Ghost in the City Chapter 9

An hour of spiraling thoughts ended with a decision to go to the Gym.

Punch stuff until I feel better, it was the only option.

I wasnt violent!

Usually.

The machine was so useful. I was glad I found it. Even with XP slowing from just punching a machine, it was really nice to punch sothing that actually responded and changed, it let fall into the zone as my mind was taken up with the challenge of getting my punches to connect. Even if the machine was actively blocking with its extra arms, trying to push my punches to the side to miss.

I fell into the rhythm, trying to outsmart the machine, sotis when I succeeded I would be rewarded with XP. A perfect system. Endorphin rush every ti I got an alert. Satisfying my addiction.

Not bad kid. A voice startled as I was adjusting the difficulty up again. You got a good strike. Where you train? The massive man that spoke was probably 67 or taller and he was at least four tis as wide as , his massive muscles shifted into gorilla arms half way down.

He wasnt the sa guy that had first drawn into this room, but there was no ending to the amount of massive n and won in the room at any one ti. They were shifting constantly. I just didnt pay attention to them mostly.

Uhh.. here? I said looking at the machine and then back to him. Having to crane my neck up a bit.

No I an who taught you to fight, you go to a boxing Gym, or a Dojo?

No. I co here. I like the machines. I added after a second.

Hoo? Really? No one taught you?

No?

Huh. Not bad. Give it a few years and you might get an invite to so of the rings. You should find a coach. Check out Tripple Extre Gym so ti. Its In Rancho Coronado, just gotta prove yourself a bit, and you will be welco.

Im not really looking to join a gang. I tell him bluntly. Im sure the Animals are cool and everything, but not my scene.

Hah! You knew that right off. Good head on you. Well I suppose it was obvious. Think about it. No better place to get so real strength. He chuckled patting on the shoulder hard enough to nearly knock off my feet before turning and heading off.

I wasnt really interested. I didnt even really want to fight hand to hand. But now that it was brought up. It might be a good place, and mostly safe place to get so XP.

But did I really want to beco a Pit Fighter?

No. But a part of that whispered XP, made the idea more tempting than it should be.

--

I was getting anxious again. I was doing so grinding on the stupid Baby's first Cyberdeck again. Since I already went to the gym today and I just

Didnt want to go outside.

But it wasnt quick XP, and continued silence from Jun was making nervous.

At least I had gotten to the point I could breach our radio and turn it on or off or even change the volu from the couch.

So that was cool. I guess.

I eventually got bored at the highly technical work before flopping back on the couch.

Soday I would be a scary netrunner that could make people blow their own brains out with a look.

That day is not today.

Unfortunately nothing else was going on. Ichi didnt have any jobs. Shobo was keeping everyone close in case there was another attack on his club.

Hiromi was out of touch again.

I wish Jun was here. That way everything would be safe again and I wouldnt have to feel this need to rush.

Maybe I should try to make so eddies?

I sighed the only thing I could think of was to kill. Im not sure if it was the city, where murder was just the fastest way to doing most things, or if it was . The urge to kill to get what I wanted.

I needed sothing to do with my hands. I realized. Exercise was fun, but it wasnt giving any XP now unless I went to the Gym, but I still needed an indoor hobby.

Maybe one that wasnt Netrunning

Well there was a skill I hadnt done anything with yet. I realized.

Crafting. Or Technical Ability But I didnt have a lot of eddies to start sothing like that. I groaned.

Money or XP. Both were hard to get without doing sothing Wait.

If I want a job, I can just get one. I reminded myself. Fixers were a thing. Hell. Wakako was over in Jig-jig street. Which I could almost see from my apartnt window.

I stood up. Sure I was a kid. And she might not even see But it was sothing. Sothing that I wanted to try!

I grinned as I got ready wishing I had found the rest of a cool outfit, but at least I had my cool jacket and gloves. I suited up, unfortunately leaving the Burya. I didnt have a holster, or ammo for it.

Outside the sun was shining through the small sections of the city that could see the sky, and I jogged down the block and crossed the street.

Then I took a right down Jig Jig Street.

The place was just how I rembered it from the ga. Dark, seedy, full of people looking to do bad things.

I think I was probably the youngest person there. But that was fine. I wandered the streets until I found it.

