26-30

Chapter 26: Is He Always This Badass? 

“Leave this to me!” 

Riku charged forward like a shonen protagonist, sprinting to the alley’s entrance. His submachine gun roared, unloading a clean burst that dropped his target in one go. 

[Ding! Experience +5.] 

The Limit System pinged as the Scav across from him crumpled to the ground. 

“When your aim’s trash, spray and pray’s the way!” 

Riku tossed the empty submachine gun aside, snatching a new one off the two Scavs he’d just taken out.  

Starting with nothing but himself, all his gear was looted—true isekai style. 

“What’s the plan? We charging back in?”  

V and Jack Welles caught up, V gripping a new gun, her face radiating pure battle mania. 

“You good with that hand?” Riku asked, eyeing V’s left arm, which was dripping blood. Looked like she’d taken a bullet to her forearm. 

“Just a scratch. Popped some meds, doesn’t slow me down,” V said, shrugging it off. She ripped a strip of cloth and wrapped it haphazardly around the wound. 

“How many are left?” Jack Welles asked, clearly not ready to call it quits. 

“Not many—six or seven, tops,” V replied with confidence. There’d been about fourteen or fifteen Scavs at the start. She’d already smoked a few, and they’d just dropped a couple more. 

“Damn, imouto, you’re hardcore!” Jack Welles said, impressed. A lone kunoichi taking on a dozen Scavs, icing a few, and still escaping? That’s some serious guts. 

“Hmph. If I’d known there’d be this many, I wouldn’t have needed your help,” V scoffed. Usually, Scav crews topped out at five or six—less loot to split that way. A big group like this was rare. 

“Then what’re we waiting for? Let’s finish these yaro off!” Jack Welles said, no hesitation. He despised Scavs with a passion. 

V nodded, grabbed her gun, and took point like a true senpai, leading the way to the Scavs’ hideout. She knew exactly where their nest was. 

“Where the hell are those idiots? Chasing one injured onna shouldn’t take this long,” grumbled one of two Scavs guarding a shuttered door in the alley.  

Not all of them had gone after V. What if she was baiting them out? This was their base, stuffed with unsold and unbutchered “merchandise.” No way they’d leave it unguarded. 

“What if… they got taken out?” the other Scav muttered, uneasy. Three guys chasing a wounded girl—sure, she might’ve slipped away, but all of them getting owned? 

“Who’s there?!” 

The two snapped to attention as footsteps echoed from the alley’s entrance. 

Bang bang bang! 

Riku barreled in, guns blazing, weaving through the alley with snakey moves. He didn’t even bother aiming, just swung his arms wildly, spraying bullets like a mecha pilot gone rogue. No clue if he hit anything, but it sure was intimidating. 

The two Scavs didn’t get hit right away, but the sight of a horned oni charging out of nowhere spooked them bad. Their shots went wild, missing entirely. 

“Eat my claws!” 

In a few strides, Riku closed the gap, grinning as he saw the panic on their Eastern European faces.  

Shunk! 

Tossing his gun aside, Riku slashed with his jet-black claws, sharp as katana blades, plunging them straight through the Scavs’ chests. His hands sank in deep. 

Splatter! 

He yanked his claws free, flicking them to the ground, leaving bloody streaks across the pavement. 

The two Scavs collapsed, motionless. Heart-pierced by Riku’s claws, they were deader than a shinigami’s hit list. 

“Holy kami… is he always this fierce?!”  

V, who’d just rushed in behind, gaped in shock, turning to Jack Welles, who was equally floored. 

“I’m finding out right now…” Jack swallowed hard. He’d been about to chew Riku out for charging in like a berserker—who just rushes in like that? That’s asking to get flatlined! But clearly, he didn’t know his new partner as well as he thought. 

“Damn, aliens and humans are on different levels!” Jack muttered, then hurried after Riku, who was already storming into the Scavs’ hideout. 

