I was practically humming when I went for my jog the next day.

I had some more eddies in my pocket.

I had leveled up, and had a stat and skill point I needed to figure out, and my arm didn’t hurt anymore.I definitely didn’t make any massive blunders like not searching for new wheels.

Nope.

That was some other Motoko.

Definitely.Knocking over the Scav den was in every respect a good thing.

My morals hiding in the corner after I beat them like a red headed step child aside.Scavs were monsters.

So even that didn’t bother me too much.

Walk through a scav den and see the dead ripped apart bodies of the people inside, and you won’t have much difficulties committing murder as well.Now I just needed to find more scavs.

I jogged down the block as I plotted.

I had unfortunately run through my knowledge of scav locations.I considered going to Wakako to ask if she had any info, but it was probably best if I relax and let myself decompress.

I did just murder a lot of people.

It was probably bad for my mental health to instantly look for more people to kill.So instead I jogged around the block going slow on my way to the Gym.

Every device I walked past I tried Quick Hacking with Ping.

Time to train! Even if I couldn’t level Quick hacking itself yet, I still needed to grind Intelligence.Plus after an hour of slowly making my way to the gym, I would have some time to hammer at a sandbag!—-Back at home after a shower.I still had a smile on my face because of my level up at the gym.*Street Brawler skill level up!*Level 4 felt great.

Combined with Grapple, I felt actually pretty confident in a brawl.

I mean not against a gorilla arms borg or something, but if a Scav grabbed me, I think I’ll survive.When I settled onto the couch I looked first at my baby, the HMG and then at the radio.

Intelligence.

I reminded myself.

As fun as playing with the HMG would be.I really needed to get to the point where I could actually do some netrunning stuff.

Intelligence.

I got XP for it whenever I trained Breach or Quick Hack.

Which was the most consistent method I had figured out, but it was slow.I needed to raise Netrunning.

I could have handled the fight with the borg a lot easier if I could hack his optics, or just shut his Cyberware down.So I headed out into the city.

Pinging, and Breaching every Vending machine I could find again.—--That night I gained four Intelligence XP alerts.

But not a level.It was just on the edge of being too mindless for me to enjoy the grind.

But every time I got the alert it made me feel better.Plus since I was literally breaking into every vending machine I walked past.

I did get myself some treats from time to time.Over the next two days I really didn’t do much more than grind.

I had even taken to trying to sneak around while breaching.

Training myself on how best to move while hacking to keep myself out of sight.I hadn’t earned anything for Ninjutsu yet, but considering I was pretty visibly walking down the street and pretending to sneak around…I just did my best to pretend no one could see me acting like a massive dork.It even let me work some athletics training in, as I was jogging around the city.But grinding can’t go on forever.

I was mid Breach on a vending machine when it happened.

I got a text.*Wakako: Come to my parlor.

We need to talk.*That was it.

Not a woman of many words Wakako.

I shrugged, finished up my breach and rose up from where I had been crouching behind a trashcan.

Ignored the old guy next to me that was fencing stolen clothes by the looks of it, pretended he didn’t exist as I walked casually down the sidewalk.I was pretty far from home, would have to take a train on the way back.But I wondered what Wakako wanted?A short train ride back to my area I walked down Jig-jig street, bypassed the dolls, and ignored the lecherous looks from the gonks, walked into Wakako’s parlor.“Good you’re here.

Come in, stop wasting time.” Wakako called out before I could even walk up to her receptionist.

Shrugging, I passed through Wakako’s bead door.

To my surprise though, Wakako wasn’t alone.A man was lounging in the chair in front of Wakako, looking bored.

Although as he looked over his shoulder his eyes shot up.“You're kidding.

She’s a kid.”“I am not.” Wakako said bluntly.

“You wanted a gun for hire.

Here she is.” Wakako answered as she pointed a well manicured finger at me.

“Meet Motoko Kusanagi.

Fourteen.

Three days ago she raided a Scav den.

Alone.

I verified this myself.

No footage unfortunately, but 11 scavs were recovered from the site.”“Twelve.” I couldn’t help but admit after Wakako finished.

