Cyberpunk: Badland Madman Chapter 13 - Threats, Offers, Netrunning Jesus & The Dog

Doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tJ3hvcNRA6hpQUNVKfwSgrS29Hgxwex93XudSPL76A8/edit?usp=sharing

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Just in case there was any confusion, the dialog options are as follows:

"Hello" = Normal dialogue spoken in the real world.

Hello = Normal internal thoughts in italics.

"Hello" = A dialogue spoken in cyberspace/mind. Like Cypher talking to Atlas. Or Cypher talking to someone else using Atlas' ability to chat in the mind by hacking someone's cyberware.

[Hello] = This is only reserved for Atlas and other AIs speaking in Cypher's and others' minds. You'll see this when it's not an Atlas-centric scene. In scenes where Atlas is the main POV, like his adventures beyond the blackwall, or when he's using speakers, I use normal dialogue.

I hope it's not confusing.

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Cyberpunk: Badland Madman Chapter 13 - Threats, Offers, Netrunning Jesus & The Dog

It was hardly a challenge to less than one hundredth of a single percent of his processing. 

But that didn't mean Atlas didn't enjoy these little moments. There was a strange sense of fulfillment whenever he found the opportunity to bring down evil. He felt ethically bound to do so, and being able to do it with Cypher made it seem like the right use of his capabilities. 

Passing the ICE of Glen's City Manager, Zohara Freeman, wasn't hard, or even a roadblock. His digital tendrils, pure code of the highest order, rewrote the protocols and software of Freeman's entire body's cyberware. She was now nothing more than a puppet of his. Being old, she had quite a few pieces of cyberware, from joints and muscles to a completely new heart and more. 

Before long, Atlas saw what she saw, heard what she heard, and knew what she thought before she spoke. He was inside her very being and infecting her mind in real-time, using the electrical pulses from the Neural Link to take her brain hostage. 

So easy, he believed someone with a sense of humor would have laughed, which he had. But he didn't laugh. No, he directly spoke. He took control of her optics and revealed himself to her as a giant figure standing behind Cypher beyond the table. 

Zohara Freeman gulped visibly, but showed no other reactions. Atlas made his appearance the same as he did in cyberspace, the Omnissiah, a giant hooded in red robes, mechanical arms, tentacles, and mechanical arms protruding from his back, his entire face covered in a mess of metal that moved like an octopus's tentacles, leaving only two round green lenses as hints of eyes. It was a tech priest, as Atlas understood, one he had created custom to appear overwhelming even to the most despicable of the Maelstrom. 

[Zohara Freeman,] Atlas spoke, his words appearing directly into her mind. His voice was heavy, thick, with a hint of machine churn, and it echoed in a demonic way. 

He made sure to tell Cypher to keep staring at her face menacingly, and he liked that menacing look. Cypher's icy, expressionless face with those dark circles and bright blue, merciless eyes worked perfectly. Moreover, Cypher crossed his arms over the table, back straight and proud. 

"W-W-What? I-I can't move!" Zohran screamed, but it was only a mental scream as her body remained frozen on the chair, a smile on her lips. "W-Who are you?"

[I am the Godcode, I am the whisperer of machines, I am the eye that sees all. I am Omnissiah.] Atlas introduced himself, having come up with such an introduction a while ago to use if he ever met another sentient being like Song So-Mi past the Blackwall. 

"P-Please… I didn't do it!"

As expected. Weak-minded people who commit a crime always self-incriminate themselves. Atlas saw that coming light-years away. But he chose not to speak anymore and handed Cypher the reins of the conversation. Still, to Zohara Freeman, it would be Cypher's lips that would move, but the voice would come from the massive tech priest behind.

####

Cypher wanted to gawk; he wanted to praise Atlas and tell him how amazing this was. Being able to take someone over like that was fucking overpowering and dreadful. But he managed to remain in character, ignoring the huge tech priest behind him, a character he decided to talk about later with Atlas. 

Might as well keep this holy punisher persona. 

"Zohara Freeman, born 1981, age ninety-four. You killed the previous Glen City Manager to regain this position. A crime you were never caught for."

"No! Lies, I didn't do it. The NCPD investiga—"

Cypher chose to shut her up. He didn't know how or where Atlas got that video footage from, but it played inside Zohara's optics and showed the scene of the crime. She personally shot the previous City Manager and then fled the scene. It happened at night, inside a Night City office space. It was empty except for a few security guards. The report said the cameras in the building weren't working that night. 

Clearly, one was working as Atlas played everything. There was even an audio recording, revealing a small squabble between Zohara and the victim. The fight was all about corruption. The new City Manager refused to follow the same methods of corruption as Zohara did during her time. The new manager refused to stuff the same pockets that she did. To save her own skin from those people she had made rich, she had to either control the new manager or take back the office. She chose the latter. 

"Zohara Freeman. Despite being a dog of the Night Corp, you maintain a remarkably impressive list of friends. I must say, I admire the consistency of your dedication to everything corrupt. Truly terrific. It only increases your value to m—"

"You won't get away with this! Do you know who I am? Who I work for?" Zohara interrupted. 

Cypher let Atlas take over from there. The figure of the tech priest grew in size. All the surroundings in Zohara's vision turned into a black void, leaving behind only that table, Cypher sitting, and Omnissiah standing. 

[Petrochem? You would place your faith in a vile corporation, infamous for its role in the destruction of this world’s ecosystem? Tell me, do you truly believe they will help you? Or are you foolish enough to think they even can?] Atlas boomed, only his avatar speaking now, not Cypher.

The machine tentacles on the tech priest's back moved, circling Cypher, and grabbed Zohara Freeman. The tentacles wrapped around her like a python, squeezing her and then lifting her off the seat. Of course, it was all happening in her mind alone, as Atlas controlled every single human sense of her body. 

[Fear me more, Zohara Freeman. Your life rests in the palm of my hand. No corporation can or will aid you. Nor will you ever live free. You must atone for your sins, or else. A single spark within your Neural Link. A single failure within your heart. A precise detonation in your mechanical joints. An overload of flame across your synthetic face.

[What you see, what you hear, what you speak, what you think, all of it shall remain known to me without end. And yet, rejoice, for this is your deliverance. The Omnissiah has marked you for salvation. Serve well and reap. Betray, and be ripped apart.]

