R.O.B. 37

Legends Don't Get to Stay.

The Quadra rolled into the underground garage of the safe house tucked just northwest of Westbrook, close enough to the Aldecado camp to feel the faint hum of their presence but far enough to keep distance. V had been back in the city a day and hadn't called Panam yet. Didn't want to get shot for it.

Inside the safe house was a fortress that would make the Federal Intelligence Agency sit up and take notice. Walls lined with reinforced plating, weapon racks gleaming under harsh lights, and drones silently hovering, feeding data to holo displays above crowded workbenches. The place was stocked with tech and gear that blurred the line between military base and high-end black site.

Vic stood by a central console, taking it all in with a slow whistle. "This joint is next level."

He gestured toward the walls. "Armor that can soak a dozen rounds from assault rifles. Reflex-enhanced optics. Adaptive smart-weave suits. Military grade, corpo grade, and some experimental stuff you won't find on any open market."

Turning to Kensi, Vic nodded toward a locked case. "Got your monowire fire variant ready. More precise, less chance you lose a finger in a scrap."

Bo's gear was stacked on a bench, plates of active optical camouflage, subdermal armor, and ocular upgrades waiting for the final install. Vic tapped the plating thoughtfully. "This armor will keep you standing when the small arms fire comes."

V popped open the rear hatch of the Quadra, revealing an arsenal packed tight with rifles, pistols, ammo, and tactical mods. Everything was meticulously organized and ready for whatever came next.

"You're sitting on a damn goldmine here," Vic said, eyes scanning the cache.

V's voice was calm and steady. "Everything you'll need if this city decides to bite back."

Bo exhaled slowly, the weight of the moment settling in. "Looks like we're finally getting a fighting chance."

Kensi flexed her fingers, eyes on the new gear. "Ready when you are."

Outside, the city kept its indifferent hum. But inside this fortress near the Aldecado camp, hope felt a little sharper.

...

Vic got to work immediately, methodically upgrading Kensi's cyberwear. The faulty mantis blades came out and were replaced with a sleek monowire fire variant. His hands moved with quiet confidence, making sure every mod was clean and ready. Bo's subdermal armor and optics got the same meticulous attention. Vic muttered, "This gear is something else. You'll be damn near untouchable once I'm done."

While Vic focused on the upgrades, Misty entered quietly and caught V's arm. Her voice was low, urgent but calm. "We need to talk."

V nodded and followed her through the reinforced door into a smaller, darker room.

Misty's eyes locked on him, searching. "You should be dead. Or at least… not like this. You've got implants that should have fried a long time ago. How are you still standing?"

He took a slow breath, steadying himself. "It's a long story. Not something I'm ready to unload just yet."

She didn't press further, but her gaze stayed sharp. "When you're ready, I'm here. But right now… you need to be careful. Whatever you're carrying, it's dangerous."

He gave a small nod. "I know."

The distant hum of the safe house settled around them, a fragile calm in a city that never slept.

...

Vic worked quietly in the next room, tools clicking softly as he upgraded the girls' gear. Meanwhile, Misty pulled V into a small corner lit by a flickering neon lamp. She pulled out her worn deck of tarot cards and shuffled them with deliberate motions.

"I haven't read your cards since before Jackie died," she said quietly. "Let's see what they have to say now."

She laid three cards face-up on the table between them.

The first card was The Tower, a lightning-struck spire crumbling into ruin.

Misty's eyes flickered. "This one means sudden upheaval. Something old torn down by forces you didn't expect. Like a crash, but also a clearing. Whatever you went through, it broke everything apart."

The second card was The Hanged Man, a figure suspended upside down, serene but trapped.

"This one means sacrifice or being caught somewhere you can't control. Stuck between what you were and what you have to become."

The third card was The Star, a figure pouring light onto the earth, hopeful but distant.

"That's hope. Guidance. A promise of something better on the horizon. But it's fragile. You're holding onto something that might save you. Or maybe it's just a dream."

Misty looked up at V. "I don't know the whole story. But whatever happened, it's bigger than scars and circuits. You survived what no one else should have. You're marked."

She tapped the cards lightly. "These are warnings and promises. I don't have all the answers, but I know you're not done yet."

V let out a slow breath and nodded. "Thanks, Misty. That means more than you know."

The silence between them was heavy but charged. Outside, the safe house hummed steady, a fragile sanctuary in a city that wouldn't stop hunting.

...

V stepped outside the safe house into the cool night air. The distant hum of Night City was softened here near the Aldecado camp. The open sky stretched wide and quiet. For the first time in a long while, he had a moment to breathe and think.

