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Gloria is best girl!
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Chapter 2
"Remember to pay attention in class and have fun learning, alright Mijo!?"
Gloria sighed to herself as she drove down the busy street of Night City.
She had just dropped her son off at school and was now heading to a job interview for a position in a hot up-and-coming company.
A company that was making waves ever since its first appearance three years ago. And has since become what many locals of Night City suspect is a too-good-to-be-true miracle amidst all the chaos and greed. And the name of this company?
Noble Industries.
A bit pretentious? Maybe. But Gloria didn't care for the hypocrisy of a company naming themselves noble.
Even more pretentious was their company logo being a golden tree with its branches outspread as if to embrace the entire world in their embrace. It became well known by a lot of people and was becoming more and more recognized with each passing month.
Ever since the company's first appearance their name had been buzzing around since their sudden emergence and was now on the lips of every corporate big shot and street rat alike.
Everyone was talking about the company that seemed hell-bent on bringing good to Night City and the entire world despite what many say was a waste of time, effort, and especially Eddies.
With the pitiful amount they charge their products, it's a fucking mystery how the company didn't crash on their first day!
Because who the fuck charges real organic food for a few measly Eddies?! God knows how thankful she was for it because she sure as hell would've starved if it wasn't for how cheap everything is!
But that's not all that people talked about.
They also talked about the opportunities Noble Industries was offering even to those drowned in desperation and poverty, offering them wages that eclipsed what the greedy big companies offered them.
Most called the company a scam and were waiting for the other shoe to drop for them to show their true collars. While some, who still had hope and were not yet broken by the world around them, chose to believe in what they offered.
Or maybe the most likely of the bunch, the desperate ones, who saw no other choice but to pick the better-tasting poison.
And her? She didn't have the luxury to care if they were good or bad as long as they paid well.
It was by chance that she heard about an opening position offered to anyone who had medical experience. That the owner of the company was willing to pay them an amount that made what she earned from her current job look like fucking chump change!
And she was in desperate need of that type of money now that David was getting older.
Which was why she was wearing the nicest thing she had and prettied herself up with what little makeup she could afford. She was using every advantage she had to get this job damn it!
As she continued to drive through the city's labyrinthine streets, Gloria considered her own circumstances. For so long, she had been treading through the mud in Night City's relentless current - stuck in flux between survival and dreams of something more…
Something stable enough to provide for her son, to give him a future that went beyond the uncertain prospects currently laid out before them.
A glance at the golden tree billboards reminded her once again of why she was doing this. Why she was willing to throw herself into whatever this all-consuming entity called 'Noble Industries' really was.
"If only I wasn't so desperate for Eddies…" The red-haired woman thought to herself as she turned a corner.
The rumors were wild about the company, ranging from the outlandish of them experimenting with living humans and torturing them to make their products, to them being the hope of humanity by some fanatics, or about the company having a group of powerful mercenaries under the owners' control, to the most outlandish! Such as them having real organic plants!
In this polluted world? Yeah, fucking right.
Gloria didn't buy into these notions, she knew better than most that relying on any corporation for salvation was setting oneself up for harsh disappointment, but the other rumors were just ridiculous.
But even she couldn't deny there was something compelling about this company.
While the many rumors were nothing but tall tales, Gloria herself believed in one rumor…
About how the founder of Noble Industries, a man risen from the underbelly of Night City, had transformed not just his life but also the lives of many people around him. It was rumored he commanded an inexplicable magnetic presence that made people believe in the impossible.
The self-made man had divided the city into ardent fans and skeptical cynics, both groups equally fascinated by his meteoric rise.
But then again it could all be Corpo bullshit.
Now as she drove closer toward the heart of the city, where Noble Industries stood, its structure gleaming like a towering beacon amidst the splattered neon graffiti and concrete giants, skepticism gave way to curiosity.
Her usual nervous anticipation for job interviews was replaced by an undeniable sense of intrigue about this mysterious man and his miracle-making Industry.
Night City with its cyberpunk appeal and edgy existence could be intoxicating and cruel at the same time. The unrelenting fight for survival can taint even the noblest hearts black. She had seen it happen to her husband; a man who once believed in justice and fairness was nothing but dust in the wind.
But here she was, knocking on glass doors of hope in this dystopia -possibly standing on the brink of a new chapter in her life.
As she parked her car in front of Noble Industries, Gloria nervously checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror one last time.