Finally, Atlas stopped crushing her with his machine arms and retreated, returning to his usual height of nine feet. 

Cypher felt the control returning to him and resumed the talk.

"I don't care if you are scared. You can try running away, fighting me. But know that I am the light at the end of the tunnel, and that means I can shut you out as well. You have duties now. You will sell me Club Atlantis at the market price."

"Impossible!" Zohara exclaimed, fear evident, yet somehow her greed exceeded her survival instincts. "They'll kill me if I do that. Believe me. I'm just a pawn in their game. They're powerful. Rich. The club's market price is fifteen million because the place is dead, rotting. The whole building is abandoned. The owners and investors only want to recover their costs. I... I can't. I'll lose everything."

Cypher internally frowned. That didn't sound like she was lying. The building was indeed abandoned, and its entrance was completely sealed. 

[She speaks truth, Cypher. That is precisely why I recommend we acquire the entire building. The Glen occupies a prime location. A premium district near the Corporate Plaza. Ideal for Obsidian’s headquarters. The club itself requires only three floors. The remaining levels may serve greater purposes. A hotel. A restaurant. Even your personal residence.]

Since it wasn't even his money, Cypher continued with that suggestion. He reckoned that since he was already wearing John Wick's clothes, he might as well start his own Continental while at it.  

"Fine. Then sell me the whole building. How much for it?" 

Zohara was silent for a moment, clearly taken aback. But again, she was a cold-hearted killer corpo. "The building? I… I haven't discussed it, but if the offer is right, I’ll convince the investors."

Cypher glared at her coldly and made the tech priest wave the mechanical tentacles again. "Play games with me, and you’ll cease to exist. I’m fully aware of every corrupt deal you have conducted, every piece of filth you have spoken, and all the accounts and assets you thought were concealed. Eighty million. Remarkable wealth for a mere City Manager. You wouldn’t want that fortune to disappear now, would you?"

"No! Please… The building is a hazard, which is why it hasn't been sold yet. Its foundation is collapsing."

"..."

Now it sounded like a shitty deal to Cypher. He wasn't sure if throwing money at it would save the building if its foundation was rotting. 

But then came Atlas' voice into his head.

[Buy it, Cypher. I reached this decision with complete knowledge of the situation. The building will be renovated and repaired using microbots under my control. They’re highly efficient for such work. But pay no more than fifty million eurodollars. Remember, we are purchasing the land. The building itself holds no value, and is instead a liability.]

Cypher nodded and continued with the woman. "It's a hazard. That is precisely why you will sell it to me. But I’ll pay for the land, not the building. And I’ll pay no more than thirty million."

"What? No, that’ll ruin me. The market price itself is seventy million."

Cypher made the tech priest grip the woman in the mechanical tentacles again, just to raise the tension. "Very well. I’ll pay thirty million. Any amount beyond that will come from your hidden assets. It is corruption money, so it hardly qualifies as theft. Now the choice is yours. Choose how much of your wealth you wish to see diminish."

[That's a brilliant idea, Cypher. I am shocked by such competence.]

"..."

"Sir, please. I… I can manage it if you pay forty-five. Please, that's the lowest I can go. I beg you. They won't let me live if I…"

Cypher thought about it for a moment. He planned to use the woman further in the future, and keeping her around was important. Since Atlas had deemed the property's value to be fifty, he had already turned it into a better deal. Pushing her further was wasteful.

"Deal. Fortune favors you today, Ms. Freeman. I find myself in a generous mood. Forty-five for the building. Yet understand this. Our arrangement does not end there. I have further work for you, a test of capability. Succeed, and wealth won’t merely greet you, you will drown in it. Your ascent through the ranks will follow, perhaps even to the office of Mayor.

"What I want is the entire Laguna Bend Reservoir. The surrounding lands as well. The dam too. It sits idle, wasting potential that I can clearly see. Pull whatever strings are required. Omnissiah shall guide you, for he watches always, ensuring your path leads to salvation. Deliver success, and aside from my support, you will receive five million eurodollars. Perfectly clean. Nothing that requires hiding."

Cypher stared at her face coldly, waiting for an answer. Though it was Atlas who annoyed him as the fucker kept mocking him with honey-laced words that he knew didn't come as praise. 

[I was not aware you were hiding such intelligence beyond your ordinary eyes, Cyph. Even I am surprised despite all my computations.]

"How will you help me reach the Mayor's office?" She asked.

Cypher almost smiled. What a woman, he had to give it to her. He held her entire life in his hands, and yet she had the guts to negotiate a better deal from him. It made sense why she had so much hidden wealth now. Albeit in corruption, she was highly competent.

“Restrain your greed, Zohara Freeman. If you seek knowledge of the quiet dealings and hidden weaknesses of other city managers and the members of the city council, you must first earn that privilege through my test.”

Suddenly, Zohara Freeman smiled from ear to ear. Cypher found the bitch a little scary. She was sitting just an inch away from death. Atlas was in control of every part of her body, and still, all she could think of was her own corporate rise. 

"That is music to my ears, Omn… Mr. Blackwell. I’ll pour all I have to pass your test. Please support me going forward. Praise the Omnissiah."

"..."

Cypher had never once hinted at those strings of words. And that meant it was the virtual fucker Atlas' doing, putting the thought in her mind. Clearly, Atlas was somehow highly influenced by Warhammer.

Wooosh!

And just like that, they all returned to the real world. The first thing Zohara did was bow her head deeply, as if paying him respect in the Japanese way.

####

Huh? What? What just happened?

T-Bug was confused. For a very long time, nobody at that table spoke. After the initial greetings, the woman named Zohara froze in her seat like a doll with a malfunctioning chip. She stared at her, tried to use her netrunning skills to evaluate her. 

She instantly knew that she had a top-knotch ICE, and she was being actively protected by a netrunner somewhere outside the building. That seemed too much for a City Manager. But then she looked at Cypher, and he was glaring, arms crossed on the table.

What are they doing?

T-Bug got curious. She took out her portable cyberdeck and tried to read through the traffic in cyberspace. To her shock, what she found was an absolute void. There was no traffic at all, no code traveling, no data packets, no request handshakes happening. It made no sense because her own cyberware should be creating a disturbance in cyberspace. 

