Thayr
FourtyTwo
VIT: 100%
LOC: Corpo Plaza Apartments - Room 16 > The Afterlife
INT: @Thayr
MNT: @Thayr (Rogue Amendiares)
As soon as she awoke the duffle bag was opened; its contents tenderly laid out on the outer spread of the bed as her eyes meticulously scrutinized each piece of hardware and its accompanying accessories: a custom built Ajax and Unity, both modified to accommodate their own optics and suppressors. Three loaded magazines for each weapon were laid out in a neat row underneath, approximately 90 and 32 rounds for the Ajax and Unity respectively. It wouldn't be hard to find a vendor to top up on ammo around here anyway. The frequency of crime in this city guaranteed no shortage of arms or ammo in circulation, either from corporate sales or the more commonly-sourced civilian markets, legal or otherwise. Jennifer stood up from her hunched posture over the bed, glancing over and out to the window overlooking the skyline just as a shrill whine emitted from a device on the kitchen countertop.
'Beep! Beep! Beep!'
She was halfway to the coffee machine before her display lit up with a call from Kaleb. She accepted the call, opening the cabinet door and retrieving a sterile white mug before placing it underneath the machine's catch. Vantablack liquid shot into the ceramic cup in a clean stream just as Kaleb spoke.
"Ever hear of the Peralezes?" Kaleb asked.
"Sure. Jefferson's the Mayor of Night City." Jennifer replied, reaching to bring the ornately engraved cup into her hands as she moved to sit in the luxury parlor. "What about him?"
"He was a law student with a full ride scholarship courtesy of NightCorp, marries his sweetheart and moves back to Night City to later become a Councilman. The incumbent Mayor at the time dies, and he campaigns in his place."
"Sounds typical."
"Right, but it gets weird. Some contact of Jefferson recommends he hire Secure Services Inc shortly after his mayoral campaign starts. SSI wasn't exactly well known, and still isn't to this day despite being founded in 2062. Point being that there are far more reliable security firms Jefferson could have hired, and didn't. A few weeks after he hires the firm, things start happening to him and his wife even the media couldn't hide on air. Changes in behavior, backpedals in policy pledges, irritability when confronted, the list goes on. It was almost as if he was wrestling with something inside his head he couldn't fully control, and his wife took the initiative to get help out of concern for his health. Some PI and their NCPD buddy detective enter the fray, the Peralezes fire SSI, and the rest is history." Kaleb paused, clearing his throat before continuing, "Except SSI is still in operation, and that NCPD detective did this off the books along with that investigator. Whatever they did prompted the Peralezes to fire SSI immediately, and those two left without a trace. Several months later Jefferson wins the election, seemingly symptom-free. Are we on the same page here?”
Jennifer took a ginger sip of the steaming coffee, swallowing as she made a musing guess. "NightCorp and SSI are in cahoots?"
"Bingo."
"...So where exactly should I start?"
"Integrate yourself. Fixers, gigs, connections- whatever it takes to net your gain to get into NightCorp to gather what we want to know. Get on it."
"I'll start there, then." Jennifer replied, placing the steaming empty mug back onto the countertop.
"Looking forward to it. Kaleb out."
After the Holocall disconnected, Jennifer released a tense sigh as she made her way over to the bed and secured her weapons' attachments onto them; loading and chambering fresh rounds into each. She had to get in network first. Contracts, connections, then she could advance up the ladder. A Fixer would be a great place to start.
Stepping out of the apartment room, Jennifer made her way to the elevator and took the car down to the lobby. Desolate and no Xhao Ling in sight, she made her way through the scanner and out the door as the device blared in a tinny alarm. She would have to explain it later, no doubt. Jennifer took the right corner and activated the Holo; ignoring the strange glances and gawks from passerbys as she spoke curtly to the materialized holocard of Ray.
"Hello, Miss Huds-"
"Ray, could you spare a ride?"
A pause.
"Of course, Miss Hudson. Why the rushed tone?"
"Just somewhere I need to be, I'm sure you know how it is. We'll talk more when you get here."
"I will be there momentarily."
