"Chapter 131: Kidnapping the Final Target"

While Alex was 'politely' conversing with Jimmy, the rest of the group watched the performance with genuine interest. Alex knew that threats or brute force weren't really necessary — a simple 'choice' was enough: either cooperation or a painful skin-removal experience.

At first glance, the choice was simple, but it was enough to bewilder someone, and Jimmy definitely wasn't the hero of some story who would suddenly find strength and escape. Nor was Alex the typical villain ready to reveal his plans for hours on end.

Lucy and Rebecca already knew Alex's darker side. He had once told them about interrogations of gods that ended quite pitifully and painfully for those involved. Jimmy might avoid a similar fate... maybe.

«An unexpected side to Alex,» Main murmured, catching the others' attention.

Lucy and Rebecca raised their eyebrows, not understanding what he meant. Noticing their glances, Main decided to explain:

«Usually, he's calm, always smiling. Sure, he's sometimes a bit off and can do something wild, like that incident with Arasaka. But now... it's like he's a completely different person — and it's creepy.»

Lucy and Rebecca exchanged looks, realizing Main didn't know the half of it. Yes, these were just words from Alex for now, but if push came to shove, Jimmy would learn what true pain was. Alex wasn't lying: he really could keep someone alive as long as needed. Kiwi noticed the look on Lucy and Rebecca's faces and understood that they had likely seen worse, which explained their calm reactions.

Meanwhile, Alex continued his «conversation» with Jimmy, who stubbornly refused to cooperate. Even G.I.R., sharpening a knife right in front of him, wasn't helping. It seemed that fear had so overwhelmed Jimmy that he simply couldn't speak.

Seeing Jimmy's hesitation, Alex decided to add some «motivation»:

«Well, since you don't want to cooperate, I have something else for you. G.I.R., hand me the stimulant,» Alex said, extending his hand without taking his gaze off Jimmy.

The group's attention immediately shifted to the strange syringe filled with a clear, slightly shimmering liquid that G.I.R. pulled from his pocket. With a slight smile, Alex addressed Jimmy, whose eyes were trembling with tension:

«I can see you're scared, though you don't even know what this is yet. Allow me to explain: this is a stimulant that amplifies the body's sensitivity many times over. Doctors use a milder version of it to treat paralysis. But this dose... well, it's about a thousand times stronger.»

Jimmy's eyes widened, and he desperately tried to break free from his bindings, but it was futile; he was tightly tied up, and even if he could get loose, Alex and the rest of the group stood in his way.

«Now, now, it's not polite to try and run off when the conversation isn't over,» Alex said, like a strict father scolding a child.

But Jimmy wasn't listening; he was struggling to escape with all his might. Annoyed, Alex frowned and, unable to bear it, «calmed» him down with a bracing slap:

«I said, stay put.»

Jimmy received another slap that left his ears ringing, and he even thought he felt blood trickling from one ear due to the blow.

«Calmed down? Now, where was I?» Alex asked, staring intently at Jimmy.

«You said your stimulant was a thousand times stronger than the medical one,» Rebecca reminded him, standing behind him with a sweet smile, though her eyes gleamed with unmistakable joy at the spectacle.

Alex turned, noticed her smile, and shook his head at that sly look.

«Thank you, my love. Now, Jimmy, as I said, this stimulant is a thousand times stronger than the ordinary kind. Let me describe what you'll feel when it enters your body. You'll start feeling everything: from the crack of bones to the strain and stretch of muscles. You'll feel the blood flowing through your veins, the squeezing and relaxing of your heart, and even each breath will seem like sheer torture. The pain will be so intense that you'll want to end it at any cost,» Alex said, turning the syringe in his hands.

He paused, savoring the horror in Jimmy's eyes before continuing:

«But because this stimulant is so powerful, its effects are brief — only ten seconds. Though it'll feel like an eternity to you.»

Staring at the syringe, Jimmy quickly shook his head, desperate to avoid experiencing its effects. But Alex only smirked, deciding to apply one last bit of pressure, raising the syringe.

«Let me help you make your choice,» he said, lifting the syringe above Jimmy's leg.

Under Jimmy's panicked gaze, Alex pretended he was about to inject it, and Jimmy, unable to handle it any longer, passed out, his head slumping to the side. Alex sighed and turned to the others, who were now looking at him as though he were a stranger.