As he walked along the dusty path, a figure emerged from the shadows beneath a twisted tree. A monk clad in simple robes sat cross-legged with eyes closed as if waiting.

V stopped. Surprised. "Did not expect to find company out here."

The monk opened his eyes slowly, calm and clear. "You have walked many roads. More than most dare. You are a ghost here, present but not fully part of this world."

V let out a dry chuckle. "That is about right."

The monk gestured for him to sit. "Sit with me. Share this moment. Even ghosts can find peace."

V settled onto the ground, the earth cool beneath him, a rare feeling unfiltered by implants or cybernetics.

After a pause, the monk spoke gently. "You carry old wounds, burdens unfinished. Friends left behind in shadows. Judy, River, Panam. Stories without closure."

V's gaze darkened. "I left them all hanging. Walked away without goodbyes."

The monk's eyes softened but held steady. "The living can forgive but only if you seek them out. You have been given time, time not owed, to mend what was broken and to heal the unseen scars."

He paused then added, "Night City changes people but your soul has roots beyond these streets. Remember, forgiveness begins with truth. Face what you avoided."

V exhaled slowly, a weight lifting he had not known he carried. "Maybe it is time to stop running."

The monk nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "This world moves fast but the heart's journey is its own rhythm. Take the steps that bring you peace. No battle is harder than the one fought within."

They sat in silence watching stars flicker above, a ghost granted grace in a city that never sleeps.

...

V walked through the dimly lit alley, the city's hum fading into the background as his thoughts drifted back to the monk's words. The night was thick with tension and the kind of silence that never lasts in Night City. Suddenly, a sharp, guttural scream shattered the quiet. V's instincts kicked in immediately.

Out of the shadows lunged a cyberpsycho, wild eyes flashing, cybernetic limbs jerking with unnatural strength. It charged, claws aiming straight for V's throat. He rolled just in time, drawing his pistol and firing precise shots. The psycho snarled, undeterred by the bullets, its erratic movements making it unpredictable.

V's every move was met with violent retaliation. He blocked a blow that could have crushed his ribs and countered with a brutal strike to the psycho's exposed side. Still, it kept coming, madness fueling its assault. Sweat beaded on V's forehead as he realized this fight could end badly if he wasn't careful.

Suddenly, a heavy thud hit the psycho from behind, sending it sprawling. Before it could recover, a fierce voice cut through the chaos. "Enough."

Panam appeared from the shadows, eyes blazing with determination. Without hesitation, she grabbed a nearby metal pipe and swung it with all her might. The psycho crumpled, dazed and motionless. Panam turned sharply to V, her chest heaving.

Before V could say a word, she cracked him hard on the shoulder with a punch. "You damn idiot," she said, voice rough but tinged with relief. "You better call me next time you show up in my city."

V blinked, rubbing his shoulder, still catching his breath. Then she stepped closer, eyes narrowing. Without warning, Panam pressed her lips to his in a fierce, desperate kiss. It was a kiss filled with all the anger, relief, and something deeper that neither of them had dared to say out loud.

When she finally pulled away, Panam smirked. "Don't think this means you're off the hook. You owe me."

V smiled, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, I think I do."

The city carried on around them, indifferent and dangerous. But for a brief moment, there was something else. Something real.

....

V felt the heat of Panam's lips linger longer than expected. It wasn't just a kiss. It was a collision of years lost, battles fought apart, and unspoken promises. For a moment, the chaos of Night City outside the alley faded, replaced by the weight of what had been and what might still be.

Panam pulled back from the second kiss, her eyes searching his.

"You have no idea how close I was to coming after you myself. Not just for the fight, but for vanishing without a word."

V swallowed.

"I didn't want to put you in danger. Or anyone else."

"Yeah?" she scoffed, shaking her head.

"You think silence keeps people safe in this city? You just make it worse."

Her gaze softened just for a second.

"You're lucky I'm still standing here and not dragging you back to the Aldecaldos camp with me."

He chuckled, a low sound that felt strange after everything.

"I was hoping to see you. Thought maybe I'd have a chance to make things right."

Panam stepped closer, the tension between them crackling like static.

"Making things right is a long road, choom. But you're starting in the right place."

The distant rumble of sirens reminded them both where they were. Night City never slept, and never forgot.

V glanced around.

"We should move. Whoever sent that cyberpsycho might not be finished."

Panam nodded, sliding her hand into his.

"Let's get you patched up first. Then you're coming with me. We'll figure out what's next."

They moved through the alley, the city's neon glow washing over them like a promise and a threat all at once.

