Wrong City, Wrong People

[Seven years ago - Kabuki]

Pipes ran across the ceiling and down the walls of the dimly-lit basement, if you could really call it that. Water was leaking down onto the mix of dirt and gravel, pooling up into a sludge at the end of the unfinished concrete floor. A young female body lay handcuffed to the pipes leading down into the floor, shivering, trembling. Rags of clothing barely hung to her bruised body. Hurt; everything hurt.

Time ceased to exist down here. No windows, no contact with the outside world. It could have been three days or three weeks. There was no way to tell.

Off in the distance there were loud voices shouting, blows landing, and the screams of an older female voice, followed by sobbing. With every scream, the young female's body recoiled further. She just wanted it all to stop.

A final scream was cut short, and then silence.

The young female began to sob, her tears mixing with blood, praying to anyone or anything that this was it for her. That they would finally show mercy and just put her out of her misery. There was nothing more they could take from her. There was nothing more they could violate. Just end it, please. Just end me.

At long last, a familiar voice rang in the distance, followed by a hail of gunfire. All she could do now was hope it was enough.

--

Life in Night City was never easy for anyone not born in a "stable" corpo family. Mei Hasegawa never had many options growing up. She was always poor, fighting for scraps. What she lacked in physical strength, she made up for in sheer beauty and intuition. In another walk of life, she could have graced the runways in the latest Jinguji styles. However, as a streetkid around Jig-Jig Street under Tyger Claws' influence, her only option was sex-work. It wasn't a terrible way to make a living; her local Tyger Claw reps were fair, paid a good split, and took care of their own. And Mei was smart enough to negotiate advantageous terms. All of this changed when she found out she was pregnant with Mizuki, especially when the father left abruptly before she was even born.

Arasaka officially had no presence in Night City since the end of the Fourth Corporate War in 2025; a result of the 2023 Arasaka Headquarters Bombing, aka "Night City Holocaust". Despite the weapons used originating from Militech, at-the-time NUSA President Elizabeth Kress was able to turn public opinion against Arasaka in favor of her former corporate employer. With many other countries following suit and levying sanctions, Japan sought to save their government from complete collapse by remanding all Arasaka operations to within Japanese territories for the next 4 decades. Unbeknownst to many, Arasaka still hired out their armed forces to many other nations, and had small pockets still operating below the radar in the NUSA and Free States. Mizuki's father belonged to one of these covert operations. He couldn't risk being found out on account of having impregnated a Night City local, so he arranged for Arasaka to bring him back to Tokyo urgently upon finding out Mei was carrying his child; something about "honor". As per usual with corpos, it was all bullshit.

As perverse and deranged as Night City's denizens could be, not many were keen on paying for meaningless "vanilla" sex with a pregnant joytoy. Now that Mei had another life to care for, she was unwilling to partake in some other rituals her clients often desired; drugs, drink, and anything else that would put her unborn child at risk. Her regulars fell off, finding their pleasures elsewhere, and she was earning less and less. Her pimps were forgiving at first, but that only went so far. By the time Mizuki was born, Mei had begged and pleaded for time, but it was too late. Having fallen out of grace with her Jig-Jig Street pimps, she found herself raising a child alone in a shack on the waterfront slums in Kabuki. She was out of options, catering to a much lower standard of client and making a fraction of what she had made in Japantown.

Mei never once blamed Mizuki for any of their misfortunes. It was just the way things went in Night City. She loved her daughter more than life itself. One could argue Mizuki was the spark that lit a fire in Mei to make her as resourceful and crafty as she became in later years, a trait she passed down to her daughter with little difficulty. From that point forward, Mei was always finding little projects and side-hustles to keep them both fed, or at least Mizuki, when push came to shove.

From the time Mizuki was able to walk upright and speak, she was helping her mom in whatever way possible. By the time she was double-digits in age, she knew every path, alleyway, nook, and cranny of the Kabuki markets and slums, and could navigate them easily on account of her small size and natural agility. Mizuki became a competent free-runner, thief, and pickpocket in her own right, and she even led a small group of dorobō among her friends. She was able to scrape together enough for a slightly more comfortable living, or to keep her mom out of trouble whenever the NCPD came by for regular shakedowns; the local Tyger Claw muscle at the time didn't care enough and let the citizens fend for themselves when it came to cops.

Finally, when Mizuki was 14, a serious shift came in the form of Kenji Yamada. He was an up-and-coming shateigashira (second lieutenant) in the local Tyger Claw crews that had been feuding with another shateigashira for the position of wakagashira (first lieutenant). Kenji was kind and considerate enough to relieve his much older rival of their duties in a most gruesome fashion, the rumors persisting that he had personally delivered his rival's severed head to their boss in a handmade bamboo-weave basket.

Kenji was a ruthless man, but he treated well those who pledged loyalty to him. He kept a weather eye on everything that happened in Kabuki, so it wasn't long before Mizuki's small-time exploits caught his attention. Since she was just a child, he offered her a choice, "Join the Tyger Claws or cut the shit."

