Vito didn't bother with the four Tyger Claws corpses. Pieces of garbage that thorough didn't deserve a grave.
He drove the Magician back toward the city. On the road, he passed a stretch of newly broken ground — a Biotechnica construction site. The sky was barely light. Workers moved like small machines, using large machines to build sothing for the corporation.
It looked like Romano's report hadn't moved anyone. Biotechnica was still pushing the new project forward.
Ding.
A notification from Channel 54.
"Heavyweight Thunder Dragon has given high praise to the recent civilian boxing tournant held in Night City. He has called a press conference to announce his intention to fight the civilian champion in Night City. Thunder Dragon's team has described this bout as 'Thunder Dragon's Roots Journey.'
Thunder Dragon and his sponsors have pledged a prize fund of one hundred thousand eddies, with all ticket proceeds going to the Night City Animal Protection Association.
The announcent has generated significant reaction throughout the boxing world. Multiple boxing veterans have stated the move will benefit the broader industry.
Thunder Dragon's longti rival Razor Hughes has called the decision empty publicity. The following are Razor Hughes's exact words.
'Go screw yourself, you pretty boy. Can't hack it against professionals so you go find yourself so amateurs. Watch out your second-hand cyberware gets wrecked and you end up taking out a loan to fix it.'"
Back inside the city, Vito drove straight to the clinic. He'd planned to take advantage of the morning window before Gloria arrived and run a quick upgrade on his dermal system. The coming fight with the Tyger Claws wasn't going to be clean work. A gang with that much history behind it would inevitably have people running high-grade chro.
He pushed the Magician up to the Gunfire Children's Clinic and found a small figure waiting at the entrance.
"Hey, Rebecca. Morning."
Rebecca still had the large weapon case on her back. She looked like she'd co through the grief of losing her brother. Only looked like it.
"Morning, Vito. I need a weapon modified."
He parked right at the entrance, took Rebecca's weapon case, and opened the door.
"Co in. Have you been waiting long?"
Rebecca shook her head.
"Just got here."
Vito opened the ice machine, ran two bottles of real water into it, and cracked open a Dumb Monkey energy drink for Rebecca.
"What do you need done?"
He asked while opening the weapon case. Inside was a kinetic shotgun. The Carnage.
"I want the power boosted. The firepower needs to be enough to blast soone loaded with chro clean off their feet."
Vito picked up the Carnage and checked the weapon's condition.
"Can do. But the ammunition won't be standard anymore. You'll have to source it from here. One more thing — a shotgun isn't a rifle or an SMG. Getting the recoil under control takes serious work."
Rebecca rolled up her sleeve and pointed at her arm.
"Then install Gorilla Arms. Use the chro to absorb the recoil."
Vito looked at her serious expression and shook his head.
"Wait until I can get the materials for a premium version together. I can do better than military grade, but right now supplies are tight. Let's start with the gun."
He opened a hidden compartnt and took out an RC-7 Specter muzzle to show her.
"This thing is genuinely hard to find. I stripped down a lot of parts before I finally put this one together. In my view this is a gold-tier muzzle — a tier and a half above military grade. Install this and it cuts recoil in half on its own.
Modify the Carnage, add this, and it's perfect. But it isn't cheap. One muzzle runs as much as ten standard guns. Still want it?"
Rebecca nodded without hesitation. She had already decided to empty her savings into this.
Vito had his answer. He got to work. He was building sothing serious, so he connected his personal interface and pulled in two chanical arms to assist.
His hands moved fast across the weapon. His mouth kept pace without any trouble.
"This is going to cost you. I can throw in a modified gun as a gift — pick the model."
Rebecca was short a stronger sidearm. The two Liberty pistols she'd bought on opening day hit hard enough, but for soone with Rebecca's particular relationship with the concept of sufficient firepower, they weren't quite doing it.
Then she noticed Vito's holster.
He usually wore Eddie on his hip. Today there was a Malorian Arms Overture revolver sitting next to it.
The gun looked familiar. She asked:
"Vito, can I look at that Overture revolver?"
Vito pulled it out and set it on the table.
"Go ahead. Don't test-fire it inside though. It's loaded with hollow-points, and a .55 round can kick up fragnts."
Rebecca picked up the heavy kinetic revolver and turned it over carefully. The gun had been modified end to end. The original .42 caliber had been bored out to .55. The whole body was painted black. The fra was exaggerated and vicious-looking.
Then her thoughts flashed to the night of the cyberpsycho attack. Kiwi had her pressed to the ground. When she'd looked up she'd seen the Cube Head person holding a gun exactly like this one.
"Vito. Is this gun yours?"
Vito was still bent over the Carnage. He answered without looking up.
"This particular one is mine."
"What does a gun like this cost?"
Vito was replacing the barrel. Still didn't look up.
"It needs so specific materials. If you want one, I can put in a request to the Badlands Nomads for a supply run. But I heard the Serpents clan has run into trouble lately. No idea how long the wait would be."
Rebecca needed to know who had saved her crew that night. She pressed:
"Who else have you sold a gun like this to? Vito, this matters. That person saved our lives."
Vito's hands paused for a mont. Then he answered:
"I don't know who he is. He had face-spoofing equipnt on."
Rebecca's expression fell.
"Okay. If you hear anything about him, tell . All right?"
One of the chanical arms made an OK gesture.
"Count on it."
Finally done. Vito laid a coat of green paint across the body, then put two diagonal stripes of deep red across the barrel section.
He handed the gun to Rebecca and went to pull the ammunition stock he'd originally been holding for Jackie.
"Decided on a gift?"
Rebecca shook her head.
"I'm fine. Once you have the materials, let know. I want one of those Overture revolvers. Full price."
Vito laid ammunition boxes on the table in front of her.
"Then take so ammo. Red is buckshot. Purple is slug. Black is Dragon's Breath. I also had Graphite rounds but they're running short right now with a commission Jackie and I are running. I'll get you those next ti."
Rebecca transferred the paynt without hesitation.
"Give the gun a na, Rebecca."
"Iron Guts."
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