Chapter Text
Author’s Notes:
While it doesn’t show up now, I did want to mention that later on in the story, there are little bits and pieces that I include from Cyberpunk RED. Mainly some gear. From what I could tell, the things I included aren’t in the game simply because…Well, CDPR just didn’t put them in the game. It’s not some lore thing, they just didn’t include them.
Unfortunately, there are pretty much zero mods for stuff from RED, probably because a lot of people haven’t played it, and all of the art for it is very Retro 80s Future tech, and doesn’t really fit the style that 77 created.
______Cyberpunk:2077______
[Next Morning: Black Sapphire: So Mi]
So Mi sat on an ammo crate in the underground parking garage, her arms crossed, watching some of Barghest load up the Neural Matrix container into an armored truck. Her cure was right in front of her, and it was about to be taken in a convoy heading to the stadium. Kurt probably didn’t want her getting any ideas being so close to it in the Sapphire. Sure, she didn’t have the access codes, but she’d eventually find a workaround.
If she could still talk to V, she could tell her to blast through the doors and rip these bastards to shreds. But, alas, she was stuck as the princess in another castle, waiting for her knight in shining cyberware to find her.
“My men are scared of you.” So Mi didn’t turn her head, merely glancing to the side as Kurt walked up next to her. “They’re afraid one wrong look will earn them burnt synapses.”
So Mi hummed to herself, “Hmm, it might. Pretty worthless soldiers if they’re afraid of one person.”
“Their fear doesn’t matter, because they’ll still do what they're told. I reward them for their loyalty, so they stay loyal. One look at you is proof of how Myers rewards the people who make her life possible.”
The garage door suddenly opened up, a truck speeding into the garage. They pulled in by the door, with the driver getting out, holding his bleeding shoulder. He opened up the back, allowing a couple other soldiers to pull out other badly wounded soldiers.
So Mi grimaced, “Some reward…”
As other soldiers began to gather around, helping the wounded inside, one walked up to Kurt breathing heavily, “I’m sorry, sir. Some crazy bitch showed up at one of the supply drops, fought both us and the Rats all by herself. Same chick from the crash, I think. It was like a fuckin’ nightmare.”
Kurt frowned as he heard So Mi chuckle behind him, turning back to see her smiling to herself. So Mi just shrugged, getting up to go back to her room, “Guess they were afraid of the wrong woman.”
______Cyberpunk:2077______
[Next Day: Night: Slider’s Hideout: V]
“This is a bad idea,” V shook her head, sitting next to Slider with his personal jack in her neural port, preparing to reconnect to So Mi.
The morning after the crash, there was still no sign of So Mi anywhere. She couldn’t tell who felt worse about it; herself or Myers.
But, Rosalind sent her off to find her newest partner in this shitshow, Soloman Reed. Seemed like an okay guy, but V couldn’t exactly get a pin on any of them. Rosalind, Reed, or the newest addition of Alex.
Myers got exfilled out of NC with Reed’s help, leaving them to find So Mi.
Alex pointed them in the direction of Slider to reconnect V to So Mi, but unfortunately her suspicions were confirmed. So Mi had been using the Blackwall, which piled on ten times the levels of shit she was already under.
“Agreed,” Slider grumbled as he reached over to V’s neck to pull out his personal jack.
“You don’t get a say in this,” Reed grabbed Slider’s wrist, shoving his hand back to him before turning to V. “If you’ve got any better ideas, I’m all ears. But, I get the feeling we’re shit outta luck.”
“Reed, you heard ‘im. She’s using the Blackwall. The fucking Blackwall. This goes bad, we’re both dead.”
“V, we’ll all be dead if Hansen doesn’t understand what he’s dealing with and lets something through from the other side. Nobody’s got a shot at this but you.”
V sighed, but relented, knowing he was right. “Fine, fuck it. Let’s do this.”
Reed nodded, with Slider cursing under his breath. But, it seemed he had no choice. He began the process, with V already feeling the buzz across her body. She could feel Slider picking at whatever traces So Mi left behind, until she felt a jolt run through her body.
Her vision grew darker, any light turning red as pixels shimmered in front of her. The pixels began to take shape, forming into So Mi’s construct.
She stumbled forwards, disappearing and reappearing around the room as she tried to get her bearings. Her image flickered, the connection not secure.
“V? How did you…” She looked over, brows furrowed as her gaze found Reed. “Ah. Guess that explains it.”
‘Yeah, Myers led me to your old crew. They’re helping me rescue you. Speakin’ of which, where the hell did you go?’
So Mi ripped her focus away from Reed, stepping in front of V, “Got picked up by Hansen’s men. I’ve been…detained. Gotta be honest, V, I was hoping you’d come, but didn’t expect this was how you’d find me.”
‘Mm, didn’t think I’d learn you were using the Blackwall to connect us?’
“...”
‘Your silence speaks volumes, So Mi. Should’ve told me.’
So Mi scoffed as she shrugged, “International secret, V. Besides, it wasn’t important at the time. You didn’t need to know.”
‘Uh, yeah, I sure fuckin’ did. You’re running the Blackwall through my head. I’ve been there, So Mi. Not fucking nice.’
“You’re not-…” So Mi did a double-take, turning back to V. “...You what? You’ve been there?”
‘Beyond it, actually. Not the point, though.’
“What did you see? I mean, was there anything that-”
‘So Mi, not the time. Why does it even matter?’
“I-...Nothing.”
‘Oh for fuck’s sake.’
So Mi put her hands out defensively, “Like you said, not the time. I’ll explain later. Just need you to come find me in the Black Sapphire. Hansen is hosting some bigwig shindig up at his gaudy casino; top of the tower. Crash the party, and I’ll find you.”
‘How do I get in? That tower is a fortress.’
“I…I don’t know. Reed and Alex will help you. But, I’ve seen what you can do. Doubt you’ll find any real trouble.”
‘Think flattery will save you?’
“Depends on if it’s working.”
‘...A little.’
So Mi smirked, chuckling a little, “Yeah, well…Oh fuck.”
‘What?’ V’s question was answered immediately, with So Mi’s construct beginning to blur and vibrate, her body starting to heat up as the Blackwall finally noticed them.
“Jack out, V! Now!”
V didn’t need to be told twice. She yanked Slider’s cord out, her vision returning to normal and the burning going away. But, all of Slider’s equipment began to spark and explode, taking Slider himself along with them.
“Reed, jack him out!” V hunched over, thankful for another bullet dodged. Unfortunately, she couldn’t help but notice Reed didn’t make a single move to help Slider.
He crouched down in front of her, looking her over, “You okay, V?”
V nodded as she took deep breaths, looking over to see Slider go limp, his neural port charred and smoking, “Yeah. Y-Yeah, I’m fine, but…we got him killed.”
Reed barely spared Slider a glance, humming to himself as he stood back up, “Yeah. Well, did we get what we needed?”
V furrowed her brow, the realization dawning on her, “...You were gonna kill him anyway, weren’t you?”
“Whatever decision I would’ve made is irrelevant now,” Reed shrugged, turning around to head towards the exit. “C’mon. Just cause we got in without droppin’ bodies, doesn’t mean they're gonna happily see us out.”
V watched him walk out, turning towards the smoking corpse of Slider. If Slider was a disposable criminal asset…
What was she?
______Cyberpunk:2077______
[Next Day: Outside The Moth]
V yawned as she climbed the last steps to the bar, making her way to the door.
She hasn't been getting much sleep these days. Most of her dreams were flashes of Johnny’s memories, which usually woke her up due to the intensity of the shit he got up to. Then, she couldn’t fall back asleep thanks to the intense anxiety attacks brought on by the memories reminding her that she was slowly losing her mind.
