Edgerunners I

Author: As always... the chapter is getting extremely long, so I'm going to split it into two. But this time I swear I'll release it before Shadow of the Erdtree. It will take me at most a couple of hours.

For those who read the previous chapter on the first day, I made several mistakes and left parts unfinished, such as Sora's conversation with Placide and Brigitte. If you can, please take another look at the chapter.

-

One Hour Later

After a flight from Manila.

Lazarus' fleet of ships began to spot the island chosen by the 13th Seat to establish his base.

Since Saburo was after him, Sora wanted to make it easy for him, and out of the entire Pacific, he chose his "grandfather's" backyard to settle in, occupying an abandoned American base bought by Lazarus years ago on the mountainous coast of Okinawa, Japan.

With the city of Naha in the distance, all the ships headed towards the base located at the foot of a large rocky formation on a coastal cliff. Originally an abandoned American base, it was built around a large landing strip, with several smaller auxiliary ones.

After two years since the newly appointed 13th Seat chose these facilities to establish his base, it had all been restored, expanded, and modernized.

Now, on both sides of the runway, hangars and military buildings rose with architectures combining advanced materials and cutting-edge technology. The runways had not only been restored but also extended to giant armored doors that led into the mountain.

The "mountain," around which the base had been built and which functioned as a natural defense, housed a river that ended in a waterfall, falling directly into the sea. Offering a spectacular landscape while serving a functional purpose, it acted as a secondary entrance to the interior of the mountain, where the real base was located.

"The AVs carrying detainees and the remotely controlled AVs of those who tried to escape, land in the outer area. The rest, with the victims, you have permission to enter directly inside."

Sora's order was instantly executed, with the AVs splitting according to their loads. Due to the organization of Lazarus, which also extended to its bases, with two clear sections:

The Inner Zone, for Lazarus' internal staff, where the real activity was and which was controlled and administered by the seats.

And the Outer Zone, serving as a cover, intended for untrusted personnel, such as mercenaries working for Lazarus as labor and members of other corporations with temporary contracts, with reinforced security.

The ships with the victims followed the BlackAquila, crossing the waterfall until they all disappeared inside the mountain. Meanwhile, the AVs transporting detainees and the ships of those who tried to escape landed on the outer runway.

The hangars opened to receive them, with several Lazarus security squads waiting to take control and escort the prisoners to the base's prison, where they would remain until handed over to the I.C.J. (International Court of Justice).

Their arrival and the grand display caused the mercenaries to gather out of curiosity around the formed cordon, focusing their attention on the unloading of prisoners coming out of the various AVs. Many of them appeared to be black market mercenaries, provoking jeers and laughter from Lazarus' mercenaries.

The environment inside the mountain was a marked contrast to the exterior. Upon entering through the waterfall, the entrance opened to a vast open area serving as the true heart of the 13th Seat's base.

This vast area occupied the entire interior of the mountain, with multiple floors built onto the natural rock walls, like hanging terraces maintaining the open space. On each level, activity was constant, with people working and bringing the base to life.

Hangars and several levels were embedded in the walls or protruded from them, like large platforms following the style of hanging terraces. Despite the advanced technology and metal, long vertical gardens hung from the terraces and stone walls, full of lush vegetation.

This fascinating visual contrast fused natural and technological aspects, creating a pleasant and unique environment.

Upon landing, the AV ships in the various hangars and helipads were greeted by a team of Lazarus medics and technicians, ready to assist the victims, attend to the agents, and inspect the deployed vehicles.

The BlackAquila landed on one of the central platforms, where an old fox awaited them, accompanied by his faithful assistant.

As soon as he saw him disembark, the 5th Seat of Lazarus addressed the 13th with his deep, charismatic voice, with a slight English accent, "Well done, Mr. Inazuka! Now... where's my 120 million?"

"Huh? Was it yours, Winston?" Sora responded with a falsely surprised tone, before adding sarcastically, "I didn't know you used your own capital to finance missions. You're certainly an example for the rest of the seats..."

Then he turned to the person behind the 5th Seat, "Glad to see you, Charon, unlike your boss."

"I can tell, sir. I am also glad to see you..." said Charon, Winston's tall and polite assistant, before turning to the warg behind the 13th Seat and adding, "And you too, Eco, it looks like you've grown again."

["Woof"] Eco responded with a proud bark.

Returning to the conversation, Winston said, "You know what I mean; I'm in charge of finances."

"So that's it? I wonder if it's the same manager who refuses to give me the money I need to run my territory properly?" Sora asked rhetorically.

Winston, pointing to the imposing base built in just two years, full of AVs and with more Aquila units than most other branches and seats had, replied, "What more do you want!?"

"We both know that all of this," Sora, repeating his gesture, said, "wasn't paid for by Lazarus..." acknowledging the parallel financing they had achieved by robbing their targets.

"That doesn't answer my question; what have you done with the 120 million?" insisted the 5th Seat.

Prompting Sora to say, "I spent it... it's gone."

