V's apartment
Little China
04:19am

V looks at me with his eyebrows furrowed.

"So that was Judy?" He waits for confirmation. I roll my eyes. Did he not see her?

"Nope just the delivery service," I give him a straight face.

"It sounded like Judy," A sigh escapes his lips and he heads into the bathroom. Probably going to get changed.

I open the sliding door which reveals Judy standing there in annoyance. Not that I care anyway.

"Oh hey...I didn't notice delivery service came early," I give her a wide smile. She must rolls her eyes an pushes past me, entering the apartment. Wow...rude.

V exits the bathroom fully dressed.

"Hey V, why is she here?" Judy gestures towards me. An idea pops into my head.  I walk to V and gently scratch his stubble.

"How is my shnookms doing?" I give an exaggerated sigh, while giving V a side hug an lay my head on his shoulder. V doesn't move a muscle. I can tell he is shocked my unexpected actions.

"Y/n, don't start," He breaks the hug. I raise my hands in surrender. V and Judy head to the couch. I decide to dress into my shirt V placed out for me and slip into the bed.

"I'll let you and Judge Judy have your meeting...I'll just head to bed," I trail off. It's been so long since I've had a proper rest.

Once I close my eyes, a growl enters my ears. This makes me giggle softly. It's fun messing with them.

...

I wake up to the sound of a door opening. A soft rustle causes me to open my eyes in slight annoyance. Can I have a peaceful for once?!

I blink out the blurriness from waking up. Once I sit up, I notice V sitting on the couch smiling brightly at me.

This makes me groan and the fact that I feel even more tired.

"Don't smile. It's creepy," I climb out the bed and head over to the mini living room. Judy isn't here, thank goodness.

"I thought you would want some take out..." V extends his hand to me, holding a paperbag. I grab it and instantly smell the amazing aroma while taking a seat on the couch.

"...you're welcome..." ignoring him, I grab my chopsticks and dig into the delicious food.

"So I was thinking since we will be working together on this 'mission', it'd be best if we start seeing how we go about this," I hum not saying anything. A sigh causes me to turn my attention to the man sitting across me.

"Were you listening?" Rolling my eyes I turn my attention back to my food. Of course I was listening, but I'm hungry. V seems to get the point and decides to eat his meal as well.

Minutes later we've finish our breakfast/lunch. V had to leave and help Judy with finding Evelyn or something. I guess the conversation about Rogue isn't that important to him. A loud sigh escapes my lips. There is literally nothing to do in this apartment. V told me to stay put. According to him, I shouldn't leave the apartment or I risk getting noticed.

As if I'll listen.

Exploring a bit won't hurt anyone. A search through V's closet would help me find a better outfit since I'll have to be in disguise. Even if it means wearing what belongs to him. Oh well...

I grab a baseball cap, dark shades, a jacket from his closet and decide to wear my own leather jeans and sneakers I had on yesterday, because why not.

Once I'm done freshening up and looking good for the day, I head out the apartment.

There was a few people here and there busy minding their own business. Which is more than fine with me.

I push the baseball cap slightly downwards hoping to hide my face, even though the dark tinted shades probably are doing a good job.

After an hour of walking around the large apartment building, a unstable looking scaffolding grabs my attention. I glance around and no one seems to be on this floor.

Once I climb up the scaffolding, a door to an apartment steals my attention. I head towards it and the windows are shut closed. However, streaks of light escape. This means someone is inside, or they made sure it seems so.

I attempt to open the sliding door, but it's locked. Not sure why I want to go inside this apartment, but you only love once so..

I scan around the balcony for any ping access that could help me find a way inside. A power box is what I find. Doing a subtle quickhack allows the door to slide open.

Well...that was simple.

It isn't well security if it was that easy to gain access. Once I'm inside, I'm hit with a traditional Japanese themed apartment. It doesn't really look like an apartment, more like an office. No one seems to be around. There is a office desk, this peaks my curiosity.

I walk over to the desk and snoop inside the drawers. So there is nothing about the person who lives here. Pointless.

The glint of an object shines in the corner of my eye. I turn towards a shelf that has a few decorations. My hand reaches for what seems like an circular object that looks really expensive and old.

"And who are you and why are you here?" I turn around and the barrel of a gun is directed in the middle of my forehead. The owner of the gun is a woman, I briefly scan her which reveals all the information about her.

Maiko Maeda

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

STATUS

Dependent

HOME

Night City

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

GENDER

Female

HAIR COLOR

Pink

EYE COLOR

Green

EQUIPMENT

Death and Taxes

FAMILY

PARTNER(S)

Judy Alvarez (ex-girlfriend)

FACTION INFORMATION

AFFILIATION

Clouds
Tyger Claws

ROLE

Doll (former)
Clouds' Unofficial Manager (former)
Clouds' Official Manager

"Nice place you have here Maiko-san," I glance around the place and lock eyes with her. The annoyance and anger are the only emotions I can decipher.

