Returning to Lizzy's Bar, though the surroundings were dim, Arthur and the others were already familiar with the place.
Heading straight downstairs, the two made their way to their usual corner—a nook by the wall furnished with a circle of sofas.
"V doesn't usually ask for help. This has to be serious."
Jackie brought her up the moment he dropped onto the sofa.
Arthur leaned back into his seat.
"Anyone who kills sooner or later gets targeted. That's just how it is.
Uh... what I mean is, we might be in trouble."
His gravelly voice carried the words as he gestured with his hand.
Whatever it was, they'd only know once V arrived.
They didn't have to wait long. Soon, a figure walked toward them.
V hadn't even changed clothes. That dark red corporate executive suit, as sharp as it was, didn't fit this kind of place.
"Hey, look who's here—our busy bee."
Jackie spread his arms wide in welcome.
"Come on, sit down. Let's have a proper drink first.
And you—finally found time to hang out... So, did you get that girl yet?"
V forced a smile, but her voice was weighed down with exhaustion as she sank into the seat.
Not long ago, she had finished a mission and, while on leave, had invited Jackie out several times.
But back then, Jackie had been wrapped up in chasing Misty, with no time to spare.
"Things are going fine on my end...
But you—you don't look so good. What's going on?"
Now that he was closer, Jackie finally saw how worn she really looked.
"Yeah... I've been swamped lately..."
The cheer drained from his voice as he sighed heavily, taking in the fatigue carved into V's face.
"Seriously, V. If you keep this up, you're gonna burn yourself out at the company."
"Give it a rest... Besides... I might not even be able to keep this up... Happy now?"
V sank deeper into the sofa until she was practically swallowed by it.
"What happened?"
Jackie pressed, his tone anxious.
"Arasaka might be coming after me because they don't like me installing control-type Cyberware..."
V shrugged. Her face looked calm, but her voice carried a heaviness she couldn't quite hide.
"That's simple. Just leave the company..."
Jackie asked, confused, even sounding like he was relaxing.
"But once it gets the attention of the higher-ups, it's not that simple..."
V's neutral voice came sharp, each word deliberate.
"Abernathy, Jenkins, me—it's all the same. We only care about our own survival. Kick the other out, and who cares what happens afterward?
But the true owners of the company are different. The company's interests are their interests. And me...
In their eyes, I might just be property."
Her explanation silenced the table. Even the thought of going up against a behemoth like Arasaka was enough to crush the air out of the room.
"Hey—no need to get so tense. At the end of the day, this is just rumors."
V waved her hand with a smile, breaking the ice.
"Look on the bright side. I'm not exactly worth much."
By now, the drinks had arrived. V grabbed a bottle for herself without hesitation.
"Maybe we should fill our glasses first..."
After working herself ragged for more than half a month, she really wanted to drink herself under.
"Cheers..."
Arthur, who hadn't spoken much, raised his glass and clinked it against V's.
"By the way... you're unusually quiet today, Arthur.
So what now? Any ideas?"
V tilted her glass, a few drops shimmering as she looked at the man beside her with a smile.
"Me?"
Arthur raised his brows, pointing a finger at his chest while holding his glass.
"Me?
Well... from what I've seen, those so-called big shots—fat, greasy, and can't speak a word of truth.
Either you keep away from them, or... you take them out."
He shook his head and added,
"Ain't no good way out. Once you're tangled with folks like that, you can kiss peace goodbye..."
Show weakness, and they'll treat you like a bug to be squashed. Fight back, and they'll see it as a provocation—either way, trouble doesn't stop.
Think it through, and the only real option left is to kill.
Listening to him, V let out a bitter laugh.
"Kill who? Saburo Arasaka?
That's no different from assassinating the President of the New United States of America.
Even if that old man did come to Night City instead of rotting away in Japan, the defenses around him aren't something two or three people could handle...
And even if you killed him, what then?
Arasaka Tower was blown up before, and they still built it back."
While V spoke, Arthur barely listened, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Look... I've got an old trick. Question is, do you think it'll work?"
"You sure have a lot of tricks, huh?
Let's hear it..."
The alcohol was already working its magic—V, who had been so weary moments ago, now looked eager, almost excited.
"Stir up some chaos... muddy the waters.
You know what I mean—when a bigger problem shows up, yours becomes the smaller one."
Arthur scratched his forehead, topped up his glass again, and went on.
"Can't say it always works... hit or miss."
He spread his hands.
"Sounds... at least more reliable than assassinating the president."
V chuckled.
The two clinked glasses again, tapped the table, and drained half their drinks in one gulp.
With Arthur suggesting a couple of workable ideas, the tension finally lifted.
Purple lights swayed around them, and before they knew it, the world before their eyes began to blur and twist.
"You didn't track us down just to share that far-fetched theory, did you?"
Jackie laughed, swirling his glass, but the doubt still slipped out.
At that, V slammed her glass hard on the table, waving her fingers in front of her eyes.
"Look... look...
Almost forgot the main thing..."
The lights hid the deep flush on her face. Swaying unsteadily, she dug into her breast pocket and pulled out a chip.