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“No way.
We are not taking orders from you.
We don’t become corpo weapons like Adam Smasher.”
Dorio was the first to reject it.
Maine’s crew had become a respected mercenary team because they were independent.
They did not belong to any fixer, not even Faraday, their regular client.
They certainly were not going to kneel for Rook after meeting him once.
But the moment Dorio finished, Maine spoke with startling calm.
“I’m joining the plan.
I want the cyberpsychosis gone.
I want to become a legend in Night City.”
His words hit the crew almost as hard as Rook’s offer had.
The division opened at once.
“Captain, you’re joking, right?”
Sasha was the one who spoke.
Part of the reason she had attacked Biotechnica had been personal, but the crew had mattered too.
She had never imagined their leader would trade the whole team away.
“If it’s the captain’s choice, I have no objection.”
That came from Kiwi, who had been quiet in the corner.
Unlike the others, she had only joined the crew the night before.
In some ways, she was still an outsider.
But she saw one thing more clearly than anyone else in the room: if Rook could truly give her one of those Source-series frames, she could become one of Night City’s legends.
“Stop talking crap.” Rebecca put away both pistols and bared her small teeth again.
“No one wants to work for somebody else.
The captain has to be thinking about the crew.”
Falco and Pilar stayed silent.
One was steady by nature, the other preferred jokes, but both knew when a decision mattered.
Then Jackie slapped his thigh and stood. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“Hey, chooms.
You all missing something here?”
The room quieted at once.
Every eye turned to him.
Behind the gold-rimmed glasses, approval flickered through Rook’s gaze.
He sat back beside Lucy and waited for Jackie to work.
“First off, is Rook here Saburo Arasaka?
Is he some fossil in a tower buying people by the pound?
No.
The way I see it, he saved Sasha.
That already proves he’s someone you can trust more than most.”
Jackie folded his arms, displeasure plain on his face.
“Second, don’t forget what he’s putting on the table.
Top-shelf tech that Arasaka and Militech don’t even have.
You all want to be legends.
You all want to climb higher.
But you also want to take his gear for free?
Come on.
That’s not right.”
“I may not be famous yet, but I know you repay help when you get it.
Night City ain’t so rotten that gratitude stopped existing.”
“Rook asked for loyalty.
He didn’t ask you to burn orphanages.
We’re all living by the edge of a knife anyway.
Someone offers you equipment this good, doing work for him is fair.”
The words were rough, but they landed.
For a moment, no one spoke.
“All right,” Rook said after the silence had done its work.
He stood, patted Jackie’s shoulder, and motioned for him to sit.
In fact, I’d rather you think of me as a choom, a partner, or someone trying to reach the same future you are.”
He looked around the room.
“I called you here to talk.
If you’re willing to cooperate, contact Lucy.
She’ll tell you where to find me.”
Then he indicated that they were free to leave.
The crew looked at him with complicated expressions.
Maine was the first to rise, leaving the room without looking back.
The others followed.
Kiwi paused beside Rook and gave him a long, unreadable look before leaving.
Rebecca tugged down one eyelid and made a face at him on her way out.
Sasha was last.
She stood, bowed again, thanked him quietly, and left.
Only when the room emptied did Rook turn to Jackie.
“Jackie, I planned to have you join Maine’s crew, but it looks like you’re better off building your own.”
“No problem, hermano.” Jackie waved it off.
“I’m telling you, one day Jackie Welles is going to make it big.
Maine’s crew sounded exciting before I met them.
Now?
Not so much.
I don’t need that kind of attitude.”
Rook understood and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Then here’s your job for today.
Build your own crew.
Call it Jackie’s crew for now.
I want a netrunner, a second-in-command, a driver, a tech, and a medical specialist.
Skilled and trustworthy.
If you can’t fill every position,
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.