Literally…
…And, figuratively?
It certainly helped get her some extra money, taking some gigs when she couldn’t fall back asleep. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do.
When she eventually would crash, she would be so exhausted that she would fall into a perfect, dreamless sleep. She was reminded of what Misty had said to her, about sleep being a peek at what's to come in the end. At the time, she hated that. She wanted to think about anything except that.
But, after those sleeps without having to slog through memories that weren’t her own, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad in comparison.
She needed to see Misty again. Misty was grieving, was watching her other friend wither away, and yet had done so much for her. The pills, her comfort, her guidance…She needed to make sure Misty got a huge portion of her assets if she died.
…Well, she needed to make a will first.
She had spent all this time running around, looking for a cure, she hadn’t fully settled things in case she didn’t make it through all this. V opened up the door to the bar, the edges of her vision instantly turning dark, her head going fuzzy, and her legs giving out underneath her.
…Yeah, she really needed to make a will.
V slammed against the floor, but not completely blacking out. She heard the faintest call for her name, quick footsteps vibrating the floor. Everything flickered back to life as she could feel her body being rolled over, seeing Reed looking her over.
“V?! V, c’mon, wake up!” She shoved Reed away, but he just shook his head. “Now isn’t the time for pride. Let’s get you up.”
“I-...I-I’m f-...fine…” V tried to say, weakly.
She felt Reed pick her up, moving her over to one of the booths. He set her against the cushions, crouching down in front of her, “Do I need to get you medical attention?”
V lazily shook her head, slumping her head against the wall. “No…Nothin’ they can do, anyway…Ju-...Just gotta let it pass.”
Reed sighed, sitting across from her, “This the Relic?”
“Mm…Long story.”
“Well, Alex isn’t here yet, and it looks like you need something to keep your eyes open. C’mon, take your time, speak slowly.”
V was getting sick of explaining this shit, sighing as she stared up at the lights as they flared brighter with vision readjusting. Her head was pounding, but she might as well tell him. She shut her eyes, her voice coming out weakly, “...It’s…It’s overwriting my brain. Container got damaged, an’...had to slot it in. Then, I…died.”
Reed crossed his arms, leaning further on the table, “How so?”
“Shot in the head…fixer betrayed me. But, the Relic…healed me up. But, not like normal. Johnny’s taking over my…brain.” V hung her head, trying to keep her eyes open to the best of her ability as the initial shocks finally began to wear off. “…Couldn’t even die right. Forced back into my own body…just to do it all over again. At least…At least it was quick the first time. Now I gotta stare death in the face…and he won’t let me look away. It’s like I’m already dead. Sometimes I can’t help but think…like I’m bein’ punished. Like it would’ve been better if…”
“If…?”
V looked up, looking into Reed’s eyes as her head finally reached a semi-normal state, fully realizing what she was saying. She pushed herself off the wall, shaking head as she ran her hands down her face. “Nothing. I’m sorry, when I get like that, my head…Just forget it.”
“I understand,” Reed nodded. “I’ve had similar feelings myself.”
“Another dead-person walking? I guess you also know the feeling of being shot and left for dead.”
“Mm…I brought it on myself.”
“Meanin’?”
Reed sighed, getting up from the booth, “C’mon. Wanna show you something. Need help?”
V waved him off, standing with a grunt, “They signed your life away, and you’re still here working for them.”
“Even the deepest wounds scar over,” Reed shrugged as he led V to the back area of the bar. “Eventually, they just become an itch.”
“Except you said yourself that you’re doing this for So Mi, not Myers. She’s not the one who gave you that wound.”
Reed got them through to the back, finding a gated elevator. He pressed the button, looking back at V, “Yes…she did.”
V furrowed her brow as they stepped into the elevator, Reed hitting the button, the words “Boiling Room” flashing on the panel. They rode the lift down, opening up to a dark hallway with grated floors. They walked out to the right, the room opening up to a much larger basement. The lights were off, but V could still make out most of it. Couches down below, racks of clothing near a make-up table, servers and computers up on the higher level, and an armory to the far left. “What is this place?”
Reed walked over to a powerbox, flipping some switches to turn on the lights, “Our old base of operations. Lot of memories in here…Good and bad. I told you that I brought it all on myself. We reached the point where the war was already over, but I stood my ground, refused to pack up and go home. I thought there were still fights to win, and I got most of my crew killed because of it. One took a bullet in the back of the head, another car bombed, and another poisoned. Eventually, to broker peace, they cut a deal with Arasaka. They got me, and everything would end.”
V watched him walk along the catwalk, heading towards the stairs, “I’m not saying you weren’t stubborn, but it still sounds like they betrayed you.”
“You play grown-up games, you face grown-up consequences…I just didn’t think they would ask So Mi of all people to pull the trigger.”
V followed him up the steps towards the rows of servers, eyes wide, “Whoa, wait. By ‘pull the trigger’, you mean…”
“No, didn’t shoot me herself. But, she opened the doors to let Arasaka in. She was guiding me through a train; sitting right here, actually. Suddenly her comms went silent, the doors locked behind me. Next thing I hear are the gunshots.”
“I’m sure she was just following orders, or…something.”
“Doesn’t matter. It happened,” Reed leaned against the railing, looking out over his old hideout. “Now we’ve gotta save her. End of story.”
V followed his example, leaning next to him, “...Why? I know you said all wounds scar over, but…I don’t know.”
“Cause it’s the right thing to do,” he shrugged. “It’s not too late for her. Not yet. Me, however?”
“It’s not too late for you.”
“Easy to say from an outside perspective. But, even so, if someone you cared about betrayed you, would you abandon them outright? Completely cut them off?”
“I-...You know, before all this, I wouldn’t know. It would depend on what they did, and why. But, now? I…I don’t have the time to hold onto grudges anymore. I guess if I’m gonna die, I might as well do the right thing.”
“You’re not gonna die. We’re gonna save So Mi, and she’s gonna cure you. If she says she has the power to do so, I believe her.”
“Yeah, well…If I walk in wearing aviators, smoking a cigarette and talking about nuking Arasaka, tell So Mi to forget about me and just go home.”
“...What?”
She didn’t get to answer as Alex finally came back, stopping their conversation short. Her mind was stuck on So Mi being the one to send Reed to his death. It was probably Johnny’s influence on her brain, but everything was telling her that it wasn’t So Mi’s choice.
With her seemingly underlying distaste for Myers back at the expo building, she had a feeling it was an order directly from her desk.
Every twist and turn this took just made V realize she was way out of her depth.
She was no soldier, yet here she was on the front lines for the good ol’ NUSA.
______Cyberpunk:2077______
[Night: Outside of The Black Diamond]
With the aid of Mr. Hands, they had gotten the building plans for the Black Sapphire. V had to admit, she felt like a God-damn movie star with all this spy shit. That flooded tunnel she swam through might’ve smelled like piss, but that didn’t stop her from feeling like a badass.
She and Reed made their way to the top floor with little resistance, finding themselves in an old laundry room. This place was originally supposed to be a resort, after all.
“Gotta admit, V. Silky-smooth work back there. You’re a natural at this.”
“Thanks. Turns out merc work is surprisingly good practice for being a secret agent.”
“Apparently so,” Reed chuckled as he threw his duffel bag on one of the clothes dryers. “Alright, suit up. Gotta look the part-?”
Reed cut himself off when he turned around, seeing V opening up a bag of her own. V caught his eyes, her brows raising, “...What?”
“What’s that?”
“Hm? Oh!” V quickly reached in her duffel bag, pulling out the top of black gown, “My dress.”
“I brought our clothes. Matching suits.”
“...But, I brought my dress.”
“V-”
“Why would we be matching? Wouldn’t that look even more suspicious?”
Reed sighed, “It’s like working with Alex all over again.”
“I heard that,” Alex cut in over the comms line.
Reed grumbled, turning his attention back to the merc. “V, if things somehow go bad in there, you’re not gonna want to be wearing a dress.”
“Ohoho, trust me, Reed. I’ll be just fine. Back in February, had to nab a datashard from a corpo while they were at an opera. Fought ten guards while in platform heels and a cocktail dress.”
“Nowhere to hide your iron.”
“Don’t need it,” V put her hands up, showing off the small, skin-colored compartment that stored her monowire on her wrists. “Got the highest grade netdrive in my head, Militech Sandy, too-”
“Just-...” Reed put his hands up in surrender, turning around to give V her privacy. “Just get dressed, please.”
V smiled to herself in victory, unzipping her wetsuit and setting her gear down. Johnny appeared next to Reed, his back also turned to her as he lit a cigarette, “Know what you’re doin’, by the way.”
V sighed as she peeled off her suit, pulling out her dress, ‘Then please enlighten me, cause I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
“You went all the way home to get this dress and do your make-up before coming here. Dollin’ yourself up for her.”
She caught her reflection in one of the washing machine glass doors, her matte black lips and crimson eyeshadow on full display. ‘I’m crashing a party, Johnny. I’m supposed to look like I belong here.’
“V, as your wingman, I’m here to tell you this is a terrible idea.”
‘Johnny, you’re so bad at romance that you telling me this is a bad idea makes me think it’s an amazing idea.’
“So you admit it’s for her?”
‘Oh for fuck’s sake-”
“V, you said you’d be careful. This is the exact fucking opposite. You know what? Fine, forget the fact that she’s absolutely hiding shit from you. Say you actually get her out of here. You think this is gonna lead anywhere? Some government agent? How long have you known her again?”
‘Johnny…’ V warned him, sliding on her black arm sleeves. ‘I have no expectations from her. I don’t even really expect a cure from all this. I’m taking things as I go, and I appreciate you trying to help. Really, I do. But, just…just let me do this, alright? You can reserve all rights to tell me I told you so.’
“As satisfying as it would be to finally be able to say that to you, I don’t want to have to. I feel all these fucking emotions bubbling in you, V. You got enough festerin’ pain and shit under the surf-”
‘That’s where the conversation ends, Johnny,’ V quickly cut him off, zipping up her dress and fluffing her hair. ‘Please. I’ll drink us some champagne, I promise.’
V walked over to the mirror, signalling Reed that it was his turn to change. She moved a strand of her bob out of her face, looking herself over. Her dress ran down just to her knees, with the center of the dress having what looked like shards of obsidian running from the neck to the bottom hem. It was sleeveless, but she had black, slip-on, arm sleeves. She slipped into her suede, high-heeled boots only going just above her ankles. The fishnets she had borrowed from Misty.
She never had an excuse to wear this thing, so if there was ever a time.
Reed buttoned up his blazer, “Ready?”
“Let’s do it,” V nodded.
They left the laundry room, moving past some trespassing signs for the other guests. They could see the Black Diamond up ahead, surprisingly very few Barghest guards around. Maybe Hansen didn’t want to scare off any guests.
Once at the steps, Johnny appeared at the top, bowing at V’s entrance. She chuckled, taking a champagne glass from one of the servers. One appeared in Johnny’s hand, and they clinked glasses as they walked in, earning some confused looks from the servers.
V had to admit, it was a pretty swanky place. The black floors and shimmering golden chandelier that reached all the way to the floor of each bar kiosk was certainly unique.
“Ok, keep your eyes peeled,” Reed said, peering around the party. “She’s either here, or she’s left something to lead us to her. I’ll be at the bar, ask if they’ve seen anyone matching her description. We should split up, look natural. Go walk around, try to avoid Hansen if you see him. Stay on the holo, tell me if you find something.”
“Roger that.” Reed made his way down the steps, mixing in with the crowd as he went towards the main bar.
V downed her glass in one go, thanking the server as she took the glass back. V began walking around, seeing politicos and gang leaders galore. She couldn’t help but wonder how crazy this party would get if they all learned she was the merc that’s fucked with them all. She was walking past the stage, looking up to see Mr. Hands at one of the tables on the mezzanine. He caught her eyes, slightly raising his glass before turning back to his companions.
“A lot of NCPD here…”
“Hansen says he’s anti-law enforcement, but he’s been rubbing elbows with them for years,” Reed responded from over the call.
“Our boys in blue,” V muttered to herself. She kept walking along, until a text popped up in her UI.
[Songbird]: On the Mezzanine.
V instantly looked up, scanning along the upper floor until her eyes found their target. And…
Wow.
Just…Wow.
V sat stunned, almost straight across from the high-up So Mi. She was breathtaking, truly. So Mi met V’s gaze, smiling at the sight of her proclaimed savior. She grinned, unable to stop a blush from creeping up on her cheeks once she realized V was paralyzed to the spot. It was as if she was basking in her glory.
Until Johnny flicked her forehead.
‘Ow! What th-? Johnny!’
“Your boner’s showing again.”
‘I’m not looking down this time.’
“As if you could look away with you two eye-fuckin’ each other.”
‘Ah, so you’re admitting she’s into me.’
Johnny shook his head, sighing as he crossed his arms, “You’re hopeless, V.”
‘Thank you for your input. That was all I needed.’
“Gonna need a lot more than that,” Johnny grumbled as he disappeared back into V’s head.
V cleared her throat, smiling sheepishly at So Mi with how weird it must’ve looked to see V emoting at nobody next to her.
“V? You’ve gone quiet. You see her?”
She opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated. So Mi and Reed’s reunion was probably gonna be…weird, to say the least. Understandable, saying the former was partly responsible for the latter’s failed execution. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to her alone for just a sec, right?
“Not yet. I’ll check around upstairs.”
“Got it. Might take a look by the roulette tables.”
V took her shot, heading towards the stairs and making her way up to the second floor. She weaved past a few people, until finally coming face-to-face with So Mi in the flesh.
Well, some flesh and a sexy green dress.
She was Militech cyberware from head- to-toe. Very little of her upper-body had to still be organic. Her entire back had been replaced with chrome V didn’t even recognize, which was very surprising. V knew her shit, but this stuff was like nothing she had ever seen. She’d love to study it closer.
But, God…She was still so beautiful. Some people didn’t like too much cyberware. Hell, Misty was almost one-hundred percent organic. Then you had psychos like Maelstrom, which V definitely didn’t find attractive.
Although, even if those freaks looked normal, mentally they were anything but. However, having now seen both looks of So Mi, V quite honestly couldn’t have a preference between the two. It was an impossible decision to make.
So Mi turned around, leaning back on the rail, her arms spread out, and V was pretty sure she was about to have a heart attack.
…Fuck, she was a terrible secret agent.
And, apparently terrible at being subtle, because So Mi watched V’s gaze travel over her. She looked away, her gaze fixated on her black, metallic fingers.
Her feelings about her appearance were…complicated. This was never exactly what she planned on looking like, but the job required some sacrifices. Plenty of sacrifices that she didn’t want to make.
“You look surprised. Not what you expected, I’m sure. Is it the haircut?” So Mi tried to play it off, walking towards the cocktail table next to her.
V shook herself out of her stupor, “You look perfect…”
So Mi smiled, her cheeks tinting red, “Hmhm, you too. Guess it’s my turn to be surprised. Didn’t think you’d take the contrast between what I showed you and the real me so well.”
