Dialogue: The Heist

Mercenary

Gave us incomplete info again, the bitch.

We know how they're geared out – big fuckin' beans. We got no idea how many're holed up in that bunker.

Mercenary

We'll be good. Sham is our lucky charm. Eh, Sham?

Mercenary

Whoa, watch out – might just answer you. We best focus on the gig.

Now look, we send drones up first, make sure we don't land in a pool of hot, runny shit.

Wakakakos Hench Male

Your license has been revoked. Japantown – you gotta ghost outta there, got it?

Wakakakos Contact Male

No fuckin' way. I wanna talk to Wakako.

Wakakakos Hench Female

So call 'er, dude. She's sure to wanna know your mind on this, heh.

Regina Chat Speaker Male

Seriously thought you'd dick over the fixer? That was your best idea for some quick scratch?

Regina Chat Speaker Male

Mhm... Next day, I was a pariah, she'd cut me off completely. Nobody would take my calls. Was like I was dead.

Regina Chat Speaker Male

Good thing you only tested Regina. She's gentle. Any other fixer…? You'da had multiple fractures in both legs.

Mercenary

Sham, hang on just a little longer, choom. Ripper's on the way.

Mercenary

Fuuuck, rotten luck. Why aren't we at a hospital?

Might not come after us here. Aaargh... fuck. Say somethin', Sham, anythin'?

Mercenary

Whaddaya mean you not comin'? You comin', dawg. You'll be here in five minutes flat or-- Fuuck!

Cop

What now? Call for backup? Crack some heads open, drag the bodies inside?

Cop

I told you, dog. Afterlife's all about rep, the respect you command. Badge don't mean a thing, here.

Doors're shut to us – that's that. Tough cookies and move on.

Cop

Incredible. Just fucking incredible.

Cunt Rogue think she's above the law?

Cop

Whoa, man – quiet down! She hear that, she shoot your balls off. I don't wanna get hit by no ricochet.

Mercenary

Naw, naw, cheddar's fine. Just lookin' for an explanation. I mean, that's a big gig you had me botch, feel me?

See… homiecide's not my customary MO. Wanna 'least know the reasons why, right? Tha'ss just me and my need.

I mean, who you holdin' in that bunker? Some unknown heir to the Arasaka empire? Haha.

Gillean Jordan

We return to this week's biggest story – the murder of Arasaka Corporation CEO Saburo Arasaka.

The long-time head of the Japanese megacorporation was reported slain on the premises of the Konpeki Plaza corporate hotel while attending a family gathering.

Saburo Arasaka's son, Yorinobu Arasaka, has cast blame for his father's murder on the company's rivals, although he has not yet provided evidence supporting this claim.

According to market analysts, the CEO's death may have been a desperate attempt to divert attention away from the company's ongoing internal issues.

After the break, we ask experts how they see Arasaka rebounding from the crisis.

Dex

Tha'ss right, "Excelsior..."

Cold, hard eddies as per usual. Gotta bounce.

Well, if it ain't Miss V.

Jackie

Whole family in one place! Hah! Finally!

T-Bug

First time in realspace.

Dex

And the Flathead?

Jackie

Let's see this bad boy...

Dex

1AA'ight, then…

1ASet your butts down comfy.

1AI'd rather not strain my neck when I talk.

1ASiddown, le'ss be civilized here, eh?

1ASit yo ass down, V.

Jackie

2ASweet booth. It soundproof?

T-Bug

2AJackie...

Dex

2ANow, now, Mr. Welles is right. We gon' be goin' over some sensitive material.

2ABut if it's all right with y'all, I'd like to start with a question for Ms. V…

2AEvelyn Parker – how'd you fare?

V

3AWell as I could've, I guess. Walked around Konpeki Plaza, inside, from that raw BD she scrolled.

Dex

3AMhm, Bug already filled me in.

V

3ASo you know the target. Yorinobu Arasaka. The emperor's son and heir apparent.

Dex

3AMhm. Man with the million-eddy name and no talent to back it up.

3AEvelyn Parker's "special friend…"?

3ASo, she just wanna see wha'ss good, or was there somethin' else?

V

4AThink she just wanted to see what I was about.

Dex

4AWanted to see what you was about, huh…?

V

4BThere was something else. Parker made me another offer.

4CParker chick... I dunno – sent out mixed signals, so I got mixed feelings.

4COne night – sippin' Champaradise with Yorinobu. Next night – chattin' it up with regulars at Lizzie's... Worlds don't match up.

