"Gentlemen, we have given the command level enough opportunities to behave properly.", your voice echoed in the heads of Kurt's unit, six men squatting in one of the armoured vehicles, waiting for their certain death.

You yourself had taken up position on one of the buildings that had been left in a dilapidated state by the war. Wind brushed through your hair.

This time the leather straps of your equipment didn't bob, for with them two rows of ammunition and grenades had been attached to you. Enough to wipe out a large squad. Not enough to destroy armour.

Kurt and you had worked out a plan. He had insisted that all the men now in the vehicle with him would follow his command without any ifs or buts. Even if that meant turning them into traitors.

With extreme precision, you tracked the cargo ship, which was still flying slowly across the sky. Militech had been clever, because the outside bore no logo and had no official registrations.

That was probably why Arasaka had not yet shot it out of the air. In the event that it was a civilian ship, they could be sued under international commercial law. And even a corporation like Arasaka didn't want to risk a lawsuit like that.

You, on the other hand, were sure that this ship was stuffed with everything a war could desire.

As planned, Kurt's unit would take the ship off course and drive it deeper into Pacifica, then pluck it out of the sky. The battle on the main road was a perfect distraction for this and such a small unit would not be quickly missed. Especially not as they had been lucky enough not to have to head straight for the tanks.

"Yuri, are you standing yet?", you asked.

A hum answered. You still weren't convinced of this man's loyalty, but it would be enough to bring down a bridge.

There were two of them on the road between the Militech front and the NUSA. Arasaka stayed mostly on the outskirts of Night City. They had no great interest in a further escalation and were only interested in protecting the independent metropolis.

You laughed at the thought that Myers had been so arrogant as to think she could tame this masterless beast for the NUSA.

"We'll blow up the first bridge as soon as the tank is under it.", you explained. "Yuri will take over the overview. Colonel Hansen and I will take care of the ship."

With that, you ended the secure call and jumped off the roof into the shadows of the abandoned buildings. Cold concrete sent a recoil through your bones. Metal joints and cyberware absorbed the impact, letting you run on smoothly, through a dark passage and up two flights of stairs.

Dust swirled up with every step. Holding your breath, you analysed the surroundings. A few blocks had been declared a neutral zone since the war. No troops were allowed to be stationed between or within them, otherwise it was considered an attack on neutrality. Both sides had honoured this unspoken agreement.

Until now.

A warning appeared in the corner of your field of vision. You stopped immediately, jumped to the side and took cover behind a half-finished wall.

Voices reached your ears. Implants tightened to create better sound quality. The goods are on their way, a man's voice rang out. One's algorithm picked up the voice and copied it as a backup.

Red chased the (E/C) from your eyes as you glanced around the room to analyse. Two soldiers stood at the edge of the building, directly in front of a wall that had never been fitted with a window, watching the cargo ship.

Their equipment bore no logo, but the rifles they had strapped on were part of the Militech corporation's standard armoury. Clever not to make them look like soldiers. In case of doubt, one could argue that the weapons had been stolen. So no violation of the neutral zone.

Suddenly an explosion sounded in the distance. The impact was so strong that you could feel the vibration in your feet.

"First bridge destroyed.", Yuri announced over a phone call.

Satisfied, you nodded.

"Status?", you whispered.

"One tank buried. Second can't find a way round."

"They have to turn round.", Kurt added.

That bought you at least half an hour, maybe more if the roads gave way under the weight of the tank and they got stuck

"Then we'll take care of the ship now.", you decided, turning your gaze to the soldiers.

A window opened before your inner eyes, numbers and letters following by. Six algorithm switched on.

The head of one of the soldiers twitched briefly. Then they both jerked their heads back, gasping and screaming, as sparks shot out of every joint of their cyberware. Smoke enveloped their eyes, billowing in clouds from mouths and noses.

Vaporised, they fell to the ground. All that remained was the smell of burnt cables and charred flesh. Light-footed, you dared to approach them, placed a continuous loop with the copied voice and scurried on.

Of course, you don't leave ammunition and weapons lying around. It would be a kind distraction when Militech found her soldiers killed with their own weapons.

Hastily, you jumped down a flight of stairs, onto the ledge of a window and down to the canopy of the building opposite. The quiet beat of your own heart echoed in your ears.

Your stats appeared in the corner of your eye. All stable, no warnings.

You climbed through another window. Shadows surrounded you. You welcomed them, nestled into them and melted into them.

Unnoticed, you sneak past a troop of three soldiers patrolling the borders between Militech territory and the neutral zone. You let them live. It would be better to leave no trace so close to enemy territory.

Silent as death, you set up the back door. Rubbish piled up in bins up to the streetlights. Walls were covered in graffiti. It stank like hell.

You took a quick look at the sky. Not far away, the cargo ship flew close to Pacifica's unfinished stadium. As soon as it had passed this point, it was in Militech territory. Then there would be no way to reach it without immense risk.

You hastily scurried through the rubbish to another building and disappeared into the shadows.

"We should hurry.", Kurt's rough voice suddenly sounded next to you.

Your gaze jumped to him, fingers splayed, tense.

"We got what it takes?", you asked.

He tapped the clunky metal funnel he was carrying on his back.

"Air defence missile. But only one."

"Better make it count them."