Chapter 98: A Taste of the Real World & Afterlife

"Karl, we're here to pick you up—huh? Why's that kid with you?"

Oliver pulled the Hera Sky, which technically belonged to Karl but was practically his own car, up to the curb. As he and Jack, sitting in the passenger seat, greeted Karl, they noticed the kid from yesterday—David—trailing behind him.

"Taking him out to see the real world."

Still wearing his Gaius face, Karl walked up, scanned the area, adjusted the angle of the only surveillance camera that could see them, and erased the footage of him and David approaching. Then, he gestured for David to get into the back seat.

"See the real world?"

Oliver turned to glance at David, who sat stiffly in the back like a nervous chick, hands neatly placed on his knees. He exchanged a puzzled look with Jack before asking, "What's a school kid need to see?"

"He needs to know how to hold a gun when real trouble comes knocking. I'd rather teach him now than have him get gunned down by some twitchy street thug on his way to school one day."

As he settled into the car, Karl felt a faint sting on his face as his features shifted back to normal.

The pain was fading—his nerves were fusing well with the implant. Whether that was a good thing or not, he wasn't sure yet.

"You're not worried about corrupting the kid?"

Oliver didn't mind bringing in fresh blood, especially since today's job was just clearing out some Scavs—nothing too serious. Even rookie mercs handled that kind of work. Having a total newbie tag along might be a hassle, but they could keep him safe. He just wasn't sure why an Arasaka Academy student needed to know this stuff.

"A kid from a civilian background? It's better he learns."

Karl turned to David. "I already asked if he wanted to. It's not me dragging him along—he's interested. He wants to come."

"That true?"

Oliver fixed his gaze on David. The kid was obviously nervous, but he still met Oliver's stare and nodded firmly. "I want to learn how to shoot. That way, if my mom and I ever run into a cyberpsycho, we'll at least have a chance to fight back."

"A cyberpsycho? Kid, a gun isn't gonna save you from that. If you ever run into one, you run. But yeah, you'll be able to handle punks just fine."

Oliver chuckled. "You've got guts, kid. Real Santo Domingo energy. If Six Street wasn't a mess right now, I'd introduce you to my old man."

"Alright, Oliver, didn't they kick you out less than a week after you joined? And let's be real—better to stay out of gangs. Even the Valentinos are the same in the end."

Jack chimed in. Gangs weren't a life worth recommending, especially for a kid with potential. Getting involved meant sinking into a pit that was damn near impossible to climb out of.

Jack and Oliver had been able to leave their respective gangs thanks to some personal connections. But David? If he got wrapped up in that world, he'd be drowning in the mud for life.

"Enough talk, Oliver, just drive. Let's wrap this up and be done with it. David, after the job's done, I'll take you out for some real pork. Dinner's on me at my place—you can even take some home for your mom. Just tell her you made a new friend at school."

"Real pork?! Is that... really okay?"

"It's whatever. To me, good food is something that soothes the tired soul. Your mom works hard, right? A good meal would do her some good. Plus, I'm curious to see how my cooking tastes to someone who actually busts their ass working."

"Yeah, that explains why Karl's got such picky-ass taste."

Oliver laughed while keeping his eyes on the road. "We're all looking forward to seeing if your cooking's actually as good as you claim."

"After a comment like that, you better eat till you're stuffed if it's good. No slinking away half-full."

"Please, if it's that good, I'll eat a whole pot by myself."

As the neon-lit cityscape blurred past the window, David listened to Karl and Oliver banter. The tight knot of nerves in his stomach slowly unraveled. Just then, Karl reached over and handed him something.

"Here. Hold onto this for now."

David instinctively took it and looked down.

It was a gun.

"A gun?!"

"I told you, you're here to see how the real world works. Keep this on you for protection. We'll be watching your back, but things don't always go as planned. If you really want to learn how to protect yourself and your mom, you better start by learning how to hold a gun properly."

The gun Karl handed him was his own Kenshin.

It was a tech pistol, meaning it had way less recoil than a kinetic handgun—manageable even for someone as scrawny as David. As long as he didn't go full-auto like Karl did, unloading seven or eight shots in a row, he wouldn't sprain his wrist. But even tech pistols had enough kick to dislocate a newbie's wrist if held wrong.

So, Karl got to teaching.

"Hold it like this... yeah, that's right. Newbies should always use both hands—it keeps your wrist steady and stops you from pulling your aim off-target. Don't grip it too hard, just hold it like you would a doorknob—firm, but relaxed. And don't rush your shots. The Kenshin has enough stopping power to blow a street thug's head clean off with a single round. Your focus shouldn't be speed, but accuracy."

Jack chimed in, watching Karl instruct. "Also, always keep count of your shots. The last thing you want is to pull the trigger when it matters most and realize you're out. That one second of hesitation? More than enough time for someone to put a couple of holes in you. And don't even think about reloading in the middle of a fight. One mag should be enough to end things."

David nodded eagerly, absorbing every word. He kept adjusting his grip as Karl corrected him, while Oliver, now parked and watching from the driver's seat, smirked.

"Not bad, kid. He's got the stance down already."

Then he glanced at Karl's empty holster and asked, "Wait—you just gave David your Kenshin? What are you gonna use?"

"Lexington."

Without hesitation, Karl grabbed a Lexington from the car.

"I had the gun shop owner in our mega-building modify it. Enhanced firepower, upgraded for extra stopping power. Plus, I got a blade attachment under the barrel for close combat. I call it Afterlife."