Dialogue: Never Fade Away

V

Will never fade away!

Kerry

Johnny?! The fuck, holmes? Outta line! Way out!

What next? Where you gonna take it?

Gonna drag a corporat on stage, make him kneel, douse him with gas, then light 'im up?

Fan Backstage

Silverhaaaand!

Fan Backstage

C'mere! C'mon, c'mere!

Fan Backstage

Silverhaaaand!

Fan Backstage

C'mere! C'mon, c'mere!

Fan Backstage

Silverhand! Ah! Over here!

Fuuuck Arasakaaaa!

Fan Backstage

Johnny! Joooohnnyyy!

Samurai! Hey! Hoooo!

Kerry

It's not YOUR band. You're no solo act.

V

1AYou kinda are, though. Only one to have a problem with me.

Kerry

1A'Cause everyone else has had it up to here. They're done thinking they can get through to you.

1AYou're fucking whacked!

V

1BYou know exactly why I do it.

Kerry

1BNo, nuh-uh! To piss Arasaka off enough so they'll give you a case of deep-muscle lead poisoning?

V

2ABut I'm the only one with a vision.

2ASo unless you got a better one, like I said – Go. Fuck. Your. Self.

V

3AFuck!

Alt Cunningham

2AIs it the concert or Kerry?

V

2AHm?

V

4ASaid you weren't coming tonight. Not if I can help it.

Alt Cunningham

4AChanged my mind, lover.

4ALook at you… all hot and bothered.

V

4BWe in a hurry?

Alt Cunningham

4BLook at you… all hot and bothered.

Kerry

2AGonna crash, man, and pull all of us down, too.

Alt Cunningham

Look at you… all hot and bothered.

Alt Cunningham

Goodness, gracious, me…

V

Mmmhm.

Alt Cunningham

A damn shame that's that.

V

1AAlways gotta shit all over it, don't you?

1AAny moment that might actually feel good.

Alt Cunningham

1AYOUR moment? Why the hell not.

V

1BWhat, smoking after sex not Zen enough for you? We gotta rewrite "The Art of War," too?

Alt Cunningham

1BWe're done, Johnny, with it all. I just... couldn't ghost without saying... something.

V

2AYou don't gotta ghost. I'll always--

Alt Cunningham

2A...gladly fuck you when there's no one else around who wants to?

V

3AGuess you got fucky lucky today.

3BIsn't that exactly why you're here?

2BSo go on – say it.

Alt Cunningham

You can be such a bastard sometimes, Johnny.

V

4AThings were swimmin'… What, change your mind? Eats at my gut.

4A'Cause you knew what you were signin' up for.

Alt Cunningham

4ALook, if you were just another charismatic, narcissistic douchecanoe running around after his dream with his head up his ass, I couldn't care less.

V

4ABut?

Alt Cunningham

4AIt's all a lie. That concert, Samurai, all of it. A ginormous fiction.

4AYou're not a rockerboy, Johnny. Face it. Oughta join the wired wackos on the corners, frothing at the mouth as they scream "Death to Arasaka!"

V

5AI see. Think you've seen through me, do you?

Alt Cunningham

5AYou know exactly what I mean. Look at you – faking it even to yourself.

5AHuh, probably what you're best at – faking it.

V

5BHa, I get it! Like to fix your men, huh? Not the first to try, believe me.

Alt Cunningham

5BHonestly? I've got better things to do. Just hoped I'd help you realize you're deluding yourself.

5BAn' that doing anything about it… that's on you.

V

6AYou're confused. We came here to fuck each other's brains out, not analyze mine.

6BMh. You're afraid. You and Kerry both – cowards.

6BI alone have the balls to stand up to Arasaka. And boy, that terrifies you – all of you.

Alt Cunningham

6B'Course. Johnny S. – misunderstood by all Night City. That's it, that's the problem.

V

7AThink we're done for the day, so you can fuck off.

V

8ANot another goddamn word, OK? Just shut up. For once.

Alt Cunningham

8AYou're fucking hopeless.

V

8AYou don't know fuck all about me. This is all we have, all we are.

8BThat this meant something? That we're close? So close you can give me shit about everything I do?

8BGot quite the imagination, then.

Alt Cunningham

7ASee, I thought…

V

4BMan, are you on my ass today.

