Two Sides of the Story
At Victor's Clinic, David watched as Victor worked his magic, upgrading Lucy and Jack's cyberware.
Victor's craftsmanship was second to none, and after hours of meticulous work, both Lucy and Jack walked away with vastly improved prosthetics.
The low-quality black-market implants they had relied on before were now gone, replaced with cutting-edge cyberware that significantly enhanced their combat efficiency and survivability.
Of course, David knew that even with these upgrades, they still had a long way to go. Strength wasn't something that could be built overnight—it had to be developed step by step.
With the enhancements complete, they finally left the clinic.
By then, evening had already set in.
Their first stop was their apartment's underground garage, where they parked the two Chevrolet Emperor 740 Armor vehicles they had purchased earlier that day.
With that taken care of, the three of them went their separate ways for the night.
Lucy returned to the apartment to dig through the dark web for any information related to the Tiger Claw Gang's destruction.
Jack had business to handle in Heywood and left shortly after.
He had an important meeting at the Afterlife Bar.
A Ride Through Night City
After confirming via text that Rogue was at the bar, David slipped on a fresh jacket and hopped onto his Kusanagi CT-4X motorcycle.
The engine roared to life.
With a flick of the wrist, he sped off into the neon-lit streets of Night City.
The cool night air whipped past him as he weaved through the traffic, reaching the bar in just a few minutes.
Parking his bike at the entrance, he strolled inside and headed straight for the counter.
"Hey, Claire," David greeted the bartender with a nod. "Hope business was good yesterday without me."
"Same as always," Claire replied, leaning against the counter with a smirk. "You didn't show up for work last night—where were you? Out causing trouble again?"
David chuckled. "Nah, just had to handle some personal business. Nothing too crazy."
Claire raised an eyebrow. "Personal business, huh? Let me guess—another job?"
David hesitated, but before he could answer, Claire continued, her tone playful.
"Come on, David, don't try to fool me. You suddenly show up with a Kusanagi CT-4X, and I'm supposed to believe you weren't working?"
David blinked in surprise. "Wait, how'd you know about the bike?"
Claire tapped her ear and grinned. "Didn't need to see it—just heard the engine."
Right. He had almost forgotten. Claire ran her own garage. If anyone knew the sound of a Kusanagi CT-4X, it was her.
David made a mental note: If I ever need a reliable mechanic for my crew, Claire might be the one to call.
"Anyway," Claire said, shifting gears, "if you're here for Rogue, she's in the V13 private room."
David nodded. "Thanks, Claire. Catch you later."
With that, he made his way towards the private lounge.
Inside the V13 Private Room
Inside the dimly lit V13 private lounge, Rogue sat across from another figure—one dressed in a red suit, sporting white hair, and a unique prosthetic implant with three artificial eyes.
David recognized him instantly.
A middleman working for Militech.
Rogue, cool as ever, exhaled a slow stream of smoke and asked, "So, what does Militech's favorite errand boy want from me?"
Faraday chuckled. "Oh, come now, Rogue. We're both middlemen. We both know that business always comes first."
Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Even when you work for a company that's at war with my biggest client?"
Faraday's grin widened. "Conflicts of interest are only a problem if there's no money involved. But let's cut to the chase."
He leaned forward, his three cybernetic eyes gleaming.
"I'm here about the Tiger Claw Gang's destruction the other night."
Rogue didn't react, so he continued.
"The way their headquarters burned... those black flames that wouldn't go out, even with the NCPD on the scene all night?"
Faraday paused for effect.
"That wasn't ordinary fire. And you know it."
Rogue finally spoke. "What's Militech's interest in it?"
Faraday's smile never wavered. "I was hoping you could tell me. After all, you've got your ear to the ground better than anyone else in Night City. I imagine Arasaka has already reached out to you?"
Rogue's eyes narrowed slightly. Smart bastard.
Indeed, just yesterday, Arasaka had contacted her, demanding information about the person responsible for the attack.
And now Militech was doing the same.
Which meant... this wasn't just some gang dispute.
Someone had made both corporations nervous.
And Rogue had a pretty good idea of who that someone was.
Still, she played it cool.
"Alright, I'll bite," she said. "If I get anything, I'll let you know. For a price."
Faraday leaned back, satisfied. "1 million eddies for any solid intel. 3 million if you deliver the culprit alive."
Rogue exhaled a plume of smoke.
"Fine. I'll be in touch."
Faraday stood, adjusting his suit. "Pleasure doing business, as always."
As he turned toward the door, it swung open—
And standing in the doorway was David.
David and Faraday locked eyes for a brief moment.
Faraday didn't recognize him.
But David definitely recognized Faraday.
A Militech lapdog sniffing around after what he had done to the Tiger Claw Gang?
David said nothing, stepping aside as Faraday left the room.
Once the door shut, Rogue leaned back in her chair. "David. What brings you here?"
David smirked, taking a seat. "I need to talk to you about something important."
Rogue raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
David rested his elbows on the table. "You know I've got my own crew now. We're taking on jobs, making moves."
Rogue nodded. "Yeah. And?"
"I'm done working behind the bar," David said, grinning. "But I don't want to just walk away from Afterlife."
Rogue's expression remained neutral. "Oh?"
David leaned forward.
"I want in. Not as a bartender."
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