V quickly went to the table, getting back into So Mi’s vision as they got closer, “Hey, it wasn’t what I expected, but that sure as shit isn’t a bad thing. You’re so far beyond beautiful.”
So Mi stared back at V, surprised at just how serious she was about this. She was unwavering, doing everything in her power to make So Mi believe that she was telling the truth. And, honestly? She did believe her.
…But, what was the harm in playing along just a little further.
A blush dusting her cheeks, So Mi slowly smiled again, “Really?”
“You’re kidding me, right? FIA or Hansen not keep any mirrors around or something?
So Mi chuckled as she leaned against the table, “All these wires and metal…You really like that?”
“If that’s all you see when you look at yourself, then you’re not doing it right.” V reassured her. They were pretty close now, and V wasn’t sure when exactly that happened. They had to be less than a foot apart as they stood at the cocktail table.
“Hmhmhm…Maybe so.”
“Although, to be fair, I’m a ‘runner and a massive tech junkie. Jackie always said I’d probably screw a toaster if I could.”
So Mi laughed, eliciting V to grin even wider. She could practically already feel Johnny rolling his eyes, but she just couldn’t bring herself to care right now. But, she needed to prove that her word was good. She needed to be careful, and not fuck this up. The ice was broken, she was happy for the moment of levity they shared, but…
V opened up her phone in her UI, sending Reed a quick text.
“I’m glad you’re here, V. Got no idea how much I needed that. Besides, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Just like I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a prisoner invited to their captor’s party.”
So Mi’s smile faded away, a sight that V hated she was the cause of. She bit the inside of her cheek, staring down at the table, “It’s…complicated. Yeah, I’m not allowed to leave, and I was forced to come here, but it’s…”
“Complicated. Heard you the first time. I’m a big girl, So Mi. We can handle a longer explanation.”
“We?” So Mi raised a brow, but her gaze caught something over V’s shoulder, eyes widening. V didn’t have to turn around, already knowing who walked up next to her. So Mi averted her eyes from Reed, and V could tell each was drowning in guilt. “Sol, I…I don’t know what to say. I…I’ve made so many mistakes-”
“Stop,” Reed cut her off. “We’re all at fault. They pushed you and pushed you and…and I should’ve been there to stop it.”
They sat there in silence, neither sure what to say next. As hypocritical as it was, since she just hogged So Mi to herself for an admittedly unimportant conversation, V knew she had to move things forward. “You guys can hash things out once this is all over. I’m sorry, but we just don’t have the time.”
Reed cleared his throat, his stoic look returning, “You’re right. Alright, So Mi, you need to give us details. How can we get you out of here?”
The instant So Mi looked away, V knew she was about to hear some bullshit.
“...You’re not. I can’t leave.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Reed tried to console her. “We got in, we can get you out.”
V sighed, crossing her arms and glaring down at her feet, “Don’t think that’s what she means, Reed.”
So Mi glanced over at V, hearing the slight bitterness in her voice. Her attitude switch was very sudden. “I can’t leave because…I’m dying.”
That caught V’s attention, returning her focus back to So Mi, “...What?”
“I’m dying. Blackwall is my poison, corrupting me with…something. Hansen dug up some old tech from an abandoned Militech project; called the Neural Matrix. It can cure V and me. So, as long as Kurt has it, we can’t leave. If we run now, V and I are both dead.”
She looked back up at them, finding Reed’s concern had tripled. V looked just as concerned, but along with it came confusion.
“Why didn’t you say something?” V questioned her.
“Wasn’t time.”
“Wasn’t tim-? We spoke for like, thirty minutes before the plane crash, and had plenty of time after. Sounds like a lot of time to me.”
So Mi was taken aback. She expected the third-degree from Reed, not her. “V, it’s not exactly something you just spit out to someone you just met.”
“When both of your lives are on the line? Yeah, you do. You spoke about my impending doom plenty. Not to mention you ran the thing that’s killing you through my head. Trying to race Johnny to see who kills me faster?”
“V,” Reed cut in, hand on her shoulder. “Like you said, don’t have the time. We gotta regroup, figure out how to move forward.”
“Fuckin’ told you.” Johnny appeared on the other side of the table, champagne glass in hand. “But, when do you listen?”
‘Not. Now.’
Johnny put his hands up, disappearing once more. V and So Mi were just looking at each other. It was So Mi’s turn to look concerned, stepping a little closer to V. She couldn’t tell if anger or confusion was winning out in V’s mind. Her brow was furrowed in deep thought, not sure what to think at this point.
“V…” So Mi snapped her out of it, taking V’s on the table and squeezing gently, turning so that both were now fully facing each other directly. “I wanted to tell you. I’m sorry, I really am. It’s just like you said, it’s tough to talk about. I couldn’t mention the Blackwall at the time either. I swear on what life I have left that I knew it wouldn’t kill you. Even with omitted details, every moment was legitimate. I wouldn’t hurt you…”
The silence returned, both women staying in the same position as they looked at one another. From an outside perspective, it was like they were trying to read each other’s mind. Reed shifted his eyes between them, watching their behavior together curiously. He had to admit, this wasn’t what he expected their interaction to be like.
“So Mi,” a voice cut in. All three of them turned to see Kurt Hansen himself walk up to them, fake smile on his face. “There you are. Not gonna introduce me to your friends? It’s strange, I thought I knew everyone who was invited to my party.”
So Mi slid her hand out of V’s, grimacing to herself, “Old friends.”
He ignored Reed, stepping right up to V, hand outstretched. “Kurt Hansen.”
V put on her own fake smile, shaking Kurt’s hand, “V. Old friend of So Mi’s.”
“Ah, reunions. They either end in broken hearts or broken teeth. The latter for me, typically. V, huh? Sounds familiar, I think. But, I’m afraid I’ll have to take So Mi away from you. There are some guests just dying to meet her. We need to feed the starving dogs before they eat each other. Right, darling?”
So Mi’s face twitched at that word, but she threw on another purposely bad fake smile. But, before she was taken away, So Mi reached forward, her hand caressing V’s cheek. As she leaned in, hints of red flashed in V’s vision. She kissed V’s cheek, barely even a centimeter from the corner of her mouth. Her lips lingered for a few seconds, but it felt like a blissful eternity to V. “Thank you for your time, V. Best part of my night.”
V was too stunned to even respond with a ‘You’re welcome’, watching her walk away. Her shock was then instantly replaced by a bubbling anger in her gut as she watched Hansen put his hand around So Mi’s waist.
As they walked away, So Mi kept her fake smile plastered on as she leaned over and whispered, “Get your fucking hand off me before I fry every brain in the building.”
Kurt chuckled, removing his hand to hold them behind his back, “What’s wrong? Would you rather your…’acquaintance’, V?”
“With every fiber of my being.”
“You seem to have a knack for making friends with dangerous people. She's been in town less than a week, and she's killed one-hundred-four of my men, and put eighty-seven in the infirmary. ”
“Kurt, stop. You're making me like her even more than I already do.”
V and Reed watched them walk away, disappearing around the corner, leaving the main party room. She thought to go after them, just for a moment, but the time wasn’t right.
“What the hell was that?”
V was shaken out of her thoughts as Reed stared at her, “Hm? What?”
“That,” Reed nodded over to Hansen and So Mi as they walked away, and then pointed at V’s face. “And, that.”
“That’s about right.” V’s vision flashed red again, So Mi’s construct suddenly appeared next to her and hopped up onto the balcony railing, “So emotionally out of touch that he can’t comprehend a simple kiss on the cheek.”
‘Don’t think that was his problem with it, So Mi.’ V returned her focus to Sol, shrugging her shoulders. “I don’t know for both, just like I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a prisoner paraded around like a trophy wife.”
She saw So Mi frown at that particular terminology, but she kept her focus on Reed. He ran a hand down his face, shaking his head as the lights began to dim, “Just…Gimme a minute. I gotta go process all…this. I’ll be down at the bar.”
“Okay,” V nodded. “I’ll find you in a bit, alright?”
Reed barely responded as he walked off, lost in his own mind. V couldn’t blame him either, she probably had the same thoughts running through her head. V turned her gaze back to So Mi, their eyes meeting.
…Well, not all of the same thoughts.
‘Welcome back, So Mi.’
“Happy to be back. Finally got us reconnected.”
‘The kiss?’
“Nah, my hand. The kiss…Well, just wanted too, I guess. Any objections?”
‘Wh-? Uh, no. Nuh-uh. Not at all.’
“Good,” So Mi chuckled, looking behind her as Lizzie Wizzie took the stage on the floor below. She hopped down, turning to lean on the railing, “Watch with me?”
V stepped up to the glass railing as Lizzie’s performance began. Her and So Mi were almost shoulder-to-shoulder, watching as music echoed throughout the room. She looked over at V, finding her watching the show, but rather blankly. She clearly wasn’t paying attention, rather in deep thought. So Mi could hear direct thoughts through the Relic, but V’s head was one big jumble as she was piecing things together.
“You know, I’ve always heard of Lizzie Wizzie. Don’t think all this shit was worth a free concert though.”
‘...Why are you playin’ me?’
So Mi’s smile was instantly wiped away, mirroring V’s blank stare at the performance. “I’m no-”
‘Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare,’ V cut her off sternly, shutting So Mi up instantly. ‘You not telling me that you’re dying is understandable. That is, until you tell me that Hansen has the cure for both of us. You told me of a cure you didn’t have. A cure that I had to go through every fucking hoop— and an entire government coup— to find. A coup…’ V finally turned to look at her, and So Mi knew what was coming. ‘...A coup that you planned.’
“...”
‘Like I said before, So Mi. Your silence speaks volumes. You planned that hit on Myers.’
“Not exactly,” So Mi sighed. No point in hiding it now. “Yes, I told Kurt I’d give him Myers, but he was never gonna get her. You were my plan, V. We land, Myers gets taken, you save Myers while I secure the Neural Matrix, we get out with the cure. Bonus if Kurt took a bullet to the face.”
‘How’d that work out for you?’ V scoffed.
“Like fucking shit, obviously. Once Hansen gets the data he’s looking for, I’m dead.” She watched V sigh, rubbing her hand down her face. So Mi turned her body towards her, leaning in closer, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell the person tasked to save Myers that I was the reason she needed saving in the first place. Couldn’t have that leaked to Myers. Couldn’t trust you at the time, outside of faith in your abilities.”
‘Uh-huh, I get away with Myers while you disappear with the cure.’
“Got a direct line to you, as you can see. Untraceable, saying as I’m hearing your thoughts. Would’ve found you.”
‘When?’
“I-...Huh?”
‘When would that be? Before or after I died? Cause the Neural Matrix wouldn’t be much use once Johnny was using my body as a puppet.’
“Hey, that’s not-...” So Mi stopped herself, looking down at her feet. She was gut punched once she realized that every response she had was a lie. She just…she just didn’t want to lie right now. Her biggest lie was still in play, and she kept shoving it away to the back of her mind. “...I’ve dug myself into a pit with you. I’ve lied to you…a lot. I’ve lied a lot over the years. To others, to myself especially. I know I keep asking for your trust when I’ve done absolutely nothing to earn it. I jus-”
‘So Mi,’ V raised her hand to stop her, shaking her head. V used her thumb and forefinger to rub at her eyes, taking a deep breath before turning back to her. ‘What do you need from me?’
So Mi’s brow furrowed, “Wh-...What?”
‘What’s my next move to save you? You’ve gotta have a plan, right?’
‘I…Yeah, I left a data shard in the champagne glass. It should give you details about the Neural Matrix, along with when and where Hansen plans to extract it. But, V, I don’t think I understand.”
‘Told you from the beginning, So Mi.’ V turned to the table, picking up the shard from out of the glass, slipping it into her arm sleeve. ‘I wasn’t just gonna let you die. But, now? Sharing a boat to oblivion? Pissed as I might be, I’m still not gonna let you die.’
“V, you…you are, by far, the strangest person I’ve ever met.”
‘The things I’ve done in my life? Strange is a compliment compared to what most would call me.’
“I don’t want to just go on like this though. I want to earn your trust again.”
‘Then do it. I’m certainly not gonna stop you. Start with giving me my next move.’
So Mi shook her head, refocusing on the task at hand, “Right. Kurt invited two netrunners to the party, a pair of twins. Aurore and Aymeric Cassel. Down at the mini bar, on the right. See ‘em?”
V looked down over the railing, spotting two redheads sitting next to each other at the bar. ‘Yeah, got them.’
“They worked on the Neural Matrix for Project Cynosure. He’s hired them to help me extract the data he wants. He thinks the data could be used as leverage against the NUS. You’re gonna need to impersonate them, take their place, and join me to extract the Neural Matrix.”
‘Impersonate them? Wait, you mean I’m gonna get that shape-shifting shit Alex has?’
“Ah, she showed you that. Yeah, that’d be it. Alex will run you through the process.”
‘Ohoho, fuckin’ preem.’
So Mi smiled at V’s excitement at the tech, the colorful lights from the stage dancing on V’s face. She should leave now. She should make an excuse that there’s no time, that Kurt needs her full attention, anything.
But, she didn’t want to.
V was the only good part about any of this. She was her only vacation away from all the stress and bullshit. So Mi knew how ironic it was that she wanted nothing but honesty for once, but that’s what she got from V.
V was oddly transparent about things. She believed everything V said about her. She’d never heard anyone ever talk about her chrome like that before. It may sound shallow from an outside perspective, but she truly needed to hear those words, to hear that someone still found her attractive.
Although, attractive was a pretty weak word compared to how V described her…and looked at her.
So Mi knew she should leave, but she wanted to eat up every word V said.
Kurt could deal with a half-focused So Mi. Fuck him. If there was anyone who deserved her undivided attention tonight, it was the woman who fought all this way to find her. She stayed, standing close to V as the performance came to an end. They were so close together, yet V seemed so distant.
And, unfortunately, So Mi knew she was majorly to blame for that. But, there were other things too. Granted, things that So Mi probably didn’t make any better, but still.
Syncing up to the Relic certainly had some strange effects. She was linked to the Cognitive Protocol, to see and talk to V, and vice versa.
But, cognition was more than that.
Echoes of V’s inner workings echoed at her, her thoughts and feelings. It was how V talked to her without even having to physically speak. Feelings were a little more complicated, though. Those were more like faint hints at feelings, rather than So Mi actually feeling what V did.
But, sometimes all she could feel from V was just…dread.
Dread. Rage. Sadness.
…Sometimes nothing at all.
She wasn’t saying V was a psycho or something. It was just that V’s emotions became so overwhelming for her that she kind of ignored them, bottling them up rather than processing them. So Mi knew what it was. Hell, she had been experiencing those exact same feelings on loop since she realized she was dying. She understood how exhausting it was just to walk around with all this weight on your mind, thoughts running ten billion miles-per-second.
The Road to Oblivion wasn’t easily traveled, but you can’t stop walking no matter how hard you try.
She could feel that overwhelming desperation, but those other things were lying underneath, ready to sweep V’s legs out from under her at any time. V hid it well, her charisma shining through. And, of course there were moments of genuine joy, humor, etc. Their time leading up to the Space Force One crash, and right when they met again only ten minutes ago.
But, it was like So Mi was forced to experience hope leaving V piece-by-piece as every second passed, because every second was less sand in her already tiny hourglass.
Perhaps this was her real punishment. Not being stuck with Hansen, or her mistakes with Reed thrown back in her face all over again.
Rather, having to experience all the pain twice over, as her conscience ripped her apart for what she had planned to do to someone who did nothing but help her. Someone who treated her like she was human, or…even more. Someone who in such a short amount of time appreciated her, cared about her.
It was undeniable proof of the person she had been turned into.
But, planned? Past tense? So Mi quickly waved those thoughts away. Now wasn’t the time.
There was something else, too.
A feeling, one So Mi couldn’t fully describe, that came from V.
It was more like an amalgamation of feelings, but it was all so jumbled close together that it felt like one big blob of emotion.
There was concern and confusion, but also warmth, the soothing kind. There's a fuzzy feeling that makes your brain stutter. But, after the warmth, came a much more intense heat. The kind of heat that So Mi could only decipher was the same kind as…
Attraction.
The really strange part was So Mi wasn’t sure anymore if those were coming from V or from herself. The reality she didn’t want to accept was that it was both of ‘em.
…Fuck it.
“C’mon. Better go give the rundown to Reed.” So Mi hooked her arms around V’s, hugging it to her chest. It was strange to feel V’s body against hers, even though she wasn’t actually there.
‘What are you doing?’
“It’s a party. Need a date, don’t you?”
V scoffed through her nose as they walked towards the stairs, ‘Guess so, but you know how strange it’ll look to everyone else? Me, holding my arm out with nobody next to me.”
“I want nothing more than to be here myself, but I’m a bit preoccupied with the bald bastard.”
They made their way downstairs, and V did indeed get a couple strange looks. They found Reed further down the bar, closer to the gambling area. He was staring directly down at the counter, empty glass next to his interlocked hands. Reed turned to V, his eyes glancing down to her side, “What’s wrong with your arm?”
So Mi chuckled as she let go, letting V sit down, “Nothin’. More worried about you, cause you look like you’re in a Mariana Trench of thoughts. Got a feeling we’re thinking the same thing.”
Reed sighed deeply, barely taking his eyes off his drink, “I’m thinking we know who made the hit on Myers.”
V glanced at So Mi, who stood next to her, eyes trained on the ground. “It was So Mi.”
So Mi looked back up, hands out in exasperation, “Wh-? V…”
‘If you’re gonna fuck us over, at least own up to it once you’ve been outed.’ So Mi opened her mouth to retort, but she quickly went back to looking at the floor. She had no comeback to that, V was right.
“You’re thinking right,” Sol nodded, running a hand down his face. “It’s all too-”
“Convenient?” V finished for him. “I know. So Mi re-established our connection, already gave her the shake down. She admitted to everything. It was set up for Myers to be taken hostage, but So Mi hired me to save her before it could happen. While I did that, she was gonna get the Neural Matrix. Hansen apparently thought differently, and fired the missiles on his own. Now, she’s scrambling.”
“Unfortunately, a plan to have the President saved from a kidnapping that you initiated isn’t gonna hold up well in court. She’s always a few steps ahead. But, her Achilles Heel? Judgement calls and situational assessment. Found the cure, made a deal with Hansen, and then found you. Someone who needed the cure just as much, guaranteeing you’ll help her if there were any wrinkles.” V looked over to So Mi, still unmoving with crossed arms and blank stares at nothing. She didn’t have to say anything though. Reed was right, and she knew it. “But, now she’s stuck because she didn’t expect this big of a wrinkle.”
“And, here I am, the back-up plan. I’m doing exactly what she counted on. Rushing to save her, doin’ her whim at her beck and call.”
“It’s not your fault. You were given a chance at a cure, and then told you were the only one able to save the President’s life, or a war right in your home would spark. Not much choice there. I can’t say So Mi is fully to blame either. In this business, nothing is as it seems. I've seen what So Mi has been pushed to do against her will…and there's plenty I didn't see.”
“Doesn’t matter what I thought. I’ve been played before. Many times…” V closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. Sometimes, she swore she could still feel the burning hot metal of the bullet pierce her skin. So Mi suddenly got smacked with a strong lurch in her stomach, a quick flash of a large man she had never seen before looming over her, the crack of a gun firing. Then, darkness. “...And I paid everything for it. Sure as shit didn’t feel good then. Don’t feel good now.”
So Mi just stared at V. She didn’t think that was intentional, another side effect of the Relic. But…
Did she just watch V die? When V said she was shot in the head, So Mi thought it was an exaggeration. As in, she was just severely damaged, or it deflected off her head and damaged the Relic, something…
No. V was gone. She had already faced the thing they were both running from.
…And, she was damning her to face it again.
So Mi suddenly felt violently ill.
“But, it doesn’t matter anymore,” V continued, looking back up at Reed. “Treason or no treason, we’re doing this.”
“Agreed,” Sol nodded. “Just gotta be careful. Unconditional trust is out the window and a thousand miles away. She give you anything else?”
V slipped the data shard out of her sleeve, sliding it over to Reed. “Data on Cynosure, and our targets.”
“Targets?” Reed asked, taking the shard.
“Pair of netrunner twins, worked on Cynosure. We gotta impersonate ‘em using the facial imprint thing. Hansen hired them to help So Mi extract the Neural Matrix. We take their place, get the Matrix, and extract with So Mi.”
“Mm. These twins, they here?”
“Couple of french redheads. One’s wearing-”
“No need. Found them.” Reed nodded to his right. V glanced over to see the twins walking past the bar, heading up to one of the roulette tables in the gambling area. Reed’s eyes glowed, bringing V into a call, “Alex, you been listening?”
“Yeah, getting my gear ready for scanning as we speak.”
“Perfect. V, you’re going to go over there, start gambling. I’ll join soon after, once you’ve sparked conversation. I’ll scan one, you scan the other, Alex’ll pilot us through it. Keep it natural, buy them drinks, whatever you gotta do to keep them talking. Once we’re done, we can start compiling the data to get the imprints ready.”
“Got it,” V got up from the stool, turning to make her way towards the casino counter. She caught So Mi’s eyes again, neither saying anything. If she didn’t like hearing any of that about her, So Mi would just have to take it.
“Hold it, V,” Alex came over the holo. “Gonna send you a chunk of our operation budget. Don’t wanna gamble away your own money, do you?”
“Shouldn’t we save that for bigger stuff?”
“Heh. What? You got a hundred-thousand eddies to just blow away?”
“I mean…Yeah.”
“...Just take the eddies, V. Also, I’m triple-charging all of your drinks at my bar.”
“Roger,” V just accepted it, heading towards the counter to get her chips. Once she reached the counter, trading for chips, she flicked her eyes over to So Mi. ‘You’ve gone quiet.’
“Sorry. Just…What am I supposed to say?”
‘I wasn’t attacking you. Just stating facts.’
“I know. I couldn’t deny this stuff, even if I wanted to.”
V sighed, turning away from the counter, the maximum amount of chips bought. ‘I’m sorry. I’m in a pretty bad headspace right now. But, to be fair to myself, Johnny’s emotions don’t help.’
“Don’t apologize. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. The only person who should be apologizing is me. I’m the reason you’re in this headspace to begin with.”
‘Just forget it. Got some twins to schmooze.’ V strode her way up the steps past the bar, curving around the roulette table to the only empty space left. So Mi hopped up onto the roulette table, sitting next to V. She leaned against the table, turning to the dealer, “Deal me in?”
The dealer nodded, activating the panel next to V’s spot at the table. V put in her chips, placing her bet on black.
