A week had passed.
In just seven days, Peter and his crew had gained notoriety across Night City. Their reputation skyrocketed after their daring raid on the Maelstrom Gang's lair. Although they hadn't completely dismantled the gang, Peter's team managed to seize control of their headquarters, throwing the Maelstrom into chaos for several days.
The gang only began to recover when Brick, a notable member, stepped up to restore some semblance of order. Without him, the Maelstrom might have been paralyzed for weeks.
This feat earned Peter the attention of the city's top fixers. Suddenly, middlemen from every district knew his name and were eager to add him to their roster of mercenaries. Many sought him out, and those who couldn't contact him directly went through a well-connected priest, one of Peter's allies.
Despite the competitive nature of the fixer business, mercenaries with a proven track record like Peter's crew were always in demand. Fixers shared reliable contacts because, in a city like this, it was better to pass on a job than to let it go unfulfilled.
Over the past week, Peter and his team had stayed busy, tackling high-profile gigs. Among their clients was Regina Jones, a fixer who had discovered Peter's unique ability to capture cyberpsychos alive.
Peter delivered on that reputation. Over the course of the week, he subdued and handed over two cyberpsychos to Regina, both unconscious but alive.
Peter made no effort to hide his activities. In Night City, the more skills you displayed, the more lucrative the commissions became. However, today was different. Peter had decided to step away from mercenary work for the day to focus on something else.
For the past week, he had been developing a game in his spare time, refining it bit by bit. Even with his enhanced mental abilities, game development wasn't his primary expertise, so it had taken a full week to complete.
"Peter, what the hell are you doing with a game when we've got fixers lining up with jobs? Our reputation is at an all-time high in Night City," Jack grumbled over the phone. His tone was a mix of confusion and frustration. For Jack, the attention they had gained over the last week far exceeded anything he'd experienced in his ten years as a mercenary.
And now Peter had chosen to meet with an obscure game company?
"Jack, take a break for once," Peter replied, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. "I'm just going to discuss some business. Didn't you say you wanted to spend more time with Misty?"
Jack hesitated, then sighed. "You're right. I haven't been seeing her much lately. These gigs have been non-stop."
In truth, Peter understood Jack's frustration. It had been Jack's dream to become a legend in Night City, and now they were on the cusp of achieving it. But Peter wasn't interested in wasting time on minor gigs from low-tier fixers. He preferred to focus on lucrative and high-profile opportunities introduced by reputable names like Regina.
"Good. Go enjoy your day. I'll take care of things on my end," Peter said before hanging up.
He pocketed his phone and turned his attention to the building in front of him—a dilapidated apartment complex. Checking the address Judy had sent him, Peter confirmed he was in the right place.
"This is it? Seriously?" V, who had accompanied him, raised an eyebrow. "You sure this is the company? Looks more like a squat to me."
Peter smirked. "What, you expected Arasaka Tower? Not every company in Night City is a megacorp, V."
V rolled her eyes. "Fine, but this barely qualifies as a company. This is more like a studio—if you can even call it that."
Peter shrugged. "Stop complaining. We'll know soon enough if this was worth the trip."
The two headed upstairs, navigating the building's dingy corridors. Trash littered the hallways, and the occasional mattress lay in open spaces, likely used by the homeless.
Peter checked the number on the doors, pausing in front of room 403. The number was almost entirely obscured by grime, but it matched the address Judy had given him.
He knocked firmly.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Who the hell is it?" a voice barked from inside, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
The door creaked open, revealing a man with a messy afro. His expression was a mix of irritation and suspicion.
"Who are you two? We don't have anything here for you," the man said, his gaze darting between Peter and V. Despite their clean appearance, he wasn't about to trust anyone in Night City, not even children.
Peter smiled. "Me? I'm your studio's savior."
The man stared at him, confused, then snorted. "Yeah, right. Get lost, buddy. There's a hospital 800 meters down the road. They might help you with your delusions."
He raised his middle finger, clearly unimpressed.
Peter chuckled. "Nice attitude. No wonder your studio's stuck in a dump like this."
"Excuse me?!" The man bristled, stepping forward aggressively.
V sighed, leaning against the wall. "Peter, do you have to antagonize everyone you meet?"
"Only the ones who deserve it," Peter replied, unfazed. He turned back to the man. "Relax, I'm here for business. Judy sent me. You know her, right?"
The mention of Judy seemed to catch the man off guard. He frowned but didn't step aside.
"Prove it," he demanded.
Peter rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone, showing him a message from Judy with the studio's address.
The man hesitated before stepping back. "Fine. Come in, but don't touch anything."
Peter and V entered the cramped apartment-turned-studio. The interior was cluttered with outdated equipment, empty cans, and the faint smell of burnt electronics.
"You weren't kidding about the state of this place," V muttered under her breath.
"Welcome to indie game development," Peter replied with a smirk.
The man led them to a makeshift workspace, where two other developers sat hunched over computers, their faces illuminated by the glow of monitors. They barely acknowledged the newcomers, too engrossed in their work.
"So, what's your deal?" the man asked, crossing his arms.
Peter pulled a small USB drive from his pocket and held it up. "I've got a game you might be interested in. It's a passion project I've been working on. Judy thought you'd like to see it."
The man eyed the USB skeptically. "What's the catch?"
"No catch. Just looking for someone to test it out and maybe help refine it," Peter said.
The man sighed, motioning toward an empty computer. "Fine. Let's see what you've got."
Peter handed over the USB and watched as the man plugged it in. The screen lit up with the game's title, a sleek design that immediately caught the developers' attention.
"Whoa," one of them murmured, finally looking up from his work.
As the game loaded, the room grew quiet. The developers' initial skepticism faded as they became immersed in the gameplay.
"This is... impressive," the man admitted reluctantly after a few minutes.
Peter leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face. "Told you."
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