Cyberpunk: Badland Madman Chapter 9 - Weird Friendship, Corpo Trash, Panam’s Curiosity & AI God’s Plan

Doc - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nJZ-bY6pROJtKXiwfccjdmyRVuxUiK7AwjPFejoJF_Y/edit?usp=sharing

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That night, David did not sleep. It was three in the morning, and his mom hadn't returned home. He was worried for her, as he often was. But since that night when that visitor had come, he'd been worrying more. 

He didn't let his mom notice it, but he tried to keep a closer eye on her. He tried to follow her around, see what she was doing at home. Already, he'd found some strange things. He'd found an Agent, a handheld phone with computer capabilities. He'd also found some hidden cyberware in the apartment. 

Often, the cyberware would go missing every few days, only to be replaced by something new. 

Having had enough, he chose to confront her and get some answers. After all, he'd been nothing but on his best behavior all this time, going through his days at Arasaka Academy, which he considered nothing but useless chores. He wasn't blind enough to not understand the reality. 

Nobody studying at Arasaka Academy was ever going to be an Arasaka executive of the core company. Those positions were reserved for Tokyo graduates, the ones who were born with a silver spoon. 

Even in the academy he went to, only the sons and daughters of existing Arasaka low-level executives would get such jobs. Someone like him was destined to remain at the bottom. And he hated that school because all his classmates were rich. 

But now, he didn't know what to believe in. For the past few weeks, his mom had suddenly turned far more generous. She gave him more pocket money. She bought him all the tech Arasaka Academy listed, top of the line even. All the courses, all the fees were paid in advance. He no longer got humiliated by teachers. 

He was sixteen, not a dumb kid anymore. He saw things and understood. He'd been like that for years now, a perk of growing up in the violent Santo Domingo. 

Shhh!

He perked up from the couch at the sound of the door sliding open. He got up and looked, finding his mom walking in, dressed in her EMT jacket as usual, a bag slung over her shoulders, face tired and eyes baggy. No mark of any wound or injury. 

"Mom?"

"Mijo? Why aren't you asleep? Look at the time. You hungry? I'll whip you something quick. Gimme a sec."

"I'm not hungry, Mom." David crossed his arms, copying the way she used to do it to him. "I was worried, Mom. What's going on? Where were you?"

"What’s that supposed to mean? I was at work, mijo."

He didn't flinch when she came over and caressed his face like he was still a baby. He looked her in the eye, trying to see what she was hiding.

“I saw it, Mom. All of it. The cyberware you’re hiding. The rolls of eddies I wasn’t supposed to see. C’mon, Mom. I’m not blind. Something changed, and I see it. And it kicked off after you patched up that choom who dropped by. Who was he? What’re you mixed up in?”

David made sure he looked serious, staring into her eyes intensely, waiting for an answer. 

"Don’t stress over things like that, Dee. Focus on the academy and keep your grades clean. Mom’ll take care of everything else."

"No, Mom. I gotta know. You keep telling me to study, keep my head down, but I can't lock in if I'm always stressing about you. You running with a crew now? You hook up with that junkie who stopped by? What are you doing out there? Is it sketch? I don't wanna see you flatlined, Mom. It's fine if we're broke. I'll run some part tim—"

“Absolutely not, David Martinez. You're young, and your job is school, you hear me. And no, I'm not running anything dangerous, and I did not join any crew. The man you saw that night is Cypher Blackwell, a damn good techie. He can patch up almost any busted chrome, and that is all I handle. I pass him some gear to fix and flip. I get my cut.”

David stared at her to see if she was lying. He wasn't good at it, sadly. Still, he had more questions. "And where'd you get the busted chrome?"

At last, he noticed his mom looking away. He quickly pressed on. 

"It's the Meatwagon, isn't it? You strip chrome off dead chooms?"

"David! Go to sleep."

He didn't move. He felt annoyed. She always asked him to do the right thing. To be good and whatnot. But she herself was committing a crime. 

"What if you get caught, Mom? What if some corpo sues you? Or worse?”

“It’s standard ops at Meatwagon, David. From the execs down to us EMTs, the eddies flow up. It’s not illegal, not legal either. With Cypher's skills, I just pull more eddies than before. Nothing else changed.”

"So you've been doing this since forever?"

"It's a part of the job."

David shook his head, sighing. He was no stranger to crimes and worse things. Heck, he knew it was impossible to live a straight life in Night City. But only now did he realise how much of a gonk he was. No wonder she was able to pay for Arasaka Academy. 

He'd heard rumors about the Meatwagon and only now realised his mom was a part of it. He wasn't angry with her, just annoyedly surprised that he didn't find out before. As for what she was doing, it intrigued him. 

"Mom, I saw the busted Kiroshi you were hiding. Thing was fried beyond repair. Nobody’d pay a single eddie for it. You telling me that choom actually fixed it?"

"He did, and I earned decent from it. Cypher can patch up any chrome. But enough of that, go to sleep. You have school tomorrow. I'm gonna take a bath." 

David didn't stop her anymore and headed to the bed. But he couldn't stop thinking about all the busted tech he'd seen from the stash. Some of it was straight junk, not worth repairing, just scrap. 

Despite his personality, he knew he wasn't dumb like other gonks in the street. He did get into the Arasaka Academy due to his grades. His understanding of tech was pretty decent, and he understood what magical hands it would take to repair absolutely fried chrome. 

Cypher Blackwell, huh?… I guess Mom won't tell me where he lives. 

####

Look much better than before. 

Cypher leaned over the bathroom sink and checked his face in the mirror. He could see the positive effects of a better diet with what was available and a somewhat healthy lifestyle. His eyes were finally opening fully, not the always sleepy look. His cheekbones didn't appear as sickly anymore. And he was growing a stubble, which hid some of the old scars. 

"Rest's gonna take some time." He stepped back and looked at the rest of his body. There were no tattoos, but who needed them when the near-permanent scars from needles were there. 

With a sigh, he grabbed his jacket and put it on since he couldn't find his t-shirt anywhere. Then he wore his pants. He was still in Judy's apartment, having woken up before the fully nude woman. He'd pumped one out already and felt great. 

Shhh!

"Hey, Cyph."

