Cairo's two precise and ruthless operations executed through Morell were like buckets of cold water instantly dousing Militech and Biotechnica's surface rage.
Though undercurrents still churned, at least publicly, bounties on Maine's crew were withdrawn. Those ubiquitous tracking and harassment also temporarily ceased.
Night City's massive news machine quickly pivoted toward other hot topics, but Maine understood corporate methods better than anyone—this brief calm looked more like lulls before storms.
He knew corporate compromises never stemmed from benevolence but shrewd cost calculations.
Once they found more cost-effective, efficient methods, retaliation would only come more covertly and lethally.
"Bounties are dropped, but our names are probably at the very top of some 'special interest' list inside corporate systems." Maine told everyone at team meetings.
Not a trace of relaxation on his weathered face. Thick cyberware fingers unconsciously tapped tables, making dull clicking sounds, appearing even more cautious: "Before, we were just mercs with some street rep. Now... we're 'troublemakers' who made corps take losses and forced them temporarily shutting up.
This means future gigs will be more dangerous. More eyes watching us too."
After repeated discussions and weighing options, the team ultimately made an important decision—not moving main operations back to that familiar Night City warehouse packed with modified equipment and weapon crates.
Though filled with life traces and past memories, targets were too obvious. Once targeted again, easily wiped out completely. They decided concentrating resources into wasteland-edge town strongholds, transforming them from temporary shelters into fully-functional bases capable of long-term stationing and combat operations.
This decision wasn't unanimously embraced by everyone.
Pilar complained nonstop from the start. He waved slender mechanical arms, tone exaggerated: "Jesus, this place—nothing but sand and wind! Can't even find a decent braindance parlor!
Wanna grab a proper drink at night—gotta run back to the city! This godforsaken place—even network signals come and go! My 'art'—" He pointed at his brightly-painted cyberware, "—practically getting sandblasted away!"
Rebecca more bluntly expressed missing city "excitement" and "thrills."
She pouted. Even her green optic lights seemed dimmer: "At least in the city, can always find fights. Here? Besides watching lizards crawl, what else?"
However, Dorio and Falco both supported Maine's decision.
Dorio crossed arms. Bronze muscles appeared especially solid under lighting. She stated steadily and forcefully: "Safety first! City's too easy to infiltrate. Cameras, fixers, even street bums—all could be informants. Here, we can see who's coming."
Falco analyzed from tactical angles. He habitually adjusted shades, calmly stating: "Wasteland town has open sightlines. Almost no high-rises blocking views. Easy deploying defenses and early warnings.
Surrounding Badlands terrain's complex. Multiple retreat routes. If familiar with routes, can shake most pursuers.
Run this place right—offense when advancing, defense when retreating."
Kiwi had been silently shrinking into corner shadows, deep-red coat collar pulled high.
Her attitude was also clear. After personally witnessing Cairo's near-godlike power plus corporations' subsequent insane retaliation, a location far from city network centers—hidden position plus powerful figures stationed—instead let her tense nerves slightly relax.
She quietly supplemented: "Electronic signal background noise's lower here. If... if needing establishing emergency encrypted links, interference will be much less."
Maine finally made the call: "Settled then! This place from now on is our home, also our fortress. We're making it right."
Thus, large-scale wasteland stronghold renovations rapidly unfolded.
They mobilized eddies saved from previous missions plus occasional technical support from Cairo far exceeding this era's standards.
Like some high-efficiency energy transmission circuit designs and simple signal shielding schemes—beginning comprehensive transformations of this abandoned repair station.
Maine contacted Nomad families active across Badlands through past connections.
This family called Aldecaldos was renowned for good credit, solid skills, tight lips. They were familiar with Badlands environments, also knew leveraging limited resources for construction.
The team leader was Buck—a lean middle-aged man, skin roughened by windblown sand, sharp gaze, speaking with Nomads' characteristic straightforwardness and pragmatism.
"Materials—we'll haul from borders. Prices at market rates, but quality guaranteed. All military surplus goods or quality stuff recovered from abandoned outposts." Buck firmly shook Maine's hand, saying, "Labor—don't worry. My crew's quick on their feet. Know how to work in wastelands."
Renovations first began with structural reinforcements.
Aldecaldo family's heavy transport trucks hauled thick composite metal plates to wasteland towns. Workers used large hydraulic equipment dismantling original fragile brick-wood walls, replacing them with alloy plates capable of withstanding heavy firepower assaults.
Blinding blue welding lights and hissing sounds became that period's wasteland town main themes.
Buck personally oversaw critical load-bearing structure construction, ensuring no mistakes.
"In Badlands, houses not solid—can't sleep soundly at night." He explained thus to Maine checking progress.
Windows were defensive priorities.
Original window openings were expanded and recalibrated, embedding multi-layer bulletproof glass flowing from old military bases.
Outside also installed hydraulic alloy shutters designed by Falco, handcrafted by Nomad artisans.
These shutter surfaces underwent matte treatments. When closed, merged seamlessly with exterior walls—not easily discovered.
Falco spent much time calibrating their opening-closing speeds and linkage mechanisms, ensuring rapid defensive state entries during emergencies.
Rooftop renovations were also critical.
Workers first laid thick insulation layers and waterproof membranes, then covering with lightweight yet extremely tough composite armor plates.
Dorio—relying on enhanced strength—personally helped installing several concealed hemispherical firing pods and periscope observation mirrors.
These positions were all carefully planned, covering all approach routes around strongholds.
Falco devoted most energy building outer perimeter defense systems.
He led several Nomad youngsters understanding electronic equipment, utilizing wasteland town's ubiquitous wreckage constructing several seemingly-chaotic yet secretly-ingenious obstacle belts.
Within these obstacles, they cleverly embedded high-sensitivity vibration sensors and low-visibility wide-angle surveillance probes.
All sensor wiring had redundant deployments, ultimately connecting into newly-established small monitoring centers in stronghold basements.
Core here was a server reinforced and encrypted by Kiwi, responsible for processing all sensor data, capable of linking to team members' personal communicators and optic displays.
Stronghold interiors also underwent replanning, balancing functionality and long-term residential comfort.
Originally spacious main halls used lightweight yet sturdy alloy frames and soundproof panels dividing into several functional zones.
Near reinforced main gates was tactical planning zones. Walls hung massive electronic maps of Night City plus Badlands regions, real-time updateable markers. Below was a wide metal conference table. Beside it sat several sturdy chairs.
Center was living zones—sofas and several single chairs scavenged from city flea markets and repaired, even an industrial-style coffee table converted from abandoned oil drums.
Innermost areas used thick curtains separating male-female rest zones, plus a small armory with enhanced ventilation and fire prevention measures. Weapons and ammo neatly categorized and organized.
Rebecca somehow procured from some Nomad markets extremely drought-resistant cacti and succulents, placing them in living zone corners.
These tenacious green lives added to this place filled with metal, concrete, engine oil scents—tiny yet reassuring vitality.