Mizuki was drawn to the Tyger Claws from the start; flashy clothes, menpo masks, katanas, guns, motorcycles. Empty promises to an impressionable young child. She jumped at the chance. Mei wasn't thrilled with her daughter's choices; she would have preferred Mizuki never know this life at all. But she couldn't turn up her nose at the steady eddies coming in. It was enough to keep them living comfortably compared to the earlier years. Having known nothing else except abject poverty, Mizuki thought she was giving them a life of luxury. Pooling their money together, Mei was able to eventually move them out of the waterfront shacks and into a proper apartment in the crowded and suffocated buildings overlooking their previous home.

By 15, Mizuki had adapted to her new life as a shatei quite well, having adorned most of her upper body in Irezumi-style tattoos like her fellow gangers. Mei felt defeated at this point, knowing the path her daughter was on. All she could do was support Mizuki and try to gently guide her. She was just thankful that, as of yet, her daughter had not been asked or ordered to kill anyone. She hoped and prayed Mizuki would come to her senses before then.

On her sixteenth birthday, Mei gave Mizuki what would become her signature jacket; a syn-leather cropped "edgerunners" bomber with hemmed elbow-length sleeves. The jacket was black with faded green patches and gold striped accents. Across the back was emblazoned "NIGHT CITY". It immediately became Mizuki's single most-prized possession, and it was never out of her sight.

Within a few months after her birthday, Mizuki witnessed something that made her reconsider her chosen path. She saw Kenji torture a small child as retribution for protection money owed by a local shopkeeper. She began to distance herself, but still had to play the part. Confiding in her mother, they had both come to a crossroads, individually and as a family.

During this time, Mei had met someone; an outsider, a nomad, "not from around here". Rumors of a gunslinger-for-hire in the Kabuki Market were making the rounds. He had a reputation for going toe-to-toe with local gangers when they got greedy on the protection rackets, or otherwise took advantage of the less-fortunate. Mei saw an opportunity, and thought it worth introducing herself. What she didn't count on was falling for Phoenix Gray almost as soon as their eyes met; the feeling was painfully mutual. Their torrid love affair was all but obvious to Mizuki within a matter of days. Resistant at first to him being around, Mizuki eventually warmed up to him after she saw firsthand how he operated; cool, calm, and collected. He didn't take advantage of people's weaknesses, nor was he dishonest. As far as she could tell, having nothing else to measure against, he was a good man. Knowing he was likely around for the long haul, Mizuki bestowed on him the name, "Pops".

Since meeting Pops, Mei had been trying to save up enough to leave behind her old life. Kenji had instituted a rule among joytoys under Tyger Claws' jurisdiction; they had an option to buyout. The catch: €$100,000 was a lot of money for anyone. Resourceful as Mei was, she had found a way to start skimming eddies off of her clientele. At the same time, Mizuki had openly voiced her frustrations with the Tyger Claws' increasingly violent methods. She had made it known she wanted to step away altogether. Whether coincidental or as a result of the increased visibility on Mizuki's part, Kenji discovered Mei's activities, ultimately deciding it was time to teach the Hasegawa family a lesson.

--

Mei and Mizuki had gone missing earlier that week. It was 3 days before Pops found a solid lead, calling in every favor and marker he had accumulated over the last two years; anything to find his girls. Many people were still loyal out of sheer fear for repercussions, so acquiring good and reliable information was as much half the battle as actually breaking them out of wherever they were.

All roads led to the defunct "Turkish Delights" off Allen Street in Central Kabuki. Somewhat fitting, in a sick manner, to administer punishment for a rogue joytoy in a red-light club. Even Pops had to admire the irony, were it not involving someone he loved. A rare rain had begun to pour, the skies had opened up, turning the small creeks between the crowded clusters of buildings into pure polluted sludge as they filtered into the harbor between Watson and Westbrook. The whole area stank to the heavens, but the City sure as hell wasn't going to clean it up.

A holocall pinged in Pops' head, with a familiar voice speaking, "Hey old friend, so you still kickin' around?"

Pops answered bluntly, "No time, Falco; I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm pullin' you into, but I'll need a ride out of here, fast. Kabuki, Allen Street near the Creek Loop."

A moment passed before Falco responded, "10-4, par'ner. I'll be there in 30. Ping me when you're ready."

Pops surveyed the paths entering Creek Loop from across the street, marking each visible Tyger Claw member he found. He knew this wasn't all of them, but he would have to make do. Not like he didn't know what he was doing. He didn't have any cyberware until a few weeks after he moved to Night City. Back in Arizona, he was old school, fully 'ganic, and one of the few in his clan who could claim as much. Here in the city, it helped to have something, but he wasn't looking to use it as a crutch. He had his skills, and until he met his match, that was all he needed.

An opening. He caught a lapse in the coverage, and he took it. He made his way across the street, blending in with a small crowd. Except for his sheer height and build, he didn't stick out; for all the gangers knew, he was just another borged-out juice junkie. As he stepped onto the curb, he broke from the crowd and slipped into a small alleyway. He was clear, no one in sight.

First obstacle, strategy; subdue everyone outside, or find a way in and let them come to him once he raises hell? So far he had counted 6 gangers on the outside, and he had to assume at least the same number on the inside. A defensible position on the inside gave him the advantage of a bottleneck, but it also gave him the advantage of time, getting to his girls quicker. Back door. Got to find a back door, catch 'em by surprise.

