Ghost in the City
Chapter 23

It took a few hours, but I walked out of the shop wearing a new Leotard, and a bag with a few spares. It had also cost me way less than the first one. So that was nice. Rather than head directly home I decided to look around, maybe stop at a cafe or something to eat something different.

I didn’t want to turn into Jun and his Vendor Burrito aficionado status. The thought stopped me cold for a moment before I let it go.

I would always worry about Jun, but all I could do is keep moving forward.

I ended up stopping at a nice little cafe and eating a quiet lunch. The many Mox in the area were… Different. Thankfully despite being asian, no one bothered me since I wasn’t exactly looking like a normal Tyger Claw.

So, I got to people watch all the Mox that were everywhere in the area.

Pastel and neon. Weird combo, but I could respect it. The Mox were… Interesting. On one hand they were still sort of at the point in a gang's life where the original idea to actually make things better was still active. But at the same time it was starting to die off. Greed changed everything.

Instead of helping people like the Mox had been founded on, they were now shifting to helping the Mox and no one else.

Funny how that goes. Soon it would shift more and the Mox would be like 6th St. Using force to keep their income stream safe and active.

I finished up my lunch and left the little cafe, walking down the street just sort of taking in the sights of the area. Even here though it was tense. Mox were heavily armed. People were scurrying around for the most part. Shops all had extra security either in guards, or equipment.

Everyone was afraid of the gangs right now. Tyger Claws were being aggressive as Strom poked them with a stick, and it was having a knock on effect. Tyger Claws being angry and hyper aggressive meant Mox were running into trouble, which was cutting off Mox areas from other gangs.

Most of the other gangs wouldn’t admit it, but it was making getting BD’s that the Mox sold difficult, and so that was causing tension everywhere.

Crazy to think that basically lack of porn was causing an issue throughout the city, but there you go. Night City folks.

I was walking down through a small park area when I heard it.

A cry of pain, the sound of flesh being struck, and angry voices. I felt myself tense, a stream of instincts all coming out to play as I lowered myself down to better control my center of gravity and crept along.

My boots became absolutely silent on the concrete path.

Thankfully it wasn’t anything serious. I turned around a bush on the path and frowned as I saw a bunch of teenagers. Three boys all standing around a fourth who was on the ground. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøᴠᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

And bruised and beaten up.

“Trying to fuck us over again, huh Nox?” One of the boys said as he kicked the figure on the ground. “I think I’ll just take what BD’s you have instead. Teach you a lesson, yeah?”

The boy on the ground groaned and curled up around a backpack.

I sighed, a teenage brawl? A sale of BD’s gone wrong? Well I didn’t see any guns, or knives. So I was pretty uninterested…

But it would be the right thing to do wouldn’t it? To help out the guy on the ground… I considered it. I didn’t really think of myself as a hero. I was kinda too selfish for that. But I had been doing a lot of murder, even if they all deserved it.

Saving someone in trouble would be a good act.

My shoulders slumped.

“Alright I think that’s enough of that!” I called out as I came around the corner. The three boys still standing all startled for half a second before looking between each other and me incredulously.

“Who the hell is this?”

“Never seen her before, you Ian?”

“Nope. Hey fuck off.” One of them called out throwing me a middle finger.

I looked the three boys over. “No. Don’t know what’s going on, but I’m interfering. Head off, I think you’ve beaten the kid enough for today.”

“Maybe I haven’t choom. Why don’t you fuck off, before we take you over to those bushes and play XBD?”

My nose crinkled. Disgusting. Just for that. I wasn’t gonna let them walk away.

I sighed as I adjusted my gloves a bit ensuring they were tight, stretching my neck a bit to make sure I was limbered up.

And then while the three gonks were all trying to square up and act like tough guys. I simply moved.

Unfortunately this was Night City. Teenagers knew how to fight here more often than not. They startled at my sudden aggression but didn’t run, instead they attacked.

I wasn’t able to throw the first punch.

Stupid long boy arms. But I had a few levels in Street Brawling. Blocking a punch was nothing fancy. I took the hit on my forearms and ducked in, a right jab into his gut caused him to burst into a wheeze as he folded over.

Wow, did this kid not know how to take a punch?