“…”  

V was still stunned but shook it off and charged in after them. 

Inside the Scavs’ lair, Riku was ejecting bullets from his body while following the stench of blood and decay. 

His speed was far beyond a normal human’s, and with his raw strength, he was a one-man mecha wrecking crew. 

Boom! 

He smashed through a door, not slowing down as he rushed two stunned Scavs. 

Shunk! 

Claws out, he struck before they could react, piercing their hearts clean through. 

“That’s four,” Riku muttered, sniffing the air. The rest were in the basement—five or six at least. 

“Riku! Slow the hell down! We can’t keep up!” Jack Welles and V shouted, cautiously following his trail. Unlike Riku, they weren’t about to go full kamikaze. 

No choice—life’s a one-time ticket. No sense wasting it. 

Riku heard them but didn’t stop. He dove straight for the basement. 

With V and Jack around, he had to watch himself, keep his trump cards hidden. It was too restricting. Better to go solo and cut loose. 

Plus, with his abysmal gun skills, sticking with two sharpshooters like V and Jack meant he’d just be tagging along, leeching kills.  

He needed those EXP points to level up. No way he was gonna coast. Those four Scavs just now? 20 EXP in the bank. 

Boom! 

Riku kicked open the basement’s iron door and leaped down. 

The upper floor was where the Scavs lived. Down here? This was their “surgery room.” 

No, scratch that—for these Scavs, it was a slaughterhouse. 

In the basement, two Scavs dressed like butchers were busy at a table. Two others, armed and assisting, stood guard. 

“What the fuck?!”  

The guards were about to head out after hearing the commotion upstairs when Riku dropped in. 

Shunk! 

Before they could raise their guns, Riku slammed into them, knocking them flat. His claws flashed, pinning them to the floor through their chests. 

“FUCK!”  

The two “butchers” froze, staring at Riku, now drenched in blood. 

“Anyone still alive?”  

Riku pulled his claws free and stepped to the table, glancing at the person strapped down. He turned to the trembling Scavs holding scalpels.

Chapter 27: I Can’t Live Like a Man-Eating Villain Yasha 

“No saving them.” 

The Scav trembled as he spoke. They’d already started carving—how could anyone be saved now? 

“Oh.” 

Riku nodded, a tinge of regret in his voice. His cybernetic eye scanned the two poor souls on the table, barely clinging to life, more breath out than in. 

Shunk! 

Without hesitation, Riku’s claw shot out, piercing the throat of the Scav in front of him. 

[Ding! Experience +1.] 

“Guh…” 

The Scav opened his mouth, trying to say something, but it was too late. 

“Wait! This one can still be saved!” the other Scav shouted desperately. No way they were unsavable! There was hope—definitely hope! 

“…” 

Riku was speechless. Really? That flexible, huh? “Then get to saving them! Why’re you staring at me?” 

He shot a glare at the Scav, who was gawking at him. Riku wasn’t a medic—though he could eat people. 

Spooked, the Scav ducked his head and fumbled to start “saving” the victim. But come on, the guy was beyond help. He was just stalling. 

The moment Riku turned away, the Scav slipped a pistol from his clothes. 

Bang! 

A gunshot rang out. Riku spun around to see the Scav slump to the floor, a look of despair frozen on his face. 

“You’re welcome! Showed up just in time to save your hide,” Jack Welles said, blowing on his gun’s muzzle with a cocky eyebrow raise. 

“…” 

Riku gritted his teeth, staring at the Scav, now deader than a shinigami’s target. 

“Jack, I’m so grateful,” Riku muttered through clenched teeth, his tone dripping with sarcasm. 

He’d let that Scav move, hoping to turn a measly 1 EXP into 5. Now? Not even that 1 point. Gone. 

“No need to thank me, choom. It’s what I do,” Jack chuckled, though he sensed something off about Riku’s gratitude. Kinda… creepy. 

