บท 171: Edging It
Ori idly played around with his new Monowire Cyberware from his makeshift seat, a ledge atop a building overlooking the place where Susie and Wakako would be meeting. Apparently the place had been set by that guy called Padre, who claimed 'What better place to seek peace than in the house of the lord himself?'.
Ori thought it was bullshit of course, but at least it provided a very defensible position. He'd thought most churches had been sequestered away to those small community rent rooms, but it looked like he was mistaken.
It was a small chapel which had presumably stood before the gentrification of Night City. It looked pretty out of place squeezed between two tower blocks, relatively modern stonework, refurbished wood, and some facsimile of stained glass as its windows.
Everyone knew why it still stood though, the Valentinos would destroy the rest of the street if such an attempt was made.
"So, about this whole... Immortality thing." he wonders aloud while leaning back, appreciating the rooftop wind.
...
"Hello?"
[Are you referring to us?] the Collective inquires, and Ori was unsure if the bots were being snarky or not.
"Who else would I even ask...? Who else is even here?" he retorts, knowing Lucy and David wouldn't arrive until an hour or so from now.
[We would like you to be more specific.]
"Y'know, things I should look out for, prepare for, learn about?" he mumbles the latter parts, not as comfortable with this line of discussion as he'd like to present. He'd been putting this discussion off for a while due to its severity, even now he'd just blurted it out in a fit of anxious boredom.
To most living forever would be a blessing, something not even the Corpo suits had managed. But he was well aware what it meant for someone like him. If anyone found out they'd hunt him, cut him apart and dissect him.
Even if he somehow managed to avoid that, what was there to even look to in the future? The world was already pretty fucked and teetering on the edge of destruction. Hell, those rich bastards created a space station so they could avoid it when it hit, at least that was Ori's understanding of it.
Natural resources were dwindling, nuclear fallout had destroyed most natural ecosystems, and any city not destroyed in a Corporate war had been ravaged to the point of essentially becoming giant ghettos.
That's not even mentioning the fact he'd have to watch everyone he loved or hated die. Sure, he imagined there'd be a way in the future for the nanites to alter their DNA or something, or maybe even copy themselves, but would they even accept such a thing? Other than Rebecca, he highly doubted it.
[We suspect buying stocks in companies with potential is not the advice you are seeking?]
"No duh, I'm not a genius but I'm not retarded either." he drawls, flicking the Monowire at a discarded can which easily cuts it in two.
[We are unsure, while we do exist within your head, we cannot read your mind. What is it you seek from existence? Perhaps considering how having more time would affect your goal would help?]
...
He used to dream about reaching the top, the top of what was something he'd never really considered. Then the Casinha Massacre happened and he'd focussed solely on revenge, which remained true even now after the discovery of the Animals, Tyger Claws, and Arasaka's involvement.
He shakes his head, not replying to the nanite's quandary. He didn't have an answer, and any he gave now would feel like an excuse.
"Er, hello?" a voice asks from the door protecting the stairs from the elements.
"David, you're early." Ori remarks as the teen and his pastel-haired companion step onto the roof.
"Said he didn't want to miss anything." Lucy shrugs, finding herself a seat nearby.
"Weren't you the one who kept explaining how important this gig was?" he retorts, dropping next to her.
She leans to the side and lights a cig, "If it means I don't have to remind you during it, then expect a repeat."
He pouts, kicking his feet up and leaning back with his hands in his pockets, "Er, where's your crew?" he asks, glancing around.
"In position somewhere else, they'll cover our blindspot while we keep an eye on the front of the church." Ori leans forwards and pulls a box from under where he'd been sitting. He opens it, revealing a large, heavy sniper rifle that also happened to be painted in dark pinks and greens...
Yes, desp[ite emphasizing the point of it being camouflage, Rebecca had reluctantly just used darker variants of her usual favoured paints... She'd assembled it out of a Techtronika SPT32 Grad and a bunch of other parts she couldn't care to mention. According to her, all he needed to know is that whatever he hits, dies.
"Wow... That thing's huge!" David exclaims with mouth agape.
"That's what she said." Ori grins, "No really, I had the same reaction and Rebecca said the same exact thing." he lifts the weapon out of the box and begins checking it, the ammo, the sights, etc. This'd already been done three times yesterday, but it was better that they were safe than sorry.
"So, what's my job here exactly?" David asks.
"Lucy's gonna keep watch on the Net side of things, make sure no hackers slip through and ruin our day. Considering Arasaka might show, having an abundance of Netrunners is a must... As for you? Well, you're the meatshield for our sexy friend here." he gestures at Lucy.
"Sexy?" David unconsciously parrots.
"That's what you're bothered about." Lucy snorts at his priorities.
"Look on the bright side, at least you're here. Right now Kiwi's chilling in the tub at home." Ori chuckles.
"That... Is not wrong?" Lucy smirks.
"I don't get it..." David frowns.
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บท 172: 'Saka Deek
[VIP A is here] Sasha reports over the comms, just as Susie's car comes into view and parks outside the church.
