Chapter 5

For the next few days, I stayed true to my word and did not go to Matapang Coffee at all. The day before the body disposal job came around Kana brought Katy over after work.

“Hey Katy, Haven’t seen you in awhile.” I said.

“Well you stopped coming to the coffee shop all together, when else was I going to see you?”

“True, true.” I nodded.

“We’re having a girls night. Katy needed a night away from her mom.” Kana said as she sat on the couch.

“Well, you’re welcome anytime.” I said

“Thanks.” Katy smiled as she sat next to Kana.

“So tell me what’s going on.” Kana said and placed her hands on Katy’s lap.

“Okay,” Katy said with a deep breath. “My mom stayed clean for a few days after the rehab but now she’s back on drugs again.”

“Fuck, I’m so sorry.” Kana said and hugged her friend.

“She’s been using Glitter again?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Fuck. That’s bad.” I sat next to her.

“It’s just, she was doing so well. She was going to meetings. She was starting to talk about other things than her addiction. But now it’s back to the same thing. All she does is take Glitter and sleep, but the drug is killing her. She barely has any motivation to do anything but drugs. She doesn’t eat, practically shits herself to avoid leaving bed sometimes. Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten her that money. I thought it would have given her the motivation to quit.”

“It’s not your fault. Glitter is a hell of a drug. Your mom is going to need a lot more help.” Kana said.

“I know. It’s just so hard and so expensive. Even with these added tips I can barely’ afford to send her in again.”

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.”

“I just feel like giving up sometimes.” Katy started to cry.

“No.” Kana hugged her. “It’s not time to give up yet. You just need to hold on a little longer.”

“What’s the point?” Katy cried.

“There’s a reason you’re helping your mom.” I said. “And no matter what happens, you need to find the strength to continue.”

“It’s just, sometimes I want to give up. I feel like I’m doing everything I can but nothing is working.”

“I know, but you’re not alone. Me and Cell are here to help.” Kana comforted her.

“We are.” I confirmed.

“Thanks.” Katy said and wiped her tears. “I think I’m just going to head home instead. It’s been a long day and I need to check on my mom.”

“But you just got here.” Kana said.

“It’s okay. Maybe we can have a sleep over soon.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Kana smiled.

Katy got up and left our apartment as she dried tears off her face.

“Poor Katy. She’s just so stressed.”

“She has every right to be. Glitter is a tough drug to beat.”

“Yeah.” Kana agreed.

“Maybe I can get her some more eddies.”

“Cell, don’t.”

“Why not? I’ve got plenty of eddies.”

“But, if you spend it all, you might not be able to buy food or pay rent.”

“I wouldn’t give her all of it.”

“Still, I wouldn’t do it. She wouldn’t accept it either.”

“Alright, but what can we do to help?”

“We can only be there for her. That’s all.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“It is.” Kana nodded.

It was finally the day of the gig. Kana and I were dressed and ready to go.

“It’s pretty simple. All we need to do is break into the crematory, dump the body, and get out.” I said as we made our way through the streets.

“I know.” Kana said.

“Okay, Sorry. I just don’t want to mess it up.”

“Don’t worry, it will be fine. I’ll make sure to have your back.”

“Thanks, Partner.”

We walked towards the crematory and noticed a van parked out front.

“Do you think anyone is inside?” Kana asked.

“Let’s take a look.”

I slowly approached the window and looked inside. I saw a man sitting in a chair in the middle of the room.

“Fuck, theres someone inside.” I whispered.

“Do we go in anyways?”

“Yeah, we have to.”

Kana and I snuck around the side and found a door into the building.

“We have to knock that guy out.” I said.

“Okay.”

“Are you ready?”

“I am.” Kana nodded

“On three. One, Two. Three.”

I turned the knob slowly and we snuck inside. I guess we weren’t quiet enough because the man turned around immediately.

“Hey, Who are you two?” The man asked.

“Shit!” I yelled.

“Get him!” Kana said.

The man was slow to get up. His knees were weak and he was hunched over. He had a gun in his hand and raised it at me.

Kana ran at him from the side. He shot at me but his frail hand movements were easy to track and he missed. Kana jumped at him and knocked the gun out of his hand. I grabbed the gun and knocked him over the back of the head with it.

