Chapter 14: Pacifica Rising!

[Maman Brigitte's POV]

Those Storm Spirits were officially on my shit list.

The fact that they were working for Horizon was a fairly open secret in Night City, so it was of no surprise that when Horizon bought Pacifica they started moving into the territory.

It's something that shouldn't have surprised me after all of our attempts to establish any of our operations in their territory.

Usually, when we plan for an operation in Night City, we plan for an extended stay. We set up a base with all of our netrunning gear, scope out our target and then complete the mission. If we go unnoticed, we start planning on enlarging our operations in the area and establish a foothold.

Over the last few months, we have been unable to accomplish any missions in the Storm Spirit's territory. They were both extremely proficient at turning away our scouts, and a death sentence against any assassin sent against them.

Everyone remembered the jarring experience of the dead body being thrown through the front of the church in the middle of a sermon. You could see the silhouettes of the Spirits standing in the light from the doorway, their eyes shining a baleful blue from under their hoods.

They said nothing as they turned and walked away, but the message was clear; The Voodoo boys have lost their privilege to be in their territory.

Since that incident, we were forced to change tactics, hiring out our dirty work to the ex-tygers. This had very limited amounts of success, as anything we set up didn't remain undetectable for very long as the local Animals would gleefully help the Spirits find our locations again and again. Our latest location has remained undiscovered for about a week now so hopefully, we can start testing their network for weaknesses sometime soon.

The local Haitians are starting to warm to the idea of Horizon owning the district. We have had to revert to some of our older ways to admonish some of the more outspoken ones. The removal of a tongue is a powerful motivator indeed.

But that didn't necessarily halt our problems. Word got out about how Horizon was hiring for simple manual labor from construction to fruit picking. A young man had left his job at the flea market to try out for a position and had come back spouting tales about his increase in wage and benefits.

We had been unable to silence him before word got out and spread throughout the district. The Spirits became proactive in the protection of their employees. When we attempted to flay one to send a message, the Spirits responded at unheard-of speeds, tearing the attackers to shreds within seconds.

The Voodoo Boys, who had taken guardianship over Pacifica after pushing out the police, we're no longer entirely welcomed by the locals. I noticed that I no longer commanded the respect that I once did when walking through the market.

People had heard of the incident with the Horizon employee. The man was well-liked by everyone for his philanthropic nature, even when he had nothing, he gave to those that needed it.

And I had ordered his execution to send a message.

We have been a source of protection and fear for the longest time in Pacifica. But now? There was a new competitor. One who was offering a better life for the locals, and wasn't afraid to stand up to us to do so.

That was made abundantly clear by the robotic dinosaurs that ripped our agents to shreds when they attempted to go after an employee.

We continued encountering more of Horizon's weird machines on the beaches surrounding Pacifica, as they picked up and processed the litter and debris coating the sand.

One of the groups tried to subvert one of the lone machines to create a backdoor into Horizon's network, only to be ripped apart by one of its protectors. All of the Protector machines seemed to be armed with a variety of weaponry ranging from chainsaw-like teeth to plasma launchers.

Attempts to hack into these machines proved unsuccessful due to being unable to connect wirelessly, and a physical connection is impossible while they are still functioning.

If we managed to down one, the Spirits would already be on site ready to defend any attempts to gather information.

Utilizing netrunner means of attacking them proved to be difficult as well. Standard attacks that we have used in the past, proved to be ineffective against the runner teams protecting the Spirits.

One of our teams burnt out all of their neurons when they attempted an all-out assault on a single Spirit. It was almost like fighting a rouge independent system with how hard it was to crack the data fortress protecting the soldier. Every time that it seemed like we would get the upper hand, we would encounter new defenses and counterattacks to our assault. Our own programs would eventually be resurrected and turned against us, slowly increasing the volume of force against our attacks. We had to abort the assault completely after it went on for long enough that the opposing force would have overwhelmed us with sheer numbers.

The only effective tactic thus far seemed to be to set traps and blow up anything they could possibly use. I'm not entirely sure if we are whittling down their numbers at all, but at least we are forcing them to fight for every inch of the district.

One thing is for sure, we are having to dedicate all of our resources to stop this invasion.

[Tavish POV]

For the life of me, I cannot understand why the Voodoo boys can't simply ask before attempting to do something in my territory.

Every other ganger I have interacted with so far can do that. Granted, it is not the easiest thing for them to do but they manage it. Gang activity is something that will always exist in Night City thanks to how the Corporations set everything up. So working with the gangs has always been an essential part of living in Night City.

I had a meeting with Gustavo the other day on that same topic.

[Flashback]

Gustavo had requested a private meeting at the El Coyote Cojo. We met at the same booth on the second floor like we did last time.

"Tavish my friend! How have you been?" Gustavo greeted enthusiastically, as I sit down at the booth across from him.

"Doing well Gustavo. How is Martha doing?" I ask.

"She is doing better by the day. The Scav incident shook her a little, but she's a tough woman, she'll pull through." He replied.

