Ghost in the City

I sauntered down the steps into the yacht, and into the room that was more like a club than what I expected on a boat.

And I actually had three sleepers…

Oh no there was a fourth person passed out, half way under a table.

Four.

One of them I recognized.

Too bad for Bartolomeo. The owner of the yacht was someone I had been planning on having a certain kind of meeting with already. The other three I didn’t recognize, although the fact the other two were women told me what had been happening. Bart had one woman curled up against him. Both were naked enough I knew what had been happening. The two men were equally undressed but the big guy had rolled off the couch at some point and was basically napping under the shadow of a table.

I nearly whistled as I walked along the room, taking note of everything.

Like the fact Mr. Table had a Burya near him.

Interesting.

That was an easy fix, and then I put it back to where it was.

There weren't a lot of people that walked around with a Burya. They were clunky, heavy, difficult to conceal, overpowered weapons for most people.

It only made me more suspicious about Mr. Table's identity.

Was he the Scav contact that Bart had?

Was this guy important with the Scavs? Well I might just find out.

First I hacked into all four of the sleeping gonks. It only took a few moments to breach their systems and put in a jammer.

Any attempts to reach out for help would fail couldn’t have that after all.

Then I grabbed an unopened bottle of champagne, swished it around, shook it up to make sure it was nice and frothy, and then popped the cork.

The spray of champagne over Barts face was more than enough to leave him sputtering awake with a curse.

“The fuck! Bastard who did that? Is that you Sandra? You bitch!” He cursed, clearing his eyes of the frothing alcohol.

“Not exactly.” I told him using my Sexy Motoko Voice. After all, this guy wasn’t dealing with a teenager looking at a big score.

No, this time I was a dangerous edgerunner having already taken a millionaire hostage.

He jerked away as he caught sight of me.

I was wearing the section 9 gear with a few additions. The upper part of my face was covered by a set of tech gogs I had picked up.

I mean the Major had a set. So I needed one too.

Especially since this was my first big gig.

“The fuck-” Bart was cut off as I pulled my Lexington out from behind me.

He might be a millionaire but he was also a NC resident. He knew instantly what trouble he was in.

“Hey easy! Listen, I'm sure we can work this out. Whatever bounty is on my head, I’ll pay it out! Honest I mean this is my yacht, I have the eddies!” His gibbering had obviously started waking the others, thankfully with the techgogs on no one could see my eyes as I tracked Mr. Table as he sat up from underneath the thing taking in the sight of me pointing a gun at Bart. ＲåɴòꞖЁʂ

“I’m not here because you have a bounty, Bartolomeo Mordellini.” I informed him calmly. “I’m here because of the multiple crates of Scav gathered chrome that is currently below our feet.” I idly tapped my toes a few times to let the sound echo around.

Then I went silent to let my statement fill the air and I could see the fear on his face.

“Bitch.” A russian accented voice said from behind me, but I ignored the big russian man that was now pointing a Burya at me.

The fact he was mostly naked was also a reason I was doing my best not to look. Nice Mr. Studd there champ.

“Let me guess you are the Scav contact Bart here is working with?”

“Hah! As if you will ever find out little whore, I will enjoy seeing your corpse ripped into-”

That was as far as he got as I drew on him. My Burya casually pulled out of my shoulder holster and aimed. I purposefully drew slow.

Giving the fucker plenty of time to pull the trigger himself.

The audible *Click* of his Burya failing to fire was very satisfying, but not as satisfying as seeing his head suddenly vanish.

I let the roar of my Burya echo around the room. The girls both screamed in shock at the sudden noise, both now fully awake and suddenly realizing the danger they were in.

“H-hey!” Bart called out hands up as I hadn’t taken my Lexington away from his face, nor had I truly looked away from him.

I loved my Kiroshi.

“Bartolomeo. Perhaps now you are more willing to listen?”

