Dialogue: I Fought the Law

V

Nice. Someone really wanted to cover up... whatever it was that went down.

What should we be lookin' for?

River

Let's try to find something that looks like an office. Every club has one.

V

Nice. Someone really wanted to cover up... whatever it was that went down.

What should we be lookin' for?

River

Let's try to find something that looks like an office. Every club has one.

Talk to 'er. Find out what they're doing here, if they know anything about Rhyne.

V

I gotta do the talkin'? You're the detective.

River

But I don't have a--

V

A warrant. Right.

Voice

What?

V

1BLucius Rhyne. Recently deceased mayor of Night City. He was here the night he died?

Voice

1BMaybe he was, maybe he wasn't. No fuckin' idea.

1BBut hey, you might be here the day you die. Jokin', heheh...

V

Why you watchin' this dump? Nothin' left to klep here.

Voice

We ain't watchin' it. We're fuckin' waitin'.

V

For what?

Voice

Till they send us the scratch for a job well done. Smashed it up pretty fuckin' good, didn't we?

We done our bit, time for the payup.

V

2AWho'd you smash it up for?

Voice

2AArgh... What's it to you?

V

2AMight be able to speed up your payment.

Voice

2AThe fuck I look like to you? Someone who'd swallow scop like that?

V

3AWanna buy this dump. Turn it into somethin' real elegant and preem.

3ALittle hard with you sittin' here, though, i'n't it? So I wouldn't mind speedin' your transaction on its way.

3AFirst, though, gotta know who owes you.

3BEh, think I know who it is. That gonk burned me too.

3BAnyway, diggin' for dirt on him. I get him, you'll get what you're owed.

3BBut first I gotta know we're talkin' 'bout the same assmunch.

3CWanna do a good deed for a change. On a bet.

Voice

3CSo go fuckin' buy a bum a scopsicle.

V

3CAh, too easy, that. And it wouldn't change a thing. Wanna feel like I made a difference, y'know?

3CSo I'll help you. Just gotta know who owes you the eddies.

V

2BI'll pay you. You get half of what you were promised, I get the intel I need.

Voice

2BHalf? For half, I can tell you how tall he is. But that's it.

V

2BY'sure? Half in your hand right now. Real scratch. Or the whole thing... someday maybe? But prolly never.

Voice

2BUghhh... All right. Scratch, now.

V

2BWho told you to wreck the club? And why?

Voice

Weldon Holt.

V

Lucius Rhyne's right-hand bull terrier? Candidate for mayor in the upcoming election?

Voice

Right fuckhead for the job.

V

Thanks for the help.

Voice

What?

V

7BLucius Rhyne. Recently deceased mayor of Night City. He was here the night he died?

Voice

7BMaybe he was, maybe he wasn't. N-no fuckin' idea.

7BBut hey, you might be here the day you die. Jokin', jokin'…!

V

Why you watchin' this dump? Nothin' left to klep here.

Voice

We ain't watchin' it. We're fuckin' waitin'.

V

For what?

Voice

Till they send us the scratch for a job well done. Smashed it up pretty fuckin' good, didn't we?

We done our bit, time for the payup.

V

8AWho'd you smash it up for?

Voice

8AWhat's it to you?

V

8AMight be able to speed up your payment.

Voice

8AShit. The fuck I look like to you? Someone who'd swallow scop like that?

V

9AWanna buy this dump. Turn it into somethin' real elegant and preem.

9ALittle hard with you sittin' here, though, i'n't it? So I wouldn't mind speedin' your transaction on its way.

9AFirst, though, gotta know who owes you.

9BEh, I think I know who it is. That gonk burned me too.

9BAnyway, diggin' for dirt on 'im. I get him, you'll get what you're owed.

9BBut first, I gotta know we're talkin' 'bout the same assmunch.

9CWanna do a good deed for a change. On a bet.

Voice

9CSo go fuckin' buy a bum a scopsicle.