Alt Cunningham

4BNot just today. How is it subtlety goes so far over your head? Weird for an artist.

Johnny?

Slow spinning mental cogs?

V

...

Thug

Smash him.

Thug

Lookin' a little rusty, rockerboy.

Thug

C'mon, let's see how tough you are.

Thug

Ey! Where ya think you goin'?

Alt Cunningham

Aaaaagh!

Thug

Calm the fuck down, cunt!

V

Go! Run!

Alt Cunningham

Let go of me!

Nooo!!!

Fuck off! Leave me alone!

V

Where you goin'?

Alt Cunningham

Got somewhere to be.

Thug

Silverhand! Hey!

Good noise, choom!

Thug

Suits run when I come undone!

Can't kill me 'cause I'm zeros and ones!

Blaze away – fuck – down the rebel path!

Alt Cunningham

Let's get out of here.

Thug

Join usss for a drop, Ssshilver-rocker?

V

3A'Nother time, choombas.

3BFuck off.

Thug

But what if there won't be another time?

Huh, Johnny boy?

Oooh, short fuse on this one, huh?

V

C'mon, I'll walk you home.

Alt Cunningham

Ran outta boosters, didn't ya?

V

4APlayin' again tomorrow.

Alt Cunningham

4AUh-huh.

V

4AYou could drop by.

Alt Cunningham

4AStill don't get it, do you?

V

4BSo how long you think you're gonna be mad?

4BLast time…

Alt Cunningham

4BYou just don't get it.

V

Ran outta boosters.

Alt Cunningham

Ugh… Typical.

V

Alt...

Alt Cunningham

Save it. I dunno for who…

V

Ran outta boosters.

Alt Cunningham

Ugh… Typical.

V

Work?

Alt Cunningham

Mhm. And you?

Thug

Chippin' in...

V

Where you goin'?

Alt Cunningham

Got somewhere to be.

V

Work?

Alt Cunningham

Mhm. And you?

V

Where you goin'?

Alt Cunningham

Johnny!

Alt Cunningham

Johnny!

Nooo!!!

Fuck off! Lemme alone!

Johnny!

Let go of me!

Thompson

Really did you, didn't they?

V

Mrgh…

Ripper

C'mon, rise and shine.

Been a while, Johnny boy. How long'd you say? Two weeks since I last cobbled you up?

V

1AWhere's Alt?

Ripper

1AWhere's who?

V

1AWoman who was with me.

Ripper

1AHe brought you and you alone.

V

1AFuck. They grabbed her. Nobody saw it?

Ripper

1AAsk your savior.

1ASaid his name was Thompson.

V

2AThat you back there in Wats?

Thompson

2AWe gotta talk.

Ripper

2AAalll right. It's spit 'n' glue, but she's holdin' tight.

2AGet some rest. Even a few hours, let the stitches set at least.

V

2BArasaka, wasn't it?

Ripper

2BUrgh, it's always Arasaka with you.

V

2B'Cause it always is Arasaka.

Thompson

2BWe gotta talk.

Ripper

2BAalll right. It's spit 'n' glue, but she's holdin' tight.

2BGet some rest. Even a few hours, let the stitches set at least.

V

1AUh-huh.

Ripper

1AJohnny...

1AAgh, fuck it, you won't listen anyway.

V

1BMan, did I miss you.

1BAargh…

Ripper

1BBullshit, you gonk son-of-a-bitch. Didn't even bother to call. You were supposed to be back for your follow-up.

1BKid's like a son to me.

Thompson

1BSo I see.

V

1CHow's it look down there?

Ripper

1CWelp, shoved so many tubes up your ass that you're about two mods off from pissin' espresso and milk froth.

1CAlso tossed in a synthetic liver. Old one was lookin' worse than a paper bag full of shit.

V

1CGreat. Now I can live forever.

Thompson

1CJust as well.

We gotta talk.

Ripper

Aalll right. It's spit 'n' glue, but she's holdin' tight.

Get some rest. Even a few hours, let the stitches set at least.

You fadin' on me again?

Well?

V

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

Ripper

Johnny...

Agh, fuck it, you won't listen anyway.

V

2AHow much you see?

Thompson

2ANot much more'n you. They wanted her. You... you was just home.

