Saburo Arasaka's bodyguard rushed out of the elevator and into the suite.
"What happened?!"
"Someone poisoned my father." Yorinobu Arasaka rose to his feet.
"Poisoned?" The bodyguard shook his head again and again. "Impossible, sir. I suspect—"
"Takemura Goro!" Yorinobu barked his name. Old habit made the bodyguard immediately bow his head.
Yorinobu stepped closer. "Tell me—what is your duty?"
Takemura was completely shaken. "I—I don't understand. Now isn't the time—"
"This is not a difficult question. Answer me."
Head down again, face burning with shame, Takemura replied, "My duty is to protect the patriarch of the Arasaka family."
"Then I sincerely hope you can fulfill that duty better from now on." Yorinobu closed in. "Understood?"
Of course Takemura understood.
It was a warning.
And a threat.
Shame and fear crushed him from both sides. He bowed for the third time.
"My apologies, Arasaka-sama. I—I will not fail you again."
"Good. Now leave with me. I've already informed Michiko. She'll send investigators to identify the killer."
Yorinobu marched toward the elevator. Adam Smasher followed.
Takemura glanced at Saburo's corpse one last time… then obeyed his new master.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
Only now did Placide dare to breathe. Staring at Saburo's body, he trembled uncontrollably.
"It's over. We're done. God died right in front of us—we're dead!"
Brigitte was equally frantic.
"Go—we need to run! As long as we make it back to Pacifica, back to our turf, even Arasaka won't—"
Won't what?
She didn't finish.
Because she knew the Voodoo Boys were nothing before Arasaka. She was lying to herself—but she had nothing else to cling to.
Self-delusion was a human invention—and thus incredibly effective on humans.
"Open it. Open the door first."
Brigitte forced herself to stay calm.
But before she could act, the hidden panel slid open by itself.
Not much—maybe forty centimeters.
Enough for two people to squeeze through,
but not enough for the Relic container.
"Damn it—open wider!" Placide clawed at the door like a wild animal.
Brigitte shook her head. "He won't let us take the Relic."
"He?"
She didn't answer. "Drop the case. Move!"
Placide hesitated, heart bleeding, but obeyed.
The moment they squeezed out of the passage, the floor-to-ceiling window slid open with a hiss. Cold wind blasted in from the night sky.
Now Brigitte was absolutely certain—someone else was pulling the strings.
They were being used. Completely.
She had always treated others as doormats—yet today, she had become someone else's doormat.
"Damn it… don't let me find out who!"
She was stupid, not hopelessly dumb.
Cornered, she finally dropped her arrogance and actually analyzed the situation objectively.
Whoever was behind this wouldn't let them die in Konpeki Plaza.
Dead scapegoats were useless.
"Go!" She yanked Placide toward the open window.
With the two "spectators" exiting stage left, the suite fell silent.
Moments later—shhhk—a second hidden door opened in the wall.
V, Meredith Stout, and the others stepped out.
Through the gap behind them, one could see an entire hidden control room packed with monitors, instruments, and dozens of staff managing logistics and cleanup with perfect order.
Yes.
The mastermind had been here the whole time—separated from the murder scene by a single wall.
"Relic recovered," an agent from CounterIntel reported, handing over the container.
V nodded and looked at Joanne Koch, who was inspecting Saburo's corpse.
"He's fully dead. But the brain's intact." Koch said clinically. "The richer they are, the more they cling to organic flesh—that's how they show they're above the rabble. The great Saburo was no exception. Low degree of cybermodding. His 157 years came from cloned organs and regenerative transplants. Brain ports and neural slots are intact—probably because even he needed to pay at convenience stores sometimes. He meets the conditions for Relic activation. Should we begin?"
"Not here," V shook her head. "Too messy a situation. We get only one chance."
Koch injected the corpse with something. "This is temporary. We need to preserve him fast. If his brain cells die completely, even Relic can't save him."
"Relax. I've prepared for this."
V gestured, and two agents carried Saburo's body into the sealed chamber.
"You installed a freezer in there?" Koch asked.
"No. The chamber connects directly to the freight elevator now. I had it opened up so we can access the Konpeki kitchens."
That made everyone stare.
"The kitchens?" Meredith Stout raised an eyebrow. "You mean—?"
"Konpeki Plaza only serves the rich. And the rich want real meat. So the kitchens are always stocked with fresh seafood… and premium wagyu."
Everyone suddenly understood.
Meredith exploded. "Fuck—you're gonna freeze Saburo Arasaka next to fish and shrimp?!"
