We're Here

"You guys pulled off a big job this time?"

Inside Viktor's ripperdoc clinic, Viktor treated Jack's wounds while casually asking the question.

"More or less. A Corpo Dog job. We nearly left our lives there."

Jack said, "After selling the guns and other stuff, we each got about forty thousand eddies. The Maelstrom gear didn't fetch much, though. We only kept a Crusher Shotgun."

"It's good enough that you made it back alive."

Viktor took out a barrel-shaped stitching device and pressed it against Jack's hand. With a click, the wound was stitched shut. After finishing the last step, Viktor patted Jack's uninjured arm, stepped back, and sat down in his chair. "All done. Take some pneumatic injectors with you when you leave. Next time something like this happens, stick yourself with one first. It'll help a lot."

"How much for the treatment and the injectors, Old Vic?"

"Consider it a celebration for completing a big job. This one's free."

Viktor casually waved off Jack, who was trying to pay, along with Carl and Oliver waiting beside him. "Just bring me more business later."

Ding.

Viktor went back to watching the boxing matches on his computer, the ones he never seemed to get tired of.

"Thanks, Old Vic. I'll bring some food and drinks next time. We'll have a couple."

Jack rolled his shoulder, found that it moved freely, then headed over to Carl and Oliver. "All right, let's celebrate this job going off without a hitch."

"Any restaurant recommendations?" Oliver asked. "I'm not too familiar with Watson District."

"There's a good Japanese place over in Kabuki District. How about we eat there?"

As Jack spoke, he looked toward Carl, seeking her opinion.

"Japanese food?"

Carl hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Sure. It's been a while since I had any. We can give it a try. But isn't Kabuki Hall a place where people play with people? They've got good restaurants there?"

"Those people have to eat after they're done playing. Don't worry, that Japanese place tastes great. Though I've never really had any authentic Japanese food myself."

At Jack's enthusiastic recommendation, the three got into Oliver's car and drove toward Kabuki Hall. On the way, they casually discussed how they planned to spend their forty thousand eddies.

Forty thousand eddies in Night City was more than the entire family assets of at least ninety percent of the population. Even among mercenaries, few could save that much money. Most mercs lived day to day, spending their pay not long after receiving it. Even if they did save properly, reaching more than ten thousand eddies was rare.

The strength and equipment of low-level mercenaries might not even measure up to an ordinary Maelstrom member.

Jack was the first to decide how he would spend his money. "I'll keep ten thousand to save up for a car or a motorcycle. I'll spend the other thirty thousand getting Subdermal Armor from Old Vic. The armor on that Maelstrom psycho we ran into today could even stop Copperheads. Once I get a set, I'll be badass as hell."

The reason Jack wanted to pay Old Vic for a brand-new set of Subdermal Armor instead of bringing back the dead Maelstrom member and ripping out her cyberware to install on himself was, first, because he had Mexican blood in him. Mexicans might talk about death often, but they deeply respected it. Messing with someone's corpse after they were dead was not Jack's style. It also felt too much like something the Scavengers would do, and he hated those bastards most of all.

Second, cyberware taken from someone else had usually been adjusted by a Ripperdoc. Used implants were hard to match to another body. Even if they could be fitted, all kinds of issues could arise, and it might even trigger Cyberpsychosis. There was simply no need for it.

Cyberpsychosis was a mental illness triggered after cyberware installation, when the human body could not bear the alien sensation of something that did not belong to its flesh. Such people often became dangerous and insane as their cyberware overloaded or operated at the edge of breakdown. Even the Night City Police Department could not handle cyberpsychos. In Night City, that kind of lunatic was handed over to a separate group to deal with. Jack did not want to become one of them just to save money.

As for Jack's spending plans, Oliver was more curious about what kind of car Jack intended to buy with ten thousand. "Ten thousand should be enough for an ordinary secondhand car, right? What kind of car are you looking to buy, Jack?"

"At least a four-seater."

As Jack spoke, he felt how cramped he was, squeezed together with Carl in the front passenger seat. "At the very least, it needs one more seat than your car."

"Tch, this car was made for picking up girls. What right do you two grown men have to complain about sitting in it? Besides, even secondhand, this car's worth twenty-nine thousand eddies."

Hearing Jack insult his beloved car, Oliver immediately fired back, which earned him Jack's skeptical look.

"You pick up girls in a cargo hauler only nomads would like?"

"The girls in our Santo Domingo district are more practical."

"Give me a break. It's not like I haven't seen Santo Domingo girls. The Badlands are right east of your place. They get blasted by wind and sand all day, their skin's rough as hell, and they still have all kinds of demands. The girls in Heywood are the truly hot, passionate, and honest ones."

"I think your Heywood girls are too loose. Say a couple words to them, and they'll get in your car and go home with you."

"Enough, you two."

Watching the two get more and more animated, nearly crushing her into mush between them, Carl stopped their pointless comparison and steered the conversation back on track.

"Instead of talking about that, Oliver, how are you planning to spend your money?"

"Me?"

Oliver thought for a moment. "First, I'll rent an apartment. Sleeping in my car or at hotels isn't a long-term solution. Then I'll get some cyberware installed. You really can't survive as a mercenary without decent cyberware. After that, like you guys said, I'll see if I can work as a team medic or a sniper. Oh, right, Jack, I'm planning to find an apartment in Watson District. Do you have anywhere to recommend?"

"A Megabuilding in Little China. The rent's reasonable, and there are plenty of cheap restaurants nearby, so eating's convenient too."

"That place."

Oliver recalled that it was where he had met Carl and still remembered it somewhat. Thinking of that, he glanced at Carl. "What about you, Carl? What are you planning?"

He remembered that Carl did not have a place to live either.

"I'll go take a look too. If it works out, I'll live there as well. Being closer will be convenient. As for the money besides rent, I haven't decided yet. But I'll probably look for a decent pistol later and get one. I need to replace the Lexington anyway."

Chatting all the way, the three finally arrived at their destination according to the navigation.