Think of the Children

It was a matter of hours before Miz bounced back after leaving Vik's clinic. Outside of some bruising around her throat, face, and upper body, she was physically okay. During the check-up, she assured both Vik and Billy that nothing had happened in the holding cells. Billy quickly learned that it wasn't the threat of violence that got Miz spun out; it was the fear of being alone and helpless to do anything about it. She was able to remain calm and cool under pressure at the All Foods Factory because Billy was there. She knew that no matter what, he could find a way. As long as he was with her, she was untouchable.

To her earlier point, they had to find a new place to live. Wakako was able to find them a decent apartment along the upper levels of the Japantown Markets. It was smaller than their previous abode, but they didn't need a lot of space between the two of them. Miz loved that it had an outward view of the Market, because it meant they had a front-row seat to the upcoming annual Aratama-Matsuri Festival. The area itself was as choked for space as old Kowloon Walled City, especially at the lower levels, but it wasn't anything new to Miz on account of growing up in the Kabuki slums. Billy maintained that as long as Miz with him, anywhere was home.

Following Baron's demise, what remained of the Maelstrom retreated further into North Watson, finding themselves backed into a corner between the docks and the oil fields. They had lost their foothold. Their days were numbered and their numbers dwindled. V put out a blast to all of her underworld contacts in Night City that Pops' crew was off limits. An attack on them was an attack on the Afterlife, nothing short of an act of war. If there was business to be settled, they could settle it over a drink. If some gonk with brass balls wanted to take their chances, well... God help them.

Nobody really took issue with this. Even the Scavs had taken the hint after watching Night City's finest scrape what was left of Lex Tooley off the pavement in front of H10; they weren't gone, but they were smart enough to keep to themselves. Their time would come.

To everyone's surprise, Mr. Blue Eyes had been uncharacteristically absent since the Farris gig. There was something big brewing on the horizon, but until V gave the crew something to work with, it was out of sight and out of mind. They were free to pursue work elsewhere in the downtime.

--

[One month later]

A lit cigarette was smoldering in an ashtray sitting on the small kitchen table next to an open window, the smoke trailing outside with the morning's light breeze. The sounds of the markets above and below and all around were trailing in. Billy was hard at work with a set of tools and a soldering iron, modifying a Techtronika Molniya revolver with a six-chamber cylinder, a new reinforced barrel to match the smaller caliber, and a laser sight integrated into the space below the barrel. His steely blue eyes were focused and narrowed as he reassembled the weapon with trained precision. Crudely etched down the length of the barrel were the words "BURN CORPO SHIT", a sentiment near and dear to his heart.

The Molniya (or "Lightning") was a relatively new big brother to the famed Burya tech revolver. It removed the tech mechanics altogether, relying on pure power to get the message across. Another difference from the Burya was a swing-forward break-action. Old-fashioned, maybe, but it gave the Molniya a distinctive and signature look. And in Night City, form was almost as important as function.

As Billy finished the job at hand, he slapped forward the break-action before slamming rounds into each freshly oiled chamber. He admired the feel and look of the weapon before flipping the action back with a satisfying metallic snap. He checked the sights before smiling and placing the revolver on the table as he picked up his cigarette and took a drag, followed by a sip of coffee.

His ears perked up to a light sound coming from behind, and his smile grew wider as a pair of arms wrapped around him, followed by Miz's gentle voice, "Morning, Tiger."

Once upon a time, she could sneak up on him in her bare feet without making a sound, but he'd learned to feel the footsteps through the floor. He took another drag before placing the cigarette between Miz's lips as he exhaled and said, "Morning back, beautiful."

She took a quick drag and exhaled through her nose as she rested her chin on his shoulder and looked at the Molniya with curiosity. She reached around with her left hand and picked it up as she said, "Didn't figure you for a six-shooter..."

Billy's face was flushed red and smacked with embarrassment as he answered, "I, uh... it's a little pet project... i-it's stupid..."

Miz snorted at her input tripping over his own words before it clicked in her brain. Who else did she know that favored revolvers? She smirked as her cheeks turned bright red and she brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she bit her bottom lip. She placed the revolver down before pulling away and taking the seat next to Billy. She smiled as she tilted his face up by the chin to look in his eyes and reassured him, "There's nothing wrong with wanting to be like Pops. There's a lot of him in you already... and... it's why I fell in love with you. So don't ever be embarrassed about that."

Billy smirked and perked up as he asked, "I-I know it took us a while to get there... actually saying it, but when did you know?"

Miz wrinkled her nose as she reached out for his hand and answered, "The Red Dirt. Seeing how calm you were, how you looked after Liv, that's when I knew. Everything I admired about Pops as a father figure is what I admired in you as a partner. I'd say I made the right call."

Billy squeezed Miz's hand before she stood up. She stopped next to him, leaning down as she whispered in his ear, "And just between us, I've always wanted my own sexy cowboy."

She followed up with a light but teasing kiss on his cheek, sending the blood flowing anywhere but his brain as she walked towards the bathroom before she said, "...you comin' or what?"

Billy nearly tripped over his own chair as he jumped up and ran to Miz. He hoisted her over his shoulder and raced to the shower, leaving a trail of clothes in their wake. Yeehaw, Tiger.

--

Pops was sitting on the swinging bench, his arm around Liv, enjoying a smoke and the calm morning. No words had been said for at least an hour. They just enjoyed each other's company as they watched the sun crest over the horizon. Pops gave a disgruntled moan as a holocall pinged in his head. Liv chuckled, giving him a kiss on the cheek as she stepped up and in the house. It was time for Pops to go to work. After a few more seconds and another drag, he answered, "Ya know, the only woman I like talkin' to first thing in the mornin' is the one took me to bed the night before..."

