"Leileike! Tell me, how did you get this Braindance?!" River Ward shouted, grabbing Leileike by the collar while holding a Braindance chip in his other hand.
"Hehehe! Bro, I sell dozens of chips every day. How would I know where this one came from?!" Leileike raised both hands in mock surrender. "I'm not the only Braindance peddler in Night City!"
"But that junkie said you gave it to him!" River shot back, eyes sharp. "And I've heard rumors—lately you've been collecting original Braindance footage of violent incidents. The more explosive, the better. The more powerful the target, the better. That's not your usual game."
"Sorry, that's confidential client info. I'm not saying a word." Leileike replied with a smirk. "And unless you've got solid evidence, you can't arrest me."
River's shoulders tensed. He knew Leileike was right—he had no real proof. Selling illegal Braindance wasn't much of a crime in Night City. At worst, Leileike would be slapped with a fine and tossed in a holding cell for a couple days. Nothing more.
Just then, a female voice cut in from behind him.
"That man made you do it, didn't he?"
River turned. He hadn't noticed V approaching from the other direction. She and Leon Black had just missed crossing paths.
V narrowed her eyes, already knowing part of the truth. "Only someone like him could afford that kind of price."
"Who are you?" River and Leileike asked at the same time.
"Me?" V shrugged and gave a casual smile. "Just a nobody."
Leileike scoffed. "Whatever. This has nothing to do with you." His tone was dismissive and condescending, typical for a Night City local who judged others based on appearances.
River ignored him and turned to V. "Do you know who he is?"
V nodded.
"Do you know why he's collecting these Braindances?"
She shook her head.
"Do you know how to find him?"
V paused. "No guarantee... But I remember he's got a hidden place in Charter Hill. Evelyn was there, I think."
Leileike let out a cold chuckle. "I don't know who that guy really is, but with the way he talks, and that Avenger he drives? Yeah, he's no ordinary street punk. Here's a word of advice—stay out of this."
After years in Night City's underworld, Leileike knew better than to mess with someone rich or powerful.
River Ward, though rough around the edges, was one of the few good cops left. He didn't shoot first and ask questions later like many others. Leileike genuinely didn't want to see a decent guy get himself killed chasing ghosts.
River motioned for V to follow him.
Leileike watched them leave, sneering at first. But then, a flicker of emotion crossed his face. He turned and walked off in silence.
In River's jeep, V asked, "What exactly are you looking for? Braindance footage?"
River lit a cigarette, took a long drag, then started the engine and stared ahead.
"Not the footage. I'm looking for the person who made it."
He handed her the chip.
Braindance formats were standardized, making them easy to carry and play—much like retro game cartridges. V took out her portable BD player, a gift from Judy, and loaded the chip.
Most surveillance footage these days was encoded into Braindance format. Having a portable player could be incredibly useful—just like right now.
Although she trusted River to a degree, V remained cautious. Some BDs could carry malware or induce cyberpsychosis. Trust was a rare currency in Night City.
The footage wasn't long. It looked like bodycam footage, capturing a short shootout between cops and a criminal. The fight lasted less than thirty seconds. One suspect, surrounded by multiple cops, flailed around and fired wildly into the air before being gunned down.
"A basic gunfight. What's the big deal?" V asked after watching.
Shootouts happened all the time in Night City. With Arasaka's Saburo recently assassinated, tensions were rising. It felt like war was brewing just beneath the surface.
River exhaled slowly. "The guy who got killed... he was wearing my nephew's shoes."
V blinked, confused.
"My nephew's been missing for over ten days. I've been searching non-stop. Then I saw this footage," River continued. "That criminal was a Braindance junkie. He used to buy from Leileike."
"So you think he might've known something about your nephew?" V asked, frowning. "But he's dead now. Then what does Leon Black have to do with this?"
River raised an eyebrow. "Leon Black? The guy with the Avenger? I've met him once. He had a stunning woman with him—looked like one of those corpo elites."
"Lena Fox. She's with Arasaka," V confirmed.
"Arasaka..." River muttered. "You've got guts, tracking Arasaka people. You know how tense things are. Some areas that used to be open are now off-limits. If they catch you snooping, you won't survive."
V chuckled. "I've already died once. Why would I be afraid now?"
She wasn't the same person she'd been before. The old V had just watched Leon Black from afar, unable to even lift a finger. But now? She was actively chasing leads. That was growth.
River nodded. "If this really has nothing to do with Leon, then I won't waste time on him."
He didn't like corporate types, but he wasn't reckless. He had no reason to go after Leon without evidence. His focus was on his missing nephew. He'd seen his sister cry herself to sleep too many nights. He couldn't fail her—or his badge.
V thought for a moment. "How about this—I help you find your nephew, and in return, you give me information about corporations or weaponized cyberware."
She was desperate for power. Between Arasaka, Leon Black, and whatever else lurked in the city's shadows, she needed to grow stronger. Fast.
River considered it, then nodded. "Deal. You help me, and I'll help you. We'll get what we both need."
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)