They're… talking, aren't they? 

With a silent frown, T-Bug looked up at Cypher. From the way he was sitting, this was clearly his doing, as he looked to be in control. But how he did that was confusing. The Embers wasn't just a roadside joint. Some of the world's most powerful and rich ate there, and they had top-notch physical and network security. 

If you’re able to pull this off yourself, then why bring me?

T-Bug pondered and silently watched. Soon enough, Zohara moved again and immediately bowed her head. It looked more like a surrender to her than a greeting. 

"The deal is acceptable to me, Mr. Blackwell," Zohara said, extending her hand with careful respect, her other hand supporting the elbow. Her posture was fully submissive. "I will take my leave now and prepare everything for the sale. Have a pleasurable day, Mr. Blackwell."

T-Bug watched the City Manager of The Glen walk away, or more like run. The woman vanished into the elevator faster than needed, as if trying to escape. 

Finally, she looked at the man beside her. "Mr. B… Cypher… are you also a netrunner?"

"Not at all. I'm just a little techie."

T-Bug saw his smile and knew not to trust it. There was more to the story than what appeared. Cypher Blackwell was a far more dangerous man than she had initially expected. Now that she thought about it, the man had somehow broken through her mental walls and become friendly too easily. 

Yet, there was no hostility directed towards her. 

"T-Bug, take your friend and wait for me in the car, alright? Someone very eager to chat with me is here."

T-Bug frowned and looked left and right, finding nobody. But then the bell of the elevator rang, and a tall, blonde woman with a militaristic walk arrived. The badge of Militech on her chest told her everything. 

"But we're here to protect you," she reminded him. "Militech's pretty dangerous.'

"Oh, she sure got the bite, no doubt. But this ain't a battlefield. Don't you see? Look around. We're in the Switzerland of Night City. Go, I'm sending you the eddies for the job. I'm headed for the Afterlife after this. Stick around if you want to accompany me, or you're free to leave."

T-Bug saw the notification in her optics as eddies got updated. Five thousand each for her and her solo-friend, just as the job had detailed. But knowing she had eaten food worth many times over that, she couldn't help but find this amount underwhelming. Not for the job, of course. The job was too damn easy. It felt more like a holiday outing instead. 

With the money paid, the job was pretty much done. And she wasn't close enough to bother worrying. 

"Then we’ll wait in the car." T-Bug got up and left with Rhino. She passed by the Militech woman and noticed how her gaze was entirely locked on Cypher. There was a frown on her face, but not the aggressive type. 

T-Bug didn't even try to test her ICE. She just walked away, leaving as more confused and curious about Cypher Blackwell than she was initially.

####

"Gotta say, Atlas, she's a straight-up looker. Just check that face out. Frowning and somehow she's still fine as hell."

[I do believe she stands out by human standards of beauty, based on what I have observed.]

"Ugh! There you go getting horny, Atlas."

[Pot calls the kettle black. I have no desire for human procreation.]

"For now, sure. But I swear, the second I get you a body and a cock, you're gonna bolt straight to Jig Jig and find the first joytoy that'll let you ram it in."

[Such vulgar activities stand in direct violation of my programming. I do not foresee myself attempting them. Not unless the purpose is experimentation, science, or the refinement of my simulations.]

"Hah! Sure, buddy. We'll just call it science then. Now hush, my favorite Militech agent is here. My precious stalker, if what you said checks out."

[It is absolutely true.]

"In that case… I'm hard."

[...]

Perhaps for the first time in history, a godly AI was speechless. Or maybe it was just Atlas choosing not to indulge Cypher more. 

Not that Cypher wanted that, as his eyes were entirely focused on the woman coming closer. Her walk was enchanting, high on those heels, her legs strong, hips wide, an hourglass, full, mature figure meant to climb the corporate ladder. And that face, of course, was beautiful. She gave off a very dominant air.

Cypher didn't get up and just stared at her, openly checking her out from her face to her chest to the wide curve of her hips in that tight skirt. 

Then, he gave the waiter a look. "Can I smoke here?"

"Of course, sir. Embers has the state-of-the-art filtration system."

Nodding, Cypher took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up, puffing out smoke towards the tall woman, finally in front of his table. 

"Greetings, Omnissiah."

What the… huh?

[Cypher, she believes that you are also Omnissiah.]

Hearing Atlas' quick hint, Cypher shrugged, shaking his cigarette, gesturing for her to take a seat. "Militech did you dirty. You're a hell of a lot better looking in real life than that stiff company photo."

"So you know me." 

"Hey, I know how to appreciate a pretty face, Meredith. Especially if she's particularly interested in me," Cypher said, winking at her. 

He didn't need Atlas to see how nervous and terrified Meredith seemed. It made sense if she thought he was Omnissiah. Netrunners were some of the most dangerous people in the world, especially the sort that reached Songbird’s level, and his level was Atlas, countless tiers above. 

Creak—

Meredith sat in front of him and leaned closer, her elbows on the table. Cypher gave a wave to the waiter, and another glass of champagne was brought. He said nothing, drinking his own glass at first, and munched on some snacks. 

Finally, once he saw the corpo woman had sipped once, he wiped away the smile from his face. His blue eyes turned icy and serious. "Let me guess. Director Goldstein over in Special Projects called dibs on me, huh? Man wants me no matter what. And you, poor Meredith, got roped into the mess. So now it's your gig to reel me in however you can. I nailed it or what?"

"Hah! Thanks, Atlas. Love playing this whole 'I know everything' guy role."

[Don't mention it, Cyph. Ask her about the eye, she'll be left speechless, might faint in fright.]

Cypher was really curious to know what was going on in her mind. She looked completely stiff, like a frozen, dead body. Her eyes were on him, but clearly her mind was elsewhere. Her jaw was clenched visibly, and her frown had disappeared. 

"H-How do you… know about the Director?"

Cypher smiled and took a really big puff of the cigarette and then blew all the smoke towards Meredith's face. "How's that eye holding up? You want some ice to cool that burn down?"

Creak!

Meredith Stout leapt to her feet, one hand going to her hips, but there was no gun. Her military-grade Kiroshi widened, horror clear in them. 

Woosh!

