Ghost in the City

The second Silencer took about the same length of time to make as the first, although the Copperhead already had everything ready for the detachable Silencer. The Copperhead’s muzzle was already detachable. So I just unscrewed the old one, and made the silencer grooves the right length to screw right on.

When I was done. I pulled it into a shooting stance.. It was heavier than the old muzzle, but nothing excessive. It was getting late, but I didn’t feel like sleeping, so I grabbed my gear and headed out of my room.

“Where you going?” Jun called out from the couch as I walked in, and I shrugged.

“Shooting range. I made a silencer for my rifle, and I want to give it a test run.”

“Huh.” Jun replied as he stood up and walked over looking at the Copperhead that I was carrying in one hand as I held a box of ammo in the other. He moved in to take my rifle and I just sighed as I lifted it up so he could take it and look it over.

“You made this?”

“Just the silencer. I made one for my Lexington as well.”

“Not your Burya?”

“Pfft. The Electromagnets interfere with baffling tech. You can’t put a silencer on any of them.” I said with a shrug.

I crinkled my nose as I looked him over. “Why do you even want a silencer? You don’t fight sneaky.”

“Maybe I want to start.” He said with a smirk that told me that was a lie.

“You just want a silencer to show off how cool you are.”

“I want a silencer to show off how preem I am.” He agreed instantly without even attempting to deny it.

“Fine. Go get whatever you want one for. I’ll start making it before I head to the range.” Jun grinned at me as he ran into his own room and then to my surprise came out with a weapon I didn’t know he even had.

“When did you get this?” I asked, looking at the Malorian Overture that was… Well it was in Tyger Claw colors. Ugly was my first thought, but I wasn’t going to be mean to Jun.

“Fujimura-Sama gave it to me a while back. I don’t really use it though. So?”

“Nope.” I denied instantly. Laughing a bit as Jun’s face fell. “It’s not that I don’t want to make a silencer for you Jun, but look.” I pointed out the Overtures barrel. “Can you see the problem?”

“There isn’t anything to attach the silencer to?”

“Exactly. I would have to completely remake the barrel. Normally not a huge problem but this is a Malorian revolver. The entire upper receiver is a solid piece of metal, cause Malorian is extra like that. That means I would have to remake the whole thing.”

“I’m not seeing the problem here.” Jun offered and I waved a fist at him, making him back off.

“That’s a lot of work, and while I’m pretty sure I could do it… Give me some time and I’ll see what I can do. Until then, keep your revolver.”

“Fine. But you better remember!”

“I will. Jeeze. Okay. In that case-” I said, making my way towards the door. But Jun interrupted me with a grin.

“Let’s hang out at the range, Imouto.”

My shoulders slumped. I had been planning on doing some serious grinding… “Fine.”

I couldn’t say no to sibling time with Jun.

—--

We hadn’t gone to the range I had been visiting. Instead Jun had demanded we go to the TC range he had once dragged me to so long ago.

I had agreed, mostly because the ammo would be cheaper. But when we got there, got settled in, the worst had come to pass. That which I had feared.

Jun was a range hog.

He was happily plinking away with my Copperhead. “This silencer is preem Motoko.”

“It would be even more preem if I got a chance to shoot it.” I muttered quietly. I had told Jun I was here to stress test the silencer, and that was a mistake because he now had a perfect argument to keep shooting every time I got bored and wanted to shoot. ℞Ά₦ОВĘš

“Just a few more Imouto. Gotta see how your silencer handles it right?” He replied happily and I just glared. He was acting like a kid at a candy store. Which… Like I’m happy that Jun is able to look like a kid, but I really wanted to kick him in the shins for hogging my gun.

“Kusanagi, and the little Kusanagi. Good to see you back.” Grizzled gun range guy greeted us walking up as he looked over Jun’s shooting.

“Jun decided to join me.” I offered grumbling at my gun hog of a brother.

“Copperhead? Interesting choice. They are reliable, not the best though.”

“It works, that’s all I really need. The silencer is new. I made it myself. Jun is helping me stress test it.”

“Oh? Becoming a bit of a techy huh? Good skills to have. Especially if you know how to do gun work.” I nodded. The Grizzled old man’s whole job seemed to be maintenance and work here at the range.

