Chapter 73: Everyone Thinks It's Their Fault
It was a diner in Heywood. "Diner" was a generous term; it was really just a fast-food joint run by a local Valentino family, specializing in spicy burritos and synth-meat wraps. But the price was right, and the food was decent.
Rhys sat across from Lucy, making small talk. Two people with no plans, no friends available, thrown together by chance... and actually having a good time. They were supposed to be "talking business," but they'd ended up just... talking.
"You've had fresh salmon before? For real?"
"Why would I lie about that? Though, if you asked me to describe the taste... I've forgotten. It was too long ago. I just remember it was cold... and maybe sweet? That's all I've got." Lucy neatly cut her burrito with a knife and fork, taking a small bite before replying.
She ate with a strange elegance, which was comical given that burritos were meant to be eaten with your hands. At the table next to them, a guy with his shirt off and more chest hair than head hair was practically inhaling his food. But watching Lucy, Rhys felt like he was in a high-end restaurant.
Rhys, on the other hand, just picked his up, folded it, and demolished it in three bites. He swallowed, then spoke. "What, were you some kind of corpo princess before?"
"..." Lucy went still. After a few seconds, she said flatly, "I don't want to talk about that."
"But you're the one who brought up the fresh salmon," Rhys pointed out, confused.
"When did I brag?"
"That wasn't bragging? Hey, forget fresh salmon, I've lived in Night City for five years and I haven't even seen a real, live fish. And you're telling me you've eaten it fresh. If that's not bragging, what is?"
A small smile flickered across Lucy's face, but she stamped it out just as quickly. "I was just stating a fact," she said coolly. "It's nothing to brag about."
Tsk. Back to the ice queen. Rhys rolled his eyes. He didn't know Lucy's full backstory—the anime was vague—but he knew she was a mixed-heritage kid. Her father was an Arasaka exec from Japan, her mother was Polish. (The Polish part, of course, was a little nod from the animation studio to CD Projekt Red, the game's creators.)
"About that moon braindance," Lucy said, changing the subject. "If you don't like it, I have plenty of others I can lend you." She took a sip of her "fresh-squeezed" synth-juice. "Legit BDs are expensive, especially these numbered scenic ones. They use high-end rigs to record them. What kind of wreath are you using?"
"An old brand, cost a few thousand. Works fine," Rhys said. The rig was one he'd brought from the Mox. It was cheap, but Judy had tuned it up. It was probably better than most of the 10k-eddie models on the market. Smooth, no lag, high-def.
The economics of braindance were just like old-world video games. The console was a few thousand eddies, but the legit software? Each one of those could cost a small fortune, especially studio-produced ones with brand and celebrity tie-ins. The Dangerous Girls BDs he'd bought were the most expensive things in his cart.
"A few thousand? The playback quality must be shit..." Lucy started to say, but then stopped herself. This 'date' was an accident. Inviting him... it had just been so long since she'd eaten with another person. After the gig with Maine's crew, she'd gone home and just... sat on her bed, hugging her knees, stunned. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she hadn't needed a braindance to fall asleep.
They paid the bill (it came to about 30 eddies; it was a cheap place) and Lucy, despite her "let's go Dutch" line, covered the whole thing.
They stepped outside. Their paths diverged here. Lucy was staying in Heywood, which was safer and cleaner than Santo Domingo. Rhys had to head back. But as they reached the corner, Rhys's hand shot out, grabbing her arm.
"We're being followed," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
Lucy instinctively flinched, pulling her hair over her ear, her teeth worrying the orange gloss on her lip. She scanned the crowd. And saw them. Two unremarkable figures, a man and a woman, keeping their distance. She'd seen them back at the mall.
A jolt of pure anxiety shot through her. Arasaka... agents?
She'd gotten sloppy. In her three months in Night City, she'd let her guard down. This city, this chaotic mess, had felt... safe. She hadn't stayed in one city for more than a month in years, terrified of being caught. But here, the constant danger had paradoxically made her feel secure. She'd gotten... comfortable.
She hesitated, wanting to tell Rhys to run, that this was her heat, not his. But then she remembered his strength. Should I use him? Drag him into this?
Before she could decide, Rhys spoke.
"This way," he said, already pulling her.
He was thinking too. Are those 6th Street? Did Gunner really send people after him just for flipping him off? Fucking hell. Maybe he should have just zeroed Reiner and his squad back at the hospital. But then again, killing them would just bring more heat.
Rhys tugged Lucy's arm, pulling her into a narrow alley.
She stumbled, his grip like steel. Her strength was nothing compared to his. This was the guy who ripped open metal doors. The guy who could probably punch through a steel bulkhead if he really tried.
She let him pull her, her mind racing, a strange calm settling over her panic. He's strong... With him... maybe I don't have to be so afraid?
She looked at his back as he pulled her deeper into the shadows. This wasn't my choice, she told herself. He's the one dragging me into this.