"Technically the ultra-low-temp freezing process is identical. Food or corpse—the tech's the same."
"That's Saburo Arasaka, not a street punk!"
"No offense. It's just for cover."
"Bullshit—you're doing it on purpose!"
V was about to defend herself when her holo rang—
Michiko Arasaka.
She signaled everyone to be silent, then answered.
Michiko's voice held unease.
"V… where are you?"
"Martin Luther King Blvd. On my way to the Industrial District for a security inspection. You know how I tricked Jenkins earlier. She's still trying to mess with me."
"You're in an AV?"
"No. H4 Megascraper just detected a contagious virus. Entire Arroyo is under traffic lockdown. I didn't bother calling NCPD—they'll just use it as an excuse to invite me to dinner again. I'll look like a glutton."
"So you're in a car?"
"Yeah. My new one. Rayfield Caliburn—the latest model. Arrived a few days ago. Taking it out to break in the tires today."
Michiko looked over at Ken'ichiro Saburo sitting at the console. He adjusted the satellite feed and soon a red-white Caliburn appeared on the highway.
"V… pull over. I need to speak with you."
"Of course."
The Caliburn slowed and stopped.
Ken'ichiro nodded.
Michiko exhaled in relief. If V was in the car… then she couldn't be responsible for Konpeki.
"My grandfather—Saburo Arasaka—is dead."
"What?!" V produced a perfect, expertly crafted gasp.
"To be honest, I had little affection for him. But he died inside Konpeki Plaza—under my watch. The family council is ready to put me on trial. I must deal with them."
V's tone grew solemn. "What do you need from me?"
"Find the killer," Michiko said sincerely. "V—right now you're the only person I can rely on."
"Yes, ma'am. I will find the culprit and clear your name."
The call ended.
Ken'ichiro said, "She is… not completely trustworthy."
"No one is," Michiko sighed. "I must face the council's inquiry. For now—I can only trust V."
"I will remain by your side."
"Thank you, Ken'ichiro."
Back inside Konpeki, V looked up to find everyone staring at her.
"What?"
Meredith Stout grinned. "Just impressed. You could be cheating on your partner mid-climax, get a call from Sasha out of nowhere, and still answer it flawlessly without even breaking rhythm."
"Pff—!" Xu Zhong burst out laughing before clamping his hands over his mouth.
The rest struggled not to grin.
"Fuck you all!"
Veins popping on her forehead, V flipped Stout the bird.
"I don't cheat!"
Joanne Koch smirked. "She doesn't cheat. But multitasking during sex? She definitely could."
V understood everyone needed emotional release—but that didn't stop her from wanting to shoot every last one of them.
Right on cue, gunfire echoed faintly from outside.
Instantly, the mood disappeared.
"Looks like our 'spectators' were spotted." V spoke through comms. "Report."
"The spectators reached the ground and boarded the Delamain cab, but were intercepted at the Konpeki gate by Adam Smasher. They're currently engaged."
"He actually stopped a Delamain running the 'Perfectionist' package? So Smasher's upgraded again."
V shook her head. "Too early for them to get caught. Notify David—it's his turn."
Downstairs—
A micro-missile from Smasher made the Delamain car lurch.
He reached for the door—
but a hulking chrome giant dropped from the sky.
Adam Smasher raised his massive handgun and fired.
Caught off-guard, the mecha—Iron Gorilla—was blasted backward.
Smasher reached again for the car—
when a gravity field slammed him flat to the ground.
"You little brat—you're dead!" Smasher roared.
David flipped the mecha upright. "Adam Smasher—you didn't learn your lesson last time?"
"As if I'd fear you!"
"Come on then, baldy!"
They squared off—
and the Delamain car used the chance to escape.
"So? Happy now?" Smasher scoffed. "How'll you explain that to your boss?"
David activated the antigrav and shot into the air.
"Bite me—I can fly!"
He chased the Delamain, leaving Smasher standing there, stunned.
"Alright," V said, "the show's over. Time for the cast to exit."
She headed down the freight elevator, passed through the kitchen, got a fresh suit jacket and deodorizer from the CounterIntel team, then stepped out just as the Caliburn rolled up.
Doors up.
V slid in, switched to manual, looped around the lot, and appeared at Konpeki's front entrance.
Iron Gorilla streaked overhead.
V glanced up, then stepped out and approached the panicked hotel manager.
"I'm V. Acting under Michiko's full authority. ID code 3FDK40G, auth code 349dk33. From this moment, the entire building falls under my command."
Honestly, she didn't need to cite codes.
At this point, everyone in Arasaka knew her face.
