Sins of the Flesh

[15:00 the same day]

All five edgerunners met outside of the Afterlife, exchanging significant glances as they were all basking in the glow of post-coital bliss, but no one was going to say it. As they entered through the now all-too-familiar double doors and made their way down the steps, Ky asked the burning question on everyone's mind, "So what have you guys been doing all day?"

Everyone, even Max, all yelled at him at the same time to shut up, leaving him laughing to himself as they passed Emmerick, who gave them a courteous nod as he waved open the doors and cleared the path. Inside, Rogue was sitting by the bar talking closely with Claire. V was nowhere in sight, but her booth was closed off.

As Rogue turned to greet them, she had a distressed look on her face. Claire turned to prepare some drinks for another table as Rogue knocked back a shot with a sharp sigh and said, "Man, it's good to see you guys."

Pops raised an eyebrow as he asked, "Everythin' alright?"

Rogue rolled her eyes as she hopped off her stool to make room and said, "Just a bad day. Thanks for coming on short noti—"

She was interrupted by a corner booth of 3 gonks carrying on despite Claire's protests. As the crew looked to see what was happening, one of the gonks was getting a little too friendly with Claire, causing her to swipe his hand away as she negotiated a tray of drinks. The gonk stood up, taking an aggressive step towards her as she reeled back and away from the table. Pops took one step before Miz cut him off, dragging a chair over to the booth. The feet scratched against the floors, grabbing everyone's attention as she swung it around and crashed down into it. She perched her feet up on the table and lit a cigarette with disregard for everyone sitting there. With a cool exhale, she leaned back and propped one arm up on the chair as she locked eyes with each gonk before saying, "There a problem here, fellas?"

They were caught off guard by the brass of Miz's behavior. In their minds, she didn't know who she was fucking with as one of them answered sharply, "Get the fuck out of here, kid. This doesn't concern you."

Miz sucked her teeth and pointed with the cigarette between two fingers as she fired back, "You must be the big dick. Nah, what concerns me is a bunch of drunk gonks acting like a pack of wild animals."

Big Dick stood and slammed his hands on the table as he yelled at Miz, "If you know what's good for you, little girl, you'll walk away right now!"

The handsy gonk, sitting to Miz's right, reached over and tried to shove her feet off the table. She had already pulled her legs back as she grabbed his wrist and slammed his face into the edge of the table, teeth crunching as blood began to squirt out the sides of his mouth. As he screamed in pain, flailing to get free, Miz locked eyes with Big Dick and she said, cigarette hanging from her mouth, "Might want to rethink that, choom."

The third gonk from her left tried to move in, and Miz countered as she unholstered her Unity and pointed the business end squarely in his face without looking away from Big Dick standing across the table. She narrowed her eyes, taking a quick drag with an exhale through her nose as she continued, "You got a choice here. Either pick up your friend and what's left of his jaw, and get the fuck out quietly, or someone else can pick up all three of your corpses for the protein farms. Dig?"

Big Dick peeked past Miz to the rest of the crew, finding them all at the ready with hands on their iron. Billy gave a half-hearted smile and a wave. Rogue whispered to Pops, "She remind you of anyone?"

He smirked and whispered back, not taking his eyes off the situation, "More and more everyday since the first time we dropped by."

Big Dick stood his ground, shakily, as he said, "W-we're here by invitation, you little shit!"

V called out from her now-open booth, leaning against the entryway as she said, "Not anymore you're not! Dino's going to hear about this little episode either way, so might as well leave while she still lets you."

Miz holstered her Unity, throwing the handsy gonk onto the floor as she stepped back. There was an audible thud and a light crunch of bones followed by another scream as his head hit the floor. Big Dick clenched his jaw as he shoved the third gonk to pick up their friend.

In no time at all, they were gone, having dragged the handsy gonk out of the bar screaming. Claire came by with a damp rag, to which Miz smirked and said, "Allow me. My mess to clean up."

As she knelt down and began cleaning the blood off of the table and floor, V approached the crew with a smirk on her face and hands on her hips as she said, "I kind of figured they'd be trouble anyway, so thanks for taking out the trash."

Pops shook her hand and chuckled. They all took notice as a clean-cut, seemingly middle-aged man with persistently glowing blue eyes sauntered out of V's booth and quietly made his way out of the bar, paying no heed to anyone else. Pops couldn't help himself as he asked, "Is, uh... that the fella?"

V gave a sigh of exasperation, her face painted with mental fatigue as she answered, "The one and only."

Billy chimed in, "Rogue says it's not been a great day?"

"Just a lot to be done", V chuckled, "Blue's spreading us a little thin right now. Mostly grunt work, but we got a good one for you guys."

Miz stepped up, tossing the rag on the bartop as she said, "Well let's get to it, then."

Minus a few inches in height between them, the resemblance between V and Miz was uncanny, and everyone took notice, again giving each other significant glances. V smirked as she punched Miz's arm lightly and said, "You all know the way."

As had become habit over the last six months, everyone took their seats around the left side of the booth, and V took her place on the right side. As the opaque door slid shut, they were once again free to speak outside of unwanted curious ears. A light tinge of stale cologne hung in the air, no doubt from V's previous blue-eyed guest. After lighting a fresh cigarette, V's eyes flashed blue, and the holographic display appeared as she spoke, "The target is this man: Michael Farris. Rogue already mentioned the sensitivity of this job?"

Ky spoke up, "Militech brass, right?."

V answered, "Very much so. He's also got ties to City Council. Lots of fingers in lots of pies."

Miz asked a pertinent question, "So what's Blue want with him?"

There was hesitation, but V continued, "We believe Farris has intimate knowledge of a human-trafficking ring. Victims are snatched within city limits, then shipped off somewhere beyond the SoCal Border Crossing."

Miz's eyes immediately narrowed, and her body tensed up.

Pops showed his old colors a bit as he said, "Sounds like Raffen Shiv."

V pointed to Pops as she said, "You would think so, but from what we're being told, the group involved beyond the border makes Raffen look like a bunch of puppy-loving pacifists. Far as we know, local Scavs are doing the in-city dirty work, but good luck getting them to talk."

Pops furrowed his brow and stroked his mustache, deep in thought as V continued, "The intel indicates that Farris makes a long haul, alone, to Los Angeles once a month. Trip lasts four days."

Ky's eyes widened, "No security detail?!"

V smirked, "Apparently he's got his higher-ups believing the project he's overseeing is so sensitive that even hired muscle can't be trusted with any knowledge of it."

Ky followed up, "So what's the project?"

"Irrelevant. We're not interested in Militech's latest toys," V shook her head, "We're interested in his extracurricular activities."

Ky shrugged and leaned back; she had a point.

Billy showed a surprising bit of insight for his age, "Not likely this guy's making deliveries himself in a chipped company vehicle. Be way too high-profile."

V continued, "We don't suspect he's directly involved in the operations themselves, but he does... partake... in the services offered. From the data we have, he disables his transponder for 24 hours on the return trip to NC. Perks of his rank, nobody asks too many questions. Everybody's got a side hustle, right?"

Miz's face was burning at this point, her eyes full of fire. Pops spoke up, "So we catch him on the return trip, when he's off-grid. Can't just boost a corpo vehicle in broad daylight. Even if the transponder's down, there are failsafes against those kinds of things."

"He'll need to let someone in the vehicle willingly, and he'll need to leave the vehicle willingly", V continued, hating herself for what she said next, "He... has a weakness for young boys."

Miz's eyes cut to V as she nearly yelled, "Oh fuck no!"

The rest of the crew were suddenly uneasy. They all knew the logical outcome, and they didn't like it.

There was a pain in V's face as she said, "I don't like it anymore than any of you do. Luca's been through a whole hell of a lot with Tooley, but if you want a chance at catching Farris off-guard, the kid's your best bet at distracting him."

Miz was seething at this point; not at V, but at the situation. Pops placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he said to V, "There's still the matter of gettin' across the border. Militech patrols don't fuck around with that spit of land."

V cocked her head in curiosity, "Man of your background, I'm sure you know about the underground tunnels?"

Pops smirked, "I surely do, but you'd need a navigator, someone who runs those tunnels regularly. That ain't been me for almost a decade..."

"This is where my connections help", V interjected, "Got an Aldecaldos camp not far outside the city. Near Rocky Ridge, off the 5."

Pops raised an eyebrow as he nearly spat, "You want to hook us up with Saul Bright?!"

V raised a hand and spoke diplomatically, "I-I know you don't have a great history with him. Rogue's told me all about it. We don't really have a choice here. They're the only local group that can reliably navigate the smuggler's tunnels."