T-Bug

4CStruck me too…

Dex

4CYou sayin' we puttin' two and two together and gettin' five? Some part of the equation's missin' then, clearly.

4CS'why y'all got a fixer. Anyone try to fuck you, they first gotta fuck their way through Dex DeShawn's three-hundred-pound ass.

4CAnythin' else?

V

3BCouldn't've gone better. In fact, she liked me so much, she made me another offer.

2AHow 'bout we go over the plan? Whatcha got for us, Dex?

Dex

2AThis.

V

5AWelp, here goes nothin'.

T-Bug

5AMe and Dex've already covered the fine detes. Ops wise, should be a stroll on the beach.

Jackie

5AElaborate, I wanna hear it.

Dex

5AA Delamain'll drop your asses at the front door of Konpeki Plaza. You'll stroll right in thanks to your false identities.

5AThen, with Bug's help, you'll breach the hotel's subnet…

T-Bug

5AMine and the Flathead's help.

Dex

5ALast but not least, you slip into Yorinobu's penthouse and klep the Relic.

T-Bug

5AGoes without sayin' we do this on the hush – ideally no bodies, not a one.

Dex

5AYou'll have T-Bug on comms for the duration.

5ATime for your burnin' questions.

V

6AAll clear to me.

Dex

6APerfect.

Jackie

6AI got a question. When do we get to the real reason we're all here?

Dex

6ANow's a good a time as any. Fresh talent gets thirty percent always, but I'm willin' to make an exception in your case.

6AI'ma cut you a nice, juicy forty as a bonus for your honesty, V.

V

7AThat's more like it, Dex.

Jackie

7AKa-ching, baby!

V

7BAppreciate it, Dex. Even though the eddies aren't most important to me.

Dex

7BInterestin'. So what does qualify as most important?

V

8AIt's about the challenge, always.

Dex

8ALook at you young 'uns makin' us ol' folk look bad.

V

8BWant what everyone worth a damn wants – to be remembered.

8BPeople, after hours, place like this, fifty years on, talking about what I pulled off.

Dex

8BYou wanna build cred, your rep. With you a hundred on that.

V

8CThinkin' Arasaka's due a little payback, overdue…

Dex

8COld wounds have yet to heal, huh...?

7BHm, respect. Cut you thirty-five for that alone.

6ALast thing, Konpeki's got a strict no-iron policy. Security gates, the works.

6ASo you dawgs'll leave your lead-spitters in the ride, take the Flathead inside in its case.

T-Bug

6AGot some deft suits, so you'll look the part, too.

V

6AThanks, T.

Jackie

6ASo, not to count chickens, but when'll we see our eddies?

Dex

6AAll depends how Ms. Parker avails herself of her role, but a week, two tops is my guess.

V

6AAnd whadda we do while waitin'? Sit around, suck air?

Dex

6AYou sit tight, heads down, 'cause ol' uncle Arasaka be watchin'.

6ANow, as that ol' Greek dawg says, life's a banquet – so don't go thirsty, but don't get drunk, either.

6AYour chariot awaits outside.

T-Bug

6AMy cue to delta, too. Gotta prep to jack in, be there when you come on comms.

6AAny other issues, now's your chance.

V

9APlan – what's your take?

T-Bug

9AEnough, I hope, to put me in a luxury Cretan villa from which I'll never set foot in cyberspace again.

V

9APromise to send me a postcard?

T-Bug

9ANo offense, but I'm gonna burn any and all bridges – need a clean break.

V

9BYou an' Dex known each other a while?

T-Bug

9BUmm... why?

Jackie

9BAh, y'know, peeps say all kinds of things…

T-Bug

9B"Everything we hear is an opinion not a fact" – Marcus Aurelius, I think.

Jackie

9BHuh, you and Dex – both philosophizin'… No wonder you get along.

V

9CI'm good, no questions.

T-Bug

9CLet's get to work!

Jackie

9CSo, you ready to get goin' or what?

V

10ASomethin' I gotta take care of first.

Jackie

10AJust don't forget to suit up.

V

10BLet's roll. No point in waitin'.

Jackie

10BIn gettin' rich, you mean!

V

9DThanks for your help back at the scav haunt.

T-Bug

9DA few reapers less in the city – good thing.

Jackie

9DCity Hall should be fuckin' thankin' us!

Dex

6ACut for fresh talent's always the same and non-negotiable – thirty percent.

