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Viktor slid the shard into his computer, unsure as to what was on it but he knew that it must be important enough for V to leave behind. Her body lay on a bed, not that far from him. He was getting tired of seeing her comatose but he didn't even know if it was her in there. His attention was pulled back to the screen, hearing the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor.
She flopped down into the chair in front of her computer, face pinched from what had to be another migraine. He knew that they’d been coming and going for some time now, the times without one were getting fewer and farther between. He watched her fiddle with the camera for a moment before she leaned back in the chair with a small smile. She looked like utter shit. Bags under her eyes from lack of good sleep, bloodshot eyes, and her hair an absolute mess. She usually wore her hair in buns, but it was down and hastily pulled back out of her face.
“Hey. So...if you’re watching this, I’m probably dead” she stated simply, a harsh laugh slipping past her lips at the cheesy line. “Not sure what’s gonna happen to me but I know it's gonna happen soon. We’re running out of time” she said, sighing as she leaned back in her chair. “We’ve had several arguments over all of this,” she said, gesturing to the camera. “Johnny thinks I’m being a bit melodramatic, that there isn’t anything to worry about. But when I have these” she said, holding the bottle of the blockers “I can win an argument with him for once”. Her smile wasn’t genuine, Vik could tell, but he could tell she was trying.
“I’m leaving this...well shit it's a bit of a note ain’t it. That's not exactly the impression I’m trying to leave, Vik. I know you know that but I wanna make sure” she leaned forward in the chair, looking a bit more serious. “I trust you to get this to the people it needs to get to. Ain’t nothing I’m gonna say that you can’t hear, so watch it all and then pass it along to the next person. I’m trusting you to do this for me”. She paused, looking off to the side for a moment before shaking her head.
“Alright” she said, sounding determined with a small clap of her hands “Let’s get to it. Figured I owed you all an explanation. Not gonna waste my time with the details of all this shit. I just don’t have time left to waste. If you’re curious, Vik can give you all the specifics. But basically the relic from Konpeki Plaza is killing me. It saved me once but my times up. Some of you know, most of you don’t. Not sure why I didn’t tell some of you...didn’t want everyone in my business? Maybe Johnny didn’t want you in our business. Dunno anymore. It's all...muddled” she said, waving her hand around her head.
“There is a point to this, I promise” she said before a fit of coughing overtook her. It took her longer than Vik would’ve liked to get it to settle down, wiping her blood splattered hand across her pants out of view of the camera. Still hiding, even during this. It pulled at Vik’s heartstrings.
“Wanted to say goodbye to all you idiots. Don’t think I’ll have a proper chance. Plus, I’ve never been good at goodbyes. Jackie knew that...I left Night City once. Said I was done with this place. Here I am” she opened her arms, looking a bit defeated. “An idiot who doesn’t see an abusive relationship where there is one. All this city does is eat you up and spit you out. But you all know that already. You’ve seen it first hand. If I’m not the poster child of what Night City can do to you, I’d hate to be the guy who is.”
For the first time she hesitated, looking a bit unsure of herself. She leaned forward in her chair, resting her arms on the computer desk in front of her, rubbing the heels of her hands into her eyes with a long sigh.
“Shit...where was I…” she trailed off, looking over her shoulder for a moment before shaking her head. She looked back at the camera, face scrunched up in annoyance for a moment before putting a shaky smile on her face.
“Goodbyes!.Yeah. So uhmm...in no particular order I suppose. Judy” she said, clapping her hands together. “Get out of here, chica” she said, tone turning serious. “Go someplace that cares about you. Be the big BD artist I know you can be. Just do it someplace else” she said, like she was speaking to her face to face. Trying to convince her of something that she couldn’t even pull off properly. “Hitch a ride with Panam. You’ve never met, but she’s a part of the best clan of nomads there ever was” she said, flashing a grin at the camera. Vik knew she was just trying to flatter Panam there, but her genuine smile brought one to his face.
“Panam, Saul, Mitch, and the rest of the Aldecaldos.... Wish I would’ve met you lot sooner. Probably would’ve saved us all a lot of heartache. Fighting alongside you in that Basilisk was preem. Blowing shit up in the desert is helluva good time. I know you lot can keep the Aldecaldos strong, together. Don’t stop fighting with each other though, Saul. That’s how Panam does some of her finest work. Just keep Mitch around to keep everyone else on board with her crazy plans” she said with a small laugh before she dissolved into a fit of coughing.