Charon, upon hearing this, put his hand to his face, fearing the reaction of the 5th Seat.

He, confused, asked, "Uh, what?"

"It's gone, it's all gone," repeated the 13th Seat.

"What's all gone?" asked Winston, wanting to believe he had misunderstood.

"The 120 million, it didn't go too well, and... it's gone," Sora responded, clarifying any doubts he might have had.

"According to the intelligence department, the Voodoo Boys should barely have reached 90 million!" exclaimed Winston, and unable to believe it, he demanded reproachfully, "Where are the 30 million difference?"

Without changing expression, Sora said, "Not anymore, the price 'suddenly' went up and—poof... it's gone."

While Winston processed the news, Roxy, having completed the mission, returned to her work as the 13th Seat's assistant and handed him a pad with several matters requiring his approval.

As Sora reviewed the requests, Winston watched as he pulled out the same card he had given him for the mission and swiped it through the pad's reader. Without caring that Winston was present—or perhaps because of it—he shamelessly announced while reading, "I've transferred 121 million to the base's account. Tell the Legal Department to use it to help the victims rebuild their lives."

"Got it!" Roxy replied, hiding her smile behind her mask. She activated the encrypted communicator shaped like a ring in her ear helix and contacted the Legal Department to carry out his order.

While responding to the various departments of his base, Sora, without looking up and with no intention of returning "his" money, said to the 5th Seat, "If we're done here, I still have things to take care of."

"Tell me, 'Kid,' out of pure curiosity, how much did you steal this time?" Winston asked, having witnessed his "generosity" with the victims. A small, egocentric part of him was sure Sora did it just to annoy him.

Without paying him much attention, Sora responded, "That's a compromising question, don't you think? Since you don't want to leave, give me a second, Winston."

After checking the base's cameras in cyberspace and not finding him, Sora handed the pad to Roxy and went to the edge of the platform to shout across the base:

"TREVOR! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME!"

Immediately, his eyes lit up, mobilizing the hundreds of Fools perched on different terraces or assisting scientists and technicians, setting them to fly and scan the base. A few seconds later, they began circling, having found their target.

Turning to the sextuplets who had been standing silently next to Eco, Sora pointed a finger at a semi-invisible figure struggling against the robotic crows pulling on his tactical poncho, as he was trying to sneak away with active camouflage among the group of victims heading to the infirmary, and ordered, "Get him."

Surprising Winston, Charon, and the base staff leaning on the terrace edges of various levels, who were expecting what had become a routine within the base whenever Trevor disobeyed the 13th Seat's orders, the six unknown sextuplets sprinted, making superhuman leaps from platform to platform, crossing the base in seconds to reach Trevor.

Upon seeing him face-to-face for the first time, Trevor exclaimed, "What the hell! Who are you? Do you think I have a problem hitting a woman?" raising his fists, ready to defend himself.

A few punches later... "Ah! Damn, you hit hard! Wa-wait, let's talk. We haven't had the pleasure of introducing ourselves. My name is Trevor. What are your names, ladies?" he asked, bleeding from his mouth and with a broken nose.

Ignoring his words, the sextuplets continued beating him until he was knocked out on the ground, while Gear, Juri, Pimento, and the entire base enjoyed the scene.

Satisfied after seeing the medical staff and victims deploy a stretcher from a small cylinder on their belts to take Trevor away, Sora turned back to Winston and, with renewed humor, said, "I'm not going to give you an exact figure, but about 3k."

With an impressed whistle, Winston said, "With that chunk, you'll be able to start the project you've been making such a fuss about."

"You read my mind," Sora replied, planning to use part of the eddies stolen from the Brotherhood to finish a small project and the rest to continue expanding and strengthening his base and unit.

As Sora thought about his future plans, he was brought back to reality when Winston, the "old fox," said, "By the way, if you hadn't tried to be funny, I would have settled for the 30 million, but now that you've recovered everything, until you repay the 120 million, I'll deduct it from your quarterly fund allocations."

"You wouldn't be so usurious as to take food off the plates of Lazarus' hardworking staff who have nothing to do with this," Sora responded, raising his voice and drawing the attention of the surrounding personnel. Well "trained," they looked at Winston without hiding their resentment.

Unfazed, Winston smiled and said, "Well, you have the money to pay them, don't you?"

"You old fox, you son of a—" Before Sora could finish, Charon and Roxy received a transmission that made them serious and approach their respective seats to inform them.

"Tch... really?" Sora asked, not pleased with the news, having just arrived at the base.

Roxy's firm affirmation made him add lazily, "I hope it's something good at least."

"Doubt it, kid," Winston responded as the two headed towards the Seat's chamber.

-

In the communications room of the high council, commonly known as 'The Chairs Room'

Sora and Winston entered the dark, windowless, tetradecagon-shaped room. Fourteen leather armchairs of different colors and designs surrounded the room, creating an atmosphere as exclusive as it was intimidating.

Winston headed to the fifth seat and Sora to the thirteenth, after completing security measures to verify their identity. With a soft buzz, the room filled with holograms, occupying almost all the armchairs.

