The atmosphere inside the office was strangely quiet.
Night City’s neon skyline stretched beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the room in shifting shades of blue and crimson.
Far below, millions of people fought for survival, unaware that decisions made in offices like this often determined their fates.
Victor sat comfortably behind his desk.
Sasha sat opposite him.
The difference in status between them couldn’t have been greater.
One was a captured mercenary.
The other controlled one of Arasaka’s most dangerous divisions.
Yet Victor showed no hostility.
That made Sasha even more nervous.
After several moments of silence, she finally gathered enough courage to speak.
“What exactly do you want from us?” Victor folded his hands beneath his chin.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Good question.” He leaned back slightly.
“The answer is actually quite simple.” Sasha waited.
Victor spoke a single name.
“Galina.” Everything changed.
Sasha froze.
The color drained from her face.
Her chair scraped against the floor as she abruptly stood up.
“What did you say?!” The reaction was immediate.
Instinctive.
Raw.
Victor wasn’t surprised.
In fact, it was exactly what he expected.
“Sit down.” His voice remained calm.
But the authority behind it was impossible to ignore.
Sasha clenched her fists.
“How do you know that name?” Victor didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he tapped a finger lightly against the desk.
A quiet rhythm.
Patient.
Controlled.
Then his eyes met hers.
“Miss Sasha.” The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“Don’t forget whose office you’re standing in.” The warning was gentle.
But unmistakable.
After a brief hesitation, Sasha slowly sat back down.
Her heart was racing.
Her mother.
The one mystery she had spent years chasing.
The one question nobody would answer.
Galina.
Victor continued.
“That’s your mother.” Sasha’s breathing became uneven.
“What do you want?” Her voice was quieter now.
More cautious.
Victor smiled.
“Wrong question.” Sasha frowned.
Victor leaned forward.
“What do you want?” For a moment, she didn’t understand.
Then realization hit.
Her eyes widened.
“You…” Hope.
Fear.
Disbelief.
All appeared simultaneously.
“You know something?” Victor spread his hands.
“I know enough.” Sasha immediately leaned forward.
“Then tell me!” “No.” The answer came instantly.
Sasha froze again.
Victor continued.
“This isn’t charity.” The smile never left his face.
“It’s business.” He raised a finger.
“Equivalent exchange.” The phrase hung in the air.
Victor wasn’t offering kindness.
He was offering a contract.
A transaction.
A deal.
“You get what you want.” His finger lowered.
“And I get what I want.” Sasha remained silent.
Victor continued.
“I can help you investigate the truth.” “I can provide resources.” “Protection.” “Information.” “Money.” His eyes narrowed slightly.
“In return, you’ll work for me.” The proposal was far better than Sasha expected.
In fact…
It was almost too good.
That made it suspicious.
“What exactly would I be doing?” Victor laughed softly.
“Nothing difficult.” That answer somehow worried her more.
Victor opened a drawer.
A thin file slid across the desk.
Sasha opened it.
Inside was almost nothing.
No detailed history.
No personal records.
No family information.
Only basic biometric data.
And a codename.
Spirit Cat.
Sasha blinked.
Victor nodded toward the file.
“From now on, that’s your designation.” The netrunner looked down at the document.
Then back up at Victor.
“What happens next?” Victor shrugged.
“For now?” “Nothing.” That answer surprised her.
Victor continued.
“Go back to your normal life.” “Wait for instructions.” “You’ll be added to my external personnel roster.” His tone remained casual.
“You’ll receive a salary.” “Benefits.” “Support.” “And when I need you, I’ll contact you.” Sasha sat quietly.
The proposal sounded unbelievable.
Yet Victor had no reason to lie.
If he wanted something from her, forcing cooperation would’ve been easy.
Instead…
He was negotiating.
After several moments, she finally nodded.
“I understand.” Victor seemed satisfied.
Then Sasha asked the question she cared about most.
“What about Maine and the others?” Victor smiled.
That answer came much faster.
“You don’t need to worry.” Relief immediately appeared on Sasha’s face.
Victor continued.
“I still need them.” The relief vanished.
Need them?
For what?
Victor leaned back.
“Eventually, you’ll return to the crew.” Sasha blinked.
“What?” Victor nodded.
“You’ll continue your lives.” “You’ll continue being mercenaries.” “You’ll continue pretending nothing happened.” The implications were enormous.
Maine’s crew wasn’t being executed.
They weren’t being converted into experimental subjects.
They weren’t disappearing into a corporate black site.
Victor intended to use them.
That realization both comforted and frightened her.
Finally, Sasha stood.
Then unexpectedly bowed.
Victor looked genuinely surprised.
The gesture was old-fashioned.
Almost forgotten in Night City.
Yet completely sincere.
“No matter what happens…” Her voice softened.
“Thank you.” Victor raised an eyebrow.
Sasha continued.
“You gave me a chance.” “A chance to learn the truth.” For the first time during the conversation, Victor didn’t immediately respond.