Jackie

6ABro, thirty?!

Dex

6AEvery part in this drama carries its risks. That's the value of yours as determined by me.

V

11AJack, it's fine. Don't push it.

Jackie

11AYou for real?

V

11ADrop it, I said. Cut's fair, trust me.

Jackie

11AFine, whatever. Fuck it.

V

12AC'mon, Dex, isn't that a little low?

Jackie

12AHey, hold on, holmes – who got the Flathead? Who pulled the intel from the braindance?

12AAnd we're goin' in a hotel full of 'Saka men to swipe some fuckin' toy from the boss' son. We ARE the job.

Dex

12AHm, and who's providin' transport, a top-tier netrunner and a lead-proof plan and intel?

12ASure you wanna go down this road?

V

13AEddies aren't ever most important, Jack.

Jackie

13AYeah, right. Are you outta your fuckin' mind, V?

Dex

13AInterestin'. So what does qualify as most important?

V

13BFine, Dex. Made your point.

Dex

13BWise choice.

V

13CJack's right, Dex. We oughta get more than thirty, we deserve more.

Dex

13CFine. Thirty-five and that's my final offer.

Jackie

13CI can live with that… it's my final offer, too.

Dex

13CHm, been a while since I got a run for my eddies. Actually kinda fun.

V

6BOK, feel brought up to speed.

6CTransport's a Delamain?

Dex

6CDeShawn don't ever work with anyone but the best. I consider Delamain just that.

T-Bug

6CYeah, who needs creepy, nosy cab drivers when you've got a clean AI to get you from point A to point B in style?

Jackie

6CAnd how he bags a permit to operate every year's still a mystery.

Dex

6CIf everythin' goes as planned, Delamain'll drop you back here.

6CIf things get sticky, he'll head for the safe house.

V

6CWhich is...

Dex

6CThe No-Tell Motel. Quiet, no questions asked. Make our next move from there. But I'm flat certain that won't be necessary.

6CAnything else?

V

6DThese new identities – tell us more. What's our cover?

T-Bug

6DHello, Ramón Victorino.

6DAnd you're Hannah Conwell.

Jackie

6DRamón – yeah, OK. What do we say we're there for?

Dex

6DBiz as usual. Corpo arms deal. Case anyone asks, you there for a bogus meetin' with Arasaka's defense rep – Hajime Taki.

V

6EHow do we get in the penthouse?

T-Bug

6EYorinobu's got barely any muscle. Hardest part'll be penthouse security.

6EIf we wanna disable, we'll need to neutralize Konpeki's dweller – elite 'runner monitoring the hotel's subnet twenty-four seven.

6EOnly catch is there's no way to get in the dweller's den from the outside.

Jackie

6EHold on, how you want us to get inside a room you can't get into?

Dex

6ETrust me when I say whatever hitch you think up, T-Bug's solved it already.

T-Bug

6EThis is where the Flathead comes in.

6EYou'll have to get him in the ventilation shafts, guide him to the dweller and force the dweller to... take a break.

6EFlathead'll stay there, jacked into the dweller, but thanks to that I'll be able to roll out your red carpet into the penthouse.

Dex

2AAnother offer?

V

2AUh-huh. Kind where we ditch the middleman and split the pot an even fifty-fifty.

T-Bug

2AWhat?!

Jackie

2AAhem.

Dex

2ADitch the middleman...?

2AHahaha, sheeit, now that's rich...

Jackie

2AAhaha... AHAHAHAHA!

Dex

2AClients... never learn, do they?

2AI do appreciate you sharin' this info, though, Miss V. You see, trust…

2A…is essential in any partnership that's to be long-lasting and fruitful.

V

14BAppreciation don't convert to eddies, and Evelyn offered us a bunch.

Jackie

14BV's tellin' it like it is, Dex.

Dex

14BY'all need not worry, truly. We'll come to that.

V

14CThought you'd be pissed, that you'd lose it.

Dex

14CLived in NC too long to blow my top every time some amateur thinks they can take me for a ride.

14CParker ain't the first and sure as hell won't be the last.

V

14DParker chick... I dunno – sent out mixed signals, so I got mixed feelings.

14DOne night – sippin' Champaradise with Yorinobu. Next night – chattin' it up with regulars at Lizzie's... Worlds don't match up.

T-Bug

14DStruck me too…

Dex

14DYou sayin' we puttin' two and two together and gettin' five? Some part of the equation's missin' then, clearly.

