Under the green-tinted lights, they passed through a security door and a pitch-black corridor before truly entering the private room.
"Hey, scoring a spot like this in the Afterlife... tells you all you need to know about the guy's clout."
Jackie nudged Arthur with his shoulder, whispering as they walked.
From a distance, voices could already be heard inside—dry, heavy, conjuring the image of a cigar smoldering in the dark.
Crossing into the inner lounge, they finally laid eyes on the Fixer Jackie had mentioned—
A heavyset black man, his bulging gut straining against an undersized vest. Red-tinted glasses hid his eyes, thick lips pushing through a dense beard. His right arm had been replaced with chrome, and in his hand he gripped a half-smoked cigar, talking into a comms line.
"That's it. My rules, my game. Don't make me repeat myself... My guests have arrived."
He ended the call, finally lifting his massive head. Spotting them, he pointed the glowing tip of the cigar in their direction—an intentionally rude gesture.
"And who's this? The one Jackie says is calling the shots? Sit down—if we can make a deal."
As Dexter DeShawn's words fell, Jackie jumped in.
"Hey! This is our guy—Arthur Morgan, my brother. Name's as fierce as a lion, and believe me, he's the best merc in Night City."
After introducing Arthur, Jackie turned back toward the man on the sofa.
"And this here is Dexter DeShawn, Night City's Black Jesus—the man who knows how to make eddies flow."
Arthur's eyes, shadowed under the brim of his cowboy hat, scanned the room. A circular black sofa lined the walls. At the center sat DeShawn, and beside him a beautiful black woman with her head bowed, making no move to join the conversation.
Arthur chose a spot by the door, Jackie sitting across from him.
"I don't see why we have to work together," Arthur said, setting his hat on the table. His blue eyes finally caught the light as he studied the Fixer. "With your reputation, you must have plenty of options."
DeShawn stuffed the cigar back into his mouth, drew deep, and finally spoke.
"Don't be so distant... You two have been making waves lately. Naturally, I wanted to meet Night City's rising stars.
Besides, Fixers and mercs—family business. The more you know, the wider your reach. Ain't that right?"
Cigar smoke curled thick into the air, drifting across his face. He seemed to enjoy the burn.
"But clearly... you're not showing much good faith. That doesn't sound like the attitude of someone serious about cooperation."
Arthur leaned back in his seat, meeting DeShawn's gaze. Even through those red glasses, DeShawn felt a weight pressing back.
"Interesting..."
The fat man chuckled, shifting his bulk forward.
"Makes me want to work with you even more. Everyone wants capable partners—that's the foundation of success."
Arthur and Jackie kept silent, waiting for him to continue.
"The gist is simple: find Yorinobu Arasaka and bring out his prize. Easy to say... not so easy to do."
At last, he got down to business. He pressed the cigar out on the table and went on, slow and deliberate.
"This Arasaka prince is holed up at Konpeki Plaza. Arasaka's royal palace in Night City—security's no joke.
But here's the good part: like some fairytale prince, he hates being smothered by guards. Barely has a detail with him.
So... all we need to handle is Konpeki's standard security."
DeShawn paused, flashing a smile at Arthur.
"Well? What do you say, friend? Stick to the plan, and we won't have to fire a shot. Big payout, no blood spilled... Who'd turn that down?"
Arthur's rasp carried a sharp edge.
"Sounds too easy. You don't hand out shares to strangers. Plenty out there can't shoot worth a damn, and you're not short on choices.
Konpeki Plaza's no friendly place—not for people like us.
So... be specific.
I'm not pressing you—just stating the truth. We're the ones betting our necks."
Clearly, Arthur wasn't buying it.
DeShawn pressed his palms down, grin steady.
"Alright, Mr. Morgan... here's the deal. Some prep work's still unfinished. Certain equipment. Some intel the client's holding onto.
You step in, and you'll learn everything you want to know."
No sooner had he finished than Jackie slapped the sofa back, voice booming.
"What equipment? That's not what we agreed, DeShawn. We're mercs, not your damn errand boys."
"This is the real work."
DeShawn lifted a hand to quiet him, then explained.
"To slip into Yorinobu's room, we'll need to bypass Konpeki Plaza's net security. Round-the-clock, airtight.
No way in from the outside. Not even the best netrunner can brute-force that wall.
So... we need another way."
He pulled out a shard and slid it across the table.
"Take a look. The solution's on there."
Arthur and Jackie exchanged a look. Arthur reached out, pinched the shard, and activated it.
Holo-data popped up—schematics of a robot.
DeShawn leaned in to explain.
"Not complicated. Militech gear—and only Militech makes toys tough enough to mess with Arasaka. Ha!
This prototype micro-combat bot—brand new tech.
A Militech convoy got hit not long ago. They don't know it yet, but the Maelstrom boys pulled it off."
Arthur finished scanning the data, then lifted his eyes back to DeShawn, who was still talking.
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
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