Yogan stood in the hallway outside the hospital room for quite a while.
Just as he was considering whether or not to enter the room and check on V, she stepped out, her eyes red and her expression tired.
V climbed onto the railing beside Yogan and looked out across the atrium, down at the bustling crowd below.
Yogan asked, "How is she?"
V buried her head in the crook of her arm. Her voice was muffled. "I told her everything. Tracie didn't scream or throw a fit. She just cried silently. After a while, she fell asleep."
"My condolences, V." Yogan noticed V's body was trembling slightly.
V didn't raise her head and continued, "Yogan, am I some kind of curse? Everyone who gets close to me ends up miserable. My father, my mother… and now Amoredo. Yogan, was it a mistake for me to be born into this world?"
"How can you think like that? You never told me what happened with your parents, but Amoredo died because of the Scavengers, didn't he? You need to learn to analyze the main cause of things logically. Blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong will only crush you."
"But still—"
"No 'but still.' It's already 2074—who still believes in fate? Didn't you say Amoredo died from a riot squad's grenade? Instead of drowning in guilt, why don't you aim to become the mayor of Night City? Then you could send all those cyberpsycho riot squad maniacs straight into a psych ward! You've got to pull yourself together, V. We can't change the past, but there are still people alive who need you."
V lifted her head and wiped away the remaining tears on her cheeks.
"You're right, Yogan. Now's not the time to wallow in self-pity."
Yogan patted her on the shoulder. "Girl, set yourself a small goal first. People need something to look forward to, right?"
V clenched her fists, psyching herself up. "You're right. I need to set a small goal."
"Great! Let's hear it!"
V raised her fist. "Take down Arasaka!"
Yogan was stunned. "Huh?"
V looked at him and said, "Didn't you say I should set a life goal?"
"I meant a slightly smaller goal than that…"
---
Tracie's attending physician didn't look too happy about V's request.
"Miss Bichenia, I must remind you—even though the patient's condition is stable, that doesn't mean taking her outside is a good idea."
"Doctor, can't you try to make an exception? This is Tracie's father's funeral—it means everything to her. She really wants to go."
The doctor frowned. "Fine, I'll see what I can do. But please, don't let her stay outside for too long."
"Thank you, Doctor!"
V returned to the room and said to Tracie, "I asked the doctor."
"Thank you, V. It's my father's funeral—I have to be there, no matter what."
A nurse knocked and entered. "Miss Valeria Bichenia and Miss Tracie Amoredo?"
"Yes," V answered.
The nurse glanced at her tablet. "There will be an available ambulance the morning after tomorrow. However, it must return to the hospital by 2 PM sharp. Please be mindful of the time."
"Got it. Thank you."
The nurse left the room.
V turned to Tracie. "Rest well these next couple of days, okay? Gather your strength."
"I will, V. Don't worry."
V stepped out of the room. Yogan was leaning against the wall outside.
"Why didn't you go in?" she asked.
Yogan straightened up. "I'm not good with kids."
"Tracie's a sweet girl."
"I know. But I'm just not used to it. You can't force someone to do something they're not comfortable with, right?"
V stretched and asked, "Alright, buddy, where are you headed? I'll walk you out."
Yogan was curious about her plans. "You got somewhere else to be?"
"I need to get my car fixed."
"Perfect timing. How about taking me to look at some cheap used cars? I can't keep borrowing yours forever."
"Then let's go."
"Let's roll."
---
In Night City, car theft had become a mainstream black-market industry.
Countless illegal mod shops, car thieves, and fixers willing to take on any job formed a massive underground network.
If your car got stolen by some petty thief, chances are that within hours it would be stripped, modified, and re-entered into the black market under a new identity.
These repair shops didn't mind doing legit business either. For cash-strapped Night City residents, street-side garages were often far more affordable than official dealerships.
But of course, you got what you paid for. If a car owner didn't watch their vehicle like a hawk, shop owners wouldn't hesitate to make some extra cash through less-than-ethical means.
Still, if you had a good relationship with the shop owner, these back-alley mechanics who lived and breathed machinery could offer services on par with corporate-run service centers.
V brought Yogan to just such a shop. As they entered, three or four mechanics were working feverishly on a pickup truck.
V called out, "Fedelina? You around?"
A woman wearing a welding mask slid out from under the truck. She flipped up the mask and greeted V.
"Yo, hey V. What part did you break this time?"
"You make it sound like I don't love my car. It was an accident, okay?"
Fedelina grinned. "Right, right. Your poor 'Hera' breaks down every three days. If the ancient Greek philosophers were alive today, their paradox wouldn't be the Ship of Theseus—it'd be 'Valeria's Car.'"
"Alright, alright, just take a look at it for me."
Fedelina circled the car once and let out a whistle.
"Damn, girl. What happened to your rear end? It's riddled with holes—did a corp hit squad chase you down?"
"Bingo. But no prize."
"Damn, V. I bet the legends lounging around in Afterlife haven't lived as wild as you. Let's see… rear bumper's gotta go, trunk's totaled, and I need to check the rear drive system—make sure there's no hidden damage. You're gonna be waiting a while."
"No worries. I've got time today. Oh, right—don't you have some cheap used cars lying around? Can you set my buddy up with one?"
Fedelina looked Yogan up and down.
"Hey there, handsome. Didn't think V liked your type. Hang on a sec."
Before V could object, Fedelina yelled into the back of the shop, "Hey, old man! V's here, and she wants a car for her boyfriend!"