A/note: Pronunciation for Mateo is (Maa-tey-oh.)  And Happy Holidays everyone! Do enjoy the double update!)

A soft breeze combed it's hands through my hair gently. Flashing blue and red lights met my gaze at the front gate, of the factory. Anthony stood there, comfortably leaning against the hood of a Militech truck. 

"Hands up!" A Militech solider barked. He was protected head to toe in armor that can deflect bullets.

"Easy, guns down." I suggested calmly. I slowly put up my hands in surrender.

"I'd like a word with them." Anthony suggested to his men. I gave him a brief nod and followed over to him.

"Heard things didn't go as well. But if you would of worked with Stout, I'd be dead right now. I was wrong about you. I might of not intended it, but you saved my life. Now I'm saving yours by letting you two go, consider us even." Anthony said with pride.

I chuckled lightly "Gotta admit I didn't expect to see you here." I replied, sheepishly. I didn't expect to see Anthony alive, even after Stout tortured him over the phone.

"You were followed...I suspect you already knew that? Stout's people were on your tail, Ronin. And my people were on theirs. In the end she lost her nerve. Thinking you had a relationship with them, further than being gang members." My nose scrunched when he finished his sentence. I'd never sleep with someone I didn't know in order to get Intel, that may be a way other women or men achieve info, but not me. 

"Nah, Ronin wouldn't do that." Jackie piped up. 

Anthony continued to pace.

"Well that was Stout's words, not mine. But she ended up hitting the big, red button prematurely." Anthony replied with confidence.

My eyes continued to trace over all the people here on his team. I counted the total of fifteen men and women here.

"Classic... When you don't know what to, why not order an all-out assault on a food factory." I joked sarcastically.

"Mhm, that pretty much that sums it up. I made sure everything she did to me, blew up in her face. We all have our secrets, Ronin. And sometimes it bites us back in the ass." I furrowed my brows, I didn't know what Anthony meant. Why did he bring this up on our discussion

"What?" I questioned in confusion. Anthony motioned me to come closer to him. I didn't see where this was going, but curiosity made me forget the danger on listening to someone.

"Both trust and secrets ruin everything. Stout was right about one thing, I am the mole, but I saved her from killing Maestrom. You took the right side, Ronin." He patted me on the shoulder and left me to my thoughts.

"Trust and secrets... Hell, everyone's got skeletons in their closet." I grumbled under my breath. I turned my gaze over my shoulder and watched Anthony slowly limped over to the gate, of the of factory.

I didn't know what to feel at this moment. I couldn't feel anything, my mind raced through different thoughts on what he meant. I wasn't sure what I did was a positive aspect or a negative one.

"Yo, Ronin?! You know where Royce is? I need to talk to Maestrom and see if they can shed some light on who this mole may be." Anthony hollered. He gave me a wink to trust where this was going. If I would of spilled he was the mole, I'd be dead. But he did do me a favor by letting me go.

"I think there's been change in management, Anthony. Make sure to talk to their lovely receptionist, she's a real charmer!" I encouraged him with a fake smile and thumbs up.

Jackie's eyebrow raised, and a smirk lifted from the corner of his lip.

"It's been a pleasure, Ronin." Anthony does a dramatic bow. 

Jackie and I exchanged looks, while Anthony turned his heel towards the factory with his men.

A bubbly feeling rose up from my chest, I couldn't contain holding back the urge. Jackie and I lost it, both of us nearly crying in laughter.

"She? Imagine what Anthony's expression is going to be when he finds out Maestrom's receptionist is a man and one that is mouthy. Ch-harming?! Hahaha!" Jackie wheezed from the laughter. 

I held my gut from the laughter, "Poor Dum-Dum, didn't mean to impersonate his appearance and behavior by words. Oh well." the laughter slowly started to fade after I answered.

Jackie gently set down the package and leaned against the gate.

"Holy shit, Ronny. I didn't think we were going to walk out in one piece." Jackie admitted.

"We're done. What now?" I questioned in curiosity.

"Aw, I had enough for one day, lemme tell you. Let Dex know we got his toy for him. Fatso oughta crack open a bottle for us, after all we did for him." Jackie replied with a bright smile. He followed over to his motorbike, while I dialed up Dex.

In seconds he picked up, "How are things going, miss Silverjynx?" 

"Got the bot." I replied simply, knowing Dex wanted the point first.

"And how did it go? Run into trouble? And what about the Militech angle?" Dex questioned with a curious voice, listing all the questions that went through his mind.

"Sure. Of course we ran into trouble. Royce wouldn't give two shits that Brick and you shook on it." I replied, simply stating a brief summery.

"How the hell did you get him on board? Did you use the Corpo woman?" Dex interrogated me.

I swallowed thickly, "Met Stout. Managed to snag a deal."

"Well, well." Dexter said with amazement.

"She gave me a chip, with a scratch for Maestrom. I warned Royce. We made the deal." I finished with a sigh of relief.

"Well you have some real lady nuts there, not literally, but I'm impressed." Dexter admitted with confidence. Unnoticeable I smiled sweetly.

"What about the meet with Evelyn Parker?" Dex checked up with me.

"Still on the to-do list." I gave an exhausted sigh.

"Mhm, that means your only chance to grab that chip. Parker'll be waitin' at Lizzie's bar, good luck, miss Ronin." Dexter finished, and cut the call short. Jackie decided to call it a day and go see Misty. We needed the money, so I didn't contribute to giving up the misson. I climbed into the Quadra and started it up, knowing I had to get to Lizzie's. 

