After Vik finished wiping the neural virus from my system, we talked a bit before I slipped out the alley. I could walk back to my apartment but….
I can't sleep again.
It isn't that I'm not tired. I could probably use the rest. It's just that ever since I left Maxtac and everything else in my former life behind, even my name, I've felt like I'm just standing at the edge of a cliff. The things I want to do, a real purpose, is behind me. All I can do is sit and wait to fall. Or. I can jump right then and there. As far as my legs can carry me. And maybe I'll make it for some brief moment.
As I walk along the streets pondering my future, my old NCPD scanner picks up a report of a nearby assault in progress. Something better to do than feel unsure of myself.
It's definitely Tyger Claws up to something. Every other gang, I understand the way they decorate their vehicles. Tag them as belonging to their gang. Everyone but the Tyger Claws. Like seriously, what's with the gaudy bright colors.
Anyway, these claws were shaking down some low level street vendor. They already zeroed a few customers. Typical group of 5. One has his back turned so that's my opener.
By the time his pals notice I'm behind him with my iron to his head, his brains are toast.
Two shots to the one with the shotgun to disorient and I'm grappling with another Tyger claw with a katana. Range is too close though so I push his arm back and put one bullet right through his skull.
*Crash*
I take a moment of cover as the Tyger with a shotgun catches back up with the situation. I toss out a smoke grenade so I can make some distance. The two lookouts of the group open fire, smart pistols but they're no Kang Tao weapons. Probably some cheap knock offs because the bullets loose almost all velocity and bounce off my reinforced body.
Shotgun is my top priority though. I toss the katana on the ground at the Female Tyger claw with a smart pistol and rush the shotgunner through the smoke. She hasn't moved. Amateur hour. She's gunned down quick and it's on to the next two.
Quick kills and I'm all done here. Based on a shard one of them had, the vendor here snitched on a Tyger Claw to the NCPD after the cops asked not so nicely. Didn't make a difference to the claws though.
"Th-Thank you. I thought they I was dead for sure."
Oh right. The vendors still here.
"Hey. You got anything good?"
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*Later
I arrive back at my mega-building apartment, finally tired enough to get some rest.
Welp, violence and noodles. Nothing better to put a man to sleep.