V

9CToo easy, that. And it wouldn't change a thing. Wanna feel like I made a difference, y'know?

9CSo I'll help you. Just gotta know who owes you the eddies.

V

8BI'll pay you. You get half of what you were promised, I get the intel I need.

Voice

8BHalf? For half, I can tell you how tall he is. But t-that's it.

V

8BY'sure? Half in your hand right now. Real scratch. Or the whole thing... someday maybe. But prolly never.

Voice

8BUhh-ughhh. All right. Scratch, now.

V

8BWho told you to wreck the club? And why?

Voice

Weldon Holt.

V

Lucius Rhyne's right-hand bull terrier? Candidate for mayor in the upcoming election?

Voice

Right fuckhead for the job.

V

Thanks for the help.

V

Looks like an office. Sort of.

River

Comps are what we want. Comps above all.

V

Looks like an office. Sort of.

River

Comps are what we want. Comps above all.

V

Weird. Guy looks familiar, doesn't he?

River

V... I'm not in the mood for jokes.

Think we've seen everything we needed to. Let's go.

V

River. Found some footage – you're gonna wanna see this.

Sendin' it your way. Your choom covered up the true circumstances of Rhyne's death.

River Phone

My choom...? I– You mean Han?

V

Yeah, him. You didn't know? Not a thing?

River Phone

Shit... No, no it can't...

Get outta there, V.

I'm gonna ping him, tell him to meet at Chubby Buffalo's. And we're goin' straight there.

Det Yu

Yep, stiff as a board. You ask me, he's been dead at least an hour.

No, no Trauma card. Pretty sure he didn't bring it on purpose.

Club like this, you don't want TT bangin' down the door when you're bangin' away and things start to heat up…

Heart, probably. Musta gotten a little too heavy an' messy.

OK... yeah, let's do that. Coroner'll find him at home. I'll tell him how to write it up. "Died in his sleep, quiet as a baby."

Boys're getting him outta here. 'Course nobody'll see 'em. No way.

Yep, yes. All right, I'll buzz you later.

V

13AAnimals didn't wreck the BD wreath.

13ASomethin' scorched it from the inside, crashed it.

River

13AKnow your way around the tech?

V

13ANot really. Think I can reset it, though.

13AAnimals didn't wreck the BD wreath.

13ASomethin' scorched it from the inside, crashed it.

River

13AKnow your way around the tech?

V

13ANot really. Think I can reset it, though.

V

14AAaaaaaghh…!

River

14AV!

14AShit, V! You OK?

14AV!

14AYou hear me?

V

15AYou ask me, wa'n't a heart attack that killed Rhyne.

River

15AAs I said from the start... But--

V

15ASomeone spiked his BD. That's what killed him.

River

15AFuck... Think you could be right.

V

15BThanks for leapin' into action back there.

River

15BNo problem. You feelin' OK?

V

15BI'll live.

River

15BWhat was that, V?

V

17BAgh… What're you doin' here? Thought you couldn't come in without a warrant.

River

17BI can't. Some gonks just ask to be flatlined sometimes.

V

17BYeah… Right.

River

17BWhat was that, V?

V

18AOK. Let's delta.

River

18AThink I saw another way out on the way in.

V

18BGonna look around some more.

River

18BOK, do what you will. Waste of time, as I see it, though.

Voice

'Bout to gonk out, I'm so bored.

Voice

Gonk out, shmonk out.

Voice

Hahaha…

Voice

"Some Like It Hot" – you see the remake?

Voice

Braindance or straight up?

Voice

Straight up.

Voice

Hated it. Curtis and Lemon – now they were perfect.

Voice

Uh – "Nobody's perfect."

V

OK. Hang on. Be there in a sec.

River

Pinging Han now. We'll meet him at Chubby Buffalo's.

Gotta look him straight in the eye, ask who ordered him to cover up Rhyne's death.

Feel like comin' along?

V

19ASure, I'll ride with you.

19BMeet you there.

