Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The night was heavy in Dogtown. You stood at your balcony, cigarette burning between your fingers, watching the city pulse below. Bass from some street party mixed with distant gunfire - just another night in Hansen's kingdom. His voice boomed from the speakers mounted on every corner, same bullshit propaganda as always.

Your hand trembled as you lifted the cigarette. It was getting worse.

"Hell of a party last night, huh?" Johnny appeared, sprawled against the railing like he owned the place.

You kept your eyes on the streets below, taking another drag.

"Right, forgot." Johnny crossed his arms. "You're in one of those moods."

"What do you want, Johnny?" The words came out harsh, throat still raw from last night.

"Just wondering what’s spinning in that head of yours."

"Thinking about Songbird."

"Figures." Johnny's tone dripped sarcasm. "Bet she’s thinking about you too. Probably wondering how long till you catch on."

"Catch on to what?" You flicked ash over the edge, watching it disappear. "She needs me as much as I need her. Right now, at least."

"Yeah, maybe." He paused "But people like her don’t stick around when the scales tip. You’ve seen it before, V. What’s the plan when she doesn’t need you anymore?"

You stayed quiet, the ache in your chest making it harder to breathe. "Haven’t figured that part out yet."

Johnny's expression softened, just barely. "Classic. Well, don’t take too long."

You pressed a hand against your ribs, trying to steady your breathing. The ache was constant now, like a knife twisting deeper with every heartbeat.

"Need some air," you muttered, pushing off from the railing. The sudden movement sent a wave of dizziness through you.

"V..." Johnny's voice followed you inside.

Your apartment was a mess of empty bottles and discarded gear. You grabbed your jacket, the leather familiar against your skin. The gun went into its holster - a habit more than anything else.

The bathroom mirror showed what you'd been trying to ignore - bloodshot eyes, pale skin, dark circles that seemed to deepen by the hour. You splashed some water on your face, grip tight on the sink's edge as another wave of pain hit.

"We should lay low," Johnny materialized behind you in the mirror. "Wait this out."

"Since when do you play it safe?" You straightened up, fighting back the nausea.

"Since you started looking like the before shot in a Ripperdoc’s ad." He tilted his head. "Gotta say, the whole 'death warmed over' vibe isn’t your best look."

You didn't bother responding. The Relic burned like ice. The walls felt like they were closing in, each breath harder than the last. You needed space, needed to move, needed...anything.

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The night air hit your face like a slap - cold, sharp, almost sobering. For a second, it cleared your head enough to breathe. Dogtown sprawled around you, all neon and shadows, pulsing like some dying beast.

"So this your big plan? Taking a midnight stroll like some gonk looking for trouble?" Johnny flickered beside you as you started walking. You ignored him.

The streets were quieter now. Most of the noise came from underground clubs, bass thrumming through the concrete. Graffiti covered every surface, territorial marks of gangs long gone. Hansen's crew hadn't bothered painting over them yet.

You walked without direction, letting the city's rhythm pull you along. The pain in your chest had dulled to a manageable ache.

A group of locals huddled around a burning barrel, passing a bottle between them. Music spilled from a club doorway, synthetic beats mixing with drunken laughter. Almost felt normal. Almost.

Then something shifted.

A Barghest soldier stood at the corner ahead, trying too hard to look casual. His eyes followed you as you passed. Nothing unusual about patrols in Dogtown, but something in his stare made your neck prickle.

"Heads up." Johnny muttered. "Two o'clock."

Two more soldiers up ahead, pretending to chat. Their conversation died as you approached, eyes tracking your movement. Your hand instinctively moved closer to your gun.

"V..." Johnny's voice had an edge to it. "Something's off."

You kept walking, forcing each step to look normal. More Barghest appeared with each turn, materializing from shadows like they'd been waiting. The ache in your chest started growing, spreading through your limbs.

"Fuck," you whispered, changing direction. An alley opened up to your right - a shortcut back to your apartment. But as you turned the corner, your vision blurred. The world tilted suddenly, concrete rushing up to meet you.

You caught yourself against a wall, brick rough under your fingers. The relic was burning now, each pulse sending waves of pain through your skull.

"V!" Johnny's voice seemed to come from far away. "Come on, V. On your feet. Unless you wanna die here."

You tried pushing off the wall, but your legs wouldn't cooperate. The neon signs above swirled into streaks of color, your vision tunneling. You could hear boots on pavement, getting closer.

"Johnny..." The word came out as a whisper. Your knees buckled.

"I’m here, V. Don’t check out on me now. Just breathe."

But the darkness was creeping in, heavy and cold. You slid down the wall, concrete scraping your back. The last thing you saw was a circle of shadows closing in, boots surrounding you like vultures.

Then nothing.

Chapter Text

Pain pulsed behind your eyes. Chemical fog made your thoughts sluggish, disconnected. Something was missing - Johnny.

Cold metal bit into your wrists. The room's sterile brightness forced you to squint, memories of your little night walk flickering. A wave of Barghest soldiers. Then darkness.

The door opened.

Kurt Hansen filled the frame, and suddenly the room felt smaller. Your mind struggled to process his presence - why were you here? Why is he?

He moved with measured steps, adjusting his chest harness. His white Kiroshi implants caught the light as his gaze found yours.

"You know what's funny?" His voice came smooth. "When you introduced yourself that night at the Black Sapphire, something clicked. V. I'd heard that name before. But by the time I remembered why, you were already gone." He smiled. "And then fate just drops you right at my doorstep. Convenient, wouldn’t you agree?"

You tested the restraints. Military grade. His eyes caught the movement.

"Let me out of these, Hansen…" you growled, hating how helpless you felt. Night City's best merc, caught like some rookie thug.

"Relax.” He smiled, hands in the air. " Just standard protocol. Nothing personal."

He circled slowly behind you, continuing his speech. "Arasaka. Then overnight, Night City’s go-to merc. And now?" He paused. " FIA’s shiny new errand runner, already working on sensitive operations."

The relic flared, sending heat through your skull. Johnny finally materialized in the corner, cigarette between his lips, watching silently.

You forced a smirk. "Done your research, I see…"

"Oh, I did." Hansen's voice dropped softer as he moved back into view. "A party at the Black Sapphire. Big deal, big crowd. FIA just happens to show up sniffing for Songbird?"

"Everyone knew about that party." you answered, playing along. “You think FIA wouldn’t check it out?”

"No." His eyes flashed, voice suddenly sharp. "The FIA doesn’t act on rumors, V. Not here. Not anywhere. They knew exactly where to look." The burst of emotion surprised you.

His next words came controlled again, measured. His metallic fingers drummed against the leather of his harness. "They had intel. Specific intel."

Johnny snorted from his corner. "Oh V..."

"Her presence here was classified,” he leaned against the wall. "No leaks. No exceptions." A shadow crossed his face. "Yet somehow, you and Reed knew exactly where to find her."

"Someone talked." He continued. "Someone on the inside." His white eyes were fixed on you. "So. Who spilled?"

Your head throbbed. "Maybe your airtight security’s got cracks."

"My security doesn’t crack.” No threat in his tone. Just certainty. "My people don't talk." His eyes narrowed. "But Songbird might."

You had to laugh. "Paranoia’s not a good look, Hansen."

He straightened. "You're the anomaly, V. And in my experience?" He adjusted his harness again. "Anomalies usually lead to bigger problems."

The silence stretched. Johnny stood still, watching Hansen with intensity.

"So." Hansen's voice cut through the tension. "Let's start fresh. From the beginning."