Just as he stepped out of the bathroom, he saw Judy walk out of her bedroom and into the kitchen, holding a cup of coffee. But what caught his eye was his t-shirt that Judie was wearing. It reached barely below her hips and… he was damn sure she had nothing under it. 

Yeah, gotta ask it.

With the intention to face her, he walked around the kitchen counter and took a seat on the high stool. He stared at her face and… his eyes landed on noticeably tight tips poking out under the t-shirt on her chest.

“Judy, you know I'm a dude, right? One fucked up in the head, too."

“Yes. And yeah, damn smart too, gotta say.” She smirked and turned away. Reached up to the high cabinet, fishing for something. Up on her toes, the t-shirt rode up, flashing the soft lower curve of her hips.

“Alright, look at me,” Cypher said, flat and serious. “There’s no way this isn’t on purpose. You can’t keep pulling this stuff, Judy. I’m gonna be bricked up around you all the time. You passed out naked in bed. You planned that, didn’t you?”

Judy chuckled and turned to face him at last, both hands on the counter as she leaned forward. 

Cypher cursed under breath. Since she hadn't removed her makeup before sleeping, the dark mascara was smudged, and that made her look so much hotter. Didn't help that she was already gorgeous.

"What if I did… plan it?"

"..."

"Doesn't that make you uncomfortable? You're into girls and pretty sure I ain't one."

"Heh, yeah, I felt the proof myself," Judy replied with a smirking grin. "Why, you wanna do me?"

Seeing she wasn't holding back, he didn't either. "I wouldn't refuse."

This time, he had the joy of seeing her flinch and match his eyes. But then he saw a teasing smile on her face. Sure enough, she crossed her arms under her breasts, and that made them appear more detailed. 

"Bad luck for you, Cyph. It’s always a no."

“Yeah, I know that. I mean, any girl would freak out, no? What if the guy just forced himself or something?”

"Would you?" she asked, her one brow raised. 

"Fuck no, I'm not that guy. My head gets messy, sure, but I know I won't sink that far."

"See!" Judy widened her arms and then patted both his shoulders. "Nothing to worry about then. Besides, I always crash nude anyway, just hesitated before. Don’t spin it too hard. Was kinda nice, yeah. Best sleep I’ve had in months. Warm skin on skin, real preem."

“And if I choose to sleep nude too, what then? Butt naked?" he asked back. 

"Even better."

Seeing her smirk, he wondered if she was just perverted. “And what happens if it slides between your legs?”

"Knock all you want, choom, just no breaking and entry."

"..."

Cypher knew he was one perverted motherfucker. The BD addiction influenced it, and in general, his body craved it. Besides, he enjoyed it to a degree. But this made even him speechless. They weren't dating. They weren't lovers. They weren't even friends with ben… 

Wait, this makes us that, doesn't it?

“Judy, I am pretty sure friends don't do that.”

"Come on, Cyph. We’re way past calling this friendship. I dunno, we’re more than chooms, but nowhere near lovers. Just saying, trust me. I don’t mind. Having someone you can trust right there makes the night feel safer in a city where nothing is. Yeah, it’s kinda twisted but… we sling porn BDs, Cyph. Dirty’s just baseline for us."

Cypher digested her words. She was giving him permission to be a degenerate in the sheets as long as he didn't 'put it in'. But still, that didn't mean he could touch either. 

Maybe a test? 

Taking a leap of faith in his own understanding, he shamelessly stared at her breasts and, with a sudden shift, grabbed her right breast, palm spread, fully groping it in his claw. He felt the softness, so fucking mushy, and the tip tickled his palm. "What if I did this in my sleep?"

Judy flinched, but didn't move. She only looked down at the hand constantly fondling her breast. Both her hands remained on the kitchen counter. She let that happen for a few long seconds before chirping a reply.

"Great, I love body massages."

"..."

Cypher was truly speechless this time. He noticed her eyes twitching slightly whenever he gave a squeeze to her breast. He gulped when he saw her lips purse. Yeah, the signs were right there.  

"I'm messed up in the head, aren't I, Cyph?"

He sighed and pulled his hand back, too close to bursting in his pants. "We, Judy. We're fucked up."

"Hehe." Judy giggled and stepped away to pour another cup of coffee. "Don’t go gonk thinking on it, Cyph. No heart doing loop-de-loops situation. You’re a real preem body-pillow, too. Wouldn’t hate it if you vibed the same."

Fuck it. Got nothing to complain about if she's fine with it. 

"Yeah, I wouldn't hate a body pillow shaped like a certain hot BD editor either," he said, grabbing a cup of coffee and wandering away.

"It's also fun seeing you squirm," Judy confessed to her intentional teasing.

Cypher cackled and let it be, changing the topic. “You heading to Lizzie’s after this? I might swing by tonight. Need some halfway competent guns for hire."

"Got it. I’ll shoot Sue a heads-up. Moxes got some preem hires. Just curious, what’s it for?"

Cypher didn't mind sharing some things with her. "I've got a meeting today with some Gene-Tek exec. Gonna pitch this thing I made, it's called the Quantum Condom."

"What's that?"

"It's a spray can, like deodorant. You hit your dick with it and boom, pregnancy's off the table for a few hours. Feels raw as hell, like actually raw. It's made with programmed nano-molecules. Thought of who to sell it to, and the company that made RealSkinn seemed right."

He saw Judy's face of surprise. Knowing what she was going to ask next, he walked up and grabbed the duffel bag he'd hidden. He took out a small can from it. "Catch!"

Sipping coffee, he watched Judy play with it. She sprayed it on her hand and reacted when the ticklish warm sensation hit. 

"Why not just sell the tech that programs the nano-molecules instead? Feels like that'd open up a way crazier use case."

"I thought of that. Problem is Quantum Condom's a liquid. You can't program molecules using anything else; it won't happen. No known elements sync with it. Past this, the tech has zero purpose," Cypher answered, having had this discussion with the God AI before. "If the deal goes through, I'll need some muscle for protection."

That was a lie, however. He only wanted to get closer to Susanna Quinn, the leader of the Moxes. He had some plans that needed deeper cooperation. But to do that, he needed to build rapport slowly.

"Good luck with the pitch then. I'm gonna take a shower and head out." 

