“A natural-born human…
it’s been ages since I’ve seen one in Night City.
I didn’t think I’d get this lucky today.” The Scavenger gripped his scalpel, his left hand roaming over Levi’s torso.
He seemed mesmerized by the feeling of natural muscle fibers and the steady, rhythmic thrum of an untouched heart beneath his fingertips.
“Relax.
I’m going to take such good care of this body.” The Scavenger leaned in, sniffing the scent of Levi’s skin with a twisted, predatory relish.
He pressed the cold blade against Levi’s lower back.
“It almost feels like a crime to cut into skin this perfect.” Every word grated against Levi’s mind, turning his stomach.
He fought to move, but the heavy sedatives still held his body in a vice grip.
His face contorted, muscles spasming in a desperate, silent plea for movement.
His physical distress triggered the medical monitor again, its high-pitched beep-beep-beep filling the room.
“Damn, this piece-of-shit machine is loud.” The Scavenger, annoyed, drove the scalpel straight into Levi’s abdomen, then marched over to the monitor and ripped the power cord from the wall.
The machine died with a pathetic whine.
“Finally.
Some goddamn peace and quiet.” He kicked the broken machine, fished a pack of cigarettes from his apron, and lit one up.
“Christ, the mood’s completely ruined now.” He wandered onto the balcony, took a deep drag, and activated his optics.
A blue glow radiated from his eye.
“Yeah, that’s the stuff.
Nothing like a live stream from a night-city hostess to take the edge off.” While the Scavenger was distracted, Levi reached down, pouring every ounce of his willpower into his right hand.
[Beep-beep-beep—] [Biometric data synced successfully] A line of text flickered into Levi’s vision, but he didn’t have the luxury of reading it.
He clawed at the blade sticking out of his own flesh, grit fueling his movements.
[Hacking in progress…] As the text appeared, he felt a spark.
The chemical haze lifted, and control surged back into his limbs.
His fingers twitched, then clamped shut.
He pulled the scalpel free, his hand slick with his own blood, and shoved it under his hip to hide it.
If he comes back, Levi thought, his eyes narrowed, I’m going to put this in his neck.
The Scavenger finished his cigarette and turned back toward the gurney.
Levi played dead, keeping his eyelids cracked just enough to see, his grip tightening on the scalpel.
The Scavenger reached for the spot where he’d left the knife.
He patted the air, then the gurney, his face twisting into confusion.
“Where’s my blade?” He looked down, eyes widening.
The wound was there, but the tool was gone.
“What…
did a rat get in here?” His hand flashed to his holster, eyes scanning the room.
Nothing.
He searched the perimeter, his posture tense and predatory.
When he found no one, he grunted, shaking his head.
“Forget it.
It’s just a scalpel.
Who’s going to kill me with a kitchen knife?” He turned to the table to grab a replacement.
Now.
Levi surged off the bed like a coiled spring, ignoring the agony tearing through his nerves.
He didn’t hesitate.
He slammed his left hand over the Scavenger’s mouth, pinning him against the wall, and drove the scalpel into his neck with his right, slashing upward through the artery.
Blood painted the wall, soaking the graffiti in a fresh, dark hue.
“You weren’t drugged?!” the Scavenger gurgled, shoving Levi away.
He triggered his Pain Editor, flooding his brain with signals to kill the agony of his severed artery.
He went for a throw, but Levi was relentless.
He stayed stuck to the man like a parasite, driving the blade home again and again.
Blood sprayed across Levi’s face, but he didn’t blink.
His expression was a cold, hollow mask.
The Scavenger struggled, clawing at his own throat, but the life bled out of him with every stroke.
Finally, the man went limp and collapsed, sliding to the floor.
Levi, adrenaline fading, tumbled down with him.
He scrambled to his feet and slammed the blade into the back of the scavenger’s skull—one, two, three times—until the body went perfectly still.
“Fuck you,” Levi spat, catching his breath on the cold floor, bathed in the garish glow of neon lights.
“You want my organs?
Try taking them.” [Invasion Successful] A panel materialized in front of him: [Levi / The Nobody] [Reputation: 10] [Cyberware: Zeiss Night2066 Optical Eye (Basic), Zeiss Night2040 OS (Basic)] [Ability: English Proficiency] [Available to Redeem: Wallhack, Aim-Assist, Auto-Regen] [Available Items: Eurodollars, Pistol Ammo, Kinetic Pistol, Frag Grenade, Stimshot, Tactical Medkit] Reputation?
A Nobody?
Levi realized the scope of his leverage.
“The higher my reputation, the more I can buy…” He quickly spent 7 reputation points on two Stimshots and a Frag Grenade.
As the items appeared in his hands, he jammed one of the stims into his arm.
The pain receded, the wound sealing shut.
He stood up, feeling like a new man.
He stripped the dead Scavenger’s clothes, pulling them over his own frame.
He spotted a pistol on the body—a chunky, heavy revolver.
[Item: Darra Polytechnic DR-5 Nova] [Ammo: 6-round cylinder] [Evaluation: A classic.
Reliable, simple, and hits like a truck.
Everyone in Night City needs one.] He spent his remaining 3 reputation points on 18 rounds of ammo.
Suddenly, a voice boomed from outside the room.
“Kinosuke-san, the heart and kidneys are ready.
We’ve extracted them, just as you requested.” It was Afanasy.
Levi’s eyes turned cold.
He pulled the pin on the frag grenade, rigged a makeshift tripwire by the door, and slipped into the shadows, waiting.
“Good work, Afanasy,” a new voice replied—slick, corporate, and arrogant.
“If these organs are as pristine as the last ones, Naoshi-sama will consider your application to Arasaka.” “Thank you, Kinosuke-san!
I promise, these are the best ones yet!” Afanasy’s voice practically vibrated with greed.
“Please, step inside.
Everything is ready.”