Rebecca shifted in her seat in the back of her contractor's, or should it be her husband's?, car as they drove towards her house. She grunted, shifting every which way, even sitting upside down, but she couldn't sit still as it didn't feel right. It wasn't that her seat was uncomfortable, in fact the luxurious leather seat of the luxury car that Katsumoto drove felt absolutely amazing against her skin, but that was the thing: it felt too comfortable.
It was as if her senses became just a tad bit sharper, bringing the world around into focus. So many things felt just a little bit off. In fact, nothing felt right now after she'd been stamped, and now she was stuck in a confined space trying to get used to all of it.
This didn't go unnoticed as Tanya, the stuck up bitch, turned around from her seat in the front of the car and glared at her. "Can you please not squirm around. It's unsightly," Tanya scolded her with a sneer.
She stuck her tongue out before firing back, "Sue me," And then promptly ignored her as she tried to get comfortable once more but she simply could not. "Damn it, why does everything feel so… good? Perfect? I can't fucking it explain it, it's just-!" She groaned out as she slumped against her uncomfortable-comfortable seat.
Everything just felt right and it didn't sit well with her. The uncomfortable tightness of her skin after all the tattoos and skin mods she had on herself? The dull ache of her body and the pressure against her head from all the cyberware as it melded into her flesh? No longer a problem as she became whole, with her cyberware becoming part of herself. Hell, she didn't even realize that it was affecting her until the stamp took hold. She'd been so used to the feeling that it was normal…
Katsumoto chuckled from his seat as he looked back from the rearview mirror, "Still not used to it huh? Don't worry, you'll get used to it," He told her encouragingly with a big goofy smile on his screen. "No longer having to deal with headaches does wonders for the mood!"
Rebecca nodded as she gazed out of the window, seeing her neighborhood come into view as her ride climbed up the elevated highway crisscrossing the city. With her mind so clear, she took a step back to take stock on her situation. Was she just getting nervous because she didn't want to tell Pilar what she did? "Yeah… maybe it's just my nerves. We are going to talk to my brother about this…" She whispered with a grimace.
"That is the plan, as we discussed earlier," Tanya replied as she turned away and looked ahead before she picked up the archaic phone that served as their connection to the Company and fiddled with some of the apps. "If your brother does agree to be captured and sold, he'll net the harem a grand total of two points."
"Sounds about right, useless piece of shit," She snorted, grinning at how little they'd get from her brother.
"Selling him however would net us… no extra points at all after all the fees levied upon the transaction," Tanya then said.
Rebecca got up from her seat and pulled the screen closer and there in the calculator point app was the damning number they'd get from her brother. "Seriously? Fuck…" She grumbled as she plopped back on her seat.
Katsumoto grunted in agreement, "It's just how it is. Cyberpunk is a relatively poor world in terms of points, despite the danger rating." He then shrugged before admitting, "Honestly, the only reason we picked Cyberpunk is Tanya and I agreed that it's relatively devoid of bullshit, and because of you."
Rebecca blushed as she turned away pouting. It felt good knowing that she was a reason why they chose her world. It was still quite the punch in the to realize that she was born on such a shitty world. She didn't dwell on it any longer as she had other pressing matters she needed to think about, like what the hell she was going to tell her brother.
Oh she held no illusion that he wouldn't be shameless enough to sell himself to what could possibly turn into sexual slavery, but she dreaded how he was going to react to everything else. Yes, she got herself married and was technically considered as a slave by her husband's multidimensional eldritch employers, but she got a lot of cool stuff and she could actually get magic eventually! Still, it definitely sounded horrible without context. She grimaced, feeling the leaden weight in her stomach.
"You're an edgerunner, damn it all, snap out of it!" She slapped herself, reminding herself what she was. She was a seasoned veteran in the streets, but why was she afraid of her own brother? "In and out, easy as that. Just like how the perfect job should be done…" She whispered before she trailed off and she saw a familiar flash of red hair on the edge of her vision.
"Oh fuck!" She cursed out in alarm as she pressed her face against the bullet proof glass of her ride and stared at the vehicle over at a different highway to the side. There were a thousand Thorthon Galena's in the city but she knew that particular beat up yellow sedan anywhere. "Shit, shit! Fuck! Gloria's in danger!" She shouted in alarm as she pushed herself off her seat and grabbed the man's head, turning it to where her friend's car was.
"Huh?! What do you mean-!" His confused reply was quickly cut off as he saw the woman talking to her son. "Oh fuck!" he shouted as the heavily armored car that started the career of one Night City legend passed the sedan by and tailing them were the roided up Animal's stalking them. Her warning, however, came a bit too late as the punks pulled out their LMG and started raining hell on the armored car, firing through Gloria's vehicle without so much as a hint of hesitation.
Before she could even think, Katsumoto kicked up the door before shouting, "Tanya! Grab the wheel!" The wheels screeched and their ride swerved as her man grabbed the gun on the dashboard before leaping off their still moving car. She clung to the backrest for her dear life as Tanya immediately leapt for the wheel to get their ride under control.
She couldn't tear her eyes away as her man made the jump. There was no hesitation from him, just action as he crashed atop the van. He smashed against one of the animals in a shower of blood and gore, but not before the gangbanger opened fire with the rocket launcher in his hand at the vehicle they were chasing.
She felt the explosion rock her very core as the car was sent flying. It tumbled across the freeway, bouncing against the side barrier before rolling towards a petrified hospital technician. The heavy gun in Katsumoto's hands barked in quick succession, emptying his clip before leaping off the now out of control van.
He landed on the pavement, sparks flying as he skidded to a stop between the two vehicles and braced for impact. "Katsumoto!" She cried out in horror as Gloria's car smashed against him first, its frontend crumpling against the man's body before they came to a screeching halt. Not a second too soon did the other car come crashing towards them.
He reached out, the armored car's roof crumpling as he grabbed onto it, catching the car midair and stopping it effortlessly. It was all over in a second as Katsumoto stood there unharmed, not only saving Gloria but the limo as well. Such recklessness, such wanton disregard for their own life… she felt her core heat up as she watched her man slowly place the limo down before checking on Gloria. She had her doubts, but after this… She definitely picked the right man.
-x-x-x-
Gloria shook as sat there in her seat, too terrified to move even an inch. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, her ears ringing from the gunfire while she tried to process everything that just happened. She should be dead, a corpse strewn across the street to be scavenged by the meat wagons, yet there she was, alive and relatively unharmed.
"W-what the fuck just happened…" her son whispered before wincing in pain. She should have scolded him for using such crass language but, seeing what just happened, she was going to let it slide.
"I-I don't know…" She whispered in confusion before she flinched back and held up her hands as the Borg they just hit moved and dropped the car he held. Slowly, she lowered her hands seeing that the man hadn't shot them. Someone saved them?
"That's going to leave a mark," The tin man groaned as he slumped against her car, the suspension creaking in protest under his weight before he turned towards them. The first thing that stood out was just how his horns looked like bunny ears. For a man his size… he looked so fluffy? Maybe she did die and all of this was just a hallucination.
"Are you two alright?" He asked as he pushed himself against the hood but found himself stuck. The man blushed as he rubbed the back of his head before apologizing, "Sorry about the car… or what's left of it. I should have reacted a bit faster."
"It's alright?" She replied unsure how to respond. The man nodded as he yanked himself off her car. She winced from the screeching of metal and the realization that her car was totaled, but she was alive; she could work a new one after she paid off her loans. "A-and I think so-!" She added before crying out in fright as her car engine burst into flames.
One panicked car extraction later and she and David found themselves sitting by the curb while their savior was checking on the rider of the limo. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but it wasn't too hard to figure it out based on the embarrassed blushing and smile that the mountain of a man had as well as the way his cute fluffy tail wagged in happiness. She blushed, pulling her gaze away, scolding herself for checking him out. She was a widowed mother, yes, but she was still improper.
"Should I be worried about getting a new dad?" David teased her, making her blush all the harder. She turned, cheeks burning as she cuffed him on the head. He raised his hands in defense as he chuckled and smiled.
"David!" She shouted, feeling all tingly at the suggestion which only had her turning beet red. She turned away, refusing to look him in the eye as she busied herself with her list of contacts. "And not now, I'm still trying to find someone to help us get us back home…"
Still, she couldn't help but sneak a peek at him. The tall statuesque man was quite the striking figure, and the fact that he didn't even ask her for compensation piqued her interest. Just who was this man and why did he save them? Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to getting out of there.
She pursed her lips as call after call got rejected until her eyes hovered to her… customers. Feeling the weight inside her jacket, she was tempted to just ask Maine, yet she was with her kid. He already had enough on his plate trying to fit in his school. He was already considering dropping out for crying out loud! She just couldn't expose him to a life that would eat him alive. Little did she know that she'd have little choice on the matter, however, as a wrecking ball of a woman came roaring into the scene.
Gloria turned as she heard the roar of an engine before jumping in surprise as a car came screeching to a halt near them. The backseat was kicked open and out came the one girl she desperately didn't want near David. Maybe after everything was done, but not right now. "Oh no…" She whispered in horror as the girl's eyes locked on her
The girl grinned as she shouted, "Gloria!"
Before she could shout out in warning, the green haired gremlin came barreling right at her. She barely had time to brace herself before the air in her lungs was driven out by the cutest little limpet in the city. Sighing, knowing that she wouldn't be able to pry the girl off, she just allowed things to happen. She sat there stroking the girl's hair while the girl nuzzled up against her.
"Oh thank god you're alive," The girl shouted in relief as she hugged her hard, "For a second there I thought I'd lose another gal pal of mine," She cried out, clutching onto her and burying her face in her chest.
She felt her cheeks heat up once more at the attention that the younger girl gave her as she replied, "Hello Rebecca. I miss you too." As much as she would have wanted to not have David meet her too early, she was glad that she was here to comfort her. Her hug was a much needed distraction from what happened earlier.
"Your… friend, mom?" David cautioned out as he stared at the girl in her hand.
Gloria reluctantly nodded as she patted the girl's back. "David, meet Rebecca. She's… yes, a friend of mine," She replied, making sure to tell too much. While it was no longer possible to keep her away, that didn't mean she can't keep some secrets.
Rebecca snorted as she looked up at her. "Just a friend, she says. Is that what you call your drinking and shooting buddy?" She teased her with a grin on her face before turning to look at her kid. "So, this here's your kid? He's definitely a cute one," She said before winking at David.
"Rebecca!" She shouted at her shameless little friend, who laughed away as she pulled away.
"I kid, I kid. I'm just teasing you here. Besides, I'm already taken," Rebecca replied. Now it was Gloria's turn to snort as she looked at her in disbelief. Her? Letting herself get taken? That was as likely the day human's started to fly on their own power. Unphased, Rebecca turned to the sound of jet engines as she then said, "Anyways, the Trauma Team Aerodyne should arrive anytime soon."
"The Trauma Team Aerodyne, yea-!" Gloria choked out as she realized who Rebecca just called in to their accident. "Rebecca! Turn them back around now! We don't have the money and-" She shouted in a panic before the girl pressed her finger up against her lips. She stared down at the digit before up at the girl in question wondering what the hell got into her mind for using the Trauma Team of all things.
Rebecca shook her head as he pulled her hands away before wrapping her arms around her shoulder. Turning her head towards the tall man from earlier, Rebecca then said, "Who's saying you're paying? And before you thank me, I'm not the one paying. You should be thanking him instead." Gloria blinked as the man turned around, noticing their stares before he waved at them cheerfully.
Deep in her mind her instincts screamed at her that this was a trap, that she was going to get trapped in a debt she could never repay, but she felt at ease seeing him smile at her. She felt her breath taken away as he smiled oh so gently; reminding her so much of a smile she once knew… the fact that her volatile and fiery friend trusted him spoke in volume. Maybe, just maybe there are still good people left in this city.
Her musings would be cut short as a young(?) blonde girl walked up to them. "Rebecca, please refrain from roughing her up," She scolded the girl, who merely snorted and rolled her eyes at the command, much to Gloria's surprise. Her day just kept getting weirder…
"Aye, aye boss," The girl mockingly saluted the tiny sharp-eyed one, who sneered before pulling away from Gloria.
"If you need me, I'll wrangle my husband." The woman waved dismissively as she walked off to the man who now found himself surrounded by reporters as more and more people arrived at the scene.
"I swear if that girl wasn't so sexy when she's angry…" Rebecca muttered making her and David stare at her. Looking at the woman's retreating form and the man before going back to a blushing Rebecca, she realized that the girl might not be lying after all.
"Your friend's weird, mom…" David whispered as he scooted a bit closer. Gloria just shook her head as she gave up on figuring out what the hell was happening. She wasn't paid enough per hour to figure out what was going on in Rebecca's life. Thankfully, the paramedics arrived to check on them for injuries and administer some first aid. Things, however, were not all bad. Maybe this was a good thing, despite the confusion.
"I'm really sorry for this," Gloria apologized as she served bottles of Nico Cola to the man who saved her, Katsumoto she'd come to learn, as well as his wife, Tanya, and her friend, Rebecca. She was caught off guard by their request to talk to her somewhere private, but seeing all the help they gave her she couldn't exactly deny their simple request.
After sending off her son to go to a proper doctor this time around, not that shady back alley one he called his friend, she was left all alone in her home. It was dangerous to have strangers around, even more so with them being affiliated with edgerunners, but she trusted Rebecca not to bring danger to her home. While appearances could be deceiving, the man looked innocent enough.
"It's fine, no really," The man in question replied as he accepted the drink with a soft smile on his face. The can looked comically small in his huge hands and she couldn't help but giggle at how funny it looked for him to open the tab with his fingers.
They now had her apartment all to themselves but, unfortunately, it wasn't built for Borgs like Katsumoto in mind. "I'm also sorry about having no seats for you… you're not exactly the type of visitor I usually have," She added as she looked away from the man's soft gaze. Even if she wanted to buy him a chair, she was not exactly swimming in cash…
"Hah, Gloria's calling you fat!" Rebecca cackled, teasing Katsumoto. The man took it well, chuckling, but it still had Gloria's ear burning.
Thankfully, Tanya called their attention. Clearing her throat, the woman said, "I think we've had horseplay for now. Let's get down to business, shall we?"
Rebecca grumbled a bit, but she relented as she plopped down to her seat; much to Gloria's relief. Setting down her drink, Tanya then turned her attention back to her as she asked, "So, you're probably wondering why we ask to speak with you and why we chose to cover for your medical expenses, correct?"
Gloria nodded before she replied, "It's not everyday that someone pays for someone else's trouble after all." No one in Night City ever did something for free, and their talk was just a simple unspoken transaction between them. Still, she was a bit short on cash as it stood. She could sense that they wanted to ask for more and she dreaded what it would be.
Her apprehension didn't go unnoticed as Tanya grimaced before saying, "I can't fault you for thinking about it in such a way given how… short sighted everyone is in this city." The woman's dismay was almost palpable as she switched to Japanese before muttering darkly about the city. While her translation software was a bit out of date, she did manage to catch her muttering about pig headed fools and lack of foresight.
Sighing, Tanya then apologized, "Forgive me for my harsh views on this city but it's quite frankly a miracle that things lasted this long."
Gloria chuckled as she replied, "Night City can be quite resilient."
"It's often easy to mistake resilience to adversity for tolerance and apathy to the evils of this world," Tanya snorted derisively. She frowned at the woman's harsh views but kept her mouth shut. She'd rather not have an argument sour the mood, a sentiment that Tanya must have shared as she continued, "Well, enough of that for now. Let's get back to topic shall we?"
"Of course," Gloria replied with a nod.
Tanya shifted on her seat and leaned forward before she then said, "As for why we want to talk to you, that's simple, really. Mrs. Martinez, we're here to recruit you," Gloria blinked, taken aback by the declaration. It wasn't uncommon for corporate headhunters to go out and find talents but to have one go after her?
Raising her hands appeasingly, Tanya quickly added, "Now Mrs. Martinez, before we proceed any further, I'd like to make one thing clear. We're not here to force anything against your will. We're just here to offer you a chance to… change occupation, you might say."
Gloria breathed out, letting go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding on to as she replied, trying to rationalize things, "O-oh, Is that so? I'm not exactly sure what I can offer. I'm just an ordinary Hospital Technician after all. I'm not exactly young either, if you're looking for that type of thing…"
She looked away, blushing at the thought. Yes, she'd been offered such deals before, but she didn't take them. She had David to take care of back home, so she couldn't do it. Now however… she might have taken that offer. She still got compliments from some of the doctors in her clinic, but she was no longer the young beauty she once was. She was already pushing past thirty, way past the usual age for such things.
Smilingly wryly, she then pointed out, "Besides if you're looking for someone for that kind of entertainment. Wouldn't Rebecca already fit that bill?"
Rebecca shot up from her seat fuming as she spat out, "Oy! I'm listening here, you shit," Rebecca growled at her while Tanya chuckled in turn, which in turn attracted the Mox's ire.
"Oh no, nothing of that sort, though…" Tanya trailed off before tentatively admitting, "it's certainly on the table, but not necessarily a requirement for what we're going to offer." Gloria nodded reluctantly at her assurance. She took a quick peek at Katsumoto and both of them blushed as their gaze met. She quickly turned away, glaring at Rebecca who smirked at her.
As much as she hated to admit it, she had it bad. Looking down, she gripped the hem of her jacket as she scolded herself. Here she was, a single mother already lusting after another woman's input just from a simple offer. She quickly grabbed her drink and downed it, trying to distract herself from such thoughts.
Waiting for her a bit, Tanya then said, "What we need is not your experience in your chosen field, nor your physical talents, but rather your experience as a mother."
Gloria choked, sputtering and coughing as her drink went down the wrong pipe. She looked up and stared back at the woman before asking, "W-what?" She waited for her to say it was just a simple joke, a way to lighten the mood, but the girl's confused stare told her that yes, she was being serious about it.
"I'm entirely being serious. Let me explain," Tanya started, "You see, my husband and I are planning on having a big family in the future and with Rebecca joining in, we're going to have our hands full."
Gloria's brow shot up as she glanced towards Rebecca. The girl nodded all too proudly as she threw her hands around Katsumoto before mouthing silently, "You can join too.~" She quickly averted her gaze as she turned back towards Tanya. The girl joining a polygamist couple was entirely expected, but it was an entirely different matter hearing about it.
Tanya continued, "No one in our little family knows a thing about child care, and with our family growing things are going to get out of hand fast if we don't have a steady hand to rein all the children in." It wasn't entirely unheard of for rich couples to hire someone to take care of their children instead of having them be raised in a day care or a robot, but she didn't expect that she'd be the one to get the chance.
"This might seem like an abrupt change in career, but we assure you that we provide a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive and extensive benefits package," The woman assured her.
Gloria had to admit, she was tempted to take her offer there. The chance to get out of her stressful job was all too tempting. However, she needed the job at the clinic to… harvest people. It took her ages to earn the respect of her boss and the skill to be quick about it. It'd take more to get her to relinquish her position. As low as her salary was, it still paid the bills whenever she got a customer from the streets.
Tanya was about to say something when Rebecca suddenly butted in, "They offer the greatest health benefits Gloria! You literally cannot die-!" Tanya pursed her lips as she reached out and pressed her palm against the girl's mouth.
"I was going to get to that," Tanya sighed out before she flinched away as she looked down on her wet palm and entirely smug Rebecca. Turning back to her, she clarified, "But yes, one of our benefits includes immortality."
"I-I beg your pardon?" She asked. Maybe it was just a mistranslation perhaps? She did look a bit European and they did like bioware there which might explain her extremely small and youthful appearance. "Did you mean revival or…" She cautioned.
Katsumoto smiled as he shook his head before speaking up, "When Tanya talked about Immortality, we mean," shuffling up to her on his knees he gently grabbed her hands as he whispered, "This might be a bit too much to believe, but I know you're the right person for this. You're a wonderful mother, Gloria Martinez, and despite the adversities you faced, you managed to persevere and raised an equally wonderful son all on your own."
Gloria tried to speak up but she choked as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. He reached out and wiped the tears off cheek as he continued, "I know my words sound like sweet talk, that I'm merely trying to butter you up, but I speak from my heart on this. When I saw you, I knew that I wanted your help in raising my children."
"We want you Gloria Martinez. Immortality, wealth, and way off this very world even; a whole new life for you and your son perhaps. I offer you all of this so long as you're willing to join us," The man told him as he looked up at her.
Gloria sobbed, letting the tears she was holding back let go as he wrapped his arms around her. Everything seemed like a cruel joke. A lie made to strum her heart strings. Still, she couldn't help but listen as she sat there, enraptured by the man's words. She hated how he made her hope, how both of them offered such promises. It was almost all too cruel, yet she wanted to believe, she wanted it so desperately to be true.
As she got her bearings back, he gently pushed away before she replied, "That's… certainly quite the offer but I'm not sure if I should take it. If I was just looking out for myself, I'd accept, but I'm not. I have a son, a beautiful, wonderful son that needs me more than ever," She whispered as tears welling up her eyes once more. "I can't accept this, not when it feels like a lie," She whispered as she wiped away her tears. The trio quickly shared a look before all of them nodded.
"It does sound a bit too good to be true, yes? A bit too fantastical perhaps," Tanya said as she slowly stood up. "It's all too convenient as well. Just a couple seeking you out personally, offering you so many things just to take care of some kids that haven't even been born yet," She whispered as she walked up to her, asking her silently with those big doe eyes of her to tell her what she felt. Gloria reluctantly nodded. Everything was just happening so fast and they had all this offer.
"This, however, is no mere jest. In fact, immortality is but just a taste of what we can offer," The woman claimed as she reached out to her, offering Gloria her hand. Gloria wanted to slap those hands away, to shout at the woman for lying to her but Tanya made her want to believe. The much smaller woman spoke with such conviction that she couldn't help herself but reached out and grabbed the offered hand. It wouldn't hurt to dream for just a bit right?
Pulling her up, she led him to a nearby closet door. Gloria felt so weak, so defeated as she allowed the woman to lead her along. Not even Rebecca's comforting hug as she rubbed her back could ease her aching heart. As the woman reached out for the door and opened it up, what greeted her was not a supply closet but the sound of waves and the scent of the ocean ahead.
She looked up and there beyond the door before her was no longer her room but a shimmering portal to a tropical beach with the earth itself hanging in the heavens above; it was as if it were a whole new world…
Tanya smiled as she walked inside, leading her in. She expected the illusion to break, for everything to fade away, but she was met with the sound of crunching sand beneath their feet and the heat of the sun overhead. She breathed in deep, feeling the salty and fresh air filling her lungs. It was so sweet, so intoxicating that she wanted to bottle it up.
Kneeling down, she reached down and grabbed a handful of sand. She watched as the sand fell down, blown away by the fresh sea breeze. No Braindance or other augmented reality could be this advanced; It was real. "What is this place?" She whispered out as she got up, looking around in wonder.
"This is our World," Katsumoto replied as he stood beside her. "So what do you say Mrs. Martinez? Are you willing to join us on the beach and hear our offer out?"