"I'm thinking of buying two sets of boxing gear. That way, you can teach me some combat moves indoors. My apartment's big enough to set up a training space."
"You want to learn combat?"
"Well, what do you think? You think the thugs in Night City will go easy on me just because I'm 'protected'?"
Leo shrugged, a frustrated look on his face.
V couldn't help but agree with his point. Night City was full of crazies. As long as they popped a pill before going into battle, they'd charge at you with bats, ready to go all in.
But… indoor training, at his place?
Something about it felt off...
Seeing V's mixed expression, Leo knew it was time to sweeten the deal.
"I know it's not exactly a bodyguard's job to train me in shooting and combat. How about I pay you an extra 300 euros a day for coach duties? This is the payment for the first week."
[You are about to transfer 10,000 euros to an unknown account. Please confirm that this action is being made by you.]
[Confirm.]
[The amount of 10,000 euros is being transferred, awaiting confirmation from the recipient...]
"!?"
Here we go again!
"What, you think just because you have some money you can act all big?"
V wanted to say that, but with 300 a day, that's 9,000 a month... he was really overpaying her.
[Transfer successful, your personal account has been charged 2100 euros.]
Well, she could put up with it. Her instincts didn't scream foul play—this generous employer didn't seem to have any ill intentions.
"...Fine. Take a left when you exit, not far from here, there's an outdoor boxing ring and gym. The owner and trainer are an acquaintance of mine."
V smiled, her wallet slowly filling up as she walked him outside.
Leo slung his gun over his shoulder and followed her.
Once they left the indoor [Second Amendment] gun shop, they stepped into the open air.
The sunlight barely pierced through the thick white mist, casting a hazy glow over everything.
Leo leaned against the railing, tilting his head back.
The curve of his neck reached its limit as he tried to look up, but all he could see were the walls of the towering skyscrapers, trapping the people inside like they were stuck at the bottom of a well.
Pipes venting white mist into the air felt like the sighs of the people below, full of resignation.
Looking down, he saw a small market with makeshift stalls and countless tiny figures scurrying about, like ants.
The "Ant Nest."
The nickname felt fitting, as he glanced at the maze of floors and hallways. It was a place of oppression.
"Don't look too much. I'm not taking you to the service square. That's pretty much the black market, selling all kinds of illicit goods. You'd better avoid it."
V glanced around warily, urging him to move.
"Do you really need to be this tense?"
Leo had the feeling that, if anyone stood out here, it was V—she looked tense as hell.
"I've never been a bodyguard. How should I know how one behaves?"
V scanned the surroundings, clearly on edge.
She was used to flying solo, and this whole "bodyguard" gig didn't sit right with her.
"Fine, let's go. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can leave."
Leo followed suit.
When they reached the boxing ring, he saw it was so basic, it didn't even have ropes. Just a raised piece of ground for sparring.
Nearby was the gym, equally humble, with some locals working out.
The bald coach sitting by the side waved when he saw V. "Hey, V, over here."
V led Leo over, giving him a quick introduction.
Leo politely nodded at the man. "Hello, Coach Fred. I'm looking to buy two sets of boxing gear, one for me, one for V."
Fred, a muscular guy with no visible cybernetics, gave him a nod. "Sure. You and V, huh?"
He turned to V with a smirk. "Finally got yourself a partner, huh, V? I told you, working with others is way easier than flying solo."
V rolled her eyes. "Can you just sell us the gear, or are you gonna keep talking?"
"Ha, alright, alright. You know how it is. We've known each other for years, can't we chat a little?"
Fred joked, then stood up.
A few moments later, Leo had bought full gear, including headgear, armor, and boxing gloves.
He picked black, and V chose blue.
"Want to add a melee weapon? I see you only have a gun on your waist, that's kind of dull."
"I'm not sure... V?"
Leo left the decision to her.
V sighed in resignation. "Give him a baton, one of those regular ones, no electricity."
"Alright."
The total came to 1500, far cheaper than buying a gun.
Then V led him to a quiet corner, speaking softly. "That should be good. Let's hurry up and leave, yeah?"
Leo looked down at his hands, carrying the ammo box and the bag of gear with his left hand. His right hand was still empty, and he kept opening and closing it.
"My hands hurt, and I'm covered in sweat. Can't we just take a break somewhere?"
"Are you really planning to rest here? This place is full of crazies. What if someone targets you? Plus, there's no public rest area."
"Aren't you living around here?"
Leo was trying to find an excuse to see where V lived!
"Well..."
V looked reluctant.
"What's wrong? Is your place a mess?" Leo pressed on. "Don't worry, I'll just wash my face, have a drink, and be quick about it."
"Fine, fine, it's only fair."
Reluctantly, V started leading the way.
They walked through the internal hallways, past the colorful locals, and up a short flight of stairs before reaching V's room.
"Right by the emergency exit. Nice spot," Leo casually remarked.
V had no energy to argue and simply unlocked the door with her electronic card.
Just as they entered, a short-haired woman standing nearby suddenly spoke up. "What's this? You changed careers too?"
"Just a friend," V responded briefly, not willing to engage further.
Click—
The door slid open, and V quickly ushered him in, locking it behind them.
Leo glanced around with excitement as he entered, asking casually, "Who was that? A friend?"
"Just a neighbor. Not someone I'm close with."
V answered flatly as she walked past him to the bed, grabbing some scattered clothes. "The bathroom's behind me. Go wash up."
Leo noticed her scrambling to tidy up the clothes on the bed and wisely decided not to intrude.
He dropped the bags and walked into the bathroom.
The sink was right by the entrance, and there was a half-length mirror on the wall.
V, the street-savvy girl, was clearly laid-back. Empty cans and plastic cups littered the counter. Cosmetics and toiletries were stacked together, along with towels, a large jar of protein powder, and a Japanese ceramic lucky cat.
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