Then again, this basement wasn’t exactly a kawaii hangout spot. Shelves lined with jars of human organs, a pile of mangled corpses in the corner—this place screamed yokai lair. The Scavs had nabbed plenty of victims. 

“These two are done for. Give ’em peace,” V said, glancing at the operating table. Her face showed a flicker of pity, but mostly calm resignation. 

In their line of work, scenes like this were old news. You got numb to it. 

Shunk. 

Riku’s claw ended the suffering of the two victims with one swift strike. 

“Revenge is yours,” he whispered, sighing softly. He noted their IDs and names to pass to Father later—maybe their families could be contacted. 

For the first time, the +2 EXP from those kills felt… hollow. Was he really so desperate for those measly points? 

“Actually… yeah, I am,” Riku admitted, checking his stats. [Experience: 62/200]. Still 138 points shy of Level 3—roughly 27.6 armed Scavs’ worth.  

A long road ahead. He glanced at Jack Welles and V, wondering if teaming up with these two was worth it. Their headshot game was too strong—they kept stealing his kills! 

“There’s two still alive over here! Lucky bastards,” V called out, snapping Riku from his thoughts. She’d found two more in a tub of ice in another room. 

“These ones might make it,” Jack Welles said, rushing over to help V pull them out of the freezing bath. 

“Riku! What’re you spacing out for? Help us out!” Jack called, hoisting one of the survivors, puzzled by Riku’s daze. 

“Coming, coming!” Riku snapped back to reality, jogging over to take the other from V. 

“I’m fine, I got this,” V insisted stubbornly, despite her gunshot wound making it tough. 

“Nah, let me,” Riku said, not bothering to argue. He scooped up the half-frozen survivor. 

“You guys go ahead and get them help. I’ll stay, see if there’s any ill-gotten eddies to grab. Meet up at Father’s,” V said. She wasn’t about to leave empty-handed—why waste the trip? 

“Watch that wound. Don’t take too long,” Riku warned, knowing all too well the struggle of being broke. He got why V was scavenging. 

“Relax, I know what I’m doing,” V grinned, flashing an OK sign before diving into her loot hunt. Her moves screamed pro looter—she’d done this plenty. 

“Let’s move. I’ve already called Father—he’ll arrange treatment,” Jack said, carrying the other survivor and motioning for Riku to follow. He noticed Riku seemed off, not as hyped as before. 

After this job, Jack finally got why Riku was covered in blood yesterday. With his berserker fighting style, how could he not end up soaked? 

Riku followed Jack in silence, his mood low. A realization had hit him hard. 

Either the Limit System or his oni-fication was messing with his head. His attitude toward human lives was getting… cold. Too cold. 

Sure, V and Jack were a bit numb too, but when there was a chance to save someone, they didn’t hesitate to lend a hand. 

And him?  

Even though he’d smelled survivors in this basement—people in bad shape—he hadn’t rushed to check on them or see if they could be saved. 

Instead, he’d been scheming how to turn 1 EXP into 5. He’d been eager to “finish off” the unsavable for a quick 2 points. He’d even considered ditching Jack and V because they were “stealing” his kills. 

Heck, he might’ve even thought about the remaining survivors as potential EXP if they couldn’t be saved. 

It hadn’t been long, but human lives were starting to feel like currency—tradeable for EXP.  

His mindset was slipping into that of a mow-down game, where killing monsters powered you up and fed your hunger. The double buff of strength and sustenance was subtly twisting his morals. 

Riku was grateful he’d noticed this early, thanks to Jack and V. He couldn’t go solo for too long—being around normal people kept him grounded, let him spot his flaws and fix them. 

If he kept going alone, he’d spiral down a dark path, too far gone to pull back even if he realized it later. 

He refused to become one of those brain-dead villain yasha from novels—wiping out entire families, treating lives like trash, or devouring people to boost his power. 

Was there really a difference between killing indiscriminately for EXP and an oni eating people to get stronger?  

