Cyberpunk 2077 - The Ballad of Lost Souls

V gets outside the shower then he quickly puts on his clothes. He slowly turns looking outside the window, gazing at the Night City skyline, smiling. After a small sprint, he starts casually walking around the mega building complex where his apartment located, dodging some people in the process. He finally passes a small gun shop and takes the elevator to the ground floor.

V finally walks out of the building, while being dazed by the crowds that populate the city, he notices a familiar face, sitting at a small counter that sells street food.

A muscular man, with hair pulled back behind his head, wearing a gray jacket, is eating Chinese food from a box. V runs at him as he turns around, smiling.

Jackie: Mmmh! Man of the hour... took you long enough! Worked up an appetite just waiting!

V sits on an old stool, next to Jackie 

V: Mentioned somethin' about a surprise yesterday. Am I remembering correctly or...just had a brain fart?

Jackie: Prolly both cause you usually forget shit. But it just so happens, I think I mighta bagged us a sweet-ass job.

V looks at Jackie, intrigued.

V: Go on...

Jackie: I mean, maybe it's not as big as that, but...Just that it's frontend by a little-know someone named Dexter DeShawn...Only the top fixer in all of Night fucking City! Badass black Jesus of the Afterlife.

V starts thinking then looks back at Jackie, puzzled.

V: I mean...The guy's up to his elbow in blood. And you want to shake his hand, work with him?

Jackie: It's the biz, V. Everyone's got blood on their hands. You deal with it, you move on.

V: Mmh. So what's the gig? We meant to come out in one piece?

Jackie lowers his eyes to the box of food, turning over its contents with the chopsticks.

Jackie: Our lord and savior wants to tell you everything himself. Face to face.

V: Why does he want to see me?

Jackie: Look V, his job, his rules. Can't blame him for taking the personal approach. Ain't as bad as you think, OK? Trust me.

V: Guess I got no choice then.

Jackie lays the box of food on the counter and stands up giving back to V a card.

Jackie: Thank god I'm stuffed. Anyway, brought your wheels back. Gave em' to my guy yesterday to smooth over the dents after our, uhm, dust up with the Scavs.

V takes the card and stands up.

V: Thanks Jackie. Much appreciated.

Both Jackie and V walk toward an old black sedan parked across the street and get into it.

Jackie: First stop...Ripperdoc?

V nods then starts driving.

Jackie: Oh I was supposed to stop by Vik's anyhow. I got a date...Me and Misty.

V smiles .

V: You don't say...

Jackie: She's sooo sweet. Really gets me, you know?

After a while V parks his car on a busy street populated by stores and neon lights. The two start walking through the crowd until they come to a small store illuminated by a blue sign that reads "Misty Esoterica." They both walk in. Behind the counter stands a girl with blond hair and heavy makeup, wearing a blue sweater.

Misty: Hi, V! Viktor will see you now.

Jackie: I'll sit tight over here. Me 'n Misty got a little catching up to do.

V smiles, looking at them both, then walks out the shop from the backside, through an alley and down the stairs into a kind of shuttered basement. There is a man with black hair and a pair of glasses wearing a blue medical coat sitting in front of a table.

Viktor: Glad to see you, V. It's been a while. To what do I owe the pleasure today?

V: Last gig...had to jack into a client neurosocket...Think I mighta got spiked.

Viktor: Mmh. Experiencing migraines, nausea, sensitivity to bright lights?

V: The whole package, Vik.

Viktor: Alright kid, we'll sort you out.

V: Good. Need some new kit... Tools not toys, Vik. Time I bumped up my sight and got a grip.

Viktor: Heheheeh. Really? Now? Finally.

V: Vik, shit gettin' real. Got a job from Dex DeShawn... Hitting the major leagues. Need tech that can perform.

Viktor smiles then he stands up from the stool which he was sitting on. He kicks it away and gets near a long metal chair with some screens attached to it.

Viktor: The Dexter DeShawn? Hehehe well that is something but let me guess...hasn't paid you yet.

V: Quit crying Vik. I'll bring you the eddies later. With Interest. You know I will.

Viktor begins typing on the keyboard near the chair monitor.

Viktor: Hmm. Last time, you hear?

Viktor injects something in his arm and then starts opening and closing his right hand, smiling.

Viktor: Chair, please. Sit down. Relax.

V reclines in the long metal chair, settling into its blue leather cushioning while Viktor extracts a cybernetic eye from a bottle shaped glass container.

Viktor: Kiroshi Optics. Best I've got and should be right under the circumstances. Now jack in.

Viktor stretches a cable towards V, he grabs it connecting it to his interface on the neck.