Instead, he simply nodded.
“Get some rest.” Sasha smiled weakly.
Then left.
The office door closed.
Silence returned.
Victor stared toward the city lights.
Then shook his head slightly.
Night City really did produce strange people.
“Canris.” The giant operative appeared almost instantly.
“Boss.” Victor stood.
“Prepare the meeting room.” Canris grinned.
“We’re visiting our mercenary friends?” Victor smiled.
“Exactly.” — Meanwhile…
Several floors below.
The atmosphere inside the detention block was completely different.
“Think they’ll turn us into cyberware test subjects?” Pilar broke the silence first.
Maine laughed.
“Probably.” The crew looked at him.
Maine shrugged.
“Maybe they’ll install experimental chrome.” “Maybe we’ll all go cyberpsycho.” “Then MaxTac shows up.” “Bang.” He mimicked shooting himself.
“The end.” Rebecca stared at him.
“That’s disturbingly believable.” Dorio crossed her arms.
“I’ve got a better theory.” Everyone looked at her.
“They’ll turn Rebecca into a doll and sell her.” Rebecca nearly exploded.
“What?!” Dorio remained completely serious.
“Corporate product.” “Limited edition.” Pilar burst into laughter.
Rebecca immediately kicked him.
Or tried to.
The restraints made it difficult.
“No one would buy you.” Pilar wiped tears from his eyes.
“You’re flat everywhere.” Rebecca’s pigtails practically stood upright.
“You bastard!” The argument immediately escalated.
“Fight me!” “No.” “Why not?!” “Because I’d win.” “You coward!” Pilar laughed harder.
The entire cell became increasingly chaotic.
Then— CLANG!
A rifle butt smashed against the bars.
“Quiet.” The Arasaka guard wasn’t amused.
The room immediately settled down.
For a while.
Then Falco sighed.
“Honestly?” Everyone looked at him.
“I don’t think we’re leaving.” Silence followed.
Nobody argued.
Electrified bars.
Bulletproof doors.
Armed security.
Disabled cyberware.
Corporate detention facilities.
The odds were hopeless.
Eventually Rebecca spoke again.
“I wonder how Sasha’s doing.” The room became quiet.
Everyone thought the same thing.
“Maybe she escaped.” “Probably.” “She’s smart enough.” “Best netrunner among us.” Nobody voiced the darker possibility.
Nobody wanted to.
Then a voice echoed through the detention area.
“It seems everyone’s in good spirits.” The crew turned sharply.
Several figures approached.
Armed security personnel.
Canris.
And…
Victor.
Wearing an expensive black suit.
Rebecca immediately whistled.
“Well damn.” “Looks like a big shot.” Victor chuckled.
The response surprised everyone.
Then he tilted his head.
“Open it.” The guards hesitated.
“Sir?” “Open the cell.” One guard nodded nervously.
“Yes, Minister.” The entire crew froze.
Minister?
Even Maine’s expression changed.
A department head?
Personally?
For them?
The realization made everyone uneasy.
The cell opened.
Victor stepped inside.
Canris carried a chair behind him.
The giant operative placed it in the center of the room.
Victor sat.
Calmly.
Comfortably.
Like he owned the place.
Which technically he did.
Then something even stranger happened.
Victor waved away the guards.
“Leave.” The security personnel exchanged uncertain looks.
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
The hesitation vanished immediately.
Within seconds, every guard was gone.
The cameras powered down.
The room fell silent.
Only Victor.
And Maine’s crew.
Nobody understood what was happening.
Finally, Maine spoke.
“So.” Victor nodded.
“My name is Victor Vermills.” The name hit Maine like a truck.
Suddenly he remembered Faraday’s briefing.
The target.
The executive.
The monster they weren’t supposed to encounter.
His eyes widened.
“It’s you.” Victor looked amused.
“Oh?” Recognition.
Interesting.
“Someone knows who I am.” Maine stared at him.
The pieces were finally connecting.
And he didn’t like the picture they formed.
Victor smiled.
“Good.” “That makes things easier.” The room grew tense.
Victor leaned forward.
“Let’s discuss your future.” No one spoke.
Victor continued.
“You need freedom.” “You need money.” “You need protection.” The crew exchanged glances.
Victor smiled.
“And I need people.” Now everyone was paying attention.
Victor folded his hands.
“What I’m offering is simple.” His eyes moved across each member of the crew.
One by one.
“Work for me.” The room fell silent.
Completely silent.
Then Maine finally asked: “And if we refuse?” Victor’s smile slowly widened.
The answer didn’t come immediately.
Instead, he leaned back comfortably.
As though considering the question.
Carefully.
Thoughtfully.
Dangerously.
“Hmm…” “Let me think about that.
The crew expects threats, torture, or corporate slavery—but Victor’s real proposal may completely change the future of Edgerunners in Night City.
——————————– CREATORS’ THOUGHTS ShadowSamuraiTL Have some idea about my story?
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