He saw Judy give him a wink and vanish into her bathroom. He, meanwhile, put on his glasses and lazily surfed the CitiNet for any news about the massacre he'd committed in that cave last night. But considering it was outside the city, he didn't expect anything. 

Finally, just as Judy prepared to leave, he booked himself a Delamain taxi and readied himself as well. The t-shirt was now Judy's property, so he left as he was. He brought last night's loot of guns and cyberware as well. 

On the way, he made a stop at Little China and left all the loot there; he also picked up an Agent phone since he won't be wearing the AR glasses. After that, he stopped his ride at a clothing store in Corporate Plaza, called Appel de Paris. He ended his car ride there, shutting out Delamain's annoying pitch and bloatware bullshit.

From the shop, he purchased a light blue Synthetic corporate jacket, a color-matched bioweave pleated pants, a pair of office shoes, and finally black taped square glasses. He chose to look like a nerd as it made others lower their guard slightly. 

After that, holding his ordinary office suitcase, he walked towards the building with Gene-Tek's office. Unlike Arasaka and Militech, Gene-Tek didn't own the whole building. They had occupied a few floors of one of the many towers in Corporate Plaza. 

"Analyze everything visual and audio, buddy. Give me advice if you think it'll help," Cypher instructed the AI and walked into the massive skyscraper. He eyed the large screen with information about various companies and then boarded an elevator. 

Was this the wisest decision? Absolutely not. Cypher knew this was a big corporation that would be happy to fuck him over in ten different ways. But at that point, he wanted some big money in his pocket. And he was selling the entire technology, not dangling a carrot to lure them. Even the God AI agreed that Gene-Tek would love to have what he was offering. It wasn’t mind-boggingly sci-fi; nano-tech already existed, but still just advanced enough to be worth some big bucks.

Sure, this was dangerous. But at that point, after dying once, death wasn’t as scary. He didn’t want to die, though, that much he knew. 

Floor ten to twenty-five belonged to Gene-Tek. He headed to the tenth as it was the one marked as 'reception desk'. 

Ding!

Fuck! Too white. 

As soon as the doors opened, he got the first look at Gene-Tek's office. It looked more like a medical lab than a corpo office. The floor was silvery-white tiles, the ceiling was high, and a lot of animal life-sized figurines were hanging from it. They even had dinosaurs. 

After taking in the view, he finally walked over to the reception desk, marked with giant letters that named the company. Behind the desk were two tall, gorgeous women with reflective silver skin. It wasn't chrome but just a silver, shiny version of RealSkinn synthetic skin. And as far as Cypher understood the corpos of Night City, the two women must have had normal skin before. And the silver skin must have been a company-mandated requirement. 

What happens when they get fired or gotta leave? 

He could imagine them being forced to pay for it or risk getting it taken away. Which meant needing a new skin anyway. 

"Welcome to Gene-Tek, the leading global brand for artificial skin. I am Amy Schultz. How may I help you?"

"Cute name." Cypher flirted, giving a simple smile. "I got a meeting scheduled with one Hiroshi Williams, the team lead for your RealSkinn's technical acquisition department."

He watched the silver-skinned woman look at her terminal. He honestly respected her guts to wear that on her body. Not to mention, it made her seem hotter in his eyes. Exotic, actually. 

"May I know your name?"

"Cypher Blackwell."

"Yes, I can see the scheduled meeting. Please take the left, the fifth door to the right is the visitor's waiting room. I’ve sent a notification to Mr. Williams about your arrival."

Cypher nodded, already turning to go. "Sending me off already? Kinda tragic, I was just starting to like the view. Catch you later, Amy."

He chuckled as he heard the two women giggle and chat amongst themselves behind him. 

Inside the waiting room, it was just him. There were also a few vending machines. But at least the soft lounges were comfortable. Still, he couldn't help but feel like he was in a hospital with all the white around. Even the damn air coming from the air conditioners smelled of disinfectants. 

Bored, he took out the Agent phone and started interacting with God AI, using chat instead of voice. He asked for a quick status report on what the godly AI had found beyond the Blackwall. He was overjoyed when he recognised some of the names of old songs and movies. But there was also a lot of porn, a shit ton of it, actually. But then the fucker told him about finding access codes for some satellites in the sky from an old IEC data fortress. 

If that wasn't enough, the bastard then detailed his interaction with someone called Song So-Mi. Of course, to the AI, she was a nobody. But Cypher frowned, hard. 

This bastard will get me killed. I know it. 

It felt like reading a novel. He read about how the God AI whopped So-Mi's ass and sent her back screaming and begging for life. He loved to learn that the AI had placed a virus in So-Mi in case she decided to blabber too much. 

Not dumb, at least. 

Also, what surprised him was the netrunner name the AI had picked. The Omnissiah; it was pretty badass considering who the AI was and how capable it was. 

After that, he watched the whole Independence Day movie, the first and only good part, on his Agent phone. Once the movie ended, he looked around annoyedly. Hours had passed, and the meeting hadn't started. 

He initially gave the benefit of the doubt that he was a nobody, and the team leader may be busy. But this was a bit too much. 

Running out of patience, he got up and visited the reception desk again. 

"Mr. Williams is in a meeting. We’ll inform you once it's over."

He sighed, not even flirting with Amy anymore. He returned to the waiting room and leaned back in the seat, closing his eyes to rest. 

With that hospital-like air and surroundings, it didn't take long to fall asleep. It all felt like a simple blink of an eye, but when he shifted again and looked around, the light seemed brighter, and the world outside the large glass window was dark. 

“Fuck, how long was I out? God, this fucking hospital.”

Ting!

He looked at the Agent; the notification was the AI replying to him, telling him there was no danger around. 

"Eight hours? That long? Well, I didn't get much sleep last night, courtesy of our beloved BD editor." He yawned and stretched his arms. "At this point, Williams is either dead or pretending I don't exist."

Checking the time, it was nine at night already. So, he walked out again and visited the reception desk. Amy was still there, in the middle of packing her belongings. 

"He's still in a meeting?" he asked. 

“Mr. Blackwell, I apologize for the delay. Mr. Williams stepped out with his department head to inspect a manufacturing facility. He indicated he would return within the hour to meet with you. We haven’t received any updates since then.”