14DS'why y'all got a fixer. Anyone try to fuck you, they first gotta fuck their way through Dex DeShawn's three-hundred-pound ass.

14DAnythin' else?

V

15AThanks for your help back at the scav haunt.

T-Bug

15AA few reapers less in the city – good thing.

Jackie

15AHeh, City Hall should be fuckin' thankin' us!

Dex

1AGo on now, don't be shy!

Jackie

Whole family in one place! Hah! Finally!

T-Bug

First time in realspace.

Dex

Set your butts down comfy.

Go on now, don't be shy!

Jackie

Whole family in one place! Hah! Finally!

T-Bug

First time in realspace.

Dex

Go on now, don't be shy!

Weyland Companion

The fuck you talkin' about, Squama? Whaddaya mean he didn't work when he fuckin' worked his ass hard.

Saw some old pictures of the Water Leopards. Damn Petrochem logo everywhere.

I take corpo gigs just like your old man did. What's the difference?

Weyland

The difference is that Boa Boa had balls. Enough to stand up to the corps and call the shots on his own ops.

He also knew the difference between cooperatin' and servin'.

V

1AGuess dyin's a small price to pay for goin' down in history.

Jackie

1AGotta live like a legend first, though, eh?

1ADeath... s'nothin' but the final flourish.

V

1BSteep price to pay for a drink.

Jackie

1BHey, everyone's gotta go sometime, right? Why not in style?

V

2ATo Night City!

Jackie

2AAnd the Afterlife! Hahaaa!

V

2BTo bein' filthy rich!

Jackie

2BFilthy rich legends!

V

2CTo hittin' the major leagues!

Jackie

2CHeheh, I'll drink to that!

V

2DTo this!

Jackie

Oh, and by the way, name's Jackie Welles. You wanna write down my recipe?

Claire

Hmm... sure.

Jackie

Shot of vodka on the rocks, lime juice, ginger beer... oh, and most importantly – a splash of love.

Claire

Haha, I'll remember that.

Heard you were Dex's latest finds.

Jackie

Just biz, no big deal.

Dex Bodyguard

Mr. DeShawn see you now.

V

3AHow'd you know?

Claire

3AMy job to know.

3ALook around – how do you think mercs earn their reps? Through gossip rivaling that of schoolgirls, that's how.

V

3BDex a regular? He come here a lot?

Claire

3BHad a sorta long hiatus, matter of fact. Didn't show his face for nearly two years.

Jackie

3BTomcat's gotta walk his own path, right?

Claire

3BYeah, well, wherever he walked, he knocked a few pounds off.

Jackie

3BGuess they weren't deliverin' that pizza I mentioned before...

Claire

4ABreak a leg.

V

4AThanks.

Jackie

4ADamn, holmes, you're huge... Work out?

Dex Bodyguard

4AMh.

Jackie

4ASame here, y'know, in the ring. You do some kinda exotic shit? Kempo? Ninjitsu?

Dex Bodyguard

4AMh.

Jackie

4AThink you could take me, drop me?

Dex Bodyguard

4ASure.

4AIn here.

4AThis way.

Mr. DeShawn ready. Where your friend go?

Jackie

She'll be back in a sec, don't worry.

Dex Bodyguard

Mr. DeShawn no like wait.

V

5AWho else can I drink here?

Claire

5AAll on the menu…

Jackie

5A'Cept there's a spot missing. Morgan Blackhand, right?

Claire

5AHeh, 's true. Morgan's yet to make up his mind if he's dead or still kickin'.

Jackie

5AHuh, nobody knows what happened to him… Think he's still alive? It's been years…

Claire

5AWhy not? Look at Rogue. Peeps from that era – a species unto themselves.

V

6AUh, can I get through...?

Weyland

6ABooth's occupied. Permanently. So run along.

Rogue

Tellin' ya, it's not gonna work.

No, no, it's not about the fucking color or max altitude.

Why didn't you order it from Germany like I told you to?

Doe'n't matter. I'll wait.

Puttin' payment on hold for now, though.

Because I want what I fuckin' chose. Nothing else.

Panam

Rogue told me you're the one to talk to.

Nash

Relax, it's taken care of, we're set. Now, about the eddies. Who's payin', exactly?

Panam

6th Street. Why?

Nash

Nothin', nothin'… Just that I'm runnin' up some pretty steep expenses.

