บท 289: Undone
*Bzztch!*
"Over nine-hundred billion dollars worth of damage, and still mounting-"
*Bzztch!*
"Over twenty thousand civilians dead-"
*Bzztch!*
"Where this thing came from we at 54 News have no idea!" the news reporter states with a shocked and perturbed expression, which only increases as someone says something off camera, causing her to go ghostly pale, "T-This just in! T-the monster is now makings its way towards our headquarters! We implore everyone to evacuate immediately if you haven't already done so, just as we are now... Thank you for watching." she finally says before standing and rushing out of the room.
"Well, I'll be damned..." Rogue mutters, glancing from the overhead T.V screen and at the numerous, almost solemn-looking mercs observing the situation. It shouldn't have been surprising to her that these thieves, murderers, and thugs actually felt something for the apoplectic amount of damage the giant robot had caused. Still, perhaps they realised that Night City's prominence was finally ending.
While the robot was still on its rampage, the destruction of the Corpo Plaza and much of Downtown had assured the city's dissolution. Despite what many people like to think, it wasn't the poor, or working man that operated this place, but the Corpos. Without them funding projections, buying advertisements, paying taxes, and asserting their prestige, there was no Night City.
Judging by how the robot kept shouting 'Arasaka', she was pretty sure she knew who was responsible for it, even if the Corporation had announced the failure of the 'terrorist attack' hours ago.
Where Ori got the indestructible giant robot, she had no idea... Especially with the reports she was hearing from her contacts, that it was some sort of grey-goo analogue.
With most Media-corps evacuated they turned all their broadcasts to live recordings from their helicopters, allowing the Afterlife to see the sheer destruction that'd been wrought. The robot had scaled up Arasaka tower after mulching an army of soldiers and collapsed Memorial Park, and now seemed to be chasing an AV while ignoring the other that hurriedly flew away.
Her eyes glow as she sends data to her Runners and other contacts, liquidating all that could be sold, selling property, hideouts, etc, and preparing to move shop to another, less destroyed city. Most of the goons here thought they'd be able to carry on as normal once the robot was shut down, but even if they managed to break it, there was no coming back for this place.
"Woah! Is that who I think it is!?" a merc exclaims as the AV crashes and three people clamber out.
"Fuckin' new head o' Arasaka!?"
"It's that bitch, Hanako!"
"Hahahaha! Look at that whore run!"
*Thud!-Clatter!*
An Asian man stands from his table, slightly inebriated as he shoots the loudmouthed men a glare, "Are you dogs truly cheering for this!? This massacre!? Are you animals!?"
"Fuck off, Corpo-cunt, let us watch your 'precious master' get zeroed by the robot in peace."
The man scowls hard and reaches for his hip where his pistol lay, which is matched by the others who go for their own.
"One FUCKING bullet and you're all leaving in bodybags! Don't forget where you are, or I swear to god, that robot will be the last of your worries!!" Rogue exclaims, achieving a reluctant silence among her patrons.
"Oh shit! Look!" someone points at the broadcast, specifically the swarm missiles headed for the Arasaka CEO.
*BOOM!*
"There goes that rich, pansy-ass fucking family! Good riddance, hahaha!"
"THAT'S IT!-"
The brawl starts but Rogue's bouncers drag the men outside, leaving them to their fistfight in peace, along with a year-long ban... Which will probably last longer than the actual club itself.
"Mouth breathers, am I right?" she mutters to herself but pauses as the giant robot opens its mouth and spits out a familiar person.
"T-that's Zombie!? I thought that guy was dead!?"
"He's called Zombie for a reason, though, guess we'll be calling him Professor Roboto or some shit now?"
"Is everyone gonna ignore the fact this guy killed a quarter of the fucking city!?"
"Mostly corpos. Not really 'people'."
"And who's gonna pay for your gigs? Cuz without Corpos Fixers ain't got shit... Unless you think some schizo street trash can fork up enough Eddies?"
"Look, that's his crew climbing outta that AV, see, he had a reason to flatline those punks. Good message too, 'fuck with my chooms and I'll bring down the whole fucking city!'"
"Eat shit! My fucking ma' was downtown!"
"My girl too! Fuck that guy's chooms!"
"Yeah? Why don't you say that to his face? 6th Street tried and look where they are now, under the river with the NCPD and MaxTac."
"Why'd you think I'm here pissing away Eddies on cheap liquor instead of out there? I know shit's fucked! And I know I'm not going anywhere near THAT!"
"Does anyone even know what that thing is!? 'Cuz I might know my tech but that thing ain't anywhere near current development!"
"Nanites. Look at it eating through everything, you chuckle-fucks not noticed the fact that it's growing...?"
...
The bar goes silent at that observation, one Rogue had only just realised.
"N-Nanites...? Oh shit!" one merc exclaims in realisation, getting to his feet and blitzing out of the club, followed by many others.
"That gonk fuck's gonna kill us all! I don't wanna know how long it'll take for him to long control of those things! Good luck Rogue, I'm driving straight across the country and booking a flight to Antarctica... Should give me a couple years before I get eaten!" the man says before also leaving.
...
"Kinda quiet now, huh, Emmerick?" she remarks to her nervously-twitching bouncer before downing the rest of her drink. "Go, I know you've got shit to do before you skip town too."
"T-thanks, boss..."
...
"No point in waiting around I suppose... Last call, then everyone out!"