V

2BSo talk.

Thompson

2BThey wanted her. You... you was just home.

V

And you… just stood there, dick in hand, gawking and dreaming of tomorrow.

Thompson

Woulda shredded us both if I'd jumped in. You see that guy's reflexes? 'Course not – he was that fast.

Tech like that you don't find in a dumpster.

V

3ASo... what're you after?

3AChasin' down a story? Fresh for the screamsheets? That why you scrape me up off the pavement?

Thompson

3ANah. Had my story. But then some cats tossed her in the back of a van and sped off.

3AYou, uh, aim to do something about it? She was your output, wa'n't she?

V

3BGot lucky. Lead panned out. Got some preem footage…

Thompson

3BToo bad my lead got tossed in the back of a van that sped off.

3BYou, uh, aim to do something about it? She was your output, wasn't she?

V

4AAlt's kidnapping – it's collateral shit. They swiped her to get at me.

Thompson

4AYou even know what she does for a living? Girl's one of the best 'runners around.

V

5ASo? One of how many? No. Only link to Arasaka is the fact that Johnny Silverhand's boning her.

Thompson

5AShe's been workin' for ITS lately. Wrote some real smooth black ICE for them. Not to be duped in either sense of the term.

Thompson

8AArasaka wants her. Abduction was a standard intercorp extraction, nothin' more.

V

9AOK, so what're they after?

Thompson

9ASoulkiller, an AI – sound familiar at all?

V

9A'Course. Urban legend with the shittiest name ever.

Thompson

9AIt's no legend. Soulkiller's real. And your choombas at Arasaka just "hired" the 'runner who wrote it.

9ATake that in – 'Saka with Soulkiller to do with as it pleases. Grim, my man.

9AYou even imagine that, rocker? Arasaka'll be unstoppable.

9ASoulkiller'll flatline any 'runner who comes close to even tryin' to scratch its ICE.

9ASeen it happen. Not an iota of physical damage – nervous system or anywhere else. No sound, no fury, no stench.

9AJust all the sudden, brain waves cut out. As if someone pulled the plug.

9AOr ripped the soul from the body in question.

V

10AWhat a steamin' load of shit. Let's go.

Thompson

10AM'kay. What's your take, then? I'm all ears.

V

10BCool. Tell me the rest on the way.

Thompson

10BDo I hear extreme doubt?

V

9AOldest, tritest tale in the world. Arasaka was out to provoke me. And it worked.

9BHang on. Alt was gonna meet you tonight.

Thompson

9BMhm. Said she could use my help.

9BWasn’t kidding. 'Saka tried this before, you know. 'Cept Alt got lucky, slipped through their mantis blades.

V

9BTellin' me she was afraid… and she went to you?

Thompson

9BYep. And frankly, I'm startin' to see why.

V

11ASo what'll it be? Comin' with?

Thompson

11AWhere to?

V

11AArasaka Tower. To grab Alt right back.

Thompson

11AJust you 'n' me? You outta your fuckin' mind?

V

12ASwing by the Atlantis on the way. Got some chooms there.

12BUh-huh. Come along, Let you watch from the sidelines.

12BSeem to like doing that.

Thompson

7AArasaka wants her. Abduction was a standard intercorp extraction, nothin' more.

V

4BNot your fuckin' business.

Thompson

4BMhh, not sure, huh? Yeah, heard there was tension, assorted goings on.

4BHonestly, could not care less about your fluttering hearts and loins. I wanna know why Arasaka bagged her.

Arasaka wants her. Abduction was a standard intercorp extraction, nothin' more.

Crowd F Dancefloor Chat

J. Percy Hackworth? Is that really the name?

Crowd M Dancefloor Chat

What's it matter? Got your advance, didn't you?

Crowd F Dancefloor Chat

And we're looking for a… book?

Crowd M Dancefloor Chat

Looks like a book. But it's nano, interactive, state-of-the-art, a prototype of some sort.

Crowd F Dancefloor Chat

Nanotech. Interactive. A prototype.

Crowd M Dancefloor Chat

Fuckmuffin, got no idea what it is and he wasn't all that willing to go into it.

Looks like a kids' book. Castles, skeleton keys and King Coyote.

Mercenary F Drug Deal

And definitely DON'T wash it down with CHOOH2.

