Chapter 56: LET'S ROCK'N'ROLL

"...So, that’s the situation."

"‘That’s the situation,’ my ass. You dropped a hell of a bomb on us…"

After sharing the information with Team Holo, Jack told me this wasn’t something to be discussed over Holo, so we didn’t even feel right using the office upstairs. Instead, the team had gathered at one of the tables in El Coyote Cojo.

Thanks to Mama Welles’s arrangement, we’d been allowed to occupy a table in the back. We were having drinks and light snacks while talking things over during lunch.

...Though it was supposed to be a team meeting, Panam was sitting beside me, and Judy was next to V.

We exchanged glances, understood each other’s intent, nodded, and gave silent praise for the effort.

...That doesn’t mean you can just sit on the backrest behind me out of spite, Johnny.

Don’t put your feet on the table. Don’t pull pranks that only affect me because I can see you. What are you, a damn kid?

【Just a little joke. Loosen up that stiff head of yours】

He knocked lightly on my skull as he said it casually.

...Even if unintentionally, that took a bit of weight off my shoulders, and all I could do was let out a sigh.

Earlier, at Sunset Motel, Panam had uncovered part of Little Boss’s ambitions. When I brought it up again just now, the reactions were mixed.

First, Jack—the leader—had an expression that was hard to read.

"If it’s Jug, she’d pick a fight with Arasaka if necessary. I doubt she’d go in guns blazing, though..."

Then came Vanny, the veteran, who was grinning as if it couldn’t be more obvious.

"So what? If Miss Jugra says to go, then that’s the job, right? Vitt’s just being selfish. Just find someone to take his place."

Sasha, next in line, nodded emphatically with a bashful smile.

"I’m with Vanny on this one. Whatever’s going on between Vitt and his girlfriend isn’t Miss Jugra’s concern, is it? I mean, he didn’t even report it—so this is clearly Vitt’s problem."

...And then Vally, the former Nomad, was sitting with arms crossed, looking serious.

"...Well, I guess it’s only natural to worry that your lover’s important people might get caught in the crossfire. Like they said, the report should’ve come first. Miss Jugra wouldn’t ignore you without listening...probably."

Some of the comments were pretty blunt, but yeah—this is on me.

The heat I had from my rush of a conversation with Johnny had already cooled off.

I really should reflect on the fact that this wasn’t something I should’ve done before reporting and consulting.

"...Yeah. Sorry, I got ahead of myself. I’ll cover the bill here, so help me out with this."

"Score! I’ll get a Nicola sundae and… Tamales? Just ‘cause it sounds cute!"

"Oh, my mom’s tamales are the best. Let’s crack open some tequila too."

"Limit it to three bottles. It’s not exactly drinking time yet."

"I’ll order some snacks that’ll go well with the drinks."

"Eh, am I even supposed to be here?"

"It’s fine, it’s fine. As a techie, you should totally join the Jackals too, Judy. You’re only with the Mox because of connections, right?"

"Well, yeah, but... I still owe Evelyn, so I’m not against it. Plus, Vally’s here too."

As I raised an eyebrow at the now lively party, I found myself longing for tequila here again for the first time in a while and went ahead and secured a bottle.

Now then, with my head cooled, time to think about what needs doing.

I’ve got three priorities.

First, I need to check in with Little Boss.

Even if she says we’ll use the Aldecaldos, she’s not the type to just grind them down like tools.

I’ll tell her Panam’s my girlfriend and try to negotiate a way to lower the rate of wear and tear.

...That’s how I should’ve handled it from the start.

I let myself get swept up by the emotion of a slightly unhinged cyber rocker…

...Well, I guess that’s exactly what Johnny Silverhand is all about.

A firebrand, an agitator, a silver fuse.

Not just fancy intellectual words that sound good on paper—his rhetoric carries a searing heat that hits the people hard and resonates like an explosive round.

...Johnny and I aren’t the same person. It’s fine to look in the same direction, but I can’t afford to feel everything the same way.

"Hey, for now, Vitt—contact David and see how Jug’s mood is. If you drink with that gloomy face, nothing’s gonna taste good."