“Fuck.” The man moaned as he lay on the ground.

“He’s still awake.” Kana said.

I hit him again and his body went limp.

“Damn kids.” He mumbled as he passed out.

“Is he dead?” Kana asked.

“No, He’s breathing.”

“Good. Now we have to grab the body.”

We left the crematory and walked around the corner to the alley where the gig originally told us to go.

“Look.” Kana said and pointed at a leg sticking out from behind a dumpster.

“That must be it.” I said as we got closer.

Once we walked around the dumpster we could fully see the body.

“Oh my god.” Kana said and covered her mouth.

It was Katy. Her eyes were still open and had a look of horror. One of her legs was cut off which left a pool of blood under her. Her clothes had been ripped open and her naked body was covered with cum and piss. There were several tally marks made with blood above her pussy.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” I muttered.

“No. Please.” Kana said as she bent down to her friend.

“Kana, we have to finish the gig.” I said as I grabbed her shoulder.

“No! We have to save her!”

“She’s dead, Kana.”

“No! We can take her to a ripperdoc.”

“No, we can’t. She’s gone.”

“No she’s not.” Kana cried.

“Please, Kana.” I said softly.

“Okay.” Kana sobbed.

I put Katy’s detached leg on top of her body. I took off my coat and covered her up. I picked her up off the ground and held her close.

“Let’s go.” I said softly.

We made our way back to the crematory and dumped Katy’s body in the fire.

“This isn’t fair.” Kana cried as we watched our friend burn to ash.

“I know.” I hugged her.

“She was a good person.”

“I know.”

“She didn’t deserve this.”

“I know.”

“She just wanted to help her mom.”

“I know.”

“Why did this happen to her?”

“I don’t know.”

We stood there until Katy’s body was gone.

“We have to go.” I said as I gently pushed Kana’s shoulders.

“Okay.” She whispered.

We walked out of the crematory and didn’t speak. Kana cried the whole walk home. I wanted to cry, but no tears came out. When we got home I put my coat in the washer. Kana lay down in bed and curled into a ball.

“I’m going to have a shower.” I said.

Kana didn’t respond.

I was standing in the shower, staring at the water hitting the tile. My eyes were fixated on the droplets. My tear ducts opened up and I finally let my pain out.

I couldn’t believe what happened. The world didn’t feel real. Just a few weeks ago she was my girlfriend. Not a real girlfriend but she did go the extra mile to make me happy. Even after it ended her and my best friend became friends and colleagues. We were all a group of friends that were trying to survive in the city. But she was gone. She was killed.

The worst part is that we knew the people who did it. The Tyger Claws. They marked her pussy with blood tally marks, it was a signature that they left all the time. They took turns fucking her mutilated body and left her in a filthy ally to die.

I couldn’t cry anymore. I had no more tears. I left the shower and got into bed with Kana.

“I just saw her at work today.” Kana said quietly, still turned away from me.

I couldn’t find any words to say. I put my hand on her hip to comfort her.

“Can I--” She started to say as she turned around.

“Of course.” I cut her off.

Kana moved against me and we cuddled close. Her body was warm and soft.

“You’re shaking.” Kana said as she made a fist on my chest.

“So are you.” I said as I held her back.

There was nothing left to say. We held each other in silence until we fell asleep. We had both lost a friend.

We woke up the next day and Kana’s eyes were red and swollen. She had been waking up to cry in the middle of the night. It woke me up, but I couldn’t let her know that.

“Are you going to go to work today?” I asked.

“No. I can’t.”

“Okay. Do you want to stay in bed?”

“I guess I’ll call in sick.” Katy said as her eyes lit up.

I got up and took another shower. I had some shit to take care of. I didn’t want to leave Kana alone, but I had no choice.

“I have to go do something. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just going to stay here.”

“Okay. Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

I walked out of the apartment and made my way down the Mega Building.

“Yo.” Hank called out as the elevator opened.

I stayed silent and pressed the button.

“Hey, Choom. What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” I said softly.

“Something bugging you today?” Beth asked.

“I said, nothing!”

“What the fuck is your problem today?” Hank yelled.

“Katy was murdered last night.”