He could hear V choking on her own laughter as she struggled to put herself back together before she fired back, "Damn charmer, you are. How's things, Phoenix?"

He chuckled as he answered, "Was doin' fine til a few seconds ago. How may I help the Queen of the Afterlife this fine mornin'?"

"Alright, cut the the shit, Pops", V spat back as he laughed and she continued, "Having a sit-down with Padre, he has a sensitive issue that requires a delicate touch. Thinking you and Billy. Interested?"

Pops nodded, "Always have time for a fellow Catholic... what's the job?"

He could always hear V smiling from ear to ear when he accepted a job. Even though she practically ran the underworld in Night City, she was still careful and courteous in requesting help on jobs; a trait that Pops had observed Rogue never picked up. It was a breath of fresh air as far as he was concerned. V answered him curtly, "Can talk more at the Afterlife. One hour?"

Pops nodded again, exhaling smoke, "See ya soon."

The call dropped, and Pops thought for a moment. He checked the clock in his HUD, reading 10:30. They ought to be up by now, he thought as he pinged a holocall to Billy. After a few rings, Billy answered, out of breath, "Morning Pops! In the shower, call you back?"

Pops smirked as he said, "Put Miz down so we can talk."

He could hear Billy stuttering and Miz laughing in the background, and he smiled wide with a chuckle as he said, "Called it."

A few more seconds passed before Billy spoke again, "That's twice now you've killed our fun. Good thing I look up to you, old man."

Pops sucked his teeth as he fired back, "Keep that up and I'll give you the fatherly smack upside the head that you've been missin' your whole life."

Billy wasn't letting up as he said, "Mom never told you, huh?"

Pops wasn't going to give him any ammunition about how well Liv could handle herself, so he changed the topic, "V's got a job for us. Just the two of us. Afterlife in an hour?"

Billy joked, "Work, work, work, work, work... yeah, I'll be there."

Pops smiled, "See ya soon, pup. Give Em a hug for me."

The call dropped, leaving Pops by his lonesome on the porch swing. His mustache twitched before he broke into a laughing fit. Liv looked at him through the screen door, a puzzled smirk on her face. Pops waved his hands and said, "Don't ask."

Liv quipped, "You barged in on 'em again, didn't ya?"

Pops' laughter intensified and he doubled over. After several seconds, he regained his composure as he stood up and said, "I honestly don't know how they get anythin' done, little bunnies they are."

"They're young and madly in love", Liv said as she kicked the screen door open and pulled Pops inside by the collar of his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued with a twinkle in her eye, "An' you ought to know better 'an anyone by now that us Barretts are famed for our stamina."

Pops looked longingly in Liv's eyes before he tried to pull away and said, "No time, darlin'."

Liv pushed him back against the wall and said with a scoff, "No faith, cowboy."

She dropped to her knees in front of him, leaving him smiling wide as he cupped her head with both hands. Yeehaw, cowgirl.

--

[One hour-ish later]

Billy was leaning against a wall outside of the Afterlife, enjoying a smoke as he waited for Pops. So far they were 10 minutes behind. He chuckled lightly at the small crowds always present. People who would likely never darken the doors, much less go inside, still made the pilgrimage from all over simply to have their pictures taken in front of the outer entrance. He flashed back to his first time, being invited with the crew. A wide smile broke across his face remembering just how excited Miz was. She was practically bouncing off the walls and shaking at the thought of sitting among the cream of the crop; and then actually getting to meet her hero in the flesh.

Billy's trip down memory lane was cut short by Pops calling out him, "Heyo, pup! Sorry I'm late."

He looked up at Pops approaching, noticing a flush in his cheeks, a skip in his step, and a general glow about his presence. He took another drag as he smirked and said, "Had a good morning?"

Pops gave a light chuckle and no answer, which told Billy all he needed to know. He tossed his butt as he pushed away from the wall and embraced Pops and said, "Good to see ya, man."

Pops reciprocated with a heavy pat to Billy's back, nearly knocking the wind out of him as he asked, "How's the new place?"

Billy shrugged as they turned to enter before he answered, "We're... breaking it in..."

This caught Pops off-guard, sending him into another laughing fit as Billy stood by, curious and confused. It took a few seconds for Pops to collect himself before Billy asked, "What's that all about?"

"Ah, it's jus' all very funny to me", Pops quipped, "How casual we are about sleepin' with each other's family members."

Billy shrugged his shoulders and laughed, "Well, we are a strange family, aren't we?"

As they descended the stairs, Pops put his arm around Billy's shoulder as he said, "Yeah, but I wouldn't have it any other way, pup."

It felt good for Billy to know he belonged somewhere. He and Liv had always had each other, but it sometimes felt like they were all alone in Night City otherwise. Try as he might, he never really fit in with any of Tooley's goons either. He could work with them, but he wasn't really interested in hanging out unless they were on a job. Finding Pops and the crew was hands down the best thing that could have ever happened to him since leaving home. Now that Liv was a part of that family, he could rest easier knowing she was safe. He tried to fight his eyes clouding over, to which Pops noticed. He spoke up, "Hey, you alright?"

Billy nodded, clearing his throat before he answered, "Yeah, just thinking on the last year and how lucky Mom and I are to have found you and the crew."

Pops smiled and looked down as he felt the emotions swirling up inside him and he said, "Hell, Billy. Your mom's the best thing happened to me in a long time. Same for you with Miz."

This wasn't helping, and Billy fought harder to keep his composure as Pops continued, "I know it's not been a walk in the park for you two, but you're stickin' it out together. I see it more an' more everyday how happy y'all make each other, and it warms my heart, son."

Son, Billy thought to himself. He looked up to Pops with a sincere smile and said, "I love her. With all my heart."

Pops' mustache flared as his smile grew wider and he said, "I know you do. I saw it when she had you up against the wall, screamin' in your face about Lex."

