Cyberpunk: The Magnet fruit

The moment Rogue herself stepped into the room, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

The scavengers, Beast Gang members, and everyone involved in the standoff froze in place.

"Wait… is that really her? Is that Rogue?!"

The Scavenger boss, Oris, went pale. He swallowed hard and instinctively stepped back into the shadows, trying to make himself invisible.

Delais, the leader of the Beast Gang, lost all traces of his former bravado. His ashen face and trembling hands betrayed his fear. No amount of muscle could hide the terror he felt under Rogue's sharp gaze.

Though Rogue's glory days as a mercenary might have been behind her, her reputation as the most influential fixer in Night City remained untarnished. Her connections and power demanded respect, and for people like Delais and Oris, awe.

"Hey, big guy," Rogue called out humorously, her voice calm but commanding. "How long do you plan to keep holding up that 'Arasaka JKE-X2 Kenshin'?"

Jack, caught off guard, stammered, "Uh… oh, right! My bad."

He immediately lowered the pistol and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, Rogue. I mean, Ms. Rogue. I'm Jack… big fan."

Rogue chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I can tell. Nice gun. But next time, don't let me catch you pointing it at anyone in my bar."

Jack nodded frantically. "Of course, I promise! No next time!" He muttered under his breath, "Damn… I can't believe I'm actually talking to Rogue in the Afterlife Bar. This is insane."

With that, Rogue shifted her attention to Delais, her piercing eyes narrowing.

"Alright, tough guy," she said, gesturing toward the gang members still holding their weapons. "Why don't you have your friends lower their guns?"

Delais hesitated for a moment, his jaw clenching. Finally, he gave a reluctant wave, signaling his men to stand down.

One by one, the gang members lowered their firearms.

"Good," Rogue said calmly, crossing her arms. "Now, let's talk."

She took a step closer to Delais, looking him up and down.

"You're with the Beast Gang, right?" she asked.

Delais nodded stiffly.

"Well," Rogue continued, her tone still unnervingly calm, "you know the rules. You come to the Afterlife Bar, you follow them. I don't tolerate trouble in my house. Surely you've heard what happens to people who break that rule?"

Her words were spoken casually, but Delais flinched. He didn't need a reminder. Everyone in Night City knew the story of the last person who dared to start a fight in Rogue's bar. That person hadn't just disappeared—they'd been erased from existence.

"Yes, I… I've heard," Delais said, his voice trembling slightly.

He turned to glare at David, who was standing nearby, and growled, "But this time, it's not our fault! It was the bartender here who caused this mess!"

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Care to elaborate?"

Delais nodded. "During the day, that kid rear-ended our car. He started this whole thing! We wouldn't even be here if he hadn't interfered."

His voice grew louder, angrier. "So, Ms. Rogue, as someone who represents fairness and justice in Night City, are you really going to protect him just because he works for you?"

Rogue frowned slightly, studying Delais. She recognized the attempt to box her into a corner. The Beast Gang leader wasn't as brainless as he looked.

For all their reputation for brute violence, Delais was using her position against her. As a legendary fixer, Rogue was expected to be impartial when settling disputes. It was the price she paid for her power and influence.

Moral high ground in Night City was rare, but when people expected it, they clung to it.

After a moment of silence, Rogue turned to David.

"Well, kid? Is it true? Did you rear-end their car during the day?"

David didn't hesitate. "Yes."

His straightforward answer caught Rogue off guard. She blinked, then asked, "Why?"

"They were having a shootout in the middle of the street," David replied, his voice steady. "They were putting innocent lives at risk. So, I stopped them."

"So, you took it upon yourself to play vigilante?"

David shrugged. "You could say that."

David's quick, honest responses drew murmurs from the crowd. Rogue, too, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. She hadn't expected such straightforwardness.

Most people in Night City would've lied, twisted the truth, or shifted blame. Rogue had even set up her questions to give David an easy out—an excuse to claim he was the victim. But David hadn't taken the bait.

Jack and Claire, standing nearby, exchanged panicked looks.

"What is he doing?" Jack whispered harshly. "Why isn't he just lying to save his own skin?"

"I have no idea," Claire muttered, shaking her head. "He's either the dumbest guy in Night City… or the bravest."

Meanwhile, at another table, the members of Maine's crew were watching the scene unfold.

Maine leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Sasha, are you sure Lucy said her partner's name was David? And that he's from the Dragon Kingdom?"

Sasha nodded firmly. "Yeah, that's what she said. Why?"

Pyrrha scoffed. "No way. There's no way that idiot's Lucy's partner. He's way too reckless."

Dorio added, "He seems smart enough, but his actions are just… dumb."

Kiwi smirked. "Rogue practically handed him an escape route, and he walked right past it. If that's smart, I don't want to see what dumb looks like."

Rebecca, sitting on the edge of the table, chimed in, "You know… maybe he did it on purpose."

The group turned to look at her, confused.

"What?" Maine asked.

Rebecca shrugged. "I don't know. I just get the feeling he's doing this on purpose."

As the tension in the bar began to settle, Rogue stared at David, her expression unreadable. She could see something in him—a boldness, perhaps even recklessness—but there was no doubt that he believed in his actions.

Finally, she spoke. "Alright. Let's settle this, then."

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