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V’s eyes reluctantly flittered open, her apartment still as close to pitch black as you could get in the city. ‘Ugh, why am I waking up now? What time is it?’ she thought to herself as her optics slowly started to render the interface correctly. 3am. Fantastic. Not too late to try and fall back asleep, at least. Before she could close her eyes, her tired brain started to catch up with what she was seeing beyond the HUD. Judy, standing still against the window, her face lit up by all the commercials and skyscraper lights that Night City still shone even at this time of night. She didn’t seem to have noticed V had come to, just staring out at the concrete and neon horizon.
V shuffled out of bed, trying not to be so sudden as to startle her, while also trying to make enough noise to alert her that she was awake. Judy’s eyes broke free of their lock forward and glanced over at V. ‘Oh, V, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.’
‘Nah, you didn’t. Although, maybe my ‘Judy is in danger’ sensors I got installed last week could’ve been going off.’ V replied, leaning against the window edge opposite Judy and looking out. 3am and still the city looked alive, the roads lit by street lights and headlights alike, drones delivering packages ready for early morning manufacturing and food stalls, and people, either going home from partying or heading off in search of the next bar. Judy laughed, probably out of pity at such a cheesy joke.
‘So, something keeping you up?’ V said, ‘Or just admiring the view?’ Judy smiled, weakly. ‘The view is pretty nice if you don’t think about the city, but nah. It’s nothing. Go back to bed, you probably need the rest.’ V smiled back. ‘No way I’m gonna be able to fall asleep with something bothering you. What’s up?’
She shook her head. ‘It’s really noth-’ Her voice cracked, and so did the flood gates, tears now streaming down her face. ‘I can’t stop thinking about Tom and the others. What we did- What I did, did that...I mean, if I hadn’t done anything, he’d still be alive.’
‘Hey, Judy, look at me,’ V stepped forward, loosely wrapping her arms around Judy’s waist, but she pushed back. ‘There must’ve been something else. Maybe I could’ve improved the chip, maybe-’ V stepped forward again, tighter this time. ‘Judy, I really need you to stop for a moment and look at me.’ She writhed against V’s arms for a moment, then stopped, panting as her lungs tried to catch up with the tears.
‘It wasn’t your fault. Okay? It wasn’t your fault. We knew people could get hurt, everyone signing up for it knew people could get hurt. Tom believed in the cause.’ Gently, V led them both over to the couch, and sat Judy down, cupping her cheek. ‘He believed in the cause because I made him think he was invincible.’ She muttered.
‘He believed in fighting for something better. Things were never gonna get better if no one fought.’
‘Maybe. We’ll never know now.’ The tears slowed, replaced by resignation. ‘Please believe me, Judy. You tried to do a good thing. We all went along with it because we agreed. You’ve done so much good for joytoys in this city, don’t let the Tyger Claws destroy you like this.’
Judy let herself lean into V a bit. ‘You really believe that?’
‘Yeah. You’ve got Suzie complaining you’re doing too much good, remember?
‘I spose so’
‘It’s this city. Makes you feel like you have to be a superhero just to do any good at all,’ V softly kissed Judy’s shoulders, ‘but I promise you, you’ve done good. We’ll get out of here soon.’
Judy gave a pained smirk. ‘Easy enough for you to say.’
V chuckled, more out of confusion than anything. ‘What’s that mean?’
‘I mean, look at you, V. You’re fast on your way to being a living legend, you’ve got the most chrome I’ve seen outside a Militech recruitment ad, and you do it all to keep the streets safe instead of the cartload of eddies you’d get being some Arasaka bigwig bodyguard. If that ain’t being a superhero, I don’t know what is.’
V half-chuckled. ‘Come on, Jude, I’m- I’m really not...I’m just...’ V looked down at the hand on Judy’s cheek. It was covered in blood. Soaked in it. Did you really think you could just wash it all off and be clean? That you could walk away from everything you’ve done? How dare you even touch her with these hands. Judy sat up, worry flooding over her face. ‘Hey, V, it was just a bad joke. Don’t stress.’
‘I’m not a hero, Jude. All I’m good for is killing.’
‘Jesus, V!’ She wrapped her arms as tight as she could around her, pressing her face against V’s neck. ‘You’ve been helping everyone just as much as I have, you don’t really think that, right?’
V laughed as she began to cry. ‘Hey, I’m meant to be cheering you up.’ She embraced Judy as well, and the two became a tight coupling on the couch. ‘We’re both a lil fucked up. That’s alright. We can take turns,’ Judy rubbed her cheek against V’s neck, ‘It's like you said. Its this fucked up city. Soon, you’ll tie up all your loose ends, get rockerboy out of your head, and we can leave it behind forever. Live a quiet life together somewhere safer, and kinder.’ V closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of Judy’s touch. Seconds melted into minutes, and pain faded into emptiness, into warmth.