Pops' jaw clenched. He didn't like it, but she was right. She offered him a bone as she said, "Lucky enough, you won't be dealing directly with Saul. Can't say you won't run into him, but you'll be working with my contact directly. She has the pull we need. Just... be careful around her..."

Everyone's eyes raised in curiosity and Miz asked, "Why, what's her deal?"

V smiled, fond memories playing through her head as she said, "She's a bit of a spitfire."

--

[18:00]

The crew were all sitting around the bar, nursing beers. By this point, Luca had joined them, laughing as he and Miz reflected on their time as kids. It wasn't an easy call for Miz to make, but he didn't hesitate, nor did he mind. He understood the risks, but it was easy money, and he genuinely wanted to help the crew after all they'd done for him.

Billy smiled, listening to them ramble on. Thanks to rekindling her childhood friendship, Miz had been able to work through some of her own issues, and had opened up more to Billy and the crew as a result. As Pops had told him on the side, she was now happier than he ever remembered her. Billy knew that there had always been a kind and compassionate heart from the first time he looked in her eyes, it was just buried behind a lot of trauma. It was nice seeing Miz actually smile more, just enjoying life. She'd still kick your ass as soon as look at you, as evidenced by how she handled Dino's gonks only a few hours earlier, but she was no longer as reckless or as cold as Billy remembered when they first met. She would tell you she now had something (someone) to live for.

While the crew were used to people coming and going from the Afterlife at this point, everyone turned to look as the doors slid open and a strong female voice trailed in, "Yeah, yeah, shut up ya big lug!"

Emmerick was laughing as the doors closed. A wide smile flashed on V's face and she met their new guest halfway with a big hug as she said fondly, "He-e-ey! Thanks for coming! It's great to see you."

The woman reciprocated and answered with a laugh, "I'm just glad I can do you a favor this time. How ya been?"

The woman had a darker complexion, her face covered in freckles. Her deep brown eyes were almond-shaped, but her nose and lips were full, jawline distinguished. Her brownish-black hair was a mix of strands leading into locs, with wispy split bangs in front, the locs pulled back into a large bun. She was wearing a black and red cropped leather racing jacket with a racing harness underneath bunching up a cropped tanktop and worn jeans. The back of the jacket was emblazoned with a large full Aldecaldos patch.

Their pleasantries continued, the crew's curiosity growing; nobody wanted to interrupt the warm moment. After a minute of back and forth, V turned, guiding her guest to the crew as she made introductions. The guest stepped forward and said, "Hiya, I'm Panam Palmer. I understand you all have some business beyond the border, I think I can help with that."

Ky raised his eyebrows, "Wha... just like that? You don't even know our names!"

Panam smirked as she returned fire, "In your case, smartass, that's probably for the best."

Ky laughed and nodded his head, "Okay, she checks out."

Pops chuckled as he stepped forward and put his hand out, "I remember you... from a long time ago."

"Handshakes are for strangers", Panam said as she smacked his hand away before going in for a hug, "Any friend of Falco's is a friend of mine... Phoenix."

Pops returned the hug with a smile. Billy whispered to Miz, "Is there anyone he doesn't know?"

Miz laughed and shoved him as Panam spoke again, "Well, glad to know I'm not working with complete strangers."

Pops made his rounds, introducing the rest of his crew to Panam as Claire tossed her a Broseph. Even she took notice of the similarities in personalities between V and Miz, and remarked to V on the side, "I'm going to have fun working with her, aren't I?"

V bit her bottom lip and answered, "Just like the old days, babe. How's Mitch doing?"

"Misses his best Basilisk driver more and more every day", Panam joked as she took a swig of her beer, "Nah, he says hello. Cass and Carol, too. Even Saul misses you. Ought to come by with the crew, it'd be good for everyone to see ya."

"I really would love to", V said with a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders, "I just have a lot going on here right now."

Panam laughed as she said, "Get Rogue to step up and do her part... or maybe you don't want it all crashing and burning in your absence? Where is she anyway?"

V waved her hand and chided, "Come on, Panam. Let it go."

To her point, Rogue had been conveniently absent since Panam had arrived. No surprise there, really. They weren't particularly fond of one another, despite being responsible for putting V and Panam together in the first place; Rogue was also indirectly responsible for Panam losing her beloved "Warhorse" two years prior during a job gone wrong with another merc that turned out to be Raffen Shiv. When confronted, Rogue gave an unusually cold shoulder about it, refusing to offer any help until V came along with her own agenda.

V not only helped Panam get her truck back and recover the stolen goods, but she also helped in tracking down the Raffen merc who'd ripped her off in the first place, cementing their friendship in the process. Even then, Rogue was cold towards them both; Panam for allowing petty vengeance to cloud her judgment, and V for agreeing to tag along and further complicate matters. It wasn't the first time Rogue had been wrong, but damned if she wasn't going to die on the hill of her own pride.

Panam spat as she said, "Ah, I guess you're right. No sense in ruining the good times with bad blood. So what's the job?"

V proceeded to explain the details to Panam while Pops listened. After a few minutes of back and forth, Panam called everyone together, giving her own insights on the matter, "We've already had run-ins with this particular crew from some of our smuggling runs. The intel is accurate. We don't know what to call these guys, but Raffen ain't got shit on them."

Panam went on to explain all she knew about this new group. Apparently they had gained somewhat of a boogeyman reputation among the various nomad clans. They were all ex-corpo security contractors; whether from a bad trip in the Badlands or sheer cyberpsychosis, they went mad, abandoning all humanity, adopting a feral pack mentality, and setting up ramshackle strongholds in the desert. They were known for their crudely implanted cyberware; they also desecrated their own bodies by cutting and stitching themselves back together, adorning their flesh in bones and bits of metal or whatever else. As Panam had witnessed, they painted their faces and bodies, and wore headdresses and bonnets, like some old world Native tribes. But what really caught everyone's attention is what Panam concluded with, "...and, they're cannibals."

There was a collective disgust written on everyone's faces as Ky blurted out, "What the FUCK?!"

Panam was shaking off an uneasy shiver from having just explained it all as she continued, "Yeah, from what we've heard, if you're caught alive, they either rape you until you're dead and then EAT you, or they sell you into the Badlands sex trade. Either way, save the last bullet for yourself."

Pops' eyebrows raised as he said, "Wait, wait, wait... 'Badlands sex trade'... 's no way the Seven Nations would sanction somethin' like that..."

Panam shrugged her shoulders, "Things have changed, Phoenix. A lot of smaller groups are rising up against the Nations, saying we're no better than corpos."

Pops took his shot, "In Saul's case, that may not be too far off the mark..."

"Careful, cowboy", Panam smirked, a smug validation painted all over her face, "Saul may have lost his way, but he's still one of us."

Listening to Panam of all people defend Saul Bright, you could have knocked V over with a feather. It was no mystery to anyone that Saul Bright had been gunning for a protection deal with Biotechnica, which painted him in a less-than-favorable light with other Aldecaldos as it violated the very principles on which the Nomad clans were established; an existence free from anyone else's rule; corpo, government, or otherwise.

V playfully ribbed Panam, "Don't tell me you've lost that rebellious edge, now."

Panam glared at V as she laughed, "Hardly, but I know better now which battles are worth fighting. Let Saul have his little pipe dream. It keeps him occupied and somewhat pleasant. The clan will never back a corpo move, especially while I'm still around, and I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon. I already left once, I will not make that mistake again."

Pops smiled at that, fond memories rushing in of clan camaraderie. Panam continued, swerving back on track to get off the topic of Saul, which clearly agitated her, "So we think the pedo-corpo cocksucker makes his stop at the cannibal carnival on the return trip from LA?"

V shrugged, hands on her hips, "That's what we're being told. Blue's intel usually checks out."

"So what's the plan?", Panam asked, eyes cutting to Luca, "Pretty-boy here's going to play damsel in distress in the hopes of hitching a ride, then what?"

V continued, "There's a roadside motel a few miles up from the intercept point. It's still on the way to his usual stop, but if Luca lays on the right amount of charm, might be he gets sidetracked and decides to stop for a bit. Long enough at least to jack the nav data from his truck and give him what-for."

Luca smiled and nodded confidently as Panam raised her eyebrows, "Ya got balls, kid, I'll give you that."

"I just want to do my part to help", Luca shot back. Miz rubbed his back with an almost proud smile. It was good to have her friend back.

V placed a gentle hand on Panam's shoulder as she cautioned her old friend, "Now, this isn't Rocky Ridge. We're not chasing these animals into a cave and butchering all of them, fun as that would be. For now, all Blue wants is the nav data from Farris' truck. If these guys decide to clean his clock, I'll turn a blind eye. But we have a clear line in the sand to not cross."

