"You're just in time! My mom is watching me closely today, so I can only drink a couple more bottles if you're here!" Jackie chuckled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
He was tall and robust, with bronze skin, his hair tied in a Japanese samurai bun, and wearing a flamboyant Hawaiian shirt. His whole demeanor exuded a rugged yet sincere aura.
Valerie took the beer, skillfully opened it with a bottle opener, and took a big gulp.
The icy liquid slid down her throat, dispelling some of the dullness brought on by the corporation.
She looked at Jackie's relieved expression and couldn't help but smile, "Mrs. Welles is still as strict as ever?"
"Tell me about it!" Jackie sighed dramatically, "She watches me like a hawk every day, just afraid I'll go back to my old gang ways and stir up trouble.
Now that I'm a legitimate mercenary, she's still not at ease, even rationing my beer! Heavens, how old do I look?!"
"She's doing it for your own good," Valerie stated the fact calmly, "You caused her a lot of worry when you were with the Valentinos."
"I know, I know." Jackie waved his hand, his expression becoming a bit more serious, "That's why I've turned over a new leaf now! I'm taking jobs honestly, saving money, dreaming of making a name for myself someday, becoming a respected figure in Night City, and giving her a good life."
His eyes gleamed with anticipation for the future.
"Speaking of making a name…" Valerie put down her beer bottle and leaned slightly forward, "Have you heard any news about Maine's crew recently?"
Jackie raised an eyebrow, a "just as I thought" expression on his face: "What? The corporation is still obsessed with those guys? Wasn't what you did last time big enough?"
"This time it's different," Valerie explained, "It's not about causing trouble. Jenkins wants to establish contact, to see if there's a possibility for cooperation, just like Militech. After all… a head-on confrontation would be too costly."
She recalled the details circulating in her department about the two destroyed strongholds and Abernathy's fate, and her tone involuntarily deepened.
Jackie nodded thoughtfully, lowering his voice: "The word on the street is that Maine and his crew are incredibly powerful now. They supposedly got their hands on some amazing gear and backing from who-knows-where, even daring to go head-to-head with the corporation and making the corporation lose face. Now, among street mercenaries, they're practically…"
He quietly gave a thumbs-up.
"However," he changed the subject, a hint of self-deprecation in his tone, "they're truly big shots now, and their whereabouts are mysterious. I heard they don't usually stay in the city anymore; it seems they have a base in the Badlands.
Even when they come to the city, they go to places like Afterlife, where all the big bosses gather, to discuss business. A street kid like me, who hasn't made it big yet, can't even get close enough to network.
The last time I helped you connect with them, I had to ask the Padre for help, and I owe him a big favor."
Valerie listened silently, her fingers unconsciously tracing the label on the beer bottle.
Jackie's words confirmed her suspicions: Maine's crew, after their conflict with the corporation, had not disappeared. Instead, their status had risen, and they had become even more cautious and difficult to approach.
"The Padre…" Valerie mused, "It seems I'll have to visit him again."
"Do you need me to go with you?" Jackie said enthusiastically, "The Padre seems serious, but he actually takes good care of us young people in Heywood District."
"No need," Valerie shook her head, "This is a corporate-level contact; it's more appropriate for me to discuss it myself. Thank you, Jackie."
"Don't be so polite with me!" Jackie patted his chest heartily, "But Valerie, seriously, when dealing with people who truly dance on the edge of a knife, you need to be extra careful. The corporate way of doing things might not work on the street."
At that moment, a gentle but concerned voice interjected: "Jackie, are you lecturing someone again?"
They both looked up to see Mrs. Welles approaching, carrying a plate of freshly fried tortilla chips.
She was a kind-faced Mexican woman with sharp eyes, wearing an apron around her waist, clearly busy in the back kitchen.
She placed the tortilla chips on the table, affectionately stroked Jackie's hair, and then looked at Valerie.
"Valerie, it's been a while. Is work going smoothly?" Mrs. Welles asked, her gaze carrying the scrutiny of an elder.
"It's going well, Mrs. Welles. Just routine matters." Valerie replied politely. When facing Mrs. Welles, the sharpness of the corporate elite in her had significantly subsided.
Mrs. Welles sighed and sat beside Valerie: "Child, when working for a corporation, you need to be extra vigilant. Those big shots, they look glamorous, but they're more calculating than anyone. You work your heart out for them, but they might not consider you one of their own. The day they think you're useless or a problem, they'll throw you out without hesitation."
She hesitated, shook her head, "In short, you need to protect yourself and don't trust the corporation's talk of 'loyalty' too much."
Valerie listened to this familiar yet earnest advice, her heart feeling somewhat complex.
How could she not know the corporation's ruthlessness? From the moment she decided to step into Arasaka Tower, she knew it was a thorny path.
But the allure of power, the desire to climb higher, and the urge to prove her worth led her to choose this path, and she was unwilling to easily turn back.
"I understand, Mrs. Welles. I'll be careful." Valerie nodded, her tone sincere, but the determination in her eyes remained unchanged.
Mrs. Welles looked at her, then at her son, and said nothing more, just patted Valerie's shoulder: "You two chat. I'll go back to being busy. Jackie, drink less!"
"Got it, Mom!" Jackie quickly responded, and after watching his mother leave, he let out a sigh of relief and made a face at Valerie.
The two continued to drink and chat, their conversation shifting from work to past memories, reminiscing about the mischief they got into together in Heywood District. The bar was filled with a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Jackie went to get two more bottles of beer, sharing with Valerie the few small missions he had recently taken on, bragging about how cleverly he had solved problems.
Valerie also temporarily set aside her corporate worries, enjoying this rare leisure time.
However, her thoughts occasionally drifted far away.
Maine's crew, the mysterious behind-the-scenes "boss," Militech's dealings… these fragmented pieces of information swirled in her mind.
She knew she would soon have to dive back into work, to execute Jenkins' instructions, and try to establish a more solid connection with Maine's crew.
This wouldn't be easy, but it was also an opportunity.
If she could successfully open this channel for the corporation, her position in the Counter-Intelligence Department would become even more secure.
She finished her last sip of beer and said to Jackie, "I'm leaving now, to find the Padre, and get things done early."
Jackie shrugged, chugged the rest of the beer in his bottle, and stood up: "Alright, let's go. But it's agreed, this time you can't go to the Padre empty-handed; you need to bring some 'sincerity'."
"I know the rules." Valerie stood up, straightened her jacket, her eyes once again sharp and focused.