"What's the holdup? Need to go fix your hair first?"
"Shut it Dick. I thought your dates with your girlfriends were more important."
Despite the jab, Johnny still moved his chanical legs and climbed into the elevator.
"Yeah, and you ruined my date—so now you owe one, Johnny."
---
It had been a while since they'd co. But Afterlife was still the sa old Afterlife. Nothing had really changed.
If there was anything different, it was the lineup of punks loitering outside the entrance, stopped by Emrick and not allowed inside. One batch after another, they ca and went.
Most of the punks knew the rules at Afterlife. Once Emrick turned them down, they either walked off without making a fuss or stayed by the door to kill ti and watch the scene.
Of course, there were always a few who didn't believe the warnings and thought they could test their strength. Then they'd be floored by Emrick's fists and boots in under three moves, left lying there, barely able to crawl.
"Yo, Emrick. Still full of energy, I see."
A voice rang out, causing Emrick and the gathered punks to look over. When they saw Leo descending from above in a white trench coat, even Emrick's face—normally unmoved like a living fossil—broke into a rare smile.
"It's been a while, Leo."
"Been too busy to even breathe sotis."
"Ah, here for a drink or to see Rogue? If it's Rogue, I suggest stopping by Claire's for a drink first. She's busy right now—might not have ti."
"No problem. I'll grab sothing to drink first."
Emrick glanced down at the small robot walking beside Leo—Johnny Silverhand.
"This little bot yours too?"
"Yeah. Pretty sure there's no 'no bots or dogs' rule at Afterlife, right?"
"Nope. If it's yours, go on in."
The punks at the entrance stared in disbelief as Leo greeted Emrick like an old friend.
"Who the hell is that guy?"
"You don't know him? That's Leo. Rogue's VIP. The fixers around the city all go to him. There's no job he can't handle."
"So that's the Leo? I heard he used to work with Dexter. No one knows what happened, but Dexter ended up dead, and Leo walked away like nothing happened."
"Shh—keep your voice down. That whole ss is way deeper than you think."
---
"Sounds like you've made a na for yourself," Johnny muttered, hearing the conversation outside.
"It's nothing. Just trying to survive." Leo was modest.
He didn't need to show off anymore. Every fixer in the city knew him and what he could do.
Inside, Afterlife hadn't changed much either.
"Want a drink? My treat."
"Look at . Do I look like I can drink anything but engine oil?"
"Right, right—my bad."
Emrick had said Rogue was busy—probably tied up with business. After all, she was the Queen of Fixers, the fixer of fixers. There were plenty of people in Night City who needed sothing from her. That was normal.
But what Leo didn't expect was that just as he was walking toward the bar, shouting broke out from Rogue's private booth.
"No—it was you! You dragged into this! Because of you, I lost everything!"
"I'll say it one more ti, kid. Your ss, your responsibility. Clean it up yourself."
"Here's what I think—go eat shit!"
Then, a young woman with sun-kissed skin stord out of Rogue's booth, bumping into Crispin, who was guarding the door. She stomped out, full of fury, and the mont she spotted Leo waiting nearby, she snapped at him.
"If you're doing business with her, keep your damn eyes open."
Leo watched as she stord off. Johnny nudged him with a tal elbow.
"I get it, I get it. You miss so and get so, right?"
"Get what? Shut up." Leo flipped him off. "I've seen her before."
Back when Leo, Jackie, and V were negotiating with Dexter, he'd seen that woman here. Rogue had introduced her to a new partner if mory served him right.
Judging by today's scene, that partner had screwed her over, and now she was back to settle the score with Rogue.
Leo pushed those thoughts aside, greeted Crispin, and stepped into Rogue's booth.
Rogue sat on the couch like always, posture casual yet commanding. When she saw Leo enter with a robot in tow, she cracked a smile.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite little bastard. What breeze blew you in?"
Leo sat down across from her. "Still owe you for that Clente family job."
"Nothing to thank for. You paid, I gave intel. But since you brought it up—I'll just say it. You're welco. Co back anyti."
Johnny climbed up onto the couch, his chanical eye spinning as he tapped away with his limbs.
"Fuck, Rogue. Still living it up on Afterlife's throne after all these years."
Johnny's words weren't through a speaker—they were sent directly through comms.
"You trying to sell this thing to ?" Rogue asked, unaware Johnny Silverhand's consciousness was inside the robot. She assud Leo was controlling it.
"No. Uh, cough." Leo cleared his throat and considered how to phrase it. "Hey, Rogue, you still rember Johnny Silverhand?"
Rogue didn't like dumb questions or wasted ti—but since it was Leo asking, she was willing to humor him.
"Yeah, I rember. Why?"
"Don't tell you're a Samurai fan too? Sure, their music was fine back then, but co on—it's been fifty years. Tis change. Music does too. Samurai fans are just too stubborn to accept that."
Since he'd climbed up, Johnny hadn't taken his chanical eye off Rogue.
"Damn, still the sa Rogue—always loved taking shots at ."
Leo raised a brow. "She doesn't like your music?"
"No, she just never liked ."
"She didn't like you, and you still sent to talk to her?"
"No, no—it's a little more complicated than that. I'll explain later... if I feel like it."
"Yeah, sure. Like you're guarding the secrets of the universe."
Leo snorted in disdain. Johnny was a textbook playboy. He'd had multiple girlfriends—actual relationships. As for hookups? Probably not a hundred, but at least eighty.
He was sharp-tongued and awful at casual conversation. Leo had picked up on that during their ti together.
Saying Rogue "didn't like" Johnny was oversimplifying it. She probably had a love-hate thing with him.
She loved the talent. Johnny had been a soldier—fought in the Central Arican Wars. After putting down the gun, he beca a legendary rocker, writing lyrics, composing, singing, playing guitar—he did it all. Most U.S. vets ca back ho lost, many ending up holess. But Johnny Silverhand beca a star, made Samurai a household na across Night City. Calling him "talented" didn't even cut it.
But Rogue also hated him—because soone that talented had to be such an asshole. Arrogant, reckless, defiant to the end.
Leo exchanged a glance with Johnny, who hesitated but still hadn't spoken. So Leo did it for him.
"Rogue, actually… the robot's carrying Johnny Silverhand's consciousness."
Rogue didn't reply, but her expression clearly scread: Are you fucking kidding ?
If anyone else had said it, she'd have thrown them out already. But it was Leo, so she waited.
Seeing her reaction, Leo wiped imaginary sweat from his brow and looked at Johnny.
"Johnny, do sothing only the two of you would know."
Johnny stayed silent. He bent one of his chanical legs into a circle, then slid another leg through it.
Leo stared blankly. He had no idea what that was supposed to an.
---------------------------------
Note: There is a new fanfiction on my profile, it is a Naruto fanfic. Be sure to check it out!
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