"I don't believe it. You homeless people just stick together," the sheriff sneered, shaking his head dismissively. He didn't buy V's story, but it seemed to amuse him more than it irritated him. If V had mentioned a family he didn't recognize, he would have detained her on the spot.
As for Peter? The sheriff barely gave him a second thought. Wasn't he the lone drifter who had been causing trouble around town, the one the locals claimed had been dealt with?
V, unfazed, kept her tone even. "Our family has been disbanded. It's just the two of us now, and we're heading to Night City."
"Oh, to Night City?" The sheriff's lip curled into a sneer. "Just you two hard-working lovebirds?"
"This has nothing to do with you," V shot back, her patience clearly wearing thin.
Peter watched the exchange in silence. He could feel the tension rising, though he knew better than to jump in.
"Our car's antenna is broken," V continued. "I saw a signal tower nearby. I need to use it to contact someone."
The sheriff smirked, tugging his belt in a show of authority. "You can use it, but don't stick around town too long. I don't want to see you loitering or stirring up trouble. Understand?"
V gave him a curt nod, not wasting any more words. She climbed back into the driver's seat and turned to Peter. "I don't want to cause any trouble, and you don't need to either. Let's go."
Peter slid into the passenger seat, and V started the car. They drove out of the small, dusty town in silence. After reaching the signal tower, V managed to contact Jack, confirming their meeting spot.
The desert stretched endlessly around them as they continued driving. The heat shimmered off the road, making the landscape look almost surreal. Peter leaned back in his seat, watching the scenery blur past. Something about it all felt too real—too vivid.
As his surroundings settled into a strange familiarity, Peter's mind began to absorb the memories of his new body. This body's name was also Peter. He was the son of drifters, part of the same family as V. A few days ago, their family had been disbanded after a failed mission. Both his and V's parents were gone, casualties of this unforgiving world.
In the cyberpunk world, this was normal. The average life expectancy barely hit thirty.
Peter sighed, the weight of this new reality settling in. He turned his attention to V, who was focused on the road ahead. She had long silver hair and striking blue eyes. Her skin was tanned from years of exposure to the harsh desert sun, but her features were undeniably beautiful.
Peter found himself smiling faintly. "V, why did you tell the sheriff you knew him? We obviously don't."
"If I didn't," V replied without looking at him, "we might not have been able to leave the town without trouble. Sometimes it's worth stroking an idiot's ego just to get by."
Peter nodded, understanding her reasoning. V sighed, glancing at him briefly. "To be honest, if the family hadn't fallen apart, I wouldn't have reached out to a fixer to get us to Night City. But here we are. It's just the two of us now."
Peter felt a pang of guilt. If the family hadn't been destroyed, V wouldn't have had to take on this burden. But this world didn't allow time for regret. Survival was all that mattered.
As Peter stared out the window, his thoughts drifted back to his life before this one. He remembered the anime, the hours spent playing the game. If he hadn't been so obsessed with this world, would he have ended up here?
His thoughts were interrupted by a strange sensation. He stretched his hand out the window, letting the sunlight hit his skin. A warm, almost electric energy flowed through him, filling his veins.
"Hey, V," Peter said, his voice hesitant. "Do you think there's a prosthetic out there that gets stronger by basking in the sun?"
V shot him a confused glance. "What? Did you catch some weird malware? Why are you talking nonsense?"
Peter shook his head, flexing his fingers as the warmth continued to flow. "I'm serious. This feels...different."
"Peter..." V leaned over, placing a hand on his forehead. Her touch startled him, and he froze.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice a bit higher than he intended.
"Checking for a fever," V replied with a smirk. "You're acting weird."
Peter turned his face away, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I'm fine. Just...forget I said anything."
V laughed, her teasing tone lightening the mood. "Are you blushing? Seriously? We've known each other forever, and now you're getting shy?"
Peter grumbled, "It's nothing. Let's just focus on the job."
They continued driving, the strange warmth still lingering in Peter's hand. He didn't understand it yet, but something had changed.
Eventually, they reached their destination. V double-checked the coordinates before parking the car.
Inside the dusty building, Peter immediately recognized the man waiting for them. Jack. His broad frame and mischievous grin were just as he remembered.
"If you'd taken any longer, I'd have started farming just to survive," Jack said, leaning back casually. "You two must be V and Peter."
"That's us," Peter replied with a smile. "And you're Jack Wilson, right?"
Jack grinned. "Dios mío. Nobody told me my contact would be such a beautiful lady." His eyes lingered on V, who didn't seem amused.
"This has nothing to do with you," V said sharply. "We're here for the job. I hear you've got some goods that need moving?"
Jack raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Chica. It's just tradition to get to know your partners before doing business."
"Fine," V muttered, crossing her arms. "But let's keep it professional."
Jack turned to Peter, his grin returning. "What about you, Hermano? You seem chill."
Peter chuckled. "Let's get the job done first. Then we can talk about traditions."
Jack clapped his hands together. "I like this guy! Let's get to work."
As the three discussed the details of their mission, Peter couldn't shake the feeling in his chest. That strange warmth from the sun—it wasn't going away. If anything, it was growing stronger.
But for now, he pushed the thought aside. Survival always came first.
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