It was settled. Unless an outside sentry became a complication, leave them be and find a back door into the building; no small task as this cluster of buildings were grouped tighter than the interiors of old Kowloon Walled City. Almost all of Kabuki was like this. Between the open streets, cluttered yet isolated squares of buildings jammed together so closely, you could barely breathe, much less navigate. Clearing his mind, Pops began his infiltration, hugging the walls and clearing every corner he found carefully before proceeding. I made it this far, can't fuck up now and risk their lives.

--

Cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air inside the club, the smell permeating throughout and combining with the stench of dried alcohol, sweat, and other bodily fluids baked into every inch of the furniture. On the main stage was a tall brass pole with a crudely affixed cross-bar. Splayed out on the stage was a barely conscious Mei, her arms tied to the cross-bar and her neck lashed to the upright pole. Blood was pouring out her mouth and nostrils, her face and body beaten to a pulp through torn clothes as she quietly sobbed and pleaded in vain. Around her stood several large Tyger Claw goons, dressed in corpo suits with menpo masks hiding their faces.

Kenji Yamada stood a few paces away, lighting a fresh cigarette with a devious smile on his face. He was clean shaven, his hair close-cropped on the sides and spiked on the top. He dressed well, a pressed suit tailored to his lean physique. One might mistake him for an Arasaka corpo were it not for the tattoos covering his neck and hands. He took a long drag and exhaled the smoke upwards as he spoke in a thick accent, "So you think you can steal from the Tyger Claws and get away with it, bitch?! What kind of gonks do you take us for? This is our game. We make the rules!"

Mei spat the blood away from her mouth, straining her neck to look up at Kenji as he signaled to one of his goons. A heavy blow landed across her face, her entire body writhing to absorb it.

"Clean this whore up", Kenji spoke again, "Make sure she's still awake."

Another goon stepped forward, chuckling to himself as he took a heavy chug from a bottle of vodka. With a sharp exhale, he held the bottle out over Mei's head and poured, the grain alcohol running through her hair and down her face and body, washing away the sweat and blood as she screamed in pain.

Kenji continued, "Now stand her up. I want to look this bitch in the eyes."

From behind, Mei felt a jerking motion as one of the goons grabbed the cross-bar and raised it up, forcing her to her feet as the ropes around her neck resisted against the pole and choked her. She struggled to find her footing, losing her step and kicking her feet.

Taking a long drag from his cigarette, Kenji stood in front of Mei and exhaled the smoke in her face as he stared with hate into her eyes. After a few seconds, he said, "Have I not been fair to you and your daughter? Have I not been agreeable to taking your little stray under my wing? What makes you think you can treat us with such disrespect, hmm?"

Mei stared back at Kenji, struggling to breathe. Her mind fought for the right words, because she knew they would be her last. After a moment, she tried to speak but choked on the ropes. Kenji signaled to the goons, "Let her breathe, I want to hear what she has to say."

The goon standing behind her cut the ropes around her neck with a kaiken dagger. Finally able to breathe freely, her head fell forward and hung in exasperation for a moment before Kenji grabbed her by the hair and held her head up as he spoke, "What do you have to say for yourself, whore? Will you beg for mercy?"

The fear on Mei's face turned to sheer rage as she spat blood in Kenji's face and answered, "You have earned no respect. You have no honor. People fear you because they have no other choice. The only reason you are still alive is because nobody strong enough has risen up to kill you."

Kenji's face twisted into a blind rage as Mei's face took on a peaceful calm and she uttered her final words, "You will die, soon, like a coward, and my daughter will be there to see the fear in your eyes. The same fear you wield like a katana over all of us."

Mei broke into a weary smile as Kenji grabbed her by the throat and began to squeeze. She emitted a final scream before her neck snapped. Kenji felt her body go limp in his hand as he released. Her head slumped forward, her entire body sagging against the pole as the cross-bar resisted against the dead weight.

Kenji stepped back from the body, trying to rub the filth from his hands and wipe the blood off his face. One of the goons stepped forward and spoke, his voice artifacted and modulated by the mask, "What about the girl?"

After a moment of contemplation, the same devious smile broke across Kenji's face and he answered, "Take your turns with her. Make her regret the day she was brought into this world. Dump both bodies into the harbor when you're done."

The goons began to chuckle before a gunshot rang out from the back of the club. One of the goons' heads exploded on impact, painting the stage in red as everyone else dove for cover.

Pops stood up, revolver at the ready as he scanned for live targets. A hail of automatic gunfire hit a pillar next to him and he dove back behind the couches, waiting for his moment. The gunfire continued for several seconds while Pops scanned his surroundings, checking for cover points he could move to when the time came.

Finally, a window of opportunity. The gunfire had ceased. Listening for magazines hitting the ground, he stood up and fired four shots, moving from right to left behind another couch. At least one of his shots hit the mark, as he could hear a pained scream coming from one of the goons. He took a chance and peaked over the couch. The injured goon was bleeding profusely from a hole in his shoulder. Pops took the opportunity and planted a second shot center-mass before taking cover. The automatic gunfire continued. Time to reload.