Panam threw her hands up with an exasperated laugh, "V, you have my word. I get Phoenix and his people across the border, then wait for the call to rendezvous and bring them back. That's it."

V nodded her head in approval, but she couldn't help but be skeptical. She knew Panam, and she knew Panam's ways; heavy-handed and headstrong, to say the least.

There was silence for several seconds before Ky added his two cents, "So now we just wait for three days for anything and everything to go wrong?"

Panam side-eyed him with a cheeky smile as she said, "Waiting's the best part! Get yourself all worked up so you can barely hold iron without your hands shaking when the time comes, right? Big fun."

Everyone shared a chuckle as Panam continued, "Forty-eight hours from now, we can meet at the Las Palapas. It's an abandoned motel in Jackson Plains, just before the protein farms."

Ky spoke up again, "Isn't that a Raffen camp?"

Panam smirked as she said, "...used to be. Now it's our staging area for moves across the border. We can spend the night there, leave before sunrise, catch the Border Patrol while they're still sleeping. And hey... this way nobody has to meet Saul."

V and Pops both smiled, trying not to laugh as everyone else nodded in agreement. Having kept his composure, Pops spoke up , "Two days. We'll be ready, and we'll see you then."

--

[The next day - 09:00]

Sweat was pouring off both bodies onto the ring's canvas as they wearily danced around one another. Eyes locked on each other, their moves were calculated and deliberate, yet fluid. Another swing, another duck and weave, another counter.

Pops stepped forward with a powerful hook, to which Billy narrowly avoided, stepping to the side. He hesitated before stepping back, letting his open shot to Pops' ribcage pass as he put some distance between them. Between breaths, Pops chided him, "You had a clean shot, pup! Why didn't you take it?"

Determined as Billy was, there was a warmth in his face; he didn't want to hurt Pops. He answered, "I... I was worried about your ribs."

Pops spat a reply as he brought his arms up, "Ah! I can take it. Now c'mon. Stop tryin' to hit me and hit me!"

For a split second, Billy looked to Miz leaning against the edge of the ring, who gave him a nod and a wink as if to say, Go for it. Give him hell, Tiger.

With a shrug and a deep exhale, Billy readied himself and moved in. Pops smirked as he said, "You might not get 'nother chance like that, pup. Should've taken it."

Billy reciprocated the smirk as he said, "Let's dance, old man."

They were back to it, moving carefully around one another. Over time, Billy had adopted more of a traditional lead stance like Miz's, learned from a combination of multiple Asian martial arts styles; Pops' stance was more Sambo-esque, rooted in raw strength and a bear-like style. He stepped in a few times, trying to draw Billy into a mistake, but he wasn't biting. Billy kept his cool, bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet. Miz had trained him well; Pops could see that well enough, but he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Pops stepped forward, closing the distance. Billy recognized his stance as he prepared himself; he'd seen it before. And there it was, Pops brought his "fake knee" strike, but instead of blocking with both hands, Billy pushed off with his lead hand, stepping to the side. The force against Pops' leg left his core exposed, and Billy stepped in with a well-placed uppercut from his cybernetic arm. He pulled his punch, but it was enough to send Pops back a few steps with a loud grunt.

Billy took the opportunity to catch his opponent off-guard as he launched a flurry of hooks and jabs, Pops struggling to keep up. Where Billy had speed, Pops still had raw strength. He broke the flurry, forcing both of Billy's hands down as he drove the full force of his shoulder into Billy's collarbones, sending him to his back on the canvas.

Billy could feel his entire body reel from the strike. He replayed the last few moments in his head, looking for openings, anything he might have missed. It couldn't have just been sheer strength, but knowing Pops, it could have been exactly that.

Before he had a chance to recover, Pops stepped over him, smiling with an outstretched hand as he said, "That's a match, pup. First to the ground."

Billy wasn't thrilled, but a deal was a deal. Pops had him fair and square. He smiled and accepted the hand as Pops pulled him up with no effort.

Down by the edge of the ring, Vik was chuckling to himself as he said to Miz, "Kid's getting better, still no match for the old man, though."

Miz smiled as she said, "He's years ahead of where he was six months ago. You've done a good job with him, Vik. Y'know, he can't thank you enough."

Vik being Vik, he waved his hand as he said, "Ah! I'm just glad I have someone I can pass all this down to."

Miz was genuinely curious, "You never had kids, did you?"

He laughed, "Kid, I'm an okay teacher; I'd be a terrible father, so don't wish that on anyone. Just be glad Billy's a grown man. He can take my abuse."

She punched his arm with a smirk.

Still in the ring, Pops caught his breath as he asked Billy, "Y-you talk to your mom lately?"

Billy nodded as he guzzled some RealWater before answering, "Yeah, last night after we left the Afterlife."

Pops was suddenly apprehensive, and Billy picked up on it. He smiled, his heart warming as he looked at this man who, in a mere six months, had managed to make his mom the happiest woman in the world, just by being there and giving a shit. Billy cut him a break as he said, "She talked to me about the house. I know it's not your idea. I'm behind whatever she chooses to do."

Pops' eyebrow raised, but Billy cut him off before he could say anything, "Yeah, I know; it's my childhood home, and at one point it was all we had besides each other. But things have changed. My life has changed for the better since I met you, and so has Mom's. We have our own family now, between us and the crew. Me and Miz have to carve our own path, same as you and Mom. And I know she'll make the right decisions because she has you backing her."

Pops couldn't have put it better himself. He smiled, placing a heavy hand on Billy's shoulder and squeezing. Miz was close enough to hear what he'd said, and she smiled before calling out, "Hey! Shower off already, I'm hungry!"

--

[Another day later - 19:00]

The sun was setting over the horizon ahead, creating a twilight effect across the desert sky as the crew's truck crossed into the Badlands on Highway 101. Another few kilometers down, and they would have reached the Border Crossing. Instead, they turned off into a lot surrounded on 3 sides by an outcropping of plateaued rocks. The large lot contained an abandoned motel on one side, with an office building and adjoined workshop on the other side. The center of the lot had been cleared, and a large portion of the asphalt torn away around a bonfire pit. Pops smiled; this was definitely a 'Caldos hangout, if only for the fire pit alone.

There was a large gathering of people already present, all of them sporting Aldecaldos' jackets or patches sewn into their clothing. They were obviously in the right spot. What seemed out of place was the smell of grills and food cooking. Ky cocked his head in curiosity as he lowered his window, the smell of fresh cooked syn-meat filling the car along with the sounds of laughter and strumming guitars. Had they just pulled into a giant party?

Panam turned from a small crowd of people and smiled as she walked over to the truck and called out, "He-e-ey! Glad you could make it!"

Ky couldn't help but ask, "Uh, are we in the right place? Y'know, the staging area for the job tomorrow?"

Panam's eyes narrowed, her smile turning into a cheeky smirk as she said, "You don't strike me as the uptight type, so pipe down. I'm sure Pops can fill you in. Park over there."

Ky wanted to feel insulted, but something about Panam's raw charisma kept him from feeling anything but happy and welcome. Pops chimed in with a nostalgic smile as they pulled further into the lot, finding an open space in the back, "The 'Caldos like to live in the present. Bright's family in particular treats every job like it's their last. So the night before, 's always good food, good drink, good music, and good times."

Ky shrugged his eyebrows and asked, "And Panam's comfortable inviting complete strangers to her shindig?"

Pops laughed and answered, "We're not strangers, Ky. 's been years, but I go way back with these people. They regard me as a friend, and by extension, they regard all of you the same."

Miz asked the burning question nobody wanted to ask at the Afterlife, "So what's the beef between you and Saul, then?"

"Same beef that led me to leave the Snake Nation", Pops answered bluntly, staring at the floor of the truck as he continued, "They wanted steady work, and were willin' to heel to corpos to make it happen... Saul got greedy and spat in the Afterlife's face before he had the grand idea to start entertainin' Biotechnica. He thought he could be different, 'do it right'."

Billy cut Pops off, "No such thing. Corpos smell ass, they'll take all they want until there's nothing left. It's a fool's errand."

Pops nodded, "That's what Falco and I told Saul. He said if we weren't willin' to get in line, we had no place in his family."

Ky jumped back in the middle of the conversation as he said, "He sounds fun."

Pops chuckled, "With any luck, we won't see him anywhere near this job."

The truck came to a stop, and all five edgerunners (and Luca) hopped out, breathing deep the comparatively fresh air and smell of food cooking. As they walked back towards the crowd, Panam met them halfway, eyes locked on Pops as she said, "You're a popular fella around here! Mitch and Cassidy send their hellos. They wanted to be here, but Saul has them with him on another job."

