A few days passed after that evening. Yerinobu was able to more or less
recover. Apathy turned to anger, and he began to prepare with redoubled
zeal for the confrontation with his father. He began to dig hard about the Relic Project.
Gradually, he was able to learn more and more interesting details, ranging from
the number of test subjects to data on scientists and project leaders. In this he
was helped by Bartmoss, who was able to quickly get used to the new
implants for netrunnership and refresh his skills in hacking databases.And I was busy at my job. Jeremiah and Ron were able
to breathe a sigh of relief when I told them that we were no longer in danger.
Plus, it turned out that during my absence, Mr. Blue Eyes came out to them and
held negotiations, after which TT had an ally who could provide
very strong support at all levels.As they later admitted, after they learned about the
hidden civil war among AI, they had to rethink a lot. Although the fear
of AI was still in their minds, the new information and the opportunities that opened up forced
them to form an alliance with AI.This immediately affected the quality of TT work within Night
City. Intelligence, analytics, and other things have become more effective thanks to AI. On
the one hand, it may seem that such a brazen use of the gaps in the
Black Barrier is not the most sensible idea, because along with a friendly AI, a wild and evil AI can slip through this gap
. But, on the other hand, these gaps are
mainly controlled and repaired by AI, the Network Watch works only
on those gaps that friendly AIs do not have time to or cannot fix themselves.
So working with AI in Trauma Team does not threaten with any special risks.Along with the new allies, there was also a reassessment of the enemies. The Voodooists
were now at the top of the pyramid of enemies, the number of shadow operations against
this gang began to grow. My guys had to raid
the hidden Voodoo bases in Pacific several times in order to get more information and get to
their leaders and the main base. But someone helps them very much. Even
after capturing the data carriers, it is not always possible to get the necessary information. The information
is either destroyed or encrypted so much that even Bartmoss
has to spend several hours, or even days, to get at least something. This
allows the Voodoos to fall or hide and we have to start all over again,
find barely readable traces, analyze them and only then prepare to
strike. Sometimes we do not have time for only thirty or twenty minutes and we fly
to an already abandoned shelter.The only source of information about the hidden ally of the Voodooists
was the prisoners. Although even here we were so opposed that instead of
interrogation, we first had to save their lives because of an attempt to burn their brains with
a netrunner attack. Only a couple of prisoners were able to live long enough
to tell about a certain Fury who helps them. Only the leaders know about her identity and goals
, ordinary gang members can only speculate.This was the most valuable clue. The Fury is the goddess of revenge from
ancient Roman mythology, and not any evil spirit from the Voodoo belief. Although
not clear, but a hint that he is not a member of the gang and not a native of Pacifica. Reich
and the AI have a vague, but goal of the search, although they honestly admitted that they would not soon be able to track down the Fury with
such a trail of crumbs.A long hunt began. And I hope that the victim and the hunter will not
switch places."Oh, look. President Myers wants to visit Night City. For
the umpteenth time in her presidency?" Rico nods his head toward the TV,
where a news bulletin is covering the planned arrival of the President of the United States.- Yes, I don't care somehow. I didn't vote for her and don't
plan to. Yerinobu can't forgive me if I vote for the former head of Militech. -
I laugh it off and go back to servicing my reservation.- Well, who would you vote for then? - Kowalski,
sitting next to me, asks.- For myself, of course! When I become president, I will do two things.
