Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Panam

Sure could use a rocket launcher right about now, dont you think? The girl teased with a big smile that did not fit the circumstances.

Oh shut up. She snapped and grumbled even if Motoko was right Sorta.

Half way through the morning a group of Raffen Shiv had started trailing them. Panam had hoped with how dangerous her baby looked to the average gonk that it would keep them away, but as the first hour passed being trailed more Raffen had joined up shadowing their route.

Looking at the horizon she grimaced. She recognized the trap that was coming. It wouldnt be long now.

Panam put the pedal down, hoping the terrain and her suspension would get them away.

It hadnt.

Want me to take the turret? Motoko asked suddenly, as she took a hard turn around a bend on the mix of desert and hills they were running through.

No. They arent in range. It would be a waste of ammunition.

If we dont have a choice but to fight, then we should find a flat ground. Ill be able to help more then. Motoko offered and Panam rolled her eyes, hitting the gas again to try and get some speed on this old dirt path.

They are faster than us. Flat means they catch up. She snapped, eyes looking up into the cameras to see how close they were getting.

Closer now.

Yeah, but I cant shoot them like this. Get us flat. Ill let them know we have some fangs. Panam looked over at the girl and instantly turned back to the road.

That smile was a little too bloodthirsty for a teenager.

Stupid idea Fine. She growled. It wasnt like she had a better one. She jerked her wheel, starting to climb up the dirt hill, her truck roaring as she felt the tires spin but eventually she got the traction and she managed to ford sideways up the hill.

Then she hit the top of the hill, and it flattened out as she turned off. She wasnt going in the right direction anymore, but at least this area was flatter. Old roads criss-crossed this region. Most didnt go anywhere anymore, but she landed on top of one, the slightly bumpy road not something her warhorse gave a shit about.

She gunned it. And from behind she watched one two, three. Then another three vehicles all come roaring over the same edge.

Looks like now that she wasnt on the rocky twisting lower road it was time.

They are coming for us now.

Yeah, finally. The girl said, suddenly pulling her seatbelt as she started pulling the entire belt out of the system. Then she stilled, grabbing her Nekomata and seemingly taking a moment to figure something out and then she wrapped the seatbelt around her shoulder.

What are you? Panam managed before Motoko flashed her a smiled and pushed open the passenger door. The flare of dust and grime was instant, and already making Panam want to kick the girl out the damn truck, but then she disappeared.

Panams jaw dropped, she looked over, seeing the girls chrome hand had grabbed onto the top door jam and remained latched onto the roof even if her hand was backwards.

Motoko? She asked as she heard the thump of the girl moving around on the roof of her baby.

Scorpion what the fuck. She hissed focusing back on the road now that her passenger could very easily be thrown off.

How was she even staying up there!?

A shot echoed from above and Panam felt her heart beating staccato actually picking up.

This kidThis kid was crazy! No wonder Scorpion liked her so much! Panam realized she had brought in someone truly out of their mind.

But she looked in her rear view. Where a Mizutani Shion with a hole in the Crystal Dome, was veering off, not quite losing control, but seemingly done with their pursuit.

Another shot and Panam watched another Raffen realize they might not have the range to hit us, but we could poke them just fine apparently.

The second car broke off, and then to her relief more and more cars broke, no more shots came. Instead a few moments after all of the Raffen broke off Motoko knocked on the roof and Panam realized that the passenger door being almost entirely closed had locked her out. Rolling her eyes, she let off the gas slowly, so the kid could get back inside without killing herself.

Reaching over once we slowed down to a more safe speed, she reached over and popped the passenger door open and managed to kick it all the way open, and then Motoko came rolling back inside. Face and hair covered in dust and grime from being up top, mouth closed, to hide the tooth filled smile she had before.

But the brat was still smirking.

That was insane!

Eh. Id give it like a solid eight on the cool shit Ive done meter. Was her reply. Panam looked over and then back to the road. She couldnt help it. She snorted out an aborted laugh and just shook her head.