"Good to hear. So, what can I help you with today?" I ask, causing him to drop into a business-like demeanor.

"Word on the street is you're the man who has "inherited" the Tyger Claws territory. Is this true?" He questioned, prompting my nod.

"So, hypothetically, if I wanted to run some "business" in the area, what would you need for my businesses to operate properly?" He continued, raising an eyebrow.

"If, hypothetically, that happened, would you need my men for anything?" I return, watching him jolt in surprise at the idea.

"At the moment, no. I may take you up on that offer in the future." Gustavo supplied, after a moment of thought.

"Then here's what I propose. Keep me notified about some of the more interesting "items" that move thru the area. Anything special I may be interested in buying. You're welcome to move stuff through the territory and store it at a facility, but any businesses must come to me for approval first. I will deduct a small percentage from the "venture" for "security funding"." I offer, causing him to lean back in thought.

I let him think while Mama Welles brings food and drink by. She gives us both a smile before moving on to other customers.

"What items would you class as "Interesting"?" Gustavo asked, finally breaking his silence.

"Skip over anything you can easily buy on the street. Weapons and Cyberware prototypes are always welcome. Experimental drugs are something that I'd like to be able to analyze and develop an antidote for anything particularly hazardous. Anything else, I'd just make a judgment call based on the item." I reply, causing him to nod.

"I can see that being feasible. We can iron out more details later but I think we can have a mutually beneficial relationship here." Gustavo agreed.

The rest of the meal was spent discussing the finer details of what that partnership would consist of.

[Flashback End]

I already have a working relationship with both the Animals and the Mox, so coming to an agreement with the Valentinos was a welcome addition.

Maelstrom kind of does their own thing in Watson. They occasionally buy Unity from me, but other than that, they keep to themselves. Royce had come by a half dozen times in an attempt to throw his weight around, but he didn't really have the backing of the gang to back up his threats just yet.

I rarely interact with 6th Street activities outside of Mike who occasionally purchases Unity on behalf of the gang. So the only outlier in Night City currently, was the Voodoo Boys.

The Corporations weren't included in this list due to the fact that they operated on a different playing field than the people on the street. The Corps tended to pay the street muscle if they needed certain things to happen but other than that, they basically armed us to fight each other.

Arasaka and Kang Tao had rapidly become a pain in my ass after the interview. Hardly a day went by without encountering a team from either corporation attempting to either buy me out, coerce me to sign over my tech, or to just flat out assassinate me.

Arasaka's teams largely failed in assassination attempts for a while because their kill teams were fully equipped with the latest chrome on the market. They sat outside for hours at a time ready to take me out, and they just could not see my period. Their fancy cyber eyes and ears did not help in the least when I walked by them for lunch.

Kang Tao was more threatening at first thanks to this fact. The sniper round sent through my window is a testament to that.

The un-augmented assassin probably would have probably succeeded if I wasn't a gamer.

[Flashback]

I had just walked back from grabbing a bite of lunch at a nearby food stand. A new vendor had started mixing synthetic proteins with the fresh food coming from H8 to make a pretty tasty stir-fry.

My attention shifted when a woman nearby dropped her groceries, scattering them across the sidewalk.

I bent over to assist her in picking up the items when a sudden searing pain impacted the side of my head.

-6375 HP

-Vibranium Dermal Plating Impacted-

-Head dermis damaged-

-Skull Fractures Detected-

-Initiating repairs-

My nanobots started relaying messages as the woman in front of me deployed Mantis blades, slashing me across the face, leaving a long cut.

-1457 HP

I jump back and another shot rings out, impacting the wall next to me.

-Priority Reestablished-

-Triangulating Shot Source-

-Activating Titan Augmentation-

-Activating TESILA-

The neodymium shell encased my body, as the prongs extended from my fists, arcing with lightning.

[Indomitable Rage]

The unknown woman went for another flurry of slashes, her blades bouncing off the shell. My fist impacted her face, sending him into an opposing building in a blast of lightning.

A third shot bounced off my head.

-Triangulation Complete-

-Sixty-five degrees to your right-

-Thirty Meters Up-

-Two hundred meters Out-

-Deactivating TESILA-

-Reconfiguring Arm Cybernetics-

-Activating Nanoblade-

-Charging Explosive Heat Blade-

The blade extended out and the blade glowed red. I fired the blade through the window of the nearby building, slicing through the glass-like butter. The blade impact causing a shrapnel explosion to blow out the window.

-Sniper Neutralized-

-Augments deactivating-

-Warning! -

-Hostile Incoming! –

I turn to see a van pull out from a nearby ally and several more figures pile out. Behind them, I can see the woman from earlier extracting herself from the rubble.

The people were all dressed in suits and carried unmarked weapons and gear. I realized how empty the street was when a second van pulled up and some more suits got out, surrounding me on all sides.

It appears someone has set a trap for little old me.

How Quaint!

One of the men stepped forward and addressed me directly; "Dr. Tavish Byrne, you are to come with us for questioning.

