6 Case 003 - Meet the psycho

After alcohol and music shock therapy I got back myself back in action. However, I still had some depressive thoughts coming back from time to time. Ron and others noticed that and asked what happened. They were worried that I have some kind of psychic break down or PTSR.

I have told them evertyhing about what happened at Clouds. About Hera. About other dolls.

"I have forgotten that you are still quire naïve person that spend most of his life in kindergarten atmosphere. Yeah, this is gritty reality of life here. But don't let that get into your head. Consider it a part of a game called life. Now let's get you back ready for work."

"How?"

"A lot of violence on practice range. I will beat those depressive thoughts out of your head."

For few days I have spent on training where I get constantly beaten, shot and knockout. But it really helped since I stopped thinking about dark side of Night City.

During a break between training sessions and shifts I had to deal with Equipment and Maintenance department. I wanted to use that trophy shotgun I got from meat bag story. Techtronika VST-37 Pozhar was quite a monster. Strong stopping power and reliability. However kicks like a horse and can easily twist your hand if you fire unprepared. I wanted to use it as emergency tool for dealing with some really heavily armoured targets cause last time my smart gun couldn't even scratch him.

Guys in department tried to tell me that it will cause extra weight for me an aerodyne. That they have calculated and optimized everything to suit the reequipments of fast response and so on. Bullshit, those lazy bastards just don't want to deal with additional paperwork. It is not like I am asking to get another HMG or SAW. So aerodyne won't slow down. After few days of arguments via mails and online meetings I was able to get permission for it. But those bastards made me buy ammo on my own. Company won't buy them for me, only ammo for smarts is supplied. Ghrrr, they decided to cause some problem after losing argument. Anyways I had to spend some money and get some ammo. Now I am broke till next paycheck. Time for instant noodles and tin soup diet.

Now I was sitting in aerodyne waiting for call and counting how many days I have to be in Naruto diet mode. So if we don't get bonuses and extra I have to noodles for at least 7 days or even 10. But my thoughts were stopped when I heard urgent evac call.

"Trauma Team A-77. There is a case of cyberpsychosis! One of our clients started killing others! Immediate take off. Permission to use boosters non-stop granted. EMTs must first evacuate all wounded clients instead of stabilizing them while Security Specialists must fend off cyberpsycho. Additional teams will be sent as soon as possible" - Oh shit. Dealing with psycho is one hell of a problem but doing so during evacuation process makes it real pain a neck.

"Fuck. Markus get ready your shotgun but try to use Smart SMG until we can either evac clients or lure psycho to side. Alex, Rene try to get us close as possible but still some distance between us and cyberpsycho. Jorg and Sam be ready to jump off and run. Leave all unnecessary things except PDWs. Speed is priorty." - Ron started giving out orders.

"Cap, get the Ashura. I will jump first and get his attention while you have a better chance to land a hit. Let's use Trapper Protocol." - I said checking that I have loaded AP in magazine instead of non-lethal ones.

"Are you sure about? This is not those thugs with few implants but real killing machine."

"We don't have much of a choice. I am sure he will have some subdermal armour so I can't even scratch him with SMG. Only options are your sniper rifle and my shoty since we can't use machine guns. Even if you fail to shoot him I still have chances to get him in close combat." - I said thinking about that AP will make short work of him in close combat.

"Hmph, that's new plan then. But remember that I can make new shot only after reload so be extra careful." - I nodded then I heard pilots telling that we are almost there and must be ready.

Aerodyne started slowing down and rapidly descending. When side panel door opened I saw a expensive restaurant balcony covered in blood and people running around like headless chickens. Psycho was running around and killing some of them stopping from time to time to rip off faces using a monowire.

"I am a Rockstar now!" - cyberpsycho screamed putting a facial skin of a dude he just skinned a live. Now cyberpsycho was imitating rock star singing and dancing on scene simultaneously killing unlucky people next to him.

"BOOORING! I WANT SOMETHING NEW! YOU THERE I WANNA BE YOU!" - he then leaped at one of bodyguards that tried to help evacuate. He did the same thing he did with previous guy, he just started scinning bodyguard with monowire. But he sensed someone aiming at him or heard a sound of a gunshot.

