NOVEL NEXT Chapter 66
Asuka, Jackie, and Sasha drove up to the drop point, the desert stretching out under the night sky, lit only by the glow of their headlights. A few nomad vehicles were already there, waiting, their shapes casting long shadows against the sand. The nomads were a rugged crew, their cars clearly built for endurance and speed, each one covered in gear for long hauls across the Badlands.
Ted visibly relaxed when he saw them, letting out a breath that seemed to carry all the tension of the past hours. Asuka parked the Javelina, stepping out, her chrome limbs glinting under the moonlight. Jackie and Sasha got out of Pink Kitty, the two of them exchanging tired but triumphant grins.
Ted looked at Asuka, genuine gratitude written across his face. "I can't thank you enough. You all really are pros. Without you, I wouldn't have stood a chance."
Asuka just gave a small nod, her expression softening slightly as she pulled her visor up. “Just another job, Ted. But you did alright. And remember, stay low. Stay with the nomads and out of sight for a while.”
Ted nodded and then, almost as if he remembered something, reached into his pocket. He handed Asuka a small data shard. “This is for you—it's the access to my BD studio. The whole setup is yours now. Everything’s on that shard. I hope it helps.”
Asuka looked at the shard for a moment, then gave Ted a quick grin, taking it from him and slipping it into her jacket pocket. “Appreciate it, Ted. Good luck out there.”
Ted gave her one last grateful look before turning and heading towards the waiting nomad car. He climbed in, the door shutting behind him, and with a rumble of engines, the convoy of nomad vehicles began to pull away, fading into the distance, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.
Asuka, Jackie, and Sasha stood there for a moment, watching as the nomads disappeared beyond the horizon. The desert was silent now, the only sound the gentle hum of their engines.
Jackie sighed, stretching his arms, his Gorilla Arms making the metal joints creak slightly. “Well, we got Ted out. Not a bad night’s work,” he said, a tired but satisfied smile on his face.
Sasha shook her head, her expression bemused. “Yeah, but now we’ve got to figure out how to get back. Same way we came?”
Asuka chuckled, giving her a nod. “Yeah, Sasha, the same way. Through the hole we punched in Militech’s line. Shouldn’t be too hard—most of their reinforcements are probably licking their wounds.”
The three of them climbed back into their vehicles, Asuka revving the Javelina as she turned it back towards the way they’d come. Pink Kitty pulled up alongside, the armored truck still solid, despite all it had gone through. They started back, the journey almost serene in the dead of night, the quiet stretch of desert under a blanket of stars.
They reached the unfinished section of the wall again, approaching the spot where they'd broken through earlier. There were still remnants of the barrier—drones lay broken, Militech vehicles overturned, and the area was deserted, the aftermath of their earlier clash still evident. Jackie let out a laugh, steering Pink Kitty straight through the debris.
"Looks like we left 'em too busted up to make a comeback," Jackie said over the comm, his tone full of satisfaction.
Sasha nodded, her voice coming over with a smile. “I’d say we left our mark.”
Asuka followed through in the Javelina, the vehicle cutting through the wreckage with ease. Once they got past the wall, it was a straight shot back to Night City. The neon glow on the horizon slowly came into view, the lights of the city coming into sharper focus as they sped along the road.
Finally, they crossed back into the city limits, the familiar chaos and energy of Night City welcoming them like an old friend. They slowed down as they merged back onto the crowded streets, the roar of their engines blending in with the general noise of the city.
Asuka felt a weight lift off her shoulders as they finally pulled into the more familiar neighborhoods of Watson, a tired smile crossing her face. “Alright, chooms. Ted’s safe, we’re in one piece, and I’ve got a BD studio to show Judy. I’d call that a successful night.”
Jackie grinned, parking Pink Kitty alongside the sidewalk, stretching his arms. “Hell yeah, chica. Time for a drink?”
Sasha gave a tired but amused nod, leaning back in her seat. “I think we’ve earned it.”
Asuka laughed, her eyes glinting under the city’s lights. “Drinks it is. Let’s toast to a job well done.”
After the long night, they made their way back to the Afterlife. The iconic club was buzzing, filled with mercs and fixers sharing stories, cutting deals, and drowning their troubles in strong drinks. Asuka, Jackie, and Sasha made their way through the crowd, and it didn’t take long before Rogue noticed them.
She approached, her usual stern demeanor giving way to a brief smile. "You made it back," she said, her voice filled with a hint of approval. “And Ted made it out alive. You did well.”
Rogue nodded towards Asuka, and Asuka felt her HUD blink as a transfer came through—eddies from the job. The numbers rolled across her vision, and she couldn't help the satisfied smile that spread across her face.
“Nice to see you keeping up with the reputation, Rogue,” Asuka said, her tone playful but respectful. “Though, next time, maybe a job without Lazarus breathing down our necks?”
Rogue let out a soft chuckle, her eyes glinting under the neon lights. “Where’s the fun in that, kid?” She nodded towards the bar. “Go get yourselves a drink. You earned it.”
The trio headed over, the bartender recognizing them immediately and setting them up with a round of drinks. They toasted, the adrenaline still lingering just enough to make the taste of alcohol that much sweeter.
Jackie raised his glass, his smile broad. “To surviving another day in Night City, and getting out of it with some eddies to spare!”
Sasha clinked her glass against his, nodding. “To not getting blown up. And maybe no more helicopter missiles for a while.”
Asuka raised her glass last, her voice full of amusement. “And to proving that we’re not just lucky—we’re damn good at what we do.”
