The preem suite at the Black Sapphire, after being redecorated at Mercer's request, could be said to have fulfilled all of Mercer's desires for a luxury home.
It was a two-story duplex penthouse suite. The first floor was fully equipped with a living room, kitchen, gym, equipment room, conference room, security room, and a maid's room.
From the living room, there was a huge high-rise terrace with an open-air swimming pool, a barbecue grill, and even a massive outdoor projection screen area.
Furthermore, a section of the outdoor terrace was deliberately raised to serve as a parking pad; in fact, besides an aerodyne vehicle, it could also accommodate a helicopter.
As for the second floor of the duplex, its area was slightly smaller than the first, but it was just as well-equipped.
There was a master bedroom, guest bedrooms, a large study modified for deep dives, and a workshop for storing personal equipment.
The master bedroom and the two guest bedrooms were all very spacious. The master bedroom was designed as a suite, with its own small living room, bedroom, and a connecting large study.
Although the guest bedrooms didn't have separate living rooms, they each had their own walk-in closets and bathrooms. The entire second floor also had a small communal living room, right by the glass railing, which overlooked the first-floor living room and was equipped with a bar stocked with liquor.
Looking out from the top floor, the distant scenery was unobstructed. One could even see the giant Ferris wheel in Pacifica. At night, although the view of Dogtown was somewhat lacking, looking into the distance revealed the ubiquitous neon lights of Night City.
As Mercer stood at the open-air bar, squinting his eyes and feeling the cold high-altitude wind blow past him, it seemed that even the pervasive stench of Night City had thinned out considerably.
Only at this moment did Mercer finally get a real sense that he had "made it."
"Hey, Vik's here, Mercer. Stop spacing out over there, at least help entertain the guests!"
V's complaint from inside the room made Mercer turn around. Vik, who was currently looking around with a marveling expression, couldn't help but say the moment he saw Mercer, "Did you get surgery on your upper body again?"
"You can tell just by looking?" Mercer smiled and walked back from the balcony, pulling Vik into a warm hug without another word.
Vik pounded his back forcefully. "Are you really turning yourself into Adam Smasher?"
"Just a few minor modifications to the upper body..." Mercer said with a grin, changing the subject. "What do you think? My new home?"
Vik looked at the furnishings in the living room with emotion. "It's really nice. I never thought there'd be such a great place in Dogtown."
He didn't usually pay attention to the movements of the upper class. In most people's minds, Pacifica was run-down enough; Dogtown could only be worse.
Mercer laughed heartily. "Have a seat first, Vik. I'll go get you something good."
Without another word, he went to the liquor cabinet and retrieved a bottle of precious whiskey and some cigars; these were all from Hansen's old stash, all priceless good stuff.
In the kitchen, V, Lucy, and Dorio were busy as bees.
Jackie and Maine were still playing pool at the table on the first floor. Seeing Vik arrive, Jackie put down his cue without a second thought and walked over cheerfully. "Vik, haven't seen you in a while. How've you been!"
"Same old, same old. Can't compare to you guys, living in a place like this now." Viktor shook his head with a sigh, then asked curiously, "You didn't invite Misty?"
"Of course I did, but she's downstairs in my old room with my mom right now. Said they'll come up in a bit..."
As Jackie spoke, Mercer, who was sitting on the sofa ready to enjoy a rare drink with everyone, asked with great interest, "What does your mom think of Misty? Is she satisfied?"
"At first, she thought Misty was a bit... uh, not like a good girl. But after she actually talked to Misty, she had no objections. You know, Misty's a good girl."
After Jackie finished, he complained with a blissful expression, "It's just that now she's nagging me every day to get married soon... I don't know what my mom is in such a hurry for."
Just as he finished speaking, the elevator at the entrance dinged. After the doors opened, Mama Welles and Misty walked in together.
The two ladies' footsteps couldn't help but slow as they took in the visible luxurious decor.
"Welcome to my new home! Mama Welles, and Misty." Mercer proactively stood up with a smile to welcome them.
This was the first time Mama Welles had formally met Mercer; she had seen him once before at El Coyote Cojo, but only V had actually chatted with him while occasionally going for a drink and a chat.
At this moment, she was slightly reserved and awkward. After all, this was practically Jackie's boss, yet he had the baby face of a young man who had just come of age, which made her feel a bit out of place.
But it was only for a moment. This street-born lady immediately composed herself and greeted him warmly but politely, "Mr. Mercer, thank you for inviting us to your home."
"Just call me Mercer. Jackie is my choom, so Mama Welles, you can just think of me as one of your juniors." Mercer smiled and gave Mama Welles a light hug, then turned to Misty and smiled. "Long time no see, Misty."
"Long time no see, Mercer. Congratulations on moving into such a nice new home." Misty smiled and also gave Mercer a hug, then naturally found Jackie and sat down beside him.
Mercer skillfully began to introduce the others, and soon everyone had been introduced.
