The routine Counterintel meeting was as dull as ever—various office reps giving reports, followed by Jenkins, their glorious leader, tearing each of them a new one.
Two and a half hours of verbal trench warfare. Inefficient? Absolutely.
Yet in another sense, this inefficiency kept everyone tightly wound, too afraid to slack off later—therefore improving efficiency.
So… the lower the efficiency, the higher the efficiency?
V almost laughed, but she held it in.
She had once been one of the "tightened screws." But after everything she'd been through—death, war, corpo purges—her composure and reflexes were maxed out. Jenkins' amateur scare tactics no longer worked on her.
The meeting ended. People dispersed. Jenkins named a few people to stay. As Deputy Director, V was naturally one of them.
"Sit. If you want a drink, grab something from the cabinet."
Jenkins' personal office was somehow even larger than the conference room. Despite his casual attitude, everyone looked more tense than before.
Big matters, small meeting.
Small matters, big meeting.
Anyone who didn't understand that basic corpo survival rule wouldn't survive long.
The routine meeting was child's play.
This—this was where the adults talked.
Sure enough, Jenkins dropped a bomb immediately:
"Tomorrow, V and I depart for Europe on business. While we're gone, everything will be in your hands."
"So sudden?" people whispered anxiously. Someone couldn't hold back and blurted out:
"What about Director Abernathy? She and her Special Operations Division have been eyeing us for months! If you leave, there's no one left to counter her. She'll rip off a chunk of us the moment you're gone!"
"Stop talking nonsense." Jenkins' face hardened. "Special Ops and Counterintel are both subsidiaries of Arasaka. We're family. Director Abernathy is a woman with a strong sense of the bigger picture. She won't act recklessly. Rest assured."
Rest assured?
Rest your damn ancestors!
Abernathy was ambitious, backed by Michiko Arasaka, and had devoured multiple departments already. Now she had turned her sights fully on Counterintel. Anyone with half a brain could see that.
And now, at the most crucial moment, Jenkins was leaving?
This wasn't diplomacy—this was surrender.
He was bowing his head, hoping Abernathy would spare them in exchange for concessions.
Everyone's faces soured.
Then Jenkins added, "Don't worry. The trip won't be long. We'll be back in eight days."
V nearly choked, because that "eight-day trip" would end up lasting nine months.
By the time she and Jenkins returned, Abernathy had already stripped Counterintel of many responsibilities and assignments. Some remaining staff were absorbed into Special Ops; most were slapped with fabricated charges and fired as sacrificial pawns.
Her "temporary ceasefire" with Counterintel wasn't goodwill. Abernathy simply needed time to digest her new power.
A few months later—early 2077—she reignited the "war," and because Jenkins had made the idiotic choice to leave, Counterintel—weak, undermanned, and cornered—fell completely into her hands. Desperate, Jenkins went with that infamous plan of ordering V to assassinate Abernathy.
Last time, V—stuck inside the machinery—hadn't seen the full picture.
But now?
Now she'd lived an entire lifetime beyond the board, and everything was painfully obvious.
Jenkins' strategy was like a naive freshman trying to tame a starving wolf by offering her a bone.
What a moron.
And you ask how V "escaped" the system this time?
Simple—she had 20 million eddies.
More money than Jenkins and Abernathy combined.
There was no "system" that could contain her.
Everyone hated the idea of Jenkins leaving but didn't dare speak up.
But V dared.
"I oppose this decision. Going to Europe for some meeting is idiotic. Jenkins, stop fantasizing. You and Abernathy are in a death match. Only one of you walks away. That's reality."
Everyone froze.
Jenkins turned crimson with anger. "V! Watch what you're saying!"
"I am watching." V calmly sipped the premium Tequila Borrachón she had poured for herself. "I don't even respect the President of NUSA. Why would I be scared of you?"
She took another sip, then began dissecting Abernathy like a scalpel:
"Abernathy's background is a goddamn hydra. Husband is Director of Zetatech Special Ops. Lover is Kang Tao's head of the NUSA Division. She's connected to Night Corp. Even City Council favors her. You think she's a wolf who'll be satisfied with a bone? No—she's a lion. You retreat, she climbs. She'll step on Counterintel until she's second only to Hanako Arasaka herself."
Jenkins blinked in disbelief. "You… obtained Abernathy's full dossier?"
"Yep."
"That file is extremely classified. How did you—?"
Because you gave it to me last time, V thought.
She avoided the topic. "I have my channels."
"Reliable?"
"Absolutely."
Jenkins fell silent, then muttered, "We're finished, V. Completely finished."
"I know."
"You don't know anything!" he exploded. "Abernathy is backed by Michiko Arasaka! Michiko grew up in Night City. She's the most un-Arasaka Arasaka ever born. She's been trying to reform the company's image since forever—cooperating with Night City factions, even extending hands to Militech! Abernathy is her pawn—her doll! We're not fighting Abernathy. We're fighting Michiko Arasaka, granddaughter of Saburo! We can't win. We don't have a chance!"
Oh?
That, V actually didn't know.
She'd never interacted with Michiko before.
But even that didn't faze her much. After all, she had stood up Hanako Arasaka herself before—skipping her meeting like it was nothing.
Michiko?
Another third-generation Arasaka.
About equal to two NUSA Presidents in threat level.
Jenkins, meanwhile, was spiraling—pale, sweating, panicked.
