The alleyway stank of stale urine and rotting garbage. A garbage dump of urban decay that, strangely enough, felt better than the sterile, unsettling atmosphere of the Arasaka lab.
Definitely better than what happened after.
But even amidst the familiar stench of urban blight, a prickling sensation crawled across my skin, a warning bell ringing in the depths of my enhanced senses.
Eyes.
Everywhere.
Not human eyes, but the cold, unblinking gaze of surveillance cameras, perched atop buildings, mounted on street lights, embedded in the very walls of the alleyway itself.
Their lenses, glinting in the pre-dawn light, tracked our every move, recording our every breath, feeding our images into some unseen network of control.
I raised a hand, silencing Rem and Ram before they could speak. They looked at me, their expressions questioning, a flicker of concern in their eyes. I pointed towards the cameras, my gaze conveying the urgency, the need for caution.
They understood.
We moved then, silently, swiftly, our enhanced speed allowing us to navigate the maze of alleyways and backstreets, staying out of sight of the watchful lenses. I remembered the speed those spine implants had granted the NCPD officers, the way their bodies had moved with a fluid grace that defied their bulky armor.
I mimicked that speed, my movements a blur, my senses hyper-alert, my mind mapping out the city, searching for a safe haven.
I needed to maintain the speed that was believable.
We ended up in a parking lot, its asphalt cracked and littered with debris, its air thick with the stench of exhaust fumes and decay. The cameras here were already broken, their lenses shattered, their wires dangling uselessly. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.
I ducked behind a rusted-out car, its paint peeling, its windows long gone, its interior a haven of shadows. I pulled out my potion kit, the familiar routine, a grounding ritual amidst the uncertainty of this new world.
Telepathy. That's what we needed.
The potion took shape.
It was even more simple than the telekinesis potion.
We drank the potions, the liquid cool and invigorating, a tingling sensation spreading through our minds, a sense of newfound connection blossoming between us.
Cameras, I thought, projecting the image, the concept, into their minds. 'They're everywhere. Watching. Recording. We need to be careful what we say, or even what we do.'
I explained the function of cameras, their ability to capture images and transmit them to unseen observers. I described the pervasive surveillance network that likely blanketed this city, the unseen eyes that tracked every movement, every interaction.
'We're outsiders', I continued, my thoughts laced with urgency. 'They don't know who we are, where we came from, what we're capable of. That makes us valuable to morons who have no scale of power. In a world where how much metal you have in you informs how powerful someone is physically- these people with no reference for magic will just repeatedly slam themselves against a steel board until they all die. I really don't want to kill literally everyone to make them give up. Because they won't give up until they are all dead.'
I could practically feel their unease, their growing understanding of the precarious situation we were in.
'That's disgusting, why would anyone care enough to stare at people all day.' Ram mentally exclaimed.
Rem just nodded with a grossed out look on her face while looking around.
'People like these- they want absolute control, but that's not the only disgusting thing-, if they find out our slightest secret, they'll want to study us, to dissect us, to unlock the secrets of our powers- even if they can't do it- they won't care and will keep trying,' I warned. 'We can't risk revealing anything. Not even the smallest detail. Not now, not ever.'
This wasn't the waterfall world where the physical strength of a singular individual could destroy everyone around them.
This was a world where power was measured in money and resources- and that's the bare basics. I had no idea what else this society had in store.
Except they wouldn't accept that their money and resources couldn't buy our abilities.
I continued to explain my thoughts, after only a short period of giving examples of modern human nature, and letting them extrapolate based on what they have already seen, they gave begrudging agreement.
They didn't seem to get it entirely, but I'm sure they would understand eventually.
I was probably even underestimating their depravity.
—
'Ideas?' I projected the thought, my mind reaching out to Rem and Ram, We stood huddled in the shadow of a towering skyscraper, the morning sun glinting off its mirrored windows.
Around us, the city pulsed with a frenetic energy, a symphony of noise and motion - hover cars zipping through the air, pedestrians jostling on crowded sidewalks, neon signs flashing, advertisements screaming for attention.
'We need shelter,' Rem thought back,. 'A place to rest, and to plan, to learn more about this world. But without money… or whatever currency they use here our options are limited.'
Stealing is always an option, Ram chimed in, her thoughts tinged with a mischievous glee. I'm sure these corporate fat cats have plenty to spare.
'We're trying to avoid unnecessary conflict, remember?' I reminded her, my thoughts firm. 'Besides, stealing physical objects is… complicated in this world. Everything is probably connected, tracked, monitored. We'd be painting targets on our backs.'
We fell silent, our minds searching for alternatives, our gazes scanning the urban landscape for inspiration.