Pops laughed, genuinely surprised, "He's actually puttin' his neck on the line?"

Panam smirked as she fired back, "I think he just doesn't like us talking about him. Anyway, welcome to our little oasis. Y'all can bunk here for the night. We're up at 04:00, so grab some food and beer, and just enjoy yourselves."

She didn't have to tell them twice. Their mouths were already watering.

--

[21:00]

The smell of the grills persisted, but the flames had long since subsided; everyone had their fill of good food. With the stars shining bright in the clear skies, the cold evening air of the Badlands had set in, causing everyone to gather around the bonfire to keep warm. Billy was leaning back on a mattress pad, his arms wrapped around Miz as she leaned back against him, a large blanket wrapped around them both. They were enraptured by one of the older nomads of indigenous descent sitting next to them, talking about everything under the moon. He expressed to them that nothing in life is guaranteed, including life itself; so every day that they wake up and breathe fresh air is considered a gift from Mother Earth, hence why they treat the night before every job as a celebration of life.

Miz nuzzled closer into Billy's arms as she smiled and observed the goings-on around them. Everyone was in good spirits. There was a definite appeal to the nomad lifestyle, but of course she knew this wasn't all there was to it. There were a lot of creature comforts to be had in the city that just didn't exist out here. But it definitely made sense to her why Pops was not only as strong and resilient as he was, but also always calm and collected.

She caught sight of Pops sitting across from them, his face dancing in the flames as he laughed and carried on with Panam and a few others. They picked up like nothing had ever changed, like he had always been a part of the family and never left. Ky and Max were positioned similarly to Miz and Billy, but their eyes were closed. They were swaying to the rhythms of the guitars playing in the background.

Even Luca had found his place, Miz noticed, as he was sitting around with a group of younger nomads, laughing and playing various styles of drums to accompany the guitars.

Finally, she looked up at the night sky, admiring the lack of pollution. You could rarely make out the stars in the city. There was an eery light shining down; even if they weren't sitting next to a giant flame, it felt like the stars and the moon alone would light their way in the desert.

As she was still looking up, she felt a light peck against the shaved side of her head, and she smiled. She could feel Billy's lips moving to her ear as he gently whispered to her, "I... I need to tell you something, but I don't want you to panic..."

She shifted to the side, turning to face him, her face more curious than concerned as she said, "W-what is it?"

Billy bit his bottom lip for a moment as he locked eyes with Miz. When he had found his confidence, he said, "I love you."

For a split second, her eyes went wide and she tensed up. He could feel it, but he wasn't going to apologize for what he'd said. He meant it, and he wanted her to know. He could almost see a million thoughts racing through her head.

The doubt had started to settle in, but it was quickly washed away as Miz turned her whole body towards him and curled up in his arms. Finally, she looked up in his eyes and smiled, "I love you too."

Her eyes closed as she rested her head against his chest. She could feel his heart racing as she smiled. He didn't even try to hide it as he wrapped her up tight, tears of joy forming at the edges of his eyes.

Billy caught Pops looking at him from across the way, a wide smile on his face as he gave a nod. He'd seen it all. Billy nodded back before resting his head against Miz's. It was barely a minute before they were both asleep.

--

[04:00]

A gentle hand rested against Billy's shoulder as he stirred awake, looking up to see Pops standing over him. He spoke softly, "Rise and shine, pup. Time to go."

Billy yawned, looking over to see Ky and Max already awake, pulling equipment from the back of the truck. He nudged Miz with a kiss against her forehead as she groaned softly, "Don't tell me it's already time."

Billy chuckled, "Afraid so, babe."

She nuzzled his chest one last time as she looked up, rubbed her eyes and said, "Mmrf, morning Tiger."

Billy smiled and said, "Morning."

She stretched her back and shoulders with several loud pops as she pulled away and hopped to her feet. The air was still cold, their breath visible. The night sky was holding on, but there was a dull glow creeping from the east. They didn't have much time.

Miz pulled Billy to his feet, and they shared a morning smoke as they made their way over to Max and Ky. Pops was already geared up and ready to go, so they wasted no time. A "door prize" from the H10 gig, V had let them keep the Militech tac-gear, claiming it'd be more useful to them than collecting dust at the Afterlife. They couldn't argue with that.

Over the last six months, they had put their fair share of mileage on the gear with all the work they'd been running. Unless there was a need to blend in on a particular job, the crew had agreed on making the matching sets part of their regular load-out, but not without adding their own flair. Miz and Max both still refused to wear their armor vests; Max simply preferred her netrunning suit and Miz liked being able to actually move freely. Billy and Pops both had stripped their vests down to make it easier to shoulder carry their iron, and to manuever in general. Old habits and all, especially for Pops. From the outside, they all looked like stone-cold operators.

Of the crew, Luca was the odd one out, dressed in some neo-kitsch streetwear. His side of the job was to be as tempting as possible, so he had to look the part. Miz gently ribbed him that he looked pretty much the same as the first time they'd run into each other as adults before the Waterfront job. Luca not-so-gently reminded her that since having joined the Mox, he had quickly become a Lizzie's house favorite XBD performer for clientele of a certain orientation. He was hot, and he didn't mind making it everyone else's problem, even if he was shaking like a dog to try and keep warm at the present moment.

Billy did Luca a favor, throwing a blanket around him as they were suiting up and checking their gear. Before long, Panam showed up alongside them, eager to get moving as she joked, "No rush, take your time."

Ky fired back, "Don't you know the sun waits for this smile to shine?"

There was a collective groan as Miz called out to Panam, "If you need to shoot him, you have my blessing. Max will get over it."

They all shared a laugh before their attention was drawn to the sound of a monstrous engine turning over from the workshop. The machine roared to life before rolling out from the garage bay. Had Ky not been happily committed to Max, he probably would have sprung an erection as a stripped-down, heavily modified Chevillon Centurion revealed itself, pulling to a stop in the middle of the lot as other Aldecaldos' vehicles took up a convoy position around it.

Panam punched Ky's arm as she said, "Hey, pick your jaw up off the floor!"

For once, Ky was actually speechless. He was enamored with the work done to the vehicle. Where Centurions typically had a "six-by-six" configuration, this particular model had been modified to run in a "four-by-four" configuration with a dually rear axle. The bed had been modified with a skeleton-frame canopy over the top, a canvas cover draped over. The front suspension had been slightly raked, giving it a lower center of gravity and an aggressive stance. The truck itself had been stripped of any superfluous body panels to reduce weight. From the sounds of the engine, it had been heavily upgraded and tuned for raw power. There was no doubt about it; this machine was built for hauling ass in a desert, which suited it perfectly to their objective.

Panam approached the truck as she turned to the crew and announced sarcastically, "Your chariot has arrived!"

As the crew approached, several other nomads gathered around Panam for a once-over on their end of the job. When she had everyone's attention, she began, "Alright, Aldecaldos know the drill. We have 60 seconds to cross No Man's Land once the jammers are in place. Keep to the river beds and we shouldn't draw any drones to us. On the other side, that's another 60 seconds to break the LIDAR nets before Octants swarm our position. Once we're clear, we'll disperse until we're ready to cross back over."

All the nomads nodded together as Panam continued, directing her attention to Pops and the crew, "You'll ride in the Centurion both ways. Once we're on the other side, you'll travel in separate vehicles. Luca has a Thorton Galena rigged with a remote-trigger smoke bomb. When the time is right, we can set the fuse remotely. The rest of you have your choice of a Colby CX410 or a Larimore pickup. Once you're done with your end of things, ping us on the holo and we can rendezvous to cross back over."

No words needed to be said. Everyone nodded to each other, checking weapons and readying their gear as Panam concluded with, "Alright, mount up, move out!"

With almost drilled precision, the nomads dispersed, each moving to their own vehicles as Panam dropped the tailgate on the Centurion, motioning Pops and his crew forward. He pulled himself up using the step ladder before turning to offer a hand to the rest. Panam smirked as she watched them all help each other into the truck bed. Once situated, she slammed the tailgate shut and jumped up, leaning in as she said to Pops, "It'll be good to see you in action, old man. I've heard stories."

Pops chuckled as he lit a cigarette and placed his hand on Panam's, "We'll try not to disappoint. See you on the other side."

Panam dropped down and walked to head of the convoy, her old faithful "Warhorse" idling with a low rumble as another nomad piled into the passenger seat. With the driver's side door open, she stood on the running board for a few seconds, taking in the sounds of engines turning over and voices calling out to each other. With a deep exhale, she shut the door as she shifted into gear and slowly rolled forward, waiting for the rest of the convoy to follow suit.

