Night City.
City of legends. City of dreams. Or more accurately, where dreams come to die.
Where Megacorporations and crime organisations rule supreme. A city where Cybernetics and technology are integral to everyday life; in Augmentations or Implants. In vehicle or in weapons. Im the structure of buildings or advertisements. In everything.
It's a hard life. A hard life no doubt. Living in a city where Crime is the main form of occupation, only rivalled by Corpo rats who's only desire is to seek profit from the lower class, through dirty business and Megacorporations such as Arasaka or Militech; which rival that of strengths such as New America or all of Europe combined.
A city where there's severe homelessness problems and trash on the streets almost everywhere. Where crime rampancy and class divide is covered in a faux warm, comforting, fluffy blanket made up of holographic signs, neon lights and synthetic food. Night City.
Despite this, There are a few main universal rules amongst many legends or high level criminals, or rather sayings, in Night City. The First Golden Rule is to never trust anyone. Everyone fucks you over eventually and eventually it'll happen to you. The Second Golden Rule is money talks, it's the only thing that does; if you don't have Biz in Night City, you have nothing. The Third and Final Golden Rule is There are no happy endings in Night City. No. Exceptions.
Wednesday, 11th July, 10:33pm, Little China; Watson, 2079
I am leaning against a railing on an elevated part of the sidewalk in Little china, slowly blowing out smoke from my vape in the soft, drizzling rain; dimly lit by the light blue neon sign above me. Peace and tranquility, something almost as rare as finding a fully organic person in NC, fills me as I enjoy the feeling of the warm strawberry and Raspberry tasting and smelling Vape flavour in the rain which patters against my grey hoodie's hood. The only object I have is a simple Lexington pistol in my hoodie front pocket and my vape in hand. I am scrolling my Operating system, or my OS, which displays simple information on a virtual database such as time of day, the weather, allows me to scroll the internet and access my contacts, like a mini mobile phone built into my head and displayed on my corneas, the most basic implant of Night City.
I continue leaning over the railing when a foreign, semi-built 5,10ft male with black hair and eyes approaches me slowly, observing my calm and bored look, leaning against the railing beside me. As a direct reaction, I slowly put my hand in my pocket; readying my pistol as he observes, still vaping and looking just ahead. After a while, the man speaks with a calm and calculated voice.
"Ms Lockheart?" He questions simply despite his juxtaposing tone of Authority; his gaze still speculating with caution and interest. I remain quiet as he awaits an elicited response, hoping he just leaves and loses interest however, it results in the opposite.
"Ms Lockheart?" He repeats his question again in his calm and collected tone of authority, still expecting an answer. In response, I finally acknowledge his looming presence ever so slightly with a brief side eye, taking a judgemental up and down analysis of his physical appearance. Built, confident, curious.
"You talking to me?" I speak after my initial analysis of him with my typical monotone British accent through question, blowing some smoke out before slowly looking to him with boredom; watching him nod gently and ominously.
"Got the wrong person then. Dunno this "Lockheart" you're lookin' for choom." I lie with a straight face; displaying a bored, nonchalant and cold tone in hopes he takes the bait and stops bothering me however, he does not.
"Chelsea Lockheart. 23 years old, No blood relatives in Night City, well established Netrunner in this area I hear. Sure that doesn't ring any bells?" He questions, giving an accurate and brief description of me whilst pressing more. I shake my head, widen my eyes and stick out my bottom lip a little in indication I have no idea what he's talking about.
"Never heard'v 'er. Sorry." I answer breifly, coldly and bluntly once again, not providing him with any information or indication that i'm the person he's looking for.
"Mhm. Well your Biometrics say different. I performed a scan on you with my optics and it displays a direct match to Ms Chelsea Lockheart." He answers with a slightly more annoyed and impatient look, looking me up and down with interest. I slowly pan my gaze towards the man and speak again.
"That right Choom? Your database must be really shitty then." I remark, inhaling and exhaling my vape.