"Uh... Rogue?" the bartender quietly asks, "We probably shouldn't stay here..." he says, pointing to the live broadcast which showed Zombie's robot moving towards Kabuki.
"Fuck."
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Niggross
Niggross Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
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บท 290: Kid-Napping
"Choom, I hate to be that gal, but if we have to stay in this cramped hole any longer I'ma go nuts!" Rebecca says with legs squished against her chest in the rather small compartment in the centre of the giant mecha. The size was an unfortunate side effect of how large the machine had gotten, the sheer mass and weight of it didn't allow any open space larger than this, not without risking it collapsing in on itself, plus the building heat from friction was also a factor.
"If it's bad for you, how do you think it is for the rest of us?" David asks behind him, his head literally between his knees. "I feel like I'm gonna suffocate in here!"
"Look, it's either this or I give you a place that's vulnerable near the exterior. Trust me, this won't take long." Ori assures.
"Where are we even going?" Kiwi mutters while connecting to nearby systems outside the robot. "What do you need in Kabuki?... Where can we even go, honestly?"
"After all this? Nowhere." Lucy huffed, she'd been on the run enough to know there was no escaping that now. She had just been an escaped 'experiment', even when they'd gone to Vegas they hadn't had so many eyes on them. Right now, she wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the world considered them 'threats against humanity'.
Well... At least Arasaka was done for...?
"I need to collect some people. Don't worry, I've got a basic plan for the future, hopefully everything'll go well." Ori states.
"Nuh-uh, cut the mysteries bullshit and tell us straight. What're we doing?" Rebecca seriously questions.
...
Ori lets out a sigh, "Fine. First, we'll be picking up my family. Cat, her kid, Bats, and Charlie. After that we'll head down to the Biotechnica Flats, or whoever owns that now-"
"Wait, why? There's nothing there." Lucy mutters.
"Plus, doesn't your sis have a boyfriend or something?"
Ori allows a weak smile, "Honestly? I was hoping he'd be outta the picture by now, but if he's there we'll have to take him anyway. As for the flats? Well, I need organic material, specifically growable plants. There was enough vegetables and seeds in Arasaka tower but I wanna cover our bases."
"Again, why? You're not planning to start a farm in butt-fuck nowhere right?" Rebecca grouses, only to frown when Ori doesn't reply. "No, really!? Are you serious?"
He shrugs, "Yeah... Night City's fucked, everywhere else'll be hunting us. Since the nanites broke their restrictions, we've basically become a one-man construction company... Hell, we could probably make a new Night City in a week, depending on how much the nanites expand."
"Again, are we trusting those things to not go crazy and eat the world...?" David queries.
"I trust 'em... Enough...?" Ori states, "'Sides, they're the best way forward and if they intended to betray me we're fucked regardless. As is we'll be meeting up with the Aldecaldo's to pick up Sasha and Falco."
"T-they're alive!?" Rebecca squeaks at that.
"Yeah, they barricaded themselves in the security room after you got nabbed and I got there just in time." he shakes his head and sighs, "God there's so much shit to do."
"At least we're all alive, right?" David tries to lighten the mood but doesn't achieve much due to everyone feeling like they were in a car crusher.
"David, I love you, but please be quiet." Lucy mutters.
-------------------------
"HOLY SHIT! IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US!" a civilian screams as the giant, skull-like head of the mech peers down the street, prompting everyone in sight to flee in a panic.
A dozen or so Mox run out to fight it off, but they're completely ignored by Ori, who moves past Lizzie's Bar and into Kabuki Market. It'd already been emptied of screaming civies outside of the few more stubborn and adamant ones continuing their shops.
Ignoring all that, he moves the mecha's head to a 'newly' opened one that made food from a variety of cultures. There, through the window, he spotted Cat, his sister, standing frozen like a deer in headlights.
He hadn't kept a close eye on her, but through the Mox he knew she owned and lived above her store with Bats and the kids. She looked good, healthier and happier, though, the obvious fear striking her features reduced it somewhat.
Shrugging, he has the mech spit himself and the crew onto the street, inwardly smiling at Cat's shocked expression as he steps into the store. "Hey sis, time to go."
. . .
"Oriiiiii..... What the HELL are you doing!? Why did you come here!?" she shrieks, grabbing a burrito and flinging it at him.
He ducks, allowing it to hit David instead, "I'm here to pick you up, it ain't safe in this city anymore, so we're going. And I ain't asking."
"He isn't wrong side-sis, those assholes in Arasaka knew you were here the whole time, and if they knew then everyone else will too." Rebecca adds.
Cat scowls, "So, what? We just have to throw everything we've built away!? How is that fair, especially after you abandoned us!?"
"You know why I left-"
"Do I look like a fucking care!? You're crazy if you think I'll go! Just leave!" she all but shrieks.
"Not an option."
"Y-you... W-why couldn't you just-, stay dead!?" she shouts despite herself, drawing a glare from Rebecca.
"You ungrateful-"
"Stop." Ori interjects, halting Rebecca from her rant, "Think what you want, I'm kidnapping you either way." he says as a black tendril crashes through the wall and grabs Cat as she kicks and screams.
"Oooh, she isn't gonna like that." David remarks.
"Tough shit." Rebecca spits.
Shaking his head, he turns his attention to the others in the building, sadly, Fujino was in the back working in the kitchen with Charlie, and Bats was in the apartment above with little Emil.
It doesn't take long to grab them too, and soon the group was on their way to the Biotechnica Flats.
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Niggross
Niggross
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