Cyberpunk: The Magnet fruit

David stepped hard on the accelerator, the roar of the engine resonating with his heartbeat. His eyes stayed locked on the road ahead, where chaos brewed.

At the same time, the members of the Beast Gang, notorious for their ruthlessness, mounted a machine gun onto their off-road vehicle. Their target? A reinforced luxury car belonging to a corporate operative not far ahead.

Caught in the middle was a little light-yellow car, driven by Gloria, David's mother. The two of them were wedged between the violent gangsters and the unyielding corporates. The small, battered vehicle looked utterly insignificant, embodying the vulnerability of the lower-class citizens of Night City—trapped between the fists of capitalists and the brutality of gangs.

"No! We have to stop this," David muttered, his voice low but determined. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. He knew what would happen if he didn't act—and it would be catastrophic.

The tragedy was unfolding right in front of him, more real and horrifying than anything he'd imagined before.

"Hold on!" David shouted. He shifted into fifth gear and floored the accelerator. The car surged forward recklessly, weaving through the traffic like a wild animal.

"David, have you lost your mind?!" Lucy, seated beside him, yelled, her voice tinged with panic. Her usually calm demeanor shattered as she gripped the door handle with both hands, bracing herself against the jerks and swerves.

This wasn't the David she thought she knew—the quiet, composed man with a gentle smile. This David was reckless, almost unhinged. The thought crossed her mind: Does he have some kind of split personality disorder?

Up ahead, on the Beast Gang's off-road vehicle, a shirtless thug leaned out the passenger window, holding a massive golden Gatling gun. His voice boomed over the roaring engines, "Hey, you corporate dog! Let me show you what real firepower looks like!"

The next second, a hail of bullets erupted.

Caught in the crossfire, Gloria's small car seemed destined for destruction. David, sitting in the passenger seat, could only watch in horror as the situation spiraled out of control.

But then—

BANG!

A deafening crash echoed behind the Beast Gang's vehicle. The force of the impact sent the off-road vehicle lurching forward. The thug with the Gatling gun lost his balance, and the weapon clattered against the car window, its aim disrupted.

"What the hell?!" yelled another gang member perched on the roof. He stumbled, barely managing to hold on. "Who's the crazy idiot that dared to ram our car?!"

Without hesitation, David steered his car again, slamming into the rear of the Beast Gang's vehicle. His eyes were laser-focused on the chaos ahead, refusing to let fear slow him down.

The gang member on the roof regained his footing, his prosthetic arm transforming into a mounted machine gun. He aimed at David's car and unleashed a torrent of bullets.

RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!

Bullets peppered the windshield, but the bulletproof glass held firm. Although a few rounds nearly broke through, they were slowed down enough to prevent penetration.

"Damn it!" the thug cursed as he paused to reload. "This guy's got bulletproof glass? Let's see how long that lasts!"

David seized the opportunity. With a quick turn of the wheel, he maneuvered his car to block Gloria's yellow car from the line of fire. His vehicle bore the brunt of the assault, shielding his mother and younger self from harm.

The Beast Gang's driver, meanwhile, accelerated, trying to escape with the corporate luxury car still in their sights.

"Forget about them!" shouted a gang leader wearing dark glasses in the front passenger seat. "The corporate dog is more important. Don't let him get away!"

The thug on the roof growled in frustration but obeyed the order. He shot one last glare at David before turning his attention to the fleeing corporate vehicle.

"Damn brat," he spat. "You'd better pray we don't cross paths again!"

With that, the Beast Gang's vehicle sped forward, unleashing a fresh round of Gatling fire at the corporate car. The destructive power of the weapon was immense, tearing through traffic and leaving a trail of bullet-riddled vehicles in its wake.

Meanwhile, Gloria finally managed to bring her car to a stop on the side of the road. She stepped out, trembling, her face pale with fear.

Behind her, David and Lucy exited their car as well, both looking tense but unharmed.

"Mom," young David said, his voice unsteady but clear. "It wasn't luck that saved us. It was them."

Gloria turned to see the older David and Lucy approaching. Her eyes welled up with gratitude as she realized what had happened.

"Are you two okay?" older David asked, his tone gentle but urgent. "I'm sorry for bumping into your car earlier. I was just—"

"Oh no, no!" Gloria interrupted, shaking her head. "If it weren't for you, my son and I… we would've been…" She trailed off, her voice breaking.

Another explosion rocked the street ahead, and a plume of smoke rose into the sky. Even from a distance, the sound was deafening. Gloria instinctively covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for saving us."

Lucy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, offering a small smile. "You're safe now. That's all that matters."

Young David stood quietly, watching his older self with a mix of awe and confusion. Something about this stranger felt oddly familiar.

But before he could dwell on it, another explosion sounded in the distance.

David glanced at the smoke and fire ahead, his jaw tightening. "This isn't over yet," he muttered under his breath.

Lucy noticed his expression and frowned. "David, don't tell me you're thinking about going after them again. You've done enough!"

David didn't respond. Instead, he turned back to Gloria. "Stay here. Don't move until it's safe. And if you can, call for help."

With that, he climbed back into his car. Lucy hesitated for a moment before following him, grumbling under her breath.

"You're going to get us killed," she said as she buckled her seatbelt.

"Maybe," David replied, revving the engine. "But I'm not letting them win."

The car roared to life, and they sped off toward the chaos once more.

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