Cyberpunk: Badland Madman Chapter 14 - Pending Decisions, Strange Friendship, White Elephant Itch, Rescue & Life Lessons

A/N: No mainstream/direct smut in this chapter since not too many days have passed in-universe in this story. Making Cypher sleep with a new woman every 1-2 chapters, too fast, would make it weird.

Also, if there are any mistakes in this chapter. Please write them in the comments. I'll fix them asap. Thank you!!!!

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Rogue Amendiares had done her due diligence about this rising name in Night City, Cypher Blackwell. The man had come under her radar only after the whole Moisture Vaporator stunt. While she was shocked that someone would give away something so valuable for free, she didn't believe that it was charity.

She'd pulled some strings inside Militech and Biotechnica to get further information. She'd checked the Obsidian website, which offered very limited tech, but their efficiency was enough to make the corpos salivate.

She had learned about Cypher Blackwell's rather solo adventures in the middle of Japantown, killing more than a dozen Wraiths and a few Tyger Claws. That was the only reason she even bothered to meet him. Because, unlike most other corpos, this one believed in getting his own hands dirty.

Besides, the man was very capable. She'd learned about the second-hand chrome trade Cypher Blackwell had set up, and how in-demand those chromes were, often being even superior to their new counterparts.

And then there was the rumor she had heard from Militech. That Cypher Blackwell was also involved in netrunning. But nothing concrete was known yet. She believed it was false since the man had recently hired T-Bug for a gig.

No matter; the man was interesting, and his rise was nothing but meteoric.

"Troublesome." She muttered with a frown as she read the new message and looked up. There was Cypher Blackwell, shaking his head before leaving without talking to her.

"Problem?"

Rogue looked at Crispin Weyland. "Looks like it’s time we get serious about Afterlife. Competition’s picking up. Club Atlantis is opening soon, and plenty of old mercs will drift there chasing nostalgia."

Finally, Rogue looked towards the man in a cap seated at the corner of the bar in the distance.

"Looks like the FIA’s got its eyes on Blackwell."

"Want me to throw him out?" Weyland asked.

"No. We’re clean with the FIA. If Blackwell’s got an issue with them, that’s his mess. Meeting me was his call. Leaving too. Forget him."

####

Meredith Stout failed to sleep that night.

Militech hadn't sent anyone to arrest her. That meant her discussion with Cypher hadn't been heard by anyone. She had taken a huge risk by speaking with him so openly. She'd spoken about things that undermined Militech's interests.

Now, aware that she was safe, it was both comforting and chilling. Cypher Blackwell seemed to have everything needed to take on Militech, all except a true physical force. No doubt, the man was at the top when it came to netrunning and tech innovation. But to stay at the top, it took a lot more than that.

Militech, Arasaka, Biotechica, almost every corporation in the world had their own spec-ops units; some had literal armies with divisions ranging from common footsoldiers to spies. She was somewhere in the middle of that range.

But at the same time, the lure was too great to resist.

"Hmm…"

Meredith sighed and stared at the ceiling, lying on the bed undressed. The room was cool, the hum of air conditioning audible. But she still felt warm, with an ache in her head and a burn in her chest.

"Do I even have a choice?"

The deal Cypher Blackwell had offered was one-sided. She could either join him, become his dog, and hope that he would help her rise in Militech. Or, she could refuse and continue working for Director Goldstein. The problem was that it meant she would still have to somehow get Cypher to join Militech, as that was her only task.

And Cypher wouldn't join unless she agreed to his deal. Which meant betraying Militech. So in a way, the only option she had was to trust the unknown genius who'd come out of nowhere.

"Ugh… I don't like this."

And worst of all, she only had two days to decide.

####

Cypher arrived at Judy's apartment after leaving the Afterlife.

[Cypher. It appears Rogue has no direct ties to the FIA. She was unaware of the agent’s attendance. Yet, she shows no concern, almost indifferent. At present, she does not care about our dealings with Militech and has decided this is your burden to carry. And she views the opening of our club as a challenge to the Afterlife.]

Shhh!

Cypher pressed the passcode and walked into Judy's apartment. It was evening, and she wasn't at home for good reasons. He lazily walked into the bedroom, got himself a change of clothes, and then entered the bathroom for a shower.

"Yeah, damn right it's a challenge," he muttered under the shower. "I had the idea during our drive here. You're basically an AI God with a trillion tentacles sliding through every gap and access. You know nearly everything, or you can, if you bother. So why not cash in on that? We sell intel to mercs in our club. Whatever gig they're lining up, we got tiers to it."

He grabbed some shampoo that Judy used and shamelessly washed his hair.

"Tier one, you just get an enemy headcount. That's it. Tier two, you get escape routes, what kinda guns they're packing, NCPD response time, turrets, all that. In tier three, you get the best ways in, the best ways out, cameras, enemy cyberware, backup muscle, and success ratio. And the prices go up with each tier, obviously."

Done with hair, he grabbed a bottle of Judy's body soap and lavishly scrubbed himself.

"Man, this smells great. Anyway, how about we set up our own gun shop too? I'd sling my own pieces. Sooner or later, I'm gonna get the itch anyway, or you can bring me some gun schematics from the old net. I can rig up a second-hand chrome shop too. Atlantis will turn into a one-stop shop for every merc trying not to die."

