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Early the next morning, David woke up early and did a light workout to start his day.
Shortly after, Lucy knocked on his door, inviting him downstairs for breakfast.
David freshened up and joined her as they headed to a nearby Chinese breakfast restaurant.
While they were eating, David pulled out his phone and called Jackie. "Come over," he said. "We need to talk."
Jackie, always the laid-back type, agreed without hesitation. "Sure, Mano. Just give me a few."
David smirked, setting his phone down. He had a plan in motion, and now it was time to make sure his crew was ready.
Half an hour later, Jackie arrived, pulling up on his newly equipped Emperor 740 Iron Armor—a rugged beast of a car that suited his larger-than-life personality.
"Hey, Mano! What's up?" Jackie grinned as he walked in, giving David a hearty slap on the back.
He took a seat and glanced at the menu. "Oh, perfect timing. I haven't eaten yet. Get me one of those full Chinese breakfasts."
Not long after, a spread of youtiao, soy milk, and millet porridge appeared before him.
David took a sip of his tea before casually mentioning, "Yesterday, I had a chat with Rogue. Picked up a job from her."
Jackie raised a brow. "Oh yeah? What kind of job?"
"Military tech," David replied smoothly.
Jackie froze, his chopsticks hovering mid-air. Then, instead of panicking, he burst into laughter. "Damn, you got guts, hermano! Military tech is serious business."
David leaned back, smirking. "So? You in, or you scared?"
Jackie grinned. "Scared? Shit, I'd follow you straight into hell if you asked."
David glanced at Lucy. She met his gaze, her expression calm but resolute. "I'm in, too," she said.
There was no hesitation between them now. The events with the Tiger Claws had solidified their trust in David. If he said they could take on military tech, they believed him.
David nodded. "Good. This isn't a direct hit on military tech, though. It's about Faraday—the middleman working for them. He's sniffing around, looking for information. We need to make sure he doesn't find what he's looking for."
Jackie leaned forward. "So, what's the play?"
David smirked. "You'll see soon enough. But before that, I might have a few extra hands joining us."
Jackie looked confused. "What kind of extra hands?"
David just chuckled. "Eat first. You'll find out at noon."
Jackie shook his head, muttering, "Man, you love your surprises."
Lucy remained silent, but as she watched David, she felt a deep sense of confidence. Unlike most mercs in Night City who just drifted from one job to the next, David was different. He had a purpose, a bigger vision.
And she wanted to be part of it.
Later That Morning
After breakfast, the three of them returned to David's apartment.
They spent a few hours resting and going over minor preparations.
Then—
Knock! Knock!
Someone was at the door.
David stretched, glancing at the time. "They're early," he muttered. "Jackie, get the door."
Jackie grumbled as he got up. "Man, who the hell's knockin' at this hour?"
He swung the door open—and blinked in surprise.
Standing outside was the entire Mann team.
Rebecca, as always, was the first to move, practically bouncing through the doorway. "Yo, David!" she greeted, her usual hyper energy filling the room.
Sasha followed behind her, more reserved but still offering a polite, "Mr. David, good to see you."
Then came Mann himself, flanked by Pila and the rest of the crew.
Jackie crossed his arms. "What are you guys doin' here?"
David smirked from the couch. "I invited them."
Jackie's brows furrowed. "Wait… Are these the 'extra hands' you were talking about earlier?"
David just grinned.
Jackie shook his head and stepped aside. "Fine, fine. Come on in."
The Mann team entered, looking around the apartment.
Pila whistled, clearly impressed. "Damn. Nice place."
Mann remained more stoic but still glanced around curiously. "Didn't expect a bar waiter to be living this well."
David simply motioned toward the couches. "Take a seat."
Mann folded his arms. "Alright, we're here. So, what's this about? We don't have time to waste."
David leaned back, locking eyes with him.
"I called you here because I have the information you're looking for—the murderer of the Tiger Claw gang case."
Silence.
Mann's jaw tightened. He slowly took off his sunglasses, staring at David in disbelief. "What did you just say?"
David's smirk never wavered. "You heard me."
The entire room fell still.
Rebecca, who had been lounging on the couch, suddenly sat up straight. "Wait—David, you know who did it?"
David simply nodded.
Mann narrowed his eyes. "And why the hell would you tell us?"
David shrugged. "Business."
Mann studied him for a long moment before finally asking, "What kind of business?"
David leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I have a proposition for you."
And just like that, the conversation had shifted.
It was no longer about whether the Mann team could complete their mission.
It was about whether they could handle playing on David's level.
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