“Don’t worry... we’re not falling behind. Pulling people back from the Grim Reaper’s grip—that’s always been our job. This ti might have a few twists, but the outco won’t change.” Leaning back on the sofa, Arthur watched the flickering screens circling above him.
“If you put it that way, our line of work sounds downright noble...” V muttered dryly.
“Ha... yeah. I ought to head to City Center and start collecting a paycheck.” Arthur stroked his chin, then added, “Think about how many Scavs we’ve dropped. The NCPD should be handing us Citizen Hero dals by now.”
While waiting on Mr. Hans’s reply, the crew started digging for intel on Relic’s chief engineer, Anders Hellman.
Unexpectedly, the lead ca from Jackie. It was sothing the Padre had ntioned in passing, but even that was better than nothing.
The Wild Wolf Bar, Mama Welles’s place... Whatever the story behind it, no one in Heywood dared stir up trouble there.
At a table upstairs, Arthur, Jackie, and V sat listening to the big man’s report.
“That’s all there is to it...” Jackie held a massive glass, now completely drained.
“So the real intel on that guy’s with the woman at Afterlife... and she’s put a price on it... fifteen thousand eddies?” V nodded to himself. The price wasn’t cheap, but, as always, for those who needed it, it was worth every cent.
“Exactly. Old-school fixers keep tabs on everything. They always know who’s selling what.” Jackie set his empty glass aside, no longer interested in another drink. Soon, he’d be running with V on a job. It didn’t seem too dangerous, but having soone to watch your back was always better.
That’s just how he was. Scrapes and bruises on himself never mattered—but if sothing happened to his friends, that was different.
And the job that left V injured? Jackie had brought her into it. The guilt gnawed at him.
So when it ca to saving V’s life, he was ready to give it everything he had.
As the group talked, Johnny’s smug face popped into view again.
“Looks like... after I kicked it, the old crew’s still getting by pretty well.” He wore a self-satisfied grin, though V didn’t even want to acknowledge him.
Jackie, oblivious, let go of his glass and slamd a hand on the table. “Then it’s settled. V and I will check out Afterlife, just the two of us. No need to make it look like we’re showing up heavy-handed.
Arthur... I know you like to wander sotis.”
Johnny didn’t vanish from V’s sight. Instead, he leaned in with mock seriousness: “Oh no... guess I’ll need a new partner again... Truth is, I kinda liked your old fla...”
“Jackie doesn’t smoke.” V shot Johnny a sharp glare, cutting him off.
She hadn’t spoken aloud, but Johnny’s expression darkened all the sa...
V and Jackie left the bar first. Arthur stayed behind, nursing half a glass.
He drank in silence, considering his next move...
Then, suddenly, Mama Welles sat across from him. She was stern yet warm, an older woman with soft eyes.
Arthur couldn’t read much, but sothing about her felt genuine.
“I need to thank you both for bringing Jackie ho safe.” Her wrinkles weren’t deep, but her hair had gone noticeably gray. “To be honest, that night my heart was pounding... I just felt sothing bad was about to happen.”
“Uh...” Arthur wasn’t sure what to say. He set his glass on the table and finally managed, “Well... that’s sothing, then.”
Mama Welles chuckled softly, shaking her head, as if sensing his unease. “I just wanted to et you, to know you... Jackie told you’ve been looking out for him. For that, I owe you thanks.”
“Ma’am.” Arthur spread his hands. “We’re just looking out for each other...”
“Ma’am... It’s been a long ti since anyone’s called that.” She smiled kindly, then pointed to his half-full glass. “I don’t have much to give as thanks...
So how about this? From now on, drinks here are on .
Consider this place your ho.”
When the brief encounter ended, Arthur watched her walk away, gave a small nod, and let his gaze drift back.
A drink was usually followed by a nap... He stared into the still liquid in his glass, shook his head, and got up.
The sun was high—no ti for sleep yet.
Night City was always alive. Even a casual walk brought its share of excitent.
Three streets over, and already he’d seen two gang shootouts. Passersby only scread once or twice before darting a few steps away.
Heywood was lively but crawling with gangs. The locals, though, barely reacted.
It wasn’t exaggeration to call Heywood closed-off. Everyone here awas local. Which ant Arthur, a stranger on these streets, drew suspicious eyes wherever he went.
Bored, Arthur climbed into his car and drove north.
At City Center, he finally broke free of the clogged streets and found a quiet place to park.
He wasn’t just aimlessly wandering. He already had a comms open.
“You’ve been making quite the ss,” ca a woman’s cold, firm voice.
“What... wasn’t it you who wanted to et?” Arthur leaned back in the seat. “Don’t expect to agree to anything just because you ask.”
“This isn’t simple... Better said in person.” redith sounded unfazed, her tone icy.
Arthur picked up his hat but didn’t end the call. “One of my friends got hurt... Forget it. We’ll talk when we et.”
He pushed open the door and stepped out. The apartnt wasn’t far. He joined the flow of the crowd, heading that way.
It was still early. For corpo dogs, it was work hours... Whether the execs had it better, he couldn’t say. But thinking of V... it probably wasn’t much different.
Arthur didn’t hurry.
...
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