Only three seats remained vacant: the 8th seat, Jason Pimento, who was in the infirmary; the 3rd seat, Morgan Blackhand; and the seat of the head of Lazarus, which was not assigned to any number.

"Oh, you're already here...!" exclaimed the lively voice of the 12th seat, Erin Malour, also known as "Powder." A pale young woman with intense blue hair tied in two long braids and a loose lock, sitting next to Sora.

"And it looks like you brought the 5th seat from the IRS with you," joked the 11th seat, Robert Nesta, or "Dante." A burly Jamaican with gray dreadlocks, responsible for the logistics and safe transportation of goods for Lazarus, referring to Winston as a member of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) due to his reputation for relentlessly recovering money or possessions for Lazarus.

"Is it at your base, Monsieur?" asked the 6th seat, Èlise Medjan, known as "Kali." A beauty with blue eyes and copper-red hair, leader of the B&B unit and the all-female academy for Lazarus recruits.

The place the male seats referred to as heaven and hell in the same place on earth.

"Yes..." Sora responded weakly, thinking of the 120 million in funds he would lose in the next quarter, having no intention of returning them.

Having been in his position, the 11th, 6th, and 9th seats said simultaneously: "My condolences."

The 9th seat, "Ripper," was the leader of a covert Lazarus corporation dedicated to counterterrorism, a man with a feminine face subdued by the chrome that had replaced most of his body.

"Thank you, they are appreciated," Sora replied sincerely, grateful for their expressions of support in these difficult times.

Cheering up a bit while recalling the explosion, as he typed on the arm of his chair, Sora addressed the 12th seat to his left. "By the way, I have the data from the last 'test' of the Pillar project. The energy release has been the best to date. Now we need to find a way to contain it so it doesn't blow up."

Revealing the true purpose of the Pillar project: the creation of mobile fission batteries. The gigantic explosions were a side effect they still had to solve, but in the meantime, they used them as bombs.

"Oh! I'm looking forward to reading them," Powder said after receiving the information Sora had just sent her.

Playing with the card with the golden spear between his fingers, Sora added: "Although the 'Pillars' are far from being implementable, we can finally start the Titan project."

Erin, hearing the news, stood up from her chair exclaiming, "NO WAY!"

Hurriedly, thinking the stingy 5th seat had finally agreed to give them the funds they needed, with no respect for him at all, she asked: "Old bastard, are you really going to give us the money?"

Seeing Winston's expression, who was mentally reducing the money allocated to the R&D division, Powder quickly corrected her words: "I meant, old 'WISE' fox... Hahaha... How silly of me! But seriously, are you finally going to give us the Eddies?"

Winston, who had designed his chair so that anywhere in the world where the meeting was held, he could have tea, pulled out a freshly made one from the side of his armchair and said: "Considering it's you, that apology works for me. Regarding your question: No, I am not going to give you billions of eurodollars to build stupid rob-"

"Don't say it!" exclaimed the twelfth seat before he could simplify the Titan project in such a manner. "Saburo already has things like that at Arasaka, he demonstrated it four years ago when he launched them against this nuthead," said Powder, pointing her thumb at the person sitting to her right.

"If we don't build them, we'll be a step behind in the arms race. As the head of things that go 'Pew, pew' + 'Boom' for Lazarus, I wholeheartedly believe that the Titan project is absolutely essential," said Powder, gesturing passionately, defending the project with all she had, having been obsessed with it since a certain "nuthead" proposed it.

Lighting a cigarette, the "nuthead," with a mix of sarcasm and approval, said, "Well said."

"Thank you," she responded, taking only the good part, before turning to Winston expectantly, hoping her passionate words had had an effect on him.

"It's still: No," Winston said firmly.

Although Sora had never said it would be Winston who would give them the money, he also didn't deny it, allowing the misunderstanding to continue, due to the resentment he felt towards the usurer of the 5th seat over the 120 million.

Making him pay by having to endure Powder's tantrums.

Who showed her volatile temper when, after hearing Winston's refusal again, all the love and passion she had shown for the project transformed into anger, which materialized in a shout insulting him: "YOU FUCKING PIECE OF----!"

Or at least tried to, as she had barely started when the 2nd seat, "Eye of Horus," an elegant elderly woman with white hair and dark skin, responsible for cybersecurity and the maintenance of Lazarus's secret cyberspace, manipulated the meeting controls and cut off the audio signal of the 12th seat.

Providing a moment of peace valued by all, where Sora and Winston took the opportunity to finish greeting the rest of the seats.

They received a warm welcome from the 2nd seat, with an almost maternal touch in the case of Sora, which she displayed with all young agents and seats of Lazarus. Part of the reason why Anara Amari was one of the most beloved and respected figures in the entire organization, especially by the younger members, and not so young ones as well.

In contrast, they received a cold welcome from the 4th seat, without alias, Li-Fen, leader of the school in China for interim Lazarus staff in cyber martial arts.