“Ugh. I don’t recommend dying. Fucking sucks” she grumbled, looking down at the small sheet of paper in front of her. Vik couldn’t read what it said but he figured she probably had taken notes, to cover all her bases.
“River. River River River….Not sure what kind of advice I can leave ya. You clearly got your shit together better than I ever could. Keep a close eye on those kids for me. Don’t let the City touch them until they’re old enough” she warned, brows knitting together as she spoke “And fuck the NCPD. You’re too good for them. Solve cases your own way. Probably safer that way anyways” she pointed out, taking a big sigh as she leaned back in the chair. Vik could tell this was taking a lot out of her. And if he knew V at all, he knew she had plenty of friends to say goodbye to.
“Suppose you’re up next, Kerry. Can’t leave you to last or else you might’ve thought I forgot you” she said, flashing a quick wink at the camera. “I’m sure Johnny would tell you to keep making music or some inspirational bullshit like that. I mean, definitely keep making music, Ker. You’re great at it. Hell. Write a song about me. Some fool growing up on the streets, too dumb to stay out of trouble and too lucky that they survive it all. Well until that luck runs out...I’m not as good of a song writer as you, so you better make it sound good” she said, a tight smile on her face as she fiddles with the ends of her hair for a moment.
“Take care of those Us Cracks girls. Stand up for other artists as well...Uhm.. Oh. Yeah! Johnny wants you to take Nibbles” she said, a grin flashing over her face. She disappeared off camera for a moment before returning, easing back into the chair while holding a very disgruntled cat. She gave the hairless creature a quick peck on the head before she looked back up at the camera. “I’ve written up how you’re supposed to care for him. Johnny didn’t want you to be alone again, so I hope you are into hairless cats that I pulled off the street”. Vik could tell that the idea of the rockerboy with her rodent looking cat really got her good but she was holding back her laughter. Probably avoiding another laughing fit if he was to guess. She gave the cat a small hug, talking too quiet for the recording to pick up before she sent him gently on the floor. “He’s the best cat ever. He will eat your socks though, just warning you” she said, looking at the cat with a fond smile before she turned back to the camera.
“Misty...Vik. I feel like I should lump you two together for some reason. You’ve been with me through this whole mess. Growing up here in NC, needing to get patched up after street fights, and Jackie. Just..Jackie. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here. And if it wasn’t for you two after we lost him I.... I definitely wouldn’t have made it this far” she sighed, a sad look passing over her face. “Between Vik keeping me bullet free and Misty reading me my fortunes...you’ve both been a great comfort to me these last few months. I suppose I’m asking you to be there for each other when I’m gone. Not that I have to tell you but...Dunno. Feel like I should just say what I want so then you won’t have to be all ‘V would’ve wanted us to do blah de blah blah’ sorta shit, y’know?” she said, putting on a voice and a lopsided smile. That smile was Vik’s favorite and he was glad that it was aimed at him.
Vik paused the video to check on the body near him. It was odd, seeing her smile frozen on the screen in front of him but an even more still face next to him. If it wasn’t for the faint breathing and the beep of the machines she was connected to, he would’ve guessed she was dead already. She was always...so alive. So active, never sitting still. Hell, half the time she was under anesthesia she still twitched. He sighed, running a hand through his thinning hair before he returned to the video.
Her smile hung on her face a little while longer as she read from the sheet of paper again. “Oh, Mama Welles. How could I forget” she said, her lopsided smile slipping to something more tinged with sadness as she looked back to the screen.
“What an ungrateful brat I was to raise, huh Mama” she said with a small huff of laughter, clearly trying to lighten the mood a bit. “Can’t believe you willingly brought me into your home, fed and clothed me, and you still had to deal with Jack as well. You. Are. Crazy. And I absolutely love you for it. If meeting Jackie saved me, you definitely stopped me from becoming an absolute lunatic” she laughed, wincing slightly as she struggled to pull air into her lungs. “Still, not sure what else there needs to be said. You’ve lost kids before, there ain’t anything I can say to make it feel any better. I’ll let Jackie know you said hi” she said, voice breaking at the end and a tear slipping from one eye.
“Fuck” she spat, rubbing at the rogue tear angrily before leaning forward towards the computer. Her face crumpled at the last second before the footage cut out. After a moment of darkness, she was back, eyes looking a bit puffier but dry. The lighting in the room had shifted, the neon lights out her window had been turned on and the sun was sinking.