"Alright Gloria, you need this job! Rent is up and money is running low!" She pumped herself up as she got ready for a job that could change her and her son's life for the better.
"It's time to put food on the table!"
She smoothed down errant strands of red hair, dusted invisible lint off her yellow jacket, and adjusted the thin gold chain around her neck, all familiar rituals performed to fortify herself before stepping into a world that could potentially bring them out from their month-to-month survival grind.
She turned off the ignition and rested her head on the steering wheel for a moment, closing her eyes. In the darkness, she dedicated a silent prayer to anyone or anything that might be listening, then gathered her resolve like a shield and stepped out of the vehicle.
"If I get the job, we'll celebrate by getting dinner from David's favorite restaurant~!" She thought to herself as she smiled at the thought of her son enjoying actual good food for once.
The world outside her car seemed to slow down as she made her approach toward the sleek modern building rising above Night City like a monolith of promise amidst a cityscape scarred by broken dreams.
The glass facade gleamed under the neon glow while drones whizzed by overhead, casting fleeting shadows that danced on sleek steel and chrome.
Stepping through the sliding doors, she was met with a rush of cool air from the automated temperature control systems, a stark contrast to the hot, grimy air she had become accustomed to in other parts of the city.
The reception area was all clean lines and minimalism - a light-filled oasis that seemed untouched by the harsh realities just beyond their doors.
More than a few people were already waiting inside, likely waiting for their job interview as well.
Her confidence, already shaky, began to crumble as she saw a couple of elegantly dressed women whose looks made her feel inadequate in comparison.
Hopefully, they weren't aiming for the same position that she was aiming for.
She walked up to the desk and greeted the receptionist with what she hoped was a friendly smile. The woman behind the counter looked up from her monitor and returned it, motioning for Gloria to sit in one of the slick white chairs in the waiting area.
"Gloria Martinez?" She asked, getting a nod in return. "The boss will be with you shortly, please wait a moment while I inform him~"
The woman said amiably with a kind smile as she typed away at something only she could see.
As Gloria sat down on one of these pieces of furniture that felt more than comforting, soft music started playing overhead - antique melodies from an age long before cybernetics were even realizable.
The red-haired medic found herself drawn into the slow tempo of the music, the gentle saxophone tones seemingly at odds with the hardness of the world that lay outside the glass walls. For a fleeting moment, she lost herself within the notes, allowing her body to relax marginally as she waited.
Around her, others shared lingering glances and nervous whispers, their grimy hands clasping onto their handbags or adjusting their ties - everyone was eager and desperate in their own way.
It was like a mise-en-scene from an old '20s movie - only, instead of a casting couch, it was the waiting hall of what some considered Night City's new golden calf.
As Gloria sat there, attempting to calm her nerves with the soothing jazz playing overhead, the hushed voices of the two women sitting a few seats away caught her attention.
At first, she wasn't paying much mind because everyone here had their own worries, their own stakes in this interview.
But when she heard them mention the position she was here for, her stomach twisted.
"Honestly, I'm surprised they're offering such a high salary for a simple medic position," the woman with sleek black hair mused, her voice carrying a refined, almost bored tone. She crossed her long legs, the fabric of her expensive-looking skirt barely shifting. "It's practically charity work compared to the other positions they have available."
Her companion, a tall woman with striking platinum-blonde hair, chuckled softly.
"True, but it's still Noble Industries. Getting in—anywhere—means connections, benefits, and opportunities. I'll take what I can get." She flicked her manicured nails and sighed. "Besides, someone like me? I could probably talk my way into a higher role later."
Gloria clenched her hands together in her lap, her confidence sinking further with each word. They were applying for the same position. And of course, they looked the part—poised, polished, like they belonged in a company with sleek white chairs and automated temperature controls.
Gloria, in her second-hand yellow jacket and cheap makeup, suddenly felt out of place.
Outclassed.
She swallowed hard and glanced down at her reflection on the glossy tile floor. Was she really what Noble Industries was looking for? Would the boss take one look at her and dismiss her before she even had the chance to speak?
"I heard the CEO himself is doing the interviews," the black-haired woman added in a hushed whisper, her tone carrying a mix of intrigue and anticipation. "Can you imagine? If he likes you, you're set for life."
The blonde smirked as she pushed up her sizeable breasts in her beautiful dress, which were more than likely implants.