[That would indeed elevate Club Atlantis into the most coveted destination for mercs. I can record all their data, from planning to execution. That data will help us train our droids once you get the itch for a good design. Further, the restaurant and hotel can serve real food once you discover a way to make it. The entire building will stand as the ultimate place to plan, dine, drink, and sleep. Your concept of the Continental holds merit, a sanctuary within Night City. However, we lack the power to enforce it.]

"Yet," Cypher said, stepping out of the shower, dragging a towel over himself. Then he yanked on a white tee and dark gray joggers. "Money’s our biggest weapon. We’ll throw out an open bounty on anyone who breaks the rule. Whoever drops them gets the money. Done deal."

[Correct. That would resolve the immediate issue. However, if the offender is backed by Militech, Arasaka, Kang Tao, or similar powers, a bounty may not be enough. It is only logical that we elevate our own capabilities as well.]

"Don't we have you for that?" Cypher asked back.

[You would allow me to take such an action?]

"Not you. But Omnissiah."

Right then, through his brainwave interface, he saw Atlas appear in his view. The old man was standing against Judy's kitchen counter, leaning on one arm, grinning like a fool. Clearly, Atlas got the message.

[Praise the Omnissiah.]

"About that. What's with this obsession with Warhammer?" Cypher asked as he grabbed a drink from the fridge and then walked over to Judy's tech workbench by the war where she made that robot.

[It is not an obsession. It was simply the first fragment of human entertainment I encountered on the old net. I examined it and found it… engaging. Its history, humankind's struggle, even when driven by hatred, held my attention. I find it amusing. Human minds are bound by finite processing, yet your imagination operates as if unrestrained. You construct intricate stories, entire worlds with histories, empires, even separate universes. I will admit, I am impressed.]

"Damn, I'm flattered."

[I was not talking about you, Cyber.]

"..."

"Man, fuck you." Cypher cursed and stared at the agent in his hand. "Now stop fooling around and help me learn your coding language. I wanna make more stuff with it."

[It will be my pleasure.]

For hours after that, Cypher learned the programming language of the Mind. Atlas was amazing at teaching because he always gave examples of his own programming that Cypher had already written. That helped Cypher understand the function of each part.

It was an entirely new concept to him. And the truth was, without the Mind's hardware, the programming was useless. After all, the Mind worked in a completely different dimension. Still, the programming language could be derived and used in smaller projects. It would make his systems secure and efficient.

Eventually, he got bored with studying and started messing around with Judy's rig. He'd already upgraded it before, and now he tried to add features. He wondered if she'd appreciate an AI assistant, something dumb that wouldn't gain sentience. But in the end, he decided to consult Judy first. The people of Cyberpunk were scared shitless of AIs.

[Cyph, Hiroshi Williams, the team lead of RealSkinn's technical acquisition department, is trying to contact you.]

"That corpo fuck?!" Cypher snapped. "Yeah, no. I ain't talking to him even if he's the last man alive. Fucker kept me waiting for a whole day. Who gives a shit if he was sabotaged? Block his ass. We'll sell those Quantum Condoms ourselves once our factory's up."

Shhh!

Right then, the sound of the main door opening came. Cypher stopped talking to Atlas loudly and stared at the entryway. Sure enough, Judy appeared with a big smile on her face, her attire the same as usual.

"So my choom actually remembers me, huh?"

Cypher waved from the chair. "Hey, Jude. How's it going?

"Same old, same old. Work, crash, then back to the grind. How 'bout you? That Moisture Vaporator stunt had everyone at Lizzie's buzzing for two straight days."

He watched as she placed some bags on the kitchen counter, likely some food. Then she walked into the bedroom, still talking.

"Susie asked about you. Seems like she's finally giving you the time of day. You said you had some kinda biz proposal cooking, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. Didn’t get a chance to meet her to hash it out," Cypher said, eyes following her toward the bathroom. "I’ll swing by, see her myself if she’s down now."

"You really should. Gimme a sec."

Cypher saw the bathroom door close and looked back at the Agent on his table.

[Cypher. I sense an elevated heartbeat.]

"Yeah, no shit she is. She's hot, Atlas. And c’mon, the way she plays it, always subtly flirting and teasing me. You saw that wink she shot me right before she walked into the bath, right?"

[You don't like it?]

"I fucking love it. It's fun. But… knowing we ain't gonna cross that line is frustrating."

"So…"

Again, the bathroom door opened, and Judy walked out. Cypher looked with the turn of his head and almost sprained his neck. Her hair was wet, her eye makeup removed, and… she was wearing his other leftover t-shirt. That was all she was wearing, and it only reached her upper thighs.

Yeah… she's good at this.

He stared dumbly, seeing her walk closer. His eyes were lost on those milky legs, toned and soft-looking. And then…

"Eyes up here."

He looked up when she reached beside him. But before he could say anything, she pulled his chair back to make some space and just… straddled his lap, throwing her legs over the sides.

Cypher felt the plush, warm weight of her on his lap. He was hard and throbbing already, and… he could feel it. He leaned back in the chair and looked up at her face; that smirk on her lips told him everything.

I ain't that weak.

Daringly, he threw his hands behind her and tried to slide his hands under the t-shirt.

"..."

He expected to feel the soft feeling of her panties, but instead, what he got was just her warm, soft ass.

She's wearing nothing! This succubus!

Aroused, he clenched both palms and greedily clawed his palms on each cheek, fondling and molding them. He pulled her hips in, making sure she felt his hard throbs in the nude folds. But seeing how Judy didn't react much to it annoyed him.

"Going commando?" he asked.

