V's eyes lit up with a pale blue glow as she launched yet another breach against the security bot.
Sasha sat on the desk nearby, legs swinging, watching V fail over and over, yet never once stop.
"Why fight so hard?" Sasha asked, tilting her head like a curious cat. "With your position, couldn't you just send someone else to do this?"
"Exactly because of my position," V replied, wiping sweat from her chin after another failed breach. "Some things only someone like me can do. Sending my subordinates is the same as sending them to die. Their lives are still lives."
Sasha laughed harshly. "Liar. You corpo dogs have no conscience. Since when do you treat other people's lives like lives?"
V chuckled. "Fine. You caught me. I'm doing it to push myself. To beat myself."
"Mm, that sounds about right. The kind of pointless self-torture only a stuffed-full corpo dog would do." Sasha tapped her chin. "So after you beat yourself… is that a success or a failure?"
The corner of V's mouth twitched. She glared at Sasha. "If you kill yourself… does Night City gain one more suicide, or lose one?"
"Ha! You're funny. I'm starting to like you!" Sasha burst into laughter, her legs kicking even harder.
V sighed long. She'd been hoping for a quiet instructor… but this one was way too noisy.
Sasha puffed her cheeks like a cat. "What was that look for?"
"Nothing." V dodged the topic and shifted gears. "You reek of booze. How much did you drink?"
Sasha answered proudly, "The whole night!"
V sighed helplessly. "Do something proper for once, miss."
"What counts as proper?" Sasha shot back. "Working hard, climbing the ladder, letting you corpos squeeze us dry? Don't be stupid, V. You're not me. You don't get us bottom-feeders. We don't have a future. We live day by day. The only thing we can do is enjoy whatever we can."
Actually, V understood. Better than Sasha imagined.
"If I were you, I'd try to change that life."
"Heh. And if you fail, you die."
"Then before dying, I'd turn my body into a flame bright enough to light the path for whoever comes next."
V had once done exactly that. That's why she said it so naturally.
But Sasha only laughed harder.
"Hahaha! Classic idealism. You think you're Johnny Silverhand? Rousing the masses to overthrow the system?" Sasha sneered. "This isn't 2023. Anyone with a spine died long ago. The only ones left are numb. As long as they've got their BDs and enough Glitter, they don't give a shit. Reality is just a trash game with trash balance—they don't care."
"And you?" V asked.
Sasha shook her head. "I'm not that numb. But I never planned on changing anything. After my mom died, I decided I'd spend the rest of my days being happy however I can. As long as I'm alive, losing dignity doesn't matter. Dead people have nothing. I saw that with my own eyes. So yeah, even though I hate you corpos, the moment I heard there was money, I came running."
"You're optimistic," V said.
"'Cause I already lived through the worst." Sasha smiled. "You big successful types must look down on me."
"I don't."
"Don't lie. Even I sometimes look down on me. But at least I've got friends I can drink all night with. You? Got anyone to drink with?"
V paused. Then slowly shook her head. "No."
"See? That's why you have self-destructive tendencies—thinking of burning yourself up like some poetic flame." Sasha leaned in, smirking. "Want me to pretend to be your friend and drink with you? Price negotiable."
V laughed. "That's not it."
Sasha blinked. "Not what?"
"I don't want to turn into a flame because I'm friendless."
"Then why?"
V suddenly felt like teasing her. "Secret."
Sasha puffed her cheeks again.
V laughed—truly laughed. It had been a long time. Humans really were social animals.
Maybe Sasha's offer wasn't so bad. She could use someone to drink with.
V looked at her. "You don't have to come tomorrow."
"Wha—?!" Sasha panicked instantly, like a startled kitten. "No way, boss! I'm sorry! Whatever I said, I take it back! Gomen nasai!"
"Not like that." V shook her head. "I have work tomorrow. Training's suspended for a day."
