The rumble of the armored Basilisk AV echoed through the underground tunnel as Starr and her team hurtled toward Neon Tower. The anticipation in the air was thick, the stakes pressing down on everyone in the vehicle. Nix sat beside her, fidgeting with his cyberdeck, while Vega sat across from her, his eyes scanning the dim tunnel as they sped toward the extraction point.
The plan was simple on the surface—get into Neon Tower, extract Juno, and get out. But Starr knew better than to trust simplicity. Plans fell apart the moment the first bullet flew, and Neon Tower wasn't just any corporate headquarters. It was Arasaka's crown jewel, their most secure facility in Night City.
Beside her, Reaver had that familiar smirk on his face, his casual confidence a stark contrast to the tension mounting inside the AV. Starr kept her eyes on the dim lights of the tunnel flashing past, mentally running through every step of the plan. They were headed straight into the lion's den, and there was no margin for error.
"How long until we're in position?" Starr asked, breaking the silence.
Nix glanced at his display. "We're five minutes out. When we hit the access point, I'll start cracking their system. But once we're inside, we'll have a fifteen-minute window before Arasaka's security protocols come back online."
"Fifteen minutes," Reaver muttered, shaking his head. "We'll have to move fast."
Vega grunted in agreement, checking the smart rifle resting across his lap. "Once we're in, we follow the path I've mapped. Minimal engagements. We avoid their elite security squads at all costs. If we run into any of them, we're done."
Starr nodded, but her mind was already racing ahead to the moment they'd confront Arasaka's guards. Avoiding conflict was the goal, but in her experience, the best-laid plans never lasted long under fire. The Kenshin blade strapped to her side hummed faintly, its presence a reminder that no matter how smooth things might go, violence was always the last resort—and one she knew well.
"Byte," Starr said, speaking into her comms. "You online?"
Byte's voice came through, calm but focused. "I'm here. I've already hacked into Arasaka's outer surveillance. You're clean for now, but once Nix makes his move, they'll know something's up. I'll guide you through as long as I can."
Starr glanced over at Reaver, catching his eye. His usual cocky grin had faded, replaced by a look she couldn't quite place—something between worry and determination. This wasn't just another job, and they both knew it. This was bigger. The stakes were life and death, not just for her but for everyone involved.
As the AV slowed, the tunnel opened into a vast underground maintenance area. The whine of the vehicle's thrusters died down as it came to a stop, the low hum of the city above them barely audible through the thick layers of steel and concrete.
"Showtime," Nix said, his fingers already flying across the keys of his deck. "I'll disable their access grid, but we'll have to move fast. Once we're in, it's only a matter of time before Arasaka sends their dogs after us."
Starr nodded, her hands tightening around the grip of her Malorian Overture. The weight of the gun was familiar, a cold comfort in the face of what was to come.
"Let's go," Starr said, her voice low but filled with resolve.
The team moved as one, slipping out of the AV and into the darkness of the maintenance tunnels beneath Neon Tower. The air down here was stale, the faint hum of generators vibrating through the walls. Nix led the way, his eyes glued to his display as he worked through Arasaka's firewalls, every keystroke unlocking a piece of the puzzle that would lead them into the tower.
"Security grid is down," Nix whispered. "We've got a clear path to the service elevator. But once we're topside, we'll need to move fast. We're headed straight for Juno's holding cell."
Vega took point, his cybernetic-enhanced eyes scanning the darkness ahead. Starr followed closely behind, with Reaver at her side. The team moved like shadows, every step calculated, every breath controlled.
They reached the service elevator without incident, but Starr could feel the tension building. They were in Arasaka's territory now, and even though they'd managed to slip past the outer security, she knew it wouldn't last. The calm before the storm always felt like this—thick, suffocating, the kind of silence that made your muscles ache from anticipation.
Nix tapped a few keys on his deck, the elevator doors sliding open with a soft hiss. "Going up," he muttered, stepping inside.
The ride to the top felt like an eternity. The cold steel walls of the elevator closed in around them, the hum of the cables the only sound as they ascended into the belly of the beast. Starr could see the nervous energy in Nix's eyes, could feel Vega's grip tightening around his rifle. Reaver, ever the wild card, leaned against the wall, his usual bravado tempered but still present.
When the doors slid open, they were met with a dimly lit hallway, sleek and sterile, the typical Arasaka aesthetic. The air was cooler here, the lighting sharp and cold, the silence more oppressive. Nix scanned the hallway quickly, confirming it was clear.
"This way," he whispered, leading them through the corridor.
They moved in silence, every step precise, every breath controlled. The tension was palpable, but the team worked like a well-oiled machine. They had rehearsed this part a dozen times, and Starr's mind was locked on the task ahead. Juno was close now—just a few more floors, and they'd be at her holding cell.
But as they turned the corner, Vega froze, his hand raised in a silent signal.
"Company," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Three Arasaka guards, heavily armed."
Starr's pulse quickened. This was the part of the plan they had dreaded. Arasaka's guards were no joke—augmented, elite soldiers trained to kill with precision. Avoiding them was no longer an option.
"Can we bypass them?" Reaver whispered, his eyes scanning the hallway ahead.
Nix shook his head. "No way. We'll have to take them down fast."
Vega's grip tightened around his rifle, his expression cold and calculating. "I'll take point. Starr, you and Reaver flank from the sides. Nix, stay behind us and keep working on those doors."
Starr nodded, her hand moving to the Kenshin blade at her side. She could feel the familiar hum of the energy pulsing through it, the edge sharp and ready. This was the part she knew best—the fight. The chaos. She had trained for this her entire life, and now, it was time to put that training to the test.
As they moved forward, the sound of the guards' footsteps grew louder, the soft click of boots against the steel floor echoing through the hallway. The tension mounted with every step, the air growing thicker with the anticipation of violence.
And then, it happened.
The first guard turned the corner, his eyes widening in surprise as he spotted Vega. Before the guard could react, Vega's smart rifle barked, a single shot ringing out and slamming into the guard's chest. He crumpled to the floor in a heap, blood pooling beneath him.
The other two guards reacted immediately, raising their weapons, but Starr was already moving. She darted forward, her blade slicing through the air with lethal precision. The second guard barely had time to fire before Starr's blade cut through his throat, sending him crashing to the ground, gurgling his last breath.
Reaver took care of the third, his katana flashing in the cold light as he drove it through the guard's chest, the sickening crunch of metal and bone filling the hallway.
It was over in seconds.
"Clear," Vega muttered, stepping over the bodies as he scanned the hallway for more threats.
Nix moved quickly, already working on the security door that would lead them to Juno. Starr wiped the blood from her blade, her pulse still racing from the brief but brutal skirmish. It wasn't the first time she had taken a life, and it wouldn't be the last, but the cold efficiency of it always left a hollow feeling in her chest.
"They'll know we're here now," Reaver said, his voice low but calm. "No turning back."
Starr nodded, her mind racing as she prepared for what was coming next. The alarms would sound soon. Arasaka's elite teams would be on them in minutes. They had to move fast.
"Nix, how long?" Starr asked, her voice steady but tense.
"Almost there," Nix muttered, his fingers flying across the keys of his deck.
Seconds later, the door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a dimly lit chamber beyond. Inside, Juno sat, her body strapped to a high-tech chair, a series of neural cables running from her head to a console on the far wall. She looked dazed, her eyes half-open, her body limp.
"Go," Nix urged. "I'll handle the system. Get her out of there."