"Corpses and blood everywhere... People outside would never believe Night City could have a place like this, not if they've only seen the trailers."
V tried to crack a joke as they continued their search, going room by room, still without finding Evelyn.
"Trailers? Those things are never reliable," Jack shrugged. "I once thought about moving to Vista del Rey. My mom said it was worse than The Glen. I figured they were the same—same gangs, same filth—until I found an apartment that had two drug labs, a casino, and more joytoys than I could count."
"It used to be a booming area," Judy said. "Those high-rises are the proof. But you can see how it turned out."
"Just like Pacifica. Billions sunk into a pipe dream, and people jumped off those towers when it all fell apart," Roqi added, thinking of that once-promised paradise turned cesspool. "Didn't Kang Tao announce some... server hub or something in Pacifica?"
"Server base and logistics center," Judy corrected. "Wouldn't be surprised if they actually pull it off."
"I doubt it," Johnny cut in. "It's like stomping on an anthill—unless you nuke the whole mound, they'll just crawl up your pants and bite you."
"Who knows," Roqi muttered. "This place is a maze. Are Scavs part mole or something?"
"Maybe this one..." V said, sliding open a door. Inside, under a dim light, lay a bed.
A woman, barely clothed, bloodied and limp, was collapsed beside it.
"That's Evelyn. Don't touch her!" Judy shouted. "If she's recording, you could fry her brain. Let me cut the link."
She ran to the nearby terminal while V knelt beside Evelyn.
"Okay. On my mark. We need to disconnect at the same time."
V gently lifted her head. Her face was streaked with blood.
"Madre mía... she's messed up," Jack breathed.
The disconnect went smoothly, but Evelyn was in rough shape.
"Thank God!"
Judy rushed to her side, whispering softly.
Evelyn didn't respond.
"Whew... at least we found her," Roqi said, rolling his shoulders. "She's in bad shape. Let's prep for evac."
...
After parting ways with the others, Roqi and Mower took a Delamain cab back to Little China.
Not for any unfinished business—just because Roqi knew the place.
They found a modest motel. It wasn't fancy, but it had a bribe-friendly front desk. While the Konpeki fallout was still hot, checking in under real names would've been suicide.
"Get some sleep. It's been a long day," Roqi said, collapsing on the couch. "Sorry... Evelyn's mess had nothing to do with you."
"Why are you apologizing?" Mower sat on the bed, blanket over her legs, hugging her knees. She looked at Roqi's profile.
Moonlight, filtered through the city's neon, bathed the room in a quiet glow.
"You said it yourself. We're both homeless now."
Her jacket was draped beside her. She wore only a black tank top.
Her bare shoulders caught the light, and Roqi looked away.
"I don't even know where to go anymore."
He exhaled slowly, eyes on the ceiling.
"Wherever you go, I'll follow," Mower said.
Roqi turned to face her. Her face was still, serious.
"Thought I was smart. Had a plan. Get the relic, finish the deal, disappear. Didn't count on Evelyn's people ghosting us the moment Arasaka took a hit."
With his PDA cut off, Johnny couldn't hear them—only Roqi and Mower shared this space.
Roqi had never liked Johnny at first. The relic's resident rebel. But time had changed things.
"Sure, the relic's tempting. But dealing with corps? That's a death sentence. You know it."
Mower nodded.
"I finally get it—there's no such thing as 'one last job.' I played myself. Thought I'd walk out rich. Joke's on me."
"You're still alive. You saved me. V and Jack made it out okay. It's not over."
"Yeah..."
He lifted a hand, watching shadows move between his fingers.
People might not love Night City. But they couldn't leave it either.
Every person had a story. Night City was a monument to broken dreams. Once a symbol of the future, now a cautionary tale. Technology never solved the core problems. It just added new ones.
Here, people clawed for relevance. Status. Survival.
The city was built upward—and so was its hierarchy. Those at the bottom barely clung to the street.
But even here, dreams flickered.
In war-ravaged California, Night City was the last ember of hope.
Roqi's thoughts drifted. His soul wandered.
If this was a dream, let it be. At least he still had family.
V. Jack. Vic. Misty. Mama Wells. And now...
Mower.
He looked at her. She met his gaze.
He didn't belong here—but they made him feel like he did.
"Thanks."
"Why? That sounds so distant. If anyone should thank anyone, it's me."
Roqi smiled faintly.
Being a merc wasn't so bad—not with someone beside you.
She'd seen worse during her Militech days.
They said goodnight. Silence returned.
The city hummed.
"God, finally," Johnny's voice broke the stillness. "You shut off the PDA and went off to cuddle. I was dying in there."
"Didn't you say you liked it?"
"Yeah, until it became prison. Find the relic designer. Hermann, right?"
"He defected to Kang Tao. He's gone."
"Then go to Kang Tao! If I stay here, I'll be the first rockerboy to die inside a chip."
"Real persuasive."
"Fine. Go to Afterlife. Talk to Rogue. She'll help."
"And tell her what? That Johnny Silverhand's squatting in my PDA?"
"She's seen worse. Back in our day, your dad probably wasn't even born."
"Not so sure about that."
Roqi smirked.
"Just take me to Afterlife. I can't take it anymore."
"You've done time?"
"Central America. Then the pigs locked me up for playing shows with Samurai."
"Right... I forgot."
Johnny had quit the military after seeing too much. Formed Samurai to fight back. The corps hated him for it.
Roqi cut the link. Sleep tugged at him.
His body ached. Mind heavy.
"Ugh..."
A soft moan broke the quiet.
He sat up.
Mower twisted in bed, clearly in pain.
"Mower? You okay?"
He rushed to her side.
She winced, hands over her head.
Vision distorted. Pain pulsed down her spine.
"I'm okay... Just uncomfortable."
The episode lasted minutes. Just as Roqi was about to call Vic, it passed.
"Side effects. Don't worry. We'll see Vic in the morning."
He stroked her hair. She gripped his hand.
Eventually, she breathed easy.
Sleep claimed them both.
The room dimmed.
Then light returned—warm, golden.
It landed on their joined hands.
.
.
.
🤖 My Girlfriend's a Cyberpsycho—Who Knew?
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