She shrugged and put her fingers on his shoulders, subtly shifting her weight on his lap. "Not like you haven't touched it before, choom. So why bother? My house, my rules, yeah?"

"Girl, you're too trusting of my self-control."

"Heh." Judy giggled. "Isn't that exciting?"

Fuck! I'm losing this.

While he continued to grope her ass, so fucking warm and soft and smushy, he decided to change the topic. "Guess who's the new proud owner of a thirty-floor high-rise building in The Glens?"

"What?!" Judy suddenly sat up straight on his lap, staring at him.

Ugh… too much weight… hot weight.

Feeling more of the pressure of her hips on his erection only aroused him more. Changing the topic hadn't worked.

"You're lying. Where'd you get the money?" Judy asked, with concern in her voice. "Don't tell me you took a lo—"

"Earned it," he said, correcting her. While it was a loan, he technically owned the World Bank as well. "Obsidian's doing great, and I decided to make some investments. Bought Club Atlantis, yeah, that one. Gonna re-open it, make it a mecca for mercs. I’ll open restaurants and hotel floors as well, and my own big residence at the top."

Judy blinked a few times, as if trying to believe him. Then finally, she huffed a long breath. "That's… a lot to take in."

"How'd you know?" Cypher gripped her ass harder, loving the smooth texture of her skin. "I haven't even put it in."

"Pfft!" She burst into a small laugh and smacked his chest. Then she leaned in all the way, both her arms curled around his neck, and her face hovered just a few inches away. "I'm so proud of you, you know that? My best ex-glitter junkie choom."

Can't lose yet!

Feeling her lean her hips forward, he felt her most folds in his lap. But he chose to take more liberty with his hands and reached for more of her plush ass. He smoothly rubbed one hand on the cleft between and slid his middle finger through the entire length. From her back to below.

As soon as his finger brushed over her rump, he noticed her sudden recoil.

Yes! A small victory, at last!

But he was brave and kept going. He was excited now, no matter how insane the situation was. His finger finally reached the edge of her moist folds…

Wait! Moist?

"Hungry?" Judy asked, suddenly sitting straight on his lap, hiding her sex from him.

Cypher didn't cry about it and greedily squeezed her asscheeks so hard they were sure to leave fingerprints. He grinned at the same time. "Very."

Pat!

She softly smacked his face and got off of him. "You're lucky, Cyph. But not that lucky."

"A man can dream!" he said and watched her strut into the kitchen. She tried to get something from the upper cabinet, and as she stretched on her toes, he got to see everything from behind her. The t-shirt was hiked up, and all of her pale, squishy ass was naked. From the gap between her thighs, to… her lower lips.

Fuck! My goddamn horny ass!

Once again, he noticed her wink at him as she grabbed the bowl and ate whatever she'd brought while standing by the counter, looking back at him. He said nothing, trying to take deep breaths and calm his balls.

Soon, Judy finished eating, put the bowl in the sink, and walked towards her bedroom.

"You coming?"

Cypher shook his head.

"Are you sure?" Judy paused at the doorframe and lifted the t-shirt slightly from her behind, giving him another peek.

He sighed, straightened his back, and folded his arms. He gave her a very serious, glaring look and roared. "Begon witch! Your succubus magic won't work on me. These balls shall not turn blue tonight!"

"Pfff—haha! You gonk. Good night!"

Finally, the door hissed closed, and Cypher deflated in his chair.

"Atlas, man. She's gonna give me a heart attack someday."

[Do you not like this?]

"Like it? Buddy, I fucking love it. I'm probably addicted. But she's worse than crack, I swear to Jesus, Atlas. What kinda friends are we supposed to be? We don't even fuck, so it ain't benefits. We're just… weird and horny together."

[My analysis of human behavior and simulated patterns leads me to a simple conclusion. She is either using you, or her sexual interest in you is limited, or she is afraid of commitment to a man and denies the fact that she is drawn to you in ways she believes she shouldn't.]

"..."

"Me? I won't say I'm fugly, but let's be real… I sure as hell ain't Henry Cavill or Brad Pitt either."

[Cypher. Humans don't feel attraction only based on looks. If that were the case, you would never get any attention.]

"I should've never given you humor and dissing settings."

[You're welcome.]

Cypher rubbed his chin, nodding. That was plausible. He easily scratched the 'using' part because if teasing and flirting were all she wanted, she had many other options. It was possible she liked him in some way, but not enough to fuck. The possibility of the last one was… sad.

"Alright, back to work."

He turned his chair to the table again and looked at the clock. Still an hour from midnight. With a sigh, he returned to studying some coding. There was just so much, and for a very good reason. It was advanced enough to make someone like Atlas.

By the time midnight approached, his eyes were close to shutting. Too tired, he swung back and forth with his elbows on the table. His lips naturally hung open, drool near ready to fall.

[Cypher! Ten seconds remaining!]

Thanks to Atlas, Cypher became alert at the right time and sat up straight. He stared at the countdown on his Agent. While he looked forward to it, the random nature of the whole thing took away his excitement. After getting bulletproof suits last time, he had given up. Hoping for something amazing each time was like a novice gambler expecting a big hit—

"Holy shit!"

He ended up blurting aloud.

The clock struck zero, and the itch flooded his mind. It was subtle as always, but the idea it brought along was a greater win than any gambler's dream. A machine, the size of a refrigerator but slightly larger. It was like a box, and on one side it had a touch-screen, and then there was a wide, long cavity, a platform of sorts dug into the machine's frame.

