chapter 103

Acquaintance

"What's your name?" Oliver asked, his eyes narrowing as he studied the woman before him.

"Lucy," she responded without hesitation.

"Real name?"

"Real name," she repeated, her voice steady.

Oliver observed Lucy, who now sat obediently on the subway seat. The scene felt oddly familiar, reminiscent of his first encounter with Karl, who had also been subjected to a similar interrogation.

"Years?"

"What for?" Lucy's tone held a hint of defiance.

"Internet hacker, sometimes making a little extra on the subway."

"Karl," Oliver turned to his companion. "Is she telling the truth?"

Karl yawned, casting a lazy glance at Lucy. "The identity she's using in Night City checks out. She's likely an outsider—no records before arriving here. That's pretty common."

Karl's eyes lingered on Lucy, and he added, "I saw her a few days ago at a downtown restaurant. She skipped the bill."

"A thief, a hustler, a street criminal?" Oliver mused aloud.

"Eighty percent likely," Karl replied, indifferent. He wasn't interested in her fate—whether to kill her or merely beat her. He believed in equality; he could shoot men or women without hesitation. But right now, his mind wandered to food. The subway was slow, and he craved braised pork.

While Karl daydreamed about his meal, Oliver considered how to handle the thief. The theft was minor, but it was personal.

"David," Oliver addressed the youngest among them, "she tried to steal your chip. What was on it, and what's it worth?"

David glanced at Lucy, then answered, "It's a storage chip for my meal expenses. There's about three hundred euros left."

"Three hundred euros?" Oliver nodded thoughtfully, then signaled to Jack, who was still holding his gun at Lucy. "If you steal one, you pay back three. A thousand euros should cover it as an apology."

Lucy's eyes darted to Oliver, then to the gun. "Three times should be nine hundred..."

"The extra hundred is a lesson fee," Oliver replied, unbothered by her attempt to negotiate. "You steal from us, you pay the price."

Lucy sighed, realizing there was no way out. She transferred a thousand euros to David. "It's done," David confirmed.

"For the sake of this thousand euros, we'll let you off today. But be careful next time," Oliver warned.

Lucy, relieved, noticed her phone ringing. "I need to answer that," she said cautiously, eyeing the gun still pointed at her.

"Be careful next time, girl," Jack muttered, lowering his weapon. "Not everyone is as kind as us."

Lucy scoffed, "Kind? No one else would just ask for a thousand euros."

She reached for her phone, but before answering, she noticed Karl sitting up straighter. "Mann, do you know Maine?" Karl asked, his tone suddenly sharp.

Lucy's eyes widened. Mann was the leader of her mercenary team. "You know Maine?" she echoed, stunned.

Before she could process it further, Karl had accessed her communication channel, and Maine's voice came through. "Lucy, there's a job—come quickly."

"Maine," Karl said smoothly, inserting himself into the conversation.

"Karl?! How did you...?" Maine sounded shocked. "What's going on?"

"Lucy made some extra money on the subway and ran into us," Karl explained, his voice calm. "It's sorted now. She paid up, and we're letting it slide."

Maine, understanding Karl's reputation, quickly offered, "If it's over, let me apologize on her behalf. Let's meet up sometime—my treat."

"Sure," Karl agreed, "but make it special dishes."

After the call, Karl turned to Lucy, extending an informal introduction. "I'm Karl. That's Oliver, Jack, and David. Now you know us."

"I'm Lucy, currently assisting Maine's team," she introduced herself as the subway reached their stop. In a rush of embarrassment, she hurried off, leaving the group behind.

As Karl cheered for his long-awaited braised pork, David glanced at Lucy's retreating figure, musing, "So, she's a mercenary too."

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