The Centurion rumbled to life, lurching forward as the crew bounced on the crude benches in the truck bed. Ky was zeroed in, checking his Kyubi and adjusting the strap. Max admired his discipline. Sure, he was the class clown of the group, but when he was in his element, he was a force to be reckoned with. They all were. She turned to Luca, sitting nervously, eyes darting back and forth. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and said, "Oye, it gon' be okay. We have your back all de way."

Ky smiled as he called out, "You ready, kid?"

Luca gave a half smile, but said nothing. He was too busy trying to keep his hands from shaking.

The truck lurched again, smoothing out as the convoy pulled onto the paved highway. The glow over the horizon was growing behind the vehicles following the truck and the air was beginning to warm. Dawn was fast approaching.

The truck began to slow as a voice called out from the cab, "Grab your ankles folks, we're goin' off-road!"

Old habits, Ky reached up with both hands and grabbed hold of a small rope secured to the crossbars of the canopy frame, everyone else following suit. Even six months out, Billy was still impressed how well his cybernetic arm integrated to his body, as he could feel the rope chafing against the palm of his hand. He had a slight smile as he looked across to Miz, not surprised to find her looking back as she gave him a wink. Her core, arms, and shoulder muscles were flexing as she braced herself, and Billy couldn't help but admire her form and build. He'd made it known the night before, he was over the moon for her; the feeling was mutual.

They felt the weight shift on the axles as the truck made a slight left turn, and the bed began to shift and lean. A sudden buck nearly sent them all flying as the truck broke off the highway and into the sand. They all watched as the vehicles following seemed to handle the transition with infinitely more grace. Tuned and tweaked as the Centurion was, it was still a heavy-duty vehicle, built more for performance than comfort.

They could hear Panam's voice over a CB radio in the cab, barking orders about tightening up formation, staying close, and generally just being cantankerous. For all of her personality quirks, she ran a tight ship, and nobody could really complain about that. She looked after her people, made sure they got back alive, and never left a man behind.

The earth around them began to rise as they descended into the riverbeds, Panam signaling the countdown to start. Sixty seconds to the border. The crew could feel the truck accelerating and weaving as it navigated the serpentine paths through "No Man's Land". It was an appropriate name for this spit of desert. From the border wall, the last two kilometers of land on either side of the 101 was heavily patrolled by unmanned drones; Militech Griffins and Zetatech Octants to be precise. The Griffins were good for high-speed pursuit and driving targets to a designated killzone, where the heavier Octants took over. Those were slower, but they were well reputed for leaving glass craters in the sand with massive firepower. Luckily the Aldecaldos had nearly perfected their routes for avoiding unwanted guests. The Badlands were their backyard, after all.

As was always the case, nothing ever went according to plan as the straggler vehicle in the convoy shouted over the radio, "Shit, shit, we got inbound! Three Griffins, closin' in fast!"

Ky and Pops both looked out the rear of the truck and confirmed the sighting; through the clouds of dust kicked up in the truck's wake, there were three sets of piercing red optics fast approaching. Panam's voice was clear on the radio as she shouted, "Keep driving! Do NOT engage!"

The straggler called out again, "They've got us in their sights! They could blow us to hell and back any second now!"

Panam repeated her last order, "DO. NOT. ENGAGE!"

Ky spoke out loud as he settled on one knee, rifle at the ready, "Na-a-ah, fuck that. That Galena doesn't stand a chance against those cannons. Max? Need your eyes, babe."

Max joined Ky on the floor of the truck bed, eyes flashing blue as she scanned for targets; Ky spoke again as he tried to keep his aim steady, "Painting all three with IR. Let me know when you have 'em."

After a few seconds, Max confirmed, "Wi, go' target lock on all three."

Ky asked, "Can you bag all three in one go?"

Max smirked, "Ya even need ta ask?"

The glowing blue in her eyes shifted to red, pulsing three times in rapid succession. Within a few seconds, the drones each slowed down, one after the other, before sparking and popping smoke as they dropped dead into the sand, quickly becoming nothing more than black dots in the distance. Max's eyes shifted back to blue, shuttering for a second before she spoke confidently, "Dey no phone 'ome, we in de clear."

Ky gave a deep sigh before turning towards the front of the bed. He poked his head into the truck's cab, pardoning himself to the driver before grabbing the CB's microphone as he said, "All three drones are down. No shots fired, the air is clear. Nobody knows we're here."

Panam shouted back, "I specifically said not to engage."

Ky's face turned sour as he fired back, "Yeah well, I don't report to you."

Billy tried not to laugh, biting his lip. There was an audible growl from Panam as she muttered over a still-hot mic, "...asshole!"

Ky smirked as he answered, "You too, princess", before he tossed the radio aside with a wanton disregard and made his way back to the bench.

After a few seconds, Ky looked up, everyone in the truck bed giving him significant glances as he said, "Man, V wasn't kidding about her..."

They all chuckled as Panam's voice came over the radio again, "Moment of truth, people! Gate's are clear, we're going underground!"

The sounds began to close in, reverberating around them as the truck took a steep incline down. The encroaching dawn disappeared, becoming nothing more than a faint departing light at the end of a distant tunnel before disappearing entirely. The straggler vehicle's headlights shone, nearly blinding the crew in the truck bed as their eyes adjusted. The ambient noise of engines roaring and reverberating against the tunnel walls was deafening, and everyone's faces wore the discomfort of being subjected to it.

Another minute passed and the driver called back as he said, "Welcome to South Californ-I-A, folks!"

They had made it, now they just had to make it out of the tunnels without losing what was left of their hearing.

Yet another minute passed and a dull light began to creep in through the canvas. They were nearing the end of the tunnels. The sounds began to open up, the echoes subsiding as the noise escape outside. The truck lurched as it hit an upwards incline, the driver shifting to get more torque to the wheels as he called back, "Fresh air, but we ain't outta the woods yet!"

Ky called back to him, "Yeah, but are we having fun yet?!"

The driver laughed as Panam's voice came over the radio, starting another countdown. Sixty seconds to clear this side of No Man's Land, otherwise they were in a world of hurt. Ky had his rifle ready this time. First sign of trouble, he was opening up; let the princess sort it out later.

Pops smirked. It wasn't often someone genuinely got under Ky's skin. He'd have to watch them closely. He knew well of Panam's reputation, even as a kid, for going muzzle to muzzle with anyone and everyone. She was impulsive, but it had served her well. If she had her sights on someone, she would hit them hard and fast from where they least expect it.

Their luck was better on this side of the border, as they exited the riverbeds and found the roads with little issue. Panam's voice broke over the radio again, signaling a rendezvous point a few miles down the road, past Yucca.

It was a well-known fact among nomads that "their kind" wasn't welcome in Yucca proper. The sheriff took issue with "strays" and "ferals" causing trouble in his town. He was a diehard loyalist with a badge, a reward for his service to the NUSA during the Unification War. Exactly the kind of asshole Ky would waste no time punching in the face without hesitation.

At last, they had reached their destination as the truck came to a rough stop, sending everyone flying towards the front of the bed. With almost no effort, Pops reached out and released the latch, dropping the tailgate as he dropped down from the bed, ignoring the steps altogether. The rest of crew followed suit, except for Luca, who carefully navigated the stepladder down.

Ky smiled as he said, "Well, that wasn't all bad, all things consid—"

He was cut off by the sound of boots stomping in his direction as a single hand pushed against his shoulder to turn him, followed by a pair of hands to his chest, shoving him back as Panam yelled, "What the FUCK were you thinking?! I gave an order!"

She tried to step forward to get in Ky's face again, her own face burning with anger, before Pops stepped in front as he placed a firm hand against her shoulder and stared her down. In a fit a of rage, she snapped, "Move it, old man!"

Like Miz with Tooley across the dining room table, Pops didn't budge. He planted his feet and became effectively a stone, Panam struggling in vain to get past him. As her eyes locked with his, the anger subsided slowly, until there was only shame and a sense of self-deprecating disappointment. Even Miz, completely uninvolved and standing ten feet away, reflexively shied away. Nobody could look Pops in the eye when he got like this.

Whether sheer stupidity or righteous fury, Panam gave one last shot. By this point, all the kindness had drained from Pops' face as he once again blocked her, this time shoving her back by her shoulder as his eyes narrowed.

She stood there, defeated, looking past Pops to Ky as she threw her arms down and walked away in a huff and muttered under her breath, "Fuck!"

Ky stood at Pops' side, but before he could open his mouth, Pops gave him a heavy back-hand to his chest as if to say now was the time to stay quiet. Ky dropped his head and stepped back as Pops carefully followed Panam.

