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From Badlands To Good Times A Cyberpunk 2077 Tale	By : Crystal_Dreams_Writes Category: -Misc Video Games/RPGs > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 3904 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Cyberpunk 2077 nor the characters from it I do not make any money or profit in any way from the writing of this story

Chapter List
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V woke up early in the morning, before she headed to take a shower, she turned on the screen. Unsurprisingly, the news was on, as a WNS broadcast started. As the water fell on her body, she paid attention to the broadcast.

“Hello, my name is Arif Iqbal, and this is a World News Service exclusive. Yesterday, uncertainty and fear were felt in Corpo Plaza as an Arasaka special operations team was deployed to Memorial Park. Despite Militech’s active presence in the lower levels of Memorial Park, they were unaware of the presence of a would-be terrorist hiding in the ruins of the Maglev station. The Arasaka team, in coordination with the NCPD, advanced further into the tunnel and subdued the dangerous criminal, also securing a small arsenal and enough ordnance to damage the city from below and cause untold losses both corporate and civilian alike.

At this time, the identity of the terrorist is being withheld until a joint investigation between the Arasaka Corporation and the NCPD ends, and while a motive for this action is not officially known, both the corporation and the authorities haven’t discarded anti-corporate activities and attitudes. This unprecedented action has increased Arasaka’s stock value as well as that of the Night City Police Department, with Mayor Lucius Rhyne commending both the brave men and women from the NCPD as well as the Arasaka Corporation for their prompt actions in preventing a tragedy from occurring.

Back in 2023, Night City suffered a terrible attack when the Arasaka Tower saw the detonation of a nuclear device that caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and altered our environment forever, locations such as the Arasaka Memorial and Memorial Park are a testament to the magnitude of the attack. More on this incredible story as the news develop”.

As soon as V stepped out of the shower and started to dry her hair, her holo went off “Hey Judy…” she greets, Judy looked like a bundle of nerves “Was that her?” she asks directly “The Arasaka thing… Was that Evelyn?” V nods slowly as she looks into her wardrobe “Yeah… that was her” Judy breathes in “Is she…?” V shakes her head “Arasaka wanted her alive, she was wounded, but stabilized on-site” Judy breathes out, burying her face in her hands “Thank fuck… So what happens now?” V remained silent, she didn’t exactly know what to reply “I mean, is Arasaka gonna extract the shard from her? Will they eventually let her go?” V took a few more seconds before talking “I don’t know Judy… They are closing my contract today, I’m just waiting for the call to make it official, I don’t presume they’ll have any reason to tell me anything about anything unless I work for them, I don’t think I like the idea” Judy breathes out, nodding slowly “I want to believe this was the right choice… Me telling you, you telling Arasaka, and this whole thing leading to Ev being captured. I don’t know what the alternative would be, that terrorist taking over? Her doing something insane in Corpo Plaza? That’s not the Ev I know” V picked a rather conservative outfit, if she was going to debrief Jenkins as Vaughn suggested, she had to at least try and look the part of a traditional merc. Reinforced pants with accompanying boots, a short jacket that showed her midriff, and a trilayer flexible top “Judy, she wasn’t going to be turned into the Evelyn you knew, it was something else, I think it started too. The voice was different, mechanized in a weird way, she only spewed anti-corp talk… Maybe with this, hundreds of lives were spared, you know?”.