Pops swung out the cylinder and loaded fresh rounds into the chambers before slamming it shut. Hammer cocked, all he had to do was wait. He had counted and tagged 4 live bodies when he snuck in through the back. Two were confirmed killed, so he only had two more to worry about.

The gunfire stopped again, now was his chance. Pops stood up, one-handing his revolver as he moved away from the couch and approached the open area in front of the club's main stage. From the corner of his eye, he saw a body hanging forward from the pole. His stomach sank, a knot forming in his throat; he was already too late. He pushed this out of his mind to focus on the task at hand, but the tears had already started to form in his eyes. He shook his head vigorously, keeping his revolver at the ready as his hands began to shake.

From the other side, two heavy arms reached out, one grabbing for the revolver, the other taking a hook swing at his head. He was able to deflect the hand going for his revolver, but took the full force of the punch to his face, knocking him sideways to the ground. As he regained his faculties, he looked up to see the last goon towering over him. He rolled to the side as a giant foot stomped down, trying to recover to his knees before another downward swing caught him in the back.

Pops felt a large hand grabbing his collar and lifting him up before slamming him facedown into the floor again. His body began to move; he was being dragged over to the stage. As he looked up, he saw Mei's face staring blankly at him. His eyes filled with fire and his chest began to burn. Bringing his arms forward, he braced himself against the edge of the stage. He looked down and under, catching sight of the goon's massive legs behind him. He kicked his foot out and crashed against one of the knees as the goon stumbled back, releasing his grip. Now!

Pops forced himself to his feet and turned to face the goon as a flurry of heavy and frantic punches came his way. He blocked each one, ducking and weaving to find a better position to defend himself. He found his window of opportunity as the goon swung past him. Pops stepped forward and planted the full force of his elbow into the ribcage, knocking the wind out of the large man as he staggered backwards. Pops jumped to where he had dropped his revolver, scooping it up and rolling over to his knees to bring it to the ready.

The goon had already recovered and was barreling towards Pops at full speed. He dove out of the way as the man crashed through a table, smashing it into pieces. The man turned to where Pops had landed as he charged up for another stampede. Revolver at the ready, Pops unloaded all six rounds into the goon's chest, continuing to pull the trigger even as the hammer clicked empty.

The man staggered for a moment before falling forward to the floor. Pops recovered to his feet, slamming fresh rounds into the chambers as quickly as his fingers would allow. He took inventory of his surroundings; there was supposed to be a fourth body, but there was no one else left in the room. Pops noticed the large double doors of the main entrance to the club were swinging loose. Likely the fourth man took his chance and escaped. Got to be Kenji, Pops thought to himself. His internal monologue was interrupted by a strained groan from the third goon. His eyes narrowed and he cocked the hammer of his revolver.

As he approached the large man, he kicked the body over to look him in eyes. The man's chest was still heaving, trying to catch his breath. Pops pointed the gun squarely at the goon's head as he gurgled something in Japanese through the pool of blood forming in his mouth and dripping out the sides of his mask. A single gunshot rang out, painting the carpet with brains and skull fragments.

With a deep breath and a sharp sigh, Pops' hands fell to his side. He turned and walked toward the stage, the knot forming again in his throat. He stepped up onto the stage and fell to his knees in front of Mei's body. He stared blankly at her for what felt like an eternity as the tears rolled down his face, soaking the ends of his mustache. Finally, in one last drastic move, he wrapped his arms around Mei's body and embraced her as he sobbed, releasing a yell that echoed through the entire block.

Even in this moment, there was a glimmer of hope. Pops heard muffled scream risings through the floor. Through the tears, Pops laid a final kiss on Mei's cheek before grabbing his revolver and running to find the source of the screams. He had passed a padlocked door on his way into the building. There was no time to dig for a key. With no one around to retaliate, Pops fired a single round against the padlock, blowing it clean off. His entire body slammed through the door as if he were driven by some other force, his brain still catching up. As he made his way down the unfinished staircase, the screams came into focus. It was Mizuki's voice, ragged and sobbing. Pops screamed out, "Mizuki, it's me! I'm here! Where are you?!"

The screams continued, Pops listening intently to find the source. The hallway ahead of him was lined with multiple doors. Taking a chance, he slammed through one of the doors, a pervasive odor nearly bringing him to his knees. The floor of the room was covered in bodies; children's bodies. The walls were spray-painted over with fresh Tyger Claws' graffiti. Pops paused for a moment before the odor overtook him and he vomited.

Regaining his composure, he backed out of the room and closed the door. Those bodies needed handling, but now was not the time. The screams grew louder, and Pops was able to narrow it down to a door at the end of the hallway. Another padlock; another shot fired. The door flew open with a kick, and Pops found Mizuki fetal in a corner, screaming, chained to the pipes running down the wall and into the floor. He was both relieved and horrified; she was alive, but it was clear from the blood and bruises that she had been beaten, raped, and beaten again.

Pops holstered his revolver and approached, slowly. He called out to her softly, "Mizuki, I'm here. It's okay baby, I'm here."

The screams subsided into sobs and whimpers, gasping for air, but she wouldn't turn to face him. He placed a gentle hand on her back, sending her entire body into a fit as she tried to get as far away as possible. It killed him inside, but he retracted his hand and sat down on the ground next to her. The tears formed again in his eyes, and his voice broke as he said, "I'm so sorry; I wasn't fast enough. I should have been there, Em. I should have protected you."

