บท 224: Saving Martha
In a room filled with colorful lights, a television displayed the feed from a cybernetic eye:
Fights, gunfire, and a one-sided massacre.
A group of Tyger Claws gang members sat together in silence, watching the carnage unfold on the screen.
It wasn't their time to speak. The man who should speak was pacing behind them, running a hand through his hair.
This man, dressed in a white suit, had an air of uprightness about him, though the purple and pink lights in the room gave him an unsettling appearance.
A subordinate entered. "Boss, NCPD got someone to spill—it's some guy named… Desert Chef!"
"What?" The boss, Jotaro, froze in confusion. "Say that again?"
"Desert… uh, Desert Chef."
"Anything else?"
"Uh… there's a rumor they're the same people who caused that ruckus at the Corpo Plaza."
"Rumors, rumors… damn it! Why are they targeting me? I have nothing to do with those Corpo tech freaks, and this isn't a restaurant!"
Jotaro scratched his head in frustration. He couldn't understand why this group of lunatics was targeting him.
The real question was—what to do now?
Hiroto, one of his most reliable underlings, had taken some of their best men to deal with the situation. Yet, the result? The enemy wiped them out in no time.
Jotaro's heart ached at the thought.
After much deliberation, he glanced at his account balance, clenched his jaw, and dialed the "Equipment Supplier."
"You got anything better? Send me your best stuff—top-tier gear! Your blades are trash; the streets are littered with broken pieces. Price isn't an issue. You see the news? That psycho who tore up Corpo Plaza—why aren't you doing something? Strategy? Whatever! Just send the goods over, now."
Hanging up, Jotaro turned to another subordinate. "Contact Akuhara. Tell him we've got a big job for him—right now."
"Boss, I don't think he'll come. He only listens to Sota."
"Sota's a nobody. I've had enough of him. Doesn't Akuhara have a girlfriend in our gang? Tell Sota that if those two snitches don't die, he's out. And as for Akuhara's girl? She'll star in some… films."
"Understood, boss."
Just as the subordinate was leaving, Jotaro added, "Wait. Ueno-san, hasn't some old soldier been causing us trouble lately?"
"Yes, he has."
"Don't care who he is. Tell him: take out the snitches and this 'Chef,' and we'll return his daughter to him."
"Uh…" Ueno hesitated. "But boss, his daughter's already…"
Clang!
A throwing knife whizzed past Ueno's cheek, embedding itself in the wall behind him.
Jotaro's voice dropped to a menacing growl. "It's not about his daughter—it's about revenge. You get it? Whether it's that soldier or this Chef, I want them to understand—messing with the Tyger Claws leads to no good end! Got it, you idiot?"
Ueno trembled. "Y-Yes, boss!"
"Now hurry up! This isn't Japan—stop with the 'Yes, sir' nonsense!"
"Yes—uh, understood!"
[Burger King Commission: Save Martha]
In Wellsprings, there's a woman named Martha Flex with a reckless little brother. First, he got involved selling black-market braindance chips for the Tyger Claws. Then, when NCPD caught wind of it, they sweet-talked him into ratting out the gang's dealings.
But once they got what they wanted, the cops turned their backs, claiming budget issues. Now the Tyger Claws are hunting him and his sister. Desperate, he pooled all his resources to hire me to protect Martha.
Martha's waiting for him at the Wellsprings dock. Get her to safety.
Oh, and my car should be ready—pick it up on the way.
Don't worry about scratches. If the Tyger Claws get in your way, you know what to do.
The Legendary Mackinaw
The Mackinaw, a battle-tested vehicle that's seen countless skirmishes with Burger King, was now a true urban tank.
Reinforced chassis. More power. Thicker armor. Reliable tires. Beneath its black composite shell lay an equally tough red frame.
David slid into the driver's seat. "Are Mane and the others meeting us there?"
Lucy, sitting in the passenger seat, replied, "They said they'll head straight there. We won't rendezvous."
"Fine by me. This is my first time driving something like this. How much do you think it's worth?"
"No idea."
Lucy glanced at the rugged vehicle with mixed feelings. This thing probably cost more than the cheapest tickets to the moon.
As El Captain patted the car door, snapping the two out of their thoughts. "Fuel's topped up. You're good to go—say hi to Burger King for me."
"Got it."
David nodded and slammed the gas pedal. The Mackinaw roared to life, thundering down the street like a beast unleashed.
Leaving behind the poverty of Santo Domingo, they headed for Wellsprings.
The streets widened, the cars got pricier, and towering skyscrapers blotted out the moonlight, replacing it with an artificial glow.
