Ghost in the City: Early Chapter 103 (Patreon)

*Fixed it!*

I ended up taking Jun to his ripper, who was not Vik. Which irritated me.

But in the end he was patched up and we drove back to the apartment.

The horde of Tyger Claws around the apartment had thinned but not dispersed. In fact many of them were settling onto steps, or in shop fronts across the street or in the area and just hunkering down.

I doubt many of the normal people in the area were very comfortable with this.

In the end though I was too focused on my own problems.

They had attacked me.

I had honestly known it would happen. Expected it in a way, just without being willing to admit it could happen again.

So like I said there was only one option left for me.

No, I shook away that Night City blindness. I could run. Leave the city. I was a Netrunner more than capable of keeping any records of myself off the web, and so I could disappear.

But on the same hand I fucking refused to run from Scavs. This was my life. I was going to live to be old and decrepit, but I wasn’t going to get there by hiding in fear.

If I let fear win, I would just as surely be dead. Fear was the little death after all.

So no. There was only one path. To fight back. Fighting wasn’t something I was afraid of. But joining the Tyger Claws was.

Being part of a gang wasn’t just something I could walk away from. So I had to decide. Would joining them today, would getting their help in destroying any chance of the Scavs fighting back be worth the shackles they would wrap around my ankles?

“Big thoughts?” Jun asked, breaking me out of my spiral of thoughts.

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to… I don’t want to be Motoko Kusanagi. Tyger Claw.”

“It’s not so bad. You’ll have to start calling Fujimura, Sama.” Jun added and I snorted as I parked the Quadra.

“You’re such a gonk.” We didn’t say anything else as we walked back across the street to the apartment. There to my Surprise Fujimura himself stepped out of his car and joined us. Looking over Jun before nodding pleased that Jun wasn’t bleeding all over himself.

“Kusanagi. Are you fit?”

“Yes. Only scratches.”

“Then get your gear. We have a few locations we are hitting before the sun rises once again.” Fujimura said, noting the dropping sun.

A tension filled me as I felt my hands clenched.

They knew where Scavs were?

“No one not openly a member of the Tyger Claws will be welcome.” He cut in suddenly looking to me. I scowled in turn glaring. “Regardless of your feelings, Kusanagi. The Scavs attacked a member of the Tyger Claws openly at home. So the Tyger Claws must act firmly. And it must be the Tyger Claws who do it.”

“I’m not a Tyger Claw.”

“No you are not, yet you wish to join us in this regardless.”

“Motoko.” I turned to Jun and he reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to be afraid. I’ll protect you no matter what. I’ll make sure the Scavs won’t bother us again. If you don’t want to join. Then you don’t have to, but if you do. I’ll be there too.”

Why did everyone want me to sign up for a fucking gang?

I turned away from the two bad influences and went into the apartment.

I had some gear I needed to gather.

—--

Unfortunately I was followed. As I entered my room, grabbing my spare ammo and things, I heard Jun and Fujimura enter the apartment. Fujimura’s deep rumble, words unclear through the wall, but still telling.

Fucker.

I looked up and walked over to my little dresser. Covered in old junk from the old Motoko. My stuff now, and hidden underneath it all?

A Tenpo.

The grin of an Oni looking back at me.

Jun wore one. And he became an Oni for the Tyger Claws. I knew that was all he ever wanted to be. For Jun, that was his life.

I glared at the mask, at the collar that it represented.

My metaphors for prison implements were on point today I guess.

I pulled off my half jacket. Went searching for my gloves that I forgot to wear half the time now that my hands were chrome, and put them on.

Without the Jacket. My holsters were on full display. Normally I used the jacket to hide things. To show myself as less armed. Less dangerous.

That wasn’t the Motoko Kusanagi that I was planning on showing today.

I reached out for the mask.

And put it in the trash where it belonged.

Fujimura thought he could entagle this tiger by offering up bait. A few Scav dens.

Who the hell did he think I was? Did he realize how many Scavs I’ve killed?

I loaded up on my spare ammo pouches. Slipped an array of spare magazines I had gathered over the months of looting all over me. My Lexington would have plenty of ammo.

I checked my knife. Simple but clean and sharp.

I stopped.