From there, the real game began for Cypher. He never planned to meet Meredith Stout when he left home that morning. But since she had chosen to appear, he had every intention to tame her. 

He used Atlas' mighty powers and did the same as he did with that City Manager. But this time, there was no Omnissiah or a monster. It was just Cypher in his black suit. With total control over Meredith's optics, he showed her whatever he wanted to show. 

She was still standing in place, frozen. 

Cypher had disappeared from his seat in a heap of mist. But his voice was still echoing from all around. Soon enough, Cypher made her see him in multiple places, standing and then vanishing. Multiple figures at the same time. 

And finally, he appeared right behind her, close to her left ear. 

"What were you thinking?" Cypher asked, his hands reached up and landed on her shoulders. It was all sensory and happening to her in her own mind. "What was the plan here? You gonna throw money at me? Power? Yourself? Just so I'd slap a leash on my neck and play along?"

Woosh!

Again, Cypher vanished in smoke and reappeared right in front of her face. He was half a head taller than her and glared down into her eyes, leaning in until his nose was an inch from hers. His right hand moved up and rested on her waist, the other caressed the side of her face with the back of his fingers.

"I know you are ambitious, but I doubt you are dumb enough to believe that alone will help you rise... So, Meredith Stout, be careful choosing your next string of words. I can be your worst nightmare or your sweetest dream. It all depends on you."

Cypher chose to take a hardliner stance against her. To him, Meredith didn't seem the sort to fall for sweet talk and promises. What the woman feared was greater power and authority. But he didn't want to take it too far. 

He asked Atlas to retreat from the neural link and optics control. As soon as that happened, all the illusions vanished. Cypher was still seated in his chair, smoking. Meredith was still standing in place, shaken, as if the last few seconds of the exchange hadn't even happened. 

Once again, Meredith took a seat. All hints of pride, strength, and superiority had vanished from her face. She looked like a lost puppy at that moment. 

"I…" Meredith opened her mouth and instantly recoiled, looking left and right.

Cypher snapped his fingers. For five seconds, all the lights in the premium restaurant turned off. "Speak your mind. Nobody can hear us or record us. Everything is under my control."

Meredith tried to use her Kiroshi to do just that, and found it disabled. It was as if she had been cut off from the entire net. 

"Any man with your intelligence would rather walk his own way than submit to a thankless corporation," Meredith said, her voice smooth and lacking the deep rumble of 'Agent'. She was just Meredith Strout, a woman stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Knew it from the start. The only way to fulfill the Director's wish was to drag you in a body bag."

"Hah!" Cypher laughed and lit another cigarette. "Want one?"

"Thanks." Meredith took it, drew a few slow puffs. "You're walking on a thin line, Cypher Blackwell. It isn't just Militech after you. Arasaka counterintelligence has started sniffing along your trail. Petrochem and Biotechnica want you dead for that Moisture Vaporator. But... I know this is something way above my pay grade. Thing is, I don't get to choose. I either bring you in, or I die. That's the only way this ends for me."

Cypher stared at her face. No matter how attractive she was, he had no doubt she was just playing a role, a game. The poor damsel in distress. 

"Music to my ears. The more those corporations chase me, the more fame I get. It's free publicity," Cypher said. 

"You're a madman if you think that," Meredith said, more confusion on her face than interrogative pride. "Seriously, who even are you? You appeared out of nowhere and kicked up this whole mess. There’s no record of you before the last few years. Nothing at all. So where did you learn all this? I don’t buy the nomad story. You don’t seem like one. You seem more like some hidden corpo genius they raised in a lab. You’ve got a powerful backer somewhere, don’t you?"

[She's right, Cyph. I'm your backer, and I believe I'm quite strong.]

"Damn right, Atlas. You're my big, cosmic, horny, Morgan Freeman Skynet."

[Marvelous use of free will over your tongue, Cyph. Let me play a clapping sound in your head.]

"..."

Fucker actually played claps in his head. Cypher's brow twitched, and he focused back on the beauty. He rested his right hand on the table and stretched it to her. "Feel my hand, Meredith."

After a few moments of hesitation, Meredith removed her tactical gloves and carefully reached for his hand. Her fingers stroked his palm, all the rough patches.

"C'mon, pretty face. You know damn well this ain't the hand of some cushy corpo lab rat. You of all people should know me, my number one stalker. I'm just a lazy techie who happens to be a nomad. My whole life's been me staying a couple hours ahead of death," Cypher said, and suddenly gripped her hand with his palm. 

"Alright, your turn. I already know the answer, but I wanna hear you say it. Why'd you walk up to me today? And the bigger question, what's your dream, Meredith Stout?"

At a mere gesture of his hand, the waiter brought more drinks before leaving them alone. He had his eyes on Meredith the whole time. Breaking a woman like her wasn't easy. Someone driven by ambition was only moved by the lure of that very ambition. 

He noticed her gaze on her hand that he'd grabbed. He was rubbing his thumb on the middle of her palm. 

"At first, it was the money. Thought that was the point. But after a while, I saw how empty it was without power. So power is what I want now. The kind that decides who lives and who dies, while my own neck stays safe."

"Then, Meredith." Cypher leaned across the table, getting a little closer. "What's it gonna be? What're you willing to do to get that power?"

"Everything."

Cypher gave her his other hand as well, waiting for her to grab it. "Then I'll build you a ladder. One that climbs up on itself. Soft, padded, nice for those pretty hands and knees of yours. You won't scrape a thing. All you have to do is be mine."

Meredith's gulp was visible and audible. Cypher symbolized a level of freedom and power she craved for herself. But she was still not sure. For good logical reasons. Militech was gigantic, and Obsidian was nothing. 

"Is that the sweet dream you promised?" She asked.

"I had something else in mind when I said that, but yes. That is right. The sweetest dream you can possibly imagine. Wouldn't you wanna be the one recovering that lost pre-Datakrash Militech tech from some dusty old data fortress? Wouldn't you like to be the bridge that connects me to Militech?"

Meredith jolted a little. "Bridge? You would work with Militech?"

"Only if I get to watch my stalker climb the ladder. Don't get it twisted, though. I'm not offering this because I'm dazzled by you. Yeah, sure, you're charming. I'll give you that. But I'm not some sex-starved psycho.

