The wait dragged on longer than I'd expected, and soon enough, I was starting to get a little bored. My assistant was clearly sorting through a mountain of data, probably tied to our earlier conversation. I was dying to know what conclusions she'd come to, given all the unknowns at play.
"Done," Vega finally spoke up. "I've compiled and analyzed all the data. There's an eighty percent chance that the growing tension between the Union and Kang Tao is the root cause."
"So that's what's happening…" I muttered. "China's finally crossed the line, and the USSR isn't going to take it lying down anymore. Honestly, I should've seen this coming. They've gotten way too cocky, thinking they could get away with their little games forever. Looks like we're headed for a new cold war between nuclear powers. Fantastic timing. First, Militech, then Arasaka, and now Kang Tao's poking the sleeping bear right in its own den."
"The likelihood of an armed conflict occurring right now is about thirteen percent," my assistant reported, displaying a massive, detailed graph packed with annotations on my screen.
"That's just for now," I pointed out. "People aren't exactly rational. One unexpected event could flip your whole calculation upside down."
"You're right. I should put more focus on analyzing human factors," the AI admitted, sounding a bit sheepish.
"Still, no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to account for every possible scenario. Human minds are messy — who knows what crazy idea might pop into the head of some high-ranking fool acting on pure emotion."
"That's completely illogical," the AI remarked, a touch of irritation in her tone.
"But oh-so-human, isn't it?" I winked at the girl's image on the screen, enjoying the look of annoyance on her face. "Anyway, we've been here long enough. It's time to head back..."
***
March 6, 2068
Marco Ramirez
"An unidentified mercenary intervened; identity unknown."
"Well, that's something at least," Marco sighed heavily, setting the tablet aside.
The kid's latest stunt had nearly sparked a full-blown confrontation between him and the Tiger Claws — thankfully, the gang's goons turned out to be little more than expendable muscle, good only for intimidating defenseless civilians. Ramirez hadn't planned on getting involved, but he'd been in a particularly bad mood that day, and an offhand insult had stung harder than usual. Maybe it also helped that Lizzie's was a decent place — decent drinks and a respectable reputation.
What Marco hadn't expected, however, was Elizabeth's ability to cause such a ruckus. Her actions had sent ripples through nearly every corner of Night City. In a strange way, Marco found it amusing — the initial spark of rebellion against gang-imposed rules had been lit by ordinary prostitutes rallying people around a common cause.
"Trap a rat long enough, and it'll bite back," Ramirez muttered, recalling the old saying, which seemed to perfectly describe the current situation. "Though in our case, it's not rats, but people with low social responsibility. Let's see how this plays out."
New gangs cropping up in Night City wasn't exactly a rare occurrence. Usually, they stayed small, as most territories had long been carved up by the major players — Animals, Maelstrom, Tiger Claws, Sixth Street, and Valentinos. The Animals controlled Pacifica and its outskirts. Maelstrom dominated the docks and parts of Watson's industrial district. The Tigers held Westbrook and the rest of Watson. Sixth Street ruled all of Santo Domingo, and Valentinos ran the show in Heywood. The only places free from gang influence were the city center and sections of the waterfront bought out by Arasaka.
The newly formed group calling themselves the "Mox" had set their sights on Little China's northern and southern sections — territories currently under Tiger Claw control. Taking that turf wouldn't be easy; the Claws had plenty of resources thanks to deep corporate ties. The Mox's only real chance of securing the area hinged on whether the Triad saw holding onto it as more trouble than it was worth. Japantown brought in most of the Tigers' profits, while Watson often drained their resources.
At least, that's what Ramirez had pieced together from the intel generously provided by Sorge. The Soviet spy seemed to know everything — gangs, their inner workings, all laid bare before him like an open book. Marco found such intimate knowledge both fascinating and unsettling. It's hard to face a man who might know more about you than your own mother.
Incoming Call - Jeremy Martinez
Call Accepted - Establishing Secure Communication Channel
"You're not one for early morning calls. Something happen?" Ramirez asked, taking a large bite of the apple he'd grabbed from the table.
"Fixers are looking for you. Looks like someone's not happy with your recent stunt."
"Wakako?" the Latino asked, taking another bite.
"Not just her. Padre, Dino, even Rogue — but I find the last one hard to believe. You know how expensive her services are; not everyone can afford her. Unless, of course, you accidentally took out some triad big shot's son."
"Annoying, but manageable. Guess I'll have to spend my evenings elsewhere for a while. At least for the next month," Marco said with a regretful sigh, tossing the apple core neatly into a nearby trash bin. "What about you, how's life?"
"Same as always," Martinez waved it off. "My wife's working for our mutual friend from dawn till dusk, and my son's been hitting the books hard. He's almost through Level Two already," he added with a proud grin.
"Impressive for a twelve-year-old. Though I do know one kid who was tackling Level Four at that age."
"You mean him, right?" Seeing Marco's confirming nod, Jeremy just shrugged. "Honestly, knowing what that kid's capable of, nothing surprises me anymore. The world's full of geniuses — Alex could easily be one of them."
"Speaking of, Padre's offering a simple job. Feel like making some quick cash?" Marco suggested casually.
"What kind of job?" Martinez leaned in, suddenly more alert.
"Karubo Bairei. Either eliminate him or quietly deliver him straight to our client. They're promising a nice bonus for discretion."
"That guy, huh? Guess he finally pissed off the kingpin of Heywood enough for Padre to put a price on his head."
"So, you in?" Marco raised an eyebrow.
"Easy money like that doesn't come around often. I'll give Sebastian a call, sort out the details. Otherwise, count me in."
"In that case, I'll swing by Alex's place later. Need to fine-tune my implants."
"Sounds good; wouldn't hurt for me to reboot my systems either."
Connection Terminated - Call Ended
With a deep sigh, Marco eyed the remnants of yesterday's meal, shaking his head in irritation. He needed some fuel before the mission, but first, he had to tidy up the apartment. No one liked living in a mess, and Ramirez was no exception.
"I really need to hire a cleaner. Doing this myself is way too much effort…"
______________________________________________________
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