Mercenary M Drug Deal

Why not – you try it?

Crowd F Drugs

Oooh – so I been on your mind?

Johnny

1ASeen Rogue around here?

Crowd F Drugs

1ANo.

1AJeez saw her, though. With somebody new.

Johnny

1BGot some sugar for me?

Crowd F Drugs

1BMaaaaybe, baby. But you gotta do somethin' for me first.

Johnny

1BWhatever you want.

1BJust not this minute. I'm in a hurry.

Barman M Bar

Silverhand!

Got an IOU here with your autograph on it.

V

2AYou seen Rogue?

Barman M Bar

2AShe's upstairs.

2ABut I heard you two weren't, uh…

V

2AWell, ya heard wrong.

2BGuess it's your lucky day.

Barman M Bar

2BAh, much appreciated. Want a drink?

V

2BThe usual. Please.

V

You seen Rogue?

Barman M Bar

She's upstairs.

But I heard you two weren't, uh…

V

Well, ya heard wrong.

Bouncer Entrance

Johnny.

V

4AHow's things, Engels?

Bouncer Entrance

4AGot a private meet goin' on in there.

V

5ARogue back there, too?

Bouncer Entrance

5AYeah, just…

V

5AYeah, yeah, private meet, so you said. Promise to be super unobtrusive.

Mercenary Mb Drinking

No, no, that one don't work for Prothero anymore.

Nope. No idea what happened.

Could be. What was her name again? Yishen?

Mercenary Mb Drinking

6AWhat the fuck?

6AAh, it's you.

6ANo, no, keep it. Who the hell knows where that mouth's been.

6ASilverhand. By his lonesome far as I can tell.

Crowd F Vending Machine

Fucking fuck.

Johnny! Gimme a hand here?

V

7AHeard you weren't talking to me.

Crowd F Vending Machine

7ADunno. Seem to be talking to you.

V

8AHow 'bout now?

Crowd F Vending Machine

8ANow you can go fuck yourself.

Mercenary M Argument

What – you fuckin' forget who you gave the job to?

Or were you tryna kill the motherfucka twice, just to be sure?

Mercenary F Argument

Randy and his crew were faster. End of story.

Mercenary M Argument

So this was a fucking race?

Mercenary F Argument

Somethin' like that, yeah. Got a new client payin' double for express service.

And I like to be sure I can deliver.

Mercenary M Argument

Well, maybe if I'd known the new rules...

Mercenary M Argument

'Ey, we didn't know Mae gave you the job first, either.

Mercenary M Argument

So, A, you had a head start.

And B, you're fucking amateurs. No offense.

Mercenary M Deal Chat

Three minutes to get out of the building. That's it.

Mercenary F Deal Chat

Nowhere near enough. Shockwave's gonna fuck with everything within a five hundred-yard radius.

Mercenary M Deal Chat

Run faster, then.

Dee Turner made it. No reason you shouldn't…

Mercenary F Deal Chat

Wouldn't be talking to us if you could afford Dee.

So quit pissing around the issue and fucking tell Sid he has to wait for our signal, all right?

V

9AYou guys seen Rogue?

Mercenary F Deal Chat

9AUgh, you're fucking gonked, Johnny.

Mercenary F Deal Chat

9AShe'll rip your balls off.

V

9AWe'll see about that. So?

Mercenary F Deal Chat

9ARoom in the back.

V

9BWe got a problem here?

Mercenary F Deal Chat

9BYeah, actually...

Mercenary F Deal Chat

9BKissy, come on. He just wants something from us.

Mercenary F Deal Chat

9BWell?

Crowd M Bar

You know who he was talkin' to. I need a name. Just one.

Barman F Dancefloor

I wish I could remember, I do.

Crowd M Bar

This enough to refresh things for ya?

Barman F Dancefloor

Your first time here, isn't it. Want some advice?

Crowd M Bar

Sure.

Barman F Dancefloor

Go the fuck away.

V

10AYou seen Rogue?

Barman F Dancefloor

10ANope. Not today.

Thompson

I'll be in the car. Can't wait too long, though.

V

You'll wait as long as you need to.

Where the hell's Rogue?

Junkie

Upstairs.

V

Sit, stay.

Rogue

God, I hate this fucking town.