“And all it cost me was me sacrificing my friend…” Judy seemed to have second thoughts, or maybe it was V’s imagination, either way, it was too late. “What will you do now? I mean, now that your contract is gonna be closed and all” V shrugged “I guess go back to my regular routine. Swing by the Afterlife, pick a contract or two, shoot some gangoons, and get paid” Judy smirks “You make that life sound so simple, V… Think you’ll be swinging by Lizzie’s anytime soon?” V nodded “Probably, it’s one of the joints we go to celebrate after a job well done, why? Did you have any other ideas?” Judy shrugged “Just askin’... If you’re around, drop by, will you? Say hello and all. I think I’ll head back to work tomorrow anyway, Suzy says there is a couple of new girls and a few BD scrolls in need of editing” V decided to take a shot in the dark “Worst-case scenario I can always drop by your place with another pizza” Judy chuckles, nodding “I’d like that better, V… Thank you for… For what you did, I know it was probably the less shitty outcome, but now I can get some sleep” V nods realizing that her gun was probably lost somewhere in the Maglev station, she looks into her stash for a black Lexington replacer “Least I could do Judy, get some sleep, I gotta get ready anyway” Judy nods and smiles at V, lingering for a second or two before killing the call.

It wasn’t long before V received a call from a blocked ID, she had a sneaky suspicion of what that call would be about “Hello?” she starts “Hello V, I’m Arthur Jenkins, Arasaka Counterintelligence” V takes a seat and nods, she couldn’t help but feel nervous “Yes, Mr. Jenkins, how can I be of assistance?” Jenkins smirked before continuing “I’d like to thank you for your intervention yesterday and would like to hear your report at the office. A car has been dispatched to your Megabuilding and it should be arriving at the main access momentarily, I suggest you make haste and take it” Before V could reply, Jenkins had finished the call. V simply sighed and made her way out of her apartment and to the main entrance of the building. On her way, she had eyes on her, but most of them were disappointed, they expected to see her toned legs, her shapely ass, her exposed belly, or even her barely-covered tits. Coach Fred was trying to convince her to join that tournament but to no avail, and adorably clumsy Robert Wilson tried to make small talk with her, but she was on the clock and simply waved him with a friendly smile. As she arrived at the entrance, a Chevillion limousine was parked, and two suited men were waiting “Miss V?” one of them asked. She nods, approaching and the man opens the door for her. As expected, it was a luxurious vehicle, with a driver and two escorts. A few seconds later, they were already on their way back to City Center.

They didn’t take long, and V realized that the Arasaka cars were given free rein and preference on the street. Red lights meant nothing to them, and even emergency services would move so as not to interfere with corporate transit. The escorts weren’t exactly talkative, she wondered if they weren’t some sort of AI instead, they were all wearing visors and neat Arasaka-themed suits. Once at the entrance of the massive Arasaka Tower, V was flanked by the escorts and proceeded inside. She didn’t have to say anything, or press anything. The escorts took her to an elevator and prevented anyone else from riding with them, they even pressed the floor they were visiting for her. A few minutes later, the now familiar floor 33 was before V and the escorts. She walked past the usual corporate faces she had seen on her first visit, and of course, the hall leading to Jenkins’s office as well as the scanner. As the doors opened, the escorts waited outside and V proceeded further into the office.

The neomilitaristic office was still impressive to see, she was impressed the first time, and she was still impressed now. V makes her way to the desk, Jenkins is standing with his back turned to her as he was studying the Smartglass screen “Yes, make sure the assets are aware of the change in management, you’ll have the full information by the end of the week. Until then, have them return to their usual cycle and report to the usual contacts, but also inform them that their positions might change in the foreseeable future. Yes. Good, keep me posted” As the call ends, the imposing Arthur Jenkins turns around, facing V “Impeccable timing” Jenkins starts as he motions V to join him in the same small living room they had conversed in for the first time. He even waits for her to sit first before he follows suit. “Vaughn says great things about you, Miss V” he starts “He says you have shown loyalty, you have operated within the parameters of your contract, and you have performed admirably, he went as far as praise your initiative of using your own assets to get information about Parker” Jenkins scoffs “Our very own external asset, thinking outside the box and using assets of her own” V didn’t exactly feel comfortable with the implication that she was used and that she herself used Judy, but she wasn’t going to argue now. “Did you enjoy working with Vaughn?” Jenkins finally asks as she nods “I did, he’s skilled and very sharp, I was able to do my job as well as I did because of him” Jenkins nods, looking at her for a moment “How is your leg? I was told you were hit when stopping Parker” V instinctively looks at her leg and just shakes her head “Nothing to worry about, because of Vaughn, Trauma Team was able to patch me up right there and then”.

