"David, there’s a Tiger Claw guy right in front of you with a shotgun in his hand. Go break his neck, or you won’t be able to get into their office," Peter’s calm voice came through the comms.

  Peter was monitoring the building’s camera feeds, his sharp eyes scanning every movement of the Tiger Claw gang members. With his heightened perception and tactical brain, he could track everyone’s position simultaneously.

  "Uh… Brother Peter, can’t I just bypass this guy and head straight to their office?" David asked nervously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

  Peter sighed. "Sure, you can do that. Then go home, play it safe, and be a good student. This line of work isn’t for you," he replied coldly.

  David froze. Peter’s words cut deep, but he understood the message. Being a mercenary meant getting your hands dirty. Compassion or hesitation could cost your life. The person begging for mercy one moment might put a bullet in your head the next.

  "No, Brother Peter. I’ll do it," David said, determination replacing his fear. He had no other path. After beating Katsuo Tanaka earlier that day—under the academy’s watchful eye—he was likely expelled. Without Peter, his future would be nothing but a life of petty crime on the streets.

  Clenching his fists, David crept up behind the burly Tiger Claw guard. His heart raced as he prepared to act, but his body hesitated. Could he really kill someone?

  "David, I’ll temporarily disable this guy’s system. He’ll be unresponsive for ten seconds. After that, it’s up to you," Lucy’s voice came through the comms.

  A moment later, the guard collapsed, his body limp on the floor.

  "What are you waiting for? Two seconds have already passed," Peter’s voice urged.

  Snapping out of his daze, David grabbed the guard’s head with both hands and twisted with all his strength. A sickening crack echoed as the guard’s neck snapped. The man stopped breathing instantly.

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  David’s stomach churned. He’d seen plenty of dead bodies in Night City, but killing someone with his own hands was entirely different. A wave of nausea surged through him, but he forced it down.

  "Take his access card, head into the office, find the largest computer, and plug in the chip," Peter instructed.

  David shakily grabbed the yellow access card from the guard’s body and sprinted to the office door. Swiping the card, he entered and located the main computer. He inserted the chip and took a deep breath.

  "Good. Now wait for the progress bar on the screen to fill up, then get out of there," Peter said.

  David slumped into a nearby chair, still grappling with the weight of what he’d just done.

  In the car outside, Jack watched the security feed, a frown on his face. "Peter, don’t you think it’s a bit much to make David kill someone on his first mission?" he asked.

  Peter’s expression remained stern. "Jack, I’m not forcing him. But let’s be real—if we didn’t push him here, do you think he’d survive in this line of work? Killing is unavoidable in our world. If we can’t rely on every member of the team to handle that, then we’ll fall apart the moment things get tough."

  Jack nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, you’re right. I wasn’t thinking about the bigger picture. Sorry, Hermano."

  Peter’s tone softened slightly. "It’s not about being harsh. It’s about survival. Every team member needs to pull their weight. I can’t always be there to cover for everyone. If we keep going like this, it’s only a matter of time before something goes wrong."

  Jack scratched the back of his head, guilt creeping into his expression. "I get it now. We’ve been leaning on you too much, huh?"

  Peter nodded. "Exactly. And that goes for all of you. V, Lucy, you both need to step up too. I can protect you, but I can’t be everywhere at once."

  Lucy and V exchanged glances, both looking uncomfortable. They knew Peter was right. Over the past few weeks, he had saved them more times than they cared to admit. Whether it was V nearly getting shot by someone playing dead or Lucy almost blowing her cover during a hack, Peter had always been there to bail them out.

  "Understood," V said quietly.

  "I’ll do better," Lucy added.

  Peter nodded, satisfied with their responses. "Good. Just remember, you can’t afford to get complacent. Night City doesn’t give second chances."

  Back in the office, David watched the progress bar on the computer slowly tick upward. His hands were still trembling from the kill, but he forced himself to stay focused. The sooner this was over, the sooner he could get out of this nightmare.

  "Chip uploaded. Time to move," Peter’s voice came through the comms.

  David stood, taking a deep breath to steady himself. He retraced his steps, avoiding the cameras and guards as he made his way back to the exit. When he finally stepped out of the building and into the night air, relief washed over him.

  Climbing into the car, David slumped into the seat, exhausted. "It’s done," he said, holding up the empty chip case.

  Peter glanced at him through the rearview mirror, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Not bad, kid. Not bad at all."

  Jack chuckled, clapping David on the back. "Welcome to the team, Hermano. You’ve earned your stripes tonight."

  David managed a weak smile, though his mind was still racing. He had taken his first step into Peter’s world, and there was no turning back now.