Cyberpunk 2077: Hyper Light Drifter

The moment they reached Rocky Ridge, Panam hopped out of the car. The trunk popped open immediately. The heavy crate rested in her hands as she approached a nearby power station. Her figure disappeared up the stairs. 

Lei had her legs on the car's dash. The drifter had yet to leave the passenger seat. With her hands behind her head…and the seat reclined…she gazed at the clouds above.

'I want you to look around once you get out.' Johnny spoke from the backseat. 

The hologram was playing tunes on his guitar. He seemed to be getting better and better at adapting to the digital world. The Net. If fabricating music and the guitar wasn't a good explanation…one would be dumb to not realize. Lei was impressed. 

'.............' Still didn't mean she would respond. 

'This looks like an abandoned town. Take a look at what happens when gangs go around unchecked. The result…' He trailed off. His hand gestured to the surroundings.

"...Tch." 

Lei finally rolled her eyes. She knew how gangs could be. Memories of the past quickly went through her mind. Did Johnny think the girl was naive? A history lesson was not in the drifter's plans for the day. 

'You still haven't given me that smoke yet.' He also said. 

'I don't smoke.'

'I do.'

'You're a digital personality. I'm made out of flesh and bone. Who's daily habits do you think are the most vital right now?'

'Mine.' Johnny answered with no shame.

'I could unchip you and never talk to you again.' She threatened. 

'I could fry your infovisor.' He threatened in return.

"Pffft. Pfffahahahahaha!" Lei burst out laughing. 

All that thing did was monitor her real time vitals. Maybe have a deeper cache with her full name and some logistics. The battery level of her beam saber as well. Nothing that couldn't be replaced. Johnny could be funny sometimes. 

'You're right. That would totally suck. You win this time.' She eventually said.

'Obviously, dumbass.'

Only now did she finally get up and leave the car. Her direction trailed Panam's footsteps. Walking up the steps of the power station, she saw the nomad girl crouched beside a breaker. The crate was open to reveal a power battery. 

"That was one heavy ass car battery." Lei commented. Panam only hummed in response.

"Wraiths aren't here yet. Gonna leave a surprise for them once they return." She revealed. 

"Fucking with the power?"

"You know it, babe."

"Hmph. Do you want their screams to be loud, or should I just focus on getting your car?" Lei asked. Panam stopped her work and looked the drifter up and down.

"You've been talking big this whole time. Where does that confidence come from?"

"Just answer the question, dummy."

"...Can you do it?"

"Dance around them like chicken? Yes."

"Show them fear." Panam growled. 

"Preem." Drifter answered casually.

Time passed as the two prepared for the gang to return. The sun had eventually fallen, leaving the abandoned town in utter darkness. Lei's figure was hidden between two far off houses. A lit cigarette was in her hands. 

'Finally. I've needed this.' Johnny said. He was sitting on the fence.

'You're an addict, Johnny. I'm only doing this once. Never again. That shit is not good for me. Not with my condition.'

'Hit the cig, Lei.'

'Just…give me a second.' The empty eyed beauty commented. What had she gotten herself into…

'A full hit. I need all of it, Lei.'

'Yes, I know.'

'Breathe it in deep.'

'Fuck off, Johnny.'

'Hit. It. Hit. It. Hit! It! Hit! It!' He started to chant like a teenage gonk. 

Lei brought the cig to her lips and inhaled. The nasty smoke filled up her lungs, permeating her system. It was then smoothly exhaled. 

'Ah…' Johnny groaned inappropriately. Sounded hella strange. Dude was feeling it.

'Ew…' She groaned. 

'That's some good shit, Loralei.'

"Drifter, you there?" Panam spoke over the open comm. 

"Present." Lei answered.

"I can see their cars. Mine too. They're almost here so be ready for the signal."

"Yes Ma'am." She dragged her words. 

The sound of roaring engines was getting closer. There were definitely no mufflers on those exhausts. About 30 seconds later, offroading cars were arriving by the dozen. They all pulled up to the gas station and bar.

"Hahaha! That was some preem shit! Shoulda seen the look on his face when I broke his legs."

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahahahaha!"

…

"Ripped some chrome off this gonk's back. Bet it'll sell for something."

"Ain't nobody buying that shit."

"You'd be surprised."

…

"Damn…got my rocks off good earlier."

"What did I miss?! You did it without me?"

"Aww man…she was hiding in a coffee shop. Kid had some good legs on her. Was hella soft. Preem shit. Felt real tight too."

"You leave her?"

"Hell nah. Zeroed. Can't let anyone else tap after me."

"What about me?"

"Fuck you."

Several of them chatted while getting out of their cars. The topics were horrific. Some of them were borderline satanic. Lei casually listened while staring at her cigarette. 

'One more hit before you terminate these gonks.' Johnny said. The drifter shook her head…but the cig rose to her lips.

Another inhale. Another exhale. Disgusting. The nicotine high wasn't that bad though. She could see how it would be addicting.

WOOSH

The darkness of the abandoned town withered away as neon lights sputtered to life. Street signs, radios, TVs, billboards, vending machines, and more. It was like Christmas again. All of the gangers looked around in confusion. Some were spooked. Everything made a bunch of noise.

