Cyberpunk 2077 – Cyber Dogs

Luckily, things didn't escalate any further. David managed to stop everyone before the situation turned deadly. 

He turned to Maine. "Do you know Gloria?" 

Maine's expression shifted. "Yeah… she's my supplier. Goes by the code name 'Ghost.' I paid her in advance — I trust her completely. We treat her like family." 

The look on his face when David told him that Gloria was his mother was priceless. 

"Wait… you're Gloria's kid? What the hell was she thinking, handing it to you?" Maine asked, disbelief creeping into his voice. 

"She didn't," David said quietly. "She's in a coma." 

"What the fuck… What happened?" 

"Car accident. Some gangers opened fire — she got caught in the crossfire. It had nothing to do with the Sandevistan." 

The tension in the room eased. We let go of the edgerunners — except for Lola, who tossed Pilar to the floor. Not that he didn't deserve it. He'd been cursing at her the whole time. 

Everyone split into their respective groups, the conversation shifting toward the military-grade Sandevistan. 

Maine crossed his arms. "Sorry about your mom, kid, but that doesn't change the fact that I paid for that Sandevistan." 

David sighed. "Yeah… I'm sorry about that. But I didn't have much of a choice. After what happened to my mom, I needed it to make a living. I knew the consequences of implanting it, and I knew the buyer would come looking for it." 

Maine glanced at his crew, then shifted his gaze to Lola, then me. "So… you guys are the Cyber Dogs, huh? Guess I shouldn't be surprised we crossed paths like this." 

"It's nice to hear our reputation is spreading," I said. "But this isn't the time for small talk. Let's get back to the main point." 

I turned back to David. "So… what are you going to do?" 

David looked at the edgerunners, then stole a brief, nervous look at Lucy. She kept her back turned, eyes fixed in the opposite direction — a bad move when surrounded by people who could easily disarm or kill you. 

I could tell she felt guilty for deceiving David. 

"Let me keep the Sandevistan," David said quietly. "I'll pay you back — gig by gig — however long it takes." 

"Hell no," Maine shot back. "It's military grade. You can't just buy another off the shelf." 

"Whatever you paid my mom… I'll match it." 

"No deal." 

I'd already talked to David about this. If we met the buyer, I wouldn't pay for the Sandevistan or replace it with my version. He had to take responsibility. If I gave it to him for free, it wouldn't feel like his—like he hadn't earned it. 

Same rule for everyone. No exceptions. Although, I did give friendship discounts. You want superpowers? You have to earn them. 

"If you want my opinion," I said, "I say let him keep it. If he works for you, you'll get more back from him in the long run." 

Maine narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?" 

"Believe it or not, this kid used the Sandevistan nearly eighteen times without fainting. No backlash, no side effects," Lucy said quietly. 

The edgerunners didn't believe her — until David demonstrated. 

The moment he activated the Sandevistan, the team reached for their weapons. But before they could blink, David had already taken their guns. 

He handed them back casually, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. "That makes it twenty now." 

The edgerunners were stunned. I could see Maine thinking it over. 

"He also knows martial arts," Lucy added. "I took him with me on a gig against Maelstrom. He doesn't kill." 

"Yeah… we kind of noticed," Dorio muttered. 

The bruises on the edgerunners and the mess in the room spoke volumes. In the corner, I noticed David's discarded pistol and bat — evidence he'd been disarmed. Nevertheless, he'd held his own against four veteran mercs. 

It took a few minutes before Maine stood up, the rest of his crew following. 

"Okay, kid. I'll give you a chance. Plus… I owe it to Gloria." 

Lucy walked up and briefly hugged David. 

Unfortunately for her, I'd already swiped the tracker from her hand, leaving her in a somewhat awkward embrace. 

I held it up. "Looking for this?" I asked quietly. "I'd appreciate it if you kept this kind of trick to yourself. I'd rather not see you fry your brain again." 

Lucy flinched, remembering. 

"8, let them do it. I got this," David said. 

"Fine." 

I pulled out my phone. "I'll approve it through your tool." 

I was referring to the Focus. My phone had it integrated — I'd modified it into a chip, allowing me to use it without pulling it out. But I still did it sometimes, habit more than necessity. 

I gave the edgerunners permission to track David. 

They left, and we followed shortly afterwards, letting David and Lucy have their space. 

David broke the silence. "So… those are the kind of people you roll with?" 

"Uh-huh." 

"Could've said something…" 

"About what? That I'd been planning this from the start? Maine wouldn't shut up about his 'prized Sandy' going missing, and then I saw you using the exact same model on the train. It was kind of a dead giveaway." 

"Thought you'd at least let me know…" 

"Go home already." 

"Yeah…" 

David turned to walk away, but just before he left, Lucy said quietly, "About your mom… I'm sorry. I hope she recovers." 

