Even with years of AV (aerovehicle) advancement, flying cars remained far from common. Even the top fixers in each district rarely owned an AV of their own. Still, if anyone in Night City could get Leo an AV, his money was on Rogue, the so-called "Queen of Fixers."
"One minute costs ten thousand eurodollars," she told him over the line.
"I'll rent it for an hour. If we go over, same rate per minute."
"Deal. Since you're so direct, I'll toss in two elite gunners for free. Send me your address. It'll be there in three minutes."
Leo hung up, doubled back through the Glen's megabuilding, and took the elevator all the way up to the rooftop. Rogue said three minutes, but in less than two, a silver-bodied Rayfield Excalibur descended before him, its reflective surface gleaming under the rooftop lights.
The hatch slid open upward, revealing a comfortably luxurious interior fitted with four high-end leather seats. Two of them were already occupied. One of the passengers, a merc captain named Emmerich, inclined his head toward Leo.
"Rogue says you needed our help."
The other passenger, Crispin Weyland—Rogue's private guard—checked his weapon's magazine with a grin. "Me, I never ask how many enemies there are, just where they're standing."
Leo nodded to them both, then climbed inside.
"Let's move."
Crispin gave a half-salute. "Your call, boss."
The hatch sealed with a hiss, and the Excalibur rose smoothly into the sky. Its thrusters flared bright blue, propelling them toward Corpo Plaza in an instant.
…
A few minutes later, a steel jungle glimmered through the windows, colored by the neon haze of Night City's sleepless skyline. Under the glow of swirling holographic ads and shifting rainbow lights, corporate towers dominated the scene—a spectacle some hailed as humanity's greatest triumph, though in reality, it was just the agonized wail of exploited masses beneath the megacorporation's iron grip.
Down on the ground, Maine and his crew caught sight of the Rayfield Excalibur approaching from above.
"Look at the sky!"
"Another AV's coming in!"
"That's the Rayfield Excalibur model. Could it be Biotechnica backup?"
"No…they're not flying in formation with the other one. Hey, that heavy AV looks like it's locking onto them!"
…
"Boss," Crispin said in a half-joking tone, gesturing through the window, "tell me that's not our destination, right?"
He pointed straight at the Biotechnica tower, its alarm lights flashing red, and the massive Surveyor-class AV—Biotechnica's heavy military hovercraft—hovering menacingly nearby.
"Aw, man. That beast's from the Fourth Corporate War era. We're basically a civilian party bus going toe-to-toe with a tank!"
His banter was so constant, even Emmerich couldn't help commenting.
"You talk in rhymes, Crispin. You planning on going back to college to finish your Arts degree?"
If Crispin weren't under Rogue's employ—plus being the son of none other than the legendary Andrew "Boa Boa" Weyland—Emmerich would've shut him up ages ago.
Their carefree chatter died when the Surveyor noticed them. A missile pod rose from the top of the heavy AV, rotating to aim.
"Crap!" Crispin exclaimed. "I almost forgot that thing's got an automated missile defense system!"
No sooner had he spoken than thick white smoke spewed from the tube. A missile streaked through the sky toward them.
"Evasive maneuvers!" Emmerich barked, though the Excalibur's onboard AI was already pivoting hard and releasing a cloud of chaff. The missile detonated in the chaff's wake, bursting into a dazzling fireball some distance away.
But it didn't end there.
"Another one incoming!" Crispin shouted.
Eyes narrowed, Emmerich slid the door open. Bracing a Militech MK.31 heavy machine gun, he squeezed the trigger. A thunderous volley of shells ripped into the approaching missile, shredding it in midair before it could collide with them. The resulting shockwave buffeted the Excalibur violently, jostling everyone inside.
"This isn't gonna work," Emmerich growled. "Not as long as that monster's got a working launcher. We can't even get close, let alone rescue anyone."
Crispin rummaged through the storage compartment. "Emmerich, you told me to keep it low-profile today—so I didn't bring any rocket launchers.
Now you want one? It's too late to ask questions!"
Leo pushed Crispin back into his seat. "Tell the AI to close in. I'll handle it."
"You got a bomb or something?"
"Don't ask," Leo snapped, "just do it."
"Fine Fine!
With a rush of thrusters, the Excalibur shot straight toward the heavy AV. Immediately, the Surveyor unleashed two missiles at once.
"Chaff, everything we've got!" Emmerich yelled.
Pop-pop-pop—
A cloud of white smoke billowed around the Excalibur as dozens of flares and chaff filled the air. The twin warheads slammed into the decoys, erupting in twin blossoms of flame.
Clouds of black smoke momentarily swallowed the Excalibur whole.
…
Down below, Maine and the others watched this high-altitude duel in horror. They'd glimpsed Leo inside that civilian AV and watched it charge headfirst into Biotechnica's heavily armed craft. There was fire, smoke…and then the Excalibur vanished in a fiery plume.
Maine's heart seized. He couldn't believe Leo would just die like that. But Night City was a place of cruel surprises, where the impossible happened daily.
Rebecca stumbled to her knees, feeling guilt crash over her. If Leo was gone, it was because she'd dragged him into this.
"Look!" Pilar gasped suddenly, jabbing a finger upward.
The Excalibur burst from the smoke cloud, battered but still very much in one piece. Scorch marks streaked its hull, but it was flying.
The hatch slid open wide again. Emmerich leaned out, gauging distances carefully as they neared the Surveyor's hovering silhouette. When the Excalibur was almost level with the military AV, Emmerich bellowed:
"Now! Throw the—"
He was cut short as he realized Leo wasn't about to throw anything. Instead, Leo leapt clean out of the Excalibur.
"Holy shit, Emmerich—he just jumped!"
"No time for that, Crispin. Focus!"
Thump!
Leo slammed down onto the heavy AV's roof, leaving shallow dents under each foot. Dropping into a low stance, he drew back an arm.
Straight Punch!
Boom!
A fist slammed into the missile pod's base, leaving a huge, crumpled dent in the metal. Leo's strikes continued in a punishing flurry, the powered gauntlets on his arms hammering the base until it finally sheared off. Ripped loose, the pod went spinning across the air, smashing into the building's concrete wall in a massive explosion of debris.
Leo bounded off the heavy AV, landing on a nearby ledge of the Biotechnica tower with both feet planted firmly.
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