Billy choked on a laugh as he flashed back to that moment. He was genuinely scared shitless, and yet he'd never been so turned on in his entire life. Pops gave him a pat on the shoulder with a laugh and followed up, "Pull yourself together. It's time to go to work."

Billy cleared his throat again, standing up straight as they continued around the corner and down the hallway. As always, Emmerick was faithfully standing guard in front of the double doors. He gave a casual wave as he stepped out of the way and said, "Howdy fellas, they're waitin' for ya."

Billy returned the wave as Pops nodded and said, "Much obliged, friend."

As they walked the double doors, they immediately spotted V sitting with her back to them at the corner of the bar. Next to her was none other than Padre Ibarra himself, leaning in and laughing with her about something. Billy nearly jumped out of instinct as he recognized Padre's right hand man standing close by. He quickly remembered what Vik told him, What happens in the cage stays in the cage, but he still was on edge nonetheless.

That was, until El Hechizador perked up and called out to them with a wide grin, "Oye mira! Es el cachorro!"

They both couldn't help but smile as El Hechizador approached, reaching his hand out towards Billy. He took the hand as he was pulled in, nearly off his feet, to an embrace with the hulking man. In an instant, all the tension left his body as he laughed and said, "Que pasa, choom? It's good to see you!"

El Hechi answered, "Yeah man, it's good to see you all healed up! So when you want to go another round, eh?"

Billy pulled away as he joked, "Not for a long time. I got lucky."

"Nah man, you did good", El Hechi said as he laid a heavy hand on Billy's shoulder, "Beat me fair and square."

By this time, V had turned to face them and Padre had approached as El Hechi stepped away. Padre held Billy's face in his hands as he smiled and said, "It's good to see you, my son", before turning to Pops with outstretched hand, "Y tu también, el Fénix."

Pops smiled as he took Padre's hand firmly and said, "Pleasure's all mine, Padre."

No surprise to anyone that they knew one another. Pops by himself gave V and Rogue both a run for their money on the who's-who of contacts and friends, which never ceased to amaze Billy.

As the pleasantries were winding down, V inserted herself as she called out, "This is cute and all, but the Centzon's melting the ice. Come on!"

They all made their way back to the bar, Padre and El Hechi taking their seats on one side of V while Pops and Billy leaned against the bar on her other side. Claire already had five rocks glasses ready, each with a perfectly spherical ice cube and a poured shot of Centzon Gold, and she pushed them towards V as she said, "Let me know if you need anything else."

V distributed the shots and asked a bullshit question, "It's not too early to start drinkin', right?"

Everyone's silence only affirmed V's stance as they raised their glasses. Padre took over for V as he said a single word, "To el cachorro y el vaquero. Salud!"

El Hechi followed behind him before they could take the shots, "Hey! Is el cachorro old enough to drink this stuff?!"

Billy's eyes narrowed as he locked with El Hechi and downed the shot without breaking his stare. He planted the glass on the bar, giving no reaction at all. El Hechi broke into a low chuckle as he nodded and followed up, "Man, get yourself down to El Pinche Pollo, we'll get good and proper fucked up!"

Billy and Pops both gave a chuckle as V cut in, clearly aware of Padre's disapproval, "Alright down to business. Padre has a delicate matter that could use your delicate touch."

Billy took his chance and interjected, motioning to El Hechi, "What about the Red Right Hand of Righteous Retribution?"

A silence fell over them all as El Hechi locked eyes again with Billy. After several seconds of palpable tension, Padre chuckled, giving a pat to El Hechi's chest as he said, "Geraldo gets results, but he is what you might call el toro in a china shop?"

El Hechi smiled and shrugged, he couldn't even start to argue that point. His own reputation preceded him. Padre continued, "This situation requires more finesse. They are niños* involved, and above all else, we must keep them out of harm's way."

The look on Pops' face gave it away exactly as to why Padre had requested of V for his help. Padre kept going as Pops furrowed his brow and leaned in to listen to every detail, "El Hechi's face is known far and wide among all the Valentinos. Sending him to do this job would no doubt create... difficulties... in ensuring the children's safety."

Pops cut in, "Whereas a couple o' bystanders like Billy an' me have less chance of stirrin' the stew?"

Padre nodded, to which Billy asked the pertinent question, "So what's the job."

After a deep sigh, Padre answered, "One of my god-daughters has fallen out of favor with the father of her three children, a wayward beast of a man. He has thrown her out in the streets, but is holding the children hostage. He has holed up in their apartment building with a small crew of Valentinos who have forgotten where their loyalties should lie."

Pops interjected, "What is a small crew?"

El Hechi answered on Padre's behalf, "No more than a dozen bodies, but they're mixed in with the other tenants."

Padre continued, "They have all lost their way, dishonoring our community and the bonds of brotherhood."

Cutting down to brass tacks, Pops asked the next pertinent question, "So aside from saving the kids, what's our play here? Who is the target?"

Padre lit a cigar before he answered in a cloud of exhaled smoke, "Dominic Santiago. He is too far-gone to bring back in the fold. He is a cancer that must be cut out. I do not relish in the loss of life, but his boys are all very loyal to him, so if you must, you have my blessing to do what is needed."

Pops' eyes narrowed, and Billy could see the wheels turning in his head. He took his chance and said, "Sounds like all we need is a where and a when."

El Hechi smiled at the young man's candor and said, "We can get you there, the when is as soon as possible."

Pops and Billy looked to each other for only a moment before a smirk broke across both of their faces. Billy spoke first, "Well, I didn't have anything else planned today."

With a low chuckle, Pops turned back to Padre and El Hechi and said, "Lead the way, amigos..."