She looked at me suddenly, eyes hard.

“I uh… Stashed one in a fridge.

They probably just thought he was a victim.”Wakako nodded in acceptance of my words and turned back to the man.The man hummed a little but shook his head.

“That’s great, impressive and all.

I don’t work with kids.” He answered flatly, pointing at me.“I don’t even know what is going on.” I interrupted again, looking to Wakako.

“Can I get brought in on the sitch?”“This is Scorpion, a Nomad.

Due to some circumstances he came to me for help on a gig.” Wakako said simply waving at me.

“You don’t have time to overly argue about what help you can get.

You wanted someone that could watch your back for the eddies you offered? Out of my pool of talent few would even hear you out at the price you offer.

The girl has proven herself that I am recommending her for your job.

Here is my offer.

Take it or leave it.”“What’s the gig?” I interrupt again.

“Before he hems and haws about it, maybe I should find out if I’m even willing to take it?” I turn to look at the man.

“No offense.”“None taken.” He grumbled looking to Wakako and she once again pointed to me.

“Fine.

Here are the deets.

I got a deal going on.

Gotta keep it… Low.

The family wouldn’t like it.

Basically got a Raffen Shiv that owes me a favor.

Saved his life a year back.

Despite all the bad blood… he used to be an Aldecaldos.

Knew him as a kid.

Little snot-nosed brat.” The man sighed rubbing at his bald head.

“I get it.” I prompted and the man got himself back together.“Yeah well, I saved his ass during a storm.

We talked some shit.

He won’t be welcome back, but… He got in contact with me a week ago.

Said the Raffen found something preem.

Something I would very much like.

Now it’s not that I trust him.

I don’t, but I don’t think he is trying to ambush me either.

He has something I want, I have some eddies and… Well family stuff.

Anyway.

I’ll need someone to watch my back.

Just in case, we are going to Raffen territory after all.”“So since you can’t bring the Aldecaldos into it, considering you came to Wakako to hire a gun.” I confirmed.“About sums it up.”“What’s the pay?”“Not really sure it matters.”“You need someone you can trust at your back in a potential firefight.

I might be a Street Kid.

But I’m a professional.

I’ll fight to get us both out of there if something goes bad.” I answered simply.

“That of course depends on the pay.” I add in at the end with a shrug.“Two-thou.” He offered but I sensed it immediately.We were haggling.

“Three.

You are putting me in the path of the Raffen.” I added.

The fuckin Scav nomads.

Or better they were crazy Mad Max villains traveling the dusty roads and thieving murdering and raping their way through the desert.“Two-two.

Good chance it will just be a long quiet drive and a nice paycheck.”“Two-three.

And I’ll not ask you for ammo pay.” I countered.He was quiet for a minute before he sighed.

“Two-three.” Agreeing to bring me along.“Excellent.

Now both of you.

Get out.” Wakako ordered with the irritation only an old woman can give when forced to stay around younger people.“Thanks.” Scorpion offered with a roll of his eyes at her, but his eyes went blue a moment later and Wakako nodded.Seemed she got her payment.I followed Scorpion out of the Parlor before he turned on me.

“Listen… It’s against my better judgment to bring you on.

I don’t… The nomads don’t bring kids into dangerous situations like this.”“I’ve gone solo into a Scav den.

It’s not my first gig.”“Right… Alright, listen it’s already late, and I’m not looking to have to camp out in the desert.

So we will head out tomorrow morning.

Sounds good?”“Yeah, it sounds fine.” We flashed each other our contact information.

A weird feeling that I was starting to get used to.“Perfect.” He grumbled as he headed out into the darkness of Jig Jig street.“Raffen huh.

Fuckin scavs.” I whispered thinking about this gig.

The Solo’s guide said I should determine what level of violence to bring to a table for every Gig.

And prepare to kill if necessary.Yeah I think I was ready to kill in this case.I went home and sent Jun a text asking if he would be home tonight.I never did get a response.—--The next morning Scorpion and I confirmed after a quick back and forth how our meetup was gonna go.He was not pleased that I didn’t have a ride, and he had to come pick me up.

Nomads.