Ori was already scanning the street with some electronic binoculars, the heavy sniper rifle set up at his side. Valentinos patrolled the street, most heavily armed and waiting for the conflict to start. Thankfully, Susie and her entourage make it into the church unscathed and unbothered.
"Alright, high alert now guys, shit can hit the fan at any moment..." Ori states, both to the comms and to Lucy and David nearby.
"You really expect something to happen?" David can't help but ask.
Ori nods, "I hope it won't but there's a lot riding on this. More than just the Mox and Wakako's Tyger Claws teaming up."
"Arasaka won't let it happen." Lucy spits venomously with her eyes glowing with data, "They'll do anything if it means the barest gains."
"Sounds about right," Ori mutters, "Fucker's helped kill my entire family so they could open up a subway... They were worth less to those fucking japs than a goddamn tunnel."
David slowly nods, deciding not to mention the fact he was a dropout from their school. Maybe hearing that he kicked the shit out of an Arasaka execs' son would soothe it though?
[Any eyes on VIP B?] - Ori
[A couple blocks away, should be there any minute.] - Kiwi
Ori leans over the edge of the building as Wakako's car comes into view, escorted on either side by some Tyger Claw bikes, though, they were coloured differently than normal. Instead of being brightly coloured, they were dull blacks, greys, and whites, despite still wearing the familiar demon masks, swords, and Japanese clothing.
"Looks like Wakako's guys got a makeover," he remarks.
[Better to distinguish themselves now than get shot at later when something happens.] - Sasha
[Wonder if it'll stick? Maybe I can convince them of pink superiority?] - Rebecca
"Doubt they'd be willing to steal Mox colours..." Ori drily retorts.
Wakako enters the building with her men, as unmolested as when Susie arrived. Which was honestly surprising to Ori. "Maybe they're just planning to bomb the place while both VIP's are inside...?"
[Are you trying to Jinx it? Heads up, unauthorized AV flying overhead, no identification.] - Kiwi
The trio all look up as a completely black AV slowly hovers over the area. It gracefully manoeuvres between buildings and even flies above the church, yet after ten minutes of this, it just leaves without doing anything at all.
"Huh, must've just been a noob driver." David mutters, prompting Ori to turn and glare at him. The imminent scolding was cut off however as he notices something odd. The door to the roof that'd been left ajar by David was now firmly closed with its locks engaged.
He rapidly looks around, eyes scanning the rooftop but he doesn't find anything of interest. Regardless, he activates his Monowire and swipes it in a wide arc... It cuts through the air, buzzing all the while... But stops as if it'd struck an invisible wall.
"What the fuck!?" David's eyes widen.
"I fucking knew it!" Ori exclaims.
"Shit!" Lucy growls, "'Saka Ninjas!"
Ori tugs his Monowire back to him, wrenching it out of the grip of whoever had caught it before raising the sniper rifle. Its weight may have proven problematic for someone else, but he just hefts it up as if it were an SMG. Through its sights, he could see the heat signatures of four men, even then, they were extremely faint, as if they had technology hiding it.
*BANG!*
"David! Mario this shit!" Ori shouts as he fires, his eyes widening as the ninja barely tilts his head to the side to avoid it. He expels the shell but has to discard the weapon and throw himself to the side as two ninjas charge him.
Unable to see them without the sniper scope, he grabs a nearby can of cola an sprays it in their vague direction. "Thirsty!?"
Somehow it works, the ten Eddies soft drink sprinkling their high-tech suits with the sticky fluid, providing a silhouette to their invisible bodies. This doesn't stop their charge however, both raise their katana to cut him down.
Ori fires a shot from his revolver but the ninja literally deflects it out of the air, allowing his partner to slash at Ori.
*SliK!*
It slices right through his jacket and into his chest, barely nicking his lung. The guy goes for another attack but Ori pulls the cord of his grapple hook and entangles the blade with it, even if the oscillating sword was slowly cutting into the metal.
"You will die, barbarian!"
"You first, 'Samurai'."
"DO NOTO USE DAT NAME!!" he shouts, pushing harder into the cord.
Ori takes the chance to check on David, spotting the kid running in circles with Lucy in his arms, spamming his Sandevistan like his life depended on it... Which it did...
Then, the second ninja charged in, Ori steps to the side while pulling his Monowire out, but they just tangle that too with their blade, leaving him stuck wrestling with the two soldiers.
Thankfully, Lucy hadn't just been acting like a useless princess. The four Ninjas suddenly scream as their Cyberware goes haywire, their camo disabling and leaving their black armoured figures visible to all.
*Crunch!*
With that distraction Ori fiercely raises his foot and kicks the nearest ninja in the crotch, breaking through the codpiece and sending shards of metal into the man's groin.
"HIYAAAAAEEHHH!!"
"'FACKO YOU!" Ori taunts, slamming the severed grapple claw into the guy's visor. It doesn't break through, but the sharp metal inches away from the guy's eye is distraction enough.
With that, he sends a grin at the guy wrestling against his Monowire, then tugs him as hard as possible to the side, right towards the ledge of the roof. Maybe it was his training to never drop his weapon, or maybe it was some sense of honour, regardless, the guy goes sailing right over the edge with a surprised yelp.
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