Panam

I've dealt with 6th Street before. We do the run, they'll transfer the cred.

Nash

'Course, yeah. I'm sure it'll work out.

Claire

7AWhat'll it be?

V

8AI'm good, thanks.

8BI'll have what he's havin'.

Angry Merc

Dropped us at Kang Tao's seaside resort in Cape Town.

Best leave ever. Joytoys from every corner of the planet, neverending booze, mountains of the purest synth-blow!

Desperate Corpo

Sounds whoa-wild. But then how come you didn't re-enlist for a fourth tour?

Angry Merc

Went into town once. A little jittery 'cause we'd dropped a few tons of ordnance on their heads a few days earlier.

Lo and behold, every gonk I meet's friendly, helpful. After what we did – can you believe that? Some lady asked me to buy her arm off of her.

Desperate Corpo

Her arm?

Angry Merc

Brand new Kendachi, y'know, army surplus as compensation. Heh, fields were burning, people were starving to death, and we gave 'em chrome arms…

Drinker Merc

Right hook's fuckin' killer, but he's just too slow to reel it back into guard.

Drinker Merc

Murdock pops jabs left 'n right, and if he throws in an uppercut and gets it to land… that's the bell right there.

Drinker Merc

So what, just not likely, guy's got lousy footwork.

Drinker Merc

This again… Remember what happened when you and Price sparred, remember?

Drinker Merc

I'm hella faster than that. I'd just had fresh kneecaps put in. Just never got a chance to break 'em in.

Drinker Merc

Bullshit. Your footwork's as lousy as Murdock's.

V

9AWhat's new with Señora Welles?

Jackie

9AEhhh, y'know. She's worried about me – whatever.

V

9BLook like you just ran a marathon. Somethin' happen?

Jackie

9BYears of mercwork, and yet – still sweat like a roasted pig when I talk to my ma.

Can't help herself, y'know – checkin' to see if I'm not rottin' in some dumpster... like most of the Welles boys.

It's really startin' to wear on me. More I tell her everythin's OK, more I feel like I'm straight-up lyin'.

But that's done after tomorrow. Afterlife, here we come, baby! Yeah!

V

10AWe have arrived – the major leagues.

Jackie

10ADoes not get any higher, choom.

10AAnd you know somethin' else?

V

10BFunny...

Jackie

10BWhat?

V

10BFor a club with the hottest contracts in town, doesn't look like all it's bigged up to be.

Jackie

10BIt's what's inside that counts, choom.

V

10CWe're only here 'cause Dex is pullin' the strings.

10CDoubt that puts us in the same league as them.

Jackie

10COh, but we are. They just don't know it yet.

V

10DThe Afterlife... known far and wide, that name.

Jackie

10DOh yeah?

V

10DSome of the nomad clans' biggest jobs were scored right here.

Jackie

10DDon't surprise me. Ain't no better place in Night City to land a gig.

Ready to get your cherry popped? Yeeeah! Come on!

Place used to be a morgue – you believe that?

V

Really, Jackie?

Jackie

What?

V

Told you that myself.

Jackie

Oh, for reals? Ah, shit, er… must've been ages ago.

V

Who woulda thunk…

Jackie

I know, right? Way before our time, that. When proper burials were still a thing.

Emmerick

You again? Whaddaya want?

V

11AName's V, this is Jackie Welles.

Emmerick

11AOh, is that supposed to sound familiar?

Jackie

11AIt will soon. We're here to see Dex.

V

11BWe're friends of Dexter DeShawn. He's expectin' us.

Emmerick

Yo, Dex. Got two live ones sayin' they're here to see ya.

Yeah? All right, then.

Says he needs a second or two. Go get yourselves drinks or somethin'.

Jackie

This is it...

V

12AHey.

Claire

12AGrab a seat. Be with you in a sec.

Jackie

'Ey. See that old lady there?

That's Rogue – best fixer in all o' Night City.

V

Thought Dex was the best.

Jackie

Pff... Rogue was linin' up jobs when Dex was still shittin' in diapers, heh. Place belongs to her.

Claire

What can I getcha?

V

13AYou order.

Claire

13AA duo of Johnny Silverhands, comin' up.

13ASomebody did their homework.

V

13ALooks like the dog ate mine...

Claire

13AAge-old tradition. Drinks're named after our regulars.

V

14ASay I wanted a drink named after me – what would I have to do?

Claire

14ASnuff it.

14AIn mind-blowingly spectacular fashion. Mid-op'd be best.

Jackie

14AAah, what a beaut of a TRADITION!

V

14BHow long's the Afterlife been around? Half a century?

Claire

14BLonger. Don't know by how much, though.

V

14BGotta be the oldest club in Night City.

Claire

14BAnd the most respected. Don't forget that bit.

V

15AI'm good, thanks.

Jackie

15AFor real? I'm celebratin'! C'mon, it's on me!

Claire

15AOne Johnny Silverhand, comin' up.

15ASomebody did their homework.

V

15ALooks like the dog ate mine...

Claire

15AAge-old tradition. Drinks're named after our regulars.

Jackie

15AGonna have a drink or not?

The heart o' Night City!

That's it right there – beating. Hear it?

Jackie

16ACan you imagine? Susan Forrest, Boa Boa, maybe even Morgan Blackhand…

16AAll sat on those stools, fell asleep on that same bar.

V

16ALooks like we're up.

16ALooks like we're up.

Emmerick

An' who might you clowns be?

Jackie

What?

Desperate Corpo

So, what would ya say's changed the most?

Angry Merc

Hm. When I was leavin', this was a huge construction site.

Now you can smell the eddies lying in the street, ripe for pickin'.

Among all the trash and human shit.

Desperate Corpo

Heh. Used to have a buddy, worked sanitation – in the city sewers.

Asked him once why he did what he did, woke up every morning and went off to work. Know what he told me?

Angry Merc

No, what?

Desperate Corpo

"I'd rather be knee-deep in real shit than the shit you have to wade through to pay your rent."

V

17ACan I get in?

Emmerick

17A'Fraid it's out of your league, friend.

17AYou deaf? Get gone.

17ANope. Forget it.

17AReferral?

V

17AUhh... what?

Emmerick

17AJust as I thought. Keep walkin'.

Goon

Show of force. Not terribly subtle, either. Wanna show everyone who's boss.

Old man Arasaka might as well've walked into Myers' office naked, waving is half-shriveled dick around.

Goon

Not gonna start a war with one stupid aircraft carrier, though…

Goon

No, they wanna remind Militech they've got a hundred more in Japan. Pacific ain't the level playin' field it used to be.

Goon

Saburo Arasaka's not gonna pick another fight with Militech.

Goon

How do you know? He tell you personally? Hm?

Dex Bodyguard

You have problem with something? Come on, we go.

In here.

Mr. DeShawn no like wait.

Jackie

Bad time to choke and shit your britches, choom. C'mooon.

Love to hang, imbibe the vibe, but we got an important meeting.

Emmerick

'Fraid it's out of your league, friend.

Delamain

Welcome on board this Delamain service. With Delamain, you leave your problems at the door.

Jackie

Son of a bitch! Better fuckin' believe I will!

Delamain

Before we begin our journey, I must verify the identities of all customers.

Please proceed to connect your personal links.

Jackie

So? You ready?

Jackie

1AShit's finally happenin'...

Delamain

1AThank you. "Excelsior" package activated.

Jackie

1A"Excelsior"? Hohoho, this just keeps gettin' better!

1AAin't goin' anywhere 'less we do this, V.

Delamain

Welcome on board this Delamain service. With Delamain, you leave your problems at the door.

Jackie

Son of a bitch! Better fuckin' believe I will!

Delamain

I see no reason why you should be using expletives.

Jackie

Oh yeah? What about that time I wanted to hire you for my cousin's bachelor party, huh?

Delamain

Unfortunately, we do not take on such contracts.

Jackie

Three months I'd been savin' up scratch…

Egh, water under the bridge. Hit it, Del!

Delamain

Before we begin our journey, I must verify the identities of all customers.

Please proceed to connect your personal links.

Delamain

2AThank you. "Excelsior" package activated.

Jackie

2A"Excelsior"? Hohoho, this just keeps gettin' better!

Delamain

2AWe are nearing our destination.

Jackie

2AYep, don't gotta tell me.

Delamain

2AThank you for choosing the Delamain service. And best of luck.

2AI shall await here for your return.

Jackie

2AShit's finally happenin'...

2AAlmost forgot, no iron, eh?

Jackie

3AAll right, "Hannah," let's go.

Jackie

4AHold on, lemme grab the Flathead.

V

5A"Excelsior"?

Delamain

5AThe "Excelsior" is a package tailored to our premium clientele.

Jackie

5ATop quality don't come free, y'know. Now watch…

5ADelamain! Initiate combat mode!

