Cyberpunk:Gained a body of steel

Inside Military Technology Headquarters

"This is incredible! Absolutely incredible! That man is an angel sent by God—a gift to humanity to help us evolve!"

Hall was practically shouting, pacing frantically in Gail Gibbs' office.

He had done nothing all afternoon except rewatch the surveillance footage of Peter and his team. Again and again, he analyzed their appearances, their actions, their movements. Each time, Peter's abilities seemed even more extraordinary. Hall's obsession grew by the hour.

In his mind, there was no longer any doubt—Peter was the world's first evolved superhuman.

Nothing else could explain his terrifying strength, his combat instincts, or the strange powers he wielded.

"The value of this man far exceeds anything we originally estimated," Gail Gibbs admitted, unable to hide the awe in his voice as he read through the thick stack of documents in front of him.

Even someone like Gail—who had seen countless black ops, technological breakthroughs, and experimental weapons—was stunned by the data he now possessed.

But admiration wasn't their only emotion.

With all this detailed combat data, they were still faced with one impossible problem: How do you capture someone like Peter?

They couldn't outrun him. They weren't sure they could overpower him. And the worst part? He could likely wipe out their entire convoy within five minutes if provoked.

If they wanted to subdue him, it would take a level of military force far beyond what their American branch could supply alone.

As Gail scanned through Peter's file again, he noticed a section that made him pause—several women listed as close companions, even cohabitants.

"Brandon," Gail said, tossing a stack of photos onto the table. "What do we know about these women?"

Brandon stepped forward, instantly recognizing the faces—Lucy, Sasha, and the others.

"Yes, President," he replied. "They're all mercenaries. That hacker, Sasha, is a known member of a team under the command of one of our ten middlemen. She's affiliated, even if indirectly, with us."

Gail's eyes gleamed with opportunity.

"Then here's what we'll do—have that middleman issue a random mission to capture Sasha. Once we have her, bring her to the military base outside the border. We'll bait Peter into coming after her. There, with reinforcements from Night City and our private armed division, we may finally have the firepower to contain him."

"Yes, President. I'll make arrangements immediately." Brandon didn't hesitate. He rushed out of the office with the urgency of a man holding a winning card.

Hall, still riding high on adrenaline, leaned forward eagerly. "President, once we have him… if we can unravel the secret of his evolution—who knows? Maybe we could become like him."

Gail didn't respond right away. His expression turned grim.

"This entire operation must be kept classified. If Donald Lundy or Melissa Cruz find out, they'll fight for control. I can't risk losing sovereignty over this research, understood?"

"Crystal clear," Hall replied with a nod.

---

Elsewhere, in Night City

Faraday, sitting in his dimly lit office, saw the incoming call from the military company and connected immediately.

"You got everything I sent you, right? Now, when are you going to make good on your end of the deal?" he asked impatiently.

"We verified the information you provided. It checks out," the voice on the other end said. "But we have a favor to ask first. There's a shipment that needs to be delivered across the border. You have any mercenaries with strong hacker support?"

Faraday raised an eyebrow. "What? You want me to handle your shipping now? That's what the street kids and drifters are for, isn't it?"

"You don't need to ask questions. We're aware you have a team—Mann Squad, correct? Assign the task to them."

Faraday blinked in disbelief. Mann Squad? Why them?

"Time is tight," the voice continued. "The goods must be delivered by tomorrow afternoon. Have your team ready before noon."

Faraday rubbed his temples. Something felt off. The company had never asked him to assign specific mercenaries before, especially not ones they openly disrespected. To them, Faraday was just a middleman—an errand boy. Mann Squad wasn't high in their eyes either.

"Fine. How much are we talking about for payment? I need to persuade them."

"You set the price. We'll authorize full funding."

Faraday's eyes widened. That was a first.

"Alright then, I'll let them know."

He ended the call with a smirk. This job would net him a clean 100,000 euros in commission. Let the Mann Squad handle the risk—he'd just cash the check.

---

Early the Next Morning

Ring-ring!

Peter stepped out of the bedroom, phone in hand. He glanced back at the softly breathing figures of V and Lucy still asleep on the bed, then answered the call.

"Mann? What's going on? Isn't it a little early for you?"

"Peter, Faraday just contacted us with a new mission. He says it's a high-paying job—transporting a batch of goods from Military Tech to a base outside the border."

Peter frowned.

"Isn't that kind of job usually given to the street folk? Why are they handing it off to you?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Mann replied. "But he said the pay is 150,000 euros. It's too good to pass up. We figured we'd run it by you first."

Peter leaned against the balcony railing, deep in thought. The sum was unusually generous. And why Mann Squad, specifically? The pieces didn't add up.

Still, if they were trying something shady… Peter wanted to know.

"Alright. Accept the job. If anything goes sideways, call me right away."

"Got it. We're rolling out at noon today. Just remind Sasha, alright?"

Peter hung up and turned, only to feel a warm body press against his back.

"Who was that?" Sasha asked sleepily, wrapping her arms around him.

Peter smiled and placed his hand over hers.

"Mann. He took a mission from Faraday—some big shipment job. I gave him the green light. You'll need to meet them at noon."

Sasha rubbed her cheek against his back and sighed. "You got up early today. You're usually the last one out of bed."

Peter glanced back at the bedroom, where V and Lucy were still curled up under the blankets.

"I wanted some time alone with you," he said softly.

Sasha looked up, pretending to pout. "Only me? Not the others?"

Peter grinned. "What can I say? I've got favorites."

"Mm-hmm… You're lucky I like being spoiled," she replied, nudging him playfully.

"How about I make breakfast? You help me out."

"Wait, you? Cooking?" Sasha laughed.

"You'll see," Peter said, dragging her into the kitchen with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Of course, as they began cooking, Peter's hands couldn't help but wander—resting a little too long on her waist, brushing her cheek, grazing her arms. Sasha scolded him half-heartedly, but she didn't stop him either.

---

Meanwhile, back in Military Technology Headquarters

Preparations were already underway.

The order had gone out. A team was en route to capture Sasha and bring her to the remote military base. There, everything would be in place.

Troops. Tech. Surveillance.

And when Peter came for her—as they were certain he would—they would spring the trap.

Hall stood in the hallway watching the trucks roll out, his face lit with anticipation.

"Soon," he whispered to himself. "We'll unlock the next phase of human evolution."

---