"You’re right about that."

Nodding at Jack’s thoughtful gesture, I connected a holocall to David.

After a few rings, David’s tired face popped up in the wipe.

『Yo, what’s up, Vitt? If you’re calling to update Jugra, then you’ve got the right guy. I’m in the middle of collecting Netrunner gear at the Voodoo Boys’ underground base in Pacifica right now.』

『Ah... Right, you were getting things ready, weren’t you?』

『Yeah. Don’t fully get it, but she said she wants to copy info from this “Alt” person in Johnny Silverhand’s memories in your head, then use that as some kind of directional key—like an address—to establish contact. So she’s trying to build a tech chair for that... She’s super fired up about it. Jugra’s tech stuff is basically her hobby, so she’s all fired up like “humph! humph!”—pretty damn cute, honestly. Even though what she’s building is some full-spec, high-end monster setup with zero cuteness.』

David gave a sheepish chuckle with a distant look in his eyes.

...Hmm, doesn’t look like the holo’s showing any movement, so he’s probably not doing anything active right now.

In that case, calling him over here might actually work.

They’ve been together practically non-stop lately, and he might offer a fresh perspective on what we just talked about.

I’m sure he wants to stay close to the girl he likes, but I also need all the help I can get to negotiate with Little Boss.

『Figures. So, you’re free now, right? I’ve got something I’d like your input on. Lunch is on me.』

『Huh? You want my input? Wouldn’t someone more experienced, like Maine, be better?』

『Nope. To solve this problem, you’re the best man for the job. Might be no one else on earth more qualified.』

『...You’re laying it on thick. Is that just how Corpos are—you gotta be good with words to survive? Just be straight with me, man. You’re being too formal. They say friends don’t abandon each other, right? If I can help, I’m in.』

I felt like I was deceiving a painfully pure-hearted teenage boy and wanted to die.

The guilt from that radiantly honest smile hit me like a truck.

About ten minutes later, David showed up—tilting his head at the supposedly serious “consultation” that looked more like a drinking party—but he came anyway.

"I came, but... is this really a consultation? Felt more like I got invited to a lively lunch."

"Nah, this is the right place. Bit cramped though—wanna sit at the next table? Still, you got here fast. It’s a decent distance from Pacifica, right?"

"Yeah, well, I bought a bike. A Kusanagi. Left it in the garage and next thing I knew, Jugra had tricked it out into some AKIRA-spec beast. I use it when I’m alone or need to double up in a rush."

"Even so... if you two are that close, why aren’t you dating?"

"...Huh? You just crossed a line, buddy. Wanna know what it's like to get beat down one-sidedly with Sandevistan?"

David narrowed his eyes with a swoosh, cracking his knuckles and half-standing as if to punch me from across the table.

"Wait wait wait! My bad, alright? That was on me. But come on, anyone would be curious. If the roles were reversed, you’d ask too."

"…Tch. You just bought yourself a bit more time. I got my reasons too, you know. I know it’s one-sided. But I can’t help it. That smile—her face the day she saved me—I can’t forget it. Even now, when I’m dealing with enough crap from this split personality nonsense... there’s just no next for me."

With that, David suddenly unsheathed a katana that had appeared out of nowhere, the sound of the koiguchi sliding back sharp and clear—a definite threat.

…Optical camo, seriously?

No doubt about it—this guy really is the Little Boss’s ace-in-the-hole. I could feel the killing intent graze my neck like a cold breeze.

But wait.

Did he just say Little Boss has a split personality???

"Yeah, well, you see... my current headache is the Little Boss. I figured depending on how things go with you, my problem might solve itself. Bit of wishful thinking."

"Jugra being a pain in the ass is nothing new. So, what’s the actual consultation?"

"Ah, right. About that—do you think the Little Boss is planning an assault on Arasaka? There's a job I’m working on, and something about it’s been bugging me..."

With that, I finally got to the point and explained my situation and thoughts to David.

He folded his arms and fell silent.

It was clear something about it had struck a nerve.

Then, he let out a small sigh and changed the color of his eyes.

Given the flow of the conversation, he was probably checking in with the Little Boss.

