The metal clanking of heavy, steel weights being dropped and re-racked mixes together with traditional gym ambience. Brian deep into a set of weighted squats has his eyes closed in full focus.. tuning out the obnoxious sounds of the busy, conversational gym.
As the gym sounds muffle and fade out during Brian's set… he recalls a memory:
The beautiful neon glow of the downtown Night Cityscape lights up the pitch black night sky. Its late into a mid summer night… leaving the isolated area quiet.
Marilyn grips the cold railing tightly... taking slow, deep, shaky breaths… overlooking a bridge dead drop so high she can't even gauge it. She gingerly hops over the railing and lowers herself down onto a small maintenance platform underneath the street of the bridge. As she lands her feet firmly onto the platform, she turns around to see Brian with his back leaned up against one of the bridge's support beams. She carefully walks over to him with firmly planted steps... her street clothes flapping vigorously in the heavy wind as the pair embrace each other tightly. He whispers softly.
"Ready for this?"
"Yeah.-" She whispers nervously... looking down in his arms.
"You sure?... Its what you wanted to do yeah?-" He asks stooping down, trying to get a look at her eyes.
"Yeah.- " She nods nervously... the intensity in her breathing increases as she grabs hold of his forearms tightly.
She starts to hyperventilate.
"Varga- "
"Shh- shh- calm down… calm down Mare…. listen to my voice- here, feel my chest?" He pulls her in holding her tight... making her feel his heavy breathing nearly matching hers as they bare the nervous energy together. "Feel that?" He asks as they breath heavy together in the moment.
"ok..." She mutters trying to calm herself
"Remember what we said right?… I jump, you jump. Yeah?"
"yeah..."
"Alright?"
"I jump, you jump" She exhales nervously.
"Alright" Brian whispers.
She silently nods before letting go of him... turning to walk toward the edge.
She looks down again into the blackened abyss below... unable to see even the dimmest of reflections sometimes offered by the neon city lights. With her heart pounding in her ears, she hears only the stray sounds of a heartless, unforgivable ocean below staring back at her.
As she stands…. truly on the edge.… she begins to hyperventilate again. Her body tensing up as her eyes open wide.
"Stop." Brian demands in a raised tone making her flinch slightly. She looks back at him over her shoulder.
"Come here." He mumbles, gesturing her back over. She slowly turns around and makes her way back to him.
She stands in front of him as he gently raises her chin, forcing eye contact.
"Look at me Marilyn… neither of us…. have done this before….alright?….. So…. I don't want you to think about the action…" He says as he lets go of her chin and steps past her.… slowly walking toward the edge as she watches.
"I need you to think about the reason." He concludes, turning to face her.
The two lock eyes.
Brian takes a step backwards.
"V-Varga!!!? NO!!!!!-" Her voice cracks with angst as she steps toward him shocked.
He takes another step backwards…. sending him over the edge.
"BRIAN!!!!" She instinctually screams with eyes wide open as she sprints toward him at full speed.
As Brian falls backwards over the edge… Marilyn soon follows... her momentum chasing after him slams her into his chest as she wraps her arms around him tightly. The momentum of the impact sends the pair into a spiral while in a full embrace... leaving the edge behind. As they soar through the air alongside the watching neon cityscape… they're then taken by gravity as they begin to plummet head first down into the waiting abyss. The sound of their clothes flapping in the wind during the intense drop accompanies the two staring at each other deep in the eyes…. unable to feel… see… or hear anything but each other…. during an impossible moment.
They hit the surface of the ocean hard to a loud, booming splash sending water flying high into the air. The weight of their combined chrome sends the pair sinking deeper into the ocean abyss as they continue to slowly spiral in a tight embrace. They stare deeply at each other… illuminated only by the small pulsing neon lights of their various implants. Their lips meet each others in the muted silence of the black ocean depths.
As they near the surface, the waiting neon glow of the cityscape welcomes them. The loud, resurfacing splash and deep inhales of breath combine together with the distant stray sounds of downtown NC. The two instinctually gaze up at the towering cityscape... an incredible view... before turning to face each other while floating on the surface.
After a brief look at each other, they both smile big from ear to ear. Their nervous laugh together grows into a loud one of disbelief and pure joy as they swim up to each other to hug again.
The two embrace.... continuing to laugh hysterically in each other's arms as Marilyn lets out an exhilarated scream of success up to the skies. "WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" Ending the flashback.
Brian stares down at the floor of the gym as her scream fades… he does his best to bury his feelings behind an emotionless gaze.
A heavy tap on his shoulder causes him to raise his eyebrows and glance back.
"YOO!! CHOOOOM!!! DAMN!! LOOKIN' GOOD! The hell you squattin' on this bar? Should I even count the plates? Hahahaaa!!" Netty barks looking down at him sitting in front of the bar.
Brian doesn't respond, still in a haze… Netty picks up on his energy... speaking up after a brief pause with his arm rested on the squat rack.
"So… she uh… she still not talkin' to you?"
