Cyberpunk 2077 – Cyber Dogs

David's POV 

"Got to admit it, kid, you keep surprising me. So much so that I want you in my crew." 

Maine leaned back, taking a deep swig from his beer, and nodded at me with that familiar approving grin. 

"Sorry, choom, but I'm already with a group." I shrugged. 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just saying." 

Maine chuckled, but I could tell it wasn't just banter — he meant it. 

He took another sip and glanced back at me. 

"I've heard a lot about your crew. The Cyber Dogs. Word on the street is they're pretty famous in Heywood—especially for how they deal with scavs." He smirked. "Heard they don't just kill them. They torture them to death." 

I nodded, thinking back to the first time I saw it myself. 

"Yeah… I was uncomfortable at first, but after seeing all the victims—people butchered for their cyberware, or just for fun—I started to understand why." 

Maine let out a deep laugh. 

"Ha! No wonder scavs are keeping their distance from Heywood. They're terrified of getting caught by your crew." 

He set his beer down and shifted his gaze toward my pistol, holstered at my side. 

"Hey, kid, I've been meaning to ask… what's up with you and not killing?" 

I drew it, letting it rest in my hands. It wasn't a regular sidearm—it was powerful, custom, a piece made to match me. 

"You know… I never even held a weapon before I joined the Cyber Dogs." 

Maine raised an eyebrow. 

"Wait… Gloria let you walk around Night City without packing heat?" 

I shook my head. 

"No. She made sure I was safe, but..." I paused, grip tightening on the handle. "Every time I point my gun at someone, I think about her. I tell myself I can kill… but when the moment comes, I just… can't." 

Maine listened in silence. 

"Then 8 told me, 'If you can't shoot to kill, then shoot to disarm.' It wasn't easy at first, but over time, I got used to it. Still… I know the day will come when I won't have a choice." 

I raised my pistol and aimed at an empty bottle in the distance—the one we'd been using for target practice. 

Bang! 

Glass shattered into tiny shards. 

"The time will come." I lowered the gun. "That's what 8 told me." 

Maine fell silent for a moment, then let out a deep, gravelly chuckle. 

"Alright, kid. I respect that." 

He took another sip from his beer and smirked at me. 

"Now… when are you gonna make a move on Lucy?" 

I immediately looked away. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" 

Maine just grinned wider. 

MC's POV — Cyber Dogs Hideout (Weapons Room) 

I crossed my arms and looked at David, unimpressed. 

"I have no idea why the hell you're asking me for advice." 

David scratched the back of his neck. 

"Because you're the most reasonable person I know! I thought you could give me pointers. I saw you going to Lizzie's Bar a couple of times." 

I scoffed. 

"Wrong. I go there for business, not pleasure." I paused, then added, "Besides, I have a friend there—she's responsible for the martial arts BDs." 

David sighed. 

"Okay, fine. You don't go for pleasure. But you gotta have experience with girls, right? I mean, you can't still be a—" 

I cut him off. 

"Virgin? Yeah. I am." 

David opened his mouth, then immediately shut it when he saw my expression. 

"Don't give me that look." I said flatly. "I'm not ashamed of it, and I'm not desperate enough to pay a stranger for sex. Who knows what kind of diseases they have?" 

David made a face. 

"Oh… fair point." 

I leaned back against the workbench. 

"But I have gone on dates. If you really want advice, it's simple: Just talk to her. Be yourself. Treat her like a person, not a prize. Don't pry into her past—everyone has secrets. Respect them." 

David nodded, absorbing my words. 

I hesitated, then added, "And don't laugh at her dreams." 

David flinched. 

I knew why. 

I still remembered the ending of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—how Lucy went to the Moon, alone and heartbroken. 

I wasn't going to let that happen. 

"That's my advice." I said quietly. "But honestly, you should talk to V or Misty. Especially Misty—she's been with Jackie for a while. She'll probably give you better advice than I can." 

David nodded. 

"Thanks, 8. You really helped." 

He turned to leave. 

"I gotta go—got a gig with the Edgerunners." 

I raised an eyebrow. 

"You're way too lenient with them. You're doing more gigs than you agreed to." 

David shrugged, smirking. 

"Not my fault if I finish them quickly." 

I crossed my arms, eyebrows raised. 

"Uh-huh. You're just doing this to spend more time with Lucy." 

David turned red but said nothing as he hurried away. 

I shook my head, amused. 

David's POV — Nighttime — Unknown Location 

We had just finished the gig and were headed to Afterlife to celebrate when— 

"Hey, quiet down." Pilar called. 

We turned to find some guy pissing on a crate. 

As always, Pilar couldn't help himself. He walked over, taunting him, while the rest of us kept moving. But I stayed back… just in case. 

Then I noticed something. 

The guy slowly raised his hand. 

A chill went down my spine. 

Shit. 

Before I even thought about it, my Sandevistan kicked in. 

Time slowed. 

I darted forward and tackled Pilar to the ground. 

BANG! 