A pachinko parlor. The only reason I rember the exact location of Wakako was because of how funny it was. One of the most powerful Fixers in Night City hangs out in a tiny room with a TV in the back of a Pachinko den.

I entered, noticing the woman at the counter eyeing up.

Im wondering if Wakako has a mont. I asked the Neon haired girl who raised an eyebrow at .

Being fourteen kinda sucked.

But I held my gaze.

Doubt it. If she isnt already in contact with you, you arent on her radar. The girl eventually offered even going so far as to lick her finger and turn the page on the magazine she was reading.

Im aware Im not on her radar. Thats why Im here.

The woman sighed looking over. Do you have any idea how many Street Kids we get coming in here?

A lot.

Yeah, a lot. The woman finished as if that was the end of it.

I bet a lot of them ask to be tested too. A gig to prove that they arent hot air.

Save from irritating overconfident children. The woman muttered at before her eyes went gold. A few monts later she nodded and then she looked at . Go on in. If you want.

I nodded pleased. It seems I was right. Wakako couldnt only hire people that are the best of the best.

Sotis you needed street rats.

I turned to the left and walked through the door way blocked only by the weird beads that people seed to use here instead of doors.

It was a cozy little back room, an executive style desk and Wakako. The Fixer of Japantown.

The older woman was casually looking over to the tv that was to my right as I entered giving a single glance assessing and then going back to the TV.

Thank you for seeing . I say with a little bow to her. She had been high up in the Tyger Claws. Well her husband Husbands, had been.

Dont tell your na. I dont want to know it. She said simply, and her eyes went yellow. A text ca in. Finish the job, and return then maybe I will bother to learn your na. Or dont. The door. She offered simply a very brusque quick interview.

I could kind of respect it.

I didnt say anything more. Just turning and leaving.

I had my job.

I ended up on the street before I looked at it.

A man had an info shard. Wakako wanted that shard. Simple.

No other information other than where the man potentially was and a picture of him.

Thats it. No orders about how she wanted the job done, or anything.

I understood. Most street kids would probably go loud. Cause a riot.

The smart ones would go quiet klep the shard and get out. Hopefully without causing an uproar. Wakako wanted to know what kind I was.

I could do that.

-

I ended up grabbing Juns bike as the guy was hiding out across town. I ended up finding a parking lot a few blocks away and stashing the bike before continuing.

A light jog to warm up and I was there. I slipped behind a parked car as I scoped out the old auto shop. The garage door was open, but it was obvious it wasnt open for business. No, a group of Valentinos were hanging around. So were using the garage to work on their cars, it was still doable, except for one thing. A guy was outside in the parking lot, sitting on the hood of a car and drinking a beer while the radio played.

Damn. This wasnt going to be easy.

I started looking for entrances without finding much. The auto shop had a big office side to it, two stories tall connected to the three door garage, but again. There were Eight cars parked out front? That was potentially a lot of people to get caught by.

But I had a chance.

The back of the lot was covered in a high fence. It might have barbed wire around it, but I had parkour. I could definitely reach the roof from another building next door.

That was my entrance.

I moved. Moving across the street as naturally as I could before starting my climb up. An old burned out car, to the AC unit of a warehouse, to the roof. Keeping low I crossed the roof of the seemingly abandoned building heading closer to the roof of the auto shop.

As I was getting close my new view let see a hiccup. A security cara.

On the back of the building keeping an eye on the back yard which wasnt empty. It was full of cars. Newer cars. All of them missing pieces.

I guess the Tinos were using this place as a chop shop.

But I could get through. I just needed to find an entrance where the cara couldnt see. While also avoiding making any noise, or letting the Tinos out front notice I was on the roof.

Easy.

First step. I waited and when the music hit its crescendo. I leapt from my roof to the next. Landing as quietly as I could, which still wasnt really quiet. I waited, for a minute and then another.

Nothing. I started moving, crawling across the roof staying low. Letting the noise of the radio and sounds of the chanics at work hide away as I crawled across the roof until I reached the office building side. No windows opened out to the roof of the garage which was irritating. No they were on the front and back of the second floor of the office, making my job Difficult.

I scooted towards the back of the building keeping an eye on the cara so I was out of sight when it looked away from . I looked around for an entrance I could use.