Like the 4th seat, the 7th seat, Dinesh Nanjiani, in charge of Lazarus's legal affairs, gave them a quick greeting, full of resentment towards the 13th seat, before returning to focus on his pad, with complaints from the Philippine government about a "supposed" invasion of their airspace for which they had no proof,

Except for the striking satellite images of a small sun that appeared out of nowhere in the province of Bulacan.

Lastly, as the 1st seat, Simo Hämälä, "The White End," aged 149, leader of the Lazarus shooting school in Australia, was asleep in his chair.

The 10th seat, "Warbringer," representative of Lazarus in Africa and one of the seats with the most forces under his control, ignored the 5th seat and stared at the 13th with such animosity that it seemed he would get up and attack him at any moment, despite being a hologram.

Provoked, in part, by how Sora returned his gaze while smoking, with a hint of mockery, as if reminding him of his defeats, which Erik did not overlook.

All this while Powder's long braids shook behind her, energetically cursing in "silence," until she finally realized that the 2nd seat had cut her audio, making her the new target of her mute complaints.

In this peculiar atmosphere, where the different seats talked among themselves, or exchanged hostile glances, looking as if they were about to start a battle at any moment... the hologram of Morgan and the Boss appeared.

Seeing Morgan's expression, Erin closed her mouth and sat down, while Anara, Winston, and Sora changed their attitude, knowing that something bad had happened.

Although he obviously seemed angry, Dante, the 8th seat, used to Morgan's light-hearted demeanor even when he was upset, didn't take him seriously and said, "What's with the long faces, did someone die?"

"Yes, my best friend Lieutenant Colonel of the NUSA military James Norris," Morgan responded immediately, without any delicacy, staring at him.

The room fell silent. Robert, uncomfortable, hadn't expected to hit the mark so accurately. The rest of the seats changed their expressions and attitudes towards the meeting, except for Anara and Winston, who had already done so as soon as they saw Morgan.

Sora silently pondered the events that would lead to James's death, while a part of him, which he suppressed, felt sorrow for his passing, having worked on several missions with him, Avaray, and Morgan over the past four years.

"James is dead?" asked Powder, perplexed. Although she hadn't interacted much with him, she knew James was one of her father Eran's and Morgan's old war comrades.

Ripper, considering a figure like a lieutenant colonel of the NUSA, asked, "Was he murdered?"

"It could be; it's too early to rule it out," Morgan replied, even though he knew perfectly well that James's killers were just doing their job.

"Morgan..." said the Boss of Lazarus, not wanting him to obsess over chasing ghosts.

In a tone she only permitted because it was Morgan and considering the circumstances he was in, he said, raising his voice and pointing his finger at her, "IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY SAY!... James would have been able to withstand a cyberpsychosis attack!"

After revealing the manner in which Lieutenant Colonel Norris died or, rather, what led to it, the 7th seat, Dinesh Nanjiani, frowned.

Given the hundreds of cyberpsychos daily and the time he could be using to deal with his massive paperwork, he said out loud without thinking, "If he turned into just another cyberpsycho, what are we all doing here, wasting our time?"

The silence that followed his words was cold. But even more so, the looks from the Boss and Morgan made Dinesh shrink into his seat. Realizing immediately how poorly he had expressed himself, with a trembling voice and a lump in his throat, he added, "Morgan, forgive me, I didn't mean..."

Morgan, understanding his nervous colleague, raised his hand, accepting the apology without needing him to finish. However, his sharp gaze remained fixed on Dinesh, making him feel a shiver run down his spine through the holographic projection.

After a few long seconds for Dinesh...

"According to my contacts at Militech," Morgan's firm voice resonated in the room as he turned towards the rest of the seats, "22 minutes ago, when a Militech team went to retrieve Norris's body, the coroner told them they were the second Militech group to come.

When they questioned the coroner, he stated that the agents who came before only examined the body for a few seconds before leaving. When asked if they took anything from him, the coroner affirmed they left empty-handed...

But when they verified the body, James's Sandevistan had disappeared."

"Norris was in the city on the eve of a DARPA meeting to give his opinion on the audit he conducted of a project assigned to the defense contractors ArmsTech, a subsidiary of Militech responsible for weapons development,"

"Just a few days ago, I spoke with him, and he mentioned wanting to visit Militech to check his Sandevistan, which he said had been feeling 'strange,'" Morgan said with regret, understanding what those words meant from someone who would suffer a cyberpsychosis attack.

"But besides the reason you all have thought of! Maybe James found something strange in ArmsTech that he planned to report at his DARPA meeting, which led them to infect his cyberware to prevent it. Additionally," Morgan glanced at Sora for a moment, recalling a certain case from four years ago, "it's not the first time we've seen cyberpsychosis used to cover up a murder."

Concluding his suspicions, which stemmed not only from the resentment of losing a friend but from his own guts. Guts that had earned the respect of several seats, including the Boss.

"Did James tell you anything that made you suspicious of ArmsTech?" asked the 2nd seat, unable to avoid finding parts worth investigating.