I continued down the road to Lizzie's. Lizzie's parking lot was filled, neon signs caught my attention. Two women greeted me at the front door, one held a wooden baseball bat, her shirt was half torn, clearly showing some cleavage. "Hey, doll-face, you new?" She questioned. I sighed deeply, I hated that name.

"Not really." I replied firmly.

"Alright, rules are rules, no filming, no touching the guest, dancers, or the staff. And if someone harrasses you please come get one of the nearest bouncers. And most importantly don't get anyone involve with your business." She explained to me, strictly.

The women crossed her arms and puffed out her chest. "Any weapon's on you besides that bread knife on your belt?" she questioned strictly.

I shook my head, "The blade stays with me."

She stood there, with an unreadable expression.

"Alright, you look harmless. But if I catch a whiff from my team, that you're using that blade, there'll be hell to pay."

"Clear." she added. The women with the wooden bat stepped aside. My jaw nearly dropped, mentally. The lady at the front probably doesn't get paid enough to do this shit every night, from Nine in the night to two in the morning.

Harmless?

Did I really give her that impression?

She motioned me into the club. The club was dimly lit with blue and magenta lights. A fancy, wooden red oak bar, in the corner of the room. Behind the classy bartender was glass shelves of expensive drinks. I past by several booths, people gambled at their own little booths. There wasn't even enough light to begin with. That's what made this place dangerous, you wouldn't know if the man or women that passed you had a small needle concealed under their sleeve. Full of drugs of course, being vigilante with your drink and always walking in two was always suggested.

But I wasn't alone, I had ebony and ivory in their holsters, not to mention this bad boy, thirsty for a little bit of action. I stared at the sword and stopped in my tracks. My gaze traced around the massive dance floor, and over to a bar. I slid onto a stool at the bar. 

The bartender had a clean shaved face, dark brown hair, almost a black. He wore a Hawaiian shirt that was blue, decorated with palm trees, with a couple buttons undone. Revealing a very lean and muscular chest. His silver eyes dusted over to me, a new customer, he's never met, nor seen.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Can I get you something?" he offered with a charming smile. He focused gently on polishing up a wine glass.

"Lookin' for Evelyn Parker. Do you know if she's here?" I questioned.

"Who's asking?" the Bartender raised an eyebrow. I knew he was being protective over Evelyn, but this wasn't the best time for games.

"A big tipper, a generous one. Generous only when I get the answer's I'm lookin' for." I tossed a smart ass answer. 

The Bartender sighs deeply "Appreciate the gesture, truely. But, afraid I don't get paid to talk, opposite, actually."

"It's alright Mateo, I've been looking for this one." A sweet voice interrupted Mateo and I.

My eyes shifted to where the alluring voice came from. It came from a women with short, blue hair. She sat one stool away from me, on my left. The women I assume must be Evelyn. She wore a silver, short, above knees, sparkly dress, along with a long, black, faux leather jacket, with blue and mixed pink fur.

"I knew it was you, when you walked in." Evelyn admits. Mateo poured us both a drink.

I took the drink and inhaled a small bit back. "Centizon, only tequila I drink. Hm, how did you know?" I questioned, curiously.

Evelyn gives a sly smirk, while she taps her glass, "I like to know everything about the people I work with." Evelyn answers. A pit formed in my stomach and my smile faded. I wasn't sure if I heard that correctly. Everything? Even where I live?

 I hope not...

"Either that or it was a lucky guess." Evelyn corrected herself. She turned her gaze back to her glass and took a small sip.

"Why did we meet here? Any particular reason?" I interrogated her. 

"Actually, this place doesn't seem like your thing." I added. Evelyn's eyes stared into my soul for a moment.

She smiled sweetly like if she was covering something.

She rolled her eyes playfully, "I'll take that as a compliment." Evelyn purred. For a moment, I started to zone out. I felt eyes burning a hole into the back of my shirt. I turned my head, slowly.

A women sat in the corner of the room, a small, empty booth. Azure eyes locked on mine. She didn't blink. I couldn't read her expression. Her eyes were cold and mysterious. The women took a sip of her drink. She placed her handgun on the table, giving me the hint she wasn't my enemy.

The mysterious women had darker skin, and dark black hair, with dark blue highlights, that glowed.

"Scarlett Riddle. Strongest gang leader of all of Night City. Third legend of Night City, right next to the Emperor Saburo Arosaka, and Adam Smasher. Didn't expect her to show up in a place like this..." Evelyn mumbled the last part, as if she was afraid Scarlett would do here or if she was listening. But she was too far of a distance to know.

"We'll be in the lounge, Mateo. If anyone asks, we're not here." Evelyn addressed, taking note Scarlett was here, and my comfort levels were getting crushed into the ground.

I passed by the legend herself, I gave her a small nod as a greeting, even when she didn't take her eyes off of me. She gave a small nod, then her focus went back to her drink.

I followed Evelyn to a dimly lit, neon, hallway. Where some couples flirted with each other, I kept my eyes away from their business, disgusted at the fact they would chose a hall to make out.

We came across two automatic doors, the room was small, and had a small booth. It showed a hologram of a dancer in the background, thankfully she had cloths on. If Evelyn thinks this makes me more comfortable, she's wrong. I took a seat at the edge of the booth's horse-shoe couch.

We were in a room that was small and had one exit out.

If this was a trap, I was probably lured by a hen. Just like the Russian saying, lure the wolf with a hen. I hope Evelyn was willing to cooperate, otherwise I'll show her my fangs.