Not Quite Back to the Future

 

Elena awakens to the morning light filtering through the windows of the apartment, she becomes acutely aware of the soreness that permeates her body.

 

Groggily sitting up in bed, Elena surveys her surroundings. Kiroshio’s slowly coming into focus as the slow realization that she is not in her apartment begins to process. She rubs her eyes, attempting to shake off the fatigue, and winces as soreness protests throughout her muscles.  Memories from the previous night slowly flood back into her mind.  A slow but atomic blush overtakes her face. 

 

As Elena questions, "Did that really just happen?" a cat gracefully leaps onto the bed. 

 

“Yes, yes it did… To be honest, I did not need to know that you are a screamer, although Helen was happy enough to make you breakfast before she left for work today,” the cat says, looking at her with an air of nonchalant observation.

 

“Nyx right? Are you a rouge AI?” Elena asks confused looking at the cyborg cat. 

 

"Rogue? No, not quite. I prefer the term 'independently operating.' Let's just say, I have a few upgrades that go beyond your typical feline." Nyx pauses, a playful glint in its mechanical eyes. "And breakfast, i suggest you do down and get it. Helen doesnt make stuff from scratch as it is said too often.” 

 

Elena nods, throwing the blanket off and stepping off the bed onto the soft carpet. Following the railing along to the stairs, she glances over the rail and observes the expansive living room that doubles as a study below. The mid-morning light bathes the room in its glowing warmth. 

 

“How expensive is this apartment?” Elena mutters to herself.

 

“You will find that Miss Wick is not lacking for money. Although she often thought herself a loner before she moved to Night City,” Nyx states, parroting some of the conversations they have had between cat and technically owner.

 

Going down the stairs and making a simple turn to the right, Elena finds herself in the massive kitchen. The scent of cooked eggs and bacon fills the room, along with a small bowl of gravy and freshly cooked biscuits.

 

“Where is Helen?” Elena asks.

 

“She had to go into work,” Nyx states, making a 4-foot leap onto the kitchen table from the floor.

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Helen was deploying in an AV, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she prepared for the mission ahead. Adrenaline was all that was keeping her going at this point, three straight days of fighting will do that to you. Suddenly, the aircraft was violently thrown to the side, shaking uncontrollably as it began to fall out of the sky. Alarms blared, and everything was weightless.

 

The aircraft, struggled and spun as it made its decent. However in the crowded airspace of night city that was just asking for disaster. The AV crashed into a building with a deafening collision. Metal screeched, and sparks flew as it scraped against the structure before it finally plummeted to the ground on its side. The sickening sound of metal snapping and crushing under the G Forces. 

 

Helen sits up off the ground the emergency lights kicking on.

 

“Fuck, we got ambushed.” Helen mutters crawling out of the interior cabin as the crack of a piece of lead flying overhead alerts her to the ambush group.

 

Helen was ducking behind the downed AV transport. Fuckers had an anti-tank rifle. The damn thing punched clear through the aluminum AV and straight through the steel armor around the cabin.

 

Reachoher pistol up over her head she fired over the top of the cover using the street cameras to help her aim.

 

“Glen! you alive over there!?” Helen shouts 

 

The response is nothing but a muted groan.

 

“Tobias!?” Helen shouts next as her “blind fire” actually manages to hit the guy with the M249.

 

“Chance!” Helen shouts as she throws herself out of cover with a roll.

 

To those in the ambush position they were having what wouldn’t necessarily be a bad time but it wasn’t a good time. Those Max tac fuckers just wouldn’t die. 

 

“Stop trying to hit them and hit them Kyle!”

 

“I’ve got a light machine gun! I’ll hit them eventually.” Kyle responds only to immediate take a round to the shoulder knocking to the ground.

 

“Wha!” Is all that could be said before a figure wearing a max tac uniform rolls out from behind cover shooting 7 successive shots.

 

“Fuck” Kyle mutters watching his companions drop the ground a bullet hole square in the forehead.

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Helen trudged wearily into the elevator, people were still after her apparently. It was a bad day to get into a fight over the past 3 days she’d slept a total of two hours, and after the paperwork that she was just required to do she was utterly exhausted. As the elevator continued its ascent, the TV screen in the corner of the small space broadcasted more details about the violent incident. The news anchor's voice conveyed a mix of urgency and concern.

 

“The Max Tac transport, a heavily armored AV, was targeted in what appears to be a coordinated attack. The anti-tank rifle used in the assault penetrated the aircraft, leading to a catastrophic crash. Reports confirm casualties among the Max Tac personnel, including Tobias, whose identity has been disclosed as one of the victims.”

 

The screen displayed chaotic scenes from the aftermath – emergency responders on the scene, wreckage smoldering in the city center, and a Helen was on screen almost like a blur as she killed the ambushing party. 

 

“Damn, they actually managed to kill Tobias… I mean Max Tac is pissed and we still got no clue who it was.” Helen mutters leaning against the door. The soft ping of each passing floor marked her ascent, and the subtle vibrations of the elevator provided a soothing rhythm. Helen let out a deep yawn, and closed her eyes.

 

“I am tired.” Helen mutters to herself barely managing to keep her thoughts together after this weeks clusterfuck. Although last night was almost a dream. Helen thinks with a smirk.

 

The elevator dinged one last time, signaling Helen's arrival on her floor. Although the woman leaning against the elevator door snored lightly and failed to notice the door open. As it slid open, Helen, fell out, hitting the ground and the ground lost as an abrupt thud was heard throughout the apartment. 

 

.”Oh my god! Helen are you okay!” Elena shouts from the living room. 

 

“Ah, I must be dreaming, because I think I see my kitten.” Helen mutters sleepily as her eyes close again.