Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System

Being in the heart of their territory, Black Skull members tended to let their guard down. It was the same with other gangs. Once a certain area I under their control and all rivals have been eliminated, it's only natural that they would relax a little.

That wasn't to say they were being complacent. They had member scattered all around, monitoring what's going on in their streets and preparing to react at a moment's notice. Their upper echelon didn't wander around without guards either, even if it looked like the opposite. If they weren't surrounded by their subordinates, it would mean they had people in the area watching everything.

"I have marked all the cronies," Rose said. "They are the same as usual."

With access to the surrounding security cams, granted by the absent Finn, Rose had done most of the recon, marking all of the Black Skull members in the area. Dante received the data through a short-range link, and with Volcan's help, the targets appeared on the map in the corner of his vision. All they had to do now was create an opening so they could snatch their target.

"Alright," Dante said. "Let's get going."

Twisting the ignition, Rose started the old car and left their spot on the roadside. They went in the direction opposite to the one Jeremy Brighton walked in, erasing any suspicion they might have garnered from the gangsters in the area, if anyone was paying them attention to begin with.

They passed the first group. Three street rats with the tattoo of clenched teeth on their left cheek. They appeared to be loitering around a street corner, smoking something, chatting and laughing. On Dante's OAM, a red line appeared on the top of their head and went down, coating them in a red screen. Three notifications appeared on the side at the same time, each containing a progression bar and the word "Dive" on top.

One of the street rats glanced in Dante's direction but seemed to lose interest the next second. The progression bars filled right after, and Dante turned to Rose, gesturing for her to keep driving.

They did the same with the rest, driving beside them while Volcan dove into their NIMs, leaving a backdoor for him to gain access at any point. The low-ranking gangsters didn't have much in terms of cybernetic defenses, so infiltrating their implants wasn't much of a problem. In less than thirty minutes, they got everyone Rose had marked, giving them the option to fry their brains at a moment's notice.

"Now, all that's left is the big bastard."

Jeremy Brighton's main job was that of a loan shark. After having his lunch, he went around checking on the people owing him money, providing a constant reminder that they need to pay it back, and dissuading anyone from attempting to escape. He handled a couple of streets and all the buildings around them, and he seemed to enjoy doing what he does.

Rose gathered enough info to know what path he would be taking, so after finishing their preparation, they were going to wait for their target in an alley near one of his targets. Of course, things weren't going to be so easy.

[Dante, you are being trailed.]

'I have noticed…'

Dante glanced at his partner, and she glanced back at him. They continued the drive as if nothing had happened. It was only natural that an unfamiliar car would eventually draw attention, which is why they had prepared a contingency in this case.

Reaching for the glove box, Rose grabbed a small pack and brought it to her mouth, biting out a cigarette. Lighting it up, she took a big puff and let the smoke out, doing so three more times as she parked the car on the side of the road.

It didn't take long before they heard a tap on the glass. Taking another puff, Rose pressed a button and lowered the window before blowing out all the smoke in the face of whoever had approached them.

"Wha- fucking hell!!!"

They broke into a coughing fit, waving their hands as they tried to disperse the smoke. Rose immediately put on an apologetic smile.

"Ah, sorry. Didn't mean to." She said. "Did you two need something?"

Standing outside her window were two Black Skulls, as evidenced by the tattoos on the side of their face. Their anger melted away the instant they laid eyes on the purple-haired woman, and their attitude changed right after.

"Now that's a face I have never seen before," The first one said, leaning against the car with his arm on the roof. "You aren't from around here, are you?"

"You can tell?" Rose chuckled. "I don't usually hang out around these parts."

"No wonder. You got any business around here?"

As he asked that question, the man peeked inside the car. Dante was leaning against the window, his head pressed to the glass. Noticing the rat's gaze on him, he shifted his gaze, but only for a moment. Anyone who saw him would assume he was high out of his mind, thanks to all the smoke and his bloodshot eyes.

"You could say that." As she replied, Rose narrowed her eyes. "You aren't cops, are you?"

"Do we look like cops?" The second man asked, grinning.

"You can't be too sure these days."

"So," The first one turned to the right, making sure the tattoo on his face was visible. "What kind of business are we talking about?"

"Just delivering some package. We're supposed to meet the client somewhere around here, but the bastard hasn't called yet."

"Delivering a package, huh?" The first one narrowed his eyes. "What kind of package?"

"The kind that's none of your business."

When Dante said that, all eyes suddenly turned to him. The two gangsters glared at him, and he glared back. His eyes went wide the next moment, and his cheeks suddenly bulged. As they watched, he bent over and emptied the contents of his stomach inside the car.

The sight repulsed the two gangster, and their faces scrunched up with disgust. Rose was quick to put on an act, feigning anger at the accident.

"Goddamn it! I gave you a bag for a reason!"

Ignoring her shouting, Dante let out another round, causing her to panic. As he leaned down, holding his hand with both hands, Rose turned to the two gangsters and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry you had to see this. He partied a little too hard last night."

"Y-yeah, no worries." The first one said, clearly disturbed. "W-we will leave you to take care of your… business…"

The two gangsters left right away, seemingly having lost interest in Rose and her car. Pulling her window up, she reached for the ignition then stopped, glancing at Dante. The car began moving a couple of minutes later, and when it did, a smile cracked Rose's stern expression and she struggled to restrain her laugh.

"You… What were you thinking?"

When she told the two gangsters that they were there to deliver a package, Rose wasn't telling a lie. Well, for the most part. She did indeed have a package, and the recipient was one of her acquaintances in the area, but finishing the delivery was only a last resort.

If the gangsters insisted, she planned on showing them what she had and convincing them to buy what she had, but thanks to the stunt Dante pulled, there was no need to.

"Never thought you were such a good actor." She said.

"Who said it was an act?" Dante replied.

His hangover never went away, and though he had managed it well all this time, the smoke filling the car caused his restraints to weaken. His mood turned for the worse, and he was unable to take the gangster's bullshit, but just as he snapped at them, his stomach turned on him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Rose asked, finally realizing that he wasn't faking sickness.

"Yeah, I will be fine."

Dante opened his window and leaned back into his seat to enjoy some cold air. He stopped himself from thinking about anything, waiting for his throbbing head to calm down a little. He brought up the map and checked on the positions of their marked targets, and after staring at it for some time, he turned his voice inside.

'Are we still being followed?'

[Yes,] Volcan replied.

'Did you get their NIMs?'

[Yes.]

Thinking for a moment, Dante decided that they needed another push to ensure their plan is a success.

'Check their apps. Find the one they communicate with and analyze their texts.'

[Right way…]

The solution to their current predicament was very simple. All they had to do was have Volcan finish off anyone who might get in their way, but that would cause another problem. Frying the brains of a couple dozen gangsters at the same coincidence was no small deal, and anyone with a brain would realize that a skilled Diver was involved. What they needed was a more subtle way to influence their targets, and Dante had an idea on how to go about it.