“Yeah! Yeah sure whatever you want! Yeah the hold has the chrome! I swear they threatened me! Kajetan had a gun up to my head! Honest! He nearly kidnapped me once and–”

“I really don’t care.” I told him simply because I didn’t.

I didn’t believe for a second he was just being threatened. You don’t usually have an orgy with a guy that was threatening your life.

Or maybe you did? Hell if I know how Night City scumbags ran things. Fucking weirdos.

No, I had no doubt that Bart thought he was cool and dangerous for having gangster connections.

“What what are you going to do to us?” The woman sitting besides Bart asked, she had been slowly trying to gather her clothes to cover herself after realizing the situation she was in.

“You and that one aren’t any of my interest. You are free to go once we get where we are going.” I told the woman.

“Wait. What? Going?” Bart asked, looking around in confusion, before seemingly remembering he was on a yacht.

That his yacht could actually move.

“Take a look for yourself. Feel free to jump into the water if you want to escape early, but I wouldn’t recommend it.” I told them as I pointed at the front of the boat. “I want all of you out there on the front of the boat. Get dressed and get moving.” I ordered and the girls were quick to listen, reaching around to grab clothes and start dressing themselves.

“Bart that means you.” I demanded my Lexington still aimed at him and he hurried to find a pair of pants amidst the party mess.

I simply turned away. Taking only a moment to grab the empty Burya. Didn’t want to risk someone finding some ammo for it, and headed back out and into the bridge.

We hadn’t gone too far. This thing wasn’t exactly a speed boat. So I only made a slight adjustment to the course. Of course as I was doing that I was seeing a lack of three gonks standing out on the front of the boat so I could keep track of them.

I walked back down, noticing the three had mostly huddled together. The girls now dressed, if not decent. While Bart looked like he was searching for something, tearing through the cabinets and couches.

Ah he probably had a gun somewhere.

I fired a round into the fancy molding above his head earning screams from all three.

Heh. Bart screamed like a girl.

“I said get to the front of the boat. Perhaps I wasn’t clear.”

The three hurried out barely dressed and terrified. With that done I went back up to the bridge to navigate to the drop off.

—--

With the three gonks at the front of the boat, I was able to sail it down the coast while keeping an eye on them. The one time they thought to try and sneak back inside, I had come down with a warning shot that had come much closer to hitting than they had liked.

So they stayed where I wanted them.

I was actually surprised at the lack of response. No NCPD patrol boats tracking us. Or AV’s flying in to launch a MaxTac team.

It was just a quiet trip through the waters until we left the sights of the city behind and towards our destination.

Then slowly I spotted my stop. A few trucks sitting out near the water with a dozen or so workers ready to haul the loot out of the hold. The only place along the coast that was low enough to get on, but wasn’t a beach. It was old concrete, a boat dock at one point years and years ago, but had been abandoned for decades.

Ichi and Malcolm had found it, and so we had our meetup point,.

As I approached nice and slow, cables were thrown over and only once I had the engine off did I head out to grab the cables and lock the boat in place.

Everyone was wearing masks hiding their faces and quickly got to work, setting up a ramp and dragging hand trucks up to start unloading the crates.

Richard gave me a nod as he passed by.

In the end Hiromi had pushed for using the SLS for this gig. I still hated the idea, but we needed the muscle to get this shit out of here at any real speed.

Besides as much as they all listened to me. I wasn’t their boss. We all worked together. Even if I did a bit more a lot of the time.

Ichi, Malcolm, Hiromi and I would be keeping an eye on the trucks to make sure nothing disappeared as we transported everything back to a storage yard that Ichi and I had put together for us.

The three gonks were pulled off the boat by a few of the SLS and pushed out of the way.

There was no need to worry about holding onto them.

We were in the middle of the desert miles from Night City. They must have realized it too, as the girls mostly stayed huddled together, while Bart continued to glare and curse under his breath.

Especially when crates of chrome started being pulled off the yacht.