I barely got my arm up in time to block a punch from my right. My eyes caught where he was looking, the accuracy of my Kiroshis making it child's play to lift a leg and catch his kick on my shin.

The third guy was quicker than I thought. He didn’t go for a punch, instead he grabbed my left arm in a harsh grip, since I was already on one foot he managed to move me pretty easily, almost throwing me to the ground, but I kept my feet by grabbing his wrist that was holding me.

Then to my surprise I squeezed, and with a twist of my hand was able to rip his hand off my arm. Since I had him now, I pulled tugging him into a knee that I slammed into his stomach.

Turning to fight kick boy I didn’t quite manage to dodge a punch.

I winced as his blow slammed not into me, but into the Burya holstered under my jacket.

Ow!

I wheezed a bit as he just punched a hunk of metal into my chest, but he was getting the worse off. As he was staggering back cradling his hand.

“Time out.” I managed to wheeze as I waved him off reaching up under my jacket and wincing.

He punched the Burya into my tit!

Ow!

“I think you just broke my hand!” He whined as he bent over his clutching his wrist “Let… Let’s call it done?” He asked after a minute of painful breathing as he struggled not to make too much noise.

I had bent over the little stone wall that surrounded the park. Clutching my chest as it throbbed in pain. “Deal. Take your Chooms and get lost.” I waved him off as I breathed, and after a few moments the three boys turned tail and ran.

Ow! Sure Cold Blood could make me not feel it, but c’mon going all cold for a couple of kids seemed so pointless! But still… Ow!

“Hey you alive?” I asked once the three were gone as I walked over to the beaten boy.

Huh. Beaten Mox boy. That was definitely their colors.

“I’ll… Live.” He muttered as he looked me over from a single eye, the other one already swollen shut. At some point he had stopped curling up and moved into a sitting position with his back resting against the stone wall.

“Good.” I muttered, turning to walk away. I was so done here. Time to go check my bruised tit in my car.

Even with the alerts for Street Brawling I hadn’t exactly been looking around for a fist fight.

Also my tit hurt.

“W-wait!” The teen gasped out as He sort of fumbled to stand. I turned and sort of stared at him helpless to even get up and sighed. “I owe you one, let me thank you!” He begged as he rose up it was obvious he was weak but he managed to get to his feet, as he did he gasped as his bag was held wrong.

Everything inside fell to the ground in a torrent.

Condoms?!?

No wait. Those were BD’s. They were in condom wrapping because someone had a sense of humor.

“F-fuck.” He muttered, bending down into the dirt and stuffing them back into his bag.

I watched for a minute before I finally decided to speak up. “You should just leave them, I think you need to get to a Ripper or something first.”

“No! I can-can’t. Any of the BD’s I lose, I’ll have to pay for!” He gasped out as he was struggling to find them all.

I sighed and with a single glance of my scanner I had them all. Three of them were hidden under a bush, but after a moment and a confirmation from my scanner we had them all.

“Damn…Are those Kiroshis? That’s preem ware.” He muttered, having noticed me looking around and scanning the ground.

“Thanks.” I stood up having grabbed the last of the BD’s and wiped my pants. I had just turned when I had a hand grab at my wrist.

“H-hey! Wait! Hold on, Umm I owe you one! I’m gonna go to Lizzie’s to get checked out, you should come, I’m sure I can get you a reward for saving me.”

“I don’t really need a reward, thanks though.” I offered but the boy wasn’t letting me walk away.

“C-Cmon even if you won’t accept a reward, you really saved me, come by the bar, I can introduce you to Mateo, cheap drinks?”

“I don’t drink.” I refused, waving my hands but again he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Then at least come with, let everyone know who helped out a Mox. We don’t forget people who did us a favor.” He begged.

I was going to refuse again, but just as I was about to say it, he sort of limped and almost tripped.

“Fuck.” He cursed wincing at his ankle which I noticed with a glance was swelling up.

“Looks sprained… C’mon. I’ll give you a ride at least. My car isn’t far.” I muttered. This is what I get for being the hero. A bruised tit, and having to do more work.

He looked up, his face flashing into a smile… Which wasn’t the best to look at with all the swelling. “Yes! Hey I’m Nox the Mox.” He… Introduced himself.