He needed a baseline. He’d already drawn the line at not eating people. Next was only killing those who deserved it. 

He wasn’t a seigi no mikata—a hero of justice—out to save every suffering soul. He wasn’t noble enough to sacrifice himself for others. But if it didn’t put him at risk, he’d try to save who he could. 

“That’s my baseline. It’s low enough,” Riku muttered to himself. 

Chapter 28: Time for a Big Score 

Riku loaded the two poor souls into the car and slid into the driver’s seat, flooring it with a screeching launch. 

Jack Welles sat quietly in the passenger seat, glancing at Riku. The “alien” seemed to be pulling himself together. 

“This kinda thing happens all the time in Night City. Someone’s probably getting their kidneys jacked right now,” Jack said, breaking the silence. He figured Riku’s mood was off because he wasn’t used to Night City’s brutal reality, coming from outside its chaos. 

“I get it,” Riku replied after a pause. 

He hadn’t expected Jack to pick up on his mood, but it made sense. For one, Riku wasn’t hiding his feelings—they were written all over his face. For another, Jack Welles wasn’t just the rough-and-tumble gonk he seemed. The guy was loyal, righteous, and sharp as a katana, like a modern-day Musashibo Benkei with a soft side. Noticing Riku’s vibe was par for the course. 

The two fell silent as the Curtis’s engine roared through the night, pulling up to the small church Padre had designated. 

“We’ll take it from here. Padre’s waiting,” a guy who screamed Heywood said, tapping on the window as soon as they parked. 

Riku and Jack hopped out, handing the car over. Jack chatted with the guy for a sec—clearly, they knew each other. 

Vroom! 

The Curtis roared back to life as the Heywood guy drove off without a second thought. 

“Just like that?” Riku asked, watching the car disappear down the street. 

It wasn’t the first time this had happened, judging by how casual Jack and the guy were about it. 

“Of course. Padre’ll make sure they get patched up,” Jack said confidently, then grinned at Riku. “What, you wanna foot their medical bill yourself? Got the eddies for that?” 

Riku didn’t have a comeback. Jack had a point—they’d done their part, and now it was up to Padre. They’d gone above and beyond already. 

“This was actually a lucky break. I’ve flatlined plenty of Scavs, but saving people like this? Doesn’t happen often,” Jack said, his tone heavy. He hated Scavs and their organ-harvesting gigs with a passion. 

“Let’s go see Padre,” Riku said, brushing it off and heading into the church. Jack followed close behind. 

“Got it,” Padre said as they entered the confessional. He was just wrapping up a call, hanging up as they walked in. 

“You two did good. Here’s your pay,” Padre said, transferring the eddies with a flick of his wrist. 

Riku checked his account—his balance jumped from zero to 3,000 eddies. He wasn’t sure if that was decent or chump change. Glancing at Jack, who looked unfazed, he figured it was standard. 

“Don’t complain, kids. That money was scraped together,” Padre said, his voice low, almost apologetic. A crew of over a dozen heavily armed Scavs, and the payout was only 9,000 eddies total. No wonder no one wanted the job. 

That 9,000 came from the Heywood locals, who’d pinched every penny to make it happen. Regular folks slaved away for 2,000–3,000 eddies a month, barely covering living costs. Saving up that much meant going hungry. 

Padre didn’t take a cut—he was just the middleman, doing it out of duty. 

“Three grand for Scavs? That’s more than fair,” Jack said. He loved taking out those organ-jackers, but he knew unless they nabbed someone important, no one paid for Scav hunts. Scavs weren’t dumb—they targeted nobodies like drifters, slum-dwellers, or outsiders. Why risk grabbing a corpo when a homeless guy’s parts sold just as well, without the heat? 

“What about V? She didn’t come with us,” Padre asked, curious. Hadn’t they gone to bail her out? 

“She’s still cleaning up the scene. Her cut…” Riku trailed off, realizing Padre had paid them so fast V hadn’t even shown up yet. 

