“You guys don’t have to wait around. You could go check on Malcolm…” I offered as we entered the basement of the Straight Lane Apartments, where all my netrunning stuff was kept.

“Malcolm is asleep, and Dr. Vik doesn’t want us bothering him. Besides, we can help you like last time. Go through data while you keep up the hunt.” Ichi replied and I didn’t have a response for that.

I felt bad that my chooms would be hanging around me while I was basically sleeping, while leaving Malcolm alone. Especially with how antsy Ichi was to help.

“It’s fine Motoko. The sooner we find these fucks, the sooner we kill them and let Malcolm sleep like a baby.” Hiromi reminded me and I nodded as I clambered onto my netrunning chair. I pulled out the chair's connectors and fitted them into my leotard so the biomonitors would keep an eye on me, and the coolant could flow then rested back.

“Okay. I’ll see you later.” I told them and closed my eyes.

Only to open them in my blank lobby space.

It only took me a moment to adjust and then I was off. Zipping through the city in a blur as I used the IP address of all the systems I had been scanning back at the attack site to practically teleport there.

Then I set foot onto the netscape and went to work. First I accessed the cafe that was across the street. Breaking through their ICE with only a few moments of work since their system wasn’t especially well protected. I ignored the connection to the other netrunner I had noticed before, and instead accessed their camera.

Only five minutes into entering the net I got my eyes on the fuckers that shot Malcolm.

It was hard to miss.

The four street thugs all charging through the alley, one still holding a pistol in his hand as they clambered into a rust bucket Archer Hella.

Then they took off with a jerky motion as they seemed to forget to release the parking brake before slamming the gas.

Part of me was still furious at these fucks but…

Malcolm? Really choom? You trusted that these fucking gonks had a fucking Supercar for sale? They didn’t look like they had XXL burrito to their name.

I sent a note for Ichi to ask Malcolm for more details on why he trusted these guys in the first place. These guys were just thugs. Chaff.

I refused to believe Malcolm was that stupid…

Okay he had gone without backup. So maybe he was a little brain dead, but I refused to believe he was this stupid.

But they had given me what I needed. A direction.

“The Archer Hella we are looking for is heading East on Lele. Towards… Pardey? Yeah. Is there a freeway connection there?” I asked my team as I started going down the street, checking if there was a good corner store with a camera on the intersection.

*No freeway connection there They would have to go south and then get on from the Republic Way connection.* Hiromi replied after a moment and I nodded.

Okay Let’s cut down on what paths they could take, and track them home.

—---

Two hours later I pulled out of the net to take a break.

I hadn’t exactly eaten today and Hiromi and Ichi were both getting hungry.

We had tracked the fuckers through Charter Hill, Into Heywood of all places. I had thought they might be connected to the Tinos. But then as they moved through the area they turned east.

Into Arroyo. Then into Rancho Coronado.

th St?

I lost them multiple times in the area. Unfortunately the industrial parks giving way to suburbs, cut out a lot of my ability to snoop.

“Oh. Thanks Ichi!” I Chirped as I finally opened my eyes to reality to see Ichi had obviously gone on a food run at some point.

“No problem. There wasn’t much we could do to help there at the end.” He said stuffing a piece of some noodle dish into his mouth.

“Yeah. Rancho Coronado is a bit of a dead zone.” I grumbled. Sure there were still security cameras in the area, but they were few and far between, and worse some were pointing just at the front door, or at places I couldn’t use.

“So what do you think?” Hiromi asked and I grumbled a bit as I sat and stuffed my own little meal into my mouth so I wouldn’t have to speak at first.

“Rancho is 6th St. If the guys fled there, they are probably 6th St. Or maybe they are an offshoot gang or something. We either go and start hunting them down, or maybe see if we can’t use some diplomacy? Reach out to 6th St. Might be able to find out who they are that way?”

“You think 6th St. Would give up info on one of their own to us?” Ichi asked, obviously skeptical, and I shook my head.

