Leo always managed to slip away from what Jackie considered a perfect trap. During that time, he never once took the initiative against Jackie, which only made Jackie feel more frustrated. Still, he quickly perked up again, striking an exaggerated pose like a TV shopping host.
“Ta-da! Don’t blink, Leo—check this out!”
With a dramatic flourish, Jackie yanked off the dust cover, revealing a motorcycle underneath. Its sleek design gleamed in black and gold, with hefty brass exhaust pipes on either side—classic steampunk style.
Leo froze in place. His tactical goggles could only scan rough outlines, not true X-ray views, so when Jackie lifted the dust cover, Leo finally saw the bike’s real appearance. He couldn’t hold back an awed gasp.
“Wow! Awesome!”
Jackie looked extremely satisfied with Leo’s reaction. Though he had felt slightly deflated when Leo “guessed” the surprise, seeing that genuine look of wonder on Leo’s face gave Jackie a sense of triumph.
“You like it, right? I knew you would.” Grinning ear to ear, Jackie drew a circle in the air, as if to include everyone present. “All three of us chipped in, but the idea came from V and Lucy.”
V wore a faint smile. “To be precise, I was the one who suggested getting you a gift, but Lucy picked out this particular bike.”
Jackie let out a hearty laugh. “Originally, we planned to give it to you on your birthday, but we didn’t know when that was. And when Lucy, V, and I were hunting around on ePay for a gift, we saw this and jumped on it before someone else could.”
Leo ran his hand fondly over the black-and-gold chassis, feeling deeply touched. The smooth surface exuded quality, and the bold design definitely didn’t come cheap. He suddenly remembered that stretch of time when Jackie, V, and Lucy had all gone off on “other business.” Apparently, they had secretly taken on extra jobs to raise money for his present. Warmth filled his heart.
Looking at the three of them with genuine sincerity, he said, “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” Jackie replied hastily, waving a hand to dispel the serious mood. Clearly uncomfortable with displays of emotion, he continued, “You seem to like it, which means V and Lucy chose well. If you really want to thank someone, thank them. I was originally thinking of picking between the Kusanagi CT-3X, the ARCH Nazare, and the Brennan Apollo, but Lucy insisted on this one.”
V shook her head. “Don’t listen to Jackie. You don’t need to thank us for anything. We owe you so much already. This bike is just a small token. If you really want to be grateful, direct it at Lucy.”
Leaning against the wall, Lucy pulled out a cigarette but seemed to think better of it, tucking it away instead. “I only gave a reference opinion. Fenrir was made for the Japanese market; they don’t sell it in the West. Even though we bought it on eBay, I checked it out—this bike is brand new. The previous owner got it just to collect and never used it. So don’t worry about ‘riding somebody else’s wife.’”
Leo wore a playful expression. “I wasn’t thinking that at all… but now that you mention it, it does feel a bit weird.”
Lucy froze for a second, about to explain herself, but Leo changed his tone with a grin. “Kidding—I love it.”
He glanced at the three of them, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Since you all insist, I won’t keep thanking you.”
Jackie gave him a thumbs-up. “Now that’s what I’m talking about. We’re partners, right? Partners back each other up. And once you’re on this bike, you’ll be the coolest dude in Night City.”
Leo nodded. “Perfect timing, because I also have something for all of you.”
“Wait, you got us gifts too?” Jackie’s jaw nearly dropped. V and Lucy both looked surprised, finally noticing the metal case Leo had been carrying when he arrived.
Leo placed the metal case on Fenrir’s seat and popped it open. A hiss sounded as white vapor escaped from the narrow gap. The sight alone exuded a high-tech vibe, leaving the trio momentarily stunned.
Once fully opened, the case resembled a three-tiered storage box, each tier holding the custom bulletproof combat uniforms Leo wanted to give them.
“Leo, what’s this…?” Jackie asked, baffled. V and Lucy also looked puzzled, as if wondering why Leo would bother gifting them ordinary clothes.
“Don’t get me wrong—these aren’t just clothes.” Leo drew a large-caliber revolver from his waist and, without warning, fired a shot into his own arm. The thunderous crack of the gun made passersby outside the alley jump, and Jackie, V, and Lucy all flinched in alarm.
“Leo, are you nuts?!”
Leo raised a hand, signaling them to stay calm, then showed them his arm. There was no blood, and the bullet hadn’t penetrated the sleeve. A shallow dent marked the spot, which gradually returned to its original shape.
If Leo hadn’t still been holding the smoking revolver, the others might have thought they had imagined the entire thing.
“Holy crap!” Jackie lunged forward, running a hand over the sleeve. It was as if the shot had never happened, and the fabric looked completely unscathed. Jackie, who had been part of the Valentinos when he was just a teenager, knew better than anyone how precious armor with that level of bullet resistance could be. Years ago, he had nearly been killed after taking three bullets near his heart, which led him to leave the gang. Even so, he continued living a risky life as a merc.
A piece of armor that could stop a large-caliber revolver was worth a fortune—maybe worth even more than the luxury sports car they had lifted on their first job in Night City.
“Thank you.” A moment ago, Jackie had waved off Leo’s gratitude, but now he was on the verge of tears. He pulled Leo into a fierce bear hug.
“Don’t mention it, big guy,” Leo said, patting Jackie on the back. When they separated, V stepped forward and planted a soft kiss on Leo’s cheek, while Lucy gave him a quick, almost skittish hug before springing away as if shocked. Leo didn’t mind—he chalked it up to Lucy being shy. After all, she was of mixed Japanese heritage and had grown up in an Arasaka facility. It made sense that she was less openly affectionate than people from the West.
Clapping his hands, Leo broke the tension. “Anyone up for a drink? My treat!”
They headed back to the bar and enjoyed a round of celebratory drinks.
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