"...This is just a guess, but yeah, you’re spot on. Jugra’s got a serious grudge against Arasaka, so she is planning an assault. And the 《Aldecaldos》, was it? She’s still in the consideration phase about using the Nomad clan. But the real kicker is—she’s acting like it’s not your problem, but this whole thing? It’s a plan for your sake. Honestly, you should be the one leveraging the 《Aldecaldos》 and asking for Jugra’s help. Why are you sitting around like some baby bird, just waiting for someone else to decide whether you live or die?"

"...Because—"

"Ah, no, it’s fine. I get it. I was the same way—left everything up to Jugra until I really thought things through. Hell, there was an option to extract the 《Relic》 from your neck just to keep our perfect job completion rate intact. She could’ve let you die, no problem. But Jugra’s kind to her own. She went out of her way, put herself on the line, just to save you. Have you forgotten that? Or maybe... somewhere deep down, are you starting to blame Jugra for how things turned out? ‘This is all because of her,’ that kinda thought lurking in the back of your mind? 'Cause from where I’m standing, that’s exactly how you look right now. You shut down and left it all to Jugra, and only now that things are looking dicey, you’re starting to move again."

…Couldn’t argue with that. It was a piercingly accurate point.

And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt it—Johnny, sitting next to me, had a painfully awkward expression on his face.

Yeah, I mean, seriously. After a younger girl saved my life and even took care of me afterward, this is how I repay her?

Normally, I should be buried under a mountain of debt—crazy medical bills from the heart transplant, penalties from failed jobs, all of it.

But instead, we were playing detective, acting like we’d uncovered some big conspiracy, riding high on self-satisfaction.

"Well, all we can do is start paying her back little by little. Same for me, really. My debt to Jugra's already way past the limit—it’s like I’m drowning in it. And yet she still smiles and says, ‘As long as you're happy and healthy, that’s enough for me.’ She just forgives everything. I want to repay her... but man, I’m really at a loss here."

There was no mistaking it—what he said came straight from the heart.

David’s gratitude and love toward the Little Boss practically radiated from every word.

【...Why the hell is a guy like this stuck living a slum-life in Cyberpunk? He’s the type who should be a regular student, living out some bright and cheerful youth. That little lady’s a real criminal—dragging such a pure kid into all this】

Johnny stared at David like he was some dazzling light, then spat the words out like he was trying to console himself for not being able to have that kind of purity.

And, well… yeah. David might be the most genuinely decent soul in all of Cyberpunk.

In Night City—where you're more likely to catch a bullet than a cold—how the hell did a kid like this even come to be?

【Must’ve had some damn good parents. The kind who’d tear themselves apart to protect and raise their kid—someone who doesn’t belong in Night City at all. It’s like winning the damn lottery, that kind of chance.】

…No doubt about it.

Having gone through a pretty neglectful childhood myself, I can tell—this kind of emotional sensitivity is what defines good parenting.

I suddenly had the urge to smoke, but considering I was in the middle of a consultation, it felt a bit off to just light up. So I took one of Johnny's phantom cigarettes and held it in my mouth.

Figured it’d be fine since David couldn’t actually see it.

…Or so I thought.

"…Hey, is Vitt developing a nicotine addiction or something? He just started puffing on an invisible cigarette. Is he okay? Still sane?"

He rudely tossed the question over his shoulder to the others—Jack and the rest—peering back at them from over the couch.

…Right. It only makes sense if you already know about it. To someone in the dark, it’s just plain bizarre behavior.

"Ah—yeah, it’s like a side effect from getting his heart blown out. He thinks he’s smoking, but he’s not really smoking. Just sees and feels it like he is."

"That’s... confusing as hell? I mean, why not just smoke for real? Is this place non-smoking?"

"Well… uh… David. Maybe tone it down a bit. My partner’s starting to mentally check out. He’s a smart idiot, you know?"

With that bit of sympathy, Jack threw me a bone and gently steered the conversation elsewhere, and I quietly slumped forward onto the table, dead inside.

…Maybe I should quit smoking. Though knowing Johnny, he’d probably light one right in front of me just to rub it in.