Director Evans.
What? Where did you come from?
I'm sorry, sir. I did knock a few times…
Fine, fine… What do you want?
Um… May I go home for the day?
I'm sorry, sir. I had plans for this evening…
I hadn't realized that managing your schedule was also my job.
N-No, sir. It's just…
I wanted to celebrate my son getting into the Academy…
Oh! Well, that's wonderful. We all look forward to another legacy hire.
Just find someone to fetch the UG2 sample.
Everyone has already gone home at this hour…
I'll bring over the sample myself… so…
How very kind of you. Fetch it and get out of my sight.
Director Evans?
Wait…
What happened in there?
Lost you for a sec. Someone raise a jammer?
Transmission was stable.
Weird.
Yeesh, what a boring gig.
They trespassed on Arasaka premises, hit us in our own fucking facility.
The lab's research focused on Militech countermeasures.
Is this related to the runner who flatlined Jamie and Marcus?
Evans was murdered by a bullet…
This was sloppy, violent. Safe to say, not the same runner.
Apprehending the netrunner's our priority. They're too dangerous.
But we know neither their motive nor purpose…
Whoever they are, they're cautious.
Not your average runner looking to score.
We're Arasaka Counterintel. We never deal with average.
We'll need to take a detour to catch the runner's trail.
Are we going after Evans' killer?
It's two separate roads. We may get lucky and find that they merge.
Let's switch it up. We'll go after the fixer.
Who do we know that has ties to Militech?
But if the fixer we get has ties to the runner,
they could turn around and leak info about the product to Militech.
They'd be a poor fixer if they weren't a self-serving bastard.
But at the end of the day, they're only glorified corporate lapdogs.
We'll just remind them whose hand they eat off of in this city.
How would you go about this?
We tell them in the only language this city speaks.
Hey…
Take the fixer! Kill the others!
Grenade!
Go! Go!
I was very nearly killed.
What makes you think it was Arasaka?
Do you take me for a fool? Who else could it have been?
We're not paying for any additional liabilities.
And corporate immunity is still off the table.
Are you serious?!
We're already in the red with your slip-up on the Tanaka case.
With nothing to show for it. We expect returns on our investments.
Want more resources? Show us results.
And what the hell do you think I've been chasing?
You're running out of time. Our patience is running thin.
Arasaka's security is on higher alert than usual.
Goes to show just how important the cyberskeleton is to them.
You expect too much.
Don't lecture me on the stakes with all the money we've invested in this.
Not another enny until you earn it. We're done here.
Damn corporate brat…
The fixer's made contact.
As I predicted.
What a good little dog.
David?
Oh, my bad.
Did I wake you up?
Can't sleep?
Couldn't shut my brain off.
Oh.
I'll turn it off.
Aren't you watching?
No, I just had it on…
Oh.
250K to the Moon… Huh, cheaper than I thought.
For a one-way ticket.
Well, yeah.
You remembered…
Huh?
Nothing. I'm going back to bed.
Okay. 'Night.
The world's greatest corporation conducting illicit business at a diner.
I thought you'd find the familiarity reassuring.
I won't pick hairs. I'm here for your answer.
The cyberskeleton project is a delicate topic even within Arasaka.
It turned problematic when Tanaka over-consolidated the operational data.
How much does Militech already know?
Information is the blood of my trade.
I'll need some assurances before I say any more.
We respect that you're the best man for the job.
We'll gladly provide the compensation Militech foolishly denied you.
As for the Tanaka mess, consider your debt settled.
Wonderful.
However, we have some conditions as well.
Let's hear it.
We need to eliminate anyone who knows about the cyberskeleton.
Done.
And one more thing.
Yes?
After Tanaka died,
there's been a runner interfering with our recovery on the corrupt data.
Know anything about it?
Not that I can recall.
I see.
We're quite curious about this case.
Even if this were Militech, I can't even imagine why they'd do this.
From what my sources tell me,
no one else knows about Tanaka's ties to the cyberskeleton project.
An inside job?
No. It's impossible to move internally without leaving a trail.