“No I don’t. Which means we are probably going to have to hunt them down, in the middle of gang territory… This is gonna be a pain.”

“We could try and lure them out?” Hiromi asked and I shrugged.

“I don’t think that will work Hiromi. However Malcolm contacted them, they aren’t going to respond through those methods. Especially if they suspect Malcolm isn’t dead. Think about it. They wanted his eddies. If they have even a single braincell they will realize a teenager flashing that kind of money probably has people that will kill them to get a paycheck.”

“Ah true… They’re gonna suspect someone is coming to kill them.”

I blinked.

“Yeah. They will. They will suspect someone is going to try and hunt them down… Hiromi you are very smart.” I told her, and she looked questioning at me.

People in Night City were pretty direct. Normally if something like this happened, and Malcolm was some Corpo kid. They would hire a merc. The merc would try to hunt them down, succeed or not, and that would basically be it. Once the merc failed to find them… Then the fuckers would be safe from retaliation. Wasn’t like a merc was going to get paid if they found them a week after pissing off the guy hiring them by failing.

Hiromi continued to look confused at my words. But while she hadn’t said anything genius herself, it was actually very accurate. If they suspected someone was coming for them… Then that’s what we would show them.

“We are going to trick them. They are probably hiding right now. Deep in some hole. It won’t be easy to find them, and even if we do, we will have to deal with 6th St. getting involved… But if we convince them that they got away with it? If they think they are all clear, they will stop hiding. Then we won’t have to hunt them down through 6th St. territory. We will just invite them to a nice little deal and remove them then.”

“So you go and pretend to look for them?” Ichi asked and I shook my head.

“No, I won’t be a good choice, I’m weird cause I’m so young besides, I was trying to take a break this week anyways. Better to get someone that looks like a merc, give 6th St. Exactly what they suspect to see. That way they won’t react strongly. Just another merc searching for someone for a bounty before giving up.”

“So we hire someone to pretend to look for them just to give up?” Ichi asked looking a little unhappy with it.

“Exactly. We hire a merc for an easy few days, of fucking around in Rancho Coronado, pretending to find our boys. And then he gives up, once he stops showing up. Obviously he couldn’t find them and so everyone in the area will know that he gave up and that solves the whole problem.”

“Wait but who? Are you going to ask Jun or Fujimura-sama to hire a merc?”

“Nah. I know a guy.” I said and grinned as I started making a call to Jackie. A week or so contract to hang around Rancho Coronado, eat on my dime, and make a half hearted attempt to find the four gonks? Jackie would probably be all for it.

Plus it was a perfect excuse to go home and relax for a while like I planned before Malcolm got shot.

I breathed in, and out. Yeah. I still needed that break.

—--

After making a call and setting up the whole situation with Jackie, he ended up agreeing, laughing the whole time at the idea.

I was just glad he was willing to do it, for less than normal merc money. I mean, sure I could pay him fully, but this should be a pretty safe gig. Although I did offer a hazard pay if 6th St. did try to jump him or something.

Until then we all went to Viks.

“He’s still sleeping.” He assured us patting Ichi on the shoulder as the boy had instantly walked over to Vik for an update about his best choom.

“Is there anything we can do?”

“Just keep quiet and let him rest. He’ll be fine. Everything is stable, and he is mostly just recovering blood and healing a bit. I shot him up with Quick Heal and everything. The boy’ll be on his feet in a week like nothing happened.” Ichi gave out a shuddered sigh at the words, his shoulders almost trembling as Vik patted the Section 9 jacket that we were all still wearing.

I mouthed a thank you to Vik as Hiromi and I braced Ichi. Hiromi pressed her forehead against the side of his head, while I reached over and ran a hand through Ichi’s dark hair.

“I’ll be okay.” He said a little grumpily a few moments later when he realized both of us girls were being gentle with him.

“We know.” I said and Hiromi agreed. Ichi stood straight. Annoyingly taller than I was and wiped our affection off of him like it was covered in cooties.