“Yeah. It’s come in useful. I’m working on modding out some of my weapons. I did a silencer for my Lexington first.” I offered, then since the man was staring interested in the silencer at the tip of the Copperhead I pulled the Lexington silencer off my gun belt, and offered it to him.

He accepted it without another word. Quickly finding the latch to open it up and check the electronics, and going over the little device.

“Not bad.” He finally offered after a minute of looking through it. “You made it out of a printer right?”

“Yeah.”

“I can tell from the construction. Those things aren’t bad, Quality can take a hit if you aren’t careful though,” he said giving me advice.

“Hey, not bad.” Jun called out as he checked his score on the electronic targets.

“It could be better.” The man cut in before Jun could properly enjoy his score. “You’ve been jerking the trigger on every shot. It’s pure luck your chrome is heavy enough you aren’t missing every shot. Back to it, Kusanagi. There is no excuse for such shoddy marksmanship.”

I nodded along at the critique, until I realized it would mean Jun would keep shooting my gun.

“Try with a different gun. I would like to shoot my Copperhead at some point today.” I grumbled, and Jun chuckled at little as he put the rifle to the side and pulled out a Unity from a holster on his back and then began taking slow ponderous shots.

I wanted to groan as I realized Jun was going to take forever. Looking around the range I sighed. Every other lane was still taken, which means I would just have to wait.

“Bored?” I was asked and I nodded a little before he chuckled. “Come with me then.” The old grizzled man offered and walked back into his little office.

I considered it. Jun and I were hanging out…

But Jun was also being a scopmuncher right now so I followed, entering into the little office covered in guns and equipment to maintain said weapons.

I blinked interested as he walked over to a Masamune that was up on a clamp.

“You ever see one of these?”

“Arasaka Masamune, yeah. Never played with one though. Always thought they were a little overengineered.”

“Heh. Lot of kids have an opinion on one until they actually get their hands on them. Come over and tell me what’s wrong with this one.”

I blinked at the sudden challenge and shrugged. The Masamune was Arasaka’s pride and joy. An assault rifle that was engineered the shit out of. Incredibly light. Incredibly tough.

Expensive as shit, and as I said it was the sort of weapon that was engineered to hell and back. I wasn’t really a fan to be honest, but as I started running my hands over her. Gun Nut filling in a ton of information about the weapon I was holding I had to admit.

Araska did know how to make a good rifle.

It was probably a good ten, or twenty grand more than I would pay for a rifle, but you paid it for a reason.

Thankfully Gun Nut’s specialty was knowing whether a gun I picked up would fire in the heat of the moment, so just touching the Masamune told me what the problem was.

“Someone had an accident.” I muttered, as I pulled it from the clamp under watchful judging eyes. I pulled out the receiver, looking around I found a tool kit nearby and scooped it up, grabbed a screwdriver, unscrewed literally a dozen little screws.

Fuck you too Arasaka engineer.

And finally managed to pull open the upper to find the problem. Shrapnel had gotten into the firing assembly.

I pulled a piece out and whistled.

“Someone was lucky. Piece of bullet shrapnel right into the firing assembly.”

“You spotted it quick. They replaced the part of the upper receiver that was damaged and it wouldn’t shoot. They couldn’t figure out what happened so brought it to me.” He agreed nodding as I then sighed, a few more moments to check the chamber to make sure nothing else was damaged. I started the long task of putting this thing back together.

The best part of course was my reward.

*100 Technical Ability XP Gained*

“You needed me to look over your weapons last time you were here. Saratoga if I remember right.”

“That sounds right? Do I even still have the Saratoga?” I muttered to myself. Did I still have the Saratoga? I vaguely remember seeing it during the move. It was probably in my closet with most of the other weapons I had collected and didn’t use very often.

“You know how to handle a weapon. You didn’t need me to check them.”

“Ah.. I’ve learned a lot since then.” I muttered. “And Jun is always overprotective.”

“Hmm. If you ever want some work, come by. I could use an assistant.”

I opened my mouth to ask if he could even afford me, but honestly Grizzled gun range guy was cool for a TC guy.

“I don’t know if I’ll take you up on that, but I appreciate it.” Then again it could be a good excuse to grind some XP.

He just nodded in acceptance. “It’s on the table if you want it.” Then without another word he pulled another rifle down off the racks around the room. An Ajax this time and started working on it.

I thought about it.