At least the insane kid was on her side.

--

That night we were once again camping. Panam complaining about me jumping out of the cab had eventually died off and instead been replaced with a quiet sort of melancholy.

I was on the other hand pretty hyped up. The only thing that could have made that cooler was if I had my HMG. Nekomata was cool, but when it came to vehicle combat, stepping out with an HMG was on another level.

Despite the fire. Panam wasnt cooking travel chili tonight. Just pulling out something prepackaged and eating it down once it was warmed on the fire.

Which meant I had to do the same with an XXL.

I sighed as I pulled the burrito off the pan and sniffed at it, nose crinkling at the rather unappetizing smell.

Why bring so many if you dont like them? She asked and I just scoffed.

My brother loves them, and we had a ton of them already. I didnt have a lot of time to get food for the journey. Kinda glad I brought them. I would have brought a lot less food if I had to actually buy stuff, and I might be going hungry by now.

Nomad rules. Always bring way more food than you expect to eat. She said before digging into the bag of steaming

Nope. I dont want to know.

That looked like bugs.

Should get there sometimes tomorrow afternoon, unless we get chased again.

Think thats going to happen? I asked in turn, we hadnt seen any sign of the Raffen once we sent them packing, but that didnt mean everything.

Maybe. They dont like to go after difficult targets just like anyone but sometimes they might have to. Keep their group together, prove they are the strongest. That kind of shit. Panam explained around a big crunchy bite of nope.

Hmm. I grumbled as I bit into my burrito. Ill keep watch tonight then. No, don't argue with me. I can stay up for days at a time if I have to without any issue. Sleep well, and Ill make sure we dont get snuck up on.

Panam bit into her nope. Yeah bag of nope thats all I was going to process from that.

Fine. She grumbled and I nodded. Not long after as she squirmed into the tent I settled on top of the trucks roof and kept an eye and ear out.

--

We made much better time the next day. The roads were still more guidelines than anything, but more and more of the spider web of roads were actually semi still together giving us longer and longer stretches where the Warhorse could really let loose.

We should be there before the sun sets. Unless we make camp early. Panam offered but the way we were both checking the horizon had already confirmed what the plan would be.

Twice we had seen nomad or Raffen vehicles on the horizon.

Huh? Oh Yeah, probably pointless. She agreed and stepped back from her attack. Hiya.

Yeah hiya ya too fucking-

Mary, let it go, she stopped. Liam cut in, trying to keep Mary from picking another pointless fight. Hey. This is Cougar Claw terf. I dont know you, so you better clear off. Stop smacking up our shit.

Pfft. The girl, despite keeping a flat face that was reddening a little let out the noise of a tire letting out air before faux coughing and shaking herself a little.

Was she fucking laughing at them? Liam felt his own quick temper lighting up. At the thought.

The fuck you laughing at?

Sorry sorry! Its just Cougar is slang where I come from You know Cougars? Like older women that prey on-Yeah you dont care, I just had that thought and it made me laugh a bit. Sorry. Im sure your gang is preem. Dont mind me.

Ill show you just how much I mind! Mary looked like she was going to start swinging but Liam quickly grabbed her.

Let it go Mary. Lets go, we have to deal with the Rats, dont have time to deal with some random gonk.

The girl wasnt looking at Mary or Liam, he suddenly realized her high end optics were looking behind him. Kiroshi? He thought pointlessly as he turned and stopped cold. At the end of the street was a Villefort Alvarado. But that wasnt what made Liam realize something was up.

Because the tags on the car were little cartoon rats.

The Rats were here.

Fuck, Mary! He demanded and she turned and noticed the same thing. The door opened and Boss Franco stepped out. A moment later one of the gonks stepped out and threw a long coat over his shoulders.

Of course he just had it thrown over and didnt actually put his arms in. It was meant to hide his hands behind his back so he could shoot you without warning.

Well well! If it isnt Kitty Claw Liam! Come on boy. We got some chatting to do! The older teenager called out and Liam felt frozen.

