"Or maybe we don't have a choice—we'll have to take these guys out. Vik sure as hell wouldn't want us dragging pursuers back to his clinic."
Arthur's narrowed eyes swept the surroundings, locking onto a good spot for an ambush.
He slammed the handlebars down.
The Nazare hugged the ground like a predator and dove into a side alley. Tires screeched in protest, echoing painfully against the walls, until the bike ground to a halt just short of the corner.
Arthur didn't wait for it to steady. He kicked the stand, swung off the saddle, and pulled V down with him. Together with the motorcycle, they melted into the shadows.
Behind them, engines roared, closing fast.
"You should crawl into a blanket right now. Maybe pull it over your head too—keep the gunfire from scaring you.
Leave the dirty work to me."
"Damn it, Arthur..."
V started to snap back, stung by his teasing tone, but the pounding of boots and engines outside cut her words short.
"Fine... looks like you're in charge now."
But Arthur was already gone, striding out of the shadows.
His gaze locked on the intersection ahead while his hands worked fast, feeding rounds into the Frontier.
The pursuing car swung into view, its high beams blasting down the street like a spotlight. The glare swallowed Arthur whole, burning into his narrowed eyes until they could see nothing but white heat.
But across from him, the two men in the front seats saw him clearly—Arthur standing dead center in the road, arm raised, revolver leveled.
The bullets, invisible in the blinding light, had already left the barrel. By the time their car completed the turn, both men slumped in silence, crimson blooming across the dark cabin.
With the driver dead, the wheel—still crooked from the turn—twitched, then wrenched violently out of control.
The armored vehicle shuddered, lurched unnaturally, then was hurled skyward.
It crashed back down like a giant metal box kicked down the road, slamming into the asphalt again and again before erupting into flames. Fire surged across the wreck as though someone had poured fuel straight onto it.
The next vehicle had no time to react. It smashed into the burning wreck, veered off course, and plowed into a nearby factory wall.
The chain reaction rippled down the line—four vehicles wrecked in total. Only the very last managed to grind to a halt amidst the flaming debris.
Arthur emptied the last few rounds, and then silence fell, broken only by the crackle of fire.
"Already done?"
V's voice floated out from the shadows.
"I think... that's the last of them."
Arthur's rasp carried as he walked back to the Nazare, reaching down to pull her upright.
On her feet again, V hunched her shoulders against the cold, muttering with irritation:
"This shitty weather... I really need a warm bed."
They had barely gathered themselves when Jackie's voice crackled in their Neural Link.
"How's it look over there? We're almost with you.
Damn it, this iron brick crawls slower than a turtle!"
He'd noticed their position hadn't changed for a while. His voice carried a trace of worry.
Arthur knew Jackie had actually arrived earlier—back when he'd been lining up those three critical shots. Jackie had been waiting at the checkpoint, ready to intercept if the AV had dropped straight from the sky. But when the chase resumed, there was no way his armored beast could keep pace.
"This end's taken care of. V's holding up too—still a little sluggish, but she'll manage."
Jackie laughed hard, relief and fire in his voice.
"Hell yeah! Ha ha ha...
Fuck Arasaka and all their bastard dogs!"
He slammed the pedal down harder, eager to reunite with his friends. It had been a long day, but luck was still on their side.
Engines roared as the Militech Armored Vehicle tore into the quiet, industrial district. Guided by their comms, Jackie drove straight toward Arthur's beacon.
...
Arthur and V stepped out from the shadows. Headlights flared in the distance, and the deep rumble of the engine left no doubt—it was Jackie.
The armored beast skidded to a halt, brakes screaming. Jackie leapt down from the driver's seat, crossing the distance in long strides.
His sharp eyes scanned Arthur and V, not stopping until he saw they were unharmed. Only then did he grin.
"Smooth enough over here?"
"We've got to get V to Vik. She said Arasaka pulled something on her again—but I don't have the details."
Arthur's voice eased as tension left him.
The back hatch of the armored vehicle swung open, and Rebecca popped out with her usual bounce.
"Ugh!
Where the hell did you dig up this junker? Even opening the damn door's a workout."
She muttered complaints as she looked up—then spotted V leaning on the bike.
"Well, well... looks like Arasaka gave you a hard time, huh?"
Rebecca's red eyes sparkled mischievously, but her jab was softer than usual. After all, she'd already taken favors from V—she knew when to rein it in.
V, for her part, barely glanced her way. Rebecca might have been twenty, but she still came off like a kid trying too hard. Not worth the energy.
"We need to move, now.
Arasaka can track their vehicles—maybe even their condition. Reinforcements will be swarming soon."
V's tone was sharp and precise, her eyes already on Jackie's ride.
"Militech hardware? Where the hell did you get that?"