He would be okay, and so would Malcolm.

—--

I flopped onto the couch at home a few hours later.

Vik had eventually sent us all home to rest, agreeing he would text us when Malcolm woke up.

Rolling sideways I looked at the new holo TV and stared at it. It was too high up. The old TV was just on a table across the room and was a little above head height when on the couch. The Holo TV had the display way up towards the ceiling.

It made my neck hurt to look so high up while sprawled out.

Probably some corpo plan with Biotechnica to sell more Bioware necks to people or something.

I rolled my face into the couch.

Maybe a good eight hours of sleep would help?

I faintly felt a thump of bass through the couch. Reaching down I placed a chrome finger against the floor, even with the carpet I could feel the faintest hint of vibrations there.

Rockerboy neighbor was playing again.

My guitar was over there… It would be something to do. Get out some of the frustration I’ve been dealing with.

I fumbled across the couch without actually getting up until I reached my guitar and flopped onto my back so I could rest it on my stomach.

That didn’t really feel right either…

In the end I rolled off the couch. Laying back on the carpet, feet resting on the couch like I was sitting backwards.

Yeah, that felt better. Everything felt upside down to me right now. Stupid Night City. Stupid Scavs. And Jun. And fuckers shooting my choom.

It was an annoying fact that as much as I wanted to just play in Night City like it was a video game, if I did that people I loved would die. Or I would.

My hand strummed a chord. Then because I simply knew which chord to use I changed it and then strummed the beginnings to a song.

“You don’t want to hurt me.”

Edgerunners was right about one thing.

“We’re only here once. Why blame yourself?” Major Crimes, by Health. It suited my mood at the moment.

—--

“Motoko! I’m hom- Whoa!” Jun yelped as I poked my head over the couch. It had been a few hours of sad songs, and I was surprisingly feeling a lot better.

“Hey Jun.”

“Jeeze don’t scare me like that. Oh playing some songs?”

“Yeah I’ve been feeling a little down and stuff with everything. So I’m letting out the bad stuff. It’s going okay.” I chirped as I laid the guitar on the couch and flipped up to see what Jun was up to.

He had a bag of something that didn’t smell like XXL burritos in his arms.

“Yeah I noticed… How’s your choom?.”

“Malcolm will be okay. I got him to Vik in time.” I said, not mentioning how absolutely terrified I had been that I wouldn’t be in time. That despite everything I would make it. I was suddenly so incredibly grateful for my system once again.

I wouldn’t have to worry about nightmares.

“I’m glad… I uh… Got you something.”

He said and to my surprise he opened the bag and it was…

Ramen.

The Ramen we always bought from the shop in Sakura Market. The Ramen stand that wasn’t super far from here, but more than far enough you wouldn’t just stop by for Ramen that could get closer.

“Jun?”

“I noticed you’ve been upset, and then today happened too.” He said simply as he settled the Ramen bowls on the couch center table. “I know I pushed you into moving. I think… I wouldn’t have done it, if I didn’t think it was the best idea at the time. For safety, and just how big it is, but I know I pushed you on it.” He said, before closing his eyes and breathing in and out, as if calming his mind. “So I wanted to do something to make you feel… Normal.”

He pushed the Ramen over to me and I looked at it.

Jun was such a gonk I thought, definitely not seeing him through a bit of blurriness around the edges of my vision.

“You are such a gonk.” I told him as I walked over and threw my arms around his neck. I wasn’t crying Jun was crying! He had faulty chrome for his optic lubricants! It was raining inside! I got something stuck in my eye!

Ignoring the fact I could poke my Kiroshi and not really be bothered by something like that.

Stupid Jun!

“Thank you for going along with it, and just… I’m sorry it wasn’t what you wanted. Hopefully we can make this place our home. And you’ll end up loving it even more. It certainly smells better.” He muttered the end and I laughed, definitely not choking a bit on a sob.

“The carpet is nice too!” I informed him.

“The Fridge is bigger.”

“Oh the bathroom has better hot water!”

