Dialogue: For Whom the Bell Tolls

Rogue

I'll put it to you this way, Wakako – don't get in my way.

You're running your little operation only because I have allowed it. And I can change my mind whenever I want.

Hang on, gimme a sec.

V?

V

1AV's takin' a break. It's me.

1BTry again, Rogue. Got one more guess.

Rogue

1BJohnny.

We'll talk soon, Wakako.

Whaddaya want, Johnny?

V

2AJesus, who died?

2ANot happy to see me?

Rogue

2AFrankly, I'm not sure.

V

2AWhy? We had fun at the movies, didn't we?

Rogue

2AWe're not at the movies anymore.

2APlus, got a good idea why you're here.

2AYou want something. And that's always a bad sign.

V

2BInterrupted important biz, did I?

Rogue

2BGot a strange feeling this conversation could be more important.

2BYou want something. And that's always a bad sign.

V

3A'Course I do.

3AAnd who better could I take it to?

3AOut of that whole crazy crew from Atlantis, by some crazy coincidence, only you survived.

3BPretty tight setup you got, Rogue.

3BQueen of Night City.

3BCouldn't've been easy to achieve all this. So many others failed.

Rogue

The hell's that s'posed to mean?

V

4AJust thinkin' back.

4AYa miss the old times at all, Rogue?

Rogue

4AFine with where they are, fine with where I am.

V

4AI can see that.

4AShame no one else from the Atlantis had the same luck.

4BSomehow missed the last fifty years. Just tryin' to get my facts straight, fill in some gaps.

Rogue

4BAnd? You learn anything useful?

V

4BJust that no one from our old crew got a happy ending.

4BNo one but you.

Rogue

Hey everybody! We're closed! Now.

Client Male

Whoa. What gives? We ain't finished yet!

Rogue

Oh yes you is!

Claire

Sheesh, what's the matter?

Rogue

Nothin'. You're shift's done. You're headin' home to kick your feet up.

Nix

OK, guess I'ma go back to work.

V

We’ll have the whole place to ourselves? Hmm, VIP treatment!

Rogue

Now talk. Just what the hell are you insinuating?

V

5AChose a cozy life for yourself. I'm just curious what it cost you.

Rogue

5AWe all pay a price for the choices we make. I'm no exception.

V

5AThat what you tell yourself when you're cashin' corp checks?

Rogue

5AThat's what I tell myself when I stand over the graves of the crew from the Atlantis.

5AIt's what I tell myself when I look at you now.

V

5AWell, hey... the past is the past.

Rogue

5AThat's right. But that's not why you're here.

5AYou wanna drag me into something again. And this chatter is just a prelude.

V

5BListen, Rogue, just show me your hand. I know you sold out.

Rogue

5BYou really th-- Fuck!

5BSince when are my professional choices any of your fucking business?!

5BGot a name at the tip of your tongue, I know – Adam Smasher.

5BSo, yes. But way later. You were gone, and I'd stopped dressing in mourning.

5BNo room for sentimentality in the biz, Johnny. Smasher, me – we worked for the same people.

5BDoes it stink like fresh shit? Yes. Did I have a choice? I did. Do I regret it...?

5BVery much so.

5BThat what you wanted to hear?

V

5BWell, hey... the past is the past.

Rogue

5BIf that's the case, do we talk about the future...? I know you, came here for a reason.

V

6AThis body... I'm trying to... I'm not... Fuck!

6AV's dying and I'm the fuckin' cancer killin' 'er.

6ABut the process can be stopped. I just have to--

Rogue

6ANo, Johnny. Don't start.

6ADon't tell yourself you're out to help someone. It's only ever about you – so you can feel better.

V

7AOh, fuck off, princess.

7AI'm runnin' out of time, Rogue.

7AWhen that fuckin' clock strikes twelve, Johnny'll disappear, and V'll go with him.

7ANeed to get myself outta her head before that happens.

7AWe managed to contact Alt. She agreed to help.

Rogue

7ABut?

V

7AOnly one place we can do it – a data fort, Mikoshi.

7AAnd the only access point we got a chance of reachin' is tucked snugly under 'Saka Tower.