Back near the Warhorse, she was trying to blow off steam as Pops stepped up and spoke calmly, "You had a straggler unprotected. Griffins would've torn them to pieces had Ky and Max not stepped up."

Panam's eyes narrowed as she looked at Pops and said, "He didn't have to slam the door on me over an open mic."

Pops fired back, "You didn't need to call him out, either. He's not one of your crew."

She tried to look away, she didn't want to hear it, but he was right. He continued, "I know you and V go way back, but you're the hired help on this gig. You're not runnin' it. Ky did what he did to avoid loss o' life. He's as much concerned 'bout keepin' your crew alive as you are. He doesn't want any one of you on his conscience for bein' a part of this. Find the fault in that."

Panam's eyes softened, and she looked down at her own feet. It was hard for her to let go of it. She conceded, but took her last shot with a smirk as she was finally able to look Pops in the eye, "He is still an asshole."

"He's... an acquired taste", Pops said with a chuckle, "But he'd take a bullet for any one of you without askin' for a thing in return. They all would, myself included."

Panam gave a sincere smile and asked, "So... Pops, huh?"

He smirked and answered, "An affectionate appellation bestowed on me by Miz way back when."

"You'll have to tell me about that sometime", Panam said as she passed Pops, giving him a pat on the shoulder, "Was always curious what happened to you after you left."

Pops answered, turning to follow, "When we get back, tell y'all 'bout it..."

Back by the rear of the Centurion, the crew were checking their gear once again, deciding who would take which car. Pops' voice trailed in, "Ky and Billy, take the Colby, scope the motel and keep a lookout; Max and Miz, with me in the pickup. We'll keep an eye on Luca and tail Farris."

Well, that settled it; but not quite. All eyes were on Pops as he lit a cigarette before popping the hood on the Galena that Luca was supposed to drive. He squinted for a second before reaching down, giving a precise jerk, and tossing aside the smoke bomb placed in the engine bay. Panam stepped forward as she said, "Woah, woah... w-what are you doing?"

Without looking up, Pops answered, "Can't expect a Militech brass won't know the difference between a blown motor and a smoke grenade. We'll handle the car when the time comes. We'll need one of your crew on lookout 10 kilometers up from us, give us a good lead time."

Panam bit her bottom lip, trying not to smile as Pops nudged her, "C'mon, not like y'all got anythin' better to do, besides raisin' hell in Yucca. Could be fun."

Finally, she nodded in agreement, signaling to one of the nomads. With some anguish in her face, she turned to Ky and said, "Hey, fly-boy! ...I'm sorry..."

Ky looked up and gave her a wink and a smile as he said, "For what?", before turning to load his gear into the Colby with Billy.

She turned back to all the crew and said, "Alright, the motel is 40 kilometers straight down the 101. Luca will want to park it another 10-15 kilometers beyond that, and our lookout will be yet another 10 kilometers out. Good luck out there. Ping us when you're ready, or if things go sideways."

Everyone nodded before going their separate ways. Billy turned towards their car before Miz yanked him back by his body armor, stepping up to kiss him before she said, "Watch yourself, Tiger."

He smiled and winked as Ky called out, "No worries, Miz, I'll keep him out of trouble. He's driving anyway!"

News to Billy, but he was okay with that. One by one, everyone piled into their respective vehicles before pulling back onto the road. The sun had finally crested over the horizon, lighting their way.

--

[Several hours later]

The sun was high in the sky at this point, scorching the desert without mercy. "Hot" didn't even come close. Billy and Ky had already scoped out the motel, electing to park elsewhere while they waited. Turns out, as Ky cautioned the crew, two operators in body armor and fatigues sitting outside a motel raises a few red flags.

Sweat was dripping from their noses and ears, the seats of the Colby completely soaked through. Ky swallowed a knot in his throat as he exhaled and said to Billy, "Hey... I spy with my little eye—"

Billy cut him off, "I swear to Christ, if you say cactus again, I'm going to find one and shove it up your ass."

Miz quipped in the crew-wide holocall, "You boys having fun over there?"

Ky answered, "Hey, are you soaking through your seat?"

"More and more by the minute", Miz laughed. Pops was resting his eyes, arm hanging out the driver side window with a lit cigarette. Max looked positively miserable as she wiped more and more sweat from her brow.

Miz scanned the landscape, finding nothing except Luca's car parked on the side of the highway. She called out to him, "How ya doing over there, Luc'?"

He answered softly, "I-I'm okay. A little nervous."

Miz smiled, "You'll be okay. We have every angle covered, you won't ever be out of our sight."

Luca chuckled as he said, "Yeah, Max slotted a biomon tracking shard, so you should have a good bead on me..."

Billy related to Luca as he said, "Hey, they slotted me with one of those for my first gig, too."

Miz fired back, bluntly, "That was so you didn't run scared or fuck us over."

Billy laughed, "And did I do either of those things?"

Miz blushed as she flashed back to their first gig, and she bit her bottom lip before answering, "I, uh... I was pleasantly surprised to admit I was wrong about you..."

Ky interjected, effectively ruining the moment, "Confirms my theory why Pops split you two up in different cars. You'd probably be fucking each other's brains out right now if left unsupervised."

He wasn't wrong. Miz's cheeks burned as she tried to count all the times and places over the last six months that she and Billy had sex; their apartment, the lockup, their apartment, the bathrooms at the Afterlife, their apartment, the bathrooms at the Red Dirt, Tooley's penthouse, an alleyway behind El Coyote Cojo...

JESUS, Miz thought as her eyes went wide; she'd forgotten about that one. They were both hammered when it happened. It actually frightened her a little to wonder if Ky knew about even half of those...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice over the CB radio in the pickup, "We got inbound. Unmarked but blacked-out Chevillon Emperor heading northeast on 101."

Eyes still closed, Pops grabbed the microphone, clicking it on as he said, "...copy..."

He sat up, taking one last drag of his butt before tossing it. He looked over to Max in the passenger seat and said, "Work your magic."

Max called out to Luca in the holocall as her eyes flashed blue, "Oye, twy no' ta panic."

Her eyes pulsed for a second. The Galena roared to life as its engine turned over and began to redline immediately. After several seconds, there was a loud bang followed by a pop, startling Luca. A flash from under the hood, followed by smoke pouring out from under the vehicle. Max smiled as she said, "Is done."

Ky followed up, "Might want to get out of the car before the fumes get to ya. Give it a few minutes, then pop the hood to air things out."

Luca coughed lightly as he opened the door and stepped out. He took a few steps to the front of the car, trying to stay clear of the smoke as the sun beat against his skin. He kept a decent tan considering his line of work. His platinum hair was almost glowing white. He had dressed himself sparingly, a black full-body fishnet suit under a sleeveless leather jacket with a high collar, cut-off denim hotpants, and his classic pink kick sneakers, plus a few other odds and ends. He crossed his legs and leaned against the car's front quarter, stretching back and placing his arms up as he looked around.

After another minute, he stepped around and popped open the hood, waving away the smoke from the engine bay with a slight cough. Finally, he stepped back around to the front quarter facing the highway as he leaned over, arching his back to "look under the hood" as he waited.

Miz continued scanning, finally catching sight of an approaching vehicle. Her Kiroshis zoomed in to confirm as she spoke up in the call, "Got our Chevillon approaching. Luca, you ready?"

He answered with a deep sigh, ..."I'm ready..."

With a smirk, Miz said, "Alright, time to look sexy. Charm this gonk."

Luca suddenly found his confidence as his already effeminate voice took on an even more flamboyant tone and he said, "Honey, this is what I do."

Miz could almost hear Ky groaning on the other end of the call as she followed up, "Truck should be in sight now. Drop off the call, we'll track you through the shard."

Luca dropped off the call, arching his back even further to draw the attention of the approaching truck. The engine noise grew louder as the truck approached, and Luca pulled away at the last second, narrowing his eyes to follow. As the truck passed, he swung around, running out into the road and waving his arms before leaning to one side, hands on his hips. The truck's brakelights flashed a solid red as it slowed to a stop, pulling off to the side of the road. Luca gave a sigh of relief as he watched the truck carefully reverse, slowly coming closer. It stopped a safe distance away, and he sauntered over to the passenger window, swaying his hips. The window open halfway, and he approached, peeking inside as he said, "Hi! Oh my god, thank you so much for stopping!"

To Luca's surprise, the man in the truck was actually more handsome than his holographic headshot at the Afterlife gave him credit for. He had a clean dark brown crew cut with the sides tapered off, likely due to his military background. His striking green eyes were sharp enough to pierce through Luca's soul, and his jawline was chiseled, noticeable even under his full beard, a slight tint of grey creeping in. His face bore a few wrinkles, but they gave him a distinguished look. He had a muscular build, masked by his tailored corpo suit. He was a tidy man, but he wore a wary smile as he said, "Car trouble?"