"Oh? And what am I being questioned about? And who am I being questioned by?" I ask.

I can feel my regeneration kicking in and the nanobots repairing the damage to my head. While my gamers body would have protected me from serious damage, it still hurt like a mother fucker.

"Kang Tao would like to speak with you. Please come quietly and you will not be harmed." He stated, his companions aiming their weapons at me.

"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to tell old uncle Tao that they have to make an appointment like everyone else. I don't answer Kang Tao or any other corporation. Plus, you should have made the pitch before the attempted assassination." I snap back, prepping my augments for combat.

-Reconfiguring Augments-

The man didn't say anything else as he raised his pistol and fired at me.

Activating my Titan shell, I close the distance in an instant grabbing him by the face and shatter his skull against the ground.

His associates opened fire on me, causing me to quickly duck behind a vehicle.

-Activating "Scythe"-

My left arm opens up extending the tri-barrel configuration of the minigun. I pop up from behind the car and open fire. The roar of the minigun was deafening as I mowed down the suits, causing those by the second van to take cover.

The woman from earlier leaped at me once more, her teeth bared at me in a snarl, only to be ripped in half by the Scythe's high-speed bullets.

My mana dropped like a brick as I continued to pour bullets into the remaining attackers behind the other van. The Titan augment caused my mana to drop even faster as they continued to return fire.

The minigun stops firing, heat evaporating off the barrels as I observe the bullet-ridden van the remaining suits were cowering behind.

"Come on guys! I thought you wanted to violently question me?! Was that all talk?!" I shout at the van, drawing Tempest with my other hand from inside my coat.

I was met with silence as they skittered around the vehicle, trying to stay out of my line of sight. One poked his head out for a second, only for it to pop like a grape as Tempest barked out, toppling the body off to the side.

"I know you can hear me! Where was all that bravado from earlier? Don't tell me this is the first time your target has fought back?!" I roar out tauntingly, shifting my left arm back to its base form and pulling a grenade from my jacket.

"Surrender Doctor! We are still willing to take you in peacefully!" One of them called back.

Guy had balls, that's for sure.

"You guys have a weird definition of peaceful. Sorry bucko, you lost the right to take the high ground when you fired first." I called back.

Ripping the pinout of the grenade, I lob it under the van.

The van exploded sending shrapnel through the remaining hit team members.

[Flashback End]

But back to the Voodoo Boys, they seemed determined to wage a silent war with me on every front as I attempted to conquer Pacifica. They have not attempted any form of contact, and I didn't feel like sending a messenger who would just be killed.

I'd honestly be fine if they fucked off for places unknown, heck, I would have been fine if they had just gone about their business and let me build up Pacifica in peace.

Instead, they decided that I had to be stopped no matter what, and they were using every means at their disposal to do so.

While attempting to put themselves on my shit list was something of note, it was hardly my biggest concern at the moment.

Any of their assassination attempts were intercepted before they could even reach me, and thanks to Yggdrasil, I had near active tracking of any possible Voodoo Boys. And it piggybacked off of their own personal network to do so.

Now, when the Skitarii detected a particularly irritating Voodoo Boy, they could track them with extreme accuracy, making sure that they were always on the back foot as we slowly transformed Pacifica.

With the completion of yet another Cauldron, I was able to deploy Skitarii in the area in greater numbers to deal with the issue of clearing out the existing infrastructure.

Each building had to be individually assessed and determined if it is still in usable condition. Some buildings were immediately marked as a safety hazard, while others were added to plans to continue construction.

The initial developers had the right idea of turning this section of the city into a resort, but maybe I'll make it into a resort with benefits for Horizon employees. Certain percentages off a vacation package and various activities for the workers. But the clean-up had to happen first.

Streets and alleys were coated in layers of grime, graffiti, and litter. It spilled out into the streets and filled dilapidated buildings to the point of bursting. Much of the litter could be transferred to the Cauldron and broken down into useful materials, but much of what remained were corpses and rotten body parts left over from the harsh living conditions in the district.

I dedicated a hazmat team to Skitarii to remove these parts, help catalog them, and dispose of them properly.

All in all, I still had a long way to go before I'd actually classify Pacifica to be "livable".

It also further explained why the mayor was so willing to sell the land. He had deemed it too dangerous to send city employees to provide utilities, so he had cut off massive sections of water and power to the district.

The sewer system was overflowing to the point of bursting. The sewage treatment plant had been shut down for nearly a year, leaving its contents to stagnate. I didn't want to think about what people did when their toilets stopped working. Switching systems back on and connecting them to finished buildings was the first thing the workers did.

Ultimately, developing Pacifica to a point where it can actually make me money, would dry up most of my resources for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, with each building complete, it provided me a facility or business that would actually bring in more income.

The Lazarus Vector was put to good use restoring the Botanical gardens, and the hydroponics facility that was added on, provided additional income in the way of fresh food. Various wealthy people have been ordering the food in bulk, providing income for both myself, and my workers.

