Options

Rebecca drops onto the sofa next to Ori in their apartment, Sasha sitting nearby in front of her laptop, "So, since you dealt with the kid, what's next? 'Cuz I got a lotta gigs stacked up since you left."

Ori glances from the TV and at her, "I mean, I kinda wanted to relax a bit, but if you really want to... Fixed my guns yet?

She nods, "Yup, they're sitting next to the bed."

"Fine, since you're so quick... Hit me." he mutters, wondering when Rogue would find anything on 'Pangolin' or the other Animals.

"Some bitch put a hit on her husband, Keran Ottar, some Corpo lawyer or something. Thirty thousand Eds."

"Too much effort for too little, next."

"A Colt weapon designer wants you to go down and help design some guns, wants to put the 'Zombie' name on them and everything as an advertisement or whatever. Price is negotiable." she says, a gleam of interest in her eye.

"Colt?" Ori questions, not all that knowledgeable on them.

"An old-school weapons manufacturer. They've fallen behind a bit but their shit is still good, probably the most durable and trustworthy guns you can get."

"Tha your opinion or fact?" Ori drawls.

"Both." she smugly retorts.

He shrugs, "Put on the list, I'll look into it later."

She nods, "Great! I've been wanting to get my hands on some high-spec shit to play with." she grins before moving on, "Maine recommended us to their Fixer, Faraday or whatever. Guy says he wants us on retainer but doesn't have anything for us right now. Want me to tell him to piss off?"

Ori shakes his head, "Let's not piss off Maine's Fixer after he tried getting us a gig. Just don't reply, let the dude stew. Next."

"Uh, buncha high-end doll house protection gig, already refused 'em.-"

"Mind if I add one of my own?" Sasha interjects, drawing the duo's attention. They nod, and she spins her laptop around, showing a news article.

"Missing reports up by sixty percent, all located around Watson and Santo Domingo? Guessing you know something they don't?" Ori remarks.

She nods, switching to the next tab, "Biotechnica unveils tried and tested replacement for Securicine, Pserperone. According to their representative, this new painkiller is ten percent more effective at relieving pain while having almost none of the side effects..." Ori reads out with his brows furrowing, "Lemme guess, they're at it again?"

"I've spoken to Rogue and she's already done her due diligence. The drug is almost an exact copy of Securicine with some small changes, enough that they can give it a new name and get under the ban." Sasha scowls, "If their testing was the same as last time then it'll be as dangerous or more as last time."

"That sucks an all, but what's that have to do with kidnappings?" Rebecca questions.

Sasha clicks to the next tab, showing an expired driving licence of a guy called Ian Newman, short black hair and big bags under his green eyes. "'Former Head of a security company Koch used to use for her own protection, he goes under 'Zeta' now. I worked with Rogue and found all the vehicles they used to use, and guess what, the same type of car had been around the place the kidnappings were happening."

"So it's either him or one of his goons." Ori surmises.

She nods, "The lab that tested 'Pserperone' also has ties with Zeta's security company, and I even found evidence of transactions between them and Biotechnica. It's all connected!"

...

"So... What do you want us to do about it...? Not to be an ass but, we're not gonna get paid for this..." Ori asks.

"I know, that's why I found someone who will fund us. Night Corp, they've offered fifty thousand Eddies if we can find and secure evidence implicating Biotechnica."

"Why...?" Ori can't help but ask, "I doubt Biotechnica has anything they can blackmail outta them."

Sasha shakes her head, "They want what Biotechnica has, the protein farms, land, if they can't get that then they'll reveal the evidence to the media and finally kick Biotechnica out of Night City."

...

"Let's do it." Rebecca presses, focusing on Ori who still looked unsure.

"You guys realise this bitch sent assassins last time, right?"

"Which is why she deserves to get put down anyway. You think the Corpos'll be happy if she runs the company into the ground?" Rebecca states.

...

"Sasha, how much of this is personal vendetta, and how much of this is actually worth doing?" he firmly asks.

"... Half and half. The Eddies are worth it, and getting back at Biotechnica for trying to kill us is also worth it." she affirms.

...

He sighs, "Alright, you've got a plan then?"

-----------------------

"Hey, Katsuo, where'd you say we were headed again?" a short blonde-haired boy in an Arasaka academy uniform asks from the back of Katsuo Tanaka's private car.

"Mutsu's hired a whole club out for us, most of the class was invited and I'm planning to make some moves on Kohaku." the blue-haired teen grins, showing the couple metal teeth he'd had put in after they'd been knocked out... In front of everyone no less.

"You sure that'll work? People're still talking about what happened..."

"Ishii, shut the fuck up. You start on this shit again you can get out and walk." Katsuo growls and glances at the two other boys sitting beside them, "What happened was a fluke, unless you guys think you could've handled it instead?"

"You gotta admit though, he had some serious chrome to pull that speed off..."

Katsuo sighs and looks out the window, ignoring the rest of the conversation. Ever since he'd been beat by that loser freak things hadn't been the same. He'd just hope this party would chill everyone out about it, his father certainly hadn't been happy about the rumours either...

He pauses as he watches the car drive past the street the party was being held at, "Hey, driver, you miss the turn."

...