Even with years of AV (aerovehicle) advancent, flying cars remained far from common. Even the top fixers in each district rarely owned an AV of their own. Still, if anyone in Night City could get Leo an AV, his money was on Rogue, the so-called "Queen of Fixers."
"One minute costs ten thousand eurodollars," she told him over the line.
"I'll rent it for an hour. If we go over, sa rate per minute."
"Deal. Since you're so direct, I'll toss in two elite gunners for free. Send your address. It'll be there in three minutes."
Leo hung up, doubled back through the Glen's gabuilding, and took the elevator all the way up to the rooftop. Rogue said three minutes, but in less than two, a silver-bodied Rayfield Excalibur descended before him, its reflective surface gleaming under the rooftop lights.
The hatch slid open upward, revealing a comfortably luxurious interior fitted with four high-end leather seats. Two of them were already occupied. One of the passengers, a rc captain nad Emrich, inclined his head toward Leo.
"Rogue says you needed our help."
The other passenger, Crispin Weyland—Rogue's private guard—checked his weapon's magazine with a grin. ", I never ask how many enemies there are, just where they're standing."
Leo nodded to them both, then climbed inside.
"Let's move."
Crispin gave a half-salute. "Your call, boss."
The hatch sealed with a hiss, and the Excalibur rose smoothly into the sky. Its thrusters flared bright blue, propelling them toward Corpo Plaza in an instant.
…
A few minutes later, a steel jungle glimred through the windows, colored by the neon haze of Night City's sleepless skyline. Under the glow of swirling holographic ads and shifting rainbow lights, corporate towers dominated the scene—a spectacle so hailed as humanity's greatest triumph, though in reality, it was just the agonized wail of exploited masses beneath the gacorporation's iron grip.
Down on the ground, Maine and his crew caught sight of the Rayfield Excalibur approaching from above.
"Look at the sky!"
"Another AV's coming in!"
"That's the Rayfield Excalibur model. Could it be Biotechnica backup?"
"No…they're not flying in formation with the other one. Hey, that heavy AV looks like it's locking onto them!"
…
"Boss," Crispin said in a half-joking tone, gesturing through the window, "tell that's not our destination, right?"
He pointed straight at the Biotechnica tower, its alarm lights flashing red, and the massive Surveyor-class AV—Biotechnica's heavy military hovercraft—hovering nacingly nearby.
"Aw, man. That beast's from the Fourth Corporate War era. We're basically a civilian party bus going toe-to-toe with a tank!"
His banter was so constant, even Emrich couldn't help comnting.
"You talk in rhys, Crispin. You planning on going back to college to finish your Arts degree?"
If Crispin weren't under Rogue's employ—plus being the son of none other than the legendary Andrew "Boa Boa" Weyland—Emrich would've shut him up ages ago.
Their carefree chatter died when the Surveyor noticed them. A missile pod rose from the top of the heavy AV, rotating to aim.
"Crap!" Crispin exclaid. "I almost forgot that thing's got an automated missile defense system!"
No sooner had he spoken than thick white smoke spewed from the tube. A missile streaked through the sky toward them.
"Evasive maneuvers!" Emrich barked, though the Excalibur's onboard AI was already pivoting hard and releasing a cloud of chaff. The missile detonated in the chaff's wake, bursting into a dazzling fireball so distance away.
But it didn't end there.
"Another one incoming!" Crispin shouted.
Eyes narrowed, Emrich slid the door open. Bracing a Militech MK.31 heavy machine gun, he squeezed the trigger. A thunderous volley of shells ripped into the approaching missile, shredding it in midair before it could collide with them. The resulting shockwave buffeted the Excalibur violently, jostling everyone inside.
"This isn't gonna work," Emrich growled. "Not as long as that monster's got a working launcher. We can't even get close, let alone rescue anyone."
Crispin rummaged through the storage compartnt. "Emrich, you told to keep it low-profile today—so I didn't bring any rocket launchers.
Now you want one? It's too late to ask questions!"
Leo pushed Crispin back into his seat. "Tell the AI to close in. I'll handle it."
"You got a bomb or sothing?"
"Don't ask," Leo snapped, "just do it."
"Fine Fine!
With a rush of thrusters, the Excalibur shot straight toward the heavy AV. Imdiately, the Surveyor unleashed two missiles at once.
"Chaff, everything we've got!" Emrich yelled.
Pop-pop-pop—
A cloud of white smoke billowed around the Excalibur as dozens of flares and chaff filled the air. The twin warheads slamd into the decoys, erupting in twin blossoms of fla.
Clouds of black smoke montarily swallowed the Excalibur whole.
…
Down below, Maine and the others watched this high-altitude duel in horror. They'd glimpsed Leo inside that civilian AV and watched it charge headfirst into Biotechnica's heavily ard craft. There was fire, smoke…and then the Excalibur vanished in a fiery plu.
Maine's heart seized. He couldn't believe Leo would just die like that. But Night City was a place of cruel surprises, where the impossible happened daily.
Rebecca stumbled to her knees, feeling guilt crash over her. If Leo was gone, it was because she'd dragged him into this.
"Look!" Pilar gasped suddenly, jabbing a finger upward.
The Excalibur burst from the smoke cloud, battered but still very much in one piece. Scorch marks streaked its hull, but it was flying.
The hatch slid open wide again. Emrich leaned out, gauging distances carefully as they neared the Surveyor's hovering silhouette. When the Excalibur was almost level with the military AV, Emrich bellowed:
"Now! Throw the—"
He was cut short as he realized Leo wasn't about to throw anything. Instead, Leo leapt clean out of the Excalibur.
"Holy shit, Emrich—he just jumped!"
"No ti for that, Crispin. Focus!"
Thump!
Leo slamd down onto the heavy AV's roof, leaving shallow dents under each foot. Dropping into a low stance, he drew back an arm.
Straight Punch!
Boom!
A fist slamd into the missile pod's base, leaving a huge, crumpled dent in the tal. Leo's strikes continued in a punishing flurry, the powered gauntlets on his arms hamring the base until it finally sheared off. Ripped loose, the pod went spinning across the air, smashing into the building's concrete wall in a massive explosion of debris.
Leo bounded off the heavy AV, landing on a nearby ledge of the Biotechnica tower with both feet planted firmly.
-------------------------
You can read 50 advanced chapters as well as 2 daily chapters on!
Patreon(.)com/IDKjust
Reviews
All reviews (0)