That accent was at least colonel-grade / You're running out of options, Kirk

Another forty-five percent guarded Corporate Plaza and City Center.

Less than five percent were responsible for keeping the peace throughout the rest of Night City.

That showed just how thinly stretched the NCPD was.

As a result, petty theft barely even counted as an incident in Night City.

In fact, if Jack hadn't touched a rich man's car, Stints might have turned a blind eye for a fellow Heywood native.

Of course, he couldn't simply let them go.

First, he would beat them up to teach them a lesson.

Then he would dump them beside a trash can.

Just as Stints was about to do that, someone unexpected appeared.

Chapter 17: That accent was at least colonel-grade

"These two are the thieves? Just ordinary street scum?"

A man in a suit approached, speaking with an accent worthy of a Japanese colonel.

Stints covered his face for a moment.

"Shit, what's he doing here?"

Fujioka Kaoru was a rich man from Japan whose wealth exceeded that of everyone in Heywood combined.

There were only four Rayfield Lake Maiden Swords in the entire city.

He owned one of those supercars.

He was also the man in a suit Su Xiao had seen on the computer earlier, the one advocating hunting the poor.

Stints didn't want Fujioka Kaoru involved.

These rich people never treated the poor as human beings.

If Jack and the girl fell into his hands, they might very well lose their lives.

He hurriedly said, "They're already under arrest, Mr. Fujioka. We'll take them away right now."

But what Fujioka Kaoru said next caught him off guard.

"You're wasting your time. I don't have time to testify in court or cooperate with your investigation."

Stints froze.

He could hardly believe this rich man was being so accommodating.

Then he asked tentatively.

"Are... are you saying we should let them go, sir?"

"I'm saying throw them both into the sea. Keep them cuffed and break their legs, so they don't float back up later."

With that, Fujioka Kaoru left with his two sumo wrestler-sized bodyguards.

Stints glared at Fujioka Kaoru's retreating back.

Only sheer willpower kept him from spitting.

He knew it. These rich bastards were all the same.

"You... all understand?"

Stints gave his subordinates a meaningful look.

Once Fujioka Kaoru left, how would he know whether they had actually thrown the pair into the sea?

These rich bastards were insufferable. Stints was a public servant, not his subordinate, yet the man still spoke to him with such arrogant contempt.

The officers holding the two down all drew their batons.

Just as they were about to strike, a cylinder came flying over from nearby.

A blinding white light suddenly erupted from the ground, filling everyone's vision.

The world before their eyes became nothing but a sea of white.

Then several more cylinders of different shapes came flying over.

These were Smoke Grenades.

Hiss!

Green gas quickly spread.

"Damn it, they've got an accomplice?"

"Don't shoot! I repeat, don't fucking shoot!"

Stints shouted frantically.

They were surrounded by their own people.

If they opened fire, they were far more likely to hit a fellow officer than the enemy.

Amid the chaos, Jack felt someone pull him to his feet.

He had been blinded too.

But he could guess it was Su Xiao.

"Don't worry about me. I can manage. Go get her."

"You sure, Jack?"

According to Jack, he only worked for reliable fixers.

That meant there shouldn't have been anything wrong with the job Wakako had given them.

The only explanation for the NCPD showing up so quickly was the girl.

She must have had something on her that triggered an alarm.

That was why the NCPD had arrived so fast.

"Sure, certain, and absolutely positive."

So Su Xiao went over, slung the girl's arm over his shoulder, and helped her up.

Startled, the girl instinctively tried to resist.

"Don't struggle. I'm getting you out."

Neither the Flashbang Grenade's effects nor the smoke from the Smoke Grenades would last forever.

They had to get out before those wore off.

Supporting the girl, Su Xiao led the way.

Jack followed close behind as the three retraced their steps.

They took the elevator back to the alley outside the rear entrance.

Jack's vision had recovered a little.

He pulled himself together and started to lead the way.

But Su Xiao stopped him.

"Not that way. Over here."

The direction Su Xiao pointed wasn't toward the alley entrance they had used.

It was toward the back of the alley.

There was a trash can there.

They could step on it to climb onto the vehicle ramp above.

Jack climbed up first, followed by the girl.

Su Xiao went last.

By then, the NCPD officers had come chasing out too.

Without a word, Su Xiao tossed another Flashbang Grenade down.

Ignoring the cries below, the three hailed a taxi and quickly left, disappearing into the multicolored neon glow.

The three got out not far from the Wolf Bar.

Jack's and V's eyes still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

But walking and the like were no longer a problem.

The girl thanked him sincerely. "Thank you. If it weren't for you, I might never have gotten out."

She held out her hand.

"I'm V."

Su Xiao shook her hand.

He pointed to himself, then to Jack. "Su. Jack."

V's eyes widened in surprise.

"Jack? Your last name wouldn't happen to be Wells, would it?"

"Good guess."

"Then what's Mrs. Wells to you?"

"She's my mom. The Wolf Bar is her turf."

Jack rubbed the back of his head. "Wait, you look familiar. You've been to the Wolf too?"

"That's where I picked up the car theft job. It was Kirk's gig."

At the mention of Kirk, Jack's brows knitted tightly. "Why would you work with that piece of shit?"

V looked conflicted and helpless.

Of course she knew Kirk was a piece of shit too.

There was more than one fixer in the city, and Kirk was one of them.

But Kirk was absolutely the worst-

-the worst fixer, bar none.

His jobs were high-risk and low-paying, and his intel was either fake or nonexistent.

That was why very few mercenaries in the city were willing to work with Kirk.

If the man had one talent at all, it was his gift of gab.

He could spin dazzling tales and promise the moon.

Sometimes, he even made people wonder whether he had come from a corporation.

After all, no one could beat a boss at making empty promises.

"Peppy owed him a huge amount of money and couldn't pay it back, so I stepped in."

"Hey, you just let that slick bastard Kirk run circles around you?"

"Everyone says he's got a gang backing him."

Jack laughed when he heard that.

"A gang? No, no, no. Listen, I know the gangs, and I can guarantee they've never even heard of Kirk."

"Come on. Let's go settle things with Kirk properly. We can't let that bastard think he can screw over Heywood people and get away with it."

Chapter 18: You're running out of options, Kirk

The three returned to the Wolf Bar together.

First, they washed up and got themselves cleaned up.

Then they went to see Peppy.