Cyberpunk - Badland Madman [Cyberpunk 2077]

What even was this woman? Cypher stepped back and dumbly looked at Evelyn. She didn't regret this fuck-up one bit.

"Get the hell out of here now. If you come back with something worth a damn, tech, info, real high-end stuff, I'll help. You're a whore, you pick up words, so do that. Impress me, and I'll give you whatever the hell you want. Eddies, identity, home, a damn jet." Cypher threw the bone and turned, pouring a drink.

"Just don't try to screw me over, or I'll be your worst nightmare."

Sadly, after seeing all that, he had a feeling she wouldn't change. Evelyn thought of only herself, and in her mind, everyone else was wrong, and only she was right. Which meant the plans and plots she came up with were perfect in her little head, even if they were riddled with flaws.

"How was my acting, Atlas?"

[You should not lie to me. That was no performance. You were furious.]

"Damn straight I was. I really wanted to help her, Atlas. But she burned that bridge herself. Helping Gloria was the fine line I could tolerate, but this is just fucking shameless on her part. She wants help, but she wants it all on her own terms. Fuck that."

[In time, she will wake up. The probability remains non-zero. You should ignore her and focus on your other tasks. The guests are fifteen minutes out. You should send Judy and Evelyn away.]

"I… I'll try." Evelyn finally stood up, walking out of the bar counter area.

He silently watched her, wondering if that heist would still happen. The probability seemed low. He was getting increasingly involved in the corpo sector, and with Atlantis, he would influence the merc and fixer scene as well. Those were too many variables, too many to still lead to the same outcome.

"What's the probability of her pulling something actually good?"

[Given her capabilities and disposition, the likelihood remains minimal. Across millions of possible outcomes, only a scarce few permit her extended survival.]

Cypher nodded, watching Evelyn, who didn't even wait for Judy and just left, walking out of the club.

"Keep tabs on her. I ain't a softie, but if Scavs or some trash like that get to her… give her a quick, painless death."

[You won't save her?]

"After this? Why would I?"

[I had calculated that your intent was to copulate with her. Saving her life would…]

"Wait a fucking sec, you think I save women just so I can fuck them? No? Fuck, that's weird as hell. Ew, you dirty bastard. I ain't like that at all. You think Superman fucks every woman he saves?"

[Superman is pure. You are…]

"I'm what? Say it! Look, I'll save Evelyn if there's any sign she's actually trying to change. Or if she puts in real effort to be an actual friend with me. Not some cock-sucker who keeps her teeth ready to bite just in case."

[Even your analogies present you as the furthest possible reflection of Superman.]

"..."

Cypher sighed. Yeah, Atlas was right about that. His brain was slightly fucked up in a sexual way. He thought about it too much, even though he could control it now.

"Yeah, I guess. We ain't gonna bend over backwards to help her, that's what I'm saying. Now, turn the upstairs lights off, Judy will come running. I don't want that crazy bastard seeing her."

Moments later, Judy arrived, looking confused, her eyes searching corners.

"Where's Ev?"

"Left already," he replied, drinking a sobering cocktail instead of alcohol. "You heading back? Can stay at my place up top."

"Next time, Cyph. Gotta hit Lizzie's. Oh, I copied a BD. Gonna try editing it my way."

"Send it when it's done. I'll take a look."

"You sure? It's girl on girl," Judy asked with a smirk.

Cypher grinned harder. "Even better."

"Heh, knew you'd say that. Alright, see ya, it was an awesome night."

He walked around the counter and gave her a goodbye hug. "You sure? You don't want the office with a view?"

"Come on, I'm not that easy. Try a little harder."

Cypher rubbed his chin. "What if I buy Lizzie's?"

"..."

Judy ended up swatting his shoulder. "You're crazy."

"Such compliments."

He waved, watching the elevator close as she left. As soon as he heard the sound of the elevator leaving, he turned around and headed to his personal backroom office upstairs.

"Atlas. Guide the guests when they arrive. Use your Omnissiah voice."

[Will do, Cyph.]

####

Fifteen minutes later, Cypher heard a knock on his office door. He stood up and allowed the door to slide open. He wasn't alone in this. Atlas would help him by analyzing everything in real time and suggesting the best words to say for the best outcome.

This was no longer a game of oratory, but a simple, extreme game of probability.

"Welcome to Atlantis, Director Goldstein." Cypher stepped forward and stuck his hand out. "How you holdin' up?"

"Ah, at last, we meet!"

"..."

Director Goldstein shook hands but then stepped in and hugged Cypher all of a sudden. The whole time, Goldstein mumbled praises and words of excitement.

