That evening, a car stopped behind the TURBO restaurant in Japantown.
The door opened, and Rebecca swung one small, pale leg out.
"Here's fine. Thanks, Falco. Head back without me. I've got something to do."
She transferred his share of the fee and climbed out.
"Huh? We're already here. You don't want a drink?" He watched her hurry to leave.
"No time."
"Didn't we finish the job?"
"What's with all the questions? I said you can head back."
"All right."
Falco couldn't quite work out what had gotten into her today. An easy job like this didn't come along often. It seemed a waste not to celebrate with a few drinks.
Still, he decided to leave before she exploded. He could always have some fun at Lizzie's Bar on his own.
After saying goodbye to him, Rebecca went to Rocky's clinic. The door system automatically approved her visitor request and let her in.
There were no patients inside. Rocky set down the cyberware he'd been tinkering with.
"Rebecca. How'd it go? Any trouble?"
"Of course not. Wasn't a hard job to begin with. Falco's a good driver, too, so it didn't take long."
As she spoke, she transferred the payments she'd collected after deducting her fee, leaving Rocky with 190,000 eddies.
Seeing the money arrive put him in an excellent mood.
"Ha! Thanks."
A car and a driver really did make deliveries faster. The fee had been well spent. It might be time for him to get something with four wheels, too.
When he'd been working alone, the motorcycle had been enough. Now he sometimes had stock to deliver. Once he built a crew of his own, a car would be essential.
"Well, that's the job wrapped up. Want to go out for a couple of drinks? Celebrate?"
Seeing his good mood, Rebecca jerked her thumb toward the door.
"Celebrate? Yeah, I think this deserves it. Guess I'm closing early today."
He checked his account. The 190,000 from the orders, added to the clinic's takings over the past week, brought his balance to 270,000 eddies.
That was enough to install his next mod. Definitely worth a celebration.
He tidied up, flipped the sign to Closed, and joined Rebecca in the parking area outside the clinic. They bought two drinks and sat on the steps around the base of a tree, watching people enjoying themselves in the open space and talking about whatever came to mind.
* * *
"Sounds like you've got a pretty good crew."
"Damn right. Maine and Dorio are like family. Falco's reliable, too. Kiwi and Lucy can be a little cold, but they're good people underneath. Except Pilar. Him, I just want to shoot in the fucking head."
Rocky laughed. "Yeah, I noticed."
"What about you? Got any friends you can count on?"
She watched him with open curiosity. He took a sip and nodded.
"Sure. Jacky. You met him at El Coyote Cojo. We've been friends a long time. He used to take me along on gigs, and he takes me drinking all the time. He's one of the people I trust most."
"Then there's my mentor, Viktor. Don't think you've met him. He's a ripperdoc in Watson. Taught me everything I know. I'll introduce you sometime. And you, of course, Rebecca. You're my friend, too."
That answer seemed to please her. She laughed.
"What? Even counting me, that's only three? Thought a guy like you would be good at making friends."
"Never said I was."
"Still, didn't expect you to be a cyberpunk, too. First ripperdoc I've met who takes gigs."
He spread his hands.
"The clinic's only been open a week. Before that, I was an apprentice at Vik's place. Without the money I made from gigs, I'd probably still be there. Business is picking up now, though. I don't have much time for jobs anymore."
"Really? Shame. I was going to ask you to join our crew. Maine wouldn't turn down another reliable teammate."
"I'll pass on joining. Jacky would probably lose his mind if I went over to your crew. But I'm sure we'll get another chance to fight together."
Her invitation surprised him a little. Still, there was no real reason to accept.
Maine's crew would fall apart sooner or later. Maine couldn't hold on much longer, and once he died, no one would be left to keep the crew together. Rocky already had plans to recruit David, which would take him out of that equation.
The crew's prospects were bleak. He would have to be the one to get Rebecca and Lucy out before it all went wrong.
"Really?"
"Of course."
They talked for a long time. Afterward, Rocky took her home on his motorcycle again. This time, no Maelstrom gang members spoiled the ride.
At Longshore North, she released her hold around him and hopped off the bike.
After saying goodbye, Rocky didn't go straight home. He stopped to see Wakako first.
"L. What brings you here?" she asked as he came in.
"Just wanted to thank you for sending so many customers my way these past few days. Without you, I doubt anyone would even know my clinic existed."
He transferred ten thousand eddies to her as he spoke. Call it an advertising fee.
She really had helped him. There was more to Night City than fighting and killing. Relationships mattered. If he wanted Wakako to keep bringing him business, he needed to show his appreciation in a useful way.
"Well, since you put it that way, I'll accept."
Wakako smiled. Everyone liked money, and a referral fee was only reasonable. These arrangements had their rules. Failing to pay would have shown that Rocky didn't understand them.
With that visit finished, he could finally go home and get some rest.
* * *
The next morning, Rocky sat in the clinic browsing the system's mods instead of opening for business right away.
He already had a few ideas about his next choice.
He'd established working relationships with several clinics. Thanks to the Power Stimulants, many of them now thought of Ascension Technology as a pharmaceutical workshop.
Choosing another pharmaceutical mod to manufacture and sell would make it easier to expand that market.
After browsing a little longer, he found what he wanted.
[Marvel Super Soldier Serum]