“Don’t worry, Riku. I’ve got her share set aside,” Padre said, waving it off. He’d been a fixer in Heywood for years—screwing over mercs on payouts wasn’t his style. Riku’s concern was natural for a newbie, but Jack? He didn’t bat an eye. He knew Padre was solid. 

Riku nodded. Asking about V’s cut was reasonable—she wasn’t here, after all. 

“Padre, got any big-money gigs?” Jack asked, clearly not satisfied with the 3,000 eddies. He was hungry for a real score. 

“There’s one. Just came in. But it’s best for a netrunner,” Padre said, nodding. This was a legit high-stakes job. 

“I know a netrunner. Solid choom,” Jack said, his eyes lighting up. He wasn’t about to miss a chance to make a name for himself. 

“Tell us about it, Padre,” Riku added, leaning in. Three grand was fine for a month’s living, but for serious chrome—like a new cyberdeck or implants—it was pocket change. Even his Kirōshi Optics, basic as they were, cost 3,000–4,000 eddies. Most folks settled for cheaper knockoffs. 

“Alright, here’s the deal. The target’s a biotech corp,” Padre began, diving into the details. 

Jack’s face lit up like a neon sign. In his years as a cyberpunk, he knew one thing: any job tied to a corp meant serious eddies. 

Chapter 29: We’re In! 

“The client wants research data on a drug from Biotechnica. The job’s worth 300,000 eddies,” Padre said, sending the details to Riku and Jack Welles. 

Riku opened the file and skimmed it. A drug? More like a virus, designed to target a specific wheat subspecies. Nasty stuff. 

“These corporate bastards,” Jack spat, fuming. “Half the species on the planet are extinct because of their crap.” He wasn’t wrong—corpos like Biotechnica loved playing dirty, cooking up ways to screw over the world. 

“You in or out?” Riku asked, glancing at Jack. He was itching to take the gig—300,000 eddies was a fortune—but he wasn’t a netrunner. This job needed a top-tier hacker to crack Biotechnica’s systems, or they’d just be standing around looking like gonks. 

“In!” Jack said without hesitation. Even split a few ways, 300,000 eddies meant a fat payday—tens of thousands each, easy. 

“Alright, I’ll check with the client. Without a netrunner, they might not trust you. They’re in a rush and probably reached out to others too,” Padre said, nodding. A job this big wasn’t like popping a few Scavs—there were hoops to jump through. 

“Bet the client’s a corpo dog too,” Jack muttered. Regular folks didn’t need virus data like this. 

Padre ignored him. As a fixer, he never spilled client info unless they allowed it—not even to Jack. That was his code, his bushido as a middleman. 

“Check who owns that wheat strain. That’ll tell you who’s behind it,” Riku suggested. It was simple: whoever’s crop was targeted by this virus would be desperate for the data. 

Agri-corps were always at war, wiping out species while engineering new ones—disease-resistant, high-yield crops. Want to plant them? Pay the corpo for the license. Don’t pay? Risk some rival’s virus wiping out your fields overnight. Even if you paid, the other guy was already cooking up a new virus to kill your shiny new seeds. 

“Smart thinking,” Jack said, giving Riku a thumbs-up. He dove into the net, searching for answers. 

For regular folks, the net was basic—gossip, news, entertainment, nothing deep. After digging through agri-news, Jack came up empty. “What the hell? It’s not even on the market yet!” he said, shocked. 

“Biotechnica’s got some serious game,” Riku said, impressed. The pieces clicked: Biotechnica had a virus ready before their rival’s seed even hit the market. Ruthless. Whoever the client was, they were probably sweating bullets. 

“What’s this about Biotechnica?” V asked, strolling in with a puzzled look. 

“V, back already? Score anything good?” Riku asked, eyeing her. She’d shown up fast—probably didn’t find much loot. 