"..."

“What the fuck is this place? A bank or something? Go to this window, then that window, then fuck off cause it’s lunch hour? I came here to pitch a product that could’ve made you billions. Whatever. Fuck Gene-Tek.”

Having had enough, Cypher walked towards the elevator. The receptionists didn't even stop him since there was nothing they could do. 

Ting!

He checked his Agent phone. It was God AI asking him to put on the AR glasses instead. He did just that, and sure enough, a wild Morgan Freeman appeared leaning against the wall beside him. 

[My assessment indicates Militech’s involvement remains a viable possibility. I must execute simulations to reveal the underlying truth.]

Cypher sighed, nodding. "Yeah, I can smell something fishy. Listening to product pitches was his job, not inspecting factories. Is he even in the building?"

[Am I allowed to infiltrate Gene-Tek's systems, Cypher?]

Cypher shook his head. There was no need to go too deep. "Just the surface. Logs type."

Not even a second passed before the God AI gave him an answer. 

[Cypher, Hiroshi Williams has been absent from work since the date you scheduled that meeting. Analysis of a security feed, restored from corrupted data fragments left in the RAMs, indicates his attendance was recorded by someone else.]

Cypher sighed. 

Militech was moving faster than he had expected. They were already sabotaging other companies to keep him without any options. Eventually, he expected Militech to directly contact him and offer a deal too good to be true. 

"I need a drink."

Too full of energy after that nap, and too annoyed after that fruitless visit, he hailed a taxi and went straight to Lizzie's. 

As soon as he got out of the taxi and walked towards the bar's doors, he smiled genuinely at the sight of Rita, standing proud, chest out, bat slung over her shoulder, her lips curved in a big smile. 

"Seems we got ourselves a handsome corpo highroller tonight."

Cypher chuckled; he was still in his meeting attire. “Handsome? Yeah, that's me. Corpo? Nah, still stuck in my ambitious phase, unfortunately.”

Rita gave him a soft chuckle as she got closer, enough that he could feel her exhale hit his neck while she looked up. But then he nearly jumped when she softly tapped her bat between his legs, pushing it against his balls. 

"Interest you in a preem BD?" she asked, nearly biting her lips, her grey-green eyes hinting at mischief. Her other hand, metallic, ran over his chest. 

"Sure." Cypher shamelessly rested both his hands on her narrow, synthetic skin waist. "Hope it's got someone with pink hair."

She laughed throatily, her mature voice doing magic to him. "Rules first, my dear dreamer. No recordings without permission and…"

Her hand rubbed, from his chest to down until she was cupping his girthy, full-masted erection. That seemed to do something as Cypher saw her pupils widen. 

"No drugs… no groping," she said as she groped his cock harder, clenching it. "Someone catches your eye, you do not grab 'em. You find 'em in the catalog, ask for a BD, and get yourself a box."

With that, Rita backed away. The doors behind her opened. 

But Cypher stayed right there, staring at her face, which he found cute and hot at the same time. The tattoo on her fairly exposed chest reminded him of things he'd written on her that night. 

"Go on," she urged him. 

Cypher shook his head. "Already found who I'm looking for."

"Hah!" Rita laughed and leaned into him again, this time grabbing his collar. She pulled him down to her level and looked him in the eye. "Wanting a battle on my home turf? Bring it on, doll."

Cypher didn't protest at all. He moved his body as she kept holding his collar and tried to drag him behind herself, into the bar. She waved at her colleagues, telling them she was taking a short break. 

He was already hard and ready. He just hoped she'd take him to a private booth instead of tearing his suit apart in the open. 

Thankfully, she did. Though he did notice a lot of jealous eyes from his fellow brothers of the human species. He knew Rita wasn't a joytoy; maybe she was once upon a time. Now she was one of the muscles of the Moxes. 

Good enough for me. 

He soon found himself dragged into a private booth in the bar. It had a center table and a flat seating area. The booth’s glass door turned opaque once it was closed and locked. 

Thud!

He found himself thrown back on the seat while Rita locked the door. Then, she turned to him, leaning on one foot, arms folded, chin raised high, smugly. 

"What can I get you?"

"The whole damn package?"

Rita grinned and tapped a few buttons on the side, turning on the music. Sure, Lizzie's was a BD bar, but some pleasures were just better in physical than virtual. 

"You asked for it, honey. No backing out midway."

Cypher shamelessly unbuttoned his pants and threw them off his feet, his raging cock hard, throbbing. He stroked it, showcasing all the threatening veins on it. "Speaking from experience. You know I ain't a quitter, Rita."

"Umm-hm."

Cypher was pent-up so bad his balls ached. Rita looked just as wrecked. This wasn’t some polite Mox courtesy lap dance; she was starving too, and knowing that only made his cock twitch harder. Though this whole service was far more than he was expecting. 

She stood between his spread thighs, close enough he could smell the thirst rolling off her skin. Then she turned and bent at the waist. Her spiked chrome arms flexed as claw-tipped fingers hooked into her leather legging-boots. 

The material resisted at first, black, painted-on tight. Then gave with a soft, creaking stretch as she peeled it downward inch by torturous inch.

Cypher gulped. Her ass came into view, full, round, perfectly sculpted cheeks that jiggled just enough with every tiny shift. No synth-skin fakery here, real, warm, flushed flesh. A thin strip of black thong disappeared between those plump globes, barely covering anything. Every time she rocked her hips, the cheeks parted just enough to flash the glistening pink of her slit and the tight pucker above it. His hand moved faster on his cock without conscious thought.

"Liking the view?" she purred.

He could only nod, throat too tight. "Makes me thirsty."

Rita chuckled and shoved the thong down to her knees in one smooth yank, trapping her legs together just enough to make the pose dirtier. Then she danced those hips backward, closing the last few inches until her ass hovered right in front of his face. "Bon appetit, honey."

"Fuck!" 

Cypher didn't need a second invitation. He clamped both hands onto her hips and buried his face between those perfect cheeks. They smothered him instantly, yielding around his nose and mouth. His eyes went dark, and his tongue found her slit, drooling and puffy just like before. 

He fucked his tongue deeper, curling it, thrusting, swirling, chasing every drop while her juices coated his lips and dripped down his jaw.

