Inside the MilitaryTech Special Operations safehouse, two soldiers dressed in full bomb-disposal armor moved cautiously, carefully peeling away the sealing tape on a large cardboard box. Their movements were deliberate, treating the contents inside as if they could explode at any moment.
But what lay inside the box seemed to mock their overcautious approach.
"War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, The Decameron, The Tale of Genji... It's like the entire world's antique library got crammed into this box," one soldier muttered with frustration. "But no trace of explosives, poison gas, or even that tracking beacon you wanted us to find. And forget about a bug—there's nothing."
"Impossible!" snapped the intelligence officer in charge of the site. "We double-checked everything. The last tenant here was a 90-something-year-old man whose uncle died over fifty years ago. What, are you trying to say his ghost mailed him a box of books from hell?"
The bomb squad captain tossed his heavy gloves onto the desk with a thump, clearly annoyed.
"What you dig up is your business," he said sharply. "All we know is, because you guys found a suspicious crate full of dusty books, HQ sent a full assault squad and a bomb team to babysit your mess. What, you intel boys think you're too good to get your hands dirty, so the rest of us mules have to haul your crap?"
"You have any idea how important this mission is to upper command?" the intelligence officer retorted.
"Oh please," the captain scoffed. "This is your own department's crap show. That Arasaka guy wanted a payout, you should've just paid him. But no, you had to get clever and go full double-cross. Now look—no goods, and the entire Night City division is stuck cleaning up after your screw-up."
"You—" the intelligence officer started, flaring up.
"You what?" the captain snapped back. "Don't think I don't know continuing that half-baked operation of yours was a direct violation of orders from HQ. This how you ask for favors—by pissing on us in the process?"
Before the argument could spiral further, one of the bomb techs interrupted them with a call from across the room. "Sir! We've got something new."
The captain frowned and turned to look, but the intelligence officer jumped in faster.
"What is it?" he barked.
"A data chip, sir."
The officer's eyes lit up with a smug gleam, turning to the captain with a look of vindication. "See? I knew there was more to this box."
The captain snatched the chip from his subordinate and examined it. "This?" he sneered. "It's just a removable chip. Probably full of your precious old books."
"Tomes," the officer barked to the large Black operative standing beside him. "Read it."
Tomes took the chip and inserted it into the data port embedded in his neck.
"'The Goemon Project'... Arasaka Corporation... Warsaw branch..." Tomes' voice trailed off. "Boss... I think this is the exact intelligence that Arasaka was trying to sell us."
"What?!"
"Yeah. It even mentions the Blackwall. Arasaka's Warsaw branch was behind this op."
For a moment, the officer's face curled into a victorious grin—but then the realization hit him. His expression twisted into horror.
"Shit. It's bait. Someone set this up to draw Arasaka right here. Pack it up—everyone, evacuate now!"
But it was already too late.
The young man who had taken delivery of the chip from V was seated on the couch nearby, immersed in cyberspace, acting as a digital lookout. The moment the intel officer realized the trap, Arasaka's Netrunners struck. A lethal virus surged through the young man's neural interface, searing his brain from the inside out.
The intelligence officer watched, helpless, as his subordinate began to convulse. Sparks erupted from his cybernetic implants. A nauseating smell of burning flesh filled the room.
"It's too late," he growled grimly. "Evacuation is off the table. Prepare for combat!"
Gunfire rang out through the building.
Arasaka's black ops team had launched their assault.
Weapons were drawn in the safehouse. The atmosphere turned deadly in an instant as everyone aimed toward the entrance.
But the attack didn't come from the door.
Instead, the windows shattered. Two figures crashed in through the glass—V and Vina, moving like lightning. They unleashed a barrage of bullets into the room, cutting down enemy operatives with brutal precision.
Within seconds, bodies were everywhere. The survivors, outgunned and outmaneuvered, dropped their weapons and raised their hands.
The intelligence officer stared at V and Vina, who now stood in the center of the room with their guns drawn. His lips curled into a bitter smile.
"I should have seen it. I should've known from the start that you two were Arasaka agents."
V twitched at the corner of her mouth and replied, "Yeah, even I'm surprised."
---
Earlier that day…
V and Vina had just arrived at a location marked on their map, not far from where they had made the delivery.
They found themselves in a desolate alley. Leaning on the hood of a black car was a woman with arms folded—Chishui Xueyue, cold and unreadable.
V wasted no time.
"You're the one who diverted the Arasaka pursuit, weren't you?"
Xueyue nodded, her expression blank. "Yes."
"Why the hell would you help us again?"
"Because someone wants you alive."
"Oh come on, that again?"
She ignored the sarcasm. "Arasaka's Counterintelligence Division has now flagged you both as high-priority targets. They will spare no effort hunting you down. If you want that to stop, you'll have to accept my conditions."
V scoffed. "Spit it out."
"Join Arasaka. As an external contractor."
"So you want to put a collar on us, make us corporate dogs?"
"If you agree, the bounty on your heads will be dropped immediately. Your team will report only to me. Aside from the occasional mission I assign you, I won't interfere in your lives. Your data will be protected by Arasaka's security systems. You'll get a base salary and bonuses for successful assignments."
"And if I refuse?"
Xueyue's voice grew colder. "Theresa Amuedo. Jackie Wells. Yogan. Viktor Vektor…"
V's eyes went bloodshot. She launched herself toward Xueyue, screaming, "I'll kill you!"
Still seated on the hood, Xueyue casually leaned her head to the side, dodging V's punch with ease.
Then she grabbed V's extended arm, twisted it, and slammed her down onto her knee in a smooth, practiced motion.
Even with Vina pointing a gun at her, Xueyue showed no fear. Holding V in place, she spoke:
"I'm not threatening your friends. I'm simply stating the facts. If you die, they'll be next. So if you're in such a hurry to die, at least consider what happens to them."
V went limp, the fire in her eyes dimming.
"What do you want us to do?" she asked through clenched teeth.
Xueyue let her go and reached into her coat, producing a sleek metal badge.
On one side was the Arasaka logo. The other bore a family crest made of maple leaves and flowing water lines.
"Take this. Enter the apartment before Arasaka's agents. Retrieve a yellow data chip. If you run into their people, show them this."
"And if they shoot anyway?"
"Then that's up to fate, Miss V. I've arranged for two descent rigs on the rooftop. You can enter through the window."
V took the badge and turned to leave with Vina, but Xueyue called out.
"Since you're officially Arasaka now, you better learn to show some manners. How do you address your superior?"
V turned back, scowling.
Their eyes locked. A long silence stretched between them.
Finally, V gave in. She bent slightly, bowing in stiff resentment.
"Title," Xueyue said softly.
Grinding her teeth, V muttered something under her breath.
"Didn't catch that," Xueyue said sharply. "Again."
V's voice rose, trembling with rage and humiliation. "I'm sorry... V-sama."
"Louder."
"I'M SORRY, V-SAMA!"
Xueyue nodded. "Good. Very spirited. Don't mess up your first assignment. Now move out."
---