"So this is gonna be our base of operations?" V asked, raising a brow as she looked up at the massive reinforced warehouse. "Isn't this a little... too big? Just for the three of us?"
"Woof!" Lola barked, offended.
V chuckled. "Sorry, sorry. The four of us."
I stood there, arms crossed, taking in the sight of the building with them. It looked intimidating now, like it could survive a war—and that was exactly the point.
"Yes, it's big," I said, "but we're not going to stay just the four of us forever. One day, we're going to build something bigger. And when that day comes, we'll already have a place ready. Besides, everyone who joins has to be unanimously accepted. No wannabe edgelords or psycho chrome junkies allowed."
V and Jackie nodded.
"I already reinforced the walls," I added, tapping the thick iron paneling with my knuckles. "Five layers: armored iron, high-grade ballistic shielding, then more iron on top. Same with the ceiling and the two basement levels. Still need to upgrade the windows though. Gonna make them one-way—so we can see out, but no one can see in."
Jackie tilted his head. "Ain't this a bit much, choom? It's not like someone's gonna roll up with a tank."
I gave him a look.
"This is Night City," I said. "Someone rolling up with a tank is exactly what I'm preparing for."
He thought about it for a second, then shrugged. "Fair point. Can we check it out?"
"Of course. Just don't expect much—it's still a work in progress."
We walked in through the sliding front bay. The inside was cavernous—metal scaffolding along the walls, old hydraulic lifts scattered around like bones, and cables dangling from the ceiling like cybernetic vines. The place reeked of potential.
"Choom," Jackie muttered, eyes wide. "This looks way bigger from the inside. Is that a goddamn hangar?"
"Yup. Used to be a repair dock for Aerodynes," I said. "Top-grade VTOL maintenance site before the corpos bailed and let it rot."
His attention shifted. "Wait, is that a... Chevillon Emperor?! That the Ragnar variant?"
I smirked. "Yup. Fully modded. Indestructible. Weapons with infinite ammo. Won't flip over no matter what. You can ram it into a wall and the wall apologizes."
Jackie rushed over like a kid on Christmas morning, running his hand over the armored chassis. Meanwhile, V was staring at the two weapon cases I'd set up earlier, sitting neatly on a table beneath a hanging spotlight.
"Looks like you spotted the presents," I said, nudging V forward. "The one on the right's yours."
She hesitated, eyes on the sleek black case. "This really for me?"
"Go ahead," I said, motioning. "Open it."
She popped it open. Her breath caught.
Inside was a modified version of Johnny Silverhand's iconic pistol—sleek, matte black with glowing violet highlights, the barrel lengthened slightly and balanced with a weighty compensator. It practically hummed with menace. Next to it was an outfit—her standard look from the game, minus the Samurai logo, plus reinforced armor plating woven into the seams. Same vibe, just way more deadly.
"That's a beast," she whispered.
"It's three times stronger than the original," I said. "Armor-piercing rounds, zero spread, and no recoil. As for the outfit—modded ballistic fiber. If you step on a mine, worst case you'll get knocked over and maybe suffer a concussion. No burns, no lost limbs."
V blinked. "Wait, are you serious?"
"Completely. Didn't bother adding headgear, though. No bandana or sunglasses can stop a .50 cal, so what's the point? I've got helmets, but I doubt you'll wanna rock one full-time."
"Yeah… not exactly going for a biker look," she chuckled. "Can I try this on?"
"There's a back room with a mirror. Careful, there's some trash still on the floor from when we moved in."
V nodded and disappeared into the back.
"Jackie, get out of the car," I said. "Got something for you too."
No answer. Just a man in love, tracing the lines of the Chevillon like it was his soulmate.
"Lola," I said, "go get him."
"Woof."
Her backpack hissed as two tentacles extended. They slithered over to Jackie and scooped him up like a sack of potatoes.
"Put me down! I ain't a plush toy!"
She gently deposited him in front of me, tentacles retracting with a mechanical purr.