“Nox the Mox?” I asked as I felt my face flattening into a deadpan.

“Yep! I’m a seller, a good one, a catchy name means people remember you when they want something. Trust me, it sounds a bit weird, but my name alone has got me a ton of business!” He practically chirped as he limped along until I helped stabilize him.

“Motoko. I don’t run with a gang, so I guess I’m Motoko the Merc.”

“Oh? A merc? I guess that explains the moves and the chrome.” He said adding a little karate chops to his words.

“Yeah, something like that.” I muttered as we turned a corner and came up to my car. I could feel the moment he noticed it as he sorta pulled away a bit.

“U-um, nice car. I might want to just walk…” I chuckled a little at his response because I really needed to get my ride painted.

“Don’t worry I’m not a Wraith, despite what my ride says. I had a job that took me out to the Badlands. It turned into a bit of a mess but I flatlined the previous owner, and now I have his ride… I really need to get it painted.”

“Right.. Okay sure.” He muttered, sounding a little suspicious, but I shrugged and helped him into the car as I went around.

With a flick of my mind I switched to map mode and made up a path to Lizzie’s Bar.

“So, a Merc huh? What’s that like?”

“Pay goes from good to complete shit usually depending on how much someone shoots you.” I told him truthfully as I pulled out to the street and started driving to the bar. “What’s a BD salesman like?”

“It’s good eddies when I have a buyer, but it’s just enny’s most of the time. Nothing like Merc work.”

“Trust me merc stuff can be fun, but it also has moments where you do a lot of work or get in dangerous situations and get paid close to nothing.” I said, remembering a certain job with a group of teenage gangers.

That had been a bit of a mess.

Thankfully the bar wasn’t far, and I didn't have to share more than a few more bits about jobs I had done before I pulled slowly into the parking lot of Lizzie’s Bar.

Of course pulling up in a very obviously painted ride drew attention. I could see the bouncer Rita, if I remembered her name right, go from relaxing at the door to carrying her baseball bat with a vengeance.

Still I ignored that instead stepping out and walking over to help Nox get out of the car as he was having a bit of trouble with his foot. Once he was upright I didn’t need to move anymore as Rita was there, baseball bat still held tightly in one hand as she looked over the two of us.

“Nox. What’s going on?”

“Rita hey. Umm you know I ran into Ian’s group. They uh. Weren’t happy with my price, and thought klepping would be cheaper.” He spoke before pointing at me. “Motoko here saved my ass, fought them off and sent them packing, even helped me pack up my stock.”

“The stock, that you were specifically told to stop taking out? That stock?” Rita snapped, but sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Let’s get you inside and cleaned up. Suzie can decide what to do about you and your sticky fingers.” The Bouncer said as she reached over and helped Nox by grabbing his other arm.

She stopped from moving though as she looks me over. “We don’t let Wraiths into the Bar.”

“Not a Wraith. Just a merc. The previous owner of the car totaled my old one.” I offered lying.

I didn’t have a previous car, but it made me sound more mature rather than saying I stole it because I didn’t have a ride and was sick of taking the bus and train.

“Right.”

“Anyway it doesn’t matter. I was just making sure Nox got somewhere for help. I’ll just head out.” I added moving to walk away when a hand once again grabbed at me.

“No! Rita! Motoko saved me! The least we can do is invite her in!” Nox asked and I felt my shoulders slump a bit. I turned around.

“That really isn’t necessary. I-.”

“It is! You did a Mox a massive favor, we don’t just send people away who do that! Suzie should hear! Let her decide.” He begged, and I honestly didn’t want to deal with this anymore, but Rita’s shoulders slumped a bit as she started walking.

“Fine she can come in. Just don’t cause any trouble.” Rita demanded and I really considered just leaving, but Nox was throwing me a thumbs up and waving me to follow and I sighed as I followed in after them.

I didn’t even like bars! Much less a BD bar that was one step away from a Doll house!

I followed in after all. Mostly because I was kinda curious if I would see Judy. So I walked into Lizzie’s Bar. We went instantly to the left and into a small side room off the entrance, where Nox was lowered onto a couch and Rita went around a bunch of lockers and grabbed a med kit.