There was a back door, but it was right under the cara.

No go.

I grumbled quietly. Why wasnt this as easy as the gas? Where was the obvious secret door? Or the window that was always left open?

Right. This was real and not a ga. I cald myself down, took a few breaths and started looking around again. The cara was well placed. Giving it a solid view of the entire backlot. Which I suppose was the point. Why would soone put a cara down that only looked at half of what they needed it to?

I had to go back. I crawled back towards the front of the shop peeking over the ledge.

Yep, that was a Tino sitting on a car right in front of the building. No way I could use the front of the building while he was there.

Dammit.

I was just about to give up entirely, I would just have to call Wakako back, when I got the alert.

*Ninjutsu skill level up!*

*1 Perk Point Gained.*

I felt it flow through , allowing to adjust my position just a tad to make it a little harder to notice as I slipped back down.

A perk? That could work. I opened up the list in the shadow of the second floor laying down on the roof completely hidden from the ground.

I had been hoping for sothing cool. Phase into shadows. Or invisibility. Or sothing amazing. But nothing that mystical showed up. As usual my perks were more knowledge based, more surgical in what they gave than Ninjutsu as a whole.

I did find the one that I really liked, as it was the one most likely to save my life in an ergency.

Danger sense. A mont's alert before you are seen.

For a thief that could be really useful.

I picked it without another thought going back to my current problem.

I had to get in, find the target, and find the shard.

As I was still figuring out a path inside a new vehicle pulled up. I glanced over the roof and watched as Was that Dexter DeShawn? It was! I recognized that fat backstabbing asshole anywhere!

He was too far, and the radio blocked the voice but the guy that had been waiting out on the hood of the car was chatting with him, and over the course of a few minutes sothing changed hands.

I couldnt tell if Dexter was given sothing, or if he gave sothing.

I really hope that wasnt my shard. Thinking quickly. I took a picture of the handoff. Even if my eyes werent Kiroshis like Vs I could still take pictures. I just couldnt scan. See through walls. Smart Link Okay you get the point, My eyes were civilian eyes.

Which also reminded that old Motoko had likely lost her eyes to the scavs God. I am really glad I don't have her mories now. Rembering Scavs tearing your eyes out? I shuddered.

Dexter got back into his massive car and drove off. And to my pleasure the guy who had been waiting outside? He went inside.

The front was clear!

While I didnt want to get to the front door. The front of the building did have a window. I krept over to the front edge of the roof looking down just to make sure no other straggler was around. Nope. Everyone was inside. I could just see the boots of so guy under a car as he was working on it.

Perfect. I stood and snuck over to the point where the second floor of the office and the chanic shop t, and looked over to see the window on the second floor. Peeking in was awkward but I was able to see it looked like the boss' office, and it was empty. I reached out to test the window.

I grinned. It wasnt locked. It slid as I pushed my hand against it and pulled.

Now was the hard part. It opened towards . Which ant to reach the opening I would have to jump. I sighed. Thankfully Parkour was there. And after a mont of looking it over I had the path.

I leapt feet first. Grabbing the bottom of the window sill heaving up wards. Letting my shoes hit the window sill on the opposite wall to give half a second of grip and keep from flying out into nothing, I rolled sideways forcing myself into the window.

I did land with a thump. No helping it. But I tried to keep it as quiet as I could. I quickly checked the room looking for any hiding spot just in case, but there really wasnt much.

So I waited. Wondering if I was going to have to leap back out the window. Instead it was quiet. And slowly I untensed. Then I started searching around. I needed the info Shard Wakako wanted. I went through the drawers of the desk and then around the room.

Nothing.

I took a deep breath and moved to the door, opening it a crack to see out. The floor was a bunch of desks put together like cubicles. But it was empty. No computers on the desks or anything. The place was abandoned. I slipped out, checking every corner of the room as I did. No one had been up here in a while I realized. So I moved towards the stairs. The staircase in the back of the building was an open design, the entire first and second floor were basically one massive room, just with a floor in the way. I peaked my head over the steps peeking through the top stairs to see the floor below.

And the man sitting at an old corner desk, a new laptop open as he typed away.

Target found.

