"So, you're saying we'll stay in this rundown motel tonight and head to the city tomorrow?" Peter asked, glancing skeptically at the dilapidated building before him.
Jack laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Ahahaha, well, Hermano (brother), the middleman isn't ready to meet us tonight. It's better to wait until morning when the city guards are less vigilant. Besides," he added sheepishly, "I'm a little tight on cash."
Peter sighed and nodded in resignation. "Fine, looks like we don't have much of a choice."
Jack went ahead and booked two rooms at the motel. Peter initially planned to share a room with Jack, but before he could say anything, V grabbed his arm and dragged him into her room.
Jack stood by the counter, watching them disappear into the room with an amused expression. "Sister and brother, huh?" he muttered knowingly to himself.
Inside the room, Peter looked around at the mess. The place was a disaster—stained walls, dried blood splatters, discarded tissues, and empty cans scattered on the floor. He wrinkled his nose. At least the bed looked... somewhat clean.
"Well," Peter muttered, "it's not like we can expect a five-star hotel."
As he examined the room, V stepped closer, her face just inches from his. Peter turned crimson and quickly averted his gaze. "Uh... V? What's wrong?"
V crossed her arms, her expression a mix of worry and suspicion. "Peter, are you hiding something from me?"
Peter froze, unsure how to respond. V was the closest thing he had to family ever since they'd lost their parents. They'd grown up together, doing odd jobs for the family just to scrape by. She knew him better than anyone.
"I'm serious," V continued, narrowing her eyes. "What was all that back there with the Tiger Claw Gang? Your aim was... insane. That's not something you just pick up overnight. What's going on?"
Peter hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "V, do you remember earlier today when I asked you about prosthetic tech that could be enhanced by sunlight?"
V tilted her head, recalling the conversation. "Yeah... you mentioned something about that on the way to meet Jack. Wait... are you saying—"
Peter nodded. "Something's changed. I only discovered it today, but... well, let me show you."
Before V could respond, Peter vanished from where he stood. She blinked in surprise, spinning around to find him now standing behind her.
"How did you—" V started to ask, but Peter interrupted by walking over to the bed. With one hand, he lifted the entire frame off the ground like it weighed nothing.
V's jaw dropped. "Peter... what the hell?"
Peter set the bed down gently and turned to face her. "I don't know how, but it's like my body has been... upgraded. I feel stronger, faster. And when I'm exposed to sunlight, it's like I get even more powerful."
V stared at him, her mind racing. She knew Peter better than anyone, and there was no way he'd undergone any major cybernetic upgrades. Yet, here he was, displaying abilities far beyond anything she'd ever seen.
"This is... incredible," she said, finally finding her voice. "But Peter, you need to be careful. If the corpos find out about this, they'll want to dissect you like some kind of lab rat. You can't let anyone see what you can do."
Peter nodded solemnly. "I know. Don't worry, V. I'll be careful."
Before they could continue, a knock came at the door.
"Who is it?" V called out, her voice tinged with caution.
"It's me, Jack," came the reply. "I've got something to discuss with you."
V glanced at Peter, then walked over to open the door. Jack stepped in, carrying a large metal case. He set it down with a grunt, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Damn, this thing's heavy," he muttered before straightening up. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, it's fine," V said. "What's up?"
Jack grinned mischievously. "So, I've been thinking... instead of just handing this over to the middleman tomorrow, why don't we take a peek at what's inside? Maybe we can flip it ourselves and make a bigger profit."
V frowned. "Jack, are you serious? You know how dangerous it is to mess with a middleman. If word gets out, you'll have a target on your back."
Jack waved off her concern. "Relax, I've already talked to my contact—Father, from the Valentino Gang. He's interested in whatever's in this case. Trust me, it'll be fine."
Peter shrugged. "I don't see the harm. Let's open it and see what we're dealing with."
V sighed, clearly unconvinced. "Fine. But if this goes sideways, it's on you, Jack."
Jack grinned and quickly popped open the case. As the lid lifted, a rush of cold air escaped, and inside, they found a small creature curled up in a frosty compartment.
"No way..." Jack whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Dios mío... it's an iguana. A red one, no less!"
Peter stared at the animal, equally stunned. "A red iguana? I've never seen anything like it."
V leaned in for a closer look. "Is this thing even worth anything?"
Jack laughed. "Worth anything? Hermana, this little guy is worth at least two hundred thousand eddies in Night City!"
V's eyes widened. "Two hundred thousand? Are you serious?"
"Dead serious," Jack said, his tone brimming with excitement. "This isn't just some ordinary pet. Exotic animals like this are insanely rare, especially in Night City. We could make a fortune!"
Peter crossed his arms, his mind racing. Two hundred thousand eurodollars could change their lives. It could buy them a better home, better gear—hell, it could even get them out of the nomad life altogether.
"So," Jack said, clapping his hands together. "What do you say? Are we in this together?"
Peter and V exchanged a look. They both knew the risks involved, but the potential reward was too great to ignore.
"Alright," Peter said finally. "Let's do it."
V nodded. "But we need to be smart about this. No mistakes."
Jack grinned. "Smart's my middle name, Hermana. Trust me, we're gonna pull this off."
As the trio began making plans, the red iguana stirred slightly in its compartment, its bright, reptilian eyes opening for the first time.
The game was on, and Peter, V, and Jack were ready to take their first big gamble in Night City.
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