Chapter 15: What Does It Have to Do with Arthur?

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The mantis blades on Arthur's hands gleamed in the dim light, slashing forward with precision. The opponent's limbs were severed cleanly, the cuts starting from his shoulders and splitting his arms in two.

No blood spilled from the wounds. There were no bones or flesh—just a tangle of wires, silicone tubes, and bluish coolant. Arthur grimaced.

"Damn, this is some heavy cybernetic work. You're even crazier than I used to be!" he muttered, shaking his head.

The blades didn't stop. They sliced downward, cleanly severing the patient's thick, mechanical legs. Time resumed its natural flow, and the now-limbless man toppled like a tree to the ground, hitting the pavement with a dull thud.

Arthur retracted his mantis blades, their sharp edges folding neatly back into his wrists. He sighed, fishing a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it, and taking a long drag. With a puff of smoke, he jumped down from the container, landing gracefully beside the patient.

"Let's see what you've got hidden in that brain of yours," Arthur muttered, retrieving a data cable from his wrist. He crouched next to the patient and connected the cable to the neural port at the base of the man's skull.

"Huh, almost forgot." Arthur unplugged a small module from the patient's neck. "This network link could've fried my system. Not today, buddy."

As the data began streaming, Arthur's brows furrowed in surprise.

"What the hell? A cyberpsycho with Mewtwo recording equipment installed? You really went all in, huh?"

Arthur's grin widened. "Guess it's my lucky day. These recordings are worth a fortune. The sickos in Night City love this kind of blood-soaked drama. Maybe I'll even keep a copy for my son—teach the brat to think twice before coming for me."

He finished downloading the data and leaned back, satisfied. Then, he activated his comms and called Regina Jones.

"It's done. Send a team to pick up the psycho," Arthur said, taking another drag from his cigarette.

Regina didn't let him finish. Her voice blared through the line like an assault rifle:

"The Watson industrial district's about to blow up! The MaxTac unit's already en route. Get out of there, Arthur! I've sent the address of a safehouse. Check the attachment."

Arthur glanced up at the sky, his expression souring. Sure enough, a hovercraft loomed overhead, its engines roaring as it descended. The doors slid open to reveal a squad of heavily armed MaxTac officers, their gear glowing with ominous purple-blue strips.

"Ah, great," Arthur groaned. "More cyberpsychos. Just what I needed."

He glanced at the unconscious patient lying on the ground and then at the approaching MaxTac unit. He shook his head.

"Sorry, Regina, but I'm keeping this guy. He's my ticket to a big payday."

Arthur hoisted the patient's limp body and threw him into the backseat of a nearby car—a borrowed ride from the Sixth Street gang. Sliding into the driver's seat, Arthur slammed the door shut and floored the accelerator.

The car lurched forward, tires screeching as it tore through the industrial district. The MaxTac hovercraft didn't hesitate, pivoting in midair to give chase.

"Come on, come on!" Arthur growled, his foot pressing the gas pedal to its limit. But the family car was no match for the high-tech vehicle pursuing him.

"Damn it, I knew I should've stolen a better car!" Arthur snapped, glancing at the rearview mirror.

The patient, still incapacitated, drooled on the backseat like a comatose fish. Arthur glared at him.

"You're the reason I'm in this mess, you know that? Maybe I should toss you out and see if they'll let me go."

Of course, there was no response. The patient remained unresponsive, his cybernetic body twitching faintly as if in a corrupted reboot.

As Arthur cursed his luck, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced at the screen, frowning at the unfamiliar number.

With a deep breath, Arthur accepted the call.

"Yeah, you've reached Arthur. I'm currently running for my life, so if you're calling to chat, you'd better make it quick—or carve a middle finger on my tombstone."

There was a brief silence on the other end before a woman's voice spoke, calm and crisp.

"Charming as ever, Arthur. This is Melissa, Inspector of the MaxTac unit. I see your sense of humor hasn't changed since our time at the hospital."

Arthur's heart skipped a beat. Melissa? The name triggered a flood of memories.

He remembered her—his fellow patient from the psych ward. Back then, they had shared long conversations about their messed-up lives. Now she was leading the squad trying to kill him.

"Well, well, Melissa," Arthur said, forcing a grin. "Long time, no see. Didn't expect you to climb the corporate ladder so quickly. I guess the psycho ward really churns out success stories, huh?"

"Cut the crap, Arthur," Melissa replied. "You're harboring a cyberpsycho and interfering with MaxTac operations. Pull over, surrender, and we'll handle this professionally."

Arthur let out a bitter laugh. "You've got to be kidding me. You think I trust the MaxTac after all the stuff we've been through?"

"You don't have a choice," Melissa said firmly. "If you don't comply, I'll have no problem bringing you in by force."

Arthur clenched his jaw, glancing at the hovercraft still trailing him. He needed a plan, and fast.

"Alright, Melissa, let's make a deal," Arthur said, his voice laced with desperation. "You call off your dogs, and I'll deliver this guy to your lab in one piece. Sound fair?"

Melissa hesitated. "Why should I trust you?"

"Because you know me," Arthur said, his tone softening. "We've both been through hell, Melissa. I'm not the villain here—I'm just trying to survive."

There was another pause before Melissa finally spoke.

"Fine. You've got one chance, Arthur. Send me your coordinates, and we'll take it from there. Don't make me regret this."

Arthur sighed in relief. "You won't. I promise."

The call ended, and the hovercraft pulled back, retreating into the distance. Arthur slowed the car, his mind racing with relief and exhaustion.

He glanced at the patient in the backseat, shaking his head.

"This better be worth it," Arthur muttered, lighting another cigarette.

As the car disappeared into the labyrinth of Night City, Arthur couldn't help but wonder if Melissa's trust would come back to bite him—or if he'd finally caught a lucky break in a city that never stopped eating its own.

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