"Tch.. I wouldn't fuckin' say all that… but…. uhh… shit.." Brian says in a defeated tone.
The busy gym ambience re-settles in with the scent of pennyclub cologne and sweat permeating through the air. Netty continues after a brief pause.
"Been a while since that scav hunt. Heard from Audrey at all?"
"Not yet…. Haven't heard from any of em honestly…. startin' to make me wonder."
"Wonder what?"
Brian pauses for a bit before responding. He shifts his weight on the gym floor to face Netaniel... resting his back up against the rack.
"Zaunya's… one of the most restless people I've ever met. Not the type to be sittin' around idle for too long."
He pauses again... chiming back in with a tone of discovery. "They gotta be busy."
Brian continuing to contemplate turns his attention over to Netty.
"What about you? Heard anything from uhm…" Brian stops himself as Netty looks him in the eyes. He continues.
"I'm sure after all this time ya gotta be wonderin' right? " Brian mutters.
A quick flash of BugBear smiling... swaying in embrace in the middle of that living room enters Netty's head.
"Yeah…" He mutters under his breath to himself... staring at Carter walking over to them.
"RIGHT, So its all setup. Gotta be honest with ya... gettin' tired of the walls in this place. Gonks in here startin' to blend in with the duds. That new 'pay per rep' plan they're tryin' out's completely wacked."
"So we're ON!? Clouds tonight?!" Netty shouts hyped, looking down at Brian.
"jesus… again?" Brian mutters in a tired tone
"CMON CHOOMBA!! You've been lookin' like you need a disconnect these days! We're gettin' tired of that thousand yard stare ya got restin' on your mug all the time! Lets SCROLLLL!!!!" Netty shouts causing Carter to giggle.
"To be honest…. as much I love it... honestly gettin' tired of this gym grind myself." Brian says before a long pause.
"Fuck it." He throws up a hand in the air before grabbing Netty and Carter's hands as they lift him to his feet.
Late in the night, the trio are next seen leaving Megabuilding H-eight deep in the heart of neon soaked Japantown after another intense night of hardcore partying. The front of H-eight at this hour is littered with luxury cars and countless groups of party people bumpin' tunes, smoking and loitering about. The loud booming atmosphere of the city's night life is in full swing as people network and head to new destinations.
As they stumble through the crowds in front of H-eight drunk, they laugh loudly.. snapping back and forth about the chaotic events of the night.
"HAHAHA!!! YEAH RIGHT!! I SAW HER YANK YA INTO THAT SIDE ROOM CHOOM!!" Carter yells with his arm around Netty as the two stumbling together maintain uneasy balance.
"YEAH! THAT WAS AFTER WE TRIED USIN' THE ROOM WE FOUND BRIAN IN HAHAHAHAAA!!!!" Netty yells back in Carter's face with a huge smile.
"SHE HAD TO STRAP THE WRAITH TO YOUR HEAD AND HOLD YA BY YOUR ANKLES GONK!!! YOU WERE HANGIN' UPSIDE DOWN!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Brian shouts drunk as all of them laugh loudly together turning heads and making others giggle as they pass by.
As they make their way up the quiet street away from the commotion of H-eight toward their parked wheels, they're engaged in a drunken heart to heart with each other.
"Listen.. sshhh! L-Lusten.. whatev thfuck they got goin on..? Fuckin' got NOTHUN' to do wit us! Yaknow?!" Netty shouts slurring his words with an arm around Brian's neck, stumbling down the street.
"TCH see?…. See? Thas xactly what thfuck I'M SAYUN'!" Brian shouts back with his arm hanging around Netty's neck slurring his words just as hard.
"IF THEY-" Netty stumbles while Brian and Carter catch his fall. "IF THEY NEEDED US-"
"-See? You see why? I told you. Told you I love this fuckin' kid" Brian chimes in slurring to Carter who's barely conscious, helping carry Netty.
"-IF THEY FCKIN WNTED US THERE..HERE..? WHEREVER! THEN… WE WOULD BE THERE!" Netty finally concludes in a drunken slur while stopping and putting his arms out. "-SIMPLE!"
They all laugh as they continue up the street. The foot traffic is all but gone as the party atmosphere fades in the distance... the streets get gently quiet.
"L-Listen- hahaha- SHHH!… L-listen, Lusten.. this is- this is what you should do." Carter drunkinly whispers in Netty's ear while they all laugh. "Hahaha when we- hahahaha when we see um agen.. and pshhpfffff who the fuck knows when that is right? ya gotta- hahahah you gotta-"
Carter slams shoulders hard with a street punk walking in the opposite direction.
The impact nearly knocks Carter and the rest of the boys down causing Netty and Brian to look over.
The energy of the moment instantaneously intensifies…
"YO!! WHAT THE FUCK SHIT BIRD!!! WATCH WHERE THE FUCK YOU'RE GOIN'!!!" The punk shouts as he stops in his tracks with his two buds that were walking alongside him.