Jun or guns…

I walked over and after checking it with Gun Nut, I worked with him on fixing the problem on the Ajax.

—--

“I can’t believe you left.” Jun grumbled at me, as we walked out of the hidden TC range.

“You hogged the entire lane. I didn’t even get to shoot!” I snapped at him, and Jun did have the decency to look a little embarrassed but then pointed a finger at me.

“You already shoot better than I do, so I need more practice than you.” He said, surprising me, as I felt my jaw drop open.

“You… complimenting me as an excuse for your bad behavior isn’t gonna work!” I retorted back, but damn him.

I was feeling better after being complimented.

Jun could tell as well as his smile went smug. “Your silencer was stress tested and I got some practice with a rifle. Don’t use them much so it was a nice experience.”

“Yeah you’re too much of an ogre to shoot straight. Better to stick with a shotgun or something.”

“Oni. I have class.” Jun’s retort earned him a very judgemental look from me, but we were outside and walking through multiple groups of TC gonks that were hanging around. So I did the nice thing and didn’t call out my brother in front of his gang.

Burrito boy has class? Pfft.

“Shut up.” He grumbled at me.

“I didn’t say anything!” I sing-songed at him, almost breaking into giggles as he reached out like he was going to smack me, or grab me, but I just danced out of the way.

“You don’t have to say anything to say something!”

“Oh no! The Ogre is after me!” I faux gasped and that set it off. A moment later Jun burst into motion to try and grab me, but once again my ankles proved to be the best thing ever. Because I leapt up and over, a foot daintily smashing into my brother's stupid face and then bouncing off that.

“Ow. Fuck Motoko!” Jun grumbled as I landed a dozen feet away. Laughing all the while as he rubbed at his face.

“Oh please. You have subdermal there, your face is more chrome than anything you baby.”

Of course Jun and I now had a crowd looking at us.

Jun just turned to give the grunts a glare that very swiftly had everyone minding their own business. On the other hand I just didn’t care.

Jun had wasted my gun range time, and now I was feeling impish.

“Don’t even think about it.” He told me as I felt my grin spreading across my face.

“Think about what?” I teased him, even as I reached over and handed my Copperhead to a TC gonk that I was now standing next to much to his surprise. “Hold this for a second.”

“Wha-?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I know you well enough-” Jun started but was cut off.

I charged at that moment as he was distracted, mid sentence, bringing him up short as I leapt up, but only to trick Jun into thinking I was going up high, instead I flipped landing on my hands, rolling into a somersault that had me sliding right between his legs and then behind.

Right as his socket chirped and ejected his bikes key shard.

“Yoink!” I chirped out, snatching it out of the air, and avoiding Juns retaliatory swipe.

“Motoko!”

“Hehehe!” I cackled as I leapt to make some distance, and now it was on.

“Give that back!”

“Oh no the Ogre is after me!” I called out waving the shard and then it really was. I dodged past him, as he made to tackle me, grabbed my copperhead from the staring TC grunt and I was off. On foot Jun was probably a little faster than me, but I had hops.

Every time he got close I would leap away, usually up high then leaping over something that he would have to traverse.

Of course I wasn’t just messing with my brother here. This was important training for my out of shape Ogre-Onii…

I mean sure maybe making him almost smash into a wall by hacking a vending machine so I could crush a can of Ni-Cola, making the concrete wet right as he was turning the corner was a bit mean…

Funny as fuck though!

I was still cackling as I finally ran into a dead end in an alleyway and realized I would have to go over Jun to escape. But as he rounded the corner, he just roared and leapt back at me.

Uh-oh. Instead of trying to escape I just leapt up onto a garbage can and then onto a fire escape climbing over just in time to avoid his grasping hands as he had tried to follow me.

We stood there for a second. Jun had no way to get up high enough to get me up here….

“Pfft.” I snickered and rolled over putting my hands onto my chin as I lay down on the fire escape and just looked at my brother. My brother, who was gasping for air.

“You need more exercise.”

“I don't... Usually run for that long!” He grunted up at me as he leaned against the wall.

“Like I said. Exercise.”

“Gonna… Gonna chip in some Synth-Lungs.” he grunted instead and I scowled.

“Yeah cause that’s what you need. More chrome. Gonk.” But I rolled my eyes realizing that my fun time was over. I quickly rolled off the fire escape and landed easily on the ground. I pulled out the key shard and offered it to Jun who quickly snatched it up and put it back in its socket.