Then, a series of towering screens, embedded in the side of a nearby building, flickered to life, blasting a barrage of images and sound into the street. A woman, her attire barely more than strategically placed metallic strips, writhed suggestively, her voice a throaty purr as she extolled the virtues of some luxury apartment complex.
The content of the advertisement was… distracting, to say the least. But amidst the blatant pandering and hypersexualized imagery, a thought sparked in my mind.
Mega Buildings, I projected, the image of the towering structures dominating the cityscape filling our shared mental space. Even with this city's massive population, there's no way every apartment in those things is occupied. There must be empty units, abandoned spaces, forgotten corners.
'You think we could just… find an empty apartment and move in?' Rem's thoughts were full of skepticism.
It's worth a try, isn't it? Ram countered, her voice laced with a hint of excitement. Besides, who's going to stop us?
We moved then, slowly walking as we tried to find more broken cameras.
The urban garbage pile was a real obstacle, but not enough of one to stop us.
A group of men, their faces etched with a predatory hunger, their eyes lingering on us with unsettling intensity, fell into step behind us, their thoughts a tangled mess of greed and malice. They were mostly covered in really old cybernetic enhancements that looked more run down than the city around us.
I ignored them, focusing on our destination- Megabuilding H12, a towering monolith of steel and glass that loomed over the surrounding cityscape that was even marked by its big 'H12' sign.
We reached a side street, its cameras conveniently shattered, and with a surge of speed, vanished.
The world blurred, the cityscape seeming to pause as movements around us ceased to matter with our current speed.
As we moved faster than the human eye could track, faster than even the most advanced surveillance systems could capture.
I noticed Ram hung back for a bare moment before catching up.
We reappeared on a fire escape, fifteen floors above the bustling streets, the air thick with the scent of exhaust fumes and industrial grime.
'Those men-,' Ram's thoughts were shoved full with disgust and wiping some blood off of one of her knives, as they disappeared a moment after. 'They were planning to harvest our organs. Sell them to some *ripperdoc* who supplies a gang called *the Animals*.'
I filed that information away, a chilling reminder of the darkness that lurked beneath the city's glittering facade.
'We'll deal with them later', I thought, my gaze fixed on the towering megabuilding, its countless windows like the eyes of a watchful giant. 'Right now, we have bigger problems to solve'.
We moved with a speed that defied human perception, our enhanced bodies a blur, the world around us seeming to slow to a crawl. The wind whipped past us, a muted roar, but our combined efforts - Rem and Ram manipulating the air with their mana, me channeling my chi to suppress the shockwaves - kept our passage silent, invisible to the watchful eyes of the city.
—
We reached the base of the megabuilding, but going in the front with all those cameras and using the elevator is moronic.
—
We bypassed the entrance, scaling the massive wall with effortless grace, our enhanced strength and agility turning the skyscraper into just another walkway.
The penthouse suites, perched atop the building like a crown of steel and glass, seemed like a logical starting point.
Luxury, exclusivity, and, hopefully, a healthy dose of neglect.
I moved from apartment to apartment, my enhanced senses probing through walls, scanning for signs of life, for any indication of occupancy. Seven penthouses, each one a testament to wealth and excess, yielded nothing but locked doors, automated security systems, and digital displays proclaiming "Rent Paid" or "Rent Due."
—-
Finally, on the nineteenth floor- out of freaking 90, I found it- Apartment 1906. Empty. No signs of life, no digital greetings, no security measures beyond a simple glitching electric lock that yielded easily to my touch.
—
I quickly backtracked, repairing the walls I'd damaged in my peeking on security with a wave of telekinetic energy, the metal flowing back into place, the locks clicking shut, leaving no trace of our intrusion.
—
Back in Apartment 1906, I surveyed our new haven, a spacious, luxurious dwelling with panoramic views of the sprawling cityscape.
The furniture was sleek and modern, the walls adorned with abstract art that made my head hurt, the kitchen stocked with appliances I didn't recognize.
'They didn't even bother to cut off the power or the net access', I conveyed, my gaze drawn to a sleek, black computer terminal that sat on a desk overlooking the city. 'These corporate types are either incredibly trusting- which that's impossible- or incredibly stupid.'
Or it's a trap, I didn't mention.
I settled into a plush chair, my fingers flying across the keyboard, my mind racing as I delved into the digital world, a realm as alien and unsettling as the physical landscape of Night City itself.
The Net, as they called it here, was a vast, chaotic labyrinth of information, misinformation, and outright propaganda.
It was controlled and filtered- but you could pay to make the filters stop caring. I quickly realized, the megacorporations cared about profit more than anything else. What was the truth for a few 'eddies' or eurodollars- controlling the flow of information by shoving it full of nonsense seemed only logical to them apparently.