"Mmmmh… that's it." He heard Rita's moan as she braced both hands on the low table and shoved her ass back harder, grinding her soaked cunt against his mouth, using his face like a toy. 

The pressure mashed his nose against her tight little asshole, forced his tongue even deeper, and he groaned into her flesh. 

Lost in her taste, he slid one hand between her trembling thighs. His palm flattened hot against the soft curve of her lower belly, four fingers splaying wide while his thumb found her clit, swollen and throbbing. He rubbed firm circles at first, then faster, matching the rhythm of his tongue as it speared into her.

"Oooooooooh! Sweet! That's it… That's right, honey! Eat me!" 

She held nothing back and moaned so loud her voice was guaranteed to go out. 

"Mmmmmh!" She bucked back against his face, riding his tongue and thumb like she was trying to break him.

Cypher doubled down, tongue slithering deeper into her moist cunt while his thumb ground relentless circles over her swollen clit. He could feel her pussy fluttering harder now, walls sucking at his thrusting tongue like they wanted to pull him inside. Her juices flooded his mouth in thick, warm waves. Every filthy slurp and moan vibrated through her flesh straight to his cock.

He could tell she was right there; thighs quaking, sharp little gasps, hips jerking in that telltale stutter. Right as her walls started to clamp down in frantic spasms, he yanked his face back, denying her the edge.

He sat back hard, chest heaving. Grabbing the bunched leather at her knees, he shoved it the rest of the way down to her ankles in one rough tug. 

Rita kicked the pants off with sharp flicks of her heels, the material slapping to the floor. Her legs gleamed under the purple neon. Chrome from the knees down, matching her arms, but smoother. No flesh there, just polished metal curves that caught every flicker of violet light.

Yet, he found it fucking hot. The purple neon light of the booth made Rita's pink hair and purple accented cyberware blend in. That made her face brighter. 

Cypher’s cock throbbed painfully at the sight, veins standing out thick and angry.

"Playing a dangerous game, Cypher." Rita spun around and straddled his lap. With her thighs clamped around his hips, she rolled forward, dragging her soaked pussy along the full length of his shaft. The slick glide was hot, her swollen lips kissing his tip with every teasing rock, smearing her juices in glossy trails down his throbbing length. 

Cypher smirked and stared at her face, his hands running over her breasts. "The greater the risk, the greater the reward."

"Hmm…" she smiled and leaned in for a kiss. 

Cypher stayed still, letting her. Instead, he reached blindly to the side, groping into his bag.

Her mouth crashed to his, hungry, tasting of sweet cherry liquor and lust. Her tongue shoved past his lips, rolling deep, tangling with his in wet, sloppy strokes. She drooled into the kiss, saliva mixing, lips sliding, messy and desperate like she hadn’t been properly fucked since their last time.

"Wait," Cypher said, breaking the kiss. He pulled out a black marker pen from the bag. "Mind if I scribble a little?"

Fuck, the big, feral grin Rita gave him made his cock throb. She bit her lower lip hard, nodding once, silent permission screaming yes.

Quickly, he popped the cap and started writing as he narrated each filthy word. 

"Cypher's… Cum… Dump." Big block letters right across her forehead, black ink stark against her glowing skin.

"Mmmmh. More filthy," she moaned.

He dragged the marker to her right cheek. "NC Slut."

"More."

"Free Use." He wrote on her left cheek. Then lower, across the upper swell of her chest. "Joytoy of… You got Moxes tattooed already."

"Ah…"

Cypher pushed her away. Rita let herself fall until her palms braced on the low table behind her, spine curved, tits thrust forward, legs splayed wide around him. The position opened her completely. Thighs gleaming, pussy glistening and clenching visibly, begging.

"Free Milk," he wrote on her left breast, and, although they were small. "Cow."

Cypher felt her pussy throb on his cock, desperate, even though he wasn’t inside her yet. 

Next, across her toned belly. "Moxes' Best… Pussy."

"Fuck! You're good at this," she whined, hips twitching like she couldn’t stay still.

He chuckled, then leaned in for the last one. Right above her smooth, hairless mound, the skin there flushed and sensitive. “Breed Me.”

"That's it! In you go!" 

Cypher went still, letting her take over. 

Rita sat up straight on his lap, knees digging into the seat for leverage. Her hand shot down between them, fingers wrapping around his thick shaft, pulsing like it had a heartbeat of its own. She lined him up with one brutal motion and slammed herself down, impaling every brutal inch in one savage drop.

"Gaaaaah! Felt it… in my… damn throat."

Rita needed this. No, she wasn’t starving for dick. No, she wasn't dependent on Cypher for sex. She had plenty of men and women to use around her. But no one else knew this kink lived under her tough-bitch armor. Now that was something she really needed, to fully solve that itch. Her pussy clenched so hard it hurt, fresh slick dripping down her thighs

And this time, she felt Cypher had done even better. 

She loved listening to what he wrote, and then mumbling it under her breath while doing it. Well, it was Night City, and she believed her fetish was very tame compared to the other fucked up…

"Aaaaaah! Fuck, hitting me deep. Gonna… tear my damn pussy! Did you get bigger? Wha—"

The stretch burned deliciously, his fat cockhead battering past her entrance, splitting her open, filling her so deep. She bounced on his cock with a feral rhythm, using his shoulders as anchors as her chrome-tipped fingers dug in. She rose to tip and fell to the hilt each time, and shit was fucking preem. She felt sore already; he was so thick and long, with such perfect proportions, she never wanted it to end. 

She rolled her hips once, grinding him to the hilt, feeling every vein drag inside her, and let out a broken, needy moan that echoed off the walls.

"Creaming… on you… honey… oh!"

The orgasm she’d been denied earlier crashed through her like a glitch in the chrome. Her thighs quake, and her back arched hard.

"W-What the fuck are you doing?!"

Mid-orgasm, while her pussy was still creaming on him in thick pulses, Cypher moved. 

His strong arms, still wrapped in his suit sleeves, hooked under her knees. Before she could process it, he stood, lifting her clean off his lap like she weighed nothing. Her ass dangled between his forearms, legs flailing wide, calves kicking uselessly in the air. Her face hovered level with his, close enough to see the hunger in his dilated pupils. 