He was being fed as cannon fodder by Michiko.
He fed V to Abernathy.
Michiko fed him to Abernathy.
Everyone used everyone.
And when it came to self-interest, even decent people rotted fast.
Including V.
She could kill strangers for 800 eddies without blinking.
But still—Jenkins couldn't fall. His connections mattered. Without them, V's climb would be much harder.
"Jenkins. Calm down." V gripped his shoulder.
"How the hell do I calm down?!" he shouted. "My fate has already been decided! I don't have the right to resist! V, you're smart—you must see it! For all I know, you've already defected to Abernathy. Why else would you suddenly act like a completely different person today?!"
Because I am different—from a younger me to a broken, battered me.
V sighed inwardly and softened her tone.
"Jenkins… relax. I will not defect to Abernathy."
"Why? Don't tell me you're loyal to me because I promoted you."
"Actually, it's the opposite." V smiled faintly. "Because you promoted me, I'm already marked as 'your person.' Even if I defected, Abernathy wouldn't trust or value me. You and I have been tied together since day one. So don't worry—I'll help you win."
Something in Jenkins' eyes settled.
"I don't get it. Why help me? What do you gain?"
V grinned. "You know what I want. The Director's seat. I've been eyeing it forever."
Jenkins laughed bitterly. "That seat's a furnace. Want me to hand it to you now?"
"No thanks. Without your connections, I'd burn alive."
"Connections? You're forgetting talent."
"Old man, please. If you had talent, would you have needed to promote me? I handle all the major jobs. Every time you make a mess, the whole department wipes your ass. Sit down."
Jenkins glared at her. She glared back.
Everyone else trembled—worried the two would start a fistfight.
But a second later—
They both burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! V, promoting you was the smartest thing I ever did!"
"Hahaha! Jenkins, accepting your promotion was the biggest mistake of my life!"
They laughed, then stopped.
Jenkins' face turned serious.
"Tell me your plan, V."
V didn't hesitate.
"Right now, Abernathy holds all the advantages. We can't win by playing her game. So—we flip the table."
"How?"
"We take the road no one has ever taken."
She leaned back.
"In plain terms—kill Abernathy. Then replace her."
Jenkins frowned. "Kill Abernathy I understand. But what do you mean by 'replace'?"
"It's simple. Abernathy's power comes from Michiko's support. Michiko chose her because she needed someone who could navigate between corporations and factions. Abernathy can be that person. But so can we."
"I don't have her connections," Jenkins said.
"Then we build our own." V smiled. "The moon used to be a barren wasteland. Now look—there's a crystal palace floating on it."
"Not that simple. Abernathy has—"
"A husband in Zetatech. A lover in Kang Tao. Local Night City ties." V waved dismissively. "All nepotism. Powerful, yes. But nepotism isn't the strongest bond. The strongest bond is mutual benefit. As long as we offer enough value, we can shatter her entire network and build one of our own."
"Value?" Jenkins was tempted—but confused. "What value do we have?"
V almost laughed.
"We're Counterintel. We hold more classified data than half the company combined. One report can make someone rich. One file can destroy a family. And you ask what value we have?"
Jenkins paled. "You're saying… sell corporate intel? That's treason!"
"Why not?" V countered. "You think the company cares about you?"
"But—"
"I read a book," V interrupted. "About something from a century ago—around 1970. During the Cold War, the CIA and KGB were mortal enemies. Their foot soldiers killed each other for decades. Yet their leaders? Best friends in secret. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the CIA leader escaped through his KGB friend. They retired right next door to each other. Fishing buddies."
V smiled.
"Jenkins, how do you think two enemy intelligence chiefs became best friends?"
"They… they…" Jenkins trembled.
"Exactly. By leaking intel to each other. To keep their superiors satisfied. That's why they were rewarded. That's why they survived. Because they were the most 'loyal.'"
V leaned forward.
"Jenkins. We're the most loyal Arasaka employees, aren't we?"
Silence.
Jenkins trembled… then slowly stopped trembling.
"Of course," he finally said, eyes sharp again. "Of course we're the most loyal. Everyone in Counterintel is."
Everyone else hastily nodded.
From fear.
And from hope.
After all—what future did Arasaka offer them?
Even if they worked a lifetime, they couldn't afford a Rayfield Caliburn's hubcap.
So screw it. Go big or die trying.
V smiled. Her persuasion had worked.
After all—her Composure and Reflexes were both at 20.
And more importantly—
This was Night City.
Nobody here was normal.
"Alright," Jenkins exhaled. "We'll do it your way. Europe trip cancelled."
"No need." V shook her head. "Abernathy won't fall in a day. We also need time to grow. Feigning weakness is a valid strategy."
"But if I leave, she'll devour our assets," Jenkins argued.
"That's why I'll stay." V smirked. "You go show weakness in Europe. I'll stay here and hold the reins."
Jenkins froze.
Even with his heart long numbed by Night City's neon rot, something warm rose in his chest.
"You'll be in danger."
"I know. But if you fall, I fall too. So it's worth the gamble."
Jenkins coughed—clearly trying to hide emotion.
"Well done, V. From tomorrow on, you'll act with my full authority." He slapped her shoulder. "Do this right, and when Abernathy falls, the Director's seat is yours."
V smiled faintly.
"Thanks in advance."