Mizuki's body loosened up at Pops' words, the handcuffs rattling as she tried to reach for his hand. He shifted to one knee, leaning over and inspecting them. They were wrapped around a single pipe, one cuff on each hand. He gently spoke, "I need you to trust me, Em. I need you to give me your hands."

Mizuki relented, letting Pops grab hold of the cuffs as he strained and pulled against the pipe. Beads of sweat formed around his neck as he pushed and pulled, leveraging the chain until it finally snapped and he nearly flew backwards. As soon as the cuffs were broken, Mizuki crawled into Pops' arms and curled up against his body, holding onto him for dear life.

This time, tears of joy as Pops wrapped his arms around her, nestling her head under his. He gently rubbed her back as he rocked her back and forth and whispered repeatedly, "I got ya, baby. You're safe now. I'm here. It's going to be okay."

They sat like this for several minutes, until Miz looked up and shakily asked, "M-mama?"

Pops noticed for the first time that her face was smeared with blood, the result of freshly and crudely implanted cyberware threading. He looked in her eyes with a deep sorrow as he tried to wipe away some of the blood and began to cry. "I-I'm sorry, Em... I—"

Mizuki shut her eyes as if she was trying to block out the world. She buried her face in Pops' chest and sobbed quietly. He held her as tight as he could. He never wanted to let her go. She was all he had, and he knew in that moment he would die to protect her.

After a few minutes, a familiar voice yelled out from the stairway, "Phoenix?! Ya down here? We got to move, par'ner!"

Pops called out, voice breaking, "In here!"

Falco turned the doorway to find Pops holding Mizuki and gave a sigh of relief as he entered the room. He was glad to see his old friend. He extended his hand and said, "Let's get y'all out of here. Whatever hate you unleashed sent those hyenas runnin', but I reckon they'll be back before too long."

Pops whispered to Mizuki, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. With one hand supporting her legs, he reached out with his other and took Falco's, bracing himself as he was pulled to his feet.

Falco gave Pops a heavy pat on the shoulder, "It's good to see ya, friend."

Pops walked to the doorway and asked, "You bring backup?"

Falco nodded in affirmation, "I got 3 Aldecaldos doing a sweep now. What's up?"

Pops signaled for Falco to follow him. As they walked down the hallway, Pops kicked a door with his boot and said, "We need to do something about this."

Falco opened the door and immediately heaved from the stench as he exclaimed, "Je-SUS!"

Pops kept walking as Falco hailed his team, updating them on the situation before he ran to catch up.

Making his way up the stairs, and through the club, Pops tried to shield Mizuki from seeing her mother still hanging from the pole, but she fought him. She wanted to see. In an instant, Pops saw her face twist from pain into anger, a wild fire burning in her eyes. Falco took the lead, guiding them outside through the double doors as he said, "It's a clear path from here to the truck. You want to come back for the body?"

Pops placed a hand on Falco's shoulder and narrowed his eyes as he answered, "Make sure she's taken care of."

Falco furrowed his brow for a moment and nodded, "Okay. You stay with the girl."

Pops made his way out of the complex, greeted by several distant but friendly faces. All nodded or bowed their heads to him out of respect for the circumstances. The rain had finally stopped, but the clouds hung low, a dull roar of thunder in the distance.

They finally reached the truck, and Pops placed Mizuki down on the tailgate, leaning down so she could keep her hold on him. She was staring blankly at nothing, numb to the world around her. After a moment, she pulled her arms back, releasing Pops as she sat there, wavering slightly. He grabbed a blanket from inside the truck and wrapped it around her. He took the opportunity and pulled a softpack from his shirt pocket, shaking loose a single cigarette and placing it between his lips as he reached for his lighter, never once taking his eyes off Mizuki. To his surprise, she held her hand out with two fingers extended, signaling for his softpack. He pulled another cigarette out and placed it between her fingers. She slowly brought it to her mouth as he lit his cigarette. She leaned slightly forward, and he brought the lighter to her. She drew in, bringing the flame to the cigarette as she took a puff, followed by a slight cough.

Pops couldn't tell if Mizuki was putting on a brave face, or if she was really this detached from it all. He was worried either way. She took small puffs from the cigarette, not even inhaling or taking the cigarette from her mouth. Falco approached cautiously, holding a body wrapped in a large blanket. As Pops turned to face him, he said, "It's only right that she rides with you. My guys will take care of the rest of this unholy mess. So what are you going to do now."

Pops answered flatly, "One got away, ran as soon as the shit started. He's the one I need to find."

Falco fired back with a smirk, "Right. So, where do we find him?"

Falco wasn't much for sentiment, except among close friends. He preferred to keep things casual when he could help it. He was either in or he was out; but if he was in, he was the ride-or-die type, especially for his friends. He would walk headfirst into the shitstorm without ever asking why. As for Pops, they had met during their latter years in their respective Nomad clans. They formed a mutual respect for one another that turned into an unwavering friendship over time. Falco was the reason Pops had found himself in Night City to begin with, a fact that Pops loved to remind him of when the shit hit the fan. This was not one of those moments.