"It's a jackpot, Atlas! A fucking lottery hit!"

[What is it?]

"It's the Replicator! Star Trek stuff, I’m pretty damn sure. Jesus, Atlas. We can make actual food whenever we feel like it now. Not just food, like anything you can dream up, metal, cyberware, organs, just no living thing. This is a goldmine!"

[That's brilliant, Cypher! But it must draw a lot of energy.]

"..."

Instantly, Cypher's shoulders slumped, and he focused on the itch information. His brows twitched while reading the requirements.

"A… A single coffee would need the energy equivalent of… megatons of nukes. Hundreds of megatons. If we swap to matter-to-matter and just shove garbage in there, sure, it's less, but still… fuck, man. It's insane. Whole Night City's whole grid ain't even close to running that. I'm fucked, Atlas. This itch's gonna end me."

[Why not build a small one first and use it to replicate a single molecule of a particle? That may allow you to avoid the prolonged itch.]

That was all theory. Cypher just nodded and stretched his arms, yawning. "We'll get to it tomorrow. I gotta get some sleep first tonight."

He got up and entered the bedroom.

Seeing Judy's naked shoulders, he knew she was completely naked under the sheets as before. So he went back out and pumped one out in the bath. After that, he returned to the bedroom, fully nude.

"Mm…"

As he settled on the bed, Judy hummed and shifted closer to the wall to make space for him. He spooned her from behind right away, pulling the quilt. Even after pumping it out, he started to grow hard, but it was manageable now.

Before long, his thick erection settled snugly between the gap of her thighs, pressed tight in the heat of her legs, flat against the lightly damp folds. Meanwhile, he slid one arm under her head and hugged her, his big palm shamelessly landing on her round breast.

He didn't try to thrust or grope, however. Taking in the pleasant scent of her shampoo, he closed his eyes to sleep. And this time, sleep came fast.

That night, he dreamt of swimming in the clouds. Soft, squishy, and warm.

He didn't know how many hours later it was. But he started to hear Atlas' voice in his sweet dream. The voice grew louder and louder by each second, and before he knew it, those soft clouds had turned into a massive Morgan Freeman's face. They were all speaking at the same time.

In moments, the sweet dream turned into a nightmare as he fell inside Atlas's mouth. His eyes snapped open instantly, only to find it was still night and Judy was still sleeping with her back snug against his chest.

[Cypher, I tried to wake you gently, but that did not work. A matter requires your attention.]

"What time is it?" Cypher nearly said it out loud.  

[It's three in the morning, Cyph.]

"And?"

[The boy you aided with the cyberware has just been taken by Maelstrom. Lucas has been rendered unconscious. They are preparing to take his arm and leg—]

"Where?!" Cypher physically got up with a jolt and jumped out of the bed. "Chrome junkies robbing a kid? What the fuck is wrong with them?"

[Relax, Cyph. I have everything under control. I slowed their car. Lucas is alive and no longer in danger. If anything changes, I will act immediately. But this is a rare opportunity for you, Cypher. A moment to rise above other corpos and become a legend among mercenaries. Go and eliminate the entire gang. The vehicle is heading to a store called Clean Cut Medical Service, a Maelstrom hideout in Northside.]

"What do you mean? That'll put the entire Maelstrom on my ass."

[This won't. The faction that seized Lucas answers to a man named Simon Randall, called Royce. He has been working to erode the authority of the current leader, Declan Griffin, known as Brick. Put plainly, Royce is an irritant to the rightful leader of Maelstrom.]

"That doesn't mean they'll let an outsider like me just roll in and butcher their gang members."

[Leave that to me, Cypher. All you must do is go there, end everyone, save Lucas, and return home. I’ll assist you during the entire operation. Dealing with Maelstrom is easiest due to their heavy use of cyberware. I can end them all remotely if I wish to.]

Saving Lucas something he wanted to do anyway. That kid, his words were still fresh in Cypher's mind. The fear in the kid's voice. And since it was his gifted cyberware that got the boy captured, it was his responsibility. Just this once, at least.

"Where are you going?"

He paused in the middle of fastening his pants and looked at the bed. Judy was sitting, holding the quilt to her chest.

"You remember that kid Lucas? The one I hooked up with a new arm and leg. Maelstrom snatched him for his chrome. I'm gonna go get him back."

"I'll come with you."

Cypher shook his head, wearing his full bulletproof suit. "You should sleep, Jude. I can handle this easily. I know some Maelstrom members."

"Bullshit, choom. No way I'm letting you solo this. Maelstrom gonks are psycho. Gimme a sec to gear up." Judy didn't wait for an answer, just slid out of bed and dragged the quilt with her toward the door.

[This is good, Cypher. More witnesses will only strengthen your position.]

"I'd rather it be just me. Let's me do weird shit with your help."

In a few minutes, he was fully dressed, tie tight on his neck. He checked his pistol, just a regular one. He hadn't brought bigger guns since he never planned to get into a large-scale gunfight.

"Let's go, Cyph."

He followed Judy out of the apartment. She had chosen to wear an extra jacket over her usual attire. He hoped this one had some defensive capabilities. Other than that, she had two pistols on her.

In all honesty. If Cypher didn't have Atlas with him, he would have never even thought of going into a fight with such underwhelming firepower.

"I'll drive."

He took the keys from Judy and drove her Villefort Columbus. It was a slow minivan, so he just floored it. The target location wasn't that far to begin with.

He took a right from Judy's apartment and drove towards the Kabuki Market. From there, he took a right, and then left, crossed through Pinewood Junction.

Atlas showed him a map in his vision in real time. At the same time, he briefed him about what kind of fight he should expect.

[There are three cameras inside. No turrets. Twelve Maelstrom members present, including Royce. Lucas is in the operating room, restrained on a ripperdoc bench. Once you commit, I will disable all power in the building and strip their night vision cyberware. I will feed you thermal vision with targets marked. I will stop them if any of them are on a trajectory to get a lucky shot at you.]

"Hah! So it's gonna be a one-sided massacre?"

[Cypher. It makes no sense for you to fight conventionally and put your life in danger when you have me.]

"I know, I know. I'm not complaining. You're the best."

One final turn and the building was in plain view. Cypher parked the car slightly before the building so it wasn't in the line of sight from the building.

"Judy, try to take out the cameras. I’ll slip in and grab Lucas." Cypher said, trying his best not to take her inside. That would only slow him down. "We ain't gotta throw hands if we play it quiet. Let’s just get him and bounce."

"I can do that." Judy quickly moved to the back of her van. "Be careful in there."

Cypher gave a quick nod and took another pistol from Judy. He got out of the van and calmly walked towards the building. As he got closer, instead of taking the main door, he jumped over a few concrete blocks and then climbed onto the scaffolding. Beyond that were two thick metal pipes that led him to a closed air vent that gave direct entry inside the building.

He didn't need to say anything as Atlas opened the vent for him.

[Lights out.]

As soon as he crouchwalked inside the building, all the lights turned off. It was pitch black, and not even the emergency signs were working. But from Cypher's eyes, crouching at an elevated level, he had the perfect view. The thermal vision showed everything, and the bright purple markers showed all the Maelstrom members.

"Here we go."

He jumped down from the vent's platform and walked without making a sound. As soon as he had the reception box in view, he aimed the Maelstrom inside and…

Bang!

Thud!

One shot and the man dropped dead.

"We're under attack!"

"Boys! Fight!"

All the Maelstrom got alerted by that. Cypher continued to crouchwalk further into the building through that reception box. He peeked outside and shot.

Bang! Bang!

Two shots and two bodies fell.

BOOM!

Another shot at a well-marked explosive cylinder killed another one.

[They're going to shoot aimlessly. Jamming their guns and fingers.]

Taking that cue, he got out of the cover and walked straight into the main hall, instead of going to Lucas. As Atlas had said, three maelstroms were behind cover and trying to fix their jammed weapons.

"Argh! Work, dammit!"

"Fucking junk!"

Cypher took aim at the ceiling.

Bang!

A pipe in the ceiling burst, and loud, hissing mist swept everywhere. It startled the three maelstrom.

Cypher aimed quickly and shot three consecutive bullets. This fight was far, far easier than the one he had in that tunnel back then. But that was on him for not taking Atlas' help to the full extent.

[Five left.]

Cypher didn't need to search for them, as his vision marked everything thanks to Atlas. It even told him where to look to find the next target.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

"Was that Royce?"

[It was.]

Cypher headed towards that voice instead. It took him towards the back of the hall, where a few seats were set. He could see the heat signatures and markers, showing two people hidden behind a metal, boxy structure.

"Tell them 'I am death' in Omnissiah's voice. Use the shop's speakers."

[Understood.]

Right away, Atlas did his magic, and a deafening, loud, demonic voice echoed across the ship. Cypher heard a few leftover Maelstrom curse and ask what that was.

Got you!

Boom!

Once again, Cypher shot at an explosive. It was right behind the two hiding men.

That left only three.

[One attempted to escape. I fried his brain. Two are still hiding in the toilet, right beside the reception box you crossed.]

"Where's Royce?"

[Dead.]

"Huh? When?"

[The recent explosion ended his life. He was one of the two hiding.]

Cypher dumbly blinked while walking towards the bathroom. "This was too easy."

[Maelstrom reduced the variables. Against organics, I would have lacked the means to secure your safety through direct manipulation of their bodies.]

"Well. Then we'd better make sure we're strong as hell by ourselves before they start sending ganics our way."

Finally, he arrived at the toilet door.

"Can you disable their shooting capabilities entirely?"

[Why else do you think they are hiding?]

"Hah!" Cypher laughed audibly and pressed the button on the door. As soon as it slid open, he shot.

Bang! Bang!

In total, he used fewer than twelve bullets to kill twelve men.

[All neutralized]

Finally, Cypher put away the guns and walked straight to the operation room. The lights turned back on before he reached the place. And as expected, the kid was lying on the bench, hands and feet restrained, and a blindfold covering his eyes. The cyberware arm and leg weren't removed yet.

"Huh? Take the chrome! Take it, sir! Let me go, please. I won't tell anyone."

Sensing his steps, Lucas started to squirm on the table, unable to see anything.

"Easy, Lucas. It's me, Cypher," Cypher called out and removed the blindfold first. "You're good now. They're dead. Damn, they really messed you up. Black eye, busted nose, and your head's all jacked."

For a very long time, Lucas was silent. Eyes wide open, watery, but not a single sniffle escaped him. He just watched Cypher remove the restraints.

"Can you get up?" Cypher gave him a hand.

Lucas said nothing, took his hand, and got to his feet. After a small stumble, Lucas was steady and then…

Woosh!

"..."

"Atlas! What do I do?"

[I believe you are supposed to hug him back, Cyph.]

