Chapter 63

"Then hurry up—move, move!"

…

Dawn had yet to break, yet the road leading to City Center was already jam-packed. Every car belonged to a corporate wage slave. Among the megacorps running Night City, only Biotechnica offered six days of paid leave per year… All the others expected their people to work year-round, with super-long weekly hours. Folks had to head in before daybreak, and they often couldn't clock out until after midnight.

Jackie had originally planned to cut straight from City Center to Watson—the shortest distance between two points and all. But seeing how choked with traffic it was, with no idea how long the line of idling cars stretched, he just yanked the wheel and changed course. Watson bordered City Center and Westbrook, so if the first route was too congested, going around through the other district was more practical.

Fuel in 2077 Night City was cheaper than it had been fifty-five years ago, so a little detour wouldn't break the bank.

…

Westbrook was the most economically vibrant area in Night City, a place where wealth generated in all other districts found its way to be spent. North Oak—the elite enclave brimming with high-end estates—was also located there. But North Oak wasn't open for casual visits. If you weren't a resident or invited, simply appearing there could get you shot on sight as an intruder.

(That was why last time, Leo and the others used a Delamain taxi for their op, instead of driving around in their Nomad-styled SUV.)

Some homeless folks had once snuck into North Oak, rummaging through trash. They could often find decent goodies in the dumpsters—enough to get a taste for it—and ended up unwilling to leave, even setting up makeshift camps under the nearby overpass. The clever ones knew better than to linger too long. Others weren't so lucky, believing those trash heaps were literal gold mines, and that every other homeless person in the city was too stupid to realize it. They refused to leave—and soon disappeared without a trace.

…

Towering signs and holographic ads whizzed by as they drove past Japantown. Watching the scenery, Leo asked curiously, "Why are we going to Old Vic's this early? Does he only open at night?"

"No, it's just…" Jackie chuckled sheepishly, keeping one hand on the steering wheel as he scratched the back of his head with the other. "To be honest, I couldn't sleep. I tried sneaking some booze, but Mama Welles caught me and threw me out. I had nowhere else to go, so I figured I'd come bug you."

"…"

"Hey, don't give me that look. All right, all right… to make it up to you, I'll take you to Little China for some good grub. This spot I know is legit—the owner won't cater to local tastes, so the food's as authentic as it gets. Sound good?"

"That works."

They entered Watson and sat down at a breakfast stall in Little China. Before long, steaming bowls of ramen, soup dumplings, potstickers, and wontons arrived. Leo picked up a soup dumpling and took a bite. It tasted almost the same as back in his old life.

"You never did say why we're going to see Old Vic. Is it just to introduce me to him?"

"That's part of it," Jackie answered, using the blunt end of his chopsticks to scratch his temple. "But mainly, choom, I saved up some cash and figured it's time to upgrade my old implants. You know how it is—even though 'cyberware' is nothing new in 2077, there's a huge difference in quality.

Like, decades ago, you had dirt-cheap phones, mid-tier phones, flagship phones, all that."

Leo finished off his dumpling in a few bites. "So which implant are you looking to get?"

Jackie downed a mouthful of wontons. "Ideally, I'd replace everything, but that'd just make me a cyberpsycho. Gotta pace myself. Anyway, I'm aiming for Sandevistan."

"That's mil-spec (military specification), isn't it? Old Vic's just a ripperdoc—how's he gonna get you something like that?"

Jackie grinned. "Vic's got some serious connections—at least on par with a fixer. I can't say for sure if he can get me the top-of-the-line Sandevistan, but a basic model shouldn't be outta reach."

They ate their fill and wandered around for a bit, waiting for full daylight. Then they drove over to Vic's clinic. Pulling up on the corner of Bradbury and Buran, they parked properly within the lines. Jackie led the way down a narrow alley.

In the alley, a ragged man dressed like a vagrant was rambling, "Your memories aren't just your own—or maybe they never were! D'you trust the people who sold you those eyes not to watch everything? Cameras everywhere, even inside us!"

"Your joys and sorrows, your worries, your entire life—just someone else's twisted entertainment! You're all chess pieces, playing out hidden agendas without even knowing!"

He was quite a sight, so random passersby stopped to take pictures and post them online. Jackie shook his head. "Just another wackjob. C'mon, let's go."

Leo took one glance at the man in the garbage-bag poncho and paid him no further heed. Together, they stepped inside a small shop at the alley's entrance. The shelves were crammed with oddities—dragon-shaped brassware, skulls, waving lucky cats, lanterns, and mysterious trinkets Leo couldn't identify. The lighting was dim, but not pitch-black, thanks to candles spaced around the room that gave it an air of mystique.

He had to admit, it was quite cozy.

"Misty, my lady, you look even more beautiful than yesterday," Jackie called out as he headed straight for the back.

The woman in question had been sitting before a Buddha statue, seemingly meditating or performing some sort of ritual. At Jackie's voice, she turned and noticed the two men.

Misty patted Jackie's arm.

"You didn't come by yesterday, so how would you know I'm prettier today?"

Jackie—burly and broad—instantly melted like a lovesick puppy at Misty's presence, grinning foolishly. "I just know."

After the two of them flirted for a bit, Jackie finally remembered Leo. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I should introduce you. This is Leo—my partner in crime. We've been through life and death together. Leo, meet my girlfriend Misty. She's also a fortune-teller. If you ever need a reading, she'll cut you a discount for my sake—maybe twenty percent?"

He looked at Misty for confirmation as he spoke the last sentence.

"If he's your partner," Misty said, "make it half-price." She walked over to the counter and picked up a deck of tarot cards, eyes settling on Leo. "How about it? Want to try now?"

Jackie clamped a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Don't worry about the time, choom. If you're curious, go for it. We can see Old Vic afterward."

Since Jackie was fine with it, Leo agreed to let Misty do a quick reading for him. She pulled several cards from the deck, laying them out on the counter.

"The World, reversed. You're at the start of a journey—one that'll differ from what you imagine, and it'll be a longer road than you think.

"The Sun, reversed. You'll face some obstacles, but they're only temporary. As long as you trust your own judgment and don't stray from your chosen path…

"Strength. Tenacity, self-control, and courage will be rewarded… but perhaps not exactly at your destination. Like this reversed Magician. Maybe the process itself is more important, and it'll help you conquer fear?"

Misty gathered up the cards. Leo and Jackie exchanged looks. Only four cards had been revealed, and three of them were reversed. That didn't sound like a good omen.

Sensing their concern, Misty smiled. "Reversed doesn't always mean bad—often it points to opposites, endings, unfulfilled conditions, or lack of progress. In tarot, each card contains both positive and negative readings. Reversed isn't automatically bad."

Jackie scratched his head. "All right, well, I guess we'll go see Old Vic. Catch you later, Misty."

"Later," she said, her tone bright—after all, it wasn't every day a paying client dropped in for a reading.

They walked out the back door of Misty's esoterica shop, and Jackie looked hesitant. "Um, hey, Leo…"

Since his girlfriend worked in that line of business, Jackie had picked up a bit of tarot knowledge himself. Even though Misty had explained, reversed cards still sounded ominous. But Leo just looked unruffled. After all, back in his homeland there was a saying: "When your palms itch, wealth's coming your way; when your ears ring, ignore the old wive's tales" No big deal.

…

Viktor's clinic lay down in the shop's basement. Compared to the candlelit atmosphere of the esoterica, Viktor's place was even gloomier—perfect for a horror movie set.