Hate these slimy fucking fixers. Hate this fucking bar.

Santiago

Hmph. Where would you rather be now?

I could take you away, out to the lands where my clan roams.

There aren't too many jobs out there, but... we'd find some other useful ways to kill time.

Rogue

Getting the weirdest déjà vu now. My answer's no.

Santiago

No today. Tomorrow – who knows?

Rogue

Johnny.

V

1ADon't know you.

Santiago

1AThat's no problem.

1AJust as long as everyone else knows Johnny Silverhand.

V

2ANeed your help.

2BLucky I found you.

2BWasn't sure if you hadn't left town.

2CRogue. Lovely surprise to see you here.

Rogue

1AWe're waiting for a client.

1AOne who values discretion.

V

3AYou still mad about that thing?

Rogue

3AWhat thing, Johnny? That you fucking lied to my face, put my peeps on the line?

3AOr that you were fucking three other women behind my back before we were through?

V

4ALook, our history, I know. But we don't really have time for… feelings.

Rogue

4AI'm in no hurry.

V

4BI got a job. That's it. Urgent, but I got the euro.

4CNew partner?

Rogue

4CGotta say, that famed charm of yours – overhyped. Or maybe just dulling with age.

Santiago

4CYou have a job for us, rocker? Or you mainly here to run your mouth?

V

3BI got a job for you, too.

3BUrgent. But pay's right.

Santiago

1AHow much?

Rogue

1AButt out. This isn't your biz.

Santiago

1AIs now. Rocker just pulled out his wallet.

Rogue

1ADon't you get it? He's not here about any damn job. He's fucking with me. Last time, he--

Santiago

1ASo this time you'll be smarter. Take your eddies up front.

1ASo – how much, rocker?

V

5APay's double your standard rate.

Santiago

5ATriple it. And you come with us now.

5ABecause if she doesn't trust you, neither do I.

V

6ADeal.

Santiago

6AThat it is.

V

6BGuess I'll take my biz elsewhere, then.

Santiago

6BHold on...

5AUrgent indeed…

Rogue

5AShit, Johnny! Didn't notice you had a fuckin' tail?!

Arasaka Leader

5AMr. Silverhand.

5AYou're coming with us.

V

7ASure, lemme just finish this.

7BHere to take me to Alt?

7BHm. Just like I thought.

5BIt's important. Name your price.

Santiago

5BAh. So you're either made of money…

5B...or you think we won't live to collect. Either way, rocker, you're comin' with us.

V

5CIt's Arasaka. I'll understand if you'd rather not.

Santiago

5CIf you wanted my attention, you just earned it.

5CBut if you're aimin' for a friends 'n' family discount – I'm not your man.

V

5CCorpos, ridin' in on 'em hard – you two do that for fun.

Santiago

5CFor fun, but not for free. We leave that to rockerboys.

V

8AMhm. So much so, he himself didn't show.

Rogue

8ANo point in sitting here, then.

Thompson

This gonna take much longer?

Johnny

Got trouble in heaps.

Santiago

C'mon, let's roll.

Move it!

Rogue

C'mon!

Move it! Don't just stand there!

Gotta admit – been missin' this.

Let's get outta here.

Santiago

Sons of bitches.

Rogue

Fuck. Elevator, now!

Take cover!

A helo?! Is this real? Who'd you piss off this time, Johnny?

Aren't you Mr. Popular.

Blocked. We're going down.

Rogue

Need to blow outta here. And quick.

Johnny

C'mon, c'mooon.

Rogue

Elevator, quick.

Plan to hold the door for them?! Move it!

Get in!

C'mon.

Elevator's probably full. Be prepared, don't let 'em getcha.

Going down?

Rogue

There'll be more at the bottom – bet you a thou.

Santiago

We're parked outside. You coming?

V

Thompson's waiting for me in the car.

Rogue

Who?

V

Media. You wouldn't know 'im.

Rogue

Fuck! How d'you manage to bring them down on your ass time after time?

V

This time they started it.

Santiago

We're parked over there.

Rogue

That helo could come back, WILL be back.

Move, go! What're you waiting for?!

Steady hands on that guy behind the wheel.

Thompson

Faster!

You comin'?!

V

Let's get the hell away.

Rogue

Got company. On our ass.

