Chereads / Cyberpunk 2077 - The Ballad of Lost Souls / Chapter 38 - Chapter 18: Troubles_in_Paradise.rlf

Chapter 38 - Chapter 18: Troubles_in_Paradise.rlf

V lays down inside the destroyed cockpit of the Basilisk. Everything is dark around him, only his face is lighted by the red lights coming off the screens.

He slowly opens his eyes, stunned by a whistle that blends together with the alarms of the Basilisk. He slowly turns on the right and sees Panam's side opened up, without any traces of her.

Johnny: FUCK V, GET UP, WILL YOU?! THERE IS NO TIME FOR NAPS!

V: Fuck… Aaaahhh…

Johnny: V, GODDAMNIT!

V sees some sparks and a fire coming out of the Basilisk, but he can't move.

V: Johnny… I… can't.

Johnny: FUCK IT!

Johnny takes over, he starts moving left and right, then he throws himself out of the Basilisk crashing what's left of the window. Johnny rolls on the Basilisk covered in glasses and eventually lands on the floor, standing up.

Johnny looks around and sees a large white hallway full of pillars, with marble on the floor, then he sees Panam, holding a gun, taking cover behind one of them, surrounded by armed guards. Johnny quickly draws his Mallorian from his pocket and walks calmly toward them, killing one by one. Panam looks at him amazed, he smiles back.

Another squad of armored men breaks inside the hallway. Johnny gets near Panam and helps her get up, while the guards get closer to them. Johnny tries to shoot them, but his gun is out of bullets. 

Suddenly, the other Aldecaldos break inside the facility, passing from the hole created by the Basilisk. Cassidy and Carol get outside of their cars and start shooting at the guards, killing them on the spot.

Carol: Panam, the fuck was you thinking?!

Panam gets away from Johnny and walks toward the others.

Panam: Guys… I…

Cassidy put both of his hands on Panam's shoulders, holding her.

Cassidy: Kid, you could have died… 

Panam: Yeah… But it didn't happen.

Johnny takes out the cigarette holder from his pocket and then he lights himself one. He closes his eyes and breath deeply.

Johnny: Fuck… finally!

All the Aldecaldos start looking at the dead guards, puzzled.

Panam: Who… who are these guys?!

The guards are wearing a bullet proof white vest and military trousers, along with a full white helmet that has a big red circular light in the center of it.

Johnny: Biotechnica elite assault squads.

Johnny turns, giving his back at the Aldecaldos, while they all look at him, suspicious.

Panam: Who?! They are so… bizarre.

Johnny: They're Italians, style over substance is the way of life. The proof is that they're all dead.

Cassidy: But I thought that… They were just…

Johnny: Scientists? What about the defense system that almost killed you? This is no warehouse.

Panam: Yeah. Very little in terms of human presence my ass…

Johnny puts his gun away, while Panam slowly raises her.

Panam: V?!

Johnny turns back to her.

Johnny: No.

Panam: Johnny.

Johnny: Bingo!

Panam: WHERE IS HE?!

Johnny huff, crossing his arms.

Johnny: Don't worry he's here. I can feel him…even now he is kicking to get out.

Panam turns to Carol.

Panam: Carol, do something!

Carol: What am I supposed to do?! An exorcism?!

Panam turns back to Johnny.

Panam: THE FUCK YOU WANT?!

Johnny: Just talk to the more reasonable half of the couple. I actually couldn't wait to meet you… Did you know you are actually causing us trouble since we met in Night City?

Panam: WE met?! Never heard from you.

Johnny: Yeah. I knew it would be troubles when I saw how you looked at him in that room in the middle of nowhere.

Panam opens her eyes wide, surprised.

Panam: You… You were there?!

Johnny smokes some more.

Johnny: Always been there. 

Panam: Bullshit… I…

Johnny: Guys, why don't you just… put your guns down?! I just want to talk.

Everybody puts their guns down, except for Panam.

Johnny: You know?! It's funny because I told exactly what would happen when he called you that night. Tried to convince him to leave the fucking 'Saka thing to me and Rogue…but he went with you, instead and look what the fuck happened.

Panam: SHUT UP!

Johnny gets closer to her.

Johnny: Wanna know why he went with you? Love?! No. He called because he knew you would have died for him… and that's why we're here.

Panam puts down her gun.

Panam: Know what?! Your maniacal bullshit doesn't mean shit to me. If you want to say something, say it.

Johnny: Panam… What I am trying to ask is if you really understand what you are doing here.

Panam: You're the one who has no business being here.

Johnny: You have seen the Militech cargo in the valley, right?!

Panam: Well, good fucking sense of humor, Johnny tin hand.

Johnny smiles.

