An Engineer In Night City

After dealing with the brief excitement from the Scavs, Mark finally reaches the Megabuilding 07 area and is immediately taken aback as he notices the several hostiles on his minimap. Panic assaults him for a moment, then he realizes that no one is attacking him. Checking his Agent, Mark notices that the Megabuilding 07 is currently closed to habitation for unclear motives.

“What a naughty bunch, hiding there. Isn’t that right, Solvy?”

Mark agrees with the silent judgment of Solvernia.

“Oddly enough, the nearest Megabuilding from here is the 04 instead of the 06 thanks to the metro. Alright, let’s take the Red line.”

Mark pays for the ticket and buys an XXL Burrito, surprised at the cheap price. He takes a bite of the food and give it a tentative chew.

“You got to use the sauce.”

Mark blinks, looking at the man who said that. The man’s body was full of cybernetic enhancements, yet he smelt like he hasn’t bathed in days, was missing a couple of teeth, and the top of his head was unevenly bald.

“Sauce?”

“Yeah, yeah, the sauce. Can’t have a burrito without Salsa Verde.”

The unidentified man isn’t looking at Mark, instead he stares ahead, as if he’s remembering a conversation with someone else.

“Here,” Mark breaks the XXL Burrito in half, offering the fresh half to the man, “do you want to share with me? I forgot to pick up the sauce, so this is too big for me to eat dry. My name’s Mark, what’s yours?”

The man doesn’t answer, digging into the offered meal like a starving man. After watching the man demolish the offered meal, Mark resumes to eat his own half.

“Miguel O’Brian, 77th NUSA Green Beret.”

Mark looks at the newly identified homeless veteran in a new light. It would explain the excessive amount of cybernetics on someone that’s out of sorts.

“Do you have somewhere to go, Mr. Miguel?”

The veteran soldier slowly turns to Mark, slowly blinking at Mark.

“Is something wrong?”

“I, I h-haven’t been called by my n-name for a long time.”

At that moment Mark remembers his experience with isolation, and his current predicament. If he can be honest with himself, Mark believes that if Solvernia didn’t travel together with him, he would had lost his mind. Alone in a strange, hostile city that don’t care if you will die or live on the next day. A city where life is cheap.

“I get it, Mr. Miguel. I really do.”

Miguel stares at Mark for a long moment, as if searching something. Eventually, he nods, as if he found it. He stands up and pats Mark on the shoulder. “Good talk, Mark. Good luck out there, and thanks for the meal.”

Miguel walks away, his back a bit straighter, steps a bit surer than before.

“Hey, Miguel!” Mark stands up, calling back the man. The other passengers of the cart look at the pair, wondering why they’re being so loud. Miguel pauses for a moment, looking back at Mark. “I will bring the sauce next time. Sausa Verde, right?”

Miguel returns a gap-toothed grin, before leaving for the next cart. Mark looks around and realizes this is his stop.

As he leaves, Mark wonders if he will ever see Miguel again.