Practically married to their rides and expect everyone else to be too.Of course I got to see his irritation at waiting out on the sidewalk for me disappear into a sort of awed shock.Because I was bringing my new baby.With two arms it wasn’t too bad to walk out of the apartment much to the fearful gaze of all the people I walked past as I carried my HMG at my side.

SMG around my chest all fully loaded and ready for war.Honestly, I think Cold Blood was active, because I felt completely calm as I walked around Scorpion's cute little hatchback car.

It was a Thorton Galena according to the information that I had picked up from living in the city, but it was heavily modified.Obviously.“Damn.” Scorpion muttered looking me over, as I settled my baby in the back seat.

Before pulling the seat back in place.“I like to be prepared.

Just be happy you aren’t paying for ammo.” I told him as I settled into the seat.It was then I noticed.He had his jacket hood up.

I shrugged.

If he liked driving around with a hood over his head, I wasn’t going to comment.“Alright then.” He uttered, actually sounding a little impressed, “Well get comfortable, it’ll be about four hours for us to hit the meeting site… And it might be a while before he shows up.

So I hope you ate.”I sighed at his words and gave him an apologetic smile.We stopped at a diner before leaving the city limits.—--Other than needling each other about our choice in music stations it was a quiet drive.

Scorpion was obviously used to driving alone.

So I kept that in mind, besides even if this was the easy part, I was on a job.I kept my eyes out on the world around us and myself prepared for a battle.

I had thought keeping focused for so long would be difficult, or draining, but it wasn’t.

I simply felt that coolness in my mind that made it so easy to stay focused and alert.I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to stay cool forever.

Yet.

But it would last more than long enough for this gig.

I would relax more on the way back.Eventually a few hours into the drive as we drove through long desert roads Scorpion broke the silence.“So what made you into a merc? Not a normal job for a kid your age.”“A couple things I guess, but really it just felt right.

I have some skill, and I wanted to do something with it.” I offered with a shrug.

“Better than sitting around doing nothing I guess.”“Crazy.

Mercs die you know?”“Everyone dies.” I countered looking over to him.

“I don’t go out to die, but I know it can happen.

Honestly I was more afraid of killing someone else, than dying myself at first.

Or having someone I care about die.

So that’s what drives me.

If I can get better, get good equipment, get good cyberware.

I’m more likely to be able to save my friends and family when something goes wrong.”“You sound like a Nomad.” He offered with a chuckle.“Nah.

I like putting my feet up in my air conditioned apartment too much for that.” “Low blow about the AC.” He said quietly a moment later and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

I guess hanging out in the California desert every day could get a bit warm sometimes.“Sorry.”“Nah it’s alright.” He chuckled and we fell back into listening to the radio as we drove through the dust.—--Scorpion, Driss Meriana“Alright.

I called Connor, should show up in about an hour, he isn’t happy about how late I am, but.” Scorpion shrugged it didn’t matter.

Connor would get over it.She gave a single nod after hearing him before continuing her walk around.

Scorpion had to admit.

The girl was… Professional.

They had stopped off at a pretty common halfway house.

A place to hide out in a storm if necessary.

She had immediately cleared it, and then began walking a perimeter.

Checking over the area.

Scorpion had to admit, it was nice to know she was at least reliable.Then again he wouldn’t really know how reliable she truly was until the bullets started flying.

No, shook his head, throwing away the thought.

If the bullets started flying.

He trusted Connor not to betray him here.Not when he was also carrying letters and pictures from home along with his eddies.It would be the first pictures Connor would see of his niece.

The girl his Merc, which still embarrassed him to have actually brought along, was doing a solid job of looking around.

She moved… She moved like she had military experience.

He would know.

The unification war had left its marks on many of the Aldecaldos himself included.

He still sometimes woke up in the middle of the night reaching for the controls of his Tank.

It would usually take a few minutes of holding onto the steering wheel of his Gecko before he could relax.But this girl was way too young to have been in the war.

What did Wakako say? Fourteen? She would have been nine then.Far too young for even the corps to draft her.

Although there were a hundred other options that could cause her to move like a trained soldier.Scorpion decided to push it out of his mind.