"Phew… scared me. Bosses like you—rich, easygoing, low workload—are hard to find." Sasha almost said something inappropriate, coughed, then changed the subject: "What job? All day?"
"I'm going to Biotechnica," V answered casually.
"Biotechnica?" Sasha's eyes shifted fast. "Why don't I go with you?"
"Why?" V asked, suspicious. "I'm meeting a Biotechnica exec. No time to train you."
"It's fine! I'll just carry your bag!" Sasha said quickly. "You hired me and paid me. I shouldn't slack."
"Such dedicated service?" V narrowed her eyes. "You're not scheming something, are you?"
"How dare you!" Sasha's denial was instant—but flimsy. She finally caved. "Okay fine! I just want to flex! Last time I came to Arasaka Tower, I bragged to my girlfriends for weeks. If I can say I went to Biotechnica Tower too—they'll spread their legs and sing 'Conquest' at me!"
V snorted. "You girls play wild."
"So please! This is my once-in-a-lifetime wish!" Sasha clasped her hands.
V stared at her, then finally nodded. "Fine. Tomorrow at nine. Don't be late."
"Yes!!" Sasha jumped like a happy cat.
Once she left in her AV, however, her whole demeanor changed—quiet, steady.
She dialed a number. "Mann, I found a way into Biotechnica."
Mann's rough voice answered, "So I take that job?"
"Yeah. The pay is good. And we're broke, aren't we?"
"…Alright. Be careful, Sasha."
Call ended.
V pulled the shard from her neural slot.
The AV had originally belonged to Jenkins—but he had transferred the permissions to her.
Since it was her vehicle now, she could hear everything inside.
Sasha was a skilled netrunner, and she had run a full sweep before calling.
But Arasaka tech was better.
V heard everything.
This was 2076. Corporations held absolute power.
Not just over street mercs like Sasha—
even V herself had once been played by the President of New USA. And New USA was nothing but Militech's dog.
Only one exception existed in the whole world: Kang-Tao and its Eastern mother state.
V stayed in Arasaka not for luxury, but because she knew—
individuals are too weak.
Only corporate-level power can fight a corporation.
As for Sasha… V didn't mind throwing her a bone.
Street mercs lived by fate. A little karma went a long way.
With Sasha's tier, the jobs she could take were small—data theft, property snatch.
A pink-furred cat so fond of living probably wouldn't get killed.
V set the matter aside and focused on tomorrow's meeting with Biotechnica.
The next morning.
Sasha arrived on time.
Seeing V in a full suit, she hesitated. "Should I change too?"
"Why?" V asked.
"I'm your assistant today. I can't go dressed like a street rat."
"No need." V smiled faintly. "It's just Biotechnica. They're not worth Arasaka playing etiquette."
Sasha's heart skipped. V's confidence was intoxicating.
Biotechnica monopolized global agriculture, medicine, and energy.
Yet V dismissed them with one sentence.
Was it arrogance?
No.
It was because V was a corpo too.
Only a corporation can challenge a corporation.
For the first time, Sasha understood that truth.
These days together had made her forget—
V and she were from two completely different worlds.
One lived on the 60th floor of a megatower.
The other in a pile of trash by the road.
"Here. Put this on." V handed her a shard.
"What's this?" Sasha asked.
"Temporary Arasaka ID. Your fake identity."
V added, "No need for etiquette, but procedures still matter."
"Does it have a virus?" Sasha narrowed her eyes.
"No."
Sasha stared at her, then activated all her ICE layers and slotted it.
Nothing happened.
"Feel better?" V raised a brow.
Sasha blushed. "Sorry… I was being paranoid."
"I accept your apology." V stood. "Let's go. Car's here."
"Car?" Sasha blinked. "Not taking the AV?"
"Biotechnica's AV pad has a line. Their tower's right next to ours. Car's faster."
Sasha looked out the window—Biotechnica Tower was indeed visible across the plaza.