The Boss, who thought the same when Morgan told her this in private before organizing the meeting with the rest of the seats, nodded in agreement.

Morgan slowly shook his head before responding, "He would never say anything about a secret project of a government contractor, not even to me. However, the last time I spoke with him, he asked me out of the blue if I knew of a certain base in Alaska called... Shadow Moses... He had never done anything like that before; I think he was trying to warn me or give me a message."

"The theft and possible destruction of the Sandevistan by personnel posing as Militech agents is also suspicious," interjected the 6th seat, crossing her arms.

Then.... as he exhaled smoke from his mouth, almost certain of where the missing Sandevistan was, Sora said, "Who says they were the ones who stole it?"

"What do you mean?" asked Morgan.

"I mean what I said; you think the first agents took the Sandevistan to cover up evidence, right?" said Sora, unfazed by the multiple gazes on him.

Morgan nodded and said, "Yes, although the coroner didn't see them leave with it, a Sandevistan can easily be hidden under a jacket, for example."

Smiling at the fear Morgan's instincts induced, Sora said, "Exactly, it could be hidden under any kind of 'jacket,' whether it be a Detective, Officer, Paramedic, Coroner, or anyone who had access to his body."

"Everyone knows how sticky our fingers are in Night City," he added, giving weight to his words while playing with a certain card filled with stolen money, moving it fluidly between his metallic fingers.

"If that's the case, my fellow citizens may have done us a favor by 'keeping' Norris's Sandevistan before it could be taken and destroyed." Sora concluded, surprising the rest of the seats with his argument, which they couldn't deny.

Beginning to understand something he had thought multiple times: What was the Sandevistan of David hiding that a part of Militech so desperately wanted to recover?

Morgan, realizing something, said in a somewhat accusatory tone, "I never mentioned it happened in Night City."

"I've looked into it," Sora said calmly.

Provoking another question from Morgan, doubting him, "In this room?" which completely blocked all signals except those of the seats.

Without causing any reaction in Sora, who replied while pointing to his neck, "With a news chip my assistant gave me before entering."

"I didn't see her give you anything," inquired the 5th seat, having been with him the entire time since he left the ship.

Annoyed by the intrusion, Sora explained why Winston hadn't seen it. "That's because you're old."

"I'm sure Charon hasn't seen anything either," replied Winston, refusing to drop the subject.

Starting to get angry, Sora asked, "What? Should we call him and ask if he saw me being handed a chip, huh?"

"I didn't want to bother, it was just... curiosity, sorry," Winston replied, with a smile that contradicted his words.

"THEN... Shove your fucking curiosity up your—" Before he could finish, Sora was called by a name that only one person in Lazarus used: "Arc, focus," said Joy with a strict look, but with an almost... affectionate touch, contrasting with the cold Boss of Lazarus.

Causing Sora to obey and stop glaring at the 5th seat in the same room, who had started to subtly sweat, feeling the unsettling intentions that the 13th seat radiated as he got angrier with the questions.

"If it's as you say... how long do you think it would take to recover it with your contacts in the city?" asked Morgan, steering the conversation back, believing the Kid's instincts might be onto something.

"That depends," Sora responded, leaving a deliberate pause.

"Depends on what?" Morgan insisted, his eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and impatience.

"Well, I still have 340 days left before I can set foot in NUSA territory, so I'd say it would take me 341 days to find it," Sora answered hypothetically while smoking.

"Oh? You say you can find it in a day? I expected you to say your contacts would be rusty," Morgan replied, visibly surprised.

"Nah, I have a pretty good idea where to start looking..." Sora replied with overwhelming confidence... unsettling.

"Then get moving, we're heading to Night City," Morgan ordered immediately.

"I'd love to... but I doubt the president will agree," Sora responded, as he flicked the ash of his cigarette into the ashtray on his chair, with the same resignation as in his words.

"It's fine. I don't know if he planned it, but James' lawyer contacted me. He chose me as executor and, among his last wishes, he expressly wrote that you be at his funeral. Thanks to the Boss, I've been able to speak with the president."

Morgan paused, letting the words sink deep into Sora. Then, with a tone almost proud of him, he continued, "Considering James' service record and yours over the past few years, being responsible for capturing Fabius, and your recent missions... the president has decided to pardon the remaining year of your exile."

Sora, not expecting this development, asked with rare incredulity, "You're joking, right?"

Smiling sincerely, Morgan affirmed, "No, I'm not. As of 12 minutes ago, you're free to return to Night City."

Instantly, everyone present in the room could see Sora's response. He stood up abruptly from his chair and headed for the exit, walking as fast as he could, almost breaking into a run.

Before Sora reached the door, Morgan, seeing him unable to hold back his excitement, added, "Take Trevor with you... I'd like to see that bastard."

Sora, not stopping but slightly turning his head as his figure faded away, responded, "I was planning to... See you in Night City."