Rogue

7AArasaka? Again? Shoulda seen that coming.

V

7BWell, maybe I've changed.

7CYou sure about that?

Rogue

7CYeah. Same as it was with Alt.

7CWasn't even about guilt, that. Just some fucking sense of personal discomfort.

V

6BNeed to get into 'Saka Tower, and you're gonna help me do that.

Rogue

6BAre you serious? Arasaka, again?!

6BJesus, Johnny... You're obsessed!

V

8AFuck Arasaka! This is about V.

8AThis body is dying. And I'm the cancer killing it.

8BI see it more as a hobby.

6BRight, so we know of an access point to Mikoshi. It's under Arasaka Tower.

6BThat's where I need to get to.

6BIt's where I'll port Alt into the system.

6BWhich is the only way V and I can... part ways.

Rogue

6BNot OK just staying in that body?

V

6BIt's gotten a little tight.

Rogue

Only an idiot does the same thing over and over while expecting things to work out differently.

You even have a plan for this?

V

9AYou're the best fixer in town.

9AYou tell me how we're gonna do this.

Rogue

9ADid you say "we"?

V

9BWe need bodies. You know the kind.

9BAnd we need gear. Best money can buy.

9BAnd some luck. Hopefully a little fuckin' luck.

9COh, Christ. See, that's what's wrong with kids these days. Everybody's always askin' about some fuckin' plan.

Rogue

9CIt ever been different?

V

9CBack in the day, you snorted some lines, grabbed your iron and did what needed doin'. And that's why it worked.

9CAnd it'll work for us now.

Rogue

9CHang on. "Us?"

V

10AThat's right. Can't possibly work without you.

10BWillin' to miss out on this?

Rogue

So, what? I dust off and load up my Tsunami? Rejoin your crusade against Arasaka?

V

Bingo.

Rogue

When?

V

Dunno... Now?

Rogue

Hmm. And what makes you think I'd agree?

V

11A'Cause I think you know you owe me one.

11AMe and everybody else you buried while you climbed to the top.

11BOwe it to yourself.

Rogue

11BIs that so?

V

11BSure, you can just be the queen of the ball in Night City, but that's not the real Rogue.

11BThe real Rogue you buried while you climbed to the top.

11BLook deep. I know you can find her again.

Rogue

Shit. Knew this would happen one day.

That one night, by some fucking miracle, you'd waltz in here and tear everything down.

Some things never change.

V

And us? Have we changed?

Rogue

I dunno.

V

Well, whaddaya say we go find out.

Will ya lend me a hand?

Rogue

Shut the fuck up, Johnny…

Just... stop talking.

Shit. Knew this would happen one day.

That one night, by some fucking miracle, you'd waltz in here and tear everything down.

Some things never change.

V

And us? Have we changed?

Rogue

I dunno.

V

Well, whaddaya say we go find out.

Will ya lend me a hand?

Rogue

Shut the fuck up, Johnny…

Just... stop talking.

V

12AThat my bottle behind the bar?

Rogue

12AYep. Been waitin' there. Just… I never knew what the fuck for.

12ABut I'm starting to get some good ideas about how I might use it.

Client Male

Tellin' ya, I saw 'em in Salvador. Fuckin' killin' machines.

No division, no unit, off the books... Appeared outta nowhere, then disappeared into the jungle. Jus' like that – ghosts.

Know the weirdest thing, though?

Client Female

What?

Client Male

The way they moved, behaved... Almost like they was one person.

Client Female

Ahhh, horseshit…

Client Male

Callin' me a liar?!

Client Female

I'm sayin' it was hotter'n Satan's ass crack down in Salvador... People saw all kinds of crap.

V

14AI'm lookin' for Rogue.

Claire

14AWe reserve the right to refuse service to anyone – yeah, good rule.

V

14AI'm lookin' for Rogue.

Claire

14ABig booth over there. But you probably don't wanna disturb her now.

V

14ANo, I think I do.

Claire

14AWait, no, I'm serious! She'll kick ya in the can!

V

14AThat what you think? Then just watch and learn.

Claire

14AOh, I'll watch... but I doubt I'll be the one to get a lesson.

V

14BLast? I'm just gettin' started.