Pops wasn't in a smiling mood, but he patted Falco on the shoulder as he took a long drag. That was a good question, where was he going to find the bastard? There was no doubt that Kenji Yamada had to die. Everything here was more than enough ammunition to stir the pot in the Tyger Claws' higher ranks. At an organizational level, they didn't deal in children. This was Kenji acting out on his own. Pops would have to make a call he never imagined or wanted to make. He had to call the "Lady of Westbrook Estate".

--

It was another three days before Pops had a contact for Wakako Okada; a feared and respected fixer in Westbrook, she was also equally feared and respected by the Tyger Claws' higher leadership. Many of their former ranks had been husbands or lovers, and she had outlived all of them, earning her an elite status among the gang at large. If there was an issue that needed addressing from an outsider, the Lady of Westbrook Estate was your best bet.

Mizuki was now staying with Pops, as the Kabuki Tyger Claws had no knowledge of his Northside residence. He considered Mei's old apartment a liability, and had cleared it out entirely. Anyone who went there would find bare walls with chipped paint and not much else. He also wanted to keep a close watch on his charge. She had no one else in Night City. It wasn't guilt, either. Over the last few months, Pops had genuinely grown to love and care for Mizuki as his own daughter, just as he loved and cared for Mei.

He had taken her to see Vik in Little China as soon as possible. There was bruising and some other injuries consistent with what she'd experienced, but otherwise she was physically healthy, minus the botched face implant, but Vik fixed that in short order. He couldn't speak for her mental health. Only time would tell.

Mizuki hadn't spoken a word, but what was there really to say? In all of this, she just existed, numb to anything going on around her. She had a few panic attacks and crying fits since coming home, and all Pops could do was try and comfort her, remind her that she was safe now.

Pops was standing on his balcony, smoking a cigarette as he watched the sun set over the city. Mizuki hadn't left her bed since the night before, but he kept a close eye on the door to her room anyway, looking back every couple of seconds to make sure the door was still shut.

A holocall pinged from a blocked ID, and Pops prayed it was the call he had been waiting for. An older, wiser female voice with a tint of a Japanese accent spoke, "I understand you seek an audience."

Pops answered bluntly, "I need a favor."

"A bold request coming from an outsider", the voice chided, letting a moment pass before continuing, "What can I do for you?"

Pops chose his words carefully, "I need to locate a Tyger Claw underboss."

The voice wasted no time in answering, "Kenji Yamada."

Pops was surprised. He stuttered for a moment before the voice continued, "He has been a thorn in many Tygers' paws for some time now. What is your business with him?"

"He kidnapped and killed one of his own joytoys in Kabuki, Mei Hasegawa", Pops answered frankly, "His crew also kidnapped, beat, and raped a young girl. I s'pose you already know about the child traffickin'."

The voice replied, "That is not the Tyger Claws' custom, I assure you."

Pops fired back, "With all due respect, my issue isn't with the Tyger Claws."

The voice allowed a few moments to pass. Finally, she answered, "The girl, who is she to you?"

Pops looked down as he took a long drag and exhaled, "She's my daughter."

"I will make inquiries", the voice replied, "Allow me 24 hours. Keep the girl safe."

Pops answered, "Thank you, Madam Okada."

Wakako ended the call with, "You're welcome, Mr. Gray."

--

It was nearly 24 hours to the minute. By this time, Mizuki had left her room, moving between the couch and the kitchen at random intervals. She still hadn't spoken.

Another holocall pinged, this time the ID was open. Wakako's voice came through, "I have located your person of interest."

Pops replied, "I am duly impressed. Where can I find him?"

Wakako answered, "I have him under lock and key. He will not escape."

"So when can I see him?", Pops asked, cutting to the chase.

Wakako again answered, "There are matters to discuss. Tomorrow, 10:00. Pachinko Parlors on Jig-Jig Street. My boys will know to expect you. Do not delay."

Pops started to say thank you before Wakako cut him off, "...and bring the girl."

The call dropped without so much as a goodbye. Pops considered it a small blessing. He got the impression that Wakako Okada was one of those where, the less words said, the better off you were.

Pops' line of thought was interrupted by Mizuki sliding open the door and stepping out onto the balcony with him. He smiled at her, she pointed to his softpack and said, "Please."

Her first word in four days, asking Pops for a smoke. He had to fight to not laugh. He obliged, sliding the pack and lighter over. Like an old pro, Mizuki shook loose a single cigarette, plucking it between her lips and pulling loose. She even cupped her hand to keep the wind from blowing out the lighter's flame. Pops suspected she may have been peeking at him all this time when he wasn't looking. She took a long drag, this time inhaling. She began to turn a funny shade of green before coughing profusely, sending Pops into a chuckling fit.

Fighting between coughs, Mizuki struggled to get out the words, "It's not funny."

Pops nonchalantly answered back, "Then why are you laughin'?"

Once Mizuki was able to calm herself down, she was able to take a proper drag, inhale, and exhale.

Pops smiled, "See? It's like you're a natural."

Mizuki took another drag, exhaled, and asked, "Was that Wako?"

Pops followed suit, exhaling through his nose, "Sure was."