Seeing the hologram of the enthusiastic 13th seat disappear, eager to see his family and partners again, made Erin Malour, heir to Malorian Arms, think of hers as well.

Prompting her to say, "I'm going too..." Looking directly at Morgan, she added, "I want to check on the old man."

Smiling sincerely at that, Morgan affirmed and said, "Well said, kid," before Erin's hologram disappeared as well, adding, copying the boy, "See you in Night City..."

-

At 8 AM on that same day in... Night City.

A 17-year-old boy was standing in front of a washing machine spinning, with a lost look in his eyes.

He sighed deeply, still affected by the XBD (extreme Braindance) he had just experienced.

In his mind, the images of a cyberpsycho massacring 27 agents before Max-Tac "cut the recording" remained disturbingly fresh.

"Huh?" he murmured, returning to reality when the washing machine beeped and stopped functioning.

—["Cycle suspended due to insufficient funds."] —said an automated voice from the washing machine.

"Geez, not again..." said the boy in frustration.

Leaving the bathroom, in the small dining area, which was almost the entirety of the apartment, in one corner was a somewhat abandoned yellow bass guitar, while the turned-on screens were broadcasting recent news—["It was a tragic scene in Westbrook today when a corporate convoy was ambushed by 6th Street..."]

Standing in front of the culprit that caused the washing machine to stop working, David sighed, seeing his mother curled up on the sofa. "God, Mom..." he muttered as he grabbed his jacket and adjusted it to cover her properly.

Feeling, even while asleep, the jacket she couldn't be apart from under any circumstances, not even in her dreams, separate from her for a moment, Gloria woke up with a start "Ah!"

Seeing who it was, she said while hugging it. "Morning, Miho."

David looked at her with a mix of concern and resignation "If you keep sleeping on the couch, gonna get early onset arthritis."

"I know. Just dead after my night shift, is all" Gloria responded, the stiffness of her muscles palpable.

David shook his head "You and the washing machine both. Forget to re-up it?"

"Yeah —I'll take care of it later, 'kay?" promised Gloria, sitting on the sofa... without letting go of her jacket. Remembering something important, Gloria added "Oh, money, right. You mentioned a reef update for class. That happen yet? When did you say you need it?"

"No, no. It's fine. Got Doc to handle it" said David quickly, trying not to worry his mother.

Gloria frowned, her maternal intuition on alert "What do you mean "handle it"?"

"I'm good. All set" insisted David, avoiding her gaze.

"Don't go cutting corners, D. Already cashed my paycheck. You'll get it updated right. Hear me?" said Gloria, with a mix of firmness and concern in her voice.

David turned towards her, exasperated "Mom, seriously... Just feed the washer, alright?"

Gloria sighed, feeling guilty "I forgot this time. I told you. Promise me you'll buy the update."

"Okay, okay" responded David, while putting the academy jacket over his street clothes.

Seeing her son's attire, Gloria said "And you're really going to school dressed like that?"

David responded, not hiding his frustration, pointing to the washing machine "Uniform's soaked..."

At that moment, the television reported an incident related—["A military-grade implant was found missing from the body of Lt. Col. James Norris, shot dead by Max-Tac last night"]

David looked at the screen and exclaimed "Mom, you're on TV! Nova!"

Gloria turned off the television, visibly affected "Not Nova, David. A bloodbath. Go on, off to school."

David nodded, heading towards the door "Bye."

"Love you, Miho" said Gloria affectionately, watching him leave.

As soon as the door closed, Gloria searched her IDN contacts for the name of the person who was going to help her get the eddies she needed for her son's update.

After they accepted her call, Gloria said loudly in her mind. [Maine? It's Gloria.]

-

David, as soon as he left his apartment in Megabuilding H4, turned on the radio on his IDn. The rhythm of the music gave him a strange comfort as he descended through the narrow, crowded, trash-filled hallways.

[♪ I ain't your average sicko... ♪]

Although purists said that music should be listened to through the senses, David didn't have money for any fancy player.

[♪ I'm dead, just like disco ♪]

Upon leaving the megabuilding, the sight of Santo Domingo blinded David like the sun, literally.

After four years since it was created, the city had changed a lot due to the NeoHydrO-powered ships buzzing above, leaving a trail of blue light in the air.

[♪ My bank account is zero-zero-zero, oh no... ♪]

Apart from the AVs, which had dropped in price, new high-end hybrid vehicles were also created, shaped like luxury cars capable of inverting their wheels, turning into thrusters, transforming into sleek AVs that flew over the skyscrapers.

[♪ I think I need a hero... ♪]

Changing the urban landscape, making the city even more dynamic... or as more pessimistic people described it; like wasps buzzing around... their hive city.

[♪ I don't have no ego, 'cause I'm spinnin' out now... ♪]

David headed towards the station of his new preferred means of transport to move around the city. Stopping at a stop from where he landed and boarded one of the new Delamain air buses, designed to transport the masses efficiently, quickly... and cheaply.

[♪ And now I'm getting older, my heart is growing colder. Oh, that's fine... ♪]

When David was entering the air bus, he stared at the pale, bald face with blue lips of the Delamain AI on the screen that greeted the passengers.