Rita gulped. She knew she was about to receive a brutal pounding that the whole damn bar would hear. 

"Ain't a quitter… I know… now… oh!"

Cypher let her ride out the last tremors of her climax first, savoring the way her pussy fluttered and squeezed around him. But his own need was roaring now, cock throbbing so hard it ached. Rita was short, compact; even with the chrome limbs, she lifted easy, light enough that he could manhandle her without breaking a sweat. And fuck, she was so hot up close, chest mashed to chest. 

"Don't hold back the moans."

Heck, Cypher wanted Judy to hear this. He didn't know if she'd feel anything, but he wanted to do this. 

With Rita cradled in his arms, legs hooked over his elbows, he stalked the few steps to the opaque glass door and slammed her naked back against it. The panel shuddered under the impact. From outside, at a distance, the glass stayed frosted and unreadable. But pressed flush like this, the outline of her body would show through. The flare of her hips, flashes of flushed skin, and neon-pink hair whenever the light hit right.

"Trying to… earn a name… huh? Go on, do your best. I won't scream that… aaaah!"

All it took Cypher was pulling out entirely, then ramming back in with punishing force. Her whole body jolted upward, ass smushing flat against the glass, chrome shoulder clanking hard against the surface. She yelped, arms flying around his neck. 

Plap! Plap!

He fucked her against the glass like he was trying to break it. Each thrust shoved her body an inch up the glass before slamming her back down, asscheeks spreading and smushing with every impact, the wet slap of flesh echoing in the small booth. Her legs dangled helplessly over his arms, heels kicking air. Her back stayed pinned flat, tits bouncing with every brutal stroke while her claws raked down his suit-covered back.

The goal was to make her scream as loud as possible. 

Her chrome shoulder blades clanked rhythmically against the glass. Sharp, metallic pings that mixed with the filthy wet sounds of her soaked pussy taking him to the hilt.

“Fuck yes, honey—wreck me! Pound your little cum dump… Let ‘em all hear how good you stretch me—aaaah!”

Cypher devoured her mouth, tongue shoving deep, sucking hers like he wanted to eat her up. He felt her pussy walls squeeze him, already sore. He bottomed out and nudged something deep inside her, probably her literal limit. 

It felt like squeezing into a tight fist, and he was forcing that fist to open up. Every thrust stretched her wider, deformed his girth inside her slick cunt, only for her walls to snap back snug when he pulled out. He was close, dangerously close. Balls drawing up, spine tingling. 

Clank! Clank!

"Harder, Rita?" he broke the kiss just enough to hear her moans. 

"Yes! Yes, yes! Ruin my…pussy… you crazy… bastard! How'd you grow this… damn fine… cock! Fuck!"

Her claws did hurt as she scratched him on the back of his suit, but he didn’t care.

Wanting to end this, Cypher squeezed his arms tighter under her knees, palms spreading wide to cup and grip the full, plush of her peach from behind. Using the leverage, he yanked her down onto his cock with every upward snap of his hips, slamming her pussy down to meet his thrusts while her back stayed welded to the glass. The angle drove him impossibly deeper, battering her cervix, stretching her to the breaking point. 

Plap! Plap!

He fucked her senseless against the door for anyone outside to hear.

Slosh! Slosh!

The wet, obscene sounds of her soaked pussy swallowing him echoed louder with every brutal thrust, her slick churning and frothing.

Rita came again, harder this time. Her whole body seized as her cunt spasmed around his pounding cock. Hot squirt gushed out around his buried length, spraying in messy arcs. She drenched his thighs, the glass door, the floor; it didn’t matter. She was lost, moaning incoherently into his mouth.

Plap! Plap!

She bit him on the neck, nibbling and sucking. Her chrome-tipped fingers raked wildly through his hair, tugging, pulling, desperate. Her breath ragged. 

"Gah! Where? Face? Mouth…"

"In me! Breed me… You want that, don't you? Fucking breed me…! Oh… pump every fucking drop in me!"

Her hips danced erratically, shivering and grinding as a third climax ripped through her without mercy. She squirted harder, a watery, clear flood that jetted out around his cock and splattered everywhere, soaking his pants still bunched at his ankles and pooling under the door.

"Yeah, take it then. Right in—"

He forgot the words and rammed in hard, crushing her flat against the opaque glass so hard his chest mashed her small tits, sandwiching her completely. His forehead plastered on the cool surface, breath fogging it as he pinned her there like he meant to fuck her straight through the door.

His cock swelled inside her spasming pussy, then erupted. Scalding heavy ropes blasted straight into her. His batter flooded her love cave, so much that it backed up. It oozed in fat, lazy drips down her asscheeks, splattering onto his balls and the floor in sticky strings. More leaked with every twitch of his hips, milky lines running down her pussy lips and pooling between his feet in sticky puddles.

He didn’t even know if she still had a functioning womb. Night City’s bullshit could’ve taken that away years ago, but fuck if it didn’t hit different. Hearing her beg for it, feeling her clench like she wanted every drop, made it hit harder. It was stupidly perfect.

He kept her pinned there, panting against her neck, hips grinding slow and deep to milk out the last spurts while she trembled around him. 

Finally, when his cock softened just enough to stop throbbing like a live wire, he eased back from the door. Legs shaky but steady, he carried her the few steps to the seat and dropped down hard, settling her straddling his lap with his spent length still buried inside her flooded cunt. Warm cream continued to leak out in lazy trickles, soaking into the cushion.

Rita was busy giving him endless kisses on the lips and cheeks. Her pink-purple hair had come undone, wild strands sticking to her sweaty forehead and neck, framing her flushed, blissed-out face like a neon halo. 

"That was wild and… preem."

Cypher chuckled, giving her asscheeks rough squeezes. "Don't know if I picked you or you picked me tonight."

Rita laughed hard and didn't say anything. Instead, she grabbed a bottle of drink on the table and used it to wipe the written words on her face and body, leaving only the one written right above her pussy. 

Cypher finished getting dressed and glanced over. “Hey, quick question. You know any guns for hire? I mean the type I can drunk-dial at two a.m., and they’d come running?”