"They found Kenji?", she asked.

Pops answered, "Mhm."

Mizuki followed up, "Any reason why you're giving such short answers?"

Pops turned to her and replied, "Em, you've been through a lot in the past week. A lot. More than some people go through in their entire lives, even in Night City. I don't want to say anything to cause another panic attack. I don't want you to hurt, so I'm trying to watch what I say. That's all."

Mizuki cracked a light smile and nodded to Pops, "I'll be okay. I just needed time."

Pops narrowed his eyes. He wasn't convinced, but he played ball anyway, "Wako's got Kenji under lock and key at her place on Jig-Jig Street. She wants to meet tomorrow, and made special mention to bring you along. Said there's matters to discuss."

Mizuki rolled her eyes and took another drag, "The Council is probably giving Wako grief that Mama was skimming eddies off her johns, and that I was dishonoring the chain of command."

Pops' eyes lit up, impressed by how self-aware this young pup in front of him was, "A defiant teenager, the hell you say!"

Mizuki giggled before her face took on a slight pout as she looked down. Pops asked her, "Hey, you okay, kiddo?"

She began to sniffle a bit, but she nodded and answered, "Yeah, I just... thanks Pops. I've never really thanked you; you came for me, and you saved me. And just for having been there for Mama the last few months. I'd never seen her happier than the time she had with you."

Pops waved her off, but not to be dismissive, "Em, you don't ever need to thank me. You do what you have to for the people you love. I love your mother. And I love you. I've never been happier than I was having you both in my life. And now we have each other. We'll get there, together.

Mizuki raised her pinky finger, and Pops smiled and wrapped his own around it. They spent the rest of their smoke in silence, watching the sun set over Night City.

--

Pops and Mizuki stood side-by-side at the entrance to Jig-Jig Street. It was lavishly marked with a giant neon sign. The single largest red-light district in all of Night City, and they advertised with a giant sign in plain sight without a care in the world. To be fair, the NCPD had made it publicly known they prioritized violent crimes over anything else, effectively giving prositution, drugs, and whatever qualified as "anything else" a free pass.

They looked at each other with a shrug of their shoulders, not exactly sure what to expect as they passed through the gates. Like many areas of Night City's undercity, the sun didn't shine on Jig-Jig Street. It was completely covered by megabuildings and overpasses. The only lights in this part of Westbrook were the neon signs illuminating the pungent and polluted air. It was like a seedier version of the Kabuki Market. Mizuki was enthralled, which probably explained why Mei never brought her there. Sex shops, bars, diners, and more sex shops littered every square foot of real estate. Where shops couldn't fit, vendors simply set up kiosks and carts. Everything was for sale here. Anything could be bought. If you couldn't find it, someone else could.

Pops stayed alert as Tyger Claws of all ranks and file dotted the landscape, mixed in with the regular crowds. Mizuki retracted inside herself a bit once she saw the wild haircuts and menpo masks; Pops knew right away it was triggering flashbacks. He was ready to scoop her up immediately and take her away from this place if it got any worse. He looked down at her with concern, but she put on her bravest face, standing tall and strong.

Finally, they reached their destination, the door guarded by two Tyger Claws gangers armed to the teeth. Pops attempted to walk straight in before one of the gangers stopped him, muttering something in Japanese. Pops chuckled, announcing himself, "Heya fellas, we're expected."

He tried again, this time the other ganger pushed him back. With a smile, he opened his coat, showing the revolver strapped to his hip. Both gangers took a stance, starting to unsheathe their katanas before Wakako's voice trailed out from inside the shop, "They're with me. Let them through."

Both gangers retreated back, bowing and signaling for Pops and Mizuki to enter. As they did, Wakako chided them, "It is unwise for outsiders to stir up trouble here."

Pops smiled, "I do apologize, Madam Okada; I'm afraid I just can't help myself with 'tough guys'."

Wakako showed no emotion, but returned his fire, "So my sources were correct. You are in fact a cowboy."

Pops laughed out loud, conceding the point. It was valid, afterall.

Before too long, they were in Wakako's office. She signaled to Pops and Mizuki to sit down, making herself comfortable across the desk.

Pops crossed his leg and he gave Wakako a quick up and down. Smaller, older, but probably not a woman you wanted to mouth off too. Her modest dress had clear see-through patches running across her shoulders and collarbones, revealing giant portions of Irezumi-style tattoos. If she wasn't a Tyger Claw, she had to have been Yakuza at one point. The tattoos continued down her legs, looking almost like stockings to the untrained eye. She wore giant round glasses to accent her gray hair pulled back in a giant round bun and held together with lacquered chopsticks. One might mistake her for an overly strict grandmother, which might not be too far from the truth, but hidden in her unassuming appearance was a tremendous authority and power.

Wakako looked at Pops for a second, then Mizuki, then back to Pops, as she spoke, "All things considered, the child looks very well."

Pops bowed his head. All things considered; Mizuki was still covered in bruises around her body, and generally sore all over. Pops knew the flesh could could heal. His concern was the mind. Wakako continued, "You may already know why I asked you to come here today, in which case I apologize for wasting your time; however, we do have formailities for situations such as these. Perhaps you may start by telling me what you know, and I may fill in the blanks?"