But so was the man that had been waiting for Dexter outside.

Fuck.

Well is it what we need?

It is. Everything I said. See! I am good on my word. You get what you want. I get out of here.

Well Choom, a deal is a deal. Start getting packed up. We will roll once we get confirmation. The man said with a pleased smile as he slapped my target's shoulder heavily.

T-thanks. He grumbled, not sounding thankful at all.

What the hell was going on? Wakako just wanted an info shard, but this guy was about to bail! I narrowed my eyes. The Valentino to my relief left the room after that heading back into the shop. Saying sothing in spanish as the door shut.

I moved.

I had to. I didnt have ti to play around anymore. Not if I was going to complete this gig.

The target was still buried in his laptop tapping away. More than distracted enough for to get close.

The noise from outside would keep any noise from inside muffled enough.

I hoped.

I ca up behind him as silent as death. Ninjutsu was more than just stealth. It also had info on how to disable soone. Combined with Grapple. My arm ca around the Target's neck with all the force I could. A hard jerk to startle to disrupt breathing and then a solid force against his carotid. It wasnt oxygen that knocked people out with a neck grab.

It was blood flow.

He struggled of course he did. His hands flailed at first and he kicked out kicking the table a few tis.

Relax. Im not here for your life. Go to sleep. I whispered into his ear as I slowly pressured him down to the ground. His attempts at ripping my arm from his throat failed.

He wasnt chrod, and I had a solid hold.

Very soon his struggle died out and he went limp. He wasnt faking. Ninjutsu told . I let go.

*250 XP Gained.*

*Level up achieved!*

*One Stat Point Gained.*

*One Skill Point Gained.*

I blinked back the alerts. Now wasnt the ti. I went to work, searching the man I took every shard he had on him just to be safe, then since I kinda wanted to fuck up Dexter DeShawn. I took not just the shard that he had dropped off, but the Laptop my Target had been working on.

I took everything.

I was probably screwing this guy over pretty bad. I admit, but I was probably also causing trouble for Dexter. Which I would accept as a trade off.

Cause fuck that guy. He is just as bad as Faraday. Thats a fixer that needed a bullet to his head.

I hurried back upstairs in a rush. My goal the open window. Once I was there I peeked out. No one out front still. Good. The laptop was a pain in the ass. And I had to slip it into my pants and shirt using my belt to tighten it down to make sure it didnt shift as I climbed out the window, and using Parkour fell down grabbing the window sill breaking my fall and then falling the rest of the way.

I landed with a thump, but it wasnt that bad.

Cat-Like coming in clutch.

I quickly dashed around the corner disappearing from sight.

Gig complete.

--

I walked into Wakakos a few hours later with a backpack that I had stopped at ho to grab. Seriously bring a bag when on a mission Motoko you idiot.

I would never tell anyone that I had to ride ho with a laptop stuck in my pants. Not comfortable.

I walked past the girl at the front. Simply going up to Wakakos doorway and knocking gently.

Get in here. She said simply and I did so.

You got the shard?

And more. I answered opening the backpack and placing the shard that I was pretty sure was the info shard she wanted onto the table along with the laptop and the shard that Dex had dropped off.

Hmm and this? She asked only after she took the first shard and slotted it into a slot on her desk.

As I was entering sothing interesting happened. I forwarded her a text with the image of Dex doing a handoff.

Oh?

The shard in the laptop is the one he handed over. The computer belonged to the target. Not sure what the whole situation is, but the target was making a deal to leave the city, in exchange for sothing that Dex handed over. Considering your brief didnt ntion a tifra. I figure sothing is going on. Either you appreciate the info, or its useless. Either way. You got what you wanted.

Correct. I did get what I wanted. As I always do. Motoko Kusanagi. She said obviously dropping my na.

If she expected to react I didnt. A good pair of eyes could scan people and get their NCPD database instantly.

I suppose that ans Im interesting enough for you to know my na.

A clean op. You handled it like a professional. I like that in my rcs. Here is paynt. Your na is added to my contacts. I will be in touch. She gave a serious look as her eyes suddenly glowed blue. A deposit in my account ca through. Five grand. I looked surprised for a mont before nodding.

I look forward to it. I said as I turned and left.

I felt. Better. Productive. I could do this.