The Giant Corporations that Started in Night City

Chapter 103: Paranoia

Faced with V's sudden attempt at "small talk," Sandra simply shook her head politely and replied:

"No, Mr. V, this is our first meeting."

Seeing V seemingly fail to strike up a conversation, Johnny Silverhand couldn't help but jump in with his usual taunts:

[What a dork. You should've just asked her out for drinks tonight and let the night end in a hotel room.]

[This outdated pickup line? Even schoolgirls would roll their eyes at you.]

V ignored Johnny's jabs and continued his questioning:

"Do you remember being kidnapped by Scavs in Watson? I'm the one who saved you."

V had heard rumors about Arasaka using AI to brainwash employees and wondered if Sandra was one of the corporation's victims.

Hearing V's seemingly random statement, Sandra looked puzzled but maintained her basic courtesy and responded:

"V, I think you've got the wrong person. Over the past year, I haven't been to Watson. In fact, I've been working at the company for the past six months and haven't left at all."

Her words sent a chill down V's spine. A creeping sense of dread washed over him as he began to believe Old Vic's warnings might be true—Arasaka was using AI to manipulate their employees' minds!

[V, you look like you've just been dumped. Is it really worth pulling a face like you just stepped in dog crap?]

Johnny leaned in closer to V, clicking his tongue in mock disapproval:

[Look at you, all spooked by a company. A single corporation's got you shaking in your boots? Pathetic.]

'Johnny… I don't know why, but I'm starting to regret coming here.'

V had a sinking feeling that this job might be far more troublesome than he initially expected.

[Bullshit. If anyone's regretting this, it's them for hiring a cyberpsycho like you. Look at those implants you've got—none of that screams "normal human."]

While V and Johnny carried on their internal banter, Sandra led V to the door of Councilor Jefferson's office.

"V, please wait here for a moment. The councilor will see you once he's finished his work."

With that, Sandra smiled politely, nodded at V, and left the floor via the elevator.

From his spot outside the office, V could faintly hear Councilor Jefferson talking on the phone with someone of considerable importance.

"Don't worry, Mr. Mayor. Arasaka has agreed to sell the aerodrome rights to LA Corp, but they've set one non-negotiable condition—they want a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Li Ang."

"Yes, otherwise they'd rather let the aerodrome rot in their hands. You need to speak with Mr. Li Ang about the details."

Hearing Jefferson mention the name "Li Ang," V's ears perked up, and he carefully listened to the conversation.

"Alright, see you next time!"

After hanging up the phone, Jefferson called V into the office. He exhaled deeply, clearly worn out from juggling the aerodrome negotiations.

Jefferson Peralez, a councilor at Night City Hall, worked under Mayor Lucius Rhyne. Like many, he had benefitted from Arasaka's Foundation Scholarship, and now, he found himself working for the corporation as a political pawn.

Caught between his duties to the city and Arasaka's demands, Jefferson was run ragged, his life a relentless grind. The powerful elites above him issued orders, and he had no choice but to obey and scurry to fulfill them.

When V entered the office, Jefferson motioned for him to sit and began recounting the strange occurrences that had been plaguing him.

"V, I've been feeling unsafe lately. It's like someone's following me, tampering with my personal belongings, and even altering my work schedule!"

"I need you to find out who's behind this, figure out who's pulling the strings, and what they're after."

Jefferson had a gut feeling he was being targeted, possibly by a spy sent by a political rival.

Based on his speculations, Jefferson suspected the mastermind was likely Weldon Holt, whose ultimate goal was to oust Jefferson from City Hall's inner circle.

Last year, Weldon Holt was merely a district manager in Heywood. While he failed to secure the mayoral position for Night City, he managed to climb the political ladder by cozying up to Mayor Lucius Rhyne, earning himself a spot in City Hall.

Now, Holt and Jefferson were locked in a bitter rivalry for the position of deputy mayor. With only one seat available, neither was willing to back down.

The best way for Holt to secure the seat would be to dig up dirt on Jefferson, discrediting him in the process.

Jefferson's suspicions weren't entirely unfounded. He even worried that Holt, in desperation, might resort to hiring an assassin to eliminate him just before election day!

As Jefferson shared his concerns, V kept a furrowed brow throughout the conversation. It wasn't because the task seemed overly difficult but because Jefferson's claims were entirely based on conjecture.

To put it bluntly, V thought Jefferson was simply overly paranoid. There wasn't a shred of solid evidence to support the councilor's belief that someone was stalking or sabotaging him.

If this were a clear-cut investigation with tangible leads, it would be manageable. But working off vague suspicions? V wasn't confident about what he might uncover.

'Johnny, what do you think about this?'

This was the first time V actively sought Johnny's opinion. Normally, he wouldn't bother, but he needed a fresh perspective to analyze the situation.

[What's there to think? This guy's probably just got a case of persecution mania. I bet he's so overworked his nerves are fried. Everyone looks like an enemy to him now.]

Johnny's blunt assessment resonated with V. He also wondered if Jefferson had taken the wrong meds, causing his mental state to spiral.

'Fine, I'll look into it anyway and see if anything concrete comes up.'

[Whatever floats your boat.] Johnny, as aloof as ever, vanished from view.

Seeing the hopeful look in Jefferson's eyes, V nodded and promised:

"Don't worry, Councilor. Leave this to me—I'll get to the bottom of it as soon as possible."

Whether Jefferson's fears were unfounded or someone really was plotting against him, the truth would come out during the investigation.

"Thank you so much, V!"

For the first time in a while, Jefferson managed a faint smile. Knowing someone was looking into the potential danger eased his anxiety considerably.

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