After what felt like hours but can’t have been more than 5 minutes, V opened her eyes. She glanced up past Judy’s shoulder, at the window they’d just been against. Johnny was now standing there, a sodden look on his face, only half hidden by the glasses. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t really have to this time. This isn’t a quick and easy in and out adventure. We’re against Arasaka. There’s a good chance we die even if we get what we want. Another dream stolen by the corps and Night City. V closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Well, I don’t think I’m getting back to sleep now. Wanna go out for a drink?’ Judy laughed. ‘Now? You wanna go become chooms with all the gonks still barhopping at 3am?’
‘Exactly! We gotta take advantage of Night City’s benefits while we can, and the interesting losers is one of them! ‘Sides, Lizzie’s is still open, right?’
‘Fine, fine, we can go. You have to promise to stop me from getting in Suzie’s face, tonight has to be peaceful. As peaceful as it gets at Lizzie’s at 3am, I guess.’ She got up to get dressed.
V looked back over at Johnny. ‘There’ll be a time to warn her that we might not make it,’ she thought, ‘but it isn’t just yet. I wanna hope, just as badly as she does.’
‘Fine by me, hope’s important. Keeps you fighting. You doing alright? Seen that look before, from a lot of guys after the war.’
‘Yeah, I think I am. Just...maybe need a bit of time away from our war. I know we don’t have the time, but-’
‘Nah. Do what you gotta do to keep pushing through. Lotta people forget to ever come home from war,’ He nodded over towards the door, where Judy was slipping her boots on. ‘Don’t keep your output waiting, chatting with ghosts.’
V stood up and walked over to the doorway and glanced back at the window. Johnny was gone. ‘Hey, V,’ Judy said, clasping V’s hand tight, her eyes following V’s to the view of the city, ‘do you really think you’ll be able to leave Night City?’
‘Hm? Yeah, I think so. Not a lot left for me here. Just memories. I left once before, you know.’
‘Yeah, and it pulled you back. That’s what I’m worried about, V. This city eating you up slowly and never letting you out.’
V smiled, warmly. Looking into Judy’s caring eyes had made the pain from minutes ago feel like days ago. If she lost Johnny and Judy alongside Jackie, could she even survive Night City anymore? ‘You’ve got nothing to worry about. Once I’ve fixed everything up, we’ll find a way out. Together.’
‘That’ll be good. Freedom from the asshole machine.’ Judy’s eyes didn’t move, like she was reassuring herself more than saying it to V.
‘For now, though, drinks,’ V pulled Judy into a tight hug, ‘and me bragging about whatever preem virtu my output just scrolled to all the Mox around to hear it.’ That broke Judy out of her trance, and she laughed. ‘You wouldn’t dare!’
‘What, I wouldn’t dare show how much I love you?’
‘I’ve got my rep to uphold, can’t have you going all mushy on me.’
‘Mhm, I understand, my little leelou bean.’
‘Oh my god, shut uuuuuuuuuuup!’ Judy laughed in V’s arms, hoping the teasing would stop in public.
The pair stepped out of the apartment and into the mostly quiet hallways of the Megabuilding, heading for the elevator down. ‘Hey, actually, I might have a preem idea for your new dual scrolling tech. You ever piloted a Basilisk before?’ V asked. ‘What? No, course I haven’t.’
‘Well, I maaaay know a place where we could maybe take one for a joyride.’
‘Damn, V, you never run out of surprises.’
‘The two pilots use a twin neural interface to work harmoniously, so...’
‘Mm, could be interesting. Don’t know if my usual clientele would go for Militech, even if it is sorta romantic. Though it’d be cool just to get a look at the tech. Or maybe my V just likes the feeling of being inside my head, hm?’ Judy wrapped her arms loosely over V’s shoulders, alone in the elevator bar the constant sounds of All-Foods commercials. ‘I can’t help it, it's so warm and cozy being draped in your feelings.’
The two left the Megabuilding, and hailed a taxi to Lizzie’s. The pain would take a while to fade into the background, and even longer to be forgotten, but in the meantime, love and company did a great job of numbing it.
---
In faded moonlight
With the stars hidden away
Continue to hope
---
Rita, the Mox bouncer at Lizzie’s, smiled and lifted her baseball bat across her shoulder. ‘Well, well, if it isn’t the two lovebirds,’ she called out, ‘Always so cute seeing you two holding hands as you walk into a den of debauchery.’