I had put away my small half jacket, because it didn’t feel right wearing it… Plus I had a feeling I was going to get shot a lot tonight.

I could wear my Kang Tao armor? No, but there was my armored coat from my section 9 gear. It even had a longer tail, sort of like a trench coat…

I needed to buy a trench coat. The Major had a trench coat sometimes! The intro to Stand Alone Complex 2nd gig! She had a badass trench coat!

Or the manga! She had that cool white one.

I shook it off. Kill scavs. Buy trench coat later.

I stepped out, and I’m sure I surprised both men as I wasn’t wearing the stupid mask.

I reached out and grabbed my Katana slipping the sheath into my belt.

“I’m going to kill more Scavs, than your entire organization tonight. Just so we are clear about what is about to happen.” My blunt declaration didn’t faze the man who was sitting back on our couch like he owned the place.

“You could kill more with us.”

“Maybe. But if you are killing Scavs. And I’m killing Scavs. That’s just more Scavs.”

“Motoko… It’s dangerous! If they know to attack us at home, they are going to be more prepared for you! They will expect retaliation. You can’t just go out and hit them alone! Not tonight! Not after everything! Just… Just stay home. We can get you help and-”

“No Jun. They can’t possibly expect what is going to happen.” Finally everything was clear.

No more Tyger Claw politics. No more worry about stealing loot to pack away. Nothing to slow me down.

Just me.

And all the Scavs in the city that I needed to murder as brutally as possible.

Icy blood flowed through my veins, and for the first time since the attack. I had surety, a goal. And a path to follow without any confusing politics, or worries for the future.

“Dammit Motoko. I already told you, you can’t go alone! Just go put on the mask, and join us. We can kill them all together!”

But I wasn’t interested in playing this like Jun wanted. I wasn’t interested in playing at all.

“I’ll keep in touch Jun. I have to update Fujimura here with my numbers after all.” I said as I walked out of the apartment. Jun tried to stop me, but I was already gone. He was too slow to catch up.

I felt like everything was slow as I headed down the stairs. My boots didn’t make a sound. I sent out texts to everyone ignoring Jun’s growled words for me to stop as he chased after me.

I hadn’t even told Hiromi or my chooms what had happened yet! I quickly sent off a text to them all. Making sure they knew I had been attacked, and that they should batten down the hatches in case the Scavs came for them.

But that wasn’t the only one I reached out to. As I hit the street and stepped out among the Tyger Claws all looking at me strangely, considering how militaristic I must have looked to them. I walked over to the street as my Kusanagi came rolling out of the parking garage and met me on the side of the road.

*Motoko. I heard about what happened.* I nodded at Yoko’s voice. That made sense, Yoko would likely have a connection to the TC considering where she lived, and I would likely show up on her trackers.

*Yoko. I’m calling in all the favors and everything you owe me. You Gathered a bunch of information already, but I need every location of Scavs you can find. Dens. Homes. Businesses. Places being broken into. I don’t care. If a Scav is doing it, I want to know.*

*That’s a lot of work Motoko. Not something your favors cover.*

*I’ll personally work on some coding for you in payment. This is important to me Yoko. They tried to snipe me and my brother in my own home.* I slipped onto the Kusanagi. It felt right to be on a bike for this.

Jun was there reaching out to stop me.

I it the gas, leaving him far behind. Heading towards my first target.

After all, I had gotten some leads already thanks to the netrunners. A few emails between them and some code debugging had given me some information already.

But I would need more.

I wasn’t planning on stopping.

*Alright Motoko. I’ll gather together what I can for the cost of the favors I owe you. And I’ll prep a few other things we can discuss the worth of after. Good hunting.*

The call ended.

Good. I made another call.

*Still alive I hear.*

*Wakako. How much?* I was blunt as I weaved through traffic. The Kusanagi roaring.

I wasn’t following the traffic laws today.

