The two dropped down smoothly. Amid the crack of splintering planks, they landed in a dust-choked room.
V coughed a few times through the haze.
Arthur drew his weapon, eyed the makeshift door ahead, and kicked it open.
Outside, faint noises lingered—scattered footsteps gathering from afar, closing in on their position. The earlier explosions had clearly drawn attention.
But... Scavs split from their pack were just stray dogs, no threat to Arthur and V.
V had been right—Dogtown Scavs were more troublesome, burning through plenty of bullets.
Using the cover around them, the pair pushed forward. Soon, the resistance weakened, then faded away completely.
"Definitely less than a hundred."
Arthur ran his thumb across his pistol, the barrel still warm, then holstered it casually and glanced at V.
"These Scavs aren't all holed up in their base... Probably out paying visits to some poor bastard."
V scanned the surroundings, faint data flashing across her eyes.
"Over here..."
With the worst dealt with, their pace slowed.
From the hall, they found a narrow passage. A few steps later, they stood before an iron door.
"This is it... Let's go check on our little baby.
If this turns out to be a waste, I'll buy you a drink."
"I figure you owe me one either way."
Arthur stepped forward, his large hand already resting on the iron door.
"I'm here helping you find Cyberware, right? Honestly, I should be on break right now—quietly waiting for the New Year."
"Alright, alright... looks like I do owe you that drink."
As V gave a small nod, Arthur pushed the door open.
Dim, flickering lights spilled from above. Inside the sizable room, transport beds lined one side, while the opposite wall was barred floor-to-ceiling, crammed with noisy, living prisoners.
The stench hit them immediately. Clearly, that cage in the corner had no toilets—people were packed inside like livestock, crammed together like cattle.
Both wrinkled their noses but stepped in anyway.
Arthur found the gate, drew his pistol under the numb or fearful stares of the captives, and with one shot blasted the lock apart.
"Is there... someone named Melanie in here?
We've been sent to get you out."
The crowd stirred. But no one dared step forward—this was Dogtown, and no one here was stupid enough to make trouble.
Out of the murmur, a small figure squeezed forward from the back.
A disheveled woman emerged, her naturally curly hair tangled in a mess. A pair of oversized glasses nearly swallowed her face.
She was short, slightly hunched, her tattered clothes barely holding together, the original fabric impossible to tell.
A strange woman, at least in V's eyes... Nearsightedness wasn't exactly a problem people had anymore.
"Head up."
Arthur's hoarse voice sounded even, yet it made the woman flinch.
Melanie stepped back, lips pressed tight, then timidly lifted her head.
"I... I'm her... What do you want with me?"
Her voice was low, and for a woman, unnaturally rough.
Arthur's brow twitched at her expression of resignation, but he studied her carefully.
He glanced at V, who gave a slight nod. Good. Looked like their luck had held—Melanie was here.
"Follow us. We're getting out of this place."
He raised a hand instinctively to pat her shoulder, but when he noticed the grime, he thought better of it.
Seems this new world was rubbing off on him. Back in Valentine, he wouldn't have cared about rolling in manure during a brawl.
Their duo became a trio. Night had long since fallen, the halls dimly lit by a few surviving bulbs.
The occasional corpse made Melanie shrink back even tighter. Watching the two ahead casually step over bodies, she followed close, unwilling to fall a step behind.
She'd clearly seen worse—by the time they reached the stairwell, she still hadn't fainted at the sight that awaited there.
In the dim stairwell, V switched on her lamp.
The grenade hadn't brought the staircase down—that was expected. The Scavs who hadn't been cleared out were gone, leaving only smeared red stains along the walls.
"Guess they ran."
V shrugged. Her tone was casual, but she stayed alert. Getting blindsided now would be a bad way to go...
Dogtown at night burned brighter than some parts of Night City, but unlike Rancho Coronado's stillness, it buzzed with chaotic noise.
Plenty of people driven out by the corps had crammed into this broken district, making it strangely lively.
The group soon reached the entrance of the ruin. Just as Arthur and V were ready to relax, Melanie's careful voice broke in.
"Um... could we wait a moment?"
She looked anxiously over her shoulder.
"What's wrong? Leave something behind?
Maybe we'll walk you back—then throw you off the third floor."
Arthur scowled, his voice sharp.
Her timing was maddening. It didn't seem deliberate, but something about it felt off.
"I just..."
She fumbled nervously with her hair, the glare of her glasses masking her face.
Her voice carried obvious embarrassment as she glanced behind her again.
"What I mean is... I... I... can I use the restroom?"
Arthur waved a hand, irritated.
"You should've just gone in your pants!
Uh...
No... wait.
What I mean is—you're an adult, aren't you?"
"Hahaha..."
V, leading the way, burst into laughter. She walked back toward Melanie, handing her something.
"I think... you need this. Don't worry... friend? Let's call it that."
She gestured at Arthur standing nearby.
"See? We're not bad people. And we're not hard to deal with."
...
(70 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser