I headed back over to where Panam is, still servicing the motorcycles. “You take that one,” she nodded to the one on the left, “Scorpion’s old bike. I got this one.”

  The motorcycle started heartily, seemingly fantastically-tuned by its former owner. Scorpion’s more like Jackie than I realized.

  “I will kill them, V,” Panam fiercely said as she climbed onto hers, “Every last one.”

  “I know how you feel – really, I do,” I yelled at her over the roar of the engines as we rode side-by-side towards the airport, “I’ll help you settle your score. ‘Til the bitter end.”

  “You know what, V? You’re alright,” she replied, “To my mind, I owe you a debt. I’ll help you find your Hellman, no questions asked. Ride or die.”

  “Heh, saying I’m one of yours now?”

  “You said it yourself, you were when ya came here. Nomads help each other out, no matter the clan.” Except if you’re Raffen Shiv, but that goes without saying. I gave Panam a call to make communication easier again.

  “So tell me about him,” I asked her, “About Scorpion.”

  “Heh, where do I start…” she thought to herself, “Funny, he always told me I would hate this city.”

  “He knew you well?”

  “Better’n I know myself, most likely,” she audibly sighed over the engine noise, “Said I’d have enough of this city when I got my fill of coffee and kibble. Said we’d hit the road with thermoses of whiskey and unfulfilled dreams, infinite possibilities in our future.”

  “Sounds like an amazing man.”

  “Yeah… he was.”

  The airport… Fuck. I avoided coming here for years. Looks like someone’s taken up my old post, too… This wasn’t where they held him, though. Only places here are containers and hangars, and they’re in too much of a hurry to unlock anything we didn’t. No, not enough people, and no cars, either. This was a lookout, so they knew where to focus their attention. Panam and I simply drove around it, not needing to mess with them. “Fuck, all I see is sand and cracked asphalt,” she sneered, “And a shit-ton of turrets.”

  “Mm, and no Hellman,” I nodded, “Nah, there’s only one other place that’d be able to hold him. An old gas station about a half-mile due-north of here. It was our old listening post.”

  “Alright, then you lead the way,” she said despondently as we both revved the motorcycles again, launching them into the desert sands. “Fuck!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Why’s everything always gotta go to shit so much… All I wanted was to have a fucking life and shit like this keeps ruining it.”

  “Panam…”

  “I’m done. You hear me, V?” she sobbed, “I fuck up again, you better give me a good kick in the ass–”

  “Wait,” I interrupted her, “I see the gas station.” The morning mists cleared, giving way to the typical desert sun. Suddenly it was way too hot for this field jacket…

  I saw red smoke emanating from the roof, along with a fresh AV… What were they waiting for… “Looks like the AV for Hellman,” I whispered as I motioned for Panam to get into position. “Multiple sentries and drones. But we won’t have time for anything subtle – gonna have to take them head-on before reinforcements get here.”

  “Alright, so what’s the plan?”

  “Thinking what we need is a diversion. Now, they’re going to have a sniper posted up in that tower to the right, so I’m gonna work my way around there. Once I take him out, you pop an incendiary into the fuel pumps. I’ll get in through the back and see what they got in-store. There’s a reinforced central partition where we kept our surveillance equipment in the garage, that’s probably where they’re holding Hellman.”

  “Sounds good, ‘cept I don’t have incendiary rounds.”

  “Shit…” I thought to myself, “Alright, give me a shot on the rooftop sniper, I’ll take out the tower. They’re liable to home in on you, so I’ll get to the roof and work my way down. You take out any stragglers before they hit me once I’m inside. That work?”

  “Yeah, got that.”

  “Alright… I’m gonna get inside. Make absolutely sure they don’t get Hellman to that roof.”

  –

  V snuck up to the highway, using the traffic as cover to move between the grass. Snipers had the entire road zeroed, along with all of her backdrop. She relied entirely on Panam’s talents to ensure that she could zip across the right without being exposed to fire.

  “撃て [Shoot],” she whispered into her phone and Panam instantly fired, striking the sniper in the radio tower directly in the chest. Almost all of the base’s personnel instantly shifted fire to V’s left, allowing her an easy pathway across the road. However, the second sniper opened up too quickly, forcing Panam to retreat back behind the rock face. “Gaah…” she grunted, “Guy’s good.”

  V drew Shinden and sliced one of the airborne drones nearly in two as she passed, the monocrystalline structure making quick work of the soft steel braces and bringing all the fire back down on her. Divide and conquer – a fair strategy.

  She wordlessly leapt up onto the tower from behind whatever cover she could find, scrambling up to the top and drawing the sniper’s fire. Panam leapt out from behind her cover, taking aim and striking two more drones as V plunged herself down onto the rooftop, just barely dodging the marksman’s only chance at saving his own life. She hit the ground in a full-on sprint, halfswording Shinden and piercing the sniper in the heart, lifting him up off the ground from the force of her strike.

  Working her way around the AV proved a deceptively tough ordeal. Even as Panam drew the mass of the fire, V still found herself quickly outflanked by soldiers storming up the same tower she leapt off, and they were absolutely not fucking around. She created angles between her and her pursuers, buying Panam some time to move while V cut down the AV’s personal guard. He was evidently stunned by her presence and fired wildly at her, nearly striking her in the leg before V got the memo and returned his rounds back to sender.

  A final unseen sniper, however, proved the most troublesome. He held down Panam with accurate, sustained fire from the far end of the roof, forcing V to once again commit to an attack. With only seconds of leeway between her and the soldiers advancing on her rear flank, she ran directly at the sniper, taking him completely by surprise. However, he held his nerve, firing what would otherwise have been a dead-heat headshot at her without a moment’s hesitation.

  V quickly brought her weapon to bear, smashing the heavy-caliber round’s outer casing to pieces and ricocheting the core off the edge of Shinden. The projectile’s massive size made her sword ring like a bell, nearly destabilizing it from her hand as she crouched down and tightened her grip. Expect two follow-up shots, she thought to herself, as he re-engaged. His first shot was aimed center-mass, which she deflected off to her left, setting up her sword for a single massive swing.

  His second shot came as fast as he could pull the trigger, this time aimed straight for her head. V rotated her weapon flat-side forward and batted the bullet like a baseball, striking the sniper dead in the middle of his chest and nearly fracturing her own arm in the process from the tremendous recoil. The sniper fell to one knee and clutched his stomach, barely conscious but alive. She had more important things to worry about than finishing him off, however.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Much of the former fuel station laid in ruins, with a drone crashing into one of the fuel pumps at some point and igniting one of the holding tanks, nearly blowing up the entire building along with V. She pressed on, however, with Panam and the samurai double-teaming a soldier wielding a smart shotgun, the final vanguard between her and the interior.

  Multiple drones, turrets, and an equal share of soldiers between them have been decimated in the string of about 10 seconds, with Panam thoroughly out of breath. If she was in Arasaka’s armed forces, she’d easily be getting a medal for her efforts without question. V pressed on into the station itself, eagerly awaiting what surprises laid within.

  –

  “I’m inside,” I shouted over the phone as I drove my sword through some poor soldier’s shoulder blade, instantly shattering it before plunging it down into his chest for a quick and painless end. His head slammed onto the controls for the garage shutter, slamming it closed behind me as I rushed forward into the main convenience store.

  A massive Arasaka turret was there to greet me – our Arasaka turret. And greet me, it did – in fact it dared not fire on me, having my face imprinted into its IFF. Guess Kang Tao didn’t have time to override the controls. Sadly nope… no Hellman. Must be in our secure section in the garage after all. Alright…

  Hmph. Only a single soldier left. “Target has corp cyberware!” he shouted into his headset, “Hello?!”

  “Trouble?” I growled as I came around the corner, “Ah-ah-ah, I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Fuck you, woman!” he snarled at me, raising his SMG. Fucking adrenaline boosters… They’re probably the single largest cause of death by stupidity of anything else on the market. I’ll at least do him a solid and make it fast.

  “Panam, we’re clear,” I calmly told her. “Keep outside in case more arrive.” Meanwhile my hands couldn’t stop shaking… fuck… Way too many close calls on that roof. What an absolute mess… A sniper I didn’t see… people coming up behind me… Was I getting sloppy…? If it wasn’t for Panam, I’d definitely be dead. Or need a totally different approach at any rate…

  These guys were hardened professionals – well, the reinforcements were. Looks like the ones driving away with the VIP were green as hell, probably expecting the AV to do all the work for them… Shit. No, no, no… I’d never be this sloppy… What the fuck is happening to me…

  Fucking hell, right, Hellman… Okay, surveillance room first, secure room second. He could be in either one. And there’s a case of brandy in the surveillance room, so…

  …Oh. And, uh… an old guy…?

  “Don’t shoot, I’m unarmed,” he immediately told me as I walked through the door, “Or, uh, cut. Or whatever it is you were plannin’ to do.”

  “O-Oh, uh… sir?” I raised an extremely curious eyebrow, “What’re you doing here, may I ask?”

  “This’s my station. Name’s Marty.”

  “V… uh, your station?”

  “Yeah, fixed it up after the War. Someone did a number on it, took forever to get it all up’n runnin’ again. And those fuckin’ suits rolled up like they owned the place. Locked me in here and threw away the key ‘till you showed up.”

  “Huh…” I put my hand on my hip, now genuinely interested, “You seem pretty calm, considering the carnage.”

  “Ain’t my first rodeo,” he said matter-of-factly, “Once the dust falls, the problems disappear one way or another. And I just pick up the pieces and carry on.”

  “Heh, can’t fault you there,” I chuckled, “Look, I’m not sure if you noticed a, uh, little hidey-hole behind the box in the corner there? My friend and I had some brandy we were saving. Was wondering if you had it on you.”

  “Oh, that? That’s been there since way before even I got here.”

  “I’m aware. It’s a Baalbek Arak, 2067.”

  “Heh, you know your drinks… well alright then, yeah, sure. Can buy it off me, for 10 large.”

  “Ten thous… Fuck. Alright, fine,” I grumbled.

  “Heheh, come back anytime,” he smiled at me.

  “Yeah, yeah…” I muttered and walked away, collecting the bottle from the cubby that Ayuzawa appropriated all those years ago… Good times… “Now do me a favor, stay put for a few more minutes. I got some more work to finish off, then I’ll be out of your hair. Best keep to this room.”

  “Exactly my intention.”

  Alright, now for Hellman. Not like he’s going anywhere fast.

  I burst in through the door and interrupted what seemed like Hellman’s combat medic doing a quick run-down of his injuries he sustained in the crash.

  “Anders Hellman, I presume– ah, don’t move,” I deftly unsheathed Shinden and pointed it straight at the pair of them. The sole inexperienced paramedic ducked down impulsively, cowering in fear. Hellman himself remained relatively firm, though undoubtedly shaken.

  “Who the hell are you? What’re you doing here?!” he demanded as Johnny appeared behind the pair of them.

  “Little rat’s run outta places to scurry off to. Look at ‘im, looks like he’s about to piss his pants. Shut him up already.”

  “Don’t like him much, huh?”

  “You haven’t found a fan in him, either,” Johnny stated the obvious, as usual, “Motherfucker doesn’t know who to be scared of more – you or Arasaka. Though I’m pretty sure he can’t tell the difference right now.”

  “Nothing personal, sir,” I muttered as I bashed him over the head with the back-end of Shinden, knocking him out cold. Johnny reappeared next to his slumped-over body, having a cigarette – surprise, surprise.

  “Seem to recall you were gonna call Takemura when you got Hellman,” he noted.

  “Thanks, didn’t know you doubled as an Agent,” I scoffed at him, sheathing Shinden and leaving the poor soldier next to Hellman to change his pants.

  “Just remember, you have Hellman and that’s one helluva card – don’t waste it.”

  “I know, I know…” I rolled my eyes and called Takemura, “But he did save my life. No matter what, I still owe him for that.” I pulled out my phone and started dialing.

  “Yeah, and planted a tracker in your shoulder, don’t forget that bit. It’s all in his fuckin’ interest. He’s not your friend.” I’m well aware of that, Johnny…

  “V,” Takemura answered, “Any leads into what we discussed?”

  “Indeed, I have– uh, hang on,” I held my phone away from my ear, “Sir, do you mind? I’m on the phone,” I sneered at the whimpering soldier as he grovelled in the corner before quickly falling silent. “Fuck - Right, excuse me. I have Hellman. Alive.”

  “Alive?! Where? I’ll come to you.”

  “Meet me at the Sunset Motel,” I implored him, “I'll let you know when. I want to have a few words with him first, if you don’t mind.”

  I heard a mass of engines echo outside – the Aldecaldos, I presumed. I threw Hellman over my shoulder and headed downstairs and – sure enough, the whole parking lot was packed absolutely to the brim with cars, motorcycles, and trucks. It was a sight to behold, with Panam herself standing front and center.

  “The road was clear, I don’t think we were spotted, “Mitch appeared from behind one of the vans as I set down Hellman on one of the gang’s motorcycles, “But if it’s all the same to you two, we shouldn’t stick around too long – that our guy?”

  “Yeah, I’ll take him, don’t worry,” I smiled, “Thanks, Mitch.”

  “No problem, ‘s what brothers are for.”

  “What do you plan to do with him?” Panam asked me.

  “Just ask him a few questions, that’s all.”

  “Well I hope he gives you a few answers, then,” she winked. Suddenly, a massive beefcake of a man got out of one of the trucks and walked up to the three of us. “Saul…” Hm… So this is the leader of the Aldecaldos, currently… I can certainly see why. He commanded presence, even out here.

  “I heard Mitch is alive, thanks to you,” Saul Bright spoke in a deep, smoke-tinted voice.

  “Thanks to both V and Panam, they both saved my ass,” Mitch interrupted him.

  “I just hope he was worth it,” Saul shot a stare at Panam.

  “Saul, I tried to raise Scorpion,” she stuttered, “B-but he…” he just stood there and shook his head before turning around wordlessly. “Maybe I could help out…”

  “I think you’ve helped enough,” he scolded her.

  “I tried to stop him!” she spoke through tear-filled eyes, “Sure, just turn around now! Let it all be damned! You’re good at that, aren’t you?!”

  “Thanks for your support,” I interrupted her, speaking directly to Saul.

  “You helped us, we help you,” he nodded at me, “Have a safe return.”

  Saul left Panam without saying another word to her. Just… walked off. Saying all he needed to say to her. Lost in her own murderous thoughts, Panam could do nothing but frustratedly kick the tire of Scorpion’s bike that Hellman now rested on. “Damn it all…” she muttered through a shaky, broken voice.

  “Look, just give him some time. It seems like he cares a lot about you, so–”

  “I don’t give a damn,” she interrupted me.

  “But he gives a damn about you,” Mitch finished my statement, “As soon as he heard what’d happened, he ordered us to follow you. He was worried something might happen to you.”

  “Saul…? That was his–”

  “Look, maybe you two don’t see eye to eye at the moment,” Mitch stopped her, “But you’re family. And Saul will do anything for family.”

  “Am I even part of the family anymore, though…”

  “You know you are,” Mitch spoke endearingly, “Come back to us.”

  “Pff…” Panam let out a long, drawn-out breath as she held her head in the air, pondering Mitch’s statement. I truly felt for her – she lost so much already.

  “I understand,” Mitch finally said before gently patting her shoulder and walking off. Seems they really are all family. And like any close-knit family, communicate almost wordlessly, through years of built-up intimacy and trust.

  “Sorry you had to see that…” she sighed to me, “Things just get dramatic… complicated sometimes. But I will manage. You be alright?” Like a real trooper, Panam lifted her head up high despite everything that’d transpired.

  “Listen, Panam – Saul and Mitch and the others. They really do treat you like family. More than the Bakkers ever did with me… You really should give the offer some thought, at the very least.”

  “It is not that simple.”

  “Oh come on, of course it is,” I scoffed at her, “You just went through a hell of a period of self-discovery and all it did was lead you in a circle, right back to the Aldecaldos. That’s not you running away from your problems or anything, it’s you running to where you belong. Don’t throw that away, throw your family away, because you’re caught up in the moment–”

  “They’re coming,” someone from the rooftop shouted, “About two minutes out!”

  “Alright, let’s move!” the pack chanted, rushing to their vehicles. I loaded up Hellman on Scorpion’s motorcycle and fired it up.

  “Panam, you coming?”

  “Nah, take it, we’ll pick up the bike later,” she smiled, “Good luck, V.”

  “Thanks, you too, Panam.”