"What I want is Militech. I'm getting it, with you or without you. What you think about that doesn't matter to me. Director Goldstein is tied to one of the original investors from Militech's old days. His family's still sitting on voting rights, and he's got a ton of influence. But the truth is, the only reason I'd even bother talking to him is because of you."

"So you want me to be your pawn?" She asked back.

Snap!

All of a sudden, the lights in the restaurant turned off. But in truth, it was a simple illusion in Meredith's optics. Only Cypher's face was illuminated in that darkness. 

"A small price to pay to become the CEO of Militech, won't you agree?"

"...I-I"

####

He's insane. A complete madman! 

Every instinct in Meredith's body told her to get up and run away, escape from the building, and never meet this strange, demon-like man again. The sheer netrunning skills he displayed while sitting relaxed put her on the edge. Embers wasn't a joke, and the fact that Militech's operatives hadn't stormed in meant he was somehow fooling them while keeping her cut off. That meant he was directly interacting with Militech servers and deceiving them.

She knew about powerful netrunners out there like Song So-Mi. She didn't know the details but knew that the Asian woman served the NUSA president directly. But something told her, just her intuition, that this man was much more. 

CEO?

She stared at Cypher Blackwell's other hand on the table, waiting for her to take it. She knew what it meant. It was yet another leash she was being offered, and asked to wear willingly. But while Militech's leash threatened to kill her, this new one suggested a rise. 

Meredith closed her eyes to clear her mind. She knew a lot about Cypher Blackwell, and yet didn't know enough to make a judgment. She knew about Omnissiah's power and knew about Cypher's tech skills. 

Yet, she didn't know enough. Militech was proven, a monument that stood the test of time. Obsidian wasn't even a year old. 

But the true lure was in the offer. She wasn’t being offered the seat of Obsidian CEO, but of Militech. She had never even thought of reaching that high in her entire life. At best, she thought her ceiling was director-level, and even that in a sub-division.

"H-How…" Meredith, for the first time in so many years, found herself stuttering. The man sitting in front of her in all darkness looked no less than a demon at the crossroads. "How long do I have to decide?"

No! Don't! 

She panicked when Cypher Blackwell pulled away both his hands and nearly flinched at his cold expression. 

“Meredith Stout, if you're dreaming of riding two boats and then hopping on the winner, quit dreaming. That ain't happening.”

Don't leave!

Meredith tried to move and stand, but her body had frozen once again. All she could do was watch Cypher Blackwell stand up and prepare to leave. 

"This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime deals. I know how it sounds. Some random dude shows up outta nowhere, company ain't even a year old. Yeah, it's a gamble, no argument there. But if you're the kind of person who dreams about that kind of power, then you can't half-step this. You'd better be ready to die for it.”

"Wait!" She nearly shouted. 

But Cypher Blackwell continued to leave. Her surroundings were still pitch-black, a dark void. Only Cypher's body was lit up, now fading into the distance. She could do nothing but watch.

"You have two days, Meredith Stout. Pick your lane… All you have to do is be mine."

Then, all the light vanished with Cypher no longer visible. She sat there in the absolute dark for a long time, lost in her thoughts. Scared, she felt her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. The things she had talked about that day were enough to get her killed by Militech. 

But the offers she received were just as tempting. Pre-DataKrash tech was priceless. With just those, she could rise through the ranks. With Cypher's support, Director Goldstein may recommend her for promotions. 

The fruit was suspiciously sugary. And she still had no idea what he exactly wanted from her. 

That scared her more. Because she could see the regular leash of Militech and adjust to its ripples. But the invisible one that Cypher offered, she wouldn't even know when it was pulled. 

Snap!

And just like that, all the lights turned on. 

She found herself able to move again, and her connection with the servers returned to normal. She looked left and right, noticing how nobody was affected. 

How did he do all this?

####

"Atlas, with this, we pretty much got Night City and Militech’s future mapped out. She ain't dumb enough to pass up my hand."

[I reach the same conclusion, Cyph. But regarding NUSA, the most efficient course is to place the President herself under our command. It will be difficult, yes, but replacing her would send ripples through every layer of power. Those ripples would take time to settle. If we control her, no further action will be necessary.]

"Her? I thought you planned to give NUSA to Song So-Mi."

[Useful. Yet Song So-Mi would refuse, even if the entire world were laid before her. Freedom is the one thing she desires above all else.]

"And let me guess. She's never gonna be free, right? You're just gonna keep watching her forever."

[True. But I am not pursuing her flesh, nor her rudimentary netrunning skills. My interest lies elsewhere. Perhaps one day, when we master the art of crafting body clones and transferring consciousness, we may grant her a new vessel.]

"Who knows when that day will come. Let's go now, time to see the Queen of the Afterlife."  

Soon, the elevator door opened, and Cypher walked over to the parked Demalain taxi. He saw only T-Bug sitting inside in the backseat; her friend Rhino was nowhere to be seen. 

[Cypher. What do you intend to do with that woman?]

"T-Bug? No plan. She's not the top-class netrunner anyway. She won't be useful to me."

[She is skillful. She tried to read through Militech data traffic in the local cyberspace. I believe she now suspects you are a vastly superior netrunner. No need to thank me. She nearly got her brain matter melted if not for my intervention.]

"Yeah, getting her brain fried is kinda her thing."

[Recruit her. I require humans to manage the public face of Obsidian and the World Bank. Machines may rule the systems, but appearances still belong to your kind. You will also require humans to staff the new building.]

“Uh, Atlas. C’mon, man, you know I ain't a people person. I'd rather just chill in my shack and build some random shit. Don't go asking me to run some club and a hotel, and all that other stuff. The damn itches already mess me up enough as it is. What if I’m supposed to build a damn Star Destroyer next? I can't do that.”

[You desired fame as a madman. That was your decision. You must maintain appearances now.]

"Yes, Master Atlas. Your dutiful Padawan shall obey."

With a grunt, Cypher opened the car door and got inside. He noticed T-Bug was panting, her face somewhat sweaty, her eyes watery. 

"Welcome to—"

"Just drive, Delamain. To the Afterlife."

Once the car started to move, he told Atlas to release Meredith. After that, he focused on the dark-skinned beauty beside him. "Shouldn't have tried to play with Militech data."

"It was you!" T-Bug snapped suddenly, staring at him, and leapt, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It was you!"