So Mi hummed to herself, tapping one of the black tiles on the table.
V glanced over to her, trying to make it seem like she wasn’t talking to someone in her head. ‘What are you doing?’
So Mi merely shrugged as she smirked at her, the black tiles flashing and money chips pouring into V’s account, “Getting you some extra spending money.”
‘If I win every single time, it’ll look suspicious as shit.’
“So? Not like you’re coming back here. Besides, this is me we’re talking about. They’ll never know it was hacked to begin with.”
V cracked a smile, ‘I’m no gold digger, So Mi. This ain’t the way to win me over.’
“I know. Can’t I just treat you cause I like you?”
‘...I suppose I’ve always wanted a Riptide Terrier.’
“Mm, really? Not something fancier? Like a Rayfield?”
‘Eh, already got a Caliburn. Found it in a cave.’
“...What?”
‘It’s complicated.’
So Mi chuckled, about to respond when Aurore cut her off from across the table, “Not going to introduce yourself?”
V looked back over to the twins, clearing her throat. Right, she had a job to do. “Name’s V. You?”
“Aurore Cassel,” she flamboyantly gestured to herself, a French accent thicker than molasses. “The bore next to me is my brother, Aymeric.”
“Mm, any luck on your end?” V nodded towards the brother.
He barely even looked her way, a shrug of his shoulders, “We started only moments ago.”
It was easy to tell right away who would be the tougher nut to crack. V snapped her fingers to get one of the attendants’ attention, waving her over to the table, “What’s your poison? My treat.”
Aurore was quick to answer, not one to turn down free alcohol, “Bourbon for me. Alas, mon frère does not drink.”
Damn, then he was an even tougher nut to crack. “You heard the lady. And, Real Water for the gentleman here.”
The attendant nodded, turning to V, “And for you, ma’am?
“Same as the lady,” V grinned at Aurore, earning a smirk back from the redhead, and earning an eye roll from So Mi. To be perfectly honest, V didn’t really want anything. She hadn’t had alcohol since Johnny’s ‘Boy’s Night Out’. Somehow, despite not being there for most of it, her body subconsciously remembered it. Now she couldn’t look at any booze without wincing. The amount Johnny consumed in one night wasn’t just more than her body had ever taken in, but it was probably more than any other human had. She placed another bet, with So Mi tapping the table once more. V glanced back at the bar, noticing Reed was nowhere to be found.
As if reading her thoughts, Alex came over the line, “V, I can’t phone Reed, he’s MIA. You’re gonna have to stall ‘em.”
“Hansen’s men’ve got him,” So Mi sighed. “I’m watching them escort him to the elevator as we speak.”
‘Fuck me. Can you access my holo? Text Alex to start the scan, I’ll do both.’
“On it,” So Mi nodded, her eyes glowing blue. “...Jesus, first kill at thirteen? I’m so sorry.”
‘Didn’t ask you to read my texts, Song.’
“Right, sorry…”
V turned her attention back to the table, watching all of the tiles flash and digital chips place themselves down as Aurore continued the conversation, “Hmm, I just realized. You must have dirt beneath your fingernails, too. Like all of these bastards and bitches. That is, unless you’re une touriste. Like the no-lifers who must watch others live to feel anything.”
V merely shrugged, “Conscience ain’t squeaky clean, no.”
Aurore hummed in delight, smiling at V again, “I like those who brag about such things.”
“Oh for the love of God…” So Mi groaned quietly.
V nudged So Mi, keeping her focus on the twins, “Can’t help but feel I interrupted somethin’ when I showed up. Don’t restrain yourselves on my part, just here to mingle.”
“Oh? Just mingle, you say?” Aurore slowly strutted her way around the table, leaning on her elbows once she reached V, her bright green eyes piercing through the dim light. Aurore leaned in close with a sultry smile, using her fingers to walk up V’s arm. If anyone could see So Mi, they would’ve seen her very unamused glare burning a hole through Aurore’s skull. “N’est-ce pas, V? You weren’t snooping just now, were you?”
The part of the table Aurore was leaning on suddenly shorted, giving her a quick shock. She jumped up, shaking the pain out of her hand, “Ah! Putain!”
V side-eyed So Mi, recovering with a chuckle, “Sorry, I have that effect on women.”
Aurore pouted at first, but her smirk returned as she walked back to her spot, winking at V, “Mm, then perhaps I can see the appeal. Do that during the right moment; the right activity, no?”
So Mi merely deadpanned, not even bothering to dignify that one.
“Snooping’s the wrong word, anyway. But, you two stick out from the crowd. Couldn’t help myself, is all. Had to know what you were all about.”
“Couldn’t look away, no? Of course you couldn’t. You are quite tantalizing yourself.” That one earned an eye-roll from both So Mi and Aymeric.
Aymeric cut back before his sister could make another remark, “Listening to conversations you are not privy to can be dangerous.”
“Oh, I know. But, trust me. Whatever it is, it's not more dangerous than me.”
“Oooh, I like that. We were merely talking politics,” Aurore cut back in. “Specifically about our host, Monsieur Hansen. Big fish, selling big guns, for big money. Yet, here you have celebrities, politicians, even the chief of police. So I was thinking, perhaps Hansen would do better as a véritable business man, no? I claim he would, but mon cher frère disagrees.”
V just shrugged, placing another bet with So Mi tapping the tiles again, “Hansen’s just another suit without a suit, playing dress-up to act like he's still a military man.”
Aurore groaned as she drank her entire glass in one go, “Ugh, you Americans used to have more imagination.”
“Gonk questions get gonk questions, Aurore.”
“Mm, touché. Empty banter aside, a stupid man the colonel is not. He should diversifier; revenues and assets.”
Aymeric raised a brow at his sister, speaking in French to keep the conversation between them. But, V’s translator activated. “Not getting a little too chummy with her?”
Aurore scoffed, responding back in French, “Don't be jealous, little brother. I don’t intend to fuck her…Right now…”
So Mi deadpanned again, another little zap where Aurore’s hand rested on the table. She yelped, cursing at the table.
V quickly nudged her, doing her very best to not smirk, but So Mi could see it just barely twitching at the corner of her lips. She watched as V continued to talk to the twins, scanning and provoking them for their imprints.
So Mi knew she was being just a teeny-tiny bit immature. This was the kind of behavior that would’ve gotten her reprimanded, but V wasn’t an agent, despite how oddly good at it she was. When was the last time she actually got to have even some semblance of fun? FIA was all business, and Myers had kept her leash shorter and shorter as time went on. Life became a vicious cycle of assignment, Blackwall, pain, regrets, surgery, and recovery. It made her wish she just went to jail instead of taking Reed’s “offer” to join up.
…If jail was ever even an option.
Over ten years of driving through this dark tunnel, just hoping for some sort of light at the end. She wasn’t sure if she could classify V as the light, but she was certainly a passenger that So Mi had picked up for the ride.
Unfortunately, she had crashed the car, and now V didn’t trust her to drive.
…So Mi was beginning to not trust herself either.
Eventually, V dared the twins to go all-in with her. V bet on black, glancing over at So Mi, waiting for her to do her thing, ‘So Mi?’
“Hm? Oh, I don’t know,” So Mi sighed, her finger lazily circling above the table. “Would be kinda funny to win all those times, and lose now.”
‘Oh don’t you do this to me.’
“Besides, said it yourself. It would look suspicious, right?”
“So Mi, I’m begging you…”
“Mm…” Just as the tiles began to flash, So Mi tapped the board again, the black tiles flashing and the twins growling out in anger as the chips flew out of their account. “Cause I like you.”
V sighed in relief, both from not losing all of that money and for the scans of the twins completing, ‘After all this, you better fucking like me.’