River

19BFine by me.

V

You ask me, wa'n't a heart attack that killed Rhyne.

River

As I said from the start... But--

V

Someone spiked his BD. That's what killed him.

River

Fuck... Think you could be right.

Fuck... Wake up, girl!

V

Animals didn't wreck the BD wreath.

Somethin' scorched it from the inside, crashed it.

River

You hear me?

V!

Shit, V! You OK?

V

Looks like a normal body shop to me.

River

Club's here. I'm tellin' ya.

V

Tellin' me ya got a hunch? Cop intuition?

River

Somethin' like that.

V

Found a side door.

River

Animals're lettin' their guard down. Probably haven't checked it out in ages.

V

Got somethin' here. Looks like a container... with way too much security on it.

River

That could only be for one reason.

V

Stairs inside. Clever.

River

V? Everything OK?

V

Got spotted.

River

OK. Hang on, be right there.

V

Elevator shaft hidden under the container. Gotta be it. I'm takin' it down.

River

Be there in a sec. Capture someone alive if you can.

Maybe we can talk to 'em.

V

All clear, Detective. Though not too many of 'em left.

River

See, now, I didn't need to know that. Didn't wanna know…

V

Managed to sneak past 'em all. Better keep it quiet.

River

I'll be fine. Don't you fret.

Det Yu

Still hangin' around with this punk?

River

Shut it, Harold. I know what you did.

Not about to ask why you covered it up. Not even why you jumped into this mess to begin with. Just wanna know – who gave you the order?

Det Yu

What's it matter, River? Why d'you even care? Your conscience is clear, you can sleep tight at night.

Ya know why? 'Cause I took all the responsibility.

You got no idea how this city works. Think your goddamn inspirational, idealist bullshit actually means something? It doesn't, never did.

'Ey, don't look at me that way, merc. You know I'm right.

V

1AHey, don't drag me into this. I don't do politics or NCPD inner-squabbles.

Det Yu

1AYeah, so what do you do? Lemme guess – whatever brings in the eds, huh? S'typical... I'm not surprised, but I'm not judging either.

1ALookin' for a path and place in this damned city – all of us.

V

2ALookin' for a path and place, that's right.

Det Yu

2AGreat. We understand each other.

V

2BDon't know fuck all about me. Don't even try and guess what I'm about.

Det Yu

2BDidn't mean no offense.

V

1BI know this town inside out.

Det Yu

1BSo you know how it works. At city hall, in the street – rules are the same. Rhyne knew it too.

1BHe fought for this city, cleanly at times, dirty at others, but always with a lotta heart.

1BWouldn't've wanted him to get dragged through the muck.

V

3ARhyne was an asshole but an asshole who got shit done. I remember what it was like before he was elected.

3AAlso remember who stopped the Militech panzers when the NUSA tried to annex Night City.

3BPolitics bores me to tears. Every mayor – same asshole, different suit.

Det Yu

3BNot every mayor saved the city from Militech panzers – back when the NUSA tried to take us.

3BBut Rhyne did. Y'think people remember that? All that matters is his death, 'cause it reeks of scandal.

V

1CI know the game NC makes you play. Know the rules, all the tricks in the book.

Det Yu

1CSo you oughta know when to get in line, and when you can stick your neck out.

1C'Cause stick it out at the wrong time and there'll always be some shark ready to bite your head off.

V

4AGotta know which way the wind's blowin'. Gotta know that before anyone else has realized there's a storm comin'.

4BBut there's a line. Not every order's worthy of being followed.

Det Yu

4BLemme tell you when I'll stop doin' what I'm told – when I retire. Not a day sooner.

4BOughta consider doing the same, Ward.

V

1DNot from here. Came from nowhere.

Det Yu

1DAh… Nomad.

1DSee, the NCPD – that's my family, that's my clan.

1DYou just don't break with your family. You don't turn your back on your people.

V

5AYep, family comes first. Can't argue with that.