Due to the way the AI stared at him without saying anything, as if it had bugged out... or had found its target, until it finally reacted and said "Welcome!" as if nothing had happened.

[♪ And now I'm getting older, my heart is growing colder. Oh, that's fine... ♪]

The interior of the air bus was spacious and modern. David found a seat by the window and settled in, closing his eyes after having spent an entire night awake using BDs, as the bus rose above the streets and flew between the buildings.

[♪ I was a teenage outlaw with no worries on my mind... ♪]

David opened his eyes to see a shuttle taking off from the Night City International and Translunar Spaceport (NCX).

[♪ With no worries on my mind ♪]

Losing sight of it when a Trauma Team AV conducting an emergency evacuation passed by the bus on its way to a nearby burning building. Warnings echoed through its loudspeakers.

["Trauma Team. Clear a path immediately. Emergency evac underway. Emergency evac..."]

The air bus stopped at several stations until it finally reached the corporate center station.

David crossed the gigantic plaza, under the holographic canopies until he reached the place where, years ago, a young man saved him and his mother from a junkie thief.

Sighing heavily, thinking about how that young man turned out to be Jackie Blackhand, who gave him a bass out of the blue and showed David a path he thought he wanted to follow.

Or at least he believed... until the events of four years ago.

David still vividly remembered the shock of discovering that the young man he admired for his music as Jackie Blackhand, for helping him and his mother, and for giving him his bass for no reason...

Was actually a dangerous mercenary, labeled as a terrorist, murderer, and many other undesirable things, due to his brutal battle in the middle of the city against Adam Smasher. With damage still visible on some buildings after all this time.

Since then, after the disappearance of the mercenary Okami in Night City, Jackie Blackhand also vanished from the net. He stopped uploading songs, which led David to gradually stop playing his bass, losing sight of his path.

With no better option, he ended up following the path his mother wanted him to take.

Leading him to where he now stood, in front of one of the most prestigious academies in the city... Arasaka Academy.

-

A few hours later, after Doc's upgrades had fried an entire academy server...

David and Gloria were sitting in the elegant and cold office of the Arasaka Academy director. The director, a man of opulent appearance, observed them from the other side of his large desk.

"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience my son has caused," said Gloria, trying to maintain her composure.

"I wouldn't call this a matter of money, Mrs. Martinez," the director responded, intertwining his fingers. "Although I must say it was quite an expense for us to restore the system."

"Of course, and I will pay for the repairs," assured Gloria quickly, her voice trembling slightly as she envisioned the number of her numerous debts increasing.

"¿Hmm?" Causing David, aware of their financial situation, to be surprised by her proposal.

The director raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways at David, who remained silent. "As I understand it, Mr. Martinez modified his headset with backalley software to avoid paying for the licensed update. This is not behavior befitting a pupil from a financially stable home."

"It's not a problem, really. We can afford it," insisted Gloria, trying to sound convincing.

"Be that as it may," continued the director, "I see an opportunity here to improve David's situation."

Adopting a harsher tone, Gloria said, "Meaning what, exactly?"

"David is not a good fit with his classmates. He could benefit from a change in... environment," the director replied.

"No! Wait, please. I mean, he has to stay here. He deserves this education as much as every other child in this school," pleaded Gloria, her voice breaking at the end.

Hearing his mother plead... made David feel a pressure in his chest as the director evaluated them coldly, fueling the growing discomfort within him.

-

The sun was beating down on the skyscrapers of Night City, reflecting blinding flashes in the windows.

Inside an old and worn-out car, David and his mother, Gloria, were driving down the highway. The engine hummed with a constant buzz, but the atmosphere inside the car was charged with palpable tension.

"What happened? Didn't I tell you to get the upgrade?" Gloria asked, her tone laced with frustration and concern, without taking her eyes off the road.

"Yeah. Doc's damn fault. Gave me a faulty port drive," David responded resentfully, staring out the window.

"You tried to get around the system, didn't you? Now, it'll cost us ten times more," Gloria said, reproaching her son's actions.

"Sorry," David replied, without really meaning it. If he could do it again, he would, but without trusting Doc. Legal upgrades were too expensive; if it had worked as it should, they would have saved a lot of money.

"If it's something you gotta apologize for, maybe don't do it in the first place, hey?" she said with a tone of resignation.

And David replied, "You said you didn't have the eddies when I asked, so…"

"I was waiting for payday!" Gloria said, showing her frustration. "You know we don't got that kind of cash just lying around." Seeing her son still shaking his leg, she added, "Can't you sit still a minute?"

Out of nowhere, David said, "You know, I've been thinking lately."

"About what?" Gloria asked, not believing it would be anything good, longing for the times when he was obsessed with playing the bass.

"Maybe I drop out. Find some work or whatever," David said.

Finding it the dumbest thing her son had said today, Gloria responded, "Do you hear yourself?"

"C'mon, seriously. You know we can't afford those repairs. Plus, you got no idea just how bad I stand out compared to all of them. Anyone besides a true blue corpo gets sh*t on. Even if I do graduate, they'll never accept me. No kid from Santo will ever be a suit... I don't wanna be one anyway."

"So, you tell me. What have I been busting my ass for then, huh? Everything I do, I do for you, D. Don't you see that? You're breaking my heart, Miho," Gloria said, her voice breaking.

Seeing tears in his mother's eyes, David exclaimed, "Wait. What?"

"My sweet baby boy. So smart, so talented. You're everything to me. I want to give you a fighting chance in this city and a good education. It's why I put in all of those hours, why I'm never home."

"Uh, I'm sorry. Shouldn't have brought it up. Don't cry, Mom," David said, feeling guilty.

Meanwhile, neither of them noticed how they started to become surrounded by other vehicles on the highway.

"Think I don't know how they treat you? Think I don't get treated the same way? But that's why you gotta prove them wrong. You have to work hard and rise through the ranks." Gloria raised a finger, imagining it. "My son at Arasaka Tower top floor! I can just see it."

Looking at her beloved son, believing him capable of achieving anything he set his mind to, she said with a smile in her red eyes, "You've got this, D. You're my son."

David sighed deeply before saying, "Yeah, well, easier said than done... Huh?" he wondered as he looked out his window and saw an M2067 Defender closing its loader, followed by a deafening noise as it opened fire, shooting hundreds of bullets through their old car and into the armored car on the other side.

"Fuck 'em up!" shouted one of the three members of the Animals controlling the wheel of the pink van they were in, from his co-pilot seat, while his companion was shooting.

"Don't let 'em get away!" said the Animal who was climbing out of the van through a sunroof.

Prompting the Animal who was shooting incessantly to respond, "Suit's limo's titanium plated!"

"The hunt's on, my beastbros!" the first Animal intervened again, roaring to his companions.

The three of them laughed uproariously as the Animal protruding from the roof fired the RPG he was holding. Shouting as they passed the wreckage of the exploded limousine, "No one fucks with the Animals, Ara-Suckers...!"

Causing David, in a panic, to shout, "Mom! Brake! Brake hard!" frantically pointing to the limo nose-dived into the asphalt that they were about to crash into.

-

When David regained consciousness, the world he saw was upside down, as he remained inside the overturned car.

He could see his mother lying motionless outside the vehicle, surrounded by the flames from the explosion.

David cried out in anguish, "Mom? Mom!" He saw a slight reaction from her.

The sound of AV thrusters reverberated along the highway, accompanied by spotlights and a red projection appearing on the ground.

Seeing the armed men in green and white uniforms, David said with relief, "Is that the Trauma Team? Oh, thank Christ."

Then one of them approached him and, before helping him, passed a pad over his face.

After a positive beep, the Trauma Team member said, "He's a client."

"She is too," his companion responded, scanning Gloria.

"Wait!" David exclaimed, then whispered to himself, confused: "Client?"

"Did we scan the ones in the limo? They look like Arasakas" asked the Trauma Team member next to David.

His companion and leader responded firmly, "No! These two have Black-Titanium subscription. They have priority. Have central dispatch another unit."

Thinking they might have issues if they left them, he asked, "Are you sure? I think we could take them-"

Before he could finish, his companion interrupted him, warning, "Look who the account holder is. If I say we go; We go!"

After reviewing David's information on his pad, the Trauma Team member's mouth suddenly went dry, making him exclaim incredulously, "You've got to be kidding!" He then added nervously, "You're right, let's go, let's go now!"

Turning to David, trying to calm both him and himself, he said, "Hey... kid, don't worry. We'll get you and your mother out of here. Okay?"

David, though wanting to tell them that there must be some mistake, as neither he nor his mother were Trauma Team clients, let alone at the exclusive Titanium level, and unaware of the Black label, reserved only for the most powerful corporate executives.

Still, David wasn't foolish enough to say anything while they were being saved, believing they might abandon them if he did. He decided to resolve any misunderstanding later, even if he had to work his whole life to pay for it.

"How's my mom?" David asked, worried.

"She needs immediate surgery, but we'll take care of her. Don't worry... so please don't say anything bad to him," said the Trauma Team member, unable to stop his voice from trembling.

"Sorry, but I don't know who you're talking about," said David, perplexed, not believing he knew anyone who could cause such a reaction, due to their different perceptions of the same person.

While helping him out of the overturned car, the Trauma Team member replied, "I'm referring to the account holder... the person who pays for your subscription."

Surprised that it wasn't a mistake and even more confused that it wasn't, David responded, "I-I don't know who that is."

Aware of similar cases involving illegitimate children and lovers who didn't know they had an active subscription or who paid for it, the Trauma Team member, after pulling David out, said, "I see. Then I didn't say anything. Follow me, kid, we're getting you two out of here."

David, able to walk, was guided to the AV, while Gloria, intubated and on a stretcher, was carefully loaded inside.