Each one made the man angrier.

But he wasn’t a complete fool. He kept himself quiet just glaring.

Just as the first few crates started getting pulled out of the yacht my Quadra pulled up.

Hiromi had dropped me off at the Marina, and had driven my Quadra out to meet me. I walked over and noticed the eager look on her face as she stepped out of the car, but she didn’t move away from it, just leaning against the car as she looked on as more and more chrome was put into our hands.

“It’s amazing.” She whispered and I nodded along as Hiromi looked on at all the hard work she had done.

After all, I might be the one handling all the combat and stuff, but logistics were Hiromi’s speciality.

Hiromi and I watched on, after she gave me back the key to my Quadra and we watched on as the trucks were loaded up, each crate representing a ton of eddies for our pockets.

Then when the hold was emptied it was show time.

The BD needed a finale after all.

I walked back onto the boat making sure it was empty. I noticed the lounge area in the lower decks was suddenly far less full of money and drugs.

I rolled my eyes at the SLS but if they wanted to grab a bonus as long as they stayed away from the chrome I wouldn’t complain.

The yacht was let free despite Bart yelling asking what was going on.

It took a minute to angle the yacht out to sea. Then I hit the engine and ran.

I leapt off the boat landing in the shallow water as the yacht started its journey out into the pacific.

“That! That’s my yacht!” Bart yelled looking at me in anger.

But I ignored him, unfortunately for him, the gig wasn’t over yet.

I walked over to my Quadra under the watchful eyes of my crew, the SLS and the three prisoners.

There I pulled out of my trunk a special surprise.

The case was heaved out and then opened, and the moment the kids saw what I was pulling free they all screamed in surprise.

Then cheered.

“Watch the back blast.” I told Hiromi as I hefted my Uragan onto my shoulder.

I knew having a Rocket Launcher would come in handy someday.

“Wait… Wait wait wait!” Bart screamed but he was held back by the guns Malcolm and Ichi were covering him with.

Then I fired.

The Rocket launched, giving me a bit of a kick as it soared high into the sky before angling back down.

The Nomad missiles were pretty good. Normal Uragan missiles were just dumbfire, but having some guidance on them was a nice trick.

The missile came down on top of the yacht.

The explosion was shattering.

For all Barts stupid Yacht looked like a sleek stealth ship, it was just a pleasure cruiser.

It ripped apart, then exploded again when its Chooh2 went up. I might have made sure the fuel tanks were topped off before all of this happened.

Just for the extra fireworks.

The entire ship turned into nothing but shrapnel as the kids around us all cheered at the explosion.

“You bitch. You blew up my Yacht!” Bart called out sounding almost defeated as he fell into the sand around the concrete. He was angry.

He was wrathful.

He was going to be a problem.

Which is why this had already been all planned.

I walked over and before he could even realize what I was about to do. I put a bullet in his head.

*250 XP Gained.*

The two girls started shrieking as they realized I had just executed their choom.

“Working with Scavs meant you were a dead man. Did you think I was going to let you walk free?” I asked his corpse before turning to the girls. They both flinched looking horrified.

“Not gonna hurt either of you two. You have two options. Walk now, or hitch a ride back to the City. If you cause any problems though I’ll kill you.” I informed the two women with simple words and then adjusted the Uragan on my shoulder and looked back to my crew.

“Pack it up! We are moving!” I called out and everyone cheered.

Gig complete. BD ended.

—--

We did just as I said. Driving into the city, we dropped off the two women at the first metro stop we came to. They both hurried away, and that was the last I saw of them.

We drove on. Towards the storage yard Ichi had sorted out for us. Well mostly his work. I had unfortunately realized that if we were going to store this much loot we couldn’t just do it on our own terms. It would be picked clean far too easily. There was too much. It was too tempting.

We couldn’t trust the SLS to watch it without it going missing, so while they were transport they wouldn’t be the ones watching our loot.

