Chapter 40: The Operation Is Over

As V made her way to the Delamain Corporation, far across the city, Evelyn Parker stirred for the first time in nearly two weeks.

She blinked slowly, her vision foggy. "Where… am I?" she murmured, though her voice failed her.

Bright white lights above pierced her eyes. She instinctively turned her head to avoid the glare. As her sight adjusted, she took in her surroundings—medical equipment, jars filled with unknown liquids, shelves stocked with cyberware components.

It didn't feel like a hospital. Not a legitimate one, anyway.

Her unease deepened.

Two doctors in white coats moved briskly nearby. Masks covered their faces, but their body language radiated professionalism.

"You're awake?" One of them noticed her stirring and quickly walked over. "How do you feel?"

Evelyn tried to respond, but only a dry rasp escaped.

"Oh—right, you probably can't speak yet. Your systems are still recalibrating. By tomorrow, your vocal functions should return," he reassured her. "Just rest. You're safe here."

Though his face was hidden, she could feel the genuine relief in his tone. It reminded her of real doctors—those who saw healing as their purpose, not profit.

This time was different from the last. She was truly awake now. Her mind, her thoughts—everything was beginning to return.

Outside the operating room, a door sealed for six grueling hours finally slid open. Two of the city's top ripperdocs stepped out, smiling with exhaustion and pride. Anyone who had pulled off such a complex procedure would feel the weight of tension leave them.

Leon Black stood nearby, arms crossed as he observed the readouts. As the two doctors exited, he clapped politely and nodded.

"You've done well."

"It's part of the job," Nina said with a gentle smile. "Lena Fox's surgery was a success, and the other patient has regained consciousness. A double blessing, Mr. Leon."

Nina still didn't know that the unnamed patient was Evelyn Parker. Leon had deliberately left the records incomplete. Viktor knew the truth, of course, but he had no intention of involving Nina—someone who was far too pure for corporate intrigue.

Leon gave a brief nod. "Your work is done. Get your payment after dinner, then you're free to go."

He was never one for long-winded thanks. You did the job, you got paid—simple as that.

Over the past few days, Viktor had come to understand Leon's style clearly: a man of absolute authority and clear-cut rules. As long as you followed his lead, things were smooth. Defy him? That was a different story.

Both doctors were eager to leave. The food and accommodation had been excellent, but nothing beat the comfort of home.

After dinner, Viktor quickly called a ride to Jack's apartment. For him, it was a triple blessing—Evelyn was awake, Lena's surgery had gone flawlessly, and Jack was recovering.

Yet, as he sat in the vehicle, he began to feel something strange.

The memories of Lena's surgery—once so vivid—were starting to blur.

He frowned.

What kind of procedure had it been again? The steps, the tools, even the techniques… it all seemed to be vanishing from his mind, as if erased by an invisible hand.

He tried to recall. Tried hard.

But the more he pushed, the more the details slipped away like sand through his fingers.

It was maddening.

A small part of him was certain the surgery had happened. He'd performed it. There was no doubt about that.

But the rest of his mind was betraying him.

"What kind of cyberware does that guy have…?" Viktor muttered to himself, now genuinely unnerved.

As one of Night City's best ripperdocs, he'd seen a lot. But cyberware that erased memories—even passively? That was something else entirely.

And yet, he didn't even think Leon had activated the device. Its default effects alone were terrifying.

"I'll need to see Misty later…"

Back in the clinic, Leon was on the phone.

"Hello? Yeah, it's me. Right, just wait for my call. No need to panic."

He hung up.

Turning to Lena, who lay unconscious in the recovery pod, Leon gently brushed her cheek with his gloved fingers. Her skin was flawless, almost porcelain, her eyelashes fluttering slightly in dreamlike rhythm.

The surgery had been invasive, complex. Her new synthetic skin had only just begun the integration process, needing time to synchronize with the embedded cyberware.

Over the next week, Lena would remain in deep neural rest, adapting to her new systems. It was like conducting a symphony inside her mind—every function, every subroutine had to sync flawlessly.

One error could cause catastrophic rejection.

During this time, she would be completely unresponsive to external stimuli.

Leon had planned to stay by her side. But now, one of his own—Lily Cross—had been kidnapped.

As captain, he had no choice.

"I'll be back soon. Rest easy," he whispered.

He pressed a concealed button on the wall. The platform Lena lay on began to descend, vanishing into a hidden compartment below. Sealing the vault, Leon adjusted his coat and stepped out.

He glanced at Evelyn, who was now watching him intently from her bed.

"I'll be out for a while," he said calmly. "Word of advice—don't try anything reckless. Nina will check on you periodically."

With that, he activated the security systems of the underground clinic, opened the outer doors, and disappeared into the pouring rain.

---

Rain lashed across his armored vehicle—the Avenger—its sleek body humming with embedded tech.

Leon activated his force field interface and cybernetic HUD, then punched in his destination.

As the car shifted into gear, he placed a call.

Beep… beep…

"Derek? It's me. How's that Braindance footage I ordered coming along?"

"…Right. Doesn't matter how many, just make sure the quality's there. If it's garbage, I'll pay less."

"…Good. I'll swing by shortly."

---

Elsewhere, at the Delamain facility, V stood impatiently in a long queue of dissatisfied customers.

Apparently, her car wasn't the only one the AI service had wrecked today.

"This could take forever…" she muttered, adjusting her pistol holster.

She pushed to the front.

"Excuse me, urgent matter. Handle mine first."

"Everyone has an urgent matter, lady!" a gruff man barked back.

V raised her gun and pressed the barrel to his forehead.

"Wanna try saying that again?"

Seeing her cold expression and twitching trigger finger, the man backed down instantly. "You first! All yours!"

Truth belonged to the bold.

V connected her datapad to the service kiosk. "Where's my compensation and the replacement vehicle?"

"Processing now," replied a bald Delamain AI assistant in a crisp suit.

Ding!

"Processing complete. Proceed to the back office for pickup."

"Back office?" she repeated.

A guiding drone flew out. "Follow me."

She trailed the drone down a corridor, which opened into a sprawling assembly floor.

Dozens of Delamain cars were being constructed in real-time, assembled with robotic precision.

Not a single human worker in sight.

Every part clicked into place—frames, drives, interfaces—each unit emerging fully formed and ready for service.

Delamain had reached a level of AI sophistication where humans were no longer required.

From drivers and loaders to supervisors and engineers—every position had been automated.

Their efficiency had turned Delamain into the largest transport provider in Night City.

Johnny Silverhand's voice echoed in V's mind.

"This is what I warned about. You see this? This is humanity's future—erased."

"Come on," V replied, arms crossed. "It's not that bad. AI's been useful."

"You think it's cute now. Wait till it owns you," Johnny snapped. "Do you even know what the Net's become? What AI did to it? Or what happens once they decide humans are obsolete?"

He pointed toward the automated factory floor. "This. No people. No soul. Just machines running machines."

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)