We drove home, and the conversation shifted. 

"You know, you could've just given him the Sandevistan," Jackie said. "8 can make you a better one — like the one V uses." 

"I agree," V added. "My Sandevistan is way better than the one you're using." 

"Yeah… I could," David said quietly. "But I don't know… I feel like this one was meant for me." 

Thanks to the Focus, David could use the Sandevistan nearly forty times without fainting or suffering side effects — though it still drained him, depending on how much he pushed it. 

"And besides, I don't need you guys wiping my ass for something I chose myself. You told me the risks, I went through with it… now I'll deal with it." 

"Good to hear," I said. "Now… let's talk about you and the white-haired girl. What's going on there?" 

David turned red and looked away. "Nothing. We just bumped into each other on the train. That's all…" 

"Yeah, sure," V said, eyebrows raised. "The way you looked at her… The way she looked at you… I noticed." 

Everyone turned to stare at David. His face grew even redder; he didn't know what to say. 

"Are you doing all this to impress a girl?" Jackie said with a mischievous smirk. "If you need help, I can teach you a trick or two…" 

We kept teasing him all the way home. 

The Next Day 

David started working with the edgerunners. 

I followed him in secret — I was curious how things would turn out. 

Unlike in the show, this David had actual experience. Martial arts. Hidden weapons. Reinforced clothing. And, of course, the Sandevistan. 

Days passed, and I was right — David was making their jobs much easier. They'd severely underestimated him. 

A gang? He'd take them out in minutes. A boss? He'd tie them up and drop them in front of the edgerunners without making a scene. Steal a car? He wasn't the best hacker, but I'd given him the tools to make up for it. 

I kept an eye on everything from a distance. Sometimes I'd perch on a rooftop; other times I'd hang back on a balcony, snacking while I kept watch through my modded cyberware optics. 

As David finished gig after gig, he started taking his own jobs — or teamed up with us. After all, the deal was: one gig at a time. 

I also kept an eye on the rest of the edgerunners — Falco, Rebecca, Dorio, Kiwi. 

Kiwi… the traitor. 

I didn't know much about her past. She acted as Lucy's mentor… but were they really friends, or was there something else going on? 

As long as she didn't hurt my friends, I'd stay out of it. 

I turned to Lola. "Come on. Let's go." 

Woof. [OK] 

David's POV: 

How should I put this? 

Maine's gigs are way too easy, honestly. 

With 8 and the Cyber Dogs, I had to face small armies or break into fortified buildings. Security was tighter, enemies were deadlier, and the stakes were much higher. 

Maybe I just got used to that, or maybe it's the adrenaline rush you get from missions that really push you. 

Either way, I do what Maine says. He and the rest of the edgerunners have years of experience. I'm a newcomer — a kid — by comparison. 

But honestly? I like them. 

They treat me well — maybe because of my mom. Maine paid me a fair cut, even though he didn't have to. I was working to keep the Sandevistan, after all. He even offered me immune blockers, but I turned them down. Vik already gave me some. And I don't need much anyway — the Focus seemed to absorb most side effects. 

Still, Vik insisted we shouldn't get careless. He made sure we all came in regularly for maintenance and check-ups. 

Maine kept trying to get me to install more chrome. 

"There's only so much you can do with meat and bone, kid." 

I knew there was some truth to that. But at the same time, I remembered what 8 told me. 

"The more chrome you put in, the more you lose of yourself — your senses, your instincts. It's a double-edged sword." 

He also told me something else… something I didn't quite get at first. 

"You're stronger than you think. You don't need to drown yourself in cyberware to keep up." 

V was proof of that. She only had a Sandevistan, and yet she was one of the strongest people I'd met. 

Maybe I didn't need to go full chrome to be strong. 

I met up with the rest of the edgerunners. Over the past few weeks, I'd gotten to know them better — Falco, the getaway driver who barely spoke but had a cool mustache; Dorio, Maine's second-in-command; Kiwi, the veteran netrunner who kept her distance; Rebecca, the wild, energetic gunner; and Pilar — her brother — who was just… Pilar. 

We were standing around when a new guy walked in. 

He wasn't part of the team, but it was clear Maine was working with him. 

The guy was wearing a sleek, expensive-looking suit. His hair was neatly slicked back. His piercing stare made everyone tense up the moment he entered — a man who seemed to know a lot more than he let on. 

He called himself Faradays — a fixer. 

The moment he walked into the room, I felt the mood shift. 

Nobody liked him. 

Dorio crossed her arms, Rebecca glared, and even Kiwi avoided his gaze. 

Maine remained neutral — the only person who seemed comfortable in the room. 

I didn't know much about him… yet. 

But I knew this: 

He wasn't a friend. 

But that wasn't my business. 

Not yet. 

End of chapter