"A Shareholder?"
Hearing David's words, Rogue was momentarily stunned.
Then, a smirk formed on her lips as she leaned back in her seat, eyeing him with amusement.
"What, you want to buy a stake in my Afterlife Bar?" she asked, half-joking.
David didn't respond with words.
Instead, he simply nodded, his gaze steady—he wasn't joking.
The reason he wanted to invest in the Afterlife was simple.
Control.
By becoming a shareholder, he could indirectly influence Night City's mercenary underworld and even keep tabs on corporate movements.
Rogue chuckled, tapping her fingers on the table.
"And why should I agree to that?" she asked, her sharp eyes locked onto him.
David didn't hesitate.
He reached into his pocket and placed a credit chip on the table.
"Ten million eddies," he said calmly. "I want 10% of Afterlife."
For David, it wasn't about how much he owned—it was about whether he owned anything at all.
Because this was just the beginning.
---
A Serious Offer
"Ten million?!"
Rogue's usually composed expression faltered as she glanced at the chip.
She hadn't expected David to throw down such a large sum so casually.
Without a word, she picked up the chip and slotted it into the reader behind her ear.
A moment later, the confirmation flashed in her cybernetic HUD.
Balance: 10,000,000 Eurodollars.
Rogue let out a low whistle. "Well, well... seems like you hit the jackpot recently."
She leaned forward, her gaze sharp.
"Who'd you make this deal with? Which fixer offered you a gig I don't know about?"
David smirked. "No fixer. I did it myself."
That made Rogue pause.
Her expression grew serious.
"You're telling me you earned ten million without a middleman?"
David nodded.
Rogue narrowed her eyes, her mind racing.
To pull off a job worth ten million meant it wasn't some small-time hustle.
Then, a thought clicked.
Her fingers tapped against the table as she asked, "What exactly have you been up to these past few days?"
David shrugged. "Nothing much—just settling my grudge with the Tiger Claws."
As soon as those words left his lips, Rogue's expression shifted.
Her pupils constricted slightly.
"You mean to tell me..."
Rogue exhaled sharply, piecing everything together.
"The attack on the Tiger Claw headquarters—that was you?"
David didn't deny it.
Rogue stared at him for a long moment.
Then, she reached for her cigarette, taking a slow drag.
"Shit..." she muttered, exhaling smoke.
---
The Flames That Wouldn't Die
The black flames that had engulfed the Tiger Claws' headquarters had been the talk of Night City.
The fire had burned unnaturally—almost alive—refusing to die out even after hours of firefighting efforts.
It was something that had shaken the entire city's underworld.
And now, the person responsible was sitting across from her, calmly discussing business.
Rogue shook her head, a rare look of disbelief on her face.
"I have to admit," she said, "I did not see that coming."
She studied David carefully.
"Do you realize how many corps are sniffing around this mess?" she asked.
David smirked. "More or less. Arasaka and Militech, for sure."
"And others," Rogue added. "Kang Tao, Biotechnica—they all want to know what the hell happened to the Tiger Claws."
She exhaled, rubbing her temple.
"David, you just put yourself on a lot of powerful people's shit lists."
David's expression remained unreadable.
"If I was afraid," he said, "I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you right now."
Rogue studied him carefully.
"You do know I have ties to Arasaka, right?"
David nodded.
"Yeah. And you also have a grudge against them," he said, his voice calm.
That made Rogue freeze for just a fraction of a second.
A flicker of something—maybe anger, maybe pain—flashed in her eyes before she masked it with a smirk.
"Is that so?" she asked.
David leaned forward slightly.
"Rogue, everyone in Night City knows you hate Arasaka," he said bluntly. "Johnny Silverhand was your man. They killed him."
For the first time in a long time, Rogue's smirk faded.
She didn't reply right away.
Instead, she took another long drag from her cigarette, the red embers glowing in the dimly lit room.
Her silence spoke volumes.
---
The Deal
David pressed on.
"Look, you know the truth," he said. "No matter how many times Arasaka Tower gets bombed, Night City will always belong to the corps."
Rogue let out a dry chuckle. "That's just the way things are, kid."
"But it doesn't have to stay that way," David countered.
She looked at him, unimpressed.
"And what, you think you can change that?"
David leaned back, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
"Not yet. But give me time."
Rogue shook her head, but there was curiosity in her gaze now.
"You're just like Johnny," she muttered. "Reckless. Delusional."
Then, she sighed.
"But maybe that's exactly what Night City needs."
She eyed the credit chip on the table again before finally picking it up.
A few seconds passed.
Then, with a slight smirk, she slid it back toward David.
"Two million," she said. "That's all I'm taking. The rest is yours."
David raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
"Meaning," Rogue said, "you just bought yourself 10% of Afterlife."
---
A New Partnership
David accepted the chip, pocketing the remaining eight million.
"Welcome to the club," Rogue said, raising her glass. "And stop calling me 'boss.' Call me sister from now on."
David grinned, raising his own drink.
"Thanks, sis."
Their glasses clinked.
Then, they drank in one gulp.
---
A Warning
After setting down her glass, Rogue leaned back and crossed her arms.
"Now, as a welcoming gift, I'll let you in on something," she said.
David tilted his head. "Oh?"
"You remember Faraday?"
"Yeah, the Militech lapdog who was here earlier."
"That's right," Rogue said. "He was asking about you. Militech's offering 1 million just for your identity. Three million if someone hands you over alive."
David smirked. "Didn't think I'd be worth that much."
Rogue exhaled smoke. "I can keep your name off the record—for now. But you should watch your back."
David chuckled.
"Actually, I have an idea," he said.
Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
David's eyes gleamed.
"Tell Faraday everything," he said. "Let him think he's got me right where he wants me."
Rogue frowned. "And why the hell would I do that?"
David grinned.
"Because, sis…"
He cracked his knuckles.
"I think it's time I paid Militech a little visit."
---
To Be Continued...
---
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