--

[Later the same day]

It wasn't unlike the Valentinos to ride in style, but this... this was just obnoxious. Billy had to assume the fact that they were rolling in the heart of Valentinos' territory is the only reason they didn't stick out like a sore thumb. The heavily modified Thorton Merrimac, a 6x6 SUV, roared along the main stretches of the Glen. Inside and out was like nothing he had ever seen, even having ridden in a Rayfield Caliburn with Ky a few months back. The polished gold accents lining the interior reflected every bit of light that managed to break through jet-black tinted windows, of course shining it right back into Billy's eyes. The outside was even worse. Any body panels that weren't crimson red or beige were adorned in a chromed faux-gold finish, likely assaulting pedestrians and other drivers on the road.

Billy pulled his Molniya from its shoulder holster, breaking the action forward to check it was loaded. Satisfied with his answer, he swung it back, still enamored with the snap of the action closing. Pops even admired it as he said, "New piece?"

Billy smirked, "Yeah, finished modifications to it this morning."

He handed it over, Pops admiring the weight and feel of it as he continued with an embarrassed chuckle, "I uh... I took a page from your book... should have seen the look on Miz's face when she figured out where I got the idea to carry a revolver."

Pops smiled with a chuckle of his own as he said, "Been carryin' my Overture since before both of y'all were crawlin', never once had a jam or a misfire. It's never once failed me."

Padre took both of them by surprise as he chimed in, "The 'Gospel of El Fénix' is as good a book as any to abide by in your line of work, my son. It will guide you with honor and respect."

Pops handed the iron back to Billy and followed up with a firm hand on his shoulder and a nod of approval. He didn't need to say it, but he'd come to think of Billy as his own, the son he never had. He held the same affection now for Billy as he did for Miz. In watching the young pup grow over the last year, he was proud and grateful to have been a part of it.

Their attention was brought back to the job by El Hechi calling to them from the front passenger seat, "Oye, mira."

The SUV pulled off to the side and rolled to a stop as he pointed down the road, "Your target is two blocks down on the left. We get any closer, they might smell us coming."

Pops quipped back, "Hmm. Could use a walk and a smoke anyhow..."

Padre leaned in with a lightly concerned look on his face and said, "Blessings upon you, my sons. We'll see you when it is done."

El Hechi followed up with, "Vaya con Dios, amigos!", and both Billy and Pops stepped out to the sidewalk. The SUV wasted no time in pulling off a side street before vanishing in the sea of other cars. They lit cigarettes and performed their usual checks as a holocall pinged between them. Pops started, "Comms check."

Billy confirmed, "Loud and clear."

Pops continued, "They don't know us from Adam, so we should be able to jus' waltz on in. No iron until we have no other options. Can't risk the kids."

Billy admired Pops' determination. He was always good with kids, that much was obvious. He had a strong paternal instinct, and it was likely to serve him well on this particular job. Billy nodded, placing his hands in his jacket pockets so as not to be tempted. They turned and began their two-block hike, first crossing to the other side of the street.

There wasn't much to say at this point as they walked in silence. Billy could never quite get around whatever was going on in Pops' head, but something about the silence between them always drove him up the wall. He knew Pops was probably just focusing his mind on the task at hand, trying to block out everything else, but the man's sheer calm was unsettling.

Billy couldn't take it anymore, and he broke the silence, "What's going on in your head during a job?"

Pops answered dryly, "The job, mostly."

Yeah, no shit, Billy thought as he snorted, Pops continuing, "There's no time or space for anythin' else. You lose focus or let your mind wander, no tellin' what'll creep up on ya."

He had a point, Billy couldn't argue that as he asked, "So the job. Just the job?"

Pops took a drag and exhaled with a smile as he said, "That an' figurin' out how to keep y'all alive."

Though Billy couldn't explain why, that piqued his curiosity. Pops noticed and kept speaking, "Ain't no crew without all of you. I'm gettin' too old to go back to a Solo game..."

Billy could tell there was more to that sentence, but now was hardly the time nor the place, so he let it go. As they stopped at the last crosswalk, they could make out the apartment building where Dominic was holed up. Color them surprised, it was a five-story dilapidated shithole. What remained of the brick front was painted over in Valentinos graffiti, and there were clotheslines stretching across the street between the buildings holding drying articles of clothing. They could make at least 3 Valentinos gangers standing guard in front of the entrance, with several others dotting the fire escape. All were strapped, all were covered in 'tinos ink and gold-finished chrome, and none were fucking around.

Billy laughed to himself and shook his headas there were several scantily-clad girls, visibly underaged, standing beside the entrance, smoking cigarettes and batting their eyes at any passers-by. They were all gaunt, in poor health, and their arms were covered in tracks. This was a den, if nothing else. As Pops and Billy crossed the street and passed an alleyway, they saw a tweaked man ducked behind a dumpster getting his dick sucked in broad daylight by one of the joytoys, if you could even call her that. Her makeup was running, her face covered in her own spit and tears, and there was no joy at all in her expression. Just another john for another fix.

They finally hit their mark and turned towards the building as one of the gangers stiffened up and called out, all the rest following suit, "Other side of the road gringos, ain't shit for you here."

Pops carefully raised his hands as he said with a friendly smile, "Howdy, amigos..."

The ganger called out again, "No amigos here, cabron. The fuck you want?"

Pops leaned back, peeking down the alley at the tweaker again before he said with a wad of eddies in his hand, "We'll take two of whatever that fella's havin'."

All the gangers' eyes locked on the cold hard cash in Pops' hand as they looked at each other. The ganger front and center mulled it over before he flashed a smile of gold teeth and said, "Now you're speakin' my language."