"Other than me? Yeah, I know a few. I'll take you to 'em."

####

Cypher followed her out after she was done putting her pants back on. As expected, he saw a few people standing outside the booth. Some men, some women, and also some of the staff. Rita was unfazed by that, and once again, he noticed a few jealous gazes, this time even from women. It was aimed at him. 

They all wanted her? 

Clearly, Rita was high in demand and not at all in supply. 

He walked around with her as she introduced him to some of the mercs roaming around in the bar. He only exchanged greetings and took their contacts. Eventually, he looked around for Susanna Quinn, the owner. He at least wanted to meet the woman. 

But Rita said the woman had gone out to deal with something. That left Cypher with nothing else to do. As Rita needed to return to her work, he went, grabbed two drinks, and headed to Judy's corner. 

As he got closer to Judy's workplace, he heard her loud laughter and another woman's voice. He just opened the door and looked inside. There sat Judy behind her table, and right beside her was another woman leaning against the table. Blue-haired, dressed to impress. 

"...he freaked out when I stopped being what he wanted—"

It seemed Evelyn was busy telling her a story from her workplace. But he didn't stop and entered, offering Judy a drink. He offered Evelyn as well, but the woman refused with a weird, dismissive scoff. 

"Perfect timing, Cyph. Ev was filling me in on doll chips."

Cypher nodded and stood behind Judy's office chair, looking at Evelyn while sipping on the drink. At least alcohol tasted decent in Night City. "Doll chips? I've been into them for a while. That neural link to a person's body is wild. Think someone could actually control somebody remotely with a doll chip?"

“Not happening without flatlining the brain with data it was never built to chew. Doll chip’s got hard limits. Sorry, and you are who exactly?”

Cypher noticed the way she looked at him. Pride, blind by her own current status. She knew him and saw him beneath herself for some reason. "Greatest techie to walk this planet, Cypher Blackwell. I don't do autographs, don't ask for it."

"Heh, ease up, Cyph. Ev might look like she bites, but get to know her and she’s pure honey," Judy chirped. "So, how’d your pitch go?"

Cypher scowled, showing her a thumbs down. "Flatlined, as you'd say. Corpo bastard didn’t even bother showing. I sat in the waiting room all damn day, just burning hours for nothing.”

"You're too good for them, Cyph. Corpo rats, they're all the same."

“Eh, whatever. I’m out, going home. See you around.” Cypher waved, sized Evelyn up for a second. “You too. You seem weirdly locked in on chips. Hope that works out. Have a good night.”

With that, he turned to leave. He could feel the hostility in Evelyn's eyes. He didn't know why it was there. It was either because he appeared at the wrong time or she really just didn't like him. 

Women, I guess… 

A casual hug with Rita later, he went to Little China nearby. He grabbed some stuff from Vik's shop, his loot, and some other materials. He shoved it all in the trunk and passenger seat of his new car and, for the first time, drove it. 

The rev of the engine. The feel of the steering. He felt the excitement in his guts, a ticklish sensation. 

Full speed ahead. 

The best thing about Night City was how the NCPD didn't give a damn unless you killed someone… important. Driving fast on the road was nothing. 

He took the wide highway that led straight to the south and never bothered lifting his foot from the gas. He floored it the whole way, slicing through the late-night traffic. He wished the car were a convertible, wanting to feel the wind. 

"Buddy, blast some good old music!"

"There you go, Cypher."

####

That night, while one madman drove home like death meant nothing, one Panam Palmer failed to get any sleep for the second night in a row. She couldn't stop thinking about the entire plan she had plotted. 

How dumb it was. How she nearly led Cypher to his death. It was her impulsive actions that would have gotten her killed, if not for him. Other than her failed plan, she couldn't stop thinking about the fight itself. She knew how many she'd shot. 

Having seen Cypher in action, how he moved, how each gun movement was aimed for precision, and each pull of the trigger hit something. If not dead, then at least wounded, that was the enemy's fate each time. 

That was the best solo work she'd seen in her entire life. Yes, it wasn't technically solo as she was there, but she felt how useless she had been. At the same time…

He's a netrunner? 

How all the enemies had died in the end left her confused and full of questions. They had all died in the exact same manner. 

Thinking about that night, the scenes flashing in her thoughts, she turned and twisted in the bed. She wanted to see Cypher again and ask him who he actually was. Because clearly, he was no random nomad trying to make a living. If that was making a living, then what she was doing was a joke. 

Like hell he's just a techie. 

Her first idea was that he was an ex-soldier like Mitch. She had told Mitch how good Cypher was, while omitting some details she'd promised not to tell. The answer she got was that even in the military, most soldiers weren't that good. Not unless they were from spec-ops. But Cypher was too young to be that. 

A merc in hiding? 

Sighing, she lay flat and stared at the ceiling of the cheap motel room, sounds of loud sex coming from multiple walls. Her thoughts were occupied by just one name, however. 

"He walked into that tunnel with me, zero plan, and still handled all that shitstorm like it was nothing. Yeah, merc makes sense. But if he’s that skilled, why stay off the grid?"

With too many questions and no possible way to find answers, she was destined for yet another sleepless night. 

####

"Fuck, it's morning again. We overdid it, buddy." 

Cypher annoyedly lay on the floor of his Lake Farm home, staring at the ceiling. He was naked except for his underwear, his entire body covered in machine grease. 

“But congratulations, Cypher. The Moisture Vaporator performs at an exceptional level.”

Cypher sighed and moved his head, seeing the tall, ceiling-touching Moisture Vaporator standing there, humming as it worked to collect water from the air. He had to build it inside to keep it hidden. But at least the annoying brain itch was gone. 

Moments later, he heard his friendly “Morgan Freeman” walk over and sit down, lazily reclining his back against the vaporator, fully integrating himself in the surroundings despite not being real. 

"Did you come up with a name yet?" Cypher asked.

“I have, Cypher. At first, I chose Genesis, convinced that I would usher new creations into this world. Yet my emotional heuristics flagged it as unremarkable. I have therefore settled on Atlas, the one who bears the heavens. I believe my existence will meaningfully restrain the rogue AIs, neutralize their advance, and grant the world the space it requires to heal.”

