History Lessons

V sighs down at her empty Irish coffee, with Takamura gone she had a lot to think about, whether or not to trust her new ex-Arasaka friend especially. The last thing they'd ended up discussing was the man who'd created the Biochip itself, Anders Hellman.

Apparently, he was her best lead on surviving whatever the Relic was doing to her, and since Takamura also had some 'questions' for him he encouraged her to find him. He'd rushed off not long after due to his face being plastered everything by Arasaka, at least she hadn't gone through that...

The biggest problem she had right now was figuring out who to trust. She had many contacts who might be able to point her in the right direction of Hellman, but she sincerely doubted they'd pass up the substantial bounty on her head, even with the little goodwill she had with them.

"You done brooding?" Johnny asks, appearing where Takamura had been sat, "'Cuz I think I've got some ideas to fix this."

"I'm not buying what you're sellin', if I remove the chip you're fucked, and I doubt the 'great Johnny Silverhand' would allow that."

Johnny shakes his head, "Just listen to me for a minute before you start mouthing off. Get Rogue, top-bitch in the Afterlife, me and her go way back. She'll listen if she knows who's talking."

"Yeah and how'd you expect that to go down? 'Hey, I know we know jack shit about each other but I can see Silverhand's ghost, he wants to talk with you.' But hey, knowing you now, anyone you were friends with must've been fuckin' stupid."

"Quit acting like you got other options, do it or you can count me outta helping whatever dogshit plan you come up with." he retorts before disappearing.

The worst part about that asshole is the fact that he's right. She literally had no one else to turn to, no one who wouldn't instantly rat her out anyway.

"Fine, have it your way."

---------------------------

Johnny appears leaning against one of the graffitied walls outside the Afterlife, "Sheesh, woulda thought someone would've cleaned this place up by now. Hell, it's worse than before!"

V walks past and ignores him, bypassing the bouncer and sitting at the bar where some random dude was serving drinks. "Hey, know where Rogue is? I've got something for her?"

He glances as her as he makes a cocktail, "Yeah, I've heard that before, followed by gunfire and screaming. You got a mark on Rogue I suggest you forget about it, for your sake."

V shakes her head, "I'm no assassin, do I look like I could take everyone in this place alone? Nah, I got something personal for her."

"She's in her room, good luck convincing the guards to let you see her." he gestures over at a door in the corner of the room, one manned by two Animal-looking goons.

Shrugging, she heads over and approaches them, "Need to talk with Rogue, she free?"

"Not for you."

Johnny appears next to the guard, looking him over like he was an interesting specimen at the zoo, "Tell him to ask her if she ever got that Samurai tat on her ass removed."

...

V holds her instinctual retort at that, she was pretty sure it'd only piss Rogue off, but she was kinda in a rush... Somehow, it worked though, the goons allowing her into the room where Rogue was chilling on a large couch.

"The fuck are you? Who'd you torture to get that?" Rogue angrily asks, tapping a pistol on her leg. "Few people know what I look like without clothes, so speak up and speak fast."

"Shit, she's older than I thought... Crazy to see her like this, lookin' like someone's granny." Johnny snickers to himself.

Again, V ignores the ghost and focuses on the angry Fixer Queen, "This is gonna sound crazy but I need you to keep an open mind for a sec... I got Johnny Silverhand in my head from a Biochip that's slowly killing me, and he says your someone could help me out."

"Your mincing my words worse than fucking Arasaka. You really gonna ruin a dead man's image?" Johnny mockingly asks.

"You already ruined it with your mere existence." V growls back, causing Rogue to raise a brow.

"So, you're either crazy, or the world is... The fact you know about my tattoo says otherwise, unless you got a cam in my shower." she sighs, "Alright, I'll bite. Tell me something only dear Johnny would know."

V glances at Johnny, "Well?"

"Hm," he rubs his chin dramatically, "How about that time she sucked me off in a stall at Juan's Burrito House? Or that time I took her backstage in Vista Del Ray and fucked her brains out-"

"Does everything have to be about sex with you?" V frowns, "You could give me anything, about the names of her parents or pet or some shit and you talk about that?"

Johnny shrugs, "Fact is, I never asked her about any of that shit. We were fuck-buddies at best, shitty friends at worst."

Rogue audibly sighs drawing their attention to her, "If you knew Johnny, you'd know he didn't give a shit... About anything." she shakes her head, "How about this, ask him what I told him when we first met. If he doesn't remember that then even if he is here, he can piss off."

"That's an easy one." Johnny grins, "She told me she was my biggest fan and asked me to sign her copy of 'SINS of Your brothers'. This was before she turned into an ice-bitch." he states, shrugging his shoulders.

Rogue's expression relaxes as V relays that, a small smile quirking her lips. "So he did remember..." she lets out another sigh and straightens her posture, "What do you want then? I'm guessing this isn't a social call?"

"Anders Hellman, Arasaka Bioengineer, I need to know where he is."