Cyberpunk 2077 - The Ballad of Lost Souls

V walks away from the van, back to the camp, with Max sat on his shoulder.

V: So, mr giant… Waddo you see from up there?

Max: I can almost see the sun behind those rocks. Never been into the desert before.

V hands to Max the pair of aviator glasses that Eric handed him back in Nix.

V: Here Max, put on these.

Max: Thanks mr V! they are quite dirty though. What's these stains?!

V: Dropped 'em into a puddle…Sorry.

Max: Speaking of dirt... Your jacket is full of sand. It smells bad too.

V: You don't miss a bit, wise guy! Left it a year into the closet. Wasn't a smart idea.

Max: Mr V, can I ask you a question?

V: Just V, Max…or Vincent if you want. You can ask me anything.

Max: Mom… just treat me like an idiot. Since you came into our home they started to argue a lot and I don't know what's happening… She won't tell me anything.

V: Your mom loves you, Max and your father too. They are good people.

Max: They say you are a bad guy though. I saw the MaxTac from mum's van. They came for you… right?!

V: What do you think?

Max: Dunno. You seem like a nice person to me.

V: Max, adults are… complicated. But you have to learn one thing and learn it fast... People are not what they seem to be.

V gets inside his tent and puts Max on his old wheelchair.

V: You know what Max? You look like Johnny Silverhand with that guitar and those glasses.

Max smiles.

Max: He did some good pieces.I Like classical music more tough.

V: Like?

Max: Mainly stuff from the 80's

V starts pushing Eric on the wheelchair outside the tent.

V: Really?!

Max: Maybe I like the period more than the music itself… They all seemed so happy. Nowadays everybody is sad and miserable.

V: It's just an illusion, Max. The past always seems happier than the present.

Max: By the way… Do you like Silverhand's stuff?

V: Liked him once.

Max: Same for me. Just a phase.

V: Yeah. You know… Talkin' about Johnny… I've met Eurodyne more than once and the rest of the Samurai too.

Max: Eurodyne is a sellout, everybody knows that.

V: He is just…struggling. Like everybody else.

V stops near a big open truck acting as a bar, where a woman is serving some drinks to some people.

Barlady: Hey, V! Nice to see you. What can I give you?

V: A bear. And for my friend… water?

Max looks at V, disappointed.

V: Orange juice, then.

V pushes Max up on a hill where they can both still see the sun setting in the distance. V opens both his beer and the can of juice, then sits on the sand near Max, handing him the can.

V: By the way, you've got some sick guitar there.

Max: Yeah my dad gifted it to me like five years ago.

V: Can you play it?

Max looks down, sad.

V: Damn…I'm… You have to understand me, I'm not as intelligent as your father. Can I try it?

Max: Sure.

V takes the guitar from Max's hands.

V: Uhm… What do you like me to play?

Max: Dunno. Whatever you like.

V tries to play something but all he can do is play distorted notes, Max looks at him puzzled.

Max: Uhm…

V: Johnny…

Johnny:…

V: JOHNNY!

Johnny: I don't do requests.

V: You fucking asshole, He's just a kid!

Johnny: Fine…

V stands up playing "Chippin'In" moving his hands frantically up and down the guitar. Max looks at him, delighted.

Max: YEAH!

V: You liked it?

Max: Yeah… V…Do you think that one day…I will be able to play it like you?

V: Sure, Max.

V hands the guitar back to him.

Max: V…Dad said that you are going to help me to get well…Is it true?

V: I will do anything I can… I promise.

Max: But what if there is no cure… What if I'm going to…

V: No Max, don't even say it. Your dad will never let you down.

Max looks down, again. V puts his arm on Max's shoulder.

V: Look Max, you are the strongest sixteen years old I know. When I was your age I couldn't possibly face something like this. You don't have to worry about a thing…Even if things will turn out badly.

Max: Really… How do you know?! Have you ever died?

V takes a sip from his beer then looks away from Max.

V: No.

Max: V… Your nose.

A small drop of blood drops from V's nose, he quickly cleans it out with his hand.

Max: Are you ok, V?!

V: Yeah! Just my implants. Sometimes they play tricks on me.

V looks back at Max and notices that he is following the bear with his eyes, saddened.

V: You know what Max?! Just one sip.

V hands over the beer to Max, he starts drinking it eagerly. V quickly stops him.

V: Woah…Buddy I said one sip. Mom is gonna kill me.

Max: Nah! Mom wouldn't hurt a fly.

V smiles, almost laughing. Max starts looking at V's pocket.

Max: Wait… Is that a gun?!

V: Uhm… aahh…

Max: Can I see it?!

V: No.

Max: C'mon, V!

V stands up and put the beer on a rock

V: Now look.

V starts shooting at the bottl, holding the gun with his right robotic hand. He misses all the shots, the bottle starts spinning lightly, then stops.

Max: You are not that good for being a bad guy…

V quickly uses his left hand and shoots the bottle that explodes into a million pieces, then he turns back to Max.

V: I'm left handed, cowboy!

Max: That's another thing I'm going to learn one day.

V changes expression, looking at him petrified.

V: No, Max.

V sits back near him, concerned.

V: Look, when I was your age I found all of this cool too…but there is nothing good about being me. You should be like your father, find somebody that truly cares about you and to start a family of your own.

Max: But you do have a family!

V: Who?!

Max points behind him. V smiles.

V: Max… You are too young to understand.

Max: You know, V… I don't think you are a bad guy. I've never heard a villain talking about family and love.

Suddenly Eric and Faith arrive behind Max and V.

Faith: Well, well, well. What do we have here?

Eric grabs Max's wheelchair.

Eric: Come on Max, time to go.

Max: But dad…

V: Eric, why don't you go inside my tent? Just for a moment.

Eric: Thanks, V.

Eric and Max go away. Faith waits, then gets near V who stands up, approaching him from behind, whispering in his ear.

Faith: Why don't you take your gun out?

V: What?!

V reluctantly draws his gun with the right hand, Faith leans her hand on V's right shoulder and goes down gently to his arm until they are both holding the gun.

V: Wait…What…

V's interface starts flashing and suddenly his right arm stands by itself. V shoots a stream of bullets, making a precise straight line on a rock. Faith then leaves his arm, then whispers something in his ear.

Faith: The life of my family is in your hands. I don't want any fuck ups.

Faith pushes V away and starts walking back to the camp.

V: Fuck. Thank god Panam didn't see that.

Johnny: It's not what you think. She smells of fear, let me tell you.

V: When did you become so talkative?

Johnny: Nah, just munchin' on some popcorn until the "I told you so" moment.