He looked over to several girls before calling two of them over, to which Pops waved his hand, "Uh uh. Two hits, one girl." The smile grew wider as he called to his fellow gangers, eliciting laughter from the whole group. Pops chuckled himself as the ganger named the price and held up five fingers. It was 500 eddies altogether. Two hundred apiece for the drugs, and one hundred for the joytoy. Ironic, the drugs demanded more than the sex. Pops thumbed out the cash and handed it over as an unhealthy-looking girl approached, flashing a smile of mostly discolored teeth, or at least whatever teeth were left. She was covered in tattoos, her veins protruding from her skin-and-bone arms and legs. They had to guess she probably hadn't eaten in a week, not that food was any concern to her. She was laced out, no getting around that. Her eyes were hazed over, and her hands were trembling. Her entire body was shaking, aching for a hit.

One of the gangers handed over two inhalers to Pops and Billy as the joytoy grabbed them both by their belts before turning to guide them with her into the building as the lead ganger said, "First floor, end of the hall. Have a party, then get the fuck out, eh?"

The inside of the building was just as shitty as the outside. The walls were filthy, painted over in graffiti or otherwise just missing chunks of dry wall, the bare frames exposed. Roaches and whatever else were scurrying en masse along the walls and floors, garbage and waste crammed and lining every cranny and corner. The halls were filled with lace addicts in varying states of consciousness; either standing, leaning, doubled over or completely prostrate on the floors. It wouldn't have surprised anyone if there were a few corpses among the crowd. It sure as shit smelled like it. Pops and Billy looked to one another with genuine concern.

They could see why Padre wanted this place cleaned out. Valentinos usually ran their fronts, legitimate or otherwise, with honor and pride, and they DID NOT deal in children. This was anything but. Almost as if to reinforce why they were there in the first place, they could hear infants crying from several of the rooms. It was enough to break Pops' heart.

They finally cleared the crowd to the end of the hall, the joytoy waving her hand over a dingy access pad as the door slid open. She turned to them with a smile as she tried to pull them both close and into the room. They both resisted, Pops giving a smile as he handed over his inhaler. Billy followed suit and asked in surprisingly fluent Spanish if the adjacent stairwell went to the top. The joytoy nodded, her face painted in curiosity and confusion. Pops and Billy carefully pushed her back into the room as they slid the door shut and slipped away into the stairwell.

Pops looked up the stairwell before turning to Billy with a smirk as he said, "Rock, paper, scissors?"

Billy laughed as he unholstered his Molniya and said, "Just watch my ass, old man."

Pops smiled as he unholstered his Overture and followed Billy up the stairs. They both stepped carefully, trying to minimize the sounds of their boots falling as they made their way up. There were four floors between them and the top, and any number of things could go wrong at any minute.

They reached the third floor without encountering anyone before a muffled voice trailed down from the floor above them. There was someone standing guard, calling out to someone else down the hall. Billy clenched his jaw as he thought for a moment. After several seconds, he handed his revolver to Pops and ruffled his hair into an unkempt mess before rubbing his face to flush the blood to his cheeks. Pops picked up on what he was doing and stood by patiently with a smile. Billy nodded before he fake-stumbled his way up the steps, trying his best to look like he was wasted and out of his mind. Pops followed carefully a few paces behind, both revolvers at the ready as he kept a watchful eye behind them.

Billy stumbled to the top of the stairs on the fourth floor before unceremoniously crashing into a wall and muttering something unintelligible. He drew the attention of the ganger standing guard, who readied his iron and stepped forward. Billy turned to face him, swaying side to side as he "struggled" to walk a straight line. The ganger called out in ire, warning Billy to step back. He didn't deter, closing the gap to the ganger before he reached out. In a single move, he disarmed the ganger and pulled him out of view of the hallway before subduing him to the ground. A solid right hand to the jaw put the ganger out cold as Pops reached the top of the steps and said quietly, "Miz trained you well, pup."

Billy smiled as he winked at Pops and said, "And she learned from the best."

Pops stepped around, backing himself against the wall as he peeked around the corner into the hallway; nobody appeared to have noticed the scuffle. Pops motioned Billy to move across before following behind him. They didn't have anywhere close by to stash the body, so it was likely only a matter of time until they were found out. They hurried up the stairs to the top floor, finding the door to the hallway shut and locked tight, a pulsing red light on the access pad. Fuck.

Billy nodded to Pops, indicating the window adjacent to the stairs. Pops nodded back, signaling to Billy to stay put as he cracked open the window and poked his head out. He was in luck; there was a fire escape attached to the rear of the building overhanging the alley, and not a body in sight. Pops opened the holocall to Billy again as he said, "Looks clear. I'll find a way in from the outside. Keep watch and lay low. On my signal, use that arm of yours and rip the door open."

Billy smirked and answered, "Copy, see you on the other side."

Pops pushed the window up to give himself enough room to climb out. He was careful to plant his feet as quietly as possible. Even if there was nobody outside, the fire escapes had a tendency to rattle and reverberate, especially under the weight of someone Pops' size. He stepped forward, revolver in one hand as he felt his way along the wall with the other. He approached an open window, ducking down and flattening himself against the building's exterior. He peeked carefully around, surveying the surroundings of the inside room. No gangers, but there were two small children, both girls, captivated by advertisements flashing on a wall-mounted flatscreen television. Their necks were craned up to watch, and they appeared completely oblivious the world around them, much less the goings-on of this building in particular.

A small miracle, Pops thought to himself as he decided this was his entry point, and he carefully climbed inside after holstering his iron. One the children turned to the sound before tugging the other child's sleeve. Both of them recoiled back and gasped before Pops held his hand out in front of him. He cracked a kind smile before placing his outstretched hand over his heart. The children eased up, but they were still cautious. Pops moved further in the room, careful to give them a wide berth. Halfway across the room, he turned and whispered, "Inglesa?" (English?)

Both of the children shook their heads and Pops continued, taking a cautious step forward, "Cuál es el nombre de su padre?" (What is your father's name?)

