Arthur's answer left Meredith silent. The moment she heard he had shown up here, she'd already sensed something was off.
Clearly, as Arthur had said, this wasn't the kind of combat Cyberware worth Arasaka pouring massive resources into testing.
The situation was murky, and waiting it out seemed the smartest move.
"Very well. Then tell me—how did you learn about this Cyberware?"
Arthur asked, suspicion edging into his voice.
"Hmph."
Meredith snorted coldly before replying.
"A fixer passed me the tip. Looks like that little mutt's been acting up lately."
"If it was a fixer named Kirk, then I'd be very interested in knowing where this gentleman is right now. He's stirred up enough trouble—maybe it's time he paid the price."
Arthur's eyes flickered. It was a truth he'd only recently come to understand: some grudges don't just disappear because you want them to. Silencing the people in the middle was often the most effective solution.
"You guessed wrong, my dear Arthur."
Her tone came out stiff, but she went on.
"The fixer who came to me was Faraday. He's a half-informant under one of my strike team leaders, and he's kept close ties with Militech for a long time."
By now Meredith's voice had turned icy.
The truth was obvious. The fixers they named might be different, but they were clearly working the same operation.
Crossing Arthur might not be the end of the world—he could seek revenge, but hide well enough and it would pass. Crossing Militech, though... that was another story.
"In that case, looks like I'll be busy for a while."
With that, Meredith cut the line. The crisp disconnect echoed in Arthur's head. He only sighed and shook his head before striding toward a hulking Militech armored vehicle pulling up in front of him.
Through the window, he spotted Jackie inside.
The massive ride rolled to a stop, and Arthur stepped forward, yanking the door open.
Several sets of eyes met his, scanning him up and down without pause.
"...What—"
Before Arthur could get a word out, Jackie jumped in.
"I know! Meredith. What the hell is going on with you two?"
"Ah... right... yeah... think whatever you like."
Arthur waved dismissively, shooting Jackie a glare.
"But... that woman's a lot older than you."
Jackie grinned from ear to ear, openly needling him.
"Hahaha... More importantly, try not to drive this beast off a cliff again."
Arthur laughed with him.
Everyone in the vehicle had reason to feel lighter. Truth be told, hearing David groan from the back every so often was reassuring—it meant he still had enough strength left to complain. At least his life wasn't in danger.
"Pretty nice, huh, Arthur..."
Jackie muttered, gripping the oversized steering wheel that dwarfed those in normal sedans.
Compared to the road here, the trip back was infinitely smoother. The mood played a part, but most of it came from the ride itself.
It was steady—so steady the only real drawback was it might lull the driver to sleep.
"Maybe... you should get one of these from that woman... heh."
Jackie teased, though part of him was half-serious.
Arthur only shrugged. He had no interest—and something in him recoiled at the thought.
Sure, Meredith had money, but nothing she gave came free.
The thought stirred another idea in his mind.
That pile of gold he'd been sitting on... maybe it had found its outlet. With Meredith's influence in Militech, unloading it wouldn't be difficult.
The armored vehicle rolled through the Badlands at a steady pace.
They'd long since crossed back from the so-called border. To be precise, this was the real Badlands—the way Night City folk described it.
Now and then, massive cacti stood scattered across the desert. Farther out, clusters of wind turbines loomed, most of them long abandoned.
...
Meanwhile, in Night City, within the City Center—inside the pitch-black Arasaka Tower.
The afternoon sun still blazed, its rays striking the tower's metallic frame and bouncing back in harsh, blinding flares.
Inside, though, it was as dark as ever.
"V, you're suspected of betraying corporate interests. You'll have to come with us."
The speaker was an Asian man in an Arasaka uniform. His accent was flawless, but V had no doubt—Japanese.
"From HQ?"
She looked him up and down, feeling the weight in her chest grow.
"Can I see Abernathy... just to say goodbye?"
She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Why was Arasaka going to such lengths for her?
All this effort, just for her head? Damn it, when did Arasaka ever need to be so secretive about killing someone?
"Call it letting me die with some clarity. Let me go in peace."
The man hesitated, and V pressed on.
Her voice stayed firm, untouched by the suffocating tension in the cramped office.
"Fine. Abernathy will see you. But first, we have business to take care of."
Suddenly, a wave of disorientation crashed over her brain. It was like a hangover's splitting pain and a drunk's dizzy fog had been mashed together and poured into her skull.
On her Neural Link, a progress bar flashed by. Corporate net access, accounts, every internal function—locked down completely.
"Ugh... ah... fuck..."
Her hands collapsed against the desk as she groaned in pain, her composure gone.
"Get her up. We're leaving!"
The man barked to his companion in Japanese—a language V didn't understand.
"Didn't you want to see Abernathy? She's coming too. The Japanese board wants a word with her."
Her strength drained away—and with it, her dignity.
Two bulky men seized her arms, hauling her to her feet, her calves dragging uselessly across the floor.
...