As they disappeared into the night, V felt something he hadn't in a long time.

Hope.

....

[Interior – Safehouse, late night]

The lights hummed low and steady, casting a sterile glow across concrete floors and walls armored with blackout shielding and triple-layered steel. Panam stood still, arms crossed as she took in the full scope of the place. The med suite gleamed like it had never seen blood. The tech grid hummed beneath hidden conduits. Firearms and gear lined the far wall in recessed mounts.

"This isn't just a safehouse," she said quietly. "This is a vault."

V leaned against the reinforced counter by the kitchen alcove, watching her. "Built it after everything went sideways. Didn't think I'd ever need to use it again."

Her brow furrowed. "After what? No one knew where you went. You just… vanished."

He hesitated before answering. "I was gone. Not just out of Night City. Off the map. Somebody high up made it possible for me to come back this one time. One pass. No round trip."

Panam turned to him, sharp. "What kind of outfit has that kind of reach?"

"I don't know their name. Don't want to. But I'm working a job now, tied to them. After it's done… I'm gone again."

She took a step forward, boots thudding softly. "Gone how? Same way as before?"

"Worse," he said. "There's no tether. No way back."

A pause stretched between them, long and uneasy.

"You came back just to vanish again," she said. "Hell of a way to show up."

"I didn't plan it like this," he said. "But I wanted to see you. To give you the truth. Or at least as close as I can get."

Panam's jaw tightened. "So what now? You just go off again and I'm supposed to pretend it doesn't matter?"

V straightened. "I'm not asking you to do anything. But I had to ask…"

He trailed off.

She blinked, cautious. "Ask what?"

"If you wanted to come with me," he said.

Panam froze.

He went on, voice even. "No pressure. No obligation. Just a choice."

Her reply came slow. "Wherever you're going… it's not the world I know, is it?"

"No. Not even close."

She looked down, hands flexing at her sides. "I built something here, V. With the Aldecaldos. With Saul. With Mitch. We bled for that future. I'm part of it now."

"I know," he said.

"I belong here. With my people. On this dirt. Driving through storms and fixing what's left of the world."

"I know," he said again.

She lifted her head. Her eyes softened, but didn't waver. "I loved what we had. Still do. But that doesn't mean I can leave it all behind for something I don't understand."

"I wouldn't want you to regret it."

She stepped close. Close enough to feel the weight of every word between them. "But you still asked. So thank you. For that."

They stood there for a long moment, silence stretching as the safehouse hummed around them.

"If you find a way to send a message," she said, voice low, "even if it's just a word… let me know you made it."

"If I can, I will."

Panam nodded, stepped back. "Then we're square. For now."

She gave him one last look. Then turned and walked out, leaving the door open behind her.

V didn't move. He just watched the night beyond the doorway and the echo of something he knew he'd never get back.

Not all debts could be paid.

But this one… maybe it didn't have to be.

The safehouse door whispered shut behind him. The air inside was cooler now, touched by the sterile hum of med-grade filters and power systems at rest. V stood there for a moment, letting the silence settle back over him. The echo of Panam's voice still lingered in his mind.

He turned and made his way down the corridor toward the inner workshop.

The main lab was a mix of surgical steel and tactical grit. Vik stood at the central console, sleeves rolled up, calibrating a set of skeletal cyberlimbs suspended in a stasis rig. Across from him, Misty sat cross-legged on a low bench, her cards laid out in a fresh spread beside her, untouched for now.

Both looked up as V stepped in.

"You're back," Vik said. "Thought maybe you'd gone off to sulk in a corner."

"I did," V replied. "Got interrupted by a pipe-wielding nomad."

Misty gave a small smile. "Panam?"

V nodded. "She says hi. Then she says I owe her a drink, a reason, and probably a few apologies."

Vik didn't look up from the limb adjustments. "Sounds about right."

V stepped closer, glancing over the workbench. "How are they doing?"

"Upgrades are set. Everything is aligning better than expected," Vik said, tapping through a display. "Bo's got enhanced subdermals syncing clean with the reactive mesh. No signs of strain or overdraw. Her immune system's even adapting to the augmentation like she was born with it."

He gestured toward the other rig where another set of limbs glinted under calibration lasers.

"Kensi's new setup is better too. Smartlink mod is playing nice with the monowire coil. I swapped in the fire variant you pulled from storage. Paired it with her adaptive dermals and camouflage rig. She'll be a ghost until she lights someone on fire."

V raised an eyebrow. "That'll be a fun surprise."