"Thanks, girl."
"Woof."
I opened the second case and explained what was inside: two pistols—one gold, one silver—both modified to the same degree as V's weapon. Ballistic armor similar to his usual outfit, but the shirt covered more of his chest this time. Didn't want his ribs exposed just because he liked the biker aesthetic.
Jackie's eyes lit up. "Can I test it?"
"Hold your chrome, wait for V."
A few minutes later, V returned, fully suited up.
She looked incredible. Like she stepped straight out of an ad. The clothes hugged her form perfectly, armored but flexible, tough but stylish.
Jackie gave a whistle. "Looking sharp, V. Like a pro merc ready to kick ass."
"Thanks, Jackie. What did I miss?"
"We were just about to test these beauties," Jackie said, raising his pistols.
"Follow me," I said.
We moved to a corner of the warehouse where I'd set up some mannequins. Two stood bare-chested. The third wore a replica of V's armored T-shirt.
"Alright," I said. "Start with your regular pistols. Aim for center mass."
Bang. Bang. Both mannequins took hits, holes appearing center chest.
"Good. Now try the one with the T-shirt. Let's see if it holds."
Bang. Bang.
Both bullets hit, but the mannequin didn't even flinch. I walked up and lifted the shirt.
"See? No damage. The fabric absorbed everything."
V looked impressed.
"Now," I said, "time to test the real toys. V, you go first."
She stepped forward, aimed her new pistol, and pulled the trigger.
Bang.
The bullet tore straight through the mannequin, clean and smooth. Left a hole you could fit three fingers through.
"Whoa," she said, eyes wide. "That kickback was nothing. And the firepower... damn."
"Glad you like it. Jackie, you're up."
He didn't hold back.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
By the time he stopped, only the legs of the mannequin were left. Everything above the waist was shredded.
"You done?"
"Sorry, I got excited," Jackie grinned. "These pistols are sick."
"Alright. Now for the final test—V, shoot the mannequin with the armored shirt using your new pistol."
She nodded. Bang.
The mannequin flew backwards, slammed into the wall, and dropped.
We walked over. No visible damage.
I lifted the shirt again. "No penetration. But it did cave in a bit. You'd probably get a nasty bruise or maybe a cracked rib."
Jackie nodded, already imagining the bruises as battle scars.
"With great drip comes great durability," he said.
"Exactly," I grinned. "Now, let's talk about the car."
We walked over to the Chevillon. I didn't bother explaining most of the features—it would've taken all day—but I did touch on two things.
"One, this baby can't be flipped over. Lola and I tested it. You know when a car glitches upside down in a game, then magically rights itself? Same concept. Doesn't care about gravity. Takes five to ten seconds, but it will get back up."
"Nice," Jackie said, already climbing back into the driver's seat.
"And two," I added, "infinite ammo."
V squinted. "How's that even possible?"
I shrugged. "Magic."
They both stared at me.
"I'm not joking. I checked the mechanics with my modded optics. No source. No belt. No power cell. Just infinite ammo. So unless the car eats dreams and poops bullets, I got no idea. Magic."
They exchanged glances... then nodded.
"Sure. Magic it is."
"Alright," I said, "I didn't call you guys here just to show off. I need help cleaning this place and maybe decorating it too."
"You got it, hermano," Jackie said.
"We're free today anyway," V added.
"Woof, woof!"
Lola activated her tentacles and started sweeping broken debris like a chrome Roomba on steroids.
"Whoa!" V jumped. "She can clean with those things?"
"Yeah. She also picked Jackie up like a plush earlier."
"Not funny, man."
"Very funny."
We all laughed, then got to work. While we scrubbed grime and dragged junk into piles, I tossed out one final question.
"By the way... what should we call our crew?"
Jackie paused, mop in hand. "Has to be something badass. Something people remember."
V rubbed her chin, thoughtful.
Lola barked twice.
"Woof, woof."
We all stopped.
End of Chapter