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"How can you do that?!"
"That's cheating, damn it, you're cheating!"
In a corner of the Tasty Restaurant, Pilar was stomping his foot on the bench, his face twisted in a mask of primate-like fury. The "high-temperature monkey" was flailing his limbs so wildly that one of his soft-mode gorilla arms accidentally slapped Rebecca across the face with a loud smack.
Rebecca didn't hesitate. She stomped on the table, pulled her Omaha tech-pistol from its holster, and chambered a round with a lethal clack. If Dorio hadn't lunged across the table to grab her wrist, Pilar would have been down a hand before the appetizers arrived.
The sudden arrival of Maine's crew—specifically the sight of two "bear-like" men like Maine and Jackie—had already sucked the oxygen out of the room. Half the customers had abandoned their meals and scurried for the exit the moment they saw the chrome.
The owner, a weary man in his forties, watched from behind the counter with a look of pure, practiced helplessness. He saw his "chef" in the back moving at half-speed, his hands shaking as he loaded pre-made packets into the microwave. Taking a deep breath, the owner grabbed his tablet and approached the table.
"A bet's a bet, you scoundrel," Kiwi said coolly, sitting next to Sasha. "Besides, you're the one who started running before the signal."
"Then why did you hack me?!" Pilar shrieked, gesturing wildly at Jax and Maine. "You didn't hack the girls—fine, sisterhood, whatever. But Jax and Maine were the fastest! Why me?"
He leaned in, his voice dropping but still carrying through the quiet restaurant. "Alright, Maine's the boss, I get it. But Jax? Damn it, Kiwi, are you into him too?"
The table went silent. Dorio glanced at Sasha, who was wearing her trademark "innocent cat" smile, but then her eyes drifted to Rebecca. The short, green-haired girl had suddenly dropped her gaze, looking intently at her boots.
No way, Dorio thought, her optics whirring in shock. Jax has been here three days and he's already swept the roster?
Honestly, Dorio couldn't blame them. Jax was a rarity—strong, quiet, and possessed of a strange, grounded gentleness that felt like a relic from another world. He didn't brag, he just did the work.
Kiwi narrowed her eyes, a small plume of hot air venting from her jaw. "If you keep running your mouth, Pilar, I'll make sure your system doesn't reboot until next Tuesday."
Pilar grumbled and sat down, muttering, "Could've hacked Jackie... first time we meet, it's good luck to have the new guy treat."
"Who makes a new friend pay for the whole crew?" Maine said, slapping Pilar on the back of the head.
Jackie laughed, waving it off. "I don't mind! This lunch was my idea. I just didn't want the party to end so soon."
"I lost, I pay!" Pilar snapped, slamming his hand on the table. "It's just eddies! Boss! Over here!"
The owner approached, his soul practically trembling. Rebecca held up two fingers: "Two double-burger sets and the biggest colas you've got!"
Maine ordered pizzas, Dorio went for the synthetic noodles, and Sasha and Kiwi spoke in unison: "Everything with high sugar." They looked at each other and laughed. Hackers and glucose—a match made in the net.
Jax ordered a synthetic steak, leaning back as the owner scurried away. "Maine, I have a suggestion."
"Spit it out, Jax."
"We're playing in Rogue's league now. Her jobs aren't going to be milk runs. I think we need to expand. What do you think?" Jax's eyes moved to Jackie.
The table went quiet. Jackie froze, a burrito halfway to his mouth. "Mano... are you serious? I've been following you guys because I wanted to ask, but... you sure you want me? I'm mostly organic, and my situation in Heywood is... well, it's messy."
Jackie wasn't lying. He was a "traitor" to the Valentinos, which meant the gang had locked down most of his local resources. He had the strength of a bear, but he was currently a lone wolf with no pack and a very short leash.
"Mano, I actually feel a strange chemistry with you guys," Jackie admitted, looking at Jax. "That's why I followed you from the clinic."
Kiwi nodded, pulling a tube from her mask to sip a nutrient drink. She understood. Maine's crew was a "ray of light" in a city of shadows. They didn't sell their teammates for spare parts. They protected their own. In Night City, that was more valuable than a gold-plated Sandevistan.
"Jackie, I'll be direct," Jax said. "Maine, Dorio, and I handle the front. Rebecca is support. The girls are our ghosts, and Pilar is the tech. We need another heavy hitter. Someone who stands like a wall."
Maine clapped Jackie on the shoulder. "The Valentinos were idiots to let you go. You're a tank, Jackie. As for the chrome? Money is just data. We'll get you geared up. Right, mano?"
Jackie's face broke into a massive, toothy grin. "Since you put it that way... I'm in! From today, we're family!"
Jax watched the celebration, a quiet sense of relief washing over him. In the game, Jackie's death was the tragedy that started it all. Here, maybe things would be different. Jackie had a crew now—one that wouldn't let him go into Arasaka Tower alone.
Jax's gaze drifted to the window. He saw a boy in a high-collared uniform walking past, head down, hands buried deep in his pockets.
Jax stood up immediately. "Maine. Look."
"The neighbor?" Maine asked, recognizing the punk hair.
Jax pushed open the door and called out: "David! What are you doing in Watson?"
The teenager stopped, his youthful, weary face turning toward them. It was David Martinez.
"Jax? Maine?" David looked dazed.
"Aren't you supposed to be in school, kid?" Jax asked, pulling David toward the restaurant.
Jax had a lot of questions. The "V" of this timeline was still a corporate ghost or a nomad in the dirt, but the kid in front of him was already on the edge.
"Come in, kid. We're treating," Maine said, remembering how David had tried to protect Jax.
Jax put an arm around David's neck, pulling him into the booth. "Your mom is paying me in dinner to look after you, David. So you'd better tell me the truth—why are you skipping class in another district?"
David blinked, a weak, tired smile appearing on his face. "Well... there's a lot to say, Jax."
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