Chương 5: Consequences?

Ori begins hobbling home from the junkyard, his injured form presenting a sorry sight that most people in Night City simply ignored. Admittedly, he was freaking a bit over the strange phenomenon that'd hit him... His arms forcing him to stop smoking? Sounded like one of those old-world anti-smoking ads...

He gets on the first NCART train back to Watson and reaches for his Holophone, only to curse under his breath at its mangled form. That old bastard's punch must've completely wrecked it, it looked more like a metal pizza than anything now...

Rubbing his eyes, he tosses the broken thing on the floor while grimacing from the movement due to his ribs.

"Oi, the seat." a taller, well-built man with visible Cyberware growls at him.

"Look man, if you can't see already I'm really fucked up. Just gimme a break, alright?" Ori states, trying to reason with him.

"Do I look like I give a shit? You move, or you get zeroed once you step off."

...

"Yeah, alright. Fine." he grouses, forcing himself to his feet and getting some distance. He didn't need this kinda shit right now, Chrome Jocks like that scum liked to throw their weight around.

--------------------------

Finally, he reaches his stop and steps out, only to slowly quicken his pace as the sound of gunshots gets louder the closer he gets to home. Gunfire wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but the amount and where it was coming from? A big red flag.

By the time he reaches the outskirts of the old DTR Factory his adrenaline was running high. Outside the entrance leading into Casinha a group of Maelstrom goons were shooting at some Animal gangers who'd barricaded themselves inside with scrap metal, along with parts that'd undoubtedly come from the shacks that composed most of the shanty town.

"What is going on!?" he mutters to himself, staring at the corpses the Maelstrom members were stepping over. He recognised them, members of the Quadrano clan, Allen, Patrice, Salma, Rachael... All dead, lying on the ground filled with lead.

In a rage he unconsciously steps forward despite his complete lack of functional weapons, only to be grabbed by someone from behind. Ori swings a fist at them and it connects, but the shock of pain from his ribs forces him to stop from continuing his assault.

"O-Ori! That you!?" Bats asks from the floor while rubbing his cheek.

"Bats!? What the hell is happening!? Why are gangers fighting in our place!?"

The Ripperdoc shakes his head, "I have no fuckin' clue! They just turned up here last night and have been fighting ever since!" he focuses on Ori, "Where the fuck have you been anyway!? You've been missing for three days!"

"T-three days!?" he exclaims in shock.

"Eman'd sent half the clan looking for you, but nothin'! Then these guys turned up and started shooting everyone up!"

...

This hit Ori harder than anything else as he quickly comes to one conclusion... This was his fault.

That old man must've been a Corpo and wasn't satisfied with just 'flatlining' him, he wanted more so he went for his family, sent every gang in the book after them...

His eyes regain focus and he grabs Bats' shoulders, "The others, where are they! Cat, my Dad! Did they make it out!?"

"I don't know, kid! I've been waiting out here for them but haven't seen anyone! Not Rick, not your fam, and not any other Quadrano!"

"God fucking damn it!" Ori exclaims and kicks a nearby trashcan, sending it flying but almost falling to the ground himself, his ribs feeling like they'd tear their way outta his chest. He shakes his head and ignores the pain, "I'm going in there, no scum-sucking gangers are going to touch them!"

"Wait! That's suicide! They've got the whole entrance plugged, and I swore I saw the Tyger Claws run in a couple minutes ago!"

"Even them!? Is the whole goddamn town in there!?" Ori angrily shouts before turning Bats, "You gotta gun?" he pulls out the smart pistol, "This shit doesn't work unless you got tech for it."

Bats nods and shoves a revolver into his hands while snatching the smart gun, "We'll swap, I can use this. How're we gonna get in though? There's a whole army there!"

"The sewers, there's a back entrance through some tunnels, should come out near my house. Let's go."

The duo quickly begin making their way around and soon spot the manhole, both hurriedly clambering down it since their family depended on it.

"Look, Ori, what we'll see down there-"

"What?" Ori bites back a snarl, "That they're dead? Shut your mouth and keep walkin'."

Bats shakes his head, "Here, top you up until we can get you some proper medical." he says, handing him a stim air-hypo.

Ori uses it without a second thought, jabbing it into his thigh and instantly feeling relief, the pain was suppressed and his adrenaline was pumping like nobody's business.

*Crrrr-Crash!*

Ori kicks open a sewer grate and looks around, spotting the flashes of light indicating gunfire, in the distance he could see his house, burning and filling the tunnel with deadly black smoke. "No..."

"Ori-, wait!" Bats shouts as he rushes away towards the back door of his burning house, crashing through it with wide eyes, "CAT! ARE YOU HERE!? DAD!? ANYONE IN HERE!?"

At the lack of response, he begins rapidly searching the place, ignoring the burns forming on his exposed skin. The kitchen was empty, and so was the dining room and bathroom. By the time he reached the second floor the entire floor below him was in a blaze.

Even then he couldn't find anything, His, Cat's and Dad's rooms were empty, though, there were signs of a struggle in his sister's room, only angering him further. He hurriedly checks the stash where they'd been hiding their Credchips and almost opens fire on it when it turns up empty...

They'd been robbed, his sister kidnapped, and his father who-the-fuck-knows!

*Thwoom!*

Fire explodes out of the floor and scorches his back, ruining what was left of his bloodied shirt and forcing him to throw himself out of the window, landing haphazardly next to Bats.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?! The hell it wrong with you!?"

"T-they have my fucking sister, Bats! They took her!" he coughs and splutters out. "Took all our shit too, our cash..."

"No, she must've got out and took the Eddies with her! Think about this rationally!"

Ori gives a tired shake of his head and slowly gets up with Bats help, "T-then she must still be around here, you didn't see her, right? So she's here. She must be."

"You aren't in any state to go on, kid! You look like a burn victim!"

"I am a burn victim, you dumbass. I'm staying, you can run if you want, I ain't leaving without Cat."

"... I'm gonna regret this," Bats mutters after a moment of thought, beginning to support Ori on his shoulder.