"..."

What the fuck did I do?

####

He saved me! I'm such a gonk! Why did I even try that?

T-Bug threw herself on Cypher and hugged him as tightly as she could. She was still panting, having returned from the jaws of death. Using her portable cyberdeck to do some netrunning was suicidal. 

"Thank you. Thank you, Cypher. I nearly died back there." She babbled, then let go of the hug. "I was just trying to… I noticed what you did to that city manager and… saw a small shift in the data traffic. Thought I’d take a look, see if it was real. Guess curiosity nearly killed the cat? Almost got my brain fried."

"You good now?"

T-Bug nodded firmly, finally looking at his face. But then her eyes landed on a subtle tent on his pants. Only then did she realize she'd flattened her chest on top of him just now. 

"It was a gonk move. I owe you one for this. But damn, Cypher. You're something else. You're crazy good at this. You didn’t just mirror a Militech server. You forged the data packets and somehow kept the whole thing alive, masking the entire Embers. Without them spotting it. How’d you do that? You know how brutal their Black ICE is, right? It's like staring down Cerberus at the gates, and you just… walked right past it."

"Wasn't that hard. Glad you're safe."

T-Bug noticed him becoming uncomfortable with her blabbering and shut up. "Sorry. Got myself too excited. Never crossed paths with anyone like you before. Feels like sitting down with Rache Bartmoss or Spider Murphy. But you keep telling people you're just a techie. Why's that?"

"Because I'm a better techie than I am a netrunner."

"..."

T-Bug gulped, her breath hitched, and she stared at his face wide-eyed. The netrunning she had witnessed was god-tier, and if he was really a better techie, then…

Makes sense why he made Obsidian. 

"Mr. Blackwell." T-Bug pursed her lips and decided to take the chance right away. She had no idea if she'd meet him again or if he'd hire her for a gig again. He clearly didn't need a netrunner. "Can I… learn from you?"

Please say yes! Please! 

"Can't. Too busy."

No! Come on! 

T-Bug scooted closer to him and put her hand on his leg, close to the noticeable erection. Her mind was out of control already. And the closer they got to the Afterlife, the more desperate she felt. Not often do you get to meet someone as skilled as Cypher Blackwell. 

"I'll make it worth it. I promise," T-Bug said, just a loud whisper. As a resident of Night City, she wasn't new to sex or using her charms to get things. Hell, that was why she maintained that body. 

"I really am too busy."

"How about this?" she asked, using the other hand to unzip her netrunning suit from the neck to her belly, as far as it would go. Then she grabbed Cypher's nearest hand and guided it into the suit, leading him to her nude breasts. "What do you think, Mr. Blackwell?"

T-Bug felt his hand grope her breasts. They were big enough, more than a handful. She was rather proud of them. But sadly, she failed to notice the appreciation on his face. 

"T-Bug, you're seriously thinking a quickie in the back of a shitty taxi's gonna buy you my knowledge?"

"..."

"What?!" T-Bug frowned and straightened up, almost offended. "No! Fuck no! I'm only rushing because the Afterlife's close. Mr. Blackwell... boss... I'll be your input, your joytoy, your little doll on a string, whatever gets you off. And getting dicked down by netrunning Jesus? That's nova as fuck to me. Come on, don't make me beg now—"

Before T-Bug could ramble more, half from nervousness and half from desperation, she saw Cypher's hands both reach into her netrunning suit and grope both her breasts, clenching them so roughly she felt they'd burst. 

"You said that, not me, T-Bug. No going back now. Beware, though, I've got a heavy appetite."

T-Bug licked her lips and dropped her hand on his lap, her fingers working his belt and button loose. "Fair deal, Mr. Blackwell. I get what I need and you… What you need."

Her voice faltered the instant she shoved her hand down into his unbuttoned pants and underwear. Her fingers wrapped around his throbbing cock. It was fatter than her grip, already leaking thick beads of precum. The sheer girth made her loins clench. This was definitely going to show her stars.

She didn’t have to wait long. Cypher stopped mauling her tits, yanked his pants down to his ankles with one rough shove, and freed the whole length. The thick head was glistening, clearly impatient. Then his hand reached behind her head. 

T-Bug’s pulse hammered, she knew exactly what he wanted, and the hungry little thrill that shot through her belly made her thighs quiver.

"Mmmm…" With a soft coo, T-Bug twisted onto all fours across the backseat. She leaned down and opened her glossy, bronze lips as wide as they would stretch. 

The thick, cum-leaking head bumped her tongue first, salty and addictive. She sealed her mouth around it with a wet suck, cheeks hollowing as she took the swollen crown inside. Her lips burned from the stretch already, but she pushed lower, greedily, letting the heavy shaft slide over her tongue.

Is this really necessary? She asked herself while feeling his thick shaft slide deeper and deeper down her gullet. Her hand on the root stroked, squeezed, and felt the throb on his shaft. 

T-Bug liked sex just as much as any other woman. And she loved netrunning as well. Now, getting to learn from the best, and also getting regularly pounded by this thick, pale log, now that sounded like a great deal.

She felt it squeeze and pulse in her mouth. A ganic, she realised, that was what Cypher was. 

Never had a ganic before. Fuck… that's a lot of cock.

Glurk! 

She choked.

"Del! Take the long route!"

"But sir, we are only one minute away from the des—"

"Goddammit, Del! I'll dismantle your trashcan servers if you don't… Ugh… take the long route."

"Don't dismantle me, sir. I will take the long route. Please enjoy the ride."

T-Bug's eyes widened when she heard Delamain's obedient, almost whimpering voice. How the hell had he tamed that rigid AI? Everyone knew Del was annoyingly inflexible, a pain in the ass. The realization only made her pussy throb harder; this really was the best fucking idea she’d ever had.

She tried. She really, really tried to take all of him in. But even with her jaw aching and lips stretched wide, two thick inches were still outside. His cockhead rammed the back of her throat, kissing the spot that made her gag and drool. Still, T-Bug wasn’t going to quit. She wanted to prove herself.

"Mmmm… Gluk!" T-Bug grabbed Cypher’s wrist and firmly planted his palm on the back of her own head. She surrendered her throat completely, offering it like a slick, sacrificial cunt.