Both girls shook their heads in defiance. They were obviously well-mannered, likely not wanting to say their father's given name aloud. Pops asked another question, "Dominic?"

The older of the two girls answered after several seconds, her voice trembling, "Sí."

Bingo, Pops thought as he looked around quickly. They were alone. He asked another question, "Donde esta el otro niña?" (Where is the other child?)

Apparently not so well-mannered, as the older girl corrected him sternly before pointing somewhere beyond the wall where the TV was mounted, "Niño."

Little druglord junior, shit, Pops thought to himself. He only hoped the boy was young enough to not know any better. He smirked at the girl's brass as her face hardened. He quickly recovered and asked, "Extrañas a tu madre?" (Do you miss your mother?)

Both girls' lips began to quiver, their eyes clouding over as the younger of them said, "Sí."

It broke Pops' heart, and he brought his hands together against his lips for a moment before he said, "Te llevaré con ella." (I'll take you to her.)

Both girls' eyes lit up, and Pops could see they wanted to jump out of their skin. He stretched his hand out towards them again as a sign to stay calm as he asked, "Cuántos hombres hay afuera?" (How many men are outside?)

The younger girl held up four fingers on her hand as she said, "Además de Diego y Papa." (Plus Diego and Father.)

Pops leaned in with a smirk as he asked, "Tienes sed?" (Are you thirsty?)

Both girls nodded, and Pops signaled to the door before bringing a finger to his lips.

The older girl warmed up with a smile as she stood to her feet and walked towards the door. Pops followed behind, placing a gentle hand on her head before flattening himself against the wall as the girl called out, "Puedo por favor un poco de agua?" (May I please have some water?)

Pops could hear a disgruntled grumbling coming from a man on the other side of the wall, his bootsteps falling as he approached. Within a few seconds, the access pad outside dinged as the door slid open. The girl backed away, drawing the man inside as Pops caught him off guard with a hook across the jaw before wrapping him up in a chokehold. Pops pulled the man clear of the door, arm tight around his throat as he negotiated his revolver out of its holster. The young girls gasped lightly at the sight of it all. Pops whispered firmly to the man, "Inglés?"

The ganger struggled to breath, much less to nod his head as Pops continued, "Quietly now. How many men between here and Dominic?"

The ganger fought a losing battle against Pops as he tried to get enough air to choke out, "Was me in the hallway, two guys playing cards in the last room on the left. One guy in Dom's office with his son."

Pops looked over to the young girls with a raised eyebrow. They said four plus Dominic and his son. So either the ganger was telling the truth or all of them were lying. He'd bet on the girls telling the truth any day. He tightened his grip around the ganger's neck as the struggle persisted until the body went limp. He carefully set the body down on the floor before checking his pockets and sockets, finding a single shard. He took a chance and slotted it, a brief flash of encryption keys showing in his HUD. It was the door access codes. He smiled as he turned to the girls and again placed a finger over his lips. They both nodded, and Pops turned to the door to leave.

Billy's eyes were darting back and forth between the stairs and the door, expecting gangers to rush his position at any moment. He kept his Molniya at the ready, his eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. At last, the locked door dinged and slid open, and out walked Pops with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Billy nearly shit his pants as he sighed with relief and Pops spoke in the holocall, "Guess I still got it..."

Billy laughed quietly and walked over as Pops cautioned him to be careful of the two girls. As they entered back down the hallway, he peeked in and waved with a smile, both girls waving back. Cute kids, he thought.

Shit, he thought again. Another thing he'd not yet found a way to bring up to Miz. He already knew her answer, but the thought had been itching in the back of his mind for a while; he wanted to start a family of his own. Kids, he wanted kids, or at least a kid. He knew Miz would brush it off as too dangerous and impractical in their line of work.

Billy shook his head to bring himself back to the present; to focus on the job. Pops noticed, but kept his eyes front as he asked, "You good, pup?"

"I'm good", Billy answered curtly, "Just trying to keep my mind from wandering..."

Pops smiled. He knew the sight of the girls awoke something in Billy. It was only natural, as close as he and Liv were, that he'd want a family of his own someday. Now wasn't the time to think about it though, and Pops spoke up again, "Le's talk later... we got two bad guys in the las' room on the left, another one plus Dominic an' his son at the end of the hallway."

Billy asked, "How d'ya want to play it?"

Pops shrugged, "If we go loud, whole buildin'll be on top of us in no time, and there's the kids to think about."

Before Pops could say another word, Billy added another person to the call, the ping ringing in both of their ears until El Hechi's voice answered, "Que pasa, holmes? What'chu need?"

Billy wasted no time, "We've got the two girls safe on the top floor; think the son's with Dom, and we got four floors of bad guys between us and a clean exit."

El Hechi chuckled as he said, "Say no more, choom. I'm two blocks away..."

He dropped off the call as Billy smirked at Pops and said, "That covers it. Likely anyone below us will rush the ground floor for their piece of ass, so all we have to do is keep things contained here."

Pops smiled and said, "May as well stick with the girls, then", as he pulled back and slipped into the room. Billy followed close behind. The girls had gone back to watching the TV, ignoring the unconscious body slumped against the wall. Young and innocent as they were, they already had some notion of paying no heed to anything that wasn't their problem. Pops and Billy took positions on opposite sides of the door, watching the hallway and listening intently.

The older of the two girls looked at Pops with a half smile as he gave a wave before bringing a finger to his lips. All hell was about to break loose, and he knew it'd likely scare the girls half to death. A small price to pay in the end, as long as they got back safely to their mother.