Wakako had recommended her, and he hired her.He settled onto the hood of his Gecko to wait, watching as the girl finished her perimeter check before she actually climbed up the side of the way house, settling in next to a piece of the wayhouse's AC unit that caused her to practically disappear from view.Damn.He shrugged it off and waited.

Time ticked down as he simply enjoyed the peace of the desert.

Unfortunately as always things can’t go easy.

Before he saw connor he saw the storm.“Hey! Storm's coming in.

If he doesn’t make it before it hits, we will need to get inside.” He called out as he noticed the dust cloud building up from the south.Wouldn’t be long.Fortunately only a minute after that he heard wheels.He knew the sound of every engine in the desert.

Which is why he relaxed A Thorton Colby, Connor's ride.

He settled in signaling the girl with a thumbs up.

Which he saw she returned poking up from the roof.Damn she was hard to see.Connor’s ride pulled up.

And Scorpion had to wince.

The Raffen symbols and alterations covered the older Aldecaldos images.You could barely see them.The younger man that slipped out was just a teenager.

Barely eighteen really.

Scorpion sighed.

“Connor.”“Driss.

Good to see you, you old Scorpion.” He offered with a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.“You got it?” Scorpion asked, looking at the little trailer that Connor was pulling.“Course.” He said popping the hatch and showing off the preem Brennan Apollo.

A motorcycle that Driss had been trying to get a hold of for a while.He always wanted a bike.“Alright.” He pulled out the shard from his pocket.

“Letters, pictures, videos, everything… Your mom forced me to tell you this.

Make sure, you take care of yourself.” Driss added as he handed over the shard.

“Yeah.

She would say that.” Connor added sounding quiet as his shoulders slumped.Getting expelled from the family never came easy.

Sometimes it was a relief to the family.

Sometimes… Well sometimes kids did stupid shit.“Thanks Driss.

Alright.

Give me the eddies and this thing is yours.” Connor added quickly.

“I want to get out of here before anyone notices.

You threw off my schedule.

We were supposed to meet up yesterday.”“Sorry I had to run to Night City wanted to… Ah it doesn’t matter.” He shrugged.

His eyes shifted to blue as he transferred the eddies.“Cool.” Connor said with a sigh of relief as they both hurried over to the trailer pulling it off Connors pickup, and wheeling it over to Scorpion's Gecko.

The storm was getting close.

“Might have to camp out.” Driss offered seeing that the storm was getting close.“Nah.

I need to hurry back.

Hopefully no one will even notice I was gone.

You don’t… Well you kinda know, but you don’t really know what the Raffen are… You hear that?” Connor offered turning as his face went white.“Engines.” Scorpion agreed.

Looking concerned himself.

“That’s the same direction you came from.”“I recognize that engine.

Fuck.

They followed me.” Connor said, suddenly rushing to his ride.

“Get out of here.

I was never here!” He yelled out quickly as he jumped into his truck and took off.“Fuck.” Driss cursed, he was still holding the trailer not even finished attaching it to his gecko.

But suddenly another pair of hands were there.

“Leave it.

We need to go.

Five vehicles.” The girl said as she appeared beside him.

Her voice was completely calm as if talking about the weather.

Pushing the trailer hitch off the Gecko and leaving them free to run.“Dammit you're right.” He growled, dropping it and rushing to the driver seat.

He slipped in seeing the girl pushing the passenger seat forward and was maneuvering her big ass machine gun.“I guess it was a good thing you brought that after all.”“We’ll see.” She said calmly as if everything that was happening didn’t concern her in the slightest.They peeled out.

Scorpion flooring it to get out of here.But it was too late.

By the time they heard the vehicles they were too close.“They see us.” She said as she was looking out the back window.“Yeah.

Hold on.

I’m aiming for the storm.

Hopefully we can lose them in the dust.” He called out, swerving off the road heading towards the wall of dust coming closer and closer.She didn’t say anything after that and Scorpion focused on driving.Ramping off dunes, dodging dips, he used every ounce of skill he had to try and lose them.But the Raffen were just as good.

