How Vic and Hiro Ended Up Sharing a Brain Tapeworm
Part 3: Everything Goes Terribly
Jackie originally asked Hiro first to join him on the Konpeki Plaza heist. Hiro was on board until he mentioned Evelyn and Deshawn. Hiro knew Evelyn from his time at Clouds and disliked her willingness to sell out others, as long as it benefited her, and how badly she treated Judy. Dexter Deshawn also had a fucking terrible reputation. The mission was too good to be true, and it was going to get him and Jackie killed.
He spent ages trying to talk Jackie out of it, or at coming up with a better plan--something about it fucking stunk and Jackie couldn’t seem to see that. Jackie insisted it was fine and that Hiro was being paranoid and they’d all go out for drinks after. They ended up blowing up at each other.
Hiro started flat out yelling at Jackie
“Okay fine. If you wanna go march off and get yourself killed then fucking do it. I’m not gonna help you with that. I’ll make sure Mama Welles doesn’t worry about her favorite son too much.”
“Fine! I’ll get V to sign on instead. She's better back up anyway!”
“Oh great. So you can get her killed too. Two birds with one stone! Got it, since she’d follow you off a fucking cliff if you asked her to.”
V signed up immediately. She trusted Jackie with her life completely. If he needed backup she was there to back him up. She wasn't really interested in being a Night City legend but she was interested in keeping her new clan safe. She didn't think much of it. It seemed a big risk to take on Arasaka but she’d tackled them before doing covert missions for Militech. She could do it again.
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The night of the heist, Hiro was at Vik’s Clinic. Trying to distract himself from worrying about NV/Jackie, he was watching the clinic while Vik went to restock supplies/take a breather. He’d made up his mind that while he was still mad at Jackie, things would be better after the Heist. He’d said they would all be set after it. Maybe it would finally start to calm down. They’d go out for drinks, laugh about him being paranoid, promise to try not to make him worry as much and everything would smooth over eventually. It’d be fine.
A Delamain pulled up in front of the clinic steps and Hiro was confused. Who the fuck had the money for a Delamain around there? The backseat door opened and everything started to crumble apart at his feet.
Hiro crawled into the back of the car and grabbed Jackie's fancy shirt. He looked so strange, slumped over and lifeless. He couldn’t tell if he wanted to rip the suit that looks so very wrong, wrong, wrong off of Jackie or drag him out of the car with it. He had to do something. He had to help. He had to, he had to...call Vik. Vik will know....Vik could take care of Jackie.
Hiro’s hands were shaking so much he could barely dial. Vik was asleep but picked up anyway, annoyed. He got out of bed immediately at the look on Hiro’s face.
“I’ll be right there kid. Don’t....just don’t move, wait for me right there.”
“Fuck Vik, he’s dead, It’s my fault I should have gone with him and...V. Where’s V”
“She wouldn’t leave him Vik! She would never-”
Hiro hangs up and calls V. She doesn't answer. He calls V again, she doesn't answer. He’s still frantically, repeatedly calling when Vik shows up. Vik just grabbed Hiro by the shoulders and sat him down on the concrete steps.
“Hey, hey Hiro I’m here. Now I need you to breathe. Breathe with me. In. Out. In-”
“Misty. Someone has to call Misty. And Mama Welles. Oh god Mama Welles-”
“I’ll take care of that. I’ll take care of them and Jackie. That's my job. You just go downstairs and lay on the couch.”
Hiro’s eyes finally seem to take on some clarity, determined--his breath evened out.
“No. I have to go find V. That's MY job.”
