Wakako Okada rubbed the bridge of her nose in exhaustion. Some people liked to call her the "Queen of Westbrook," but that was mostly flattery. After all, the Tyger Claws didn't truly control all of Westbrook—only Japantown. Charter Hill and North Oak belonged to middle- and upper-class citizens, and no matter how brash or powerful the Tyger Claws were, they wouldn't dare swagger around those neighborhoods.
Moreover, Wakako wasn't the sole puppeteer behind the Tyger Claws. True, several of her ex-husbands had served as branch heads for the gang in Night City, and her nine sons were all high-ranking members who each led a sub-group under their shared family name. Still, the Tyger Claws—like every other gang in the city or in Japan—comprised numerous factions. Her sons together managed about half the Night City branch's forces, not all. They sometimes clashed with one another, too, so it wasn't exactly a unified front.
Wakako understood her own limitations. She knew perfectly well who was responsible for the chaos at the Shinto shrine. She herself had never intended to provoke Rogue, but fate had taken a frustrating turn: her youngest son had fallen hard for that female merc who once swindled Rogue. He was even willing to sever ties with Wakako if it meant staying with Ken.
Wakako had planned on making that merc "disappear" from the world, but Rogue beat her to it. Yes, while her other sons were busy arguing whether Maelstrom or Militech had done it, she already knew it was Rogue, without a doubt. They had been the ones to poke the bear first, so it was hardly surprising that Rogue retaliated.
Wakako could only swallow her anger.
...
A few days later, Leo received a call from Dexter. He and T-Bug had finally hammered out the "ideal solution." They weren't interested in waiting around, so Dexter phoned Leo immediately. Once the call ended, Leo contacted V, Jackie, and Lucy.
Although Leo believed Lucy shouldn't take part in this mission, he still wanted to make sure she stayed safe. He asked her not to return to her apartment in Japantown for a while, suggesting she stay in Heywood at El Coyote Cojo instead.
Jackie's mother, Mama Welles, ran the place, and Chihiro Kakyoin—whom Leo had once saved—would also be around. They would look after Lucy. Though Lucy worried about him, she understood she might complicate things if she joined. So she forced herself to smile and told them to focus on the job without distraction.
After that, Leo hopped on his bike and picked up V from a megabuilding. They headed to the Afterlife, where Jackie was already waiting out front, talking on the phone.
"I already have plans for tonight, come on, Ma! Stop asking, you'll find out tomorrow!" he said into the phone. "Yeah, I gotta go, Ma. I love you too."
Jackie shoved his phone into his pocket and turned to them. "You're here, finally. I thought Dexter was gonna ghost us after all this waiting. Almost drove me nuts."
Leo bumped fists with Jackie. "You seem a little tense."
Jackie waved a hand. "I was just on the phone with my mom, you know how it is—she still sees me as a kid. And I'll admit, I clam up talking to her, get all sweaty-palmed, even after so many years running jobs in Night City."
He sighed. "She's terrified I'll end up like most of the men in the Welles family, rotting in some back-alley dumpster. The more I tell her it's fine, the more I feel like I'm lying."
Leo clapped him on the shoulder. "If you want out, we could ditch Dexter and call off this gig."
Jackie's eyes went round as saucers. "No way! We've come ninety-nine steps, might as well take the last one. I'm not quitting now."
V grinned. "Knew you'd say that. Let's go, Jackie—Leo and I have your back, all the way."
They descended a short flight of steps and stepped inside the Afterlife. Emmerick was on duty near the entrance. His usually stoic face creased with a faint smile when he recognized them.
"Hey, Emmerick," Jackie called.
"Back again? Looking for Rogue, or just a drink?"
"Dexter's waiting on us."
"Ahh Right. He's in a booth at the far end."
"Thanks. I'll buy you a drink sometime."
"Sounds good."
A few mercs stuck outside stared in disbelief. They couldn't believe these three casually walked in—plus shared friendly banter with Emmerick—while those on the outside weren't even allowed through the door.
Inside, as they passed the bar, Jackie suddenly said, "Wait up—want something to drink? It's on me."
Leo shook his head. "Nope. And neither should you. We've got a big job tonight, remember?"
"One drink helps me focus. But if you insist... fine. Hang on, though." Jackie leaned on the bar. "Hey, Claire, mind keeping a recipe on file for me?"
Claire set down her cloth and glass. Recognizing him as part of Leo's group, she nodded. "Sure."
"One part vodka, on ice, add lime juice, ginger beer... and a dash of love. Right—name's Jackie Welles."
Claire smiled. "I'll remember."
...
While Jackie rattled off his order, Leo noticed something at a distant table: a young man and woman were talking. The woman looked Latina, with a healthy tan and natural good looks—someone who would turn heads anywhere.
"Rogue told me to come find you," she said.
The man nodded. "I know what we need to do, but who's footing the bill?"
"Sixth Street," she replied.
He frowned. "Sixth Street, huh? Are you sure about them?"
"I've run lines for them before. They paid on time."
"Then it should be fine."
It looked like Rogue had introduced the woman to this man for a job. Judging by her demeanor, Leo guessed she wasn't a merc but a nomad. He had been part of the Bakker family, so he recognized that "wanderer's vibe," a stark contrast to most city mercs.
V noticed him watching. "Leo? She from your old family?"
"No. But she's definitely a nomad, traveling alone. I just don't know which clan. They're not always one big happy family. Some clans feud with each other like there's no tomorrow. She could be from the Snake Nation, for all I know. She's definitely not Bakker, though."
They watched the two leave, then Jackie finished chatting with Claire. Leo said, "All right, we good? Let's handle that job you've been dying to do."
They finally headed to the far side of the Afterlife, where Dexter waited for them.
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