I looked around and was staring at an array of computers along the wall. Security, or was it the lights and music controls? I wasn’t sure, and I wasn’t about to go snooping. So I ignored it, and I watched as Rita with surprisingly careful hands considering her arms were all chrome and covered in spikes she slathered some goop on Nox’s face and gave him a few bandages.

“Thanks Rita.”

“You are always trouble kid, try not to piss people off so much.” She instantly retorted as she rose. “I’ll get Mateo to bring in something to drink and maybe something for the pain, and I’ll call Suzie. She is gonna deal with this from here. I need to get back outside.” She stood and as she walked past me she still and gave me a look. “Don’t cause any trouble.” She spoke bluntly, absolutely a threat but I just shrugged.

“I’m not on a job, not much of a troublemaker otherwise.” I assured her and she sorta nodded without doing so.

“I think she likes you.” Nox offered as he lay back on the couch sort of sighing.

“I think you need to get your head checked.” I said as I sat in the desk chair. “You gonna be good?”

“Yeah Mateo will bring me something good for the pain and I’ll be square. But soon Suzie will be here and she can slip you a nice reward.”

“I don’t really need anything, a reward sounds a little silly.”

“Nonsense! You saved a Mox, the least we should do. Besides, I haven't gotten your number yet! What do I do if I need to hire a merc if I don’t get your number?” He asked, flashing me a crooked smile that had nothing to do with his bruised and bloody lip.

“Talk to a Fixer.” I retorted simply which caused his smile to twitch and deflate at my instant refusal.

The noise of the club picked up suddenly as the door opened.

“Nox.”

“Hey Suz!” He called out sounding cheerful even if he was only looking at her with one eye.

She gave a sigh as she looked him over for a moment before seeming to decide he would live.

She turned to me. Suzie Q. The leader of the Mox. Also a woman that didn’t seem to be happy to deal with this shit right now.

“You are?”

“Motoko. Just someone that saw Nox getting in trouble and decided to help out.”I offered with a shrug which didn’t seem to satisfy the woman. She kept her eyes locked on me, as if trying to will me to fess up, or alter my story.

But I literally had no idea what she wanted.

“Your help is appreciated then. You helped the Mox. We will remember.” She offered simply, and I shrugged.

“No worries. I just saw someone getting beat up and decided to step in.” I turned towards the door. “Alright. I’m heading out. Nox, heal well, try not to pick fights with people that are stronger than you… Or more numerous.”

“Aww c’mon Motoko, at least give me your number! I might have some jobs for you!”

I sighed as I moved to open the door as I bent my head over my shoulder letting my eyes go gold.

“There. See ya around.” I called after sending him a handshake exchange. His information and mine shared between us.

“Preem!” He called out as I headed out, swiftly running from the bar, and the many people giving me looks.

It wasn’t my fault I had a Wraiths car. I mean… It was that I hadn’t gotten it painted yet.

Okay fine. I guess it was my fault.

I hurried to my car noticing a Mox girl hiding by the drivers door as she dug through her bag, a clink of spray cans reaching my ears. I sighed and hurried getting there just in time to slip the can out of her hand as she reached to start graffitiing my car.

“The old paint job is terrible, I know, but I already have plans to get a new one. Let’s leave it at that.” I tell the younger girl. She was probably 12, 13? Smaller than me as she hastily accepted my offer of her spray can back before she took off. I just let her run off. No point in causing a scene. Even if Rita, had looked like she was about to hurry over and protect the little girl.

This city needed to relax a little.

I slipped into the car ignoring everything else as I slowly backed out of the spot so I wouldn’t hit anyone and sedately drove to the street access, a flip of my turn signal, and a double check to make sure I had space let me slip onto the road and slowly accelerate off the property.

—--

The next morning I was back to grinding tech. I had spent the afternoon after dealing with the Nox situation heading out to the dump to find some goodies.

Thankfully it had done some good. New pieces of tech to work on had made the alerts start popping up again.

I was so close to another level!

I also still hadn’t heard from Jun.

But I was doing my best to ignore that.

Hiromi was in class, and I really had nothing to do but just keep grinding away.