They were just as used to the desert as he was.They even had two bikes with them.

The sound of their engines growing closer and closer.“I’m rolling down the window.” She said suddenly and he looked over as she poked her head out and suddenly her SMG went off a few moments later he could hear the sound of one of the bikes crashing into a wreck.She jerked back into the vehicle as he heard bullets start arcing up the back of his car.“Dammit they are shooting at my baby!”“They are shooting at us too.” She muttered flatly before peaking out again and another rapid fire exchange.The second motorcycle peeled off to Scorpion's relief, but suddenly he jerked.

His gecko started dragging through the sand instead of skimming over it.

“They shot your tire.” She said flatly as she slipped back into the back seat.

Her SMG dropped onto the floor as she grabbed the HMG in the back.

It took her a moment as she looked around trying to figure out the best way to do it, but then she grabbed a seatbelt, a few moments she had it wrapped around her right arm, as she held the HMG on her left.

Then she opened the passenger door.

The wind nearly slammed it shut but she pushed it back open with the butt of the machine gun.She damn near stepped out of the car while he was going through dunes and Scorpion was sure this merc was insane, but she siddled out carrying the HMG.And then she started firing.

He winced the sound was thunderous, and he could see the way she was resting the guns back against his passenger door.He could see the bolts holding the door together strain as she allowed it to handle some of the recoil.Dammit.But a moment later in his rear view mirror he saw one of the Raffen trucks, with its entire front covered in bullet holes slide sideways and start crashing.She kept firing.Damn.

He was gonna have to thank Wakako for introducing him to the only merc in the city that walked around with an HMG wasn’t he?Unfortunately his luck didn’t hold out.

His tire must have finally finished shredding itself apart as his gecko bucked at just the wrong time.Instead of sliding over dune he smashed into it.The loss of the tire, the fact he was gunning it to try and escape.Too late.The Gecko flipped.He lost track of everything as the car started rolling.

Eventually everything stopped.He was dizzy and forced to blink the growing dust out of his eyes as he looked around.He was alone in the car.

Girl and her HMG were gone.

He reached down… Up.

And slowly popped his seatbelt off.

Grunting as he fell onto the roof of his baby.

He winced at the glass that was coating his landing pad, he reached down to pull his gun as he tried the door.

It was jammed.

With a grunt he slipped out of windshield, forcing himself to move, because he knew what came next.Unfortunately by the time he crawled out of the car there was already a shotgun pressed against the back of his head.He dropped his pistol.He knew this was over.His gun was slipped from the sand and he was forced to roll over, wincing as he was pretty sure one of his ribs were broken he looked up into the gas mask and goggles of someone he didn’t want to see.“How’s it going Frank.”“Well well.

Look who I finally caught.

Scorpion you son of a bitch.

I’m going to enjoy bartering you back to your family.

Get him up.” Frank ordered and Scorpion sighed as his arms were grabbed and he was hauled up.Suddenly shots rang out.Bullets started flying and the Raffen moved as one grabbing weapons and firing into the dust.

It took them a moment to find their shooter.The girl.

She was on her belly, face covered in blood, a pistol in one hand as she looked like she had crawled over to start firing.He tried to call out.

To tell the Raffen to leave her alone, but it wasn’t going to happen.

A few rounds shot back at her, but eventually they all heard it even over the sound of the storm kicking up.Her gun clicked as it was out of ammo.Immediately one of the Raffen charged, as he watched her struggle to reload.

Seeing the man approaching she hefted herself up on her knees as she rose to meet him, the man going to knock her out found a knife instead as she whipped it free and stabbed him in the leg.

His scream was loud, and it cut off a few moments later as she seemed to crawl over stabbing as she went and then sliced his throat.She was grabbing the Raffens rifle when a shot rang out.

A small cloud of blood burst from her back as she fell backwards rolling into the sand and down the dune.Scorpion looked away, Frank had grabbed his own rifle and taken a shot blowing a hole through her chest.“Get him up.

I’ve lost enough people over this shit.” Frank grunted, sounding not at all pleased with the situation.“Sorry kid.” Scorpion whispered.

All he could do for her.

He now had his own problems.