Chapter 25: Viktor Vektor
Two AM at the Afterlife. The bar was packed, pulsating with bodies and synth-music. In one of the exclusive VIP booths, a woman sat with her legs crossed, discussing business with the man beside her.
Suddenly, her optics flickered yellow. Her expression shifted to surprise, and she closed her eyes.
"Rogue? Something happen?" the man asked curiously.
Rogue held up a hand, silencing him without opening her eyes. The man immediately shut his mouth and leaned back, casting a nervous glance at the large, unassuming figure standing behind her sofa.
Pangolin, Rogue's bodyguard. Not a well-known name on the street. But his other identity? That would send shockwaves through the underworld—son of the legendary Wayland "The Snake." Rumor had it he didn't want to follow in his old man's footsteps, choosing instead to run with Rogue and keep a low profile.
After a moment, Rogue opened her eyes. "Janus is dead," she announced, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Dead? Haha, serves him right!" The man, Crispin, laughed. "Looks like we won't be needing your services after all," he added meaningfully.
Rogue leaned back, her gaze flat and cold. "When did I ever say I was going to help you?"
"Don't be like that. It's just business," Crispin chuckled.
A flash of disgust crossed Rogue's face, quickly masked. "I really have nothing more to say to people like you. Who do you think put Janus in this position in the first place?"
"It was just a simple exchange of interests. You didn't really expect us to develop some kind of friendship with him, did you?" Crispin shrugged. "Tell me, how did he die?"
"Heh. Flatlined in his own apartment not long ago. Naked. Cut clean in half with a blade."
"Was it that crew he hired? Did they go after him for revenge?" Crispin frowned.
Rogue gave him a sideways glance, picked up her bullet glass, and downed the shot. "You ask too many questions."
"Since there's no business for me here, we're done. Pangolin, show our guest out."
At her word, the big man stepped out from behind the sofa. "This way, please," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle, gesturing towards the door. "She's not in the best mood lately."
Crispin nodded, stood up, and left the booth.
When Pangolin returned, Rogue looked at him. "Let me ask you. If I'd given you that job, could you have done it?"
"You mean zeroing Janus?" Pangolin scratched his head. "Wouldn't that be easy? Why do you ask?"
"I mean, could you have infiltrated the Santa Teresa Condominiums, gotten to him, and taken him out without anyone knowing?"
"Santa Teresa? Nah, no way. I could never breach that building solo. I'd be fighting my way up, sure, but MAX-TAC would have me bagged before I even got close to his floor." Pangolin shook his head definitively.
Rogue's eyes narrowed. After a moment, she said, "Get me the full intel package on Maine's crew."
"Right away."
.....
"Gooood morning, Night City!"
"Yesterday's Body Lotto results are in! A grand total of seventy-three flatlines! Sweet Mother Mary, that's the highest count we've had in a while!"
"And Heywood really hit the jackpot! More than half of those seventy-three bought it right there! Thanks to the never-ending gang wars!"
"A crew of psychos hit the Santa Teresa Condominiums, zeroed twelve security guards, and some unnamed choom was found dead in his apartment—buck naked and chopped in half! Heh, bet that whets your appetite for breakfast."
"Santo Domingo experienced another blackout after the power grid was..."
Listening to the news feed, David, sitting on his sofa, yawned and stretched. He stood up and grabbed his uniform jacket. Hearing Stanley's voice summarizing the previous night's chaos, he ate a quick, simple breakfast, then opened his door, ready to head to school.
But the moment he opened it, he heard a commotion. A group of people was emerging from his neighbor's apartment.
A group... of injured people.
Maine, the giant he'd met yesterday, had half his arm shattered, revealing hastily patched cybernetics underneath. Beside him, the muscular woman, Dorio, was also wrapped in bandages.
David instinctively ducked his head back, but not before seeing two more figures stumble out. Leading the way was the green-haired girl, holding one hand over her eye. "This eye is totally fucked! I'm putting in a request for a replacement using crew funds!" she was yelling.
"What about Kiwi? How is she?"
"Not good. Got hit with some nasty malware. She was puking synthetic oil half the night. Me and Rebecca took turns looking after her," Dorio said, shaking her head.
Pilar, covering a yawn with one massive Gorilla Arm, added, "Sasha's not doing great either. She nearly fried her own circuits last night. Jesus, if I hadn't grabbed the emergency coolant from the car, she would've literally cooked her brain." As he spoke, he scratched his ass with his remaining organic arm. Yes, just like Maine, he was down an arm—except his was gone completely at the shoulder.
"And Rhys? How's his gunshot wound?" Maine asked, looking at Rebecca.
Rebecca, still covering her eye, mumbled, "Got the bullet out already. Seriously, Maine, what the hell is that guy made of? An assault rifle round didn't even punch through his shoulder!"
"You're asking me? How should I know?" Maine rolled his eyes, leaning weakly against Dorio. Last night's frontal assault to create a diversion for Rhys had left the entire crew battered and bruised. The good news was, everyone was alive. The bad news was, they were all seriously messed up.
Lost in thought, Maine didn't notice David peeking through a crack in his own door, listening intently.
"Alright, get Rhys and Sasha out here. We need to find a ripperdoc, fast. Kiwi's gonna eject her entire stomach lining if she keeps puking like this."
"Rhys! You decent?!" Rebecca yelled, jumping up and down.
"Coming, coming."
Rhys emerged, carrying a pale-faced Kiwi piggyback. Sasha trailed beside him, looking dazed, like she had a bad flu.
"Roger got poached by Biotechnica a while back. We need a new ripperdoc. Pilar, you know anyone?"
Pilar immediately shook his head. "Ripperdocs? A good one with a conscience is hard to find. But... maybe. I'll check the net now. We've got eddies. Eddies make everything easier."
Ripperdoc...
Rhys, overhearing, spoke up. "I know a doc."
"Can we trust him?"
"Solid as they come." Rhys nodded.
"What's his name? I'll look him up," Pilar asked.
"Viktor Vektor."
"Ah, the ripper in Kabuki, Watson. Alright, let's go."
With that, the battered crew shuffled towards the elevator.
After they were gone, David pushed his door open, his face flushed as he stared at the empty hallway. He was smart—he wouldn't have gotten into Arasaka Academy otherwise. He'd put the pieces together from their conversation. The chaos Stanley had just reported on the Body Lotto... Rhys and his crew were responsible?
A tremor ran through David's body, an indescribable excitement bubbling up inside him. He stood there, lost in the feeling, until the elevator chime announcing its arrival snapped him back.
"Ah, shit, school!"