No, I had unfortunately been forced to make a deal with the devil.

We pulled into a storage yard, waved in by the Tyger Claws gangsters sitting around the entrance as each truck moved in under their eyes.

Inside I pulled to the side as the trucks moved in to start unloading into a storage lot Ichi was managing. I had put Ichi and I into a room with a man I didn’t want to deal with to help set this up. A man that was even now waiting for me.

I unfortunately had a conversation in front of me.

“Fujimura.” I greeted as I stepped out of the Quadra. The man was leaning against his own car obviously waiting to see what would happen.

“Kusanagi. I see you were successful.” He mentioned looking actually pleased as the trucks opened up and the many many crates of chrome was revealed.

“Yeah. Worked out just like I said. No issues other than the owner of the yacht was onboard when I klepped it.” I noticed his look and rolled my eyes. “He’s flatlined, as is the Scav fucker he was partying with. Pretty sure it was his contact.”

“I see. Then it was a successful gig. If one of my subordinates pulled off a success like this, I would have no choice but to promote them.” He mentioned, obviously digging, but I shrugged.

“Too bad I’m not your subordinate. Our deal won’t have any surprise complications will it?” I asked not quite looking at the man as we both watched Ichi guide the kids into unloading.

I was really glad that none of the trucks had gone missing enroute.

Then again. Other than me driving my Quadra Malcolm, Ichi, and even Hiromi had been driving the trucks. I had been tempted to ask Nox for help as well, but there was honestly a reason I had revealed my Uragan to the kids before we left.

I made it very plain that if any of them tried to run off with a truck… I would deal with them.

“It will not. These men are mine, and they will treat your belongings as my own. None will go missing. As long as your part of the deal is upheld.”

“Course. Everyone wants chrome. Me, my chooms, even you.” It told him. That was the price of using TC protection.

Fujimura, or more specifically the Kamikaze would have the right to get some of the chrome we gathered, basically their ripper would come in pick out things they wanted, and they would all be free up to a certain point, basically Hiromi gave them a stipend they could grab some things with, the rest they could buy if they wanted to be clients. It would keep us from having to pay the TC directly as well.

Honestly the deal was pretty heavily on my side. Fujimura had seemed very pleased to try and tie me ever closer to the TC.

As always Fujimura was tying the noose around my neck all the tighter.

Their ripper would be here soon, I would have to reach out to Vik as well. See if he wanted to come down for some cheap chrome.

No, I remembered Hiromi was already on that. I already noticed the way she was still hanging around inside the truck definitely on a call with someone.

Good. The sooner we turned all of this chrome into eddies the safer we would all be.

It was a lot harder to steal bank accounts, than crates of chrome.

I would already be hanging around the lot just to make sure no one managed to get in.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder and I didn’t startle. I had of course already noticed his approach.

“Good job Imouto.” Jun said, pulling me into a side hug as he looked at the crates with pride.

“Yeah… Good job me.” I muttered frowning. The job wasn’t done. Not yet.

Despite succeeding. Despite the potential of making a ridiculous sum of eddies from this chrome.

As long as this chrome was still chrome and in our hands, it would put a target on us all.

I shook myself free from Jun without a word and headed to look around the storage lot. I would be keeping a close eye on the chrome in the lot over the next few days until it all sold. So I was going to get a feel for the grounds.

As Hiromi oversaw the SLS unloading the chrome into the storage unit. As Ichi and Malcolm congratulated each other on their new riches.

As Fujimura looked on with that arrogant look on his face as if he was the one who planned all of this.

I watched on, really wishing I had my Nekomata with me.

Just in case.

—--

It was four long days later.

I was doing some minor programming work on my laptop while looking over the storage lot when I noticed Jun of all people pull into the storage space.

The TC gangsters all greeted him eagerly.

Heh Jun being famous was still funny to me.

Of course I put my laptop away to focus on what Jun was doing. Simply connecting back into the camera systems all over the storage lot that let me listen in.

