"That's the deal. If you can wait a few more days, all the better—you'll naturally get more out of it.
Some benefits can't be measured in money.
But... this is your choice.
If you're not willing, you can walk away now. My people will take over the goods.
Either way, the pay stays the same."
In the dim, run-down paint factory, Arthur's gaze wavered with hesitation. He wasn't sure if he should keep wading into this mess.
So far, this Fixer from City Center had kept his word. Maybe it was safe to keep going.
"Uh... maybe you should be more specific. At the very least, I need to know who I'm supposed to shoot... right?"
Arthur rubbed his chin, squinting as he asked.
"Hahaha... naturally.
The job's simple: just make sure that thing stays in your hands.
Hide it, fight for it—whatever. As long as it's there when our people come for it."
"Doesn't sound... too hard."
"So, what do you say? We take it?"
Daino's voice carried a probing tone.
"We'll take it. Just feels like it's being handed to us for free."
Arthur ended the call, his focus snapping back to the present.
He was sitting in a room now.
In front of him was a makeshift table pieced together from bricks and crates. Around it stood members of the Animals, along with Jackie.
Sasquatch glared at Arthur, her displeasure plain on her face.
"A man as strong as you, and you take orders from this pretty boy?"
Her gravelly voice was aimed at Jackie, but her eyes never left Arthur.
Clearly, Jackie had earned these muscleheads' respect—but only for himself.
"Ha... ha..."
Jackie waved his hands awkwardly.
"We... we're a team, right?
And Arthur's a crucial part of it.
Ha..."
But his weak excuse didn't convince anyone.
Rose slammed both massive hands onto the table, nearly shattering its fragile, patchwork surface.
"Hey!
Pretty boy!
Give me a straight answer!
Do you have the guts to take this job or not?
We might talk rough, but we don't force our friends."
By "friends," she obviously meant Jackie. Arthur knew where he stood.
Facing these brutes, Arthur was out of his element. Irritated, he scratched his stubble and sighed.
"Tell me straight. What's the situation?"
"Quit dragging it out!
It's simple... the place we're holed up in is dark and falling apart. We want to move.
We've got our eyes on the Grand Imperial Mall.
Not long ago, the investors bailed, leaving only a few guards to watch over the equipment.
We drive those little bugs out, and we get ourselves a brighter place."
Her booming voice turned even casual words into a shout. Luckily, this was deep inside the Animals' hideout; otherwise, the whole world would've heard their scheme.
"The Grand Imperial Mall..."
Arthur had never heard of it.
"How many people inside? Who's guarding it? You must know that much."
"Bah! Just a bunch of bugs. Why bother?
We storm in, and anyone who doesn't run gets crushed. Simple."
Sasquatch's fists clenched with a sharp crack, her expression savage, like she could tear someone apart.
Arthur raised a finger, his tone dropping.
"Easy to say. Why don't you go yourselves?
And... what's the pay? We're not here to do charity."
"There are things we're not good at.
As for pay..."
A rare, uneasy look flashed across Sasquatch's face as she thumped her fist against her head.
"We don't have much cash—thirty or forty thousand. It's not much.
But once we take the place, you can grab whatever valuables you find.
And consider us owing you a favor. If you ever need help, come to us.
As long as it's not sending our boys to die, we'll be there."
She thumped her chest as she spoke, the gesture stripping away any hint of femininity.
"And what about a concrete plan? Do you have one?"
Arthur pressed further.
"A plan?
That's why we brought you in. We don't do plans.
You figure it out. Just make sure fewer of our boys die."
It seemed workable. They could even use the chaos to stash the goods—two birds with one stone.
Still, they needed intel. Charging in blind would be far too reckless.
"We've got one more condition."
Arthur pointed to the pitch-black box sitting off to the side.
"Keep it safe for us. If everything else lines up, we'll be ready to move tomorrow.
Also—no one else knows about this plan yet, right?"
"No one."
At Arthur's question, Sasquatch looked around, puzzled, before answering.
"The goods are safe with us—no problem."
The burly woman thumped her chest again in guarantee.
Once the decision was made, speed was crucial.
Not for any other reason—Arthur studied the Animals' core members with a complicated look.
If they didn't move fast, within two days all of Pacifica would know. Give it another day, and word would spread through every bar in Night City.
"Remember—keep it quiet."
Arthur wasn't sure his words would help, but he said them anyway.
With that, he stood and left with Jackie.
Misty Olszewski's car had partial damage to the steering and brakes. Fortunately, the Animals—poor as they were—still had a few cars around.
Jackie got behind the wheel of a "new" ride.
Gripping the wheel, Jackie eyed the road ahead and asked casually,
"I thought you'd turn it down. Jobs that pop up out of nowhere usually aren't...
You know, the safest."
The sky was already dimming.
Though still in Pacifica, the Animals' base was far more desolate—especially compared to the Voodoo Boys' turf.
"But my experience says this: the more polished a plan looks, the more likely it is to go to shit."
Arthur's voice carried a strange edge of anger, making Jackie glance at him curiously.
"What do you mean? That doesn't make sense."
"Whether it makes sense or not doesn't matter."
Arthur gripped the side handle, his eyes fixed on the strip of road lit ahead.
"I can't explain it, but this lesson comes straight from experience."
...
(70 Chapters Ahead)
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