“Indeed, working corporate has its perks. The first thing people think is an increased paycheck, but that’s not the only thing you can get. Working for a corporation like Arasaka will yield fruits to you, real food for one. And well, seeing your field of expertise, access to the best smart weapons and gear in the market, and Trauma Team Platinum. You’ll realize that for people like us, death is a minor inconvenience for the most part. And if you lose a limb or two, you’ll get immediate upgrades” V could see where the conversation was going and nodded “I admit there are perks corpos have that the rest of the mercs don’t, but the freedom of working at my own pace is something I value, if I wanted to take a week off, I could” Jenkins nods in agreement “You could, one week, one month, or as long as your eddies last. The question is, would you be able to afford it? We have many operatives working for us in a similar capacity, they only work when they are called in. Similar to your contract, you worked for a few days, then you get to rest or do whatever you want with your time until you’re called in again” This time, it was V who nodded “True, but there are limitations in what clients I can take, I doubt you’ll take kindly on one of your agents taking jobs for Militech, or any of your competitors for that matter” Jenkins chuckled, shaking his head “There are no competitors, not for us. Perhaps your opinion of us is biased, everyone speaks ill of the corporations, we are always the villains, we are always scheming in the dark, and not many care to see the full picture. If you ask Lucius Rhyne, he can tell you the tale of the day Arasaka returned to Night City and made the NUSA flee, helping the city remain independent as it is to this day”.

V had to agree, she remembered the tales of Rhyne’s days as an activist and member of the City Council, a different kind of Rockerboy, she thought “Besides” Jenkins continued “There are plenty of operatives able to take any contracts they want, included those of so-called competitors, if you take a job that would have you steal something from Arasaka, you’re free to take it, just don’t let us catch you” it was hard for her to come to terms with the kind of talk she was having with Jenkins, the man could almost shift his facial features in a way that he looked sympathetic and friendly one second, and twisted and intimidating the next “Ah, let me guess… You’re probably after other kinds of perks. Everything is possible when you work for the right corporation, you could have the three cock teases from Us Cracks snorting Synthcoke off your tits by next weekend. If you’re worth the investment that is” V wasn’t into Lazrpop, not by a long shot, but she had seen the posters and watched the commercials, those Us Cracks idols from Japan definitely looked like they knew how to party, especially Blue Moon, and Jenkins just proved her theory. He caught V’s shift in mood and chuckled.

“I trust Vaughn told you what would happen after your contract was closed?” he asks, as V looks at him “He told me you would probably get a promotion” she replies directly, Jenkins nods “It’s done, much like you and your contract, the only thing that remains is making it official. Vaughn will take over my position” V remained quiet, not exactly sure what else to add. Jenkins continued “I know he’s grown fond of you, one of the many flaws he still has. Much like you mercs, he has a similar rule, he shouldn’t grow attached. Between these walls, there’s constant competition, there’s only one way to go, and there are limited spots. You either make the distance, or you are left behind, mercs are similar, aren’t they?” V nods in agreement, there wasn’t one single merc who managed to turn into a legend by just spending their days just sitting on their asses doing nothing “Then you’ll understand, that the second Vaughn takes over the office, there will be others trying to take him out. Abernathy has been trying to undermine me for years now, she will see Vaughn as an easy target, I believe you can be a valuable asset not only to Arasaka, but to Vaughn himself, and you can clearly benefit from him. He also told me you have cultivated your own set of contacts, your own power base. A gang underboss here, another gang right hand there, a couple of people in City Hall including the Mayor, a detective in the NCPD, a few nomads on the Badlands, maybe half a dozen people in the Afterlife would be willing to team up with you if you only asked them… Am I wrong?” V shook her head “You’re not wrong, I admit, working with others has made my job easier, and it’s a test to trust others, sometimes it works out, sometimes it backfires” Jenkins nods “Just like in the corporate world, V. You can have coworkers, acquaintances, or delude yourself into thinking you have friends. Same with mercs, if someone sees an opportunity to take your contract and screw you over, they will take it” V finally looks at Jenkins directly “Why this talk? What do you want from me?” Jenkins grins “I want you to at least consider becoming part of Vaughn’s power base” he states bluntly “And the only reason why I’m asking, is because of how well-connected you are, as well as your skills and abilities. Quite honestly, I was ready to get rid of you the second you failed this contract, but you didn’t fail, and Vaughn has convinced me that not only you’re connected, but you are trustworthy, you’re one of those rare mercs who work with a certain code”.