Thompson

Arasaka!

If they hit the car, we're fucked!

Gimme a hand!

Rogue

Gotta lose 'em, quick! Next right – take it!

Think we're clear of 'em.

Thompson

I'll park somewhere, we'll chat.

Rogue

Bingo. Goin' down!

Got company. On our ass.

Thompson

Arasaka!

If they hit the car, we're fucked!

Rogue

Show off.

Santiago

I have no idea what the hell she saw in you.

Rogue

We'll be right behind you.

Santiago

All right, so who we gotta pull outta Arasaka?

V

Alt Cunningham. Netrunner from ITS.

Rogue

Oh. Yeah…

Thompson

The tower. Musta taken 'er there.

Rogue

This gets better by the minute. How you wanna play this? Either of you gonks got a plan?

Thompson

Yep. Distract 'em. Make some noise.

V

1BNance. She'll know how to draw a crowd. Callin' her.

Set up right under Arasaka's windows and crank it loud. Blast the panes out.

It'll be a gig to remember.

V

1AStart the fire!

1AGonna take out the corporate man!

V

All right.

V

1AYou recordin' this whole thing?

Thompson

1AUh-huh. Why? Wanna say a few words to the folks at home?

V

1ADo what you gotta do. Just stay out of my way.

Rogue

1AThompson – know him well?

V

2ANo. Why's it matter?

Rogue

2ADon't like the guy, don't trust 'im. And medias're bad luck.

V

2AWhat?

Rogue

2ABad luck. Say someone finds a tape later? A tape of us breaking into Arasaka Tower?

V

2AWorry about that if we make it out.

Mainframe. Gotta find the mainframe.

Anchor

We do not as yet have word on the exact number of people hurt in the riots.

But our reporters are on the scene, at Arasaka Tower…

And they all agree – a psychoactive agent has been dispersed at the site, affecting those in the crowd.

Thompson

...

Rogue

Fuck, locked the doors. What now?

Thompson

Gimme a sec. I'll get it open.

Cover me.

Rogue

Got four in view. Headed this way.

Get ready.

Thompson

Five seconds and we're in. Ready?

Rogue

OK. Gotta find another way.

We gotta delta.

Santiago

Get ready. Got four headed our way.

Rogue

Turret. Take cover!

Look at you… finally did it.

Finally pissed Arasaka off enough that they noticed you. Congrats.

And they nabbed your input so they can get your ass, too.

Johnny

1AHuh. You jealous?

Rogue

1ACan't compete with Saburo. I realized that a while back.

1ASure hope your Alt's a quick study.

Santiago

Minigun, spotted. Find cover.

Rogue

Fucking hell, Johnny – why? Why'd you come 'n' see me again?

Couldn't find some other asshole?

Johnny

Needed the best asshole around.

And that's still you.

Rogue

Ready? 'Cause we're headed into some serious action.

Come on inside. Wanna find your precious Alt or not?

Gotta be around here somewhere.

Turrets. Watch out!

This is it.

Fuckin' door's armored so thick we could use a tank. Solutions, anyone?

V

1ALet me try.

1ASon of a bitch!

Thompson

1ATry this.

Santiago

1AAh, now I see why we brought him along.

V

2AThree, two, one…

Rogue

2ABest step back.

Santiago

2APerfect.

Rogue

Nothin' doin'.

Rogue

Watch out!

Santiago

We're too late.

Toshiro

I would advise you not to disturb her.

Johnny

What'd you do to Alt?

Toshiro

I put her to work on the project of a lifetime.

Johnny

1BHey... You hear me?

Alt?

Johnny

2AAlt? C'mon, don't do this.

2AFuck.

Rogue

2AJohnny...

Johnny

2AThe hell are you doing?

2AAre you still rolling?

Thompson

3A...won't change a... she's not...

Rogue

3AJohnny!

3AStop that! You out to kill him?!

3AWe gotta go.

3AJohnny. She's dead.

Thompson

3AThis is all we can do now, my man – show people the truth.

Johnny

3AShut it off.

Rogue

Is she...?

Johnny

Get out of my way.

Rogue

Is that Alt? What do we do? This looks not good…

Look at me, Johnny. You've got to--

Whoa – the hell's this media--? The fuck, newsboy!