Delamain

5AMy apologies, but you do not appear to be in any sort of imminent danger.

Jackie

5AHuh... Oh well.

5ATrust me, he'll mow down an army of 'Saka ninjas if it comes down to it.

V

6AExcelsior – what else is included?

Delamain

6AComprehensive health coverage, including the handling and disposal of a client's remains should death occur on board.

Jackie

6ADamn. Shit got dark pretty quick.

V

6BThis combat mode even… legal?

Delamain

6BOf course it is. The Second Amendment says so.

6BWhile on board, you are entirely within your rights to "bear" and use me.

V

7ADex ain't skimpin', is he.

Jackie

7AAnd thanks to you, we're still gettin' a juicy forty percent.

V

7AYou're welcome.

Jackie

7A"Excelsior..."

7AThis is how you wanna cruise into the major leagues…

V

8AWouldn't get overly excited.

Jackie

8AHm?

V

8AHaven't gotten there – not yet.

8BThat really your be-all and end-all?

Jackie

8BHuh?

V

8BDex manage to buy you off that cheap? With a suit, a limo…?

7ADunno, Jack… kinda feels like you're losin' that steel grip o' yours.

Jackie

7AHuh, seems to me like it's you who's got some kinda problem...

V

9ANeed you to keep your head clear and in the game – we got a job to do.

Jackie

9AHead's never, ever been clearer in my whole fuckin' life!

9ALemme explain somethin' to you, V…

9AMy whole life I've spent in this shit around us!

9AAnd I ain't goin' back!

V

9BWe're not on our way to some party, Jack. We're about to pull a major heist. At Arasaka.

Jackie

9BFor real, V...?

9BSee me as that shallow?

V

9CNever mind. Delete that – forget about it.

Jackie

9CDeleted and forgotten.

T-Bug

7AHey. How's things?

Jackie

7ASmooth as fuckin' sandpaper.

V

7AWe'll be, uh, pullin' up to the hotel soon.

T-Bug

7AListen, set up a direct, encrypted line to guide you through Konpeki.

7AV, ring Jackie now, see if we're in sync. Can't be too careful.

T-Bug

10AAnd?

Jackie

10AGot static. Say somethin', Bug?

T-Bug

10A"The greatest crimes issue from a desire for excess and not from necessity."

Jackie

10ASay what now?

T-Bug

10AAristotle. Guess you read me, then?

Jackie

10AYeah, I read you. Not so much your Greek friend, though it was kind of exciting.

T-Bug

10ACould give it some thought, try to understand…?

10AHow 'bout you, V?

V

11ARead you loud and clear.

T-Bug

11APerfect.

V

11BI want more Aristotle!

T-Bug

11BFuck off, both.

Jackie

11BHehehe.

T-Bug

10AOK, tech checks out, looks like.

10AStay in touch.

Jackie

7ALeast we got some clue where his sixty five percent's goin', eh?

7AHe's takin' seventy percent of the pot... Or've you forgotten already?

V

12AWhat's got you so antsy?

Jackie

12AHang on, watch this…

Delamain

My systems inform me that we await one other passenger.

V

Yep – on his way, catchin' up.

Jackie

So? You ready?

Jackie

Well aren't you the master of disguise? Left your suit in Dex's booth, gonk.

Look, V, I know the corpo get-up ain't great for movement, but we both gotta look the part. Suit up.

Waitin' for an important call here, V!

Too late to back out now. Come on, V.

You comin'? Time's precious.

So? You ready?

Ain't goin' anywhere 'less we do this, V.

Towfiq Iqbal

1919 was a year of great change in our history. The onset of American prohibition, the end of World War I...

And the birth of Saburo Arasaka.

From an early age, Saburo was heavily involved in the business his father had founded.

As a young man, he quickly demonstrated the work ethic and natural talent becoming of an exceptional manager. That is, until his promising career was abruptly interrupted by war upon his doorstep.

Saburo Arasaka enlisted as a pilot in the Nippon Kaigun, the Japanese Imperial Navy. By the age of 23, he had already achieved the rank of Lieutenant.

With 20 confirmed aerial victories, he forever will be honored as one of the Imperial Army's most accomplished fighter pilots.

But in 1942, during a routine mission, his plane was severely damaged.

Yet, overcoming both grievous injury and a malfunctioning aircraft, Saburo managed to return to base... Join us after the break to hear what happened next.