"Ah, yes, yes... better in person than the stories, my boy. Heh. Simply magnificent, those batteries you released. Truly, truly magnificent. Wonderful inventions... inspired, really."

"What the fuck is this, Atlas? Why's he hugging me?"

[I do not fully grasp it either. There are several plausible explanations. He assumes you have already aligned yourself with him. It is possible his age has led him into delusion. Alternatively, his regard for you may be rooted in something personal.]

Cypher pulled away from the hug slowly, forcing a smile on his face. "Heard plenty about you, Director. Go on, take a seat."

As they sat down, he looked at Meredith, who stiffly stood behind the couch Goldstein sat on. He didn't gesture anything, just admired the corpo beauty that she was, always on the verge of growling.

"Meredith, pour us drinks," Goldstein ordered.

Cypher relaxed back in his seat and enjoyed the view. The tall, shapely woman walked around, her heels knocking on the floor. She grabbed the bottle from the nearby cabinet, two glasses, and then leaned over the coffee table between them.

He stared and didn't hide it. He'd told Meredith to tell Goldstein that she'd seduced him. Now was the time to prove it by leering at her doughy, wide hips in that tight skirt, her face up close.

Once Meredith was done pouring for them and walked to stand in her place again, he grinned.

"Meredith, why're you just standing there?" he tapped the seat next to him. "Here, have a seat."

Meredith Stout stiffened and looked at Director Goldstein.

But Goldstein erupted in anger. "You! Don't make him repeat it. Obey his command!"

Cypher was sure the man was half insane, the way he was acting, getting so angry at such little things. But at least he got what he wanted. He let Meredith sit beside him, and he shamelessly put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her against his side.

He didn't cross any further lines, however. He just wanted Goldstein to think Meredith had him wrapped around her fingers.

"So, Director, I hear you're interested in me. You want me to walk away from all this and join Militech? C'mon, you're an inventor, you know that's a hell of a price. You're telling me to give up my freedom just to be another employee? Gotta answer to morons with barely half the brain cells I got? Just because they knew which ass to kiss and which one to bite?"

Hah! I felt that, Meredith.

Cypher felt Meredith's body tighten beside him. Yes, he was being too direct, but that was what Atlas suggested after analyzing Director Goldstein's cynical, mumbling personality.

"Bah! Ha, I knew it, knew it, you're not one of those bookworms, all brain, no bite, no no. Direct, yes, direct is best, cuts through the rot, saves all that useless chatter. I heard you, my son, every word. Obsidian, oh, such a beautiful future, shimmering, no one should rip that away from you, no one. But listen, listen close, my boy, Militech can give you everything. Manufacturing, assistants, funds, materials, all of it, all of it! And you, oh you, you will stand backed by the greatest nation on this plan—"

"United States of America?" Cypher interrupted, snappy. "That's the only great nation I know of. The actual land of the free. Ain't nothing else even close."

A deep frown marred Director Goldstein's face. The old man had come dressed in black office pants and an oversized, white lab coat. Atlas had seen inside, a stealth exoskeleton was helping Goldstein stand without a hunched back, and speak like that.

And, Atlas had long before found out from Goldstein's history that the old man was a creation of old times, when the true USA stood intact. And from countless internal documents Atlas had read, it was confirmed that Goldstein was absurdly patriotic about the USA that was lost. The man was obsessively sorrowful that NUSA couldn't win back all states in the unification war.

"My boy… oh, you sweet, brilliant thing, you cannot imagine how I dreamed of hearing that from you. Those words, oh, those perfect words. Yes, yes, the real America, the United States, we lost, torn away. I grew up in that shining age, watched it rot, crumble, decay right in front of me." He clenched his fist, twitching, voice spiking. "That damned gang of four! I watched everything shatter, and I did nothing, nothing!"

"..."

"What's all this now?"

[Cypher, consider this carefully. Director Goldstein may prove more than merely useful. With his involvement, dismantling Militech and the NUSA could become significantly easier. For now, you should present yourself as an unhinged patriot, one who desperately yearns for the United States to be whole again.]

"Yeah? Alright, I'm gonna give you the performance of the century. You'd better record it."

Cypher suddenly pulled his arm away from Meredith and sat straight in his chair. He grunted and loosened his tie, and then leaned forward in the seat, staring at Goldstein. "Fuck you, old man!"

"..."

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Check out Cypher X Panam, Cypher X Gloria, Cypher X Judy NSFW ART, and advance chapters at [email protected]/MrPlotThickens Or Subscribestar.adult/mrplotthickens

Advance chapters on [PATREON] are in long-form format. I have 8 long chapters of this story on P@treon. That's equal to 26-30 NovelFire chapters.