The secondhand store's clothing section was a chaotic mess.
No hangers. No racks. Just piles of clothes heaped together like a landfill of discarded fashion.
Leo rummaged through the endless assortment, dismissing anything with visible tears, stains, or suspicious discoloration. After about five minutes of searching, he managed to piece together a halfway decent outfit—a simple set of worn jeans, a black T-shirt, and a faded leather jacket.
It wasn't exactly fashionable, but at least he no longer looked like a homeless drifter.
Returning to the counter, the store's fiery-eyed owner gave him a once-over, nodding with approval.
"Mmm-hmm. Now that's more like it," she purred, clearly satisfied. "At least you're not wasting that face anymore."
"Price tags are on the clothes," Leo replied, keeping his voice neutral.
"Yeah, yeah, I see it. 153 eddies." She waved dismissively. "But you know what? You seem like good company. I'll knock it down to 100."
"Uh… Thanks?"
Leo fished the cash from his pocket, only to find his hand caught mid-motion.
"Damn, baby! That skin of yours…" She gave his hand a lingering squeeze, her eyes sparkling with something a little too mischievous. "Smooth as silk. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were corpo-bred."
"Just lucky, I guess."
She leaned in, a wave of overpowering perfume hitting him like a cybernetic freight train.
"Listen, sugar. If this city ever chews you up and spits you out, there's always Cloudtop. With that face? You'd be headlining in no time." She winked. "And if that day ever comes, I'll be front row, spending every last eddie just for a peek."
"Uh…"
"Hah!"
With a loud, boisterous laugh, she clapped him on the shoulder, sending him stumbling out of the store, red-faced and thoroughly flustered.
---
Back at Misty's shop, the scent of lavender incense worked its magic, calming his nerves.
Misty, still lounging at the counter, gave him an amused once-over.
"Much better," she said. "But you've got a problem now."
"Problem?"
"That outfit makes you look like corpo-lite. Clean, polished… like you belong somewhere way better than Watson."
"Is that so bad?"
"In Watson? It is." She sighed. "To the Scavs and gangoons, you're a walking bank account. If they think you're corpo, you're worth a ransom. If they think you're a solo, they'll try to take your implants. Either way, it's bad news."
"Great." Leo rubbed his temples.
"My advice? Stay out of alleys. Stick to the main roads. And for God's sake, don't act lost."
"Got it. Thanks, Misty."
"Anytime," she said with a kind smile. "Oh, and Vik's ready for you."
---
Back in the underground clinic, Leo found Vik absorbed in the flickering glow of his monitors.
"Results?" Leo asked, bracing himself.
"Still compiling. Let's finish the checkup."
The final round of examinations was just as thorough. Scans, reflex tests, even a bit of good ol' fashioned poking and prodding. After about ten minutes, Vik leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk.
"Alright, kid. You're healthy. Too healthy."
"Too healthy?"
"I mean it. No deficiencies, no genetic defects, no old injuries. Your body is like a corpo lab's wet dream. If I had to guess, I'd say your physical potential's sitting somewhere around a solid 10."
"Uh… out of what?"
"10."
Leo blinked. "Oh."
In Cyberpunk terms, a physical potential of 10 was ridiculous. That was the kind of score you'd see on chromed-out monsters like Adam Smasher or top-tier solos like V.
"Today's implants? Cakewalk. But there's something you need to know."
Vik jabbed a finger at the report.
"Your body's worth a lot of money. And I'm not talking street brawls or bodyguard gigs. I mean organ trafficking."
Leo's stomach twisted. "What?"
"If someone got wind of what you are… Kid, your parts could sell for a million eddies, easy. Maybe more."
"A million?"
"Healthy, natural organs from an 18-year-old? That's corpo exec heaven. And trust me, some of those bastards would drain you dry without blinking."
Leo's skin crawled.
"But, hey," Vik continued, his expression softening. "You came to the right place. I'm not about to rip you apart for a payday."
"Thanks… I think."
"Just keep your head down. Don't go bragging about your perfect lungs."
Leo nodded stiffly.
"Alright, let's get started. I'll install the neural link, terminal, and biomonitor first. You'll be under full anesthesia. Then I'll swap out your eyes. Quick and clean."
"Wait, wait." Leo held up a hand. "Can I… not wake up for the eye part?"
"You don't want to be conscious for the removal?"
"Not really keen on the whole 'watch my own eyeballs get popped out' experience."
Vik chuckled. "Fair enough. I'll keep you under until everything's done."
"Thanks."
"No problem, kid."
Leo took a deep breath, steeling himself.
"Alright. Let's do this."
Vik motioned toward the operating chair.
"Buckle up. Next stop—the future."
---
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