I will put two buttons with a red button, one for a nuclear strike, and the other for delivering
a bottle of Coke. And, of course, I will force all senators and other politicians to buy
TT insurance. Then my TT shares will soar so much that even if I am kicked out of the
president's chair, I will be able to live a comfortable life. - I jokingly answer him, which causes
loud laughter from everyone else.Then I received a message that Jeremiah and Ron were urgently calling
me.- So, guys, the bosses are calling me. Finish here and
then let's go celebrate the end of the barbecue working week. - I get up and put my armor
in the locker."Yes, Skipper!" Meat! Booze! Day off! – the guys answer
amusedly, and I grin and go to Jeremiah's office.There I was unpleasantly surprised by the news that weekends and barbecues
were canceled. Mr. Blue Eyes and his artificial friends asked for help in
a dirty business. We need to kidnap, or rather simulate the kidnapping of a certain Song
So Mi."Marcus, we're uncomfortable with such an 'order and request',
but after the bonuses we've received from working with Mr. Blue Eyes, we have
no way to refuse. We've become too interdependent, and if our union
falls apart, TT may not survive such a blow." Jeremiah declares and drinks a glass of whiskey in
one gulp.Here, of course, he exaggerates. Yes, it will be very difficult
for TT to return to the previous model of work, where he had to do without the support
of powerful AIs. Plus, in retaliation, Mr. Blue Eyes can arrange a not weak
roller coaster on the stock exchange. But TT will survive this, albeit with difficulty. But Jeremiah himself
, most likely, will not. He has strengthened his power in the company and holds a fairly
large stake in the company, but on the way to this, he received many detractors who
will not miss this opportunity to settle scores with him.Well, here I will fly to boot, who knows what the new leader will do to us
. We will be very lucky if the Archangels are preserved, even at the
cost of freedom. And at worst, we can all be eliminated during the mission and, having installed our own people,
completely seize control of the Archangel project.- You have to pay for everything. We will do everything. This is not the first time
we have to work in the shadows. - I answer Jeremiah philosophically, which improves his mood."Secrecy and anonymity will be on the Rhone. He
has already been able to establish a working relationship with Bartmoss, who will also be completely
switched from finding the Fury to providing support for you and your Penguin Commandos.
Eh. Lord, I can't believe that this is your unofficial name and mascot. Apparently
, after my consent, Jeremiah also relaxed and began to joke.- What do you not like? If you watched this cartoon, you
would understand that they do not get out of such troubles."yes, if you forget that they create some of this trouble
themselves. Thank you, Marcus. And I'm sorry I had to ruin your day off."- So you are the boss. Don't you get paid to
make the life of your subordinates unbearable and deprive them of days off? - I say goodbye to
Jeremiah and Ron, who laughed at such a simple joke.The guys were not as much fun as the bosses, after all, there were
such plans for the weekend, and now, instead of fun and relaxation, they will have to get into one
foul-smelling story. But they realized the necessity and that we did not have much choice,
so after grumbling, we began to prepare. We had to work on disguise and
other working moments related to the shadow operation.We had a little less than 36 hours before the president's arrival. The plan
was quickly invented, since we had
no problems with intelligence and data. We practically knew the entire route of the president and planned
to organize a quick raid, during which we would try to steal the target. I don't know
where the Blue Eye got such data, most likely there was a
well-hidden mole right under the president's nose.The plan was as follows. When the president's plane was a couple of
minutes away from the city center, it was to be attacked by an autonomous anti-aircraft
gun piloted by Bartmass, who would simultaneously cut off communications
and prevent the president's guards from sending a signal for help. We immediately flew to the
emergency landing point and within 30 seconds must kidnap our
target. The most important thing is that we can safely kill the guards, but the target
and the president must not be harmed. Enraged not only by the kidnapping of her man, but also by the wound,
Mayer will search for us with the involvement of all the forces of the NS, and this is not a
level that my team can sustain.Not the best plan, but there is not much of a way out. For some reason,
Mr. Blue Eyes hoped that we would not have such a chance for at least six months
, if not at all.Sunday came quickly enough. And we sat inside
the engine warm-up aerodyne and waited for the command to take off. Everything was assembled and
ready. But finally, the president's plane was on the territory of Night City.Everything went as planned, but at the last moment the scanner showed
that a missile had been fired at the plane from nowhere. The missile managed to hit the wing of the plane,
forcing it to lower altitude, and then complete bedlam began. Getting into the range
of an enemy netrunner, which cut off communications and seized control of the
plane, forcing it to fly over Dog Town.- Oh shit. - I just managed to mutter, when another missile was fired at the
plane.The missile rushed to its target like a hound and did its bloody
deed, the plane began to fall directly on the territory of Dog Town. The situation became worse
than ever. Our target could have suffered or died after a missile strike or
after the softest emergency landing. Moreover, to the uncertainty about the status of the target
, it is added that the plane fell on the territory of Dog Town.-Guys. I think it's one of the shittest weekends
of my life." Kowalski muttered."Don't pour salt on Kowalski's wound. I need to get in touch with Mr. Blue Eyes
." "But before I could call him, I got a short
message."The target is alive. Save."- Hmm, it looks like we won't be allowed
to rest this Sunday after all. Let's take off, guys. Now work in our profile. To save someone
from who knows what, while returning alive and unharmed. Smiling and waving.
Smiling and waving. Damn it.With a roar of engines, our aerodyne flew towards
Dog Town.