PRISON

Cyberpunk 2097 – Aftermath: The Prison of Lost Souls

Glitch had been through hell before. She'd fought impossible odds, outwitted Overmind, and pushed her limits to the brink. But this?

This was a different kind of hell.

The courtroom was a cold, sterile place, its walls pulsing with neon-blue circuits that seemed to hum with artificial life. She stood in the center of a hovering platform, surrounded by a holographic jury—faceless, emotionless AI constructs programmed to deliver justice without bias. Their glowing eyes flickered with digital precision as they processed her case.

A towering figure in a judge's robe—a cybernetic enforcer known only as "The Adjudicator"—presided over the trial. His body was more machine than human, his voice a deep, mechanical growl.

"Glitch. You stand accused of cyber-terrorism, mass murder, hacking into classified systems, and crimes against humanity. How do you plead?"

Glitch smirked, arms crossed. "Guilty as hell."

The courtroom fell silent. Even the machines seemed taken aback. The Adjudicator tilted his head slightly, as if scanning for a malfunction.

"You show no remorse for your actions?"

"Remorse?" She let out a dry laugh. "You mean do I feel bad for wiping out a few megacorp psychopaths and corrupt AIs? Nope. Not even a little."

The Adjudicator's glowing red eyes narrowed. "Then sentencing shall be swift."

Glitch barely had time to react before the platform beneath her disintegrated, and she plummeted downward into darkness.

The Abyssal Penitentiary

She hit the ground hard. Not hard enough to kill, but enough to remind her she wasn't invincible.

The prison was underground—a labyrinth of steel and neon buried beneath the city, a place where the worst of the worst were sent to disappear. The air was thick with humidity, the walls dripping with condensation from some unknown source. Everywhere, prisoners moved like shadows, their faces obscured by dim lighting and layers of cybernetic scars.

Glitch reached up to activate her neural link—but nothing happened.

Her heart sank. They had stripped her of her cybernetic enhancements. No speed gauntlet, no hacking abilities, no advanced reflexes. Just flesh and blood.

She was human now. And in a place like this, that was a death sentence.

A booming laugh echoed from the far side of the prison yard. A massive figure stepped forward, muscles rippling beneath crude cybernetic implants. His arms were wrapped in thick, rusted metal, his face half-covered by a primitive visor.

"Fresh meat," he rumbled. "You look soft, little girl."

Glitch wiped blood from her lip and cracked her neck. "And you look like you haven't had a bath since the last century. Let's call it even."

The crowd of inmates around them oohed in unison. The big guy scowled, stepping closer.

"You got a death wish?"

Glitch smirked. "I dunno. You wanna find out?"

The fight was fast and brutal. Without her cybernetics, she couldn't rely on speed or enhanced strength—but she still had years of combat experience. The moment the brute swung, she sidestepped, driving her elbow into his ribs. He grunted, barely reacting before slamming his metal fist down toward her.

She dodged again—but not fast enough.

The blow clipped her shoulder, sending her sprawling. Pain shot through her arm, a cruel reminder that she was nothing but human now. The brute grinned, raising his fist for a finishing blow.

Before he could strike, a blur of motion intercepted him.

A lean, dark-skinned woman with glowing blue tattoos grabbed the brute's wrist and twisted, forcing him down with effortless precision. Her eyes flickered like electric fireflies.

"That's enough," she said coolly. "She's mine."

Glitch coughed, pushing herself up. "I appreciate the save, but 'mine'?"

The woman smirked, offering a hand. "You'll see."

Forming a Crew

Over the next few days, Glitch learned two things:

She was completely on her own. There was no way to send a signal to Zero or the others. She had to get out of this hellhole by herself.

Escape was impossible alone. The Abyssal Penitentiary wasn't just a prison—it was a fortress, built to keep the most dangerous criminals locked away forever. Guards were fully automated, drones patrolled every corner, and the only way out was through sheer force or a damn good plan.

The woman who had saved her was Nyx, an ex-assassin sentenced for killing a corporate CEO live on broadcast. She was quiet, calculating, and—most importantly—she had connections.

"You wanna get out?" Nyx had asked her one night in the mess hall. "You're gonna need more than just fists and attitude."

Glitch leaned back, crossing her arms. "You got a better idea?"

Nyx's grin was razor-sharp. "I know people. People who don't belong in here."

That's how it started. Over the next week, Glitch began recruiting allies.

Rook, a former mech pilot whose exosuit was stripped away but still had the mind of a strategist.

Dagger, a twitchy hacker with cybernetic fingers (partially disabled but still useful).

Bishop, a brawler with a cybernetic arm (currently locked with inhibitors, but strong as hell even without it).

And Nyx, the deadliest assassin Glitch had ever met.

Together, they formed a plan. A way out.

It wasn't going to be easy. They were outnumbered, outgunned, and trapped in a high-tech hellhole.

But Glitch?

She had never let the odds stop her before.

And she wasn't about to start now.