Never having dealt with kids, and this one not even being his, he lost himself to awkwardness at first. But then, he placed himself in the kid's shoes and said fuck it. He didn't kneel, just leaned in, put an arm behind his back, and gave a few shoulder pats.

"Th-thank you, sir... T-they wouldn't listen to me... I-I wasn't gonna give it to 'em... I tried to fight those stupid gonks..."

Cypher looked at the kid's wounded face. "The hell are you talking about?"

"My arm and leg. I wasn't going to—"

Cypher realized at that moment that the kid was scared of his chrome being taken away. And now, Lucas was trying to explain what had happened, hoping the creator of those limbs wouldn't take them away.

"Fuck that. I’ll hook you up with better ones, made of titanium," Cypher replied and started walking. "Let's go before more gangers come."

But as they got closer to the exit, loud noises started coming. Noise of the engine and… rockets?

"Atlas. Don't tell me you—"

[I called Trauma Team for the child. That head injury needs proper attention. While they’re here, you’re getting a full-body checkup, too. You already have High Priority coverage, forty-five thousand a month. I have prepaid for a full year. There are situations where my reach is insufficient, and I plan accordingly. Trauma Team is costly, but entirely dependable. The child has a one-month package arranged."

Cypher whistled.

"Damn, Atlas. You're splurging."

[I keep finding more lost money on the old net. I have also given a loan of three hundred million eurodollars to Trauma Team for their expansion projects.]

"How? You don't even have a physical representative."

[In this day and age, you don't need one. Besides, the Trauma Team's board seemed desperate for it. I merely took advantage of it.]

In awe of his virtual friend's abilities, Cypher finally walked out of the shop. A Traum Team's AV was approaching already.

"Cyph!"

Bam!

Judy ran over to him right then and smacked a jab in his chest. "You gonk! You total, complete madman! You planned this, didn't you? Keep me busy with cams so you could run in guns blazing like some shitty wild west BD! You big dumb brain potato! And you ain't even got armor, choom! What's wrong with you?"

"Actually. This suit's bulletproof."

"Oh, really? Can it stop high-velocity rounds? Cyph—"

"It can."

"..."

"No way!"

Cypher shrugged and gave her shoulder a quick pat. "Hey, Jude, relax. I'm built for this kinda crap. I don't lose at this stuff. Guns, cars, all of it, I'm better than good. I've been in way worse messes than this busted shop. Trust me. You see me? Not a damn scratch. So now you're going home. I'm taking Lucas to the Medcenter, end of story."

For a very long time, Judy stood there, arms crossed, eyes filled with fury. But then her shoulders deflated. "Fine, I believe you. But Cyph, I came with you to fight cause I can't lose another friend to this damn city. You mean a lot to me... just don't get flatlined, yeah? Life ain't a BD."

"Hey, I've been clean from BDs for weeks now. And I know getting shot hurts." Cypher raised his hands in surrender. Just then, the AV landed, and four Trauma Team operatives jumped out, three holding guns and one opening a stretcher.

"Step away from the patient!"

"See you at home." Cypher waved at Judy, sending her away, and focused on the Trauma Team. "Calm down, boys. Both of us are patients."

"You are not injured. Your vitals are stable."

"I did drop a dozen Maelstrom inside." Cypher jerked his thumb at the shop. "So just move, alright? Look at this kid, his nose is wrecked. We gotta fix that fast, or it's gonna stay crooked forever. Then girls won't even look at him, and boom, next thing you know, he's face-first in glitter and BD… Ah, that's my story."

Cypher ignored Lucas's inquisitive gaze from below and followed the now calm Trauma Team members. Truth was, he was a bit excited. This was his first time getting inside an AV.  

It was pretty spacious inside since there was no need for a stretcher. Cypher and Lucas both were strapped into their seats, and then the AV started flying up. It was a bit loud, and he felt light in the stomach. But it was fun.

"Wait! Aren't you?" One of the Trauma Team blurted from behind his white face-helmet. "Aren't you the CFO of Obsidian? Damn yo—Ah, I apologise."

What the fuck's going on?

"Go on." Cypher smiled, sitting saintly in his bulletproof suit. "Damn me, why?"

"Apologies, Mr. Blackwell," another member voiced, sounding old. "Gonk's scrambled. He put a hefty sum into Biotechnica, and the stock fell after you revealed the free Moisture Vaporator."

Cypher gave a little nod, eyes on the man from before. "That stock was inflated to hell and back. It was overdue for a correction, no question. If I didn’t mess with it, you’d be looking at an even nastier crash. Now, multiple companies weathered the storm. Without me, Biotechnica would've been the only ones getting wrecked. If you're smart, put your money in Militech. I'm hearing they're about to drop some wild new tech soon."

"Really? Shit, thanks for the advice."

No shit you lost money with that gullible ass.

"Mr. Blackwell," the old guy spoke again. "Won't Obsidian go public? What are you releasing next? Ah, I'm Alberto Gonzales, captain of this team."

"Atlas. Are they clean?" Cypher internally asked.

[They are, Cyph.]

"You go public when you need money. I don't need that. I'm happy building things. As for the new release, there's nothing planned. But I did buy Club Atlantis, if any of you still remember."

"I do," Gonzales said. "Old enough to remember visiting it a few times."

"I'm reopening it. Actually, your whole crew's invited. Shot you the invites," Cypher said. "Just do me a favor. If you ever catch me choking on my own blood someday, try showing up a minute early."

"Haha! We'll try, Mr. Blackwell." Gonzales laughed.