Everyone stops….. immediately escalating the issue rather than choosing to keep walking, de-escalating it.
Carter stands up straight, turning to face him, noticing all of their tall, imposing builds. "Pffft what..?" He scoffs with his eyes nearly closed from smiling so big.
The punk quickly grabs Carter by the hi-collar of his jacket with his eyes wide open, gritting his teeth "YOU FUCKIN' HEARD ME CHOOM!!"
This causes Brian and Netty to turn and immediately close the distance.
Carter continuing to smile big looks deep into the punks eyes after the shortest of pauses.
"Alright." He mutters in a serious tone while smiling before grabbing the punks shirt and headbutting him hard... crushing his nose and dropping him.. leaving squirted blood on Carter's face. Before Carter can laugh, he's punched by one of the thug's chooms even harder in the face nearly dropping him with the augmented power of his chrome. This causes a full blown street fight to break out as you hear the frantic sounds of scuffle on concrete surrounded by silent streets.
Brian yanks the thug that punched Carter by the neck with his forearm from behind and starts choking him out. "SIT! THE! Fuck. Down.." Brian barks gritting his teeth, slowly dragging the thug down to the street with the tightest of squeezes. He sinks the choke in deep as the thug gasps for air before Brian is kicked hard in the face by the third punk.. releasing his grip. Netty immediately starts to quickhack the third punk with his eyes glowing red.. however he's quickly tackled by the first punk that grabbed carter scrambling to his feet. As the thug slams Netaniel to the ground, Netty hears the sound of a knife lick leather as its pulled. The punk quickly puts the knife to Netty's throat before hes yanked backwards by the hair off of him. In the midst of the intense street scrap, various chrome begins to engage and be used in the otherwise quiet, wet streets. The fear of the knife that was just at his throat causes Netty to instinctually pull out his DR5 Nova while still on the ground. With his hand shaking, he points it at the third punk that kicked Brian in the face. The punk struggles to draw his iron while Netty, looking right at him, again… hesitates and fails to the pull the trigger. The merc finally gets his iron out at and points it at Carter, letting off a loud booming shot from his revolver and hitting carter in the back. "AGHH!" Carter roars in pain with the shot sending him tumbling off of the punk he was fighting.
He then turns and points his iron at Netty, causing Netty's pupils to dilate and his eyes to open wide….
In this primal moment… his mind flashes BugBear dancing with him in his arms…again…. the warmest of smiles on her face... the feeling of the tight embrace they once shared is felt on his torso.
A loud, booming shot rings out…
The punk pointing his iron at Netty is hit in the throat from the side… dropping him to the street with a hard thud and scrape… snapping Netty out of his trance.
He looks over and sees Brian step toward the punk shrieking in pain and gurgling blood. He lets out a final whimper before another loud booming shot bounces his head off of the wet pavement atop spattered blood. Brian then quickly turns around and smokes the second punk before he can even come too let alone scramble to his feet. The second loud booming shot causes Netty to jolt with his eyes still wide open and a traumatized expression on his face. Brian then looks over to a wounded Carter still tussling with the first punk that started it all. He walks over and kicks him hard in the face, freeing Carter from the tussle. Carter scrambles to get up and kicks the punk in the back of the head with the bottom of his boot, sending him smacking face first into the pavement with a near curb stomp. Brian steps to him and fires a final loud booming shot… allowing the mellow Night City ambience to immediately take back over alongside heavy breathing.
Brian glances around at the 3 dead punks before glancing up and around at various streets... immediately looking for any bystanders; To his surprise... not a single person. He looks up at the apartments... sure enough... a bunch of onlooking silhouettes in various high up apartment windows... just steadily watching... some leave their frame.
He looks at Carter. "Good?"
"Good… Yeah.. I'm….. I'm good." Carter exhales... overwhelmed by the pain of the gunshot as his breath leaves him.
Feeling lightheaded, he slowly drops to a knee and looses his balance struggling to breath. He falls backwards onto a stray trashcan… knocking it over and sending a bunch of glass bottles and trash cascading loudly all over the sidewalk.
"Shit!" Brian snaps under his breath. He quickly crouches down and slings one of Carter's arms over his shoulder helping him up and causing Carter to shriek hard in immense pain. The excessive amount of blood from the wound begins to paint Carter's white t-shirt red along with Brian's jacket.
"Get the fuck up kid!! MOVE!!!!!" Brian shouts causing Netty to finally snap out of it and scramble to his feet. He rushes over to help Brian carry Carter toward their new van… a modified Villefort Columbus V340-F parked no more than thirty yards from where their abrupt life or death struggle just happened.
"Buzz. Audrey. NOW!!!!" Brian shouts to Netty as he helps load Carter into the van.
They speed off back towards and past Megabuilding H-eight… past the bustling, vibrant party atmosphere… leaving behind a quiet, bloody spattering of streetpunks in their final resting place... off in the not too distant darkness of the cold, wet, unforgiving Night City streets.