A shot rang out, followed by a massive explosion. 

Everyone dove for cover. 

I rolled off Pilar, heart hammering in my ears. 

"You good?" I asked. 

"That motherfucker tried to kill me!" Pilar said, face draining of color. "Oh, fuck—" 

I turned, locking on to the attacker. 

A cybered-up bastard stood there, arm raised and pointing some kind of launcher directly at us. 

BANG! 

I barely had time to think—I re-engaged my Sandevistan, grabbed Pilar by his jacket, and yanked him away just in time. 

BOOM! 

The explosion hurled us forward. 

I hit the ground hard, my ears ringing and my vision blurring. 

The Edgerunners were already retaliating, unloading everything they had at the bastard. 

Through the chaos, I noticed Lucy. 

She was hiding behind a metal crate where the cyberpsycho was standing, trying to hack him… but it wasn't working. 

And the bastard noticed her. 

Shit. 

He turned toward her, raising his weapon. 

BANG! 

Lucy barely dodged in time. 

Something in me snapped. 

Ignoring the pain, I forced myself up and rushed forward. 

"David, stop!" Lucy cried. 

I ignored her. 

I engaged my Sandevistan again and closed the gap. My pistol was already in my hands, aimed directly at his head. 

For the briefest moment, I saw my mother's face flash before me— 

And then I saw the bastard who wanted to kill my friends. 

BANG! 

For the first time in my life, I killed someone. 

I exhaled sharply. 

"Lucy… you okay?" 

"I'm fine." She said, her voice shaky. 

I sighed in relief… then noticed something else. 

Blood. 

There was a gash on her forehead. 

"Lucy, you're hurt—" 

Then a chill went down my spine. 

A muffled whirring. 

Danger. 

I turned—too late. 

The cyberpsycho was still moving. His weapon was already aimed directly at me. 

I had no time to react. 

Then— 

BOOM! 

A massive force struck him. 

My eyes barely registered a hammer—no, an axe-hybrid— slamming into him at insane speed. 

In slow motion, I saw his body twist in a grotesque V-shape from the impact. 

A shockwave exploded through the area. 

The cyberpsycho was hurled back, crashing into a metal crate with bone-shattering force. 

This time—he was dead. 

I turned and saw the wielder. 

Calm, unreadable. 

"You okay, David?" 

I let out a shaky breath. He held his hand forward. I grabbed it and stood up. 

"Yeah… thanks to you." 

8 tapped the side of his head. 

"Focus alerted me. I got the signal when you got blown up." 

I weakly chuckled. That explained it. 

"David, you look like shit." 

He turned to Pilar. 

"Oh… looks like Pilar's still alive." 

"Yeah. Unconscious, but alive. If I hadn't tackled him, his head would be gone." 

8 placed a hand on my shoulder. 

"I'm just glad nobody died. Come on, let's check on everyone." 

MC's POV 

Maine and the crew were already discussing what to do next. 

8 and Maine agreed to stay back, handle the cops, and clean up the mess. The rest of the crew would take Pilar and Lucy to the doc. 

"David, take Lucy to Vik." 8 said. "It'll take all day if we have the doc check everyone. If your leader lets you, of course." 

Maine crossed his arms. 

"Vik, huh? Heard about him. Good ripper in Watson." He smirked. "You paying?" 

"Of course. Since I suggested it." 

Maine glanced at Lucy. 

"Fine. Lucy can go with the kid." 

"I told you, I'm fine." Lucy said quietly, clearly annoyed. 

"Just go. End of discussion." 

Lucy huffed. 

8 tossed me something. 

Keys. 

"Take my car. I'll contact Vik and let him know you're coming." 

I nodded. "Got it." 

MC & Maine — Aftermath 

"It's hard to believe you don't have any cyberware." Maine said, shaking his head. "You took down that cyberpsycho in one hit." 

"It wasn't me." I corrected him. "David finished it." 

Maine paused, frowning. 

"Yeah… but something's off. That guy should've been dead the first time. How the hell did he keep moving?" 

I exhaled. 

"Yeah… that's not normal." 

Maine shrugged. 

"Doesn't matter. What's done is done." 

He nodded toward my hammer-axe hybrid. 

"What the hell is that thing, anyway?" 

"It's… specialized." 

"Heh." Maine crossed his arms. "Some piece of tech you put together yourself?" 

I nodded. 

"Don't underestimate it." 

"Yeah?" Maine walked over and tried to lift it. 

He tugged. 

…nothing. 

He tightened his grip and tried again, straining… but the hammer remained anchored. 

I crossed my arms, amused. 

Maine sighed, letting it go. 

"Alright… what the fuck?" 

I chuckled. 

"I just hope David and Lucy get along." 

Maine nodded, smirking. 

"Ohh… you know the kid's got a thing for Lucy." 

I nodded. 

"Of course. And you knew it, too." 

Maine's smirk widened. 

We exchanged a knowing look. 

Now it was up to them how their relationship would unfold. 

End of Chapter