Det Yu

5AThe city eats anyone who tries to go it alone.

V

5BBull-fuckin'-shit, Han. Fraternity of city cops resembles a clan not at all.

Det Yu

5BLoyalty, a blood bond, serving an ideal greater than the individual... Need I go on?

River

V. 'Preciate the help, but this isn't your biz. I'll take care of it.

Det Yu

How you gonna do that? Am I under arrest?

River

Got a scroll, got a motive, got your confession. So yeah, you could be.

But it wouldn't make much sense. You don't even gotta say who ordered you to go and clean up. I know anyway.

So since even our brass's fingers are all over this, I gotta take it to Internal.

Det Yu

They won't do a thing either. Not to me. They'll put you in their sights, though…

Just go home, Ward. Get some sleep. Find all this easier to take in in the morning.

I mean, that's my plan.

River

Fuck.

Fuck.

Ughh...

V

7ASo, what now?

River

7AWon't let this go. Can't.

V

7BHan was right, sort of. Was just followin' orders. Even if he ends up payin' for it, system won't change.

River

7BI can't let it go, V. I can't and I won't.

V

7CShould've fed him some lead as a goodbye. Only way to be sure.

River

7CMaybe it is.

7CBut it's not my way, V.

Holt murdered Rhyne. Wanted his seat. Oldest, tritest motive in the book. That's why I believe it.

Used the NCPD to cover his tracks.

V

8AAlso think it was Holt. Only one who stood to gain.

8BEven if that's what happened, don't have any solid proof.

River

8BGot a BD that somebody spiked. Just gotta figure out who. And that I think I can do.

V

8CNo, wa'n't like that, not quite.

River

8CSo what happened?

V

8CDunno. Just feel like this goes deeper than you, me, Han and Holt.

8CWe'll prolly never know who was behind all this.

River

Takin' this to Internal Affairs.

Got enough to get this case reopened.

V

9ADo it.

9BDon't do it. They'll sack you, or worse.

9BBesides, won't change a thing.

River

9BCould be right, you and Han.

9BBut I couldn't give a shit what you two think.

And you? Gonna report back to the Peralezes?

V

Yep.

River

OK. I'm gonna stay, observe a little. Thanks, V.

OK. I'm gonna stay, observe a little. Thanks, V.

Elizabeth

Hello, V. Please, come in.

Make yourself at home. Jefferson will join us shortly.

Please, have a seat.

V

1AThank you.

Jefferson

1AGood to see ya, V.

1AElizabeth tells me you have answers for us. I'm all ears.

V

2AIt's not a hundred percent clear what happened…

Elizabeth

2AHardly anything ever is, but...?

V

2AYeah, I got some idea.

V

3AThere was an accident, embarrassing one. Rhyne died at a sex club. Was prolly too much for 'im.

Jefferson

3ANobody there helping him? To leave this world, vacate his seat?

V

3AYa ask me – no.

Elizabeth

3AWhat a relief. That's good to know.

Jefferson

3ASo why'd they lie...? Eh, never mind, don't answer. I know why. Dull death, dull case…

3ABut my wife's right. We will sleep better.

V

3BThink Weldon Holt was behind Rhyne's death.

Jefferson

3BI knew it! You got any proof?

V

3BI don't. Just... strong suspicions.

Elizabeth

3BThat's all we need to know, Jeff. We have to be careful. Keep a close eye on Holt. And up our security.

Jefferson

3BYou're right... As always, you're right.

V

3CRhyne was murdered. At a sex club. Someone gave him a virus-spiked BD.

Jefferson

3CYou sure?

V

3CSame BD almost wiped me, so... yeah, I'd say I'm sure.

Jefferson

3CGot any idea who did it?

V

4ACan't say for sure, but... a lotta things point to Weldon Holt.

4BThat I didn't manage to figure out.

Jefferson

4BI see. Either way, you risked your life.

Elizabeth

4BThat's enough information for us. More than enough.