Luca bit his bottom lip and nodded, giving his best puppy-dog eyes as he answered, "Yeah, I think my engine blew. I'm so bummed, I'm supposed to meet some friends in Night City for a concert, and now I'll never make it!"

The man checked his surroundings, careful to clear all angles before he looked back to Luca. After a few seconds, the suspicion left his face and he offered a kind smile and said, "Well... maybe I happen to be on my way to Night City..."

Luca's eyes lit up, and he placed his hands on the window, showing off his painted nails as he cocked his head to the side and asked, "Oh my gosh, really?! ...c-could you give me a lift?"

The man answered him, "I, uh... I can get you as far as the other side of the border. Should get you close enough to call for a ride from your friends?"

Luca feigned excitement as he asked again, "Are you serious? Like, really serious?"

The man's smile widened as he gave a wink and unlocked the passenger door. He followed up with, "Hop on in. What's your name?"

"I'm Luca", he said as he opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat before extending his hand, "Thank you so much for doing this."

The man took his hand, admiring Luca's soft skin, "I'm Michael. That's a beautiful name."

Luca giggled and blushed as he said, "So what brings you all the way out here?"

Farris answered, "I'm... a corporate contractor. I manage projects for one of the big corps in Night City. I'm on my way back from Los Angeles."

"Oh wow, that sounds important", Luca said as he looked around the interior of the vehicle, "I don't think I've ever been in a car this nice before."

Farris chuckled, "Yeah, the corp takes care of me. I do okay."

Luca looked down, feigning embarrassment before looking back to Farris, "I, uh... I don't have any money. I'm sorry."

Farris smiled again as he dismissed Luca, "T-that's not necessary. I'm happy I can help."

Moment of truth, Luca thought as he took his chance, "Yeah, well, I just feel bad. You're so nice... and I didn't expect someone so handsome would be my knight in shining armor..."

Farris' face flushed, and Luca could see his pants tighten ever so slightly. Bingo, now sell it.

Luca leaned against his arm on the armrest as he stared intently at Farris and continued, "Do you blush for all the handsome boys you find stranded on the side of the road?"

Farris laughed nervously as Luca continued, "I really wouldn't feel right unless I could... make it up to you."

He carefully reached over, placing his hand on Farris' thigh, causing the blush to turn into a full burn as Farris perspired slightly, a smirk on his face. It was his lucky day. A few seconds passed before he said, "There's somewhere we can stop, just a few minutes up the road. It's clean and private."

Luca joked, "Is it air conditioned?"

Farris laughed again and nodded.

Back in the Larimore, Max confirmed, "Wi, 'im movin' at a fast pace. Looks like Farris took de bait."

Ky quipped, "Yeah, he's a cute kid. If I swung that way, even I might make a pass at him."

Miz fired back, "Ky, you'd fuck a hole in the ground if you were horny enough."

Without missing a beat, Ky said, "I would like to maintain that I proved my father wrong when he said I didn't know my own ass from a hole in the ground, thank you."

The entire crew shared a laugh as Billy brought them back on track, "Let us know when they're stopped, and we'll make our way."

A few kilometers further down the road, the Chevillon pulled into the motel's parking lot, claiming a space right up front. The motel knew its clientele, and so had installed meter stations in every parking spot, allowing the guests to self-service their own rentals from one to twenty-four hours. People weren't coming here for the view or the amenities, and the staff really wanted nothing to do with it. Farris looked around as he pulled his personal link from his hand and jacked in. He hovered for a few seconds before deciding on a two-hour rental. The meter sprang to life, spitting out a plastic off-white card, indicating a room on the second floor.

He looked to Luca with a devilish grin as he said, "Well, shall we?"

Max spoke up in the holocall, "De truck is stopped, Luca's on de move, walkin' pace."

Billy turned over the Colby's engine as he answered, "On the way."

As Luca guided Farris up the stairs, he was already trying to lose his jacket, baring his shoulders as he teased his host with a sway of his hips. Farris' mouth was watering, but there was an edge to the look in his eyes. It reminded Luca of the looks Tooley used to give him. As they reached the door to their room, Farris swipped the card and the door slid open. As Luca entered, he felt a heavy shock and a blow to the back of his head, sending him to the floor as the door slid shut behind them. All the kindness had left Farris' voice as he said, "Cut the shit. What's your game, kid? What are you after?!"

Luca held the back of his head as he turned to face Farris with genuine tears in his eyes, "W-what do you mean?!"

Farris had a Liberty drawn from its holster as he continued, "There's no way a prime cut of meat like you is just stuck on the side of the highway, ripe for the taking at the exact moment I happen to be on my way back to NC."

Luca's eyes widened as Farris approached him, undoing the belt on his slacks as he growled, "I'm still going to get mine, but you're not going to like it."

Max called out to the crew, "Luca's biomon just wen' off de charts! Heart rate and cortisol levels are spiking. 'im afraid."

Miz followed up, "Something's wrong. Maybe Farris got wise?"

"Have to assume so", Billy answered, "We're 30 seconds out, have to approach carefully. Screeching tires won't help."

In the motel room, Farris grabbed Luca around the neck with his free hand, lifting him up before throwing him to the edge of the bed. He planted the Liberty squarely between Luca's shoulder blades as he ripped off the denim hotpants, resting himself fully erect on the small of Luca's back as he laughed and said, "You don't know who you're fucking with, kid. I'm going to break you in half until you bleed."

Luca grabbed the sheets on the bed as he whimpered and sobbed quietly, praying for someone to come running through the door and save him.

As casually as Billy could under the circumstances, he pulled the Colby into the motel's parking lot and took a parking space facing the highway. He didn't even have a chance to kill the ignition before Ky was already out of the car and moving toward the Chevillon. He checked the meter, finding the indication of the room number as he signaled to Billy, Two. One. One.

Room 211 was their destination. Weapons at the ready, they made their way to the second floor, careful to check corners. They quietly signaled for any bystanders to get down or out of the way. They could hear a gruff voice trailing out from behind the door, mixed with Luca's sobbing voice begging for mercy between gasping for air.

Ky parked on the wall next to the keypad for the door. Billy pulled a crowbar out, positioning himself to pry the door open. Ky gave him a silent countdown, Three, two, one!

Billy jammed the crowbar into the door frame and quickly jerked forward, breaking the seal. He dropped the bar and finshed the job with his Gorilla Arm, nearly tearing the door loose from its guide rails in less than a second. Ky didn't have time to be impressed as he charged in, yelling at Farris to get down, Billy following behind and covering the rear.

Farris was quite literally caught with his pants down as his eyes widened. Ky barked at him to drop the Liberty, put his hands on his head, and drop to his knees. He obliged as the rest of him softened from the surprise. Billy turned to face Farris, pressing the barrel of his Crusher into the man's shoulder as Ky slung his rifle down and bound the man's hands behind his back.

When Farris was secured, Ky signaled to Billy to check on Luca. The boy was sobbing on the bed as Billy approached and spoke gently, "Luca, it's okay. We're here, you're safe now."

The sobs subsided as Luca looked up, seeing his guardian angels smiling that he was still relatively unharmed. Ky wasted no time in kicking Farris face down into the floor as he placed a knee into the man's back. He jerked Farris' head in both directions, pleased to find a single shard slotted behind one of his ears. He called to the crew as he said, "Target secured, he's got a single shard in his head, should be what we need. Luca's okay, mostly just shook up by the looks of it."

Pops answered, "Good work fellas, we're pullin' in now."

As the Larimore screeched to a stop, Miz jumped out of the back seats, Unity at the ready to check and clear any threats. Max jumped out from the passenger seat and ran up the stairs. She needed the shard in Farris' head to crack the Chevillon's encryption. Pops kept watch with Miz, a weather eye on both directions of the highway.

In their haste, none of them caught Farris' eyes glowing orange for several seconds as he pinged for help. Max finally called out, "I go' de shard!", as she made her way back downstairs and ran to the Chevillon. With a smile, she was able to open the passenger door as she took a seat inside and went to work dismantling the center console.

Back in the room, Farris' voice was muffled as he laughed and spoke into the floor, "Y-you guys have no idea who you're fucking with! I will end all of you!"

"Sure you will, sweetheart", Ky joked as he dug the barrel of his rifle into Farris' neck. Luca had pulled himself together, sitting in the corner of the room, staring at Farris with a fire in his eyes.