Judy rolled her eyes. ‘What, a girl can’t bring her output to her workplace?’
‘I ain’t making fun of you, cutie. Just a rare sight to see romance in Lizzie’s. In you go.’ She stepped aside and winked at V subtly as they walked in.
Lizzie’s was, unsurprisingly, still popping even at this time. Club goers drinking and partying, BD enthusiasts dropping into the private rooms, and of course, plenty of Mox. V and Judy grabbed a couple drinks at the bar, two tequilas, neat, and headed up to one of the smaller upstairs booths. After a clink of the glasses, and a few sips, Judy spoke up first, looking out at the wild crowd below. ‘You’re a strange person sometimes, V. You wanna go out because you can’t sleep, and your first pick is a club? Even if you wanna drink, not somewhere quieter?’
‘I am still trying to cheer you up, too. Figured you’d be more comfortable here than anywhere else. I mean, not just for you. I love the vibe here, has cool lighting.’ Judy laughed. ‘Nova. Glad you like it here. Just for me would be a pretty sorry reason to come but...I do feel comfortable here, yeah. My home away from home.’
‘Anything fun at work lately?’
‘Ah, yknow, mostly smut. Good stuff, I'm proud of it, but haven't got to stretch my art much lately. Still working on our dive, too, but it's getting close. Tricky refining the dual channels, and minimising the noise, but it's been a lot of fun.’ V smiled. Judy was a techie and an artist through and through, nothing got her going like a chance to talk about her work. V loved to listen, even if it wasn't always easy to follow when Judy got into the details of editing.
‘I'm still thinking about the Basilisk though...I don't want it to look like a Militech propaganda shoot. It's klepped, right?’ Judy asked.
‘Yeah, not even slightly legit.’ V replied with a nod.
‘Hmm...could probably make something work then.’
‘I don’t think there's much risk of ‘Two Lesbians Blow Shit Up in Klepped Basilisk Then Fuck in Cockpit’ being seen as propaganda.’ V replied with a smirk. Judy nearly choked on tequila. ‘I'm definitely not scrolling my own smut, that's way too embarrassing to edit after.’
‘Fine, fine, ‘Two Lesbians Blow Shit Up in Klepped Basilisk’ for release and then maybe ‘Two Lesbians Fuck in Cockpit’ raw for Judy's personal collection?’ V said, her smirk only getting dirtier. Judy smiled, brushed V's cheek with her hand and winked. ‘Maybe.’
Round two of tequila came along quickly. ‘How’s your work schedule looking this week?’ Judy asked. ‘It’s always hard to say but...don’t have anything big planned yet,’ V said, downing a big gulp, ‘I think Padre has a couple odd jobs for me, but really, I’m hoping to spend a bit more time with you.’ Judy smiled. ‘Wellllll, I can’t say I have any issues with that. It's nice knowing you’re safe. But if you’ve got biz, you’ve got biz, okay? Don’t put things off just to cuddle with your output, we’ll have plenty of time for that once we’ve left this behind.’ V nodded a couple of times, and mhm’d in acknowledgement. ‘Don’t worry, I know. I’m just taking advantage of an opening,’ V said, ‘We could grab a bite somewhere, or maybe go admire some views outside the city. Er, I mean, if your schedule allows.’
‘Yeah, I think I can probably find a window for us.’ Judy grinned.
The hours and the drinks slipped away, and eventually it became time to delta. A tipsy Judy had to help a drunk V back down the stairs, with a little help from a sober Rita. ‘God, V, normally I'm the lightweight. How fast were you drinking?’ Judy asked as they reached the carpark. ‘You've seen my Sandevistan, Jude, I'm the fastest motherfuc-’ V activated the Sandevistan, and, in the blink of an eye, took four steps forward and tripped down to her knees. Judy sighed, walked up and kneeled down to help V up. ‘Okay, new rule: no talking about your Sandevistan.’ she said, wrapping V's arm back over her shoulder. ‘But my Sandy is so cool,’ V said, wounded. She looked at Judy, with her mouth agape. ‘What's up now?’ Judy said. ‘You're so beautiful.’ V replied, stunned. Judy laughed, pulled V up and resumed walking to the waiting Delamain cab. ‘You're lucky you’re such a sweet gonk.’ When they reached the cab, Del opened his doors, and V managed to sit down mostly of her own ability. Judy shuffled around the cab and took the other seat, and V immediately rested her head on her shoulder. ‘I've never seen someone as beautiful as you.’ V said. Judy stroked her hair and kissed her on the lips, softly and lightly. ‘Let's get you to bed, and then you can flirt more tomorrow, okay?’ Judy said, powering through her own tipsiness. Tequila is way too easy to enjoy, she thought to herself.