David didn't bother admiring the glittering cityscape. This time, he wasn't a frustrated student at Arasaka Academy. He was a disruptor.
An agent of the chaos of the wealthy district's peace.
As the Mackinaw roared through the streets, the Tyger Claws weren't prepared for the chaos about to unfold.
And chaos, David delivered, bringing it. to the Wealthy District
Vroom—
The roar of an engine erupted from behind as Maine's combat van finally caught up. The he leaned out of the window, his newly upgraded cybernetic arms giving David a big thumbs-up.
These prosthetic hands looked far more ordinary now—no unnecessary features.
David grinned and shouted into the wind, "You finally listened to burger king, huh?"
"What do you mean listened! This is pure confidence in my combat skills, understand? Rescuing someone from the Tyger Claws isn't child's play. Are you sure this job will fly?"
"We're just here to escort someone!"
Maine seemed much better than before, and David even noticed Rebecca in the back seat, stepping on her brother's head and waving in greeting.
But now wasn't the time for casual hellos.
In the passenger seat, Lucy's cybernetic eye scanned the street ahead.
"There are a few Tyger Claw vehicles parked up ahead. It's odd—this isn't their usual turf."
"Then let's ram through them first."
"Wait, I've got eyes on the target."
Lucy's cybernetic eye locked onto someone matching the database profile: Martha Freix.
"That means we've got to ram through!"
Lucy glanced at David in exasperation and tension. The kid was grinning like a maniacal hit-and-run enthusiast.
Is driving this car really that fun?
"Let me go! Let me go!"
Smack!
A Tyger Claw thug punched Martha square in the stomach. "Shut the hell up, or I'll gut you right here."
Martha doubled over in pain. Another thug grabbed her by the hair, dragging her toward their car.
"This chick's got some spine, huh?"
"Won't last long once the boss gets his hands on her."
As they neared the vehicle, the deafening roar of an engine echoed through the street—
At first, the sound blended into the noise of traffic and the blaring ads, not drawing much attention.
But as it grew closer—closer—they finally looked up, curious to see what kind of lunatic was driving so recklessly, even more brazenly than the Tyger Claws themselves.
Bang!
The Mackinaw roared through the roadside, a beast of a machine plowing through sports cars and motorcycles like a bulldozer, leaving a heap of wreckage in its wake.
The shriek of metal grinding against metal, the thunder of the engine, and the screams of terror melded into a chaotic symphony.
Steel and flesh were crushed together under its massive weight.
The two Tyger Claws dragging Martha froze mid-step, watching their getaway car get turned into scrap metal.
Then came Maine's van, following closely behind. Guns of all sizes protruded from its windows, unleashing a storm of bullets—
A bloodbath ensued.
The assault was so swift and relentless that the enemies had no time to retaliate.
As the barrage stopped briefly to reload, Rebecca tossed in two grenades for good measure—
Boom!
Martha, never having witnessed such carnage, lay trembling on the ground. Warm liquid splattered onto her skin, and she was finally yanked upright—
By David.
She opened her eyes to see the two Tyger Claws who had grabbed her lying dead in pools of blood.
David had killed them.
"Can you walk? I'm here to save you. Your brother sent me."
"My—my brother? That idiot?"
"Uh, yeah. We'll go pick him up, then figure out where you can go."
Martha shook her head blankly. "In Night City, with a gang hunting me, where could I possibly be safe?"
That was a valid question.
In Night City, for ordinary people like them, corporations and gangs were equally untouchable threats.
David's mind raced with ideas, but now wasn't the time for introspection.
"Get in the car first. We'll find a place."
"Okay."
As the car roared to life, Maine quipped, "This job seems easy so far. The Tyger Claws don't seem all that tough."
"Well, Maine, your jinx worked its magic," Kiwi grumbled from inside the van.
Two skilled netrunners with cybernetic eyes had spotted trouble—
Several Tyger Claw motorcycles, flags flying high, sped out of a nearby intersection.
David grinned, sweat trickling down his forehead as he tried to mask his nervousness with bravado.
"Check your weapons, everyone."
Rebecca's voice came over the comms: "Wait—seriously? You're planning to fight here in Wellsprings?"
"Have you seen burger King's video from Santo Domingo where he ambushed the Sixth Street gang?"
"Yeah," Maine answered quickly. "That was The Mackinaw Legend, Episode 1, right?"
"Exactly." David's grin widened further. "I was there. I know the drill."
"'Know the drill' my ass!"
Rebecca's indignant shout was quickly drowned out by her brother's excited yell—
"Wahoo! Let's crush the Tyger Claws!
[TN:alright last chapter I own sorry for being missing for the last 3 days]
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง