Dialogue: Gig: Waiting for Dodger

Nosy Guard

For chrissake... There's a switch to the right. Use it!

Charles

My right, or your right?

Nosy Guard

My fuckin' right!

Charles

Pressed it, nothin’ happened.

Nosy Guard

Fuckin' grown-ass man can't open a fuckin' door…

Charles

Think it's broken…

Charles

Our squad car's right through here…

You do have 'em, don't you?

Bill

The keys? Shit, wait…

Charles

Don’t tell me you left 'em upstairs!?

Bill

Chill, choom. Got ‘em right here.

Dodger

Would ya look at that... a welcoming party. How thoughtful.

'Aight, get 'em outta here 'fore I change mind. But don't think you've heard the last o' me, fellas.

V

Bill, Charlie – get in the car and delta.

Dodger

Move!

Bill

We're goin, we're goin'…

Dodger

Fuck outta my sight.

Charles

Th-- thanks, V.

Dodger

Time to leave, merc.

V

1AIt's safe to come out. Dodger ain't breathin'.

1BHey, where're the badges when you need 'em?

Bill

1BUhh… yeah, right behind ya!

Charles

Is it over?

V

Yup. Nothin' left but to hop in your ride, flee the scene. Sure you can manage that much.

Charles

Thanks.

Bill

So? We goin' or what?

Charles

Yeah, yeah. Hey, thanks again.

OK, I'll radio us in, tell 'em we're back.

Bill

Wait. I'll get Stella on the holo first.

Charles

Suit yourself.

Bill

Baby...? Yeah... Yeah, we're just about to... Ugh, don't ask... It got pretty ugly, but… Yeah, yeah, we’re-we're OK now... Uh-huh... Yeah...

So? We goin' or what?

Charles

Yeah, yeah. Hey, thanks again.

Goon1

Hold it right fucking there.

Dodger

Greetings, fellas. Oh, am I early?

Bill

We… we can explain.

Dodger

Quiet. You I don't know – care to introduce yourself?

V

2AGot hired by these two to help.

Dodger

2AOh, they look like they could use a hand, all right.

V

2BName's V. Got no clue what I'm doing here.

Dodger

2BHonest. I like that.

One thing I can't put my finger on, though…

What's that you got on your faces? A little ketchup? Run outta napkins?

Charles

Uhh... Yeah, well… no. Not us, per se…

Dodger

You any better at speakin' full sentences?

Bill

Umm... There was a shootout… a guy got hit... was bleedin' out fast... After that, brought your stuff here... left it all upstairs... So it's all good…

Dodger

Another smooth talker! All right, third time’s the charm - is he spinnin' yarns?

V

3AIt’s all true. Happened 'zackly as Bill said.

Dodger

3AThat's unfortunate.

3ASee, I really don't like bein' made a fool of. Boys?

V

3BDon't need me to answer that.

Dodger

3BYou're right, I don't.

V

3BCharlie, Bill – just tell 'im what happened.

Bill

3BAhem, so, uh... we caught the gonk who klepped your seven ounces, brought 'im back here. Problem is, he, um... he ate the product.

Dodger

3BHe ate the…?

Bill

3BSwallowed whole.

Dodger

3BSeven ounces? In front of ya?

Bill

3BWas so quick we didn’t have time to react. We tried taking it out, but…

Dodger

3BYou did what now?

V

4AHey, don't look at me. Wasn't there.

Dodger

4AStartin' to wish I was. So spill – what happened? An' don't skimp on the gory detes.

Bill

4AUh... W-we tried taking the stuff out. From him – like, from the inside.

Dodger

4AInside...? I don’t even-- So all this blood...?

Bill

4AWanted to get it back for you, but it all kinda, um, dissolved in him…

Dodger

4AYou believe this shit?

Goon1

4ASavages, boss.

Dodger

4AOK... and how do you factor into this freakshow?

V

5AThey’re scared you’re gonna zero 'em.

5BHey, look, I'm just as stupefied as you are. Two gonks over here called me to pull 'em outta this clusterfuck.

Dodger

4ALemme get this straight now: you two fools let this skezzbag OD on your watch, then slice 'im open after the queso blanco's already dissolved…?

4AAs if that's not enough, you hire a merc 'cause you're scared you'll get two to the back o' your skulls?

Bill

4A'Bout sums it up…

Dodger

4ABwahaha! Oh, you can't make this shit up! Fuckin' badges, man… Protect and serve, my ass!

Goon1

4AHahaha!

Dodger

4AS why they call you NC's finest, huh? Finest of fuckups, am I right? Ah, wait till the boys hear this…

Goon1

4AShoulda caught 'em on camera, boss.

V

6ASo… we good?

Dodger

6ASure. For now.

V

6BThese two're off-limits. Can't let you touch 'em.

Dodger

6BMe? Assault not one, but two officers of the law? I wouldn't dare.

4A'Sides, I'd give a measly seven ounces for a story like that any day. You're free to go, officers.

Goon1

4AOughta check on the boys upstairs, boss.

Dodger

4ATouché. Bear with us a millisec. Check their biomons.

Goon1

4ASigs are all flat, boss…

Dodger

4AScratch what I said. 'Fraid I can't let you go.

V

7ALet's not get too hasty here… You've got a side-splittin' story for your chooms - we just wanna split 'thought causin' any more trouble, 'kay?

Dodger

7AYou murdered my people cold.

V

7AYou see me, see the heat an' chrome I'm packin'. I'm good at what I do. If I were you, I'd choose my next move wisely…

Dodger

7AWait… You think I'm scared of you? Me?!

V

7ATell you what'll happen – we're gonna slowly, calmly walk outta here 'thout a gonk move from anybody. Real nice an' easy.

Goon1

7ABoss...?

4AVitals're green. They’re breathin'.

Bill

3BUmm...

V

3CDone playin' games. Mind if we skip to the part where we try to zero each other?

Dodger

3CThought you'd never ask.

Charles

Dodger.

Bill

Oh, fuck…

Chill, choom. Got ‘em right here.

V? You okay?

Charles

Thanks.

V

It’s all true. Happened 'zackly as Bill said.

Dodger

That's unfortunate.

See, I really don't like bein' made a fool of. Boys?

Goon1

You're sayin' Dodger fucked the guy up for somethin' that small? Doesn’t add up, choom.

Goon2

Hey, man, I'm just tellin' it like it is.

Fixer

V! So tell me, what did our boys in blue do this time?

V

1ASwear to Christ, if someone asks me one more time…

1BLemme put it this way – this is the last time I do for a gig for the badges.

Fixer

Prickly today, are we? I'll make do without details. If the client is happy, then so am I. Contract closed.

Fixer

V. Two NCPD officers are in need of rescue. And who but you could save those sworn to protect us?

Now, these two little piggies went to market, struck a deal with one of Hansen's men - Dodger. What could go wrong, you think? Correct – everything.

Stella, the fiancée of one of our officers, will fill you in. Best of luck.

V

1AStella...? Somethin' the matter?

Stella

1AGet down! Can't get spotted by Dodger's men!

V

2AWouldn’t it be easier to just... move the car? Folding the seats might not cut it.

2BIf it makes you feel better...

Stella

1AListen, this is serious, OK?! You don't mess with Dodger's people.

V

1A'Kay, sure…

1APretty comfy actually, this…

Stella

1ANeed your help with my fiancé Bill and his buddy Charlie. They're trapped in the building across the street.

V

1AHands mentioned they're both NCPD?

Stella

1ABoth grade-A gonks, too. Sometimes do “side gigs” around town. Wanted to cut a deal with Dodger, but things obviously went south.

1ABill called me from inside, said only that, and I quote, "it's bad," and if I don't get help, Dodger'll paint the walls with their brains.

V

3AWhy's Dodger got you all shakin' at the knees?

Stella

3AHe's a dealer with close ties to Hansen. Total psycho, too. Moved to Dogtown to avoid serious prison time.

3AJust please try not to wipe Dodger's men? You'll make things go from bad to worse.

3ATake this access card. Dodger took over an abandoned NCPD precinct. Security systems are still up and running, so this should get you in 'thout a hitch.

V

3AUpsides of last-gen NCPD tech, huh…

Stella

4ASave them, please.

V

3BBack when I was a kid, used to see badges deliver packages to the Tygers. Worked out for everyone, mostly.

Stella

3BTill you run up against a guy like Dodger. A dealer with ties to Hansen? Tried to warn 'em, but they never fucking listen.

V

3CSo you, Bill and Charlie are all badges with a whole precinct full of badge chooms at your back... but instead, you call a merc.

Stella

3CDodger's not exactly a… legit businessman. Can’t call dispatch for this – they'll crucify us.

V

3DSo, Bill’s your fiancée, Charlie's his partner. What else can you tell me about 'em?

Stella

3DBill... Bill’s a good guy, but Charlie? He's like the big, older brother that gets you into all kinds o' shit.

V

3DOK, so we don't like Charlie.

Stella

3DLook, Night City's turned all of us into who we are, but Charlie? He's a fucking magnet for trouble. Always has been.

V

3E"It's bad." Nothing else?

Stella

3E"It's really bad, Stella. Please get help. I love you."

V

3ESweet o' him, but not really what I was after.

Stella

3EWhen I asked what happened, he said it was "too complicated for a quick holo."

1AGet in!

Psssst! Get in.

Charles

Hello...? Wh-who’s there?

V

1AIt's V. Here to help you guys out.

Charles

1AFinally! Bill’s losin' his fuckin' mind over here.

V

1BWho's askin'? Charlie or Bill?

Charles

1BIt's Charlie. So Stella did manage to find someone. Thank fuck…

OK, let's try to get this open…

Fuckin' slab, this thing! Little help?

V

2ACome… on…

Charles

2AUhnnggrrh!

V

2AJesus fucking Christ…!

Charles

2AI know.

V

2AWhat the fuck…?

Charles

2ADon't worry. Not my blood.

V

2AThe hell happened?

Charles

2AUmm... Better see for yourself.

2AIt's just through here.

V

2BBetter step back.

2BJesus fucking Christ…!

Charles

2BI know.

V

2BWhat the fuck…?

Charles

2BDon't worry. Not my blood.

V

2BThe hell happened?

Charles

2BUmm... Better see for yourself.

2BIt's just through here.

V

What in the…

V

3AStella wasn't kidding. Doesn't get much more "bad" than this.

Bill

3ACould really use your help…

V

3AYou don't fuckin' say…

Bill

3AW-we didn't kill him, OK? We swear.

V

4ALet's see… two blood-soaked dudes locked in a room with a gutted corpse. Yeah, real puzzler. Bet it'd take ages for a detective to unravel this one.

4BHey, 'long's you’re payin', I'm just lookin' at two innocent cops standin' over a dead body.

Charles

3AGo on, tell 'er about your genius idea.

Bill

3AMy idea?! You’re the one who set up the deal with Dodger!

Charles

3APlan was rock-fuckin'-solid! If only you didn't leave a bag o' drugs in front of a junkie!

Bill

3AHow was I s'posed to know he'd swallow it?!

V

5AD you say "drugs"?

5BCut it out, fellas. Take me through what happened.

Bill

3AYou go!

Charles

3ANo, you!

V

3AI swear to fucking God…

Charles

3AWent like this. Choom over here kleps Dodger’s shit, hightails it to NC. We catch wind Dodger's put out a bounty to bag 'im, bring back his nose candy.

3ABump right into him durin' a routine stop. Dumb fuckin' luck. Choom was carryin' seven ounces of syncoke, so we cuffed him, took 'im here.

V

3AExemplary police work, truly.

Charles

3ASo we’re here, waitin' on Dodger, when Bill plops the baggie on the table like it’s nothing.

3AAll o' a sudden, this gonkturd yells "Fuck you, pigs!" and stuffs the bag in his mouth!

Bill

3ACould've had a food-tube implant. Like a deep, wide throat.

Charles

3AYeah, like the one your mom's got… Fuck you even talkin' about, Bill?!

V

6AWhy would he do that? Makes no sense.

Charles

6AFuck if I know. It's not like he made a list of pros and cons.

V

6BCouldn't get 'im to just spit it out?

Charles

6BWe tried to make a trecho... tracho... track... fuck! Poke a fucking hole in his neck. No dice.

3ABag must've broke 'cause he got all foamy at the mouth, started spazzin' out and then just... croaked. That's when we started to panic.

Bill

3AThis fool gulped tens of thous' worth of eddies. Wha'ta fuck else were we s'posed to do?

V

7AIf the bag already broke, why bother tryna play operation?

7BStella was right. You two're bona fide jackasses.

Charles

3AWe panicked, all right? Shit happens.

Bill

3AIt's... It's all gone, dissolved... And now, Dodger's gonna end us.

V

3ASo you bring 'im the thief who swiped his dope… only now, there’s no thief. Or dope.

Charles

3AYeah... 's about the gist of it. You gotta help us get outta here.

V

8AAll right, let's get movin'.

Charles

8AOne last tiny thing. Came here in our squad car and, uh… kinda need it back.

V

8AJust keeps getting better. Where is it?

Charles

8AIn the garage.

V

8ATo the garage we go.

8BCouldn'ta just up and left on your own?

Charles

8BWell… we kinda left our iron in the squad car…

V

8BJust keeps getting better. Where is it?

Charles

8BIn the garage.

V

8BTo the garage we go.

Johnny

3AIt’s official, V! Finally made it to the major leagues.

3ALeague of first-class leadheads, to be precise.

V

3ANice of you to join us, Johnny. Always value your input.

V

9AChoom swallowed seven whole ounces? That even possible?

V

10AWho's your friend?

Bill

10AWho, me? Just told you – I'm Bill.

V

10AThanks, Bill, got that. No, I mean the dead fuckin' body on the table you somehow failed to mention to Stella.

Charles

It's just through here.

This is Bill.

Bill

Hi.

Charles

Won't budge. Need your help!

Someone out there…?

Hello?

It's just through here.

Goon2

Dodger still ain't here? That’s one long-ass drive.

Goon1

How the fuck should I know?

Goon2

Was supposed to be here, like, an hour ago.

Goon1

Yup, 'cept he's not. Riddle me that.

Charles

Shit, shit, shit! Sorry!

Archives Enemy

Hey, you hear that?

Archives Enemy

Go check it out.

Archives Enemy

You got it.

Charles

They’re comin'! Do something!

Need to get past 'em…

Bill

Holy shit… You took out everyone…

I'm so fuckin' done with this shit. Soon as this is over, I'm gonna retire an' open me up a scop-dog stand.

Charles

Tsh... serious scratch to be made in wieners.

Bill

Oh screw you, Charlie. Screw you.

Charles

Come on. Let's get the hell outta here.

Shit, sorry, it just fell! Swear it wasn't on purpose.

V

Yeah, sure…

Bill

Stella's gonna kill me if she finds out what we did. I'm a dead man walkin'…

Charles

Know what you could use?

Bill

What?

Charles

A nice, big pair of balls.

Bill

Oh, 'cause you’re such a tough guy? Not like you stutter in front of the cap every fucking time.

Charles

I don't fucking stutter.

Led us through here before... What was the code again? Two-eight-nine-three?

Bill

It was two-nine-eight-three.

Charles

Idiot. It was two-eight-nine-three. Saw 'im punch it. Go on!

Bill

Didn't work... Hah, two-nine-eight-three! Fucking told you!

Charles

Dodger's goon! Careful!

Bill

'Ey, no killin', all right? Got enough problems as it is.

Shit, another door. Sealed tight.

V

Again? Come on, guys…

Charles

Hey, this wasn't us, OK?! Gotta be a switch around here somewhere...

Bill

“Dodger'll drown us in eddies, Bill! The plan is foolproof, Bill! Trust me, I know what I'm saying, Bill!”

Charles

Shut up, Bill.

Bill

“So what if it’s fuckin' Pacifica? What, too pussy to set foot there, Bill? Afraid of earnin' serious scratch?"

Charles

Says the asshole who couldn't keep a bag in his fucking pocket.

Dunno what we'd do without you.

Gotcha.

Bill

Hey! Surveillance cam!

Charles

Our squad car's right through here…

Mind, uh, leadin' the way? Could be more of them in there...

Bill

Stella's gonna kill me if she finds out what we did. I'm a dead man walkin'…

Charles

Know what you could use?