My main activities these days outside of working at clinic, or spending time with V was identifying the remains of the people found in Pacifica. It was an activity that I had decided to do to help bring some closure to missing persons cases in Night City. Maybe I was overly sentimental, and maybe I had too much faith in humans, but their was always the possibility that these people were missed by someone.

It was also a good chance to let both Elizabeth's run the clinic for a bit without my supervision. They had settled on the names "Beth", and "Elize" for their fresh start. Beth, being the older of the two, was more than proficient to take care of most in-patient problems, while Elize was both learning from Beth, and overseeing the waiting room.

The duo had effectively adopted each other as siblings and I had 8ug8ear obtain identification papers for both of them.

If they do well on this trial run, it will enable me to spend more time away from the clinic.

Thus, I had taken a week's sabbatical to help out in Pacifica. If they truly needed my help with something, I was a phone call away.

I had contacted the NCPD for such a huge slew of DNA samples that the cops actually sent someone to investigate me.

I was working in a triage area on the multitude of body parts when I heard a gasp behind me prompting me to turn.

River Ward

Detective

Lvl- 176

Harold Han

Detective

Lvl- 142

"Welcome gentlemen. I apologize for the grisly display." I state, as they continue to observe the many accumulated remains in horrified fascination.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Harold stated, looking a little green.

"This is the result of the mayor pulling out of Pacifica. These are the only remains of snatch and grabs, organ harvesting, murder, possible cannibalism, and a multitude of other crimes that I am in the process of identifying."

"Unfortunately, since I purchased it, it falls to me to clean up the mess left. These unfortunate souls are being dug up and found throughout the cleanup process." I explain, labeling another pile of remains and moving them over into the cataloged area."

"Your Doctor Tavish Byrne?" River questioned, observing my actions.

"The one and only. I assume you guys are here because of the huge amount of DNA tests I requested from your database?" I ask, gently sorting through another set of remains, placing them in a tray.

Without the NCPD's DNA identification database, the best I could do at the moment was consolidate the remains together. I could test for similar DNA to match the pieces of bodies together, but I didn't have enough data to pull from to make my own identification.

"Yeah. We were curious, so NCPD decided to launch an investigation. Didn't expect to find all of this though." Harold explained looking around the facility.

"To be fair, NCPD doesn't patrol here anymore, right?" I ask, prompting a nod from River.

"What's going to happen to them?" River asked, looking over the sorted remains.

"If I can Identify them, return the remains to the families. If I can't identify them, or the family doesn't want them, I might start a memorial garden somewhere that can take the ashes." I state

"This represents an extreme biohazard to the locals, more so than the shut-down of the sewer treatment plant. Quite frankly, we are lucky we aren't dealing with a new bio-plague in Night City. We have nearly all the ingredients for one right here in Pacifica." I continue, causing both of them to snap their attention to me.

"Explain." Harold stated.

"A dead body, or the remains of one in this instance, does not inheritably cause disease. But they do serve as breeding grounds for many infections and insects. On its own, it wouldn't be that big an issue, but it's compounded by the poor hygienic practices of the locals, pre-existing plagues that we all but stamped out, and waste that ends up here from either the locals or

Night City proper." I explained.

"How close are we to a bio-plague?" River asked, his voice on edge.

"It wouldn't surprise me if some of the locals are developing symptoms for it. They don't exactly trust me as a doctor yet so I couldn't tell for certain. If I had to estimate, I would say roughly thirty to forty-five percent of the population here is displaying physical symptoms for a handful of diseases that had been eradicated from the city. As far as a bio-plague, I can't be sure without testing a large group of locals." I explained to Harold.

"Could it be chalked up to a social or economic difference?" Harold questioned.

"The overall cause could be, but the situation here is simply that everyone gave up on Pacifica. It was more advantageous for various groups to just abandon Pacifica to be its own area. It became its own badlands in a very real sense. With no police or corporate intervention, its developed an extremely serious set of problems that will take time to resolve. Cleaning up the remains is just the first step." I reply, gesturing to the Skitarii bringing in another set of remains and setting it gently on a nearby exam table.

"Are we in any danger being here? Harold asked, shifting uncomfortably at the sight of the mangled corpse of the man who was just brought in.

"No. This area is for the final cataloging of the remains before they are cremated. As long as you're not handling the bodies directly, and wearing proper protection, you should be fine." I explain, causing both men to relax.

"Well, I guess I understand the situation, at least a little. Mind if we take a look around?" River questioned.

"Feel free. If you have any questions, I'll be here." I agree, and they wander off to look throughout the facility.

I don't have anything potentially incriminating here, and I needed to do what was necessary to gain access to the NCPD database. I could always hack in later if they refused my request, but I invited the Police into this operation for one reason, and one reason only.

PR.

Working with the police to return people's loved ones to them would be nothing but good PR for Horizon. Eliminating problems that were caused by the mayor's in-action was icing on the cake. I was being exceedingly careful with Horizon's reputation since it went public. Keeping such a clean reputation for the company helped me fight off the stigma that came with corporations.