“You… You are going to work on my defenses so no one else can picksocket me.” He grumbled at me with a pointed finger.

I just rolled my eyes. As if a netrunner with any skill would have any trouble breaking through any defense he put up.

“C’mon you lump. Let’s get you home.” I informed him as I started walking towards his bike and my Quadra.

His grumbling had me smiling happily as he followed after.

—--

*So this isn’t just a trap right?* I asked into our comm line as we were all waiting outside the Gold beach Marina, funnily enough.

*It’s not a trap… And if it is, that’s what you are here for.* Hiromi responded with a hint of amusement in her tone.. Malcolm had done exactly what he said he was going to do.

He had found someone selling a Caliburn, and he was going to buy it. So now all of Section 9 was here to make sure it wasn’t going to end up with a bullet hole in our choom.

Hiromi and Malcolm were out hanging around the front of the Marina waiting, while Ichi and I were in his truck.

The truck that was facing away from the Marina, its back door unlocked but held almost completely closed so I could see out.

There may or may not be an HMG sitting in the back of the truck just in case of any nonsense as well.

I patted my barely used girl as we all waited.

*That’s him.* Hiromi added suddenly and I looked back out.

Down the ramp into the Marina parking garage came a Rayfield Caliburn. Its engine rumbling as it went past Ichi and I, down into a parking spot near the entrance of the Marina.

*Look at that beauty.* Malcolm muttered on the line, and I rolled my eyes, probably Ichi and Hiromi doing the same right alongside me.

If I had to hear even a single more Caliburn ‘fact’ from Malcolm today I was going to stuff his mouth with an XXL burrito and throw him in a trunk.

The call went quiet from Hiromi and Malcolm. I watched them approach the man that stepped out.

No guards?

That guy was brave. Then again he was right next to the Marina and if he was a member the security would try to protect him.

A moment later all three of them went into the Marina to one of the bars near the entrance and started talking.

I could see thanks to my Kiroshi, but they were to far to hear, and I had zero skill in lip reading. The inability to hear reminded me and I pulled open one of my back pouches, pulling the MaxDocs off the top until I came to the bottom.

There was my directional microphone! I hadn’t had a chance to use it until now!

I quickly put it on, and pointed my finger in the right direction, it took a bit of wiggling around with the controls to get the right conversation but then I succeeded and was listening in.

It was boring!

Malcolm and the seller were literally gushing about the Caliburn… I instantly felt my brain shutting off. So I was mostly just zone out, sitting cross legged in the back of the truck waiting for something to happen.

And waiting.

And waiting.

Eventually, finally Hiromi and Malcolm stood up, Malcolm shook the man's hand and they both stepped out of the Marina.

Malcolm quickly broke into a run as he charged at the Caliburn, and it opened at his approach.

Hiromi took a few seconds to say something but they had moved enough my mic wasn’t catching it. Whatever his response was, it satisfied her and she started walking up towards the truck.

“I guess that means the deal was a success?” Ichi asked, seeing that everything was over I stepped out of the back of the truck to join them.

“Oh yeah. The guy was more than happy to sell, and Malcolm happy to buy.” Hiromi offered with a sigh. “They spent like twenty minutes just nerding out about the car.”

“Yeah I heard. If he liked his car so much, why sell it?” I couldn’t help but wonder. Especially since I remembered first hand what happened when I bought my Kusanagi.

“This was his second one. And it was older I guess… He mentioned something about it being too old for him…” Hiromi said and I rolled my eyes at that.

The rich kid that they had bought from was one of those guys then.

“So everything should be good?”

“It’ll be fine. The Rayfield contract was transferred over. As far as Night City, Rayfield, and anyone important is concerned the car is Malcolms now.”

“Contract?” Ichi asked, a moment before I did.

“The security contract?” Hiromi offered and seeing both of our blank stares she sighed.

“Rayfield has a proprietary security system. Any intrusion will automatically call NCPD teams to the location to secure it. Part of the deal with buying one of the cars apparently.” She said a bit too casually, which I caught.

“Apparently… Wait. You didn't know that either did you!” I accused Hiromi as I caught her slip and she flushed a little.

“Malcolm may have gushed about it a bit.”

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