Kiwi, Sasha, Kyoko, and Pilar also arrived in the room one after another. None of them were difficult to get along with. After a few simple introductions, they were soon chatting and laughing together.
Mercer was not at all stingy, bringing out all sorts of precious liquors, fruits, snacks, cigars, and the like for everyone to enjoy.
He himself sat on the sofa, watching everyone chat with a smile, occasionally chiming in but never dominating the conversation.
Soon, more people took the elevator up to the penthouse mansion.
The Aldecaldos' old cowboy Cassidy, Panam, Daichi, and Leon also came to the banquet today.
Originally, Mercer had considered inviting more people, like El Capitán, with whom he had always had a pleasant working relationship, but on second thought, he decided against it.
Hosting so many people for a meal was no small challenge for V, but fortunately, she had accumulated enough experience. With Lucy, Dorio, and Mama Welles joining in to help, they managed to whip up a large table of sumptuous dinner right on time.
It was a rare sight to have a whole table with almost no synthetic food or canned vegetables. All the ingredients were fresh, and even the meat was high-grade stuff transported via cold chain. It only needed simple grilling or cooking to produce a delicious and exquisite flavor rarely found in Night City.
Mercer also drank a good amount of whiskey for a change. The meal lasted from six in the evening to past eight, but the party was far from over.
Those who didn't like the hustle and bustle, like Mama Welles, went back to their rooms to rest. There were plenty of rooms in the hotel anyway, so it was easy to arrange for them to stay wherever they wanted. The rest, including Vik, were invited to the Black Sapphire's banquet hall to continue the fun.
To put it bluntly, the banquet hall was a high-end bar, complete with a stage, a bar, and even gambling tables.
Mercer knew everyone's preferences and even arranged for a boxing match performance, which had Vik, Jackie, V, and the others shouting with excitement.
Daichi and Leon, who had been with the Aldecaldos all this time, also seemed to have grown up a lot. Not just in appearance, but their demeanor had also changed significantly. They had a somewhat rugged, wild feel, looking completely like Aldecaldos now.
Mercer, Lucy, and Kyoko had a long-overdue reunion with Daichi, Leon, and Cassidy, reminiscing about the past, from the Arasaka facility, through their wanderings in the Badlands, all the way to Night City.
Even though the sandstorms back then were truly grueling, and they often had to worry about food and drink, looking back now, they couldn't recall any of the hardships. All that remained were the beautiful sights they had seen and the songs sung by the campfire...
Unwittingly, Mercer drank a little too much, something he hadn't done in a long time. Even his artificial kidney couldn't keep him from getting drunk after five or six hours of continuous drinking.
Dizzily, he arranged for everyone to go back to the hotel to rest, then Mercer swayed as he prepared to go back to sleep.
"I'll do it!"
Before anyone else could help Mercer up, Rebecca popped out of nowhere, and without a word, she took his arm and escorted him to the elevator.
Lucy and V, who had been keeping an eye on Mercer, subconsciously glanced at each other, then looked away at the same time. When they looked back, Mercer's figure had already disappeared.
The strength from Rebecca's Gorilla Arms was no joke. Even though Mercer's body was heavier than it looked due to his cyberware, Rebecca easily supported him steadily.
The main issue was her short stature. Supporting Mercer, it looked like Mercer was leaning on a cane...
"You're pretty happy today, huh? Drank so much." Rebecca looked up at him. Mercer's eyes were narrowed, looking drowsy.
"It's rare for so many of us to get together. Who knows when the next time we can gather like this will be... So yeah, I'm happy."
After Mercer finished, Rebecca said with a grin, "Oh? Then how about we drink a little more later? Since it's a rare happy occasion, let's be happy to the end."
This time, Mercer was really feeling the alcohol. Seeing her smiling face looking at him, one hand supporting him while the other was misbehaving, his breathing truly quickened for a moment.
Seeing this, Rebecca's eyes lit up. Without waiting for his reply, she first sent him into the room.
The pots and pans from the meal had long been cleaned by bots. Rebecca found a few bags of snacks and a few packs of canned beer, then rushed into Mercer's room without a second thought.
Seeing Mercer lying on the bed with his eyes closed as if asleep, she wasn't fooled. She just giggled and pounced on him; Mercer quickly opened his eyes before his clothes could fly off.
"What are you doing? It's time to sleep."
"Hey! I didn't even dare to drink much so I could be your bodyguard. What's wrong with having a drink with me before sleeping? You drank several bottles with Panam tonight, so why are you making excuses with me?"
Rebecca said, dissatisfied. By now, she was only wearing a small black tank top and shorts. Her fair skin, with a strange hint of green, shimmered in the dim light.
And as she tugged at Mercer, a strap of her somewhat loose tank top slipped off her shoulder.
"Fine! We'll drink! But drinking is one thing... stop getting handsy."
Mercer helplessly grabbed her hand.
