"A slow day."
After finishing lunch, Karl checked his braindance library, realizing he had already watched everything.
His training chip was still with Oliver—he and Jackie had gone to the range today, if he rembered right. No driver, but it was about ti to restock on braindance.
Maybe David had so new ones? No, their crew was probably still busy investigating that gig. Even though David was just an intern, he still had to juggle running errands and attending school. Asking him to deliver braindance on top of that felt a little inconsiderate.
Right, he also needed to go out anyway—he had been planning to expand his gun storage as well. Ti to pick up so new weapons.
His gabuilding had a decent gun store, the sa one where he had gotten his Overture modified. But at the end of the day, it was still just an apartnt-complex gun shop—no chance of finding top-tier hardware there.
With both braindance and firearms on his shopping list, Karl finished his al and got ready to head out again.
Why didn't I grab these earlier?
Grabbing his Overture, Karl scrolled through his ssages while heading downstairs, checking if any fixers had contacted him.
Nothing. Not a single new ssage.
Old Captain and Rogue, both fixers he had t just yesterday, didn't seem to be in any rush.
Scrolling further, Karl found a ssage from Johnson from the night before—along with a picture. The image showed a bunch of NCPD officers huddled around a grill, barbecuing at. Nearly half the photo was just Johnson's face in an extre close-up.
Why do old folks always take their selfies like this?
But more importantly...
Did they just throw that pork straight onto the grill without any prep?
Karl eyed the large plates of at in the background, laid out next to the officers. Judging by his own experience in the kitchen, the pork had barely been thawed and marinated before being tossed onto the fire.
Comparing the ti Johnson got back last night and when he sent this ssage…
"Everyone had a great ti."
Reading Johnson's caption, then glancing at the officers' grinning faces in the photo—each one eagerly flipping at with tongs—Karl couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the people of Night City.
'As long as they enjoyed it…'
Just as Karl was about to send a reply, Johnson beat him to it—this ti, with an incoming call request.
Johnson: Karl, we've got a situation. You awake?
Karl: I'm up, heading downstairs now. What's going on?
Johnson: There's a rc, goes by Andy. One of those typical street kids—parents died when he was young, grew up surviving on his own. Had a little sister, stuck with him since childhood. Bright girl, top student in a private academy. Recently, the Tyger Claws grabbed her and dragged her into Cloudtop. Andy tracked her down, stord the place, and got her out.
Another kidnapping…
Karl instantly rembered a previous job he had taken involving the Tyger Claws and Cloudtop, which also revolved around kidnapping students. He instinctively frowned.
The Tyger Claws are getting this bold? Or is there sothing else going on here?
Karl: What's the current situation?
Johnson: Look, I couldn't care less about the Tyger Claws. Let them die, not my problem. But Andy's lost it—he's chrod out, ntally unstable, and now he's running wild through Japantown with his sister in tow. People are getting spooked. I need you to go deal with him before he makes things worse.
Karl: MaxTac hasn't been called in?
Johnson: Not all cyberpsychos get the MaxTac treatnt. And Andy hasn't actually killed anyone outside the Tyger Claws, so those gangoons are handling it themselves. They got humiliated when he tore through Cloudtop, so they're trying to make an example out of him.
But listen—I don't think the guy deserves to die. He didn't hurt any civilians, he just rescued his sister. So I'm asking you—can you get to him first? Subdue him before he goes too far? If you bring him in, I can file a bounty claim and make sure he gets processed properly.
Karl picked up on sothing off in Johnson's words.
"Johnson, this doesn't sound like you. Let guess—you're already outside waiting for , aren't you? I'm almost at the ground floor. Just be straight with ."
Ding.
"Knew I couldn't hide it from you."
As the elevator doors slid open, Johnson was already standing there in his NCPD uniform, casually leaning against his NCPD Enforcer squad car. With a nod, he gestured toward the passenger seat.
"Get in. I'll explain on the way."
Ten seconds later, Karl was in the passenger seat, instinctively leaving the door slightly ajar—just a habit.
"So, what's the deal, Johnson? Since when do you go out of your way to save cyberpsychos?"
Johnson sighed, gripping the steering wheel.
**"One part of it is just common decency. I've t Andy and his sister before—hell, I was the one who busted him back when he was just a kid getting into street gunfights. Neither of them are bad people, just another pair trying to survive in Night City.
Andy hustled his way up, made a na for himself, saved every eddie he could just to get his sister into a private academy. Kid took every job he could, pushed himself like crazy—kinda like you, honestly. He just wanted his sister to have a life worth living.
And now this happens? I can't just turn a blind eye."**
The engine roared to life, and Johnson pulled out onto the street.
"And the second reason?"
Johnson clicked his tongue.
**"This one's a favor… from an old friend. Used to be a journalist, but now she's a fixer—goes by Regina Jones.
She's trying to develop a way to suppress cyberpsychosis. Wants us to keep Andy alive long enough to bring him to her."**
Karl narrowed his eyes.
"Suppress cyberpsychosis? You serious? Thought that shit was a one-way trip."
Johnson smirked.
**"Lem tell you sothing that's been an open secret for years—'MaxTac is full of cyberpsychos.'
Where do you think they find so many psychotic chro-heads, and how do you think they keep 'em stable?"**
Karl raised an eyebrow.
"You're saying MaxTac recruits cyberpsychos and has a way to control them?"
Johnson just gave him a look—the kind that said everything without saying anything at all.
"I wouldn't know anything about that."
Oh, co on.
The MaxTac division was technically part of the NCPD, but everyone knew they were practically their own independent force. And here Johnson was, acting coy.
This is basically a confession.
Karl leaned back in the passenger seat, exhaling.
"Alright. Fine. You want him alive. What's the payout?"
Johnson kept his eyes on the road.
"I'll put in for your bounty claim. Also, Regina's offering 10,000 eddies if we deliver him to her."
Karl let out a low whistle.
"10K, huh? Haven't taken a job this small in a while."
He closed his eyes for a second, then smirked.
"Screw it. Guess I'll take it—for the kid who tore through Cloudtop solo just to save his sister."
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