*Hmph. This is how you ask for something from me?*

*How much for the information I’m sure you already know I want?*

*You are in luck. I have a gig that I normally would not have taken. In this case, since it will already be cleared either by you or the Kamikaze, it costs me nothing to have claimed the gig. I’ll send you the details.*

*I’ll do it. The cost for additional locations?*

*Ho? You believe you will not have your hands full already?*

*All of them Wakako. I’m killing all of them. How much?*

*I will send you the costs per location. Do not overreach yourself girl. You are too useful to me to have you burn out against such trash.*

*I’m not dying. They are.*

I ended the call there, for once beating Wakako to the punch, and I sped off. Yet before I could do anything else. I answered a call that had been interrupting my call to Wakako for the last while.

*Hey Hiromi.*

*Motoko! You’re okay! What’s this about being attacked!? What happened?*

*I can’t talk long Hiromi. I’m a bit busy, but just what it sounds. Make sure Malcolm and Ichi are safe for me? The Scavs came after me in my home so they might go after them, and you as well.*

*Well I’ll be fine… I’ll tell my dad about the Scav threat. He’ll make sure everything is safe for me. I already spoke to Malcolm and Ichi both are okay, but Ichi is freaking out about his Grandmother.*

*Fuck. Just… Hopefully I’ll get all their attention here. Stay low, stay armed. Tell them that okay?*

*You should tell them that yourself! We should all meet up we can bunker down somewhere and-*

*Hiromi. I’m killing them. The Scavs. All of them I can find. I’m not hiding. They attacked me at home.*

*Fuck. Motoko. That’s so dangerous, they are going to expect you if you keep hitting them… Do you even have a information on places to hit? Do you need to do more netrunning. We can meet up at your basement and protect you!*

Why did everyone want to protect me right now? It was setting my teeth on edge.

Protect protect protect! That’s all anyone kept saying!

I didn’t want to be fucking protected right now! I wanted to fucking murder the bastards that threatened me! I bit it all back. Going cold so I wouldn’t snap at Hiromi.

*No. I’m not netrunning right now. No way to know how aggressive they might be on the web as well. I called Yoko just a bit ago. She’ll do the info gathering for me… Hopefully. You have some contacts as well right? Anyone that would know where Scavs might be hiding?*

*Doubtful… But I’ll check anyways… I’ll… Don’t… You can trust me if you need anything! So call me all the time with updates!*

*Sure Hiromi. I’m going to go. I’ll talk to you later.*

*Later! I’ll see you later! We will get some food! I mean it Motoko!*

*Okay. I promise.*

The call ended. Okay. No more playing. No more gigs. No more wasting time looting. Just the sort of murderous rampage these scum deserve.

I breathed out arctic air.

—--

The Oni

He was riding the edge all night. He knew it. Fujimura knew it. Akari knew it.

She just didn’t care.

She was a woman that was well over the edge herself.

But Jun couldn’t fall. He had to be there for Motoko.

“Kusanagi. Clean yourself. We will be at the next location soon.”

He nodded, grabbing a towel that was already coated in blood and wiped at his face. His hands shook. He couldn’t even remember how many people he had killed tonight.

Not enough.

It would never be enough. The look of shock on Motoko’s face. The horror that their home wasn’t safe?

He hadn’t had the heart to explain that they would have to move. Tomorrow. After he had satisfied the bloodlust in his chest, he would be Jun, and not the Oni. He would explain it to her then.. If she was alive. And not dying in some Scav den, coated in blood and oh so small in his arms-

He stopped thinking. That was something for Jun. Right now he was just the Oni. Just the killer.

The car stopped and The Oni stepped out. His Katana creaked in his hand as he gripped the hilt.

His mask was on. And he moved.

The entire squad Fujimura had put together moved. This wasn’t the first Scav den they had attacked tonight after all. They all knew what to do.

The Oni was the battering ram. Akari would move around and kill as she liked in support. Although he would have to be careful. She had used her Sandy a few times already tonight.

There were a few others. Guns that The Oni knew, but wasn’t close with.

It wasn’t like most of the Kamikaze during the war were still as chromed up as Akari and Oni.

No it was only the two of them that decided to walk the edge. The Oni because he refused to allow himself to not be capable of saving her again.

He couldn’t allow himself to be that weak.

Akari because she was already over the edge. Somehow keeping stable enough that the higher ups hadn’t forced her to dechrome, or called MaxTac.

The elevator opened and the Oni put all such thoughts away. His blood roared. A fire burning through his veins. The fact he was so close to more Scavs filled him with an endless rage.

