The Afterlife Bar was without question the most unusual spot in Night City... a bar where no one ever truly got drunk.
Under the glow of green lights, clear liquor sloshed in glasses, mirroring the people clutching them—coming and going, silent yet flowing with madness.
It seemed... money was far more intoxicating than alcohol.
“What a pain...”
The quieter the place, the more unbearable Rebecca became. Her world was always carefree, and as for other people’s feelings? They could go to hell.
“That fat bastard’s really keeping us waiting? What, do I need to shove a gun up his ass to get him moving?”
Believe it or not—whether it was Saburo Arasaka or the President of the New United States—if they stood in front of Rebecca and gave her even the slightest provocation, this shortstack would jump up and smack them in the face.
“Big shots have a lot on their plate. Nothing unusual about that,” Jackie said. His drink was barely touched... The guy couldn’t handle liquor, but he never let it get in the way of business.
“Hey! Big guy!” Rebecca had to kneel on her chair just to reach the bar counter. She waved her glass around in the air. “Big shots? We’re big shots too! Plenty of fixers wanna deal with us...
What’s this, some Black Jesus? If he wants to act high and mighty, I’ll make him a dead saint!
And—”
A large hand pressed down on her head, cutting off her endless rant.
“Someone’s coming.”
The hoarse voice was enough to finally silence the noisy little thing.
Arthur tapped her forehead in warning. “Keep it down.”
...
“Come on in.”
A burly man built much like Jackie approached, speaking straight to the point: “The boss is waiting.”
Arthur and Jackie knew the way. The meeting spot was the same private booth as before, and inside sat Dexter DeShawn and his partner—one large, one small.
“Well, well, well... quite the family gathering.”
Dexter DeShawn spread his arms wide, the cigar between his fingers puffing smoke into the air. “And this must be Ms. V... the merc making waves lately, once an elite of Arasaka Counterintelligence.”
Hearing the fat man’s words, V curled her lip slightly in disdain. Dropping someone’s background into the conversation as a way to apply pressure... wasn’t exactly a refined tactic.
“Mr. Dexter, maybe we should skip the games and talk business. How exactly is this job laid out?”
Choosing a seat at random, V made it clear she had no interest in small talk.
“Oh! Heh...”
Dex chuckled and shook his head, his expression unchanged. “Straight to business? Ms. V, you’re really the impatient type. Looks like this partnership will work out nicely for both of us.
Alright! Since everyone’s in a rush, I’ll spell out the plan...
Here’s the deal: with Flathead in play, everything’s easy. We just need him to cut through the first layer of NetWatch at Konpeki Plaza, and then you’ll have plenty of time to move around.
From there, you’ll take the express elevator straight up to Yorinobu Arasaka’s suite, grab our little prize... and it’s done.
T-Bug will have your backs the whole way—handling surveillance, patrols, everything. No loose ends.
How’s that sound? This gig’s like going on a shopping trip... except everyone’s leaving with their mouths watering.”
Dex’s grin spread wide. He lifted his massive hands, gesturing as if the whole plan was already in his grasp.
“How do we get Flathead inside? That’s no toy, and Konpeki’s security ain’t for show.”
Jackie leaned back against the sofa, both arms draped across the backrest, and asked.
“Haha... That’s what fixers are for.”
Dex answered with complete confidence. “I secured two fake IDs—both arms dealers. So you’re just there to talk business. Carrying gear won’t raise any eyebrows.
Once you’re in, you hang in your suites while our little guy crawls across Konpeki’s network nodes... That whole Arasaka resort will be ours.”
His gaze swept the booth before he continued: “So... any questions?”
...
When no one spoke after several seconds, the heavyset man in the center clapped his hands and stood.
“Seems our plan’s airtight already...”
He tugged at the red jacket stretched tight around his bulk, pulled out a metal case, and slid it across the table toward the four.
“The chip has all the finer details. Of course, you’re the ones pulling the job, so adapt as needed.
But there’s just one core requirement: keep it quiet. Best if you don’t fire a single shot. Yorinobu Arasaka—even a sneeze out of him turns into a big deal. We’re after the goods, not to make him sneeze.”
After laying out the warning, Dex sank back into the sofa. He gestured with his cigar-wielding hand, adding with a grin, “Oh, almost forgot... I’ve arranged a Delamain ride to take you there and back.”
Jackie and V had already scanned through the chip. Data flickered in Jackie’s eyes as he burst out excitedly, “Top-spec armored limo... Dex, you’re being real generous!”
“Haha...” Dex grinned wide, clearly pleased with himself. “Of course. This fat man only works with the best. Just like... all of you.”
“Got it.” V set the chip back down on the table, having finished reviewing it. The plan was simple, effective. “We move tomorrow?”
“Exactly!” Dex gave the woman beside him a light pat on the shoulder. “No extra prep needed—our netrunner’s always ready.
We move tomorrow, split the cash tomorrow night...
If all goes smooth, we meet back here for a victory drink! If not, we regroup at the ‘Keep Your Mouth Shut’ Motel and sort out what went wrong.”