---
"Heh… heh… I… uh… didn't come at the wrong time, did I?"
"You came at the right time," David responded, clearly annoyed as he waved his hand. "Come in."
"Hey, morning, Lucy."
Jackie scratched the back of his head awkwardly before grinning and stepping inside. He plopped down on the couch and placed a bag on the table. "Brought some Heywood special breakfast. Wanna try?"
"Thanks, I will," Lucy replied politely.
Though it was a shame that Jackie had ruined the mood between her and David, she had to admit—she found it far more amusing to see David frustrated.
"Hey, David, you know something?" Jackie started as soon as he sat down. "The other night, when we wiped out the Tiger Claws, Arasaka started sniffing around."
"What?!" David's eyes narrowed. "How do you know?"
"V told me," Jackie said between bites of his breakfast. "She's second-in-command in Arasaka's counter-intelligence department. Yesterday, she informed me that Arasaka's internal tech division had launched a full investigation into the Tiger Claws."
"How far along are they?" David asked, his expression growing serious.
"Not sure yet. V didn't have all the details. But she warned us—if Arasaka has their eyes on us, we need to be careful." Jackie leaned forward. "She asked me to pass along the message. Said she'd keep us updated if she heard anything new."
Turns out, after V saw the news about the Tiger Claws' headquarters burning down, she immediately thought of David and his crew.
After all, she had personally witnessed the confrontation between them and the gang outside the Afterlife Bar.
David's abilities were anything but normal.
Wiping out an entire gang's HQ in a single night—without using heavy weaponry?
There was no one else who could pull that off.
She had tried calling David yesterday, but he had been unconscious.
With no other choice, she reached out to Jackie instead.
And when she pressed him for details—her suspicions were confirmed.
As an unofficial ally of the 'David' team, V immediately warned them and promised to keep an eye on Arasaka's movements.
David leaned back, deep in thought. "Having an inside contact at Arasaka might actually work in our favor."
Lucy, however, looked worried. "David, what's our plan? If Arasaka is coming after us, that's serious. We might not be able to handle them head-on."
David nodded. "Yeah… we need to make some moves." He checked the time. "But first, let's finish breakfast. Then we're heading out."
"Heading out?" Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Where to?"
"Buying a car. And then some."
---
After breakfast, the trio geared up and left the apartment.
Now that they were officially working as a team, they needed better mobility. And that meant getting vehicles—ones that weren't just some cheap, market-available junk.
Jackie, being well-connected in Night City's underground, led them to a vehicle dealer he knew.
The place had everything.
Even military-restricted models.
The selection ranged from NCPD combat units to Trauma Team-exclusive hover vehicles.
Of course, the price was steep—even with insider connections.
After some consideration, David settled on two high-end Chevalier Emperor 740 Armor models.
Originally designed for the NCPD military, the Emperor 740 was a fortified upgrade from the older Emperor 720 Iron Armor.
Full-body reinforced armor plating
Military-grade bulletproof glass
Advanced autonomous driving system
Combat-ready tech integration
Most vehicles in Night City crumpled like tin cans in a crash.
But this beast? It could plow through most street cars like a tank.
Each unit cost 350,000 eurodollars.
David didn't even blink before paying 700,000 eurodollars for both.
He also requested a custom repaint to disguise the vehicles, ensuring they wouldn't stand out as NCPD-issue rides.
The purpose of these armored vehicles was clear: safety and rapid evacuation in high-risk situations.
But David wasn't done.
For personal transport, he picked up a Kusanagi CT-4X motorcycle—the upgraded version of the CT-3X.
Price? 150,000 eurodollars.
Streamlined aerodynamic design
Insanely powerful engine
Top-speed unmatched in Night City
If the CT-4X wasn't the fastest bike in the city—then whatever was didn't exist.
For now, he passed on aerial vehicles. They were too conspicuous and required designated landing zones. Not exactly practical for their operations.
---
Next Stop: Cyberware Upgrades
After securing their rides, the crew headed straight to Victor's clinic for cyberware upgrades.
David had one rule: No unnecessary implants.
Overloading on cyberware increased the risk of cyberpsychosis—a fate worse than death in Night City.
Instead, they focused on upgrading their existing prosthetics for improved efficiency and durability.
Lucy and Jackie received enhanced reaction speed, strength modulation, and neurological stabilization to prevent cyberware rejection.
David made sure of it—team safety came first.
---
Meanwhile, Behind the Scenes…
As David's crew was busy strengthening their combat readiness, multiple powerful factions in Night City were mobilizing.
NCPD Headquarters – Watson District
Chief Chris Cunningham was livid.
"Goddamn Tiger Claw bastards!" he slammed his fist on the desk. His fat face was red with frustration. "You gave me hell when you were alive, and now you're giving me hell even in death!"
Taking a long drag from his cigarette, he barked into the intercom.
"Any updates on the investigation?!"
The voice on the other end hesitated.
"Uh… Boss, we found no DNA traces at the crime scene. Everything was burned beyond recognition by those black flames. We're reviewing nearby surveillance footage, but—"
"Shove the surveillance up your ass!" Chris snapped. "If you can't find the perp, just grab some death row inmates and pin it on them! I don't have time for this crap!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
---
Arasaka Building – Intelligence Division
In Arasaka's high-security intelligence center, Director Susan Abernathy addressed her subordinates.
"Listen up."
Her sharp gaze swept across the room.
"We're mobilizing all resources to investigate the Sakura Street incident. This isn't just about the Tiger Claws—several top Arasaka executives were inside that building."
She paused.
"This is about our corporate reputation."
A calculated lie.
What she truly cared about was the mysterious black flames that consumed the entire structure.
"Could this be a new military technology developed by a rival corp?" she murmured to herself.
No matter what, Arasaka had to find out the truth.
---
Other Major Corporations React
It wasn't just Arasaka.
Biotechnica
Kang Tao
Militech
All three corporate giants ordered their intelligence teams to investigate the black flames.
The event had sent shockwaves through Night City's power structure.
No known weapon could generate flames like that.
If someone had developed such a thing, it posed a serious threat to corporate dominance.
---
Meanwhile, The Tiger Claw Remnants…
The survivors of the gang were in disarray.
Some were engaged in infighting, trying to seize power.
Others were desperately defending their remaining territories from rival gangs like The Mox.
Finding out who attacked them?
That was low on their list of priorities.
The real concern was simple:
Survival.
---
To Be Continued…
---
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