«What?» he asked, tilting his head in surprise.

Main cleared his throat, gathering himself to explain their stares.

«Choom, has anyone ever told you that you can be... kinda terrifying?» he asked cautiously.

Alex scowled, looking at him in confusion.

«Terrifying? I was just having a pleasant conversation and giving the man some motivation to help us,» he replied, displeased.

Main just chuckled and shook his head. If describing torture to someone and threatening them with an ultra-sensitive stimulant counted as a «pleasant conversation,» he couldn't imagine what Alex's past work in interrogations must have been like.

«Whatever you say, choom. But he's out cold now. What's your plan?» Main asked, steering the conversation back on track.

Alex looked at Jimmy, whose eyes had rolled back and whose mouth was foaming. He scratched his chin, considering how to bring him back. Making a quick decision, he slapped Jimmy hard enough to snap him awake, trembling in terror. Seeing that Jimmy was now ready to cooperate, Alex asked with a smile,

«So, will you call Tanaka and invite him to your studio?»

Jimmy nodded hastily, and Alex turned to the group with a thumbs-up. Lucy rolled her eyes and returned to her seat, while Rebecca stepped closer, eyeing the terrified Jimmy.

«All set. He's ready to cooperate. Falco, fire up the engine, and let's head to our new friend's studio so he can show us some hospitality,» Alex said cheerfully, glancing at Falco, who nodded and went to start the vehicle.

Before leaving, Alex leaned down toward Jimmy, who flinched under his gaze. Alex smiled and leaned in so their eyes met.

«If you cooperate, nothing will happen.» He gave Jimmy's cheek a light pat.

Jimmy quickly nodded, showing his willingness to follow the plan and do everything possible not to mess it up. Satisfied with his resolve, Alex turned and headed toward Lucy, ready to take a break. Today was one of those days he just wanted to take it easy. Lucy gave him a gentle smile and let him settle onto her lap, making him comfortable since their height difference made it awkward for him to lean on her shoulder.

The ride was silent; everyone was absorbed in their own thoughts, not disturbing the peace. With the new, more spacious van, the group could afford a brief rest. Main was even considering taking jobs in other cities, knowing that transportation was no longer an issue. As they arrived at Jimmy's studio, they began unloading, preparing for the task ahead.

Lucy and Kiwi went to set up a powerful jammer, in case Tanaka tried to call for backup. Pilar and Rebecca took their positions to eliminate Tanaka's guards quietly if necessary. Falco stayed in the van nearby, ready for a quick getaway. Alex, with his bot GIR perched on his shoulder, followed Main and Dorio, who were escorting Jimmy to his studio.

Once inside, Alex scanned the room and instructed GIR to erase all footage from the cameras and remove any data on Jimmy to keep him from relaxing. Shoving Jimmy into a room, Alex looked at him, preparing for the next step.

«Now, invite Tanaka to a meeting — and do it naturally, like you aren't being threatened with torture or skinning,» Alex said calmly.

Nodding quickly, Jimmy called Tanaka, inviting him and promising a new BD. Once the call was over, he reported to Alex that everything went smoothly and Tanaka agreed to come. Alex decided to listen in on their conversation, in case Jimmy tried to warn Tanaka. Satisfied that all was in order, Alex found a hidden spot where he could remain unnoticed until Tanaka arrived. Main and Dorio hid in a nearby room, ready to act if necessary.

It didn't take long — within a couple of hours, Tanaka arrived. He swaggered into the room as if he owned the place.

«I expected your work, but this time you've been surprisingly fast,» he said, staying on guard.

«Always perceptive, Tanaka. Normally, it takes longer, but this particular piece is special. I think you'll want to try it and calibrate it right away,» Jimmy replied, looking him in the eye.

«Standard settings will do. I have a meeting at Arasaka later, and I don't have time for all the adjustments,» Tanaka replied, adjusting his glasses.

«What a shame. This new BD can give you sensations like nothing you've experienced…» Jimmy tried to convince him, but Tanaka cut him off:

«Kurosaki, don't test my patience,» he said coldly, staring at Jimmy. But then he heard clapping nearby, and turning, he saw a stranger seated in a chair.

