Arasaka Tower.Counterintelligence Department.
In Jenkins's office, he and V sit across from each other.
"V, did you read the Konpeki Plaza report? You hired solid talent. Target eliminated, and Arasaka lost a hacker."
"I saw it. Mercs deliver results. What happens in the middle is noise."
Jenkins nods. Merc work always throws curveballs. The dead hacker was not his man, so his ledger has no loss. More importantly, the trail was wiped clean, which helped him.
"How are you handling fallout? Abernathy is fuming. Her people have found nothing useful. Now is the perfect window to sling mud."
"Already in motion. We point it at Militech."
V answers with confidence. He is now the director of corporate espionage inside Arasaka Counterintelligence. All external espionage teams report to him; every file passes his desk. Arasaka cannot find the Konpeki perpetrators, but every operation has a source. No one believes a few nobodies decided to stroll into Konpeki to kill minor executives for fun. There has to be an employer behind it, and the real target is Arasaka. No small company would try an assassination in Konpeki for "industry competition." Without weight, crossing Arasaka in Night City is suicide. If their plant inside Militech "finds" relevant intel, Militech becomes the prime suspect and cannot wash it off. Even if nothing exists, V will make sure something does. In his intel group, he decides what counts.
"Good. You handled it well. I expect more from you." Jenkins waves him off.
V steps out and finds an old colleague waiting.
"V, I have a fresh report on a newly surfaced company. My read says bump priority two to three levels. I need your approval."
This is the same employee who handled Ascension Technology last time. Days ago, they shared a bullpen. Now V is his boss. "Send it to my inbox. I will handle it."
"Understood." The man's grin gives away his hope. If V upgrades the priority, his own performance metrics climb.
Back at his station, V opens the file.
[Arasaka Counterintelligence Investigation Report — NC8755832]["Advanced Soldier Serum" Investigation Report][Investigator: Steven][Summary: An underground ripperdoc clinic in Japantown reports that the mysterious pharma company "Ascension Technology" has begun selling a high-intensity human-enhancement serum to Night City clinics. See NC8754699 for company overview. According to the submitting doctor, the drug improves overall physical strength, reaction speed, and cognitive function, and increases tolerance to cyberware and resistance to cyberpsychosis. The clinic ordered two doses; one has been injected. See NC8755943 for the preliminary subject report. Effects verified as basically accurate. Awaiting instructions on continued investigation.][Preliminary approval: Exceptional value. Raise priority and investigate further.][Handler: Bruno]
V leans back, skims the linked reports, and smiles—a gift. Arasaka's cooperation with Mari Pharmaceuticals collapsed, and now Ascension Technology rises. Mari's potent immunosuppressant reduced cyberware rejection and helped Arasaka's experiments. Ascension's Advanced Soldier Serum appears to match or exceed that effect not only for labs. Arasaka could build stronger soldiers with it. The value is immense. The intel and handling rights sit in his hands; you can win the serum for Arasaka and bank leverage for himself and Jenkins.
He starts issuing directives. For the serum, Arasaka wants one of three outcomes:
Complete control of production, ideally exclusive.
Failing that means a supply agreement for long-term, stable access.
If Arasaka cannot have it and a rival might, make the drug disappear.
Paths to those outcomes are simple: negotiation, theft, seizure, coercion, and armed destruction. Arasaka excels at all of them.