"Crap, I missed. Now it's your turn Mark!"

"Who dares to touch King of the world!!! Ah it must be you little green man. I wanna see your face! Maybe it will suit me well and can entertain me! Hahahhaha!" - damn psycho then leaped towards me like a fucking cheetah. I tried to get him few times with my shoty but he just keeps dodging. But I was able to get his attention so that medics can start evacuating clients.

"Mark he is probably using Reflex Tuner or Kerenzikov! He has improved reaction time!"

Yeah no shit sherlock. I just fucking realised it when I saw how he dodged every bullet! My only way out is to get close enough to give me time to pull a trigger and prevent him from evading bullet.

"LET ME SEE YOUR FACE! LET ME SEE YOUR FACE! I COMMAND YOU!" - cyberpsycho started screaming.

I had less than few meters between us so I pulled a trigger. But motherfucker managed twist his body a bit so AP slug instead of hitting him right in a chest just grazed it. Ah shit. I tried to make another shot but he hit me right in a hand and shotgun got out of my hands.

Next moment cyberpsycho jumps on me and forces me to fall down. He unleashed monowire and starts to cut my helmet.

"You are funny! It will be interesting to see your face and take it! So fun! So much FUN!!!" - he screams while slowly cutting helmet's facial mask. I try to push his monowire with my hands but he is too strong.

"MARK! I can't get see his head! Push him so I could make a clear shot."

"Argghh I will do my best" - I said feeling the heat coming of monovire.

I use all my strength trying to make gymnastic bridge to elevate him. He was heavy, my body starts to tremble from pressure and exhaustion. But I manage to rise his head a bit. Then I hear loud zapping sound or something similar to thunderbolt strike. Pressure from enemy disappears and I just throw that motherfucker off me.

Broken helmet visors don't let me see what is going so I just lift it to have a look.

Cyberpsycho has a huge bullet hole in his head. His body still twitching but the most scary thing was his remaining eye. It was glowing with madness and hatred. I started looking for shotgun and see it few meters away near some broken chairs and tables. Picking it up I come back to still alive cyberpsycho and start shooting at him till I run out of ammo. That fucking glow in his eye disappears. Now he is really dead.

Only now I realised that someone is trying to contact me.

"Mark, report. Your comms went offline when I wanted to make a shot." - Ron said.

"Cybercunt is done for. My helmet is badly damaged, comms and sensors are down. How is evacuation going." - I replied running simple diagnostics on helmet. Helmet need replacement no point to fix it.

"Good. We have evacuated most of them only two remaining. So hurry up we are leaving now."

"Aye aye....Captain that was a good shot."

"Yeah, I know. Good job kid. You got some balls there!"

I just smiled at that comment and started running towards aerodyne. We had at least 5 or 6 people there. We had to tighten up and take off filled to the brim. Clients started arguing that they pay for better service and so on. Luckily this nagging haven't last long since we arrived to nearest hospital.

"Congratulations Trauma Team A-77. You have managed to save a lot clients and neutralise cyberpsycho. Management granted you with a day off. After returning to base and completing formal reports you can leave your shift. Additional bonuses will be granted later after completing calculations." - dispatcher had some really nice news for us.

"Yeah boi. We gonna have party today and I plan to get shitfaced!" - Ron roared and we joined him.

We deserve a celebration after surviving cyberpsycho and future bonuses. But shit I am still broke. I spend all my money on noodles.

" Hey guys can you spare some cash?"

" No problems. Anything for our psycho slayer! But at 300% interest rate ! Daily!" - Jorg says mimicking greedy loan sharks hand gestures.

"Ahh fuck off! Even greediest pawn shop owner doesn't charge that much!"

"Hahaha then enjoy tap water while I am gonna order 5 shots in a row!"

"Jorg you are an asshole. Greedy asshole. Ok give me a few hundred eddies."

"Hahaha! Now sign here and here! I Markus Berkut owe my firstborn and left but cheek to Jorg until I pay him off 500 eurodollars." - Jorg mimicked bank contract using bandage.

I couldn't hold it any longer and started laughing loudly.

What a day! What a wonderful day!