The good stuff, the real secrets, the unfiltered truth- that was locked behind paywalls, encrypted firewalls they seemed to call 'ice' for some ungodly reason, and guarded, stolen, or traded by shadowy figures known as 'netrunners' who could navigate the digital landscape with a skill and speed inside the net- that rivaled my own enhanced abilities outside the net.
'No way in hell am I plugging some chip into my brain,' I shouted internally, a shiver of revulsion running down my spine at the thought of shoving any sort of metal weakness into my body.
There had to be another way.
—
Technokinesis. That's what I needed. The ability to manipulate technology with my mind, to bypass the digital gatekeepers, to access the information I needed without surrendering my autonomy and sanctity of self.
000
I brewed a potion, a swirling concoction of herbs, crystals, and a few scavenged electronic components. I drank it, the metallic taste making me gag, the energy coursing through my veins a chaotic jumble of static and sparks. It didn't work.
10 alternative recipe's later- nope.
—
This is stupid! How did that recipe not work?!
—
Nothing.
—
Damn it. It seemed potions couldn't create technokinesis, I realized. Not directly, anyway.
—
But what if I combined my existing abilities?
—-
Telekinesis, telepathy, electrokinesis- a trifecta of mental and energetic manipulation that might, just might, bridge the gap.
I made something for electrokinesis and gave them to Rem and Ram as well.
Then I focused my will, channeling my chi, visualizing the flow of electricity, the intricate circuitry of the computer terminal, the data streams pulsing through its digital veins.
I managed to make a small change, a single line of code altered, even without knowing a lick of what I did- it was cool!
Triumph washed away my frustration!
Then, the terminal sparked, a plume of acrid smoke erupting from its vents. The lights in the apartment flickered, then died, plunging the room into darkness.
The power grid for the entire megabuilding, it seemed, had decided to join the party.
"Shit," I muttered, the distant wail of sirens a symphony of impending doom.
—
Two minutes.
That's all the time I had before the NCPD, no doubt alerted by the power outage, was swarming the floor, their cybernetic eyes scanning for intruders, their weapons primed and ready.
I swallowed the poison potion, my focus sharp, my intention clear.
The fire escape of the nineteenth floor twenty-eight hours earlier.
-
Darkness.
Then, the familiar jolt of returning awareness.
—
We were back on the fire escape that led to the 19th floor.
I could tell that we arrived earlier than we existed here.
Round two,' I thought grimly, a new determination hardening my gaze. 'This time, we do it smarter.'
Rem and Ram just gave me a disapproving look, long having decided to let me handle this nonsense.
They both seem a bit irritated though.
—
I decided we needed a shared mindscape so that we didn't have to keep reconnecting every death and so that images could be sent more efficiently.
Rem and Ram barely protested before agreeing.
—
'Alright, new plan'. I projected the thought, a mental image of a sleek, chrome skyscraper emblazoned with the Militech logo forming in our shared mindscape.
We were back in the familiar alleyway, the pre-dawn light filtering through the grimy windows of the surrounding buildings, the stench of decay a pungent reminder of the city's underbelly.
'We need information', I continued, my thoughts sharp, focused. 'We need to understand this world, its rules, its power structures and even find a way to spend and earn money. We also need to do it fast.'
I'd spent the past twenty-eight hours, considering the whole time loop thing- scouring the Net, searching for answers using our stolen lodgings computer, for insights, for anything that could give us an edge in this chaotic, metal obsessed world.
And I'd found something. Something intriguing. Something potentially advantageous to us.
'Skill shards', I thought, projecting the image, the concept, into their minds. 'They're data packages, I think. Compressed knowledge, skills, memories, implanted directly into the brain. They can teach you anything- languages, combat techniques, even specialized skills like programming and netrunning.'
'Programming? Netrunning?' Rem's thoughts were laced with confusion. .What are those?.
I have no idea,. Ram admitted. 'But if Tereda thinks they're important, then they're probably important even if everything he does seems to trigger the city guard equivalent to try to smash their heads against us.'
Well if Ram is going to admit something, She's definitely going to snark too.
'I might have a vague understanding of programming,' I added, a flicker of memory from my Earth Bet days surfacing. But it's ancient history. Probably as useful as a stone tablet dipped in cool-ranch in this world.'
'So, we're going to steal these… skill shards?' Rem's thoughts were cautious, hesitant.
'Not just any skill shards,' I clarified. 'The ones for programming and netrunning. Those are the keys to unlocking the secrets of this world, to understanding how their systems work, how their information and infrastructure works.'
I've got a lead. I projected a mental image of a heavily fortified research facility, its location pinpointed on a map I'd painstakingly pieced together from fragments of data gleaned from the Net. 'Militech's 14th R&D manufacturing facility. That's where Militech manufactures these things. It's heavily guarded, of course..'