I wonder why she's mad.

"I won't ask again," she pushed the gun a bit harder against my forehead. This is uncomfortable to be honest.

"Well...I can't answer you if there is a gun pointed at my head, so either the gun moves away from my head or you can shoot me," I shrug at her. The sound of the gun cocking makes me widen my eyes slightly.

"I was kidding, no need to make rash decisions...but if you must know I can't tell you my name but I can tell you this...its a message from Tyger Claws specifically," I lie. Maiko narrows her eyes at me. She removes the gun from my head. I release a soft sigh of relief. Once she takes a seat by the couches, her hand gestures for me to sit.

"I'm good here, but please make yourself at home," I give her large smile.

"Sit," The sound of a gun cocking once again gains my attention. Maiko has her pistol aimed at me for the second time.

She could have asked nicely.

I take a seat on the couch across her. Maiko places her pistol on the coffee table.

"You're a spy or a mercenary?" She asks me. I shake my head. Her eyebrows furrow, but her body language is cold and cautious.

"It doesn't matter, what is the message," she states. I take a deep breath. Now I have to come up with a lie or that pistol of gets will give my head a disrespectful greeting.

"Once upon a time...a doll like any other at Clouds-" I'm cut off by a hand wrapping itself around my throat. The fury in Maiko's eyes show that what I said struck a nerve. She isn't blocking my airway but she I slowly tightening her hand around my neck.

"Don't make me lose my temper," she snarls. I didn't know saying a few words would make her act irrationally. Maybe I really did push a button. Although I have no regrets.

The sliding door slides open of the apartment/office and in walk V and not surprisily Judy. Maiko seems to distracted in killing me slowly to notice her new visitors.

V notices that Maiko has a guest but makes no move to help me. I roll my eyes internally, either this disguise is really good at hiding my face or V is dumb enough not to notice this is his clothing.

Judy looks towards us and raises her eyebrows.

"Maiko, I didn't know you have company," this catches her attention and I'm finally released from her grip. Thank goodness. I would say 'thanks Judy, you are a life saver', but...that won't be happening any time soon.

Maiko straightens her posture as she turns towards her visitors. While I'm rubbing my neck Maiko walks to her office desk and takes a seat, acting as though her choking me to death didn't happen. Judy follows her, probably still hung up on her. Not that I care or anything.

I notice Maiko forgot her purple pistol on the coffee table.

Before I can grab it, a rough hand grabs the pistol. V looks at me with a look of disapproval.

"You shouldn't be taking things that don't belong to you...Y/n," I narrow my eyes at him.

"You're wearing my baseball cap and jacket, you thought I wouldn't find out?" I roll my eyes at his observation.

"So, you knew it was me and yet you left me die at the hands of a crazy woman?" It his turn to roll his eyes.

"You probably deserved it," I shrug and glance over to Maiko and Judy their conversation seems heated. V is aware of my gaze and follows it.

"We need help regarding Evelyn and Maiko is our way forward," V informs me.

"Well it seems like she doesn't want to be apart of it,"

Maiko's facial expression is conflicted. Seeing Judy must've struck something in her. She does well to hide it though. I guess being observant makes you notice the little things.

V walks towards them and begins talking, probably trying to back Judy up. I would listen in...but I don't care about what they're fighting or talking about.

I make my way out the door and take a seat on the balcony. A deep breath is all it takes to calm me down. Not that I need it, as I am always calm. I slip of the glasses and rub my eyes.

"You really meddle yourself into everyone's life don't you?" A voice stops my actions. I turn around and Judy takes a seat on a large block of some kind.

"That's your job not mine," I raise an eyebrow. Her eyes have dark rings around them and bags are forming.

"Someone looks tired..." I trail off. She literally looks like a panda.

"So what's this thing about Evelyn?" She turns to me and frowns. "Not your business," I raise my hands in surrender.

"Just asking, no need to get upset," I shrug.

The sliding door opens and V walks out. He shakes his head at Judy.

"She won't help, I might've made it worse," I chuckle at that. V seems to always make things worse.

"It's cool V, she'll come around," Judy clarifies.

"Sure she will," I say, remembering how Maiko greeted me with a gun to my forehead and chokehold.

"What's that supposed to mean," Annoyance fills Judy's voice.

"It means what I said," Judy always needs an explanation. I sigh.

"I'm going out-" "no way, you're coming with me Y/n," V cuts me off. A groan escapes my lips.

"We need to start with Rogue's mission,"

A/n Finally updated, I'm really sorry for the long wait. Things were a bit hectic but I'll update now that life is calmer atm.

However thank you so much for supporting the book :)