"Hera's pretty busted." Standing in a small abandoned town along the highway near Night City, V inspected the Hera and shook his head. "Oliv
"Hera's pretty busted."
Standing in a small abandoned town along the highway near Night City, V inspected the Hera and shook his head.
"Oliver, you were way too rough with the controls. Plus, after all those mods we slapped on, it's probably beyond saving."
"You mean… Hera's totaled?"
Karl looked at the wreck, the roof ripped open, white smoke still billowing from under the hood.
A wave of nostalgia hit him.
He'd never actually driven the Hera himself, but it had been there through every step of his merc career in Night City.
Seeing it like this... it hurt a little.
"It's not totally scrapped. But it'll need a serious pro to bring it back to life. Right now, it's just deadweight."
V glanced around at the road signs.
"But we're close to Night City. If we push it, we can reach the checkpoint. After that, the Sunset Motel isn't far. We can fix it there."
"We have to push it all the way?"
Jack rolled up his sleeves.
"After everything this ride's done for us? No way we're just ditching it in the Badlands. I'll push from the back. You guys steer and pull."
"Let's do it."
Oliver rolled up his sleeves too.
"No way we leave Hera behind."
Together, they started pushing the battered Skytower Hera slowly along the cracked highway.
When the checkpoint staff saw a driverless wreck creeping toward them, drones had already zoomed in, catching four grimy figures pushing it along.
Peering through the drone feed, one of the guards muttered,
"Looks like the undercarriage of a Hera. Damn thing's about ready to fall apart... More broke-ass drifters trying to sneak into Night City."
The guard steered the drone closer to the group.
"Stop the vehicle ahead. Prepare for scanning and inspection."
Hearing the drone's mechanical voice, Oliver looked up.
"This is my first time entering through a checkpoint. Kinda cool, honestly."
"We used to sneak in through Pacifica," Jack said, grunting as he shoved the Hera into the scan zone.
"No way we're pushing this hunk all the way around there now."
They stood waiting.
Seconds later, the drone's scanners blinked red.
"Warning! Warning! Dangerous weapons detected in vehicle! Activating Level 4 Containment Protocol! Security teams, move in immediately!"
The team barely had time to process that before armed guards poured out of nearby buildings, Ajax rifles raised and pointed straight at them.
"Personnel secured! Beginning verification!"
One officer, bulkier than the rest, kept his rifle trained on them as he moved to the Hera. Guided by the drone, he popped open a compartment in the passenger seat—and pulled out an RPG.
"Warning! Dangerous item confirmed!"
Seeing the launcher, the guard's face twisted.
He stumbled back, gripping his rifle even tighter.
"Under Night City security regulations, you are required to answer: Why are you carrying high-risk weapons into the city? Respond immediately!"
High-risk weapons.
Karl and the others exchanged awkward looks.
Oh yeah... RPGs were strictly banned in Night City.
They'd completely forgotten.
With over a dozen rifles aimed at them, Jack scratched the back of his head, thinking hard.
After a second, he half-joked,
"Uh... if we just toss it out and drive the car in first, can we sort it out later?"
"Respond immediately!"
The guards tightened their aim.
"Respond immediately!"
Jack awkwardly scratched his cheek.
No way to explain it.
They couldn't exactly tell them they'd smuggled the gear from Dogtown to L.A., broke down, and were now pushing the damn car back.
Seeing their hesitation, the guards slowly started surrounding them.
The armored officer barked another warning:
"We suspect you of smuggling dangerous weapons. You are now subject to Night City's Public Security Law.
Drop your weapons, surrender immediately, and submit to custody.
Failure to comply will result in your temporary detention—anywhere from two to four weeks."
Two to four weeks?
Oliver blinked.
Pretty lenient, honestly.
But then he remembered the old horror stories from Santo Domingo—about NCPD lockups.
No synthetic meat, just two servings of moldy gruel a day you had to cook yourself.
Maggots sometimes counted as "extra protein."
"Sorry, but... we're probably gonna resist."
Karl spread his hands apologetically.
"I don't mind paying a fine. But right now, I've got a busted car and no time for a staycation."
Immediately, the sharp click-click of rifles switching off safeties echoed around them.
The Ajax rifles were ready to fire.
"Targets may attempt to resist!"
Karl sighed.
Yeah... guess we asked for this.
He'd knock them down quick and leave some cash for their medical bills afterward.
Karl's crew was already shifting, getting ready for a fight.
But just as the first shot was about to go off—
"Hold up."
A voice cut through the standoff.
A stranger in an NCPD uniform stepped forward.
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