Ventura Street.
V and her crew had come here to meet the fixer known by the nickname "Padre"—Sebastian Ibarra.
The meeting location was set at a nearby basketball court, deep within Valentino gang territory. It was a place that often hosted illegal underground fights—brutal matches where fists did the talking and blood spilled freely.
When V and her group arrived, a match was already underway. Two young Valentinos were slugging it out in the center of the court, exchanging bone-crunching blows. The crowd surrounding them roared with each heavy punch, erupting in alternating waves of cheers and jeers, creating an almost ritualistic atmosphere of raw violence.
Padre's bodyguard was already waiting near the court.
As soon as he saw V and Yogan carrying something heavy between them, the bodyguard stepped forward and lowered his voice, asking discreetly, "Valerie Virginia and Yogan?"
"That's us," V confirmed.
"Come with me. Padre is already waiting for you upstairs. And you—Vina Violet—your client left you a message."
Without hesitation, the group followed the bodyguard into a building just behind the court. A set of stairs led them to the second floor, where another guard opened the door to Padre's office.
Inside, the noise of the match was barely audible. The soundproofing was top-tier, muffling the rowdy crowd into a distant murmur. The office décor reflected the flair and pride of the Valentino gang—colorful murals, golden religious icons, and plush crimson furnishings. Padre sat behind his desk, watching as the group entered.
"Virginia, my child," he greeted warmly. "Please tell me you've brought me good news."
"The goods are here, Padre," she replied. "We had some trouble on the way, but the cargo is intact."
Padre nodded approvingly. "Place the crate on the desk."
With some effort, V and Yogan hoisted the container onto the desk. The bodyguard immediately stepped forward to inspect it for damage.
He opened the crate carefully. As the lid lifted, a soft mist of white vapor escaped, coiling in the air before fading into nothingness. As the fog dispersed, the contents of the crate were revealed.
"Are those… horned frogs?" Vina asked, squinting uncertainly.
Padre smiled.
"Indeed. Horned frogs. A species on the brink of extinction. I must say, Miss Violet, your knowledge impresses me."
"Thank you," she replied, a little surprised. "I didn't expect the shipment to contain living creatures like these."
"It's not uncommon. Some wealthy collectors are obsessed with exotic animals as pets. These twenty horned frogs are worth a small fortune."
The bodyguard double-checked the temperature inside the insulated crate with a thermometer.
"Ten degrees Celsius, Padre. Everything's in order."
Padre gave a subtle nod. The guard closed the crate and carried it away.
"This deal went smoothly," Padre said. "I'll wire the payment to your accounts now. Ah, and Miss Violet—this job is related to your family. Everything you're looking for is stored on this chip."
Vina reached out and took the chip, tucking it into her coat pocket.
"Well then, everyone," Padre continued, standing slightly, "I'm sure you've got other business to attend to. It's been a pleasure—until next time."
—
Back in the car, V turned to Vina. "Hop in. Where do you need to go? I can give you a ride."
Vina paused for a moment, hesitating, then nodded. "Thanks. Actually… it's my first time in Night City. I don't really know where I should go yet. If you don't mind, could I use the terminal in your car? I'd like to see what's on the chip."
"That's personal data," V said, a bit cautious. "Why not use your own interface pod?"
"I don't have one," Vina admitted.
V blinked and glanced over at Yogan.
Vina continued, "In my family, all funds were centrally managed by the patriarch. Interface pods aren't cheap, and we had to prioritize cyberware for actual fieldwork—like gorilla arms or rangefinder eyes."
"Fair enough," V replied after a pause. "Go ahead."
"Thanks."
Vina leaned forward and plugged the chip Padre had given her into the console. A tired, weathered man appeared in the holographic projection—a man whose eyes told of regret, weariness, and deep sorrow.
"I saw your message, Vina," he began, his voice rough but sincere. "I'm sorry the family couldn't protect you from that damn corp. I'm sorry we couldn't do more, that we left you no choice but self-imposed exile.
"No one blames you. In fact… if I had been there, I would've done the same—put a bullet in that corpo bastard's head without hesitation.
"But it's too late for regrets now. I know your mind's made up.
"The only thing we could do for you was arrange this delivery job. I've negotiated with a fixer in Night City—it should pay well enough for you to start over.
"I'm sorry, Vina. We'll all remember you. If the day ever comes when you want to come home… the family will always have a place for you."
The recording ended. Vina pulled down the bandana that had covered her face the whole time and wiped the tears from her eyes.
V muttered under her breath, "Fucking corps… always ruining lives."
Then she asked Vina, "So… what do you plan to do next?"
"I don't know," Vina said honestly. "Maybe take another transport gig. Maybe do a few street jobs…"
"Why don't you roll with me?" V offered. "My last partner had to quit for health reasons. We could watch each other's backs."
"Hey now, sis," Yogan chimed in. "You kicked me out of the crew and you're already recruiting someone new?"
V shot him a look. "I wanted to keep you. But look at you now. Every time you activate your implants, you start twitching like a 'Glitz' addict."
"Old Vik said I'm fine as long as I don't use that specific implant."
"He also said you'd better stop getting new ones, remember? You clearly didn't listen."
V ignored Yogan's protests and turned back to Vina.
"Don't mind him," she said. "In Night City, mercs usually pick a handle. Mine's V. What about you? Got anything in mind?"
"I… I'm not really good at naming stuff," Vina admitted. "Maybe you could help?"
Yogan scratched his chin. "Vina Violet… your initials are also 'V'. Why not just go by 'V' too? Don't look at me like that, sis. There's already a V in town—why not form your own little 'V for Vendetta' squad?"
Vina's eyes lit up. "You've read V for Vendetta too? I found it in a book once!"
Yogan grinned in surprise. "Of course I have. Classic."