Chapter 173: Rogue (+extra)
TruthHurtsX1000 thxxxxxxx
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"Bella! No matter what, the dog's name has to be Bella!"
"I think Sir Woofington sounds much better."
"What kind of weird British name is that? Jack, don't you think Bella sounds way better? Also, how the hell did a brute like you come up with such an overly cute name?"
"Who cares? I just think it's a great name. Has a brave little guy kind of vibe, doesn't it?"
Listening to Oliver and Jack argue over the dog's name, T-BUG, watching everything through the car's display screen, finally spoke up:
"How about 'Qiuqiu'? Don't you guys think it curls up like a little ball?"
"Black and white, curled up—it's a soccer ball? That's way too plain. Bella is still the best choice. It means 'noble' and 'excellent.' Don't you think that fits this dog perfectly?"
"Not at all."
Jack and T-BUG responded in unison, shutting down Oliver's attempt at persuasion.
Lying in the backseat, Karl was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected his friends to have such an oddly passionate love for pets. It was just a bio-mechanical dog, yet they were arguing so seriously over its name.
Not that he minded. Karl himself didn't care about names much. If it were up to him, he'd probably just name it something basic like Unit One or Unit Two.
Tuning out their endless debate, Karl turned his focus to his finances. He had just received the 320,000 eddies from Ken'ichiro.
According to him, 120,000 of that was Karl's personal referral fee, but Karl wasn't some middleman. Hell, some fixers even paid out of pocket to grease wheels for a job. He wasn't about to pay out of his own pocket, but taking a cut for introducing work to friends felt unnecessary.
Instead of keeping that 120,000 for himself, he figured he'd just pool it into the 200,000 eddies meant for hiring mercs. 320,000 total meant he could hire two teams instead of one, ensuring maximum security for the job.
That extra cash could go toward better gear for them too.
Ensuring the mission's success was Karl's top priority.
The two teams Karl trusted were Brown's squad and Mann's squad.
Brown's team had six members, while Mann's team had nine. Their numbers weren't the same, and each squad had different strengths and weaknesses.
Mann's team had a hacker, a tech specialist, and a dedicated driver. A well-rounded group. But in Karl's opinion, only Mann and Dorio could be considered top-tier combatants.
Dorio wasn't bad, but she wasn't quite on Mann's level either. Just like how, during that previous escort mission, Mann was the only one sent out—when it came to a direct fight with the Hundred Ninja Group target, Mann was probably the only one who could hold his own.
Brown's squad, on the other hand?
Even the rookie that Brown had pulled from the last escort job—originally left behind to collect bodies—was skilled enough to handle himself in a real fight.
Brown himself was on par with Mann, and his other five teammates were all strong fighters. Their raw combat power easily surpassed Mann's squad.
The downside? They were too specialized in combat. They lacked a driver, a tech specialist, and a hacker.
Hiring just one of these squads wouldn't be ideal. But hiring both to complement each other? That was perfect.
Brown's team would provide firepower.
Mann's team would cover tech, hacking, and logistics.
Karl had to admit—if this was his first job acting as a fixer, this setup was looking way too good.
…But setting up a death flag before the mission even started? Probably not a good idea.
Karl skimmed through the comm messages, confirming his meeting with Brown and Mann at Afterlife.
Closing his eyes, he leaned back for a moment, shutting out the endless bickering over the dog's name.
As Karl relaxed, letting the noise fade into the background, Afterlife was already coming into view.
"Not planning to grab a drink?"
"Nah, Karl, you go ahead. Jack, T-BUG, and I have to settle the dog's name today—no matter what."
Hearing Oliver's response, Karl just shook his head in quiet disbelief.
What could he even say?
Nothing, really.
So, he just got out of the car alone and walked into Afterlife, the bar's atmosphere as eerie as ever.
Emerick, the bouncer, saw Karl approaching and greeted him.
"Your friends are already inside—booth five."
"Got it, appreciate it."
After a quick nod of thanks, Karl stepped inside Afterlife, only to spot someone unfamiliar sitting at the bar, chatting with Claire, the bartender.
It was a woman.
Long hair, well-kept, though clearly not young. She wore a jacket, her right arm resting on the bar as she casually held a glass of reddish liquor between her fingers.
Karl immediately recognized the drink—he'd seen Jack and Oliver order it plenty of times before.
A Johnny Silverhand.
And the woman drinking it...
She looked familiar.
As Karl tried to place her, she locked eyes with him first.
"Night City's newest rising merc—KK. First time meeting you."
She lifted her glass slightly, acknowledging him before speaking again:
"I'm Rogue."
Rogue.
The moment Karl heard her name, he knew exactly who she was.
[Rogue]: The Last Legend of Night City. The Queen of Fixers. The owner of Afterlife.
"KK."
Karl gave her a nod in return, formally introducing himself, but didn't say much else.
He'd seen "living legends" before—Adam Smasher was the first.
Running into another? Not exactly shocking anymore.
Compared to Karl's laid-back attitude, Rogue seemed genuinely interested in the merc who'd been making waves across Night City.
Truthfully, she'd been waiting for him.
She knew he had a meeting here tonight, which was why she'd parked herself at the bar.
But seeing how Karl wasn't in the mood to chat, she didn't push it.
"We should work together sometime."
A simple phrase—one that meant she'd be sending jobs his way soon.
With that, she turned back to her Johnny Silverhand, slowly savoring the drink, clearly enjoying every sip.
"Of course."
Karl wasn't about to turn down jobs from the most powerful fixer in Night City.
His gaze briefly lingered on the glass in Rogue's hand, then he made his way toward the private booth.
Seemed like tonight was a good call.
Not only was he here to hand out work, but he might also be landing some of his own.
The real question was...
What kind of job would Night City's most legendary fixer hand out?
Something worth looking forward to.
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