“-don’t know where she is? She’s been hanging around the last four days!” Jun argued and the gangster he was talking to just shrugged.

“Haven’t seen her.”

Jun looked around in confusion. He must be wondering what was going on because every time he had texted me to try and get me to come home had been me saying I was keeping an eye on the loot.

So I squinted my eyes and reached out with a finger just letting the finger touch the top of where his head was and then snapped a picture, which I sent him as a text.

I watched on as a moment later he startled before looking around himself as he tried to figure out where I was.

Then of course he just called me because Jun’s Hide and Seek game is pretty weak.

*Motoko Where are you?*

*I literally sent you a picture you gonk. Head across the street into the office building. The lobby is open and you can take the elevator up. I’ve already added you into the security. Also stop trying to spot me, you are going to give my hide away.*

Then I hung up on him. Wakako might be a bitch for doing it to me, but it was pretty funny to do it to other people.

Then I just waited, keeping an eye on the lot through the scope of my Nekomata as I waited for Jun to get here.

Finally the roof access door opened and Jun stepped out and I waved at him my hand poking through the dark piece of carpet I had… ‘acquired’ from an empty floor in the office below me.

No one was using it! They could have it back when I was done.

“Motoko, what are you doing?” Jun asked as he stood up over me.

“Gonk, get down! Don’t let anyone see you!” I snap back even raising the carpet up a bit showing him the entrance so he could slip in.

The hide had been growing over the last few days. Originally just part of the AC unit chosen because I was able to get access to the plugs so I could charge my laptop. It had grown with the addition of a few chairs found in the offices below, the carpet over top and some cushions stolen from a couch that was in the lobby so I had something soft to sit on.

Thankfully it wasn’t too hot this week, and I had some nice sea breezes to double up on that.

“Here take a cushion.” I offered sliding it over and Jun gave me a really mean look. There was absolutely no reason to look disappointed! I was working! Also my pillow fort game was insane! Look at this thing! I was in the lap of luxury!

“Motoko what are you doing up here? You haven’t come home in days.”

“I already told you! I’m keeping an eye on the loot. Hiromi, Ichi and Malcolm came by like an hour ago for another load she found a buyer for. I’m making sure it doesn’t disappear before then.” I argued instantly.

“Fujimura-Sama gave you his word that wouldn’t happen. Just come home.”

“I know Fujimura wouldn’t steal from me… Probably. But I don’t trust those gonks.” I said pointing out through the peek hole made with an office chair that my Nekomata was resting on and the carpet overhanging meaning it was only a tiny hole and it would be nearly impossible to see back through.

“Ugh. Motoko you pulled off an awesome gig. The TC are all chattering about what you did, hell lot of people are. The Yacht theft was all over the news. No one is going to steal from you.”

“Trusting other people not to steal from me is pretty stupid, when I can just make sure they can’t.” I said, using both hands to gesture to the Nekomata which was very specifically pointing at the storage lot.

“The TC won’t steal from you Motoko.”

“Maybe.” I agreed without actually agreeing.

“Whatever, fine… Tell me about your gig.” He demanded and had the audacity to steal another of my cushions to rest his back against as he leaned against the AC unit.

I narrowed my eyes at the blatant theft but decided to show once again that I was the better person.

Completely ignoring how everything around me was stolen in one form or another because those were the intrusive thoughts you just didn’t listen to.

“You’ll be able to see it yourself soon once the BD comes out, but it was pretty awesome. I blew up the yacht with my rocket launcher! It exploded!” I couldn’t help but gush a little and Jun stilled.

“Wait, when did you get a Rocket Launcher?”

“The Uragan that was under my bed? I’ve had it for a while now. I traded it to the Nomads. Remember when we hit that Raffen group before the Meat Man thing.”

“What do you mean under your bed?” He demanded with a growl. Realizing the danger I made to run.

I wasn’t able to escape.

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