Gearbound: Cyberpunk 2077

A quick glance might trick you into thinking Pacifica still resembled the grand blueprint once envisioned…

They had planned a scenic coastal hotel complete with private pools, a family-friendly amusement park for vacationers, a sunny beach lined with umbrellas and a marina… and, well, plenty of trash. But what could you expect when it was right next to Night City?

That prime location had convinced the first wave of generous investors that they couldn't lose, that they'd definitely turn a profit. But they gave up soon after construction began, lured away by even more lucrative opportunities. They realized investing in other areas of Night City was more worthwhile than Pacifica. So capital fled mid-project, and half-built towers were left abandoned. The Voodoo Boys and Animals moved in like vultures.

Pacifica, originally envisioned as a seaside paradise, became a war zone. City Hall never bothered to fix it or tear it all down. They just walled off the entire place with a tall barrier, out of sight and out of mind. Now, what was supposed to be the first stop for tourists became a heart-pounding gauntlet only thrill-seekers dared to enter. Most people would go the long way through Santo Domingo rather than take the shortcut through Pacifica.

…

Because Pacifica wasn't policed by the NCPD, gang members and street punks there were unusually brazen. Firefights broke out on the road or in alleys at a moment's notice—sometimes a targeted killing, other times a robbery, or just two idiots that despised each other so much they started blasting away in broad daylight.

On their very first day in Pacifica, several groups of punks tried to harass Leo and his crew. Leo helped them "meet the Lord" with no fuss.

Some might argue these thugs hadn't been born evil, that maybe they deserved a chance at redemption rather than outright death. But Leo would have answered:

"Whether they deserve forgiveness is God's business. Mine is to send them on their way....and earn some points while at it"

He and his friends dealt out "physical absolution" in front of everyone. The locals who witnessed those punks getting killed either hurried off without a word or simply pretended nothing had happened. None of them bothered to call the cops. Farther away, other punks watched in horror and nearly wet themselves. Even gangsters started labeling Leo's group as a high-level threat.

…

The underground black market was located in a parking garage but wouldn't allow people to drive in directly. You either left your car in the street or parked upstairs. Parking above cost you a "protection fee."

Leo chose to send the SUV back to the El Coyote. If they needed it later, they'd just call.

After dismounting, the three began scoping out the area. They noticed that the black market did indeed have security cameras: one for each entrance, plus one on the street, and more inside watching at different angles. However, these weren't monitored by the NCPD. Instead, local black market vendors had pooled money to hire Scavs to keep an eye on things.

Scavs harvested organs, but they weren't totally brainless and wouldn't attack just anyone at random. Places like black markets or unlicensed clinics were important to their business. Wrecking those would dry up their supply chains. Some clever Scav groups even cooperated with the market's vendors, offering "protection."

Through the Tactical Visor's scanner, Leo pinpointed the camera control room. Working together, V and Sasha remotely switched the feeds to "friend mode," making it impossible for the Scavs in the control booth to notice them. Then Leo slipped inside and found the Scav inside playing a PC game instead of watching the monitors. Leo dispatched him quietly, dumping the corpse in a trash bin.

After that, their team joined Maine's crew to stake out the place.

…

They spent two days waiting at the parking garage's entrances, with no sign of the target. Finally, on the third day, Sasha's soft voice sounded through their comm channel:

"Attention, the target is here. Repeat, the target has arrived."

Leo, V, and Jackie perked up.

"Finally," Jackie muttered, pulling out the custom double-barrel tech shotgun that Leo had built, the Sadala. He cracked it open to check the shells inside. "Stay behind me, Leo."

Jackie had never actually seen Leo fight, so he assumed Leo's a gunsmith with limited combat prowess.

"I can handle myself," Leo replied, for what felt like the hundredth time.

He figured that once bullets started flying, Jackie would see soon enough. Results spoke louder than words.

Maine's voice cut in over the comm, stern and clear. "Once the target enters the black market, we merge and strike. Remember: do not open fire too soon or you'll tip them off."

…

Two vans rumbled to a halt by the roadside. A bold Animals gang symbol was sprayed on each side. A bunch of muscle-bound men hopped out, with the last to emerge being even larger—a behemoth, clearly their leader.

Anyone who knew the Animals might find it odd that he wore a heavy long-sleeve coat. Most Animals liked to flaunt their perfectly sculpted bodies, yet this boss kept his massive arms hidden. Even so, the coat bulged with layers of muscle.

They made a striking entrance, grabbing the attention of nearby punks, who thought better of messing with them. After all, the Animals were a bunch of steroid-addled bruisers, and you'd have to be suicidal to pick a fight with that.

Just then, two young men emerged from the black market and walked straight into the Animals crew, too busy chatting to watch where they were going.

"Check out this find," said the first. "A 'Shigure' kinetic SMG from Arasaka. Its gunfire sounds like a cat's purr—music to my ears."

The other frowned. "The 'Shigure'? That's a really old model from the early 21st century, right?"

"Sure, it's not the latest and greatest. But I swear, it sprays more bullets in one minute than Arasaka evades in taxes each year. Imagine all that chaos."

He chuckled, then went on: "Accuracy's overrated. We'll just unleash a hailstorm of rounds, and once the smoke clears, it's total devastation."

His companion shrugged. "You might not like Arasaka, but you should give them credit. Without them, people couldn't buy guns for self-defense. Arasaka's keeping folks safe and preserving social stability."

"Don't listen to folks whining about Arasaka's low wages, either. At least Arasaka provides its workers with next-gen cyberware. Anyone complaining is just jealous they can't get hired."

He paused for a breath, then added, "I've always used Arasaka products. They're worlds apart from other manufacturers. When people see you rocking Arasaka's newest kit, they know you've got taste."

"Sure, Arasaka's had its scandals, but the way they handle problems is great—makes me admire them more. A big company needs a sense of responsibility, you know?"

He was building up to a crescendo now. "Anyway, you can skip Arasaka if you want, but Arasaka is the best corporation in the world. Without Arasaka, you'd be stuck with something worse and more expensive, like Militech's junk. Glory to Arasaka!"

He ended with both arms raised overhead in a sun-worship pose. The other man patted his shoulder kindly. "You can fool me, sure, but don't fool yourself. I don't care if you dupe me with that hype. At worst, I grin and bear it. But don't end up believing it yourself."

They were still trading barbs when they suddenly crashed into a wall of muscle. Confused, they looked up to find a two-meter giant looming over them, flanked by dozens more Animals. The brute's presence weighed like a mountain, freezing the air around them.