Viktor: MK1. Like i said. Decent enough scanner. Displays data on your cornea. Cherry on top's a built in external lens disruptor.

A bunch of monitors descend in front of V, carried by the arms connected to the chair.

V: I'm ready. Carve away.

Viktor: Excellent, let's do this. Now a bit of anesthetic and I can start cutting.

After a while Viktor finishes operating on V, installing on him the optics and a gray sensor on his right hand.

Viktor: Eheheh should work like a charm. Draw your weapon, you should see your ammo count and a brand new sight.

V draws his gun.

V: Shit Viktor, not bad. I dunno what to say.

Viktor smiles, taking an inhaler from the chair arm rest.

Viktor: Say you'll take this and remember the dosage. Two whiffs now and another two in one hour.

V gets up from the chair, inhaling from the canister Viktor gave him.

V: Thanks again Vik, you are the best. I owe you.

Viktor sits back on the stool, turning on a small television on the counter as V heads for the stairs.

Viktor: Yeah, whatever. Try to get back in one piece, will you?

V goes up the stairs, all excited, then enters Misty's store again and finds her next to Jackie who is sitting on some kind of massage chair.

Misty: Mmmh. Your heart chakra looks out of whack, babe. I can release it for you but watch out for negative energy fields.

V looks at them, puzzled.

Jackie: V yo, listen up. I talked to Dex while you were in with the doc. He's waiting in his ride, for you. Ain't but a hop on where he's parked next to Gramsci's Burgers.

V: Ok, I'll do my best to talk us up.

V gets out of the store and walks through the crowded streets of Night City, after a couple of blocks he spots a black limousine. After a second V gets in, crossing his eyes with a muscular man towering near the door. Inside the car is an overweight, dark skinned man in his forties, wearing a pair of glasses. He is relaxed in the seat, smoking a large cigar, holding it with his right hand, which is all gold like, his arm.

Dexter: Yo, Mr. V. A pleasure.

V gets into the car and sits in the comfortable leather seats.

V: Dexter DeShawn, in the flesh. Ample indeed.

Dexter: Mhm. Let's roll.

Dexter's bodyguard gets inside the car and starts driving.

Dexter: Mind if I ask you something? Would you rather live in peace and die as Mr Nobody, die ripe, old and smellin' like urine. Or go down for all times in a blaze of glory, surrounded by girls without being your thirtieth?

V: You are either somebody or you fizzle out into nothing. I want to live forever.

Dexter smiles then starts looking outside the windows.

Dexter: Alright listen up closely. Scannin' a serious job now. There is this...prototype tech... a biochip to be precise. Job's to grab it, simple.

V: Yeah? Guess it belongs to a corp.

Dexter: Mhm... Arasaka.

V: Eh! Corpos don't deserve special treatment. Got a plan?

Dexter: Two things: first a conundrum with the Maelstrom boys. Need an active resolvin'.

Dexter takes a big hit from his cigar.

Dexter: Second's a rendezvous, simple. The client that brought us the job is anxious. She wants to parley to one of the team.

Dexter takes a Shard from the slot on the car door and hands it to V.

Dexter: Here. See for yourself.

V inserts the shard into the slot of his neck and immediately begins to see a three dimensional recording of a factory.

Dexter: Classic tale for you. Psycogang doing it's thing. Two weeks back jumped at a Militech convoy, got away with the gear. Corp doesn't even know Maelstrom are involved. The convoy was carrying the Flathead, a little combat bot, a prototype. Without it we can kiss the 'Sake chip bye bye.

The video shows a woman with blond hair in her forties, wearing a black leather suite.

Dexter: To add to this shitstorm, one Meredith Stout from Militech has developed an interest in said convoy.

The recording stops.

V: The corpo agent. What is she plain' at?

Dexter: Hell if I know. Been skittin' around town asking after the convoy as her life depended on finding it. The only lead she is zip-tied in her trunk.

V: The client. Tell me about her. Why do we need to meet?

Dexter: Her name is Evelyn Parker. Vettin her wasn't easy. Put the word out I was looking for any kind of intel.

V: Right and...?

Dexter: Some brothers from Pacifica got back to me. Told me to stop looking. End of the convo.

V smiles.

V: Think I know everything. Time to get to work.

Dexter: That's music to my ears. I set up a meet with Miss Parker at Lizzie's Bar. On the Flathead you are goin' to be alone, though.

V opens the limo door to get out.

Dexter: One last thing mr. V.

V stops and looks straight at Dexter.

Dexter: Quiet life or blaze of glory? Hmm?

V looks at Dexter for some time then closes the door. The car runs away as V begins to walk in the crowded streets.