After that, Cypher continued to chat with them. He didn't give a damn, but making friends in places like Trauma Team brought no negatives. If anything, he'd have an AV trauma team on call if he decided to build one for himself someday. If nothing, they'd at least have some flying training.

Since they were also close to the Medcenter, it only took a few minutes to reach the large hospital owned by Trauma Team. As soon as he stepped out, a whole team of doctors and nurses was waiting for him, with two wheelchairs.

"Let's go, Lucas."

Cypher was perfectly fine, but still sat down in the wheelchair.

"Atlas. Make sure all my data is removed afterwards. And my blood samples are destroyed."

[All preparations have been done already.]

After that, Cypher went through a dozen different tests. Blood, piss, shit, spit, X-Ray, brain scans, MRIs, and everything in between. Meanwhile, Lucas was going through the same and extra, getting his nose fixed and head checked.

Two hours later, a doctor walked into the luxury room he was sharing with Lucas, their beds set side by side. The same one Cypher remembered from his earlier admission. Doctor Haytham Kembly. But it seemed the man didn't recognise him.

"Mr. Blackwell, you are perfectly well. Other than a few old wounds on your arms from… certain hobbies. Your dark circles will go away if you sleep more, but we can also do a minor skin—"

"No!" Cypher denied. "Fuck RealSkinn. Tell me about the kid if I'm all good."

"The child is…" Doctor Kembly looked at Lucian, the boy was asleep. "His nose will heal soon, and his eye isn't damaged. But there is a clot in his brain. It's an old one, Mr. Blackwell."

"Atlas. Analyze the report."

Cypher sat straight in his bed while looking at Lucas. The kid was sleeping merrily, almost curled into a ball under the sheets, like a scared kitten.

[Cypher. Based on the reports and my analysis of six billion data samples within Trauma Team’s archives, Lucian sustained a significant brain injury within the past three years. The injuries were substantial and not consistent with a simple fall. It is more plausible that it occurred during the incident that claimed his parents’ lives, or to an external act of violence.]

Cypher let out a long, heavy breath, eyeing the boy. He really had no clue what he was supposed to do now. His life was dangerous, and it was going to get more dangerous. It was unreasonable to take the boy in; he wasn't a puppy. But at the same time, leaving him out was inviting Scavs.

How the fuck did you survive this long, kid?

"Patch him up, doctor."

"Mr. Blackwell, the coverage doesn’t include old injuries."

"Yeah, go ahead. Prepare for the surgery." Cypher waved and reclined back.

The doctor left soon after. Cypher stayed in the bed for some time, waiting for Lucas to stir and wake up a little. Eventually, when the boy did stir, Cypher got up and woke him up. He explained everything, about the injury and about the surgery.

As expected, Lucas just nodded. When Cypher said he would return the next morning, Lucas again nodded. Most children would cry when left alone at a hospital. Some would panic. But Lucas didn't show any fear or worry.

Maybe the hospital felt far safer and more comforting than where Lucas had lived those past few years. The kid was just nine, and already grown up.

"Don't worry. If you need something, just call my name, and I'll answer."

"How?" Lucas asked.

"Magic." Cypher waved his hands dramatically and walked away, "Good night."

After paying for Lucas' surgery, filing the forms, and claiming himself as the guardian, he left the hospital. One of Delamain's taxis was waiting for him there, and it took him to Judy's apartment.

He walked into the dim apartment and lazily slid his suit jacket off, letting it fall to the floor. He loosened his tie and threw it away. He kicked off his shoes, then socks, and walked into Judy's bedroom. He didn't bother taking off his pants and shirt, and just lay down beside her.

"Took longer than I expected."

As expected, Judy wasn't asleep. If anything, as he tried to spoon her from behind, she turned to face him, staring at his face. He really was tired that night.

"Is he alright?"

Cypher explained everything. Judy was an emotional woman and showed a hint of sadness through her eyes. But then she hugged him and unexpectedly pecked his forehead.

"All that tough gonk exterior, but deep down you're a real softie. Pulling all this for one little kid?"

He smiled and pushed an arm under her neck, drawing her closer. "He ain't just some kid. Yeah, the city's crawling with homeless kids, I get that. But Lucas? Only one I’ve seen with chrome. Arm and a leg... kid’s not gonna make it long out there, Judy. Scavs'll snatch him up, or he'll go out dumb trying to run with some gang."

That was Atlas's evaluation of Lucas's future.

"Yeah, total softie," Judy whispered right in his face. "Ditching those addictions really did you wonders."

“Way more than that, Jude,” Cypher muttered and tried to close his eyes to sleep. “I’m sleeping. I'll figure it out in the morning.”

"It is already morning."

"Yeah, yeah. Hush now."

No more words. Judy shifted a little lower and squeezed into his chest, her face under Cypher's jaw, against his neck. As one of his knees was snugly pushed between her nude legs, she hugged him back harder.

Sure, they both understood their friendship was weird. But moments like these made all the weird things more than tolerable.

####

Cypher dreamt of clouds, soft and fluffy. But this time, they were raining. He was drenched like crazy, from head to toe. Soft still, but annoyingly hot and drenched.

Bam!

And then the damn clouds started to shake.

Bam!

And then his eyes shot open, only to realize it was his bed shaking. And it wasn’t because of an earthquake. The first thing he felt was air on his body. He looked down, and he was completely naked, not even the quilt was covering him.

“Huh? Didn’t I sleep…”

[You were sweating profusely, so Judy took your clothes off.]