Billy's ears perked up at the sound of screeching tires outside, followed by several voices shouting in panic. They could hear El Hechi's voice calling out in a sing-song inflection, taunting the gangers before opening fire on the outside of the building; had to be a Mk.31 heavy machine gun by the pounding rhythm of the shots. The impacts shook the entire building, even all the way at the top, the dust and dirt falling from the fixtures. Pops readied his revolver as he heard several voices down the hall calling out, followed by heavy footsteps. The two gangers exited the room on the left and hurried down the hall; Billy and Pops both signaled to each other to let them go by.

Pops looked over to the girls again, finding them cowering with their hands over their ears, trying to shut out the world. His heart broke for them before Billy called out to him, "You stay with them! I'll handle Dom!"

Pops' brow furrowed as he said, "Are you sure?!"

Billy answered with a wink and a smile, "You're better with kids than I am. Let me do what I do best."

Pops smiled as he gave a punch to Billy's chest and nodded. He moved over close to the girls, opening his arms to hold them tight as he turned towards the door to keep watch. Billy moved out into the hallway with his revolver at the ready. He could hear two distinctly adult male voices shouting back and forth behind the door before it dinged green. Billy smiled as his eyes ran down the sights of his Molniya and he squeezed the grip. Time seemed to slow as the red dot from the laser sight splashed against the sliding door as it opened before painting a ganger's forehead, causing his eyes to wince from the flash. It didn't take long for the ganger's eyes to widen as he raised his iron to fire, but Billy had him dead to rights with a single pull of the trigger. He twisted his elbow inward to absorb the recoil as the heavy bullet left the chamber. In an instant, half of the ganger's head was missing amid a fresh cloud of claret and brain matter splattering against the door frame. Sparks flew along with a buzzing sound from what was left of his face and cyberware as the body collapsed, and Billy moved forward. He stopped short of the door, pulling a cylindrical object from his jacket with his left hand. He used the little finger on his right hand to pull loose a ring before letting the striker handle fly free. He tossed the object into the room and turned to duck as he called out, "KID, GET DOWN!!!"

After a few seconds, there was a blinding flash and a deafening concussive blast that shook the entire floor and shattered the windows inside the room. Billy had to pray the boy was okay as he turned to clear the room. He never got the chance, as a stout adult male flew out of the room towards him with a machete in his hand, swinging wildly and erratically. Billy was able to catch him early enough to dodge backwards as the man pressed forward, his eyes wide and bloodshot, and his veins pulsing in his face and neck. He was laced out of his mind, acting on pure aggression and instinct.

Billy stepped back, ducking and weaving every slash and stab as best as he could while trying to counter. He didn't want to shoot the man in front of his own kids if he could help it, but he had to subdue him somehow. There! An opening!

Billy had his chance and stepped forward with a knee into Dom's gut, followed by an elbow into the base of his neck as he doubled over. This combo sent the man flying face first to the floor as Billy took the opportunity to holster his iron. It didn't take Dom long to recover as he jumped to his feet and into an adjacent room. He turned to face Billy, a devilish smile creeping up. He had a full mouth of gold teeth, not unlike the (probably) now-dead ganger standing guard out front; his face was covered in small tattoos, all of them pointing to his affiliation with the Valentinos. His arms, not unlike El Hechi's, were both cybernetic implants, finished in deep crimson and gilded chrome. He wasn't even trying to hide the projectile launch system stored in his right arm.

He brought his hands up as he swore in Spanish. Billy wasn't taking the bait, which only angered Dom further as he took a step forward for a wild haymaker. Billy easily had six inches on the man, but he was fast and scrappy, delivering blow after blow as Billy struggled to keep up. He suffered a few hits to his abdomen as he tried to counter, taking each one in stride. He finally had enough, breaking a two-handed blow from Dom as he grabbed the man with his right arm, and threw him up and back into the wall. He could hear a crunch as Dom impacted against it before falling to the floor. Billy stepped forward, warning Dom as he said, "Don't make me do this in front of your kids, Dom. Stay the fuck down!"

Dom struggled to push himself up to his knees. His back was badly bruised, blood running down his face from his nose and mouth as he coughed. Billy could barely make out what he was saying as he spat through gritted teeth, "Chingada madre!" Shit.

Billy clenched his jaw and readied himself as Dom flew forward with another flurry. It was a play to get close enough that he could try and grab the machete on the floor. He was successful in keeping Billy occupied long enough for him to reach down. He ducked under a hook from Billy as he grabbed the machete with his left hand. He swung around with a wild outward slash as Billy narrowly avoided the blade catching him across the stomach. Dom readied the launcher in his right arm as he turned to face Billy front and center, the protruding barrel pointing right at his head. Billy's eyes widened in a split second as instinct took over. He ducked to his left, narrowly avoiding the launcher's blast past his right ear, his right arm swinging wide as his caught Dom in the chest. Billy let the momentum carry him around to face the windows as he released, his arm following the body as it flew. With a shattering crash, Dom's body broke through the glass window and kept flying out before beginning its five-story descent. Billy counted the seconds in his head before a gut-wrenching SPLAT sounded outside.

With a sharp sigh, Billy reached up and wiped the blood from his nose before noticing a trickle of blood running down the right side of his face. A deafening ring had settled in his ear, and his balance suffered as a result. Billy tried to keep his footing as his left ear perked up to a sound behind him and he turned. He locked eyes with a young boy, no more than 12 years old with a face full of anger, eyes burning. His hand trembled as he held a knife at the ready. Billy's jaw clenched and he shook his head slowly, his eyes clouding over. He was not about to take on a kid. The boy's trembling hand worsened and tears formed in his eyes as Pops gently called out to him, "Diego..."

The tears streamed down the boy's face and he dropped the knife at hearing his own name, but moreso at recognizing an adult woman's voice screaming outside. Billy had to assume it was the childrens' mother, as the two young girls broke past Diego and ran to the window, calling out frantically. Billy noticed for the first time, the machine gun fire had ceased. Were they in the clear?

