"Sorry…"
Lucy hurried off, seeming to know exactly what she needed to do. Leo handed her a box of tissues, which he had bought earlier along with the drinks.
"Here."
Lucy took the tissues and ran off. About ten minutes later, she returned. Her eyes looked puffy, as if she had cried some more, but she seemed calmer. She sat beside Leo once again, curling her legs up and hugging her knees.
"My full name is Lucyna Kushinada. I'm half Japanese and half Polish. Ever since I was little, I was raised in an Arasaka facility in another country…"
She spoke, and he listened. Even the ceaseless nighttime wind on that rooftop seemed to grow still, silently lending its ear. Lucy had never had anyone to confide in, having spent her life on the run, always fleeing those who hunted her. With no one to trust, her secrets had tormented her, weighing her down. Now, letting it all out in one go felt like a huge relief—but it also meant entrusting her fate to the young man in front of her.
If he reported her to Arasaka, she would be done for.
This time, Leo made sure she didn't feel any further sense of isolation within the team. He pulled her into his arms.
"We're a team," he said softly. "Your problems are my problems. Your secret, I'll keep. And if Arasaka comes, I'll handle them."
Something inside Lucy shifted at those words. She clung to Leo's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. In that moment, her perspective changed. The moon had always felt distant, something she had longed for but could never reach. But now, she realized—she didn't need to. Because right here, in his arms, she had found her light.
…
Leo woke to the enticing smell of food. In the kitchen, two women were busy cooking. V emerged with a plate in hand and set it on the table.
Seeing him awake, she flashed a grin. "Hey, you're up. Perfect timing—breakfast is almost ready."
"Did you two… talk things over?"
Leo's expression turned a little awkward. Last night, on a whim, he had taken Lucy to the rooftop for some air. Afterward, when they came back down, it was so late that he decided—without really asking V—to let Lucy crash here in V's apartment.
V's place only had one bed, but there were also two couches. Leo told Lucy to pick whichever she wanted, then he would take the other. Now he saw Lucy and V cooking together and figured they must have worked everything out.
"Ah, right… sorry about that," Leo said. "I didn't get your permission before letting Lucy stay."
"Don't sweat it," V replied, waving a hand dismissively. "No need for all that formality."
She paused. "Oh, by the way, Leo, you should call Jackie. See if he's awake and wants to come over for breakfast, or if we should meet at Vik's place and bring him something."
"Vik? Meet up?"
Leo scratched his head, suddenly feeling like he'd missed something important.
From the kitchen, Lucy chimed in, "V, Leo was locked away training for half a month. He probably doesn't know what's going on yet."
"Right. My bad—I forgot."
In a few words, V explained the situation. That day was the day Viktor would be operating on her and Jackie, installing the fourth-generation Kerenzikov. Vik believed in tackling urgent cases first; he had already spent ten days helping Lucy recover enough for the big procedure Leo had arranged, replacing her cheap knockoff implants with the genuine ones from Rog. Lucy's surgery had been a success, and Viktor insisted on keeping her at the clinic for a full twenty-four hours for observation. After three more days without any sign of rejection, she was finally free to leave.
V and Jackie's upgrades were scheduled for today. While Leo was busy training in seclusion, nobody had bothered him about it, because it wasn't urgent and they didn't want to interrupt him.
…
After breakfast, the three of them headed out. Megabuilding H10 had two passenger elevators for residents and one freight elevator, in addition to the rickety maintenance elevator. One of the passenger elevators went straight to the parking area, and it was only a short walk to get there from V's place—a quick turn down the hall.
When they arrived, however, they saw two women standing in front of the elevator doors, which refused to open. One of the women kicked the door in frustration.
"This piece of junk is busted again—third time now. The first two times, I paid to get it fixed. They said it'd last at least a year. Liars. I need to talk to building management."
They walked past Leo, V, and Lucy. One woman glanced at Leo, offering a warning.
"If you're hoping to use that elevator, forget it. It's stuck shut. You can either take the stairs or the other elevator—your call."
Leo thanked her and then turned to V and Lucy. "Looks like we'll have to use the other elevator, ladies."
…
Sunlight streamed down the megabuilding's central atrium, illuminating drifting motes of dust and creating pillars of light. In Night City, a "megabuilding" was more than just a tall structure—each one was almost a small city in itself, something like a souped-up version of the old Kowloon Walled City.
Narrow common spaces were put to full use by the building's residents, who set up fast-food counters, snack stands, convenience stores, general shops, gyms, and even gun shops. A flickering holo-ad sign stood in the hallway, while a screen on a far wall played a nonstop ad for Trauma Team's "Seven Minutes or Your Money Back" plan.
Trauma Team insurance came in various tiers. Even the basic membership was a few hundred eurodollars a month—not cheap, but not impossible. Despite how run-down this megabuilding looked, it was hardly the worst place to live in Night City.
"Hey, V," called a bald man standing behind a barred window—the local gun shop owner, Wilson. He gave Leo and Lucy a quick once-over. "Who're your friends?"
"They're with me," V answered.
"Nice to meet you," Wilson said. "You folks wanna step in and browse?"
"We've got something to do first," V replied. "Maybe another time."
"No problem."
…
Inside the elevator, a serious-looking WNS anchor delivered the news:
"Good evening, Night City. We have local updates on the upcoming Asakusa Matsuri—often called the Arasaka 'Spirit Festival.' To enhance the atmosphere, you'll be seeing elaborate multi-tiered festival floats rolling through the city streets. Several masters of the biwa will be performing, along with traditional Noh theater. This year's festival is fully sponsored by Arasaka Corporation, and the public is especially excited for the possible appearance of Hanako Arasaka herself during the parade. From everyone at WNS, we wish you a safe and joyful festival. Stay tuned for a special report:
Cybernetic psychosis—rumor or reality? We'll be right back after these messages!"
…
When they exited the elevator, Leo headed off to get the car while V and Lucy waited outside. Once he pulled up, they climbed in. Next stop: El Coyote Cojo to pick up Jackie.