Keeping a good reputation will also ensure better contracts, brand preference, and a host of other things that will help ensure company growth.

By allowing the Police to investigate, I am opening the door for some cooperation between the NCPD and Horizon. Not only does River not accept bribes, but I can't just try to bribe the police right out the gate. I have to build a some-what positive relationship first. Once I have that positive relation, I can start asking for small favors here and there and begin to make deals as far as ensuring that the police don't investigate too close into Horizon.

Realistically, I wasn't planning on too many illegal actions to be done for the company, this was more of an insurance plan against other corporations and factions in Night City.

I currently had a large alliance to draw from, but I wasn't naïve. This was Night City, anyone could turn on you at any time if they had a good enough cause for it. I had to do a balancing act to ensure I maintained and improved my current relations to certain factions. Providing some form of irreplaceable value to said faction does that. I maintained the supply of Unity to the entirety of the city at the moment, making me an invaluable resource to enemies and allies alike.

Creating more and more of a reliance on Horizon and its products increases the desire to have easier access, and the best way for that is to be on the good side of the source. The other way is kidnapping and extortion, which is why I am trying to get the police on my side. Having their "authority" supporting my actions in the aftermath of any skirmishes against other corporations. The police ruling in my favor just adds another piece of Night City that I can direct to my leisure.

Unfortunately, that means I have to build goodwill with the majority of the precinct. Being on good terms with two detectives will only get you so far. Might be a good time to start scouting out the needs of the NCPD. It would help buy me goodwill with a lot of the right people in the department.

My funds are a little short at the moment while all of my resources were focused on Pacifica, so offering the police an "in" on the "body" retrieval was an inexpensive way to buy goodwill, without adding to their overall workload. I was able to clean up Pacifica, they were able to close hundreds, if not thousands of missing person cases. With positive PR for both Horizon and the NCPD, they would have to be stupid to turn that kind of deal down.

The detectives returned after some time had passed and Harold addressed me; "Alright Doc looks like you're in the clear here. For a moment, it looked like you were running an organ harvesting haunt right out in the open." He commented jokingly, prompting a laugh from me.

"I suppose that it does look like that at first glance." I reply, glancing at the facilities around me.

Harold was right. Outside of the fact that I maintained a clean environment for safety, and how everything was organized, the area looked disturbingly similar to a haunt.

"The NCPD is happy to extend access to our database on one condition." River stated, drawing my attention.

"Alright, name it." I return.

"Due to the work you are doing out here, we want to be sure it's on the up and up. We talked with our chief, and he's willing to grant access if the NCPD has an officer stationed on site." He explained, causing me to shrug.

"That's fine. As long as we are in Horizon controlled facilities, they should be safe. But do remind whoever is on the station that this is Pacifica after all." I state drawing a nod from both of them.

"The officers assigned will be myself, and Detective Ward. Seeing as how this will close a lot of our open cases, and solve the mystery of their demise, the chief has assigned us to monitor any of the bodies you manage to dig up. We're also seasoned enough to hold our own against the locals that might try to take a shot at a cop." Harold stated with a grimace.

"Welcome to Pacifica then Detectives." I state, offering a hand and shaking hands with the men.

[Time Skip]

"You ready for this Tavish?" V asked excitedly.

We had finally completed our vehicle to compete in the street races around Night City. The Thorton Mackinaw shined duly under the street lamps along with the other cars parked at the starting line.

V had gotten in contact with a race manager and had officially signed us up for a race. She was going to be the driver, while I was the designated gunner.

The officials had gathered us before the race and had passed out Nokota D5 Copperhead's. We weren't allowed to use personal weapons to give some semblance of fairness to the other racers. Apparently, one year a gunner brought a Rocket Launcher to "blow away" the competition. The new rule was added shortly after thanks to the casualties sustained in the race.

"Yeah. Should make for a fun race." I reply, observing the other cars.

"Aw, don't be like that Tavish! Show a bit more excitement! We could potentially make a good chunk of change here!" She exclaimed, elbowing me gently.

I grin at her excitement. If there was one thing that V enjoyed doing, it was anything to do with vehicles. Cars, trucks, motorbikes, anything that had a motor would fascinate her for hours on end. She would frequently disassemble, study and reassemble vehicles she came across in her spare time.

It was hilarious when she took apart my Thrax for the first time. She absolutely lost her shit when attempting to study the trunk and its "bigger on the inside" dimensions.

I came down one day to the garage at the clinic to find the Thrax dismantled with its parts scattered everywhere with V in the epicenter of the mess. Her face was beet red with frustration with the trunk compartment laying on the floor innocently.

Regardless of how funny it was, I did need to set some rules with V regarding my vehicles after that incident. I still needed to get around Night City, so she needed to show some restraint when messing with my vehicles.

