31 Familial Connection

"What do you mean you can't find anybody? Surely there's some schmuck in Night City who needs a merc?" Ori questions Judy over the holo-call.

Judy shrugs her shoulders, "There are, just none who want you-, or at least, not you alone. You'd have to convince your friends to take the jobs with you." she states, referring to Max and Six.

That was unlikely to happen, any jobs Ori would get offered paled in comparison to those Max and Six had available to them via their own contacts. He was just lucky they occasionally included him, though, it made him feel like the unwanted cousin sometimes...

"I'm actually impressed how well you've done so far." Judy adds, "Solo's either have a foundation in Corpo security, military, or NCPD work. You? Just some kid with a gonk iron."

"Sounds like you're trying to jinx me..." Ori retorts, hiding his embarrassment at her praise.

"I'll keep looking around but-" she's interrupted as Bats approaches where Ori's sitting.

"Kid, stop talking to your girlfriend for a minute, you're gonna wanna take a look at this. I found somethin'..." the Ripperdoc hurriedly says.

"Hah, girlfriend?" she incredulously questions aloud.

"What else would you be, you're the only girl my nephew speaks to on a daily basis, plus you're not a bad looker either... I'm not complaining or anything." Bats tacks on, trying not to intrude and failing horribly.

"Should I be hurt that you're so offended?" Ori asks Judy with mock hurt on his face.

She purses her lips at him, "Newsflash, you're lacking some things I'd want in a partner, along with that gross thing between your legs."

He smirks, "I don't get you lesbian types, you hate men but use fake cocks, where's the logic in that?"

"This is not up for discussion!" she sharply retorts, "I'll talk to you later Ori. And let that old man know his laptop's beat-up heat sink is about to kaput." she states before ending the call.

Ori looks over at Bats who'd just had a hardware error notification pop up on his screen, "Huh... How'd she know that?"

"Probably spotted the make of it, I got this on the cheap because of that issue-" Bats pauses and shakes his head at the tangent, "Forget that, look!" he pulls up a website selling various items and zooms in on a particular one.

"Kiroshi Mk.2's... Like dads..." Ori mutters with widening eyes, "T-they his?"

Bats nods with surety, "Definitely, equipped with the same modifications I installed, Threat Analysis on the left, with Trajectory Analysis on the right. There ain't a doubt in my mind that this is them."

"Chances of another set having the exact same mods?" Ori questions despite believing Bats.

"To have the exact same make modifications on the exact same sides on the exact same kind of Kiroshi's? Like free fallin' outta space two and landing in the same pile of dogshit."

"Can you track 'em?"

Bats shakes his head, "No need, they're being auctioned off in two days down in Japantown."

...

Ori sits up from the couch, ignoring the slight ache of his body, still somewhat sore from the modification the nanites had made to him. "Alright, tell me where it's at and I'll have a look." he says while standing, grabbing the Rostović DB-4 Igla and slinging it over his shoulder while holstering his new Constitutional Arms Unity pistol.

Bats stands with him, "I'm comin' too."

"Fuck no you ain't, don't you remember what happened last time we went somewhere together?... Last two times in fact!" Ori instantly rejects him.

"This is just as personal for me as it is for you. I'm coming, whether or not it's with you or on my own is your choice." Bats argues.

"Fuck your feelings, your vendetta or whatever won't mean shit if you get shot in the face. Don't make me tie to the couch."

"How's that any different for you, kid? You think I'm cool just twiddling my thumbs while you put yourself in danger? I can bear with it if it's merc shit, but for something like this that involves us both? I'm coming, full stop."

...

"Fine, but you do as I say." Ori finally relents after a small staring contest. He stomps into his room and retrieves small sack, the 'Emergy Panic Bag' as he'd called it, for Bats to use should someone try to actually break in.

To honest, he might've gone overboard when filling it, he thinks to himself as he turns upside down and allows the grenades, stims, throw-away holophones, and concealed weapons to drop onto the bed.

"Take the pistols and ammo, leave everything else... Last thing we need is to blow up part of Japantown. We don't need Tyger Claw attention on us."

---------------------------------

Ori steps out from his car with Bats while surveying the city around him. Japantown was far, far better off than Kabuki, Little China, and definitely Northside. He wasn't actually sure of the reason for this, maybe its vicinity with the Corporate Plaza in the City Center and North Oak had something to do with it. Rich folk don't like having to look at poor folk...

He could only catch glimpses of the 'other' reason... Near street corners, alleyways, and some businesses the Tyger Claws made their presence known. Their 'iconic' dressing style, weaponry, and vehicles all but declared Japantown as their turf.

Since rumour was the Tygers were directly under Arasaka, it made sense they'd be allowed to operate so brazenly so close to the Corpo Plaza... Fuckin' corp had 'em all on payroll.

"Nani o mi teru no?" a female Tyger wearing basically nothing with a katana at her waist growls at him, noticing his glare. The translation software Bats had hooked up with translated it rather quickly, 'What the fuck are you looking at?'.

"C'mon, we ain't got time for this, remember?" Bats states, gesturing for him to follow to prevent them from getting into any fights.

They were lucky Ori left his shotgun in the trunk, otherwise the Tyger's might've had a reason to start shit with them.

"Sō omotta noda, kono yarō" (That's what I thought, little bastard.) the woman sniffs derisively as they walk away.