Claire

14BOh, too bad, we're closin' up.

Hey there, V. Drop in for one last drink before turnin' in?

V

Listen, Rogue, just show me your hand. I know you sold out.

Rogue

You think I sold-- You fucking prick!

I saved what was left of the Atlantis. What you hadn't managed to destroy!

V

Now, no reason to get angry... The past is the past.

Not insinuating anything. Just a little curious.

Well, hey... the past is the past.

Rogue

Just you.

If I hadn't, you'd've dragged me down with you.

Like you did the rest.

V

Did you put everyone on the corp chopping block or just me?

V

1AV, dunno if you can hear me, but…

1AThanks. For trusting me.

1ALet's do this.

Nix

Hey, so you the one gonna dive, right?

V

That is the plan.

Nix

Right on. Hop into a suit, then have a seat over there.

I'm finishing up for the day, so you be resurfacin' on your own. And don't fuck with my gear.

Johnny

5AAlt?

5AYou here?

Alt Cunningham

5AI told you.

5AAlt Cunningham is no more.

Johnny

6AThat so? Then why do I see her in front of me?

6BDon't believe that.

6BSome of her's still in there.

6BHell, you look just like her.

Alt Cunningham

5AYou see Alt because you wish to. It's a defense mechanism.

5AYour explicit memory is simply creating a replacement image.

Johnny

5AIt's weird, like I'm--

Alt Cunningham

5AHaving a bad dream.

Johnny

5AYou readin' my thoughts?

Alt Cunningham

5AAn oversimplification.

5AYou still deny what you are.

5AA construct. A set of data.

5AI... know you.

Johnny

5AYou... know me?

Alt Cunningham

5ALike lines of code.

Johnny

7AWell this is all completely fucked.

7ANow I feel--

Alt Cunningham

7ANaked.

7ATime is short. NetWatch could detect our localnet traffic.

Johnny

8AI know how we get to--

Alt Cunningham

8AIt's beneath Arasaka Tower. Predictable.

Johnny

8AHoly fuck, you're doing it now! You're reading my--

Alt Cunningham

8AThe Juroujin-0401 poses no problem. I can deactivate the satellite.

Johnny

8AC-can you just hold on a second?!

8BHow much you know about satellites? Got one that--

Alt Cunningham

8BThe Juroujin-0401. I can manage it.

Johnny

8BHoly fuck, you're doing it now! You're reading my--

Alt Cunningham

8BI agree with the plan. It will get you inside Arasaka Tower.

Johnny

8BC-can you just hold on a second?!

Alt Cunningham

7AYou will breach Arasaka Tower and locate the port into Mikoshi.

7AThis is the program that will establish the link. I will send it with you on a splinter.

7AUpon your opening of a backdoor, I will be able to circumvent the data fort's security protocols.

Johnny

7AAnd once that's done…

Alt Cunningham

7AYou will be separated from V.

7AAnd Mikoshi will cease to exist.

Johnny

9ACease to exist... As will the constructs inside, right?

Alt Cunningham

9ANo. The data constructs will not be destroyed.

9AThey will become part of something greater.

Johnny

9ANope. Keep tryin'. Don't understand.

Alt Cunningham

9ABecause it is not something you can understand.

Johnny

9AFine, have it your way.

Alt Cunningham

9AIs that everything?

Johnny

10AThat's all that crossed my mind. See you in Mikoshi.

Alt Cunningham

10AYes.

Johnny

10A"Yes". Right...

10BHmm...

10BWell, ya could wish me luck.

Alt Cunningham

10BI wish you good luck.

Johnny

10BGee, thanks.

10BReady to take on the world now.

10CW-wait... just one other thing.

Alt Cunningham

10CI have no more time for you.

Johnny

11AKnow what? Think you were right.

11AAlt's gone.

11AOh for Christ's... Perfect! Go on! Fuck off!

11AFuck this!

11BLook at us.

11BI'm a digital corpse, and you're a... well, you are what you are.

Alt Cunningham

11BYes.

Johnny

11BHm. No, guess we don't have anything to talk about, do we?

11BWell... see you in Mikoshi?

Alt Cunningham

11BYes.

10CWe don't have much time.

10CIf you wish to say something, say it.

Johnny

12ANice seein' you again, Alt.

Alt Cunningham

12AYes. You as well, Johnny.

Johnny

12AAlt?

12BUm, been told that I absolutely suck at these, but…

12BMaybe it's not too late for me to apologize.

12BSo, Alt... I'm sorry.

12BFor what happened to you... For what happened to us…

12BWell?

Alt Cunningham

12BYes.

Johnny

12BYes, what? Yes, apology accepted? Or yes, it's too late?

Alt Cunningham

12BWatch out for yourself, Johnny.

Johnny

12CRogue's on board, too. Told me to tell ya "hi."

12CPretty funny, right? Like old times.

Alt Cunningham

12CYes.

12CIt's funny.

9AI intend to take them with me. To integrate them.

Johnny

13AGonna devour 'em? Those poor constructs. That's monstrous.

13BOK, never mind, sorry I asked.

Alt Cunningham

9AYou forget. They are data.

9AData that will not disappear but become part of... something greater.

Johnny

9AMeaning what, exactly?

Alt Cunningham

9AIt cannot be described in terms you will understand. But perhaps, one day, you will see it for yourself.

Johnny

9BSerious shop talk, now, Alt.

9BThis is a jailbreak for the others, right? The little souls'll fly free.

Alt Cunningham

9BYes.

Johnny

9BNot good enough. I know there's more to it.

9BJust spill it.

9CNo fear…? I mean, something could go wrong.

Alt Cunningham

9CFear is the wrong word.

9CFear?

9CNo. Perhaps merely... uncertainty?

Johnny

9CIt's OK, Alt. I'm sweating it and shitting glass, too.

7BSo what else do you... "know"?

Alt Cunningham

7BThe complexity of your emotions.

Johnny

7CSo why even bother talking if you know my thoughts?

Alt Cunningham

7CAs action precedes reaction, so Johnny Silverhand speaks before he thinks.

Johnny

7CHuh... that some kind of joke?

Alt Cunningham

7COnly a... sliver of memory from Alt's sense of humor.

Nix

Whoa, coolin' unit was seconds from sizzlin'. What was that?

V

Memories.

Nix

Say what?

V

Don't worry about it.

V, dunno if you can hear me, but…

Thanks. For trusting me.

Let's do this.

Rogue

See you two've said your "hellos." Excellent.

V

Rogue, what's this specimen doin' here?

Rogue

He's our pilot and our ride to Corpo Plaza today.

V

1A"Our ride"? So you're in?

Rogue

1ADon't act all surprised, leadhead.

V

1BRogue...

1BYou're the best.

Rogue

1B'Course I am. Your sorry ass wouldn't be here otherwise.

Gear's over there. Help yourself.

V

Don't mind if I do...

Hmm. What're these?

Rogue

Retrothrusters. Anti-gravs.

Strap 'em to your legs and you can jump from damn near any height.

Christ, Johnny. I'm not your fucking babysitter.

V

Never mind. Got it.

OK, now, gonna tell me what the plan is?

Rogue

Yep. Jack in the shard.

Rogue

2ATarget's the Mikoshi access point in Arasaka Tower.

2ANeed to reach the lab floor, hold it just long enough to do what we need to do, then get out alive.

2AArasaka Tower's a fortress, the most secure building in Night City. Walking in through the front door just ain't an option.

2ASo, we'll get in through a window of our own making.

2ASpecifically, we fly in on a Militech Strix tactical bomber.

2AFirst, we rain fire on the building's air defenses from a high altitude.

2AThen, we breach a wall on the seventy-sixth floor, jump from the AV and survive the landing thanks to our anti-gravs.

2AThat's right, we'll land smack in the middle of a tropical rainforest. Contrary to popular opinion, Arasaka has... panache, at times. We cut our way through the jungle to a shaft located on the tower's vertical axis.

2AThe shaft runs the height of the building. We use our retrothrusts again, reach the bottom floor quickly.

2AWe'll surprise the socks off security, they'll be in disarray. Resistance should be minimal.

2AWe hit the lab floor running, reach the access point... the rest'll be in your hands.