"Exactly. That's why I made sure to wear something appropriate. First impressions are everything, after all."
Gloria lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling the heat of embarrassment creeping up her neck. She thought she had looked nice today, but now? Now she just felt… plain.
Forgettable.
"Damn it," she cursed inwardly as she lightly slapped her face. "I can't let them get to me. I need this job."
Taking a slow, steadying breath, she straightened in her seat. Looks weren't everything—competence mattered too.
She had real experience and real skills.
And if this CEO was worth anything, he'd see that…
Still, as she sat there waiting for her name to be called, doubt gnawed at the edges of her resolve.
Would he see it?
Or would she just be another face lost in the crowd of rats?
The soft chime of the elevator broke through the murmur of the waiting area, and almost instantly, an unnatural hush fell over the room. It wasn't just anticipation—it was something heavier, more visceral.
The doors slid open with a quiet hiss, and from within stepped a man who commanded attention without a word.
He wasn't like the corporate elites Gloria was used to seeing, the ones with gleaming cybernetic eyes, metal-plated arms, and voices distorted by neural implants.
No, he was different.
Entirely, unmistakably… organic.
Normally, this would be seen as being low class and poor, but given that he is the owner of a company...
Gloria couldn't help but marvel at the thought of a man living in this day and age without any cybernetic enhancements. In a world where technology and machines merged seamlessly with human biology, it was rare to find someone who hadn't undergone some kind of enhancement.
It was only due to the lack of eddies that she barely had any cybernetics, but he had no such excuses.
His presence was striking in a way that had nothing to do with synthetic enhancements.
Dark, tousled hair framed a face that looked like it had seen both battle and fortune, with sharp, intelligent eyes that carried a weight few could bear.
He moved with a quiet confidence, a predator's grace—calm, unhurried, yet utterly in control.
Like a soldier who has seen battle and bloodshed.
The women who had been whispering earlier went silent, their previous smug confidence melting into awe-struck curiosity. Even the receptionist, who had seemed so composed, sat up straighter as if the very air had changed with his arrival.
Gloria's breath hitched.
She wasn't sure what she had expected the CEO of Noble Industries to look like. Thinking more on the line of some old corporate vulture with costly high-end chrome-plated limbs and a too-perfect fake smile.
But this man? He didn't look like he belonged in a boardroom, nor did he dress like a corpo.
He looked like he belonged in the streets, in the underbelly of Night City, in the places where survival meant being sharper, faster, and meaner than everyone else.
And yet here he was, standing at the helm of one of the most enigmatic companies in the city.
Then his gaze swept across the room, scanning the waiting applicants with a detached curiosity.
And when his eyes landed on her, everything else faded into the background.
For a moment, Gloria swore time itself slowed.
There was something in the way he looked at her—not just a passing glance, not the dismissive once-over she had been expecting. It was as if he recognized something in her.
As if he saw through the layers of desperation, of struggle, of quiet strength.
His expression remained unreadable, but the intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine.
Then, after what felt like an eternity but was likely only seconds, he finally spoke.
"Gloria Martinez."
His voice was deep, smooth carrying a weight that sent a ripple of unease through the room.
Everyone turned to look at her.
Her heart pounded against her ribs. "Y-Yes?"
He tilted his head slightly, studying her in a way that made her feel exposed yet seen in a way no one else ever had.
A ghost of a smile touched his lips.
"Come with me."
And just like that, the tension in the room shifted.
Whispers erupted behind her as the other applicants watched in disbelief. Gloria could feel the envious stares boring into her back, the confusion, the speculation.
But she had no time to dwell on it.
Swallowing her nerves, she pushed herself up from her seat, straightened her jacket, and followed the man into the unknown.
At that moment she wished she was able to read minds or at least decode the unreadable enigma that was this man's expressionless face. But alas, she was too poor to afford such an implant plus the fact that he looked to be entirely organic would make it a waste of Eddies.
Looking at his broad back as she followed him along, she wondered what a man who single-handedly created a multi-million-dollar company was thinking of.
Probably something serious… like taxes.
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"HOLY FUCKNG SHIT!!! I'M MEETING GLORIA MARTINEZ FORM CYBERPUNK EDGERUNNERS!"
The smile that was on his face could light up a void as he barely held himself back from jumping up and down in excitement.
"THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY FUCKING LIFE!!!"
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…definitely taxes.