V was now feeling the pressure from Jenkins, if she said no, she risked making him angry and she wouldn’t leave that office alive, but if she said yes, she would end up selling the rest of her life. “I can tell you are conflicted, why don’t you just think about it and then give Vaughn your answer? I fear I will be gone in less than a week” V breathes out, feeling relieved that she didn’t have to give anyone an answer just yet. Jenkins’s eyes glow as he sends V her payment, she gulps, looking at the corpo in front of her “That is your monetary compensation, including overtime, initiative bonus, as well as medical compensation, I believe you’ll find it’s a fair amount” V could only nod, she hadn’t seen so many zeros in one single transaction before “And I’ve also taken the liberty of sending something to your address, by the time you make it back home, it should be waiting for you. It’s been good to work with you, V. I now consider your contract closed, and I thank you for your assistance” He stands up and extends his hand to V, she follows suit and shakes his hand nervously. He had a firm grip. “The gentlemen who escorted you here have orders to take you back home, they will be waiting for you outside. Now, if you excuse me, as pleasurable as this conversation has been, I have to go back to work”.

And just as fast as she had gotten into the office, she was now out. The escorts automatically flanked her again and directed her to the elevator. The ride to the lobby was as uneventful as she expected. And the ride home was the quietest she had. Once dropped off, she made her way to her apartment. Her mind was racing, she had plenty of decisions to make, and a lot of things to think about. She also realized she had a call to make, she owed it to him.

As she reached her apartment door, she saw three medium-sized cases, stacked on top of each other, just waiting for her. They all had the Arasaka emblem on them, without thinking too much about it, she opened the door and pushed them in, just wondering what those cases contained.

It didn’t take long for her to be gladly surprised. The first case contained one of those flashy thermal katanas that the ‘saka ninjas used when they wanted to take care of someone quietly and spectacularly. The second case contained an Arasaka HJSH-18 Masamune rifle, a highly modular weapon that was considered one of the top rifles in the world. And the third case contained a paired set: an Arasaka JKE-X2 Kenshin tech pistol, and an Arasaka TKI-20 Shingen smart submachine gun. Every case also contained weapon mod kits, mods, and add-ons such as scopes and muzzles, as well as modifications that allowed to change the properties of the katana. A small treasure that would turn a proficient merc into a deadly one, and V couldn’t wait to get her hands on the mod kits and start to tinker.

As she started to unpack her new toys, she made the call she promised to make once the contract was over. After a few seconds, the call connected “Chica…” a familiar voice greeted, Jackie didn’t exactly look fresh, in fact, he looked like he hadn’t slept in a while, or maybe he had been using something “Heh… I didn’t think I’d ever hear from you again” V continued to place the mods and the weapons on her workbench “Told ya I’d hit you up once the contract was up, didn’t I?” Jackie chuckled, nodding “Yeah… Yeah, you did… So… It’s over then? You done with he corpofuckers?” V continues to look at the stash, wielding the katana, it was lighter than she thought it was “For now, yeah, but there’s a chance I’ll get called in for work, they do have my number after all” Jackie nods in understanding “So, uh… What happens now, chica? When we last met, you and I wasn’t exactly on the best of terms” she didn’t know for sure, she figured all she needed was just some time away and she would run into an answer, but that wasn’t the case “Well, what do you want, Jack? Wanna go solo? Wanna team up? You know, Panam said she tried to call you a few times and you never picked up, what gives?” Jackie scratches the back of his head “I… Yeah, I figured you were there with her and I didn’t wanna make things awkward you know? La mamacita is makin’ eyes at me, can’t say that I blame her” V chuckles, now checking the Kenshin pistol “You can be such a gonk sometimes, Jack. She likes you, as in really likes you. She knows you have Misty and I asked her to figure out what she wanted with you and to call you when she did, so keep an eye on the holo” Jackie blinked, suddenly V was the best wing woman ever “Y-yeah, alright chica, I’ll do that” V was now looking into the mods, there was the awkward silence again “So, what do you want, Jack?”.