2AI'll hold for applause.

Weyland

2AAs I said, there is only one boss, one queen.

V

3ASayin' we're gonna rain fire on these assholes? Seriously?

3AI've waited too long for this!

Rogue

3ADon't bust outta your pants just yet.

3AIf we wanna survive, we gotta do a lot more.

3AHere comes the tricky bit.

3AWe're gonna knock a Juroujin-0401 comms sat off its orbit.

Weyland

3AA bloodclaat satellite! We goin' to make history, friends!

Rogue

3AThat'll freeze comms in NC, NorCal and SoCal. Should buy us three or four hours.

3ANo coordination, no support. Complete chaos.

V

4AMean to tell me that apart from that fuckin' bomber you have a weaponized space shuttle?

4BI'm not even gonna ask how.

Rogue

3AGot a certain... acquaintance at Orbital Air.

V

3AMystery benefactor?

Rogue

3AHighly positioned informant.

3AI'll pay him enough to give us access to the Juroujin.

3AThe rest'll be up to our old netrunner friend.

V

3AYou mean Alt.

Rogue

3AOnly one I know who can rip an Arasaka satellite outta the sky.

V

5AI'm supposed to talk to Alt anyway. I'll convince her.

Rogue

5ADon't fuck this up, Johnny. It's the one thing I can't do for you.

V

5ASaid I'd do it and I will.

5ASo, summing up – we fly to Arasaka Tower unnoticed and say hello with a welcome basket of missiles.

Rogue

5AExactly. Then we jump in, find the building's vertical axis and work our way down...

V

5ATo the Mikoshi access point, yup.

Rogue

5AWhaddaya think?

V

6APlan's got more gaping holes than a Kabuki dollhouse.

6ABut fuck it, it's gotta work!

Rogue

6AIt won't be the stupidest stunt we've ever pulled.

V

6ARogue?

Rogue

6AWhat?

V

6AJust... thank you.

Rogue

6AThank me later.

V

6AThere's still the matter of Alt.

Rogue

6ADo you know how to move around cyberspace?

V

6AWell... V got some practice under her belt. Sure I'll manage.

Rogue

6AHead out back. Nix'll show you the ropes.

6AAnd you, Weyland, heat up the Strix. We'll be with ya soon.

Weyland

6AHow long you gon' be? Might I have time for a nap? Heheh.

6AWeren't ya listenin'? We all got work to do. I'll coax the AV to life while you deal with the mad AI from behind the Blackwall. Back to the bar.

V

6BI dunno... Sounds too simple somehow.

Rogue

6BForgot to mention our chances of survival are shit.

V

6BAnd you still wanna--

Rogue

6BI do.

6BEnd of topic.

V

6CSee just one problem – there's no comin' back from this. You'll burn bridges.

Rogue

6CTo ash and dust.

V

6CAll Arasaka's gonna be gunnin' for you.

Rogue

6CYeah, probably Orbital Air will too.

6CBut as I see it, they braided this whip that's gonna sting 'em.

6CSo? Whaddaya think?

V

5BCan try to sway Alt, but no promises.

5BUnfettered AI, remember. She can be... difficult. Still got the Watch on her ass, too.

5B'Sides, bringin' down a satellite might not make her happy.

Rogue

5BI could give a shit about her feelings. I'm the one takin' most of the risks here.

5BEither you convince Cunningham, or I'm out.

V

5BI said I'd try! Christ…

5CContacts at Orbital Air, eh? You really are the queen of fixers.

Rogue

5CBetter be grateful. Called on my best assets for you.

V

5DBrew all this up while I was asleep?

Rogue

5DActually, I brewed it up while you were dead.

5DA finger in the comms network pie when corp conflicts start to heat up again could be worth gold.

5D'Cause nothing stands to make you more eddies than war.

V

3BLove the sentimentality of it – you know how much I love to blow shit up. But I don't think we're gonna survive in there.

3BSoon as security's alerted, they'll call in Spec Ops, and that's about all she wrote.

Rogue

3BNo. She didn't.

V

3CSheesh, didn't say you had a bomber!

Rogue

3CWe all have our secrets.

V

3CGuess nowadays a slick, red Mizutani just doesn't cut it... How'd you get that?

Rogue

3CI'm the best fixer in town, idiot – 'nuff said. Now focus on the plan.

Johnny, you'll need gear. Take a look.

Grab some gear, Johnny, don't forget.

Grab some gear, Johnny, don't forget.

V

Fucking Christ!

Weyland

Hahaha! Every time, every time!

Never have I seen one not drunk as a pig sleep over twenty hours.

V

7AI remember that face. Gotta be Crispin Weyland. Spitting image of your dad.

Weyland

7ABlood of the blood.

V

7ABut what'd I miss? Why're you here?

Weyland

7AThe boss will explain all.

V

7ARogue?

Weyland

7AThere is only one boss.

V

7BNext time, you're losin' teeth.

Weyland

7BThink so? I would like to see ya try. But the boss will not be happy when I break your bones.

V

7BMean Rogue?

Weyland

7BThere is only one boss.

Let's go. The boss awaits.

Weyland

A bloodclaat satellite! We goin' to make history, friends!

V

Anti-what now?

Sooo... like this?

Rogue

They're in escrow. Paperwork's with Asukaga and Finch.

Yeah, everything's fine. Got no reason to worry.

Now, pull over, kill the engine and have a nice long look at the stars. Simply that. You won't regret it.

Gotta go.

I love you.

Biggest raid of your life in that getup? Really?

V

What? Not catchin' my good side?

Rogue

Won't exactly shed many bullets, but that's your problem.

Ready?

V

1AYeah. Ready.

Rogue

1AGood. Now, c'mon – or that lunatic will take off without us.

1AI liked this joint. Gonna miss it.

1ATo the very top.

V

2AHe any good?

Rogue

2AAimin' to be an NC legend before long.

V

2AHm. Aren't we all.

2BWhich, while we're on it… how much for a job like this?

Rogue

2BThat's between him and me.

V

2BIt really that big a deal?

Rogue

2BFixer-merc confidentiality. Got my rules. Deal with it.

V

1ASo, Weyland... what'd you tell him about the job exactly?

Rogue

1AOnly what he wanted to know – his cut.

V

1BRogue... Who was that?

Rogue

1BMy son.

V

1BWasn't expectin' that... You tellin' me you, uh... you got a, uh…?

Rogue

1BPrivate life? Yeah. And we'll leave it at that.

1BAsked if everything's ready.

Rogue

Weyland! Take us up!

Weyland

Copy that!

V

Rogue!

Rogue

Yeah?

V

You're pretty damn quiet.

Everything chill?

Rogue

I just... can't believe we're actually doing this!

V

1AJust like old times, yeah?

Rogue

1AJust like old times.

V

1BOh, don't tell me doubt's creepin' in!

Rogue

1BWon't lie, it has. But that doesn't matter now.

Know what I like most about Night City?

V

What'd that be?

Rogue

Take a look!

See that?

One day you're in the gutter, the next – you got the whole city at your feet!

The whole fuckin' city!

V

Where no one can make you do shit!

Not even those motherfuckers!

No idea how this's gonna end, but lemme tell ya, it'll be one loud morning!

Rogue

Time we gave this city another wake-up call!

Jesus, it's so beautiful...!

About to get even prettier, too…!

Weyland

The hell you say? You two take a puff and not share with me?!

Rogue

Haha, I wish, Squama!

Eyes on the sky, everybody!

Cunningham makes her entrance in three, two…

And one!

V

Whoa! Was that the Juroujin?!

Rogue

Make a wish.

Weyland

Hey! They got a lock on us!

Rogue

Dammit!

Weyland

What do we do?

Rogue

Stick to the plan!

Weyland

Engine's been hit!

Rogue

Get us outta here!

V

2AToo late! Time to delta's passed! Gotta improvise!

Weyland

2AI'm losing control!

Rogue

2AWeyland! Get us to the top floors!

Weyland

2AHahahaha!

2AWe make the rules!

Rogue

Fuck!

Shit!

Rogue

3ANot this time, honey!

See that?

One day you're in the gutter, the next – you got the whole city at your feet!

The whole fuckin' city!