Alex had been watching the scene and, tired of waiting, decided to act. He began clapping, drawing Tanaka's attention, who immediately turned to face him. Alex rose from the chair and walked toward him with a slight smile.

«Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tanaka,» Alex said.

Tanaka frowned and was about to respond when he heard the sound of a shotgun loading. He turned toward the door to see Main aiming at him, with Dorio standing beside him, fists clenched.

«You know, this would've been easier if you'd just agreed to a friend's request, Tanaka,» Main said, keeping the shotgun ready.

Tanaka quickly assessed the situation: his escape routes were blocked, and Alex stood before him, poised to stop him.

«How arrogant,» he muttered, scanning the room, and then looked at Jimmy.

«Sorry, but they really cornered me,» Jimmy said in an apologetic tone, lowering his eyes.

Tanaka growled at Jimmy, casting him a furious glance, then turned his gaze to Alex, and finally to Main and Dorio, who blocked the exit.

«Do you even know who I am?» Tanaka said arrogantly, assessing everyone in the room.

Alex smirked, noticing the arrogance in Tanaka's behavior. People like Tanaka, when faced with a threat, always try to leverage their status in the hopes of escaping a difficult situation. But there are moments when neither rank nor connections can save you, and then neither your family nor your position matters.

«Of course we know. Mr. Tanaka, one of the executives of Arasaka's Night City branch. Or did you seriously think we had no idea who you were?» Alex raised an eyebrow, holding his gaze.

Realizing that his authority meant nothing in this room, Tanaka decided to call for backup through his bodyguards. However, this maneuver didn't go unnoticed.

«Don't even try; we've set up a jammer, so all your attempts to contact anyone are useless,» Dorio chuckled, watching Tanaka.

Assessing the situation, Tanaka raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

«Quite a clever move on your part,» he said, looking around at them.

But behind this action lay a trick — a defensive mechanism activated in Tanaka's hands, and needles sprang from his fingers, ready to strike everyone in the room. Alex raised an eyebrow calmly, anticipating what would come next. Tanaka fired the needles, hoping to create chaos and make his escape, but to his horror, he realized his weapon hadn't harmed anyone. The entire volley of needles was now clenched in Alex's fists as he stood directly in front of Dorio and Main.

«Nice try, Mr. Tanaka, but unfortunately, it didn't work,» Alex said, opening his hands, letting the needles scatter on the floor.

Main, who had planned to use his implants to dodge the attack, stared in surprise at Alex, who had managed it without any implants or even activating his Sandevistan. Tanaka looked at Alex in shock, as if he were something unimaginable.

«Since you decided to make the first move, it's only fair to respond in kind,» Alex said with a smile.

In a flash, Alex moved directly in front of Tanaka, making him step back instinctively. Fear spread across Tanaka's face.

«Ninja secret technique: Heir-Crushing Strike,» Alex announced with a bloodthirsty grin.

Alex drew his leg back and struck Tanaka straight in the groin, lifting him a meter off the ground. A revolting crunch echoed as Tanaka's eggs cracked. Main and Jimmy broke into a cold sweat, seeing what had become of Tanaka. They were even more horrified upon realizing Tanaka's eggs had been crushed by the blow.

Main immediately understood why the move was named as it was, and he had a feeling that even if Tanaka had steel eggs, they wouldn't have withstood such a hit. After taking the blow, Tanaka's eyes rolled back, and he fainted, frothing at the mouth.

«Done. Target neutralized,» Alex turned to Main, giving a thumbs-up.

Main nodded and cautiously approached Alex, fearing he might receive the same blow as Tanaka. Dorio noticed Main's hesitance and gave him a shove to hurry him up.

Main felt the push in his back and looked at Dorio with a hurt expression as she urged him forward. Sighing, he approached Tanaka, whose pants were already stained red with blood. Main shook his head in pity, looking at Tanaka.

After sparing him a few seconds of pity, Main grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him out. Just before exiting, he glanced back at Alex, who was now staring at Jimmy. Alex approached Jimmy, who had shrunk into the couch, too afraid to meet Alex's gaze.

«If anything that happened here leaves this room, I'll know it was you — and I'll come back to give you a lobotomy,» Alex said, threatening Jimmy.