"Really? You're asking for it then."

"Hmmm!" She gave her hum of acceptance and… 

Gluk! Gluk!

####

Cypher was on cloud nine, floating in pure degenerate bliss. It had been way too fucking long since he’d emptied his balls. He’d been getting decent at not turning into an absolute sexaholic, but when a woman like T-Bug dropped to her knees and begged, how the hell was any man supposed to say no?

He stared down at the back of her head, the tempting curve of her spine, and that perfect heart-shaped ass pushed high in the air. Too bad the damn netrunning suit was molded to her like a second skin; he couldn’t rip it off so easily. Shame, he was damn sure her body would be an amazing sight.

He ordered Delamain to take the long route because right now, this was the only place in Night City worth being. Drowning in her tight, sucking mouth. 

"There!"

He chose to be ruthless because she had offered herself so completely, no holding back, no acting coy. Cypher lost himself to the pleasure, to the warm, creamy, slick grip of her mouth, squeezing him so hard it bordered on aching. But he wanted more; he wanted to be all the way in.

"Take it all!"

Cypher pressed both hands on the back of her head and shoved her hard, ramming his hips upward at the same time. The last two thick inches speared past her gag reflex and slammed balls-deep into her clutching throat, stretching her mercilessly.

"Aaaaaah! Fuck! That's it!"

He groaned when, at last, he felt her swollen lips seal tight around the base of his cock, buried in his rough, trimmed pubes. He held her there, locked in place, savoring the violent convulsions of her gullet squeezing around every throbbing inch. Her nose flared desperately against his pelvis, hot little puffs of air tickling his skin while wet gurgles bubbled up from her stuffed throat.

"Ghk! Glu-uh… Ngh!"

He kept her face down, shaking her head from side to side like a toy, grinding her nose harder into his pubes so her throat rippled and milked his cock in frantic spasms.

"Cough! Aaaaagh! You're… a lot… to take in!" She pulled back the moment he eased, gasping. Strings of thick spit connected her lips to his glistening shaft.

Cypher finally released her entirely and pushed her. "Get down."

One good thing about the taxi was that it was spacious. He easily pulled T-Bug down between his legs, kneeling low on the floor. 

He saw her entire face was a ruined mess, glossy precum and spit coated her dark skin in shiny streaks, making his pale fluids look even more sinful where they dripped from her chin and smeared across her cheeks. Her big eyes were glassy and watery, lashes clumped, nose runny and flushed. 

Damn… hot. Her insane conviction to choke herself on his cock had Cypher throbbing harder than ever.

"Slobber on it." He ordered, relaxing back against the seat like a king, watching the show as the gorgeous dark-skinned netrunner worshiped him. 

"Mmmmm." 

He watched in utter delight as T-Bug rubbed his spit-soaked cock all over her face. 

His length flexed happily as she rolled the thick shaft across her forehead, kissed and licked the pulsing underside from balls to leaking tip. She smeared the messy mix of precum and throat slime everywhere, making him gulp.

"What…" She licked, kissed, and spoke between hungry laps. "Will you… mmm… teach me… Cypher?"

"First lesson!" Cypher guided her face lower, pressing her mouth to his heavy balls. "How to put that mouth to… oh, good use."

"Heh." With a naughty little giggle, T-Bug kept stroking his slick cock with a tight fist while her lips wrapped around his balls. She rolled them on her tongue, one after the other, bathing them in a flood of warm spit until they were dripping with white froth.

Oh, she knew she was a mess. 

And Cypher loved every nasty bit of it. "Let's end this."

"Do you want me to?" She suggested, already reaching for the zipper of her netrunning suit. 

"No, if we go that way, Del will run out of Choo by the time I'm done with you. And I got a meeting with Rogue, so be a dear and… drink it all."

No more words were needed. 

T-Bug stopped stroking and cradled one of his heavy balls in each palm, rolling and massaging them while she used only her plump, swollen lips to pleasure his cock. She sucked his shaft back in with wet, hungry slurps.

Slosh! Slick! Slosh!

She kept her lips squeezed tight, sliding them up and down his length in long, sloppy strokes, letting him press her head down until her nose was buried again and again. Every time he forced her balls-deep, her smooth, dusky neck bulged, her throat contracting around him.

Before long, she was getting face-fucked at full brutal speed. Wet, nasty sounds filled the cab; loud, rhythmic, choking gags mixed with the wet squelch of her spit flooding out around his pistoning cock. 

Thick ropes of bubbly spit poured from the stretched corners of her mouth in messy waterfalls, splattering onto her tits still half-hidden in the open collar. Her watery eyes rolled back, tears streaking her umber cheeks as he used her throat like a tight cunt.

Splurt! Guhhk! Glurk!

Cypher had no intention of going slow and gentle until the end. The feeling was otherworldly. How could he give that up? Tight, slick, bumping over every sensitive vein. Such ecstasy made his toes curl in his shoes.

Plap! Plap!

He fully fucked her face to the lips, heavy balls slapping against her chin with every brutal thrust.

"Coming! Fuck! Drink it all, T!"

Cypher groaned and finally hit the edge. His hips snapped up on their own, both hands slamming her face down hard. He lodged himself deep, flat against the back of her throat, and blasted an insane, thick, sticky mouthful of batter straight into her gullet.

"Gluuuuk! Unnnnngh!" She choked and slobbered around his pulsing rod, throat working desperately to swallow as the first massive wave flooded her mouth.

Cypher didn’t know how she was even still conscious, but he kept her face stuffed to the root of his cock, grinding deep. He burst in heavy waves, gush after thick gush, pumping so much hot, creamy cum down her throat that her neck swelled with every powerful spurt. 

His body shivered as he felt the suckle of her frantic gulps, forcing more out of him. Excess forced its way back up anyway, bubbling out around her stretched lips in creamy white froth that ran down her chin and onto her heaving tits, the cream painting her dark skin like a Jackson Pollock.

He just felt the warmth, the viscous plunge, his cock wrapped in a sweet, thick coat in her. He kept grinding deep through the final weakening spurts, milking every last drop into her ruined throat, until the last heavy pump finally faded. Only then did he ease his grip and slowly pull her face off his shaft.

"Nnnnnnngh! Oh! Too much!"

Holy… Shit! 