In truth, I didn't care if she wanted to upgrade or modify my vehicles. It wasn't something that I tend to go out of my way to do, but it's something she enjoys so I sometimes help. The main rule that I put down was that I needed to have at least one vehicle in full working order. Anything can happen in Night City, and I needed my cars to be in full working order when I went out on a job or made a house-call.

I was broken out of my thoughts by the sound of the ref urging people to their cars. Climbing into the passenger seat, I unhook the rifle from its mount. V revved the engine along with the other cars as the countdown started.

A notification popped into my vision partway through the countdown.

[Street Race 1]

V and you decided to climb the ranks of the racers of Night City. Do you have what it takes?

Objective 1: Win the race or make it into the qualifier for next race.

Objective 2: Disable enemy vehicles

Objective 3: Do not use any Slayer abilities

Bonus Objective: Don't kill anyone directly.

Rewards: Higher ranking in races, V's gratitude, 10 x Gacha tokens, prize monies.

No Slayer abilities? Well shoot, way to make it interesting Iris.

The timer hit zero and the racers took off! I pulled the lever on the roof hatch, popping it open and bracing against the rim of the hatch.

V speeds through the first checkpoints as I fire at the vehicles around us. I managed to blow out the tire of one of the more inexperienced drivers as V swerved around a corner taking fourth place.

The tinkering to the truck was enabling V to quickly catch up to the other drivers jockeying for first.

I reload another magazine and spray the back of one of the vehicles causing their gunner to pop out the window and return fire at me.

Aiming more careful than I am used to, and unload a quick burst, hitting him in the arm and causing him to drop the rifle, sending it skidding along the road behind us.

I'm forced to grab hold of the hatch as V drifts around another corner, taking second place. Double-checking the race overlay, I was astounded that we were already halfway done with the race.

Not wasting any time, I try to shoot out the tires of the Quadra in front of us, only for its driver to notice my tactic and swerve out of the bullet's path.

Checking behind us, a Thorton Colby was creeping up on us. The little pickup was modified for the rigors of street racing. I start firing rounds through the hood of the vehicle into the engine, peppering their truck with a whole series of new bullet holes. Their gunner took a few shots to try to deter me but I emptied four magazines into the vehicle causing it to smoke.

The truck started falling back when I heard V shout; "Tavish! I need you to focus on the car in front. I'm having difficulty passing him!"

Switching targets yet again, I start firing at the Quadra's tires once more, making the car weave back and forth on the road to avoid the bullets. This gave V the edge she needed to get out from behind the swerving car and surge ahead.

Bullets started whizzing past my head in earnest as the Quadra's gunner opened fire on me, forcing me to duck down until he ran out of ammo.

It boggled my mind how fast the race went by as we closed in on the final series of checkpoints. The Quadra and our Thorton maintained a close race as the other gunner and myself exchanged fire.

Firing bullets at the Quadra's tires caused him to swerve once more, causing the driver to collide with a light pole.

I could hear V screaming in excitement as we crossed the finish line taking first place.

The announcer was going nuts on the sidelines; "What an upset! Looks like our newcomers V and Tavish won the race! This allows them to move on and we will see them in the next race!"

Dropping back down into my seat, V grabbed me and pulled me into a kiss; We won Tavish! We actually won!" She said excitedly, breaking the kiss.

"Was their any doubt? Have more faith in your driving V!" I reply, grinning at her infectious attitude.

We ended up making almost ninety thousand eddies from the racing pot, and the pot was supposed to be even bigger next race.

[Time Skip]

Lizzy Wizzy finally took me up on that offer for a house call. After a very long-winded call from her manager, the gist of it was that she needed approval from MoorE technologies to use another companies' ripper.

And she didn't want a check-up either. No, the purpose of my visit was to design and create a custom cyberware loadout for an advertising deal Lizzy signed on for.

It was a request that piqued my interest so I accepted.

I drove the Regalia through the streets of North Oak towards Lizzy's mansion.

North Oak was a location occupied by corporate executives, politicians, braindance stars, and other world-famous people. It was located in one of the most northern parts of Night City overlooking the main city proper. The cramped conditions within the city were not seen here. Instead, the sprawling lawns and the luxurious estates of the one percent where they hosted parties and lived the way they wanted to.

Protected by private security teams, these villas truly represented how sheltered North Oak was from the true grim and grit of Night City.

Since I was actually representing Horizon during this meeting, I had to look the part.

A well-made suit with triangle-like designs around the cuffs and shoulders. It was very tricky, but I also incorporated shield weave for the first time into my clothing. A green tie completed the ensemble.

I arrive at the front gate of Lizzy's estate and get buzzed in by the security force, receiving many admiring glances at the car as I drive past. This was one odd thing that I noted when I drove up to Lizzy's villa. Her security force was all human. Many of the local celebrities favored an automated force for privacy reasons, but outside of a few drones patrolling the outskirts of the property, the security was augmented by humans.

Pulling to a stop near the house, I got out of the car as a man exited the house.