A holocall rang in his head, followed by El Hechi's voice, "All floors secured, choom. We're ready for you."

--

Pops had one of the girls each in either arm, cradling both of them as they leaned against his shoulders and held on for dear life. The boy wouldn't budge from the room, staring blankly out the window. The same window through which he watched his father crash only a few minutes before. They didn't know how they were going to get him out, so they let him stay there for a minute. Maybe one of his own could shake him loose.

Padre wasn't wrong about El Hechi. He got the job done, but not without major collateral damage. The building was a total loss now, bullet holes riddling the already crumbling walls. As they walked past the rooms, there were bodies, or pieces of, strewn about all over the place, belonging to both ganger and joytoy alike. As the dust settled, every room was painted over in multiple coats of red. Billy was no stranger to violence by now, but seeing and smelling all of this was enough to turn his stomach. He fought the feeling as they walked out the front double doors into the street.

Pops took care to hold the girls close as a sheet was laid over Dominic's body. As soon as they were clear of the worst of it, he let each girl down carefully. They immediately ran with tears in their eyes to their mother, her own voice crying out for them as she held them both tightly. Padre and El Hechi met Pops and Billy halfway, a look of concern on Padre's face as he said, "Where is little Diego?"

Billy looked up at the window as he said flatly, "He wouldn't move. He saw me throw Dom out the window, I think he's a little shaken up."

El Hechi shook his head and said, "Hell of a thing to see at his age. We'll get hi—"

They were cut off by the sound of another smaller body slamming against the asphalt with a sickening crunch. The mother's cries intensified as she wailed loudly and openly. Billy didn't need to look to know what had just happened. His eyes welled up and he fell to his knees as he doubled over and retched everything inside of him onto the street. His insides burned as he coughed and gasped for air, Pops kneeling next to him to make sure he was okay.

Billy's back arched as his entire body reeled and he vomited again. At this point there was nothing coming up, but he couldn't stop himself. He could feel the tears falling from his eyes, pooling with the blood still dripping from his nose and ears. He felt like he was on fire, and his vision clouded over just like it had during the H10 job. Before long, everything was blurry, and then it was all dark. There was nothing.

--

[Some time later]

Vik's voice broke through the darkness as a low rumble before sharpening. It was a welcome sound, "We got to stop meeting like this, kid..."

Billy's eyes opened slightly, expecting an assault from the overhead lamps. He was pleasantly surprised that they were dimmed, and his eyes opened fully as everything came into focus. He could feel an IV drip running into his left arm as Vik was looking over some read-out on a display. He jokingly called out, "D-did you jack me in without my permission?"

Vik gave a smirk as he said, not taking his eyes off the display, "Yeah, had to get your vitals so I could administer a proper IV. You were dehydrated as all hell when Pops brought you in. You can beat an apology out of me later at the gym."

Billy chuckled and followed up, "W-what happened?"

Pops stepped in, placing a heavy but gentle hand on Billy's shoulder as he said, "What d'ya remember, pup?"

Billy thought for a moment as he looked around. He felt Miz holding his hand as she sat on the same stool to his right, where she always sat anytime he found himself in Vik's chair. She had a concerned smile on her face. She was happy to see him awake, but she already knew. He tightened his hand around hers as he flashed back to the job and said, "I-I remember walking out of the building, you had both the girls in your arms before you put them down... t-they ran to their mother... the building was all shot to hell, dead bodies everywhere..."

Pops' brow furrowed, "And what else, son?"

Billy's face went stone cold, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like he might crack his own teeth. His eyes clouded over once again and he looked away, his hand instinctively pulling away from Miz's. He was ashamed of himself, his face almost flushing an odd shade of sickly green. He thought he might vomit again, and he brought his hand up to cover his mouth before Vik said, "You're okay, kid. I gave you an antiemetic."

Billy dropped his hand down. He didn't want to feel okay. He wasn't okay. Pops pressed him, "Billy, what happened?"

Billy remembered a similar exchange between Vik and Miz not too long ago. Maybe talking about it was a way to start healing? He still hesitated before he answered, "The boy... Diego... he... he saw me..."

Try as he might, Billy couldn't force himself to say the words without the waves of nausea returning. His mind rejected it, and his body manifested that rejection into physical illness.

Nearly a minute passed before Billy spoke again, having collected himself as he sat up in the chair, "Pops watched over the girls as I took on Dominic... we fought... his son watched me throw him out a five-story window. The kid was stuck, wouldn't move when we were leaving. After, out in the street, they had placed a sheet over Dominic before... b-before..."

Billy's voice broke as tears ran down his face. He forced himself to say it, "Diego jumped, we all saw him hit the asphalt. He landed head first, right next to Dominic. I killed his father, and I watched him kill himself... it's my fault..."

Miz was speechless, not at what Billy was blaming himself for, but because she didn't have any words to comfort him. She knew where his mind was, because it was so very close to where her mind went all the time; blaming herself for things outside of her control. All she could do was be there, and she threw herself against him as she wrapped him up tight. He slowly brought his arm around her as her leaned his head against hers and said, "I'm sorry I pulled away. I-I'm so ashamed of all this."

Miz closed her eyes and whispered, "It's okay, you're okay now."

Billy's voice broke again, "N-no I'm not..."

Vik placed his hand on Billy's left arm as he said, "You will be, kid. You saw some harrowing shit today, and you're blaming yourself. Padre told us what happened. There's nothing to forgive, because you did nothing wrong. Sure, probably doesn't feel that way right now. But you have to work through this one. You've got family around you, people that love you. Talk to them, open up to them. Open up to Miz the same way she's fought to open up to you."

Billy tried to fight a smile. He wanted to suffer, he wanted to punish himself, but Vik was right. Vik was always right. He had a long road ahead of him, but with his family around him, he'd make it.

--