I munched on mystery meat stick as I continued to tinker on getting the laptop working. My current plan was to take a few of the laptops I had managed to get working again, and try to learn how to make my own Quickhacks.

I hadn’t gained any knowledge on them from Crafting, so there must be a new skill hidden there in the system for me to learn, and I needed more numbers! Numbers for the numbers God!

I took a break and stretched a long yawn pulling from my throat as I decided to get some lunch. With Hiromi in school I wouldn't be able to eat with her, but I figured I could head out and find something tasty and after maybe I should get my car painted.

“Probably should do that sooner rather than later.” I grumbled, as I headed out. Paint first. Then food.

—--

So I did eventually find a shop, and in the future of Cyberpunk it only took about two hours for a full paint job.

But I was running into some trouble.

“It’s not a Wraith car. It’s mine.”

“Why’s it got Wraiths on it then?”

“Cause it used to belong to a Wraith. Then I flatlined him. Now it’s mine.” I explained. Again.

The man sitting behind a little desk in the ‘office’ of the mechanics shop was chewing on a cigarette as he leaned back. A mechanical leg propped up on a cushion every bit the grungy mechanic.

“And what happens when they find out we painted their ride? Not looking for trouble like that.”

“Kinda hard to find something out when you were left in the desert to die.” I answered suggestively. “His whole crew ended that way. Nothing to worry about. I just want people to stop trying to mess with my car when I leave it.”

“Two grand.”

“You have your prices listed right there.”

“Still two grand. I’m taking on risk.”

“Ugh. Even if I spend an hour explaining to you that there is no risk you aren’t gonna listen are you?”

“Nope. Two grand.”

“Fine. As long as it doesn’t look like shit.”

“Alright.” His eyes went gold as he let his people know, and I could see my car get moved into the painting bay. The whole thing was practically automatic, and the length was really just for the paint to dry.

“Any good food places around here?”

“Nope.”

“Lovely.”

—--

He was right. The food around here was terrible. I ended up with a grumbling belly as I waited for the paint job to be finished.

I was sitting in a old musty chair in the office watching the TV along with the shop owner who was completely ignoring me when it happened.

“This is Network News 54 interrupting our regularly scheduled program of ‘Will it chip?’ with an emergency announcement from the NCPD.” The anchor appeared, interrupting the absolute mind melting stupidity of the previous show.

“The NCPD are now declaring the District of Pacifica as a No-go zone. The danger has escalated from High, to Extreme. All travel from the district will be fired upon, and treated as a threat to the security of Night City. Gunfire continues currently in the district and anyone who lives nearby should make sure to close their security blinds in case of stray fire.”

“Damn.” The shop owner grumbled as he heard the news.

“I don’t get it. Don’t the NCPD normally call Pacifica a no go zone anyways?”

“Yeah but switching it to extreme? Means there is a massive problem probably with the Combat zone.”

I felt myself frown. The Combat zone… I knew bits about it, but it wasn’t something that was accessible in the game.

“Kids.” He grumbled at me. “It means they likely lost containment. The NCPD put Cyberpsychoes inside when they can’t, or don’t want to deal with them any other way.”

“I thought that was a rumor.”

“Pfft. Rumor, or truth? Who knows. All I know is that anytime something crazy happens with the Combat Zone Pacifica gets locked down. But it’s worse than that kid. To put together a full blockade of Pacifica NCPD are going to be busy on that side of the city, what do you think that means for the rest of us? With a Gang war already going on? Get ready kid. Shit in Night City is about to get wild for a while.” The older man offered sighing as he reached behind him and grabbed his Tactician. The shotgun had been resting against the wall until then.

Then as if it was an everyday occurrence he pulled out a box of shotgun shells and started loading the sidesaddle. Making sure he would have all the ammunition he might need in case of trouble.

“It’s gonna get that bad?” I couldn’t help but ask the way he was acting...

“Tonight’s gonna be hell kid. The Gangs will know that tonight they get a free pass. NCPD will bunker down and let the rest of the city go to hell until Pacifica is taken care of. That little gang war between the Claws and Strom? Tonight we will see a real gang war. They will go all out.” He sighed. “Gonna tell the guys to finish up and head home. Suggest you do the same girl.”

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