"Find me?!"
David blinked in surprise and pointed at himself. "Rebecca, what do you want to see me for?"
The fiery young woman's expression shifted slightly before she shrugged it off with a careless look. "Do I need a reason? You promised to buy me a drink last time. Don't think I forgot—you still owe me one!"
Leaning forward, she pressed her cheek against the bar's cool surface, looking up at him with wide eyes like a pleading kitten. "Don't tell me you're trying to back out of it now?"
David chuckled, shaking his head as he reached for a shaker. This girl... probably just came here because she wanted a free drink.
"Alright, alright, I'll keep my word. One drink coming up."
"Hell yeah!" Rebecca clenched her fists excitedly and let out a small cheer, earning a few amused glances from nearby patrons.
She turned her head and noticed Jack staring at her with a grin, which immediately wiped the smile off her face.
"Hey, big guy, what are you looking at?" she snapped.
"Uh… hahaha, nothing, nothing at all!" Jack raised his hands defensively. "It's just the first time I've seen a kid like you stroll into Afterlife for drinks. Pretty gutsy, I gotta say."
"Who are you calling a kid?!" Rebecca shot back, narrowing her eyes. "You're Jack, right? David mentioned you before. Honestly, I'm surprised a big lug like you made it onto his crew. I mean, you look like you'd slow him down."
"Hey, watch it, pequeña!" Jack huffed, straightening up in his seat. "I've been running jobs in Heywood longer than you've been alive. Slow me down? You've got some nerve, chica!"
"Hmph! I heard you're supposed to be the team's gunner. Perfect—I'm a shooter too. How about a little competition? Let's see who's got the better aim."
Jack rolled up his sleeves with a grin. "You're on! I'm not about to lose to some pint-sized wannabe!"
"Alright, you two, knock it off before you break something," David interrupted, shaking his head with a sigh.
He had a feeling Rebecca still held a grudge from the time Jack teased her brother Pilar. Now that she had the chance, she wasn't about to let Jack off easy.
"Here you go, Rebecca—your drink's ready."
David slid the glass across the bar, the amber liquid catching the dim neon lights.
"Thanks!" she replied sweetly, her fiery attitude vanishing in an instant.
Taking a big sip, she let out a satisfied sigh and gave an exaggerated shiver. "Ah! That's the stuff! It's delicious!"
David and Jack exchanged a look and shook their heads, both silently thinking the same thing: This girl's got the energy of a kid in a candy store.
After a moment of peace, Rebecca set down her glass and leaned toward David with a curious gleam in her eyes.
"Hey, David... is it true what they're saying? That you took out one of the Tiger Claws' top execs last night?"
David raised an eyebrow, surprised the news had spread so quickly. Before he could respond, Jack jumped in with a proud grin.
"Of course, it's true! You should've seen it—quick, clean, and badass as hell!"
"Yeah? Well, you didn't do it, so what are you bragging for?" Rebecca shot back without missing a beat.
Jack blinked, momentarily thrown off, while Rebecca turned her attention back to David.
"So? How'd you pull it off? Some kinda secret Eastern magic? Or is it high-end cyberware?"
David chuckled, shaking his head. "No magic, just skill and a solid plan. Jotaro had it coming."
"Yeah, but still, taking out a Tiger Claw exec right on their turf? Most mercs wouldn't even dare." She took another sip of her drink, eyes gleaming with excitement. "You don't know how much buzz you've stirred up. My brother said all the mercs at his bar were talking about it—and none of them believed it was real."
"Hah! Shows what they know," Jack cut in again, only to earn another glare from Rebecca.
"Ugh, you again? What, are you his hype man or something?"
"Hey! I'm just backing up my crew!" Jack shot back, throwing an arm around David's shoulders. "This guy's the real deal. Besides, you're practically fishing for trade secrets here—if you're that curious, why not join our crew and see for yourself?"
"As your sidekick? Keep dreaming, big guy!" Rebecca scoffed. "If anything, you should join our crew. Maybe then you'd learn a thing or two from me and Maine!"
"Ha! Learn from you? Don't make me laugh! Why don't you head down to Heywood and ask around about Jack Wells—I've got a reputation!"
"Oh yeah? Why don't you swing by Longshore North in Watson and see if anyone knows the name Rebecca, best shooter in Maine's crew?"
As the two of them launched into another round of bickering, David could only rub his temples with a sigh.
Why do I always end up babysitting these two?
Beep—!
Jack's communicator implant buzzed, interrupting their argument.
"Hold that thought, pequeña," he said, holding up a finger as he answered the call.
"Yo, V! What's up, chica?"
David's ears perked up slightly at the mention of V.
"What? You're off work already? Nice! Yeah, I'm at Afterlife—come on over! I'll meet you at the door."
Ending the call, Jack stood up with a grin. "Hey, David—V's on her way! Be right back."
"Sure thing," David replied, watching as Jack made his way toward the entrance.
As soon as Jack was gone, Rebecca leaned closer, her voice low and conspiratorial.
"Seriously, David… you sure you don't wanna trade him out for someone else? He seems kinda, y'know… unreliable."
David chuckled softly. "Jack's a good guy. Maybe a bit loud, but when it counts, he's solid."
Rebecca huffed, clearly unconvinced.
The bar's entrance slid open with a hiss of hydraulics, and Jack stepped inside, leading a woman who immediately turned heads as she entered.
Her long black hair framed sharp, striking features that hinted at Asian ancestry. She moved with a calm, confident stride, exuding the composed air of a corpo while still carrying the unmistakable edge of someone who knew their way around the streets.
Dressed in sleek office wear that clung to her curves in all the right places, she balanced the refined elegance of Arasaka's corporate elite with the hardened poise of a woman who'd survived Night City's harshest lessons.
David found himself momentarily speechless.
This is… V?
"Hey, David!" Jack called with a grin, motioning toward the woman beside him. "Meet V—the one I've been telling you about!"
David quickly collected himself, standing up and offering a hand.
"David. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," V replied with a cool nod, her handshake firm and confident. "Jack's been hyping you up lately. Something about you making waves in Kabuki?"
David gave a modest shrug. "Just a job."
"Yeah? Well, word's traveling fast. Half the mercs in Watson are talking about it." V's dark eyes studied him intently, as if assessing his worth in a single glance.
"Jack says you're looking to build a solid crew. That true?"
"Something like that," David replied carefully.
"Well, if you're half as good as the rumors say… maybe we should talk."
Her words were casual, but there was a spark of interest in her gaze that David couldn't miss.
Before he could respond, Rebecca suddenly stepped between them, looking V up and down with a frown.
"Hey, hold on—who's she supposed to be? You're not seriously thinking of letting some corpo into your crew, are you?"
V raised an eyebrow. "And who's this? Your kid sister?"
Rebecca's eyes flashed with fury. "What did you just call me?!"
"Relax, pequeña," Jack chuckled. "V's cool—trust me."
"Yeah? Well, I don't trust corpos. They always come with strings attached."
"Easy, Rebecca," David said calmly. "Let's not jump to conclusions."
"Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms with a huff. "But don't come crying to me when she stabs you in the back."
V smirked faintly but didn't bother responding. Instead, she met David's gaze and tilted her head slightly toward the bar.
"Mind if we sit? I could use a drink."
David hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Sure. Let's talk."
As they moved toward the bar, David couldn't shake the feeling that tonight marked a turning point.
With Jack's loud laughter, Rebecca's fiery glare, and V's piercing gaze all converging around him, one thing was clear—
His crew was about to get a whole lot more interesting.
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