V

4CCops are working the case again. Investigation into Rhyne's death will be reopened.

Elizabeth

4CThat's very good news. I feel… calmed.

V

2BCase is pretty complex, leaves a lotta questions unanswered. I'd rather not draw any conclusions yet.

Jefferson

2BBut you must have an opinion.

Elizabeth

2BJeff, honey… read between the lines.

2BThe case is complicated? But dying at home of a cardiac malfunction – that's not complicated.

Jefferson

2BSo we were right?

Elizabeth

2BYes. And that's enough for me. We have to be careful. Very careful, Jeff.

2BThat's what V's trying to tell us.

Jefferson

1AThanks for your help, V.

1AYour fee…

V

5AGlad I could help.

5BYou two watch out for each other.

V

6AI'm listenin'.

6BProlly gonna be more than one, but all right.

Johnny

Don't tell 'em nothin'. Don't get involved. This muck is deeper than ya think.

Suck you in if you're not careful.

V

7AChill on the drama. My role in this ends here.

7BI'm always careful.

7CIf I don't give 'em somethin', they're not gonna pay me.

Johnny

7CWe'll manage without that.

V

7CThere's no sense in which you gotta eat.

Johnny

Fine, do whatever the fuck you want. Not like ya listen anyway.

Just gonna tell you one thing.

Jefferson

I knew it! You got any proof?

V

I don't. Just... strong suspicions.

Elizabeth

That's all we need to know, Jeff. We have to be careful. Keep a close eye on Holt. And up our security.

Jefferson

You're right... As always, you're right.

Elizabeth

And the conference? Did you manage, will we be in City Hall?

No, no, no! Jeff was a councilperson until very recently. He has just as much of a right to use that space as Rhyne.

Get it done. Today. We are not push-overs, we are not going away. The conference will be at City Hall.

You helped us, V. Thank you. But we'll call if... we need anything.

Towfiq Iqbal

Hello, I'm Arif Iqbal with WNS News. Today is a sad in our city's history. Mayor Lucius Rhyne has passed away.

We learned of Mayor Rhyne's death from his family. He died peacefully in his sleep.

The exact cause of his death has not been released, but initial reports suggest coronary implant failure.

The remainder of Mayor Rhyne's term will be fulfilled by his deputy mayor and closest associate, Weldon Holt.

Holt has also announced plans to run for mayor in the upcoming election.

Weldon Holt

Today, we all mourn the untimely loss of our mayor and dear friend, Lucius Rhyne.

But when we've dried our tears, we must look to the future – to the future Lucius envisioned for our fair city.

I promise to do everything in my power to ensure his work will continue on. Rest in peace, my friend.

Towfiq Iqbal

Rhyne's political opponent, former District Attorney Jefferson Peralez, also offered his condolences.

Jefferson

Look, Mayor Rhyne and I often did not meet eye to eye on political matters, and we sometimes traded sharp words.

But even after our most heated debates we always shared a handshake of mutual respect.

Today, I say farewell to him for the last time. Thank you, Lucius, for everything you've done for our city.

Towfiq Iqbal

Who next will assume Rhyne's mantel? We'll find out soon.

The first polls following Rhyne's death reveal a neck-and-neck race between Holt and Peralez.

Now, a word from our sponsors.

Towfiq Iqbal

Hello, my name is Arif Iqbal, and this is WNS News.

We return to this week's shocking story – the cyberpsycho attack on Night City Mayor Lucius Rhyne.

The crazed assailant attacked the mayor during a press conference but, fortunately, was stopped by NCPD Detective River Ward before the worst could happen.

Celebrated by the press as "super cop", today Ward was given the Medal of Merit by the mayor.

What could have been a horrible tragedy may be a blessing in disguise for the mayor who seeks another term in the upcoming mayoral election.

According to the latest polls in wake of the attack, Rhyne's lead over his opponent, Jefferson Peralez, has jumped from 12 to 19 percentage points.

We'll be right back with more local news.