“What?” Beth gasped.

“She was brutally raped and killed. We found her in an alley covered in blood.”

“Holy shit, Choom. I’m so sorry.” Hank said.

The elevator reached the main floor and I exited.

“Fuck. Are you going to be okay?” Hank asked as he followed me out.

“I have shit to do. I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“Well be careful, Choom.” Hank said with a smile.

“Will do.” I nodded and walked away.

I made my way to Jig-Jig Street and saw the same dealer that sold me the Shotgun Shell.

“Hey, remember me?” I said as I approached.

“Sure, what can I help you with?” She smirked.

“Did you know Katy was raped and killed last night?”

“Who the fuck is Katy?”

“She was a 15 year old girl working in this district. The ones that work in the Matapang coffee shop. Ring a bell?”

“Listen man, I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you aren’t buying more drugs, fuck off.” She said and walked away.

Of course, this random drug dealer wouldn’t know anything. My mind was clouded with rage and sadness.

When I entered Wakako’s parlor, I was immediately greeted by Sakura. She was sitting behind the counter and was smiling at me.

“Cell, nice to see you. How are you?”

“Not good. Is your grandmother in?”

“Oh, she is. She’s in the back room.”

“Thanks.” I said and walked past her.

“You don’t seem too okay.” Sakura said.

“It’s none of your concern.” I snapped and kept walking.

I walked through the back hall and found Wakako sitting on her chair looking over papers.

“What brings you here, Cell? And why the sad face.” She said without looking up.

“The body you had me pick up? It was my friend. She was a 15 year old girl that had her life cut short.”

“How was I to know it was someone you knew?” Wakako asked.

“Why the fuck did you have her killed?” I yelled

“Watch the tone, Cell.” Wakako looked up from her paperwork. “If you recall, you were hired for a gig. You are a professional and are to act as such. It was unfortunate what happened, but not my fault. Don’t come here and start pointing fingers.”

“Sorry Ma’am. It’s just that I--”

“The girl stole 50,000 eddies worth of Glitter.”

“What?” I was shocked. “Katy wouldn’t do that.”

“Your friend Katy was caught stealing. That’s not why she was killed. She was killed because she wouldn’t return the product she stole.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. She would never steal from anyone.”

“Well she did. 50,000 eddies worth. If she had given it back, a simple rape could of set her in her place. But not returning it? That requires a harsher punishment.”

“I- I don’t believe you.”

“You should. I don’t make these decisions without having the proper evidence.”

“Where’s the evidence?”

“Here.” Wakako held out a shard.

I plugged the shard into the neural slot and watched a video play. The video showed Katy walking into the warehouse and picking up a box. She was clearly trying to sneak out with it.

“Oh god. No.” I mumbled.

“Now you see. Your friend was a thief.”

“But she didn’t deserve to die. She was only a teenager. She had her whole life ahead of her.”

“That’s the risk you take in Night City. People get killed all the time. Young, old, men, women, doesn’t matter. A thief is a thief. Doesn’t matter if they’re a good friend.”

“Fucking hell Katy.” I said under my breath.

“If you’re really curious, the men gave me a BD to confirm the kill.” Wakako slid another shard onto the desk.

I looked down at it. The thought of seeing Katy’s final moments scared me. I didn’t want to watch it, but maybe it would give me some clue as to the men that did this to her. I picked the BD shard up.

“A brave man.” Wakako said and handed me a BD wreath. “Take a seat.”

I sat down and put the BD wreath on.

Katy was lying in the alley, naked and bleeding. Her leg had been chopped off and her clothes were ripped. The men stood over her, laughing.

“What a slut.” One of them said.

“You shouldn’t have tried to steal from us.” Another laughed.

“Please, just let me go.” Katy pleaded.

“Oh no. You’re not getting out of this that easily.”

“Just let me go!”

“Shut the fuck up you stupid bitch.”

The men took turns raping her. She had no fight left in her. They held her one leg away as they used her body. They were brutal. Some of the guys pissed on her while she was getting fucked.

“God damn I love tight little teen pussy. “ One of them laughed.

“Fuck, I can barely fit my cock in.” Another chuckled.