'We'll manage', Ram interrupted, a confident smirk in her mental voice. 'We always do. It's not like we're keeping this loop anyway.'
'What about us?' Rem's thoughts were laced with a quiet intensity. 'Are we simply to stand by while you delve into the mysteries of this programming and netrunning?'
'Of course not,' I reassured her. 'We'll all learn. We'll use these skill shards to download the knowledge directly into our minds. Hopefully'
Rem smiled as if I just passed some sort of test.
I shrugged.
—
The Militech facility, a gleaming chrome and glass monolith, loomed before us, its sleek lines and imposing facade a stark contrast to the grimy alleyways and decaying buildings that surrounded it. A fortress of technology, guarded by automated turrets, laser grids, and heavily armed security personnel.
They didn't matter, though.
We weren't intimidated.
"Ready?" I asked, my voice a low hum in our shared mindscape.
'Always', Rem thought back, a predatory gleam in her mental voice.
'Let's do this', Ram agreed, her thoughts laced with a quiet boredom that seemed to fill the room.
We moved then, a blur of motion, our enhanced speed turning the world around us into a silent, monochrome tableau.
The wind screamed past, a muted roar, but our combined efforts- Rem and Ram manipulating the air with their mana, me channeling my chi to suppress the shockwaves- rendered our passage silent, invisible to the watchful eyes of the city's security systems.
It wasn't for stealth- though.
It was to not damage the merchandise.
We didn't bother with stealth once we were inside.
We didn't need to.
I slammed through the facility's reinforced doors, the metal shrieking in protest as it yielded beneath my movement, twisting, crumpling, folding inwards as if struck by an invisible giant.
The alarms blared, a cacophony of sound that barely registered amidst the pounding of my heart, the surge of adrenaline that coursed through my veins.
We were a whirlwind of motion, a storm of unleashed power, our enhanced abilities turning the facility's defenses into a joke.
Automated turrets swiveled, their targeting systems struggling to keep up with our speed, their bullets ricocheting harmlessly off our enhanced bodies.
Laser grids flared, their beams cutting through the air, but we were already gone, our movements a blur, our bodies shifting, phasing through the deadly beams as if they were mere wisps of smoke.
I ignored the security personnel, their panicked shouts and desperate gunfire a distant hum.
My focus was on the prize- the skill shards.
I found them in a secure vault in the lower floor, rows upon rows of data chips, their boxed packaging ready for sale.
I swept them into my soul storage, my mind already cataloging their potential uses, their possible dangers.
The other skills weren't packed separately like I expected them to be, so that made it easier to shove martial arts, gardening, cooking, swordsmanship-, even goddamn pranking, into my soul inventory.
Beside the skill shards, I discovered boxes filled with other finished products, ready for implantation. Cyber arms, sandi-whatevers, I don't care to pronounce those karen-zi scoffs, and even some kiroshi eyes.
I'm not saying optics, get the fuck outta here!
I took them all, my soul storage effortlessly able to accommodate the influx of crap.
Then, my gaze landed on a device that sent a jolt of excitement through me. A standalone unit, its sleek black casing adorned with a single, glowing blue port. A label, printed in crisp, white lettering, proclaimed it to be a "Skill Shard Reader/Writer."
'Jackpot,' I sent, showing my prize to Rem and Ram.
They just shrugged at me.
This was it.
A way to access the information within the skill shards.
I would still practice my technokinesis first, but this was a great backup.
I grabbed the device, along with several hundred packages of basic computer terminals- practice subjects for my burgeoning technokinesis.
Four minutes.
That's all it took.
We exited the facility, its interior a chaotic mess of shattered metal and smashed security systems, our soul storage spaces chock full with stolen data and technological treasures.
But as we stepped out into the pre-dawn light, a wave of irritation washed over me.
The facility was surrounded.
NCPD cruisers, their lights flashing, their sirens wailing, blocked every exit.
Heavily armed officers, their faces grim, their weapons trained on us, formed a cordon, their numbers seemingly endless.
I knew this would happen but it was still fucking annoying.
I didn't hesitate.
I swallowed the poison potion, its bitter taste familiar, its effect instantaneous.
The world dissolved into darkness.
And then, we were back.
Apartment 1906. Twenty-eight hours earlier. The familiar hum of the city, the pre-dawn light filtering through the windows, the stolen luxury of our temporary haven.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, a wave of relief washing over me.
'That was- okay I guess' Ram muttered.
'But we got what we needed,' Rem added, her gaze fixed on me, a smile on her face that drew my breath away.
'Maybe you can take me on a date again when we have access to money. Please?'
I could only smile back happily. 'sure.'