Pops spoke, "Long and short of it: Mei Hasegawa was a joytoy skimmin' eddies from her johns under the nose of Tyger Claws jurisdiction; Mizuki here was a shatei in the Kabuki faction, but had drawn harsh criticism for her 'dishonor' and disrespect towards the chain of command."

Wakako was surprised at an outsider so well-informed, no doubt on account of Mizuki. She followed up his statement, "I did not give you enough credit, Mr. Gray— may I call you Phoenix?"

Pops smirked, "May I call you Wakako?"

Mizuki's eyes went WIDE at Pops' frank demeanor, praying Wakako didn't interpret it as disrespect.

Wakako stared at Pops for a moment before a light smirk crept on her face, "You may."

Pops reciprocated, "Likewise."

Wakako continued, "I did not give you enough credit, Phoenix. These accusations are not looked upon favorably in the Tyger Claws. They represent a breach of trust, honor, and brotherhood. However, given Kenji's indiscretions in governing his territory, the Council has decided to overlook these transgressions, provided a debt is paid to settle accounts."

Money; always money. Pops had expected this to be a topic of conversation. He settled into his chair and looked Wakako in the eyes as he spoke, "Well just how much are we talking?"

"No, no, you misunderstand, Phoenix. This debt cannot be paid in any tangible currency that you possess", Wakako interjected as her eyes flashed blue, "This debt must be paid in blood."

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, the doors to her office swung open. Two gangers entered, holding either arm of a man in handcuffs wearing a disheveled tailored corpo suit with a black bag over his head. They guided the man to a corner before forcing him to his knees as he protested. Mizuki's eyes began to burn with fire, as she recognized the voice immediately. Pops turned to face the man as the bag was removed. It was Kenji Yamada.

Pops turned back to Wakako, "So, I kill this piece of human excrement, and all debts are settled?"

"Not quite," Wakako chuckled, as she brandished a Unity from her desk drawer and placed it in front of Pops without taking her hand off of it. After a few seconds, she slid the handgun over in front of Mizuki, turning her head to lock eyes. Wakako could sense the fire and she continued, "This was Kenji's personal sidearm. To settle the debt, justice must be enacted upon him by those he hurt. The child must kill him."

Pops nearly jumped out of his chair at the notion, "Woah, woah! Wakako, with all due respect, she's just a kid. She's a sixtee—"

Mizuki didn't hesitate. Grabbing the Unity off the desk, she ejected the magazine and cleared the chamber before returning the magazine and racking the slide. She stood from her chair and turned to face Kenji. He stared at her with impunity, telling her in Japanese to "go fuck herself".

Pops reassured Mizuki, "Y-you don't have to do this, Em, I'm sure we—"

Pops was cut off by Mizuki aiming the gun at Kenji and mercilessly emptying the magazine into him. Twelve rounds, all center-mass.

She nonchalantly turned around and offered the gun back to Wakako, who smiled and said, "Keep it, child. You may find it useful in your future endeavors."

Pops was no stranger to death, but he wasn't accustomed to watching a young girl dump that much lead into another human without so much as a blink. Mizuki bowed to Wakako and exited the room, still holding the iron in her hand. Wakako signaled to her gangers to remove the body and clear the room as well.

At last it was just the two of them; Pops had no idea what would happen next, and he was honestly a little bit afraid of that. Wakako spoke first, "She's not your biological daughter, of course. It matters not. You are the father she needs. She is strong, but she is also young and naïve. You are a wise and honest man with a good heart. Train her, teach her how to stand on her own two feet, and you will both go far in this city."

Pops nodded with a slight smile, "Thank you, Wakako."

She answered, "My door is open, Phoenix. Until next time, take care of yourself."

Pops stood from the chair, bowing his head before turning to leave. As he exited the parlor, he replayed the last few minutes in his head trying to figure out if that was a really bad fever dream, or if he actually watched Mizuki dump half a pound of lead into a man for her first kill, and show no remorse for it.

Mizuki startled him from behind, as she leaned against the outer wall of the parlor, smoking a cigarette. She was hooked now. Pops looked at her inquisitively, "Where'd you get a pack of smokes?"

Miz answered, "Vendor cart about 30 feet over, on the right."

Pops shrugged his eyebrows. "Huh... I'll be right back."

Miz laughed as she watched him walk off into the market.

Things weren't right yet, but they both had a feeling they would be.

--

In the months that followed, as Mizuki recovered further, Pops began to teach her everything he knew, from weapons handling to driving to hand-to-hand combat, to general tradecraft skills that he learned over the years. When he felt she was ready from a skill perspective, she came with him on jobs as an extra gun, and she was damn good at it, too. It wasn't the life Mei would have wanted for Mizuki, but a life working alongside Pops was better than a life as a two-bit ganger. Eventually, Mizuki shortened her given name to just "Miz"; she came to associate her old name with a weaker version of herself. Of course, Pops just stuck with "Em", or "Kiddo". They worked out of Pops' Northside apartment until 2076, when they scraped together enough eddies to get individual apartments in the H10 megablock in Little China. Life was good for a time, until a certain mid-level fixer became the the powerhouse in their megablock in late 2077...

--