Johnny: Why do you think they are here?

Panam: Don't know, maybe they want their fucking tank back. They can have it…What remains of it.

Johnny: I don't know if it's just stupidity or plain narcism… This place will be soon remembered as the beginning of the fifth corporate war. The price? The most valuable of them all, eternal life. Just for the wealthy of course, while the common men will serve them as slaves instead, forever.

Panam: Get to the point.

Johnny puts out the cigarette on the floor.

Johnny: We're at the end, Panam. Quite literally. You'll have to carry V inside the Pit by yourself and if he does end up living along with Max and Eric, the society as we know it will be doomed for good…At the end of the day you'll have to make a simple choice. Either save V or save the world.

Panam looks away from him, smiling, almost giggling.

Panam: Save the world… The society… 

Panam gets closer to Johnny, looking him in the eyes.

Panam: You said yourself… You were there the whole time. You saw what society did to me, do you?!

Panam puts the gun barrel under his chin.

Panam: ANSWER ME!

Johnny: Yeah.

Panam: I don't care how many people I'll have to kill… I will burn this godforsaken world to the ground if I have to. I want him back, Johnny.

Johnny: Panam…

Panam: I said I FUCKING WANT HIM BACK!

Johnny: Do you love him that much?

Panam looks at him straight into the eyes, without blinking. Johnny gets away from her, turning around, leaning his right hand on a pillar.

Johnny: You know what the saddest part is?! I just wanted him not to repeat my mistakes. I tried to protect him and you too… but at the end of the day everyone always treats me as if I was the bad guy.

Johnny turns his head one last time to Panam, with a sad expression.

Johnny: Sorry 'bout what I said, he loves you too. Even now he is screaming your name.

Panam looks at him, scared.

Johnny: Goodbye Pan. See you on the other side.

Johnny turns back his head and becomes V once again. Panam slowly puts her hand on his shoulder, while holding her gun with the other one.

Panam: V?!

V turns back and hugs Panam, holding her tight.

Panam: Damn. Now I understand the mess you have in your head.

The other Aldecaldos look at themself, confused.

Carol: Still don't know what is happening here.

Cassidy: Maybe I'm really gettin' too old for this shit.

Suddenly another group of Biotechnica guards starts descending from the ceiling, using ropes. The Aldecaldos shoots back at them.

Carol: PANAM GO, NOW!

Panam: But…

Carol: We are going to handle this. Go!

Panam and V start running toward a big sliding door marked as "D3". They both get through it, getting dazed by the strong light inside the room. The sound of their steps suddenly changes, Panam looks at the ground and sees some grass, then she stops and looks at it.

Panam: What the hell?!

Both Panam and V look around them and see a lush forest in front of their eyes, full of fruits and plants. The light coming from the large neon lamps passes through the plants, illuminating them as if it was the sun. Even the tall ceiling is covered by plants, giving to the whole place a surreal atmosphere.

Panam: Damn… It's… It's…

V: Beautiful.

They start running through the trees to the sliding door on the other side of the room, when it suddenly starts to close down. Both come close, but fail to pass through it in time. They quickly turn to look at the other door they entered through, which quickly closes in behind them.

Panam: V, we're trapped.

Panam quickly calls the others on her interface.

Panam (Holo): Guys, are you ok?!

Carol(Holo): Yes, Pan! We shredded 'em to bits. They couldn't stand a chance.

Panam smiles in relief.

Panam(Interface): Happy to hear it.

V(Holo): Guys we are trapped inside some sort of… garden. We don't know how to get out of here.

Cassidy(Holo): Yeah, we're getting some equipment from the vehicles. We should have a welding torch, somewhere.

Eric(Holo): Is not a garden, it's a hydroponics testing area.

V(Holo): ERIC?!

Panam(Holo): Hydro…What?!

Eric(Holo): Look up, there should be a big clock somewhere.

V starts looking around frantically and finally sees a big digital clock displaying a thirty minutes countdown.

V(Holo): I…I see it. 

Eric(Holo): It's designed to simulate a small seasonal cycle for the aerospace industry.

V(Holo): Aerospace… wait… you mean we'll be out of air soon?!

Eric(Holo): No… It means you'll be all wet soon. Just wait thirty minutes and the doors will open automatically.

V(Holo): Fuck. I don't even know If I have thirty minutes left. Where are you?!

Eric(Holo): We landed on the roof after Panam blasted the turrets away.

V looks at Panam smiling, she does the same, but not so convincingly.

Eric (Holo): We are heading to the elevator at the end of the D3 sector, you have to pass two hallways and the loading zone.

V(Holo): Got it. See you there.

Panam starts walking around.

Panam: Maybe I'll find a way out.