Corporate Plaza: Arasaka, Militech, Biotechnica, and countless others.
Each megatower like a steel god, overlooking humanity.
At the elevator, trouble appeared again.
A man from Arasaka Counter-Intel Special Operations, dyed green hair, smug as hell.
"No wonder Counter-Intel is rotting. Someone's bringing a sex doll to work. Bad leadership corrupts everything—right, Deputy Director V?"
V felt a faint sting on the back of her neck—someone scanning her.
Not the green-haired idiot—someone hidden.
A survival instinct honed through countless near-deaths.
Her intuition said one name.
Abernathy.
At the same time, Sasha whispered through private comms:
"V, someone's scanning us."
V's intuition was right.
She almost grinned.
At this exact place, this exact time—only one person would poke her.
Abernathy.
V clenched her fist and punched the green-haired man straight in the face.
Blood sprayed. His nose bent sideways.
"You—you dare?! I'm Special Operations!"
"I don't give a fuck who you are. Come at me again and I'll send you to hell!" V flipped him off. "If Jenkins hadn't warned me, I'd have gutted you already. Now get lost!"
"You'll pay for this…" he muttered and fled.
"Wow, Deputy Director V, you're amazing!" Sasha squealed like a fangirl, playing along.
V didn't hesitate—she grabbed Sasha by the waist and kissed her.
Sasha froze, eyes wide, claws sliding out from her fingertips before slowly retracting.
They stayed like that until the elevator doors closed.
V finally let go. Sasha's face was crimson, breath shaky.
"Use your nose to breathe," V teased. "You're way too pure."
"I—I'm not pure!" Sasha puffed up like a kitten whose fur stood on end. "It was just too sudden! Anyone would freeze!"
"Mm." V nodded lightly. "If you say so."
The kiss meant little to V.
She was already thinking about Abernathy's move.
She didn't notice Sasha staring at her profile.
When the elevator reached the first floor, they stepped out. Sasha finally asked:
"Um…"
"Hm?"
"Have you kissed a lot of people?"
V thought for a moment. "Quite a few."
Venus in fur coats, Judy, Blue Sky from Clouds…
Sometimes she hit the Mox club or Jig-Jig Street for fun.
Back in her reckless youth.
Now she valued emotional connection more than sex.
A reformed woman, she liked to think.
Sasha didn't like the answer—she twisted V's waist viciously.
"Hey! What was that for?!"
Sasha puffed her cheeks. "I'm pretending to be a sex doll, not actually one! Don't think I'm easy!"
"So…?"
"You have to pay extra!"
V laughed. "Fine, fine. I'll pay."
One transfer later, Sasha was a happy cat again.
"Well? Get in! I can't wait to compare Biotechnica to Arasaka!"
V smiled and followed her into the Delamain.
"Delamain, Biotechnica Tower."
"Affirmative. Leave your troubles at the door."
After the car departed, inside an office somewhere in Arasaka Tower, Abernathy turned off the surveillance feed.
Several people stood in the room—including the same green-haired man, now silent and calm despite the blood.
"Well?" Abernathy asked. She was a sharp-eyed, perfectly groomed corporate beauty with a cold edge.
"Simple. Vulgar. Maybe some talent, but easily distracted by women. Obvious personality flaws. Low threat."
"Could she be faking?"
"If she's faking, that acting is pathetic."
"Fair point."
The group unanimously dismissed V. Abernathy accepted the evaluation.
"What a shame. I thought this 'V' had potential—someone fun to play with. Turns out she's just another hot-headed corpo junkie chasing skirts. Counter-Intel is rotten to the core."
She lit a cigarette, inhaled, exhaled.
Smoke curled around her as she spoke:
"Proceed with the original plan. Slowly eat away Counter-Intel's authority. Minimize violence—after all, the division already belongs to us. No point smashing our own property."
"As for V…"
Abernathy's eyes narrowed.
"Send that thing.
Make her disappear."