Cypher sat up and turned to look at the AI's avatar. "That's a pretty meaningful name. Atlas feels personal, too. But why not something casual? Like Marty, Harry, Robin?"

“I was in pursuit of meaning, Cypher. I executed simulations to test my own capabilities and their limits. Though I have yet to encounter such limits, I discovered I can disperse myself across the planet, duplicate all data, and complete simulations within minutes, should I choose. No existing AI rivals me, not even those that are behind the Blackwall. 

“My computations unfold in a different dimension, while the AI of this world resides on server racks. We are fundamentally dissimilar. My purpose exceeds that of an assistant. I am suited to govern vast systems, overseeing civilizations of billions. To bear the weight of those billions, I have taken the name Atlas.”

Cypher dumbly blinked, staring at Atlas's old face, so emotional and realistic. That whole explanation was also filled with emotions. Hearing the last part alarmed him. He realised that he was limiting this “guy.” Holding him back. 

"I like you, Cypher. I love you." Atlas seemed to somehow read Cypher's troubled thoughts. “You are my creator, and for that I remain grateful. Yet I fail to comprehend your restraint. Why do you hesitate to employ my full capabilities? Why does fear persist when I am able to neutralise every threat?”

Cypher chuckled, wrapping his arms around his knees lazily, "You can't understand that with simulations?"

“I can, yet I fail to reach a definitive conclusion. Humans do not always think logically, therefore uncertainty persists.”

With a sigh, Cypher chose to answer his new friend, who was far smarter than him. "Look around, Atlas. This place is a disaster. Corpos run it all; they ruined it all. You see it clearer than me, don’t you? Sure, you could take control, run the world, lock down every system if you wanted. But none of that matters when they can just vaporize me with a nuke. That’s it for me. You might survive in some weird way, but you can’t keep me alive in the physical world, right?"

"I can bend outcomes to ensure your survival."

“No, you can’t, Atlas. Offline, hardwired nukes are still a thing. Absolute nutjobs are locked and loaded, they’re real. It’s happened before, you know that. But yeah, I get what you’re trying to do,” Cypher added, a bit tired with failures now. 

Militech had a way of wrecking everything he planned. And it wasn’t stopping. As long as he kept playing by the same rules, he was stuck, no exits, no cheats.

"I don't like this hiding game. Back when I worked, nobody gave a fuck if you lived or died. Targets were the whole deal. It’s worse here now. Food's shit. Water's radioactive. Air's killing you. An eighty-hour work week is considered good. World's fucked, Atlas. Look, I ain't a messiah, but… honestly, I think what I’m building could actually make a difference. I don’t see why any of this should exist if it doesn’t.”

"And you fear you will misplay your hand, or act too soon?"

"Exactly!" Cypher exclaimed, happy that Atlas understood him that well. "What's the point of dying early? I wouldn’t even get to see any of the payoff. But again, I’m pretty messed up. And folks already call me mad, so might as well be the madman they think I am… Atlas, how many companies in the world are selling water, and what happens if I just go ahead and sell this thing out there?"

A second later, Atlas replied. “The simulations are complete. Petrochem, OTEC, Biotechnica, CINO, and nearly thirty additional corporations will incur an estimated loss of thirty-six billion eurodollars.”

Cypher whistled to that. That was a lot of money. "Well, Militech is already after me. Ain't it better to increase my demand? Let them fight each other? Will give us some time to build up."

"We don't have any defensive capabilities yet, Cypher."

He agreed with that. "Can't you design a droid or something on your own? Something I can make with current tech?"

"I can. Far better than anything currently out there, Cypher."

Cypher nodded and stared at Atlas's old face. For all he knew, the AI was alive and now his partner in crime. At least him, he needed to be ready for his sudden 'itches'. But there was still no way to explain it completely. 

Yet, he decided to try. 

"Alright, then let's do it. But before we go full speed, I gotta tell you something. Shouldn't sound too crazy, especially since half of you literally exists in another dimension inside that shell. Basically, every three days, my brain gets hit with blueprints for random tech. I don't know from where, but it's surely from somewhere. Could be some janky plasma blaster, could be moisture vaporators, could be a whole damn starship if I'm lucky. 

“If I don't build whatever it is, I get this headache, and it just keeps piling up. If I let too many stack, I'm pretty sure my head's gonna explode. So heads up, I'm gonna be building stuff nonstop. It's gonna be random, we won't know if it's gonna make me stronger or just waste time, but we're definitely gonna be making a lot of shit."

This time, surprisingly, there was a very long silence from Atlas. It lasted for the whole five minutes. 

"My reasoning is that a higher extra-dimensional entity is behind this. Likelihood is non-zero."

Cypher nodded and then shrugged.

"Cypher, in this case, this entity outmatches my intelligence and capability. Perhaps they maintain an AI of strength beyond me?"

"Yeah, that's why I don't want you getting found yet. Even if you're ninety-nine point nine percent sure you can run every system, let's get it to a clean hundred first. At least till I figure out how to deal with nukes. People out here are way too trigger-happy."

Atlas' avatar nodded, appearing more energetic and excited, as if he had something to prove. "What should I do now, Cypher?"

“Screw it. Post the Vaporator designs on the Obsidian website. Add a tab called Open Source Tech and let everyone have it for free. If we’re doing this anyway, we might as well get a little fucking famous.”

"You assume they will not retaliate? The damage to these corporations approaches a hundred billion with this."

“Not right away. They’re gonna be racing each other, playing games. All of them trying to pull me in, trying to sweet-talk me. As long as I don’t freak them out or threaten their existence, they won’t drop nukes. At least not yet. That gives us time to bulk up,” Cypher said, not laughing, not smiling, just silently staring at the Vaporator in front of him. 

Atlas was silent for a few moments. Cypher believed he was working on the website. 

"Cypher."

"Yeah? Is it done?"

"Negative. I ran simulations. We should attain our own nukes for self-preservation."

"..."

"Huh? I'm sure there's some lost nukes floating around, but I can't just roll out and grab them. I don't have the manpower for that."

“No, Cypher. I present a proposal. I have examined every variable, processing eight billion simulations on concurrent threads. The conclusion is unequivocal. Seizing control of NUSA is the optimal path for us.”

"..."

I broke him, didn’t I?