're digging for intel, a hacker's exactly what we need."
The car moved off again, heading for the spot Padre had given them.
Even on the short drive, Jackie couldn't keep his mouth shut, and soon he and David were talking.
"Hey, what the hell did you do to rile up those Tyger Claws? Why'd half the crew come after you?"
David answered without spilling too much.
"It was supposed to be a quick job. That area's usually empty. But for some reason, the Tyger Claws were swarming it."
"Those guys have engines for brains. Any noise and they're on you like sharks scenting blood. You were lucky to get out."
Westbrook was clearly the most bustling part of Night City, right next to the Civic Center. Most corpos chose to settle there.
At least the stink of Watson was gone, along with the hollow-eyed vagrants sprawled on the sidewalks.
People cursed corpos as dogs, but envy was the root of it. Everyone dreamed of living in Westbrook—or even the Civic Center.
The car pulled up outside Japantown, and they all got out.
The afternoon was fading, but daylight still lingered. Yet stepping onto this street, the sun no longer mattered.
Here, neon reigned. Towers loomed overhead, their lights spilling across both sides of the street. Blazing beams tangled together like shattered rainbows scattered over everything.
A net of color draped the street—and every soul walking it.
Men and women here split into two kinds: those chasing pleasure, and those selling it.
They dressed bold and sensual, every inch dripping with impulse and hormones—skin smooth, bodies gleaming.
This was Japantown. Where money slid into stockings and neon blinded the eyes.
"That's a multi-purpose nightclub. Anything you want, it's inside. But underneath, it's a Tyger Claws stronghold."
Jackie's eyes flickered as he scanned Padre's intel.
The main structure sat underground, with three levels open to the public—the ground floor and two below it.
Going deeper required a single elevator. Security on it was tight. Not an easy way down.
"So? We go in, grab a drink, blend in, and start sniffing around?"
They stood before the club. Still early—not peak hours—but already a crowd had gathered outside.
Arthur shot Jackie a look. The guy always regretted drinking before a job, when the buzz clouded his head. Now that it had worn off, he couldn't stop talking.
Still, Arthur wanted a drink himself. A little never hurt.
The moment they stepped inside, the group was swallowed by a charged, sultry atmosphere.
Purple haze filled the first-floor hall.
They ordered food first, then a few drinks.
Not too much—they sipped carefully, using the time to trade stories.
Jackie, never one to hold back, spoke first.
"I grew up in Heywood. Best neighborhood in Night City, I swear. That's why I got by just fine."
His eyes lit up. Jackie 's upbeat nature had colored his childhood brighter than most.
"After that, joining the Valentinos was just the next step. At first, they treated me like a kid, taught me all kinds of things. But nobody expected me to grow into one of the biggest guys around."
He raised his arm, flexing hard, as if daring anyone to doubt it.
David, hungry for stories, jumped in right away.
"And then? Why'd you leave the gang?"
"My old man was a bastard. Always beat me and Mom with his belt. He was a Valentino too, so Mom never liked that world.
When she found out, I walked away.
Besides, I always wanted more—to make something of myself, give Mom a better life.
If I'd stayed in Heywood, I'd never have had a shot."
At the mention of his mother, David's face darkened, his earlier excitement drained away.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing, Jackie set a hand on his shoulder.
"I wanted my mom to live well too. But she's gone. I sent her to hell with my own hands."
By now David was sobbing uncontrollably. The kid wore his emotions raw and unfiltered.
Even he didn't know why he'd opened up, spilling his deepest pain.
"Never knew my dad. He left us to struggle in this city.
To give me a chance, Mom sent me to Arasaka Academy, hoping I'd one day serve Arasaka."
He didn't notice Lucy's subtle flinch beside him. But Arthur did. At the mention of Arasaka, she trembled ever so slightly.
Clearly, the beautiful hacker had her own history with the corp.
David kept going.
"She worked herself to the bone at multiple jobs, never wasting a cent, all so I could graduate and climb to the top of the company someday."
But this time, Jackie didn't smile or nod like usual. His expression hardened.
"I don't know your mom's exact situation. If she was high-ranking, then fine. But if not… then maybe she was wrong."
Seeing David's face darken, Jackie quickly explained.
"I grew up with a friend in Arasaka's counterintelligence division. So I know a bit about how things really are."