“Don’t even. We got there too early,” V said, waving it off, clearly annoyed. Riku and Jack got the hint: they’d hit the Scavs before they could sell their haul, so there wasn’t much eddie-worthy gear to grab. 

“What’d you do with the bodies?” Riku asked. He trusted V wasn’t the type to cash in on organs, but he had to be sure. 

A good Scav haul could net thousands of eddies—easy money, and the real reason Scavs never ran dry. Greed was a hell of a motivator. 

“Torched the whole basement,” V said, raising an eyebrow. No way she’d let someone else profit off that mess. Burn it and move on. 

“Choom, you’re speaking my language,” Jack said, grinning and throwing up another thumbs-up. He was turning into a total V fanboy. 

“What were you guys talking about? Biotechnica? Got a gig?” V asked, her street instincts kicking in. She could smell a big job from a mile away. 

Riku and Jack exchanged a quick glance, silently agreeing: V was in. She was tight with Padre, so hiding it wasn’t an option. Plus, Riku had been planning to loop her in anyway—this was perfect timing. 

“Not heading to Atlanta anymore?” Riku asked, sidestepping the job details for a moment. 

“Eh, let’s talk about that later,” V said, grimacing. Her Atlanta hype had clearly cooled off. 

“Perfect. You’re a solo act, right? Wanna join us for a big score?” Riku said, seizing the chance. His earlier talk must’ve worked—V was halfway to ditching the Atlanta plan. 

“Spill the details,” V said, not committing yet. She wanted the full picture first. 

“It’s a 300,000-eddie job,” Riku said. 

“I’m in,” V replied instantly, no hesitation. 

“Just us three?” she asked. If it was, that meant 100,000 eddies each. For that kind of cash, she’d take on anything. 

“Nah, there’s a netrunner. Padre’s sorting it,” Riku said. 

“Can’t we bring our own netrunner?” Jack asked, frowning. He had a go-to hacker he trusted. 

“No dice. The client trusts this netrunner’s skills. They were gonna solo it, but the client wanted extra muscle—you’re the insurance,” Padre said with a helpless shrug. Big eddies, big demands. Don’t like it? Don’t take the job. 

“Fine. The netrunner splitting the 300,000 with us?” Jack asked. You didn’t argue with the client’s wallet. 

“Nope. The netrunner’s got their own cut. The 300,000 is all yours,” Padre said. 

Riku, Jack, and V locked eyes, reading each other’s thoughts. 

“Hell yeah! What are we waiting for? Let’s do this!” Jack roared. 

Chapter 30: Nekomimi Lady 

“I’ve sent you the hacker’s contact.” 

Father forwarded a number from the client’s chosen netrunner. 

Riku punched it in and sent a friend request. The profile pic was a pink-lined nekomimi head—kinda familiar. 

“Hmm, feels déjà vu again,” Riku mumbled. But no biggie. Anyone who left an impression in Night City was probably legit. In this city, the weak got turned into fertilizer real quick. 

Especially netrunners. One slip-up against a corporate firewall, and you’re sayonara in a heartbeat. 

“Yo, Devil-san!”  

The nekomimi netrunner added him fast, shooting over a message. 

“I added her. Seems like a kawaii lady,” Riku said to Jack Welles and V before replying. 

“Ask where we can meet. Gotta size her up first,” Jack Welles said, all serious. Big jobs like this weren’t a game—screw-ups could cost lives. 

“If she’s not up to snuff, we ditch her and grab a new netrunner,” V said with a sly grin, her street-smart yanki vibe shining through. 

“Nice one! Client won’t care who hacks, long as we deliver,” Jack said, clapping his hands. They weren’t about to pass up this gig. 

If this nekomimi lady didn’t vibe, well, they’d just have to ask her to step aside. 

“Yo, Nekomimi Lady, where we meeting?” Riku messaged the netrunner named “Sasha,” suggesting a face-to-face. 

“#*! Don’t call me Nekomimi! Just Sasha’s fine!”  