As the cab pulled up to Judy's apartment, Del spoke up. ‘We have reached the destination, and I must apologise, ma'am, as I am unable to help you carry her any further.’ V was in that drunk not-quite-asleep-but-not-really-conscious state on Judy’s shoulder, with an arm around her waist still barely gripping on. ‘That's alright, Del. Thanks for the ride. Come on, V, let’s get you to bed.’ V slumped up slowly, and stood up out of the open cab door. ‘Bye-bye, Del.’ She said, slowly, waving at the monitor. Carefully, they got V up the stairs and into Judy's place. V laid down immediately on the bed, fully dressed, while Judy undressed and then slipped in, rubbing up against V. ‘Tonight did help. Thanks, V.’ She whispered to V. ‘I'm glad. Someone as pretty and kind as you should never be sad,’ V replied, slowly again, without opening her eyes, and wrapped her arms around Judy, ‘I'll always keep you safe.’ Judy kissed her again and smiled, then closed her eyes as well. Maybe that was what she had always wanted. A white knight in shining armour to show up on her door and save her from Night City. Judy scoffed to herself. Yeah, right. Still, she could hardly complain if one happened to be around. ‘I love you, Judy’ V muttered, clearly no longer awake, but something in her synapses had realised she'd forgotten to say it and fired off. ‘I love you too, V.’ Judy replied, and closed her eyes. Tequila and a splash of love was a good way to fall asleep.
-----
V darted between the line of sight of the two security cameras. The back section of this Arasaka bank had been weirdly unpopulated, with only really a few cameras for coverage. Seemed odd, but maybe they’d expected it to be harder to get back here? Or possibly all the security was deeper in? Either way, even though V could easily slip by the cameras with her Sandevistan - most cameras didn’t have a frame rate high enough to perceive her’s, and even ones that did would only register it as a blip - it was better to do this manually, and keep her reserves topped up in case of danger.
Her objective was the contents of a safety deposit box. Her client had given her the code, 114115, for the box, but getting to it was all up to her. Actually, come to think of it, who was the client again? She crept up to an unmanned computer in what appeared to be a disused security room, or possibly old teller’s office from an earlier design of the building. She wagered this would be able to get her access to the safety deposit room, and began digging around through the computer’s functions.
As she did, a terminal popped up on the side. ‘You should’ve called Judy’ popped up in sysfont, a blinking underscore at the end. ‘I can’t call her before every single gig.’ V replied. ‘This is a dangerous one’, the next line popped in on the terminal. ‘I’m a merc. She knows when I go off to work I’m in danger.’ V said, trying to ignore the terminal and focus on a way to open these doors. ‘Judy didn’t want a merc. She wanted you.’ came through, again one blinking character at a time. ‘Yeah, well, again, I am a merc.’ V said, digging through garbled gibberish. ‘And when you leave Night City? What will you be then?’
V opened her mouth to reply, but didn’t have one. What would she be? Where they’re going, will they need street mercs? But if not, what else would she do? She’d spent her life trying to become a legend. Jackie died getting them on that path. She had no other skills. This was her entire life and legacy. But Judy...Judy would want something quiet for them. Safe.
V shook her head, and clicked through, finally finding what she was after. She unlocked all the relevant doors, and disabled the cameras on the way. Back to business. She sped along corridors, staying relatively quiet just in case. The bizarre black-and-white but not quite checkerboard floor tiling was offputting, as was the increasingly apparent absurd size of this place. She felt like she’d been running for ages, had she gone below ground at some point maybe?
She eventually made it to the security deposit room, and crept in to the box she was after. She opened up the keypad, and typed in the code she’d been given. 114115. Then cracked at the latch. Nothing, locked tight. She took a deep breath and consulted the info on the shard she’d been given. Surely she hadn’t forgotten that number? Nope, just as thought: 114115. Maybe a mistake typing? She tried once more, slowly, 114115, and pulled. Locked. Fuck. Two mistakes was too much. Either an incompetent client or a setup. Her scanners could hear silent alarms blazing, security would be here in moments. Time to delta.
She pulled out Johnny’s Malorian, performed a quick press check, and crouched out into the hallway. Hiding in the safety deposit room was pointless, they’d have all her exits covered, and her only out would be death or a bloodbath. Her best bet was try to cut through them with the Sandy while they were getting into position, she figured. The hallway was quiet, but when she made it back to the security room she was in earlier, she got caught out of position. Bullets ripped through the air, and V just barely managed to pull back behind the wall. ‘This is Arasaka Security! You are surrounded! Drop your weapons and surrender!’ came the call from the other side of the wall. Yeah, right. Surrender means death here.
