"Told you — no getting handsy." Misty complained, yanking her hand out of Jackie's.
Neither of them was a kid anymore, but the way they looked at each other made it obvious — some people never really grew out of being stupid in love.
"Didn't expect V to finish so quick." Jackie chuckled, trying (and failing) to look innocent, "Choom's efficient."
Vash stood there for half a second, caught in the crossfire of their not-so-private moment. In the end, all he could manage was an awkward, polite smile.
"Looks like I came out at a bad time." He said, "Didn't see anything. You two… carry on."
"V, c'mon — we'll go together." Jackie said, slipping away from the front desk. He still didn't forget to toss Misty a goodbye, like he needed the last word, "Misty, we're out."
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Outside Misty's Esoterica, Jackie tried to drag him somewhere else — food, drinks, anything to stretch the day out — but Vash turned him down with a calm politeness that didn't leave room for negotiation.
With no other choice, Jackie drove him back and dropped him at his apartment.
"V." He said as Vash opened the door, thumping his chest like he was making a sacred vow, "Lend me your ride. I swear — no scratches. Not even a little one."
Then he leaned forward, lowering his voice like it was serious business.
"And I'll ask around about that new place you want. I got you."
"Get lost." Vash laughed, flipping him off with affection, and headed upstairs.
Jackie had friends everywhere in Night City. But maintaining those connections meant constant work — running around, showing face, talking, laughing at jokes that weren't funny, acting like a performing clown just to keep doors open. That was how you stayed fed and found the jobs that actually paid.
Vash didn't need any of that right now. Aside from a few key faces tied to the game's plot, he didn't have a reason to build a whole network.
The bigger issue was simpler: He was broke.
Panam's €$100,000 "gift" had gone straight into paying Jackie's debt to Viktor. Now Vash was poor again, and the city didn't let you stay poor unless you planned on dying.
So when he got home, he didn't waste time.
He hit the bed — and passed out.
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The nap lasted until nightfall.
Night was when Night City truly woke up.
Vash opened his eyes right on time, and the living room display lit up as the news feed booted automatically.
「This is Night City News, bringing you breaking news.」
「Recently, street violence in Night City has been on the rise, with violent crimes frequently occurring in various areas. NCPD MaxTac has now intervened, and will be increasing security at transportation hubs in all districts every night.」
「In Japantown, tensions between the Tyger Claws and local gangs have escalated, affecting the normal lives of residents. According to Night City's urban management ordinance…」
The broadcast droned on in the background as Vash stepped into the weapons room.
It was spacious — more workshop than closet. A workbench was built into the wall, framed by jet-black panels made from sound-dampening material. The surface swallowed light instead of reflecting it.
The walls were studded with dense, protruding black squares — absolute soundproofing. A few sections had weapon slots cut into them for guns and blades, and a rack held repair tools and assembly gear.
Vash did a quick inventory. The previous owner had left a full set of tools and a handful of entry-level gun components. Not much — but enough.
He took the parts, set them on the bench, and started building.
In 2077, most hardware fell into familiar buckets: cyberware, melee weapons, and firearms — Power, Tech, Smart — plus grenades, mods, and attachments. Normally, stripping and rebuilding a weapon required the right schematics.
Vash didn't. With 〈Perfect Weapon Mastery〉, his hands moved on instinct.
Minutes later, a compact handgun sat in his palm — balanced, functional, good enough for self-defense.
He left the weapons room, shut down the smart-home system, and was halfway to the door when his phone rang.
「Incoming call: Judy Alvarez.」
Judy?
He didn't understand why she'd be calling him, but he answered.
"V, you free?" Judy cut straight to the point the moment the line connected.
"I'm home." Vash said, "What's up?"
His plan to go out scavenging evaporated instantly.
"If you've got time, come to Lizzie's. Need to see you — BD studio downstairs."
"Okay." Vash said, "I'll be there."
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Even though he'd only been to Lizzie's once — with Jackie — Vash still remembered the route.
A short while later, his Kusanagi CT-3X rolled up in front of the bar. Lizzie's looked the same as always — lavish neon, loud promises, and the kind of glow that made you forget what the city did to people.
Maybe Judy had called ahead. This time, Vash got in without needing Jackie to wave him through.
He made his way downstairs.
In the underground studio, Judy spoke without looking up from her workbench, "V — grab a seat. Gimme a sec."
Vash sat.
The studio was still mostly empty — one ceiling light, a tangle of computers, braindance gear humming softly. It looked almost unchanged from a few days ago.
Three minutes later, Judy finished what she was doing and finally turned around.
"V." She said, a little apologetic, "I called you down here and made you wait. Sorry."
"It's fine." Vash said, "Calling me at this hour… must be urgent."
Judy nodded, "Yeah."
Then she got to it.
"I called you because I wanna talk about that braindance from the other day."
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T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want 20 chapters ahead, smut chapters or spicy images of this novel for just $5, or enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations (free or starting at $1.5): MrBlackWing (you know where to search)
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)