“I haven’t picked up a single contract since we talked, you know? Not even for Gustavo” he started “Ever since we dodged a bullet with Dexter, I’ve felt like if I’m not working with you, I’m not working period. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be one of those fuckers in Konpeki. So yeah… I wanna team up again or at least, remain friends, like we were when you came to Night City, we can take solo contracts or work together, whatever it takes, I just want things to go back the way they were” V nods, now looking at the Masamune rifle, that thing was gonna be impossible to conceal, but it was an intimidating looking rifle “There’ll have to be some changes, Jack” he nods immediately, seemed like he had been thinking about it “Whatever changes you want, chica, name them” she finally moves to the Shingen, easier to conceal than the Masamune for sure, she only hoped the aiming systems on the Smart submachine gun were better than the one in the rifle she took from 6th Street “No more secrets, you don’t manipulate me, I don’t manipulate you. We can make it to the top together choom, but we gotta work together and that means no secrets, no bullshit, deal?” Jackie was quick to nod “Deal hermana, consider it done” She then continues “And you talk to Vaughn and bury the hatchet”.

Jackie stayed quiet for a few seconds, V was still going through the many mods, waiting for him to say something “Jackie…” he finally groans “Fuck, V, why do you have to do me dirty?” he asks, as V sighs “Vaughn is getting a promotion by next week” Jackie grumbles “Good for him…” V sighs as she continues “That means he’ll be able to hire mercs for whatever operations they get in their hands” Jackie frowns “Work for corpos? Are you out of your mind?” she looked serious and waited until he was done with his tantrum “Jackie, I was gone for a few days, I took only one contract, you know how much they paid? Enough for me to take that preem loft in Heywood, I can’t decide if I wanna get the loft or a brand new Quadra, though if I make some changes in my spending habits, I could probably get both, that’s how much they paid” V noticed Jackie raising his eyebrows in surprise, he was at least considering it “And besides, they won’t claim exclusivity, we get to work our usual contracts, do our usual thing, we can refuse their contracts until they have one we want. We do the job, we keep quiet, we get paid, rinse and repeat” Jackie was conflicted, he knew even his idol, Morgan Blackhand, was a Militech company man “And all I gotta do is talk to Vaughn?” he asks, V knew Jackie was moved by money, hell, all the poor kids from Heywood were always moved by money “Yup. Before the weekend, that’s when he takes office” Jackie groans again “Carajo…” she finally has all the mods and weapons on her workbench “So? What’s it gonna be, Jack?” he sighs, shaking his head “Fine, fine… I’ll call him right now. We’ll talk later, alright? And V… Gracias, chica”.

The call ends and V just smiles. Things were starting to feel normal again, she had her friend, and maybe she had even managed to repair a broken friendship too. She could now spend some time working on customizing and modifying her new toys to her liking. And she wasn’t kidding about that loft in Heywood, it wasn’t exactly Corpo Plaza, but that location was too rich for her blood, at least for now, and that Quadra she had her eye on would probably have to wait too, she already had a few modifications in mind for it.

She surprised herself by smiling in silence. It really felt like she was finally getting her normal life back.
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From Badlands To Good Times A Cyberpunk 2077 Tale