It's more natural to think that it's a skilled runner from the outside.
Seems to me like a job for a fixer.
Is this an official commission?
One million to take them alive. Half the price for their head.
I accept.
Take that!
Out of juice!
Gotcha.
What are you doing?!
Ah… My bad.
Later, David.
Yeah…
Falco! Lemme off too!
What?
Well dang, guess the after-party's just us two.
I've got somewhere to be, too.
That so? Bunch of killjoys, you, one and all.
David!
No after-party today?
Can't get drunk with those two boomers.
Can't promise I'll be any more fun.
Don't underestimate yourself!
Hey… Wanna take a walk?
Huh? Sure, I guess…
Yes!
So… you doing okay?
What?
What was that today?
What was what?
You know what I mean.
It was nothing.
This isn't the first time it's happened.
You thought I didn't notice?
Whatever.
A girl's intuition, you know?
What girl?
Shut up.
You're the only one I watch that closely, you know.
Come on, David. What's wrong?
Nothing.
I said cut the bull.
It's got nothing to do with you.
Like hell it doesn't. I'm putting my life in your hands.
Sorry.
I was thinking…
Yeah?
You should lay off the implants for a while.
Don't worry. I've got your back!
You?
I'm being serious.
Remember the psycho that flatlined my brother?
Yeah.
I don't… wanna see you end up like that.
Yeah.
They're still sending runners?
Hm?
Who are you? W-What the…
Wait…
David!
Rise and shine.
Doc…
Symptoms settling down?
Yeah…
When did it start?
What?
Shaky hands, dizziness, nausea, usual suspects.
A little while ago.
Why didn't you tell me?
Thought it was temporary.
Looks like side-effects are finally catching up with you.
Of course, it's crazy enough how you've been fine until now.
Why now?
Lay off the chrome for a while.
You're already one foot in the psycho zone.
Then gimme stronger meds for it!
Shit. You ain't hearing me. Or have you already lost your mind?
Ain't no such miracle drug in exist…
Think I came for jokes? Take my fucking money…
and gimme the fucking meds!
David!
There. Your last prescription. Nine times standard dosage, good for nine days.
It'll send you straight over the edge and right to hell.
I'm sorry. I won't let it happen again.
It's fine.
The fact that you need those meds means you won't be coming back here anymore.
A kid off the block pushing XBDs and now…
Go be a legend or whatever the fuck you punks do.
Just another tale for the next dreamer…
David! Wait! What was that?
Don't tell the guys.
I don't understand.
Hey!
Your body, your mind… They have limits, David. You knew that.
Normal meds don't do it for you anymore.
Isn't it time to call quits?
I can't watch you do this to yourself. Scale back your cyberware…
I can't do that.
Why not?
Mom and Maine… They all left me something to do.
But I haven't done nothing yet.
But you can't keep going on like this…
I'll be fine.
How could you say that? Do you really think you're special?
I withstood the Sandevistan. I'm not normal.
So you're a little more sturdy than everyone else. But you're still human.
I shot a woman.
Huh?
She was around the same age as my mom.
She also had a son like me.
A harmless bystander. A normal person.
I don't know how many I've killed anymore.
It doesn't even make me pause anymore.
Maybe I really am going crazy.
David…
I ain't normal. Like you said before, I'm different.
You're not.
I am!
You're not.
You wouldn't understand.
You left the crew after Maine died.
That's because…
I'm not blaming you.
Why not?
You shouldn't have to live this life.
No, David. That's not what I…
Then you'll come back?
Let's go back to the way things were, working together.
I can't right now. Wait for me a little while longer.
What for?
There's something I need to do first.
Like what?
I can't say.
Why?
Sorry.
Because you don't trust me.
I'm sorry.
Okay. I'll stop asking you about it.
Okay.
Maybe we should go our separate ways.
No! That's not true David.
I'm sorry, David. I have to go.
Huh? Where?
I have to go…
Okay.
We'll talk when I get home.
Wait for me.
The same ID as the runner from before.
There you are…
Didn't think it would be so easy.
This is our passport into Arasaka.
Excellent job, Kiwi.