Rebecca, however, said with a hint of disdain and dissatisfaction, "What's the point of touching you now? There isn't even a layer of synthetic skin inside. It's all hard chunks of metal..."
"Damn it, that's only my upper body that's chromed. Don't you have any idea where you're touching?" Mercer sat up, exasperated. But she refused to move, sitting on his lap and leaning her whole body against him.
"Then of course I'm going to touch where I can feel something, right?" Rebecca said with a cheeky grin, not shy at all. One arm was wrapped around his neck, the other caressing his face. "Your room is pretty big, and the bed is huge..."
"Want to move into the master bedroom? I can sleep in the guest room." Mercer deliberately avoided the topic, and Rebecca showed her true colors, baring her teeth fiercely. "Hey! Do you know I'm an adult now? What's your excuse now?"
"Don't think I don't know your birthday is still a few days away..."
Before Mercer could finish, Rebecca chuckled smugly and said triumphantly, "You don't get it, do you? My dad only remembered to register my birth three months after I was born. When he registered it, the clerk just randomly wrote down that day's date..."
She looked up with a grin, smiling with the cunning of a little demon. "Oh, by the way, I also had Morning Star help me change the year, month, and day in the household registration files to the correct date..."
"Doesn't that mean I missed your coming-of-age birthday?" Mercer was stunned. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I haven't even prepared a birthday present."
But Rebecca was nonchalant and didn't care at all, just hugging his neck with a grin. "Ah, it's not important anyway..."
"Then why didn't you say anything when we celebrated your birthday last year?" Mercer felt something was increasingly off. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
"Fuck, can you stop with the bullshit! Are you capable or not? Did you chrome yourself into scrap? Should I buy you a Mr. Studd to install?" Rebecca glared, and without another word, she grabbed his clothes and started tearing them open.
Mercer, at a loss for words, held his hands protectively in front of him. "Didn't you come here to drink?"
"Drink! I'll drink you to death!" Rebecca looked at him, grinding her teeth in frustration. She angrily turned to reach for the beer, but before she could crawl over, Mercer suddenly reached out and pinned her to the bed from behind.
He lowered his head, leaning close to her neck, half-lying on top of her. "Did you really think you could still overpower me now?"
"!?" Rebecca was stunned for a moment, then she just giggled and arched her body, swaying her back against him. "Oh my, you're a little strong. I can't move."
Damn, what a little vixen...
Seeing Mercer motionless for a moment, Rebecca was truly fired up. You're definitely not getting away today!
If I let you run, who knows when you'll be free again?
Mercer had been so busy lately she barely saw him all day. If she missed this chance, who knew when the next one would be. He probably wouldn't even have time on her actual birthday.
She flipped over, turned around, and without another word, held his face and kissed him.
Sweet; she had chewed gum beforehand.
The room became somewhat quiet, but soon it was filled with Rebecca's heavy, undisguisedly excited breathing. "Mercer..."
"Are you really sure about this?" Mercer said honestly. "I still haven't figured out what to do next..."
"Just tell me, do you like me or not!" Rebecca held him, looking at him without blinking, showing no intention of backing down.
"...I like you," Mercer said honestly. He gently caressed her long green hair and her cheek, unable to resist lowering his head to kiss her again. Her petite body was like a small furnace.
In the slightly chilly bedroom without the air conditioning on, her warmth made his whole body go soft.
Rebecca giggled foolishly, then without hesitation, tossed aside all the troublesome clothes. "I like you too, so isn't that enough? As for everything else... who cares!"
She had endured and suppressed it for too long. If Mercer could occasionally find Kiwi to relieve some stress, she had absolutely no outlet for the fire she had accumulated over the years.
Feelings are feelings... Damn it, just let me vent this pent-up frustration first!
Rebecca impatiently pulled open his clothes, first staring blankly at the somewhat cold mechanical structure of his upper body for a moment. Then, she just looked up at his face. "After we're done with all this messy stuff... you'll change your body back, right?"
"Okay, I promise you," Mercer said softly. Then, he smiled and lowered his head. "How about we wait until I've changed back?"
He was just deliberately teasing her. As expected, Rebecca immediately bared her teeth and bit his shoulder. "Don't say such buzzkill things at a time like this!"
"Alright, alright... Then, 'I like you?' Do you like hearing that?" As soon as Mercer said it, she immediately released her bite, looked up at his face, her eyes filled with nothing but tenderness. "Say it with more conviction!"
Mercer didn't speak, just lowered his head to kiss her until her body was frighteningly hot.
Rebecca reached out, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and pressed their cheeks together forcefully. "Say it again."
"I like you." Rebecca heard his breathing becoming heavy as well.
She curled her lips into a smile and said no more. Only her gradually flushing cheeks and her ever-quickening heartbeat proved the uncontrollable flutter in her heart at this moment.
Their eyes met, gentle gazes intertwining, and no more words were needed.