“Getting close to the end here, hold on a bit longer for me, yeah” she said, eyes crinkling with a small smile as she fiddled with a few new things on the desk in front of her. Vik guessed she must’ve gotten some food to eat, some more trash vending machine burritos by the looks of the wrappers.
“Rogue. Ha. Bet you didn’t think you’d be on this list, did ya?” she said, looking a little smug. Vik wondered if letting out the tears had made her feel a bit better as she was sitting up more in the chair, a bit more brightness in her eyes.
“Johnny won’t shut up about you, y’know. Best fixer in NC and all that jazz. He didn’t even know how big a deal you were until I told him. He’s proud of you. And he’s sorry. For like..everything. Truely. If he makes it through this, make Johnny actually tell you that” she stated, like it was definitely something the pair had talked about. Vik always wondered how much they spoke but he never had the guts to ask.
“But the reason why I wanna talk to you is I think you should follow my advice. I’m not remotely qualified to give any, but I’ma do it anyways. I think it might be time to retire. Not in a mean way, you’re definitely capable to keep going. But...shit, now I sound like Johnny…” she trailed off with a shake of her head, looking annoyed. She blew a big huff of air out of her mouth, puffing the loose strands of hair around her face. “I swear, Johnny has rubbed off on me in the most annoying ways. Made me a smoker with a taste for tequila and absolutely incapable of talking to you, Rogue. Just. Don’t let Night City get you, okay. Not all of us need to end up as proper Night City legends, okay. Oh!” she said, sitting upright as she remembered something. “Speaking of which. I have my drink for you to pass on to Claire. Not sure how I’m gonna die but I’m sure it’ll be spectacular enough to earn myself a drink. Johnny wouldn’t let me go any other way. Figure Jackie didn’t get his drink and I have absolute shit taste in mixed drinks...I’ll just piggy back off of his ideas. Shot of vodka, on the rocks. Lime juice, ginger beer...and most importantly…” she trailed off for dramatic affect, a look on her face matching the one Jackie would wear when he was trying to be charming “a splash of love”.
“And...drumroll please” she muttered to herself, drumming her fingers on her desk “Johnny. If you’re seeing this...I’m sorry” her face pinched together, like she had a headache coming on. She pressed her fingers to her temples with a sigh “Looks like you’re trying to wake up from your timeout, so I’ll be brief. You know I wrote things down, how to care for this beautiful temple of a body” she said, gesturing to her definitely wrecked self “And a bunch of other things I thought you should know. Its in the drawer” she said, pointing over to the drawer to her right. “I’m sure you put up a hell of a fight to get me back, but we all know that just because you want something doesn’t mean you get it” she shrugged, looking like that was something she had come to terms with ages ago.
“I took the bullet for ya this time” she said, touching the pair of dog tags around her neck. “Get out of NC. Go be a nomad, tour with Kerry, hell..teach some kid how to play guitar. Don’t let your talents go to waste. You’re not all guns and bombs and taking Arasaka down. You’re more than that”. She paused, a small smile on her face as her head tilted slightly.
“ Anyways, Johnny. Be good. Be kind. Make music. Quit smoking for the love of all that is good!” she said with a small laugh. “If no one else does...I believe in you. Don’t forget that. Don’t forget me” she said, voice cracking a bit again but she steeled herself with a bite on her lip and shake of her head.
“Well Vik..that’s all I got. Always been pretty bad at being all serious and shit. Just make sure th-” she cut herself off with a wince, pitching forward with a groan as she grabbed at her head. “Fuck. Johnny…” she grumbled, pinching her bleeding nose as she looked off to her left. “Yeah, I know I started it but really…” she said, shooting a glare off to where Vik imagined Silverhand was. She grabbed a few tissues to staunch the flow. “Crybaby” she muttered before returning her attention to the camera. “Well, Johnny. Got anything to say to the masses if I manage to get us both killed?” she asked, arching a brow at his response. “Yeah, not saying that. This is V, signing off…Got a hot date with Hanako at Embers tonight” she said, reaching towards the computer before pausing.
“Well...I suppose I could tell em that…” she said, looking off to the left again. “The big secret, y’know the one, Vik. What does V stand for…” a grin creeped on to her face. “It stands for Verity. Mama Welles is the only one left that knows that so...very exclusive club. Just didn’t think it sounded like a good merc name. Not one that would go down at the Afterlife. V...V is memorable” she said, flashing a quick wink before turning the camera off.
Fuck. V damn sure was. Not was...Is...Vik turned to the body laying on the bed next to him, begging for it to be ‘is’.