They downed their drinks, the familiar burn washing away some of the exhaustion that had been hanging over them. But soon enough, the Afterlife started to fill with new faces, and the energy shifted from winding down to ramping up—more mercs coming in, ready to find their next job.
Jackie stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Alright, chooms. I’m gonna head back to Heywood. I’ve got some folks to check in on, and I think Mama Wells would appreciate knowing her boy is still in one piece.”
He gave Asuka and Sasha a wink before heading off, waving over his shoulder. “Stay out of trouble—at least until I’m around to join in.”
Asuka laughed, giving him a salute. “No promises, Jackie.”
With Jackie gone, Asuka and Sasha made their way back to the Quadra. The car was still parked where they’d left it, the holes in the roof from their earlier scuffle barely noticeable in the darkness. They climbed in, the vehicle roaring to life as Asuka started the engine.
Sasha leaned back in her seat, her eyes half-closed as she glanced over at Asuka. “Think we’re gonna take it easy for a while?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion but also curiosity.
Asuka smirked, steering the Javelina through the crowded streets of Night City. “Maybe for a bit. But you know how it goes, Sasha. Sooner or later, something else will come up. Someone will need our help, or we’ll just get too bored sitting around.”
Sasha let out a soft laugh, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. But maybe we can actually take a break before that happens. At least for a day or two.”
Asuka chuckled, her eyes focused ahead, the neon lights of the city reflecting off her chrome arms as she drove. “Yeah, a day or two. Sounds like a plan.”
They drove in comfortable silence, the city lights passing by, the chaos of the night slowly giving way to a calmer atmosphere.
The next day found Asuka at one of El Capitan's garages, the Javelina parked inside, its sleek black armor still showing the evidence of last night's chaos—bullet holes punctuating the roof like scars. The mechanics gathered around, examining the damage as they made their initial assessments. One of them, a burly guy with grease-stained overalls, frowned at the holes, scratching his head in confusion.
“How the hell did these get through?” he asked, his tone incredulous. “This armor can block a sniper round, no problem. What'd you do, drive through a goddamn tank ambush?”
Asuka just smirked, pulling out her Malorian, the chrome reflecting the light of the workshop. She gave it a spin, twirling it effortlessly in her hand before pointing it at the car, the mechanics all watching in a mix of amusement and slight alarm. With a smooth pull of the trigger, she fired, the bullet slamming into the roof with a loud bang, making another neat hole right next to the others.
“Like I said, chooms,” Asuka said, holstering her Malorian with a flourish. “This baby doesn’t play by the rules.”
The mechanics all stared at the new hole, shaking their heads in disbelief. One of them, a younger guy with bright red hair, let out a low whistle. “Alright, alright. We'll add that to the bill then,” he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Asuka shrugged, leaning back against a workbench, her chrome arms crossed casually. “No worries. After last night's gig, I’m practically bathing in eddies,” she said with a grin. "Fix her up nice and shiny—I want her looking brand new.”
The lead mechanic nodded, rolling his eyes but smiling as he motioned for the others to get to work. “We’ll make her pretty again, no problem. But next time, try not to use your ride as target practice, alright?”
Asuka laughed, pushing herself off the workbench, her expression playful. “Can’t make any promises, but I’ll try to keep it reasonable.”
With that, she stepped back, letting the mechanics get to work. The garage was bustling with activity—El Capitan’s garages always were.
Asuka stepped out of the garage, her chrome clinking softly against the pavement as she approached her bike. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when she saw Judy already there, sitting on the bike in the driver’s seat. Judy looked over her shoulder, her face lighting up as she saw Asuka approaching.
“Well, well, look who's done playing with her toys,” Judy said with a grin, her eyes glinting playfully. “Ready to go, or are we taking bets on how much longer you’ll keep blowing holes in that thing?”
Asuka laughed, shaking her head as she swung her leg over the bike, settling in behind Judy. She leaned forward, her arms wrapping around Judy's waist, her cheek pressing lightly against the back of Judy’s helmet. "Nah, we're done with that for now, Judes," she replied. "Let's head over to that BD studio I told you about. You’re gonna love the new virtue gear.”
Judy couldn’t help the excitement that showed in her eyes as she twisted the throttle, the bike roaring to life beneath them. “You know, Asuka, when you said you had something to show me, I didn’t expect it to be an entire BD studio. I mean, you’re full of surprises,” she said, glancing back at her, her smile wide.
Asuka gave a small shrug, her grin almost shy—almost. “Gotta keep you on your toes, Judes. Can’t have you getting bored, right?”
Judy turned back, her grin turning into a soft smile as she felt Asuka's massive chest press against her back, the warmth of her body making Judy's cheeks flush slightly. She kept her focus on the road ahead, but there was no hiding the amusement in her voice. “You know, it’s hard to stay focused on driving when you keep distracting me like this, Asuka.”
“Distracting?” Asuka said, her voice feigning innocence as she tightened her grip slightly, her breath soft against Judy's ear. “I’m just holding on for dear life. Besides, not my fault you decided to take the driver’s seat.”
Judy rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, but there was affection in her tone. She revved the bike and they took off, the city flashing by in a blur of neon lights and moving shadows, the two of them weaving effortlessly through the chaotic traffic of Night City.
“Hold tight, Asuka. We’re gonna make this a quick ride. Can’t wait to see what kind of goodies are waiting for us at this BD studio,” Judy called over her shoulder, her voice full of excitement and maybe a hint of something else.
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Asuka replied, her lips curling into a mischievous smile as she settled in closer.