Lei dropped the cig and stomped it out. The hood was pulled over her face, only a red glint showing beneath. The modified Burya came to rest in her left hand. Her beam saber ignited while staining the grass red.

VRMM

First target. A Wraith was on the outskirts of the bar. He kicked the newly activated vending machine more than a few times. Gonk wanted some snacks. As he glared through the polycarbonate glass at the snacks, he noticed something in the reflection. A red glow.

Something hard pressed against the back of his head. His hand rose automatically in surrender. His back had suddenly gotten sweaty. 

"Hello. Wanna taste some iron?" The feminine voice joked. 

"WAIT-"

The voice was cut off by the loud roar of the Burya. The powerful bullet burst the man's head like a watermelon. It even went on to pierce the glass and machine as a whole.

Multiple Wraith members snapped to attention. They'd heard the voice and the gunshot. Something happened. A few members in the bar grabbed their guns and headed outside.

"Jaz, you go left. Midspike, go right. I'll take point."

Three gangers were now heading toward the sound. Others had heard it as well, but the trio would be the ones to check. Every man for themself at the end of the day.

Midspike took the right path. Overgrown weeds behind broken down buildings and houses. A fence right between some tumbleweeds...it smelled like smoke. As he aimed down sights with his carbine, a red light swept through his legs. 

"AAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!" He screamed in immense pain. 

Without his legs, he fell to the ground. Fingers clenched around the trigger due to burning pain. Automatic fire hit the walls and windows.

RATATATATA

The Burya roared once again. Another cranium turned to mush. Automatic fire was cut off eerily. Jaz and the original speaker bolted toward the noise as fast as possible. Still…they only found a dead Midspike for their efforts. 

"Fuck. Who is it…Bastard!" 

Across the street…Three buildings were lined up. The drifter's silhouette rose from the dark set piece. The handcannon aimed once more. It fired.

In the middle of the cursing man's chest, a gaping hole appeared. He immediately crumpled to the ground. Like a puppet without strings. Jaz watched his choom die beside him. 

"Aw hell no. I gotta delta." He exclaimed. 

The spooked ganger dashed toward the gas station. His car was there. Multiple Wraiths were huddled together with their guns ready. As Jaz grew closer, he couldn't help but scream out. 

"Get the fuck out! It's probably a corpo-"

A red beam saber cut through his neck at flux speed. To the observing Wraiths, Jaz' head just fell to the ground for no reason. It was ominous. Only the more experienced of the bunch understood what happened. 

"SHIT! THEY'VE GOT A SAN-" The gas station exploded. 

BOOOOM

The powerful explosion caused the ground to rumble slightly. Around fifteen Wraiths had been turned into cooked meat slabs. Multikill. This time, all of the remaining members at the bar grabbed their iron.

They didn't go outside though. Each of them hunkered down behind tables, bar racks, stair railings, and couches. All of them aiming at the open door. To say they were spooked was an understatement.

Time slowly passed. The anxiety grew by the minute. It was too quiet. Besides those in the bar, nobody else could be heard. About eight men left.

While staring out the door like their lives depended on it, they finally saw something. Far in the distance…A black silhouette approached. His gait was extremely casual. What made it scary was the glowing weapon in his hand.

A shining laser blade that almost seemed fake. Except it left a burning trail across the ground. Where the head should be…there was only a red glowing line. A few men couldn't help but gulp.

"Fuuuuck…"

"Stop gawking! FIRE!" Someone screamed. 

Eight different guns let their ammo loose. Bullets flew in a straight path. Unfortunately, the drifter faded away as if it was just an image. A red afterimage. 

The group didn't stop shooting until their mags ran dry. A bunch of empty clicks resounded. Verbal curses flooded the room as they reloaded.

Another five minutes passed as they waited. The anxiety was starting to affect them harshly. One of them had started to tremble. 

"I don't wanna die like this!" He squealed. 

"Shut the fuck up." Someone else whispered angrily.

At that moment, they heard the now iconic sound of the Burya. A piece of the wall broke off…and the scared gonk crumpled with an exploded head. Everyone froze in shock. 

"Don't just sit there! We're being targeted through the wall! Go!"

The man who yelled sprinted out of the building. Contrary to his expectations…nobody else came out with him. Rage flooded his veins at being left to die. 

"You all really plan on dying in there?! Cowards and pussies. Help me find this fucker and kill him!"

There was no response. Feeling a bit off at the lack of an answer, he immediately rushed back inside. What he saw made his stomach drop. 

Not a single body was still intact. Every limb had a burning mark wherever it was cut. Heads rolled around the ground, still freshly fallen. Every single one of them were dead. 

It had happened too fast. Too quickly. The man wasn't even able to hear it. What could possibly kill that fast without noise? Who had the Wraiths offended? What kind of heat had they brought upon themselves? It had reached the level of Arasaka ninjas.

As he lost the will to fight, his surroundings turned red. There was no doubt that the killer was behind him. He at least wanted to see who killed them all. Turning around as fast he-

The man's line of thought was cut off abruptly. He died on his feet. The beam saber had drilled right through his brain.

"Panam…still there?" Lei finally spoke on the comm. A full minute went by before she answered. 

"Drifter…what the hell…" Panam's voice was quiet.

"Ah…sorry. Did I scare you?"

"I don't even know…but that was AWESOME!"