We went on and on telling each other good things about the new apartment, falling into the little game without even needing to discuss it, pure sibling comradery in action.

It was nice.

I even forgave him for the already cold Ramen when I tried it. Turns out his Kusanagi isn’t exactly great for keeping Ramen warm on the cooling nights of Night City.

I ate it anyway though.

—--

“What are you doing?” I asked Jun in the morning. I had slept, but Jun as usual slept in, but then to my surprise he came out of his room dressed in…

Well athletic clothes?

“Hitting the gym.”

“You?” I couldn’t help but ask in surprise. Jun was…

He was a lazy teenager given chrome muscles. He didn’t exercise. At least not that I’ve ever seen.

“I go to the Gym!” He hissed every bit the offended teenager, but then hesitated before admitting “Sensei told me I’ve let the normal muscles I’ve got left grow a bit weak. So I’ve been informed to workout until he is satisfied.”

I blinked. He looked away grimacing, because we both knew what was going to happen next.

“Pffft! Can’t be a big scary Oni if you are fat!” I mocked in delighted laughter making Jun’s shoulders slump at my words.

“I knew it. I knew this was going to happen, but I answered anyways. Why did I answer?” Jun muttered to himself but I heard him.

“So where you going? Is there a good Gym around here?” I asked because honestly… I could use my downtime to get another Body level…

That actually sounded like fun. I’ve been a bit in the dumps, but exercise was good for that!

“There’s a TC Gym, yeah. Want to come?” He offered and I instantly frowned at him. I really didn’t…

On the other hand, if there was a Gym in the building I wouldn’t have to pay for that corpo Gym anymore!

Wait… I haven’t been there in months! Shit I had to cancel!

Fucking Gym membership!

“Sure.” I agreed, heading into my room with a quick flip over the back of the couch to get changed.

—--

The Gym was actually just outside the apartment complex. There was a little path and then what used to be a basketball court? Or maybe a tennis court. I couldn’t tell, but now it was full of workout equipment.

And TC grunts using it.

Jun walked in without a moment's hesitation. Because to him these were his people. I took a moment to scope it out a bit first. Looking over the group. There were currently about five people using the equipment, all of which gave Jun a greeting as he entered.

I idly wondered how it worked. Were these guys Fujimura’s people as well, or just well aware that Jun was Kamikaze and so being careful?

In the end it didn’t matter. I didn’t get the greetings Jun did, but no one bothered me as I found some free weights and loaded some pounds on the pole, before settling into a corner to do some squats.

I started with squats mostly so I could keep an eye on the area. I would have to switch to something else eventually if someone noticed that I was going overboard. There were too many people around for me to just work through a single machine or exercise until I got my alerts.

“You a new kid?” A rough voice asked and I looked up into an old man's face. Greyed beard and old Chrome. It was the first thing I thought when I looked up into his eyes.

This was a man that survived in Night City. He was shirtless as he had obviously been exercising, the wraps on his hands reminding me that I had seen him on a punching bag a few moments before. Old Tattoos stretched across his chest and back.

This man would be a Yakuza if he wasn’t very obviously a Tyger Claw.

“Yeah, just moved in.” I informed him as I continued my reps up and down.

“Then you’re the Kusanagi girl! Well you got good form. Keep it up. I’m John, this is my gym. If you need a partner for anything ask me. I’ll help, or find someone who can. Don’t break anything, no fighting in the gym. Good?”

“Perfectly.” I offered the old man. As I continued up and down. I needed to push myself if I was going to get a Body alert.

Or eventually a level up. I was still a long way off. Not enough really pushing my body to the limit since I stopped actively exercising.

The older man watched for a moment before nodding seemingly pleased at my exercise and then turned to walk off. A few moments later he was critiquing a teenage boy for fucking around with his own free weights.

It always made me wonder what I should feel when someone among the TC treated me normally. These were the same guys that worked with Jotaro.

That committed horrible crimes.

I sighed. This was Night City I suppose.