A Game of Power and Influence
Evelin's stunned expression lingered in the air.
David leaned back against the plush couch, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"Haha, doesn't matter how I know, does it?" he said casually, his eyes glinting with intrigue.
"The real question is—do you know Arasaka Yorinobu?"
The moment he said the name, Evelin's posture stiffened ever so slightly.
David caught it immediately.
Before coming here, he wasn't entirely sure if Evelin had already met Yorinobu Arasaka.
The timeline was fluid—this wasn't strictly the year 2077 yet, and things could have played out differently.
But the look on Evelin's face?
That told him everything.
She had.
And that made things a whole lot easier.
Jack, sitting beside David, raised an eyebrow at Evelin's reaction.
"Wait, hold on—Miss, you really know Arasaka Yorinobu? As in, the son of Saburo Arasaka?!"
His voice was laced with disbelief.
For most people in Night City, Arasaka was a name spoken in whispers.
A name that carried power, wealth, and control.
Evelin exhaled a slow breath, reaching into her jacket and pulling out a slim, chrome-plated cigarette.
She took a drag, the tip glowing red-hot in the dim lighting, before exhaling a thin stream of smoke.
Her lips curled into a smirk.
"What about it?" she said, her voice dripping with amusement.
"So what if he's Saburo Arasaka's son? That doesn't make him a god."
Jack let out a low whistle.
"Damn. You talk like he's just some corpo brat."
Evelin shrugged.
"That's exactly what he is."
She flicked her cigarette, the embers sparking in the dim light.
"I've met him before. Did a little 'business' with him once or twice. Nothing serious. The last time we spoke was... maybe half a year ago."
Then she looked at David, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"If you're here to ask about him, I'll tell you now—I don't know much."
David chuckled.
"I'm not here to ask about Yorinobu."
Evelin's brow furrowed slightly.
"Then what do you want?"
David leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Just a simple request."
He pulled something from his jacket pocket.
A sleek electronic bank card.
He placed it on the table between them and slid it across.
"Next time Yorinobu contacts you... I want to know immediately."
Evelin stared at the card, hesitating.
She reached out slowly, picking it up with delicate fingers before bringing it up to her cybernetic eye scanner.
A soft beep.
And then—
Her eyes widened.
5 million eurodollars.
She nearly dropped the card.
---
The Weight of Five Million
For someone like Evelin—a high-end entertainment worker in Night City—this wasn't just a lot of money.
This was a fortune.
Her voice was shaky when she spoke.
"David… this… this is five million eddies!"
She turned to look at him, her expression shifting from shock to suspicion.
"I haven't even done anything yet. Why the hell are you just… giving me this?"
David's expression remained unreadable.
"Because I can."
Evelin swallowed.
The room felt a little smaller now.
It wasn't just the money—it was the message behind it.
There were plenty of powerful people in Night City—fixers, corpos, even high-ranking gang bosses.
But not one of them would just throw five million eddies on the table like it was spare change.
Even Arasaka Yorinobu himself, with all his wealth, had only spent a few thousand at a time when he visited places like Genting.
Compared to that, what David had just done?
It was insane.
And terrifying.
Evelin stared at him, suddenly seeing him in a new light.
Before, she had thought of him as just another ambitious merc, maybe a high-level operator with some influence.
But now…?
Now she realized he wasn't just connected.
He was dangerous.
Because only someone truly powerful could afford to be this generous.
Her fingers tightened around the bank card.
"And the other half?" she asked quietly.
David's smirk widened.
"After you prove useful."
---
Evelin's Decision
Evelin tapped the card against the table, thinking.
Then, with a sigh, she slipped it into her pocket.
"Alright, David. You got yourself a deal."
She crossed her legs, her expression shifting into a sly grin.
"So tell me… what exactly are you planning?"
David leaned back, resting an arm over the couch.
"Something big."
Evelin chuckled.
"Figures. People like you don't drop five mil for small jobs."
Jack, who had been quietly watching, finally spoke up.
"Damn, man. Five million? You sure about this?"
David shrugged.
"Consider it an investment."
Jack whistled.
"Man, I should've asked for a raise before we teamed up."
Evelin laughed.
Then she tilted her head, curiosity dancing in her violet cybernetic eyes.
"You know, David… you remind me of someone."
David arched an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Evelin took another slow drag from her cigarette before exhaling.
"Yeah. Someone who's gonna make a lot of enemies."
David chuckled.
"Wouldn't be the first time."
Evelin smirked.
"Then I guess I'll be seeing you around, David. Let's make some money."
---
TO BE CONTINUED…
---
What's Next?
What exactly is David planning?
How deep is Evelin's connection to Arasaka?
What consequences will this deal have?
Find out in the next chapter!
___________________________________
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31