Back down in the parking lot, Pops chuckled as he said to Miz, "All things considered, that could've gone way worse."

Miz's head cocked to the left reflexively, and her eyes narrowed as she scanned the horizon. After she was sure of what she thought she saw, she called out to the crew, "Anyone else hear faint laughing and screams coming from that rapidly approaching dust cloud?"

Billy exclaimed, "Oh shit! He called for help...", before grabbing Farris' Liberty and bringing it to Luca. Ky placed a careful strike of his rifle's stock against Farris' head, knocking him out cold. Billy handed the Liberty to Luca and asked, "You know how to use one of these?"

Luca looked at him blankly as he ejected the magazine and cleared the chamber before slamming the magazine back in the well and racking the slide. Billy smirked and said, "Okay, we got serious hate rolling this way. If that big fucker moves, you shoot him."

Luca's eyes cut back to Farris, and he nodded without saying a word. Billy called out to Ky, "Let's go, brother!"

Ky confirmed, "Right behind you!"

They wasted no time in getting situated. They all agreed it would be best to draw in as many as possible and then open fire, maybe catch them out in the open and throw them off. As everyone took their positions and hid out of sight, the first of three vehicles came tearing into the parking lot, bald tires screeching and brakes hissing as it slammed to a stop. The car resembled a Thorton Colby offroad model, but it had been horribly disfigured and poorly maintained with body panels stripped, raw shards and metal spikes crudely welded onto the frame. It looked like something from an apocalyptic "road warrior" movie. Two humanoid bodies jumped out of the back of the vehicle, holding crude melee weapons. One of them had a gash in his left cheek, loosely stapled back together; he had implants in his arms and legs, but they looked to be in a sad state of repair, almost crude. The mesh of machine and flesh bore signs of infection. His body was covered in something resembling tattoos, and his torso had been cut up and stitched back together... multiple times. He didn't speak, but he vocalized some kind of raspy growls to his counterpart, who was equally grotesque in his appearance. Both of their hands were trembling, as if unable to keep still. The driver and passenger got out of the vehicle and joined their feral brethren. They seemed more put together, arguably more "human", but not by much. At least they spoke actual words and sentences. Their hands also trembled, and their cyberware wasn't any better maintained.

The other two vehicles followed behind, producing another six of these creatures. There wasn't a more fitting word for them. Maybe "Ferals"? They looked human, but lacked any semlbance of humanity. They were cautious, keeping distance from each other, careful not to get caught as one large group. One of the vocal Ferals spoke quietly to one of the wild Ferals, sending the latter snarling and walking towards the check-in desk as he readied a crude machete. He was hungry for blood.

Ky's crisis of conscience swept over him, not wanting to lose an innocent bystander. He pinged a message to the crew asking to engage. Pops replied back saying it was Ky's call, as it didn't seem like these... "men"... were going to take the bait as a group. Billy pinged a message of his own, warning for "eyes and ears" as he threw two live flash-bang grenades from the upstairs motel room into the parking lot. The crew all obliged, ducking their heads as the Ferals began to snarl and snap at each other in a panic.

Within a few seconds, there was a blinding white flash and a loud boom as car windows shattered in the immediate range of where the grenades landed. Ky took the opportunity, dropping the Feral approaching the check-in desk first before directing his aim to the parking lot. Pops had his Malorian at the ready as he kept watch and covered Max, who was still working on Farris' truck. She signaled to him that she needed three minutes. Pops took a deep breath; a lot could happen in three minutes. Billy had moved out of the motel room to the second floor railing, taking cover behind a pillar. As he surveyed the parking lot, one question crossed his mind, Where's Miz?

He spotted her, making her way around the parking lot from the highway side as she tried to flank the Ferals. Jesus Christ, he thought as he readied his Crusher and fired three slugs from behind cover. He could tell from the screams he caught at least one of them. Ky matched his shots, moving forward to cover behind another vehicle. There was no sneaking now as the Ferals began to disperse. Those with firearms dove for cover behind their own vehicles, whereas the more wild ones equipped with melee weapons began a mad rush. Miz knew what had to happen as she broke her cover to meet a group of three. She grabbed their attention with a rebel yell as she jumped off the roof of a car, her Mantis Blade protruding from her arm. She landed in front of one of the wild Ferals, rolling to dodge a sideswipe slash from a meat cleaver. She recovered to one knee, spinning around and plunging the blade into the man's stomach. She twisted her arm and moved with an uppercut motion as the blade sliced through bone like butter, leaving a gash from the man's stomach up through his shoulder. He poured blood onto the asphalt as he fell, screaming for help.

Miz turned to face the other two wild men. One of them approached, holding a crudely-fashioned spear with a knife tied to the end. He stepped forward with a lunge as Miz stepped to the side. She blocked the spear down, grabbing hold of it and pulling the second man off-balance. As he stumbled toward her, she broke the spear in half with her Mantis Blade, grabbing the business end with her left hand and plunging it forward through the man's throat. She tried to recover quickly, but the third man caught her off-guard with a blow between the shoulder blades, knocking her off balance. He quickly followed up with a pair of ragged-edged hatchets, catching her right shoulder, lower back, and right thigh with alternating horizontal slashes before she turned and he caught her across her left cheek as she recoiled with a cry of pain. They were all shallow wounds, but they bled nonetheless. The man took another downward swing, but Miz was ready for him. She caught his arm, wrenching it to release the hatchet as it clanged against the asphalt. She put the full force of her right forearm through the man's elbow, shattering his arm at a grotesque and unnatural angle. She recovered quickly, extending her Mantis Blade once again as she plunged it into his torso again and again, each time spilling more blood and sinew on the asphalt as she screamed, her face threading a solid red. The body fell to its knees, barely hanging onto life. With one last yell, Miz drove the Mantis Blade through his heart, making sure her face was the last thing he ever saw as her eyes pulsed red. The body went limp, and she let it fall to the ground as she turned to look for her next prey.

Pops, Billy, and Ky had made short work of the other Ferals. They didn't have much discipline, and they seemed more interested in the wild banshee rush than protecting their own wellbeing. The cuts were deeper than Miz realized, her body covered in blood as she collapsed to her knees. Her rage consumed her, and her breathing became ragged. She licked her cheek, covered in blood running down her neck, before spitting it out as she gritted her teeth and looked out over the desert.

In an instant, Billy was by her side, trying to make sure she was okay. He placed a gentle hand on her left shoulder as he knelt down next to her. Almost instinctively, she shrugged him off as she pulled away, her eyes closed. Her breathing became more irregular, her face wearing the pain of her wounds. Billy noticed her eyebrows furrowed in sadness as the rage subsided. She knew she'd jerked away from him, and it killed her more than the fact that she was bleeding profusely all over herself from four open wounds. Her lips began to quiver as she looked at him. He reached for her again and she fell into his arms. He could feel her getting weaker as he called to the crew, to anyone, to try and help. She needed help, quickly.

Ky approached with a field kit, thanks to the nomads for keeping their cars stocked. He instructed Billy on what to do and how to position Miz so they could work quickly as he gave her a tranq shot to put her out. He joked it'd be easier to clean and stitch if she wasn't trying to choke him. Billy knew he was trying to keep the mood light, but it wasn't helping. Still, he appreciated the effort. While Pops was worried, he knew Miz was in good hands, and someone still had to cover Max.

At last, Max confirmed all of the data pulled down from the truck. She had what they needed, which meant it was time to get out of there. But what to do about Farris? He was still unconscious upstairs, with Luca keeping watch. Pops decided to let is be someone else's judgment call as he pinged a holocall directly to V.

She answered with, "Please give me some good news."

Pops replied flatly, "We got your data from the truck."

V followed up, "So what's the catch?"

Pops hesitated for a second before he said, "Farris was uncooperative. He's unconscious in a motel room, hands zip-tied."

V read his mind as she said, "So leave him. He's not your problem anymore."

For some reason that didn't bring much comfort to Pops as he answered, "...copy..."

"Pops, what's wrong?", V asked sincerely.

"He managed to signal for help", Pops explained, "Got ambushed by a feral war party."

He could almost hear V's jaw hit the floor on the other end as she asked, "Is everyone okay?"

Pops looked down at the ground, swallowing a knot in his throat, "Miz got cut up pretty bad. Ky's field-dressing her now."

A few seconds passed before V said, "Holy shit... well, if anyone knows about battlefield first aid... shit, Pops, I'm sorry."

Pops fired back bluntly, "Not your fault... I'm not sure we can move her with these vehicles."

V interjected, "Then don't try. Focus on stabilizing her, I'll get Panam to meet you... Pops, she'll be okay. She's strong."

He knew it, but he still worried.

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