He raced down the hall. There was no point in silence. The Oni was pure brute force. Except he stalled when the door was already open.

Instead of smashing through it he pushed it the rest of the way open and rushed in looking for his enemies.

“Holy shit. Talk about a Charnel house.” Akari whispered beside him. As she looked around.

The Oni had heard of things like that before when talking about Scavs, but so rarely about the Scavs themselves. The dead bodies, cut into pieces around the room meant there were no Scavs here.

He wanted to rage. Wanted to smash a fist through the wall to let out a bit of that rage that now had no outlet.

“Who the fuck did this?” He growled glancing at the corpses. Akari was already peering into other rooms and all she did was stick her head back around the corner and ran a thumb over her neck while making a choking noise.

All dead then.

*What is the hold up Kamikaze. I hear no gunshots.* Fujimura-Sama spoke into the group call pulling his attention away from the dead bodies around him.

*Fujimura-Sama! Place is already cleared!* Akari responded with a chirp. And a few moments later an image of the room was sent into the group call.

*Hmm. This place was known to the higher ups, but no one should have struck it yet. We move on Kamikaze.*

*Oh. I know who did it.* Akari chirped, The Oni looked over his eyes blazing in anger at Akari’s games.

*Akari. I want answers not games.* Fujimura-Sama coming in cutting through Akari’s games. She wouldn’t have answered without constant attention.

*Duh. It’s the lugs kid sister. Katana wounds. Big ass hole through this meat.* She offered kicking one of the corpses, something only Jun could see, but he noticed that there was a big hole in the corpse.

“What?” Jun-No, the Oni asked wondering what the fuck Akari was talking about.

“What, you think someone else came in here and cut down an entire Den? It’s your sisters MO isn’t it?”

The heat in his veins dimmed. So Motoko had done this? She had already gotten some revenge? Good. That was good.

He looked around suddenly with a surge of worry. Had she been hurt? Was she okay?

He quickly sent her a text. Asking if she was okay.

*Fine Jun. Busy.*

That was all he got back.

*Fine. Get back to the car. We will move on.* Fujimura-sama cut through and Akari sighed as she cartwheeled and spun over the corpses and headed for the door.

The Oni hesitated, but followed after. He kept looking over his shoulder for some sign that Motoko really had done this.

He stepped into the elevator in silence. His previous focused rage disrupted by thoughts of his little sister.

He knew Motoko could do some amazing things. He had been there when she cleared that Scav den after all. He had trusted her to manage as long as he was there watching over her…

But the idea of her going out on a one woman crusade terrified him.

One mistake. That was all it took. But he couldn’t stop her. He was going to break those stupid ankles of hers the next time he saw her. Stupid bouncy bullshit.

The anger was back by the time he reached the car with Fujimura.

“There are other dens.” He said simply as everyone slipped back into the cars and they took back off into the city.

They continued on. Another den was found. A small rest stop for a group of Scavs operating in Westbrook.

The Oni enjoyed destroying them. The fear in their eyes as he ripped them apart with his bare hands was intoxicating.

So they moved on.

A bigger location had been discovered. After all, every Tyger Claw now knew that the Scavs had attacked one of their own. Information was flooding in every sighting reported, both from the actual members, or just from informants all over the city.

The Oni had killed many of them tonight. He wondered how many Motoko had killed. She had confidently said she would kill more than the Kamikaze.

He would just have to kill so many that she failed. Then she would realize how foolish she had been and stay close. Let him keep her safe.

That’s all he wanted.

Suddenly the car braked hard and Jun rocked a bit from the back seat.

“Oh awesome splatter zone!” Akari chirped out. She had taken the front seat and so she could see what had happened. The Oni peaked out behind her head and saw that a car in front of them had jerked off the road practically onto the sidewalk.

A corpse smashed into the hood of the car.

“Huh. That’s a Scav!” Akari laughed in delight. He realized she must have scanned the corpse. A moment later The Oni did the same and confirmed it. Scav connections.

“I believe we are directly under the den we came here to clear out. Kamikaze. Move now. Ensure no survivors.” Fujimura barked and Akari was already out of the car running towards the apartment building.

The Oni followed slower, but no less urgently.

Could it be?