"Dr. Byrne, so glad you could make it. I'm Liam Northam, Lizzy's agent. I'm sure you heard of me." He introduced himself, leading me inside.

He led me to a living room where there were two unknown women and Lizzy quietly talking until Lizzy spotted me.

"Dr. Byrne! Thank you so much for coming." She said jumping up and surprising me with a hug.

"My pleasure Lizzy." I reply, as she parts from the hug with a pout.

I did hear about her mood swings, but I have yet to have the pleasure of experiencing them first hand.

"Aw, don't be like that doc! You solved a serious problem, so of course I'm overjoyed to see you!" She said in what had to be the most over the top manner possible.

Both of the unknown women on the couch stood up to introduce themselves. One was dressed in a business suit with the MoorE logo on the lapel, while the other was sporting a neo-kitsch dress of obnoxious blue and silver stripes.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you doctor. I am Dr. Pricilla Banks of MoorE technologies. I must say, I've been following your work with cyberware, and has posed as a source of fascination for me. Your work on cyberware is akin to art. Tell me, how did you come across such a perfect method of integrating cyberware?" Dr. Banks asked, eying me over her glasses as a predator would its prey.

"The trick is finding the right compound to facilitate an organic connection to bridge man and machine. I personally created the compound after many years of trial and error." I explain, gently deflecting her question. This caused her to mull over my comment for a moment.

[Lying has leveled up!]

Not now Iris!

"Hello~! I'm Sasha Macmillan! I'm here to keep you two eggheads on track and compliant with brand design for the cyberware!" The obnoxiously dressed woman interrupted.

Probably for the best. I have no doubt in my mind that Dr. Banks was keen on learning the exact chemical composition of Unity. I had the monopoly on it after all.

"A pleasure to meet you. So, what exactly are we designing for?" I ask, getting straight down to business.

"A new slaughterhouse burger ad. It needs to be an ad that contains the ferocity of a wild animal, yet a hint of elegance. The cyberware suite that your developing needs to turn our full metal Rockergirl into a predator." Sasha described dropping her bubbly attitude as she got serious.

She pulled out a tablet and showed me a series of images of the previous ads and the person in them. It honestly looked like they plucked a random Animal ganger off the street with tiger stripes.

"Slaughterhouse'' wishes to use Lizzy in their next ad to help present the same "in your face" feel as their last star, but they want to capture that primal fury in all of its elegance. Their last actor was far too bloody." She explained as the tablet displayed a video of said actor tearing apart the burger like a wild animal, blood spraying from the burger as he shredded it.

"So the cyberware needs to provide animal-like characteristics while providing a compliment to Lizzy's chrome." I muse aloud.

I had some designs for potential cyberware that I had been designing for those who wanted to look a bit animalistic, but I wanted to retain the rights to the design. I haven't signed any sort of a contract with MoorE yet, but not including them in the process could alienate them in the future, and so far, they have been fairly neutral towards me.

Lizzy was watching the interactions with a smile while Dr. Banks was observing me closely.

"You already have a design, don't you?" She said after observing me for a moment, causing me to jolt in surprise.

"I have several, they are prototypes that I planned on releasing next year for Horizon as a part of our "Mythos" line." I explain, causing Sasha to perk up.

"Moore industries has no problem with you maintaining your design integrity. We just want to maintain ours, and ensure that your cyberware is compatible." Dr. Banks stated, pulling paperwork out of her briefcase and passing it to me.

The paperwork detailed a mutual agreement to not implement the other companies designs, and inviting Horizon onboard the Lizzy Wizzy team for cyberware. It granted me authorization to operate as her doctor, and offered me a very tidy sum to do so. The paperwork also detailed the percentages that I would receive for my cyberware being advertised. I read it over rapidly to confirm the contract before signing it.

I set my briefcase on the table and slid a tablet out of the case and pulled up the design I had in mind for the commercial. I downloaded it onto two shards and handed them to Sasha and Dr. Banks.

"This is the project "Lamia". Adding animal characteristics to the human body has always been something that fascinated the residents of Night City, so we at Horizon decided to capitalize on that. The Cyberware layout is designed to mimic the lamia from mythology, hence the name. While the lamias of mythology were solely female, the chrome can be adapted to a male or female user."

"First point of interest is the tail. Using a series of gyroscopic synchronizers, we were able to recreate snake-like movement, enabling rapid slithering and pouncing as well as complete control over the new body. This portion can be modified for various points of storage or other surprises."

"Second point of interest is the fangs added to the mouth of the user. Similar to the older vampire cyberware with the extendable fangs, these teeth have been customized to be that of a serpent, coming with the option to un-hinge your jaw if you so desire."

"Afterwards, the entire body is patterned with the scale and color scheme of your choosing. The eyes are adjusted to accommodate low-light vision and a snake-like pupil." I explain as the two analyze the cyberware design.

"This is so Nova! How could I order some?" Sasha squealed.

"What are the drawbacks? From what I can see, you have ironed out the main design." Dr. Banks asked.

