Night settles.
Japantown.
A car stops behind TURBO. The door opens. A small white boot hits the pavement first.
"Here's fine. Thanks, Falco. You head back. I've got something to do."
Rebecca hands Falco his cut, then gets out.
"Huh? Not grabbing a drink here?" Falco watches her hurry and looks confused.
"No time."
"Didn't you finish the commission?"
"Why so many questions? I said Head back."
"Alright."
Falco lifts his hands, helpless. Rebecca looks different tonight. Easy money like this usually deserves a few drinks. He decides to leave anyway. She might explode later. He'll swing by Lizzie's for fun.
After saying goodbye to Falco, Rebecca walks to Rocky's clinic.
The clinic door auto-approves her visitor request.
No clients inside. Rocky sees her and sets down the prosthetic arm he was tuning.
"Rebecca. How'd it go?"
"Smooth. Not a hard commission, and Falco's driving is clean, so it didn't take long."
She transfers the payment while she talks. After deducting her reward, 190,000 euros remain.
Seeing the money land, Rocky's mood lifts.
"Thanks."
With a car and driver, delivery runs fast. Worth the spend. He also thinks it is time to pick up a four-wheeler. Alone, the bike was enough. With drops and a future team, a vehicle helps.
"Commission wrapped. Want a drink to celebrate?" Rebecca hooks a thumb toward TURBO.
"Celebrate? Yeah. Worth it. Looks like I clock out early tonight."
Rocky checks the account. The 190,000 euros plus this week's clinic volume put him at 270,000 euros.
With that, he can install the next module. Worth celebrating.
They tidy the shop, flip the sign to resting, and step into the plaza.
They buy two drinks and sit on the steps by the tree outside, watching the crowd play and chatting.
…
"So your crew's solid," Rocky says.
"Of course. Maine and Dorio are like family. Falco is reliable. Kiwi and Lucy act cold, but they're good people. Except Pilar. I want to shoot him in the Head sometimes."
Rocky laughs. "I can see that."
"What about you? Any reliable friends?" Rebecca studies him, curious.
Rocky sips and nods. "Yeah. Jack. You saw him at the Wild Wolf Bar. He and I go way back. He drags me to commissions and bars—one of my most trusted brothers.
"And my teacher, Viktor. You probably haven't met him. He's a ripperdoc in Watson. He taught me everything. I'll take you to meet him when I can.
"And you, Rebecca. You're my friend too."
She smiles, surprised and happy. "What? Only three, counting me? I thought someone like you would have friends everywhere."
"I never said that."
"Still, I didn't expect you to be an edgerunner too. First time I've seen a ripperdoc take commissions."
Rocky spreads his hands. "My clinic's only been open a week. Before that, I was just an apprentice in my teacher's shop. I'd still be there if I hadn't taken gigs and made some money. Now the clinic's busy, so I don't have much time for commissions."
"Really? I was going to invite you to our team. I don't think Maine would refuse a reliable teammate," Rebecca says, a little regretful.
"Forget the team. If I joined you, Jack would lose it. We'll still have chances to fight together."
He is a little surprised she tried to pull him into Maine's crew, but decides there's no need. The crew will fall apart sooner or later. Maine won't hold long. After he's gone, no one can carry it. David is already on Rocky's list, so he has no reason to tie himself to Maine's crew. The crew's future looks bleak. He still has to pull Rebecca and Lucy out of that mess.
"Really?"
"Of course."
They talk a while longer. Rocky rides Rebecca home again. This time, they do not run into Maelstrom.
Back in the Northside Industrial District, Rebecca lets go of his hand and hops off.
After saying goodbye, Rocky does not go straight home. He goes to Wakako first.
"L. What brings you here?" Wakako looks up, curious.
"Nothing major. I want to thank you for sending so many clients these days. Without you, no one would know my clinic."
He transfers 10,000 euros to her as ad fees.
Wakako smiles. "Since you put it that way, I'll accept."
No one hates money, and a finder's fee fits the rules. Not paying would be bad form. If he wants more referrals, this sincerity matters.
After the stop with Wakako, Rocky finally heads home to rest.
…The next day.
Rocky sits in the clinic. He doesn't rush to open. He scans modules in the system.
He already has ideas for the next module.
Now that he has partnerships with many clinics, and Ascension Technology has a reputation for stimulants, clinics have started labeling him a medicine shop. Market growth gets easier if the following module also makes and sells medicine.
He scrolls for a while and finds the target.
{Marvel Super Soldier Serum}