Free Flight.

A.N - Yeah i am alive. Here is quick and rough translation.

Free Flight.

Because I almost started a firefight with MAX-TAC, I got scolded. Well, just for the record. Even though cyber-psychos with badges are doing an important thing by shooting other cyber-psychos, many people aren't particularly fond of them because of how bloody and ruthless they are. No, I don't mean that people don't appreciate that they're dealing with psychos in a brutal way, but that when they do, they just don't give a shit about collateral damage. Although what can you expect from people with a license to kill issued on behalf of the city.

All right, fuck them. With my reputation and the TT's support, I'm not facing much of a problem. Well, compared to the funny and bloody daily reality of Night City. So wave and smile. But just in case I got my handgun off the safety switch.

And so the days rolled by. Dull days at work. Call. Gunfire. Fights. Drugs. Blood. A typical TT day in Night City. It was a little different at first, though. Many looked at us as a beefed-up, but fairly standard TT squad. Some even joked that we were just another squad of nurses who were given cool guns and taught to shoot a little better than others. A few videos leaked online depicting some of the bloodiest challenges my team faced during calls were enough to shut up all those smart-asses.

One video showed us practically slaughtering an entire Scav squad in a couple of minutes. Even the most bloodthirsty viewers on the net went pale as the Private practically slammed a big, chrome-plated guy into the wall with his shield, his head popping out like a champagne cork. Another video showed me single-handedly taking down a couple of freaks armed with machetes. Many expected me to try to break the distance and shoot them because there was no other effective way to deal with melee fighters.

But instead, I decided to deal with them in John Wick style. Deflect a machete strike, get close to the enemy, and hit him in the throat with the barrel so he couldn't breathe or fight back. Use him as a human shield and ram into his partner, and push them both against the wall. Retreat a few steps and shoot them with automatic fire. This took no more than 10 seconds, and here the two corpses slowly slumped to the ground, leaving only bloody trails on the wall. This shows the difference between us and others.

Another video showed our teamwork. It showed us entering a room in a snake formation and being met with a rain of bullets. After the enemies emptied their magazines, all they saw were a shield covered in dents from bullets instead of the shredded corpses in TT uniforms. A second, and then three figures appeared from behind the cover of the shield, killing all the confused enemies with accurate shots. And then, without losing momentum, the cleanup continues.

Now my squad and I have a pretty good reputation, which allows us to deal with most of the problems, and in the eyes of the public, we have become people who should not be pissed off. To them, we are not the usual watchdogs of the corps, but ruthless wolfhounds.

So now I'm sitting here drinking booze with my squad at the Afterlife. Our first proper day off since the frantic first few months, when we worked nonstop to build our reputation and image for publicity.

"Long time no see, Marcus!" - Maine's familiar voice made me look around. Today, to my surprise, he was alone without his pokémon team.

"Oh, Mayne! It's good to see you! Come! Have a seat." - Maine accepted my invitation and joined our table and before he could even open his mouth, the Demidov brothers had already handed him a shot of vodka and demanded a drink as a penalty for his tardiness.

Smirking, he drank as demanded, and then I began to introduce him to my team. He particularly liked Oleg because Oleg, like himself, had served in the army. So in a couple of minutes, they were already exchanging jokes and banter about how they made fun of the recruits.

"By the way Maine. Where's your pokemon team?"

"Jesus, stop calling them that. That nickname pisses them off, especially Rebecca."

"I actually wanted to call you a bunch of pedobears at first when I saw her. So don't tell her to stop complaining about pokemons the other option is much more irritating and will cause more butthurt. So, where are they anyway? After all, you're practically always having fun together, and here you're all alone."

"Well, I had a meeting with Faraday. So I was here on business, not for drinks."

"Are you still working for that creep? Mayne, I may not be the most knowledgeable about fixers, but I can safely say that you work for a remarkably greedy and shitty fixer. Why don't you find someone better? I can talk to the owner of the bar she wouldn't mind helping you with your job."

"That's not an option yet. We haven't earned the reputation yet, and frankly, we're still too weak and lack teamwork. You're the one with the support and money from TT, and you could build a strong team right away. And I have to work at a slower pace, pulling others up. So far only Dorio and I are the only ones who can stand up as experienced solos, but the rest are too green. Maybe in the future, I can find something better, but for now, I have to work for Faraday."

"With that greedy creep, you'll be barely surviving from paycheck to paycheck if you don't meet all his demands."

"For someone who hasn't worked with fixers, you know him very well."

"I met him here at the Afterlife when I came back from my training course. He immediately offered me a job and promised me good pay. I got curious, so I asked Rogue about him. So she described him in one phrase-an expensive and greedy corporate whore. And then I heard from Ron about him, and I really didn't like his work ethic. So I suggest you find yourself another fixer."

"Eh, unfortunately, I don't have much of an option. I was finally able to get a good order. If I don't screw up I can get to the next level, and there's other money and other jobs. All or nothing."

"If it's no secret. What did he offer you? I promise I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Ha. A fairly routine industrial espionage order. The only problem is, we'll have to steal data right out of one of Biotechnica's managers' computers."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"We'll use jammers and while their computers go to reboot Sasha will steal the data.

"That's one good fucked up plan. Reliable as a goddamn Swiss watch. Has the reward made your brain stop working at all? This isn't the same as ambushing a corporate guy and then hacking into his brain. You're gonna steal data right out of the Biotechnica's building. They might have backup computers or some other shit. Don't you think just relying on a jammer and Sasha's skills is a little overly optimistic?"

"It'll be fine. It's a proven tactic, and there's plenty of time. It's just a simple break-in and steal job, not a full-scale sabotage mission."

"You know. I'm just going with you on this one out of spite. You've helped me out a few times, so we'll call it even. But if things don't go according to plan, and we have to resort to plan B - that is, run Bitch run!, I'll pester you with a phrase I told you so for the rest of your life!"

"Wanna bet?! If everything goes as I planned, you'll be buying me drinks here for the rest of my life."

"You guys are witnesses! Now, let's get drunk. We'll discuss the plan tomorrow. It's my weekend."

"Skipper, are you sure it's worth it?"

"I'm a hundred percent sure! Any man is willing to give part of his ass if he can for the rest of his life to piss off his buddies with the phrase, I told you so. So stop arguing with me. Now let me have a drink!"

A.N - I want to congratulate all women with 8th of March, International Women's Day!