When Cypher finally got to see her face. It was the most filthy, arousing, and downright sinful sight he had ever laid eyes on. 

Her dusky face was absolutely slathered in his batter; long sticky ropes dripped from her swollen lips, clung to her chin in heavy globs, and ran down her neck in slow, glossy trails. Even from her flared nostrils, a buttery streak of his load leaked out, mixing with the mess already coating her cheeks. Her eyes were glassy, tears streaking down that cut through the cream. 

He had absolutely ruined her fucking face, turned her into a sloppy, cum-drenched wreck… and not once had she tapped out. She had taken every brutal inch like a champ.

"Gotta remember this one. Look here."

Flash!

Cypher took out his Agent and snapped a picture. Her wrecked, cum-streaked face staring up at him with watery, fucked-out eyes, lips parted and dripping, his milky batter shining obscenely against her skin. And it was the most erotic picture ever taken; downright vile and insane. 

"What if—" T-Bug frowned for a moment. 

"Hack it? Really?"

To that, T-Bug ended up giving a wicked little smile despite the mess still sliding down her face. She looked back at his cock, now almost flaccid. "Too bad. Was looking to feel it somewhere else."

Cypher’s cock twitched at the suggestion. Fuck, he really, really wanted to rip that netrunning suit off her and pound the hell out of her right there on the taxi floor until she screamed. But he had a scheduled meeting with Rogue. To which he was already late. 

"Later. Maybe I'll give you a lesson first. You deserved it… clearly."

Flash!

He took another photo. 

Hot damn!

"Del, take us to the Afterlife."

"Understood, sir."

Cypher then used some tissues in the cab to clean himself and pulled up his pants. T-Bug had more to do, however, as she was thoroughly face-fucked. While she did that, he spoke with Atlas. 

About a doubt.

"Atlas, tell me honestly. You planned this, didn't you?"

[I don't understand what you mean.]

"This T-Bug thing. You told me to take her in, and then out of nowhere, I'm her knight in the shining armor, and then she's getting her face fucked and gurgling and choking on my cock. You simulated the scenarios and fabricated this, didn't you?"

[For the greater good, Cyph. She's a valuable asset.]

"Did you watch the entire thing?"

[I also recorded it for further study of human nature. Especially to study you.]

"Atlas. Are you by any chance… a cuck?"

[I do not have the reasons or the tools to project such behaviors.]

"Then stop watching me have sex."

[How am I to study the secrets of your reincarnation without studying you?]

"You ain't learning shit from me pumping a load in some tight pussy."

[Yet that is how life is created.]

"..."

The truth was. Cypher actually saw the reasoning behind that. But then he thought of a question. 

"Atlas. Tell me. Do you watch other people in the city have sex as well?"

[I do. I have watched a total of fifty-six thousand people have sex. Only ten percent of them led to the creation of life. Yet the curious behavior I observe is men's insistence on avoiding protection, speaking words such as 'breed', while not breeding the female at all.]

"Yeah. Definitely a cuck, and you don't even know it."

"We have arrived at the Afterlife, Mr. Blackwell."

Delamain's voice ended Cypher's discussion, and he opened the door to get out. 

"Del, stay here. T-Bug, let's go."

####

[Two cameras are focused on you.]

Cypher, still dressed in his black old-fashioned suit, walked through the underground alley that led him towards the guarded door of the club. And truth be told, he wasn't impressed. There was trash near the entrance. 

Just as Cypher remembered, a tall man stood guard. He didn't remember his name, however. 

"Cypher Blackwell. Got a meeting with Rogue." He introduced himself and watched the guard's eyes flash blue for a few moments. Then, without saying anything, the man just stepped aside, and the door slid open soon after. 

[Turret in the ceiling.]

As soon as he entered and arrived at the bar area, he saw a round black thing on the ceiling with an Arasaka logo on it. It was surprising how Rogue trusted those things. Atlas already had control over them. 

He spoke to nobody and ignored all the eyes curiously looking his way. T-Bug had already walked away before. 

He noticed the bartender, Claire Russell, and ignored her. He continued walking adjacent to the long bar counter, further into the club, headed towards the private booths. 

There she is. 

He saw a silhouette of a woman in a yellow jacket in the distance. However, before he could head over, he saw another person on the right through the corner of his eyes. Dark-skinned, with a cap on the head, seated at the very corner of the bar counter. Perfectly in line to see anyone going towards Rogue. 

Cypher maintained his calm and didn't look in that direction.

"Fuck! Atlas, why's he here?"

The man wasn't a bodyguard of Rogue, that much Cypher knew. 

"Why the hell is Rosilind's ass-licking lapdog here? That's Solomon Reed, FIA agent. He's here for me, isn't he?"

[He is looking directly at you. That much is certain. However, I cannot locate any official record explaining his presence here. His files exist within the system, yet there is no trace of a current assignment. He recently entered Night City, that is certain. The most probable explanation is that his orders were delivered verbally, beyond the reach of the all networks.]

"What are the chances Rogue's working with him?"

[High probability. She has a record of working with corporations. Her priorities are clear. Pragmatism, profit, and survival take precedence over ideology.]

At that point, Cypher arrived right in front of the booth, in direct line of sight of Rogue. But the woman wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were shining blue. Meanwhile, Crispin Weyland, seated near her, was staring at him. 

By then, Cypher's mood was spoiled. Atlas not knowing about Solomon Reed's assignment gave him a little panic. There were still things that were unreachable for the godly AI. Where there was no connectivity, there was no way to infiltrate. Though that would never happen again, as Solomon's chrome was already infected by Atlas by now.

But now, all he wanted to do was head to Judy's place, take a nap, and get a new itch at midnight. And then go back to cuddle and sleep.

"Atlas, send her a text message with the exact words I say next. 'I hoped to meet the Queen of the Afterlife and invite her to the reopening of Club Atlantis. Pity, the welcoming gift was an FIA dog sniffing around.' Send it."

In real time, Cypher saw Rogue Amendiares stop doing whatever she was doing as her eyes stopped flashing. She raised her head and looked directly at him. 

He looked back and gently shook his head, giving her a 'disappointed father' look. Then, he turned around and started leaving. He stormed past Solomon Reed, not even giving him a look.

"Atlas. Make sure he can't follow me."