Jimmy flinched as he looked at Alex. He didn't understand what a lobotomy was, but for some reason, just hearing the word made his head hurt.

«You're probably wondering what a lobotomy is. It's a special operation performed on the frontal lobe of the brain. They used to do it on people with severe mental disorders, especially those with schizophrenia. The worst part is that these people ended up as nothing but empty shells of who they once were. If you don't want to end up like them, I suggest you keep your mouth shut,» Alex said, continuing to intimidate Jimmy.

Jimmy quickly started nodding, clearly in no hurry to experience a lobotomy. Seeing that Jimmy understood, Alex followed Main and Dorio, who were heading outside where they were expected. Main turned to Alex as they walked and spoke up.

«Choom, I'm gonna say it again — sometimes, you scare the crap outta me,» Main said, looking at Alex, who was walking beside him with a slight smile.

Alex glanced at Main and just shrugged, not really inclined to explain his actions. They were almost at the exit of the studio when two muffled gunshots sounded outside, followed by the sound of bodies hitting the ground. Raising an eyebrow, Alex stepped outside to find two bodies — guards in Arasaka uniforms — lying near the entrance. Looking around, he saw Rebecca waving at him from a window, holding a sniper rifle. Alex motioned for her to come down.

At that moment, a van pulled up with Falco at the wheel, opening the doors for the group to get in. Once inside, Alex noticed that Lucy and Kiwi were already settled. Smiling, he sat down next to Lucy, and once Falco saw everyone was aboard, he drove to the nearby building to pick up Rebecca and Pilar, who had been on lookout.

Once the team was all together, everyone had the obvious question: what happened to Tanaka and why were his pants covered in blood? Without much thought, Main spilled the secret, honestly sharing what Alex had done to Tanaka. Hearing this, Falco and Pilar shuddered, glancing at Alex with a mix of wariness and sympathy as they instinctively closed their legs. Alex, seeing their reaction, just chuckled and suggested heading to the base to get the necessary information as soon as possible.

«Let's go to the base. The G.I.R. will disable Tanaka so thoroughly that not only won't he be able to wake up, but he'll be impossible to track,» Alex explained.

Main thought about it and agreed with the plan, but then addressed the group.

«So, once we get what we need, what are we gonna do with Tanaka?»

A moment of silence hung in the air as everyone pondered the question, until Rebecca's mischievous voice broke through. She grinned and suggested, «How about we strip him down and dump him somewhere downtown?»

Alex grinned widely, liking the idea. Honestly, he preferred the idea of leaving Tanaka in the desert, but the city worked just fine too. Rebecca, thrilled that her idea was supported, climbed onto Alex's lap and hugged him, nuzzling her cheek affectionately against his shoulder. The group just shook their heads, watching the scene.

«You two really are made for each other,» Main sighed.

Alex gave a thumbs-up and replied, «Of course — we both love causing trouble!»

He kissed Rebecca firmly on the cheek, and she smiled contentedly. Lucy, watching the scene unfold, was reminded once again why Rebecca was so attached to Alex — not only was he caring, but he also found humor in everything. Having gotten to know him better, Lucy was no longer surprised by moments like this. The very idea of leaving Tanaka naked on the street struck her as amusing; it would certainly drive Arasaka crazy.

Main, deciding to focus on the task at hand, interrupted their exchange of thoughts. «Let's get the information first. We'll decide what to do with Tanaka later.»

The group nodded in agreement, but Alex and Rebecca began to quietly protest, still insisting on their plan to throw Tanaka out naked in the streets of Night City. Main turned away, opting not to argue with these two «gremlins,» mentally noting that Alex was a natural chaotic element, never missing a chance to stir up trouble. While it certainly added excitement, it was exhausting, especially when things spiraled out of control.

As the group drove to the base, Alex hugged Rebecca and rested his chin on the top of her head, contemplating what kind of information might be locked away in Tanaka's mind. If it turned out to be empty, he would have to go down the list, hunting for the right people within Arasaka. Alex understood that if Hanako was in danger, he might need to intervene to ensure she owed him a favor — that would be a solid strategic move.

Meanwhile, the van pulled up to the base, and the team, determined to uncover everything Tanaka might have to offer, prepared for the data extraction.

To be continued...