Cyberpunk: The Relentless

"You actually look better without the helmet."

That was the first thing Karl heard after removing the helmet of his Arasaka tactical suit.

The one who said it, of course, was Maki.

As friends, this was technically the first time the two of them were seeing each other face-to-face.

"If you say I look handsome too, I'll be even happier."

Taking a breath, Karl pulled off the stifling helmet. "Wearing this thing is seriously uncomfortable. I guess I've never liked having my face covered."

"That uneasy feeling... like back when we were in the academy?"

"Something like that."

Under Maki's curious gaze as she examined his face, Karl turned his eyes to Hanako, who sat nearby smiling. "You told Maki about my job this time?"

"I just couldn't stand how rough her cover story was."

"So Maki's intuition is actually a trade-off for something else, huh…"

Maki blinked, confused. "What do you mean by that? That my intuition compensates for something?"

"Don't worry about it. It was a compliment."

"I can tell you were mocking me just now, Karl."

"You might not catch the words, but you always pick up on the tone. That's your sixth sense."

Unbothered, Karl sat down at the small round table with Hanako and Maki. These guest tables were scattered around the banquet hall, and this one had four seats.

He picked up a small bread roll from the table—probably something Chidoume had brought over for Hanako and Maki—and took a bite. The sweet, soft texture lingered pleasantly on his tongue.

"So what's this about? Post-mission dinner with friends after standing guard all night?"

"If that's how you want to see it, go ahead," Hanako said. "However..."

She gave a subtle nod to Chidoume, who stepped forward and handed something to Karl.

"What's this?"

Looking at the sleek, tablet-like device Chidoume handed him, Karl shot Hanako a questioning glance. She simply pointed at his right hand.

"Use your hand to verify."

Karl had a personal verification system—his KK model bionic arm.

Though still unsure what this was all about, he followed instructions and placed his right hand on the screen. Streams of data immediately started flowing across it.

A personal bonus, maybe? he wondered.

But when he glanced at Maki, he noticed the anticipation on her face—like she already knew what this was.

Beep.

The scan completed. A photo popped up on the screen.

A face Karl saw every day—his own. A standard ID photo, which faded quickly to be replaced by lines of personal information.

"This is…"

"Your profile," Hanako confirmed. "Blood type, height, weight, background history—everything."

Chidoume added, "You were treated at an Arasaka hospital. Of course we have this info. And your job history? Any fixer could pull that up. Let alone us."

But as more data streamed across the screen, Karl noticed some blank fields near the bottom.

Before he could ask, Hanako said, "Go ahead and open them."

Open them? What could there be to open?

Karl tapped one of the blank entries. It immediately expanded into a dropdown menu.

Night City, Free State of Pacifica – Migrant Graduate of Arasaka's Turkey Division Academy Member of the Allentown 'Rage' Tribe, Pennsylvania, New USA Resident of Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia

"These are... identities?"

Karl stared. "You want me to choose one of these to fill in the blanks?"

"I don't care what your real past is, Karl," Hanako said calmly. "Even Arasaka can't track every child born in an alley, every street orphan, or every noble's illegitimate offspring. But now, I want you to have a proper identity."

She was right. Even with all their intelligence networks, Arasaka couldn't know everything.

Take Hanako's own mother, Michiko Arasaka—Saburo's own son had kept her existence a secret. Hanako barely knew her own past, and she didn't seem to mind.

But Karl was still confused. "Why now? Why do I suddenly need a legal identity? Can you really generate all the documentation to back it up?"

"Of course," Maki chimed in. "These are way more official than the fake IDs you used at the academy. Even if someone goes digging, all they'll find is this."

"All of these are usable?"

His eyes paused on one: 'Orphan of a New USA Army Lieutenant Colonel.'

"All of them," Hanako affirmed.

Karl realized then just how much he'd underestimated what Hanako could do. For her, forging an identity that could withstand scrutiny was nothing.

He looked again at the colonel orphan entry. "I can really choose this?"

"You can try opening it. I think it has four sub-options," Hanako replied.

Four options? So Arasaka had already planted four people with this identity level? That was no joke.

Karl scrolled through the choices, overwhelmed. So many paths to choose from.

Then he remembered the question he'd asked earlier.

"Why now? Why do I need a legal ID?"

Hanako answered slowly. "Because soon, Karl, you'll be accompanying me. As a friend. To meet someone. Maki will come too."

"To meet someone? Who could possibly require this much background check?"

Hanako looked him straight in the eyes.

"My mother."

"Huh?"

Karl froze.

"Michiko Arasaka?!"

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