The only reason the Rats would be here is if someone from the gang had ratted Liam out. That he was going to refuse to be part of the Rats little gang group.

Liam!

Get out of here Mary. He whispered to her quietly, realizing what was about to go down.

Fuck dat! Im not gonna be a fucking Rat! She snapped and Liam wanted to argue that running to save your life didnt make you a rat. Especially when they were fucked.

He adjusted his jacket, loosening up so the holster of his Unity would be free. Hopefully

Hopefully he could draw faster than Rat Bastard Franco. Fuck, even if he did that meant the SPD would be on his tail after. He didnt have the eddies to make them stop caring like Franco did.

I feel like a tumbleweed is about to cross over. A voice behind him muttered and he scowled at the distraction but ignored it. He didnt have time for the gonk outsider. Much less one that was likely about to be silenced after he was killed too.

He took four steps forward and stopped, putting the entrance to his block to his right, as the Rat continued sauntering over.

I heard you aint happy with my offer! Now what part about it made you think it was something you could refuse in the first place? Franco asked as he stopped a few feet away. His goons, all had shooters. All were ready for war, and here Liam was with just a pistol and Mary who didnt even carry Iron.

Just a knife.

What are you doing here Franco. Its only been a couple hours, your message said we had a few days to discuss your offer.

That was before I heard you cut off your crew and told them you were refusing. Bad move little cat. See I want all of Ten to listen when I say something. That doesnt mean some cats can tell me no.

The Cougar Claws are sti-

Pfft. The noise of air escaping a tire came again from behind him, and he noticed that Franco wasnt happy about it either. The man's eyes narrowed as he looked behind them.

Then he heard the sound of a can popping open.

He looked back and the girl was popping open a can of Orange Cybershock that she had gotten from the Vending machine.

Wasnt that machine broken?

Once she took a sip she cleared her throat. Sorry, don't mind me.

Who the fuck is this?

Some rando. He responded back, but he knew Rat wouldnt let it get away. So he didnt say anything. Watching as Franco obviously considered how he was going to murder the girl.

Thats a nasty glare there pal. You might want to put that away. The girl said suddenly her own eyes locked onto the Rats.

This of course only sealed her fate.

Yeah? You think some jumped up nobody bitch, has the right to tell me where I place my optics? How about I-

Bored now. And Liam gasped, as within a single moment she had a gun in her hand. A Lexington, and despite Francos attempts to dodge she pulled the trigger and gun fire echoed through the alley.

Liam leapt away. The Rats guards would retaliate and they tried. He hit the ground hard and looked up in time to see the two men that had followed Franco into the alley raise their weapons only for them to click without any bang.

Then they were gunned down casually, with almost disinterest, the girl wandered over and put a few more bullets into them. Seemingly to make sure.

Hey, you know of any Ramen joints around here? He blinked as she walked over to him and kneeled down. Squating right in front of his face without seemingly a care in the world.

Uh huh?

Raaamen. Ramen. Noodles in broth. Tasty shit. You know of any places around here?

Umm. Yeah?

Great send me the deets ya?

He scrambled to do so. He honestly wasnt sure if she was threatening him with the way she was tapping the pistol on her knee, but he wasnt going to find out.

Hmm. Thats kinda far Oh hey! New car! She chirped as she walked over to the men, and pulled the car keys off the guard that drove Franco around.

He watched her go for a while. Bloody foot prints leading out of the alley with every step.

H-hey! Mary called out startling Liam as he noticed she had jumped into a bunch of trash to avoid getting shot too.

Huh? The girl called out turning.

Who are you? Ive never seen you before!

Yeah Im just visiting, Im from Night City! She called out with a guileless smile as she waved a chrome arm over her head and turned back towards Francos car.

Which she promptly stole. Driving off.

Ive heard rumors about people from Night City. Mary said, looking to Liam, and he just nodded.

If that was the level of Night City teens, he was suddenly feeling even less confident than before.