"She'll need time to adapt," Vik added. "But she's wired for it. Both of them are. Not soldiers, but built to become one."

V looked toward the sealed glass door on the far side of the room where the girls were resting in the recovery beds. Quiet. Still.

Misty's voice broke the silence. "They're stronger than they know. But they're scared too."

"They should be," V said quietly. "Someone out there wants to make examples out of them."

Misty studied his face. "And what do you want to make of them?"

V looked at her, then glanced toward the tarot deck.

"Not my place to decide," he said. "I just don't want them ending up like the rest of us."

Vik powered down the rig and stepped back, wiping his hands on a cloth. "Well, they've got a fighting chance now. Clean IDs are ready. Gear's modded and tagged to their specs. We give them another day, and they'll be mission-ready."

"Good," V said.

He didn't smile. Not quite. But the edges of something settled behind his eyes.

Misty rose to her feet. "And what about you?"

V paused.

"I've got loose ends to burn through," he said. "Then one last job."

Her gaze lingered on him, quiet and knowing. "Be careful with your goodbyes, V. Some people don't know how to handle silence."

V nodded once, then looked toward the recovery room again.

"They'll be fine," Vik said beside him. "Especially with you watching their backs."

V didn't respond right away.

Then he turned and walked to the door, resting his palm on the glass.

"Not just their backs," he said softly. "Their future too."

The hum of machines continued, low and steady.

Outside, the city crept closer.

And time, as always, was short.

.........

[Omake – Final Transmission]

Panam sat alone outside her tent, the firelight casting long shadows across the sand. The Aldecaldos were quiet tonight, tucked in after a long day. The stars above stretched wide, clear and constant.

Her holo pinged.

The sender was unlisted. Encrypted.

She hesitated, thumb hovering in the air, then tapped it.

A voice message loaded.

The screen flickered. An image blinked to life. V's face. Slightly older. Still him, but calmer somehow. Softer at the edges.

"Hey, Panam," the voice said, low and familiar. "It's me. Sort of."

There was a short pause. The kind that held weight.

"I'm not sending this to explain everything. Truth is, I can't. But I am sending it because you deserve honesty. Or at least as much of it as I can give before I go."

Panam leaned forward without realizing it.

"I disappeared. You noticed. Of course you did. You always see through everything. But I didn't vanish because of fear or shame. I got pulled into something bigger. Something strange. I was given a way out. One I never thought would come."

He paused again, voice steady.

"I took it. And in doing that, I had to let go of everything I used to be. The merc, the ghost, the legend Night City tried to kill more times than I can count."

Another breath.

"I'm not V anymore. Not really. My name is Josh. Always was, somewhere underneath. V lived fast and burned bright. But Josh… Josh is what's left after the fire."

The fire in front of her cracked as if it was listening too.

"I wish I could tell you this in person. But it's not possible. The place I'm headed… it doesn't allow for goodbyes."

The voice softened.

"You always kept me grounded, Panam. Even when the world spun out. You gave me something to believe in. Someone to come back for. I never forgot that. Not for a second."

Her eyes shimmered, but she didn't blink.

"I know you have your family. The Aldecaldos need you. And I'd never ask you to walk away from them. That's why I didn't come knocking."

A faint laugh.

"Besides, you'd have shot me first."

He exhaled slowly, like he had more to say but was running out of time.

"Keep building what you've got. You made something real out there. A tribe, a life. Don't let go of that."

The screen dimmed slightly. Then the final words came, quieter than before.

"Thanks for always keeping me grounded."

The recording ended.

Panam sat still for a long time. Then she looked up at the stars. Her lips parted, voice almost too quiet to hear.

"Goodbye, you stubborn bastard."

A small smile touched her face. She stood and walked toward her tent.

Behind her, the fire burned steady. The stars watched in silence.

Panam stood there a moment longer, arms crossed, eyes on the stars like they might blink and send her a reply.

Then she muttered under her breath, voice dry and sharp as the Badlands wind,

"R.O.B. Thirty-seven, you absolute asshole… Thanks for dropping that truth bomb."

She let out a breath, not quite a laugh.

"Josh was always V. V was always Josh. I get it now."

Her eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"But did you really have to wrap my favorite idiot in cosmic bullshit and ship him off to wizard school?"

She shook her head, turned, and walked back toward the camp.

"You better save the world, Josh. Or I'm gonna find a way to resurrect you just so I can kill you myself."

And with that, Panam disappeared into the quiet night, the fire behind her still burning steady.

No matter where the road takes him or how far he wanders the stars remain in the right place steady and true like a silent promise guiding him back to who he really is.