Just as she was about to lean the Malorian around the corner and let rip, she felt white hot pain in her chest. Wh- bullets? Where from? She looked the way she had come and saw multiple guards, slowly approaching, rifles at the ready. Where the hell had they come from? She’d cleared the entire way down. Hidden door, maybe? Stupid of her. With one hand gripping her chest, she aimed with the Malorian and pulled the trigger, obliterating the chest of one guard, but the recoil of hip firing such an absurd gun made hitting the others with any degree of accuracy impossible. She took another few hits and spat up bloody, keeled over.
The remaining guards approached, kicking the gun from her mostly limp arm. ‘I’m not gonna say shit. Might as well kill me here.’ V said with as much confidence as she could muster in her state, blood pooling in her inner lip. She glanced at the fire extinguisher just behind the guard. ‘CAUTION - You should have called Judy’ read the security label. ‘Every merc says that. After a date with Soulkiller and an attitude adjustment, everyone is ready to talk.’ The guard replied, coldly. There was a new sensation on V’s face. Still white hot but...tears? She was sobbing. Ah, well, there goes that remaining confidence. And with that, she closed her eyes slowly, and blacked out.
-----
V came to, soaked in sweat, panting erratically and deeply. Judy’s apartment. Just a nightmare. Nothing but a nightmare. She was okay. ‘Fuck me,’ she muttered, sitting up slowly, rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead to wipe the sweat so it didn’t look like she’d had quite such a bad night. ‘Jude?’ she called out ‘You around?’ V couldn’t hear much in the apartment, which was a pretty good indicator she was alone. Even if Judy was working in the office right now, either editing or tinkering, it didn’t tend to be so silent. Not impossible, though, so it was worth the check. Waiting on the the counter for her was a slice of pizza, a coffee and a note.
‘Morning mi calabacita <3 I had to delta, didn’t wanna wake you because you looked like you needed it. But I grabbed you some breakfast! Stay at mine as long as you want, dunno when I’ll be back. Love you!’
V sighed affectionately and took a sip of the coffee. Her heart was still racing. Hard to feel that vividly like you’re going to die with regrets and not feel anxiety, really. Of course, now awake, all the holes in the dream became obvious, and it felt ridiculous to think she was ever in danger, but...’Fuck, Judy, I’m so sorry.’ she muttered, ‘I’ll be more careful in the future.’ Again, a ridiculous thing to think after a dream, but she did owe it to Judy. What would she be after Night City?
She sat down on the couch with the coffee and scrolled through her holo contacts. Maybe Hands was her best bet? She dialled, and he picked up soon after. ‘Morning, Hands.’ V said. ‘Good afternoon, V,’ Hands corrected, ‘What can I do for you?’
‘I was wondering if you might have any jobs for, uh...someone with a guilty conscience?’ V said, slowly realising how insane this call was. Hands paused, as if waiting for the punchline, and then decided maybe he should prompt for it. ‘...Such as?’ He said.
‘...something with minimal killing, maybe? Zero, ideally?’ She said, incredibly embarrassed. Hands, now realising this wasn’t an elaborate joke, sighed. ‘V, I think perhaps you misunderstand your line of work. Maybe take the day off.’ He said, sarcastic, but beneath that, understanding. V chose to try and redeem the situation with an attempt at humour. ‘Not in need of, say, a representative for the Hands Foundation at a charity gala?’ Hands smiled, which was the equivalent of energetic laughter from most. ‘No, I can’t say Dogtown has many charity galas, but if one happens, I’ll be sure to contact you. Take the rest. You’re one of my best mercs, and unlike the corporations, I understand that rest is important for work quality.’ V nodded in reply. ‘Thanks, Hands. Sorry for the bother.’ Hands smiled again, and the call ended.
V took a big bite of the pizza, and relaxed back on the couch. Maybe she could go spend some time at one of those greenery pods in Corpo Town. Or maybe practice some more of the meditation that zen master had taught her? Some thought probably needed to go into what she could do outside Night City, but Night City wasn’t really the place to start practicing those sorts of skills. ‘If you aren’t a merc, what are you?’ was definitely going to keep haunting her all day, but she owed it to Judy to think about it. She’d been through so much, and the thought of breaking her heart caused V as much pain as bullet wounds. V would have to give her a big, tight hug later, even though Judy wouldn’t really know why. For now, though, something calming, and solo.