V and Jackie relaxed comfortably inside the Warlock, the vehicle gliding smoothly through the crowded streets of Night City. Neon lights danced across the windshield, casting vibrant colors over their calm faces. Suddenly, V's HUD flashed urgently, bathing his vision in stark red.
"Cyberpsycho detected," V announced, his tone shifting instantly. The marker blinked rapidly, indicating the psycho was merely 500 meters away.
Jackie turned, noticing the sudden urgency as V accelerated sharply. "¿Qué pasó, hermano?"
"Hold tight," V warned. "We got a psycho incoming. Innocents might get hurt."
Jackie braced himself, gripping the dashboard as V maneuvered expertly through tight alleys and narrow streets, the Warlock roaring forward.
—
Pilar laughed loudly, poking fun at a homeless man crouched in the shadows. "Check out this crazy-looking bastard! What kinda mods you rocking, choom?" he mocked, leaning dangerously close.
Rebecca rolled her eyes, nudging her brother. "Pilar, maybe leave him alone—"
But Pilar paid no heed, continuing his mockery until the homeless man's body jerked upright with unnatural fluidity, revealing gleaming, mechanical eyes pulsing violently red.
The cyberpsycho extended his arms with lightning speed, hand cannons unfolding menacingly from within his forearms. Pilar's laughter caught sharply in his throat as the psycho aimed directly at his head.
Time seemed to freeze.
In an imperceptible instant, like a ghost stepping through reality, V appeared, hand moving in a blur. He redirected the psycho's aim just slightly. The deafening gunshot cracked through the air, narrowly missing Pilar's skull, clipping only part of his left ear instead.
Pilar staggered back, clutching his head in shock as blood trickled down his neck.
Before the psycho could adjust, V gripped the attacker's extended left arm firmly, wrenching it upwards and twisting violently. With a sickening crack, V tore the limb from its socket. Without hesitation, he thrust the severed cybernetic arm forward like a katana, driving it through the cyberpsycho's chest. Sparks erupted as metal pierced through the ribcage, embedding deeply into the man's heart.
The psycho roared, barely alive yet desperate, clawing at V with his remaining arm. But V was faster, stronger, mercilessly seizing the other arm and wrenching it free with another brutal tug.
Without hesitation, V raised his Malorian Arms 3516 and fired point-blank. The cyberpsycho's head exploded violently, fragments of metal and blood spraying outward.
For a heartbeat, stunned silence gripped the alley. The shocked spectators turned slowly, absorbing the surreal aftermath. Pilar, trembling and pale, stared in disbelief at his near-death experience.
"Damn, Pilar, you almost lost your head," Maine growled, lowering his shotgun.
Pilar blinked rapidly. "You... you saved my ass," he stammered, staring wide-eyed at V. "You saved me at the nick of time."
V offered a slight, reassuring smile. Nearby, Kiwi, Maine, David, Lucy, and Falco slowly lowered their weapons, their tense stances easing.
Rebecca sprinted toward Pilar, fury in her eyes. "Damn fool!" she shouted, smacking her brother's shoulder. "What the hell were you thinking, poking some random, psycho-looking guy? You got a death wish or somethin'?"
She spun to face V, her anger melting into gratitude. Her lips curved into a charming, grateful smile as she bowed slightly. "Thank you, Angel of Death. What's your name?"
"V," he replied calmly, holstering his gun.
"Thanks, V," Rebecca said warmly. "Seriously, you saved my foolish brother's life." She quickly exchanged contact details with him, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "If you ever need someone killed, something done—or maybe even a foot massage—don't hesitate to call." She winked playfully.
"Oh come on, sis," Pilar groaned, embarrassed. "Don't flirt right in front of me!"
Without hesitation, Rebecca kicked Pilar sharply between the legs. He collapsed, groaning in pain. "That's for talking back, you big idiot!"
"Wow," Jackie laughed, approaching. "That was... something. You always show up like a ghost and blow heads up?" He clapped V on the back. "Remind me never to mess with you, cabrón."
Kiwi crossed her arms, scanning V closely. "Precise. Clean execution. Not many could intercept that shot."
"You're lucky V showed up when he did," Lucy muttered, giving Pilar a sharp look.
"Guess I owe you more than a drink," Falco chuckled, stepping forward. "Name's Falco. I drive. You ever need a getaway, hit me up."
"Appreciate it," V nodded, accepting the data exchanges coming in from multiple crew members.
Dorio approached, muscular and imposing. "Thanks for saving our crew. Most mercs would've stayed out of it."
V smiled. "Just noticed immediate danger and acted. Plus... I couldn't let the loudmouth get offed that easily." He nodded at Pilar, who grunted in protest from the ground.
David's eyebrows rose. "I'll think about it."
Rebecca grinned. "Look at that! Smart, fast, AND handsome. You sure you're not a corpo experiment gone right?"
"More like a back-alley miracle," V replied, chuckling.
Jackie turned to the group. "This is V. Just got into Night City. Mercenary, ripperdoc, and chrome engineer. Looks like he's already making waves."
David looked over, intrigued. "You said you were a ripperdoc?"
"Yeah. Specialize in cyberware compatibility. Your Sandevistan's not fully optimized—wiring's off. I can help."""
"You ain't kiddin'," Maine said with a smirk. "You made a hell of a first impression."
"New merc," V said confidently. "Just arrived. Planning to make a name."
"You're off to a strong start," Kiwi added dryly.
Rebecca nudged V. "Call me sometime. For a gig or… other things."
"You got it."
As the energy began to wind down, the group started exchanging contacts and contracts. There was laughter, banter, and relief in the air. For a moment, it felt like a bizarre afterparty born from chaos.
Jackie walked beside V as they returned to the Warlock. "Damn, hermano. You went full solo on that guy. I thought you teleported."
"Speed, Jackie. Just speed," V grinned.
Rebecca blew a kiss. Falco gave a respectful nod. David and Lucy waved as V slid into the driver's seat.
"You sure know how to make an entrance," Jackie added as the engine roared to life.
"Just getting started, choom," V replied, steering toward Misty's Esoterica with a smirk.