“Maybe if she hadn’t stolen from us, this wouldn’t be happening. But god damn am I happy it is...”

“No, Please.” Katy begged with light breaths.

“Oh you can beg all you want. It’s not going to change anything.”

One of the guys started to piss on her face.

“Fuck this is fun. I wish we could bring her home with us.”

“Yeah but she needs to be here for the clean up crew.”

They continued to take turns. Each one of them would finish by cumming inside her or over her body. After each of them finished they pushed a finger into the hole where her leg had been cut off and put a blood mark over her pussy.

The men were finished with Katy’s body and all left except for the one recording. She was barely alive and had lost a lot of blood. I could see the cum oozing out of her pussy. She had no energy left. the camera operator started to piss on her as she took her final breath.

The BD ended, and I was in tears. Not a single face could be seen, they were all blurred out. Watching her die was a waste of time.

“I know it’s hard to watch.” Wakako said.

“Why did they have to kill her like that? She was just a kid.”

“I know, it’s terrible. But it’s how the world works. She made a mistake and paid the price.”

“I can’t believe she stole 50,000 eddies. That sounds like something she would never do.”

“It doesn’t matter now. It’s done. I’ve paid you for the gig, so our business is finished.” She looked back down at her paperwork.

I got up and walked out of her office. As I was walking past Sakura’s desk, she was getting up.

“That took awhile.” Sakura said.

“We just had to discuss some things.”

“Well I’m going on lunch break if you want to get a bite to eat with me.” She smiled.

“Yeah, sure.” I didn’t have much energy to turn her down.

“Great. I know a nice quiet spot. It’s not far from here.”

“Sounds good.”

Sakura and I walked out of the parlor and out of Jig-Jig Street. We took the stairs in front of us down to the market below.

“So where’s this spot?”

“Over there.” Sakura pointed at a noodle shop.

She led me inside the small restaurant and We sat down to order our food.

“So, I have a question for you.” Sakura said.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Have you ever killed anyone?”

“Yes.” I answered without hesitation.

“Really? You don’t seem like the type.”

“And what type is that?”

“I’m not sure. I mean you’re young, pretty well dressed and well spoken. Not to mention cute.” She blushed.

“Thanks. What made you ask?”

“My grandma doesn’t take just anyone into her business. She must see something in you. I’m just curious.”

“I’m a professional. I do my job and collect my pay.”

“Fair enough.”

Our food came and we started eating.

“So tell me more about yourself.”

“I’ve got no secrets. What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. What are you passionate about?”

“Passionate?” I laughed.

“Yeah. Like, do you have any hobbies? Are you interested in anything? Do you have a girlfriend?”

“No girlfriend.”

“Oh. Well, maybe we could find something to get passionate about together.” Sakura smirked.

“Maybe.” I smirked back.

We finished our meal and Sakura and I walked out of the shop.

“Can I ask you another question?” Sakura said.

“Sure, what is it?”

“Is this a date?”

“It’s whatever you want it to be.” I said nonchalant

“So it’s a date.” She cheered

Sakura was only 13, I was just playing along to make her happy. I didn’t want to upset the granddaughter of Wakako.

“Great.” Sakura smiled and grabbed my hand.

As we walked back to the parlor I got some crazy looks from the gang members around. We talked about simple things and had a nice time. It was refreshing to be able to forget what happened to Katy for a moment.

“It’s been really nice, Cell.” Sakura said as we got back to her work.

“It has. We should hang out again sometime.”

“Definitely.” She giggled

“Later, Sakura.” I smiled and left.

I made my way to the Mega Building and up to our apartment. Kana was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Hey.” She said when she noticed me.

“Hey.” I said back.

“Did you go see Wakako?” she asked.

“I did.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me Katy was a thief. That she stole 50,000 eddies worth of Glitter.”

“What? That doesn’t sound like her.”

“I know. Wakako showed me a video of her stealing the drugs.”

“Did she tell you why she was killed?”

“Wakako said she had to set an example. If Katy had just returned the drugs she would have been punished, but not killed.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would Katy steal drugs in the first place?”

“Maybe she needed them to help her mom?”

“Katy wouldn’t steal anything though. I just can’t believe she would do that.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s gone. There’s nothing we can do.”