“Excuse me…” Their attention was suddenly brought back to the table. V looked past the twins, finding Hansen approaching the table. He turned to the twins, nodding back towards the main room, “Leave us, please.”
The twins shared a look, but followed the request. They walked away from the table, going back towards the main party room. Kurt walked around the table, leaning on his hands at the spot next to V.
She gave no ground, smiling at him as she took another drink, “I’ve always wanted to be kicked out of a casino for winning too much.”
Kurt ignored her comment, instead being all business, “I know your friend is FIA. Gonna take a wild guess and say you are too.”
“Kinda,” V shrugged.
“Kind of, hm? Then, it’s recent or temporary, because I know you’re also a merc. I’ve heard of you.”
“From where? My rep gotten so big it’s breached Dogtown? Or, did you hear it from some of your boys that I left alive?”
So Mi’s brows rose, not expecting V to respond so strongly. She supposed her cover was blown, so there was no reason to be coy at this point. But, admittedly, she found it very…attractive.
Kurt ignored that, continuing on, “I'm also going to guess you’re the reason the president got out of Dogtown. I should send you back to Night City in body bags, filled with pieces.”
So Mi looked back to V, not finding her stoic. Rather, V acted like she was bored. V yawned, setting her glass down. “Sixteen.”
Kurt and So Mi both raised a brow, with the former asking, “Excuse me?”
“Oh, sorry. It's my thing. I hear these empty threats so much that I've taken it upon myself to count how many times I've heard them.”
Kurt blinked a couple times, his face expressionless before he sighed, “Your friend is down in the lobby, waiting for you to be escorted out. Consider this my very last sign of goodwill, and your last warning. Your little birdie came to me. Your weapon of mass destruction is my friend now. She was tired of breaking international law on the president's whim. I wonder what Netwatch would say about that…”
“Oooh, wait a minute. I see.” V took another drink, smirking at Kurt. “...You’re scared.”
He raised a brow, “Of what, exactly?”
“...Me.”
“Oh for the love of-”
“C’mon, already said you know me. If you don’t know what I’m capable of, just ask one of your men that made it out alive, I’m sure they’ll paint you a full picture. You’re trying to act all big and tough, trying to convince me that you should be someone I should be scared of. But, you’re just trying to get me to leave because you know you can’t stop me.”
Kurt scoffed, “I don’t know who blew all this smoke up your ass, but you’re just a merc who’s gotten lucky. I’ve never lost a battle.”
“Oh, ‘cept you couldn’t win Night City. Still trying, I’ll give you that. But, I’ve BD’d every combat training program the corps have got under the sun. Militech, ‘Saka, Kang Tao, all of ‘em. I know all your moves and more, Kurt. Myers is back home, sleepin’ soundly. She's not an immediate threat to you. That would be me. I'll spare you the details, but I'm not in it for the political ball ‘n chain like the rest of you. I have my own personal reasons for getting So Mi back, so I’m not confined by rules and threats.”
“Is that so? I could see how you two interacted. What exactly is she to you then?”
“All you need to know is that if you harm a hair on So Mi’s head, the Black Sapphire will be a crumbling inferno, with your corpse in the center of it all. And, you know what the best part of all this is? I’ve threatened you, promised to kill you, and you’re still gonna let me walk. Because, and I repeat: You. Can’t. Stop me.”
Both So Mi’s construct and her real body couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces if they tried.
Yeah, that was it. No more denying it.
V was the sexiest person she’d ever seen.
“Counterpoint,” Kurt glowered. “Any hint of trouble, and my men have been ordered to put a bullet through your buddy’s skull. If you think you can make it all the way down there before they pull the trigger, go ahead and give me your best shot. Otherwise, get the fuck out of my building, and tell your president to stay out of my backyard.”
He turned around, walking away from the table and leaving the duo to themselves. V kept her mouth shut this time, not wanting to risk Reed’s life over a pointless little ego trip. Besides, they still needed the twins to extract the Neural Matrix, so she couldn't do anything else anyway.
“You…” V turned to So Mi, seeing the smirk on her face. “...are the best choice I’ve made in years.”
‘Not a high bar, I'm sure.’ V chuckled, moving away from the table to turn in her chips, “Alex, you hear all that?”
“That this is five-times the level of fuckery than I thought? Yep, sure did. Laid it on a little thick though, huh?”
“Not if I can back up my boasts. I’ll go get Reed and get outta here.” V ended the call, reaching the counter and smiling at the attendant as she asked to cash-out.
So Mi leaned against the counter, chuckling as V accepted her three-hundred-thousand eurodollars, “As the main reason you got this money, I expect a joyride with the Terrier.”
V scoffed as she stepped away from the counter. She squinted at So Mi, a smirk growing on her lips, ‘One joyride. Passenger seat.’
“Two joyrides. I drive.”
‘One joyride, you drive, can’t go above one-hundred.”
‘One-fifty.’
‘One-twenty-five.’
“Deal.” They both laughed, neither making any sort of move to leave. So Mi crossed her arms over her stomach, her smile slowly fading. She shook her head, reappearing at the bar stool where she and Reed had sat before, “Look, V, I’m extremely grateful that you’ve indulged me tonight. This has been the only good time I’ve had in…Well, I was gonna say all week, but more like ten years. But, I’m not trying to distract you. I meant what I said about earning your trust. If you’ll still give me the chance, that is.”
V sat down on the stool next to her, waving off the bartender before he could even ask what she wanted. She turned to So Mi, leaning her elbow on the bar, ‘It sounds like you have an idea in mind.’
“Think so. Meet me tomorrow at midnight. Head to the steps at the end of the main road into Dogtown, the set leading up to the spa. Go up three flights. I’ll ping the location on your GPS, just in case. Meet me there, and we can talk freely, uninterrupted, my full attention. I’ll explain myself, I promise.” V sighed, turning her gaze away. But, So Mi reached forward, gently holding V’s cheek to bring her eyes back to her. She pulled away, just an inch. But, she thought for a moment, returning her hand to V’s cheek. “Please…”
Their gazes were locked, and V sighed as she gave in to the warmth against her cheek, ‘Alright. I’ll be there.’
“Thank you, V. And…” So Mi smiled, leaning forward and kissing V’s cheek again. Same spot, not even an inch away from her lips. “Thank you for coming to save me. You didn’t know where I was, if I was dead, had every reason not to trust me, but…you came for me.”
‘Ah, well…’ V shrugged sheepishly, a grin to match So Mi’s. ‘Cure or no cure, I couldn’t just leave you here, could I?’
“Don’t think a lot of people would agree, but I’m certainly not complaining,” So Mi chuckled, pulling her hand away from V. “Remember, midnight. I’ll see you soon.”
And, like that, she was gone.
Johnny replaced her, leaning against the bar with a smoke between his fingers.
‘Don’t…’
“I’m not sayin’ a damn thing, V,” Johnny sighed. “Cause I know it’s too late.”
He vanished, leaving V alone at the bar.
______Cyberpunk:2077______
Author’s Notes:
I like the suit...But, I wanted a dress for the party.
I decided to make the Relic’s memory bleed kind of go both ways, an aspect I also brought over from “Call Me By Your Name.” I felt that So Mi feeling V’s emotions and getting flashes of her memories was a good way of making her feel closer to V, able to be a bit more open with someone she can look into like that, and relate to those extreme emotions.
I actually have quite a few little things here and there I pulled from my other Cyberpunk fics, maybe some of you can catch them.
And, just like “Siren Song” there are a couple lines in this story that are hints to future SongV projects I want to do in the future. One I already have a couple little things written down for. I wanna see if anyone catches those too.