"User adaptation to the cyberware. Times vary wildly between volunteers on how long it takes to master the movement. The current fastest time is one day, while the longest time is nearing a month. Once they adjust to the new movement however, their speed is exponentially faster than standard movement. The other problem is that the cyberware needs to be scaled to the size of the user. After installation, the user is ten to twelve feet in length which could be slightly problematic." I inform her.

Dr. Banks pulls out a business card and passes it to me; "Your "mythos" line sounds interesting, especially with how you have successfully implemented your "lamia" suite. I would love the opportunity to work with you further on such a project." She offered.

"You? Or MoorE?" I ask, accepting the business card.

"Myself, but that's a conversation for another day." She stated with a smirk.

We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing possible alterations for the ad.

[Time Skip]

I need to figure out how to clone myself.

Or at least duplicate myself so I can be in two places at once.

I fell into a standard trope that tends to plague all gamers at some point or another; I took on too much work.

Between running Horizon, spending time with V, cleaning up Pacifica, running the clinic, taking the occasional merc job, house calls, and hiring personnel, I had no time left for me afterwards.

The challenge coins provided a welcome respite from the day-to-day activities of Night City, but I pulled one out and noticed some of them had changed.

[Challenge Token (World)]

Provides a random challenge in the user's current world. Can be overcome eventually.

Huh?

My curiosity got the best of me and I snapped the token, causing it to disappear.

I waited a moment, wondering if I'd receive a notification.

After a little bit I started to relax only for alarms to blare out across my network.

-New Message from the Fortress-

-Warning!-

-Demonic Incursion Detected!-

-Location: All Foods Plant, Night City-

Fuck!

I quickly pull up the technical data on a monitor.

Sure enough a portal had opened within the Maelstrom hangout. So far, the incursion has been contained to the old factory, but who knows how many exits and escape hatches their were in that place.

I quickly initiated a broadcast to all of my machines within Night City.

"To all unit's! Demonic incursion detected! Initiate a full deployment of mechanized forces. Ensure no one escapes! Identify all exit points and seal them up both sub-terranean, and above street level." I state, causing the network to burst into activity.

Accessing the clinic controls, I initiate a full lock down.

Metal shutters slid into place over all the openings as Beth and Elise run into the room.

"Tavish! What's happening?!" Beth enquiries.

"My powers decided I needed a challenge, so they caused a demonic incursion in Watson." I explain, grabbing my armor and strapping it on.

"Demonic Incursion?" Elise asked, skepticism evident.

"Demons exist?" Beth questioned.

"Yep. And I have to stop it, otherwise this world will be consumed and assimilated to be a part of hell." I reply, grabbing some extra tools and ammo that I had out of my inventory.

"Should we be worried? Do you need our help?" Beth asked.

"Eh, it's a small one at the moment. If you want to tag along that's fine, but it going to be an extremely gory encounter so if you do come, you'll need to be armed and armored to fight to the death against the legions of hell." I explain, double checking my equipment one more time.

"No thanks. Call us if it gets out of hand." Beth stated, turning on her heel and heading back to her room."

"I will have to decline as well. I have some fairly early appointments tomorrow." Elise replied.

"Alright. I'll try to resolve this so we have a tomorrow. If anything comes up, just give me a call." I return, exiting my room and heading down to street level.

[Interlude: Scav's in Space: Part 7]

I woke up gradually and stretched out comfortably in the huge bed provided to my suit in the crystal palace.

Space Scav turned into a huge hit! And I was rolling in eddies after the release of the first episode.

The percentage that I received from the show was more than I had ever seen in my entire life as a smuggler. I was able to have any women I wanted, as much drugs or alcohol as I could ingest, and I wanted for nothing.

I had enough cash on hand that I could purchase two hypercars, and still have enough money left over to eat out for half a year at high end restaurants.

Looking out the window at the earth passing by, and I could make out the densely pack lights than made up Night City.

Whoever that armored figure was, he gave me the opportunity of a lifetime.

[Interlude 2: World News Network]

"Hello I'm Arif Iqbal, and this is World News Network."

"Yorinobu Arasaka has elected to reschedule his trip to Night City to an unknown time. Rumors indicate that he is intending to reach out to the newly formed company Horizon, for the possibility of implementing project zero dawn in Japanese waters."

"While it is not confirmed if that is all the business the Arasaka corporation wishes to discuss with the relatively small company, one thing is for certain."

"Project Zero Dawn works."

"A new study published by Biotechnica has released concerning the toxicity levels in the ground around Night City, display undisputed fact that the overall ground pollution has dropped since their last test in April of 2076."

"The writer of the study suggests that if the current course is continued for the project, that the land around Night City will revert to what it was like before the last four corporate wars."

"Activities with Horizon Continue as they have purchased the Pacifica district from Night City. Horizon forces have been spotted all over the district, cleaning out old buildings, establishing businesses, and trying to make Pacifica shine."

"Will they succeed? We will keep you up to date with the latest here on WNN."