The manager nodded repeatedly, terrified. Saburo dying here was—literally—an earth-shattering event for him.
"Detain all non-combat staff. No one leaves until I've questioned them. Combat staff—arm up and hold every exit. No departures."
"All… all guests?" the manager stammered. "We have many VIPs—corporate delegates, city officials—"
V's voice turned icy.
"No guest is more important than the one who died. Understand?"
Cold sweat poured down his face.
But someone else dared object—
Yorinobu.
"V—stop this madness!" he strode out from the lobby. "You'll destroy Arasaka's networks!"
"If we lose them, we rebuild," V replied coolly. "Michiko has given me full authority. I will find the killer—at any cost. Please return to your room, sir. If you require anything, inform me—I'll have it delivered."
Yorinobu froze—furious.
"You dare imprison me?!"
"Correct. Everyone in Konpeki is a suspect. Including you."
"Those two Voodoo Boys are the killers!"
"They might just be scapegoats—the kind a real killer throws out to distract. Very common in Night City. If you don't believe me, ask your bodyguard."
Instinctively, Yorinobu looked at Adam Smasher.
Smasher nodded.
Fuck.
Yorinobu knew the Voodoo Boys weren't the killers.
But he needed them to be—otherwise he couldn't escape scrutiny.
Arasaka reinforcements finally arrived—
22 armored transports,
580 heavily armed elite samurai,
20 Takeda-class exosuits.
Even Yorinobu felt his scalp tingle.
"Secure the entire building," V ordered. "Full sweep. If anyone resists—"
She paused.
"—you are authorized to open fire."
Everyone stiffened.
Arasaka meant business.
Yorinobu panicked.
He knew better than anyone how absurdly obvious his lie was.
Any medic could identify Saburo's real cause of death.
He couldn't allow V to investigate.
"V, stop!" Yorinobu snapped. "You'll make Arasaka an enemy to everyone! I order you to lift the lockdown immediately and release all innocent people!"
V didn't even glance at him.
"Apologies, sir. You have no authority over me. I answer only to Michiko."
"Ba—baka!" Yorinobu flushed with shame and rage.
He'd been excluded from power his whole life, and now he couldn't even command his niece's subordinate.
Humiliated, he stepped forward and swung at V.
SLAP—
V caught his wrist mid-swing.
She couldn't use cyberware—but Yorinobu barely had any.
She couldn't understand why anyone would give up power for "nobility."
Lose nobility—you lose some things.
Lose power—you lose everything.
V stared at him, cold as ice.
Yorinobu stared back, panic rising.
The room froze.
"Adam Smasher!" Yorinobu barked, trying to regain the upper hand.
The living legend moved—
and instantly 580 samurai raised rifles at him.
Red laser dots blanketed his armor like a swarm of angry insects.
"You dare defy me?!" Yorinobu shouted—forgetting he was the one who struck first.
V said nothing.
She was listening to the hidden comms.
Meredith Stout:
"We're out. You're on your own."
V relaxed and released Yorinobu's wrist.
"Guests may leave—after registering. Two samurai per floor. Four in the lobby. And one Takeda exosuit on standby. That is my bottom line."
Yorinobu smirked.
Of course—no one would dare oppose Arasaka.
His smile lasted less than a second.
"And regarding your interference today," V added,
"I will report it fully to HQ. As the primary beneficiary of this tragedy, I have ample reason to suspect you orchestrated the incident."
"You—!!!"
You what?
This wasn't child's play.
Michiko was already being summoned back to Tokyo—
and he could go roll the hell out with her.
Before he could respond, V's holo rang.
David.
She deliberately put him on speaker.
"Deputy Director V, we've located the target vehicle."
"Stop it at any cost. Don't worry about casualties. Even if suspects die, Arasaka can extract the truth from corpses."
"…I can't do that."
"Why?"
"Because… I scanned a body inside the Delamain.
Arasaka Saburo's body."
"What?!"
V gasped.
Yorinobu yelled, "Impossible!"
But when everyone rushed back to the penthouse—
the corpse was gone.
A breaking news broadcast echoed through the room:
"Emergency announcement. Saburo Arasaka—CEO and patriarch of the Arasaka Corporation—has been assassinated inside Konpeki Plaza. Sources claim the legendary businessman was murdered during a private family gathering. His body is currently missing.
Acting on direct orders from Arasaka Michiko and Arasaka Yorinobu's return to Tokyo, the investigation has been entrusted to V—
the renowned figure who once raided Arasaka Tower—
now standing as Arasaka's anchor in Night City."