Minutes passed as Jennifer leaned up against the sleek graphite-hued shell of the hotel's exterior. Wisps of neon danced and swirled around her vision as the giant corporate signs flashed within her peripherals. The people-watching of people people-watching her was an inescapable cycle that subconsciously made her want to hide from prying eyes; serving as a constant reminder of the ill-fated operation that gave her such a distinct appearance. Shaking herself from further thoughts was a distinct three-tone horn that came from her left as the same driverless cab pulled up to the curb and opened its back passenger door. Jennifer stepped inside as the door closed, and the rendered butler greeted her at the viewscreen with a courteous bow. "Welcome back, Miss Hudson."
"Ray.'
"Where would you like to go today? I hear Japantown has excellent Unagi." The butler chirped, the voice module struggling slightly with the Japanese pronunciation.
"Just a moment, Ray. Got some questions for you."
The car pulled off the curb, beginning to drive after the sound of honking horns had forced it to move. "Well then, I am listening."
"How's biz? I heard there was some similar autonomous taxi service that previously dominated this city, called Delamain. Are you doing well?"
The butler paused, clearly not expecting the hail of questions as the projection remained silent for far longer than she thought it would. Clearing its throat, the 3D model arched a brow as it spoke once more and gave a rather boilerplate response. "Since 2077 following Delamain's dissolution, the company Raymond Autonomous Transit has grown steadily in the following years as the premier autonomous taxi service. We have seen a tenfold surpass of Delamain's last annual growth in profits, though it has been three years since they went out of business. For your last inquiry, all systems are nominal in this car- if you are talking about me."
'Okay, time to try again.'
"Glad to hear you're doing well, Ray. Listen, would you know of any work? Fixers I could be connected with? I've got a job I need to do, but to do it I need to get in someone's good graces. Do you know any Fixers that have previously used your services I could get in contact with?"
The cab began driving around Night Ring; merging with and to the flow of traffic as it pondered further. "As I would have it, yes! There are three Fixers who have previously utilized my services. There's Rogue Amendiares of the Afterlife, Sebastian Ibarra or 'Padre', as he is known more commonly, and the rather mysterious Mister Hands. I assume you are familiar with, or have heard of them?" Ray asked, to which Jennifer shook her head in response. "I was born in DC. This is my first time here." The car hummed as it revved its engine, flipping its turnsigal to merge onto an exit as the Butler nodded. "Perhaps you may best be acquainted with the legendary Rogue. Shall I head to the Afterlife?"
"Lets."
The drive to the bar had been relatively smooth. There wasn't much to look at, save for the new introduction of Militech personnel and their various autonmous drones patrolling deeper into Watson. Militech were partially to blame for her state as well; having ordered a bombardment on an insurgent location her team had just infiltrated. Suppressing a scowl, she turned her attention back to Ray as the car pulled up to the curb. "Here we are!"
"Preem, thanks Ray."
"Just one moment. For your safety, I would advise leaving your weapons with me. They will be protected while I wait for your return. Is this acceptable?"
Jennifer shrugged as she brought her rifle over her head and lowered it into the adjacent seat, doing the same with her pistol. "Suits me fine, appreciate the concern." The butler clapped his hands together as her passenger side door opened. "Wonderful, Miss Hudson. I await your return. Good luck!" Stepping out of the cab, Jennifer waked toward the Afterlife nook as she descended the stairs and bladed her way through the patches of people loitering at the stairs and further into the building. Descending the stairs, Jennifer slowed her gait as she approached the titanic Animal. The giant's eyes narrowed as he silently held out a bear-sized hand at wrist length; stopping her a few inches back from the entrance. The man barely tilted his chin down at her as his eyes flicked over her extremities, finally he grumbled in the back of his throat. "Never seen chrome like yours before... what's your biz."
"Here to see Rogue." Jennifer responded, concealing her intimidated tone. The man's eyes illuminated a bright blue as he stifled a scoff.
"As everyone else is. Nobody bothers to come in for drinks much anymore. Get on, go on through." The hulk's eyes dimmed back to their original color as he stepped to the right and beckoned her inside, almost immediately signaled to accompany another massive brute as he grunted at her, turning on a pivot to head through the sea green illumination of the bar area as she followed behind. Through the dips and bobs of the man's shoulders, she could see the bright profile of a neon yellow cut-top jacket adorned by a woman with gray hair and matching eyes, tucked into a booth and surrounded by mountains of muscle. From the perpetually pissed expression she wore, Jennifer deduced that it would be rather wise to keep her conversation in brief.