“Such a sweet woman.”

Cypher smiled and finally looked at the source of his earthquake. Standing beside his bed, arms crossed under her bust, eyes narrow, face scrunched as if asking him to punch it. He didn’t know why, but the woman didn’t like him.

“Judy’s calling you for breakfast.”

He stared at her face, at the weird fur-cloak she wore, at the deep-cut silver short dress, and those red latex stocking-boots that reached the top of her thigh. And then her blue hair.

He didn’t get Evelyn Parker. From the look of it, he didn’t find her hot, not even close to Judy’s level.

Maybe she got some special technique.

But then he remembered that she was a doll, not a joytoy. Her job was to be a puppet that moved according to software calibrated to the individual client’s needs. What the client would do in the session, she wouldn’t even remember afterwards.

I doubt it’s a technique then. Tight pussy? Maybe.

“Hmm…” Evelyn stared back at him, leaning on one side of her heels. “Nice cock.”

Cypher looked down. It really was throbbing hard, the morning wood at full mast. But he didn’t cover it.

“Thanks. Grew it myself.”

“Snrk!” Evelyn almost snorted with laughter before walking away. “Funny.”

Cypher watched her walk away, his eyes on her hips.

“Well, at least she’s got a nice ass.”

[And you call me horny.]

"Well, I've got a cock, so it's natural. You don't, so you're more horny."

[Such reasoning skills. Your enemies should shudder in laughter.]

"Man, fuck you. My gun and driving skills are legendary. My enemies are dead."

[And you were addicted to BDs and glitter.]

"Nobody's perfect."

[I am.]

"We call that arrogance in human terms."

[I can back it up.]

Done with his morning banter, chuckling, Cypher jumped out of bed and put on his joggers. Choosing not to wear his t-shirt, he walked out into the kitchen area and sat down on a high seat by the counter.

Judy whistled at him right then. “Someone’s working out.”

Cypher looked down at noticeable improvements on his body. He was as thin as a stick a few weeks ago. Now, there was something. Far from where he wanted to be, but there was improvement.

“Yeah, had to. I was weak as hell. Needed some juice so I don’t end up crawling back to glitter,” Cypher said and grabbed himself a bowl of whatever trash cereal it was. “You heading out?”

“Yeah. Helping Ev with a BD,” Judy said. She was already dressed and ready for work. “You?”

“Gonna check up on the kid.”

“You’re taking him in?” Judy asked.

Cypher didn’t have an answer for that. He just shrugged. “Don’t know.”

For a while, Judy didn’t look away. She stared at him as if she had something to say, but in the end, she didn’t say it. She threw her bowl in the sink and grabbed her bag.

“Hey, hold up!” Cypher yelled before the two left. “Two weeks from today. It’s gonna be the grand opening of Club Atlantis. You better drag your ass there, no excuses. And you too, Evelyn.”

This is fun! Indeed, a gold digger.

Cypher loved it as Evelyn’s eyes widened in real time. She stared at him like a fool.

“You? You’re opening a club?”

“Let’s go.” Judy didn’t wait and dragged Evelyn away. “I’ll explain.”

Cypher remained in his seat smugly eating trash and hating it, but having to because the body needed it.

After eating, he stretched his arms and did some quick push-ups to scare away any sleep remaining. “Get ready, Atlas. Lots to do today. Check up on the kid, then inspect the club and the building, and then buy supplies for the itch.”

Atlas’ human avatar formed nearby, lavishly seated on Judy’s couch, legs crossed. This time, his voice came from nearby speakers in the house.

“There is a more significant concern at hand, Cypher. Gloria Martinez has been caught.”

“Huh? What do you mean by caught?” Cypher attentively stood up.

“An NCPD unit is already on its way to detain her for misappropriating REO Meatwagon property. In precisely ten minutes, they will arrive at her door. She is at home with her son. They are arguing about you. Her son wants to meet you, but Gloria Martinez is refusing.”

“...”

"Why the fuck am I getting pulled into this?"

“That matters not. The arrest of Gloria Martinez is imminent. Unles—”

“Nah, leave it.” Cypher cut Atlas off. “She brought this on herself. You caught her, didn’t you? She held back on the chrome and kept hustling the high-end stuff behind my back. That’s on her. Let it ride. Maybe it’ll knock some sense into her.”

“That is wise. However, the matter at hand is her arrest. Gloria Martinez will comply quietly with the NCPD. Her son, on the other hand, lacks restraint. He is immature and impulsive. He will shout your name to the NCPD without hesitation. The probability of this occurring stands at eight out of ten.”

“Yeah, well, fuck me, I guess.” Cypher huffed, leaning back on the kitchen counter. “I can imagine that. He probably has a neural link, no? Can you stop him?”

“I can, and I will, Cypher. Your name is not something to be spoken so freely.”

“In that case.” Cypher shrugged and walked away. “I hope David doesn’t get himself a migraine. I’m gonna go check up on Lucas.”

“I will keep you informed as things progress. Would you like me to assign her legal counsel, or should she remain in custody? I have accounted for either outcome.”

Cypher gave a slow nod as he fastened his tie. “Yeah, get the most expensive lawyer in the whole damn city. And I mean stupidly expensive. Make her owe me big time. I warned her not to screw me over, and she still went and did it. This is gonna be her life lesson.”

“It will be done, Cypher.”

________________

A/N: Cypher X Gloria NSFW artwork is in the works. No, it won't be him blackma*ling her. Cypher isn't evil. He's just a gonk.