"Chelsea Lockheart, Arasaka Technology is state of the art, it's more certainly you. If you don't co-operate I'll have to apprehend you." He combats me confidently, crossing him arms and standing firm.
"You? Apprehend me? I'd like to see you fuckin' try." I retort immediately with distrust, withdrawing my unmodded Lexington pistol and aiming it at him which causes him to widen his eyes and raise his hands behind him as I put my Vape in my pocket
"Woah-! Woah I ain't mean any trouble ma'am, I-" He tried to respond before I cut him off with his obvious fearful and an apologetic look by hitting him on the side of the head with my pistol, causing him him to cover where I hit him as he drops to the floor.
"I ain't no motherfuckin' ma'am, you Entitled Corpo prick, start talkin'! What's so important about me that 'saka wants me huh? START TALKIN'!" I demand, pointing my pistol towards him incessantly while he lays on the ground helplessly, my eyes a bright neon pink behind my hooded, serious and hardened face.
"Okay, okay! Shit, you don't mess about huh-? M-My name is Kendrick Adams, i'm an Arasaka intern a-and i'm trying to investigate this area for recon on a convoy coming next Wednesday… that's it I- I swear-!" He squirms in fear, backing up a little in fear on the floor as I continue to point the pistol to him.
"Yeah? Then the fuck're you doing tryna look for me specifically huh?" I press further, not letting up at all.
"Y-your a netrunner! The most respected around here… A perceived possible threat to the convoy!" He explains further, co-operating to save his life, causing me to fall silent for a moment in contemplation.
"Sounds 'bout right. 'Saka only tryna save their own damn skin…" I mumble to myself with an eye roll and a sigh before turning to him again "Well I'm about as capable in piercing 'saka ICE as a Meerkat is in flight. So fuck off choom before I think twice before leaving you a bleeding mess on the fucking pavement." I answer harshly, offering my hand for him to rise and keep my pistol raised.
After I help him rise, I keep my pistol out but begin leaning against the railing again, but with maintaine caution mow; slowly calming as I puff my vape once again. The Arasaka man, Kendrick he called himself, remains standing beside me judgementally and fearfully.
"Well? You gonna go then?" I blow out smoke in his direction before asking; looking him up and down boredly in analysis as he stands idly all the while my palm rests against my cheek.
"I- I also had something else I wanted to ask you…" he speaks fearfully but less than before which makes sense due to him no longer staring down the barrel of a gun.
"No i'm not interested in you. Move along." I try to predict him immediately as she goes to ask another question, my harsh tone reflecting my cold actions like a freshly cleaned mirror.
"W-Why're doin' this..? You're… so young. The youngest Merc i've ever seen in this city by far…" he questions, slowly lowering his hands, dusting off his rich suit.
"None of your concern. We done with the interview or you gonna make yourself scarce? 'Cus believe it or not I don't feel like speaking to a wealthy glorified 'Saka rat with the personality of a wet blanket and the survival instincts of a sloth." I respond extremely harshly again with a contrasting continued look of boredom as he speaks.
"I- I- I don't want to hurt you… I'm just… curious. You seem extremely attractive, your young I- I don't see why you're doing this, ruining your life for-" He continues to try and appeal to my humanity before I cut him off by placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Listen. You're 'Saka's lap dog. Unfortunately, not all of us are lucky enough to be considered "useful" by a megacorporation. I dunno what you did or what they told you, whether it be sucking off Saburo himself of being born into the corporation but believe it when I say you're replaceable, worthless and irrelevant to them; Canon Fodder. They'll get rid of you as soon as your become "unprofitable" or "unco-operative". And when they inevitably do kick you to the curb and strip you both Emotionally and wealthily; you'll understand. 'Till then, you won't." I reply with a lecture and a reality check which he probably and most definitely will not listen to.
"Y-your lying." He respond weakly in denial, looking to the side.
"So what if I am? I don't care if you believe me or not. Just tellin' you the truth." I answer a final time before turning and walking down the stairs and onto the main sidewalk, crossing the street and into the alleyway, leaving the clueless Corpo rat.