V shrugged, turned, and walked to the bar in the office lounge. She made two cups of coffee, handed one to Harry, and thanked him before heading towards Jenkins' office.
"Good morning, Officer Jenkins." After walking through the corridor, waiting for a brief scan and permission to enter, V stepped into the office and greeted him.
Behind the desk sat Arthur Jenkins, a clean-shaven, physically imposing man with a somewhat sinister gleam in his eyes.
"Sit down," he said, barely glancing at V as he gestured her toward a chair, continuing to work on something at his desk.
V hesitated, thinking about how to start the conversation, but Jenkins broke the silence first.
"Your transfer paperwork will take a few more days to process. Within a week, your formal employee benefits will kick in. Anything else? If not, get back to work. I've sent you the files. Handle them and work hard."
The sudden flood of information stunned V. At only 20 years old in 2074, she had recently joined Arasaka Corporation and was still adjusting to the pace.
"No, sir. I'll head back now." After a brief pause, V took a deep breath and stood up. There wasn't much to say—what mattered was her performance.
"Good." Jenkins dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
He had taken a liking to V's potential. Her performance during her observation period had been solid, her background check came back clean, and her personality analysis in the personnel files indicated she was a good fit. This was why Jenkins had called her in. But if V wanted to climb further up the ladder, she would need to push herself harder.
The ding of the office doors opening echoed behind her.
"How did it go?" Harry was waiting by the door and waved enthusiastically as soon as he saw V emerge.
"Not bad. Got the green light. Just need to work hard, and I'll be officially transferred within a week."
"Damn, that's awesome! Congrats!" Harry rubbed his hands excitedly, as if he'd been promoted himself.
"Thanks, Harry." V couldn't help but smile. In a corporate jungle like Arasaka, genuine people like Harry were rare. "Got a mission now, so I've got to go." She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before heading toward her workstation.
---
Arasaka Corporate Files: Confidential
Subject: South America Investigation Team
Back at her desk, V logged into her terminal. Excitement coursed through her as she opened the file Jenkins had sent. The title on the cover page read:
Arasaka South America Investigation Team
Rio de Janeiro Incident
She raised an eyebrow. This ought to be interesting.
The file detailed her assignment and included some additional confidential documents, one of which was labeled with her employee information:
---
Action File (Confidential Agreement)
Affiliation: Arasaka Corporation
Employee ID: NC760404
Name: Vera Adelheide Russell
Department: Security Division
Occupation: Combat Commander/Technician
Trauma Team Platinum Member
Quantum Enlightenment Rehabilitation Center Member
Superiors: Takayama Shintaro (Director, Arasaka Tokyo HQ Security) / Michiko Arasaka (CEO, Arasaka USA, Board Member)
Duties:
Provide security services and training for corporate personnel
Conduct and support military operations, asset defense, and armed conflict resolution
Concurrent Researcher in Biotechnology with a personal lab under Arasaka's jurisdiction
Background:
Born April 4, 2054
Joined Arasaka in 2073 after graduating top of her class at Arasaka Tower Academy in Night City
Concurrently employed as a biotechnology researcher due to talent and interest in the field
---
No wonder this Vera Adelheide had been promoted so quickly. Talent, yes, but background—that was the real key. Born into a family of high-ranking Arasaka employees, her rise seemed inevitable.
For V, this assignment was likely just a formality—a routine counterintelligence check. Most of these operations were reviewed by the counterintelligence department and were more about checking boxes than thorough analysis. Being assigned this kind of job meant Jenkins had faith in her potential.
---
Night City International Airport
Evening
Surrounded by Squad 6 of her special rapid response unit, Vera stepped off the Arasaka corporate jet, a briefcase in hand. She stood for a moment, taking in the neon-lit city of sin and wealth before her.
"Good evening, Night City," she whispered, her gaze lingering on the Black Tower rising in the distance.
---
Chapter 003: A Wonderful Start
Westbrook, Night City
Corporate Community, Russell Family Apartment
At daybreak, Vera woke up in her apartment, groaning as she sat up in bed.
"Not even a day off… what a bunch of bloodsuckers," she muttered, rubbing her tired eyes. Shutting off her health monitor manually, she headed to the washroom, where the lights activated as she entered.
After splashing cold water on her face, Vera studied herself in the mirror. Her face was a striking blend of Eastern and Western features, her hair a pale silver-gold, and her eyes an indigo shade, laced with subtle cyberware enhancements. It was a look carefully cultivated to fit Arasaka's militaristic aesthetic—one that radiated both elegance and control.
Vera sighed. In the Cyberpunk world of 2074, appearance was just another tool in a megacorp's arsenal.
Though she hadn't invested much thought in her looks recently, Vera knew this face helped her navigate the treacherous corporate environment. Her family legacy had secured her position as much as her own efforts.
Her father, Fred Russell, a high-ranking official in Arasaka's North American Security Division, had left her with connections, assets, and a clear path through the company's internal hierarchy.