She fired back an angry “#,” clearly not thrilled with the nickname. 

“Got it, Nekomimi Lady. No prob, Nekomimi Lady,” Riku teased, going with the flow. This netrunner chan seemed young, judging by her vibe. 

“O_O? Whatever, meet me at Afterlife,” Sasha replied, giving up and dropping the location: Afterlife in Watson. 

“Catch ya later,” Riku responded, stoked to check out the legendary Afterlife bar. 

“She says meet at Afterlife,” he told his crew. Jack Welles and V froze, jaws dropping. 

“Afterlife? You sure?” Jack asked, like he’d heard some shonen-level plot twist. 

“Yup, crystal clear. THE AFTERLIFE,” Riku confirmed, puzzled. How could he mess that up? 

Then it clicked. Afterlife wasn’t just any bar.  

Sure, you could chill and have fun there, but Afterlife was the spot for biz in Night City. Not just for sipping sake.  

Wanna talk gigs with a fixer? Hash out job details with a client over drinks? Or just lurk, watching Night City’s top mercs and fixers hustle in the shadows?  

Afterlife was the place. The only place. 

“Guess this nekomimi lady’s got some clout,” V said, her eyes wide. She’d been in Night City forever but never set foot in Afterlife. 

You didn’t just stroll into Afterlife. It was for players with rep. Small fries need not apply. 

“Ha, looks like we’re getting a VIP pass!” Riku grinned. Talk about a plot twist—bringing Jack Welles and V to Afterlife two and a half years early? 

“Let’s go! I’ve been dreaming of Afterlife!” Jack was hyped, practically bouncing. His shonen dream? To become a legend with his name etched in Afterlife’s history. 

The trio said bye to Father and left the chapel. No metro this time—V had her ride, a Thorton Galena G240. 

“This thing’s ancient. Older than a Quadra,” Jack commented as they piled in. The Galena was a 2031 model—proper retro. 

“Hey, a ride’s a ride. Performance ain’t great, but it was cheap. Original price 13,000 eddies, snagged it secondhand for 3,000,” V said, rolling her eyes. She’d love a fancy car, but eddies don’t grow on trees. 

The Galena roared to life, and Riku instantly felt the 24,000-eddy gap between it and a Quadra. Night and day. 

“Galena’s engine is trash—86 horsepower, no match for a Quadra. Thorton had zero experience with compact cars back then. They slapped in an engine from India’s Meher Motors,” Jack said, geeking out. 

V didn’t argue, chiming in, “Bet the Galena’s project lead took a fat bribe from Meher. Who else would dare use an Indian engine?” 

The two went back and forth, bonding over car talk. They clicked like nakama in a shonen crew. 

Riku, meanwhile, stared out the window, worried. It was already early morning. Dawn was a ways off, but he had to think about daytime.  

Unless he was indoors, daytime ops were a no-go for him. What excuse could he use? 

“We’re here. Afterlife,” V announced. 

Riku had been lost in thought the whole ride, still without a good excuse. Oh well, he’d wing it. 

Feeling uneasy, he followed Jack and V to Afterlife’s entrance. The bar was underground. They entered a building, turned down a staircase, and spotted the AFTERLIFE sign. 

“Get this—this place used to be a morgue. Wild, right?” Jack said, grinning. He’d never been, but he knew Afterlife’s lore. 

“Who’d guess that?” V said, her red hair swinging as she scoped the place out. A Haywood street onna like her shared Jack’s dream: live big, leave a legend at Afterlife, like Johnny Silverhand. 

“No kidding! This place is older than us. Back when people still got proper burials,” Jack said, buzzing with excitement, his mouth running nonstop—until a bouncer stopped them at the door. 

A burly dude blocked Afterlife’s entrance, the door shut tight. His cybernetic jaw glinted, screaming bad news. 

“Who are you? What’s your biz?” the bouncer growled, his vibe as cold as a yokai. 

(End of Chapter)